Chinese protesters smash up Japanese market

April 3, 2005 Protesters demonstrating against Japan broke windows of the Japanese Ito-Yokado store on Saturday, in the Chinese city of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. Kyodo News reports the incident marks the first time Japanese property has been damaged in a protest in China.

The Japanese Consulate General reported about 30 people participated in vandalizing the store, and that hundreds of people had gathered during the three-hour long demonstration.

The protesters are part of a movement to stop Japan from becoming a member of the U.N. Security Council. Chen Tong, editor-in-chief of the sina.com web site, says a petition with millions of signatures opposing Japan's appointment to the council will be presented to the U.N. and the Japanese Embassy in Beijing.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan recently proposed appointing Japan to the UNSC as part of an overhaul of the U.N. organization.