STAFFDEL FARRELL--VISIT TO JAPAN 10-13 DECEMBER

UNCLAS TOKYO 003330 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR H; RM/F/DFS/FO/AA/CAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OTRA PREL OREP AFIN JA SUBJECT: STAFFDEL FARRELL--VISIT TO JAPAN 10-13 DECEMBER 2008 REF: STATE 126854 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (U) Embassy warmly welcomes Ms. Alycia Farrell and LTC Michelle Greene for their December 10-13, 2008, visit to Japan. ¶2. (U) Embassy POC for the visit will be Political Officer John Nylin. He can be reached at: Office phone: (81-3)3224-5344 Home phone: (81-3)3224-6859 Mobile phone: (81-80)1202-8406 Fax: (81-3)3224-5322 E-mail: NylinJD@state.gov (unclassified) -------------- Hotel Reservations -------------- ¶3. (U) Hotel reservations have been arranged by USFJ at the New Sanno Hotel, 4-12-20, Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0047; Tel: (81-3) 3440-7871 Fax: (81-3) 3440-7824 -------------- Airport to Hotel Transportation -------------- ¶4. (U) USFJ representatives will meet and assist at the airport. Embassy POC will meet at the New Sanno on arrival day to furnish per diem. -------------- Visa -------------- ¶5. (U) U.S. citizens entering or transiting Japan on official business must obtain a diplomatic or official visa for that purpose. U.S. citizens traveling with a valid U.S. passport can enter Japan for business or pleasure for up to 90 days without a visa. All foreign nationals entering Japan, with the exemption of certain categories, are required to have their fingerprints scanned and a facial photograph taken at the port of entry. This requirement does not replace any existing visa or passport requirements. U.S. travelers on official business must have a diplomatic or official visa specifying the nature of travel as "AS DIPLOMAT," "AS OFFICIAL," or "IN TRANSIT" to be exempt from biometric collection. All other visa holders, including those with diplomatic and official visas stating "AS TEMPORARY VISITOR," are subject to this requirement. Passport type is also irrelevant. In rare instances, official travelers who bring a Note Verbale specifying they are entering Japan in an official capacity may be exempted from the biometric collection requirement, if otherwise required. SOFA personnel are exempt under SOFA Article 9 (2) from the new biometrics entry requirements. -------------- Embassy Laptop Policy -------------- 
¶6. (U) The Embassy's electronic device (i.e. laptop, removable storage, video equipment, test equipment, etc.) policy states that absolutely no personal, non-government owned electronic devices may enter the Embassy. Absolutely no equipment, even government-owned, may be connected to the Embassy network in any way without prior approval. TDY employees are reminded that even government-owned equipment may not enter the Embassy without prior RSO approval. Absolutely no electronic device, even government-owned, may enter the CAA unless special pre-approval is given by the RSO, based on a compelling business need. Please be advised that if the traveler does not have one of the following BlackBerry models and a service contract with one of the telecommunications companies (listing follows),then his/her BlackBerry will not work in Japan. Japan has the most advanced cellular industry in the world and BlackBerry protocols are not as advanced as what are being used in Japan today. (BlackBerry models: 8707G, H, V or U.S. Telecommunications Companies with a NTT/DoCoMo roaming agreement: Sprint/Nextel, ATT/Cingular, and T-Mobile)If you would like to bring a U.S. government-owned electronic device into the Embassy, please contact the RSO office (provide make, model, serial number, and purpose) prior to your visit for a briefing and approval. -------------- Threat Assessment -------------- ¶7. (U) U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. As the U.S. Government has reported in public announcements over the last several months, U.S. citizens and interests abroad may be at increased risk of terrorist actions from extremist groups, which may target civilians and include suicide operations. The Department maintains information about potential threats to Americans overseas which is available to travelers on the internet at the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page: http://www.travel.state.gov. The Embassy takes all threats seriously. U.S. Embassy Tokyo can be contacted 24 hours a day at 03-3224-5000 (locally) or 81-3-3224-5000 (internationally). ¶8. (SBU) The general threat from crime in Tokyo and throughout Japan is low. Crime is at levels well below the U.S. national average. Violent crime is rare, but does exist. The Japanese National Police report continued problems with pick-pocketing of foreigners in crowded shopping areas of Tokyo. Although street crime is low, common sense security measures are advised for all American citizens traveling in Japan. ¶9. (U) Also be advised that under no circumstances may weapons be brought into Japan. Carrying a pocketknife (including Swiss Army-style knife, craft or hunting knife, box cutter, etc.) in public is forbidden. Under Japanese law, carrying any such item in public, with a size exceeding 8 cm in length, 1.5 cm in width or 2 mm in thickness, can subject the person to arrest or detention. SCHIEFFER