SE ET WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM PAGE DI SITBSS TOHYO 830A MAY 82 PSN 934769 DATE 55 24 82 TOR 139111181 DISTRIBUTION REPT IDDI HHTS ASSIGNED DISTRIBUTION SIT CHLS EOB EOB HHSR COMMENT CHECKLIST MESSAGE ANNOTATIONS NO MESSAGE ANNOTATIONS MESSAGE IMMEDIATE OE RUEHNO 1399727 0 MAY 82 FM AMEMBASSY TOHYO TO SECSTATE HASHDC IMMEDIATE 1393 EDIEQ TOKYO 68394 axons FOR SECRETARY HAIG FROM AMBASSADOR MANSFIELD use FOR JUDGE CLARK 031 FOR DR HEYNORTH DOE FOR SECRETARY EDUARDS STATE FOR UNDERSECRETARY KENNEDY 5 0 12865 GDS 5 19 88 IMANSFIELD MICHAEL J I on-n TAGS TNUC SCSA JA SUBJECT NUCLEAR COOPERATION NITH JAPAN 1 ENTIRE 15x1 2 AL I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED BY THE LONG DELAY IN MOVING TONARD A LONG TERM AGREEMENT NITH RESPECT TO U S APPROVAL OF NUCLEAR FUEL REPROCESSING IN JAPAN INCLUDING THE TOHAI MURA PLANTI A NUMBER OF USG OFFICIALS INCLUDING MYSELF HAVE ASSURED THE JAPANESE THAT HE INTEND TO MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE THE SUBJECT NAS ALSO RAISED AT THE MEETING LAST MAY BETNEEN THE PRESIDENT AND THE PRIME MINISTER THE TONE AND CONTENT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS LED THE JAPANESE AND I THINK RIGHTFULLY SO TO EXPECT EARLY ACTION TO DATE HONEVER THERE HAS BEEN NO PERCEPTIBLE PROGRESS FROM THE JAPANESE VANTAGE POINT EXCEPT PERHAPS THE NEGATIVE STEPS REPRESENTED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF SEVERAL BILLS IN THE CONGRESS NHICH IF ENACTED NOULD MAME EVEN MORE MESSAGE ICONTINUEDI DIFFICULT THE RESOLUTION OF THIS ISSUE NHILE THESE BILLS APPEAR UNLINELY TO PASS THEY NEVERTHELESS RAISE CONCERNS FOR THE JAPANESE ESPECIALLY NHEN COUPLED NITH THEIR PERCEIVED LACK OF ACTION ON THE PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION I RECOGNIIE THAT THE PLUTONIUM USE PAPER NHICH IS A NECESSARY PRECURSOR TO RESOLVING THE JAPANESE REPROCESSING ISSUE IS ABOUT READY TO GO TO THE PRESIDENT HONEVER THE LONG DELAY IN GETTING TO THIS POINT IS BEGINNING TO REFLECT ON OUR CREDIBILITY 3 THIS DELAY IS ESPECIALLY TROUBLING SINCE IN MY VIEH NE ARE AT A CRITICAL TURNING POINT IN OUR NUCLEAR COOPERATION NITN JAPAN THE OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS AT THE TOHAI REPROCESSING PLANT THE CRONINC AHARENESS OF THE INCREASINGLY HIGH COSTS OF DEVELOPING THE BREEDER REACTOR AND CONCERN ABOUT THE ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF JAPANESE CENTRIFUGES FOR URANIUM ENRICHMENT VERSUS U S CENTRIFUGES IS CAUSING MANY JAPANESE NUCLEAR LEADERS TO QUESTION THE NIDSOM OF THEIR PRESENT POLICY OF RELYING HEAVILY ON THE FRENCH IN THE REPROCESSING AREA AND PURSUING AN INDEPENDENT APPROACH IN THE BREEDER AND ENRICHMENT AREAS A U S FIRM IS CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED FOR A MAJOR ROLE IN THE DESIGN AND CON- STRUCTION OF THE SECOND JAPANESE REPROCESSING PLANT AND THERE IS INCREASING INTEREST IN A COOPERATIVE EFFORT HITH THE U S TO DEVELOP JOINTLY A DEMONSTRATION BREEDER REACTOR THERE IS EVEN TALK OF COOPERATION IN THE ENRICHMENT AREA ALTHOUGH THIS IS COMPLICATED BY THE CLASSIFICATION PROBLEMS AND MAY HAVE MORE IMMEDIATE IMPLICATIONS FOR JAPANESE SUPPORT OF OUR EFFORTS NITH AUSTRALIA ON URANIUM ENRICHMENT A IN MY VIEN EXPANDED COOPERATION IN ANY OR ALL OF THESE AREAS WOULD BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL TO THE U S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AT THIS CRITICAL POINT IN ITS DEVELOPMENT IT NOULD ALSO GIVE US THE ABILITY TO INFLUENCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND COULD PROVIDE ANOTHER IMPORTANT LINH BETWEEN OUR THO COUNTRIES 5 IF THE JAPANESE ARE TO CONSIDER THE U S AS A POSSIBLE PARTNER IN THEIR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR ENERGY HONEVER NE MUST ACT OUICHLY TO PUT OUR OWN POLICY IN ORDER AND RESOLVE THE BILATERAL NUCLEAR FUEL MESSAGE ICONTINUEOI REPROCESSING ISSUE I HOPE THAT YOU HILL GIVE YOUR PERSONAL SUPPORT TO THE EARLY RESOLUTION OF THE PLUTONIUM USE POLICY QUESTION FOLLONED BY EXPEDITIOUS ACTION ON NEGOTIATING AN ACCEPTABLE AGREEMENT NITH JAPAN MANSFIELD TOHYO 8394 MAY 82 PSN B34765 DECLASSI FIED NLS M- 3 6 BY A NARA DATE 44% This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu