3 Bodies Found Near Japanese Coast

TOKYO —  Three bodies in what appeared to be North Korean military uniforms were found near the coast of Japan early Friday. Police said they had been at sea too long to be crew members from a North Korean spy boat sunk by South Korea last week.

The bodies were spotted floating near a beach in a fishing town 267 miles west of Tokyo, said a spokesman for the Fukui prefectural police.

All three were decomposed, which indicated that they had been in the Sea of Japan for much longer than one week, said the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

That appeared to make it unlikely the bodies were from a North Korean vessel sunk by South Korean ships Dec. 18 in waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan, he said.

The bodies were tied with rope to a small wooden raft.

One had what appeared to be a star-shaped North Korean insignia of rank attached to a shirt collar, he said.

Autopsies were planned to determine the cause of death, the officer said.