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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TOKYO 003138 
 
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 11/12/08 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Obama's America: Focus of attention on lineup of advisers for 
Obama on Asia policy (Mainichi) 
 
(2) Obama's America-Japan-U.S. relations (Part 2): Futenma a 
difficult assignment (Yomiuri) 
 
(3) Challenge facing US under Obama: Launching of new administration 
to provide good chance for North Korea to improve ties with U.S. 
(Yomiuri) 
 
(4) Japan-U.S. relations: Distrust casting shadow on alliance 
reaffirmation (Asahi) 
 
(5) TOP HEADLINES 
 
(6) EDITORIALS 
 
(7) Prime Minister's schedule, November 11 (Nikkei) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Obama's America: Focus of attention on lineup of advisers for 
Obama on Asia policy 
 
MAINICHI (Page 6) (Full) 
November 12, 2008 
 
Masaya Oikawa, Washington 
 
While U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is now preparing for the 
inauguration of his administration, the focus of attention is now on 
the roster of advisers for Obama on Asia policy. Obama's foreign 
policy advisers plan to exchange views on policy toward Asia with 
the delegates of relevant countries on the occasion of the 
forthcoming emergency summit of 20 countries and regions on the 
global financial crisis, which will start on Nov. 14 in Washington. 
 
Sights on policy toward China 
 
The emphasis of Obama's Asia policy is placed on China. Obama 
intends to build a strategic relationship with China based on the 
principle of "cooperation and competition." The dominant view in the 
group of foreign policy advisers to Obama is that China policy will 
become a major challenge for the Obama administration. 
 
In telephone talks on Nov. 6 with Prime Minister Taro Aso, Obama 
said that he would like to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance in 
order to push ahead with such global challenges as measures to 
prevent global warming. Obama stressed that there would be no change 
in the United States' position of giving priority to U.S.-Japan 
relations. 
 
However, there are differences in the positions of the current 
Republican government, which aims at expanding Japan's role, and of 
the incoming Democratic government, which is reluctant to expand 
Japan's military role. U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations 
senior staff member Frank Jannuzi said: "The United States should 
not force Japan to do what it does not want to." 
 
Concerned about the possibility of worsening Japan-China relations, 
 
TOKYO 00003138  002 OF 008 
 
 
Obama has taken a stance of not hesitating to interfere in bilateral 
relations between Tokyo and Beijing. 
 
Attention being paid to whether Hill will be retained 
 
There are many China specialists in the group in charge of planning 
Asia policy for Obama. Center for Strategic and International 
Studies (CSIS) Senior Adviser Derek Mitchell is considered to be 
slated for a key post in the Asia policy team. Mitchell served as 
senior director for Japanese affairs at the Department of Defense 
under the Clinton administration. He is also well versed in the 
issue of realignment of U.S. forces in Japan. 
 
The observation is growing that Jannuzi, who has close ties to Sen. 
Joe Biden; Peter Ogden, chief of staff at American Progress, which 
is a Democratic Party-affiliated think tank; and Stanley Foundation 
researcher Michael Schiffer will assume posts in the Obama 
administration. Having the experience of living in Japan, they have 
supported Obama. Attention is being paid to the course of action of 
Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill. Some have contended 
that he might be retained in the new government. 
 
(2) Obama's America-Japan-U.S. relations (Part 2): Futenma a 
difficult assignment 
 
YOMIUIRI (Page 4) (Full) 
November 11, 2008 
 
Obama and his administration can finish the assignment... Such an 
expectation is growing in Okinawa. 
 
It means the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, which is called 
the "assignment" among government officials in charge of policies 
toward the United States and which is to be carried out by 2014. 
 
The realignment of U.S. forces in Japan is linked to the 
transformation of U.S. forces around the world and will mitigate 
Okinawa's base-hosting burden through such steps as relocating 
Futenma airfield, which is contiguous to Ginowan City's residential 
areas, and relocating Okinawa-based U.S. Marines to Guam. However, 
Okinawa has raised an objection to the intergovernmental agreement 
reached between Japan and the United States on Futenma relocation. 
The task assigned to the government is therefore facing rough 
going. 
 
The United States will now have a Republican president for the first 
time in eight years since the Clinton administration, which decided 
to return Futenma airfield. "The Obama administration will accept 
Okinawa's standpoint," says a senior official of the Okinawa 
prefectural government. Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima is in high 
spirits, saying, "I will visit the United States before the new 
president is inaugurated, and I want to collect information there." 
 
When it comes to the issue of relocating Futenma airfield, however, 
factors from the perspective of military strategies in East Asia are 
greater than political factors. "There will be no difference between 
the Bush administration and the Obama administration," a senior 
official of the Foreign Ministry says. Futenma could be the first 
big issue for Japan to face with the Obama administration in the 
security area. 
 
The U.S. Department of Defense will submit its budget plan for 
 
TOKYO 00003138  003 OF 008 
 
 
fiscal 2010 (from October 2009) to Congress in February next year. 
In its FY2010 budget plan, the Pentagon will earmark costs for 
strengthening the functions of bases in Guam to prepare for moving 
8,000 troops from the U.S. Marines in Okinawa to Guam. However, 
Futenma relocation has been falling behind schedule. U.S. Congress 
budget authorities therefore raised a question about the feasibility 
of Futenma relocation, which is in a package with the Marines' Guam 
relocation. 
 
The Japanese and U.S. governments have agreed on a plan to relocate 
Futenma airfield to a coastal area of Camp Schwab in Nago City. 
Meanwhile, Okinawa Prefecture has been calling for the construction 
site of an alternative facility to be moved to an offshore area in 
order to ensure safety for local residents. Environment 
protectionists are also opposed to Futenma relocation to Nago. The 
government needs to finalize its Futenma relocation plan next spring 
at the latest, including where to lay down the newly planned 
airfield's runways. After that, the government will have to submit a 
report to Okinawa Prefecture in preparation for an environmental 
impact assessment. The alternative facility needs landfills in 
public waters. However, the governor may not permit such reclamation 
from the sea. 
 
This summer, the Pentagon asked the Defense Ministry to come up with 
an endorsement in written form to make sure Futenma relocation will 
be completed by 2014." The Defense Ministry answered that it would 
be possible to shorten the period of construction. On Nov. 5, 
however, U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) Commander Keating implied that 
the relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam would be in 2015 or 
later. "We've not received any explanation about such a change in 
the target year," Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura told the press 
yesterday. So saying, Kawamura was desperate to deny conjectures 
about a delay in the Marines' Guam relocation or an increase in 
Japan's burden sharing for it. 
 
In 1996, the then Hashimoto cabinet reached the accord on Futenma 
relocation. Futenma relocation, however, has been stagnated. This 
was primarily attributable to Japan's circumstances. In 1999, the 
government made a cabinet decision to relocate Futenma airfield to a 
sea-based site in waters off Nago City's Henoko district. That 
offshore relocation plan was changed to the current plan. In 2003, 
Defense Secretary Rumsfeld visited Okinawa to see Futenma airfield. 
He was then worried about a delay in the 1999 plan. The United 
States feared that the stagnation of Futenma relocation could 
compromise the Japan-U.S. alliance. In Japan, however, the 
successive prime ministers have been insensitive to that feeling in 
the U.S. government. 
 
In the Fukuda cabinet, two key government officials at the prime 
minister's office (Kantei), namely Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka 
Machimura and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masahiro Futahashi, who 
topped all government bureaucrats, took the initiative to grapple 
with Futenma relocation. They proposed a minor change to move the 
relocation site to an offshore area about 50 meters from the coast. 
However, the U.S. military rejected the proposal, citing the Marine 
Corps' opposition. 
 
The Aso cabinet is now in office. Both Machimura and Futahashi have 
left the Kantei. "There's no one that takes the initiative," says a 
senior official of the Defense Ministry. 
 
The leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto), which 
 
TOKYO 00003138  004 OF 008 
 
 
is aiming for a change of government in the next election for the 
House of Representatives, takes the position that the party will 
constantly verify Japan's fiscal spending of over 1 trillion yen in 
its burden sharing of costs for the U.S. military's realignment, 
including the Marines' Guam relocation. The DPJ has also advocated 
relocating U.S. military bases in Okinawa to overseas locations, and 
this alerts the United States. 
 
In such a political situation, a high-ranking official of the 
Japanese government recalls what a high-ranking official of the U.S. 
government said to him 10 years ago. That U.S. official said, "Do 
you think Futenma will move?" He added, "I think it's impossible." 
 
(3) Challenge facing US under Obama: Launching of new administration 
to provide good chance for North Korea to improve ties with U.S. 
 
YOMIURI (Page 7) (Full) 
November 11, 2008 
 
Yoshiharu Asano, Seoul 
 
"We are ready to respond to whichever side is elected," North Korean 
Foreign Ministry's America chief Ri Gun confidently told reporters 
on Nov. 6 after meeting with U.S. officials in New York. 
 
North Korea continued to be subject to pressure from the Republican 
Bush administration over the past eight years, while being denounced 
as an "axis of evil" and the frontline base of oppression. The 
handover of power to the Democratic Party will provide the good 
opportunity that leader Kim Jong Il, whom the U.S. once dubbed as a 
tyrant, has long been waiting for. 
 
According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, when Choi Song (TN: 
phonetic), a member of the South Korean largest opposition 
Democratic Party, met senior North Korean government official while 
in Pyongyang in early November, all of them welcomed Obama's 
election in the U.S. presidential race. One said: "Obama is better 
than McCain," and another remarked: "I expect Obama's victory will 
work positively for the U.S. and North Korea to normalize their 
relations." North Korea is taking note of the pledge Obama made 
during the election campaign to meet leader Kim, with Choi saying: 
"They (North Korean officials) had high hopes on the inauguration of 
the Obama administration." 
 
During the Democratic Clinton administration (from 1993 through 
January 2001), the U.S. significantly pushed forward relations with 
North Korea upon overriding the first nuclear crisis that started in 
1993 and ended in 1994. A plan on President Clinton's visit to North 
Korea was about to turn into reality in 2000 - the last days of the 
administration. Reminiscent of those days, North Korea is placing 
high hopes on the launch of a Democratic administration. 
 
The framework accord reached in 1994 between the U.S. and North 
Korea in 1994, which contributed to contain the first nuclear 
crisis, proposed providing the North with two light-water reactors 
in exchange for the freeze of its nuclear development program and 
establishing diplomatic offices in Washington and Pyongyang. But the 
U.S. has yet to implement these pledges since the Bush 
administration disclosed that North Korea had a secret program to 
enrich uranium for nuclear development. 
 
Given this, the goal of Pyongyang is to see these commitments 
 
TOKYO 00003138  005 OF 008 
 
 
translated into action through negotiations with the Obama 
administration. Although the vision of a U.S.-North Korea summit has 
melted away under the Bush administration, since Obama is eager to 
meet the leader of North Korea, there is no need for the North to 
make an approach. If there is a matter of concern, it is only Kim's 
health condition. 
 
North Korea has already made arrangements to attain this goal. 
Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test in October 2006. As anticipated 
by the North, the U.S. administration, which was bogged down in the 
Iraq war, changed its confrontational stance into a policy of 
engagement. In a desperate effort to maintain the framework of the 
six-party talks, the Bush administration used even the valuable 
negotiating card of delisting that nation as a state sponsor of 
terrorism in response to an indication by the North to resume its 
Yongbyon nuclear facility. The focus of discussion in the six-party 
talks will surely shift to North Korea's complete denuclearization 
and the offer of light-water reactors in return for 
denuclearization. 
 
Paek Sung-chu, chief of the National Defense Policy Research Office 
in the Korean Institute for Defense Analyses, a policy research 
institute under the South Korean Ministry of National Defense, 
categorically said: "North Korea will not dismantle its nuclear 
program." But he indicated that U.S.-North Korea relations will 
steadily improve, saying: "The Obama administration is expected to 
set up a new forum for discussions between ranking U.S. and North 
Korean government officials, as a separate framework from the 
six-party talks." 
 
Some experts in South Korea predict that a Democratic administration 
may deal with such issues as human rights and nuclear proliferation 
more strictly than the Republican administration. But Obama has not 
referred to the need for "pressure" on North Korea yet, just 
mentioning the need for "dialogue." 
 
(4) Japan-U.S. relations: Distrust casting shadow on alliance 
reaffirmation 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
November 9, 2008 
 
Yoichi Kato, Washington 
 
On Nov. 6, two days after his victory, President-elect Obama talked 
over the telephone with the leaders of nine countries in the world. 
Among them was Japan's Prime Minister Aso. In the two-year-long 
presidential race, Obama made almost no mention of Japan. For the 
time being, however, Japan seems to be acknowledged as an important 
ally and friend at the first diplomatic gateway before the 
inauguration of a new U.S. administration. 
 
The present relationship between Japan and the United States, 
however, is saddled with serious problems. Obama's administration 
will be inaugurated in January next year, and the two countries will 
make a fresh start. Meanwhile, people, both in Japan and in the 
United States, are voicing concerns about the present situation. 
 
The biggest problem is that Japan and the United States, failing to 
coordinate their policies and strategies, have a growing sense of 
distrust and dissatisfaction toward each other. 
 
 
TOKYO 00003138  006 OF 008 
 
 
In October, the U.S. government delisted North Korea as a state 
sponsor of terrorism without consulting well with Japan. This is a 
prime example. There is another example. The Maritime Self-Defense 
Force conducted a joint drill with Russia's naval forces that month. 
The U.S. Department of Defense, which was growing wary of Russia 
over Georgia, was opposed to such a joint exercise. Japan postponed 
the drill and carried it out later at a different place. 
 
U.S. government officials are dissatisfied with Japan, saying Japan 
has not fulfilled its diplomatic responsibility in backing up the 
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Japanese government has been 
unable to develop its policies because the Diet is divided with the 
ruling coalition holding a majority of the seats in its lower 
chamber and the opposition bench dominating its upper chamber. U.S. 
government officials are in a strong mood to forsake Japan as a 
narrow-minded country rather than show understanding for such 
circumstances. 
 
There is deep-seated dissatisfaction within the Democratic Party, 
which will shore up Obama's administration. One of its officials 
said Japanese government officials and Diet people have ignored the 
Democratic Party, only meeting people in the Republican Party. 
Japanese government officials may say it cannot be helped because 
the Republican Party has been in office over the past eight years. 
However, Japan counted totally on former Deputy Secretary of State 
Armitage and former Senior Director for Asian Affairs at the 
National Security Council (NSC) Michael Green. For this reason, it 
is also true that no one in the Democratic Party is unable to take 
their place at once. 
 
Obama and his administration, as well as the Bush administration, 
will attach importance to Japan-U.S. relations. This was already 
revealed by former Ambassador to Japan Mondale, honorary chair of a 
group that advises Obama on Japan. However, Obama's administration 
would inevitably reevaluate or relativize relations with Japan. In 
other words, the Japan-U.S. alliance will be called into question 
over whether it is substantive enough. 
 
Japan will tackle immediate challenges, such as assisting with 
Afghanistan and realigning U.S. forces in Japan. In the meantime, 
Japan would also like to beef up its alliance with the United 
States. The year 2010 will mark the 50th anniversary of the 
Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. Moreover, Japan will host the 
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum that year, and Obama 
is expected to visit Japan. Japanese government officials are 
considering a plan to release a strategic document on that occasion 
to reaffirm the bilateral alliance. If Japan keeps making 
preparations for that, the alliance would be all right... It appears 
that there is also such a calculation among Japanese government 
officials. 
 
Basically, the United States is ready to respond. In the United 
States, however, there are also arguments calling for visible 
results rather than to forge an idealistic agreement. "We're not 
very interested," a Japan hand on the Obama camp said. Even so, 
Japan cannot expect to see progress on political issues. With such a 
dilemma deepening on one hand, there are also arguments calling for 
Japan passing on the other hand. 
 
(5) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
 
TOKYO 00003138  007 OF 008 
 
 
Government not to set income cap for cash benefit plan; Coordination 
underway to urge people with income of 18 million yen or more to 
decline cash benefits 
 
Mainichi: 
Appeals court should respect lay judge decisions 
 
Yomiuri: 
Police to question broker of organs for transplant to Japanese in 
China 
 
Nikkei: 
Government to urge electric power firms to disclose alternative 
energy costs 
 
Sankei: 
Former Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian held on suspicion of illicit 
enrichment 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Stock plunge halts operation of Hartford 
 
Akahata: 
JCP unveils emergency economic stimulus package to defend people's 
livelihoods 
 
(6) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Tamogami testimony: Point of freedom of speech missed 
(2) Governors' objections to Yodogawa dam project must be taken 
seriously 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Government's handout plan incoherent and unnecessary 
(2) Tamogami testimony: Cadet education system must be revealed 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) LDP tax panel: Both tax cuts and hikes are important 
(2) Tamogami misses point on freedom of speech 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Steel industry needs to earnestly reflect on its cartel 
practice 
(2) Tamogami essay may not be isolated case 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Tamogami summoned: In-depth discussion hoped for 
(2) Objections to Daido dam project should help promote 
decentralization 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Testimony by ex-ASDF chief: Civilian control should be ensured 
(2) MLIT should lend ear to opposition to Yodogawa dam project 
 
Akahata: 
(1) New drive necessary to eliminate nuclear weapons from world 
 
(7) Prime Minister's schedule, November 11 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 12, 2008 
 
TOKYO 00003138  008 OF 008 
 
 
 
09:00 
Attended cabinet meeting in Diet building. Education Minister 
Shionoya remained. 
 
09:40 
Met at Kantei with astronaut Naoko Yamazaki and JAXA President 
Tachikawa. Met afterwards with Lower House member Taro Nakayama, 
chair of the Japanese side of Japan-Arab Forum. 
 
10:37 
Met with Administrative Vide Foreign Minister Yabunaka, Deputy 
Foreign Minister Sasae, followed by Economic and Fiscal Policy 
Minister Yosano. 
 
12:39 
Hosted luncheon party for Spanish King Carlos and Queen Sofia. 
 
15:10 
Taping at LDP headquarters for public relations. Met with Public 
Relations Chairman Furuya. 
 
16:05 
Met with LDP Secretary General Hosoda and Treasury Bureau Director 
General Miyaji. 
 
16:20 
Met at Kantei with Fukuda and Hayashi, assistant deputy chief 
cabinet secretaries. Met later with Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Kawamura, followed by Environment Minister Saito and Deputy Vice 
Minister Minamikawa. 
 
17:16 
Met with Seiichiro Okuhara, vice president of Hiroshima Chamber of 
Commerce and Industry. Met later with Mayor of Niimi City Ishigaki, 
joined by Lower House member Yoshitaka Murata. 
 
18:40 
Held informal meeting with cabinet press club cap at Chinese 
restaurant in Kudankita. 
 
20:25 
Met with Mayor of Numazu City Kurihara, Defense Minister Hamada, 
Consumer Affairs Minister Noda, former Consumer Affairs Minister 
Kishida and LDP Senior Deputy Secretary General Hayashi at Japanese 
restaurant in Hotel New Otani. 
 
21:05 
Met with former U.S. Vice President Quayle and Education Minister 
Shionoya at Bar Capri in Hotel New Otani. 
 
21:31 
Met with secretary at Kato's Dining & Bar in Hotel New Otani. 
 
23:11 
Returned to his private residence in Kamiyama-cho. 
 
SCHIEFFER