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Beijing hostilities spill over
AFP
Lingering resentment over Japan's war-time occupation of China came to the fore in street clashes in Beijing after the host nation was beaten by its old adversary in the Asian Cup final.
Pockets of angry Chinese fans burned Japanese flags in the street and others confronted armed riot police after their side crashed to a 3-1 defeat against a stronger Japanese side.
In post-match incidents rare in a city where authorities maintain strict control, fans threw bottles at riot police, shouted anti-Japanese obscenities and demanded a boycott of Japanese goods.
Sporadic violence, however, was outweighed by grief and shame as fans all over the city wept openly and others bemoaned their nation's failure in major sports competition, berating themselves as "just trash" and lamenting the loss of face the defeat had caused them.
The match had kicked off earlier amid politically charged tensions and more than 15,000 police and soldiers were deployed throughout the capital, including a large contingent in and around the Workers' Stadium, to deal with anticipated violence.
Even before kickoff the Japanese players were left with no doubt of the 66,000 Chinese fans' partisanship when boos and jeers drowned out Japan's national anthem.
For China, Saturday's sporting humiliation reinforced animosities towards the Asian champions that have festered since the imperial armies of Japan invaded and began occupying China in September 1931.
China has balked at Japan's continued refusal to apologise for atrocities committed during the 14-year blight on its history.
Most galling for Beijing, it feels Japan has never faced up to the murder of an estimated 300,000 people in the 1937-38 Nanking Massacre, an event that arouses the sort of anger among Chinese that the Holocaust does among Jews.
The historical distrust between the two informs almost all elements of bilateral relations.
Tokyo and Beijing regularly squabble over a disputed chain of oil-rich islands in the East China Sea that Japan currently occupies but China claims.
The issue is usually inflamed by zealous Chinese protesters who launch almost annual efforts to sail out to the islands and claim them for China.
Relations, meanwhile, took a dive last year when hundreds of Japanese tourists were involved in an orgy with Chinese prostitutes in a south China hotel.
The three-day romp ignited a wave of anti-Japanese sentiment as it culminated on the eve of the anniversary of the start of Japan's World War II occupation of China.
Many people were convinced it was timed to humiliate China.
Saturday's match was a dream draw for Chinese fans who saw the game as an opportunity to settle scores beyond China's derisory 6-2 record of defeat in previous clashes with its chief rival.
No one was putting bets on a peaceful final, however.
From the tournament's outset, the predominantly Chinese fans that gathered to watch its matches booed the Japanese team each time it took to the field.
Players were hurled abuse and pelted with plastic cups and on one occasion Japan's team bus was rushed by an angry mob while Japanese fans had to be escorted out of the stadium by riot police.
Politicians in Tokyo had become so irked by the antics that they issued a formal complaint to their Chinese counterparts.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi reportedly called the booing "deplorable" and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi asked: "It's a sports event. Why can't we just enjoy it?"
On the night, as the teams emerged for the final kick-off, Chinese fans jeered the Japanese team inside the stadium and protesters brandished anti-Japanese banners outside in Tiananmen Square, the symbolic heart of China.
Defeat was bad enough but that it came courtesy of two contentious goals only added insult to injury.
One was claimed to have been scored by a hand-ball, prompting the Chinese press Sunday to coin inevitable 'Hand of God' headlines reminiscent of those after Argentine legend Diego Maradona's handed goal helped knock England from the 1986 World Cup finals.
Updated: Mon, Aug 9, 2004 12:21:29 PM AEST
All photos copyright AAP
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