NORTH KOREAN THREAT
Japan fears spy infiltration on boats
Japan’s coastguard has beefed up patrols in response to a rise in North Korean fishing boats off its coast
Tokyo — An increasing number of fishing boats from North Korea have been appearing off Japan — some in distress, some abandoned and some with dead bodies on board — raising fears about infiltration by spies as tension with North Korea surges. The coastguard has beefed up patrols in response to the boats — including one labelled military property — just off the coast, or even grounded on Japanese beaches. The coastguard and analysts of North Korea have played down the fears, attributing the surge in boats to more mundane reasons, such as a North Korean drive to increase winter fish catches. But the worries persist. "The government is well aware that this is causing great anxiety to local people," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said this week. "The police and coastguard … are working to clarify the situation," he said. "Once we have the facts, we will respond firmly." There were 28 cases of boats adrift off Japan’s coast or grounded on its shores in November, the coastguard sa...
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