Japanese media report North Korea has demanded that Japan return three North Korean men found aboard a wooden boat off Japan’s west coast last week.

North Korea delivered the demand to Japan through its embassy in Beijing, following the news report that a wooden boat with three North Korean men on board was found drifting off the coast of Shimane Prefecture on Friday.

The Japanese government will begin discussions with North Korea Monday, saying that it will return the rescued men to North Korea from a humanitarian stance if they want.

Japan’s Kyodo News reported that Tokyo is expected to send the three North Korean men to Beijing by plane on Tuesday and hand them over to North Korea there.