JAPAN RENEWS PUSH TO IMPROVE TIES WITH CHINA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000355 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG CH JA SUBJECT: JAPAN RENEWS PUSH TO IMPROVE TIES WITH CHINA Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d ). ¶1. (C) Summary: MOFA Vice Foreign Minister Yachi's January 26-27 trip to China is intended to maintain the momentum in improving bilateral relations, according to MOFA China Division Principle Deputy Director Nomura. Yachi and his counterpart, Deputy Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, will start laying the groundwork for Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's April trip to Japan and also address expanded military exchanges. Japan shares U.S. concerns about China's January 11 anti-satellite weapon's test, but the test will not halt efforts to improve ties with Beijing, Nomura stated. While a number of signs, including increased parliamentary contacts, indicate Japan's willingness to improve bilateral relations, the pace of progress will be gradual. End Summary. ¶2. (C) The primary purpose of MOFA Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi's January 26-27 visit to China is to maintain the momentum in improving bilateral ties and to deepen Yachi's relationship with China's Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, MOFA China Division Principle Deputy Director Kosei Nomura told Embassy Tokyo Political Officer January 22. Improved bilateral relations since October have provided an opportunity to move the relationship forward, Nomura emphasized. Yachi and Dai Bingguo will start laying the groundwork for the next major step in that process, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's April trip to Japan. China's FM Li Zhaoxing will continue that discussion during his February visit to Tokyo. Nomura stated. The date of Li's visit has not yet been set, but will likely be in early February -- before Chinese New Years. Asked about media reports that Premier Wen will speak before the Diet during this April visit, Nomura explained that the Diet is still considering China's request that Wen be allowed to address them. If approved, it would mark the first time in 22 years for a top Chinese official to speak at the Diet. Yachi and Dai Bingguo will also discuss ways to expand military exchanges, including port calls, Nomura noted. He explained that Japan and China have been working for six years to expand military exchanges, but that Prime Minister Koizumi's repeated visits to Yasukuni Shrine had undercut progress. Nomura was unable to confirm press reports suggesting Yachi and Dai Bingguo will solidify plans to begin director general-level talks on civil nuclear power cooperation. ¶3. (C) Asked whether Yachi and Dai Bingguo will discuss the East China Sea gas exploration rights issue, Nomura said that even though this will be Yachi's seventh meeting with Dai in the past 18 months, the Chinese indicated it would not be appropriate to raise "specific bilateral issues." It has been over six months since the last round of director-general level talks on the East China Sea and China and Japan have not agreed on a schedule for more senior-level talks. However, Nomura explained, Japanese and Chinese working-level officials met on January 12 to discuss the legal aspects regarding their dispute on gas exploration rights in the East China Sea. Earlier MOFA Asia Bureau DDG Sadoshima told us the improvement in official bilateral economic relations since last fall has been "remarkable." The sober working-level meetings on East China Sea issues was one example he cited, as was the recent PRC decision to lift a long standing ban on Japanese rice imports. ¶4. (C) Nomura reported that Japan had demarched China regarding its January 11 ASAT test in both Beijing and Tokyo, where Vice Foreign Minister Yachi called on Ambassador Wang Yi. Yachi had gotten the strong impression that Wang had not been informed of the ASAT test ahead of time. Japan shares U.S. concerns over the test but the incident will not undercut Japan's efforts to improve ties with China, according to Nomura. ¶5. (C) As further evidence of improved bilateral ties, an increasing number of Japanese politicians are stepping up efforts to strengthen ties with their Chinese counterparts. Although Diet exchanges never completely stopped during the years of the "Koizumi chill," there has been a distinct up-tick in parliamentary contacts since Prime Minister Abe's October Beijing visit. Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Toshihiro Nikai, New Komeito member Yoshio Urushibara and other ruling party lawmakers traveled to China to meet with their counterparts on January 22-23. LDP General Council Chairman Yuya Niwa is planning to travel to China in February and LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa is planning a trip in March. ¶6. (C) Comment. Now that the Yasukuni Shrine issue has been TOKYO 00000355 002 OF 002 "shelved," at least for the time being, Japan is cautiously pressing ahead to improve relations with China. As Nomura suggested, a number of initiatives that were held in abeyance can now be pursued. While no one expects dramatic improvements overnight, some Japanese are clearly energized and exploring opportunities that were not feasible only a few months ago. Nonetheless, we expect that pace of progress to be measured and gradual. SCHIEFFER