Two Japanese activists landed on an island at the centre of a bitter dispute with China on Tuesday, the government in Tokyo said, as fresh anti-Japanese protests rocked Chinese cities. Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told reporters that two Japanese landed on Uotsurijima, the largest island of the islands known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the unlawful landing of the two Japanese was a gravely provocative action violating Chinese territorial sovereignty. He urged Japan to halt all actions that exacerbate conflict. Meanwhile, Japan’s Maritime Self Defence Force reported yesterday 11 Chinese ships approaching the disputed islands.

Anti-Japan demonstrations continued Tuesday across China on the  anniversary of Japan's invasion of China 81 years ago. In Shen Yang in northeastern China, thousands of protesters at Japanese consulate protested against the recent purchase of the Japanese government of 3 of the 5 islands in the disputed island chain. In Beijing, thousands of Chinese demonstrated at the Japanese embassy, calling on people to boycott Japanese goods and asking the government to asset its sovereignty over the islands. Police have been deployed in many areas to assure order and security.

Meanwhile, China’s Defence Minister Liang Guanglie told reporters after meeting with his U.S. counterpart, Leon Panetta, that China hopes the dispute with Japan can be resolved peacefully. He said Beijing reserves the right to take "further action" but hopes the resolution will be peaceful. Panetta called both sides for calm and restraint to avoid violence.