Cablegate: Daily Summary of Japanese Press 01/19/10

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PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #0107/01 0190757
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190757Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8775
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/USDOT WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5//
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA//
RHMFIUU/USFJ //J5/JO21//
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RUAYJAA/CTF 72
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 0709
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 8368
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2184
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 5456
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 8864
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2693
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 9357
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 8776

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TOKYO 000107

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA;
WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION;
TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN,
DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA
FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR;
CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA

SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 01/19/10

INDEX:

(1) Editorial: Government must resolve Futenma issue and prevent
Japan-U.S. Security Treaty from becoming irrelevant (Sankei)

(2) Poll: Hatoyama cabinet, political parties (Asahi)

ARTICLES:

(1) Editorial: Government must resolve Futenma issue and prevent
Japan-U.S. Security Treaty from becoming irrelevant

SANKEI (Page 2) (Full)
January 19, 2010

Today marks 50 years since Japan and the United States signed the
revised current Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, replacing the former
security treaty. On the occasion of celebrating the 50th anniversary
of the security treaty, which is the foundation of the bilateral
alliance, Japan and the U.S. should reconfirm the significance of
their security treaty and aim to strengthen and develop the alliance
relationship for the next 50 years.

It is problematic that the U.S.-Japan alliance is facing an
unprecedented crisis of becoming irrelevant under the Hatoyama
administration, even though this is an important year for the two
countries. The plans for the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan
that were intended make the U.S. military presence more attuned to
the international environment in the 21st century have gone adrift
over Futenma relocation, and this has made communications between
the top leaders impossible.

Prime Minister Hatoyama must decide immediately to implement the
existing Futenma relocation accord in order to rectify this
situation and to put the planned alliance talks on the right track.

In January 1960 then Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi and President
Dwight Eisenhower signed the existing security treaty, aimed at a
more equal and fair alliance, incorporating the U.S.'s obligation to
protect Japan, which was not included in the old treaty, and the
necessity of talks between the two countries including prior
consultations. June 2010 will mark the 50th anniversary of the
execution of the revised Japan-U.S. security treaty.

Both the security treaty signed in 1951 and the revised treaty have
served as the foundation for the bilateral alliance. This year is
extremely significant not only for Japan's security and the history
of the alliance but also for the Japan-U.S. relationship in the
future.

In the past half century, Japan and the U.S. have cooperated to deal
with such world crises as the Cold War, Gulf War, 9/11 terrorist
attacks, and nuclear nonproliferation. The two countries played
indispensable roles in the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific
region. The bilateral alliance has also been a stabilizing factor
for Japan's security.

Due to North Korea's nuclear development and China's military
buildup, the Japan-U.S. alliance is becoming increasing important
and significant in the 21st century as well.

TOKYO 00000107 002 OF 004

Nevertheless, the Hatoyama administration has put off making a
decision on the Futenma issue and terminated the Maritime
Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean on Jan.
15, disappointing the U.S., Pakistan, and other countries. As Japan
has begun leaning toward China, the U.S. government has become
increasingly distrustful of Japan in terms of the strategic
relationship among Japan, the U.S. and China.

In the recent foreign ministerial meeting, Tokyo and Washington made
a token agreement to start talks on deepening the bilateral
alliance. However, it is unclear when they will be able to initiate
substantive talks on how Japan should contribute to the
international community and how the two countries should cooperate
in strengthening deterrence. The situation is still up in the air.

Taiwan and Southeast Asian nations have also apparently expressed
concern about the present condition of the Japan-U.S. alliance.
Hatoyama must place top priority on settling the Futenma issue to
prevent the alliance relationship from becoming irrelevant.

(2) Poll: Hatoyama cabinet, political parties

ASAHI (Page 4) (Full)
January 19, 2010

Questions & Answers
(Figures are percentages, rounded off. Figures in parentheses denote
the results of the last survey, conducted Dec. 19-20.)

Q: Do you support the Hatoyama cabinet?

Yes 42 (48)
No 41 (34)

Q: Which political party do you support now?

Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 36 (42)
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 16 (18)
New Komeito (NK) 3 (2)
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 2 (1)
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 1 (1)
Your Party (YP or Minna no To) 1 (1)
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 1 (0)
Reform Club (RC or Kaikaku Kurabu) 0 (0)
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0 (0)
Other political parties 0 (0)
None 36 (31)
No answer (N/A) + don't know (D/K) 4 (4)

Q: There will be an election this summer for the House of
Councillors. If you were to vote now, which political party or which
political party's candidate would you like to vote for in your
proportional representation blocs?

DPJ 36
LDP 23
NK 3
JCP 3
SDP 2
YP 2
PNP 1
RC 0

TOKYO 00000107 003 OF 004

NPN 0
Other political parties 1
N/A+D/K 29

Q: The next question concerns the involvement of Prime Minister
Hatoyama in his fund-managing body's falsification of political
funds. Do you think Prime Minister Hatoyama should resign to take
responsibility for this problem?

Yes 30
No 59

Q: Prime Minister Hatoyama apologized for his fund-managing body's
alleged falsification of political donations, explaining that he had
entrusted everything to his secretary and that he did not know that
his fund-managing body had been funded by his mother. Do you approve
of this explanation?

Yes 16
No 77

Q: The next question concerns the new fiscal year's budget. As a
result of incorporating public pledges the DPJ made in campaigning
for last year's general election for the House of Representatives,
the general account budget totals 92 trillion yen, which is the
largest ever, and the government will have to issue deficit-covering
bonds to the extent of 44 trillion yen, which is also the largest
ever. To what extent do you approve of this budget? (One choice
only)

Very much 1
Somewhat 35
Not very much 45
Not at all 14

Q: Do you think Prime Minister Hatoyama displayed leadership in last
year's budget compilation?

Yes 18
No 74

Q: To what extent do you approve of the Hatoyama cabinet's efforts
for eliminating wasteful spending in the budget compilation this
time? (One choice only)

Very much 6
Somewhat 53
Not very much 30
Not at all 9

Q: Prime Minister Hatoyama has changed his ruling party's public
pledge to abolish gasoline surcharges and has decided to impose the
same amount of gas taxation as ever. Do you approve of continuing
the gas surcharges?

Yes 38
No 50

Q: The problem of DPJ Secretary General Ozawa's political funds has
led to the arrests of Tomohiro Ishikawa, who was a secretary of DPJ
Secretary General Ozawa and is now a DPJ lawmaker seated in the
House of Representatives, and of two other former secretaries. Do

TOKYO 00000107 004 OF 004

you approve of Mr. Ozawa's response to this problem so far?

Yes 5
No 88

Q: Do you approve of Mr. Hatoyama's response to the problem of Mr.
Ozawa's political funds so far?

Yes 12
No 79

Q With regard to the problem of Mr. Ozawa's political funds, has
your evaluation of the DPJ declined or remained the same?

Declined 59
Remained the same 36

Q: Do you think Mr. Ozawa should resign from his party post to take
responsibility for the problem?

Yes 67
No 23

Q: The government plans to present to the Diet a bill allowing
foreign nationals with permanent resident status in Japan to vote in
local elections. Do you approve of vesting foreign nationals
residing permanently in Japan with the right to vote in local
elections?

Yes 60
No 29

Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Jan. 16-17 over the
telephone on a computer-aided random digit dialing (RDD) basis.
Respondents were chosen from among the nation's voting population on
a three-stage random-sampling basis. Households with one or more
eligible voters totaled 3,628. Valid answers were obtained from
2,182 persons (60 PERCENT ).

ZUMWALT

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