BEIJING--Chinese state media on Thursday warned Japan of rising anger over its detention of a trawler captain, suggesting the latest territorial squabble between Asia's two top economies could intensify. Beijing has already lodged protests after Japan arrested the captain of a boat that collided with two Japanese coast guard boats near disputed islets in the East China Sea. Ties between Beijing and Tokyo have long been dogged by mutual distrust and Chinese bitterness over Japan's occupation of much of China before and during World War Two. "A wave of indignation is also brewing in Chinese society, which might snowball into a major public outcry if the Japanese authorities continue to take a hardline stance on the incident," said an editorial in the official China Daily. "Sino-Japanese relations have shown signs of warming recently. The latest incident could easily squander what could be a golden opportunity for bilateral ties to flourish." Tokyo has also lodged protests with Beijing over the incident, while Japan's top government spokesman called for calm. The Nikkei business daily urged the Japanese government to take a firm stance, warning that if it were vague in its response such incidents would recur. "What this problem has thrown into relief is the tough security environment surrounding Japan. China, aiming at ensuring its maritime rights, is intensifying the increase in its naval power," the paper said in an editorial.
