GOJ COMMENTS ON GLOBAL INITIATIVE DEMARCHE AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000543 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/J, ISN/WMDT E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2019 TAGS: MNUC PARM PREL PTER KGIC KS JA SUBJECT: GOJ COMMENTS ON GLOBAL INITIATIVE DEMARCHE AND UPCOMING MEETINGS REF: A. STATE 18574 ¶B. TOKYO 2837 Classified By: EMIN Robert F. Cekuta, reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (C) Summary: Econoff and counterparts from the Korean and Russian embassies delivered demarche points contained in ref to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) officials in Tokyo March 10. The MOFA officials could not confirm whether Japan would send anyone to the Global Initiative workshop and meeting in Seoul in April, but said no GOJ official would attend the April workshop in Germany. MOFA appears to be having trouble generating interest in the Global Initiative (GI) within the Japanese bureaucracy, which could be compounded by an impending personnel change within the MOFA Nuclear Energy Cooperation Office. Post will reach out directly to other elements of the GOJ regarding upcoming GI workshops. End summary. ¶2. (C) Econoff, along with Republic of Korea First Secretary (S&T) Jae Yong Hur and Russian Second Secretary (Political) Andrey Savinov, delivered the demarche contained in reftel A to MOFA Deputy Director for International Nuclear Energy Cooperation Shoichi Nagayoshi and his staffer Yukai Aosa March 10. During the meeting, Hur invited the GOJ to attend the upcoming Global Initiative workshop and Exercise Planning Group meeting to be held in Seoul in April and asked that Japan consider making a presentation at the workshop. Hur noted his government had previously been in touch with MOFA about the meetings and pressed Nagayoshi to confirm whether the GOJ would be able to make a presentation. Nagayoshi responded that MOFA had contacted the relevant offices in Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI),the Cabinet Office, and in the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA),but had not received any responses. He promised to contact those offices again. -------------- -------------- Addressing Recent Japanese Difficulties related to the GI -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Despite strong statements in support of the Global Initiative from Nagayoshi during this and past meetings, the GOJ has been either unwilling or unable to send representatives to several recent workshops. Given previous comments from Aosa regarding a lack of enthusiasm for the GI at other ministries (ref B),and from the former Deputy Director of MEXT's Atomic Energy Division about high rates of turnover resulting in officials "not really knowing about the Global Initiative," we suspect MOFA have trouble arranging the participation of relevant ministries. ¶4. (SBU) To clarify this issue, Econoff asked Nagayoshi to comment on the level of interest in the GI at the other ministries. Nagayoshi reiterated Japan's support for the GI and noted MOFA continues to encourage other ministries to participate. However, he added his office is a small one and that the GOJ has problems attending all meetings because of schedule conflicts and budget shortfalls. Nagayoshi did not, however, directly address the issue of support for the GI outside of MOFA. ¶5. (SBU) Potentially exacerbating the situation, no MOFA officer will fill in for Aosa, who has been the GOJ's official point-of-contact for GI-related issues including the Information Portal, when she departs for maternity leave on March 13. Nagayoshi, with the support of interns, will handle Global Initiative matters. -------------- Upcoming Meetings -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Econoff asked Nagayoshi if MOFA had decided on attendance at the upcoming Fifth Plenary Meeting of the GI. Nagayoshi responded no official decision has been made on who would attend, but that generally, the MOFA Director General for Disarmament, Nonproliferation, and Science, along with the MOFA Director for International Nuclear Energy Cooperation, attend the Plenary meetings. In response to a question on the April Workshop in Germany, Aosa noted no GOJ officials plan to attend the conference. ZUMWALT