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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 002803 
 
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 12/09/09 
 
INDEX: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 
 
Futenma issue: 
4) Japan to convey to U.S. no decision on Futenma this year 
(Mainichi) 
5) Japanese govt. suspends working group discussions  (Yomiuri) 
6) Japan-U.S. discussions to be suspended  (Asahi) 
7) Japan, U.S. approaching perilous waters  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
8) Parliamentary Defense Secretary Nagashima slams calls for 
relocation of Futenma facility outside Okinawa  (Sankei) 
9)  Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Yamaoka to DCM Zumwalt: "Haste 
makes waste"  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
10) Fukushima to visit Henoko on Dec. 17  (Nikkei) 
11) SDP party secretary general: No need to specify relocation site 
(Nikkei) 
 
Defense & security: 
12) U.S. cancels relocation of I Corps to Camp Zama  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
13) MOD Kitazawa arrives in Guam  (Nikkei) 
 
Foreign relations: 
14) Japanese Communist Party President Shii attends reception at 
U.S. Ambassador's official residence (Akahata) 
 
Energy: 
15) China completes drilling facility on Shirakaba in spite of 
agreement on joint development with Japan  (Yomiuri) 
 
Politics: 
16) SDP and PNP strengthening "mutual aid" in pushing back against 
DPJ  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
17) Hatoyama calls for lengthy discussion of proposal to abolish 
vice minister post  (Asahi) 
 
Economy: 
18) Capping new bond issuance under 44 trillion yen difficult 
(Nikkei) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Japan, U.S. to suspend talks on Futenma Air Station relocation 
 
Mainichi: 
Japan, U.S. not in situation to discuss alliance with bilateral 
relations in turmoil 
 
Yomiuri: 
Working group on Futenma airfield relocation also terminated, 
following suspension of alliance talks 
 
Nikkei: 
Fiscal 2010 budget: Barriers against achieving goal of capping 
issuance of government bonds at 44 trillion yen remain high 
 
 
TOKYO 00002803  002 OF 011 
 
 
Sankei: 
Emergency economic pump-priming measures worth 7.2 trillion yen 
adopted 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Cancellation of transfer of U.S. Army's I Corps to Camp Zama 
 
Akahata: 
Forty-nine deaths at nursery centers reported - 30 licensed, 19 
unlicensed 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Economic pump-priming package: Quick-fix measures will not do 
(2) COP15: Talks should be moved forward through united front 
between Japan and Europe 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Economic pump-priming package: Do not forget fiscal crisis 
(2) Argument calling for abolishing vice ministerial posts worth 
considering 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Emergency economic pump-priming package: Does it have effect of 
preventing second-dip recession? 
(2) Issuance of government bonds to exceed 50 trillion yen 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Make emergency economic pump-priming package lead to powerful 
growth strategy 
(2) Do not give in to North Korea easily 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Emergency economic pump-priming package: We wanted to see smart 
investment 
(2) U.S.-North Korea high-level talks: Japan should cement 
solidarity with U.S. and South Korea 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Additional economic pump-priming package: Show the full picture 
of the policy 
(2) Tackle viral hepatitis as a national disease 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Government's economic stimulus package: Does it focus on the 
vital points? 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, December 8 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
08:32 Attended a meeting of the Overseas Economic Cooperation 
Conference at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei). 
09:29 Met at National Strategy Minister Kan. Later, attended a 
ministerial meeting on budget compilation. 
10:02 Attended a cabinet meeting. Followed by Deputy Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Matsuno. 
11:04 Met Matsuno, Deputy Foreign Minister Sasae, and METI Deputy 
 
TOKYO 00002803  003 OF 011 
 
 
Vice Minister Ishige. 
13:07 Met Internal Affairs Minister Haraguchi. Later, met Cabinet 
Office Senior Vice Minister Furukawa and Parliamentary Secretary 
Tsumura. 
14:02 Met Foreign Minister Okada, Defense Minister Kitazawa, 
Transport Minister Maehara, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano. 
Kitazawa and Hirano stayed behind. 
15:03 Met Tadateru Konoe, president of the International Federation 
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Followed by Environment 
Minister Ozawa. 
16:30 Met League of Arab States Chief of Secretariat Moussa, with 
Senior Vice Minister Takemasa present. 
17:35 Attended a meeting of the Intellectual Property Rights 
Strategy Conference. 
18:08 Met Senior Vice Foreign Minister Fukuyama, METI Parliamentary 
Secretary Kondo, and Environment Parliamentary Secretary Otani. 
19:34 Met Matsuo. Followed by Hirano. 
20:34 Arrived at his official residential quarters. 
 
4) Japan-U.S. relationship becoming tense; "We are not in a 
condition to discuss the bilateral alliance"; Government to inform 
U.S. of policy direction of not deciding on Futenma relocation site 
 
MAINICHI (Top play) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
Takashi Sudo, Takenori Noguchi 
 
The Japan-U.S. relationship is becoming increasingly tense due to 
the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station 
(in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture). Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama held 
talks yesterday at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano, Foreign Minister 
Katsuya Okada, Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, and Okinawa 
Affairs Minister Seiji Maehara. On the government's basic policy to 
be conveyed to the U.S. side, they agreed not to decide on a 
relocation site and to postpone a conclusion until next year. In 
deference to the United States, the government does not intend to 
exclude the existing plan from the options. Whether the United 
States will accept the government's policy remains to be seen. 
 
"We are working hard in the direction of deciding on a site. Our 
talks are in the final stage," the Prime Minister said to reporters 
after the meeting. In order to maintain the coalition with the 
Social Democratic Party (SDP), it is difficult to reach a conclusion 
before the end of the year in line with the existing plan to 
relocate Futenma to the coastal area of Camp Schwab (in Henoko, 
Nago). 
 
The Prime Minister intends to hold a Japan-U.S. summit on Dec. 18 on 
the sidelines of the 15th session of the Conference of the Parties 
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 
15) in Copenhagen. There he wants to obtain President Barack Obama's 
understanding by directly explaining: (1) the importance of 
maintaining the coalition; (2) a plan not to exclude the existing 
plan; and (3) the need to reduce the burden on Okinawa. But a senior 
Foreign Ministry official pointed out the possibility of the U.S. 
side's refusal, saying, "Whether it will be possible to hold talks 
at a time when a conclusion is not reached is questionable." 
 
The Futenma issue has begun affecting the overall Japan-U.S. 
relationship. During the director general-level talks in November, 
 
TOKYO 00002803  004 OF 011 
 
 
the U.S. side said that intergovernmental talks to deepen the 
Japan-U.S. alliance should be held after the Futenma issue is 
settled. After the Dec. 4 ministerial-level working group meeting, 
the U.S. side again conveyed the postponement to the Japanese side. 
Okada said: "We are not in a condition (to hold talks). I don't feel 
like entering into talks on the Japan-U.S. alliance when the Futenma 
issue is not resolved." A senior Foreign Ministry official, too, 
describe the current situation by saying: "We cannot borrow more 
money when we are still in debt." 
 
The Japan-U.S. ministerial-level working group has effectively been 
derailed as well, Okada described the situation this way: "The topic 
of the coalition cropped up, and arguments to postpone a conclusion 
and to find other possible alternative sites also emerged. The 
meeting has been temporarily suspended, and we are waiting." At a 
press conference yesterday, Okada expressed concern: "Japan and the 
United States might end up losing mutual trust, which is a serious 
situation. The Japan-U.S. alliance has been somewhat shaken." 
 
The U.S. side is also alarmed. U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission to Japan 
James Zumwalt yesterday called on Democratic Party of Japan Diet 
Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji Yamaoka in the Diet building and 
called for cooperation for the early settlement of the matter. 
Regarding that the question of the coalition holds the key (to 
resolving the Futenma issue), the U.S. side apparently approached 
Yamaoka, who is close to Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa. But Yamaoka 
simply said: "In the long run, it will be beneficial for the 
Japan-U.S. relationship as well to take the domestic political 
situation into account while pushing ahead with the matter." 
 
Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party (DPJ) is set to deal with the 
matter aggressively. The party is considering such options as 
running an issue-advocacy advertisement in The New York Times in 
January and sending a parliamentarian delegation to the United 
States to directly lobby the U.S. Congress for the issue. DPJ head 
and Consumer Affairs and Declining Birthrate Minister Mizuho 
Fukushima is scheduled to visit Okinawa starting on Dec. 16. 
 
5) Futenma working group also suspended 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Excerpt) 
December 9, 2009 
 
The government has suspended the talks of the cabinet-level working 
group composed of officials responsible for foreign affairs and 
defense, a forum established between Japan and the United States to 
verify the relocation site for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air 
Station in Okinawa. Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada announced the 
decision in a press conference yesterday. Days earlier the U.S. had 
informed the Japanese side of its decision to put off the planned 
talks on deepening the Japan-U.S. alliance with next year being the 
50th anniversary of the revision of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty. 
It can be said that the decision to suspend the talks on Futenma 
indicates the deep rift between the two governments. 
 
6) Cabinet level working group on Futenma relocation to be 
suspended; Japan-U.S. agreement may break down 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada indicated on Dec. 8 that the 
 
TOKYO 00002803  005 OF 011 
 
 
Japan-U.S. cabinet level working group on the relocation of the U.S. 
forces' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa) will be 
suspended for the time being. At the last meeting on Dec. 4, the 
U.S. side expressed the concern that if the present situation 
continues, the "process of deliberation" on deepening the bilateral 
alliance agreed at the Japan-U.S. summit meeting in November cannot 
move forward. The Futenma issue is beginning to have an influence on 
the overall bilateral relationship. 
 
The working group started its discussions to find a solution to the 
Futenma issue in mid-November. The purpose of the working group is 
to examine the process through which the current plan to relocate 
the Futenma base to Henoko in Nago City came about. The second 
meeting was held on Dec. 4. The U.S. side demanded that Japan accept 
the Henoko relocation plan at an early date and reacted strongly to 
Japan's attitude of deferring a decision. 
 
At his news conference on Dec. 8, Okada stated: "I think we should 
engage in discussions after the Japanese government determines its 
policy direction," indicating that it will be difficult to hold 
dialogue with the U.S. side for now. He also said: "If we do not 
deal with this properly, it may result in a serious loss of trust on 
both sides." 
 
According to an informed source, U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos 
stated at the working group on Dec. 4: "If the Futenma issue goes on 
like this, the Japan-U.S. agreement will break down. This will also 
affect the 50th anniversary of the revision of the Japan-U.S. 
security treaty." This means that the road map for U.S. Forces Japan 
realignment agreed upon by Japan and the U.S. in 2006 may be 
scrapped. The road map agreement provides for: the relocation of the 
Futenma Air Station to Henoko by 2014, the relocation of 8,000 U.S. 
Marines and 9,000 dependents to Guam, and the return of most U.S. 
military bases in the southern and central part of the main island 
of Okinawa. 
 
The "new process of deliberation" is a plan to discuss cooperation 
in wide-ranging areas for one year, in preparation for the 50th 
anniversary of the security treaty next year. It is regarded as one 
of the major achievements of the Japan-U.S. summit meeting in 
November. 
 
At a news conference on Dec. 8, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi 
Hirano also said: "Japan and the U.S. have not reached a conclusion 
on the base issues. They will probably sort out this problem first 
before dealing with what to do (with the deliberation on deepening 
the Japan-U.S. alliance) in the future." 
 
7) Japan-U.S. relationship entering "dangerous waters" with 
prolongation of Futenma issue 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) 
December 9, 2009 
 
Yoichi Takeuchi 
 
The prolongation of the issue of the relocation of the U.S. forces' 
Futenma Air Station is beginning to impact the Japan-U.S. 
relationship. While Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is keen on holding 
a summit meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama on Dec. 18, this 
is now unlikely to take place. The situation is such that even the 
opportunity to pave the way to finding a solution through a meeting 
 
TOKYO 00002803  006 OF 011 
 
 
between leaders may be lost. It is now difficult for the discussions 
to deepen the bilateral alliance proposed by the Prime Minister to 
start at an early date. 
 
Possibility of losing opportunity to find a solution 
 
Hatoyama had indicated that coordination will be made to hold a 
meeting with President Obama and the 15th Conference of Parties to 
the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Prime Minister, 
who takes pride in the "Barack-Yukio" relationship, had planned to 
explain the domestic situation over the Futenma issue and seek his 
understanding. 
 
However, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano stated repeatedly 
at his news conference on Dec. 8 that the schedules of both leaders 
are "very tight." Regardless of the question of scheduling, a 
meeting will be meaningless for the U.S. side if Hatoyama will not 
show a positive attitude on the Futenma issue. It will be even worse 
if he indicates his intention to look for new relocation sites to 
replace the coastal area of Nago City in Okinawa, since the 
President will lose face completely. 
 
Hirano also had to admit that the Japan-U.S. talks on deepening the 
alliance will be postponed. He said: "Since Japan and the U.S. are 
unable to reach a conclusion on the base issues, they will probably 
sort out this problem first before dealing with what to do in the 
future." 
 
The talks on deepening the alliance were agreed upon at the 
Japan-U.S. summit in November. Hatoyama proposed the prevention of 
nuclear proliferation, missile defense, and the environment as some 
of the topics to be discussed. Since the bilateral relationship is 
currently destabilized by the question of U.S. military bases in 
Japan, which is the basic component of the bilateral security 
arrangements, it is impossible to proceed to strengthening future 
relations. 
 
As Japan continues to waver on the Futenma issue, its relations with 
the U.S. are steadily approaching dangerous waters. 
 
8) Parliamentary Defense Secretary Nagashima criticizes arguments 
for moving Futenma facility out of Okinawa 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
In a symposium on Japan-U.S. security issues held in Tokyo 
yesterday, Parliamentary Defense Secretary Akihisa Nagashima 
strongly criticized arguments for moving the U.S. Marine Corps' 
Futenma Air Station out of Okinawa Prefecture or even out of Japan. 
On the deadlocked Futenma issue, he said: "Those who are calling for 
reducing the cost of hosting the U.S. bases have not discussed how 
much risk Japan should share with the U.S. in times of emergency. 
Many people have insisted that since the military bases are 
troublesome facilities, they should be moved away." 
 
Nagashima then referred to a comment made by Japan Research 
Institute Chairman Jitsuro Terashima, a brain trust advisor to Prime 
Minister Yukio Hatoyama, during an interview with the Asahi Shimbun 
yesterday: "In Japan, there are people who think the presence of 
foreign troops in Japan is acceptable without wondering if it makes 
sense." Nagashima then pointed out: "I wonder if it is proper to say 
 
TOKYO 00002803  007 OF 011 
 
 
that the U.S. Marines should just go away according to Japan's 
convenience. The presence of the U.S. is an international public 
asset in the Asia-Pacific region." 
 
9) DPJ Yamaoka tells DCM Zumwalt in discussing Futenma issue: "Haste 
makes waste" 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
Democratic Party of Japan Kenji Yamaoka, chairman of the party' Diet 
Affairs Committee, and James Zumwalt, deputy chief of mission (DCM) 
in the U.S. Embassy, held a meeting in the Diet Building yesterday 
and exchanged views on the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine 
Corps' Futenma Air Station. In response to a question by DCM Zumwalt 
about ways to bring about an early settlement to the issue, Yamaoka 
said: "In Japan there is the proverb 'haste makes waste'. Rushing to 
a conclusion will not result in an early settlement." He called on 
the U.S. to make a considered response. 
 
Yamaoka explained that the Democratic Party of Japan has a majority 
in the House of Councillors in alliance with the Social Democratic 
Party and the People's New Party. He then said: "Unless we get 
through the Diet session, the foundation of the government will 
become shaky. It is not realistic for the U.S. to consider the 
Okinawa issue without taking this into account." The meeting was 
held at the request of the U.S. 
 
10) SDP head Fukushima to visit Henoko on Dec. 17 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
Social Democratic Party Chairperson Mizuho Fukushima, concurrently 
state minister for consumer affairs and declining birthrate, 
yesterday decided to visit on Dec. 17 the coastal area of Camp 
Schwab in Henoko, Nago City, the relocation site agreed to by Tokyo 
and Washington for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station. She 
will make a side trip to Henoko while visiting Okinawa Prefecture as 
minister in charge of declining birthrate. 
 
11) SDP secretary general: No need to mention the relocation site 
for Futenma 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
Appearing on a TV Asahi program yesterday, Social Democratic Party 
Secretary General Yasumasa Shigeno said, "He does not need to say 
where (Futenma base) should be moved to. He should explain clearly 
about the discussions conducted until now, the circumstances in 
Okinawa, etc. He should explain that it is impossible to reach an 
early decision." Shigeno was responding to a question about how 
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama should explain to U.S. President 
Barack Obama the Japanese government's policy with regard to the 
relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station (when they 
meet in Copenhagen). 
 
12) U.S. calls off I Corps transfer to Camp Zama 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
TOKYO 00002803  008 OF 011 
 
 
 
The U.S. Army is not expected to transfer its 1st Corps, also known 
as I Corps and headquartered at Fort Lewis in the U.S. mainland 
state of Washington, to Camp Zama, a U.S. Army base straddling the 
Kanagawa prefectural cities of Zama and Sagamihara, U.S. military 
sources have revealed. In May 2006, Japan and the United States 
reached an intergovernmental agreement on a roadmap for realigning 
the presence of U.S. forces in Japan. Based on this agreement, I 
Corps was to be transferred to Camp Zama. 
 
On the pending issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma 
Air Station in Japan's southernmost island prefecture of Okinawa, 
the United States is strongly calling for Japan to implement the 
agreement. However, the United States also will not carry out one of 
its realignment plans due to its own circumstances. 
 
In December 2007, the U.S. Army moved I Corps' command functionality 
to Camp Zama from its U.S. mainland headquarters. The U.S. 
military's relocation to Camp Zama will only end up with the 
installation of I Corps' forward command. I Corps is a full-fledged 
headquarters for global troop deployment. Meanwhile, its forward 
command is small and its task is expected to be localized for the 
defense of Japan. 
 
The roadmap does not pinpoint I Corps in concrete terms for 
realignment. However, Japan and the United States discussed the U.S. 
force realignment, giving heed to the transfer of I Corps to Camp 
Zama. It said a joint-capable command will be moved to Camp Zama for 
the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. 
 
Meanwhile, in the process of realigning the presence of U.S. forces 
in Japan, the Ground Self-Defense Force plans to relocate its 
Central Readiness Command (CRC), a unit for overseas deployment, 
from its current location at the GSDF's Asaka garrison in Tokyo's 
Nerima ward to Camp Zama in fiscal 2012. To that end, construction 
work has now started there for some facilities to host the CRC. 
 
13) Defense chief arrives in Guam 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
Yoshikazu Shirakawa 
 
TUMON, Guam-Defense Minister Kitazawa arrived in Guam yesterday 
evening. Kitazawa will today visit the island's northern district of 
Finegayan and other areas, where about 8,000 U.S. Marines will be 
transferred from Okinawa. 
 
14) JCP Chairman Shii attends U.S. ambassador's reception 
 
AKAHATA (Page 2) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) Chairman Kazuo Shii attended a 
reception hosted by U.S. Ambassador John Roos and his wife at the 
ambassador's official residence on Dec. 7. The reception was held 
after a meeting there between Japanese Diet members and the American 
Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ). 
 
Shii exchanged greetings with the Ambassador and talked about such 
issues as nuclear weapons, Japan-U.S. relations, and the U.S. bases 
 
TOKYO 00002803  009 OF 011 
 
 
in Japan. He met also with James Zumwalt, deputy chief of mission, 
to whom he had handed in April a letter addressed to President 
Barack Obama. Besides them, he exchanged greetings with ACCJ 
officials. 
 
The Ambassador invited Japanese and U.S. officials, who had attended 
the ACCJ's regular session with representatives of the Japanese 
political parties, to the reception. On Dec. 2 Shii met with ACCJ 
Executive Director Samuel Kidder and others. 
 
15) China completes construction of derrick at Shirakaba gas field, 
in disregard of agreement on joint development with Japan 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
December 9, 2009 
 
The governments of Japan and China have agreed to jointly develop 
the Shirakaba (Chunxiao in Chinese) gas field. However, the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force has confirmed as of yesterday through monitoring 
activities by its P-3C patrol aircraft that China has completed the 
construction of a facility to excavate natural gas. A Defense 
Ministry official said, "China is ready to drill for gas anytime." 
 
China suddenly delivered construction materials to the facility at 
the Shirakaba gas field this July. In response to an inquiry from 
the Japanese government, the Chinese government said that the 
materials were "for the maintenance of the facility," but China 
continued with the construction work. 
 
The Defense Ministry has continued monitoring by P-3C aircraft. A 
derrick that is over 100 meters tall has already been built. China 
completed the construction work in late October and has already 
delivered materials such as food. More than 10 workers started 
working there in December. 
 
16) SDP, PNP strengthening ties over economic stimulus measures, 
Futenma relocation 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
The "relationship of mutual aid" between the Social Democratic Party 
(SDP) and the People's New Party (PNP) over policy adjustments in 
the Hatoyama administration, such as the adoption of an emergency 
economic stimulus package at the Dec. 8 cabinet meeting, is becoming 
visible. The SDP has a total of 12 members in the Lower and Upper 
Houses. The PNP has eight. They are working together in order not to 
be eclipsed by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). However, their 
united front is one of the causes of the turmoil Prime Minister 
Hatoyama is embroiled in. 
 
The DPJ, which is cautious about generous spending, and the PNP, 
which was seeking a total outlay of 11 trillion yen, were at odds 
over the economic stimulus package. With the SDP stepping in line 
not with the DPJ but with the PNP, they jointly mapped out an 
economic pump-priming package worth 6 trillion yen. 
 
Furthermore, SDP Policy Research Council Chair Tomoko Abe on Dec. 8 
underscored her party's view that an expansionist fiscal policy is 
desirable, telling reporters, "We will secure ample funds in 
compiling the fiscal 2010 budget." This was a development just as 
the PNP had expected in the run-up to the compilation of the fiscal 
 
TOKYO 00002803  010 OF 011 
 
 
2010 budget. 
 
The PNP joined forces with the SDP over the issue of relocating the 
U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture. The 
SDP, which is calling for relocation outside the prefecture or the 
nation, had been wary of an early settlement of the issue, which 
could lead to relocation within the prefecture. After meeting with 
SDP leader Mizuho Fukushima in late November, Shizuka Kamei said, 
"The matter cannot be settled within a month or two months." He thus 
successfully backed the decision not to reach a settlement before 
the end of the year. 
 
The SDP and the PNP hold weekly senior staff meetings. They are 
apparently stepping up their cooperation as such issues as the 
budget compilation approach a crucial stage. Some DPJ members are 
complaining about this, with one mid-ranking member saying, "We are 
being pushed around (by the SDP and the DPJ) too much. 
 
However, Fukushima at a meeting of the Basic Policy Ministerial 
Committee on the 8th smoothly approved the emergency economic 
stimulus package, saying, "I accept this amount (7.2 trillion yen)." 
A senior PNP member after the meeting complained, "We supported the 
SDP over the Futenma issue. She should not have said such a thing." 
Collaboration between the two parties is apparently incomplete. 
 
17) Prime Minister Hatoyama: Great deal of discussion needed on 
whether to abolish administrative vice minister post 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
December 9, 2009 
 
In reference to Administrative Reform Minister Yoshito Sengoku's 
announcement that he will look into abolishing the top bureaucratic 
post of administrative vice minister, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama 
yesterday told reporters at the Prime Minister's Official Residence 
(Kantei), "I have no intention to say (as to whether the post should 
be abolished or kept). I think we should discuss the matter to a 
great extent," indicating that he will watch arguments in his 
cabinet." The Hatoyama administration decided to abolish the regular 
administrative vice minister meetings immediately after its 
inauguration. It also banned in principle press conferences by 
administrative vice ministers. Hatoyama said, "Various arguments 
have just begun, including one calling for the abolishment of the 
administrative vice minister post because the vice ministerial 
meeting has been abolished." 
 
18) Fiscal 2010 budget: Barriers against achieving goal of capping 
issuance of government bonds at 44 trillion yen remain high 
 
NIKKEI (Top play) (Lead para.) 
December 9, 2009 
 
Following the adoption of an emergency economic pump-priming package 
(7.2 trillion yen in fiscal spending) to be incorporated in the 
draft second extra budget for fiscal 2009 at a cabinet meeting on 
Dec. 8, the fiscal 2010 initial budget compilation process will 
shift into high gear. The focus is on whether a goal of capping the 
issuance of new government bonds at 44 trillion yen can be achieved 
or not. In order for the government to uphold its public pledge, 
total expenditures from the general account has to be slashed by 
over 4 trillion yen from the over 95 trillion yen worked out at the 
budgetary request stage. The barrier against the compilation of the 
 
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budget before year's end remains high. The government will have to 
walk a tightrope in handling the budgetary compilation. 
 
ROOS