VZCZCXRO1482
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #3340 3440148
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 090148Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9286
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 1320
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 3679
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 9311
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 1889
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 5111
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6729
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2647
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2728
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2840
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 003340
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
1. LEAD STORIES: Most papers gave top play to a set of
recommendations by a government panel on
decentralization.
2. "How to Carry Six-Party Efforts over into Obama
Administration" The liberal Asahi editorialized (12/9):
"...The ongoing six-party head-of-delegation meeting
has unprecedented significance, as the U.S. will have a
Democratic administration starting next month. This
will be the last round of the six-party talks under the
Bush administration. The six-party talks are the only
international framework aimed at getting North Korea to
abandon its nuclear programs. The incoming Obama
administration intends to maintain the framework. The
issue is clear: We should implement what we can do now
in order to continue the talks. The ongoing meeting is
increasingly important, as it will take some time for
the new administration to begin substantive work after
the selection of key government officials."
3. "U.S. Should Not Seek Hasty Results" The liberal
Mainichi stated in an editorial (12/9): "...Although we
hope progress will be made at the ongoing six-party
head-of-delegation meeting, we are concerned about how
the talks will go. We are worried that the Bush
administration, which will leave office on January 20,
could fall into a North Korean trap due to its
obsession with achieving some results on the matter....
It is obvious that North Korea is taking advantage of
the fact that the Bush administration is already a lame
duck. The U.S. should not make any concessions that
would impede future negotiations in an attempt to
produce hasty results. It would be wiser for the U.S.
to have the incoming Obama administration begin fresh
talks rather than striking a deal with serious flaws."
SCHIEFFER