The Japan Coast Guard contacted South Korean and Chinese authorities during its pursuit last weekend of an unidentified ship in the East China Sea, coast guard officials said Friday.

The pursuit came to an end Saturday, when the coast guard sank the unidentified ship after an exchange of fire.

The coast guard notified South Korea's National Maritime Police Agency and the Frontier Guard Administrative Bureau of China's Public Security Ministry shortly after 9:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the officials.