Japan apologizes, offers compensation to Taiwan over boat sinking

Taipei, June 21 Kyodo - Japan officially apologized to Taiwan on Friday and reiterated its willingness to offer compensation for a ship collision earlier this month that sparked a diplomatic row.

Japan's top representative to Taiwan Tadashi Ikeda relayed a letter to Foreign
Minister Francisco Ou from the Japan Coast Guard in a meeting at the ministry.

In the letter, the Japan Coast Guard offered its ''sincere apologies'' and
willingness to discuss compensation.

''Minister Ou welcomes and affirms Japan's goodwill,'' a ministry press release
said.

Japan's conciliatory gestures capped a nearly two-week diplomatic row over a
collision between a Japanese patrol vessel and a Taiwanese fishing boat in
disputed waters off the Senkaku Islands.

Tensions between Taiwan and Japan spiked after the Japan Coast Guard vessel
''Koshiki'' on June 10 allegedly chased and rammed the Taiwanese sport fishing
boat ''Lienhe,'' causing the Lienhe to sink in waters near the
Japanese-administered islands.

Taiwan, which calls the islets ''Tiaoyutai,'' also claims the islands, whose
surrounding waters are rich in fishery resources and, potentially, natural gas
deposits.

After the Koshiki rescued all 16 people aboard the Lienhe, Japan detained the
Lienhe's captain for three days for questioning on the grounds that his boat
had entered Japanese maritime territory illegally.

Taiwan protested the detainment and later recalled its top representative in
Japan and dissolved a special Foreign Ministry committee that handles ties with
Tokyo.

Taiwan's Coast Guard also conducted a foray into waters near the Senkakus on
Monday to accompany a Taiwanese protest boat there.

Taiwan rejected Japan's expression of regret over the collision, but it seemed
satisfied with its more explicit apology Friday.

Japan's de facto embassy in the absence of formal ties, the
Interchange
Association, also sent senior officials to the Taiwanese captain's home --
their second visit to his residence in a week.

Hitoshi Funamachi, the association's second-highest-ranking official, delivered
the Japan Coast Guard letter to the captain, Ho Hung-yi, and expressed
''sincere apologies,'' while reiterating Tokyo's willingness to reimburse him
for his lost boat.

''Our ministry will help to negotiate a settlement per the needs of Mr. Ho, and
continue to conduct fishing talks with Japan,'' the release said, without
elaborating.

Taiwan and Japan have held more than a dozen rounds of negotiations on fishing
rights near the Senkakus, but they have not reached an agreement.==Kyodo