China-Japan Sea 'Collision' Hits YouTube

Video of a September maritime crash that has made political waves appeared on YouTube today, potentially escalating tensions between China and Japan, AFP reports. The video shows what appears to be the Chinese fishing boat at the heart of the conflict sailing, then changing course and hitting a Japanese vessel. Until now, video footage had been shown only to Japan’s prime minister.

Japanese coast guard officers reportedly said the video was “most likely real.” Japan arrested the fishing boat’s captain in September, saying his vessel had smashed into two Japanese coast guard ships. The apparent leak comes ahead of a Japan-hosted Asia-Pacific summit next week. China has already “made inquiries” about the clip, said a Japanese government rep, calling the leak “grave.”
(More Japan stories.)