The Japanese government on Monday “strongly” condemned the capture by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea of ​​a commercial ship operated by a Japanese group, writes AFP, taken by Agerpres.

“Yesterday (Sunday) we received information that the car carrier Galaxy Leader, operated by Nippon Yusen, was captured by the Houthis while sailing south in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen,” Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu said. Matsuno.

“The government strongly condemns such an act,” he added.

Houthi rebels, who control much of war-torn Yemen, said late last week that they had seized a commercial vessel belonging to an Israeli businessman in the Red Sea and directed it to the coast of Yemen, while the Israeli military said “this there is a non-Israeli ship.”

Nippon Yusen, the vessel’s Japanese operator, said earlier Monday that it could not immediately confirm who owned the vessel.

According to Japan’s transport ministry, about 25 people of various nationalities, including Bulgarians and Filipinos, were on board, but there were no Japanese citizens.