TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA

UNCLAS TOKYO 001674 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: Several Friday morning papers front-paged arrangements being made between the U.S. and Japan for President Obama to visit Japan in mid-November. ¶2. "Do Not Overlook Signs from U.S." On recent remarks by DOS officials, including Secretary of State Clinton and Assistant Secretary of State Campbell, that Washington may offer an 'attractive comprehensive package' to Pyongyang in return for its complete denuclearization, the liberal Asahi editorialized (6/24): "This message from the U.S. administration presents an opportunity to achieve a breakthrough in the ongoing impasse in the Six-Party Talks. To prevent the current crisis, in which North Korea is recklessly pursuing nuclear development, from further deepening, any opportunity to jumpstart negotiations on North Korean problems must be seized.... We would like to see China playing a greater role in order to help the U.S. and North Korea find a chance for full-fledged negotiations in the future. Improvements in North Korea's ties with the U.S. hold the key to a smooth power transition. North Korea should not overlook this opportunity." ¶3. "North Korea Has No Friends" The conservative Sankei insisted in an editorial (7/24): "Myanmar's government, which is apparently involved in military cooperation with North Korea, promised the U.S. it would enforce UN sanctions on North Korea. It has become clear, as Secretary of State Clinton stated, that 'North Korea has no friends left.' There is no other option for North Korea but to comply with UN resolutions and swiftly return to the Six-Party Talks in order to extricate itself from international isolation. The DPRK leadership should correct its attitude with that in mind." ¶4. "North Korea's Hard-line Stance Continues" On the recent AESEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting in Phuket, Thailand, in which the North Korean nuclear issue was one of the high agenda items, the business-oriented Nikkei wrote (7/24): "North Korea's hard-line position has remained unchanged and the U.S. is ratcheting up the pressure on it. With the U.S., Japan, and South Korea having failed to convene 'five-party talks' on the margins, the ARF meeting left the impression that the road toward preventing a crisis is becoming even rougher." ZUMWALT