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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 001725 
 
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 07/29/09 
 
Index: 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 
 
Defense and security affairs: 
4) USFJ Commander Lt. Gen. Rice rebuts Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ) manifesto (campaign pledges)  (Asahi) 
5) DPJ will withdraw Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) from Indian 
Ocean refueling mission in January  (Sankei) 
6) MSDF begins to escort foreign ships in anti-piracy operation off 
the coast of Somalia  (Yomiuri) 
7) GSDF to receive massive reorganization under the new National 
Defense Program Guidelines out in December  (Sankei) 
 
8) Uighur leader arrives in Japan; China protests  (Sankei) 
 
9) U.S.-China strategic dialogue: Concern in Japan that U.S. paying 
too much attention to China at Japan alliance expense, fears that 
U.S. tries to assuage  (Sankei) 
 
10) U.S. experts analyze the DPJ's foreign policy  (Nikkei) 
 
Election campaign: 
11) Sankei estimates in own survey that DPJ will likely take the 
majority of seats in  the single seat districts  (Sankei) 
12) Prime Minister Aso finally starts to make outdoor campaign 
speeches  (Mainichi) 
13) Gist of LDP's manifesto or collection of election campaign 
pledges  (Yomiuri) 
14) Social Democratic Party trying to plot own election strategy 
while forming joint struggle with DPJ and other opposition parties 
(Mainichi) 
 
15) Government panel wraps up proposal for a food-security 
initiative  (Yomiuri) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Health Ministry to revise nursing care criteria again after six 
months; too many overly strict assessments 
 
Mainichi: 
Health Ministry to relax criteria for assessing nursing care need on 
"paralysis" and 42 other categories 
 
Yomiuri: 
LDP manifesto to include free pre-school education, preparation for 
consumption tax increase 
 
Nikkei: 
Yen loans for infrastructure construction aid in mining areas in 
Africa, South America to be offered to secure rare metal 
 
Sankei: 
GSDF embarks on first major reorganization in 50 years: 
Counterterrorism unit for the defense of the capital to be created; 
unified command under Ground Defense Command 
 
 
TOKYO 00001725  002 OF 012 
 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Tokyo District Court orders compensation for rejecting assembly: 
Payment of 290 million yen to be made to Teachers' Union; Prince 
Hotel loses case 
 
Akahata: 
JCP presents policies for general election: Create a new Japan where 
the people are the masters 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Peace of mind and cost: Step up investments on young people 
(2) Rejection of Japan Teachers' Union gathering: Hotel pays a high 
price 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) 2009 Lower House election: The people's financial burden - 
Concerns about funding for policies 
(2) Ai Miyazato's first victory: Take up the challenge for another 
triumph, by commentary writer Akitaka Nakajima 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) 2009 Lower House election: What to do with the worst fiscal 
deficit among industrialized countries? 
(2) English education in elementary schools: Hire high quality 
foreign teaching assistants 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Examining policies for 2009 Lower House election: DPJ's foreign, 
security policies too vague 
(2) Continue efforts to increase minimum wage 
 
Sankei: 
(1) DPJ should add restoration of fiscal health to manifesto 
(2) Tornado damages: Protect yourself from rampaging weather 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Lifting of freeze on building national highways: Unacceptable ex 
post facto setting of standards 
(2) Prince Hotel: Serious crime of squashing an assembly 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Demands from the business sector: When will we be rid of this 
"straitjacket"? 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, July 28 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
July 29, 2009 
 
07:09 Took a walk around his official residence. 
09:19 Met Disaster Management Minister Hayashi at Kantei. Afterward 
visited the emergency employment and economic measures 
implementation headquarters, followed by a cabinet meeting. Health 
and Welfare Minister Masuzoe stayed on. 
13:34 Met Japan Medical Association President Yoshihito Karasawa at 
the JMA Kaikan in Hon-komagome. 
14:29 Met Japan Pharmaceutical Association President Takashi Kodama 
in the Fuji-Kokuhoren Bldg. In Yotsuya. 
 
TOKYO 00001725  003 OF 012 
 
 
15:06 Met Japanese Nursing Association (JNA) President Setsuko 
Hisatsune and Japan Nursing Federation President Kayoko Shimizu in 
the JNA Bldg. in Jingu-mae. 
16:02 Met Real Estate Companies Association of Japan President 
Hiromichi Iwasa in the Kasumigaseki Bldg. 
16:40 Met Japan Dental Association (JDA) President Mitsuo Okubo in 
the JDA Bldg. in Kudan-kita. 
17:44 Met LDP Fukuoka assemblymen head Isao Kurauchi at Kantei, 
followed by Upper House member Ichiro Tsukada. 
18:22 Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura. 
19:14 Returned to his official residential quarters. 
 
4) USFJ commander rebuts DPJ manifesto 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
July 29, 2009 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto), in its manifesto or 
campaign pledges recently released ahead of the forthcoming general 
election for the now-dissolved House of Representatives, advocates 
reviewing the roadmap of realigning U.S. forces in Japan. In this 
regard, U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) Commander Lt. Gen. Edward Rice, 
meeting the press yesterday at the Japan National Press Club, 
expressed his intention to oppose the idea of modifying an 
intergovernmental agreement reached between Japan and the United 
States. "The Japanese and U.S. governments reached the agreement 
after holding talks for a long period of time," Rice said. 
 
The DPJ has been calling for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air 
Station in Japan's southernmost island prefecture of Okinawa to be 
relocated outside the prefecture. On this issue, Rice stressed: "The 
agreement (on the U.S. force realignment) has many elements that 
benefit both countries. Once we change individual elements, the 
whole would be weakened." Meanwhile, the DPJ also states in its 
manifesto that it will propose revising the Japan-U.S. Status of 
Forces Agreement (SOFA). Asked about this, Rice said there was no 
need to review the SOFA, indicating that the United States would 
respond to issues with improvements in the operations of SOFA 
provisions. 
 
5) DPJ to recall MSDF from Indian Ocean next January 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Full) 
July 29, 2009 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto), if it takes the reins of 
government after the forthcoming general election for the 
now-dissolved House of Representatives, will end the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force's current refueling activities in the Indian 
Ocean and withdraw the MSDF squadron next January when the new 
antiterror special measures law is due to expire, party sources said 
yesterday. 
 
On the MSDF's refueling mission, DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama has 
clarified that the DPJ, after taking office, would consider Japan's 
contributions to stabilizing Afghanistan. The DPJ is expected to 
enter into consultations with the United States before the law 
expires to explore alternative measures. 
 
According to DPJ officials, the DPJ has been critical about engaging 
the MSDF in refueling activities in the Indian Ocean. "The special 
measures law is unlikely to be extended," one of them said. 
 
TOKYO 00001725  004 OF 012 
 
 
 
The DPJ released its manifesto or campaign pledges on July 27 ahead 
of the forthcoming general election for the now-dissolved House of 
Representatives. The DPJ, in its manifesto, does not touch on its 
objection to the MSDF's refueling mission, thereby indicating that 
it would allow the refueling mission for the time being. The ruling 
parties hit the DPJ on this point, claiming that that is different 
from what the DPJ used to say. Hatoyama and other DPJ leaders have 
made a countercharge, saying: "We're not saying anything different 
than what we've said. We are evolving." 
 
6) MSDF starts escorting foreign ships 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
July 29, 2009 
 
A second squadron of Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels, currently 
on an antipiracy mission in Indian Ocean waters off the eastern 
African coast of Somalia, started its first escort activities under 
a newly enacted antipiracy law yesterday evening (yesterday 
afternoon, local time). The new law allows the MSDF to escort 
foreign ships as well. In its first task under the new law, the MSDF 
squadron convoyed five commercial ships, including two 
foreign-registered ships. 
 
The second MSDF squadron is made up of two destroyers the Harusame 
and the Amagiri, which have replaced the first squadron there for 
maritime security operations under the Self-Defense Forces Law. 
 
The new law prescribes relaxed guidelines for the SDF to use weapons 
or Japan's own rules of engagement (ROE). The MSDF is now allowed 
under the new law to fire on pirate ships in order to stop their 
acts of piracy. 
 
7) GSDF embarks in first major reorganization in 50 years: Capital 
Defense Unit for counterterrorism to be created; unified command 
under Ground Defense Command 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Slightly abridged) 
July 29, 2009 
 
Details of the proposal for the reorganization of the Ground 
Self-Defense Force (GSDF) intended for inclusion in the "National 
Defense Program Guidelines (NDPG)" to be revised by the end of 2009 
were revealed on July 28. Of the five army corps nationwide, the 
Eastern Army responsible for the defense and security of the Kanto 
region will be abolished, while the First Division under it will be 
reorganized into the "Capital Defense Unit" with reinforced 
capability to deal with terrorist and guerilla attacks on the nerve 
center of Japan. A new Ground Defense Command will also be created 
for the unified control of the four other army corps to improve 
efficiency in coordination and operations. This will be the first 
major reorganization of the GSDF in 50 years. In addition to the 
Capital Defense Unit, the Ground Defense Command will also have the 
elite Central Readiness Force under its direct command to enhance 
maneuverability both at home and abroad. 
 
When the current NDPG was drawn up in 2004, the maintenance or 
abolition of the army corps and the creation of the Ground Defense 
Command had also been debated. The GSDF has drafted its proposal for 
the first major reorganization in 50 years, since the five army 
corps were created in 1959, partly due to the recommendation of the 
 
TOKYO 00001725  005 OF 012 
 
 
subcommittee on defense policy of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 
National Defense Division last month. 
 
Under the reorganization proposal, along with the abolition of the 
Eastern Army, the First Division will be reorganized into the 
Capital Defense Unit, tasked specifically for the defense of the 
Tokyo metropolitan area. This step is being taken with the 
realization of the vulnerability of the capital to bombing and other 
terrorist threats after the terrorist bombings in London in 2005. 
The new unit will constantly gather the necessary information for 
the security of the Imperial Palace, the Prime Minister's Official 
Residence, and other critical locations, fill any security 
loopholes, and enhance its readiness. The 12th Brigade, another 
basic combat unit under the East Army, will be moved to the 
Northeastern Army. 
 
The Capital Defense Unit will be under the direct control of the 
Ground Defense Command. The command of the Special Operations Group 
and the Central Readiness Force, including the Central Readiness 
Regiment which is sent as an advanced party for international 
peacekeeping cooperation missions, will be moved from the defense 
minister to the Ground Defense Command. With the above changes, the 
Ground Defense Command will have unified control over the 
specialized forces and will be able to move troops effectively 
during an emergency and dispatch troops for international missions 
promptly and continuously. 
 
8) Uighur leader arrives in Japan 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
 
Rebiya Kadeer, chair of the World Uighur Congress (WUC), an 
organization of Uighur refugees, arrived yesterday at Narita Airport 
from the United States where she has been residing. Kadeer will stay 
in Tokyo until tomorrow morning and hold a press conference today, 
according to informed sources. She is also scheduled to meet Diet 
members, the sources said. 
 
9) Attaching importance to China an indication of concern? What is 
true intention behind President Obama's statement at Strategic and 
Economic Dialogue? 
 
SANKEI (Page 9) (Full) 
July 29, 2009 
 
Hideya Yamamoto, Washington 
 
At the outset of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in 
Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama indicated that the 
relationship between the United States and China is "more important 
than any bilateral relationship in the world." ASTERISK  This 
statement reflects the Obama administration's foreign policy that 
attaches importance to China, which has growing presence in the 
political and economic fields. The G-2 argument, in which the two 
major powers determine the world order, is looming behind the 
statement. But U.S. experts well-versed in East Asian affairs do not 
think the President's tilt toward China will have an immediate 
impact on the Japan-U.S. alliance. 
 
G-2 theory 
 
At the opening ceremony of the strategic and economic dialogue, 
 
TOKYO 00001725  006 OF 012 
 
 
President Obama repeatedly announced his policy of placing high 
priority on China. With respect to regional security, which has 
become an agenda item starting this round, the President also called 
for China's cooperation for the denuclearization of the Korean 
Peninsula by suggesting the need to restrain Japan and South Korea 
from going nuclear, while pointing out the danger of North Korea's 
nuclear development triggering a nuclear arms race in East Asia. 
 
Japan and South Korea, two U.S. allies in East Asia, have memories 
of President Nixon's visit to China in 1972 that was carried out 
behind the backs of Tokyo and Seoul. Partly because former senior 
Democratic administration officials, including former presidential 
assistant Zbingniew Brzezinski, have talked about a G-2 composed of 
the U.S. and China since immediately after the launching of the 
Obama administration, the U.S.-China dialogue has been drawing 
attention as a testing ground for the Obama administration's China 
policy. 
 
Vanderbilt University Prof. James Auer, who is knowledgably about 
Japan-U.S. relations, took this view about President Obama's stance 
toward China: "During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was a major 
concern for U.S. diplomatic and defense policies. Likewise, 
President Obama might have concerns about China in the economic, 
foreign, and defense policy areas, as well." Auer's view is that 
attaching importance to China does not equal having an intimate 
relationship. 
 
Denuclearization of Korean Peninsula 
 
With respect to growing relations between the United States and 
China, as seen in the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, 
Professor Auer also indicated that the Japan-U.S. alliance will 
become even more important even if China's importance increases. 
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Vice President Douglas 
Paal, a China expert, too, indicated by touching on Japan's 
international contributions in the past, "The Obama administration 
will not reduce the importance of Japan." 
 
But the two experts have differing views about the possibility of 
Japan going nuclear, triggered by North Korea's development of 
nuclear weapons. 
 
Paal noted: "As long as the United States continues giving Japan a 
complete assurance about its nuclear umbrella, a nuclear arms race 
will not break out in neighboring areas." Meanwhile, Auer took this 
view: "If North Korea is continued to be allowed to possess nuclear 
weapons, South Korea, Taiwan, and even Japan will move to possess 
nuclear weapons. This is the nuclear arms race pointed out by the 
President, and this is why North Korea must not be allowed to 
possess nuclear weapons." 
 
 ASTERISK (Translator's note: What the President actually said was: 
"The relationship between the United States and China will shape the 
21st Century, which makes it as important as any bilateral 
relationship in the world.") 
 
10) U.S. experts analyze DPJ manifesto, find it acting like the 
ruling party in its foreign policy 
 
SANKEI (Page 8) (Abridged) 
July 29, 2009 
 
 
TOKYO 00001725  007 OF 012 
 
 
By Takashi Arimoto in Washington 
 
"Speaking of its foreign policy, I would say that the Democratic 
Party of Japan (DPJ) is trying to show it is acting like a ruling 
party." CSIS Japan Chair Deputy Director Nicholas Szechenyi gave 
this observation after reading the Lower House election manifesto 
(campaign pledges) that the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) issued 
on July 27. 
 
Szechenyi noted the differences between the manifesto and the one 
the party issued for the Upper House campaign in 2007. In the 
earlier manifesto, there were a series of strong criticisms of the 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) administration for its policy toward 
the United States, with such expressions as "at the U.S.' beck and 
call," and "blindly following the U.S." In the 2009 manifesto, 
although the basic policy line has been maintained, with such 
expressions as "equal alliance relationship between Japan and the 
United States," and a call for the revision of the Status of Forces 
Agreement (SOFA), there was no mention of the Maritime Self-Defense 
Force's oil refueling mission in the Indian Ocean, an extension of 
which the party had opposed. Even on the realignment of the 
U.S.forces in Japan, about which the party has stated it would 
"thoroughly pursue the problem areas," the wording has been toned 
down since 20007 to "looking in the direction of making a review." 
 
Szechenyi took the view that the DPJ was moving along a "centrist 
line." He gave these reasons in his analysis: 1) there has not been 
confrontation welling up in the party over foreign and security 
policies; and 2) since issues in the current general election are 
concentrated on economic problems, the party has avoided making 
security policy a central issue. 
 
Moreover, he pointed out expressions regarding the Japan-U.S. 
relationship had changed, which he thought was done to draw out U.S. 
interest. CSIS Japan Director Michael Green, who is Szechenyi's 
boss, took a harsh view during testimony before the House Foreign 
Affairs Committee on July 25, saying, "The DPJ has no plan for 
transferring power, and since there is confrontation inside the 
party on security policy, it is unclear how long the party will last 
even if it assumes power." 
 
11) DPJ likely to win majority of single-seat constituencies 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
July 29, 2009 
 
The Sankei Shimbun has learned through its survey on the Aug. 30 
House of Representatives election that the Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ) will likely become the largest party in the Lower House, while 
the adverse wind is blowing strongly against the coalition 
government of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and New Komeito. It 
is expected that the DPJ will win a majority of the (300) electoral 
districts; and in the (180) proportional representation seats, it 
will secure more seats than the LDP, indicating the possibility of a 
change in government. A sense of alarm has risen in the LDP because 
whether even incumbent cabinet ministers and senior party member 
will win or lose their Diet seats is uncertain. However, since more 
than one moth is left before the election, there still remain 
uncertainties. 
 
In recent major local elections, the DPJ has won six victories, 
including the July 4 Nagoya mayoral election. 
 
TOKYO 00001725  008 OF 012 
 
 
 
According to a poll conducted on July 18-19 by FNN (Fuji News 
Network), 46.0 percent of respondents said they would vote for the 
DPJ in the proportional representation race, while 23.7 percent 
would vote for the LDP. Toward a question which framework of a 
coalition government they would prefer, 38.7 PERCENT  preferred a 
DPJ-led administration, while 14.2 percent hoped for a LDP-led 
administration. 
 
However, some have contended that DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama has 
not fulfilled his accountability for his fund management 
organization's false report issue. Depending on the LDP's election 
campaigning, there is a possibility that the DPJ's momentum will 
weaken. 
 
12) Prime Minister Aso finally to go out on stumping tour 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
July 29, 2009 
 
Prime Minister Taro Aso will start on Aug. 1 to give speeches during 
a stumping tour. Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio 
Hatoyama has taken to the streets to stump for the Lower House 
election after the House of Representatives was dissolved, but Aso 
has yet to do so. Some say that no candidates have asked the 
unpopular Aso for such support. In order to erase such a rumor, Aso 
is also taking to the streets to campaign. 
 
The number of stumping speeches and the travel distance form a 
barometer for gauging the popularity of a prime minister. In the 
2005 Lower House election, then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi 
visited 19 prefectures in ten days after the start of the official 
campaign, and he traveled about 10,000 kilometers. 
 
Aso plans to arrive in Niigata Prefecture on Aug. 1. After meeting 
the abductees who have returned from North Korea and visiting the 
scene where they were taken by North Korean agents, he is expected 
to give campaign speeches in the prefecture. On Aug. 2, he plans to 
take to the streets in Aichi Prefecture, including Nagoya City. 
 
Aso apparently has received no requests for stumping speeches, 
according to a high government official. The Aichi prefectural 
chapter, however, reportedly asked Aso to come. 
 
13) Gist of set of LDP campaign pledges 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
July 29, 2009 
 
The following is a gist of the Liberal Democratic Party's policy 
platform for the upcoming House of Representatives election: 
 
(Decentralization) 
 
Q Produce a new package bill on decentralization measures, including 
those to disband regional offices of the central government and 
review the subsidy and tax-distribution systems. 
Q Make efforts to implement the party's campaign pledges in response 
to requests from the National Governors' Association and other 
groups. 
Q Quickly enact legislation on the doshusei system (regional bloc 
system). 
 
TOKYO 00001725  009 OF 012 
 
 
Q Introduce the doshusei system by 2017. 
 
(Diet reform) 
 
Q Reduce the number of Lower House members by more than 10 PERCENT , 
which comes into effect in the general election that eventually 
follows the next one this fall, and the number of lawmakers by more 
than 30 PERCENT  in 10 years. 
Q Restrict so-called hereditary candidates, preventing relatives 
with up to a third degree relationship with a retiring Diet member 
from running for the same constituency, which comes into effect in 
the general election that follows the next one. 
 
(Civil service reform) 
 
Q Totally ban retired government officials' amakudari (golden 
parachuting) and watari (assuming posts multiple times) practices. 
Q Prohibit former government officials aged 65 or over from serving 
as regular executive. 
Q Reduce the number of civil servants by more than 80,000 by 2015. 
 
(Child-rearing support, education) 
 
Q Introduce free education for preschool children aged between three 
and five over the next four years. 
Q Eliminate school fees for students from low-income households. 
Q Create a school expense-subsidy system. 
Q Create a new scholarship 
 
(Employment) 
 
Q Help young job-seekers find regular works. 
Q Ban personnel dispatch as day laborers. 
Q Review the Worker Dispatch Law to improve the working conditions 
 
(Medical service, pension) 
 
Q Review the medical fee scheme 
Q Improve and increase nursing facilities in three years 
Q Strengthen measures for those who receive few pension benefits. 
Q Review the pension scheme for elderly persons holding jobs. 
Q Establish a suprapartisan legally-endorsed consultative body on 
bold pension system reform. 
Q Resolve the pension record-keeping fiasco at an early date by 
establishing a Japan pension institute. 
 
(Foreign, security policies) 
 
Q Maintain the Japan-U.S. alliance as the foundation of the nation's 
foreign policy. 
Q Prepare necessary laws related to national security, including the 
review of the government's interpretation of the right to collective 
self-defense. 
Q Take a resolute manner over the territorial disputes over the 
Northern Territories and Takeshima. 
Q Refrain from offering assistance to North Korea before the 
abduction issue is resolved. 
Q Enact legislation to enable the SDF to swiftly participate in UN 
peacekeeping operations. 
 
(Constitutional revision) 
 
 
TOKYO 00001725  010 OF 012 
 
 
Q Prompt the constitution examination commission and enable the 
Constitution to be revised at an early date. 
 
(Tax system) 
 
Q Put the primary balance of the central and local governments in 
the black in 10 years. 
Q Promote preparations to review the tax system, including a 
consumption tax hike, after the economy turns around. 
Q Use consumption tax revenues predominantly for implementing 
measures to ensure social security and tackle the falling 
birthrate. 
Q Introduce a social security numbering system. 
 
(Education) 
 
Q Improve students' scholastic ability. 
Q Improve moral and traditional culture education. 
Q Enact a basis sports law and create a sports agency. 
 
(Agriculture, forestry and fisheries matters) 
 
Q Help enthusiastic farming households increase income by supporting 
their management in pursuit of attaining the goal of the nation's 50 
PERCENT  food self-sufficiency rate. 
Q Expand the use of domestic lumber. 
Q Help more people work in the fisheries industry. 
 
(Environment) 
 
Q Enact a basic law to promote a low-carbon society. 
Q Take the initiative in reducing the world' greenhouse 
 
(Economic policy) 
 
Q Raise the national income per capita to the world's top in 10years 
as part of the nation's economic growth strategy. 
Q Increase the nation's economic growth rate to 2 PERCENT  in the 
latter half of 2010. 
 
14) JCP to decide whether to support DPJ on issue-by-issue basis; 
SDP aims to join a DPJ administration 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) 
July 29, 2009 
 
Nariyuki Tanaka, Shinichiro Nishida 
 
With an eye on the start of official campaign for the Aug. 30 House 
of Representatives election, the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) and 
Social Democratic Party (SDP) are now playing up their own policies 
premised on the inauguration of a Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) 
government. Although the two small opposition parties have made 
efforts to survive in the form of opposing the Liberal Democratic 
Party (LDP) and the DPJ, the number of seats they obtain in national 
elections has been declining. In the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly 
election, as well, they were pushed into the background of the two 
major parties. For this reason, the JCP and SDP appear to be aiming 
at regaining their vote-gathering capabilities by taking advantage 
of the favorable wind blowing for the DPJ and shifting their methods 
of approaching voters. 
 
 
TOKYO 00001725  011 OF 012 
 
 
The JCP declared that it would aim at becoming a "constructive 
opposition party," which would decide whether to support each policy 
through discussions with the DPJ. In the Tokyo assembly election, 
the party's seats decreased from 13 to 8. After that, JCP Chairman 
Kazuo Shii stated at a press conference on July 16 that his party 
would become a constructive opposition party. 
 
At a press meeting on July 28, Shii announced the JCP's policies for 
the upcoming general election and analyzed the DPJ's manifesto 
(campaign pledges). He said that although the DPJ vows to eliminate 
bureaucratic control, it is not in a position to break away from the 
control of the business community or the U.S. Meanwhile, Shii 
pointed out that his party agrees with the DPJ's pledges to abolish 
the health insurance system for people aged 75 and the Services and 
Supports for Persons with Disabilities Act, and to implement free 
high-school education. He sent a message to the DPJ, saying: 
 
"If a DPJ-led administration is inaugurated, the JCP as a 
constructive opposition party will cooperate with the government if 
a policy is good but it a policy is wrong, we will oppose it." 
 
The DPJ welcomes the JCP's policy switch. The DPJ has decreased the 
number of its candidates for electoral districts from the 275 - the 
number it filed in the previous poll - to 152. The DPJ calculates 
that the possibility has become stronger that votes cast for the JCP 
will go to it. 
 
The SDP expects to form a coalition government with the DPJ. Since 
the DPJ does not hold a majority of the House of Councillors, the 
SDP's cooperation is indispensable even after it takes over the 
reins of government. 
 
SDP Chairperson Mizuho Fukushima said at a press conference 
yesterday: "The SDP will continue to call on the DPJ to drastically 
revise the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). In that 
sense, the SDP's existence is significant." Fukushima made this 
candid statement about the DPJ's policy shift on the SOFA. 
 
The SDP intends to call for concessions on foreign and security 
policy and labor regulations in return for cooperation. However, the 
party is cautious about finalizing its conditions for cooperation at 
an early stage. At a press conference on July 22 soon after the 
Lower House was dissolved, Fukushima stated: "Consultations on a 
coalition administration should be held after the election. I cannot 
comment on that now." 
 
15) Government outlines plan for overseas investment for food 
security 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
July 29, 2009 
 
The government's council on promotion of investment in agriculture 
overseas held a meeting in Tokyo yesterday, in which the panel put 
together key points for the nation's overseas investment strategy 
for food security into a draft report to ensure the stable 
procurement of agricultural products. As measures to steadily supply 
beans and corn, the draft proposes: (1) Improvement in the 
environment for Japanese firms' investment by reaching accords with 
countries in Latin America, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and other 
regions; and (2) promotion of cooperation between the public and 
private sectors in offering loans to Japanese companies and on other 
 
TOKYO 00001725  012 OF 012 
 
 
matters. The panel also pledges to introduce action principles on 
investment, with the aim of preventing Japan's investment from 
having negative effect on developing countries' food-supply 
efforts. 
 
ZUMWALT