Japan-North Korea Relations

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.

Japan 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.

Towards the common goal of the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Japan must work closely with the international community, including not only with the United States and the Republic of Korea, but also with China, Russia and other countries and ensure the effective implementation of the relevant UNSCR including measures to tackle ship-to-ship transfers.

• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (February 8,2023)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by UK against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (February 3,2023)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (October 31,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by France against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (October 17,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Canada against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (October 3,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by UK against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (September 30,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Canada against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (September 22,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (June 29,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Canada against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (April 22,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by France against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (March 18,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by UK against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (March 8,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (February 24,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by UK against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (February 8,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by UK against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (January 21,2022)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Germany against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (November 5,2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by New Zealand against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (November 4,2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (October 28,2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by France against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (October 14,2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Canada against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (October 13,2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by UK against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (September 30,2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Canada against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (September 9,2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (August 12,2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (May 18, 2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by France against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (May 6, 2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by New Zealand against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (April 20, 2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (February 24, 2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by France against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (February 18, 2021)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (October 29, 2020)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by New Zealand against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (October 19, 2020)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Canada against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (October 13, 2020)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (September 17, 2020)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (February 19, 2020)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by CHON MA SAN, North Korean-flagged tanker, and a vessel of unknown nationality (February 7, 2020)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by NAM SAN 8, North Korean-flagged tanker, and a small vessel of unknown nationality (December 27, 2019)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by MU BONG 1, North Korean-flagged tanker, and small vessels of unknown nationality (November 13, 2019)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by New Zealand against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (October 15, 2019)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Canada against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (October 1, 2019)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Canada and Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (August 22, 2019)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Canada against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (May 24, 2019)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by a French navy vessel against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (May 17, 2019)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by AN SAN 1, North Korean-flagged tanker, and small vessels of unknown nationality (May 13&14, 2019)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (April 26, 2019)
• UK-Japan Cooperation for addressing ship-to-ship transfers (April 6, 2019)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by YU SON, North Korean-flagged tanker, and a small vessel of unknown nationality (March 20, 2019)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by UK against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (March 19, 2019)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by France against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (March 8, 2019)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by SAEBYOL, North Korean-flagged tanker, and a small vessel of unknown nationality (March 2, 2019)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by AN SAN 1, North Korean-flagged tanker, and vessel of unknown nationality (January 18, 2019)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Australia against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (November 30, 2018)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by partner countries against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean flagged vessels prohibited by UNSCRs (November 6, 2018)
• Additional designation of vessels as subject to sanctions by the UN Security Council 1718 Sanctions Committee and designation as subject to port entry ban pursuant to Act on Special Measures concerning Prohibition of Entry of Specified Ships into Ports (October 29, 2018)
• Multinational efforts against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels prohibited by UNSCRs (September 23, 2018)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Partner countries against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (September 22, 2018)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Partner countries against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (September 7, 2018)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by NAM SAN 8, North Korean-flagged tanker, and vessel of unknown nationality (July 31, 2018)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by AN SAN 1, North Korean-flagged tanker, and a vessel of unknown nationality (June 29, 2018)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by YU PHYONG 5, North Korean-flagged tanker, and small vessel of unknown nationality (June 21&22, 2018)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by SAM JONG 2, North Korean-flagged tanker, and MYONG RYU 1 (May 24, 2018)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by JI SONG 6, North Korean-flagged tanker, and small vessel of unknown nationality (May 19, 2018)
• Monitoring and surveillance activities by Partner countries against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers (April 28, 2018)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by Chon Ma San, North Korean-flagged tanker, and Xin Yuan 18, Maldivian-flagged tanker (February 24, 2018)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by Yu Jong 2, North Korean-flagged tanker, and 「闽宁德油078」 (February 16, 2018)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by Rye Song Gang 1, North Korean-flagged tanker, and Wan Heng 11, Belizean-flagged tanker (February 13, 2018)
• Suspicion of illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by Rye Song Gang 1, North Korean-flagged tanker, and Yuk Tung, Dominican-flagged tanker (January 20, 2018)