China allowed students to burn flags and sing patriotic songs outside the Japanese embassy in Beijing on Wednesday in protest against Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to a Tokyo shrine for war dead.
Police who normally snuff out protests the instant they begin, stood back and watched at least two groups of students demonstrate separately against Mr Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni shrine on Monday.
Japanese forces invaded and occupied much of China and other parts of Asia before and during World War Two. China and others remain outspoken critics of Japanese aggression and atrocities committed during that period.
Thirty students from prestigious Qinghua University put up a banner reading Down with Japanese imperialism and sang patriotic Chinese songs outside the embassy before leaving, witnesses said.
Police guarding the embassy told the group they could remain for 10 minutes, citing traffic regulations.
Three young Chinese men, also believed to be students, burned crudely made Japanese flags and shouted obscenities.
Police stood by as the three lit two paper flags and a larger one made of cloth in front of the embassy's main gate on the anniversary of 1945 surrender of Japanese forces at the end of World War Two.
"We want to show that not all Chinese are weak," one shouted.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denounced Mr Koizumi's visit, but analysts say the government is torn between taking a strong stand to appease a nationalistic public while avoiding a serious falling out with a major economic partner.
Police allowed a lone protester to demonstrate outside Japan's embassy in Beijing on Tuesday, but seized his banner.
Mr Koizumi marked the 56th anniversary of the end of World War Two on Wednesday in secular ceremonies as controversy remained over his visit this week to the Shinto shrine for war dead.