CONFIDENTIAL FM TOKYO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 007
OF 300746Z SEPTEMBER 92
INFO PRIORITY FCO
125.
CONFIDENTIAL
Hot 2012.7
TOP COPY Q DIST?
YOUR TELNO-6 YOUR VISIT TO JAPAN: 25-28 NOVEMBER
073522 MDLIAN 4951
is
раро
127
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THANK YOU FOR THIS GUIDANCE. IT WAS INDEED TIMELY AS POLITICAL COUNSELLOR AND DAVID LAN CALLED THIS MORNING ON KITERA (MFA)
1.
2.
I AGREE THAT THE PROGRAMME AS OUTLINED SHOULD ENABLE YOU TO COVER QUITE A LOT OF GROUND HERE. KITERA HOWEVER POINTED OUT ONE PROBLEM. YOUR VISIT WILL COINCIDE WITH THE END OF THE EXTRAORDINARY SESSION OF THE DIET. THIS IS LIKELY TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO FIX THE TIMES OF MINISTERIAL MEETINGS VERY MUCH IN ADVANCE. IF DIET COMMITTEES ARE MEETING, MINISTERS CAN BE TIED UP FROM 9 AM TO 6 PM ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY. WE HOPE THAT BY 26/27 NOVEMBER THE COMMITTEE SESSIONS WILL BE FINISHED AND THE DIET WILL BE HOLDING SHORTER PLENARY SESSIONS IN ORDER TO GIVE FINAL APPROVAL TO DRAFT LEGISLATION. BUT WE SHALL NEED TO RETAIN FLEXIBILITY IN THE PROGRAMME SO THAT THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE SLOTS AVAILABLE FOR THE MINISTERIAL CALLS.
3.
THE ONLY OTHER SNAG WITH YOUR OUTLINE PROGRAMME IS THAT I ALREADY HAVE A COMMITMENT ON THE EVENING OF FRIDAY 27 NOVEMBER WHICH WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ALTER (OPENING OF SCOTTISH BALLET TO BE ATTENDED BY MEMBERS OF THE IMPERIAL FAMILY). HOWEVER KITERA SAW NO DIFFICULTY IN SWAPPING THE DATES SO THAT MY DINNER WAS ON THURSDAY 26 NOVEMBER AND THE MFA DINNER THE FOLLOWING NIGHT. I AM DELIGHTED THAT MRS PATTEN WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPANY YOU AND MY DINNER WILL THEREFORE BE A MIXED OCCASION. I WOULD INDEED PREFER NOT TO INCLUDE THE MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS DELEGATION (EXCEPT OF COURSE LYDIA DUNN). I WELL UNDERSTAND THE SENSITIVITIES AT YOUR END AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO GIVE ALL THE MISSION MEMBERS A DRINK ON 25 NOVEMBER AS SUGGESTED. I SHOULD LIKE TO INVITE TO THE DINNER AS MANY AS POSSIBLE OF YOUR OLD FRIENDS IN JAPAN. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUGGEST ANY NAMES? KAIFU, HAMADA AND SHIINA LEAP TO MIND, BUT I AM SURE THERE ARE OTHERS.
4. I WELL UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULD PREFER TO STAY AT AN HOTEL WITH
THE DELEGATION.
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