The attack on a Japanese tugboat Monday in the Strait of Malacca has underlined the threats posed by piracy in that waterway. These incidents are increasing, and the possibility that terrorists might use a hijacked vessel for a high-profile attack is real. An effective response requires a coordinated effort among littoral states and other affected countries. Fighting these pirates is a serious challenge that is made even more difficult by the need to tread softly on regional sensitivities. It is an effort that Japan is well suited to lead.
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the Strait of Malacca. Each year, more than 60,000 ships traverse the strait. It is estimated that half the world's oil passes through it as well as one-third of global trade. Japan has a particular concern for the safety of shipping there. Eighty percent of the oil that Japan (and South Korea) gets passes through the strait. In addition to the lifeline that the strait provides for Japan, Japanese companies own about 20 percent of the ships passing through it.
The high volume of ships and the relatively narrow passage have made the waterway a magnet for pirates. According to the International Maritime Bureau, there were 37 pirate attacks in the Malacca Strait last year. Although piracy fell worldwide, the number of violent incidents in the strait rose. When counting all attacks that occurred in Indonesian waters, the number of piracy incidents rose to 93, more than one-quarter of the 325 attacks reported worldwide in 2004.