A Japanese-flagged container ship owned by Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has been damaged in the Persian Gulf with no injuries reported.
In a written statement, the company said that One Majesty was found in the early hours of Wednesday to have sustained damage to its stern while anchored in the Persian Gulf, about 97 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz.
The ship is owned and managed by MOL and is operated by Ocean Network Express (ONE), a consortium partly owned by MOL.
No crew members were injured, and there has been no flooding, fire or oil leakage reported on the vessel, the company said, adding that sailing capability has been confirmed.
The company said it is working with relevant parties to investigate the cause of the damage.
The Financial Times first reported that the container ship was ¡°struck¡± in the Gulf in the early hours of Wednesday, and sustained partial damage to the hull. It did not say what struck the vessel.
Japan confirmed last week that 42 Japan-related vessels are on standby in the Persian Gulf and that 23 Japanese nationals are aboard four vessels.
The U.S. Central Command said it had eliminated 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the strait on Tuesday, while U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any further mine-laying attempts by Iran would result in a military response.
¡°If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before,¡± Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday.
Reported mining of the strait, through which about 70% of Japan¡¯s oil imports travel, has been a worry for Japan in part on concern that the United States could request aid from the Self-Defense Forces in the form of escorts, logistics or minesweeping operations.
Such a request would come under Japan¡¯s 2015 security legislation and defense cooperation guidelines.
Asked about the issue Wednesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said that while the current state of affairs in the Strait of Hormuz does not constitute a ¡°survival-threatening situation¡± that would allow Tokyo to exercise its right to collective self-defense, the government was continuing to gather information ¡°with grave concern.¡±
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