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P 222217Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
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INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
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RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
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RHMFIUU/USFJ //J5/JO21//
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RUAYJAA/CTF 72
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RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 3660
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 7462
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 1330
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 4197
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8946
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4968
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4770

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TOKYO 000941 
 
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 04/22/09 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) SACO-era Defense Agency division director reveals that he held 
talks with U.S. side with deployment of Ospreys at Futenma 
replacement facility in mind; Possible questions and answers 
prepared without touching on deployment plan [Ryukyu Shimpo] 
 
(2) Government starts negotiations with U.S. on change of helipad 
installation site near village in Futenma relocation plan [Okinawa 
Times] 
 
(3) Yachi's comment on return of 3.5 islands creating stir; 
Government desperate to cap it [Nikkei] 
 
(4) U.S. gives up on building reprocessing plant, casting pall on 
nuclear fuel cycle [Asahi] 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) SACO-era Defense Agency division director reveals that he held 
talks with U.S. side with deployment of Ospreys at Futenma 
replacement facility in mind; Possible questions and answers 
prepared without touching on deployment plan 
 
RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 1) (Full) 
April 21, 2009 
 
Takumi Takimoto, Ikue Nakaima 
 
Defense Policy Bureau Director-General Nobushige Takamizawa was 
serving as the Defense Agency's Defense Operations Division director 
responsible for negotiations with the United States during the 
period of the Japan-U.S. Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) 
that decided on the relocation and return of the U.S. Marine Corps' 
Futenma Air Station. Takamizawa revealed in an interview with the 
Ryukyu Shimpo yesterday that he had continued coordinating views 
with the U.S. side until immediately before the SACO produced its 
final report, while bearing in mind the deployment of MV-22 Osprey 
vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts at the envisioned Futenma 
replacement facility. It has also become clear through a U.S. 
document detailing input from Takamizawa that Japan and the United 
States, in anticipation of inquiries from local residents, had made 
arrangements to provide answers in a way not to refer to the plan to 
deploy [Ospreys]. The Japanese government has so far mentioned only 
the possibility of [the U.S. military] deploying [Ospreys] in the 
future. This is the first time that a government official 
responsible for negotiations [with the U.S. side] has admitted to 
having talks on the deployment of Ospreys. 
 
It is clear that the deployment of Ospreys at the Futenma 
replacement facility was excised from the draft SACO final report at 
the request of Japan. The existence of a secret bilateral commitment 
to deploy Ospreys has once again been exposed. 
 
In the interview, Takamizawa avoided referring to what had 
specifically been discussed between Japan and the United States, 
saying, "I don't remember." About the reason why the deployment of 
Ospreys was eliminated from the SACO final report, Takamizawa said, 
"Because the deployment was uncertain." 
 
The document in question was presented by the U.S. Department of 
Defense in connection with a suit over dugongs [an endangered 
 
TOKYO 00000941  002 OF 005 
 
 
species of mammal in waters off Okinawa]. It is a five-page fax 
message of November 27, 1996, sent by the US Forces Japan Command 
person in charge to such places as the U.S. Pacific Command and the 
office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense. It discusses the draft 
final report and comes with a list of possible questions and answers 
regarding the deployment of Ospreys and response guidelines. 
 
The document titled "GOJ Input to Relocation of MCAS Futenma" notes: 
"The following input was provided by Mr. Takamizawa of the JDA to 
USFJ/Defense Plans Department." 
 
It also notes this about the replacement facility: "Some of the 
helicopters are scheduled to be replaced by Ospreys around 2003." 
The answer to a possible question is designed not to mention the 
deployment plan specifically, specifying, "Even if the MV-22 is 
picked as the follow-on model in the future, the aircraft is said to 
be operational under the same conditions." 
 
"Although we cannot deny the possibility of [the U.S. military] 
deploying [Ospreys] in the future, we hear that nothing has been 
determined specifically," is the government's current answer at the 
Diet. It is in line with the list of possible questions and 
answers. 
 
(2) Government starts negotiations with U.S. on change of helipad 
installation site near village in Futenma relocation plan 
 
OKINAWA TIMES (Page 1) (Full) 
April 22, 2009 
 
Shin Yoshida, Shogo Yotsue 
 
The Japanese government unofficially asked the U.S. government to 
change the planned installation site for a helipad on the 
southwestern side of the coastal area of Camp Schwab in Henoko, Nago 
City, to which the U.S. Marine Corp's Futenma Air Station is to be 
transferred. Among the four planned installation sites for helipads, 
only the site on the southwestern side is located near Henoko 
village. Japan and the U.S. have already started coordination at the 
working level, according to informed sources yesterday. The plan to 
install helipads at the alternative facility is included in a 
document concerning procedures for conducting the environmental 
impact assessment whose copies the Okinawa Defense Bureau presented 
to Kure and other relevant communities on April 1. Nago and other 
communities have reacted strongly to the helipad-installation plan. 
 
A senior government official said: "Local communities are only 
worried about one location close to a village. The number of 
helipads will not be reduced from four to three, but changing the 
location in question should be possible through talks with the U.S. 
side." The official indicated a positive view about changing the 
installation site. 
 
The government has already notified the relevant prefectural and 
municipal governments of a plan to start talks on changing the 
location. The helipads to be installed at the facility will be used 
for helicopters' vertical takeoff and landing practices. At Futenma 
Air Station, there are seven helipads, and the U.S. military has 
asked Japan to move four of them to the new facility. 
 
 The procedure document includes the results of assessments of noise 
generated during hovering flights of Ch-53, CH-46, UH-1, and AH-1 -- 
 
TOKYO 00000941  003 OF 005 
 
 
rotary-wing models that generate the highest levels of noise -- at 
Futenma and nine adjacent areas. 
 
Noise levels over 70 decibels (dB) are regarded as bothersome to the 
majority of people. On the assumption of helipads installed at four 
sites, the expected peak noise level was 78.1 dB in Henoko Port, 
74.5 dB on a hill in Henoko, 73.7 dB in Henoko village, and 72.4 dB 
at National Okinawa Industrial High School Vocational School. 
 
Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro expressed his opposition to the 
plan in a meeting of the Relocation Council on April 8, saying: "The 
residents have called on the government to move the construction 
site further offshore, stemming from a desire to reduce aircraft 
noise. The helipad-installation plan goes against their wishes. 
 
(3) Yachi's comment on return of 3.5 islands creating stir; 
Government desperate to cap it 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 22, 2009 
 
A newspaper reported the comment by Shotaro Yachi, government 
representative and former administrative vice foreign minister, in 
which he suggested that Japan should resolve the dispute over the 
four Russian-held islands off northeastern Hokkaido by having Russia 
return 3.5 islets. With Yachi's comment, debate on measures to 
resolve the dispute is now picking up momentum. Although the 
government has upheld a policy of having all four islands returned 
as a package, it appears to have a desire to find a breakthrough in 
the deadlocked situation. With an eye on a visit to Japan by Russian 
Premier Vladimir Putin in May, there is also an aspect that the 
Japanese government is observing how Russia will act. Therefore, it 
remains to be seen if Yachi's call for the return of 3.5 islets will 
lead to a breakthrough in the territorial dispute. 
 
"The remark by Mr. Yachi is extremely serious. Even an influential 
Russian newspaper carried his comment," said Yukihisa Goto, a 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) member, in a session yesterday of 
the House of Councillors Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Goto 
made Yachi the target of his criticism. Foreign Minister Hirofumi 
Nakasone reiterated: "As I think that his remark is serious, I 
reprimanded him." However, there are no signs of resolving the 
situation. 
 
The Mainichi Shimbun carried an article about an interview with 
Yachi, in which he revealed the idea of having Russia return the 
Kunashiri Island, the Habomai islet group and part of the Etorofu 
Island of the four disputed islands. The idea is that Japan and 
Russia should equally divide the entire areas of the four islands. 
Prime Minister Taro Aso, during his tenure as foreign minister, 
mentioned the return of three islets and the idea of splitting the 
total landmass of the four islands into two, but he later retracted 
his suggestions. 
 
The Foreign Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office are desperate 
to put a cap on the matter. Yachi turned home from the United States 
yesterday afternoon. He told reporters at Narita Airport: "I didn't 
say so." However, he added: "I feel that some of my remarks might 
have caused misunderstanding." 
 
Yachi served as administrative vice minister under then Foreign 
Minister Aso. It was said that the appointment of Yachi as 
 
TOKYO 00000941  004 OF 005 
 
 
government representative was aimed to strengthen efforts to deal 
with the issue of the Northern Territories. This is the reason why 
many observers say that Yachi's comment is believed to reflect Aso's 
wishes. 
 
In the past, various measures were floated to resolve the 
territorial row. For example, the so-called "Kawana proposal," in 
which then Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto told then President 
Boris Yeltsin that the northern border should be drawn between 
Ostrov Urup and the Etorofu Island, while accepting the situation of 
the four islands. The government's position is that it will deal 
flexibly with the issue once the ownership of the four islands is 
resolved. Various measures to resolve the issue follow the extension 
of that argument. 
 
However, since Russia has turned down Japan's any proposals, the 
negotiations have been stalled. Under such circumstance, the idea of 
dividing the whole areas of the four islands has often been talked 
about. 
 
Russia, too, has reacted to Yachi's comment. The Russian newspaper, 
Kommersant, reported in detail the contents of his comment and the 
explanations by Nakasone and other government officials. The 
newspaper also carried an article referring to Aso's suggestion 
during his tenure as foreign minister. 
 
ITAR-TASS dispatched an expert view from Tokyo yesterday: "There 
seems to be no doubt that Yachi made the remark intentionally, all 
the more because he is a close aide to Aso." In his summit with 
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Aso called on Medvedev to present 
a reply by their next summit. However, whether Yachi's comment will 
have an impact on the next summit is unknown. Many observers view 
that since Russia's top priority in bilateral talks with Japan is 
economic cooperation, the possibility is low that Russia will 
seriously deal with the territorial issue. 
 
(4) U.S. gives up on building reprocessing plant, casting pall on 
nuclear fuel cycle 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
April 22, 2009 
 
Toshihiko Katsuta, Eisuke Sasaki, Washington 
 
The U.S. has given up on a plan to build a spent nuclear-fuel 
reprocessing plant and a fast-breeder reactor due to questions about 
and opposition to spending huge amounts of money without a clear 
outlook on the realization of nonproliferation. A test run of 
Japan's reprocessing plant for commercial use is already underway, 
and Japan was set to extend technical cooperation to the U.S. 
However, Japan is also saddled with a mountain of challenges ahead, 
such as construction costs and technical problems. 
 
Japan has same difficulties: Multiple problems during test run 
 
Experts say that the advantage of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel is 
that nuclear waste can be reduced through the effective use of 
resources - extracted plutonium. Japan has adopted the nuclear fuel 
cycle as it basic nuclear policy and is the only non-nuclear weapon 
state that is authorized to reprocess spent nuclear fuel for 
commercial use. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000941  005 OF 005 
 
 
Concerning Washington's policy switch, a senior Natural Resources 
and Energy Agency official said, "This will not affect Japan's 
policy." The energy self-sufficiency rate of Japan and France, which 
have been tackling spent nuclear fuel reprocessing for commercial 
use, is low. This official takes the view that the situation in 
Japan is different from that of the U.S., which developed the plan 
in 2006. 
 
However, Japan faces problems common to the reason that has made the 
U.S. switch its policy. Japan has technical challenges to overcome, 
and the costs involved are enormous. 
 
Japan spent 2.193 trillion yen for the construction of a 
reprocessing plant in Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture. It is 
estimated that reprocessing for the next 40 years will cost another 
19 trillion yen. Utility companies are allocating some funds for 
this purpose from electricity charges. Though the plant has started 
a test run, full operations have are not yet underway due to a 
number of difficulties in the waste disposal process. Problems with 
domestic technology have emerged and repairing damages is also 
time-consuming. 
 
The process involving the fast breeder comes after reprocessing. The 
present plan is to burn plutonium in a plutonium-thermal reactor at 
an existing nuclear plant. However, the fuel-saving effect of this 
method is small. If a fast breeder is used, it will be possible to 
breed more fissionable materials than the amount of fuel spent. 
Japan aims at putting this method into practical use by around 2050. 
However, when using a fast breeder, handling the sodium used for 
cooling becomes problematic. Operation of the fast breeder reactor 
Monju has been suspended since 1995, when a sodium leak occurred. 
 
It is viewed that the Obama administration will take a severe stance 
on the construction of new nuclear facilities with nonproliferation 
in mind. The government will start looking into a second 
reprocessing plant, following the one in Rokkasho Village. 
 
University of Tokyo Visiting Professor Tatsujiro Suzuki said, "The 
U.S. policy switch could affect Japan over the long term if a plan 
emerges to have multiple countries control nuclear fuel cycle 
facilities." 
 
Japan opted for a reprocessing and fast breeder reactor policy in 
its nuclear policy guidelines adopted at a cabinet meeting in 2005. 
However, if the stalled nuclear fuel cycle project, starting with 
the construction of a reprocessing plant, becomes protracted and the 
construction cost bloats, a call for revising the plan could flare 
up again, as in the case of the U.S., which has decided to pull out 
of the project to build reprocessing plant. 
 
ZUMWALT