A small fire Thursday morning aboard a government marine research ship harbored at Kobe port slightly injured three crew members, police and firefighters said.
The fire started at around 9 a.m. on the third deck of the 4,439-ton Yokosuka, which is owned by the government-affiliated Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, the police said.
The three injured crew members were involved in extinguishing the fire. Although they inhaled smoke, their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, they said.
At the time of the fire, about 100 workers and crew members were aboard the Yokosuka. The fire was caused by sparks from welding.