VZCZCXRO2538
OO RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #0804/01 0840827
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 240827Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2835
INFO RUEHXP/ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2376
RUEHDL/AMEMBASSY DUBLIN PRIORITY 0130
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 2180
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 1179
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 8419
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RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 7425
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RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000804 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2016 
TAGS: PREL MOPS PARM JA NATO
SUBJECT: CLUSTER MUNITIONS: JAPAN'S POLICY OF AMBIGUITY 
 
REF: A. 07 TOKYO 1716 
 
     ¶B. 07 TOKYO 2004 
     ¶C. TOKYO 0347 
     ¶D. TOKYO 0518 
 
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer.  Reasons 1.4 (B) (D) 
 
¶1. (S) Summary.  This cable describes Japanese policy on 
cluster munitions (CM) and summarizes Tokyo's participation 
in both the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) 
and the Oslo process.  The Japanese Self-Defense Forces 
(JSDF) possess CM, and Japan has no intention of supporting a 
total ban.  The Foreign Ministry has assured the United 
States that Tokyo opposes a ban on CM.  However, Japan has 
participated in the Oslo process in order to influence any 
""unrealistic"" proposals and to mute domestic public criticism 
that Tokyo has ignored the humanitarian aspects of the use of 
CM.  Embassy Tokyo predicts that Japan will agree to placing 
limitations on CM in the Oslo process, but will oppose an 
outright ban.  End Summary. 
 
---------- 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶2. (C) The United States has clearly conveyed our concerns to 
Japan about the movement to develop a legally binding treaty 
to restrict the use of cluster munitions (CM) and Norway's 
decision to hold discussions of a treaty outside the 
framework of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons 
(CCW).  In April 2007, the PM Bureau's acting Assistant 
Secretary Mull and acting DAS Ruggiero advised Japanese 
officials that Washington opposes a total ban on CM, citing 
the potential loss of military capability and the effects a 
ban would have on combined operations within NATO (Refs A, 
B).  Assistant Secretary Mull stressed that CM are legitimate 
munitions that serve a crucial role in modern warfare.  Mull 
and Ruggiero underscored the U.S. desire to see any 
discussion of CM balance security and humanitarian concerns. 
They promised to maintain the U.S. commitment to reducing the 
impact of CM that potentially threaten civilians and urged 
that CM discussion remain in the CCW. 
 
----------------------- 
MOFA: Japan Opposes Ban 
----------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) Japanese Foreign Ministry officials, including 
Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Science Department Deputy 
Director-General Masatoshi Shimbo, have consistently 
expressed to Embassy Tokyo strong opposition to the CM ban 
being considered under the Oslo process, and have promised 
that Japan would not agree to any treaty that negatively 
impacts U.S.-Japan security arrangements (Ref A).  At the 
same time, Shimbo advised Embassy Tokyo that Japan feels 
compelled to participate in the Oslo process meetings in 
order to influence any ""unrealistic"" proposals, maintain 
positive and growing relations with European nations, and to 
counter domestic public criticism that Tokyo has ignored the 
humanitarian aspects of CM.  MOFA officials have expressed 
the need for close U.S.-Japan coordination on CM and have 
asked the United States to make progress on negotiations 
under the CCW. 
 
------------------------- 
Defense Ministry Concerns 
------------------------- 
 
¶4. (S) On March 18, Ministry of Defense officials expressed 
concern that, acting under political pressure, Japanese 
representatives will in fact sign an agreement under the Oslo 
process to ban CM at the May Dublin conference.  MoD 
U.S.-Japan Cooperation Division Director Serizawa told USFJ 
that, while the final Japanese government position is ""not 
yet decided, politicians are reviewing the pro's and con's"" 
of joining the Dublin arrangement.  According to Serizawa, 
MoD is concerned that many politicians will insist that Tokyo 
join the ban.  Foreign Ministry personnel have approached 
USFJ with similar concerns. 
 
¶5. (C) On March 18, MOFA Conventional Arms Division Director 
Ryuichi Hirano categorically rejected any suggestion that 
Tokyo would consider joining an Oslo process ban on CM, 
noting that Japan's views remain unchanged from positions 
previously outlined to Embassy Tokyo (Refs C, D). 
 
----------------------------------- 
Japan Likely to Support Limited Ban 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (S) Japanese officials may agree to place some type of 
limitations on CM at Dublin.  As noted in Ref C, MOFA has 
worked hard to soften the language so that, after signing a 
modified agreement, Tokyo can argue it will not be too 
onerous and will not affect the United States-Japan security 
relationship.  Japan's position within the Oslo process has 
largely been driven by public opinion, the media, and 
politicians - including the ruling LDP's pacifist coalition 
partner New Komeito Party - who have demanded that Tokyo 
adopt a humanitarian approach to CM.  JSDF operational needs 
for CM will prevent Japan from supporting a CM ban.  But it 
is possible Japan will make an effort to head off domestic 
critics by agreeing to a compromise proposal at Dublin.   End 
Comment. 
SCHIEFFER