Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Iran and Burma

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FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9410
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UNCLAS TOKYO 000298

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 - IRAN AND BURMA

1. LEAD STORIES: Front-page stories on Tuesday morning
included Agriculture Minister Akamatsu's plan to
discuss with relevant GOJ authorities the possibility
of bringing criminal charges against a Sea Shepherd
crew member, who has been detained aboard a Japanese
whaler in the Southern Ocean since he boarded the
vessel on Monday without permission.

2. "Secretary of State on Middle East Tour to Encircle
Iran" The liberal Asahi wrote (2/16): "Officials of the
Obama administration have been visiting Middle East
countries one after another with additional sanctions
in mind for Iran, which has maintained a hard-line
stance on its nuclear development. Their aim is to
ratchet up the pressure by tightening the noose around
Iran. As negotiating leverage against China, which
remains cautious about additional UN sanctions on Iran
because of its reliance on Iranian oil, the U.S.
officials are set to ask the countries around the
Persian Gulf to increase their petroleum production."

3. "Accelerated Moves by Washington to Enhance
Sanctions on Iran" The business-oriented Nikkei stated
from Dubai (2/16): "The U.S. is stepping up its moves
toward slapping extra sanctions on Iran, which has gone
ahead with additional uranium enrichment. Senior USG
officials, including Secretary of State Clinton, as
well as U.S. military leaders, have traveled to the
Middle East in order to solicit cooperation and avert a
military clash. Meanwhile, Israel, Iran's archenemy, is
concerned about Russia possibly providing missiles to
Iran. With Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu visiting
Russia starting on Monday, diplomatic bargaining
appears to be intensifying."

4. "Myanmar Junta Playing up 'Democratization'" On the
recent Burmese regime's release of a deputy opposition
leader, a Bangkok correspondent for the
top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri reported (2/16): "The
junta freed the deputy opposition leader in order to
entice the largest opposition party NLD into taking
part in the general election scheduled for later this
year, and to call the international community's
attention to a 'democratic' poll. However, the NLD is
set to continue to urge the regime to release its
leader Aung Sun Suu Kyi while carefully considering
whether to participate in the vote."

ROOS

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