TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st June, 2021) Japan had requested information about the health of the crew of a Japanese fishing vessel detained by Russian border guards last week and the prospects of their release through diplomatic channels, the Japanese Foreign Ministry told Sputnik on Tuesday.
The ministry, however, refrained from commenting on the details of the case as relevant bodies were still in the process of clarifying the circumstances of the detention.
"Regarding the actions taken by the Japanese Foreign Ministry, we have contacted the Russian authorities through diplomatic channels to request that the crew of the ship 172 Eiho-maru, as well as the vessel itself, could return to the port [of registration] as soon as possible for humanitarian reasons. At the same time we have requested information concerning the health of the crew, the condition of the vessel and the prospects for their release, but we will refrain from commenting about the details of the negotiations," the ministry said.
On May 28, the Russian border security service detained a Japanese fishing vessel in the Russian economic zone in the Okhotsk Sea over illegal fishing. According to the Sakhalin regional border service, the crew refused to stop the boat and attempted to escape, risking a collusion with the Russian patrol ship. The border guards opened fire during pursuit, forcing the boat to drift. The search reportedly revealed live crabs, frozen crab products, and fishing equipment on board. The Japanese vessel was then escorted to Korsakov port in Sakhalin for further investigation.
The 160-tonne fishing vessel manned by 14 members of the crew is registered in the city of Wakkanai, in the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The local fishermen union denies any illegal activity in the Russian waters.
