The Japanese coast guard says its patrol boats have been pushing back hundreds of North Korean boats trying to poach in fishing grounds rich with squid off Japan's northern coast.

So far this year, 34 mystery boats have drifted over, including the 11 found between late October and November. Last year, Japan found 65 of them. In 2013, there were 80, according to the coast guard.

Sea Shepherd boats and the Japanese whaling fleet have had past clashes and collisions. Japan says it hunts whales for scientific purposes, an allowed exception to an international whaling ban, ...

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Coast Guard vessels fired water cannon to turn away about 40 Taiwan fishing boats and eight Taiwan Coast Guard vessels from waters Japan considers its own on Tuesday ...

A boat builder and writer from Vergennes, Vt., Douglas Brooks taught the course and presided over the highly ritualized boat launch. The Buddhist and Shinto spiritual traditions co-exist in Japan, ...

TOKYO (AP) — They drift into seas near Japan by the dozens every year, ghostly wrecked ships thought to come from impoverished North Korea.Japanese authorities said Tuesday they are investiga… ...