Japan has sought cooperation from the United States and South Korea in efforts to watch over the transfer of fuel and other goods between ships in the East
Japan has sought cooperation from the United States and South Korea in efforts to watch over the transfer of fuel and other goods between ships in the East China Sea in violation of U. N. sanctions against North Korea, government sources said Sunday.
Japan is the only country that is watching over ship-to-ship transfers involving North Korean vessels extensively in the East China Sea, the sources said. The Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Japan Coast Guard have been engaging in the mission, but they want some of their burden to be shared with other countries.
“If Japan, the United States and South Korea will lead efforts to crack down on ship-to-ship transfers, it will be easier to seek cooperation from the (whole) international community,” a senior Foreign Ministry official said in Tokyo.
But the South Korean government may be reluctant to working with the Self-Defense Forces, whose existence is controversial for the country, which suffered under Japanese militarism before and during World War II.
