DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN URGES U.S. LEADERSHIP IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 003270 SIPDIS STATE FOR IO, G, EUR, EEB, EAP/J, EAP/EP STATE ALSO FOR G, EAP/J, OES/EGC: (HWATSON AND TTALLEY) USDOE FOR S-3, RMARLAY, SRUEN EPA FOR CGRUNDLER NSC FOR CCONNORS, JSHRIER, JLOI USDOC FOR NOAA CLIMATE CHANGE OFFICE STHURSTON USDOT FOR LLAWSON, CMITTELHOLTZ DEPT PASS CEQ FOR LVANDYKE, JCONNAUGHTON FAA FOR CARL BURLESON PASS TO USAID E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2013 TAGS: SENV KGHG PREL ENRG JA SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN URGES U.S. LEADERSHIP IN UNFCCC CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS REF: TOKYO 3158 TOKYO 00003270 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Key Diet Members from Japan's main opposition party hope for increased U.S. leadership in UNFCCC climate negotiations under the new Administration. At the same time they are concerned the financial crisis may undermine U.S. resolve to confront climate change. They reiterated Japan's position of seeking meaningful participation from all major economies in a post-Kyoto climate framework. The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which controls Japan's Upper House and maintains strong pressure on PM Aso's LDP-led coalition, has a draft bill calling for introducing an emissions trading regime in 2010, adopting a global warming tax, and adopting a target of cutting Japan's greenhouse gasses by more than 25% from 1990 levels by 2020 and by more than 60% as soon as possible before 2050. The party also wants to increase the share of renewable energy to 10% of Japan's total primary energy supply by 2020. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Katsuya Okada, former President and current Vice President of the DPJ and Chair of the party's Global Warming Countermeasures Headquarters, told EMIN that climate change was one of the three pillars of President-elect Obama's acceptance speech, which he interpreted as a sign of the Obama Administration's seriousness in addressing climate change. Okada expressed reservations, however, that the current financial crisis in the U.S. may make Democrats reluctant to enact strong measures to confront global warming. ¶3. (C) In regard to increased international participation in a post-Kyoto framework, Okada said the current stalemate in which the U.S. and China are each waiting for the other to make binding commitments is unacceptable. He argued the U.S. needs to show leadership in this area. Regarding reports of concerns in Congress over various aspects of the international climate change debate, Okada said it is the Administration's role to build consensus among competing constituents. ¶4. (C) Okada said former PM Fukuda made good faith efforts to address climate change despite facing strong pressure from Keidanren, Japan's leading industrial/business association, and especially, the power generation and steel industries. Okada believes PM Aso is not as serious about climate change. (Note: This statement tracks with Special Advisor to the Cabinet Matsuyoshi Nishimura's comment that he had never spoken with Aso as of early November, despite Nishimura's position as the PM's personal representative on international climate negotiations. End Note.) ¶5. (C) In a meeting with EMIN, DPJ shadow environmental minister Tomiko Okazaki and Secretary General for the DPJ's Global Warming Measures Headquarters Tetsuro Fukuyama echoed Okada's sense that the new Administration would take a different role in global climate negotiations. Fukuyama said the first steps by the Obama Administration would have a big effect on the attitude of China and India regarding their participation in a post-Kyoto framework. He added that a visit he made to China in July had convinced him the Chinese were confident of making significant changes to their climate TOKYO 00003270 002.2 OF 002 policies in the next five years. ¶6. (C) Okazaki and Fukuyama also expressed concerns that the economic situation in the U.S. could undermine efforts to take strong actions to confront global warming. However, Fukuyama noted the economic turmoil also presented unique opportunities for U.S.-Japan cooperation in investment in new technologies that could prove to be "winners" when the economy improves. Okazaki closed the meeting by expressing her hopes the DPJ and the Democratic Party in the U.S. would be in closer communication on these and other issues in the coming years. SCHIEFFER