Cablegate: Country Clearance for Jason Hamm

VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKO #5205/01 3130917
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 090917Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9459

UNCLAS TOKYO 005205

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

SECDEF FOR OSD/P/APSA/HAMM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OTRA PREL JA
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR JASON HAMM

REF: SECDEF 062002Z NOV 7

1. (U) Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance for the
November 12-17, 2007 visit to Japan by Jason Hamm.

2. (U) Point of contact for the visit will be Political
Officer Simon Lee. He can be reached at:

Office phone: (81-3)3224-5337
Home phone: (81-3)3224-6815
Mobile phone: 81-90-4837-5822
Fax: (81-3)3224-5322
E-mail: LeeS@state.gov (unclassified)

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Hotel Reservations
------------------

3. (U) Tokyo hotel reservations have been made at the Hotel
Okura 2-10-4 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8416, Tel:
(81-3) 3582-0111 Fax: (81-3) 3582-3707. Details as follows:

Jason Hamm
Arrive: November 12, 2007
Depart: November 17, 2007
Conf. No.: 633118

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Airport to Hotel Transportation
-------------------------------

4. (U) Visitors should take the airport "limousine" bus
directly to the hotel or the Narita Express (NEX) train to
Tokyo Station and then a taxi to the hotel. The limousine
bus counter is located in the Tokyo Narita Airport Arrival
lobby. Look for the orange signs as you walk through the
doors from the customs area to the main lobby. The bus fare
is 3,000 Yen. The NEX train is located in the basement of
the airport terminal. The train fare is 2,900 Yen.
Twenty-four hour currency exchange facilities are available
in the customs area and the arrival lobby of the airport.
Travel time from Tokyo Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo is
90-120 minutes, depending on traffic.

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Visa
----

5. (U) Holders of U.S. diplomatic or official passports must
have a Japanese visa to enter Japan. Travelers on a U.S.
tourist passport may enter Japan as a tourist without a
Japanese visa for up to 90 days. As of November 20, 2007,
all foreign nationals entering Japan, with the exemption of
certain categories, are required to provide fingerprints and
a facial photograph at the port of entry. This requirement
does not replace any existing visa or passport requirements.
Official U.S. travelers will have to submit to the photograph
and fingerprinting requirement unless they travel with a
valid diplomatic or official visa or a Note Verbale. The
nature of the passport onto which the visa is pasted is not
relevant, i.e. a tourist passport holder with a diplomatic or
official visa will not have to submit to the biometrics
collection process. SOFA personnel are exempt under SOFA
Article 9 (2) from the new biometrics entry requirements.

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Embassy Laptop Policy
----------------------

6. (U) Official visitors are reminded that personally owned
or non-controlled USG-issued electronic equipment (including
all PDAs, cell phones, pagers, radios, records) may not enter
the controlled access areas. Additionally, all classified
and sensitive materials must be secured at the embassy visit
control office upon arrival in country.

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Threat Assessment
-----------------

7. (U) U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a
heightened state of alert. As the U.S. Government has
reported in public announcements over the last several
months, U.S. citizens and interests abroad may be at
increased risk of terrorist actions from extremist groups,
which may target civilians and include suicide operations.
The Department maintains information about potential threats
to Americans overseas which is available to travelers on the
internet at the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page:
http://www.travel.state.gov. The Embassy takes all threats
E
seriously. U.S. Embassy Tokyo can be contacted 24 hours a
day at 03-3224-5000 (locally) or 81-3-3224-5000
(internationally).

8. (SBU) The general threat from crime in Tokyo and
throughout Japan is low. Crime is at levels well below the
U.S. national average. Violent crime is rare, but does
exist. The Japanese National Police report continued
problems with pick-pocketing of foreigners in crowded
shopping areas of Tokyo. Although street crime is low,
common sense security measures are advised for all American
citizens traveling in Japan.

9. (U) Also be advised that under no circumstances may
weapons be brought into Japan. Carrying a pocketknife
(including Swiss Army-style knife, craft or hunting knife,
box cutter, etc.) in public is forbidden. Under Japanese
law, carrying any such item in public, with a size exceeding
8 cm in length, 1.5 cm in width or 2 mm in thickness, can
subject the person to arrest or detention.
SCHIEFFER

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