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P 190757Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 8776

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TOKYO 000107 
 
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 01/19/10 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Editorial: Government must resolve Futenma issue and prevent 
Japan-U.S. Security Treaty from becoming irrelevant (Sankei) 
 
(2) Poll: Hatoyama cabinet, political parties (Asahi) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Editorial: Government must resolve Futenma issue and prevent 
Japan-U.S. Security Treaty from becoming irrelevant 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 19, 2010 
 
Today marks 50 years since Japan and the United States signed the 
revised current Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, replacing the former 
security treaty. On the occasion of celebrating the 50th anniversary 
of the security treaty, which is the foundation of the bilateral 
alliance, Japan and the U.S. should reconfirm the significance of 
their security treaty and aim to strengthen and develop the alliance 
relationship for the next 50 years. 
 
It is problematic that the U.S.-Japan alliance is facing an 
unprecedented crisis of becoming irrelevant under the Hatoyama 
administration, even though this is an important year for the two 
countries. The plans for the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan 
that were intended make the U.S. military presence more attuned to 
the international environment in the 21st century have gone adrift 
over Futenma relocation, and this has made communications between 
the top leaders impossible. 
 
Prime Minister Hatoyama must decide immediately to implement the 
existing Futenma relocation accord in order to rectify this 
situation and to put the planned alliance talks on the right track. 
 
 
In January 1960 then Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi and President 
Dwight Eisenhower signed the existing security treaty, aimed at a 
more equal and fair alliance, incorporating the U.S.'s obligation to 
protect Japan, which was not included in the old treaty, and the 
necessity of talks between the two countries including prior 
consultations. June 2010 will mark the 50th anniversary of the 
execution of the revised Japan-U.S. security treaty. 
 
Both the security treaty signed in 1951 and the revised treaty have 
served as the foundation for the bilateral alliance. This year is 
extremely significant not only for Japan's security and the history 
of the alliance but also for the Japan-U.S. relationship in the 
future. 
 
In the past half century, Japan and the U.S. have cooperated to deal 
with such world crises as the Cold War, Gulf War, 9/11 terrorist 
attacks, and nuclear nonproliferation. The two countries played 
indispensable roles in the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific 
region. The bilateral alliance has also been a stabilizing factor 
for Japan's security. 
 
Due to North Korea's nuclear development and China's military 
buildup, the Japan-U.S. alliance is becoming increasing important 
and significant in the 21st century as well. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000107  002 OF 004 
 
 
Nevertheless, the Hatoyama administration has put off making a 
decision on the Futenma issue and terminated the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean on Jan. 
15, disappointing the U.S., Pakistan, and other countries. As Japan 
has begun leaning toward China, the U.S. government has become 
increasingly distrustful of Japan in terms of the strategic 
relationship among Japan, the U.S. and China. 
 
In the recent foreign ministerial meeting, Tokyo and Washington made 
a token agreement to start talks on deepening the bilateral 
alliance. However, it is unclear when they will be able to initiate 
substantive talks on how Japan should contribute to the 
international community and how the two countries should cooperate 
in strengthening deterrence. The situation is still up in the air. 
 
Taiwan and Southeast Asian nations have also apparently expressed 
concern about the present condition of the Japan-U.S. alliance. 
Hatoyama must place top priority on settling the Futenma issue to 
prevent the alliance relationship from becoming irrelevant. 
 
(2) Poll: Hatoyama cabinet, political parties 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
January 19, 2010 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures are percentages, rounded off. Figures in parentheses denote 
the results of the last survey, conducted Dec. 19-20.) 
 
Q: Do you support the Hatoyama cabinet? 
 
Yes 42 (48) 
No 41 (34) 
 
Q: Which political party do you support now? 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 36 (42) 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 16 (18) 
New Komeito (NK) 3 (2) 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 2 (1) 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 1 (1) 
Your Party (YP or Minna no To) 1 (1) 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 1 (0) 
Reform Club (RC or Kaikaku Kurabu) 0 (0) 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0 (0) 
Other political parties 0 (0) 
None 36 (31) 
No answer (N/A) + don't know (D/K) 4 (4) 
 
Q: There will be an election this summer for the House of 
Councillors. If you were to vote now, which political party or which 
political party's candidate would you like to vote for in your 
proportional representation blocs? 
 
DPJ 36 
LDP 23 
NK 3 
JCP 3 
SDP 2 
YP 2 
PNP 1 
RC 0 
 
TOKYO 00000107  003 OF 004 
 
 
NPN 0 
Other political parties 1 
N/A+D/K 29 
 
Q: The next question concerns the involvement of Prime Minister 
Hatoyama in his fund-managing body's falsification of political 
funds. Do you think Prime Minister Hatoyama should resign to take 
responsibility for this problem? 
 
Yes 30 
No 59 
 
Q: Prime Minister Hatoyama apologized for his fund-managing body's 
alleged falsification of political donations, explaining that he had 
entrusted everything to his secretary and that he did not know that 
his fund-managing body had been funded by his mother. Do you approve 
of this explanation? 
 
Yes 16 
No 77 
 
Q: The next question concerns the new fiscal year's budget. As a 
result of incorporating public pledges the DPJ made in campaigning 
for last year's general election for the House of Representatives, 
the general account budget totals 92 trillion yen, which is the 
largest ever, and the government will have to issue deficit-covering 
bonds to the extent of 44 trillion yen, which is also the largest 
ever. To what extent do you approve of this budget? (One choice 
only) 
 
Very much 1 
Somewhat 35 
Not very much 45 
Not at all 14 
 
Q: Do you think Prime Minister Hatoyama displayed leadership in last 
year's budget compilation? 
 
Yes 18 
No 74 
 
Q: To what extent do you approve of the Hatoyama cabinet's efforts 
for eliminating wasteful spending in the budget compilation this 
time? (One choice only) 
 
Very much 6 
Somewhat 53 
Not very much 30 
Not at all 9 
 
Q: Prime Minister Hatoyama has changed his ruling party's public 
pledge to abolish gasoline surcharges and has decided to impose the 
same amount of gas taxation as ever. Do you approve of continuing 
the gas surcharges? 
 
Yes 38 
No 50 
 
Q: The problem of DPJ Secretary General Ozawa's political funds has 
led to the arrests of Tomohiro Ishikawa, who was a secretary of DPJ 
Secretary General Ozawa and is now a DPJ lawmaker seated in the 
House of Representatives, and of two other former secretaries. Do 
 
TOKYO 00000107  004 OF 004 
 
 
you approve of Mr. Ozawa's response to this problem so far? 
 
Yes 5 
No 88 
 
Q: Do you approve of Mr. Hatoyama's response to the problem of Mr. 
Ozawa's political funds so far? 
 
Yes 12 
No 79 
 
Q With regard to the problem of Mr. Ozawa's political funds, has 
your evaluation of the DPJ declined or remained the same? 
 
Declined 59 
Remained the same 36 
 
Q: Do you think Mr. Ozawa should resign from his party post to take 
responsibility for the problem? 
 
Yes 67 
No 23 
 
Q: The government plans to present to the Diet a bill allowing 
foreign nationals with permanent resident status in Japan to vote in 
local elections. Do you approve of vesting foreign nationals 
residing permanently in Japan with the right to vote in local 
elections? 
 
Yes 60 
No 29 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Jan. 16-17 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 3,628. Valid answers were obtained from 
2,182 persons (60 PERCENT ). 
 
ZUMWALT