Tokyo: Japan's prime minister on Sunday pledged firm enforcement of laws against illegal fishing after a captain of a Chinese fishing boat was detained last week.
According to Anadolu Agency, Sanae Takaichi stated on the US social media platform X that Tokyo will continue to take decisive action to prevent and deter illegal fishing operations by foreign vessels. The Japanese authorities released the detained captain on Friday after China submitted documentation guaranteeing payment of a deposit. The Japan Fisheries Agency had seized the vessel on Thursday, detaining the captain for allegedly defying an order to stop while within Japan's exclusive economic zone off Nagasaki. This incident marked the first time a Japanese agency seized a Chinese fishing boat in waters off southwestern Japan since 2022.
Beijing expressed hope that Tokyo would uphold the China-Japan fisheries agreement, enforce the law fairly, and protect the lawful rights and interests of those involved. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian emphasized that China consistently urges its fishermen to operate legally and that Beijing is committed to safeguarding its lawful rights and interests.
Relations between China and Japan have been strained since Takaichi remarked in November that a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan could pose a 'survival-threatening situation' for Japan, possibly justifying the exercise of collective self-defense. Beijing strongly criticized these comments, advised Chinese citizens against traveling to Japan, and reinstated a ban on Japanese seafood imports.
Japan has also lodged a diplomatic protest with China over remarks made by a Chinese participant at the Munich Security Conference on February 14 regarding Japan's security policies. The Japanese Foreign Ministry stated that China's assertions were factually incorrect and reiterated Japan's position. The statement highlighted concerns over some countries rapidly increasing military capabilities in a non-transparent manner and attempting to change the status quo through force or coercion. Japan's defense efforts, it added, are in response to a severe security environment and are not directed against any specific country. Tokyo remains committed to peaceful dialogue to resolve issues surrounding Taiwan.
China's foreign minister had criticized Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan, stating that the comments undermine China's territorial sovereignty, marking the first time in eight years that a Japanese Prime Minister made such statements, which Beijing claims violate its territorial sovereignty.