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