Video - Islands dispute hits China-Japan trade ties, Major firms temporarily shut factories and offices

Escalating tensions in China over disputed islands have forced some Japanese companies there, including electronics-production giants Canon and Panasonic, to suspend work. As protests continued on Monday over the territorial dispute, China pledged to protect Japanese citizens and property and urged anti-Japan protesters to express themselves in an "orderly, rational and lawful" way.
Hong Lei, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, said it was up to Japan to correct its ways and the direction of developments was now in Japan's hands. China's pledge came after Canon announced that it will stop production at three of its four Chinese factories on Monday and Tuesday, citing concerns over employees' safety. Panasonic has taken similar steps at its plants in China. Toyota Motor Corp said it is tallying losses from the violence, including a suspected arson attack on a dealership in eastern China's Shandong province.
All Nippon Airways Co reported a rise in cancellations on Japan-bound flights from China.A commentary in the People's Daily newspaper said the Japanese economy had already experienced two lost decades from the 1990s and was suffering further weakness in the aftermath of the world financial crisis and 2011 earthquake. "Japan's economy lacks immunity to Chinese economic measures," the commentary said although it added that given the interdependency of the two, sanctions would be a "double-edged sword" for China. The commentary - which only appeared in the paper's overseas edition - said that China in principle opposes economic sanctions to solve international disputes and would have to weigh carefully any decision to impose them. "Amidst a struggle that touches on territorial sovereignty, if Japan continues its provocations China will inevitably take on the fight," the commentary said.Hmmmm.........“Men can’t live without face, trees can’t live without bark.”.Read the full story here.