Cablegate: International Polar Year Ministerial Demarche

VZCZCXRO3326
OO RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #3078 3100735
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 050735Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8535
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 6192
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 2188
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 0767
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA PRIORITY 8825
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 3131
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 4552
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 1342

UNCLAS TOKYO 003078

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR OES/OA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC SENV TPHY KSCA KTIA AY JA
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR MINISTERIAL DEMARCHE
DELIVERED

REF: STATE 109133

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.

(SBU) Econoff delivered reftel points to Ministry of Foreign
Affairs' Global Environment Division Principal Deputy
Director Kikuko Kato and officer Masami Fujimoto. Fujimoto
is responsible for Japan's participation in the Antarctic
Treaty. Kato appreciated the advance notice of the United
States' proposed plans for the International Polar Year Day
and Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, and said her
office is coordinating closely with the Secretariat. She
welcomed further information about drafting the proposed
declaration and other logistical matters when it becomes
available. With regard to Arctic research, Kato commented
that since Japan ceased participating in the Arctic Council
as an Ad Hoc Observer about ten years ago, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs has not been engaged on Arctic issues.
SCHIEFFER

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