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Erratic course

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Japan's behaviour in the crisis set off by the collision of a Chinese fishing trawler and two Japanese coastguard vessels this month near disputed islands has been peculiar, to say the least.

For one thing, it had never in the past attempted to subject a Chinese national to Japanese court procedure. Doing so inevitably means prolonging a crisis and subjecting itself to Chinese pressure during that time.

And the Chinese were quick to pile on the pressure, diplomatic as well as economic. Still, Japan took a tough stand and would not budge. It said that the wheels of justice were in motion and the executive could not stop them.

Yet then, after Premier Wen Jiabao refused to see Japanese Premier Naoto Kan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Japan buckled. The captain was released.

Kan's office maintains that no pressure was put on the prosecutor's office in Okinawa. The deputy prosecutor, Toru Suzuki, held a press conference and explained: 'Considering the effects on the people of Japan and the future of Japan-China relations, we decided that it would not be appropriate to continue the investigation by maintaining the detention of the suspect any further.'

So, while the premier maintains that no political pressure was brought to bear, the prosecution itself says that it made the decision for political reasons. What's going on here?

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