May 17, 2019
Japan Ministry of Defense
1. France deployed Navy frigate Vendémiaire for monitoring and surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean flagged vessels prohibited by United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) in waters surrounding Japan including the East China Sea. The MSDF and France Navy cooperated in such activities as information sharing from the perspective of enhancing the effectiveness of the UNSCRs.
2. Japan believes that the international community needs to fully implement the relevant UNSCRs while maintaining the solidarity for the realization of North Korea’s dismantlement of all WMDs and ballistic missiles of all ranges in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner. In this regard, Japan welcomes and highly appreciates the monitoring and surveillance activities by France. Japan will continue to work closely with all partner countries to ensure effectiveness of the relevant UNSCRs.
(Reference)
(1) Patrol Aircraft Partner countries, in addition to the U.S., have engaged in monitoring and surveillance activities based in Kadena Air Base by aircraft.
・Australia (from the end of April 2018 for a month, from the middle of September 2018 for a month and a half, from the beginning of December 2018 for a week, from the beginning of May 2019)
・Canada (from the end of April 2018 for a month, from the middle of September 2018 for a month and a half)
・New Zealand (from the middle of September 2018 for a month and a half)
・France (from the middle of March 2019 for three weeks)
(2) Naval vessels
Naval vessels of partner countries have engaged in monitoring and surveillance activities in waters surrounding Japan including the East China Sea.
the U.S. :multiple naval vessels
the U.K. :British Royal Navy Frigate SUTHERLAND (the middle of May 2018)
British Royal Navy Flagship ALBION(from the middle of May to the beginning of June 2018)
British Royal Navy Frigate ARGYLL(the middle of December 2018 and the beginning of January 2019)
British Royal Navy Frigate MONTROSE(from the end of February to the beginning of March 2019)
Canada :Royal Canadian Navy frigate CALGARY (the beginning and the end of October 2018)
Naval Replenishment Unit ASTÉRIX (from the beginning to the end of October 2018)
Australia :Royal Australian Navy frigate MELBOURNE(the beginning of October 2018and the beginning of May 2019)
France :French Navy frigate Vendémiaire (spring in 2019)