Detained Chinese fishermen released from Japan

TOKYO - The skipper and all other crew of a Chinese fishing boat Japanese authorities detained Saturday near the Kagoshima Prefecture were released Monday, said the Chinese Consulate General in Fukuoka.

Accompanied by a Chinese consul, Lin Shiqin, the skipper, left the place where he was transferred to for questioning at around 6 pm local time. He and all other Chinese crew members left Kagoshima for China at around 7:25 pm, marking the issue was peacefully resolved within 48 hours.

According to relative law in Japan, Lin has to pay a fine of about 4.28 million yen ($49,716) within 10 days or pay the fine within 30 days with a guarantee from the Chinese Consulate General in Japan.

Chinese Consulate General in Fukuoka submitted such guarantee Monday afternoon and urged the Japanese side to implement releasing formalities as soon as possible.

Lin and his boat were detained by Japan's Coast Guard on Saturday night for alleged unauthorized coral fishing inside Japanese waters.