JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 11/30/09

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E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 11/30/09 INDEX: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) Futenma issue: 4) Nagashima says MOD to seriously consider plan to move Futenma replacement facility runways farther offshore (Asahi) 5) SDP on edge over Futenma relocation (Mainichi) 6) Prime Minister meets with Okinawa Governor (Yomiuri) 7) Hatoyama admits he met with Okinawa Governor (Mainichi) Defense & security: 8) Okada tells Foreign Ministry to examine dispatch of several hundred SDF personnel to Sudan PKO (Sankei) 9) MSDF and Chinese navy hold first joint exercise (Nikkei) North Korea: 10) Hatoyama asks Chinese Defense Minister for cooperation on abduction and nuclear issues (Nikkei) 11) Kim Jong Il took his third son on inspection tour of countryside (Mainichi) 12) Trilateral conference issues statement calling for early return of abductees (Tokyo Shimbun) Economy: 13) Plant and equipment investment down 17 PERCENT (Nikkei) Opinion: 14) Asahi poll: 50 of 100 major companies report deflation; 26 say economy recovering (Asahi) 15) Nikkei poll: Cabinet support at 68 PERCENT (Nikkei) 16) Kyodo poll: 74 PERCENT unconvinced by explanation of fake contributions; 77 PERCENT give high marks to budget screening (Tokyo Shimbun) Secret accords: 17) Blue-ribbon commission on secret accords holds first meeting (Yomiuri) 18) GOJ to change tack in lawsuit on "secret agreement" on Okinawa's reversion to Japanese administration (Tokyo Shimbun) 19) Foreign Ministry's internal investigation did not find documents on secret nuclear pact on reintroduction of nuclear weapons after Okinawa reversion (Nikkei) 20) Prime Minister plans to change govt.'s stance if existence of secret nuclear pacts is confirmed (Asahi) Space: 21) Fourth intelligence-gathering satellite launched (Yomiuri) Politics: 22) Land Minister Maehara discloses plan to submit to regular Diet session bill to clarify Japanese sovereignty over outlying islands (Sankei) Foreign relations: 23) Japan to exchange views regarding Hague Convention with France (Nikkei) Articles: TOKYO 00002723 002 OF 011 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi: 19 prefectures halt or scale down electronic application system Mainichi: Man admits he is person in image from ATM security camera in connection with murder of female college student in Chiba Yomiuri & Tokyo Shimbun: Government to include measures to deal with yen's rise, stock falls in second extra budget under prime minister's instruction Nikkei: Government to enable workers to pay defined contribution pension plans Sankei: Prosecutors to question DPJ lawmaker Ishikawa over falsified donation reports by Ozawa's office Akahata: Okinawan people adamantly opposing relocation of Futenma airfield within prefecture 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Japan should step up efforts to prevent nuclear terrorism in cooperation with U.S. (2) Drastically review current academic examinations Mainichi: (1) Abolition of provisional tax rates: Carefully design an environment tax (2) Reduction of academic examinations: Full examination and improvement measures needed Yomiuri: (1) New strategy necessary to increase jobs Nikkei: (1) Review wage regulations while taking economic situation into consideration (2) Recall might undermine Toyota's reputation Sankei: (1) Examination of documents on nuclear secret pacts: Pour energy into strengthening deterrence of Japan-U.S. alliance (2) AIDS report: Hopes finally in sight Tokyo Shimbun: (1) COP15: Carefully nurse small buds of U.S.'s and Chinese targets for cutting midterm greenhouse gas emissions (2) Toyota should use recall as opportunity to review "safety" Akahata: (1) Plunge scalpel into wasteful spending in next fiscal year's budget 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) TOKYO 00002723 003 OF 011 Prime Minister's schedule, November 29 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) November 30, 2009 morning Spent at official residential quarters 13:33 Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koji Matsui; joined by National Strategy Minister Naoto Kan, Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii, Administrative Reform Minister Yoshito Sengoku, Senior Vice Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda, and Senior Vice Minister of the Cabinet Office Motohisa Furukawa 18:15 Dined with Matsui and Cabinet Office adviser Oriza Hirata at Chinese restaurant Ryuen in Nishi-asakusa 21:52 Arrived at official residential quarters 4) "I am seriously looking into" shifting to a offshore plan, says Parliamentary Defense Secretary Nagashima ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) November 29, 2009 Defense Ministry Parliamentary Defense Secretary Akihisa Nagashima on Nov. 28 held a press conference in Oita City. Referring to switching from a plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station (Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture) to Henoko, Nago City, in the same prefecture, to an offshore plan, Nagashima said that the ministry is seriously looking into that option. Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima is calling for the offshore plan as a condition for him to accept the relocation plan. Nagashima pointed out that Governor Nakaima is sticking to a plan to shift to an offshore plan and to disperse Futenma functions until the relocation work is over. He indicated his view that the Japan-U.S. working group should discuss this possibility, noting, "If the premise is to implement the existing plan, the governments of Japan and the U.S. should make efforts to make these to modifications in good faith." 5) SDP nervous about Futenma issue MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) November 30, 2009 The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has become nervous about what decision the government will make on the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture. In the party, which has proposed relocating the airfield out of the prefecture or even outside the nation, many of its lawmakers elected from Okinawa and its supporters have begun to assert that if a settlement is reached on relocating the facility within the prefecture, the party should break away from the coalition government. If the leadership gives priority to remaining in the coalition, the party could be break up. A group of 100 SDP local chapter members and others yesterday visited the planned relocation site in a coastal area of the Henoko district of Nago City and other areas. After visiting the site, SDP Secretary General Yasumasa emphasized in a press conference in Nago City: "If the government takes local voices into consideration, it naturally should not decide to construct the alternative facility in the waters off Henoko." TOKYO 00002723 004 OF 011 A senior party member commented: "Local supporters have told me that if the party makes a compromise on the Futenma relocation issue, they will not support the SDP in the next House of Councillors election. I would like the government and the Democratic Party of Japan to understand the seriousness of the current situation." 6) Hatoyama meets Nakaima YOMIURI (Page 1) (Abridged) Eve., November 28, 2009 Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama met yesterday morning at his office with Okinawa Prefecture's Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima on the pending issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in the prefecture, sources have revealed. Nakaima explained the situation in Okinawa over the Futenma relocation issue and asked Hatoyama to settle the issue at the earliest possible time. Hatoyama did not clarify when he will make a decision over the Futenma relocation or where to relocate Futenma airfield, according to the sources. However, Hatoyama himself has begun to explore a settlement of the issue, so the issue will likely enter the final phase of coordination for a conclusion by the end of the year. 7) Hatoyama admits he met with Okinawa governor MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) November 30, 2009 Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama admitted last night that he had unofficially met with Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima on Nov. 27. He told reporters in Tokyo: "It is true that I met him." According to Hatoyama, they exchanged views mainly on the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture, but the prime minister stopped short of detailing their conversation. Hatoyama and Nakaima are scheduled to meet again at the Prime Minister's Official Residence this morning. 8) Foreign minister looking into dispatch of several hundred SDF troops to Sudan for PKO SANKEI (Page 3) (Excerpts) November 29, 2009 Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada has instructed Foreign Ministry officials to study the possibility of having several hundred Self-Defense Forces (SDF) troops participate in the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) as part of UN peacekeeping operations (PKO),sources said yesterday. The Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry have already started coordination on this plan. The Hatoyama administration has decided to halt the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean in January. Under such a situation, the administration aims to push for Japan's personnel contributions with its proactive participation in PKO. Japan dispatched Ground Self-Defense Force engineering troops to East Timor for PKO for about two years from 2002. The Foreign Ministry is also looking into resending troops to that nation. TOKYO 00002723 005 OF 011 9) Japanese, Chinese defense chiefs agree on first joint naval drill between MSDF and Chinese Navy NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) November 28, 2009 Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa held talks with his Chinese counterpart, Liang Guanglie, on Nov. 27. The two defense leaders agreed on a plan to conduct the first joint naval search-and-rescue drill between the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) and the Chinese Navy. They also formulated a nine-point joint statement centering on a plan to begin troop-level exchanges envisaging joint exercises in 2010 between the Ground Self-Defense Force and the People's Liberation Army. The two countries also plan to exchange information on UN peacekeeping operations (PKO). During the talks, Kitazawa expressed concern over China's rapid military buildup, saying: "There is a shortage of information on the possession of equipment, records on procurement, the deployment and organization of mainstay troops, and the breakdown of the budget." In response, Liang simply said, "We have been working hard to increase transparency." 10) Premier asks for Chinese cooperation on abduction and nuclear issues involving North Korea NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) November 28, 2009 Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Nov. 27 met with Chinese National Defense Minister Liang Guanglie at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (the Kantei). The prime minister during the meeting asked for his cooperation for a settlement of issues involving North Korea, such as the abduction of Japanese nationals by that nation and its nuclear development program. Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, who met Liang after that, said, "North Korea is attaching importance to bilateral talks with the U.S. The national defense minister told me that North Korea would return to the Six-Party Talks, once bilateral talks with the U.S. are held." 11) North Korean internal document shows Kim Jong Il's third son accompanied him on regional inspection tour in late April MAINICHI (Top play) (Abridged) November 29, 2009 Shoji Nishioka in Beijing An internal document obtained by Mainichi Shimbun shows that the third son of North Korea's General Secretary Kim Jong Il, Jong Un (Chinese character of last syllable changed from "un" to "gin" (both pronounced as "un" in Korean)) is officially recorded as having accompanied his father on a regional inspection tour in late April. This is the first time that Jong Un's accompanying the General Secretary on an inspection tour has been substantiated by a document. The document itself indicates that "this is the first public document making an announcement related to Comrade General Kim Jong Un," which shows that the recording of his activities has begun as part of efforts to prepare for his succession. The document was drafted during Kim Jong Il's visit to Wonsan, a major city in the southeast of the DPRK, to give on-site TOKYO 00002723 006 OF 011 instructions. It is dated "April 26, the 98th year of Chuche (2009)" and is entitled "Conversation with Activists at Wonsan Agricultural University while Giving On-site Instructions," containing remarks by Kim Jong Il on that occasion. Kim praised the university as "a significant university representing the zealous accomplishments of the Great Leader (the late President Kim Il Song) and my mother Kim Jong Suk." He also said: "I came with General Kim today" and "The Wonsan Agricultural University has become a glorious university serving the Great Leader, mother Kim Jong Suk, myself, and General Kim," thus conveying the presence of Jong Un. 12) International parliamentary union issues joint statement on early return of North Korean abduction victims TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Slightly abridged) November 29, 2009 Hiroki Hayashi in Chang Mai The "International Parliamentary Union on North Korean Refugees and Human Rights," consisting of members of parliament from Japan, the U.S., South Korea, and other countries, held its sixth general meeting in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand on Nov. 28 and adopted a joint statement demanding the early return of the victims of North Korea's abductions, among other things, before ending its proceedings. Some 40 participants from 11 countries, including Japan's Minister for the Abduction Issue Hiroshi Nakai, attended the general meeting. This is the first time that a Japanese cabinet minister has attended the meeting. It is believed that this is meant to publicize the Hatoyama administration's positive stance on the abduction issue and to obtain the cooperation of other countries by presenting the abductions as a human rights issue. 13) Capital spending for current fiscal year dips 17 percent: survey NIKKEI (Top play) (Lead para.) November 29, 2009 The capital spending trend survey (1,598 companies' modified plans) for fiscal 2009, conducted by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, has found that the amount of capital spending in all industry sectors had dropped 17.6 percent from the track record of fiscal 2008. The figure is down 2.7 percent from the initial plans, marking the largest fall since 1990, the year when data for comparison with the initial plans became available. The management environment has improved. For instance, a number of upward revisions of estimated business performances have been made. However, the future of the economy is unclear due in part to the current sharp appreciation of the yen. Many companies, mainly leading manufacturers, such as auto makers and home appliance makers, are becoming increasingly cautious about making investment. 14) Poll of leading 100 companies: 50 recognize deflationary trend; 26 see economy is turning around ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) November 29, 2009 TOKYO 00002723 007 OF 011 In a poll of leading 100 companies throughout the nation conducted by the Asahi Shimbun, 26 replied that the economy is indicating signs of picking up, up one from the previous survey carried out in June. Fifty companies said that although increased exports and the government's stimulus measures are producing effects, the economy is sinking into a deflationary trend with prices continuing to drop due to sluggish consumption. Few companies plan to hire more personnel. There is a growing concern that the economy is sinking into a double-dip recession, in which the economy once again deteriorates due to the strong yen and the deflationary trend, while the recovery of the economy is not being felt, because it is not creating jobs. Forty-eight companies praise Hatoyama administration The poll is carried out twice a year. It was carried out from Nov. 9 through Nov. 20, before the sharp appreciation of the yen kicked in -- the yen temporarily tested 84 against the collar. The poll, which targeted 50 manufacturing and nonmanufacturing companies respectively, was conducted on a face-to-face basis, in which CEOs were, in principle, interviewed. Concerning current economic conditions, a total of 52 companies replied "the economy is turning around moderately" or "the economy is on the standstill, although some sectors are showing rosy signs." The rapid economic plunge, which kicked in last fall, is gradually coming to a halt. However, the views of pollees on the present economic conditions are harsh, with Sumitomo Rubber Industries President Tetsuharu Mino noting, "Although the economy might have picked up, it has just recovered to the level before the recession." Regarding the measures the Hatoyama administration has taken so far, 48 companies replied that they deserve a certain degree of score. Support for new measures, such as a goal to cut greenhouse gases, was visible. On the other hand, many respondents called on the government to map out a mid-term economic growth strategy. Nippon Oil Corporation Chairman Fumiaki Watari said, "Its effort to display leadership in removing wasteful spending deserves high scores. However, as it has not yet come up with a growth strategy, companies remain unable to develop an investment plan." 15) Poll: Cabinet support at 68 PERCENT NIKKEI (Page 1) (Abridged) November 30, 2009 The approval rating for Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his cabinet dropped 5 percentage points from October in a public opinion survey jointly conducted by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun and TV Tokyo on Nov. 27-29. The disapproval rating for the Hatoyama cabinet rose 3 points to 24 PERCENT . A total of 75 PERCENT approved of the Hatoyama cabinet's screening of budget requests to ferret out wasteful spending. Meanwhile, 57 PERCENT disapproved of the Hatoyama cabinet's way of addressing the current high yen and low stock prices, almost double the proportion of those approving of it. 16) Poll: 74 PERCENT unhappy with Hatoyama's account on his fund-managing body's falsified political fund reports TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Abridged) TOKYO 00002723 008 OF 011 November 30, 2009 In a telephone-based nationwide public opinion survey conducted by Kyodo News on Nov. 28-29, a total of 74.9 PERCENT answered "no" when asked if they thought Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's account of his fund-managing body's falsification of political fund reports was convincing. The figure rose 6.9 percentage points from the last survey conducted about a month ago. Meanwhile, 77.3 PERCENT approved of the Hatoyama cabinet's screening of budget requests from all government ministries and agencies in the process of compiling the budget for next fiscal year. The Hatoyama cabinet's support rate was 63.7 PERCENT , remaining at nearly the same level as in the last survey, 61.8 PERCENT .The disapproval rating was 25.1 PERCENT , up 2.2 points from the last survey. In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the ruling Democratic Party of Japan stood at 45.0 PERCENT , up 1.6 points from the last survey, while the opposition Liberal Democratic Party was at 16.2 PERCENT , down 4.9 points. The New Komeito was at 4.1 PERCENT , the Japanese Communist Party at 2.4 PERCENT , the Social Democratic Party at 2.1 PERCENT , the Your Party at 1.4 PERCENT , the People's New Party at 0.3 PERCENT , and the New Party Nippon at 0.4 PERCENT . "None" accounted for 27.8 PERCENT . 17) Blue-ribbon panel on nuclear pacts goes into action YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) November 28, 2009 A panel of experts tasked with verifying the Foreign Ministry's internal investigation into the secret pacts that reportedly exist between Japan and the United State, including one on the introduction of nuclear weapons, held its first meeting at the ministry on Nov. 27. "Although diplomacy is inseparable from secrets, leaving questionable elements unresolved to the end of time does not serve the national interest," University of Tokyo Professor Shinichi Kitaoka, who chairs the panel, said in the opening statement. Later in the day, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told reporters at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei),"If the truth comes to light, there is a possibility that the government will make a decision that is different from the one in the past." Hatoyama thus expressed a plan to alter the government's stance that has consistently denied the existence of secret pacts after the panel's verification work is over. The panel plans to analyze the diplomatic documents produced by 1989 when the Cold War ended and interview former senior Foreign Ministry officials as necessary with an eye to producing by the end of next January a report on, among other matters, whether or not the secret agreements exist. The investigation will cover four points, including: (1) the introduction of nuclear weapons (under a pact reached) during the conclusion of the revised Japan-U.S. Security Treaty in 1960, and (2) Japan's shouldering the cost of returning land to its original state during the revision of Okinawa in 1972. 18) GOJ to change tack in lawsuit on "secret agreement" on Okinawa's reversion to Japanese administration TOKYO 00002723 009 OF 011 TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 27) (Excerpts) November 30, 2009 The hearing for the administrative lawsuit concerning the disclosure of documents relating to the so-called "secret agreement" reached between the Japanese and U.S. governments in relation to Okinawa's reversion to Japanese administration will take place at the Tokyo District Court (presided by Justice Norihiko Sugihara) on Dec. 1. The government has informed the plaintiffs that it will change its hitherto position that "there was no secret agreement and no such documents exist" and withhold entering a plea of guilty or not guilty. The government is changing its position on two of the three documents subject to a request for disclosure. It is believed that this is in light of Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada's order to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to investigate whether the secret agreement exists. Bunroku Yoshino, 91, former director general of MOFA's North American Affairs Bureau, is scheduled to take the witness stand on Dec. 1 and admit the existence of the secret agreement. The government is likely to be forced to change its official position of denying the existence of this agreement. MOFA is currently investigating the following four secret agreements: agreement on the introduction of nuclear arms during the revision of the Japan-U.S. security treaty, U.S. Forces Japan operational plans in a contingency on the Korean peninsula, agreement reached at the time of Okinawa's reversion on the re-introduction of nuclear arms in a contingency, and agreement on Japan's paying for expenses to restore military base land in Okinawa to its original state. 19) Documents on secret nuclear pact on reintroduction of nuclear weapons after Okinawa reversion not found through Foreign Ministry's internal investigation NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) November 28, 2009 It became clear on Nov. 27 that the Foreign Ministry's internal investigation has failed to discover any documents on a secret agreement specifying that the United States is allowed to reintroduce nuclear weapons into Japan in the event of a contingency in Japan after Okinawa is returned to the country in 1972. At the same time, the largest group of documents unearthed by the investigation were related to a secret nuclear pact designed to exempt from prior consultations U.S. warships carrying nuclear weapons calling at Japanese ports and passing through Japan's territorial waters. The document on the reintroduction of nuclear weapons into Okinawa was reportedly signed in 1969 by then Prime Minister Eisaku Sato and U.S. President Richard Nixon in a small room next to the Oval Office in the White House. Kei Wakaizumi, a former Kyoto Sangyo University Professor who conducted talks with the U.S. on Okinawa's reversion as Prime Minister Sato's emissary, published a book in 1994 in which he disclosed that he and then National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger had drafted the documents, along with a photograph of the documents. An expert noted: "It is a fact that as an emissary Mr. Wakaizumi maneuvered behind the scenes, but it cannot be said that the secret TOKYO 00002723 010 OF 011 pact does not exist simply because (the Foreign Ministry) could not find the documents." 20) Prime Minister plans to change government's stance if existence of secret nuclear pacts is confirmed ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpt) November 28, 2009 Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama made the following comment regarding the government's stance on secret Japan-U.S. agreements, including one on the introduction of nuclear weapons: "There could be a decision that is different from the one in the past." Thus the Prime Minister expressed a plan to alter the government's traditional position denying the existence of secret pacts if the existence of such is confirmed. Meanwhile, a panel of experts tasked with verifying the Foreign Ministry's investigation held its first meeting on the same day. 21) Fourth information-gathering satellite launched successfully YOMIURI (Top Play) (Excerpts) Evening, November 28, 2009 An H-2A No. 16 rocket carrying the government's fourth information-gathering satellite was successfully launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Minami-Tanecho, Kagoshima Prefecture, at 10:21 a.m. on Nov. 28. The satellite was confirmed to have reached orbit. It was the nation's 10th consecutive successful launch of an H-2A rocket and the 15th successful launch overall. The new satellite carries the most advanced high-resolution imaging equipment of all the nation's information-gathering satellites. With a high-quality digital telecamera, it can identify objects on the ground as small as about 60 centimeters in size. The total cost of the satellite, including its launch, is approximately 58 billion yen. Previous satellites could only see objects at least one meter in size. 22) New law eyed for conservation of Japan's outlying islands SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) November 28, 2009 The government plans to present a bill to the Diet during next year's ordinary session for a new law that is intended to conserve Japan's outlying islands, including its southernmost island of Okinotorishima and its easternmost island of Minamitorishima, in order to develop undersea resources and protect Japan's national interests in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Seiji Maehara said yesterday. The newly planned law is aimed at maintaining and strengthening Japan's sovereignty by legally defining the conservation of Japan's outlying islands, including the two islands. 23) GOJ decides to create panel for consultations with France on the Hague Convention NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) November 30, 2009 TOKYO 00002723 011 OF 011 The government decided on Nov. 29 to create in early December a consultative body with France on the Hague Convention governing the settlement of disputes arising from failed international marriages. There have been numerous disputes involving one parent returning to his or her home country with the children, thus preventing the other parent from seeing them. While Japan is not a member of the convention, it wants to facilitate the settlement of disputes through close exchange of information. Under the Hague Convention, when children are taken away, it is possible to demand their return and visitation rights from the country where they are taken. Japan and Russia are the only G-8 countries that have not signed the treaty. The treaty has not been a major problem so far in Japan since most cases involved Japanese women married to foreign men returning home with their children. ZUMWALT