WELCOME FOR USS JOHN S. MCCAIN, JULY 18-JULY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OSAKA KOBE 000366 SIPDIS COMSEVENTHFLT PASS TO USS JOHN S. MCCAIN SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR PREL JA SUBJECT: WELCOME FOR USS JOHN S. MCCAIN, JULY 18-JULY 21ST VISIT TO SAKAIMINATO ¶1. (U) CONSULATE GENERAL OSAKA-KOBE WELCOMES THE VISIT OF THE USS JOHN S. MCCAIN SCHEDULED FOR JULY 18 TO JULY ¶21. WE LOOK FORWARD TO ASSISTING YOU IN ANY WAY WE CAN TO MAKE THIS VISIT SUCCESSFUL AND ENJOYABLE FOR ALL INVOLVED. -------------- -------------- SECURITY BACKGROUND INFORMATION -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) CONSULATE GENERAL OSAKA-KOBE HAS ASSISTED WITH 11 SHIP VISITS IN THE LAST 6 YEARS, MOST RECENTLY WITH THE VISIT OF THE USS RUSSELL TO SUKUMO IN MAY. THEY WERE ALL SUCCESSFUL AND CONTRIBUTED TO IMPROVING THE ATMOSPHERE SURROUNDING SHIP VISITS IN THE KANSAI REGION. THE RECENT SUKUMO VISIT OF THE RUSSELL DREW LIMITED PROTESTS BUT OVERWHELMING SUPPORT BY THE COMMU- NITY, INCLUDING A TOWN-WIDE FESTIVAL IN HONOR OF THE SHIP AND WIDE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE VISIT SUPPORT BY CITY GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS LEADERS. ¶3. (SBU) THE SAKAIMINATO PORT AUTHORITY AND THE CONSULATE HAS MADE EVERY EFFORT TO GET THE BEST POSSIBLE BERTH FOR THIS VISIT, AND HAVE ARRANGED FOR THE MCCAIN TO DOCK AT THE SHOWA MINAMI 1 BERTH, PROVIDING EXCELLENT ACCESS TO THE CITY CENTER. MAYOR NAKAMURA IS COOPERATIVE ABOUT THE VISIT, AND WILL ASSIST WHERE NEEDED. ¶4. (SBU) AS OF YET, NO ORGANIZATIONS HAVE APPLIED FOR DEMONSTRATION PERMITS TO PROTEST THE MCCAIN'S ARRIVAL. CONSULATE WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON SCHEDULED DEMONSTRATIONS AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. ¶5. (SBU) IN THE PAST, THE CONSULATE HAS RECEIVED AS MANY AS 100 PROTEST LETTERS FROM ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS OPPOSED TO PROPOSED VISITS. FOR THE UPCOMING VISIT OF THE USS JOHN S. MCCAIN, THE CONSULATE HAS RECEIVED NO PROTEST LETTERS TO DATE. PORT, COAST GUARD AND POLICE OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE TO ALL SECURITY CONCERNS RAISED BY THE CONSULATE. ¶6. (SBU) SAKAIMINATO IS ONE OF THE TOP TWO PORTS VISITED BY NORTH KOREAN SHIPS IN JAPAN. THE CITY IMPORTS SOME 1.6 BILLION YEN IN NORTH KOREAN FISH PRODUCTS, AND EXPORTS 300 MILLION YEN IN USED BICYCLES AND EQUIPMENT. NORTH KOREAN TRADE IS AN IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ISSUE FOR THE PORT. -------------- -------------- REGIONAL BACKGROUND -------------- -------------- ¶7. (U) LOCATED ON THE NORTHERN BORDER OF TOTTORI AND SHIMANE PREFECTURE, THE SEAPORT OF SAKAIMINATO IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS FISHERY PORTS IN JAPAN AND IS THE BIGGEST PORT IN THE TOTTORI AREA. SAKAIMINATO WAS FOUNDED IN 1956 AND IS HOME TO APPROXIMATELY 36,910 RESIDENTS. THE SAKAI CITY BEACH IS SURROUNDED BY WHITE SANDS AND GREEN PINE TREES AND IS RANKED AS ONE OF JAPAN'S 100 BEST BEACHES. -------------- -------------- ACCESS INFORMATION -------------- -------------- ¶8. (U) FOR CREW ON LIBERTY, SAKAIMINATO OFFERS AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VARIOUS MARINE SPORTS, HOT SPRINGS AROUND THE SHIMANE REGION, AS WELL AS SIGHTSEEING TO SAKAI CITY'S HISTORICAL SITES AND SCENIC LANDSCAPE. ¶9. (U) CONSULATE HAS ARRANGED WITH THE SAKAIMINATO CITY GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE APPROXIMATELY 300 ENGLISH LANGUAGE SAKAIMINATO WELCOME PACKAGES, INCLUDING MAPS, FOR THE CREW'S REFERENCE. -------------- -------------- SCHEDULE -------------- -------------- OSAKA KOBE 00000366 002 OF 002 ¶10. (SBU) THE CURRENT DRAFT SCHEDULE FOR THE USS JOHN S. MCCAIN'S VISIT IS AS FOLLOWS; WE ANTICIPATE THAT DETAILED UPDATES AND CHANGES WILL BE NECESSARY. THEY WILL BE COMMUNICATED VIA EMAIL AND TELEPHONE BY CONSULATE AND CNFJ. -------------- -------------- DAY 1 (TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2006) -------------- -------------- 0900 SHIP ARRIVAL ALONGSIDE BERTH 0930-1000 SHIP WELCOME CEREMONY 1015-1045 VIP SHIP TOUR 1030-1100 PRESS SHIP TOUR 1045-1100 PRE-PRESS CONFERENCE MEETING WITH CO, PAO, INTERPRETER 1100-1130 PRESS EVENT WITH CO, PAO IN WARD ROOM 1430 CREWS ASSEMBLE AT BERTH AND BUS DEPARTS 1500-1600 BEACH CLEANUP BY CREW POC: MR. NAGAI, SAKAIMINATO CITY HALL: (08)5947-1027 PLACE: TBD -------------- -------------- POINTS OF CONTACT -------------- -------------- ¶11. (U) POCS AT CONSULATE GENERAL OSAKA-KOBE ARE AS FOLLOWS: POLITICAL-ECONOMIC OFFICER PHILIP CUMMINGS (CONTROL OFFICER) OFFICE: (06) 6315-5908 MOBILE: (090) 1487-2550 EMAIL: CUMMINGSPM@STATE.GOV CONSUL GENERAL DANNY RUSSEL OFFICE: (06) 6315-5902 MOBILE: (090) 9622-0019 EMAIL: RUSSELDR@STATE.GOV PUBLIC AFFIARS OFFICER CHRIS LAYCOCK OFFICE: (06) 6315-5964 MOBILE: (090) 4492-0727 EMAIL: LAYCOCKJC@STATE.GOV POLITICAL-ECONOMIC INTERN EMMA TSUCHIDA OFFICE: (06) 6315-5989 EMAIL: TSUCHIDAEX@STATE.GOV RUSSEL UNCLASSIFIED 4 SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED