INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Japan Country Clearance for Staffdel Mixter

Published: Fri 1 Aug 2008 08:25 AM
VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHKO #2121/01 2140825
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 010825Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6274
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 2708
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 4378
UNCLAS TOKYO 002121
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AFIN AMGT ASEC JA OTRA PREL ID AS
SUBJECT: JAPAN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR STAFFDEL MIXTER
REF: STATE 80012
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.
1. (U) Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance for the
August 8-12, 2008, visit to Japan by Staffdel Mixter.
2. (U) Control Officer for the visit will be Political
Officer Dan Cintron. He can be reached at:
Office phone: (81-3)3224-5558
Home phone: (81-3)3224-6972
Mobile phone: (81-90)7907-9591
Fax: (81-3)3224-5322
E-mail: cintrond@state.gov (unclassified)
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Hotel Reservations
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3. (U) Tokyo hotel reservations have been made at the Hotel
Okura 2-10-4 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8416, Tel:
(81-3) 3582-0111 Fax: (81-3) 3582-3707. Details as follows:
Mr Cobb Mixter
Arrive: 8/08
Depart: 8/12
Conf. No.: 644048
Ms Jessica Lee
Arrive: 8/08
Depart: 8/12
Conf. No.: 644049
Mr Dennis Halpin
Arrive: 8/08
Depart: 8/12
Conf. No.: 644050
Mr Gerald Thomas
Arrive: 8/08
Depart: 8/12
Conf. No.: 644051
Mr Ray Brooks
Arrive: 8/08
Depart: 8/12
Conf. No.: 644052
Mr Chris Gregor
Arrive: 8/08
Depart: 8/12
Conf. No.: 644053
Room information:
All rooms are non-smoking standard rooms for single occupancy.
Room rate is JPY 20,000 per room per night (approx $184.86 at
exchange rate of US$1 = JPY108.91 as of 08/01.
The above rate includes 10% service charge, 5% national tax
and JPY200 accommodation tax; does not include breakfast.
Payment is to be made by guests upon departure.
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Airport to Hotel Transportation
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4. (U) Control Officer will meet Staffdel Mixter at the
arrival gate and assist to an embassy vehicle.
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Visa
----
5. (U) U.S. citizens entering or transiting Japan on
official business must obtain a diplomatic or official visa
for that purpose. U.S. citizens traveling with a valid U.S.
passport can enter Japan for business or pleasure for up to
90 days without a visa.
All foreign nationals entering Japan, with the exemption of
certain categories, are required to have their fingerprints
scanned and a facial photograph taken at the port of entry.
This requirement does not replace any existing visa or
passport requirements. U.S. travelers on official business
must have a diplomatic or official visa specifying the nature
of travel as "AS DIPLOMAT," "AS OFFICIAL," or "IN TRANSIT" to
be exempt from biometric collection. All other visa holders,
including those with diplomatic and official visas stating
"AS TEMPORARY VISITOR," are subject to this requirement.
Passport type is also irrelevant. In rare instances,
official travelers who bring a Note Verbale specifying they
are entering Japan in an official capacity may be exempted
from the biometric collection requirement, if otherwise
required. SOFA personnel are exempt under SOFA Article 9 (2)
from the new biometrics entry requirements.
----------------------
Embassy Laptop Policy
----------------------
6. (U) The Embassy's electronic device (i.e. laptop,
removable storage, video equipment, test equipment, etc.)
policy states that absolutely no personal, non-government
owned electronic devices may enter the Embassy. Absolutely
no equipment, even government-owned, may be connected to the
Embassy network in any way without prior approval. TDY
employees are reminded that even government-owned equipment
may not enter the Embassy without prior RSO approval.
Absolutely no electronic device, even government-owned, may
enter the CAA unless special pre-approval is given by the
RSO, based on a compelling business need. Please be advised
that if the traveler does not have one of the following
BlackBerry models and a service contract with one of the
telecommunications companies (listing follows), then his/her
BlackBerry will not work in Japan. Japan has the most
advanced cellular industry in the world and BlackBerry
protocols are not as advanced as what are being used in Japan
today. (BlackBerry models: 8707G, H, V or U.S.
Telecommunications Companies with a NTT/DoCoMo roaming
agreement: Sprint/Nextel, ATT/Cingular, and T-Mobile)If you
would like to bring a U.S. government-owned electronic device
into the Embassy, please contact the RSO office (provide
make, model, serial number, and purpose) prior to your visit
for a briefing and approval.
-----------------
Threat Assessment
-----------------
7. (U) U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a
heightened state of alert. As the U.S. Government has
reported in public announcements over the last several
months, U.S. citizens and interests abroad may be at
increased risk of terrorist actions from extremist groups,
which may target civilians and include suicide operations.
The Department maintains information about potential threats
to Americans overseas which is available to travelers on the
internet at the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page:
http://www.travel.state.gov. The Embassy takes all threats
seriously. U.S. Embassy Tokyo can be contacted 24 hours a
day at 03-3224-5000 (locally) or 81-3-3224-5000
(internationally).
8. (SBU) The general threat from crime in Tokyo and
throughout Japan is low. Crime is at levels well below the
U.S. national average. Violent crime is rare, but does
exist. The Japanese National Police report continued
problems with pick-pocketing of foreigners in crowded
shopping areas of Tokyo. Although street crime is low,
common sense security measures are advised for all American
citizens traveling in Japan.
9. (U) Also be advised that under no circumstances may
weapons be brought into Japan. Carrying a pocketknife
(including Swiss Army-style knife, craft or hunting knife,
box cutter, etc.) in public is forbidden. Under Japanese
law, carrying any such item in public, with a size exceeding
8 cm in length, 1.5 cm in width or 2 mm in thickness, can
subject the person to arrest or detention.
SCHIEFFER
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