JAPAN'S RESPONSE TO UPDATING ARF ON REGIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001995 SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO EAP/RSP KEVIN SHEIVES AND ISN/RA CHARLES MAHAFFEY. E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2018 TAGS: PREL EAID ARF ASEAN PARM JA SUBJECT: JAPAN'S RESPONSE TO UPDATING ARF ON REGIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS REF: STATE 074383 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires James P. Zumwalt for reasons 1.4 (b) a nd (d). ¶1. (C) USAID Counselor and Political Officer delivered Reftel nonpaper to MOFA Foreign Policy Bureau National Security Policy Division Principal Deputy Director Shingo Miyamoto and Deputy Director Kazutoshi Hayashi on July 16. Miyamoto and Hayashi thanked Embassy Tokyo and agreed on the need to enhance ARF's efforts on disaster preparedness. Miyamoto stated that Japan agrees in principal with the nonpaper but expressed concerned about the text on SOFA. ¶2. (C) Miyamoto subsequently told AID Counselor on July 17 that Singapore is currently circulating its "draft chairman's summary" and noted that it contains all of the elements from the USG nonpaper but is briefer. Miyamoto noted that the Singapore summary contains the phrase "explore feasibility of temporary ARF/SOFA template." Since the Singapore Chairman's summary text does not note that the SOFA arrangement would be temporary and applied bilaterally, it will be difficult for ARF members to reach consensus, Miyamoto predicted. MOFA recommends changing it to "arrangements for using status of forces agreements in natural disaster assistance." In addition, MOFA is cautious about using the term "SOFA" due to domestic media sensitivity, Miyamoto stated. Miyamoto also stated that the statement was so brief it lacked clarity and this brevity will likely cause other countries the same concerns that MOFA expressed. ¶3. (C) Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura will head the Japanese delegation. Other Japanese participants will include MOFA Foreign Policy Director-General Chikao Kawai, National Security Policy Director Takeo Mori, Deputy Director Kazutoshi Hayashi and Mayumi Kobayashi. ZUMWALT