TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTERIAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002933 SIPDIS DOS/OES FOR HARLAN WATSON AND DREW NELSON NSC FOR PAUL BROWN AND JONATHAN SHRIER CEQ FOR LANDON VAN DYKE DOT FOR LINDA LAWSON AND CAMILLE MITTELHOLTZ FAA FOR CARL BURLESON EPA FOR CHRISTOPHER GRUNDLER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELTN EWWT EAIR PREL AORC JA SUBJECT: TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTERIAL RESCHEDULED TO JANUARY 14-16 REF: A. TOKYO 2778 ¶B. TOKYO 1656 ¶C. TOKYO 2441 TOKYO 00002933 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) will convene the rescheduled Ministerial Conference on Global Environment and Energy in Transport (MEET) January 14-16, 2009 in Tokyo. On October 21, MLIT delivered by fax copies of the following letter from MLIT Minister Kaneko addressed to DOT Secretary Peters and EPA Administrator Johnson. The Japanese Embassy in Washington will deliver the original invitations, according to MLIT. ¶2. Begin text: October 20, 2008 Dear Madam/Sir, It is with great pleasure that I inform you of my appointment as Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on September 29, 2008. Allow me to take this opportunity to present my compliments and convey my deep appreciation for your cooperation in the Ministerial Conference on Global Environment and Energy in Transport (MEET). However, it is regrettable that I must inform you that the MEET originally scheduled from October 22 to 24, has been postponed, due to the unexpected political circumstances in Japan. Please accept my sincere apologies for causing you and your colleagues inconvenience. Today I would like to announce that the MEET will now be held from January 14 to 16, 2009, and I cordially invite you to attend. Please find the revised program attached for your reference. International cooperation aimed at tackling issues in the field of transport, including climate change, energy efficiency and urban air pollution, is urgent and critical. To this end, I would like to join with you to demonstrate our political will toward creating low-carbon and low-pollution transport systems through the MEET. It is my sincere hope that you can participate in the MEET and share your esteemed views and experiences with the other ministers and heads of related international organizations, for the future of this planet we share. The Department of Transportation/The Environmental Protection TOKYO 00002933 002.2 OF 002 Agency, United States of America and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan have maintained close relationships over various areas of transport in the past, and I hope that our mutual cooperation in the run-up to the MEET will further enhance our friendly relationship. I am looking forward to meeting you at the MEET and with you continued good health and prosperity. Sincerely yours, Kazuyoshi Kaneko Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Government of Japan. End text. ¶3. Emboffs had noted earlier to senior MLIT officials that the revised timing could easily prove problematic for the U.S. The MLIT officials, however, responded that the need to work around the Diet schedule -- Japanese ministers need to be available to be called to the Diet whenever it is in session -- precluded other dates for the proposed ministerial. SCHIEFFER