Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO324
2009-02-12 01:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 2/12/09

Tags:  OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 000324 

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 2/12/09

Index:
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 000324 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 2/12/09 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 4) Secretary Clinton's visit will be the occasion for formal signing of a U.S.-Japan agreement on relocating Marines on Okinawa to Guam (Asahi) 5) During Clinton visit, Okinawa's opposition to seek halt to Marine move to Guam and new runway at Camp Schwab, and closing down of Futenma Air Station (Akahata) 6) Secretary Clinton wishes to meet DPJ President Ozawa during Japan visit (Tokyo Shimbun) 7) But "cautious" Ozawa may not wish to meet Clinton (Mainichi) 8) Crimes by U.S. military personnel in Okinawa not declining (Tokyo Shimbun) 9) Foreign ministers Nakasone, Yu agree in Seoul meeting that Japan, South Korea will jointly cooperate in assisting Afghanistan, working through NGOs (Yomiuri) 10) Main points of Japan-ROK foreign ministerial meeting in Seoul (Yomiuri) 11) Former North Korean spy Kim Hyon-hui to meet family members of Japanese woman abducted by North Korean agents (Yomiuri) 12) Two abducted Japanese women revealed to be married and living in North Korea (Tokyo Shimbun) 13) Former Prime Minister Mori, apparently upset by Prime Minister Aso's recent performance in Diet, calls his replies "terrible" (Yomiuri) 14) Aso's call for review of postal privatization creates dilemma for Democratic Party of Japan, which is split on the issue (Yomiuri) 15) Japan Business Federation joins U.S., European organizations send letter to U.S. Congress on protectionist language in stimulus bill (Tokyo Shimbun) 16) Japan to propose to United Nations that developing countries be brought into the new greenhouse-gas reduction scheme (Yomiuri) 11 Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi: Osaka consultancy firm collected over 10 billion yen in suspected fraud from more than 10,000 members Mainichi: Right wing wins majority in Israeli general election:
Will peace process become stagnant? TOKYO 00000324 002 OF 011 Yomiuri: Government to subsidize firms that have introduced work-sharing to hire unemployed people Nikkei: One in three listed companies to forego or reduce dividend payouts for fiscal 2008: 9 PERCENT drop in total amount Sankei: Prime minister to visit Sakhalin on the 18th: Will approve Russian ownership of island? Concern that priority given to practical advantage Tokyo Shimbun: Two female abductees believed to have married in North Korea: Taguchi with South Korean, Matsumoto with Japanese Akahata: Prep rally to call on Toyota Motors to protect jobs, subcontractors 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) President Obama's economic stimulus package: Implement quickly to win trust (2) General election in Israel: Do not shut out path to peace process Mainichi: (1) Israel: Administration urged to value peace in Middle East (2) Arrest over tainted rice: Agriculture ministry should make sure to prevent recurrence Yomiuri: (1) U.S. new financial stabilization measures: Purchases of bad loans to get under way (2) Teachers graduate school: Challenge is to strengthen ties with education boards Nikkei: (1) U.S. financial stabilization package falls short of expectation (2) Israel leans to the right: Sankei: (1) U.S. financial stabilization measures: Embody measures that can satisfy market (2) Make dialogue between U.S. and Iran lead to overcoming hostile relationship Tokyo Shimbun: (1) U.S. economic stimulus package: Concern about protectionism remains (2) Aerospace Exhibition: Industry to be promoted, following auto industry Akahata: (1) March 1 Bikini Day: Steady progress to eliminate nuclear weapons 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) TOKYO 00000324 003 OF 011 Prime Minister's schedule, February 10 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) February 11, 2009 07:12 Took a walk around his official residence. 09:19 Met with State Minister for Okinawa and Northern Territories Sato and Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura in the Diet building. Attended afterwards cabinet meeting. 09:56 Met at Kantei with Finance Vice Minister for International Affairs Shinohara. 10:13 Met with Foreign Minister Nakasone, followed by Consumer Affairs Minister Noda and Kawamura. Kawamura remained. 12:10 Met with Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Yosano. 13:04 Met with Kawamura and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries Matsumoto, Konoike and Uruma. Kawamura remained. Met Deputy Foreign Minister Otabe. 14:10 Met with Advisors to the Cabinet Kusaka and Nishimura; Uruma; and Assistant Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries Fukuda and Hayashi. Met afterward with Cabinet Intelligence Director Mitani, Defense Ministry Defense Policy Bureau Chief Takamizawa, and Defense Intelligence Headquarters Chief Shimohira. Mitani remained. 16:12 Met with Cabinet Public Relations Secretary Ogawa. 17:13 Met at LDP headquarters with Secretary General Hosoda. Taped message for public relations, attended by Public Relations Headquarters Chairman Furuya. . 18:18 Met with Kawamura at his official residence. 19"06 Dined with editorial writers of various media companies at Japanese restaurant Toufu-ya-Ukai in Shibakoen. 21:06 Returned to his official residence. Prime Minister's schedule, February 11 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) February 12, 2009 09:31 Took a walk in the area near his official residence. TOKYO 00000324 004 OF 011 Afternoon Stayed at home. 4) Marines pact to be inked Feb. 17 during Clinton visit ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) February 11, 2009 U.S. Secretary of State Clinton will shortly visit Japan for the first time since assuming office. On that occasion, Japan and the United States will hold a foreign ministerial meeting in Tokyo on Feb. 17 and will reach a formal agreement on a bilateral arrangement regarding the planned relocation of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam, sources have revealed. Japan and the Untied States will confirm in written form that the two countries will continue bilateral cooperation to push for the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan after the Obama administration's inauguration. This is meant to underscore the importance of the alliance between the two countries. According to Japanese government officials, Japan is now going through final coordination with the United States for Clinton and Foreign Minister Nakasone to hold a signing ceremony after their meeting. The bilateral pact is to specify that Japan's fiscal spending on the relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam is up to 2.8 billion dollars (approx. 250 billion yen). The pact is to stipulate that the United States will be prohibited from using the money for any other purposes and that Japanese contractors will be equally treated in bidding. In their meeting, Nakasone and Clinton will confirm that the relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam, which will lessen Okinawa's base-hosting burden, and the relocation of Futenma airfield are in an inseparable package. Meanwhile, the government's coordination with Okinawa has been drawn out over the relocation site of an alternative facility for Futenma airfield. On this issue as well, Nakasone and Clinton are expected to concur on pushing for Futenma relocation. Clinton reportedly gave high marks to the Japanese government for its earmarking of Guam relocation related costs in its fiscal 2009 budget. In May 2006, the Japanese and U.S. governments agreed on a "roadmap" that sets an itinerary for the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan. It says the United States will move 8,000 Marines and 9,000 family members to Guam by 2014. It also incorporates the Japanese government's financial backing for that purpose. 5) Okinawa's opposition lawmakers ask gov't to drop new base plan AKAHATA (Page 4) (Full) February 11, 2009 Ahead of U.S. Secretary of State Clinton's scheduled visit to Japan from Feb. 16, opposition party lawmakers elected from Okinawa Prefecture yesterday made a request to the Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry over the U.S. military presence in the island prefecture. In concrete terms, they asked the two ministries not to sign a bilateral agreement on Japan's sharing of costs for the planned relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam. They also asked the government to call off the planned construction of a new base at the Henoko district of Nago City in Okinawa Prefecture and request the U.S. government to close down and return Futenma airfield at once. In addition, they asked the two ministries to call for a TOKYO 00000324 005 OF 011 drastic revision of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement. At the Foreign Ministry, North American Affairs Bureau Deputy Director General Koji Haneda met the group of lawmakers. Haneda said the Foreign Ministry was preparing to sign the agreement on the occasion of Clinton's visit to Japan. Seiken Akamine, a Japanese Communist Party lawmaker seated in the House of Representatives, pursued the issue: "The government's cost-sharing plan includes spending on the construction of infrastructure at Andersen Air Base in the northern part of Guam Island, but that's irrelevant to the relocation of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam. We absolutely cannot agree to let the government spend taxpayers' money on the pretext of mitigating Okinawa's burden." Haneda insisted, "This project has bearing on the relocation of Marines to Guam. We will scrutinize this matter well every year between Japan and the United States and will refer the budget plan to the Diet." In addition, Haneda also indicated that the Japanese and U.S. governments would specify a package plan in the bilateral agreement to go ahead with the Guam relocation, construct the new base, and return the sites of U.S. military bases located south of the Kadena Air Base. Akamine criticized the government plan severely, saying, "Concluding such an agreement between Japan and the United States is pressure on Okinawa Prefecture and its people opposing the government plan." 6) U.S. Secretary of State Clinton seeks meeting with Ozawa TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) February 11, 2009 U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has sounded out Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),on holding a meeting with her during her visit that starts on Feb. 16, a DPJ source revealed on Feb. 10. According to the source, a request to hold a meeting on Feb. 17 came through the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo late last week. Foreign ministers visiting Japan sometimes meet with opposition leaders, but it is rare for a U.S. secretary of state to request such a meeting. In consideration of the backdrop of falling support rates for the cabinet of Prime Minister Taro Aso, as well as the possibility of the DPJ wresting power from the ruling coalition in the next Lower House election that must be held by the fall, Secretary Clinton appears to have judged that there is a need to hold talks with Ozawa regarding the bilateral alliance. Ozawa is expected to give his reply, while taking into account the current Diet situation of the ruling and opposition camps engaged in severe clashes. If realized, Clinton is expected to explain the Obama administration's basic policy of placing priority on the U.S. relations with Japan, as well as to discuss such issues as the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and relocation of U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City). Clinton is scheduled to meet with Aso and Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone on Feb. 17. 7) Ozawa to cautiously decide on whether to accept meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Clinton TOKYO 00000324 006 OF 011 MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) February 12, 2009 U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has sounded out Ichiro Ozawa, president of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),about holding a meeting with during her during her Japan visit that starts next Monday. Ozawa is expected to make a decision in a cautious manner on whether to accept the request. The DPJ has advocated the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station out of Okinawa Prefecture to someplace overseas. This was not the agreement reached by the Japanese and U.S. governments to relocate the base to a location elsewhere on the island prefecture. The U.S. government is strongly concerned about the DPJ view. If a meeting between Clinton and Ozawa is realized, the Futenma relocation will likely be on the agenda. According to DPJ sources, the request for a meeting came in early February through U.S. Embassy officials. The DPJ was told that Clinton thought it only natural to meet with the leader of the largest opposition party. The U.S. would like to hold the meeting on Feb. 17. Ozawa, however, has yet to make a decision on whether to accept the request, indicating he is reluctant to see Clinton after her meeting with Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone. Ozawa reportedly has told senior party members that he will meet with her if his schedule allows, but he is giving priority to preparing for the next general election. Regarding the relocation of the Futenma Air Station, the DPJ's "Okinawa vision" issued last July calls for considering moving Futenma to someplace outside of the prefecture, possibly abroad, taking the change in strategic environment into account. 8) One year after schoolgirl rape, despite preventive measures, no decline in incidents by U.S. military personnel in Okinawa; Brutal crimes at worst level in 10 years TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 8) (Full) Eve., February 10, 2009 On Feb. 10, it was exactly one year since the rape of a schoolgirl by a U.S. Marine in Okinawa. However, even after preventive measures were created by the U.S. forces and the government, the number of incidents by U.S. military personnel has not declined. According to the Okinawa prefectural police, there was an increase by seven incidents last year over the year before in penal offenses involving arrest and prosecution. Such brutal crimes as robbery and rape were at the highest recorded level in 10 years. After a U.S. Marine last Feb. 11 was arrested, the U.S. forces had a "period of self-reflection," implemented such measures as training to prevent sex crimes, and at one time imposed a total 24-hour curfew. However, starting with the incident of an assault on a taxi driver by U.S. personnel troubled for money, including an military policeman, who is supposed to control military incidents, the number of incidents increased involving arrests of U.S. soldiers on such charges as inflicting bodily harm, drunk driving, and foreign currency counterfeiting. The Okinawa office of the Foreign Ministry has beefed up its seminar to promote understanding of Okinawa, the idea being that crime can be preventing by instilling in U.S. military personnel a respect for the region. In addition to having young U.S. troops assemble on TOKYO 00000324 007 OF 011 their bases to listen to lectures on local history and culture, in January, a Okinawa karate expert trained approximately 200 U.S. military personnel. In the lecture by a local historian, such historical incidents are referred to as the forced takeover of land under the U.S. military occupation. After listening to the lecture, one soldier raised the question, "Are we hated in Okinawa?" The Foreign Ministry's local office plans to continue the program, a spokesman saying, "It is important to tell them about the reasons and background for the strong reactions to the bases by local communities." 9) Japan, South Korea agree on specific plans for joint assistance in Afghan reconstruction YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) February 12, 2009 Risa Kato, Seoul Foreign Minister Nakasone and his South Korean counterpart Yu Myung-hwan affirmed in their meeting in Seoul on Feb. 11 that the two countries would deepen their cooperative relation in the international community. They agreed on concrete plans for joint assistance in Afghan reconstruction, such as dispatching Japanese experts to a South Korean vocational training center in Kabul and supporting a soybean-plantation project being promoted by a nongovernmental organization (NGO). In their foreign ministerial held last June, the two countries had agreed to hold high-level administrative talks to discuss future options for international organizations, including a reform of the UN Security Council. Nakasone and Yu decided to hold their first meeting in Tokyo in March or April. During their 70-minute meeting, Nakasone and Yu discussed issues with North Korea for about 30 minutes. They shared the importance of cooperation among Japan, the U.S. and South Korea in dealing with North Korea. Nakasone emphasized: "North Korea is trying to increase tensions. We must not allow the North to move to divide Japan, South Korea and the U.S." Yu replied: "Its attempt to raise tensions is undesirable." The two ministers also agreed to: (1) upgrade working-level talks aimed to resume negotiations on an economic partnership agreement (EPA) from the current division-director level to the vice minister-level; and (2) continue the 10-year project to have 1,000 South Korean students specializing in science and technology study in Japan. 10) Main points from Japan-S. Korea foreign ministerial talks YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) February 12, 2009 (The following is a gist of yesterday's meeting between Foreign Minister Nakasone and South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myong Hwan in Seoul) Bilateral relations Nakasone, Yu: We welcome the fact that shuttle summit diplomacy is TOKYO 00000324 008 OF 011 becoming a fixed occurrence. We have agreed to continue the cultural exchange conference between Japan and South Korea for a third term and to continue the joint program for the two countries' science and technology students to study in Japan and South Korea. Fisheries Nakasone: We need to cooperate on the management of natural resources in the waters provisionally designated under the bilateral fisheries agreement between Japan and South Korea. Yu: We want to hold close consultations. Drifted refuse Nakasone: There are (numerous) polytanks (plastic containers) drifting ashore. I'd like to ask for cooperation to improve the situation. Yu: We have been educating and guiding fishermen. North Korea problem Nakasone: We want to maintain and strengthen close-knit cooperation between Japan, South Korea, and the United States. Yu: The six-party talks are now at a critical turning point. We also want to consult closely with the Obama administration. We want to continue our support as much as we can to resolve the abduction issue. Afghan reconstruction aid Nakasone, Yu: We will cooperate on vocational training and agricultural assistance. We will look into the feasibility of further cooperation. Talks for economic cooperation agreement Nakasone, Yu: We will raise the current level of bilateral consultations from working level to vice ministerial level in order to resume consultations, and we will expedite our studies. 11) South Korean foreign minister: Coordination underway for meeting between Taguchi's kin and Kim Hyon Hui YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) February 12, 2009 Risa Kato, Seoul Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone held separate talks with South Korean President Lee Myung Bak and Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yu Myung Hwan in Seoul on Feb. 11 and exchanged views on the North Korean issue and other matters. In a joint press conference that followed the foreign ministerial, Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yu indicated that arrangements were being made for a meeting between Kim Hyon Hui, who was sentenced to death for the 1987 fatal bombing of a South Korean airliner, and family members of abductee Yaeko Taguchi, who serves as Kim's tutor. Yu noted that the time and the place for the planned TOKYO 00000324 009 OF 011 meeting were under arrangement, saying, "I understand that the meeting will take place before long." Taguchi was abducted in 1978. The Japanese government has identified Kim's Japanese-language tutor named Lee Un Hae as Taguchi. Her older brother Shigeo Iizuka is chairman of the Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea. 12) Two abducted Japanese women likely to have married in North Korea; Taguchi to South Korean man and Matsumoto to Japanese man; High possibility that they are still alive TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Full) February 12, 2009 Eiji Tsukiyama, Seoul Two Japanese women who are on the Japanese government's list of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea are believed to have married in North Korea, a source connected with the government revealed on Feb. 11. Seventeen nationals are officially recognized by the Japanese government as victims of abduction by North Korea. Of them, at least two are likely to be alive in North Korea. According to the source, the two are Yaeko Taguchi, who was abducted in 1978 at the age of 22, and Kyoko Matsumoto of Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, who was abducted in 1977 at the age of 29. The source said that there has been information that Taguchi married a South Korean and Matsumoto a Japanese. Taguchi taught Japanese to North Korean agent Kim Hyon Hui, 47, who fatally bombed a South Korean airliner (in 1987). In 1984, Taguchi moved to Chungryong-ri in a Pyongyang suburb where Fukie Chimura, a former abductee who returned to Japan (in 2002),also lived. Taguchi moved to another military base in 1986. She married a South Korean man, according to Chimura. South Korean abductee family group representative Che Song Yong indicated that he learned from a source connected with North Korea early in 2006 that a Japanese women different from abductee Megumi Yokota, who married an abducted South Korean man, was also living with an abducted South Korean man. North Korea claimed that Taguchi married Japanese abductee Tadaaki Hara and died in a traffic accident in 1986. Matsumoto is also believed to have been on the register of a trading firm connected with the North Korean military at least until 2002. 13) Mori: Prime minister's remarks at Diet "terrible" YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) February 12, 2009 Yesterday influential Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) members, who have close ties with Prime Minister Taro Aso, presented candidate advice about the flip flops in his remarks regarding a review of the postal privatization program. In a speech in Niigata City, LDP Election Strategy Council Deputy Chairman Yoshihide Suga said: "The prime minister's remarks are extremely heavy. He should refrain from making remarks that give misunderstanding to the public and cause unnecessary run-ins with the party." TOKYO 00000324 010 OF 011 Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, in a speech in Tokushima City, pointed out: "His way of answering was pretty bad. There are differences between my remark about not agreeing with (postal privatization) and the (incumbent) prime minister's." Meanwhile, Mori criticized anti-Aso moves in the LDP, saying: "When they are in a disadvantageous position, they make a fuss. Even people with good sense are saying bad things about the LDP. There are many members who say they will form a new party in cooperation with opposition parties." 14) DPJ in dilemma over postal issue, eager to attack Aso's remarks but reluctant about discussing review YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) February 12, 2009 The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has been caught in a dilemma over Prime Minister Aso's statements about a review of the postal privatization plan. The main opposition party is poised to step up the attack against the prime minister's recent controversial remarks, but since the DPJ has also advocated reviewing the postal privatization plan, the party finds it difficult to go deep into discussing the postal issue. Appearing on a TV program on Feb. 10, DPJ President Ozawa criticized the prime minister's recent inconsistent statements over the postal privatization, saying: "The people must be questioning his qualifications as a Japanese prime minister." Some DPJ members suggested that the party should call for intensive deliberations on "summing up the postal privatization" process at the House of Representatives' Budget Committee, but this call is likely to be pushed out by a growing argument that the party should not enter into discussions on the postal privatization issue. That is because the DPJ's call for reviewing the four-company system overlaps with the prime minister's view. The DPJ has insisted on reviewing postal privatization, based on the stance of prioritizing a joint struggle with the People's New Party, which has made opposition to the postal privatization as the party platform. A senior DPJ member said: "Our members in urban districts in favor of reforms have supported the postal privatization, confronting with those dependent on labor unions as their support base." In the overall paper issued when the DPJ suffered a crushing defeat in the Lower House election carried out in 2005 over the postal privatization issue, the party noted: "Our response to the postal privatization was unclear." It did not even refer to the postal issue in the policy platform for the House of Councillors election in 2007. Later, the party began to call for a review of the privatization plan as it deepened cooperation with the People's New Party leadership, but the DPJ and the LDP both share the view calling for reviewing the four-company system, although a gap is growing between the two parties. 15) Japan Business Federation joins nine influential business organizations to send letter to U.S. Congress calling for revision of protectionist language in stimulus bill TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Excerpts) TOKYO 00000324 011 OF 011 Eve., February 10, 2009 Jiji Press in Washington The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) and nine influential Western business organizations, including European ones, have signed and sent a letter to leading members of the U.S. Congress calling for revision of the "Buy American" clause that is included in the economic stimulus bill. This was revealed by a connected source. The language in the bill makes it mandatory to procure U.S. products, such as steel, for use in public works projects. However, there is a strong protectionist tinge in the language that has raised concerns in Japan, the European Union and other countries. The letter, sent when a joint congressional committee is down to the wire in ironing out the differences in the Senate and House versions of the bill, aims to heighten international pressure on the lawmakers to revise the language. Other than Japan and Europe, the letter is signed by business organizations from Brazil, Britain, Canada, India, South Korea, Germany and Turkey. Fifteen influential U.S. business organizations including the American Chamber of Commerce are sending their own letter opposing the language. 16) Japan to propose to UN measures developing countries should take in tackling greenhouse gas emissions, environmental pollution YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) February 12, 2009 As part of the new framework of measures to curb greenhouse gas emissions that will replace the Kyoto Protocol, the Japanese government has submitted to the UN a paper calling for the broad-based adoption of a co-benefit system for developing countries simultaneously tackling greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution. To promote reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by developing countries, a clean development mechanism (CDM) has been introduced, under which industrialized countries that provided technologies and funds to developing countries can offset the cuts achieved by the recipient countries against the output of their own country. Japan's proposal is designed to prioritize co-benefit projects when implementing the CDM scheme. Japan at a UN taskforce meeting on the next-term framework to be held in Germany in March will call for simplifying UN procedures needed for the application of the scheme or exempting developing countries from registration fees regarding projects intended to make improvements to measures to address environmental pollution, water pollution and waste materials. ZUMWALT

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