Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO258
2008-01-31 08:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
JAPAN POSITIVE ON GREATER CHINA/INDIA ENERGY
how-toVZCZCXRO5847 PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #0258/01 0310850 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 310850Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1419 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1441 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1337 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0397 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 2516 RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 4331 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1954 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 0480 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 2100 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 8443 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 9608 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 5967 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 0271 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 2046 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 7504 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 5844 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 8240 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 9511 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 6452 RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3235 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 6878 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 8140 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000258
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR USOECD AND IEA
NSC FOR TONG AND BROWN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2018
TAGS: ENRG SENV PREL ETRD JA CH IN
SUBJECT: JAPAN POSITIVE ON GREATER CHINA/INDIA ENERGY
ENGAGEMENT
REF: 07 TOKYO 5678
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000258
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR USOECD AND IEA
NSC FOR TONG AND BROWN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2018
TAGS: ENRG SENV PREL ETRD JA CH IN
SUBJECT: JAPAN POSITIVE ON GREATER CHINA/INDIA ENERGY
ENGAGEMENT
REF: 07 TOKYO 5678
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary. Japan believes India and China need to be
brought into the International Energy Agency (IEA),MOFA
Economic Affairs Director-General Yoichi Otabe told visiting
EEB DAS for Energy and Sanctions Hengel, even if it means
that they do so without first becoming members of the OECD.
Japan recognizes a move to bring in the two major energy
consumers might require changes in IEA rules, something that
could also mean changes in the current weighted voting system
that favors the U.S. and Japan. Japan will invite Korea,
Indonesia, and Australia in addition to the Outreach Five
(Mexico, Brazil, China, India, and South Africa) to the July
G-8 Summit in Hokkaido, but rejects a permanent expansion of
the G-8. Otabe said the GOJ supports the Extractive Industry
Transparency Initiative (EITI),but stressed China and India
must be convinced to adhere to its principles. End Summary.
2. (C) Japan could accept a U.S. proposal to find a way for
China and India to work more closely with the IEA without
first joining the OECD, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
Economic Affairs Director-General and G-8 Sous-Sherpa Yoichi
Otabe told EEB DAS Doug Hengel January 23. The IEA has made
some progress in its outreach to China and India, most
notably in persuading them to stockpile oil to protect
against supply disruptions. More can be done, however, to
engage the two emerging nations on overall energy policy,
Otabe stated.
3. (C) Otabe believes rewriting the International Energy
Program's (IEP) rules which govern the IEA will pose the
greatest challenge to creating closer ties between the IEA
and China and India. The rules state all IEA members must
also be members of the OECD. China is not a democracy,
however, so it cannot join the OECD Otabe asserted. He
observed if the IEP were amended to allow non-OECD membership
in the IEA, it may affect the weighted voting rights that
favor the U.S. and Japan. DAS Hengel agreed the process will
be complicated, but the rising importance of China and India
in world energy markets necessitates engagement with the IEA
as early as possible. Hengel informed Otabe of the U.S.
plans to make a proposal regarding this issue at the IEA
board meeting in March.
Outreach Five Plus Three for G-8
--------------
4. (C) Japan plans to invite Korea, Indonesia, and Australia
in addition to the Outreach Five (India, China, South Africa,
Brazil, Mexico) to participate at various points in the G-8
process, including the Hokkaido Summit, Otabe continued. He
said the suggestion by French President Nikolas Sarkozy to
enlarge the G-8 to become the "G-13" by permanently including
the Outreach Five was unacceptable, as is the call for a
separate meeting in Hokkaido solely between G-8 members and
the O-5. Otabe said the GOJ will invite IEA Executive
Director Nobuo Tanaka to attend the G-8 Energy Ministerial
and is considering inviting OECD Secretary-General Angel
Gurria. Inviting Gurria could become a "headache" given his
"irrational" calls to enlarge the G8 to a G17, Otabe laughed.
TOKYO 00000258 002 OF 002
EITI
--------------
5. (C) DAS Hengel raised the Extractive Industry Transparency
Initiative (EITI). Otabe said Japan supports the initiative,
but has not been proactive in advancing its implementation
because Japan's companies are not major players in the
extraction sector. He noted it is important to convince
China and India to commit to the EITI principles. Otabe
believes the international community should engage China and
India through all possible channels on the EITI and suggested
raising it either in the G-8 Energy Ministers meeting or the
G-8 Development Ministers meeting.
7. (U) DAS Hengel cleared this cabel subsequent to his return
to Washington.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PARIS FOR USOECD AND IEA
NSC FOR TONG AND BROWN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2018
TAGS: ENRG SENV PREL ETRD JA CH IN
SUBJECT: JAPAN POSITIVE ON GREATER CHINA/INDIA ENERGY
ENGAGEMENT
REF: 07 TOKYO 5678
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary. Japan believes India and China need to be
brought into the International Energy Agency (IEA),MOFA
Economic Affairs Director-General Yoichi Otabe told visiting
EEB DAS for Energy and Sanctions Hengel, even if it means
that they do so without first becoming members of the OECD.
Japan recognizes a move to bring in the two major energy
consumers might require changes in IEA rules, something that
could also mean changes in the current weighted voting system
that favors the U.S. and Japan. Japan will invite Korea,
Indonesia, and Australia in addition to the Outreach Five
(Mexico, Brazil, China, India, and South Africa) to the July
G-8 Summit in Hokkaido, but rejects a permanent expansion of
the G-8. Otabe said the GOJ supports the Extractive Industry
Transparency Initiative (EITI),but stressed China and India
must be convinced to adhere to its principles. End Summary.
2. (C) Japan could accept a U.S. proposal to find a way for
China and India to work more closely with the IEA without
first joining the OECD, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
Economic Affairs Director-General and G-8 Sous-Sherpa Yoichi
Otabe told EEB DAS Doug Hengel January 23. The IEA has made
some progress in its outreach to China and India, most
notably in persuading them to stockpile oil to protect
against supply disruptions. More can be done, however, to
engage the two emerging nations on overall energy policy,
Otabe stated.
3. (C) Otabe believes rewriting the International Energy
Program's (IEP) rules which govern the IEA will pose the
greatest challenge to creating closer ties between the IEA
and China and India. The rules state all IEA members must
also be members of the OECD. China is not a democracy,
however, so it cannot join the OECD Otabe asserted. He
observed if the IEP were amended to allow non-OECD membership
in the IEA, it may affect the weighted voting rights that
favor the U.S. and Japan. DAS Hengel agreed the process will
be complicated, but the rising importance of China and India
in world energy markets necessitates engagement with the IEA
as early as possible. Hengel informed Otabe of the U.S.
plans to make a proposal regarding this issue at the IEA
board meeting in March.
Outreach Five Plus Three for G-8
--------------
4. (C) Japan plans to invite Korea, Indonesia, and Australia
in addition to the Outreach Five (India, China, South Africa,
Brazil, Mexico) to participate at various points in the G-8
process, including the Hokkaido Summit, Otabe continued. He
said the suggestion by French President Nikolas Sarkozy to
enlarge the G-8 to become the "G-13" by permanently including
the Outreach Five was unacceptable, as is the call for a
separate meeting in Hokkaido solely between G-8 members and
the O-5. Otabe said the GOJ will invite IEA Executive
Director Nobuo Tanaka to attend the G-8 Energy Ministerial
and is considering inviting OECD Secretary-General Angel
Gurria. Inviting Gurria could become a "headache" given his
"irrational" calls to enlarge the G8 to a G17, Otabe laughed.
TOKYO 00000258 002 OF 002
EITI
--------------
5. (C) DAS Hengel raised the Extractive Industry Transparency
Initiative (EITI). Otabe said Japan supports the initiative,
but has not been proactive in advancing its implementation
because Japan's companies are not major players in the
extraction sector. He noted it is important to convince
China and India to commit to the EITI principles. Otabe
believes the international community should engage China and
India through all possible channels on the EITI and suggested
raising it either in the G-8 Energy Ministers meeting or the
G-8 Development Ministers meeting.
7. (U) DAS Hengel cleared this cabel subsequent to his return
to Washington.
SCHIEFFER