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