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Russian guards kill Japanese fisherman

P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE: Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso on Wednesday expressed "serious concern" over the suspected killing of a fisherman by Russian border patrol in the maritime zone around a disputed chain of islands. Speaking in Tokyo after Japan lodged a protest with Russia, Mr. Aso said he was seeking an explanation from Moscow over the incident which, according to the Japanese Coast Guard, occurred near Kaigara island off the eastern tip of Hokkaido in the early hours of the day.

It was not established whether and, if so, why the fishing vessel, which had three others including the captain aboard, had strayed onto the waters around a Russian-administered island.

The Japanese side said the three were safe and detained by Russian border patrol. Sovereignty over the islands has been in dispute since the end of the Second World War 61 years ago. And, coincidentally, the issue flared into renewed prominence just a day after two of Japan's other neighbours, China and South Korea, strongly protested against Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni shrine.

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