vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #536 / Crime watch / Reading article...

Court hearings opened on Thursday in the city of Yuzhno-Kurilsk on the case initiated against captain of the Japanese boat which on August 16 had illegally entered Russian waters for poaching near the Kuril Islands. The vessel was spotted, chased and fired upon by Russian border guards resulting in an accidental death of a Japanese fisherman.

The court hearings against Noboru Sakashita,59, will be handled by Yuzhno-Kurilsk court judge Ilya Zykov. “The suspect asked for a special consideration of his case since he had fully admitted his guilt to the investigators,” a senior aide to the regional prosecutor Tatyana Kutuzova said, Ria Novosti reported.

Sakashita faces charges on two grounds – violating Russian territorial waters and poaching. A fine up to 200,000 rubles ($7,500) or prison term up to two years might be imposed on Noburu for illegal crossing of Russian border. Poaching in Russian waters is punished by a fine ranging from 100,000 to 300,000 rubles.

The boat guided by Sakashita entered Russian waters on August 16 and was illegally catching crab when it was spotted by Russian border guards. The Japanese boat attempted to flee and the crew members were throwing their catch in the water when Russian guards gave warning shots in the air. Then the Russian guards opened fire on the vessel. A Japanese fisherman was accidentally killed during the shooting. Two other fishermen were released by Russian side and returned home on August 30.