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Japan shelves military aid flight Japan shelves military aid flight
(about 5 hours later)
Japan has decided not to send a military aircraft to China to deliver relief supplies for victims of the Sichuan earthquake. Japan has decided not to use a military plane to deliver relief supplies to China for victims of the Sichuan quake.
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, a government spokesman said.
The move came after some Chinese officials were concerned about allowing a military plane in, Mr Machimura said. He said that some Chinese officials had been concerned about letting a military plane in - anger lingers in China over Japan's actions in World War II.
There is lingering anger in China over Japan's actions in World War II. Meanwhile, Chinese reports that 1.3m were to be evacuated from near a quake lake turned out to be a false alarm.
Evacuation 'drill'
Emergency officials later clarified that a drill would take place on Saturday to test evacuation communications procedures, but that no people would actually be moved.
Experts fear an aftershock could burst the fast-rising Tangjiashan lake, which was formed in the 12 May quake when a landslide blocked a river.
Japan has already sent civilian rescue and medical teams to help quake survivors in south-west China.
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.
'Concerns'
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 SichuanChina has asked for tents and other supplies to be sent to Sichuan
Chinese officials were concerned about a backlash among people who remember Japan's war-time militarism, media reports said.
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. Almost 69,000 people died in the quake and another nearly 20,000 are missing, while five million are homeless.