CODE 18-77

Heads of:

EESD

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference

WIAD

SAD SEAD

MCAD

CSCE Unit

NAD

RID

SAMD

SED

WED

ECD(E)

ECD(I)

SPD

ERD

CAfD

TRED

EAD

ESSD

SAFD

MAED

UND

ESID

CRD

FID

HKGD

Mr Giffard

f.i.

Mr Donald

MED NENAD

ACDD

Defence Dept NED

Planning Staff

никочо

(150

Mr McQuade

ли

wyłanie I suppose a

2.

defensive brif on HK for Manch rodl. be neededy

он

on similar line to what we have told already

then

GFER 1983

Pse. speak

!

REGULAR UK/JAPAN POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS

LiFED.

41/2

الله

see (151

1.

During her visit to Japan in September 1982, the Prime Minister and Mr Suzuki agreed that it was important to give an impetus to Anglo-Japanese consultations on political matters. We have fewer opportunities for such consultations with Japan than with our other major allies in NATO and the EC.

2. We have therefore agreed with the Japanese to institute new arrangements for regular bilateral consultations in capitals, making fuller use of existing diplomatic channels rather than creating any new mechanism. These arrangements are of two kinds.

a) Some months ago we agreed in principle on occasional visits by officials at approximately AUS level to London or Tokyo to exchange views with their counter- parts on their particular areas of responsibility. Briefing and arrangements for those exchanges will be organised ad hoc as opportunity arises.

>

b) It has now been agreed that the Japanese Ambassador

in London will be received some 4 times a year at senior level the PUS, Minister of State, Secretary of State and occasionally the Prime Minister taking turns

for a prepared discussion of international and bilateral issues. These arrangements will be roughly mirrored in Tokyo, giving HM Ambassador similar access to the most senior levels on the Japanese side. Our hope is that regular meetings of this kind, perhaps.as often as once every 6 weeks or so in one of the two capitals, will enable us to foster a more constructive Japanese interest at a senior level in international political issues, as well as giving HM Ambassador in Tokyo rather more assured access to the highest levels

CONFIDENTIAL

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