WIREC: FORMAL INVITATION DELIVERED

UNCLAS TOKYO 000083 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES - STAN SPECHT AND CAMILLE HILL DEPT ALSO FOR EAP/J - HEATHER DRESSER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG SENV TRGY EPET EAID SOCI KSCA KGHG KPAO JA SUBJECT: WIREC: FORMAL INVITATION DELIVERED REF: STATE 521 Sensitive but Unclassified, please handle accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) As requested in ref, EMIN met with MOFA Director-General for Economic Affairs Yoichi Otabe January 10 to deliver the Secretary's formal invitation to Foreign Minister Koumura to attend the March 2008 Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008). Otabe appreciated the invitation and said he would immediately pass it to the Minister. He noted and supported the suggestion made by the Japanese Embassy in Washington to send copies directly to the Ministers at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI),the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF),and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to encourage ministerial participation. At the same time, however, he noted the Diet session could make it difficult for top-level GOJ officials to travel in March, when key budgetary decisions will be made. Otabe asked that the Embassy provide information about the participation by the Secretary and other U.S. Cabinet members in WIREC. ¶2. Post will forward copies of the invitation letter in ref to Ministers at METI, MAFF, and MOE. ¶3. Post POC for WIREC activities is ESTH Officer Thomas (Toby) Wolf. DONOVAN