TAIPEI (AFP) — Taiwan pressed its sovereignty claims over a disputed island chain on Thursday as protesters demanded an apology from Japan for the sinking of a Taiwanese fishing boat there.
The incident occurred near uninhabited islands in the East China Sea known as the Senkaku in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese.
Japan administers the chain which lies near rich energy deposits, but it is also claimed by Taipei and Beijing.
"We firmly claim our sovereignty, although the dispute needs to be settled through diplomatic channels," Taiwan's deputy foreign minister Andrew Hsia told reporters.
"However, we would demand Japan to compensate and apologise if it handles the matter improperly."
Meanwhile dozens of protesters rallied outside Tokyo's de facto embassy in Taipei, holding placards reading "shameless Japan, hegemonist Japan" as they called on it to apologise, compensate and release the crew members.
"Japan should not trivialise this matter... as it involves sovereignty issues. We urge Japan to admit its mistake and immediately release the crew," said Taipei County magistrate Chou Hsi-wei while lodging his protest.
The captain of the fishing vessel the Lien Ho, registered in Taipei County, says his boat was rammed by a Japanese coast guard vessel before sinking some six nautical miles (11 kilometres) off the Diaoyus early Tuesday, according to Taiwanese media.
The Japan Coast Guard said the Taiwanese boat made an abrupt move as it was speeding out of the contested area and crashed into the Japanese boat.
Japan said the 16 people on board -- 13 fishing enthusiasts and three crew -- were taken to Ishigaki, an island in Japan's Okinawan chain south of the disputed territories.
The fishermen returned home Wednesday. Local media here said the two crew would return later Thursday while the captain would remain in Japanese hands pending investigation.
China, which insists Taiwan is part of its territory despite their split in 1949 at the end of a civil war, has also denounced the incident.
Japan has claimed the island chgain since 1895, but its dispute with China has intensified in recent years after potentially-rich gas reserves were found nearby.
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