VZCZCXRO9371
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #0638/01 0820551
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 230551Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1692
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8388
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 7355
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 4634
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4413
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 4423
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 1943
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0653
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 1343
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA 0285
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 3107
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 6899
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6729
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 0854
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 5447
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 3647
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 7285
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 000638 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/J 
STATE PASS DOE FOR W. KILMARTIN AND D. CHONG 
DHS FOR C. BRZOZOWSKI 
CBP CONTAINER SECURITY INITIATIVE FOR D. STAJCAR 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC EWWT ENRG ELTN ETRD JA
SUBJECT: MEGAPORTS: DOE DELEGATION REVIEWS NEXT STEPS FOR JAPAN'S 
PILOT PROJECT 
 
REF: A. STATE 16717 
 ¶B. TOKYO 231 
 ¶C. TOKYO 468 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  During a Megaports Initiative technical team's 
visit to Japan March 10-11, the USG delegation urged the GOJ to 
engage in more frequent, technical-level exchanges on implementation 
of its pilot project at the Port of Yokohama.  The USG underscored 
that success of the GOJ pilot project is crucial to USG efforts to 
promote the Megaports Initiative globally.  The delegation also 
reiterated its concern that the GOJ has established radiation alarm 
settings that are too high to be effective in detecting radioactive 
and nuclear materials, not to mention much higher than any other 
Megaports-related detectors worldwide.  The USG offered to provide 
training and technical assistance, and urged the GOJ to develop both 
a standard operating procedure for alarm assessment and response, 
and a training plan.  Both sides agreed to continue discussions to 
develop a mutually agreeable understanding for joint technical 
cooperation on the pilot project at Yokohama.  Concerning Japan's 
desire to pursue a "reciprocal" scanning arrangement at the Port of 
Los Angeles/Long Beach, GOJ officials concurred with the USG that 
such discussions continue to be handled separately.  End Summary. 
 
Action Items 
--------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) A team of DOE technical experts, led by Megaports Program 
Director William Kilmartin, held meetings March 10-11 in Yokohama 
and Tokyo to discuss next steps for implementation of Japan's first 
Megaports pilot project, which commenced operations March 2. 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) North American Affairs Bureau 
Second North Americas Division Director Noriyuki Shikata led the GOJ 
delegation.  Both sides agreed to the following action items: 
 
Japan 
------ 
 
--Raw Data: The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation, 
and Tourism (MLIT), which is responsible for the radiation portal 
monitors (RPMs), will provide DOE with raw data from the RPMs on a 
"voluntary basis." (Note: DOE will use the raw data to develop a 
baseline for appropriate scanning levels and monitor performance of 
equipment.  End note.). 
 
--Information Sharing:  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) will 
review the text of the Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) to 
determine if data on identified materials of concern identified in 
containers destined for a third country can be shared with the USG. 
 
 
--Equipment Sensors:  The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, 
Transportation, and Tourism (MLIT), which is responsible for the 
radiation portal monitors (RPMs), will provide DOE with dimensions 
of all the radiation detection sensors in the RPMs. 
 
--Training:  The GOJ will develop and share its training plan with 
the USG.  The GOJ will consider the USG's invitation to visit the 
Los Alamos Laboratory for further exchange on equipment testing 
methods. 
 
U.S. 
---- 
 
--Information Sharing:  Following up on the GOJ's earlier proposal, 
the USG will provide comments and changes to the memo provided by 
the GOJ regarding information exchanges.  The guidelines will define 
 
TOKYO 00000638  002 OF 003 
 
 
parameters and procedures to conduct sharing of data obtained at the 
Port of Yokohama. 
 
Background:  The Ministry of Finance (MOF) claims there is no 
mechanism to facilitate direct exchange of information between Japan 
Customs and DOE as currently is the case for exchanges between Japan 
Customs and DHS/U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under the 
bilateral Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA).  The GOJ 
proposes that scanning information be passed from Japan Customs to 
CBP Container Security Initiative (CSI) officers in Yokohama, who in 
turn convey it to DOE.  DOE agreed to exchange data under the CMAA 
mechanism.  The DOE delegation clarified it only requests 
information on a limited number of data items in the case of an 
"alarm event," where materials of concern are identified. 
 
--Training:  The DOE will provide a training plan template and 
methods for evaluating alarm assessment. 
 
--Megaports Worldwide:  The USG will provide the GOJ with further 
explanation about why it designates Megaports in Qatar (like Japan) 
as a "special project," i.e., outside the scope of standard 
Megaports' operations. 
 
--Joint Cooperation on the Pilot Project:  The DOE will provide GOJ 
suggestions on frequency and types of technical cooperation in 
support of the Megaports Initiative pilot project and feasibility 
study at the Port of Yokohama Minami Honmoku Pier. 
 
--Reciprocity:  The USG will respond to the GOJ's separate proposal 
to share information on Japan-bound containers from the Port of Los 
Angeles/Long Beach. 
 
Background:  The USG delegation reiterated that matters pertaining 
to U.S. outbound containers are unrelated to the Megaports 
Initiative and should be treated separately.  Under the GOJ's 
proposal to scan selected Japan-bound containers, Japanese CSI 
officers at the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach would target specific 
containers of concern for additional radiation screening.  To 
accomplish this screening, the GOJ proposes three options, none of 
which require additional equipment procurement, according to MOF 
officials. 
 
A) Use of radiation portal monitors (RPM) to scan targeted cargo as 
it passes through the import side of the port.  (Note:  The GOJ 
recommendation is based on the understanding RPMs are or will be 
deployed to scan inbound cargo at the Port of Los Angeles/Long 
Beach.  End note.) 
 
B) Use of a portable radioactive isotope identification device 
(RIID) to screen targeted containers, which would also avoid 
changing the flow of cargo. 
 
C) Screen cargo through a mobile X-ray machine before it is loaded 
onto the vessel. 
 
End Action Items. 
 
Pilot Project 
-------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) In the pilot project's first week (March 2-7), the GOJ 
reportedly scanned 9,800 containers resulting in two neutron alarms, 
which were resolved during secondary inspection.  (Note:  Other 
Megaports implementation ports -- with more sensitive settings than 
Japan's -- typically experience a two-percent alarm rate, with 20 
percent or less of those alarms referred for secondary inspection. 
 
TOKYO 00000638  003 OF 003 
 
 
End note.)  The GOJ estimates the Minami-Honmoku terminal in 
Yokohama handled approximately 2,500 U.S.-bound containers per day 
before the economic downturn, a figure that has decreased to 
approximately 1,700 per day in recent months.  At this time, the GOJ 
has no plans to scan transshipments but will consider doing so in 
the future.  The GOJ acknowledged its radiation detection alarms are 
set "extremely high" (e.g., five times background) but asserted it 
plans to adjust the alarm settings based on analysis of data 
compiled during the pilot project's implementation phase.  The DOE 
delegation said technical experts on both the U.S. and Japanese 
sides should work together to determine an acceptable alarm 
threshold. 
 
¶4. (U) The DOE delegation cleared this message after departure from 
post. 
ZUMWALT