Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Secretary Rice's

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UNCLAS TOKYO 001798

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 - SECRETARY RICE'S
NORTHEAST ASIA TOUR AND SUDAN

1. LEAD STORIES: Tuesday morning's Mainichi gave top
play to the finding that a GSDF staffer last February
lost a USB memory device containing a unit deployment
chart for a U.S.-Japan defense exercise.

2. "Secretary Rice Calls for Closer Coordination for
DPRK Denuclearization" The liberal Mainichi's
correspondent reported from Beijing (7/1): "During her
Northeast Asia tour, Secretary Rice urged enhanced
coordination toward the abolition of all of North
Korea's nuclear programs and made arrangements for
convening a six-party foreign ministerial aimed at
enhancing the six-party framework.... In addition to
holding consultations on issues related to the
six-party talks, the Secretary also spent many hours
exchanging opinions on security cooperation in the
region. She held such extensive discussions from a long-
term standpoint with the goal of enhancing the
functions of the six-party framework."

3. "International Community Should Take Firm Position"
The conservative Sankei insisted in an editorial (7/1):
"...The response (to the Zimbabwean presidential
election) by the UN and the international community has
been slow. What must not be forgotten is the presence
of China, which has supported Mugabe by citing the
principle of 'noninterference in the internal affairs
of another state.'... China should be aware of its
responsibilities as a permanent member of the UN
Security Council tasked with maintaining peace and
security for the international community.... In order
to press Mugabe to change course, the G8 summit and the
UNSC need to come up with firm measures, including
sanctions."

4. "Undemocratic Election in Zimbabwe" The business-
oriented Nikkei editorialized (7/1): "No presidential
election has been as roundly condemned internationally
as the one just held in Zimbabwe. President Mugabe was
reelected after a campaign rife with institutional
violence and blackmail directed toward supporters of
his opponent. It should be denounced as an undemocratic
election.... The African Union held a summit in Egypt
with President Mugabe attending. Nothing is more
important for African leaders than to clearly criticize
Mugabe."

SCHIEFFER

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