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RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3504
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3501

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 TOKYO 000216 
 
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 01/29/09 - 2 
 
INDEX: 
 
(6) Prime Minister Aso, U.S. President Obama talk by phone, agree to 
early meeting (Asahi) 
 
(7) Consul General to Okinawa Maher to become Japan Desk director at 
the U.S. State Department; Greene to be his successor (Okinawa 
Times) 
 
(8) Government launches MSDF dispatch plan before obtaining consent 
from all persons concerned (Asahi) 
 
(9) Tanto-chokugen (straightforward advice) column: Reach settlement 
on right of collective self defense (Sankei) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(6) Prime Minister Aso, U.S. President Obama talk by phone, agree to 
early meeting 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
Eve., January 29, 2009 
 
Prime Minister Aso this morning held a telephone conversation with 
U.S. President Obama for approximately 10 minutes. The Prime 
Minister proposed an early meeting with the President, to which 
Obama agreed. The timing of the meeting will now be boiled down. The 
two leaders confirmed to closely cooperate on such issues as the 
financial and economic crisis, and the North Korea problem. They 
also agreed to further strengthen the bilateral alliance. 
 
The telephone conversation was carried out in English without an 
interpreter. According to the Foreign Ministry, the Prime Minister 
told the President, "Let's meet soon," adding, "I would like Japan 
and the United States as the world's top two economic powers to 
closely cooperate." He stressed his view of the two countries 
banding together to deal with the financial crisis. Obama expressed 
his approval. 
 
President Obama expressed his appreciation for Japan's contributions 
to the war on terror in Afghanistan and other countries, saying, "I 
would like to thank Japan for its contributions thus far." The two 
also confirmed close cooperation on climate change and environmental 
issues, as well as on the North Korean missile, nuclear, and 
abduction issues. 
 
According to an informed source, the Prime Minister reportedly 
transmitted his strong desire for an early meeting with the 
President before he expressed his congratulations for the 
inauguration. President Obama, during his telephone conversation 
with the Prime Minister last November, said, "I would like to build 
a personal relationship of trust." The Prime Minister, too, seems to 
have expressed his desire to strengthen ties with Obama. 
 
Since his inauguration, President Obama has made telephone calls to 
approximate 10 heads of state, including countries in the Middle 
East. 
 
(7) Consul General to Okinawa Maher to become Japan Desk director at 
the U.S. State Department; Greene to be his successor 
 
OKINAWA TIMES (Page 2) (Excerpt) 
 
TOKYO 00000216  002 OF 006 
 
 
Eve., January 29, 2009 
 
It was learned today that the U.S. Department of State is internally 
coordinating the appointment of Consul General Kevin Maher of the 
U.S. Consulate General in Okinawa as Japan Desk director at the 
Department. The outlook is that once the procedures inside the 
Department are over, the appointment of Maher will be officially 
decided around the end of February. However, Maher avoided a clear 
statement, only saying, "As far as I know, nothing has been 
decided." Maher's tour of duty in his current post is for three 
years, having started in July 2006. Once the new appointment is set, 
he would apparently be going to Washington this July. It has been 
unofficially decided that his successor as consul general will be 
Raymond Greene, the unit chief for bilateral security policy at the 
American Embassy in Japan. 
 
A relevant authority at the U.S. Embassy commented: "Greene, like 
Maher, has thorough knowledge about the issue of the realignment of 
U.S. forces in Japan. There will be no change in the U.S. stance 
toward U.S. force realignment." 
 
Maher served previously as the security unit chief at the American 
Embassy and was responsible for the negotiations between Japan and 
the United States on the U.S. force realignment. 
 
(8) Government launches MSDF dispatch plan before obtaining consent 
from all persons concerned 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
January 29, 2009 
 
The Defense Ministry ordered the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) 
to prepare for dispatching its vessels to the pirate-infested waters 
off Somalia under a provision for maritime policing action one month 
after Prime Minister Aso gave an instruction to discuss the issue. 
But some officials are critical of using the policing provision, 
which assumes coastal guarding. Using this provision stretches the 
interpretation of the Self-Defense Forces Law. Given this, the 
government and the ruling camp are eager to enact new legislation 
quickly, but it seems difficult to complete Diet deliberations on 
the issue before MSDF vessels are dispatched. 
 
Aso takes lead in persuading defense minister 
 
Speaking before reporters last night, Prime Minister Aso emphasized 
the need to hurriedly prepare anti-piracy measures, saying: "The 
number (of Japan-related ships that pass through the area) is 
estimated to be five to six a day. Under this situation, Japanese 
ships could be attacked by pirates any time." 
 
Aso himself took the lead in promoting the MSDF dispatch plan. In 
response to a request by Ocean Policy Research Foundation Chairman 
Masahiro Akiyama (former administrative vice defense minister), a 
former classmate of Aso at Gakushuin University, and others, Aso 
instructed government officials on Dec. 26 to consider a dispatch of 
MSDF vessels to Somalia.  Saying that he could not wait for new 
legislation to be enacted in the divided Diet, Aso began to move to 
take action under the policing clause. 
 
When not only the Group of Eight (G-8) countries but also China and 
South Korea have decided to participate in international anti-piracy 
effort, Japan cannot remain just an idle spectator forever. The 
 
TOKYO 00000216  003 OF 006 
 
 
government also fears that if Japanese private citizens were 
attacked by pirates, politicians would be criticized for a lack of 
measures. These factors are behind its decision to take action under 
the existing law. 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura, advisor to the prime minister, 
persuaded Hamada to change his cautious stance. Kawamura called 
Hamada to the Prime Minister's Office on Jan. 14 and told him: "The 
Cabinet Office will offer support. We will not put the 
responsibility only on the defense minister." The New Komeito, 
though it remains cautious about dispatching SDF troops overseas, 
did not apply the brakes, either, with a senior member saying: "We 
cannot cause trouble for the prime minister." 
 
The MSDF intends to mobilize two escort ships carrying patrol 
helicopters immediately after an order for maritime policing action 
is issued. Assuming such cases as an on-board inspection and 
disarmament, members of the MSDF's Special Boarding Unit will 
aboard. The government is also considering dispatching P-3C patrol 
planes. 
 
The Defense Ministry, however, still takes the view that a dispatch 
of the MSDF under new legislation is rational. It is beyond 
expectation for the ministry to dispatching naval ships to waters 
far from Japan, like waters off Somalia, under the policing 
provision, because the provision assumes patrols in Japanese 
territorial waters. Under the clause, MSDF troops are required to 
provide protection only to ships with Japanese registry or carrying 
Japanese and are not allowed to protect foreign ships. Further, SDF 
troops are not allowed to use weapons unless it is for legitimate 
self-defense or averting imminent danger. 
 
Even after he instructed the MSDF chief of staff and others 
yesterday to start preparations, Hamada emphasized that the planned 
dispatch under the policing clause is a stopgap measures to the 
last. He said: "The ministry would issue an order for maritime 
policing action as a makeshift measure until new legislation is 
prepared." 
 
Even if the government submits new legislation to the Diet in early 
March as scheduled, though, it will be unknown when the law is 
enacted. In actuality, if the Democratic Party of Japan stands 
against it, it may become difficult to enact the law during the 
current Diet session. 
 
Weapon-use standards focused on in discussion 
 
In response to the order for maritime policing action issued by the 
defense minister, the government and the ruling camp will shortly 
start full-scale deliberations on new legislation, aiming to enact 
the law in early March. 
 
"The focus of discussion is on to what extent troops will be allowed 
to use weapons in exercising police authority," Chairman Shigeki 
Sato of the ruling camp's project team on anti-piracy measures said 
to reporters after its meeting yesterday. He indicated the focus of 
discussion is on easing the nation's weapon-use standard. 
 
One of the agenda presented yesterday for consideration in the 
future is "how to use weapons practically and effectively against 
heavily armed pirates." This reflects concerns growing in the 
Defense Ministry about a high possibility that SDF troops would 
 
TOKYO 00000216  004 OF 006 
 
 
injure or kill foreigners overseas for the first time, as said by a 
senior ministry official,. 
 
Whenever it enacted a special law to dispatch SDF troops overseas, 
the government eased the weapon-use standard. Under the PKO Law in 
1992, the government allowed SDF members to use weapons in order to 
protect themselves or other SDF members as a natural right. Under 
the law related to the new defense guidelines in 1999, the SDF was 
allowed to use weapons to protect Japanese nationals in transit for 
rescue. 
 
Under the 2001 antiterrorism special measures law, the government 
approved the use of weapons to protect arms and equipment, in 
addition to camps and translators. This rule was also applied in the 
Iraq special measures law. 
 
The government, though, designates the MSDF's planned anti-piracy 
mission as a policing action. A senior Defense Ministry official 
explained: "The use of weapons under the exercise of police 
authority does not go against Article 9 of the Constitution." He 
meant that although Article 9 prohibits the use of weapons with the 
aim of settling international disputes, the use of weapons against 
pirates, who are just criminals and do not represent a state or a 
state-like entity, does not fall under the use of weapons as 
prohibited in Article 9. 
 
The government and the ruling bloc will therefore study whether to 
approve the use of arms for other cases than self-defense and 
avoiding imminent danger in order to "perform duty." They will look 
into the possibility of allowing MSDF troops to fire at the hull in 
the event that a pirate ship approaching a commercial freighter 
ignores their order to stop. Questions are likely to be posed on the 
propriety of allowing the heavily armed SDF to use weapons to this 
extent. 
 
The Iraq special law banned the SDF from going to rescue other 
military countries' troops under attack by terrorists, based on the 
judgment that "this action could fall under the use of armed forces 
prohibited by Article 9," according to the Cabinet Legislation 
Bureau. Whether to allow this action is another agenda item. 
 
In its meeting yesterday, the project team confirmed the policy of 
providing protection to foreign ships unrelated to Japan under new 
legislation. If approval is given to rescuing foreign troops under 
attack, it will become possible for the MSDF to engage in patrol and 
policing actions, in addition to escorting fleets of commercial 
vessels. 
 
(9) Tanto-chokugen (straightforward advice) column: Reach settlement 
on right of collective self defense 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
January 29, 2009 
 
Shotaro Yachi, government representative 
 
I would like Prime Minister Aso to exercise strategic diplomacy. The 
pressing issue for Aso diplomacy is how to address the global 
recession. To this end, it is necessary for the U.S. -- where the 
global recession started - China -- the largest holder of U.S. 
government bonds and a fast-growing country -- and Japan -- the 
second largest economic power in the world -- to exchange views on 
 
TOKYO 00000216  005 OF 006 
 
 
how to climb out of the recession. Mini-lateral diplomacy among 
Japan, the U.S. and China, as well as bilateral and multilateral 
diplomacy, should be pursued in a strategic manner. 
 
Japan-U.S. alliance to remain unshakable 
 
The Obama administration was inaugurated in the U.S. However, there 
will be no major change (reform) as is widely alleged. 
 
Many observers said that the Bush administration advocated 
unilateralism. However, it also attached importance to relations 
with Britain, Japan, and Australia. 
 
President Obama has advocated the revival of U.S. leadership through 
international cooperation ever since he started his election 
campaign. In the meantime, as a Senator, he once made a speech in 
the Congress on the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance. The 
Japan-U.S. alliance will never falter. Both countries will pursue a 
realistic policy line, instead of taking a fundamentalist approach. 
 
The U.S. government will not press Japan to come up with a specific 
numerical goal to eliminate the bilateral trade deficit, as it did 
during the Clinton era. Even if it increasingly attaches importance 
to China, a situation in which "Japan passing" returns is unlikely 
to occur. The U.S.' attaching importance to China and strengthening 
its ties with Japan are compatible. 
 
However, Washington is increasingly becoming impatient over the 
realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, including the relocation of 
Futenma Air Station. It will continue to press Japan to fulfill the 
agreement. There is a possibility of the U.S. making more requests 
to Japan regarding the war on terror. Before the U.S. does so, Japan 
should come up with measures to contribute to Afghanistan, based on 
information obtained locally. 
 
There is also the issue of the right of collective self-defense. The 
government has received a report from the Council on the 
Reconstruction of the Legal Basis for Security. The report calls for 
change in constitutional interpretation so that the right of 
collective self-defense can be exercised. If the situation arises in 
which a U.S. vessel came under attack while a Maritime Self Defense 
Force warship was close by, and the MSDF ship did nothing to protect 
the U.S. vessel, the bilateral alliance would be severely 
undermined. 
 
The government must determine how to deal with problems presented in 
the report. 
 
Equilateral-triangular relationship unrealistic 
 
Japan's relations with China have taken a favorable turn since the 
mutually beneficial strategic relationship taken by the Abe 
administration. However, there still are pending issues, such as 
undesirable moves around the Senkakus, the development of gas fields 
in the East China Sea, and the frozen gyoza dumpling incident. 
National defense spending and defense policy have yet to be made 
more transparent. It is imperative to build a framework for stable 
talks on various levels. 
 
In Japan, some insist that Japan, the U.S., and China should have an 
equilateral-triangular relationship. However, the state of affairs 
in China differs that of Japan or the U.S. The Japan-U.S. alliance, 
 
TOKYO 00000216  006 OF 006 
 
 
which has been firmly maintained during the post-war decades, is 
based not only on such shared values as freedom, human rights and 
the rule of law but also on shared interests in wide areas, such as 
politics, the economy and culture. It is impossible to discuss U.S. 
relations with Japan on the same level as its relations with China. 
Forming an "equilateral-triangular relationship" among Japan, the 
U.S. and China is unrealistic and undesirable. 
 
Concerning the North Korea issue, the Obama administration needs to 
have a solid stance in facilitating dialogue with that nation, a 
policy approach it advocates. However, North Korea is a shrewd 
negotiating partner. It is essential for the Obama administration to 
hold close talks with Japan, using a "smart power" approach, in 
realizing pending issues which the previous Clinton and Bush 
administrations have failed to achieve. 
 
Relations between Tokyo and Pyongyang improved with Prime Minister 
Koizumi's visit to North Korea on September 17, 2002, as the 
occasion. However, Japan has yet to realize its minimum goal of the 
North returning all abductees and their families. 
 
The nuclear issue is very important from the perspective of 
maintaining security. However, in order to normalize ties with North 
Korea, it is indispensable to settle not only the nuclear issue but 
also the abduction issue. A vague settlement of the abduction issue 
is unforgivable. Japan must continue to put pressure on that 
nation. 
 
ZUMWALT