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P 200052Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
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RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4376
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4267

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 000624 
 
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 03/20/09 
 
Index: 
 
North Korea problem: 
1) Diplomatic source: North Korea in final stage of readying for 
missile launch, with fuel trucks moving to site  (Sankei) 
2) US commanders: North Korea readying new type of medium-range 
missile  (Sankei) 
3) US commanders: North Korea's missiles could reach Okinawa and 
Alaska: "Cannot disregard the threat"  (Nikkei) 
4) Japanese public to be warned by J-ALERT about approaching North 
Korean missile, but most areas in danger not covered by system 
(Nikkei) 
5) Government mulling additional sanctions on North Korea but effect 
may be limited  (Asahi) 
 
Anti-piracy operations: 
6) MSDF vessels sent to waters off Somalia to deal with piracy will 
be there and operational March 30  (Yomiuri) 
7) Japan to sign pact with Djibouti in order to carry out 
anti-piracy operations from that county  (Nikkei) 
8) Democratic Party of Japan in own report on anti-piracy bill wants 
government to use the Japan Coast Guard and not the SDF for overseas 
operations  (Yomiuri) 
 
9) Debate again starts in the UN over expansion of the Security 
Council  (Yomiuri) 
 
10) IMF gives Japan one of its lowest estimates ever, minus 5.8 
PERCENT  economic growth in 2009  (Yomiuri) 
 
11) Ruling camp ready to spend 300 billion yen for job creation in 
regions of Japan  (Yomiuri) 
 
12) Questioning of DPJ head Ozawa by prosecutors in connection with 
his secretary's arrest will be postponed  (Nikkei) 
 
13) Popular weekly reaches conciliation with protesting former U.S. 
embassy employee over phony charges appearing in the magazine 
(Asahi) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) Fuel tank lorries moving around missile site; N. Korea in final 
phase of readiness to launch missile 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Abridged) 
March 20, 2009 
 
North Korea has been preparing to launch an advanced type of the 
Taepodong-2, a long-range ballistic missile, as a "satellite." Tank 
lorries carrying fuel needed to launch a missile began moving 
earlier this month to the east side of a launch pad at Musudanri in 
that country's northeastern North Hamkyong Province, the Sankei 
Shimbun learned yesterday from sources familiar with Japan-U.S. 
diplomatic relations. When North Korea launched missiles in 1998 and 
2006 as well, tank lorries began to move around about 20 days before 
missile launches. The recent busy moves of those fuel-carrying 
vehicles prove that North Korea is now in the final phase of its 
readiness to launch a "satellite" between April 4 and 8 as it has 
announced. 
 
According to the sources, U.S. reconnaissance satellites, which are 
 
TOKYO 00000624  002 OF 009 
 
 
watching developments in North Korea, have closely captured tank 
lorries carrying rocket engine propellant. 
 
The new Taepodong-2 missile with a longer range was carried out of a 
factory near Pyongyang, North Korea, around Feb. 8, and it was 
loaded into a freight train and was moved to Musudanri. At that 
time, it was also confirmed that a nearby road was under 
construction for expansion. 
 
Around mid-February, a missile tracking and controlling radar 
facility was located in an area north of the launch pad and a 
fueling facility was also set up on the east side of it. In late 
February, several fueling-carrying tank lorries were confirmed as 
they were moving around the launch pad. The fuel was carried to the 
fueling facility. "They have now only to pipe fuel into the missile 
from the fueling facility before launching it," a source said. 
 
It also seems that the launch pad was stretched and the missile's 
fuel tank was enlarged for a longer range at the same time. 
Furthermore, tank lorries began earlier this month to show busy 
moves near Musudanri, according to the sources. 
 
2) N. Korea deploying new intermediate-range missile: U.S. 
commander 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
Hideya Yamamoto, Washington 
 
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Sharp, testifying before the U.S. Senate 
Armed Services Committee on March 19, revealed that North Korea is 
now in deploying a new intermediate-range ballistic missile covering 
Okinawa, Guam, and Alaska. 
 
The new missile is believed to be different from the long-range 
ballistic missile that North Korea is currently preparing to 
launch. 
 
U.S. forces will hurry up their forward deployment of weapons to 
intercept missiles in their post-boost phase and will also deploy a 
missile defense (MD) system to Guam on a priority basis. However, 
the testimony indicates that the threat of North Korea's ballistic 
missiles is mounting. 
 
USFK Commander Sharp avoided referring to the current state of this 
intermediate-range ballistic missile's deployment. However, he 
warned of the long-range ballistic missile, saying: "They are 
continuing their development and familiarization of systems 
including longer-range strike capabilities." In addition, he 
criticized North Korea for its missile exports to Syria and Iran. 
 
As the U.S. military's readiness to intercept missiles, Sharp cited 
land- and sea-launched intercept missiles. In addition, he also 
cited the effectiveness of laser weapons as "light-speed weapons 
aiming at ballistic missiles in their initial phase." 
 
Pacific Command (PACOM) Commander Keating, also in his testimony 
before the committee, stated that the U.S. military would reinforce 
its MD system in Guam. He showed strong confidence in intercepting 
ballistic missiles with the U.S. military's current capabilities. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000624  003 OF 009 
 
 
3) North Korean missile can reach Okinawa, Alaska 
 
NIKKEI (Page 6) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
Hiroshi Maruya, Washington 
 
General Walter Sharp, commander of U.S. Forces in Korea, yesterday 
presented a written statement to the Senate Armed Services 
Committee, in which he revealed that North Korea currently has 
deployed a new model intermediate ballistic missile with a range 
that can reach Okinawa, Guam, and Alaska. The statement also 
indicated that the DPRK is also continuing to develop a long-range 
intercontinental ballistic missile. Sharp pointed out that the 
purpose of Pyongyang's missile program is to expand its influence in 
the region, as well as to secure foreign currency. He expressed a 
strong sense of alarm, calling the missiles a "threat that cannot be 
overlooked." 
 
It was the first time for a top U.S. military brass to specifically 
state the range of a North Korean missile on an official occasion. 
 
North Korea has announced that it will conduct a long-range 
ballistic missile test between Aril 4 and 8. 
 
4) Most of municipalities where North Korean "satellite" may fly 
over not equipped with J-ALERT system 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
March 20, 2009 
 
Most of local areas where a North Korean "satellite" may fly over 
are not equipped with the J-ALERT instantaneous alarm system 
involving the wireless anti-disaster system and satellites, it 
became clear yesterday. The ill-preparedness of the central and 
local governments might pose a problem in responding to an emergency 
situation. 
 
The J-ALERT is an alarm system designed to provide instantaneous 
notification of natural disasters, terrorist attacks and the like 
through loud speakers at various parts of Japan via the Fire and 
Disaster Management Agency and satellites. The system became 
operational in February 2007. 
 
It has become clear that municipalities in Akita Prefecture where a 
North Korean "satellite" may fly over are not equipped with this 
system. In Iwate Prefecture, only five out of 35 municipalities have 
this system. The prefectural side said: "Upon receiving information, 
we will send fax messages to the municipalities and make 
accouchements via the anti-disaster wireless system." But such a 
step might delay evacuation. 
 
As of March 1, 43 prefectures or 183 municipalities -- about 10 
PERCENT  of the total -- were equipped with the J-ALERT. Of them, 
only 102 municipalities have the facilities linked to outdoors 
speakers that can automatically make announcements. 
 
5) North Korean missile: Call for additional sanctions gaining 
ground in government; Limited effect expected 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
TOKYO 00000624  004 OF 009 
 
 
 
Prime Minister Aso on March 19 referred to the possibility of the 
Japanese government toughening its own sanctions against North Korea 
in the event the nation launches a ballistic missile. Since many 
sanctions have already been imposed on the nation, the effect of 
additional functions will presumably be limited. Even so, many 
government officials take the position that Japan should impose 
additional sanctions in order to express its protest. 
 
Concerning the government's possible response to such a launch, 
Prime Minister Aso at a meeting of the Upper House Budget Committee 
the same day said, "I would like to make a decision from an overall 
perspective, including further strengthening Japan's own 
sanctions." 
 
Following the launch of missiles and the implementation of a nuclear 
test by North Korea in 2006, the government is now imposing its own 
sanctions and sanctions based on a UN resolution. 
 
Among sanctions Japan is imposing independently, six-month terms for 
a ban on port calls by North Korean vessels and a ban on imports of 
goods from North Korea have already been extended four times. The 
fifth due date for those sanctions will come on April 13. It will 
likely be unavoidable to extend the due date for the fifth time. 
 
The term of the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) Special Committee 
on Measure to Address the Abduction Issue will be extended from the 
current six months to over one year. The panel has also compiled a 
set of additional sanctions, which include a total ban on exports to 
that nation, as well as the existing ban on imports, and submitted 
it to Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura on March 18. 
 
Assuming that deliberations on the legislation could encounter 
complications due to the divided Diet, it does not include sanctions 
that require amendments to related laws or new legal preparations. 
It only incorporates realistic proposals that can be handled under 
the existing legal system. 
 
In the event the government imposes additional sanctions, it will 
most likely do so, based on the panel proposals. However, a senior 
Foreign Ministry official said, "Additional sanctions will not give 
any new pains to the nation." 
 
Exports to North Korea stood at 5.1 billion yen in 2006. However, 
the amount dropped to 800 million yen in 2008. Such an amount this 
year is less than 30 million yen as of January. Exports of used 
bicycles and refrigerators, which were once main export items, have 
been stalled since June last year. The LDP plan includes a de facto 
ban on crewmembers of foreign vessels that violated the financial 
sanctions and the export and import sanctions financial sanctions 
from disembarking. However, those subject to such bans are in fact 
extremely limited. 
 
Even so, one panel member said, "If Japan takes the lead in 
toughening a stance to that nation, it would become able to face 
North Korea, displaying leadership in the international community." 
 
There is concern that North Korea could stiffen its approach to such 
issues as the abductions of Japanese nationals by its agents. 
However, Japan-North Korean relations have already cooled off. A 
government official said, "Additional functions will have no major 
impact." The government sees that since the launch of a missile by 
 
TOKYO 00000624  005 OF 009 
 
 
North Korea will affect Japan most, neither the U.S., South Korea 
nor China will come up with a negative stance toward Japan 
intensifying its sanctions. 
 
6) MSDF convoy to start operating around March 30 off Somalia 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
The Maritime Self-Defense Force will start its antipiracy mission in 
waters off the eastern coast of Somalia in African around March 30 
to escort Japanese merchant ships with two destroyers, Takashi 
Saito, chief of the Self-Defense Forces' Joint Staff Office, told a 
news conference yesterday at the Defense Ministry. The two MSDF 
destroyers, Sazanami and Samidare, are now heading south in the 
South China Sea. Their arrival in waters off Oman, initially 
expected to be around April 5, will likely be about a week earlier 
if they continue to proceed smoothly, the top brass officer said. 
 
7) Government to conclude SOFA with Djibouti for SDF personnel on 
anti-piracy mission; P-3Cs also to be dispatched 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
The government has decided to conclude as early as later this month 
a status of forces agreement (SOFA) with Djibouti where the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force (MSDF) will be based on an anti-piracy mission in 
waters off Somalia. The step is for the planned deployment of P-3C 
patrol planes in April or later, in addition to the destroyers that 
are already on their way to waters off Somalia. It will be the SDF's 
second SOFA for an overseas mission, following one with Kuwait on 
reconstruction assistance in that country. 
 
The government dispatched two MSDF destroyers on March 14 by 
invoking the maritime policing provision under existing legislation. 
The government also plans to dispatch P-3Cs in April or later to 
protect Japanese vessels from pirates by having them keep watch from 
the air in collaboration with the destroyers. 
 
The P-3Cs are scheduled to use a Djibouti airport. This entails SDF 
personnel responsible for repairing and related work to station in 
Djibouti. The SDF personnel assigned to the destroyers will also 
stay in Djibouti. Given the situation, the government has recognized 
the need to conclude a SOFA to guarantee the legal status of the SDF 
personnel in Djibouti. 
 
8) DPJ interim report calls for JCG's main role in anti-piracy 
measures and prior Diet approval 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) foreign affairs and defense 
division begun discussing the anti-piracy legislation presented by 
the government, and produced an interim report yesterday noting that 
the Japan Coast Guard (JCG), rather than the Self-Defense Forces, 
should play a main role in addressing piracy. 
 
The party plans to determine whether to support or oppose the 
legislation after monitoring deliberations at the House of 
Representatives anti-piracy special committee. 
 
TOKYO 00000624  006 OF 009 
 
 
 
The legislation specifies a report to the Diet after invoking the 
maritime policing provision. Meanwhile, the DPJ report mentions the 
need of prior Diet approval. In the meeting, many members expressed 
negative views about the SDF dispatch. 
 
But Deputy President Seiji Maehara took this view: "We should study 
the JCG's actual situation a little more and discuss the matter in 
line with the actual circumstances." 
 
Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said: "We have no intention of 
rejecting (the legislation) outright. Adopting the legislation after 
amending it is one option." The DPJ intends to consider measures, 
including revising the government-presented bill and making a 
counter proposal. 
 
9) Argument to expand UNSC membership; Japan hopes U.S. will change 
stance 
 
ASAHI (Page 6) (Abridged slightly) 
March 20, 2009 
 
Kayo Matsushita, New York 
 
Discussion of reform of the United Nations Security Council, which 
has been moribund since 2005, has now resumed. 
Government-to-government talks started in February in an informal 
full session of the UN General Assembly. Substantial consultations 
were launched this month over the contents of UNSC reform. 
 
The second round of consultations on the UNSC reform was held on 
March 4-5. About 80 countries presented their own views on how many 
UNSC seats should be added. 
 
Japan, Germany, India and Brazil -- the so-called Group of 4 (G-4) - 
are all aiming at securing permanent UNSC seats and are insisting 
that the number of permanent and non-permanent members should be 
expanded. Italy, a member of the "Uniting for Consensus" or an 
anti-G4 group calling for an expansion of only the two-year term 
UNSC non-permanent seats, proposed expanding the tenure of 
non-permanent seats to more than three years or establishing a new 
UNSC membership, which would allow some to be reelected. Some 
concessions were seen in Italy's proposal. 
 
The government-to-government talks launched in February is a fresh 
start to come up with a realistic reform plan by upgrading reform 
discussion to the General Assembly-level. Previously, talks had gone 
round and round in circles for more than 15 years at the working 
level, and decisions required a unanimous vote. In the wake of 
growing dissatisfaction with the long time standoff, Macedonia, 
currently chairing UNGA, decided on holding the 
government-to-government talks at the end of the preview session, in 
the face of resistance by the Uniting for Consensus. 
 
There is no major change in the basic positions of each group, 
compared with 2005. However, there are moves seeking compromises. 
 
Among the G4 countries, Germany has taken a positive stance toward a 
compromise plan. In Japan, which has insisted that its aim is to 
become a permanent UNSC member, many politicians and experts support 
a compromise plan. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000624  007 OF 009 
 
 
With the inauguration of the administration of U.S. President Barack 
Obama, who has a strong interest in UNSC reform, some observers 
predict that there will be a change in the situation. 
 
During his election campaign, President Obama said that he would 
seriously consider a proposal renewing the composition of the UNSC 
members. Japanese Ambassador to the UN Yukio Takasu has expressed 
his hopes for change in stance of the U.S. administration. He said: 
"The UNSC members probably think that there is no need to change the 
present composition. However, they, including the U.S., can no 
longer ignore views expressing dissatisfaction." 
 
The General Assembly will hold concentrated discussion on such 
subjects as the contents of reform, including the scale of an 
expansion, as well as the veto right. 
 
10) IMF projects 5.8 PERCENT  dip in Japan's growth 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on March 19 released the data 
it had submitted to the meeting of finance ministers and central 
bank governors from the Group of Twenty Nations (G-20), held in 
Horsham in a suburb of London last weekend. The IMF in the report 
projected the growth of the global economy to be between minus 0.5 
PERCENT  and minus 1.0 PERCENT . In its global economic outlook as 
of January, the IMF exstimated 0.5 PERCENT  growth, the lowest in 
the postwar period. However, it has revised the figure downward, 
based on the slowdown in leading countries. 
 
It also substantially revised downward its projection for the growth 
of the Japanese economy in 2009 from minus 2.6 PERCENT  as estimated 
in January to minus 5.8 PERCENT . Its projection for the growth of 
the Japanese economy in 2010 is minus 0.2 PERCENT  -- negative 
projection for three consecutive years starting in 2008. 
 
It also downgraded its projection for the growth of the U.S. economy 
in 2009 from minus 1.6 PERCENT  projected in January to minus 2.6 
PERCENT . Likewise, its projection for the growth of eurozone 
economies in the same year has been revised downward from minus 2.0 
PERCENT  to minus 3.2 PERCENT . In the meantime, the data estimate 
slightly positive growth in 2010 -- 0.2 PERCENT  for the U.S. 
economy and 0.1 PERCENT  for eurozone economies. 
 
11) Additional 300 billion yen for job creation in local regions: 
Ruling parties' additional measure to be included in extra budget 
 
YOMIURI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
March 20, 2009 
 
The ruling parties' New Employment Measures Project Team, chaired by 
Jiro Kawasaki, a former labor minister, compiled on March 19 
additional emergency employment measures featuring a 300 billion 
dollar increase to fund creation of a livelihood support benefit 
system. The program would target job seekers now receiving 
vocational training and assist emergency job creation projects being 
implemented by local governments. The package will likely cover the 
next three years. The envisaged project scale is roughly 1.6 
trillion yen. The government plans to include the package in the 
fiscal 2009 supplementary budget. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000624  008 OF 009 
 
 
A livelihood support benefit worth between 100,000 yen and 120,000 
yen will target jobless persons who are receiving vocational 
training. The aim is to help them find jobs. Those who are not 
covered by employment insurance and those whose eligibility for an 
unemployment benefit has expired will be eligible. Approximately one 
million people are expected to benefit from the system. The 
government will set up a fund worth several hundred billion yen to 
finance the system. 
 
A 900 billion yen budgetary framework has thus far been established 
in the previous job creation package for state-funded job creation 
projects to be implemented by each local government, including the 
cleaning of parks and the reforestation. The government has decided 
to provide 300 billion yen as an additional measure. 
 
12) Prosecutors forgo questioning Ozawa over Nishimatsu scandal 
 
NIKKEI (Page 1) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
It was revealed yesterday by investigative sources that the special 
investigation squad of the Tokyo Public Prosecutors Office would 
likely forgo summoning Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President 
Ichiro Ozawa for questioning over the allegation that his political 
fund management organization received illegal donations from 
Nishimatsu Construction Co. Reportedly Ozawa's involvement in the 
scandal was not proved in the process of investigations into Ozawa's 
first state-paid secretary Takanori Okubo, who has been arrested on 
suspicion of violating the Political Funds Control Law. 
 
The special investigation squad had looked into the possibility of 
summoning Ozawa for questioning while watching the progress of the 
investigations. Since Okubo has denied the allegation, investigation 
authorities appear to have inclined to the judgment that there was 
no need for hearing him, since there was no evidence that showed 
Ozawa's involvement in the case. 
 
The Political Funds Control Law states that if the representative of 
a political group ignores due responsibility for selecting and 
supervising a chief accountant, the representative will be fined 
500,000 yen or less. Although Ozawa is the representative of his 
political management organization "Rikuzankai," the prosecutors 
appear to have judged it difficult to call on Ozawa to assume 
criminal responsibility. 
 
Ozawa explained in a press conference: "The donations from political 
groups have been properly handled." He then said that if he was 
requested to be summoned for questioning, "I will discuss anytime 
with anybody as much as possible." 
 
13) Shukan Shincho reaches money-payment reconciliation with male 
who protested articles about attack on Asahi Shimbun, a de facto 
admission that the stories were false 
 
ASAHI (Page 39) (Excerpts) 
March 20, 2009 
 
Regarding the issue of the popular weekly Shukan Shincho having 
published the handwritten notes of on Masanori Shimamura (65), who 
claimed to have carried out the attack on the Hanshin bureau of 
Asahi Shimbun (May, 1987), the publisher Shinchosha on March 19 
reached reconciliation with a former employee of the U.S. Embassy in 
 
TOKYO 00000624  009 OF 009 
 
 
Japan who had protested that the charge in the articles that he 
masterminded the crime was "baseless." The male, interviewed by 
Asahi Shimbun, said, "We reached an out of court settlement because 
(Shinchosha) took seriously my protest that I was never involved in 
that incident, and responded with a sincere stance that I found 
convincing." The contents of the out of court settlement were not 
released, but reportedly the male was paid an amount of money. 
 
According to the series of four articles that ran in Shukan Shincho 
starting in early January, Shimamura testified that he had been 
ordered by this male to attack Asahi Shimbun and that he carried out 
a series of incidents, including the attack on the Hanshin bureau. 
In response to the man's protest that he had had no connection with 
these incidents, Shinchosha undertook to resolve the issue with 
money, admitting in effect that the articles were false. When asked 
by Asahi Shimbun whether the out of court settlement was an 
admission (the reports were false), the editorial staff of Shukan 
Shincho replied in writing that it had no comment and would not at 
all reply to the inquiry. 
 
ZUMWALT