DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 10/13/09-2

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 002359 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 10/13/09-2 INDEX: (11) Atomic-bombing victims welcome Obama's winning of Nobel Peace Prize as driving force for eliminating nuclear weapons (Yomiuri) (12) Academic hails awarding of Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama as show of support for idealistic diplomacy (Asahi) (13) Researcher obtains U.S. documents on background of establishing territorial sea at 3 nautical miles in five straits to allow passage of U.S. ships carrying nuclear arms (Akahata) (14) Foreign Minister Okada visits Afghanistan, tells President Karzai of plan to provide vocational training to former Taliban soldiers (Mainichi) (15) Main points from talks between Foreign Minister Okada and Afghan President Karzai (Sankei) (16) FM Okada at political disadvantage being abroad most of the time (Nikkei) (17) JICA President Ogata visits Iraq (Asahi) (18) Prime minister shows eagerness to sign Japan-China-South Korea FTA (Nikkei) (19) Japan, South Korea confirm cooperation to promote East Asian Community plan, but there is far to go before realization (Nikkei) ARTICLES: (11) Atomic-bombing victims welcome Obama's winning of Nobel Peace Prize as driving force for eliminating nuclear weapons YOMIURI (Page 36) (Excerpts) October 10, 2009 U.S. President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Oct. 9. Hearing that news the same day, atomic-bomb victims in Hiroshima and Nagasaki welcomed it as great power for eliminating nuclear weapons. Some atomic-bomb victims expressed their hopes that Obama will seriously tackle global warming. Hiroshima Akihiro Takahashi, 78, an atomic bombing victim and former president of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, who has sent Obama three letters calling on him to visit Hiroshima, said, "The world has now acknowledged that eliminating nuclear weapons is absolutely necessary for bringing about peace to the world." He then welcomed Obama's winning the prize, saying, "I will send the President a letter calling for his visit to Hiroshima." Keiji Nakazawa, 70, who wants to give away the English versions of a series of cartoons titled Barefoot Gen, in which he describes his atomic bombing experience, to the Obama family, said, "It is not that easy to eliminate nuclear weapons. We would like to tell the world the horror of nuclear weapons and support the President." Nagasaki Hearing the news of President Obama's winning the Nobel Peace Prize, TOKYO 00002359 002 OF 009 Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Council Secretary General Taku Yamada, 78, was overjoyed and also surprised. He said, "(The Nobel committee) has chosen the most appropriate person." He reportedly will send next week a letter expressing his determination to strive to eliminate nuclear weapons to Obama. In Nagasaki City a civic group collected as of Sept. 16 the signatures of 65,000 people calling on Obama to visit Nagasaki. Mayor Tomihisa Taue, who suddenly held a press conference, stated: "The most suitable person won the prize. His receipt of the prize has encouraged Nagasaki as well. I want him not to move away from his current policy and or to blur his message." (12) Academic hails awarding of Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama as show of support for idealistic diplomacy ASAHI (Page 30) (Full) October 10, 2009 Comments by Fumiko Nishizaki, Seikei University professor specializing in American diplomatic history U.S. President Barack Obama, who called for a "world without nuclear weapons" in his speech in Prague in April, has been experiencing difficulties in steering U.S. foreign policy due to criticism from realists at home and abroad over his lack of achievements. I am truly surprised by the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to him even as the U.S. troops continue to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, I fully agree with and support the decision. Obama is a president who has derived power from ideals and who will continue to do so. He gives priority to ideals even though results may not be produced in a short time and the realization of the ideals will take a long time. For example, Richard Nixon was a president who gave top priority to the goal of withdrawing from the Vietnam War and who went as far as expanding the battlefront to achieve that goal, deceiving the people in the process. But Obama is someone who cannot follow such an example. Such is the essence of his foreign policy, and the Nobel Prize committee probably perceived the fact that international public opinion is in the process of moving toward the direction of giving importance to the respect for ideals. It tried to give Obama, who is facing great hardships, what might be termed support from the sideline. This may also be a sign that Europe, where the committee is based, welcomes Obama diplomacy. Obama diplomacy consists not only of the Prague speech appealing for a "world without nuclear weapons". His Cairo speech calling for dialogue with Islam and other actions show a consistent pattern of upholding dialogue and non-military methods. There has not been a president like him in the United States, a country that consistently boasted of its military power during the Cold War era and after. One decisive factor is that although Obama argues for the need for American leadership, he has never claimed that America is always right. He has clearly taken an attitude of listening to dissenting opinion in the international community. Considering even Bill Clinton had said that America was "on the right side of history," Obama has certainly taken an epoch-making stance. For example, when Obama talks about ideals, he talks about them in TOKYO 00002359 003 OF 009 the context of history even when he discusses "American ideals". World history has not been America-centered, and even within America, history has been complex. I think he not only has ideals, but such is also his wisdom. His statements have come from a world view nurtured by his background of having an African father and growing up in Indonesia. The above is also true for the word "freedom," a term that symbolizes America. Bush's freedom was defined unilaterally by America and was a mere ideology. But Obama's freedom is unmistakably shared universally by the people of the world. That is a true ideal. I believe we will be able to identify with Obama's tortuous pursuit of his ideal even if the road ahead is treacherous. (13) Researcher obtains U.S. documents on background of establishing territorial sea at 3 nautical miles in five straits to allow passage of U.S. ships carrying nuclear arms AKAHATA (Top play) (Full) October 12, 2009 Even though the Japanese government set its territorial seas at 12 nautical miles (approximately 22 kilometers) under the 1977 Territorial Sea Law, at five straits - Soya, Tsugaru, East and West Channels of Tsushima, and Osumi - it reduced its territorial waters to 3 nautical miles (approximately 6.5 kilometers). Shoji Niihara, an international affairs researcher, has obtained a set of declassified U.S. documents showing that behind this was U.S. pressure demanding the "free passage" and "unimpeded passage" of U.S. nuclear-powered submarines carrying nuclear arms. Niihara obtained copies of the annual bulletins of the U.S. Pacific Command and cables of the U.S. Embassy in Japan. If Japan's territorial waters were set at 12 nautical miles, all the five straits would be part of Japan's territorial waters, where free passage would not be possible. For this reason, the Pacific Command's annual bulletin, "Command History," for 1972 pointed out that Tsugaru, Soya and other straits were "important for U.S. national interests," and if free passage of submarines were impeded, this would have a "direct impact" on plans for nuclear war against the Soviet Union and China, known as the SIOP (Single Integrated Operational Plan). In light of this, the United States persistently demanded from the Japanese government free passage through the straits. A cable dated June 29, 1974, from the U.S. Department of State to the Pacific Command indicated there had been sent an aide-memoire taking a tough stance, stating that "a law of the sea that does not protect the unimpeded passage (through the straits) is unacceptable," as per the "president's repeated special order." At first, there was opposition in the Defense Agency (now the Ministry of Defense) to free passage, but in the end the Japanese government succumbed to pressure. The late Seiji Masamori, a Japanese Communist Party House of Representatives member, had long ago pointed out at the Lower House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries on April 21, 1977 the suspicion that "the territorial sea was set at 3 nautical miles because (if it were set at 12 nautical miles, the passage of U.S. TOKYO 00002359 004 OF 009 military vessels) would constitute a violation of the three non-nuclear principles of not producing, possessing, and introducing nuclear weapons." This allegation has been substantiated by U.S. documents for the first time. The reason the government bowed to U.S. pressure was because it was bound by the secret agreement allowing the U.S. to bring nuclear arms into Japan signed at the time of the conclusion of the present Japan-U.S. security treaty in 1960. A cable dated Dec. 30, 1975, from the U.S. Embassy in Japan to the State Department related that Foreign Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told Ambassador James Hodgson: "The government is looking for ways to provide for the right of free passage at certain straits along with setting territorial seas at 12-nautical miles," adding that "the question is how to overcome the strong protests from the opposition parties that such legislation violates the three non-nuclear principles." This conveyed the government's predicament with regard to how to paper over the contradiction between the secret nuclear agreement and the three non-nuclear principles. The result of this episode is the territorial waters in five Japanese straits were set at 3 nautical miles, which is a rare case in the world. (14) Foreign Minister Okada visits Afghanistan, tells President Karzai of plan to provide vocational training to former Taliban soldiers MAINICHI (Top play) (Abridged slightly) October 12, 2009 Shinichi Kurita, Islamabad Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada made a surprise visit to the Afghan capital of Kabul on the morning of Oct. 11 (on the afternoon of Oct. 11, Japan time). He arrived in Afghanistan via Dubai after visiting Beijing. In his meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Okada announced a plan to offer vocational training to former Taliban soldiers as a new measure to support the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Karzai praised Okada's proposal as a measure resulting in reconciliation with the Taliban. Okada indicated to reporters that the government would not necessarily come up with assistance measures before U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Japan on Nov. 12. Okada arrived in Pakistan's capital of Islamabad on the night of Oct. 11 after spending about seven hours in Afghanistan. Okada briefed the press on his talks with Karzai. According to the briefing and other sources, Okada in his talks with Karzai announced a plan to provide vocational training to former Taliban soldiers, saying, "Providing assistance for the reconstruction of Afghanistan is vital." Karzai praised the plan, saying: "It is conceivable to make peace with those who are connected with the Al-Qaeda or the Taliban but have no ideology. It is very important to give vocational training to earn bread and butter. Karzai also expressed his gratitude, saying, "Japan has been on the frontline of assistance to Afghanistan." He further expressed strong expectations for civilian support and contributions to peace, TOKYO 00002359 005 OF 009 noting: "We need assistance especially in the areas of electric power, higher education, and agriculture. In addition to assistance in those areas, I would like to see Japan play a role in promoting the peace process." With regard to the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean under the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, which is to expire next January, Okada told the reporters: "We will not simply extend the mission; no more, no less." Neither Okada nor Karzai referred to the refueling mission during their talks, Okada said. Okada is the first Japanese foreign minister to visit Afghanistan since former Foreign Minister Koumura in May last year. He is also the first minister of the Hatoyama administration to visit the country. Okada's itinerary was not announced in advance due to the precarious security situation. Okada met with Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta and former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, in addition to Karzai. Okada is scheduled to hold talks with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and others on Oct. 12. He is slated to return home on Oct. 15 after visiting Indonesia on Oct. 13 and an earthquake-stricken area off Sumatra on Oct. 14. (15) Main points from talks between Foreign Minister Okada and Afghan President Karzai SANKEI (Page 3) (Full) October 12, 2009 Takeshi Kasahara, Islamabad Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada: Providing reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan is a vital matter. Japan's assistance is tantamount to assistance by the people of Japan, and I want the Japanese people to understand why Japan needs to provide assistance to Afghanistan. Afghan President Hamid Karzai: Japan has been on the front line of aid to Afghanistan. Reconstruction of Afghanistan began with the International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan held in 2002 in Tokyo. I am deeply grateful for Japan's generous assistance. Please convey my heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and His Majesty the Emperor. International assistance has contributed to the reconstruction of Afghanistan. But we need further assistance in such areas as education, public health and local development. Electric power, higher education, and agriculture are particularly in need of assistance. In addition to assistance in such areas, I want to see Japan play a role in promoting the peace process in Afghanistan. Okada: For the reconciliation and reintegration of Afghanistan, we have a plan to give job training to the poor so that they can acquire skills. Karzai: Job training will be significant. (16) FM Okada at political disadvantage being abroad most of the time NIKKEI (Page 39) (Full) October 10, 2009 TOKYO 00002359 006 OF 009 At the Japan-China foreign ministerial meeting in Beijing on Oct. 9, PRC Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi smiled wryly when Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, 56, said to him: "Last time we had a candid exchange of views." Eleven days ago, when Yang tried to drive home the point that the issue of poisoned Chinese-made gyoza dumplings "should not be made a political issue" in Shanghai, Okada did not give in. This took the Chinese by surprise. At the meeting on Oct. 9, Okada pressed again for a solution to the issue, explaining: "Gyoza dumplings are included as a dish in children's boxed lunches." Okada ordered an investigation into the alleged "secret agreement" with the U.S. allowing the introduction of nuclear arms into Japan on the day he took office. He goes on overseas trips every week. He pays no attention to the criticism that "he is not satisfied unless he does everything by himself" and did not forget to stuff his bag with documents relating to FY2010 budget requests on his trip to Beijing. What drives Okada is the lesson learned from the change of administration 16 years ago. The cabinet became dysfunctional then because the Hosokawa administration maintained a dual structure of power. Ichiro Ozawa, 67, was the real power holder in the ruling parties. Ozawa used to be a senior of Okada by many years in the Liberal Democratic Party's Takeshita faction, and Okada referred to him as "political father." When the faction split into two, Ozawa had also told his close aides: "I want to make a full-fledged politician out of Okada. Teach him the filthiness of politics." However, Okada came to have doubts about Ozawa's judgments that led to the collapse of the Hata administration. His break with Ozawa became decisive in December 1997 when Ozawa suddenly decided to disband the New Frontier Party. Okada regarded this as a "betrayal of the voters" and was unable to restrain his anger at the gap between the ideal of creating a party capable of taking over power and reality. On the eve of the inauguration of the new administration, when Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima, 53, kept insisting on the creation of a consultative body outside the cabinet, Okada told her: "There is no use repeating the same theoretical argument" and cut the meeting short. At that time, he had also wanted to keep his job as Democratic Party of Japan secretary general in order not to repeat the mistake made by the Hosokawa administration. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, 62, later decided to pick Ozawa as the new secretary general and summoned him to the party headquarters. At the same time, Okada, who missed one phone call from Hatoyama, was asked to become the foreign minister in a second phone call. Okada did not give an answer right away and asked to be given some time to think about the offer. He reportedly bit his lips and said: "I am not sure if it's okay that I am not in Japan most of the time in a year. I would have wanted to be by Mr. Hatoyama's side." Over a month since then, right at the moment Okada was meeting the foreign ministers of China and South Korea in Shanghai, a meeting between the government and the ruling party leaders was being held hastily in Japan, and Ozawa was knocking the door of the Prime Minister's Official Residence. (17) JICA President Ogata visits Iraq ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) TOKYO 00002359 007 OF 009 October 12, 2009 Atsuo Hirata, Cairo Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Sadako Ogata met with Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki and Foreign Minister Zebari on Oct. 11 in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. Ogata and the two Iraqi leaders exchanged views on Japan's reconstruction assistance for Iraq. Ogata is the first president of JICA, in charge of implementing the government's official development assistance (ODA) programs, to visit Iraq after the war began there in 2003. Maliki expressed his gratitude for Japan's assistance and asked for cooperation for technical training for Iraqis. In response, Ogata said, "Japan is ready to cooperate with your country, in particular to improve the civilian sector, including electric power, agriculture, and waterworks." She arrived in Baghdad on Oct. 10. The Japanese side announced that JICA will implement three ODA projects - construction of water supply and sewerage in the mid-western part of Iraq, construction of a thermal electric power plant in central Iraq, and construction of a hydro power plant in northern Iraq's Kurdish area - by using yen loans totaling 87.8 billion yen (978 million dollars). The Japanese side showed a stance of moving its aid program into full gear. The U.S. government plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq by the end of 2011 and shift the axis of antiterrorism measures to Afghanistan. Japan aims to demonstrate its international contribution by supporting Iraq's reconstruction after the U.S. military pulls out from that country. Tokyo also intends to strengthen relations with Iraq, a country rich in natural resources. (18) Prime minister shows eagerness to sign Japan-China-South Korea FTA NIKKEI (Page 3) (Full) October 11, 2009 Tetsushi Takahashi, Beijing Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama at the Japan-China-South Korea summit on Oct. 10 expressed his strong eagerness to sign a trilateral free trade agreement (FTA). The signing of an FTA with China and South Korea will serve as a touchstone for the prime minister, who wants to start with the strengthening of economic cooperation in realizing his Initiative for an East Asian Community. The three leaders were also of the same mind that it is still too early to discuss an exit strategy for ending emergency measures for the economic meltdown. They clarified the stance of strengthening policy cooperation on the macro-economic front. Emerging from the meeting, Hatoyama told reporters, "I would like to see a Japan-China-South Korea investment agreement materialized early next year so as to move forward FTA talks among the three countries." The trilateral investment talks, which started in 2007, are currently under suspension. There are still yawning gaps in their viewpoints. Nevertheless, the prime minister referred to a specific timeline for the talks, motivated by the desire to foster momentum for the signing of an FTA, using the investment agreement as the driving force. TOKYO 00002359 008 OF 009 If a Japan-China-South Korea FTA is realized, the initiative of an East Asian Community will gain a far more realistic prospect than ever before. However, the envisaged FTA is still at the stage of research by the private sector. At the summit Hatoyama insisted, "The governments of the three countries should discuss the outcome of private-sector research." The Chinese Premier replied, "I would like to press ahead with the FTA plan through a review by industry, government, and academia. South Korean President Lee Mung Bak said, "It is necessary for the results of private-sector research to be further discussed by academics." The stances of the three leaders thus differ. Putting the FTA issue on the agenda of government-to-government talks requires even stronger political will. Concerning macro-economic policies, the three leaders shared the stance that their countries should contribute to the recovery of the global economy by ensuring growth through the expansion of domestic demand. Too much remains unclear about the future of the economies of the three countries, whose continued growth has depended on external demand. The fact that they shared a perception of the situation does not permit termination of a positive fiscal policy, and an easy money policy intended to deal with the economic crunch is a manifestation of their still harboring anxieties over the future of the economy. (19) Japan, South Korea confirm cooperation to promote East Asian Community plan, but there is far to go before realization NIKKEI (Page 3) (Full) October 10, 2009 Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak agreed in their meeting on Oct. 9 to promote the Hatoyama-proposed initiative to create an East Asian Community. But they did not step into specifics of the concept, leaving its contents vague. They also have different views about which countries should join the envisioned community. In addition, there is the need to give consideration to the U.S., which is skeptical of the initiative. Under such circumstances, the process to translate the community plan into practice remains uncertain. Hatoyama said in a joint press conference after the bilateral summit: "Japan and South Korea are the most important neighbors and their relationship is a cornerstone in the Hatoyama administration's Asia policy and in the initiative of an East Asian Community." He thus indicated consideration for South Korea. Lee has favorably responded to the initiative of creating a community led by Japan, China and South Korea, but he has worried that South Korea might be overshadowed by the two economic powers - Japan and China. Lee, even while expressing to Hatoyama his understanding of the community concept, also said: "Considerable time might be required because of the need to solve various issues to meet prerequisites." In a speech at the UN General Assembly in September, Hatoyama stressed that Japan will become a "bridge" for Asian countries to realize the community concept. The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in its manifesto for the latest House of Representatives election also pledged to establish in the Asia-Pacific region a regional cooperative structure covering such areas as trade, energy, TOKYO 00002359 009 OF 009 finances, disaster relief, and the environment. This idea itself is not fresh. Successive cabinets made efforts to enhance cooperation mainly in the economic sector under the slogan of placing importance on relations with Asia. Upon clarifying its view about Japan's wartime history, the Hatoyama government intends to expedite negotiations on economic partnership agreements (EPA) and on free trade agreements (FTA) with Asian countries. Hatoyama also eyes a long-term security framework. Even so, the government has yet to determine details of the community initiative, in part out of consideration for the U.S., which remains cautious about the initiative. Since the 1990s, the U.S. has attempted to prevent an economic zone from being created in Asia, as seen from its opposition to the East Asia Economic Council (EAEC). A U.S. government source voiced apprehension about the community plan, remarking: "The Japanese government gave no sufficient explanation, so the proposal has created a major stir in the U.S. government." All the more because specifics of the concept have not been determined yet. There is discord in the cabinet. Hatoyama has said that he has "no intention to exclude" the U.S., but Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada has said: "The community should be composed of Japan, China, South Korea, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, India, Australia, and New Zealand." Regarding Hatoyama's proposal for a single currency in the community, too, Okada has said that it would be difficult for countries with different political systems to introduce a common currency, apparently bearing China in mind. The DPJ's manifesto also specified: "The party intends to conclude an FTA with the U.S. and promote liberalizing trade and investment between the two countries." The party anticipates that the image of excluding the U.S. will be erased and that "balance will be achieved" if Japan concludes an FTA with the U.S. However, as seen from the fact that in the process of laying out the manifesto the party was pressed to revise language in response to strong reactions from agricultural organizations, it is not easy to turn this plan into reality. Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Japan and China agreed in their meeting in Beijing on Oct. 9 to deepen mutual understanding to realize the concept of an East Asian Community. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi stressed that the two countries should enhance cooperation in the economic area, including financial services and trade, remarking: "Cooperation between Japan and China is imperative in East Asia." ROOS