JAPANESE DIET MEMBERS TO LOBBY AGAINST DELISTING

UNCLAS TOKYO 004769 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV KN JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE DIET MEMBERS TO LOBBY AGAINST DELISTING THE DPRK ¶1. A group of "more than 10" lawmakers from the nonpartisan Parliamentarian League for Early Repatriation of Japanese Citizens Kidnapped by North Korea are planning to travel to Washington in early December to lobby against removing the DPRK from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, according to the office of League member and DPJ Representative Jin Matsubara. The trip comes in response to a October 9 meeting between League members and representatives from abductee's families, including Teruaki Masumoto, who told the Embassy that the family members planned to travel with the parliamentarians. ¶2. The delegation hopes to meet with U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and other U.S. legislators who have been critical of delisting, as well as former Ambassador to the UN John Bolton. Although the decision is still unofficial, the League is putting together a group that will probably include LDP Rep. Keiji Furuya, Independent Rep. Shingo Nishimura, and Matsubara. Matsubara made headlines last June when he stated in the Diet "there should not be a possibility" that the DPRK will be delisted without progress on abductions. It is unclear whether League Chairman Rep. Takeo Hiranuma will be able to join the delegation due to health problems. DONOVAN