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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4860

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 000992 
 
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 04/29/09 
 
INDEX: 
AMERICAN EMBASSY, TOKYO 
PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION 
OFFICE OF TRANSLATION AND MEDIA ANALYSIS 
INQUIRIES:  03-3224-5360 
INTERNET E-MAIL ADDRESS: otmatokyo@state.gov 
DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 
April 29, 2009 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Japan-U.S. joint action tested (Sankei) 
 
(2) Government to make trade insurance available for overseas 
branches, aiming to revive trade with developing countries (Nikkei) 
 
 
(3) New strain of flu: Retailers concerned about harmful rumors 
(Mainichi) 
 
(4) Inspections of domestically bred pigs to be toughened (Mainichi) 
 
 
(5) Poll on Aso cabinet, political parties (Nikkei) 
 
(6) TOP HEADLINES 
 
(7) EDITORIALS 
 
(8) Prime Minister's schedule, April 28 (Nikkei) 
 
(9) Think of statesmen making laws: Gen Nakatani and antipiracy 
legislation (corrected copy) (Nikkei) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Japan-U.S. joint action tested 
 
SANKEI (Page 7) (Abridged slightly) 
April 29, 2009 
 
Masashi Nishihara, president, Research Institute for Peace and 
Security 
 
Situation envisaged under Article 5 of U.S.-Japan Security Treaty 
 
On April 5, North Korea launched a Taepodong-2 missile under the 
name of a satellite. The missile, though, appears to have fallen 
into the Pacific Ocean without going into orbit outside the earth's 
atmosphere. Because the previously announced launch could have 
become a direct threat to Japan, Japan and the United States 
prepared themselves against it. Fortunately the missile did not 
result in serious consequences. 
 
The missile launch could have been a case subject to a joint action 
by Japan and the United States under Article 5 of the bilateral 
security treaty. Did the Japan-U.S. alliance function as expected? 
What the two countries should have done? 
 
First, the question is to what extent Japan and the United States 
took joint action under the treaty's Article 5. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000992  002 OF 009 
 
 
Article 5 of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty stipulates: "Each party 
recognizes that an armed attack against either party in the 
territories under the administration of Japan would be dangerous to 
its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the 
common danger in accordance with its constitutional provisions and 
processes." The North launched the missile in the name of a 
satellite. It did not announce an armed attack on Japan in the first 
place. Even so, the launch was clearly dangerous to Japan's peace 
and safety. That is why Japan and the United States prepared 
themselves to deal with the common danger by deploying 
Aegis-equipped vessels and Patriot missiles at key spots. 
 
The Japan-U.S. alliance functioned excellently in terms of 
transmitting information and cooperating with each other after the 
launch. Once the missile was launched, a U.S. early-warning 
satellite immediately detected it and conveyed the information to 
the Japanese side only a minute after the launch. 
 
Containing the North Korean nuclear threat 
 
The problem was that Japan and the United States came up with 
different policies. The Security Council of Japan decided on March 
27 that if the launched missile or part of it was projected to fall 
in the Japanese territory, the country would destroy it and that in 
the event it was found out to be headed for the United States, the 
country would not intercept it. In other words, the council decided 
to allow the country to exercise the right to individual 
self-defense but not the right to collective self-defense. 
 
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates indicated on March 
29 that the United States would not intercept the expected missile 
unless it was expected to fall on the United States. That was to say 
that the United States would not intercept the missile that would 
hit Japan. Gates's statement constituted the United States' 
rejection of the use of its right to collective self-defense. 
 
The two countries' decisions to confine their actions in the face of 
the common danger to collecting and transmitting information will 
leave problems for the future. 
 
Did the U.S. military think that the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) would 
be able to deal sufficiently with the situation or did the United 
States not want to irritate North Korea? Or was it the United 
States' announcement of its displeasure toward Japan because it 
rejected using the right to collective self-defense? The reason is 
unclear. In any case, it could not be called a joint action under 
Article 5 of the bilateral security treaty. Although the U.S. policy 
was not a violation of what it has to do under the treaty's Article 
5, it made me wonder if the United States would take the same policy 
if there is a nuclear threat in the future. 
 
What also bothers me is that North Korea ignored not only the 
repeated warnings by the international community, including Japan 
and the United States, that a "satellite" launch would be a 
violation of UN Security Council resolutions, but also Japan's 
announcement that it would destroy an incoming missile. If such an 
event occurs in the future, the situation would be serious. In the 
event that the North poses a nuclear threat to Japan in the future, 
I wonder if the United States' announcement of its possible nuclear 
retaliation would serve as a deterrent against the reclusive 
country. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000992  003 OF 009 
 
 
The missile launch was followed by the adoption of a presidential 
statement by the UN Security Council. In reaction, the North 
released a statement criticizing Japan saying: "Japan has 
desperately obstructed the Six-Party Talks from their onset." The 
North often uses hostile words and provocations to conceal its 
brittleness. Such is the country's usual ploy to wring concessions 
from its opponents. Nevertheless, since we do not know what acts of 
provocation the North will take, we will have to tighten security 
while keeping our cool. 
 
Japan and the United States must seriously consider what will work 
as a deterrent against North Korea. 
 
Defense of Guam and the right to collective self-defense 
 
The final point is that the missile launched on April 5, though 
failed, flew 3,800 km, signifying the country's technological 
progress since the one in 1998, which also failed. What matters here 
is that North Korea's missiles will soon be able to reach the U.S. 
base in Guam, which is growing into a major U.S. strategic base in 
the Pacific. 
 
Guam will reportedly become a key base equipped with a dock for 
several aircraft carriers, a strategic submarine base, a strategic 
bomber base, and Marine headquarters. Above all, it will become a 
base where the U.S. military conducts its operations for the defense 
of Japan in time of a contingency. 
 
For its own security, Japan must urgently build legal and political 
systems allowing it to intercept missiles targeting Guam. Japans' 
refusal to exercise the right to collective self-defense is the 
largest drawback to the Japan-U.S. alliance. 
 
There are many things that Japan and the United States need to do in 
order to enhance the functions of their alliance. 
 
(2) Government to make trade insurance available for overseas 
branches, aiming to revive trade with developing countries 
 
NIKKEI (Top Play) (Full) 
April 29, 2009 
 
The government will step up measures to support trade with 
developing countries that has been sluggish due to the ongoing 
global financial crisis. It will expand the scope of eligibility for 
state-supported trade insurance to include the overseas offices of 
Japanese companies. By reducing the risks of trading, it aims to 
boost transactions with developing countries. The government will 
also boost support for trade financing, such as offering loans to 
private financial institutions in developing countries. Japan will 
ask the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which has decided to increase 
capital shortly, to beef up assistance for trade finance. 
 
Under the current trade insurance program, when a Japanese firm 
engaged in the import-export business becomes unable to collect 
proceeds because of its trade partner's bankruptcy or political 
instability in the country of the partner, Nippon Export and 
Investment Insurance covers the losses. Under the current system, 
overseas units of Japanese firms are unable to enroll in trade 
insurance for the contracts they conclude with local companies for 
transactions or investments, and such insurance is only available to 
parent companies, in principle. 
 
TOKYO 00000992  004 OF 009 
 
 
 
Amid the growing risks of trading with developing countries due to 
the financial crisis, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry 
(METI) is concerned that a contraction in business at overseas 
offices might worsen Japan's trade slump. Reflecting such concern, 
the government has decided to introduce a new system that would make 
trade insurance available to overseas units. 
 
Manufacturers, trading houses and banks operating overseas are 
expected to make use of the new system. The government anticipates 
that the new system will be used, for instance, by overseas units of 
Japanese firms when they sign contracts with local companies for 
plant construction projects in Middle Eastern countries or by 
overseas branches of Japanese banks planning to provide loans for 
local mining projects. 
 
Many Japanese companies have been calling for an expansion of the 
application of the trade insurance program, citing various 
difficulties in the current system. Such difficulties include tax 
disadvantages in exporting directly from Japan and rules in such 
Middle Eastern countries as Saudi Arabia and Asian countries that 
allow only locally incorporated affiliates to conclude contracts. 
 
Furthermore, the government will allow Japanese firms to buy trade 
insurance on goods warehoused abroad prior to sale. METI projects 
that sales and demands for investments through overseas offices will 
boost by about 100 to 200 billion yen annually under the new 
system. 
 
The government will also bolster aid to private financial 
institutions in developing countries, mainly in Asia. It will 
disburse 1.5 billion dollars, or about 150 billion yen, through the 
Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to enable financial 
institutions to offer loans to support trade settlements or to issue 
letters of credit. Trade financing is mainly for short-term 
transactions of about six months. The expansion of trade financing 
is expected to generate 3 billion dollars a year. 
 
At the end of March, ADB increased its dollar supply to regional 
financial institutions about seven-fold to 1 billion dollars. JBIC 
will cooperate with ADB in financing. ADB is expected to decide to 
increase capital on April 30. It will also study the possibility of 
supplying more dollars to financial institutions. 
 
In the Group of 20 (G-20) summit meeting (financial summit) held in 
London early this month, Japan pledged to provide developing 
countries with 22 billion dollars of support for trade finance over 
two years. The government hopes to put the brakes on the nation's 
trade slump through these measures to boost trade. 
 
(3) New strain of flu: Retailers concerned about harmful rumors 
 
MAINICHI (Page 28) (Full) 
April 29, 2009 
 
Leading supermarket chains are wary of a possible spread of harmful 
rumors concerning a new strain of influenza (swine flu), because of 
their fear that the new strain of flu could lead to consumers 
avoiding purchases of pork itself. In view of the bitter lesson 
learned when the food-poisoning outbreak caused by Chinese-made 
frozen gyoza dumplings led to sluggish sales of Chinese products in 
general, retailers differ in their approaches to the issue, such as 
 
TOKYO 00000992  005 OF 009 
 
 
notifications to consumers. 
 
Seven& i Holdings has been putting up posters underscoring the 
safety of pork to consumers at its supermarkets, including 
Ito-Yokado, since April 27. It does not import pork from Mexico. 
However, it says that it was necessary to have consumers understand 
that no pork of any origin poses health hazards. Some of its outlets 
sell U.S. pork. 
 
Aeon and Seiyu, which sell Mexican pork, said that they do not 
intend to put up posters or remove products from store shelves. That 
is because the agriculture ministry has cautioned retailers not to 
overreact to the outbreak, assuring that eating pork poses no health 
hazard. They have given consideration to the possibility that any 
kind of special response could set off consumer anxieties. 
 
An official in charge at Aeon stressed: "Since accurate information 
is becoming available as time goes by, consumers are responding to 
the matter in a relatively cool-headed manner. There has so far been 
no impact felt on the sales of pork." However, a person at a leading 
trading company, who is in charge of selling Mexican pork to major 
supermarket chains, said, "Our customers said that they might switch 
from Mexican suppliers to U.S. or Chilean suppliers if the problem 
escalates." The entire retail industry is becoming sensitive to 
consumer responses. 
 
(4) Inspections of domestically bred pigs to be toughened 
 
MAINICHI (Page 28) (Full) 
April 29, 2009 
 
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) will 
strengthen inspections of domestically bred pigs. It will also ask 
food-related industries to ensure a steady food supply in the event 
of a possible outbreak of a new flu strain in the country. It will 
also endeavor to prevent harmful rumors from causing damage, making 
sure that consumers are familiarized with the safety of pork. 
 
According to MAFF, the numbers of pigs whose infection with 
influenza virus were confirmed in Japan were three in 2005, one in 
2006, zero in 2007 and one in 2008. The examinations targeted pigs 
that posed such symptoms as coughing in 15-20 prefectures - 
approximately 200 a year. MAFF will now conduct this examination in 
all prefectures targeting more pigs. Though examination costs have 
thus far been split between the state and prefectures, the portion 
shouldered by the state will be increased. 
 
In the event of an outbreak of the new flu strain, the production, 
distribution and imports of food could become stalled due to 
restrictions on going out or an increase in absentees from work. For 
this reason, MAFF will ask producers' organizations and the food 
industry to confirm emergency distribution channels and stockpiled 
food. 
 
Regarding the emergence of a move in the food service industry to 
refrain from using Mexican pork, Agriculture Minister Shigeru Ishiba 
during a press conference on the 28th said, "Such a move is 
undesirable." 
 
(5) Poll on Aso cabinet, political parties 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
 
TOKYO 00000992  006 OF 009 
 
 
April 27, 2009 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures shown in percentage. Parentheses denote findings from the 
last survey conducted in March.) 
 
Q: Do you support the Aso cabinet? 
 
Yes 32 (25) 
No 59 (67) 
Can't say (C/S) + don't know (D/K) 9 (8) 
 
Q: Which political party do you support or like? 
 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 36 (33) 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 28 (30) 
New Komeito (NK) 3 (4) 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 4 (5) 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 2 (1) 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 0 (0) 
Reform Club (RC or Kaikaku Kurabu) 0 (0) 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0 (0) 
Other political parties 1 (1) 
None 19 (18) 
C/S+D/K 7 (8) 
 
(Note) The total percentage does not become 100% in some cases due 
to rounding. 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was taken April 24-26 by Nikkei 
Research Inc. by telephone on a random digit dialing (RDD) basis. 
For the survey, samples were chosen from among men and women aged 20 
and over across the nation. A total of 1,388 households with one or 
more eligible voters were sampled, and answers were obtained from 
866 persons (62.4%). 
 
(6) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Swine flu infections confirmed in seven countries 
 
Mainichi: 
New strain of flue: Only 15 flu infection tests a day conducted in 
Mexico 
 
Yomiuri: 
All passengers arriving at Japanese airports required to submit 
health, personal data; Penalties against those who refused to 
provide such data 
 
Nikkei: 
Japanese firms' overseas units to be allowed to use trade insurance 
 
Sankei: 
Pandemic alert phase 4: Possible to block at borders 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
New strain of flu infections spread to Oceania, Middle East: Korean 
woman strongly suspected of infection 
 
Akahata: 
New strain of flu declared: WHO raises alert level to phase 4; 
 
TOKYO 00000992  007 OF 009 
 
 
human-to-human transmission increases 
 
(7) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Alert level of new strain of flu raised to phase 4: Make ready 
for infectious disease, while monitoring development of situation 
(2) Nuclear disarmament: Prime Minister should spearhead movement 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) New strain of flu: Make ready in anticipation of domestic 
infection 
(2) Obama's 100 days: Make departure from being everybody's friend 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) New strain of flu: Can pandemic be avoided? 
(2) Court decision on lawsuit over corporal punishment 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) New strain of flu presses government for steady response to 
crisis 
(2) Restructuring of home electronic appliance industry under way 
 
Sankei: 
(1) New strain of flu: Take appropriate measures to block outbreak 
at borders 
(2) Showa Day: We want to learn lessons from that era of difficulty 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) New strain of flu: Make cool-headed response, while taking 
precautions 
(2) Extra budget: Thoroughly discuss propriety of pork-barrel 
budget 
 
Akahata: 
(1) New strain of flu: Tackle infectious disease with thoroughgoing 
measures 
 
(8) Prime Minister's schedule, April 28 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 29, 2009 
 
07:48 
Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura and Crisis Management Officer 
Ito at the Kantei. 
 
08:06 
Attended a meeting of the office to implement emergency employment 
and economic stimulus measures. Later attended a cabinet meeting. 
 
08:55 
Met at the Kantei with Vice Finance Minister Sugimoto, Vice Minister 
of Finance for International Affairs Shinohara, and Deputy Minister 
for Foreign Affairs Sasae. 
 
09:20 
Met Vice Foreign Minister Yabunaka, followed by Deputy Minister for 
Foreign Affairs Sasae, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director 
General Saiki, Economic Bureau Director General Suzuki, Director 
General of the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry Ishige, Director 
General of the Internal Affairs and Communications Terasaki, and 
 
TOKYO 00000992  008 OF 009 
 
 
Environment Ministry's Global Environment Bureau Director General 
Terada, with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsumoto present. 
 
11:28 
Met LDP Reform Headquarters Chief Takebe, Deputy Chief Taimei 
Yamaguchi, and others. Takebe stayed behind. 
 
12:37 
Attended a meeting of the new influenza virus taskforce in the Diet 
Building. 
 
12:52 
Talked with former Prime Minister Mori while standing. 
 
12:54 
Attended a meeting of lawmakers. 
 
13:02 
Attended a Lower House plenary session. 
 
16:01 
Attended an Upper House plenary session. 
 
17:31 
Met Kawamura. 
 
17:50 
Attended a Lower House Budget Committee meeting. Later met Lower 
House Budget Committee Chairman Eto, Kawamura and others. 
 
18:49 
Attended a meeting of the council to establish a safe society at the 
Kantei. 
 
20:23 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
(9) Think of statesmen making laws: Gen Nakatani and antipiracy 
legislation (corrected copy) 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 24, 2009 
 
Gen Nakatani, 51, a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) member, proposed 
to LDP Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Tadamori Oshima, 62, that the 
antipiracy bill be revised. He told Oshima: "Don't you think prior 
Diet approval should be required for Self-Defense Forces (SDF) 
dispatch for an antipiracy mission?" 
 
Surprised at the remark by Nakatani, the chief director of the 
antipiracy special committee, Oshima said: "Absolutely not!" 
Nakatani had secretly carried out coordination (on the matter) even 
with directors from the main opposition Democratic Party (DPJ), but 
his proposal was turned down by Oshima. 
 
The DPJ has placed priority on the issue of prior Diet approval of 
an SDF dispatch. The ruling camp, however, had predicted that if it 
did not yield, only the DPJ would be left in the lurch. In a meeting 
of a nonpartisan parliamentary group, Nakatani said last year: "The 
DPJ can approve it if it is a special measures law." If so, Diet 
approval would be required every time when the SDF is dispatched. 
His colleague in the ruling camp said: "(Nakatani) tries to yield 
 
TOKYO 00000992  009 OF 009 
 
 
too much." 
 
During the Koizumi administration, Nakatani was the first former SDF 
officer to become Defense Agency chief. He handled the Antiterrorism 
Special Measures Law and national emergency legislation. People 
imagined him as a hawk politically and a hard-faced politician. But 
his real nature is somewhat different from his image. 
 
He was born to the founding family of a mid-sized construction 
company in Kochi Prefecture. His grandfather, Sadayori Nakatani, 
served as secretary general of Rikken Seiyukai (Friends of 
Constitutional Government), one of the main political parties in 
prewar Japan. Sadayori refused to join the Taisei Yokusankai 
(Imperial Rule Assistance Association) and he eventually retired 
from the political world. Nakatani, who aimed to be a politician 
when he was young, went on to the National Defense Academy, without 
consulting with his parents. He became unconscious during a Ranger 
unit drill. He also fell off a cliff. 
 
Nakatani later served as a secretary to Koichi Kato, 69, who has a 
strong liberal tint, and then to the late Prime Minister Kiichi 
Miyazawa. He has distanced himself from a group of lawmakers calling 
for a bold security posture. A senior Defense Ministry official, who 
served for Nakatani, made this comment on him: "(Nakatani) has an 
ideal that the Diet is a venue to make laws through debate. He is a 
gentle person. He lacks the art of maneuvering deviously, as well as 
experience." 
 
Major General Koichiro Bansho, 51, who commanded the reconstruction 
assistance in Iraq, is a close friend of Nakatani. Bansho and 
Nakatani were in the same class at the National Defense Academy and 
at the SDF. Bansho said: "Nakatani is pure. It is difficult for him 
to become a sly person." 
 
Nakatani is aware that in the political world, being pure means 
having both positive and negative aspects. 
 
ZUMWALT