JAPAN RELEASED A Chinese trawler captain who had been detained two weeks ago, but refused to say sorry amid Chinese demands for an apology.

The captain’s trawler had collided with Japanese patrol boats near the disputed Diaouyu/Senkaku islands two weeks ago and Japan had arrested him.

But after thousands of Chinese took to the streets to protest his detention, Japan were forced to release Zhan Qiziong. China demanded an apology and the release of Zhan, but the Japanese have yet to apologise.

“Everybody knows that China is not a democratic country, but [the latest demand] will make that explicit” Katsuya Okada, the then-foreign minister of Japan, was quoted as saying.

Japan’s Prime Minister Naoto Kan has appealed for a calming in relations between the two countries and said that both nations have international responsibilities.

The Taiwanese government, meanwhile, have said they are monitoring the situation. Taiwan (the Republic of China) also have a claim on the islands and said in a statement yesterday that they hope “the parties involved in the sovereignty dispute will set aside their differences and work together to explore the Diaoyutai’s resources.”