Cablegate: Daily Summary of Japanese Press 11/28/08

VZCZCXRO1288
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #3253/01 3330630
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280630Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9070
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/USDOT WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5//
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 3529
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 1168
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 4958
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 9177
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 1739
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6575
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2570
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2703

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 003253

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 11/28/08

INDEX:

(1) Defense minister, U.S. ambassador concur on need for efforts to
secure funding for U.S. force realignment (Okinawa Times)

(2) Editorial: Japan should show plans to help cluster bomb victims
(Asahi)

(3) U.S. Army to court-martial soldier for rape of Filipino woman in
Okinawa in February (Ryukyu Shimpo)

ARTICLES:

(1) Defense minister, U.S. ambassador concur on need for efforts to
secure funding for U.S. force realignment

OKINAWA TIMES (Page 2) (Full)
November 27, 2008

(Tokyo)

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer called on Defense Minister
Yasukazu Hamada at the Defense Ministry yesterday. In exchanging
views about the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, the two agreed
on the need for the U.S. and Japan to make efforts to secure funding
so that the realignment will be completed by 2014 as agreed on
between the two countries.

Hamada met with Schieffer for the first time since he became defense
minister. The ambassador indicated that Japan-U.S. relations will
remain unchanged even after the change of administration in the
U.S., saying: "The U.S. is in the period of transition, but I think
the Japan-U.S. alliance will remain important, and important matters
will be handed over (to the next administration)."

Looking back over his days as ambassador to Japan, Schieffer stated:
"The agreement on U.S. force realignment contributed to adding
momentum to the Japan-U.S. alliance. Given that the agreement was
reached after very protracted, tough negotiations, I hope that Japan
and the U.S. will strengthen bilateral ties by implementing
bilateral commitments."

Hamada replied: "The realignment plans should be completed by 2014.
Although there are budgetary problems, we will make utmost efforts
to translate our bilateral agreement into action."

After meeting with Hamada, Schieffer told reporters: "In promoting
the realignment process, it would be the best way for Japan to
include a large sum of expenses in the fiscal 2009 budget." This
remark seems to be reflecting his concern about the fact that the
Japanese government is now studying the possibility of delaying to
fiscal 2010 its earmarking of costs necessary for new contracts
related to the construction of an alternative facility for the U.S.
Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station.

(2) Editorial: Japan should show plans to help cluster bomb victims

ASAHI (Page 3) (Full)
November 27, 2008

A signing ceremony will be held in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 3 for an
international treaty banning cluster munitions. The Japanese

TOKYO 00003253 002 OF 003

government also supports the treaty and will sign it.

Cluster munitions, also known as cluster bombs, are air-dropped or
ground-launched munitions that scatter hundreds of smaller
submunitions or bomblets to attack ground targets, such as tanks.
This bomb is criticized as inhumane because many of its bomblets can
be left unexploded to cause tragic damage to civilians after
battles.

After the Cold War, the United States and other countries used
cluster bombs in the wars in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Unexploded bomblets left in farmland and other areas hamper postwar
reconstruction efforts. This is why the cluster bomb is referred to
as another type of landmine.

Nongovernmental organizations in Western countries therefore
launched the Cluster Munitions Coalition (CMC) to push for a total
ban on cluster munitions. The driving force of this move has been a
network of NGOs that worked to establish an international treaty
prohibiting antipersonnel landmines and that also made efforts for
an international campaign against landmines, which was awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.

Mid-size countries in Europe and the CMC worked together and
promoted international public opinion against cluster bombs. In May
this year, their efforts were shaped into an international consensus
for an almost total ban on the cluster munitions.

Japan is one of the countries that have cluster munitions. The
Japanese government was initially reluctant to support the idea of
placing an all-out ban on cluster munitions, taking the position
that cluster munitions are useful for repelling landing enemy troops
at the water's edge. However, major European countries, including
Britain and Germany, moved to support the cluster ban treaty. Given
this move, the then prime minister, Yasuo Fukuda, decided to support
the treaty out of humanitarian consideration.

One of the pillars of Japan's diplomacy is "human security," which
emphasizes humanitarianism and human rights. Eliminating cluster
munitions is consistent with this human security drive. Foreign
Minister Nakasone should attend the signing ceremony and make a
strong appeal to the world for no more victims. Japan should work
together with European countries and other proponents to urge such
opponents as the United States, China, and Russia to think twice
about their stance against the cluster ban.

In 1997, the treaty to ban antipersonnel landmines was signed. The
then foreign minister, Keizo Obuchi, who decided on Japan's
participation in the treaty, attended the signing ceremony. On that
occasion, Obuchi promised that Japan would provide a total of 10
billion yen over five years in an effort to remove landmines and
help victims. This commitment was highly appreciated in the
international community.

Japan should also come up with plans for its contributions to such
international efforts as removing unexploded bomblets and providing
aid to victims.

The Japan Campaign to Ban Landmines (JCBL), a member of the CMC, is
working on the Japanese government to extend a helping hand to
cluster victims with a wide range of measures, including creating a
law to help disabled people, in addition to gathering information

TOKYO 00003253 003 OF 003

about victims and providing medical and social rehabilitation aid.
There must be many ways for Japan to meet needs for the relief of
victims.

The treaty will come into effect about six months after the first 30
countries have ratified it. Japan should become one of the 30
countries and set about scrapping its cluster munitions right away.

Japan was late in ratifying the anti-landmine treaty, so it could
not be among the first 40 countries that put the treaty into force.
Japan must not make the same mistake again.

(3) U.S. Army to court-martial soldier for rape of Filipino woman in
Okinawa in February

RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 1) (Full)
November 27, 2008

The Public Relations Office of U.S. Forces Japan announced yesterday
that the Army will court-martial Corporal Ronald Hopstock, 25, for
the alleged rape of a Filipino woman in Okinawa in February of this
year.

The U.S. Army in Okinawa made this decision on Nov. 25. It is still
unknown when and where the court-martial will be held, but the trial
is likely to be set for late February. Hopstock will be subject to
trial by high court-martial, where most serious cases are tried.

The Okinawa-based soldier is also charged with procuring a Japanese
prostitute and disobeying a liberty order.

Hopstock belongs to the Patriot Missile (PAC3) unit. In a
preliminary hearing in October to decide on whether to hold a
court-martial, he claimed that the sex with the woman was
consensual, insisting on his innocence. He reportedly is performing
his duty, like other soldiers.

The Okinawa Prefectural Police Headquarters sent the case to the
public prosecutors' office this April for the alleged rape of and
injury to the Filipino woman. The Naha District Court decided not to
prosecute the case in May because of insufficient evidence.

SCHIEFFER

© Scoop Media