JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 2/10/09

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 000311 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: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 2/10/09 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 4) Kyodo poll finds 77 PERCENT of Japanese have no expectations of Aso government's economic policies, as cabinet support rate sinks to 18 PERCENT (Tokyo Shimbun) 5) Aso Cabinet support rate sinks 5 more points to record low of 14 PERCENT in Asahi poll; DPJ now favored over LDP in next election, 42 PERCENT to 22 PERCENT (Asahi) 6) Yomiuri poll put Aso Cabinet support rate a 19.97 PERCENT , but 57 PERCENT of public approve MSDF anti-piracy dispatch (Yomiuri) 7) Ruling party project team receives EU briefings in London on anti-piracy operations but challenge of Japan will be sharing information with Russia, China (Sankei) 8) Prime Minister Aso to meet Russian president in Sakhalin on 18th (Mainichi) 9) Japan's auto industry encounters worst business scenario possible, with six major companies now suffering losses (Sankei) 10) Bankruptcies rise 15 PERCENT in January to worst level in six years (Mainichi) 11) Prime Minister Aso flip-flops on whether he favors or opposes postal privatization (Nikkei) 12) Aso faulted for remarking that the economic situation in Japan was not a big deal compared to U.S., EU (Mainichi) 13) Government aims to pass the fiscal 09 budget during the current fiscal year (Nikkei) 14) Sparks fly in the Diet between ruling and opposition camp over budget bill timetable (Mainichi) 15) Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Hatoyama, meeting DPJ members worried about Ichiro Ozawa becoming prime minister, defends him (Mainichi) 16) Hatoyoma: If DPJ is in power, will remove directors general in the ministries (Yomiuri) There will be no Morning Highlights on February 11 - a Japanese holiday. 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi: Aso cabinet approval rate falls to 14 PERCENT Mainichi & Yomiuri: Nissan to slash 20,000 jobs worldwide TOKYO 00000311 002 OF 011 Nikkei: NTT, Microsoft tie up on Internet advertising Sankei: Prime Minister Aso revises controversial remark on postal revitalization Tokyo Shimbun: Five Osaka company presidents arrested on suspicion of evading 300 million yen in tax Akahata: JCP urges drastic review of elderly nursing-care system 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Osaka Gov. Hashimoto's criticism of government's extravagant spending reasonable (2) Viewpoint of giving priority to customers required for taxi control bill Mainichi: (1) Relocation of Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market: Consumers have yet to remove doubts (2) 30th anniversary of revolution an opportunity for Iran to change Yomiuri: (1) Universities must compete in world arena (2) Iranian Prime Minister Maliki's security improvement efforts supported in local elections Nikkei: (1) Cut principle of putting priority on supporting own country's industries (2) How to review Afghan strategy Sankei: (1) U.S. President Obama must eliminate Buy American clause from economic stimulus package bill (2) Government, private sector should guard seashore to prevent stimulant drug smuggling Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Strict verification needed for dam projects (2) U.S., Russia should avoid 'new cold war' Akahata: (1) Let us tackle hardships with power of solidarity 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) Prime Minister's schedule, February 8 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) February 10, 2009 07:30 Took a walk around the official residence. TOKYO 00000311 003 OF 011 09:14 Met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsumoto at the official residence. 11:12 Left Haneda Airport by JAL 1275. Acting Secretary General Hayashi accompanied. 12:01 Arrived at Komatsu Airport. 12:23 Met with Ishikawa Prefectural Governor Tanimoto, LDP Ishikawa Chapter Chairman Nakagawa and lawmakers elected from Ishikawa Prefecture at Hotel Grandia Komatsu Airport. 14:31 Met with Echizen Mayor Nara at the Takefu Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture. Women's Affairs Division chief Yamatani and LDP Fukui Chapter Chairman Yamazaki were present. 16:26 Met with Fukui Prefectural Governor Nishikawa, Awara Mayor Hashimoto and Fukui Mayor Higashimura at the International Exchange Center in Awara City. 17:02 Joint meeting of Fukui Chapter's Youth Division, Youth Department and Women's Affairs Division. Then met with Fukui Prefectural Assembly members and chairman of the Fukui Chapter Policy Research Council. 18:50 Informal meeting of member of the joint meeting at an in Awara City. Lawmakers elected from Fukui Prefecture joined. 20:45 Left Komatsu Airport by JAL1282. 21:39 Arrived at Haneda Airport. 22:11 Arrived at the official residence. Prime Minister's schedule, February 9 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) February 10, 2009 08:20 Met with Matsumoto at the Kantei. 09:00 Lower House Budget Committee meeting. 12:08 Liaison Council meeting between the government and the ruling parties at the Kantei. 14:00 TOKYO 00000311 004 OF 011 Lower House Budget Committee meeting. 17:08 LDP executive meeting 17:49 Education Revitalization meeting at the Kantei. 18:56 Met with JR Tokai Chairman Kasai, Fuji Film Holdings President Komori and Tokyo University Professor Yamauchi at Arc Mori Building. 21:02 Arrived at the official residence. 4) Poll: 77 PERCENT pin no hopes on stimulus package; Cabinet support rate down to 18 PERCENT TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Abridged) February 10, 2009 In a telephone-based poll conducted across the nation by Kyodo News on Feb. 7-8, a total of 77.0 PERCENT answered "no" when respondents were asked if they had expectations for Prime Minister Taro Aso's economic policy measures for an economic turnaround. "Yes" accounted for 19.4 PERCENT . As seen from these figures, negative answers largely outnumbered affirmative answers. The support rate for the Aso cabinet slipped 1.1 points from the last survey in January to 18.1 PERCENT , with the nonsupport rate rising 0.7 points to 70.9 PERCENT . Meanwhile, Aso has clarified that he would review the business management for the four separate companies currently under the wing of Japan Post since the privatization of state-run postal services. Asked whether they favored this, 52.1 PERCENT answered "no," with 34.7 PERCENT saying "yes." In the poll, respondents were also asked about the desirable form of government. To this question, 55.3 PERCENT opted for a coalition government centering on the Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto),up 3.9 points from the last survey. On the other hand, 25.9 PERCENT chose a coalition government centering on the Liberal Democratic Party. The figures post a gap of 29.4 points, which is largest for similar polls since August 2005. In the public preference of political parties for proportional representation in the next election for the House of Representatives, the DPJ scored 42.9 PERCENT , with the LDP at 23.0 PERCENT . In the breakdown of public support for political parties as well, the gap between the DPJ and the LDP has become larger, with the DPJ standing at 31.5 PERCENT and the LDP at 23.7 PERCENT . When asked who was more appropriate for prime minister between Aso and DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa, 43.8 PERCENT picked Ozawa, with 23.2 PERCENT choosing Aso. The gap has narrowed a bit from last time. 5) Poll: Cabinet support down to 14 PERCENT ASAHI (Top play) (Abridged) February 10, 2009 The Aso cabinet's support rate further dropped to 14 PERCENT from last month's 19 PERCENT , which was the lowest level since coming TOKYO 00000311 005 OF 011 into office, according to findings from a telephone-based nationwide public opinion survey conducted by the Asahi Shimbun on Feb. 7-8. The nonsupport rate reached 73 PERCENT , rising from last month's 67 PERCENT . The support rate shows no sign of touching bottom. The focus will be on whether Prime Minister Aso can dissolve the Diet this spring after the fiscal 2009 budget clears the Diet. The results of previous polls and the one taken this time cannot be simply compared due to different polling methodologies. Even so, the 14 PERCENT rating is the second lowest figure following the 9 PERCENT rating for the Mori cabinet in February 2001. In the survey, respondents were asked which political party they would vote for in their proportional representation blocs for the House of Representatives if they were to vote now. In this public preference of political parties, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party scored 22 PERCENT (25 PERCENT in the last survey conducted Jan. 10-11)),with the leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) at 42 PERCENT (38 PERCENT in the last survey). The DPJ topped 40 PERCENT for the first time since the 2007 election for the House of Councillors. In the breakdown of public support for political parties as well, the DPJ outstripped the LDP, with the DPJ scoring 25 PERCENT (24 PERCENT in the last survey) and the LDP at 22 PERCENT (24 PERCENT in the last survey). In addition, respondents were also asked when they would like the House of Representatives to be held for a general election. To this question, "as early as possible" accounted for 60 PERCENT , with "there's no need to hurry" at 31 PERCENT . 6) Poll: Cabinet support at 19.7 PERCENT YOMIURI (Page 1) (Abridged) February 10, 2009 The Aso cabinet's support rate has now dropped to 19.7 PERCENT , which is lower than its previous 20.4 PERCENT rating for last month and falling below 20 PERCENT for the first time, the Yomiuri Shimbun found from its telephone-based nationwide public opinion survey conducted Feb. 6-8. The nonsupport rate was 72.4 PERCENT (72.3 PERCENT in the last survey). In the survey, respondents were also asked if the Maritime Self-Defense Force should be sent for an antipiracy mission in waters off Somalia. To this question, 57 PERCENT answered "yes," with 32 PERCENT saying "no." As seen from these figures, affirmative answers outnumbered negative ones. Cabinet support did not reach 20 PERCENT for the first time since the Mori cabinet hit 8.6 PERCENT in a face-to-face survey taken in February 2001. In the survey, respondents were also asked who was more appropriate for prime minister between Prime Minister Aso and Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) President Ichiro Ozawa. To this question, 40 PERCENT preferred Ozawa, up from 39 PERCENT in the last survey. Meanwhile, 24 PERCENT chose Aso, down from 27 PERCENT . The gap between Ozawa and Aso has expanded. In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the LDP stood at 26.8 PERCENT (29.3 PERCENT in the last survey),with the DPJ at 28.3 PERCENT (26.2 PERCENT in the last survey). As seen from these figures, the DPJ edged out the LDP. In the public preference of political parties for proportional representation in the next election for the House of Representatives, the DPJ scored 40 PERCENT (39 PERCENT in the last TOKYO 00000311 006 OF 011 survey),with the LDP at 26 PERCENT (24 PERCENT in the last survey). 7) Ruling bloc's project team visits Western anti-piracy headquarters; Rate of successful attacks by pirates in waters off Somalia drops from 50 PERCENT to 20 PERCENT ; Information-sharing with China, Russia a challenge SANKEI (Page 3) (Abridged slightly) February 10, 2009 Masato Kimura, London In the run-up for the Maritime Self-Defense Force's destroyers to join in March the anti-piracy operation in waters off Somalia, Africa, the ruling bloc's project team (PT) on Feb. 9 visited the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU) and discussed the possibility of joint operations and the dispatch of patrol aircraft. Although countermeasures taken by Western countries since last December have accomplished tangible results, there still lie mounting challenges, such as information-sharing with Chinese and Russian vessels. Following a UN Security Council resolution, the EU set up its anti-piracy headquarters last December in the Royal Navy Permanent Joint Headquarters in a London suburb and began its first maritime operation. Four EU naval vessels have been engaged in escorting vessels carrying World Food Program (WFP) aid supplies, as well as in patrol activities. Piracy information is also available on its website. On Jan. 29, a German-related tanker was hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia. The tanker had failed to provide its sailing information in advance. The pirates were eventually seized after helicopters from a French destroyer fired warning shots at the two high-speed boats carrying them. Rear Admiral Phil Jones of the headquarters said: "Although the number of attacks has not dropped, contacts with commercial vessels have increased and the operation has begun achieving positive results." The United States, which has been cracking down on trafficking of arms and drugs in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, has also establish a joint operation framework with the coalition of the willing and dispatched three Fifth Fleet vessels on Jan. 8. Based in Somalia's neighbor of Djibouti, the EU and U.S. naval vessels have confirmed sharing information and roles. Some 16,000 vessels sail through waters off Somalia annually. Over 120 vessels were attacked last year. At present, seven vessels, 120 crewmembers are still under the control of pirates. Three vessels have been hijacked this year, but 14 vessels fought back, and dozens of pirates were arrested. The Royal Institute of International Affairs' Roger Middleton who is well-versed in piracy issues took this view: "The rate of successful attacks by pirates has dropped from 50 PERCENT to 20 - 30 PERCENT . Although some attacks could be prevented, fundamental problems would persist unless Somalia's new provisional government resolves public discontent." Some 20 vessels have been dispatched by 15 countries, including TOKYO 00000311 007 OF 011 European nations, the Untied States, China, Russia, and India. The contact group composed of five organizations, including the United Nations, the EU, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and 24 countries, has decided to set up an information sharing center. Information and telecommunications systems usually handle vital military secrets. For this reason, some observers think it is difficult for NATO members to share information with Chinese and Russian naval vessels. The deployment of Chinese and Russian naval vessels to U.S.-controlled waters has caused new tensions, as well. According to some Chinese media reports, a Chinese destroyer was chased by what seems to be a Russian-made submarine belonging to the Indian Navy, exposing the difficulty of China-India relations. 8) Prime Minister Aso to visit Sakhalin on Feb. 18; No prospect for resolution of visa-free issue MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) February 10, 2009 Prime Minister Taro Aso yesterday decided to visit Sakhalin in Russian Far East on Feb. 10 to meet with President Dmitry Medvedev. It will be the first time for a Japanese prime minister to visit Sakhalin since the end of World War II. Aso hopes his talks with Medvedev will find a foothold for an improvement in the issue of the Northern Territories, a long-standing territorial dispute with Russia. The Foreign Ministry has aimed at an early resumption of visa-free exchanges between Japan and the four Russian-held islands off Hokkaido, but no prospect for a solution is in sight. Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura reported on Aso's plan to visit Sakhalin to a liaison meeting yesterday of the government and ruling parties government. On Feb. 18, there will be a ceremony for natural gas liquefaction operation of the Sakhalin-2 oil and natural gas development project, in which Japanese companies take part. Aso was invited by Medvedev on Jan. 24 to attend the ceremony. However, Russia demanded last month that a Japanese delegation to the disputed four islands submit disembarkation cards to enter the islands. The Japanese government refused the demand, arguing that if it accepts the demand, it will mean that Japan admits the four islands are Russian territories." The ministry is concerned that the visa-free visits to the four islands, started in 1992, might be discontinued. The issue could be taken up in an Aso-Medvedev meeting, but there is no prospect for an immediate settlement of the issue. 9) Worst-case scenario -- six leading automakers likely to slip into the red SANKEI (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) February 10, 2009 Eight leading automakers, including Toyota Motors, released their consolidated business outlook for the term ending in March, 2009. Six of them will likely slip into an overall deficit. The amount of final profits made by all companies totaled 3.1 trillion yen in the term ended in March 2008, boosted by expanded overseas markets mainly in emerging countries. However, the six companies have slipped into an overall deficit totaling 722 billion yen in only a year. The sale of new model cars has been sluggish due to the global TOKYO 00000311 008 OF 011 recession since last fall. The appreciation of the yen to a level higher than expected has also squeezed their earnings, giving rise to a situation that can be termed a free fall of business performances. Nissan Motors has marked an operating loss for the first time in 14 years. President Carlos Ghosn said with an agonized look, "A worst-case scenario is becoming a reality." The global auto market has plunged more sharply than Ghosn had anticipated. Nissan like Toyota Motors has long ago adopted a management style that attaches too much importance on the U.S. market. The proportion of full-size cars in its lineup is high, further exacerbating the situation. In addition, the continued appreciation of the yen, a circumstance peculiar to Japanese automakers, has served to put a dent in the company's operating profits by as much as 60.9 billion yen from the projection made as of the end of October. Regarding the company's sales performance in the global auto market this year, Ghosn projected a drop to the 55 million level, down by 7 million vehicles compared with the preceding year. He then hinted at an even more pessimistic scenario, saying, "Now projection for our sales performance is approaching the 50 million level." Toyota Motors had to make a third downward revision to its business performance, slipping into an overall deficit for the first time since 1963, when it first released overall results. Mazda Motors and Mitsubishi Motors have also slipped into the red. Almost all auto makers thus had to make a downward revision to their business performances. Amid the overall collapse of Japanese, European and U.S. markets, Japanese automakers have been relying on emerging countries. However, their markets, too, are also losing steam. The gap between production capability and sales volume is widening. The cost of industrial restructuring will likely rise, too. 10) Number of corporate bankruptcies jumps 15 PERCENT in January, marking highest level in six years MAINICHI (Page 8) (Full) February 10, 2009 The number of nationwide corporate bankruptcies (with more than 10 million yen in debts in each case) increased 15.8 PERCENT in January over a year ago to 1,360 cases, the eighth straight monthly rise. Debts left by failed companies surged 44.3 PERCENT over a year earlier to 838.991 billion yen, the fifth straight monthly rise, according to Tokyo Shoko Research yesterday. These figures mark the highest level in six years since 2003. Bankruptcies with liabilities of more than 10 billion yen jumped to ¶16. By industry, failures in the manufacturing industry rose by 37.8 PERCENT to 233, exceeding the 200 mark in the month for the first time in six years. The number of employees of failed companies was about two times more than a year ago to 19,479, marking the largest increase since March ¶2002. Of them, 5,894 were in the manufacturing industry, about 2.5 times more than a year earlier and topping the 5,000 mark for the first time in six years. 11) Prime minister corrects his statement on postal privatization, TOKYO 00000311 009 OF 011 giving consideration to criticism from ruling, opposition parties: Sticks to call for taking second look at four spin-off companies NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) February 10, 2009 Correcting his Diet reply made on the 5th that he was against postal privatization when he was an internal affairs minister during the Koizumi cabinet, Prime Minister Taro Aso at a Lower House Budget Committee meeting on February 9 said that he ended up supporting it. He apparently corrected his earlier statement after giving consideration to criticism coming from both the ruling and opposition parties. However, he did not give in regarding his pet argument that it is necessary to take a second look at four spin-off companies, the key companies created after the full privatization of postal services. The prime minister during the meeting noted: "I have never said that I would renationalize postal services. I studied the issue for two years as an internal affairs minister and reached the decision postal services privatization would be worth it, depending on how it is implemented." He indicated that although he was against the privatization when he took office as internal affairs minister, he shifted to supporting it when the cabinet adopted the postal services privatization bill in April 2005. In the Diet reply made on the 5th, the prime minister also said with the dissolution of the Lower House over the postal services issue, "I said I would not sign a paper calling for the Lower House dissolution, which caused much furor." The prime minister on the evening of the 9th told reporters, "This is not a correction. I have no intention of backpedaling on my stance toward the postal privatization." He also explained at a liaison council meeting between the government and the ruling parties held at noon of the same day, "I have never said that I will renationalize postal services or water down privatization." Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura made a complaint about the prime minister's remark during a press conference, "His statement might have given the impression to the people that it was insufficient and needed more explanation." 12) Aso: Japan's economic situation is not a big deal, compared with other countries' MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) February 10, 2009 In a meeting of the House of Representatives Budget Committee yesterday, Prime Minister Taro Aso spoke of the present state of the Japanese economy: "Japan has sustained less damage than other countries." Delivering a speech in Awara City, Fukui Prefecture, on Feb. 8, Aso also said: "If proper measures are taken, the current recession will not be a big deal," evoking criticism from the opposition camp as being "over optimistic." Aso emphasized in the speech on the 8th: "There are no signs of Toyota, Nissan and Honda going under. But I hear that General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are in a critical state." 13) Fiscal 2009 budget bill: Prospects for enactment before end of current fiscal year obtained TOKYO 00000311 010 OF 011 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) February 10, 2009 The Lower House Budget Committee on February 9 decided to hold a central hearing, a precondition for holding a vote on the fiscal 2009 budget bill, on February 16, paving the way to some extent for the enactment of the budget before the end of the current fiscal year. Since the budget bill will be enacted automatically 30 days after clearing the Lower House under a regulation of the Constitution, the committee will likely hold a vote on the bill possibly late this month and send it to the Upper House, even if the Democratic Party of Japan calls for thorough debate. The Lower House Budget Committee has set a timetable at a directors meeting on the same day for holding interpellations on the 10th and intensive deliberations on reform of the public servant system on the 17th. The ruling parties are envisaging a vote on the bill on the 20th at the earliest. The focus of a battle between the ruling and opposition parties will be on the enactment of bills related to the fiscal 2008 second supplementary budget and bills related to the fiscal 2009 budget, including bills related to reform of the tax system. 14) Tactful game over budget bill going into gear between ruling and opposition camps MAINICHI (Page 5) (Excerpts) February 10, 2009 A tactful game over the fiscal 2009 budget bill has begun between the ruling and opposition parties. The ruling camp is aiming to have the bill pass through the House of Representatives in late February, at the latest, in order to enact it within this fiscal year. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and other opposition parties are maneuvering to delay deliberations in the Lower House on the budget bill and bills related to the fiscal 2008 second supplementary budget, on which discussion started in the House of Councillors yesterday. Prime Minister Taro Aso's controversial remark on a review of the postal privatization plan has negatively affected the ruling camp's initiative in Diet proceedings, making executive members in the Liberal Democratic Party nervous. DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji Yamaoka met with his LDP counterpart Tadamori Oshima in the Diet Building yesterday. He asked Oshima to delay the start of deliberations on the fiscal 2009 budget bill, which is set for Feb. 12, saying: "Deliberations at the Upper House Fiscal and Monetary Committee should be conducted for a full day on Feb. 12." This proposal was intended to have State Minister for Financial Services Shoichi Nakagawa attend a meeting of the Fiscal and Monetary Committee on the second extra budget-related bill and delay his briefing on the fiscal 2009 budget bill at the Lower House. But Oshima declined the proposal. Focusing on the fact that the bills related second extra budget have been set aside in the Upper House, LDP Secretary General Hiroyuki Hosoda cynically said in a press conference yesterday: "(The DPJ) will finally start inquires (on the bills) in the Upper House four weeks after they cleared the Lower House. It proceedings are quite slow." TOKYO 00000311 011 OF 011 15) Hatoyama defends Ozawa in response to voices of concern about "a prime minister Ozawa" MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) February 10, 2009 Will President Ichiro Ozawa assume the premiership?" In a meeting held by a group affiliated to the Kansai Federation of Employers' Association in Osaka yesterday, many participants expressed concern following Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama spelling out the policies that the party will take if it seizes political power. Speaking before about 100 people, Hatoyama explained the party's policy platform n detail, such as: "We will send 100 lawmakers into the government;" and "we will ask bureaucrats in the post of bureau director general or over to submit a resignation." But many participants expressed such severe views as: "The DPJ has disagreed for the sake of disagreeing in pursuit of its interests rather than those of the nation;" and "Even if President Ozawa became prime minister, it might just be for a short period." Hatoyama replied: "(Ozawa) will naturally become prime minister. His government would last surprisingly long enough." Ozawa often wears a mask. On this, Hatoyama said: "It (wearing a mask) is to completely protect himself." He added: "If he becomes prime minister, he will demonstrate a posture of fighting the bureaucracy in the Diet." 16) DPJ Secretary General Hatoyama: DPJ-led government will first demand high-level bureaucrats submit resignations, it will appoint officials who approve government policy YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) February 10, 2009 Yukio Hatoyama, secretary general of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),delivered yesterday a speech in a meeting in Osaka of the Kansai Economic Federation. Referring in it to how a DPJ-led government will handle the appointments of senior government officials, Hatoyama said: "We will let senior officials at the bureau-director and higher levels in the ministries and agencies submit their resignations and ask them whether they will follow the DPJ's policy. Unless we take drastic measures, we will be manipulated by bureaucrats." He meant that if a DPJ-led administration was realized, the administration would first demand the submission of senior government officials' resignations and it would appoint only bureaucrats who approve the DPJ's policy. The expansion of political appointees of senior bureaucrats is one of the DPJ's basic policies. It is also included in the campaign pledges for the 2007 House of Councillors election. The government structural reform plan compiled in 2003 by then President Naoto Kan stipulates that a new cabinet will call on bureau-director and higher level officials, who do not agree with its basic policy, to tender their resignations. ZUMWALT