MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA/US-JAPAN ALLIANCE -

UNCLAS TOKYO 001651 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 - NORTH KOREA/US-JAPAN ALLIANCE - TOKYO LEAD STORIES: Monday morning's liberal Mainichi front- paged a report from Washington that the Department of State issued a statement urging North Korea to implement the "initial steps" toward denuclearization, including immediately accepting IAEA inspectors and taking measures to shut down the Yongbyon nuclear complex. ¶1. "Six-Party Talks: DPRK Fails to Implement Initial Steps" An editorial in the top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri commented (4/16): "Saturday's 60-day deadline for the DPRK to take 'initial steps' toward its nuclear dismantlement, as stipulated in the February six-party agreement, has come and gone. North Korea did not suspend its nuclear activities or seal off the Yongbyon nuclear complex in time. Moreover, IAEA inspectors have not yet been allowed back into the country to monitor and verify the shutdown of the nuclear facility. North Korea should immediately meet its commitment by shutting down the facility and accepting IAEA inspectors. Until that happens, South Korea should not provide 50,000 tons of fuel oil to North Korea as aid in return for its denuclearization.... If North Korea tries to put off following through on its commitments, there will be no choice but to go back to applying pressure on it." ¶2. "Can PM Abe's Visit Normalize US-Japan Alliance?" The businessQoriented Nihon Keizai editorialized (4/16): "Prime Minister Abe will visit the US starting on April 26 for talks with President Bush. Abe's visit may be a bit late considering the widening perception gap between the two countries over security.... Although the two leaders can verbally confirm a strong US-Japan alliance, this gap can hardly be closed so long as the Bush administration remains stuck in Iraq, unable to deal with other issues.... Despite the February six-party accord, it is not clear whether North Korea will abandon its nuclear program. Neither is there is an accord that restricts Pyongyang's development of ballistic missiles. There is therefore a need to be ready to cope with a contingency so long as the Kim Jong Il regime remains in power, and the US-Japan alliance is important in this respect. The country that stands to benefit most from any strategic disagreements between the two allies is North Korea." SCHIEFFER