Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO6093
2006-10-19 07:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
CCS SHIOZAKI PLEASED WITH ABE VISITS TO CHINA, ROK
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 006093
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2011
TAGS: MARR PGOV PREL JA
SUBJECT: CCS SHIOZAKI PLEASED WITH ABE VISITS TO CHINA, ROK
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer, reasons 1.5 (b, d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 006093
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2011
TAGS: MARR PGOV PREL JA
SUBJECT: CCS SHIOZAKI PLEASED WITH ABE VISITS TO CHINA, ROK
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer, reasons 1.5 (b, d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: In an October 13 meeting with the
Ambassador, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki
expressed satisfaction that successful visits to China and
the ROK had got Prime Minister Abe's administration off to a
good start. Japan will play a role in implementing UN
sanctions against the DPRK, Shiozaki said, and will consult
with the U.S. on modalities. He welcomed President Bush's
recent remarks highlighting the plight of Japanese victims of
abduction by North Korea, adding that he has been appointed
as minister-in-charge of the abduction issue. END SUMMARY.
Abe visits to China, ROK
--------------
2. (C) Successful visits to China and the ROK had enabled
Prime Minister Abe to begin his administration with "a string
of achievements," Shiozaki told the Ambassador on October 13.
Prime Minister Abe's visit to China was a "big step
forward," he said, leading to the first Sino-Japanese joint
statement in eight years. Relations with the Republic of
Korea (ROK) received a boost from the North Korean nuclear
test, he noted. Difficult issues remained on the agenda with
both countries, but Abe was determined to work on them, he
said. It was testimony to the strength and maturity of the
U.S.-Japan relationship, noted the Ambassador, that Abe's
first overseas trip was to China.
DPRK: UN sanctions, abduction victims
--------------
3. (C) Japan will take part in the implementation of
sanctions against the DPRK under UNSCR 1718, mindful of
domestic legal constraints, said Shiozaki. MOFA and JDA will
work closely with the U.S. to coordinate a response, he said,
in particular on Japan's role in any ship inspections. The
government would need to explain its response in a way that
would be easily understood by the general public, and
carefully manage challenges from the opposition party. The
Ambassador replied that the U.S. is confident that Japan
would make a meaningful contribution to implementing the UN
sanctions.
4. (C) Japanese public opinion backs sanctions, said
Shiozaki, noting that North Korea's actions are seen as a
real threat to Japan's security. He noted that the
government had pledged to help soften the blow on businesses
hurt by the sanctions, and was stressing in public comment
that the UNSCR measures were essential for Japan's "national
security."
5. (C) Prime Minister Abe greatly appreciates recent public
comments by President Bush highlighting the plight of
Japanese victims of North Korean abduction, including
schoolgirl Megumi Yokota, whose mother the President had met
with in the White House, said Shiozaki. As Japan's first
Minister in Charge of the North Korean Abduction Issue, he
noted he had just launched a new "headquarters" based in the
Prime Minister's Office to give stronger cohesion to the
government's efforts in this area.
Afghan ring road
--------------
6. (C) On the Afghan ring road problem, Shiozaki said that,
after discussing the issue in a recent telecon with NSA
Hadley, he had asked MOFA to look into how to reinvigorate
Japanese support for the road's completion. The Japanese
embassy in Kabul would work with the U.S. embassy there to
get the project restarted, he said. The Ambassador
emphasized the importance of completing the Japanese-funded
portion of the road project in order to enable Afghan farmers
to affordably grow crops other than opium.
Okinawa governor's race
--------------
7. (C) The outcome of the Okinawa governor's race in November
could impact the implementation of realignments of U.S.
forces outlined in the October 2005 "2 2" agreement, said
Shiozaki. The race is looking "tough" for the ruling Liberal
TOKYO 00006093 002 OF 002
Democratic Party (LDP) candidate, he said. Even if the
opposition candidate wins, however, the Japanese government
remains committed to implementing the agreement, he
emphasized.
8. (C) Shiozaki agreed that the relationship between the
Chief Cabinet Secretary and the U.S. Ambassador was vital; it
had proven particularly valuable in coordinating a bilateral
response during recent provocations by North Korea. That
channel would continue to be useful, he said, especially in
trying to tackle issues that involved more than one Japanese
government agency. Both agreed to try and meet regularly,
continuing the practice of their predecessors.
9. (U) Biographic note: Shiozaki said his son, currently
working as an aide in his father's office while waiting to
attend law school in the U.S., once took Secretary Rice's
course at Stanford University.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2011
TAGS: MARR PGOV PREL JA
SUBJECT: CCS SHIOZAKI PLEASED WITH ABE VISITS TO CHINA, ROK
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer, reasons 1.5 (b, d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: In an October 13 meeting with the
Ambassador, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki
expressed satisfaction that successful visits to China and
the ROK had got Prime Minister Abe's administration off to a
good start. Japan will play a role in implementing UN
sanctions against the DPRK, Shiozaki said, and will consult
with the U.S. on modalities. He welcomed President Bush's
recent remarks highlighting the plight of Japanese victims of
abduction by North Korea, adding that he has been appointed
as minister-in-charge of the abduction issue. END SUMMARY.
Abe visits to China, ROK
--------------
2. (C) Successful visits to China and the ROK had enabled
Prime Minister Abe to begin his administration with "a string
of achievements," Shiozaki told the Ambassador on October 13.
Prime Minister Abe's visit to China was a "big step
forward," he said, leading to the first Sino-Japanese joint
statement in eight years. Relations with the Republic of
Korea (ROK) received a boost from the North Korean nuclear
test, he noted. Difficult issues remained on the agenda with
both countries, but Abe was determined to work on them, he
said. It was testimony to the strength and maturity of the
U.S.-Japan relationship, noted the Ambassador, that Abe's
first overseas trip was to China.
DPRK: UN sanctions, abduction victims
--------------
3. (C) Japan will take part in the implementation of
sanctions against the DPRK under UNSCR 1718, mindful of
domestic legal constraints, said Shiozaki. MOFA and JDA will
work closely with the U.S. to coordinate a response, he said,
in particular on Japan's role in any ship inspections. The
government would need to explain its response in a way that
would be easily understood by the general public, and
carefully manage challenges from the opposition party. The
Ambassador replied that the U.S. is confident that Japan
would make a meaningful contribution to implementing the UN
sanctions.
4. (C) Japanese public opinion backs sanctions, said
Shiozaki, noting that North Korea's actions are seen as a
real threat to Japan's security. He noted that the
government had pledged to help soften the blow on businesses
hurt by the sanctions, and was stressing in public comment
that the UNSCR measures were essential for Japan's "national
security."
5. (C) Prime Minister Abe greatly appreciates recent public
comments by President Bush highlighting the plight of
Japanese victims of North Korean abduction, including
schoolgirl Megumi Yokota, whose mother the President had met
with in the White House, said Shiozaki. As Japan's first
Minister in Charge of the North Korean Abduction Issue, he
noted he had just launched a new "headquarters" based in the
Prime Minister's Office to give stronger cohesion to the
government's efforts in this area.
Afghan ring road
--------------
6. (C) On the Afghan ring road problem, Shiozaki said that,
after discussing the issue in a recent telecon with NSA
Hadley, he had asked MOFA to look into how to reinvigorate
Japanese support for the road's completion. The Japanese
embassy in Kabul would work with the U.S. embassy there to
get the project restarted, he said. The Ambassador
emphasized the importance of completing the Japanese-funded
portion of the road project in order to enable Afghan farmers
to affordably grow crops other than opium.
Okinawa governor's race
--------------
7. (C) The outcome of the Okinawa governor's race in November
could impact the implementation of realignments of U.S.
forces outlined in the October 2005 "2 2" agreement, said
Shiozaki. The race is looking "tough" for the ruling Liberal
TOKYO 00006093 002 OF 002
Democratic Party (LDP) candidate, he said. Even if the
opposition candidate wins, however, the Japanese government
remains committed to implementing the agreement, he
emphasized.
8. (C) Shiozaki agreed that the relationship between the
Chief Cabinet Secretary and the U.S. Ambassador was vital; it
had proven particularly valuable in coordinating a bilateral
response during recent provocations by North Korea. That
channel would continue to be useful, he said, especially in
trying to tackle issues that involved more than one Japanese
government agency. Both agreed to try and meet regularly,
continuing the practice of their predecessors.
9. (U) Biographic note: Shiozaki said his son, currently
working as an aide in his father's office while waiting to
attend law school in the U.S., once took Secretary Rice's
course at Stanford University.
SCHIEFFER