SENATOR DANIEL INOUYE'S MEETINGS WITH JAPANESE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 005002

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

H FOR JENNIFER CHARTRAND

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL OREP MARR JA
SUBJECT: SENATOR DANIEL INOUYE'S MEETINGS WITH JAPANESE
LEGISLATORS


Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer, Reasons 1.4 B/D


1. (SBU) Summary: Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) met October
9 and 10 with senior Japanese Diet members. Senator Inouye
told his interlocutors the U.S. Senate is working to pass a
resolution to form a U.S.-Japan interparliamentary forum,
which would be the official means of communication between
the U.S. Congress and the Diet. The Senator also underscored
the importance of strong communication between U.S. and
Japanese lawmakers and hoped that this would help minimize
misunderstandings between the two sides. Senator Inouye
thanked Japanese leaders for recent contributions to tsunami
relief, Six-Party Talks, and U.S. troop realignment. A
number of lawmakers expressed concerns about instability in
Northeast Asia and possible difficulties in China. End
Summary.

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Lower House Speaker Yohei Kono
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2. (SBU) Senator Inouye told Diet Lower House Speaker Yohei
Kono he expected a resolution in the Senate on formation of a
U.S.-Japan interparliamentary forum to pass very soon. Once
the group is formed, it would be the official, bi-partisan
channel between Congress and the Diet. Highlighting recent
tensions over the comfort women resolution in Congress,
Inouye said that establishing an official relationship
between legislative peers would hopefully help improve
communication between Japan and the United States on
difficult issues. The Senator added that a strong
relationship between lawmakers would also help show the U.S.
commitment to security in Northeast Asia. Kono agreed that
it is important to establish and nurture a strong bilateral
relationship at the lawmaker level and highlighted that most
of the work on establishing the Japanese side of the
interparliamentary group is complete. He said he looks
forward to working with Senator Inouye and added that with
recent and (likely) future political change in Japan and the
United States, it would be essential to have a good, official
relationship that bridges any changes in participants.

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Liberal Democratic Party Representative Taro Aso
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3. (SBU) Highlighting the pending establishment of the
U.S.-Japan interparliamentary group, Senator Inouye told
veteran Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Lower House
Representative Taro Aso this indicated the strong interest by
the leaders of Congress in maintaining good relations with
their Japanese counterparts. Inouye noted the U.S.-Japan
Alliance is of primary importance to the United States and
added that the Asia-Pacific region is critical to the future
of both countries. Inouye thanked Aso for recent Japanese
contributions in the aftermath of the tsunami, assistance in
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF),participation in the Six
Party Talks, and support for the Okinawa troop realignment.


4. (C) Aso registered his growing concerns over the economic
and political situation in China. Wondering how long China
would be able to continue its current economic expansion, Aso
said it is worrying that an increasing number of wealthy
Chinese are keeping their assets in yen, dollar, and
euro-denominated investments. He further commented that
significant levels of corruption in both China and Taiwan is
also a bad sign of potential instability to come. The
stability of the Taiwan Strait is of critical importance to
Japan, Aso added.

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LDP Representative Taro Nakayama
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5. (SBU) Discussing the interparliamentary forum, Senator
Inouye told senior LDP representative Taro Nakayama that
there is often misunderstanding of Japan in Congress and said
that better legislative contacts should help this situation
improve. Drawing a contrast between the U.S. relationship
with the UK, which he described as a "natural" one, Senator
Inouye noted the U.S-Japan relationship takes "work and
effort" to be effective.


6. (C) The situation in Northeast Asia is at a critical
turning point, especially with the DPRK and South Korea
moving toward peace, Nakayama said. If the Six Party Talks
are successful, Nakayama opined, it would have an impact on
the balance of power in the region, likely to China,s
benefit. Given this, Nakayama agreed that having strong
communication links between Congress and the Diet would be

important. Turning to domestic politics, Nakayama noted that
he currently chairs a committee in the Diet that is looking
at Japanese constitutional revision. The current
constitution is no longer appropriate for modern day
realities in Japan, and a parliamentary working group would
review possibilities for change during the coming three
years, Nakayama added.

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Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa
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7. (SBU) In a brief, business-like call on Democratic Party
of Japan (DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa, Senator Inouye
emphasized the importance of continued strong relations
between the United States and Japan. Northeast Asia is of
particular significance to the future of the United States,
and a strong relationship at the legislator level is an
important underpinning to the U.S.-Japan alliance, Inouye
said. Anticipating a potential period of political
uncertainty in the United States in the coming election year,
Inouye underlined the importance of the interparliamentary
forum.


8. (SBU) Ozawa agreed that the interparliamentary group would
be important for the U.S.-Japan Alliance. He added that
Japan is also facing a period of political instability driven
by factors not recognized by the general public, including
growing income level gaps between the regions and the major
cities. Turning to international issues, Ozawa said he
believes the biggest issue for the global community in the
coming years would be possible instability in China. Noting
that political turmoil and economic collapse in China would
have dire global consequences, Ozawa said the United States
should take the lead to ensure that any upheaval in China
would have a "soft landing."


9. (SBU) Inouye concurred that China,s economic and military
growth is of concern to the United States He added that the
United States is also focused on the recent cases of lead in
toys and contamination of food products sourced in China.
Noting that U.S. toy companies procure the vast majority of
their products from China, the Senator said the coming
Christmas season could have a strong negative impact on U.S.
companies if consumers decide to avoid purchasing products
made in China.
SCHIEFFER