North Korean Captain Indicted

Hakodate District Public Prosecutors’ Office indicted a captain of North Korean fishing boat with suspect of stealing appliances from uninhabited island offshore Hokkaido on Thursday. After drifting Japan Sea, the captain and his crew could save their lives on arrival at Matsumae-kojima Island early November. Instead thanking their luck, they tried to carry all the equipment in a fisherman’s cabin out of the island. It is highly unusual for Japanese law enforcement organization to indict a citizen of North Korea with which Japan does not have official diplomatic relationship. The captain will be brought to a trial in the local court in Hakodate.

According to the bill of indictment, the captain stolen thirty goods, including electric power generator or television, from the cabin, which total value would be amounting to ¥770 thousand. In addition, he removed and tried to bring solar panels and other eight equipments installed in a lighthouse on the island, which could be evaluated to ¥4.9 million. Those thefts were made between November 10^th and 28^th.

With the captain’s dictatorial power on the boat, nine fishermen had to help the theft. The district prosecutors’ office suspended their indictment for the theft, because they were subordinated to the captain. They are interviewed in Sapporo Immigration Control Office with suspect of violation of Immigration Refugee Law. It is likely that nine fishermen will be repatriated to North Korea after the interview.

The prosecutors’ office seems to decide to bring the captain to a trial for not let them repeat the same type of crime in Japan. At the time they were caught on their wrecked boat on November 28^th, the police planned to let them get back to their home without arresting. But after their theft was found, the police had to start investigation on it as a crime. A crime of theft is not necessarily brought to a trial. But, the financial damage was not so small that the police had to indict the captain.

There was an effort of Korean residents in Japan to help their fellow citizens. General Association of Korean Residents in Japan offered the owner of the cabin compensation for the theft. But the negotiation with the fisherman’s cooperative was broken up, because the association did not show any apology on the theft and required no charge of the fishermen under Japanese law.

According to Japan Coast Guard, one hundred of North Korean fishing boats have been arriving to the coast of Japan this year, renewing the record. It has been reported that North Korean fishermen have been catching a great amount of sea products in Japan Sea to fulfill food demand in their home country under international sanction on nuclear and missile test. It is a fundamental requirement for Japanese law enforcement organization to protect their national interest.