DIET GROUP CALLS FOR SIX-PARTY RESUMPTION AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000885

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KN JA
SUBJECT: DIET GROUP CALLS FOR SIX-PARTY RESUMPTION AND
U.S.-DPRK TALKS, APOLOGIZES FOR PRESS LEAK

Classified By: Charge James P. Zumwalt, reasons 1.4 (b, d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: A group of Diet members that supports
Japan-DPRK normalization has called for an early resumption
of the Six-Party Talks and, during a meeting with Embassy
Tokyo Political Minister-Counselor, urged the United States
to pursue bilateral discussions with the DPRK. The leader of
this group, Taku Yamasaki, later apologized to Embassy Tokyo
for his colleague's indiscretion in leaking to a newspaper
the contents of the meeting and misquoting Minister-Counselor
Meserve. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) The leadership of a Diet group that supports
Japan-DPRK normalization called on Political
Minister-Counselor Meserve April 16 to deliver their group's
statement on the DPRK's recent decision to leave the
Six-Party Talks and discuss (off-the-record) recent
DPRK-related matters. Senior LDP politician and faction
leader Taku Yamasaki, LDP defense expert Gen Nakatani and
opposition DPJ Upper House member Yoshihiro Kawakami noted
that the statement called on the DPRK to return soon to the
Six-Party Talks and urged the Japanese government pursue
diplomatic measures to induce the North's return to the
talks. On the UNSC's Presidential Statement, Yamasaki said
it was significant that China supported the statement's
strong content, and surmised that the DPRK is probably
unhappy with China and "feels betrayed."


3. (C) The U.S.-DPRK relationship has "started to change,"
Yamasaki continued, and the DPRK may react positively to the
U.S. decision to accept a Presidential Statement rather than
push for a UNSCR. At the same time, the DPRK believes that
China turned its back on it. "That's why now is the time for
the U.S. to act," Yamasaki said. For now, it is probably
impossible to hold Six-Party Talks, so it is a good idea for
the U.S. and DPRK to find a way to "break the deadlock," he
said.


4. (C) Kawakami asked if the U.S. will have direct talks with
the DPRK, noting that he heard Secretary Clinton is "positive
about bilateral talks." Minister-Counselor Meserve responded
that we continue to value highly the Six-Party process, as
Secretary Clinton said during her recent visit to Tokyo,
adding that it is highly regrettable that North Korea had
announced it was pulling out of the Six-Party Talks.
Kawakami said that the U.S. and DPRK should "start first," as
Japan and the DPRK cannot start now.


5. (C) Yamasaki noted that Japan's unilateral sanctions on
the North have had little effect so far. Although many
Japanese call on Japan to impose more sanctions, that would
merely stiffen the DPRK's attitude, he said. In response to
Kawakami's question about what will happen absent further
Six-Party meetings, Meserve noted that Secretary Clinton said
the Six-Party Talks are a vital forum for discussions. To
pursue denuclearization, all six parties must participate, he
added.


6. (C) Yamasaki said U.S.-DPRK talks should be held in order
to resume the Six-Party Talks. Yamasaki plans to visit China
and meet with VFM Wu Dawei in early May to "sound out" China.
He further stressed that his Diet group is the "only group
that has a channel to the DPRK." The Japanese government
doesn't have a pipeline like this, and many Diet members care
only about the abductions issue. Yamasaki said that he
doesn't like the DPRK, but nonetheless he wants to deal with
the North to address the nuclear, missile and abduction
issues based on the Pyongyang Declaration.


7. (C) Comment: Although the meeting - held at the behest of
the Diet group in Meserve's Embassy office after close of
business - was strictly billed as an off-the-record
discussion, Kawakami not only leaked the discussion to the
press, but he also misquoted Meserve. An article in the
April 17 edition of the Nikkei reads:

Members of the Parliamentarian League for Promoting the
Normalization of Relations between Japan and North Korea, a
nonpartisan group led by former Liberal Democratic Party Vice
President Taku Yamasaki, yesterday visited the U.S. Embassy
in Tokyo. According to Democratic Party of Japan Upper House
ember Yoshihiro Kawakami, the league requested that
U.S.-North Korea talks be held on restarting the Six-Party
Talks. In reply, Political Minister-Counselor Meserve
reportedly replied: "We will make efforts first to find a
breakthrough in the situation through U.S.-North Korea talks,

TOKYO 00000885 002 OF 002


premised on (maintaining) the framework of the Six-Party
Talks."

Minister-Counselor Meserve made no such statement. Yamasaki
apologized to Embassy Tokyo for the leak and mis-quote.
ZUMWALT