UNION LEADER ON OZAWA, PENSIONS, BASE STRIKES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 005620 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/J DOL FOR ILAB SECDEF FOR DOD/OSD/APSA/SHINN/SEDNEY/HILL/BASAL USFJ FOR J00/J01/J1/J5 PACOM FOR J00/J01/J1/J5 E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2017 TAGS: ELAB ECON PGOV JA SUBJECT: UNION LEADER ON OZAWA, PENSIONS, BASE STRIKES Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joseph Donovan for reasons 1.4 b /d. Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Japanese Trade Union Confederation President Tsuyoshi Takagi told the Ambassador December 19 that opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leader Ozawa is not anti-American and that Ozawa's decision to oppose Japan's Indian Ocean refueling activities was primarily driven by political timing. Takagi emphasized the importance of resolving the problem of millions of missing pension records as a political issue as well as a labor concern, adding Ozawa would be cooperative if the Fukuda government sought to resolve the pension matter in the Diet. Takagi also noted he had agreed to PM Fukuda's request to participate in a national conference on social security issues. Takagi expressed frustration with the Ministry of Finance's (MOF) unhelpfulness on host nation support matters, blaming the MOF for the recent two-day strike by workers at U.S. military bases. As a side note, Takagi mentioned the Japanese Auto Workers (JAW) are in discussions with the United Auto Workers (UAW) about how to foster unionization at Japanese car makers' factories in the United States. End summary. Ozawa is Not Anti-American -------------- ¶2. (U) Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) President Tsuyoshi Takagi made a courtesy call on the Ambassador SIPDIS December 19 accompanied Rengo General Secretary Nobuaki Koga and International Division Director Masayuki Shiota. Rengo re-elected Takagi president October 12 during the union group's national congress. ¶3. (C) The Ambassador opened noting Rengo's links with the DPJ and asked about DPJ leader Ichiro Ozawa's political priorities, particularly his opposition to Japan's Indian Ocean refueling activities. Takagi responded he had known Ozawa for many years and emphasized the DPJ leader is not anti-American. "In all of our conversations, I've never thought that he was against the United States," Takagi said. Ozawa's choice to use refueling as a way to differentiate his party was driven primarily by political timing. Former PM Abe, he explained, had stayed on after his party's loss in July's Upper House election instead of resigning; focusing on refueling was a way for the DPJ to draw the electorate's attention to the issue of collective defense. Pensions Remain a Key Issue -------------- ¶4. (C) Asked why Ozawa had not focused on pension issues and what that meant about the issue's importance, Takagi stressed the GOJ's loss of millions of pension records is a major worry for Japanese workers. Takagi stated Ozawa had always said he would work to improve the pension system, but that any discussions had to occur in the Diet. PM Fukuda even asked Takagi to persuade Ozawa to get involved in pension discussions, but, as expected, when Takagi conveyed Fukuda's request Ozawa just smiled and said he would "within the framework of the Diet." ¶5. (C) Takagi also revealed that PM Fukuda had asked him to participate in a national conference on social issues, which would tackle pensions among other concerns. Takagi said he had resisted initially because the possibility of near-term elections means discussions will be highly politicized. When Fukuda asked the third time, however, Takagi decided that pension matter is so important that he should participate. He lamented that the Nikkei newspaper had spun his assent to join as his being turned to agree to the Fukuda government's viewpoint. TOKYO 00005620 002 OF 002 Strikes on U.S. Bases -------------- ¶6. (C) Takagi complained the Ministry of Finance had been combative and unconstructive on host nation support and had refused to share basic budget information to help negotiators move toward a new contract. The recent labor strikes at U.S. military bases were the result of MOF intransigence, Takagi continued. He said he had spoken to PM Fukuda, Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura, and Defense Minster Ishiba, who had all SIPDIS expressed the intent to resolve the dispute, but that even then the Finance Ministry had remained obstructive. ¶7. (C) In contrast, Takagi said he had heard from union management that their meetings at the Embassy had been constructive. Takagi noted he had originally thought of appealing directly to the Ambassador about the union's situation on U.S. bases, but realized the workers' employer is the Ministry of Defense and therefore decided against calling. Noting the importance labor issues and of keeping lines of communication open, the Ambassador invited Takagi to reach out periodically. Union Organizing in the United States -------------- ¶8. (C) As a side note, Takagi said he had been in Washington the week of December 11 to meet with AFL-CIO and other union leaders. He mentioned UAW President Ron Gettelfinger had asked him to cooperate in unionizing Japanese car makers' factories in the United States and that the Japanese Auto Workers Union is in discussions with the UAW towards that goal. SCHIEFFER