The schooner Yoshi maru-31 violated Russian environmental laws by fishing in the restricted areas, the press service of Russia's Sakhalin Island border department said.
"The crew refused to obey an order to stop," the spokesman said, adding that the ship was later escorted to the port of Yuzhno-Kurilsk on Kunashir Island in the South Kuril Islands. The islands were part of Japan before being annexed by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. Japanese authorities have repeatedly demanded their return.
The six Japanese crewmembers feel fine and have enough food, water and fuel reserves, the spokesman said.
The Russian coast guard detected the schooner Sunday along with another Japanese boat. The captain of the Yoshi maru-31 sent out a radio signal, but then realized it was a Russian coastal ship and tried to escape. The second ship disappeared by hiding among other Japanese boats fishing in permitted areas.
Confrontations over poaching between Russian authorities and Japanese fishing vessels are frequent in Russia's Pacific waters. An incident in August near the Kuril Islands, some of which are claimed by both Russia and Japan, led to the death of a Japanese fisherman, who was inadvertently shot by Russian border guards.
