Tokyo Condemns The Confiscation Of British Cargo Ships Operated By Japanese Company NYK Line In The Red Sea

Galaxy Leader ship. (Source: MarineTraffic/Owen Foley)

JAKARTA - The Japanese government condemns the confiscation of British cargo ships managed by the State company Matahari Terbit by the Houthi militant group in the Red Sea, after being accused of being Israeli-owned vessels.

The Japanese government confirmed that the cargo ship operated by Nippon Yusen KK, better known as the NYK Line, had been seized in the Red Sea, saying there were no Japanese nationals among its crew.

"The government firmly condemns such actions," government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said on Monday in Tokyo, according to Kyodo News November 20.

Matsuno added that the Japanese government is working with relevant countries to ensure the release of the ship and crew.

Meanwhile, Nippon Yusen formed an emergency task force at its Tokyo headquarters. The company said it had not been able to contact the ship carrying the car called the Galaxy Leader, which it said did not have the cargo inside.

The company also said it had shared information with the British company that owned the ship.

"We are dealing with this situation with the safety of crew members as a top priority," the company said.

As previously reported, Houthi militants seized an Israeli-owned ship while sailing in the Red Sea. The Israeli military denied the ship was not Israeli, but considered it a serious incident on a global scale.

"It's not an Israeli ship," the IDF said.

The Bahamas-flagged ship is listed under a British company, partly owned by Israeli tycoon Abraham Ungar or known as Rami. The ship was being chartered to a Japanese company at the time of piracy.

The Houthis said the confiscation of the ship was carried out on behalf of Palestinians who were slaughtered by Israelis. They said they would target all ships linked to Israel, warning that no state ships were linked to Israel in the Red Sea.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office blamed Iran, saying, "Israel strongly condemns Iran's attacks on international ships."

"The ship, which is owned by a British company and operated by a Japanese company, was hijacked under Iranian guidance by Yemen's Houthis militias," the office said, adding that no Israelis were on board the ship.

It said as many as 25 people and crew on board when the hijacking occurred came from Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico, and Romania.