Tokyo is preparing to deport these Chinese activists who set foot on a disputed island claimed by both Japan and China.<br/> <br />Japan and China have been at odds since the activists were detained on Wednesday after using a boat to land on the rocky, uninhabited isles.<br/> <br />Protesters in China are staging anti-Japan demonstrations, as the row over the islands in the East China Sea, which are near potentially vast maritime gas fields, continues.<br/> <br />Whoever controls the island would have an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles and access to the potentially rich gas reserves.<br/> <br />One Beijing resident said he believes Japan is fearful of deteriorating ties with China.<br/> <br />Meanwhile in Japan, this man said he sympathized with Tokyo's difficult position in the matter and supported the decision to deport the activsts.<br/> <br />However, some said the decision was too hasty.<br/> <br />Diplomatic experts say that while both countries would probably want to avoid any military confrontation, a serious flare-up of tensions could not be ruled out.
