Newly appointed Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara repeated Wednesday that the recent collision between a Chinese trawler and Japan Coast Guard vessels occurred in Japanese territory and demanded China take measures to prevent a recurrence.
In an interview with The Japan Times and other media, Maehara said Japan took appropriate measures in arresting the Chinese captain of the ship and will do the same thing if a similar incident occurs.
The collision "was a malicious act that took place in an integral part of our nation's sovereign territory and we handled it in accordance with domestic law," Maehara said. "I would like to firmly demand that China take preventive measures, and if a similar incident should occur, I believe we will deal with it accordingly to our domestic law."