Tokyo, Sept. 3 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Thursday pledged support for Mauritius to deal with the oil spill from a Japanese-owned cargo ship grounded off the Indian Ocean island state.
   

“As head of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, committed to the mission of conserving biodiversity, I would like to do my best to help contribute toward any mitigation efforts,” Koizumi said in an online meeting with his Mauritian counterpart, Kavydass Ramano.
   

Koizumi also expressed a wish to “discuss what Japan could do further to assist Mauritius in addressing environmental challenges it is facing.”
  

In the meeting, he spoke of plans to continue surveys of the spill’s effect on mangroves and coral reefs in the area.
   

Ramano expressed his expectations for Japanese aid.
   

The bulk carrier Wakashio spilled large amounts of fuel oil into the sea after running aground off Mauritius in July. The vessel, owned by Japan’s Nagashiki Shipping Co., was chartered by another Japanese company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. <9104>.