JAPAN WILL ATTEND APDP BREAKFAST, STILL UNSURE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 005203 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR G - KATE FRIEDRICH E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM EAID PREL MG JA SUBJECT: JAPAN WILL ATTEND APDP BREAKFAST, STILL UNSURE ABOUT PARTICIPATION REF: STATE 152803 Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d). ¶1. (SBU) Although Japan will not be able to send a cabinet-level representative to the U.S.-hosted breakfast on the Asian Pacific Democracy Partnership in Bamako, the government intends to "actively participate" in the discussion, MOFA Asian and Oceanian Affairs Regional Policy Division Pricipal Deputy Director Yasuhiro Kobe told the Embassy November 8. Due to a Diet-related scheduling conflict, Japanese official representative Ambassador Tatsuo Arima will not arrive in Bamako until the night of the 15th. ¶2. (C) Japan supports the basic concept of the APDP, Kobe continued, but is concerned about the pressure to classify participants as either "official" or "observer." In this initial stage of the discussion, focusing on information exchange rather than categorizing participation would secure the involvement of a greater number of countries. During bilateral discussions with other countries considering particpation in the APDP, Japanese officials learned that several are hesitant about being labeled as "official" members of the APDP, according to Kobe. SCHIEFFER