Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TOKYO1182
2007-03-16 10:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

PM HOWARD VISIT DEEPENS JAPAN-AUSTRALIA SECURITY

Tags:  PREL MARR AS JA 
pdf how-to read a cable
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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).

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