Japanese authorities announced on Friday the seizure of a Chinese fishing boat and the detention of its captain near Nagasaki, a move that is expected to further escalate already fraught relations between the two nations.
According to the Japanese fisheries agency, officials attempted to halt the Chinese trawler for inspection on Thursday afternoon, after observing it within Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea. However, the vessel allegedly ignored orders and attempted to escape. Subsequently, authorities successfully apprehended the boat and its eleven-person crew, including the 47-year-old captain, who is now in custody.
This incident, occurring off the coast of Nagasaki near the Goto Islands, marks the first such seizure of a Chinese fishing vessel by Japan since 2022.
The current state of affairs suggests this event will only exacerbate the already strained relationship between Japan and China, which has significantly worsened over recent months.
In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian held a press conference in Beijing on Friday, urging Japan to “enforce the law impartially and protect the safety and legitimate rights and interests of the crew members.”
In November, Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, had previously alerted the Japanese Parliament that any hypothetical Chinese aggression towards Taiwan could provoke a military response from Tokyo. China, which asserts Taiwan as its own territory despite its democratic self-governance, retaliated by initiating a series of political and economic sanctions against Japan. This included discouraging Chinese citizens from visiting Japan, a significant economic blow considering Chinese tourists make up over 20% of Japan’s total tourist arrivals.
These Chinese retaliatory measures have begun impacting Japan’s economy. Despite her often-hawkish stance on China, Ms. Takaichi had appeared keen to prevent further major escalation. Her recent landslide victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, however, has reportedly caused concern among Chinese officials and media commentators.
The seized vessel, identified as the Qiong Dong Yu 11998, is currently being held as evidence and will be transported to Nagasaki port. Japanese authorities confirmed the detained captain’s name as Zheng Nianli, and immigration officials will soon decide the future of the remaining ten crew members.
During a Tokyo news conference on Friday, Minoru Kihara, a senior Japanese cabinet official, reiterated Japan’s commitment to “continue to take resolute action in our enforcement activities to prevent and deter illegal fishing operations by foreign vessels.”
The East China Sea has historically been a flashpoint for disputes between China and Japan. A similar diplomatic crisis occurred in 2010 when Japan detained the captain of another Chinese trawler following a collision with Japanese patrol vessels near uninhabited islands in the region.
Although Japan initially insisted on prosecuting the captain in 2010, it eventually yielded to intense pressure from China. His release was seen as a considerable win for Chinese leaders, who had significantly escalated tensions through strong verbal warnings and economic penalties.
Additional reporting was contributed by Hisako Ueno from Tokyo and Pei-Lin Wu from Kaohsiung, Taiwan.