FM KOUMURA VISITS TANZANIA, TALKS ECONOMICS AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000097 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2018 TAGS: EAID ECON JA PGOV PREL AF SUBJECT: FM KOUMURA VISITS TANZANIA, TALKS ECONOMICS AND TICAD Classified By: CDA Joseph R. Donovan; Reasons: 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) Summary. In an effort to highlight Japan's relations with Africa while shoring up support for the May 2008 Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV), Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura visited Tanzania January 4-7 (after scaling back plans to visit Kenya as well). The FM won Tanzania's pledge to attend TICAD IV, expressed concern about the ongoing unrest in Kenya and pledged Japanese support for Tanzanian efforts to create a dialogue between Kenyan President Kibaki and the opposition. Koumura and his counterpart also inked grant agreements for budget support and food assistance, and the Tanzanians declared their support for Japan's UN Security Council seat. Our MOFA Africa contact reiterated that TICAD invitations were sent to governments, not individual leaders, and that Japan would not put restrictions on Robert Mugabe's participation. End Summary. ¶2. (C) FM Koumura's January 4-7 visit was primarily focused on economic aid and development issues and included a Japanese pledge to help Tanzania with budgetary issues and food assistance, MOFA Africa II Division official Osamu Sakashita told Embassy Tokyo January 10. While Koumura had also planned to visit Kenya, the recent unrest forced the Japanese to adjust the FM's schedule. During bilateral discussions, the Tanzanians underscored their need for infrastructure-oriented development assistance. To that end, Koumura pledged to send a senior Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) economic expert to meet with President Kikwete to discuss their budgetary issues. ¶3. (C) Regarding Koumura's discussions on Kenya, Sakashita reported that Koumura's interlocutors told him that that "all parties involved in the Kenyan political structure" have sent representatives to Dar-Es-Salaam. Furthermore, President Kikwete is in "close contact" with those parties. For his part, Koumura expressed the Government of Japan's hope that Tanzania can serve a useful role in brokering an end to the Kenyan violence. ¶4. (C) According to Sakashita, the Tanzanian government declared their support for Japanese efforts to gain a seat on the Security Council. Similarly, the Tanzanians were "supportive" of the Japanese stance against North Korea on the nuclear issue and abductions. ¶5. (C) President Kikwete told Koumura that Tanzania plans to attend the May 28 - 30 Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV. Septel). Sakashita added that the Japanese have confirmations from more than 30 countries that they will send their heads of state to the conference. He emphasized that the invitations were sent to the governments of the respective countries, not to individuals, and if leaders like Robert Mugabe are selected to come to the TICAD, the Japanese will not restrict their participation (Septel). Beyond those 30 declarations, Sakashita said he expects other countries to send ministerial-level attendees. He also asked that donors, including the U.S. Government, to give a "head's up" to the Japanese if any new initiatives are going to be announced at the TICAD. ¶6. (C) Comment. Koumura's trip is indicative of the push the Japanese are making to engage Africa as the TICAD approaches, and follows, for example, their recent effort to secure rare metals from South Africa by pledging World Cup-related assistance. That said, there is still the perception here that Japan is playing catch-up to the Chinese, an image that the Japanese hope to erase with a successful - and well-attended - TICAD. We will continue to press the Japanese at all levels regarding Mugabe's invitation to the forum. DONOVAN