To Japanese exchange students in central China it was just a silly skit. But their Chinese classmates took offense – and took their anger to the streets for two days in the city of Xian, sparking riots and mob attacks on Japanese students and restaurants, a very rare outburst. The incident raises an old but persistent popular animosity between Asia’s main giants as well as the reticence by Japan to confront the roots of Chinese feelings. Indeed, armed with new rationales about its wartime actions, and with a budding nationalist vernacular, Japan may be further than ever from closing the gap with China over World War II grievances that remain alive more than 50 years later, analysts say. Full Story