DEFMIN KITAZAWA: GOJ UNABLE TO MAKE PROMISES ON REALIGNMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000095



SIPDIS



DOD PASS OSD/APSA -

GREGSON/MITCHELL/SCHIFFER/HILL/BASALLA/HAM

PACOM PASS J00/J01/J5

USFJ PASS J00/J01/J5

DEPARTMENT PASS EAP/J



E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2030

TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MARR, JA

SUBJECT: DEFMIN KITAZAWA: GOJ UNABLE TO MAKE PROMISES ON

REALIGNMENT



Classified By: James P. Zumwalt, Charge d'Affaires, a.i.; reasons 1.4(b

/d)



1. (C) Summary: The Government of Japan (GOJ) understands

the U.S. Government's position regarding the realignment of

U.S. forces in Japan, including the Futenma Replacement

Facility (FRF),but due to the current domestic POLITICAL

situation, it will be difficult if not impossible to

implement the current plan, Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa

told visiting Senators Daniel Inouye and Thad Cochran on

January 14. Prime Minister Hatoyama's first order of

business is to ensure passage of the national budget in

March, after which the government will be able to turn to the

matter of a decision on realignment, he added. End summary.



2. (U) On January 14, Senators Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Thad

Cochran(R-MS) met with Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa.

CDA Zumwalt and Emboffs accompanied the CODEL. Kitazawa was

accompanied by Ministry of Defense (MOD) Bureau of Local

Cooperation Director General Motomi Inoue and Defense Policy

Bureau Deputy Director General Tetsuro Kuroe.



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DOMESTIC POLITICS, RISING EXPECTATION OF OKINAWANS

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3. (C) Kitazawa told the Senators that the Hatoyama Cabinet

collectively assessed that more time was needed to decide on

the current plans for the Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF),

although he personally had hoped for a decision by the end of

2009. Rising expectations for a change in current

realignment plans by Okinawa residents, as well as the

overall POLITICAL situation in Japan, cast doubt on whether

the government could follow through even if Prime Minister

Hatoyama were to adopt the current plan. The GOJ should not

make promises which "would not bear fruit," Kitazawa

stressed, adding that while Futenma was a significant issue

for the Hatoyama government, it was only one part of the

broader Alliance relationship with the United States.



4. (C) Prime Minister Hatoyama's top priority was to ensure

passage of the national budget, which he expected to take

place in March. The PM would then be able to focus on

realignment matters as his next priority. The coalition

government had established a committee, led by Chief Cabinet

Secretary Hirofumi Hirano, to explore options in lieu of the

current FRF plan. Kitazawa added that the Democratic Party

of Japan (DPJ)-led government understood the U.S.

Government's position that the FRF should be located in

Okinawa for strategic reasons, and that he also believed the

facility should be in, "or close to," Okinawa. (Note:

Kitazawa had noticeably hedged his own position by not

limiting the FRF site to Okinawa, likely in order to remain

consistent with the position of the DPJ. End Note.)



5. (C) Sen. Inouye told Kitazawa that the U.S. Congress had

already appropriated hundreds of millions of dollars to

prepare for the movement of U.S. Marines to Guam as part of

its obligations under the Guam International Agreement (GIA).

Congress was now concerned that Japan would not honor the

GIA. Although the United States understood the new Japanese

government's desire to review the agreement, an excessive

delay in deciding could lead to misunderstandings with

serious implications. The security advances of a rising

China ought not to be ignored and, Inouye cautioned, "even

among the best of friends, we cannot wait forever." Sen.

Inouye closed by expressing optimism that outstanding issues

would be resolved in a "friendly, frank manner."

ZUMWALT