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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TOKYO 000628 
 
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 03/20/09 
 
INDEX: 
(1) Fuel tank lorries moving around missile site; N. Korea in final 
phase of readiness to launch missile (Sankei) 
 
(2) Ozawa renews his criticism of prosecutors (Sankei) 
 
(3) Moves of potential successors to Ozawa gradually emerging: Some 
call on Ozawa to honorably step down (Yomiuri) 
 
(4) DPJ hits back at ruling camp; ruling coalition has breathing 
room (Sankei) 
 
(5) U.S. military's deluxe housing to be paid for with Japan's tax 
money (Akahata) 
 
(6) TOP HEADLINES 
 
(7) EDITORIALS 
 
(8) Prime Minister's schedule, March 19 (Nikkei) 
 
(9) Political Cartoon (Sankei) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Fuel tank lorries moving around missile site; N. Korea in final 
phase of readiness to launch missile 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Full) 
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 
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. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000628  002 OF 008 
 
 
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. 
 
The improved model of the Taepodong-2 has a range of 8,500 
kilometers. It is a three- stage missile, with the first stage using 
liquid fuel and the second and third stages using solid fuel. The 
tank lorries are considered to be playing the role of bring liquid 
fuel to the injection facility for the first booster stage. 
 
North Korea launched its first Taepodong missile in August 1998.  It 
landed in the Pacific off the Sanriku region after having passed 
over Japan. In July 2006, the DPRK launched a total of seven 
missiles, including one long-range ballistic missile, Taepodong-2 
(range of approximately 6,000 kilometers), which landed in the Japan 
Sea off the coast of Russia. 
 
From the timing of the last two launches, it has been speculated 
that 20 days prior to the launching, there will be a activities 
leading to the launch, such an increase in lorries carrying fuel, 
according to a government-connected source. The government based on 
what it has observed and analyzed, the government will focus on 
relating that to the current activity. A Japan-U.S. diplomatic 
source pointed out: "It tells us that launch preparations have 
reached the final stage." 
 
(2) Ozawa renews his criticism of prosecutors 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Abridged slightly) 
March 20, 2009 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa has been 
quiet lately about the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office 
special investigation team that had arrested his first state-paid 
secretary on suspicion of violating the Political Funds Control Law. 
Ozawa renewed his criticism of the prosecutors yesterday, expressing 
his dissatisfaction with their investigative policy direction, while 
indicating that he would remain in his post, saying, "I will not 
stop fighting." Meanwhile, the DPJ political reform promotion task 
force chaired by Katsuya Okada met yesterday and began discussing 
ways to tighten regulations on donations, including a total ban on 
corporate and organizational donations. 
 
Ozawa met with Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama at a Japanese 
restaurant in Tokyo last night. Ozawa told Hatoyama: "The way the 
prosecutors are handling the matter is utterly terrible. I don't 
care what happens to me; I will not stop fighting. Irrespective of 
their decision (on March 24), I will fight tooth and nail." Ozawa 
thus indicated that even if the aide is indicted by prosecutors, he 
would assert his secretary's innocence in court. He also indicated 
that if the DPJ takes the helm of government through the next House 
of Representatives election, the new administration would review the 
modalities of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, saying: 
"Once we take power, we will stamp out (the abuse of) prosecution 
power." 
 
In a press conference after the secretary's arrest, Ozawa criticized 
the Tokyo prosecutors' office, saying: "The donations were dealt 
with appropriately under the law," and, "It is an unfair use of 
state power." Ozawa subsequently softened his stance following his 
aide's advice to abstain from criticizing the prosecutors. 
 
TOKYO 00000628  003 OF 008 
 
 
 
Ozawa's remarks came from his strong distrust in the Tokyo 
prosecutors' office that had arrested his secretary (for falsely 
listing donations) in violation of the Political Funds Control Law. 
A senior DPJ lawmaker took this view: "The secretary's detention 
will end soon. Even if he is indicted, Mr. Ozawa is confident that 
he can win the trial." 
 
In yesterday's political reform meeting, Okada said: "Public trust 
in politics must be restored. It is important to come up with 
effective reform measures." Okada also underlined the need to 
discuss a wide range of political donations, including fund-raising 
parties. 
 
In his meeting with Hatoyama, Ozawa, too, said: "There is no other 
option but to ban corporate and organizational donations altogether. 
The public will not support a half-baked step." 
 
In the political reform meeting, some also speculated if the party 
could get by only on subsidies from the government and individual 
donations. 
 
After the meeting, Okada told the press corps that DPJ executives 
would meet again next week to discuss the matter, saying: "We have 
yet to come up with any clear direction. We are going to discuss 
everything from fundamental factors." 
 
Ruling parties slam Ozawa's proposal as deceitful 
 
Ozawa's suggestion to totally ban corporate and organizational 
donations drew fire from the government and the ruling parties 
yesterday. Former Chief Cabinet Secretary Notutaka Machimura of the 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) who heads his own faction warned his 
faction members not to be taken in by Ozawa's statement, describing 
it deceitful. Former LDP Secretary General Bunmei Ibuki said: "A 
pitcher who threw a wild forkball has no right to prohibit other 
pitchers from throwing forkballs." 
 
Administrative Reform Minister Akira Amari had this to say about a 
review of the Political Funds Control Law: "Debate must be conducted 
in a way that does not end up inconveniencing the honest people 
because of the dishonest people." 
 
(3) Moves of potential successors to Ozawa gradually emerging: Some 
call on Ozawa to honorably step down 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
A move is beginning to emerge in the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) 
that is eyeing President Ozawa's next course of action. Whether 
Ozawa's state-funded first secretary, who was arrested on the charge 
of violating the Political Funds Control Law, will be indicted or 
not will be decided by March 24th. Ozawa will likely decide next 
week if he will quit his post or stay on. 
 
Ozawa on March 19 met with Upper House Diet Steering Committee 
Chairman Takeo Nishioka at his private office. Nishioka told Ozawa 
that there is no need for him to step down. Ozawa reportedly 
responded with a smile but remained vague about his future course of 
action. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000628  004 OF 008 
 
 
Some are calling on Ozawa to stay on, viewing that the public would 
agree to some extent with his criticism of the public prosecutors 
that it was strange for them to handle donations received by the DPJ 
side alone as a criminal case. However, the reality is that DPJ 
members are increasingly looking harshly at Ozawa, with the next 
Lower House election close at hand. Even some junior lawmakers who 
support Ozawa have begun expressing hopes that he would honorably 
resign from his office, that is to say, voluntarily step down so 
that he could keep his influence over the party. 
 
Under such circumstances, persons close to Ozawa, such as Vice 
President Katsuya Okada and Deputy President Kan, who are deemed as 
likely candidates to succeed him, are beginning to show signs of 
making their move. 
 
Okada at an executive meeting of the DPJ Political Reform Promotion 
Headquarters, which he himself chairs, indicated a strong desire to 
tighten restrictions on political funds, noting: "Politics-and-money 
scandals are an age-old problem. Pursuing discussion properly by 
returning to the starting point will lead to the DPJ regaining the 
people's trust in politics." Lawmakers who support Okada hope that 
if he coordinates the views of party members to support a total ban 
on corporate donations, it would further enhance the DPJ's clean 
image and work to his advantage in making a bid for Ozawa's post. 
Okada on the evening of the 18th held a meeting with Vice President 
Yoshiaki Takagi, who was elected as Lower House member in the same 
year as Okada. 
 
Regarding Ozawa's future course of action, Kan during a press 
conference on the 19th said, "Mr. Ozawa will presumably make a 
decision on his own. I trust him and wait for his decision." Kan on 
the same evening discussed future approaches with junior lawmakers 
who support him. An aide close to Kan said, "We kept down the number 
of participants in the meeting so as not to provoke other party 
members." 
 
Lawmakers close to Secretary General Hatoyama also held a meeting 
the same day, and all agreed to watch how things will develop. 
 
(4) DPJ hits back at ruling camp; ruling coalition has breathing 
room 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which has been 
losing ground to the ruling parties due to the arrest of its leader 
Ichiro Ozawa's secretary, tried to strike back at the ruling 
coalition in a House of Councillors Budget Committee session 
yesterday. DPJ members questioned whether command authority had been 
exercised by Prime Minister Aso in connection with the arrest of the 
aide. They also pursued the New Komeito's relations with the 
religious sect Soka Gakkai, which is the party's main support body. 
However, the DPJ's strategy of trying to put the government and 
ruling parties in the lurch ended in failure. 
 
DPJ lawmaker Shokichi Kina posed a question to Aso in the Upper 
House committee session: "You are a Christian, aren't you? Can you 
swear to God that you did not use your command authority?" He asked 
whether the case had been "fairly prosecuted." He also pursued 
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Iwao Uruma's comment that the 
donation scandal would not spread to the Liberal Democratic Party 
 
TOKYO 00000628  005 OF 008 
 
 
(LDP). He unleashed his anger, saying: 
 
"I wonder why prosecutors arrested the secretary of the opposition 
party leader, who will likely to become prime minister through a 
change in government. More than 20 lawmakers, including Economy, 
Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai, former Prime Minister 
Yoshiro Mori and former Finance Minister Koji Omi, were involved in 
the Nishimatsu scandal. I think the ruling coalition, which has 
administrative authority, should have been prosecuted first." 
 
However, Prime Minister Taro Aso replied: "I didn't meet the public 
prosecutor general. I did not exercise command authority at all." 
Justice Minister Eisuke Mori stressed: "It is impossible for 
prosecutors to investigate with political intent." 
 
However, Aso appeared to have apologized once when he was criticized 
that his remarks in an Upper House Budget Committee session on March 
16 had violated the principle of presumed innocence. Aso then told 
the committee session: "The secretary was arrested because it was 
clear he had violated the law." He now avoided the question, saying: 
"I understand that prosecutors arrested him based on judging from 
their investigation that he had come under suspicion. Prosecutors do 
not decide based on the result of an individual case." 
 
Yasuo Ichikawa, who took the floor as a questioner ahead of Kina, 
spend half of his time to pursue the New Komeito's relations with 
Soka Gakkai. 
 
Ichikawa criticized: "The New Komeito and the religious sect Soka 
Gakkai, the party's main backer, have distorted Japan's politics." 
He then posed such questions as: "If a New Komeito lawmaker is 
elected, is it true that an Upper House member will pay six million 
yen and a Lower House member three million yen to the party?" "Has 
the New Komeito collected money for the Soka Gakkai's anniversary?" 
 
The DPJ has brought up the relationship between the New Komeito and 
the religious organization in Upper House Budget Committee sessions 
and other occasions. The purpose is to cause discord in the ruling 
camp by demanding that senior Soka Gakkai officials be summoned to 
testify before the Diet. 
 
On March 19, as well, Ichikawa called for summoning former New 
Komeito Chairman Junya Yano and other officials, as there were 
differences in Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito's Diet replies and 
remarks by Yano and others. However, the contents of the question 
did not shock the New Komeito. The party members said that they were 
disappointed and that they had answered such questions already. 
 
(5) U.S. military's deluxe housing to be paid for with Japan's tax 
money 
 
AKAHATA (Top play) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
In connection with the planned relocation of U.S. Marines in Okinawa 
to Guam, it was revealed in a meeting yesterday of the House of 
Councillors Budget Committee that deluxe housing is highly likely to 
be built on Guam for U.S. military personnel and their families 
using Japanese taxpayers' money. One unit, for example, has a total 
floor space of 234 square meters with four bedrooms and two 
bathrooms. Satoshi Inoue, a House of Councillors member of the 
Japanese Communist Party, pursued this issue before the committee. 
 
TOKYO 00000628  006 OF 008 
 
 
 
According to the Guam relocation plan, the Japanese government is to 
provide outlays of 2.55 billion dollars to construct 3,520 housing 
units on Guam for U.S. military personnel and families, or 
approximately 75 million yen per housing unit. 
 
"A foreign country spends public money on the construction of a U.S. 
military base in U.S. territory. I've never heard of anything like 
this in the world. Moreover, in Japan, there are now many people 
losing their jobs and homes. The taxpayers' money must not be used 
in this way." With this, Inoue criticized dipping into the state 
coffers for such official expenditures. 
 
The reference material shown by Inoue before the committee is a U.S. 
Defense Department documentation titled the "Unified Facilities 
Criteria" (UFC), which details specifications to be followed when 
the U.S. military builds facilities. In the case of family housing, 
space is determined according to ranks and other factors. Even a 
private is provided with a total floor space of at least 125 square 
meters, and a colonel with a total floor space of 234 square meters 
including four bedrooms. 
 
The UFC also stipulates that the main bedroom should have enough 
space for a kingsized bed and that housing with three or four 
bedrooms will be provided with a family room in addition to a living 
room. 
 
The UFC also specifies housing-related facilities, such as "a tennis 
court per 150 housing units, a basketball court per 100 housing 
units, and an open athletic field of about 400 square meters for 100 
to 200 housing units." Inoue asked if Japan will have to bear even 
such costs. In reply, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada did not deny 
the burden. He stated: "Japan and the United States are still 
holding consultations. It has yet to be decided." 
 
Inoue stated: "The agreement (between Japan and the U.S.) specifies 
the total amount of costs for Guam relocation and Japan's share of 
the costs. The government has asked the Diet to approve it. However, 
the government has not shown any grounds for the estimated costs. 
This is not convincing to the people." With this, Inoue strongly 
requested the government provide the committee with the grounds for 
Japan's fiscal burden of approximately 650 billion yen for the Guam 
relocation plan. 
 
(6) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Tokyo Shimbun: 
Six die in fire at nursing home in Shibukawa 
 
Mainichi: 
Government, ruling parties eye raising limit on low-interest loans 
extended by Development Bank of Japan 
 
Yomiuri: 
Ruling coalition task force calls for 300 billion yen for measures 
to create employment in local areas 
 
Nikkei: 
Government to facilitate corporate tax deductions for stock 
write-downs 
 
Sankei: 
 
TOKYO 00000628  007 OF 008 
 
 
Japan-U.S. diplomatic sources: Fuel tanks active, North Korea making 
final preparations fro missile launch 
 
Akahata: 
JCP's Inoue pursues possible plan to build luxurious U.S. military 
housing on Guam with Japan's tax money 
 
(7) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Safety net for employment: Create a structure that is easy to 
use 
(2) Spring wage offensive: Politics, labor and management should 
make efforts for employment 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) No pay-raise: Don't forget promise of "employment maintenance" 
(2) Six years after Iraq war broke out: We want to support Iraq's 
self-reliance from U.S. 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Strengthening easy-money policy: Every possible policy 
necessary 
(2) Shika Nuclear Power Plant Lawsuit: Speed up assessment on new 
anti-seismic guidelines 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) FRB alone cannot resolve U.S. financial crisis 
(2) Death sentence shows weight of citizen judges 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Interception of North Korean missile: Prime Minister Aso must 
take all possible measures 
(2) Shika Nuclear Power Plant ruling: Coexistence of earthquakes and 
nuclear power plants 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Six years after Iraq war broke out: Turning point for Middle 
East dialogue 
(2) About-face ruling on nuclear power plant suit: Residents still 
worried 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Six years after Iraq war broke out: Relying solely on military 
power does not resolve anything 
 
(8) Prime Minister's schedule, March 19 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 20, 2009 
 
07:14 
Met at the Kantei with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries Matsumoto 
and Konoike. Matsumoto stayed on. 
 
08:14 
Attended a Postal Privatization Promotion Headquarters meeting held 
in the Diet building. Afterward attended a cabinet meeting. 
 
09:00 
Attended an Upper House Budget Committee meeting. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000628  008 OF 008 
 
 
11:59 
Met with Upper House Budget Committee principal director Iwanaga and 
Upper House member Masahisa Sato. 
 
12:05 
Returned to the Kantei. 
 
13:03 
Attended a Lower House plenary session. 
 
14:50 
Met with Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Okamura 
and others at the Imperial Hotel. Afterward attended a JCCI regular 
general meeting. 
 
16:28 
Met with ruling bloc employment project team chair and former MHLW 
Minister Kawasaki, former MHLW Minister Sakaguchi and others, in the 
presence of Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura, MHLW Minister Masuzoe 
and others. 
 
17:48 
Met with Venezuelan Energy and Petroleum Minister Ramirez. 
 
18:25 
Met with Cabinet Intelligence Director Mitani. 
 
19:44 
Dined at a Hotel Okura Chinese restaurant with Administrative Reform 
Minister Amari and LDP Policy Research Council Senior Deputy 
Chairman Sonoda. 
 
22:01 
Had drinks with his secretary at the hotel's bar. 
 
23:26 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
ZUMWALT