Japan releases detained Chinese activists

An activist who landed on the Diaoyu Islands is taken into police custody in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, on Thursday. [Photo/Agencies]

TOKYO - Japan released all 14 Chinese activists on Friday after they were arrested Wednesday for landing on one of Diaoyu Islands.

Seven of the 14 Chinese activists arrested by Japanese for landing on one of the Diaoyu islands Wednesday are on their way to Naha airport in southwest Japan to take a plane back to Hong Kong, a spokesman from the Chinese embassy in Japan told Xinhua Friday afternoon.

The other group of seven will return on the boat they came from, the spokesman said. But exact time for them to leave was not immediately disclosed.