At just before 9:00 a.m., the harbor office at Otaru Port tipped off police about the discovery of the body floating off shore. A fire crew subsequently retrieved the body from the water.
According to police, the man, believed to be middle-aged, was carrying a backpack. No other details were provided.
The area where the body was found is frequented by fishermen, police said.
In addition to identifying the body, police are seeking to determine if any individuals have knowledge about the circumstances of the man’s death.