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(Note:  the unique message record number (MRN) has been modified.  The original MRN was 08 PARTO 000007, which duplicates a previous PARTO telegram number.) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (SUBJECT) 
 
STATE PASS UTSR FOR AMB. SCHWAB 
STATE ALSO PASS USDA FOR SECRETARY SCHAFER 
USFJ FOR LTGEN RICE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2028 
TAGS:              
JA, KS, KN, BM 
SUBJECT: (U) Secretary Rice's February 27, 2008, Meeting 
with Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura 
 
(U) Classified by: Uzra Zeya, Deputy Executive 
Secretary, S/ES, Department of State. Reasons 1.4 (b) 
and (d) 
 
 1. (U) February 27, 2008; 6:00 p.m.; Tokyo, Japan 
 
 2. (U) Participants: 
 
United States 
The Secretary 
Amb. J. Thomas Schieffer 
A/S Sean McCormack, PA 
Lt Gen William Fraser, III, Assistant to the Chairman, 
JCS 
NSC Senior Director for East Asian Affairs Dennis Wilder 
Paul Hersey, Interpreter 
Chris Wurzel, Notetaker 
 
Japan 
Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura 
Deputy Foreign Minister Kenichiro Sasae 
Akitaka Saiki, Director General, Asian and Oceanic 
Affairs, MOFA 
Shinichi Nishimiya, Director General, North American 
Affairs, MOFA 
Kanji Yamanouchi, Director, First North American 
Division, MOFA 
Makita Shimokawa, Private Secretary to FM Koumura 
Shuji Maeda, Interpreter 
Shogo Yoshitake, Notetaker 
 
 3. (S) SUMMARY. In response to Secretary Rice's 
expression of deep regret over the recent Okinawa rape 
incident, Foreign Minister Koumura called for 
"coordinated, comprehensive, and continuous" measures to 
prevent such incidents in the future. The Secretary and 
the Foreign Minister stressed the importance of 
implementing the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and 
of deepening the alliance. They also agreed on the need 
for a complete and accurate declaration by North Korea 
regarding its nuclear program and on the value of 
trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Australia. 
Secretary Rice asked Japan to initiate a dialogue with 
Burmese opposition groups in addition to measures already 
taken against the ruling junta. Koumura noted he had 
personally pressed the Burmese to accept an early visit 
by UN Special Envoy Gambari but suggested China's 
influence in Burma may exceed Japan's. He also urged the 
United States not to oppose Prime Minister Fukuda's 
proposal, included in a letter to President Bush, to seek 
approval from the GOJ's Food Safety Commission to allow 
imports of U.S. beef from cattle under 30 months old. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------- 
Okinawa Rape Incident 
--------------------- 
 
 4. (C) Secretary Rice expressed deep regret for the 
rape incident in Okinawa and stressed U.S. concern for 
the welfare of the Japanese girl concerned. She added 
the United States hoped justice would be done and noted 
the decision by U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) to establish a 
task force to address the issues arising from the case. 
Koumura expressed appreciation for the fast public 
 
response by Amb. Schieffer and USFJ in response to the 
rape case but called for "coordinated, comprehensive, and 
continuous" measures to prevent future such incidents. 
 
------------------- 
U.S.-Japan Alliance 
------------------- 
 
 5. (C) Koumura reaffirmed Japanese support for the 
alliance despite the recent incident in Okinawa and noted 
security cooperation had deepened between the United 
States and Japan. He indicated that, although the 
National Diet had approved the Special Measures Law 
reauthorizing refueling operations by the Maritime Self- 
Defense Force (SDF) in the Indian Ocean, the Japanese 
government was still consulting internally about the 
General SDF Dispatch Law, with the current situation in 
the Diet leading to uncertainty about its passage. 
Nevertheless, Koumura said Japan would continue security 
cooperation with the United States to the extent allowed 
under the existing legal framework. In addition, 
Japanese determination to work with the United States to 
carry out the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan had not 
changed. The Secretary emphasized the importance of 
implementing the Defense Policy Review Initiative and 
expressed appreciation for passage of the Special 
Measures Law and other cooperative efforts by Japan. 
 
--------------- 
Six-Party Talks 
--------------- 
 6. (S) Secretary Rice noted North Korea had made 
progress in fulfilling its denuclearization commitments 
by completing Phase I with the shutdown of the Yongbyon 
nuclear reactor. Disabling of the reactor was underway 
but not yet complete. The next important step would be a 
complete and current declaration of North Korea's nuclear 
facilities. In Phase III, we would require an accounting 
for and elimination of the fissile material extracted 
from the reactor. The Secretary stressed the 
participants in the Six-Party Talks needed to work on 
North Korea to produce a declaration that created 
confidence regarding how North Korea may have engaged in 
nuclear proliferation in the past as well as what its 
future potential for proliferation might be. She also 
acknowledged Japanese concerns about the possible U.S. 
delisting of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism 
without resolution of the issue of the abductions of 
Japanese citizens by North Korean agents. Koumura agreed 
North Korea must provide a complete and accurate 
declaration regarding its nuclear program. He stressed 
JapanFs deep concerns over the possible U.S. delisting of 
North Korea from the group of state sponsors of terrorism 
and noted that JapanFs efforts to engage the North 
Koreans on the issue had been disappointing. 
 
----- 
Burma 
----- 
 
 7. (C) The Secretary said the Burmese junta's plan for 
constitutional reform would marginalize Burmese 
opposition groups and could not be taken seriously. 
Acknowledging Japan's decision to suspend development aid 
 
and discourage investment, she observed it would be 
helpful if Japan would also initiate a dialogue with the 
Burmese opposition. She noted UN Special Envoy Ibrahim 
Gambari would return to Burma soon and stressed that all 
concerned countries should assist Burma to realize 
genuine national reconciliation. Koumura recounted he 
had personally pressed the Burmese foreign minister to 
accept a visit by Gambari before April. He added Chinese 
State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, who had recently visited 
Japan, told him the Burmese would accept a visit from 
Gambari in early March, about which the Japanese had been 
unaware. Koumura suggested Tang's statement indicated 
China had more leverage with the Burmese than Japan. 
Secretary Rice emphasized Japan also had influence that 
would be important to use to help Burma. Koumura noted 
Gambari was the only international figure with access 
both to the Burmese junta and the opposition, including 
Aung San Suu Kyi, and said the international community 
should be united in support for his efforts. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Strategic Dialogue with Korea, Australia 
---------------------------------------- 
 
 8. (C) With the inauguration of the new government in 
South Korea, the Secretary suggested the possibility of 
reinvigorating trilateral discussions with Japan and 
South Korea as well as holding another trilateral meeting 
with Koumura and the new Australian foreign minister. 
She also encouraged Japan to reach out to NATO. Koumura 
said Japan-South Korea relations had entered a new stage 
with the inauguration of President Lee Myung-bak and the 
bilateral summit with PM Fukuda on February 25. He 
indicated Japan looked forward to coordinating with the 
South Korea on North Korea and other issues. He noted 
Japan was looking for more dialogue with NATO. Koumura 
also offered to host trilateral strategic talks with the 
United States and Australia on the margins of the G8 
Foreign Ministers' meeting in June. He added that Japan 
hoped to discuss Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and North 
Korea at that meeting in order to form common positions 
on those countries as well as to establish ways to 
strengthen cooperation on issues such as the environment, 
climate change, and African development prior to the G8 
Summit. 
 
---- 
Beef 
---- 
 
 9. (C) Acknowledging the U.S. desire for Japan to 
accept international standards for the import of U.S. 
beef, Koumura said the best way to move toward this 
result, as outlined in the letter from PM Fukuda to 
President Bush, would be for Japan to send a request to 
the Japanese Food Safety Commission to consider 
importation of U.S. beef from cattle up to 30 months of 
age in the hope of achieving a decision prior to the G8 
Summit in July. It was important, however, that the 
United States not oppose this decision. Agreeing it 
would be good if the beef issue could be resolved before 
the G8, the Secretary indicated she would convey 
Koumura's message to U.S. Trade Representative Schwab and 
Agriculture Secretary Schafer. 
RICE