VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKO #1208/01 1230526
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 020526Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3940
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 3129
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 9146

UNCLAS TOKYO 001208 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OTRA PREL JA
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE 
AND DELEGATION 
 
REF: A. STATE 45995 
 
     ¶B. STATE 46460 
 
¶1. (U) Embassy warmly welcomes and grants country clearance 
for the May 8-11, 2008, visit to Japan by Deputy Secretary 
Negroponte and delegation. 
 
¶2. (U) Control Officer for the visit will be Political 
Officer Marc Forino.  He can be reached at: 
 
Office phone:  (81-3)3224-5467 
Home phone:    (81-3)3224-6938 
Mobile phone:  81-90-5578-0102 
Fax:           (81-3)3224-5322 
E-mail:        ForinoM@state.gov (unclassified). 
 
Control Officer for DAS Arvizu who is traveling with the 
delegation will be Political Officer John Nylin.  He can be 
reached at: 
 
Office phone:  (81-3)3224-5344 
Home phone:    (81-3)3224-6859 
Mobile phone:  81-80-1202-8406 
Fax:           (81-3)3224-5322 
E-mail:        NylinJD@state.gov (unclassified). 
 
Control Officer for DASD Sedney who is traveling with the 
delegation will be Political Officer Dan Cintron.  He can be 
reached at: 
 
Office phone:  (81-3)3224-5558 
Home phone:    (81-3)3224-6972 
Mobile phone:  81-90-7907-9591 
Fax:           (81-3)3224-5322 
E-mail:        CintronD@state.gov (unclassified). 
 
------------------ 
Hotel Reservations 
------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) Tokyo hotel reservations have been made at the Hotel 
Okura and details have been forwarded via email. 
 
------------------------------- 
Airport to Hotel Transportation 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Charge Joseph Donovan and Control Officer Marc Forino 
will meet D/S Negroponte and party at the arrival gate and 
assist to embassy vehicles. 
 
---- 
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.  As of November 
20, 2007, all foreign nationals entering Japan, with the 
exemption of certain categories, are required to provide 
fingerprints and a facial photograph at the port of entry. 
This requirement does not replace any existing visa or 
passport requirements.  Official U.S. travelers will have to 
submit to the photograph and fingerprinting requirement 
unless they travel with a valid diplomatic or official visa 
or a Note Verbale.  The nature of the passport onto which the 
visa is pasted is not relevant, i.e. a tourist passport 
holder with a diplomatic or official visa will not have to 
submit to the biometrics collection process.  SOFA personnel 
are exempt under SOFA Article 9 (2) from the new biometrics 
entry requirements. 
 
---------------------- 
Embassy Laptop Policy 
---------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Official visitors are reminded that personally owned 
or non-controlled USG-issued electronic equipment (including 
all PDAs, cell phones, pagers, radios, records) may not enter 
the controlled access areas.  Additionally, all classified 
and sensitive materials must be secured at the embassy visit 
control office upon arrival in country. 
 
----------------- 
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. 
DONOVAN