Over 90 percent of Japanese and Chinese have an unfavorable impression of each other, according to a survey conducted from June to July by Japanese nonprofit Genron NPO and Chinese English-language newspaper The China Daily released Monday, the highest percentage since similar polls began in 2005.

In Japan, 90.1 percent said they had an unfavorable opinion of China, up 5.8 percentage points from last year, while 92.8 percent in China said the same of Japan, up 28.3 points.

The main reasons cited were the territorial row over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea that are claimed by China, as well as issues arising from Japan's wartime conduct.

Bilateral tensions have heightened since the Japanese government purchased three of the five main islets in the Senkaku group from a private landowner on Sept. 11, 2012, to bring the chain under direct state control.

Over 53 percent of Japanese with an unfavorable impression of China cited the standoff over the Senkaku Islands, followed by 48.9 percent who cited China's criticism of Japan over history-related issues.