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DE RUEHKO #3318 1660934
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 150934Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3292
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2806
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8977
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 6754
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 9367
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 9998
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 7904

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 003318 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FOR U/S PENN AND ELLEN TRPSTRA 
USTR FOR ASUTR CUTLER 
NSC FOR COLLINS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2016 
TAGS: ECON EAGR ETRD JA CM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SCHIEFFER AND CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY 
DISCUSS BEEF 
 
Classified By: Ambassador J.Thomas Schieffer, for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) 
 
¶1. (C) During a June 15 meeting with Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Abe, the Ambassador pressed for the formal reopening of 
Japan,s market for U.S. beef prior to the Prime Minister,s 
visit to Washington at the end of June.  The Ambassador 
explained that we were concerned that if the ban was not 
lifted by the time of the visit, this issue might languish 
for months.  If this occurred, the Ambassador warned, it 
would be extremely embarassing to the President and 
destructive to our relationship.  Abe offered instead a "de 
facto" decision to re-open the market by the time of the 
Prime Minister,s visit and said that he was confident that 
Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Kawasaki would go along 
with this decision, now that the Diet has passed his top 
priority, a major health care reform bill.  Abe insisted that 
Japan could send only three teams to audit U.S. beef 
facilities.  End summary 
 
2..  (C ) During a June 15 meeting, the Ambassador and Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Abe discussed efforts to lift Japan,s ban 
on the import of U.S. beef.  Abe began by promising to work 
closely with the U.S. until he saw American beef on the 
tables of Japanese households.  To accomplish this objective, 
Abe said, it was important for the U.S and Japan to work 
closely together.  The Ambassador replied that BSE was a 
thorny and difficult issue.  We were concerned that if the 
market was not reopened before the Prime Minister,s visit to 
Washington, we would lose momentum and the issue would 
languish for months. 
 
¶3.  (C ) Abe said that he understood this position.  Having 
said that, it was very important that the GOJ not appear to 
be making a decision to reopen the beef market in response to 
the upcoming meeting of the Prime Minister and the President. 
 As a result, Abe said, he hoped that we could make the 
decision to start the process leading to the reopening of the 
market.  This would be a de facto decision to reopen, he 
asserted.  If we can make this decision then this issue will 
be substantively resolved when the Prime Minister visits the 
U.S, even though U.S. beef will not be physically present in 
the Japanese market. 
 
¶4.  (C ) The Ambassador asked if Abe could provide assurance 
that Japan would lift its ban on U.S. beef immediately after 
the Prime Minister,s visit.  Abe replied that, frankly, 
there were some parts of the GOJ that remained cautious.  But 
Abe had personally made up his mind to make the decision to 
lift the ban before the Prime Minister,s visit.  The 
Ambassador pointed out that was what concerned us.  Minister 
of Labor, Health and Welfare (MLHW) Kawasaki had made clear 
that he still has reservations.  We were concerned that after 
the Summit, he will reassert himself and the process will be 
delayed.  Should that happen, it would be very embarrassing 
and destructive to our relationship.  Abe said that he had 
talked to Kawasaki many times about the beef issue and that 
he was confident that Kawasaki would go along with a said 
decision to reopen the market. 
 
5..  (C )  The Ambassador asked Abe to clarify why the GOJ 
would only send three teams to audit U.S. beef facilities. 
Abe stated that MLHW was short-staffed and had initially 
insisted that it could only send two teams.  The GOJ had then 
added MAFF personnel so that three teams could be sent to the 
U.S.  This was the maximum number of teams that could be 
sent, he said. 
 
¶6.  (C ) Abe said the end of the current Diet session this 
week was an important factor to consider.  During this 
session, MLHW was responsible for an important health reform 
bill.  This is why MLHW Minister Kawasaki had been so 
cautious on beef.  If the Diet,s Health and Labor Committee 
had taken up discussion on beef, this would have delayed 
consideration of the health reform bill and this would have 
had significant budget ramifications.  Fortunately this bill 
has just been passed making it easier for the GOJ to make its 
"de facto" decision. 
SCHIEFFER