Angry protests have broken out across China this weekend, as a group of activists raised the Japanese flag on a disputed island earlier on Sunday, rapidly escalating tensions between the two countries.

Thousands of protestors are thought to have taken to the streets in dozens of cities, with sushi restaurants and other perceived Japanese-linked businesses reportedly attacked and Japanese cars left smashed and overturned.

Banners held by the crowds read “Defend the Diaoyu Islands to the death,” and “Even if China is covered with graves, we must kill all Japanese”.

Chinese Major General Luo Yuan, also called for a fleet of 100 boats to be sent to defend the islands, commenting,

“If necessary, we could make the Diaoyu Islands a target range for China’s air force and plant mines around them.”

The dispute over the contested island was heightened after a group of Japanese activists landed on the island earlier on Sunday, unfurling the Japanese flag. Days earlier, japan arrested and deported a group of Chinese activists who attempted to land on the island.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang responded to the latest incident stating,

"Japanese right wingers illegally violated China's territorial sovereignty...
The foreign ministry has already lodged solemn representations and expressed strong protest to the Japanese embassy in China and urged Japan to stop actions which harm China's territorial sovereignty."

The group of disputed islands are currently controlled by Japan, but also claimed by China and Taiwan. China is involved in a spate of territorial disputes with other states across the South China sea.