VZCZCXRO3311
PP RUEHCHI RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHPB RUEHRN
DE RUEHKO #0603/01 0770910
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180910Z MAR 09 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1585
INFO RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION PRIORITY
RUEHSS/OECD POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 3036
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA PRIORITY 0798
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 5376
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 6828
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 3580

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000603 
 
C O R R E C T E D  COPY - ADDED CAPTION 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR S/CT:SRCLARK, SGROBERTSON, EAP/J:MJACKSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PGOV ASEC EFIN ENRG KCIP JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN: CRITICAL FOREIGN DEPENDENCIES 
 
REF: A. STATE 15113 
     ¶B. STATE 6461 
     ¶C. 08 TOKYO 727 
 
TOKYO 00000603  001.4 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request, see para 6. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary:  Japan is deeply dependent on key 
infrastructure sectors and, given the depth of the U.S.-Japan 
economic and security relationships, a major disruption here 
would likely have immediate consequences in the U.S.  Embassy 
Tokyo sees future areas where the U.S. and Japan could 
exchange views on critical infrastructure, possibly building 
on the annual event organized by Vanderbilt University's Jim 
Auer.  With respect to ref A list of Critical 
Infrastructure/Key Resources (CI/KR) in Japan, see Post 
comments below.  End summary. 
 
Critical Infrastructure/Key Resources in Japan 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3. (SBU) Post concurs with the list contained in ref A for 
Japan and would note the following: 
 
-- ICT (Information and Communications Technology) 
Infrastructure:  Post concurs with listing of undersea cable 
landings and, without approaching GOJ officials, offers no 
additional items.  However, the focus on hard infrastructure 
neglects softer components critical to the functioning of the 
ICT grid.  Other additional areas bearing on U.S. public or 
private interests include:  cyber-security, information/data 
security and integrity, and public confidence in the Internet 
and the digital economy. 
 
-- Transportation Infrastructure:  Post concurs with listing 
the ports of Kobe, Nagoya and Yokohama, but suggests striking 
Chiba (likely reference to port of Tokyo) and adding the 
ports of Tokyo and Osaka.  Japan's major airports are also a 
critical link for cargo as well as passenger traffic, with 
Narita Airport handling more U.S.-Japan trade by value than 
any maritime port.  We suggest adding Tokyo (Narita) and 
Kansai airports to the list. 
 
-- Industrial Inputs:  Post has no basis to assess degree of 
dependence or criticality of industrial inputs.  We suspect 
cross-dependencies between U.S. and Japanese industries are 
far more extensive than those items listed.  Industry is in a 
better position, however, to identify and mitigate risks in 
these private sector processes.  Post anticipates industry 
would be reluctant to openly discuss such vulnerabilities and 
suggests a more effective approach is to consider what 
(dis)incentives industry has to protect its own critical 
processes. 
 
-- Financial Infrastructure:  Financial systems in Japan, the 
world's second largest economy, are also critical to U.S. 
interests as well as the function and integrity of 
international financial and payment systems. 
 
CI/KR Authority and Coordination 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Responsibility for critical infrastructure in Japan 
rests with the Prime Minister, with general coordination by 
the Disaster Management Office.  Resources, authority, and 
expertise over infrastructure sectors in question, though, 
are held by relevant line ministries.  Response assets belong 
to other entities, including Defense, police, and local 
authorities. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Concerning risks to infrastructure and systems in 
Japan, Post offers a few observations.  Japan is highly 
dependent on imports:  the country imports roughly 96 percent 
of its energy needs and over 60 percent of its food.  Between 
1996 and 2005, 20.8 percent of the world's major earthquakes 
(magnitude 6.0 or greater) occurred in Japan, and Mount Fuji, 
located about an hour's drive from Tokyo, is considered 
active.  Japan's concentrated urban populations and 
dependence on mass transit increase vulnerability to a 
potential pandemic, although excellent public sanitation and 
medical care mitigate the vulnerability, lower risk relative 
to other Asian countries.  And while the current economic 
difficulties were triggered primarily by events in the U.S., 
Japan's exports and GDP have been far harder hit than those 
of the U.S. 
 
TOKYO 00000603  002.4 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Action Request: Post notes the point in last year's 
report regarding plans "to engage constructively with foreign 
governments to mitigate vulnerabilities."  Post also notes 
the report listed Japan as Category 1 (countries with which 
the United States is currently, or has previously engaged in 
critical infrastructure protection programs not directly 
related to the critical asset/system or asset system's 
sector).  Request Department clarify these programs or 
activities.  Mission notes that a general exchange with Japan 
on critical infrastructure could be valuable, but should not 
be limited to security. 
ZUMWALT