JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 03/25/09

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 000664

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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 03/25/09

Index:

North Korea problem:
1) Cabinet to meet today on the North Korea missile issue to adopt a
course of action (Sankei)
2) Destruct order for North Korea launched missile to be issued on
March 27 (Asahi)
3) PAC-3s are being moved to Iwate and Akita in northern Japan in
anticipation of North Korea missile launch (Yomiuri)
4) Foreign Minister Nakasone's remark that it would be "difficult"
for Japan to shoot down a North Korea-launched missile has added
fuel to the fire (Tokyo Shimbun)
5) U.S., Japan, South Korea to meet on the 27th to discuss the North
Korea missile launch (Sankei)
6) Pyongyang sends word that it will not be joining Six-Party Talks
anymore (Tokyo Shimbun)
7) Charg at U.S. Embassy confident that Six-Party Talks will
restart even if North Korea launches a missile (Tokyo Shimbun)

Ozawa in trouble:
8) Aide of Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ozawa indicted
for illegally accepting political funds from shady construction firm
(Asahi)
9) Ozawa tells press conference he will stay on as head of DPJ, but
undercurrent in the party would like him to have resigned (Asahi)

10) Japanese voters may distance themselves from the DPJ with Ozawa
staying on, unsatisfied with explanation of the enormous donations
his aide illegally took (Tokyo Shimbun)
11) Japanese Communist Party blasts the DPJ for not making efforts
to "purify itself" from the Ozawa scandal (Asahi)
12) Ruling camp is ecstatic that Ozawa will stay on as DPJ head,
anticipating that the party's public image will now further
deteriorate (Asahi)

13) Prime Minister Aso at the six-month mark seems reinvigorated and
wants to counterattack to regain political foothold (Asahi)

Articles:

1) Three cabinet ministers to meet today to determine response to
North Korean missile

SANKEI (Page 5) (Full)
March 25, 2009

The government decided yesterday to hold a meeting today of three
cabinet ministers -- the chief cabinet secretary, foreign minister,
and defense minister -- to determine Japan's response to North
Korea's planned launch of an improved version of the Taepodong-2
long-range ballistic missile, which the North claims to be a
satellite. This was revealed yesterday by Chief Cabinet Secretary
Takeo Kawamura at the North Korean missile task force of the Liberal
Democratic Party and the New Komeito.

The meeting is expected to determine the positioning in the Sea of
Japan of the Aegis vessels carrying the SM-3 sea-based intercept
missiles and of the PAC-3 ground-to-air guided missiles and
explanations to local governments and the people. The problem is
that while the Defense Ministry is calling for a prior cabinet
decision under the Self-Defense Forces Law Article 82-2 that
specifies missile destruction steps, the Prime Minister's Office

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(Kantei) and the Foreign Ministry are reluctant to do so. This could
be a point at issue.

2) Gov't to issue missile destruction order March 27

ASAHI (Page 4) (Abridged)
March 25, 2009

In the wake of North Korea's recent proclamation of plans to launch
an "artificial satellite," the government has decided to hold a
meeting of the Security Council of Japan (SCJ) on March 27 and issue
a "ballistic missile destruction order" to the Self-Defense Forces
under the Self-Defense Forces Law, with Prime Minister Aso
presiding. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura, Foreign Minister
Nakasone, and Defense Minister Hamada will meet today to confirm
final procedures for the government to issue the destruction order.

The ballistic missile destruction order is to be issued in two
cases: 1) when a launched ballistic missile is feared to land in
Japan, the defense minister will issue the order with a cabinet
decision; or 2) a launched ballistic missile is not feared to land
in Japan, but in preparation for an emergency, the defense minister
will issue the order beforehand without making it public in
principle.

The government says the projectile in question-if it flies as
announced by North Korea-will only pass over the northeastern region
of Japan, so the government takes the position that it cannot go so
far as to say the missile will land in Japan. With this account, the
government will choose the second option. However, the government
will hold a SCJ meeting to confirm its intention, instead of leaving
the matter only to the defense minister from the perspective of
placing emphasis on civilian control and information disclosure.
After going through that procedure, the chief cabinet secretary will
meet the press and on March 27 to make public the government's
missile destruction order and its plans to deploy the SDF's missile
defense (MD) system, including the Patriot Advanced Capability 3
(PAC-3),a land-based ground-to-air guided missile for missile
interception.

Hit uncertainty

Even if the ballistic missile destruction order is issued, the
question is whether it is possible to intercept a launched ballistic
missile. "I don't think we can hit it" This remark came from a
government source on March 23. Foreign Minister Nakasone, meeting
the press yesterday, also admitted that it would be difficult. As
seem from such remarks, government officials are getting out of step
with each other. "They're lacking a sense of tension," said a ruling
party lawmaker, criticized such remarks.

The Standard Missile 3 (SM-3),a sea-based surface-to-air intercept
missile, successfully hit a mock-up target in a preannounced launch
test. In an unannounced launch test that was carried out in 2008,
however, the SM-3 lost its target and failed to shoot it down. North
Korea has announced its plan to launch a "satellite" in the day time
between April 4 and 8. However, North Korea has not specified what
time it will launch it.

If a satellite launched by North Korea falls on Japan, that is the
case where there was something wrong with it. "We cannot calculate
its ordinary trajectory in that case and it will be difficult to

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intercept the missile." With this, a senior official of the Defense
Ministry voiced concern. Kazuhisa Ogawa, a military analyst, also
told the Asahi Shimbun: "If the missile normally falls, it's
possible to intercept that missile to some degree. But if the
missile is off course, it's quite uncertain."

3) All eyes on intercept missile's accuracy

YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full)
March 25, 2009

Can the Self-Defense Forces' missile defense (MD) system intercept
North Korea's ballistic missile? North Korea is now preparing to
launch a ballistic missile in the name of an "artificial satellite."
On this issue, however, a government source raised a question about
its accuracy, saying, "It's impossible to hit the target." All eyes
are on the MD system and its accuracy.

The MD system is a double-decker shoot-down system to intercept a
ballistic missile. After a missile is launched, the SPY-1 radar of
an Aegis-equipped vessel calculates that missile's trajectory in an
instant, based on intelligence data from a U.S. early warning
satellite. If a launched missile is likely to land in Japan's
territorial soil or waters, the Standard Missile 3 (SM-3),a
sea-based surface-to-air guided missile mounted on a Maritime
Self-Defense Force Aegis destroyer, will intercept that missile in
outer space. If the SM-3 fails to shoot it down, the Patriot
Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3),a land-based ground-to-air missile,
will destroy it. A ballistic missile, once launched, will reach
Japan in about 10 minutes. The time before landing in Japan is
short, so if a destruction order is already issued as stipulated in
the SDF law's Article82-2 provision, an SDF base commander on the
front will issue directions to intercept the missile.

The PAC-3 was used in the 2003 Iraq war. At that time, U.S. forces
mobilized PAC-3 batteries and successfully hit all targets within
the intercept scope, according to the U.S. government's account. The
SM-3 was successful in 13 of 16 intercept tests conducted by U.S.
forces and in one of two tests carried out by the MSDF. By simple
arithmetic, the hit probability is about 80 PERCENT . The MD
system's targeting accuracy is "considerably high," as explained by
the government so far.

However, Japan's MD system is aimed primarily at countering North
Korea's intermediate-range ballistic missiles and is incapable of
intercepting a normally flying long-range ballistic missile. From
the first, such a long-range ballistic missile will not land in
Japan. The missile announced by North Korea is believed to be a
long-range ballistic missile. The MD system is expected to intercept
such a long-range ballistic missile if its launch ends in failure or
in some other possible cases. In the case of a launched ballistic
missile that becomes uncontrollable before going into outer space,
however, it is very difficult to calculate its trajectory, according
to a senior official of the Defense Ministry.

The government will hold a meeting of three cabinet ministers today,
with the chief cabinet secretary, the defense minister, and the
foreign minister attending. In this cabinet ministerial meeting, the
government will decide to issue a missile destruction order to the
SDF. The ballistic missile or its components are feared to fall on
Japan, but a government source says its possibility is "extremely
low." The government is therefore expected to "issue a destruction

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order without a cabinet decision" or a procedure allowed to be taken
"in preparation for an emergency." The missile in question, if it
flies as announced by North Korea, will pass over the prefectures of
Akita and Iwate. So, after the missile destruction order is issued,
the PAC-3, currently deployed to the Air Self-Defense Force's
Hamamatsu base in Shizuoka Prefecture, will be moved to the Ground
Self-Defense Force's Akita and Iwate garrisons.

The PAC-3's defensive scope is within a radius of several dozen
kilometers, so its mobilization to the two prefectures is intended
to cover local cities on a priority basis. The Defense Ministry will
hold a briefing today in Sendai City for officials from the six
northeastern prefectures and Sendai City. The PAC-3 is currently
deployed to five other SDF bases throughout the country, in addition
to Hamamatsu.

4) Confusion in government over MD ability to intercept a rocket
from North Korea

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Abridged)
March 25, 2009

Views were split in the government yesterday over whether the
missile defense (MD) system would be able to intercept a ballistic
missile coming from North Korea. Some officials have raised
questions about MD capability. Discussion of this question is likely
to linger on for a while.

The controversy was triggered by a remark by a government official
on March 23. The official told reporters: "You cannot shoot down a
bullet fired by a pistol by firing another pistol at it."

In a press conference yesterday, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada
disputed the official's claim: "We have been trying to be well
prepared. I think he does not fully understand the contents." In a
meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party's National Defense Division,
too, one participant claimed: "That is a (diplomatically) negative
statement," and another asserted: "That is totally an undignified
remark."

Speaking before reporters last night, Prime Minister Aso also
emphasized: "It is the government's role to make utmost efforts,
including MD, to prevent the people from falling into harms way."

Behind the eagerness of the prime minister and others to put out the
fire is the fact that more than 700 billion yen has been injected in
the MD project.

Furthermore, the government has indicated that it would intercept an
incoming missile, with the aim of dissuading North Korea from
launching a missile. This purpose will not be attained if it is
clearly said that the MD is incapable of intercepting a missile.

But Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said in a press conference
yesterday: "It probably is difficult (to intercept a missile),"
confirming the government official's remark in effect. Since the MD
intercept test in November 2008 ended in failure, the foreign
minister's statement has made the debate in the government more
heated.

5) Japan, U.S., South Korea to hold missile talks on March 27


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SANKEI (Page 9) (Abridged)
March 25, 2009

(Takashi Arimoto, Washington)

Japan, the U.S., and South Korea have decided to hold a trilateral
meeting in Washington on March 27 to discuss how to deal with the
expected launch of the Taepodong-2, a long-range ballistic missile,
according to a source involved in the six-party talks. North Korea
announced that it was preparing to launch a satellite, but some
countries believe the launch to be a missile test-firing. The three
countries are expected to discuss such issues as whether to adopt a
new UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution. Meanwhile, in an attempt
to apply pressure to moves by the three countries, Pyongyang issued
a statement of its Foreign Ministry spokesman on March 24, reading:
"If a hostile act is taken, the existence of the six-party talks
will become meaningless." This statement was reported by the Korean
Central News Agency.

The chief negotiators for the six-party talks of the three countries
will meet for the first time since the Obama administration was
inaugurated. Participating in the meeting will be Foreign Ministry's
Asia-Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director General Akitaka Saiki, U.S.
Special Envoy for the six-party talks Sung Kim, and South Korean
Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry's Korean Peninsula Peace
Negotiations Head Wae Song-nak. By holding a trilateral meeting
prior to the expected launch of a "satellite," the three countries
apparently aim to demonstrate their united stance and take joint
steps after a rocket is fired.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has revealed an intention to
look into such measures as a UNSC resolution criticizing it if the
North launches a projectile. Clinton, though, has also indicated the
need to resume the six-party talks at an early to promote North
Korea's denuclearization.

But Japan and other countries have insisted that the six-party talks
should not be resumed while setting aside the missile issue, based
on the view that it is difficult to treat the six-party talks and
the missile issue separately.

6) North Korea hints it will not join six-party talks, hoping to
deter UN from adopting sanction resolution after "satellite" launch

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 7) (Full)
March 25, 2009

Eiji Tsukiyama, Seoul

In the event the UN Security Council adopts a sanction resolution
following Pyongyang's planned launch of a satellite rocket between
April 4 and 8, the North Korean Foreign Ministry indicated yesterday
that it would not attend the six-party talks on the nuclear issue. A
spokesman said the multilateral forum would lose its basis and
significance for existence. The Korean Central News Agency reported
this yesterday as a statement by a Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Japan, the United States, and South Korea earlier insisted that the
launch of a "satellite" would violate UN Security Council Resolution
1718, and called on North Korea to halt all activities related to
ballistic missile programs. The North Korean statement was
apparently intended to apply pressure on the move centering on Japan

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that aims to have the UN pass a sanction resolution.

North Korea's Foreign Ministry noted in the statement: "Japan's and
the United States' attempt to interfere with the right of our
country, a sovereign state, to use space for peaceful purposes
completely runs counter to the 'spirit of mutual respect and
equality' specified in the (September 2005) joint statement of the
six-party talks. If such a hostile activity is carried out under the
name of the UN Security Council, it would be a breach of the joint
statement."

At the same time, the North criticized Japan regarding the UNSC's
move, saying, "Japan is spearheading an anti-Republic (North Korea)
drive." It also asserted that if the six-party talks collapsed,
countries that rejected the joint statement, including Japan, would
be held responsible. The statement also indicated that the North
would continue pursuing nuclear development, saying, "If hostile
relations cannot be resolved through dialogue, we have no choice but
to bolster our power to deter hostile activity."

7) Six-party talks will resume even after missile launch, says U.S.
Charge d'Affaires

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 7) (Full)
March 25, 2009

American Embassy Charge d'Affaires ad interim James. P. Zumwalt held
a roundtable meeting with reporters in Tokyo yesterday. Referring to
a response to North Korea's planned launch of a missile or a
satellite, Zumwalt took a stance at aiming at resumption of the
six-party talks, while exercising a certain degree of restraint. "We
don't want to take a step that would make the six-party talks (on
North Korea's denuclearization) impossible to resume," he said

While expressing concern that if the North carried out the launch,
it would make it even more difficult for talks to resume, Zumwalt
announced Washington's intention to continue making diplomatic
efforts in order to block the launch.

Given the Obama administration's positive stance toward a dialogue
with North Korea, he also described the planned launch as "not
constructive." Zumwalt also said that the United States "still has
hopes" that the ongoing efforts to dissuade the North from launching
a projectile would succeed.

He stopped short of discussing in detail what the UN Security
Council and other bodies would do in reaction to the launch.

8) Ozawa's secretary indicted for falsely reporting 35 million yen
as donations from Nishimatsu

ASAHI (Top Play) (Full)
March 25, 2009

The special investigation squad of the Tokyo District Public
Prosecutors Office yesterday indicted Takanori Okubo, 47, the first
state-paid secretary and chief accountant of Democratic Party of
Japan (DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa, for violating the Political
Funds Control Law by falsely reporting 35 million yen as donations
from the second-tier general contractor, Nishimatsu Construction Co.
Okubo was arrested on suspicion of receiving illegal donations from
Nishimatsu. The special investigation squad intends to continue its

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investigations into the fundraising scandal in order to shed light
on other illegal donations.

The indictment states that Okubo falsely reported 21 million yen
from the two political bodies headed by former Nishimatsu officials
in Rikuzankai's political reports for 2003 through 2006 as legal
donations despite being aware that the donation was illegal. The
Political Funds Control Law bans companies from making contributions
to individual politicians, as well as from using a different
person's name.

Okubo is in charge of controlling the accounting of the DPJ Iwate
No. 4 electoral district chapter. He reportedly falsely reported 14
million yen in donations the Iwate chapter had received in political
fund reports for 2003 through 2006.

Tokyo prosecutors appear to have judged there was a high-level of
criminality about the donations, since Okubo had allegedly done
favors for Nishimatsu in return for its donations by manipulating
the bids for large-scale public works projects in the Tohoku
region.

The prosecutors also indicted former Nishimatsu President Mikio
Kunisawa, 70, in violation of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade
Act, and indicted again him for violating the Political Funds
Control Law. Another man arrested in the case, Akifumi Okazaki, 67,
a former senior employee of Nishimatsu, was released without charge.


9) DPJ President Ozawa to remain in his post for time being, some
party members calling for resignation

ASAHI (Page 1) (Full)
March 25, 2009

Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa, in party
executive meetings hastily called last night, revealed his intention
to stay on in his current post for the time being, although his
first state-funded secretary was indicted over a fundraising
scandal. In a press conference held after the meetings, Ozawa
stressed: "I would like to continue make efforts to achieve a power
shift." Although many DPJ lawmakers are going along with Ozawa's bid
to continue serving as party leader, the view was raised in the
executive meetings that Ozawa's explanation on the scandal would not
gain public understanding. Therefore, there is a possibility that he
will be forced in the end to quit his post.

Ozawa has been criticizing the prosecutors for unfairly using their
authority by focusing only on the DPJ. In yesterday's press
conference, he emphasized again his innocence, since no new
information about the donation scandal (linking him directly) had
emerged. He expressed his unhappiness with the arrest and indictment
of his secretary, saying: "I am not convinced."

Ozawa stated:

"My final role as a politician is to bring about politics that will
stand on the side of people by throwing out the coalition government
of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and New Komeito."

However, his strong desire to remain in his post was not felt. Since
Ozawa failed to give concrete explanations of the scandal, one

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member raised the point that he should fulfill his accountability.

Ozawa met last night with Deputy President Naoto Kan, Secretary
General Yukio Hatoyama and Azuma Koshiishi, chairman of the DPJ
caucus in the House of Councillors, where he conveyed his intention
to remain in his post. Hatoyama told the press corps:

"Since he has decided to continue serving as party leader, he has no
other choice but to make efforts to gain public understanding. I
think he will come under criticism from various circles."

A rocky road still lies ahead for Ozawa. There is growing concern
that the DPJ has been seriously damaged by the series of reports on
the fundraising scandal. The view might spread that the party won't
be able to go into the next general election under Ozawa's
leadership if his explanations are not accepted by the public. Some
junior lawmakers have already called for replacing the party leader.


Ozawa indicated his intention in the press conference to judge again
his fate depending on public opinion. He intends to seek
understanding in a meeting on March 27 from the party members from
both Diet houses. Although many observers predict that he will be
forced to step down from his post sooner or later, in the DPJ, that
is taken to mean that Ozawa will stay on in his post for a while.

10) Wide gap between Ozawa's and voters' perceptions of receiving
huge political donations

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full)
March 25, 2009

In the illegal fund-raising case involving Democratic Party of Japan
(DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa, the focus of prosecutors'
investigation was on the allegation that his political-fund
organization had falsely reported the amount of 35 million yen in
its funds statement. The reported amount is smaller than those in
past offenses against the Political Funds Control Law.

In actually, though, the Ozawa office received more than 300 billion
yen over the past ten years or so. On the strength of strong
influence over construction projects in the Tohoku District, the
Ozawa side siphoned off donations from general contractors, it has
been revealed through news investigations in the region. But Ozawa
has not given any convincing explanation about this allegation.

The way of raising political funds is an essential material for the
voters to decide whom they should elect, as was seen in the fact
that many cabinet ministers resigned over office expense scandals in
the past. The Political Funds Control Law used to contain many
loopholes, so the law has been amended many times to tighten
regulations. The act of false reporting is subject to the punishment
of a maximum prison term of five years. The Ozawa side might be
taking the view that the problem can be settled with just rewriting
the funds statement. If that is so, their perception widely deviates
from that of the electorate.

Considering the impact on the upcoming general election, the
prosecution usually decides in a cautious manner when it should
start an investigation. Some persons have criticized the launching
of this investigation prior to the next general election.


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Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office special investigation unit
head Tatsuya Sakuma in a press conference yesterday stated:

"When considering the unprincipled nature of this case, we judged it
undesirable to leave it untouched until after the House of
Representatives election takes place in the fall. We never take
action based on a certain political intentions."

But a senior prosecutor commented: "We might have misread public
opinion." The prosecution got caught in a backlash. Many people
might interpret the prosecution's "justice" as "self-righteousness"
that might obstruct the first opportunity for voters to choose one
of the two main political parties.

The prosecution also needs to provide a detailed explanation in
order to dispel the doubts about it harbored by many people.

11) "DPJ lacks self-cleansing effort," JCP criticizes

ASAHI (Page 4) (Full)
March 25, 2009

Concerning Democratic Party of Japan (DPL) President Ozawa's
announcement that he will remain in his post, Japanese Communist
Party (JCP) Secretariat Head Tadayoshi Ichida on the evening of
March 24 told reporters: "He did not give a rebuttal to the facts,
based on which public prosecutors have indicted his secretary. He is
responsible for clearing away suspicions. And yet, there is no
evidence suggesting that either Mr. Ozawa or the party as a whole
has made self-cleansing efforts. The DPJ stated in its manifesto
that it will not receive donations from companies that receive
orders for public works. It is necessary for Mr. Ozawa to explain
why his party failed to keep its commitment."

Social Democratic Party Secretary General Yasumasa Shigeno also
released a statement the same day, in which he pointed out: "It is
serious that the state-funded first secretary to the head of the top
party in the opposition camp was indicted over a charge of being
involved in a political fund donation scandal. Since the party head
announced that the party must not receive donations from companies
and organizations, the party should unify views of its members and
state a unified stance as its policy."

12) Ruling parties welcome Ozawa's decision to stay on as DPJ
leader, seeing continuation of negative party image as good
opportunity

ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts)
March 25, 2009

Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ozawa has stated his
decision to stay on in his post after public prosecutors indicted
his secretary over illegal political funds donations made by
Nishimatsu Construction Co. A strange sense of relief now permeates
the ruling camp. Many ruling party members are of the opinion that
Prime Minister Aso will not be able to serve as a key person in the
election campaign because of his low public support ratings. In the
meantime, the DPJ is bound to continue to give a negative impression
to voters due to the donation scandal. The ruling parties are
determined to rattle the DPJ by hinting at Lower House dissolution
in the spring.


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Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura during a press conference on March
24 pointed out Ozawa's supervisory responsibility. Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Hiroyuki Hosoda told
reporters, "I cannot possibly understand. He is not feeling that he
is responsible." New Komeito Secretary General Kazuo Kitagawa also
criticized Ozawa, "He failed to give an account of the facts that
led to the indictment of his secretary."

However, their criticism of Ozawa is pro forma. If Ozawa had stepped
down and the DPJ refreshed its image by choosing a new leader, an
atmosphere in the LDP of replacing its own party leader could
spread, reigniting moves to oust Aso. The prevailing view in the
ruling camp is one of welcoming the decision by Ozawa to remain in
office, as one member of the leadership said, "If Mr. Ozawa stays
on, we can attack the DPJ, saying that he has yet to fulfill his
accountability."

The LDP's basic policy course is to dissolve the Lower House after
enacting the extra budget, according to an influential Upper House
member. An atmosphere of supporting the prime minister until passage
of the fiscal 2009 supplementary budget is beginning to build. An
official close to the prime minister also hinted at the possibility
of extending the regular session of the Diet, which is to go into
recess on June 3, noting, "We will probably decide whether to extend
the Diet session after the Golden Week consecutive holidays."

13) Six months since taking office: Prime minister eager to step up
his offensive; Unconcerned about support ratings; Cherished motto is
pretended endurance for sake of pride

ASAHI (Page 4) (Full)
March 25, 2009

It has been six months on March 24 since Prime Minister took office
in September last year. Public support ratings for his cabinet
remain sluggish due to his repeated gaffes and the like. However,
moves to oust him have not yet kicked into high gear due to the
arrest of Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ozawa's
secretary. The prime minister is eager to step up his offensive.

The prime minister on the 23rd told reporters about his impression
of the six months since taking office: "I have done my utmost to
compile economic stimulus measures. I feel I must continue this
effort properly." His comment was in stark contrast with the remark
given by Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura, his aide, who said, "I
have been troubled due to such problems as sluggish public support
ratings."

State Minister for Administrative Reform Amari, Aso's sworn friend,
described him this way: "When a gloomy atmosphere is enveloping the
entire country due to the economic crisis, his cheerful and
undaunted character is good." When his secretary reported on cabinet
support ratings, Aso often told him, "Why are you so conscious of
public support ratings?" He thus ostensibly appears to be
unconcerned about support ratings for his cabinet. When calls for
Aso's resignation gained ground in late February, he indicated a
bullish stance to persons around him, saying, "You will see that the
moves will not spread." However, remarks, such as "his cheeks have
sunken" or "he is losing his hair," are lingering. Aso's motto is to
"value moral obligation and human feelings, and to endure for
pride's sake." An aide to Aso said, "He is only pretending to be
endure things."

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ZUMWALT