The Japanese flag flies on a disputed island in the East China Sea.<br/> <br />Just days after Japan arrested Chinese activists for landing on the island, a Japanese flotilla decided to do the same.<br/> <br />Around nine activists from a group of more than 100, swam ashore and waved the Japanese flag.<br/> <br />The island chain is at the heart of a long-standing territorial row between Tokyo and Beijing.<br/> <br />Known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoya in China, the near sits near potentially lucrative gas reserves.<br/> <br />The tit-for-tat landing has raised tension between Japan and China, while rallying nationalist sentiment.<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: LOCAL LAWMAKER FROM SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE, KAZUKO UEMATSU (Japanese):<br/> <br />"I was hoping that someone with a real sense of Japanese spirit and courage would go and land and raise the flag. I just feel they've done a good job."<br/> <br />After arriving back at their boats, the nine activists were questioned by Japanese customs.<br/> <br />The government had denied the group permission to land. China had also urged the action be stopped.<br/> <br />The dispute is one of many dogging diplomatic ties between Asian nations, rowing over rival territorial claims.
