Japan said on Monday it was “directly approaching” Yemen’s Houthi rebels following the hijacking of a cargo ship with 25 crew belonging to an Israeli businessman and chartered by a Japanese maritime transport group in the Red Sea this weekend.
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“We are in contact with Israel and are not only addressing the Houthis directly, but also calling on Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran and other relevant countries to demand the Houthis immediately release the boat and its crew members,” the said Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa.
In the video released by Houthi authorities, Yemeni rebel soldiers can be seen disembarking from a helicopter before taking possession of the ship.
The Houthi rebels, who control much of war-torn Yemen with support from Iran, said on Sunday they had hijacked an Israeli businessman’s merchant ship in the Red Sea in retaliation for bombings in the Gaza Strip.
According to the maritime security company Ambrey and the maritime transport specialist website TradeWinds, the cargo ship belongs to Ray Car Carriers, a British company controlled by Israeli businessman Abraham Rami Ungar.
The Japanese government on Monday also “strongly condemned” the seizure of the Galaxy Leader, which was operated by Japanese firm Nippon Yusen (NYK) and was en route to India before its capture. Tokyo said there were no Japanese nationals on board.
According to Israeli authorities, the boat’s crew included citizens of various countries: Bulgarians, Filipinos, Ukrainians and Mexicans, but no Israelis.