JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 03/20/09

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 000624

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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 03/20/09

Index:

North Korea problem:
1) Diplomatic source: North Korea in final stage of readying for
missile launch, with fuel trucks moving to site (Sankei)
2) US commanders: North Korea readying new type of medium-range
missile (Sankei)
3) US commanders: North Korea's missiles could reach Okinawa and
Alaska: "Cannot disregard the threat" (Nikkei)
4) Japanese public to be warned by J-ALERT about approaching North
Korean missile, but most areas in danger not covered by system
(Nikkei)
5) Government mulling additional sanctions on North Korea but effect
may be limited (Asahi)

Anti-piracy operations:
6) MSDF vessels sent to waters off Somalia to deal with piracy will
be there and operational March 30 (Yomiuri)
7) Japan to sign pact with Djibouti in order to carry out
anti-piracy operations from that county (Nikkei)
8) Democratic Party of Japan in own report on anti-piracy bill wants
government to use the Japan Coast Guard and not the SDF for overseas
operations (Yomiuri)

9) Debate again starts in the UN over expansion of the Security
Council (Yomiuri)

10) IMF gives Japan one of its lowest estimates ever, minus 5.8
PERCENT economic growth in 2009 (Yomiuri)

11) Ruling camp ready to spend 300 billion yen for job creation in
regions of Japan (Yomiuri)

12) Questioning of DPJ head Ozawa by prosecutors in connection with
his secretary's arrest will be postponed (Nikkei)

13) Popular weekly reaches conciliation with protesting former U.S.
embassy employee over phony charges appearing in the magazine
(Asahi)

Articles:

1) Fuel tank lorries moving around missile site; N. Korea in final
phase of readiness to launch missile

SANKEI (Top play) (Abridged)
March 20, 2009

North Korea has been preparing to launch an advanced type of the
Taepodong-2, a long-range ballistic missile, as a "satellite." Tank
lorries carrying fuel needed to launch a missile began moving
earlier this month to the east side of a launch pad at Musudanri in
that country's northeastern North Hamkyong Province, the Sankei
Shimbun learned yesterday from sources familiar with Japan-U.S.
diplomatic relations. When North Korea launched missiles in 1998 and
2006 as well, tank lorries began to move around about 20 days before
missile launches. The recent busy moves of those fuel-carrying
vehicles prove that North Korea is now in the final phase of its
readiness to launch a "satellite" between April 4 and 8 as it has
announced.

According to the sources, U.S. reconnaissance satellites, which are

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watching developments in North Korea, have closely captured tank
lorries carrying rocket engine propellant.

The new Taepodong-2 missile with a longer range was carried out of a
factory near Pyongyang, North Korea, around Feb. 8, and it was
loaded into a freight train and was moved to Musudanri. At that
time, it was also confirmed that a nearby road was under
construction for expansion.

Around mid-February, a missile tracking and controlling radar
facility was located in an area north of the launch pad and a
fueling facility was also set up on the east side of it. In late
February, several fueling-carrying tank lorries were confirmed as
they were moving around the launch pad. The fuel was carried to the
fueling facility. "They have now only to pipe fuel into the missile
from the fueling facility before launching it," a source said.

It also seems that the launch pad was stretched and the missile's
fuel tank was enlarged for a longer range at the same time.
Furthermore, tank lorries began earlier this month to show busy
moves near Musudanri, according to the sources.

2) N. Korea deploying new intermediate-range missile: U.S.
commander

SANKEI (Page 1) (Full)
March 20, 2009

Hideya Yamamoto, Washington

U.S. Forces Korea Commander Sharp, testifying before the U.S. Senate
Armed Services Committee on March 19, revealed that North Korea is
now in deploying a new intermediate-range ballistic missile covering
Okinawa, Guam, and Alaska.

The new missile is believed to be different from the long-range
ballistic missile that North Korea is currently preparing to
launch.

U.S. forces will hurry up their forward deployment of weapons to
intercept missiles in their post-boost phase and will also deploy a
missile defense (MD) system to Guam on a priority basis. However,
the testimony indicates that the threat of North Korea's ballistic
missiles is mounting.

USFK Commander Sharp avoided referring to the current state of this
intermediate-range ballistic missile's deployment. However, he
warned of the long-range ballistic missile, saying: "They are
continuing their development and familiarization of systems
including longer-range strike capabilities." In addition, he
criticized North Korea for its missile exports to Syria and Iran.

As the U.S. military's readiness to intercept missiles, Sharp cited
land- and sea-launched intercept missiles. In addition, he also
cited the effectiveness of laser weapons as "light-speed weapons
aiming at ballistic missiles in their initial phase."

Pacific Command (PACOM) Commander Keating, also in his testimony
before the committee, stated that the U.S. military would reinforce
its MD system in Guam. He showed strong confidence in intercepting
ballistic missiles with the U.S. military's current capabilities.


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3) North Korean missile can reach Okinawa, Alaska

NIKKEI (Page 6) (Full)
March 20, 2009

Hiroshi Maruya, Washington

General Walter Sharp, commander of U.S. Forces in Korea, yesterday
presented a written statement to the Senate Armed Services
Committee, in which he revealed that North Korea currently has
deployed a new model intermediate ballistic missile with a range
that can reach Okinawa, Guam, and Alaska. The statement also
indicated that the DPRK is also continuing to develop a long-range
intercontinental ballistic missile. Sharp pointed out that the
purpose of Pyongyang's missile program is to expand its influence in
the region, as well as to secure foreign currency. He expressed a
strong sense of alarm, calling the missiles a "threat that cannot be
overlooked."

It was the first time for a top U.S. military brass to specifically
state the range of a North Korean missile on an official occasion.

North Korea has announced that it will conduct a long-range
ballistic missile test between Aril 4 and 8.

4) Most of municipalities where North Korean "satellite" may fly
over not equipped with J-ALERT system

NIKKEI (Page 2) (Abridged)
March 20, 2009

Most of local areas where a North Korean "satellite" may fly over
are not equipped with the J-ALERT instantaneous alarm system
involving the wireless anti-disaster system and satellites, it
became clear yesterday. The ill-preparedness of the central and
local governments might pose a problem in responding to an emergency
situation.

The J-ALERT is an alarm system designed to provide instantaneous
notification of natural disasters, terrorist attacks and the like
through loud speakers at various parts of Japan via the Fire and
Disaster Management Agency and satellites. The system became
operational in February 2007.

It has become clear that municipalities in Akita Prefecture where a
North Korean "satellite" may fly over are not equipped with this
system. In Iwate Prefecture, only five out of 35 municipalities have
this system. The prefectural side said: "Upon receiving information,
we will send fax messages to the municipalities and make
accouchements via the anti-disaster wireless system." But such a
step might delay evacuation.

As of March 1, 43 prefectures or 183 municipalities -- about 10
PERCENT of the total -- were equipped with the J-ALERT. Of them,
only 102 municipalities have the facilities linked to outdoors
speakers that can automatically make announcements.

5) North Korean missile: Call for additional sanctions gaining
ground in government; Limited effect expected

ASAHI (Page 3) (Full)
March 20, 2009

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Prime Minister Aso on March 19 referred to the possibility of the
Japanese government toughening its own sanctions against North Korea
in the event the nation launches a ballistic missile. Since many
sanctions have already been imposed on the nation, the effect of
additional functions will presumably be limited. Even so, many
government officials take the position that Japan should impose
additional sanctions in order to express its protest.

Concerning the government's possible response to such a launch,
Prime Minister Aso at a meeting of the Upper House Budget Committee
the same day said, "I would like to make a decision from an overall
perspective, including further strengthening Japan's own
sanctions."

Following the launch of missiles and the implementation of a nuclear
test by North Korea in 2006, the government is now imposing its own
sanctions and sanctions based on a UN resolution.

Among sanctions Japan is imposing independently, six-month terms for
a ban on port calls by North Korean vessels and a ban on imports of
goods from North Korea have already been extended four times. The
fifth due date for those sanctions will come on April 13. It will
likely be unavoidable to extend the due date for the fifth time.

The term of the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) Special Committee
on Measure to Address the Abduction Issue will be extended from the
current six months to over one year. The panel has also compiled a
set of additional sanctions, which include a total ban on exports to
that nation, as well as the existing ban on imports, and submitted
it to Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura on March 18.

Assuming that deliberations on the legislation could encounter
complications due to the divided Diet, it does not include sanctions
that require amendments to related laws or new legal preparations.
It only incorporates realistic proposals that can be handled under
the existing legal system.

In the event the government imposes additional sanctions, it will
most likely do so, based on the panel proposals. However, a senior
Foreign Ministry official said, "Additional sanctions will not give
any new pains to the nation."

Exports to North Korea stood at 5.1 billion yen in 2006. However,
the amount dropped to 800 million yen in 2008. Such an amount this
year is less than 30 million yen as of January. Exports of used
bicycles and refrigerators, which were once main export items, have
been stalled since June last year. The LDP plan includes a de facto
ban on crewmembers of foreign vessels that violated the financial
sanctions and the export and import sanctions financial sanctions
from disembarking. However, those subject to such bans are in fact
extremely limited.

Even so, one panel member said, "If Japan takes the lead in
toughening a stance to that nation, it would become able to face
North Korea, displaying leadership in the international community."

There is concern that North Korea could stiffen its approach to such
issues as the abductions of Japanese nationals by its agents.
However, Japan-North Korean relations have already cooled off. A
government official said, "Additional functions will have no major
impact." The government sees that since the launch of a missile by

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North Korea will affect Japan most, neither the U.S., South Korea
nor China will come up with a negative stance toward Japan
intensifying its sanctions.

6) MSDF convoy to start operating around March 30 off Somalia

YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full)
March 20, 2009

The Maritime Self-Defense Force will start its antipiracy mission in
waters off the eastern coast of Somalia in African around March 30
to escort Japanese merchant ships with two destroyers, Takashi
Saito, chief of the Self-Defense Forces' Joint Staff Office, told a
news conference yesterday at the Defense Ministry. The two MSDF
destroyers, Sazanami and Samidare, are now heading south in the
South China Sea. Their arrival in waters off Oman, initially
expected to be around April 5, will likely be about a week earlier
if they continue to proceed smoothly, the top brass officer said.

7) Government to conclude SOFA with Djibouti for SDF personnel on
anti-piracy mission; P-3Cs also to be dispatched

NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
March 20, 2009

The government has decided to conclude as early as later this month
a status of forces agreement (SOFA) with Djibouti where the Maritime
Self-Defense Force (MSDF) will be based on an anti-piracy mission in
waters off Somalia. The step is for the planned deployment of P-3C
patrol planes in April or later, in addition to the destroyers that
are already on their way to waters off Somalia. It will be the SDF's
second SOFA for an overseas mission, following one with Kuwait on
reconstruction assistance in that country.

The government dispatched two MSDF destroyers on March 14 by
invoking the maritime policing provision under existing legislation.
The government also plans to dispatch P-3Cs in April or later to
protect Japanese vessels from pirates by having them keep watch from
the air in collaboration with the destroyers.

The P-3Cs are scheduled to use a Djibouti airport. This entails SDF
personnel responsible for repairing and related work to station in
Djibouti. The SDF personnel assigned to the destroyers will also
stay in Djibouti. Given the situation, the government has recognized
the need to conclude a SOFA to guarantee the legal status of the SDF
personnel in Djibouti.

8) DPJ interim report calls for JCG's main role in anti-piracy
measures and prior Diet approval

YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full)
March 20, 2009

The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) foreign affairs and defense
division begun discussing the anti-piracy legislation presented by
the government, and produced an interim report yesterday noting that
the Japan Coast Guard (JCG),rather than the Self-Defense Forces,
should play a main role in addressing piracy.

The party plans to determine whether to support or oppose the
legislation after monitoring deliberations at the House of
Representatives anti-piracy special committee.

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The legislation specifies a report to the Diet after invoking the
maritime policing provision. Meanwhile, the DPJ report mentions the
need of prior Diet approval. In the meeting, many members expressed
negative views about the SDF dispatch.

But Deputy President Seiji Maehara took this view: "We should study
the JCG's actual situation a little more and discuss the matter in
line with the actual circumstances."

Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said: "We have no intention of
rejecting (the legislation) outright. Adopting the legislation after
amending it is one option." The DPJ intends to consider measures,
including revising the government-presented bill and making a
counter proposal.

9) Argument to expand UNSC membership; Japan hopes U.S. will change
stance

ASAHI (Page 6) (Abridged slightly)
March 20, 2009

Kayo Matsushita, New York

Discussion of reform of the United Nations Security Council, which
has been moribund since 2005, has now resumed.
Government-to-government talks started in February in an informal
full session of the UN General Assembly. Substantial consultations
were launched this month over the contents of UNSC reform.

The second round of consultations on the UNSC reform was held on
March 4-5. About 80 countries presented their own views on how many
UNSC seats should be added.

Japan, Germany, India and Brazil -- the so-called Group of 4 (G-4) -
are all aiming at securing permanent UNSC seats and are insisting
that the number of permanent and non-permanent members should be
expanded. Italy, a member of the "Uniting for Consensus" or an
anti-G4 group calling for an expansion of only the two-year term
UNSC non-permanent seats, proposed expanding the tenure of
non-permanent seats to more than three years or establishing a new
UNSC membership, which would allow some to be reelected. Some
concessions were seen in Italy's proposal.

The government-to-government talks launched in February is a fresh
start to come up with a realistic reform plan by upgrading reform
discussion to the General Assembly-level. Previously, talks had gone
round and round in circles for more than 15 years at the working
level, and decisions required a unanimous vote. In the wake of
growing dissatisfaction with the long time standoff, Macedonia,
currently chairing UNGA, decided on holding the
government-to-government talks at the end of the preview session, in
the face of resistance by the Uniting for Consensus.

There is no major change in the basic positions of each group,
compared with 2005. However, there are moves seeking compromises.

Among the G4 countries, Germany has taken a positive stance toward a
compromise plan. In Japan, which has insisted that its aim is to
become a permanent UNSC member, many politicians and experts support
a compromise plan.


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With the inauguration of the administration of U.S. President Barack
Obama, who has a strong interest in UNSC reform, some observers
predict that there will be a change in the situation.

During his election campaign, President Obama said that he would
seriously consider a proposal renewing the composition of the UNSC
members. Japanese Ambassador to the UN Yukio Takasu has expressed
his hopes for change in stance of the U.S. administration. He said:
"The UNSC members probably think that there is no need to change the
present composition. However, they, including the U.S., can no
longer ignore views expressing dissatisfaction."

The General Assembly will hold concentrated discussion on such
subjects as the contents of reform, including the scale of an
expansion, as well as the veto right.

10) IMF projects 5.8 PERCENT dip in Japan's growth

YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full)
March 20, 2009

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on March 19 released the data
it had submitted to the meeting of finance ministers and central
bank governors from the Group of Twenty Nations (G-20),held in
Horsham in a suburb of London last weekend. The IMF in the report
projected the growth of the global economy to be between minus 0.5
PERCENT and minus 1.0 PERCENT . In its global economic outlook as
of January, the IMF exstimated 0.5 PERCENT growth, the lowest in
the postwar period. However, it has revised the figure downward,
based on the slowdown in leading countries.

It also substantially revised downward its projection for the growth
of the Japanese economy in 2009 from minus 2.6 PERCENT as estimated
in January to minus 5.8 PERCENT . Its projection for the growth of
the Japanese economy in 2010 is minus 0.2 PERCENT -- negative
projection for three consecutive years starting in 2008.

It also downgraded its projection for the growth of the U.S. economy
in 2009 from minus 1.6 PERCENT projected in January to minus 2.6
PERCENT . Likewise, its projection for the growth of eurozone
economies in the same year has been revised downward from minus 2.0
PERCENT to minus 3.2 PERCENT . In the meantime, the data estimate
slightly positive growth in 2010 -- 0.2 PERCENT for the U.S.
economy and 0.1 PERCENT for eurozone economies.

11) Additional 300 billion yen for job creation in local regions:
Ruling parties' additional measure to be included in extra budget

YOMIURI (Top Play) (Excerpts)
March 20, 2009

The ruling parties' New Employment Measures Project Team, chaired by
Jiro Kawasaki, a former labor minister, compiled on March 19
additional emergency employment measures featuring a 300 billion
dollar increase to fund creation of a livelihood support benefit
system. The program would target job seekers now receiving
vocational training and assist emergency job creation projects being
implemented by local governments. The package will likely cover the
next three years. The envisaged project scale is roughly 1.6
trillion yen. The government plans to include the package in the
fiscal 2009 supplementary budget.


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A livelihood support benefit worth between 100,000 yen and 120,000
yen will target jobless persons who are receiving vocational
training. The aim is to help them find jobs. Those who are not
covered by employment insurance and those whose eligibility for an
unemployment benefit has expired will be eligible. Approximately one
million people are expected to benefit from the system. The
government will set up a fund worth several hundred billion yen to
finance the system.

A 900 billion yen budgetary framework has thus far been established
in the previous job creation package for state-funded job creation
projects to be implemented by each local government, including the
cleaning of parks and the reforestation. The government has decided
to provide 300 billion yen as an additional measure.

12) Prosecutors forgo questioning Ozawa over Nishimatsu scandal

NIKKEI (Page 1) (Full)
March 20, 2009

It was revealed yesterday by investigative sources that the special
investigation squad of the Tokyo Public Prosecutors Office would
likely forgo summoning Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President
Ichiro Ozawa for questioning over the allegation that his political
fund management organization received illegal donations from
Nishimatsu Construction Co. Reportedly Ozawa's involvement in the
scandal was not proved in the process of investigations into Ozawa's
first state-paid secretary Takanori Okubo, who has been arrested on
suspicion of violating the Political Funds Control Law.

The special investigation squad had looked into the possibility of
summoning Ozawa for questioning while watching the progress of the
investigations. Since Okubo has denied the allegation, investigation
authorities appear to have inclined to the judgment that there was
no need for hearing him, since there was no evidence that showed
Ozawa's involvement in the case.

The Political Funds Control Law states that if the representative of
a political group ignores due responsibility for selecting and
supervising a chief accountant, the representative will be fined
500,000 yen or less. Although Ozawa is the representative of his
political management organization "Rikuzankai," the prosecutors
appear to have judged it difficult to call on Ozawa to assume
criminal responsibility.

Ozawa explained in a press conference: "The donations from political
groups have been properly handled." He then said that if he was
requested to be summoned for questioning, "I will discuss anytime
with anybody as much as possible."

13) Shukan Shincho reaches money-payment reconciliation with male
who protested articles about attack on Asahi Shimbun, a de facto
admission that the stories were false

ASAHI (Page 39) (Excerpts)
March 20, 2009

Regarding the issue of the popular weekly Shukan Shincho having
published the handwritten notes of on Masanori Shimamura (65),who
claimed to have carried out the attack on the Hanshin bureau of
Asahi Shimbun (May, 1987),the publisher Shinchosha on March 19
reached reconciliation with a former employee of the U.S. Embassy in

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Japan who had protested that the charge in the articles that he
masterminded the crime was "baseless." The male, interviewed by
Asahi Shimbun, said, "We reached an out of court settlement because
(Shinchosha) took seriously my protest that I was never involved in
that incident, and responded with a sincere stance that I found
convincing." The contents of the out of court settlement were not
released, but reportedly the male was paid an amount of money.

According to the series of four articles that ran in Shukan Shincho
starting in early January, Shimamura testified that he had been
ordered by this male to attack Asahi Shimbun and that he carried out
a series of incidents, including the attack on the Hanshin bureau.
In response to the man's protest that he had had no connection with
these incidents, Shinchosha undertook to resolve the issue with
money, admitting in effect that the articles were false. When asked
by Asahi Shimbun whether the out of court settlement was an
admission (the reports were false),the editorial staff of Shukan
Shincho replied in writing that it had no comment and would not at
all reply to the inquiry.

ZUMWALT