Japan's Coast Guard arrested the captain of a Chinese fishing boat early Wednesday near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea despite China's protest.

A Chinese fishing boat is inspected by Japan Coast Guard crew members after it collided with two Japanese coast guard vessels near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, known as the Senkaku isles in Japan, Sept 7, 2010.[Agencies]

The trawler's captain, Zhan Qixiong, a 41-year-old Chinese national, was then taken to Ishigaki Island in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture on a patrol boat around 7 a.m. (2200 GMT Tuesday).

The Coast Guard did not arrest the other 14 crew members, all Chinese, but had the ship carrying them move to an area off Ishigaki and remain there during their captain's questioning.

According to Japanese media, the captain was arrested on suspicion of "obstructing public duties" in connection with collisions with Coast Guard patrol boats.

On Tuesday, two Japanese Coast Guard patrol boats and the Chinese fishing boat collided in waters off the Diaoyu Islands.

No injuries were reported, but the fishing boat was then intercepted by Japanese patrol boats.

On Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry lodged a strong protest against Japan over the detention of the boat.

Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue summoned the Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa to lodge the protest.

This was the second time within 24 hours that the Chinese government summoned the Japanese ambassador and lodged solemn representations on this issue.