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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 000817 
 
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 04/10/09 
 
Index: 
 
1) Japan to cooperate with Iran in implementing its assistance 
program for Afghanistan, focusing on eliminating narcotic 
production, occupational training  (Nikkei) 
 
DPRK missile launch fallout: 
2) Japan would like to see included in East Asia Summit chairman's 
statement a denunciation of North Korea's missile launch  (Yomiuri) 
 
3) Prime Minister Aso recognizes the difficulty of getting the UN 
Security Council to issue a resolution condemning North Korea for 
missile launch  (Nikkei) 
4) Cabinet to approve additional sanctions toward North Korea for 
missile launch, but some concerned that only Japan will stick out 
with such action toward DPRK  (Nikkei) 
5) Analysis of flight of North Korea's missile indicates that third 
stage did fall away and that missile traveled 3,200 kilometers 
(Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
Defense and security affairs: 
6) Difficult for Japan to possess an early warning system due to 
high cost and sophisticated technology involved  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
7) Vice Defense Minister Masuda: Attacking enemy bases is the role 
of the U.S. forces  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
8) LDP's Ichita Yamamoto heads new party study group to look into 
option of SDF striking a foreign base before it launches missile 
against Japan  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
9) Guam agreement to be adopted by the Diet, allowing Marines to 
exit Okinawa for new base on Guam  (Yomiuri) 
10) Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) placing conditions on MSDF 
dispatch for anti-piracy missions, including prior Diet approval 
(Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
Aso and the economy: 
11) Prime Minister Aso outlines new vision for the future that 
includes creation of 4 million jobs in Japan and a doubling of Asian 
economies by 2020  (Nikkei) 
12) Aso's growth strategy would see GDP at 120 trillion yen by 2020 
(Asahi) 
13) Supplementary budget with 15 trillion yen payload to be adopted 
by the cabinet today  (Asahi) 
14) Consumer affairs agency bill will pass the Diet today  (Asahi) 
 
DPJ in action: 
15) Manifesto of the DPJ to include future ban on all corporate 
donations to politicians  (Yomiuri) 
16) Rumors of DPJ head Ozawa resigning swirl through the party, with 
many members convinced the party will lose the election with him 
still in charge  (Yomiuri) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) Government reaches agreement with Iran on cooperation to assist 
Afghanistan with drug eradication efforts and vocational training 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Abridged slightly) 
April 10, 2009 
 
It was learned yesterday that Japan has reached agreement with Iran 
to jointly provide Afghanistan with assistance aimed at promoting 
 
TOKYO 00000817  002 OF 010 
 
 
that countries stability. Assistance will be in such areas as 
eradication of drugs and vocational training. The government will 
soon announce the accord. Since bringing stability to Afghanistan is 
a top priority of the Obama administration of the United States, 
Japan plans to contribute to the reconstruction of Afghanistan 
through cooperation with Iran, with which the U.S. has no diplomatic 
ties. 
 
According to what was revealed by Iranian Ambassador to Japan Abbas 
Araghchi in an interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun, the assistance 
will center on: (1) strengthening border security to cut off drug 
trafficking routes, (2) vocational training in collaboration with 
the private sector, and (3) support for the repatriation of Afghan 
refugees in Iran. In particular, smuggling drugs into European 
countries and other areas via Iran has been an international issue. 
Iran is to train Afghan law enforcement officers responsible for 
cracking down on drug trafficking, while Japan is to provide 
equipment, such as vehicles. The two countries will aim at the 
eradication of drugs by making contributions in their respective 
departments. 
 
According to the ambassador, coordination is under way to announce 
the two country's plan to coincide with the Pakistan donor 
conference to be held in Tokyo on April 17. Although Iran is at odds 
with the international community over its nuclear program, its 
motive to stabilize Afghanistan coincides with that of the United 
States and other countries. Iran is apparently intending to end its 
international isolation by joining the assistance framework with 
Japan. 
 
Touching on the question of resolving the issue of abductions of 
Japanese nationals by North Korea, Ambassador Araghchi also said, "I 
told the Japanese government that Iran is ready to do anything it 
can," indicating his country's willingness to serve as an arbitrator 
between Japan and the North by using its diplomatic ties with 
Pyongyang. The ambassador also indicated that he has already made 
contacts with families of abductees. The ambassador denied a report 
that Iran has been cooperating with North Korea in developing 
missiles, saying: "Our country stopped cooperation in all areas many 
years ago." 
 
2) East Asia Summit: Japan to call for including wording in 
chairman's statement criticizing North Korea's missile launch 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
The government has begun coordination with countries concerned to 
include wording condemning North Korea's ballistic missile launch in 
a chairman's statement, which will be released by the summit meeting 
of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus Three 
(Japan, China and South Korea) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), 
which will take place on April 11-12. However, since China is 
cautious about irritating Pyongyang, the talks are expected to 
encounter difficulties. Prime Minister Taro Aso will leave tonight 
for Thailand from Haneda Airport on a government plane. 
 
Aso will hold talks tomorrow with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao 
and South Korea President Lee Myung Bak to discuss North Korea's 
nuclear issue. Since China has opposed adopting a new UN Security 
Council resolution condemning the North, Aso intends to try to draw 
out a concession from Wen in some fashion. 
 
TOKYO 00000817  003 OF 010 
 
 
 
Japan wants to confirm in the chairman's statement that will be 
released after the conferences that North Korea's missile launch 
cannot be tolerated because it undermines peace and stability in 
Northeast Asia. Tokyo also wants, if possible, to include the 
wording that the launch is a violation of a UNSC resolution. 
 
How to respond to the financial and economic crisis is expected to 
be the main topic on the agendas at the conferences. Aso will 
propose the notion of doubling the Asian economy by 2020. 
 
3) Aso: Reaching agreement at UNSC this week unlikely 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
In a press conference at the Japan Press Club yesterday, Prime 
Minister Taro Aso said that it would be difficult to reach agreement 
by the end of this week in talks at the UN Security Council on what 
response should be taken to North Korea's launch of a Taepodong-2 
missile. Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said in a press 
briefing yesterday that Aso would discuss a UNSC response with 
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in their meeting arranged for the 11th on 
the sidelines of the upcoming ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian 
Nations) in Thailand. 
 
4) Cabinet to adopt today sanctions worked out against North Korea 
with consideration given to avoiding having only Japan stand out at 
UNSC 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
The ruling coalition's taskforce on the North Korean missile issue 
yesterday approved a set of sanctions submitted by the government in 
reaction to North Korea's missile launch. A plan for extending such 
existing measures as bans on imports from North Korea and on port 
calls by DPRK ships for another year will be adopted at a cabinet 
meeting today. The government will also announce such proposals as 
lowering the ceiling on the amount of remittances that needs to be 
reported to authorities from the current 30 million yen to 10 
million yen. The Liberal Democratic Party previously called for a 
blanket ban on exports, but the government decided not to adopt it, 
judging that such would be undesirable, for Japan alone would stands 
out within the UNSC, whose members are not all in line. 
 
The government had looked into a blanket ban on exports as an 
additional sanction. Japan bans exports of only luxury goods and 
certain other products at present. Although the value of exports to 
North Korea is a mere 800 million yen, the government expected that 
the proposed blanket ban would impress the world with Japan's tough 
stance. Discussions at the UNSC, however, have run into more trouble 
than expected. Under this situation, the government concluded that a 
blanket export ban would give "an overly strong message," said a 
government source. 
 
Japan will also lower the cap on the amount of cash that travelers 
to North Korea are allowed to carry without notification from one 
million yen to 300,000 yen. Although there is no direct restriction 
on the amount of money taken to the North, travelers would likely 
feel pressured (by having to report it). A government source said: 
"The measure is expected to produce a substantial effect without 
 
TOKYO 00000817  004 OF 010 
 
 
sending a strong message." 
 
If Japan fails to reach agreement with other UNSC members on North 
Korea, Japan's independent sanctions will work less effectively. In 
addition, Japan might be driven into isolation at the UNSC. The 
government has come up with these additional sanctions while giving 
consideration to other countries' views and angry reactions from the 
Japanese people. It intends to keep a blanket ban on exports as its 
bargaining chip for the future. 
 
5) N. Korean missile separates 3rd stage when falling 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Abridged) 
April 10, 2009 
 
It is highly likely that the second- and third-stage boosters of a 
long-range ballistic missile North Korea launched April 5 were 
separated when the missile was falling into Pacific waters about 
2,100 kilometers east of Japan, sources connected with Japan-U.S. 
relations revealed yesterday. Based on data collected so far, the 
launched missile's third stage is presumed to have landed in the 
ocean over 3,200 kilometers away from the launch pad at Musudanri in 
North Hamkyong Province. The missile is also presumed to have 
reached an altitude of about 500 kilometers. The government is 
analyzing the missile's flight in detail along with intelligence 
received from the U.S. military. 
 
With the analysis of the data, it is now highly likely that the 
ballistic missile launched by North Korea was a three-stage 
projectile. The launched missile separated its second and third 
stages when falling, which implies that North Korea has yet to 
establish technology for the third stage. However, the missile's 
second stage, as well as its first stage, landed in North Korea's 
designated danger zone or nearby, according to the sources. This 
shows that the missile had high accuracy. 
 
The Japanese government was strongly presuming that the North Korean 
missile's second and third stages fell together into waters. 
However, the U.S. military, as a result of analyzing its data, 
deemed that the second and third stages were separated and that the 
third stage landed in an area beyond the second one. The U.S. 
military is superior in the volume of intelligence and in the 
capability of analyzing data, so the Japanese government also deemed 
that the two boosters were separated. The third stage's estimated 
landing point has not been revealed. However, a source familiar with 
Japan-U.S. relations indicates that the landing point is "not so far 
away" from the second stage's landing point. 
 
North Korea claimed that the projectile it launched was an 
"artificial satellite." The Japanese and U.S. governments, however, 
have not confirmed that the "satellite" is in orbit. The two 
governments are still analyzing data to determine: 1) for what 
purpose did North Korea launch the missile; 2) whether the third 
stage had a booster; and 3) whether the third-stage booster 
functioned, assuming it had a booster. 
 
According to a source connected with Japan-U.S. relations, the 
Kirishima, an Aegis-equipped destroyer of the Maritime Self-Defense 
Force, was nearest to the landing points. The U.S. Navy deployed two 
Aegis vessels in waters between the Japanese archipelago and the 
Kirishima. Hawaii radar also seems to have monitored the missile's 
path. 
 
TOKYO 00000817  005 OF 010 
 
 
 
6) High cost and technology a high barrier for possessing 
early-warning satellite system 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Abridged slightly) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
Koki Miura 
 
In reaction to North Korea's missile launch, Defense Minister 
Yasukazu Hamada revealed before the House of Representatives 
Security Committee yesterday the view of beginning to consider 
possessing an early-warning satellite to detect missile launches. 
But in order to introduce such a satellite, such high barriers as 
the cost and the technology must be cleared. 
 
At present, only the United States and Russia possess early-warning 
satellites capable of detecting missiles firing up. In responding to 
the North's missile launch (on April 5), Japan had to rely on 
initial intelligence from the United States. 
 
Given the situation, calls for the possession of Japan's own 
early-warning satellite came from some Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ) members, in addition to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). 
Vice-Defense Minister Kohei Masuda expressed a positive stance in a 
press conference yesterday, saying: "The effectiveness (of an 
early-warning satellite) in a ballistic missile defense (MD) system 
cannot be denied." 
 
But the actual possession of such a satellite would entail a huge 
fiscal burden. Japan already has information-gathering satellites, 
which cost the country 200 billion yen. "We were able to handle the 
cost of the information-gathering satellite outside the regular 
defense spending framework, because they are being used by other 
government agencies as well. But using the same approach to an 
early-warning satellite is not possible. The possession of such a 
satellite would take a toll on the budget for other equipment," a 
senior Defense Ministry official said. 
 
Further, Japan does not have the technology to selectively detect 
missiles' heat from a geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometers above 
the earth. The United States has not disclosed such technology. At 
present, Japan cannot expect to receive technological assistance 
from the United States. 
 
The prevailing view is that Japan will have to keep relying on the 
United States for now. 
 
7) Vice-defense minister: Striking enemy bases the role of the U.S. 
forces 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
North Korea's launch of a satellite has sparked calls in the Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) to allow the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to 
strike enemy bases. Touching on such a development, Administrative 
Vice-Defense Minister Kohei Masuda emphasized yesterday that 
striking enemy bases is a role that must be played by the U.S. 
forces rather than by the SDF. He said: "Under the Guidelines for 
Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation, the SDF is to conduct defensive 
operations and the U.S. military is to play the role of 
 
TOKYO 00000817  006 OF 010 
 
 
complementing the SDF's capabilities. We will consider matters in 
that framework." 
 
The need to strike an enemy base, which means a preemptive strike, 
was brought up by former Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa on April 
¶5. Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada, too, expressed a view before 
the House of Councillors Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on 
April 7 that the enemy-base strike argument should be debated. 
 
8) Like-minded LDP lawmakers, including Ichita Yamamoto, form study 
group 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
In reaction to North Korea's launch of a missile, seven like-minded 
lawmakers of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) set up yesterday a 
study group to consider the possibility of striking enemy bases as a 
means to strengthen the country's deterrence against the North. The 
group plans to produce a set of proposals by the end of May to press 
the government to incorporate them in a year-end review of the 
National Defense Program Guidelines. 
 
The group's organizer and a House of Councillors member Ichita 
Yamamoto said at the group's inaugural meeting: "It is an important 
duty of lawmakers of the party in power to protect the people to 
consider the level of deterrence that can meet an increased North 
Korean threat." 
 
9) Diet likely to approve Guam relocation pact during current 
session 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
The House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee agreed in a 
meeting of its directors yesterday to take a vote in its meeting 
today on the agreement reached between Japan and the United States 
on the relocation of U.S. Marines in Okinawa to Guam. The Guam 
relocation pact will be approved in a plenary sitting of the House 
of Representatives on April 14 with a majority of votes from the 
ruling parties and will be sent to the House of Councillors. The 
pact is now certain to get Diet approval during the current session 
as the Constitution stipulates that the House of Representatives' 
decision on an intergovernmental agreement or treaty is to be a Diet 
decision unless the House of Councillors votes it down or take a 
vote on it within 30 days. 
 
10) Diet approval needed for SDF dispatch: DPJ 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
The leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) held a 
meeting of its foreign affairs and defense division yesterday and 
outlined its counterproposal with revisions to the 
government-introduced antipiracy bill. The DPJ's counterproposal 
requires the government to ask for the Diet's approval before 
sending out the Self-Defense Forces. In addition, it also proposes 
launching an antipiracy headquarters. 
 
The DPJ will hold a meeting of its 'shadow cabinet' to make a 
 
TOKYO 00000817  007 OF 010 
 
 
decision on its counterproposal and will call on the ruling parties 
to talk about revisions to the bill. 
 
According to the outline of revisions, the prime minister is to set 
up a headquarters at the request of the land and transport minister 
or the Japan Coast Guard commandant in case it is difficult for the 
JCG to deal with armed pirates. 
 
The antipiracy headquarters is to organize a taskforce of personnel 
from the Self-Defense Forces and create an implementing plan for 
where and how long to operate. In addition to requiring the 
government to ask for the Diet's prior approval, the DPJ's 
counterproposal requires the government to report any decision or 
change regarding its implementing plan to the Diet. The DPJ's 
proposal increases the Diet's role as compared with the government 
bill. 
 
11) Aso proposes plans to double Asia economy, create 4 million jobs 
in Japan by 2020 
 
NIKKEI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
In a press conference at the Japan Press Club yesterday, Prime 
Minister Taro Aso revealed a new initiative aimed to double the 
scale of the Asian economy by 2020. The initiative proposes 
establishing a new trade insurance framework worth 2 trillion yen to 
promote corporate investment in infrastructure construction in Asia. 
Japan aims to expand physical distribution networks and to spread 
Japan's environmental technology by making use of official 
development aid (ODA) funds. Aso also spelled out a Japanese 
economy-growth strategy to create 4 million jobs by 2020. 
 
Aso will explain about Japan's Asia growth initiative at the East 
Asia summit conference to be held in Thailand on April 12. The 
conference will bring together representatives from Japan, China, 
South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India, and the ASEAN 
(Association of Southeast Asian Nations) members. The total amount 
of their gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007 was approximately 12 
trillion yen. Under the new initiative, this figure would be 
augmented to about 24 trillion yen. 
 
In the press conference, Aso called Asia, focusing on a sharp 
increase in the number of middle-income earners there, "a growth 
center for the 21st century." He then emphasized the need for the 
expected positive results to be linked to creating more jobs and 
technical innovation in Japan. 
 
Trade insurance covers losses incurred to Japanese firms from their 
trade transactions and overseas investment due to terrorism or a 
dispute in their trade partners. The new framework worth 2 trillion 
yen is expected to reduce risks that arise from investment overseas 
and to cover several tens of cases. To construct and expand 
industrial estates and physical distribution networks in Asia, Aso 
proposed that East Asian countries in cooperation should work out a 
plan for comprehensive development in the region. 
 
12) Prime minister pledges in growth strategy to lift GDP by 120 
trillion yen by 2020 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
April 10, 2009 
 
TOKYO 00000817  008 OF 010 
 
 
 
Prime Minister Aso on April 9 released at the Japan National Press 
Club a growth strategy for Japan and Asia through 2020 titled "For 
New Growth." The package includes an initiative of creating 4 
million jobs and doubling the size of the Asian economy, by pushing 
up Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) by 120 trillion yen through 
a low carbon revolution for overcoming global warming. 
 
The government and the ruling parties will submit an enormous 15 
trillion yen supplementary budget to the current Diet session. The 
prime minister presumably intends to avoid the bill from being 
criticized as a pork-barrel budget, by positioning the immediate 
economic stimulus package in a mid-term future vision. 
 
As pillars of the growth strategy, the prime minister cited: (1) a 
low carbon revolution; (2) creating a society that is friendly to 
the elderly; and (3) using Japan's appealing points. Concerning a 
low carbon society, the prime minister pointed out that solar 
batteries, electric vehicles and energy-saving electronic appliances 
will become the "three holy appliances" in the 21st century. He came 
up with a plan to make Japan the world's no. 1 solar light user, 
under which the scale of solar energy generation will be increased 
20-fold by 2020, by establishing a system of purchasing electricity 
generated by solar energy at households at a price about double the 
present one. 
 
13) Fiscal 2009 extra budget to be adopted today 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
The government and the ruling parties will formally adopt on April 
10 a new set of stimulus measures (measures to address the economic 
crisis), including the largest-ever fiscal 2009 extra budget worth 
roughly 15 trillion yen. The extra budget and bills related to an 
amendment to the tax code for a gift tax cut will be submitted to 
the Diet on the 27th before the Golden Week consecutive holidays. 
 
Referring to a mid-term program indicating a path to a sales tax 
hike, adopted at a cabinet meeting late last year, the package notes 
that necessary amendments should be made promptly. Since the state 
finances are expected to worsen significantly due to the large-scale 
extra budget, the government intends to include the necessity to 
secure stable financial resources in the package. It will unlikely 
change the key part of the mid-term program, which describes a hike 
in the sale tax in fiscal 2011. 
 
However, many ruling party members are becoming distrustful of the 
government, because it incorporated the word "revisions" in the 
package without undergoing advance coordination of views. The New 
Komeito put on hold talks on the mid-term program at its plenary 
Research Council meeting on the 9th. The issue could become a source 
of contention between the government and the ruling parties, because 
this is the issue on which both sides reached a settlement after 
much confusion. 
 
14) Consumer agency bill to secure Diet approval with DPJ making 
compromise 
 
ASAHI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
April 10, 2009 
 
 
TOKYO 00000817  009 OF 010 
 
 
Bills related to the establishment of a consumer agency designed to 
unify consumer administration will likely obtain Diet approval 
during the current session since the Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ), which has submitted a counterproposal, has agreed to a 
compromise to letting the bills pass once their revisions are 
accepted. The ruling and opposition camps will agree on the 
revisions possibly early next week, the aim being to have the bills 
clear the Lower House before the end of that week. The envisioned 
consumer agency will likely be launched before year's end. 
 
According to the government's present plan, the consumer agency will 
be tasked with collecting and analyzing complaints and consultations 
sent to consumer centers located in each local government. It would 
then impose administrative penalties on unscrupulous companies or 
recommend to related government agencies that they take action. 
 
Former DPJ Policy Research Council Chairman Yoshito Sengoku, senior 
director of the Lower House Special Committee on Consumer Issues, 
which is charge with discussing has been conferring on revisions to 
the bills with the ruling camp behind the scenes. He told reporters 
on April 9: "(The party executive) is now in the process of reaching 
a political decision. We will pursue talks premised on reaching 
agreement during this Diet session." He clarified his view that the 
party would now confer on the issue, based on the assumption of 
reaching agreement during the current Diet session. 
 
15) DPJ would ban corporate donations 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the largest opposition force, 
held yesterday a board meeting of its political reform promotion 
taskforce, chaired by Vice President Katsuya Okada, at party 
headquarters. The taskforce decided on a draft proposal calling for 
completely prohibiting corporations and political organizations from 
making donations to politicians and from purchasing party tickets 
for politicians' fundraising activities. Setting a transitional 
period until necessary preparations are made to implement the ban, 
the panel suggests that donations from companies receiving orders 
for public works projects from the central and local governments, as 
well as their purchase of party tickets be banned. The DPJ intends 
to draft proposals for a revision of the Political Funds Control Law 
and it will then submit them to the ongoing Diet session. The party 
plans to include the proposals in its manifesto (set of campaign 
pledges) for the next general election. 
 
Following his state-funded secretary's indictment for violating the 
Political Funds Control Law over donations to his fund management 
organization, Ozawa instructed Okada to come up with a complete ban 
on donations from corporations and political organizations. The 
meeting failed to arrive at an agreement on a five-year transitional 
period plan, although the plan was a prevailing view in the session. 
The taskforce decided to make a final decision at a meeting of all 
the party lawmakers from the both Diet chambers, after ironing out 
differences in opinions that will be come up through a poll on all 
party members. 
 
The panel suggests a measure for the transitional period to create a 
system in which companies and political organizations wishing to 
make donations must register with the Internal Affairs and 
Communications Ministry. The taskforce suggests that register 
 
TOKYO 00000817  010 OF 010 
 
 
information be made public, and that corporations receiving orders 
for public works projects not be allowed to register. 
 
In addition, the panel suggest making efforts to increase individual 
donations, including making individual donations up to a certain 
amount fully tax deductible. It also suggest allowing the use of 
credit cards for individual donations. 
 
16) Confusion obvious in DPJ over possible Lower House dissolution 
in May, while Ozawa issue still smolders 
 
YOMIURI (Page 3) (Full) 
April 10, 2009 
 
Confusion reigns in the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) over whether 
the Lower House will be dissolved in May, despite the fact that 
President Ichiro Ozawa has called for an early dissolution of the 
House of Representatives. 
 
Yesterday at party headquarters, Ozawa was briefed by Policy 
Research Committee Chairman Masayuki Naoshima about revisions being 
proposed to the government-drafted anti-piracy bill. He is now 
gradually resuming his party business. To avoid the press corps, he 
has returned to his residence in Tokyo and no longer is staying at a 
hotel. 
 
Many in the DPJ maintain they cannot go into the next Lower House 
election while still under Ozawa's leadership. At a gathering on 
April 8 in Tokyo, Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama, who has 
supported Ozawa, even said: "I have to admit that we are now in a 
critical situation as to whether we can take over the reins of 
government." Frustrated apparently with such circumstances, Ozawa 
showed his anger at reporters last evening in the Diet building, 
saying: "What's your purpose of chasing me?" 
 
The DPJ has retreated from its stance of clashing with the 
government and ruling coalition, which it had taken under Ozawa. The 
largest opposition party has yet to decide how to respond to the 
supplementary budget for fiscal 2009. At a press conference 
yesterday, Deputy President Naoto Kan referred to the possibility of 
the DPJ approving the fiscal 2009 extra budget after revisions. He 
said: "Depending on circumstances, we may (submit) some revisions. 
If the revisions are approved, we would respond in some fashion." 
 
ZUMWALT