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UNCLAS TOKYO 002626 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR, EAP/J, EAP/P, 
PM; 
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; 
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI; 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA; 
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE; 
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO JAPAN, NORTH 
KOREA, AND AFGHANISTAN 
 
¶1. LEAD STORIES: All Friday morning papers gave top or front-page 
play to the Government Revitalization Unit's continued review on 
Thursday of fiscal 2010 budget requests. 
 
¶2. "'Uncertain Situation' Should Be Improved" The conservative 
Sankei argued in an editorial (11/13): "President Obama will visit 
November 13 and hold a summit meeting with Prime Minister 
Hatoyama.... We welcome the U.S.'s decision to select Japan as the 
starting point of his first trip to Asia as president. This appears 
to demonstrate the U.S.'s position of placing importance on the 
U.S.-Japan alliance as a 'cornerstone of its Asia-Pacific policy.' 
However, it is regrettable that the President's first visit to Japan 
will likely produce few results for the alliance. The issue of MCAS 
Futenma relocation, the largest concern for the alliance, will be 
postponed due to Prime Minister Hatoyama's 'indecision.'... In order 
to prevent the alliance from hollowing out, Hatoyama should make a 
decision promptly." 
 
¶3. "We Should Not Overreact to a 'Staged Crisis'" The liberal 
Mainichi stated in an editorial (11/13): "The USG announced ahead of 
President Obama's Asian trip that it will send Special 
Representative for North Korea Policy Bosworth to Pyongyang. The 
visit is aimed at persuading North Korea to return to the Six-Party 
Talks to make progress on the North Korean nuclear issue.... Right 
before this announcement, North and South Korean vessels exchanged 
fire in the Yellow Sea. It is highly likely that North Korea was 
intentionally trying to create a stir. Both the U.S. and South Korea 
have been carefully avoiding overreacting to the incident. However, 
Pyongyang might repeat this kind of 'staged crisis' in the course of 
future U.S.-DPRK talks. In order to avoid being influenced by such 
provocations, close coordination among relevant nations including 
Japan is indispensable." 
 
¶4. "Japan Should Make Bold Efforts to Help Afghanistan" The liberal 
Asahi editorialized (11/13): "The Hatoyama administration has 
revealed its new assistance measures for Afghanistan.... The GOJ's 
decision to allocate substantial funds to its civilian assistance 
measures makes sense.... The Hatoyama administration plans to halt 
the MSDF's refueling operation in the Indian Ocean next January.... 
Some people criticize the Hatoyama administration's policy as 
'checkbook diplomacy.'... However, this criticism is irrelevant. 
Rather than bending to foreign pressure, Japan should take an 
independent and level-headed approach in considering what it can and 
should do for the stabilization of Afghanistan. Since Japan can only 
play a limited military role, providing as much civilian assistance 
as possible would probably be appropriate." 
 
 
ROOS