Australia’s monitoring and surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels.
From early to mid-October, Royal Australian Air Force P-8A patrol aircraft will conduct the 16th aerial surveillance and monitoring activity since 2018, using Kadena Air Base, U.S. Forces Japan, in accordance with the United Nations Status of Forces Agreement, to counter illegal maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels, which are prohibited by United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Japan welcomes these efforts, from the perspective of ensuring the effectiveness of UN Security Council resolutions, with the international community united in its efforts to achieve North Korea’s complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges.
The Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces are also working closely with relevant countries and international organizations, including Australia, to gather information on vessels suspected of violating UN Security Council resolutions through the Maritime Self-Defense Force.