National Nov 23, 2014
Chinese coral poacher in hot water after high seas pursuit by coast guard
The Japan Coast Guard seizes the skipper of a Chinese boat for pilfering coral off the Ogasawara Islands, the ninth such arrest since October.
National Nov 20, 2014
Coast Guard aims to boost ranks by bringing back 150 former members
by Masaaki Kameda
The Japan Coast Guard said Wednesday it hopes to bring back 150 former members in an effort to strengthen security measures in the country's territorial waters amid a recent surge in the number of Chinese coral fishing boats near the Ogasawara Islands south of ...
National / Crime & Legal Nov 18, 2014
Two skippers of Chinese boats have been arrested on suspicion of poaching coral in Japanese waters off Kagoshima Prefecture, the Japan Coast Guard said. The arrests of the two Chinese come on the heels of a recent surge in the number of Chinese coral fishing ...
National / Crime & Legal Nov 13, 2014
Diet set to approve tougher penalties for poaching by foreign vessels
The Diet is expected to pass bills approved Thursday by the ruling parties to raise the maximum fine to ¥30 million for poaching by foreign fishing crews in Japanese territorial waters and exclusive economic zones. Numerous ships suspected to be from China have been spotted ...
National / Politics Nov 7, 2014
Japan Coast Guard overstretched as Chinese coral poachers make off with lucrative haul
by Reiji Yoshida
About 100 Chinese fishing boats suspected of poaching coral were headed back to the waters off the Ogasawara Islands on Friday morning after sheltering from a passing typhoon, a Japan Coast Guard spokesman said in Tokyo. But about 100 boats apparently engaged in similar theft ...
National Nov 6, 2014
Chinese coral poachers encroaching on Japanese fishermen
by Reiji Yoshida
Takashi Shibazaki, 31, a fisherman based on Chichijima about 1,000 km south of Tokyo, saw a suspicious foreign boat in mid-March near the island. Shibazaki's tuna fishing boat approached the ship and came within about 10 meters before the foreign vessel started moving toward the ...