Japan has seized a Chinese fishing vessel and arrested its captain after the boat entered Japan’s exclusive economic zone off Nagasaki and allegedly attempted to flee inspection, adding fresh strain to already deteriorating ties between Asia’s two largest powers. The captain was detained on Thursday, marking Japan’s first seizure of a Chinese fishing vessel since 2022, according to the Fisheries Agency.
Tokyo said it would maintain a “resolute” stance against illegal fishing by foreign vessels, while Beijing demanded the protection of the crew’s rights and reiterated that Chinese fishermen are expected to follow international law.
The incident unfolds amid escalating diplomatic tension between China and Japan, already inflamed by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent warning that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could threaten Japan’s survival.
Arrests of foreign fishing crews by Japan are rare and typically reserved for serious violations, underscoring the sensitivity of the case.
Maritime detentions have historically triggered sharp confrontations between the two countries, particularly around disputed East China Sea waters. With bilateral relations now described by China’s ambassador as the worst since normalisation in 1972, the latest seizure risks further aggravating an already fragile regional security climate.