Taiwan and Japan agreed on various amendments to regulations on fishing operations in waters near the disputed Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台列嶼) — known in Japan as the Senkaku Islands — in the East China Sea during their latest round of bilateral fishery talks that concluded on Friday in Tokyo.
During the fourth meeting of the Taiwan-Japan fishing commission, the two sides agreed to make some amendments to the fishing regulations applied to Taiwanese and Japanese fishing vessels operating in a designated area in the East China Sea where both are allowed to operate freely, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday.
The amendments, which went into immediate effect, include the provision that Taiwanese and Japanese fishing boats take turns operating in the area north of the Yaeyama Islands and maintain a 4 nautical mile (7.4km) distance between each boat while fishing there, a Taiwanese official said.
Another new regulation allows Taiwanese fishermen to deploy their lines in an east-west direction while operating in another zone of the area at night, the ministry said.
As Japanese boats set their lines in a north-south direction, the amendments are aimed at avoiding friction between Taiwanese and Japanese fishing boats caused by the different operating methods, the official said.
The measures would remain in effect for the coming year until the next meeting of the fishing commission is held to discuss whether any adjustments are needed, the official said.
The three-day closed-door meeting in Tokyo brought together officials from the two countries’ foreign ministries, as well as their fishery and maritime law enforcement agencies, the ministry said.
Taiwan’s delegation to the meeting was led by Taiwan’s deputy representative to Japan, Hsu Juei-hu (徐瑞湖), while Fisheries Agency Director-General Tsay Tzu-yaw (蔡日曜) was the main negotiator, the ministry added.
Michihiko Komatsu, head of the Tokyo-based Interchange Association’s general affairs section, headed the Japanese delegation, it added.
The establishment of the fisheries commission was part of a historic fisheries agreement signed by Taiwan and Japan in April 2013 on fishing rights in the East China Sea near the disputed islands.
Under the terms of the agreement, Taiwanese and Japanese boats can operate freely in a 74,300km2 area around the uninhabited islets, Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency said.
The Diaoyutais, about 120 nautical miles northeast of Taipei, have been under Japanese administrative control since 1972, but are also claimed by Taiwan and China, which calls them the Diaoyu Archipelago.
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