Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/10/31
By: Tai Ya-chen and S.C. Chang

Taipei, Oct. 31 (CNA) Taiwan and Japan were unable to reach agreement Monday on fishing rights in the sea near Okinotori Atoll at a meeting on maritime affairs held in Tokyo, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Taiwan argued that it had the right to fish in the open sea surrounding the atoll but the Japanese insisted on their claim of an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that extends 200 nautical miles from the atoll, which lies 1,600 kilometers east of Taiwan, according to a MOFA statement.

Taiwan protested Japan’s seizure of a Taiwanese fishing vessel on April 25 in the sea 150 nautical miles east-southeast of the atoll and demanded the return of a 6 million yen (US$54,000) deposit paid to Japan to secure the boat’s release, according to the MOFA.

It said then the atoll could not be considered an island under international law and therefore did not generate an EEZ.    [FULL  STORY]