The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) has deployed a P-8A Poseidon to Japan, where it will monitor UN sanctions against North Korea.

During the four-week deployment, the aircraft and its crew will carry out surveillance over the waters around East Asia to watch for evidence of ship-to-ship transfers of resources used in North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

The deployment is part of the Pacific Security Maritime Exchange (PSMX), a coalition formed to monitor UN Security Council sanctions.

Commander Joint Forces New Zealand Major General Rob Krushka said New Zealand's contribution was an "important one".

“New Zealand is committed to maintaining regional peace and security by upholding the rules-based international system, and the UNSC sanctions are the international community’s best way of encouraging North Korea to denuclearise and return to diplomacy.

“Our maritime patrol aircraft and ships have been part of this multinational effort to monitor the sanctions since 2018, and there will be further deployments of our assets to support the operation later this year.”