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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Japan shelves military aid flight | Japan shelves military aid flight |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Japan has decided not to send a military aircraft to China to deliver relief supplies for victims of the Sichuan earthquake. | |
| It will instead use a chartered plane to send the materials to the disaster zone, top government spokesman Nobutaka Machimura said. | It will instead use a chartered plane to send the materials to the disaster zone, top government spokesman Nobutaka Machimura said. |
| The move came after some Chinese officials were concerned about allowing a military plane in, Mr Machimura said. | The move came after some Chinese officials were concerned about allowing a military plane in, Mr Machimura said. |
| There is lingering anger in China over Japan's actions in World War II. | There is lingering anger in China over Japan's actions in World War II. |
| Ties between the two sides have improved in recent months, but only three years ago there were violent anti-Japanese protests across several Chinese cities. | Ties between the two sides have improved in recent months, but only three years ago there were violent anti-Japanese protests across several Chinese cities. |
| Chinese officials were concerned about a backlash among people who remember Japan's war-time militarism, media reports said. | Chinese officials were concerned about a backlash among people who remember Japan's war-time militarism, media reports said. |
| 'Concerns' | 'Concerns' |
| Japan has already sent civilian rescue and medical teams to help survivors from the 12 May earthquake in south-west China. | Japan has already sent civilian rescue and medical teams to help survivors from the 12 May earthquake in south-west China. |
| China has asked for tents and other supplies to be sent to Sichuan | China has asked for tents and other supplies to be sent to Sichuan |
| The plan to fly in a C-130 military aircraft carrying tents and blankets emerged earlier in the week. | The plan to fly in a C-130 military aircraft carrying tents and blankets emerged earlier in the week. |
| Japanese media said it would have been the first flight into Chinese airspace by the Japanese military since hostilities ended more than 60 years ago. | Japanese media said it would have been the first flight into Chinese airspace by the Japanese military since hostilities ended more than 60 years ago. |
| But Mr Machimura said the idea had now been put off. | But Mr Machimura said the idea had now been put off. |
| "As there were concerns in China, Japan and China had discussions and decided to shelve the idea of Self-Defence Forces planes providing transport," he told a news conference. | "As there were concerns in China, Japan and China had discussions and decided to shelve the idea of Self-Defence Forces planes providing transport," he told a news conference. |
| "This is not an issue that we should risk causing friction." | "This is not an issue that we should risk causing friction." |
| A commercial aircraft would now be chartered, he said. | A commercial aircraft would now be chartered, he said. |
| More than 68,000 people died in the earthquake that struck Sichuan province earlier this month. Another 20,000 are missing and five million people are homeless. | More than 68,000 people died in the earthquake that struck Sichuan province earlier this month. Another 20,000 are missing and five million people are homeless. |