BOILING POINT

Japanese Businesses in China Close

As protests over island ownership rage.

Protests are flaring up across China and Japanese businesses are closing their doors as tensions escalate between the two countries, which are quarreling over control of an island chain. Japanese businesses including Panasonic, Canon, Honda, Mazda, and Toyota suspended their Chinese operations as tens of thousands of Chinese demonstrated in more than 50 cities. Almost 200 7-Eleven stores shut their doors, while clothing retailer Uniqlo also closed down its shops. As protests raged Tuesday, about 1,000 Chinese fishing boats neared the island chain (which is controlled by Japan and which China also claims sovereignty over) in an act of defiance.