ATTORNEY GENERAL MUKASEY'S MEETING WITH MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001637 SIPDIS JUSTICE FOR CEOS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV KCRM KOCI PHUM JA SUBJECT: ATTORNEY GENERAL MUKASEY'S MEETING WITH MINISTER OF JUSTICE HATOYAMA Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d). -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Attorney General Mukasey and Justice Minister Hatoyama discussed in a June 12 meeting the prospects for Japanese ratification of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Council of Europe Cyber Crime Convention. Hatoyama briefed on the status of Japan's child pornography legislation, which he expects will pass the Diet in the fall, as well as the new biometric immigration system. Attorney General Mukasey urged Japan to participate in the FBI's fingerprint exchange program and called for increased cooperation on information sharing and information security between the two governments. End Summary. -------------- UNCTOC/CYBER CRIME CONVENTION -------------- ¶2. (C) On June 12, Attorney General Michael Mukasey met bilaterally for 30 minutes with Japanese Minister of Justice Kunio Hatoyama on the margins of the G-8 Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial in Tokyo. Hatoyama informed Attorney General Mukasey that Japan has not yet ratified the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNCTOC) and the Council of Europe Cybercrime Convention, but that he hopes the Diet will soon ratify both conventions. Japan has an obligation to the international community and its failure to ratify the conventions risks leaving a significant gap in the international community's network for crime prevention. Progress is slow due to obstruction by the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),but the Secretary General of the party -- who happens to be his brother -- understands the issue and should be helpful in achieving ratification, Hatoyama said. ¶3. (C) Attorney General Mukasey acknowledged Japan's political situation and agrees that the delay in Japan's ratification of the conventions leaves a conspicuous gap. To that end, he offered to provide as much information and assistance from the U.S. Government as possible to help secure ratification. -------------- CHILD PORNOGRAPHY LEGISLATION -------------- ¶4. (C) Hatoyama briefed Attorney General Mukasey on the status of the bill to amend Japan's child pornography laws, stating that the ruling coalition parties submitted to the Diet on June 10, a draft legislation which bans and penalizes simple possession of child pornography. Hatoyama said the Diet had questioned him about the Ambassador's comments to the press on the issue, to which he responded that he agrees completely with penalizing simple possession. Owing in part to the Ambassador's efforts, Hatoyama expressed cautious optimism that the bill will be passed into law in the fall Diet session. Attorney General Mukasey applauded Japan's efforts and stated that he is grateful for, but not surprised by, the Ambassador's role on the issue. As every depiction of child pornography is a crime against a child, the passage of the bill will ultimately be a great source of relief for all involved, Mukasey said. -------------- JAPAN'S BIOMETRIC SYSTEM -------------- ¶5. (C) Hatoyama expressed appreciation for the U.S. Government's assistance and guidance in developing Japan's new biometric immigration system. 4.5 million foreigners have entered Japan since the biometric system's launch six months ago, with 450 travelers refused entry. Attorney General Mukasey urged Japan to join more than 40 other countries in participating in the FBI's foreign fingerprint TOKYO 00001637 002 OF 002 exchange program. The innovative hit/no-hit system allows one country to send fingerprints of an individual in question to another and query the existence of any derogatory information. The system also guarantees the protection of all personal information. Hatoyama acknowledged the utility of such system, stressing that privacy concerns, while important, are outweighed by safety and security issues. Japan's biometric system provides no information on first-time visitors to Japan, which is a serious shortfall. He recommended that working-level experts from both countries iron out the technical details. -------------- INFORMATION SHARING/INFORMATION SECURITY -------------- ¶6. (C) Attorney General Mukasey underscored the importance of improved information sharing between the United States and Japan, as well as bilateral cooperation on information security. Information sharing and the protection of classified information, particularly with respect to terrorist watchlists, will become increasingly important as it gets closer to the G-8 Summit. ¶7. (U) Attorney General Mukasey has cleared this message. SCHIEFFER