JAPAN PLAYS DOWN MARINE SURVEY IN LIANCOURT ROCKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 004395 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2016 TAGS: PREL EWWT MARR PBTS PHSA KS JA SUBJECT: JAPAN PLAYS DOWN MARINE SURVEY IN LIANCOURT ROCKS EEZ REF: A. TOKYO 02221 ¶B. TOKYO 02159 Classified By: Ambassador J.Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D) ¶1. (C) Asked on August 3 about press reports that Japan would soon be conducting maritime research in areas near the disputed Liancourt Rocks, MOFA Northeast Asia Division Deputy Director Yo Takaba suggested that the reports were not entirely accurate. According to Takaba, shortly after the ROK conducted its marine survey on July 5, the Japanese government sent a note verbal to ROK authorities (and issued a public announcement) stating that Japan "will conduct maritime research at an appropriate time" in the disputed region. Takaba described the move as a "countermeasure" to express to the Japanese public the government's intent to do research in the future. He claimed, however, that the note verbal did not mention any particular research effort, and did not contain a specific date for conducting a survey. Takaba said that Japanese authorities still have not made a formal decision on when, if at all, a survey would be conducted. ¶2. (C ) While a formal decision has yet to be made, Takaba acknowledged that Japanese officials have advised their ROK counterparts that a marine research survey, which would include checks for underwater radioactivity, will be conducted this year. According to Takaba, Japan conducts operations every year to conduct undersea mapping, perform water temperature surveys, and check radioactive contamination from a Russian submarine that sank in the area over 10 years ago. Noting that it is impractical to conduct maritime surveys in the area after Nov. 1, and based on the timing of last year's survey (August - October),Takaba speculated that media have "added one and one" and decided, on their own, that the "radioactivity survey" is the only undertaking that can take place this year in accordance with the government's publicly announced intention to conduct ocean research in the Liancourt EEZ. ¶3. (C ) Takaba insisted, however, that a formal decision to conduct the survey had not been made, and would take into account numerous factors, including the overall Japan-ROK relationship, public opinion, and the importance of the research. He noted that Japanese authorities have repeatedly raised with the ROK the need for a prior notification regime, similar to one in place with the PRC. They raised the issue most recently, he said, at the July 27 ARF in Kuala Lumpur. ¶4. (C ) COMMENT: Takaba delivered a carefully measured response designed to preserve, as much as possible, maximum maneuverability for the Japanese government. Takaba refused to be pinned down about when Japanese authorities would make a final decision: he didn't want to admit that Japan would conduct the survey, but also couldn't admit that authorities were not likely to do so. It seems clear that Japanese officials, boxed in by their public statements and public expectations, want to avoid a confrontation and would be happy to find some amicable way out - despite the posturing by some mid-level bureaucrats. SCHIEFFER