SEOUL, South Korea — A man set himself on fire in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, on Friday amid escalating tensions between the two countries over Tokyo’s move to impose trade restrictions. He died in a hospital hours later.

The man, identified by the police only as a South Korean in his 70s, parked his car near the glass and steel office tower that houses the Japanese Embassy in the center of the capital and set himself on fire inside the vehicle around 3:30 a.m., the police said.

Police officers guarding the building and firefighters put out the blaze in 10 minutes. Before the man died, the police refused to reveal his condition, except to say that he had suffered burns, was hospitalized and was unable to answer questions.