KUDOS FOR JAPANESE EMBASSY AND CONSULATE REPORTING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 030027 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/21/2018 TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EFIN MARR PGOV PREL JA SUBJECT: KUDOS FOR JAPANESE EMBASSY AND CONSULATE REPORTING REF: A. TOKYO 234 ¶B. TOKYO 317 ¶C. TOKYO 346 ¶D. TOKYO 467 ¶E. TOKYO 492 ¶F. TOKYO 548 ¶G. TOKYO 592 ¶H. TOKYO 614 ¶I. TOKYO 643 ¶J. TOKYO 644 ¶K. TOKYO 723 ¶L. NAGOYA 9 ¶M. NAHA 25 ¶N. OSAKA KOBE 13 Classified By: EAP:ALEX ARVIZU ¶1. (U) Congratulations again to Embassy Tokyo, ConGens Naha and Osaka and Consulate Nagoya on the consistently outstanding quality of your political and economic reporting. Your reputation for hard work and insightful reporting is well-known and widely appreciated here in Washington. The interagency community once again wishes to take this opportunity to recognize those reporting efforts that we found to be particularly top notch: ¶2. (U) We highlight USAID's Tokyo Weekly as an effective use of "roundup reporting" to reach a specific constituency with timely information. This weekly e-mail is useful because it informs State and USAID of developments on key issues that bridge broad relevant foreign policy issues and development assistance programs. We use these weeklies as a vehicle to remain engaged with and helpful to action offices at State, and they allow us to extend Tokyo's reach. They have become, over time, a substantive archive for Japan's ODA history. ¶3. (U) Simply put, we were amazed by the searchable archive that you created online of press items dating back to 1995. We have already used it on several occasions to research many of the issues we cover. We asked around, but believe that no other embassy in the world has produced anything like the database you have created here. Tokyo's press section truly deserves to be praised for this outstanding achievement. We hope that one day it will be possible to load the database onto the unclassified intelink domain, where the Tokyo economic section is working to post its Japan Economic Scope reports, so that the archive will be accessible by non-State users, as well. ¶4. (U) We also appreciate Embassy Tokyo's efforts to improve its communication with us, including through the use of the SIPRNET and the Daily Operational Reports. The operational reports, in particular, have created a one-stop resource that we can review when we first arrive at work each morning to see the responses to all of our questions and other requests. Thank you for your continued commitment to improving the flow of information between the desk and the missions. ¶5. (U) Coverage of recent press articles on cloning produced by the Embassy's press section and Econ section reporting via e-mails and the Japan Economic Scope proved to be timely and exceptional. The information that was reported, and the perspectives that were shared, went a long way towards helping us brief senior officials on the nature of the controversy. ¶6. (SBU) Tokyo 234 was a timely cable that went far beyond our expectations, detailing not just Japanese media treatment of the whaling controversy but also the latest developments in the whaling ships' confrontation with the environmentalists. The analysis of the impact of whaling on Japanese diplomacy with Australia and the G-8 process was particularly insightful, and informed our interagency decisions about how to voice our concerns about possible Australian legal action against Japanese whaling. ¶7. (SBU) Embassy Tokyo and ConGen Naha did an outstanding job reporting on events in the wake of the arrest of an Okinawa-based Marine on sexual assault charges and the murder of a taxi driver in Yokosuka where a U.S. sailor may have been involved. From the daily press items to your e-mail updates, the information you provided enabled us to stay ahead of the public relations curve, anticipate how media would report the story, and calibrate our message and actions accordingly. It also allowed us to fully brief senior interlocutors, including the Secretary, who needed real-time information about the unfolding situation. STATE 00030027 002 OF 003 ¶8. (C) Tokyo 317 again brought to readers' attention surprisingly uninformed and backward-looking comments by a senior official that contradict Japan's stated objectives of welcoming foreign investment and becoming a center for global financial transactions. You correctly reminded us of the need to continue to work to change outmoded thinking and, most of all, provided timely advice on using every opportunity in Washington and Tokyo to convey USG concerns to Japan. ¶9. (C) Tokyo 346 provided thoughtful analysis on why the 82 "Koizumi Children" who swept into office in the September 2005 postal privatization election were now facing widespread defeat in the next general election. ¶10. (C) As you know, Deputy Assistant Secretary Byerly, acting on his own initiative, contacted the Ambassador "to thank you and the Embassy team for this superb cable (Tokyo 467). It contains a plethora of well-sourced information, pulls divergent developments together in a concise and understandable way, and offers us very good advice. Bravo to Charlie and all others who contributed. We'll ensure the cable gets wide circulation among other agencies in Washington." Tokyo 467 was also one of only two cables selected independently by USTR, and was the only cable selected by Commerce, for inclusion in this kudos message. ¶11. (C) Israeli Prime Minister Olmert's February 24-28 visit to Tokyo coincided with the Secretary's February 27-28 visit. Tokyo 492, written prior to PM Olmert's arrival, served as an excellent and timely "scenesetter" overview for the Secretary's breakfast meeting with Olmert in Tokyo. SIPDIS ¶12. (C) Tokyo 548 offered excellent analysis of how the Democratic Party of Japan had used incidents like tainted food products from China, an alleged rape and other misconduct by U.S. military personnel in Okinawa, and a fatal collision involving an Aegis-equipped Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces vessel and a fishing boat, to delay deliberations in the divided Diet and to frustrate progress on Fukuda's legislative initiatives. The cable also explained how the cautious, consensus-oriented management style of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda had contributed to his sagging public approval rating, and how the protracted budget debate might impact the Special Measures Agreement governing USD 1.2 billion in Host Nation Support for U.S. forces in Japan. ¶13. (C) Tokyo 592 was selected by INR as "a very valuable look at the tangled and confusing web of politicians and academics involved in Tokyo's current policymaking towards China. The specific details on personalities who make China policy were valuable, but perhaps even more of use were the specific instances and examples of PM Fukuda's cautious and indecisive leadership style." ¶14. (C) Tokyo 614 received praised by Washington analysts and policymakers for its comprehensive research and penetrating insights into the Japan Communist Party (JCP). By surveying contacts in both Tokyo and Japan constituent posts, the cable explored the possibility of a declining Communist Party paradoxically having increased influence but explained that fundamental policy differences between the JCP and Democratic Party of Japan would preclude JCP supporters from voting for any non-communist parties. It was selected by INR as "an excellent, forward-looking summary of the status of the current Communist Party and how its continuing decline could affect national politics in Japan as a whole. Particularly appreciated were the inputs from local posts (Sapporo, Osaka-Kobe) which provided additional valuable detail on effects on local constituency races." ¶15. (C) Tokyo 643 provided useful insights on Russia-Japan relations after the change of President in Russia. This cable drew upon multiple sources from inside and outside of the Japanese government to clarify Russian and Japanese intentions about their bilateral relationship. We will draw upon the information in this cable in preparing briefing materials for the Secretary and the President as they prepare to meet the Japanese and Russian leaders at the G8 summit this July. The Deputy Director of the Russia Desk also asked us to thank you for this "timely and excellent" cable. ¶16. (SBU) Tokyo 644 was one of only two cables selected by USTR to be included in this kudos message. They wrote that the cable was "very timely" and "provided very helpful background to the situation." Here at State, Tokyo 644 helped us immensely in preparations for the March session of the Investment Forum. STATE 00030027 003 OF 003 ¶17. (C) Tokyo 723 provided a thorough and timely report on US-Japan-Australia counterterrorism cooperation. This report will inform our Trilateral Strategic Dialogue discussions and help us meet our goal of seeking more concrete outcomes from this process in an area that is among our highest bureau objectives. ¶18. (SBU) It is easy for policymakers in Washington to spend the majority of our time analyzing the statements and actions of government officials scattered throughout a few key ministries. Nagoya 9, in line with the consulate's previous reporting, forced us to step back from all of that and ask how the dumpling poisoning controversy was being perceived by consumers and businesses in the real world. Its multi-sourced conclusions drawn from a variety of well-placed contacts made it a useful and reliable barometer of the views of industry as a whole, rather than an account of a conversation with a single person. ¶19. (C) Naha 25 was selected by INR as "a really good foreshadowing of new potential issues with the entire Futenma Relocation Plan, including valuable speculation from post about the reason for the latest obstacle and how it could affect the entire DPRI process." ¶20. (C) Osaka/Kobe 13 was selected by INR as providing "an in-depth and fascinating look at how the LDP-led ruling coalition has been able to win local elections (in this case, the Osaka governor race): by finding younger, more telegenic (if less qualified) candidates who can appear more independent from the LDP." ¶21. (U) Once again, many thanks for a job well done. Your reputation for outstanding reporting is well-known throughout the bureau and, indeed, throughout the entire Department. Please keep up the good work. RICE