Cablegate: Media Reaction North Korea - Tokyo

VZCZCXRO2871
PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #3369 1700729
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190729Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3389
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// PRIORITY
RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 6801
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 0050
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2856
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1094
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 9029
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0803
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS TOKYO 003369

SIPDIS

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: MEDIA REACTION NORTH KOREA - TOKYO

LEAD STORIES: Monday morning papers gave top play to
Japan's draw with Croatia in Sunday's World Cup soccer
match in Germany.

1. "DPRK Must Not Launch Taepodong-2" The business daily
Nihon Keizai editorialized (6/19): "How many times has
North Korea ratcheted up tensions in the region by
undertaking preparations to launch a missile? US and
Japanese national security officials, who are keeping
close tabs on what appear to be preparations to launch a
Taepodong-2 long-range missile, called North Korea's move
a 'provocative act' and warned Pyongyang to immediately
stop. A missile launch would not only threaten the
security situation in Northeast Asia but would also
further isolate North Korean from the international
community. We can only imagine Pyongyang's motivation,
but we suspect that the leadership intends to create a
problem and then step back as a 'compromise' in order to
seek a similar compromise from the US.

2. "This is similar to the negotiation tactics employed
by the Soviet Union in the Cold War.... North Korea needs
to realize that the diplomatic brinkmanship it has used
in the past is no longer effective and that the only wise
choice is to forgo a missile launch. If it does not make
this choice, though, and tests a missile, the UN Security
Council will begin discussing economic sanctions. US
Ambassador Schieffer has said that 'all options are on
the table.' Even in the event there is no UNSC
resolution, it is possible that a coalition of the
willing led by the US and Japan will discuss sanctions."

3. "DPRK Must Heed Warning" An editorial in the liberal
Asahi commented (6/19): "There has been no progress on
the abduction issue. North Korea, which says the issue
has been 'resolved,' has been going ahead with nuclear
development and is now preparing to launch a new
missile.... Late last year, the UN General Assembly for
the first time adopted a resolution criticizing the human
rights situation in North Korea. The resolution expressed
concern over the imprisonment and execution of political
prisoners, the complete suppression of the freedom of
thought and expression, and that country's abductions of
foreign nationals....

4. "Nonetheless, North Korea has been making preparations
to test-launch a new ballistic missile as if to mock the
concerns of the world. This is foolish. A missile launch
would not only violate the Pyongyang Declaration
concluded between PM Koizumi and Kim Jong Il but would
also heighten tensions in the region, deepening
international trust of Pyongyang. A launch would draw a
strong reaction from the international community, which
would not serve the interests of the DPRK. It is now time
for North Korea to heed the calls from Japan and the rest
of the international community."

SCHIEFFER

© Scoop Media