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C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 005482 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PASS TO NEA/IPA FOR BELGRADE, EEB/IFD/ODF FOR 
DEMARCELLUS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2017 
TAGS: PREL EAID XF WE IS GZ KWBG KPAL JA
SUBJECT: JAPANESE VIEW OF ANNAPOLIS, PARIS DONORS CONFERENCE 
 
REF: A. STATE 163377 
     ¶B. STATE 163955 
 
Classified By: Ambassador J. T. Schieffer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  Japan considers the Annapolis Conference a 
great success, terming it an "historic opportunity" to 
advance the Peace Process.  Unfortunately, Japan was not 
represented at the ministerial level.  Separately, given 
budgetary constraints, the issue of whether Japan can 
contribute to the Palestinians at the December 17 donors 
conference is not yet determined.  Officials in the Middle 
East and African Affairs Bureau at MOFA realize that if Japan 
is to be taken seriously, it must attend critical meetings at 
the ministerial level and make contributions when needed. 
Unfortunately, the Diet schedule - particularly during these 
politically tumultuous times - and budgetary realities 
interfere.  END SUMMARY. 
 
-------------------- 
ANNAPOLIS CONFERENCE 
-------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Japan considered the November 26-27 Annapolis 
Conference a great success due to the achievement of the 
Joint Understanding and to the large turnout, particularly 
that of the Saudis and Syrians, according to a December 5 
readout by Akihiro Tsuji, Principal Deputy Director of MOFA's 
First Middle East Division.  In a statement issued November 
28, Foreign Minister Masihiko Koumura called the conference 
an "historic opportunity" and paid "the highest tribute to 
the initiative of President George W. Bush" in hosting the 
meeting and in obtaining the Joint Understanding. 
 
¶3. (C) Tsuji said efforts had been made to have FM Koumura 
attend, but in the end this was not possible due to the Diet 
schedule.  He acknowledged that the Prime Minister's office 
was concerned after the fact about the lack of ministerial 
representation, confiding to Embassy Tokyo Political Officer 
that following the conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Machimura called in Vice Minister Shotaro Yachi to ask why 
Koumura had not attended. Tsuji also revealed that Ambassador 
Tatsuo Arima, Japan's Special Envoy for Middle East Peace - 
who led Japan's delegation to Annapolis - has yet to have an 
opportunity to brief FM Koumura on the conference.  Tsuji 
said he hopes Arima will get in to see Koumura on December 6 
but didn't sound convinced this would happen. 
 
----------------------- 
PARIS DONORS CONFERENCE 
----------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) With regard to the upcoming December 17 Paris Donors 
conference, Shinsuke Sugiyama, Deputy Director General of 
MOFA's Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, will 
represent Japan at the December 7 preparatory meeting. Tsuji 
said there is currently a debate raging within MOFA about 
whether Japan will be in a position to make additional 
financial contributions to the Palestinians.  The Middle East 
and African Affairs Bureau is strongly advocating on behalf 
of making additional contributions, and Arima will also push 
this position when he sees FM Koumura.  But the Economic 
Cooperation Bureau is pushing back, taking the position that 
Japan's current financial situation will not allow it to make 
 
additional funds available. 
 
¶5. (C) Even if the Middle East Bureau's position wins out, 
MOFA will still have to convince the Ministry of Finance to 
make funds available, and with less than two weeks remaining 
before the conference, time is running out.  Tsuji termed the 
whole situation very frustrating.  He pointed out that Japan 
counts itself as the second largest bilateral donor to the 
Palestinians, having contributed nearly USD 1 billion since 
¶1993.  He acknowledged, however, that if Japan wants to be 
considered a "serious player" in the Peace Process, it needs 
to attend key meetings at the ministerial level and make 
contributions when critically needed.  Embassy Tokyo will 
present a demarche on the December 17 donors conference per 
ref B and will report outcome septel. 
 
--------------------------- 
JAPAN AND THE PEACE PROCESS 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) The three pillars of Japan's approach to the peace 
process, explained Tsuji, are to 1) encourage political 
dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians and other Arab 
neighbors, 2) provide economic assistance to the 
Palestinians, and 3) facilitate confidence building measures 
between the parties.  Japan's Corridor for Peace and 
Prosperity (CPP) initiative represents efforts in the 
economic and confidence building realms.  Tsuji said a very 
successful expert-level CPP meeting had taken place on 
December 3 in which officials from Israel, Palestine, Jordan 
and Japan drove around the West Bank together in a single 
mini-bus touring the site identified for the construction of 
the initiative's agro-industrial park. 
 
¶7. (C) Getting back to the Annapolis Conference, Tsuji 
wondered what role the people in Gaza would play in the 
unfolding process, expressing his opinion that a final peace 
settlement cannot be reached without them.  Embassy Tokyo 
Political Officer assured him the U.S. will not abandon the 
people of Gaza.  Providing assistance to the Palestinian 
Authority so it can increase its capacity to govern and 
provide security is critical to restoring the confidence of 
the Gazans in President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad. 
Once this is accomplished, it is hoped the people of Gaza 
will see clearly that a brighter future of peace and 
prosperity lies with supporting those who support a peaceful 
settlement, rather than those who espouse violent resistance 
and practice acts of terror. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8. (C) Tsuji seemed embarrassed by the fact that Japan was 
not represented at Annapolis at the ministerial level.  Japan 
says it wants to play a major role in the Peace Process and 
often complains that it is not adequately consulted.  Yet 
according to ref A, of the 45 countries in attendance, Japan 
was one of only two not represented at the ministerial level, 
the other being Sudan.  Hopefully, they will make a better 
showing at Paris, although we judge it as doubtful Japan will 
make much in the way of a financial contribution, citing 
tough financial times and the fact that they made a USD 20 
million contribution to the Palestinians last August.  We 
will report the outcome of our demarche on the need for Japan 
to attend the Paris meeting at the ministerial level and to 
make a significant contribution.  END COMMENT. 
SCHIEFFER