The Chinese Consulate General in Fukuoka says a Chinese fishing boat has been released after being detained for one day by Japanese authorities.

The boat registered in China’s Zhejiang Province was detained late Friday off Goto city in Nagasaki prefecture, for what Japanese authorities claim was a "faked working log".

China says this was a pretext. Nine crew members were on board. The Chinese consulate had asked the Japanese side to guarantee safety of the sailors and the boat, and to handle the case properly.