Makes one wonder if the announcement by Japanese defence minister yesterday, about going into hot waters with Uncle Sam, was accidental, or a double provokation on purpose. Sure someone else out there must be thinking what the reaction will be.

Alien
Depends on whether one ascribes to the Chinese or western perception of events and sovereignty. A politically sensitive and touchy subject, even today.

ERRATA
My comment about most every city is incorrect - it should have read, "most major cities".

And if there was a real imminent attack while they 'testing' the sirens?

A bit like the bike alarms going off. No one gives a damn, so totally pointless. Just annoying

'Lest we forget' more likely

'Lest we forget' is rarely totally pointless, though the point may vary. It's also quite common throughout the world. Yearly lack of access to Whitehall on Remembrance Sunday - 'just' annoying?

subject to the vibrational frequency

What a pity here the citizens are baffled about these warnings, when I am pretty sure having read in Sichuan have a system in place for warning of earthquakes a few seconds before they happen!

I think most local Chinese are familiar with the annual siren on this day and its significance, it is only foreigners who may be surprised.

@ Peter: Why would the Japanese government want to remind the Chinese government of the Mukden Incident by such a provocation? Highly unlikely.