Japanese crab fishing boat seized by Russia

Russia = pot calling kettle. They think nothing of encroaching into territories of other nations.

One ship and the whole of Japan shudders with the shock.

Would the same happen in DPRK or China or Russia if Japan impounded a ship like this? If so, take it away! (But I doubt it would make any difference, going on past evidence.)

@nandakandamanda

The North Koreans do better. They just abandon their pitiful boats and let them run ashore on Japanese land.

Without further details it is hard to say whether the fishing vessel was actually in Russian territory, but Russia has no qualms about illegally seizing foreign ships.

Russian aggression on display.

Few weeks ago they took a Ukrainian ship and all of its crew and put them in jail.

A friend, A good neighbor to Russia who met with Putin dozens of times, yet this is how they treat Japan in return.

Arming the Northern Territories, leading Japan by the nose with fake promises of getting back those Islands amounts to =0

In the 90s when the Soviets collapse and many countries got their territory back, country back, what were you doing Japan? Being pacifist and waiting for a strong man like Putin to come back. Shame and a huge lost.

What, so Japan doesn't do the same thing when foreign fishermen are found in that large Japanese EEZ? Or are Japanese fishermen supposed to get preferential treatment?

Snow crab or Tanner crab, Chionoecetes opilio, is deep-water decapod species residing at the depths up to 500 m. It is very delicious, and Russia exports live crabs to Japan and S. Korea. Koreans call it 'bamboo crab'. It is ズワイガニ in Japanese.

What, so Japan doesn't do the same thing when foreign fishermen are found in that large Japanese EEZ? Or are Japanese fishermen supposed to get preferential treatment?

Definitely the latter.

Russia want bargaining chips, it's that simple.

I think any country has the right to seize fishing boats if they are caught fishing in the home country's territory. Now of course the real issue becomes were they in that territory or not? (and this assumes the territory is not in dispute as in before the international courts).

SJFeb. 2  11:32 pm JST

Snow crab or Tanner crab, Chionoecetes opilio, is deep-water decapod species residing at the depths up to 500 m. It is very delicious, and Russia exports live crabs to Japan and S. Korea. Koreans call it 'bamboo crab'. It is ズワイガニ in Japanese.

Did you happen to notice that the above photo is not the correct crab?

Did you happen to notice that the above photo is not the correct crab?

Only to crab aficionados like yourself.

If this happened frequently, and is in or near waters where conflicting claims exist - they should have had an MSDF escort.  It would have prevented them from straying if that is what happened, and from being seized.  It was obviously important enough for Russia to have their ship there, so why not for Japan?

In the Russian waters near the port of Nakhodka, there is no spider crab, which is a subtropical species. Snow crab is a subarctic cold-water species which can reside in the Russian waters, especially in the Okhotsk Sea: https://www.sealifebase.ca/summary/Chionoecetes-opilio.html

So, what is most wonderful thing for me in this situation – position of Japanese gov.

Russia has a little population on Far East (very little), Russian dislike sea food (we prefer other dishes), but Russia is not some sort of African country and of course Russian borders (and waters) are protected. Of course Russian have some fishing fleet – but it is not our strong point (historically Russian never eat sea fish unlike Europeans or (especially!) Japanese). For most Russian sea fish – or exotic and expensive or bad and cheap food, sorry. Some sort of normal food substitute. Russian joke about sea fish – the very best fish is a … sausage. We like fish very much, but river fish, not sea one.

So if Japan needs these sea resources so much, why Japanese government does nothing about economic cooperation with Russia in this area? Why Japanese (who have all recourses and interest in this area) do absolutely nothing in legal way? Why they choose criminal way? I just can’t understand.

Japanese crab fishing boat

And about crabs - most Russians knew that this is gourmet foods… talking a lot about crabs… but have no intention to eat them.

So you have a chance.