INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Goj Feedback On Realignment Enhancements Package

Published: Mon 7 Dec 2009 02:29 AM
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STATE PLEASE PASS TO OSD JAPAN DESK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2019
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL JA
SUBJECT: GOJ FEEDBACK ON REALIGNMENT ENHANCEMENTS PACKAGE
Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION JAMES P. ZUMWALT,
REASONS 1.4(B) and (D).
1. (C) Summary: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Schiffer presented U.S. proposals for enhancements to the
Realignment Roadmap to MOFA North American Affairs Bureau
Director General Umemoto in a December 4 senior
officials-level meeting of the Futenma Replacement Facility
(FRF) Working Group. Schiffer emphasized that the United
States is only willing to discuss these adjustments after
Prime Minister Hatoyama's clear endorsement of the
Realignment Roadmap, including the Futenma Replacement
Facility (FRF). While OSD Director for Japan Basalla
explained each of the U.S. proposals in detail, the Japanese
side focused primarily on the environmental and aviation
training relocation portions. The U.S. side also provided
feedback on Japanese proposals to accelerate certain Marine
units' moves to Guam and an earlier move of KC-130s to
Iwakuni. End summary.
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Environmental Initiative
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2. (C) In a December 4 senior officials-level meeting of the
Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF) Working Group, MOFA
Japan-U.S. Security Treaty Division Director Funakoshi said
Japan was ""basically comfortable"" with the U.S. proposal, but
wondered whether the United States would be willing to
consider a special measures agreement focused on
environmental issues. Japan may misunderstand the
environment-related agreements that the United States has
with Korea and Germany, Basalla noted, adding that the United
States specifically excluded environmental issues when
negotiating the U.S.-Korea SOFA. DASD Schiffer said there
was some flexibility on environmental measures, but stressed
the United States is unwilling to open the U.S.-Japan SOFA
for negotiations. Moreover, Schiffer pointed out, Japan must
first commit to implementing the realignment roadmap before
the United States would be willing to discuss any details on
an environmental agreement.
3. (C) DG Umemoto suggested the United States consider an
additional environmental agreement to accompany the SOFA, and
seemed unwilling to delegate the responsibility on this
matter to a Joint Committee agreement. ""Form is more
important than substance"" for this government, he emphasized,
noting that Japan's current political leadership knows that
renegotiating the SOFA (a DPJ campaign promise) is a bridge
too far and sees the achievement of an environmental
agreement as a good compromise. Regardless of any details
that the United States and Japan negotiate, the most
essential element to the agreement is that it tells a ""good
political story,"" Umemoto added.
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Aviation Training Relocation
----------------------------
4. (C) Basalla emphasized that the United States sees
significant potential to expand the existing Aviation
Training Relocation (ATR) program in partnership with the
Japanese government. She noted, however, that ATR expansion
should be discussed within the framework of the existing
Alliance Transformation Working Group (ATAWG-T) in order to
avoid setting expectations on the part of Okinawans that the
United States might not be able to meet. DG Umemoto welcomed
the U.S. proposal and stressed the need for any plan to have
clear ""political symbolism"" in order for it to succeed.
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Okinawa-Guam Move Timing and Composition
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5. (C) Turning to the Japanese proposal for a possible
acceleration of the movement of some Marine units from
Okinawa to Guam, Basalla said that while the political value
of the 2014 target completion date is clear, the United
States has been very frank with Japan that the date is
increasingly unrealistic. The U.S. side looks forward to
discussing with Japan ways in which to best manage ""beyond
2014"" messaging. In addition, the United States is not
prepared to make proposals on the composition of units that
will move to Guam for a number of reasons, but the U.S. is
looking at future posture in the QDR and may eventually have
specific ideas to discuss with Japan. EAP/J Director Maher
added that an early move would be impossible as the United
States cannot obtain funding for the Guam move until the
Senate Appropriations Committee is convinced that FRF plans
are moving forward.
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Early KC-130 Move to Iwakuni
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6. (C) The United States is not in a position to commit to
the Japanese proposal for an accelerated move of KC-130s to
Iwakuni, given that the Iwakuni Master Plan is incomplete and
real progress on FRF remains stalled, Basalla said. She
added, however, that the U.S. side would be open to
discussing this later in the context of future aviation plans
for Okinawa. USFJ J5 COL Wiltse added that the biggest
obstacle to an earlier move of KC-130s is that the United
States does not yet have clarity on Japanese plans for land
purchase to support Iwakuni housing requirements.
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Meeting Participants
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7. (SBU)
U.S.
----
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Schiffer
Embassy Tokyo Deputy Chief of Mission Jim Zumwalt
Embassy Tokyo Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs Rob
Luke
Department of State Japan Desk Director Kevin Maher
OSD Country Director for Japan Suzanne Basalla
Embassy Tokyo Political-Military Affairs Unit Chief Joe Young
U.S. Forces Japan J5 COL Jeff Wiltse
Japan
-----
MOFA North American Affairs Bureau Director General Kazuyoshi
Umemoto
MOD Defense Policy Bureau Director General Nobushige
Takamizawa
MOFA Japan-U.S. Security Treaty Division Director Takahiro
Funakoshi
MOD Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation Division Director Kiyoshi
Serizawa
Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Kiyoshi Sugawa
ROOS
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