Japan-North Korea Relations

In the afternoon on February 16, 2018, a P-3C aircraft (Fleet Air Wing 1 P-3C : Kanoya) and an escort vessel SENDAI (Escort Division 14 escort vessel : Maizuru) of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force found that Yu Jong 2, North Korean-flagged tanker, was lying alongside a small vessel of unknown nationality on which 「闽宁德油078」(Min Ning De You 078) is indicated on the high sea(around 250 km eastern offshore of Shanghai ) in the East China Sea.

Judging from the fact that the two vessels lay alongside each other and connected hoses, both vessels could have been engaged in some type of activity. Following a comprehensive assessment, the Government of Japan strongly suspects that they conducted ship-to-ship transfers banned by UNSCR.

「闽宁德油」is transcribed into 「閩寧德油」in traditional Chinese characters, which means “ Fujian Province, Ningde City, oil tanker”

Japan notified the Security Council Committee of this incident and shared information with related countries.