Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO1797
2009-08-06 05:28:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON'S VISIT TO
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UNCLAS TOKYO 001797
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 - FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON'S VISIT TO
NORTH KOREA AND 64TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATOMIC BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA
UNCLAS TOKYO 001797
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 - FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON'S VISIT TO
NORTH KOREA AND 64TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATOMIC BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA
1. LEAD STORIES: All Thursday morning papers gave top or front-page
play to the arrival of the two freed American journalists at an
airport near Los Angeles on Wednesday.
2. "Developments Following Journalists' Release" The moderate
Yomiuri editorialized (8/6): "Although there might be moves toward
launching U.S.-DPRK talks, such moves should be based on the premise
that the U.S. will consult closely with Japan and South Korea....
The international community should not relax its vigilance. As long
as North Korea is trying to establish itself as a nuclear power, the
global community needs to steadily implement relevant UN Security
Council resolutions."
3. "U.S. Should Maintain Its Principles" The business-oriented
Nikkei stated in an editorial (8/6): "Although the release of the
detained journalists is a welcome development, the issue should be
kept separate from the North Korean nuclear and missile issue. We
urge the U.S. government not to be lenient in granting concessions
to North Korea on its nuclear development following the former
president's visit to Pyongyang.... Secretary of State Clinton has
stated that Washington will move toward diplomatic normalization and
economic assistance for North Korea if the DPRK completely scraps
its nuclear programs. This principle should not be compromised. The
U.S. should not disregard Japan and its other allies and make
compromises such as holding comprehensive talks with the DPRK just
because North Korea released the journalists."
4. "U.S., Japan, South Korea Should Develop Shared Strategy" The
conservative Sankei editorialized (8/6): "The Obama administration
is discussing with Japan and South Korea a plan to comprehensively
resolve North Korea's nuclear problem. The plan is based on the idea
of 'not giving any rewards to North Korea until it returns to the
Six-Party Talks and completely abandons its nuclear programs.' Close
coordination among the U.S., Japan, and South Korea is indispensable
in order to achieve the goal of making North Korea abandon its
nuclear programs and denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Moreover,
the three nations need to develop a strategy for dealing with North
Korea by involving China and Russia."
5. "Momentum toward 'World without Nuclear Weapons'" The liberal
Mainichi wrote in an editorial (8/6): "In his speech in Prague in
April, President Obama referred to the moral responsibility of the
U.S. as the only nation to have used a nuclear weapon and declared
that he will seek a world without nuclear weapons.... Although the
President cited strengthening the NPT regime as one of the pillars
of a comprehensive strategy, there is no predicting whether
sufficient results will be produced in an arena where nations clash
over their interests and ideas.... The international situation
surrounding nuclear arms is becoming too complicated for the U.S.
and other nuclear powers to deal with on their own. It is also
necessary for nonnuclear powers to take part in the efforts to
establish a global system of nuclear arms reduction and
nonproliferation."
6. "How to Make the Most of President Obama's Antinuclear Speech"
The moderate Yomiuri editorialized (8/6): "Sixty-four years have
passed since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This year
it seems as though a ray of light has been cast on atomic-bomb
survivors' hope for the elimination of nuclear weapons. This is the
result of President Obama's speech in Prague in April.... We hope
that the President will hold onto this sentiment and exercise his
leadership in nuclear negotiations with Russia and the U.S.'s
ratification of the CTBT."
ZUMWALT
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 - FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON'S VISIT TO
NORTH KOREA AND 64TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATOMIC BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA
1. LEAD STORIES: All Thursday morning papers gave top or front-page
play to the arrival of the two freed American journalists at an
airport near Los Angeles on Wednesday.
2. "Developments Following Journalists' Release" The moderate
Yomiuri editorialized (8/6): "Although there might be moves toward
launching U.S.-DPRK talks, such moves should be based on the premise
that the U.S. will consult closely with Japan and South Korea....
The international community should not relax its vigilance. As long
as North Korea is trying to establish itself as a nuclear power, the
global community needs to steadily implement relevant UN Security
Council resolutions."
3. "U.S. Should Maintain Its Principles" The business-oriented
Nikkei stated in an editorial (8/6): "Although the release of the
detained journalists is a welcome development, the issue should be
kept separate from the North Korean nuclear and missile issue. We
urge the U.S. government not to be lenient in granting concessions
to North Korea on its nuclear development following the former
president's visit to Pyongyang.... Secretary of State Clinton has
stated that Washington will move toward diplomatic normalization and
economic assistance for North Korea if the DPRK completely scraps
its nuclear programs. This principle should not be compromised. The
U.S. should not disregard Japan and its other allies and make
compromises such as holding comprehensive talks with the DPRK just
because North Korea released the journalists."
4. "U.S., Japan, South Korea Should Develop Shared Strategy" The
conservative Sankei editorialized (8/6): "The Obama administration
is discussing with Japan and South Korea a plan to comprehensively
resolve North Korea's nuclear problem. The plan is based on the idea
of 'not giving any rewards to North Korea until it returns to the
Six-Party Talks and completely abandons its nuclear programs.' Close
coordination among the U.S., Japan, and South Korea is indispensable
in order to achieve the goal of making North Korea abandon its
nuclear programs and denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Moreover,
the three nations need to develop a strategy for dealing with North
Korea by involving China and Russia."
5. "Momentum toward 'World without Nuclear Weapons'" The liberal
Mainichi wrote in an editorial (8/6): "In his speech in Prague in
April, President Obama referred to the moral responsibility of the
U.S. as the only nation to have used a nuclear weapon and declared
that he will seek a world without nuclear weapons.... Although the
President cited strengthening the NPT regime as one of the pillars
of a comprehensive strategy, there is no predicting whether
sufficient results will be produced in an arena where nations clash
over their interests and ideas.... The international situation
surrounding nuclear arms is becoming too complicated for the U.S.
and other nuclear powers to deal with on their own. It is also
necessary for nonnuclear powers to take part in the efforts to
establish a global system of nuclear arms reduction and
nonproliferation."
6. "How to Make the Most of President Obama's Antinuclear Speech"
The moderate Yomiuri editorialized (8/6): "Sixty-four years have
passed since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This year
it seems as though a ray of light has been cast on atomic-bomb
survivors' hope for the elimination of nuclear weapons. This is the
result of President Obama's speech in Prague in April.... We hope
that the President will hold onto this sentiment and exercise his
leadership in nuclear negotiations with Russia and the U.S.'s
ratification of the CTBT."
ZUMWALT