Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers

November 30 , 2018

Japan Defense of Defense

１．Australia has decided again to engage in monitoring and surveillance activities for the third time this year against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels prohibited by UNSCRs, based in Kadena Air Base from the beginning of December, subject to UN SOFA.

２．Japan welcomes these activities from the view point of ensuring effective implementation of the relevant UNSCRs while maintaining the solidarity of international community for the realization of North Korea’s dismantlement of all WMD and ballistic missiles of all ranges in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner.

３．The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is also conducting information gathering activities for vessels suspected to be in the violation of UNSCRs, and Japan will work closely with related countries.