AMBASSADOR MEETS HATOYAMA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002035 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV JA SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS HATOYAMA TOKYO 00002035 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador John V. Roos per 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador met Democratic Party of Japan President -- and presumptive Prime Minister -- Yukio Hatoyama on September 3. The Ambassador and Hatoyama pledged to work together to strengthen the bilateral relationship as our two countries cooperate to address issues as varied as North Korea denuclearization, climate change, renewable energy and the rise of China. The U.S.-Japan relationship is unique because of its global nature and shared interests and values, the Ambassador said. Hatoyama described our ties as both "the cornerstone of global peace" and "the linchpin of Japan's engagement with the world." Commenting on the lack of hope in Japan, Hatoyama described his idea of "fraternity," stating that he seeks to create a society that is not zero-sum. Hatoyama expressed both his gratitude for President Obama's September 2 phone call and his hope to see the President soon. End Summary. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador met for 45 minutes September 3 with Yukio Hatoyama, Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President and presumptive next leader of Japan. As President Obama told Hatoyama during their telephone conversation the day before, the United States Government hopes to work closely with Japan's new government and deepen further our two countries' partnership, the Ambassador said. Hatoyama offered his gratitude to the President, noting that President Obama's historic election and call for change enabled the DPJ to carry through with its own quest for change. Since WWII, "Japan has never had democratic change," and President Obama's victory gave the Japanese people the courage to seek change of their own. "I personally thanked President Obama for this," Hatoyama said. ¶3. (C) With historic elections in both the United States and Japan behind us, there is much for us to do, the Ambassador continued. The fact that Hatoyama had taken time out of his busy schedule to meet was a statement about the strength of our bilateral relationship and the depth of Hatoyama's commitment to it, the Ambassador noted. Hatoyama replied that he attaches great importance to the U.S.-Japan relationship; it is "the cornerstone of global peace." "I will meet with you anytime," he added. Reflecting on his time as a student at Stanford in 1976, Hatoyama described the excitement surrounding the bicentennial celebration as the inspiration for his political career. "I was prepared to go into science, but when I saw how America celebrated its founding, I regretted that we didn't have the same feelings in Japan, so I decided to get into politics to do something about this," he said. ¶4. (C) Noting that 2010 will mark the 50th anniversary of the bilateral security relationship, the Ambassador expressed his hope to work with Hatoyama to lay the foundation for not only next year's commemoration, but also for a security relationship that lasts another 50 years. The U.S.-Japan relationship is global in nature, and together our two countries address issues as varied as climate change, the rise of China, Iran, Afghanistan, North Korea, renewable energy, and nonproliferation. Working hand-in-hand on these and other issues, we will continue to deepen our relationship, and the Ambassador said he looks forward to facilitating this process. ¶5. (C) Recalling his conversation with President Obama, Hatoyama said that he described the U.S.-Japan relationship as the "foundation of Japan's foreign policy." Going forward, our two countries' ties will remain the "linchpin" of Japan's engagement with the world, and Hatoyama said he hopes for a "future oriented" and "constructive" bilateral relationship. Hatoyama said that President Obama had already proactively addressed such pressing issues as climate change and nuclear disarmament. "All the Japanese people were moved by the President's Prague speech," and as the only country ever to have been attacked with nuclear weapons, Japan should also deliver a strong message on arms control and nuclear disarmament. ¶6. (C) The Ambassador described the United States and Japan as the two most innovative countries in the world, and in areas such as climate change and renewable energy, there are tremendous opportunities for us to work together and expand our relationship. We also need to deepen further our cultural ties, particularly by increasing the number of TOKYO 00002035 002.2 OF 002 students studying in each other's country. By doing this, we can help our next generation to get to know each other, the Ambassador said. The U.S.-Japan relationship is unique and special, and the United States does not take it for granted. It has deep potential, and the Ambassador pledged to work to develop this potential. ¶7. (C) Hatoyama agreed that renewable energy is a key area of potential cooperation, adding that Japan had lost its lead in areas such as solar power. Through public and private efforts, as well as bilateral collaboration, the United States and Japan can do much for the world. Hatoyama also agreed that more students are needed in each other's country, noting that Japanese students seemed to be increasingly inward-looking. He further pointed out that Chinese and Indian students now outnumbered Japanese ones at Stanford. (The Ambassador explained that although the number of Japanese students had remained steady over the years, they were indeed being outpaced by Chinese and Indian students.) ¶8. (C) President Obama ran his campaign on both change and hope, and there is a great deal of hope in the U.S.-Japan relationship, the Ambassador said. There is much to look forward to in unlocking this untapped potential. In response, Hatoyama observed that over the past several years, political stagnation in Japan had led people to lose their hope and dreams. This opened the door to the DPJ's victory. But change by itself does not lead to hope, he continued, and through his idea of "fraternity" (yuai),Hatoyama seeks to create a country in which everyone can find a place, the focus is not exclusively on economic competition, and "everyone will have a chance to be recognized." Life is not a zero-sum game, and one person's happiness should not take away from another's happiness. By the same token, the United States and Japan should be pleased when the other does better, and if China-Japan relations improve, then this is a plus for the United States, just as an improvement in U.S.-China relations is a plus for Japan, Hatoyama explained. ¶9. (C) The Ambassador observed that the United States and Japan have much to learn from each other, and neither has a monopoly on being right. We both have issues and challenges, and together we will work through them. We have shared interests and values, and this is what makes our relationship unique. Moving forward, we need to work together on a global basis, and the Ambassador pledged to focus his efforts on building on the fundamental strengths of our relationship. President Hatoyama said that he looks forward to meeting President Obama soon. Although both the Obama administration and Japan's new government have huge responsibilities, the Ambassador expressed his optimism that they will be able to confront the challenges before them. ROOS