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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 002523 
 
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 11/02/09 
 
INDEX: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 
 
Futenma relocation issue: 
4) Nago considering rescinding its acceptance of Futenma replacement 
facility  (Yomiuri) 
5) Foreign Minister Okada asks USFJ Commander Rice and Ambassador 
Roos their views of Futenma-Kadena consolidation; High-ranking 
Foreign Ministry official says there will be no further soliciting 
of U.S. opinions on the plan  (Asahi) 
6) Foreign Minister: Futenma relocation issue takes precedence over 
"sympathy budget"  (Asahi) 
 
Defense & security: 
7) Administrative Reform Minister Sengoku says "sympathy budget to 
be targeted in case of large problems in project implementation 
(Nikkei) 
8) Foreign Minister says Japan will look into reviewing "sympathy 
budget" next year  (Mainichi) 
9) SDP President Fukushima calls for reducing "sympathy budget" 
(Nikkei) 
10) Prime minister backs away from call to reexamine Japan-U.S. 
alliance (Sankei) 
11) Govt. mulling dispatch of patrol aircraft to Afghanistan 
(Asahi) 
 
Foreign relations: 
12) Prime Minister says he loathes whale meat  (Sankei) 
13) Announcement of Japan-U.S. foreign ministers' meeting retracted 
(Yomiuri) 
14) Coordination underway for Okada-Clinton meeting on Nov. 7 
(Mainichi) 
15) Japanese govt. begins examining Afghan aid  (Mainichi) 
16) General Secretary Kim Jong Il directed abduction of Japanese 
(Asahi) 
17) Consumer Affairs Minister Fukushima states opposition to 
dispatch of SDF overseas after withdrawal from Indian Ocean 
(Yomiuri) 
 
Economy: 
18) Govt. to recalculate burden imposed on households by 
greenhouse-gas -reduction target of 25 PERCENT    (Mainichi) 
19) DPJ Okinawa Prefectural Chapter decides to endorse in Nago 
mayoral election candidate calling for relocation of Futenma 
facility outside prefecture  (Yomiuri) 
 
Politics 
20) Prime Minister's answers during questioning in Diet  (Yomiuri) 
21) Foreign and defense ministries in a quandary over Okinawan and 
U.S. uncertainty arising from administrations repeated calls for 
review of Japan-U.S. relationship  (Yomiuri) 
 
Opinion: 
22) Mainichi poll: 60 PERCENT  say Japan should admit existence of 
secret accord  (Mainichi) 
23) Kyodo poll: 68 PERCENT  willing to accept modification of DPJ 
manifesto  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
24) Mainichi poll: 76 PERCENT  like U.S. (Mainichi) 
 
 
TOKYO 00002523  002 OF 011 
 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Japanese government confirms North Korean leader Kim Jong Il 
instructed organization in charge of abductions 
 
Mainichi: 
Prime Minister Hatoyama fails to declare 72 million yen in income 
from stock sales in 2008 
 
Yomiuri: 
NEC develops software to manage energy efficiency on personal 
computers 
 
Nikkei: 
Mitsui Chemical, major Chinese firm to invest 60 billion yen to 
build two factories in Shanghai 
 
Sankei: 
Deflation fears (Part 1): Bargain prices to lower wages 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Poll: 68 PERCENT  accept change in campaign platform 
 
Akahata: 
Destruction of employment system: Former contract employee in Ota 
City, Gunma Prefecture, site of many Fuji Heavy Industries 
factories, desperately trying to find job before year's end 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Thoughts on Diet reform: Drastic Diet reform vital, taking 
advantage of change in government 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Cargo inspection bills: Government, LDP must compromise for an 
early enactment 
(2) Civil law assistance: Assistance for "shelters for battered 
women" 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) NTT reform: NTT must strengthen international competitiveness 
(2) Copyright system: Quickly come up with measures for digital age 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) 25 PERCENT  cut in greenhouse gas emissions: Face nuclear power 
energy, key for low-carbon society 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Cargo inspection bill: Government must think again of using SDF 
(2) Relocation of Osaka prefectural government office: Assembly 
should recognize its grave responsibility again 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) BOJ report: Strengthen alarm against deflation 
(2) Review of expiration system: Listen intently to cautious views, 
as well 
 
Akahata: 
 
TOKYO 00002523  003 OF 011 
 
 
(1) Expansion of flu: Nation should respond to public concern 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, November 1 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 2, 2009 
 
 Spent the morning at the official residential quarters. 
16:08 Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano, Deputy Chief Cabinet 
Secretaries Matsuno and Matsui and Special Advisors to the Prime 
Minister Nakayama and Ogawa. 
17:26 Met with Hirano, Matsuno and Matsui. 
 
4) Nago may withdraw its acceptance of Futenma relocation 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Abridged) 
November 1, 2009 
 
The municipal government of Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture, is 
considering withdrawing its decision to accept the planned 
relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station to a 
coastal area of Camp Schwab in the city's Henoko area, senior 
municipal officials have revealed. The municipal government will 
summarize its views at a meeting of its senior officials on Nov. 2. 
The city will inform the central government of its intention to 
retract its acceptance of the alternative base for Futenma airfield 
if the Hatoyama government does not proceed with the relocation of 
Futenma airfield from its current location in Ginowan in the 
prefecture to Henoko, the municipal officials said. 
 
The municipal officials, as one of the reasons for discussing the 
city's intention to withdraw its acceptance of the Futenma 
relocation, cited the fact that Nago made difficult choices so as to 
remove the danger of Futenma airfield. Another fact they cited as a 
reason was that the city's past three mayoral elections, which 
focused on the Futenma relocation, were all won by candidates who 
had clarified their intention to accept the relocation of Futenma 
airfield's heliport functions to Henoko. The move shows the 
municipal government's displeasure with the Hatoyama government, 
which Nago officials think has ignored such facts in the past and 
has advocated moving Futenma airfield out of the prefecture or 
merging it with the U.S. Kadena Air Base in the prefecture. 
 
5) Hearing with U.S. on Futenma-Kadena merger ends 
 
ASAHI (Page 8) (Full) 
Evening, October 31, 2009 
 
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada on Oct. 30 called in U.S. Forces 
Japan Commander Lt. Gen. Rice, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Roos and a 
Defense Department official to the Foreign Ministry, following 
yesterday. Okada heard their views on the idea of integrating the 
U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station located in Ginowan City, 
Okinawa Prefecture, into Kadena Air Base in Kadena Town. According 
to a senior Foreign Ministry official, that was the last hearing on 
the matter. As the next process, the Japanese government will 
continue verification work. 
 
The U.S. officials during the meeting on the 30th said that the 
integration of the two facilities would be "unworkable." Okada asked 
 
TOKYO 00002523  004 OF 011 
 
 
specific reasons why they think so. The U.S. side reportedly said 
that the integration of the Futenma functions into Kadena would 
limit options in times of emergency. 
 
6) Foreign Minister Okada says Futenma relocation takes priority 
over host nation support issue 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 31, 2009 
 
Akira Uchida 
 
At a news conference on Oct. 30, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said 
that with regard to Japan's share in the cost of stationing U.S. 
troops in Japan (omoiyari yosan or "sympathy budget"), "At least the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not begun to conduct a fundamental 
review. We have one more year to deal with the question of the 
budget." 
 
Okada thus indicated that the review will not be conducted in the 
process of formulating the FY2010 budget in order to give priority 
to dealing with the question of the relocation of the U.S. forces' 
Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa). Prime Minister Yukio 
Hatoyama also stated at the House of Representatives plenary session 
on Oct. 29 that "a comprehensive review is needed" on the sympathy 
budget. 
 
7) Host nation support to be reexamined if problem is found in 
budget execution 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 1, 2009 
 
Concerning Japan's omoiyari yosan (literally "sympathy budget" or 
host nation support) for the stationing of U.S. forces in Japan, 
State Minister for Government Revitalization Yoshito Sengoku on Oct. 
31 said, "If there is a major problem (such as high procurement 
costs) in the method of implementing projects, we should go over 
these projects in our classification work." He, however, indicated 
that this process is not to make a decision on whether the budget 
itself is necessary or not." 
 
8) Japan to look into reviewing of its host nation support for USFJ 
next year: Foreign Minister Okada 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 31, 2009 
 
In reference to Japan's host nation support (omoiyari yosan or 
literally "sympathy budget") for the U.S. forces in Japan, on which 
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has said that his government will 
conduct a comprehensive review, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada 
stated at a press conference on Oct. 30: "The Foreign Ministry has 
not yet begun the process of fundamentally reviewing it. I think we 
have one more year left." His remark indicated that his ministry 
will start discussion next year because the term of the current host 
nation support program will expire in March 2011. 
 
9) SDP head Fukushima calls for cut in Japan's host nation support 
for USFJ 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
 
TOKYO 00002523  005 OF 011 
 
 
November 1, 2009 
 
At a press conference on Oct. 30 in Miyazaki City, Social Democratic 
Party (SDP) Chairperson Mizuho Fukushima (state minister for 
consumer affairs and declining birthrate) in reference to Japan's 
host nation support (the so-called omoiyari yosan or "sympathy 
budget") for the U.S. forces in Japan stated: "The government should 
move in the direction of cutting outlays. The Government 
Revitalization Unit should seriously consider it as an item to be 
included in the policies that need to be sorted out." 
 
10) Prime Minister backs off from review of Japan-U.S. alliance 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Excerpts) 
October 31, 2009 
 
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama made the following comment on the 
Japan-U.S. alliance during representative interpellations at the 
House of Councillors on Oct. 30: "I would like to deepen the overall 
Japan-U.S. alliance, including the modalities of the Status of 
Forces Agreement and U.S. bases in Japan, in a multilayered fashion 
from the mid- to long-term perspective." During representative 
interpellations on Oct. 29, Hatoyama said: "I would like to conduct 
a comprehensive review of the Japan-U.S. alliance." He did not use 
this phrase on Oct. 30. 
 
Hatoyama also ruled out the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to 
Afghanistan, saying, "I don't have such a plan in mind." 
 
11) Gov't mulls sending patrol aircraft in Afghan aid 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 1, 2009 
 
The Defense Ministry is looking into the possibility of sending 
Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C patrol aircraft to the Indian Ocean 
as a new measure to help Afghanistan with its reconstruction instead 
of continuing the MSDF's current refueling activities in the Indian 
Ocean. Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa proposed this measure as an 
option during a cabinet ministerial meeting on Oct. 30 over Afghan 
aid. 
 
The Defense Ministry is now considering the option of tasking MSDF 
P-3Cs with backing up the U.S.-led international coalition's 
Operation Enduring Freedom-Maritime Interdiction Operation 
(OEF-MIO), which is intended to block terrorists and crack down on 
their trafficking of weapons or narcotics. However, the P-3C 
dispatch requires a new law. The Social Democratic Party, one of the 
ruling Democratic Party of Japan's two coalition partners, will 
likely oppose the legislation. The government will study this option 
in response to various countries' needs. 
 
In the cabinet ministerial meeting, Kitazawa also came up with such 
options as redeploying an MSDF supply ship, currently on a refueling 
mission in the Indian Ocean, to antipiracy activities in waters off 
Somalia, sending personnel to the headquarters of the U.S.-led 
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) or the Provisional 
Reconstruction Team (PRT), and sending Ground Self-Defense Force 
carrier helicopters or Air Self-Defense Force transport planes. 
However, Afghanistan's public security has dramatically 
deteriorated. That makes it difficult to send the Self-Defense 
Forces there. 
 
TOKYO 00002523  006 OF 011 
 
 
 
12) "I hate whale meat," says prime minister to Dutch prime 
minister 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Excerpts) 
October 31, 2009 
 
It was learned on Oct. 30 that, referring to Japan's whaling, Prime 
Minister Yukio Hatoyama during talks with Prime Minister Jan Peter 
Balkenende of the Netherlands, which is known as an anti-whaling 
country, said, "I hate whale meat." He did not directly disapprove 
of Japan's research whaling. However, his remark was fraught with 
the danger of supporting global anti-whaling activities, which are 
beginning to regain momentum. 
 
When he met with the Dutch prime minister at the Prime Minister's 
Office (Kantei) on the 26th, Hatoyama, referring to the Sea Shepherd 
Conservation Society, which has been obstructing Japan's research 
whaling using a ship of Dutch registry, urged Balkenende:  "I would 
like the Netherlands to deal with the matter properly as the flag 
state." Even though he referred to differences in the views of the 
two countries on whaling, Hatoyama stressed, "I hate whale meat." 
 
13) Japan, U.S. to start coordinating again following U.S. 
retraction of announcement of Clinton-Okada talks 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
November 2, 2009 
 
Satoshi Ogawa, Washington 
 
The Department of State retracted on the night of Nov. 31, local 
time, its announcement on the evening of the same day that U.S. 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would meet with Foreign Minister 
Katsuya Okada at the Department of State in Washington on the 
morning of Nov. 6, local time. The U.S. retracted the announcement 
after the Japanese government said Okada's schedule has not yet been 
fixed. Japan and the U.S. will start coordinating again, but it 
remains to be seen whether Clinton-Okada talks will take place 
before President Barack Obama's visit to Japan on Nov. 12. 
 
14) Japan-U.S. foreign ministerial may be held Nov. 7 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
November 2, 2009 
 
The governments of Japan and the U.S. are making final arrangements 
for Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada to visit the U.S. to meet U.S. 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Nov. 6, local time (Nov. 7, 
Japan time). If the plan is set in, they will discuss such issues as 
the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in 
Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture, and assistance for Afghanistan, 
ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Japan on Nov. 12-13. 
But due to the Diet schedule, the schedule might be altered. 
 
15) Government starts discussion on aid measures for Afghanistan 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
October 31, 2009 
 
The government held a meeting on Oct. 30 of cabinet ministers at the 
Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) to discuss assistance 
 
TOKYO 00002523  007 OF 011 
 
 
for Afghanistan and started studying specific measures. It intends 
to come up with measures before U.S. President Barack Obama visits 
Japan on Nov. 12. During the meeting, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada 
proposed training Afghan police officers in Indonesia. 
 
16) GOJ confirms Kim Jong Il ordered North Korea's abduction of 
Japanese nationals 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Abridged) 
November 2, 2009 
 
Investigations by Japanese government authorities have shown that 
the Workers Party of Korea's (WPK) Foreign Intelligence 
Investigation Department (now the Office No. 35), which planned and 
executed North Korea's abduction of Japanese nationals, operated 
under direct orders from Kim Jong Il, secretary (now general 
secretary) of the WPK. "Ceremonies" were even held to communicate 
the orders from Kim. Japanese government officials are now 
increasingly convinced that Kim either ordered the abduction of the 
Japanese nationals or was at least in a position to know about it. 
 
At the Japan-DPRK summit with then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi 
in September 2002, Kim said that "certain specialized organizations 
committed such acts in their reckless adventurism and misguided 
heroism," apologizing for the abductions. He also explained that 
those responsible had already been punished. If Kim's assertion that 
he was not personally involved becomes questionable, the Hatoyama 
cabinet's goal to normalize Japan-DPRK relations upon achieving a 
comprehensive solution to the abduction, nuclear, and missile issues 
may become difficult to accomplish. 
 
17) Consumer Affairs Minister Fukushima to oppose overseas dispatch 
of SDF after MSDF withdrawal from Indian Ocean 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
November 2, 2009 
 
Social Democratic Party (SDP) head and State Minister for Consumer 
Affairs Mizuho Fukushima gave a speech in a meeting of a 
pro-Constitution group held in Nagano City on Nov. 1. In connection 
with the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the 
Indian Ocean, which the Hatoyama administration has announced to 
withdraw next January, Fukushima expressed a plan to oppose the 
overseas dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces. "There is no plan to 
submit a bill extending the mission to the extraordinary Diet 
session, so the SDF must come back from the Indian Ocean," Fukushima 
said. "The SDP will work hard in the cabinet so that the SDF will 
not be dispatched (overseas) ever again," she added. 
 
18) Government to recalculate households' annual burden for nation 
to meet 25 PERCENT  cut in greenhouse gas emissions 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (full) 
October 31, 2009 
 
The government's team of experts on greenhouse gas emissions, 
chaired by Kyoto University Professor Kazuhiro Ueda, compiled an 
interim report yesterday. The previous Aso administration had 
estimated that the average household would have to spend an 
additional 360,000 yen annually for the nation to meet the target of 
reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 PERCENT  from 1990 levels by 
¶2020. However, the report concludes that the previous administration 
 
TOKYO 00002523  008 OF 011 
 
 
calculated figures improperly and conveyed inaccurate information to 
the people. The panel plans to recalculate the household burden by 
mid-November based on four different scenarios - that the 25 PERCENT 
 target would be attained in Japan, and that 20 PERCENT , 15 PERCENT 
, and 10 PERCENT  would be cut in Japan and the remaining amount 
would be reduced overseas. 
 
19) In Nago mayoral election, DPJ Okinawa federation to support 
Inamine, who calls for moving Futenma facility out of Okinawa 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 1, 2009 
 
A Nago mayoral election will be held next January, with the 
relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan 
City, Okinawa Prefecture, as the central issue. The Okinawa 
Prefectural Federation of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) 
decided yesterday to endorse in the election Susumu Inamine 
(independent candidate), 64, who has been calling for moving the 
facility out of Okinawa Prefecture. 
 
20) Gist of PM Hatoyama's responses to interpellation on foreign 
policy issues at Oct. 30 Upper House plenary session 
 
YOMIURI (Page 11) (Full) 
October 31, 2009 
 
Japan-U.S. alliance 
 
The Japan-U.S. alliance is the linchpin of Japan's foreign policy. 
Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the revision of the 
Japan-U.S. security treaty. With regard to the Japan-U.S. Status of 
Forces Agreement (SOFA), U.S. Forces Japan realignment, and U.S. 
military bases in Japan, I would like to continue to deepen a 
multilayered Japan-U.S. alliance from a mid- and long-term 
standpoint. We will deal with the relocation of the Futenma Air 
Station from the security standpoint, based on the process that led 
to the Japan-U.S. agreement, and in consideration of the feelings of 
the Okinawan people. I have no intention at all to force the people 
of Okinawa to make a bitter decision. 
 
Afghan aid 
 
I am not thinking of sending the Self-Defense Forces to Afghanistan. 
Aid to eliminate the hotbed of terrorism is the most important task 
of the international community. What is really needed is vocational 
training for (former) soldiers and aid for police officers. We are 
finalizing plans to actively provide the most needed aid. The 
refueling mission in the Indian Ocean will not simply be extended. 
We will consider this in the greater context of aid to Afghanistan. 
 
Three non-nuclear principles 
 
At the UN Security Council high-level meeting in September chaired 
by U.S. President Barack Obama, I stated that Japan will persist 
with the three non-nuclear principles and is prepared to take the 
lead in the campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons. It is important 
for all nuclear powers to make efforts for nuclear disarmament and 
contribute to the elimination of nuclear arms. As a concrete measure 
to prevent the manufacture and development of new nuclear weapons, 
Japan will focus on starting the negotiations for the Fissile 
Material Cutoff Treaty and concluding the treaty. 
 
TOKYO 00002523  009 OF 011 
 
 
 
Suffrage for permanent resident foreigners 
 
It is a fact that I take a positive stance on this issue. However, 
this is an issue that bears on the very foundation of Japan's 
political system, and there are various opinions among the people. I 
would like to see all parties and floor groups debate this issue 
thoroughly and come up with a conclusion. 
 
21) Foreign, defense ministries in quandary 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 1, 2009 
 
The United States and Okinawa are becoming increasingly distrustful 
of the Hatoyama administration due to its repeated indications that 
could be taken as a plan to review the Japan-U.S. alliance, 
including the relocation of Futenma Air Station in Okinawa 
Prefecture, ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Japan on 
Nov. 12. The foreign and defense ministries are also in a quandary. 
 
Defense Ministry Defense Policy Bureau Director-General Nobushige 
Takamizawa, Local Cooperation Bureau Director-General Motomi Inoue, 
and other senior officials called on Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada 
at the Foreign Ministry on the evening of Oct. 31 and briefed him 
for about one hour on how a decision was made to relocate Futenma to 
the coastal area of Camp Schwab (in Nago in Okinawa Prefecture). 
 
The Defense Ministry explained to Okada that the idea of integrating 
Futenma with U.S. Kadena Air Base - the option the foreign minister 
is considering - was regarded as the preferred choice over 10 years 
ago but the U.S. military balked at it for operational reasons and 
the government eventually gave up the option due also to fierce 
opposition from local governments that raised concern over possible 
greater noise pollution. The Defense Ministry also explained that 
the government gave up on the option of building a replacement 
facility in waters off Henoko in Nago due to the long construction 
period required and other factors. 
 
Okada indicated he was not convinced, saying the explanation on why 
Nago was picked was insufficient. He is expected to continue to 
stick to the Kadena integration idea. 
 
U.S. Department of Defense officials in charge also called on Okada 
at the Foreign Ministry on Oct. 29-30 and explained that there are 
no candidate sites other than the existing plan. Okada, however, is 
reportedly still seeking additional explanations. 
 
The foreign minister intends to discuss the matter with the Prime 
Minister after making his own decision following a visit to Okinawa. 
He remains firm on his position of not necessarily seeking a 
settlement before President Obama's visit to Japan. 
 
22) Poll: 60 PERCENT  say gov't should admit to secret deal over 
nuke introduction 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
November 1, 2009 
 
In September when the Democratic Party of Japan came into office as 
the governing party the Mainichi Shimbun conducted a face-to-face 
nationwide public opinion survey to probe public attitudes 
 
TOKYO 00002523  010 OF 011 
 
 
concerning Japan's constitution, foreign affairs, and security 
issues. In the survey, 60 PERCENT  of respondents answered "yes" 
when asked if they thought the government should admit to the 
existence of a secret deal between Japan and the United States that 
allowed U.S. naval vessels carrying nuclear weapons to make port 
calls in Japan and transit Japan's territorial waters. The 
government has not admitted to this secret nuclear pact so far. 
Meanwhile, negative answers accounted for 32 PERCENT . In addition, 
respondents were also asked if they thought the government should 
firmly maintain its three nonnuclear principles of not producing, 
possessing or allowing nuclear weapons into the country. To this 
question, 72 PERCENT  answered "yes," with 24 PERCENT  saying the 
principles should be reviewed. 
 
23) Poll: 68 PERCENT  approve of change to manifesto 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Abridged) 
November 2, 2009 
 
The public approval rating for Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's 
cabinet dropped to 61.8 PERCENT  in the latest telephone-based 
nationwide public opinion survey conducted by Kyodo News on Oct. 31 
and Nov. 1. The figure was down 10.2 percentage points from the last 
survey conducted in mid-September shortly after the Hatoyama cabinet 
came into office. This apparently reflects such factors as the 
public's anxiety over the Hatoyama government's economic and fiscal 
management, Hatoyama's flip-flopping in his remarks on the planned 
relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa 
Prefecture, and the appointment of a retired bureaucrat as Japan 
Post president. However, the Hatoyama cabinet's support rate remains 
high. The disapproval rating for the Hatoyama cabinet was 22.9 
PERCENT . 
 
Cabinet support down 10 points to 61 PERCENT 
 
In the survey, respondents were asked if they thought it would be 
all right if the ruling Democratic Party of Japan pushes back its 
manifesto in this summer's election for the House of Representatives 
or modifies it in part. In response to this question, 68.0 PERCENT 
answered "yes," with 24.7 PERCENT  saying "no." Respondents were 
also asked what they could approve of in the DPJ's manifesto. To 
this question, "toll-free expressways" topped all other answers at 
73.3 PERCENT . Meanwhile, 75.1 PERCENT  were opposed to issuing more 
deficit-covering bonds. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the DPJ 
stood at 43.4 PERCENT , down 4.2 points, and the LDP was at 21.1 
PERCENT , up 2.3 points. The New Komeito party was at 3.4 PERCENT , 
the Japanese Communist Party at 2.7 PERCENT , the Social Democratic 
Party at 1.9 PERCENT , the Your Party at 1.3 PERCENT , the People's 
New Party at 0.5 PERCENT , and the New Party Nippon at 0.4 PERCENT . 
"None" accounted for 24.5 PERCENT . 
 
24) Poll: 76 PERCENT  like U.S. 
 
MAINICHI (Page 11) (Abridged) 
November 1, 2009 
 
In Japan, Prime Minister Hatoyama came into office advocating the 
building of a "close, equal relationship between Japan and the 
United States." In the United States, President Obama was sworn in 
this January. Meanwhile, the two countries' relationship is also at 
 
TOKYO 00002523  011 OF 011 
 
 
a turning point. In a recent public opinion survey conducted by the 
Mainichi Shimbun in September when the Democratic Party of Japan 
became the governing party, respondents were asked if they liked 
America. In response to this question, positive answers totaled 76 
PERCENT , broken down into "yes" at 18 PERCENT  and "yes to a 
certain degree" at 58 PERCENT . Respondents were also asked if their 
feelings toward America have changed with Obama's inauguration. To 
this question, "unchanged" accounted for 80 PERCENT . 
 
ROOS