VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKO #6230/01 2990241
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 260241Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7801
INFO RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0792

UNCLAS TOKYO 006230 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR MOPS OTRA PREL IZ KS JA
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR IRAQ TALKS 
 
REF: STATE 178677 
 
¶1.  (U)  Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance for 
the November 04 - 08, 2006 visit to Japan by the interagency 
team led by Deputy Coordinator for Iraq Barbara Stephenson 
for bilateral conslutations with the Republic of Korea and 
Japan.  A notional schedule will follow separately. 
 
¶2.  (U)  Control Officer for the visit will be Evan Reade. 
He can be reached at: 
 
Office phone:  (81-3)3224-5325 
Home phone:    (81-3)3224-6940 
Mobile phone:  81-090-2591-0698 
Fax:           (81-3)3224-5322 
E-mail:        ReadeEG@state.gov (unclassified) 
 
------------------ 
Hotel Reservations 
------------------ 
 
¶3.  (U) Tokyo hotel reservations have been made for four 
nights of 04-07 November at: 
 
ANA Hotel 
12-33-1 Akasaka 
Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052 
Tel: (81-3) 3505-1111 
Fax: (81-3) 3505-1155 
Email: www.anahoteltokyo.jp 
 
------------------------------- 
Airport to Hotel Transportation 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U)  Visitors should take the airport "limousine" bus 
directly to the hotel or the Narita Express (NEX) train to 
Tokyo Station and then a taxi to the hotel.  The limousine 
bus counter is located in the Tokyo Narita Airport Arrival 
lobby.  Look for the orange signs as you walk through the 
doors from the customs area to the main lobby.  The bus fare 
is 3,000 Yen.  The NEX train is located in the basement of 
the airport terminal.  The train fare is 2,900 Yen. 
Twenty-four hour currency exchange facilities are available 
in the customs area and the arrival lobby of the airport. 
Travel time from Tokyo Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo is 
90-120 minutes, depending on traffic. 
 
---- 
Visa 
---- 
 
¶5.  (U)  Holders of U.S. diplomatic or official passports 
must have a Japanese visa to enter Japan.  Travelers on a 
U.S. tourist (blue cover) passport may enter Japan as a 
tourist without a Japanese visa for up to 90 days. 
 
---------------------- 
Embassy Laptop Policy 
---------------------- 
 
¶6. (U)  The Embassy's laptop policy is as follows: 
Absolutely no personal, non-government owned laptop computers 
may enter the Embassy.  Absolutely no laptop, even government 
owned, may be connected to the Embassy network in any way. 
TDY employees are reminded that no government owned laptops 
may enter the Embassy without prior RSO approval.  Absolutely 
no laptop, even government owned, inside CAA areas unless 
special pre-approval, based on business need, has been given. 
 If you would like to bring a US government owned and 
provided laptop computer into the Embassy, please contact the 
RSO's office prior to your visit for the briefing and 
approval. 
 
----------------- 
Threat Assessment 
----------------- 
 
¶7.  (U)  U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a 
heightened state of alert.  The events of September 11 at the 
World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Somerset, Pennsylvania, 
serve as a cruel reminder of the continuing threat from 
terrorists and extremist groups to Americans and American 
interests worldwide.  This situation remains fluid and 
American citizens should be aware of the potential risks and 
take these into consideration when making travel plans.  The 
Department will continue to develop information about 
potential threats to Americans overseas and to share credible 
threat information through its consular information program 
documents available on the internet at the Bureau of Consular 
Affairs home page: http://www.travel.state.gov. 
¶8.  (SBU)  The general threat from crime in Tokyo and 
throughout Japan is low.  Crime is at levels well below the 
U.S. national average.  Violent crime is rare, but does 
exist.  The Japanese National Police report continued 
problems with pick-pocketing of foreigners in crowded 
shopping areas of Tokyo.  Although street crime is low, 
common sense security measures are advised for all American 
citizens traveling in Japan. 
 
¶9.  (U)  As the U.S. Government has reported in public 
announcements over the last several months, U.S. citizens and 
interests abroad may be at increased risk of terrorist 
actions from extremist groups, which may target civilians and 
include suicide operations.  Most recently, we advised that 
we had unconfirmed information that terrorist actions may be 
taken against U.S. Military facilities and/or establishments 
frequented by U.S. military personnel in Korea and Japan. 
Americans should increase their security awareness and avoid 
locations where Americans are generally known to congregate. 
 
¶10.  (U)  In addition, we continue to be concerned about 
information we received in May 2001 that American citizens 
may be the target of a terrorist threat from extremist groups 
with links to Usama Bin Laden's Al-Qaida organization.  In 
the past, such individuals have not distinguished between 
official and civilian targets.  The Embassy takes all threats 
seriously.  The U.S. Embassy Tokyo can be contacted 24 hours 
a day at 03-3224-5000 (locally) or 81-3-3224-5000 
(internationally). 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  Visitors are urged to maintain a high level of 
vigilance and to increase their security awareness. 
Americans should maintain a low profile, vary routes and 
times for all required travel, and treat mail and packages 
from unfamiliar sources with suspicion.  Visitors are also 
urged to avoid contact with any suspicious, unfamiliar 
objects, and to report the presence of such objects to local 
authorities.  Vehicles should not be left unattended and 
should be kept locked at all times. 
SCHIEFFER