ABSTRACT
Introduction Th e Strait of Malacca has been regarded as one of the most pirate-infested areas of the world since the 1990s. However, the devastation caused by the December 2004 tsunami off Sumatra brought a lull in piratical activities in the waterway for two months, and users of the Strait were optimistic that the tsunami had crippled the piracy infrastructure for the long term. Instead, the pirates bounced back and carried out a spate of bold, daring hijackings of ships and maritime kidnappings in February and March 2005. Th e most celebrated or notorious of these was the 14 March attack on the Japanese tug Idaten, and the kidnapping of three of its crew. Th is sudden and violent revival of piracy brought international attention to bear on the Strait. Th e attack on the Idaten in particular resulted in Japan’s launching a diplomatic off ensive, together with the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), to put pressure on the littoral states to boost security in the waterway.1
