JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 04/12/06

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E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 04/12/06 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule North Korea problem: 4) US-DPRK contacts in Tokyo produce no results 5) Pessimism about talks starting between US, DPRK 6) Assistant Secretary Hill reveals that $24 million in North Korean accounts have been frozen 7) As host of 6-party academic conference, Japan's efforts to restart formal talks did not pay off 8) DNA testing shows abductee Megumi Yokota was married to South Korean also abducted by North Korean agents 9) Government to ask Pyongyang to clear up true identity of Megumi Yokota's husband, seek Seoul's cooperation in pursuing issue 10) Former Prime Minister Mori is off to China as representative of athletic association USFJ realignment: 11) Nago to ask for shorter runways at Camp Schwab 12) Dream of joint civilian-military use of Yokota Air Base far from achieving reality Political agenda: 13) Prime Minister Koizumi receives gift of one of Elvis Presley's scarves 14) Ichiro Ozawa plans to run in September Minshuto presidential race, sees it as "vote of confidence" 15) Ruling camp works out new proposal to resolve issue of inserting "love of country" into amendments to Basic Education Law Trade issues: 16) Consumers blast US beef system in government's first open hearings on BSE issue 17) Agricultural Minister Nakagawa wants US to "swiftly resolve" issue of bones in beef shipment to Hong Kong by US company certified to export to Japan 18) Third round of Japan-ASEAN FTA talks end, with next session set for June Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi, Yomiuri, Sankei & Tokyo Shimbun: Tokyo demands Pyongyang to reveal the truth, seeks cooperation from Seoul; Abductee Megumi Yokota's husband may have been South Korean Mainichi: Flood gate scandal: MLIT found to have urged firms to continue bid-rigging practice despite their call for its abolition Nihon Keizai: Fees for NHK television viewers: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications considers penalty for nonpayment, envisions a possible cut in fees TOKYO 00001962 002 OF 011 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Abductee Megumi Yokota: It's time for Japan and ROK to join hands (2) Court ruling on Janome Machine case: Caution against payoff Mainichi: (1) NDA testing: Japan, ROK need to join hands to resolve the abduction issue (2) France's repeal of CPE: An omen of split of EU? Yomiuri: (1) Ozawa-led Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan): Axis of confrontation should be shown quickly (2) Abductee Megumi Yokota's husband: North Korea's inhumanity felt from outcome of DNA testing Nihon Keizai: (1) Pension disparity between government and private sector must be removed by political initiative (2) No chart shown after establishment of three types of nursery schools Sankei: (1) DNA analysis on abductees: Japan, ROK need to work together to resolve the abduction issue (2) Basic environment plan: Substance is good but hard to understand Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Abductee Megumi Yokota: Joint efforts by Japan, ROK are essential to rescue abductees (2) People lost in springtime mountains: Information indispensable to save lives 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) Prime Minister's schedule, April 11 NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) April 12, 2006 08:31 Attended a cabinet meeting. 09:55 Met at Kantei with Nomura, who is in charge of the Crown Prince Naruhito's household, followed by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Futahashi. 11:01 Met with members of a group calling for the return of the Northern Territories, including Hokkaido Gov. Takahashi. 14:35 Met National Music Publishers' Association Honorary Chairman Watanabe and others. 15:19 Attended videotaping for LDP public affairs at LDP headquarters. TOKYO 00001962 003 OF 011 16:57 Met at Kantei with Vice Foreign Minister Yachi, followed by Justice Minister Sugiura and Japan Judicial Support Center Director Kaneko. 17:55 Met State Minister for the Declining Birthrate Inoguchi. 19:03 Dined at the Hotel Okura with Upper House Steering Committee Chairman Mizote and other ruling party directors, joined by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Suzuki and chief Cabinet Secretary Abe. 21:04 Returned to his residence. 4) Academic conference ends without any contacts between US, North Korean delegates to six-party talks; Remain at odds over financial sanctions MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) April 12, 2006 Chief negotiators to the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue engaged actively in separate talks in Tokyo yesterday. Chief delegates, centering on Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawai, futilely tried to convince the United States and North Korea, to hold bilateral talks in the run-up to resuming the six-party talks. The chief negotiators to the multilateral talks, who assembled in Tokyo to attend an academic conference, will now return to their respective countries empty handed. A source traveling with US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill categorically said to reporters yesterday, "As the assistant secretary repeatedly noted, there will be no bilateral talks between the United States and North Korea." Chinese and Japanese sources also indicated that there would be no contacts between the US and North Korea. The thorniest point between the US and North Korea was the financial sanctions taken by the US against the North. North Korea insisted that it would not return to the six-party talks unless the US lifted the financial sanctions. Meanwhile, the US maintained that it would not hold talks with the North unless Pyongyang returned to the multilateral negotiating table. Hill commented last night about the financial sanctions against the North: "I understand that a bank in Macau has frozen assets worth 20 million dollars. The value of frozen assets is smaller than the profit that would result in the energy areas as a result of pushing the six-party talks forward. North Korea may pass up great gain as a result of adhering to one issue." 5) Pessimism about possibility of holding US-North Korea dialogue; Plan to involve third country also fraught with difficulty TOKYO 00001962 004 OF 011 NIHON KEIZAI (Page 8) (Excerpts) April 12, 2006 Delegates from Japan, the US, China, South Korea, and North Korea, who assembled in Tokyo coinciding with an ongoing international academic conference yesterday, bilaterally met and searched for the possibility of direct dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, the key to restarting the stalled six- party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue. A plan to realize such a dialogue in the form of involving a third country, such as China, was floated, but coordination of views on this proposal was unsuccessful. The confrontation between the two countries over the US financial sanctions against the North is so deep- rooted that a pessimistic atmosphere spread about prospects for finding a breakthrough in the stalemate. Brief contact ends in disagreement Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, the top envoy from the US, and Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan, chief delegate from North Korea, yesterday morning briefly met at the conference hall where the International Academic Conference is taking place. Hill called on North Korea to make an unconditional return to the six-party talks, saying, "Why don't we meet in Beijing (the venue of the talks)?" The brief meeting appeared to have ended in disagreement with Kim conveying the North's stance of making the removal of the financial sanctions a condition for its return to the negotiating table. Hill is scheduled to leave Japan on April 12. Alarmed about time running out, Japan, China, and South Korea mulled a plan to hold bilateral dialogue involving a third country as a proposal to bring both the US and North Korea together. Kim visited the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo to meet with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, chairman of the six-party talks. Related sources pinned hopes on the possibility of realizing US-North Korea dialogue. A hard-line view against Pyongyang is rising in the US. In North Korea, anti-US sentiment is growing. Amid such circumstances, the scope of discretion allowed to both Hill and Kim was limited. This has apparently contributed to the bogged-down coordination of views on the proposal. Delegates from the six countries are busily engaging in talks, but the outlook for restarting the six- party talks is increasingly becoming unclear. 6) North Korea had 24 million dollars in now-frozen bank accounts in Macau NIHON KEIZAI (Page 8) (Full) April 12,2006 Christopher Hill, US Assistant Secretary of State responsible for East Asian and Pacific affairs, yesterday revealed to reporters in Tokyo that North Korea had a total of 24 million dollars in its now-frozen bank accounts in Macau. 7) Japan efforts as host of academic conference were in vain MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) April 12, 2006 TOKYO 00001962 005 OF 011 The Japanese government attempted to present the just-ended academic conference as a stage for informal talks leading to a resumption of the six-party talks. Ahead of the conference, the Foreign Ministry had lobbied North Korea, and Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye Gwan visited Tokyo as a result. At that point, the Foreign Ministry felt a certain level of satisfaction. But to Japan's disappointment, there were no bright prospects for bilateral talks between the United States and North Korea. Japan's enthusiasm as the host of the conference did not produce any tangible results. Foreign Ministry Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau chief Kenichiro Sasae, who serves as Japan's chief delegate to the six- party talks, met with Kim for a total of five hours between April 8 and 11. In the talks with Kim, Sasae strongly urged the North to return to the six-party talks early and unconditionally. He also pressed the North for a "sincere response" to the abduction issue, explaining that "pressure" for economic sanctions against the North has been growing in Japan since the Japan-North Korea comprehensive parallel talks in February. 8) Abductee Megumi Yokota's husband might be Kim Yong Nam abducted in 1978 by North Korea, according to government's DNA testing; Tokyo urges Pyongyang to take action TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Excerpts) April 12, 2006 Meeting the press yesterday afternoon, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe released the results of DNA testing showing a strong possibility that Kim Hye Gyong, the daughter of Megumi Yokota, who had been abducted at the age of 13 by North Korea, may have a blood relationship with Kim Yong Nam, a South Korean abductee believed to be Megumi's husband. Later in the day, the government gave an account of the results to Megumi's parents, Shigeru and Sakie, as well as Yong Nam's mother and sister via the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo. On the same day, the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director-General Kenichiro Sasae conveyed the results of DNA tests to visiting North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan and strongly demanded him to "come up with a sincere response" in order to resolve the abduction issue" by taking such steps as allowing abductees to return home as well as revealing the whole truth. Kim reportedly told Sasae: "We'll carefully examine the case and take it into consideration." According to Abe and the Foreign Ministry, the DNA analysis was conducted as part of the efforts to gather information related to the abduction issue. For the DNA testing, blood, hairs, and buccal cells of parents of five South Korean men allegedly abducted by North Korea, including those of Kim Yong Nam were used. 9) Tokyo demands Pyongyang reveal the truth, seeks cooperation from Seoul ASAHI (Top play) (Lead paragraph) April 12, 2006 The government yesterday released the results of DNA tests TOKYO 00001962 006 OF 011 showing a strong possibility that Japanese abductee Megumi Yokota's daughter, Kim Hye Gyong, may have Kim Yong Nam, a South Korean man abducted by North Korea, as her father. The Foreign Ministry conveyed the results to North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan and strongly demanded that North Korea should come up with a sincere response to such issues as allowing abductees to return home and revealing the whole truth. It also asked the South Korean government to team up with Japan in dealing with the abduction issue. Yet, some in the government are concerned that North Korea will toughen its stance, and whether South Korea will look positively on Japan's request is a delicate question. The outcome of the DNA testing is likely to affect the ongoing move to restart the six-party talks. 10) Former Prime Minister Mori to visit China as chairman of Japan Amateur Sports Association ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) April 12, 006 It was learned yesterday that former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori had received an invitation addressed to the chairman of the Japan Amateur Sports Association from China to the opening ceremony of the non-Olympic Games to be held on May 20 in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. Mori will likely to visit China. The Japan Amateur Sports Association invited China's former General Administration of Sport head Yuwang Weimin to the Saitama National Sports Festival in October 2004, but China did not invite Mori to last October's national athletic meet, the largest sports festival in China. China explained the reason for not inviting Mori, saying, "We have too many foreign dignitaries." But the Japanese side assumed that China's real reasons were Mori's luncheon with former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui in December 2003, Prime Minister Koizumi's repeated visits to Yasukuni Shrine, and anti-Japanese demonstrations in China. Some Japanese officials, therefore, had expressed unhappiness with China's conduct. 11) Futenma relocation: Nago City intends to seek to shorten planned runways MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full) April 12, 2006 By Teruhisa Mimori, Nakae Ueno Following Nago City's acceptance of the relocation of the US military's Futenma Air station from Ginowan City in Okinawa Prefecture to a coastal area of Camp Schwab in Nago City in the prefecture, Nago Vice Mayor Bunshin Suematsu yesterday revealed his intention to seek another round of consultations with the central government to discuss the idea of moving the two planned runways even further offshore and shortening their lengths. The idea has come out in consideration of greater than expected local objections. But chances are slim that the central government will accept Nago City's request. 12) Yokota airbase: Local host chiefs differ on joint use TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 25) (Abridged slightly) TOKYO 00001962 007 OF 011 April 12, 2006 Japan and the United States plan to use the US Air Force's Yokota base together. Specifically, the Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) is expected to move its Air Defense Command (ADC),currently headquartered in the city of Fuchu, Tokyo, to the Yokota base, which is located across five cities and a town in Tokyo, including Fussa. Local governments hosting the base consented to the ASDF's planned joint use of the base. Meanwhile, the Japanese and US governments were to have released a final report in March on their still-ongoing talks over the realignment of US forces in Japan. However, those six municipalities have their own stances when it comes to the idea of allowing civilian aircraft to use the base as a dual-use airport. In addition, there are also different expectations even among their mayors favoring the ASDF's joint use of the base. On Feb. 13, Mizuho Town's Mayor Koemon Ishizuka met the press for the first time in a blue moon. In the press conference, Ishizuka remarked that he would accept the ASDF's joint use of the Yokota airbase. "Mizuho is secure only when Japan is secure," Ishizuka said, adding: "We should cooperate on national policy unless it's an intolerable burden." The town of Mizuho is situated north of the Yokota base, and one of its runways stretches from the south to the north. The town has therefore suffered from aircraft noise in particular. Ishizuka is in the van of those crying out, even among those six municipalities, to get the base back into their hands. He bitterly decried the planned realignment of US forces in Japan. The mayor's sudden change of mind puzzled his critics in the town assembly. Following Ishizuka's clarification, Akishima City's Mayor Joichi Kitagawa and Musashimurayama City's Mayor Mitsuo Arai also changed their minds to accept the ASDF's joint use of the Yokota base. The two mayors called on the Tokyo bureau chief of the Defense Facilities Administration Agency (DFAA) and were briefed by the DFAA's regional chief on the realignment of US forces in Japan. The briefing led them to confirm that aircraft noise would not intensify even after the ADC's relocation to the base. "Each local government has its own stance. However, I accept the Air Defense Command's move to Yokota in order to facilitate use of the base by commercial aircraft." This statement came from Musashimurayama Mayor Arai when he clarified his acceptance of the ASDF's joint use of the base before his city's municipal assembly in its March 28 meeting. It was an answer to a Japan Communist Party (JCP) member, who wondered if moving an ASDF headquarters to the Yokota base could lead to joint military- commercial use of the base. This JCP assemblyman added, "I don't think Mizuho and Akishima are taking such a view." With this, he pointed to the different standpoints of local heads. Mayor Arai underscored the ASDF's joint use of the Yokota base as a step paving the way for commercial use of the base. This stance conflicts with Mizuho Mayor Ishizuka's perspective. "If we accept the command's relocation to the Yokota base, we can prevent joint military-commercial use," Ishizuka says. Akishima Mayor Kitagawa and Mizuho Mayor Ishizuka remain committed to opposing commercial flights to and from the Yokota TOKYO 00001962 008 OF 011 base. Mayor Kitagawa criticized Mayor Arai, saying: "It's too short-sighted to play up the positive side of commercial use." The Akishima mayor also said, "The (mayoral) election is just around the corner-that's why he's in favor of joint military and civilian use." Joint military-civilian use will have a great impact on local communities. There are arguments far more clearly for and against such dual use than in the case of the ASDF's joint use of the Yokota base with the US Air Force or joint military-military use. In the city of Musashimurayama, both municipal officials and local residents are supportive of military-commercial use, expecting it to help extend the Tama Urban Monorail to the city. In the city of Akishima and in the town of Mizuho, however, local communities would suffer from even more serious noise pollution. Their mayors, both taking the view that this would make the base permanent, are opposed to the US military's dual use of the base with commercial airliners. "The government should implement economic stimulus measures, and I take it for granted," Mayor Ishizuka said. The three local mayors favoring military-military use have their own political judgment in mind, expecting the government to give something in return. Yoshikazu Ono is a representative of Yokota base neighbors who have instituted a class action lawsuit against the Yokota base's aircraft noise, demanding the suspension of nighttime flights. Ono said: "I didn't think I would hear them (mayors) say things like that. They let us down." 13) Prime Minister Koizumi pleased to receive Elvis Presley's scarf; He says, "Cool" ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) April 12, 2006 Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi met yesterday with Music Publishers Association of Japan Honorary Chairman Misa Watanabe and others at the Prime Minister's Official Residence and received letters from Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie and Yoko Ono. In their letters, Lisa Marie and Yoko Ono called for extending the term of copyright, which is now 50 years from the death of the creator, to 70 years. Koizumi said to Watanabe, "Relevant offices will study it." Koizumi is a big fan of Elvis. He received a scarf worn by Elvis and a framed photograph of him from Lisa Marie. The prime minister said, "He was cool, wasn't he?" 14) Ozawa's Minshuto takes off in full swing; Ozawa steadily preparing for "confidence vote" in September presidential race SANKEI (Page 5) (Excerpts) April 12, 2006 The Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) held a joint plenary meeting of party members of both houses of the Diet yesterday and approved the new lineup of party executives. The new leadership led by Ichiro Ozawa has now taken off in full swing. Meanwhile, Acting President Naoto Kan, who was defeated in the party-head election on April 7, has indicated that he would not run for the TOKYO 00001962 009 OF 011 regular presidential election in September. The presidential race is likely to be a confidence vote for Ozawa as long as no major changes occur. Attention is now being focused on whether Ozawa will be able to display a magnificent performance as a strong-arm politician. "I am determined to work hard with the resolve of forming an Ozawa administration through our victories in the House of Councillors election next year and the next House of Representative election," Kan said before Minshuto headquarters' members and secretaries in the Diet building yesterday afternoon. He expressed his determination to support Ozawa's efforts to take over the reins of government. This remark surprised lawmakers supporting Kan. Some observers had been overheard saying: "If Kan loses the party presidential election, which marked his sixth candidacy, his political career would come to an end," as a Minshuto member said. Given this, the post of acting president is a good opportunity for Kan. He has reciprocated Ozawa's "warm-hearted" treatment. Besides his crushing defeat in the presidential race, there seems to be this cool judgment behind Kan's expression of support for Ozawa, as said by a Kan-supporting group member: "If the party holds an presidential election many times in a short period of time and repeatedly engage in a political conflict, the people will lose interest in our party. In such a case, Minshuto will never be able to grab political power." The Ozawa group has also welcomed Kan's support of Ozawa, a member remarking: "It has now become certain that the next election will be a vote of confidence for Mr. Ozawa in effect. The party has banded together more strongly than before." 15) LDP's Oshima to present own proposal for revising the Basic Education Law; Words "love" and "nation" likely be stipulated in his proposal ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) April 12, 2006 In a meeting today of the ruling coalition's panel on a revision of the Basic Education Law, the panel's chair Tadamori Oshima will present his ideas regarding the description of "patriotism," on which the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner New Komeito have been at odds. The panel is coordinating a plan to incorporate the words "love" and "country" based on a plan suggested by former chair Kosuke Hori last summer that (the people) should respect tradition and culture and love and cherish the nation. The New Komeito leadership has taken a position of accepting Oshima's plan as long as the plan makes it clear that patriotism does not mean to love the governing structure. Many in the LDP are unhappy with the plan, however. Therefore, whether the ruling camp will be able to summit a draft revision to the Diet is unclear. Regarding the description of "patriotism," the LDP has suggested that it should be described as "love of country," while the New Komeito has insisted that it be described as "cherishing the TOKYO 00001962 010 OF 011 country." The ruling camp's panel confirmed in an interim report last June that "country" does not include "such governing systems" as state power and government. Based on that, Hori presented his proposal last summer. Oshima then revealed on April 5 that he would present his plan to stipulate the expression that (the Japanese people) should respect other countries and the international community, accepting the New Komeito's assertion. One of the panel members said, "Mr. Oshima will probably formulate a proposal based on Mr. Hori's suggestion." 16) Government holds first public hearing on US beef; Consumers voice criticism YOMIURI (Page 9) (Full) April 12, 2006 The Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Ministry and the Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry sponsored for the first time a town- hall meeting in Naha yesterday to solicit views on the ongoing suspension of US beef imports. About 50 participants, including consumers and meatpackers, attended the meeting, and various opinions and critical comments were presented. One said: "The inspection program for imports has not been properly functioning," and another claimed: "The Japanese government appears to be siding with the US, instead of trying to protect the Japanese people's lives." In response, officials from the two ministries gave explanations, such as: "There was no problem in the inspection program, but safety procedures were not being observed." 17) Agriculture minister urges US to deal with inclusion of bones in beef shipment to Hong Kong ASAHI (Page 11) (Full) April 12, 2006 Referring to the inclusion of bones, a material banned as a mad cow disease risk, in beef products shipped to Hong Kong by a leading US meat processor, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shoichi Nakagawa yesterday told reporters after a cabinet meeting, "The US should deal with the incident promptly and properly." The Hong Kong government on April 7 placed a ban on imports of beef products from Cargill Meat Solutions because of the incident. MAFF said that Cargill is one of the 37 meat processors that have been authorized to export products to Japan. 18) Next round of FTA talks with ASEAN set for June NIHON KEIZAI (Page 5) (Full) April 12, 2006 The Japanese government and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) wound up their third round of talks on concluding a free trade agreement (FTA) in Tokyo yesterday with no agreement reached. Japan proposed more than 90% of the items traded between both sides should be made duty-free, but ASEAN called on Japan to present preferential measures. In the next round set for June, ASEAN is expected to come up with countermeasures. TOKYO 00001962 011 OF 011 SCHIEFFER