Russian and Japanese border guards detain unidentified ship

In a joint operation on Wednesday, Russian and Japanese border-guards have detained a fishing vessel bearing no identification signs but flying the Japanese flag.

The ship was discovered in the early hours in Russia's exclusive economic zone south-east of the Sakhalin island, RIA Novosti was told by the press centre of the Pacific regional border-guard board of the Russian Federal Security (FSB).

Told to lie to drift and get prepared for an inspection, the ship's commander ordered to sail off to the Japanese waters at top speed. Information on the fugitive ship was passed to the Japanese Navigation Safety Centre. Three ships sailed to seize the fugitive and a plane of the Japanese Navigation Safety Centre joined in.

According to the Japanese report, passed to the Russian Pacific border guards headquarters, the unidentified ship was discovered and stopped in Japan's territorial waters at 12:30, Sakhalin time.

The joint operation was held in line with the bilateral agreement between Russia's Federal Frontier Service and Japan's Navigation Safety Centre.

The agreement intends assistance in putting a stop to contraband, carrying of narcotics, poaching and international piracy, provision of help to ships in distress.