Anti-South Korea protests organized by an ultrarightist Japanese group were held in downtown Tokyo on Sunday.

Some 200 protesters including members of a civic committee calling for Tokyo to sever diplomatic ties with Seoul gathered in Ginza district and marched through the streets.

Some protesters shouted chants threatening or disparaging Koreans and trampled on flags bearing the Korean "taegeuk" symbol.

Similar protests have been held in Japan since mid-August, including rallies near the South Korean Embassy. However, a demonstration in downtown Tokyo is highly unusual.

Right-wing groups say they will also protest at a bilateral cultural festival opening in Tokyo at the end of this month, raising concerns about Korean residents' safety in the Japanese capital.