Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO2905
2009-12-18 10:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
DPJ DIET AFFAIRS CHIEF'S VIEW ON US-JAPAN RELATIONS
how-toVZCZCXRO0087 RR RUEHCHI RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHPB DE RUEHKO #2905/01 3521024 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 181024Z DEC 09 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8323 INFO RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 0358 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 1824 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 8012 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 8513 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHMFISS/USFJ RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002905
SIPDIS
EAP/J
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV JA
SUBJECT: DPJ DIET AFFAIRS CHIEF'S VIEW ON US-JAPAN RELATIONS
TOKYO 00002905 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James P. Zumwalt for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002905
SIPDIS
EAP/J
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV JA
SUBJECT: DPJ DIET AFFAIRS CHIEF'S VIEW ON US-JAPAN RELATIONS
TOKYO 00002905 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James P. Zumwalt for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: The DCM's December 17 meeting with
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Diet Affairs Committee Chair
Kenji Yamaoka centered primarily on U.S.-Japan relations and,
more specifically, on issues related to the relocation of
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. Yamaoka expounded on PM
Hatoyama's decision earlier this week to delay putting forth
a concrete proposal and said that the PM wants to wait until
May 2010, when the budget has passed the Diet and support
from junior coalition partners Social Democratic Party (SDP)
and People's New Party (PNP) will no longer be necessary. In
contrast to previous meetings with Embassy Tokyo, Yamaoka
expressed pessimism about prospects for the current Futenma
relocation plan. He conveyed particular concern about the
local Okinawan political environment and the efficacy of the
relocation opposition movement. Yamaoka characterized Osaka
Governor Hashimoto's proposal to shift some of Futenma
functions to Kansai International Airport and Osaka
International Airport as "interesting." Yamaoka also
mentioned the strong possibility of DPJ Secretary General
Ozawa becoming Prime Minister and advised the United States
to start having unofficial dialogue with Ozawa and to host a
visit some time in early January. Finally, Yamaoka sharply
criticized Foreign Ministry diplomacy under the previous
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-led government and also under
current Foreign Minister and fellow party member Katsuya
Okada. END SUMMARY
--------------
Futenma Relocation Dominates Discussion
--------------
2. (C) DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chair Kenji Yamaoka invited
the DCM to his office on December 17 to discuss his December
10-13 trip to China with party Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa
(septel),but the conversation centered primarily on
U.S.-Japan relations and, more specifically, on issues
related to the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station
Futenma. Yamaoka and the DCM agreed on the importance of
focusing on broader alliance goals and on areas of
cooperation, such as missile defense and information sharing.
3. (C) Yamaoka explained PM Hatoyama's decision earlier this
week to delay putting forth a concrete proposal on Futenma
relocation. The Prime Minister, he said, wants to wait until
May 2010, when the budget has long passed the Diet and
support from junior coalition partners Social Democratic
Party and People's New Party is no longer necessary.
4. (C) In contrast to previous meetings with Embassy Tokyo,
however, Yamaoka expressed clear pessimism about implementing
the current Futenma Replacement Facility plan. He conveyed
concern about the local Okinawan political environment and
the relocation opposition movement, in particular. He
speculated that local sentiment will complicate any DPJ
efforts to conclude a relocation agreement by May. Landfill
procedures and other implementation details will also take
longer than expected. In the end, the "negatives" outweighed
the "positives," Yamaoka concluded.
5. (C) Yamaoka admitted that he was not an expert on alliance
management issues, but he offered his own suggestions on the
way forward. He asked about the extent to which other sites
could assume some of Futenma's current functions. Yamaoka
characterized as "interesting" Osaka Governor Hashimoto's
proposal to shift some of Futenma's roles to Kansai
International Airport and Osaka International Airport.
Training could take place at the airports and housing could
be located in the urban parts of the Kansai region, Yamaoka
theorized. The Governor probably sees such a plan as a debt
relief measure for his prefecture, Yamaoka added.
--------------
Pushing For Ozawa Visit
--------------
6. (C) Yamaoka mentioned the strong possibility of Ozawa
TOKYO 00002905 002.2 OF 002
becoming Prime Minister after Hatoyama. These days, Ozawa is
focused on party management and avoids inserting himself in
policy-related affairs. For example, Ozawa meets ambassadors
only for courtesy calls, not for substantive discussions.
Yamaoka advised the United States to start unofficial
dialogue with the party Secretary General. Such course would
help turn bilateral relations around, Yamaoka insisted.
Yamaoka also proposed that Ozawa make an "informal" and
"personal visit" to the United States. "He can fish and
sightsee for three or more days" while holding official
meetings. Yamaoka stressed the importance of Ozawa meeting
counterparts who have access to the U.S. President. Such a
trip would set the stage for "informal consensus building"
between the United States and Japan before Ozawa actually
becomes Prime Minister, Yamaoka said.
7. (C) Regarding timing, Yamaoka pointed to early January
2010, before the regular Diet session, which he guessed might
convene January 22. Post-Upper House election in July could
be an alternative but Ozawa could well be the Prime Minister
by that time. Yamaoka said that he would convince Ozawa to
make the visit, once Washington agreed. He encouraged the
USG to move quickly on the matter.
-------------- -
Critical of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
-------------- -
8. (C) Yamaoka sharply criticized MOFA diplomacy under the
previous LDP-led government and also under current Foreign
Minister and fellow party member Katsuya Okada. Believing
that tensions would continue in U.S.-Japan relations, Yamaoka
underscored the need to review Japan's diplomacy and foreign
policy decisionmaking structures.
--------------
Comment
--------------
9. (C) The Mainichi and Yomiuri newspapers gave inside-page
coverage to the meeting between Yamaoka and the DCM. The
papers quoted the DCM as saying that the "Futenma issue is
not the only issue in U.S.-Japan relations and that the U.S
would like to build positive relations in other areas." In
fact, Yamaoka attributed these comments to the DCM. We have
seen this trend recently whereby our Japanese interlocutors
characterize our views to the press, usually to the effect
that the USG has been amenable to the GOJ's indecision on
Futenma, in deference to the overall relationship.
ROOS
SIPDIS
EAP/J
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV JA
SUBJECT: DPJ DIET AFFAIRS CHIEF'S VIEW ON US-JAPAN RELATIONS
TOKYO 00002905 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James P. Zumwalt for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: The DCM's December 17 meeting with
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Diet Affairs Committee Chair
Kenji Yamaoka centered primarily on U.S.-Japan relations and,
more specifically, on issues related to the relocation of
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. Yamaoka expounded on PM
Hatoyama's decision earlier this week to delay putting forth
a concrete proposal and said that the PM wants to wait until
May 2010, when the budget has passed the Diet and support
from junior coalition partners Social Democratic Party (SDP)
and People's New Party (PNP) will no longer be necessary. In
contrast to previous meetings with Embassy Tokyo, Yamaoka
expressed pessimism about prospects for the current Futenma
relocation plan. He conveyed particular concern about the
local Okinawan political environment and the efficacy of the
relocation opposition movement. Yamaoka characterized Osaka
Governor Hashimoto's proposal to shift some of Futenma
functions to Kansai International Airport and Osaka
International Airport as "interesting." Yamaoka also
mentioned the strong possibility of DPJ Secretary General
Ozawa becoming Prime Minister and advised the United States
to start having unofficial dialogue with Ozawa and to host a
visit some time in early January. Finally, Yamaoka sharply
criticized Foreign Ministry diplomacy under the previous
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-led government and also under
current Foreign Minister and fellow party member Katsuya
Okada. END SUMMARY
--------------
Futenma Relocation Dominates Discussion
--------------
2. (C) DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chair Kenji Yamaoka invited
the DCM to his office on December 17 to discuss his December
10-13 trip to China with party Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa
(septel),but the conversation centered primarily on
U.S.-Japan relations and, more specifically, on issues
related to the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station
Futenma. Yamaoka and the DCM agreed on the importance of
focusing on broader alliance goals and on areas of
cooperation, such as missile defense and information sharing.
3. (C) Yamaoka explained PM Hatoyama's decision earlier this
week to delay putting forth a concrete proposal on Futenma
relocation. The Prime Minister, he said, wants to wait until
May 2010, when the budget has long passed the Diet and
support from junior coalition partners Social Democratic
Party and People's New Party is no longer necessary.
4. (C) In contrast to previous meetings with Embassy Tokyo,
however, Yamaoka expressed clear pessimism about implementing
the current Futenma Replacement Facility plan. He conveyed
concern about the local Okinawan political environment and
the relocation opposition movement, in particular. He
speculated that local sentiment will complicate any DPJ
efforts to conclude a relocation agreement by May. Landfill
procedures and other implementation details will also take
longer than expected. In the end, the "negatives" outweighed
the "positives," Yamaoka concluded.
5. (C) Yamaoka admitted that he was not an expert on alliance
management issues, but he offered his own suggestions on the
way forward. He asked about the extent to which other sites
could assume some of Futenma's current functions. Yamaoka
characterized as "interesting" Osaka Governor Hashimoto's
proposal to shift some of Futenma's roles to Kansai
International Airport and Osaka International Airport.
Training could take place at the airports and housing could
be located in the urban parts of the Kansai region, Yamaoka
theorized. The Governor probably sees such a plan as a debt
relief measure for his prefecture, Yamaoka added.
--------------
Pushing For Ozawa Visit
--------------
6. (C) Yamaoka mentioned the strong possibility of Ozawa
TOKYO 00002905 002.2 OF 002
becoming Prime Minister after Hatoyama. These days, Ozawa is
focused on party management and avoids inserting himself in
policy-related affairs. For example, Ozawa meets ambassadors
only for courtesy calls, not for substantive discussions.
Yamaoka advised the United States to start unofficial
dialogue with the party Secretary General. Such course would
help turn bilateral relations around, Yamaoka insisted.
Yamaoka also proposed that Ozawa make an "informal" and
"personal visit" to the United States. "He can fish and
sightsee for three or more days" while holding official
meetings. Yamaoka stressed the importance of Ozawa meeting
counterparts who have access to the U.S. President. Such a
trip would set the stage for "informal consensus building"
between the United States and Japan before Ozawa actually
becomes Prime Minister, Yamaoka said.
7. (C) Regarding timing, Yamaoka pointed to early January
2010, before the regular Diet session, which he guessed might
convene January 22. Post-Upper House election in July could
be an alternative but Ozawa could well be the Prime Minister
by that time. Yamaoka said that he would convince Ozawa to
make the visit, once Washington agreed. He encouraged the
USG to move quickly on the matter.
-------------- -
Critical of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
-------------- -
8. (C) Yamaoka sharply criticized MOFA diplomacy under the
previous LDP-led government and also under current Foreign
Minister and fellow party member Katsuya Okada. Believing
that tensions would continue in U.S.-Japan relations, Yamaoka
underscored the need to review Japan's diplomacy and foreign
policy decisionmaking structures.
--------------
Comment
--------------
9. (C) The Mainichi and Yomiuri newspapers gave inside-page
coverage to the meeting between Yamaoka and the DCM. The
papers quoted the DCM as saying that the "Futenma issue is
not the only issue in U.S.-Japan relations and that the U.S
would like to build positive relations in other areas." In
fact, Yamaoka attributed these comments to the DCM. We have
seen this trend recently whereby our Japanese interlocutors
characterize our views to the press, usually to the effect
that the USG has been amenable to the GOJ's indecision on
Futenma, in deference to the overall relationship.
ROOS