The Panamanian-registered 16,222-ton Ginga Bobcat was fired upon by the small boat after a 15-minute chase which started at around 3:30 pm local time (1230 GMT) Wednesday, the ministry said.
A rocket-propelled grenade left a hole 10 centimetres (four inches) across, in the bridge of the tanker which was operated by Tokyo Marine Co., the ministry said.
The tanker, with a crew from Bangladesh, safely continued its journey, the ministry said. Kyodo news agency said it was carrying phosphoric acid from Morocco to India.
About 45 minutes before the incident, another chemical tanker operated by the same Tokyo-based company was chased and fired upon by a small boat in nearby waters close to Yemen, the ministry said.
But the earlier attack did not hit the tanker or its crew.
The two attacks were believed to have been made by pirates, a ministry official said. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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