Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Darfur Violence

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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: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - DARFUR VIOLENCE

1. LEAD STORIES: Thursday morning's Yomiuri gave top
play to a GOJ plan to provide bullet-train technology
to Russia.

2. "Don't Neglect Tragedy in Sudan" The
business-oriented Nihon Keizai editorialized (6/28):
"The humanitarian crisis in Darfur has been neglected.
The fighting between an Arab militia backed by the
Sudanese government and antigovernment armed groups has
killed about 200,000 people and displaced more than 2
million others. The international community should
ratchet up the pressure, including strengthening
sanctions, to compel the groups to accept peace. China,
despite its influence with the Sudanese government, has
been indifferent to the crisis and needs to make a
serious effort to end the violence.... China is the
largest investor in Sudan, which produces about 500,000
barrels of oil each day, 60 percent of which is
purchased by Beijing. Despite its denials, China is
rumored to have exported prohibited weapons to the
Sudanese government. Because of this, calls are rising
in the US and Europe for a boycott of the 2008 Beijing
Olympics. Against this backdrop, China appointed a
special envoy on the Darfur issue this spring, and
Chinese President Hu has called on Sudanese President
al-Bashir to discuss peace. China must use its
influence to restore peace in Sudan."

SCHIEFFER

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