Japanese ship lost in Strait of Malacca

Japanese ship lost in Strait of Malacca

JAKARTA: A Japanese national reported a missing ship in the
Strait of Malacca to the National Police on Tuesday, a year after
he filed the same report with the Riau Police.

Noboru Izhiziwa, the executive vice president of Japan-based
Kashin Co. Ltd., said he was afraid the ship could be used by
terrorists operating in one of the world's busiest waterways.

"After waiting for so long, the location of the ship remains
unclear. We hope police can locate it quickly. I have raised the
problem with the Japanese consulate here but they couldn't help
on the grounds that the ship wasn't carrying a Japanese flag," he
said.

He said the ship, which was carrying commodities valued at
about Rp 10 billion (US$1.11 million), went missing in December
2002. He also insisted the ship was flying a Japanese flag. -- JP