Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06OSAKAKOBE454
2006-08-18 03:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Osaka Kobe
Cable title:  

LDP KINKI BLOCK CONVENTION A NON-EVENT

Tags:  PGOV JA 
pdf how-to read a cable
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OO RUEHFK RUEHGH RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHOK #0454 2300349
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 180349Z AUG 06
FM AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0424
INFO RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 7688
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 0141
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA PRIORITY 2244
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 0129
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 0150
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0390
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1079
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 0041
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0007
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0099
UNCLAS OSAKA KOBE 000454 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV JA
SUBJECT: LDP KINKI BLOCK CONVENTION A NON-EVENT


UNCLAS OSAKA KOBE 000454

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV JA
SUBJECT: LDP KINKI BLOCK CONVENTION A NON-EVENT



1. (U) LDP Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe's American-
style political roadshow, the LDP convention, came to
Osaka August 5 for its first Kinki Block performance
before an audience of 1200 from the six-prefecture
region centered around Osaka and Kyoto.


2. (U) Disappointingly, only Takebe attended from Tokyo
LDP HQ, and none of the declared or potential
candidates for the September presidential election were
present, despite the fact that FinMin Tanigaki, the
sole declared candidate at this stage, hails from
nearby Kyoto. According to Takebe, the purpose of the
block convention is not to serve as a primary for a
presidential election but to strengthen the LDP through
"decentralization" of the party.


3. (SBU) The only drama seemed to have been
unintentional. Leading (and still unannounced)
candidate Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe was not
permitted to attend the event. LDP Lower House member
Yasuhide Nakayama related that although Abe wanted to
attend, local organizers, perhaps attempting to
maximize the news value of Abe's campaign appearances
in their home districts, used a technicality to keep
him out of the convention.


4. (U) After remarks by LDP Dietmembers, Osaka Governor
Ohta, and political commentators, representatives of
the six prefectures stated their opinions on how the
party should address economic and social issues in the
region. There was a keenly felt sense of decline in
the economic and political influence of Japan's number
two population center and former manufacturing
heartland. The convention adopted a resolution to
strengthen cooperation among the prefectures of the
region, revitalize the economy and promote true
decentralization of power from Tokyo. The party
members also pledged to do their best to win next
April's unified local elections and the July 2007 Upper
House elections.


5. (SBU) By the time all the Dietmembers went onstage
to cheer "Gambaroo" ("Let's work hard!") together for
the finale, half of the audience had already left. The
audience mood was subdued and the applause was
lackluster, largely due to the lack of candidates and
real debate.

RUSSEL