A/S HILL'S MEETING WITH JAPAN VFM YACHI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 004655 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV JA KN SUBJECT: A/S HILL'S MEETING WITH JAPAN VFM YACHI Classified By: Charge d' Affaires Joseph R. Donovan. Reasons 1.4 (B) ( D) ¶1. (C) Summary. Japan places the utmost importance on the U.S.-Japan relationship and is firmly committed to the alliance, VFM Yachi told visiting EAP A/S Hill on September ¶26. New PM Fukuda,s first overseas visit will be to the United States, not to China or South Korea. Yachi expressed disappointment with the September Six-Party Working Group on Normalization of Japan-DPRK Relations, the outcome of which set back MOFA plans to resolve the abductions issue and advance Japan-DPRK relations. The United States has warned North Korea not to put Washington in the position of having to choose between Tokyo and Pyongyang, A/S Hill said. A/S Hill asked Japan to urge India and the PRC to act responsibly on Burma, where developments are becoming "dangerous." End Summary. -------------- Reaffirm U.S.-Japan Alliance -------------- ¶2. (C) During a September 26 Tokyo stopover en route to the September 27-30 Six-Party Talks in Beijing, A/S Hill reviewed U.S.-Japan relations, Burma, and the abduction issue with Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Shotaro Yachi. Yachi said that Tokyo places the utmost importance on the U.S.-Japan relationship, and assured A/S Hill that Japan would maintain its firm commitment to the alliance. Newly elected PM Yasuo Fukuda plans to make his first overseas visit to the United States (in contrast to former PM Abe, whose first visits were to China and South Korea). A/S Hill responded that Washington looks forward to hosting the PM at the earliest opportunity. The United States placed great value on its relationship with outgoing PM Abe, and looks forward to working with Mr. Fukuda. -------------- Abductions -------------- ¶3. (C) Yachi said that Japan had been "very disappointed" with the September round of the Six-Party Working Group on Normalization of Japan-DPRK Relations. Before the meeting, Yachi and MOFA Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director-General Kenichiro Sasae had hoped to convince former PM Abe to allow Japan to "take a step forward" in Japan-DPRK relations. However, the outcome of the Ulaanbaatar discussions left them unable to approach Abe. Expressing his own disappointment, A/S Hill said that the North Koreans had promised in Geneva that they had a specific new plan to offer Japan, namely that Pyongyang was prepared to open a new investigation into the abduction issue. The A/S promised to talk to North Korean Six-Party Talks negotiator Kim Gye Gwan about why that didn't happen. ¶4. (C) Noting that he would meet later that same day with Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on the Abduction Issue Kyoko Nakayama, A/S Hill said that the United States understands the importance of the abduction issue to Japan. Nakayama, according to the VFM, worries how new PM Fukuda will address the abduction issue. Nakayama will seek assurances that the U.S. position on the abduction issue will not change, Yachi noted. -------------- Japan-DPRK -------------- ¶5. (C) A/S Hill told Yachi that, during a recent meeting in New York, the United States warned North Korea not to put Washington in the position of having to choose between Tokyo and Pyongyang. North Korea would never have relations with the United States or its Northeast Asian neighbors without having good relations with Japan, Hill said he told Kim Gye Gwan. At the upcoming Six-Party meeting in Beijing, the United States would encourage the DPRK to take advantage of an important opportunity to make changes in Japan-DPRK relations by reaching out to the new Tokyo administration. TOKYO 00004655 002 OF 002 -------------- FM Visit -------------- ¶6. (C) PM Fukuda, according to Yachi, had spoken to President Bush by telephone earlier that day. New FM Masahiko Komura planned to visit Washington later in the week, Yachi continued. He opined that the new Fukuda Cabinet would be "good for the Foreign Ministry." A/S Hill said that the United States looks forward to working with the new government, in which Washington feels it has many friends. Among other topics, the Secretary hopes to discuss Tokyo's proposals on climate change, A/S Hill added. -------------- Burma -------------- ¶7. (C) A/S Hill asked Japan to use its influence with India and the PRC to restrain the Burmese authorities, who were preparing to use army and police units to control the demonstrations. A/S Hill characterized the situation as "dangerous." Yachi agreed and promised to use MOFA,s channels to urge the Burmese authorities to act with restraint. ¶8. (U) A/S Hill has cleared this message. DONOVAN