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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 15 TOKYO 002286 
 
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 10/05/09 
 
TOKYO 00002286  001.3 OF 015 
 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Ambassador Roos visits Hiroshima (Yomiuri) 
 
(2) Ambassador Roos makes first visit to Osaka, participates in 
walk-a-thon with citizens (Mainichi) 
 
(3) Bumpy road to realizing "East Asian community," centerpiece of 
Hatoyama diplomacy (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
(4) Interview with Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa - "New 
contribution" a future challenge (Mainichi) 
 
(5) Ministerial committee to be established for revision of NDPG 
(Yomiuri) 
 
(6) Coordination into full swing for review of Futenma relocation 
plan: Defense parliamentary secretary to be sent to U.S. (Yomiuri) 
 
(7) Futenma Air Station relocation: Premier, defense minister, 
foreign minister showing signs of disagreement (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
(8) Minister Maehara's statement on reviewing Futenma relocation 
plan creates stir in Okinawa (Okinawa Times) 
 
(9) Editorial: Review of Henoko relocation plan: Discuss base issues 
comprehensively (Okinawa Times) 
 
(10) Editorial: Relocation of Futenma Air Station to Henoko 
impossible (Okinawa Times) 
 
(11) FCLP conducted on Iwojima for 19 years; Long distance of 1,200 
km from mainland Japan a challenge; Permanent facility not yet in 
sight (Asahi) 
 
(12) National strategy office, administrative reform council: Two 
axles of support for budget compilation get underway (Nikkei) 
 
(13)Poll on Hatoyama cabinet, political parties (Yomiuri)  12 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Ambassador Roos visits Hiroshima 
 
YOMIURI (Page 34) (Full) 
October 5, 2009 
 
On October 4 U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos visited the 
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima City, where in the 
visitors' book he wrote, "Hiroshima is a powerful reminder of the 
importance of cooperating to realize a world without nuclear 
weapons." He made the following comment on the visit: "I was deeply 
moved by the exhibits." Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba made a 
request to the Ambassador for President Barack Obama to visit 
Hiroshima. Roos responded, "I will convey my experience in Hiroshima 
to the President." 
 
(2) Ambassador Roos makes first visit to Osaka, participates in 
walk-a-thon with citizens 
 
MAINICHI (Osaka edition) (Page 21) (Full) 
October 4, 2009 
 
TOKYO 00002286  002.3 OF 015 
 
 
 
U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos, who took up his post in August, 
made his first visit to Osaka on October 3. He joined around 2,000 
local citizens in a walk-a-thon in the area around the Nakanoshima 
Park. 
 
This was a charity event organized by the Kansai chapter of the 
American Chamber of Commerce to "increase the number of working 
women and enhance vitality in the business sector." After doing 
warming up exercises with popular American workout instructor Billy 
Blanks, a resident of Ibaraki City, the Ambassador walked about 1.5 
kilometers with the local residents, chatting amiably with them 
along the way. 
 
(3) Bumpy road to realizing "East Asian community," centerpiece of 
Hatoyama diplomacy 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
October 5, 2009 
 
Kei Sato 
 
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is devoting his efforts to promoting 
the concept of "East Asian community," which is the pillar of his 
Asian diplomacy. He intends to flesh out the concept ahead of the 
Japan-PRC-ROK summit to be held in Beijing from October 10. However, 
rivalry with China for leadership has already started, while the 
U.S., which is excluded from this framework, remains suspicious. 
Numerous obstacles lie in the way of realizing this concept amid the 
cross purposes of the involved countries. 
 
The East Asian community concept and an "equal Japan-US. alliance" - 
aiming at a review of the U.S. Forces Japan realignment plans, among 
other things - constitute the core of the Hatoyama administration's 
foreign policy. Using the European Union as a model, Hatoyama is 
aiming at a permanent security framework in Asia and the realization 
of a "common Asian currency," although he will be groping for ways 
to form the community by promoting a comprehensive economic 
partnership agreement (EPA) for now. 
 
However, history has shown how difficult this process might be. The 
"prototype" of the community is the East Asian Economic Caucus 
(EAEC) proposed by then Prime Minister Mahathir of Malaysia in the 
early 1990s. While the EAEC failed to materialize due to the United 
States' opposition, the ASEAN + 3 (Japan, China, South Korea) 
framework, which has the same membership, has taken root since then. 
In 2005, an East Asian summit aiming at creating the community was 
finally organized. 
 
However, discussions have come to an impasse not only due to the 
differences in political systems and levels of economic development 
in East Asia, but also because of the rivalry between Japan and 
China for leadership. The two countries could not even agree on the 
composition of the community, with China trying to limit membership 
to the ASEAN + 3 nations - since it will be easier to assert its 
position under this framework - while Japan is insisting on the East 
Asian summit model, which takes in India and other countries from 
outside the region, so the concept itself is fizzling out. 
 
The prime minister has now re-launched the concept, but there is a 
sense of "history repeating itself." While China approves of the 
concept per se, it has no intention to hand over leadership to 
 
TOKYO 00002286  003.3 OF 015 
 
 
Japan. At the Japan-China foreign ministerial talks in late 
September, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi deliberately emphasized 
that, "We were the first one to support creating (the community)." 
 
The U.S. interpreted Hatoyama's article advocating the creation of 
the community to be "anti-U.S.," and this forced him to explain at a 
news conference that "we do not intend to exclude the U.S." 
 
While the Japan-PRC-ROK summit is expected to agree on promoting the 
community, it is uncertain whether the leaders can go as far as 
taking concrete steps, such as setting up working teams. If efforts 
to put the concept on track at the APEC summit in November and other 
venues of international diplomacy fail, it is possible that the 
concept may be shelved once again. 
 
(4) Interview with Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa - "New 
contribution" a future challenge 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 2, 2009 
 
-- Are you going to extend the Maritime Self-Defense Force's 
refueling mission in the Indian Ocean whose term will expire next 
January? 
 
Kitazawa: My understanding is that it cannot be extended without new 
legislation. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Foreign Minister 
Katsuya Okada held talks with top leaders of other countries on the 
sidelines of the recent United Nations General Assembly, so I want 
to discuss how we can contribute to the international community 
after learning what was discussed there. 
 
-- In the event (the refueling mission) is not extended, do you have 
any intention to come up with an alternative plan using the SDF? 
 
Kitazawa: Use of the SDF is not a foregone conclusion, but then the 
Defense Ministry's thinking should not stand out, so I want to deal 
with the matter carefully. 
 
-- Are you going to review what was agreed upon between Japan and 
the United States on the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' 
Futenma Air Station? 
 
Kitazawa: The agreement was reached after many years of talks with 
the United States, and it carries great significance. Meanwhile, 
people in Okinawa want to move (Futenma) out of the 
prefecture/country, and that, too, is also of great importance. The 
question is how to strike a balance between the two. 
 
-- What is the direction of reform of the Defense Ministry? 
 
Kitazawa: I want to have one of the parliamentary secretaries 
closely examine the matter swiftly so that we can study options, 
including whether or not the Democratic Party of Japan can come up 
with a new plan to reform the ministry. I was impressed by the fact 
that the defense minister can have up to three aides. This fits well 
the DPJ administration's thinking. We will preserve what is good. 
 
-- What is your view of former Air Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff 
Toshio Tamogami, who was dismissed from his post for publishing in a 
contest an essay at  variance with the government's position? 
 
 
TOKYO 00002286  004.3 OF 015 
 
 
Kitazawa: (The right to express) one's belief must be guaranteed, 
but if one does not appreciate the position in which he has been 
placed, he makes a serious mistake. What Mr. Tamogami did is 
regrettable. 
 
-- Bureaucrats did not attend the first meeting of parliamentarians 
holding the top three posts: the minister, senior vice minister, and 
parliamentary secretary. How are you going operate the three 
parliamentarians' meetings? 
 
Kitazawa: Ministry officials did join (the opening part of the 
meeting). We later discussed matters with ministry officials. I want 
to finalize basic elements among ourselves (the parliamentarians 
holding the three top posts). I have no intention to keep 
(bureaucrats) at a distance. A host of challenges require our 
unified efforts. 
 
-- Are you going to revise the National Defense Program Guidelines 
and formulate the new Midterm Defense Buildup Program in December, 
as planned? 
 
Kitazawa: Personally I do not want to postpone them. I think the 
absence of Japan's defense guidelines on the part of Japan would 
have a tremendous impact on the world. 
 
-- In operating the Self-Defense Forces, which are armed forces, how 
are you going to deal with advice and assistance from the chiefs of 
staff and other defense experts? 
 
Kitazawa: The international situation is far more complex than ever 
before, and experts' views are extremely important. But relying 
excessively on experts carries the risk of making biased decisions. 
Lawmakers must make a constant effort to grasp the global situation 
and keep their senses sharpened so they can properly respond to 
things. 
 
 (Interview by Tetsuya Higuchi, Yasushi Sengoku) 
 
(5) Ministerial committee to be established for revision of NDPG 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 3, 2009 
 
At a press conference on Oct. 2, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi 
Hirano announced a plan to set up a ministerial committee shortly 
for the revision of the National Defense Program Guidelines (NDPG), 
which specify the modalities of Japan's defense capabilities, and 
the formulation of a new Midterm Defense Buildup Program. 
 
(6) Coordination into full swing for review of Futenma relocation 
plan: Defense parliamentary secretary to be sent to U.S. 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 3, 2009 
 
The government on Oct. 2 started full coordination among cabinet 
ministers on the propriety of reviewing the planned relocation of 
the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City, Okinawa 
Prefecture, so as to reach a decision at an early date. Prime 
Minister Hatoyama has shown an eagerness to take a second look at 
the present relocation, which mentions the U.S. forces' Camp Schwab 
in Nago City, Okinawa as the relocation site, based on the 
 
TOKYO 00002286  005 OF 015 
 
 
Democratic Party of Japan's (DPJ) conventional stance. However, 
base-hosting municipalities have already conditionally accepted the 
current plan. Washington is also cold on the idea of revising the 
Futenma relocation plan. Will the government make a policy switch 
just before U.S. President Obama visits Japan in mid-November? The 
prime minister is pressed to make a difficult decision. 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano told the Yomiuri Shimbun and other 
dailies in an interview yesterday, "The government must form some 
comprehensive idea before the President visits Japan." Defense 
Minister Kitazawa on the same day said, "We have to look well into 
the U.S. stance." Then, he has decided to send Defense Parliamentary 
Secretary Akihisa Nagashima to Washington early next week. 
 
When Hirano and Kitazawa held a meeting with Foreign Minister Okada 
and State Minister for Okinawa at the Prime Minister's Official 
Residence (Kantei), they just confirmed a policy of aiming for an 
early settlement. However, they did not pursue an in-depth 
discussion of whether the relocation plan should be reviewed or not, 
sources said. Kitazawa has already indicated that it would be 
difficult to move the Futenma functions out of the prefecture. 
However, the prime minister on Sept. 24 told reporters, "I have no 
intention of changing the government's basic stance of reviewing the 
relocation plan." 
 
Concerning the Futenma relocation, Okinawa's prefectural and 
municipal governments, including Nago City, announced that it would 
be unavoidable to relocate Futenma airfield within the prefecture, 
as Governor Hirokazu Nakaima said. The idea is to give priority to 
removing the danger of Futenma airfield to the neighborhood as early 
as possible. Chances are that in the event the plan is reviewed, 
there will be a significant delay in the planned relocation of 
Futenma airfield by 2014. 
 
(7) Futenma Air Station relocation: Premier, defense minister, 
foreign minister showing signs of disagreement 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
October 3, 2009 
 
Government officials are in disagreement on the issue of relocating 
the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City, Okinawa 
Prefecture. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is adhering to the 
Democratic Party of Japan's (DPJ) principle of aiming to move the 
facilities out of the prefecture. On the other hand, Defense 
Minister Toshimi Kitazawa takes the position that it would be 
difficult to move them out of the prefecture. Foreign Minister 
Katsuya Okada takes a flexible stance without adhering to any policy 
direction so that he can take any approach. 
 
The DPJ advocates a plan to move the Futenma functions out of the 
prefecture by taking a second look at the present program, which 
stipulates the relocation of the air station near the coast of Camp 
Schwab in Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture, based on "Okinawa Vision," 
which the DPJ compiled when it was an opposition party. The prime 
minister has not changed his principle of aiming to move the Futenma 
facilities out of the prefecture, noting during his U.S. visit last 
month, "We have no intention of changing our stance toward the U.S. 
bases." 
 
However, the positions of the related cabinet ministers responsible 
for the actual work differ subtly. After inspecting Okinawa as the 
 
TOKYO 00002286  006 OF 015 
 
 
person responsible for defense policy, Defense Minister Kitazawa at 
a press conference held in Naha City on Sept. 26 noted, "Moving the 
Futenma factions out of the prefecture would be very difficult." He 
made that comment because local residents conveyed their anxieties 
to him that if the present program, which has been decided after 
many twists and turns for many years, is reviewed, the return of the 
air station will be put off further into the future. 
 
Okada does not commit himself to either option - moving the 
facilities within the prefecture or out of the prefecture. That is 
because if he, as the person responsible for talks with the U.S., 
firmly commits to one option and rejects all other possibilities, 
talks cannot be pursued, as he said. 
 
As a matter of fact, the manifesto, which the DPJ released before 
the Lower House election, does not carry the words "out of the 
prefecture." This is because the party has to broaden its outlook 
and use many different approaches when pursuing talks, as Okada 
said. He made this comment with an awareness of the possibility of a 
power transfer. He took a harsh position toward Kitazawa, saying, 
"It is better for him not to say this and that at the present 
stage." 
 
Apparently cautioned by Okada, Kitazawa at a meeting of four related 
cabinet ministers held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence 
(Kantei) on Oct. 2, explained, "I just mentioned my candid 
impression at the meeting. I did not mean to indicate any specific 
policy direction." 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano during an interview with the 
Tokyo Shimbun indicated his stance of finalizing the government 
position before the U.S. President visits Japan in November. 
 
The time limit is drawing near amid disarray among the related 
cabinet ministers on the Futenma relocation issue. 
 
(8) Minister Maehara's statement on reviewing Futenma relocation 
plan creates stir in Okinawa 
 
OKINAWA TIMES (Page 2) (Full) 
October 4, 2009 
 
Shin Yoshida , Shinsaku Shimabukuro, political, economic reporters; 
Kenya Fukumoto, Central Okinawa Bureau; Shogo Nishie, Tokyo Bureau) 
 
State Minister for Okinawa Affairs Seiji Maehara, who is on a visit 
to Okinawa, mentioned a review of the Japan-U.S. agreement on the 
relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station on Oct. 3, and 
this has created a stir in the prefectural and municipal 
governments. In light of the recent series of visits by senior U.S. 
officials to Japan and the vigorous negotiations with the U.S. 
currently taking place, the reaction is a mixture of bewilderment 
and expectation. Since the statement was also made one day after the 
informal consultations by four cabinet ministers, concerns have been 
voiced over the apparent discord in the government, while there is 
also a cool-headed observation that Maehara had merely reiterated a 
principle contained in the "Okinawa Vision" of the Democratic Party 
of Japan. 
 
At his meeting with Maehara, Naha Mayor Takeshi Onaga, who is also 
chairman of the association of mayors in Okinawa, reminded him: 
"Unless the relocation (of Futenma) out of Okinawa is executed with 
 
TOKYO 00002286  007 OF 015 
 
 
unwavering determination, the people of Okinawa will be confused." 
Maehara replied: "I apologize for causing trouble. We would like to 
reach a conclusion at an early date," indicating that he understands 
that the decision to accept Futenma's relocation within the 
prefecture was a "bitter" one on the part of the Okinawa Prefectural 
Government (OPG) and Nago City. 
 
Maehara did not mention a review of the Henoko relocation plan at 
this meeting. Mayor Yoshikazu Shimbukuro of Nago City, the proposed 
relocation site under the current plan, said: "(Maehara) said that 
economic development measures for Okinawa are important and that he 
will study such measures without fail." Shimabukuro also made the 
following demand: "We hope that the government comes up with a clear 
policy direction, since it appears to favor relocation out of 
Okinawa." 
 
Kadena Mayor Tokujitsu Miyagi revealed that he told Maehara that, 
"There are moves behind the scenes to promote the plan to merge 
(Futenma) with Kadena Air Base, and this is unacceptable." Maehara 
reportedly only listened and kept quiet. After the meeting, Miyagi 
stressed the local government's position. He said: "I argued 
strongly that it is unacceptable (for the government) to simply come 
up with a conclusion and tell us what it will do." 
 
Governor Hirokazu Nakaima and the top OPG executives also learned 
about Maehara's statement on the evening of October 3. One senior 
OPG official was astonished that "he went that far." He said: "We 
will certainly welcome a feasible and concrete plan for relocation 
out of Okinawa," but he remained cautious, since no concrete plan 
had been presented. 
 
At his meeting with Nakaima, Maehara had emphasized that he would 
serve as the "intermediary between the government and Okinawa." The 
above OPG official was unsure about "whether this was a message from 
the administration or in which capacity he was speaking." He stated 
in a harsh tone: "We will have to closely watch what sort of 
proposals they have with great interest." 
 
Ginowan Mayor Yoichi Iha, who briefed Maehara at the Kakazu Takadai 
Park (overlooking the Futenma base), welcomed the fact that 
"(Maehara) was able to confirm the danger posed by Futenma." He 
urged the government to change its policy, claiming: "Providing 
another military base without a clear perception of the actual 
situation will create another Futenma. The plan to relocate to 
Henoko will fall through." 
 
A ruling party official frowned that: "It is not easy (to review the 
current plan). I hope he refrains from making careless remarks. He 
has overstepped the competence of the Okinawa affairs minister." One 
senior Ministry of Defense official observed that, "This will give 
rise to criticism of discord within the cabinet. What has happened 
to their coordination process?" 
 
A government official speculated that, "Since the government has not 
made a decision, he might have thought that he should repeat what is 
written in the Okinawa Vision as the minister in charge," making the 
level-headed analysis that, "This is qualitatively different from 
remarks by the defense minister, who is directly in charge of the 
Futenma relocation project, or the foreign minister, who is in 
charge of foreign policy." 
 
(9) Editorial: Review of Henoko relocation plan: Discuss base issues 
 
TOKYO 00002286  008 OF 015 
 
 
comprehensively 
 
OKINAWA TIMES (Page 5) (Full) 
October 5, 2009 
 
We feel as though we have been at the mercy of the remarks of the 
new cabinet ministers who have been coming to Okinawa every week. 
 
In connection with the relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air 
Station, Okinawa Affairs Minister Seiji Maehara (minister of Land, 
infrastructure, transport, and tourism), who just made his first 
visit after becoming a cabinet member, expressed doubts about the 
2006 agreement between the Japanese and U.S. governments on the 
relocation of the Futenma base to Henoko in Nago City and mentioned 
the need to consider a new relocation site. 
 
Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, who came to Okinawa exactly one 
week ago, had just said something to the effect that the "realistic 
policy" of relocation within Okinawa might be inevitable. At that 
time, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who was making his diplomatic 
debut in the U.S., was talking about upholding the basic policy of 
relocation "out of Okinawa or out of Japan." Foreign Minister 
Katsuya Okada, who accompanied him on the U.S. visit, also talked 
about a reexamination of the Henoko relocation plan. 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) needs to sort out the Okinawa 
issues both inside the cabinet and inside the party. While both the 
Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party are opposed to 
Henoko relocation, they differ on the other options. 
 
It is natural that the DPJ is being careful before it engages in 
full-fledged negotiations with the Obama administration, but the 
party has repeatedly voiced its opposition to the construction of 
new military bases in Okinawa. 
 
At the time a helicopter crashed onto the campus of the Okinawa 
International University in August 2004, then DPJ President Katsuya 
Okada wrote a petition demanding the return of Futenma without a 
replacement facility, among other things. Mr. Maehara, who was then 
the foreign minister of the "Next Cabinet (shadow cabinet)," was the 
one who presented this petition to the U.S. Embassy. 
 
Now that the DPJ is in power, it should make efforts to implement 
its basic policy. 
 
It is necessary to consider if it is sensible to focus only on the 
Futenma issue about whether the facility should be relocated within 
Okinawa, out of Okinawa, or out of Japan. 
 
We have asserted repeatedly that the Okinawa issues should not be 
resolved by Okinawa alone. If the Japan-U.S. security alliance is 
the linchpin of Japan's foreign policy, then let the whole of Japan 
share the burden in maintaining the alliance. 
 
The problem is that Okinawa's advantageous geographical position - a 
proposition that is utterly meaningless in the 21st Century - is 
cited as the reason for locating 75 percent of U.S. military bases 
in Japan in the prefecture. The political authorities have refused 
to face this fact, and negotiations under the Liberal Democratic 
Party administration were conducted under the policy direction that 
the status quo could not be changed. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002286  009 OF 015 
 
 
Many ministers have come to Okinawa and brought back "Okinawa's 
message" to Tokyo. However, there has not been any answer to the 
question of how to rectify the excessive burden on Okinawa, which is 
clearly discriminatory. 
 
Mr. Maehara, who is an expert on foreign policy and security issues, 
pointed out in his questioning of the government at the Diet as an 
opposition politician that the revolution in military technology 
would bring changes to the U.S. forces' forward bases and argued 
that Japan should negotiate actively with the U.S. on the 
composition of U.S. Forces Japan, bearing in mind the Okinawa 
issues. 
 
Such a perspective should serve as the basis for projecting a 
comprehensive solution to the Okinawa issues. The Futenma issue has 
been drifting and 13 years have been wasted without ever going into 
the essential issues. 
 
At his meeting with Mr. Maehara, Governor Hirokazu Nakaima admitted 
that "a majority of the people of Okinawa hope for relocation out of 
the prefecture," but merely said that "relocation within the 
prefecture is unavoidable" as a realistic option. 
 
The governor appears to have become a force of resistance at a time 
when politics is changing. 
 
The change of administration should also be a transformation that 
brings "change" to the thinking on the bases. 
 
(10) Editorial: Relocation of Futenma Air Station to Henoko 
impossible 
 
OKINAWA TIMES (Page 5) (Full) 
October 1, 2009 
 
The sloppy process used by the Defense Ministry (Okinawa Defense 
Bureau) in conducting its environmental impact assessment has been 
revealed. This is probably because the ministry has already made a 
final decision to construct (a new U.S. base).  Important facilities 
were added (to the original plan) after the views of the residents 
had already been heard. The environmental assessment was supposed to 
be a process for consensus-building through dialogue, but the 
ministry has completely ignored that idea. 
 
Regarding the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air 
Station to the Henoko district in Nago City, Okinawa's Environmental 
Impact Assessment Council compiled its draft report on the 
environmental impact assessment preparatory documents, which the 
ministry had sent to the prefectural government. Seiko Tsukayama, 
chairman of the council, will submit it to Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima on 
Oct. 2. 
 
Pointing out that there is concern about the unforeseeable effects 
of land reclamation in Oura Bay, the draft council report criticizes 
the preparatory documents and calls for them to be rewritten, 
saying, "The analysis, projection, and evaluation are not 
sufficient. The necessary examination, projection, and valid 
evaluation should be carried out once again. Appropriate measures to 
preserve the environment must be devised."  The draft council report 
also seeks multiple-year surveys of dugongs. 
 
Referring to the ministry's preparatory documents that say the 
 
TOKYO 00002286  010 OF 015 
 
 
impact on the environment will be avoided/reduced, the draft council 
report includes a more specific phrase that if the environmental 
impact cannot be fully reduced, options for halting the project, 
changing the site, and reducing the project in size should be 
considered. 
 
The ministry has reiterated that environmental preservation measures 
will be taken "within the scope feasible." This phrase can be 
interpreted in various ways. Moreover, the new base will be used by 
the U.S. military, which is not covered by any Japanese law. 
 
Okinawa Times and the Asahi Shimbun leaned from their joint survey 
conducted in May that about 80 PERCENT  of Okinawa residents said 
they were dissatisfied with the ministry's explanation that there 
will be only a minor impact on the environment, clearly rejecting 
the ministry's environmental impact assessment. 
 
The ocean area off the Henoko district is endowed with a wide range 
of marine living species such as endangered dugongs, regenerated 
coral reefs, and various types of seaweed. 
 
The ministry's environmental impact assessment method was fraught 
with a variety of problems. The assessment methodology report 
including the initial procedure is a sort of "environmental 
assessment blueprint" to narrow down the outcomes of the 
environmental impact assessment by making the outline of the project 
to the public. However, the ministry damaged coral by going ahead 
with the environmental survey before drafting the methodology 
report. It also added an ammunition-loading area and the gathering 
of a massive amount of sea sand, which had not been included in the 
initial plan, to the assessment methodology report. 
 
At the stage of compiling the preparatory documents, such new 
facilities as four helipad sites were added. If this is the way the 
ministry plans to carry out the relocation, the only way to describe 
it is utterly arrogant. 
 
Following the draft council report, the governor will submit his 
opinion (to the Okinawa Defense Bureau) by Oct. 13. This will be 
Nakaima's first official comment since the change of government. 
Seven ruling camp Diet members hailing from Okinawa, who have 
opposed the relocation of the Futenma facility to the Henoko 
district, will discuss the issue with Defense Minister Toshimi 
Kitazawa, calling for the suspension of the implementation of the 
budget for the relocation project. Since Kitazawa is negative about 
suspending the environmental assessment, the situation is still 
uncertain. However, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has said, "Out of 
the prefecture at the minimum." If the governor and Nago Mayor 
Yoshikazu Shimabukuro continue to take the stance of accepting the 
relocation plan conditioned on moving the relocation site offshore, 
an odd situation will develop. The government policy has undergone a 
complete about-face. It is obvious that relocating the Futenma 
facility to the Henoko district will be impossible. The governor 
should keep this in mind. 
 
(11) FCLP conducted on Iwojima for 19 years; Long distance of 1,200 
km from mainland Japan a challenge; Permanent facility not yet in 
sight 
 
ASAHI Kanagawa Edition (Page 33) (Abridged slightly) 
October 4, 2009 
 
 
TOKYO 00002286  011 OF 015 
 
 
Hirotaka Kawakami 
 
The U.S. military has been conducting its field carrier landing 
practice (FCLP) on Iwojima over the past 19 years. Part of the FCLP 
conducted for the seven days up to Sept. 30 has been opened to the 
press. During the Pacific War (during WWII), U.S. forces and the 
Imperial Japanese Army conducted a fierce battle on Iwojima, which 
is 1,200 kilometers south of U.S. Naval Air Facility Atsugi. 
 
On the night in late September, a blue beam pointing to the 
2,650-meter runway on Iwojima was standing out under the star-filled 
night sky. And U.S. carrier-based fighter jets were continuously 
conducting night-landing practice (NLP) as part of the FCLP. 
 
Yokosuka became the homeport of a U.S. naval aircraft carrier in 
¶1973. U.S. Navy fighter jets began NLP at the Atsugi base in 1982. 
Receiving protests from local governments and residents, the U.S. 
Navy began shifting the touch-and-go training in stages to Iwojima 
starting in 1991, conducting the practice at the Atsugi base only 
under certain conditions, such as bad weather on Iwojima. NLP has 
not been carried out at the Atsugi base since May 2007. 
 
Practice at the Atsugi base, which is situated in a residential 
area, is allowed only up to 10 p.m. Meanwhile on Iwojima, conditions 
close to the aircraft carrier at sea can be created. On the island, 
fighter jets can continue flying at an altitude of 180 meters (600 
feet) without worrying about making noise. 
 
Lt. Cmdr. Ray Owens, who is responsible for planning and policy at 
the headquarters of U.S. Naval Forces Japan, indicated that the U.S. 
Navy's desires are in line with those of local residents. "We are 
working very hard to strike a balance between our efforts to 
minimize the risk of accidents and to reduce noise for local 
residents," Owens said. "It is best to complete FCLP on Iwojima." 
 
Nevertheless, the U.S. side accepted Iwojima in 1989 as a site to 
conduct FCLP only as a temporary step. For this reason, the U.S. 
side is seeing a permanent training facility. 
 
The biggest reason is that Iwojima is 1,200 km away from mainland 
Japan and that there is no place to make an emergency landing. Japan 
and the United States were to plan a relocation of the training in 
the process of realigning U.S. forces in Japan and to select a 
permanent training facility as early as July. No candidate sites 
have been determined. 
 
(12) National strategy office, administrative reform council: Two 
axles of support for budget compilation get underway 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 1, 2009 
 
The national strategy office and the administrative reform council 
have at last gotten underway. They are viewed as the two axles of 
support for the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei), when 
the Hatoyama administration compiles the fiscal 2010 budget. The 
national strategy office, which is tasked with drafting a budget 
outline, is set to determine the upper limit of expenditures, after 
estimating revenues, including the amount of government bonds to be 
issued. The administrative reform council, which is responsible for 
identifying the wasteful spending of budgetary funds, will start 
drafting guidelines for various government agencies to eliminate 
 
TOKYO 00002286  012 OF 015 
 
 
wasteful spending once its lineup is fixed. The Hatoyama 
administration will aim to compile the budget under political 
leadership before year's end. Whether the administration can achieve 
that goal will depend on to what extent the two organizations can 
function. 
 
Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for the National Strategy 
Bureau Naoto Kan and State Minister for Administrative Reform 
Council Yoshito Sengoku on Sept. 30 respectively held their first 
meetings with the three top officers responsible for state affairs 
at each government office. Prior to the Oct. 10 deadline for the 
submission of budgetary requests by each government agency, they 
discussed the future management of the national strategy office and 
the administrative reform council. 
 
Senior Vice Minister Motohisa Furukawa of the Cabinet Office, who 
attended both meetings, said at a press conference: "The national 
strategy office will set general conditions concerning the total 
amount of government bonds to be issued. With a view to revenues, 
including tax revenues, expenditures will be decided within that 
framework." However, Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii held a press 
conference on the 30th and said, "It is the Finance Ministry that 
knows the most about the outlook for tax revenues," even though he 
stressed cooperation with the national strategy office. As such, 
there still remains an unclear aspect about role-sharing. 
 
The key personnel for the administrative reform council have been 
selected at last. The council has adopted a system in which it will 
conduct budgetary assessments in cooperation with the administrative 
reform council, by appointing Kan as a council member. However, 
given the fact that the council has yet to take shape, it appears to 
be limited in what it can do when it comes to identifying wasteful 
spending of budgetary funds. A bureaucrat-turned DPJ lawmaker said, 
"Nothing can be accomplished before year's end unless the Finance 
Ministry Budget Bureau does almost everything." 
 
Sengoku intends to map out guidelines for eliminating wasteful 
spending before the end of October and issue orders to each 
minister. Chances are high the assessment of budgetary 
appropriations will be left to each government agency and the Budget 
Bureau to work out. It was thought that the review of the extra 
budget for the current fiscal year would serve as a model case for 
the administrative reform council to make drastic cuts. However, the 
work will likely be carried with very little involvement from the 
administrative reform council. 
 
When asked about the council's involvement in the revision of the 
extra budget, Sengoku did not conceal his frustration from 
reporters, saying, "We have not decided to get involved in that 
work. Since we don't have any staff yet, we cannot possibly do that 
job." 
 
(13)Poll on Hatoyama cabinet, political parties 
 
YOMIURI (Page 6) (Full) 
October 5, 2009 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures shown in percentage) 
 
Q: Do you support the Hatoyama cabinet? 
 
 
TOKYO 00002286  013 OF 015 
 
 
Yes 71 
No 21 
Other answers (O/A) 3 
No answer (N/A) 5 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "yes" to the foregoing question) 
Pick only one from among the following reasons for your approval of 
the Hatoyama cabinet. 
 
Something can be expected of its policy measures 32 
The prime minister is aiming to make policy decisions at the 
initiative of politicians 25 
The prime minister has leadership ability 7 
There's something stable about the prime minister 5 
His cabinet's lineup is good 6 
Because it's a non-Liberal Democratic Party government 21 
O/A -- 
N/A 3 
 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "no" to the foregoing question) Pick 
only one from among the following reasons for your disapproval of 
the Hatoyama cabinet. 
 
Nothing can be expected of its policy measures 33 
Nothing can be expected of its policy decisions made at the 
initiative of politicians 18 
The prime minister lacks leadership ability 5 
There's nothing stable about the prime minister 8 
His cabinet's lineup is not good 13 
Because it's a non-Liberal Democratic Party government 17 
O/A 0 
N/A 5 
 
Q: Which political party do you support now? Pick only one. 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 47 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP or Jiminto) 17 
New Komeito (NK) 3 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 3 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 1 
Your Party (YP or Minna no To) 1 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 0 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0 
Other political parties 0 
None 26 
N/A 1 
 
Q: The Hatoyama cabinet is a tripartite coalition government of the 
DPJ, SDP, and PNP. Do you approve of this combination of political 
parties in office? 
 
Yes 39 
No 50 
N/A 11 
 
Q: Do you approve of the Hatoyama cabinet's policy of providing a 
monthly child allowance handout of 26,000 yen until the child 
graduates from junior high school? 
 
Yes 57 
No 39 
 
TOKYO 00002286  014 OF 015 
 
 
N/A 5 
 
Q: Do you approve of the Hatoyama cabinet's policy of making the 
expressways toll-free in principle? 
 
Yes 26 
No 69 
N/A 6 
 
Q: Do you approve of the Hatoyama cabinet's policy of ending the 
Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean 
by January next year when the current antiterror law expires? 
 
Yes 48 
No 37 
N/A 15 
 
Q: Do you approve of the Hatoyama cabinet's policy of reducing 
Japan's greenhouse gas emissions by 25 PERCENT  from 1990 levels? 
 
Yes 75 
No 19 
N/A 6 
 
Q: Do you approval of the Hatoyama cabinet's policy of suspending 
the construction of Yamba Dam in Gumma Prefecture? 
 
Yes 44 
No 36 
N/A 20 
 
 
Q: Financial Services Minister Shizuka Kamei has been insisting on 
introducing a three-year loan-repayment moratorium system for small 
businesses and individuals. Do you approve of this system? 
 
Yes 42 
No 40 
N/A 18 
 
Q: The Hatoyama cabinet has decided to prohibit each government 
ministry's bureaucrats form holding a press conference. Instead, 
their ministers and other political appointees will meet the press. 
Concerning this, there is an opinion saying the initiative of 
politicians will become clear. In addition, there is also an opinion 
saying information disclosure to the public will be restricted. Do 
you approve of this decision? 
 
Yes 57 
No 27 
N/A 15 
 
Q: Prime Minister Hatoyama's fund-managing body described fictitious 
individuals' donations in its political funds reports. Concerning 
this issue, Prime Minister Hatoyama has explained that his secretary 
did so at his own discretion. Is this account convincing? 
 
Yes 16 
No 71 
N/A 13 
 
Q: Mr. Sadakazu Tanigaki has been elected LDP president. Do you have 
 
TOKYO 00002286  015 OF 015 
 
 
expectations for LDP President Tanigaki? 
 
Yes 34 
No 57 
N/A 8 
 
 
Q: Do you think the LDP will be able to take the reins of government 
again? 
 
Yes 50 
No 36 
N/A 14 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Oct. 2-4 across the 
nation on a computer-aided random digit dialing (RDD) basis. 
Households with one or more eligible voters totaled 1,783. Valid 
answers were obtained from 1,116 persons (63 PERCENT ). 
 
(Note) In some cases, the total percentage does not add up to 100 
PERCENT  due to rounding. 
 
ROOS