JAPAN,S RESPONSE TO SHAPING POST-CYCLONE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001854

SIPDIS

PLEASE PASS TO EAP/MLS AARON COPE.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID BM JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN,S RESPONSE TO SHAPING POST-CYCLONE
ASSISTANCE IN BURMA DEMARCHE

REF: SECSTATE 68527

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joseph R. Donovan for reasons 1.
4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) USAID Counselor and Political Officer delivered reftel
points to MOFA First Assistance Planning Division Director
Kozo Honsei. Japan agrees that the international community
should continue to make clear to the Burmese authorities that
further assistance will depend on full access, transparency,
and accountability, Honsei stated. Japan has been urging
Burma to accept international relief workers and it is
important for donor countries to continue exchanging ideas on
how to most effectively provide assistance to the Burmese.


2. (C) Japan's post-cyclone assistance includes bilateral and
multilateral assistance that is separate from Japan's
assistance through ASEAN, Honsei stated. Japan has allocated
almost seven million dollars of its ten million dollar
commitment for emergency relief following the cyclone. Japan
provided 2.5 million dollars in emergency grant aid for rice
via the World Food Program, 2.7 million dollars for emergency
supplies through UNICEF, and also provided assistance to
UNHCR. Japan is also providing aid through nonprofit
organizations including Japan Platform, Save the Children
Japan, Japan Emergency Network, and Peace Winds Japan, Honsei
explained.


3. (C) Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
conducted an assessment survey on June 22 to July 2 on
salvaging the sunken ships in Rangoon Harbor. Recovering
and/or sinking the ships will be expensive and the cost will
be too high for Japan to shoulder on its own, Honsei noted.
Japan will dispatch a new project funding team to Burma in
July to continue efforts on the harbor recovery project. A
fact-finding team will also be dispatched in mid-July to
assess the need for agricultural, sanitation, water, and
health care assistance. Japan is waiting for the outcome of
the second UN Flash Appeal meeting on July 10 before setting
its aid strategy plan, Honsei explained. Japan is also
holding discussions with UN cluster groups and other
international donors to exchange ideas on how to most
effectively provide assistance, he said.


4. (C) The Japanese government is committed to providing ODA
to Burma, Honsei noted. Japan uses aid to Burma as a tool to
promote democracy and human rights, and if Japan stops
providing ODA, it will lose leverage in Burma, he said.
There is bipartisan support for humanitarian assistance to
Burma and senior politicians, including LDP Diet member Kato
Koichi and Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Haku Shinkun, have
stated that humanitarian aid to Burma is "welcome" and said
"there is no allergy to humanitarian assistance efforts
there," Honsei related. Members of the Burma Democratization
Parliamentary League, headed by senior LDP politician
Tadamori Oshima, agree on the need to provide humanitarian
assistance, he added. There could be opposition to
"reconstruction assistance" to Burma however, because Diet
members have historically disagreed on how to best provide
assistance to facilitate democracy and human rights, Honsei
stated.
SCHIEFFER