EDITORIAL: Ship captain's arrest

The arrest of the captain of a Chinese trawler that collided with two ships from the Ishigaki Coast Guard Office off the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea has the potential to develop into a tricky diplomatic flap.

Japan defines the Senkaku Islands, which China calls Diaoyutai, as Japanese territory and effectively controls them. However, China also claims sovereignty over the islands. That is all the more reason for both sides to deal with the incident calmly.

According to the Japan Coast Guard, the patrol vessel Yonakuni warned the trawler to leave Japanese waters. The trawler steered in the direction of the Yonakuni, rammed it in the stern and then tried to make good its escape. The captain also ignored repeated orders from another Japanese patrol vessel, the Mizuki, to stop. He suddenly steered the trawler in a new direction and hit the Mizuki, coast guard officials said.

The collision created a dent in the Mizuki's hull, which caused railings on the deck to collapse. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

According to the Japan Coast Guard, the captain's behavior was malicious. Under the circumstances, we believe he deserved to be arrested.

China's foreign ministry angrily demanded Japanese patrol vessels stop patrolling waters around the Senkaku Islands, claiming they belong to China.

Chinese media reports said the Japanese patrol vessels hit the Chinese trawler. Comments criticizing Japan have been posted one after another on the Internet, and protesters gathered in front of the Japanese Embassy in Beijing.

We must wait for investigators to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, we must not let a clash of national sentiments lead to new diplomatic clashes. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku said, "We need to calmly deal with the situation without getting worked up." It is a cool-headed approach.

As globalization advances, the flow of personnel and goods has become unstoppable. However, solving disputes over land and water remains extremely difficult.

This is all the more true between Japan and China, where bitter memories of war still linger. The problem of territorial sovereignty is particularly difficult since it tends to incite patriotism.

"People of our generation lack wisdom. The next generation is expected to be wiser."

These words were spoken in 1978 in reference to the Senkaku Islands issue by Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997), the paramount leader of China, who left the solution to later generations. But after a generation, the two sides have yet to find a solution acceptable to both sides. The only way to settle the matter is through dialogue. Both sides should refrain from speech and behavior that could lead to misunderstandings or arouse suspicions.

The Japanese government has thwarted activists trying to land on the islands by leasing private property there and having the Japan Coast Guard closely guard them. While the Chinese side objected to Japan's activities, it did not resort to force. Both sides have paid careful attention not to let the territorial issue shake Japan-China relations.

However, details on China's growing naval presence in recent years remain unclear. The fact that Chinese fishing boats are operating in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam and elsewhere protected by large armed fishing patrol vessels implies strong ties between the Chinese fishing industry and the navy and maritime authorities. Distrust leads to distrust, which in turn, could stir up feelings of threat. Japan and China should work together to maintain a peaceful ocean and avoid a repetition of this incident.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 9