On Sept. 7, 2010, three Japan Coast Guard ships were patrolling the disputed waters around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, responding to reports of increased fishing by Chinese and Taiwanese boats. The rich fisheries around the islands had long been claimed by Japan, China, and Taiwan, and an uneasy truce had evolved over the years.

On this day, however, faced with a spike in the number of Chinese trawlers, the Japan Coast Guard ordered the vessels to leave the area. Most complied, but one, the Minjinyu 5179, refused. And when the Coast Guard moved to board the recalcitrant trawler, the Chinese vessel collided with one of the Japanese ships. Minutes later, the trawler rammed a second Coast Guard ship.