Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - 7th Anniversary Of

VZCZCXRO9098
PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #2480 2540303
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 100303Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7139
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 9791
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 3533
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5275
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2526
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1269
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1582
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS TOKYO 002480

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 - 7TH ANNIVERSARY OF
9/11, U.S-INDIA NUCLEAR COOPERATION, USG BAILOUT OF
FANNIE MAE AND FREDDIE MAC, AND GEORGIA

1. LEAD STORIES: Front-page items on Wednesday morning
included U.S. media repots on the health of North
Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

2. "Creating New Solidarity" The liberal Asahi
editorialized (9/10): "...Where has the worldwide
solidarity created in the wake of 9/11 gone? The Bush
administration, which advocated the simplistic dualism
of viewing countries either as friend or foe, can take
much of the blame.... U.S. presidential candidates Sen.
Obama and Sen. McCain have announced their strategies
to reshape the war on terrorism. They have proposed,
respectively, to withdraw from Iraq and to continue the
ongoing operations there. However, what is
fundamentally needed is the creation of common ground
so that not only Japan and European nations but also
Muslim nations, Russia, and China can take part.
Military power is necessary, but the use of it should
be reviewed. In order to eliminate breeding grounds for
terrorism, it is necessary to provide nations with
support that draws out their latent strength."

3. "Exemption Will Undermine NPT Regime" The moderate
Yomiuri argued in an editorial (9/10): "The Nuclear
Suppliers Group (NSG), which consists of 45 nations
including Japan, agreed unanimously to exempt India
from its rules on the export of nuclear fuel and
technology. India has developed nuclear weapons and has
not signed the NPT. The NSG's decision removes
restrictions on civil nuclear cooperation, overlooking
India's possession of nuclear arms and effectively
recognizing India as a nuclear power. The agreement
violates the spirit of the NPT, which aims to prevent
an increase of the number of nuclear powers. We cannot
help but say that this is a serious mistake."

4. "Injection of Public Funds Not Enough" The moderate
Yomiuri editorialized (9/10): "It appears to be an
expression of determination to prevent a
U.S.-originated financial crisis at any cost. The USG
has decided to rescue Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two
housing mortgage firms that have been hard hit by the
subprime loan crisis... However, it is too early to
conclude that the financial markets will begin to
stabilize.... The situation does not yet warrant
optimism."

5. "World Following Russia's Lead" The conservative
Sankei contended in an editorial (9/10): "Russian
President Medvedev agreed with his French counterpart
Sarkozy that Russia will within a month withdraw its
troops from all of Georgia except South Ossetia and
Abkhazia. The move appears to be a first step toward a
resolution of the dispute. However, this agreement only
sets a deadline for the peace accord that Russia had
already agreed to with the EU on August 12 but has
failed to fulfill. It is problematic that no policy has
been shaped to respond to Moscow's outrageous move to
recognize the independence of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia."

ZUMWALT

© Scoop Media