MEDIA REACTION - MISSLE DEFENSE IN EASTERN

UNCLAS TOKYO 002521 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 - MISSLE DEFENSE IN EASTERN EUROPE - TOKYO ¶1. Wednesday's Yomiuri and Nihon Keizai front-paged the opening on Wednesday of the G-8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany. ¶2. "US, Russia Should Work Harder to Prevent New Cold War" The liberal Mainichi editorialized (6/6): "The US and Russia are sharply at odds over the planned US deployment of a missile defense (MD) system in Eastern Europe. Russia has suggested that it will not hesitate to take various retaliatory measures if the US proceeds. Against this backdrop, the G-8 is meeting in Heiligendamm, Germany. We hope the leaders there, including the US and Russian presidents, will demonstrate the wisdom to prevent the start of a new Cold War.... While the wishes of Poland and the Czech Republic for an MD system should be respected, Moscow's anger over its deployment near Russia is understandable.... In retaliation, President Putin is likely to retarget Russian nuclear missiles on Europe and revise the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE). Putin also hinted at reviewing the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) signed by the US and Soviet Union in the 1980s.... Should Russia redeploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles, this would not only adversely affect Europe but also worsen the security situation in East Asia, where China and North Korea are keeping a close eye on the MD system being developed there by the US and Japan." SCHIEFFER