Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO820
2009-04-10 03:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA
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UNCLAS TOKYO 000820
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 - NORTH KOREA
UNCLAS TOKYO 000820
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 - NORTH KOREA
1. LEAD STORIES: Top items on Friday morning included
the revelation by Prime Minister Aso of a new economic
plan aimed at creating 4 million jobs by 2020 through
concentrated investments in the environmental, medical,
and tourism fields.
2. "Warning Should Be Served against North Korea's
Military-First Policy" On yesterday's approval by the
DPRK legislature of Kim Jong Il as chairman of the
National Defense Commission for his third term, the
business-oriented Nikkei editorialized (4/10): "It is
clear that North Korea intends to reinforce the
political foundation of the Kim Jong Il regime through
military power. The development of nuclear weapons and
ballistic missiles constitutes the core of North
Korea's march towards becoming a military power. These
programs are considered a major tool for obtaining
foreign currency. The UN Security Council needs to
issue a strong warning against the DPRK."
3. "Time Is Running out" A correspondent for the
liberal Tokyo Shimbun reported from Seoul (4/10):
"North Korea has been fooling around with nuclear and
missile brinkmanship. Only three years are left for the
Kim Jong Il regime to achieve its goal of becoming a
'powerful and prosperous country' by 2012. With
paramount challenges lying ahead for Kim Jong Il,
including the reconstruction of the dismal economy, as
well as the issue of naming his successor, time is
running out for North Korea."
4. "New Resolution Still Needed" An editorial in the
conservative Sankei wrote (4/10): "From the standpoint
of ensuring peace and stability in East Asia, it is not
logical for China and Russia to be negative about a new
UN Security Council resolution on the DPRK missile
launch, especially given that the two countries
previously favored Resolution 1718 that called for
sanctions on North Korea. An acknowledgment of
Pyongyang's claim that the launch was undertaken to put
a satellite into orbit would be tantamount to
acquiescencing to unlawful military blackmail.... A
UNSC statement without backing of sanctions would
embolden North Korea to repeat missile launches and
possibly resort to a nuclear test."
ZUMWALT
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 - NORTH KOREA
1. LEAD STORIES: Top items on Friday morning included
the revelation by Prime Minister Aso of a new economic
plan aimed at creating 4 million jobs by 2020 through
concentrated investments in the environmental, medical,
and tourism fields.
2. "Warning Should Be Served against North Korea's
Military-First Policy" On yesterday's approval by the
DPRK legislature of Kim Jong Il as chairman of the
National Defense Commission for his third term, the
business-oriented Nikkei editorialized (4/10): "It is
clear that North Korea intends to reinforce the
political foundation of the Kim Jong Il regime through
military power. The development of nuclear weapons and
ballistic missiles constitutes the core of North
Korea's march towards becoming a military power. These
programs are considered a major tool for obtaining
foreign currency. The UN Security Council needs to
issue a strong warning against the DPRK."
3. "Time Is Running out" A correspondent for the
liberal Tokyo Shimbun reported from Seoul (4/10):
"North Korea has been fooling around with nuclear and
missile brinkmanship. Only three years are left for the
Kim Jong Il regime to achieve its goal of becoming a
'powerful and prosperous country' by 2012. With
paramount challenges lying ahead for Kim Jong Il,
including the reconstruction of the dismal economy, as
well as the issue of naming his successor, time is
running out for North Korea."
4. "New Resolution Still Needed" An editorial in the
conservative Sankei wrote (4/10): "From the standpoint
of ensuring peace and stability in East Asia, it is not
logical for China and Russia to be negative about a new
UN Security Council resolution on the DPRK missile
launch, especially given that the two countries
previously favored Resolution 1718 that called for
sanctions on North Korea. An acknowledgment of
Pyongyang's claim that the launch was undertaken to put
a satellite into orbit would be tantamount to
acquiescencing to unlawful military blackmail.... A
UNSC statement without backing of sanctions would
embolden North Korea to repeat missile launches and
possibly resort to a nuclear test."
ZUMWALT