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Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - G8 Summit and Zimbabwe

Published: Tue 8 Jul 2008 02:15 AM
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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 - G8 SUMMIT AND ZIMBABWE
1. LEAD STORIES: Most Tuesday morning papers gave top
play to the start of the G8 summit on Monday in Toyako,
Hokkaido, during which African leaders urged the G8
nations to take action on soaring oil and food prices.
2. "G8 Summit Should Serve as Starting Point for
African Self-Reliance" The liberal Mainichi
editorialized (7/8): "...It is important for the
countries of Africa to free themselves from a structure
that prevents them from being self-reliant. On this
point, it is necessary for both major industrialized
nations and African countries to commit themselves to
setting mid- and long-term goals for promoting African
self-reliance and an increase in food production. The
G8 members must fulfill the promises they make at this
summit.... We hope the Toyako summit will serve as a
starting point for African self-reliance."
3. "How to Stop Soaring Food Prices?" The moderate
Yomiuri wrote in its editorial (7/8): "This is the
first time for a G8 summit to take up food issues, a
welcome development.... It is worrisome, though, that
any measures to come from the G8 summit to deal with
rising oil and food prices will be unlikely to take
effect immediately. Along those lines, it is becoming
increasingly important to clean up the fallout from the
subprime loan mess and prop up the dollar, as these are
two factors related to the spike in oil and food
prices. Although the U.S. supports a strong dollar,
trust in the U.S. economy has been declining, and the
dollar continues to depreciate. The U.S. has a
responsibility to stabilize the dollar and rebuild its
economy."
4. "G8 Should Address Market Concerns" The business-
oriented Nikkei editorialized (7/8): "In addition to
mid- and long-term goals on climate change, adopting
measures to stabilize the world economy is another
pressing issue for the G8 summit. Leaders of the G8
nations need to show a clear path in order to alleviate
the anxieties in global markets."
5. "Tyranny in Zimbabwe Should Not Be Ignored" The
liberal Asahi editorialized (7/8): "...Although
President Mugabe forcibly declared victory in the
recent presidential election, UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki Moon criticized him by saying that the outcome of
the election did not reflect the true and genuine will
of the Zimbabwean people or produce a legitimate
result. The recent G8 foreign ministerial issued a
statement denying the legitimacy of the election
results. That was the correct move.... The tyranny of
the Mugabe regime should not be ignored. The UN
Security Council will soon begin deliberations on a
sanctions resolution. We hope the G8 will also clearly
condemn Mugabe."
SCHIEFFER
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