MEDIA REACTION - CHENEY VISIT/SECOND ARMITAGE

UNCLAS TOKYO 000704 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR, EAP/J, EAP/P, PM; USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI; SECDEF FOR OASD/PA; CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - CHENEY VISIT/SECOND ARMITAGE REPORT - TOKYO LEAD STORIES: Tuesday morning's liberal Asahi front-paged a weekend poll showing a 2-point drop in cabinet support to 37 percent and a 3-point increase in disapproval to 40 percent from last month. Yomiuri also gave front-page play to similar poll results, with its survey showing 45.3 percent support, down 3.1 points, and 42.7 percent disapproval, up 3.8 points. ¶1. "Strategic Cooperation Among US, Japan, and Australia Needed" An editorial in the conservative Sankei commented (2/20): "Vice President Cheney will arrive in Japan this afternoon and meet with Prime Minister Abe and Foreign Minister Aso on Wednesday before leaving for Australia.... Cheney's visit is intended to deepen strategic cooperation among the US, Japan, and Australia.... We hope the GOJ will inquire about the details of America's new Iraq policy and confirm close cooperation in dealing with North Korea based on the accord reached at the six-party talks. We also hope that Cheney and senior GOJ officials will have in-depth discussions concerning strategic issues, including measures to deal with China. The visit to Japan of Cheney, President Bush's right hand man, is significant, and the GOJ should seize this opportunity to confirm the basic policy of the Bush administration and to strengthen bilateral cooperation.... It is unreasonable that the vice president reportedly has no plans to meet with Defense Minister Kyuma even though national security will be a major topic of discussion during his visit here." ¶2. "Second Armitage Report Indicates Common Tasks for the US and Japan" The business-oriented Nihon Keizai editorialized (2/20): "The second Armitage Report, which was compiled by former Deputy Secretary of State Armitage, former Assistant Secretary of Defense Nye, and others, is entitled 'The US-Japan Alliance: Getting Asia Right Through 2020' and will become the basis of future USG policy toward Japan irrespective of which party holds the presidency. The report spells out common tasks for the US and Japan. Although some have noted that Armitage's political influence is waning, the contents of the second Armitage Report are significant for Japan. There is a vacuum in the US-Japan relationship at present that Vice President Cheney's visit is intended to fill. It is useful that this second Armitage Report has been published prior to Cheney's visit." SCHIEFFER