A Japanese court on Monday sentenced a rightist seven years in prison for damaging the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka.

The Osaka District Court ruled the defendant, Nobuyuki Nakagama, 36, was guilty of damaging properties and arson attempt.

The ruling said he rammed his vehicle on April 23 last year into the front gate of the consulate and attempted to burn the property by setting fire to the vehicle.

The attack, which badly damaged the gate of the consulate but caused no casualties, was the most serious event committed by Japanese right-wing groups against the Chinese diplomatic facilities since the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1972.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2005)