DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 11/12/09

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 002619 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 11/12/09 INDEX: (1) Editorial: U.S. President Obama's visit to Japan - New administration being tested over management of Japan-U.S. alliance (Asahi) (2) Editorial: Obama's 1st visit to Japan should be starting point for deepening alliance (Mainichi) (3) Ginowan mayor to attend President Obama's speech on Nov. 14 (Okinawa Times) (4) Editorial: The voice of Okinawa reached the Hatoyama cabinet on Futenma relocation? (Tokyo Shimbun) (5) Interview with Joseph Nye, professor at Harvard University: Japan, U.S. should issue new declaration on 50th anniversary of Security Treaty (Nikkei) (6) Interview with Professor Kent Calder: Create a venue for dialogue on Japan-U.S. security arrangements (Nikkei) (7) Failure to report accident lamented at funeral of victim of fatal hit-and-run incident in Okinawa (Okinawa Times) (8) Editorial: Folly of check-book diplomacy, again (Nikkei) (9) TOP HEADLINES (Nikkei) (10) EDITORIALS (Nikkei) ARTICLES: (1) Editorial: U.S. President Obama's visit to Japan - New administration being tested over management of Japan-U.S. alliance ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) November 12, 2009 U.S. President Barack Obama will arrive in Japan tomorrow. In the presidential election campaign just one year ago, Obama called for change. Since he assumed office, he has demonstrated his originality in both domestic and foreign policies. The international community is now paying close attention to how Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who also took over the reins of government (in the last House of Representatives election),is going to deepen Japan-U.S. relations in cooperation with President Obama. Attaching great importance to such global challenges as global warming and nuclear arms reduction, the Obama and Hatoyama administrations are willing to address these issues based on multilateral cooperation. We hope the two leaders, while reaffirming that the bilateral alliance will remain solid also in the future, will envision a fresh vision that is greatly different from the approach taken in the days of the Bush administration and successive Japanese governments led by the Liberal Democratic Party. But there is a thorny issue that stands in the way of Japan-U.S. relations - the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station. Japan and the U.S. agreed three years ago to relocate the facility to Henoko in Nago City. Although Secretary of Defense Robert Gates pressed Japan to accept this current plan before TOKYO 00002619 002 OF 012 President Obama visits Japan, the two countries have decided not to spotlight the Futenma issue in the upcoming summit meeting. Instead, they agreed to have a cabinet-level task force speed up work to bring about a settlement to the issue at an early date. It is surely undesirable for the two leaders will be at odds over the Futenma issue during their meeting. The situation, though, is becoming more and more complicated. The Okinawa governor and the Nago mayor have expressed their approval of the existing plan, but the change of government has boosted expectations among Okinawa prefecture and local residents for the Futenma facility to be moved out of the prefecture. They are also becoming more impatient about the prime minister's indecisive policy. Meanwhile, the danger of the Futenma Air Station must be removed as soon as possible. If a part of the overall plan for the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan is halted as a result of the existing plan being put back to square one, other measures to reduce the base burden on Okinawa, such as the return of the site to be vacated by the Futenma Air Station and the transfer of Marines to Guam, will also come to a stalemate. It might be an idea for Hatoyama to frankly speak of the difficulty and complexity of the Futenma issue. It is important for the prime minister to demonstrate his eagerness in the summit to exchange views on this issue in a serious manner because the issue bears on the base of the bilateral alliance, instead of sidestepping it. No matter what decision the prime minister makes, he will need a great deal of political energy to break the current impasse based on his decision. It is necessary for the two leaders to express their determination to resolve this issue at an early date in order to gain enough momentum to break the impasse. In an interview with NHK, President Obama indicated his understanding for the reexamination of the agreement to move the facility to Henoko by the Hatoyama administration, but also expressed his expectation for Japan's acceptance of the plan in the end. When a regime change takes place, it is possible that the new government will change the policies of the previous government, and this can result in friction. The new administrations are being tested on how they will manage the Japan-U.S. alliance. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the revision of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. The new administrations of Japan and the U.S. will soon begin working on considering future options for the Japan-U.S. alliance and role-sharing for the 21st century. We hope the coming summit will be an appropriate starting point for this process. (2) Editorial: Obama's 1st visit to Japan should be starting point for deepening alliance MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) November 11, 2009 U.S. President Obama will come to Japan on Nov. 13 for the first time since taking office and will meet with Prime Minister Yukio TOKYO 00002619 003 OF 012 Hatoyama. The two leaders are expected to talk about such issues as assistance measures for Afghan reconstruction, efforts to address climate change, and nuclear disarmament. Ahead of the summit meeting, the Japanese government has decided to extend 5 billion dollars (approximately 450 billion yen) in aid to Afghanistan over a period of five years from this year. This aid package for Afghanistan features such measures as providing vocational training for former Taliban militants to help them reenter society, continuing to pay half of the wages for local police, and carrying out agricultural and medical support. The government has shelved the option of sending the Self-Defense Forces to Afghanistan in lieu of continuing the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling activities in the Indian Ocean because of the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and out of consideration for the Social Democratic Party, one of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan's two coalition partners. Instead, the government has decided to provide civilian assistance with funding. Even so, Japan has extended a total of approximately 2 billion dollars in its civilian assistance to Afghanistan since 2002. As it stands, Japan's contributions will pile up in a major way. This is apparently a consequence of having made concessions to the United States as a price for discontinuing the MSDF's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean and limiting Japan's personnel contributions due to the worsening security situation in Afghanistan. Since the government is going to spend so much of the taxpayers' money, it should secure transparency through public accountability on such points as how much assistance is being provided. Meanwhile, it seems the two leaders will not delve too deeply into the issue of relocating the U.S. military's Futenma airfield in Okinawa Prefecture. This is to delay dealing with the problem. However, since Futenma is a major pending issue or Japan and the United States, it will undoubtedly be the most important issue lurking in the background of the summit meeting. We are, however, concerned about the Hatoyama cabinet's way of addressing the Futenma issue. In its manifesto for this summer's general election for the House of Representatives, the DPJ committed itself to reviewing the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and the presence of U.S. military bases in Japan. During the election campaign, DPJ President Hatoyama clarified his intention to relocate Futenma airfield outside Okinawa Prefecture. "Futenma relocation outside Okinawa Prefecture" is a de facto public pledge. However, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada is giving heed to integrating the heliport functions of Futenma airfield into the U.S. Kadena Air Base, and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa is leaning toward the current plan to relocate Futenma airfield to a coastal area of Camp Schwab in line with an intergovernmental agreement reached between Japan and the United States. The two ministers both agree on relocation within Okinawa Prefecture. The Hatoyama cabinet does not appear to be looking at all seriously into the possibility of moving the Futenma base out of Okinawa Prefecture. Prime Minister Hatoyama underscored both "the wishes of Okinawa Prefecture's local residents" and "the gravity of the intergovernmental agreement between Japan and the United States." However, he knew about the bilateral agreement when he insisted on Futenma relocation outside Okinawa Prefecture, didn't he? It is Prime Minister Hatoyama's responsibility to pave the way toward resolving the pending issue of Futenma relocation. We want Prime Minister Hatoyama and President TOKYO 00002619 004 OF 012 Obama to exchange views at least to address the Futenma issue in an earnest manner and come up with a solution to the problem. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the revision of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. There has been a change of government both in Japan and in the United States. In response to this, it should be very significant for the two countries to start working together to deepen their bilateral alliance. Prime Minister Hatoyama has also played up the Japan-U.S. alliance as the foundation of Japan's foreign policy. Next November Japan will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Yokohama. On that occasion, President Obama will visit Japan again to attend the forum. The upcoming Hatoyama-Obama summit should be the starting point for redefining the bilateral alliance. (3) Ginowan mayor to attend President Obama's speech on Nov. 14 OKINAWA TIMES (Page 2) (Full) November 12, 2009 TOKYO-Yoichi Iha, mayor of Ginowan, site of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, revealed on Nov. 11 that he has received from the U.S. Embassy an invitation to President Barack Obama's speech to be delivered in Tokyo on Nov. 14. The U.S. Embassy has also invited Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima, as well as the mayors of Okinawa City, Kadena, and Chatan, which are localities surrounding the U.S. Kadena Air Base. The Okinawa government is now arranging the governor's schedule. However, the three mayors will forgo attending the session on account of their official duties. According to Mayor Iha, the U.S. Embassy conveyed a verbal invitation to Ginowan City on Nov. 10. Reportedly, President Obama will speak on the U.S.'s Asia policy. However, Iha said that there was no explanation of why the heads of local governments in Okinawa were invited. In March 2009 Mayor Iha sent President Obama a letter in which he explained that the Futenma base is located in a densely populated area, in violation of U.S. safety standards, and called for an early removal of the risk imposed by the base. Iha said, "I was invited probably because of the pending issue (of Futenma base)," revealing a sense of expectancy. "If I am given an opportunity to express my view," Iha said, "I would like to tell the President to eliminate the risk posed by Futenma, not only for the sake of the children who are the city's treasures, but also for protecting Henoko Bay, where dugongs live. (4) Editorial: The voice of Okinawa reached the Hatoyama cabinet on Futenma relocation? TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 5) (Full) November 11, 2009 Ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Japan on Nov. 13, Okinawa's local residents held a rally (on Nov. 8) to protest the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within Okinawa. Hatoyama cabinet ministers have expressed their TOKYO 00002619 005 OF 012 views, which are premised on relocating the Futenma base within the island prefecture. Has the voice of Okinawa reached the Hatoyama cabinet? The Futenma base, located in a densely populated area of Ginowan City, is considered the most dangerous base in the world. With regard to the relocation of the Futenma base, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama reiterated during the campaign for the House of Representatives election that the best option would be to move the base out of Japan or at least move it out of Okinawa Prefecture. He referred to the possibility of reviewing the current plan to relocate the Futenma base to a coastal area of Camp Schwab, which is based on an agreement reached between the Japanese and U.S. governments. The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),which has advocated moving the Futenma base's heliport functions outside Okinawa Prefecture or outside Japan, has taken the reins of government. DPJ candidates opposed to the idea of relocating Futenma within Okinawa won all the four single-seat districts of Okinawa Prefecture in the general election. Therefore, it is only natural that Okinawan people strongly want the Futenma base at least moved out of the prefecture. Nevertheless, the rally was carried out against the relocation of Futenma airfield within Okinawa Prefecture. Okinawa Prefecture's local residents were driven by the necessity of crying out against the Futenma relocation within the prefecture since some cabinet ministers have made remarks breaking their party's promise to voters. "(Okinawa-based) U.S. Marines will be moved to Guam and refueling aircraft will be transferred to the U.S. Marine Corps' Iwakuni Air Station (in Yamaguchi Prefecture). It is a little wrong to think that this idea does not satisfy our campaign pledges at all," said Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa. However, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada has suggested the idea of looking into the possibility of integrating the Futenma base into the U.S. Kadena Air Base (in the town of Kadena and other municipalities in Okinawa Prefecture). He said, "The manifesto and comments made by party officials during the campaign are not equivalent." The remarks made during the election campaign are pledges. If they are not campaign pledges, what should voters believe when casting their ballots? Okinawa is home to approximately 75 PERCENT of U.S. military bases in Japan. Recently, a fatal hit-and-run incident occurred in Yomitan Village, Okinawa Prefecture. The incident is suspected of involving a U.S. military vehicle. Needless to cite this case, Okinawa has borne an overly heavy burden. Prime Minister Hatoyama said, "This is not the kind of issue we can resolve immediately after taking office." It is understandable that it would not be easy to resolve the Futenma issue, as he said. We hear that the U.S. government, which has called for Japan to implement the agreement, has growing dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Hatoyama, who has expressed his intention to put off a conclusion on the issue. We hope, however, that the Prime Minister will arrive at a conclusion after due consideration. If he gives up early, Okinawa's high expectations of the Hatoyama administration TOKYO 00002619 006 OF 012 will turn into a sense of distrust at once. We hope that Prime Minister Hatoyama will talk with President Obama without reserve on Nov. 13 in order to find common ground on the Futenma issue. During the summit, he should convey the feelings of Okinawan people to President Obama straightforwardly. Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the revision of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty. The bilateral alliance should be rebuilt from a mid- to long-term perspective. It is about time for the government to think about how to mitigate Okinawa's base-hosting burden. (5) Interview with Joseph Nye, professor at Harvard University: Japan, U.S. should issue new declaration on 50th anniversary of Security Treaty NIKKEI (Page 1) (Full) November 10, 2009 -- Japan-U.S. relations have been strained since the Hatoyama administration was launched. Nye: Since the change of government came after the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) monopoly on power lasting for many years, it is only natural for there to be some friction between the new government and the U.S. Most of the current friction could have been anticipated. There is no need to worry about this in the long run. The Japan-U.S. Security Arrangements are based on common interests such as what approaches they should take to rising China and unpredictable North Korea. -- What do you think of the Hatoyama administration's performance? Nye: It is premature to make an evaluation. To put it in Navy terms, it is better to turn your eyes to the horizon than to become seasick while looking down the waves that are rocking the ship. Japan-U.S. relationship is not a master-servant relationship -- Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has said in Diet replies: "The LDP was blindly following the U.S.;" and "a review of the Japan-U.S. relationship is necessary." Nye: It is incorrect to liken the Japan-U.S. relationship to the relationship between a master and servant. Japan and the U.S. are legally on an equal footing, so if Japan does not need to ensure its national security with the presence of U.S. military forces, it can ask the U.S. to withdraw them. If Japan makes such a request, the U.S. will withdraw its troops. The Self-Defense Force's capabilities are inferior to those of the U.S. military. But that is the consequence of the policy Japan took, reflecting its historical and political circumstances. If Japan hopes and tries to possess the same level of military power as that of the U.S., it will cost Japan and its neighbors a great deal. In new areas such as energy and climate change prevention technology, Japan will be able take the initiative because it has technical capabilities that are superior to those of the U.S. -- What are your thoughts on the concept of the East Asian Community proposed by Prime Minister Hatoyama? TOKYO 00002619 007 OF 012 Nye: It depends on how the concept is defined. Japan's efforts to deepen ties with its neighbors should be welcomed. It should be possible to establish a regional community that overlaps with existing regional frameworks, such as the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nation) plus Japan, the U.S. and South Korea; the East Asia Summit Conference; and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. But it would not be at all productive to create a mechanism excluding the U.S. -- the world's largest economic power -- in an age of global interdependence. This point should be taken into consideration. China probably wouldn't welcome an agreement that would block its entry into the U.S. market, either. -- China's gross domestic product (GDP) will soon surpass Japan's. Has Japan become less valuable to the U.S.? Nye: China is no match for Japan yet in terms of GDP per capita and economic sophistication. Japan is also a partner to the U.S. because it is a democratic state. Kadena-Futenma integration plan difficult -- The U.S. government has been calling on Japan to implement the existing plan for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station. Nye: This problem already existed when I was working for the Defense Department more than 10 years ago. It will not be beneficial for both countries to spend another 10 years in pursuit of a better plan. There is a proposal for integrating the Futenma airfield with Kadena Air Base. But the Air Force at the Kadena base and the Marine Corps at the Futenma air station conduct very different activities in contingencies, so their coexistence would be difficult. -- Prime Minister Hatoyama has said: "I want to listen to the views of the Okinawan people." A Nago mayoral election and an Okinawa gubernatorial election will be held next year. Nye: It is undesirable to take much time in reaching a conclusion, but U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell takes the view that there is enough time to listen to the voices of concern and understand the political issues. -- How should the Japan-U.S. relationship be developed in the future? Nye: East Asia became prosperous owing to the Japan-U.S. alliance. It was appropriate that President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto declared in 1996: "The Security Treaty is not a relic from the Cold War but the foundation for regional stability in the Cold-War period." Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. Reconfirming that everything has gone smoothly under the Security Treaty is the cleverest way (to develop the Japan-U.S. relationship). To that end, I expect Japan and the U.S. will issue a new declaration. It is desirable for Japan and the U.S. to affirm their cooperation in dealing with global issues. -- Japan plans to extend up to 5 billion dollars, or approximately 450 billion yen, in aid to Afghanistan. Will this measure be regarded as a proper measure to replace the possible halt of the TOKYO 00002619 008 OF 012 ongoing refueling mission in the Indian Ocean or a postponement of the Futenma relocation issue? Nye: Although I am not a member of the government, I think it is an appropriate proposal. (6) Interview with Professor Kent Calder: Create a venue for dialogue on Japan-U.S. security arrangements NIKKEI (Page 1) (Full) November 12, 2009 Interview with Professor Kent Calder, director of Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies, Johns Hopkins University, by editorial staff member Tsuyoshi Sunohara Sunohara: Is the current confusion in the Japan-U.S. relationship caused by the end of the framework of cooperation between the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the U.S. Republican Party, and the change of administration in both countries? Calder: Yes, of course. Personal connections play a key role in the Japan-U.S. relationship. The old personal networks between the two countries built in the past no longer exist. However, delicate issues such as the security arrangements cannot be resolved without such personal contacts because mutual trust is indispensable for behind-the-scenes negotiations. The lack of personal connections at the high level in particular has complicated the problem. The bilateral relationship relied too much on the personal friendship between former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and former President George Bush in the past few years. They did too many things, including Iraq aid and missile defense, simultaneously at a time when the political base of the Japan-U.S. alliance was limited and personal networks inadequate. Loss of personal connections Sunohara: It appears that the Democratic Parties in Japan and the U.S. do not know each other well and are suspicious of each other. Calder: When the LDP was the ruling party, it urged the U.S. not to have anything to do with the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). The U.S. side, particularly during the Bush administration, paid no attention to the DPJ. While the DPJ did not have policymaking powers at that time, it was a mistake that the U.S. side did not have foresight and did not build any personal contacts with the DPJ. During the Clinton administration, then U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Foley met with Yukio Hatoyama and Naoto Kan, who were then in the opposition, after the House of Councillors election in 1998. That sort of relationship no longer exists today. Sunohara: What is the Obama administration's stance toward the Hatoyama administration? Calder: There are two schools of thought. One is highly suspicious and takes a tough stance, while the other school wants to wait and see a little longer. The first school is concerned about the (Asia-centered) regionalism advocated by the Hatoyama administration and regards the new administration as being "cold to the United States." From the U.S. standpoint, it is unclear whether Prime Minister Hatoyama is willing to include the U.S. in his concept of the East Asian community. While most people (in the Obama TOKYO 00002619 009 OF 012 administration) belong to the wait-and-see group, there is increasing distrust. Sunohara: There are many pending issues relating to the Japan-U.S. security arrangements, such as the relocation of the Futenma Air Station and the secret agreement on bringing nuclear arms into Japan. What are the issues on which the U.S. can compromise and what are the ones on which it cannot? Calder: While I do not think there is any problem with the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) (which prescribes the legal status of U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ)),some changes from the standpoint of reinforcing the alliance are possible. The question of Futenma relocation should be discussed in the broader context of "what is the significance of Futenma for the Japan-U.S. relationship." I think the current plan for Futenma relocation is the best option. However, if Japan disagrees, there is also the option of creating a new venue for government level dialogue similar to the Japan-U.S. Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) (which drafted the 1996 Japan-U.S. Joint Declaration on Security). The new body can come to a conclusion to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the bilateral security treaty at about this time next year. "Submersion" has begun Sunohara: Won't advanced military technology and the loss of confidence in the Japan-U.S. alliance cause the receding of the U.S. defense line to the line linking the U.S. territories of Guam and Hawaii? Calder: While this is possible, theoretically, I don't think the situation will come to that. The stationing of U.S. forces in Okinawa is directly linked to the credibility of the nuclear umbrella provided by the U.S. to Japan. However, if Japan cuts back its omoiyari yosan (the so-called sympathy budget; host nation support) for the USFJ, this will lead to a reduction of U.S. troops. The nuclear umbrella and the sympathy budget will be the pillars supporting the bilateral alliance in the future. If Japan fails to recognize this, it will suffer a serious blow. Sunohara: The Japan-U.S. alliance was said to be "drifting" after the end of the East-West Cold War. What do you think of the present situation? Calder: I would not say it is "sinking," but "submersion" has begun. The alliance relationship with Japan remains an important cornerstone of the United States' strategy for Asia. Japan and the U.S. must build broad networks, starting with personal links, in order to make their relationship lasting. Energy strategy and new forms of economic cooperation should also be discussed. (7) Failure to report accident lamented at funeral of victim of fatal hit-and-run incident in Okinawa OKINAWA TIMES (Page 28) (Full) November 12, 2009 The funeral of Masakazu Hokama, 66, who died in the hit-and-run incident by a car with a "Y" license plate in Sobe, Yomitan Village, was held on Nov. 11 at the village's welfare center for the elderly. TOKYO 00002619 010 OF 012 Some 350 relatives and acquaintances of the deceased attended the funeral. They bid farewell to Mr. Hokama and lamented that "fleeing the scene of the accident was terrible" and "if the accident had been reported (immediately),he might have lived." Meanwhile, no one from the U.S. forces attended the funeral service. The ceremony was held on the afternoon of Nov. 11, and a picture of Mr. Hokama wearing a suit was placed in the center of the altar. Flowers adorned the entrance of the hall. Along with the classmates and other people who knew the deceased, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and several cabinet ministers also sent flowers. A man, 52, who was a colleague of Mr. Hokama more than 20 years ago at an auto repair shop in Ginowan City, said with a trembling voice: "I am deeply distressed. It is so sad. If the accident had been reported immediately, he might have lived. He was still so young..." Another man, 66, who was a classmate of Mr. Hokama in elementary, middle, and high school, said: "He was an honest and gentle person. It is truly regrettable because he was just about to start his life after retirement. He will not be able to rest in peace if the American soldier guilty of this is not punished properly." According to those who attended the funeral, the members of the bereaved family looked devastated. Denjitsu Ishimine, vice mayor of Yomitan, who represented the village at the funeral, stated grimly: "It was a vicious case of hit-and-run. The victim, Mr. Hokama, and his family will surely feel resentful." He also emphasized, "Okinawa is under the rule of law. I ask that the investigation be conducted rigorously and the culprit be punished promptly." A relative merely said, "I hope they find out the cause (of the accident) quickly," before leaving the hall in a hurry. (8) Editorial: Folly of check-book diplomacy, again NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) November 12, 2009 As a fresh measure to support Afghanistan, the government will disburse up to 5 billion dollars over five years starting in 2009. The money will be used mainly for the civilian sector, such as vocational training for former soldiers of the anti-government Taliban militants or the building of infrastructure. This will be conveyed to U.S. President Obama by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. Projects implemented in the past cost no more than 10 billion yen a year. However, they have earned international praise. The government will spend 90 billion yen a year for projects to be launched anew. Since it is not known whether all that money will be spent, the government will end up dispensing it like pork-barrel largesse. How would Government Revitalization Unit officials, who are currently screening budget requests, categorize such a way of spending tax revenues? When Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada announced the government decision to end the the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean, we had doubts about the plan, saying, "Will the government repeat check-book diplomacy again?" Extending TOKYO 00002619 011 OF 012 assistance to the civilian sector to, basically, replace the suspended refueling operation is check-book diplomacy itself. Will Japan once again become a country that writes checks instead of doing the heavy lifting? In 2002, Japan pledged financial assistance worth 2 billion dollars, of which approximately 1.8 billion dollars was used over eight years as a result of aid workers running around to undertake detailed coordination against a background of poor security. In comparison, 5 billion dollars to be spent over five years is an extraordinary figure, according to an aid source. Given the deteriorated security in Afghanistan, there is a possibility the money will not be used up. In that event, the money might be entrusted to a UN body or a non-governmental organization to spend instead. This would be tantamount to dumping the responsibility for implementing assistance on others. The Government Revitalization Unit is now discussing how to squeeze budget requests for fiscal 2010. One billion dollars is no small amount of money for use in a year. Given the decision-making process, the figure appears to be a foregone conclusion instead of being decided on the basis of projects to be undertaken. In the meantime, the cost of the refueling mission is no more than 10 billion yen. The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) identified this operation as unconstitutional. However, it did not touch on it in its policy manifesto. The operation is still going on. Prime Minister Hatoyama has left open other options, noting, "We will not simply extend the mission." However, he has steered clear of going into details. Providing 5 billion dollars would be meaningful, if it is spent properly. However, the refueling mission is far more meaningful in terms of cost-effectiveness. It is also appreciated by European countries and the U.S. It is imperative for the government to speed up discussion on specific issues for the continuation of the refueling operation. (9) TOP HEADLINES Asahi Government Revitalization Unit decides to abolish seven items worth 50 billion yen in first day work Mainichi: Government panel decides to cut 10 projects totaling 70 billion yen in first day work Yomiuri: Government budget examination panel decides to abolish 10 projects worth 50 billion yen on day one Nikkei: FamilyMart, jointly with Itochu, to acquire am/pm convenience stores to rival Lawson Sankei: Report on Henoko, Futenma's relocation site: People grew up with and benefitted from U.S. bases TOKYO 00002619 012 OF 012 Tokyo Shimbun: Government panels decides to abolish 12 projects worth 71.9 billion yen and to review payments to medical institutions Akahata: Poll with 2,000 unemployed: 63 PERCENT out of job for over three months, 47 PERCENT receiving unemployment benefits; government, large firms must fulfill their responsibilities 10) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Obama's visit to Japan: Will to manage alliance to be tested (2) 20th anniversary of the Emperor's accession to throne - opportunity to think about the future image of the Emperor Mainichi: (1) 20th anniversary of the Emperor's accession to throne: Emperor as symbol of the state (2) Budget screening begins: The people are watching Yomiuri: (1) 20th anniversary of the Emperor's enthronement: Public reverence for the Imperial Family is deep-seated (2) Hisaya Morishige, renowned actor of postwar period, passes away Nikkei: (1) Will JAL's revitalization plan be postponed again? (2) Checkbook diplomacy a foolish approach Sankei: (1) 20th anniversary of the Emperor's enthronement: We wish for prosperity of the state and Imperial Family: Start considering imperial succession from square one Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Ichihashi arrested thanks to citizens' cooperation (2) Actor Morishige dies: The sun rises and also sets Akahata: (1) Expedite efforts for enactment of new law governing services and support for persons with disabilities ROOS