VZCZCXRO1910
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #2488 3010000
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280000Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7109
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 7128
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 9484
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 4376
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 7640
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 0946
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1599
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 3064
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8256
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7773
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 002488
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 AND U.S.-CHINA
RELATIONS
1. LEAD STORIES: Most Wednesday morning papers led with reports on
yesterday's collision between an MSDF destroyer and an ROK freighter
in the Kanmon Strait in Fukuoka.
2. "Run-off Election Must Be Fair" On the upcoming run-off
presidential race in Afghanistan, the liberal Mainichi editorialized
(10/28): "Just as in the first round, massive election fraud, as
well as obstruction by Islamic radicals such as the Taliban, is
anticipated in the run-off. A confrontation over the legitimacy of
the race cannot be avoided regardless of whether President Karzai or
former Foreign Minister Abdullah is elected.... Afghan authorities
will be required to make an all-out effort to conduct a fair poll at
a time when war-weariness is mounting in the U.S. and Europe, which
have committed troops to Afghanistan, and when 'assistance fatigue'
is emerging within the international community."
3. "Chinese Military Leader Stresses Confidence Building in Session
with Top Pentagon Official" On Secretary of Defense Gates's meeting
with visiting Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission
General Xu in Washington on Tuesday, the conservative Sankei wrote
(10/28): "The U.S. is worried about the current situation in which
China is continuing its arms buildup aimed at increasing deterrence
against the U.S., including the development of a long-range
ballistic missile capable of reaching all of North America.
Washington is poised to call for increased transparency in China's
defense policy and its military operation through enhanced military
exchanges.... The Chinese are well aware of the U.S.'s intent, with
the main purpose of General Xu's visit to the U.S. being to prevent
U.S. concerns from mounting. A Chinese source based in the U.S.
holds the view that China is being presented with a great
opportunity to highlight 'U.S.-China coordination' in this time of
instability in the U.S.-Japan alliance over U.S. force realignment
issues."
ROOS