The Japan Coast Guard on Tuesday arrested the skipper of a Chinese fishing boat on suspicion of illegally operating in Japanese territorial waters near the Goto Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture.

The 130-ton boat captained by Zhong Jinyin, 39, was observed Monday night lowering ropes for coral about 4 km north-northeast of the islands, the coast guard alleged.

Some coral was found on the boat, but whether it was obtained in Japanese territory is unclear.

The boat ignored a patrol vessel's order to stop and was captured when a coast guard cutter collided with it after a 6½-hour chase.