A Japanese fishing boat and its five-member crew seized by Russia in disputed waters earlier this month returned to Japan early Thursday, according to a Japan Coast Guard official.

The 19-ton No. 78 Eiko Maru, seized Nov. 2 off Kunashiri Island -- one of the four Russia-held islands off Hokkaido -- returned to Hokkaido's port of Rausu early Thursday from Kunashiri's Yuzhno-Kurilsk with all five crew members on board, according to coast guard official Kazumi Konno.

Russian authorities told Japan they seized the boat because it was carrying shrimp, clams and other marine life that it was not allowed to catch in the area.

Under a bilateral agreement, Japanese fishing boats are allowed to enter the disputed waters to catch certain types of marine life at specified times of the year. Currently, Japan is allowed to catch only mackerel and pollack.

This was the first seizure of a Japanese boat by Russian authorities after the fishing agreement came into force in 1997, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity, citing government regulations.

The dispute over the islands, which were seized by Soviet troops toward the end of World War II, has prevented Russia and Japan from signing a peace treaty formally ending the war. Tokyo has demanded that Moscow return the islands.

The boat's return comes after a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Tokyo earlier this week.

During that visit, Putin and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi pledged to deepen economic ties while seeking a resolution to the isle issue acceptable to both countries.

Eiko Maru skipper Hiroyuki Konno said the five members were not injured in the incident and are healthy.

He told a news conference that he did not admit to any of the allegations made by Russia and did not pay any fines.