COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND

UNCLAS TOKYO 005067 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS SECDEF FOR LTC DORN, SA ERIC E. BRUCE, OSD TRAVEL TEAM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OTRA PREL JA SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND PARTY REF: SECDEF WASHINGTON DC 301922Z OCT 07 ¶1. (U) Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance for the November 7-9, 2007 visit to Japan by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and party. ¶2. (U) Control Officer for the visit will be Political Officer Evan Reade. He can be reached at: Office phone: (81-3)3224-5325 Home phone: (81-3)3224-6940 Mobile phone: 81-90-3591-0698 Fax: (81-3)3224-5322 E-mail: ReadeEG@state.gov (unclassified) -------------- Hotel Reservations -------------- ¶3. (U) Tokyo hotel reservations have been made at the Hotel Okura 2-10-4 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8416, Tel: (81-3) 3582-0111 Fax: (81-3) 3582-3707. -------------- Airport to Hotel Transportation -------------- ¶4. (U) Secretary Gates and his delegation will be met at the airport. -------------- Visa -------------- ¶5. (U) Holders of U.S. diplomatic or official passports must have a Japanese visa to enter Japan. Travelers on a U.S. tourist (blue cover) passport may enter Japan as a tourist without a Japanese visa for up to 90 days. -------------- Embassy Laptop Policy -------------- ¶6. (U) Official visitors are reminded that personally owned or non-controlled USG-issued electronic equipment (including all PDAs, cell phones, pagers, radios, records) may not enter the controlled access areas. Additionally, all classified and sensitive materials must be secured at the embassy visit control office upon arrival in country. -------------- Threat Assessment -------------- ¶7. (U) U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. As the U.S. Government has reported in public announcements over the last several months, U.S. citizens and interests abroad may be at increased risk of terrorist actions from extremist groups, which may target civilians and include suicide operations. The Department maintains information about potential threats to Americans overseas which is available to travelers on the internet at the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page: http://www.travel.state.gov. The Embassy takes all threats seriously. U.S. Embassy Tokyo can be contacted 24 hours a day at 03-3224-5000 (locally) or 81-3-3224-5000 (internationally). ¶8. (SBU) The general threat from crime in Tokyo and throughout Japan is low. Crime is at levels well below the U.S. national average. Violent crime is rare, but does exist. The Japanese National Police report continued problems with pick-pocketing of foreigners in crowded shopping areas of Tokyo. Although street crime is low, common sense security measures are advised for all American citizens traveling in Japan. ¶9. (U) Also be advised that under no circumstances may weapons be brought into Japan. Carrying a pocketknife (including Swiss Army-style knife, craft or hunting knife, box cutter, etc.) in public is forbidden. Under Japanese law, carrying any such item in public, with a size exceeding 8 cm in length, 1.5 cm in width or 2 mm in thickness, can subject the person to arrest or detention. SCHIEFFER