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INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
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RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/USDOT WASHDC PRIORITY
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RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5//
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
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RHMFIUU/USFJ //J5/JO21//
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RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9128
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 5146
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4926

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 001036 
 
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 05/07/09-1 
 
INDEX: 
(1) Defense Ministry plans to carry out first test this fall in U.S. 
of domestic-produced PAC-3 missile to confirm performance and move 
toward stable procurement (Sankei) 
 
(2) Japan, U.S. defense chiefs agree to strengthen missile-defense 
links, concerned about North Korea's heightened technology (Nikkei) 
 
 
(3) Defense Minister Hamada: Introducing the F-22 "will be tough" 
(Sankei) 
 
(4) Gist of Prime Minister Aso's speech in Berlin (Mainichi) 
 
(5) Diet session may be substantially extended (Mainichi) 
 
(6) Iranian foreign minister denies cooperation between Iran and 
North Korea on nuclear weapons development (Yomiuri) 
 
(7) Measures to address financial crisis: Japan to extend 10 
trillion yen in loans to Asian nations (Asahi) 
 
(8) Change-100 days after Obama inauguration: Deepening the 
Japan-U.S. alliance faces challenges (Yomiuri) 
 
(9) NPT preparatory committee formally proposes 11 indexes: 
Parliamentary Secretary Shibayama announces holding disarmament 
conference (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
(10) Eliminating nuclear weapons and Article 9 of Japan's 
Constitution (Akahata) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Defense Ministry plans to carry out first test this fall in U.S. 
of domestic-produced PAC-3 missile to confirm performance and move 
toward stable procurement 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Full) 
May 5, 2009 
 
The Defense Ministry on May 4 firmed up its policy intention to 
carry out a first test launch of a PAC-3 Patriot ground-to-air 
missile produced under U.S. license in Japan. The test will be 
carried out in the United States this fall. In the first test in 
2008, a U.S.-produced missile was used. The aim this time is to 
ascertain the performance of the domestically-produced missile, move 
toward stability in procurement during a possible contingency, and 
to strengthen Japan's deterrence capability toward North Korea and 
China. 
 
The PAC-3 is the intercept stage of the missile-defense (MD) system. 
The Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) last September carried out its 
first PAC-3 test launch at the U.S. military's White Sands Proving 
Grounds in New Mexico. The intercept of a dummy missile launched 
from a spot approximately 120 kilometers away was successful, but 
the PAC-3 used was one purchased from the Lockheed-Martin Company, 
based on foreign military sales (FMS) that consists of a direct 
contract with the U.S. government. 
 
In 2005, the Japanese and U.S. governments reached an agreement 
allowing Japan to carry out licensed production of parts for the 
 
TOKYO 00001036  002 OF 009 
 
 
PAC-3. Mitsubishi Heavy Industry (MHI), which built the PAC-2 
missile that is used to mainly intercept aircraft, signed a contract 
with Lockheed Martin for licensed production of that missile. From 
2008, the domestically- produced PAC-2 was deployed to the ASDF. MHI 
also is in charge of refitting aircraft that can launch PAC-2s to be 
able to carry PAC-3s, as well. 
 
The merit of a licensing agreement is the creation of stability in 
equipment procurement. During a contingency, the U.S. would give 
priority to deployment to its own country or to other allies. But 
this way, even if Lockheed-Martin ceases production, Japan will not 
be affected. 
 
The ASDF will carry out the test launch of the domestic-produced 
PAC-3 missile also at White Sands. In order to ascertain if the 
PAC-3 can protect a wider area, what will be different from last 
year's test will be the adoption of a remote launch mode, in which 
the launching spot for the missile and the radar used will be in 
separate spots. 
 
ASDF has deployed PAC-3s in four locations: the Tokyo metropolitan 
area, Shizuoka, Gifu, and Shiga. Next year, it will deploy the 
missile also to northern Kyushu. At the time of North Korea's 
launching of a long-range missile in April, PAC-3 units were 
deployed to the Tokyo metropolitan area and northeastern Japan. Two 
Aegis ships, which were mounted with SR-3s, sea-to-air missiles to 
intercept at the first stage of the missile-defense response, were 
deployed to the Sea of Japan. 
 
(2) Japan, U.S. defense chiefs agree to strengthen missile-defense 
links, concerned about North Korea's heightened technology 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 2, 2009 
 
By Hiroshi Maruya in Washington 
 
Defense Minister Seiichi Hamada on the morning of May 1 (late that 
evening Japan time) met at the Pentagon with U.S. Secretary of 
Defense Gates. The two defense chiefs shared the same view that with 
the launching of the Taepodong-2 long-range ballistic missile, North 
Korea has raised the level of its missile technology, and both 
agreed to strengthen defense ties, including such military aspects 
as missile defense. On the realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan, 
the Japanese and U.S. governments confirmed their policy intention 
to continue talks. 
 
Regarding the relocation of MCAS Futenma in Okinawa, Defense 
Minister Hamada informed Secretary Gates, "This is a sensitive issue 
for Okinawa, so we must make every effort." He express a view of 
being flexible toward the request by the prefecture to move the 
relocation site toward the sea. 
 
Secretary Gates has announced his intention to delay new orders for 
the F-22, which the Air Self-Defense Force sees as the leading 
candidate for its next generation fighter. With that in mind, 
Defense Minister Hamada said, "We had thought of this as our 
successor aircraft, feeling that it would greatly increase Japan's 
air power." He informed the Secretary that Japan would continue to 
consider purchasing the F-22. 
 
Secretary Gates expressed his appreciation for Japan's contribution 
 
TOKYO 00001036  003 OF 009 
 
 
to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Both officials agreed on the need to 
mesh together the Pentagon's QDR and Japan's revision of its 
National Defense Program Guidelines, which will come out at the end 
of the year. 
 
(3) Defense Minister Hamada: Introducing the F-22 "will be tough" 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
May 3, 2009 
 
By Takashi Arimoto in Washington 
 
Defense Minister Hamada on May 1 after his meeting with U.S. 
Secretary of Defense Gates told the press that the possibility of 
Japan introducing the F-22 Raptor, The U.S. Air Force's newest 
stealth-technology fighter which the Air Self-Defense Force has made 
its optimum candidate for its next-generation fight, was, in his 
view, "pretty tough." He continued, "If there is any hope, I would 
like to continue to consider it." But it seems likely that will be 
pressed to seriously consider an aircraft other than the F-22 as its 
choice. 
 
(4) Gist of Prime Minister Aso's speech in Berlin 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
May 6, 2009 
 
(Nariyuki Tanaka in Berlin) 
 
The following are the main points of a speech given in Berlin by 
Prime Minister Taro Aso: 
 
The world is facing four major challenges: 1) a financial and 
economic crisis; 2) climate change; 3) war on terror; and 4) nuclear 
arms control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 
 
The only prescription for resolving the financial crisis that 
occurred in the 1990s was the infusion of large-scale fiscal 
disbursements. Reviving this experience, we have in the current 
crisis, disbursed approximately $120 billion, which giving 
consideration to fiscal policy continuity, and are moving toward 
carrying out another fiscal package of approximately $150 billion. 
There is need now for Japan and Europe to maintain close channels of 
communication in properly managing macro-economic policies. 
 
The goal of Japan and Europe in the post-Kyoto Protocol framework is 
to include countries that are major emitters of greenhouse gases. 
The new framework should allow each country to take responsibility 
and set fair targets that are appropriate to their capabilities. We 
should not fall into the trap of it becoming a "beauty contest" in 
which there is competition to see which country has the highest 
aspiration. I would like Japan and Europe take the lead in serious 
talks to find points of agreement. 
 
Afghanistan's problem is not something that Afghanistan can solve on 
its own. Perhaps there is a need to establish a south-north shipping 
route from central Asia via Afghanistan and Pakistan and exiting in 
the Arabian Sea. 
 
President Obama in his Prague speech placed strong emphasis on 
moving in the direction of a world without nuclear weapons. An 
unprecedented mood has been created for nuclear disarmament. In 
 
TOKYO 00001036  004 OF 009 
 
 
Northeast Asia, North Korea continues to develop nuclear weapons and 
missiles, and China's defense spending has been growing at a 
double-digit rate for twenty years straight, with contents that lack 
transparency. I would like Europe to join Japan in grabbing this 
historical chance (for nuclear disbarment). 
 
(5) Diet session may be substantially extended 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Slightly abridged) 
May 6, 2009 
 
The ruling and opposition parties will begin debate tomorrow on the 
supplementary budget for fiscal 2009 at the House of Representatives 
in the Diet. The ruling camp is determined to get the extra budget 
and related bills through the Lower House in the middle of May. 
Prime Minister Taro Aso has placed priority also on the passage of 
other important bills such as the antipiracy bills and a bill 
revising the National Pension Law. Therefore, the view is gaining 
ground in the ruling coalition that a lengthy extension of the 
current Diet session, which is scheduled to end on June 3, will be 
unavoidable. 
 
The ruling bloc intends to take a vote on the fiscal 2009 extra 
budget on May 12 in the Lower House Budget Committee. The 
opposition, however, has not responded to it. Even if the extra 
budget clears the Lower House and is sent to the House of 
Councillors in mid-May, whether it can clear the Diet before the end 
of the ongoing session is unclear because it takes at least 30 days 
for it to automatically receive Diet approval. 
 
Moreover, in order to enact the budget-related bills, it is 
necessary to secure 60 days with an eye on an overriding vote in the 
Lower House. The rule is that an ordinary Diet session can be 
extended only once. A senior LDP Upper House Diet Affairs Committee 
member said: "The session must be extended until the middle or end 
of July." 
 
Aso also said on May 3 in Prague: "It depends on the other side. If 
the Upper House drags out deliberations, we have to consider a 
variety of measures." 
 
Meanwhile, the outlook is that deliberations on other key bills in 
the Upper House will be substantially delayed, since cabinet 
ministers are required to attend deliberations on the extra budget 
in the Lower House. 
 
The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has called for 
deliberations on the pension-record mess along with a bill amending 
the National Pension Law. The Upper House launched on April 27 
deliberations on the National Pension Law revision bill aimed at 
raising the national government's share of expenditures for basic 
pensions. The DPJ intends to seek thorough deliberations on the 
pension bill. There is no prospect for deliberations on the 
antipiracy bill. 
 
A group of ruling and opposition lawmakers, who are interested in 
organ transplants, will submit to the Diet a bill amending the organ 
transplant law after the end of the Golden Week holidays. Although 
the ruling and opposition camps are reaching an agreement on taking 
a vote on the bill during the current session, many are critical 
about hasty deliberations all the more because the issue is 
sensitive. 
 
TOKYO 00001036  005 OF 009 
 
 
 
(6) Iranian foreign minister denies cooperation between Iran and 
North Korea on nuclear weapons development 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
May 3, 2009 
 
Hiroaki Matsunaga, Teheran 
 
Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone, who is now visiting Iran for the 
first time in five years as a Japanese foreign minister, held talks 
on May 2 with his Iranian counterpart Manuchehr Mottaki in Teheran. 
He is going to meet also with President Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad later in 
the day. 
 
In his meeting with Mottaki, Nakasone explained the present 
situation that North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile development 
has become a threat to Japan. He then pointed out: "We are concerned 
about the view that Iran has cooperated with North Korea in the 
nuclear and missile area." In contrast, Mottaki explicitly said: 
"Iran does not cooperate with North Korea on nuclear weapons 
development. Iran's technology is used for (North Korea's) missile 
development." 
 
Nakasone, referring to relations between Iran and the United States, 
told Mottaki: "The U.S. Obama administration strongly desires a 
dialogue with Iran." Regarding Iran's nuclear weapons development, 
which has become an obstacle to improve relations with the United 
States and European countries, Nakasone called on Iran to abide by a 
UN Security Council resolution, including suspension of the 
enriched-uranium nuclear program. 
 
Mottaki took a positive stance on improving relations with the 
United States. He said: "(We, too) have felt that the Obama 
administration is considering what they can do." He indicated that 
Iran's nuclear weapons development issue would be discussed in 
high-level talks involving the five UNSC member countries and 
Germany. 
 
Meantime, Nakasone and Mottaki agreed that their countries would 
cooperate on the reconstruction of Afghanistan, including narcotics 
control and refugee assistance. 
 
(7) Measures to address financial crisis: Japan to extend 10 
trillion yen in loans to Asian nations 
 
ASAHI (Top Play) (Full) 
May 4, 2009 
 
Minister of Finance and State Minister for Financial Services, 
Economic and Fiscal Policy Kaoru Yosano on May 3 released a plan to 
extend approximately 6 trillion yen in loans to Asian nations, in 
the event they face a foreign currency shortage due to the ongoing 
financial crisis. This is the first time the nation to announce yen 
loans as a measure to deal with the crisis. Japan's emergency 
financial cooperation to Asian nations will total 10 trillion yen, 
combined with the disbursement of 38.4 billion dollars or roughly 
3.8 trillion yen to the Chiang Mai Initiative (CMI). 
 
Yosano announced the 6 trillion yen loan package at a financial 
ministerial meeting of Japan, China, South Korea and Association of 
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members. The objective of the 
 
TOKYO 00001036  006 OF 009 
 
 
assistance plan is to prevent a series of currency crises, as well 
as to boost the use of the yen. 
 
Asian nations have accumulated foreign currency reserves since the 
currency crisis that hit them about a decade ago. Although there is 
a slim chance of Asian countries facing a currency crisis, some 
countries' outstanding foreign currency reserves have begun dropping 
due to a decline in exports due to the economic recession gripping 
European countries and the U.S. For this reason, Japan has 
determined that it is necessary to strengthen preventive measures. 
The plan is also intended to counter China's yuan, which is rising 
in value in Asia. 
 
Under this assistance package, Japan will temporarily lend yen, 
taking the other country's currency as collateral. The country that 
has borrowed the yen can use it for settling its trade accounts with 
Japan. It can also be exchanged for other currencies, such as the 
dollar, for payments. 
 
Regarding the CMI, Japan has decided to contribute 38.4 billion 
dollars, the same amount to be contributed by China, including Hong 
Kong, to the program totaling 120 billion dollars. There has been 
concern whether the region as a whole can respond to an emergency 
situation, because the reality of the CMI is a hodgepodge of 
bilateral swap agreements. For this reason, participants in the 
finance ministerial also agreed to turn before year's end the CMI 
into a multilateral framework, under which all 13 participating 
countries would decide their respective financial assistance. 
 
Japan also announced a plan to guarantee up to 500 billion yen 
government bonds denominated in yen that Asian nations issue in 
Japan through the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. 
 
(8) Change-100 days after Obama inauguration: Deepening the 
Japan-U.S. alliance faces challenges 
 
YOMIURI (Page 6) (Full) 
April 30, 2009 
 
Satoshi Ogawa, Washington 
 
"North Korea launched a missile (on April 5, 2009). After that, 
people often asked me like this. 'America won't defend Japan, will 
it?'" 
 
Masahisa Sato, who was a Ground Self-Defense Force officer and is 
now a House of Councillors member of the ruling Liberal Democratic 
Party, commanded an advance team of GSDF troops sent to Iraq and was 
also known as the "mustached commander." On April 24, Sato visited 
the U.S. Department of Defense and conveyed the atmosphere in Japan 
to a senior official for East Asian affairs. The Pentagon official, 
with a surprised expression, took note. 
 
Sato was concerned about what Secretary of Defense Gates said in an 
interview on March 29. "At this point, we have no plans to 
intercept," At that time, Japan was preparing to intercept missiles 
should they land in Japan. However, Japan and the United States were 
out of step in their respective stances toward North Korea. 
 
"Government officials say Japan and the United States are closely 
cooperating with each other, but without public understanding we 
cannot push ahead with any policy." 
 
TOKYO 00001036  007 OF 009 
 
 
 
The U.S. official nodded to Sato's explanation. 
 
The Obama administration has emphasized the importance of Japan-U.S. 
relations since coming into office. 
 
"The Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of security in East 
Asia. My administration wants to strengthen the alliance further. 
Japan is a great partner." 
 
On Feb. 24, President Obama so declared in his meeting with Prime 
Minister Aso at the White House. Aso was the first foreign leader 
invited to the White House. 
 
Secretary of State Clinton also chose Japan for her first official 
foreign trip and underscored the Japan-U.S. alliance as the 
cornerstone. Japan and the United States are cooperating in more 
areas, such as the economic crisis, Afghan and Pakistan aid, and 
global warming. The Japanese government gave high marks to such 
bilateral cooperation. "The international communication is facing 
various challenges," Foreign Minister Nakasone said, adding: "We 
showed our bilateral cooperation both internally and externally. 
That's very significant." 
 
But the cornerstone is now beginning to crack. 
 
On April 6, Gates announced a plan to review the U.S. military's 
mainstay weapons. This was in response to the president's decision 
to cut back on spending on the Cold War era weapons that will be no 
longer used. The plan included his decision to stop producing the 
F-22 stealth fighter, which was a likely candidate for Japan's 
follow-on mainstay fighter (FX), and to scale back on the missile 
defense (MD) project. 
 
In Japan, it was taken as making light of Japan facing North Korea's 
nuclear development and China's military buildup and modernization. 
A staff officer of the Self-Defense Forces voiced his 
dissatisfaction, saying: "The United States is focusing too much on 
today's war against terrorists, in which modern weapons are useless. 
They are not fully coping with China, which is a potential threat." 
 
Japan will revise its national defense program guidelines at the end 
of this year. However, there has been no visible progress in policy 
coordination between Japan and the United States since Congress has 
yet to confirm the assistant secretary of state and the assistant 
secretary of defense in charge. 
 
Meanwhile, U.S. government officials are growing irritated since the 
leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto), which is 
aiming to take office, is opposed to the planned relocation of the 
U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station. 
 
Next year, Japan and the United States will be at a turning point, 
with the passage of 50 years since their bilateral security pact was 
revised. There are also moves to formulate a new bilateral joint 
security declaration. Deepening the alliance with public support 
needs daily efforts to polish the cornerstone. 
 
(9) NPT preparatory committee formally proposes 11 indexes: 
Parliamentary Secretary Shibayama announces holding disarmament 
conference 
 
 
TOKYO 00001036  008 OF 009 
 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
May 6, 2009 
 
A preparatory committee that will decide on agenda items for the 
Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference to be held once in 
five years - the next meeting is due in 2010 - started at the UN 
Headquarters in New York on May 4. The previous Review Conference in 
2005 fell through. To what extent an agreement on agenda items can 
be reached at the preparatory meeting will hold the key to whether 
the Review Conference next year will be successful or not. 
 
In a general speech given on the first day, Foreign Ministry 
Parliamentary Secretary Masahiko Shibayama formally proposed 11 
indexes for global disarmament. He listed U.S. and Russian 
leadership, a cut in nuclear weapons by China, and information 
disclosure by all nuclear weapons states as bases for forming an 
agreement. He also announced Japan's plan to hold an international 
disarmament conference prior to the Review Conference next year. 
 
The 2005 Review Conference failed to come up with an agreement 
because nuclear powers and nations without nuclear weapons fiercely 
confronted each other over disarmament. 
 
A constructive mood is growing this time, spurred by U.S. President 
Obama's speech on an elimination of nuclear weapons given in Prague. 
One diplomatic source said, "The atmosphere is good." Secretary 
General Ban Ki-Moon in a speech given at the outset of the 
preparatory meeting asked participating countries, "I want you to 
pursue serious discussions, availing yourselves of this 
opportunity." 
 
The session will last until the 15th. Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi 
Akiba and Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue will call for on the 5th an 
elimination of nuclear weapons as participants in a non-governmental 
framework. 
 
(10) Eliminating nuclear weapons and Article 9 of Japan's 
Constitution 
 
SHIMBUN AKAHATA (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
May 4, 2009 
 
(Below are excerpts from a speech made by Japanese Communist Party 
(JCP) Chairman Kazuo Shii at a rally on the Constitution in Hibiya 
Hall on May 3.) 
 
(Greetings skipped) 
 
Today, I would like to talk on the theme of eliminating nuclear 
weapons and Article 9 of Japan's Constitution. Although the movement 
to seek a complete elimination of nuclear weapons and the movement 
to defend and keep vibrant Article 9 of the Constitution have 
proceeded as two pillars of the struggle of the Japanese people in 
the postwar period to seek peace, what sort of relationship do these 
two movements have in common? I would like to give thought to both 
from the broad perspective of world history. 
 
If we look at the world situation, a major development has occurred 
recently with regard to nuclear weapons. U.S. President Obama 
proposed in a speech in Prague on April 5 a major challenge to the 
world. In his speech, I read the following three points that are 
worth noting. First, the United States for the first time has 
 
TOKYO 00001036  009 OF 009 
 
 
formally set a national goal of the elimination of all nuclear 
weapons - he spoke of a having a world with no nuclear weapons. 
Second, for the first time, an American president brought up the 
issue of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as connected 
to human morality. He spoke of America's responsibility to do 
something from that point of view. Third, he called for the peoples 
of the world to also move toward a world without nuclear weapons. 
 
I have great differences from before with the positions of the U.S. 
government regarding how the Japan-U.S. relationship should be. But 
I would like to welcome from the bottom of my heart the series of 
statements made by President Obama (applause). 
 
I consider his speech to be extremely important, and on April 28, I 
sent a letter to President Obama seeking specific action that would 
lead to the elimination of all nuclear weapons (applause). I visited 
for the first time the American Embassy (applause) where I handed 
over the letter to Charge d'Affaires ad interim Zumwalt. 
 
In the letter, I transmitted my feeling of welcome for the speech 
but I also frankly expressed the area where I could not agree. While 
the President has called for a world without nuclear weapons, he 
also indicated that he did not think such could be reached during 
his lifetime. I stated my reason for not agreeing with that. It is 
because even though 64 years have passed since the war, there 
historically have been no efforts by countries possessing nuclear 
weapons to negotiate internationally to eliminate those weapons. 
Just by calling out for negotiations does not mean that negotiations 
will occur. Of course, it will take time from the call for 
negotiations until they start and until agreement is reached. But no 
one knows how long it will take unless the problem is tackled. I 
believe it is too hasty to say that will be impossible within our 
lifetimes to reach the goal (applause). 
 
I indeed want to see under the President's initiative international 
negotiations launched, aimed at the signing of an international 
treaty to abolish nuclear weapons. 
 
ZUMWALT