TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA

UNCLAS TOKYO 001602 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 - NORTH KOREA ¶1. LEAD STORIES: Most Thursday morning papers gave top play to the passage on Wednesday in the opposition- controlled Upper House of a nonbinding censure motion against Prime Minister Fukuda. ¶2. "Hasty Delisting Dangerous" The conservative Sankei editorialized (5/12): "...North Korea issued a statement reaffirming its opposition to all forms of terrorism and any support for it. This is one of the conditions the U.S. has attached to its delisting the DPRK as a state sponsor of terrorism. Although some officials at the State Department welcomed the statement, North Korea does not appear to be seriously considering ending its support for terrorists. Pyongyang's move looks to be no more than a ploy to get Washington to delist it.... The U.S. has said that North Korea's complete and correct declaration of its nuclear programs and its disablement of nuclear facilities are necessary for delisting. The U.S. Congress last month approved an amendment to the Arms Export Control Act that places stricter conditions on delisting. We would like to ask the U.S. not to advance the process of delisting based on Pyongyang's recent antiterrorism statement, which provides no guarantee." SCHIEFFER