The coast guard found the bodies 360 kilometres northwest of the Noto Peninsula in Japanese Ishikawa Prefecture.

A coastguard spokesperson said: "We are still searching for the remaining nine crew members near the site.”

Three members of the crew were also rescued and said they were part of a group of 15 men.

The trio have since returned to the hermit kingdom.

An additional four bodies were found in a separate capsized fishing boat 50 kilometres from other incident.

The coast guard added: "The four men have yet to be identified, but we believe the four people are not part of the original missing crew.”

Japanese media has reported that the four victims are suspected to be North Korean nationals.

Tensions between North Korea and Japan have risen astronomically after the latter has adopted a firm stance against the Kim Jong-un dictatorship that has only strengthened since Donald Trump visited Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Japan recently increased its defences against Kim Jong-un’s deadly nuclear arsenal.

North Korea sparked fears of World War 3 after ignoring international sanctions to continue developing and testing nuclear weapons.

Mr Abe has promised to bolster his country’s defence, branding North Korea the gravest security concern Tokyo has faced since World War 2.

The Japanese Prime Minister described North Korea’s sixth nuclear test and two missile launches that flew over Japan as a national crisis, as he outlined his priorities to the nation's parliament.

He promised stern action to respond to what he said were “escalating provocations” by North Korea.

Mr Abe said: “We will strengthen Japanese defence power, including missile defence capabilities, in order to protect the people’s lives and peace."

Japan has increased its military spending since Mr Abe took office in 2012, with it’s Government planning to buy more American missile defence systems.

President Abe is “confident” of amending Japan’s pacifist constitution, which prevents the country from having a full-fledged military.