VZCZCXYZ0007
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHKO #2535 2600919
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 160919Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7250
INFO RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA IMMEDIATE 0491
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS TOKYO 002535
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KNNP IAEA ENRG TRGY AORC JA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON INCLUSION OF LANGUAGE SUPPORTIVE OF
THE CONVENTION ON SUPPLEMENTARY COMPENSATION FOR NUCLEAR
DAMAGE IN THE 2008 IAEA GENERAL CONFERENCE SAFETY RESOLUTION
REF: SECSTATE 97588
1. (U) Please see GOJ request for information at the end of
para 3.
2. (SBU) Energy Attache delivered nonpaper in ref to MEXT
Director for Atomic Energy Tomohiro Yamano, the GOJ lead
official on CSC matters, September 16. Yamano noted that
Tokyo had received the draft IAEA General Conference Safety
Resolution with the proposed U.S. text and would send a
formal reply "today or tomorrow." While the U.S. text was
still under review, Yamano offered his view that while Japan
might not accept the U.S. position entirely, it also wouldn't
reject it out of hand. Rather, he suggested the Japanese
response might be to make a more general reference to nuclear
liability regimes while citing the CSC as an example.
3. (SBU) Regarding Japan's internal consideration of the
CSC, Yamano reiterated previous GOJ statements that Japan is
taking steps to consider whether to join the CSC. The
Government expects to submit an updated nuclear liability law
to the next general session of the Diet in early calendar
2009. Discussions on the CSC will continue on a separate
track and progress is being made slowly, Yamano said. Among
the factors being considered are how Japanese domestic law
might have to be amended in order to join the CSC, industry
views, and what other countries like China and the ROK may
decide. Regarding the views of Japanese industry, Yamano
noted that no Japanese company had come forward in support of
joining the CSC. Yamano also asked if the U.S. could provide
any report on discussions with China and the ROK, and he
requested an update on the status of U.S. rulemaking for CSC
implementation.
SCHIEFFER