Asia-Pacific News

China demands apology from Japan after boat captain arrives home

Sep 25, 2010, 14:40 GMT

A file picture dated 27 April 2005 shows an aerial view of Uotsuri Island, one of the disputed Senkaku islands in the East China Sea, claimed by Japan China and Taiwan. EPA/HIROYA SHIMOJI

Beijing - China demanded an apology and compensation on Saturday after Japan returned a fishing boat captain who was arrested more than two weeks ago in disputed waters.

'Such an act seriously infringed upon China's territorial sovereignty and violated the human rights of Chinese citizens,' China's foreign ministry said in a statement.

'Japan must apologise to China and offer compensation over this incident,' it continued.

The fishing boat captain, Zhan Qixiong, arrived in Fuzhou in south-east Fujian Province early Saturday morning via a chartered plane, where he was met by assistant foreign minister, Hu Zhengyue, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The 41-year-old sailor had been arrested, and 14 crew members detained, after a collision off the coast of a disputed set of islands known as Diaoyu in China, Senkaku in Japan and Tiaoyutai in Taiwan.

The seabed in the surrounding area is thought to be rich in natural gas.

After the arrest on September 7, China had made repeated representations to the Japanese Ambassador calling for Zhan's 'immediate and unconditional' release.

On Friday, Japanese Prosecutors decided to halt further investigations into the collision and release Zhan.