TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - G8 SUMMIT AND ZIMBABWE

UNCLAS TOKYO 001865 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 - G8 SUMMIT AND ZIMBABWE ¶1. LEAD STORIES: Most Tuesday morning papers gave top play to the start of the G8 summit on Monday in Toyako, Hokkaido, during which African leaders urged the G8 nations to take action on soaring oil and food prices. ¶2. "G8 Summit Should Serve as Starting Point for African Self-Reliance" The liberal Mainichi editorialized (7/8): "...It is important for the countries of Africa to free themselves from a structure that prevents them from being self-reliant. On this point, it is necessary for both major industrialized nations and African countries to commit themselves to setting mid- and long-term goals for promoting African self-reliance and an increase in food production. The G8 members must fulfill the promises they make at this summit.... We hope the Toyako summit will serve as a starting point for African self-reliance." ¶3. "How to Stop Soaring Food Prices?" The moderate Yomiuri wrote in its editorial (7/8): "This is the first time for a G8 summit to take up food issues, a welcome development.... It is worrisome, though, that any measures to come from the G8 summit to deal with rising oil and food prices will be unlikely to take effect immediately. Along those lines, it is becoming increasingly important to clean up the fallout from the subprime loan mess and prop up the dollar, as these are two factors related to the spike in oil and food prices. Although the U.S. supports a strong dollar, trust in the U.S. economy has been declining, and the dollar continues to depreciate. The U.S. has a responsibility to stabilize the dollar and rebuild its economy." ¶4. "G8 Should Address Market Concerns" The business- oriented Nikkei editorialized (7/8): "In addition to mid- and long-term goals on climate change, adopting measures to stabilize the world economy is another pressing issue for the G8 summit. Leaders of the G8 nations need to show a clear path in order to alleviate the anxieties in global markets." ¶5. "Tyranny in Zimbabwe Should Not Be Ignored" The liberal Asahi editorialized (7/8): "...Although President Mugabe forcibly declared victory in the recent presidential election, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon criticized him by saying that the outcome of the election did not reflect the true and genuine will of the Zimbabwean people or produce a legitimate result. The recent G8 foreign ministerial issued a statement denying the legitimacy of the election results. That was the correct move.... The tyranny of the Mugabe regime should not be ignored. The UN Security Council will soon begin deliberations on a sanctions resolution. We hope the G8 will also clearly condemn Mugabe." SCHIEFFER