JAPAN PREPARED TO SUBSCRIBE TO WELLINGTON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000347 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2016 TAGS: PREL NATO JA SUBJECT: JAPAN PREPARED TO SUBSCRIBE TO WELLINGTON DECLARATION ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS Classified By: Charge d' Affaires Joseph R. Donovan. Reasons 1.4 (B) ( D) ¶1. (C) Summary. Japanese authorities will subscribe to the Wellington Declaration on cluster munitions (CM) if the parties attending the New Zealand meeting agree to treat as relevant four Japanese proposals which Tokyo will present at the April Dublin Diplomatic Conference, Foreign Ministry officials tell Embassy Tokyo. Dublin Conference participants would not/not be required to adopt the proposals - only to consider them. Japanese officials stress, however, that Japan's basic position on CM has not changed - Tokyo will not support a ban on CM and will not agree to any treaty that negatively impacts United States-Japan security arrangements. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On February 8, Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Science Department Deputy Director-General Masatoshi Shimbo related to Embassy Tokyo Political-Minister Counselor Japan's position on the draft declaration that will be discussed at the Wellington Conference on Cluster Munitions, to be held February 18-22 in New Zealand. Shimbo said that proponents of the Oslo process were prepared to "put Japan to a test" at the Wellington meeting. If Tokyo did not subscribe to the Wellington Declaration, Japan would not be invited to the follow on Dublin meeting in April. ¶3. (C) As a result, Shimbo continued, Japanese authorities were "on the verge of making a decision" that would permit Japan to subscribe to the Wellington document. Shimbo opined that wording in the final sentence contained in the last paragraph at the bottom of page one of the text constituted a "saving clause" that would allow Japan flexibility to embrace the declaration. (Note: The clause reads "together with other relevant proposals which may be put forward there." ¶4. (C) Drawing on the opening provided by the "saving clause," Tokyo was prepared to subscribe to the Wellington Declaration if the parties attending the New Zealand meeting would agree to treat as relevant at the April Dublin Diplomatic Conference four Japanese proposals: -- Prohibit the use of unreliable and inaccurate cluster munitions. -- Establish a "reasonable" transition period (regarding the use of CM). -- Consider interoperability with Allies who are not parties to the Oslo process. -- Implement an immediate ban on production, development, and transfer of unreliable and inaccurate CM. ¶5. (C) According to Shimbo, the decision to subscribe to the Wellington Declaration - conditioned on an agreement to treat the four proposals as relevant - had been approved at the Director-General levels at the foreign and defense ministries, but had not yet been approved by the respective ministers or by the Prime Minister's office. Following the meeting, however, Conventional Arms Division Director Ryuichi Hirano said the proposal would "probably be accepted." ¶6. (C) Hirano emphasized that Tokyo was prepared to subscribe to the Wellington Declaration simply on the condition that the Oslo participants agree to consider the four proposals at the Dublin meeting. The Dublin Conference participants would not/not be required to adopt the proposals - only to consider them. Tokyo was prepared to subscribe even if the proposals were not adopted. ¶7. (C) Shimbo stressed that Japan's basic position on CM had TOKYO 00000347 002 OF 002 not changed - Tokyo would not support a ban on CM and would not agree to any treaty that negatively impacted United States-Japan security arrangements. The DDG said that as the United States did not intend to send a delegation to the Wellington Conference, Tokyo wished to advise Washington of Japan's planned approach so as to avoid the perception that Tokyo had reversed its position on CM. Hirano drew attention to the fact that the Wellington Declaration itself does not ban CM. However, Wellington participants will consider a Draft Cluster Munitions Convention, and propose that the draft CM convention be put forward "as the basic proposal for consideration at the Dublin Diplomatic Conference." DONOVAN