Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian

The Chinese government always asks Chinese fishermen to operate in accordance with laws and regulations, and China firmly protects their lawful rights and interests, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday, in response to an inquiry regarding Japan's claim that it seized a Chinese fishing vessel and arrested its captain after the ship entered the nation's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and sought to avoid inspection.

Lin said that China hopes that the Japanese side will strictly observe the China-Japan Fisheries Agreement, ensure impartial law enforcement and protect the safety of the Chinese crew and their lawful rights and interests.

The Chinese Consulate General in Fukuoka is assisting with the relevant Chinese crew members' safe return, Lin added when responding to a reporter's question after the press conference asking for an update regarding the Chinese vessel seized by the Japanese side.

The incident occurred on Thursday in the waters off southwestern Japan, when a total of 11 crew members were aboard the vessel, and the captain was arrested by Japanese authorities, Kyodo News reported on Friday.

The vessel is described as a "tiger net fishing boat", usually known for catching fish such as mackerel and horse mackerel, per the report.

The Japanese fisheries agency said that the arrested captain had been released at around 7:55 pm on Friday after submitting a written guarantee for the payment of a bail bond, Mainichi reported.

It was the first time since 2022 that the Japanese fisheries agency has seized a Chinese fishing boat, Japan Times reported. 

At the 2026 Chinese New Year Reception held by the Chinese Embassy in Japan on Tuesday, Wu Jianghao, the Chinese Ambassador to Japan, stressed that China-Japan relations are now facing the most severe and difficult situation since the normalization of diplomatic relations, and the responsibility lies entirely with the Japanese side, according to the official WeChat account of the Embassy.



Global Times