JAPANESE OFFICIAL "NOT HOPEFUL" ABOUT FINANCIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 003831 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR S/P DICK SOKOLSKY AND JEAN GERAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2017 TAGS: EAID KDEM PREL JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE OFFICIAL "NOT HOPEFUL" ABOUT FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO PDG REF: A. STATE 90015 ¶B. TOKYO 3719 ¶C. J'S DAY IN REVIEW: TUESDAY AUGUST 14 2007 Classified By: Acting Charge d'Affairs W. Michael Meserve for reasons 1 .4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This cable contains an action request. Please see paragraph 3. ¶2. (C) Embassy Tokyo Political Officer met August 17 with MOFA Aid Policy Planning Division Yukiko Okano to discuss Japan's contribution to the Partnership for Democratic Governance (PDG). Okano said that Japan definitely plans to participate in the ministerial planned for the margins of UNGA, but has not yet chosen a representative. Although Japan would like to join the PDG as a founding member, Okano was "not hopeful" that Japan could make a financial contribution. Because Japan's ODA budget is rapidly shrinking, it is unlikely that MOFA will approve a new intiative in its budget request, she explained. In addition, the timing of the Japanese fiscal year makes it impossible for Japan to make a commitment in time to join the December meeting of the Steering Group. MOFA submits its 2007 Supplemental Budget and FY2008 Budget requests to the Diet in January, which will probably be approved in February and April respectively. Any commitment before that would be baseless, stated Okano. ¶3. (C) Comment and Action Request: We might be able to nudge MOFA in the right direction if we provide them with: (1) a list of potential projects that the PDG would work on, (2) a list of financial commitments from other countries, and (3) the option to join the Steering Group after December once their budget is finalized. Post requests Department guidance. DONOVAN