COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR REPRESENTATIVE DANA

UNCLAS TOKYO 000365 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OTRA AMGT PREL JA SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR REPRESENTATIVE DANA ROHRABACHER AND MR. PAUL BERKOWITZ REF: STATE 13221 ¶1. (U) Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance for the February 20-21, 2009, visit to Japan by Congressional Representative Dana Rohrabacher and Mr. Paul Berkowitz (February 19-21). ¶2. (U) Control Officer for the visit will be Political Officer Keith Jordan. He can be reached at: Office phone: (81-3)3224-5343 Home phone: (81-3)3224-6949 Mobile phone: 81-90-7289-8815 Fax: (81-3)3224-5322 E-mail: JordanKC@state.gov (unclassified) -------------- Hotel Reservations -------------- ¶3. (U) Tokyo hotel reservations have been made at the Hotel Okura 2-10-4 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8416, Tel: (81-3) 3582-0111 Fax: (81-3) 3582-3707. Details as follows: Dana Rohrabacher Arrive: 02/20/09 Depart: 02/21/09 Conf. No.: 650583 Paul Berkowitz Arrive: 02/19/09 Depart: 02/21/09 Conf. No.: 650582 -------------- Airport to Hotel Transportation -------------- ¶4. (U) Control Officer Keith Jordan will meet Representative Rohrabacher at the arrival gate upon his arrival on Friday, February 20. ¶5. (U) Unfortunately, Embassy will not be able to provide transportation for Mr. Berkowitz from Narita Airport upon his arrival on February 19. Mr. Berkowitz should take the airport "limousine" bus directly to the hotel or the Narita Express (NEX) train to Tokyo Station and then a taxi to the hotel. The limousine bus counter is located in the Tokyo Narita Airport Arrival lobby. Look for the orange signs as you walk through the doors from the customs area to the main lobby. The bus fare is 3,000 Yen. The NEX train is located in the basement of the airport terminal. The train fare is 2,900 Yen. Twenty-four hour currency exchange facilities are available in the customs area and the arrival lobby of the airport. Travel time from Tokyo Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo is 90-120 minutes, depending on traffic. -------------- Visa -------------- ¶6. (U) Holders of U.S. diplomatic or official passports must have a Japanese visa to enter Japan. Travelers on a U.S. tourist (blue cover) passport may enter Japan as a tourist without a Japanese visa for up to 90 days. As of November 20, 2007, all foreign nationals entering Japan, with the exemption of certain categories, are required to provide fingerprints and a facial photograph at the port of entry. This requirement does not replace any existing visa or passport requirements. Official U.S. travelers will have to submit to the photograph and fingerprinting requirement unless they travel with a valid diplomatic or official visa or a Note Verbale. The nature of the passport onto which the visa is pasted is not relevant, i.e. a tourist passport holder with a diplomatic or official visa will not have to submit to the biometrics collection process. SOFA personnel are exempt under SOFA Article 9 (2) from the new biometrics entry requirements. -------------- Threat Assessment -------------- ¶7. (U) U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. As the U.S. Government has reported in public announcements over the last several months, U.S. citizens and interests abroad may be at increased risk of terrorist actions from extremist groups, which may target civilians and include suicide operations. The Department maintains information about potential threats to Americans overseas which is available to travelers on the internet at the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page: http://www.travel.state.gov. The Embassy takes all threats seriously. U.S. Embassy Tokyo can be contacted 24 hours a day at 03-3224-5000 (locally) or 81-3-3224-5000 (internationally). ¶8. (SBU) The general threat from crime in Tokyo and throughout Japan is low. Crime is at levels well below the U.S. national average. Violent crime is rare, but does exist. The Japanese National Police report continued problems with pick-pocketing of foreigners in crowded shopping areas of Tokyo. Although street crime is low, common sense security measures are advised for all American citizens traveling in Japan. ¶9. (U) Also be advised that under no circumstances may weapons be brought into Japan. Carrying a pocketknife (including Swiss Army-style knife, craft or hunting knife, box cutter, etc.) in public is forbidden. Under Japanese law, carrying any such item in public, with a size exceeding 8 cm in length, 1.5 cm in width or 2 mm in thickness, can subject the person to arrest or detention. ZUMWALT