Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - New Japanese Administration

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PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #2020 2450331
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P 020331Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
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INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 6253
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UNCLAS TOKYO 002020

SIPDIS

STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - NEW JAPANESE ADMINISTRATION

1. LEAD STORIES: All Wednesday morning papers front-paged the GOJ
decision to convene a special Diet session on September 16 to select
the next prime minister.

3. "Hatoyma Administration Should Change its Policy toward U.S." The
business-oriented Nikkei editorialized (9/2): "The most serious
concern we have about the DPJ administration is its foreign policy,
especially concerning ties with the U.S. If the DPJ sticks to the
approach it took as an opposition party, this apprehension will
become a reality. It is imperative for the Hatoyama administration
to change its approach.... Abandoning policies that were
intentionally designed to be ambiguous and instead taking a
pragmatic approach would not be regarded as a betrayal to voters. It
would be irresponsible for the DPJ as a ruling party to unthinkingly
continue policies it developed during its years as an opposition
party, rattle U.S.-Japan relations, and jeopardize stability in
Northeast Asia.... The remarks made by Secretary General Okada, a
possible candidate for foreign minister, calling for the U.S. to
declare no first use of nuclear weapons are even more worrisome. At
present, such a proposal would be more harmful to Japan's security
itself than to U.S.-Japan relations.... National security cannot be
ensured without the presumption of a U.S. preemptive strike in the
event that North Korea declares its intent to attack Tokyo. A U.S.
declaration of no first use could run the risk of resulting in
nuclear proliferation by North Korea and terrorists, and bolstering
calls for Japan to go nuclear."

ROOS

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