When the first incidents happened, the CGA found itself accused of being powerless to protect fishermen, so it made its case with numbers. According to Japan's Fisheries Agency, since 2000, South Korean fishing boats were detained the most times by Japanese patrol boats, at 102 instances. Chinese boats were second at 38 instances, and Taiwan third, with only 11 boats stopped.
事發之初，一度被質疑護漁不力的海巡署並以數字證明：根據日本水產廳統計資料，從 2000 年迄今，遭日本扣押的漁船，韓國達 102 艘，中國次之，有 38 艘，台灣則僅有 11 艘，並沒有所謂台灣被日本欺負、「吃定」之事。