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C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001960 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS USTR FOR BEEMAN, CUTLER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2025 
TAGS: PREL ETRD ECON TW XR CH KS XKJA LA JA
SUBJECT: WHA A/S SHANNON'S APRIL 10 CONSULTATIONS WITH MOFA 
LATIN AMERICA DG SAKABA:  WORKING LUNCHEON 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joe Donovan.  Reasons: 1.4 (b)(d 
). 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary:  Over a April 10 working lunch, MOFA Latin 
American DG Sakaba told visiting WHA A/S Thomas Shannon that 
Japan will not interfere in the extradition process between 
Chile and Peru on former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori. 
 Japan is interested in exploring possible ways to 
participate in the "reintegration" element of the UNDP's DDR 
efforts in Haiti.  Japanese shipping companies are concerned 
over rising Panama Canal fees.  Responding to Sakaba's 
question, A/S Shannon explained the reasons behind 
Helms-Burton legislation on Cuba trade.  End Summary. 
 
Peru 
----- 
 
¶2.  (C)  During an April 10 working lunch, MOFA Latin 
American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau DG Mitsuo Sakaba told 
visiting WHA A/S Thomas A. Shannon that Japan has had no 
ministerial exchanges or political-level contact with Peru 
since November 2000 when then-President Alberto Fujimori fled 
the country for Japan.  Peru is upset with Japan, mistakenly 
believing that the GOJ had granted Japanese nationality to 
Fujimori.  However, the GOJ discovered that Fujimori was a 
dual national, having been registered as a Japanese citizen 
at birth, and treated him as such.  Although Japan does not 
have an extradition treaty with Peru, the GOJ did not refuse 
Lima's extradition request.  Rather, the GOJ was studying the 
issue when Fujimori suddenly left Japan in November 2005. 
 
¶3.  (C)  Lima and Santiago are upset with Tokyo for not 
informing them of Fujimori's departure from Japan for Chile, 
but the GOJ had no knowledge of his departure, DG Sakaba 
asserted.  Japan intends to stay out of the extradition 
process currently underway between Chile and Peru -- Japan 
has only requested monthly consular visits, as it would for 
any Japanese citizen.  When PM Koizumi met with President 
Toledo at the APEC Summit in Pusan in November 2005, the two 
sides agreed to handle the issue as a legal matter so as not 
to damage bilateral relations.  Unfortunately, according to 
Sakaba, Peru's Foreign Minister has unjustifiably accused 
Japan of creating political difficulties over Fujimori. 
 
¶4.  (C)  DG Sakaba provided a brief assessment of Peru's 
presidential campaign and stated that Japan hoped to use the 
opportunity provided by the inauguration of a new president 
later this year to renew Japan's once-strong ties to Peru. 
 
Haiti 
----- 
 
¶5.  (C)  Commenting on the recent UN Security Council 
discussion on Haiti, which he attended in New York, DG Sakaba 
stated that Japan expressed strong support for the 
nation-building process in Haiti.  Japan will provide USD 3 
 
million in food production assistance and contribute to a 
UNICEF vaccination program.  The UNDP has discussed with 
Tokyo the possibility of Japan's participation in 
Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) efforts 
in Haiti.  This would be a new experience for Tokyo in Haiti, 
but Japan is interested in working on social reintegration 
and in learning about the U.S. DDR experience. 
 
¶6.  (C)  A/S Shannon reviewed the USD 5 million program in 
the poor Port-au-Prine neighborhood of Bel Air, which ties 
development assistance to disarmament.  The United States 
believes the nexus between disarmament and development will 
continue to be important and is prepared to expand its Bel 
Air program to other areas of Port-au-Prince, especially Cite 
Soleil, where gangs, especially "the chimeres," remain a 
problem.  However, A/S Shannon noted, DDR efforts per se have 
not yet begun.  After his inauguration, President-elect 
Preval plans to develop a DDR program that will need wide 
support.  Once a program has been agreed upon, the 
international community will need to provide funds for such 
an activity to complement the UN Stabilization Mission in 
Haiti (MINUSTAH), A/S Shannon stated. 
 
Central America 
-------------------- 
 
¶7.  (C)  DG Sakaba noted Japan's large ODA program in Central 
America, relating Japanese interest in supporting the 
region's development process. Japan has an ongoing policy 
dialogue with Central American governments, including a heads 
of government meeting with PM Koizumi in Tokyo last year. 
Continuing Sandinista political activity concerns Japan, DG 
Sakaba stated, and asked for U.S. views.  A/S Shannon 
reviewed the presidential election campaign, noting the 
worrisome links between former President Arnoldo Aleman and 
Sandinista candidate former President Daniel Ortega, and 
Venezuela's President Chavez's efforts to provide support to 
Ortega.  Shannon highlighted the importance of international 
observation to ensure free and fair elections.  He noted that 
Nicaragua was on the verge of significant economic growth, 
but would only achieve such growth (and obtain international 
assistance) if the Ortega-Aleman "pacts" could be broken and 
a modern, independent candidate elected. 
 
Panama Canal 
----------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) Noting Japanese firms' concerns over rising Panama 
Canal fees, DG Sakaba stated that some shippers found it 
cheaper to go the southern route, despite the longer transit 
time.  Asked for his views on the Panama Canal master plan, 
A/S Shannon noted that President Bush had stated during his 
visit to Panama last November that it was important to 
modernize and expand the canal to enable it to handle the 
larger ships that now make up one-third of the marine fleet. 
A Panamanian referendum on the canal's expansion is 
 
anticipated for late this year or early 2007. 
 
¶9. (U)  This message was cleared by A/S Shannon. 
SCHIEFFER