VZCZCXRO4160
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #3503 3590532
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 240532Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9687
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 1599
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 3956
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 9538
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 2165
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 5390
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6966
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2662
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2985
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3055
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 003503
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 - AFGHANISTAN
1. LEAD STORIES: Front-page items this morning included
a Yomiuri piece from Detroit on the struggling U.S.
auto industry.
2. "U.S. Asking Europe to Take Coordinated Steps in
Afghanistan" On JCS Chairman Adm. Mullen's remarks
expressing America's readiness to double its force
presence in Afghanistan, the business-oriented Nikkei
wrote from New Delhi (12/23): "Behind Washington's
desire to have the U.S. and Europe jointly enhancing
their troop presence in Afghanistan lie its intention
to move away from the current policy of resisting
Taliban offensives and instead expanding the
coalition's sphere of influence by taking advantage of
the greater mobility of coalition troops.... The U.S.
military appears to have the view that in order to
fundamentally improve the security situation in
Afghanistan, there is no choice but to hold peace talks
with the Taliban in the judgment that a complete
military victory will be difficult. To that end, the
U.S. hopes to turn the current situation around through
the joint deployment with Europe of additional troops
and to ratchet up military pressure on the Taliban."
ZUMWALT