TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS AND

UNCLAS TOKYO 003347 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 - INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS AND SIX-PARTY TALKS ¶1. LEAD STORIES: All Wednesday morning Japanese national dailies gave top play to Sony's plans for layoffs. ¶2. "India, Pakistan Remain Calm" The top circulation, moderate Yomiuri wrote (12/10): "Concerns emerged over a possible rise in tension between India and Pakistan in response to the Mumbai terror attacks. However, thanks to U.S. intervention, a rapid deterioration of the situation appears unlikely, as Pakistan has begun cracking down on radicals, including the masterminds behind the attacks, while India has also apparently exercised restraint.... Given that Japanese and other foreign enterprises are moving to review their presence in India following the attacks, India's international image would further decline if military tensions with Pakistan were to escalate. Pakistan is also preoccupied with taking measures to ensure domestic security and to reconstruct its economy." ¶3. "High Expectations for Chinese Arbitration" A correspondent for the liberal Tokyo Shimbun reported from Beijing (12/10): "The six-party head-of-delegation meeting over the North Korean nuclear issue has started with points of dispute still remaining unresolved. As the recent pattern of the U.S. and DPRK taking the lead in negotiations has faltered, China's mediation abilities hold the key to the success of the Beijing round. With expectations also mounting for Russia's role in the talks, Moscow's presence in the framework this time around is more pronounced than before." SCHIEFFER