Global Times - Chinese stores deflect right-wing Japanese mob in Tokyo

Chinese stores deflect right-wing Japanese mob in Tokyo

Source: Global Times
[01:30 January 11 2010]
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By Jiang Feng in Tokyo

Chinese stores in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district Sunday dodged a group of badgering Japanese right-wing extremists, thanks to efforts of local police.

Sunshine Group, the Chinese business center in the area, was attacked by about 30 Japanese right-wing members in September.

This time, four extreme groups made a call on a website for 100 people to join in the protest, but only 40 showed up Sunday. Most were familiar faces.

"They were virtually protesting against anything they could name," Hu Yifei, director of the Society for Promotion of Tokyo China Town, told Global Times reporters.

They scolded Ichiro Ozawa, former chief secretary of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), for his visit to China in December, claiming that such a visit would doom Japan.

They also accused the DPJ of loosening its immigrant policy, saying, "Tokyo is full of Chinese. Japan is going to be occupied by Chinese."

They even questioned Tokyo police's competence in maintaining public security.

However, Tokyo police had earlier informed the 220 stores in Sunshine Group of the plotted harassment and instructed businesses there how to keep cash safe and operate business orderly.

With the help of police and believing their legitimate operation is under legal protection, all Chinese stores stayed open for business as usual during the incident, Hu said.

"Tokyo police did a much better job compared with in September," Sunshine Group President Gu Xinqin told the Global Times. "They deployed mobile units and more than 30 police officers to help. Last time, the number of police was just a handful."

"At first, I thought I could lose 1 million yen ($10,796), but now the loss appears to be less than 30,000 yen ($323)," Gu said. "I think reports of the September incident aroused concerns back in China, which pressured Japanese authorities to pay more attention to Chinese people's interests."

Gao Xiaohui, Yu Miao, Zhang Wen contributed to this story