Taiwan's president has warned Japan over territorial claims made by his Japanese counterpart on a set of Islands in the East China Sea.

The ownership of the Senkaku islands, known as Diaoyu in Chinese, is also subject to claims from Beijing.

Taiwan’s president Ma Ying-jeou responding to recent reports by warning Japan not to “nationalise” the islands and "to resolve the issue in a peaceful way".

Last month, ten Japanese nationalists, who planted flags on the remote island, caused a wave of furious protest across China.

The islands are technically Japanese - the territory was transferred to Japan in 1971 - but China disputes this, claiming the islands have been Chinese for many centuries previous.

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An anti-Japan protester holds a poster which reads "Declare War on Japan" in Hangzhou

Last month, members of Gambare Nippon, a group of Japanese nationalists, swam ashore from a protest flotilla to plant the red and white rising sun flag on one of the islands.

They were responding to 14 protesters from Hong Kong, who were arrested after trying to plant a Chinese flag on the same island earlier this week.

The Chinese protesters will be deported, but will not be prosecuted in Japan, Tokyo promised.

Tokyo politician Eiji Kosaka told the AFP: "This is undoubtedly Japanese territory. On the mountain we found Japanese-style houses that had places for drying fish.

"It is very sad that the Japanese government is doing nothing with these islands."

Armed police were called in across China to quell angry anti-Japanese demonstrations.

Crowds of up to 3000 gathered in Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Harbin, Qingdao and Chengdu, with Japanese flags set alight. Chinese media said Japanese restaurants and cars were targeted.

Japan has apparently sought to buy more islands in the disputed chain, which currently belong to a private individual - a move China believes is unlawful.

Japanese media reported that the country's ambassador to China is in the process of being replaced, after he criticised the proposal to purchase the islands.

The islands look unimpressive at first glance, but China, Taiwan and Japan all want control of the territory for defensive purposes, and for the rich mineral and oil deposits beneath them.

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  • Chinese look at overturned Japanese cars after an anti-Japan protest in Shenzhen, China's Guangdong Province, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012. Japanese activists swam ashore and raised flags Sunday on an island claimed by both Japan and China, fanning an escalating territorial dispute between the two Asian powers. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

  • Chinese look at overturned Japanese cars after an anti-Japan protest in Shenzhen, China's Guangdong Province, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012. Japanese activists swam ashore and raised flags Sunday on an island claimed by both Japan and China, fanning an escalating territorial dispute between the two Asian powers. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

  • Anti-Japan protesters march with Chinese national flags and banners, one on the right reads "Diaoyu Islands belong to China", in Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang province, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012. Japanese activists swam ashore and raised flags Sunday on an island claimed by both Japan and China, fanning an escalating territorial dispute between the two Asian powers. (AP Photo) CHINA OUT

  • Anti-Japan protesters wave Chinese national flags while marching in Chengdu, in southwestern China's Sichuan province, Sunday Aug. 19, 2012. Japanese activists swam ashore and raised flags Sunday on an island claimed by both Japan and China, fanning an escalating territorial dispute between the two Asian powers. (AP Photo) CHINA OUT

  • Anti-Japan protesters shout slogans while marching outside Japanese Embassy with Chinese national flags and banners in Beijing, China, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012. One of the banners reads "Diaoyu Islands belong to China since 1372! " A group of Japanese activists swam ashore and raised flags early Sunday on one of a group of islands at the center of an escalating territorial dispute with China. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)

  • Anti-Japan protesters shout slogans while marching with Chinese national flags and banners towards the Japanese Embassy in Beijing Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012. Japan on Friday expelled several Chinese who were arrested after they landed on disputed islands, but the activists vowed to take new trips there that could again inflame territorial tensions in North Asia. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)

  • Two anti-Japanese protesters, left, throw eggs towards the Japanese Embassy outside the embassy entrance in Beijing, China, Friday, Aug. 17, 2012. Japan has decided to deport 14 Chinese activists who were arrested this week for landing without authorization on disputed islands in the East China Sea. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)

  • Anti-Japan protesters with a placard reading "Down with Japanese militarism" tear mock Japanese Rising Sun Flags during a rally outside the Japanese Consulate General in Hong Kong Thursday Aug. 16, 2012. They demanded Japanese government to release Chinese activists arrested in Japan after landing on Uotsuri Island, one of the islands of Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese. Japan is considering deporting 14 Chinese activists arrested for landing without authorization on disputed islands in the East China Sea, as harsh criticisms and repeated demands for their release erupted Thursday in China. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

  • An anti-Japan protester tears Japanese Rising Sun Flag during a rally outside the Japanese Consulate General in Hong Kong Thursday Aug. 16, 2012 as they demand Japanese government to release Chinese activists arrested in Japan after landing on Uotsuri Island, one of the islands of Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese. Japan is considering deporting 14 Chinese activists arrested for landing without authorization on disputed islands in the East China Sea, as harsh criticisms and repeated demands for their release erupted Thursday in China. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

  • Anti-Japan protesters wear headband written "Protest" during a rally outside the Japanese Consulate General in Hong Kong Thursday Aug. 16, 2012 as they demand Japanese government to release Chinese activists arrested in Japan after landing on Uotsuri Island, one of the islands of Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese. China's official Xinhua News Agency said the arrests of the 14 people, who included Hong Kong residents and mainland Chinese, had caused tensions over its territorial dispute with Japan to surge "to a new high." (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

  • Protesters hold slogan reading "Diaoyu Island is Ours" during a protest in front of the Japanese government office in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. More than 100 Taiwanese gathered to protest what they say are Tokyo's plans to nationalize disputed islands also claimed by Taiwan and China. The islands called Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese have long been a source of tension in the region. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)