Japan reports sighting of missile aboard North Korean ship in its waters
- The coastguard says the weapon identified was either a Russian-made SA-16 surface-to-air missile or a North Korean copy of the weapon
- Japan is sensitive to North Korean ships approaching its shores, a legacy of the abduction of its nationals by commando units from vessels disguised as fishing boats
Japan’s coastguard has reported sighting a man-portable surface-to-air missile aboard a North Korean vessel operating within Japanese fishing grounds off Ishikawa prefecture, on its northern coast.
The vessel is believed to have been a North Korean government ship, belonging to either the navy or coastguard, and was spotted in late June in the Yamatotai fishing grounds off the Noto Peninsula, the agency confirmed.
While North Korean fishing boats have been reported in the area on numerous occasions, it was the first time the crew of a vessel had been observed to be armed with an anti-aircraft weapon.
Good hauls have also caught the attention of foreign fishermen, however, and there have been an increasing number of incursions into Japanese waters in recent years, particularly by Chinese and North Korean fishing boats.
The problem is exacerbated as the precise location of borders in the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, are disputed, an official of the Japan Coast Guard said, with both North and South Korea, Russia, and Japan all having overlapping claims.
“We carry out constant patrols with patrol vessels and aircraft in the area in order to protect Japanese fishing crews,” said the official, who declined to be named, adding that Japanese boats had been cautioned to be vigilant while operating in the area.
