TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA

UNCLAS TOKYO 003374 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 - NORTH KOREA ¶1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Friday morning included a decision on Thursday by the ruling coalition not to specify when to raise the consumption tax in its tax system reform outline for fiscal 2009. ¶2. "North Korea's Offensive Attitude Should Not Be Allowed" The moderate Yomiuri editorialized (12/12): "...The six-party talks, which were held for the first time in five months, ended without producing a document stipulating details concerning the verification of North Korea's nuclear programs. This lack of progress was unavoidable given North Korea's lack of interest in accepting verification. It is important for the six-party process not to allow North Korea to make any excuses by putting a clear and strict verification framework into writing. We should not make an easy compromise in order to reach a hasty agreement.... The U.S. should reformulate its strategy toward North Korea under the Obama administration and negotiate with Pyongyang in a firm manner.... The U.S. may have tried to move the six-party process forward by delisting North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, but Pyongyang duped Washington by refusing to agree to verification. We have to say that the U.S. was too naive in its talks with North Korea." SCHIEFFER