China, Japan dispute over islands may trigger new political tension: Report

Both Tokyo and Beijing claim the uninhabited islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyus in China, as their own, but Japan has administered them since 1972

A dispute between China and Japan over the chain of Senkaku/ Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea may trigger new political tension in Asia over the years, said analysts.

China shares its borders with 14 countries but it is in loggerhead with most nations over territories including islands.

Tensions over the rocky chain, 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometres) southwest of Tokyo, have simmered for years, and with claims over them dating back hundreds of years, neither Japan nor China is likely to back down over territory considered a national birthright in both capitals, CNN reported.

Both Tokyo and Beijing claim the uninhabited islands, known as