A Russian border patrol boat shot dead a Japanese crab fisherman in
Russian-controlled waters near Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, highlighting
continued tension between the countries over ownership of four disputed islands.
The Japanese foreign ministry protested against the shooting, saying it
reserved the right to press for an apology, punishment of the perpetrators and
compensation. Taro Aso, foreign minister, said he "would approach the matter
with serious concern".
The ministry was also on Wednesday night pressing for the immediate release
of three other Japanese crewman, all from the Nemuro peninsula on the eastern
tip of Hokkaido, who were being held by Russian authorities.
Tokyo dispatched coast guard vessels to waters nearby the Russian island of
Kaigara to investigate the incident.
Japan's Kyodo news agency quoted Hokkaido officials as saying that crab
fishing was banned at the scene of the shooting. Officials had been told of
Russian concerns about illegal Japanese fishing and had relayed the warning to
local fishing co-operatives, they said.
Even if it is confirmed the Japanese crew of the boat, the No 31 Kisshin
Maru, was fishing illegally, the incident will stir anger in Japan. Tokyo claims
sovereignty of four nearby islands - referred to as the northern territories in
Japan and the southern Kuriles in Russia - that have been administered by Moscow
since the end of the war.
Return of the islands, which were occupied by Moscow while Japan was being
bombed by nuclear weapons during the second world war, is a cause celebre of the
Japanese right and a long-standing goal of Japan’s foreign ministry. Shinzo Abe,
who is almost certain to succeed Junichiro Koizumi as prime minister next month,
is also a strong proponent of stepping up diplomatic efforts to press for the
islands’ return.
Several of the banners held up when Mr Koizumi visited the controversial
Yasukuni shrine on Tuesday pressed for the return of the islands. Recently, a
commercial has been aired in Japanese cinemas urging the population, the
majority of which has little interest in the sparsely populated islands, to
press for their return.
Failure to resolve the long-simmering dispute over the four islands has
hampered diplomatic relations between Tokyo and Moscow. Commercial relations,
while fast expanding in recent years, are still small compared with their
potential, experts say.
