Report of the Tokyo meeting and progress to date

Military and intelligence gathering activities will likely become more intensive, intrusive, controversial and dangerous. Regarding the regime covering these activities, there is general agreement that the exercise of the freedom of navigation and overflight in and above Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) should not interfere with the rights of the coastal State in the EEZ. But there is disagreement regarding interpretations of relevant 1982 UNCLOS provisions, the means to resolve the disagreements, or if there is even a need to do so. Increased dialogue between maritime powers and coastal States is necessary to reach a mutual understanding of key terms with a goal of developing some agreed voluntary guidelines for such activities and the means and manner of implementing them.