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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3056

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 003508 
 
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: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 12/29/08 
 
Index: 
 
Opinion: 
1) Aso Cabinet non-support rate rockets 11 points to 73 PERCENT , 
with support rate dropping 10 points to 21 PERCENT  in Nikkei poll; 
Public now favors DPJ over LDP  (Nikkei) 
2) Nikkei poll: Public picks DPJ head Ozawa (17 PERCENT ) over Prime 
Minister Aso (7 PERCENT ) as next prime minister, but 34 PERCENT 
remain undecided  (Nikkei) 
 
Defense and security affairs: 
3) U.S, Japanese governments to soon sign accord on relocation of 
Okinawa Marines to Guam, with ban on using funds for other purposes 
(Yomiuri) 
4) Prime Minister Aso orders Defense Minister Hamada to look into 
MSDF dispatch to Somalia waters for anti-piracy duty  (Asahi) 
5) DPJ head Ozawa finds no constitutional problem with sending MSDF 
to waters off Somalia to cope with pirates  (Asahi) 
6) Government wants to send MSDF to waters off Somalia to deal with 
pirates next month but may be hung up until spring over criteria for 
use of weapons  (Nikkei) 
7) Government to reconsider plan to use F-22 as candidate for 
next-generation fighter owing to lack of clarity about future U.S. 
production of the plane  (Yomiuri) 
8) Defense Ministry report on controversial historical essay by 
former ASDF chief Tamogami concludes that he lacked "self-awareness" 
 (Mainichi) 
 
9) Speaker of the Lower House Yohei Kono to travel to Pearl Harbor 
to lay wreathe at memorial for those killed by Japanese attack 
(Asahi) 
 
Political agenda: 
10) Aso on winter vacation but staying in a working mode  (Nikkei) 
11) Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura: No Diet dissolution until 
after the budget is passed next spring  (Asahi) 
12) LDP's Yoshimi Watanabe, a recent Aso critic, defies the party 
and votes with the opposition camp, but receives only a party 
reprimand for his "rebellion"  (Asahi) 
13) Democratic Party of Japan to begin regular talks with U.S. side 
in preparation for expected win in the next Lower House election 
(Mainichi) 
14) DPJ preparing its own transition papers so that it will be ready 
to take over power after the next election  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
15) U.S. Democratic Party's John Kerry in meeting with Environmental 
Minister Saito calls on Japan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 
25 PERCENT  by 2020  (Nikkei) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) Poll: Aso cabinet supported by 21 PERCENT , not supported by 73 
PERCENT 
 
NIKKEI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
December 29, 2008 
 
The rate of public support for Prime Minister Taro Aso's cabinet 
fell 10 points from last month to 21 PERCENT , the Nihon Keizai 
Shimbun found from its joint public opinion survey conducted with TV 
Tokyo on Dec. 26-28. The Aso cabinet's support rate markedly fell 
below 30 PERCENT , which is said to be in the danger zone for a 
 
TOKYO 00003508  002 OF 011 
 
 
government. The nonsupport rate rose 11 points to 73 PERCENT . The 
figures reflect the government's delay in dealing with the nation's 
worsening economy and employment situation. In the survey, 
respondents were also asked which political party they would vote 
for in the next election for the House of Representatives in their 
proportional representation blocs. In this public choice of 
political parties, the leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan 
(Minshuto) scored 37 PERCENT , outstripping the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party's 24 PERCENT . 
 
The nonsupport rate topped 70 PERCENT  in only four surveys, which 
were conducted in June and July 1993 when the Miyazawa cabinet was 
at its last stage, and which were taken in December 2000 and in 
February 2001 when the Mori cabinet was at its last stage. Both the 
Miyazawa cabinet and the Mori cabinet stepped down after their 
nonsupport rate topped 70 PERCENT  in two successive polls. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the LDP 
stood at 35 PERCENT  and the DPJ was at 33 PERCENT . The gap, 
however, reduced 7 points. The public choice of the LDP for 
proportional representation in the next House of Representatives 
election dropped 12 points from October, and the DPJ rose 6 points. 
In the public choice of other political parties for proportional 
representation, the New Komeito was at 4 PERCENT , the Japanese 
Communist Party at 4 PERCENT , the Social Democratic Party at 2 
PERCENT , the New Party Nippon at 1 PERCENT , the People's New Party 
at 0 PERCENT , and the Reform Club at 0 PERCENT . 
 
The survey was taken by Nikkei Research Inc. by telephone on a 
random digit dialing (RDD) basis. For the survey, samples were 
chosen from among men and women aged 20 and over across the nation. 
A total of 1,416 households with one or more eligible voters were 
sampled, and answers were obtained from 922 persons (65.1 PERCENT 
). 
 
2) Ozawa outstrips Aso in popularity ranking for premiership 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
December 29, 2008 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) President Ichiro Ozawa scored 
17 PERCENT , topping all others in the popularity ranking of 
politicians for prime minister. Prime Minister Taro Aso was at 7 
PERCENT . 
 
Ozawa was supported by 30 PERCENT  of his party's supporters and 
also by 5 PERCENT  of those who support the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party and 13 PERCENT  of floating voters with no 
particular party affiliation. LDP Vice Secretary General Nobuteru 
Ishihara ranked second at 11 PERCENT , and he was chosen by 19 
PERCENT  of LDP supporters and 10 PERCENT  of floating voters. 
 
Among LDP supporters, Aso was on a par with Ishihara at 19 PERCENT . 
Among those unaffiliated, Aso was at only 1 PERCENT . 
 
Former Defense Minister Yuriko Koike ranked fourth, as well as Aso. 
She was supported by 21 PERCENT  of those who support the New 
Komeito, which is the LDP's coalition partner. Among LDP supporters, 
however, she was at 9 PERCENT . 
 
Popularity ranking for premiership 
 
 
TOKYO 00003508  003 OF 011 
 
 
Ichiro Ozawa 17 
Nobuteru Ishihara 11 
Taro Aso 7 
Yuriko Koike 7 
Kaoru Yosano 5 
Hidenao Nakagawa 3 
Naoto Kan 8 
Katsuya Okada 3 
Yukio Hatoyama 3 
Seiji Maehara 2 
Other answers + can't say + don't know 34 
 
3) Japan, U.S. to ink pact on transfer of Okinawa Marines to Guam, 
banning use of fund for other expenditures 
 
YOMIURI (Full) (Page 2) 
December 28, 2008 
 
It was learned on Dec. 27 that the Japanese and U.S. governments in 
connection with the transfer of U.S. Marines stationed on Okinawa to 
Guam will soon sign a pact that will include such provisions as a 
ban on use of Japan-provided funds for purposes other than the 
relocation of the troops. Since the expenditures estimated for the 
transfer are huge, by strongly binding the amount of disbursement 
through a bilateral accord, and stipulating the purpose for which 
the money will be used, the aim of obtaining the understanding of 
the Japanese people will be achieved. 
 
The two governments will ink the pact at an early date after the 
beginning of next year. Upon signing the treaty, the Japanese 
government will present the draft to the Diet in its regular session 
for approval. In the draft treaty, the Japanese government will 
state that the amount of the money to be directly disbursed will be 
"no more than $2.8 billion," as agreed on between the Japanese and 
U.S. governments in 2006. In addition, the requirements of the U.S. 
government will include: 1) a ban on the use of the funds for other 
purposes; and 2) equal treatment of Japanese companies and other 
companies in the bidding process. 
 
In the roadmap for the realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan, as 
agreed on by the two governments in May, 2006, it was stipulated 
that approximately 8,000 Marines and their families of approximately 
9,000 members, would be transferred to Guam by 2014. In order to 
build the facilities and the social infrastructure, Japan would 
provide $6.09 billion, including $2.8 billion in direct fiscal 
support. 
 
4) Prime Minister Aso orders defense minister to study MSDF dispatch 
as means of countering piracy in waters off Somalia 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
Eve., December 26, 2008 
 
In order to dispatch Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) warships to 
waters off Somalia as a means of countering pirates operating there, 
Prime Minister Taro Aso today ordered Defense Minister Hamada to 
study specific responses, including the issuance of an ordinance for 
maritime police action based on the Self-Defense Forces Law. 
 
The Defense Ministry will delve into the possibility of dispatching 
MSDF vessels under an ordinance for maritime police action. It will 
also consider a specific response based on the (general law) 
 
TOKYO 00003508  004 OF 011 
 
 
Anti-Piracy Law that is expected to be presented to the regular Diet 
session next year. This law would allow the protection of foreign 
commercial ships, as well. 
 
The prime minister at a cabinet meeting today stated: "I have 
instructed the defense minister to make even swifter efforts so that 
the Self-Defense Forces can rapidly carry out anti-piracy measures. 
I would like relevant cabinet ministers to cooperate." 
 
However, Defense Minister Hamada stated at a press conference: "Is 
it all right from the perspective of international cooperation for 
Japan to only (protect) ships with Japanese registrations?" He took 
a cautious stance toward the effort. There is no precedent for 
issuing a maritime police ordinance for anti-piracy measures. The 
New Komeito also came out with a cautious view. 
 
5) Ozawa: No constitutional doubts about dispatch to Somalia waters 
to deal with piracy 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
Eve., December 26, 2008 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa today 
commented on the policy course of Prime Minister Aso to dispatch 
Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) warships to waters off Somalia as 
a means of dealing with pirates operating there. He stated: "There 
are no constitutional doubts about protecting our country's ships." 
He cited as an example the Japan Coast Guard's sending patrol ships 
to protect shipments of plutonium being transported to Japan from 
France during 1992-3. He was speaking to the press in the city of 
Mito. 
 
6) Government aims at setting guidelines for dispatch of MSDF 
vessels to waters off Somalia initially under existing legislation, 
but criteria on weapons use could bog things down 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
December 27, 2008 
 
As a measure to counter pirates operating in waters off Somalia, the 
government has started to prepare for sending possibly next spring 
escort vessels of the Maritime Self Defense Force (MSDF). As the 
first stage, the government envisions a dispatch under existing 
legislation. Identifying existing feasible provisions, the 
government plans to ready basic guidelines by the middle of next 
January. But there is a possibility of coordination stalling over 
the issue of the use of weapons, such as how far can the MSDF 
respond to armed pirates. 
 
The United Nations Security Council recently passed a resolution 
that approved of countries attacking pirate strongholds in Somalia. 
China, too, has dispatched a warship to the area. With these 
developments in mind, Prime Minister Taro Aso on Dec. 26 ordered 
Defense Minister Seiichi Hamada to study specific policy measures to 
respond. Chief Cabinet Secretary Tateo Kawamura also asked the 
ruling parties for cooperation for cooperation, and afterward, he 
told the press corps, "The government will formulate its basic 
thinking, and then I would like (the ruling camp) to use that as a 
sounding board." 
 
The government aims at responding in two stages at the time of the 
dispatches of the MSDF vessels. For the time being, it will issue an 
 
TOKYO 00003508  005 OF 011 
 
 
ordinance for police action on the high seas, and carry out the 
actual dispatch next spring. After that, the plan is to present a 
bill for a new law to the Diet around mid-March. The police action 
ordinance basically is an order to the MSDF to mobilize when there 
is a crisis that the Japan Coast Guard cannot respond to. Two 
examples of such ordinances was one issued in 1999 when a suspicious 
vessel from North Korea entered Japanese waters, and in 2004, when a 
Chinese nuclear-powered submarine violated Japanese territory. 
 
A former senior Defense Ministry official pointed out the limits of 
responding by police action on the high seas: "This case is unusual 
in that it is a long-term dispatch. The dispatch to Somalia 
undeniably is a stretch away from the intent of the law." Defense 
Minister Hamada, as well, has kept a cautious stance toward use of 
the ordinance. 
 
Under the maritime police action, there are limits to those vessels 
subject to the order, such as it is impossible to escort foreign 
vessels that have no connection with Japan. In case a foreign vessel 
is attacked, there needs to be consideration given as what can be 
done to help. 
 
The biggest problem will be criteria for the use of weapons. During 
the time when the maritime police action ordinance is in effect, the 
law government police activities will be applied. Under it, 
legitimate defense and emergency evacuation are recognized. 
Originally, under the standards set by the Japan Coast Guard Law, 
shots can be fired at a vessel after it has been asked to halt, but 
legally, such would be difficult in waters off Somalia that are far 
from Japanese territory. 
 
There are many pirates in the waters off Somalia who are armed with 
rocket launchers and heavy weapons. In case a Japanese vessel is 
attacked, there is need to boil down how far can it go in 
retaliating, and specifically what weapons can be used and what 
procedures to take. 
 
On the other hand, under a new law that the government has long been 
considering in order to counter piracy, it will be possible to 
escort foreign ships, and the provisions would include criminally 
prosecuting those pirates in custody. Threatening actions would be 
possible, such as firing at the pirates after they are asked to stop 
their ship. 
 
It will be necessary for the MSDF to carry our prior coordination of 
the application of the law. The MSDF is dispatching a refueling ship 
and a destroyer to carry out refueling operations in the Indian 
Ocean. But according to the Defense Ministry, it will be difficult 
to carry out in parallel refueling and deal with piracy. The 
likelihood is that separate ships will have to be sent from Japan. 
 
7) Government plans to start again from scratch in the selection of 
a next-generation fighter, since production in the U.S. of the 
superior F-22 is unclear 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
Eve., December 27, 2008 
 
The government in choosing its next generation fighter (FX) has 
decided on a policy course of reconsidering its preference for the 
U.S.-manufactured state-of-the-art stealth fighter F-22 Raptor as 
the most powerful candidate and will start again from scratch. The 
 
TOKYO 00003508  006 OF 011 
 
 
reason is that there is a strong expectation that the new Obama 
administration will either curb or halt production of F-22s. Current 
thinking has boiled down candidate aircraft to three models: 1) the 
Eurofighter Typhoon, being jointly developed by NATO members 
Britain, Germany, Italy, and Spain; 2) the F-35 Lightning II 
produced by the United States; and 3) the F-15X manufactured in the 
U.S. 
 
The U.S. Congress has banned exports of the F-22, fearing leakage of 
its state-of-the-art technology. The Ministry of Defense put off the 
timing of the introduction of the FX, having originally intended to 
begin the process with funding in the fiscal 2009 budget. It asked 
the U.S. government to remove the ban on exports of this aircraft. 
However, the U.S. government was negative about additional 
production of F-22s, the procurement cost of which is two to three 
times that of other aircraft. Although it was pointed out that 
exports to Japan would boost the chances of the U.S. Air Force 
continuing production of the plane, the decision will be handed to 
Defense Secretary Gates, who is said to be favoring a halt in 
production, and the Obama administration. A senior Defense Ministry 
official said that the Japanese government "gained the strong 
impression that production would not be continued." 
 
Some defense ministry officials favor the F-35, which has the same 
bombing capabilities as the F-22, being a fifth-generation fighter. 
But the F-35 is still not combat deployed even in the U.S. The 
Europeans would like to sell the Eurofighter to Japan, but in order 
to procure this aircraft from Europe, the understanding of the 
Americans would have to be obtained first. For that reason, the FX 
selection will be put off until the F-35 is combat ready. The plan 
has been floated of either coping with a remodeled F-15, which is 
now in stock, or purchasing F-15FX planes as a bridging model until 
the F-35 is ready for combat. 
 
8) Defense Ministry's report attributes the cause of Tamogami issue 
to weak sense of awareness of his position as ASDF chief of staff 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
December 26, 2008 
 
The Defense Ministry yesterday submitted to the government's council 
of reform of the Defense Ministry a report on the issue of Gen. 
Toshio Tamogami, who was dismissed as Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) 
chief of staff over a controversial essay contradicting the 
government's history view. The report features measures to prevent a 
recurrence of issues similar to the Tamogami case, including a step 
to prepare well-defined internal procedures for publicizing essays 
outside the ministry. Regarding the cause of the issue, the report 
just notes: "He had a weak sense of awareness of his position as 
ASDF chief of staff." The report thus gave priority to putting an 
end to the issue, without including measures to review a system to 
appoint senior Self-Defense Force members or to reform history 
education. 
 
Gist of report on dismissal of Tamogami 
 
? There was no problem in the report applied by the ASDF 
? The former ASDF chief of staff's involvement in the organization's 
essay was not confirmed. 
? Hardly any problems were found in the teaching of history to 
senior members. 
? The course "Views of history and the state" at the Joint Staff 
 
TOKYO 00003508  007 OF 011 
 
 
Council's school lacked balance, and it should be reviewed. 
? Well-defined procedures for publicizing essays outside the 
ministry should be prepared. 
? A notification system should be introduced for essays to be 
applied to prize competition contests, as well as for publications 
to be announced outside the ministry. 
 
9) Kono to visit Pearl Harbor 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
December 27, 2008 
 
House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono will visit Honolulu, 
Hawaii, on Dec. 28-30 to pay his respects to the souls of those who 
died in the Japanese military attack on Pearl Harbor. Kono has made 
it his lifework to seek peace and disarmament, and he has strongly 
desired to visit the Hawaii site. He will visit the USS Arizona 
Memorial in Pearl Harbor and the National Memorial Cemetery of the 
Pacific to lay wreathes. 
 
In September this year, Kono hosted a meeting of parliamentary 
speakers from the Group of Eight (G-8) member nations in Hiroshima. 
On that occasion, Kono met with U.S. House of Representatives 
Speaker Pelosi and promised to visit Pearl Harbor, telling her: "You 
came to Hiroshima with courage. I also would like to visit Pearl 
Harbor as the speaker of Japan's House of Representatives." 
 
Kono will also visit the monument to the Ehime Maru, a training ship 
of Ehime Prefectural Uwajima Fishery High School that sank in a 
collision with a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine. The accident took 
place when Kono was foreign minister, so he wanted to lay a wreathe 
at the monument. 
 
10) Winter vacation for Prime Minister Aso finds him in working 
mode, holding discussions with senior officials of foreign and 
finance ministries, purchasing seven books 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
December 28, 2008 
 
Prime Minister Taro Aso met yesterday with senior officials of the 
foreign and finance ministries in succession at a Tokyo hotel to 
have preliminary discussions about the next ordinary Diet session to 
be convened on Jan. 5. Aso also exchanged views on a strategy of 
public relations with Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Public 
Relations Headquarters Chairman Keiji Furuya. Although Dec. 27 was 
the first day of his 'winter vacation," Aso appeared to be intent on 
preparing for the ordinary session, in which the ruling and 
opposition camps will confront each other with an eye on dissolution 
of the House of Representatives and a snap election. 
 
At a bookstore, Aso purchased seven political, economic and history 
books, such as Masayoshi Ohira, Mediterranean World after Rome 
Disappears, Give up on Freedom and Democracy, and Beleaguered 
America. 
 
11) Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura: "Government will not consider 
Diet dissolution before budget bill is enacted" 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
December 29, 2008 
 
 
TOKYO 00003508  008 OF 011 
 
 
Asked about the possibility of the government dissolving the House 
of Representatives in exchange for enactment of the fiscal 2009 
budget bill, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura told a press 
conference in Yamaguchi City yesterday: "Prime Minister Aso has 
clearly said that he is not considering such a possibility. The 
government's primary goal is to enact the budget bill. The 
government will make utmost efforts to have the bill clear the Diet 
without considering Diet dissolution." 
 
12) Former Administrative Reform Minister Watanabe votes for 
DPJ-resolution calling for Lower House dissolution, defying LDP's 
policy 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
December 25, 2008 
 
Yoshimi Watanabe, a former state minister for administrative reform 
and member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, voted for a 
resolution calling for dissolving the House of Representatives, on 
Dec. 24 in a Lower House plenary session, defying the LDP 
leadership's policy. The resolution was submitted by the main 
opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Watanabe stated at a 
press conference that he had no intention to leave the LDP. 
Meanwhile, the party's executive decided the same day to punish him 
by giving him a warning. Watanabe's rebellious act may provide a 
source of trouble to intensify anti-Aso moves in the next regular 
Diet session, which will be convened on Jan. 5. 
 
At the press meeting after the Lower House plenary session, 
Watanabe, who has been critical of Prime Minister Taro Aso, 
explained the reason why he had voted for the resolution: "(Lower 
House dissolution) is my personal proposal. In an attempt to break 
the present political stagnancy, I have said that there is no other 
way but Lower House dissolution." The LDP leadership decided on Dec. 
24 to give him a warning. Of the eight stages of punishments in the 
LDP's regulations, a warning is the second lightest one. The LDP 
leadership, however, reportedly says that it made the decision based 
on the past examples. 
 
At a press conference the same day, DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa 
praised Watanabe's defiant act, saying: "I think he made that 
decision based on his belief." 
 
The DPJ submitted the resolution to the Lower House after its four 
employment measures bills were voted down at the Lower House plenary 
session, although they were approved by the House of Councillors. 
The resolution criticized the Lower House for voting down the bills 
that were approved by the Upper House as a "violent act". The 
resolution calling for early Lower House dissolution and a snap 
election was killed by the majority of the ruling coalition members. 
 
 
The DPJ presented to the Upper House plenary session the same day a 
resolution calling on the Upper House's right to respect 
deliberations and the resolution was adopted by a majority of the 
opposition parties. The resolution criticized the government and 
ruling coalition, which had voted down the four employment bills, 
for making light of the Upper House and it called on them to respect 
the Upper House's decisions. However, the resolution is not legally 
binding. It was the first time that such a resolution has been 
adopted under the present Constitution. 
 
 
TOKYO 00003508  009 OF 011 
 
 
The current extraordinary Diet session then ended in effect. 
 
13) U.S. approaching DPJ; Regular talks to start early next year, 
with eye on change of government 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
December 29, 2008 
 
With an eye on a change of government, the Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ) will start regular talks with the U.S. government through 
diplomatic channels early next year. This arrangement was agreed on 
in a meeting between International Bureau Director General Tetsundo 
Iwakuni and Deputy Chief of Mission in U.S. Embassy Tokyo James 
Zumwalt in Tokyo on Dec. 16. Since last month, both sides have held 
an increasing number of unofficial meetings, reflecting their desire 
to build up a network of connections in preparation for a possible 
establishment of a DPJ government. 
 
Participating in the meeting on the 16th were International Bureau 
Deputy Director General Ikuko Tanioka and Kenzo Fujisue, vice 
economic and industrial minister in the shadow cabinet, besides 
Iwakuni. In exchanging views on the Afghani situation, the U.S. side 
emphasized that it (offering aid for Afghanistan) is not assistance 
to the U.S. but an international contribution and then asked the DPJ 
side to reveal what the party can do. The DPJ side spelled out its 
bill to eradicate terrorism, which gives priority to irrigation 
works and infrastructure construction by dispatching Self-Defense 
Force troops to Afghanistan after a ceasefire agreement is reached. 
 
DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa has proposed establishing an equal and 
firmer Japan-U.S. relationship. He has also called for revising the 
Status of Forces Agreement and relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' 
Futenma Air Station to a location outside Okinawa Prefecture, but no 
specific arrangement has been made for talks on these issues yet. 
 
Under this situation, Ozawa increased one more post and installed 
two bureau directors general in charge of U.S. affairs under the 
date of Dec. 11, saying: "Let us increase the number of responsible 
personnel ahead of the inauguration of the Obama administration. 
Ozawa himself designated Tanioka as deputy director general. 
 
Since Barack Obama was elected U.S. president in November, the 
number of contacts between the U.S. and the DPJ has sharply 
increased. There are more cases of U.S. officials calling on DPJ 
members, and both sides have discussed wide-ranging topics covering 
security, the environment, agriculture, and economics. The DPJ side 
has explained its specific pledges, such as subsidies to farmers. 
 
A senior member of the DPJ International Bureau commented: "The U.S. 
is supposedly eager to establish a network of personnel with our 
party in every area run-up to the next House of Representatives, but 
its major interest would be in the Afghan issue." 
 
14) DPJ's vision of running government 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
December 28, 2008 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the largest opposition force, 
has launched preparations for running the government with an eye on 
a change in government after the next House of Representatives 
election. In order to realize politically-led decision-making, the 
 
TOKYO 00003508  010 OF 011 
 
 
DPJ is looking into the possibility of amending laws that would make 
the ministers, senior vice ministers and parliamentary secretaries 
as a team function. In order to smoothly run the government, the 
party's vision indicates that a certain period should be secured 
between the prime minister's nomination and the inauguration of a 
cabinet. 
 
DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa aims to create a new political system led 
by politicians. Based on this political system, if a DPJ-led 
government comes to fruition, the government will set up a "council 
of three state affairs ministers" made up of the ministers, senor 
vice ministers and parliamentary secretaries. The DPJ believes that 
a politically-led decision-making system will be realized if the 
council controls and supervises the entire ministries and agencies. 
The party also insists that the new system will be able to prevent 
policy that places a disproportionate emphasis on interests of each 
ministry. 
 
In order to realize Ozawa's idea of installing about 100 DPJ 
lawmakers in the ministries and agencies, the DPJ will work on 
revising the National Government Organization Law. 
 
Meanwhile, in an effort to prevent the bureaucratic control of a 
government, the DPJ believes that a well-prepared government is 
needed by securing a certain period of time between the prime 
minister's nomination and the formation of a cabinet. Usually a 
cabinet is formed within one day after the prime minister's 
nomination. The DPJ, however, thinks more then three days are 
needed. 
 
15) U.S. Senator Kerry to environment minister: "Japan, U.S. should 
slash greenhouse gas emissions 25 PERCENT  from 1990 levels by 2020 
 
NIKKEI (Page 3) (Full) 
December 29, 2008 
 
U.S. Senator John Kerry of the Democratic Party called on Japan to 
reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25 PERCENT  from 1990 levels by 2020 
when he met with Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito in mid-December, 
according to informed sources. Kerry reportedly has influence over 
environment policy by President-elect Barack Obama. Kerry's remarks 
are likely to affect discussions in Japan on its mid-term target due 
out in 2009. The Environment Ministry has not revealed the details 
of the Kerry-Saito meeting. 
 
Kerry and Saito held the meeting on Dec. 11 on the sidelines of the 
14th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework 
Convention on Climate Change (COP14) in Poland. Kerry was the 
Democratic Party's candidate in the U.S. presidential election in 
2004 and took part in the COP14 as representative of the Democratic 
Party delegation. He is scheduled to chair the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee starting in January 2009. 
 
In order to have China, one of the world's largest gas emitters, 
join a new international framework following the 2012 expiration of 
the Kyoto Protocol, Kerry insisted that Japan and the U.S. must set 
a specific numerical target. He stated: "At least, a 25 PERCENT  cut 
from 1990 levels (by 2020) is necessary," adding that if the economy 
is negatively affected, a 20 PERCENT  cut will also be acceptable." 
 
Obama has proposed slashing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. On 
this target, Kerry said: "In my personal view, this target is at a 
 
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low level," indicating he would call on Obama to set a higher 
target. 
 
The COP 15 in Copenhagen in late 2009 will become an arena for last 
negotiations on a post-Kyoto framework. For an agreement to be 
reached on specifics, Kerry said: "Mr. Obama will have to be 
involved in the issue starting in February or March." He further 
said that involving China and India in a new mechanism is 
indispensable although China, India and poor countries will not 
necessarily have to bear the same obligation as industrialized 
countries, saying: "Unless a new mechanism involves all countries, 
it will be impossible to obtain agreement from the Senate." 
 
ZUMWALT