VZCZCXRO1792
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #2814 2830128
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 090128Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7819
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
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 0293
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 2648
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 8368
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 0868
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 4038
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5756
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2559
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1751
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2020
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 002814
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 - RUSSIA-GEORGIA
1. LEAD STORIES: Lead items on Thursday morning were
concerted reductions in interest rates by six U.S. and
European central banks and the 2008 Nobel Prize in
chemistry awarded to three scholars, including a
Japanese scientist currently studying in Boston.
2. "Russia Completes Troop Pullout from Georgia" A
Moscow correspondent for the liberal Asahi wrote
(10/9): "Wednesday's orderly departure (of Russian
troops from Georgia) left the strong impression that
the Medvedev government is committed to complying with
a peace accord brokered by French President Sarkozy.
Moscow is now showing strong interest in what it can
obtain in return. Russia appears to be looking to seize
the leadership in the international conference to be
held on Friday in Geneva concerning security in South
Ossetia and Abkhazia with the goal of 'neutralizing'
Georgian military power. By demanding that
representatives from South Ossetia and Abkhazia be
allowed to participate in the planned confab, Moscow
hopes to build a fait accompli toward the independence
of the two renegade provinces. The EU's response will
be tested, as it insists on the territorial integrity
of Georgia."
SCHIEFFER