The UK and Australia have returned to Japan to help conduct monitoring and surveillance activities against sanction-busting ship-to-ship transfers by North Korean-flagged vessels.
The UK Royal Navy’s patrol vessel HMS Spey had been operating in waters surrounding Japan including the East China Sea during early January 2023, according to Japan’s foreign ministry.
This is the tenth time the UK Royal Navy has engaged in such activities since 2018.
Meanwhile, Australian aircraft will be carrying out similar activities from Japan’s Kadena Air Base from early February to early March.
Japan says North Korea’s nuclear and missile development represents an “unprecedented, grave and imminent threat”.
“It is not an exaggeration to state that the security situation surrounding Japan has become most severe since the end of World War II,” the foreign ministry said.
Japan said it must be united with the international community to enhance pressure on North Korea to the maximum degree, including implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2397 adopted in December 2017, in order to urge North Korea to change its policies.
UNSCR 2375, adopted in September 2017, prohibits all member states from facilitating or engaging in ship-to-ship transfers of goods to or from North Korean-flagged vessels.
Japan said it must work closely with the international community, including not only with the US and South Korea but also with China, Russia and other countries to ensure the “effective implementation of the relevant UNSCR including measures to tackle ship-to-ship transfers”.
“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,” the foreign ministry said.
“The Japan Coast Guard and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force are also conducting information gathering activities for vessels suspected to be in violation of the UNSCRs, and Japan will work closely with related countries.”
