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Taiwan, Japan discuss fishing regulations near disputed Diaoyutais

ROC Central News Agency

2013/05/07 22:45:00

Taipei, May 7 (CNA) Taiwan and Japan exchanged views on fishing regulations for an area of disputed waters in the East China Sea, during the first meeting held in Taipei Tuesday by a bilateral fishing commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late that day.

Although the two sides did not reach a consensus on the issue during the one-day meeting, they will continue to negotiate, according to a statement issued by the ministry and another issued by the Taipei Office of Japan's Interchange Association.

The association represents Japanese interests in Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic ties.

During the closed-door meeting, officials expressed their opinions on fishing regulations that will apply to the area covered by a historic pact recently signed between Taiwan and Japan on fishing rights in their overlapping territories in the East China Sea, the ministry said.

The two sides agreed to hold another commission meeting later this year to continue negotiations on the issue, the ministry added.

The commission was established as part of the agreement signed April 10 on fishing rights in the waters near the disputed Diaoyutai Islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan.

The Taiwanese members of the commission are Chang Jen-joe, a counselor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Fisheries Agency Director-General James Sha, the ministry said.

Kenichi Okada, secretary-general of the Interchange Association's Taipei Office, and Michihiko Komatsu, head of the Tokyo-based association's general affairs section, are the Japanese members of the commission, it added.

During the meeting, Taiwan and Japan also agreed that the fishing agreement will formally come into force May 10.

Taiwan's delegation to Tuesday's meeting was led by Chang and included officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Fisheries Agency and the Coast Guard Administration. Representatives of Taiwanese fishermen associations also attended.

Japan's delegation was headed by Okada and also consisted of officials from Japan's fishery, foreign affairs and maritime patrol agencies.

Representatives from a fishing committee from Okinawa Prefecture were also in attendance.

The fishing agreement, which opened waters near the Diaoyutai Islands to Taiwanese fishermen, was concluded after on-and-off negotiations that lasted for nearly 17 years.

Under the terms of the agreement, Taiwanese and Japanese boats can operate freely in a 74,300-square-kilometer area around the Diaoyutais, Taiwan's Fisheries Agency said.

That gives Taiwanese fishermen an additional 4,530 square kilometers in which they can operate free of harassment by Japanese authorities, the agency said.

The Diaoyutais, some 100 nautical miles northeast of Taiwan, have been under Japan's administrative control since 1972 but are also claimed by Taiwan and China.

The surrounding waters have long been traditional fishing grounds for Taiwanese fishermen, but they are routinely chased away from the area by the Japanese authorities when they venture too close to what Japan sees as its territorial waters.

(By Elaine Hou)
ENDITEM/J