P 100834Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8499
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AMEMBASSY BEIJING 
AMCONSUL SHANGHAI
AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 
AIT TAIPEI 0406
CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS HONG KONG 001720 
 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO
SUBJECT: MEDIA RECTION: AFTERMATH OF JAPAN'S ELECTIONS 
 
TOPIC: Aftermath of Japan's elections 
 
HEADLINES AND EXCERPTS: 
 
"Hatoyama should be proud of speaking out" 
 
Tom Plate, a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy, 
wrote a commentary in the independent English-language South China 
Morning Post (9/10):  "It was just this side of comical.  The leader 
of Japan's new ruling party barely finishes acknowledging his 
Democratic Party of Japan's huge win when a public-relations 
disaster strikes.  The result: an ignominious international 
climbdown.  What happened was not an ideal opening act for the next 
Prime Minister, Yukio Hatoyama.  Before the election, a Japanese 
magazine published an essay by him, which thoughtfully challenged 
some of the operational tenets of the 'American Century' (the 
previous one)....  Hatoyama shouldn't have apologized for anything. 
The fact is that many Americans have similar concerns about the 
brutality of unregulated globalization, about gross value systems, 
and about poor people with no health insurance, housing or 
prospects....  Hatoyama should be proud of his essay.  In fact, it 
was rather nice to see a Japanese prime minister thinking outside 
the box for once.  We Americans ought to be able to handle critical 
thought, especially from friends and allies." 
 
MARUT