Chan Yu-nam, who planted a national flag on the Diaoyu Islands in 1996, is rubbing his hands in anticipation of sailing to the islands again. He said that as well as erecting a national flag, the protesters would 'perform some actions' on the islands if they could land there. But he refused to divulge further information until they have secured a vessel for the trip. Mr Chan, 49, said he was furious that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi insisted on making regular visits to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo that honours the nation's war dead - including 14 Class-A war criminals condemned in post-1945 tribunals. 'The soldiers were killers. Yet Koizumi still calls them heroes,' Mr Chan said. He said the Chinese government had been cautious about letting him into the mainland since March last year, when he and other activists sailed from Xiamen in Fujian province , for the Diaoyu Islands. When he crossed the border last month he was detained for more than an hour and questioned about the reason for his visit. Mr Chan's protest agenda is not confined to the Diaoyu Islands, but also encompasses issues closer to home, despite the demands of his job driving a taxi on the night shift. He joined a recent protest against the Eastern Harbour Tunnel toll rises, and along with Wong Tai Sin District Councillor Andrew To Kwan-hang, sought a court order to force the government to reverse the toll rise.
