TOKYO: Japan on March 8 “unequivocally condemned the persistent attacks by the Yemeni Houthis on vessels navigating the waters around the Arabian Peninsula,” including the latest attack on the “True Confidence commercial vessel in the Gulf of Aden that caused casualties.

The Foreign Ministry in Tokyo expressed in a statement “sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the attack on the Barbados-flagged ship” and said Japan prays for the rapid recovery of those injured.

“Japan will continue to fulfill its responsibility to secure the rights and freedoms of navigation and take necessary measures while continuing to cooperate closely with relevant countries,” the statement said.