The '' Ryou-Un Maru '' , a fishing vessel in the Japanese merchant fleet , was originally built around 1982 . It was owned by a Hokkaido-based fishing company and was used for shrimping or squidding . After a long service career the ship 's owner decided it was too old for continued use and moored it in Aomori Prefecture in Honshu pending sale . When the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami struck in March 2011 , '' Ryou-Un Maru '' broke free and was set adrift
Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
Ryou-Un Maru