INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - North Korea

Published: Wed 25 Jun 2008 02:42 AM
VZCZCXRO2429
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #1738 1770242
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250242Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5369
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
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RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
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RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/USFJ PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 8558
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 0934
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 6809
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 9143
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2287
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4084
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2389
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0078
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0494
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 001738
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 - NORTH KOREA
1. LEAD STORIES: Front-page items in Wednesday morning
papers included the first-ever port call by a Japanese
Maritime Self-Defense Force ship in China on Tuesday.
2. "Efforts to Resolve Abduction Issue to Continue" The
liberal Asahi editorialized (6/25): "...We should not
forget that delisting North Korea as a state sponsor of
terrorism is not the end of the denuclearization
process.... Japan will not give the DPRK anything
unless Pyongyang takes steps to resolve the abduction
issue. This situation will not change even if Pyongyang
is delisted.... It is important for the six-party talks
to produce substantive results from a nuclear
declaration by North Korea."
3. "Thorough Verification Necessary" The moderate
Yomiuri contended in an editorial (6/25): "The U.S.
should thoroughly verify the declaration by North Korea
in order to determine whether the contents of the
document are sufficient to delist the nation.... The
abduction issue should not be set aside following
delisting.... Meanwhile, it is also very important to
move the stalled six-party talks forward to urge North
Korea to abandon its nuclear programs."
4. "Assistance to North Korea Should Be Used as
Leverage" The liberal Tokyo Shimbun argued in an
editorial (6/25): "The U.S. plans to delist North Korea
as a state sponsor of terrorism. Although Japan will
lose one of its tools for resolving the abduction
issue, it is of no use to lament this. The GOJ should
consider the next steps and make further efforts....
Japan needs to win its neighbors' understanding and
cooperation on the abductions. In the process of such
efforts, Tokyo needs to use its assistance to North
Korea as strong leverage to resolve the abduction
issue."
SCHIEFFER
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