Chinese cyberattacks hit Japan in island row: Police

TOKYO (AFP) - At least 19 Japanese websites, including those of a government ministry, courts and a hospital, have come under cyberattack, apparently from China, police said on Wednesday.

Many of the websites were altered to show messages proclaiming Chinese sovereignty over the Diaoyu islands, a Japanese-administered chain Tokyo calls Senkaku, the National Police Agency (NPA) said in a statement.

The NPA has confirmed that about 300 Japanese organisations were listed as potential targets for cyberattack on the message board of Honker Union, a Chinese "hacktivism" group, it said.

The police also confirmed around 4,000 people had posted messages about planned attacks and schemes on China's leading chat site "YY Chat", it said. The targeted sites include those of the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry and Tohoku University Hospital, police said.