XI'AN - A man suspected of attacking a Toyota car owner during anti-Japan protests last month in Northwest China's Shaanxi province has been captured by police, local authorities announced on Tuesday.

The suspect smashes a car's window during the anti-Japan protest in Xi'an city, Shaanxi province in this file photo taken on Sept 15, 2012. [Photo/Ynet.com]

Li Jianli, the victim, angered a male protestor while trying to protect his car in the capital city of Xi'an on September 15. The man struck Li on the head several times using a U-shaped steel lock, leaving him unconscious for days.

The suspect is being transferred from Nanyang city of Henan province to Xi'an, according to Xi'an municipal officials who did not disclose more information.

The brutal beating was caught on film and went viral on Chinese video-sharing websites and microblogging services, triggering a fierce public backlash.

Protests against Japan's "purchase" of part of the Diaoyu Islands flared up in dozens of Chinese cities on the weekend of September 15-16 and two days later on September 18, the 81st anniversary of the Japanese invasion of northeast China.

Some of the protests turned violent, resulting in damage to Japanese-brand cars and businesses and the temporary closure of several Japanese-funded companies.