TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - STATUS OF FORCES

UNCLAS TOKYO 001562 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: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT WITH IRAQ AND HIGH OIL PRICES ¶1. LEAD STORIES: There were no papers on Monday morning because of a press holiday. Coverage of Sunday's random stabbings of pedestrians in Tokyo's Akihabara district dominated Monday morning TV news shows. ¶2. "Negotiations Stalled over SOFA with Iraq" The liberal Tokyo Shimbun wrote from Cairo (6/8): "U.S. negotiations with Iraq have snagged on an arrangement intended to enable a continued U.S. military presence there beyond December 31. While the U.S. hopes to seal an accord by the end of July, opposition is mounting in Iraq and among its neighbors in the opinion that such a deal might lead to permanent U.S. bases in Iraq. The issue is likely to become a new source of trouble in Iraq, which has been marred by sectarian strife.... President Maliki, who is anxious to deepen Iraq's ties with neighboring Sunni-controlled governments, hopes to use a continued U.S. military presence to send the message that his government will not be a puppet of Shiite-dominated Iran." ¶3. "Energy Ministerial Fails to Devise Countermeasures" On the energy ministerial held Saturday in Japan among the U.S., Japan, China, South Korea, and India, the top- circulation, moderate Yomiuri argued (6/8): "While the ministerial could have served as a great opportunity to stem the flow of 'hot money' into the oil market, it turned out to highlight the difficulty in achieving unity among oil consumers.... Because of the differing views between developed and developing nations, participants at the ministerial ended up merely agreeing that surging oil prices are a serious concern." SCHIEFFER