Staff writer

MAIZURU, Kyoto Pref. -- Defense Agency Director General Hosei Norota pledged Thursday that his agency will map out an operational manual for sea patrol missions in case of possible encounters with intruding vessels.

The announcement comes a month after two boats disguised as fishing trawlers were chased out of Japanese waters. Once in international waters in the Sea of Japan, the two intruders were left to flee toward North Korea.