DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 12/09/09

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 002814 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 12/09/09 INDEX: (1) PM Hatoyama stepping up coordination on Futenma relocation policy, to make final decision himself (Nikkei) (2) Talks with U.S. reach impasse: Gulf over Futenma airfield relocation remains wide open; Momentum toward holding bilateral alliance talks losing steam (Nikkei) (3) Hirano talks of possible delay in USFJ realignment road map, need to repair dilapidated facilities on Futenma base (Mainichi) (4) Former Vice Defense Minister: business interests one factor behind confusion over the Futenma issue (Yomiuri) (5) U.S. breaks its own promise to carry out U.S. force realignment; Relocation of I Corps to Camp Zama likely to be cancelled (Tokyo Shimbun) (6) Ceremony kicking off Japan-U.S. war game held in Chitose (Hokkaido Shimbun) (7) Nikkei-CSIS symposium: Strong Japan-U.S. alliance is cornerstone of international cooperation (Nikkei) (8) Dark clouds hanging over Japan-U.S. alliance (Part 2): DPJ has no policy toward U.S. (Yomiuri) (9) Secret Okinawa deal: Foreign Ministry told Finance Ministry Japan would shoulder costs that U.S. should have borne (Yomiuri) (10) I want Japan to teach U.S. "respect" (Yomiuri) ARTICLES: (1) PM Hatoyama stepping up coordination on Futenma relocation policy, to make final decision himself NIKKEI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) Evening, December 9, 2009 Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told reporters in front of his official residential quarters on the morning of Dec. 9 that with regard to the relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa, "since it is already mid-December, we will finalize our policy on the points for negotiation with the U.S.," indicating that coordination will be stepped up ahead of Dec. 18, which he has set as the deadline for deciding on the government's policy. Discussions among cabinet ministers have failed to reach a conclusion. Hatoyama stated that, "I am aware that the situation is very difficult, but I think there will be an answer and a solution. I will make the decision in the end." Replying to a question from reporters that the U.S. side has expressed concerns about the deterioration of the bilateral relationship, Hatoyama said: "The negotiation process is ongoing, so the other party might express such an opinion." He further stressed that, "This is not a statement they have made during the negotiations. Since this is a major issue affecting the livelihood of the people of Okinawa and Japan, we need to make a decision cautiously." TOKYO 00002814 002 OF 009 (2) Talks with U.S. reach impasse: Gulf over Futenma airfield relocation remains wide open; Momentum toward holding bilateral alliance talks losing steam NIKKEI (Page 3) (Full) December 9, 2009 Now that the government has given up on the idea of reaching a settlement on the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, talks with the U.S. have come to an impasse. With the U.S. taking a tougher stance, the cabinet-level working group talks between the two countries have been suspended. The momentum to launch government-to-government talks designed to deepen the bilateral alliance in the run-up to the 50th anniversary of the amendment to the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty next year is losing steam. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada held talks on the Futenma issue on the 8th. However, they put off making a decision for the second day in a row. The prime minister wants to press ahead with efforts to remove the danger the Futenma base is imposing on residents in the vicinity. The U.S. gives top priority to deciding to relocate the Futenma facilities to the coastal area of Camp Schwab in accordance with the bilateral agreement reached in 2006. Since the two countries are wide apart in their perceptions of the issue, they remain unable to find a settlement line. The Futenma issue has repercussions for Japan-U.S. relations as a whole. The foreign minister had no other choice but to announce at a press conference on the 8th that the ministerial-level working group meeting had been suspended for the time being. Regarding comprehensive talks to deepen the alliance, too, Okada said, "I do not feel like discussing the nature of the alliance myself, without settling the Futenma issue." He stressed that the Japan-U.S. alliance is now faltering. Deputy Chief of Mission Zumwalt of the American Embassy in Tokyo visited DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji Yamaoka on the same day in the Diet building. He asked for Yamaoka's cooperation in settling the Futenma issue before the end of the year. However, Yamaoka simply said, "Rushing to a conclusion will not result in a swift settlement." There are several factors behind the lack of progress in the talks with the U.S. One is the prime minister's view of the U.S. He has been advocating a Japan-U.S. security system without the permanent presence of U.S. forces. His proposal for relocating the Futenma facilities to Guam is viewed as being close to his own personal opinion rather than a public position. Some associate the prime minister, who openly claims that he has his grandfather's DNA, with his grandfather former Prime Minister Ichiro Hatoyama's argument calling for independent defense. Another factor for the lack of progress is that DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa and others are making no moves to coordinate with the SDP, which is opposed to the existing Futenma relocation plan. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano set up a meeting on the 4th between the prime minister and Ozawa at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei). However, Ozawa reportedly attended the meeting only briefly. Speaking of prospects for the Futenma issue to the press corps, the prime minister on the evening of the 8th said, "I think I am getting TOKYO 00002814 003 OF 009 closer to making a decision." However, it is hard to imagine any bright idea that will be acceptable to the U.S., the SDP, and Okinawa. There is not much time left before the 15th session of the Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change (COP15) summit meeting on Dec. 18, which is the deadline for the prime minister to convey his government's decision to the U.S. (3) Hirano talks of possible delay in USFJ realignment road map, need to repair dilapidated facilities on Futenma base MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full) Evening, December 9, 2009 Ai Yokota At a news conference on the morning of Dec. 9, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano commented on the U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) realignment road map, including the relocation of 8,000 U.S. Marines in Okinawa to Guam in relation to the question of the relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa). He said: "If the Futenma issue requires more time to resolve and we are unable to proceed to the next action plan, there might be some changes in the timeline," mentioning the possibility of delays. Hirano had indicated at his news conference on Dec. 4 that the government intends to keep discussions on Futenma relocation and the Marines' relocation to Guam separate in order to avoid delays. His latest statement shows that this has become difficult due to the U.S. side's objection. With regard to the repair of dilapidated facilities on the Futenma base in case its relocation, which is scheduled to be completed in 2014 under the road map, is delayed, Hirano said that, "We will have to think of remedial measures for the absolutely necessary repairs." (4) Former Vice Defense Minister: business interests one factor behind confusion over the Futenma issue YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) December 9, 2009 In connection with the issue of the relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa),former Vice Minister of Defense Takemasa Moriya, who was involved with the decision-making process for the current plan to relocate the base to the coastal area of Camp Schwab (in Nago City),pointed out in the edition of the monthly magazine Chuo Koron that goes on sale on Dec. 10 that business interests relating to land-reclamation work are a factor behind the confusion over the relocation issue. Moriya gave an interview to the magazine in which he criticized Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima and others who are insisting on moving the runways under the current plan farther offshore, which would require the reclamation of more land, saying: "To me, this is nothing but an attempt to delay the issue." With regard to the business interests, he stressed that "a credible rumor is circulating in Okinawa that powerful politicians, both from the ruling and the opposition parties, have been buying up mountains in anticipation of the demand for earth and sand." TOKYO 00002814 004 OF 009 He also expressed the opinion that "the majority of the Okinawan people actually want the central government to be responsible for handling this issue." Moriya has been charged with taking bribes in relation to the procurement of defense supplies and for violating the Diet Testimony Law (perjury). He received a prison sentence in the first trial and is in the process of appealing the verdict. (5) U.S. breaks its own promise to carry out U.S. force realignment; Relocation of I Corps to Camp Zama likely to be cancelled TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) December 9, 2009 Shigeru Handa, senior writer In May 2006 Japan and the United States reached an agreement on the realignment of U.S. forces, including the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa. It has become likely that the plan to relocate the U.S. Army's I Corps (from Fort Lewis, Washington) to Camp Zama (straddling Sagamihara and other cities in Kanagawa Prefecture) -- which must have proceeded smoothly -- will be derailed due to the circumstances in the United State. The U.S. side is pressuring Japan to implement the realignment of U.S. forces as part of the "package." But the U.S. might end up breaking the "package deal" by interpreting it to suit its own convenience. "A story from the past" & Reorganization of the U.S. Army On Dec. 7, the Japan-U.S. joint military exercise (code named Yamasakura) kicked off at snow-covered Ground Self-Defense Force Camp Higashi-Chitose in Hokkaido after participants had been instructed to emphasize "good Japan-U.S. relations." The computer-aided mock joint exercise is designed for Japan and the United States to jointly repel a hypothetical enemy that invaded Hokkaido. This year's joint exercise is the 57th of its kind. There has been a major change since the last one. The commander of I Corps, which is responsible for the security of the entire Asia-Pacific region, has been replaced by the commander of the Army Pacific (Honolulu, Hawaii),a regional army group, to serve as the operational maneuver director, who is in charge of the U.S. side. In the past exercises, the Army Pacific was responsible for logistic support in Hawaii. But with the deployment of I Corps to such countries as Iraq and Afghanistan, combat forces have disappeared from the continental United States. Around that time, the Department of Defense restructured the Army and empowered the Army Pacific Command to direct the exercise. Because the Army Pacific Command is allowed to direct a combatant command, the Navy and the Air Force are also taking part in this year's exercise. "Defense Secretary Gates's goal is to turn the U.S. forces into a unified command," a U.S. Army field officer said. "The realignment of U.S. forces promoted by former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld is a story of the past." TOKYO 00002814 005 OF 009 & Contradictory explanations Such changes in the U.S. Army have also emerged at Camp Zama, where the U.S. Army Japan headquarters is located. According to (the October 2005 agreement) on the realignment of U.S. forces, Camp Zama was scheduled to be turned into a tactical operation center capable of carrying out joint tasks by the 2008 U.S. fiscal year, and the relocation of U.S. Army I Corps was determined. Following this, the I Corps forward command was established at Camp Zama in December 2007. It became operational this March. But a large part of the 90 personnel are concurrently serving at the U.S. Army Japan headquarters and only three I Corps members are working at (the forward command) full time. This situation conflicts with the (now-defunct) Defense Facilities Administration Agency's explanation (back then) that some 300 personnel would be added as a result of the realignment of the headquarters. Further, the I Corps' main force, including Commander Lt. Gen. Jacoby, is now stationed in Iraq and they are expected to withdraw next year. But another field officer said, "They will return to the continental United States. They will not be posted to Camp Zama." Grounds for rejecting a review of Futenma shaky & Opportunism To begin with, it was the U.S. side that proposed the relocation of I Corps to Camp Zama. At the same time, plans were presented to: (1) relocate the Fifth Air Force headquarters form Yokota Air Base to Guam; and (2) shift the post of the commander of U.S. Army Japan to the I Corps command to be moved to Camp Zama. An agreement was reached only on the relocation of I Corps to Camp Zama. In the wake of this agreement, the Japanese side said that "it is unnecessary to have two ground-based forces (Army and Marines),so the Marine Corps should be moved from Okinawa to Guam," and the U.S. side accepted this request, according to a Japanese source connected with the matter. The reason to keep at least one ground force is to maintain the deterrent. During his stay in Japan this past October, Defense Secretary Gates pressed Tokyo hard to implement the Futenma relocation plan, as was agreed upon, saying that is part of the package, while indicating that the U.S. Marines Guam relocation plan is inseparable from the Futenma relocation. But if the planned relocation of I Corps is reviewed for cancellation, there will be no reason not to review the planned relocation of Futenma Air Station to the offing of the Henoko district in Nago. (6) Ceremony kicking off Japan-U.S. war game held in Chitose HOKKAIDO SHIMBUN (Page 26) (Full) December 8, 2009 Chitose - A ceremony marking the start of the "Yamasakura," a war game of the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) and the U.S. forces conducted by the joint Japan-U.S. command post, was held at the TOKYO 00002814 006 OF 009 Higashi-chitose base in Chitose City on Dec. 7. Commanding General Takeshi Sakai of the GSDF's Northern Army and Lieutenant General Benjamin Mixon, commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific (in Hawaii) gave speeches and emphasized closer collaboration in preparation for the 50th anniversary of the revision of the Japan-U.S. security treaty next year. At a news conference, Sakai pointed out that "the war game is of great significance for enhancing the reliability of the Japan-U.S. security arrangements." Regarding the downsizing of the SDF in Hokkaido, he said: "It is necessary to continue to maintain the current troop level in order not to create any vacuum in defense." The war game is being held on the assumption of a contingency in areas near Japan. Simulation exercises are conducted using maps and computers to check the command systems and information transmission for actual joint combat operations. This is the 13th time that the war game is being conducted in Hokkaido and the first in five years. There are 4,500 participants from the Japanese side and 1,200 from the U.S. forces. The war game is scheduled to end on Dec. 14. (7) Nikkei-CSIS symposium: Strong Japan-U.S. alliance is cornerstone of international cooperation NIKKEI (Page 1) (Full) December 9, 2009 The sixth joint symposium by Nihon Keizai Shimbun and the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on "The Obama Administration's Asia Policy and the Japan-U.S. Relationship in the New Era" was held at the Nikkei Hall in Otemachi, Tokyo on Dec. 8. Several participants from the U.S. side expressed the opinion that the bilateral alliance should be maintained and strengthened to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the revision of the Japan-U.S. security treaty next year. John Podesta, former White House chief of staff, said that "a strong Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of cooperation in the international community." Many of them asked Japan to provide additional cooperation to Afghanistan. CSIS President John Hamre indicated his expectations, stating: "I am confident that Japan and the United States will work together as equal partners in resolving world issues." Meanwhile, Michael Green, former U.S. presidential assistant, expressed dismay at recent developments in bilateral relations. He said: "While Japan has become a trustworthy ally (in the past decade or so),a debate on whether Japan and the U.S. are equal or not suddenly emerged after the Democratic Party of Japan took power." Richard Armitage, former U.S. deputy secretary of state, made the remark that, "We do not have sufficient information on the new Japanese administration and do not quite understand what is meant by 'equal'." He also cited the fact that the ratio of Japan's defense spending to its GDP is low compared to other countries and pointed out that, "Japan and the U.S. can become equal if Japan makes greater sacrifices (by increasing its defense budget)." (8) Dark clouds hanging over Japan-U.S. alliance (Part 2): DPJ has no policy toward U.S. TOKYO 00002814 007 OF 009 YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) December 6, 2009 Delivering a speech at a community center in Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture, on the afternoon of Dec. 5, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said with a distressed look on his face: "Since (the Democratic Party of Japan) assumed the reins of government more than two months ago, I as foreign minister have been seriously considering how to translate its campaign pledges into action." In Nago City, where Japan and the U.S. agreed in 2006 to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, Okada admitted it is actually impossible to deliver on the campaign pledge (related to the Futenma issue) made in the previous House of Representatives election. The DPJ manifesto noted: "The party will move in the direction of reviewing the planned realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and future options for the presence of U.S. military bases in Japan." But the U.S. repeatedly applied pressure on Okada, with one official saying: "It is impossible to change the agreed plan. Don't you value the Japan-U.S. alliance?" Whenever Okada mentioned "dilemma," about 90 local residents at the gathering in Nago booed him, with one shouting: "The issue will be settled if the U.S. stops (operating) the Futenma airfield," and another claiming: "Is the U.S. more important than the people in Okinawa?" Foreign Minister Okada experienced firsthand the harsh reality of violating the manifesto. Foreign Minister Okada was apparently aiming to make the visit to Okinawa this time an opportunity to make a policy switch in a bid to resolve the Futenma issue based on the existing relocation plan. For the past several days, he was apparently showing signs of impatience, grumbling: "Unless we take action quickly, the relationship of trust between Japan and the U.S. might be undermined." In actuality, in a meeting of the foreign affairs and defense ministerial-level Japan-U.S. working group on Dec. 4, there was a scene in which when a Japanese negotiator informed the U.S. side of Japan's policy of delaying a settlement, a U.S. negotiator criticized the Hatoyama administration as "insincere". Despite the intensifying situation, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano continued to say: "We should not be scared even if the U.S. gets angry." The administration's posture, which can be taken as both tough and making light of the U.S., exposes a lack of coordination within the cabinet. In formulating its manifesto, the DPJ did not formulate its foreign and security policies or strategies, reasoning that the party is a hodge-podge group. Now, the party has been pressed to pay the price for this negligence. In particular, after the Social Democratic Party (SDP),which is against the existing plan, hinted at leaving the coalition, an increasing number of government officials, without carrying out full coordination, began to call for putting off a conclusion. Okada did not make efforts to lay the groundwork to bring about an early settlement to the Futenma issue, either, just saying: "The prime minister will make the final decision." TOKYO 00002814 008 OF 009 Regarding the strained relations between Japan and the U.S. over the Futenma relocation issue, a cabinet minister said in a tone of self-mockery during a meeting in Tokyo on Dec. 5: "The DPJ has no policy toward the U.S. This is the main reason for the current situation, not the fact that the SDP is a member of in the coalition." (9) Secret Okinawa deal: Foreign Ministry told Finance Ministry Japan would shoulder costs that U.S. should have borne YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) December 9, 2009 In connection with the issue that Japan paid costs for restoring returned U.S. military base land to its original state, which the United States was actually supposed to bear, in an interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun on Dec. 8 Hajime Morita, former transport minister, 75, revealed that the Foreign Ministry told him, "Japan will secretly shoulder the costs." At the time when Okinawa was returned to Japan in 1972, Morita was assistant director of the Finance Ministry's Legal Division, which examines the legality of budget spending. According to Morita, he discussed with Foreign Ministry officials the cost of restoring land to its original state before the return of Okinawa. After visiting Okinawa he estimated more than 3 million dollars would be needed. The Finance Ministry's position was that the U.S. side should pay the cost. Morita met with Foreign Ministry officials seven or eight times to discuss the issue. A Foreign Ministry official told Morita, "Since the U.S. side said they won't be able to convince Congress, Japan will secretly pay the cost. My superiors have approved it." Morita said that he had accepted the Foreign Ministry's view that Japan should pay the cost, assuming that the foreign minister had already approved the idea. On Dec. 1 in a lawsuit filed by a former Mainichi Shimbun reporter and other plaintiffs asking the government to disclose documents on this secret deal, Bunroku Yoshino, former director general of the Foreign Ministry's American Affairs Bureau, who was responsible for the negotiations with the U.S. side over the return of Okinawa, acknowledged that Japan had paid 4 million dollars to cover the cost of restoring land used for U.S. military facilities to its original state. At the direction of Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, the Foreign Ministry has been examining internal documents on four secret agreements, including this secret Okinawa accord, and a committee of experts, set up in the ministry, is now pressing ahead with analysis on the results of the examination. (10) I want Japan to teach U.S. "respect" MAINICHI (Page 9) (Full) December 5, 2009 Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Ambassador to Japan Since the Islamic revolution was accomplished in Iran in 1979, the United States has constantly imposed sanctions against Iran, viewing it as an enemy. Iran is a big country, however. It has the capability to produce whatever it needs. The sanctions have not weakened Iran; rather they have helped it strengthen its presence in TOKYO 00002814 009 OF 009 the Middle East. President Barack Obama is the first American president who called my country by its formal name, the Islamic Republic of Iran. He has used comparatively favorable words toward Iran. Regrettably, however, the Obama administration has strengthened sanctions and pressure against Iran, and has strengthened its negative image. Iran has kept close watch on whether President Obama can translate his words into action. If the United States shows goodwill toward and respect for Iran, it will be possible for the two countries to reach a mutual understanding that can dispel the various concerns of the international community. The two countries will be able to achieve mutual understanding on such issues as nuclear nonproliferation, Middle East reconciliation, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Iran can definitely play an important role regarding the Afghan issue, which is the U.S.'s highest priority. Stability in the region would benefit Iran as well. The Afghan people have a strong allergy to foreign troops. History shows that Afghanistan drove out Britain and the former Soviet Union (which aimed to rule Afghanistan). Military power alone is insufficient to stabilize Afghanistan. Soon or later foreign troops will withdraw and the country will be required to establish its own military and administrative organs. To that end, priority should be given to assistance for Afghanistan. Aid measures for Afghanistan by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) government are the correct choice. Japan and Iran have a basis for cooperating to support Afghan reconstruction. Japanese companies lost rights and interests in Iran regarding the Azadegan oil field because the previous Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) government imposed sanctions against Iran after America did. This was tantamount to the LDP's imposing sanctions on Japanese corporations. I hope that the DPJ administration will revise the previous government's Iran policy. If President Obama is wise, he will discard sanctions, the played-out way of dealing with Iran, and strike a path for constructive dialogue with it on an equal footing. I desperately want Japan and its people, who have a sense of propriety, to teach the U.S. the meaning and importance of holding with others a dialogue that shows them respect. ROOS