The way Japan arrests the fisherman, and leave no venue for negotiation... makes me think of how Iran detained foreigners and how North Korea detained foreigners due to 'domestic laws' a while back...
Disputing territory is one thing, but not willing to negotiate over the detention of the a foreigner due to 'dometic legal issues' is quite another... If the fisherman illegally entered Japanese territory, isn't the right action deportation? Even if they claim the fishing vessel rammed Japanese ships, at the very least diplomatic channel should be opened to help determine whether the fisherman can be trialled in China, etc?
Despite being a glittering orderly modern society, the Japanese gov't (at least a good portion of it) haven't seem to have gone very far from their old and somewhat barbaric ways... |