ROK FM SONG'S TOKYO VISIT: A REAL "ICEBREAKER"

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 007193

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV JA KS KN
SUBJECT: ROK FM SONG'S TOKYO VISIT: A REAL "ICEBREAKER"


Classified By: Charge d' Affaires Joseph R. Donovan. Reasons 1.4 (B) (
D)


1. (C) Summary. MOFA and ROK Embassy contacts describe ROK
FM Song,s December 26-27 Tokyo visit as &successful8 and
&a real icebreaker.8 Song moved to establish a personal
relationship with PM Abe and conducted a &heart-to-heart
dialogue8 with FM Aso. On bilateral issues, Song asked
Japan to: 1) take &moral responsibility8 for Koreans living
on Sakhalin Island, 2) help with Korea,s bid for World Expo
2012, 3) provide &mutual support8 for their respective
2009-2012 bids for non-permanent member UNSC seats, and 4)
re-affirm Japan,s commitment to the three non-nuclear
principles. Aso proposed setting up regular
political-military consultations, suggested setting a
framework for conducting maritime research in the waters
surrounding the disputed Liancourt Rocks, and asked for
Seoul,s help in resolving the abduction issue. End Summary

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Meetings with Abe and Aso
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2. (C) MOFA Asian and Oceanian Affairs Northeast Asia Deputy
Director Mari Akiyama and ROK Embassy First Secretary Kang
Young-hoon provided similar readouts of ROK foreign minister
Song Min-soon,s December 26-27 visit to Tokyo. During a
whirlwind schedule, Song dined with Chief Cabinet Secretary
Yasuhisa Shiozaki, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe, and had lunch with foreign minister Taro Aso.
Song concluded the stopover by providing an interview to
South Korean journalists.


3. (C) MOFA and the ROK Embassy, which described the visit as
&successful,8 and &a real icebreaker,8 noted that the
main purpose of the trip was for Song to establish a personal
relationship with PM Abe and FM Aso ) a goal that Kang
characterized as being important in Asian cultures. Song
thought it important to establish a &heart-to-heart
dialogue8 with Aso &before getting into real business,8
Kang said. Akiyama and Kang agreed that Song,s decision to
make an early visit to Japan, the ROK FM,s first solo trip
to another country since assuming office, reflected the
importance that South Korea places on the bilateral
relationship.

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Bilateral Relations
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4. (C) According to Akiyama and Kang, the agenda for the Aso
discussion covered three categories: 1) Japan-ROK bilateral
relations, 2) DPRK nuclear situation, and 3) the abduction
issue.

-- Japan-ROK bilateral relations: bilateral discussion
focused on several areas:

a. Sakhalin Island Koreans - Song told his interlocutor
&Japan should take moral responsibility8 for the plight of
Koreans living on Sakhalin Island. During the late 1930,s
to early 1940,s, Kang noted, Japan forced scores of Koreans
to move to Sakhalin to work as slave labor in coal mines,
etc. The ROK believes that a recent Japanese government
decision to reduce financial assistance to Sakhalin Island
Koreans is at odds with an earlier understanding reached by
the two countries. Aso replied that Japan &will take an
positive and active response8 to the issue.

b. World Expo 2012 ) Song asked Japan to support South
Korea,s bid for the 2012 World Expo in Yeosoo. Aso promised
that Japan would &take South Korea,s request into
consideration in a proactive way.8

c. UNSC Membership ) The ROK will campaign for an UNSC
non-permanent member seat for the 2011-12 term. Japan,
according to Kang, plans to seek a seat for the 2009-10
session. Song proposed that Japan and the ROK provide

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&mutual support8 for their respective bids. Aso promised
to consider the idea.

d. Aso ROK Visit ) Song invited Aso to visit Seoul at an
early date. The two did not discuss a specific date.

e. Pol-mil Dialogue ) Aso suggested that the two sides
conduct political-military consultations, or security policy
meetings, an idea first raised during the 1990,s. Kang said
the ROK might use the meetings to discuss issues such as
Japan,s thinking regarding nuclear rearmament.

f. Nuclear Principles ) In response to Song,s question, Aso
re-affirmed Japan,s commitment to the so-called three
nuclear principles.

g. Maritime Survey/EEZ ) Japan expressed renewed interest in
setting a framework for conducting maritime research in the
waters surrounding the disputed Liancourt Rocks. The two men
agreed that the two countries should hold talks during
January-February, which would include discussion on
demarcation of the EEZ.

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Nuclear and Abduction Issues
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5. (C) DPRK nuclear situation ) The ROK FM expressed
appreciation for the close bilateral consultation at the
Six-Party Talks in Beijing, where MOFAT DG Chun and MOFA DG
Sasae held three bilateral rounds. Japan and South Korea
also expressed appreciation for EAP A/S Hill,s &proactive,
positive proposals8 to North Korea, as well as his
suggestion to maintain close cooperation between the
U.S.-Japan-ROK.


6. (C) Abduction issue ) Aso described the Japanese
public,s sensitivity and &national sentiment8 over the
abduction issue, and asked for South Korea,s assistance and
support in resolving the issue. Japan &understands the
uniqueness of inter-Korean relations,8 Aso said, and would
like for the ROK to maintain a similar attitude toward the
abduction issue. Song expressed understanding of the problem
and agreed on the need for mutual cooperation.

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DG-Level Discussions
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7. (C) Following Song,s departure, ROK MOFAT DG Chun
remained in Tokyo one additional day for discussions with DG
Sasae. According to Kang, those discussions focused on the
situation of Koreans living in Japan. Chun pressed Tokyo
officials about recent fingerprint requirements for Korean
residents, and the possibility of allowing resident Koreans
to vote in local elections.
DONOVAN