ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL'S FEBRUARY 2 MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000246 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR JA SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL'S FEBRUARY 2 MEETING WITH STATE SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS TAKEMASA Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James P. Zumwalt per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: EAP Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell and Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Wallace Gregson met February 2 with State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Koichi Takemasa to discuss next steps on the Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF) issue. Although A/S Campbell asked for more details on the GOJ,s FRF evaluation process, Takemasa said only that the ad-hoc FRF committees would meet and review the proposals, emphasizing that the views of the GOJ,s three coalition partners -- the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),the Social Democratic Party (SDP),and the People,s New Party (PNP) -- must be considered. Takemasa did not say at what point the GOJ would engage with the United States on the details of various FRF proposals. A/S Campbell said the United States would continue to emphasize publicly that the current FRF plan remained the best option. Noting that he would attend the February 6-8 Munich Security Conference, Takemasa said he would reiterate to Secretary Gates and European allies that the U.S.-Japan alliance remained the foundation of Japan,s security policy. End Summary. ¶2. (C) In a February 2 meeting with State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Koichi Takemasa (the equivalent of political vice minister),EAP Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell, accompanied by Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Wallace Gregson, sought details on the next steps in the GOJ internal review of possible FRF options. Emphasizing that Japan,s coalition government was composed of three parties with a range of positions, Takemasa said that the result should reflect those views. He noted that plans to review proposals from the SDP and PNP had been postponed and would be taken up the week of February 8. Takemasa said that SDP representatives had asked to visit Guam in the context of evaluating FRF options. ASD Gregson added that the United States would support a visit in order to assist the GOJ in the FRF review process and not in support of a particular political party. ¶3. (C) A/S Campbell asked if the DPJ would evaluate the FRF proposals made by its coalition partners and whether the details of those proposals would be shared with the United States. Takemasa did not respond directly, but said that the GOJ would need to consider all options equally -- "starting from zero" -- including the current FRF plan. He said a decision on next steps would not be made until the SDP and PNP submitted their FRF proposals. Takemasa expressed his personal view that the proposals should be vetted at the political level first, referring to the committee composed of Diet members from the coalition parties while saying that no decision on the vetting process had been made. Alternatively, the proposals could be submitted directly to MOD and/or MOFA for evaluation. ¶4. (C) A/S Campbell said that the United States would continue to say publicly that the current FRF plan remained the best option. Takemasa noted A/S Campbell,s statement that the current plan was the best option, but reiterated that the ruling coalition consisted of three parties and that the final decision must take those views into consideration. ¶5. (C) Takemasa added that he would have an opportunity to speak to Defense Secretary Gates at the February 6-8 Munich Security Conference. He said he would tell Secretary Gates and European allies that the U.S.-Japan alliance remained the foundation of Japan,s security policy. ¶6. (SBU) USG Participants: A/S Campbell ASD Gregson EAP Special Advisor Nirav Patel EAP/J Director Kevin Maher Embassy Tokyo Political Minister-Counselor Robert Luke OSD Senior Country Director for Japan Suzanne Basalla EAP Special Assistant Mark Tesone OSD Country Director for Japan LCDR John Bradford Embassy Notetaker MOFA Participants: TOKYO 00000246 002 OF 002 State Secretary Takemasa North American Affairs DDG Tomita Secretary to the State Secretary Minami First North American Affairs Div Deputy Dir. Yamamoto Interpreter ¶7. (U) A/S Campbell cleared this cable. ROOS