TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA

UNCLAS TOKYO 002855 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: There were no papers published on Monday morning due to a press holiday. NHK reported this morning that Prime Minister Hatoyama plans to meet with cabinet members today to conduct coordination on the Futenma relocation issue. ¶2. "Easy Compromise Should Be Avoided" The moderate Yomiuri editorialized (12/12): "U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Bosworth, who recently visited Pyongyang, failed to win a commitment from North Korea either to 'return' to the Six-Party Talks or to 'reconfirm' its promise to abandon its nuclear programs. However, he is said to have reached a certain degree of common understanding. This could be interpreted to mean there is a possibility that the U.S. and North Korea will hold additional talks until the Six-Party Talks are resumed. The Obama administration should be careful in pursuing an early resumption of the talks.... North Korea conducted its second nuclear test in May and has not shown any sign of curbing its nuclear development. This is an act on the part of North Korea to make a mockery of the UN Security Council resolution that was adopted following the nuclear test. The international community should not relax its sanctions until Pyongyang takes specific measures to abandon its nuclear programs." ROOS