Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO516
2008-02-27 05:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
JAPAN MULTI-PARTY DIET DELEGATION FINDS IMPROVED
how-toVZCZCXRO8045 OO RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #0516/01 0580533 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 270533Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2056 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1889 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 2139 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 7952 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 6318 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 8713 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 9985 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 6923 RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG PRIORITY 0604 RHMFISS/USFJ PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 8539 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000516
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV JA KN
SUBJECT: JAPAN MULTI-PARTY DIET DELEGATION FINDS IMPROVED
TOKYO-SEOUL TIES
REF: TOKYO 0232
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000516
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV JA KN
SUBJECT: JAPAN MULTI-PARTY DIET DELEGATION FINDS IMPROVED
TOKYO-SEOUL TIES
REF: TOKYO 0232
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)
1. (C) Summary. A Japanese multi-party Diet delegation that
visited the ROK on February 11 discovered that Tokyo-Seoul
relations continue to improve and that ROK President Lee
Myung-bak appears ready to develop bilateral ties in a
"future-oriented manner," a leading Diet official told
Embassy Tokyo. The Tokyo parliamentary group sensed that
South Koreans were interested in three main issues:
increasing the pace of DPRK denuclearization, improving
bilateral economic relations, and concluding a free trade
agreement with Japan. The Diet members group is formed by
rivals of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and reportedly shares
the view that placing priority on abductions rather than
denuclearization is mistaken. One Japanese delegation member
hinted that the multi-party Diet group might visit Pyongyang
in the future. End Summary.
--------------
Japan-ROK
--------------
2. (C) On February 22, Acting Chairman of the LDP Policy
Research Council Rep. Hiroyuki Sonoda briefed Embassy Tokyo
on the results of a February 11 Seoul visit conducted by a
multi-party Diet group headed by LDP Representatives Koichi
Kato and Taku Yamasaki. Sonoda, who is also a member of the
LDP Subcommittee on Korean Peninsula Issues (reftel),said
the multi-party Diet delegation met with a wide range of
businessmen, academics, and journalists. Based on those
meetings, the Lower House members departed South Korea
believing that Tokyo-Seoul relations would continue to
improve, and that ROK President Lee Myung-bak would develop
bilateral ties in a "future-oriented manner."
3. (C) South Korean interlocutors opined that the two
countries would avoid major obstacles to improved relations
as long as Japan avoided taking provocative actions, such as
resuming former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to
Yasukuni Shrine, Sonoda reported. The LDP representative
added that former ROK President Roh Moo-hyun contributed to
the downward spiral in Japan-ROK ties by adopting "extreme"
policies in order to gain public support.
--------------
Bilateral FTA
--------------
4. (C) According to Sonoda, many South Koreans appeared to be
interested in two main issues: DPRK denuclearization and
improved economic relations with Tokyo. The South Korean
public viewed cooperation with Japan as necessary to realize
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Businessmen and
journalists also looked to promote the conclusion of a free
trade agreement with Japan, Sonoda claimed.
--------------
Abduction
--------------
5. (C) Unlike the Japanese public, which views the settlement
of the abduction issue as a precondition for improving
Japan-DPRK dialogue, Sonoda observed, the ROK's public's
understanding of the Japanese position has not grown.
Despite this, President Lee seemed to show considerable
understanding on the abduction issue. Many of the South
Koreans that Sonoda met expressed confidence that the new
president would recognize the political importance of
addressing Tokyo's concerns on abduction.
--------------
Diet DPRK Visit?
--------------
6. (C) Sonoda cited several factors that motivated Kato and
TOKYO 00000516 002 OF 002
Yamasaki to form the multi-party group and to visit Seoul.
In view of what Yamasaki believes are the failed foreign
policies of former Prime Ministers Koizumi and Shinzo Abe,
Yamasaki sought out opinions of Diet members who believe that
Japan should play a larger role in East Asia. Kato and
Yamasaki also wanted to place a new public face on the Korea
policy of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda at a time when a new
political framework for resolving Korean Peninsula issues
seems warranted, according to Sonoda. Finally, Sonoda
indicated that many members of the new multi-party group,
which has not yet adopted a formal name, share the view that
policies that prioritize the abduction issue over DPRK
denuclearization only delay resolution of the abduction
issue. Sonoda noted that PM Fukuda had not asked Kato and
Yamasaki to make the Seoul visit. Asked by Embassy Tokyo
political officer whether the Kato-Yamasaki-led Diet group
might visit Pyongyang in the future, Sonoda responded, "I
think so."
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV JA KN
SUBJECT: JAPAN MULTI-PARTY DIET DELEGATION FINDS IMPROVED
TOKYO-SEOUL TIES
REF: TOKYO 0232
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)
1. (C) Summary. A Japanese multi-party Diet delegation that
visited the ROK on February 11 discovered that Tokyo-Seoul
relations continue to improve and that ROK President Lee
Myung-bak appears ready to develop bilateral ties in a
"future-oriented manner," a leading Diet official told
Embassy Tokyo. The Tokyo parliamentary group sensed that
South Koreans were interested in three main issues:
increasing the pace of DPRK denuclearization, improving
bilateral economic relations, and concluding a free trade
agreement with Japan. The Diet members group is formed by
rivals of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and reportedly shares
the view that placing priority on abductions rather than
denuclearization is mistaken. One Japanese delegation member
hinted that the multi-party Diet group might visit Pyongyang
in the future. End Summary.
--------------
Japan-ROK
--------------
2. (C) On February 22, Acting Chairman of the LDP Policy
Research Council Rep. Hiroyuki Sonoda briefed Embassy Tokyo
on the results of a February 11 Seoul visit conducted by a
multi-party Diet group headed by LDP Representatives Koichi
Kato and Taku Yamasaki. Sonoda, who is also a member of the
LDP Subcommittee on Korean Peninsula Issues (reftel),said
the multi-party Diet delegation met with a wide range of
businessmen, academics, and journalists. Based on those
meetings, the Lower House members departed South Korea
believing that Tokyo-Seoul relations would continue to
improve, and that ROK President Lee Myung-bak would develop
bilateral ties in a "future-oriented manner."
3. (C) South Korean interlocutors opined that the two
countries would avoid major obstacles to improved relations
as long as Japan avoided taking provocative actions, such as
resuming former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to
Yasukuni Shrine, Sonoda reported. The LDP representative
added that former ROK President Roh Moo-hyun contributed to
the downward spiral in Japan-ROK ties by adopting "extreme"
policies in order to gain public support.
--------------
Bilateral FTA
--------------
4. (C) According to Sonoda, many South Koreans appeared to be
interested in two main issues: DPRK denuclearization and
improved economic relations with Tokyo. The South Korean
public viewed cooperation with Japan as necessary to realize
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Businessmen and
journalists also looked to promote the conclusion of a free
trade agreement with Japan, Sonoda claimed.
--------------
Abduction
--------------
5. (C) Unlike the Japanese public, which views the settlement
of the abduction issue as a precondition for improving
Japan-DPRK dialogue, Sonoda observed, the ROK's public's
understanding of the Japanese position has not grown.
Despite this, President Lee seemed to show considerable
understanding on the abduction issue. Many of the South
Koreans that Sonoda met expressed confidence that the new
president would recognize the political importance of
addressing Tokyo's concerns on abduction.
--------------
Diet DPRK Visit?
--------------
6. (C) Sonoda cited several factors that motivated Kato and
TOKYO 00000516 002 OF 002
Yamasaki to form the multi-party group and to visit Seoul.
In view of what Yamasaki believes are the failed foreign
policies of former Prime Ministers Koizumi and Shinzo Abe,
Yamasaki sought out opinions of Diet members who believe that
Japan should play a larger role in East Asia. Kato and
Yamasaki also wanted to place a new public face on the Korea
policy of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda at a time when a new
political framework for resolving Korean Peninsula issues
seems warranted, according to Sonoda. Finally, Sonoda
indicated that many members of the new multi-party group,
which has not yet adopted a formal name, share the view that
policies that prioritize the abduction issue over DPRK
denuclearization only delay resolution of the abduction
issue. Sonoda noted that PM Fukuda had not asked Kato and
Yamasaki to make the Seoul visit. Asked by Embassy Tokyo
political officer whether the Kato-Yamasaki-led Diet group
might visit Pyongyang in the future, Sonoda responded, "I
think so."
SCHIEFFER