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FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
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RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9123
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 5141
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4921

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TOKYO 001035 
 
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 05/07/09-2 
 
INDEX: 
 
INDEX: 
 
(11) Poll: 47 PERCENT  see need for constitutional revision (Nikkei) 
 
 
(12) Poll: 64 PERCENT  opposed to amending Article 9 (Asahi) 
 
(13) China's participation urged (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
(14) U.S. joint chiefs of staff chairman: China's military buildup 
appears aimed at U.S. (Sankei) 
 
(15) Japanese, German leaders confirm cooperation to overcome 
economic crisis (Sankei) 
 
(16) International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and 
Disarmament's draft report to state world can abolish nuclear 
weapons after 2025 (Mainichi) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(11) Poll: 47 PERCENT  see need for constitutional revision 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 3, 2009 
 
Ahead of Constitution Day, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun conducted a 
public opinion survey. In the poll, respondents were asked if they 
thought the Constitution should be amended. In response to this 
question, affirmative answers outnumbered negative ones at 47 
PERCENT  and 38 PERCENT . The proportion of those in favor of 
constitutional revision was down 1 point from a poll taken a year 
ago, and the proportion of those for constitutional protection also 
down 5 points. This is presumably because the Diet has stagnated its 
debate on the Constitution. 
 
In the breakdown of reasons for supporting constitutional revision, 
62 PERCENT  said "the Constitution should incorporate ideas that 
meet the times," up 8 points from the last poll. This reason topped 
all other reasons. Among other reasons, 16 PERCENT  picked "Japan 
should change its system so it can easily push for reforms," with 13 
PERCENT  choosing "the Constitution has provisions that are far 
apart from reality." 
 
In the meantime, the most common reason given for protecting the 
Constitution from change was "Japan's pacifism could change in 
nature with constitutional revision" (36 PERCENT ), followed by "the 
Constitution should not be amended unless otherwise there is 
something really serious" (29 PERCENT ). The gap between the 
proportions of those supporting constitutional revision and those 
supporting constitutional protection expanded slightly. 
 
The survey was taken 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 PERCENT 
). 
 
(12) Poll: 64 PERCENT  opposed to amending Article 9 
 
TOKYO 00001035  002 OF 005 
 
 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
May 2, 2009 
 
Ahead of Constitution Day on May 3, the Asahi Shimbun conducted a 
telephone-based nationwide public opinion survey. In the poll, 
respondents were asked if they thought it would be better to change 
Article 9 of the Constitution. In response to this question, a total 
of 64 PERCENT  answered "no," with only 26 PERCENT  saying "yes." 
Meanwhile, 53 PERCENT  responded "yes" to a question asking if the 
Constitution should be amended. Among them, 42 PERCENT  said it 
would be better to change Article 9, with 49 PERCENT  saying it 
would be better not to change it. The survey was conducted April 
18-19. 
 
In a previous poll conducted in April 2007 when the Abe cabinet was 
in office, respondents were also asked if they thought it would be 
better to change Article 9. In that poll, "no" accounted for 49 
PERCENT , and "yes" for 33 PERCENT . In a poll taken in April last 
year when the Fukuda cabinet was in office, the gap between the 
proportions of negative and affirmative answers widened, with "no" 
accounting for 66 PERCENT  and "yes" for 23 PERCENT . There was no 
marked change between this poll and last year's one. 
 
Those who gave affirmative answers to the question about Article 9 
(26 PERCENT  of all respondents) were further asked to choose 
between two options for how it should be amended. Among them, 
opinion was split, with 50 PERCENT  saying the Constitution should 
only prescribe the existence of the Self-Defense Forces and 44 
PERCENT  saying the SDF should be stipulated as a military entity 
like other countries'. 
 
Asked whether the Constitution should be amended as a whole, 
affirmative answers accounted for 53 PERCENT , outnumbering negative 
ones at 33 PERCENT . In 2007, affirmative answers accounted for 58 
PERCENT , with negative ones at 27 PERCENT . Last year, the 
affirmative figure was 56 PERCENT , with the negative figure at 31 
PERCENT . 
 
(13) China's participation urged 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
May 6, 2009 
 
Nakahiro Iwata, Washington 
 
Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito, now visiting the U.S., met with 
U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Chinese Todd Stern in Washington on 
May 4. They agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties in order to 
urge China to agree on compulsory participation in the next-term 
framework to curb global warming (post-Kyoto protocol). 
 
Saito pointed out that a framework that obligates emerging 
countries, such as China, to cut a certain level of carbon emissions 
is necessary. Stern agreed with the proposal, adding, "The U.S. will 
not take part in a framework that China does not participate in." 
 
(14) U.S. joint chiefs of staff chairman: China's military buildup 
appears aimed at U.S. 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 6, 2009 
 
TOKYO 00001035  003 OF 005 
 
 
 
Hideya Yamamoto, Washington 
 
The USS Victorious, an ocean surveillance ship, which is now 
carrying out operations in waters in the Yellow Sea, was obstructed 
by two Chinese fishing boats on May 1, an U.S. Defense Department 
official revealed on May 5. A similar incident occurred between the 
U.S. and Chinese ships in March in the South China Sea. Following 
the series of incidents in international waters, U.S. Joint Chiefs 
of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen explicitly said that rapid buildup in 
the Chinese Navy and Air Force "is aimed at the United States." He 
expressed a sense of alarm heightened between the U.S. and China in 
the Pacific region, including the U.S. bases in Japan. 
 
The two Chinese vessles obstructed the navigation of the USS 
Victorious, by coming close to the USS ship, which was in operation 
in international waters in the Yellow Seat. The USS Victorious urged 
a Chinese government organization ship nearby through a formal rote 
to have the two fishing boats discontinue their act of disturbance. 
The two Chinese ships moved away from the USS Victorious. 
 
The USS Victorious was involved in another incident with a Chinese 
ship in March in the Yellow Sea. When another U.S. ocean 
surveillance ship was interrupted by a Chinese vessel, the U.S. Navy 
hastily dispatched a destroyer. 
 
According to Reuters, Navy Adm. Mullen made a more specific remark 
in a speech delivered at a conference of the Navy League of the 
United States: "China's buildup of sea and air military power 
appears aimed at the United Sates." He took the view that China's 
military buildup was focused on the U.S. Navy and U.S. bases 
overseas. 
 
Mullen said that China had the right to strengthen its national 
security, but the buildup would require the United States to enhance 
cooperation with its allies in the Pacific region, such as Japan, 
South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. 
 
Jeffrey Bader, senior director for Asian affairs at the National 
Security Council (NSC), made this comment on the U.S.-China 
incidents in international waters: "The absence of a sound 
relationship between the U.S. and Chinese militaries is a part of 
that strategic mistrust." He then called for the need for the U.S. 
and Chinese governments to promote security dialogue of high-level 
officials. 
 
(15) Japanese, German leaders confirm cooperation to overcome 
economic crisis 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 6, 2009 
 
Prime Minister Taro Aso, who is now visiting Europe, held talks with 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the afternoon of May 5 at the 
Federal Chancellery in Berlin. Aso and Merkel confirmed that their 
countries would strengthen cooperation to overcome the global 
economic crisis. The two leaders agreed on a policy of pressing for 
the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 
1718 on North Korea's missile launch. They also confirmed that Tokyo 
and Berlin would consult and cooperate on dealing with such issues 
as global warming, the Afghanistan-Pakistan situation, and the 
new-type influenza. 
 
TOKYO 00001035  004 OF 005 
 
 
 
At a joint press conference, Aso stressed that both countries should 
become permanent UNSC members. He referred to suspicion that Iran 
was developing nuclear weapons,saying: 
 
"Iran remains isolated from the international community. However, 
relations between Japan and Iran are not that bad, so we would like 
to play a role of exposing President Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad to world 
opinion." 
 
Merkel said that North Korea needed to return to the six-party 
talks. She continued: "The North Korean regime has deprived its 
people of their freedom. From the standpoint of learning from German 
history, I hope that regime will ease its controls." 
 
Prior to his meeting with Merkel, Aso delivered a policy speech 
titled, "Japan-Europe partnership to overcome global issues." He 
spoke at Humboldt University on the morning of May 5 before an 
audience of about 120, including business leaders and academics. 
This was the first time for a Japanese prime minister to deliver a 
foreign policy speech in Europe. 
 
Aso emphasized that Japan and Europe, sharing such common values as 
democracy, have the capability and responsibility for dealing with 
global issues. He said that the influence of Japan and Europe has 
grown. He called for strengthening cooperation between Japan and 
Europe on four issues: financial and economic crisis; climate 
change; war on terror; and nuclear disarmament and 
nonproliferation. 
 
Aso explained North Korea's nuclear programs and its abductions of 
Japanese nationals, as well as the threat to Japan of China's 
military buildup and modernization. He asserted that the security 
environment surrounding Japan was becoming increasingly severe. He 
added: "Now is the historical chance to start moving toward the goal 
of creating a nuclear-weapons free world." 
 
Aso will leave Berlin on the night of May 5 on a government plane 
and return home on the afternoon of May 6. 
 
(16) International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and 
Disarmament's draft report to state world can abolish nuclear 
weapons after 2025 
 
MAINICHI (Top Play) (Full) 
May 6, 2009 
 
The International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and 
Disarmament, co-chaired by former Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi 
and former Australian Foreign Minister Evans, which the governments 
of Japan and Australia set up last year for the promotion of nuclear 
disarmament, plans to draw up a report this fall. A draft of the 
report was revealed on May 5. The draft states that it will be 
possible for the world to abolish nuclear weapons in a three-stage 
process by reducing the role of nuclear weapons through limiting the 
objective of nuclear arms to deterrence under U.S. leadership. 
 
The draft report consists of three parts - (1) the world in peril; 
(2) policy options and limitations; and (3) a realistic action 
program. 
 
The action program, which sets achievement targets for short-term, 
 
TOKYO 00001035  005 OF 005 
 
 
mid-term, and long-term stages, characterizes the abolishment of 
nuclear weapons as a realistic goal that can be achieved with each 
country still maintaining its security. 
 
The short-term goal (2009-2012) looks at the first term of U.S. 
President Obama. It envisions that the U.S. president would issue a 
statement that the U.S. will not use nuclear arms as long as other 
nuclear powers do not, and will limit the role of the nuclear arms 
it possesses to be used as deterrents for itself and its allies. It 
also envisages that the president would declare that the U.S., along 
with other nuclear powers, will consider a no-first-use policy on 
nuclear weapons. With the launch of talks on the promotion of the 
ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and 
the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, it will be possible to curb 
Tehran's nuclear arms development and achieve denuclearization of 
North Korea at an early date. 
 
The mid-term goal (until 2025) envisages that each country would cut 
its nuclear capabilities to the minimum security level and cancel 
its war preparation activities using nuclear arms. The long-term 
goal (2025 and after) envisions the establishment of an 
international denuclearization verification system to prevent covert 
nuclear development. 
 
The Japanese government is against the idea of no-first-use of 
nuclear weapons, citing that it is difficult to verify and will 
weaken the nation's security. However, Chairman Kawaguchi declared: 
"(Even if Washington declares no-first-use of nuclear weapons), it 
must still ensure security for its allies. It is important for 
Washington to be a half-step ahead of Tokyo." 
 
ZUMWALT