Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BEIJING16819
2006-08-15 10:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

FOREIGN MINISTRY CONDEMNS PM KOIZUMI'S SHRINE

Tags:  PREL PGOV ASEC JA CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0551
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #6819/01 2271017
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 151017Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3953
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1453
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 016819 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/CM, EAP/J AND DS/IP/EAP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC JA CH
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTRY CONDEMNS PM KOIZUMI'S SHRINE
VISIT; SMALL PROTEST OUTSIDE JAPANESE EMBASSY

REF: A. BEIJING 16502


B. TOKYO 4625

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Daniel
Shields. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 016819

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/CM, EAP/J AND DS/IP/EAP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC JA CH
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTRY CONDEMNS PM KOIZUMI'S SHRINE
VISIT; SMALL PROTEST OUTSIDE JAPANESE EMBASSY

REF: A. BEIJING 16502


B. TOKYO 4625

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Daniel
Shields. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) Summary: Beijing strongly condemned the visit
by Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi to Yasukuni Shrine,
with the Foreign Ministry stating that PM Koizumi was
"challenging international justice and trampling human
conscience." Foreign Minister Li told Japanese
Ambassador Miyamoto that PM Koizumi's visit undermines
the political foundation for relations between Tokyo
and Beijing. Chinese authorities beefed up security
at Tiananmen Square and Japanese diplomatic facilities
in Beijing. About two dozen demonstrators appeared in
front of the Japanese Embassy within hours of PM
Koizumi's visit to the shrine. The protesters
dispersed peacefully after about 20 minutes. PM
Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni took place too late to
make China's morning papers, but major Internet news
portals gave the story top billing. Online discussion
forums buzzed with harsh commentary. Our contacts
said the Propaganda Department has not yet handed down
coverage guidelines and forecast a predictably
negative media reaction. End Summary.

MFA: PM Koizumi Offends China, Costs Japan Credibility
-------------- --------------


2. (SBU) China strongly condemned the visit by
Japanese PM Koizumi to Yasukuni Shrine on the August
15 anniversary of the end of World War II. In a
statement (full text para 7),the Foreign Ministry
said PM Koizumi's visit "gravely offends" the people
in countries victimized by Japan's World War II
aggression and accused PM Koizumi of "challenging
international justice and trampling human conscience."
PM Koizumi's sixth visit to Yasukuni Shrine undermines
the political foundation of China-Japan relations and
will damage Japan's credibility and national
interests, the statement said.


3. (C) Japanese Ambassador Miyamoto heard a similar
rebuke from FM Li when he was called to the Foreign
Ministry to receive China's official protest at 11:00

a.m., according to Japanese Embassy Counselor Kazuya
Endo. FM Li's demarche echoed the points made by the
Foreign Ministry public statement and reported by
Xinhua, Endo said. The tone of FM Li's demarche was
"no harsher nor more lenient" than China's previous
rebukes over PM Koizumi's Yasukuni visits, Endo said,
calling them "about what we expected." FM Li's
remarks and the Foreign Ministry statement left room
for improvement in bilateral relations once PM Koizumi
leaves office, Endo said. The statement concluded
that China is "confident" the Japanese people will
"help put China-Japan relations back on the track of
normal growth at an early date." MFA Japan Division
Deputy Director He Zhenliang told poloff that the MFA
would have no comment beyond the official statement.

Small Protest, Increased Security
--------------


4. (C) Amid beefed up security, about two dozen
protesters gathered in front of the Japanese Embassy
in Beijing at about 10:00 a.m. chanting slogans and
criticizing PM Koizumi's shrine visit, Endo said. The
protest dispersed after 20 minutes without damage or
disruption. Although press lingered in front the
Japanese Embassy throughout the day, no further
demonstrations occurred. Several dozen plainclothes
police and People's Armed Police officers were
stationed around the Embassy area, while the road
leading to the Japanese Ambassador's residence was
blocked off. Security around Tiananmen Square was
noticeably enhanced, with busloads of People's Armed
Police troops parked nearby in reserve.

An Angry Media Reaction
--------------


5. (C) The shrine visit occurred too late to make
China's morning papers. Not long after PM Koizumi
visited Yasukuni, however, major online news portals

BEIJING 00016819 002 OF 003


gave the story top billing. The tenor of the coverage
was negative and highlighted the statement from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The headline from the
popular Sohu.com news site read, "Ministry of Foreign
Affairs: Koizumi's persistent homage tramples on the
conscience of mankind." The Propaganda Department has
not yet provided specific coverage guidelines, said Li
Tao (protect),a professor at Tsinghua University
School of Journalism and Communications. Nonetheless,
he predicted a wave of negative commentary to appear
over the coming days. "The visit is no surprise, but
that does not mean the criticism in the media will not
be very strong," Li remarked.


6. (C) Netizens have already started expressing irate
opinions. Online discussion forums were filled with
hundreds of posts condemning PM Koizumi and Japan.
One typically heated post read, "I want to become an
atomic bomb to be dropped on Koizumi and to kill this
emotionless dog without mourning." Less extreme but
still angry chatters called for China and South Korea
to break off economic relations with Japan and to
boycott Japanese goods. But the forum participants
confined their wrath to Japan. We saw no comments
linking Japanese actions with U.S. support or
encouragement, an occasional feature in past online
expressions of indignation against PM Koizumi.

Full Text of Foreign Ministry Statement
--------------


7. (U) The text of the MFA statement follows.

Today, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi paid
another visit to the Yasukuni Shrine where the
Japanese class-A criminals of WWII are remembered.
The Chinese Government hereby lodges a strong protest
against this act that gravely offends the people in
countries victimized by the war of aggression launched
by Japanese militarists and undermines the political
foundation of China-Japan relations.

The top Japanese WWII criminals who are remembered in
the Yasukuni Shrine planned and launched Japanese
militarist aggressions and were responsible for
committing untold atrocities in Asia and the world in
modern history. By insisting on paying homage to the
Yasukuni Shrine where these war criminals are
remembered in disregard of the concern and oppositions
from the international community, Japan's Asian
neighbors and the people in Japan, Prime Minister
Koizumi is challenging international justice and
trampling human conscience.

China was the biggest victim of the war of aggression
launched by Japanese militarists, the Chinese people
suffered enormously from Japan's War of Aggression
against China. To see this part of history for what
it was and handle it accordingly is the political
foundation for the resumption and growth of China-
Japan relations in the post-War period. It is also an
important prerequisite for China and Japan to pursue a
common future. Prime Minister Koizumi has repeatedly
offended the Chinese people over the history issue.
In doing so, he not only has cost Japan's credibility
internationally, but will also lose faith of the
Japanese people and damage Japan's national image and
interests.

The sound growth of China-Japan relations serves the
fundamental interests of the two peoples and will
promote peace and stability in Asia and beyond. The
Chinese Government and people will continue to work
untiringly with all Japanese statesmen and people who
value and are committed to China-Japan friendship on
the basis of the three political documents and act in
line with the spirit of "drawing lessons from history
for the benefit of future relations" for the peaceful
co-existence, enduring friendship, mutual benefits and
common development of our two countries. We are
confident that the Japanese people, with vision and
foresight, will follow the trend of history, work to
remove the political obstacle and help put China-Japan
relations back on the track of normal growth at an
early date.


BEIJING 00016819 003 OF 003


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