Press Releases
Condolence message from Foreign Minister Kono on the collision of the U.S. Navy vessel in the Straits of Malacca
On August 23, Foreign Minister Taro Kono sent a message to the Honorable Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State of the United States, and the Honorable James Mattis, Secretary of Defense of the United States, expressing his condolences and sympathy for the victims related to the U.S. Navy of the collision between the Aegis destroyer USS John S. McCain of the United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka and a Liberian tanker in the Straits of Malacca occurred on August 21 (same day local time).
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According to the U.S. Navy, at around 6:24 AM on August 21 (Japan time), the USS John S. McCain, a vessel of the United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka, collided with the Alnic MC, a Liberian tanker, while underway east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. This resulted in injuries to five members of the U.S. armed forces and 10 people are still missing, and it was confirmed later that there were some fatalities.