Four years ago, an international maritime incident saw two vessels, one a Japanese Coast Guard boat and the other a Chinese fishing vessel, crash into each others. Now, the initial legal action that Japan took up then is being resumed today, after many ongoing attempts throughout the years.

The New York Times reports that the settlement would have expired had no action been taken by the Japanese before the end of the month, so the case has been taken up again, as Japan insists the skipper of the vessel pay millions of yen in fines.

The source featured video taken from the incident, which seems to very clearly show the boat striking a Japanese vessel and causing smoke to start trailing out. Reportedly, two vessels were actually affected by the same boat. 

But the Japan Times featured quotes from a statement made by Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, defending China and claiming the other nation to be at fault.

"Any judicial measures adopted by the Japanese side against Chinese fishermen and fishing boats . . . are illegal and invalid," she said, also calling the action a "provocation."

Companies that operate in international waters or contested areas need boat insurance coverage that represents all possible situations, and is prepared to withstand long-running legal cases like this.

While the incident seems poised to continue even further as the litigation efforts proceed, it's clear that political tensions are a big factor. Clashing cultures can add additional hurdles to the process of settling a claim, even with visual evidence and extensive documentation.

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