DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 01/13/10

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 000078 SIPDIS DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA; WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION; TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN, DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR; CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA. E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 01/13/10 INDEX: (1) Japan-U.S. foreign ministers' talks prevent rift in bilateral alliance; U.S. distrust not dispelled (Sankei) (2) Secretary Clinton says current Futenma relocation plan best option at talks with FM Okada, both agree on talks to deepen security alliance (Asahi) (3) PM Hatoyama tells senior SDF officers to be "grateful" for Japan-U.S. security alliance (Sankei) (4) Government mulls setting up Kantei branch office in Okinawa to deal with Futenma issue (Sankei) (5) Nago mayoral election report (Part 2 - Conclusion): Ginowan residents closely watching upcoming election (Sankei) (6) Editorial: Suffrage for foreigners - give priority to sovereignty over diplomatic considerations (Sankei) (7) Editorial: Take advantage of Asia's vitality through trade liberalization (Nikkei) (8) Child abduction and international divorce (Part 2): 10 years in a lonely battle between Japan and China - non-signatories to Hague Convention (Tokyo Shimbun) ARTICLES: (1) Japan-U.S. foreign ministers' talks prevent rift in bilateral alliance; U.S. distrust not dispelled SANKEI ONLINE (Slightly abridged) 10:51, January 13, 2010 Hiroyuki Kano in Honolulu The agreement reached at the Japan-U.S. foreign ministerial talks to kick off discussions to deepen the bilateral security alliance and to hold a meeting of the Security Consultative Committee (two plus two) of the cabinet ministers in charge of foreign affairs and defense is meant to contain the growing rift in the bilateral alliance resulting from the delay in reaching a solution on the issue of the relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station. However, the U.S. side's distrust of the Hatoyama administration may become irreversible depending on the conclusion the government and ruling parties reach on the relocation issue by May. Okada told Clinton at the meeting: "While it is important to work seriously on the Futenma relocation issue, there are many issues that the two countries need to tackle. We need to deal with them properly." He also referred to the possibility of redefining the Japan-U.S. security alliance to replace the 1996 Joint Declaration on Security signed by Secretary Clinton's husband, President Bill Clinton, and Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, demonstrating his strong desire to deepen the bilateral alliance. However, for the U.S. side, progress made by the Japanese government on the relocation issue based on the Japan-U.S. agreement remains a prerequisite for deepening the alliance, and it has merely agreed with reluctance to shelve this issue until the government and the ruling parties come up with a decision by May. The Social Democratic TOKYO 00000078 002 OF 009 Party strongly advocates Futenma's relocation out of Okinawa. It is possible that the conclusion reached in May may undermine the alliance once again. (2) Secretary Clinton says current Futenma relocation plan best option at talks with FM Okada, both agree on talks to deepen security alliance ASAHI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) Evening, January 13, 2010 Akira Uchida, Hiroshi Ito in Honolulu Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the morning of Jan. 12 (before dawn on Jan. 13, Japan time). With regard to the issue of the relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa),Clinton reiterated that the current relocation plan is the best option, but indicated her understanding of the Japanese government's position on settling this issue by May. According to Okada, Clinton was the one who brought up the Futenma issue at the meeting, and she reiterated that the current plan agreed upon under the Liberal Democratic Party administration to relocate the base to Henoko, Nago City, is the best option. Okada explained once again the Japanese government's policy to reach a conclusion on the relocation site by May, seeking her understanding by saying, "This is Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's promise." At a joint news conference held after the meeting, Clinton emphasized again the U.S.'s position and added: "We hope our Japanese friends will keep their promises, including that on the Futenma issue." On the other hand, she also said: "We understand that there are various concerns in the coalition government (in Japan)" and "We hope to see a solution by May." Okada and Clinton also effectively started off discussions to deepen the Japan-U.S. security alliance on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the revision of the Japan-U.S. security treaty this year. For now, talks will be held at the working level between foreign affairs and defense officials to analyze the current state of the security environment in Asia and the Pacific and discuss other issues. Okada and Clinton agreed to hold interim talks at the Security Consultative Committee of the ministers of foreign affairs and defense (two plus two) in the first half of this year. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and President Bill Clinton signed a Joint Declaration on Security in 1996, which redefined the bilateral alliance in the post-Cold War era. Okada proposed at the meeting the drafting of a new declaration to replace the 1996 document. He plans to complete this process by November, before President Barack Obama's expected visit to Japan. There have been concerns in the U.S. that the Futenma relocation issue may affect the Japan-U.S. relationship as a whole. For this reason, Clinton stressed the importance of the alliance at the joint news conference, stating that "the Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of the United States' involvement in Asia." She said that while the Futenma issue is "very important, it is only part of a comprehensive partnership," showing her consideration for Japan throughout the news conference. TOKYO 00000078 003 OF 009 (3) PM Hatoyama tells senior SDF officers to be "grateful" for Japan-U.S. security alliance SANKEI ONLINE (Full) 12:42, January 13, 2010 Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama talked about the Japan-U.S. security treaty at a meeting of senior Self-Defense Forces (SDF) officers at the Ministry of Defense on the morning of Jan. 13. He stated: "We should be grateful for the Japan-U.S. alliance and the security treaty, which protect our country." Hatoyama also mentioned that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the revision of the treaty and said: "It is important to deepen the Japan-U.S. alliance further. Therefore, this year is a very important year." With regard to the refueling mission of the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) in the Indian Ocean, which will be terminated on Jan. 15, Hatoyama said: "Our thinking on policy is different from the previous administration's, so the MSDF will return home." Some 170 senior officers of the Ground, Maritime, and Air Staff Office and the various SDF units attended the meeting. Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, who delivered a message after the Prime Minister, touched on the issue of the relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa),stating that: "The government and the ruling parties are engaged in an examination process. We will decide on an appropriate relocation site that is acceptable both to the United States and the people of Okinawa." (4) Government mulls setting up Kantei branch office in Okinawa to deal with Futenma issue SANKEI ONLINE (Full) 00:50, January 13, 2010 The government has begun considering setting up a branch office of the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) in Naha City to be staffed by officials of the Cabinet Secretariat in order to keep in close contact with the local authorities with regard to the issue of the relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa). This was revealed by a senior government official on the evening of Jan. 12. At a meeting between Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano and Governor Hirokazu Nakaima during Hirano's recent visit to Okinawa, Nakaima asked to be able to communicate better with the Kantei, and Hirano indicated that he would think of concrete measures. The above senior government official said: "Cooperation in listening to the local communities' views is indispensable for resolving the Futenma issue. (Hirano) ordered bureaucrats to look for ways for doing so." (5) Nago mayoral election report (Part 2 - Conclusion): Ginowan residents closely watching upcoming election SANKEI (Page 3) (Full) January 12, 2010 Masashi Miyamoto Residents of Ginowan City, which hosts U.S. Marine Corps Air Station TOKYO 00000078 004 OF 009 Futenma, are now paying attention to how the Jan. 24 mayoral election of Nago City will turn out. This is because the election result could cause the issue of relocating the Futenma base to the Henoko district in Nago City to be left hanging in the air, forcing Ginowan to continue hosting the base. "We can't wait for a long time," said a Ginowan resident. Anguished cries are being heard from Ginowan residents, who have been suffering from the noise of U.S. military airplanes and live in constant fear of an aircraft crashing in their city. Japan and the United States reached an agreement 13 years ago to return the Futenma airfield to Okinawa. Patience has worn thin in Ginowan because the Hatoyama administration has blundered in its handling of the relocation issue. Ginowan residents have been increasingly concerned that the Futenma relocation plan, which was informally decided on immediately after the reversion of Futenma, might have reached a dead end and, consequently, not be implemented. A 50-year-old restaurant owner living near the Futenma base located in a densely populated area said, "Although the reversion plan had made some progress, it has now returned to the drawing board. I want the base to be relocated to Henoko as early as possible. So I'm closely watching how the Nago mayoral election will turn out." His voice was nearly drowned out by the roar of U.S. military aircraft. In August 2004, the fear of residents living with the Futenma base in Ginowan became a reality as a large U.S. military helicopter crashed onto the campus of Okinawa International University and burst into flames. A 64-year-old man, who has lived in an area near the Futenma base for 45 years, cannot erase the memory of dark smoke hanging in the air that day. He said, "I have believed for 10 years that the heliport facility will be moved to Henoko. I want the government to make a decision on the issue no matter if it is retained in Ginowan or relocated to Henoko. I can't put up with politicians making a fool of us. If the incumbent Nago mayor is re-elected in the upcoming election, then the people will have spoken and we can anticipate the relocation will be realized." A 65-year-old man, who has rented out his land to U.S. military, said, "As an Okinawa resident, I believe that the Futenma base should first be moved to Henoko and then concrete plans should be drawn up for the reduction of bases. The situation has not improved, because the Hatoyama government cannot make any decision. Ginowan residents are troubled most by the delay in the government's decision. The mayoral election is of great significance in calling on the Hatoyama government to make a quick decision." However, a former school teacher said: "The base should be moved out of Japan; it would be meaningless to relocate it to Henoko." Osamu Ashitomi, 53, a former Lower House member, said: "Okinawa's goal is to develop an independent economy. To that end, the political situation must be stabilized. Based on the Japan-U.S. agreement, the Futenma base should be relocated to Henoko; after that, discussions should be held to build a new Okinawa. Unless the first step is taken, nothing will be resolved. TOKYO 00000078 005 OF 009 Okinawan opinion is now "all or nothing." The basic thinking was that U.S. bases on the island prefecture would be gradually scaled down and integrated. However, the people of Okinawa have become radical and appear to be forgetting that. Many residents in Ginowan City now expect that the outcome of the Nago mayoral election will become the first step in reducing U.S. bases. The previously mentioned restaurant owner living near the Futenma base feels uneasy about Ginowan Mayor Yoichi Iha's hopeless insistence on relocation of Futenma out of Okinawa. He said, "I wonder why the mayor does not press for the existing relocation plan to rid Futenma of danger. I cannot fathom the mayor's true intention, because Nago City has accepted the plan. I wonder if he is serious about the Futenma relocation issue." (6) Editorial: Suffrage for foreigners - give priority to sovereignty over diplomatic considerations SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) January 13, 2010 Leaders of the government and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) met and agreed to submit to the upcoming ordinary Diet session a bill to give the right to vote in local elections to permanent foreign residents in Japan. Moves for giving suffrage to foreigners are gathering speed. DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa, who is eager about the suffrage issue, said in the meeting: "In light of Japan-South Korea relations, the government should sponsor the suffrage bill," urging Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano to take action. DPJ Upper House caucus chairman Azuma Koshiishi reportedly also said: "The government is not taking action." Japan-South Korea relations are surely important. Against the backdrop of China's military expansion and North Korea's growing nuclear threat, it is essential for Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. to strengthen relations on the security front. In order to resolve the issue of past abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents as well, cooperation among the three countries is imperative. Even so, it is unreasonable for the Japanese government, to that end, to move to allow permanent foreign residents, including South Korean residents in Japan, to vote in local elections in response to Seoul's request. In bilateral relations, there are issues on which concessions can be made, but on the issues of the Takeshima islands and suffrage for foreigners, Japan should not make any concessions because they affect the nation's sovereignty. Ozawa visited South Korea in December of last year and said in a speech at a university in Seoul that the granting of suffrage to foreigners "might become a reality at the ordinary Diet session." He unofficially met President Lee Myung-bak as well. Ozawa has cited Japan-Korea relations as the main reason for his willingness to submit a foreign suffrage bill to the Diet. His eagerness might be linked to his recent visit to South Korea, and the possibility of dual-track diplomacy cannot be ruled out. Some persons take the view that Japan can allow foreign residents to vote only in local elections because the outcome of local elections TOKYO 00000078 006 OF 009 has little impact on national politics. But there are local communities faced with problems that could influence national politics. These problems include the transfer of U.S. military bases and construction of nuclear power plants. In addition, there are problems related to police and education administration. There could be a case in which foreigners hold the decisive vote in a mayoral election and have an impact on national politics. Foreigners even with permanent residence status in Japan have a sense of loyalty not toward Japan but toward their homeland. All members in a state share the same political destiny. In this context, foreigners cannot take responsibility as members of the state. Addressing objections to suffrage for foreigners raised by some members in the government and the ruling bloc, Hatoyama said: "I believe we can obtain their understanding. Since this year marks the 100th anniversary of Japan's annexation of the Korean Peninsula, we have thoroughly studied the matter." He indicated eagerness to submit a bill granting foreigners suffrage, but his posture of trying to connect the suffrage issue to Japan's past military aggression is also a problem. We expect discussants in the DPJ and the cabinet will become more cool-headed and cautious regarding the issue of granting foreigners suffrage (7) Editorial: Take advantage of Asia's vitality through trade liberalization NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) January 12, 2010 The year 2010 will become a milestone for East Asia's trade system. Six major members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) mutually abolished trade tariffs, starting on Jan. 1. Free trade agreements (FTA) have also come into effect among various combinations of nations including China, South Korea, India, and Australia. East Asia is an economic zone with a population of 3.2 billion. It is connected by ocean trade routes, such as the South China Sea and the East China Sea. A framework for the free exchange of people, goods and money is in the process of being set up in this region. Close attention being paid to ASEAN Japan must not miss this wave of major reform. It needs to consider ways to take advantage of the vitality of Asia, which offers hope as a growth center in the world, for the expansion of its domestic economy. The most important issue is how to respond to the moves of the Obama administration, which is deepening its involvement in Asia. The U.S. government is trying to build a free trade framework between the Americas and East Asia, based on the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (PTT) formed in 2006. The TPP has never been a highly visible pact amid the global trend of trade liberalization. The original members were only Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand and Chile. However, the U.S. focused on this tiny agreement and announced its participation in it. TOKYO 00000078 007 OF 009 The U.S. intention is clear. It signed the agreement because markets in the ASEAN region are in the process of becoming unified. If the U.S. becomes a member of the TPP, which has Singapore and Brunei - ASEAN members - as members, the U.S. market and the ASEAN market will become directly connected. ASEAN has already concluded FTAs with Japan, China and South Korea. Its agreements with India, Australia and New Zealand came into effect on Jan. 1, 2010. The focal point of the free trade system in the Asia region is ASEAN. The U.S. is trying to take advantage of the vitality of the Asian economies by driving a wedge into it. Interest in Asia is growing in the European Union as well. Since Myanmar, which is faced with a democratization issue, is a member of ASEAN, the EU is cautious about strengthening its direct diplomatic relations with ASEAN. However, it is eager to sign FTAs with individual Southeast Asian nations. For the Japanese economy, ASEAN has been like its own backyard. Japanese companies have made inroads into each ASEAN member nation and built many production bases in the region. They have established massive production and distribution networks. Their presence was apparently overwhelming for U.S., European, and Chinese companies. Japan's official development assistance (ODA) has also played a major role in the economic development of the region. Expectations for Japan in terms of building industrial and social infrastructure and technological cooperation are high. It is true that Japan has had a tacit influence on ASEAN nations. However, we should probably realize that the relationship between Japan and ASEAN in which Japan has had ASEAN all to itself is over due to the rise of China and the global financial crunch. With demand in industrialized countries shrinking, the U.S. and Europe are becoming more interested in Asia. There has been a surge of activity in entry into the markets of ASEAN member nations. The region is no longer the exclusive territory of Japan. Barriers between ASEAN members will disappear due to the mutual elimination of tariffs. The U.S., European countries, and China are now able to make strategic investments by looking at the region as a whole instead of building plants in each country. There is no guarantee that Japanese companies that made inroads into ASEAN ahead of others will continue to have the upper hand in terms of costs. The Obama administration is expected to strengthen its trade strategy toward Asia. It is bound to call on Japan to take part in the TPP. If Japan joins the free trade pact, to which the U.S. belongs, the markets of Japan and the U.S. will basically become unified. This would produce the same type of effect that would be produced if both countries were to sign an FTA. Signing of FTAs with U.S. and European countries imperative The diplomatic relationship between Japan and the U.S. has become strained over the Futenma airfield relocation issue. Under such a situation, will Japan be able to accept proposals on trade policy that the U.S. will present? We are worried, because it appears that the appropriate preparations have yet to be made. FTAs under the leadership of the U.S. have higher targets for market opening than agreements which Japan has concluded with Asian TOKYO 00000078 008 OF 009 countries. Japan will be required to meet strict demands, such as scrapping tariffs on agricultural goods in principle. As such, many Japanese government officials hesitate to form a tie-up with the U.S. Japan's Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) advocated the promotion of an FTA with the U.S. in its policy manifesto for the Lower House election. However, the initiative has lost steam rapidly. The target for establishing an Asia-Pacific free trade zone in the Hatoyama administration's new growth strategy is 2020. This is too late. If the U.S. and European countries press ahead in forming economic ties with ASEAN members, the exchange of people, goods and money between Asia on one hand and the U.S. and Europe on the other will gain momentum, bypassing Japan. In order to take advantage of Asia's vitality, Japan must strengthen its economic ties with the U.S. and Europe as well. In order to do that, it is necessary for Japan to speed up efforts in market-opening in the agricultural area. Japan's time is running out. (8) Child abduction and international divorce (Part 2): 10 years in a lonely battle between Japan and China - non-signatories to Hague Convention TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 23) (Full) January 11, 2010 In June 1999, while her divorce proceedings were underway, her Chinese former husband took her two daughters, aged eight and seven, away to China when they were on their way to their elementary school, saying, "I'll be with you today." That was the start of the lonely, border-spanning battle of Nana Sugimoto, 43, who resides in Tokyo's Tama area. Her marriage to her husband from Shanghai ended in divorce after just 10 years because of his violence. Sugimoto left the house with her two daughters in 1998. She fought for the custody of her daughters during divorce proceedings while staying at a shelter. But her ex-husband abruptly boycotted the talks, waited for her daughters, and took them away to China. He reportedly entered China via Hong Kong where no visas are required. Sugimoto's search for her daughters was an agonizing experience. Neither Japan nor China is a signatory to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction for cooperation and discussion between governments so that one parent will not take a child out of the country after an international marriage ends in divorce. Law-enforcement officials did not take her complaint seriously, saying, "After all, they have been taken away by their father, haven't they?" The divorce finally came through in October 2000, a little over one year after Sugimoto's daughters had been taken away. She had no other option but to continue rushing about to rescue her daughters even after winning their custody from a Japanese court. She asked for the support of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, Chinese government, Diet members, and others. She was told, "We cannot do anything," by the Japanese consulate in Shanghai where her ex-husband's parents' house is located. "I have TOKYO 00000078 009 OF 009 the custody of my daughters. Why can't I reclaim them?" Sugimoto tried to search for her daughters independently by learning the Chinese language and visiting China, but that too ended in vain. At long last in 2004 the Metropolitan Police Department put her ex-husband on the wanted persons list on charges of kidnapping and transporting the children to another country, but she knew the chances of him being caught were slim. A turning point came in January 2009. Her daughters, who had been living in China as Japanese nationals, returned to Japan for the first time in 10 years to renew their passports which required the signature of their legal guardian. Sugimoto had missed the chance to be reunited with her daughters at the time of the renewal of their passports five years before because of a mistake committed by the Japanese consulate. That is why she was particularly overjoyed this time around. Because her ex-husband did not accompany his daughters to Japan for fear of being arrested, Sugimoto was able to spend time alone with her daughters, now aged 18 and 17. Her daughters' expressions were stiff at first. But they gradually opened up, and the eldest daughter said to Sugimoto toward the end of her three-month stay in Japan, "We have been told that you are suffering from a mental illness. But that is not true." Her two daughters then returned to China to pursue their studies. But two months later, her eldest daughter returned to Japan alone to escape from her abusive father. Last September, her father showed up at Haneda Airport to take her back to China and he was arrested on the spot. Late last year, Sugimoto confronted her former husband, now a defendant, at the Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Court. The court sentenced him to two years in prison with probation of three years. The court gave consideration to the fact that he was not legally divorced and had the custody of his daughters when he committed the abduction and that the younger daughter, now in China, had hoped to live with her father. He was released immediately after the court handed down its decision. The results were not acceptable to Sugimoto, who has suffered violence and whose daughters have been taken away. Sugimoto, who has experienced the tragedy of her children being abducted and transported out of the country, has urged the Japanese government to accede to the Hague Convention. "If Japan and China were signatories to the convention, my daughters and I would have spent the last ten years differently." Sugimoto does not want anyone to repeat the same tragedy she has gone through. ZUMWALT