PRIME MINISTER ABE'S UPCOMING TRIP TO BEIJING AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 005822

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E.O. 12958: DECL: REUNIFICATION OF THE KOREAN PENINSULA
TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP CH KN KS JA
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER ABE'S UPCOMING TRIP TO BEIJING AND
SEOUL


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i. Joe Donovan. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) Summary. Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo
did not make a second, secret trip to Japan to arrange Prime
Minister Abe's trip to Beijing, as reported in the press,
MOFA Asian Affairs DG Sasae told Political Minister Counselor
Meserve on October 5. Instead, a last-minute breakthrough was
brokered by Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wang Yi and Vice
Minister Yachi after both sides agreed to shelve the Yasukuni
issue. Discussions will be substantive, Sasae said. Abe's
top priority in both capitals will be North Korea. Other
topics would include East Asia cooperation, restarting
Japan-South Korea-China trilateral cooperation, UN reform and
Security Council issues, the East China Sea and incursions by
research vessels in the Japan Sea. Conceding that one trip
will not be enough to resolve outstanding issues, Sasae said
Japan is hoping to confirm that there is the positive,
political will in both Beijing and Seoul to make forward
progress. Sasae's denial of a secret Dai trip
notwithstanding, the Embassy continues to hear reports to the
contrary. End Summary.


2. (C) MOFA Asian and Oceanian Bureau Director General
Kenichiro Sasae discussed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's
upcoming trip to Beijing and Seoul with Political Minister
Counselor Meserve on October 5. According to Sasae,
newspaper articles about Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Dai
Bingguo making a second, secret trip to Japan to arrange the
trip are false and "ridiculous." Instead, a last-minute
breakthrough in scheduling had been brokered by Chinese
Ambassador to Japan Wang Yi and Vice Minister Shotaro Yachi
after both sides agreed to temporarily shelve the Yasukuni
issue.

Japan's Four Objectives
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3. (C) With the trip coming on the heels of North Korea's
announcement that it will test a nuclear device, Sasae
predicted that the leaders will discuss substantive topics
and outlined Japan's four objectives. First, Japan would
like to open new avenues of communication, and not focus on
history. Second, Japan would like to build a relationship of
trust between the two leaders and the two governments.
Third, Japan hopes to open new dimensions in the relationship
and create a mutually beneficial economic and political
relationship. Prime Minister Abe will have to confirm his
perception of history but Sasae expressed confidence that he
would follow through on the commitments made by past Japanese
leaders.


4. (C) Finally, Japan would like to explore areas of common
interest and confirm that the political will exists to move
forward. The top priority will be North Korea. In Beijing,
Abe will try to impress upon the Chinese that now is the time
to use its leverage. Sasae hoped that a UNSC President's
Statement would be in place before Abe travels. In addition,
Sasae expected that the leaders would discuss East Asia
cooperation, restarting Japan-South Korea-China trilateral
cooperation, UN reform and Security Council issues, the East
China Sea and incursions by research vessels in the Japan
Sea. In Seoul, Abe will likely officially announce Japan's
support of Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon's candidacy for UN
Secretary General. Sasae conceded that that one trip will

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not be enough to resolve the outstanding issues but Japan is
hoping to confirm that there is the positive, political will
in both countries to make forward progress.


5. (C) Mrs. Abe will accompany the Prime Minister to Beijing
and Seoul and, given her interest in Korean culture and her
ability to speak some Korean, Sasae predicted she would have
an enormously positive impact on the Prime Minister's
reception. Sasae noted that Mrs. Abe will have an
opportunity to interact with Korean celebrities and may even
speak some Korean. Both Ambassador Wang and Sasae plan to
attend the meetings in Beijing.

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Senior LDP Leader and Vice Minister Say Abe Agreed
Not to Visit Yasukuni
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6. (C) Despite Sasae's firm assurances that there had been
no second, secret Dai Bingguo trip and no concessions to
China on Yasukuni visits, Cabinet Office Senior Vice Minister
and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) veteran Diet member
Katsuei Hirasawa told Meserve on October 5 (septel) that he
was positive Dai had met Yachi a second time and that Yachi
had made a commitment that Abe would not visit Yasukuni.
Hirasawa, who said he had talked with PRC Ambassador to Japan
Wang the day before, claimed that China believed they had an
understanding on the basis of the Dai-Yachi meetings that Abe
would not visit Yasukuni. Hirasawa claimed Abe deeply
mistrusts Foreign Ministry senior officials, with the
exception of Yachi, with whom he has had a close
relationship. According to Hirasawa, Abe had used Yachi to
convey a secret message to the PRC that he would not visit
Yasukuni, a message that had purposely not been shared with
others in the Foreign Ministry. Hirasawa speculated that if
the Yasukuni agreement became public, Yachi would take
responsibility for exceeding his authority and Abe would have
plausible deniability.
DONOVAN