Russian authorities on Saturday released a Japanese crab-fishing boat and its crew after seizing it last month for allegedly fishing illegally in Russia's exclusive economic zone, Japanese officials said.
The Yoshi Maru No. 38 left the port of Nakhodka in the Russian Far East for Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, at around 7:40 p.m. Japan time, said seafood processor Hiyoshi Suisan, which owns the 122-ton boat.
The boat is expected to arrive Monday night.
Russian authorities said Hiyoshi Suisan, based in Sakaiminato, paid about 5.6 million rubles (about ¥14 million) to win the release of the boat and its 10 crew members.
The fishing boat was seized Jan. 27 in waters off the Noto Peninsula, about 480 km north of Sakaiminato, where the vessel is based.
It had left port three days earlier for a weeklong fishing expedition but appeared to have strayed out of Japanese waters.
Russian authorities later transferred the ship and crew to Nakhodka, where they were investigated on charges of illegal fishing in Russia's EEZ.
Shinsuke Iwata, president of Hiyoshi Suisan, told a news conference Thursday that the company has reached an deal with Russia to release the crew.
He also said the company made an undisclosed payment demanded by the Russians to free the boat and crew.
The Japanese government had asked Russia to release the 10 crew members at an early date.