Overview
- Japan’s Fisheries Agency says the vessel ignored an order to stop for inspection inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone about 165 km south-southwest of Meshima in Nagasaki Prefecture.
- Authorities detained the boat and 11 crew, arresting the 47-year-old skipper—identified by Japanese media as Zheng Nianli—and brought the vessel to Nagasaki for investigation.
- Officials said this is Japan’s first seizure of a Chinese fishing vessel since 2022.
- Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara vowed continued resolute enforcement against illegal fishing, while China urged Japan to respect the bilateral fisheries agreement and safeguard crew rights.
- Reports named the ship as the Qiong Dong Yu and noted the incident occurred within Japan’s EEZ rather than in disputed waters.