A throng of Chinese fishing boats have been spotted poaching red coral in the waters around the Ogasawara Islands since mid-September. Japan and China should work together to resolve this problem. Doing so could serve as a first concrete step toward repairing bilateral relations that have deteriorated over the dispute concerning the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

The number of Chinese ships — apparently from Fujian Province — operating in the waters around the Ogasawara Islands and near the southern part of the Izu Islands peaked at 212 on Oct. 30. As of Nov. 19, 44 Chinese fishing boats were still inside Japan's exclusive economic zone around the Ogasawara Islands. Unauthorized fishing inside the EEZ of another country is a criminal act.

Strong demand among wealthy Chinese for jewelry and ornaments made out of red coral has caused the price to rise sharply in China. A type of red coral known as "ox blood" is being sold for 10,000 yuan (or roughly ¥190,000) per gram in specialty stores in Shanghai. The red coral that the poachers take from Japan's EEZ is sold to traders in China for an estimated 500,000 yuan (roughly ¥9.5 million) per kilogram.