JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 09/16/09

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E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 09/16/09 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 4) SOH President Hatoyama's schedule, September 15 (Nikkei) Transition in Power 5) Hatoyama administration to be inaugurated today (Nikkei) 6) Unofficial lineup of Hatoyama cabinet members (Yomiuri) 7) DPJ to establish "policy councils" in government ministries and agencies (Tokyo Shimbun) The Opposition 8) Komeito president says a withdrawal from election districts is possible (Sankei) Relations with Asia 9) Japanese, Chinese, and Korean leaders to hold summit on Oct. 10 (Mainichi) 10) Japanese, Chinese, and Korean foreign ministers planning talks for 28th (Nikkei) 11) President Lee hopes Japanese Emperor will visit Korea next year (Yomiuri) Japan-U.S. Relations 12) Midwest U.S.-Japan Association adopts joint statement (Sankei) Defense & Security 13) Kansai peace group requests halt to joint Japan-U.S. exercise (Akahata) Labor 14) Japanese Trade Union Confederation moving in direction of approving construction of new nuclear plants (Sankei) Economics 15) Chairman of the Association of Corporate Executives says fresh policy consultations with DPJ necessary (Nikkei) Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi, Mainichi, Yomiuri, Nikkei, Sankei & Tokyo Shimbun: Hatoyama to form his cabinet today: Kamei picked as state minister overseeing financial and postal affairs; Fukushima as state minister for declining birthrate; Maehara as land, infrastructure and transport minister; Nagatsuma, Kawabata, Fujii to be given portfolios Akahata: Promote campaign in run-up to formation of new administration: New medical care system for elderly people aged 75 or older should be scrapped 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Launch of Hatoyama cabinet: The new prime minister should be aware of his historic mission TOKYO 00002154 002 OF 008 �00A; Mainichi: (1) Largest number of female lawmakers in Diet - 11.3 percent of Lower House members (2) Are JAL's capital tie-up talks sufficient as fundamental measure for it to climb out of deficit balance? Yomiuri: (1) Freshman-lawmakers should have sense of mission in participating in affairs of state and sense of responsibility (2) Irregular accounting in Chiba Prefectural government: Other local governments should learn lesson from it Nikkei: (1) Appointment of Kamei as state minister for postal and financial affairs is like winding the clock back (2) Steel firm executives found guilty of price-fixing Sankei: (1) New DPJ structure: Eliminate unclear decision-making system (2) Seventy years since Nomonhan incident (Battle of Khalkhyn Gol): Reinvestigate unilateral interpretation of history Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Hatoyama cabinet to be launched today: We want to see results of power transfer as soon as possible Akahata: (1) Launch campaign to eliminate discrimination against women (09091604yk) Back to Top Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 3) Prime Minister's schedule, September 15 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) September 16, 2009 09:32 Attended an executive meeting at the party headquarters. 10:01 Attended a cabinet meeting at the Kantei. Later met Election Strategy Committee Vice Chairman Suga. 11:27 Met Lower House member Takeshi Iwaya, followed by Justice Minister Mori. 14:29 Met Finance Ministry's Vice Minister Tango, Budget Bureau Director General Katsu, Secretariat Director General Masago, and others; followed by METI Vice Minister Mochizuki, Secretariat Director General Adachi, Natural Resources and Energy Agency Director General Ishida, and others. 16:11 Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura. 17:30 Met former environment minister Suzuki. 19:21 Dined with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsumoto at a tempura restaurant in Hirakawa-cho. 22:13 Returned to his private residence in Kamiyama-cho. 4) SOH President Hatoyama's schedule, September 15 08:18 Left home in Denenchofu. 09:35 Met at party headquarters with deputy presidents Ozawa and Kan, Chairman Koshiishi of the DPJ Caucus in the Upper House, and Secretary General Okada. 10:35 Attended an executive meeting. 11:00 Attended a standing executive meeting. 13:37 Met party executive office chief Hirano. TOKYO 00002154 003 OF 008 15:23 Arrived at his private office in Nagata-cho. 16:42 Attended a meeting of party members of both houses of the Diet at the Hotel New Otani. 18:02 Met Hirano at party headquarters. 20:17 Met Hirano and Upper House member Koji Matsui, joined by former Policy Research Council chairman Sengoku. 21:04 Met Hirano. 22:28 Dropped in at a hamburger shop in Kamiikedai to make a purchase. 22:37 Returned home. 5) Hatoyama administration to be launched today NIKKEI (Top play) (Excerpt) September 16, 2009 Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio Hatoyama is expected to be voted in as the country's 93rd prime minister in the 172nd special Diet session that will be convened today following the (Aug. 30) House of Representatives election. Hatoyama will then immediately form his cabinet, and a coalition government composed of the DPJ, the Social Democratic Party (SDP),and the People's New Party (PNP) will be launched today. Hatoyama decided yesterday to appoint PNP leader Shizuka Kamei as state minister responsible for postal and financial affairs and SDP head Mizuho Fukushima as state minister in charge of consumer affairs and the declining birthrate. Hatoyama has also informally decided to appoint the DPJ's Masayuki Naoshima as economy, trade and industry minister, and Toshimi Kitazawa as defense minister. The new cabinet will also include such DPJ lawmakers as Seiji Maehara, Hiroshi Nakai, Tatsuo Kawabata, Hirotaka Akamatsu, Kazuhiro Haraguchi, and Akira Nagatsuma. The lineup of the new cabinet consisting of 17 state ministers has now taken shape. Informal lineup of the new cabinet National Strategy Minister Naoto Kan (62) Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada (56) Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii (77) Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano (60) Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister Masayuki Naoshima (63) Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa (71) Postal and Financial Affairs Minister Shizuka Kamei (72) Consumer Affairs and Declining Birthrate Minister Mizuho Fukushima (53) Additional cabinet members: Hirotaka Akamatsu (61),Hiroshi Nakai (67),Sakihito Ozawa (55), Akira Nagatsuma (49),Tatsuo Kawabata (64),Kazuhiro Haraguchi (50), Yoshito Sengoku (63),Seiji Maehara (47),and Keiko Chiba (61). 6) Informal lineup of the new cabinet YOMIURI (Page 1) (Excerpt) September 16, 2009 Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, 62 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 8th term, Hokkaido Constituency No. 9) Deputy Prime Minister, National Strategy Minister Naoto Kan, 62 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 10th term, Tokyo Constituency No. 18) TOKYO 00002154 004 OF 008 Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, 56 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 7th term, Mie Constituency No. 3) Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano, 60 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 5th term, Osaka Constituency No. 11) Financial and Postal Affairs Minister Shizuka Kamei, 72 (People's New Party, House of Representatives, 11th term, Hiroshima Constituency No. 6) Consumer Affairs and Declining Birthrate Minister Mizuho Fukushima, 53 (Social Democratic Party, House of Councillors, 2nd term, proportional representation) Internal Affairs and Communications Minister (post is under final adjustment) Kazuhiro Haraguchi, 50 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 5th term, Saga Constituency No. 1) Justice Minister (post is under final adjustment) Keiko Chiba, 61 (DPJ, House of Councillors, 4th term, Kanagawa) Finance Minister (post is under final adjustment) Hirohisa Fujii, 77 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 7th term, served two terms in House of Councillors, proportional representation South Kanto bloc) Education, Science and Technology Minister (post is under final adjustment) Tatsuo Kawabata, 64 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 8th term, Shiga Constituency No. 1) Health, Labor, and Welfare Minister (post is under final adjustment) Akira Nagatsuma, 49 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 4th term, Tokyo Constituency No. 7) Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Minister (post is under final adjustment) Hirotaka Akamatsu, 61 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 7th term, Aichi Constituency No. 5) Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister (post is under final adjustment) Masayuki Naoshima, 63 (DPJ, House of Councillors, 3rd term, proportional representation) Land, Transport, Disaster Prevention, Okinawa, and Northern Territories Affairs Minister (post is under final adjustment) Seiji Maehara, 47 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 6th term, Kyoto Constituency No. 2) Environment Minister (post is under final adjustment) Sakihito Ozawa, 55 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 6th term, Yamanashi Constituency No. 1) Defense Minister (post is under final adjustment) Toshimi Kitazawa, 71 (DPJ, House of Councillors, 3rd term, Nagano) National Public Safety Commission Chairman (post is under final adjustment) Hiroshi Nakai, 67 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 11th term, Mie Constituency No. 1) Administrative Reform Minister (post is under final adjustment) Yoshito Sengoku, 63 (DPJ, House of Representatives, 6th term, Tokushima Constituency No. 1) 7) DPJ plans to set up "policy councils" in ministries and agencies TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) September 16, 2009 The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) decided yesterday to establish in each ministry and agency councils in which ruling coalition lawmakers discuss policies with senior vice ministers, abolishing the present party department meetings. The purpose of setting up of the policy councils is to centralize policy-making in the new administration. DPJ Deputy President Naoto Kan revealed the plan in a meeting for new Diet members yesterday in Tokyo. Senior vice ministers will control the new councils, through which TOKYO 00002154 005 OF 008 the ruling parties' views will be reflected in government policies. 8) New Komeito president: Party's withdrawal from constituencies possible SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) September 16, 2009 Appearing on Prime News on BS Fuji yesterday, New Komeito President Natsuo Yamaguchi said on the possibility of the New Komeito withdrawing from constituencies, "That is one possible option." In the last House of Representatives election, its candidates running in eight constituencies were all defeated. Yamaguchi explained why the party is considering this option: "In campaigning for the constituency race, since candidates emphasize achievements made by the ruling camp, it is difficult to convey the New Komeito's own policy identity." The New Komeito has decided to conduct an assessment of the Lower House election by the end of this month, but a heated discussion is expected on a possible withdrawal from the constituency race. Yamaguchi, however, also expressed his concern: "If the New Komeito fields candidates only in the proportional representation race, a course might be set (for the two major political parties) to reduce the number of seats for the proportional representation segment." He reiterated that securing seats in constituencies will contribute to expanding the party's sphere of influence, adding that "establishing a foothold in both segments will enable a political party to make its voice heard in discussions on the election system." 9) Japan-China-ROK summit on Oct. 10 MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full) September 16, 2009 Japan, China and South Korea began laying preparations for a meeting of their top leaders on Oct. 10 in Beijing, China. A Japan-China summit will be held between new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and President Hu Jintao. The three countries also plan to hold a trilateral foreign ministerial on Sept. 28 in Shanghai as a preparatory meeting for the Japan-China-ROK summit. Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio Hatoyama will visit China for the first time after his election as prime minister. He will play up his administration's policy of attaching importance to Asia by visiting China after his trip to the United States in late September to attend the United Nations General Assembly. The expectation is that Hatoyama and Hu will discuss North Korea and other key issues. 10) Coordination underway for Japan-China-ROK foreign ministerial on Sept. 28 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) September 16, 2009 Ken Sato, Beijing Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea started coordinating a plan to hold a trilateral foreign ministerial meeting on Sept. 28 in Shanghai. China proposed this plan to Japan and is now waiting for a TOKYO 00002154 006 OF 008 formal reply from the Hatoyama administration, which is expected to be inaugurated on Sept. 16. For Katsuya Okada, who will become the new foreign minister, the trilateral foreign ministerial will be a good opportunity to demonstrate the new administration's foreign policy of placing importance on Asia. 11) South Korean President Lee hopes for emperor's visit next year YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) September 16, 2009 (Chiharu Mori, Seoul) During an interview with the media, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak yesterday expressed hope for the development (of Japan-South Korea relations) under the incoming Japanese government of Democratic Party of Japan. He also said that he hopes the Japanese Emperor will visit South Korea next year as the year marks a century since Japan's annexation of the Korean Peninsula, saying: "A visit by the emperor next year will take on a great significance for bilateral relations." South Korean presidents, beginning with former president Roh Tae Woo, have extended invitations to the Japanese emperor to visit, but the Japanese government of the Liberal Democratic Party refrained from accepting the offers. It is unprecedented for the South Korean president to mention a specific year for the emperor's visit. The Hatoyama administration will be under pressure to respond. 12) Midwest U.S.-Japan Association adopts joint statement SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) September 16, 2009 The Midwest U.S.-Japan Association consisting of business leaders and governors of Japan and various states in the American Midwest on September 15 held its 41st joint conference (chairman on Japanese side: Yuzaburo Mogi, chairman of Kikkoman) at a Tokyo hotel. The meeting adopted a joint statement vowing to further vitalize economic exchange between the two countries. During the panel discussion, Toyota Motors Vice Chairman Katsuaki Watanabe introduced actual examples of efforts to deal with the environment and energy issues. "U.S. participation is essential for the adoption of a post-Kyoto Protocol framework," he noted. Sankei Shimbun Chairman Takehiko Kiyohara appealed for the promotion of industries targeting the elderly, pointing out that the low birthrate and the aging society will have a major impact on the global economy. 13) Kansai groups urge U.S. Army, GSDF to call off joint training exercises AKAHATA (Page 4) (Abridged) September 16, 2009 U.S. Army Japan and the Ground Self-Defense Force's Middle District Army are planning to conduct bilateral joint training exercises from Oct. 9 through Oct. 18 at the GSDF's Aibano range and Imazu garrison in Shiga Prefecture. Kansai-based peace groups yesterday filed a joint petition with the director general of the Kinki Chubu Defense TOKYO 00002154 007 OF 008 Bureau, a regional bureau of the Defense Ministry, calling for the suspension of the planned training exercises. The petition was filed by executive committees seeking to abrogate the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, peace committees in the Kansai prefectures of Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, and Shiga, and two local groups, the Shiga Prefectural Liaison Committee Against the U.S. Military's Use of Hometowns and the Aibano Liaison Committee for the Peace Movement. Representatives from these local groups delivered the petition addressed to the defense minister, the GSDF Middle District Army commanding general, and the GSDF 3rd Division head. The petition cites three points as reasons for opposing the planned joint training exercises: 1) the bilateral joint training exercises conducted in the past included drills carried out in an urban training area, expanded late last year, for the purpose of killing people, and these joint training exercises are conducted in anticipation of the Self-Defense Forces' overseas deployment; 2) U.S. military training exercises, should they continue, will become a serious impediment to local development; and 3) local people's constitutional right to live in peace will be impeded, given such facts as the deployment of the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3)-a new ground-based missile defense system-to the GSDF's Aibano detachment since this April. 14) Rengo to approve construction of new nuclear power plants: DPJ visibly shifting its policy stance SANKEI (Page 1) (Excerpts) September 16, 2009 It was learned on Sept. 15 that the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo),the Democratic Party of Japan's largest support organization, has decided to approve the construction of new nuclear power plants. The decision will likely be adopted at its central executive committee to be held on the 17th. The DPJ stipulated in its election manifesto that it will steadily undertake initiatives in nuclear energy. However, the policy of the Social Democrat Party is to reduce nuclear power plants. The SDP is supported by the All Japan Prefectures and Municipal Workers' Union, which is under Rengo's umbrella. Until now Rengo had not clarified its stance toward the nuclear power plant issue. Rengo's new nuclear power policy would seem to confirm the DPJ's switch in nuclear power policy, which would widen the gap between it and the SDP on the issue. DPJ President Hatoyama advocates a goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 25 PERCENT below the 1990 level by 2020. The construction of new nuclear power plants, which do not emit carbon dioxide, is believed to be an effective means of backing environmental measures. 15) Keizai Doyukai chairman emphasizes need for policy talks with DPJ NIKKEI (Page 5) (Full) September 16, 2009 In a press conference yesterday, Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives) Chairman Masamitsu Sakurai said regarding his group's relations with the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), TOKYO 00002154 008 OF 008 which will take over the reins of government: "It is important to enhance our communications with the DPJ. It is necessary to set up a new arena for policy talks." Sakurai also said, "If we are requested to, we will explain our policies" to the DPJ. He added, "(The DPJ's) administration-management scheme proposes setting up such organizations as a national strategy bureau, an administrative reform conference, and a tax research council. We will try to explore ways to conduct dialogue with the party." ROOS