JAPANESE OFFICIAL DISCUSSES G-8 PLANNING

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 003052 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR TONG PARIS FOR USOECD E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2022 TAGS: ECON EFIN ETRD JA PGOV PREL SENV SUBJECT: JAPANESE OFFICIAL DISCUSSES G-8 PLANNING Classified By: Ambassador Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Prime Minister Abe is very fond of his slogan "Beautiful Country" and will likely use some version of that slogan as the overall theme for the 2008 G-8 summit to be held in Lake Toya Hokkaido, Ministry of Foreign Affair's Deputy Director for the G-8 Summit Office and Economic Policy Division Kohei Nakamura told Econoff on June ¶28. Japan stands with the United States in its belief that the so-called "Outreach 5" (Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, China and India) should not automatically be invited to each summit, and is considering South Korea as a possible outreach candidate. Nakamura stated that MOFA will announce the formation of a new division in early July that will be responsible for the overall planning of the summit and which will be headed by an Ambassador-level official. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Prime Minister Abe is very fond of his slogan "Beautiful Country" and will likely use some version of that slogan as the overall theme for the 2008 G-8 summit to be held in Lake Toya Hokkaido, said Ministry of Foreign Affair's (MOFA) Deputy Director for the G-8 Summit Office and Economic Policy Division Kohei Nakamura during a June 28 meeting with Econoff. The summit will focus on the environment and climate change, but other topics could include "civil diplomacy" (i.e. spreading democracy, reducing poverty) and the development of Africa. The latter is of particular interest given Japan's hosting of the fourth meeting of the Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD) in Yokohama in May 2008, Nakamura stated. ¶3. (C) Japan stands with the United States in its belief that the so-called "Outreach 5" (Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, China and India) should not automatically be invited to each summit, Nakamura continued. Other countries with large or developing economies should also be considered. Nakamura suggested that Japan views South Korea as one such country. ¶4. (C) MOFA will announce the formation of a new division in early July that will be responsible for the overall planning of the summit, Nakamura continued. An Ambassador-ranked official will head the division supported by three Director-level officials. "Several dozen" will initially staff the office after which it will ramp-up to approximately 100 as the summit draws closer. Nakamura stated that the top officials had already been decided upon but that he couldn't recall their names. Nakamura and others in his division will travel to Berlin the week of July 2 to be de-briefed on lessons learned from the Government of Germany. ¶5. (C) Following precedent, ministerial meetings leading up to the summit will each be planned by the respective Ministry within the Government of Japan, Nakamura affirmed. The process will be overseen by an interagency task force headed by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki, he said. ¶6. (C) Rumors suggesting Japanese G-8 Sherpa Masaharu Kono will be replaced are unfounded, Nakamura stated. Kono and PM Abe are very close and Kono has every intention of continuing in his current role. Sous-Sherpa Yoichi Otabe, MOFA's Director General for Economic Affairs, will also remain in place. SCHIEFFER