Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Fifth Anniversary Of

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UNCLAS TOKYO 000701

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 - FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF
START OF IRAQ WAR AND TIBET

1. LEAD STORIES: Lead stories on Monday morning
included the spreading violence in the Chinese
provinces neighboring Tibet following the Chinese
government's crackdown on Tibetan protesters on Sunday
in Lhasa.

2. "Instability Growing Around the World" The liberal
Mainichi editorialized (3/17): "It has been almost five
years since the start of the Iraq war on March 20,
2003. The Saddam Hussein regime was toppled, and the
former dictator was executed. Nearly 4,000 U.S. service
members have died in Iraq, but stability has yet to be
achieved there.... President Bush needs to exert
maximum efforts during his remaining term to stabilize
Iraq and promptly withdraw U.S. troops from the nation.
The U.S. military's presence there is not making the
world safe but is instead having an adverse effect.
Acts of terrorism committed by anti-American Islamist
groups have spread from Iraq to other countries. The
world is far more unstable than it was when the Iraq
war was launched."

3. "Decline of U.S. Power Worrying" The moderate
Yomiuri editorialized (3/17): "Five years have passed
since the start of the Iraq war. The continuing turmoil
in that country presents the U.S. with a heavy
burden.... It is worrying that the chaos in Iraq has
cast a shadow over stability in the world by
undermining America's leadership in the international
community. The U.S. needs to help the Iraqi government
stabilize the nation, and Washington needs to make
diplomatic efforts to create stability across the
Middle East as a whole."

4. "China Should Not Close Door to Dialogue" The
liberal Tokyo Shimbun's editorial argued (3/17): "A
number of people have been left dead or injured during
recent clashes between Chinese security forces and
Tibetan monks and residents who were protesting
Beijing's policy toward Tibet. China should refrain
from using force in order to avoid further bloodshed.
The Chinese government should not close the door to
dialogue with the Dalai Lama."

SCHIEFFER

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