VZCZCXRO9034
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHHM RUEHJO RUEHMA
DE RUEHKO #1911 1170758
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 270758Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3140
INFO RUCNCLC/CHILD LABOR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/JUSTICE DEPT WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAORC/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS TOKYO 001911
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KCRM KOCI JA
SUBJECT: CHILD PORNOGRAPHY: MEETING BETWEEN DIET MEMBER
MORIYAMA AND FBI EAD MASON
1. (SBU) Changing Japan's child pornography laws to
criminalize possession would significantly improve
international law enforcement authorities' ability to work
together on investigations, FBI Executive Assistant Director
for Criminal Investigations Michael Mason told Liberal
Democratic Party Diet Member Mayumi Moriyama during an April
25 meeting.
2. (SBU) Mason explained that the advent of the internet has
allowed criminals to operate using techniques that obstruct
investigation, such as living in one country, getting
financing in another country, and producing/providing illegal
goods in a third country, explained EAD Mason. In order to
effectively cooperate in combating child pornography, which
is often produced in countries other than the United States
or Japan, commonality of laws is critical. The United States
is very grateful for the broad cooperation it receives from
Japan in other criminal investigations, Mason emphasized,
calling Japan a "cherished partner" in international law
enforcement. The United States also appreciates Moriyama's
hard work in driving the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty to
completion, added Embassy Legal Attache Larry Futa.
3. (SBU) Mason asked if there was any movement in the Diet
on revising child pornography legislation, calling it a
"growth area" for U.S.-Japan law enforcement cooperation.
There will be no change to child pornography legislation
before the July 22, 2007 Upper House election, replied
Moriyama. When the child pornography law was originally
passed in 1999, the effect of the internet was not taken into
consideration. In addition to images that violate the human
rights of living children, comics and cartoons depicting
sexual crimes against children are also spreading widely in
Japan. There are Diet members who would like to criminalize
the possession of child pornography, but they do not have a
clear strategy and are too busy preparing for the upcoming
elections, Moriyama explained.
DONOVAN