Japan's protest is an overreaction, said Yang Bojiang, a researcher on Japanese studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Such a reaction "shows Japan is very sensitive on the issue of Liuqiu", because it lacked enough legal evidence when it included Liuqiu in its territory.

Feng Wei, a professor of Japanese studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, said Hua's remarks show that the article in People's Daily cannot represent China's official attitude and the Diaoyu Islands issue has nothing to do with Liuqiu and Okinawa.

Although the Diaoyu Islands issue and the Liuqiu one are different, Japan cannot ignore the fact it had seized the territory of neighboring countries with brutal means in modern history, Yang said.

"What Japan should do now is to reflect on its past mistakes and face up to history," Yang said.

The People's Daily article came as the two countries are at loggerheads over islands in the East China Sea. Ties between China and Japan have suffered since Tokyo's illegal "purchase" of China's Diaoyu Islands in September.

Okinawa is home to major US air force and marine bases as well as 1.3 million people, nearly all of whom are Japanese nationals and speak Japanese.