Noda Faces the Perfect Storm

The fate of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's administration and his ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) may soon lie in the hands of the Japanese electorate. A Lower-House election is possible as early as October. Noda’s party, split by his insistence on raising taxes, now barely has a majority in the Diet. Few believe that the DPJ will survive the next election as a ruling party.

Polls show the Japanese public has given up on the DPJ as a reform party. Its support ratings are approaching the single digit level. The party came in with a long list of campaign promises, but has been unable to deliver on most of them. Party members constantly feuded and split over policy issues. In addition, Prime Minister Noda, against his party’s wishes, pushed a highly unpopular consumption tax hike through the Diet. The DPJ once promised never to raise taxes.

To pass his tax reform measures, he had to make deals with the opposition LDP. He swapped a promise to call an election “very soon” for their cooperation. Less discussed, has been his willingness to support a number of conservative nationalist policypositions in exchange for support their support. The “unofficial” visits by two of his Cabinet Ministers to Yasukuni and the questioning of the Kono Statement on the Comfort Women are two. However, it was the tax deal that so angered his fellow party-members causing many either to form their own party or become independents.

Noda now finds himself facing an Upper House non-binding censure motion that is likely to pass as early as Wednesday, August 29. The opposition parties would then boycott further deliberations, and the Diet business would virtually stop until the session ends on September 8 -- without passing key budget-related and redistricting legislation.

The Prime Minister would then be forced to call for a snap election. Since it seems highly unlikely the DPJ could retain its Lower House majority, and even more unlikely that the almost equally unpopular LDP could regain its old majority, some kind of broad coalition government would emerge. The result may be that DPJ may not even be in such a coalition!

Noda, as unpopular in the polls as his two predecessors, is running for reelection in the party presidential race on September 21st. Some party members want him replaced. They do not believe he can lead successfully the DPJ into the next election. If so, the convention could be turbulent, as there are no clear party favorites to run against Noda.

Why did all of this come to pass? Noda came in with a 65% support rate last fall and the public anticipating much from his leadership. Indeed, he made many tough decisions, including the tax hike, restarting a couple of the 54 nuclear reactors shut down after the Fukushima accident, and leveraging his party to accept Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Though all of these decisions in objective terms are clearly in Japan’s national interests, the public thought otherwise. Even Noda’s party rebelled and became hopelessly split on these issues. A majority of Japanese are now against nuclear energy believing it dangerous, based on the Fukushima experience. TPP, excoriated by segments of the media, interest groups, and protectionist-minded politicians, is now as welcome as the plague in much of Japan.

The fourth issue picked up by an angry public and used as a cudgel by the opposition camp, is Noda’s decision to let V-22 Ospreys into Japan. Due to media hype, the public remains convinced that the vertical takeoff and landing aircraft slated for Futenma Air base is accident prone and could crash anywhere at any time. Okinawa is so upset about the Osprey that when they arrive in October, huge protest rallies and obstructive tactics are likely. The Noda government’s broken relationship with that prefecture does not seem repairable.

As if things could not be worse, territorial disputes with China and South Korea have flared up recently, with the Noda administration seemingly helpless to put out the respective fires. Despite Noda’s best diplomatic efforts to cool-headedly handle the two issues, resolution in either case still seems far off, and could escalate even more. Here again, Noda’s responses are being blasted in political circles for either being too weak or too hard-lined, depending on the party. He just cannot seem to get any credit for his efforts to managed the issues.

Is there anything that Noda can do to save his administration and by extension his party from ruin? Probably not. Will he become the third DPJ prime minister to resign under fire in three years? It seems likely. Is the DPJ finished as a ruling party in the next Lower House election? By all indications, it seems most probably. Hit by the Perfect Storm, even a prime minister that should have scored well as Japan’s leader may go down with his ship.

William Brooks
Senior Fellow,
Asia Policy Point
First published in APP's Asia Policy Calendar, August 28, 2012

Prime Minister of Japan's Schedule July 30-August 12

July 30, 2012 (MON)

AM
09:32 Office
09:53 Mr. Hiroshi Ozu and Mr. Haruo Kasama, New and Old Prosecutor-General; Mr. Nishikawa, Administrative Vice Minister of Justice , also attends
09:58 All leave
11:24 Parliament
11:30 Parliament of Children
11:54 Office

PM
12:16 The Council on National Strategy and Policy
12:41 Council adjourned
02:00 Mr. Matsubara, Minister for the Abduction Issue
02:40 Courtesy call from the students of Matsushita School of Government and Management; Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, and Mr. Honda, Special Advisor for PM, attends
02:49 All leave
04:00 Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor for PM
04:30 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor for PM
05:13 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
05:58 Courtesy Call from Groups of Junior Reporters from Okinawa and Hakodate
06:23 Council for Science and Technology Policy
06:51 Residence
06:54 Mr. Kyoichi Shimazu, Mr. Hitoshi Goto, Mr. Isao Matsumiya, and Mr. Tetsuo Morimoto, DPJ Lower House members; Mr. Tezuka attends
08:58 All leave

July 31, 2012 (TUE)

AM
07:41 Office
07:46 Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters
08:14 Ministerial meeting
08:34 Committee on the Space Policy
08:55 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
09:28 Mr. Tezuka
10:50 Mr. Tezuka leaves

PM
12:51 Parliament
01:00 Meeting of the House of Councillors Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems
05:13 Office
05:24 Mr. Asonuma, Administrative Vice Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare; and Mr. Honda
05:50 Council on Disaster Countermeasures Promotion
06:00 Mr. Tezuka
06:16 Mr. Taketoshi, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
06:44 Residence

August 1, 2012 (WED)

AM
09:32 Office
09:38 Mr. Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction in the Response to the East Japan Earthquake
10:02 Mr. Nakagawa, Minister of State for Disaster Management
11:00 Video Message Recording for "Global Forum on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education"
11:23 Mr. Sasae, Administrative Vice Minister of Foreign Policy
11:54 Mr. Sasae leaves

PM
01:30 Reconstruction Promotion Committee
01:36 Committee ends
03:01 Headquarters for Administrative Reform Implementation
03:16 Committee for the Promotion of the Private Finance Initiative
03:31 Mr. Kansei Nakano, DPJ Lower House member, Leader of DPJ Caucus for Human Rights Promotion; Mr. Tezuka attends
04:30 Mr. Tezuka
05:18 Government-RENGO Summit Meeting
05:58 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary-General; and Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
06:33 Council for Gender Equality
06:45 The Iftar with the Islamic Diplomatic Corps in Japan
07:22 Dinner with Mr. Yasuo Ichikawa, Mr. Yoshihiro Kawakami, and Mr. Kiyoshige Okubo, DPJ Upper House members, at Japanese Restaurant Amimoto Manpei in Hirakawa-cho, Tokyo
08:15 Residence

August 2, 2012 (THU)

AM
09:31 Office
10:30 Mr. Din Syamsuddin, Indonesia’s Islamic leader; Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, and Mr. Yutaka Tomono, Leader of DPJ caucus for Friendship with Indeonesia
10:54 Mr. Naoshima, DPJ Vice President; and Mr. Ikuo Yamahana, DPJ Lower House member
11:26 Mr. Kazuhiko Shimokawabe, Board Chair of Tokyo Electronic Power Company (TEPCO); and Mr. Naomi Hirose, President of TEPCO

PM
12:00 Residence; Lunch with Mr. Kazue Fujita, DPJ Lower House member; Mr. Honda, Special Advisor, accompanies
12:51 Parliament
12:56 Mr. Taki, Minister of Justice
12:59 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
01:02 Lower House Plenary Session
01:19 Office
02:59 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
03:24 Mr. Saito leaves
04:30 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor for PM
05:00 Mr. Tezuka leaves
06:01 Mr. Tsuyoshi Gibu, Mayor of Kincho; Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Hajime Ishii, DPJ Upper House member; and Mr. Shimoji, Secretary-General of New People’s Party (Kokumin Shinto)
06:21 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office; and Mr. Mukuki, Director of the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center
06:27 Mr. Mukuki leaves
06:51 Mr. Kitamura leaves
07:13 Residence

August 3, 2012 (FRI)

AM
08:18 Parliament
08:25 Ministerial meeting
08:41 Mr. Oakada, Deputy Prime Minister; Mr. Nakatsuka, Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office; and Mr. Hideki Kato, Secretary General of the Administrative Reform Committee
08:56 Office
10:37 Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor for PM
10:59 Mr. Maehara, DPJ Policy Research Council Chief
11:15 Mr. Maehara leaves

PM
12:01 Mr. Shuji Kira, DPJ Lower House member; and Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor for PM
12:51 Both leave
01:20 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary-General
01:52 Mr. Katagiri, Commissioner-General of National Police Agency
02:37 Mr. Furukawa, Minister of State for National Policy
03:05 Mr. Kagaya, Parliamentary Secretary of Ministry of Internal Affairs; and Mr. Tanaka, Director-General of Human Resources and Pension Bureau
03:18 Both leave
04:46 Press group interview
05:16 Interview ends
06:01 Residence

August 4, 2012 (SAT)

AM
Residence

PM
Residence

August 5, 2012 (SUN) *Visit Oakayama and Hiroshima Prefectures

AM
10:00 JR Tokyo Station
10:11 Leave Tokyo Station on Nozomi Express #23; Mr. Tezuka accompanies

PM
01:30 JR Okayama station
02:10 Visit Nakashima Medical, an artificial joint manufacturer
03:50 Sharp Fukuyama Plant, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima
04:39 Press interview
06:31 Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima, Minami Ward, Hiroshima City
07:29 Dinner with Mr. Daisuke Matsumoto and Mitsuo Mitani, DPJ Lower House members; Mr. Tezuka accompanies
09:52 Stay in the Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima

August 6, 2012 (MON)

AM
07:39 Leave the hotel
07:48 Peace Memorial Park
08:00 The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, and Other Activities
08:57 Visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum; and Ms. Komiyama, Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare, accompanies
09:24 Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima
09:46 Meeting to listen to requests by representatives of atomic bomb victims; Ms. Komiyama accompanies
10:38 Press conference
11:15 Visit a nursing home for atomic bomb survivors, Kurakake Nozomi-en 1 

PM
12:27 Hiroshima Airport
02:09 Leave the airport on Japan Airline (JAL) Flight 1606
03:12 Arrive at Haneda Airport
04:09 Office
04:45 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor for PM
05:00 Mr. Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Mr. Hosono, Minister of Environment; Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Furukawa, Minister of State for National Policy
05:16 Mr. Hosono and Mr. Fujimura leave
05:19 Mr. Edano and Mr. Furukawa leave
05:30 Courtesy Call from Young Descendants of Former Inhabitants of the Northern Territories of Japan
05:37 Meeting ends
06:34 Residence

August 7, 2012 (TUE)

AM
08:04 Parliament
08:06 Ministerial Meeting on the Advancement of Disaster Waste Management
08:26 Ministerial meeting
08:38 Office
10:57 Mr. Tarutoko, DPJ Acting Secretary General
11:02 Mr. Jimi, President of New People’s Party (Kokumin Shinto), Ruling Party Leaders Meeting; Mr. Tarutoko and Mr. Shimoji, Secretary General of New People’s Party
11:18 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor for PM
11:20 Both leave

PM
01:50 Mr. Ichiro Fujisaki, Ambassador for the U.S.
02:15 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General
02:41 Mr. Saito
03:13 Mr. Saito leaves
05:00 Mr. Tezuka
05:32 Advisory Council on Countermeasures against Novel Influenza and Other Diseases
05:45 Mr. Jojima, DPJ Parliamentary Affairs Chief; and Mr. Tarutoko
06:19 Both leave
06:57 Residence

August 8, 2012 (WED)

AM
08:47 Office

PM
12:04 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
01:00 Receives the National Personnel Authority (NPA) Recommendation; Mr. Kawabata, Minister of Internal Affairs; and Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary
05:27 Parliament
05:30 General Assembly of DPJ members in both houses
06:37 Office
06:39 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor for PM
06:45 Mr. Honda, Special Advisor for PM
07:25 Parliament
07:30 Meeting with Mr. Tanigaki, LDP President; Mr. Ishihara, LDP Secretary General; and Mr. Tarutoko, and DPJ Acting Secretary General
08:17 Mr. Yamaguchi, President of New Komei Party, joins; and Mr. Inouye, New Komei Party Secretary General
08:29 Press interview
08:44 Residence
09:02 Press interview
09:04 Residence

August 9, 2012 (THU) * Visit to Nagasaki Prefecture

AM
07:15 Haneda Airport
07:25 Leave the airport on Japan Airline Flight 1841; Mr. Honda, Special Advisor for PM
09:09 Arrive at Nagasaki Airport
09:56 Visit Shiroyama Elementary School in Nagasaki City, which is nearest to the epicenter of the atomic bomb and suffered severe damage; Ms. Komiyama, Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare, accompanies
10:17 The Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony; Flower tribute; and make remarks

PM
12:01 Hotel New Nagasaki; lunch with Mr. Honda
12:26 Meeting to Listen to Requests by Representatives of Atomic Bomb Victims; Ms. Komiyama attends
01:05 Press interview
01:42 Visit a nursing home for atomic bomb survivors in Nagasaki, the Hill of Grace Nagasaki A-Bomb Home 1
02:49 Nagasaki Airport
03:09 Leave the airport on Japan Airline Flight 1850
04:31 Arrive at Haneda Airport
05:28 Office
05:53 Parliament
06:00 Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Tarutoko, DPJ Acting Secretary General
06:02 Lower House Plenary Session
07:45 Residence

August 10, 2012 (FRI)

AM
07:00 Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor for PM
07:48 Mr. Nagahama leaves
08:16 Mr. Tezuka leaves
08:19 Parliament
08:29 Ministerial meeting
08:35 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
09:00 Upper House Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems

PM
01:02 Lower House Plenary Session
01:20 Office
01:58 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
02:40 Mr. Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction in the Response to the East Japan Earthquake
02:49 Mr. Fujii, DPJ Head of Tax Research Commission
02:57 Mr. Azumi, Minister of Finance; and Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary
03:13 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
04:10 Mr. Saito
04:58 Mr. Saito leaves
05:44 Parliament
05:48 Mr. Hirata, Upper House Chair; Mr. Otsuji, Vice Chair; Mr. Tsuruho, Steering Committee Chair; Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minsiter
06:06 Office
06:40 Press Conference
07:05 Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor for PM
07:19 Residence

August 11, 2012 (SAT)

AM
Residence

PM
Residence

August 12, 2012 (SUN)

AM
Residence 

PM
Residence

The silly season: the week ahead

Both the British and Americans view mid-August as the "silly season" as everyone is away on vacation, or should be. Nevertheless, some hearty souls remain in the Capital.

SOUTH KOREA AND LIBERAL INTERNATIONALISM: THE MIDDLE POWER THEORY REEXAMINED. 8/15, 3:00-4:30pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: CSIS. Speakers: Jongryn Mo, Executive Director, Hills Governance Center at Yonsei University, Professor of International Political Economy, Yonsei University, Senior Research Fellow, ASAN Institute for Policy Studies; Comments, Scott Snyder, Senior Fellow for Korea Studies and Director of the Program on U.S.-Korea Policy, Council on Foreign Relations.

IRAQ AND THE POLITICS OF OIL. 8/16, 3:00-4:45pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: The Middle East Institute. Speakers: Naufel Al-Hassan, Commercial Councilor, Embassy of the Republic of Iraq; Raad Al Kadiri, FC Energy; Brett McGurk; U.S Department of State; Denise Natali, National Defense University; Moderated by Allen Keiswetter, Middle East Institute.

FOREIGN-POLICY MAKING UNDER THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN. 8/21, 9:30-11:00am, Washington, DC. Sponsor: The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation. Speaker: Weston Konishi, Director of Asia-Pacific Studiesnstitute for Foreign Policy Analysis.

THREE ELECTIONS THAT MIGHT CHANGE THE WORLD. 8/21, Noon-1:00pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Center for National Policy. Speakers: Richard Bush Director, Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies, The Brookings Institution; Wei (Victoria) Hongxia, Visiting Scholar, Carnegie Endowment's Asia Program; Anil Mammen, Fellow for American Government and Politics, Center for National Policy. In 2012, elections in the United States and Taiwan, along with the leadership transition in the PRC will all take place in less than a year's time. What are the prospects for continuity and change in the complex triangle that is the US-PRC-Taiwan relationship?

INDONESIA'S PERFORMANCE AND PROSPECTS. 8/28, Noon-2:00pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Speakers: James Castle, founder of CastleAsia, an executive advisory firm specializing in Indonesia; William Wallace, senior adviser at the World Bank in Jakarta specializing in decentralization, governance, and climate change; Vikram Nehru, senior associate in the Asia Program and Bakrie Chair in Southeast Asian Studies at the Carnegie Endowment.

SOFT POWER IN A HARD TIME: A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ON CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS. 8/28, 12:30-1:30, Washington, DC. Sponsors: The Sigur Center for Asian Studies at The Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University and The Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies, The Brookings Institution. Speaker: Lung Yingtai, Minister of Culture for Taiwan (ROC).

GREEN URBANIZATION IN ASIA. 8/29, 9:00-10:30am, Washington, DC. Sponsors: Asian Development Bank in collaboration with the Wilson Center's Kissinger Institute on China and the US, the Asia Program, the Comparative Urban Studies Project, and the China Environment Forum. Speakers: Douglas Brooks, Assistant Chief Economist, Asian Development Bank; Moderator: Blair A. Ruble, Comparative Urban Studies Project, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Armitage Report III release August 15

Presidential elections bring out the ambitions of many. Although, foreign policy is little discussed in American politics, every Washington foreign policy expert vies for a candidate's attention. Their recommendations are issued in a series of short programs accompanied by even shorter memos that rely on phrases, which include "lynchpin," "pillar,""robust," "strengthen," "market-based," "freedom," "endgame," "flawed," and "reinvigorate" to restate the obvious.

For example, the Atlantic Council has a project called the Task Ahead: Memos for the Winner of the 2012 Presidential Election. The issue brief by former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson on A New Framework for U.S.-China Economic Relations is one page and a half. One of the four recommendations is: "Assure financial markets that are transparent and have strong oversight by correcting flawed practices on both sides of the Pacific that have led to massive producer and consumer debt."

The master of the pre-election Asia reports is former Deputy Secretary of State in the Bush II Administration Richard Armitage. In October 2000, he and former Harvard professor Joseph Nye issued The United States and Japan: Advancing toward a Mature Relationship, better known as The Armitage Report. It was published through the National Defense University and primarily written by James Przystup.

This seven-page paper set the gold standard in influence and writing of  pre-election recommendations. It succinctly articulated the American Alliance Managers' desire to "see the special relationship between the United States and Great Britain as a model for the alliance." This attitude has inspired policy toward Japan in one way or another ever since. Japanese officials, however, have responded by insisting upon their independence and distancing themselves from a "blindly follow the U.S." policy.

Mr. Armitage's second presidential report  released in 2008 by CSIS was less successful. In part, it was too long: 28 pages. Entitled Getting Asia Right through 2020 it simply expanded on the first by emphasizing that the security of all of Asia was dependent upon the U.S.-Japan Alliance. It concludes: 

stability in East Asia will rest on a triangle of U.S.- Japan-China relations, which should be fostered in addition to our strong alliance with Japan. The cooperative efforts that marked Japan’s support for the United States in Afghanistan, its contribution to postwar reconstruction in Iraq, and its early participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative have set a firm foundation for closer future cooperation. We would conclude this report with the observation that to those to whom much has been given, much will be expected.

On Wednesday, August 15th, the Third Armitage report, The Armitage Nye Report: U.S.-Japan Alliance: Anchoring Stability in Asia, will be released at CSIS in Washington at a program to be held there from 8:45am to 10:00am [UPDATE 8/13/12]. You can watch it live on a CSIS webcast.

N.B.: The first two Armitage Reports were described as being put together by a bi-partisan committee. As there is a lot of ideological consistency among American Alliance Managers, most people interpret "bipartisan" as including one modest woman on each committee to take notes and correct grammar.

Prime Minister of Japan's Schedule July 23-29, 2012

July 23 2012 (MON)

AM
07:58 Breakfast with Mr. Masaaki Shirakawa, Governor of the Bank of Japan, in Japanese Restaurant “Suiren” at the Capitol Hotel Tokyu
08:56 Office
10:21 Ministerial Council on Monthly Economic Report and Other Relative Issues
10:44 Mr. Hirohisa Fuji, DPJ Tax System Research Council Chief
11:00 Mr. Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry
11:24 Mr. Sasae, Administrative Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs

PM
12:02 Mr. Sasae leaves
02:13 Submission Ceremony of the Final Report of the Investigation Committee on the Accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Stations of Tokyo Electric Power Company
02:26 Office
03:25 Send-off Event for the Japanese National Team of the London 2012 Paralympic Games
03:57 Office
04:30 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
05:00 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor
05:31 Policy Committee on Persons with Disabilities
05:46 Mr. Maehara, DPJ Policy Research Council Chief
06:22 Mr. Furukawa, Minister of State for National Policy
07:02 Dinner with Deputy Prime Minister Okada and Mr. Mitsuru Sakurai, Leading Board Chair of the Upper House Special Committee for Consumption Tax Hike and other related issues.
09:23 Residence

July 24, 2012 (TUE)

AM
06:32 Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor
08:16 Both leave
08:19 Parliament
08:26 Ministerial meeting
08:35Issue appointments for new members of Bank of Japan Policy Board; Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary
09:00 The Upper House Budget Committee
11:59 Office

PM
12:50 Parliament
01:00 The Upper House Budget Committee
05:31 Office
05:40 Courtesy Call from the Participants of the China National Japanese Speech Contest; Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
05:56 Mr. Toshimi Kitazawa, Former Minister of Defense
06:12 Mr. Hosono, Minister of Environment
06:24 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor
06:36 Mr. Hajime Ishii, DPJ Upper House member; Mr. Saito, and Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor.
06:45 Mr. Saito leaves
06:53 Mr. Ishii and Mr. Nagashima leave
06:58 Residence
06:59 Mr. Hiroshi Nakai, Lower House Budget Committee Chair; Mr. Tadamaza Kodaira, Lower House Steering Committee Chair; Mr. Issei Koga, East Japan Earthquake Disaster Relief Special Committee Chair; Mr. Ryu Matsumoto, Lower House Ethics Committee Chair; and Mr. Mr. Saito
08:28 Mr. Nakai leaves
08:42 All leave

July 25, 2012 (WED)

AM
07:16 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor
08:30 Mr. Tezuka leaves
08:52 Parliament
08:54 Mr. Azumi, Minister of Finance
09:00 Meeting of the House of Councillors Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems
11:59 Office

PM
12:50 Parliament
01:00 Meeting of the House of Councillors Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems
05:12 Office
05:19 Courtesy Call from the Governor of Fukushima Prefecture and Miss Peach Ladies
05:26 Joint Meeting of the Electricity Supply-Demand Review Meeting and the Energy and Environment Council
05:46 Government and DPJ Three Executives meeting
06:44 Mr. Katsutoshi Kono and Mr. Masahio Sugimoto, new and old Maritime Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff
06:59 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor
07:30 Dinner with Mr. Azumi, Mminister of Finance; and Mr. Mr. Hisashi HIeda, Board Chair of Fuji TV, at French restaurant Chez Matsuo
09:55 Residence

July 26, 2012 (THU)

AM
09:03 Office
09:44 Mr. Donilon, President Obama’s National Security Advisor; Mr. Ssaito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor
10:20 Mr. Saito and Mr. Tezuka
11:04 Mr. Saito leaves
11:13 Mr. Tezuka leaves
11:55 Meeting with Chairpersons of Prefectural Assemblies

PM
12:51 Parliament
11:54 Mr. Morimoto, Minister of Defense; and Mr. Watanabe, Senior Vice Minister of Defense
01:02 The Lower House Plenary Session
03:56 Receive a TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident Report from Mr. Yokoji, Lower House Chair
04:05 Office
04:07 Mr. Muneo Suzuki, President of New Party Daichi-True Democratic Party
04:31 Mr. Naoshima, DPJ Vice President
05:15 Mr. Tezuka
05:52 Mr. Furukawa, Minister of State for National Strategy
06:10 Mr. Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, joins
06:47 Both leave
07:01 Dinner with Former Prime Minister Kan at Japanese Restaurant Sakutantouji, Azabu-dai, Tokyo; Mr. Saito and Mr. Honda, Special Advisor also attend
09:31 Residence

July 27, 2012 (FRI)

AM
06:30 Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor
07:39 Mr. Nagahama leaves
07:57 Mr. Tezuka leaves
08:00 Parliament
08:05 Ministerial meeting
8:14 Mr. Oakada, Deputy Prime Minister
09:00 The Upper House Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems
11:59 Office

PM
12:50 Parliament
01:00 The Upper House Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems
05:11 Office
05:15 Mr. Tezuka
05:34 Courtesy Call from the People Related to Tourism in Yamagata Prefecture; Mr. Michihiko Kano, and Mr. Yosuke Kondo, DPJ Lower House members accompany
05:46 Mr. Yasuchika Hasegawa, President President of Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives)
06:00 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
06:30 Mr. Kitamura leaves
07:04 Residence

July 28, 2012 (SAT)
All day
Residence

July 29, 2012 (SUN)
All day
Residence

Paul Ryan and Japan

Janesville Memorial

Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan has never been to Tokyo or Beijing. Nor has he shown much interest in U.S. foreign policy toward Asia. It is likely, however, he has some strong opinions about Japan and they are not all favorable.

Representative Ryan was born, raised, schooled, and still lives in Janesville, Wisconsin. This small town was one of many that sacrificed much to defeat Imperial Japan. An activated, Janesville National Guard unit fought and lost on Bataan, the Philippines exactly 70 years ago (December 1941 to April 1942) in the first American battle of World War II.

The Janesville 99, as the men of 32nd Divisional Tank Company of the Wisconsin National Guard, which became Company A of the 192nd Tank Battalion are known, remain a revered legend in Ryan's hometown. He grew up with the survivors and went to school with their grandsons.

Ryan knows that only 35 of original Janesville 99 returned after the War. Two-thirds perished as prisoners of Japan. Two were killed in combat, and one died on the infamous Bataan Death March. Japanese brutality, malfeasance, and torture killed the others. They died from disease, beatings, dehydration, and starvation all over Asia: Camp O’Donnell, Cabanatuan, Formosa, Fukuoka, Moji, Osaka, Omuta, Yodogawa, Mukden, Palawan. One was among the five of the 192nd Battalion who was burned alive by the Kempeitai in the December 1944 Palawan Massacre. Fifteen men died when their unmarked POW transport ships were bombed or torpedoed by American forces.

The survivors returned home with sordid tales of battle, abuse, and slave labor. Mitsui, Mitsubishi, Nippon Express, Nippon Steel, and other Japanese companies became names of infamy. They all used Janesville men as slave labor in the most sub-human of conditions. Like Nazi Germany's concentration camps, Japan's POW camps were connected to companies to provide workers.

On the corner of Milwaukee and Franklin Streets in Janesville is the Lions Club WWI plaza. Joining the WWI Memorial is a stele topped with a tank “in fullfillment of a pledge by the Tank C Company boys to their comrades on Bataan.” This memorial installed in 1947 lists both those who died and those who returned home. It personalized the War and focused its story on its individuals. It is a memorial not just to a unit or a battle. It identifies and honors all the men who endured.

HERE you can find a video of the May 2012 annual ceremony to the Janesville 99.

Representative Paul Ryan has been one of very few Republicans to defy House Speaker John Boehner's directive to not support commemorative and honorary resolutions. One result of this order was the first time for Congress to fail to issue a remembrance resolution for Pearl Harbor. December 7, 2011 was the 70th anniversary of Japan's surprise attack.

Ryan is a co-sponsor of H Res 333, that honors the American POWs of Japan and heralds the success of their 70-year effort, with the help of the Obama Administration, to receive an apology from the Government of Japan for their maltreatment. The resolution also asks Japan's companies that were complicit in the abuse and misuse of POWs to mirror their government's efforts toward apology. Nearly all these companies still exist and operate in the United States. Few have acknowledged their use of slave labor; none have apologized.

Thus, it is likely that when Vice Presidential candidate Ryan is briefed on the U.S.-Japan Alliance and Japan's corporate efforts for high speed rail contracts in the U.S. he will pause to remember the Janesville 99. The last time his hometown entrusted Japan with the care of its people the results were disastrous. Having been made to wait 70 years for an apology for Japan's documented war crimes is unlikely to have strengthened trust in Janesville and Mr. Ryan toward Japan.

Prime Minister of Japan's Schedule July 9-22

July 9, 2012 (MON)

AM
07:01 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
08:48 Both leave
08:51 Parliament
08:58 The Lower House Budget Committee

PM
12:04 Office
12:51 Parliament
01:00 The Lower House Budget Committee
05:09 Office
05:11 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
05:37 Meeting with the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Mr. Hamid Karzai; Ms. Sadako Ogata, MOFA Special Advisor, also attended
06:07 Dinner party hosted by Prime Minister
07:03 See off President karzai
07:12 The Peninsula Tokyo Hotel; Dinner with Mr. Hirohisa Fujii, DPJ Tax Research Council Chair and Mr. Shinichiro Furumoto, DPJ Secretary General of the Tax Research Council
09:02 Residence

July 10, 2012 (TUE)
AM

06:32 Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Tezuka
08:00 Mr. Nagahama leaves
08:13 Mr. Tezuka leaves
08:16 Parliament
08:24 Ministerial meeting
09:04 The Upper House Budget Committee

PM
12:34 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General
01:00 The Upper House Budget Committee
05:26 Office
05:27 Mr. Matsubara, Minister of State for Financial Services; Mr. Goto, Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office; Mr. Koori, Parliamentary Secretary of Cabinet Office; and Mr. Honda, Special Advisor to PM
06:02 Mr. Taketoshi, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
06:12 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
06:45 Residence

July 11, 2012 (WED)

AM
08:02 Mr. Nagahama, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Tezuka
09:13 Both leave
09:52 Parliament
10:01 The Upper House Plenary Session

PM
12:03 Office
12:52 Parliament
01:01 The Upper House Plenary Session
02:32 Office
03:30 Courtesy Call from Director of the League of Residents of Chishima and Habomai Islands, Inc., Mr. Toshio Koizumi
03:51 Mr. Kazuo Inamori, Board Chair Emeritus of Japan Airline
04:27 Mr. Shimoji, Secretary General of New People’s Party (Kokumin Shinto)
04:48 Mr. Furukawa, Minister of State for National Policy; and Mr. Ishida, Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office
05:21 Mr. Tezuka
05:35 The Council on National Strategy and Policy
06:31 The Council adjourns
06:36 Three Government/DPJ Executive Meeting
07:35 Meeting ends
07:43 Residence

July 12, 2012 (THU)

AM
07:02 Mr. Saito and Mr. Tezuka
07:57 Both leave
08:19 Mr. Tezuka
08:50 Parliament
09:00 The Lower House Budget Committee

PM
12:06 Office
12:53 Parliament
01:00 The Lower House Budget Committee
05:08 Inauguration Ceremony for the Space Policy Unit at Tokiwa Akasaka Icchome Bldg.
05:25 Kensei Hall, Nagatacho, Tokyo
05:27 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General
05:33 DPJ Diet Member General Assembly
06:41 Residence

July 13, 2012 (FRI)

AM
07:16 Mr. Nagahama and Mr. Tezuka
08:18 Both Leave
08:52 Parliament
08:59 National Security Council meeting
09:20 Ministerial meeting
10:01 The Upper House Plenary Session

PM
12:43 Office
02:01Headquarters for Administrative Reform Implementation
02:13 Mr. Matsushita, Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
02:26 Mr. Maehara, DPJ Policy Research Council Chair
03:00 Hotel New Otani, Kioi-cho, Tokyo
03:02 Meeting of DPJ Local Secretary Generals
03:15 Office
03:25 Mr. Azumi, Minister of Finance; and Mr. Katsu, Administrative Vice Minister of Finance
03:30 Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary, joins
04:02 All leave
04:03 Mr. Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction in the Response to the East Japan Earthquake; and Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
04:23 Mr. Hirano leaves
04:26 Mr. Saito leaves
04:33 Video message recording for the First Japan Hepatitis Day
04:45 Mr. Tezuka
05:01 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
05:31 Courtesy Call from the Members of the Tokyo-Seoul Forum
06:05 Ceremony to Present the Prime Minister's Commendations for Contributors to Promote the country as a "Maritime Nation"
06:28 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
06:56 Mr. Kitamura leaves
07:48 Residence

July 14, 2012 (SAT) Visit Earthquake and Tsunami Affected Areas in Iwate Prefecture

AM
08:15 Haneda Airport
08:27Leave the airport on Air Self Defense Force U4; Mr. Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction in the Response to the East Japan Earthquake, accompanies
09:26 Arrive at Hanamaki Airport, Iwate Prefecture
11:20 Fish Market in Kawaishi City; Mr. Tatsuo Hirano; Mr. Tsugawa, Parliamentary Secretary of Reconstruction; Mr. Saito; and Mr. Honda, Special Advisor to PM. Greeted by, Mr. Takuya Tasso, Governor of Iwate, and Mr. Takenori Noda, Mayor of Kamaishi.
11:56 Kawaishi City office; presentation by Moyer Noda regarding the reconstruction progress

PM
12:14 Lunch in a sushi restaurant
01:11 Observe temporary residence, support center, and other facility. Converse with local residents
02:18 JR Unosumai Station. Ken Hirano, President of Kamaishi City Higashi Middle School
02:36 Otsuchi city central hall. Greeted by Yutaka Ikarigawa, Mayor of Otsuchi town
02:55 Temporary shopping avenue
03:12 Seaside Town Mast, Otsuchi town
03:23 Exchange opinions with local chamber of commerce members
04:04 Press interview
04:06 Interview ends
06:29 Hanamaki Airport
06:42 Leave the airport
07:35 Arrive at Haneda Airport
08:12 Residence

July 15, 2012 (SUN)

AM
Residence

PM
Residence

July 16, 2012 (MON) Marine Day Holiday

AM
Residence

PM
02:55 Mr. Tezuka
04:28 Fuji TV, Odaiba, Tokyo
04:50 Appear on a news show
06:42 Residence

July 17, 2012 (TUE)

AM
09:31 Office
10:01 Ministerial meeting
10:13 Mr. Gemba, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Morimoto, Minister of Defense; Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Kanazawa, Administrative Vice Minister of Defense; and Mr. Ihara, Director-General of North America Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
10:44 Mr. Fujimura leaves
11:00 All leave

PM
01:54 Mr. Nakagaw, Minister of State for Disaster Management
02:31Mr. Tadakazu Kimura, President of Asahi Shimbun
03:00 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
03:07 Mr. Kitamura leaves
04:00 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
04:27Mr. Sugiyama, Director-General, Asia Pacific Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
04:50 Mr. Furukawa, Minister of State for National Policy; and Mr. Takahara, Director-General, Agency for Natural resources and Energy
05:33 Both leave
06:04 Kensei Hall, Nagatacho, Tokyo; Release ceremony of program of the New People’s Party
06:18 Residence

July 18, 2012 (WED)

AM
07:17 Mr. Nagahama and Mr. Tezuka
08:47 Both leave
08:51 Parliament
09:00 Meeting of the House of Councillors Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems
11:58 Office

PM
12:50 Parliament
01:00 Meeting of the House of Councillors Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems
05:10 Office
05:30 Mr. Tezuka
06:00 Mr. Tezuka leaves
07:08 Residence

July 19, 2012 (THU)

AM
07:00 Mr. Nagahama and Mr. Tezka
08:35 Both leave
08:52 Parliament
09:00 Meeting of the House of Councillors Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems
11:57 Office

PM
12:51 Parliament
01:00 Meeting of the House of Councillors Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems
05:11 Office
05:31 Meeting with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Mr. Morgan Richard Tsvangirai
05:58 See off Prime Minister Tsvangirai
06:01 Mr. Taki, Minister of Justice
06:19 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
06:25 Mr. Tezuka
06:36 Mr. Hosono, Minister of Environment
07:02 Mr. Shinji Tarutoko, and DPJ Emergency Response Headquarters against Disaster in Northern Kyushu due to Heavy Rain
07:29 Dinner with Mr. Nagahama, Mr. Tarutoko, and Mr. Ichiro Aisawa, LDP Lower House member
09:02 Residence

July 20, 2012 (FRI)

AM
07:37 Office
07:45 Consumer Policy Council
08:00 Ministerial Meeting Concerning Measures Against Crime
08:21 Ministerial meeting
08:32 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
08:45 Mr. Okada leaves
10:00 Haneda Airport
10:16 Leave the airport to visit the disaster affected are in the Kyushu region ; Mr. Goto, Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office, and Mr. Honda, Special Advisor to PM, accompany
11:47 Arrive at Kumamoto Airport in Kyushu; Mr. Ikuo Kabashima, Kumamoto Governor, greets

PM
12:55 Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture, City Hall
01:00 Exchange opinions with Governor Kabashima of Kumamoto
01:29 Ichinomiya Junior High School. Meet local residents who evacuated
01:49 Observe several disaster affected sites in the city
01:47 Press interview
01:48 Interview ends
03:55 Hita City, Ooita Prefecture, City Hall
04:05 Mr. Katsusada Hirose, Governor of Ooita
04:31 Press interview
04:49 Observe disaster affected sites in the city
06:38 Yanagawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture
07:05 Yanagawa City Hall
07:13 Mr. Hiroshi Ogawa, Governor of Fukuoka
07:42 Press interview
08:17 Saga Airport
08:19 Mr. Yasushi Furukawa, Governor of Saga
08:30 Leave the airport
09:58 Arrive at Haneda Airport
10:30 Residence

July 21, 2012 (SAT)

AM
Residence

PM
04:28 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
05:00 Mr. Saito leaves
05:38 National Yoyogi First Arena; Send-off Event for the Japanese National Team of the London 2012 Games of the XXX Olympiad
06:11 Residence

July 22, 2012 (SUN)

AM
Residence

PM
01:08 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
01:38 At Waseda University, Mr. Kaoru Kamata, President of Waseda University
02:06 Attend a forum in the University
03:44 Residence

Paul Ryan's foreign policy

This article is reprinted from the Foreign Policy Blog, Passport that was first published April 5 and updated on August 11th when Mitt Romney named Ryan as his running mate.

If you believe the buzz among political pundits this week, Mitt Romney may have not just picked up a primary win and endorsement from Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) in Wisconsin. He may have found a running mate. The Washington Post's Philip Rucker notes that Ryan, in what smacked of a VP tryout, appeared by Romney's "side at every turn" in Wisconsin, while the Washington Examiner's Charlie Spiering highlights a recent speech in which Ryan sounds very much like a vice presidential candidate -- conjuring up memories of "flipping burgers at McDonalds" and "waiting tables to pay back my student loans" in a paean to the American dream. 
 
Other political analysts are arguing that whether or not Romney puts Ryan on the ticket, President Obama may run as much against the Wisconsin congressman -- the architect of the House Republican budget plan -- as against Romney. On Tuesday, Obama declared that the budget proposal, which would slash $5.3 trillion in federal spending over the next decade, would pit rich against poor in what amounted to "social Darwinism." 
 
As the campaign spotlight lingers on Ryan, it's worth pointing out that the House Budget Committee chairman isn't a one-trick pony. Sure, he's styled himself as an intellectual leader on fiscal policy. But he has a distinct worldview as well. Here are some of the components of the other Ryan plan.

• American exceptionalism: In a June 2011 foreign policy speech at the Alexander Hamilton Society, Ryan rejected isolationism and argued that "America is the greatest force for human freedom the world has ever seen," warning that "a world without U.S. leadership will be a more chaotic place." A firm believer in American exceptionalism, he agrees with columnist Charles Krauthammer that American decline "is a choice." The country's fiscal policy and foreign policy "are on a collision course," he explains, "and if we fail to put our budget on a sustainable path, then we are choosing decline as a world power."

• China: Ryan appears to be less hardline and hawkish about China than Romney, who has pledged to designate Beijing as a currency manipulator on his first day in office. True, Ryan has shuddered at the idea of a world led by China and Russia and criticized China's restrictions on freedom of expression, "coercive population controls," and "unsound economic policies." But he's also argued that "we stand to benefit from a world in which China and other rising powers are integrated into the global order with increased incentives to further liberalize their political and economic institutions." 

• BRICS: Ryan wants to forge better relations with the world's emerging economies -- particularly "the rising democratic powers of India and Brazil, which share many of our core principles and interests." America, he says, "must be willing to listen and accommodate their legitimate concerns as we preserve the framework of the international system and solidify our leadership within it." More generally, he charges the Obama administration with taking America's "allies for granted" and wants to revitalize those relationships. 

• Arab Spring: Ryan has greeted the uprisings in the Middle East with the same mixture of praise and trepidation that several Republican presidential candidates have displayed this year. "We are seeing long-repressed populations give voice to the fundamental desire for liberty," he's observed, while adding ominously that in these societies "the most organized factions often lack tolerance and reject pluralism." It's too soon, he says, "to tell whether these revolutions will result in governments that respect the rights of their citizens, or if one form of autocracy will be supplanted by another."

• Saudi Arabia: Ryan cites America's alliance with the Saudis as an example of when its interests run up against its ideals, and when "American policy should be tempered by a healthy humility about the extent of our power to control events in other regions." There are "voices in the Kingdom calling for reform," he notes. "We should help our allies effect a transition that fulfills the aspirations of their people."

• Iraq/Afghanistan: Ryan believes that America's "ability to affect events is strongest in Iraq and Afghanistan," and that the United States can't cut and run from the battle against "global terrorism" in these countries. Ryan was an early supporter of the surge in Iraq. "This whole thing is a big gamble," he said in 2007. "But it's probably the best gamble to take before throwing in the towel and allowing sectarian genocide to take over." His estimate that America could save roughly $1 trillion over the next decade by winding down the wars was later adopted by congressional Democrats and the White House.   

• Defense spending: Ryan's 99-page "Path to Prosperity" plan, released last month, provoked an outcry in calling for boosting military spending while slashing the international affairs budget -- funding for entities such as the State Department and USAID -- by nearly $5 billion. When Ryan said "we don't think the generals are giving us their true advice" in reference to the military budget, he was quick to walk back his comments. "I really misspoke," he explained.

In the wake of Ryan's foreign policy address last year, Matthew Yglesias argued in the American Prospect that Ryan seemed to subscribe to "more or less the liberal internationalist vision that's already at the core" of the Obama administration's approach. The New Republic's Jonathan Chait mocked Ryan's "Norquistian-Churchillian foreign policy." The Washington Post's Jennifer Rubin wrote that Ryan was one of the few politicians who could draw a connection between "conservative economic principles and American foreign policy and values."

Ryan's worldview, in other words, appears to be a bit of a Rorschach test. And in a general election where appealing solely to the Republican base just won't cut it, that might be exactly what Romney needs.

Prime Minister of Japan's Schedule June 25-July 8

June 25, 2012 (MON)

AM
07:01 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
08:45 Both leave
08:50 Parliament
09:00 Lower House Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems

PM
12:39 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General; Mr. Tarutoko, DPJ Acting Secretary General; Mr. Jojima, DPJ Deputy Secretary General
01:00 Lower House Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems
05:31 Ad hoc meeting of Diet members
06:46 Office
07:00 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
07:27 Mr. Gemba, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Morimoto, Minister of Defense; Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor to PM; Mr. Ihara, Director-General of North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
08:07 Mr. Gemba and Mr. Fujimura leave
08:19 All leave
08:27 Residence

June 26, 2012 (TUE)

AM
07:16 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
08:06 Both leave
08:12 Parliament
08:20 Ministerial meeting
09:00 Lower House Special Committee on the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Taxation Systems
11:54 Office

PM
12:55 Parliament
01:02 Lower House Plenary Session
03:29 Meeting of DPJ/Government Three Executives
03:43 Mr. Yokoji, Chairperson of the Lower House; and Mr. Eto, Vice-Chair of the Lower House; visit ruling and opposing party factions; Mr. Okada Deputy Prime Minister and Mr. Jojima accompany
04:02 Office
05:01 Mr. Michihiko Kano, DPJ Lower House member
05:12 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
06:00 Press conference
06:23 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
06:54 Residence

June 27, 2012 (WED)

AM
09:31 Office
11:19 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
11:48 Mr. Okada leaves

PM
01:23 Parliament
01:30 General assembly of DPJ Upper House members
02:08 Office
02:16 Mr. Shuhei Kishimoto and other DPJ Lower House members
02:39 Mr. Gemba, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Morimoto, Minister of Defense; Mr. Kanazawa, Administrative Vice Minister of Defense; and Mr. Ihara, Director-General of North America Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
02:51 Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor to PM
03:00 Mr. Fujimura, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, joins
03:27 All leave
03:53 Mr. Sasae, Administrative Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
04:30 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
05:32 Mr. Ivan Gasparovic, President of Slovak Republic
06:03 Dinner hosted by Prime Minister
07:06 See off President Gasparovic
07:09 Residence

June 28, 2012 (THU)

AM
09:32 Office
09:54 Mr. Furukawa, Minister of State for National Policy
10:36 Mr. Furukawa leaves
11:30 Ruling party leader meeting with Mr. Jimi, President of the People’s New Party (Kokumin Shinto); Mr. Shimoji People’s New Party Secretary General accompanies
11:49 Both leave

PM
01:38 Mr. Yoshiaki Tanaka, DPJ Vice-President
01:57 Mr. Maehara, DPJ Policy Research Council Chief
02:19 Mr. Maehara leaves
04:30 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
05:00 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office; Mr. Nishi, Director-General of the Bureau of Defense Policy, Ministry of Defense; and Mr. Kinomura, Director of Defense Intelligence Headquarters
05:10 Mr. Nishi and Mr. Kinomura leave
05:20 Mr. Kitamura leaves
05:47 Mr. Niki Gilauri, Prime Minister of Georgia
06:14 See off Prime Minister Gilauri
06:20 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General
07:11 Dinner with members of the Lower House special committee on Taxation, including Mr. Hironari Nakano, Mr. Yoshio Hattori, and Mr. Koichi Takemasa, at a Steak House Gazan in Azabudai, Tokyo
09:27 Residence

June 29, 2012 (FRI)

AM
09:32 Office
09:41 Ministerial Meeting on the Advancement of Disaster Waste Management
10:00 Ministerial meeting
10:20 Courtesy Call from the Mayor of Kitakyushu City, Mr. Kenji Kitahashi
10:28 Mr. Kitahashi leaves
11:30 Mr. Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Mr. Hosono, Minister of Environment; and Mr. Furukawa, Minister of State for National Policy
11:54 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary

PM
12:00 Mr. Saito leaves
02:55 Mr. Sadako Ogata, Special Advisor of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
03:31 Video message recording for “The World Ministerial Conference on Disaster Reduction in Tohoku”
04:30 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
05:02 Energy and Environment Council
05:30 Meeting adjourns
06:42 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
06:58 Residence

June 30, 2012 (SAT)

AM
Residence

PM
12:26 Imperial Hotel, Tokyo. Made a speech at Yomiuri International Economy Society Symposium
01:35 Residence

July 1, 2012 (SUN)

AM
Residence

PM
04:20 Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam
05:10 Haneda Airport
05:35 Greet Crown Prince returning from Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos
06:08 Reisdence

July 2, 2012 (MON)

AM
09:33 Office
09:53 Mr. Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction in the Response to the East Japan Earthquake
10:23 Mr. Hirano leaves
11:31 Awards Ceremony to Present the Prime Minister’s Commendations on Contributors to Public Safety
11:43 Ceremony ends

PM
01:17 Mr. Tarutoko, DPJ Acting Secretary General
01:45 Mr. Tarutoko leaves
03:36 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General
03:54 Mr. Koshiishi leaves
04:56 Parliament
04:59 DPJ Board meeting
05:10 Office
05:40 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
06:44 Press interview
06:58 Dinner with Mr. Maehara, Mr. Ritsuo Hosokawa, and Mr. Akira Nagatsuma at the eel restaurant Sekine in Akasaka
09:30 Office

July 3, 2012 (TUE)

AM
09:12 Office
09:18 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister; and Mr. Sonoda, Parliamentary Secretary of Cabinet Office
09:34 Mr. Gemba, Minister of Foreign Affairs
10:01 Ministerial Meeting
10:17 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General
11:00 Mr. Muneo Suzuki, President of True Democracy, Daichi Party; Mr .Tezuka, Special Advisor to

PM
11:47 JR Tokyo Station
11:56 Leave Tokyo Station; Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Honda, Special Advisor to PM, accompany
01:36 JR Sendai Station
01:52 Sendai International Center, Aoba Ward, Sendai City
02:00 Mr. Yoshihiro Murai, Governor of Miyagi Prefecture; Mr. Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction in the Response to the East Japan Earthquake
02:19 Ms. Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Program; Mr. Gemba
02:30 The World Ministerial Conference on Disaster Reduction in Tohoku
03:21 Observe the site of the project to restore disaster-prevention forests along the coast; Mr. Hoson, Minister of Environment accompany
03:37 Press interview
04:26 Observing the building for growing tomatoes within the large-scale horticultural technology inspection and research facility
04:50 Press interview
05:44 JR Sendai Station
06:05 Leave the station
07:48 JR. Tokyo Station
08:04 Residence

July 4, 2012 (WED)

AM
09:33 Office
09:47 Mr. Maehara, DPJ Policy Research Council Chief
10:07 Mr. Maehara leaves

PM
12:01 Lunch with Spcial Advisors, Mr. Tezuka, Mr. Terada, Mr. Nagashima, Mr. Honda, and Mr. Mizuoka
12:29 Lunch ends
02:00 Mr. Yonemura, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management
02:24 Mr. Azumi, Minister of Finance
02:58 Mr. Azumi leaves
03:45 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
04:01 Mr. Saito leaves
05:31Mr. Yutaka Nishizawa, President of Jiji Press; and Mr. Masamitsu Takhashi, Jiji Press Director of Politics department
05:37 Mr. Ishida, Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office
05:51 Strategic Headquarters for the Promotion of an Advanced Information and Telecommunications Network Society
06:16 Residence

July 5, 2012 (THU)

AM
09:33 Residence
10:01 Mr. Tsunekazu Takeda, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee; and Ms. Saori Yoshida, Leader of the Japanese Olympians for London
10:52 Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor to PM
11:14 Mr. Nagashima leaves
11:28 Mr. Nagashima again; Mr. Matsutomi, Director-General of Africa and Middle East Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
11:38 Mr. Maehara, DPJ Policy Research Council chief

PM
12:02 Mr. Maehara leaves
02:27 Mr. Furukawa, Minister of State for National Policy
02:44 Mr. Ogushi, Parliamentary Secretary of Cabinet Office, joins
02:50 Mr. Goto, Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office, joins
03:18 Mr. Goto leaves
03:22 All leave
03:23 Mr. Kazuhiro Tomikoshi and Mr. Shoji Ouchi, new and old Pollution Adjustment Committee Chair
03:30 Mr. Hajime Ishii, DPJ Upper House member; Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Nagashima, Special Advisor to PM
04:07 Mr. Nakatsuka, Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office
04:30 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
05:04 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
05:32 The Council on National Strategy and Policy
06:52 Residence

July 6, 2012 (FRI)

AM
08:48 Parliament
08:55 Headquarters for the Promotion of Child and Youth Support
09:14 Ministerial meeting
09:29 Issue and appointment to Mr. Tetsuo Inami to Parliamentary Secretary of Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication
09:35 Office
11:05 Courtesy Call from the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Ms. Christine Lagarde; Mr. Nakao, Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs
11:25 Mr. Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Mr. Adachi, Administrative Vice Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Mr. Takahara, Director-General, Agency for Natural resources and Energy; and Mr. Fukano, Director-General of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency
11:50 Mr. Adachi, Mr. Takahara, and Mr. Fukano leave

PM
12:06 Mr. Edano leaves
12:53 Parliament
12:59 Mr. Wataru Nakai, DPJ Lower House member
01:02 Lower House Plenary Session
01:07 Office
02:16 Mr. Nakatsuka, Senior Vice Minister of Reconstruction; Mr. Suzuki, Director General of Small and Medium Enterprise Agency; and Mr. Sugawara, Director-General of Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
02:25 Mr. Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction in the Response to the East Japan Earthquake
02:39 Mr. Honda, Special Advisor to PM, joins
02:48 Mr. Nakatsuka and Mr. Suzuki leave
02:49 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, joins
03:23 All leave
03:55 Mr. Nakagawa, Minister of Defense Disaster Prevention
04:20 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
04:30 Mr. Tezuka, Special Advisor to PM
04:54 Mr. Gemba; Mr. Sasae, Administrative Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Mr. Sugiyama, Director General of Asia Pacific Bureau
05:48 The Frontier Subcommittee
06:14 Reception with the subcommittee members
07:15 Residence

July 7, 2012 (SAT)

AM Visit Fukushima Prefecture
07:48 JR Ueno Station
08:00 Leave Ueno Station and Mr. Saito and Mr. honda
10:11 Arrive at JR Izumi Station, Fukushima Prefecture
10:30 Onahama Port, Iwaki City; observe fish market and others
10:44 Observe a tourism center and local product souvenir shop
11:06 Meeting with Mr. Takao Watanabe, Mayor of Iwaki City
11:31 Press interview
11:55 Observe emergency temporary housing at Watanabe Machi Hiruno

PM
12:07 Mr. Toshitsuna Watanabe, Mayor of Okuma Machi
01:54 Meeting with Mr. Yuko Kawauchi, Mayor of Kawauchi Village
02:10 Observe Shimokawauchi Emergy Temporary houses
02:19 Observing the inspection laboratory for agricultural products
02:36 Kawauchi Elementary School, mingle with students
03:10 Conversation with Mayor Endo
03:31 Conversation ends
05:21 Fukushima Prefecture Government Building
05:31 Meeting with Governor Yuhei Sato of Fukushima
06:13 Press interview
06:23 JR Fukushima Station
06:46 Leave Fukushima Station
08:37 JR Ueno Station
09:01 Residence

July 8, 2012 (SUN)

AM
08:16 Hotel Prince Park Tower Tokyo
08:18 Mr. Saito, Mr. Nagashima, and Mr. Ihara
08:33 Ms. Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State
09:08 Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan
09:53 Photo shoot with country representatives
10:07 Residence
11:33 Mr. Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, France
11:53 Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations

PM
12:20 Mr. Ban leaves
03:00 Capitol Hotel Tokyu. Haircut at Spa & Barber Carju Rajah Tiado
04:36 Residence