Relevant departments were mediating a strike on Tuesday at a Japanese-funded electronic company in the Chang'an township of Dongguan, a Pearl River Delta city in Guangdong province, local authorities said.

"The Japanese business executive involved has agreed to apologize to end the strike," Mai Yaohua, the publicity official from Chang'an township, told China Daily.

The strike began at about 9:30 am when the executive of Changan Rihua Electronic Plant said Japan never invaded China during World War II, but that the Japanese army helped China rid itself of colonial rule.

The Japanese executive made his remarks at meeting with senior executives of the company.

More than 1,000 workers from the company immediately began the strike, demanding that the Japanese executive apologize.

The Japanese executive is still stranded in the company's conference hall, local officials said.