Friday, November 30, 2012

What’s in a Word?


Maybe everything, according to noted Japan analyst Michael Cucek. He examines the language of the Liberal Democratic Party's electoral Manifesto on the Senkaku (Daiyu Islands) and finds it more strident than it seems. The translation of one word can mean the difference between benign administration and uncompromising defense.

Cucek reviews a much-quoted translation of the relevant passage or “Promise #132” in the Manifesto by Yuka Hayashi and Alexander Martin of the Wall Street Journal on November 21:

We will consider installing a permanent presence of government employees to protect the islands, and implementing improvements and support of the nearby fishery environment," the party said. "We will endeavor to achieve the stable maintenance and management of the islands and the surrounding waters."

[132 尖閣諸島の実効支配強化と安定的な維持管理
わが国の領土でありながら無人島政策を続ける尖閣諸島について政策を見直し、実効支配を強化します。島を守るための公務員の常駐や、周辺漁業環境の整備や支援策を検討し、島及び海域の安定的な維持管理に努めます。]

Cucek’s translation is as follows:

132: In order to strengthen effective control over the Senkaku Islands, and maintain stable management of them .
We will revise the policies regarding the Senkaku Islands, which, while being our national territory, have been subject to a policy of non-habitation. We shall strengthen our effective control. We will study the permanent and uninterrupted presence of civil servants in order to protect the islands -- and upgrades and financial support of the local fisheries environment. We will strive to maintain stable management of the islands and the surrounding waters.
 At first you do not see much difference. However, Cucek chooses the term civil servants rather than the more generic government employees. He selects this translation because the term the LDP Manifesto uses is komuin. Thus, the LDP leaders have noted slyly that Japanese Self Defense Forces may be stationed on the disputed islands. This is because members of the Self Defense Forces are civil servants. They are, in fact, "special employment national civil servants" (tokubetsushoku kokka komuin--Link - J).

Whether this "promise" to station civil servants (komuin) on the islands will be executed when Abe comes to power is another question. The Manifesto merely promises to re-examine the current policy of leaving the islands uninhabited and to study the possibility of permanent occupation. Since the promise is merely to take a look at changes in current policies, not to effect actual change, the LDP and Abe cannot be held accountable for inaction post-election.

It is this sort of Sophism that enrages Japan’s neighbors, confuses voters, and embarrasses its allies. Too clever by half, as they say in English. Which translates as nothing but trouble.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Shintaro Ishihara at the FCCJ

On November 20th , former Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara and the new president of the reactionary Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party),gave a luncheon speech at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan. Here are his remarks. If you click on the video and go to the original website, you will find the text of the speech in English displayed beside Mr. Ishihara.


 

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Prime Minister of Japan's Schedule Oct 29-Nov 4

October 29, 2012 (MON)

AM

08:53 Office
09:03 Ad-hoc Minsiterial meeting
09:12 Meeting ends
10:39 Mr. Maehara, Minister of State for National Policy
11:15 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
11:53 Parliament

PM
12:02 Lowe r House Plenary Session
12:12 Office
12:37 Parliament
01:01 Opening ceremony for 181th extraordinary Diet session
01:22 Office
01:49 Parliament
02:02 The Lower House Plenary Session: gives policy speech
02:39Office
03:25 Mr. Jimi, People’s New Party President; and Mr. Jimi, Secretary-General; Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary, attends
03:55 Mr. Ogushi, Special Advisor for PM
04:44 Mr. Saito
05:01 Mr. Saito leaves
06:19 Residence
06:30 Dinner with Ms. Maya Yamazaki, Mr. Nobuyuki Fukushima, and Ms. Hiroko Oizumi, DPJ first term Lower House members
08:32 Dinner ends

October 30, 2012 (TUE)

AM

08:51 Office
09:01 Government and Ruling Parties Council on the Formulation of the Budget
09:24 Ministerial Meeting
09:51 Mr. Gemba, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Mr. Sugiyama, Director-General, Asia Oceania Affairs Bureau; Ministry of Foreign Affairs
09:59 Mr. Gemba leaves
10:03 Mr. Sugiyama leaves
10:24 Imperial palace; autumn decoration ceremony
11:13 Office
11:21 Mr. Saito
11:40 Mr. Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; and Mr. Haku, Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office

PM
12:01 Both leave
12:59 Parliament
01:00 DPJ Members General Assembly
01:26 Office
01:49 Mr. Haku, Senior Vice Minister, Cabinet Office
02:21 Mr. Suzuki, Director General of Small and Medium Enterprise Agency; and Mr. Hosomizo, Director General, Supervisory Bureau, Financial Service Agency
03:00 Courtesy Call from the President of Ashinaga; Mr. Fujimura attends
03:55 Mr. Azumi, DPJ Deputy Secretary-General; Mr. Hosono, DPJ Policy Research Council Chief; Mr. Mabuchi, Deputy Policy Research Council Chief; and Mr. Hachiro, Election Affairs Council Chief
04:34 Mr. Kawai, Administrative Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
05:04 Mr. Kawai leaves
05:55 Mr. Taketoshi, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
06:14 Mr. Shiba, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
06:27 Residence

October 31, 2012 (WED)

AM

09:31 Office
09:40 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Mitani, Special Advisor for PM
10:59 Both leave

PM
12:49 Parliament
01:02 Lower House Plenary Session
04:19 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General
04:58 Office
05:21 Mr. Shiba, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
05:32 Mr. Tarutoko, Ministter of Internal Affairs and Communications
06:29 Residence
06:30 Dinner with Mr. Takehiro Sakaguchi, Mr. Kazuya Kondo, and other DPJ first term members
08:25 All leave

November 1, 2012 (THU)

AM

09:12 Office
09:16 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
09:34 Mr. Ogushi, Special Advisor for PM
09:44 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Mitani, Special Advisor for PM, join
10:50 Mr. Saito leaves
10:56 Mr. Mitani and Mr. Ogushi leave

12:49 Parliament
01:01 Lower House Plenary Session
04:03 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary-General
04:20 Office
04:21 Mr. Hirohisa Fujii, DPJ Tax Policy Research Council Chief
05:15 Japan-Norway Summit Meeting and Joint Press Conference with Prime Minister Stoltenberg
06:00 Dinner hosted by Prime Minister Noda
07:08 See off Prime Minister Stoltenberg
07:15 Hotel New Otani, DPJ assembly of local secretary-generals and election affairs chiefs
07:50 Residence

November 2, 2012 (FRI)


AM
07:31 Mr. Shiba, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Mitani and Mr. Kawakami, Special Advisors for PM
08:32 Parliament
08:38 Ministerial Meeting
08:55 Office
09:10 Mr. Shiba
09:13 Mr. Shiba leaves
10:38 Parliament
10:46 Upper House Plenary Session

PM

12:45 Office
01:27 Mr. Otsuji, Upper House Vice Chair
01:50 Mr. Hiroyuki Shigematsu, Auditor General; Receives the FY2011 Audit Report
01:55 Meeting ends
03:00 Press group interview
03:30 Interview ends
04:07 National Governors' Conference
05:21 Council for Science and Technology Policy
06:11 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office; Mr. Kinomura, Director of Defense Intelligence Headquarters; and Mr. Manabe, Deputy Director-General, Defense Policy Bureau, Ministry of Defense
06:24 Mr. Kinomura and Mr. Manabe leaves
06:38 Mr. Kitamura leaves
06:59 Residence
07:00 Dinner with Ministers, Chief and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries
08:54 Dinner ends
08:55 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister; and Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary
10:16 Mr. Okada and Mr. Fujimura leave

November 3, 2012 (SAT)


AM

10:09 Imperial palace; Order of Culture ceremony
11:13 Residence

PM

01:30 Mr. Shiba, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Saiki, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mr. Sasaki, Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Mr. Kozuki, European Affairs Bureau Director-General, MoFA; and Mr. Katakami, Economic Affairs Bureau Director-General, MoFA
02:00 All leave

November 4, 2012 (SUN)


AM

Residence

PM

12:30 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
01:00 Mr. Saito leaves
01:32 Press interview
01:54 Haneda Airport
02:21 Leave for Laos to attend ASEM (Asia Europe Meeting)

Local Time November 4, 2012

First Day of the 9th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM9), and Other Activities

PM
Arrive at Wattay Airport, Vientiane, Laos
Ceremony to hand the propose for Japan-Laos economy cooperation
Welcome ceremony
Summit Meeting with Laos Prime Minister Tonshin
Stay at Don Chan Villa, a Government Lodging Facility

Friday, November 9, 2012

Remembering Bataan and Corregidor

In late April of this year, five former POWs of Japan who fought on Bataan and Corregidor visited Washington, DC to commemorate these historic battles. The commemoration events for the 70th anniversary of the defense of the Philippines was a project of Asia Policy Point.  

These members of America's greatest generation made a big impression on the people they met at the National Guard Association, the Heritage Foundation, the State Department, and the World War II memorial. As you will see in this video, young people are eager to meet and learn from them.
   

 We have extensive video footage of the visit to Washington former by these former POWs of Japan, which we would like to turn into a a short documentary. Your contributions to help make this happen are much needed.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Prime Minister of Japan's Schedule Oct 22-28

October 22, 2012 (MON)

AM

09:31 Office
10:26 Mr. Matsumoto, Administrative Vice Minister of Cabinet Office; and Mr. Ssakamoto, Chief Cabinet Office Secretary
10:39 Both leave
11:30 Mr. Armitage, former Deputy Secretary of State and others; Mr. Shiba, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary and Mr. Ihara, MoFA North American Affairs Bureau Director General, attend

PM
12:01 Government/DPJ Executive meeting
12:52 Meeting ends
01:55 Parliament
02:01 Meeting with Mr. Shii, Japan Communist Party President; Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General, and Mr. Ichida, Japan Communist Party Secretary-General, attend
02:20 meeting with Mr. Fukushima, Social Democratic Party President; Mr. Koshiishi and Mr. Hattori, Social Democratic Party Parliamentary Affairs Deputy Chief, attend
02:40 Meeting with Mr. Matsuno, Ishin no Kai (the Japan restoration party) parliamentary representative; Mr. Koshiishi attends
03:14 Meeting with Mr. Tanaka, New Party Nippon President; Mr. Koshiishi attends
03:30 Meeting with Mr. Watanabe, Your Party President; Mr. Koshiishi and Mr. Eda, Your Party Secretary-General, attend
03:53 Office
05:01 Japan-Panama Summit Meeting and Joint Press Conference with President Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal; Mr. Shiba and Mr. Kira, Senior Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, attend
05:45 Dinner Hosted by Prime Minister Noda
06:46 Dinner ends
06:47 See off President Berrocal
06:50 Residence

September 23, 2012 (TUE)

AM

09:24 Office
10:01 Ministerial meeting
10:18 Mr. Shimoji, People’s New Party Secretary-General
10:36 Mr. Sugiyama, MoFA Asia Pacific Affairs Bureau Director-General
11:30 Courtesy Call from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, National Assembly, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal
11:44 Meeting ends

PM
01:17 Study group meeting for policy speech with Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary; Mr. Saito, Mr. Shiba, and Mr. Taketoshi, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries
02:11 Meeting ends
02:23 Parliament
02:29 Meeting with Mr. Hiranuma, The Sunrise Party of Japan President; Mr. Koshiishi and Mr. Sonoda, The Sunrise Party Secretary-General
02:39 Meeting ends
02:40 Mr. Koshiishi
02:50 Office
03:56 Mr. Nishimura, Senior Vice Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare; and Mr. Kaneko, Administrative Vice Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare
04:14 Mr. Jojima, Minister of Finance; and Mr. Manago, Administrative Vice Minister of Finance
04:45 Mr. Kanazawa, Administrative Vice Minister of Defense
05:14 Mr. Kitagami, Special Advisor for PM
05:33 Mr. Kitagami leaves
06:18 Mr. Saito
06:40 Africa Ambassadors Meeting participants
07:01 Residence

October 24, 2012 (WED)

AM

09:31 Office
10:31 Courtesy Call from Representatives of the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP)
11:30 Mr. Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia

PM 
12:03 Mr. Fujimura; and Mr. Minoru Taki, DPJ Lower House member
01:30 Parliament
01:33 Meeting with Mr. Suzuki, New Party DAICHI President; Mr. Koshiishi and MR. Matsuki, New Party DAICHI Deputy President
02:02 Office
02:55 Imperial Palace; Recognition ceremony for Mr. Taki, new Justice Minister
03:53 Office
04:00 Mr. Fujimra gives letters of assignments
04:35 Mr. Hiroshi Nakai, Lower House Budget Committee Chair
04:44 Mr. Nakai leaves
05:58 Residence

October 25, 2012 (THU)

AM

08:52 Office
08:58 Mr. Saito and Mr. Kawauchi, Cabinet Affairs Office Director-General
09:25 Mr. Jojima, Minister of Finance; and Mr. Maehara, Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
10:01 Ad-hoc ministerial meeting
10:47 Mr. Gemba, Minister of Foreign Affairs
11:08 Mr. Gemba leaves

PM
01:41 Akasaka Imperial Palace Garden; Autumn lawn party; Mrs. Noda attends
03:03 Office
03:56 Mr. Kitagami, Special Advisor for PM
04:25 Mr. Adachi, Administrative Vice Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Mr. Ueda, Trade Policy Bureau Director-General
04:57 Both leave
05:28 Mr. Saito and Mr. Kawauchi, Cabinet Affairs Office Director-General
06:02 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
06:58 Residence; Dinner with Mr. Yamai, DPJ Parliamentary Affairs Council Chief; Mr. Terata, Mr. Mitani, and Mr. Ogushi, Special Adivisors, attend
09:11 All leave

October 26, 2012 (FRI)

AM

09:33 Office
09:38 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
10:02 Ministerial meeting
10:21 Mr. Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction in the Response to the East Japan Earthquake; and Mr. Suzuki, Small and Medium Enterprise Agency Director-General
10:50 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
11:00 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minsiter
11:42 Mr. Kawakami, Special Advisor for PM

PM
12:00 Mr. Kawakami leaves
02:31 Conversation with chief editors of major newspapers and agencies; Mr. Saito, Mr. Shiba, and Mr. Taketoshi, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries, attend
03:01 Conversation with private TV station’s analysts
03:26 Conversation with directors of media agencies
03:48 Meeting ends
04:30 Mr. Oakda, Deputy Prime Minister; Mr. Gemba, Foreign Minister; Mr. Morimoto, Defense Minister, and Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary
04:46 All leave
05:30 Courtesy call from Mr. John Hamre, CSIS President; Mr. Okada, Mr. Saito, and Mr. Shiba, attend
06:00 Meeting with the Members of the Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea and Others
06:19 Residence

October 27, 2012 (SAT) * Visit Iwate Prefecture

AM

06:44 JR Tokyo Station
06:56 Leave Tokyo Station on a bullet train; Mr. Mitani, Special Advisor, attends
09:22 JR Morioka Station; Mr. Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction in the Response to the East Japan Earthquake; and Mr. Kikawata, Senior Vice Minister for Reconstruction, attend
09:33 Iwate Prefectural Government Office
09:36 Meeting with Governor Takuya Tasso of Iwate
09:56 Meeting ends

PM
12:04 Lunch with Mayor Masanori Yamamoto of Miyako City, at a local fish restaurant “Uomoto”
12:39 Observe local shopping district
01:20 Taro district in Miyako; Pay a moment of silence
01:59 Fujiwara pier; observe the shredding and sorting facility
02:17 Leave Fujiwara pier
03:01 Nagane Fishery in Yamada Machi, Iwate; Mayor Shinitsu Sato greets
03:23 Visit temporary housing
04:06 Press interview
04:11 Interview ends
06:46 JR Morioka Station
07:04 Leave Morioka Station
09:23 Arrive at Tokyo Station
09:40 Residence

October 28, 2012 (SUN)

AM

Residence

PM
01:31 The Capitol Hotel Tokyu; Haircut at Spa & Barber Carju Rajah Tiado
03:08 Residence

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

South Korea and Kazakhstan Consolidate Bilateral Cooperation

Reprinted from the Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 9 Issue: 177
September 28, 2012 

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak visits Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev (Source: Business News Kazakhstan)
On September 13, the South Korean President Lee Myung-bak paid an official visit to Kazakhstan. It was his seventh visit to this Central Asian republic during the last four years. The last time South Korea’s leader met with his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev was in August 2011, when the presidents signed 12 intergovernmental agreements covering various spheres of cooperation. South Korea and Kazakhstan established strategic relations back in May 2009, and the volume of Seoul’s direct investment into the Kazakh economy has been increasing ever since.

The bilateral trade turnover exceeded the symbolic level of $1 billion last year, while the first six months of 2012 were marked by almost $600 million worth of commercial deals. At the same time, the Republic of Korea has directly invested over $3 billion into multiple projects on Kazakh territory, and the size of its investment portfolio is expected to grow up to $8 billion with the implementation of more joint projects (Tengrinews, September 13).
One of the key achievements of this year’s bilateral meeting between the two presidents was the official launch of construction works on the site of a future thermal power plant on Lake Balkhash in South-Eastern Kazakhstan. This project is being implemented by Kazakhstan’s state-owned electric power supplier Samruk-Energo (this holding company is currently comprised of 22 independent entities) and a consortium of two South Korean companies, the Korea Electric Power Corporation and the Samsung C&T Corporation. While the total cost of the project is estimated at around $2.3 billion, the first block of the Balkhash thermal power plant will become operational only in December 2017 (Kazinform, September 13). According to President Nazarbayev, the successful completion of this large-scale project will enable Kazakhstan to curb its electric power dependency, which is especially acute during cold winter months. While the construction phase will require the mobilization of 900 workers, the maintenance of the power plant, which is expected to be entirely granted to South Korean partners, will secure permanent jobs to more than 3,500 people (Kazinform, September 13).
Another important breakthrough for Seoul was its agreement with Astana about the official exploration launch date on the Zhambyl oilfield in the northern section of the Caspian Sea. Presently, Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company KazMunaiGaz (KMG) and a group of preselected South Korean energy companies are planning to start exploratory operations next year (Oilcapital.ru, September 13). In September 2004, the first protocol was signed between KazMunaiGaz and its South Korean partners, identifying Zhambyl as a site of potential collaboration. After the Kazakh Ministry of Energy and KMG finalized talks about the scope of projected operations in February 2008, an additional agreement was signed in order to delineate each party’s responsibilities. Moreover, South Korea has vowed to accelerate preparatory works for the launch of the construction of a modern gas and chemical plant in the Atyrau region (Newskaz, September 13). 
Additionally, Nursultan Nazarbayev announced that Seoul would participate in the production of rare-earth elements on Kazakh territory, providing technology transfers in exchange for these precious raw materials. Therefore, South Korea becomes the fifth foreign country, after Japan, Germany, France, and Russia, to receive the official “green light” with regard to this rapidly developing sector of Kazakhstan’s economy (see Eurasia Daily Monitor, September 12). In a recent interview, the Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev specifically stressed the innovative nature of Kazakh-South Korean bilateral cooperation. According to Issekeshev, President Nazarbayev was particularly impressed during his visit to South Korea’s Innopolis Daedeok innovative cluster, which is comprised of five national universities, 30 research centers, 400 privately owned research organizations, and over 1,200 innovative companies (Kazinform, September 16). In the minister’s view, Kazakhstan makes an ideal destination for Seoul’s technological transfers, thanks to its political stability, friendly investment climate, and a favorable geostrategic location in Central Asia. 
Finally, the two countries agreed on South Korea’s active involvement in the development of Kazakhstan’s national system of high-speed trains and subway. President Nazarbayev, who was visiting the People’s Republic of China with a high-level delegation in February 2011, was presented with a model of a high-speed train link between Almaty and Astana designed by Chinese engineers. This ambitious project was expected to reduce travel time between Kazakhstan’s major cities from 13 hours, as this rail connection is currently ensured by Spanish-designed trains, to only four hours (I-News.kz, February 22, 2011). Several months later, a serious traffic accident occurred in one of the Chinese eastern provinces, taking the lives of 39 passengers and wounding 200 others (Rbc.ru, July 28, 2011). This tragic event led to a temporary freeze of contacts between Astana and Beijing on the issue of high-speed train construction. During Lee Myung-bak’s recent visit to Kazakhstan, he was finally permitted to unveil concrete plans for the development of this crucial transport sector in a country ranked ninth in the world in terms of territory. 
Despite its ever-growing contacts with Kazakhstan, South Korea still remains attached to its long-time Central Asian partner, Uzbekistan. The Uzbek leader Islam Karimov visited Seoul upon his colleague’s invitation between September 19–21. The two countries signed $5 billion worth of contracts, of which over $3 billion represent foreign direct investment in Uzbekistan’s economy. Since 1992, South Korea and Uzbekistan have signed more than 230 bilateral agreements. Uzbekistan is presently home to 400 companies with South Korean participation, while 66 of them are fully owned by Seoul-based businesses. Last year, the bilateral trade turnover surpassed $1.6 billion (Fergana News, September 24). Therefore, South Korea’s expanding presence in Central Asia aims at a long-term engagement.

Prime Minister of Japan's Schedule Oct 8-21

October 8, 2012 (MON)

AM

Office

PM
07:54 Phone conversation with Mr. Shinya Yamanaka, Professor of Kyoto University, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
07:55 Conversation ends

October 9, 2012 (TUE)

AM

09:32 Office
09:46 Headquarters for the Promotion of Privatization of the Postal Services
09:58 Ministerial meeting
10:15 Meeting with Governor Hirokazu Nakaima of Okinawa; and Mayor Atsushi Sakima of Ginowan City, Okinawa; Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary, attends
10:26 Meeting ends
11:31 Courtesy call from by Mr. Hatta, Minister for Economic Affairs of Indonesia
11:48 Meeting ends

PM
02:51 Mr. Hirohisa Fujii, DPJ Supreme Advisor
03:01 Mr. Fujii leaves
06:27 Residence

October 10, 2012 (WED)
AM 
09:22 Office
09:28 Mr. Azumi, DPJ Acting Secretary General; Mr. Hosono, DPJ Policy Research Council Chief; Mr. Mabuchi, DPJ Policy Research Councel Deputy Chief; and Mr. Hachiro, DPJ Election Affairs Committee Chair
10:27 Mr. Hosono, Mr. Mabuchi, and Mr. Hachiro leave
10:33 Mr. Azumi leaves
10:46 Mr. Hiroshi Okuda, President, Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East
11:10 Mr. Maehara, Minister of State for National Policy

PM
12:02 Lunch with Special Advisors, Mr. Kitakami, Mr. Terada, Mr. Mitani, and Mr. Kawakami, and Mr. Ogushi
12:36 Lunch ends
02:10 Meeting with U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye; U.S. Ambassador Roos and Mr. Shiba, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, attend
02:37 Meeting ends
04:00 Interview with Bloomberg News
04:27 Interview ends
05:34 Japan-Zambia Summit Meeting with President Michael Sata
06:21 See off President Sata
06:24 Residence

October 11, 2012 (THU)

AM

09:32 Office
10:22 NHK Hall
10:30 JA National Congress
11:22 Office

PM
12:50 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
01:17 Parliament
01:25 Visit Mr. Abe, LDP President; and Mr. Ishiba, LDP Secretary General; Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General, and Mr. Azumi, Deputy Secretary General, accompany
01:32 Visit Ms. Fukushima, Socialist Party President; and Mataichi, Socialist Party Vice President; Mr. Koshiishi and Mr. Azumi accompany
01:39 Office
02:12 Japan-Luxembourg Summit Meeting
02:45 Japan-Liberia Summit Meeting
03:11 Mr. Edano, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; and Mr. Takahara, Director-General, Agency for Natural resources and Energy
04:02 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
04:30 Mr. Katagiri, Commissioner-General of National Police Agency
04:50 Mr. Katagiri leaves
05:31 Honors Contributors to the Building of Safe and Reassuring Communities
05:51 Residence

October 12, 2012 (FRI)

AM

09:31 Office
10:02 Ministerial meeting
10:17 Monthly Economic Report and Other Relative Issues
10:37 Meeting ends
11:44 Courtesy Call from Professor Shinya Yamanaka, winner of Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary, and Ms. Tanaka, Minister of Education, and Mr. Maehara. Minister of State for Science and Technology attend
11:54 Meeting ends

PM
02:11 Japan-Swiss Summit Meeting with President Widmer-Schlumpf: Mr. Shiba, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, attends
02:38 Mr. Kawakami, Special Advisor for PM
02:56 Mr. Ogushi, Special Advisor for PM
03:36 Mr. Gemba, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Mr. Sugiyama, Director-General of Asia and Oceania Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
04:06 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
04:30 Mr. Kitamura leaves
06:09 The Imperial Hotel; Welcome Reception for the 2012 Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank Held by the Prime Minister and Other Activities
06:34 World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim; Mr. Jojima, Minister of Finance and Mr. Shiba
06:51 IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde; Mr. Jojima and Mr. Shiba
08:04 U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner
08:39 Residence

October 13, 2012 (SAT)

AM

09:59 Ministry of Defense; Memorial Service for Members of the Self-Defense Forces Who Lost Their Lives on Duty
11:02 Residence

PM
03:32 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
04:30 Mr. Saito leaves
04:54 Mr. Koshiishi, DPJ Secretary General
05:32 Mr. Koshiishi leaves

October 14, 2012 (SUN)

AM

10:22 Office
10:26 Leave the office on a MSDF helicopter
11:00 Land on DDH the Kurama; Mr. Morimoto, Minister of Defense greets

PM
12:00 MSDF Fleet Review
01:27 Give words for MSDF members
01:52 Leave the Kurama
02:34 Office
02:39 Residence

October 15, 2012 (MON)

AM

09:32 Office
10:00 Mr. Ikeda, Director, Nuclear Regulation Agency
10:15 Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, join
10:40 All leave
11:00 Mr. Yasuaki Nogawa, Ambassador for New Zealand
11:03 Meeting ends

PM
12:23 Hotel Okura, Toranomon, Tokyo
12:24 Mr. Tadakazu Kimura, President, Asahi Shimbun; and Mr. Yoshibumi Wakamiya, Asahi Shimbun Chief Editor
12:37 Asahi World Environmental Forum 2012 Plenary Session
12:57 Office
02:00 Mr. Jojima, Minister of Finance; and Mr. Manago, Administrative Vice Minister of Finance
03:57 Mr. Tatsuo Hirano, Minister for Reconstruction in the Response to the East Japan Earthquake
04:21 Mr. Hirano leaves
05:19 Mr. Tanaka, Minister of State for the Abduction Issue; and Mr. Mitani, Deputy Director, Headquarters for the Abduction Issue
05:42 Both leave
06:19 Residence

October 16, 2012 (TUE)

AM

09:31 Office
10:01 Ministerial Meeting
10:17 Reconstruction Promotion Council
11:11 Mr. Kazuo Inamori, Board Chair Emeritus, Japan Airline (JAL)

PM
02:44 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
02:48 Mr. Okada leaves
03:00 Mr. Okada; Mr. Edano, Minister of Economy; Mr. Maehara, Minister of State for National Policy; and Mr. Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary
03:21 Mr. Okada, Mr. Edano, and Mr. Fujimura leave
03:35 Mr. Maehara leaves
03:43 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
04:03 Mr. Saito leaves
04:46 Council on the Promotion of the "New Public Commons"
05:40 Mr. Kawakami, Special Advisor for PM
06:35 Residence

October 17, 2012 (WED)
AM 
09:39 Cambodian Embassy in Akasaka; Pay his respects for King Sihanouk
09:56 Office
10:56 Mr. Saiki, Deputy Foreign Minister; and Mr. Kozuki, Director-General, European Affairs Bureau, MoFA
11:30 Mr. Shiba, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
11:40 Mr. Shiba leaves

PM
03:24 Mr. Sugiyama, Director-General, Asia and Oceania Affairs Bureau, MoFA
04:09 Mr. Okada
05:01 Ad-hoc ministerial meeting
05:08 Mr. Maehara, Minister of State for National Policy
05:15 Mr. Maehara leaves
06:30 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
06:56 Residence
07:07 Dinner with Mr. Tarutoko, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications; Mr. Tanaka, Minister of Education; and Mr. Ryu, Senior Vice Minister of Education
10:10 Dinner ends

October 18, 2012 (THU)

AM

09:33 Office
09:57 Mr. Okada; Mr. Fujimoto, Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office; Mr. Terada, Special Advisor for PM; and Mr. Shuichi Nakamura, Social Security Reform Department Director, Cabinet Office
10:30 Mr. Minamigawa, Administrative Vice Minister of Environment
10:51 Mr. Minamigawa leaves
11:47 Mr. Shiba, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
11:53 Mr. Shiba leaves

PM
12:51 Hotel Grand Arc Hanzomon; Memorial Service for Police Officers and Contributors Who Lost Their Lives on Duty or in an Attempt to Assist the Police or Save Peoples' Lives
01:40 Office
02:26 Natinal Theater
03:00 Ceremony Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the Enforcement of the Conciliation System and the 60th Anniversary of the Japan Federation of Conciliation Associations
03:33 Office
03:57 Parliament
04:02 Meeting with Mr. Jimi, President, People’s New Party; Mr. Koshiishi, Mr. Azumi, and Mr. Shimoji, People’s New party Secretary General, attend
04:13 Meeting ends
04:14 Mr. Koshiishi
04:38 Office
04:43 Mr. Uichiro Niwa, Ambassador for China
05:10 Mr. Ogushi, Special Advisor for PM
05:33 Mr. Okada, Mr. Fujimura, Mr. Saito, Mr. Morimoto, Mr. Kira, Senior Vice Minister, MoFA, and Mr. Ihara, Director General, North American Affairs Bureau, MoFA
06:09 Mr. Okada leaves
06:22 All leave
06:23 Mr. Fujimura, Mr. Saito, Mr. Edano, Mr. Maehara, and Mr. Takahara
06:30 Mr. Edano and Mr. Takahara leaves
06:33 Mr. Fujimura, Mr. Saito, and Mr. Mehara leaves
07:14 Residence

October 19, 2012 (FRI)

AM

08:51 Office
08:55 Mr. Kawai, Administrative Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
09:40 Ministerial Meeting on the Advancement of Disaster Waste Management
10:01 Ministerial meeting
10:13 Nuclear Emergency Preparedness Council
10:31 Meeting ends
11:32 Mr. Kitamura, Head of Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
11:57 Mr. Kitamura leaves

PM
03:55 Parliament
04:00 Mr. Abe, LDP President; Mr. Yamaguchi, New Komei Party President; Mr. Koshiishi; Mr. Ishiba, LDP Secretary General; and Mr. Inoue, New Komei Party Secretary General
04:40 Meeting ends
04:41 Mr. Koshiishi
04:46 Press interview
04:57 Office
05:14 Government/DPJ Executive meeting
05:52 Mr. Okada, Deputy Prime Minister
06:00 Mr. Saito, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary
06:42 ANA Intercontinental Hotel Tokyo; reception of “Forum 21 General Assembly”
07:01 Residence

October 20, 2012 (SAT)

AM

11:21 Imperial palace; Empress’s birth day party; Mrs. Noda accompanies

PM
12:15 Residence

October 21, 2012 (SUN)

AM

10:35 Haneda Airport
11:04 Greet Prince who came back from Luxemburg
11:34 Residence

PM
Residence