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Japan frees 14 crew members of Chinese ship; captain still held

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They folded? Now, let's watch them detain this captain for three or four months before giving a suspended sentence.

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Japan isn't NK. I don't think anyone has been surprised at the sequence of events so far and I doubt the captain will be held for such a long period.

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kan has a rally to go to doesnt have time for a riff with china or the economy or the people of this wonderful country

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Seems the Japanese Media is slow even when it comes to local news. I saw this on foreign media soon as it was unfolding.

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I hope Japan puts the captain on trial

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The captain should be detained for a while to question more as he violated the Japan's law intentionally. It looks like Chinese navy forces will not come and also not take over these Islands. China/Taiwan recognize that Japan has been controlling these islands for a long time.

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I think crew members were free to leave from the very begining, question is captain and fishing boat, valuable assets withhold by Japan.

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Boom... exactly like I said... so far. The captain will be out by the end of the week as well, once China voices their disdain and threatens Japan a few more times. There's not much else they can do, especially in light of their fear of China's military might, and the fact that Japan is no longer the world's second economy.

The sooner this little issue gets brushed aside, the better. Unfortunately, it's only going to happen when Japan kowtows to Beijing's wishes.

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I'm a little curious at the strength of China's reaction. Might it be that the captain is actually military?

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Laguna: "I'm a little curious at the strength of China's reaction. Might it be that the captain is actually military?"

Possible, but I still think China would react the same even if the man is not military -- they are just looking for an excuse to get angry at Japan, that's all.

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Seems the Japanese Media is slow even when it comes to local news. I saw this on foreign media soon as it was unfolding.

The Japanese media has to cencor and repackage the ifno so it is palatable for the public here. If you honestly think Japanese press is free, you are a sucker.

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by the way, it is not unreasonable at all to hold the captain over an international boating accident until technology and research is used to actually find out what happened and who is to blame. After he is released he can not be charged by the country who's boat got damaged by his recklessness.

Why release him before they know what happened?

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I think 14 crew members are not responsible for the incident but captain is responsible. When Japanese fishermen were caught by Russia coast guard, j crew members were released first except the captain.

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as sum14 said, my understanding was that the crew members were never actually detained ergo they haven't now been freed. they were most likely sitting on their own ship waiting to see if Japan would free the captain in a short amount of time and since that hasn't happened they have now decided to head home.

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China always tells offending countries they will damage ties with China if they dont this or do that, but its OK for China to do anything they want to other countries with impunity. I applaud Japan for standing their ground with China. Hopefully this issue will allow some serious discussion about enhancing national security within Japan. If countries allow China to indimidate them and allow China to push other countries around (i.e. Vietnam and others)...when will China`s bullying stop?? The answer is....it wont.

This whole incident is a test by China to see what reaction Japan would have....the thinking is by the communist government, "How far can we push Japan and what action will the Japanese take?"...hopefully this answered their questions. I expect more of these incidents to take place in the future.

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This is not an issue between Japan and China. It is about a Chinese fishing boat which was in Japan's waters.

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neogreenjapan: "This is not an issue between Japan and China. It is about a Chinese fishing boat which was in Japan's waters."

Correction: Japan's self-declared economic zone, not recognized by the Chinese. I'm not saying one country is any more the child than the other, just that it's disputed by one or both.

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I don't understand the complaints of the pro-China posters here. If you like it or not, at this very moment the Senkaku islands are controlled by JAPAN. Disputes or not, at THIS moment they are NOT controlled by China or Taiwan. The Chinese trawler ignored several warnings from the Japanese coast guard to leave Japanese waters (because the islands are controlled by Japan, remember) and "collided" (rammed?) with 2 Japanese coast guard vessels when it finally did. The absurd complaints and threats from China during the past few days about this incident shows that China still has third world manners.

By the way snowboard, Smith is spot on.

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This issue is basically about which country owns the disputed Senkaku Islands (Diaopyutai Islands). Worth a lot of money in terms of oil drilling rights and fishery rights. That's why the stakes are so high.

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He will probably recieve the same treatment just like the sea shepard incident. after 10 days he will have to sign a paper to never set sail in japanese waters

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My understanding of this matter is that these 14 men were never charged of any wrongdoing, and China can collect them anytime. I guess Japan has paid for their returning trip as bully China only interesting in shouting at civilised Japan. I still suspect that China's over-reaction in this matter because chinese leaders want to show off their strength to ASEAN countries by bullying Japan ( with US behind) following development in their meeting at Hanoi recently. It is very dangerous game China is playing.

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ikkochan, while China is impressive remember this fact. It has pulled ahead of Japan in total GNP but China has more than 10 times the population. Thus the amount of GNP per person in China is very low.

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I hope the Captain will be freed soon (on humanitarian grounds) enabling him to attend the funeral of his grand mother (85) who died from shock on hearing of his arrest by the Japanese authorities.

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I'm not so sure China has had the upper hand politically in this incident. They screamed and blustered, but Japan followed usual procedures. Of course, China will boast, especially internally to their own citizens, that they prevailed. Unless there's some smoking gun concerning this captain he'll be released soon.

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...After Japanese authorities questioned the 14 crew members on a nearby Japanese island, they departed Monday on a Chinese chartered plane sent to collect them, the Foreign Ministry said. They had not been arrested, and were questioned on a voluntary basis. Japan also planned to release the Chinese ship, which will be operated by a new crew flown in on the Chinese plane, the ministry said. A Japanese court has granted prosecutors permission to keep the captain, Zhan Qixiong, in custody until Sept. 19 to decide whether to formally indict him.

Japan frees 14 crew members of Chinese ship - By MARI YAMAGUCHI (AP)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gr_90U8KSxzQZv9eAUjsPckMOC_wD9I6TMKG0

The language used -- Japan was warned against making ‘misjudgements’ and urged to find a ‘wise political resolution’ -- was typical of the lecturing tone Chinese officials seemed to have adopted in recent months as they apparently co-ordinate efforts to alienate as many neighbours as possible. It’s a far cry from the charm offensive that China had appeared to be on until late last year to ease concerns about its growing clout. China’s media, meanwhile, has upped the emotional ante, reporting that Zhan’s grandmother died of a heart attack following news of his arrest (the China Daily itself merely reported that ‘Chinese media’ had reported the death – I would hope that someone, somewhere has checked on the veracity of the original report).

"Japan Gets New China Ticking Off" By Jason Miks - The Diplomat

http://the-diplomat.com/china-power/2010/09/12/japan-gets-new-china-ticking-off/

Let's suppose for a moment that a japanese captain of a trawler go near Dokdo. Two korean coast guards vessels ask him to let them aboard their ship for a search or leave the area. The japanese captain not only let them board or leave the area but also ram the two south koreans vessels. The koreans arrest and charge him of "interfering with the duties of korean public officials". The grandmother of the japanese captain die after heard that as being detained.

Now, who you think is responsible for the death of the grandmother? The koreans that detain a violent japanese captain or the violent japanese captain? Or is just an unpredictable event that cant be blamed on any of them in a court of justice?

Do the nationality of the people involved change your answer?

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Also, I think that if some people feel so much pity for the violent captain Zhan, that they wish that is liberated for be in the funeral of his grandmother. They can donate money from their own pockets to pay the material damages that he did. That way they can show to everyone how much they really care for compassion.

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smithinjapan at 02:27 PM JST - 13th September Boom... exactly like I said... so far. The captain will be out by the >end of the week as well, once China voices their disdain and threatens >Japan a few more times. There's not much else they can do, especially in >light of their fear of China's military might, and the fact that Japan > is no longer the world's second economy.

Why should Japan be afraid of China's military might when the US-Japan Mutual Defense Treaty ensures that China will never lift a finger?

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Disillusioned at 12:23 PM JST - 13th September They folded?

How is this "folding"? They still have the person responsible in custody and being prosecuted. The crew are worthless.

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Debucho at 04:04 PM JST - 13th September The Japanese media has to cencor and repackage the ifno so it is >palatable for the public here. If you honestly think Japanese press is >free, you are a sucker.

Yea right it's just like state run news in China. OK.

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some14some at 10:24 PM JST - 13th September I hope the Captain will be freed soon (on humanitarian grounds) enabling >him to attend the funeral of his grand mother (85) who died from shock >on hearing of his arrest by the Japanese authorities.

He should have been moree considerate of his old grandmother and not entered a disputred area in the first place. Or crashed his boat into a coast guard ship twice.

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China has really hurt it's own image over this issue and shown the entire world what a backwards third world militant dictatorship it really is. What's alarming is that no intelligent and progressive faction within the ruling CCP can guide Chinese policy correctly in a civilized manner. Must be the same folks who issue Dalai Lama visitation complaints.

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China has a long, long memory when it comes to redressing what it feels are injustices and they are not going to give up on this easily for reasons of pride alone. Japan will not surrender with ease either. Now, the U.S. would love to see China and Japan have a long lasting falling out over this problem. If China and Japan can make an opportunity out of all this, to sit down and discuss the issue peacefully then there is much to be accomplished. Japan may need China for economic development. Mostly, the two countries have the chance to work out a major problem without U.S. intervention.

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This “incident” is really no news. Both governments are using this incident as play-fighting—more like shadow-boxing with each other—a lot of noise.

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"Now, the U.S. would love to see China and Japan have a long lasting falling out over this problem."

I suspect your reasoning may be the Okinawa situation and Japan defense in general, but I don't think the U.S. wants to see an escalation beyond what's already occurred.

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The delay in dispute with Japan allows China to make the best of a situation in which it has few options while buying time to improve its position. Moreover, the cost of delaying is not high, as China can easily maintain its sovereignty claim through diplomatic statements. China has little incentive to consider any compromise settlement when it might be able to get a better deal in the future.

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I hope the Captain will be freed soon (on humanitarian grounds) enabling him to >attend the funeral of his grand mother (85) who died from shock on hearing of his arrest by the Japanese authorities.

I hear grammy died from the shock of learning her iddims-widdims had rammed Japanese coast guard vessels.

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This “incident” is really no news. Both governments are using this incident as play-fighting—more like shadow-boxing with each other—a lot of noise.

The news is that this marks a shift in how China shadow-boxes. More boxing and less shadow.

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