Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO1093
2008-04-21 07:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
CRITICISM ON CHINA,S RESPONSE TO TIBET ESCALATING
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001093
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM CH JA
SUBJECT: CRITICISM ON CHINA,S RESPONSE TO TIBET ESCALATING
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001093
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM CH JA
SUBJECT: CRITICISM ON CHINA,S RESPONSE TO TIBET ESCALATING
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d).
1. (C) Summary: Foreign Minister Koumura raised Tibet with
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang on April 17, and senior ruling
party and opposition politicians have stepped up public
criticism on China's handling of the demonstrations in Tibet
in the past several days. Increased concern about protests
and public safety prompted Japan to scale back events related
to the Nagano Olympic torch relay. MOFA told Embassy Tokyo
that China needs to understand it is not possible to prevent
demonstrations similar to those in San Francisco and Paris.
End Summary.
2. (C) Foreign Minister Koumura raised Tibet with visiting
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on April 17 and urged
Beijing to engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama "without
any preconditions." Yang responded that the issue of Tibet is
an "internal matter," according to Japanese media reporting.
3. (C) In a rare show of unit across party lines, both
opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) head Ichiro Ozawa
and senior Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP)
representative Shoichi Nakagawa stepped up public criticism
of China's handling of Tibet. On April 17 a group of LDP
conservative politicians, led by Nakagawa, adopted a
resolution criticizing the Chinese government's response to
the situation in Tibet and urged Beijing to improve human
rights. Ozawa also publicly criticized China's response to
Tibet during a speech on April 17. He stated that, "set off
by ethnic issues, the contradictions China holds have now
come into the open. The existence of a communist autocratic
government and political freedom do not go together."
4. (C) Citing concern over public safety and the likelihood
of demonstrations over Tibet, Zenkoji Temple on April 18
announced that it would no longer serve as the starting point
for the Nagano leg of the Beijing Olympic torch relay. The
torch-relay organizing committee is considering changing the
relay route and possibly cutting it short, according to the
press. In addition, approximately 2,000 Nagano police
officers and an additional 800 officers from neighboring
prefectures will be on hard to provide security. Nagano City
also cancelled an event in front of Minami Nagano Sports Park
due to security concerns.
5. (C) Japan has increased security measures and taken steps
to tighten immigration procedures with the aim of preventing
demonstrators from interfering with the April 26 torch relay.
Beijing needs to understand, however, that Japan respects
freedom of speech, and it is not possible to prevent protests
from taking place at the torch relay, MOFA China Division
Principal Deputy Director Kazuya Endo told Embassy Tokyo on
April 17.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM CH JA
SUBJECT: CRITICISM ON CHINA,S RESPONSE TO TIBET ESCALATING
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d).
1. (C) Summary: Foreign Minister Koumura raised Tibet with
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang on April 17, and senior ruling
party and opposition politicians have stepped up public
criticism on China's handling of the demonstrations in Tibet
in the past several days. Increased concern about protests
and public safety prompted Japan to scale back events related
to the Nagano Olympic torch relay. MOFA told Embassy Tokyo
that China needs to understand it is not possible to prevent
demonstrations similar to those in San Francisco and Paris.
End Summary.
2. (C) Foreign Minister Koumura raised Tibet with visiting
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on April 17 and urged
Beijing to engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama "without
any preconditions." Yang responded that the issue of Tibet is
an "internal matter," according to Japanese media reporting.
3. (C) In a rare show of unit across party lines, both
opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) head Ichiro Ozawa
and senior Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP)
representative Shoichi Nakagawa stepped up public criticism
of China's handling of Tibet. On April 17 a group of LDP
conservative politicians, led by Nakagawa, adopted a
resolution criticizing the Chinese government's response to
the situation in Tibet and urged Beijing to improve human
rights. Ozawa also publicly criticized China's response to
Tibet during a speech on April 17. He stated that, "set off
by ethnic issues, the contradictions China holds have now
come into the open. The existence of a communist autocratic
government and political freedom do not go together."
4. (C) Citing concern over public safety and the likelihood
of demonstrations over Tibet, Zenkoji Temple on April 18
announced that it would no longer serve as the starting point
for the Nagano leg of the Beijing Olympic torch relay. The
torch-relay organizing committee is considering changing the
relay route and possibly cutting it short, according to the
press. In addition, approximately 2,000 Nagano police
officers and an additional 800 officers from neighboring
prefectures will be on hard to provide security. Nagano City
also cancelled an event in front of Minami Nagano Sports Park
due to security concerns.
5. (C) Japan has increased security measures and taken steps
to tighten immigration procedures with the aim of preventing
demonstrators from interfering with the April 26 torch relay.
Beijing needs to understand, however, that Japan respects
freedom of speech, and it is not possible to prevent protests
from taking place at the torch relay, MOFA China Division
Principal Deputy Director Kazuya Endo told Embassy Tokyo on
April 17.
SCHIEFFER