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UNCLAS TOKYO 002683 
 
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 - NORTH KOREA, PRESIDENT 
OBAMA'S TRIP TO EAST ASIA, AND AFGHANISTAN 
 
¶1. LEAD STORIES: All Friday morning papers gave front- 
page coverage to the Lower House passage early Friday 
morning of legislation allowing small- and medium-sized 
companies to defer loan payments to banks. 
 
¶2. "U.S. to Press Denuclearization in Comprehensive 
Manner" On President Obama's announcement regarding 
Special Representative Bosworth's planned trip to North 
Korea in early December, the moderate Yomiuri wrote 
(11/20): "In previous talks, North Korea has raised the 
stakes repeatedly in order to obtain incentives. While 
President Obama declared that a similar mistake will 
not be repeated, it will not be easy for the U.S. to 
formulate a roadmap for the resumption of the Six-Party 
Talks without allowing North Korea to set the pace." 
 
¶3. "'China Shift' Apparent" On the conclusion of 
President Obama's East Asian tour, the top circulation, 
moderate Yomiuri stated (11/20): "By broadcasting 
closer relations with China in order to deal with 
'issues of global implications in this century,' the 
President during his trip highlighted the reality that 
the focus of U.S. diplomacy toward Asia is shifting 
from Japan and South Korea to China.... The U.S.'s 
posture of expecting China to take greater 
responsibility in the security arena could be taken as 
Washington's endorsement of China's arms expansion and 
its maritime strategy, and runs the risk of triggering 
tensions between China and its Asian neighbors." 
 
¶4. "President Stops Short of Addressing Issues at Hand" 
The business-oriented Nikkei claimed in a report from 
Seoul (11/20): "Reflecting on the fact that the former 
Bush administration was too preoccupied with the war on 
terrorism to pay sufficient attention to Asia, the 
President during his trip to Asia achieved his goal of 
demonstrating U.S. presence in the region. However, the 
President avoided in-depth discussions and instead 
played it safe in talks held in Japan, China, and South 
Korea in order to put priority on enhancing the mood of 
friendship. The U.S. reaction to the presidential tour 
has been rather cool, and it has been described as 
'neither a failure nor a success.'" 
 
¶5. "Eradication of Corruption, Cabinet Formation Hold 
Key" On the launch of the second Karzai administration, 
 a correspondent for the conservative Sankei reported 
from Kabul (11/20): "It is becoming clear that 
improvement of the administration's mechanisms that 
have allowed corruption and fraud is the 'condition' 
[for President Karzai] to receive support from the 
international community - support which is key to the 
restoration of security and stability in Afghanistan. 
During his inauguration address, President Karzai went 
to great lengths to speak about measures against 
corruption and fraud, and underscored his readiness to 
respond to the international community's concerns. It 
is necessary for the president to move swiftly to take 
effective measures." 
 
 
ROOS