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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2703

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 003253 
 
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 11/28/08 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Defense minister, U.S. ambassador concur on need for efforts to 
secure funding for U.S. force realignment (Okinawa Times) 
 
(2) Editorial: Japan should show plans to help cluster bomb victims 
(Asahi) 
 
(3) U.S. Army to court-martial soldier for rape of Filipino woman in 
Okinawa in February (Ryukyu Shimpo) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Defense minister, U.S. ambassador concur on need for efforts to 
secure funding for U.S. force realignment 
 
OKINAWA TIMES (Page 2) (Full) 
November 27, 2008 
 
(Tokyo) 
 
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer called on Defense Minister 
Yasukazu Hamada at the Defense Ministry yesterday. In exchanging 
views about the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, the two agreed 
on the need for the U.S. and Japan to make efforts to secure funding 
so that the realignment will be completed by 2014 as agreed on 
between the two countries. 
 
Hamada met with Schieffer for the first time since he became defense 
minister. The ambassador indicated that Japan-U.S. relations will 
remain unchanged even after the change of administration in the 
U.S., saying: "The U.S. is in the period of transition, but I think 
the Japan-U.S. alliance will remain important, and important matters 
will be handed over (to the next administration)." 
 
Looking back over his days as ambassador to Japan, Schieffer stated: 
"The agreement on U.S. force realignment contributed to adding 
momentum to the Japan-U.S. alliance. Given that the agreement was 
reached after very protracted, tough negotiations, I hope that Japan 
and the U.S. will strengthen bilateral ties by implementing 
bilateral commitments." 
 
Hamada replied: "The realignment plans should be completed by 2014. 
Although there are budgetary problems, we will make utmost efforts 
to translate our bilateral agreement into action." 
 
After meeting with Hamada, Schieffer told reporters: "In promoting 
the realignment process, it would be the best way for Japan to 
include a large sum of expenses in the fiscal 2009 budget." This 
remark seems to be reflecting his concern about the fact that the 
Japanese government is now studying the possibility of delaying to 
fiscal 2010 its earmarking of costs necessary for new contracts 
related to the construction of an alternative facility for the U.S. 
Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station. 
 
(2) Editorial: Japan should show plans to help cluster bomb victims 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
November 27, 2008 
 
A signing ceremony will be held in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 3 for an 
international treaty banning cluster munitions. The Japanese 
 
TOKYO 00003253  002 OF 003 
 
 
government also supports the treaty and will sign it. 
 
Cluster munitions, also known as cluster bombs, are air-dropped or 
ground-launched munitions that scatter hundreds of smaller 
submunitions or bomblets to attack ground targets, such as tanks. 
This bomb is criticized as inhumane because many of its bomblets can 
be left unexploded to cause tragic damage to civilians after 
battles. 
 
After the Cold War, the United States and other countries used 
cluster bombs in the wars in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. 
Unexploded bomblets left in farmland and other areas hamper postwar 
reconstruction efforts. This is why the cluster bomb is referred to 
as another type of landmine. 
 
Nongovernmental organizations in Western countries therefore 
launched the Cluster Munitions Coalition (CMC) to push for a total 
ban on cluster munitions. The driving force of this move has been a 
network of NGOs that worked to establish an international treaty 
prohibiting antipersonnel landmines and that also made efforts for 
an international campaign against landmines, which was awarded the 
Nobel Peace Prize in 1997. 
 
Mid-size countries in Europe and the CMC worked together and 
promoted international public opinion against cluster bombs. In May 
this year, their efforts were shaped into an international consensus 
for an almost total ban on the cluster munitions. 
 
Japan is one of the countries that have cluster munitions. The 
Japanese government was initially reluctant to support the idea of 
placing an all-out ban on cluster munitions, taking the position 
that cluster munitions are useful for repelling landing enemy troops 
at the water's edge. However, major European countries, including 
Britain and Germany, moved to support the cluster ban treaty. Given 
this move, the then prime minister, Yasuo Fukuda, decided to support 
the treaty out of humanitarian consideration. 
 
One of the pillars of Japan's diplomacy is "human security," which 
emphasizes humanitarianism and human rights. Eliminating cluster 
munitions is consistent with this human security drive. Foreign 
Minister Nakasone should attend the signing ceremony and make a 
strong appeal to the world for no more victims. Japan should work 
together with European countries and other proponents to urge such 
opponents as the United States, China, and Russia to think twice 
about their stance against the cluster ban. 
 
In 1997, the treaty to ban antipersonnel landmines was signed. The 
then foreign minister, Keizo Obuchi, who decided on Japan's 
participation in the treaty, attended the signing ceremony. On that 
occasion, Obuchi promised that Japan would provide a total of 10 
billion yen over five years in an effort to remove landmines and 
help victims. This commitment was highly appreciated in the 
international community. 
 
Japan should also come up with plans for its contributions to such 
international efforts as removing unexploded bomblets and providing 
aid to victims. 
 
The Japan Campaign to Ban Landmines (JCBL), a member of the CMC, is 
working on the Japanese government to extend a helping hand to 
cluster victims with a wide range of measures, including creating a 
law to help disabled people, in addition to gathering information 
 
TOKYO 00003253  003 OF 003 
 
 
about victims and providing medical and social rehabilitation aid. 
There must be many ways for Japan to meet needs for the relief of 
victims. 
 
The treaty will come into effect about six months after the first 30 
countries have ratified it. Japan should become one of the 30 
countries and set about scrapping its cluster munitions right away. 
 
Japan was late in ratifying the anti-landmine treaty, so it could 
not be among the first 40 countries that put the treaty into force. 
Japan must not make the same mistake again. 
 
(3) U.S. Army to court-martial soldier for rape of Filipino woman in 
Okinawa in February 
 
RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 1) (Full) 
November 27, 2008 
 
The Public Relations Office of U.S. Forces Japan announced yesterday 
that the Army will court-martial Corporal Ronald Hopstock, 25, for 
the alleged rape of a Filipino woman in Okinawa in February of this 
year. 
 
The U.S. Army in Okinawa made this decision on Nov. 25. It is still 
unknown when and where the court-martial will be held, but the trial 
is likely to be set for late February. Hopstock will be subject to 
trial by high court-martial, where most serious cases are tried. 
 
The Okinawa-based soldier is also charged with procuring a Japanese 
prostitute and disobeying a liberty order. 
 
Hopstock belongs to the Patriot Missile (PAC3) unit. In a 
preliminary hearing in October to decide on whether to hold a 
court-martial, he claimed that the sex with the woman was 
consensual, insisting on his innocence. He reportedly is performing 
his duty, like other soldiers. 
 
The Okinawa Prefectural Police Headquarters sent the case to the 
public prosecutors' office this April for the alleged rape of and 
injury to the Filipino woman. The Naha District Court decided not to 
prosecute the case in May because of insufficient evidence. 
 
SCHIEFFER