The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday demanded that Japan provide evidence to explain why it detained a Taiwanese fishing boat about 23km east of Iwo Jima.
Ministry spokesman Henry Chen (陳銘政) said the ministry was notified yesterday morning that a Suao-registered fishing boat, the Chuan Sheng No. 30, along with Taiwanese captain Ko Chian-kuo (柯建國) and 10 Indonesian crew members, were taken into custody by the Japanese Coast Guard for allegedly trespassing into Japanese fishing grounds and refusing a request for an on-board inspection.
The ministry said that Ko and the vessel had been taken to Yokohama for questioning today while the crew was taken to the islet of Ogasawara.
Ministry personnel in Tokyo and Yokohoma were in contact with the Japanese Coast Guard and were trying to determine the reason for the detention and to ask for Ko’s immediate release, Chen said.
Ko’s family has been notified, but so far ministry personnel have not had a chance to meet Ko, he said.
The last dispute with Japan concerning a Taiwanese fishing boat was in June 2008 when a fishing trawler was found traveling in close proximity to the Diaoyutai (釣魚台) Islands, which are claimed by Taiwan, Japan and China.
The trawler was sunk by the Japanese Coast Guard following a collision and Tokyo later apologized for the incident.
At the height of the dispute, Taiwan recalled its envoy to Tokyo.
Fishing grounds boundaries and maritime management remain one of the biggest bones of contention between Taiwan and Japan.
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