Cablegate: Daily Summary of Japanese Press 12/15/09

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SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 12/15/09

INDEX:

(1) U.S. Embassy deputy chief of mission says low-altitude flights

of U.S. military aircraft in Kagoshima linked to reduction of

Okinawa's burden (Minami Nihon Shimbun)

(2) Ministerial Committee decides on Futenma policy without

specifying deadline for selecting relocation site; GOJ to form

working group of three ruling parties; FM Okada mulls U.S. visit on

Dec. 16 (Asahi)

(3) Naha District Court rules two protesters blocked helipad

construction, but protests "allowable" (Ryukyu Shimpo)

(4) Yomitan Village rally protests fatal hit-an-run incident by U.S.

Army staff sergeant (Ryukyu Shimpo)

(5) U.S. to hold talks with NATO members on reviewing its tactical

nuclear forces, including making changes to in-place weapons

(Mainichi)

(6) Dwindling channels with China due to decrease in number of

China's Japan hands (Asahi)

(7) Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano fails to coordinate policymaking

(Nikkei)

(8) U.S. President delivers Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech,

underscoring that war is necessary (Akahata)

(9) Yomiuri-Gallup poll: Perception gap between Japanese, Americans

on issues (Yomiuri)

(10) Declining number of students going to U.S. to study; down by

10,000 over 10 years (Asahi)

ARTICLES:

(1) U.S. Embassy deputy chief of mission says low-altitude flights

of U.S. military aircraft in Kagoshima linked to reduction of

Okinawa's burden

MINAMI NIHON SHIMBUN ONLINE (Full)

10:17, December 15, 2009

With regard to the frequent spotting of U.S. military aircraft

stationed at U.S. bases in Okinawa flying at low altitude in

Kagoshima Prefecture, James Zumwalt, deputy chief of mission of the

U.S. Embassy in Japan, said, "This is part of the transfer of U.S.

military exercises to the Japanese mainland in order to reduce the

burden on the people of Okinawa." He thus revealed that low-altitude

flight exercises are expected to take place on mainland Japan,

including Kagoshima, under an agreement between the Japanese

government and the U.S., which are seeking to relocate the

exercises.

Zumwalt made the above statement in answer to a question from Minami

Nihon Shimbun at a seminar on defense issues in Fukuoka City

(organized by the Ministry of Defense's Kyushu Defense Bureau).

Zumwalt is the second-ranking official at the U.S. Embassy. He

formerly served as vice consul at the Consulate General in Kobe and

director of the State Department's Japan desk.

TOKYO 00002869 002 OF 015

Zumwalt revealed that he was informed by the Japanese Ministry of

Foreign Affairs of the anxiety among the people of Kagoshima about

the low-altitude flights of U.S. military planes and has inquired

directly with U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ). He said: "The Navy and the

Marines are conducting exercises in various places in Kyushu" in

order to lighten the burden on Okinawa.

Zumwalt further indicated that regular training in Japan, including

low-altitude flights, is indispensable for the USFJ to maintain a

certain level of deterrence in Japan and the surrounding areas.

However, he emphasized that "we make efforts not to fly over densely

populated areas, schools, and hospitals" in consideration of the

burden imposed on the residents near the training space. He also

said that Japan and the U.S. will promote the exchange of

information and "make efforts to minimize the burden on the Japanese

people."

Since 2006, KC-130 air tankers and MC-130 special operations

aircraft based in Futenma and Kadena in Okinawa have been spotted

flying over the cities of Minami-satsuma and Hioki in Kagoshima

Prefecture. Low-altitude flights by the MC-130s are considered to be

indispensable for invasion operations to avoid detection by radar.

Experts believe that such combat exercises are in preparation for a

contingency on the Korean peninsula or ground operations in the

Middle East.

(2) Ministerial Committee decides on Futenma policy without

specifying deadline for selecting relocation site; GOJ to form

working group of three ruling parties; FM Okada mulls U.S. visit on

Dec. 16

ASAHI (Page 1) (Full)

Evening, December 15, 2009

Hiroshi Ito in Washington, Keiichi Kaneko

The Hatoyama cabinet held a meeting of its Ministerial Committee on

Basic Policies, which includes the leaders of the three ruling

parties, on the morning of Dec. 15. With regard to the relocation of

the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa), the

Committee decided to create a working group of the three parties to

reconsider the relocation site, with the designated relocation site

under the current plan, the coastal area of Henoko, Nago City still

being considered as one option. The government has given up on

choosing a relocation site within this year. Foreign Minister

Katsuya Okada and others are expected to convey this decision to

U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos at the Prime Minister's Official

Residence in the afternoon.

Deputy Prime Minister and National Strategy Minister Naoto Kan of

the Democratic Party of Japan, Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho

Fukushima (state minister for consumer affairs, declining

birthrate), People's New Party leader Shizuka Kamei (state minister

for financial affairs, postal reform), and others attended the

Ministerial Committee meeting. With regard to the deadline for

selecting the relocation site, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi

Hirano suggested May 2010, but Fukushima opposed the setting of any

deadline, so this is not included in the three-party agreement

reached at the Ministerial Committee meeting. It is believed that

this deadline will be conveyed to the U.S. side in the negotiation

TOKYO 00002869 003 OF 015

process.

The government also indicated at the Ministerial Committee that

expenditures relating to Futenma relocation will be earmarked in the

FY10 budget and that the environmental impact survey in Henoko will

continue. Hirano will take charge of the details of the three-party

working group. One participant in the meeting said that, "Rather

than giving priority to the thinking of the U.S., Japan, Okinawa, or

the three-party coalition, we talked about how to make sure that

things will work out for all four parties involved."

Meanwhile, it was learned that the U.S. side has been contacted for

a possible visit by Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada on Dec. 16 to

meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to convey the Japanese

government's policy to the U.S. side. However, coordination is still

underway and it is unclear whether the U.S. side will consent to the

visit. This was revealed by several sources on bilateral relations.

The U.S. government plans to make a final decision after adjusting

Clinton's schedule. Since the policy decided upon by the Japanese

government is not in line with the U.S.'s wishes, it intends to send

Okada to the U.S. to minimize the backlash from the U.S. side.

Speaking about the government's policy to be conveyed to the U.S. on

Dec. 15, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said: "After negotiations

with the U.S. are complete, I will provide a full explanation to the

people." He made this comment in response to a question from

reporters in front of his official residential quarters.

(3) Naha District Court rules two protesters blocked helipad

construction, but protests "allowable"

RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 1) (Full)

December 12, 2009

In connection with the Okinawa Defense Bureau's provisional

deposition against the obstruction of traffic by 14 residents in

Takae, Higashi village, who have opposed the U.S. military's

construction of a helipad in return for the reversion of part of its

training field in northern Okinawa Prefecture, the Naha District

Court (presiding judge Naoto Hirata) on Dec. 11 issued a ruling that

the two men blocked (construction of the U.S. military helipad). The

court pointed out that protests, including sit-ins, are allowed and

respected to a certain extent. The court, however, turned down the

Defense Bureau's claims against the remaining 12 residents.

The court ruled that the protesters had repeatedly blocked by force

the construction of the helipad by (1) parking cars, (2) standing

before construction vehicles, and (3) crawling under construction

vehicles. Examining the 14 protesters' acts, the court ordered the

two protesters not to block the construction of the helipad,

including sit-ins, at the construction site, pointing out that the

two men tried to block the construction by force and that the

probability that they will continue blocking the construction is

recognized.

Meanwhile, the court ruled that interpreting sit-ins, calls for

halting construction, and protests as sabotage should be done with

caution. It also pointed out that an act taken on the basis of one's

political beliefs should be respected.

A group of lawyers will discuss on Dec. 12 whether the residents

TOKYO 00002869 004 OF 015

should file a complaint, while giving a modicum of praise to the

ruling this time around.

(4) Yomitan Village rally protests fatal hit-an-run incident by U.S.

Army staff sergeant

RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 35) (Abridged)

December 15, 2009

A rally of the Yomitan Village people to protest the fatal

hit-and-run incident by a U.S. soldier was held at the courtyard of

the Yomitan Cultural Center on Dec. 13. The approximately 1,500

participants expressed their anger and frustration at the fact that

the suspect U.S. staff sergeant has not been arrested more than one

month after the incident and has not made himself available for

questioning by the prefectural police.

After the rally, the participants marched to Torii Station, where

the suspect is confined but is said to be performing his military

duties as usual. The protesters cried out in anger through the fence

in front of them: "Come out criminal!" and "Apologize to the

victim!"

Yomitan Mayor Keizo Yasuda shouted furiously in front of the fence:

"If you evade the issue, it will be the end of our relationship." He

voiced strong criticism, saying that: "So far, we have been able to

build a certain degree of friendship (with the U.S. forces), but

this incident is absolutely unforgivable. Hand the culprit over to

the Japanese police."

(5) U.S. to hold talks with NATO members on reviewing its tactical

nuclear forces, including making changes to in-place weapons

MAINICHI (Page 7) (Full)

December 13, 2009

Yoshinori Fukushima, Brussels

The U.S. government has decided in principle to hold talks with

other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members to discuss a

review of the role of the U.S. tactical nuclear weapons deployed in

Europe within the framework of the organization, a senior U.S.

government official told the Mainichi Shimbun. The tactical nuclear

forces cannot be reduced or removed without the agreement of the 28

NATO members. The handling of the tactical nuclear forces is likely

to be discussed in the process of reviewing NATO's strategy.

The United States deployed several thousand tactical nuclear weapons

in Europe during the Cold War for NATO to counter the Warsaw Pact,

which was superior to NATO in terms of conventional forces. The

number dramatically dropped after the end of the Cold War. But

according to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), there are

still an estimated 150-240 weapons in Europe, including 70-90 in

Italy, 50-90 in Turkey, and 10-20 each in Belgium, Germany, and the

Netherlands.

In Europe there has been a political movement seeking the removal of

tactical nuclear weapons since the inauguration in the United States

of the Obama administration advocating a nuclear-free world. German

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle requested in early November that

the United States move its tactical nuclear weapons outside Germany,

while urging Belgium and the Netherlands to fall in step with

TOKYO 00002869 005 OF 015

Germany.

"The United States is ready to hold talks (with European countries)

and welcomes discussions (with them)," the senior U.S. government

official said. "The nuclear weapons deployed in Europe play the role

of contributing to the strategy and deterrence of NATO." He also

emphatically said that changes to the in-place tactical nuclear

forces, including their reduction and removal, can occur only when

the 28 NATO members reach an agreement.

NATO's New Strategic Concept adopted in 1999 includes a policy of

maintaining the tactical nuclear forces based in Europe at the

minimum level. NATO has begun studying the next strategic concept to

be adopted at the next summit in November 2010. There is a good

chance that the subject of tactical nuclear arms will be taken up at

next year's NATO summit, according to a NATO press officer.

Differences in views among NATO members

The Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), scheduled to be presented by the

Obama administration to the U.S. Congress next February, and the

future course of the U.S.-Russia nuclear arms reduction talks are

likely to affect the trend of discussions. Serving as a

comprehensive guideline for U.S. nuclear strategy, the NPR includes

the positioning of its tactical nuclear forces.

Among the NATO members, there are differences in views on the

efficacy of the United States' tactical nuclear forces. In Germany

and the three Benelux countries situated in the middle of Europe,

there are strong calls for the removal of tactical nuclear forces,

regarding them as a relic of the Cold War. In contrast, Eastern

European countries, which are alarmed by Russia, are in favor of the

continued deployment of tactical nuclear weapons as a symbol of

America's defense of Europe. Turkey is also reportedly concerned

about the impact of the removal of tactical nuclear weapons. It

seems to take time to integrate views among NATO members.

(6) Dwindling channels with China due to decrease in number of

China's Japan hands

ASAHI (Page 2) (Full)

December 15, 2009

Upon arriving in Japan, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Dec. 14

released a statement, which read, "I would like to meet the Emperor

and Prime Minister Hatoyama and deepen our mutual trust and

friendship." Chinese diplomatic sources are pinning high hopes on

his meetings with Japan's key figures, with one saying, "Talks with

a wide range of dignitaries have been set up. We want him to

strengthen bilateral relations."

Having long served in local regions, Xi does not necessarily have

deep connections with Japan. He visited Nagasaki and Okinawa in 2001

when he was serving as the head of the Fujian Province. However, he

has few personal channels with Japan's political and business

circles, according to a diplomatic source in Beijing.

President Hu Jintao, the supreme leader, in 1984 was in charge of an

exchange project in which 3,000 Japanese young people were invited

to China under General Secretary Hu Yaobang at the time, who was

said to be pro-Japanese. President Hu during a press conference in

May last year before his Japan visit, enthusiastically said, "Among

TOKYO 00002869 006 OF 015

my foreign friends, the number who are Japanese is the highest." He

chose Japan as the destination for his first foreign trip in 1998

right after he took office as vice president. In comparison, Xi is

said to have no special attachment to Japan, according to a Chinese

Communist Party source.

Former Vice President Ceng Qingjiang, who had a wide range of

personnel networks in Japanese political circles, has retired, and

former Vice Premier Huang Ju, who once underwent technical training

in Japan, has passed away. A Japanese diplomatic source pointed out

that the number of Japan hands in the Chinese leadership and the

government has decreased and their successors have yet to be

trained.

The Japanese economy was robust in the 1980's, when President Hu was

still among young top officials. Japan extended assistance and

investment in China. Japan had a strong presence in China, which had

just adopted a reform and open-door policy. Japanese films, TV

dramas, and popular songs were widely accepted by Chinese people.

Weak connections with Japan are apparently common to Post-Hu

generation officials.

The number of officials who are knowledgeable about Japan is

dwindling even in the Chinese Foreign Ministry. When bilateral

relations deteriorated due to former Prime Minister Junichiro

Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine, China's Japan experts had

served as safety valves in the event of a contingency, as a Japanese

diplomatic source put it, mending the deteriorated relations using

their own Japan connections.

However, Tang Jiaxuan (71), who served as foreign minister and state

councilor (equivalent to vice premier), retired in March last year,

and Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei (63), the chairman of the

Six-Party Talks, is expected to step down next year. Former

Ambassador to Japan Wang Yi (56) has left the Foreign Ministry. He

is now the top official responsible for Taiwan policy.

The same Chinese Communist source stressed: "There is concern that

China's Japan connections will further dwindle in the age of the

post-Hu generation. We want Vice President Xi to build personal

relationships of trust during his visit to Japan this time."

(7) Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano fails to coordinate policymaking

NIKKEI (Page 2) (Slightly abridged)

December 12, 2009

It has become clearer that there is no coordinator in the

policymaking process in the Hatoyama cabinet. The role of

coordinating views among the ruling parties and cabinet ministers

should be played by the chief cabinet secretary, but Hirofumi

Hirano, who fills this post, has failed to exert his influence. In

an effort to resolve conflicts among cabinet ministers over the next

fiscal year's budget and other key issues, Prime Minister Yukio

Hatoyama yesterday met with the heads of the Social Democratic Party

(SDP) and the People's New Party (PNP), junior partners of the

coalition government led by the Democratic Party of Japan.

Hatoyama invited SDP head Mizuho Fukushima and PNP head Shizuka

Kamei to a Japanese restaurant in Roppongi last night. It was the

first time for the three party heads to have dinner together since

the coalition government was launched in September.

TOKYO 00002869 007 OF 015

Over dinner the three party leaders agreed to confer on the

relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa,

over which the SDP has demonstrated its own policy. In response to a

call from the PNP, which succeeded in persuading the government to

boost its additional economic stimulus package by 100 billion yen,

they also decided to make use of special accounts to finance

measures in the fiscal 2010 budget on a priority basis.

In policy coordination, however, the SDP and the PNP have placed

importance on DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa. Some take the view

that the ruling parties wield a veto

in policymaking. And ministers continue to make contradictory

remarks in the cabinet.

"Mr. Hirano is a dam," a senior ruling party official said. The

official thinks that Hirano is responsible for causing the current

chaotic situation. The chief cabinet secretary should be in charge

of dealing with Diet affairs and coordinating policies with the

ruling parties through discussion, but pending issues don't get past

Hirano. Bearing this situation in mind, the official likened Hirano

to a "dam."

Hirano himself has also made contradictory remarks. He said on Dec.

10 that it is impossible to fix the total amount of government bond

issuance in the fiscal 2010 budget under the current situation. But

without batting an eyelash he withdrew the remark the next day,

saying: "The prime minister told me to give a numerical figure

without fail."

On how to secure financial resources for child care allowances,

views differ among Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Akira

Nagatsuma, Internal Affairs Minister Kazuhiro Haraguchi and State

Minister for Declining Birthrate Fukushima. In a speech yesterday,

Kamei also proposed setting an income ceiling for a child allowance.

On the Futenma issue, concerned cabinet ministers also met with the

prime minister yesterday. As seen from the case in which the

government decided to resurrect additional benefits for single

parents on welfare in response to a direct request by the welfare

minister to the prime minister, cabinet ministers might begin to

bring policy tasks to the prime minister in seeking his policy

decisions.

(8) U.S. President delivers Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech,

underscoring that war is necessary

SHIMBUN AKAHATA (Page 7) (Abridged slightly)

December 12, 2009

The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony took place in the Oslo

City Hall on the afternoon of Dec. 10 (evening of the same day,

Japan time). U.S. President Obama formally received the prize,

earning high marks for his pursuit of a world free of nuclear

weapons. However, the President dedicated a great deal of time in

his acceptance speech to the legitimization of war, taking the use

of force in situations such as the Afghanistan war for granted.

He also flaunted the U.S.'s military presence in the post-war

period, saying, "The U.S. has been taking charge of global security

for over 60 years" or "The U.S. resolve to defend the global

security will never be undermined."

TOKYO 00002869 008 OF 015

The speech was full of paradoxes with the President, a Nobel Peace

Prize winner, expounding on war while at the same time acknowledging

that his nation is at war.

With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan war in mind, President Obama

as the Commander-in-Chief of a state that is engaged in two wars

stressed, "There is evil in the world. The use of force is sometimes

necessary."

He also called on U.S. allies to work together, saying, "The U.S.

cannot act on its own." Citing the existence of the North Atlantic

Treaties Organization (NATO), he said, "Peace entails sacrifice.

That is why NATO is needed."

He also underscored the urgency of pursing the realization of a

world free of nuclear weapons and addressing the promotion of

nuclear non-proliferation. He said that the U.S. will lead the

nuclear disarmament process. He also called on the international

community to prevent countries like Iran and North Korea from

deceiving the world.

President Obama underscored the rationalization of war on the

occasion of the Peace Prize award ceremony. Japan's atomic-bomb

survivors lodged a strong protest, saying that it is utterly wrong

to justify war while pinning high hopes on a world free of nuclear

weapons.

(9) Yomiuri-Gallup poll: Perception gap between Japanese, Americans

on issues

YOMIURI (Page 12) (Full)

December 11, 2009

A recent joint public opinion survey of the Japanese and American

public, conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun and the Gallup

Organization, a U.S. pollster, posted no substantial change in the

relationship of mutual trust, which is the foundation of the

bilateral alliance between Japan and the United States. However, the

Japan-U.S. relationship is now invisible under the Hatoyama

government and is clearly at a serious crossroads.

Questions & Answers

(Figures shown in percentage)

Q: Do you trust any of the following organizations and public

entities in particular in your country? If any, pick as many as you

like.

Japan U.S.

Prime minister 48 ---

Diet 34 ---

Police, prosecutors 54 ---

Courts 66 ---

Self-Defense Forces 58 ---

Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, churches 46 ---

Central government offices 25 ---

Local governments 46 ---

Schools 53 ---

Hospitals 68 ---

Newspapers 66 ---

Television 46 ---

Major corporations 30 ---

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Labor unions 32 ---