Japan verifies object in E. China Sea as missing sunken ship

KAGOSHIMA, Japan - The Japan Coast Guard confirms Feb. 26 a vessel lying on the bottom of the East China Sea is the unidentified ship that sank last December after exchanging fire with Japanese patrol vessels. Photo of the sunken ship's port side, taken by the coast guard's underwater TV camera, shows two Chinese characters along with the number ''3705,'' which corresponds with the markings on the mystery ship, thought to be a North Korean vessel.