PM HOWARD VISIT DEEPENS JAPAN-AUSTRALIA SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 001182 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2012 TAGS: PREL MARR AS JA SUBJECT: PM HOWARD VISIT DEEPENS JAPAN-AUSTRALIA SECURITY TIES REF: A. CANBERRA 334 ¶B. TOKYO DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT MARCH 13 ¶C. TOKYO DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT MARCH 5 TOKYO 00001182 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer, reasons 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: During a March 11-14 visit to Japan, Australian Prime Minister Howard focused on strengthening security ties, signing a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation with Prime Minister Abe that makes his country "Japan's closest defense partner aside from the U.S.," according to MOFA officials. In meetings with Abe, Foreign Minister Aso, and DefMin Kyuma, Howard emphasized that closer bilateral security ties would reinforce progress made trilaterally with the U.S. In public remarks, Howard and Abe stressed that the Joint Declaration was in no way aimed at China. MOFA officials hope to complete an action plan to implement the Declaration before September, when the Prime Ministers meet again at APEC. Howard also raised comfort women in his press comments and meetings, welcoming Abe's recent pledge to stand by the 1993 Kono statement. END SUMMARY. Joint Security Declaration -------------- ¶2. (U) Australian Prime Minister John Howard's March 11-14 visit to Japan focused on strengthening bilateral security ties. As previewed in refs A-C, Howard and Prime Minister Abe signed and publicly issued a "Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation" on March 13, calling for closer collaboration on a wide range of issues, such as counter-terrorism, humanitarian relief operations, maritime security, law enforcement, information-sharing, and contingency planning, as well as an increase in exercises and training between Japanese and Australian forces. See ref A for full text of the Joint Declaration. ¶3. (SBU) The declaration also establishes a regular "2 2" meeting of foreign and defense ministers, akin to existing arrangements between the U.S. and Japan, and the U.S. and Australia. MOFA and Australian Embassy officials described the declaration as "historic," making Australia "Japan's closest defense partner aside from the U.S." Next step: complete "action plan" -------------- ¶4. (C) To implement the declaration, Japanese officials expect to begin work soon on an "action plan" that will specify concrete security initiatives and set timelines, say MOFA and MOD officials. The action plan would likely be completed before September, when the two Prime Ministers are likely to meet again on the margins of APEC in Sydney, said MOFA Oceania Division Director Hideki Asari. No timeline or format for crafting the plan has yet been agreed with Australia though, he noted. The first Japan-Australia "2 2" meeting will take place "sometime before the end of 2007," he predicted. Abe-Howard meeting -------------- ¶5. (C) Howard met with Prime Minister Abe for over an hour on March 13 and covered a broad agenda, according to a read-out by MOFA's Asari. In addition to security ties, the two leaders discussed North Korea, Iraq, the Pacific Islands, plans for an economic partnership agreement (EPA),UN reform, climate change, and Abe's proposal for a quadrilateral meeting with India. Howard also raised comfort women and whaling at the close of the meeting, he said. TOKYO 00001182 002.2 OF 003 ¶6. (C) Asari provided the following read-out on March 15: -- SECURITY TIES: Howard and Abe agreed that deeper bilateral security ties are a natural outgrowth of shared values and strategic interests, as well as on-the-ground military experience together in Iraq, said Asari. Both also agreed on the importance of working together in the region, including at the East Asian Summit (EAS) and APEC. Abe said he looked forward to "vigorous implementation" of the Joint Declaration, adding that it would help reinforce progress made trilaterally with the U.S. Trilateral cooperation was important not only in the region, he said, but globally. -- NORTH KOREA: Howard emphasized his continued support for the Japanese position on resolving the abduction issue, said Asari. Abe regretted the lack of progress in the recent Japan-DPRK working group meeting in Hanoi. -- IRAQ: Abe said Tokyo would also host a seminar on national reconciliation at the end of March, with invitees from diverse factions and ethnic groups. Howard said President Bush's new approach to Iraq was the right approach, but it would need time to take effect. He stressed that precipitous withdrawal from Iraq would only encourage terrorism and have negative consequences well beyond the Middle East. -- AFGHANISTAN: Both agreed that continued support for reconstruction in Afghanistan was essential. Abe noted that Japan planned to channel assistance funds to support PRTs. -- QUAD WITH INDIA: Abe reiterated his idea for quadrilateral cooperation between Japan, Australia, the U.S. and India. To help ensure that the rise of India and China took place in a way conducive to regional prosperity and security, it would be useful to open a quadrilateral dialogue including India, which shared common values with the three other partners. This did not target China, he stressed, noting Japan's progress in relations with Beijing. Howard replied he was "supportive" of the idea, with the caveat that trilateral cooperation with the U.S. was of great importance, and very different in nature to any potential meeting that included India. -- PACIFIC ISLANDS: Abe and Howard noted that good governance in South Pacific island countries was being hurt by China and Taiwan, who compete by using ever-greater levels of aid to secure diplomatic recognition from island governments. Japan and Australia should coordinate their aid programs in the region to better promote good governance. -- UN REFORM: Howard reiterated Australian backing for Japan's campaign for a permanent Security Council seat, as well as its candidacy for a non-permanent seat starting in ¶2008. -- CLIMATE CHANGE: Both agreed that whatever new framework replaces the Kyoto Protocol in 2013 must include all "major emitters", naming China and India. Continued cooperation was also important under the Asia-Pacific Partnership, they noted. Japan hoped the U.S. would join a post-Kyoto framework also, said Abe. -- ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT (EPA): Concluding a Japan-Australia EPA would help strengthen the overall bilateral relationship, said Abe. He hoped that when Australian and Japanese negotiators first meet on April 23-24, they will focus on achieving a mutually beneficial result that "takes sensitivities into account" on agriculture. Comfort Women, Whaling -------------- TOKYO 00001182 003.2 OF 003 ¶7. (C) At the close of his meeting with Abe, Howard raised two issues where Australia and Japan had "differences," said Asari: -- COMFORT WOMEN: There is great sensitivity in Australia on the issue of comfort women, said Howard. He welcomed Abe's recent confirmation that he would uphold the Kono statement and apologies issued by previous Japanese leaders. Abe reiterated that he stood by the Kono statement and earlier apologies. (NOTE: During the course of his visit, Howard made similar comments to the press several times about Australia's position on the comfort women issue. END NOTE). -- WHALING: Howard noted that Australia and Japan take very different positions on whaling. Abe replied that he hoped the issue could be handled in a "calm and scientific manner." ¶8. (C) A read-out from Australian Embassy contacts confirmed MOFA's account of the Abe-Howard meeting as broadly accurate. ¶9. (C) Howard also met with Foreign Minister Aso on March 12, and Defense Minister Kyuma on March 13. His message in both meetings was "basically the same" as that relayed to Prime Minister Abe, according to Australian Embassy Political Counselor Jenny Bloomfield. Howard also met with Japan Self-Defense Force veterans of the deployment to Samawah in southern Iraq, delivered a policy speech to business leaders, and dined privately with "old friend" former Prime Minister Koizumi, said MOFA's Asari. Chinese, media reaction -------------- ¶10. (C) Beijing's reaction so far has been muted, Asari reported. Prime Ministers Abe and Howard, in a press conference after their March 13 meeting, had been careful to emphasize that the Security Joint Declaration was not in any way aimed at China or any other country, he noted. Asked about the new Japan-Australia security partnership, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman had simply stated that his country "remains calm", he said. ¶11. (U) Japanese media coverage of the Howard visit has been generally positive, focusing on the progress in formalizing security ties and the creation of a "2 2" meeting format. The image of Australia as a security partner was new for the Japanese public, said Asari, which previously has seen the country mainly in terms of trade. ¶12. (C) COMMENT: Japan's agreement to a Joint Security Declaration with Australia -- the centerpiece of Prime Minister Howard's visit -- reflects a willingness to push the boundaries of its defense cooperation with like-minded countries that should be welcomed. We expect progress in Australia-Japan bilateral defense ties to provide added momentum to trilateral cooperation through the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue (TSD),as well as through the new Trilateral Security and Defense Cooperation Forum (SDCF), scheduled to hold its inaugural meeting in mid-April. END COMMENT. SCHIEFFER