Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO62
2009-01-13 01:54:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - GAZA AND JAPAN-ROK
how-toVZCZCXRO5205 PP RUEHFK DE RUEHKO #0062 0130154 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 130154Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9953 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// PRIORITY RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY RHMFIUU/USFJ PRIORITY INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 1795 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 5583 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7170 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2678 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3187 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3229 RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 000062
SIPDIS
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - GAZA AND JAPAN-ROK
RELATIONS
UNCLAS TOKYO 000062
SIPDIS
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - GAZA AND JAPAN-ROK
RELATIONS
1. LEAD STORIES: All Tuesday morning papers gave front-
page play to Monday's summit in Seoul between Prime
Minister Aso and ROK President Lee.
2. "Israel Targeting Senior Officials to Eradicate
Hamas" On the Israeli military's mobilization of
reserve troops, Jerusalem correspondent for the liberal
Tokyo Shimbun wrote (1/13): "The Israeli decision to
enlist reserves is meant to accomplish its initial goal
of neutralizing Hamas before entering into a
ceasefire.... Given that senior Hamas officials appear
to be seeking shelter at hospitals and other public
places out of fear of air strikes, urban warfare in the
center of Gaza is highly likely."
3. "Trilateral Unity Must Be Maintained" On Monday's
Japan-South Korea summit, the top-circulation, moderate
Yomiuri editorialized (1/13): "It is important for
Japan and the ROK to have in-depth consultations on
North Korea with the incoming Obama administration
quickly in order to reaffirm a shared position of
calling for North Korea to accept a vigorous nuclear
verification regime.... North Korea is notorious for
attempting to drive a wedge among negotiating parties.
Japan and South Korea cannot tolerate such a
negotiation tactic. They must maintain solid
coordination with the new U.S. administration."
4. "'Matured Relations' Need to Be Institutionalized"
The liberal Mainichi asserted (1/13): "Prime Minister
Aso and ROK President Lee held a summit with the
imminent launch of the Obama administration in mind....
It is meaningful that the leaders of Japan and South
Korea jointly affirmed enhanced coordination with the
U.S. ahead of the inauguration of President Obama. The
two leaders need to translate this affirmation into
specific action."
5. "Partners Should Unite" The conservative Sankei
insisted (1/13): "What the U.S., Japan, and South Korea
must do is to resuscitate a venue for tripartite policy
coordination on North Korea, something that ceased to
exist under the former Roh administration. The creation
of such a consultative framework would enable Japan and
South Korea to apply a brake on a possible unilateral
concession to North Korea by the U.S., as evidenced by
the Bush administration's delisting of the DPRK as a
state sponsor of terrorism."
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - GAZA AND JAPAN-ROK
RELATIONS
1. LEAD STORIES: All Tuesday morning papers gave front-
page play to Monday's summit in Seoul between Prime
Minister Aso and ROK President Lee.
2. "Israel Targeting Senior Officials to Eradicate
Hamas" On the Israeli military's mobilization of
reserve troops, Jerusalem correspondent for the liberal
Tokyo Shimbun wrote (1/13): "The Israeli decision to
enlist reserves is meant to accomplish its initial goal
of neutralizing Hamas before entering into a
ceasefire.... Given that senior Hamas officials appear
to be seeking shelter at hospitals and other public
places out of fear of air strikes, urban warfare in the
center of Gaza is highly likely."
3. "Trilateral Unity Must Be Maintained" On Monday's
Japan-South Korea summit, the top-circulation, moderate
Yomiuri editorialized (1/13): "It is important for
Japan and the ROK to have in-depth consultations on
North Korea with the incoming Obama administration
quickly in order to reaffirm a shared position of
calling for North Korea to accept a vigorous nuclear
verification regime.... North Korea is notorious for
attempting to drive a wedge among negotiating parties.
Japan and South Korea cannot tolerate such a
negotiation tactic. They must maintain solid
coordination with the new U.S. administration."
4. "'Matured Relations' Need to Be Institutionalized"
The liberal Mainichi asserted (1/13): "Prime Minister
Aso and ROK President Lee held a summit with the
imminent launch of the Obama administration in mind....
It is meaningful that the leaders of Japan and South
Korea jointly affirmed enhanced coordination with the
U.S. ahead of the inauguration of President Obama. The
two leaders need to translate this affirmation into
specific action."
5. "Partners Should Unite" The conservative Sankei
insisted (1/13): "What the U.S., Japan, and South Korea
must do is to resuscitate a venue for tripartite policy
coordination on North Korea, something that ceased to
exist under the former Roh administration. The creation
of such a consultative framework would enable Japan and
South Korea to apply a brake on a possible unilateral
concession to North Korea by the U.S., as evidenced by
the Bush administration's delisting of the DPRK as a
state sponsor of terrorism."
SCHIEFFER