MEDIA REACTION Q NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCHES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 003791 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 Q NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCHES - TOKYO LEAD STORIES: Friday morning's business daily Nihon Keizai gave top play to press remarks Thursday by JDA Vice Minister Moriya pointing to the possibility that North Korea would prepare to launch another Taepodong-2 long-range missile. Yomiuri front-paged a GOJ plan to call on G-8 member nations to issue a chairman's statement condemning North Korea at their coming summit in St. Petersburg, Russia. ¶1. "UNSC Resolution Alone Cannot Guarantee Japan's Security" The top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri editorialized (7/7): "Now is the time for the world community to show its intention not to overlook North Korea's reckless act of launching a barrage of missiles, including a Taepodong-2 long-range missile, in defiance of international calls for a suspension of launches. The early adoption of a resolution against the North Korean missile launches at the UN Security Council (UNSC) will only be part of a move to show such a global intention.... Although Japan has already proposed a resolution to the UNSC which includes punitive measures against North Korea, it will be difficult for the Council to adopt the resolution as is, since China and Russia, permanent UNSC members closely related with North Korea, are opposed to punitive measures against the North.... ¶2. "North Korea would not suspend its nuclear and missile development programs even if the UNSC adopts a resolution condemning the missile launches. One problem is that other nations are not necessarily as concerned as Japan is about North Korea's missile threat, with the US, Japan's closest ally, having reportedly dismissed the North Korean missile launches as an imminent security threat because of the reported failed launch of a Taepodong-2 missile. The DPRK has already deployed Rodong missiles that can bring a large part of Japan within their range. Should the North successfully develop nuclear warheads, Japan could suffer direct nuclear missile strikes. While it is important for the UNSC to apply further pressure on North Korea, such a move alone will not able to guarantee Japan's security. It is, therefore, imperative for Japan to build up effective defense measures to cope with the North's missile threat, while strengthening its alliance with the US." ¶3. "UNSC Members Should Join Hands and Send a Strong Message to North Korea as Soon as Possible" An editorial in the liberal Asahi commented (7/7): "Japan has submitted to UNSC member nations a resolution which strongly protests against North Korea's missile launches and calls for international punitive measures against the North. It is fortunate that Japan is currently a nonpermanent UNSC member.... Although quite a few UNSC member nations are expected to support the Japanese draft resolution, China and Russia, both permanent members, have shown opposition to the resolution.... The two nations, which had called on Pyongyang to refrain from firing missiles, must be well aware of the seriousness of the situation surrounding the North. Although it may be difficult for Japan to get full Chinese and Russian support for its resolution, Japanese diplomats should do their utmost to narrow differences between Japan, China and Russia. ¶4. "What if the US-Japan-EU camp disagrees with the China- Russia group over the adoption of the Japan-initiated resolution? At this juncture, it is important for members TOKYO 00003791 002 OF 002 of the international community to join together and send a strong message condemning the North's missile launches as soon as possible. The US, Japan and EU nations should consider revising the contents of the resolution, if necessary, in order to get cooperation from China and Russia.... The UNSC should adopt its resolution before the G-8 summit begins on July 15 in Russia and send its message through the G-8 summit to Pyongyang. First and foremost, it is important to seek a diplomatic settlement of the North Korean missile crisis and to bring the North back to the six-party talks." ¶5. "China and Russia Should not Invite Misunderstanding from North Korea" The business-oriented Nihon Keizai editorialized (7/7): "China and Russia are perhaps the nations on which North Korea is most dependent after firing a barrage of missiles into the Sea of Japan. This is because both nations oppose the planned submission to the UNSC of a joint US-Japan resolution denouncing the North for its missile launches. It is likely that China and Russia's opposition will encourage the Pyongyang, which has clarified its plan to continue missile launches.... ¶6. "The North Korean missile crisis will be a key subject of discussion at the G-8 summit in Russia. As things stand, Russia's position is isolated from those of other G-8 members. Should Russia and other G-8 nations fail to reach a consensus on the North Korean issue at the summit, Russia would suffer a diplomatic failure, giving North Korea the wrong message that the world community is not together on this issue.... It is indispensable to get cooperation from China and Russia to reach a consensus on the resolution at the UNSC. If the UNSC fails to adopt the resolution, a coalition of the willing will probably take punitive measures against the North. But its effectiveness will be limited." SCHIEFFER