VZCZCXRO0607
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #3148 3180222
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 130222Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8813
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 0982
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 3339
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 9006
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 1550
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 4769
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6398
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2616
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2380
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2547
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 003148
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 G20
FINANCIAL SUMMIT
1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Friday morning were
today's opening of the G20 financial summit in
Washington and the dismissal of an ASDF general for
sexual harassment in September.
2. "Do Not Allow North Korea to Refuse Sampling" The
conservative Sankei editorialized (11/14): "It was
learned that North Korea has rejected the collection of
samples from nuclear facilities and that verification
will be limited to the Yongbyon complex. This once
again reveals the sloppy negotiating of Assistant
Secretary of State Hill, who has dealt with important
verification procedures with a verbal commitment....
This raises doubts about North Korea's sincerity toward
the six-party agreement on complete denuclearization.
The U.S. administration bears heavy responsibility for
the situation."
3. "DPRK Renews Hard Line" A Washington correspondent
for the top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri wrote
(11/14): "With North Korea rejecting the codification
of the sampling of nuclear materials, the prospect for
progress in the six-party talks has become uncertain.
The USG is once again confronted with a hard line from
North Korea. There is no question that the DPRK is
waiting for the inauguration of the Obama
administration in January. U.S. experts are of the
opinion that Pyongyang is trying to obtain diplomatic
leverage vis-a-vis the next U.S. administration."
4. "Obama Attempting to Avoid Sharing Responsibility
with Bush Administration" The business-oriented Nikkei
reported from Washington (11/14): "With President-elect
Obama's transition team having commenced a policy
review that includes previous presidential orders, he
appears to be leaving such pressing issues as the
financial crisis and jumpstarting the economy to the
Bush administration and Congress. Obama has also put
off the formation of a cabinet. These moves reflect his
strategy of not sharing responsibility with the
unpopular Bush administration and of leaving
(Americans) with the impression of 'change' upon his
inauguration."
5. "Summit Relying on Emerging Economies" The liberal
Tokyo Shimbun asserted (11/14): "The G20 summit will be
the first of its kind in that emerging economies will
join seven developed countries to discuss how to cope
with the global financial crisis. The reality is that
advanced nations alone cannot deal with problems of the
world economy, which are becoming increasingly far-
reaching in their impact. It seems the advanced
countries, whose economies appear to all be heading
toward negative growth, are hoping to rely on the
growth of emerging economies."
SCHIEFFER