On the boundless sea, a Japanese fishing boat was sailing towards Nagoya.
This area belonged to the Japanese territorial sea, where the Japan Coast Guard's law enforcement ships could come for patrol at any time. The fifty-something stowaways couldn't keep watch on the deck as they did on the high seas; scolded by the fierce and threatening ship captain, they were squeezed into the bottom-most compartment.
The conditions in the lower hold were extremely harsh, with eating, drinking, relieving oneself—all taking place inside, lacking even ventilation facilities. The air they breathed relied solely on newly added tubes for supply.
Dozens of people were packed tightly like canned sardines, unable to move, but the thought of disembarking in five or six hours and earning big money excited each one more than the last, as they discussed their future plans with one another.
