JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01/15/10

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E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01/15/10 INDEX: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) Futenma replacement search: 4) SDP, PNP step up efforts to find Futenma replacement facility (Yomiuri) 5) Senator Inouye asks Defense Minister for early resolution of Futenma issue (Asahi) Defense & security: 6) Hatoyama to call for abolition of nukes in statement marking 50th anniversary of Japan-U.S. security (Mainichi) 7) MSDF Indian Ocean refueling mission ends today (Yomiuri) 8) Hatoyama: Refueling mission lacked policy significance (Yomiuri) Politics: 9) 1.5 billion yen of former Jiyu party funds went to Ozawa fund management organization (Sankei) 10) Ozawa ordered cover-up in land deal (Sankei) 11) Govt. to reorganize postal service into three companies (Mainichi) 12) LDP to examine total revision of Constitution (Yomiuri) 13) Haraguchi says government should be cautious about granting suffrage to foreign residents (Nikkei) Foreign relations: 14) Govt. pledges 5 million dollars in emergency aid to Haiti (Nikkei) 15) Japanese, German foreign ministers agree on nuclear arms reduction (Nikkei) 16) Okada says Japan would not hesitate to impose sanctions on Iran (Nikkei) Economy: 17) Govt. to build port infrastructure on Okinotori and Minamitori islands (Nikkei) Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi: Record low of 73.1 percent of graduating college students secure jobs as of last month, down 7.4 points Mainichi: Quake victims in Haiti in need of prompt rescue Yomiuri: Land purchase by DPJ Secretary General Ozawa's political fund management body: Lawmaker Ishikawa affixed a mark to some deposit records in bank books in connection with land purchase; 50 million yen received from Shimizu Construction Co. Nikkei: Willcom to seek financial help from government-backed turnaround body; final coordination underway for restructuring �A; TOKYO 00000091 002 OF 008 Sankei: Former Liberal Party's funds worth 1.5 billion yen funneled to Ozawa's organization under guise of subsidies to Fujii Tokyo Shimbun: Major quake in Haiti: International relief operation under way: Finding survivors race against time Akahata: 25th Congress of Japanese Communist Party: Brisk debate continues 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) DPJ Secretary General Ozawa: Why is he refusing to respond to questioning by public prosecutors? (2) Major quake in Haiti: Deliver relief to one of the world's poorest countries hit by catastrophe Mainichi: (1) Public prosecutors search Ozawa's office: Get to bottom of 400 million yen used to purchase plot of land (2) Censoring Google is a matter of China's integrity Yomiuri: (1) MSDF refueling mission in Indian Ocean ends (2) Kazuo Inamori picked to serve as JAL's CEO: Rebuild carrier with fundamental reform involving both labor and management Nikkei: (1) China should allow freedom of expression on Internet (2) Early resumption of refueling mission in Indian Ocean urged Sankei: (1) Refueling mission in Indian Ocean ends: Foolish decision that will undermine national interests (2) Land purchase scandal involving Ozawa: Isn't DPJ concerned about the case? Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Ozawa's political fund issue: Focus is on whether illegal contributions were made (2) Financial assistance to college students should be boosted to prevent disparity from widening Akahata: (1) 15th anniversary of Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake: Continue to put lessons learned in disastrous experience to good use 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) Prime Minister's schedule, January 14 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) January 15, 2010 10:30 Met Softbank President Masayoshi Son at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. 11:03 Attended an event to kick off the "Challenge 25 Campaign" for the prevention of global warming. 12:00 Had lunch with participants in the event. 14:04 Met Cabinet Intelligence Director Mitani, followed by TOKYO 00000091 003 OF 008 Environment Ministry Chief Secretary Minamikawa. Later met Education Minister Kawabata, Senior Vice Minister Suzuki, and Parliamentary Secretary Takai. 15:36 Met Election Strategy Council Chairman Ishii. 16:04 Met German Foreign Minister Westerwelle, with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuo and Parliamentary Secretary Kira present. Later met Foreign Minister Okada. 18:45 Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano. 19:08 Dined with Matsuno and Lower House member Hirofumi Ryu at a Japanese restaurant in Ebisu. 22:35 Returned to his official residential quarters. 4) SDP, PNP actively visiting prospective Futenma relocation sites, face backlash from local communities YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) January 15, 2010 The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the People's New Party (PNP) are busy looking for relocation sites for the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa. However, many local communities have reacted strongly, so their coordination process is running into difficulties. PNP policy chief Mikio Shimoji visited Iwakuni City in Yamaguchi Prefecture on Jan. 14 and met Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda. Shimoji indicated his intention to review the role of the U.S. forces' Iwakuni base in the city under the U.S. Forces Japan realignment process, but the mayor voiced his objection: "It is absolutely unacceptable for Iwakuni to become a candidate relocation site for Futenma. The citizens will be thrown into confusion and will become agitated." Shimoji also visited Omura City in Nagasaki Prefecture and met with Mayor Takashi Matsumoto. He asked the mayor to accept some exercises from Futenma at the Maritime Self-Defense Force base in Omura, but the mayor would only say: "We will only think about it if there is an official proposal from the government." SDP House of Representatives member Kantoku Teruya had also made the same proposal to Omura City on Jan. 12, but the mayor told him he was "absolutely opposed" to the proposal. Shimoji told reporters on Jan. 14: "Everyone is against (hosting) a military base. However, (the cost of) security needs to be shared. If everyone says 'no' (to hosting military bases),everything will be concentrated (in Okinawa)." He stressed his intention to ask local governments outside of Okinawa to be flexible. Meanwhile, Osaka Governor Toru Hashimoto talked to reporters about using Kansai International Airport and said: "If this will reduce the burden on Okinawa, I am willing to discuss this matter," indicating his willingness to talk with the government. The SDP is also considering relocating the Futenma base out of Japan. Its members will visit U.S. military bases in Guam in late January. 5) Senator Inouye meets defense chief ASAHI (Page 4) (Abridged) January 15, 2010 U.S. Democratic Senator Daniel Inouye, a heavyweight in the U.S. Congress and a Japanese-American, met with Defense Minister Toshimi TOKYO 00000091 004 OF 008 Kitazawa yesterday at the Defense Ministry. During the meeting, they talked about the pending issue of relocating the U.S. military's Futenma airfield in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture. "I don't think this issue will damage Japan-U.S. relations," Inouye said. "But," he added, "I hope this issue will be resolved as early as possible." In response, Kitazawa indicated that the Japanese government would try to reach a conclusion on the issue at an early date, saying: "We have set a time limit to do so by May. We will give top priority to this issue after the budget passes (in late March)." Later in the day, Inouye also met with Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Democratic Party of Japan Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji Yamaoka. 6) Statement on security anniversary to promise "efforts for nuclear abolition," stress importance of Japan-U.S. security arrangements as "deterrent" MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) January 15, 2010 The government yesterday revealed an outline of the statement that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will announce on the 50th anniversary of the revision of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty on Jan. 19. The statement will define 2010 as an important year to further deepen the Japan-U.S. alliance, and promise that Japan will make efforts to promote the abolition of nuclear weapons. It will also underscore the importance of the Japan-U.S. security arrangements as a "deterrent" to threats from nuclear powers. The governments of Japan and the U.S. conducted coordination on the issuance of a joint statement by Prime Minister Hatoyama and President Barack Obama. But given that their officials in charge of foreign policy and defense matters are scheduled to announce a joint statement on the 19th, they judged it appropriate for the leaders of Japan and the U.S. to issue statements separately, according to Japanese and U.S. diplomatic sources. The statement will express Japan's determination not to possess nuclear weapons, falling in step with President Obama, who has set forth the goal of abolishing all nuclear weapons in the future. Meanwhile, in reference to the existence of nuclear powers, including North Korea, the statement will point out the role the Japan-U.S. security arrangements have played in Japan's national security. It will also emphasize that Japan needs to cooperate closely with the U.S. for its development in the Asia-Pacific region as well. 7) MSDF pullout order to be issued today YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) January 15, 2010 The Maritime Self-Defense Force has been operating in the Indian Ocean, where its ships have been engaged in refueling activities under the new Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law. This special measures law will expire today, and the MSDF will wind up its refueling mission in the Indian Ocean and recall its vessels there. Today, Defense Minister Kitazawa will order the Mashu, a supply ship tasked with refueling activities, and the Ikazuchi, a destroyer escorting the refueling ship, to end the mission. The two MSDF vessels will end the mission tomorrow at 12:00 a.m. and will return TOKYO 00000091 005 OF 008 home. The MSDF's Indian Ocean refueling mission started in December 2001 in the wake of the simultaneous terrorist attacks against the United States in September that year. The refueling activities, though once temporarily suspended, have continued for about eight years. 8) Hatoyama: No meaning from perspective of policy YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) January 15, 2010 The Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean will end today. Asked about this, Prime Minister Hatoyama made the following comment to reporters at his office: "All of those MSDF members have worked very hard. I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude. But I do not think it has had sufficient meaning from the perspective of policy. The actual results of the refueling activities demonstrate that." 9) 1.5 billion yen from now defunct Liberal Party was diverted to Ozawa-connected political organization SANKEI (Top play) (Excerpts) January 15, 2010 In 2002, the now defunct Liberal Party headed by Ichiro Ozawa, who is now secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), allegedly disbursed over 1.5 billion yen to former Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii. But in reality, the money was diverted to "Reform Forum 21," a political organization connected with Ozawa, it was learned from an informed source yesterday. The funds were political party subsidies. This indicates that Ozawa put the party subsidies, public funds, under his control. There were no entries on such transactions in the political fund reports prepared by the political organization. The statute of limitations (five years) to bring charges against the organization under the Political Funds Control Law has already expired. Nevertheless, another case of questionable fund transactions involving Ozawa has surfaced. With Fujii indicating that he was totally unaware of the case, the unclear account on the money was an issue at the Diet as well. This is the first time that a case concerning the destination of a huge amount of money involving the Liberal Party has come to light. 10) Lawmaker Ishikawa's ex-secretary indicates that he helped Ishikawa conceal evidence on land purchase at Ozawa's order SANKEI (Page 1) (Excerpts) January 15, 2010 The Liberal Democratic Party held a study session yesterday at its headquarters in an effort to uncover the truth about the plot of land purchased by Rikuzan-kai, the fund management organization of Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa. The meeting was attended by Kei Kanazawa, 41, president of a real estate company, and Tomohiro Ishikawa, a former secretary to House of Representatives member, who was questioned by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's special investigation team. Kanazawa revealed that on March 3, 2009, shortly before the special investigation team had searched the Rikuzan-kai office in connection TOKYO 00000091 006 OF 008 with huge donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co., he received a request from Ishikawa, saying, "Mr. Ozawa instructed me to conceal things that are critical. I need your help," and that he helped to conceal the evidence. 11) Japan Post reorganization plan: Government decides on three-company system MAINICHI (Page 4) (Full) January 15, 2010 In reviewing the organizational structure for the Japan Post Group, the government has decided to reorganize it into three companies. According to the plan, Japan Post Bank Co. and Japan Post Insurance Co. will be placed under the wing of a parent company that is to be formed by merging Japan Post Holdings Co., a holding company, Japan Post Service Co., and Japan Post Network Co. The government has put off making a decision on each company's stake, because while the government draft seeks to enhance the parent company's freedom of management by curbing the government stake in it to one-third or 50 percent, the People's New Party strongly called for the ratio of the ownership by the government in the parent company to be more than two-thirds and that by the parent company in each of the two financial companies under its wing to be more than two-thirds. 12) LDP panel to study complete change in Article 9 YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) January 15, 2010 The Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) Headquarters for the Promotion of Constitutional Revision, headed by former Policy Research Council chairman Kosuke Hori, decided in a meeting yesterday to look into drastically changing the entire contents of Article 9, bearing in mind the possibility of mentioning the allowance of the use of the right to collected self-defense. In the new revised constitution it produced in 2005, Item 1 of Article 9, which provides for pacifism ideology, was retained, and Item 2 was completely removed and replaced with a stipulation on the right to maintain a self-defense force. 13) Government should be cautious about submitting suffrage bill: Internal Affairs Minister Haraguchi NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) January 15, 2010 Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Kazuhiro Haraguchi said in reference to a bill to grant permanent foreign residents suffrage in local elections, "The government should be cautious in leading the Diet to grant a right under democracy." 14) Government to provide Haiti with 5 million dollars in emergency aid NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) January 15, 2010 The government announced yesterday that it will extend up to 5 TOKYO 00000091 007 OF 008 million dollars in grants to Haiti, which was hit by a powerful earthquake. It will also provide 30 million yen worth of emergency aid supplies, including tents. In addition, it will send a fact-finding team led by Ambassador to Haiti Nobutaka Shinomiya. 15) Hatoyama, German foreign minister agree on disarmament NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) January 15, 2010 Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama yesterday held talks with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei). During the meeting, Hatoyama expressed his determination to be actively involved in the Nuclear Security Summit slated for later this year and the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He said, "I would like to make this year an epoch-making year in aiming to create a world without nuclear weapons." Westerwelle responded, "We want to cooperate with Japan." 16) Foreign Minister Okada: Japan will not hesitate to impose sanctions on Iran NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) January 15, 2010 Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle held a joint press conference after their meeting. Referring in the press conference to Iran's rejection of the International Atomic Energy Agency's proposal to move slightly enriched uranium outside Iran, Okada stated: "If the international community imposes sanctions, Japan will not hesitate to join them." 17) Government to submit legislation to build ports on Okinotori Island and Minamitori Island to protect resources NIKKEI (Page 1) (Abridged slightly) January 15, 2010 The government decided yesterday to submit to the next regular Diet session to be convened on Jan. 18 a bill authorizing the preservation of the nation's outlying islands that will become a base for developing marine resources. The legislation requires the preservation of the coastlines of the nation's southernmost island of Okinotori Island and its easternmost island of Minamitori Island, both in Ogasawara Village, Tokyo, so that the country can construct ports and other infrastructure there. The two islands allow Japan to protect the interests of its exclusive economic zones (EEZ). International law allows countries to claim an area up to 200 nautical miles from their coasts as exclusive economic zones. The EEZ around Okinotori Island measures about 400,000 square kilometers and that around Minamitori Island 450,000 square kilometers. The combined areas around the two islands that are equivalent to more than twice Japan's landmass are recognized as Japan's EEZs. But China argues that Okinotori Island is merely a group of rocks, not an island, and thus cannot be used to demarcate Japan's EEZ. The legislation is partly designed to keep China in check by establishing conditions enabling Japan to conduct fishing activities and develop rare resources around Okinotori Island. The legislation (1) allows the country to formulate a basic TOKYO 00000091 008 OF 008 preservation and improvement plan; (2) prohibits any acts altering the existing coastlines and requires protection from submergence and encroachment; and (3) makes it possible to build port facilities that are directly managed by the government. The government first intends to designate Okinotori Island and Minamitori Island as subject to the legislation and to include part of their expenses in the fiscal 2010 budget. Large vessels cannot make port calls at the two islands, and there are no ports nearby that can anchor vessels in bad weather. ZUMWALT