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September 19, 2010

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Boat protests as sirens wail for Japan's 1931 attack

HUNDREDS of Chinese people gathered outside Japanese diplomatic residences across the country yesterday in protest at Japan's seizure of the captain of a Chinese fishing boat earlier this month as sirens wailed to mark the 79th anniversary of Japan's invasion.

In Beijing, dozens of protestors gathered outside the Japanese embassy, unfurling banners and shouting: "Japan, get out of Diaoyu Islands," "Boycott Japanese goods," "Don't forget national humiliation, don't forget September 18" and other slogans.

During the protest, a man held a cake -- the icing of which formed the image of Diaoyu Islands, China's national flag and the message: "Japan, get out of Diaoyu Islands."

"As a cake maker, I make such a cake to express my patriotism," said the protester surnamed Wu. "I think every Chinese in every industry should take action," he said.

Ten days before the sensitive anniversary, a Chinese fishing boat was seized by the Japanese Coast Guard in waters off Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. A Japanese court later detained the captain of the trawler.

The incident has since triggered Chinese indignation and protests. Though Japan has released the boat and other crew members under mounting pressure from China, the captain is still being held.

In front of the Japanese consulate general in Shanghai, protesters unfurled a banner reading: "Diaoyu Islands are China's. The detention of the boat is illegal. Give the captain back to us." They also shouted slogans like: "Give Diaoyu Islands back to us" and "Chinese people must awake."

Similar protests were also staged outside the Japanese consulate general in Shenyang.

National anthem

Also yesterday, almost 100 people marched through downtown Shenzhen, protesting at Japan's detention of the Chinese boat captain and singing the Chinese national anthem.

Police officers were deployed to maintain order in various cities but no violent incident was reported during the protests.

As part of routine commemorative activities, sirens wailed in many cities yesterday morning.

Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province and where the Japanese army began its assault, was sounding its sirens last night to commemorate the dark day. The sirens began to wail at 9:18pm for three minutes.

TV and radio programs paused during the three minutes and drivers on nine main roads and 18 main streets, to symbolize September 18, stopped their vehicles and sounded their horns.

On that day in 1931, Japanese forces attacked the barracks of Chinese troops in Shenyang, marking the beginning of the Japanese invasion and an occupation that lasted 14 years.

 

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