A/S CAMPBELL'S OCT 12 MEETING WITH MOFA STATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002368

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/J
NSC FOR RUSSELL
DOD FOR OSD/APSA -
GREGSON/MITCHELL/SCHIFFER/HILL/BASALLA/HAMM
PACOM FOR J00/J01/J5
USFJ FOR J00/J01/J5

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR JA
SUBJECT: A/S CAMPBELL'S OCT 12 MEETING WITH MOFA STATE
SECRETARY TAKEMASA

Classified By: James P. Zumwalt, Deputy Chief of Mission; reasons 1.4 (
b/d)

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) EAP A/S Kurt Campbell cited recent and upcoming
high-level interaction between the U.S. and Japanese
governments, including the visits to Japan by the President
and Secretary Gates, as evidence of U.S. intent to work
closely with the new Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)
Government in his October 12 meeting with State Secretary for
Foreign Affairs Koichi Takemasa and Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MOFA) Parliamentary Secretary Shuji Kira. He urged
the DPJ government not to conflate their views on the
previous Japanese government with the U.S.-Japan Alliance,
stressing that the U.S. Government would share all available
information on Alliance issues to help the DPJ government
deepen its understanding.


2. (C) Takemasa noted that the DPJ's stance on issues such
as Host Nation Support for U.S. forces and plans to relocate
U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam stemmed partly from lack of
information. Kira stated that the DPJ government sought
verification of recent reports of U.S. AIR FORCE plans to
reduce aircraft at Kadena and Misawa AIR Bases, given the
party's renewed interest in the Kadena consolidation option.
On Afghanistan and Pakistan, he pointed out that the Japanese
government would need a clearer idea of the Obama
Adminstration's plans to engage the Taliban and its vision of
the UN's role as Tokyo sought to support the U.S.
Government's initiatives. A/S Campbell pointed out that no
decision had been made regarding aircraft at Kadena and urged
the Japanese government to state clearly its intention to
support Afghanistan and Pakistan during the President's
visit. End Summary.

U.S. INTENTION TO WORK CLOSELY WITH DPJ GOVT
--------------


3. (C) The new Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) government
and the U.S. Government were off to a good start, having
begun a productive process of exchanges on key bilateral
issues, such as realignment, visiting EAP A/S Kurt Campbell
told State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Koichi Takemasa and
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Parliamentary Secretary
Shuji Kira in an October 12 meeting. A/S Campbell noted that
a joint State-DOD team had provided realignment-related
information earlier in the day to the Ministry of Defense
(MOD),which was dispatching a delegation to Washington that
evening for further discussion on the U.S.-Japan Alliance.
He also cited the upcoming October 20-21 visit of Defense
Secretary Gates and subsequent visit by the President in
mid-November as further evidence of the Obama
Administration's intention to work closely with the DPJ
government. A/S Campbell asked that Japanese government
leaders not conflate their views of the former Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) government with the Alliance, adding
that the U.S. Government would provide any further details
required on past negotiations relevant to the realignment of
U.S. forces.

DPJ STANCE ON HNS, GUAM DUE PARTLY TO LACK OF INFORMATION
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Takemasa expressed gratitude for the hospitality
shown Prime Minister Hatoyama and Foreign Minister Okada
during their recent visits to the United States and stressed
that U.S.-Japan relations remained the basis of Japan's
security policy. He recounted his experience in the DPJ
security policy team when the party was the opposition,
highlighting that the DPJ's tough stance on Host Nation
Support (HNS) for U.S. forces and on the plans to relocate
U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam was due partly to its lack
of information about those issues. The DPJ's views on the

Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) had also primarily
reflected the sentiments of the Okinawan people rather than
actual policy concerns. He therefore appreciated the U.S.
Government's offer to provide further background on Alliance
issues, Takemasa said.

VALIDATE REPORTS OF USAF AIR CRAFT REDUCTION AT KADENA?
-------------- --------------


5. (C) The Japanese government understood the importance of
the February 2009 Guam International Agreement (GIA),but
wished to review all realignment plans to secure a "win-win
situation," noted Kira. He recalled that the U.S. Government
in 1996 had appeared to favor the consolidation of U.S. AIR
Force and U.S. Marine aviation capabilities at Kadena AIR
Base in Okinawa as an alternative to Futenma AIR Station.
Kira queried whether recent reports that the U.S. AIR FORCE
might reduce the number of aircraft at Kadena were true,
pointing out that, as the DPJ government looked again at the
Kadena option, there was interest in such reports. A/S
Campbell responded that the U.S. AIR FORCE had examined the
possibility of downsizing the number of aircraft at Kadena
and Misawa, but had decided against it. This decision was
appropriate, given tensions on the Korean Peninsula as well
as evolving plans to introduce F-35s into Japan. A/S
Campbell pointed out that no decision had been made regarding
aircraft at Kadena, reiterating the offer to provide U.S.
briefs on deployments and contingency plans to assist the
Japanese government in its efforts to understand realignment
issues.

DPJ GOVT'S INTEREST IN SUPPORTING U.S. IN AF/PAK
-------------- ---


6. (C) The DPJ government wished to support U.S. efforts in
regard to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said Kira. To do so,
Japan wished to learn more about indications that the Obama
Administration might pursue reconciliation with the Taliban,
a possibility that would require a better security climate.
The Japanese government also sought a U.S. read-out on the
role of the UN in Af/Pak initiatives going forward. The U.S.
Government would welcome Japanese contribution to Af/Pak
efforts and understood the importance placed on the UN by the
DPJ government, said A/S Campbell. He also expressed hope
that the Japanese government would make clear its commitment
to Afghanistan and Pakistan during President Obama's visit.
More generally, the U.S. Government sought a process that
would lead to a reaffirmation of the bilateral relationship,
which would encompass U.S. assistance in the Japanese
government's review of realignment. A/S Campbell concluded
by requesting MOFA's support for increased interaction
between the two governments, ideally to include the visit of
a large delegation of DPJ Diet members to Washington during
Japan's Golden Week holidays in early May.


7. (U) A/S Campbell has cleared this message.
ROOS