Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO1527
2008-06-04 08:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
PARLIAMENTARY GROUP STRONGLY DISCOURAGES DE-LISTING
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001527
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2018/06/03
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR JA KN
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENTARY GROUP STRONGLY DISCOURAGES DE-LISTING
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001527
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2018/06/03
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR JA KN
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENTARY GROUP STRONGLY DISCOURAGES DE-LISTING
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Independent lawmaker Takeo Hiranuma, Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) Diet member Keiji Furuya and the
Democratic Party of Japan's (DPJ) Hiroshi Nakai told the
Ambassador June 3 that the &unprincipled8 de-listing of
North Korea before the abductee issue is resolved might
adversely affect U.S.-Japan relations. Furuya expressed his
concern that the hurdles for de-listing seem to be getting
lower and strongly urged the United States not to make any
concessions to North Korea. Nakai further emphasized that
the majority of Japanese citizens hold this view. End
Summary.
2. (C) Former LDP heavyweight and now independent legislator
Takeo Hiranuma, conservative LDP Diet member Furuya and
Hiroshi Nakai, formerly of the Freedom Party but now a member
of the DPJ, told the Ambassador on June 3 that de-listing
North Korea before the abductees issue is resolved would
"seriously jeopardize8 the US-Japan alliance. They also
delivered a copy of the declaration adopted the previous week
by the League of Parliamentarians for Early Repatriation of
Japanese Citizens Kidnapped by North Korea. In addition to
addressing the abductee issue, the resolution also states
that North Korea must make a "complete and correct" nuclear
declaration. The League consists of 203 Diet members from
both houses for which Hiranuma is chairman, Furuya secretary
general and Nakai acting chairman.
3. (C) Hiranuma explained to the Ambassador that he and six
other Diet members traveled to Washington, DC, last November
and again in May 2008 to convey this message to the
Administration and Congress. He also reported that on June 3
the Diet agreed to continue economic sanctions against North
Korea and to continue to prohibit North Korean ships from
docking in Japanese ports. Only the Social Democratic Party
and the Communist Party oppose these measures, he said.
4. (C) Furuya argued that the delisting of North Korea should
not take place &in an unprincipled way;8 the abductee issue
should be resolved first. He explained that many League
members are very worried that the hurdles allowing the
de-listing of North Korea are becoming lower, and he strongly
urged the United States not to make concessions to North
Korea. Nakai further emphasized that the majority of the
Japanese people hold this view. He appealed to the
Ambassador directly to work to resolve the abductee issue
before de-listing occurs.
5. (C) The Ambassador stressed the President's enduring
interest in the abduction issue and that his strong feelings
on the matter "have not changed." Furthermore, on every
occasion that EAP A/S Chris Hill meets North Korea's Kim
Kye-gwan, A/S Hill raises the abduction issue and underlines
the importance of resolving it. While we continue to make
progress in addressing our nuclear concerns, we will
nevertheless continue to work for the resolution of the
abduction issue, the Ambassador promised.
6. (C) Hiranuma closed the meeting by saying that no Japanese
Diet member believes more strongly than they do in the
US-Japan Alliance and expressed his desire that the abductee
issue not interfere with the bilateral relationship.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2018/06/03
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR JA KN
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENTARY GROUP STRONGLY DISCOURAGES DE-LISTING
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Independent lawmaker Takeo Hiranuma, Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) Diet member Keiji Furuya and the
Democratic Party of Japan's (DPJ) Hiroshi Nakai told the
Ambassador June 3 that the &unprincipled8 de-listing of
North Korea before the abductee issue is resolved might
adversely affect U.S.-Japan relations. Furuya expressed his
concern that the hurdles for de-listing seem to be getting
lower and strongly urged the United States not to make any
concessions to North Korea. Nakai further emphasized that
the majority of Japanese citizens hold this view. End
Summary.
2. (C) Former LDP heavyweight and now independent legislator
Takeo Hiranuma, conservative LDP Diet member Furuya and
Hiroshi Nakai, formerly of the Freedom Party but now a member
of the DPJ, told the Ambassador on June 3 that de-listing
North Korea before the abductees issue is resolved would
"seriously jeopardize8 the US-Japan alliance. They also
delivered a copy of the declaration adopted the previous week
by the League of Parliamentarians for Early Repatriation of
Japanese Citizens Kidnapped by North Korea. In addition to
addressing the abductee issue, the resolution also states
that North Korea must make a "complete and correct" nuclear
declaration. The League consists of 203 Diet members from
both houses for which Hiranuma is chairman, Furuya secretary
general and Nakai acting chairman.
3. (C) Hiranuma explained to the Ambassador that he and six
other Diet members traveled to Washington, DC, last November
and again in May 2008 to convey this message to the
Administration and Congress. He also reported that on June 3
the Diet agreed to continue economic sanctions against North
Korea and to continue to prohibit North Korean ships from
docking in Japanese ports. Only the Social Democratic Party
and the Communist Party oppose these measures, he said.
4. (C) Furuya argued that the delisting of North Korea should
not take place &in an unprincipled way;8 the abductee issue
should be resolved first. He explained that many League
members are very worried that the hurdles allowing the
de-listing of North Korea are becoming lower, and he strongly
urged the United States not to make concessions to North
Korea. Nakai further emphasized that the majority of the
Japanese people hold this view. He appealed to the
Ambassador directly to work to resolve the abductee issue
before de-listing occurs.
5. (C) The Ambassador stressed the President's enduring
interest in the abduction issue and that his strong feelings
on the matter "have not changed." Furthermore, on every
occasion that EAP A/S Chris Hill meets North Korea's Kim
Kye-gwan, A/S Hill raises the abduction issue and underlines
the importance of resolving it. While we continue to make
progress in addressing our nuclear concerns, we will
nevertheless continue to work for the resolution of the
abduction issue, the Ambassador promised.
6. (C) Hiranuma closed the meeting by saying that no Japanese
Diet member believes more strongly than they do in the
US-Japan Alliance and expressed his desire that the abductee
issue not interfere with the bilateral relationship.
SCHIEFFER