Hitoshi Nakama's one of four Japanese politicians who made a controversial visit to a small island group at the centre of a regional territorial dispute.<br/> Japan, China and Taiwan all lay claim to the islands known in Japan as Senkaku and in China as Diaoyu.<br/> Nakama is unrepentant.<br/> SOUNDBITE: Hitoshi Nakama, local politician, saying (Japanese):<br/> "For my local region, for Japan, for the world, I'd like at the start of the new year to highlight this problem."<br/> Nakama and his party may yet face police questioning over their trip.<br/> Japan's government forbids anyone from landing on the islands.<br/> China's foreign ministry is also unhappy about it.<br/> SOUNDBITE: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei saying (Mandarin) :<br/> "The Chinese government has already made solemn representations and protests to the Japanese side on this issue. I would like to repeat that the Diaoyu Islands and associated islands have been part of China's territory since ancient times. China has indisputable sovereign rights over them"<br/> The small rocky, uninhabited, islands are part of a wider territorial dispute between China and its neighbours.<br/> All parties are citing historical and other claims over fishing areas and the possibility of rich hydrocarbon deposits.<br/> Paul Chapman, Reuters
