Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO974
2008-04-09 08:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

JAPAN SEEKING TO DISCOURAGE MUGABE FROM ATTENDING

Tags:  PREL EAID XA ZI JA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7157
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKO #0974 1000817
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 090817Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3309
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000974

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2018
TAGS: PREL EAID XA ZI JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN SEEKING TO DISCOURAGE MUGABE FROM ATTENDING
TICAD IV

Classified By: Ambassador J.T. Schieffer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)

(C) While Japan cannot disinvite any of the African heads of
state it has invited to the TICAD IV meeting next month in
Yokohama, it has been "diplomatically" attempting to
discourage Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe from attending,
according to MOFA Senior Foreign Policy Coordinator Takehiro
Funakoshi. Funakoshi told visiting EAP/J Office Director
James Zumwalt April 9 that Japan is sensitive to our concerns
regarding Mugabe's participation at TICAD, but cannot single
him out for exclusion. However, Japan is making clear to the
Mugabe regime that if he comes, he will be given a very hard
time by his hosts about the conditions in his country. Tokyo
hopes these warnings will help to convince him not to attend.
Of course, the better outcome, agreed Funakoshi, would be
for the democratic process in Zimbabwe to take its course and
result in the seating of a new president following the recent
elections.
SCHIEFFER