TOKYO Tensions flared between Japan and its Asian neighbours after a group of Japanese legislators visited a shrine, which is seen by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japans past militarism, and Chinese patrol vessels played cat-and-mouse with a flotilla of Japanese nationalists near disputed islands in the East China Sea on Tuesday.

Beijing protested over the voyage by 10 boats carrying about 80 Japanese activists into waters near the islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China.

"Regarding the Japanese right-wing activists illegal entry into the waters of the Diaoyu islands that is causing trouble, the Chinese foreign ministry has lodged stern representations with Japan, and has strongly protested," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a news conference.

Japan also protested at what it called an intrusion by eight Chinese patrol vessels into its waters near the uninhabited Japanese-controlled islands, which are near rich fishing grounds and potentially lucrative maritime gas fields.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, pressed in parliament to say how Japan would react to a Chinese attempt to land on the tiny islands, said it would be "natural to force them to leave".

But Tokyo appeared keen to avoid a clash between the nationalists flotilla and the Chinese ships. Japans Coast Guard, which had 13 vessels shadowing the boats, urged them to leave and escorted them away.

Last year members of the same group, "Ganbare Nippon" (Stand Firm! Japan), landed on one of the rocky islets and triggered anti-Japanese protests in China, where lingering resentment over Japans wartime aggression has been rekindled in recent days.

China chastised Japan for Tuesdays visits by at least 168 legislators to Tokyos Yasukuni Shrine, which honours 14 leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal along with Japans war dead. The pilgrimage came after Mr Abe made an offering and Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and two other ministers visited Yasukuni at the weekend.

Homage paid by leading Japanese politicians at the Tokyo shrine typically angers Japans neighbours, who contend that it glorifies wartime aggression.

"Regardless of what method or what identity these Japanese leaders take in visiting Yasukuni Shrine, fundamentally it is intentionally denying Japans militaristic invasionist history," Ms Hua said.

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Islands, shrine stir up anti-Japanese backlash