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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 002199 
 
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 09/22/09 
 
Index: 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 
 
The Bilateral Relationship 
4) Campbell tells Okada the investigation into the secret accord 
will not affect relations  (Asahi) 
5) Gist of interview with Assistant Secretary of State Campbell 
(Asahi) 
6) The genesis of the difference in interpretations; U.S. 
interpreted prior consultation for port calls and passage as 
unnecessary  (Asahi) 
7) Foreign Minister Okada arrives in U.S.  (Nikkei) 
8) Hatoyama diplomacy starts with meetings with U.S., Russian, 
Chinese, and Korean leaders  (Yomiuri) 
9) Prime Minister leaves for U.S.  (Nikkei) 
10) Hatoyama plans alternative contribution to Afghanistan by 
November  (Asahi) 
11) U.S. Govt. prepared for discussions; Sticking points include 
alternative to refueling mission  (Sankei) 
12) Okada says no to dispatch of SDF to Afghanistan  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
13) U.S. asks Japan provide other aid in case it ends refueling 
mission  (Yomiuri) 
 
Foreign Relations 
14) State Minister for Abduction Nakai vows to increase pressure on 
North  (Sankei) 
 
Defense & Security 
15) PM Hatoyama to give speech on 25 PERCENT  emission reduction 
target at UN  (Yomiuri) 
 
Politics 
16) Ozawa says he would like to see a bill granting local suffrage 
for permanent foreign residents introduced at regular Diet session 
(Sankei) 
 
Opinion 
17) Sankei-FNN poll: 68.7 PERCENT  support Hatoyama cabinet 
(Sankei) 
18) Women boost support for DPJ  (Sankei) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Health ministry to keep 53 social insurance hospitals in place: 
Switch from policy to sell them 
 
Mainichi: 
Unaccounted protection expenses for low-priced accommodation 
facilities worth 250 million yen 
 
Yomiuri & Tokyo Shimbun: 
Termination of Yamba Dam project to be put on hold: Land minister 
gives priority to gaining understanding from local residents 
 
Nikkei: 
JAL's main banks call for separation of good businesses from bad 
 
TOKYO 00002199  002 OF 011 
 
 
ones: Special legislation also sought 
 
Sankei: 
Review of US Forces Japan realignment: U.S. government ready for 
talks 
 
Akahata: 
International petition drive for nuclear-free world: Sends photos of 
atomic bombings to world 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Rebuilding of JAL: New administration aiming for last 
opportunity 
(2) 50th anniversary of Isewan Typhoon: Are people are becoming less 
wary of danger of natural disasters? 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Climate change summit: Expectations on U.S. displaying 
leadership 
(2) Challenges to Hatoyama administration - Provisional gas tax 
rate; Come up with comprehensive measures 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Hatoyama's economic measures: Show path to stable growth 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Proactive participation in creating international accounting 
system urged 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Prime minister's U.S. visit: Reviewing election pledges to 
firmly maintain alliance urged 
(2) Relocation of Osaka municipality office: Governor should come up 
with convincing explanations 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Order for the Acts of Virtuous Government: Being indiscreet will 
worsen situation 
(2) Fall in benchmark land values: Adverse effect on economy, 
but... 
 
Akahata: 
(1) U.S. Forces Japan realignment: Promote campaign under new 
conditions 
 
30 Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, September 18 &19 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 19 
 
The 18th 
09:01 Attended a ministerial meeting on the supplementary budget at 
the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei). Later attended a 
regular ministerial meeting, followed by a meeting with Health, 
Labor and Welfare Minister Nagatsuma and Social Insurance Agency 
Director General Watanabe. 
10:34 Met Italian President Naplitano. 
11:15 Met State Minister for Abduction Issue Nakai, with Chief 
 
TOKYO 00002199  003 OF 011 
 
 
Cabinet Secretary Hirano. 
11:30 Met Masami Tanabu, secretary general of the parliamentary 
group to promote invitation of the 2016 Olympic Games to Japan. 
12:29 Instructed the vice ministers of government agencies to 
suspend their regular press conferences. 
13:13 Attended a Lower House plenary session. 
13:25 Attended an unveiling ceremony of the signboards of the 
national strategy office and the administrative reform conference 
office in the Cabinet Office, with State Minister for National 
Strategy Bureau Kan and State Minister for Administrative Reform 
Sengoku present. 
13:30 Arrived at the Diet Building. 
14:00 Attended the opening ceremony of a special committee at the 
Upper House. 
14:20 Arrived at the Kantei. 
15:12 Returned to the Lower House plenary session. 
15:21 Arrived at the Kantei. 
17:55 Arrived at the Imperial Palace to report to the Emperor in 
private. Attended a ceremony to formally appoint the new vice 
ministers. 
20:29 Met Upper House member Yataro Tsuda at the Kantei. Later, 
attended a vice ministerial meeting. 
21:36 Issued official appointments to parliamentary officials. 
Attended a meeting of parliamentary officials. 
22:07 Met Deputy Foreign Minister Otabe and Vice Minister of Finance 
for International Affairs Tamaki, followed by Deputy Foreign 
Minister Sasae. 
Sept. 19 
00:02 Arrived at his private residence. 
 
Prime20:29 Minister's schedule, September 19 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
 
Remained at his home in Denenchofu in the morning. 
13:28 Arrived at a department store in Tamagawa to shopp with his 
wife. 
14:06  Arrived home. 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, September 20 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 21, 2009 
 
Remained at his private residence in the morning. 
12:10 Went shopping at a confectionary in Tamagawa Denenchofu with 
his wife. Returned to his private residence. 
14:43 Arrived at the Kantei. 
15:31 Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano, Foreign Minister Okada, 
Vice Foreign Minister Yabunaka and others. 
17:32 Met Environment Minister Ozawa. 
18:07 Attended a ministerial meeting on global warming. 
19:44 Dined at a sushi bar at Jingumae with his wife, Deputy Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Matsuno, and his wife. 
22:40 Arrived at his private residence. 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, September 21 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 22, 2009 
 
10:07 Met Deputy Foreign Minister Sasae and others, with Hirano and 
 
TOKYO 00002199  004 OF 011 
 
 
Matsuno. 
12:14 Met former professional baseball player Masumi Kuwata, with 
his wife Miyuki. 
14:34 Met Finance Minister Fujii, METI Minister Naoshima, and 
Financial Affairs Minister Kamei. Joined by Environment Minister 
Ozawa. Fujii and Naoshima stayed behind. 
17:40 Met Hirano at Hatoyama's home. Joined by Matsuno. 
19:23 Left Haneda Airport by government plane for the U.S. with his 
wife to attend the UN General Assembly and other meetings. 
 
4) FM Okada tells U.S. Assistant Secretary of State: Secret nuclear 
deal investigation to have "no impact" on U.S. 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
September 19, 2009 
 
Makoto Igarashi 
 
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada met U.S. Assistant Secretary of State 
Kurt Campbell at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 18 and 
told him that investigation had started on the secret agreement 
between the two governments on bringing nuclear arms into Japan. He 
explained that, "I do not think that this will have any negative 
impact on the U.S." and sought the U.S. side's understanding. 
Campbell responded that, "This will not affect Japan-U.S. relations 
from now on," indicating that he did not see this as a problem. 
 
Campbell said at a news conference held after the meeting: "I made 
it clear that we will also cooperate in resolving these issues." He 
also stated that: "I am aware that this is a hot topic in Japan, but 
documents have been made public (in the U.S.) before. I think the 
history has been clarified." He thus indicated that the facts 
relating to the secret agreement have all been made public. He gave 
more emphasis to expectations on Japan regarding discussions about 
(the United States') provision of defense for Japan, including the 
nuclear umbrella, and in relation to making progress in Japan's 
contribution to the realization of President Obama's goal of a 
"world without nuclear weapons" and other areas. 
 
Regarding the possibility of President Obama visiting Hiroshima 
during his trip to Japan in mid-November, Campbell said that "there 
is no such plan at this point." 
 
5) Gist of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Campbell's interview 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
September 19, 2009 
 
Yoichi Kato, editorial staff member 
 
Following is the gist of the interview given to Asahi Shimbun on 
September 18 by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, who 
is visiting Japan. 
 
 
U.S. view of the Hatoyama administration 
 
Mistaken information on the U.S. view of the Hatoyama administration 
is being circulated. First, the U.S. also welcomes an "equal" 
partnership. It is also wrong to think that the U.S. does not 
support Japan's independent foreign policy. Nothing can be farther 
from the truth than the idea that the U.S. opposes stronger 
 
TOKYO 00002199  005 OF 011 
 
 
relations between Japan and South Korea and China. 
 
Japan and the U.S. are facing many problems, including Afghanistan, 
global warming, North Korea, and economic stagnation. I hope the new 
administration understands that the U.S. wants to build as close a 
relationship as possible. 
 
Futenma relocation 
 
The U.S. government strongly desires that what has been agreed with 
the Japanese government will continue to be implemented. However, if 
we give orders and impose our conclusions on Japan at the initial 
stage (of building the bilateral relationship), we will damage the 
"equal and strong partnership" that we are trying to build. We 
understand that the new administration in Japan wants to talk about 
(this issue). It is our duty as a partner to meet this demand. I 
have come for that purpose. 
 
Refueling mission in the Indian Ocean 
 
We are facing a critical stage (in Afghanistan and Pakistan) right 
now. We will welcome in particular any form of assistance from Japan 
in the future. 
 
Global warming prevention 
 
I think (Prime Minister Hatoyama's proposal on the mid-term target 
of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from the 1990 
level) is a bold, creative, and resolute proposal. We welcome this 
on a global level. However, what will happen to this proposal 
ultimately in the negotiations (for an international framework) is a 
different matter. 
 
6) Secret nuclear deal originated from different interpretations of 
"prior consultation system"; U.S. understanding was that 
consultation was not required for port calls and passage 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Abridged) 
September 21, 2009 
 
Masaru Honda 
 
Testimonies by informed sources have revealed what brought about the 
"secret nuclear agreement" that allowed U.S. ships and aircraft 
carrying nuclear weapons to call on Japanese ports and pass through 
Japanese waters. Under the "prior consultation system" that started 
after the revision of the bilateral security treaty in 1960, at 
first, it was Japan's understanding that port calls and passage 
through Japanese waters also required consultation, but the United 
States' interpretation was that consultation was not required. 
Later, the Japanese government secretly conformed to the U.S. 
interpretation and tacitly allowed port calls and passage. The 
principle of not introducing nuclear arms, one of the three 
non-nuclear principles (of 1967), had been meaningless from the 
beginning. 
 
Even after the Japanese government confirmed the change of 
interpretation with the U.S. side, it continued to repeat the same 
old line in the Diet, fully aware that this was not the truth. 
Later, there were several instances where proposals emerged in the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to openly allow port calls and 
passage of ships carrying nuclear arms, but each time, the proposals 
 
TOKYO 00002199  006 OF 011 
 
 
were killed because "this might cause the collapse of the cabinet." 
 
Six former senior MOFA officials who were in a position to be 
involved with the secret nuclear agreement gave their testimonies to 
Asahi Shimbun on how the secret agreement came about. A number of 
these former officials said that they had briefed incumbent MOFA 
officials in detail this summer. 
 
According to their testimonies, the "secret nuclear agreement" came 
about in the following manner: (1) the Japanese side resolved the 
"difference in interpretation" by conforming to the U.S. 
interpretation; (2) therefore, port calls and passage by ships 
carrying nuclear arms continued; and (3) the Japanese government 
continued to hide this fact from the people. 
 
7) Foreign Minister Okada arrives in U.S. 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 22, 2009 
 
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada arrived in New York at noon on Sept. 
21 (early in the morning on Sept. 22, Japan time) via a Japan 
Airlines flight from Narita Airport. He will attend the Group of 
Eight (G-8) foreign ministerial meeting. He is scheduled to meet 
with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the afternoon of 
Sept. 21. He will return to Japan on the 26th. 
 
8) Prime Minister Hatoyama to meet for first time with top leaders 
of U.S., Russia, China and South Korea 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
September 22, 2009 
 
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama left yesterday evening for New York 
from Haneda Airport via a government plane. This U.S. visit is his 
first diplomatic event as prime minister. He will attend the United 
Nations General Assembly and the G20 financial summit. He will meet 
with U.S. President Barack Obama on Sept. 23, just a week after 
taking office. He intends to place priority on building a personal 
relationship of trust with Obama and express his intention to place 
importance on the Japan-U.S. alliance. 
 
Hatoyama is scheduled to stay in the United Stated for six days. 
Prior to his departure, he told the press corps at the Prime 
Minister's Official Residence (Kantei), "I just want to be myself 
and try not to be too tense." Asked by reporters about his first 
meeting with Obama, Hatoyama indicated his intention to make an 
effort to build a relationship of trust with Obama. He said, "At 
first I want to build a relationship with him in which I make 
efforts to understand the personality of the President and he makes 
efforts to understand my personality, as well. I will deal with 
pending issues while building a relationship of trust between us." 
 
Hatoyama, who has advocated the need for "a close and equal 
Japan-U.S. relationship," has said that his administration will 
suspend Japan's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean next year, as 
well as review the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan. However, he 
has no intention to delve into the specifics of these issues during 
the planned Japan-U.S. summit. It is believed that Obama will not 
take up specific issues at his first meeting with Hatoyama. 
 
9) Prime Minister Hatoyama departs for U.S. 
 
TOKYO 00002199  007 OF 011 
 
 
 
NIKKEI (Page 1) (Full) 
September 22, 2009 
 
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama left Haneda Airport on a government 
plane yesterday for the United Stated to attend the United Nations 
General Assembly and the G-20 summit (Pittsburgh Summit). He intends 
to tell U.S. President Barack Obama in their first meeting that he 
will make an effort to build a future-oriented Japan-U.S. alliance. 
He also plans to build a relationship of trust with the leaders of 
other countries and he will then play up Japan's anti-global warming 
efforts, nuclear nonproliferation, and nuclear disarmament. 
 
Hatoyama told reporters yesterday at the Prime Minister's Official 
Residence (Kantei), "What is the most important for me as the 
Japanese prime minister is to obtain trust from other countries." 
Referring to the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and the 
Japan-U.S. Status of Forces of Agreement (SOFA), he said: 
 
"I have no intention to change my view although the issues have to 
be resolved in the future as a matter of course. I will draw 
conclusions in our relationship of trust." 
 
10) Prime minister to map out alternative aid plan for Afghanistan 
by November 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
September 21, 2009 
 
As an alternative measure in the event of Japan ending the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean, Prime 
Minister Yukio Hatoyama has decided to map out basic guidelines for 
supporting Afghanistan, based on private-sector assistance, by the 
time when U.S. President Obama visits Japan for the first time in 
mid-November. The Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) and 
the Foreign Ministry have started looking into an alternative plan. 
 
The prime minister will leave for the U.S. on the 21st to deliver a 
speech at the UN General Assembly and attend the G-20 (financial 
summit). He is slated to hold his first meeting with Obama on the 
23rd. The likelihood is that he will give top priority to building a 
relationship of trust with the President. Individual pending issues 
will unlikely be taken up. However, the prime minister has judged 
that Japan would need to present its policy on Afghan assistance at 
the second summit to be held in November. 
 
11) US government is "ready to hold talks" on review of realignment 
of U.S. bases in Japan 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
September 22, 2009 
 
The Japanese government has been unofficially informed by the U.S. 
government that it is "ready to hold talks if there is a formal 
proposal from the Japanese side" on a review of the realignment of 
U.S. bases in Japan, including the planned relocation of the U.S. 
Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, it 
was learned on Sept. 21. The U.S. government has asked Japan to 
adhere to what had been agreed upon between the two countries on the 
realignment of U.S. bases in Japan, but the Hatoyama administration 
has come up with a policy to review the U.S. force realignment plan. 
Given the situation, Washington apparently decided that it would be 
 
TOKYO 00002199  008 OF 011 
 
 
advisable to rebuild Japan-U.S. relations in compliance with the 
wishes of the new Japanese administration. 
 
According to a source close to Japan-U.S. relations, Tokyo learned 
of the U.S. government's intention from Assistant Secretary of State 
Kurt Campbell and others who were visiting Japan on Sept. 17-19. 
During his stay in Japan, Campbell held talks with Foreign Minister 
Katsuya Okada, Administrative Vice-Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka, 
and others. 
 
During the series of talks, Campbell said: "The United States and 
Japan are allies. We can discuss anything. The issue of U.S. force 
realignment is no exception.... We are aware that the new Japanese 
government wants to hold talks on what was agreed upon between the 
two countries in the past. It is important for us to listen to the 
views of the new administration." Furthermore, Campbell reportedly 
expressed his intention to respond to a call for talks if Japan 
makes a formal proposal, saying, "If there is a proposal from Japan, 
the United States has an obligation as an ally to come to the 
negotiating table." 
 
12) Okada rules out dispatch of troops to Afghanistan 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
September 21, 2009 
 
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, appearing on a TV Asahi program 
aired yesterday, indicated that it would be difficult to send the 
Self-Defense Forces to Afghanistan when asked about the option of 
conducting humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in that 
country as an alternative to the Maritime Self-Defense Force's 
refueling activities in the Indian Ocean. "The security situation is 
quite difficult there," Okada said. "Other countries are also 
exploring ways to withdraw (their troops)," he also said. "As it 
stands," he added, "it's unlikely that we will suddenly send out the 
SDF since they would be beginners." 
 
Meanwhile, Okada also indicated a cautious view about the idea of 
expanding civilian assistance. "We can only send civilians to secure 
places," Okada said, adding, "Money may become our main 
contribution." 
 
13) U.S. asks Japan to come up with alternative plan for Afghan aid 
before Obama's Japan visit in November if it is to terminate 
refueling mission 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Lead paragraph) 
September 19, 2009 
 
The U.S. government has asked Japan to come up with a new form of 
support for Afghanistan replacing the Maritime Self-Defense Force's 
refueling mission in the Indian Ocean before President Barack 
Obama's visit to Japan planned for mid-November if the Hatoyama 
administration formally decides to terminate the refueling mission, 
a Japan-U.S. relations source revealed on Sept. 18. 
 
14) National Public Safety Commission chief Nakai stresses need to 
continue pressuring North Korea to resolve abduction issue 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
September 21, 2009 
 
 
TOKYO 00002199  009 OF 011 
 
 
In an interview with the Sankei Shimbun, Hiroshi Nakai, National 
Public Safety Commission chairman and state minister for abduction 
issue, said "I will start with strengthening pressure" on North 
Korea in an effort to resolve the issue of its past abductions of 
Japanese nationals. Nakai also said he had advised Prime Minister 
Yukio Hatoyama just before Hatoyama left for the U.S. to "tell U.S. 
President Barack Obama during their meeting that Japan will not move 
toward normalizing relations with North Korea before the abduction 
issue is resolved." 
 
Regarding the approach Japan should take to settle the abduction 
issue, Nakai declared: "Japan will ratchet up pressure (against 
North Korea). There is no other means but this approach." He further 
indicated that he would continue to convey Japan's clear stance 
toward the international community, remarking: "It is necessary for 
Japan to continue to assert to the international community, mainly 
to the U.S. and South Korea, that Japan will not agree to any 
requests as long as the abduction issue is left unresolved." 
 
Nakai also said: "If he delivers a speech (at the UN General 
Assembly) in New York, Prime Minister Hatoyama should at least say, 
'Suppose Americans were being abducted by agents from Cuba every 
year. That is what the abduction issue is like. How can we just 
leave the issue unresolved?" He indicated that Hatoyama should 
stress the inhumanity of abductions to the world in his UN speech. 
 
15) Hatoyama ready to declare 25 PERCENT  cut in greenhouse gas 
emissions in UN speech 
 
YOMIURI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
September 21, 2009 
 
During the first meeting of the ministerial committee on global 
warming at the Prime Minister's Office yesterday, the government 
decided on the content of the speech Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama 
will deliver in the upcoming UN summit on climate change in New York 
on Sept. 22. Hatoyama will declare Japan's goal of reducing 
greenhouse gas emissions by 25 PERCENT  from 1990 levels by 2020. He 
will also propose a new initiative to provide developing countries 
with Japan's energy-conservation technology and funds in a proactive 
manner. 
 
The Aso government announced in June the target of reducing 
greenhouse gas emissions by 15 PERCENT  from 2005 levels, or by 8 
PERCENT  from 1990 levels. By coming up with a larger reduction 
amount than the goal of the previous government and positive support 
measures for developing countries, the new Japanese government aims 
to take the initiative in negotiations for creating an international 
framework for cutting greenhouse gas emissions after the Kyoto 
Protocol expires in 2013. 
 
Participating in the ministerial meeting held last night were eight 
ministers, including the prime minister, State Minister for National 
Strategy Bureau Naoto Kan, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, and 
Environment Minister Ozawa. The participants agreed that the prime 
minister should send a powerful message to the international 
community. In the meeting, Hatoyama said, "The most important thing 
is that all countries around the world work together (on measures to 
fight global warming)." 
 
Hatoyama expressed his intention to try to achieve a 25 PERCENT 
reduction in greenhouse gas emissions even before coming into office 
 
TOKYO 00002199  010 OF 011 
 
 
as prime minister. By declaring it at an international conference, 
he intends to make it an international pledge. To avoid a situation 
in which Japan alone is obligated to achieve this outstanding 
target, Hatoyama will also say in his speech that the 25 PERCENT 
target is based on the premise that all the major emitters of 
greenhouse gases, including the U.S. and China, will participate in 
efforts to attain the target. He is also planning to reiterate the 
need to build an international framework that is fair and 
effective. 
 
16) Local suffrage for permanent foreign residents: Ozawa refers to 
possible submission of bill to regular Diet session; Some party 
members against plan 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Lead para.) 
September 20, 2009 
 
It has been learned that Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Secretary 
General Ichiro Ozawa on Sept. 19 met with Lee Sang Tuk, a South 
Korean lawmaker of the Grand National Party, who is the president of 
the South Korea-Japan parliamentarian league and the elder brother 
of South Korean President Lee Myung Bak, and told him that 
"something must be done" about the question of whether foreign 
nationals with permanent resident status in Japan should be vested 
with the right to vote in local elections. "I want to set a 
direction on the matter in the regular Diet session," a DPJ source 
quoted Ozawa as saying. Ozawa appeared to have indicated his 
intention to aim to submit a bill to the regular Diet session to be 
convened in January next year. Prime Minister Hatoyama is also known 
as being eager to promote the idea. However, since many DPJ members 
are opposing the idea, the DPJ will likely face difficulties in 
unifying views among its lawmakers. As some have pointed out that 
this issue could infringe on the Constitution, it could become a 
major bone of contention in the run-up to the Upper House election 
next summer. 
 
17) Poll: Hatoyama cabinet gets 68.7 PERCENT  support 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
September 19, 2009 
 
The initial public approval rating for Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama 
and his cabinet reached 68.7 PERCENT  in a joint public opinion 
survey conducted by the Sankei Shimbun and Fuji News Network (FNN) 
on Sept. 16-17. The figure is way above the 44.6 PERCENT  rating the 
Aso cabinet got for it upon its inauguration. The Hatoyama cabinet 
made its debut with the third highest inaugural popularity rating 
among its 11 predecessors since Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa's 
cabinet that came into office in 1993 as a non-Liberal Democratic 
Party (LDP) coalition government. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties as well, 
the now-ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) scored 44.4 PERCENT , 
topping 40 PERCENT  for the first time. The LDP was at 18.8 PERCENT 
. The support rate for the DPJ is more than twice as high as that 
for the LDP. 
 
18) Poll: DPJ propped up by popularity with women 
 
SANKEI (Page 2 (Abridged) 
September 19, 2009 
 
 
TOKYO 00002199  011 OF 011 
 
 
Upon its debut, the Hatoyama cabinet's public approval rating neared 
70 PERCENT . The rate of public support for the Democratic Party of 
Japan (DPJ) appears to reflect the high popularity of Prime Minister 
Hatoyama and his cabinet. In the meantime, the DPJ's support rate 
also hit an all-time high for it. The DPJ seems to have a 'pole 
position' toward next summer's election for the House of 
Councillors. "I'm very grateful," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi 
Hirano told a press conference yesterday. "But," Hirano also said, 
"the question you may have would be whether the Hatoyama cabinet is 
really going to do politics for the people's sake." He added: "Each 
and every one of the cabinet ministers must bear this in mind. In a 
sense, this figure makes me feel a very heavy responsibility." 
 
The DPJ has now expanded its strength in the Diet. This seems to be 
ascribable in part to the expansion of support for the DPJ among 
women. 
 
In a survey conducted in September last year, the DPJ's popularity 
rating was 31.6 PERCENT  among male respondents and 20.5 PERCENT 
among female respondents. As seen from these figures, there was a 
wide gender gap. This time around, the DPJ's popularity rating was 
46.8 PERCENT  among male respondents and 42.2 PERCENT  among female 
respondents. The rate of public support for the DPJ among men is 
higher than that among women. Even so, the gender gap has narrowed. 
 
ROOS