October 13, 2020
Japan Ministry of Defense
1. In early October, Royal Canadian Navy frigate WINNIPEG began monitoring and surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels prohibited by the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) in waters surrounding Japan including the East China Sea. This is the fourth of such activities by Royal Canadian Navy Vessels since 2018. In addition, Canada will engage in its fifth monitoring and surveillance activities by aircraft since 2018, using Kadena Air Base, under the Agreement Regarding the Status of the United Nations Forces in Japan, from early November to early December.
2. Japan welcomes these activities from the viewpoint of ensuring effective implementation of the relevant UNSCRs while maintaining the solidarity of the international community for the realization of North Korea’s dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction 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 violation of the UNSCRs, and Japan will work closely with related countries.
