Russia will release on Wednesday two of the three Japanese fishermen it is detaining over alleged illegal fishing near disputed islands off Hokkaido, the Foreign Ministry said.
Ministry officials in Tokyo quoted Russian authorities as telling Japanese diplomats Tuesday they are ready to release Akiyoshi Kawamura, 29, and Haruki Kamiya, 25.
But the authorities said Noboru Sakashita, 59, the captain of the fishing boat Kisshin Maru No. 31, will remain in detention and that Russia will not hand over the boat to Japan as requested, according to the officials.