Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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09TOKYO2617 | 2009-11-12 09:27:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Tokyo |
VZCZCXRO5739 PP RUEHDT RUEHPB DE RUEHKO #2617/01 3160927 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 120927Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7488 INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 7377 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 9733 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 1196 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 7894 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUALSFJ/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHMFISS/USFJ PRIORITY |
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002617 |
1. (C) Summary: During a November 5 lunch meeting with MOFA Vice Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka, Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell briefed on his trip to Burma (see septel report), and discussed the President,s upcoming visit to Japan, U.S.-Japan alliance management, International Parental Child Abduction, whaling, and China. State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Tetsuro Fukuyama joined the end of the meeting and discussed Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) views toward China. End Summary. -------------------------- POTUS Visit -------------------------- 2. (C) A/S Campbell said that the President was looking forward to his visit to Japan. In order to avoid letting difficult issues such Futenma relocation and Okinawa dominate perceptions of the visit, Campbell said that the visit should highlight areas in which the U.S. and Japan are working together in order to avoid having Okinawa and Futenma relocation issues dominate the Summit. The U.S. and Japan must work together to ensure that media coverage of U.S.-Japan Alliance issues during the President,s visit is balanced, he said. 3. (C) Yabunaka agreed on the importance of reaffirming the Alliance and suggested a joint press statement during the President,s visit that would highlight areas of cooperation. In addition, background papers provided to the media would elaborate on these areas. He suggested three main topics - the bilateral alliance, regional security, and global cooperation. A/S Campbell said the U.S. needed to be careful regarding choice of language and word choice - particularly on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation. Because the U.S. is currently in the midst of its nuclear posture review and Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference (Revcon) preparations, any background papers would have to be carefully reviewed by U.S. government experts. Yabunaka expressed appreciation for the U.S.,s flexibility on language on various issues. 4. (C) A/S Campbell said he understood that Prime Minister Hatoyama,s speech for the Singapore APEC Summit was currently being prepared by the Prime Minister,s staff and said he hoped the Prime Minister's office would coordinate the contents with MOFA. In particular, A/S Campbell urged that any references to Hatoyama,s East Asia Community (EAC) concept not exclude the U.S. from membership, stressing that exclusionary language would not be well-received in Washington. A/S Campbell said the U.S. is trying to be more active in Asia and does not want the perception that it is unwelcome. Yabunaka reaffirmed that U.S. involvement in Asia is essential and reassured that Hatoyama,s Singapore speech would reflect A/S Campbell,s concerns. He added that the Prime Minster,s statements on the EAC had become more inclusive over the last month and that this had reflected MOFA,s involvement. -------------------------- International Parental Child Abduction -------------------------- 5. (C) A/S Campbell suggested to Yabunaka that the GOJ take proactive steps to confront the International Parental Child Abduction (IPCA) issue. He said that left-behind parents in the United States, primarily fathers, are becoming better organized and becoming more active with Congress. These parents are angry and frustrated with perceived GOJ inaction on the issue. A/S Campbell cautioned that unless the GOJ finds a way forward in dealing with IPCA, the situation could deteriorate significantly and negatively impact how Japan is seen in the United States. Acknowledging past GOJ statements TOKYO 00002617 002.2 OF 002 that it would be difficult in the short term for the GOJ to sign The Hague Convention and that this step would not cover existing cases retroactively -- the U.S. and Japan had discussed forming a working group to address the issue -- A/S Campbell urged that Japan take steps to facilitate visitation by left-behind parents. The Ambassador also suggested developing a roadmap of necessary steps that would allow Japan to sign the Convention. The DCM added that the State Department,s Office of Children,s Issues (CA/OCI) offered training for Consular Officers in handling potential IPCA cases and suggested that CA/OCI might be willing to brief Japanese Embassy and MOFA personnel on techniques for dealing with such cases. Yabunaka said he understood the strong emotions that IPCA issues aroused and the views shared by not only the United States, but Canada and European countries as well. -------------------------- State Secretary Fukuyama Joins/China -------------------------- 6. (C) As the discussion turned to China, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs (SSFA) Tetsuro Fukuyama, a DPJ Diet Upper House member, unexpectedly arrived and joined the meeting. (Note: Just below the Foreign Minister, MOFA,s two SSFAs are the senior political appointees in the ministry. End Note.) Prior to Fukuyama,s arrival, A/S Campbell had asked Yabunaka about the range of views on China within the DPJ. Yabunaka said that the overall sentiment, if not precisely utopian was tha the relationship with China would be one of friendship, provided certain issues could be overcome. That said, others in DPJ espoused a less optimistic and more "realistic" view toward China, in Yabunaka,s view. 7. (C) In response to a similar question from A/S Campbell regarding DPJ views toward China, Fukuyama said that the short answer was that China was a friend. At the same time, various issues related to China are reminders of the importance of the U.S.-Japan Alliance, he said. Recalling comments he had made earlier in the day at a Japan-Germany forum, Fukuyama said that German participants had asked a similar question. He said that Japan-China relations are very important and that the new DPJ-led government had gotten off to a good start in dealing with China. That said, he added the Japan,s relationship with China is based on the U.S.-Japan Alliance. U.S.-Japan relations and Japan-China relations are not mutually exclusive, he stressed, but both were part of Japan,s multilayered international relations. While the DPJ-led government has some concerns about China, Fukuyama said Prime Minister Hatoyama had emphasized friendship over concern. A/S Campbell replied that the new U.S. administration also felt that it had gotten off to a good start with China but difficult subjects such as Tibet, Taiwan, and Xinjiang remained. 8. (U) A/S Campbell cleared this cable. ROOS |