Japan arrests Chinese ship captain

Japanese and Chinese press sources said that on November 5, the Japanese Coast Guard arrested the captain of a Chinese ship on suspicion of coral mining in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Japan Coast Guard ship. (Source: AFP)

Kyodo news agency quoted the Japan Coast Guard as saying that at around 1:10 a.m. on November 5, the captain of a Chinese coral mining vessel entered the waters within Japan's EEZ, about 42km east-northeast of Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture.

The announcement also said a Japanese coast guard vessel observed the vessel harvesting coral using nets.

In addition to the captain, there were 11 sailors on board. All were Chinese citizens.

Information about the Japanese Coast Guard's arrest of the captain of a Chinese coral fishing vessel was also reported by Xinhua News Agency.

Previously, in February and March of this year, the Japanese Coast Guard also arrested several captains of Chinese coral fishing boats for illegal activities in these waters./.

According to VNA