Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO423
2009-02-25 01:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

JAPANESE ENVIRONMENT MINISTER LOOKS FOR CONTINUED

Tags:  SENV ECON ENRG KGHG PREL JA 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 000423 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR S/SECC, EEB, EAP/J
STATE ALSO FOR OES/EGC - TTALLEY, NBARTH, AVOCKERODT
DEPT PASS CEQ
USDOE FOR S-3, RMARLAY, SRUEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2019
TAGS: SENV ECON ENRG KGHG PREL JA
SUBJECT: JAPANESE ENVIRONMENT MINISTER LOOKS FOR CONTINUED
U.S.-JAPAN COOPERATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires James Zumwalt, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 000423

SIPDIS

STATE FOR S/SECC, EEB, EAP/J
STATE ALSO FOR OES/EGC - TTALLEY, NBARTH, AVOCKERODT
DEPT PASS CEQ
USDOE FOR S-3, RMARLAY, SRUEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2019
TAGS: SENV ECON ENRG KGHG PREL JA
SUBJECT: JAPANESE ENVIRONMENT MINISTER LOOKS FOR CONTINUED
U.S.-JAPAN COOPERATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires James Zumwalt, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: Japan Environment Minister Saito called for
continuing strong U.S.-Japan cooperation on climate change,
including on efforts to bring China into a post-Kyoto
framework, during his February 17 meeting with Climate Change
Special Envoy Stern. The Japanese Minister also proposed
sending senior GOJ climate change/energy officials to
Washington to meet with the new Administration's team
following the February 24 U.S./Japan Summit. Saito pointed
to Japan's work with China to reduce GHG emissions/improve
energy efficiency through technology transfer and said
U.S.-Japan cooperation in that area could help China and the
other major developing countries sign on to and meaningfully
participate in a new international framework. Saito said his
conversations with responsible Chinese ministers show the PRC
would accept a framework that calls for it to reduce
emissions below a business as usual scenario. S/E Stern said
the U.S. is committed to addressing climate change and
concluding a new framework agreement in Copenhagen and
appreciates Japan's emphasis on the emerging market economies
action and participation. Discussing Japan's plans for
announcing domestic GHG emissions cuts, Saito noted while
some industries are not on board, there was no significant
difference among Japan's political parties. He anticipates
no serious change in the direction of climate change
policies, regardless of which party wins Japan's elections
later this year. End summary.

-------------- --------------
Seeking Continued Close Cooperation with the U.S.
-------------- --------------


2. (C) Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito met Special Envoy
for Climate Change Todd Stern February 17 in Tokyo to discuss
U.S.-Japan cooperation in negotiating a post-Kyoto climate
change agreement. In an unusual move for a Japanese

minister, Saito included senior figures from the other
concerned agencies -- the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry
of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) -- as well as from his
own Environment Ministry.


3. (C) Saito said he is encouraged by the President's stance
on climate change and called the issue the biggest challenge
facing the U.S. and Japan. He proposed sending an
interagency team of Japan's senior climate officials, headed
by MOFA DG for Global Affairs Sugiyama, to Washington to meet
with S/E Stern and other U.S. counterparts immediately
following the just announced February 24 U.S.-Japan summit.
While he said he agreed to such a meeting in principle, S/E
Stern noted he would have to check regarding the timing,
adding he and other U.S. senior climate officials had only
been on the job for a few days.

-------------- --------------
Getting China and Others to Participate Meaningfully
-------------- --------------


4. (C) For Japan's part, Saito hopes to indicate the
direction of Japan's thinking on a mid-term greenhouse gas
reduction target by the Ad hoc Working Group at the end of
March and stated the Prime Minister would announce the target
by June. It is most important the major developing nations,
particularly China, participate in the new climate framework
and the U.S. and Japan must work together to that end, he
said.


5. (C) S/E Stern said the U.S. is committed to concluding an
agreement on a post-Kyoto framework at UNFCCC COP 15 in
Copenhagen, but it must be an agreement Congress will pass.
In the meantime, he said the U.S. would move as fast as

TOKYO 00000423 002 OF 003


possible to make progress on cutting domestic emissions.
Regarding the major developing countries, he said their
participation is critical. Japan's emphasis on developing
country participation was exactly right, he added. S/E Stern
said that, while the U.S. believes both mid-term and
longer-term goals are important, the negotiations should not
be locked into a 1990 baseline year. A 25-40 percent
reduction by 2020 from 1990 levels was not realistic for the
United States.


6. (C) Saito said Japan's past cooperation with China on
technology to limit emissions would continue and he pointed
to Japan's "Co-benefit" approach, involving projects which
both lower GHG emissions and reduce other air pollutants
through technology transfer. He said the U.S. and Japan
could work together on such projects to bring China and major
developing countries into a new international framework.
Raising reports of an announcement of a U.S.-China
partnership on global warming, he said the GOJ would like to
talk with the USG regarding how it might help support such an
effort.


7. (C) S/E Stern said the U.S. is interested in stepping up
its efforts with China and sees opportunities to work with
Japan and the EU in that regard. Dealings between the U.S.
and China on climate should be on a constructive, productive
footing, he added. Saito said, based on his conversations
with the Chinese head of delegation at Poznan, China
recognizes it needs to take steps that will be respected by
the international community. While an emissions reduction
target might not be possible for China, Saito suggested a
goal such as 20-30 percent below business as usual would be
possible for China to accept.

--------------
The GOJ Thinking on Domestic GHG Targets
--------------


8. (C) Regarding mid-term GHG reduction goals, Saito said an
ambitious goal is necessary for three reasons: 1) it is
supported by the science, 2) an ambitious developed country
target would help get emerging country participation, and 3)
such a target would spur technological development. Japan is
moving towards announcing targets, but some industrial
sectors have remained opposed. Nevertheless, the Minister
expects the PM to proceed as he announced at Davos and
announce medium term targets in June.


9. (C) In conclusion, Saito touched on Japan's political
situation and elections. He said no matter which party wins
the election, there would be no major change in the direction
of Japan's climate change policy. Both of the major parties
agree on the seriousness of the issue, along with his party,
current coalition junior party New Komeito.


10. (U) Meeting participants:

Japan

-Minister of the Environment Tetsuo Saito
-Hideki Minamikawa, Director General, Minister's Secretariat,
MOE
-Amb. Shinsuke Sugiyama, Director General for Global Issues,
MOFA
-Tatsushi Terada, Director General for Global Environment, MOE
-Masaru Moriya, Councilor for Global Environment, MOE
-Jun Arima, Deputy Director General for Global Environmental
Affairs, METI
-Kunihiko Shimada, Principal International Negotiator, Office
of International Strategy on Climate Change, MOE


TOKYO 00000423 003 OF 003


United States

-Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern
-Robert Cekuta, Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs, U.S.
Embassy, Tokyo
-Bart Cobbs, Environment, Science and Technology Unit Chief,
U.S. Embassy, Tokyo



11. (U) S/E Stern cleared this cable subsequent to his
departure from Tokyo.
ZUMWALT