NEW METI VICE MINISTER PLEASED WITH CHINA LEAD ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 004014 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT. PLEASE PASS TO S/P ROBERT MANNING, E/B JOHN WECKER AND JAMES EIGHMIE, EAP/CM DAVID BONINE. DOE PLEASE PASS TO MOLLY WILLIAMSON, KAREN HARBERT, DAVID PUBPHREY. E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2016 TAGS: ENRG PREL JA SUBJECT: NEW METI VICE MINISTER PLEASED WITH CHINA LEAD ON ENERGY Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. For reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) New METI Vice Minister for International Affairs Toshiaki Kitamura told EMIN he was pleased China was showing initiative on regional energy cooperation, making reference to official level discussions in Beijing mid-July between the United States, Japan and China. According to Kitamura, China's leadership would allow Japan and the United States to take supporting roles to advance shared objectives in these talks. (Comment: These meetings mirror the five-party regional energy security dialogue concept discussed in 2005. At the time, Japan was looking to South Korea to take the lead in order to keep the Chinese at the table without giving them too much control. Kitamura's reaction reflects a shift in Japan's view on Chinese leadership in regional energy meetings. End comment.) SCHIEFFER