Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Pakistan As Al-Qaeda

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UNCLAS TOKYO 003383

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 - PAKISTAN AS AL-QAEDA
SAFE HAVEN

LEAD STORIES: Most Wednesday morning papers front-paged
Tuesday's announcement by Tokyo Electric Power Company
(TEPCO) that the July 16 earthquake in Niigata
Prefecture damaged a crane installed on the ceiling of
a facility housing a nuclear reactor at the Kashiwazaki-
Kariwa nuclear power station, making it impossible to
inspect the core for damage.

1. "US Applies Pressure on Pakistan to Clear out
al-Qaeda Stronghold" Washington correspondent Sakamoto
of the top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri reported
(7/25): "The Bush administration has become
increasingly irritated with Pakistani President
Musharraf, who is not inclined to take action against
al-Qaeda. There are rising calls within the USG for the
US to begin directly inserting troops into the tribal
areas of northwestern Pakistan, where al-Qaeda has
established a stronghold. On Monday, White House press
secretary Tony Snow expressed strong expectations for

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the Musharraf government to take military action as
soon as possible against the terrorist group, calling
the capture of bin Laden a 'top priority.'...
Meanwhile, Yomiuri's Islamabad correspondent Sato
reported: '...During a press conference on Monday,
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam
stated that Pakistan would not allow any attacks on its
territory. Aslam also said that Pakistan had no
information whatsoever that bin Laden is hiding in the
tribal areas, adding that the US should share such
information if it has it. Behind Pakistan's rejection
of the US call is the existence of strong anti-American
sentiment among the majority of its people."

SCHIEFFER

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