GOJ CONCERNED OVER OEF REFUELING ISSUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 004467

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

USFJ FOR J00, J01, J05

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2017
TAGS: MARR PGOV PINR PREL JA
SUBJECT: GOJ CONCERNED OVER OEF REFUELING ISSUE

Classified By: AMBASSADOR J. THOMAS SCHIEFFER, REASONS 1.4B AND D.


1. (C) Summary: MOD Administrative Vice Minister Kohei
Masuda called in DCM September 26 to express the GOJ's
concerns over several press reports, attributed to U.S.
sources, that assert that Japanese fuel provided for use in
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) has been used by the U.S.
Navy for other missions. Masuda stressed that the reports
were undermining Japan,s efforts to obtain Diet approval to
extend its OEF refueling operations. Masuda noted that newly
appointed Foreign Minister (and previous Defense Minister)
Masahiko Komura was departing for Washington on the evening
of September 26 and would likely raise Japan's concerns with
senior U.S. officials. Masuda emphasized that even if a
refueling took place that went against the Anti-Terror
Special Measures Law, it would be critical to be forthcoming
about this with the Japanese government, and explain it to
the public. Masuda further told DCM that new Defense
Minister Shigeru Ishiba believes this issue needs to be
resolved by September 30, in advance of the October 1 start
of the Diet session. MOFA demarched Pol MinCouns on these
same issues on September 25. End Summary.

--------------
GOJ SEEKING DETAILED EXPLANATION
--------------


2. (C) During the September 26 meeting, MOD AVM Masuda told
DCM Japan was concerned over the release of US Navy oiler
refueling data to Japanese NGO Peace Depot. Peace Depot
President Hiromichi Umebayashi used the information, obtained
under a FOIA request, to raise allegations in a 20 September
press conference that Japan Maritime Self Defense Forces
(JMSDF) oil had been used in 2003 in support of Operation
Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and/or Operation Southern Watch (OSW),a
violation of the Japanese Anti-Terror Special Measures Law.
Umebayashi's "evidence" includes ship log sheets of the USNS
Pecos and the USS Kitty Hawk from February 2003.


3. (C) Masuda noted that questions raised in the media over
the end use of Japanese oil were creating a difficult
environment for the Diet to extend Japan's Indian Ocean
refueling operations. He emphasized it was critical for
Japan to respond to these allegations in a timely manner and
noted new DefMin Ishiba wanted a resolution of this matter by
the end of September, prior to the resumption of the current
Diet session. Masuda added that if the evidence pointed to
use of Japanese oil in violation of the Special Measures Law,
it would be important to admit this as soon as possible to
the GOJ and to provide an explanation to the Japanese public.
Former DefMin (and new FM) Komura was to depart Tokyo on the
evening of September 26 for meetings in Washington and Masuda
noted he expected Komura to raise Japanese concerns with
senior U.S. officials.


4. (C) DCM told Masuda Embassy Tokyo was working with
Washington to respond quickly to the Peace Depot allegations
and would provide more information to the government of Japan
as soon as it was available.

-------------- --------------
NEWSPAPER CLAIMS NAVY ADMITS TO USING JAPANESE OIL IN IRAQ
-------------- --------------


5. (C) AVM Masuda added Japan was further concerned over a
September 24 Asahi Shimbun article which claims a senior U.S.
Navy officer thanked the Japanese government for oil which
Japanese ships provided to the US Navy in 2005 in support of
the war on terror in Iraq. Masuda noted that while the
article was of concern to Japan, he personally believed that
Asahi had "fixed" or "adjusted" the facts of the case.
(Note: Neither MOFA nor MOD had an official copy of the
transcript of the interview that was said to have taken place
between an Asahi reporter and the Navy officer. Masuda
requested that the U.S. rebut this report if it is found to
be inaccurate. End note.)

--------------
CUMULATIVE EFFECT: PUBLIC MISPERCEPTION
--------------


6. (C) Citing a third case, Masuda thanked the U.S. Navy for
acting promptly to remove information from the website of the
5th fleet that errantly conveyed the impression that Japan
had made contributions to OIF instead of OEF. Unfortunately,
Masuda explained, the cumulative effect of the reports
created a public impression that Japan's refueling
contributions to OEF had been misused. Masuda urged the U.S.
to work closely with Japan and share any relevant additional
information that may have been released under FOIA.




Schieffer