AMBASSADOR MARANTIS SEEKS GREATER TRADE AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TOKYO 000338 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/J, EAP/EP, AND EEB STATE PASS USTR FOR DUSTR MARANTIS, AUSTR CUTLER, MBEEMAN, AND DLEE USDA/FAS FOR BERMAN NEC FOR LSUMMERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD EAGR EINV APEC PREL JA SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MARANTIS SEEKS GREATER TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION, PROGRESS ON TRADE IRRITANTS WITH JAPANESE OFFICIALS REF: TOKYO 221 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFED. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE USG CHANNELS. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis called on senior Government of Japan (GOJ) political and career-level counterparts to work closely and quickly with the USG to prevent protracted trade irritants related to beef, autos, and Japan Post privatization from becoming political irritants. Resolution of these issues will allow Japan and the U.S. to focus more attention on further building bilateral cooperation in key areas such as trade liberalization in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and the Doha Development Agenda, intellectual property rights protection, and promoting trade in environmental goods, he said. GOJ officials acknowledged the USG's desire for Japan to allow access for U.S. beef and beef products on the basis of science and international standards, but asserted that lingering food safety concerns and purportedly weak consumer confidence necessitate further evaluation of this proposal. Ambassador Marantis noted the USG is considering WTO-related action against Taiwan for failure to implement its beef agreement a development that is bringing greater attention to our beef trade with Japan and underscores the need to find a science -based solution with Japan in the short term. He asked his counterparts to work on resolving outstanding U.S. concerns on beef with greater urgency. GOJ officials disagreed that Japan's eco-car subsidy program discriminates against U.S. manufacturers, arguing that although the program applies separate fuel efficiency mileage ratings for U.S., Japanese, and European models that differ in terms of calculation method, they are in fact compatible and fair. On Japan Post, GOJ officials said they understand fully the USG's level playing field and transparency concerns, but cautioned that political sensitivities on this issue are high since lawmakers have already begun deliberating internally the contents of new legislation to reform of the country's banking, insurance, and postal services behemoth. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis focused much of his discussion in Tokyo on ways to resolve high priority bilateral trade issues related to beef, autos, and insurance, while also underscoring the importance of strengthening cooperation in areas such as APEC and in dealing with third country concerns. Ambassador Marantis met on February 1 with the following Japanese officials: State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Koichi Takemasa, State Senior Vice Minister and Director of the National Strategy Office Motohisa Furukawa, Assistant Cabinet Secretary Chikao Kawai, Deputy Foreign Minister Yoichi Otabe, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Vice Minister for International Affairs Hiroyuki Ishige, and Agriculture Vice Minister for International Affairs Shuji Yamada. He also engaged on a broad range of economic and trade issues, including the aforementioned bilateral irritants, over dinner with State Secretary Takemasa, Senior Vice Minister for Internal Affairs and Communication Masamitsu Naito, Senior Vice Minister for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Masaharu Nakagawa, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Tetsuro Fukuyama, and Lower House Chairman of the Land and Transportation Committee Hiroshi Kawauchi. Additionally, Ambassador Marantis met with the American Chamber of Commerce Japan Board of Governors, as well as local and American news outlets, and gave a separate interview with NHK Television. Beef TOKYO 00000338 002 OF 004 -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Ambassador Marantis expressed concern that market access for U.S. beef and beef products remains a troubling irritant, one that overshadows the otherwise strong and growing agricultural trade relationship between the United States and Japan. He called on the GOJ to allow access for beef that is both science-based and consistent with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) standards. The U.S. has a proven track record for mitigating potential risk for BSE (Bovine Spongioform Encephalopathy) and has asked the OIE to consider reclassifying the U.S. as "negligible risk" for BSE, he said. Vice Minister Yamada agreed it is important to ensure food safety based on science, but asserted the beef issue remains difficult to resolve due to what he claimed is a lack of consumer confidence resulting from the "regrettable" frequency of shipments of U.S. beef that fail to comply with Japan's import protocol. Ambassador Marantis countered that the U.S.-Japan beef protocol is not commercially viable since it does not conform to OIE guidelines and that mis-shipments have occurred as a result. He noted the majority of the 13 mis-shipments identified by authorities since Japan implemented its protocol did not involve specified risk materials (SRMs),but rather resulted from technical inabilities to comply with Japan's unique requirements. ¶4. (SBU) Ambassador Marantis said the USG is considering WTO-related action against Taiwan for its government's failure to implement its beef agreement and in that light underscored the importance for Japan to make progress in the short term on the beef issue. If Japan could make a clear commitment to full OIE compliance, the USG would be willing to work with the GOJ towards an interim step if that would help politically, he said. Vice Minister Yamada noted the previous Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led administration had put forth a (non-OIE consistent) interim proposal to allow imports of beef from cattle up to 30 months of age -- something Canada is currently negotiating with the GOJ -- but that there is no negotiation with the United States on this proposal and Japan,s current government has not yet discussed whether it would endorse this option for beef trade with the United States. He said the Food Safety Commission (FSC) continues to evaluate the U.S. system for adequate control of BSE, and would likely take a "negligible risk" reclassification into account should the OIE move in this direction, but would not speculate on the FSC's final decision. ¶5. (SBU) Vice Minister Yamada acknowledged the opportunities upcoming visits by Secretary Vilsack (April) and USTR Kirk (June for the APEC Trade Ministerial) will provide to address the beef issue, but declined to say when he thought Japan and the U.S. could begin deepening their discussions to remove this trade irritant from the bilateral agenda. Assistant Cabinet Secretary Kawai said beef is a "very important" part of the U.S.-Japan trade relationship and must be resolved, but argued Japan must proceed carefully. The new Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) led government must manage a highly sensitive set of economic and political challenges in the run-up to the July Upper House elections in which the party seeks an absolute majority, he said. Senior Vice Minister Furukawa suggested the beef issue be addressed as part of a broader list of bilateral issues. Singling out beef tends to generate a "here we go again" reaction from GOJ officials, as well as the public, who Furukawa claimed see this as just another example of U.S. pressure being brought to bear on Japan. He further suggested it is important to work with the TOKYO 00000338 003 OF 004 DPJ government at the political level, noting bureaucratic engagement as done under previous LDP administrations is no longer sufficient. Autos -------------- ¶6. (SBU) In all of his discussions, Ambassador Marantis underscored USG concerns with Japan's eco-car subsidy program. These concerns which are rooted in issues of fairness related to implementation, could erode the goodwill generated by changes Japan announced January 19 that opened opportunities for U.S. and other autos imported using the Preferential Handling Procedures (PHP) certification process to also qualify for eco-subsidies. He noted that certain aspects of the eco-subsidy program are viewed by U.S. industry and members of Congress as discriminatory, in particular Japan's decision to use different fuel economy standards for U.S. vehicles (based on Environmental Protection Agency "city" mileage ratings) and European vehicles (based on an EU "combined city/highway" rating). Ambassador Marantis urged the GOJ to be more inclusive in its program by also using a combined mileage rating for U.S. vehicles. ¶7. (SBU) State Secretary Takemasa argued that Japan's method of calculation for U.S. vehicles approximates closely the standards applied to European and Japanese vehicles. A combined rating applied to U.S. cars would make far more U.S. vehicles eligible for the program than either Japanese or European models, he claimed. Vice Minister Ishige echoed similar sentiments, noting it would be "extremely difficult" to consider the U.S. proposal for a combined rating since the EPA city mileage rating was in fact the most compatible with Japan's system of measurement. We must be fair, he said, noting that his ministry has been subjected to continual media scrutiny -- which largely portrays METI as having already caved to U.S. pressure. (Note: Per reftel, METI informed us February 3 of its decision not to revise its use of the EPA city mileage rating; METI subsequently posted to its website a list of U.S. models imported under the PHP program that are deemed eligible for Japan's eco-subsidy program; 43 foreign-made vehicles in total qualify, according to METI: 8 U.S. and 35 European models. End note.) Japan Post -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Ambassador Marantis reiterated the USG's strong desire for the GOJ to take into account level playing field and transparency concerns as lawmakers consider new legislation and regulations governing the privatization of Japan Post -- the country's banking, insurance, and postal services behemoth. He told his counterparts USTR attorneys are of the opinion the USG has a strong WTO GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) case relevant to Japan's national treatment obligations, but expressed his desire to work closely with the GOJ to resolve this issue bilaterally. State Secretary Takemasa said the GOJ is well aware of U.S. concerns and that he agrees transparency in the reform process is "absolutely essential." Assistant Cabinet Secretary Kawai noted the GOJ has made every effort to solicit industry input in preparation for drafting the legislation that will commence in the coming weeks, including two hearings last December and a public comment period that closed January 20 (for which the USG also submitted comments). Ambassador Marantis welcomed these opportunities but underscored the importance of ensuring that such comments TOKYO 00000338 004 OF 004 are fully taken into account before final decisions are made. Both Takemasa and Kawai separately cautioned that given the high political focus and sensitivity on this issue, it is not an ideal time to discuss the Japan Post issue through detailed bilateral talks particularly with active discussions already going on within the GOJ on the contents of proposed legislation. ¶9. (SBU) Senior Vice Minister Naito argued level playing field concerns should take into account the needs of consumers in more isolated rural areas. With this in mind, he said the GOJ's new legislation will mandate universal service for postal and certain other products regardless of whether they are profitable. He questioned the private sector's definition of a level playing field, claiming such companies are only interested in operating in Japan's larger cities where they can expect to make a profit. Ambassador Marantis said governments should not assume where businesses will choose to operate but rather focus on ensuring the same level of access for all market participants. Trade and Economic Cooperation -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Ambassador Marantis stressed that the United States also seeks to work closely with Japan to continue to build a common agenda on economic and trade issues ranging across bilateral, regional, and multilateral initiatives. APEC is proving to be an excellent opportunity, he stressed, to strengthen our cooperation on regional economic integration, and he expressed hope that Japan will work to achieve a number of concrete deliverables in its 2010 APEC host year in addition to teeing-up deliverables for the 2011 U.S. host year. On cooperation relating to environmental goods, Deputy Minister Otabe said that Japan strongly supports working closely together with the United States and other partners on the Trade and Climate Initiative. Noting that Japan has been on the record for some time in support of moving forward with such an initiative, he pledged Japan,s support to help with recruitment of other developing countries to join the core group and suggested Canada may seek to link an announcement on this work to the G-8 meeting this summer. Ambassador Marantis said he hoped the Initiative would be ready to announce prior to the G-8. ¶11. (SBU) Deputy Minister Otabe and Ambassador Marantis also shared similar views on the importance of staying in close touch on issues of mutual concern relating to China, and proposed that the planned USTR/State ) MOFA/METI deputies meeting in the Spring would be an ideal opportunity to step up senior level coordination in this area. Both agreed that APEC is another ideal topic to add to the agenda for that meeting. ¶12. (SBU) On the bilateral front, Ambassador Marantis stressed his hope that the United States and Japan can move forward with an updated bilateral Regulatory Reform Initiative in the very near term. Suggesting that it has taken time to work the issue through Japan,s new government, Otabe expressed his expectation that Japan will be prepared to move forward soon. ¶13. (U) This message has been cleared by USTR. ROOS