DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 10/16/09

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 14 TOKYO 002390 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 10/16/09 INDEX: (1) Special treatment for senior defense official Nagashima reflects U.S. concern about Japan-U.S. relations (Asahi) (2) Defense Ministry cuts budgetary request by 1.9 trillion yen (Nikkei) (3) SOFA revision; conclusion of special environment agreement should be priority (Asahi) (4) Plan to relocate Futenma Air Station to Henoko drifting: Nago mayoral election result likely to affect Futenma talks (Okinawa Times) (5) Letter to the editor: The prime minister's pronouncements about Futenma make me happy one day, sad the next (Asahi) (6) America's eight-year-old commitment to Afghanistan at crossroads (Asahi) (7) From Brussels - Agony of 60-year-old NATO (Mainichi) (8) Editorial: International parental rights issue: Consider joining the Hague Convention without delay (Yomiuri) (9) Interview with New Zealand Prime Minister Key: Expresses expectations for promotion of FTA talks with Japan (Nikkei) (10) Poll on role of newspapers (Yomiuri) ARTICLES: (1) Special treatment for senior defense official Nagashima reflects U.S. concern about Japan-U.S. relations ASAHI (Page 4) (Slightly abridged) October 16, 2009 Hisashi Ishimatsu, Hiroshi Ito in Washington Parliamentary Defense Secretary Akihisa Nagashima visited the U.S. to hold talks on the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City and other issues. For Nagashima, the U.S. government arranged meetings with presidential national security advisor James Jones of the White House and others who are higher in rank than Nagashima. Nagashima is trying to find a solution to the Futenma issue under the lead of politicians. The U.S. side's special treatment toward him might reflect its concern about Japan-U.S. relations. After meeting with Jones and other U.S. officials on Oct. 14, Nagashima told reporters regarding the Futenma relocation issue: "I don't know if the meetings contributed to paving the way toward a settlement of the issue. This is a very thorny issue." Nagashima lived in Washington for a long time, working as a researcher on security issues. As a security expert, he authored several books on the presence of U.S. forces in Japan. Japan and the U.S. just held a meeting of bureau director-level officials for foreign and defense affairs in Washington on Oct. 5. But Nagashima visited the U.S. to hold meetings with U.S. officials with the aim of gauging, as a politician, Washington's real intentions ahead of TOKYO 00002390 002 OF 014 the planned visits to Japan by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on Oct. 20-21 and by President Barack Obama in November. Jones, the presidential advisor he met with, is responsible for coordinating views to compile the U.S. government's entire security policy. His Japanese counterpart is the chief cabinet secretary. When former defense minister Yasukazu Hamada visited the U.S. in May, he was not able to meet with Jones. Besides Jones, Nagashima also met with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen, who is the top officer among the U.S. military's uniformed personnel. Japanese diplomatic sources were caught by surprise at this red-carpet treatment of Nagashima by the U.S., with one official stating that the U.S. treated him as if he were a state minister. By giving him special treatment, the U.S. hopes that Nagashima will serve as a mediator between Tokyo and Washington. Hearing such remarks as "Japan has depended too heavily on the U.S.," the U.S. government is becoming increasingly concerned and distrustful of the Hatoyama administration's policy toward the U.S. The U.S. government hopes Nagashima will play the role of messenger from the U.S. to report back to Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and other key Japanese government officials on U.S. positions on key security issues. Nagashima and the U.S. officials also discussed the security situation in Afghanistan and the issue of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. However, little progress was made on the Futenma relocation issue. Nagashima said: "There are various views on the issue within the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and its partners in the ruling coalition. The political situation in Okinawa is also very unclear. Japan is in a very difficult situation" But Jones and other U.S. officials apparently displayed a negative stance toward Japan's call for changing the existing plan, insisting on the need to stick to the current plan. A former U.S. government source said: "Most parts of the DPJ-proposed relocation plan have already been considered and faded out during the Liberal Democratic Party's government." The U.S. government thus remains cool toward the DPJ proposal. While the U.S. has taken a consistent position, the DPJ government remains indecisive on whether to persist with the party's campaign pledge to relocate the Futenma air station outside the prefecture or even outside the nation, or to accept the existing plan. When asked after meeting with Jones about the timing for a final decision to be made on the Futenma issue, Nagashima only said: "I think the ministers concerned will hold another meeting." (2) Defense Ministry cuts budgetary request by 1.9 trillion yen NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) October 16, 2009 The Defense Ministry on Oct. 15 released its budget request for fiscal 2010, which was 1.9 billion yen below the level of the previous fiscal year's budget, meeting the government's policy line. The ministry's budget requests totaled 4.7 trillion yen, of which personnel and food expenses accounted for roughly 2 trillion yen. Payments for equipment for which contracts have already been signed accounted for 1.6 trillion yen. A senior defense official explained that since only about 900 billion yen for general items was subject to cuts, the ministry asked the Ground, Maritime and Air TOKYO 00002390 003 OF 014 Self-Defense Forces to cut the spending of oil (down 13.9 billion yen) and repair expenses (down 40.1 trillion yen) down to the bone, even though such items are directly linked to the SDF's daily activities. In order to achieve the set goal, the Defense Ministry has also squeezed out 58.9 billion yen, by rescheduling repayments of loans to equipment suppliers. This basically amounts to the deferment of debt payments. Senior Vice Defense Minister Katsuya Shinba seemed angry when he told reporters at the ministry: "(Extending) the deferment of debt payments is not sound. In principle, it is not right. However, it is an unavoidable measure." Eighty billion yen, almost the same amount as the previous year's appropriation, was tentatively included in the list of requests as expenses related to the U.S. Forces Japan realignment program. (3) SOFA revision; conclusion of special environment agreement should be priority ASAHI (Page 19) (Full) October 15, 2009 By Kanagawa Gov. Shigefumi Matsuzawa With the Japan-U.S. summit held (between Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and President Barack Obama),the new administration's diplomacy with the United States has started. As chairman of the Association of Governors of Prefectures Hosting U.S. Military Bases I have advocated reviewing the base arrangements including revision of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). From that standpoint, I would like to make a proposal for the policy of the new administration. In view of the international environment surrounding Japan, the deterrence capability of the Japan-U.S. security arrangements has played a great role in maintaining our country's security and stability in Asia. But when considered from the viewpoint of the local communities hosting U.S. bases, the foundation of the Japan-U.S. alliance is not rock solid. Because the SOFA has not been revised since its conclusion in 1960, it is rife with problems. I believe that a review of the SOFA will not necessarily undermine the Japan-U.S. relationship; rather it will lead to strengthening the foundation of the alliance and increasing public confidence. One representative example is the environment issue. U.S. military bases' efforts to tackle environmental preservation would benefit not only U.S. military personnel living on the bases but also residents of the surrounding communities. However, the SOFA includes no provisions covering environmental issues. When it was concluded 50 years ago, there was probably no awareness of such problems. As a result, the governors' association I chair has called for revising the SOFA to include environment provisions. So far the Japanese and U.S. governments have insisted that improving its administration, rather than revising the SOFA itself, would be sufficient. But the discharge of fuel and other environmental pollutants from U.S. bases continues. (Under the present accord) no local government officials are allowed to enter U.S. bases and no information is provided. Thus the SOFA is fraught TOKYO 00002390 004 OF 014 with problems. We have called for reviewing many items in the SOFA. We are eager for the addition of three things we consider especially important -- environment-related stipulations, judiciary proceedings, and establishing in the Japan-U.S. Joint Committee a panel for listening to the views of base-hosting communities. I hope that the new government will keeps these points in mind when it begins with the United States negotiations for revising the SOFA. However, because the two countries' national interests are intertwined with the SOFA, its full-fledged revision would take considerable time. Therefore, I propose as a solution first concluding a special agreement on the environment. Environmental contamination is a serious and pressing issue affecting the lives and health of residents in communities near U.S military bases. Since measures addressing this issue would benefit both Japan and the United States, it should be acceptable to the U.S. government. Negotiations for a special agreement would have a much greater chance of success than those for revision of the SOFA. The main points of the special environment agreement include effective on-site inspection, procedures for decontamination, information disclosure to relieve local residents' anxiety, and the establishment of a cooperative framework between Japan and the U.S. I plan to visit Washington in November to exchange views with the relevant Obama administration officials. I want to promote discussions in Japan as well, taking advantage of various communication channels. A change in government has been realized both in Japan and the U. S. I think it is a great chance for the two countries to advance policies in a new direction. I hope a special environment agreement will be concluded and will lead to a review of the SOFA. (4) Plan to relocate Futenma Air Station to Henoko drifting: Nago mayoral election result likely to affect Futenma talks Okinawa Times (Page 2) (Full) October 16, 2009 "It appears that each cabinet member makes a different statement. I wonder if the government has yet to unify its stance." The governor on Oct. 13 issued his view on the preparatory paper for environmental impact assessments concerning the relocation of the U.S. Forces Japan Futenma Air Station to the coastal area of Camp Schwab in Nago City. Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro expressed strong dissatisfaction at the coalition government led by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),joined by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the People's New Party (PNP),for not coming up with a specific proposal for a relocation site. He said, "We are not in a position to say the Futenma functions should be moved out of the prefecture or they should remain in the prefecture." Shimabukuro (63),who at the present moment firmly supports the relocation of the Futenma functions to Henoko, and Susumu Inamine (64),who is calling for the relocation outside the prefecture, have announced their candidacies for the Nago mayoral election on Jan. 24 TOKYO 00002390 005 OF 014 next year. (The outcome of the election) will likely affect the fate of the relocation issue. In Apr. 2006 Shimabukuro basically reached an agreement with the government on a plan to build an airfield with two runways arranged in a V-shape. In the Lower House election campaign, he supported a candidate endorsed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the New Komeito, who was in favor of the V-shape plan. However, this candidate suffered a crushing defeat to a candidate, running on the DPJ's ticket, who opposed the relocation to Henoko. Now that the power transfer took place, Shimabukuro lost the backing of a national government promoting the relocation to Henoko. In the DPJ, inconsistencies are visible in statements on the relocation outside the prefecture made by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa. Shimabukuro's view is that the relocation to Henoko is more realistic. He noted: "Even if the government decides to move the Futenma Air Station out of the prefecture, no prefectures would be willing to host it. It would be rather difficult to reach an agreement through negotiations, because there are residents, prefectural citizens, at any candidate site. An agreement could not be reached in two or three years." Shimabukuro stressed, "We have come this far, with the issue dividing citizens into two over 13 years." He sticks to his stance of supporting the V-shape-runway plan. However, he has left room for the possibility of relocating the facilitiy outside the prefecture, noting, "I hope the Futenma functions will be moved out of the prefecture, if possible. If the government comes up with a definite direction, then there would be room for considering such a possibility." Inamine will go into the election with a stance of seeking the relocation outside the prefecture through a revision of the Henoko agreement plan. Concerning Shimabukuro and Governor Hirokazu Nakaima calling on the government to construct a V-shaped pair of runways offshore or to shift the helipad site, Inamine said, "Such minor adjustments will not settle the issue." Inamine insisted, "(The Henoko plan) has not received a mandate from residents." He added, "The previous mayor opposed the coastal plan. However, Mayor Shimabukuro reached an agreement with the government, claiming that (the Henoko plan) is within the scope of a variation of the offshore plan." He pointed out, "The relocated facility will be expanded and strengthened with the addition of the functions of a military port. The V-shape plan is unreasonable, as is clear from the fact that numerous proposals for flight routes, noise and the environment have been made even at the stage of the governor having issued his views. It is impossible to protect residents' living environment." The DPJ administration agreed to form a coalition (with the Social Democratic Party and the PNP) over a review of the U.S. Forces Japan realignment program from the perspective of reducing the burden on Okinawa's residents. Inamine expressed his perception that it is a 'commitment,' noting "the fact that it has called for the relocation TOKYO 00002390 006 OF 014 of the Futenma functions outside the prefecture in its Okinawa Vision or during election campaigns is significant." He is calling on the government to realize its campaign pledge. Inamine said, "Citizens making their intensions clear carries weight." Defense Minister Kitazawa at a press conference expressed his intention to pay attention to the Nago mayoral election (as an opportunity) for the concerned parties to express their opinions. The Nago election was brought up by senior officials participating in bilateral discussions on the U.S Forces Japan realignment. The governments of Japan and the U.S. are thus also on edge about the outcome of the election. (5) Letter to the editor: The prime minister's pronouncements about Futenma make me happy one day, sad the next ASAHI (Page 16) (Full) October 16, 2009 Misao Shintani, 63-year-old housewife living in Izumi Ward, Yokohama City I truly hope the Democratic Party of Japan administration will relocate the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station out of Okinawa. Yet, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama talks about the possibility of accepting relocation within Okinawa on one day and corrects himself the next day. As a native of Okinawa, I feel happy on one day and sad on the next. Have the important government officials ever visited Futenma Air Station, which sits in the middle of a densely populated residential area? The many U.S. military bases in Okinawa were there when I was born and the suffering they have inflicted remains almost unabated. The construction of a new military base will mean that Okinawa will continue to be the island of bases long into the future. I can no longer believe in promises to reduce the burden on Okinawa. Have these government officials ever been to Henoko, the proposed relocation site of Futenma? Would they not be pained by the destruction of the beautiful sea at a time when the extinction of coral is becoming an environmental problem? Hills will probably be leveled for the earth and sand for reclaiming the sea. Reclamation will deprive the animals, insects, and plants of their habitat. I desire government officials to stop toying with Okinawa's fate. (6) America's eight-year-old commitment to Afghanistan at crossroads ASAHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) October 8, 2009 Oct. 7 marked the eighth anniversary of the U.S. military's invasion of Afghanistan, which was carried out with the aim of putting the blame on the principal architects of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States that claimed some 3,000 lives. Nevertheless, the international terrorist group Al-Qaeda and armed Taliban insurgents have not yet been eliminated and the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly. Is the U.S. Obama administration going to send additional troops to Afghanistan? The administration is at a crossroads. What should the international TOKYO 00002390 007 OF 014 community do? What can Japan do? Search for ways to shift to civilian support Makoto Igarashi; Toshiya Umehara in Brussels "There are many people who are joining the Taliban in order to support their livelihoods," Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said in his speech at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on Oct. 7. "A program should be created to guarantee a certain level of income and to provide job training so that they can support their families without joining the Taliban." The idea is to try to weaken the (Taliban) forces by encouraging the low-level soldiers, who joined the Taliban in order to obtain money and goods, to leave the group. The Taliban is said to be the main cause of the deterioration of security in Afghanistan. (The envisaged program) is designed to play up the merits of the antiterrorism operation and to serve as the main component of Japan's new support measures. Since the time the government was led by the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito, Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) has been providing fuel to vessels of multinational forces engaged in the U.S.-led antiterrorism operation in the Indian Ocean. Foreign Minister Okada has indicated that the government will "not simply extend the refueling mission." He has also raised questions about the operation, saying: "(The MSDF supply vessel) sailed back and forth in the Indian Ocean in the hot weather and (provided fuel) only twice in a week. Does (such assistance) make sense?" Nevertheless, the refueling operation has a symbolic meaning in that the dispatched Japanese personnel work hard out in the field as part of the operation. In the Foreign Ministry, the dominant view has been that this mission that costs 8 billion yen annually is highly cost-effective. Whether the planned vocational training can be a trump card to replace this (refueling mission) remains to be seen. In order for Japan to make its presence felt, the country must provide considerable additional assistance. Since 2001, Japan has put some 1.8 billion dollars (approximately 200 billion yen) into Afghanistan, including the improvement of infrastructure. Japan is the third-largest donor to Afghanistan after the United States and Britain. In fiscal 2008, Japan extended 40 billion yen in assistance - an unusually large amount to provide a single country. Meanwhile, in addition to the United States, war-weariness is widespread in the countries mainly in Europe which have sent troops (to Afghanistan). Such countries as Canada and the Netherlands have established polices to withdraw their combat troops by 2011. An official of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that leads the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has admitted that actions by some member countries are restricted by their constitutions. He went on to say, "That does not mean they cannot do anything." "We cannot win this war with military means alone" has become a popular phrase in NATO these days. The prevailing view is that civilian assistance is the key. The official praised the assistance TOKYO 00002390 008 OF 014 provided by Japan, which has paid for six months' worth of salaries for (some 80,000) Afghan police officers, as a "splendid contribution," adding: "In any case, we want (Japan) to continue what it is doing now. Reduction is the last thing we want to see." (7) From Brussels - Agony of 60-year-old NATO MAINICHI (Page 7) (Full) October 12, 2009 Naoya Sugio The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),which marks its 60th anniversary this year, is a military organization that was established with the aim of defending Europe from the former Soviet Union. The organization has made its presence felt in such new missions as interventions in ethnic conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and the war against international terrorism. Its membership has now grown from 12 to 28 nations, including former Warsaw Treaty Organization states. Nevertheless, NATO is facing a major crisis. Its Afghanistan operation has become bogged down. Of the 28 national flags flying in the autumn breeze, the Italian flag at half-staff was particularly striking at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE),the headquarters of the NATO military organization in Mons, Belgium. Six Italian soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan. I visited SHAPE and the NATO headquarters in Brussels as a member of the invited Japanese press corps. We were briefed by officials on Afghan policy and others matters for two days. In response to my question about Japan's contributions, many people said, "You should consider what Japan can do." On the refueling mission in the Indian Ocean, which the Hatoyama administration has indicated that it will "not simply extend" the mission, some people said that although it is an important mission, it is a matter for Japan to decide. Many people also expressed appreciation for Japan's financial aid for the salaries of (some 180,000) Afghan military and police personnel. The average monthly salary is 120 dollars. It is said that armed insurgents are recruiting people to carry out bombings and other activities for about 10 dollars a day. The stable income seems to be attracting young people. I repeatedly heard people say, "We cannot win with the military operations alone." It is easier said than done to improve the ruling power of the Afghan government and to nurture industries that can replace the production of drugs, a source of funds for armed insurgents. I suspect that people did not make any concrete proposals for support measures to Japan because NATO does not know what to do. The Afghan war was launched by the United States in retaliation for the 9/11 terrorist attacks on it. NATO staged an intervention in August 2003, and the number of (NATO) troops (in Afghanistan) has increased to 64,500 from the initial 5,600. Even so, no exit is in sight. War-weariness is prevalent in many countries. During the U.S. Bush administration, NATO split into "old Europe" represented by France and Germany, which staunchly opposed the launch of the Iraq war, and "new Europe," which supported the United States. NATO's eastward expansion plan to include even Ukraine and TOKYO 00002390 009 OF 014 Georgia, along with a plan to build a missile defense (MD) system in Eastern Europe, drew fierce backlash from Russia. Last year's conflict in Georgia was one consequence of that. President Barack Obama is working hard to mend the split (in NATO). His announcement to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq and to send additional troops to Afghanistan must have sounded truly encouraging to other NATO members. Russia gladly jumped at his announcement last month to review the Eastern Europe MD plan. However, even if the members and nonmembers of NATO coordinate more closely than before on Afghanistan, there is no guarantee of success. The presence of NATO, "the most successful military alliance in history," (according to President Obama) is being tested once again. (8) Editorial: International parental rights issue: Consider joining the Hague Convention without delay YOMIURI (Page 3) (Full) October 16, 2009 Problems with foreign countries involving parental rights as a result of failed international marriages have been rising sharply recently. We think the government should swiftly start considering signing the Hague Convention, which Western countries regard as "international rules" for settling such disputes. The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which took effect in 1983, has 81 signatory countries, mostly the Western nations. For example, if a Japanese woman who was married to a foreigner and lived overseas got divorced and returned to Japan with her child without the consent of the child's father, the case would be treated as the illegal abduction of the child in all the nations party to the convention. The convention requires signatory countries to provide administrative cooperation in locating children who have been wrongfully removed, and to return them to their original country of residence. The basic principle is that they have to be returned to their country of residence first, where the battle over parental rights and other issues would be settled under the laws of that country. Japan has not signed the convention, and consequently, the number of disputes involving fathers of foreign nationality trying to take their children back to their home country has been increasing. For this reason, Japan has often been urged to join the convention at recent foreign ministerial talks and other international meetings. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Japan to sign the convention during a meeting in March with then Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone. British Foreign Secretary David Milliband made a similar request to Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada last month. Okada replied that he thought the issue was important and that he TOKYO 00002390 010 OF 014 would quickly start studying it. We think the government should speed up its examination of this matter, as Okada said. Japan will also have to make domestic institutional changes in preparation for signing the convention. The government will need to identify which divisions and bureaus would be tasked with locating and returning children, as well as how to guarantee law enforcement should a parent refuse to comply with a request to return his or her child. These will be the main issues. However, there are also cautious views about signing the convention because there have been cases in which Japanese women brought their children back home because of domestic violence by their former husbands. However, the convention stipulates that a child need not be returned if he or she would be exposed to physical or psychological harm. Serious consideration should be given to this point. This issue straddles several government agencies, including the Foreign Ministry, the Justice Ministry, and the courts, and sectarianism might impede the examination of this matter. The Hatoyama cabinet should firmly exercise political leadership in dealing with this issue. Differences in systems and customs regarding parental rights and divorce between Japan and the Western nations have complicated this issue. But a number of problems have occurred, and the issue has given rise to diplomatic friction. The government should tackle the issue without delay. (9) Interview with New Zealand Prime Minister Key: Expresses expectations for promotion of FTA talks with Japan NIKKEI (Page 7) (Abridged slightly) October 15, 2009 Tomohiro Takasa, Wellington New Zealand Prime Minister John Key met a Nippon Keizai Shimbun reporter on Oct. 14. During the interview, he expressed concern about the uptrend of the New Zealand dollar exchange rate from the perspective of promoting exports. He noted that when he visits Japan, starting on the 27th, he will propose to Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama that the two nations start talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the aim of expanding trade with Japan. -- The value of the New Zealand dollar against the U.S. dollar has surged 50 percent from its March low, marking a 15-month high with the U.S. dollar dropping to 0.74 to the NZ dollar. "The weak dollar has contributed to that trend. However, as far as the NZ dollar is concerned, the growth of the New Zealand economy moved into the plus column in the April-June quarter in 2009 for the first time in six quarters, which has probably been viewed favorably. We plan to promote growth through exports of dairy products, beef, mutton, and lumber. I hope to see an exchange rate level lower than the current one, from the perspective of enhancing our country's export competitiveness. "There are also factors that are pushing down exchange rates, such as current account deficits reaching about 8 percent of the gross TOKYO 00002390 011 OF 014 domestic product. This trend became visible in 2008, temporarily sending the value of the NZ dollar down significantly." -- Market participants view the New Zealand economy as resembling the Australian economy. "High dependence on exports of primary products is common to both economies. Australia's main export items among primary products are minerals, such as iron ore, while New Zealand mainly exports dairy products and lumber. Our export competitiveness is not as strong as that of Australia. (New Zealand has scarce mineral resources.) Our economic structure is also different from that of Australia. "We will promote economic integration with Australia, by continuing to adjust laws and regulations. However, we have no intention of carrying out currency integration, by adopting the Australian dollar system, sacrificing our independence in financial policy." -- China has overtaken Japan as the destination of exports from New Zealand. "Exports to China have jumped 62 percent since the enactment of the FTA between the two countries in 2008. I plan to expand our FTAs for the promotion of exports. We will hold a second round of talks with South Korea in September. We will sign an FTA with Malaysia later in the month. "We also held a preparatory meeting for an FTA with Japan in April. When I visit Japan later in the month, I will once again underscore the importance of strengthening the bilateral trade relationship to Prime Minister Hatoyama. We import vehicles from Japan. Japan is a more important trade partner than China from an overall perspective. I hope to launch talks (with Japan) at an early date in order to seek a compromise in the agricultural sector." (10) Poll on role of newspapers YOMIURI (Page 15) (Full) October 15, 2009 Questions & Answers (Figures in percentage) Q: Do you think newspapers provide the information you need or information that is helpful for your daily life? Yes, completely 39 Yes, generally 49 Not very much 8 Hardly at all 3 No answer (N/A) 2 Q: Do you think newspapers report facts and various opinions fairly? Yes, completely 17 Yes, generally 52 Not very much 20 Hardly at all 7 N/A 5 Q: Do you think newspapers pay attention to people's human rights TOKYO 00002390 012 OF 014 and privacy so as not to violate them? Yes, completely 21 Yes, generally 53 Not very much 16 Hardly at all 5 N/A 5 Q: Do you think the press reporting is reliable on the whole? Yes, completely 22 Yes, generally 63 Not very much 10 Hardly at all 3 N/A 2 Q: Which media do you think plays a significant role in promptly reporting events in the world? Pick up to three from among those listed below. Major newspapers 57 Sports newspapers 2 Evening tabloids 4 NHK Television 60 Commercial television 63 Radio 16 Monthly magazines 0 Weekly magazines 1 Internet 32 Other answers (O/A) + nothing in particular (NIP) + N/A 1 Q: Which media do you think plays a significant role in providing in-depth commentaries on the background of the news and the issues at hand? Pick up to three from among those listed below. Major newspapers 61 Sports newspapers 1 Evening tabloids 2 NHK Television 50 Commercial television 55 Radio 6 Monthly magazines 3 Weekly magazines 4 Internet 11 O/A+NIP+N/A 3 Q: Which media do you think plays a significant role in coming up with solutions to public concerns or problems? Pick up to three from among those listed below. Major newspapers 59 Sports newspapers 1 Evening tabloids 2 NHK Television 45 Commercial television 51 Radio 5 Monthly magazines 3 Weekly magazines 3 Internet 8 O/A+NIP+N/A 10 TOKYO 00002390 013 OF 014 Q: These days, the number of Internet users is increasing. Do you think the newspapers will remain necessary for information or knowledge? Yes 74 Yes to a certain degree 17 Not really 4 No 4 N/A 1 Q: How much time do you spend every day on average reading the newspaper? Pick only one from among those listed below. About 10 minutes 18 About 20 minutes 22 About 30 minutes 26 About 40 minutes 7 About 50 minutes 2 About 1 hour 14 About 1.5 hours 3 Over 2 hours 2 Don't read at all 5 N/A 2 Q: How much time do you spend every day on average using the Internet with your personal computer or cell phone? Pick only one from among those listed below. Less than 30 minutes 22 Less than 1 hour 15 Less than 1.5 hours 5 Less than 2 hours 8 Less than 3 hours 3 Less than 4 hours 1 Less than 5 hours 1 Over 5 hours 1 Don't use at all 43 N/A 1 Q: (Only for those who answered affirmatively to the foregoing question) Which do you use more often to access the Internet, a personal computer or a cell phone? Personal computer 71 Cell phone 23 Both about the same 5 N/A 1 Q: (Only for those who answered affirmatively to the foregoing question) What sites on the Internet do you visit frequently to view the news? If any, pick as many as you like from among those listed below. Newspaper websites 21 Sports newspaper or evening tabloid websites 7 TV station websites 5 News agency websites 8 Portal websites (Google, Yahoo!, etc.) 60 O/A 1 Don't view news 16 N/A 3 TOKYO 00002390 014 OF 014 Q: Have you ever subscribed to electronic newspaper services or "e-paper"? Pick only one from among those listed below. Yes 4 No, but would like to 17 No, wouldn't like to 73 N/A 6 Polling methodology Date of survey: Sept. 5-6. Subjects of survey: 3,000 persons chosen from among all eligible voters throughout the country (at 250 locations on a stratified two-stage random-sampling basis). Method of implementation: Door-to-door visits for face-to-face interviews. Number of valid respondents: 1,827 persons (61 PERCENT ) Breakdown of respondents: Male-46 PERCENT , female-54 PERCENT ; persons in their 20s-8 PERCENT , 30s-15 PERCENT , 40s-16 PERCENT , 50s-20 PERCENT , 60s-23 PERCENT , 70 and over-18 PERCENT ; big cities (Tokyo's 23 wards and government-designated cities)-22 PERCENT , major cities (with a population of more than 300,000)-18 PERCENT , medium-sized cities (with a population of more than 100,000)-25 PERCENT , small cities (with a population of less than 100,000)-24 PERCENT , towns and villages-11 PERCENT . (Note) In some cases, the total percentage does not add up to 100 PERCENT due to rounding. "0" denotes percentages less than 0.5 PERCENT . ROOS