Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - U.S.-Japan Relations

VZCZCXRO9016
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #2783 3410625
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 070625Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7985
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// PRIORITY
RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/USFJ PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 7758
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 0109
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 4910
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 8266
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 1569
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2163
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 3107
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8829
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 8279
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS TOKYO 002783

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 - U.S.-JAPAN RELATIONS
AND COP15

1. LEAD STORIES: Monday morning's Asahi gave top play
to a correspondent's report from Seoul on the start of
tripartite consultations among the U.S., Japan, and
South Korea concerning the creation of a roadmap for
North Korea's denuclearization.

2. "We Are Concerned about Delay in Decision on Futenma

Relocation" On Prime Minister Hatoyama's move to put
off a decision on Futenma relocation until next year,
the business-oriented Nikkei editorialized (12/5): "It
is an error in judgment. Dark clouds are hanging not
only over U.S.-Japan bilateral relations, but also over
PM Hatoyama's grip on power. His handling of the
economy might also be adversely affected. We are
concerned that the prime minister is not aware that his
administration is facing a crisis.... There have been
many cases in which relationships between two
governments collapsed due to differences of opinions
between leaders. Hardly any mutual trust has been built

up between President Obama and PM Hatoyama, as their
administrations were both launched only this year....
The prime minister should exercise his leadership and
seek a solution that is agreeable to the U.S. before
the end of the year."

3. "Prime Minister Must Think Twice" The conservative
Sankei asserted in an editorial (12/5): "[PM Hatoyama]
is undermining the trust of the U.S.-Japan alliance and
endangering Japan's national security. Is he really
capable of carrying out his responsibility to the
nation of protecting the security and prosperity of the
Japanese people? This matter must be settled before the
end of the year. We strongly urge the prime minister to
think twice.... From the USG's standpoint, Hatoyama has

gone adrift again and made a decision in a manner that
apparently prioritized domestic political
considerations over national security. This has
probably compounded the U.S.'s disappointment and
distrust [of the prime minister]."

4. "COP15 Should Strive for Enforceable Accord" On the
scheduled start today of the COP15 meeting in
Copenhagen, the liberal Mainichi insisted (12/7):
"Adopting a new, legally-binding protocol will
apparently be difficult. However, steps toward
stabilizing the global climate must not be halted. It
is essential that the participants steadily move
forward with discussions and form a political agreement
that will lead to actual reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions. Such an agreement must become a framework in
which major emitters such as the U.S., China, and
India, which are not obliged to reduce emissions under
the Kyoto Protocol, are required to meet their
obligations."

ROOS

© Scoop Media