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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 000651 
 
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 03/24/09 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 
 
Pirates of Somalia: 
4) Japanese-owned ship attacked by pirates in waters off Somalia but 
escapes  (Sankei) 
5) Defense Ministry to send P-3C patrol planes to help track pirate 
ships off the coast of Africa  (Yomiuri) 
6) Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) seeks revisions in the new 
anti-piracy bill now before the Diet  (Nikkei) 
 
North Korea problem: 
7) Defense Ministry deploying PAC-3s to Akita and Iwate prefectures 
to be ready to intercept North Korea-launched "satellite"  (Asahi) 
8) North Korea's missiles will be high on the agenda of the 
U.S.-China summit next month  (Yomiuri) 
9) Japanese, Chinese officials agree that it will be difficult to 
restart the Six-Party Talks with North Korea  (Yomiuri) 
 
Ozawa money scandal: 
10) Nishimatsu Construction Co. received project orders by following 
the wishes of the Ozawa side  (Sankei) 
11) Ozawa most likely will announce his decision today to stay on as 
head of the DPJ  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
12) The mood to topple Ozawa has waned in the DPJ  (Yomiuri) 
13) DPJ hopes that the public mood will not turn against it if Ozawa 
stays on  (Asahi) 
 
14) Deputy chief cabinet secretary to wear second hat as head of the 
cabinet personnel bureau  (Sankei) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Mainichi, Sankei & Tokyo Shimbun: 
Average land prices fall for first time in three years 
 
Yomiuri: 
Ozawa's secretary asked Nishimatsu Construction Co. to continue 
donations 
 
Nikkei: 
U.S. unveils public-private plan to buy up toxic assets, expected to 
generate up to 1 trillion dollars in purchasing power 
 
Akahata: 
Save all Minamata disease victims 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Make use of falls in land prices to revitalize economy 
(2) Cloned cattle: More data needed to ensure safety 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Employment accord between government and labor representatives: 
Substantial measures must be actually carried out 
(2) Land price falls: Full measures necessary to prevent credit 
 
TOKYO 00000651  002 OF 009 
 
 
crunch 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Government urged to find remedy to stop land price drops 
(2) FedEx jet crash: Measures must be taken to cope with gusty 
winds 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Seriousness lacking for employment agreement between government 
and labor representatives 
(2) Falling land prices reflect global crisis 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Expanding DJP support for Ozawa's continued leadership 
incomprehensible 
(2) FedEx jet crash: Pay attention to sudden change in weather 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Quickly identify cause of first fatal incident at Narita 
(2) Education boards must prepare support system for English 
teachers at elementary schools 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Lawsuit for recognition of A-bomb disease victims: Drastically 
change regulations designed to abandon the weak 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, March 23 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 24, 2009 
 
07:08 
Took a walk around the official residence. 
 
09:05 
Met at the Kantei with Japan Business Federation Chairman Mitarai, 
Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Okamura, National 
Federation of Small Business Associations Chairman Saeki, Japanese 
Trade Union Confederation President Takagi, METI Minister Nikai, 
MHLW Minister Masuzoe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura, his deputy 
Uruma, and others. 
 
09:25 
Met with Takagi, in the presence of the MHLW minister, Kawamura and 
Uruma. Afterward met with Central Federation of Societies of 
Commerce and Industry President Seike and Saeki, in the presence of 
the METI minister. 
 
10:54 
Met with LDP Organization Headquarters chief Sakamoto. 
 
13:29 
Met with SDF Chief of Staff Satio, GSDF Chief of Staff Oriki and 
others. 
 
14:34 
Met with Harvard Kennedy School students, in the presence of Lower 
House member Otsuka. 
 
15:05 
 
TOKYO 00000651  003 OF 009 
 
 
Met with Malaysian House Speaker Pandikar Amin, followed by 
Comprehensive Maritime Policy Headquarters chief Oniwa. 
 
16:05 
Met with Chairman Jiro Kudo and others of his supporters association 
named Kanagawa Taro-Kai. 
 
17:05 
Attended an LDP executive meeting held in the Diet building. 
 
17:54 
Met at the Kantei with Kawamura, joined by LDP Administrative Reform 
Promotion Headquarters chief Chuma. 
 
19:01 
Dined at a Japanese restaurant in Kagurazaka with LDP Election 
Strategy Council Chairman Koga, former Foreign Minister Koumura, 
former Defense Minister Kyuma, and former METI Minister Hiranuma. 
 
21:08 
Met with his secretary at an Imperial Hotel bar. 
 
22:59 
Returned to the official residence. 
 
4) Japan-linked ship sustains pirate attack in waters off Somalia 
prior to arrival of MSDF destroyers; no one injured 
 
SANKEI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
March 24, 2009 
 
According to a report made to the Maritime Bureau of the Ministry of 
Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT), Mitsui O.S.K Lines Ltd.' 
car carrier "Jasmine Ace" (13,038 tons, 127 meters long) was shot by 
pirates in two small boats in waters off Somalia at around 4:10 p.m. 
on March 22, local time (at around 10:10 p.m. on March 22, Japan 
time). All the 18 crewmembers are Filipinos. No one was injured in 
the attack. 
 
5) P-3C patrol aircraft to be sent for antipiracy mission 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 24, 2009 
 
The government has decided to dispatch Maritime Self-Defense Force 
P-3C patrol aircraft for an antipiracy mission in waters off the 
eastern African coast of Somalia. The P-3C aircraft will be based at 
an airport in Djibouti, a country neighboring Somalia, to be engaged 
in aerial surveillance. Japan will shortly conclude a status of 
forces agreement with the Djibouti government for the MSDF's 
stationing. 
 
The P-3Cs will be sent as early as mid-May for an action to be 
invoked for maritime security operations under the Self-Defense 
Forces Law. The MSDF will provide other countries' naval forces and 
ships with information to be gathered about pirate ships. 
 
The MSDF will send aircraft maintenance service crewmen and security 
personnel to Djibouti. The status of forces agreement will feature 
such points as: 1) exemption from taxation on articles SDF personnel 
will bring in for official duty; and exemption from criminal and 
civil court trials on SDF personnel. 
 
TOKYO 00000651  004 OF 009 
 
 
 
Djibouti is where U.S. and French forces have already been based for 
antipiracy operations. The SDF will cooperate with them. 
 
6) Idea afoot in DPJ to amend government-presented anti-piracy 
legislation; Option of presenting counterproposal given up 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
March 24, 2009 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), giving up its plan to present a 
counterproposal to the government's anti-piracy bill, has begun 
discussing the possibility of revising the government's bill. Ideas 
are being floated to require prior Diet approval before issuing an 
order to take action, to clearly specify that the Japan Coast Guard 
(JCG), not the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), is to play a main role in 
anti-piracy operations, and to allow dispatched SDF personnel to 
double as coast guards. Nevertheless, the party is split between 
those proactively supporting new legislation and those attaching 
importance to a united front with opposition parties, such as the 
Social Democratic Party (SDP) which opposes the new legislation. The 
party leadership would be pressed to make a difficult decision. 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura in a press briefing yesterday 
said: "If the DPJ's ideas can improve the legislation, we are 
willing to consider them." Kawamura thus expressed his hope for 
revision talks with the DPJ on the anti-piracy legislation. 
 
Kawamura's statement followed a comment on March 22 by Keiichiro 
Asao, the "defense minister" of the DPJ's shadow cabinet. Asao that 
day referred to an amendment to the bill, saying, "The text should 
include (a procedure for the JCG to ask) the Defense Ministry to 
deploy (the SDF) because its vessels cannot handle the situation 
properly." 
 
DPJ Vice President Seiji Maehara also said: "The SDF must be 
deployed fairly and squarely under the envisaged new law. It is 
important to create a system to protect (vessels of) other 
countries, as well." Maehara is apparently eager to enact the 
envisaged law. Many mid-level and junior members think that in order 
to play up the DPJ being a responsible party, their party should not 
react negatively to the anti-piracy legislation. 
 
At the same time, the view is strong in the opposition bloc, 
centering on the SDP and the DPJ leftist group, that the JCG must be 
deployed instead of the SDF. Bridging the gulf between the MSDF and 
JCG is a tough challenge in view of a future opposition united 
front. 
 
Draft revisions of the government bill are likely to reflect such a 
division. 
 
In a House of Representatives Security Committee session on March 
13, DPJ lawmaker Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi took this view: "It is legally 
impossible to hand JCG vessels to the MSDF. It is possible, though, 
for SDF personnel to double as coast guards." Yamaguchi thus 
presented the idea of SDF personnel aboard SDF vessels serving 
concurrently as coast guards aboard JCG vessels. 
 
The relationship with the Diet is also in focus. Under the envisaged 
anti-piracy, a report to the Diet is required when the prime 
minister approved an anti-piracy action and when the SDF completed 
 
TOKYO 00000651  005 OF 009 
 
 
its operations. In deliberations on an extension of the refueling 
mission in the Indian Ocean, the DPJ insisted on the necessity for 
prior Diet approval for the implementation plan specifying the size 
of dispatch and equipment. This time around, ideas are also being 
floated seeking prior Diet approval for an action and limiting the 
term of dispatch. 
 
The DPJ's foreign affairs and defense department discussed on March 
19 revisions to the government-presented bill. But the discussion 
did not go any further than sorting out contentious points. The 
prevailing view in the DPJ is that if the government and the ruling 
parties refuse to significantly modify the legislation, the largest 
opposition party should oppose the legislation. Given the uncertain 
future course of the Nishimatsu scandal, the DPJ finds it difficult 
to determine its policy toward Diet affairs. 
 
Meanwhile in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), defense-policy 
specialists think there might be some room for considering the 
involvement of the Diet. But senior Diet Affairs Committee members 
are taking a wait-and-see attitude. Their view is that the DPJ is 
split and that pushing ahead with the matter steadily would serve as 
pressure on that party. The government and the ruling bloc plan to 
have the Lower House begin discussing the legislation in early 
April. If the DPJ opposes it, they are set to readopt it by using a 
two-thirds overriding vote in the Lower House. 
 
7) Intercept missiles to be deployed in Akita, Iwate against N. 
Korean "satellite" 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
March 24, 2009 
 
In the wake of North Korea's recent announcement of its plan to 
launch a "satellite" as its payload, the Defense Ministry has 
decided to deploy the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3), a 
land-based ground-to-air guided intercept missile, in the 
northeastern prefectures of Akita and Iwate from its current 
deployment at the Air Self-Defense Force's Hamamatsu base in 
Hamamatsu City. The "satellite" launching vehicle-if it flies as 
North Korea announced-is expected to pass near the skies over the 
two prefectures. The PAC-3 deployment is to provide against such 
situations as booster fallout. 
 
Ahead of North Korea's announced launch planned for April 4-8, the 
government will shortly issue a "ballistic missile destruction 
order" under the Self-Defense Forces Law. After the order is issues, 
PAC-3 batteries will be mobilized. 
 
In the two prefectures, the PAC-3 will be redeployed to the Ground 
Self-Defense Force's Akita and Iwate garrisons, given security 
conditions. The two GSDF bases are both located near the prefectural 
capital cities of Akita and Morioka. The PAC-3's defensive area is 
within a radius of several dozen kilometers. The PAC-3 cannot fully 
cover the northeastern districts, so the government is believed to 
have judged that it would have to consider defending the two cities 
first. 
 
The PAC-3 is also placed at other SDF bases in Narashino (Chiba 
Prefecture), Takeyama (Kanagawa Prefecture), Kasumigaura (Ibaraki 
Prefecture), Iruma (Saitama Prefecture), and Kakamigahara (Gifu 
Prefecture). If all PAC-3 batteries are mobilized out to the 
northeastern districts, the SDF will not be able to intercept a 
 
TOKYO 00000651  006 OF 009 
 
 
projectile should it be feared to land in the metropolitan area. The 
government therefore narrowed down where to deploy the PAC-3. 
 
8) U.S., China to discuss N. Korean missile issue at next month's 
summit 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 24, 2009 
 
Satoshi Saeki, Beijing 
 
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei, meeting the press yesterday, 
revealed that Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President Obama, 
who will meet for the first time when attending the second financial 
summit to be held in London on April 2, are expected to exchange 
views on that occasion about North Korea's long-range ballistic 
missile being readied to be launched as a "satellite." 
 
9) Japan, China deem it difficult to resume 6-party talks if N. 
Korea launches missile 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 24, 2009 
 
Jun Kato, Beijing 
 
Foreign Ministry Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director General 
Akitaka Saiki, Japan's chief delegate to the six-party talks over 
North Korea's denuclearization, met yesterday with Chinese Vice 
Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, who presides over the six-party talks. 
Saiki and Wu agreed that if North Korea launches a ballistic missile 
in the name of an "artificial satellite," it would be difficult to 
resume the six-party talks for the time being. 
 
10) Source connected with general construction contractor says 
orders were given to Nishimatsu Construction with consideration 
given to wishes of Ozawa side 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Almost full) 
March 24, 2009 
 
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office questioned an official 
of a leading general construction contractor, who was allegedly in 
charge of bid-rigging in the Tohoku region, over a case of 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa's fund 
management organization Rikuzan-kai having violated the Political 
Funds Control Law. The Sankei Shimbun on March 23 learned through a 
source connected with the construction industry that this person has 
told public prosecutors that he let Nishimatsu Construction Co. 
receive orders, giving consideration to the wishes of the Ozawa 
side, including Takanori Okubo, 47, Ozawa's first state-funded 
secretary responsible for the accounting of Rikuzan-kai. 
 
According to a source informed of the investigation, the 
investigation squad will likely indict Okubo on the 24th, when his 
detention expires, on the charge of violating the Political Funds 
Control Law. Okubo appears to be denying involvement in the 
bid-rigging. 
 
Ozawa also denied doing any favors (for Nishimatsu Construction), 
saying in a press conference, "Neither I nor my secretary did 
business favors for the company." 
 
TOKYO 00000651  007 OF 009 
 
 
 
According to a source connected with the construction industry, 
bid-rigging over public works in the Tohoku region continued until 
around the end of 2005. According to public prosecutors, Okubo is 
suspected of having falsely listed donations as coming from 
Shin-Seiji Mondai Kenkyu-kai (New Political Issues Study Group) and 
Mirai Sangyo Kenkyu-kai (Future Industry Study Group), de facto 
dummy organizations established by Nishimatsu Construction, though 
Rikuzan-kai, received donations totaling 21 million yen between 2003 
and 2006 from Nishimatsu Construction. 
 
11) Strong calls for DPJ President Ozawa to stay on in current post; 
Ozawa to decide on his fate as early as today 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
March 24, 2009 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa will make a 
decision on whether to resign from his current post regarding the 
arrest of his state-funded secretary on suspicion of violating the 
Public Funds Control Law as the secretary had received alleged 
illegal donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co. Ozawa will decide 
his fate based on how the donation scandal is handled by 
prosecutors. The dominant view in the DPJ is that Ozawa should 
remain in his post even if the secretary was indicted in violation 
of the law. 
 
Ozawa said in a press conference on March 17: "I will reveal my view 
after the conclusion is arrived at." He clarified that he would make 
a decision on his course of action based on the conclusion that the 
prosecutors will reach today when Ozawa's secretary's legal 
detention period ends. 
 
The outlook is that Ozawa today will announce his course of action 
after discussing measures with senior party officials, including 
Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama, after the prosecutors decide on 
what to do with the secretary a punishment. The prevailing view in 
the DPJ is that Ozawa would stay on in his post as long as his 
secretary is not re-arrested in violation of the anti-graft law. 
 
However, there is a possibility of calls for Ozawa to quit his post 
refueling in the DPJ depending on developments in the investigation 
that might affect the next House of Representatives election. 
 
12) Calls for dumping Ozawa unlikely to grow in DPJ, with priority 
given to avoiding confusion 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
March 24, 2009 
 
An increasing number of Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) members now 
take the view that calls for Ichiro Ozawa's resignation as party 
head are unlikely to gush out in the party even if his top 
secretary, who has been arrested on suspicion of violating the 
Political Funds Control Law involving Ozawa's fund-management body, 
is indicted. Many of the mid-ranking and junior lawmakers who 
distance themselves from Ozawa give priority to avoiding a state of 
disorder in the party. 
 
Delivering a speech in a meeting of the association of party 
members' wives held at the Hatoyama Hall in Otowa, Tokyo, yesterday, 
DPJ Deputy President Naoto Kan made this remark: "I hope this 
 
TOKYO 00000651  008 OF 009 
 
 
group's meeting next year will be held at the Prime Minister's 
Official Residence under a prime minister Ozawa." He indicated his 
eagerness to bring about political power to the DPJ under Ozawa. 
 
Many veteran DPJ lawmakers have launched efforts to solidify a party 
unity, based on the stance of supporting Ozawa's continued 
leadership. Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama also summoned deputy 
secretaries general yesterday, with the aim of calling on 
mid-ranking and junior members of groups in the party to stand 
together. 
 
Ozawa said in a press conference on March 10 that he would make a 
decision on his future course by using the need for the party to win 
a victory in the next House of Representatives election as a 
yardstick. Hearing this remark, many of the lawmakers who have kept 
themselves aloof from Ozawa anticipated that he would voluntarily 
step down. They interpreted the remark as meaning that Ozawa, if his 
secretary is indicted, will resign as party head, considering its 
impact on the general election. Given such circumstances, Deputy 
President Seiji Maehara and former Policy Research Council Chairman 
Yukio Edano have also refrained from openly criticizing Ozawa, just 
saying that a leader should decide on his future on his own." 
 
Now that prospects are growing for Ozawa to hold on his post, 
however, they worry about its impact on the election but remain 
unable to press Ozawa to step down. 
 
A veteran lawmaker commented: "If we try to oust Ozawa, the support 
group for Mr. Ozawa will make an angry response, and eventually the 
party might be divided. As a result of people seeing the DPJ 
disunited, there may be an incalculable impact on the election." A 
lawmaker who assumed the party's three key posts grumbled yesterday: 
"The situation has become unmanageable." 
 
Mid-ranking and junior party members harbor this kind of fear: If 
they call for dumping Ozawa but fail to carry out their scheme, they 
might be targeted for revenge in the Lower House election campaign. 
 
13) President Ozawa to hold press conference as early as today: DPJ 
nervously waiting for backlash against it to end 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
March 24, 2009 
 
President Ozawa's stated-funded secretary is under arrest over a 
case involving illegal donations. Silence was deafening in the 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on March 23 as well, the day before 
the expiration of the legal detention of the secretary, everyone 
wondering about Ozawa's next course of action. The DPJ leadership 
plans to solidify the party's foothold, based on the possibility of 
Ozawa staying on in his post, provided there is no further 
investigation into the case. However, many members are worried about 
going into the Lower House election under Ozawa's leadership. They 
are closely watching the development of the situation to determine 
whether their leader's decision will be supported by the public or 
not. 
 
Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama on the evening of March 23 invited 
members of Hanryo-no-Kai (Group of the Spouses of DPJ lawmakers) to 
the Hatoyama Hall in Otowa, Tokyo. Deputy President Naoto Kan told 
the audience, "We will tide over this predicament. I hope we will 
meet at the Kantei under the leadership of prime minister Ozawa next 
 
TOKYO 00000651  009 OF 009 
 
 
year." 
 
Kan and Hatoyama have been creating an environment in the party, 
based on the assumption that Ozawa will stay on. Ozawa and Hatoyama 
dined together on the 19th. They again dined together on the 20th, 
joined by Kan. Hatoyama in speeches given in local regions 
repeatedly underscored that Ozawa's eagerness to take over the reins 
of government is rock-solid. He called for support, saying, "The 
party will support the decision of the president in unison." 
 
Ozawa remains firm in his stance of not giving way to public 
prosecutors, appealing to the public that the investigation is 
unprecedented. Seeing such a stance of Ozawa, both Kan and Hatoyama 
appeared to have strengthened their sense of alarm that arguing 
Ozawa's next course of action will only deepen confusion in the 
party. Kan and Hatoyama discussed future measures on the evening of 
the 23rd, as well. 
 
14) Deputy chief cabinet secretary to concurrently serve as cabinet 
personnel bureau director general 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
March 24, 2009 
 
Prime Minister Taro Aso last evening called in Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Takeo Kawamura and Koki Chuma, head of the Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) Administrative Promotion Headquarters, to the 
Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) and he ordered them to 
have a deputy chief cabinet secretary for administrative affairs 
concurrently serve as director general of the "cabinet personnel 
bureau," which will in charge of the personnel changes of all senior 
civil servants. Aso has judged that labor costs would be slashed by 
having the deputy chief cabinet secretary handle that post and that 
the deputy chief cabinet secretary would be able to appoint senior 
bureaucrats who could flexibly respond to cabinet policies. 
 
During the meeting, Aso stated: "I will appoint a deputy chief 
cabinet secretary-level official. I don't mind picking a 
non-politician. I want you to appoint someone with the perception 
that this is an important post." Following this, the government will 
call for approval of related bills in a meeting today of the LDP and 
its coalition partner, New Komeito. It will then submit the related 
bills, after the cabinet adopts them in a meeting on the 31st. 
However, since there are objections in the LDP to the idea of 
letting one person hold two posts, there is a possibility that the 
submission of the bills to the Diet will be delayed. 
 
Kawamura and Administrative Reform Minister Akira Amari discussed 
the cabinet personnel bureau issue yesterday and they reached an 
agreement that the deputy chief cabinet minister for administrative 
affairs should also hold that post. After that, Chuma met with Amari 
to convey the ruling coalition's view that the post should be filled 
by a full-time official in view of the need for political 
leadership. However, Amari did not accept the ruling camp's 
position. Chuma also directly told this to Aso, but he did not 
accept either position. 
 
 
ZUMWALT