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DE RUEHKO #5096/01 3060733
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P 020733Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
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INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 9898
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RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1881
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 2033

UNCLAS TOKYO 005096 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EAP/J, EAP/PD, EAP/K, EAP DAS - ARVIZU 
INFO FOR DATT/DAO AND PAO/PAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR KN KS JA
SUBJECT: MEDIA COVERAGE OF OCTOBER 31 COALITION 
BRIEFING ON OEF FOR JAPANESE DIET MEMBERS 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  On October 31, the Canadian Embassy 
in Tokyo hosted a briefing for Japanese Diet members 
focusing on the international nature of OEF Coalition 
efforts in the Indian Ocean to combat global terrorism, 
as well as on the importance of Japan's contribution to 
OEF.  Approximately 100 Diet members attended the 
briefing, as did representatives of 11 coalition 
countries, including Ambassador Schieffer.  Although 
closed to the media, the briefing, as well as 
Ambassador Schieffer's remarks to journalists 
immediately afterwards, garnered top coverage October 
31 and November 1.  Overall, coverage was detailed, 
balanced, and substantive, enabling the Coalition 
ambassadors to reach over skeptical opposition 
lawmakers and carry our message on the importance of 
Japan's continuing contribution to the fight against 
terrorism to a much larger public audience.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) On October 31, the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo 
hosted a briefing for Japanese Diet members on OEF 
Coalition efforts to combat global terrorism in the 
Indian Ocean and on the importance of Japan's 
contribution to OEF.  Representatives of 11 coalition 
countries, including Ambassador Schieffer, were present 
for the briefing, which was attended by approximately 
100 Diet members from almost all political parties. 
Although the briefing was closed to the media, AP, 
Reuters, and Kyodo News ran long reports on it and on 
the suspension of JMSDF OEF support on October 31 and 
November 1.  Kyodo's November 1 report on the briefing 
also quoted extensively from Ambassador Schieffer's 
comments to journalists after the briefing.  Reuters 
and AP carried similar reports, quoting Chief Cabinet 
Secretary (CCS) Machimura as calling the suspension 
 
SIPDIS 
"regrettable," and adding that "Japan must rejoin the 
international team to fight terrorism as soon as 
possible by enacting new legislation."  The Reuters 
piece noted Ambassador Schieffer's comment that a 
permanent halt to Japan's participation in OEF would 
send "a very bad message" to the international 
community and to terrorists. 
 
¶3.  (U) Evening editions of the Asahi and Mainichi 
newspapers on October 31 gave front-page play to the 
OEF briefing, while Yomiuri, Tokyo Shimbun, and 
business-oriented Nikkei ran long page-2 reports. 
(Nikkei's article featured a color photo of the 
ambassador talking with journalists after the 
briefing.)  Mainichi called the briefing an "unusual 
move," adding that the bulk of the participants were 
from the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and 
that only six DPJ members attended.  Yomiuri said that 
Ambassador Schieffer told the press afterward: "I hope 
that members of the Diet, after today, will have a 
better understanding of the MIO."  Mainichi and Asahi 
quoted the Ambassador as telling the press, "I hope DPJ 
President Ozawa will accept the fact that OEF is an 
international undertaking, and I hope he will support 
it in the end."  According to Yomiuri, DPJ Lower House 
legislator Takemasa complained that the briefing 
provided no new information and that there was no clear 
answer to the question as to whether terrorists have 
been apprehended through the MIO.  Tokyo Shimbun quoted 
DPJ lawmaker Iwakuni as telling the press that what was 
most displeasing about the briefing was that the 
information was not provided until now. 
 
¶4.  (U) Reports on the noon news broadcasts by NHK-TV 
and most commercial TV broadcasters October 31 quoted 
extensively from Ambassador Schieffer's meeting with 
journalists right after event.  NHK also quoted a US 
military officer as saying during the briefing that he 
hopes for the swift enactment of a new antiterrorism 
bill because it would contribute to the war on 
 
terrorism. It also featured Ambassador Schieffer's 
comment that, "OEF is not a matter between just the 
U.S. and Japan, and it is not a matter for a partisan 
debate."  NHK also noted the U.S. explained once again 
that the fuel provided by Japan was never diverted for 
use in US operations in Iraq. 
 
¶5.  (U) On November 1 all TV broadcasters reported the 
upcoming expiration at midnight of Japan's 
Antiterrorism Special Measures Law.  NTV quoted Defense 
Minister Ishiba in Diet deliberations as saying he was 
"disappointed and saddened" by the fact that the MSDF 
operation would soon "vanish." The network added that 
as the new antiterrorism bill is unlikely to be enacted 
in the current Diet, the outlook is dim for a 
resumption of the MSDF refueling operation. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The briefing at the Canadian 
Embassy provide Japanese lawmakers with detailed 
information on OEF and the significance of the MSDF's 
refueling support in a context that also emphasized the 
international nature of the Coalition effort.  The 
critical comments of opposition lawmakers from the 
Democratic Party of Japan and the Communist Party 
were expected. However, the extensive and generally 
favorable media coverage generated by the briefing 
allowed the Coalition ambassadors to reach over 
skeptical opposition lawmakers and carry our message on 
 
the importance of Japan's continuing contribution to 
the fight against terrorism to a much larger public 
audience.  END COMMENT. 
 
SCHIEFFER