Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO1757
2006-04-03 02:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION JAPANESE POLITICS/SINO-JAPANESE
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001757
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION JAPANESE POLITICS/SINO-JAPANESE
RELATIONS - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: Most Monday morning papers front-paged
growing speculation that the main opposition Democratic
Party of Japan (DPJ) deputy leader Ichiro Ozawa or former
leader Naoto Kan will succeed outgoing chief Maehara.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001757
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION JAPANESE POLITICS/SINO-JAPANESE
RELATIONS - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: Most Monday morning papers front-paged
growing speculation that the main opposition Democratic
Party of Japan (DPJ) deputy leader Ichiro Ozawa or former
leader Naoto Kan will succeed outgoing chief Maehara.
1. "Maehara's Decision Comes Too Late" The top-
circulation, moderate Yomiuri editorialized (4/1): "DPJ
President Maehara's decision to step down marks a bitter
end to the confusion arising from the phony email
scandal. On Friday, Maehara and the rest of the party
leadership resigned to take responsibility for the
turmoil. Hisayasu Nagata, who raised the email in the
Diet, has resigned from the Lower House. These steps
apparently reflect the embattled main opposition party's
desire to turn things around as it prepares for the
latter half of the Diet session and a by-election in
Chiba Prefecture's seventh constituency.... Maehara's
decision came too late. The fact that it took him six
weeks to settle the problem can be blamed on his
inability to properly deal with the crisis facing his
party.
2. "The DPJ had been flooded with protests, with some
people saying that they could no longer trust the party.
The DPJ needs to be aware that regaining this lost trust
will not be an easy matter.... The chaos created by the
DPJ has delayed deliberations in the Diet, a development
that has increased distrust in politicians and political
parties overall. In addition, it will now be more
difficult for the DPJ to take power from the ruling
coalition. According a recent Yomiuri poll, more than 70
percent of respondents said that the DPJ is not fit to
run the country. The DPJ will likely choose Maehara's
successor Friday at a general meeting of party lawmakers
from both Houses of the Diet.... The DPJ is composed of
an eclectic mix of legislators who previously belonged to
other parties, including the ruling Liberal Democratic
Party and the left-leaning Social Democratic Party....
There are major fissures among DPJ members over such
issues as foreign relations, national security, and other
basic policies."
3. "How Will Potential Prime Ministers React to Chinese
President's Remarks?" An editorial in the liberal
Mainichi commented (4/3): "During a meeting in Beijing
with senior officials of pro-China Japanese
organizations, Chinese President Hu Jintao said that he
was 'ready to hold talks with any Japanese leader who
promises to never again visit Yasukuni Shrine, which
enshrines the souls of Class-A war criminals.'... This is
the first time for a Chinese leader to directly link
visits to Yasukuni and summit meetings, demonstrating
again China's unyielding stance on the matter....
Bilateral relations remain chilly, as neither country's
leader has visited the other nation in more that four-and-
a-half years....
4. "With such issues in the background as China's
development of natural gas fields in the East China Sea
and the suicide of a Japanese communications officer at
the Shanghai Consulate General, some have said that
bilateral relations are at their lowest point since the
two countries normalized ties in 1972.... It appears that
Beijing has given up on improving relations with Japan
while PM Koizumi is in office.... With the enactment of
the fiscal 2006 state budget, moves are already afoot
behind the scenes to select a successor to PM Koizumi,
TOKYO 00001757 002 OF 002
who is scheduled to step down as LDP president in
September. It is fair to say that President Hu had
Japan's domestic political situation in mind when he met
with officials of the pro-China Japanese organizations.
His remarks were directed not so much at Koizumi as at
those who would seek to succeed him."
DONOVAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION JAPANESE POLITICS/SINO-JAPANESE
RELATIONS - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: Most Monday morning papers front-paged
growing speculation that the main opposition Democratic
Party of Japan (DPJ) deputy leader Ichiro Ozawa or former
leader Naoto Kan will succeed outgoing chief Maehara.
1. "Maehara's Decision Comes Too Late" The top-
circulation, moderate Yomiuri editorialized (4/1): "DPJ
President Maehara's decision to step down marks a bitter
end to the confusion arising from the phony email
scandal. On Friday, Maehara and the rest of the party
leadership resigned to take responsibility for the
turmoil. Hisayasu Nagata, who raised the email in the
Diet, has resigned from the Lower House. These steps
apparently reflect the embattled main opposition party's
desire to turn things around as it prepares for the
latter half of the Diet session and a by-election in
Chiba Prefecture's seventh constituency.... Maehara's
decision came too late. The fact that it took him six
weeks to settle the problem can be blamed on his
inability to properly deal with the crisis facing his
party.
2. "The DPJ had been flooded with protests, with some
people saying that they could no longer trust the party.
The DPJ needs to be aware that regaining this lost trust
will not be an easy matter.... The chaos created by the
DPJ has delayed deliberations in the Diet, a development
that has increased distrust in politicians and political
parties overall. In addition, it will now be more
difficult for the DPJ to take power from the ruling
coalition. According a recent Yomiuri poll, more than 70
percent of respondents said that the DPJ is not fit to
run the country. The DPJ will likely choose Maehara's
successor Friday at a general meeting of party lawmakers
from both Houses of the Diet.... The DPJ is composed of
an eclectic mix of legislators who previously belonged to
other parties, including the ruling Liberal Democratic
Party and the left-leaning Social Democratic Party....
There are major fissures among DPJ members over such
issues as foreign relations, national security, and other
basic policies."
3. "How Will Potential Prime Ministers React to Chinese
President's Remarks?" An editorial in the liberal
Mainichi commented (4/3): "During a meeting in Beijing
with senior officials of pro-China Japanese
organizations, Chinese President Hu Jintao said that he
was 'ready to hold talks with any Japanese leader who
promises to never again visit Yasukuni Shrine, which
enshrines the souls of Class-A war criminals.'... This is
the first time for a Chinese leader to directly link
visits to Yasukuni and summit meetings, demonstrating
again China's unyielding stance on the matter....
Bilateral relations remain chilly, as neither country's
leader has visited the other nation in more that four-and-
a-half years....
4. "With such issues in the background as China's
development of natural gas fields in the East China Sea
and the suicide of a Japanese communications officer at
the Shanghai Consulate General, some have said that
bilateral relations are at their lowest point since the
two countries normalized ties in 1972.... It appears that
Beijing has given up on improving relations with Japan
while PM Koizumi is in office.... With the enactment of
the fiscal 2006 state budget, moves are already afoot
behind the scenes to select a successor to PM Koizumi,
TOKYO 00001757 002 OF 002
who is scheduled to step down as LDP president in
September. It is fair to say that President Hu had
Japan's domestic political situation in mind when he met
with officials of the pro-China Japanese organizations.
His remarks were directed not so much at Koizumi as at
those who would seek to succeed him."
DONOVAN