VFM YACHI AGAIN URGES U.S. SUPPORT FOR JAPAN'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 006403 SIPDIS SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO DEPT OF HHS AND DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2016 TAGS: PREL IEA WHO JA SUBJECT: VFM YACHI AGAIN URGES U.S. SUPPORT FOR JAPAN'S WHO, IEA CANDIDATES Classified By: Ambassador J/ Thomas Schieffer. Reason:1.4 (b)(d). ¶1. (C) Vice Foreign Minister Yachi called the Ambassador on November 7 to urge U.S. support for Shigeru Omi, Japan's candidate for World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General. Omi, Yachi explained, is now one of the five remaining candidates. Japan had heard a rumor that the United States supports Mexico's candidate. It had also heard that the United States "is negative" about supporting an Asian candidate. The Ambassador responded that he was unaware of such a U.S. position. Yachi continued that if the Mexican candidate is eliminated, Japan strongly urges the United States not to support China's candidate. Such support at this sensitive time could have negative repercussions on the U.S.-Japan relationship, he suggested. Foreign Minister Aso would be calling Secretary Rice to discuss the issue, Yachi reported. ¶2. (C) Separately, VFM Yachi urged U.S. support for Nobuo Tanaka, Japan's candidate for International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director. The Ambassador promised to relay Yachi's requests to Washington. (Note: Yachi was repeating appeals made the previous day by Japanese officials to Under Secretary Burns.) SIPDIS SCHIEFFER