JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 05/02/06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 002400

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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 05/02/06


Index:

1) Top headlines
2) Editorials
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule

Alliance enters new stage:
4) US, Japan seal USFJ realignment agreement at two-plus-two
meeting in Washington, but skirt issue of total cost of
implementation
5) JDA chief Nukaga at two-plus-two proposes new scheme of US-
Japan defense cooperation to replace "guidelines"
6) Two-plus-two statement stresses US-Japan cooperation to stop
nuclear plans by Iran, North Korea, and seeks transparency from
China on arms buildup
7) US strategy in USFJ realignment aims at stronger deterrence
against China
8) Biggest hurdle to realignment agreement will be
implementation, especially local coordination and 3-trillion yen
total cost to Japan
9) Prime Minister Koizumi to explain realignment agreement to
Okinawa Governor Inamine prior to cabinet approval of pact

10) New Komeito puts off approval of bill raising JDA to a
ministry, giving priority to passage of revision of Basic
Education Law

Koizumi diplomacy:
11) Prime Minister Koizumi in Africa pledges $18.7 million to
help resolve Sudan dispute
12) Koizumi's speech to African assembly aims at creating new
links with countries on that continent

South Korean ties:
13) Senior Vice Foreign Minister Shiozaki presses ROKG to set up
meeting of foreign ministers
14) LDP's Taku Yamasaki told in Seoul that four candidates vying
to succeed Koizumi as prime minister all lack leadership
15) ROK poll: For South Koreans, Japan is the second most feared
country after North Korea

16) Asahi poll: 70% of public, 90% of people in their 20s, never
heard of the Tokyo War Crimes Trials

Articles:

1) TOP HEADLINES

All five newspapers:
Japan, US reach final accord on realignment of US forces in
Japan; Japan-US alliance enters new stage; Futenma base
relocation to be completed by 2014

2) EDITORIALS

Asahi:
(1) Do you know about the Tokyo War Crimes Trials?
(2) Tokyo and Fukuoka should present persuasive blueprints for
hosting the Olympics

Mainichi:
(1) Japan-US security talks: Prime Minister Koizumi must talks

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about the shape of new alliance
(2) Iran's nuclear issue: International community, centering on
China and Russia, should continue efforts to convince Iran

Yomiuri:
(1) 60th anniversary of Tokyo Trial: Japanese people must
examine its war responsibility
(2) Enforcement of Corporate Law: Corporations are now free to
design institutional arrangements

Nihon Keizai:
(1) Japan should get chance for economic growth in global
markets by promoting reforms

Sankei:
(1) Tomorrow is Constitution Day: Is Japan prepared enough for
threats? Let's amend Article 9 of the Constitution to build
foundation for independence

Tokyo Shimbun:
(1) USFJ realignment: Implementation is not going to be an easy
process
(2) Forest conservation: Consideration needed for protecting the
woods

3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei)

Prime Minister's schedule, April 30 & May 1

NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full)
May 2

Evening, April 30
Attended dinner party hosted by Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles.
Stayed at Sheraton Addis Hotel.

Morning, May 1
Met at AU headquarters with AU Commission Chairman Konare.
Delivered speech on Japan's Africa policy.

Afternoon
Attended luncheon hosted by Konare. Left (for Ghana) from Addis
Ababa Airport on government plane.

4) Futenma relocation to be completed in 2014; Japan, US reach
final accord on USFJ realignment

NIHON KEIZAI (Top play) (Abridged)
May 2, 2006

WASHINGTON-Japan and the United States held a 'two-plus-two'
meeting of their intergovernmental security consultative
committee on the morning of May 1 (late at night on the same day
Japan time),with their cabinet ministers for foreign and defense
affairs attending. In the meeting, the Japanese and US
governments reached a final agreement on the planned realignment
of US forces in Japan. The final report specifies a timetable to
complete the relocation of the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air
Station in Okinawa Prefecture to a coastal area of Camp Schwab in
the island prefecture by 2014 and also to complete the
redeployment of about 8,000 US Marines from Okinawa to Guam by
that year. Consequently, the two governments have now wrapped up

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their realignment talks held for about three years.

The 'two-plus-two' ministerial was held at the US Department of
State with Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Defense Agency Director
General Fukushiro Nukaga attending from Japan and Secretary of
State Rice and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld from the United
States. Nukaga met the press after the meeting and stressed:
"It's about time to consider the objective and ideal of bilateral
security arrangements between Japan and the United States in the
place of the current guidelines (for bilateral defense
cooperation between the two countries)."

In response to the agreement, the Japanese government is expected
to present a package of relevant legislative measures for fund-
raising purposes to the Diet at its extraordinary session this
fall at the earliest. However, the final report does not touch on
Japan's total share-estimated at 26 billion dollars or
approximately 3 trillion yen-in cost sharing for the overall
realignment of US forces in Japan. In the Diet, opposition
parties are poised to hard pursue the grounds for Japan's cost
sharing to that huge extent. The government will be held
accountable for the purpose and significance of base realignment
plans.

The final report focused on two major challenges in terms of
integrating the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) and US Forces Japan
(USFJ) for their strategic fusion and alleviating Okinawa's base-
hosting burden.

The final report also refers to the planned construction of a
replacement facility for Futenma airfield, aiming at its
completion by 2014. The final report describes the overall return
of Futenma airfield after its relocation. The newly planned
alternative facility for Futenma airfield is designed to have a V-
shaped pair of airstrips with an overall length of 1,800 meters.
The final report presumes that it will take three years to carry
out an environmental assessment of construction methodology and
will take five years to complete construction work.

The final report estimates the agreed redeployment of US Marines
from Okinawa to Guam at 10.27 billion dollars (approx. 1.2
trillion yen). Japan is to pay 6.09 billion dollars including a
fiscal outlay of 2.8 billion dollars. The United States will bear
the rest. The Japanese and US governments once agreed to complete
Guam relocation by 2012 but will have it coincide with Futenma
relocation.

5) At 2+2 meeting, JDA Director-General Nukaga proposes creating
new framework for defense cooperation, which will replace
"guidelines"

YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full)
May 2, 2006

By Tatsuya Fukumoto, Washington

At a joint press conference held at noon of yesterday (early
hours of today) after the Japan-US Security Consultative
Committee (2+2),Defense Agency Director-General Nukaga stated
that "I said it might be time to reconsider the purposes and
principles of the previous Japan-US guidelines for defense
cooperation," which were established in 1997. He revealed that he

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had proposed at the 2+2 meeting that consultations be launched to
create a new framework for defense cooperation that would replace
the previous guidelines.

As bilateral consultations on the realignment of US forces in
Japan have bolstered the direction of expanding and deepening the
Japan-US alliance, the JDA wanted to insert a review of the
guidelines into a final report. Its thinking is that "the
guidelines have already become antiquated, because they have few
words about missile defense, for example," according to a senior
JDA official.

However, the Foreign Ministry has been unwilling to review the
guidelines, with Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi remarking:
"We don't think there is anything inconvenient about the
guidelines for now." In addition, some in the US government are
of the opinion that "what is necessary is a new framework that
will be more powerful than the guidelines."

A review of the guidelines was not specified in the final report.
Nukaga therefore proposed reviewing the guidelines at the 2+2
meeting and, he revealed at the press conference that he had made
such a proposal.

6) Japan, US to cooperate to discourage North Korea and Iran from
developing nuclear arms; Will seek transparency in China's
military buildup

NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Full)
May 2, 2006

The governments of Japan and the US during a joint press briefing
after yesterday's meeting of the Bilateral Security Affairs
Committee (two-plus-two meeting of defense and foreign ministers)
announced their determination to strengthen bilateral cooperation
in order to prevent North Korea and Iran from developing nuclear
arms. Tokyo and Washington shared concerns about a threat from
China's military buildup and the Taiwan Strait issue, though they
avoided singling out that country or to name the place in
question.

Regarding Iran's uranium enrichment activities, the statement
noted: "Japan and the US will persuade Iran to suspend all of its
uranium enrichment-related activities and fully cooperate for
inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The
two countries have arrived at an agreement on the need that the
UN Security Council acts in cooperation."

Regarding North Korea's nuclear issue, Japan and the US called on
that nation to come back to the six-nation talks unconditionally
and immediately; dismantle its nuclear weapons program dismantle
its nuclear weapons programs in a complete, irreversible and
verifiable way; and suspend all illegal activities.

On China's military buildup, the statement underscored that there
should be more transparency regarding its move to modernize its
military power in the region. Touching on the Japan-US joint
strategic target mapped last February, which for the first time
alluded to the need for a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan
Straight issue, the statement noted that Japan and the US would
closely cooperate in order to achieve that target.


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7) US strategy now focuses on deterrent capabilities against
China

YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts)
May 2, 2006

By Fumi Igarashi, Washington

The US government's basic strategy appears to use the ongoing
realignment of US forces in Japan to boost its deterrent
capabilities against China, which has continued an arms buildup
at a rapid pace. Washington will next seek to implement what has
been agreed on (between Japan and the US) and deepen cooperation
between the US forces and the Self-Defense Forces (SDF).

The joint statement released after the Japan-US Security
Consultative Committee (2+2) yesterday mentioned that "(four
cabinet members) sought an even more transparency of
modernization of military capabilities in the region." This
phrase does not point to any country by name, but it apparently
takes into account China, which continues its military buildup
focusing on air and naval forces and spends two to three times
annually what it says are its military expenditures.

The US Department of Defense in its Quadrennial Defense Review
(QDR) unveiled this February clearly describes China as "a most
potential competitor for the United States in military terms,"
and indicates the US remains alert to that country. Pentagon
thinks that in order to prevent China from taking hostile action
in the future, it is essential for the US to establish a
defensive system with its allies. In this sense, the ongoing
realignment of the US forces in Japan is the first step toward
that goal.

8) High hurdles remain before implementation of US force
realignment plans

MANICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts)
May 2, 2006

Negotiations with local communities running into difficulties

The final report completed by Japan and the US on the morning of
May 1, local time, proposes large-scale realignment plans for US
forces in Japan, with a senior Defense Agency official calling it
"the largest-scale reorganization in a half century." But no
agreement has yet to be reached in the government on how to
secure the fiscal resources to finance the plans, and the
formation of detailed plans will start from now. The government
is facing difficult negotiations with many base-hosting
communities on which a greater burden will be inevitably imposed,
including Zama City in Kanagawa Prefecture and Iwakuni City in
Yamaguchi Prefecture. Uncertainty is still looming large over the
feasibility of the planned USFJ realignment.

As for the thorniest issue of transferring the US Marines'
Futenma Air Station, It is expected to take "three years for an
environmental assessment and five years for construction." This
is the most optimistic scenario, and if the relocation process is
delayed, the entire realignment timetable might be significantly
moved back to a later date.


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With respect to the return of US military bases in the southern
part of the Okinawa mainland, the final report incorporated this
expression: "That depends on Japan's financial contributions."
This can be taken as a message from the US that if coordination
in the government does not go smoothly over Japan's share of the
total cost to transfer Marines to Guam, the US will postpone the
base-return plan.

Final report stops short of specifying 3 trillion yen

The US estimated Japan's share of the total cost for realigning
US forces in Japan at 3 trillion yen. But this figure was not
included in the final report. The report, though, noted: "The
Japanese government will bear the expenses needed for
constructing facilities and other purposes to which there is no
reference in the report." This means that Japan will have to
shoulder a huge amount of expenses, including those for the
transfer of the Futenma Air Station and carrier-based aircraft to
the US Marine Corps' Iwakuni Air Base, in addition to about 6.09
billion dollars (about 700 billion yen) as its share of the total
cost to relocate Okinawa-based Marines to Guam.

The US has yet to present a definite overall estimated cost for
realigning US forces in Japan, so there is no adequate basis for
the 26 billion dollars (about 3 trillion yen) presented by US
Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Lawless as Japan's share of the
total realignment cost.

9) Prime minister to explain USFJ realignment plans to Okinawa
governor prior to cabinet approval of government policy

MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full)
May 2, 2006

Following a final agreement reached between Japan and the US on
the realignment of US forces in Japan, Prime Minister Junichiro
Koizumi decided yesterday that he would meet Okinawa Governor
Keiichi Inamine prior to cabinet approval of the government's
realignment policy. The prime minister intends to explain plans
to reorganize US military facilities in Okinawa, including the
relocation of the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station to a
coastal area of Camp Schwab, as well as measures to spur
Okinawa's development, in an effort to solicit understanding from
the governor.

10) New Komeito to put off procedures to approve bills upgrading
Defense Agency to a ministry, giving priority to amending Basic
Education Law

YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full)
May 2, 2006

The New Komeito has decided to postpone to June the procedures
for approving a set of bills upgrading the Defense Agency to the
status of a ministry. The government has been preparing the bills
to submit them to the current Diet session. The reason is because
the Defense Agency is expected in June to release a report on
measures to prevent a recurrence of rid-rigging practices, as
well as to arrive at a decision on an organizational reform plan
to dismantle the Defense Facilities Administration Agency (DFAA).
The New Komeito thus has made it clear that it will not discuss
the issue of upgrading the Defense Agency to a ministry until the

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bid-rigging scandal involving the DFAA is resolved. In the
background, many party members are opposed to the idea of having
a revision of the Basic Education Law and the upgrading of the
Defense Agency occur at the same time. Therefore, unless the term
of the ongoing Diet session is extended, it will be difficult to
pass the bills to upgrade the agency to a ministry during the
current session.

New Komeito head Kanzaki and Secretary General Tetsuzo Fuyushiba
were enthusiastic about an early realization of upgrading the
Defense Agency to the status of a ministry under the present
leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),having mind the
original agreement with the LDP on upgrading the agency when the
two parties formed a coalition, as well as a change in October of
New Komeito top executives. They were also concerned that if the
bills were carried over to next year's ordinary session, there
could be a negative effect on unified local elections and the
Upper House election. Following the LDP's Defense Division's
approval on April 28 of the name of "a Defense Ministry" and the
outline of the plan to upgrade the agency, some New Komeito
lawmakers said that party should start internal discussions soon
after the Golden Week holidays in early May.

However, there is entrenched opposition to upgrading the Defense
Agency within the New Komeito and its support organization, the
religious sect Soka Gakkai, citing the move harks back to past
militarism and nationalism. In an attempt to prevent the bills
upgrading the agency from being put off to next year's regular
Diet session, the New Komeito intends to go along with the LDP's
plan to introduce the bills to the current Diet session and then
to carry them over to the next Diet session.

11) Prime Minister Koizumi pledges 18.7 million dollars to
resolve conflict in Sudan; Stresses support for Africa's effort
to become self-reliant

YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpt)
May 2, 2006

Prime Minister Koizumi on the morning of May 1 (evening of the
same day, Japan time) made a speech on Japan's Africa policy at
the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During the
speech, he revealed his determination to continue providing
financial cooperation to Africa to back its effort to become self-
reliant. As an immediate measure, Japan will outlay a total of
18.7 million dollars to be used to resolve the conflict in
Darfur, Sudan. The prime minister also indicated a desire to
tackle reforming the UN Security Council in cooperation with
African nations.

12) Prime Minister in speech calls for cooperation with Africa;
Strategic move for UN reform

YOMIURI (Page 4) (Slightly abridged)
May 2, 2006

Tetsuo Hidaka, Addis Ababa

Prime Minister Koizumi in a speech on Japan's Africa policy
underscored a stance of attaching importance to Africa,
reflecting the fact that it is now of urgent necessity to deal
with poverty, disputes, and infectious diseases facing Africa.

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Another reason is that Africa, which accounts for about 30% of UN
members, is indispensable for Japan's efforts to realize its
diplomatic policy, including reform of the UN Security Council
(UNSC),in the international community.

In the speech, the prime minister called for strengthened ties
with Africa in wide areas, such as measures to deal with
infectious diseases, the global environment, energy, terrorism,
and UN reform.

Famine and infectious diseases in Africa are now major issues for
the international community. The prime minister has presented
Japan's first overall action program to deal with infectious
diseases as a launch of full-fledged assistance.

Another reason for his Africa visit is to make a strategic move
for reform of the UN and the UNSC.

Japan last year presented along with Germany, India, and Brazil a
resolution to expand the UNSC but failed to have it adopted. The
reason for the failure is that it was unable to coordinate with
the African Union.

This year, Japan has drafted its own UNSC reform proposal
intended to increase membership by six seats and sought support
from concerned countries, but its effort failed. For Japan, which
is desperately trying to regain momentum, strengthening relations
with African nations is essential in finding a breakthrough, as a
Foreign Ministry source put it. It wants to obtain understanding
for UN reform by promoting cooperation in various fields.

The prime minister's visits to Africa also appear to be intended
to counter China, which is stepping up diplomacy in the region,
which has rich natural resources, including oil.

13) Senior Vice Foreign Minister Shiozaki calls for early Japan-
South Korea foreign ministerial

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Excerpts)
May 2, 2006

Kiyoshi Nakamura, Seoul

Senior Vice Foreign Minister Yasuhisa Shiozaki met with Foreign
Affairs and Trade Minister Ban Ki Moon in Seoul yesterday and
proposed that Japan and South Korea should hold a foreign
ministerial meeting at an early date. According to a South Korean
news agency, Shiozaki called for a foreign ministerial on the
sidelines of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue in Qatar to start on
May 23, and Ban replied: "We will consider it positively."

In the meeting, both sides reconfirmed the contents of the
agreement reached in the bilateral vice ministerial talks on
April 22 on the issue of Japan's maritime research. They also
agreed to swiftly schedule negotiations on demarcating their
exclusive economic zones (EEZ).

14) LDP's Taku Yamasaki, now visiting ROK, says, "There's no
strong leader" to succeed Prime Minister Koizumi

ASAHI (Page 4) (Full)
May 2, 2006

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By Yu Nogami, Seoul

Former Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Vice President Taku
Yamasaki, now visiting South Korea, late yesterday said of the
four contenders to succeed Prime Minister Koizumi, namely, Chief
Cabinet Secretary Abe, former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo
Fukuda, Foreign Minister Aso, and Finance Minister Tanigaki: "A
powerful candidate has yet to appear. In the past, there have
been people who have been recognized as powerful leaders by many
people. A typical example of this was 'San-Kaku-Dai-Fuku-Chu'
(meaning San=Takeo Miki; Kaku=Kakuei Tanaka; Dai=Masayoshi Ohira;
Fuku=Takeo Fukuda; Chu=Yasuhiro Nakasone). They were neck and
neck with one another. But I can't feel something like that from
the present contenders called 'Asa-Gaki-Ko-Zo' (Asa=Taro Aso;
Gaki=Sadakazu Tanigaki; Ko=Yasuo Fukuda; Zo=Shinzo Abe)."
Yamasaki was replying to questions from reporters traveling with
him.

Earlier in the day, Yamasaki met with lawmaker Kim Ki Choon of
the opposition Grand National Party (Hannara) and others in
Seoul. Yamasaki explained to them that Prime Minister Koizumi
visits Yasukuni Shine based on "his belief," telling them, "This
issue will be surely resolved by the person who succeeds Mr.
Koizumi." Yamasaki, however, did not mention who is likely to
succeed him and how the issue will be settled.

15) Poll in South Korea: Japan is the second-most-feared country,
following North Korea

MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full)
May 2, 2006

Kyodo, Seoul

According to the South Korean CBS Radio, an opinion poll
conducted on April 26 found that 29.5% of respondents cited Japan
as "a threat to South Korea's national security," following the
30.8% of those picking North Korea.

Regarding the special speech delivered by President Roh Moo Hyun
on April 25, in which he expressed his determination to hold
sovereignty over the Takeshima (Dokdo) islets, 85.8% supported
the speech, including 53.7% of respondents who strongly supported
it.

Asked about a South Korea-Japan summit, 63.3% said: "The South
Korean president should hold a meeting with the Japanese prime
minister and convey his position more specifically and clearly to
the Japanese leader," while 24.1% replied: "There is no need to
hold a South Korea-Japan summit."

16) Poll: 70% don't know about Tokyo Trials

ASAHI (Page 1) (Abridged)
May 2, 2006

Way back in the postwar days after the end of World War II, when
Japan was under occupation, the United States and other allied
powers tried Japan's WWII Class-A war criminals in the
International Military Tribunal for the Far East or the Tokyo
Trials. Six decades later, 70% of the Japanese public do not know

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what the Tokyo Trials were, the Asahi Shimbun found from its
recent public opinion survey. Among those in their twenties, 90%
did not know anything about that court. Among those who unaware
of the court, few were opposed to the enshrinement of Class-A war
criminals at Yasukuni Shrine and the prime minister's visits
there. Meanwhile, 69% think the Japanese people have not yet
fully pursued responsibility for the war.

The survey was conducted across the nation on April 15-16. A
total of 3,000 persons were sampled out of the nation's voting
population for face-to-face interviews.

In the survey, respondents were asked if they knew what the Tokyo
Trials were. In response to this question, 4% answered "very
well," with 23% saying "somewhat." By contrast, 53% answered they
knew that there was such a court but did not know what it was,
with 17% saying they did not know that there was such a court. As
seen from these figures, a total of 70% were unfamiliar with the
Tokyo Trials.

Respondents were also asked if they were in favor of prime
ministers visiting Yasukuni Shrine. In response, "yes" accounted
for 50%, with "no" at 31%.

DONOVAN