日本召回驻华大使

Japan summoned its ambassador from Beijing, in what appeared to be a protest at Chinese vessels' recent entry into waters around islands claimed by both countries.

日本召回了驻华大使，似乎是在抗议中国船只前不久进入两国均声称拥有主权的岛屿的附近海域。

Sunday's move by Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba was the latest sign that tension between the world's second- and third-largest economies is escalating as Japan steps up efforts to assert its sovereignty over the islands.

日本外务大臣玄叶光一郎(Koichiro Gemba)周日的举动是世界第二大与第三大经济体之间紧张关系升级的最新迹象。日本目前正在加紧努力，坚称自己对争议岛屿拥有主权。

The dispute─over a set of East China Sea islands known as the Senkakus in Japan and Diaoyu in China─is nothing new in itself, and neither are exercises in emphasizing sovereignty there, by either nation. But the face-off has entered a new phase since Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said on July 7 that his government was considering purchasing the islands, now privately owned.

该岛屿位于东中国海(East China Sea，中国称东海)，日本称其为“尖阁列岛(Senkakus)，中国称“钓鱼岛。争议本身并无任何新意，中日两国在强调自己对该岛领土主张时进行的演习活动也并无新意。但自从日本首相野田佳彦(Yoshihiko Noda) 7月7日说，日本政府正在考虑收购这处现为私人所有的岛屿后，双方的对峙进入了新阶段。

Within days, patrol vessels from China's fisheries administration were seen around the island chain, some inside the line that Japan regards as marking its territorial waters. That prompted a protest from Mr. Gemba when he met his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, at a gathering of Asean foreign ministers in Cambodia, which was in turn rejected by Beijing.

有数天时间都能在该群岛附近海域看到中国渔政部门的巡逻船，有些船还进入了日本认为属于其领海的海域。玄叶光一郎在柬埔寨召开的东盟(Asean)外长会议上见到中国外交部长杨洁篪时，对此表示了抗议，而北京方面则表示不接受。

Japanese officials say Mr. Noda was likely forced into announcing his purchase plan─even knowing it would raise Beijing's ire─by Shintaro Ishihara, Tokyo's combative governor. Mr. Ishihara had made a surprise proposal in April that his city buy the uninhabited islands, even though they lie thousands of miles from the capital.

日本官员说，野田佳彦可能是迫于好战的东京都知事石原慎太郎(Shintaro Ishihara)的压力而宣布购岛计划的，虽然他也知道这个计划会惹怒北京。石原慎太郎今年4月意外提议，由东京都政府买下这处在东京千里之外的无人居住的岛屿。

Japan's ambassador to China, Uichiro Niwa, become part of the controversy by expressing concerns over Mr. Ishihara's plan─angering conservatives and leading some to call for him to be replaced.

日本驻华大使丹羽宇一郎(Uichiro Niwa)对石原慎太郎的购岛计划表示担忧，进而卷入了这场争议。丹羽宇一郎的态度激怒了日本保守派人士，有些人为此呼吁让他下台。

After meeting with Mr. Niwa at the ministry on Sunday, Mr. Gemba told reporters, 'I again instructed him to accurately convey Japan's thinking,'

周日玄叶光一郎在日本外务省会见了丹羽宇一郎后对记者说，我再次指示他，要准确表达日本方面的想法。

Mr. Niwa's return was only temporary, with local Japanese media reports saying he would immediately return to China.

丹羽宇一郎的召回只是暂时的。日本国内媒体报道说，他会很快回到中国。