VZCZCXRO8028
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #0610/01 0670746
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 070746Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2329
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/USDOT WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5//
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA//
RHMFIUU/USFJ //J5/JO21//
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RUAYJAA/CTF 72
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 8923
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 6530
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 0198
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 5063
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 7133
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2093
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8148
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 8729

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000610 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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 03/07/08 
 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Base-hosting governors to ask gov't for drastic SOFA revision 
(Ryukyu Shimpo) 
 
(2) Joint patrol effective: U.S. consul general in Okinawa (Ryukyu 
Shimpo) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Base-hosting governors to ask gov't for drastic SOFA revision 
 
RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 1) (Full) 
March 7, 2008 
 
An association of governors from 14 prefectures hosting U.S. 
military bases, chaired by Kanagawa Gov. Shigefumi Matsuzawa, will 
urgently request the government, the Foreign Ministry, and the 
Defense Ministry, to carry out a drastic revision of the Japan-U.S. 
Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) in the wake of a U.S. serviceman's 
rape of a junior high school girl in Okinawa Prefecture. The 
association has made annual requests to the Japanese and U.S. 
governments, including a revision of SOFA provisions. However, it is 
unusual for the association to make a request concerning a specific 
incident. 
 
Akira Uehara, chief of the governor's office of Okinawa Prefecture, 
revealed that plan in his reply to a question asked by Akira Uehara 
(TN: phonetically same name as the chief of the Okinawa governor's 
office) from the Komei Kenmin Kaigi party in a meeting yesterday of 
the budget committee of Okinawa Prefecture's assembly. After the 
incident, the Kanagawa prefectural government, which serves as a 
secretariat to the association, has coordinated a schedule. 
 
SIPDIS 
Matsuzawa is thinking of making the request with Okinawa Gov. 
Hirokazu Nakaima. 
 
Following the incident, the Okinawa prefectural government studied 
specific preventive steps and worked out a 7-point proposal 
specifying preventive measures in 20 cases. The proposal includes 
revising the SOFA to turn over U.S. military personnel involved in 
incidents. 
 
In August last year, the association requested the Japanese 
government to revise the SOFA as one of its priorities. At the time, 
the association suggested the necessity of applying 
environment-related domestic laws and reviewing the scope of 
jurisdiction. It requested the government to set about a drastic 
revision the SOFA within a couple of years, or at the earliest 
possible time, in order to improve SOFA implementation. 
 
(2) Joint patrol effective: U.S. consul general in Okinawa 
 
RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 2) (Full) 
March 7, 2008 
 
The Japanese government has now proposed conducting joint patrols 
and installing security cameras to prevent a recurrence of incidents 
involving U.S. military personnel. "It's effective," Kevin Maher, 
U.S. consul general in Okinawa, told a regular press conference 
yesterday. "A working team will discuss specific steps from 
tomorrow," he said. Okinawa prefectural police, however, are 
negative about joint patrol because the U.S. military has arrest 
 
TOKYO 00000610  002 OF 002 
 
 
authority. "I don't get the impression that the prefectural police 
are concerned about it," Maher said. "It will not lead to a revision 
of the SOFA," he added, "and we're ready to discuss improvements in 
the SOFA's implementation at the Japan-U.S. Joint Committee." 
 
On Mar. 3, the U.S. military eased its lockdown. Asked whether the 
lockdown was effective, Maher said: "We should focus our attention 
to whether we can take specific steps to prevent incidents, rather 
than to whether it was (effective). The period of reflection is not 
to prevent a recurrence but is set to consider whether it is 
possible for an organization to eliminate crimes. Considering 
Japanese culture, it's important to reflect." With this, Maher 
avoided showing his evaluation of the lockdown. 
 
There were incidents (in Okinawa) even during the period of 
reflection. Concerning this fact, Maher said: "Those who committed 
crimes had not fully reflected, but I understand that it's necessary 
for an organization to make still greater efforts." 
 
The U.S. military has decided to continue its investigation into the 
incident. In this regard, Maher said the U.S. military has yet to 
decide on whether or not to try the suspect. He added: "Military 
authorities will objectively take a second look at evidence and will 
continue to investigate the incident. The U.S. military will judge 
how to handle this case after seeing evidence and findings from 
investigations under the U.S. military's law. I will not try to make 
a guess on the part of the U.S. government." So saying, Maher 
avoided giving his prediction. 
 
Asked about the possibility of hearing the victim, Maher only said: 
"That is a legal procedure. I don't want to guess." 
 
SCHIEFFER