VZCZCXRO4525
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #2120 2570234
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 140234Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6158
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// PRIORITY
RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/USFJ PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 6433
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 8769
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 3797
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 6949
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 0248
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0948
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 3016
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7607
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7224
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 002120
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 - FINANCIAL CRISIS AND AFGHANISTAN
1. LEAD STORIES: Top items on Monday morning included competition
between American Airlines and Delta Airlines to take control of
ailing Japan Air Lines.
2. "'Irresponsible' Corporate Culture Remains Unchanged" On the
collapse of Lehman Brothers a year ago, the liberal Mainichi
editorialized (8/14): "The U.S. and European governments scrambled
to head off the collapse of another financial institution like
Lehman Brothers by injecting public funds and setting up business
consolidations. Worst-case scenarios were averted as a result, but
serious problems also emerged. An environment was created in which
'irresponsibility' runs rampant. In the U.S., small financial
organizations have gone bankrupt one after another, while large
institutions have been bailed out and are now poised to grow even
larger.... The governments of major countries must not allow
financial institutions to become bloated. The G20 is discussing a
mechanism in which even a giant bank can go bankrupt in an orderly
manner, but questions remain about the effectiveness of such a
system. Instead, serious consideration should be given to measures
aimed at preventing [institutions] from becoming overly large."
3. "For Whom Is the War Being Fought?" The liberal Mainichi reported
from Afghanistan (9/14): "Afghan President Karzai is attaching
importance to collaboration with regional armed groups, including
the Taliban, who are regarded by the U.S. and Europeans as 'war
criminals.' Although criticism runs deep within the U.S. and Europe,
it is true that these warlords are gathering public support in
selected regions and among certain tribes. A senior Afghan
government official explained that [collaboration with regional
armed groups] is a defensive measure aimed at preventing a civil war
from breaking out following the withdrawal of foreign troops. For
whom is this war being fought and who is paying the price? There are
no Afghans who believe that the war is for them."
ROOS