Japan-ships-return Tokyo
Japan's Defence Agency was continuing to monitor the two ships by airborne radar but at some point it would no longer be able to monitor them, Nonaka said.
He said Japan had contacted the United States, Russia, South Korea and China to explain the actions it had taken since early Tuesday morning, when the two suspect ships were discovered in its territorial waters disguised as Japanese fishing boats.
Vessels from the Maritime Safety Agency, or coastguard, originally tried to stop the ships on Tuesday but they accelerated to speeds as fast as 35 knots and the coastguard could not keep up, Nonaka said.
With Obuchi's approval the Defence Agency dispatched Maritime Self-Defence Force vessels which fired warning shots and bombs but were unable to make the suspect ships stop, Nonaka said.
Early on Wednesday the Japanese vessels gave up the chase with the suspect ships in international waters, and they were heading towards North Korea, Nonaka said.
''As long as the other side does not attack us, under present law we are unable to attack them,'' Nonaka said.
Nonaka declined comment on whether the laws should be revised to allow more aggressive patrolling, but he suggested the coastguard should be equipped with faster ships.
Copyright © 1999 Reuters Limited. |
