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P 242140Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
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INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
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RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
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RHMFIUU/USFJ //J5/JO21//
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RUAYJAA/CTF 72
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RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 3945
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 7146
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1130
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7790
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7378

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 TOKYO 002236 
 
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 09/24/09 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Japan-U.S. summit: PM Hatoyama gives priority to building trust; 
Two leaders agree on "lofty ideals" on global warming, nuclear 
non-proliferation (Yomiuri) 
 
(2) Summit meeting: Japan, U.S. keep pace on stimulus measures 
(Nikkei) 
 
(3) New York University Professor Lincoln: "Prime Minister Hatoyama 
is not anti-American" (Nikkei) 
 
(4) Editorial: Japan-U.S. foreign ministerial talks - Taking action 
is best way to build relationship of trust (Sankei) 
 
(5) Editorial: Make use of Hatoyama speech to move negotiations on 
global warming forward (Nikkei) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Japan-U.S. summit: PM Hatoyama gives priority to building trust; 
Two leaders agree on "lofty ideals" on global warming, nuclear 
non-proliferation 
 
YOMIURI (Page 3) (Full) 
September 24, 2009 
 
Takushi Murao, political reporter (New York) 
 
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama held his first Japan-U.S. summit 
meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama on the morning of September 
23 (evening of September 23, Japan time). He gave priority to 
building a personal relationship of trust with the President and 
deferred discussions about the review of existing policies and the 
specific pending issues championed by the new Hatoyama 
administration. 
 
Personal relationship of trust 
 
Hatoyama was all smiles after his meeting with Obama. He told 
reporters: "It was a very warm atmosphere. I am very pleased." He 
had given top priority to building a personal relationship of trust 
with the President in this meeting and appeared to have a sense of 
success. 
 
At this first meeting between the two leaders, which lasted around 
35 minutes including time allotted for picture taking, they 
reportedly "talked about their ideals and spoke enthusiastically 
about accepting challenges and working together," according to a 
participant in the meeting. The meeting also became an occasion for 
these two leaders, who both realized a change of government in their 
countries, to express their support for each other. 
 
Hatoyama said, "The wave of change that you initiated also reached 
Japan, and we were inspired by your courage." Obama replied, "That 
was good." 
 
A large number of senior U.S. government officials, including 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, were also present at the 
meeting. This was perceived by the Japanese side as "an indication 
of the U.S. side's enthusiasm about the summit," according to a 
source accompanying the Prime Minister. 
 
TOKYO 00002236  002 OF 007 
 
 
 
Hatoyama told Obama at the meeting that his cabinet will also 
"attach importance to the Japan-U.S. alliance as the cornerstone," 
emphasizing the importance of the Japan-U.S. relationship 
repeatedly. This is because he wanted to clear up the 
misunderstanding arising from his article carried by a U.S. paper in 
August and his advocacy of an "East Asian community," which had been 
interpreted as a sign of "breaking away from the U.S." or "leaning 
toward China." Neither side touched on issues that were sensitive to 
the U.S., such as the idea of an "equal Japan-U.S. relationship" 
that was championed by Hatoyama during the House of Representatives 
election or the "secret agreement" on introducing nuclear arms into 
Japan. 
 
Lofty ideals 
 
The two leaders talked about their "lofty ideals" and agreed on 
Japan-U.S. cooperation in dealing with climate change and other 
global issues. With regard to climate change, Hatoyama reiterated 
Japan's new mid-term target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 
25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020. 
 
Obama paid tribute to the Prime Minister's announcement of this 
ambitious target, saying, "I am grateful for your bold statement." 
 
Hatoyama also told him that he intends to make efforts to persuade 
people who have reservations about the target at home. He noted 
that: "Certain people in the industrial sector in Japan still have a 
problem (with this target). It is necessary to find a political 
solution." 
 
The two leaders also confirmed the commitment of Japan and the 
United States to cooperate in supporting the 15th Conference of 
Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP15) 
to be held by the end of 2009. 
 
In addition, Hatoyama commented on Obama's speech in April calling 
for a "world without nuclear weapons." "I was deeply moved," said 
Hatoyama. "Let us take the lead on this," conveying Japan's 
determination to also play a leading role in the elimination of 
nuclear weapons. 
 
With regard to Afghan aid, an important issue for the U.S., Hatoyama 
said, "Japan will get actively involved with all possible forms of 
reconstruction aid as its own cause." This conveyed Japan's 
intention to come up with alternative aid proposals on the 
assumption that it will not continue the refueling mission in the 
Indian Ocean after next January. 
 
In response, the President said, "That's very good." 
 
USFJ realignment, refueling mission, other pending issues deferred 
 
Meanwhile, the two leaders did not go into detailed discussions on 
the pending issues between the Hatoyama administration and the U.S. 
government. 
 
The President said, "We will have a long relationship, so let's 
resolve the issues one by one," indicating his approach of devoting 
time to discussing them. 
 
The Hatoyama administration has declared that the top three foreign 
 
TOKYO 00002236  003 OF 007 
 
 
policy issues in the first 100 days of the administration are: 
climate change, aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and U.S. Forces 
Japan (USFJ) realignment. Japan may need to take a stand on all 
these issues before the end of the year. 
 
North Korea 
 
With regard to the North Korea issues, about which Japan has a 
strong interest, the two leaders agreed to cooperate in resolving 
the nuclear issue. Hatoyama also said: "We also have the abduction 
issue. Therefore, in addition to the policy of dialogue and 
cooperation, we also need to take a tough stance when necessary." He 
sought the United States' understanding on the UN Security Council 
resolutions on sanctions against North Korea. This was meant to 
caution the Obama administration against adopting a conciliatory 
policy toward the DPRK over Japan's head. 
 
President Obama said he is "looking forward" to his visit to Japan 
in November. The two leaders agreed to start preparations for this 
visit. 
 
The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs wanted to make this 
Japan-U.S. summit a success in order to facilitate a smooth visit 
for President Obama in mid-November. It is also planning to invite 
the President as a state guest on the occasion of the 50th 
anniversary of the revision of the bilateral security treaty and 
issue a "New Japan-U.S. Joint Communique" (tentative name) next 
year. 
 
So far, the two leaders have worked hard to showcase a "honeymoon" 
between the two countries. Their diplomatic skills will now be put 
to test. 
 
(2) Summit meeting: Japan, U.S. keep pace on stimulus measures 
 
NIKKEI (Page 3) (Full) 
September 24, 2009 
 
Kotaro Hidaka, Takashi Okuma, New York 
 
The Japanese and U.S. leaders at a summit on September 23 vowed that 
both countries will strictly implement economic measures in order to 
overcome the current financial crisis and put the global economy on 
a sustainable growth track. The meeting, however, did not touch on 
specific policy challenges. Consequently, such issues as measures to 
curb global warming or narrow subtle differences in the views of the 
two countries about Prime Minister Hatoyama's East Asian Community 
Initiative, which takes the adoption of a common Asian currency into 
account, are still on the future agenda. 
 
Discussion stops short of bringing up measures to curb global 
warming, East Asian Community 
 
Concerning the global economy, the two leaders agreed at the meeting 
to work together to surmount the ongoing economic crisis. Until now, 
Hatoyama has been showing a stance of aiming for domestic 
demand-driven economic growth, by laying down measures to spur 
household budget consumption first. 
 
Meanwhile, in the U.S., it will likely take time for personal 
consumption, which has served as the driving force of its economy, 
to pick up because employment anxieties and excessive debts are 
 
TOKYO 00002236  004 OF 007 
 
 
acting as an impediment. Obama intends to cover the global shortage 
in demand by increasing domestic demand in current account surplus 
countries, such as China and Japan. Playing up Japan-U.S. 
cooperation has been indispensable to that end as well. 
 
However, when it comes to individual economic policies, there 
remains a subtle gap in the two countries' cooperative stances. 
 
Cooperation on measures to curb global warming is still a challenge. 
At the meeting Hatoyama explained Japan's mid-term goal of cutting 
greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020 from the 1990 level 
based on the premise that major countries will adopt an effective 
emissions reduction framework. Hatoyama and Obama agreed that the 
two countries will cooperate in the run-up to the 15th session of 
the Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change Convention to be 
held in December. 
 
However, a bill being considered in the U.S. stipulates an emissions 
cut by between 17 percent and 20 percent from the 2005 level, which 
is the same level as the goal adopted by the previous Aso 
administration in Japan. Deputy Assistant to the President Jason 
Furman stopped short of making a clear statement on the matter. He 
simply said to reporters that "Japan's goal is Japan's problem." The 
situation does not yet warrant an observation about the summit 
setting a direction for Japan and the U.S. to adjust their views for 
cooperation on curbing global warming. 
 
An essay by Hatoyama was carried by a U.S. daily before he visited 
the U.S. The U.S. media criticized his essay at first, claiming that 
it rejected U.S.-led globalization. Concern also remains that his 
proposal for a common Asian currency proposal will lead to the 
division of the world economy into blocs. 
 
Since then, Hatoyama has been underscoring his stance of attaching 
importance to the U.S. This was evident when he talked with Obama on 
the phone. It appears that the initial gap is becoming narrower. 
However, the two leaders went no further than vowing to work 
together toward settling issues concerning the Asia-Pacific region. 
 
The delicate distance between the two leaders will affect market 
trends. With the Hatoyama essay taken as a message of his distancing 
himself from the U.S., a strong yen trend has picked up steam on the 
foreign exchange market. At the bilateral summit in February, then 
prime minister Taro Aso and Obama agreed to maintain their faith in 
the dollar. The summit is over now, but skepticism remains about 
whether both countries can reconfirm their confidence in the 
dollar. 
 
(3) New York University Professor Lincoln: "Prime Minister Hatoyama 
is not anti-American" 
 
NIKKEI (Page 3) (Full) 
September 23, 2009 
 
With Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's visit to the U.S., an 
increasing number of Americans are paying attention to the change of 
government in Japan. The Nikkei interviewed New York University 
Professor Edward Lincoln, special advisor to a former U.S. 
ambassador to Japan and an expert on Japan-U.S. economic issues, to 
ask about his expectations for the Hatoyama administration and what 
tasks it should address. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002236  005 OF 007 
 
 
-- How do you interpret the change of government in Japan? 
 
Lincoln: The change of government through an election in Japan is a 
very interesting event. The Hosokawa administration was launched in 
1993 as a result of the Liberal Democratic Party's collapse and not 
through an election. I think this is a healthy development for 
democracy in Japan. 
 
-- Reading his article contributed to an American newspaper, some 
people seem to have labeled Prime Minister Hatoyama as 
anti-American. 
 
Lincoln: On economic issues, Mr. Hatoyama cited (in the article) the 
failure of U.S.-led capitalism, but the failure is also being 
debated in the U.S. The ongoing financial crisis is a result of the 
failure of U.S. regulations and oversight. The U.S. government is 
now making efforts to reconstruct such systems. 
 
Regarding security issues as well, Prime Minister Hatoyama and the 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) have criticized mainly the Japanese 
government's strong support of the Bush administration's policies 
toward Iraq and other countries since 2001. I am opposed to the war 
against Iraq as are many Americans, and I agree with the DPJ's view. 
Prime Minister Hatoyama might be anti-Bush, but I don't think he is 
anti-American. I don't think that (the inauguration of the Hatoyama 
administration) will be a major problem in Japan-U.S. relations. 
 
-- The new administration has come up with a positive mid-term 
target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. 
 
Lincoln: The DPJ has presented a more positive target (than the 
Liberal Democratic Party). The question is how the party will 
achieve this target. It is important for Japan to take part in 
international discussions. Japan has left quarreling with Europe to 
the U.S. and simply accepted the results of those arguments. The 
change in Japan's environment policy will put effective pressure on 
the U.S. 
 
(4) Editorial: Japan-U.S. foreign ministerial talks - Taking action 
is best way to build relationship of trust 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 23, 2009 
 
A Japan-U.S. foreign ministerial meeting was held in New York 
between Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, now visiting the United 
States, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In their first 
meeting, the two top diplomats agreed that Tokyo and Washington will 
continue to place priority on the bilateral alliance under the 
Hatoyama administration. 
 
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and President Barack Obama have 
already reaffirmed the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance. We 
welcome that Okada and Clinton demonstrated the significance of the 
bilateral relations to audiences at home and abroad. 
 
However, Japan and the United States are out of step on such 
specific issues as the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and 
assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Okada and Hatoyama should 
give considerable thought to strengthening the bilateral alliance in 
a realistic manner, as well as to expanding Japan's international 
contributions. 
 
TOKYO 00002236  006 OF 007 
 
 
 
The talks were the first opportunity for Okada to meet with Clinton 
after becoming foreign minister. Clinton said, "The Japan-U.S. 
alliance is a cornerstone of the U.S. foreign policy and is 
indispensable to the security and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific 
region." Okada then responded, "I would like to build a deeper, 
sustainable bilateral relationship." It can be said that the two 
leaders took positive approaches. 
 
Okada cited climate change, support for Afghanistan and Pakistan, 
and the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan as the key issues that 
the new government will tackle in the coming 100 days. It makes 
sense that Okada did not bring up the issue of the alleged secret 
agreement on nuclear introduction. It is only natural that the U.S. 
government takes the position that Japan should not link the issue 
of the secret pact with contemporary issues because the secret pact 
is a domestic issue for Japan from the Cold War era. 
 
Okada told Clinton, "The Hatoyama government has no intention of 
normalizing relations with North Korea unless the North's nuclear 
and missile threats, as well as the abduction issue, are resolved." 
He clearly expressed that the Hatoyama government will follow the 
former Japanese government's policy toward Pyongyang. Okada and 
Clinton took a realistic approach on the agreement that verifiable 
and complete denuclearization is necessary for dismantling the 
North's nuclear programs. Since some Hatoyama administration members 
are believed to be pro-Pyongyang politicians, the Japanese and U.S. 
governments should be especially careful in terms of information 
sharing and security control regarding North Korea. 
 
Although Okada gave a positive assessment of his meeting with 
Clinton by saying he "got off to a good start," it will be difficult 
to resolve the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and the Afghan 
assistance issue. The U.S. side has said that if Japan formally 
proposes a review of the realignment plan, including the relocation 
of Futenma Air Station, it will hold discussions. However, it has 
maintained its position that the existing plan is the best one. 
Unless the Hatoyama administration presents a concrete framework for 
civilian assistance to Afghanistan, there will be no progress on the 
Afghan issue. 
 
On Sept. 23, Hatoyama will hold talks with Obama. Hatoyama plans to 
first build a relationship of trust with Obama, but the fastest way 
for Hatoyama to build a relationship of trust is to take action in 
resolving pending issues. He should do his best to strengthen and 
deepen the bilateral alliance with Japan's national interests in 
mind. 
 
(5) Editorial: Make use of Hatoyama speech to move negotiations on 
global warming forward 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 24, 2009 
 
In the United Nation's climate change summit, Prime Minister Yukio 
Hatoyama announced Japan's midterm target of reducing greenhouse gas 
emissions by 25 PERCENT  from 1990 levels by 2020. 
 
The summit was held with the December deadline drawing nearer for 
forming a new international framework to fight global warming 
following the 2012 expiration of the Kyoto Protocol. Chinese 
President Hu Jintao and U.S. President Barack Obama delivered 
 
TOKYO 00002236  007 OF 007 
 
 
speeches earlier than Hatoyama. Their speeches indicated many 
difficulties lie ahead before an agreement is reached. 
 
President Hu repeatedly used expressions indicating that developing 
countries should not be obligated to reduce greenhouse gases 
emissions. President Obama only emphasized a change in the U.S. 
approach to global warming. The U.S. and China have emitted 40 
PERCENT  of the total amount of gases discharged across the world. 
In this sense, the speeches by these countries' leaders were 
unsatisfactory. 
 
Meanwhile, the Hatoyama speech, in a sense, played the role of 
adding momentum to the negotiations on global warming. 
 
The Hatoyama Initiative is premised on "all major countries' 
agreeing on an ambitious target." To minimize the adverse effect of 
global warming, it is imperative for all major emitters to cooperate 
in reducing greenhouse gas emissions for which they are respectively 
responsible, based on the principle that major emitters should 
fulfill "common but different levels of responsibility." 
 
The U.S. and China are required to take a step forward to bring 
about an agreement. We expect the Hatoyama administration to play 
the role of persuading major emitters and speeding up the 
negotiations on this issue that will affect the environment of the 
earth in the future. 
 
The Hatoyama Initiative designed to offer support for developing 
countries in fighting global warming could become a catalyst 
prompting all countries to take part in efforts to tackle global 
warming. In the UN summit Hatoyama presented only principles for the 
initiative. He is urged to work out specifics, such as the scale of 
funds and ways of offering technological support, and present them 
to each country at an early date. 
 
Prime Minister Hatoyama is now pressed to form a domestic consensus. 
Critics say the new midterm target is too high, focusing on the 
previous administration's estimate that a household may have to 
shoulder an additional burden of about 360,000 yen annually. A study 
group under the Aso administration worked out this figure. 
 
Some people point out that the numerical figure was worked out by 
adding necessary costs, based on the current industrial structure 
and without taking into consideration the possibility of new 
industries created through technological innovation. Once the 
government comes up with a clear goal, companies should be able to 
confidently invest in technical development and plant and equipment 
in related areas. 
 
In order to win public support for its international promise, it is 
necessary to make the people aware that the challenge of reducing 
greenhouse gas emissions will create new markets and eventually 
contribute to buoying up the economy. If only an increase in the 
public burden is focused on in discussion, the discussion will be 
way off-base. We hope that the government will hammer out a national 
strategy that will impose an equitable and minimal burden on the 
people and enable sustainable economic growth. 
 
ROOS