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Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Wto Doha Round

Published: Thu 31 Jul 2008 04:46 AM
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PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #2092 2130446
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 310446Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6199
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
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RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
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RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
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RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/USFJ PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 9121
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 1495
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 7325
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 9704
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2851
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4640
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2441
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0631
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1019
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UNCLAS TOKYO 002092
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 - WTO DOHA ROUND
1. LEAD STORIES: Front-page stories on Thursday morning
included speculation that Prime Minister Fukuda will
shuffle his cabinet next week.
2. "Don't Let Free Trade Float Away" The liberal Tokyo
Shimbun editorialized (7/31): "...The U.S.'s
face-to-face confrontation with China and India, whose
influence has been increasing in international trade
due to their rapid economic growth, can be deemed a
historic development. This appears to indicate a change
in the dynamics at WTO talks and a decline in the power
of the U.S., which has long led WTO talks with its
strong economic power.... Leaders from China, India,
and other nations took part in the Toyako summit along
with the G8 nations. The U.S. should recognize that we
now live in an era in which the international community
cannot tackle global issues, including climate change,
without a spirit of give and take."
3. "Who Will Protect World from Protectionism?" The
business-oriented Nikkei's editorial contended (7/31):
"The ghost of protectionism is about to rise from its
grave.... The free trade system, which has sustained
global economic growth, is currently facing a serious
crisis. Developed nations have taken the initiative in
making international rules, and developing countries
have followed them. However, this era has ended. The
breakdown of the recent WTO ministerial illustrated the
hard fact that the dynamics of the world order have
changed."
SCHIEFFER
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