DATE=3/23/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247070
TITLE=JAPAN / SHIPS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=STEVE HERMAN
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

 INTRO:  JAPANESE GOVERNMENT SOURCES SAY THEY SUSPECT THAT  NORTH
KOREA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TWO SUSPICIOUS SHIPS WHICH WERE SPOTTED 
IN JAPANESE WATERS, TUESDAY.  AS STEVE HERMAN REPORTS FROM TOKYO,
JAPANESE PATROL BOATS FIRED WARNING SHOTS AT THE CRAFT -- ONLY 
THE SECOND TIME SINCE WORLD WAR TWO JAPAN HAS TAKEN SUCH ACTION .

 TEXT:  GOVERNMENT SOURCES IN TOKYO SAY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT 
WILL ASK NORTH KOREA TO HAND OVER THE TWO SHIPS. THE VESSELS WERE
SPOTTED OFF  THE COAST  OF THE SEA OF JAPAN.  THEY CARRIED BOGUS 
JAPANESE NAMES.  PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SUSPECT CRAFT -- WHICH 
RESEMBLED FISHING BOATS --  REVEALED NUMEROUS AND SOPHISTICATED 
ANTENNAS.

JAPANESE COAST GUARD SHIPS AND DEFENSE PLANES GAVE CHASE, BUT 
WERE CALLED BACK EARLY WEDNESDAY, AFTER THE VESSELS LEFT A ZONE 
MONITORED BY COASTAL RADAR.  AUTHORITIES SAY THEY WERE WORRIED A 
PURSUIT INTO OPEN SEAS MIGHT HAVE SPARKED A LARGER INCIDENT. 
DEFENSE AGENCY SOURCES SAY NORTH KOREAN PLANES WERE SEEN HEADED 
TOWARD THE TWO SUSPICIOUS SHIPS, AS THEY HEADED NORTH.

THE EVENT IS BEING VIEWED AS ONE OF THE MORE SERIOUS OF THE 
POST-WAR ERA, WITH PRIME MINISTER KEIZO OBUCHI QUICKLY  
ESTABLISHING A MULTI-AGENCY CRISIS MANAGEMENT TASK FORCE.

AFTER  NORTH KOREA FIRED A MISSILE TEST OVER JAPAN, LAST AUGUST, 
MANY CRITICIZED THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT FOR REACTING TOO SLOWLY. 
(SIGNED)

NEB / SH / GC / WD

 

24-Mar-99 12:51 AM EST (0551 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.