MEDIA REACTION NORTH KOREA - TOKYO

UNCLAS TOKYO 003369 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR, EAP/J, EAP/P, PM; USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI; SECDEF FOR OASD/PA; CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION NORTH KOREA - TOKYO LEAD STORIES: Monday morning papers gave top play to Japan's draw with Croatia in Sunday's World Cup soccer match in Germany. ¶1. "DPRK Must Not Launch Taepodong-2" The business daily Nihon Keizai editorialized (6/19): "How many times has North Korea ratcheted up tensions in the region by undertaking preparations to launch a missile? US and Japanese national security officials, who are keeping close tabs on what appear to be preparations to launch a Taepodong-2 long-range missile, called North Korea's move a 'provocative act' and warned Pyongyang to immediately stop. A missile launch would not only threaten the security situation in Northeast Asia but would also further isolate North Korean from the international community. We can only imagine Pyongyang's motivation, but we suspect that the leadership intends to create a problem and then step back as a 'compromise' in order to seek a similar compromise from the US. ¶2. "This is similar to the negotiation tactics employed by the Soviet Union in the Cold War.... North Korea needs to realize that the diplomatic brinkmanship it has used in the past is no longer effective and that the only wise choice is to forgo a missile launch. If it does not make this choice, though, and tests a missile, the UN Security Council will begin discussing economic sanctions. US Ambassador Schieffer has said that 'all options are on the table.' Even in the event there is no UNSC resolution, it is possible that a coalition of the willing led by the US and Japan will discuss sanctions." ¶3. "DPRK Must Heed Warning" An editorial in the liberal Asahi commented (6/19): "There has been no progress on the abduction issue. North Korea, which says the issue has been 'resolved,' has been going ahead with nuclear development and is now preparing to launch a new missile.... Late last year, the UN General Assembly for the first time adopted a resolution criticizing the human rights situation in North Korea. The resolution expressed concern over the imprisonment and execution of political prisoners, the complete suppression of the freedom of thought and expression, and that country's abductions of foreign nationals.... ¶4. "Nonetheless, North Korea has been making preparations to test-launch a new ballistic missile as if to mock the concerns of the world. This is foolish. A missile launch would not only violate the Pyongyang Declaration concluded between PM Koizumi and Kim Jong Il but would also heighten tensions in the region, deepening international trust of Pyongyang. A launch would draw a strong reaction from the international community, which would not serve the interests of the DPRK. It is now time for North Korea to heed the calls from Japan and the rest of the international community." SCHIEFFER