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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 000770 
 
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 04/06/09 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 
 
North Korean missile launch: 
4) North Korea launches missile that crosses over northern Japan 
with "satellite" landing in the Pacific Ocean  (Yomiuri) 
5) UNSC to take up whether to issue resolution denouncing North 
Korea missile launch, with Russia, China reluctant to take hard 
stance against act  (Mainichi) 
6) U.S. for time being will take a hard-line stance toward North 
Korea after its "provocative act"  (Nikkei) 
7) Six-Party Talks have been put on indefinite hold following North 
Korea's nuclear launch  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
8) Defense Ministry starts analyzing data on North Korean missile 
launch  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
9) Japan considering retrieving the rocket booster that landed in 
the sea  (Yomiuri) 
10) Government pleased that its handling of the DPRK rocket launch 
avoided turmoil, even though there were some miscues  (Nikkei) 
11) Limits of BMD exposed by the North Korean missile launch, and 
calls have begun to expand the system  (Asahi) 
12) Former Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa calls for striking 
North Korea's bases  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
13) Both ruling and opposition camps denounce North Korea for its 
provocative act  (Yomiuri) 
14) Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Hatoyama  issues 
strong protest against North Korea's missile launch  (Nikkei) 
15) Government on the 10th will work out its own additional 
sanctions against North Korea  (Nikkei) 
16) Yomiuri poll finds 78 PERCENT  of Japanese wanting tougher 
sanctions imposed on North Korea; 88 PERCENT  feel anxiety about 
North Korea developing missiles  (Yomiuri) 
 
17) Yomiuri poll finds Aso Cabinet support rate up a bit to 24.3 
PERCENT , while 66 PERCENT  of the public unconvinced by DPJ head 
Ozawa's staying on in office  (Yomiuri) 
 
Defense and security: 
18) Government decides to send P3-C patrol planes to Djibouti to 
help out in the war on pirates  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
19) U.S. military vehicle allegedly involved in hit and run accident 
in Naha Okianwa that seriously injured three  (Akahata) 
20) Lower House committee to deliberate the MSDF anti-piracy 
measures bill on the 14th  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Mainichi, Yomiuri, Sankei & Tokyo Shimbun: 
North Korea launches missile 
 
Nikkei: 
North Korea launches Taepodong-2 missile 
 
Akahata: 
JCP Chairman Shii in meeting with non-permanent workers: Struggle 
will be paid off in future 
 
TOKYO 00000770  002 OF 012 
 
 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) North Korea's missile launch: Threat should be contained by 
international unity 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) North Korea's missile launch: North Korea's violation of rule 
obvious; UNSC should come into line 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) UNSC must be tough with North Korea 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) UNSC must contain North Korea's reckless act 
(2) Meaning of 60-year-old NATO 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Impose decisive sanctions on North Korea 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) North Korea's missile launch: The North will loose many things 
(2) Relief of suffers of Minamata disease: Drawing the curtain on 
the issue too early 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Government's additional economic stimulus package: Consumption 
tax must not be increased 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, April 4 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 6, 2009 
 
08:30 
Took a walk around the official residence. 
 
12:21 
Met with crisis management officer Ito at the Cabinet Crisis 
Management Center at the Kantei. 
 
13:14 
Met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura at the Kantei. Deputy 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Konoike joined. Konoike remained. 
 
15:26 
Met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Uruma. 
 
16:19 
Met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsumoto, Konoike and 
Uruma. 
 
16:39 
Arrived at the official residence. 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, April 5 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
 
 
TOKYO 00000770  003 OF 012 
 
 
April 6, 2009 
 
08:34 
Took a walk around the official residence. 
 
11:38 
Met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura, crisis Management officer 
Ito and others at the Cabinet Crisis Management Center at the 
Kantei. 
 
12:30 
Met with Foreign Minister Nakasone, Defense Minister Hamada and 
Kawamura. 
 
14:06 
Security meeting at the Kantei. Finance Minister Yosano remains. 
 
15:13 
Met with Kawamura. 
 
15:28 
Arrived at the official residence. 
 
16:13 
Had a haircut at Barber Sato at Hotel Pacific Tokyo in Takanawa. 
 
17:50 
Arrived at the Kantei. 
 
4) North Korea launches missile; Flies over Japan; "Satellite" 
splashes into Pacific Ocean, according to U.S. information 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
April 6, 2009 
 
North Korea yesterday launched as planned a multi-stage missile, 
which it claimed to be a satellite launch. After dropping its 
first-stage booster into the Sea of Japan west of Akita Prefecture, 
the missile flew over Japan. The Self-Defense Forces did not attempt 
to intercept it. There was no report of damage in Japan. The 
government has lodged a sharp protest with North Korea, saying it 
was a violation of a UN Security Council resolution. The Security 
Council has decided to hold an emergency meeting at the request of 
Japan. Although the North announced the satellite launch was a 
success, the U.S. military released a statement noting that the 
missile had failed to reach orbit, with its second-stage booster 
splashing into the Pacific Ocean. Nevertheless, chances are strong 
that the North has succeeded in lengthening the flight of its 
long-range ballistic missile. 
 
From a U.S. military early-warning satellite and other information, 
the government detected that North Korea had launched a missile from 
its Musudan-ri base facing the Sea of Japan around 11:30 a.m. April 
¶5. The government immediately made public the launch. 
 
The missile reached the Pacific Ocean after flying over Akita and 
Iwate prefectures around 11:37 a.m. The fist-stage booster fell into 
the Sea of Japan some 280 kilometers west of Akita Prefecture. A 
Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C patrol plane confirmed around 3 
p.m. a body of discolored sea water 50 meters wide and 3 kilometers 
long. Although the SDF had been ready to intercept an incoming 
projectile using the missile defense (MD) system, it concluded from 
 
TOKYO 00000770  004 OF 012 
 
 
a post-launch analysis that the launched missile would not fall on 
Japan, so the SDF did not attempt to shoot it down. No debris fell 
on Japan. 
 
5) Japan, U.S., Britain and France to quickly submit to UN a 
resolution denouncing North Korea: China, Russia remain cautious 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Full) 
April 6, 2009 
 
Following the launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea, Japan 
and the U.S. along with Britain and France intend to jointly submit 
to the UN Security Council a resolution denouncing the nation very 
soon. The envisaged resolution will likely reaffirm sanctions 
imposed under the resolution 1718, adopted in October 2006. Since 
China and Russia are taking a cautious stance toward such an action, 
citing that if what was launched is an artificial satellite, it 
falls under the exercise of a country's right to develop its own 
satellite, whether the UNSC will recognize the launched object as an 
artificial satellite or not holds the key to the adoption of the 
resolution. 
 
Following the launch, Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone on the 
afternoon of April 5 exchanged views with his counterparts of 
various concerned countries. In response to Nakasone's remark that 
it is necessary to send a strong message, U.S. Secretary of State 
Clinton noted in agreement, "I share deep concern over and criticism 
of the deed of North Korea (with you). It is important for both 
Japan and the U.S. to take a clear-cut, strong stance." 
 
Commenting on Clinton's statement, a senior Foreign Ministry 
official explained, "She has indicated a strong resolve that the 
U.S. finds it unacceptable for North Korea trifilng with the 
dialogue policy line between the U.S. and North Korea." Nakasone 
also shared an understanding with South Korea's foreign minister 
that since the launch is unacceptable, being in violation of a UNSC 
resolution. 
 
UNSC resolution 1718 was adopted when North Korea carried out a 
nuclear test in October 2006. It demands in accordance with the 
Chapter 7 of the UN Charter that North Korea refrain from carrying 
out another nuclear test or launching a ballistic missile. It lays 
down the end of all activities related to a ballistic missile and 
the placing of a moratorium on a missile launch as well as 
sanctions, including a ban on exports of luxury goods to North 
Korea. 
 
China and Russia remain cautious about a proposal for a resolution 
seeking the thorough implementation of the resolution 1718. 
 
Some, however, view that China is simply refraining from openly 
expressing its displeasure with North Korea's action from the 
perspective of being able to influence that nation. Japan and the 
U.S. are determined to look into the matter, including the issuance 
of a chairman's statement, which could be obtained by agreement 
relatively easily. 
 
6) U.S. to take hard-line stance against North Korea for time being, 
stressing also importance of six-party talks 
 
NIKKEI (Page 6) (Excerpts) 
April 6, 2009 
 
TOKYO 00000770  005 OF 012 
 
 
 
Hiroshi Maruya, Prague 
 
Denying North Korea's claimed of a launch of satellite by describing 
it as the launch of a Taepodong 2 missile, the U.S. Barack 
administration announced that it would take a hard-lined stance 
against North Korea by taking such measures as bringing the issue to 
the UN Security Council. President Obama, who is now visiting the 
Czech Republic, instructed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and 
Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice to cooperate with 
various countries. This is first crisis-management test for 
President Obama since taking office. 
 
The President also stressed the need to denuclearize the Korean 
Peninsula through the framework of the six-party talks on North 
Korean's nuclear programs. After referring to North Korea and Iran 
in his speech on nuclear disarmament, Obama said yesterday in 
Prague: "We believe in dialogue." Chances are that the Obama 
administration will look into holding bilateral talks on the missile 
issue between Washington and Pyongyang, dropping it by one level. 
 
According to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, on receiving 
the first report on the missile launch at 4:30 a.m. on April 5 
(11:30 a.m. on April 5, Japan time), President Obama arose and went 
to discuss the issue with National Security Adviser Jim Jones and 
other officials. He also talked with Secretary of Defense Robert 
Gates, who is in Washington. 
 
The statement describing the North's missile launch as a provocative 
act was released at 6:00 a.m. A little past 9:00 a.m. before 
delivering a speech, Obama unexpectedly told reporters: "North 
Korea's action that ignored UN Security Council resolutions damages 
peace and security of the northeastern part of Asia." He also 
inserted the North Korean issue in a speech delivered at 10:00 a.m. 
He announced at 11:00 a.m. that North Korea's missile launch would 
destabilize the world and the region. He referred to the North 
Korean issue four times in seven hours after the North launched its 
missile. 
 
7) North Korea's missile launch to inevitably stall six-party talks 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 7) (Excerpts) 
April 6, 2009 
 
Motomu Fukuda, Seoul 
 
The launch of a long-range ballistic missile by North Korea on April 
5 will unavoidably stall the six-party talks. The U.S. has aimed to 
discuss the missile issue in the six-party talks, but North Korea 
will undoubtedly fiercely react to this idea. How to deal with the 
missile issue, in addition to the North's nuclear development issue, 
has emerged as a new stumbling block to resumption of the six-party 
talks. 
 
New challenge for resuming the talks 
 
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton indicated her eagerness for 
the first time in February to discuss the missile issue in the 
six-party talks. She apparently expected international cooperation 
would pressure North Korea to give up its planned missile launch. 
 
Talks have not been held since North Korea refused last December the 
 
TOKYO 00000770  006 OF 012 
 
 
other member countries' request regarding verification of 
information North Korea gave on its nuclear programs, including 
taking samples from nuclear facilities. It is difficult to push 
ahead with this process again. It has become more uncertain about 
the talks being resumed now that North Korea launched the missile. 
 
North Korea announced last month that if the UN Security Council 
issued a statement criticizing (its missile launch), the six-party 
talks would come to an end. A diplomatic source said: "A cooling-off 
period will be needed for the time being." 
 
In the event that the North resumed the reprocessing of used nuclear 
fuel to produce plutonium enough to make weapons, North Korea's 
denuclearization process will be unavoidably delayed significantly. 
 
 
8) Defense Ministry begins analysis 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
April 6, 2009 
 
The Defense Ministry has begun analyzing the trajectory of the 
missile launched yesterday by North Korea. The object fell into 
waters off Akita Prefecture that is believed to be the first-stage 
rocket was detected by the Aegis-equipped destroyers Kongo and 
Chokai in the Sea of Japan. 
 
The tracking ended some 2,100 kilometers east of Japan because 
tracking by the destroyer Kirishima stationed in the Pacific Ocean 
was blocked by the horizon. 
 
The Defense Ministry has begun its analysis by sending the three 
vessels' magnetic tapes containing data on the missile's trajectory 
to the Maritime Self-Defense Force fleet command in Yokosuka. If the 
missile was traveling at the fastest speed at the point the tracking 
ended, that would mean acceleration by descent, raising the 
likelihood that it was a ballistic missile. 
 
If the projectile reached the speed necessary to be a satellite and 
there was no change in the speed, the likelihood is that it was a 
satellite. 
 
9) Government to consider retrieving missile debris 
 
YOMIURI (Page 33) (Full) 
April 6, 2009 
 
The government is going to discuss measures to retrieve some debris 
of the missile launched by North Korea. The recovery of the 
missile's engine would help the government estimate the North's 
level of technology, along with the structure of the nozzle and the 
type of the fuel. 
 
The first-stage booster is believed have fallen into Japan's 
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) 1,520 meters deep some 280 kilometers 
west of Akita Prefecture and the second-stage booster on into the 
high seas in the Pacific. Searching for debris in a country's own 
EEZ and the high sears does not pose any problem under international 
law. 
 
In 1999, Japan's launch of an H-2 rocket failed. Following this, 
Japan employed an unmanned vehicle of the Japan Marine Science and 
 
TOKYO 00000770  007 OF 012 
 
 
Technology Center, which is currently the Japan Agency for 
Marine-Earch Science and Technology, and successfully found the 
rocket's first-stage engine some 3,000 meters under the sea. 
 
10) No major hitch in government responds to North Korea's missile 
launch 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
April 6, 2009 
 
Following North Korea's launch of a Taepodong-2 missile, the 
government's response measures went off without a major hitch 
yesterday. Many government officials are now feeling relieved as 
neither the rocket nor its debris fell on Japanese territory. The 
North's act was based on its prior notice. Although no chaotic 
situation was created yesterday, like the one caused by the false 
alarms on the 4th, the event this time has left many kinds of 
problems behind for the government to mull in dealing with an 
emergency, as was seen by the poor communication between the Prime 
Minister's Office (Kantei) and the Defense Ministry. 
 
Prime Minister Taro Aso told reporters at the Kantei yesterday: "We 
were able to cope with the situation fairly well. We would like to 
make use of this experience in the future." Telling his aide: "It 
would be the best not to be upset (by North Korea's launch of a 
missile)," Aso took a walk in the morning on the 4th and 5th as 
usual. 
 
Aso entered the Cabinet Office's crisis management center in the 
Kantei immediately after the new of North Korea's missile launch 
came in and called a meeting to collect information with Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura and others at 12:30 p.m. and then a 
meeting of the Security Council of Japan at 2:00 p.m. His actions 
were all prearranged. 
 
The government promptly and smoothly reported North Korea's missile 
launch. The first report was made two minutes after the launch. Ten 
minutes later, the government announced that the projectile had 
passed over Japan and was headed toward the Pacific Ocean. The 
government made use of its experience from the time when Pyongyang 
launched missiles in 2006. At that time, it took about 20 minutes 
until an emergency warning was issued. 
 
Fearing that the officials concerned would be daunted by the uproar 
caused by the two false alarms on the 4th, the Kantei side 
reportedly encouraged the Defense Ministry to try to report the news 
as promptly as possible with confidence and assurance. 
 
11) Limits of BMD exposed, but some calling for expanding the 
system 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
April 6, 2009 
 
Japan actually used its ballistic missile defense (BMD) system for 
the first time in dealing with the missile launched by North Korea 
on April 5. But this experience has left behind many problems to 
resolve. Meanwhile, some Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) members are 
calling for an expansion of the BMD system. The question of whether 
to expand the BMD system is likely to be a controversial issue in 
reviewing the Defense Program Outline at year's end. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000770  008 OF 012 
 
 
The unexpected positive result for the Defense Ministry and the 
Self-Defense Force was that the BMD system has now become widely 
known among the public. This weekend, a number of people visited the 
ministry's facility in Ichigaya, Tokyo, to look in from outside the 
ministry at Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles deployed 
there. A senior official of the ministry's Internal Bureau said: "To 
be sure, the morale of our troops has been greatly raised." 
 
But the event this time has exposed a number of problems. PAC-3 
missile units were deployed in Akita and Iwate prefectures, but the 
missile launched by North Korea flew outside the area protected by 
the PAC-3 units, which is said to be a radius of only several tens 
of kilometers. Even if there had been missile debris falling on 
Japanese territory, it would have been difficult to shoot such 
down. 
 
Under its current plan, the government would deploy PAC-3 missiles 
only at 16 anti-aircraft artilleries in the Metropolitan area, 
Chukyo, Kansai, and Kyushu during fiscal 2010. Because North Korea 
had announced beforehand when and where it would launch a 
projectile, the Defense Ministry was able to demonstrate its 
readiness to deal with the situation. 
 
North Korea has already fully developed the technology for the 
Nodong missile. Observers think that the whole of Japan is within 
range of that missile. In a meeting of the LDP's defense policy 
subcommittee on the 2nd, lawmakers coming from the Tohoku District 
called for the BMD system to be expanded and for PAC-3 missile units 
to be deployed to their region. 
 
Even so, it will be impossible to deploy missile units across the 
nation, due to the need to develop those with expertise to man them, 
in addition to budgetary restrictions. Since this issue is linked to 
protecting the residents' lives and assets, the government will be 
pressed to make a difficult judgment. 
 
12) Former Finance Minister Nakagawa: Attacking enemy base must be 
discussed 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
April 6, 2009 
 
In the wake of the missile launch by North Korea, former Finance 
Minister Shoichi Nakagawa of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 
yesterday presented his view that Japan should discuss measures to 
use against the nuclear threat, such as attacking an enemy base. 
 
In response to a question from reporters in Tokyo, Nakagawa said: 
"I'm not saying that Japan should discuss the option of going 
nuclear. But I think Japan should discuss measures against the 
nuclear threat firmly, such as striking an enemy base and the 
question of shelters in the event of a contingency. What can be done 
for the security of Japan must be discussed." 
 
In 2006, when he was serving as LDP policy research council 
chairman, Nakagawa said: "Possession of nuclear weapons is not 
prohibited under the Constitution. There could be an argument that 
possession of nuclear weapons diminishes the likelihood of being 
attacked as we could fight back in such an event. There should be 
discussions naturally." This created a stir. 
 
13) Ruling, opposition camps both criticize North Korea 
 
TOKYO 00000770  009 OF 012 
 
 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
April 6, 2009 
 
In the wake of North Korea's missile launch, the ruling and 
opposition camps yesterday heightened their criticism of North Korea 
with such expressions as "extremely regrettable." The two chambers 
of the Diet will adopt resolutions criticizing the North possibly on 
April 7. The ruling coalition intends to call for strengthening 
Japan's independent economic sanctions against Pyongyang, as well as 
adopting a new resolution at the United Nations Security Council. 
 
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition 
partner, New Komeito  yesterday held a meeting of their task force 
on the North Korean missile issue at LDP headquarters. In the 
meeting, the two ruling parties released a statement that stated 
that the launching was "completely unforgivable." They also called 
for quickly looking into additional sanction measures by Japan. LDP 
Secretary General Hiroyuki Hosoda stated: "We want to come up with 
the contents of sanction measures before the end of this week if 
possible." According to an attendee, New Komeito Secretary General 
Kazuo Kitagawa demanded that the government clarify the details of 
its false alarms on April 4. 
 
Yukio Hatoyama, secretary general of the main opposition Democratic 
Party of Japan (DPJ), told reporters in Matsuzaka City, Mie 
Prefecture: "My party shares the view that (North Korea's missile 
launch) is a violation of UNSC resolutions. I think it is necessary 
to take tougher steps." Regarding the government's misreport, he 
said: "We should thoroughly clear this issue up in such occasions as 
intensive deliberations at budget committee sessions." 
 
In a statement, Japanese Communist Party Chairman Kazuo Shii 
criticized North Korea's missile launch, but he said: "I will 
clarify our party's view after ascertaining what was launched." as 
to whether North Korea violated a UNSC resolution. Social Democratic 
Party Secretary General Shigeno refrained from referring to this 
point. People's New Party Secretary General Hisaoki Regarding the 
government's false alarms, Kamei said: "The government respond 
without errors." 
 
14) "We strongly protest": DPJ secretary general releases statement 
 
NIKKEI (Page 3) (Full) 
April 6, 2009 
 
Following the launch of a Taeopodong-2 missile by North Korea, 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama on 
April 5 released a statement, which went: "It is very regrettable. 
We strongly protest the launch, recognizing it as violation of the 
UN Security Council's (UNSC) resolution." The statement also calls 
on the government to take a stern and uncompromising measure and 
pursue strong diplomatic talks, including a response at the UNSC. 
 
15) Government to adopt additional sanctions on the 10th: Total 
export ban; Existing measures to be extended for an additional year 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 6, 2009 
 
Following the launch of a Taeopodong-2 missile, the government on 
April 5 held a security meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Taro Aso. 
 
TOKYO 00000770  010 OF 012 
 
 
Participants agreed to speed up efforts to adopt Japan's own 
sanctions. The government will adopt at a cabinet meeting on the 
10th a ban on Japanese port calls by North Korea vessels and 
extension of existing punitive measures, such as an import ban, for 
an additional year. It will also come up with a total export ban. It 
intends to determine how harsh sanctions should be, while monitoring 
moves of various countries at UN Security Council meetings. 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura during a press conference 
stressed, "We want decide our response promptly, while pinning down 
moves of the international community." The current bans on port 
calls by North Korean vessels and imports from the nation will 
expire on the 13th. Kawamura announced that those bans will be 
extended for an additional year, instead of six months as in the 
past. 
 
Japan currently prohibits exports to North Korea of luxury goods, 
such as automobiles and beef, and goods that could lead to the 
development of weapons of mass destruction. According to trade 
statistics tallied by the Finance Ministry, imports from North Korea 
have been zero since 2007. Exports dropped to about 800 million yen 
in 2008. 
 
Chances are high that simple extension of punitive measures is 
already within the range of North Korea's expectations. The 
government is envisaging a step of inviting public comments, after 
adopting a sanctions policy at a cabinet meeting, so as to make all 
trade items subject to the export ban. 
 
If its policy obtains support from the international community, the 
government will look into adopting additional sanctions. The Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) Special Committee on Measures to Deal with 
Abduction Issue is considering its own sanctions, including lowering 
the upper limit on bank remittances to the nation and an end to 
reduced tax rates to and exemption from the fixed property applied 
to facilities of the (pro-Pyongyang) General Federation of Korean 
Residents in Japan (Chongryon or Chosen Soren). 
 
However, what a country can do by applying sanctions on its own is 
limited. The prime minister understands that pressure would not 
produce results without the international community's encirclement 
net. The government will likely have difficulty balancing between 
domestic opinions that tend to support stronger pressure and moves 
of the international community. 
 
16) Poll: 78 PERCENT  back stronger sanctions against N. Korea 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 5, 2009 
 
The Yomiuri Shimbun conducted a telephone-based nationwide public 
opinion survey from the afternoon of April 3 through the evening of 
April 5 around the time of North Korea's launch of a ballistic 
missile. In the poll, 78 PERCENT  of respondents answered "yes" when 
they were asked if they thought the Japanese government should 
toughen its sanctions against North Korea because of its missile 
launch, with only 16 PERCENT  saying there was no need to do so. As 
seen from these figures, the public generally backs the Japanese 
government's plan to increase sanctions on its own against North 
Korea. 
 
The public also was asked if it felt uneasy about North Korea's 
 
TOKYO 00000770  011 OF 012 
 
 
ongoing development of ballistic missiles. To this question, 88 
PERCENT  answered "yes," with 11 PERCENT  saying "no." Among those 
feeling uneasy about North Korea's missile development, the 
proportion of those calling for stepping up Japan's sanctions on 
North Korea rose to 80 PERCENT . This can be taken as showing that 
the public wants to halt North Korea's missile development by 
imposing stronger sanctions on North Korea. 
 
17) Poll: 66 PERCENT  unhappy with Ozawa staying on as DPJ head; 
Cabinet support slightly up to 24.3 PERCENT 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
April 6, 2009 
 
According to findings from a telephone-based nationwide public 
opinion survey conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun on April 3-5, a 
total of 66 PERCENT , or nearly two-thirds of all respondents, 
answered "no" when they were asked if they concurred with Democratic 
Party of Japan (Minshuto) President Ozawa's decision to remain as 
party head even though his secretary has been indicted for illicit 
political donations. There was no marked change from the last survey 
(68 PERCENT ) taken March 25-26 shortly after the prosecutors' 
indictment of Ozawa's secretary, and there are still calls for 
Ozawa's resignation. In the meantime, the rate of public support for 
Prime Minister Aso's cabinet was 24.3 PERCENT , slightly up from the 
23.2 PERCENT  rating in the last survey. However, the nonsupport 
rate also increased from 64.5 PERCENT  in the last survey to 66.5 
PERCENT  in the survey this time. Public dissatisfaction with Ozawa 
does not seem to be a tailwind for the Aso cabinet. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the ruling 
Liberal Democratic Party dropped to 27.2 PERCENT  from 31.0 PERCENT 
in the last survey. The DPJ increased to 24.2 PERCENT  from 21.2 
PERCENT . In the public's preference of political parties for 
proportional representation in the next election for the House of 
Representatives, the LDP and the DPJ were on a par at 31 PERCENT  in 
the last survey. In the survey this time, however, the LDP dropped 
to 28 PERCENT , with the DPJ at 31 PERCENT , the same as in the last 
survey. The gap between the two parties has expanded. 
 
18) Gov't decides to send P-3Cs to Djibouti 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) 9Full) 
April 4, 2009 
 
The government decided yesterday to send Maritime Self-Defense Force 
P-3C patrol aircraft to Djibouti in the eastern part of Africa next 
month for an antipiracy mission in waters off Somalia by invoking an 
action for maritime security operations under the Self-Defense 
Forces Law. In response, Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone met with 
Djibouti Foreign Minister Youssouf yesterday afternoon at the 
Foreign Ministry and concluded a status of forces agreement that 
stipulates SDF personnel to be stationed in Djibouti. The SDF's P-3C 
patrols will be sent on an actual overseas mission for the first 
time. 
 
The MSDF is expected to send two P-3Cs. More than 100 MSDF 
personnel, including maintenance service crewmen, will be based at 
Djibouti Airport, and the two P-3Cs are expected to engage in 
warning activities with MSDF vessels already deployed to Somalia 
waters. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000770  012 OF 012 
 
 
The agreement is for the P-3C and MSDF vessel crew, stipulating 
privileges including exemption from criminal indictment and civil 
claims for damages. 
 
19) U.S. military vehicle suspected of hit-and-run incident in Naha 
 
AKAHATA (Page 15) (Full) 
April 5, 2009 
 
At around 6:05 a.m., April 4, three pedestrians were hit by a car 
when they were crossing Route 58 at a crosswalk at Matsuyama, Naha 
City. The car fled the scene. The three were all hurt seriously, 
with fractures and other injuries, but all were conscious and the 
injuries were not life-threatening, local police said. 
 
The Naha Police Station of Okinawa prefectural police is 
investigating the incident, suspecting it to be a hit-and-run 
incident. However, the vehicle that fled the scene had a "Y" license 
plate used by U.S. military personnel and civilian employees, 
according to reports by eyewitnesses. The prefectural police will 
ask the U.S. military for investigative cooperation. 
 
According to the Naha Police Station, the three injured persons are 
a woman, 23, of the city, a man, 22, of Yaese Town, and a 
23-year-old restaurant employee from Urasoe City. 
 
The incident took place at a crossing with traffic lights on a road 
with three lanes each way. The car is believed to have come straight 
through. The local police are now checking the traffic lights and 
the cause of the accident. 
 
20) Antipiracy bill debate to start April 14 
 
TOKYO SHUIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
April 4, 2009 
 
The House of Representatives Rules and Administration Committee 
yesterday held a meeting of its senior directors from the ruling and 
opposition parties. In the meeting, the ruling and opposition 
parties agreed to enter into parliamentary deliberations on an 
antipiracy bill, following the government's explanation of the 
legislation's purpose and interpellations in a plenary sitting of 
the House of Representatives on April 14. 
 
ZUMWALT