VZCZCXRO0272
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #2358/01 2410547
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280547Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6855
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
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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 9578
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 1942
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 7719
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 0158
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 3318
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5077
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2504
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1069
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1396
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002358
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 AND RUSSIA
1. LEAD STORIES: Lead stories on Thursday morning
included the discovery of the body of a Japanese aid
worker who was kidnapped earlier in Afghanistan by an
armed group, as well as a secret accord forged among
U.S., European, and Japanese monetary authorities in
March concerning the defense of the dollar.
2. "North Korea's Blackmail Cannot Be Accepted" The
business-oriented Nikkei editorialized (8/28): "It is a
matter of course for the U.S. not to delist North Korea
as a state sponsor of terrorism until it accepts a
rigorous nuclear verification regime. Washington should
not be fooled by North Korean blackmail and should not
be quick to make concessions. The concerned parties
should apply coordinated pressure on North Korea to
press it to accept verification with the possible
suspension of economic and energy assistance in mind."
3. "March Toward Denuclearization Must Not Be Stopped"
The liberal Mainichi argued in an editorial (8/28):
"What is important is not to halt the process toward
denuclearization. To that end, U.S.-DPRK dialogue is
necessary. China as the chair of the six-party talks
will also need to persuade North Korea.... Nuanced
differences in approach toward North Korea within the
Bush administration concern us somewhat. Assistant
Secretary of State Hill and Secretary of State Rice are
seen as being relatively positive about delisting North
Korea. President Bush, by contrast, showed a harder
line when he met with his ROK counterpart earlier this
month.... President Bush and conservatives in Congress
are concerned that North Korea, through its nuclear
cooperation with Syria, poses a threat to Israel. It is
certain that this factor is serving as a brake on
delisting ahead of the U.S. presidential election."
4. "Do Not Be Deceived by North Korea" The top-
circulation, moderate Yomiuri insisted (8/28):
"...Verification without allowing the collection and
measurement of samples of nuclear materials is not
feasible. Verification must at least ascertain the
volume of plutonium possessed by North Korea. Leaving
this point ambiguous would allow North Korea to
secretly maintain a nuclear program. Without a
stringent verification protocol, learning a full
account of Pyongyang's uranium enrichment and nuclear
proliferation would be impossible."
5. "EU Diplomacy to Be Tested" The liberal Tokyo
Shimbun claimed in an editorial (8/28): "Europe holds
the key to tamping down the heated rivalry between the
U.S. and Russia.... It must offer a basic strategy
toward preventing further escalation when an emergency
EU summit is held shortly."
6. "Russia No Longer Qualified to Be G8 Member" The
conservative Sankei editorialized (8/28): "We must
declare that Russia has lost its qualification to be a
member of the G8, which embraces freedom and
democracy.... It is important to keep Russia involved
in the international community. However, Russia should
be reminded that the international standing that it has
pursued in the post-Cold War era will be lost unless it
stops its illegal actions."
TOKYO 00002358 002 OF 002
ZUMWALT