VZCZCXRO8555
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #0762 0930804
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030804Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2049
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
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 3355
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 5702
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 1055
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 3897
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 7151
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8625
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2792
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4653
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4494
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS TOKYO 000762 
 
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 - POSSIBILITY OF 
PRESIDENT OBAMA VISITING JAPAN 
 
¶1. The announcement from London that the President has 
accepted an invitation from President Hu to to visit 
China later this year attracted considerable attention 
in Japan. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura told the 
press on April 2 that coordination is under way for 
President Obama to visit Japan to coincide with his 
visit to China. The same day, public broadcaster NHK 
reported Kawamura's statement in its noon news and all 
evening papers ran front- and inside-page reports on 
it. 
 
¶2. The moderate Yomiuri linked the idea of the 
President visiting Japan with his plans to attend the 
APEC leaders meeting to be held in Singapore in 
November. The business-oriented Nikkei ran the most in- 
depth coverage, speculating that the President will 
decide to visit both Japan and China to avoid the 
impression of "Japan passing," recalling Japanese 
sentiment when President Clinton skipped Japan while 
visiting China for nine days in 1998 and citing current 
Japanese anxiety about a "hollowing out" of the 
alliance over a projected DPRK missile launch. Citing a 
source connected to the USG, Nikkei reported that, 
although the timing is not yet determined, the 
President's trip to Japan is certain to take place 
after Japan's next general election, to strengthen 
bilateral ties under a new administration in Japan. 
 
¶3. According to Nikkei's analysis, President Obama held 
his first summit with the Chinese leader in London and 
promised to visit China in order to "balance" the 
favorable treatment of Japan shown by Secretary 
Clinton's recent visit to Tokyo and Prime Minister 
Aso's visit to the White House.  Nikkei reported that, 
although it has not yet been decided whether Japan or 
China would be the first stop, the U.S. side assumes 
that Japan, even if it is not the first stop, is 
unlikely to think the U.S. is treating Japan lightly. 
In addition, the paper surmised that South Korea will 
be included in the trip. 
 
ZUMWALT