Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers

TOKYO, April 13 -- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan issued the following news release:

From late February to mid-March, Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS TOOWOOMBA 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 fourteenth time Royal Australian Navy vessel to engage in these activities since 2018. 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 o...