More than 200 Chinese-Americans gathered Tuesday outside the Japanese Consulate General in New York to protest Japan's claim to the Senkaku Islands ahead of a U.S. visit by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The protesters, from around 60 local community groups, also denounced what they called a resurgence of Japanese militarism under Abe and called on the Japanese government to apologize for atrocities committed during the war.

Protestors held signs reading "Diaoyu Islands belong to China," "No American blood for resurgence of Japanese militarism" and "Abe is a history denier, a dishonest man." The Japanese-controlled islets are called the Diaoyus in China, which in recent years has also exerted its claim to them.