CBRN DEFENSE WORKING GROUP PLENARY

UNCLAS TOKYO 001901

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

FOR COMUSJAPAN FOR J00

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL JA
SUBJECT: CBRN DEFENSE WORKING GROUP PLENARY



1. (SBU) Summary: DASD Richard Douglas led the U.S.
delegation to the Japan-U.S. Chemical, Biological,
Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense Working Group (CDWG)
Plenary on April 18, 2007. The Principals approved the CDWG
Work Plan for 2007-2008, which features a bilateral
capability assessment, collaborative research and development
(R&D) projects, and decontamination, medical response, and
foreign consequence management seminars. Both sides shared
relevant CBRN threat assessments, and discussed the
importance of coordinated strategic communications.

Event and Participants
--------------


2. (U) Richard Douglas, DASD for Counternarcotics,
Counterproliferation and Global Threats, led the U.S.
delegation to the Japan-U.S. Chemical, Biological,
Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense Working Group (CDWG)
Plenary on April 18 in Tokyo. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MOFA) Deputy Director-General (DDG) for North American
Affairs Kazuyoshi Umemoto and Ministry of Defense (MOD) DDG
for Defense Policy Hironori Kanazawa led Japan,s delegation,
which included participants from: Japan,s Cabinet
Secretariat; National Police Agency; Ministry of Health,

SIPDIS
Labor and Welfare; Fire and Disaster Management Agency; and
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and
Technology. The U.S. delegation included representatives
from: OSD Policy; OSD Acquisition, Technology and Logistics
(AT&L); USPACOM; USSTRATCOM; U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ); Joint
Staff J5, J8; National Defense University; the Defense Threat
Reduction Agency (DTRA); the Defense Intelligence Agency
(DIA); and the United States Army, Pacific (USARPAC).

Context
--------------


3. (U) The two sides established the CDWG in August 2006 in
response to the October 2005 Security Consultative Document,
&U.S.-Japan Alliance: Transformation and Realignment for the
Future.8 One section of this document identified the
importance of improving bilateral and defense cooperation in
response to attacks by weapons of mass destruction (WMD),
including disposal and decontamination of WMD.

Proceedings
--------------


4. (U) The Plenary began with a presentation of the After
Action Report from a CBRN Tabletop Exercise conducted at the
Japan Air Self Defense Forces Staff College in January 2007.
The exercise identified policy, operational and capability
shortfalls in bilateral CBRN defense response, and
highlighted specific issues for the CDWG to address. The two
sides jointly developed a 2007-2008 Work Plan based on the
exercise results.


5. (U) Highlights of the Work Plan include: a Decontamination
Seminar in June 2007, a bilateral capability assessment
conducted throughout 2007, Japanese observation at a Foreign
Consequence Management Tabletop Exercise conducted for USFJ
in October 2007, a Medical Response Seminar in October 2007,
and ongoing meetings of R&D experts. The next CDWG Plenary
is scheduled for April 2008 in Washington, at which the two
sides will present research and development collaboration
projects.


6. (SBU) The Plenary also featured intelligence briefings by
each side on the assessed CBRN threat to Japan and globally.
The two sides presented updates on each of the key events
highlighted in the Work Plan, and stressed the importance of
coordinated strategic communications regarding CBRN defense.
The U.S. side briefed the concept of a Joint Information
Center, a centralized communications hub that ensures
information flow in the event of a catastrophic incident.
Both sides emphasized the importance of close cooperation
between the military and civilian agencies, and urged
continued active participation of the relevant Japanese
agencies and ministries. The plenary concluded with formal
adoption of the Work Plan.

Side Discussion --------------


7. (SBU) During a side discussion Mr. Douglas raised the
importance of Japan,s contribution to the Proliferation
Security Initiative (PSI),and thanked his Japanese
counterparts for their offer to host the next major PSI
exercise in October. MOD officials indicated it will be
difficult to solicit Japanese Coast Guard support because of
the Coast Guard,s concerns about maintaining good
relationships with its South Korean and Chinese counterparts.
MOD officials, however, reiterated their support for the
exercise.


8. (U) DASD Douglas has cleared this cable.
DONOVAN