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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 000065
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: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01/12/10
INDEX:
1) Top headlines
2) Editorials
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei)
Foreign relations:
4) Chinese vice-president would like Hatoyama to visit China this
year (Asahi)
5) Okada leaves for Hawaii for meeting with Clinton (Sankei)
Defense & security:
6) Number of days nuclear-powered ships were in Yokosuka a record
number of days in 2009 (Akahata)
7) Blue-ribbon panel investigating secret accords decides to
postpone the release of its findings (Asahi)
8) Numerous documents on secret accords were destroyed (Yomiuri)
9) Release of report on secret accords this month difficult
(Nikkei)
JAL restructuring:
10) JAL likely to form tie-up with Delta (Mainichi)
11) International routes focus in JAL revitalization (Nikkei)
12) Ceiling on loans to JAL set at 800 billion yen (Yomiuri)
Politics:
13) Regular diet session to be convened on 18th; stormy from the
start (Nikkei)
14) Govt. to submit to the diet a bill granting foreigners with
permanent residence status the right to vote in local elections
(Asahi)
15) Non-government advisers to prime minister to be doubled to 10
(Tokyo Shimbun)
16) Masuzoe says LDP should observe 70-year-age limit for candidates
in the proportional representative block of the Upper House election
(Nikkei)
Economy:
17) Joint public-private initiative for Asia strategy is first under
Hatoyama administration (Nikkei)
18) Geithner, Kan agree on importance of stable forex market
(Sankei)
Opinion:
19) Kyodo poll: 85 PERCENT say Ozawa's explanation of land deal
insufficient (Tokyo Shimbun)
Articles:
1) TOP HEADLINES
Asahi:
Government to submit bill to grant local suffrage to permanent
foreign residents
Mainichi:
Disaster Preparedness Center in Tokyo Bay found vulnerable to
quakes
Yomiuri:
JAL credit line set at 800 billion yen: Stock likely to be delisted
TOKYO 00000065 002 OF 011
Nikkei:
Medical services for elderly people: Government eyes having National
Health Insurance cover people aged 65 or older
Sankei:
Government to submit bill granting local suffrage to permanent
foreign residents to upcoming regular Diet session
Tokyo Shimbun:
Land purchase issue poll: 85 percent say, "DPJ Secretary General
Ozawa has not yet provided sufficient explanation"
Akahata:
Nuclear-powered naval vessels stayed at U.S. Yokosuka base for
record number of days in 2009
2) EDITORIALS
Asahi:
(1) Three airports in Kansai district: Examine closing Itami Airport
(2) System for determining cause of death: The deceased speak for
the sake of the living
Mainichi:
(1) Introduction of lay judge system marks second anniversary:
Competence of legal professionals to be questioned
(2) Amendment to workers-dispatch law: Give peace of mind and
dignity to workers
Yomiuri:
(1) Cuts in global-warming greenhouse gasses: Create foundation for
oil- and coal-free society
Nikkei:
(1) Take advantage of Asia's vitality through trade liberalization
Sankei:
(1) Caliber of school teachers should be raised through competition
and evaluation
(2) Surplus imported new H1N1vaccine
Tokyo Shimbun:
(1) Review of dam construction projects: Expert Council should be
made tangible
(2) Situation in Yemen: Do not make the nation a haven for
terrorists
Akahata:
(1) Self-help assistance lawsuit ends: Starting point for the
physically handicapped to restore their dignity
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei)
Prime Minister's schedule, January 11
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
January 12, 2010
10:01 Attended a meeting of government and DPJ leaders at the Prime
Minister's Official Residence.
11:43 Visited the bookstore "Maruzen" in Marunouchi, with Deputy
TOKYO 00000065 003 OF 011
Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsui and Editorial Engineering Laboratory
Chairman Seigo Matsuoka.
12:52 Had lunch with Matsui, Matsuoka and Maruzen President Takehiko
Obi at a Japanese restaurant in the Marunouchi Hotel.
13:40 Talked with Matsui and Matsuoka
15:50 Arrived at the official residential quarters.
4) Chinese vice president asks for Hatoyama to visit China this
year
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full)
January 12, 2010
Kenji Minemura, Beijing
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping met yesterday with Shizuoka Gov.
Heita Kawakatsu, now visiting Beijing. During the meeting, Xi sought
a visit to China by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama before the end of
the year. Referring to his Japan visit last month, the vice
president said, "I thank the Japanese government and other circles
for being able to deepen mutual understanding," without mentioning
his meeting with the Emperor.
5) FM Okada departs for Hawaii for talks with U.S. Secretary of
State Clinton
SANKEI (Page 3) (Abridged)
January 12, 2010
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada departed from Narita Airport for
Honolulu, Hawaii, on the evening of Jan. 11 for talks with U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The Japan-U.S. foreign
ministerial meeting will be held on Jan. 12 (Jan. 13, Japan time)
and the two sides will engage in final coordination on the joint
statement to be issued on Jan. 19 by the leaders of both countries
on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the revision of the
Japan-U.S. security treaty. With regard to the pending issue of the
relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City,
Okinawa), the U.S. side is demanding the early implementation of the
existing relocation plan, so no major progress is expected.
This will be the third meeting between Okada and Clinton. It is an
unusual meeting because Okada has flown to Hawaii specifically for
the purpose of meeting Clinton, who is stopping over there on her
way to visit Australia and other countries.
6) Nuclear-powered naval vessels stayed at U.S. Yokosuka base for
record number of days in 2009
AKAHATA (Top play) (Excerpts)
January 12, 2010
Nuclear-powered naval vessels stayed for a record number of days in
2009 at the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture,
according to data compiled by the city. The U.S. military's
intention to enhance the Yokosuka base as an operational base for
nuclear-powered vessels has been revealed by the deployment of the
nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington and visits by
large nuclear-powered submarines.
Last year, the Yokosuka base saw a nearly three-fold increase from
the year 2008 in the total number of days that U.S. nuclear-powered
TOKYO 00000065 004 OF 011
vessels visited, marking 324 days, an increase of 204 days. The
previous record of 244 days, marked in 1995, since the
nuclear-powered submarine Snook visited the base in May 1966, has
now been surpassed.
The number of visits was 23, more than double the number recorded in
2008.
"The number of days that nuclear-powered vessels visited has been
increasing since the conventional vessel USS Kitty Hawk deployed at
the Yokosuka base was replaced by a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
in September 2008," a city official of the base affairs section
said.
7) Foreign Ministry panel put off disclosure of secret accord
examination results
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full)
January 12, 2010
The committee of experts, chaired by University of Tokyo Prof.
Shinichi Kitaoka, which is in charge of the Foreign Ministry's
examination of secret Japan-U.S. agreements on, among other things,
introducing nuclear weapons, held a meeting yesterday in the
ministry and decided to postpone by about one month the disclosure
of the results of its examination, although it had planned to made
it public in mid-January. Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada will
apparently accept the panel's decision. Some committee members had
claimed that they would need more time for the examination because
of the enormous number of documents subject to the examination and
because they are allowed to access the documents only at the
ministry.
8) MOFA panel to state in planned report that many documents
pertaining to Japan-U.S. secret agreements were destroyed
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full)
January 12, 2010
The experts' committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
(chaired by Tokyo University Professor Shinichi Kitaoka) for
investigating the "secret agreements" between Japan and the United
States on the introduction of nuclear arms into Japan and other
matters concluded at a meeting on Jan. 11 that it is highly possible
that many documents attesting to these secret agreement have been
destroyed. The panel plans to point out the sloppiness of MOFA's
archiving of documents in its report. However, it appears that the
documents were discarded based on ministry rules, so the report will
not touch on the personal responsibility of senior officials. This
issue will be left for Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada to decide on.
Before the experts' committee began its investigation, MOFA's
internal investigation failed to find a document allegedly signed by
then Foreign Minister Aiichiro Fujiyama and U.S. Ambassador to Japan
Douglas MacArthur II in 1960, at the time of the revision of the
bilateral security treaty, on exempting U.S. vessels with nuclear
arms onboard calling on Japanese ports from the "prior consultation"
requirement. However, a draft of this document without Fujiyama's
and MacArthur's signatures was found. Some documents pertaining to
the other secret accords have also been made public in the U.S.
Therefore, the panel reckons that: "The same documents must exist in
TOKYO 00000065 005 OF 011
MOFA. There is evidence that many documents pertaining to the secret
agreements have been destroyed. It is highly possible that MOFA
officials destroyed them before the enforcement of the information
disclosure law in April 2001 for fear that the secret agreements
might be revealed."
9) MOFA panel says producing report on Japan-U.S. secret agreements
in January would be difficult
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
January 12, 2010
At a meeting on Jan. 11, the experts' committee (chaired by Tokyo
University Professor Shinichi Kitaoka) set up by Foreign Minister
Katsuya Okada to examine a number of secret agreements between Japan
and the United States, including one on the introduction of nuclear
weapons, agreed that it would be difficult to produce a report in
January as originally planned. This is because it will take more
time to verify documents and interview former Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MOFA) officials. The committee plans to complete the report
in February.
At the meeting, MOFA officials distributed copies of a document kept
by family members of the late Prime Minister Eisaku Sato regarding
the secret agreement on the re-introduction of nuclear arms during
the negotiations on Okinawa's reversion to Japanese administration.
Committee members concluded that this document substantiates the
existence of the secret agreement.
Based on work done by the committee so far, its members are leaning
toward concluding that secret agreements did exist on: (1) port
calls and passage through territorial sea by ships carrying nuclear
weapons; (2) free use of U.S. military bases in Japan in a
contingency in Korea; and (3) re-introduction of nuclear arms into
Okinawa.
10) JAL, Delta expected to form tie-up
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts)
January 12, 2010
Cash-strapped Japan Airlines is now likely to tie up with the
world's largest carrier, Delta Air Lines, and to move from the
global airline alliance Oneworld to Skyteam. American Airlines has
also proposed increasing the amount of its capital investment in
JAL, but JAL and the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Ministry have inclined toward Delta. The Enterprise Turnaround
Initiative Corporation of Japan has also begun to recommend Delta as
JAL's partner. The new leadership to be put in place after the
turnaround body determines reconstruction measures will formally
decide the carrier with which JAL should form a tie-up.
Based on the open skies agreement reached between the Japanese and
U.S. governments in December, JAL and Delta are expected to apply
for antitrust immunity.
Delta has secured many profitable routes between the U.S. and Japan
and between the U.S. and other Asian countries. Many people
anticipate that forming a tie-up with Delta will bring more
long-term benefits for JAL (than a tie-up with American Airlines) in
terms of standardized airfares and coordination of flight
schedules.
TOKYO 00000065 006 OF 011
If JAL moves to Skyteam, its share of passengers for the routes
between Japan and the U.S. will exceed 60 PERCENT . Therefore,
American Airlines, which belongs to Oneworld, has asserted: "U.S.
authorities will not approve JAL's transfer to Skyteam." Meanwhile,
Delta has rebutted the criticism, noting that since Star Alliance
members have a considerably large share, competition will not be
undermined.
11) JAL turnaround with focus on international fight routes
NIKKEI (Page 3) (Abridged)
January 12, 2010
Japan Airlines will aim at reconstructing its management under the
Corporate Rehabilitation Law. The focus of the process will be on a
business strategy. That is because while the restructuring of its
financial affairs, personnel matters and a reduction in flight
routes is expected to make headway, the future image of the carrier
is not yet in sight. In the aviation industry, while passenger
demand is flagging in industrialized countries, centered on Japan,
the U.S. and European countries, it is expected to expand in
emerging countries. Amid intensifying competition among
flag-carriers, it is imperative for JAL to map out a business
strategy with a focus on international flights.
JAL will file for a petition for protection with the court under the
Corporate Rehabilitation Law. Enterprise Turnaround Initiative
Corporation of Japan (ETIC), which will help the carrier, will take
charge of the drafting of a rehabilitation plan. Since ETIC has thus
far been prioritizing the carrier's fiscal reconstruction, the
drafting of a specific business plan has lagged behind.
Earnings from international fight operations fluctuate more greatly
than do revenues from domestic operations. This is because economic
conditions, terrorism, epidemics, events like the Olympic Games, and
relations with other countries - whether Japan has friendly
relationships with them or not -- affect earnings from international
flights. As such, the prevailing view is that one of the following
three types of carriers can survive: (1) Mega carriers with major
networks both for international and domestic flights; (2) low-cost
carriers that specialize in one or two highly profitable
international routes; or (3) carriers specializing in domestic
flights.
Which type will JAL aim to become? The prevailing view in the
Transport Ministry is to use the occasion of legal liquidation to
turn JAL into an internationally competitive carrier. On the other
hand, some government officials, who attach importance to reducing
the public financial burden, are calling on JAL to largely
relinquish the global market to All Nippon Airways by slashing its
international operations.
12) JAL credit line set at 800 billion yen: Stock likely to be
delisted
YOMIURI (Top play) (Excerpts)
January 12, 2010
Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation of Japan (ETIC) and the
Development Bank of Japan (DBJ), which are in charge of the Japan
Airline's (JAL) management reconstruction process, on Jan. 11
TOKYO 00000065 007 OF 011
started coordinating views in order to prepare 800 billion yen in
total to cope with cash outflow in conjunction with the carrier's
filing a petition for protection with the court under the Corporate
Rehabilitation Law. JAL's stock is likely be delisted to clarify the
responsibility of stockholders as the owners of the company. The
government intends to decide on its policy for supporting the
turnaround body on Jan.12 by calling in executives of megabanks and
obtaining their cooperation for the legal liquidation of JAL.
JAL intends to apply for protection with the court under the
Corporate Rehabilitation Law as early as the 19th. There is a strong
possibility that the carrier's cash payments to its business
partners, including overseas companies, will temporarily balloon due
to credit uncertainty. The government and the turnaround body have
determined that it will be necessary to prepare sufficient funds to
address the situation.
To be precise, ETIC will prepare a credit line worth 400 billion yen
for JAL by procuring funds on its own. The DBJ will create yet
another credit line worth 200 billion yen. It has already set up a
credit line for bridge financing worth 200 billion yen, of which 145
billion yen remains unused.
13) Ordinary Diet session to open on Jan. 18: Rough seas ahead
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts)
January 12, 2010
The government and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) decided at a
leaders' meeting yesterday to work hard to pass the fiscal 2010
budget bill within this fiscal year at the ordinary Diet session
scheduled to open on Jan. 18. The premise is that the second
supplementary budget for fiscal 2009 should be enacted before the
end of the month. The opposition camp is poised to call for thorough
deliberations on the politics-and-money scandals involving Prime
Minister Yukio Hatoyama and DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa. The
upcoming Diet session is expected to face rough seas from the
outset.
Political events
Jan. 18 Start of ordinary Diet session
Late January Deliberations at Budget Committee on second
supplementary budget for fiscal 2009
Jan. 27-31 Annual assembly of World Economy Forum (Davos Conference,
Switzerland)
End of January? Enactment of supplementary budget
Feb. 5-6 Meeting of Group of Seven (G-7) finance ministers and
central bank governors (Canada)
Early February Start of deliberations on fiscal 2010 budget bill at
Lower House
Late February-Early March Deliberations in Lower House on fiscal
2010 budget bill expected to reach crucial stage
After March Enactment of fiscal 2010 budget. Focus to be shifted to
bills linked to DPJ's policy manifesto
June 16 End of Diet session
July 11? Day of Upper House election? (if Diet session is not
extended and if election is carried out on Sunday)
14) Government to submit bill on suffrage for permanent foreign
residents
TOKYO 00000065 008 OF 011
ASAHI (Top Play) (Excerpts)
January 12, 2010
Government and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leaders met
yesterday and agreed to submit a bill to grant permanent foreign
residents local voting rights to the ordinary Diet session scheduled
to be convened on Jan. 18. They also decided to submit bills
amending relevant laws to allow the appointment of 15 more senior
vice ministers and parliamentary secretaries
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa,
and others attended the meeting.
In a similar meeting held in November, the participants agreed to
leave the issue of foreigners' suffrage in Ozawa's hands. In a
speech in South Korea in December, Ozawa indicated that it should be
a bill not sponsored by House members but by the government. In the
meeting yesterday, too, Ozawa said: "In light of relations between
Japan and South Korea, the government should handle the matter." The
government side accepted Ozawa's proposal. Chief Cabinet Secretary
Hirofumi Hirano has already instructed Internal Affairs Minister
Kazuhiro Haraguchi to prepare a suffrage bill.
If the bill is submitted to the Diet, the New Komeito and the
Japanese Communist Party, both of which have insisted on the need to
allow permanent foreign residents to vote in elections, are expected
to vote for the bill. Yet, some DPJ members are calling for caution
about granting foreigners local voting rights, although the Social
Democratic Party in the ruling camp favors the measure. In addition,
the People's New Party has expressed its opposition, so discussion
on the legislation in the ruling coalition might heat up.
When the DPJ was preparing a lawmaker-initiated bill, the premise
was that the voting right should be given only to those with
nationality of countries with which Japan has established diplomatic
relations and those who come from countries with equivalent
conditions. In this case, the possibility is high that people who
come from the Korean Peninsula or their descendants but have no
South Korean nationality will not be covered by the law. The right
to run for election, however, is unlikely to be included in the
suffrage legislation.
15) Number of prime minister's advisers to be doubled to 10; senior
vice-ministers and parliamentary secretaries to be increased by 15
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Excerpts)
January 12, 2010
The government and the Democratic Party of Japan held a leaders'
meeting at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei)
yesterday and decided to increase the total number of senior vice
ministers and parliamentary secretaries by 15 to strengthen the
politician-led decision-making system. They also decided to raise
the maximum number of advisers to the prime minister, now set at
five, to 10 by increasing the private-sector slot. They are aiming
to submit related bills to the next regular Diet session to be
convened on Jan. 18.
Specifically, the number of senior vice ministers will be increased
by three and that of parliamentary secretaries by 12. Included in
them is an additional deputy chief cabinet secretary for
parliamentary affairs (on the senior vice-minister level). The
TOKYO 00000065 009 OF 011
person in that post will be tasked with serving concurrently as
chief of the National Policy Unit that will be upgraded from the
national policy office. At the same time, a post for a national
policy officer at the level of parliamentary secretary will be
established.
The number of Diet members who can join the government (currently
set at 74) under the law will be 89. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama
will explain this policy at a cabinet meeting today.
16) LDP's Masuzoe: We must abide by 70-year-old retirement rule
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
January 2010
Asked by reporters about whether the 70-year-old retirement rule
should be applied to candidates for the proportional representation
segment in the upcoming House of Councillors election, Yoichi
Masuzoe, a member of the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party
(LDP) and former health and welfare minister, said, "We must observe
the rule because we decided on it." His comment indicated that the
LDP should forgo endorsing such veteran politicians as Taku
Yamasaki, former LDP president, 73, and former internal affairs
minister Toranosuke Katayama, 74, as official LDP candidates for the
Upper House election in the summer. Yamasaki and Katayama have
expressed their willingness to run in the election. Masuzoe, also in
a speech delivered in Tokyo yesterday, stated, "The LDP's historical
role has ended. We can't keep replaying a disk that is full of
static," implying his intention to form a new party that can compete
with the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ).
17) Public-private cooperation based on Asia strategy
NIKKEI (Page 5) (Excerpts)
January 12, 2010
Sho Baba, Jakarta
Collaboration between the public and private sectors has been
realized for the first time under the Democratic Party of Japan-led
government based on its Asia strategy, which will become a pillar of
new growth for Japan. Economic, Trade and Industry Minister Masayuki
Naoshima and Japan Business Federation (JBF or Nippon Keidanren)
Chairman Fujio Mitarai reached an agreement yesterday with the
Indonesian government to promote the development of Indonesian
infrastructure. There was a rift between the government and JBF
following the inauguration of the DPJ government, but the government
and JBF are now set to cooperate in Asia, which is leading global
growth.
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
met late last year and agreed to strengthen the bilateral economic
relationship between Japan and Indonesia. Based on this agreement,
the two countries held a forum of economic ministers and business
leaders. The Hatoyama government has formulated a policy of placing
importance on Asia and the environment in its new growth strategy
and views strengthening ties with Indonesia as the first step to
that end.
Naoshima, Mitarai, Indonesian State Minister for the Environment
Gusti Muhammad Hatta, who is in charge of economic affairs, and
other officials attended the meeting. They released a joint
TOKYO 00000065 010 OF 011
statement calling for bilateral cooperation in such areas as the
development of infrastructure, trade and investment, energy
development, and the environment. In connection with infrastructure
development, which is the focus of cooperation efforts, the two
countries will push forward with a study of development in six
regions, including Sumatra and Java. Japan expressed its intention
to support the Indonesian Economic Development Corridor project
aimed at building electric power plants, ports and harbors, and
railroads in areas surrounding major cities, as well as developing
coal and food industries in each region.
18) Kan, Geithner confirm stability of foreign exchange market over
telephone
SANKEI (Page 11) (Abridged slightly)
January 12, 2010
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Naoto Kan spoke with U.S.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on the phone last night. In the
telephone conversation, the two ministers confirmed a statement
released by the G-7 finance ministers and central bank governors
noting that it is desirable to maintain the stability of the foreign
exchange market.
They also promised to attend a G-7 meeting to be held in Canada in
early February and hold Japan-U.S. finance ministerial talks. In
addition, Kan reportedly explained the basic policy on the growth
strategy formulated by the government late last year. The two
ministers are also believed to have agreed to cooperate on fiscal
and monetary policies, in addition to foreign exchange policies.
The telephone discussion was requested by the Japanese side in order
to allow Kan to introduce himself to Geithner as the successor to
former Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii. Although Kan had held talks
with Geithner as deputy prime minister and state minister for
national policy during the Treasury Secretary's visit to Japan last
November, it was Kan's first (telephone) meeting with his U.S.
counterpart as finance minister.
After the telephone conversation, Kan said, "We discussed that it is
desirable to maintain the stability (of the exchange market)."
During his first press conference as finance minister on Jan. 7, Kan
called for a weaker yen, stirring up controversy. There is a
possibility that the Kan-Geithner telephone meeting will also spark
market speculation.
19) Poll: 85 PERCENT see need for further explanation from Ozawa
about land purchase issue; cabinet support remains flat
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Abridged)
January 12, 2009
Kyodo News conducted a telephone-based nationwide public opinion
survey on Jan. 10-11, in which 85.4 PERCENT of respondents said
Ichiro Ozawa, secretary general of the ruling Democratic Party of
Japan, has yet to provide a sufficient explanation in connection
with his fund-managing body's purchase of land. In the survey,
respondents were further asked what they thought Ozawa should do if
his former secretary or others involved were prosecuted over the
issue. In response to this question, 35.1 PERCENT answered that
Ozawa should resign from his party post, and 25.3 PERCENT insisted
TOKYO 00000065 011 OF 011
that he should resign from his Diet membership. These figures reveal
the public's harsh view of the matter.
The public approval rating for the Hatoyama cabinet was 50.8 PERCENT
, up 3.6 percentage points from the last survey conducted at the end
of last year. Public support remained almost flat. The disapproval
rating was 33.2 PERCENT . Asked about Finance Minister Naoto Kan,
59.0 PERCENT said they had high expectations for him, while 35.2
PERCENT said they did not.
When asked whether Ozawa has provided a sufficient explanation on
the land purchase issue, 8.6 PERCENT answered "yes." In a relevant
question asking about how Ozawa should take responsibility if
someone connected to his fund-managing body is prosecuted, 34.6
PERCENT answered that he has only to provide a full explanation and
take steps to improve the situation.
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the DPJ
stood at 38.7 PERCENT , up 2.6 points from the last survey.
Meanwhile, the leading opposition Liberal Democratic Party was at
17.3 PERCENT , down 6.4 points. As seen from these figures, the gap
between the two parties has become wider that in the previous
survey. Among other political parties, the New Komeito was at 3.4
PERCENT , the Japanese Communist Party at 2.9 PERCENT , the Social
Democratic Party at 3.0 PERCENT , the Your Party at 2.7 PERCENT ,
the People's New Party at 0.1 PERCENT , and the New Party Nippon at
0.4 PERCENT . "None" accounted for 30.6 PERCENT .
ROOS