Coast guardsman leaked boat video so public could see: report

A member of the Japanese Coast Guard who leaked a video showing the collision between a Chinese fishing boat and two Japanese Coast Guard vessels off the Diaoyu Islands said people have a right to see it, a news report said Thursday.

"Should that be hidden?" the unnamed crewmember with the coast guard's district No. 5 headquarters told the Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation.

"If I did not take the action, (the footage) would have disappeared and vaporized in the air," the 43-year-old was quoted as saying. "People have a right to see it. If it had been as it was, people would not have had the chance to watch the video."

The coast guardsman may be arrested on suspicion of breaking the national public service act.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for the G20 in Seoul Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the question of whether there will be a bilateral meeting with China during this weekend's APEC meeting in Yokohama is basically up to Beijing.

Agencies