Japanese authorities seized a Chinese fishing vessel on Thursday after it tried to flee when ordered to stop for inspection. The boat was caught inside Japan's exclusive economic zone near Nagasaki Prefecture in the south-west. The captain, a 47-year-old Chinese national, was arrested. Japan's fisheries agency said, "The vessel's captain was ordered to stop for an inspection by a fisheries inspector, but the vessel failed to comply and fled." There were 11 crew members on board. The seized vessel is described as a "tiger net fishing boat" with a large capacity. This is the first time since 2022 that Japan has seized a Chinese fishing boat. China has not yet commented on the seizure. The incident comes amid growing tensions after Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned in November that Tokyo might act militarily if China tries to take Taiwan by force. China claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out forceful reunification. Beijing called Takaichi's remarks "egregious" and responded by summoning Japan's ambassador, issuing travel warnings, and causing a drop in Chinese tourists to Japan. Cultural exchanges between the two nations have also suffered, with canceled shows and postponed Japanese movie releases in China. Recently, Japan returned its last two pandas to China as relations remain strained.