TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - NATO DEFENSE

UNCLAS TOKYO 000334 SIPDIS 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 - NATO DEFENSE MINISTERIAL ¶1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Friday morning include the arrest of a former sumo stable master in connection with the fatal beating of a 17-year-old wrestler last June. ¶2. "How to Repair Discord within NATO" The top- circulation, moderate-Yomiuri's correspondent reported from Vilnius (2/8): "An informal NATO defense ministerial began in Lithuania on Thursday. As discord has emerged within the organization over the deployment of additional troops to southern Afghanistan, there is concern that the ministerial may not be able to present a plan for long-term efforts to stabilize Afghanistan. Secretary of State Rice and British Foreign Minister SIPDIS Miliband flew to Afghanistan together with no advance notice. The unusual visit was timed to coincide with the opening of the ministerial and appears to be aimed at playing up the importance of stabilization efforts to NATO members.... NATO has embarked on an unprecedented out-of-area military operation on the assumption that the threat of terrorism cannot be contained if the organization restricts its activities to Europe. However, a large gap among members has emerged." DONOVAN