Japan on Monday released 14 crew members of a Chinese fishing trawler involved in a collision with two Japanese coastguard vessels off the disputed islands, but kept its captain in detention in a case that sparked off a major diplomatic row between the two countries.

The 14 Chinese fishermen on board the trawler, which has been kept off Ishigaki harbour in Okinawa since the 7th September collision, are flying home on Monday from the Ishigaki airport.

There was no word on the fate of the Captain, who has been charged and remanded to custody till 19th September by a Japanese court.

The crew has not been charged with any offence, but were confined to their trawler.

Japanese authorities had on Sunday towed the Chinese trawler into the sea near Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture to re-enact the vessel’s collision with two Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessels off the disputed Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said China firmly opposed to any kind of investigation by Japanese authorities of the “illegally-detained” Chinese fishing trawler.

“Japan’s so-called evidence-taking activities are illegal, invalid and conducted in vain,” she said in a statement.

China demands Japan stop activities that will lead to an escalation of the situation, Jiang said.

The Chinese fishing vessel rammed into two Japanese coastguard vessels off Diaoyu Islands which Japanese call Senkaku islands.

The incident set off a major diplomatic row between the two countries with China summoning the Japanese Ambassador in Beijing four times since 7th September to demand immediate release of the Captain, crew and the boat.

Japan’s Coast Guard arrested the Chinese captain for allegedly “obstructing public duties” despite China’s protest.