VZCZCXRO5601
PP RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHKO #2002/01 2432352
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 312352Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5871
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0744
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 7407
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 8548
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 0026
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 6729

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002002 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/27/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: SECNAV, GOJ OFFICIALS DISCUSS "UNSHAKEABLE" 
ALLIANCE, CHINA CONCERNS 
 
TOKYO 00002002  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: DCM James P. Zumwalt for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary: In wide-ranging security discussions with 
Secretary of the Navy 
Ray Mabus (SecNav) on August 26, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
(MOFA) and Ministry of 
Defense (MOD) officials reaffirmed the importance of close 
security ties with the 
U.S.  MOFA officials assured SecNav that force posture 
realignment would proceed even 
after an expected change in government with the August 30 
elections.  MOFA and MOD 
officials also stressed the importance of cooperative efforts 
to "counter the 
ambitions of a rising China."  SecNav described the 
U.S.-Japan security alliance as 
"unshakeable" and a "bedrock of regional policy."  He also 
underscored the importance 
of Japan's contributions to anti-piracy operations off the 
Horn of Africa; refueling 
service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; and, joint 
ballistic missile defense 
(BMD) operations.  END SUMMARY 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM OVER DPJ, CONCERN OVER REALIGNMENT DELAYS 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) In an August 26 discussion with  visiting SecNav 
about his earlier stop in Guam 
to view progress on realignment initiatives, MOFA Vice 
Minister of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) 
Mitoji Yabunaka said he was "very encouraged" to hear of the 
continuing commitment to the 
realignment roadmap.  He noted that the leadership of the 
opposition Democratic Party of 
Japan (DPJ) understands that continuity in policy is 
important and that "an overwhelming 
majority" of Japanese support the Alliance.  Referring to DPJ 
leader Yukio Hatoyama, 
Yabunaka said that political remarks intended for the 
domestic press should be viewed in 
the context of the election season. 
 
¶3.  (C) Referencing the reported delay on the U.S. side in 
the required Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for Guam, Yabunaka emphasized that the 
roadmap and timeline should 
remain firmly in place.  He noted that next year is a 
critical period in Okinawan politics, 
with the anticipated signing of a crucial landfill agreement 
by Okinawa's governor.  The 
U.S. and GOJ "need to provide (him) a good environment" to 
induce his signature, he 
explained.  In response, SecNav assured Yabunaka that he had 
set up a "Guam Executive 
Council" within his office to ensure that a system is in 
place to manage projects, keep 
them on time, and ensure "no surprises."  SecNav underlined 
that while domestic politics 
cannot be ignored, bilateral agreements are 
government-to-government documents that would be 
implemented regardless of politics.  He also described the 
"bedrock" nature of U.S.-Japan 
relations. 
 
--------------------------------- 
FRICTION WITH A "CONFIDENT" CHINA 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) China has come to believe that the U.S. Navy and 
Japan "recognize China's (maritime) 
power and will easily accept it," according to Ministry of 
Defense (MOD) Defense Policy Bureau 
Director General Nobushige Takamizawa, who participated in a 
lunch hosted by Vice-Minister of 
Defense Kimito Nakae for SecNav.  It is important that Japan 
and the United States, as allies, 
take the necessary "confidence correcting measures" to reduce 
this overconfidence in a 
non-confrontational manner, he noted.  Chief of Maritime 
Staff Admiral Keiji Akahoshi, who also 
took part in the lunch, concurred with this view, adding that 
the leadership of China's navy 
has great vision and a clear plan for its upgrade and 
modernization.  Akahoshi also expressed 
 
TOKYO 00002002  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
the view that Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force needed much 
the same sort of leadership and 
vision.  Commenting further on China's increased 
international maritime activity, Akahoshi said 
that he believes China's efforts off the Horn of Africa, 
while superficially anti-piracy 
activities, indicate China's real goal: "the continent 
behind" (i.e., Africa).  He stressed 
that military exchanges with China are important to Japan, as 
they ensure a level of regional 
stability, but that close cooperation with the U.S. military 
remains key to any strategy. 
 
¶4.  (C) VFM Yabunaka called the lack of transparency in 
China's military budget an area of 
concern, and he said he believed that the reported budget is 
only half of the PRC's real 
expenditures.  He also expressed frustration over China's 
independent "scientific exploration" 
of the Shirakaba oil and gas field in the East China Sea, 
which is supposed to be jointly 
developed with Japan.  Similarly, he highlighted China's 
continued aggressive attitude towards 
the disputed Senkaku islands, commenting that "We must make 
sure that unnecessary events do not 
take place (between China and Japan); we need good 
understanding, but our U.S. Alliance must 
continue to be the basis of what we do." 
 
------------------------------- 
CYBERSPACE THE NEXT BATTLEFIELD 
------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) China already has an advanced cyberwarfare 
capability, and this is an area where 
Japan must catch up, noted several MOD officials during the 
SecNav's lunch.  Takamizawa 
remarked that there is a budget in place to develop a 
cyberspace defense unit, but that 
fiscal constraints make it extremely difficult to compete 
with the private sector for the 
most talented IT professionals.  Vice-Minister Nakae 
concurred, explaining that greater 
efforts must be put in place to ensure a successful program. 
He also emphasized the 
importance of better training and staff education on the 
issue of cyber security. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
LAUDING REFUELING MISSION, BMD COOPERATION 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶7.  (C) SecNav praised Japan's Indian Ocean refueling mission 
and Japan's cooperation on 
ballistic missile defense (BMD) in all his meetings.  Admiral 
Akahoshi mentioned that Japan 
will soon be sending a third ship to Hawaii to test-fire a 
missile.  He felt that Japan is 
"95% of the way there" in its Aegis BMD program and that he 
foresaw continued progress.  He 
also emphasized that close cooperation between the U.S. Navy 
and Japan's MSDF would remain 
"invaluable" in all operations.  In his discussions, SecNav 
underscored that close cooperation 
on multiple fronts would be critical in the current security 
environment. 
 
¶8.  (U) Due to SecNav's travel, we were unable to obtain his 
clearance for this cable. 
ROOS