VZCZCXYZ0009
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKO #1612/01 0870748
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 280748Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0202
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1587
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 4086
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 1639
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA PRIORITY 0662
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE PRIORITY 6571

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001612 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2016 
TAGS: PTER PREL SNAR EAID IN MY RP JA
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR YAMAMOTO DISCUSSES COUNTERTERRORISM 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joe Donovan.  Reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary.  During a March 27 meeting with the DCM, 
MOFA Ambassador for Counterterrorism (CT) Cooperation, 
Reconstruction Activities in Iraq and North Korea Nuclear 
Issues Tadamichi Yamamoto: 
 
-- stressed the need to identify implementable steps for the 
next U.S.-Japan-Australia CT Trilateral, 
 
-- briefed the DCM on Japan's CT priorities, and 
 
-- expressed hope that a high-level U.S. visit could 
reenergize Japanese ministries to focus on CT.  End Summary. 
 
CT Trilateral 
------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) Tadamichi Yamamoto, Ambassador for Counterterrorism 
Cooperation, Reconstruction Activities in Iraq and North 
Korea Nuclear Issues, told DCM Donovan on March 27 that he 
understood it might take some time to schedule the next 
U.S.-Japan-Australia Counterterrorism (CT) Trilateral, 
originally planned for March.  The Government of Japan is 
adjusting to the new timeline and will plan a different 
approach to the Trilateral if it is held in June or July. 
Japan has scheduled a bilateral CT dialogue with ASEAN in 
early June and, if the Trilateral is held after that 
bilateral, Japan would be able to present a concrete plan of 
action to the United States and Australia.  Yamamoto hoped to 
use the Trilateral to coordinate future action with the 
United States and Australia. 
 
¶3.  (C) It is important to identify implementable steps for 
CT cooperation, Yamamoto stressed.  This year, Japan's CT 
programs will be limited to Southeast Asia, but he said Japan 
hopes to expand them to South Asia and Bangladesh, in 
particular, next year.  Bangladesh borders Burma and suffers 
from poor governance, leaving it vulnerable to exploitation 
by terrorists, Yamamoto observed.  Looking at Central Asia 
would be the next step, although including it in Japan's CT 
planning may be several years in coming.  When asked about 
the possibility of joint training, Yamamoto agreed that it 
would be a good thing to do, but remarked he is unconvinced 
that it is welcome in countries like the Philippines.  In his 
experience, the Philippines is reluctant to train with 
others, so it is important to discuss any proposal for this 
kind of activity with them carefully.  A low-key approach is 
probably best, Yamamoto suggested. 
 
Need to Motivate GOJ to Focus on CT 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) A visit to Japan by Ambassador Crumpton would greatly 
benefit the CT cause in Japan, Yamamoto emphasized. 
Ambassador Crumpton's presence would be substantively 
helpful, and would also impress upon Japan's ministries and 
agencies that CT is an important area that needs constant 
attention.  Yamamoto would like to help arrange high-level 
meetings for Ambassador Crumpton at the ministries, the 
National Policy Agency and Prime Minister's Office.  In order 
for Japan to effectively implement CT projects, it needs 
buy-in from many ministries and agencies, even ones with a 
domestic focus.  Yamamoto lobbied hard to hold the next 
Trilateral in Tokyo because he wanted to lock in commitments 
across the Japanese government.  When asked for his thoughts 
on the bilateral Counterterrorism Working Group, Yamamoto 
thought it would be useful to hold the Trilateral first, in 
order to focus the participating ministries on the issue. 
 
¶5.  (C) Yamamoto assured us that Japan understands the need 
to be part of the global CT effort, but remains a bit more 
complacent about terrorist threats than the United States or 
Australia.  Because Japan is not targeted by Islamic 
fundamentalists, Yamamoto has found it difficult to get the 
Japanese ministries and agencies -- particularly ones with a 
domestic focus -- to pay attention to hot spots outside of 
Southeast Asia. 
 
¶6.  (C) Japan's near-term goal is to build CT capacity in 
Southeast Asia, Yamamoto explained.  MOFA hopes to use its 
new grant aid system to do it.  In the coming year, MOFA will 
have $70 million of grant aid for counterterrorism projects. 
It needs to spend the full $70 million this year and will 
draw up a menu of project options internally before 
approaching Southeast Asian governments.  Yamamoto predicted 
that Japan would concentrate its efforts on Indonesia, the 
Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore.  When asked if Japan 
would be constrained in providing equipment such as patrol 
boats, Yamamoto did not think it would be a problem. 
Already, Japan is sending two patrol boats to Indonesia.  He 
clarified that Japan's principle of not exporting defense 
technologies or equipment is not a constitutional or legal 
restraint, but a policy one.  When the Cabinet in 2005 
decided to exempt equipment and technological exports to the 
United States for missile defense purposes, an exemption for 
the prevention of counterterrorism was included, too. 
SCHIEFFER