Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO2098
2006-04-18 09:21:00
SECRET
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
LIANCOURT ROCKS: JAPAN OFFERS SECRET PROPOSAL TO
how-toVZCZCXRO6143 OO RUEHFK RUEHKSO DE RUEHKO #2098 1080921 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 180921Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1112 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1832 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 7997 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 5769 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 8947 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 6948 RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHKO/USDAO TOKYO JA PRIORITY
S E C R E T TOKYO 002098
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO EAP A/S HILL AND PDAS STEPHENS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2016
TAGS: PBTS PHSA PREL JA KS
SUBJECT: LIANCOURT ROCKS: JAPAN OFFERS SECRET PROPOSAL TO
THE ROK.
REF: A. TOKYO 02072
B. SEOUL 01246
C. USDAO TOKYO IIR 6 852 0111 06
D. 6 852 0113 06
E. 6 852 0114 06
F. 6 852 0115 06
G. 6 852 0116 06
Classified By: AMBASSADOR J. THOMAS SCHIEFFER. REASONS 1.4 (b),(d).
S E C R E T TOKYO 002098
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO EAP A/S HILL AND PDAS STEPHENS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2016
TAGS: PBTS PHSA PREL JA KS
SUBJECT: LIANCOURT ROCKS: JAPAN OFFERS SECRET PROPOSAL TO
THE ROK.
REF: A. TOKYO 02072
B. SEOUL 01246
C. USDAO TOKYO IIR 6 852 0111 06
D. 6 852 0113 06
E. 6 852 0114 06
F. 6 852 0115 06
G. 6 852 0116 06
Classified By: AMBASSADOR J. THOMAS SCHIEFFER. REASONS 1.4 (b),(d).
1. (S) MOFA Asian and Oceanian Affairs Deputy Director
General Kunio Umeda informed Political Minister Counselor
Meserve on April 18 that Vice Foreign Minister Yachi had put
forth a "secret proposal" to Ra Jong-il, South Korea's
Ambassador to Japan. Under that proposal, the Japanese
government would halt plans to conduct a bathymetric survey
of the seabed adjacent to the Liancourt Rocks
(Takeshima/Tokdo islands),and within the overlapping area
claimed by both countries as a part of their EEZs, if the
Republic of Korea agrees to shelve the naming proposal it
reportedly intends to table at the June 14-23 meeting of the
19th Subcommittee on Undersea Features Naming (SCUFN). The
proposal also asks the ROK to work with Japan to establish
some kind of mutually agreed upon notification and procedural
process for handling this problem in the future, Umeda added.
He said there has not yet been a response from the ROK
government and that the Foreign Ministry is currently
awaiting Seoul's reply. DDG Umeda cautioned that knowledge
of this proposal is very limited within the Japanese
government and requested the U.S. Government handle this
information carefully. (Septel reports the Ambassador's
meeting with ROK Ambassador Ra).
2. (C) If the ROK government accepts the proposal, the
Foreign Ministry will "try to persuade the Kantei not to send
the research vessels into that area," Umeda continued,
expressing confidence that under those circumstances MOFA's
recommendation would prevail. However, if the ROK does not
accept the proposal, two Japan Coast Guard vessels will begin
carrying out their survey of the disputed seabed on April 20,
he said, adding that this initial survey will go on for
approximately five days. DDG Umeda further stated that the
South Korean government has not been informed of this plan,
but was merely notified on April 14 (under relevant
provisions of the Safety of Lives at Sea convention) of
Japan's intent to survey the area sometime between April 14
and June 30.
3. (C) Japan has no intention of engaging in any physical
confrontation, Umeda assured. "Even if the ROK ships are
waiting for us, we will do our best to avoid them," he said.
Umeda confided that Prime Minister Koizumi and "especially
Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe" are monitoring the situation
very closely. Umeda also stressed that while he is
"personally very anxious" and tensions are running high over
the issue in both Tokyo and Seoul, it was also true that
Japanese and South Korean officials were talking with one
another, and working together to resolve this current
disagreement.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO EAP A/S HILL AND PDAS STEPHENS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2016
TAGS: PBTS PHSA PREL JA KS
SUBJECT: LIANCOURT ROCKS: JAPAN OFFERS SECRET PROPOSAL TO
THE ROK.
REF: A. TOKYO 02072
B. SEOUL 01246
C. USDAO TOKYO IIR 6 852 0111 06
D. 6 852 0113 06
E. 6 852 0114 06
F. 6 852 0115 06
G. 6 852 0116 06
Classified By: AMBASSADOR J. THOMAS SCHIEFFER. REASONS 1.4 (b),(d).
1. (S) MOFA Asian and Oceanian Affairs Deputy Director
General Kunio Umeda informed Political Minister Counselor
Meserve on April 18 that Vice Foreign Minister Yachi had put
forth a "secret proposal" to Ra Jong-il, South Korea's
Ambassador to Japan. Under that proposal, the Japanese
government would halt plans to conduct a bathymetric survey
of the seabed adjacent to the Liancourt Rocks
(Takeshima/Tokdo islands),and within the overlapping area
claimed by both countries as a part of their EEZs, if the
Republic of Korea agrees to shelve the naming proposal it
reportedly intends to table at the June 14-23 meeting of the
19th Subcommittee on Undersea Features Naming (SCUFN). The
proposal also asks the ROK to work with Japan to establish
some kind of mutually agreed upon notification and procedural
process for handling this problem in the future, Umeda added.
He said there has not yet been a response from the ROK
government and that the Foreign Ministry is currently
awaiting Seoul's reply. DDG Umeda cautioned that knowledge
of this proposal is very limited within the Japanese
government and requested the U.S. Government handle this
information carefully. (Septel reports the Ambassador's
meeting with ROK Ambassador Ra).
2. (C) If the ROK government accepts the proposal, the
Foreign Ministry will "try to persuade the Kantei not to send
the research vessels into that area," Umeda continued,
expressing confidence that under those circumstances MOFA's
recommendation would prevail. However, if the ROK does not
accept the proposal, two Japan Coast Guard vessels will begin
carrying out their survey of the disputed seabed on April 20,
he said, adding that this initial survey will go on for
approximately five days. DDG Umeda further stated that the
South Korean government has not been informed of this plan,
but was merely notified on April 14 (under relevant
provisions of the Safety of Lives at Sea convention) of
Japan's intent to survey the area sometime between April 14
and June 30.
3. (C) Japan has no intention of engaging in any physical
confrontation, Umeda assured. "Even if the ROK ships are
waiting for us, we will do our best to avoid them," he said.
Umeda confided that Prime Minister Koizumi and "especially
Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe" are monitoring the situation
very closely. Umeda also stressed that while he is
"personally very anxious" and tensions are running high over
the issue in both Tokyo and Seoul, it was also true that
Japanese and South Korean officials were talking with one
another, and working together to resolve this current
disagreement.
SCHIEFFER