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