DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 05/07/09-2

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TOKYO 001035

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TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA

SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 05/07/09-2

INDEX:

INDEX:

(11) Poll: 47 PERCENT see need for constitutional revision (Nikkei)


(12) Poll: 64 PERCENT opposed to amending Article 9 (Asahi)

(13) China's participation urged (Tokyo Shimbun)

(14) U.S. joint chiefs of staff chairman: China's military buildup
appears aimed at U.S. (Sankei)

(15) Japanese, German leaders confirm cooperation to overcome
economic crisis (Sankei)

(16) International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and
Disarmament's draft report to state world can abolish nuclear
weapons after 2025 (Mainichi)

ARTICLES:

(11) Poll: 47 PERCENT see need for constitutional revision

NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
May 3, 2009

Ahead of Constitution Day, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun conducted a
public opinion survey. In the poll, respondents were asked if they
thought the Constitution should be amended. In response to this
question, affirmative answers outnumbered negative ones at 47
PERCENT and 38 PERCENT . The proportion of those in favor of
constitutional revision was down 1 point from a poll taken a year
ago, and the proportion of those for constitutional protection also
down 5 points. This is presumably because the Diet has stagnated its
debate on the Constitution.

In the breakdown of reasons for supporting constitutional revision,
62 PERCENT said "the Constitution should incorporate ideas that
meet the times," up 8 points from the last poll. This reason topped
all other reasons. Among other reasons, 16 PERCENT picked "Japan
should change its system so it can easily push for reforms," with 13
PERCENT choosing "the Constitution has provisions that are far
apart from reality."

In the meantime, the most common reason given for protecting the
Constitution from change was "Japan's pacifism could change in
nature with constitutional revision" (36 PERCENT ),followed by "the
Constitution should not be amended unless otherwise there is
something really serious" (29 PERCENT ). The gap between the
proportions of those supporting constitutional revision and those
supporting constitutional protection expanded slightly.

The survey was taken by Nikkei Research Inc. by telephone on a
random digit dialing (RDD) basis. For the survey, samples were
chosen from among men and women aged 20 and over across the nation.
A total of 1,388 households with one or more eligible voters were
sampled, and answers were obtained from 866 persons (62.4 PERCENT
).

(12) Poll: 64 PERCENT opposed to amending Article 9

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ASAHI (Page 1) (Full)
May 2, 2009

Ahead of Constitution Day on May 3, the Asahi Shimbun conducted a
telephone-based nationwide public opinion survey. In the poll,
respondents were asked if they thought it would be better to change
Article 9 of the Constitution. In response to this question, a total
of 64 PERCENT answered "no," with only 26 PERCENT saying "yes."
Meanwhile, 53 PERCENT responded "yes" to a question asking if the
Constitution should be amended. Among them, 42 PERCENT said it
would be better to change Article 9, with 49 PERCENT saying it
would be better not to change it. The survey was conducted April
18-19.

In a previous poll conducted in April 2007 when the Abe cabinet was
in office, respondents were also asked if they thought it would be
better to change Article 9. In that poll, "no" accounted for 49
PERCENT , and "yes" for 33 PERCENT . In a poll taken in April last
year when the Fukuda cabinet was in office, the gap between the
proportions of negative and affirmative answers widened, with "no"
accounting for 66 PERCENT and "yes" for 23 PERCENT . There was no
marked change between this poll and last year's one.

Those who gave affirmative answers to the question about Article 9
(26 PERCENT of all respondents) were further asked to choose
between two options for how it should be amended. Among them,
opinion was split, with 50 PERCENT saying the Constitution should
only prescribe the existence of the Self-Defense Forces and 44
PERCENT saying the SDF should be stipulated as a military entity
like other countries'.

Asked whether the Constitution should be amended as a whole,
affirmative answers accounted for 53 PERCENT , outnumbering negative
ones at 33 PERCENT . In 2007, affirmative answers accounted for 58
PERCENT , with negative ones at 27 PERCENT . Last year, the
affirmative figure was 56 PERCENT , with the negative figure at 31
PERCENT .

(13) China's participation urged

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full)
May 6, 2009

Nakahiro Iwata, Washington

Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito, now visiting the U.S., met with
U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Chinese Todd Stern in Washington on
May 4. They agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties in order to
urge China to agree on compulsory participation in the next-term
framework to curb global warming (post-Kyoto protocol).

Saito pointed out that a framework that obligates emerging
countries, such as China, to cut a certain level of carbon emissions
is necessary. Stern agreed with the proposal, adding, "The U.S. will
not take part in a framework that China does not participate in."

(14) U.S. joint chiefs of staff chairman: China's military buildup
appears aimed at U.S.

SANKEI (Page 2) (Full)
May 6, 2009

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Hideya Yamamoto, Washington

The USS Victorious, an ocean surveillance ship, which is now
carrying out operations in waters in the Yellow Sea, was obstructed
by two Chinese fishing boats on May 1, an U.S. Defense Department
official revealed on May 5. A similar incident occurred between the
U.S. and Chinese ships in March in the South China Sea. Following
the series of incidents in international waters, U.S. Joint Chiefs
of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen explicitly said that rapid buildup in
the Chinese Navy and Air Force "is aimed at the United States." He
expressed a sense of alarm heightened between the U.S. and China in
the Pacific region, including the U.S. bases in Japan.

The two Chinese vessles obstructed the navigation of the USS
Victorious, by coming close to the USS ship, which was in operation
in international waters in the Yellow Seat. The USS Victorious urged
a Chinese government organization ship nearby through a formal rote
to have the two fishing boats discontinue their act of disturbance.
The two Chinese ships moved away from the USS Victorious.

The USS Victorious was involved in another incident with a Chinese
ship in March in the Yellow Sea. When another U.S. ocean
surveillance ship was interrupted by a Chinese vessel, the U.S. Navy
hastily dispatched a destroyer.

According to Reuters, Navy Adm. Mullen made a more specific remark
in a speech delivered at a conference of the Navy League of the
United States: "China's buildup of sea and air military power
appears aimed at the United Sates." He took the view that China's
military buildup was focused on the U.S. Navy and U.S. bases
overseas.

Mullen said that China had the right to strengthen its national
security, but the buildup would require the United States to enhance
cooperation with its allies in the Pacific region, such as Japan,
South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

Jeffrey Bader, senior director for Asian affairs at the National
Security Council (NSC),made this comment on the U.S.-China
incidents in international waters: "The absence of a sound
relationship between the U.S. and Chinese militaries is a part of
that strategic mistrust." He then called for the need for the U.S.
and Chinese governments to promote security dialogue of high-level
officials.

(15) Japanese, German leaders confirm cooperation to overcome
economic crisis

SANKEI (Page 2) (Full)
May 6, 2009

Prime Minister Taro Aso, who is now visiting Europe, held talks with
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the afternoon of May 5 at the
Federal Chancellery in Berlin. Aso and Merkel confirmed that their
countries would strengthen cooperation to overcome the global
economic crisis. The two leaders agreed on a policy of pressing for
the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution
1718 on North Korea's missile launch. They also confirmed that Tokyo
and Berlin would consult and cooperate on dealing with such issues
as global warming, the Afghanistan-Pakistan situation, and the
new-type influenza.

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At a joint press conference, Aso stressed that both countries should
become permanent UNSC members. He referred to suspicion that Iran
was developing nuclear weapons,saying:

"Iran remains isolated from the international community. However,
relations between Japan and Iran are not that bad, so we would like
to play a role of exposing President Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad to world
opinion."

Merkel said that North Korea needed to return to the six-party
talks. She continued: "The North Korean regime has deprived its
people of their freedom. From the standpoint of learning from German
history, I hope that regime will ease its controls."

Prior to his meeting with Merkel, Aso delivered a policy speech
titled, "Japan-Europe partnership to overcome global issues." He
spoke at Humboldt University on the morning of May 5 before an
audience of about 120, including business leaders and academics.
This was the first time for a Japanese prime minister to deliver a
foreign policy speech in Europe.

Aso emphasized that Japan and Europe, sharing such common values as
democracy, have the capability and responsibility for dealing with
global issues. He said that the influence of Japan and Europe has
grown. He called for strengthening cooperation between Japan and
Europe on four issues: financial and economic crisis; climate
change; war on terror; and nuclear disarmament and
nonproliferation.

Aso explained North Korea's nuclear programs and its abductions of
Japanese nationals, as well as the threat to Japan of China's
military buildup and modernization. He asserted that the security
environment surrounding Japan was becoming increasingly severe. He
added: "Now is the historical chance to start moving toward the goal
of creating a nuclear-weapons free world."

Aso will leave Berlin on the night of May 5 on a government plane
and return home on the afternoon of May 6.

(16) International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and
Disarmament's draft report to state world can abolish nuclear
weapons after 2025

MAINICHI (Top Play) (Full)
May 6, 2009

The International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and
Disarmament, co-chaired by former Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi
and former Australian Foreign Minister Evans, which the governments
of Japan and Australia set up last year for the promotion of nuclear
disarmament, plans to draw up a report this fall. A draft of the
report was revealed on May 5. The draft states that it will be
possible for the world to abolish nuclear weapons in a three-stage
process by reducing the role of nuclear weapons through limiting the
objective of nuclear arms to deterrence under U.S. leadership.

The draft report consists of three parts - (1) the world in peril;
(2) policy options and limitations; and (3) a realistic action
program.

The action program, which sets achievement targets for short-term,

TOKYO 00001035 005 OF 005


mid-term, and long-term stages, characterizes the abolishment of
nuclear weapons as a realistic goal that can be achieved with each
country still maintaining its security.

The short-term goal (2009-2012) looks at the first term of U.S.
President Obama. It envisions that the U.S. president would issue a
statement that the U.S. will not use nuclear arms as long as other
nuclear powers do not, and will limit the role of the nuclear arms
it possesses to be used as deterrents for itself and its allies. It
also envisages that the president would declare that the U.S., along
with other nuclear powers, will consider a no-first-use policy on
nuclear weapons. With the launch of talks on the promotion of the
ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and
the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, it will be possible to curb
Tehran's nuclear arms development and achieve denuclearization of
North Korea at an early date.

The mid-term goal (until 2025) envisages that each country would cut
its nuclear capabilities to the minimum security level and cancel
its war preparation activities using nuclear arms. The long-term
goal (2025 and after) envisions the establishment of an
international denuclearization verification system to prevent covert
nuclear development.

The Japanese government is against the idea of no-first-use of
nuclear weapons, citing that it is difficult to verify and will
weaken the nation's security. However, Chairman Kawaguchi declared:
"(Even if Washington declares no-first-use of nuclear weapons),it
must still ensure security for its allies. It is important for
Washington to be a half-step ahead of Tokyo."

ZUMWALT