MEDIA REACTION - NEW US IRAQ POLICY/NORTH KOREA

UNCLAS TOKYO 000111

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 - NEW US IRAQ POLICY/NORTH KOREA
- TOKYO


LEAD STORIES: Thursday morning's Yomiuri front-paged a
report from Washington on the outline of a TV speech
President Bush was scheduled to make Thursday morning,
Japan time, which reportedly calls for the dispatch of an
additional 20,000 US troops to Iraq and for plans to
transfer responsibility for maintaining security from the
US military to the Iraqi government by November.


1. Most TV networks during their Thursday noon broadcasts
gave prominent play to President Bush's primetime speech
on his new Iraq policy. There were no immediate TV
commentaries.


2. "Bush Calls for Iraqis to Take the Lead" Quasi-
governmental broadcaster NHK's noon news program gave top
play to the presidential address, with Washington
correspondent Arioka saying it indicated the president's
determination to restore order in Iraq and win the war on
terrorism as soon as possible. Arioka said: "While
admitting 'defects' in his previous Iraq policy and
considering the results of the recent midterm elections,
the president sought public understanding for sending an
additional 20,000 US troops to Iraq. During the 20-minute
address, President Bush also warned Iran and Syria not to
meddle in Iraq's internal affairs."


3. NHK quoted Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki as
welcoming President Bush's new Iraq policy. He expressed
hope that the new US Iraq policy would successfully lead
to the restoration of order there and said that the GOJ
would continue to assist in the country's reconstruction
through the deployment of an AIR Self-Defense FORCE unit
on a transport mission and through other humanitarian
projects.


4. "Bush's Final Gamble to Win Iraq War" Most commercial
networks carried similar correspondent reports on
President Bush's plans. The reports predicted deepening
friction between the Bush administration and the
Democratic Party.


5. "Don't Disrupt International Unity Against DPRK" The
conservative Sankei editorialized (1/11): "PM Abe, who
was visiting Europe, met with British Prime Minister
Blair and agreed on the need to apply international
pressure on North Korea to resolve the North's nuclear
and missile ambitions as well as the abduction issue....
It is important for the world community, based on Japan's
strong ties with the US and Britain, to apply pressure on
Pyongyang to bring about progress on these issues.
Nonetheless, a move is afoot in Japan to 'tear' the net
that encircles the North, as former LDP Vice President
Yamasaki arrived in Pyongyang Tuesday for talks with
senior North Korean officials. Before his departure for
the DPRK, Yamasaki told Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki
that he wanted to meet senior North Korean officials and
discuss the Pyongyang Declaration that PM Koizumi and Kim
Jong Il concluded in 2002. The senior LDP lawmaker has
been critical of the Abe administration's intensification
of pressure on the North, pointing out the absence of
diplomatic channels between the two nations.... PM Abe
said that Yamasaki should follow Japan's basic policy on
North Korea. We would warn Yamasaki not to play into the
North's divide-and-conquer strategy or disrupt the
present international unity against Pyongyang."

DONOVAN