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INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 13 TOKYO 002931 
 
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 12/28/09 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Chief cabinet secretary says Guam not ruled out as possible 
Futenma relocation site (Mainichi) 
 
(2) MD Kitazawa meets Japanese Ambassador to U.S. Fujisaki on 
Futenma relocation (Nikkei) 
 
(3) Environmental assessment relating to Futenma relocation to 
continue; survey of dugongs over several years to be conducted 
(Okinawa Times) 
 
(4) Future of Futenma (Part 1): Interview with Kazuya Sakamoto, 
professor at Osaka University (Ryukyu Shimpo) 
 
(5) Japan-U.S. alliance off course; top leaders must talk to each 
other more (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
(6) Poll on Hatoyama cabinet, political parties (Nikkei) 
 
(7) Sankei-FNN poll on Hatoyama cabinet, political parties (Sankei) 
 
 
(8) Poll on Hatoyama cabinet, political parties (Mainichi) 
 
(9) Poll: Hatoyama cabinet, political parties (Asahi) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Chief cabinet secretary says Guam not ruled out as possible 
Futenma relocation site 
 
MAINICHI ONLINE (Full) 
12:51, December 28, 2009 
 
Ai Yokota 
 
At a news conference on the morning of Dec. 28, Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Hirofumi Hirano formally announced the launch of the 
"Okinawa base issue examination committee," a working-level panel of 
the government and the ruling parties for considering the relocation 
site for the U.S forces' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, 
Okinawa). The committee will hold its first meeting in the afternoon 
of the same day. Hirano said at the news conference that "the 
committee has no intention to rule out Guam from the beginning." He 
showed consideration for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which 
has reacted strongly to Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's negation of 
plans to relocate the Futenma base to Guam or other locations 
overseas. 
 
Although the SDP is also against setting a deadline for making a 
decision, Hirano stated clearly that a decision will be made "around 
May." With regard to the question of deterrence, which Hatoyama 
cited as the reason for ruling out relocation to Guam, Hirano said: 
"Reduction of the burden imposed by Futenma and ensuring safety 
comes first. On top of this, there are issues relating to the 
Japan-U.S. relationship and security. A major part of this has to do 
with national interest in relation to deterrence." 
 
 
The committee is being set up in response to the SDP's demand. It 
reports to the Ministerial Committee on Basic Policies consisting of 
 
TOKYO 00002931  002 OF 013 
 
 
cabinet ministers at the party- leader level and is chaired by 
Hirano. Other members are Senior Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Koichi Takemasa, Senior Vice Minister of Defense Kazuya Shimba, SDP 
policy chief Tomoko Abe, and People's New Party policy chief Mikio 
Shimoji. 
 
(2) MD Kitazawa meets Japanese Ambassador to U.S. Fujisaki on 
Futenma relocation 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
Evening, December 28, 2009 
 
Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa held a meeting with Japanese 
Ambassador to the U.S. Ichiro Fujisaki at the Ministry of Defense on 
the morning of Dec. 28 to exchange views on the issue of the 
relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station. Fujisaki briefed 
Kitazawa on his recent meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary 
Clinton. It is believed that he told Kitazawa that the U.S. strongly 
demands that Japan make a decision based on the current plan to 
relocate the Futenma base to the coastal area of Camp Schwab. 
 
(3) Environmental assessment relating to Futenma relocation to 
continue; survey of dugongs over several years to be conducted 
 
OKINAWA TIMES (Page 2) (Full) 
December 26, 2009 
 
Tokyo - The budget of the Ministry of Defense (MOD) for the next 
fiscal year will include 1.3 billion yen to continue the 
environmental impact assessment in relation to the construction of a 
replacement facility for the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station in 
Henoko, Nago City. A survey of dugongs over several years will be 
conducted in response to the governor's opinion on the preparatory 
documents for the environmental survey. Budget allocation for land 
reclamation in Henoko has been deferred, but the upper limit of 
spending for "acts incurring liabilities on the national treasury" 
for unidentified recipients in the general provisions of the 
government's budget has been raised from 100 billion to 1 trillion 
yen. This is a measure to ensure that once the relocation site is 
specified, contracting procedures can be initiated promptly. 
 
The "acts incurring liabilities on the national treasury" cover not 
only spending for Futenma relocation but also possible economic 
stimulation measures on a national scale. This concept deals with 
expenditures only on a contract basis that can be funded with 
reserve funds or a supplementary budget once cash payments become 
necessary. The MOD estimates the cost of constructing the main 
structure of the Futenma replacement facility to be 142 billion yen. 
Futenma-related spending in the MOD's budget is currently limited to 
funds for continuing the environmental survey and the cost of 
removing and relocating land-based structures in Camp Schwab (3.9 
billion yen). Under the environmental survey, investigations 
relating to the planned deployment of the vertical takeoff and 
landing aircraft, MV-22 Osprey, are not included. 
 
Budget allocations relating to U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) realignment 
total 90.9 billion yen, with 47.2 billion yen earmarked for the cost 
of relocating U.S. Marines in Okinawa to Guam. Net fiscal spending 
of 13.7 billion yen for construction projects to build a 
headquarters for the port operations unit, a clinic, and a fire 
station is included. Realignment-related subsidies for Okinawa total 
1.54 billion yen. 
 
TOKYO 00002931  003 OF 013 
 
 
 
The budget for the wages of U.S. military base employees under host 
nation support for the USFJ (omoiyari yosan or sympathy budget), 
which was identified for "review" by the budget screening team of 
the Government Revitalization Unit, totals 45.2 billion yen for 
Okinawa (representing a 870 million yen cut from the budget 
request). This cutback is in response to the recommendation of the 
National Personnel Authority and does not reflect the screening 
team's verdict. 
 
Approximately 160 million yen is allocated for setting up the 
Okinawa Defense Bureau's Nago defense office (with a staff of 44) 
and this amount will be used for renting office space and paying for 
utilities. 
 
Total appropriation for base-related measures in Okinawa is 157.9 
billion yen (representing a 1.2 billion yen cut from the budget 
request). The budget for soundproofing homes is 5 billion yen, which 
represents the first time in recent years that the full amount of 
the budget request has been granted. Allocations for SACO (Special 
Action Committee on Okinawa)-related projects total 12.5 billion 
yen, including 10.5 billion yen for the construction of the main 
structure of the Navy Hospital in Camp Kuwae and 200 million yen for 
the construction of a helipad required for the return of parts of 
the Northern Training Ground. 
 
(4) Future of Futenma (Part 1): Interview with Kazuya Sakamoto, 
professor at Osaka University 
 
RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 4) (Full) 
December 28, 2009 
 
The Hatoyama cabinet has postponed a conclusion to the issue of 
relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station. What path can 
be drawn at a time when the U.S. side is increasingly irritated and 
calling for the early implementation of the existing plan to 
relocate Futenma to the city of Nago and when the Japan-U.S. 
alliance is strained? The newspaper interviewed two experts. 
 
-- Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said that he is looking into sites 
other than Nago. 
 
Sakamoto: I don't know what he is really thinking. He doesn't seem 
to be strategically looking into whether the peace and security of 
East Asia can be defended (with relocation to a place outside 
Okinawa). Faced with an objection from the Social Democratic Party, 
I think the Prime Minister has simply decided to give top priority 
to the maintenance of the coalition administration. Preparations 
before the change of government were insufficient. 
 
-- In bearing the burden of bases, the patience of Okinawa's people 
has reached its limit. 
 
Sakamoto: I'm aware of that. There is no other option but to move 
forward a step at a time toward reducing the burden. If a Japan-U.S. 
agreement (to relocate Futenma to Nago) is implemented, 8,000 U.S. 
Marines will be moved to Guam. Bases in Okinawa carry significance 
for East Asia, and their stable operation constitutes the foundation 
of diplomacy and security. 
 
-- The relocation issue is the main point of contention in the 
upcoming Nago mayoral election. 
 
TOKYO 00002931  004 OF 013 
 
 
 
Sakamoto: If the Prime Minister intends to make a decision after 
seeing the results, he should say first, "I will take local wishes 
into account, but they will not necessarily be fulfilled. The 
government will make the final decision." The Futenma relocation was 
determined 13 years ago, and there is no time to waste. But if 
(forces opposed to the relocation) win the election, it is certain 
that the implementation of the Nago plan will be difficult. 
 
-- Will there be any impact on the Japan-U.S. alliance? 
 
Sakamoto: The United States' position is that the alliance with 
Japan is the cornerstone of its Asia policy; it is not lip service. 
The United States is puzzled by and angry at the current situation. 
Although the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the 
Indian Ocean will soon come to an end, Afghanistan is the matter of 
greatest concern for the people of the United States. I'm afraid 
that criticism of Japan's withdrawal from Afghanistan combined with 
the Futenma issue will undermine (U.S.) sentiment toward Japan. 
Those two things might adversely affect the review of the bilateral 
alliance on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the revised 
Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. 
 
-- There is a view that it is unnecessary to station U.S. Marines in 
Okinawa. 
 
Sakamoto: It is difficult to immediately relocate them outside 
Okinawa. There are such destabilizing factors as the North Korean 
issue and China's military buildup. Relocation outside Okinawa will 
trigger anxiety in neighboring countries. 
 
-- What is your evaluation of the Prime Minister's security policy? 
 
Sakamoto: His theory of a Japan-U.S. security alliance without the 
regular stationing of U.S. forces in Japan is dangerous from the 
standpoint of military common sense. He has not painted a picture of 
how Japan and the United States can secure the security of Japan and 
the peace and security of East Asia. It is desirable to look for a 
direction for the settlement of base issues in the process of 
increasing the Self-Defense Forces' activities in Okinawa, while 
strengthening cooperation between the SDF and U.S. forces. 
 
(5) Japan-U.S. alliance off course; top leaders must talk to each 
other more 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) 
December 27, 2009 
 
Koki Miura 
 
Wearing a poker face can send a strong cynical message at times. 
During a Dec. 4 Japan-U.S. ministerial-level meeting on the 
relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station (in 
Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture), U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos was 
told by Defense Minister Katsuya Okada and Defense Minister Toshimi 
Kitazawa that settling the issue before year's end would be 
difficult. After the meeting, Ambassador Roos left the Foreign 
Ministry, saying to the press corps, "Hello, everyone. It was a 
productive meeting." To have a decision postponed until next year 
cannot have been productive for Ambassador Roos, who wants to see 
the early implementation of the existing plan to relocate Futenma to 
the Henoko district in Nago. In fact, the Ambassador reportedly said 
 
TOKYO 00002931  005 OF 013 
 
 
during the meeting, "President Obama has lost face." He uttered 
those words of harsh criticism after having the working-level 
officials leave the room. The alliance with the United States, which 
is the cornerstone of Japan's security policy in the postwar period, 
has run into snags. 
 
If such a situation arises between two Western countries, their top 
leaders will have face-to-face talks. During the 2007 G-8 Summit in 
Germany, I witnessed as a correspondent in Berlin German Chancellor 
Angela Merkel manage to come up with a common greenhouse gas 
reduction target, preventing the talks from breaking down. 
Chancellor Merkel did the necessary groundwork, talking directly 
with the top leader of each country on her cell phone. 
 
On the Futenma issue, Prime Minister Hatoyama said to President 
Obama, "Trust me." But as yet there have been no in-depth talks 
between the two leaders. 
 
There have been no reports except for remarks by Ambassador Roos and 
the so-called Japan experts in the United States who are responsible 
for talks with Japan. The ministerial-level working group meetings 
held in the past have been attended by cabinet ministers from the 
Japanese side but by the ambassador to Japan, the US Forces Japan 
commander, and State Department assistant secretary-level officials 
from the U.S. side. In other words, no one on the Japanese side has 
confirmed President Obama's wishes. How many people are there in 
Japan who can make a direct phone call to President Obama? 
 
Needless to say, the situation was the same under the former 
administration led by the Liberal Democratic Party. Many past prime 
ministers were not readily able to place a call to their American 
counterparts. The prime minister simply followed government 
officials, entirely leaving to them actual talks with the United 
States. 
 
Ultimately, a Japan-U.S. relationship that has not required the 
involvement of the top leaders in managing bilateral issues has been 
regarded as "good." But I think the Japan-U.S. alliance has begun to 
stray off course because it has to rely on only a handful of Japan 
experts in the United States. 
 
(6) Poll on Hatoyama cabinet, political parties 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
December 28, 2009 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures are percentages. Parentheses denote results from the last 
survey conducted in November.) 
 
Q: Do you support the Hatoyama cabinet? 
 
Yes 50 (68) 
No 42 (24) 
Can't say (C/S) + don't know (D/K) 8 (8) 
 
Q: Which political party do you support or prefer? 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 46 (56) 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 23 (19) 
New Komeito (NK) 4 (3) 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 2 (3) 
 
TOKYO 00002931  006 OF 013 
 
 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 2 (3) 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 1 (1) 
Your Party (YP or Minna no To) 2 (1) 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0 (0) 
Other political parties 1 (1) 
None 15 (11) 
C/S+D/K 5 (3) 
 
(Note) Percentages may not add up to 100 PERCENT  in some cases due 
to rounding. 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was taken Dec. 25-27 by Nikkei 
Research Inc. over the telephone on a random digit dialing (RDD) 
basis. For the survey, samples were chosen from among men and women 
aged 20 and over across the nation. A total of 1,597 households with 
one or more eligible voters were sampled, and answers were obtained 
from 1,033 persons (64.7 PERCENT ). 
 
(7) Sankei-FNN poll on Hatoyama cabinet, political parties 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
December 22, 2009 
 
Questions & Answers 
 
(Note) Figures are percentages. Figures in parentheses are 
percentages in the previous Sankei-FNN survey, conducted Nov. 
21-22. 
 
Q: Do you support the Hatoyama cabinet? 
 
Yes 51.0 (62.5) 
No 40.4 (22.9) 
Don't know (D/K), etc. 8.6 (14.6) 
 
Q: Which political party do you support? 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 37.2 (39.7) 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP or Jiminto) 19.2 (17.3) 
New Komeito (NK or Komeito) 2.8 (4.5) 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP or Kyosanto) 3.3 (3.2) 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 1.8 (3.0) 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 0.7 (0.9) 
Your Party (YP or Minna no To) 3.1 (3.8) 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0.3 (0.2) 
Other political parties 1.2 (0.4) 
None 29.2 (26.5) 
D/K, etc. 1.2 (0.5) 
 
 
Q: Do you approve of the Hatoyama cabinet on the following points? 
 
The prime minister's personal character 
Yes 59.6 (70.0) 
No 34.1 (20.2) 
D/K, etc. 6.3 (9.8) 
 
The prime minister's leadership 
Yes 20.7 (34.7) 
No 72.4 (46.0) 
D/K, etc. 6.9 (19.3) 
 
 
TOKYO 00002931  007 OF 013 
 
 
Economic policy 
Yes 25.3 (---) 
No 63.9 (---) 
D/K, etc. 10.8 (---) 
 
China policy 
Yes 39.6 (---) 
No 45.9 (---) 
D/K, etc. 14.5 (---) 
 
U.S. policy 
Yes 34.9 (---) 
No 52.3 (---) 
D/K, etc. 12.8 (---) 
 
Global warming policy 
Yes 64.1 (---) 
No 28.0 (---) 
D/K, etc. 7.9 (---) 
 
DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa's action concerning a Chinese 
vice president's audience with H.M. the Emperor 
Yes 27.2 (---) 
No 65.6 (---) 
D/K, etc. 7.2 (---) 
 
The prime minister's way of handling his fund-managing body's 
political donation problem 
Yes 14.9 (18.8) 
No 75.3 (64.8) 
D/K, etc. 9.8 (16.4) 
 
DPJ Secretary General Ozawa's way of handling his fund-managing 
body's political donation problem 
Yes 10.5 (---) 
No 79.1 (---) 
D/K, etc. 10.4 (---) 
 
The SDP's influence on the Hatoyama cabinet 
Yes 27.9 (---) 
No 61.3 (---) 
D/K, etc. 10.8 (---) 
 
The PNP's influence on the Hatoyama cabinet 
Yes 23.6 (---) 
No 63.6 (---) 
D/K, etc. 12.8 (---) 
 
DPJ Secretary General Ozawa's influence on the Hatoyama cabinet 
Yes 40.5 (---) 
No 52.8 (---) 
D/K, etc. 6.7 (---) 
 
The Hatoyama cabinet's performance over the past three months since 
coming into office 
Yes 40.2 (---) 
No 45.1 (---) 
D/K, etc. 14.7 (---) 
 
Q: What do you think the Hatoyama government should prioritize in 
compiling the budget for next fiscal year? 
 
 
TOKYO 00002931  008 OF 013 
 
 
Keep to its manifesto 9.1 
Achieve results from economic stimulus measures 57.0 
Avoid increasing debt 32.5 
D/K, etc. 1.4 
 
Q: Do you think the government should not set an income limit for 
child allowances in the process of compiling the budget? 
 
Yes 43.2 
No 53.4 
D/K, etc. 3.4 
 
Q: Do you think the government should abolish gasoline and other 
road-related provisional surcharges? 
 
Yes 54.1 
No 40.2 
D/K, etc. 5.7 
 
Q: Do you think the government has no choice but to make up for tax 
revenue with new taxes or tax rates in the case of abolishing the 
road-related provisional surcharges? 
 
Yes 61.7 
No 33.4 
D/K, etc. 4.9 
 
Q: Do you take it for granted that the government changes its course 
of action in response to requests from the DPJ and its coalition 
partners? 
 
Yes 58.3 
No 36.0 
D/K, etc. 5.7 
 
Q: Do you think these requests from the DPJ and its coalition 
partners are unclear? 
 
Yes 70.4 
No 21.9 
D/K, etc. 7.7 
 
Q: Do you think the ruling coalition's request for highway 
construction, which is contradictory to its policy of making 
expressways toll-free, is inappropriate? 
 
Yes 64.5 
No 22.8 
D/K, etc. 12.7 
 
 
Q: Do you think the DPJ's campaign promises may be changed because 
the nation's economic environment and other circumstances have 
changed? 
 
Yes 79.7 
No 17.2 
D/K, etc. 3.1 
 
Q: Do you think the results of the DPJ's budget screening may be 
reviewed in the process of compiling the budget? 
 
 
TOKYO 00002931  009 OF 013 
 
 
Yes 83.9 
No 11.7 
D/K, etc. 4.4 
 
Q: Do you think DPJ Secretary General Ozawa has more leadership than 
Prime Minister Hatoyama does? 
 
Yes 64.5 
No 26.3 
D/K, etc. 9.2 
 
Q: What do you think is most important about the issue of relocating 
the U.S. military's Futenma airfield? 
 
Expedite Futenma relocation in Okinawa Prefecture as agreed on 
between Japan and the U.S.  28.3 
Reconsider a relocation site in or outside Okinawa Prefecture even 
if it takes time 43.4 
Carry out Futenma relocation in Okinawa Prefecture even if it takes 
time 23.8 
D/K, etc. 4.5 
 
Q: Which factor do you think should be regarded as most important on 
the Futenma issue? 
 
Japan-U.S. relations 38.5 
Okinawa Prefecture's public opinion 55.8 
Ruling coalition partnership 2.1 
D/K, etc. 3.6 
 
Q: The government and the ruling coalition have deferred their 
conclusion on the question of where to relocate Futenma airfield. Is 
this convincing? 
 
Yes 46.4 
No 45.6 
D/K, etc. 8.0 
 
Q: Who do you think is most appropriate as Japan's prime minister? 
 
Katsuya Okada 7.9 
Ichiro Ozawa 9.1 
Naoto Kan 7.5 
Yoshito Sengoku 0.7 
Akira Nagatsuma 1.9 
Yukio Hatoyama 18.2 
Seiji Maehara 5.5 
Shizuka Kamei 1.6 
Mizuho Fukushima 1.0 
Other ruling party lawmakers 1.0 
Shigeru Ishiba 4.8 
Sadakazu Tanigaki 1.6 
Yoichi Masuzoe 7.0 
Other opposition party lawmakers 3.1 
None 25.0 
D/K, etc. 4.1 
 
Q: How long do you think the Hatoyama cabinet will continue? 
 
Several months or so at longest 10.7 
Until around next summer's election for the House of Councillors 
38.7 
 
TOKYO 00002931  010 OF 013 
 
 
Until next fall 25.7 
Continue after next fall 22.2 
D/K, etc. 2.7 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Dec. 19-20 by the 
Sankei Shimbun and Fuji News Network (FNN) over the telephone on a 
computer-aided random digit dialing (RDD) basis. For the survey, a 
total of 1,000 persons were sampled from among men and women, aged 
20 and over, across the nation. 
 
(8) Poll on Hatoyama cabinet, political parties 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
December 21, 2009 
 
Questions & Answers 
(T = total; P = previous; M = male; F = female) 
 
Q: Do you support the Hatoyama cabinet? 
 
 T P M F 
Yes 55 (64) 51 57 
No 34 (21) 38 30 
Not interested 12 (15) 11 12 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "yes" to the above question) Why? 
 
 T P M F 
Because the prime minister is from the Democratic Party of Japan 6 
(4) 7 5 
Because something can be expected of the prime minister's leadership 
2 (4) 2 2 
Because something can be expected of the prime minister's policies 9 
(11) 8 10 
Because the nature of politics is likely to change 82 (78) 82 82 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "no" to the above question) Why? 
 
 T P M F 
Because the prime minister is from the Democratic Party of Japan 5 
(4) 3 7 
Because nothing can be expected of the prime minister's leadership 
42 (16) 44 41 
Because nothing can be expected of the prime minister's policies 32 
(48) 30 33 
Because the nature of politics is unlikely to change 20 (30) 20 20 
 
Q: Which political party do you support? 
 
 T P M F 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 35 (39) 34 35 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP or Jiminto) 16 (15) 20 13 
New Komeito (NK) 4 (3) 4 5 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 2 (3) 2 2 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 2 (1) 1 3 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 1 (1) 0 1 
Your Party (YP or Minna no To) 4 (2) 5 3 
Reform Club (RC or Kaikaku Kurabu) 0 (0) -- 0 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0 (0) 0 0 
Other political parties 1 (0) 2 1 
None 33 (33) 30 36 
 
 
TOKYO 00002931  011 OF 013 
 
 
Q: The Hatoyama government plans to provide child allowances to 
child-rearing households. Concerning this plan, the DPJ asked the 
Hatoyama government to set an income limit that was not incorporated 
in its manifesto. Do you approve of setting an income limit for 
child allowances? 
 
 T P M F 
Yes 71  72 70 
No 25  25 26 
 
 
Q: The DPJ pledged in its manifesto to abolish gasoline and other 
road-related provisional surcharges, beginning next fiscal year. 
However, the DPJ has asked the government to maintain these 
provisional tax rates in compiling the budget for next fiscal year. 
Do you approve of maintaining the provisional tax rates? 
 
 T P M F 
Yes 54  57 52 
No 40  41 39 
 
Q: Prime Minister Hatoyama has deferred his conclusion to next year 
on whether to relocate the U.S. military's Futenma airfield in 
Okinawa Prefecture to the Henoko area of Nago City in the same 
prefecture. Do you approve of his decision-making deferment? 
 
 T P M F 
Yes 42  40 44 
No 51  57 47 
 
Q: How do you think Prime Minister Hatoyama should deal with the 
issue of relocating Futenma airfield? Pick one that is close to your 
opinion. 
 
 T P M F 
Negotiate with the U.S. to move Futenma airfield out of Okinawa 
Prefecture or Japan 51 (50) 47 55 
Look for another relocation site in Okinawa Prefecture 15 (17) 17 
13 
Accept the current plan to relocate Futenma airfield to Henoko 25 
(22) 33 19 
 
 
Q: The deferment of the Futenma issue has given rise to concerns 
about the deterioration of Japan-U.S. relations. Do you think there 
is no problem about the Hatoyama government's policy toward the 
U.S., or are you worried about Japan-U.S. relations? 
 
 T P M F 
No problem 26  31 23 
Worried 68  67 69 
 
Q: Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the revision of the 
Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. Prime Minister Hatoyama and U.S. 
President Obama agreed in their meeting this November to start 
intergovernmental talks to deepen the Japan-U.S. alliance. Pick one 
that is close to your opinion. 
 
 T P M F 
Strengthen it further 27  26 28 
Maintain it as is 56  56 56 
Weaken it further 11  16 8 
 
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Q: Do you think Prime Minister Hatoyama should resign if his former 
state-funded secretary is prosecuted on the charge of violating the 
Political Funds Control Law over his fund-managing body's 
falsification of political donation reports? 
 
 T P M F 
Yes 40  42 39 
No 54  54 53 
 
(Note) Figures shown in percentage, rounded off. "0" indicates that 
the figure was below 0.5 PERCENT . "No answer" omitted. Figures in 
parentheses denote the results of the last survey conducted Nov. 
21-22. 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Dec. 19-20 over the 
telephone across the nation on a computer-aided random digit 
sampling (RDS) basis. A total of 1,588 households with one or more 
eligible voters were sampled. Answers were obtained from 1,032 
persons (65 PERCENT ). 
 
(09122404im) Back to Top 
( 
(9) Poll: Hatoyama cabinet, political parties 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
December 22, 2009 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures are percentages, rounded off. Bracketed figures denote 
proportions to all respondents. Figures in parentheses denote the 
results of the last survey, conducted Nov. 14-15.) 
 
Q: Do you support the Hatoyama cabinet? 
 
Yes 48 (62) 
No 34 (21) 
 
Q: Why? (One reason only. Left column for those marking "yes" on 
previous question, and right for those marking "no.") 
 
The prime minister is Mr. Hatoyama 6(3) 2(1) 
It's a DPJ-led cabinet 35(17) 11(4) 
Policy 42(20) 33(11) 
Action 11(5) 50(17) 
 
Q: Which political party do you support now? 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 42 (46) 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 18 (14) 
New Komeito (NK) 2 (3) 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 1 (2) 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 1 (1) 
Your Party (YP or Minna no To) 1 (0) 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 0 (0) 
Reform Club (RC or Kaikaku Kurabu) 0 (0) 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0 (0) 
Other political parties 0 (0) 
None 31 (28) 
No answer (N/A) + don't know (D/K) 4 (6) 
 
Q: Do you think Prime Minister Hatoyama has been displaying 
 
TOKYO 00002931  013 OF 013 
 
 
leadership? 
 
Yes 18 
No 74 
 
Q: The DPJ pledged in its manifesto for this summer's House of 
Representatives election to abolish the gasoline surcharges and 
provide child allowances. The DPJ, however, has requested Prime 
Minister Hatoyama change this policy and maintain the gasoline 
surcharges in compiling the budget for next fiscal year. In 
addition, the DPJ has also requested Prime Minister Hatoyama set an 
income limit for child allowances. Is this convincing? 
 
Yes 50 
No 43 
 
Q: The next question is about relocating the U.S. military's Futenma 
airfield in Okinawa Prefecture. The Hatoyama cabinet has deferred a 
conclusion on the current plan to relocate Futenma airfield to Nago 
City in Okinawa Prefecture, which is based on an intergovernmental 
agreement between Japan and the U.S. The Hatoyama cabinet will 
review the current relocation plan for other options, including the 
possibility of looking for a new site for the Futenma relocation. Do 
you approve of the Hatoyama cabinet's response to the Futenma 
issue? 
 
Yes 30 
No 60 
 
Q: The next question is about the recent audience of a Chinese vice 
president with H.M. the Emperor. The Hatoyama cabinet carried out 
the audience against the one-month rule for proposing an audience to 
be granted by H.M. the Emperor for foreign VIPs. Do you think the 
Hatoyama cabinet's judgment in this case was appropriate? 
 
Yes 39 
No 51 
 
Q: The next question is about Prime Minister Hatoyama's problem 
concerning his fund-managing body's falsification of political fund 
reports. Do you think this is a serious problem and Prime Minister 
Hatoyama will have to resign in due course to take responsibility? 
 
Yes 44 
No 50 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Dec. 19-20 over the 
telephone on a computer-aided random digit dialing (RDD) basis. 
Respondents were chosen from among the nation's voting population on 
a three-stage random-sampling basis. Households with one or more 
eligible voters totaled 3,465. Valid answers were obtained from 
2,115 persons (61 PERCENT ). 
 
ROOS