Japan Coast Guard seizes 2 Chinese boats over illegal fishing

2-boats? so, this time China may have to arrange a bigger Chartered Plane to take them home.

The Japanese should be more kind. I suggest that they open up the area around Fukushima and let them take waht ever they can catch.

And when you thought things were getting "better"......

we have this!

Bit far off from Senkaku if they were caught around Noto Hanto. LOL

Japan need to stand firm this time and not humiliate themselves by bowing the China despite being in the right, as they did last time. Is this going to be an ongoing 'jab attack' from China to test how far they can go?

China will no doubt throw its toys out of the pram, but Japan needs to stand up and look China in the eye on this one.

Should prove interesting. This is just on the tail of China's anger over Japan's defense paper, in which Japan stated it was scared about China's military build up.

There isn't much they can do to these fishermen besides send them home and keeping their boats -- there was no boat rammings like last time -- but I wonder what kind of bombast will ensue in the interim.

bygones....

This is why life is never boring in this side of the world. Japan has a another chance to set things right.

China, if smart, has a great chance here. take swift action, punish those fisherman (even only for parade), and show their "commitment" to local stability, blah, blah. if smart

Oh boy, this has realy thrown the cat in amongst the pigeons.

Trawlers Lurongyu 1735 and Lurongyu 1736 were carrying 17 Chinese crewmembers each.

I wonder though...what are they going to do with the 34+ crewmembers? Are they just gonna throw them inside a cell for weeks/months without indictment?

This tension is a result of overfishing. China needs more fish as it's population develops. The sea and it's inhabitants are the real losers. Just look at tuna in the Med.

Dont worry asagao, Japan will probably let you keep your gyoza instead. I guess local foods for local economy is the best bet yet. Adjusting lifestyles to meet demands.

Here we go again. Let's see if the DPJ learned anything from the previous debacle and can handle this any better this time? Like maybe getting all the various ministers/cabinet members speaking with one voice?! Instead of the Foreign Minister, the Justice Minister, the Defense Minister, etc. all saying different things. Or, better yet, tell them all to shut up and let just Kan or Edano show some leadership and be the only spokesperson.

japan needs to try the crews in court this time and then throw them in jail. then sell the boats for scrap.

The big issue is that the Chinese fishing fleet continues to operate in Japanese economic zone.

I believe this is due to the Chinese Party not condoning it as previously.

I believe this is due to the Chinese Party not condoning it as previously.

The did condone it previously. I think you mean condemn.

China AGAIN. Never a dull moment with them. How big of an "incident" is this going to become? More blackmailing, embargos, canceling of school excursions, throwing rocks at Japanese consulates, travel bans?

****If the Japanese govt can prove the Chinese were in Japan's territorial waters, then legally they should take them to court and fine the hell out of them, then return them to their homeland. If the govt is wrong, it should be more careful in the future. There is no way that in a war, Japan will again defeat China.

There is no way that in a war, Japan will again defeat China.

Why not?

They both of them, the Chinese and the Japanese can act and react the way they want if they are prepared for the consequences, that I doubt.

Just another skirmish on open sea and no one knows when it will turn into serious a problem that they can't handle safely any more.

This is too terrible. If DPJ and Mr.Kan have any courage, they won't back down again and follow orders of terrible chinese government like last time when they released the captain. These crew members must be jailed for a long, long time , maybe 10-15 years. To stop any further aggresion from chinese vesells. We Japanese must stand up to the bullying we always receive from other nations.

There is no way that in a war, Japan will again defeat China.

only a foreigner can say that. Japanese are very confident in our nation to defeat anyone, like we easily defeated china and korea before. We will Never give up, it is the fighting Japanese spirit!

makiminato: "This is why life is never boring in this side of the world. Japan has a another chance to set things right."

This is only comparable to the similar incident in that Chinese fishermen were caught in Japan's Economic Zone. They cannot 'set the last incident right' because in the last incident the man colliding with and damaged a coastguard vessel. He could have faced charges. These men can't really get much beyond a slap on the wrist and be sent home. Even when Russia captures Japanese fishermen doing the exact same thing they sweat them for a while and then have to let them go.

sunhawk: "japan needs to try the crews in court this time and then throw them in jail. then sell the boats for scrap."

For what? They weren't in Japanese waters to cause trouble and send political messages. Why would Japan do as such? Like I said, even Russia simply holds the crews (Japanese) for a while and then lets them go. If a trial were to be held the worst the man can get is a fine and sent packing. If they want to be a little harsher they could impound the ship indefinitely, but I doubt they would.

I DO agree with the sarcastic post above that China COULD send a strong message by punishing the fishermen, but I doubt they will. On the contrary, it'll be another reason to fan the flames on both sides.

Kentaro: "only a foreigner can say that. Japanese are very confident in our nation to defeat anyone, like we easily defeated china and korea before. We will Never give up, it is the fighting Japanese spirit!"

Sorry, amigo, but while Japan has the technical prowess they would never win a fight with China (without the US, that is). Japan's SDF forces are not as well trained and not even CLOSE in number. Plus Japan has missiles, and while their air-force and navy are aging, they've still got them both, as well as the subs which always scare Japan when they go through the Ryukyus.

Anyway, no one's going to war. If China did start something they would probably at the same time invade Taiwan, and the US would help both Japan and Taiwan, and that would lead to world war. No one wants that, especially since China is on the up-and-up economically and many nations are turning their eyes towards it.

Since the fish were spawned in China, the boats can claim they were engaging in "hot pursuit." The two captains will without a doubt receive ticker-tape parades when they return home.

only a foreigner can say that. Japanese are very confident in our nation to defeat anyone, like we easily defeated china and korea before. We will Never give up, it is the fighting Japanese spirit!

Kentaro: Hello!! Japan lost buddy.

I don't accept that Japan 'backed down' or were 'bullied' last time around. I thought they showed a bit of diplomatic nous that resulted in China having a baby's tantrum, throwing all of their toys out of the cot, and alarming the International community in the process. China were the definite losers last time. Japan have every right to detain these boats - they shouldn't be there, and my country does exactly the same in this situation.

We will Never give up, it is the fighting Japanese spirit

Really? I have been told many times in Japan that Japanese are peaceful village people who have the gene for rice farming, and that only Westerners have the gene for hunting and fighting......

I don't think China would care much as it happened on Japan's border where no dispute existed. There's no significant reaction by the government and probably it will be like the incident happened in South Korea.

Why are we talking about War? You should all be ashamed of yourselves. War is not a sport, and no-one ever wins anything.

OrangeW3dge

Why are we talking about War? You should all be ashamed of yourselves. War is not a sport, and no-one ever wins anything.

Exactly, l guess the peace loving Japanese arnt that peace loving after all. I guess they didnt learn anything from their past, but thats no great surprise when its downplayed as it is.

l guess the peace loving Japanese arnt that peace loving after all

I guess you'll find that with the exception of Kentaro-kun none of the posters 'talking about war' are Japanese (and I'm not sure about Kentaro). And if every single poster on this thread were Japanese bar me and thee, a handful of folk thumping anonymous keyboards are not representative of a whole country.

cleo

I guess you'll find that with the exception of Kentaro-kun none of the posters 'talking about war' are Japanese (and I'm not sure about Kentaro). And if every single poster on this thread were Japanese bar me and thee, a handful of folk thumping anonymous keyboards are not representative of a whole country.

Fair point Cleo, just been a lot of posts on this site lately not just on this tread (the current Korean situation) where there have been many suggesting Japan should take military action. And several have been Japanese.

However you are right thumping out pro war messages on a keyboard does not reflect a whole society just an individuals bravado.

"We will Never give up, it is the fighting Japanese spirit!"

Apt words on the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, if you know your history (ie. Japanese were given plenty of warning about the bomb but still wouldn't give up, at severe cost to their people)

They should walk the plank.

here we go again...

yeah this is like Dejavu. china is testing the waters here. & should stop playing Games.

@Kentaro75

This is too terrible. If DPJ and Mr.Kan have any courage, they won't back down again and follow orders of terrible chinese government like last time when they released the captain. These crew members must be jailed for a long, long time , maybe 10-15 years. To stop any further aggresion from chinese vesells. We Japanese must stand up to the bullying we always receive from other nations.

There is no way that in a war, Japan will again defeat China. only a foreigner can say that. Japanese are very confident in our nation to defeat anyone, like we easily defeated china and korea before. We will Never give up, it is the fighting Japanese spirit!

What a shameless post!! I wonder what YuriOtani would say if he got to read such thing... I am pretty sure that not all of us Japanese think this ridiculous way. We LOST the war, period. That put an end to the savagery, abomination and mass executions that were going on neighbor countries by the Imperial Army of Japan. It took not one but two Atom Bombs to finally stop the war. Imagine!! I am not condoning the killing of innocent civilians in Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki or my native Okinawa but I have to admit...If we weren't bombed, things would have been a lot worse.

So please, spare me that right-wing talk about how we think of ourselves as ready to defeat anybody. Most people will tell you otherwise. and besides, I thought the constitution of our country clearly states that we will never open war or invade another nation, ever. We can only defend ourselves here. Did you conveniently forget about that?

Give them a real map!

The captain was 26 years old?? Was the crew teenagers? No wonder they were in the wrong waters... lack of experience and good judgement.

maybe they had a china gps like mine

I don;'t think this is China testing the waters as in the Senkakus. Looks more like a couple of Chinese poaching vessels, nothing more. Will probably be treated as such. For those who for some reason ger off on talking about war between China and Japan, eventhough it;s pretty irrevelvant to this article, please appreciate that if China were to start a war with Japan it would effectively be starting a war with the United States. I don't think they want to do that. So let;'s just forget about it.

Good lord, I think some people need to have a cup of tea and calm down. I do find these calls for blood rather alarming.

This isn't the same as the last incident, which was a pointed political statement and act of aggression on the part of the Chinese ship concerned; this is a case of poaching at most. Japan needs to "deal" with this in the same way it does in any other case, and in the same way that Russia deals with Japanese ships that enter its waters illegally: give them a few nights in a holding cell, give them a fine, and send them on their way. There is no reason this needs to escalate any further. And even if it is China testing the waters, and even if China does raise diplomatic objections (which seems highly unlikely), Japan comes off better by sticking to procedure, and not making grandiose statements about territorial integrity.

No need for a fuss.

@OssanAmerica, I share the same view as yours. Just give them a map and let them go. Nothing else for this one.

Here we go again, Japan if you don't imprison these jerks at least give China a hefty fine for this one. I'd say you could use the money to help the earthquake victims but your corrupt government might just steal all away anyway.

@Tokyo Cherry Boy

China and Korea did not win the war, at least not by themselves.

@Kentaro75

I understand resentment against bullying from China. A lot of the posters here apparently feel the same.

But war will only hurt both countries. The cost is too great.

if they are worth selling, I think Japan should auction the boats and send their crews home with the proceeds. The Chinese government will lose face and I would not want to be one of the crew members if that happens. Sounds like good deterrence.

Here we go again. I wonder if the Chinese fishing captains are told to go into Japanese waters by the Chinese government? Or are they just lost or don't care. Either way, this coming just after the Chinese make mention of the Japanese defensive buildup just makes you wonder where diplomacy and poking about in places you ought not be come together.

Of course the Russians have taught the Japanese how to deal with fishing boats in places where they ought not be.

Guess we'll have to see what happens next.

Or are they just lost or don't care

I'd say lost because of their cheap knock-off GPS