Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO856
2008-03-28 08:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

OPPOSITION DPJ PARLIAMENTARIAN EDANO ON TIBET

Tags:  PREL PHUM PGOV CH JA 
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INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2480
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 6936
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 9319
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000856 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV CH JA
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION DPJ PARLIAMENTARIAN EDANO ON TIBET

REF: TOKYO 00752

TOKYO 00000856 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission David Davision for reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d).

Subject: DPJ Diet Member Edano Discusses Tibet

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000856

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV CH JA
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION DPJ PARLIAMENTARIAN EDANO ON TIBET

REF: TOKYO 00752

TOKYO 00000856 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission David Davision for reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d).

Subject: DPJ Diet Member Edano Discusses Tibet


1. (C) Summary: The Fukuda cabinet's response to the
situation in Tibet has been unsatisfactory and their public
statements on Tibet have been too weak, opposition Democratic
Party of Japan (DPJ) parliamentarian Yukio Edano told Embassy
Tokyo on March 24. China needs to grant diplomats and
foreign journalists access to Tibet and must take steps to
demonstrate to the international community that it respects
freedom of the press, he stated. Japan needs to urge China
to improve its human rights situation. If the violence in
Tibet worsens, the Japanese government will not be able to
avoid raising this with Chinese President Hu Jintao during
his planned May visit to Japan, Edano said. End Summary.


2. (C) In response to the recent violence in Tibet, and as
the current head of the "Parliamentary Union for Tibet"
parliamentary league, DPJ Diet member Edano is seeking to
revitalize the group and make it more active, he told us.
Edano held a meeting at the Diet on March 19 in response to
the situation in Tibet and the parliamentary union
subsequently issued a statement urging China to exercise
restraint. Edano publicly called on China to refrain from
using force and to prevent human rights violations. The
parliamentary league was founded twelve years ago by former
DPJ member Seishu Makino and Edano has been a member from the
beginning, he said. The union was very active under Makino,
but he lost his seat in the Diet, and Edano took over as
head. The parliamentary league had 70-80 members in 2005 but
current membership has declined to less than 40 people. From
time to time the league holds exchanges with the Dalai Lama
Representative Office in Tokyo but needs to do more, he
stated.


3. (C) Edano has stepped up efforts to pressure China on
Tibet during interviews with the Japanese media. He stated
during a televised panel discussion among Diet members and

scholars on March 23 that China needs to grant diplomats and
foreign journalists access to Tibet and must take steps to
demonstrate to the international community that it respects
freedom of the press. Alluding to Chinese President Hu
Jintao's planned visit to Japan, Edano rhetorically asked
reporters during a press interview on March 19 whether it was
proper for a country to welcome a head of state from a
country suspected of suppression.


4. (C) The public reaction from the Fukuda administration on
Tibet is unsatisfactory, Edano told Embassy Tokyo. Given the
food safety issue and long-standing issues like the dispute
in the East China Sea, it is understandable that the Fukuda
administration is reluctant to take a firm stance. But even
so, their public statements were still way too weak and
watered down, he emphasized. (Note: At the March 24 Diet
session Prime Minister Fukuda was asked if he would raise
Tibet with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Fukuda replied that
he would bring it up only "if necessary" and stated "the
important thing is to find the other side's good points and
associate with the other side in the way to develop its good
points even further. It is only natural that the two
countries hold contrary opinions." Chief Cabinet Secretary
Machimura's public comments have also been weak. Machimura
told the press that "Japan hopes the situation settles down
peacefully. We would welcome a dialogue." Machimura made an
additional statement on March 24 stating "China should think
more seriously" about allowing journalists and diplomats
access to Tibet. End Note.)


5. (C) Edano told us he believes Japan needs to take steps to
urge China to improve the human rights situation in Tibet,
but at the same time he recognizes it is important to avoid
creating an atmosphere, similar to the one that existed
during Koizumi administration, where Japan could not even
hold bilateral talks with China. Even if the situation in
Tibet worsens, Japan will not "uninvite" or discourage
President Hu Jintao from visiting Japan, he predicted. But
if the situation does not improve, the Japanese government
will not be able to avoid raising Tibet with Hu, and the
atmosphere surrounding his visit will be dampened. He thinks
this uncertainty might lead to Hu deciding not to visit,
Edano stated. Moreover, if the violence in Tibet worsens,
there will be a public debate on whether it is appropriate

TOKYO 00000856 002.2 OF 002


for Prime Minister Fukuda to attend the Beijing Olympics.
Foreign Minister Koumura has ruled out boycotting the
Olympics, and it would not be fair to prevent Japanese
athletes from participating, but senior officials should
consider not attending if the situation worsens, Edano stated.


6. (C) Comment: Edano has been one of the most vocal
politicians to publicly urge China to exercise restraint in
responding to the events in Tibet. However, as a member of
the opposition party, the extent of his influence is unclear.
Other DPJ members have publicly criticized Prime Minister
Fukuda's response to China on Tibet, but the DPJ does not
have a cohesive party policy on China or Tibet. Edano told
Embassy Tokyo that since both the LDP and DPJ lack unified
party policies on China, it is more effective to have a
supra-party base to address how to best respond to the
situation in Tibet. End Comment.
SCHIEFFER