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Cablegate: Japanese Morning Press Highlights 09/08/09

Published: Tue 8 Sep 2009 12:02 AM
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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 09/08/09
Index:
1) Editorials
2) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei)
3) DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama's schedule (Nikkei)
Politics
4) 70 PERCENT of governors place hopes on new administration; 27
governors worried about funding sources (Tokyo Shimbun)
5) Parties to agree on coalition perhaps as early as today (Asahi)
6) Hirano picked as chief cabinet secretary; Hatoyama chooses close
adviser (Yomiuri)
7) Kan picked as vice prime minister and strategy minister; Okada,
foreign minister; Fujii, finance minister (Tokyo Shimbun)
8) Kan picked as strategy minister; Okada, foreign minister; Fujii,
finance minister (Yomiuri)
9) DPJ confirms it will establish party-head level committee in
cabinet (Mainichi)
Opinion
10) Sankei-FNN poll: Termination of MSDF refueling mission in
Indian Ocean unpopular (Sankei)
Foreign Relations
11) U.S. Special Ambassador Bosworth and Director-General of the
Asian and Ocean Affairs Bureau Saiki agree on demand North Korea
abandon its nuclear weapons (Mainichi)
12) U.S. Special Ambassador and Ministry of Foreign Affairs agree
negotiations with North Korea should take place within the framework
of the Six Parties (Tokyo Shimbun)
13) Okada indicates new administration will maintain sanctions on
North Korea (Nikkei)
14) Japan, China, and Korea to hold summit meeting in China this
year (Nikkei)
15) DPJ President Hatoyama to visit China as early as Oct.
(Yomiuri)
16) U.S. and China to coordinate North Korea policies with Hatoyama
administration (Nikkei)
17) Hiroshima mayor asked Hatoyama to take lead in abolishing
nuclear arm (Tokyo Shimbun)
Defense & Security
18) U.S. examining small adjustment in position of Futenma
replacement facility ; eyeing DPJ-led government (Yomiuri)
19) Three parties' politicians from Okinawa oppose transfer of
Futenma within prefecture (Asahi)
Sports
20) New U.S. Ambassador watches Giants game (Yomiuri)
Environment
21) Hatoyama states goal of reduction of greenhouse gases to a level
25 PERCENT below the 1990 level (Asahi)
Articles:
1) TOP HEADLINES
Asahi:
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Ministry to freeze payments of
subsidies to farm families
TOKYO 00002055 002 OF 011
Mainichi:
22 prefectures see shortage of doctors prior to peak of new flu
Yomiuri:
Chiba Prefecture involved in false accounting of 3 billion yen
Nikkei:
Japanese companies' sales in China exceed those in Japan
Sankei:
DPJ, SDP, PNP likely to set up "Cabinet Ministers Committee"
Tokyo Shimbun:
25,000 children on waiting lists for day-care centers
Akahata:
Time to create a society that can provide education for all
children
2) EDITORIALS
Asahi:
(1) 25 PERCENT emission cuts: DPJ should show convincing path for
achieving its goal
(2) G-20: New prime minister's challenges
Mainichi:
(1) Selection of "Hatoyama cabinet" ministers: How to eliminate
bureaucracy's influence is the key to the fate of new
administration
(2) New leadership of New Komeito: Party should return to its
original stance of attaching importance on people's daily lives and
peace
Yomiuri:
(1) Smooth transfer of power essential
(2) Drastic measures needed for establishing technology for nuclear
fuel recycle
Nikkei:
(1) Dam construction projects should be reviewed with clear-cut
reason
(2) Hatoyama should form government that can take advantage of
National
Strategy Bureau
Sankei:
(1) New administration must first present its vision for building
country
(2) 25 PERCENT emission cuts: Hatoyama should explain how to
achieve goal
Tokyo Shimbun:
(1) "What to do first is important" for forming new government
(2) Conviction on circumstance evidence: Crucial challenge for
citizen judges
Akahata:
(1) Return of ashes of war dead: Japan needs to admit fault of its
colonial rule
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei)
TOKYO 00002055 003 OF 011
Prime Minister's schedule, September 4
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
September 5, 2009
07:46 Took a walk near official residential quarters
10:01 Cabinet meeting at Prime Minister's Official Residence
(Kantei)
10:26 Met former Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications
Hiroya Masuda
11:01 Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura
13:00 Met Cabinet Intelligence Director Hideshi Mitani
13:41 Met former Lower House member Yukari Sato at LDP headquarters
14:02 National meeting of LDP secretaries general
16:53 Conference on Support for Advanced R meeting at Kantei
17:12 Council for Science and Technology Policy meeting at Kantei
17:40 Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura
18:44 Arrived at official residential quarters
DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama's schedule, September 4
09:02 Left residence in Denenchofu
09:34 Arrived at personal office in Nagata-cho
10:31 Arrived at DPJ headquarters
12:12 World Economic Forum Japan meeting at Roppongi Academic Hills
13:28 Met PRC Ambassador Cui Tiankai at DPJ headquarters
14:26 Met South Korean Ambassador Kwon Chul Hyun
15:36 Met new Muroran City mayor, followed by Director Koizumi and
others of Leagues of Residents of Habomai Islands, Chishima
16:26 Met DPJ Deputy President Naoto Kan
19:22 Arrived home
Prime Minister's schedule, September 5
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
September 6, 2009
09:59 Took a walk near official residential quarters
18:47 Dinner with wife Chikako, Mr. & Mrs. Toyohisa Asada of support
group Hokuriku Sowai-kai, Kanazawa Chapter at Chinese restaurant
Fook Lam Moon in Ginza
20:46 Arrived at official residential quarters with Mr. & Mrs.
Asada
DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama's schedule, September 5
09:50 Met Hokkaido assemblyman Nobuyoshi Takiguchi at residence in
Denenchofu
11:19 Visited grave of grandfather Ichiro at Yanaka Cemetery with
wife Miyuki
11:48 Spent time with mother Yasuko, wife Miyuki at condominium St.
Luke's Residence in Akashi-cho
12:44 General meeting, reception of Tokyo Muroran Association at
Arcadia Ichigaya in Kudankita; accompanied by wife Miyuki
13:07 Lunch with wife Miyuki at Japanese restaurant Senbazuru at
Hotel New Otani
14:51 Met DPJ Deputy President Ichiro Ozawa at DPJ headquarters
16:09 Met DPJ Executive Office Chair Hirofumi Hirano
18:25 Hair cut at beauty parlor Peace in Okusawa
19:48 Returned home
20:37 Dinner at yakitori restaurant Toriei with wife Miyuki, others
TOKYO 00002055 004 OF 011
21:44 Arrived home
Prime Minister's schedule, September 6
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
September 7, 2009
10:03 Took a walk near official residential quarters
DPJ President Yukio Hatoayama's schedule, September 6
Morning Stayed home in Denenchofu
13:01 Met DPJ Executive Office chief Hirofumi Hirano at party
headquarters
14:24 Met Hirano
16:30 Arrived home
4) Poll: 70 PERCENT of governors pin hopes on new government
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Abridged)
September 6, 2009
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) advocated "childcare allowances"
and other policy-based measures in its manifesto or public pledges
for the recent general election for the House of Representatives.
These policies require an annual outlay of 16.8 trillion yen (for
fiscal 2013). However, 27 governors, or about 60 PERCENT of the
nation's governors, are feeling uneasy about how to secure ways and
means for these DPJ policies, according to results of a survey by
Kyodo News released yesterday.
Meanwhile, 35 governors, or more than 70 PERCENT of all governors,
expressed their high expectations for the incoming DPJ-led
government. There is a mood growing among the nation's governors as
well for accepting the new government. Even so, the survey shows
that they have raised questions about the feasibility of these
in-depth policy measures.
The survey was conducted after the general election that ended in
the DPJ's landslide victory. There were answers from 46 governors,
excluding the Aichi governor who was on an official overseas trip.
Among the 27 governors who are feeling uneasy about ways and means,
21 say they have high expectations for the new government.
5) Agreement on forming coalition government likely to be reached
today
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpt)
September 8, 2009
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio Hatoyama proposed in
the party's top three executives' meeting yesterday a plan to
appoint Deputy President Ichiro Ozawa as secretary general and to
retain Azuma Koshiishi as the party's Upper House Caucus chairman.
The plan was approved by the three officers. In connection with the
management of the coalition government expected to be formed with
the Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party, (Hatoyama
and the three officers) also confirmed a policy course to ask the
two parties' party head-level persons to join the envisaged cabinet
and to build a framework to carry out coordination in the cabinet.
Talks on forming the coalition government are now in the final
stage. An agreement is likely to be reached at today's three party
TOKYO 00002055 005 OF 011
heads' talks.
6) Hatoyama to appoint Hirano as chief cabinet secretary
YOMIURI (Top play) (Lead paragraph)
September 5, 2009
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio Hatoyama on Sept. 4
informally appointed Hirofumi Hirano, 60, currently head of the DPJ
executive office, as chief cabinet secretary for the new government.
With his decision to name his aide to the key cabinet post following
the appointment of DPJ Deputy President Ichiro Ozawa as secretary
general for managing party affairs, Hatoyama intends to set about
appointments to other key posts of the new administration probably
early next week, after the DPJ reaches a conclusion with the Social
Democratic Party and the People's New Party to form a coalition
government. Azuma Koshiishi, 73, will be retained in his current
post as chairman of the DPJ caucus in the House of Councillors.
7) Kan likely to serve as deputy prime minster and national strategy
minister, Okada as foreign minister, Fujii as finance minister
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Lead paragraph)
September 6, 2009
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) on Sept. 5 decided on key posts
of the new government. DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama informally
decided to appoint deputy chief Naoto Kan, 62, as deputy prime
minister and state minister of the National Strategy Bureau,
Secretary General Katsuya Okada, 56, as foreign minister, and
Supreme Advisor Hirohisa Fujii, 77, as finance minister. Besides the
three, Policy Research Committee Chairman Masayuki Naoshima, 63,
will likely join the cabinet. The DPJ is coordinating a plan to pick
former Lower House Vice Speaker Takahiro Yokomichi, 68, or Kozo
Watanabe, 77, former Lower House vice speaker, as speaker of the
House of Representatives.
8) Hatoyama likely to appoint Kan as national strategy minister,
Okada as foreign minister, Fujii as finance minister
YOMIURI (Top play) (Excerpts)
Evening, September 5, 2009
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio Hatoyama decided on
Sept. 5 to appoint Deputy President Naoto Kan, 62, as state minister
of the National Strategy Bureau, which will be established directly
under the prime minister's control and responsible for outlining the
national budget in the new government. Hatoyama has also made up his
mind to appoint Secretary General Katsuya Okada, 56, as foreign
minister. In order to unify decision-making on policies between the
cabinet and the ruling camp, the state strategy minister will
concurrently serve as DPJ policy chief. Coordination is underway for
appointing Hirohisa Fujii, 77, a supreme advisor to the DPJ, to
serve as finance minister.
Hatoyama has already decided to appoint Deputy President Ichiro
Ozawa as DPJ secretary and DPJ Executive Office head Hirofumi Hirano
as chief cabinet secretary. He had decided to give Kan and Okada,
who once headed the DPJ, important cabinet posts.
9) DPJ vows to set up party head-level committee in cabinet
TOKYO 00002055 006 OF 011
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Excerpt)
September 8, 2009
President Hatoyama of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) on
September 7 held a staff meeting at the party headquarters.
Participants discussed the ongoing coalition talks with the Social
Democratic Party (SDP) and the People's New Party (PNP) and key
party personnel selections. They also vowed to present a proposal to
the SDP and the PNP on setting up a cabinet ministerial committee to
discuss basic policies (tentative name), participated in by party
head-level persons, as a consultative body for the three ruling
parties to discuss policies. Concerning the selection of party
executives, the meeting informally decided to name Deputy President
Ichiro Ozawa as secretary general. However, it put off the formal
selection of key cabinet members, such as Deputy President Naoto Kan
as a minister in charge of the national strategy bureau and
Secretary General Katsuya Okada as foreign minister, with Hatoyama
saying that it would be logical to release cabinet appointments
after reaching a settlement in the coalition talks.
10) Poll: 64 PERCENT pin hopes on Hatoyama; MSDF pullout
unacceptable to public
SANKEI (Page 3) (Abridged)
September 8, 2009
Following up the recent election for the House of Representatives
that ended in a landslide victory for the leading opposition
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the Sankei Shimbun conducted a
joint public opinion survey with Fuji News Network (FNN) on Sept.
5-6, in which a total of 63.8 PERCENT answered "yes" when asked if
they had high expectations for DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama, who is
expected to become Japan's next prime minister, while 31.6 PERCENT
said "no." However, 66.0 PERCENT also said the DPJ has "too many
seats" in the Diet's lower chamber. Asked why the DPJ won the
election, 52.8 PERCENT cited the public's criticism of the policy
measures and political stances of the ruling Liberal Democratic
Party and its coalition partner, the New Komeito party. The poll
indicates that the public's view of the DPJ has yet to be fixed.
In its manifesto of public pledges for the election, the DPJ
incorporated "toll-free expressways" as a showcase. This policy,
however, was unpopular, with affirmative opinions accounting for
less than 30 PERCENT . Respondents were also asked if they supported
the DPJ's policy of withdrawing the Maritime Self-Defense Force from
its refueling mission in the Indian Ocean for antiterror operations.
To this question, the proportion of negative opinions was nearly 10
points higher than that of affirmative ones, with 45.7 PERCENT
saying "no" and 36.4 PERCENT saying "yes." As seen from these
figures, some of the incoming government's policies were
unacceptable to the public.
11) Ambassador Bosworth, MOFA Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau
chief Saiki agree on demanding that DPRK implement denuclearization
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full)
September 8, 2009
Naoyuki Inukai
U.S. special envoy for North Korean policy Stephen Bosworth met
Directory General Akitaka Saiki of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs
TOKYO 00002055 007 OF 011
Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Sept. 7. The two
officials discussed how to respond to North Korea's current soft and
tough diplomatic stance, under which it is launching a "dialogue
offensive" toward the U.S. and South Korea, while announcing its
successful enrichment of uranium. They agreed to implement the
sanctions based on the UN Security Council resolutions thoroughly
and demand that North Korea implement the 2005 Six-Party Talks
agreement, where it made a commitment to abandon its nuclear
programs. Bosworth stressed at the meeting that "unless the
agreement is implemented, no dialogue in any form will be held."
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei also had a meeting with his
Japanese counterpart Mitoji Yabunaka at MOFA on Sept. 7. They
confirmed that the two governments will communicate closely in
anticipation of the inauguration of a Democratic Party of Japan
administration.
12) MOFA Asian and Oceanian Affairs chief Saiki, U.S. special envoy
Bosworth agree that U.S.-DPRK dialogue should take place under
Six-Party Talks framework
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full)
September 8, 2009
Director General Akitaka Saiki of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs
Bureau and U.S. special envoy for North Korean policy Stephen
Bosworth held a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on
September 7. They agreed that U.S.-DPRK talks should take place
under the Six-Party Talks framework after the DPRK returns to the
talks.
At this meeting, Bosworth said that, "Unless North Korea reconfirms
the 2005 Six-Party Talks agreement (on the DPRK's abandonment of its
nuclear programs), there will be no U.S.-DPRK dialogue."
The two officials also exchanged views on North Korea's "successful"
enrichment of uranium, criticizing this as a provocative act. They
assessed the UN Security Council resolutions on economic sanctions
against North Korea to be effective and confirmed that the two sides
will continue to call on other countries to implement the
sanctions.
13) DPJ Secretary General Okada says sanctions on North Korea will
be "continued"
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
September 5, 2009
At a news conference on September 4, Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)
Secretary General Katsuya Okada commented on North Korea's recent
letter to the UN Security Council (UNSC) chairman declaring that it
is "in the final phase of uranium enrichment." He said: "We will
continue to implement the current sanctions without fail in order to
make (North Korea) understand that nothing good comes from taking a
tough line." This statement indicates that the new DPJ
administration will continue the policy of sanctions against the
DPRK.
Okada pointed out that, "This is a very critical period where doing
nothing about the situation will make (North Korea's) nuclear
weapons a fait accompli." With regard to additional sanctions, he
said: "Discussions should take place first in the UNSC. If that is
TOKYO 00002055 008 OF 011
insufficient, additional sanctions remain to be an option."
14) Japan-China-ROK summit to be held before end of year in China
NIKKEI (Page 1) (Full)
September 8, 2009
It is now expected that a summit between the top leaders of Japan,
China, and South Korea, which was originally planned for late
August, will be held by the end of the year in China, according to a
senior Foreign Ministry official on Sept. 7. The event was postponed
due to the dissolution of the House of Representatives for a general
election (in Japan) that coincided with the planned trilateral
summit. Democratic Party of Japan President Yukio Hatoyama, who is
certain to lead the next administration, has announced an
Asia-oriented policy. China is also seeking an early (trilateral
summit). (The two countries) are also considering the option of
holding a Japan-China summit on the sidelines of the planned
trilateral summit.
15) Hatoyama to visit China in October
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full)
September 7, 2009
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio Hatoyama has decided
to visit China soon after becoming prime minister, possibly in
October, to hold talks with President Hu Jintao, a senior DPJ
official said. By visiting China soon after assuming the
premiership, Hatoyama intends to play up his stance of attaching
importance to Japan-China relations. With the Chinese president,
Hatoyama intends to exchange views on Japan-China cooperation on
global challenges, such as climate change, and outstanding bilateral
issues, such as the development of gas fields in the East China
Sea.
The DPJ vowed in its manifesto for the House of Representatives
election to "do its utmost to build a relationship of mutual trust
with China, South Korea, and other Asian countries." Hatoyama has
said that he will develop Japan and China's "strategic and mutually
beneficial relations into substantial relations."
China welcomes Hatoyama as the next prime minister and praises his
stance on Yasukuni Shrine. Hatoyama has criticized visits to the
shrine by prime ministers and cabinet ministers.
Hatoyama is scheduled to visit the United States late this month to
attend the financial summit and the UN General Assembly. He plans to
meet with Hu for the first time as prime minister on the sidelines
of one of the two events.
16) U.S., China to work closely with Hatoyama administration in
dealing with North Korea
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
September 8, 2009
Vice-Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka met yesterday with visiting
Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, chair of the Six-Party Talks
on the North Korean nuclear issue. They agreed that the two
countries will continue working closely in dealing with the North
Korean issue and other matters even after a Hatoyama administration
TOKYO 00002055 009 OF 011
is launched. Ahead of this meeting, Asian and Oceanian Affairs
Bureau Director-General Akitaka Saiki agreed with visiting U.S.
Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth on
the continuation of international sanctions on North Korea. The
talks stopped short of discussing a concrete response to the North
Korean issue.
17) Hiroshima mayor asks Hatoyama to take initiative for elimination
of nuclear arms
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full)
September 8, 2009
Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba on the afternoon of Sept. 7 met with
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Hatoyama at party
headquarters. Akiba during the meeting asked Hatoyama to play a
leading role for the total elimination of nuclear arms by 2020 and
speed up the recognition of atomic bomb survivors. Hatoyama
responded: "I understand how you feel. I would like to study the
matter." Hiroshima City and Nagasaki City are aiming to adopt the
Hiroshima and Nagasaki protocol, which indicates the way to the
elimination of nuclear weapons, at the Review Conference of the
Treaty on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to be
held in the U.S. in May next year.
18) U.S. mulls offshore location for Futenma alternative
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full)
September 7, 2009
Satoshi Ogawa, Washington
On the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air
Station in Okinawa Prefecture, the U.S. Department of Defense is
looking into the possibility of conditionally responding to Okinawa
Governor Hirokazu Nakaima's call for a "slight revision" to the
planned construction of an alternative facility at Camp Schwab in
the island prefecture's northern coastal city of Nago, sources on
Japan-U.S. relations have revealed.
The Pentagon makes it a precondition to complete the relocation of
Futenma airfield in 2014 as planned. According to Okinawa
Prefecture's environmental impact assessment regulations, it is
acceptable for the construction site to be moved within a range of
about 50 meters in the process of carrying out procedures for an
environmental assessment. The Pentagon wants to shorten this range
as much as possible.
The U.S. government has so far asked the Japanese government to
obtain Okinawa Prefecture's cooperation on the current Futenma
relocation plan. However, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which
has been calling for Futenma airfield to be relocated outside
Okinawa Prefecture, will shortly come into office. Given this,
Washington seems to have judged that it would be necessary to
consider Okinawa Prefecture's standpoint in order for the current
plan to be implemented. Nakaima has said the government should deal
with the issue in a pragmatic way for the early reversion of Futenma
airfield. Based on this position, Nakaima is not in agreement with
the DPJ and is calling for the Futenma replacement facility to be
relocated to a coastal area of Camp Schwab.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government does not intend to renegotiate with
TOKYO 00002055 010 OF 011
the Japanese government on the Futenma replacement facility, as U.S.
State Department spokesman Kelly said Aug. 31. However, the U.S.
government takes the position that the "slight revision" is not "a
change to the intergovernmental agreement" between Japan and the
United States since it could be made in Japan's environmental impact
assessment procedures, according to the sources.
In 2008, the then Fukuda cabinet sounded out the U.S. government on
the idea of moving the replacement facility's location to a site 50
meters offshore. However, the Pentagon rejected it.
19) DPJ, SDP, PNP Diet members from Okinawa hope to include
opposition to present Futenma relocation plan in "common policies
for coalition government"
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full)
September 8, 2009
A total of seven Diet members of the Democratic Party of Japan
(DPJ), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and the People's New Party
(PNP) from Okinawa decided on Sept. 7 to ask their party executives
to include opposition to the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps'
Futenma Air Station to the Henoko district in Nago City in a list of
common policies that will be compiled in forming a coalition
government. The seven lawmakers also confirmed that they will call
for suspending the implementation of relocation-related budgets,
including one for an environmental impact assessment.
In the recent House of Representatives election, candidates on the
LDP's, SDP's, and PNP's tickets defeated four LDP candidates in the
Okinawa No.1, 2, 3, and 4 districts. Kantoku Teruya of the SDP, who
was elected in the Okinawa No. 2 district, said:
"We, the four Diet members, won in the election by pledging to
oppose the new base construction plan in Henoko. We will convey the
will of the Okinawan people shown in the election and our
determination to the new administration through our parties."
20) New U.S. envoy watches Giants game
YOMIURI (Page 32) (Full)
September 6, 2009
U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos, who just arrived at his post in
Tokyo two weeks ago, visited Tokyo Dome yesterday to watch a
baseball game between the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants and the Tokyo Yakult
Swallows. The ambassador came to the ballpark with his wife Susie
and his son David two and a half hours before the game started. On
the field, he chatted with Giants Manager Hara and two foreign
players, Alex Ramirez and Seth Greisinger.
When the game began, Roos cheered for the Giants with fans while
waving an orange Giants towel. Roos is a big fan of the San
Francisco Giants, a U.S. Major League Baseball team. He talked about
his dream for baseball exchanges between Japan and the United
States. "I hope we can invite the American team to play a game
between the Japanese Giants and the American Giants," he said.
21) DPJ President Hatoyama vows 25 percent cut in greenhouse gas
emissions
ASAHI (Top play) (Lead para.)
TOKYO 00002055 011 OF 011
Evening, September 7, 2009
The Asahi Global Environment Forum 2009, hosted by the Asahi
Shimbun, kicked off in Tokyo on Sept. 7. The two-day conference is
designed to explore challenges to materialize a low carbon society.
Referring to Japan's midterm goal to curb greenhouse gas emissions
by 2020, President Hatoyama of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)
in a speech vowed to aim for a 25 percent cut, compared with the
1990 level. He indicated his intention to transmit to the world his
incoming government's measures to curb global warming greenhouse gas
emissions, including measures to assist developing countries, at a
UN conference to be held later in the month.
ROOS
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