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Japanese firms close offices in China as islands row escalates
US defence secretary urges restraint as diplomatic dispute over East China Sea islands threatens countries’ close economic tiesJapanese companies have temporarily closed factories and offices in China after a weekend of violent protests sparked by the countries’ competing claims to a group of islands in the East China Sea, as the US warned of a danger of armed conflict and urged both sides to exercise restraint. The closures came after people took to the streets in more than 70 Chinese cities to protest the Japanese government’s purchase last week of the Senkaku islands, known as the Diaoyu in China, from their private Japanese owners.
published date:Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:37:35 GMT