HONOLULU -- A Japanese submarine is set to arrive in Pearl Harbor Monday afternoon to participate in the salvage operation of the fishing vessel sunk by a U.S. submarine.

The Japanese Defense Ship Chihaya is expected to arrive at about 3:30 p.m.

The ship and its crew of 130 sailors will join the other vessels that have been gathered to recover some of the sunken ship the Ehime Maru.

The Ehime Maru was sunk when the USS Greeneville rose under it and sunk it on Feb. 9.

The Navy has contracted with private firms to move the Ehime Maru from the 2,000-foot-deep waters where it now rests to shallower waters off Honolulu International Airport. Once there, divers will be allowed to safely search for the remains of nine men and teenage boys who were killed when the vessel was sunk.

The salvage ship Rockwater II went out to the crash site earlier this month. The Rockwater II and the Chihaya will coordinate as part of the project team.

Officials said that they hope to start the operation in the beginning of September.

Tune in to KITV4 News 6 for comments by the Chihaya's captain with reporter Caroline Sluyter.