Tanker attack to be discussed at G20 ministerial meeting: Japan min.
Japan’s industry minister, Hiroshige Seko, said on Friday an
attack on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman this week will be discussed at a
meeting of G20 energy and environment ministers this weekend.
The ministerial meeting of the Group of 20 major economies
will be held in Karuizawa, northwest of Tokyo, in the run up to the G20 summit
to be held in Osaka, western Japan, on June 28-29.
Two tankers, one operated by a Japanese shipping company,
were attacked in the Gulf on Thursday. The United States blamed Iran for the
attacks, raising concerns about a new US-Iranian confrontation and driving up
oil prices. Tehran denied involvement.
“Maintaining energy security is something we can share with
other ministers and is an important policy issue to be discussed at the G20
energy ministerial meeting,” Seko said at a regular press conference.
“The Middle East is a key area for global energy security.
We want to talk with other ministers about our concerns about global security
and threats,” he said.
Seko declined to comment when asked about whether Japan
would send its armed forces to the Gulf to protect tankers.
He also declined to comment on remarks by US officials
blaming Iran for the attacks, saying Japan was still investigating details of
the incident.
The attacks happened while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe was in Tehran trying to help ease rising tensions between the United States
and Iran.
Seko said Abe told Iranian leaders that Japan wanted to
maintain economic cooperation with Iran, including buying crude oil when
international circumstances allowed. Japan stopped purchases earlier this year
after the reimposition of US sanctions on Tehran.
Seko said the attack would not affect Japan’s energy
supplies.
The other ship that was attacked was an oil tanker chartered
by Taiwan’s state oil refiner, CPC Corp, to carry fuel from the Middle East.