Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Piracy Off Somalia And

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PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #3181 3230151
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180151Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
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RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
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RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
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INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 1048
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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2603
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS TOKYO 003181

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 - PIRACY OFF SOMALIA AND
MIDDLE EAST PEACE

1. LEAD STORIES: Wednesday morning papers led with a
murder and a separate murder attempt on Tuesday at
homes of former top health ministry officials, saying
police suspect that these were acts of terrorism
targeting ex-health ministry bureaucrats.

2. "Peace on the Ground Imperative to Stamping out
Piracy" The liberal Tokyo Shimbun wrote from London on
the planned launch in December of naval operations by
NATO to crack down on rampant piracy off Somalia
(9/19): "The root problem of piracy off the coast of
Somalia lies not in waters but on the ground inside the
country, as acts of piracy appear to be an
indispensable 'tool to earn foreign currency' for the
Somalis, who have been suffering from civil war since
the 1990s. Money stolen by pirates is said to have been
supplied to various political and armed groups in
Somalia. The Americans, Europeans, and Japanese are
called upon to deepen their engagement in peace-making
in Somalia in order to halt a vicious circle of people
suffering from civil war resorting to piracy and
stripped money being used for continued conflict."

3. "Expectations and Realities Awaiting Obama in Middle
East" The liberal Asahi stated in an editorial (11/19):
"In sharp contrast to President Bush, whose policy
generated strong anti-U.S. sentiment in the Middle
East, President-elect Obama appears to be viewed
favorably in the region. This is probably because of
various factors, such as his ethnic identity, as well
as his policy of dialogue and coordination. However,
there is no guarantee that his Middle East policy will
go through smoothly. In fact, the reality holds that
Obama will be confronted with unparalleled
challenges.... Obama calls for dialogue and
international coordination. There is no doubt that such
an approach is the only way to deliver regional
stability, as military power alone cannot contain the
Middle East and as the U.S. has been losing its clout."

SCHIEFFER

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