Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - North Korea

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UNCLAS TOKYO 003374

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 - NORTH KOREA

1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Friday morning included
a decision on Thursday by the ruling coalition not to
specify when to raise the consumption tax in its tax
system reform outline for fiscal 2009.

2. "North Korea's Offensive Attitude Should Not Be
Allowed" The moderate Yomiuri editorialized (12/12):
"...The six-party talks, which were held for the first
time in five months, ended without producing a document
stipulating details concerning the verification of
North Korea's nuclear programs. This lack of progress
was unavoidable given North Korea's lack of interest in
accepting verification. It is important for the
six-party process not to allow North Korea to make any
excuses by putting a clear and strict verification
framework into writing. We should not make an easy
compromise in order to reach a hasty agreement.... The
U.S. should reformulate its strategy toward North Korea
under the Obama administration and negotiate with
Pyongyang in a firm manner.... The U.S. may have tried
to move the six-party process forward by delisting
North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, but
Pyongyang duped Washington by refusing to agree to
verification. We have to say that the U.S. was too
naive in its talks with North Korea."

SCHIEFFER

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