Mitsui pays China to free ship caught in 1930s row

[BEIJING] Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines paid about US$29 million for the release of a ship seized by China over a dispute that dates back to the 1930s war between the countries, China's Supreme Court said yesterday.

The Chinese government has described the case as a simple business dispute unrelated to wartime compensation claims, but it has become a cause célèbre for activists in China seeking redress from Japan.

Mitsui paid about 2.92 billion yen (S$35.8 million) in leasing fees, including interest and damages, China's Supreme Court said, in a statement on its official microblog. Mitsui also paid 2.4 million yuan in legal fees, the court said.