China on Monday aired "strong dissatisfaction" over Japan for granting a visa to Uygur separatist Rebiya Kadeer.

"We express strong dissatisfaction with the Japanese government for insisting on allowing Rebiya to visit Japan to engage in anti-China separatist activities despite China's repeated and serious representations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement issued on Monday.

Qin's comments came after the Japanese government granted a visa to Rebiya, who is believed to have masterminded the July 5 Xinjiang riots that left at least 197 people dead and 1,600 others injured.

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2009)