Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO3172
2006-06-08 09:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
SPECULATION ON METI'S SUMMER ROTATIONS
how-toVZCZCXRO1833 RR RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #3172 1590908 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 080908Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3023 INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 6630 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 9250 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 9866 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 7780 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 003172
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT. PLEASE PASS TO EAP/J WENDELL ALBRIGHT. PLEASE PASS TO
USTR/WENDY CUTLER & MICHAEL BEEMAN.
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2016
TAGS: ECON ENRG ETRD JA
SUBJECT: SPECULATION ON METI'S SUMMER ROTATIONS
Classified By: DCM Joseph R. Donovan. Reason: 1.4 (b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 003172
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT. PLEASE PASS TO EAP/J WENDELL ALBRIGHT. PLEASE PASS TO
USTR/WENDY CUTLER & MICHAEL BEEMAN.
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2016
TAGS: ECON ENRG ETRD JA
SUBJECT: SPECULATION ON METI'S SUMMER ROTATIONS
Classified By: DCM Joseph R. Donovan. Reason: 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) Hirofumi Katase, director of the Petroleum and
Natural Gas Division of the Agency for Natural Resources and
Energy (ANRE) at METI, said that ultimately METI Minister
Toshihiro Nikai would have the final say on METI summer staff
rotations. Most likely Economic & Industrial Policy Bureau
Director General Kitabata would replace Administrative Vice
Minister Hideji Sugiyama and Trade Policy Bureau Director
General Toshiaki Kitamura would succeed International Affairs
Kazumasa Kusaka. The fate of ANRE Director General Nobuyori
Kodaira was unknown because tradition dictated that he resign
when one of his entering class is promoted to the vice
minister position -- Kitabata, Kitamura and Kodaira are all
class of 1972 -- but Nikai could ask him to stay on. As for
his own situation, Katase said he would like to stay on -- he
has been director of his division for four years -- but he
had no idea whether he would be able to or where he might go
if he were rotated out. The changes will likely be delayed
until after the government's so-called "big-boned policy" is
issued. The policy had been expected by now but has been
delayed two to three weeks. Katase also said the
announcement on rotations might be further delayed until
after the G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg in mid-July.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT. PLEASE PASS TO EAP/J WENDELL ALBRIGHT. PLEASE PASS TO
USTR/WENDY CUTLER & MICHAEL BEEMAN.
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2016
TAGS: ECON ENRG ETRD JA
SUBJECT: SPECULATION ON METI'S SUMMER ROTATIONS
Classified By: DCM Joseph R. Donovan. Reason: 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) Hirofumi Katase, director of the Petroleum and
Natural Gas Division of the Agency for Natural Resources and
Energy (ANRE) at METI, said that ultimately METI Minister
Toshihiro Nikai would have the final say on METI summer staff
rotations. Most likely Economic & Industrial Policy Bureau
Director General Kitabata would replace Administrative Vice
Minister Hideji Sugiyama and Trade Policy Bureau Director
General Toshiaki Kitamura would succeed International Affairs
Kazumasa Kusaka. The fate of ANRE Director General Nobuyori
Kodaira was unknown because tradition dictated that he resign
when one of his entering class is promoted to the vice
minister position -- Kitabata, Kitamura and Kodaira are all
class of 1972 -- but Nikai could ask him to stay on. As for
his own situation, Katase said he would like to stay on -- he
has been director of his division for four years -- but he
had no idea whether he would be able to or where he might go
if he were rotated out. The changes will likely be delayed
until after the government's so-called "big-boned policy" is
issued. The policy had been expected by now but has been
delayed two to three weeks. Katase also said the
announcement on rotations might be further delayed until
after the G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg in mid-July.
SCHIEFFER