NATO SECRETARY GENERAL VISITS JAPAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 005625 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2017 TAGS: PREL MOPS NATO JA SUBJECT: NATO SECRETARY GENERAL VISITS JAPAN Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joe Donovan for reasons 1.4(b) a nd (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: During NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer's December 12-14 visit to Tokyo major topics of discussion included Afghanistan and the promotion of closer contacts between NATO and Japan. De Hoop Scheffer raised the subject of helicopter airlift but received no substantive response. Japan announced it is assigning a full-time liaison officer to NATO's office in Kabul to better coordinate the deliver of Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds to projects identified by Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs). Japanese leaders also assured the SecGen that every effort is being made to recommence Maritime Self Defense Force (MSDF) refueling operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). This was de Hoop Scheffer's second visit to Japan since 2005 and, unlike the first one which was fairly low-profile, a conscious effort was made to publicize his presence. He held a joint press conference with Prime Minister Fukuda, gave a speech, held an interactive meeting with university students, granted press interviews, and met with business leaders and parliamentarians. According to MOFA officials, the purpose of this public relations blitz was to inform the public that NATO is no longer a Cold War institution but, rather, a key international organization Japan should be working with closely. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Key meetings with government officials included office calls on Prime Minister Fukuda, Minister of Defense Ishiba, and a meeting and dinner hosted by Foreign Minister Koumura. According to Daichi Yamada of MOFA's European Policy Division, the visit was in response to an invitation extended by former Prime Minister Abe when he visited NATO headquarters last January, and was also meant to demonstrate that the commitment of both NATO and Japan to strengthen their relations has not lessened despite the change of government in Tokyo. Yamada highlighted the fact that this was the SecGen's second visit to Japan in two years, and is the first time he has visited a non-NATO country more than once. The importance Japan attached to the visit was also demonstrated, said Yamada, by the fact it took place during and despite an extremely busy, politically charged time in Japan. (NOTE: The day of his meetings, the PM was announcing a second extension to the Diet session in order to assure passage of the OEF refueling bill. END NOTE.) -------------- AFGHANISTAN -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Afghanistan was the primary agenda item discussed, Yamada told a gathering of NATO-member diplomats at a debriefing hosted by MOFA. Japan highlighted the 13 "grass roots human security" projects it is in the process of financing in cooperation with PRTs operated by Lithuania, Sweden, and the U.S., and announced the assignment of a full-time liaison officer to the office of the NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Kabul to further coordinate these and future projects. The role of this liaison officer, who Yamada said was a highly experienced MOFA officer with a background in development assistance and who has served with UN organizations in the past, is to provide support to the NATO SCR to coordinate and support additional proposals submitted by the PRTs. Yamada said this move is a significant step which demonstrates Japan's firm commitment to work in partnership in Afghanistan with both NATO and ISAF. ¶4. (SBU) PM Fukuda also told SecGen Japan intends to actively support NATO's efforts to improve weapons stockpile management by the Afghan government, as this project contributes to the Japan-led DDR and DIAG initiatives and furthers stability throughout the country. Yamada explained that this support will entail contributing to a NATO trust fund established to manage an ammunition storage warehouse. The funds will be used to train and equip Afghan forces to TOKYO 00005625 002 OF 003 protect the facility and also to help develop the capacity of the Ministry of Defense to manage the facility using modern stockpile management practices. This will not involve the deployment of Japanese Self Defense Force personnel, but Yamada said the possibility was open that Japanese firms might bid for contracts associated with this project. ¶5. (C) Finally, with regard to Afghanistan, Yamada reported all of the SecGen's interlocutors assured him that Japan's top priority is to enact legislation to recommence the MSDF's refueling mission in support of the OEF maritime task force. PM Fukuda told him that the current Diet session will be extended to assure the bill makes its way through the legislative process and that the Lower House will have the time to override the opposition-controlled Upper House's rejection of the law. The SecGen replied by praising Japan's contributions to NATO forces operating in the Indian Ocean and stated he is following the debate on whether the refueling mission will resume soon, recognizing that this is an internal Japanese political matter to be decided by the Japanese themselves: "NATO fully respects the different national prerogatives of the countries we work with." In his private meetings, de Hoop Scheffer was a bit more direct on this subject. According to MOD contacts, during his meeting with Defense Minister Ishiba, he acknowledged the Japanese government's political challenges but urged an early resumption of the refueling operations, stressing that the MSDF, together with NATO and ISAF, contribute significantly to Afghanistan's stability. ¶6. (SBU) In response to a question, Yamada acknowledged that the SecGen had raised the subject of using Japanese helicopters for airlift missions in Afghanistan. The fact he had made this request was disclosed to the press by the SecGen during his press conference and was publicly reported. Yamada confirmed that during the dinner with Foreign Minister Koumura, the SecGen had suggested the possibility that "civilian" Japanese helicopters might be useful in alleviating a serious airlift shortfall currently being experienced by NATO forces in Afghanistan. Recognizing the difficulties and limitations of deploying military helicopters, de Hoop Scheffer suggested that Japanese civilian transport or medical evacuation helicopters would be a great relief. Yamada reported that FM Koumura did not respond to this request, and repeated that Japan's top priority is to extend the OEF refueling mission. That said, Yamada concluded "we are not closing any doors, but it is premature to discuss airlift questions at this time." -------------- NATO - JAPAN RELATIONS -------------- ¶7. (SBU) In addition to highlighting cooperation in Afghanistan, the Prime Minister and SecGen also acknowledged that Japan-NATO relations have entered a "new phase" demonstrated by the expanded number and scope of contacts within the past year. These include enhanced high-level contacts including former Prime Minister Abe's visit to NATO in January and a visit by the Minister of Defense in May, the holding of Japan-NATO high-level consultations in Tokyo in March, the participation of Japanese officials in NATO-hosted seminars and conferences on non-proliferation, reconstruction assistance, and as observers in NATO exercises. And again, Japan is very proud of the fact that this was de Hoop Scheffer's second visit to Tokyo since 2005. For the future, it was agreed to further enhance policy dialogues, explore ways in which expertise can be shared, and to promote defense exchanges, including the sending of Self Defense Forces personnel to courses at the NATO Defense College. ¶8. (C) According to MOD contacts, in his separate meeting with Defense Minister Ishiba, de Hoop Scheffer emphasized the importance of continued dialogue and cooperation between NATO and Japan on a range of global security issues, including the war on terrorism, failed states, energy security, and cyber TOKYO 00005625 003 OF 003 terrorism. Ishiba, like PM Fukuda and FM Koumura, provided an update on the status of the draft legislation to reauthorize Japan's refueling operations in the Indian Ocean, underscoring the Japanese government's strong desire to demonstrate its commitment to the war on terrorism by resuming operations in support of OEF. Ishiba also briefed on the military relationship between Japan and China, including the recent visit to Tokyo of a Chinese destroyer, the first such visit ever. -------------- PUBLIC RELATIONS BLITZ -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Unlike his more low-key visit to Japan in 2005, de Hoop Scheffer's schedule included a number of very public events, including press briefings, a public speech, an interactive session with university students, and meetings with parliamentarians and leaders of the Nippon Keidanen, Japan's leading business federation. Yamada explained that this was part of a conscious effort to attempt to educate the Japanese public about what NATO does today. He said the image NATO has among most Japanese is that of an obsolete Cold War military grouping intended to defend Europe from a Soviet onslaught, and they wonder what relevance it has today and ask why Japan should be engaged with it. Hopefully, said Yamada, de Hoop Scheffer's public appearances will help convince many that NATO is a modern institution deeply engaged in addressing global problems that directly impact upon Japan's national security interests, and that it is therefore in Japan's interest to be partnered with NATO to the maximum extent possible. Indeed, this was the subject of de Hoop Scheffer's speech December 13, the text of which is available on the NATO web site. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶10. (C) Japanese officials were clearly pleased with de Hoop Scheffer's visit, and all indications are that the government is fully committed to expanding relations with NATO. We predict the MSDF's OEF refueling mission will be resumed and that Japan will strive to work as closely as possible with PRTs in Afghanistan, short of putting its personnel directly in harms way. Finally, Japan will take advantage of any opportunity it has to increase its contacts and exchanges with NATO personnel and institutions. SCHIEFFER