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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CANBERRA 000414 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO FOR P, CA/OCS, EAP, NEA, SA, ISN AND IO 
PACOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2019 
TAGS: CASC KNNP MOPS PARM PHUM PREF PREL PTER AS JP
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS' MEETING WITH JAPANESE DEPUTY FOREIGN 
MINISTER SASAE, APRIL 21, 2009, CANBERRA 
 
CANBERRA 00000414  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Classified By: CDA Daniel A. Clune.  Reasons: 1.4 (b),(d),(f),(h) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  During a bilateral meeting on the margins 
of the U.S.-Australia-Japan Trilateral Strategic Dialogue 
(TSD) Senior Officials Meeting in Canberra on April 21, Under 
Secretary Bill Burns and Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister 
Kenichiro Sasae agreed that the United States and Japan would 
start planning for next year's 50th anniversary of the 
U.S.-Japan alliance.  DFM Sasae said Japan took parental 
child abductions seriously and was reviewing its approach to 
the issue.  U/S Burns and DFM Sasae lauded the usefulness of 
the October 2008 U.S.-Japan-ROK strategic talks and agreed to 
meet again in a trilateral format with the ROK in autumn 
¶2009.  The idea of U.S.-Japan-China talks warranted further 
consideration and discussion.  Acknowledging U.S. concerns 
about the visit, Sasae said Japanese Foreign Minister 
Nakasone would use his upcoming visit to Iran to press Iran 
to comply with its nuclear obligations, to release detained 
Amcit Roxanna Saberi, and to provide constructive assistance 
to Afghanistan.  The U.S. and Japan agreed to continued close 
consultations on DPRK, UN Security Council reform, Somali 
piracy, and Burma.  End Summary 
 
------------------- 
U.S.-Japan alliance 
------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Pointing out that 2010 would be the 50th 
anniversary of the U.S.-Japan alliance, Deputy Foreign 
Minister Sasae said Japan would like to start planning for 
commemorative celebrations, including a possible presidential 
visit to Japan. 
 
------------------------ 
Parental Child Abduction 
------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (C) DFM Sasae said after U/S Burns had called his 
attention to the issue of parental child abduction at their 
previous meeting in Sicily, he had researched the issue and 
wanted to assure the USG that the Japanese government took 
the issue seriously.  The GOJ was reviewing its approach to 
parental child abduction but the Japanese civil courts had 
jurisdiction over the issue.  Moreover, the notion of joint 
custody did not exist in Japanese law.  Even if Japan were to 
accede to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of 
Parental Child Abduction, the GOJ would have to review the 
question of implementing the Convention in relation to 
Japanese domestic law.  U/S Burns said he appreciated Japan's 
commitment to addressing the issue. 
 
--------- 
Q--------- 
ROK/China 
--------- 
 
¶3.  (C)  DFM Sasae said Japan was pleased with the 
U.S.-Japan-ROK strategic talk held in October 2008 and looked 
forward to holding another trilateral talk this autumn.  He 
said Japan would like to discuss with the United States the 
idea of a U.S.-Japan-China trilateral talk.  Although Japan 
would need to review the idea further, Sasae believed it 
could be a meaningful process depending on the topic of 
discussion, and suggested environment as a possible topic. 
 
 
CANBERRA 00000414  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
---- 
DPRK 
---- 
 
¶4.  (C)  Noting they had already discussed North Korea 
extensively in the TSD (septel), U/S Burns and DFM Sasae 
reiterated their mutual appreciation for the high-level 
U.S.-Japanese cooperation in New York that secured the strong 
Presidential Statement adopted by the UN Security Council 
condemning the April 5 DPRK missile launch.  They agreed that 
future dialogue with North Korea would be increasingly 
difficult and pledged continued close U.S.-Japan 
consultations at all levels. 
 
---- 
Iran 
---- 
 
¶5.  (C) After U/S Burns stressed U.S. concerns about the 
potential for Iran's misreading high-level visits at this 
stage, DFM Sasae explained that Japanese Foreign Minister 
Nakasone's upcoming May 2 visit to Iran was part of Japan's 
ongoing bilateral dialogue with Iran, pointing out Iranian 
foreign ministers had previously visited Japan but Japan had 
not reciprocated.  Sasae said Japan viewed its engagement 
with Iran as an opportunity to press Iran to comply with its 
nuclear obligations and to be constructive on Afghanistan, 
particularly on curtailing narcotics trafficking, 
strengthening border control, and providing refugee 
assistance.  Prior to departing for Iran, FM Nakasone planned 
to speak to Secretary Clinton to see whether the United 
States wanted him to deliver any messages to Iran. 
 
¶6.  (C) U/S Burns stressed the importance of conveying that 
now was the time for Iran to make a choice on "freeze for 
freeze," which was not a new initiative but a diplomatic 
offer that had been on the table for some time.  Burns said 
Japan could also be helpful by pressing hard, prior to FM 
Nakasone's visit, the issue of detained American citizen 
Roxanna Saberi.  There was no basis for her detention and 
Iran needed to hear from Japan as well as others that 
responsible states did not conduct themselves in this way. 
Burns said the international community would need to discuss 
a united response should Iran not respond positively to 
diplomatic overtures.  We wanted to work closely with Japan 
and others for stepping up pressure, if necessary.  He 
pointed out that any assistance Iran rendered to Afghanistan 
was in Iran's self interest and should not be characterized 
as a "favor" to the United States or international community. 
 
----------- 
UNSC Reform 
----------- 
 
¶7.  (C) DFM Sasae thanked the United States for its 
longstanding support of Japan's campaign for permanent UN 
Qlongstanding support of Japan's campaign for permanent UN 
Security Council membership.  He noted European countries 
were in favor of an interim solution, and said Japan would 
not reject an interim solution as long as it did not rule out 
a future permanent seat for Japan.  Sasae pressed U/S Burns 
to expedite the U.S. review of its Security Council reform 
policy.  He hoped that the United States could be proactive 
in proposing a solution and that the United States and Japan 
would be able to draft a common position.  U/S Burns affirmed 
 
CANBERRA 00000414  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
that the United States review was ongoing but promised 
continued consultation. 
 
------------------- 
Somali Piracy/Burma 
------------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) U/S Burns thanked DFM Sasae for Japan's ideas on 
Somali piracy that focused on broader regional engagement 
that Japan had raised in Sicily.  He said the United States 
in the next ten days would be previewing more concrete ideas 
on the issue.  Sasae noted that we would need to be mindful 
of Italian interests but said Japan remained open to 
contributing to any collective effort on piracy.  Burns 
agreed that international cooperation was essential. 
 
¶9.  (C) Sasae, noting Japan's interest in limiting Chinese 
influence in Burma, advised that he was seeking meetings with 
military officials in Burma.  He then asked about the 
progress of the review of U.S. Burma policy.  U/S Burns 
replied that while the United States was looking at new 
approaches to influence the Burmese regime, the U.S. remained 
committed to the goal of a free and democratic Burma that 
respected the rights of its citizens and regional stability. 
 
CLUNE