Russian Authorities Free Japanese Fishing Boat


Russian authorities free Japanese fishing boat

Russian authorities say they have released a Japanese fishing boat after detaining it last week.

The authorities say they freed the No.68 Shoyo-maru on Monday after receiving a deposit.

On Wednesday last week, the boat from Hokkaido, northern Japan, was taken to Kunashiri Island after an inspection. The crew were fishing inside Russia's 200-nautical-mile zone with Russian permission.

The boat was carrying six crewmembers. It belongs to a fishery cooperative in Nemuro City.

Russian border officials said they found an undeclared catch of fish on the vessel.

The vessel is likely to arrive in Nemuro as early as later Monday.

Kunashiri is one of four Russian-controlled islands. Japan claims them. The Japanese government says the islands were illegally occupied after World War Two.