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P 200743Z AUG 08
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TOKYO 002293 
 
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 08/20/08 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Defense Minister Hayashi positive about closing Futenma Air 
Station within three years; Moving alternative facility offshore 
difficult (Ryukyu Shimpo) 
 
(2) Futenma commander tells visiting Okinawa military base committee 
that clear zone is not in violation of U.S. safety standards (Ryukyu 
Shimpo) 
 
(3) SDF dispatch (Part 1): Extension of refueling mission-Barren 
rehash continues (Mainichi) 
 
(4) U.S. aircraft carrier crewmember arrested for murder, another 
incident of misconduct before the vessel's deployment to Japan 
(Kyodo) 
 
(5) Yokosuka-bound U.S. nuclear flattop's crewman arrested for 
alleged murder (Asahi) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Defense Minister Hayashi positive about closing Futenma Air 
Station within three years; Moving alternative facility offshore 
difficult 
 
RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 1) (Full) 
August 20, 2008 
 
Defense Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi visited Okinawa Prefecture 
yesterday afternoon for the first time since taking office. He met 
with Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima at the prefectural office. In the 
meeting, Nakaima sought a response from the government to Okinawa's 
request to lose the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within 
three years. He told Hayashi: "The government needs to negotiate 
with the U.S. side." Hayashi told reporters after the meeting: 
"After carrying out flying measurement research, if countermeasures 
are needed, we will consider them." He indicated that the government 
would respond in a positive manner based on the results of flying 
measurement research, which will start on Sept. 28. 
 
Regarding the moving of the alternate facility for Futenma Air 
Station off shore, which the Okinawa prefectural government and Nago 
City have called for, Hayashi said in the meeting: "It is difficult 
to do so unless there are any logical reasons." He rejected anew 
Okinawa's demand that the government's plan be changed. 
 
Nakaima told Hayashi in the meeting: 
 
"I appreciate that you came to Okinawa soon after taking office. The 
residents of Okinawa wish that the excessive burden of U.S. military 
bases will be eased. I would like to exchange flank views with you 
from now on." 
 
As to the relocation of Futenma Air Station, Nakaima said: 
 
"In order to implement the realignment of U.S. bases in Japan, it is 
indispensable to gain local understanding and cooperation. I hope 
that the government will give sufficient consideration to local 
requests and that the relocation of Futenma Air Station will make 
progress as soon as possible." 
 
 
TOKYO 00002293  002 OF 004 
 
 
Nakaima demanded that Futenma Air Station be closed within three 
years and that the replacement facility be moved offshore. 
 
Nakaima handed Hayashi a list of five requests that include the 
complete return of U.S. bases located south of Kadena Air Base and 
the nation's complete bearing of costs for removing unexploded 
bombs. 
 
Hayashi said: 
 
"The working team of the council has started discussion in detail. 
The discussion will not move forward without local understanding and 
cooperation. We have repeatedly said that it is difficult to (move 
the replacement facility off shore) without a logical reason. Under 
such circumstances, I would like you to boil down various matters." 
 
 
Okinawa Vice Governors Zenki Nakazato and Katsuko Asato, the Defense 
Ministry's Defense Policy Bureau Director General Nobushige 
Takamizawa and Local Cooperation Bureau Director General Genzo Inoue 
were present at the meeting. 
 
(2) Futenma commander tells visiting Okinawa military base committee 
that clear zone is not in violation of U.S. safety standards 
 
RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 2) (Full) 
August 20, 2008 
 
The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly U.S. military base affairs special 
committee (Chaired by Kiyoko Tokashiki) yesterday visited Kadena Air 
Base and Futenma Air Station and received explanations on the bases' 
conditions. Tokashiki quoted Futenma Air Station commander Col. Leo 
¶A. Falcam as saying regarding the base's clear zone: "The zone is 
operated under U.S. law with adjustments being made as needed. It is 
operated within the scope of international aviation standards, so 
there is not a violation." 
 
The U.S. Air Force and Marines aviation safety standards require the 
establishment of a clear zone prohibiting the use of land up to 900 
meters from either end of a runway, an area that has a high 
probability of aircraft accidents. 
 
Ginowan Mayor Yoichi Iha and others have pointed out that Futenma 
Air Station violates safety standards, citing the existence of an 
elementary school in its clear zone. 
 
Hearing the explanation, a committee member said: "Futenma is not 
based on U.S. standards." In response, Commander Falcam reportedly 
reiterated the view that the base is operated in accordance with 
U.S. safety standards, emphatically saying, "The base has been run 
while adjusting (the U.S. standards) as necessary." 
 
Further, regarding pre-posting education for service members in 
connection with incidents and accidents by U.S. Marines, the 
commander was quoted as saying: "They all get a thorough education 
in the United States. A large number of incidents might be traceable 
to difficulty in adapting to Okinawan culture." 
 
At Kadena AB, Tokashiki said to Public Affairs chief John Hutcheson: 
"Local residents have been tremendously affected by early-morning 
takeoffs and rapid-response drills. The minimum noise accord must be 
observed." 
 
TOKYO 00002293  003 OF 004 
 
 
 
(3) SDF dispatch (Part 1): Extension of refueling mission-Barren 
rehash continues 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Abridged) 
August 19, 2008 
 
The Self-Defense Forces' overseas dispatch, which began with the 
Gulf War in 1991, used to be ancillary but became a primary task of 
its own as the Defense Agency was upgraded to its current ministry 
status last year. Diet debate over the SDF's overseas dispatch used 
to focus on its propriety-whether or not Japan should send SDF 
troops to foreign land. Nowadays, the focus is on how to create a 
stable legal framework for the SDF's overseas activities. However, 
Japan's course of action has been wavering not only with the 
international situation but also with the stance of the government 
of the day and trends in public opinion. The Diet, in its 
forthcoming extraordinary session, is expected to focus its debate 
on a government-planned bill extending the Maritime Self-Defense 
Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. In addition, the Diet 
has also deliberated on such issues as amending or reinterpreting 
the Constitution and creating a permanent law for SDF activities 
overseas instead of enacting a time-limited special measures law 
each time. However, parliamentary discussions on these issues have 
repeatedly heated up and cooled down or gone back and forth to get 
nowhere. 
 
"There can be various ways, including the option of having the 
Self-Defense Forces escort Japanese oil tankers. If the government 
is not (considering any other measures than refueling), that's 
neglectful." With this, Taro Aso, the new secretary general of the 
ruling Liberal Democratic Party, came up with his idea on Aug. 5 of 
tasking the MSDF with a new mission in the Indian Ocean instead of 
engaging the MSDF in refueling activities there. LDP General Council 
Chairman Takashi Sasagawa also made similar remarks. Their advocacy 
created a stir in the government and the LDP. 
 
The government has been stressing how important the war on terror 
is. However, people are turning their eyes to the soaring gasoline 
prices and the newly introduced but controversial healthcare 
insurance plan for the elderly. People may say, "If you have free 
oil for the United States, you should supply that oil to domestic 
consumers." One LDP lawmaker fears that if the government is 
criticized in this way, the LDP would be at a disadvantage in a 
general election for the House of Representatives should it be 
dissolved. This lawmaker said, "If that is the case, the LDP should 
say the SDF will defend Japanese tankers." That can make an appeal 
to the public, he thought. 
 
This, however, is a rehash of arguments already done. In April, the 
then defense minister, Shigeru Ishiba, replied to an interpellation 
in the Diet. At the time, Ishiba suggested the need for Japan to 
have a new law in order for the SDF to defend sea lanes for Japan's 
oil shipping. If the government chooses to create a new law, there 
will be an inevitable hurdle in store. In that case, the LDP and its 
coalition partner, the New Komeito, would have to take a second vote 
in the House of Representatives in order to override the 
opposition-controlled House of Councillors' decision as the ruling 
coalition will have to do so in order to extend the new 
Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, under which the MSDF has been 
tasked with refueling services in the Indian Ocean. A senior 
official of the Defense Ministry grumbled, "If we say protecting 
 
TOKYO 00002293  004 OF 004 
 
 
Japan's oil is the kind of international cooperation, I don't think 
they will understand that." 
 
"We will have to gain an edge in the election before thinking about 
our international contributions," said a ruling party executive. 
Some lawmakers in the ruling parties are also saying the new 
antiterror legislation should be carried over to next year's 
ordinary Diet session so that they will not be affected if and when 
the House of Representatives is dissolved for a general 
election-just as the ruling coalition is putting off a consumption 
tax hike that is needed for social security revenues. 
 
(4) U.S. aircraft carrier crewmember arrested for murder, another 
incident of misconduct before the vessel's deployment to Japan 
 
Kyodo (Online) (Full) 
12:36, August 20, 2008 
 
August 19, Washington 
 
A sailor from the USS George Washington, a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered 
aircraft carrier to be deployed to Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa 
Prefecture, was arrested on Aug. 19 by local police in connection 
with a murder that occurred in a San Diego, California, suburb, the 
Stars and Stripes website reported on the same day. 
 
The George Washington, which is under repair since a fire broke out 
onboard in May, was scheduled to re-depart for Japan as early as 
Aug. 21. Although there seems to be no change to its planned 
departure, persons concerned are shocked by yet another incident of 
misconduct committed by U.S. service members. Voices of concern are 
likely to grow louder in Japan. 
 
According to the Stars and Stripes, the police have arrested two 
service members: Petty Officer 2nd Class Cloris Cannon, 26, from the 
George Washington and another 26-year-old petty officer 2nd class of 
a different unit. They got into a quarrel with two men in National 
City on Aug. 16, and the petty officer 2nd class who was with Cannon 
shot them, killing one. Cannon and the other suspect were arrested 
on suspicion of murder and assault. 
 
(5) Yokosuka-bound U.S. nuclear flattop's crewman arrested for 
alleged murder 
 
ASAHI (Online) (Full) 
August 20, 2008 (13:26) 
 
WASHINGTON-Two sailors, including a 26-year-old petty officer second 
class from the USS George Washington, the first nuclear-powered 
aircraft carrier to be deployed to Japan, were arrested on Aug. 19 
for their alleged involvement in a murder that took place in the 
suburbs of San Diego, according to the Stars & Stripes (online), a 
newspaper published for U.S. forces. The two sailors quarreled with 
two others there, and another 26-year-old petty officer second class 
from a different unit, who was with that crewman from the George 
Washington, fired a gun, killing one of the other two, the online 
story said. The George Washington caused a fire in May and is now 
under repair. She was slated to set sail on Aug. 21 for Yokosuka. 
 
SCHIEFFER