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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 040820Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7243
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/USDOT WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5//
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA//
RHMFIUU/USFJ //J5/JO21//
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RUAYJAA/CTF 72
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 9593
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 7237
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 1056
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 4467
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 7749
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1690
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8348
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7856

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 TOKYO 002545 
 
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 11/04/09 
 
INDEX: 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Agitated public opinion on Futenma relocation (Part 1): Kadena 
town forms united front with U.S. forces to oppose merger plan 
(Mainichi) 
 
(2) Editorial: Concerns over foreign and security policies linger on 
(Nikkei) 
 
(3) Editorial: We would like to see a concerted effort to support 
the New Afghanistan administration (Sankei) 
 
(4) Senior U.S. State Department official's emphasis on APEC's 
importance and cooperation with Japan seen as attempt to counter 
East Asian Community concept (Jiji Com) 
 
(5) Editorial: 63rd anniversary of proclamation of Constitution - 
Discussion on constitutional revision should not be suppressed 
(Sankei) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Agitated public opinion on Futenma relocation (Part 1): Kadena 
town forms united front with U.S. forces to oppose merger plan 
 
MAINICHI (Top play, page 24) (Full) 
November 4, 2009 
 
Mayor Tokujitsu Miyagi, 73, was talking face-to-face with Brig. Gen. 
Ken Wilsbach, commander of Kadena Air Base (KAB), which straddles 
the town of Kadena and two other municipalities in Okinawa, at the 
commander's office in the late afternoon on Oct. 5. Miyagi handed 
the commander a document entitled "scenario for the relocation of 
the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station out of Japan." Miyagi told him 
that "the parliamentary secretary for defense will go to Washington 
with this document shortly." 
 
This document is about the proposal on merging the Futenma base with 
KAB, which calls for merging the Futenma base in Ginowan City with 
KAB with a time limit of 15 years, after which Futenma will be moved 
to Guam or the U.S. mainland; transferring 28 F-15 fighters on KAB 
to other bases and banning exercises by non-KAB-based aircraft to 
reduce noise; and the return of bases south of KAB. These items are 
included in the charts and graphs. 
 
The commander laughed. "Is the Japanese government trying to poke 
its nose into U.S. military affairs?" Miyagi responded in all 
seriousness: "You should watch out and notify Washington before the 
parliamentary secretary goes there." Wilsbach began to change to a 
serious expression. "This is unacceptable. I will notify 
(Washington) immediately." 
 
Miyagi obtained a copy of the document on the previous day, Oct. 4. 
People's New Party policy chief Mikio Shimoji, 48, who was elected 
from the first district of Okinawa, reportedly brought the proposal 
to him. 
 
Shimoji asked Miyagi to "look at the big picture when making a 
decision" and told him that Parliamentary Secretary of Defense 
Akihisa Nagashima would be taking this plan to Washington soon. 
 
TOKYO 00002545  002 OF 007 
 
 
Shimoji has refused to comment on the meeting on Oct. 4 but stated 
that the United States' position on U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) 
realignment is "not that the Kadena merger plan will not work, but 
that it is set on relocation to Henoko, no matter what, and is 
applying considerable pressure." 
 
The Kadena integration plan also emerged once back in 1996, when the 
Japanese and U.S. governments agreed on the complete return of 
Futenma. However, this plan fizzled out because of the opposition of 
the local communities in Kadena and the other municipalities, and 
the USFJ disapproved of the joint use of KAB, where the Air Force's 
fighters are stationed, with the Marines, which mostly use 
helicopters. 
 
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada revived the proposal on the KAB 
merger plan as an option for Futenma relocation on Oct. 23, 18 days 
after the meeting between Miyagi and Wilsbach. Miyagi, who is 
against the merger plan, took preemptive action immediately after he 
received the document. He chose the USFJ, the target of his frequent 
protests about noise, as his partner in this "united front." 
 
Miyagi explains that, "The commander, and not the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs (MOFA), is the best party to convey the local 
community's opposition to the Kadena merger plan accurately." The 
USFJ is preferred over MOFA. Behind this decision is deep-rooted 
distrust of the Japanese government. 
 
The noise generated by KAB has long been a problem for the local 
communities. There has been a long history of the remedies taken by 
the government either being rendered toothless or unenforced. 
 
The KAB integration proposal has suddenly emerged as a relocation 
option for the Futenma Air Station located in the center of Ginowan 
City. It is said that the reason why Mayor Miyagi, who wants to 
block this plan, chose the KAB commander as his united front partner 
is because the Japanese government has "betrayed" him with regard to 
measures to deal with noise generated by KAB. A recent joint public 
opinion poll by Mainichi Shimbun and Ryukyu Shimpo shows that over 
70 percent of respondents were opposed to the Kadena merger plan. 
Public opinion in the localities hosting the largest U.S. Air Force 
base in the Far East is becoming agitated. 
 
The Japanese and U.S. governments agreed on measures to regulate 
aircraft noise in March 1996 with the aim of reducing noise 
generated by KAB and the Futenma base. The agreement calls for 
restrictions on flights and ground operations between 10:00 p.m. and 
6:00 a.m., but this does not apply in cases where the USFJ has 
"operational needs." Night and early morning flights have taken 
place on KAB based on this exception. The town government has 
monitored 2,000-3,000 instances of noise in the early morning and at 
night annually. 
 
Furthermore, the 2006 final report on USFJ realignment calls for 
"reducing the burden imposed by the KAB" by sending one to five F-15 
fighters based on KAB to conduct exercises on six Air Self-Defense 
Force (ASDF) bases on the Japanese mainland for one to seven days 12 
times in a year and sending 6-12 F-15 fighters for exercises on ASDF 
bases for 8-14 days three times a year. However, 39,359 instances of 
noise were still monitored in the Yara district in fiscal 2008, up 
from 32,549 instances in FY2007. This noise is mainly caused by 
non-KAB-based aircraft flying to the base for exercises. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002545  003 OF 007 
 
 
Miyagi says: "We were betrayed with regard to noise regulation, as 
well as USFJ realignment. Our expectations for the government have 
turned into disappointment. Noise will be reduced after Kadena 
merger? That's nonsense. We cannot believe in such talk," chortled 
the mayor, who approves of the Japan-U.S. security arrangements "to 
a certain extent." 
 
Sunabe district in the town of Chatan is a seaside community lying 
on the extension line from KAB's runways. It suffers from the 
highest level of noise among the neighborhoods in the vicinity of 
KAB. Shoji Matsuda, 64, the district chief still remembers the 
deafening noise during the B-52 bomber crash 41 years ago. "The W 
index (weighted equivalent continuous perceived noise, or WECPN 
level) recorded was 95." Window panes rattled loudly. "It's not just 
the noise. I can understand that the Futenma Air Station is 
dangerous, but why are they moving this base to dangerous Kadena, 
where accidents have not ceased to occur? Isn't this absurd?" 
 
At a news conference on Oct. 27, Okada cited the merit of the Kadena 
merger plan, saying: "I think there is great merit in merging the 
two major bases on Okinawa." It seems that there is a huge gap 
between the mainland and Okinawa and between Tokyo and the local 
officials with regard to the reduction of the burden on Okinawa that 
the government is talking about. 
 
(2) Editorial: Concerns over foreign and security policies linger 
on 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 3, 2009 
 
Full-fledged question-and-answer sessions were launched at meeting 
of the House of Representatives Budget Committee (held yesterday). 
Taking up mainly the foreign and security policies of the Hatoyama 
cabinet, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) asked questions about 
its handling of the issue of the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan 
and other matters. There were scenes in which Prime Minister Yukio 
Hatoyama avoided giving specific answers. If the administration's 
basic policies remain ambiguous, concerns will continue to linger 
on. 
 
LDP Secretary General Tadamori Oshima pressed the Prime Minister to 
explain how his administration is going to review the existing plan 
to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station (in the city 
of Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture) to the Henoko district (in the city 
of Nago in the prefecture). 
 
The Prime Minister expressed a plan to seek common ground from the 
viewpoint of reducing the gravity of the Japan-U.S. agreement and 
the burden on local residents. He also indicated that nothing has 
been decided on the matter, saying that the government is exploring 
various options. The Prime Minister also avoided announcing a clear 
deadline for reaching a conclusion by repeatedly noting, "I'm not 
saying it's a good idea to postpone the deadline irresponsibly." 
 
Oshima repeatedly criticized the Hatoyama cabinet's responses, 
saying, "Although the cabinet has indicated that the Japan-U.S. 
alliance is the cornerstone (of Japan's foreign policy), the 
situation raises serious concerns." Oshima also pointed out that the 
Prime Minister's statements expressing eagerness to review the 
existing plan and to postpone considering alternatives might 
increase the distrust of people concerned. We agree with Oshima. 
 
TOKYO 00002545  004 OF 007 
 
 
 
Former Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, who took the floor as a 
questioner after Oshima, asked, "What exactly does your statement 
that Japan was too dependent on the United Statement mean?" In 
response, the Prime Minister cited the refueling mission in the 
Indian Ocean and Japan's support for the United States in the Iraq 
war. Machimura rebutted that Japan decided them on its own as a 
member of the international community. 
 
Machimura urged the government to continue the refueling mission 
beyond its expiration in January 2010, stressing that there is no 
other activity that is as safe and cost effective and is highly 
regarded by the international community. 
 
Voters are supportive of the policies that the Democratic Party of 
Japan places priority on, such as shifting power away from 
bureaucrats and cutting administrative wasteful spending. Many in 
the opposition camp are also showing their understanding of them. At 
the same time, it goes without saying that the government is 
required to give consideration to its relations with the 
international community, including the United States, when shifting 
the country's foreign and security policies. 
 
The Prime Minister and other cabinet ministers' inconsistent 
statements might give the impression that Japan is in turmoil and 
undermine the country's national interests as a result. The Prime 
Minister should take steps to bring the situation under control, 
including the U.S. force realignment and support for international 
efforts to combat terrorism, before being urged to do so by the 
opposition camp. 
 
There were hardly any questions about the issue of money and 
politics on the first day. We hope to see the overall picture of the 
falsified donations reported by Prime Minister's fund management 
organization uncovered through future debates. 
 
(3) Editorial: We would like to see a concerted effort to support 
the New Afghanistan administration 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 4, 2009 
 
Afghanistan's election commission decided to cancel the runoff for 
president slated for Nov. 7 and proclaimed the reelection of 
incumbent President Karzai, who came in first in the first round of 
the election in August. 
 
This exceptional decision was made following former foreign minister 
Abdullah's announcement he was pulling out. Another element 
contributing to the decision was that major terrorist attacks by the 
Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group, had been expected. 
 
The cancellation of the runoff was regrettable in the sense of 
clarifying the legitimacy of the new administration. However, the 
U.S. administration has announced its stance of continuing support 
to the nation. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, now in Afghanistan, 
categorically said, "A new administration must be launched 
promptly." The international community should make an all-out effort 
to support the rebuilding of Afghanistan. 
 
The U.S. military caused the collapse of the Taliban administration, 
which was harboring Al-Qaeda, an international terrorist group that 
 
TOKYO 00002545  005 OF 007 
 
 
carried out the terrorist attacks on Sept.11, 2001. However, the 
Taliban militants are gradually regaining strength. In the past 
several months victims of terrorist attacks have increased at the 
worst pace. 
 
Deteriorating security in Afghanistan is hampering the rebuilding of 
the nation through support by various countries. The Taliban 
militants, the root cause of terrorism in Afghanistan, must be 
rooted out in order to cut off the negative spiral of terrorism. 
 
U.S. President Obama will announce a plan to reinforce U.S. military 
personnel stationed in Afghanistan to 68,000 before the year end. 
However, it would be logical to shift leadership for the brunt of 
maintaining security from the U.S. military to the International 
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) led by the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization (NATO), and later to Afghanistan's national military. 
 
Upon hearing the reelection of President Karzai, President Obama, 
referring to the collusive nature of the Karzai administration in 
the past, called for a serious effort to eradicate bribery and a 
joint effort for the strengthening of the training of a security 
force. This is only natural. 
 
Once security is restored, people's livelihood must be stabilized. 
South Korea's Lee Myung Bak administration, which advocates 
strengthening its alliance with the U.S., has decided to re-send 
about 300 soldiers to protect civilians of the Provincial 
Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan. The South Korean administration 
makes a sharp contrast with the Hatoyama administration, which has 
decided to end refueling operations in the Indian Ocean in January 
next year. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has stressed civilian 
support to Afghanistan. However, he also said that he would not 
dispatch Self-Defense Force personnel. If that is the case, it would 
be impossible for Japan to extend effective support. 
 
President Karzai categorically said that he would aim for an 
all-nation cabinet. However, Afghanistan doesn't need words. It 
needs support from the international community and the ability to 
govern so that it can live up to expectations. 
 
(4) Senior U.S. State Department official's emphasis on APEC's 
importance and cooperation with Japan seen as attempt to counter 
East Asian Community concept 
 
JIJI.COM (Full) 
12:08, November 4, 2009 
 
Washington - The State Department's Kurt Tong, deputy U.S. 
representative in charge of preparations for the APEC summit in 
Singapore on Nov. 14-15, gave a news conference in Washington on 
Nov. 3. He emphasized the importance of APEC and said that Japan and 
the U.S., which will host the APEC summit in 2010 and 2011, 
respectively, will cooperate to achieve the best possible results. 
 
The U.S. government has concerns about the concept of the East Asian 
Community advocated by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. It appears 
that Tong's remark may be aimed at countering this concept. 
 
Tong rated APEC very highly, calling it "extremely beneficial." With 
Japan and the U.S. hosting the APEC summit in 2010 and 2011, he 
stressed that "we have great expectations for what APEC can 
accomplish in two years." 
 
TOKYO 00002545  006 OF 007 
 
 
 
Tong also announced that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. 
Trade Representative Ron Kirk will participate in the ministerial 
meeting to be held before the APEC summit, and Secretary of the 
Treasury Timothy Geithner will participate in the finance ministers' 
talks. 
 
(5) Editorial: 63rd anniversary of proclamation of Constitution - 
Discussion on constitutional revision should not be suppressed 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 3, 2009 
 
Today marks the 63rd anniversary of the proclamation of the 
Constitution of Japan. Although Japan faces such threats as North 
Korea's nuclear and missile development and China's military 
buildup, discussion on the Constitution, which stipulates the rules 
of the nation, is being suppressed. 
 
In the current Diet session, the Constitution Research Councils of 
both houses have not been launched yet. The Democratic Party of 
Japan (DPJ) and other opposition parties moved to block the 
activities of standing panels set up in August, 2007 under the Diet 
Law. The agreement reached by the DPJ and the other ruling parties 
to form their coalition government only mentioned confirming 
principles such as pacifism, but stopped short of mentioning how the 
government should deal with the research councils. 
 
Social Democratic Party President Mizuho Fukushima, who insisted in 
talks on forming a coalition government on the need to freeze 
activities by the councils, has begun to emphasize: "The SDP will 
never allow the Constitution Research Councils to be put into 
operation as long as the party is in the administration." 
 
The referendum law will come into effect on May 18 of next year. 
Under this law, it will become possible for lawmakers to present 
proposals for revising the Constitution. The Diet takes 
responsibility for presenting a clear vision for the nation based on 
due legal procedures. If the DPJ intends to try to prevent such 
efforts by the Diet in line with the SDP's position, it is extremely 
regrettable. 
 
The DPJ and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have the big 
responsibility of launching constitutional debate to enable 
lawmakers to present draft proposals for amending the Constitution. 
 
The DPJ is now urged to consider whether resolving numerous thorny 
issues facing Japan is possible under the terms of the Constitution, 
which the Allied Occupation's General Headquarters (GHQ) forced on 
Japan immediately after the end of the war. 
 
"We must bring about a change of government and make the political 
situation stable so that politicians can discuss constitutional 
issues," Yukio Hatoyama noted in the DPJ's email magazine this 
March, when he was secretary general of the party. In his book 
titled: "A New Constitution Draft," Hatoyama expresses a willingness 
to maintain the Self-Defense Force and to reorganize the governing 
system. After coming into office, however, the prime minister has 
indicated no intention to address constitutional problems. On the 
issue of whether the existing government interpretation of the 
Constitution should be changed to enable Japan to exercise the right 
to collective self-defense, as well, Hatoyama revealed that he has 
 
TOKYO 00002545  007 OF 007 
 
 
no intention to change the interpretation during a meeting of the 
House of Representatives' Budget Committee yesterday. This reflects 
his priority to maintain the coalition government over considering 
the future of the nation. Based on this stance, Hatoyama has allowed 
the SDP to openly advocate the need to prevent revisions to the 
Constitution. 
 
Why has the LDP refrained from pursuing the spirit adopted when the 
party advocated constitutional reform and established a conservative 
government in 1955? The LDP probably remains inactive toward this 
challenge because LDP President Sadakazu Tanigaki remains cautious 
about changing the government interpretation. 
 
The LDP needs to draft a basic plan for how this nation should be 
reformed. The party must also prepare itself to implement its plan 
as a conservative party and develop its ability to think on the 
grand scale. Demonstrating these abilities is the only way the LDP 
will be able to revive itself. 
 
ROOS