Japan offers to help secure Malacca Strait

Japan offers to help secure Malacca Strait

JAKARTA: Japan offered assistance on Thursday to boost
security in the Strait of Malacca, the world's busiest seaway.

Visiting Japanese Minister for Trade and Industry Shoichi
Nakagawa said Japan was concerned about pirate attacks against
Japanese vessels passing through the narrow strait.

He, however, stressed that any assistance would be extended
only after Indonesian, Malaysia and Singapore agreed to the
proposal.

According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea in 1982, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are responsible
for safeguarding the strait.

Early this year, the United States expressed interest in
sending warships to guard the strait, but Indonesia and Malaysia
were strongly opposed to the move. --JP