BEIJING � China's most senior foreign policy official increased pressure on Japan on Sunday by summoning its ambassador to again demand the immediate release of Chinese fishermen and their boat detained near disputed islands.
The Chinese vessel collided with Japanese patrol boats after ignoring warnings to leave the area and refusing to stop for an inspection last week, Japan's coast guard said.
China has said the confrontation could damage its relations with Japan, underlining the sensitivity of the territorial dispute over the East China Sea, one of several that trouble China's ties with its Asian neighbors.
State Councilor Dai Bingguo summoned Japanese Ambassador Uichiro Niwa in the early hours of Sunday, China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It was the fourth time the ambassador was called in over the incident, and it was highly unusual for an official of Dai's rank to intercede.
Beijing is worried about losing face in front of the Chinese public if it appears unable to protect the country's sovereignty, and a possible nationalistic backlash against the government. The spat has stirred passions in China, with newspapers and activists calling for a tough stand against any threats to China's territorial claims.
Tuesday's incident happened off Japan's Kuba island, just north of the disputed islands, about 120 miles (190 kilometers) east of Taiwan. The islands are controlled by Japan but are also claimed by China and Taiwan.
Dai urged Japan to find a "wise political resolution" and release the crew and boat immediately, the statement said. Niwa said he would report the Chinese government's position to Tokyo, the Chinese ministry said.
On Sunday, Japanese coast guard officials took the Chinese fishing boat and its crew out to sea off the southern island of Okinawa to test the vessel's capabilities. A Japanese vessel closely trailed the fishing boat as it maneuvered in the ocean with members of the coast guard on board.
Officials also found fish on the ship and were investigating whether they were caught illegally in waters that Japan considers its territory, according to public broadcaster NHK.
China's Foreign Ministry said it firmly opposed any form of investigation by Japanese authorities into the fishing boat.
"Japan's so-called gathering of evidence is illegal, invalid and futile," spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a statement. "China urges Japan to stop actions that escalate the situation and immediately and unconditionally release the crew and ship, this is the only way to solve the problem."
A group of about 20 Chinese activists, meanwhile, planned to sail Sunday from the eastern coastal city of Xiamen to waters near the disputed islands � known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese.
They plan to unfurl banners proclaiming Chinese sovereignty over the territory and protest "Japanese aggression," said organizer Li Yiqiang. If the trip goes as planned, they are expected to arrive Tuesday, he said by phone.
A Japanese court has allowed prosecutors to keep the boat captain in custody until Sept. 19 before deciding whether to press charges. Japanese authorities say the other 14 crew members have remained on the fishing boat and cannot land in Japan because they do not have passports but are free to return home if China sends a vessel to pick them up.
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Associated Press writer Jay Alabaster contributed to this report from Tokyo.
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