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Freed Chinese fishing boat returns home

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A Chinese fishing boat released by the Japanese coast guard returned home Wednesday morning, Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

The detained Chinese fishing trawler is towed back after an investigation by Japanese authorities near Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture of Japan Sept. 12, 2010.

The fishing boat arrived at the Shenhu fishing port in Jinjiang of Quanzhou city in southeastern Fujian Province at 8:30 a.m., Beijing time.

The trawler, with 15 crew on board, was illegally detained by the Japanese side after it collided with two Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessels on Sept 7.

The trawler and 14 crew members were freed and left Ishigaki harbor in Okinawa, Japan Monday morning after China lodged stern representations with Japan.

The trawler sailed back to China under the escort of two Chinese fishery administration ships.

The 14 Chinese fishermen returned to Fuzhou, capital city of Fujian Monday afternoon on a chartered flight by the Chinese government. But the captain of the trawler is still being held by the Japanese side.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu Tuesday demanded Japan immediately terminate so-called "legal procedures" against the detained captain and his safe return home as soon as possible.

The detained Chinese fishing trawler is flanked by two Japanese Coast Guard vessels during an investigation by Japanese authorities near Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture of Japan Sept. 12, 2010.