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RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 9664
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 9031

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 000249 
 
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 (1) 02/08/10 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Poll: 74 PERCENT  say Ozawa should quit party post; Hatoyama 
cabinet's support rate at 44 PERCENT , nonsupport at 47 PERCENT 
(Yomiuri) 
(2) Poll: Hatoyama cabinet's nonsupport rate at 45 PERCENT , support 
at 41 PERCENT ; 68 PERCENT  urge Ozawa to resign from party post 
(Asahi) 
(3) Poll: 72 PERCENT  call for Ozawa to quit party post; Hatoyama 
cabinet's support rate remains flat (Tokyo Shimbun) 
(4) Ozawa eyes a visit to U.S. (Nikkei) 
(5) U.S. says Japan's reluctance to sign the Hague Convention "more 
serious than Futenma issue" (Tokyo Shimbun) 
(6) Cabinet makes formal decision on SDF dispatch for PKO in Haiti 
(Yomiuri) 
(7) GSDF team departs for Haiti to engage in PKO (Nikkei) 
(8) Government acknowledges discretionary diplomatic funds paid to 
Prime Minister's Official Residence (Mainichi) 
(9) Interview: Nago mayor to resign if Futenma base is to be 
relocated to Henoko, will not accept any compromise (Asahi) 
(10) Major questions and answers from Feb. 5 House of 
Representatives Budget Committee session - Prime Minister: 
Government will not make light of the popular will expressed in 
victory of anti-relocation candidate in Nago mayoral election 
(Nikkei) 
(11) Japan-U.S. finance ministerial: Agreement reached to ensure 
both economic turnaround and fiscal reconstruction (Nikkei) 
(12) Toyota president offers formal apology (Asahi) 
(13) U.S. government seeks level playing field in response to 
invitation for public opinions on review of postal privatization 
(Nikkei) 
(14) Kamei to reveal draft postal reform plan today (Asahi) 
(15) METI minister announces plan to revise energy plan by June 
(Asahi) 
(16) Parliamentary secretary: Government taskforce eyes easing 
conditions for issuing visas to Chinese tourists from July (Nikkei) 
 
(17) Fisheries minister to propose scaling down research whaling on 
condition of resumption of commercial whaling (Asahi) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Poll: 74 PERCENT  say Ozawa should quit party post; Hatoyama 
cabinet's support rate at 44 PERCENT , nonsupport at 47 PERCENT 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Abridged) 
February 7, 2010 
 
The Yomiuri Shimbun conducted a telephone-based public opinion 
survey across the nation on Feb. 5-6, in which the public approval 
rating for Prime Minister Hatoyama's cabinet was 44 PERCENT  and the 
disapproval rating was 47 PERCENT . Support leveled off from the 45 
PERCENT  rating in the last survey conducted Jan. 16-17. However, 
nonsupport rose 5 percentage points and topped support for the first 
time since the Hatoyama cabinet came into office last September. In 
the survey, a total of 74 PERCENT  said ruling Democratic Party of 
Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa should resign from his party 
post following the indictment of his three former secretaries, 
including Tomohiro Ishikawa, currently a DPJ lawmaker seated in the 
House of Representatives, on the charge of violating the Political 
Funds Control Law over a politics-and-money problem involving 
Ozawa's fund management organization. The figure clearly shows a 
 
TOKYO 00000249  002 OF 012 
 
 
perception gap between the DPJ, which has decided to have Ozawa stay 
in his post, and the public. 
 
Meanwhile, respondents were also asked where to relocate the U.S. 
Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture. In response 
to this question, 31 PERCENT  said the Futenma airfield facility 
should be relocated "as agreed on between Japan and the United 
States," with 15 PERCENT  saying it should be relocated "outside 
Okinawa Prefecture" and 35 PERCENT  saying it should be relocated 
"outside Japan." Respondents were also asked if they were concerned 
about Japan-U.S. relations under the Hatoyama administration. To 
this question, 68 PERCENT  answered "yes," with only 25 PERCENT 
saying "no." When asked if they thought the Hatoyama cabinet could 
turn the nation's economy around, 21 PERCENT  answered "yes," while 
66 PERCENT  said "no." In the breakdown of public support for 
political parties, the DPJ stood at 33 PERCENT  (34 PERCENT  in the 
last survey), with the leading opposition Liberal Democratic Party 
remaining flat at 20 PERCENT  (20 PERCENT  in the last survey). 
 
(2) Poll: Hatoyama cabinet's nonsupport rate at 45 PERCENT , support 
at 41 PERCENT ; 68 PERCENT  urge Ozawa to resign from party post 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Abridged) 
February 7, 2010 
 
Following the prosecutors' decision not to indict ruling Democratic 
Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa over his political 
funds, the Asahi Shimbun conducted a telephone-based spot nationwide 
public opinion survey on Feb. 5-6. According to its findings, the 
rate of public support for Prime Minister Hatoyama's cabinet was 41 
PERCENT  and its nonsupport rate was 45 PERCENT . The Hatoyama 
cabinet's approval rating topped its disapproval rating for the 
first time since its inauguration. In the survey, a total of 68 
PERCENT  said Ozawa should resign as DPJ secretary general. 
Meanwhile, there will be an election this summer for the House of 
Councillors, and respondents were asked which political party they 
would vote for in their proportional representation blocs. In this 
popularity ranking of political parties, the DPJ scored 34 PERCENT , 
with the leading opposition Liberal Democratic Party closing in on 
the DPJ with 27 PERCENT . The figures can be taken as reflecting the 
politics-and-money problem of Ozawa. 
 
In the previous survey, conducted Jan. 16-17, public opinion was 
split over the Hatoyama cabinet, with its support rate at 42 PERCENT 
 and its nonsupport rate at 41 PERCENT . The Hatoyama's cabinet's 
inaugural support and nonsupport ratings last September were 
respectively at 71 PERCENT  and 14 PERCENT . The gap between the 
Hatoyama cabinet's approval and disapproval ratings gradually 
narrowed thereafter and finally changed places in the latest 
survey. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the DPJ 
stood at 34 PERCENT  (36 PERCENT  in the last survey), with the LDP 
at 18 PERCENT  (16 PERCENT  in the last survey). 
 
(3) Poll: 72 PERCENT  call for Ozawa to quit party post; Hatoyama 
cabinet's support rate remains flat 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Abridged) 
February 7, 2010 
 
Kyodo News conducted a telephone-based nationwide public opinion 
 
TOKYO 00000249  003 OF 012 
 
 
survey on Feb. 5-6, in which 72.7 PERCENT  of respondents said 
Ichiro Ozawa, secretary general of the ruling Democratic Party of 
Japan, should resign from his party post, while the prosecutors have 
dropped the case of his fund management organization's alleged 
falsification of political fund reports over its land purchase. The 
survey also showed that 22.8 PERCENT  think Ozawa should be allowed 
to remain in his current party post. In this case, Tomohiro 
Ishikawa, one of Ozawa's former secretaries and currently a DPJ 
lawmaker seated in the House of Representatives, has been indicted. 
In this regard, respondents were asked what Ishikawa should do. To 
this question, 69.1 PERCENT  said he should resign from the Diet, 
with 21.8 PERCENT  saying he does not have to resign from the Diet. 
The public's harsh view of the "politics-and-money" problem has been 
revealed again. 
 
The approval rating for Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his 
cabinet leveled off at 41.4 PERCENT , down 0.1 percentage points 
from the last survey conducted Jan. 17-18. The disapproval rating 
for the Hatoyama cabinet was 45.1 PERCENT , up 1.0 points. The 
nonsupport rate continued to top the support rate from the last 
survey. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the DPJ 
stood at 33.6 PERCENT , up 1.5 points from the last survey. The 
leading opposition Liberal Democratic Party was at 22.8 PERCENT , up 
0.1 points. The Your Party ranked third at 3.9 PERCENT , followed by 
the New Komeito at 3.7 PERCENT , the Japanese Communist Party at 2.3 
PERCENT , the Social Democratic Party at 1.9 PERCENT , and the 
People's New Party at 0.8 PERCENT . "None" accounted for 30.4 
PERCENT . 
 
In the popularity ranking of political parties for this summer's 
House of Councillors election, the DPJ scored 33.6 PERCENT , up 5.2 
points from the last survey, and the LDP was at 23.4 PERCENT , down 
1.3 points. The gap between the two parties has widened. 
 
(4) Ozawa eyes a visit to U.S. 
 
NIKKEI (Page 3) (Full) 
February 6, 2010 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa is 
now considering a visit to the U.S. during the Golden Week holidays 
starting from late April. Now that prosecutors dropped a case 
against him over the alleged false reporting of political funds by 
his fund-raising group Rikuzan-kai, Ozawa appears to want to recover 
political ground by playing a key role in promoting relations with 
the U.S. Some observers believe he holds the key in determining the 
fate of the deadlocked issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' 
Futenma Air Station. 
 
Aim to contain criticism 
 
Ozawa began mulling a U.S. visit in response to a request by U.S. 
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Kurt 
Campbell and other U.S. officials during their meeting on Feb. 2. 
Washington is considering even a meeting between Ozawa and President 
Barack Obama if Ozawa decides to visit the U.S. 
 
Ozawa is thought to be aiming to use a visit to the U.S. to put 
behind him the land-deal case involving his political organization. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000249  004 OF 012 
 
 
Last year, Ozawa played up his political clout for both domestic and 
international observers through a visit to China with a retinue of 
DPJ lawmakers. Campbell has called for a U.S. visit by an Ozawa-led 
group of DPJ members. If the tour is realized, several senior party 
members will likely accompany Ozawa on the visit. A desire to 
contain criticism of Ozawa within the party also seems to be part of 
the calculus of a trip to the U.S. 
 
The meeting between Campbell and Ozawa was decided on the evening of 
Feb. 1. Just before the decision was made, Ozawa had met Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano. An official said: "Upon learning 
that prosecutors decided to drop the case, Mr. Ozawa began arranging 
a visit to the U.S. 
 
The Futenma issue is expected to reach an important stage during the 
Golden Week holidays as the Hatoyama cabinet has promised to decide 
by the end of May a relocation site for the Futenma facility. The 
government and the ruling parties have set up a panel tasked with 
discussing potential relocation sites, but a high-ranking government 
official said: "The panel has yet to explore a likely candidate 
site." The government may try to break the impasse with a visit to 
the U.S. by Ozawa, who holds enormous influence over ruling party 
members. 
 
Ozawa's recent meetings with U.S. Government and Congress members 
 
Feb. 17, 2009 Secretary of State Clinton 
April 10 Republican Senator McCain and others 
April 14 Former Ambassador Mondale 
Oct. 21 Ambassador to Japan Roos 
Oct. 27 Former Ambassador Armacost 
Feb. 2, 2010 Campbell 
 
(5) U.S. says Japan's reluctance to sign the Hague Convention "more 
serious than Futenma issue" 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
Evening, February 6, 2010 
 
Kei Sato, political reporter 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is having difficulty dealing 
with frequent cases of Japanese parents returning to Japan with 
their children without the consent of the other parent after the 
failure of international marriages. Western countries are turning up 
the pressure on Japan, which is not a signatory to the Hague 
Convention, an agreement stipulating the procedures for returning 
children in such cases to their countries of residence. Japan was 
also given a "yellow card" on this issue by the United States, with 
which relations are strained over the issue of the relocation of the 
U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa). 
 
During his recent visit to Japan, Assistant Secretary of State Kurt 
Campbell made what is called "child abduction" the focus of his Feb. 
2 news conference. He said: "This has also become an issue in 
Congress and may become a major concern in Japan-U.S. relations." 
 
Among the G-7 advanced nations, Japan is the only one that is not a 
signatory to the Hague Convention. Western countries have repeatedly 
asked Japan to sign the treaty. Campbell's statement was a warning 
to Japan, which remains reluctant to do so. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000249  005 OF 012 
 
 
Western countries have reported to MOFA many cases of "child 
abduction" by Japanese parents: 77 from the U.S., 37 each from 
Britain and Canada, and 35 from France. The U.S., which is involved 
with the most number of cases, is frustrated with this situation. A 
person connected to the U.S. Embassy in Japan said, "This is more 
serious than the Futenma issue." 
 
It is not that Japan has not taken any action at all. MOFA created a 
new office on parental rights issues last December and began to 
study the pros and cons of signing the Hague Treaty. It has met with 
U.S. and French officials to discuss how to deal with specific 
cases. 
 
However, at this stage the government remains cautious on signing 
the treaty at an early date. It has been pointed out that domestic 
violence by foreign husbands is behind many cases of child 
abduction. There is persistent opposition to signing the treaty 
among parties involved with this issue. Legislative measures will 
also be required to establish procedures for returning the children 
to their countries of residence. 
 
For now, MOFA intends to find solutions for each case on an 
individual basis. It is hard pressed to handle the liaison for such 
cases. 
 
(6) Cabinet makes formal decision on SDF dispatch for PKO in Haiti 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
February 6, 2010 
 
At a cabinet meeting on Feb. 5, the government approved an 
implementation plan and the related government ordinances relating 
to the dispatch of around 350 members of the engineering and other 
units of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) for a reconstruction aid 
mission in Haiti, which was hit by a devastating earthquake, based 
on the UN Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) Cooperation law. This will 
be the first PKO mission initiated under the Hatoyama 
administration. The SDF contingent will operate under the UN 
Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and will engage in 
clearing land for the construction of refugee facilities, removal of 
rubble, road construction, and other activities. This will be the 
seventh time for the SDF to participate in PKO, and the size of the 
contingent will be third largest ever, following the Cambodia 
mission in 1992-93 (approximately 600 members) and the East Timor 
mission in 2002-04 (approximately 690 members). 
 
After the formal cabinet decision was made, Defense Minister Toshimi 
Kitazawa issued the dispatch orders on the evening of Feb. 5. The 
first party of around 160 members, consisting of members of the 
Ground SDF's (GSDF) Central Readiness Force (based in Utsunomiya) 
and other units will depart Japan on Feb. 6 and arrive in Haiti 
before dawn on Feb. 8 (morning of Feb. 7 local time) at the 
earliest. The second party consisting of the GSDF's Fifth Brigade 
(based in Obihiro City, Hokkaido) will leave for Haiti in late 
February. Two SDF officers will also be sent to the MINUSTAH 
headquarters. 
 
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democratic Party began work on Feb. 5 to 
draft a permanent (general) law on SDF overseas missions for 
submission to the current Diet session, judging that this will be a 
good opportunity, since the Social Democratic Party also supported 
the PKO mission in Haiti. 
 
TOKYO 00000249  006 OF 012 
 
 
 
(7) GSDF team departs for Haiti to engage in PKO 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 7, 2010 
 
The first group of about 160 members of the Self-Defense Force left 
for Haiti on Feb. 6 to engage in UN peacekeeping operations and help 
with reconstruction activities in the impoverished Caribbean nation 
devastated by the Jan. 12 quake. This is the first SDF dispatch on a 
UN peacekeeping mission under the administration of Prime Minister 
Yukio Hatoyama. On the same day, the Maritime Self-Defense Forces's 
fleet that was engaged in the refueling operations in the Indian 
Ocean returned to Tokyo's Harumi pier after completing its mission. 
The Hatoyama administration defines the PKO mission to Haiti as a 
new way to contribute to the international community. 
 
"Japan is going to play an active role in conducting UN peacekeeping 
operations, antiterrorism measures, and humanitarian assistance," 
Prime Minister Hatoyama addressed the group during its send-off 
ceremony held at the Defense Ministry. The unit will arrive in 
Port-au-Prince on Feb. 8. In Haiti, the SDF team will engage in such 
activities as clearing rubble and improving facilities for refugees 
 
(8) Government acknowledges discretionary diplomatic funds paid to 
Prime Minister's Official Residence 
 
MAINICHI (Top play) (Lead paragraph) 
February 6, 2010 
 
The Hatoyama cabinet on Feb. 5 adopted a written response 
acknowledging that the Foreign Ministry's remuneration expenses 
(discretionary diplomatic funds) have been paid to the Prime 
Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) in the past. This is the 
first time for the government to acknowledge this practice. The 
government adopted the response in reply to a written request 
presented by House of Representatives member Muneo Suzuki (New Party 
Daichi). Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada explained the reason for the 
change in the government's view at a press conference later in the 
day: "Since we have taken over the reins of government, I provided 
the facts as facts." 
 
(9) Interview: Nago mayor to resign if Futenma base is to be 
relocated to Henoko, will not accept any compromise 
 
ASAHI (Page 39) (Full) 
February 7, 2010 
 
Inteviewer: Atsushi Matsukawa 
 
Susumu Inamine, 64, who will become the mayor of Nago City, Okinawa 
on Feb. 8, gave an interview to Asahi Shimbun where he commented on 
the relocation of the U.S. forces' Futenma Air Station to Henoko in 
Nago City and said: "If I am unable to keep my promise, I will 
resign." He thus stressed that he will put his job as mayor on the 
line in upholding his pledge to oppose Futenma's relocation. 
 
Matsukawa: What will happen to the Henoko relocation plan after you 
become mayor? 
 
Inamine: It will probably be scrapped. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000249  007 OF 012 
 
 
Matsukawa: In the past three mayoral elections, candidates accepting 
the relocation won. Why do you think you won on a platform of 
opposing the relocation? 
 
Inamine: Although economic development measures linked to the 
military bases have continued for 10 years and substantial funds 
have been expended, the people's livelihoods have not improved. The 
reason (I won the election) is probably because many citizens have 
come to realize that. 
 
Matsukawa: If the government says it wants to relocate the Futenma 
base to Henoko after all, what will you do? 
 
Inamine: I have made a commitment not to allow the construction of 
any new base in Henoko. I will stand by that commitment to the end. 
If the government makes such a proposal, I will have to lead the 
citizens in taking action to express our opposition. 
 
Matsukawa: Will you be able to persist in opposing the plan as 
mayor? There are some doubts about that. 
 
Inamine: If I am not able to keep my promise, I will resign (as 
mayor). The way to win trust is by maintaining integrity. 
 
Matsukawa: What if the government is hoping to find a point of 
compromise? 
 
Inamine: That would be a big mistake. 
 
Matsukawa: What will you do if you are presented with an alternative 
plan that imposes a lighter burden in terms of the environment and 
noise than the current plan? For example, the relocation of some 
Futenma functions to the land area of Camp Schwab in Henoko, Nago 
City. 
 
Inamine: Anything that would enhance the existing functions of the 
base is unacceptable. 
 
Matsukawa: When you first announced your candidacy, you did not take 
such a tough stance against the relocation. 
 
Inamine: We have personal experience of how Okinawa has had to live 
with oppression under the political and historical situation. I have 
been opposed to the construction of a new military base from the 
beginning. 
 
Matsukawa: You are saying that you will not rely on economic 
measures linked to the bases. Do you have any concrete plans? 
 
Inamine: In the past, the annual gross agricultural production of 
Nago exceeded 9 billion yen, but it has dropped by approximately 4 
billion yen. If we are able to recover this 4 billion yen, it will 
be a source of income that we can gain through hard work. I would 
also like to look into the potentials of experience-based and 
long-stay tourism and tourism involving exchanges (with the local 
people). I have no intention to spend time on the base issues. I 
would like to work right away on developing agriculture and 
tourism. 
 
(10) Major questions and answers from Feb. 5 House of 
Representatives Budget Committee session - Prime Minister: 
Government will not make light of the popular will expressed in 
 
TOKYO 00000249  008 OF 012 
 
 
victory of anti-relocation candidate in Nago mayoral election 
 
NIKKEI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
February 6, 2010 
 
Futenma base issue 
 
Kantoku Teruya (of the Social Democratic Party): In the recent 
mayoral election in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, a candidate opposed to 
the plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station to 
the Henoko district was elected. 
 
Prime Minister: The popular will must not be taken lightly. If I had 
opted to reach a conclusion at the end of last year in accordance 
with a Japan-U.S. agreement, I would have decided to move the base 
to Henoko. But I have postponed my decision until May, thinking such 
was not possible. 
 
Teruya: What about the possibility of the continued use of Futenma 
Air Station and maintaining the status quo? 
 
Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa: The base is scheduled to be 
returned in 2014, but under the current situation, there is some 
uncertainty about whether the plan can be implemented fully. The 
base cannot be moved until the relocation site is completely 
functional. Points such as whether the base should be moved in 
stages or relocated all at once when the new base is completed have 
not yet been studied in detail. 
 
Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement 
 
Teruya: The Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement is too unequal. 
 
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada: Some factors can be improved through 
talks and the administration of the agreement, so we would like to 
hold serious talks with the United States. We also have a revision 
of the SOFA in mind. We are going to resolve the Futenma Air Station 
relocation issue properly by the end of May. After that, we would 
like to propose a revision of the SOFA. 
 
Futenma base issue 
 
Shigeru Ishiba (of the Liberal Democratic Party): Do you think the 
United States will agree to revise the agreement to relocate U.S. 
forces in Japan to Guam? 
 
Prime Minister: We need to do everything we can until a new 
relocation site is determined. 
 
Ishiba: Is the end of May (the deadline) for everything, including 
obtaining the United States' consent to revise the agreement? 
 
Foreign Minister: We are discussing whether the contents of the 
agreement should be left as is. If the United States is convinced, 
making changes will be possible. But revising the agreement concerns 
the Diet as well, so we cannot decide on our own whether that can be 
done by the end of May. 
 
North Korean issue 
 
Ishiba: North Korea has increased its nuclear capabilities markedly 
over the last several years. To deal with North Korea, it is 
 
TOKYO 00000249  009 OF 012 
 
 
essential for Japan, the United States, South Korea, and China to be 
appropriately aware of the situation. 
 
Foreign Minister: North Korea's current situation is of great 
concern. It is essential that UN sanctions be implemented and 
individual deals not be cut with that country. We are in complete 
agreement with the approach of continuing the current sanctions 
patiently until the North can be properly brought back to the 
Six-Party Talks. 
 
(11) Japan-U.S. finance ministerial: Agreement reached to ensure 
both economic turnaround and fiscal reconstruction 
 
NIKKEI (Top play) (Abridged slightly) 
Evening, February 6, 2010 
 
Yuji Kihara, Iqaluit (in northeastern Canada) 
 
Finance Minister Naoto Kan on the evening of Feb. 5 (morning of the 
6th, Japan time) held talks with U.S. Secretary of the Treasury 
Timothy Geithner for about 40 minutes at a hotel in Iqaluit, Canada. 
Concerning the management of policies after the global financial 
crunch, they agreed on the need to balance economic turnaround with 
fiscal reconstruction. They also reaffirmed a policy of taking a 
concerted approach to reforming financial regulations. 
 
The talks took place prior to the meeting of finance ministers and 
central bank governors from the Group of Seven nations (G-7). It was 
their first meeting since Kan took office as finance minister, 
although they also met in November last year when Geithner visited 
Japan. Senior Vice Finance Minister Kohei Otsuka was also present at 
the meeting. 
 
Emerging from the meeting, Kan told the press corps: "Both Japan and 
the U.S. have the two policy challenges of turning around their 
economy and reconstructing their public finances. We shared the 
perception that we both have similar thorny issues." The two 
apparently confirmed the need to press ahead with economic stimulus 
measures while giving consideration to fiscal discipline in view of 
concerns about growing budget deficits surfacing both in Japan and 
the U.S. as a result of active public spending. 
 
Geithner reportedly explained President Obama's new financial 
regulatory policy, including a ban on investment in hedge funds by 
banks. Kan told the press corps, "The issue will top the agenda at 
the plenary session." He thus indicated the outlook that in-depth 
discussions of the issue would be pursued at the G-7 meeting. 
 
The Department of the Treasury after the meeting released a 
statement, which read that the Japanese and U.S. finance ministers 
reaffirmed a policy of discussing measures to correct the imbalance 
of the global economy and shore up the economy from the financial 
crisis, and addressing the financial regulation issue in cooperation 
with 20 countries and regions, including G-7 member nations and 
emerging countries, on a priority basis. 
 
(12) Toyota president offers formal apology 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Lead paragraph) 
February 6, 2010 
 
Toyota Motor Co. President Akio Toyoda held on the night of Feb. 5 
 
TOKYO 00000249  010 OF 012 
 
 
the first press conference related to Toyota's series of 
quality-control problems discovered since last fall, including 
sticking accelerator pedals resulting in a recall. He said, "I 
apologize from the bottom of my heart for causing our customers 
trouble and concern." He then said: "I as the head of a 
manufacturing company feel extreme regret that our company has 
caused our customers concern about the quality of our cars. The 
company's situation is critical," indicating that Toyota will 
quickly come up with measures to improve safety. 
 
(13) U.S. government seeks level playing field in response to 
invitation for public opinions on review of postal privatization 
 
NIKKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
February 6, 2010 
 
"The United States requests that (the Japanese government) not give 
preferential treatment to the Japan Post Group in insurance, 
banking, and express (postal and delivery) services" - (American 
Embassy in Japan). It has been learned that the U.S. government 
submitted an opinion seeking a level playing field with the private 
sector in response to an invitation for opinions from the public on 
a review of postal services by the government's postal reform 
promotion office (PRPO) from last December through this January. 
 
The postal reform promotion office on Feb. 5 announced the results 
of the public opinions submitted. Two hundred and nineteen opinions 
were submitted both from organizations and individuals. The Japanese 
Bankers Association expressed its concern about the expansion of 
postal services. The postal services industry labor union sought the 
unified management of three businesses - postal services, postal 
savings, and postal insurance. 
 
(14) Kamei to reveal draft postal reform plan today 
 
ASAHI (Page 5) (Full) 
February 6, 2010 
 
In an interview after a cabinet meeting yesterday, State Minister 
for Postal Reform Shizuka Kamei said that he would reveal on Feb. 8 
the draft of a postal reform bill, which he plans to submit to the 
current Diet session. Since opinions are split over a proposal to 
raise the maximum limit on the money deposited with Japan Post Bank 
Co. and the rates of shares in integrated postal firms held by the 
government, no conclusion is likely to be specified in the bill. 
Kamei hopes to coordinate the views of ruling party members after 
hearing them. Regarding the management structure of the group, the 
bill is expected to propose a three-company system in which Japan 
Post Bank and Japan Post Insurance Co. would be placed under a 
holding company to be formed by integrating Japan Post Holdings Co., 
Japan Post Service Co., and Japan Post Network Co. 
 
(15) METI minister announces plan to revise energy plan by June 
 
ASAHI (Page 5) (Full) 
February 6, 2010 
 
Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Minister Masayuki Naoshima on 
Feb. 5 announced that the ministry will revise Japan's "Basic Energy 
Plan," which stipulates the direction of the nation's energy policy 
until 2030, by June. The revised plan will present a path toward 
balancing economic growth with measures to curb global warming by 
 
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incorporating expanded use of renewable energies and accelerated 
development of environmental technologies. To be precise, the 
government intends to include in the new plan measures to promote 
the introduction of renewable energies, such as solar energy 
generation and wind power generation, and steps to boost the 
dissemination of next-generation vehicles. 
 
The Hatoyama administration intends to cut greenhouse gas emissions 
by 25 percent from the 1990 level by 2020. Naoshima, however, 
steered clear of mentioning the share of reductions to be achieved 
through domestic measures by 2020 that will be included in the 
revision this time. 
 
A basic plan committee will be set up under the resources and energy 
research council, an advisory panel reporting to the METI minister. 
The committee will launch discussions on Feb. 9. Panel members will 
likely include academic experts, consumers, and representatives of 
the labor sector. Industry circles will only participate in 
hearings. 
 
(16) Parliamentary secretary: Government taskforce eyes easing 
conditions for issuing visas to Chinese tourists from July 
 
NIKKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
February 6, 2010 
 
The government taskforce to promote tourists from overseas, headed 
by Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Seiji 
Maehara, agreed at a meeting of its working group on Feb. 5 that the 
taskforce will come up with a policy direction by March with regard 
to the easing of conditions for issuing tourist visas to individual 
Chinese. 
 
Parliamentary Secretary Yuji Fujimoto told the press corps: 
"Coinciding with the start of full-fledged issuance of visas in 
July, we want to ease conditions." 
 
In connection with tourist visas for Chinese individuals, it has 
been noted that conditions such as that applicants must have an 
annual income of 250,000 yuan are too strict. As a result, a review 
of the conditions for visa issuance is now being discussed. 
 
At present, Japan issues tourist visas at diplomatic posts in 
Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. In July, it will begin issuing 
visas at all of its diplomatic and consular offices in China, 
including Qingdao, Shenyang, Chongqing, and Dalian. The government 
taskforce is hoping to increase the number of Chinese tourists by 
boosting the number of locations at which visas are issued and 
easing the conditions for visa issuance. 
 
(17) Fisheries minister to propose scaling down research whaling on 
condition of resumption of commercial whaling 
 
ASAHI (Page 5) (Excerpts) 
February 6, 2010 
 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Hirotaka Akamatsu has 
decided to present in the annual general meeting of the 
International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Morocco in June Japan's 
new proposal to review its research whaling program in the Southern 
Ocean in exchange for the resumption of a commercial catch of minke 
whales off Japan. Revealing this plan in a press conference 
 
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yesterday, he said that the ministry is pushing ahead with 
coordination with the U.S., which is opposed to whaling; Norway, 
which has carried out commercial whaling; and other countries. 
 
Japan has maintained that research whaling in the Southern Ocean is 
a legitimate act under the International Convention for the 
Regulation of Whaling. It has also called on the IWC to allow its 
resumption of a commercial catch of minke whales off Japan. The 
envisioned proposal would mark a major switch in the nation's 
whaling policy as it would 
represent an abandonment of the heretofore assertion of the goals of 
conducting both research whaling and commercial whaling. 
 
Details such as the size of the whale catch have yet to be revealed. 
But Akamatsu seems to have no intention of immediately ceasing 
research whaling, as he told his Australian counterpart in an 
unofficial ministerial conference in late January under the World 
Trade Organization (WTO): "Japan will also consider the possibility 
of reducing (the number of whales to be hunted in its research 
whaling program)." 
 
ROOS