VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKO #0776/01 0810538
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 210538Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2330
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2760

UNCLAS TOKYO 000776 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
BEIJING FOR POL/C.BERGER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OTRA PREL JA
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR POL M/C AUBREY CARLSON 
 
REF: A. BEIJING 01043 
 
     ¶B. BERGER/OGIER EMAILS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1.  (U) Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance for the 
March 25-30, 2008 visit to Japan by Political Minister 
Counselor Aubrey Carlson. 
 
¶2.  (U) Point of contact for the visit will be Joyce Ogier. 
She can be reached at: 
 
Office phone:  (81-3)3224-5332 
Home phone:    (81-3)3224-6970 
Mobile phone:  (81-80)3496-2764 
Fax:           (81-3)3224-5322 
E-mail:        OgierJS@state.gov (unclassified) 
 
------------------ 
Hotel Reservations 
------------------ 
 
¶3.  (U) Tokyo hotel reservations have been made as follows: 
 
March 25-27 (nights of March 25, 26) 
Hilton Tokyo Bay 
1-8 Maihama 
Urayasu-shi, Chiba 279-0031 
Tel: (81-47) 355-5000 
Fax: (81-47) 355-5019 
 
March 27-30 (nights of March 27, 28, 29) 
EWA Apartments 
c/o American Embassy Compound 
2-1-1 Roppongi 
Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032 
Tel: (81-3) 3224-5000 (dialing from outside Japan) 
Tel: (03) 3224-5000 (Embassy main switchboard, staffed 24/7) 
 
------------------------------- 
Airport to Hotel Transportation 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U)  Ref. Berger/Ogier emails.  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) U.S. citizens entering or transiting Japan on 
official business must obtain a diplomatic or official visa 
for that purpose.  U.S. citizens traveling with a valid U.S. 
passport can enter Japan for business or pleasure for up to 
90 days without a visa. 
 
All foreign nationals entering Japan, with the exemption of 
certain categories, are required to have their fingerprints 
scanned and a facial photograph taken at the port of entry. 
This requirement does not replace any existing visa or 
passport requirements.  U.S. travelers on official business 
must have a diplomatic or official visa specifying the nature 
of travel as "AS DIPLOMAT," "AS OFFICIAL," or "IN TRANSIT" to 
be exempt from biometric collection.  All other visa holders, 
including those with diplomatic and official visas stating 
"AS TEMPORARY VISITOR," are subject to this requirement. 
Passport type is also irrelevant.  In rare instances, 
official travelers who bring a Note Verbale specifying they 
are entering Japan in an official capacity may be exempted 
from the biometric collection requirement, if otherwise 
required.  SOFA personnel are exempt under SOFA Article 9 (2) 
from the new biometrics entry requirements. 
 
---------------------- 
Embassy Laptop Policy 
---------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) The Embassy's electronic device (i.e. laptop, 
removable storage, video equipment, test equipment, etc.) 
policy states that absolutely no personal, non-government 
owned electronic devices may enter the Embassy.  Absolutely 
no equipment, even government-owned, may be connected to the 
Embassy network in any way without prior approval.  TDY 
employees are reminded that even government-owned equipment 
may not enter the Embassy without prior RSO approval. 
Absolutely no electronic device, even government-owned, may 
enter the CAA unless special pre-approval is given by the 
RSO, based on a compelling business need.  If you would like 
to bring a U.S. government-owned electronic device into the 
Embassy, please contact the RSO office (provide make, model, 
serial number, and purpose) prior to your visit for a 
briefing and approval. 
 
----------------- 
Threat Assessment 
----------------- 
 
¶7.  (U) U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a 
heightened state of alert.  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. 
The Department maintains information about potential threats 
to Americans overseas which is available to travelers on the 
internet at the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page: 
http://www.travel.state.gov.  The Embassy takes all threats 
seriously.  U.S. Embassy Tokyo can be contacted 24 hours a 
day at 03-3224-5000 (locally) or 81-3-3224-5000 
(internationally). 
 
¶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) Also be advised that under no circumstances may 
weapons be brought into Japan.  Carrying a pocketknife 
(including Swiss Army-style knife, craft or hunting knife, 
box cutter, etc.) in public is forbidden.  Under Japanese 
law, carrying any such item in public, with a size exceeding 
8 cm in length, 1.5 cm in width or 2 mm in thickness, can 
subject the person to arrest or detention. 
SCHIEFFER