TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - JAPAN-ROK TERRITORIAL

UNCLAS TOKYO 002114 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 - JAPAN-ROK TERRITORIAL ROW ¶1. LEAD STORIES: All Friday morning papers led with Prime Minister Fukuda's decision to shuffle his cabinet today. ¶2. "U.S Should Provide Convincing Explanation" On the USG decision to reinstate an earlier description of the Liancourt Rocks in the Sea of Japan as South Korean territory, the liberal Mainichi argued in an editorial (8/1): "This is a matter connected to national sovereignty. It should not be treated as a 'gift' to South Korea from President Bush. Washington's expedient approach is unacceptable.... The reinstatement of the description was reportedly made after President Bush instructed Secretary of State Rice to look into the matter. If this is the case, doubts will inevitably arise as to whether the President and the Secretary correctly understand the magnitude of the issue.... If the U.S. insists that it will not side with either Japan or South Korea, it should explain its neutral position with clear-cut wording, rather than playing around with statements on a website." ¶3. "Mature Response Called for on ROK's Part" The conservative Sankei insisted in an editorial (8/1): "It is a matter of course for any party involved in a territorial dispute to present its case in its schools. South Korea has done this.... That is why Japan, though not pleased with South Korea's unilateral control of the disputed islets and having protested it, has never tried to stir up a nationwide movement, nor has it stalled diplomatic relations. A mature state would not do these things." ¶4. "South Korea Urged to Exercise Restraint" The liberal Tokyo Shimbun editorialized (7/1): "...It is regrettable that South Korean society, incited by the government, is engulfed with anti-Japanese sentiment.... It is more important than ever for Japan and South Korea to cooperate in order to create a stable order in Northeast Asia. Both countries will lose greatly if they remain at odds over an issue that cannot be resolved in the near future. At any rate, America's opportunism went too far.... The U.S. maintains that it is neutral on the territorial dispute, but it would be more accurate to say that it has no fixed principles. To recall, a USG letter addressed to the ROK government in 1951 stated clearly that Takeshima was not included in the Korean territory that Japan surrendered as part of the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty." SCHIEFFER