Wikileaks and Japan – an idea of what to expect (1)

As Japan Probe correctly points out, most data released via Wikileaks on Japan on Nov. 29 was tedious. Nothing to see there. However, no analysis has yet appeared of what we can garner from the teaser released yesterday by Julian Assange’s organization.

5697 cables of 251,287 total cables list the US Embassy in Tokyo as the origin.
Source: The Guardian,  (Google Fusion Tables)

First, the Japan leaks that are yet to be released show activity at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo is dominated by a small amount of subjects (note that most leaks will include more than one subject) :

KEY (1)

• PGOV    Internal Governmental Affairs
• KPAO     Public Affairs Office
• OIIP    International Information Programs
• KMDR     Media Reaction Reporting
• ECON     Economics
• PREL    External Political Relations
• PINR    Intelligence
• ELAB    Labor Sector Affairs

The above image shows all subjects within the Japan leaks that are mentioned more than 1,000 times (notably, labor sector affairs are mentioned some 1,861, with a massive gap then following to foreign trade, which is mentioned 445 times.

The issues that will dominate leaks (in terms of volume): Internal government affairs, public affairs, international information programs, media reaction reporting, economics, external political relations, intelligence and labor sector affairs.

Meanwhile, the following subjects were mentioned in more than 100 leaks:

KEY (2)

• PGOV    Internal Governmental Affairs
• KPAO     Public Affairs Office
• OIIP    International Information Programs
• KMDR     Media Reaction Reporting
• ECON     Economics
• PREL    External Political Relations
• PINR    Intelligence
• ELAB    Labor Sector Affairs
• ETRD    Foreign Trade
• PARM    Arms Controls and Disarmament
• MARR    Military and Defense Arrangements
• ENRG    Energy and Power
• PHUM    Human Rights
• EFIN    Financial and Monetary Affairs
• KNNP    Nuclear Non- Proliferation
• CH    China (Mainland)
• KN    Korea (North)
• EAGR    Agriculture and Forestry
• KS    Korea (South)
• EAID    Foreign Economic Assistance
• SENV    Environmental Affairs
• PTER    Terrorists and Terrorism
• OTRA    Travel
• IR    Iran
• ETTC    Trade and Technology Controls
• MNUC    Military Nuclear Applications
• TBIO    Biological and Medical Science
• KSCA    Science Counselors and Attachés
• EINV    Foreign Investments
• SOCI    Social Conditions

Human rights, China, terrorism and Iran all make appearances. The story of the last 65 years in Japan is arguably the story of its relationship with the international community and the way that its alliance with the United States has effected Its global position. The Wikileaks documents will give plenty of food for thought for those interested in that story. A clearer picture of Japan, and the way it is viewed by its ally across the Pacific is sure to emerge.

A written collaboration between Rick Martin and Richard Smart

Advertisement