From late May to early June, Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS TROMP conducted 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. It was the first time for the Netherlands to engage in such activities.
Japan welcomes these activities from the viewpoint of ensuring effective implementation of the relevant UNSCRs in solidarity with the international community toward 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.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is also conducting information gathering activities for vessels suspected to be in violation of the UNSCRs, and Japan works closely with related countries including the Netherlands and related international organizations.
