INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Japan-China Relations

Published: Fri 30 May 2008 02:16 AM
VZCZCXRO6460
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #1481 1510216
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 300216Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4660
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// PRIORITY
RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/USFJ PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 8077
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 0460
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 6380
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 8669
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 1763
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3629
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2321
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 9629
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0073
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 001481
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 - JAPAN-CHINA RELATIONS
1. LEAD STORIES: Most Friday morning papers gave top
play to the GOJ decision on Thursday to forgo its
planned dispatch of ASDF aircraft to China to help
provide relief supplies to victims hit by the major
earthquake.
2. "Dispatch of SDF Aircraft Put Off" The liberal Tokyo
Shimbun editorialized (5/30): "The Chinese government
appears to have thought that the Chinese public's
reaction to a dispatch of SDF planes to China would be
limited, as the people of China largely welcomed
Japanese relief workers' rescue and medical efforts to
help quake victims. . . . A dispatch of an SDF unit
could have provided a good opportunity for Japan and
China to work together in the area of international
contribution. . . . The cancellation of the plan
indicated that it is still difficult to remove China's
concern about Japan's military power."
3. "China Disapproves Japan's SDF Dispatch" The
moderated Yomiuri commented (5/30): "Although it would
have been Japan's first-ever dispatch of an SDF unit to
China if ASDF planes were allowed to fly into China,
the pullback of the plan illustrated the Chinese
people's complicated sentiment toward their nation's
relations with Japan during WWII. . . . On the
Internet, many Chinese people have expressed their
strong opposition to Japan's possible dispatch of an
SDF unit. The Chinese government appears to have
decided to forgo the plan in the face of such public
reaction."
SCHIEFFER
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