VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHKO #4561 2710858
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280858Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8068
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 6163
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3157
UNCLAS TOKYO 004561
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR G - JOAQUIN FERRAO, DRL/MLGA - GIANNI PAZ
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PHUM PREL UNGA PGOV JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN TO PLAY A PASSIVE ROLE IN COMMUNITY OF
DEMOCRACIES
REF: STATE 129764
Embassy Tokyo Political Officer delivered reftel demarche
September 19 and followed up September 28 with MOFA Human
Rights Division Principal Deputy Director Takako Ito. Ito
said that Japan would not be able to participate in the
Community of Democracies meeting to be held October 1 at the
ministerial level, as the Foreign Minister is needed in Tokyo
for a session of the Diet. Although the Japanese mission in
New York will send an Ambassador-level representative,
Japanese officials do not feel this is a high enough rank to
warrant making an official statement in the meeting, in
support of Mali oQn any other topic. In addition to being
wary of the financial implications of the proposed CD
secretariat, Japan prefers to let the founding countries
SIPDIS
chair the CD in the near future.
Schieffer