Authorities in Japan have detained a Chinese fishing vessel and arrested its captain in an incident that threatens to deepen an already strained diplomatic relationship between Tokyo and Beijing.
The seizure took place on Thursday roughly 105 miles (170km) off the south-western city of Nagasaki after the boat’s captain allegedly ignored instructions to stop for an onboard inspection, according to media reports.
A vessel from Japan’s fisheries agency intercepted the Chinese boat and its 11 crew members inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters extending 200 nautical miles (370km) from the country’s coastline.
It marks the first time since 2022 that Japan has seized a Chinese fishing vessel, and the first such action involving any foreign fishing boat this year. In 2025, authorities had inspected Taiwanese and South Korean vessels as part of efforts to combat illegal fishing.
The 47-year-old captain was arrested on suspicion of evading inspection by a Japanese fisheries officer. The Nikkei newspaper reported that the vessel appeared to be fishing for mackerel.
“The vessel’s captain was ordered to stop for an inspection by a fisheries inspector, but [it] failed to comply and fled,” the agency said in a statement. “Consequently, the captain was arrested.”
Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Minoru Kihara, told reporters: “We will continue to take resolute action in our enforcement activities to prevent and deter illegal fishing operations by foreign vessels.”
Beijing responded by urging Japan to safeguard the rights of the detained crew. China’s foreign ministry said its fishermen are required to operate within the law and called for fair treatment.
“It is hoped Japan strictly respects the China-Japan fisheries agreement, fairly enforces the law and safeguards the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese crew members,” ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a news conference.
The incident comes amid heightened friction between the two nations, particularly following remarks by Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, about Taiwan.
Addressing lawmakers in November, Takaichi said Japan could become militarily involved if China attempted to invade Taiwan, suggesting that Japan’s self-defence forces could be deployed should a crisis in the Taiwan Strait pose a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan.
The comments triggered strong backlash from Beijing, which urged Chinese nationals to reconsider travel to Japan and led to the cancellation of cultural exchanges. Diplomatic ties have also been strained by China’s reported decision not to send giant pandas to Japan traditionally seen as a symbol of goodwill after two pandas departed a Tokyo zoo last month.
Japan and China are also locked in a longstanding territorial dispute over the uninhabited Senkaku Islands known in China as the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. The resource-rich waters surrounding the islands have frequently drawn fishing vessels from both sides.
A similar incident in 2010, when Japan arrested a Chinese captain whose boat collided with a Japanese patrol vessel near the disputed islands, led to a major diplomatic confrontation before the captain was released without charge.
Recent reports suggest Tokyo has quietly advised its fishermen to avoid operating near the Senkaku Islands to prevent further escalation.
Japan’s proximity to Taiwan with its westernmost island, Yonaguni, lying just 110km away has heightened concerns that any crisis in the Taiwan Strait could directly affect Japanese security.
China maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to achieve what it calls reunification. Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, warned this week that regional stability would be jeopardised if China were to seize the self-governed island.
Beijing would become “more aggressive, undermining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the rules-based international order”, Lai said in an interview with Agence France-Presse. “The next countries under threat would be Japan, the Philippines and others in the Indo-Pacific region, with repercussions eventually reaching the Americas and Europe.”
Following Takaichi’s remarks, China carried out joint air drills with Russia, and in December aircraft from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier reportedly locked radar on Japanese planes in international waters near Okinawa.
Despite the tensions, Takaichi whose Liberal Democratic party recently secured a landslide election victory has indicated she remains “open to dialogue” with Beijing.
China’s foreign ministry, however, signalled that meaningful talks would depend on a shift in Tokyo’s position.
“If Japan truly wants to develop a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship with China, it’s very easy and clear: withdraw Takaichi’s erroneous remarks about Taiwan,” Lin said.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
