US embassy cable - 05PARAMARIBO700

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000700 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, SN, JA 
SUBJECT: JAPAN CLOSING ITS EMBASSY IN SURINAME 
 
 
1. Japanese Embassy Charge Katsuhiko Hosaka called on DCM 
October 26 to convey that Japan was closing its Embassy in 
Paramaribo (and in neighboring Georgetown, Guyana) as part 
of a general exercise to consolidate and rationalize 
Japanese diplomatic representation worldwide.  This ends a 
Japanese presence dating to Suriname's independence, and 
Hosaka said that the Government of Suriname had been 
"disappointed" to learn this news during the recent visit of 
his Ambassador, who is resident in Venezuela.  (Note:  GOS 
disappointment was perhaps more acute given its 2004 
decision at Japanese behest to join the International 
Whaling Commission, in which Suriname has since taken 
steadily pro-whaling positions.) 
 
2.  Hosaka went on to describe Japanese interests in 
Suriname as minimal, as previous fishing joint ventures had 
passed to sole Surinamese ownership, and the number of 
Japanese citizens resident in Suriname had fallen to about 
10 from a "high" of 50-60 several years ago.  Japanese 
exports to Suriname are low, and Suriname's primary export 
to Japan, shrimp, has fallen off in recent years. 
Surinamese citizens do not require a visa to travel to 
Japan, profiting from the visa treatment accorded to Dutch 
citizens that conveyed to Surinamese without revision at 
independence. 
 
3.  As of January 1, 2006, Japan's Embassy in Port of Spain, 
Trinidad will assume coverage of both Suriname and Guyana, 
bringing the number of countries covered by that mission to 
ten, all CARICOM members.  Transport connections led the 
Japanese to favor Port of Spain over Georgetown, the seat of 
CARICOM, for their regional mission.  After the transfer of 
functional activities, Hosaka expects to remain in Suriname 
for a few more weeks to complete administrative arrangements 
related to the closeout.  Japan's current non-resident 
ambassador in Caracas will retain responsibility for 
Suriname after the formal closure of the local mission, 
until the Japanese ambassador in Trinidad can present his 
credentials, probably before March, 2006.  The Embassy in 
Caracas will then have bilateral responsibilities strictly 
for Venezuela. 
 
BARNES 
 
 
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