TAIPEI (AFP) — Taiwan and Japan pledged Tuesday to calmly resolve a diplomatic row over the sinking of a Taiwanese fishing boat after it collided with a Japanese vessel near disputed islets in the East China Sea.
"The foreign ministry will try to peacefully resolve (the issue) through diplomatic channels," Taiwan's Foreign Minister Francisco Ou told reporters.
Ou made the remarks after a Taiwanese protest boat, escorted by nine patrol ships, entered Japan's territorial waters near the disputed islands early Monday.
Japanese media said it was the first time foreign patrol boats had entered Japanese waters to accompany a protest ship.
The Taiwanese fishing boat sank near the island chain a week ago after colliding with a Japanese patrol vessel. The Japanese vessel rescued all 16 people onboard and sent them back to Taiwan after questioning.
Taiwan's foreign ministry had lodged a strong protest over the incident, demanding an apology and compensation.
But Tokyo said earlier Tuesday it had agreed with Taipei to "handle the issue calmly without getting excited," according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura.
Separately, a group of Taiwanese lawmakers on Tuesday called off a protest voyage scheduled for Wednesday to the disputed island chain, known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese.
"We have decided to suspend the trip as Japan has softened its stance while yesterday's civilian protest effectively pressed Taiwan's sovereignty claims" of the islands, said lawmaker Lin Yu-fang of the ruling Kuomintang.
Japan administers the uninhabited island group, which lies near rich energy deposits, but it is also claimed by Taipei and Beijing.
Taiwan's de facto envoy to Japan, Koh Se-kai, was summoned home over the weekend and said Monday he was resigning amid criticism over how he handled the incident.
The US State Department called Monday on Japan and Taiwan to exercise restraint in the dispute.
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