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Cablegate: Japan Closing Its Embassy in Suriname

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000700

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SN JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN CLOSING ITS EMBASSY IN SURINAME


1. Japanese Embassy Charge Katsuhiko Hosaka called on DCM
October 26 to convey that Japan was closing its Embassy in
Paramaribo (and in neighboring Georgetown, Guyana) as part
of a general exercise to consolidate and rationalize
Japanese diplomatic representation worldwide. This ends a
Japanese presence dating to Suriname's independence, and
Hosaka said that the Government of Suriname had been
"disappointed" to learn this news during the recent visit of
his Ambassador, who is resident in Venezuela. (Note: GOS
disappointment was perhaps more acute given its 2004
decision at Japanese behest to join the International
Whaling Commission, in which Suriname has since taken
steadily pro-whaling positions.)

2. Hosaka went on to describe Japanese interests in
Suriname as minimal, as previous fishing joint ventures had
passed to sole Surinamese ownership, and the number of
Japanese citizens resident in Suriname had fallen to about
10 from a "high" of 50-60 several years ago. Japanese
exports to Suriname are low, and Suriname's primary export
to Japan, shrimp, has fallen off in recent years.
Surinamese citizens do not require a visa to travel to
Japan, profiting from the visa treatment accorded to Dutch
citizens that conveyed to Surinamese without revision at
independence.

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3. As of January 1, 2006, Japan's Embassy in Port of Spain,
Trinidad will assume coverage of both Suriname and Guyana,
bringing the number of countries covered by that mission to
ten, all CARICOM members. Transport connections led the
Japanese to favor Port of Spain over Georgetown, the seat of
CARICOM, for their regional mission. After the transfer of
functional activities, Hosaka expects to remain in Suriname
for a few more weeks to complete administrative arrangements
related to the closeout. Japan's current non-resident
ambassador in Caracas will retain responsibility for
Suriname after the formal closure of the local mission,
until the Japanese ambassador in Trinidad can present his
credentials, probably before March, 2006. The Embassy in
Caracas will then have bilateral responsibilities strictly
for Venezuela.

BARNES


NNNN

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