Chinese boat detained for illegal fishing in Japan

In this photo released by Japan Coast Guard 11th Regional Headquarters, a Japan Coast Guard patrol boat uses water cannon to warn a Taiwan’s leisure boat, left, and Taiwan Coast Guard boat off Uotsuri in Japanese and Diaoyu Dao in Chinese, the biggest island in the disputed Senkaku or Diaoyu islands in East China Sea, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. Four Taiwanese activists on the fishing boat attempted to sail to the disputed islands but were turned away by Japan Coast Guard. AP Photo/Japan Coast Guard 11th Regional Hardquarters

BEIJING—Japan has detained a Chinese fishing boat and eight crew members for illegal fishing around Southwestern Japan.

The incident is not likely to spark a dispute as it didn’t occur in contested waters, but it comes as tensions have been rising over an island dispute that has raised fears of an armed confrontation between Beijing and Tokyo.

The fishing boat was detained Thursday off Nagasaki prefecture, hundreds of kilometers (miles) away from the disputed islands, known as Diaoyu in Chinese and Senkaku in Japanese.

A Japanese fisheries official in nearby Fukuoka confirmed the incident took place Thursday but gave no other details.

The Chinese government did not immediately respond to faxed questions Friday.