Fisherman, defector or spy? Mystery ‘ghost ship’ discovery puzzles Japan

The body washed ashore on Wednesday in Ishikawa prefecture, while a Japan Coast Guard vessel later recovered the capsized boat nearby, local media reported.

Japanese media described the vessel – roughly 12 metres (40 feet) long, crudely built of wood and coated in a black, tar-like substance – as resembling the ghost ships that have washed up in previous winters. Officials, however, have not confirmed its origin.

Against that backdrop, three theories have captured public imagination: that it was a North Korean fishing boat overcome by rough seas, an attempted defection gone wrong, or even a spy craft dispatched to gather intelligence or infiltrate Japan.

Each scenario had precedent, said James Brown, a professor of international relations at Temple University’s Tokyo campus – but premature conclusions should be avoided.