Tuesday, August 31 - Kyodo Articles

Opposition lawmakers slam DPJ power struggle

Aug 31 09:36 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Opposition lawmakers on Tuesday criticized the ruling Democratic Party of Japan following failed attempts to avoid a showdown between Prime Minister Naoto Kan and DPJ heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa in the party's Sept. 14 presidential election. ...

Japan, U.S. to give due consideration to dugongs in base talks+

Aug 31 09:32 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Japan and the United States said Tuesday they will consider the possible impact of the planned construction of a facility to accommodate the heliport functions of a U.S. Marine base in Okinawa on the dugong, an endangered marine mammal spotted in the area. ...

LEAD: Nago mayor criticizes Japan-U.S. report on Futenma relocation+

Aug 31 09:29 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: CLARIFYING BACKGROUND INFO ON FLIGHT ROUTES IN LAST 2 GRAF) Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine strongly criticized a report unveiled Tuesday by Japan and the United States on on the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan to Henoko in the city of Nago in Okinawa. ...

3RD LD: Japan, U.S. eye 2 base shape options, continue flight route talks+

Aug 31 09:04 AM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 31 (Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING NAGO MAYOR'S COMMENT IN 9TH-10TH GRAFS, OKADA'S COMMENTS IN PENULTIMATE GRAF) Japan and the United States unveiled Tuesday a report on the technical details of the planned replacement facility for a key U.S. Marine base in Okinawa that presents two options for its design -- either two runways in a V-shaped formation or a single runway. ...

Defense Ministry to seek U.S. bases costs under special framework+

Aug 31 08:02 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ The Defense Ministry said Tuesday it will request 4.71 trillion yen in fiscal 2011 budget appropriations, up 0.6 percent over its fiscal 2010 initial budget, including 185.9...

LEAD: Kan regrets DPJ will hold leadership election+

Aug 31 07:36 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: RECASTING WITH MORE INFO) Prime Minister Naoto Kan expressed regret Tuesday that his Democratic Party of Japan will hold a presidential election, saying he had wanted ...

Nago mayor criticizes Japan-U.S. report on Futenma relocation+

Aug 31 07:13 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine strongly criticized a report unveiled Tuesday by Japan and the United States on the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in

30-month prison term finalized for former top defense bureaucrat

August 31 2010 19:55 JST

TOKYO, Aug. 31 KYODO_ A ruling of 30 months in prison has become final for former Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya who was convicted on bribery and perjury charges in a lower court, as last Friday he withdrew his appeal to the Supreme Court, court officials said Tuesday. ...

LEAD: Japanese GSDF helicopters begin flood relief work in Pakistan+

1 minute ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: FIXING LOCATION OF PAKISTAN MILITARY DEPOT, 2ND GRAF) The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force kicked off its flood relief work in Pakistan on Tuesday, using two...

3RD LD: Ozawa to challenge Kan in DPJ leadership election+

8 minutes ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING DETAILS, 4TH LEAD TO FOLLOW) Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa said Tuesday he will go ahead with his plan to challenge Prime Minister Naoto Kan...

Okada calls for party unity after DPJ leadership race+

18 minutes ago

(Kyodo) _ Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, who backs Prime Minister and President of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan Naoto Kan in the upcoming party leadership election, called...

Gist of Japan-U.S. officials' report on transfer of U.S. Futenma base+

Aug 31 06:10 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ The following is the gist of a report on the technical details of the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture unveiled by Japan ...

URGENT: Kan formally declares candidacy for DPJ presidential election+

49 minutes ago

(Kyodo) _ Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Tuesday formally announced his candidacy for the Democratic Party of Japan's presidential election next month. Kan, current DPJ president, said...

2ND LD: Kan-Ozawa set to battle in DPJ leadership election+

1 hour ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING) Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa reiterated Tuesday that he will challenge Prime Minister Naoto Kan by running in the upcoming ruling...

URGENT: Ozawa to run in DPJ's presidential election+

1 hour ago

(Kyodo) _ Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa reiterated Tuesday he will run in the upcoming ruling party's presidential election to challenge Prime Minister Naoto Kan. ...

REFILLING: 2ND LD: Japan, U.S. eye 2 base shape options, keep flight route talks+

Aug 31 04:49 AM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 31 (Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING BYLINE) Japan and the United States unveiled Tuesday a report on technical details of the planned replacement facility for a key U.S. Marine base

2ND LD: Japan, U.S. eye 2 base shape options, keep flight route talks+

Aug 31 04:44 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING DETAILS) Japan and the United States unveiled Tuesday a report on technical details of the planned replacement facility for a key U.S. Marine base in Okinawa ...

LEAD: Kan, Ozawa hold talks to ease DPJ's internal power struggle+

2 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING WITH START OF KAN-OZAWA TALKS) Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Tuesday held talks with ruling party heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa in an attempt to avoid a destabilizing...

LEAD: Japan, U.S. eye 2 base shape options, keep flight route talks+

Aug 31 02:15 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING WITH MORE INFORMATION) Japan and the United States unveiled Tuesday a report on technical details of the planned replacement facility for a key U.S. Marine base

Kan, Ozawa to hold talks to ease DPJ's internal power struggle+

Aug 31 01:10 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Prime Minister Naoto Kan and ruling party heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa are scheduled to hold talks later Tuesday aimed at avoiding a destabilizing power struggle in the upcoming party leadership ballot at a time when Japan faces economic uncertainty. ...

Chronology of key events related to U.S. Futenma base in Okinawa+

Aug 31 12:48 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ The following is a chronology of major events related to the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture. Sept. 1995 -- 3 U.S....

Japan, U.S. eye 2 base shape options, forgo flight route decision+

Aug 31 12:30 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Japan and the United States unveiled Tuesday an experts' report on technical details of the planned replacement facility for a key U.S. Marine base in Okinawa that presents two options for its design -- either two runways in a V-shaped formation or a single runway. ...

S. Korea, U.S. to start 5 days of naval drills from Sun.+

Aug 30 11:50 PM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ South Korea and the United States will begin five days of naval exercises Sunday off the Korean Peninsula's west coast, aimed at sending a message of deterrence to North Korea, a military source told Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday. ...

Ozawa should not be Japan's prime minister: Financial Times+

56 minutes ago

(Kyodo) _ The Financial Times on Monday signified a sense of caution against the challenge by Ichiro Ozawa, a powerful figure in Japan's ruling party, for the leadership of the Democratic

Futenma relocation policy may reflect Okinawa's views+

Aug 30 01:06 PM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Japan and the United States have agreed to state in a written policy that they will bear in mind the Okinawa people's views on the exact relocation and construction method of a key U.S. base within the prefecture, provided this does not result in a significant delay in building the facility, bilateral diplomatic sources said Monday. ...

Chronology of key events related to U.S. Futenma base in Okinawa+

Aug 31 12:48 AM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 31 (AP) - (Kyodo)—The following is a chronology of major events related to the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture.

Sept. 1995 -- 3 U.S. servicemen rape local schoolgirl in Okinawa, fueling anger among local residents.

April 1996 -- Japan, U.S. agree on return of Futenma base within 5 to 7 years.

Dec. 1996 -- Japan, U.S. agree to build heliport off east coast of main Okinawa Island, move Futenma's heliport functions. Sea off Nago's Henoko district near U.S. Marine Corps Camp Schwab considered as possible relocation site.

Dec. 1997 -- Majority of Nago residents vote against relocation plan in referendum. But then Mayor Tetsuya Higa says city would accept it, offers to resign.

Dec. 1999 -- Japanese government endorses plan to move Futenma to coastal area of Henoko, after Nago announces city would accept military facility on several conditions, such as limiting its use to 15 years.

July 2002 -- Central government agrees with Okinawa prefectural government, local municipalities on basic construction plan to reclaim land off Henoko to build runway.

Aug. 2004 -- Marine helicopter crashes in Okinawa International University in Ginowan.

April 2006 -- Tokyo agrees with Nago to construct 2 runways in V-shape formation on Camp Schwab's shores.

May 2006 -- Japan, U.S. agree on road map for realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, featuring plan to build V-shaped runways in coastal area of Camp Schwab, move Futenma, transfer 8,000 Okinawa-based Marines to Guam, both by 2014.

Dec. 2006 -- Hirokazu Nakaima assumes Okinawa governorship, demands runways be built further offshore than planned.

July 2008 -- Democratic Party of Japan unveils "Okinawa Vision 2008," seeking to move Futenma functions out of Okinawa, eventually outside Japan.

2009

Sept. 16 -- DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama becomes prime minister, launches 3-party coalition government.

Sept. 25 -- Hatoyama shows willingness to move Futenma out of Okinawa.

2010

Jan. 24 -- Susumu Inamine, who opposes Futenma relocation to Nago, wins mayoral election.

April 12 -- Hatoyama meets with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington, promises conclusion of Futenma issue by end of May.

April 25 -- About 90,000 people rally in Okinawa, calling for Futenma to be moved out of Okinawa.

May 23 -- Hatoyama notifies Nakaima of state's plan to move Futenma to area near Henoko district in Nago, offers apology for giving up on earlier vow to move Futenma out of prefecture.

May 28 -- Japan, U.S. reach fresh accord on Futenma relocation, which is effectively on par with existing plan under 2006 Japan-U.S. accord.

June 2 -- Hatoyama offers to resign following departure of Social Democratic Party from ruling coalition in opposing accord with U.S. on Futenma relocation.

June 8 -- The Cabinet of new Prime Minister Naoto Kan is launched.

Aug. 31 -- Japan, U.S. agree on technical details such as location and construction methods for Futenma replacement facility.

Japan, U.S. eye 2 base shape options, forgo flight route decision+

Aug 31 12:30 AM US/Eastern
Aug 31 2:30 PM Guam/CST

TOKYO, Aug. 31 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Japan and the United States unveiled Tuesday an experts' report on technical details of the planned replacement facility for a key U.S. Marine base in Okinawa that presents two options for its design -- either two runways in a V-shaped formation or a single runway.

The document on the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station from a crowded residential area to a less densely populated area in the southern Japanese prefecture also avoids reference to aircraft flight routes to and from the replacement facility.

The Japanese government briefed the Okinawa prefectural government about the report before releasing it. Japan and the United States are expected to continue talks on technical details of the base relocation amid local opposition to moving the Futenma base within Okinawa.

The two countries agreed in May to transfer the base within the prefecture and aim to finalize the relocation plan at the next bilateral meeting of foreign and defense chiefs under the "two-plus- two" framework.

The government of Prime Minister Naoto Kan plans to defer a decision on a specific scheme for the relocation until after the Okinawa gubernatorial election slated for November, judging that reaching a bilateral accord before the election would fuel local opposition further.

Japan and the United States differ on the design of the replacement facility and aircraft flight routes, issues that are linked to the degree of impact on the local marine environment and noise pollution.

Washington maintains a V-shaped formation is "the best" option based on operational and other factors. Tokyo prefers a single runway, saying it is advantageous from the environmental viewpoint.

The length of the runways would be 1,800 meters for both the V-shaped and single-runway proposals. The total area of reclaimed land would be smaller under the single runway plan, posing a smaller risk to the marine environment, according to the report.

As for the flight routes, the United States has proposed a major change during bilateral negotiations, saying that U.S. aircraft will fly closer to onshore areas than Tokyo had earlier expected under visual flight rules using two runways in the V-shaped formation.

Japan is opposed to the U.S.-proposed routes on the grounds that it would worsen noise levels and pose greater risks of accidents to local residents.

Futenma relocation policy may reflect Okinawa's views+

Aug 30 01:06 PM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 31 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Japan and the United States have agreed to state in a written policy that they will bear in mind the Okinawa people's views on the exact relocation and construction method of a key U.S. base within the prefecture, provided this does not result in a significant delay in building the facility, bilateral diplomatic sources said Monday.

The policy is contained in a report worked out by government officials of the two countries. The Japanese government will explain the report to the Okinawa prefectural government before making it public on Tuesday afternoon, the sources said.

In May, Tokyo and Washington agreed to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma airbase within the prefecture, moving it from a densely populated area in Ginowan to the less populated Henoko district in Nago.

The sources said the report will mention two options -- building two runways in a V-shaped formation, the plan maintained by the United States, and constructing a single runway as proposed by Japan.

But the United States maintains that a V-shape formation is the better option.

The report will make no mention of Japan's proposal for the joint use of the replacement facility by the U.S. Marines and the Japanese Self- Defense Forces, as the U.S. government balked at its inclusion in light of opposition from local people.

The two governments will set up a working-level team to consider the proposal in order to draw a conclusion before the details of the relocation plan are finally adopted, the sources said.

Earlier this month, the United States proposed a major change in helicopter flight routes to and from the planned relocation site in Okinawa, saying that U.S. aircraft will fly closer to onshore areas than Tokyo had earlier expected under visual flight rules using two runways in the V-shaped formation.

But the report will not refer to it because of Japan's opposition on the grounds that it would worsen noise levels and pose greater risks to local residents, the sources said.

The two sides will also continue holding talks on the issue.

Monday, August 30 - Kyodo Articles

4TH LD: Kan, Ozawa to meet Tues. to avoid showdown over DPJ leadership+

37 minutes ago

TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING DETAILS) Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Ichiro Ozawa, one of the most powerful figures in the Democratic Party of Japan, will hold talks Tuesday in

4TH LD: N. Korea's Kim wishes to see early resumption of nuke talks+

51 minutes ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: CHANGING DATELINE, UPDATING) North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has told Chinese President Hu Jintao that he wished to see an early resumption of the six-party talks on ...

URGENT: Kan, Hatoyama agree on need to enhance DPJ's unity+

1 hour ago

(Kyodo) _ Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his predecessor Yukio Hatoyama agreed Monday evening that the Democratic Party of Japan will run the government by maintaining good ties with ruling

2ND LD: China informs foreign diplomats on Kim's visit to China+

3 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING DETAILS) The Chinese Foreign Ministry has confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has visited the country and sought economic assistance from China,...

2ND LD: DPJ looking for ways to ease rising tension between Kan, Ozawa camps+

3 hours ago

TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING WITH FRESH REMARKS FROM KAN) Senior lawmakers of the Democratic Party of Japan stepped up efforts Monday to allay further tension between Prime...

LEAD: Chinese media praises relationship with N. Korea+

4 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING WITH MINISTRY BRIEFING OF BEIJING-BASED DIPLOMATS) Chinese state media in reports Monday praised the relationship between North Korea and China, saying stable...

Japan going through hottest August in postwar period+

5 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ This month will likely be the hottest August that Japan has experienced since 1946 when regional temperature data become available after the end of World War II, weather agency...

LEAD: Train carrying N. Korea's Kim traveling toward border+

6 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: CHANGING DATELINE, ADDING INFORMATION) A special train believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Il traveled outside Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province, Monday

DPJ looking for ways to ease rising tension between Kan, Ozawa camps+

27 minutes ago

(Kyodo) _ Senior lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan stepped up efforts Monday to avoid the rising tension between Prime Minister Naoto Kan and party bigwig Ichiro Ozawa...

Public prefer Kan to Ozawa as premier: polls+

7 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ Opinion polls by three major dailies showed Monday that voters in Japan overwhelmingly prefer Prime Minister Naoto Kan as the nation's leader to Democratic Party of Japan...

3RD LD: Kim may have left Harbin for border area Sun. night to early Mon.+

3 hours ago

HARBIN, China, Aug. 30 (Kyodo) _ (EDS: CHANGING DATELINE, UPDATING) North Korean leader Kim Jong Il may have left Harbin, northeastern China, on his special train sometime between...

5TH LD: Kan, Ozawa may meet Monday night over DPJ presidential election+

5 hours ago

TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING WITH MORE INFO) Prime Minister Naoto Kan and former Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa may meet as early as Monday night...

3RD LD: Kan, Hatoyama meet again to discuss compromise over DPJ vote+

Aug 29 09:45 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING INFO) Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his predecessor Yukio Hatoyama met Sunday evening in Tokyo to seek a compromise over the Democratic Party of Japan's upcoming leadership election, in which ruling party heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa plans to challenge Kan in a potentially divisive move. ...

FOCUS: Japanese women stand low on corporate ladder 25 yrs after law change

August 30 2010 07:09
TOKYO, Aug. 30 KYODO

Twenty five years have passed since the Equal Employment Opportunity Law for Men and Women was enacted to fight gender inequality at the workplace.

By this time, people might think that a horde of college-educated women are calling the shots as corporate managers. But the latest Kyodo News survey shows that is hardly the case.

Of Japan's 110 major corporations polled, 107 said it is important to use women's talents, but women who are small section heads account for an average of a mere 5.4 percent of the total number of those holding that title.

Of the total number of managers heading larger departments, women made up 2.5 percent. The figure goes down further to 1.7 percent for women corporate executives.

In contrast, around 40 percent of corporate managers are women in other advanced countries, such as the United States and Germany.

The Japanese government has set a goal of boosting the percentage of women in managerial or other leadership positions to 30 percent by 2020, but Japanese companies appear to be less enthusiastic about the idea.

Asked to give the percentages of women they want to see in managerial positions, the corporate respondents said an average of 18.6 percent for section chiefs, 15.4 percent for department heads and 14.4 percent for executives.

Still, out of this year's new hires holding fast-track positions for managerial posts, an average of 27.7 percent were women.

Companies do want to employ more women because they are in desperate need of highly skilled workers because the country's working population is shrinking.

But the poll results suggest that there is still a widespread notion that business management is a man's job. On the other hand, a significant number of firms want female workers to do more to improve the fortunes of employers.

Asked what they want out of female employees, 27 firms said they want women to reform their companies, and 22 said they hope to see female workers make more use of traits unique to women.

Of the companies that find female employees somewhat wanting, 28 said women should acquire a broader perspective, 13 said women should be more flexible and 12 said they do not want them to quit early.

Commenting on the poll results, Professor Takashi Kashima, a gender studies expert at Jissen Women's University, argues that there is a misconception among companies that women do not possess a broad perspective and are less flexible compared with their male colleagues.

''If they really want female workers to engineer reform, corporate managers should do more to give women their say,'' he said.

Following the enforcement of the Equal Employment Opportunity Law in April 1986, further legislative reform and in-house changes at companies have done a lot to put men and women on a more equal footing. Still, women remain quite disadvantaged when it comes to obtaining secure employment.

Nonregular workers, who enjoy little job security, have become a serious social issue and male temps sacked by manufacturers have drawn much public attention over the past several years.

Government statistics show, however, that some 70 percent of nonregular workers are women and the percentage has remained more or less the same for more than 20 years.

Asked why many of their female employees are nonregular workers, 72 firms said women have difficulty holding down jobs as regular staff for a long period of time because they need to raise children.

A total of 59 said the odds are against women seeking regular employment if they have quit their jobs in the past.

Many corporate respondents also said it is quite rare for temporary workers, who work as office clerks, an occupation usually associated with women, to become regular employees.

Those who have gained regular work status tend to be workers who possess specialized skills and have worked full time at given companies for several years.

The situation for working women appears to be improving as public concern has grown recently about the need to help women keep their jobs while starting a family. Against this backdrop, 75 percent of the corporate respondents said they are implementing some measures to help regular female workers with children.

Also, 65 percent have instituted a system that grants nonregular female staff regular employee status.

The poll results amply demonstrate that corporate managers are aware that they are no longer in a position to rely solely on male employees, says Jissen Women's University's Kashima.

''The survey shows that a large proportion of companies deem it important to utilize the talents of women on the grounds of gender equality, and that says much about the growth over the past quarter of a century of public understanding about the ideals upheld by the Equal Employment Opportunity Law,'' he said.

Still, much has to be done to promote the career advancement of women and make it easier for them to stay in the workforce to utilize their potential, Kashima added.

The Kyodo poll was conducted on top managers or executives in charge of employment matters at 110 companies between late July and early August.

==Kyodo

Japan, U.S. work out report on how to build base relocation facility+

Aug 28 11:05 AM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 28 (AP) - (Kyodo) — The Japanese and U.S. governments worked out on Saturday a report on the construction method for a replacement facility for a key U.S. base in Okinawa Prefecture, sources familiar with the matter said.

While the report mentions two options -- building two runways in a V- shaped formation, the plan maintained by the United States, and constructing a single runway proposed by Japan -- it adds data showing the single runway plan has an advantage from the environmental viewpoint, the sources said.

The report on the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station states that building a single runway would lead to the loss of 67 hectares of seaweed beds, which are needed for the dugong, an endangered marine mammal, to survive, while the construction of V- shaped runways would ruin 78.1 hectares of seaweed beds.

Despite the data, Washington maintains that a V-shape formation is "the best," based on operational and other factors, the sources said.

The Japanese government will provide an explanation on the report to the Okinawa prefectural government Monday before publicizing it on Tuesday, they said.

Earlier this month, the United States proposed a major change in aircraft flight routes to and from the planned relocation site in Okinawa, saying U.S. aircraft will fly closer to onshore areas than Tokyo had earlier expected under visual flight rules using two runways in the V-shaped formation.

But the two governments decided not to specify the proposal in the report as the Japanese side opposed it on the grounds it could worsen noise levels and pose greater risks to local residents, prompting the two sides to continue holding discussions on the issue.

In May, Tokyo and Washington agreed to relocate the Futenma base within the prefecture, moving it from a densely populated area in Ginowan to the less populated Henoko district in Nago.

As working-level talks have ended with the compilation of the report, the two countries will try to narrow down the relocation proposals in upcoming talks to be held in September and later by the vice ministers of their foreign and defense ministries.

The two governments aim to reach agreement at the next bilateral security meeting, dubbed the "two-plus-two" meeting of the foreign and defense chiefs.

But the government of Prime Minister Naoto Kan plans to defer a decision on a specific scheme for the relocation until after the Okinawa gubernatorial election in November, judging that reaching a bilateral accord before the election would increase local opposition.

Prospects for the relocation negotiations also remain uncertain before the ruling Democratic Party of Japan's leadership election on Sept. 14, in which Kan and former DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa have expressed their intention to run.

According to the report, the total area to be occupied in the V-shaped runways would be 205 hectares, with 160 hectares to be reclaimed. Under the single-runway plan, a total of 150 hectares would be occupied, while the reclaimed area would be 120 hectares, the sources said.

The length of the runways would be 1,800 meters for both V-shaped and single-runway proposals, the sources said.

The report states the advantages and disadvantages of the two choices from five aspects -- safety, operational needs, noise, environment and repercussions for the local community, the sources said.

Saturday, August 28 - Kyodo Articles

LEAD: 69% of Japanese polled prefer Kan to Ozawa as DPJ leader+

Aug 28 04:53 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING DETAILS) A majority of Japanese people polled want Prime Minister Naoto Kan to stay on as leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, far surpassing those...

Hatoyama reiterates support for Ozawa+

Aug 27 10:29 PM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama reiterated on Friday his support for Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa in the party's leadership election, saying in...

Blair encourages Kan to pursue reform+

Aug 27 11:19 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed support for Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan during a teleconference Friday, saying he is ready to provide advice to Kan on pursuing reform whenever he needs it. ...

FOCUS: S. Koreans call anew on Japan to repent on annexation anniversary

August 28 2010 07:39

SEOUL, Aug. 28 KYODO - The 100th anniversary of Japan's annexation of the Korean peninsula has prompted South Koreans to reiterate their call on Japan to truly repent for its past wrongdoings and put its apology into concrete action.

In a statement issued on Aug. 10, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan apologized for Japan's past colonial rule and expressed deep remorse, admitting Japanese rule was imposed against the will of the Korean people.

''Japan's apology is seen like a formality that comes out when the need arises,'' said Han Doo Kyung, who runs an oriental medicine shop in eastern Seoul.

Any apology from Japan will be ''nothing but empty words'' without stopping ownership to the Dokdo islets in the Sea of Japan and making compensations for former ''comfort women,'' the 47-year-old Han said.

Japan has come under fire for its claims over the islets, known as Takeshima in Japan, its refusal to offer compensation to women forced into sexual slavery in Japanese army brothels during World War II, and textbooks written by nationalist groups that critics say whitewash atrocities by the Japanese military during the war.

As for a professor of German at a Seoul university, Japan's evasive attitude in putting an end to the past and opening a new era is ''totally different'' from what he experienced in Germany.

''Germans I talked to seemed to have had a deep feeling of pride about former Chancellor Willy Brandt's efforts to apologize for the past wrongdoings,'' said Cho Kuk Hyun, who studied in Germany for about 10 years and now teaches at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

When he visited Warsaw in December 1970, Brandt dropped to his knees before the monument to the Warsaw Ghetto uprising of 1943. Many people in Poland and Germany were deeply moved by this famous gesture of repentance and apology.

''Willy Brandt's kneeling down before a monument commemorating Jewish victims was more eloquent than any apologetic words. By making such efforts, Germany was able to dispel its image as a Nazi country and become a respectable member of the international community,'' Cho said.

Cho said it is regrettable that Kan's statement fell short of admitting the illegality of Japan's annexation treaty with Korea, which was signed on Aug. 22, 1910, and promulgated a week later.

Cho said he welcomed the decision by Kan and all of his ministers not to visit Yasukuni Shrine on the Aug. 15 anniversary of the end of World War II, out of consideration for Asian victims of Japan's past militarism. It is a ''good sign'' that raises expectations among South Koreans for a better future with Japan, he said.

''Even if Prime Minister Kan's apology statement didn't fully meet expectations, I pin much higher hope on the (ruling) Democratic Party of Japan in establishing truly friendly ties with South Korea,'' Han at the oriental medicine shop said.

Visits to the Shinto shrine in Tokyo by Japanese government officials have become a major diplomatic issue since the enshrinement of war criminals there in 1978.

South Korea and China, both victims of Japan's military aggression, have protested the visits as unrepentant and hurtful, given that the shrine is symbolic of Japanese militarism and honors Class-A war criminals along with Japan's war dead.

Hwang Ji Eun, a 23-year-old student in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, said Japan is a country that needs to match its words with actions.

She said she doesn't harbor bad feelings toward Japanese people and is certain the days will come when South Koreans and Japanese become ''truly close neighboring countries.''

South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung Hwan said in a recent article published by the Korea Herald that reconciliation must be made between the past and the present for South Korea and Japan to truly become ''close and ever closer neighbors.''

''This will only be achieved through the earnest efforts on the part of Japan to heal the wounds remaining in the hearts of the Korean people,'' Yu said.

Hong Chan Shik, an editorial writer for the Dong-a Ilbo, a daily newspaper, said in his recent column, '''The day when Japan's annexation was promulgated 100 years ago is called the day of national shame to make Koreans stay awake not to experience the same shameful thing as happened that day.''

==Kyodo

Friday, August 27 - Kyodo Articles

Blair encourages Kan to pursue reform+

Aug 27 11:19 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed support for Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan during a teleconference Friday, saying he is ready to provide advice to Kan on pursuing reform whenever he needs it. ...

3RD LD: Kan says Japan to take 'decisive' currency market action when necessary+

Aug 27 08:10 AM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 27 (Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING WITH DETAILS, KAN QUOTES) Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday that Japan will take "decisive action" when necessary against volatile foreign...

12 DPJ prefectural leaders support Kan with 5 favoring Ozawa+

Aug 27 06:43 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ A Kyodo News poll of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan's 47 prefectural chapter leaders has found that 12 support Prime Minister Naoto Kan as DPJ presidential candidate,...

U.S. says it can't repay Japan loan to build infrastructures in Guam+

Aug 27 06:33 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ The planned transfer of some U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam faces a financial hurdle as the U.S. government considers it will be impossible to repay a Japanese loan to finance infrastructure projects needed for the transfer of the Marines to the U.S. Pacific territory, bilateral diplomatic sources said Friday. ...

Gist of proposals by government panel on defense+

1 hour ago

(Kyodo) _ Following is the gist of proposals made by an advisory panel to Prime Minister Naoto Kan on security and defense policies. Japan should: -- ease its arms export prohibition

LEAD: Japan should ease arms export ban: panel report+

1 hour ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING INFO) Japan should consider easing its arms export ban, an advisory panel to Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday, citing the need for the government to allow...

2ND LD: Execution chamber at Tokyo Detention House opened to media+

3 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING INFO IN 9TH GRAF) The Justice Ministry opened the execution chamber at the Tokyo Detention House to the media Friday, allowing reporters to take still and moving

LEAD: Ministers support Kan over DPJ chief election+

4 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: RECASTING WITH MORE COMMENTS, INFO) Many Cabinet members expressed support Friday for Prime Minister Naoto Kan in the upcoming Democratic Party of Japan presidential...

Ginowan mayor renews opposition to Futenma base relocation to Henoko+

Aug 27 01:57 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ The mayor of Ginowan in the southern part of Okinawa Island on Friday reiterated his opposition to the government's plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan to Henoko in the northern Okinawa Island city of Nago. ...

Minister Haraguchi hints at support for Ozawa over DPJ election+

6 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ Internal affairs minister Kazuhiro Haraguchi indicated Friday he will support Democratic Party of Japan kingpin Ichiro Ozawa in the upcoming election for the ruling party's...

3RD LD: Carter secures release of U.S. citizen, departs N. Korea+

6 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING WITH U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT, ADDING DETAILS, BACKGROUND) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter left North Korea on Friday morning after securing the release of an...

DPJ's Hatoyama expresses discontent with PM Kan's policies+

Aug 26 06:33 PM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction with his successor Naoto Kan's policies as he explained his decision to switch support from the premier to Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa in the ruling party's leadership election next month. ...

6TH LD: N. Korean leader Kim apparently on visit to China+

Aug 26 10:51 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ North Korean leader Kim Jong Il appears to have started a visit to China in Jilin Province after crossing the border by a special train in the early hours of Thursday, sources familiar with China-North Korea relations said. ...

REFILING: WSJ says Ozawa entry adds uncertainty in Japan politics+

Aug 26 10:01 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Democratic Party of Japan kingpin Ichiro Ozawa's entry in the party leadership election "adds uncertainty in Japan's already volatile political landscape," the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday in its electronic edition. ...

U.S. says it can't repay Japan loan to build infrastructures in Guam+

Aug 27 06:33 AM US/Eastern

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (AP) - (Kyodo) — The planned transfer of some U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam faces a financial hurdle as the U.S. government considers it will be impossible to repay a Japanese loan to finance infrastructure projects needed for the transfer of the Marines to the U.S. Pacific territory, bilateral diplomatic sources said Friday.

The United States has told Japan that it cannot work out a repayment schedule for more than half of a $740 million loan to be extended by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the sources said.

The Japanese government has begun to consider a delay in extending the loan, despite U.S. demands for its early provision.

Japan and the United States agreed to move some 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam as a pillar of their agreement in 2006 on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan.

The agreement included the JBIC loan to build water supply and sewage systems as well as power supply facilities for the Marines and their families.

While up to $435 million, or 58 percent of the loan, would be used to construct sewage facilities, the U.S. government planned to repay that portion with water charges to be collected by the Guam government.

But the Guam government refused to be liable for the repayment, making it impossible for Washington to prepare a repayment schedule for the portion, the sources said, adding that the repayment of the remaining portion would be also difficult in light of financial conditions in Guam.

The U.S. government is expected to avoid including details in a funding plan it will map out in September for the infrastructure building projects.

The Pentagon has said the transfer of the Marines could be delayed until 2017 from the current target of 2014.

As a long delay in the transfer could adversely affect the bilateral alliance, the Japanese government has not ruled out the possibility of shouldering the infrastructure-building costs, the sources said.

The planned JBIC loan is structured to have the Japanese government cover it if it goes sour.

Ginowan mayor renews opposition to Futenma base relocation to Henoko+

Aug 27 01:57 AM US/Eastern

NAHA, Aug. 27 (AP) - (Kyodo) — The mayor of Ginowan in the southern part of Okinawa Island on Friday reiterated his opposition to the government's plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan to Henoko in the northern Okinawa Island city of Nago.

"Okinawa Prefecture citizens cannot accept a view that if a new base is not built, the Futenma site would not return to Ginowan," Yoichi Iha told a group of lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan and the opposition Social Democratic Party.

After calling for relocating the Futenma base outside Okinawa Prefecture last year, the DPJ-led government changed its policy and agreed earlier this year to build a replacement base in Henoko. The change led the SDP to quit the DPJ-led coalition government.

At a meeting with Iha, the group's leader Hiroshi Kawauchi, a DPJ lawmaker, also reiterated his position that the base should be relocated outside Japan.

Okinawa citizens have demonstrated their position that Okinawa should not accept a new base in exchange for economic development incentives, Kawauchi told Iha.

Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima told a press conference Friday he will watch how the Futenma problem is discussed leading up to the Sept. 14 DPJ presidential election in which Prime Minister Naoto Kan is expected to vie with Ichiro Ozawa, one of the most powerful DPJ lawmakers.

Nakaima indicated his discontent with the DPJ-led government's policy change on the Futenma issue, urging the government to fully explain the change.

Thursday, August 26 - Kyodo Articles

6TH LD: N. Korean leader Kim apparently on visit to China+

Aug 26 10:51 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ North Korean leader Kim Jong Il appears to have started a visit to China in Jilin Province after crossing the border by a special train in the early hours of Thursday, sources familiar with China-North Korea relations said. ...

REFILING: WSJ says Ozawa entry adds uncertainty in Japan politics+

Aug 26 10:01 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Democratic Party of Japan kingpin Ichiro Ozawa's entry in the party leadership election "adds uncertainty in Japan's already volatile political landscape," the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday in its electronic edition. ...

Japan, U.S. stay split over flight route for base relocation site+

Aug 26 09:46 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Japanese and U.S. negotiators remained split Thursday over Washington's proposal to change aircraft flight routes to and from the planned relocation site for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture, bilateral diplomatic sources said. ...

ANALYSIS: Ozawa's decision to run could blur essential issues for Japan+

Aug 26 09:00 AM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 26 (Kyodo) _ The decision by Democratic Party of Japan kingpin Ichiro Ozawa on Thursday to run in the ruling party's leadership race could lead to further procrastination over what Japan should be doing to address a welter of domestic and international problems, some analysts have warned. ...

LEAD: Businesses call for gov't economic steps as DPJ race intensifies+

19 minutes ago

TOKYO, Aug. 26 (Kyodo) _ (EDS: RECASTING WITH MORE INFO) Japan's business executives called on the government Thursday to prioritize economic stimulus steps as they are concerned that...

6TH LD: Ozawa to run against Kan in DPJ leadership race+

1 hour ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING KAN'S FRESH REMARKS) Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa said Thursday he will run against Prime Minister Naoto Kan next month in the ruling ...

5TH LD: N. Korean leader Kim making surprise trip to China, S. Korea says+

1 hour ago

SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING CHINESE ENVOY'S REMARKS IN 6TH-8TH GRAFS) A special train for North Korean leader Kim Jong Il crossed into China around midnight Wednesday, a...

3RD LD: Ozawa running for DPJ presidency won't split party: Sengoku+

14 minutes ago

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING INFO) Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku said Thursday the Democratic Party of Japan will not split following ruling party kingpin Ichiro Ozawa's decision...

Nakasone announces 3 officials for LDP upper house caucus+

42 minutes ago

(Kyodo) _ Hirofumi Nakasone, head of the opposition Liberal Democratic Party's House of Councillors caucus, announced Thursday three new members of the party's upper house leadership. ...

Some major firms concerned division within DPJ could hurt economy+

1 hour ago

(Kyodo) _ Some Japanese companies expressed concern Thursday that the Japanese economy could be negatively affected if Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa's decision to...

2 Japanese destroyers dispatched for antipiracy operations off Somalia+

10 minutes ago

SASEBO, Japan, Aug. 26 (Kyodo) _ A Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer left the Sasebo base in Nagasaki Prefecture on Thursday for antipiracy operations off Somalia under a law...

URGENT: Kan welcomes Ozawa's running in DPJ leadership race+

2 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Thursday welcomed the decision by Ichiro Ozawa, one of the most powerful figures in the Democratic Party of Japan, to run in the DPJ leadership...

Japanese travel agency apologizes to gov't for tour to disputed isle+

Aug 25 11:38 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ A Japanese travel agency has apologized to the Japanese government for organizing a tour for Japanese tourists to a Russian- held island claimed by Japan by having them obtain Russian visas, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said Wednesday....

Japan, U.S. stay split over flight route for base relocation site+

Aug 26 09:46 AM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 26 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Japanese and U.S. negotiators remained split Thursday over Washington's proposal to change aircraft flight routes to and from the planned relocation site for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture, bilateral diplomatic sources said.

Although the working-level negotiations will continue into Friday, the two sides agreed not to mention the proposal in a report on details of the relocation due to be released Tuesday, the sources said.

The new proposal, presented on Aug. 9 to 10, would allow U.S. aircraft to fly closer to onshore areas than Tokyo had earlier expected under visual flight rules using two runways in a V-shaped formation to be built at the replacement base in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture.

Japan opposed the proposal on the grounds it could worsen noise levels and pose risks to residential areas there and thus could trigger fresh opposition from people in Okinawa.

But the United States has no intention of retracting the new proposal, according to the sources.

The report will mention two choices for the design of the facility at the new base -- building two runways in a V-shaped formation or constructing a single runway as proposed by Japan.

Washington maintains that the single-runway plan is nothing but a rider to the report.

ANALYSIS: Ozawa's decision to run could blur essential issues for Japan+

Aug 26 09:00 AM US/Eastern

(AP) - TOKYO, Aug. 26 (Kyodo) — The decision by Democratic Party of Japan kingpin Ichiro Ozawa on Thursday to run in the ruling party's leadership race could lead to further procrastination over what Japan should be doing to address a welter of domestic and international problems, some analysts have warned.

With Prime Minister Naoto Kan expected to be the only other runner in the Sept. 14 presidential election, the decision could make internecine strife between pro-Ozawa and anti-Ozawa forces the main focal point at a time when Japan ought to be dealing with global economic issues, fiscal strains, social security and many other domestic problems, said Yasunori Sone, graduate school professor in politics at Keio University.

The public wants to know how the DPJ will address them but must be quite "disgusted" by the frequent leadership changes in Japan, he said. If Ozawa wins the coming election he would become Japan's third prime minister in a year.

The presidential election follows the DPJ's setback in the House of Councillors election in July which was partly blamed on Kan's sudden reference to the need for debating a possible raise in the consumption tax in the face of strained state finances.

Ozawa has maintained that the consumption tax issue should be shelved until the next election for the House of Representatives.

Ozawa has also criticized Kan for seeking amendments to economic policies, such as financial support for childrearing families and creation of toll-free expressways, under the DPJ's campaign pledges that helped the party rise to power last summer by ousting the Liberal Democratic Party.

Economic policies, therefore, could change drastically depending on the election result.

Ozawa decided to run in the election on the back of calls from some party lawmakers who have become increasingly critical of Kan since the party's loss in the upper house election.

But voters by and large question Ozawa's bid because he remains embroiled in a money scandal involving his former aides and faces the possibility of an independent judicial panel calling for prosecutors to prosecute him.

If the public sees the coming election merely as a race for power within the DPJ, voters, who put the party into power last summer, will immediately turn away from it.

A DPJ insider said Ozawa made the decision for fear that he would otherwise lose his influence within the party.

Political observers said the DPJ will unavoidably split into two blocs as a result of Ozawa's decision to run and an intense tug of war between pro-Ozawa and anti-Ozawa forces will continue until the election.

"There will be a bitter war," said a DPJ lawmaker. Party unity after the election will be "impossible this time" and the DPJ "could split."

In fact, many lawmakers in both the ruling and opposition camps said vigorous moves toward political realignment, including a coalition between the DPJ and LDP, could follow the election regardless of its outcome.

The DPJ has pledged to wrest control from the county's powerful bureaucracy in running the government. While that pledge was designed to enhance the prime minister's leadership, the coming election will weaken the premier's power, said Sone of Keio University.

Wednesday, August 25 - Kyodo Articles

3RD LD: Ozawa remains tight-lipped about running in DPJ leadership race+

Aug 25 07:30 AM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 25 (Kyodo) _ Ichiro Ozawa, one of the most powerful figures in the Democratic Party of Japan, remained evasive Wednesday regarding whether he will challenge Prime Minister Naoto Kan in the ruling party's leadership election next month. ...

Japan sees Korea annexation pact as valid at time of signing: Okada+

2 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ Japan regards a 1910 pact authorizing its annexation of the Korean Peninsula as signed in a "valid" manner and has no plan to change its interpretation despite calls in South...

Abductees' kin urge excluding Korean schools from tuition waiver+

3 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ The families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korean agents asked the education ministry Wednesday to exclude pro-Pyongyang Korean high schools from the government's...

Ozawa calls U.S. a great democracy, Americans somewhat simple-minded+

3 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ Japanese political bigwig Ichiro Ozawa said Wednesday that the United States is a great democracy but its people are somewhat simple-minded. During a political seminar he...

SDP's Mataichi to stay on as party deputy chief+

3 hours ago

(Kyodo) _ Seiji Mataichi, a Social Democratic Party lawmaker, on Wednesday withdrew his resignation as SDP deputy chief, saying he has accepted party leader Mizuho Fukushima's apology for

U.S. wants V-shape runway at replacement facility for Futenma base+

Aug 24 06:34 PM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ A top U.S. Marine commander said Tuesday that the United States wants to have two runways in a V-shape formation at a planned replacement facility for a key U.S. base in Okinawa, despite Japan's proposal for a single runway as another option. ...

U.S. wants V-shape runway at replacement facility for Futenma base+

Aug 24 06:34 PM US/Eastern

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (AP) - (Kyodo) — A top U.S. Marine commander said Tuesday that the United States wants to have two runways in a V-shape formation at a planned replacement facility for a key U.S. base in Okinawa, despite Japan's proposal for a single runway as another option.

"From the original concept, the V-shaped runway was agreed upon. And in terms of absolute aircraft safety, we still believe that that is the best way to do things," Gen. James Conway told a news conference.

While noting that the specifications of the replacement facility for the Marines' Futenma Air Station will be resolved between the governments of Japan and the United States, Conway said, "We would prefer a runway that is entirely safe for our pilots and air crews that are taking off and landing there."

His remarks underscored that the United States remains reluctant to alter the design of the runway at the replacement facility despite Japan's exploring of the possibility of building a single runway which requires less reclamation of coastal areas.

In May, Tokyo and Washington agreed to relocate the Futenma base within the prefecture, moving it from a densely populated area in Ginowan to the less populated Henoko district in Nago.

A report on the details of the relocation will be compiled by experts from the two countries by the end of this month. The report will likely mention two choices for the design of the facility -- building two runways in a V-shaped formation or constructing a single runway.

At a separate press conference, State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said that the two countries will probably issue a joint statement on the matter by the end of this month.

"I'm confident that at the end of this process, we'll have some kind of statement. It will likely be, as with past statements, something that is jointly released by the United States and Japan," he said.

Tuesday, August 24 - Kyodo Articles

Senior Cabinet official opposes ministry's 'sympathy' budget plan+

Aug 24 09:12 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tetsuro Fukuyama on Tuesday voiced his opposition to the Defense Ministry's plan to include host nation support expenses for U.S. troops in Japan in a special budget framework for promoting economic growth when the ministry submits its budget request for fiscal 2011, sources familiar with the matter said. ...

DPJ lawmaker Goto resigns on conviction of campaigner+

Aug 24 07:06 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Hidetomo Goto resigned as a House of Representatives member on Tuesday after his key campaigner was ...

U.S. proposes change in flight routes for base relocation site+

Aug 24 06:34 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ The United States has proposed a major change in aircraft flight routes to and from the planned relocation site for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture that could worsen noise levels and pose risks to residential areas there, bilateral diplomatic sources said Tuesday....

Ozawa, Hatoyama meet over DPJ presidential election

Aug 24 06:21 PM US/Eastern

NEW YORK, Aug. 24 (AP) - (Kyodo) - TOKYO - Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told Democratic Party of Japan power broker Ichiro Ozawa on Tuesday night that he will support Prime Minister Naoto Kan in next month's DPJ leadership election, sources of the ruling party said.
Hatoyama made clear his support for Kan during talks with Ozawa at a Tokyo hotel in an apparent attempt to prevent the DPJ from creating a serious division as intraparty maneuvering is intensifying ahead of the Sept. 14 election, they said. ...

Gov't to protest tourists' visit to disputed isle with Russian visas+

Aug 24 04:52 AM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 24 (Kyodo) _ Cabinet ministers on Tuesday showed irritation at a group of Japanese tourists for visiting one of the four...

Kan, U.S. commander agree to work closely on Futenma base relocation+

Aug 24 04:52 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ Prime Minister Naoto Kan and the head of the U.S. military Pacific Command, Adm. Robert Willard, agreed Tuesday to work closely on the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma airbase in Okinawa Prefecture, the Foreign Ministry said. ...

U.S. proposes change in flight routes for base relocation site+

Aug 24 12:39 AM US/Eastern

(Kyodo) _ The United States has proposed a major change in aircraft flight routes to and from the planned relocation site for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture that could worsen noise levels and pose risks to residential areas there, bilateral diplomatic sources said Wednesday. ...

Senior Cabinet official opposes ministry's 'sympathy' budget plan+

Aug 24 09:12 AM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 24 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tetsuro Fukuyama on Tuesday voiced his opposition to the Defense Ministry's plan to include host nation support expenses for U.S. troops in Japan in a special budget framework for promoting economic growth when the ministry submits its budget request for fiscal 2011, sources familiar with the matter said.

Fukuyama called in senior ministry officials, including Vice Defense Minister Kimito Nakae, to the prime minister's office to express his views about the planned method of budget requests for the expenses, dubbed "sympathy budget allocations," the sources said.

The defense ministry's budget plan has emerged at a time when the Japanese and U.S. governments are seeking to agree on revisions to the special bilateral accord on host nation expenses ahead of its expiration in March 2011. Host nation support expenses cover utility costs of the U.S. forces and salaries of Japanese employees working at U.S. bases.

The government of Prime Minister Naoto Kan plans to hold open hearings [Government Revitalization Unit] to screen budgets allocated in the special category so it can reflect public opinions in compiling the budget for the next fiscal year starting in April 2011.

Kan will make the final decision on budget allocations within the special category, which is expected to entail a sort of contest between policy proposals aimed at reviving Japan, with ministries and agencies allowed to seek budgets 10 percent lower than those allotted for the current fiscal year.

The contest format could prompt calls for further drastic cuts in the budget requests, and so the United States has opposed the ministry plan because a sharp cut in the "sympathy" budget cannot be ruled out.





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See Also:

Expenses for U.S. military to be allocated under special framework
Kyodo - Aug 11 01:23 PM US/Eastern

Press Conference by the Defense Minister
Time & Date: 11:02-11:08 A.M. July 23, 2010
Place: Entrance of the Prime Minister's Office

Press Conference by Minister for Foreign Affairs Katsuya Okada
2. US Military Realignment Issue
Date: Tuesday, July 6, 2010, 2:00 p.m.
Place: MOFA Press Conference Room

The Enduring Importance of our Security Alliance
Ambassador John V. Roos
Waseda University Organization for Japan-U.S. Studies (WOJUSS) event
Waseda University, Tokyo; January 29, 2010

First Meeting of the Government Revitalization Unit
The Prime Minister in action
Thursday, October 22, 2009

Gov't Revitalization Unit meets for 1st time to tackle waste
Kyodo News
Oct 21 06:57 PM US/Eastern

Biz, labor elites join key panel
The Japan Times, Kyodo News
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009

Blog: Observing Japan
By Tobias Harris
Open government - Thursday, November 26, 2009
General Rice criticizes the Japanese media (implicitly) - Tuesday, July 15, 2008
How "sympathetic" should Japan be? - Thursday, April 03, 2008
Accountability comes to the alliance? - Sunday, March 30, 2008

Kan, U.S. commander agree to work closely on Futenma base relocation+

Aug 24 04:52 AM US/Eastern

TOKYO, Aug. 24 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Naoto Kan and the head of the U.S. military Pacific Command, Adm. Robert Willard, agreed Tuesday to work closely on the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma airbase in Okinawa Prefecture, the Foreign Ministry said.

Kan told Willard at the premier's office that Japan needs continued cooperation from the United States to ease the burden on the people of Okinawa of hosting the bulk of U.S. forces in Japan, the ministry said.

Kan said making meaningful burden reduction efforts for the southwestern Japanese prefecture will be crucial to winning understanding on relocation within the prefecture, agreed by the two countries in May.

Japan and the United States have agreed to transfer the heliport functions of the Futenma Air Station, located in a crowded residential area of Ginowan, to the less populated Henoko district in Nago.

But strong opposition remains among many people in the prefecture partly because Kan's predecessor Yukio Hatoyama last year promised to move the air station out of the island prefecture.

Kan and Willard also agreed that the long-standing security alliance between the two countries is essential for ensuring stability and prosperity in Japan and the surrounding region.

Willard, who heads the Hawaii-based command overseeing all U.S. military operations in the Asia-Pacific region, also paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada.

Despite some difficulties over the planned Futenma relocation, Willard told Okada at the start of their talks, "All in all, the U.S.-Japan relationship is as strong as ever."

Among other topics, Kan and Okada separately discussed with Willard regional security issues, including those related to North Korea, according to the ministry.