DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 04/21/06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 002196 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION; TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN, DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR; CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA. E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 04/21/06 INDEX: (1) Flexible remark on Futenma relocation by Okinawa governor: "Defense is a matter under the sole control of the central government" (2) Marine survey around Takeshima: ROK willing to pursue diplomatic solution, may shelve its planned proposal for topographical names in Korean language (3) Vice Foreign Minister Yachi will arrive in Seoul this afternoon and hold talks with ROK officials (4) Scope column - Reasons for intensified dispute over Takeshima (Dokdo): Japan can't overlook South Korea's defacto control, while ROK regards it as part of history issue (5) Japan, US, China should hold talks: Campbell (6) Japan-US beef talks: Inspection of processing facilities remain up in the air; Standoff continues over inspection checklist (7) Koizumi kaleidoscopic in Diet remarks over 34 years: Tokyo University-Asahi Shimbun joint study (8) Study of Sadakazu Tanigaki, post-Koizumi contender: Has good sense of balance and does not make enemies ARTICLES: (1) Flexible remark on Futenma relocation by Okinawa governor: "Defense is a matter under the sole control of the central government" ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) Evening, April 21, 2006 In connection with the issue of relocating the US Marines' Futenma Air Station, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Keiichi Inamine at his regular press conference today made this comment about the proposal to relocate Futenma to Nago City's Henoko point, as agreed by the central government and Nago City: "Foreign affairs and defense are matters under the sole control of central government. Such matters are not for (the prefecture) to approve or disapprove." The governor also stated: "I have not changed my way of thinking (that the Henoko Point proposal is unacceptable)." However, he seems to have suggested he was not thinking of the prefecture taking a strong negative stance should the same plan be included in the final report between Japan and the US on US forces realignment. The governor last October when the agreement on the Henoko Point plan was made, came out with a strong negative stance, making this comment: "It is something that I absolutely cannot accept." (2) Marine survey around Takeshima: ROK willing to pursue diplomatic solution, may shelve its planned proposal for topographical names in Korean language YOMIURI (Page 1) (Excerpts) April 21, 2006 TOKYO 00002196 002 OF 012 By Shinichi Hirano, Seoul Japan and South Korea are now in a standoff over Japan's planned marine survey around Takeshima (Dokdo). On this standoff, South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myong Hwang this morning indicated his strong willingness to pursue a diplomatic solution via talks with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi, who will be arriving in Seoul this afternoon. Yu said: "I think we need to look for ways to resolve it, perhaps because the other side, as well, does not hope to see a physical clash occur." Yu was making these remarks before some reporters, including those from Yonhap News. In addition, Yu reiterated, "(Japan's) cancellation of its survey plan will be the starting point for both sides to pursue a diplomatic solution." At the same time, Yu stated, "We have never announced that we will make a proposal (on Korean names of undersea topographic features) at an international conference slated for June. Japan appears to have overreacted." He hinted that South Korea might refrain from proposing Korean names at a subcommittee on undersea location names that will be held in June under the sponsorship of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and other organizations if Japan were to abandon its planned maritime survey. "(If a clash took place), South Korea, as well as Japan, would suffer greatly," Yu noted, stressing that his country was of the opinion that pursuing a diplomatic solution would benefit both Japan and South Korea. (3) Vice Foreign Minister Yachi will arrive in Seoul this afternoon and hold talks with ROK officials YOMIURI (Page 1) (Excerpts) April 21, 2006 In dealing with South Korea's opposition to Japan's planned marine survey around Takeshima, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi will arrive in South Korea this afternoon and meet with South Korean officials, including Vice Foreign Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myong Hwan. Yachi will again convey to South Korea Japan's intention to abandon the planned survey if South Korea shelves its plan to propose changing undersea location names to Korean names at an international conference on sea floor topography that will take place in Germany in June. South Korea is urging Japan to immediately withdraw its marine survey plan, but at the same time, it has indicated that it is not fixated on the idea of making a proposal on undersea topographic names at an international conference slated for June. Whether two countries can find a point of compromise is drawing attention. (4) Scope column - Reasons for intensified dispute over Takeshima (Dokdo): Japan can't overlook South Korea's defacto control, while ROK regards it as part of history issue TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) April 21, 2006 By Ryuji Watanabe Last-minute negotiations are continuing between the Japanese and South Korean governments over Japan's planned marine survey around the Takeshima (Dokdo) islets. Why has the row between the two countries intensified this far? We probed into the TOKYO 00002196 003 OF 012 circumstances surrounding both countries. Japan: Interference in survey would be violation of international law By Ryuji Watanabe The Japanese government has maintained its position of "quietly continuing preparations" for a marine survey. Japan thinks that if it gives up on its plan for the survey, it will be seen by the rest of the world as giving silent approval to South Korea's defacto control of Takeshima and also be lambasted at home for its being weak-kneed. Sensing the move of South Korea to propose Korean names for undersea features at an international conference on sea floor topography slated for late June, Japan made a plan for maritime research. Japan thought that if it did not to present its own proposal on names of undersea features based on a survey, "Korean names would be adopted and registered, which the Japanese public would not accept," said the same senior Foreign Ministry official. Takeshima has been under South Korea's defacto control since ¶1954. If undersea names were all described in Korean, Japan would find itself in a weaker position internationally in terms of the territorial dispute with South Korea over Takeshima. The government therefore cannot back down from its plan. According to an official at the Prime Minister's Official Residence, Tokyo's firm attitude comes from an analysis that "South Korea rather would violate international law." The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea regards government-owned ships as public ships and grants them the right not to be captured and not to be searched, wherever they may be in the sea. If South Korea interferes in Japan's survey, Tokyo can claim such an act to be a violation of international law. Even if Japan cannot conduct a survey, Japan can appeal to the conference and say that South Korea illegally interfered with Japan's plan. This assertion could help prevent Korean names from being adopted. In addition, if the Takeshima issue draws more international attention, Japan would have more chance to appeal to the rest of the world on how unjust it is for South Korea to have put Takeshima under its defacto control. The government has emphasized that "we will continue dialogue," according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, but there is not much time left before the international conference begins. South Korea expresses displeasure, regards survey plan as justification of past war of aggression By Kiyoshi Nakamura, Seoul "Some Japanese claim an area Japan occupied during its past unjust war of aggression," said South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun at a meeting yesterday in Seoul, revealing displeasure toward Japan, which insists on its sovereignty over Takeshima and the legitimacy of its planned marine survey around it. Japan put Takeshima in Shimane Prefecture in 1905, which TOKYO 00002196 004 OF 012 coincided with the year the (Second) Japan-Korea Agreement was concluded between the two countries. The agreement marked the beginning of the colonization of Korea. Because of this coincidence, many in South Korea still view the Takeshima issue as Japan's first step toward invasion. Given these national sentiments, the Roh administration has declared that "Japan's planned maritime survey, as well as visits to Yasukuni Shrine and controversial history school textbooks, are acts justifying its history of aggression." Seoul has made crystal clear its hard-line position against Japan, reflecting its understanding that the marine survey is not merely a territorial issue but is rather linked to historical perceptions. Ahead of Japan's planned survey, South Korea's National Oceanographic Research Institute conducted a detailed survey of underwater topography around Takeshima from last April through last November and named five underwater mountains after historical persons connected with the islands, such as An Yong Bok, a fisherman who lived in the 17th century during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and was respected as a hero who made Japan recognize Dokdo as Korean territory. Officials of the research institute unveiled Korean geographical names last November and stated: "We will do all we can to help these names become widely used in charts across the world." The South Korean government has stationed guards on Takeshima on a regular basis and kept it under its defacto control. In addition, it aims to gain international recognition of its sovereignty over Takeshima and the waters surrounding it by making a proposal to change the current undersea topographical names to Korean names at an upcoming international conference on undersea topography, thus getting Korean names registered. (5) Japan, US, China should hold talks: Campbell NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Full) April 21, 2006 Kurt Campbell, senior vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS),a US think-tank, wrote for the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on the occasion of the US-China summit talks that took place yesterday. In his essay, Campbell suggested the need for the United States to initiate trilateral foreign ministerial talks involving Japan and China to improve their bilateral relations. His contribution is outlined as follows: A number of events that have occurred between Japan and China over the past year have caused their bilateral relations to cool rapidly. Those events included Japanese political leaders' repeated visits to Yasukuni Shrine, Japan's review of its official development assistance (ODA) to China, anti-Japanese demonstrations in China, Japanese school textbooks, and military tensions growing over a disputed archipelago of islets to which both countries are claiming territorial rights... Japan and China are now going from bad to worse in their relations. This situation is also precarious for the US in terms of its Asia policy. If the two economic powers, Japan and China, hurt their bilateral trade and investment, economic growth in Asia would seriously slow down. In addition, its negative impact would hit the United States like a tsunami. TOKYO 00002196 005 OF 012 From the perspective of security, there is no denying that a further escalation of tensions between Japan and China could develop into a skirmish over their territorial claims to the Senkaku islets. In that event, the United States would be driven into a very difficult position. Some experts say Japan and China can avoid a potential crisis, with their deep economic ties in mind. However, an unintended explosion could well occur should their political backlashes grow stronger against each other. The so-called Yasukuni problem has caused serious damage to the Asia policy that Japan had cultivated over the six postwar decades. It will be in the interests of the United States to see Japan face up to its past and settle it in a sincere manner. The United States must extend a helping hand to its closest ally in order for that ally to improve its relations with its neighbors-even though it may risk running against the sensibilities of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, one of President Bush's friends, and other Japanese political leaders. This time around, the United States should go ahead to carry out a high-level political dialogue of Japan, the United States, and China for a free exchange of views. It is desirable to hold a trilateral foreign ministerial meeting this fall under the United States' initiative. They should hold broad discussions there, including not only China's military expansion, Yasukuni, and Taiwan but also Iran's nuclear program. Japan, the United States, and China share major interests in terms of energy, counterterrorism, Korean Peninsula denuclearization, peaceful solutions to territorial rows, and sustainable economic growth. It's important to shape "Asia's century," and the three countries must recognize it. Whether the three countries can pave the way to trilateral talks is absolutely up to the United States. Without this, trust and dialogue in Northeast Asia will wane further. The countries will only hurt each other, and it will be none other than Japan and the United States that will be most seriously hurt in that process. (6) Japan-US beef talks: Inspection of processing facilities remain up in the air; Standoff continues over inspection checklist NIHON NOGYO SHIMBUN (JAPAN AGRICULTURAL NEWS) (Top play) (Full) April 21, 2006 It was learned yesterday that coordination between Japan and the US on an inspection checklist in connection with the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) re-inspection of processing facilities for meat exports to Japan, as agreed in the meeting of experts from Japan and the US in late March, is taking a long time, and so far, nothing has happened even though three weeks have passed. The exchanges of opinions with Japanese consumers, another main element in the agreement, will end next week on April 24. I appears therefore that the reason for US Ambassador to Japan Schieffer's strong call for an early resumption of US beef imports may lie in US unhappiness about the slow pace of the coordination. USDA has explained that the case of the company that exported beef to Japan with vertical columns -- a risk material, thus TOKYO 00002196 006 OF 012 violating the anti-BSE export criteria set up for Japan -- was "unique." It took the position that the other facilities were problem free, but in response to Japan's request, the US agreed at the experts' meeting to re-inspect all of the plants that export to Japan. After the meeting at a press conference, Acting Under Secretary of Agriculture Lambert stated: "We will present the checklist for inspections of processing plants to the Japanese government on (April) 3. The re-inspections will be completed in about two weeks." He revealed his outlook of the possibility of moving to the next step in resuming imports. However, it has now been three weeks since the experts meeting, and it has still not been decided what to re-inspect at the processing facilities. A senior official at the Agricultural Ministry said: "Coordination is going on at the working level of both governments. Although it is not bogged down, it is true that it is taking more time than expected." "The Japanese side is asking for additions to the draft inspection checklist the US has presented, " explained a senior official at the Ministry of Health and Labor. Although it is not clear what the specific points of dispute are, it appears that the American officials are balking at the Japanese request for a detailed inspection that would go back to the exports to Japan at the end of last year. The Japanese government is seeking measures to prevent a reoccurrence that would thoroughly convince the Diet, Japanese consumers, and others, but, according to the same official, "The US insists that 'there is no problem with the other facilities,' and will not budge on the issue of confirming their safety." However, both Japan and the US want to avoid prolonging the coordination any longer. A senior Agricultural Ministry official said: "It is possible for the re-inspections to occur without agreement on all of the checklist. (The parts lacking) could be inspected by the Japanese team when they go to do their inspections." The official thought an agreement on the inspection checklist possible soon. On April 20th, in response to a question from this newspaper, US Embassy replied: "We are in the midst of discussions regarding the reopening of trade. They include the inspection checklist. The talks could take time." Based on the experts meeting, the ministries of agriculture and health until April 24 have been holding meetings in 10 places across the country with consumers and other groups to exchange views. Officials have been briefing the assemblies on the cause of the risk material having been mixed into a beef shipment, as well as on the contents of the talks with the US. The ministries aim to boil down the specific conditions for resuming imports, bearing in mind the requests of the people attending these forums. In the meetings, strong consumer distrust of the Japanese and US governments has emerged in one place after the other, such as, "This was proof that the reopening was not fully deliberated" (Osaka),and, "Why didn't Japanese inspectors go to the local sites when imports were resumed? (Sendai)" In Naha, one person said, "The violation was not an isolated incident; it revealed a structural problem," indicating a view that sought a basic overhaul of the conditions. Other requests called for a toughening of anti-BSE countermeasures, such as strict age TOKYO 00002196 007 OF 012 confirmation similar to Japan's system, and tighter restrictions of feed. There are many challenges to overcome before consumer confidence can be recovered. (7) Koizumi kaleidoscopic in Diet remarks over 34 years: Tokyo University-Asahi Shimbun joint study ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) April 19, 2006 What has Prime Minister Koizumi-ever since his first election to the Diet in 1972-talked about in the Diet? The Asahi Shimbun and the University of Tokyo conducted a joint search and analysis of his parliamentary statements. The joint study found him consistent in making much of "self-help efforts" in his wording of economic agenda. He was also found to have broken away from his one-time negative stance and turned around to a positive one toward sending Self-Defense Forces personnel overseas since becoming prime minister. The survey also portrayed him as an ever- changing pragmatist when it comes to diplomatic issues and security affairs or the nation's election system. Ever-changing: "Japan-US alliance," "Yasukuni" increasingly mentioned "The importance of the Japan-US alliance remains unchanged." On April 10, Prime Minister Koizumi used the phrase "Japan-US alliance" three times to reporters after the government and the city of Nago in Okinawa Prefecture reached an agreement on a remodified plan to relocate the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station to a coastal area of Camp Schwab in the city. The 9/11 terrorist attacks, the deployment of SDF personnel to Iraq, and the realignment of US forces in Japan-Koizumi has looked for opportunities to play up the importance of the "Japan- US alliance" in his words over the past five years. He has used the phrase "Japan-US alliance" at least 254 times in his Diet replies through the end of March this year since coming into office. However, Koizumi had never used the phrase "Japan-US alliance" in his parliamentary remarks before coming into office as prime minister. He touched on bilateral security arrangements between Japan and the United States in an October 1985 meeting of the House of Representatives Budget Committee. At the time, Koizumi stated before the committee: "There's the Japan-US Security Treaty as a complementary measure above the SDF. With this, there is plenty of military power in Japan." He saw the security pact as something that complements the SDF. Koizumi referred to "Japan-US friendship" in his inaugural press remarks after becoming prime minister. In his Diet policy speech delivered 10 days later, Koizumi used the words "Japan-US alliance" for the first time. One of his aides noted, "He was little aware of diplomacy, so he mixed up alliance and friendship." Koizumi used to be negative about the SDF's international contributions. However, his remarks later became positive. "Some people are pushing ahead (with the overseas dispatch of SDF members for peacekeeping operations) while saying they should take this kind of danger for granted. That's too cruel to SDF TOKYO 00002196 008 OF 012 members." Koizumi made this remark in 1993, when he was posts and telecommunications minister, about the slaying of a Japanese civilian police officer sent to Cambodia on a PKO mission. He also stated, "Japan cannot carry out international contributions like Europe and America. We should be aware that there's a limit." Some 10 years later, Koizumi sent SDF members to an Iraq in turmoil. "We can't say it's absolutely safe," he said. "Japan will assist with Iraq's nation rebuilding efforts as a responsible member of the international community," he stated in a plenary sitting of the House of Representatives in January this year. In his Diet remarks, Koizumi used the word "SDF" 28 times before becoming prime minister and 2,429 times after becoming prime minister. This shows that there was a rapid increase in the number of opportunities to address diplomatic and security issues. In the meantime, Koizumi did not refer to "Yasukuni Shrine" at all before coming into office but 279 times after becoming prime minister. "I don't know why I am to blame in foreign countries for my paying homage to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine." Unwavering: "Self-help efforts," "private-sector vitality" weighed "I don't think in particular that it's bad to see a disparity." This statement came from Koizumi in his parliamentary reply before the House of Councillors Budget Committee in its meeting held in February this year. He was replying to a question that ascribed the widening of regional disparities in the nation to his restructuring drive. "The spirit of self-help efforts and self-sustainability." "A society that rewards efforts." Koizumi reiterated these phrases in Diet debates over a social divide. He has been a consistent believer in liberalism since his first election to the Diet. In April 1973, when Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka and his cabinet were in office, Koizumi took the floor to interpellate in a meeting of the House of Representatives Finance Committee. "I wonder if the Finance Ministry will not think of ferreting out the entire tax scheme in the near future for an indirect tax like a specific consumption tax." With this, Koizumi urged the government to introduce a general consumption tax. In those days, there were critical views about the notion of introducing a general consumption tax, which was said to be disadvantageous for people in the lower-income brackets and to smaller businesses. Touching on such criticism, Koizumi asserted: "There's no need to be concerned about whether it's going to be regressive." In a debate over the income tax rates as well, Koizumi proposed easing the rates of progressive taxation in a June 1990 meeting of the House of Representatives Special Committee on Taxation. He argued: "A tax rate in excess of 50% is closer to being a punishment than a tax. It's not necessarily desirable when we think about the healthy morale of workers, the spirit of people's self-help efforts, and economic vitality." TOKYO 00002196 009 OF 012 In his political career, Koizumi once served in the post of parliamentary vice finance minister at the Ministry of Finance. He later presided over the LDP's finance division under its policy board and chaired the House of Representatives Budget Committee in the Diet. He walked the course of finance, and this led him to belt-tightening fiscal policy. He also appears to value corporate vitality over income redistribution. "Whatever the private sector can do should be left to the private sector." This is Koizumi's pet phrase, which first came out in January 1993 shortly after he became posts and telecommunications minister for the cabinet of Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. Koizumi stated before the House of Representatives Communications Committee: "The government should pull out of what the private sector can do, which would be better to stimulate the private sector's vitality." In those days, the minister of posts and telecommunications was in charge of overseeing state-run postal services. However, Koizumi developed his advocacy of privatizing the postal services in that Diet committee. "If it's possible to privatize postal services, it's all right in my opinion to consider doing so," he stated before the committee. He was a dyed-in-the-wool advocate of postal privatization. Koizumi once opposed to single-seat constituency system, later won over unaffiliated voters in single-seat electoral districts "I wonder if we really don't have to privatize postal services. I'd like to ask the people about this." In last year's general election for the House of Representatives, Koizumi led the LDP to an overwhelming victory, with a campaigning strategy that focused on his postal privatization initiative in the face of opposition from the nation's lobbies of postmasters who used to stand behind the LDP. Koizumi "When I was a first- and second-term member of the Diet, the LDP was the favorite party among those who had no party to support. But the LDP now ranks last among those unaffiliated voters." In May 2001, shortly after becoming prime minister, Koizumi made this remark before the House of Representatives Budget Committee. He went on: "We receive petitions from people representing their organizations that support our party. We used to think too much of those people, so our eyes couldn't see an overwhelmingly large number of people who are not our party's supporters." "There are various organizations that support me, but I won't act in their interests alone." This remark is from Koizumi's Diet reply in a February 1993 meeting of the House of Representatives Communications Committee. He has kept to that stance. Koizumi also remarked in a March 1980 meeting of the House of Representatives Finance Committee: "The LDP wants to get support from as many people as possible in all brackets. Even though they support opposition parties, we'll have to make efforts for their understanding." Koizumi, meanwhile, wavered over the single-seat constituency system. He was positive about it in a May 1976 meeting of the House of Representatives Special Committee on Election Laws, stating: "There's an argument calling for proportional representation in addition to the single-seat constituency system. It's worth considering. It's a very good argument we TOKYO 00002196 010 OF 012 should listen to." In a February 1998 meeting of the House of Representatives Budget Committee, however, he was negative: "Those who advocated introducing the single-seat constituency system said there would be no legacy candidates under this election system. But I don't think that way, so I opposed such a system." Ichiro Ozawa, president of the leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto),tried to introduce the single- seat constituency system when he was LDP secretary general. In those days, Koizumi was with a non-mainstream faction in the LDP and was against it. This presumably made him change his mind. However, the LDP won a landslide victory in last year's general election under the single-seat constituency system. "I was against this system, but I'm also a realist who must think of how to win," Koizumi stated before the House of Representatives Budget Committee in its September 2005 meeting. This remark proves him prone to play it by ear. Study methodology: Prime Minister Koizumi's statements in his parliamentary interpellations and replies were culled from the official record of the proceedings of the Diet between December 1972, when he was first elected to the Diet, and March 31, 2006. His Diet remarks were classified with some keywords for specific themes, including foreign relations, security affairs, and domestic politico-economic policies, to follow up changes in his philosophy and wording. (8) Study of Sadakazu Tanigaki, post-Koizumi contender: Has good sense of balance and does not make enemies NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Slightly abridged) April 20, 2006 Sadakazu Tanigaki has built a network of contacts in political circles based on his experience of having served in the Diet Affairs Committee of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the House of Representatives Steering Committee. In looking back on his career, he said: "In politics, obligations to others and human relationships are key. Serving in the Lower House Steering Committee was exciting." Kaoru Yosano, senior to Tanigaki by six years at Azabu High School, promoted Tanigaki to higher positions in the LDP's Diet Affairs Committee and the Lower House Steering Committee. Yosano, as chief director of the Steering Committee in 1991, highly appreciated the efforts by Tanigaki, who was a committee director. When he became committee chairman in 1993, he named Tanigaki as chief director. Then, having difficulties in handling a no-confidence motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa in 1993, Yosano ordered Tanigaki, who was in his office, "I want you to go to the executive room to ask whether the committee can take a vote." Tanigaki later conveyed to Yosano the party leadership's final decision that a vote on the motion should be taken. Yosano at that point decided to put it to the vote. As a result, the LDP broke up and fell into the opposition camp. In a LDP board meeting on the housing loan issue in 1996, LDP Public Relations Headquarters Chairman Shizuka Kamei shouted at Steering Committee Chairman Tanigaki, "Quit your post!" At the TOKYO 00002196 011 OF 012 time, the Diet was thrown into chaos because Shinshinto (New Frontier Party) formed a picket at the Diet in opposition to the ruling party's handling of a housing-loan issue. Although the dominant view in the LDP was that the party should call on Lower House Speaker Takako Doi to forcibly have the picket removed, Tanigaki did not take action. He was able to gain credibility for his fair Diet management, but at the same time, some LDP members expressed their unhappiness with his efforts. Even so, Yosano has continued to highly appreciate Tanigaki. Since he became the minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy last October, their cooperation is noticeable in such areas as reform of the revenue and expenditure systems. Outside the political world, Tanigaki has a personal network called "Maryuu kai" composed of graduates from Azabu Junior High School and Azabu High School. He meets regularly with Takeo Hiranuma, his senior, Yuya Niwa, a classmate, and Shoichi Nakagawa, his junior. Tanigaki is not a person who is eager to build new personal connections. He holds in principle no more than one meeting at night. He returns home early. He is one of a few politicians who do not attend many meetings of politicians and supporters. He prefers having discussions while drinking wine rather than holding secret meetings at exclusive Japanese restaurants. Many of his acquaintances in economic circles are former classmates. Tanigaki and NTT Do Co Mo President Masao Nakamura have been friends since they belonged to Tokyo University's ski and climbing club. He has regularly exchanged views with Kansai Economic Federation Chairman Yoshihisa Akiyama and other business leaders in the Kansai area to make their views to his fiscal management. Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Junichi Murata commented on Tanigaki: "He is modest and gentle. I know that he always wants to work for the people." One veteran lawmaker pointed out: "He has a good sense of balance, but he has few strong supporters from political and economic circles." Main personal connections (Political circles) Cabinet members: Kaoru Yosano, minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy Jiro Kawasaki, minister of health, labor and welfare Azabu Junior High, Azabu High: Takeo Hiranuma, former minister for economic, trade and industry Yuya Niwa, former minister for health, labor and welfare Shunichi Suzuki, former environment minister Cuisine and wine: Bunmei Ibuki, chairman of the Ibuki faction (Business circles) Masao Nakamura, NTT Do Co Mo president Yoshihisa Akiyama, Kansai Economic Federation chairman TOKYO 00002196 012 OF 012 Junichi Tamura, Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman (Cultural figures) So Kuramoto, writer Saburo Kawamoto, commentator Hiroko Kokubu, jazz pianist DONOVAN