Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Cop15 Meeting

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UNCLAS TOKYO 002712

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 - COP15 MEETING

1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Friday morning
included the yen's rapid appreciation against the U.S.
dollar, as well as a call by a GOJ panel for the
Defense Ministry to review labor costs for Japanese
base workers that the GOJ shoulders as part of its host
nation support for the U.S. military.

2. "Boost for COP15" On recent announcements by the
U.S. and China on their respective goals for reductions
in greenhouse gas emissions, the liberal Mainichi
editorialized (11/27): "It is meaningful that the U.S.,
which has withdrawn from the Kyoto Protocol, and China,
which is not obligated to reduce emissions under the
same protocol, have demonstrated their commitment to
reducing emissions. There is a possibility that
international negotiations on global warming will
progress rapidly now that the two countries, which
together produce 40 percent of greenhouse gas
emissions, have launched their numerical reduction
targets."

3. "China Underscores Its Position as 'Responsible
Power'" On the Chinese announcement regarding its
reduction goal and Premier Wen's planned participation
in the COP15 meeting, a Beijing correspondent for the
top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri stated (11/27): "The
Chinese announcement was apparently made in concert
with the U.S., which had just announced its reduction
target and President Obama's plan to attend COP15.
China was probably aiming to call attention to its
position as a 'responsible power.'... However, there is
no room for optimism about reaching an agreement at
COP15 because China has not changed its basic stance of
calling for advanced nations to reduce emissions
first."

4. "U.S., China Keen to Establish Presence before
COP15" The liberal Asahi wrote (11/27): "By launching
their respective reduction goals before a basic
consensus emerges on a post-Kyoto framework political
agreement, the U.S. and China have made it clear that
they plan to take the lead in negotiations [at COP15]."

ZUMWALT

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