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 -------------- Meetings with ABE and Aso -------------- ¶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. -------------- Bilateral Relations -------------- ¶4. (C) According to Akiyama and Kang, the agenda for the Aso discussion covered three categories: 1) Japan-ROK bilateral �A;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 TOKYO 00007193 002 OF 002 &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. -------------- Nuclear and Abduction Issues -------------- ¶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. -------------- DG-Level Discussions -------------- ¶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