Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO2001
2008-07-18 08:35:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
LITTLE GOJ RESPONSE TO MASSIVE FISHERMEN'S STRIKE
VZCZCXRO0610 PP RUEHAST RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHTM DE RUEHKO #2001 2000835 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 180835Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5962 INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4458 RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 1221 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2431 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0448 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 8946 RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 7156 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 1320 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2675 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 9529 RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 0031 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 7088 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC RUCPDC/NOAA NMFS WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS TOKYO 002001
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/OMC (BILL GIBBONS-FRY AND DAVID HOGAN),
OEC/OMC (HOLLY KOEHLER),AND EAP/J
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIS ETRD SENV JA
SUBJECT: LITTLE GOJ RESPONSE TO MASSIVE FISHERMEN'S STRIKE
UNCLAS TOKYO 002001
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/OMC (BILL GIBBONS-FRY AND DAVID HOGAN),
OEC/OMC (HOLLY KOEHLER),AND EAP/J
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIS ETRD SENV JA
SUBJECT: LITTLE GOJ RESPONSE TO MASSIVE FISHERMEN'S STRIKE
1. (SBU) The GOJ has offered little in response to July 15's
nationwide one-day fishermen's strike, in which about 200,000
boats from all Japan's major fishing unions stopped
operations to draw public and government attention to rising
fuel costs. Prime Minister Fukuda was quoted in the July 16
Nikkei Shimbun newspaper saying his administration would take
"further measures" to counteract rising oil prices, but the
GOJ has not proposed anything specifically for the fishing
industry. Officials quoted in the press referred only to the
general 215 billion yen already budgeted for consumer and
business relief against surging fuel costs.
2. (SBU) Emboffs discussed the strike with Yoshiaki
Michishita from the secretariat of the Nationwide Federation
of Japan Fisheries Cooperatives (Zengyoren). Michishita said
after Zengyoren representatives met the METI, Finance and
Agriculture/Fisheries ministers, Chief Cabinet Secretary
Machimura and ruling Liberal Democratic Party officials, the
organization felt the government understood the pain Japanese
fishermen feel as a result of rising fuel costs.
Nevertheless, he agreed the government has not responded with
anything specific. Michishita said rising fuel costs hit the
industry uniquely hard: since Japan,s wholesale fish market
operates in an auction system, it is difficult for fishermen
to pass higher costs to consumers and increasing numbers have
plunged into the red.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: The demands Zengyoren laid out in its
meeting with the GOJ, which were joined by the Japan
Fisheries Association against the background of a rally of
about 3000 fishermen in a park in downtown Tokyo, included
compensation for fuel costs, new taxes to sustain fishing
operations, and ensuring a reliable fuel supply through
controlling speculation in the oil market and other measures.
Realistically, Zengyoren is asking for much more than the
GOJ can do to ameliorate the rising cost of oil -- a global
change with no end in sight -- on one industry. END COMMENT.
ZUMWALT
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/OMC (BILL GIBBONS-FRY AND DAVID HOGAN),
OEC/OMC (HOLLY KOEHLER),AND EAP/J
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIS ETRD SENV JA
SUBJECT: LITTLE GOJ RESPONSE TO MASSIVE FISHERMEN'S STRIKE
1. (SBU) The GOJ has offered little in response to July 15's
nationwide one-day fishermen's strike, in which about 200,000
boats from all Japan's major fishing unions stopped
operations to draw public and government attention to rising
fuel costs. Prime Minister Fukuda was quoted in the July 16
Nikkei Shimbun newspaper saying his administration would take
"further measures" to counteract rising oil prices, but the
GOJ has not proposed anything specifically for the fishing
industry. Officials quoted in the press referred only to the
general 215 billion yen already budgeted for consumer and
business relief against surging fuel costs.
2. (SBU) Emboffs discussed the strike with Yoshiaki
Michishita from the secretariat of the Nationwide Federation
of Japan Fisheries Cooperatives (Zengyoren). Michishita said
after Zengyoren representatives met the METI, Finance and
Agriculture/Fisheries ministers, Chief Cabinet Secretary
Machimura and ruling Liberal Democratic Party officials, the
organization felt the government understood the pain Japanese
fishermen feel as a result of rising fuel costs.
Nevertheless, he agreed the government has not responded with
anything specific. Michishita said rising fuel costs hit the
industry uniquely hard: since Japan,s wholesale fish market
operates in an auction system, it is difficult for fishermen
to pass higher costs to consumers and increasing numbers have
plunged into the red.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: The demands Zengyoren laid out in its
meeting with the GOJ, which were joined by the Japan
Fisheries Association against the background of a rally of
about 3000 fishermen in a park in downtown Tokyo, included
compensation for fuel costs, new taxes to sustain fishing
operations, and ensuring a reliable fuel supply through
controlling speculation in the oil market and other measures.
Realistically, Zengyoren is asking for much more than the
GOJ can do to ameliorate the rising cost of oil -- a global
change with no end in sight -- on one industry. END COMMENT.
ZUMWALT