Noboru Sakashita, the captain of a Japanese fishing vessel seized by Russia in disputed waters.
Photo: Gennady Berezyuk
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Russia, Japan to Have Holes in Relations Again
Tokyo is determined to carry out its own probe into the circumstances of seizing its fishing vessel in the waters disputed with Russia and killing a fisherman there. Noboru Sakashita, a captain of Kisshin Maru 31 arrested in August by Russian coast guards, admitted guilt, paid the fine for poaching and safely returned to Japan Tuesday. So today’s concern of Tokyo is to get back the seized boat and attempt to find bullet holes there.
Noboru Sakashita, 59, the captain of a Japanese fishing vessel seized by Russia was found guilty by a court in Yuzhno-Kurilsk, the Russian Far East, of violating a state border and poaching. Having spent 49 days in custody on Kunashiri Island, the captain paid 495,000-ruble fine yesterday morning and rushed to take a boat to Japan.
In Japan, Sakashita urgently summoned a news conference to declare that he had never entered the waters of Russia but intentionally admitted guilt to get home as soon as possible.
The fishing boat of Sakashita, Kisshin Maru 31, is still in Russia, as it was seized under the court award. So, today’s concern of Japan is to get back the boat for examination. In August, Kisshin Maru was spotted in the Russian waters and told to stop by the coast guards, but ignored the order. The Russians started shooting and killed one of the fishermen.
Russia’s explanation is killing by accident. No bullet holes were found at Kisshin Maru, proving the Japanese was the victim of a random bullet. But Tokyo says its checkup of the boat will shed light on the circumstances, as the bullet holes could be still found there.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 04, 2006
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