COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR PM SENIOR ADVISOR AMBASSADOR

UNCLAS TOKYO 004227 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/SNA K.MARSHALL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OTRA PREL JA SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR PM SENIOR ADVISOR AMBASSADOR JACKSON MCDONALD AND DELEGATION REF: SECSTATE 123018 ¶1. (U) Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance for the September 20-26, 2007 visit to Japan by Ambassador Jackson McDonald, CDR Thomas C. Herold, and LTC Phillip D. Janzen. ¶2. (U) Control Officer for the visit will be Political Officer Chris Gunning. He can be reached at: Office phone: (81-3)3224-5342 Home phone: (81-3)3224-6910 Mobile phone: 81-80-5479-4214 Fax: (81-3)3224-5322 E-mail: GunningCJ2@state.gov (unclassified) -------------- Hotel Reservations -------------- ¶3. (U) Tokyo hotel reservations have been made at the Hotel Okura 2-10-4 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8416, Tel: (81-3) 3582-0111 Fax: (81-3) 3582-3707. Details as follows: Amb. Jackson McDonald Arrive: 9/20/07 Depart: 9/26/07 Conf. No.: 631393 CDR Thomas C. Herold Arrive: 9/20/07 Depart: 9/26/07 Conf. No.: 631394 LTC Phillip D. Janzen Arrive: 9/20/07 Depart: 9/26/07 Conf. No.: 631395 -------------- Airport to Hotel Transportation -------------- ¶4. (U) Control Officer will meet Ambasador McDonald and party at the arrival gate and assist to an embassy vehicle. -------------- Visa -------------- ¶5. (U) Holders of U.S. diplomatic or official passports must have a Japanese visa to enter Japan. Travelers on a U.S. tourist passport may enter Japan as a tourist without a Japanese visa for up to 90 days. -------------- Embassy Laptop Policy -------------- ¶6. (U) Official visitors are reminded that personally owned or non-controlled USG-issued electronic equipment (including all PDAs, cell phones, pagers, radios, records) may not enter the controlled access areas. Additionally, all classified and sensitive materials must be secured at the embassy visit control office upon arrival in country. -------------- Threat Assessment -------------- ¶7. (U) U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. As the U.S. Government has reported in public announcements over the last several months, U.S. citizens and interests abroad may be at increased risk of terrorist actions from extremist groups, which may target civilians and include suicide operations. The Department maintains information about potential threats to Americans overseas which is available to travelers on the internet at the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page: http://www.travel.state.gov. The Embassy takes all threats seriously. U.S. Embassy Tokyo can be contacted 24 hours a day at 03-3224-5000 (locally) or 81-3-3224-5000 (internationally). ¶8. (SBU) The general threat from crime in Tokyo and throughout Japan is low. Crime is at levels well below the U.S. national average. Violent crime is rare, but does exist. The Japanese National Police report continued problems with pick-pocketing of foreigners in crowded shopping areas of Tokyo. Although street crime is low, common sense security measures are advised for all American citizens traveling in Japan. ¶9. (U) Also be advised that under no circumstances may weapons be brought into Japan. Carrying a pocketknife (including Swiss Army-style knife, craft or hunting knife, box cutter, etc.) in public is forbidden. Under Japanese law, carrying any such item in public, with a size exceeding 8 cm in length, 1.5 cm in width or 2 mm in thickness, can subject the person to arrest or detention. Schieffer