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DE RUEHKO #1464 1801000
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 291000Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4158
INFO RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES IMMEDIATE 0127
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID IMMEDIATE 0895
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA IMMEDIATE 0536

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001464 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR D, P, T, IO/T:JHUSKEY, MGOLDSTEIN, ISN:VVANDIEPEN, 
EAP/J 
NSC FOR CONNERY, A.SCHIENMAN 
DOE FOR NA-24:M.WHITNEY, NA-20:K.BAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2019 
TAGS: PARM ENRG TRGY PUNE IAEA JA
SUBJECT: IAEA ELECTIONS- JAPAN'S CAMPAIGN AND REQUESTS FOR 
ASSISTANCE 
 
REF: TOKYO 1335 
 
Classified By: EMIN Robert F. Cekuta, Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary: The GOJ would appreciate continued U.S. 
outreach to IAEA board members in support of Yukiya Amano's 
candidacy for IAEA Director General.  MOFA Non-proliferation 
Director Ichikawa told emboffs June 29 the GOJ would like the 
USG to emphasize to other member states the need to resolve 
the IAEA leadership in this round of voting.  The GOJ would 
also appreciate the USG reaching out to both Echavarri and 
Minty backers to ask them to support Amano in the final 
rounds of voting.  In particular, Ichikawa reported the GOJ 
would appreciate the Secretary raising the issue with 
Argentina's Foreign Minister and asking that Argentina either 
back Amano or abstain in the final "yes/no" votes July 3. 
Ichikawa said Japan has not been able to confirm Argentina's 
intentions for the final round of voting.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) The GOJ deeply appreciates U.S. support for Japan's 
candidate for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 
Director General and would like to request continued U.S. 
assistance.   Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) 
Non-proliferation, Science, and Nuclear Energy Director 
Tomiko Ichikawa, in a June 29 meeting with ESToffs to discuss 
the IAEA election, said the election's outcome will depend on 
two factors: 1) how many Echavarri supporters vote for Amano 
after Echavarri is eliminated and 2) how successful Japan is 
in convincing Minty-supporters to vote either for Amano or 
abstain in the final "Yes/No" rounds of voting July 3. 
 
¶3.  (C) Ichikawa asked for U.S. engagement in two areas. 
First, she said the GOJ would like the USG to stress to any 
IAEA Board members it thinks appropriate the importance of 
having the Board choose a director general in the July round 
and not prolong the election.  She said it is not 
constructive to talk of a third round of voting. 
 
¶4.  (C) Second, Ichikawa said the GOJ would like the USG to 
lobby both Echavarri and Minty backers for support in the 
ballot following the initial round of voting the morning of 
July 2.  She asked that the USG, where the opportunity 
arises, urge countries supporting Echavarri to vote for Amano 
after the Spaniard's likely elimination in the voting 
Thursday morning.  She said the GOJ is concerned Spain or 
other Echavarri supporters may try to block Amano in a two 
way Amano-Minty vote in order to throw open the race for a 
third round in which they would propose Echavarri as a 
compromise candidate.  Japan would like U.S. support in 
convincing Echavarri supporters to back an electable 
candidate (Amano) once Echavarri is eliminated. 
 
¶5.  (C) As for Minty supporters, Ichikawa said the GOJ would 
like the USG to urge them to vote either yes for Amano or to 
abstain in the final "Yes/No" votes on Friday afternoon.  As 
she and others in the GOJ have noted previously, Japan is 
making the case with Minty supporters that a vote for Amano 
in the final "Yes/No" vote on a leading candidate is not 
necessarily a vote against Minty (ref). 
 
¶6.  (C) Ichikawa requested specific help with Argentina.  She 
said Japan's efforts to confirm Argentina's support for Amano 
in the final rounds have been met with vague replies from 
Buenos Aires.  She said the GOJ understands the Secretary may 
talk to her Argentine counterpart this week.  If so, the GOJ 
would appreciate the Secretary asking the Argentine Foreign 
Minister to support Amano or to abstain in the final round. 
She emphasized the message is not to ask for Argentine 
support for Amano in the initial voting; the GOJ realizes 
Argentina is committed to Minty in the early rounds. 
ZUMWALT