TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA

UNCLAS TOKYO 001202 SIPDIS STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR, EAP/J, EAP/P, PM; USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI; SECDEF FOR OASD/PA; CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA SUBJECT: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA ¶1. LEAD STORIES: All Thursday morning papers gave top or front-page play to the growing likelihood of GM filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy following the failure on Wednesday of its talks with creditors. ¶2. "Financial Sanctions and Ship Inspections Should Be Implemented" The conservative Sankei editorialized (5/28): "... Preparations are being made at the UN Security Council to adopt a new resolution, and the U.S. is said to be considering additional financial sanctions. The 'net' against North Korea should be tightened to prevent further violent acts and threats by Pyongyang... It is most important for the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and the UNSC not to be driven by North Korea's provocations and threats but instead to firmly enhance their coordination in order to implement effective sanctions... Financial, economic, and movement of goods constitute key elements in curbing North Korea's actions. In addition to UNSC sanctions including freezing of assets and ship inspections, the U.S. Treasury Department's sanctions will be effective on the financial front. China should act responsibly on the distribution front, given that it provides North Korea with most of its energy and food supplies." ¶3. "UNSC Should Unite and Come Up with Effective Sanctions" The liberal Tokyo Shimbun wrote in an editorial (5/28): "The UN Security Council is being called on to respond firmly to North Korea's latest nuclear test. A new resolution is being prepared, and effective sanctions will be indispensable to stop Pyongyang's reckless acts... UNSC members should put together effective sanctions in a unified manner based on the lessons learned from the 'inconsistency' and 'limitations' of the previous resolution... The role of China, which is the largest supporter of North Korea, is great. While showing no objections to the adoption of a new resolution, China appears to have expressed hesitance to strong measures, such as ship inspections. We hope China will join other nations in compiling practical sanctions by taking other nations' opinions into consideration... As seen in President Obama's speech on a 'world without nuclear weapons,' momentum toward nuclear disarmament is growing. The UNSC should show its determination and take strong actions against North Korea so as not to reduce the NPT system to an empty shell." ZUMWALT