TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - DARFUR VIOLENCE

UNCLAS TOKYO 002937 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: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - DARFUR VIOLENCE ¶1. LEAD STORIES: Thursday morning's Yomiuri gave top play to a GOJ plan to provide bullet-train technology to Russia. ¶2. "Don't Neglect Tragedy in Sudan" The business-oriented Nihon Keizai editorialized (6/28): "The humanitarian crisis in Darfur has been neglected. The fighting between an Arab militia backed by the Sudanese government and antigovernment armed groups has killed about 200,000 people and displaced more than 2 million others. The international community should ratchet up the pressure, including strengthening sanctions, to compel the groups to accept peace. China, despite its influence with the Sudanese government, has been indifferent to the crisis and needs to make a serious effort to end the violence.... China is the largest investor in Sudan, which produces about 500,000 barrels of oil each day, 60 percent of which is purchased by Beijing. Despite its denials, China is rumored to have exported prohibited weapons to the Sudanese government. Because of this, calls are rising in the US and Europe for a boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Against this backdrop, China appointed a special envoy on the Darfur issue this spring, and Chinese President Hu has called on Sudanese President al-Bashir to discuss peace. China must use its influence to restore peace in Sudan." SCHIEFFER