MEDIA REACTION Q NORTH KOREA - TOKYO

UNCLAS TOKYO 006231 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 KOREA - TOKYO LEAD STORIES: Thursday morning's Tokyo Shimbun front- paged a speech Wednesday by JDA Director General Kyuma in Tokyo in which he indicated a plan to partially deploy PAC-3 and SM-3 missile defense systems by the end of December 2007, advancing the JDA's original deployment plan by three months. ¶1. "North Korean Nuclear Crisis: Limits to China's Influence" The liberal Asahi's columnist Yoichi Funabashi commented (10/26): "China sent three senior officials, including State Councilor Tang, to Pyongyang after North Korea's nuclear test. Following his return to Beijing, Tang told visiting Secretary of State Rice: 'Fortunately, our trip was not fruitless.'... North Korea apparently told Tang that it would refrain from conducting another nuclear test for the time being and that it would return to the six-party talks depending on the US reaction. Pyongyang has for the time being kept Beijing from losing face.... China tried to stop North Korea from launching ballistic missiles in July but failed to do so, exposing the limits of its influence over the DPRK.... China is gravely concerned that North Korea's open possession of nuclear weapons could set off a nuclear domino effect. At the same time, it is worried that applying too much pressure could cause its neighbor to lash out or collapse.... China will undoubtedly apply further pressure on Pyongyang to forgo another nuclear test and return to the six-party talks. Possible options include freezing financial dealings, halting oil supplies, blockading the border, and reevaluating the China-DPRK defense treaty. But the more pressure China applies on North Korea, the more Pyongyang will use its nuclear weapons as a political tool in its dealings with Beijing." SCHIEFFER