COMMENTARY / Japan

Tokyo too preoccupied to worry about attack on oil tanker

The Olympic Games, the pandemic and the upcoming Lower House election are garnering all of the government's attention

The Mercer Street, a Japanese-owned Liberian-flagged tanker managed by Israeli-owned Zodiac Maritime was attacked using drones off the coast of Oman on July 30. | REUTERS

By Kuni Miyake
Contributing writer

Aug 8, 2021

On July 30, the Mercer Street, a Japanese-owned tanker, was attacked by multiple drones off the Omani coast, killing a British national and a Romanian.

The Liberian-flagged vessel, though owned by a Japanese shipping company, is managed by London-based Zodiac Maritime, which is owned by a wealthy Israeli family.

The U.S. 5th Fleet determined after a visual inspection "that a UAV-style attack had occurred.” The Mercer Street was eventually escorted to safer waters by the U.S. Navy, including the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier.

Tokyo too preoccupied to worry about attack on oil tanker

The Olympic Games, the pandemic and the upcoming Lower House election are garnering all of the government's attention

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