From mid-October to early November, the French Republic will engage in monitoring and surveillance activities by aircraft against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels, prohibited by United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), using Futenma Air Station under the Agreement regarding the Status of the United Nations Forces in Japan. It will be the fifth time French aircraft engaged in these activities since 2019.
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.
As the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has also been conducting information gathering activities for vessels suspected of violating the UNSCRs, the Japan Ministry of Defense and Self-Defense Forces work closely with relevant countries and international organizations, including the French Republic.