A plan for Japanese military aircraft to deliver earthquake relief to China has been scrapped over fears that it would revive angry memories of the Second World War. Now the Japanese assistance, mainly providing tents and blankets, will be delivered on chartered flights.

Nobutaka Machimura, the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, said: “As there were concerns in China, Japan and China had discussions and decided to shelve the idea of Self Defence Force planes providing transport.”

It would have been the first time since 1945 that the Self Defence Force — the euphemism for the Japanese military — would have landed on Chinese soil.

Mr Machimura confirmed that Beijing had informally sounded Japan out on the use of Self Defence Force assistance but hinted that concerns may have surfaced of a backlash among the public. “This is not something that should be done it if creates friction,” he said.

There has been a wave of nationalist sentiment in China since riots in Tibet provoked international criticism of Beijing’s handling of the unrest. Many Chinese were angered at what they considered as interference from the West. The rage, especially among young Chinese, led to a frenzy on the internet and boycotts of foreign brands, such as those of the French supermarket giant Carrefour, which were seen as backing the Dalai Lama.

The Communist authorities may be nervous of a similar response to a military presence from Japan, after its invasion in the late 1930s until 1945. The initial invitation came weeks after a breakthrough visit to Tokyo by Hu Jintao, the Chinese President, which appeared to reunite the neighbours.

Comments on the internet have been critical but relatively muted. One comment said: “If military planes of Japan fly in sky of China to transport goods to relieve the disaster, this can’t stop us from remembering the scenes 60 years ago. I hope decision makers in China will reconsider. The past is too hard for us to be able to look back.”

Others were less nervous: “A great country should have great wisdom. Let’s not be nervous. This is only a Self Defence Force and we should thank them.”

It is likely that more serious opposition may have been voiced by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which will be eager to demonstrate its ability to cope with the humanitarian crisis. In addition the PLA, which controls all air routes above China, will be cautious about allowing in any flights from a foreign air force.

Japan sent in a rescue and medical team to help after the earthquake on May 12. Officials said that they were keen to allow in the Japanese to try to show ordinary Chinese that they should forget their wartime enmity.

Near to the epicentre of the tremor in southwestern Sichuan province troops were digging a diversion channel yesterday to drain a swelling “earthquake lake” that is building up behind a landslide that has blocked a river near Tangjiashan.

Hundreds of troops have moved more than a third of the earth for the channel to ease pressure on the rising waters. About 190,000 residents have been moved to higher ground in case the blockage gives way. The authorities are staging drills for many thousands more to evacuate if necessary and work is continuing on dam defences in other affected areas.

The death toll has risen to more than 68,000, with about 18,000 people still missing.

History of conflict

663 Chinese and Japanese forces fight for the first time in the Battle of Baekang. The Japanese are defeated

1593-98 Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s armies passed through Korea on an attempted conquest of China. An army of 45,000 Chinese defeated Japan in the Battle of Pyongyang

1894-95 Japan wins the Sino-Japanese War. China ceded Taiwan, then Formosa, and the Pescadores Islands to Japan

1900 Japanese troops take part in putting down the Boxer Rebellion

1937 Up to 300,000 Chinese prisoners of war and civilians were massacred by Japanese troops during the Rape of Nanking

1937-45 Estimates for the number of Chinese civilians killed by Japanese soldiers during the Second World War vary from between 8 million to as many as 35 million.

1995 On the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War Tomiichi Murayama, the Japanese Prime Minister, apologises

2005 Japan and the US called for the Taiwan situation to be resolved diplomatically, seen in Beijing as external meddling in home affairs

2006-08 Prime Ministers Abe and Fukuda do not visit the Yasakuni shrine, which honours Japanese war dead including war criminals, to avoid offending China

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