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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 000320 
 
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 02/10/09 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Poll on Aso cabinet, political parties (Asahi) 
 
(2) BBC-Yomiuri poll: The world still giving high marks to Japan 
(Yomiuri) 
 
(3) Editorial: Removing "Buy American" provision is U.S. President's 
duty (Sankei) 
 
(4) Men in uniform back up Obama administration (Sankei) 
 
(5) Defense Ministry official reveals plan for Japan to bear cost of 
constructing operating base in Guam (Akahata) 
 
(6) DPJ to decide Feb. 10 on candidates for Lower House election; 
Some members unhappy with party's policy of giving priority to 
coalition of other opposition parties (Yomiuri) 
 
(7) Study of DPJ (Part 1): No way in sight for building political 
leadership; Ozawa says, "Priority on victory elections (Nikkei) 
 
(8) To help prevent global warming, Japan to propose to UN creation 
of a body of technology-transfer experts to advise developing 
countries on cutting emissions (Nikkei) 
 
There will be no Daily Summary on February 11 - a Japanese holiday. 
 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Poll on Aso cabinet, political parties 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 10, 2009 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures shown in percentage, rounded off. Figures in parentheses 
denote the results of the last survey conducted Jan. 10-11, 2009.) 
 
Q: Do you support the Aso cabinet? 
 
Yes 14 (19) 
No 73 (67) 
 
Q: Which political party do you support now? 
 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 22 (24) 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 25 (24) 
New Komeito (NK) 3 (2) 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 3 (2) 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 1 (1) 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 0 (0) 
Reform Club (RC or Kaikaku Kurabu) 0 (0) 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0 (0) 
Other political parties 0 (0) 
None 43 (40) 
No answer (N/A) + don't know (D/K) 3 (7) 
 
Q: Do you think the House of Representatives should be dissolved as 
early as possible for a general election, or do you otherwise think 
there is no need to hurry? 
 
TOKYO 00000320  002 OF 011 
 
 
 
Dissolve as early as possible 60 (54) 
No need to hurry 31 (35) 
 
Q: If you were to vote now in a general election for the House of 
Representatives, which political party would you vote for in your 
proportional representation bloc? 
 
LDP 22 (25) 
DPJ 42 (38) 
NK 3 (3) 
JCP 3 (4) 
SDP 1 (1) 
PNP 0 (0) 
RC 0 (0) 
NPN 0 (0) 
Other political parties 1 (1) 
N/A+D/K 28 (28) 
 
Q: Which one between Prime Minister Aso and DPJ President Ichiro 
Ozawa do you think is more appropriate for prime minister? 
 
Mr. Aso 20 (26) 
Mr. Ozawa 39 (35) 
 
Q: Do you support the idea of raising the consumption tax after 
seeing an economic turnaround? 
 
Yes 45 
No 47 
 
Q: The government has presented a bill which will prepare the 
government by fiscal 2011 to raise the consumption tax. However, the 
government has yet to decide when to raise the consumption tax. The 
government has now waived its decision on when to raise the 
consumption tax. Do you think this is appropriate? 
 
Yes 67 
No 21 
 
Q: Do you appreciate Prime Minister Aso's approach for the 
consumption tax? 
 
Yes 15 
No 72 
 
Q: Concerning the way of business corporations, there is a view 
insisting that management should sacrifice job security to a certain 
extent for the sake of business profit, and there is also a view 
insisting that management should sacrifice business profit to a 
certain extent for the sake of job security. Do you think business 
profit should come before job security for business corporations, or 
do you otherwise think job security should come before business 
profit? 
 
Business profit 20 
Job security 69 
 
Q: There is a view insisting on work sharing, which shortens each 
employee's working hours to share jobs for job security. Fewer 
working hours will decrease each employee's earnings, but there will 
be more employees. Do you support this idea? 
 
TOKYO 00000320  003 OF 011 
 
 
 
Yes 68 
No 19 
 
Q: There is a view insisting that business corporations should lower 
working conditions for regular workers in order to improve those for 
nonregular workers like temporary and part-time workers. Do you 
support this idea? 
 
Yes 32 
No 51 
 
Q: Do you think the government should totally prohibit the amakudari 
("descent from heaven") practice of retired bureaucrats moving into 
public corporations or private businesses? 
 
Yes 80 
No 15 
 
Q: The government has decided to prohibit its ministries and 
agencies from offering amakudari placements for retired or retiring 
bureaucrats. Instead, the government has also decided to set up a 
placement center within three years. Prime Minister Aso has 
clarified that he would move up this schedule to next year. Do you 
appreciate this course of action? 
 
Yes 55 
No 30 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Feb. 7-8 over the 
telephone on a computer-aided random digit dialing (RDD) basis. 
Respondents were chosen from among the nation's voting population on 
a three-stage random-sampling basis. Valid answers were obtained 
from 2,036 persons (58 PERCENT ). 
 
(2) BBC-Yomiuri poll: The world still giving high marks to Japan 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 8, 2009 
 
The Yomiuri Shimbun and BBC, a British-based broadcaster, conducted 
a joint poll in 21 countries and asked respondents if they thought 
Japan has had a "good impact" on the world. To this question, a 
total of 56 PERCENT  answered "yes." However, 23 PERCENT  of the 
respondents said Japan has had a "bad impact" on the world. The 
question was asked about 16 countries and international 
organizations that have an influence on the world in the political, 
economic, and security areas. Among countries with a good impact, 
Germany ranked top at 61 PERCENT , Britain at 58 PERCENT , and 
Canada at 57 PERCENT , followed by Japan. In a poll almost a year 
ago, as well, Japan's "good impact" rating was 56 PERCENT , ranking 
at the top with Germany. This time, Japan slipped but remained 
high. 
 
Among countries with a "bad impact," Iran was ranked at the top with 
55 PERCENT , followed by Pakistan at 53 PERCENT , and Israel at 51 
PERCENT . North Korea's "bad impact" rating was 48 PERCENT , and its 
"good impact" rating was 20 PERCENT . 
 
When it comes to the United States, its "good impact" rating was 40 
PERCENT , with its "bad impact" rating at 43 PERCENT . With the 
Obama administration coming into office, the figures for the United 
 
TOKYO 00000320  004 OF 011 
 
 
States have improved from its previous 35 PERCENT  good and 47 
PERCENT  bad impact ratings. 
 
The poll was conducted from November last year through February this 
year on a face-to-face or telephone interview basis. The Yomiuri 
Shimbun covered Japan. 
 
(3) Editorial: Removing "Buy American" provision is U.S. President's 
duty 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 10, 2009 
 
The U.S. Senate will take a vote on an economic stimulus bill 
designed to revitalize the U.S. economy possibly on Feb. 10. For the 
administration of President Barack Obama, the bill is a touchstone 
that will affect its management. 
 
Besides economic stimulus measures such as tax cuts and 
infrastructure investment, the stimulus bill contains a serious 
problem, that is, a "Buy American" provision, which requires the 
U.S. government to use only U.S.-made products for public works 
projects. The House of Representatives, which has already given 
approval to the bill, has designated only iron and steel products as 
subject to obligatory procurement, but the Senate has expanded the 
scope of the requirement to include all industrial products. 
 
A matter of concern is that the Obama administration has not 
expressed its definite opposition to this protectionist move in the 
U.S. Congress. In response to accusing voices from Japan and 
European countries, President Obama emphasized the importance of 
abiding by the World Trade Organization's (WTO) agreements, but he 
stopped short of criticizing the provision itself. 
 
The Senate agreed to require that the provision should be "applied 
in a manner consistent with U.S. obligations under international 
agreements." Even so, the provision is still in the bill. If the 
bill is approved in the Senate, both houses will start work to 
coordinate views to iron out differences to come up with a unified 
bill. 
 
Unless the provision was removed, global trade and investment flows 
might be undermined. President Obama, who has the right to veto, 
should urge Congress to delete the provision in a resolute manner. 
 
This provision has been exposed to criticism, because it could grow 
the ongoing global recession into a great depression similar to the 
one in the 1930s. In 1933, the U.S. enacted the Buy American Act to 
obligate the U.S. government to favor U.S. products for its 
contracts. This U.S. move prompted many other countries to take 
retaliatory acts. As a result, the depression became more serious, 
and World War II eventually broke out. We must not allow such a 
disaster to occur again. 
 
Free trade brings about international competition, and as a result, 
less competitive industries go into a decline, and an increasing 
number of people lose their jobs. But global competition is 
indisputably the source to general new industries and to renovate 
technologies. Free and active trade will help vitalize developing 
countries' economies and enrich their people's livelihoods. Postwar 
history proves this. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000320  005 OF 011 
 
 
The 20 countries and region that participated in the financial 
summit last November pledged not to set any new trade barriers over 
the next year. The U.S. has a responsibility to fulfill this promise 
on its own initiative. Aware of this responsibility, President Obama 
should apply pressure to Congress to delete the provision. 
 
(4) Men in uniform back up Obama administration 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Excerpts) 
February 10, 2009 
 
By Hiroyuki Noguchi 
 
The Obama administration has appointed James Jones, a former Supreme 
Allied Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
and a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general, as 
assistant to the President for national security affairs. This 
should be a model for Japan in making personnel appointments. 
 
Jones bears the heavy responsibility of bringing together such 
strong personalities as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice 
President Joseph Biden, and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates 
regarding responses to the pressing situations in Afghanistan and 
Iraq. 
 
A veteran of the Vietnam War, Jones retired from active duty after 
40 years of service. In January 2003, he became the first Marine 
Corps general to serve as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. At the 
time, NATO was facing the severest political crisis since its 
establishment as France and Germany had announced that they would 
not join the Iraq war. Jones' efforts to improve relations with them 
have earned him a high reputation. He has become a key presidential 
aide in less than two years after retiring from the U.S. Marine 
Corps in February 2007. 
 
Further, Dennis Blair, former commander-in-chief of the Pacific 
Command and retired Navy Adm. has become director of National 
Intelligence who controls 16 intelligence organizations, including 
the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Defense Intelligence 
Agency (DIA). Presidential aides include not only military veterans 
but also personnel in active service. (Obama's predecessor) 
President George W. Bush named Lieutenant General Douglas Lute as 
Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for 
Iraq and Afghanistan. 
 
As seen from this, men in uniform back up politics in the United 
States. Through my research, I have found that 17 generals are on 
loan to such bodies as the White House Military Office, Office of 
the Director of National Intelligence, National Counterterrorism 
Center, CIA, National Security Agency/Central Security Service, 
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and National Reconnaissance 
Office, in addition to the National Security Council (NSC). 
 
In Japan, prime ministerial secretaries are appointed mainly from 
lawmakers, but there are no Self-Defense Force officials who 
directly assist the prime minister. 
 
In the United States, 20 - 30 PERCENT  of Senators and 
Representatives served in the military in the past. They are now 
actively working in the diplomatic and security fields. In Japan, 
only two Diet members are former SDF officers. The prime minister 
and defense minister require SDF officers' assistance, for the 
 
TOKYO 00000320  006 OF 011 
 
 
legislative and executive branches are made up of military 
amateurs. 
 
In the French military, which is closer to Japan than to the U.S. 
military in size, 16 brass officers are serving at key government 
security offices. 
 
In Germany, eight brass officers hold major security posts. 
 
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen visited 
India and Pakistan in the first week of December. In the wake of 
massive terrorist attacks in Mumbai, his mission was to discuss 
remedial measures with the presidents and national security 
authorities of the two countries in order to prevent India-Pakistan 
relations from being deteriorated. This is tantamount to the Chief 
of Staff, Joint Staff, visiting North Korea and South Korea to 
encourage them to ease tensions, which is not allowed by the 
Japanese government. 
 
Japanese lawmakers rely on bureaucrats in mapping out foreign 
security polities, but they do not draw on the expertise of SDF 
personnel. A lack of a system allowing policymakers to have direct 
access to the insights of SDF officers prevents the government from 
making a swift decision in a national crisis. 
 
The political system that does not allow the appointment of SDF 
members to key posts testifies to the absence of confidence in the 
primacy of politics over the military. 
 
(5) Defense Ministry official reveals plan for Japan to bear cost of 
constructing operating base in Guam 
 
AKAHATA (Page 2) (Full) 
February 7, 2009 
 
It was learned yesterday that the Japanese government was planning 
to foot the bill for constructing a base for an air combat team 
under the plan of transferring U.S. Marines in Okinawa to Guam. 
Defense Ministry's Defense Policy Bureau Director General Nobushige 
Takamizawa revealed this plan in replying to a question by Japanese 
Communist Party member Seiken Akamine during a House of 
Representatives Budget Committee meeting yesterday. Akamine 
assailed: "Your explanation is different from what the government 
has explained so far. It is impermissible that tax money will be 
used to strengthen a foreign military's base outside the nation." 
 
The Japanese government has announced that it will bear only the 
costs of constructing such facilities as a headquarters building, 
housing as well as school buildings and will not pay for facilities 
for combat units." 
 
Takamizawa replied: "Is necessary to build a facility for air combat 
team members to exercise with Marines in Andersen Air Force Base in 
northern Guam. The Japanese government will undertake an 
infrastructure construction project." He also revealed plans to 
improve infrastructure at Apra Harbor in western Guam. 
 
Akamine criticized the infrastructure construction plan for the 
Andersen base as "indisputably tantamount to building the base of 
the air combat unit." Further, pointing out that Apra Harbor is a 
spot for landing craft utilities and amphibious assault ships to 
reach, Akamine argued: "Japan is about to pay for the U.S. 
 
TOKYO 00000320  007 OF 011 
 
 
government to reinforce its military bases on Guam in a bid to make 
the island of Guam a hub base, like Hawaii and Okinawa. ... When the 
nation's economy is sinking deeper and its job market is in a state 
of collapse, the government is about to use tax money for the U.S. 
plan to reinforce its military bases." 
 
(6) DPJ to decide Feb. 10 on candidates for Lower House election; 
Some members unhappy with party's policy of giving priority to 
coalition of other opposition parties 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
February 8, 2009 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the largest opposition force, 
will decide on Feb. 10 on a third group of its candidates for the 
next general election of the House of Representatives. The DPJ will 
officially endorse about 260 candidates, including other opposition 
candidates to whom it has given recommendations. Assuming that the 
Lower House will be dissolved for a snap election in April 
immediately after the Diet passage of a fiscal 2009 budget, DPJ 
President Ichiro Ozawa will soon narrow down the priority 
single-seat constituencies. 
 
The DPJ has so far officially endorsed 239 candidates and has 
unofficially decided 23 candidates. It looks now that the party will 
officially endorse most of the 23 candidates, following the 
selection of the third group of its candidates on Feb. 10. 
 
However, Ozawa intends to shake up the ruling parties by not 
clarifying the electoral district for which he will run until around 
when the Lower House is dissolved. Therefore, the DPJ plans not to 
decide on candidates for the Iwate No. 4 electoral district, which 
Ozawa now represents, the Tokyo No. 12 district, for which New 
Komeito leader Akihiro Ota will run, and the Hyogo No. 8 district, 
in which former New Komeito Secretary General Tetsuzo Fuyushiba will 
stand. 
 
The DPJ has decided to recommend candidates of other opposition 
parties (including independent candidates) in 22 single-seat 
constituencies. In addition, The DPJ and Social Democratic Party 
(SDP) have decided to jointly recommend an independent candidate to 
run in the Toyama No. 3 electoral district race. The outlook is that 
there will ultimately about 10 electoral districts for which the DPJ 
will file no candidate. The 10 electoral districts include the Gunma 
No. 4 district, which is now represented by former Prime Minister 
Yasuo Fukuda. 
 
Ozawa has expressed strong enthusiasm for the coalition of 
opposition parties. When choosing a candidate for the Toyama No. 3 
constituency, Ozawa gave priority to cooperation between the DPJ and 
SDP over the candidate picked by the DPJ Toyama prefectural chapter. 
In the Miyazaki No. 1 district, as well, although an independent 
candidate wanted to be endorsed by the DPJ, the party decided, in 
accordance with Ozawa's wish, to recommend a single candidate along 
with other opposition parties. Forgoing fielding its own candidates 
in some electoral districts in the prefectures of Akita, Yamagata, 
Kagawa, Ehime, Saga and Kumamoto, the DPJ has built a system for 
election cooperation with the SDP in which the two parties mutually 
recommend each other's candidates. As to why Ozawa in particular 
places priority on election cooperation with the SDP, Ozawa's aide 
explained, saying: 
 
 
TOKYO 00000320  008 OF 011 
 
 
"There are unions supporting the DPJ or SDP in the National 
Confederation of Trade Unions (Rengo). If the two parties form joint 
front, Rengo's organizational power will double or triple." 
 
A senior SDP member also said: "It is the first time for the SDP to 
build such a convenient formation for an election. I thank Mr. 
Ozawa." 
 
However, there is also smoldering discontent among party members. A 
senior prefectural chapter member in the Tohoku region, which gave 
up filing its candidate in order to recommend a candidate on the SDP 
ticket, said: "As there are many conservatives among supporters in 
our prefecture, they will not vote for SDP candidates. The LDP will 
triumph in the end. Those who are unhappy with the party's decision 
might throw a hat in the race." 
 
(7) Study of DPJ (Part 1): No way in sight for building political 
leadership; Ozawa says, "Priority on victory elections 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 10, 2009 
 
With the Aso cabinet and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 
suffering setbacks, the major opposition Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ) is now eyeing taking over the reins of government by winning 
the next House of Representatives election. Due to the ongoing 
global economic hardship, further political turmoil will have an 
immense impact on the livelihoods of the people. Will the DPJ 
smoothly be able to take over the reins of government? Will it be 
able to implement its campaign pledges, including reform of the 
central government bureaucracy? The newspaper looked into moves in 
the DPJ to prepare for assumption of power. 
 
"We must focus all our energy to changing the bureaucracy-led 
government into a people's government," DPJ Secretary General Yukio 
Hatoyama said in a speech delivered yesterday in Osaka. He also 
said: "For example, we will ask bureau director general and 
higher-ranking officials to tender their resignations. We would like 
to make sure whether they will carry out our policy." He indicated 
that his party would force bureaucrats to take litmus tests. 
 
There has been a surge in momentum in the DPJ to create a 
transitional government plan. Policy Research Committee Deputy Chair 
Akira Nagatsuma in January asked the party executive to submit ideas 
to Hatoyama. Nagatsuma is looking into a roadmap for an 
administration led by politicians. 
 
The period between the Lower House election and a special Diet 
session, which is convened within 30 days after the election, is 
important for the preparations for a transitional government. DPJ 
President Ichiro Ozawa intends to announce on the day before the 
Lower House election key "Next Cabinet" members, who are candidates 
for new cabinet portfolios. Some DPJ members have proposed setting 
up a transition preparation committee made up of the party executive 
members and prospective candidates for cabinet ministers soon after 
the party wins the snap election, in order to discuss the 
appointments of the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
staff members and senor ministry officials. 
 
Deputy President Naoto Kan also has started drafting his own plan 
for a transitional government. He envisages a policy discussion for 
about one week between the prime minister and prospective candidates 
 
TOKYO 00000320  009 OF 011 
 
 
for cabinet ministers. Kan and other party members share a sense of 
alarm that if preparations are insufficient, the framework of a 
government will be decided under the lead of bureaucrats. 
 
However, when to convene a special Diet session would have been 
decided by the government, that dissolved the Lower House, so a new 
government might have to open the special session even though 
preparations are insufficient. The possibility is strong that there 
won't be enough time for the DPJ to hold policy consultations with 
the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and People's New Party (PNP). 
 
There are many problems to fend off creating a framework for bold 
political leadership. Regarding Ozawa's idea of sending more than 
100 Diet members to a government, for instance, amendments to the 
Cabinet Law and National Administration Organization Law are 
indispensable for increasing the number of senior vice ministers and 
parliamentary secretaries. 
 
As a special Diet session usually runs several days, the DPJ 
envisions holding an extraordinary session about one month after the 
special session. If the formation of a government takes too much 
time, such could invite criticism about creating a political vacuum. 
There is also a view in the party that a system should be devised so 
that things would be changed without legal revisions. 
 
The administration of Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa, launched in 
1993, was busily occupied by consultations on a coalition of non-LDP 
forces. The DPJ compiled in 1998 a report, in which the party judged 
that the Hosokawa administration heavily relied on certain ministry 
bureaucrats. It then asserted that when a government carries out 
drastic structural reform, considerable preparations are required. 
 
On the night of Jan. 15, Ozawa, Kan and Hatoyama got together at a 
Japanese restaurant in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. Kan and Hatoyama 
proposed that Ozawa start making a transitional administration plan, 
but Ozawa has not given them any directions. He has said that top 
priority is to win the election and take over the political reins. 
Ozawa's aide said: "If the framework of the new government has been 
revealed, the prime minister's political hands would be tied. The 
prime minister should have free hands." 
 
When asked reporters about a transition plan after the party 
convention in January, Ozawa pointed out: "When time comes for Lower 
House dissolution, a plan will be necessary." Eventually, Ozawa will 
decide a plan on his own judgment. 
 
(8) To help prevent global warming, Japan to propose to UN creation 
of a body of technology-transfer experts to advise developing 
countries on cutting emissions 
 
NIKKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
February 6, 2009 
 
The government has finalized a new proposal that would create an 
international framework for curbing greenhouse gas emissions 
(post-Kyoto Protocol) to be adopted in 2013. The full text of the 
proposal has been revealed. Japan will ask the United Nations to set 
up a body of experts to help transfer to developing countries the 
technologies needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions. On the question 
of setting a mid-term goal for cutting emissions, Japan will simply 
propose without indicating its own figure that all countries come up 
with reduction levels that can be achieve through self-help 
 
TOKYO 00000320  010 OF 011 
 
 
efforts. 
 
UN talks on the post-Kyoto Protocol framework are slated to end in 
late 2009. The government plans to submit the proposal to the 
secretariat of the Climate Change Convention possibly today. It will 
also submit the proposal at a taskforce meeting to be held in Bonn 
in late March and seek understanding from the concerned countries. 
The secretariat is set to present a specific plan for a post-Kyoto 
framework, based on proposals made by various countries, possibly by 
June. 
 
In the proposal, Japan calls on the UN to set up an advisory group 
to give advice to developing countries regarding what technologies 
are needed in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The envisaged group 
would bring together experts from such key industries as steel, 
electric power and cement in leading countries so as to promote 
technology transfer to developing countries. 
 
Major countries are starting to issue mid-term goals for emissions 
cuts, the major purpose for creating the post-Kyoto framework. 
However, Japan will put off presenting any specific figure. Prime 
Minister Taro Aso at the annual meeting of World Economic Forum 
(Davos Conference) at the end of January announced a plan to reveal 
Japan's mid-term goal by June. 
 
Japan will call on industrialized countries to present emissions 
that can be reduced through their own efforts and start talks based 
on that level. Regarding those portions to be reduced by purchasing 
CO2 emissions credits from abroad, the proposal states that such 
should not be included in the goals. 
 
The EU has put up a mid-term goal of cutting by 2020 greenhouse gas 
emissions by 20 PERCENT  from the 1990 level. It plans to achieve 
one-third of that amount by purchasing emissions credit from abroad. 
Japan's proposal would seem to check such a method. 
 
Detailed rules on emissions quotas to be included in the post-Kyoto 
framework have yet to be set. In order to ensure impartiality, Japan 
has determined that talks should be pursued based on the pure amount 
of emissions to be reduced. 
 
Japan will propose that various countries map out and share a road 
map for the development of new technologies, such as technologies 
for solar energy generation or new nuclear power generation, in 
cooperation with the International Energy Agency (IEA). Emerging 
countries, such as China, are seeking the charge-free disclosure of 
intellectual properties for cutting CO2 emissions. However, the 
package rejects such a request. It maintains that intellectual 
properties should be protected properly in order to support 
sustainable investment in R&D by private companies. 
 
The package also includes proposals that have been made previously: 
(1) concerned countries share a goal of halving the emissions of 
greenhouse gases in the world by 2050; and (2) fast emerging and 
developing countries set obligatory energy-saving goal under the 
post-Kyoto framework. 
 
Points of Japan's new proposals for post-Kyoto Protocol 
 
 Concerned countries share a goal of halving greenhouse gas 
emissions in the world by 2050. 
 Each industrialized country set an emissions cut goal. 
 
TOKYO 00000320  011 OF 011 
 
 
 Industrialized countries set more than one base year in setting a 
reduction goal 
 Industrialized countries discuss pure amount of emissions they can 
reduce first and use purchases of CO2 emission credit from abroad as 
a supplementary means. 
 Fast emerging and developing countries set an energy-saving goal 
 Establish an advisory organ to promote technology transfer 
 
Mid-term goal of key countries (by 2020) 
 
 Base year Goal 
Japan  Under consideration To be released by June 
EU 1990 20 PERCENT 
U.S. 1990 0 PERCENT 
Canada 2006 20 PERCENT 
Australia 2000 5 PERCENT 
(NB) U.S. figures are based on a pledge made by President Obama. 
 
ZUMWALT