Chinese activists arrive in Naha, Okinawa

TOKYO - Five Chinese activists arrested by Japanese police after landing on the Diaoyu Islands in East China Sea arrived in Naha, Okinawa by Japan Coast Guard's boat on Thursday. ?

The five activists denied their landing as "illegal entry of Japan's territory" during inquiry by police, saying "Diaoyu Islands are Chinese territory," according to police.

Okinawa police arrested all 14 Chinese activists on suspicion of "illegal entry" after they arrived at Diaoyu Islands by a Hong Kong fishing vessel on Wednesday to assert China's territorial claim to the islands. ?

China on Wednesday lodged solemn representations with Japan on the latter's illegal detention of Chinese nationals on the Diaoyu Islands.

Fu Ying, China's vice foreign minister, urgently summoned Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa and made a phone call to her Japanese counterpart Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi on the matter.

Fu reiterated China's sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands and the affiliated islets, and demanded the Japanese side guarantee the safety of the Chinese citizens and free them immediately without any conditions.