INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Nuclear Terrorism Convention: ""Nudge"" Could Help

Published: Mon 26 Feb 2007 07:27 AM
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P 260727Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
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INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 5909
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1236
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1710
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RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 2007
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RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0429
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3370
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000805
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SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2017
TAGS: PARM PREL JA UNGA
SUBJECT: NUCLEAR TERRORISM CONVENTION: ""NUDGE"" COULD HELP
JAPAN RATIFY; PHYSICAL PROTECTION CONCERNS REMAIN
REF: 07 TOKYO 00742
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Joe Donovan for reasons
1.4(b) and (d)
1. (U) NOTE: This is an action request -see par. 5.
2. (C) Summary: On February 9, MEXT Nuclear Safety
Division Officials suggested that U.S. encouragement of G8
allies to ratify the Nuclear Terrorism Convention could
positively impact their efforts to achieve ratification by
the Japanese Diet. Responding to U.S. concerns about
physical protection of nuclear facilities, MEXT explained
that an assessment of the local threat level did not justify
posting armed guards at the Tokai-Mura facility, and that the
GOJ is constitutionally prevented from requiring background
checks of nuclear workers, due to privacy considerations (End
Summary).
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Japan eyeing U.S. and U.K. actions on NTC
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3. (SBU) In a February 9 meeting, Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Nuclear Safety
Division Deputy Directors Taro Hokugo and Katsuyuki Kudo
inquired about U.S. plans for ratification of the
International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of
Nuclear Terrorism (NTC). They noted that Japanese Diet
members are very interested in where the U.S. and U.K. stand
on NTC ratification and that they have asked the U.K. Embassy
in Tokyo for an update on U.K. plans for ratification. As
key drafters of the implementing legislation for the NTC,
MEXT will submit draft domestic legislation on nuclear
terrorism to the Diet in late February or early March and
hopes for a positive decision on NTC ratification as early as
July 2007, in time for the G8 Summit (see reftel).
4. (C) MEXT suggested that clear U.S. encouragement of G8
partners to ratify the NTC as soon as possible would help to
create a more favorable environment for the issue in the
Diet. They added that a U.S. on ratification, not
specifically directed at Japan or any one country, and a
clear statement by the U.S. on its own intentions regarding
NTC ratification could tip the Diet toward speedy
ratification of the NTC. MEXT requested that the Embassy
keep them closely advised of U.S. progress on NTC
ratification.
5. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Post requests that Department advise
on U.S. plans to encourage ratification of the NTC among G8
partners.
-----------------------------------
Physical Protection Concerns Remain
-----------------------------------
6. (C) On physical protection of nuclear facilities,
MEXT,s Hokugo and Kudo responded to U.S. questions about the
presence of armed guards at Japanese nuclear facilities.
They explained that the plant operator, local police and
national police determine the threat for individual plants
and the necessity for armed guards. Armed national police
are present at certain nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Japan,
but they do not guard all facilities and contract civilian
guards are prevented by law from carrying weapons. Asked
about the absence of armed guards at the Tokai-Mura facility,
a major plutonium storage site, MEXT responded that an
assessment of local needs and resources had indicated that
there was not a sufficient threat to justify armed police at
the site.
7. (C) MEXT also responded to U.S. urgings to require
pre-employment background investigations of all workers with
access to sensitive areas at nuclear facilities. They noted
that while some NPP operators voluntarily conduct such
background checks on their own employees, requiring
background investigations of all contractor personnel with
access to NPPs would be very difficult. They added that the
GOJ is constitutionally prevented from mandating such checks
and wishes to avoid raising what is a deeply sensitive
privacy issue for Japanese society. However, MEXT did admit
that GOJ background investigations may be going on
""unofficially8.
8. (U) Meeting participants:
U.S.:
NP NE Deputy Director, Dr. Alex Burkart
NP MNSA Senior Scientist, Dr. Stephen Adams
EST Officer, Toby Wolf
Japan:
MEXT Nuclear Safety Division Deputy Director, Taro Hokugo
MEXT Nuclear Safety Division Deputy Director, Katsuyuki Kudo
MEXT Nuclear Safety Division Researcher, Keigo Maehara
9. (U) This message has been cleared by Alex Burkart.
DONOVAN
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