CHINESE 2007 ASAT TEST DEMARCHE: JAPAN'S RESPONSE

S E C R E T TOKYO 000094 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY --ADDS CAPTION NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2018 TAGS: PREL PARM MNUC CH JA SUBJECT: CHINESE 2007 ASAT TEST DEMARCHE: JAPAN'S RESPONSE REF: SECSTATE 01265 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Joe Dononvan for reasons 1.4(b) and (d ). ¶1. (U) This contains an action request in paragraph 3. ¶2. (S//NF) Embassy Tokyo's Political Minister Counselor delivered the message regarding China's 2007 ASAT test (reftel) to Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs North America Bureau Deputy Director General Koji Haneda and Asia Bureau Deputy Director General Masahiro Kohara on January 9. Both emphasized that Japan shares U.S. concerns over China's January 2007 anti-satellite (ASAT) test and will continue to raise its concerns over the test with China, pressing Beijing to respond to the unanswered questions on the test passed to them in early 2007. The Japanese Government assesses the likelihood of another test as low, Haneda noted. China told Japan in February 2007 that the orbital debris caused by the test was "minimal," so Japan appreciates the contrasting detailed information provided by the U.S. ¶3. (S) Action Request: MOFA's U.S.-Japan Security Division Director Suzuki subsequently approached the Embassy to ask for additional details on the proposal for a "bilateral strategic space dialogue." He noted that MOFA has tentatively assigned his office to work with the Ministry of Defense to follow-up on the initiative. Please provide Embassy Tokyo with additional information and points of contact for the bilateral dialogue to share with our MOFA and MOD contacts. DONOVAN