Members of the Japan Self Defence force walk through the snow-covered ruins of Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, days after the area was devastated by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami March 16, 2011.

Members of the Japan Self Defence force walk through the snow-covered ruins of Kamaishi Iwate Prefecture days after the area was devastated by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami March 16 2011.

However, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: 'the Royal Navy can confirm that they were not in the area using sonar and have not been for some time.