Japan and the Malacca Strait

Japan and the Malacca Strait

Three crew members of a Japanese tugboat were seized Monday by heavily armed pirates in the Malacca Straits.

The Malacca Strait is a vital sea passage linking the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. Ship traffic through these waters, including tankers carrying Japanese and Chinese crude oil imports from the Middle East, is very heavy.

Five years ago, Japan hosted an international conference to discuss measures to fight piracy. Countries in the region agreed to work more closely with their respective coast guards.

There is a lot Japan can do in this regard by turning to the maritime security expertise it has accumulated over the years. Tokyo should offer as much support. It should use its development aid budget to supply material and human resources to mount effective anti-piracy campaigns.

-- The Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo