The Russian border patrol has told Japan that several Japanese fishing boats intruded into Russian-claimed waters off Hokkaido early Thursday, the Japan Coast Guard said Friday.
The JCG said the border patrol sent a notice dated Thursday saying Japanese fishing boats entered the Russian-claimed waters off the northeastern coast of Hokkaido earlier that day. The border patrol asked Japan to respond to the situation.
The charges come after Hokkaido told local fisheries cooperative associations not to fish beyond the median line between Hokkaido and the disputed islands.
The prefecture urged the associations to follow the fishery rules in the area after a Japanese crab boat was seized and the crew detained last week by Russian authorities in Russia-controlled waters. One of the crew members was shot and killed during the seizure.
Radar on Hokkaido's Nemuro Peninsula also has shown that several vessels crossed the median line.