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