Press Releases
Monitoring and surveillance activities by New Zealand against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers
April 25, 2025
Royal New Zealand Air Force maritime patrol aircraft P-8A
(Source: New Zealand Defence Force)
- From mid-April to early May, Royal New Zealand Air Force maritime patrol aircraft P-8A will engage in monitoring and surveillance activities of illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels, prohibited by the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), using Kadena Air Base under the Agreement Regarding the Status of the United Nations Forces in Japan. It will be the seventh time New Zealand’s aircraft engaged in 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 of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner.
- As Japan has also been conducting information gathering activities for vessels suspected of violating the UNSCRs, Japan works closely with relevant countries and international organizations, including New Zealand.