RULING PARTIES IN CHINA AND JAPAN SIZE EACH OTHER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000567 SIPDIS FOR EAP/J, STATE PASS TO USTR CHINA OFFICE E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2019 TAGS: PREL ECON JA CH SUBJECT: RULING PARTIES IN CHINA AND JAPAN SIZE EACH OTHER UP ON KEY ISSUES TOKYO 00000567 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: CDA James P. Zumwalt for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: During the February 19-24 "Japan-China Ruling Parties Exchange," visiting Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee International Liaison Department Chief Wang Jiarui and members of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) focused their discussions primarily on the global economic crisis and on Japanese attitudes toward China in the wake of ongoing Chinese food safety issues. Participants touched on other sensitive bilateral topics, such as disputes over resource exploration in the East China Sea, but the venue was mainly an opportunity to "feel each other's mood," the LDP's International Bureau Director told Embassy Tokyo on March 6. Wang also had an extended, "friendly" meeting with opposition party leader Ichiro Ozawa, during which Wang made "positive" remarks about a possible DPJ-led government's relations with China. END SUMMARY ¶2. (C) The "Japan-China Ruling Parties Exchange" has evolved into a venue that allows the CCP and LDP to discuss day-to-day issues, such as the economy, and to strengthen party ties, according to LDP International Bureau Director Miyako Ito. The exchange started with a request from the CCP in 2004 to hold policy-related discussions in a way that would improve bilateral relations and ease the tension that existed during the tenure of then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. The CCP also realized during the first meeting that discussions referring to Japan's colonial past would not move the relationship forward, Ito surmised. The exchange is just one of many channels and, rather than being a decisionmaking venue, is a chance for both sides to "feel each other's mood," Ito explained. ¶3. (C) CCP Central Committee International Liaison Department head Wang Jiarui has always led the Chinese delegation -- this year comprising 22 CCP subject matter experts -- while the LDP Policy Affairs Research Council head co-chairs the Japan side with a counterpart from junior ruling coalition partner Komeito. LDP Lower House Diet member Kosuke Hori led this year's Japan delegation, which consisted only of lawmakers. Previous LDP delegation heads have been Hidenao Nakagawa, Shoichi Nakagawa, and Sadakazu Tanigaki. The LDP has received requests to hold exchanges with parties from other countries, but resource constraints limit the program's outreach, Ito said. ¶4. (C) Ito provided Embassy Tokyo with a detailed outline of Wang's agenda as well as some substantive details on the meetings. Wang's delegation held morning and afternoon exchanges with LDP members on February 20, and Wang met separately with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura later during the trip. -------------- Discussed Anti-Chinese Sentiment in Japan -------------- ¶5. (C) Wang expressed concern about anti-Chinese sentiment in Japan and wondered if Japanese politicians were in a position to improve perceptions of China, reported Ito. LDP lawmakers responded by saying that they are doing everything they can politically to strengthen ties, but that negative public sentiment is a key issue. In particular, China's food safety record remains a source of angst and conjures poor images of China among the Japanese public, according to Ito. LDP members encouraged Wang to strengthen Beijing's food and product safety measures as a step to improve Japanese public perceptions of China. Ito told Emboffs that it appears Chinese attitudes toward Japan have actually softened, TOKYO 00000567 002.2 OF 002 particularly following Japan's visible support for Sichuan earthquake victims in May 2008. Chinese people learned that the Japanese can be "quite kind," Ito observed. -------------- Touched on Security Issues -------------- ¶6. (C) Ito mentioned that Wang's January trip to North Korea attracted broad interest within the LDP. Japanese media separately highlight Wang's positive assessment of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's health, as well as Wang's claim that he conveyed Japan's concern over the ongoing abductions issue to Pyongyang. During the exchange, LDP members touched briefly on the longstanding dispute over gas exploration rights in the East China Sea and stressed the need to make progress on the issue, but Wang's delegation made little comment about the matter, according to Ito. -------------- Meeting with Opposition Party -------------- ¶7. (C) Although not privy to details of Wang's meeting with the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),Ito confirmed that Wang had an extended call with DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa on February 23. Wang and Ozawa have known each other for a long time, DPJ Upper House member Yoshihiro Kawakami told Embassy Tokyo separately. Considering Ozawa and Wang's friendship, their 75-minute meeting should not be compared to the relatively shorter session Ozawa held with visiting Secretary Clinton last month, Kawakami added. Another DPJ contact told our Embassy that Ozawa is respected in China and that one of his private secretaries is a daughter of a CCS senior official. ¶8. (C) On substance, Japanese media describe Wang's meeting with Ozawa as "friendly" and cite Wang's positive remarks about prospects for bilateral relations under a DPJ-led Government. The party's official newsletter reports that Wang and Ozawa stressed the importance of strengthening economic ties and working together to overcome the current global financial crisis. Wang reportedly expressed hope that Ozawa will develop relations further "once the DPJ takes office." ¶9. (C) Wang also mused about potential arms de-escalation in the region should Six-Party Talks on North Korea succeed, to which Ozawa responded with his controversial statement about limiting the U.S. military presence in Japan to the 7th Fleet in Yokosuka, Kawakami reported. Denuclearization of the North could compel the United States and China to scale back resources in the region and Japan, for its part, could rely on its own modest military improvements rather than on U.S. forces, Wang reportedly told Ozawa. ZUMWALT