JAPAN NGO'S "SHIOKAZE" PROGRAM BROADCASTS NEWS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 006639

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2016
TAGS: PHUM KPAO PREL JA KN
SUBJECT: JAPAN NGO'S "SHIOKAZE" PROGRAM BROADCASTS NEWS
ABOUT ABDUCTIONS TO NORTH KOREA

REF: TOKYO 06493

Classified By: Ambassador J.Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. The Investigation Commission on Missing
Japanese Probably Related to North Korea (COMJAN),an NGO
established to investigate suspected cases of abduction by
the DPRK, began transmitting its "Shiokaze" ("Sea Breeze")
short-wave radio broadcasts to North Korea in October 2005.
The twice-daily broadcasts reach as far as the U.S., Europe,
Southeast Asia, and New Zealand. COMJAN receives support
from conservative trade unions, political groups associated
with Diet members belonging to the dissolved Democratic
Socialist Party (DSP),and opposition Democratic Party of
Japan (DPJ) Diet members. Financial support nevertheless
remains uneven, and COMJAN officials are concerned that
misleading media reports about government support for
Shiokaze will result in a drop in private donations to the
organization. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) In October 2005, the Investigation Commission on
Missing Japanese Probably Related to North Korea (COMJAN),an
NGO established to investigate suspected cases of abduction
by the DPRK, began transmitting short-wave "Shiokaze" ("Sea
Breeze") radio broadcasts to North Korea. Shiokaze, which
delivers information on the abduction issue to Japanese
nationals who have been taken to the DPRK, originates from a
tiny studio in the corner of COMJAN,s downtown Tokyo
offices. Transmissions are sent using a British company, VT
Communications, via an antenna located in Taiwan.

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Daily Programming
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3. (U) The station produces two daily programs:

-- Broadcast #1: 0530-0600 at 9645Khz, in Japanese.
Presenters: 1) read the names of missing Japanese citizens
believed to have been abducted by the DPRK, 2) read letters
from family members of the missing to relatives who they
believe are being held by Pyongyang, and 3) present messages
from family members.

-- Broadcast #2: 2200-2230 at 9950Khz, in Japanese, Chinese,
and English. Announcers: 1) "Call" to suspected abductees in
each of the three languages, 2) Present news on the abduction
issue (e.g. Megumi Yakota's DNA test results),and current
events (e.g. Six-Party Talks, Kim Jong-il's succession, DPRK
counterfeiting efforts),and 3) read letters from family
members.


4. (U) Shiokaze broadcasts reach the DPRK, ROK, Japan, and
the PRC-North Korea border. COMJAN officials report hearing
from listeners as far as the U.S., UK, Germany, the
Netherlands, Italy, France, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the
Russian Federation, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.
The DPRK, according to a May 2006 statement released by
then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe (current prime
minister),routinely attempts to jam Shiokaze,s signal.

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Abduction Groups Linked
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5. (U) COMJAN originated in January 2003 as an off-shoot of
the National Association for the Rescue of Japanese Citizens
Kidnapped by North Korea (NARKN),a group that supports the
families of 23 Japanese citizens that NARKN members claim
have been abducted (17 persons officially recognized by
Japanese authorities, plus an additional 6 that NARKN
believes should be added to the government,s official list).
Several NARKN members created COMJAN to respond to the large
number of inquiries from the general public about relatives
who had disappeared under unknown circumstances ) inquiries

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that NARKN had been unequipped to handle. COMJAN officials
readily admit that many of these additional missing persons
reports will never be resolved, and that individuals often
disappear for reasons not related to the abduction issue:
criminal activity, accidents, runaways, etc. However, COMJAN
recognizes approximately 460 individuals (out of the hundreds
of reports the group receives) as potential additional
victims of North Korean abduction. COMJAN Representative
Kazuhiro Araki noted that NARKN works to "rescue" individuals
who have been abducted, while COMJAN "investigates" reports
of missing individuals to determine whether they have been
abducted or are missing for some other reason. COMJAN and
NARKN officials maintain a close working relationship, Araki
said. Araki, who also worked for the DSP (where he was
responsible for education, public affairs, and youth issues)
after graduating from Keio University, is a professor at the
Institute of Foreign Affairs at Takushoku University and a
sergeant in Japan,s Self-Defense Force. In 1993, Araki lost
a bid for a Diet seat after campaigning as an independent
candidate in the general election.

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Conservative Political Support
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6. (C) COMJAN receives backing from influential supporters,
including the right-leaning Japanese Trade Union, and the
Minsha Kyokai, a political group associated with the
Democratic Social Association (DSA),comprised mainly of Diet
members belonging to the dissolved Democratic Socialist Party
(DSP). Kyokai members include opposition Democratic Party of
Japan (DPJ) Representatives Tatsuo Kawabata, Jin Matsubara,
and Keiichiro Asao.

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Misleading Media Reports on Government Support
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7. (C) COMJAN officials remain concerned about misleading
media reports regarding government support for Shiokaze.
COMJAN broadcaster Kenji Murao, referring to an October 11
Kyodo News Service bulletin indicating that the Ministry of
Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) will consider using
Japan Broadcasting Service (NHK) facilities to broadcast
Shiokaze, said that the Japanese government is examining, but
has not yet decided, whether it should make such a move.
Murao fears that inaccurate news stories that suggest that
COMJAN will receive government financing will result in a
drop in private donations to the organization. He stressed
that MIC assistance, if approved, might be limited to
supporting the Shiokaze program, not to offering aid to
COMJAN. According to COMJAN,s FY2005 financial statement,
60 percent of revenue comes from public donations and patrons
such as the Democratic Socialist Association. The balance
derives from NARKN and sales of posters and souvenirs.


8. (C) On November 17, Tadasu Yano, Policy Secretary to LDP
Simulation Team for Economic Sanctions Against North Korea
Chairman Ichita Yamamoto, corrected a November 16 Yomiuri
Shimbun story which reported that the LDP Special Committee
on the Abduction Issue, which oversees the work of
Yamamoto,s Simulation Team, had decided to support Shiokaze
broadcasts to North Korea. According to Yano, the
misunderstanding arose during a November 14 public session of
the Special Committee. During the meeting, abductee family
members criticized the Diet for failing to support the COMJAN
broadcasts, in part, by asserting that "even the U.S. is
indirectly providing money" to Shiokaze. (Note: We do not
know on what basis the families made this claim.) Diet
members, apparently under pressure, agreed to discuss, at
some future date, the possibility of using fiscal 2007 funds
to assist the short-wave program. Yano stressed, however,
that the Special Committee had not yet decided whether to ask
the full Diet to authorize financial support.
SCHIEFFER