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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002877 
 
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 - U.S.-JAPAN 
ROW OVER FUTENMA RELOCATION 
 
¶1. LEAD STORIES: Most Wednesday morning papers front- 
paged press remarks on Tuesday by Prime Minister 
Hatoyama, who said that he would like to spend several 
months looking for a new site for the Futenma 
Replacement Facility (FRF). 
 
¶2. "Apprehension Mounting over Hatoyama Diplomacy" On 
the GOJ policy of postponing its decision on Futenma 
relocation until next year, the liberal Asahi 
editorialized (12/9): "It is a matter of course for the 
prime minister to take advantage of the historic change 
of administration to try to reduce the excessive 
security burden on Okinawa, which has lasted more than 
60 years. Nevertheless, the Hatoyama administration 
must make efforts to take the proper procedures, 
develop such ideas into realistic policies, and gain 
the trust and consent of the U.S., which is Japan's 
ally. Taking ambiguous attitudes by saying 'please be 
patient,' or 'the Henoko plan is still an option,' 
while neglecting to carry out those steps would damage 
the alliance and run the risk of undermining Japan's 
security. The prime minister should be aware that the 
prospects of achieving a breakthrough in line with the 
GOJ policy are quite dim. The prime minister must first 
rebuild mutual trust with the U.S., which will be the 
foundation for renegotiation." 
 
¶3. "It Is Wrong To Put off Decision without Prospects" 
The top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri asserted in an 
editorial (12/9): "If Japan puts forward an idea of 
moving MCAS Futenma out of Okinawa, the collaborative 
efforts made by the U.S. and Japan for the past 13 
years will be reduced to nothing. The agreed-upon 
relocation plan will go back to square one. Was the 
prime minister aware of the profound consequences of 
this decision when he made it? ... The problem is that 
there will be no prospects [for a breakthrough] even if 
a decision on the location of the FRF is delayed until 
next year. No realistic candidate sites will be found 
in locations other than Okinawa." 
 
¶4. "Avoid Making Futenma into Permanent Fixture" The 
liberal Mainichi wrote (12/9): "In the event that a 
government-to-government accord is scrapped, the party 
that calls for a review is obligated to put forward an 
idea that will be satisfactory to the other party. The 
Social Democratic Party, which strongly insists on 
moving Futenma out of Okinawa, as well as the prime 
minister, who attaches importance to maintaining the 
coalition government, should acknowledge this point. 
The Futenma issue must not be allowed to become a flash 
point that rocks the entire U.S.-Japan alliance. The 
prime minister, who underscores that the U.S.-Japan 
alliance is a pillar of Japanese foreign policy, 
probably does not want this to happen. The Hatoyama 
administration needs to use every channel of 
communication available to urge the U.S. to come to the 
negotiating table." 
 
¶5. "GOJ Should Shift Focus to Moving Futenma out of 
Okinawa" The liberal Tokyo Shimbun argued (12/9): "It 
is high time for the GOJ to make full-fledged efforts 
to look into the options for moving Futenma out of 
Okinawa, as the Japanese people, the Okinawan people in 
particular, entrusted the DPJ with this task in the 
August general election. Public trust in politics will 
be lost if putting off a decision until next year ends 
 
TOKYO 00002877  002 OF 002 
 
 
up buying time for setting up a situation in which 
there are no options other than accepting the 
relocation of MCAS Futenma somewhere else in Okinawa." 
 
¶6. "Crisis in U.S.-Japan Alliance Deepening Due to 
Delayed Decision on Futenma" An editorial in the 
business-oriented Nikkei claimed (12/9): "We are 
concerned that actions taken by the Hatoyama 
administration contradict its statements on the U.S.- 
Japan alliance as a central pillar, render the alliance 
irrelevant, and demonstrate Japan's shift toward 
China.... The diplomatic line taken by the Hatoyama 
administration, over which DPJ Secretary General Ozawa 
wields influence, is viewed as Japan's shift from the 
U.S. to China. This will cause anxiety to spread among 
countries in Southeast Asia, which have mixed feelings 
about rising China." 
 
ROOS