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submit a draft telegram.
CONFIDENTIAL
ARGUMENT
4. Arguments in favour of a visit to Japan by the Secretary of State in early January are:
a) The Secretary of State would be able to make early personal contact with members of the new Cabinet formed by Mr Nakasone's successor. This would give a strong signal to the Japanese that we are keen to develop a constructive but watchful relationship with them.
b) It would maintain the momentum on trade issues at a time when it will be clearer whether the new Japanese Administration intends taking adequate measures to meet
our concerns.
c) The last Anglo/Japanese consultations took place in January 1986. They are supposed to take place annually and the next round is therefore overdue. Indeed in his 22 June reply to Foreign Minister Kuranari's message of congratulations on his re-election and re-appointment the Secretary of State said that he looked forward to
visiting Japan at an early date.
a) It may be difficult to find alternative dates and, later in the year, there will in any case be routine opportunities for high-level contact (eg. at the May OECD Ministerial Council and the June Toronto Summit).
PROGRAMME
5. Only an outline draft programme can be suggested at this stage, since the names of the members of the new
government are not yet known. But the main elements for the provisional programme drawn up for the Secretary of
PD6AAD
CONFIDENTIAL