2012 China anti-Japanese demonstrations

The China anti-Japanese demonstrations of 2012 were a series of initially peaceful demonstrations held across major cities in China as well as South Korea during August and September 2012. The main cause of the demonstrations was the escalation of Diaoyu Islands dispute (Diaoyu islands known as Senkaku in Japan) between China and Japan around the time of the anniversary of "September 18 Incident". The protesters in several cities later became violent and the local authorities began arresting demonstrators and banning the demonstrations.

The Senkaku Islands (in Japanese; Diaoyu Islands in Chinese) which officially belongs to Japan, are offshore islands near Taiwan, and have been a subject of territorial dispute between the governments of the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China and Japan. Prior to the demonstrations, there were many cases of protests over the sovereignty of the islands, most notably those in China in 2005. September 18 marks the anniversary of the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria, the memories of which fuel anti-Japanese sentiment in China.

After the 2010 Senkaku boat collision incident, China stopped exporting rare earth to Japan.

On 16 April 2012, Tokyo's prefectural governor Shintaro Ishihara publicly announced his decision to let Tokyo Municipality purchase the island from its private owner.

On 4 July 2012, three Japanese coast guard boats made an official inspection of one Taiwanese ship near the disputed island. After the inspection, Japanese coast guard and Taiwanese coast guard stood face to face.

On 7 July 2012, Japanese prime minister Yoshihiko Noda expresses his consideration for the Japanese government to buy the disputed islands. The Chinese government angrily protested; Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin retorted "No one will ever be permitted to buy and sell China's sacred territory".

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