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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4830

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TOKYO 000970 
 
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 04/28/09 
 
Index: 
 
1) Aso Cabinet support rate at 28 PERCENT , a 7.4 point jump, in 
Fuji-Sankei poll  (Sankei) 
 
Defense and security: 
2) Basic Space Plan to include research on early-warning satellites 
(Mainichi) 
3) Defense Ministry argues that introducing an early warning system 
would be enormously expensive  (Mainichi) 
 
Nuclear diplomacy: 
4) Foreign Minister Nakasone in policy speech addresses the nuclear 
security issue  (Asahi) 
5) Nakasone in speech calls for technological cooperation to 
dismantle nuclear weapons  (Yomiuri) 
 
6) Prime Minister Aso during meeting with Chinese leaders will 
announce 5 billion yen package of environmental cooperation aid to 
China  (Sankei) 
 
Political agenda: 
7) Prime Minister Aso hints at extending the Diet session, may 
postpone general election until well after the July Tokyo assemble 
election  (Nikkei) 
8) Opposition parties decide on all-out confrontation with the 
ruling parties in the Diet over the supplementary budget bill, 
hoping to force dissolution and election  (Mainichi) 
 
9) Questionnaire of 215 major companies finds 65 PERCENT  see 
economy as worsening, but some see a few signs of hope, as well 
(Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
Swine flu epidemic: 
10) Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito form task force on 
countermeasures against swine flu  (Mainichi) 
11) Local governments uncertain what to do about swine flu since 
central government has yet to issue clear instructions  (Mainichi) 
12) To prevent harmful rumors, MAFF conducts survey to find out 
voluntary restraint on selling pork  (Mainichi)    9 
 
Articles: 
 
1) Poll: Cabinet support rate rises to 28 PERCENT 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
April 28, 2009 
 
The Sankei Shimbun conducted a joint opinion poll with Fuji News 
Network (FNN) on April 25-26. In the poll, the rate of public 
support for Prime Minister Taro Aso rose 7.4 points from the last 
survey taken March 28-29 to 28.2 PERCENT  and rebounded to the level 
in last December's survey (27.5 PERCENT ). In the public's 
preference of political parties for proportional representation in 
the next House of Representatives election, the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party scored 34.6 PERCENT , with the leading opposition 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) at 34.0 PERCENT . The LDP 
outstripped the DPJ for the first time since the Aso cabinet came 
into office, showing a clear trend of regaining party strength. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the LDP 
stood at 29.2 PERCENT , up 1.7 points, and the DPJ at 21.5 PERCENT , 
 
TOKYO 00000970  002 OF 008 
 
 
down 0.7 points. The gap between the two parties expanded to 7.7 
points. The LDP topped the DPJ in the three consecutive polls since 
DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa's state-funded secretary was arrested 
March 3 for illicit political donations from a construction 
company. 
 
2) Early warning satellite research incorporated in space plan 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Abridged) 
April 28, 2009 
 
Taku Nishikawa 
 
A special study group of the government's space development strategy 
taskforce yesterday worked out a draft of its space master plan as 
Japan's first national strategy in the area of space development and 
exploitation. In the security area, the draft master plan recommends 
setting about research in the direction of developing early warning 
satellites that can detect ballistic missile launches. In addition, 
the draft plan sets forth a positive stance of utilizing outer space 
for such activities as industrial development and national life. 
 
The space master plan is a five-year program looking ahead into 
about 10 years down the road and will be formulated under the Space 
Law that came into effect last August. The government will ask for 
public comments and will decide on it in late May. 
 
The draft plan advocates developing artificial satellites in nine 
areas, including earth environment monitoring, advanced information 
and telecommunications networking, and space science. Japan will 
launch 34 satellites, double the current number, in fiscal years 
from 2009 through 2013. The taskforce is currently in the process of 
consulting with the Finance Ministry for necessary funding and 
staffing, according to the draft plan. 
 
3) Defense Ministry cautious about huge spending 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Abridged) 
April 28, 2009 
 
Yasushi Sengoku 
 
The government yesterday worked out a draft of its space master 
plan, incorporating its policy of pushing for research on early 
warning satellites. Japan has been depending on intelligence from 
U.S. early warning satellites for the detection of North Korea's 
ballistic missile launches, so lawmakers in the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party are strongly insisting that Japan should have its 
own early warning satellites. Meanwhile, there are also cautious 
views from within the Defense Ministry since huge spending will be 
necessary. This will likely become a major point at issue for 
Japan's national defense program guidelines and midterm defense 
buildup plan to be revised late this year. 
 
4) Nakasone unveils Japan's plan to host nuclear disarmament 
conference next year 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 28, 2009 
 
Atsuko Tannai 
 
 
TOKYO 00000970  003 OF 008 
 
 
Delivering a speech in Tokyo yesterday, Foreign Minister Hirofumi 
Nakasone unveiled the Japanese government's views about 
comprehensive nuclear disarmament. He expressed his strong support 
for U.S. President Barack Obama's policy of seeking a nuclear-free 
world and unveiled Japan's 11-point initiative to achieve that goal. 
He then announced Japan's plan to host an international conference 
on nuclear disarmament early next year. 
 
At the outset of the speech titled, "Conditions towards Zero," 
Nakasone touched on Obama's speech in Prague on April 5 and 
condemned North Korea for its missile launch that day. He called 
North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear development a "serious 
threat" to the international community. Regarding the envisioned 
international conference, Nakasone said: "The conference is aimed at 
boosting momentum for the international community to take concerted 
action to promote global nuclear disarmament" in preparation for 
success in the next review conference on the Nuclear 
Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) next year. But he stopped short of 
presenting any specific ideas. In analyzing the situation over 
nuclear weapons, Nakasone expressed strong apprehension about 
China's moves, saying: "Its strategic policy direction remains 
murky, and it has yet to start reducing nuclear weapons. The nation 
has not disclosed information at all." 
 
5) Nakasone reveals plan to offer technical cooperation for 
dismantling nuclear weapons 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
April 28, 2009 
 
Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone revealed in a speech at a Tokyo 
Hotel yesterday Japan's plan to offer technical cooperation in 
verifying the disbandment of nuclear weapons as part of efforts to 
promote nuclear disarmament. He also announced that Japan would host 
an international conference possibly this fall on nuclear security 
to prevent nuclear materials from being stolen and illegally 
transferred. Further, the foreign minister expressed his strong 
support for U.S. President Barack Obama's policy revealed in his 
speech in Prague of pursuing universal nuclear disarmament. The 
foreign minister called on China to promote nuclear disarmament and 
to disclose the number of nuclear weapons it possesses. 
 
Nakasone announced Japan's plan to hold an international conference 
on nuclear disarmament early next year in preparation for a review 
conference on the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) in May next 
year. Toward the U.S., He said: "I expect the nation to swiftly 
ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) by the time 
of the NPT review conference." 
 
6) Aso to pledge 5 billion yen in cooperation for China's 
environmental protection efforts 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 28, 2009 
 
Prime Minister Taro Aso and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao are expected 
to agree on a Japan-China comprehension plan on environmental 
protection and energy conservation during a meeting to be held when 
Aso visits China starting on April 29, according to informed sources 
yesterday. The Japanese government has earmarked approximately 5 
billion yen in the fiscal 2009 budget to fund projects to help China 
rebuild facilities at coal thermal power plants and train engineers. 
 
TOKYO 00000970  004 OF 008 
 
 
Japan also intends to technically assist China's efforts to protect 
the environment, focusing on such problems as loess and acid rain. 
 
While in Beijing on April 29-30, Aso will meet Wen on the afternoon 
of the 29th and President Hu Jintao on the afternoon of the 30th to 
exchange views on bilateral cooperation on such issues as developing 
gas fields in the East China Sea, food safety, including the 
food-poisoning cases in Japan by Chinese frozen dumplings, as well 
as the global economy and monetary market. 
 
In particular, environment and energy-conservation issues will take 
center stage in the meetings. In the comprehensive cooperation plan, 
the two governments intends to give priority to cooperation in such 
areas as water purification, antipollution, and waste disposal, in 
addition to improvement in coal thermal power plants. 
 
In the water area, the cooperation plan will include measures to 
promote cooperation in drainage projects in farm villages in China 
and to implement a lake-water purification project with the Chinese 
government. In the antipollution area, the plan will propose setting 
up a forum for bureau director-level officials of the two countries 
to discuss both countries' antipollution policies. 
 
China's consumption of oil doubled over the past decade. Eventually, 
China has emitted the world's second largest volume of carbon 
dioxide. The nation is now urged to serious address such tasks as 
improving its energy efficiency and protecting the environment. 
Furthermore, the problems of loess and acid rain are becoming more 
and more serious, as seen from the fact that about 18 PERCENT  of 
China's land has become deserted.  Loess has been blown by winds to 
Japan. 
 
Given such circumstances, Aso hopes to make use of the upcoming 
China visit as an opportunity for Japan and China to develop 
bilateral technical cooperation in the environment and energy-saving 
areas, Japan's strong fields. He expects such cooperation to become 
a symbol of a strategic mutually-beneficial relationship. 
 
7) Lower House election after Tokyo assembly poll; Deliberations on 
extra budget start today; Aso hints at possibility of Diet session 
extension 
 
NIKKEI (Page2) (Excerpts) 
April 28, 2009 
 
The Diet commences today deliberations on the fiscal 2009 extra 
budget, designed to cover an additional economic stimulus package, 
holding questioning sessions by party representatives in plenary 
sessions of the two Diet chambers. Prime Minister Taro Aso, who had 
taken a stance of not hesitating to dissolve the House of 
Representatives and calling a general election, yesterday hinted at 
the possibility of substantially extending the current Diet session 
beyond June 3, with an eye on a second overriding vote in the Lower 
House. There is a growing view in the ruling parties that the 
general election would be held after the July 12 Tokyo Metropolitan 
assembly election, since it would be difficult to dissolve the Lower 
House in May. 
 
Aso told reporters yesterday: "I don't think that if the House of 
Councillors refuses to pass the related bills, it would prevent the 
budget from being implemented. Even if such occurs, it is important 
to enact them." He indicated in his remark that he would give 
 
TOKYO 00000970  005 OF 008 
 
 
priority to the passage of the extra budget and related bills. Aso 
is alert to the possibility of the main opposition Democratic Party 
of Japan (DPJ) dragging out deliberations. 
 
Aso's basic strategy is to dissolve the Lower House after 
accumulating achievements once the extra budget and related bills 
clear the Diet. There is a risk that he will come under criticism if 
he dissolves the Lower House before the passage of the supplementary 
budget. A lengthy extension of the ongoing session that ends June 3 
would enable the Lower House to readopt the extra budget and related 
bills in the middle of July, taking advantage of the constitutional 
60-day rule, if they pass the Lower House in mid-May. 
 
Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori yesterday told Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Takeo Kawamura, who was visiting Mori's office: "Although 
the cabinet support rate has risen, (Aso) should not ride on his 
luck." In an April poll conducted by the Nikkei and TV Tokyo, the 
approval rate for the Aso cabinet increased to 32 PERCENT , while 
the disapproval rate marked 59 PERCENT . Under such a situation, it 
is still difficult to take a risk. 
 
There is a rumor in the ruling coalition that the Lower House 
election would be called before the mid-August O-bon holiday break. 
If that is the case, there are two scenarios: 1) the Lower House to 
be dissolved on July 14, the official campaign to kick off on July 
21, and the snap election to be held on August 2; and 2) Lower House 
dissolution on July 2, the start of the official campaign on July 
28, and the election on August 9. 
 
The Emperor and the Empress will visit the United States and Canada 
on July 3-17. It is possible to dissolve the Lower House and kick 
off the official campaign during their absence, but such is 
unprecedented. The Nagasaki peace memorial ceremony will take place 
on August 9. If the two scenarios are missed, the general election 
will be held after the terms of the Lower House members expire. 
 
There is a possibility that the opposition camp will coordinate the 
timing of the passage of the extra budget, with the aim of holding 
the Lower House election and the Tokyo Metropolitan assembly poll 
the same day, which the ruling bloc wishes to avoid. If such 
happens, there will a scenario of the Lower House being dissolved on 
July 19, the official campaign kicking off on July 30, and the 
voting taking place on July 12. 
 
The New Komeito has often asked Aso not to set the Lower House 
election within one month before and after the Tokyo election. 
During that time, the New Komeito cannot support the Liberal 
Democratic Party's (LDP) election campaign. New Komeito leader 
Akihiro Ota met yesterday, too, with Aso in the Diet building. 
 
8) LDP, New Komeito to set up task force team on swine flu; DPJ to 
hold session to hear from ministries 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
April 28, 2009 
 
Yuko Tadokoro, Yu Koyama 
 
Following the international expansion of swine influenza, the ruling 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner New Komeito 
will discuss today budgetary steps in their project team to deal 
with the new type flu. The project team, headed by former Health, 
 
TOKYO 00000970  006 OF 008 
 
 
Labor and Welfare Minister Jiro Kawasaki, will discuss budgetary 
steps for funding measures to cope with swine flu. Prior to this, 
the New Komeito held yesterday a first meeting of its swine flu task 
force headed by Chikara Sakaguchi, former health, labor and welfare 
minister. Sakaguchi said in the meeting: "Depending on developments, 
the swine flu issue might have an impact on the political situation. 
We must put all our efforts to prevent the swine flu from entering 
our country." 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) yesterday set up a swine flu 
task force office, headed by Policy Research Committee Chairman 
Masayuki Naoshima. The DPJ team held a first meeting yesterday in 
the Diet building. About 30 DPJ lawmakers received hearing from five 
ministries, including the Heath, Labor and Welfare Ministry, the 
Agriculture, the Foreign Ministry, and the Forestry and Fisheries 
Ministry. 
 
Naoshima pointed out: "The swine flu is spreading more rapidly than 
we expected." In the meeting, many participants raised such 
questions as how pork is imported and import ban standards. 
 
Upper House Steering Committee Chairman Takeo Nishioka revealed 
yesterday to the press corps that if the alert level was raised to 
level 4, whether Diet members should go abroad would be looked 
into. 
 
9) Poll on 215 companies: Over 65 PERCENT  think economy has 
deteriorated, less pessimistic than previous survey 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
April 28, 2009 
 
The Tokyo Shimbun conducted a survey on 215 major companies in the 
nation about the economy from mid-April through late April. About 
two-thirds of the companies said that the Japanese economy has 
deteriorated, indicating that many firms still have severe 
perceptions about the economy against the backdrop of sluggish 
exports and personal consumption. 
 
At the same time, over 30 percent of the companies said the economy 
has either bottomed out or leveled off, showing some improvement in 
business sentiment that was extremely pessimistic in the previous 
survey conducted late last year. Views were clearly split. 
 
A total of over 65 PERCENT  of the companies said that the Japanese 
economy has slipped deeper into recession, with 44.9 PERCENT , the 
largest group, indicating that it has rapidly deteriorated and 20.6 
PERCENT  saying it has deteriorated moderately. Many companies 
pointed out Western economies, sluggish personal spending, and 
unstable exchange rates as matters of concern. 
 
Meanwhile, 23.8 PERCENT  said that the economy has leveled off, 7.9 
PERCENT  indicated it has bottomed out, and 2.3 PERCENT  said it is 
bottoming out. 
 
Making a simple comparison is not possible because questions were 
altered in the latest survey. Even so, the business community was 
less pessimistic than in the last survey in which 99 PERCENT  were 
seeing the economy as sinking into recession. 
 
10) Opposition to stand against government, ruling camp 
 
 
TOKYO 00000970  007 OF 008 
 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Excerpts) 
April 28, 2009 
 
The Upper and Lower Houses will today hold interpellations by 
representatives from each political party in their plenary sessions 
regarding the supplementary budget for fiscal 2009. The Diet will 
now start deliberations on the extra budget. Prime Minister Taro Aso 
stressed: "I hope that the supplementary budget will be enacted as 
quickly as possible." However, Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Diet 
Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji Yamaoka criticized the 
government-sponsored extra budget, saying: "That is pork-barreling 
in the runup to the election." The largest opposition party intends 
to carry out a do-or-die resistance. Political maneuvering over 
deliberations on the extra budget has intensified between the ruling 
and opposition camps. 
 
In the DPJ, Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama, Yamaoka, Deputy 
President Naoto Kan and Azuma Koshiishi, chairman of the DPJ caucus 
in the House of Councillors, yesterday discussed their response to 
the Diet. The DPJ leaders agreed to have the government to explain 
the budget on April 28 and to ask questions after the Golden Week 
holidays. 
 
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner 
New Komeito had initially stressed that under the present economic 
recession, the supplementary budget should be enacted as early as 
possible, calling for continuing deliberations on May 1 in an aim to 
have the extra budget clear the House of Representatives on May 8. 
With this scenario, LDP Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Tadamori 
Oshima, who is close to Aso, was aiming to constrain the opposition 
by leaving the possibility of "dissolution in May." 
 
Due to the arrest of DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa's secretary over 
illegal donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co., the support rate 
for the Aso cabinet has risen and Aso is now wearing an expression 
of relief. In an LDP board meeting yesterday, Aso underscored: "I 
want to pass such important bills as the anti-piracy bill and a bill 
amending the National Pension Law," while expressing his eagerness 
for an early passage of the extra budget. While the DPJ is suffering 
a setback, there is a mood in the LDP for allowing Aso to put off 
the Lower House election. 
 
11) Swine flu: Without clear instructions from central government, a 
municipality struggling to deal with returnee feeling sick 
 
MAINICHI (Page 25) (Abridged slightly) 
April 28, 2009 
 
A certain municipality in western Japan is struggling to deal with a 
person feeling sick after returning from Mexico where swine flu has 
broken out. The person is not showing any symptoms of influenza. 
Although the local government has asked the central government, it 
has received no clear instructions. Anxieties are likely to linger 
on the administration's response. 
 
According to the municipality, the person in question has shown such 
symptoms as coughing, a sore throat, and a fever after returning 
from Mexico several days ago. It is unclear whether there is any 
connection with swine flu. 
 
The local government was asked over the phone for advice by the 
person in question who is showing symptoms that are lighter than the 
 
TOKYO 00000970  008 OF 008 
 
 
symptoms typical of regular influenza. But because typical symptoms 
of swine influenza were unclear, the municipality was unable to make 
a decision. The municipal government asked the central government 
for instructions, but there was no clear reply. As a result, the 
local government has simply advised the person in question to 
refrain from going out. 
 
A source of the local government said: "We are monitoring the 
symptoms which are weak. I believe there are other municipalities 
that are finding it difficult to deal with similar cases." 
 
12) To prevent harmful rumors, MAFF conducts survey to find out 
voluntary restraint on selling pork 
 
MAINICHI (Page 25) (Full) 
April 28, 2009 
 
Tomomi Okuyama 
 
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has begun 
a survey to find out if there are any supermarkets that are 
voluntarily restricting selling pork, with a sign saying, "We have 
stopped selling pork for safety reasons" in connection with swine 
flu. It is believed that there are only a few cases where pork from 
such countries as Mexico and the United States are being sold at 
supermarkets and other places. "One will not be infected with 
influenza from eating pork," MAFF stressed. Such a sign might spark 
harmful rumors. In the event such a sign is found, the ministry 
intends to instruct the store to remove it. 
 
The ministry also decided yesterday to ask the restaurant industry 
not to show any indications that could cause misunderstanding that 
one could be infected with swine flu from eating, such as removing 
dishes using Mexican pork from their menus. 
 
Matsuya Foods Co., the operator of a beef-bowl restaurant chain, has 
stopped serving dishes using Mexican pork. If such a situation 
continues, MAFF will consider making a request to the company 
individually. 
 
ZUMWALT