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Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - State of the Union

Published: Thu 28 Jan 2010 08:20 AM
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000182
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 - STATE OF THE UNION
ADDRESS
1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Thursday morning
included a Nikkei report saying that major Japanese
manufacturers made sharp profit recoveries in the
October-December period in 2009 due mainly to strong
demand from abroad.
2. "President Obama Places Emphasis on Job Creation"
The Thursday (1/28) evening editions of Japanese
dailies gave top or front-page play to President
Obama's first State of the Union Address delivered on
Wednesday evening. The liberal Asahi wrote from
Washington: "President Obama placed priority on job
creation. He pledged to double U.S. exports over the
next five years to create two million jobs in
America.... Regarding foreign policy, the President
noted that North Korea now faces stronger sanctions and
warned Iran that it will face more serious
consequences." The liberal Mainichi reported from
Washington: "The State of the Union Address, two thirds
of which was dedicated to employment and economic
issues, was inward-looking in content.... On the
security front, the President reiterated his plans to
begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan in July
2011 and to have all of U.S. combat troops out of Iraq
by the end of this August." The moderate Yomiuri wrote:
"The President put forward his policy of taking
realistic measures for the middle class and imposing
strict regulations on financial institutions." The
business-oriented Nikkei commented: "The address
appears to be intended to regain public support by
placing emphasis on the employment issue, which is the
greatest concern to the American people."
3. "President Obama Determined to Revive Economy,
Create More Jobs" In their noon news programs on
Thursday (1/28), the quasi-governmental NHK and all
commercial broadcasters aired reports from Washington
on the State of the Union Address delivered by
President Obama. An NHK correspondent reported:
"President Obama pledged to make utmost efforts to
mitigate the middle class's dissatisfaction that the
recent economic recovery is not benefiting them. He
expressed his resolve to make maximum efforts to revive
the economy." A TBS reporter said: "President Obama
tried to tell the American people that he understands
their anger and dissatisfaction. Acknowledging that the
recent economic recovery in the U.S. is not necessarily
helping improve the livelihoods of ordinary people, the
President expressed his resolve to create more jobs for
the American people." An NTV reporter said: "The
President stressed the need for bipartisan efforts to
revive the economy and create more jobs." A Fuji-TV
journalist commented: "In his second year, the
President plans to make maximum efforts to revive the
economy and create more jobs. It will be necessary for
the President to revive the economy in order to regain
public confidence." A TV-Asahi correspondent noted:
"President Obama, whose public support is dropping,
expressed his resolve to address such issues as growing
state budget deficits and unemployment. In view of
increasing dissatisfaction among the middle class, he
placed priority on the creation of jobs."
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