VZCZCXRO1843
PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #0040 0080334
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 080334Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9889
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
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RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// PRIORITY
RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/USFJ  PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 1742
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 5529
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7115
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2675
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3132
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3180
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS TOKYO 000040 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR, 
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM; 
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; 
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI; 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA; 
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE; 
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - GAZA AND GAS ROW 
BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE 
 
¶1. LEAD STORIES: Front-page stories on Thursday morning 
included the reported release of a Japanese female 
doctor who has been held hostage in Somalia since 
September as well a decision by a Russian state company 
to completely halt its natural gas exports to Europe 
through Ukraine. 
 
¶2. "Tragedy in Gaza Continues" The liberal Asahi 
editorialized (1/8): "Given that a number of civilians 
have been killed and injured due to a series of Israeli 
attacks in Gaza, these acts may constitute a random 
assault on civilians and non-combat zones, which is 
prohibited under the international law. The cruelty of 
the attacks is tantamount to genocide. The situation 
even raises doubts about the raison d'tre of the 
UN.... Without any action by the international 
community, the tragedy will continue, resulting in 
additional suffering by civilians. Israel must 
completely halt its military operation." 
 
¶3. "Israel's Makeshift Flexibility" On the Israeli 
decision to temporarily stop an attack on Gaza, a 
Jerusalem correspondent for the top-circulation, 
moderate Yomiuri wrote (1/8): "Behind the Israeli 
decision lies its shrewd strategy of continuing its 
military operation in Gaza by temporarily demonstrating 
a flexible stance in view of mounting international 
calls for Tel Aviv to undertake a ceasefire." 
 
¶4. "Key Question Is How to Control Borders" On Egypt's 
proposal concerning a ceasefire in Gaza, the business- 
oriented Nikkei reported from Cairo (1/8): "A success 
of a ceasefire arrangement proposed by President 
Mubarak relies on how to manage the Gaza borders in 
order to prevent weapons from keep flowing into the 
segregated area." 
 
¶4. "Russia Politicizes Natural Gas Pipelines" On 
Moscow's decision to halt the provision of natural gas 
to Europe through Ukraine, a Moscow-based reporter for 
the liberal Mainichi stated (1/8): "The Russian 
decision exposed the risk of oil and natural gas 
pipelines being possibly utilized for political 
purposes, as the construction of such pipelines 
perpetuate the supplier-consumer relationship." 
 
 
SCHIEFFER