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INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
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RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
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RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA//
RHMFIUU/USFJ //J5/JO21//
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RUAYJAA/CTF 72
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 0868
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RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2831
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 9503
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 8890

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 000174 
 
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 01/27/10 
 
INDEX: 
(1) Ruling parties step up search for alternative Futenma relocation 
sites after Henoko relocation opponent elected as Nago mayor (Asahi) 
 
 
(2) Mayors of Tokunoshima, rumored to be Futenma relocation site, 
refuse to meet chief cabinet secretary, say relocation "impossible" 
(Asahi) 
 
(3) Futenma in turmoil (Part 2): No way out for relocation issue 
(Yomiuri) 
 
(4) What to do about Futenma Air Station?: Talks with U.S. on 
relocation site urged; Establish close relationship to maintain 
deterrence (Yomiuri) 
 
(5) Editorial: Make pragmatic changes to Futenma relocation plan 
(Sankei) 
 
(6) Interview with UN Political Affairs Officer Kiyotaka Kawabata: 
Dispatch of SDF to Haiti on PKO mission might become turning point 
for Japan's international cooperation (Asahi) 
 
(7) Editorial: Ensure safety for int'l contributions (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
 
(8) BOJ governor pins high hopes on ripple effects of growth of 
emerging countries (Nikkei) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Ruling parties step up search for alternative Futenma relocation 
sites after Henoko relocation opponent elected as Nago mayor 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
January 27, 2010 
 
Keiichi Kaneko, Akira Uchida 
 
With the victory of the candidate opposed to Henoko relocation in 
the mayoral election of Nago City, Okinawa, the three ruling parties 
are stepping up their efforts to find a relocation site for the 
Futenma Air Station. The Hatoyama administration is also maneuvering 
actively behind the scenes to find a solution to this issue. 
However, a remark by Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano that 
"there is no reason why the popular will in the local community 
should be taken into consideration" has become a new source of 
conflict. The road ahead will remain bumpy. 
 
The island of Tokunoshima in Kagoshima Prefecture has newly emerged 
as a candidate relocation site. According to an informed source, a 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Diet member close to Prime Minister 
Yukio Hatoyama visited Tokunoshima recently on his behalf and 
exchanged views with local officials. 
 
Tokunoshima is located to the southwest of the Amami-Oshima islands 
and is approximately 200 kilometers from Futenma. The Tokunoshima 
airport has a 2,000-meter runway, and there is a plan to expand this 
airport. Local officials reportedly said that "if the government 
comes up with a policy, we will consider the matter." 
 
At a meeting of the "National Vision Study Group," a private 
 
TOKYO 00000174  002 OF 012 
 
 
advisory body to the Prime Minister, in early January, the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force's Omura base (in Omura City, Nagasaki Prefecture) 
and the Ground Self-Defense Force's Ainoura base (in Sasebo City, 
Nagasaki) were cited as possible relocation sites. 
 
While these candidate sites being discussed privately may be 
included in the government's proposals, the official venue for the 
search for an alternative relocation site is the Okinawa base issues 
examination committee of the government and the ruling parties. 
Committee members from the ruling parties will be submitting their 
concrete proposals shortly, and the Hatoyama cabinet will select a 
relocation site acceptable to the U.S. side by May, which it has set 
as the deadline. 
 
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the People's New Party (PNP) 
are looking at locations outside of Okinawa and are studying the 
possibility of using the SDF bases in Kyushu. SDP House of 
Representatives member Kantoku Teruya toured the Saga airport on 
Jan. 19. On the other hand, this party has decided to eliminate Iwo 
Jima (Tokyo) as a possible choice because of frequent volcanic 
activities there. 
 
PNP policy chief Mikio Shimoji met with Mayor Takashi Matsumoto of 
Omura City in Nagasaki on Jan. 26 and told him, "We may draft a plan 
requesting the parking of U.S. Marine helicopters in Omura." 
Matsumoto replied that, "If this is an official plan of the 
government, we will think about it." 
 
Relocation within Okinawa may also become a possibility once again. 
 
Although the candidate opposed to Futenma's relocation to the 
coastal area of Henoko under the Japan-U.S. agreement won in the 
Nago election, there is also a plan to build a heliport on land 
inside Camp Schwab (in Nago City). Proposals to integrate Futenma 
with the Kadena Air Base (in the town of Kadena) and to transfer 
some exercises to the island of Iejima (in Ie Village) have also 
come up. 
 
DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa has mentioned Shimojishima (in 
Miyakojima City, Okinawa), which is approximately 300 kilometers 
from the main island of Okinawa. However, the U.S. forces are likely 
to disapprove of this location in consideration of training needs 
and joint operations with other bases. 
 
Futenma relocation has remained a difficult problem for 13 years. In 
the end, the Futenma base may remain in its current location with 
measures being taken to lighten the burden on the local committees, 
such as by transferring helicopter exercises based in Futenma. 
 
Chief cabinet secretary under fire for his remark 
 
At a news conference on Jan. 26, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi 
Hirano made several remarks that could be interpreted by the local 
authorities as the government's intention to invoke the power of the 
state, such as: "Is it impossible to move things forward without the 
consent (of the local government of the relocation site)?" and "Is 
it enough to obtain the approval of 50 percent or does it require 
the consent of every citizen?" 
 
Hatoyama tried to play down the controversy when he talked to 
reporters in the evening. He said: "I will be responsible for 
obtaining the understanding of the Okinawan people when making the 
 
TOKYO 00000174  003 OF 012 
 
 
decision." Although Hirano also talked about "obtaining (the local 
people's) understanding," he seemed to be implying that ultimately, 
it does not matter even if the local government disagrees, eliciting 
criticism from both the ruling and opposition parties. 
 
Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Tadamori Oshima voiced 
the following criticism: "Politics should not be conducted without 
the humble attitude of seeking the understanding and cooperation of 
the local people. This is (a manifestation of) the government's 
self-righteous notion of democracy." 
 
The Uru-no-kai group of ruling party Diet members elected from 
Okinawa agreed at a meeting on Jan. 26 that "the chief cabinet 
secretary's statement is unacceptable" and decided to lodge a 
protest with the government. SDP Lower House member Teruya told 
reporters furiously: "This is more than outrageous. I feel like 
punching his lights out. His senses as a politician are 
questionable." 
 
However, it will indeed be extremely difficult to find a new 
relocation site and obtain the "local people's consent" by May. 
Hirano's remarks also clearly reflected his anguish and desire to 
take precautionary measures to forestall future criticisms. 
 
Futenma relocation is a main component of the U.S. Forces Japan 
realignment plans and is an issue affecting national security. There 
is an opinion that if the government's hands are tied too tightly by 
the wishes of the local governments, it will be unable to take 
responsibility for selecting a relocation site. It appears that 
Hirano made his remark on Jan. 25 that "there is no reason why (the 
result of the Nago election) should be taken into account," which 
drew fire from Okinawa, out of his desire to avoid being influenced 
too much by the situation in the local communities and to keep a 
free hand for the Hatoyama cabinet. Minister for Okinawa and 
Northern Territories Affairs Seiji Maehara indicated his sympathy 
for Hirano on Jan. 26, saying: "I basically agree with the chief 
cabinet secretary's statement." 
 
At recent meetings and gatherings, Hatoyama has apparently been 
frequently mentioning that "the chief cabinet secretary is working 
very hard on the Futenma issue." It is possible that such remarks 
have put pressure on Hirano. 
 
(2) Mayors of Tokunoshima, rumored to be Futenma relocation site, 
refuse to meet chief cabinet secretary, say relocation "impossible" 
 
ASAHI (page 14) (Full) 
Evening, January 27, 2010 
 
With regard to reports that the island of Tokunoshima in Kagoshima 
Prefecture has emerged as a possible relocation site for the U.S. 
forces' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa), the town 
mayors and other officials on the island admitted on Jan. 27 that 
there had been an inquiry from a Democratic Party of Japan Diet 
member close to Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, but revealed that 
they rejected the proposal. 
 
According to Mayor Akira Okubo of the town of Isen, the three town 
mayors in Tokunoshima met with this Diet member on Jan. 25. They 
were told that the government wishes to build a replacement facility 
for the Futenma base on Tokunoshima and were requested to hold a 
meeting with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano. 
 
TOKYO 00000174  004 OF 012 
 
 
 
After discussing this matter among themselves, the three mayors 
decided not to meet Hirano and notified the Diet member of their 
decision on Jan. 26. Okubo told the press: "We have rejected the 
proposal formally and told them that Futenma's relocation to 
Tokunoshima is impossible. This proposal will not go any further." 
 
Mayor Hideki Takaoka of the town of Tokunoshima also said: "There 
was an inquiry, but we rejected it formally. Bases impose a heavy 
burden on the local communities." 
 
Mayor Kosuke Ohisa of the town of Amagi, where the Tokunoshima 
airport with a 2,000-meter runway is located, said: "Personally, I 
think a U.S. military base is not appropriate for an island of 
longevity, children, and healing. This is nonsense." 
 
(3) Futenma in turmoil (Part 2): No way out for relocation issue 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Abridged slightly) 
January 27, 2010 
 
"I want to ask high-ranking Japanese officials how the result of 
this election could affect the Japanese government's policy," U.S. 
Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, who handles the Obama 
administration's Japan policy, said to Japanese reporters on Jan. 
¶25. Campbell was speaking about the fact that Susumu Inamine, who 
opposes the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air 
Station, won the Nago mayoral election (on Jan. 24). 
 
The U.S. government is becoming increasingly concerned that the 
existing Henoko plan, which it regards as the only feasible plan, 
might fall through. 
 
The U.S. side reportedly obtained a promise from the Hatoyama 
administration late last year that it will settle the matter in May 
¶2010. Tokyo also reportedly informed Washington that the incumbent 
mayor in favor of the existing plan was likely to win his second 
term. "So we had expectations that Japan will decide to go along 
with the existing plan by May," a U.S. government source said. 
 
The result was contradictory to U.S. expectations. "A new factor has 
been added," Campbell said, indicating that the implementation of 
the existing plan has now become difficult. 
 
It is inadvisable to throw the deterioration of the Japan-U.S. 
relationship into relief by pressuring Tokyo, so Washington was 
planning to remain calm until May, according to a high-level U.S. 
official. But some in the U.S. government are likely to become more 
frustrated with Tokyo. The Hatoyama administration wants to strike a 
balance between the Okinawan people's sentiments and the Japan-U.S. 
agreement. But in reality there seems to be no way out of this 
situation. Japan-U.S. relations are strained. Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Hirofumi Hirano also said the day after the Nago poll, 
"There is no reason why we have to take the election result into 
account," making Okinawa more distrustful of the government. 
 
Hirano also expressed a negative stance yesterday on forming a 
consensus with the government of the relocation site. Kantoku 
Teruya, a Social Democratic Party Lower House member from Okinawa, 
criticized Hirano harshly: "He is so outrageous that I want to punch 
him. I question his sense as a politician." 
 
 
TOKYO 00000174  005 OF 012 
 
 
As a result of manipulating words to cling to power, the Hatoyama 
administration has drawn strong reactions from all the parties 
concerned. 
 
U.S. government officials and Japan experts in the United States, 
such as former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, are 
underlining the need to consider a Plan B, an alternative plan. From 
the pessimistic view that determining a new relocation site is 
difficult, the idea is to devise remedial measures premised on the 
notion that the Futenma base will remain in the current location 
permanently. 
 
It has been over four months since the Hatoyama administration was 
launched. There is a growing possibility that the nightmare of the 
planned return of Futenma Air Station -- Okinawa's long-cherished 
wish -- will go back to the drawing board. 
 
(4) What to do about Futenma Air Station?: Talks with U.S. on 
relocation site urged; Establish close relationship to maintain 
deterrence 
 
YOMIURI (Page 15) (Almost full) 
January 27, 2010 
 
By Hidemichi Katsumata, editorial board member 
 
The Hatoyama administration's lack of definite views of the Futenma 
airfield relocation issue is visible even after the Nago mayoral 
election in Okinawa Prefecture. The nightmare that the Futenma 
relocation site is Futenma is far more likely to be true now than 
ever before. 
 
Japan and the U.S. have discussed various proposals, whether in 
formal or informal settings, for the relocation of the U.S. Marine 
Corp's Futenma Air Station, starting with a plan to integrate it 
with Kadena Air Base. The major focus of attention was on how to 
solve thorny problems of reducing the base burden imposed on Okinawa 
and maintaining deterrence. 
 
Clearing two issues was the precondition for relocating the 
facilities out of the prefecture. 
 
One issue is that when relocating the Futenma functions out of the 
prefecture, Marines, which depend upon helicopters for 
transportation, have to be transferred as well. 
 
If helicopters at Futenma alone are transferred out of the 
prefecture, Marines in Okinawa will be bereft of a means of 
transportation. Should that occur, their daily training would suffer 
a setback. They would also have to wait for helicopters coming from 
a long distance in the event of contingency, which means it would 
take a long time before they could deploy. 
 
In other words, if a municipality outside Okinawa Prefecture agrees 
to host the Futenma facilities, it must accept not only the airfield 
but also the infantry regiment (1,000 Marines) of Camp Schwab (in 
Nago City), combat troops, and a training site for landing practice 
and urban warfare -- training they carry out daily. 
 
The other issue involves air traffic control of the airfield. U.S. 
Forces Japan (USFJ) owns air traffic control rights of its air bases 
at six locations throughout Japan, including Yokota (Tokyo), Misawa 
 
TOKYO 00000174  006 OF 012 
 
 
(Aomori) and Kadena (Okinawa), as well as Futenma. A senior Defense 
Ministry official said: "USFJ owns air traffic control rights to 
secure free operations of aircraft in the event of contingency. They 
would never relinquish those rights." 
 
At present, air-traffic controllers of the Transport Ministry are 
controlling civilian aircraft at many local airports and their 
surrounding airspace. However, it would not be easy for them to 
control the operations of U.S. military aircraft, which conduct 
frequent landing and takeoff practice. Even if the job is relegated 
to the Marine Corps, it would affect the operations of civilian 
aircraft, depending on the frequency of drills. 
 
It was, in the end, decided to relocate the Futenma facilities 
within the prefecture. The coastal area of Henoko was picked from 
among several candidate areas for its high feasibility. This is the 
background of the U.S. insisting that the existing plan is the best 
relocation site. 
 
However, the Hatoyama administration had been insisting on 
relocation outside the prefecture or Japan, as pledged during the 
election campaign. But as soon as it was found difficult to do so, 
it came up with a plan to relocate the facility to Iejima island in 
Okinawa Prefecture, a candidate site Japan and the U.S. had already 
discussed. Furthermore, the Hatoyama administration is making moves 
to search for a new relocation site in the coastal area of the 
eastern part of the mainland of Okinawa, which surprised Okinawa 
Governor Hirokazu Nakaima, who said: "I thought the government was 
searching for a location outside the prefecture or Japan. But it is 
inspecting various areas within the prefecture." The government is 
putting out feelers to airports in Saga and Shizuoka Prefectures and 
the Maritime Self-Defense Force Omura Base in Nagasaki Prefecture as 
possible relocation sites. 
 
The Hatoyama administration should address these two issues, which 
it was unable to resolve previously, by examining the process of 
past Japan-U.S. talks, before throwing out various relocation sites 
like spur-of-the-moment ideas. At the same time, in order to mend 
Japan-U.S. relations, which are beset by constant friction, the 
Hatoyama administration should ask the U.S. to come to the 
negotiating table to maintain deterrence, which is linked as a set 
to the relocation of the Futenma Air Station (reduction of the base 
burden). In my view, if the administration decides on a relocation 
site on its own and proposes it to the U.S., it would never produce 
a favorable result. 
 
The greatest deterrence for Japan is its strong bond with the U.S. 
Without such a relationship, it would be impossible to constrain a 
threat from North Korea or China. There are not so many steps in 
removing the potential danger of Futenma Air Station promptly and 
closing the gap between Japan and the U.S. 
 
(5) Editorial: Make pragmatic changes to Futenma relocation plan 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 27, 2010 
 
A candidate opposed to the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' 
Futenma Air Station (Ginowan City, Okinawa) to the Henoko district 
won the Nago mayoral election. In this regard, Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Hirofumi Hirano said, "If we take local consent into 
account, we won't be able to do anything." 
 
TOKYO 00000174  007 OF 012 
 
 
 
Hirano was apparently implying the possibility that the government 
will make a decision on its own even if it cannot secure approval of 
the local municipality to which the Futenma air base would be 
relocated. 
 
Although his remarks drew a strong reaction from the ruling and 
opposition parties, as well as from Nago City, he made this comment: 
"Can't we move things forward without local consent? This is a 
matter of Japan's security." 
 
His series of remarks can be taken to mean that the government has 
left the existing Japan-U.S. agreement to relocate the Futenma base 
to the coastal area of Camp Schwab (Nago City) open as an option. 
 
Moreover, Japan's security is directly linked to the deterrence 
provided by U.S. forces in Japan. It can be said that the government 
has expressed its clear intention to take responsibility for 
maintaining that deterrence capability. This is an extremely 
appropriate judgment. 
 
The U.S. government has insisted that the Japan-U.S. agreement "is 
the best and only viable option." 
 
From the standpoint of placing importance on the Japan-U.S. 
alliance, Hirano's remarks are apparently aimed at coming up with a 
pragmatic plan, eliminating such low feasibility options as moving 
the Futenma base out of Okinawa or out of Japan, for which many in 
the ruling camp have strongly called. 
 
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama remarked as follows apropos the Nago 
mayoral election result: "There is no change in the government 
stance of "zero-base" (looking for a relocation site from scratch)." 
His comment indicated that the government would search for a new 
relocation site, while keeping the existing plan as an option. 
 
However, the government should not use vague expressions such as 
'zero-base,' but should instead resolve the Futenma issue as early 
as possible without waiting for the deadline of May. 
 
Because it seems likely that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and 
the People's New Party (PNP) will oppose the existing plan and 
because it will much time for coordination with the local 
municipalities concerned, the environmental impact assessment 
premised on the existing relocation plan should be moved forward. 
 
The Futenma issue is leading to the hollowing out of the Japan-U.S. 
alliance. On the important occasion of the 50th anniversary of the 
revision of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, the government must not 
create a crisis in the bilateral relationship between Japan and the 
United States. The prime minister told President Barack Obama in 
their meeting held last November, "I want you to trust me." 
Hatoyama, however, betrayed Obama by putting off a decision on the 
Futenma issue. 
 
As Hatoyama is the one who caused the confusion, he bears 
responsibility for averting any crisis in order to preserve the 
peace and safety of the nation. 
 
(6) Interview with UN Political Affairs Officer Kiyotaka Kawabata: 
Dispatch of SDF to Haiti on PKO mission might become turning point 
for Japan's international cooperation 
 
TOKYO 00000174  008 OF 012 
 
 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
January 27, 2010 
 
The Hatoyama cabinet has decided to dispatch Self-Defense Force 
(SDF) personnel to Haiti to join the UN peacekeeping operations 
(PKO) mission. The Asahi Shimbun interviewed UN Political Affairs 
Officer Kiyotaka Kawabata, distinguished professor at the Graduate 
School of Osaka University, to ask for his views about whether the 
planned SDF operations in Haiti will become a new type of 
international cooperation activity by Japan. 
 
-- What is your evaluation of Japan's response to the devastation 
caused by the earthquake in Haiti? 
 
Kawabata: Japan was slow to act and its medical team didn't arrive 
in Haiti until five days after the quake. But now the government has 
decided to dispatch the SDF to the quake-stricken area. Haiti's 
government has ceased to function, so the presence of well-equipped 
military units is indispensable for reconstruction activities. The 
participation of SDF personnel should be welcomed. 
 
The government's decision this time is also very important in view 
of the nation's PKO policy. The PKO mission in Haiti can be 
categorized as "new-generation PKO" for which the force specified in 
Chapter 7 of the UN Charter is granted, although such force is 
limited, for instance, to supporting police and protecting citizens. 
New-generation PKO have sharply increased in the post-Cold War era. 
In this era, civil wars, in which it is difficult to identify the 
parties in a conflict, have become a major threat for peacekeeping. 
 
Japan has refrained from sending the SDF overseas on a PKO mission, 
bound by its five principles on PKO participation, including such 
requirements for PKO participation as the existence of a cease-fire 
agreement between the parties to a conflict and agreement by the 
concerned parties. The SDF's planned dispatch to Haiti might become 
a turning point for Japan's stalled PKO cooperation activities. 
 
-- Japan withdrew the Maritime Self-Defense Force's vessels that 
were engaged in the refueling mission in the Indian Ocean as part of 
cooperation in the war on terror in Afghanistan. 
 
Kawabata: Japan was losing sight of whether the mission was an 
extension of the Japan-U.S. alliance or a part of UN activities. 
Because differences in both activities have become conspicuous since 
the end of the Cold War, these activities can no longer be 
categorized as "international contributions." Saying that it will 
not take part in U.S.-led wars, such as the Iraq war, the Democratic 
Party of Japan has distanced itself from anti-terrorism operations 
outside the framework of the UN. This is probably a wise decision. 
 
But the Hatoyama cabinet has not come up with any specific 
international peace cooperation measures yet. The cabinet has 
decided to disburse 5 billion dollars in assistance for Afghanistan 
but remains tight-lipped about manpower contributions. Urgent tasks 
for peacekeeping include public security measures such as the 
fostering of national forces, and measures to reform the election 
system to eliminate corruption. If Japan alone continues to refrain 
from making manpower contributions, will its peacekeeping 
cooperation be regarded as sufficient? 
 
-- What measures should the Hatoyama cabinet pursue? 
 
TOKYO 00000174  009 OF 012 
 
 
 
Kawabata:  Financial aid is important in the cases of conflict and 
disaster, but money will be meaningless if victims cannot survive. 
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has said: "I would like to deepen the 
Japan-U.S. alliance to adapt to the evolving environment of the 21st 
century." If the word "deepen" represents his determination to stop 
depending on the U.S. and to take on global roles, Japan must 
provide cooperation in peacekeeping operations under the lead of the 
UN. If Japan hopes to pursue the aims of maintaining favorable 
relations with the U.S. and continuing its positive approach to the 
UN, Japan should have the SDF actively participate in PKO 
activities, which will be appreciated by both the U.S. and the UN. 
 
(7) Editorial: Ensure safety for int'l contributions 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 5) (Full) 
January 27, 2010 
 
The government has decided to send a Ground Self-Defense Force 
contingent to Haiti for reconstruction in the aftermath of a recent 
major earthquake that hit the nation. The GSDF will participate in 
United Nations peacekeeping operations there. We hope that Japan 
will make international contributions in a visible way by utilizing 
its experiences in reconstruction following its own major 
earthquakes. 
 
The earthquake that took place in Haiti - an island nation in the 
Caribbean Sea - reportedly killed 100,000 or 200,000 people. Two 
weeks have now passed since its occurrence. Attention will now be 
focused on the nation's reconstruction. 
 
In Haiti, antigovernment insurgents have become militant. In 2004, 
the United Nations began to station PKO troops there. In the 
earthquake, more than 80 PKO personnel lost their lives. As such, 
the PKO unit sustained catastrophic damage. The United Nations 
decided to send 3,500 reinforcements, and the Japanese government 
also responded. 
 
The Japanese government plans to dispatch a total of about 300 GSDF 
personnel -mostly from the GSDF's engineer brigades - to Haiti's 
disaster-stricken areas, aiming to start reconstruction activities 
there in early February. They will be engaged in such tasks as 
clearing rubble and repairing roads. We hope that the GSDF will 
conduct activities that will give hope to people who lost their 
families or houses. The government will also disburse a total of 70 
million dollars in reconstruction aid. 
 
The ruling Democratic Party of Japan says its government wants to 
deepen Japan's international contributions while working together 
with the United Nations. Japan has now withdrawn the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force from its refueling activities in the Indian 
Ocean. However, Japan can play up its personnel assistance to Haiti 
instead. 
 
However, there is cause for concern. Japan's five principles of PKO 
participation require a "ceasefire agreement between disputed 
parties." In Haiti, however, there is no such ceasefire agreement. 
But the Defense Ministry thinks that there is no problem, explaining 
that the armed insurgents are not organized, and the local incidents 
are crimes such as violence involving criminal groups and are not 
armed conflicts. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000174  010 OF 012 
 
 
According to the Foreign Ministry's information, however, major 
cities in Haiti were dangerous even before the earthquake. The 
Foreign Ministry had therefore advised Japanese nationals to 
postpone traveling to Haiti. After the earthquake, the number of 
lootings and rapes escalated. In the capital city of Port-au-Prince, 
U.N. troops fired warning shots at mobs that had gone out of control 
over food allocation, resulting in injuries. 
 
We can understand the urgency of disaster reconstruction. One of our 
concerns, however, is that the Self-Defense Forces' personnel may be 
involved in an armed conflict. SDF personnel on overseas missions 
are only allowed to use weapons for the purpose of protecting 
themselves, so we wonder if this principle of minimizing the SDF's 
use of weapons can be maintained. 
 
The first and foremost purpose of sending SDF personnel on overseas 
missions is for Japan to conduct humanitarian assistance for the 
victims of disasters. The SDF's overseas dispatch must not be 
intended to display Japan's national prestige. We hope that thorough 
debates will be conducted, including Diet deliberations. 
 
Originally, the primary mission of PKOs is to monitor ceasefire or 
troop withdrawal. In recent years, however, various activities have 
been required. In Cambodia, the SDF was tasked with election 
monitoring in Cambodia. In East Timor, the SDF repaired roads and 
trained local engineers. The SDF has thus made contributions in 
nonmilitary areas. 
 
The SDF's PKO participation in Haiti will be an opportunity for 
Japan to create a new role for itself in international 
contributions. The question, however, is whether the safety of SDF 
personnel will be fully ensured. We will need to consider this 
repeatedly in a careful manner even after the SDF is dispatched. 
 
(8) BOJ governor pins high hopes on ripple effects of growth of 
emerging countries 
 
NIKKEI (Page 5) (Abridged slightly) 
January 27, 2010 
 
Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Masaaki Shirakawa at a press conference 
held after a financial policy-setting meeting on Jan. 26 noted, 
"There will be no disruption in the upward trend of the economy." He 
thus indicated his perception that the situation of the Japanese 
economy sinking into a double-dip recession can be avoided. He has 
determined that since emerging economies are experiencing ongoing 
greater-than-expected growth, the recovery of production and exports 
will continue for some time to come. He also stressed his policy of 
maintaining an extremely easy monetary environment, as he was 
keeping in mind the potential risk of the U.S. economic recovery 
slowing down. 
 
Participants in the meeting reviewed the Outlook for Economic 
Activity and Prices (Outlook Report) issued in October 2009. They 
made an upward revision of the projection for real growth in fiscal 
2010 from 1.2 percent to 1.3 percent, maintaining the scenario of 
the economy staying on a mild recovery trajectory. They kept the 
projection for fiscal 2011 at 2.1 percent. They also decided to 
leave the policy interest rate at the present level of 0.1 percent a 
year unchanged. 
 
Concerning the future of the domestic economy, Shirakawa stressed: 
 
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"We fully anticipate that the economic expansion might lose steam 
temporarily to a certain extent. However, there will be no 
disruption in the recovery trend." As factors that will affect the 
future of the economy, he pointed out the strength of the economies 
of resource-rich and fast emerging countries as a positive factor 
and the adjustment of balance sheets by European countries and the 
U.S. as a negative factor. He then indicated his perception that the 
situation that has caused concern over downside risks has improved. 
 
With regard to consumer prices, excluding perishable goods, the 
participants maintained the view that although the rate of decline 
will slow down, a negative trend in comparison with the previous 
year's level will continue for three years from fiscal 2009 through 
¶2011. Shirakawa pointed out that there has been no change in the 
basic stance of the BOJ's monetary policy at the meeting this time 
from the one adopted in December last year, when the central bank 
announced that it would not tolerate a drop (in consumer prices). 
 
Benefits of greater-than-expected strength 
 
"The trend of the growth of emerging economies affecting exports and 
capital investment by industrialized countries is working 
positively" 
 
The BOJ is continuing its ultra-easy monetary policy. However, 
capital spending is showing no signs of recovery. Personal 
consumption also remains sluggish, except for autos, which are 
benefiting from a tax-break policy. Even so, the Japanese economy is 
likely to avoid sinking into a double-dip recession. This is because 
emerging countries, such as China, are serving as a driving force 
for the global economy. Monetary-easing policies adopted by the 
central banks of industrialized countries cannot easily have an 
impact on their domestic economies. However, risk money that has 
flowed into emerging countries, particularly China, is stimulating 
their economies. There is thus a pattern of industrialized countries 
indirectly benefiting from their policies. Growth driven by emerging 
countries is linked to a rise in commodity prices, which is the 
reason the BOJ has revised its projection for prices upward. 
 
"The aftermath of the Dubai Shock is beginning to die down. 
Discussions on various countries' fiscal trends and their impact on 
the financial market and the impact of discussions on a review of 
monetary supervision are drawing attention recently." 
 
 Shirakawa tacitly pointed out U.S. President Obama's new financial 
regulation plan and financial problems in Greece and other countries 
as new risk factors. Shirakawa stopped short of referring to the new 
U.S. financial regulations, saying, "I would like to refrain from 
making a specific comment." In the meantime, he underscored the 
principle that it is important to take care that a review of 
supervision over financial regulations will not hamper the recovery 
of the macro-economic monetary activities. 
 
"Sustained growth of emerging countries is expected. In the 
meantime, if expectations for our country's growth do not pick up, 
there is a possibility that domestic investment will continue to be 
restrained." 
 
The BOJ is alert to a possible scenario of an increasing number of 
companies shifting their production bases abroad, causing the 
domestic economy to continue to stagnate.  Shirakawa believes that 
such a possibility is slim, but if corporate expectations are 
 
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dampened, such a scenario could become a reality. Pointing out the 
necessity of stimulating potential domestic needs, Shirakawa made a 
request to the government, saying, "It is important for the 
government to develop an environment for competition so that 
corporate efforts can bear fruit." 
 
ROOS