JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 09/05/06

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E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 09/05/06 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule Visit of Assistant Secretary Hill: 4) Assistant Secretary Hill arrives in Japan to discuss six-party talks with North Korea 5) Assistant Secretary Hills meets with MOFA Asia-Pacific Bureau Director General Sasae 6) Hill, Sasae in Tokyo talks urge North Korea to constrain itself on nuclear program Asian affairs: 7) Abe, as prime minister, may have summit meetings with ROK, Chinese leaders at APEC conference in November 8) No progress in first day of Japan, South Korea talks on EEZ issue 9) Japanese Communist Party leader Shii visiting South Korea a first for JCP official 10) JDA chief, Canadian defense minister agree on need to resolve North Korea issue Defense issues: 11) Miyazaki City accepts US aircraft training relocation to local base 12) Raising JDA status to ministry will be a priority for "Abe Cabinet" in fall Diet session 13) ABE decides to revise LDP draft Constitution to allow collective self-defense Political agenda: 14) Faced with opposition party resistance, Prime Minister Koizumi not insisting that Sept. 22 be the opening date of the extra Diet session 15) ABE when elected will give top priority in this fall's Diet to passage of education reform bill 16) ABE willing to let some postal rebels back into the LDP 17) LDP's Machimura appearing in TV backs ABE on Yasukuni Shrine visits 18) Former LDP rebel Hiranuma may link to Ozawa's Minshuto to fight in the next general election 19) Former LDP rebel Kamei may cooperate with Minshuto in next general election 20) Ozawa visits US as part of grass-roots exchange Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi, Sankei & Tokyo Shimbun: Supporters of Fukushima governor arrested on suspicions of managing rigged bidding Mainichi & Yomiuri: Supreme Court rejects the paternity of a child born from frozen sperm Nihon Keizai: Nippon Steel Corp. to expand business relationship with South Korea's POSCO TOKYO 00005033 002 OF 010 Akahata: Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare issues notice to resolve the disguised contract practice to each prefectural labor bureau and plans to impose administrative penalty 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Livedoor trial: Did Horie lead the scheme or was he merely a billboard? (2) Mentally disordered persons: True treatment toward them necessary instead of early discharge from hospital Mainichi: (1) First trial of Livedoor's ex-president Horie: Problems the market has faced should also be resolved (2) Kickback money scandal in Gifu Prefecture: Why has former Gov. Kajiwara not mentioned anything? Yomiuri: (1) Livedoor trial: What will Horie tell in face off with prosecutors? (2) Frozen sperm: Supreme Court's judgment points out the need for legislation for reproductive medical technology Nihon Keizai: (1) Japan should strategically engage in IMF reform (2) Livedoor trial: We expect for intensive trial Sankei: (1) First trial of Livedoor's ex-president Horie: Can he win by simply insisting he is totally not guilty? (2) Permanently closed railroad crossing should be resolved Tokyo Shimbun: (1) LDP presidential election: We want to listen to visions about how to develop Japan (2) Truant junior high school students: Close communications with elementary school teachers are necessary Akahata: Budget request: It's strange to cut in social welfare budget but spend much money for US forces 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) Prime Minister's schedule, September 4 NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) September 5, 2006 10:58 Met with LDP Secretary General Takebe at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei). 11:42 Met with the wife of Japanese Business Federation Vice Chairman Miki. 12:00 Met with General Insurance Association of Japan Chairman Ishihara. TOKYO 00005033 003 OF 010 14:45 Met with Vice Minister Uchida of the Cabinet Office and Decoration Bureau Director General Katsuno. 15:00 Met with Foreign Ministry Foreign Policy Bureau Kono. 16:35 Met with Sawai, chief of the Central Urban Area Revitalization Headquarters. Assistant Makino and Assistant Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Saka were present. SIPDIS 17:00 Met with Japan Post Corp. President Ikuta. 17:56 Attended a seminar "Think Tank 2005, Japan" at the LDP Headquarters. 18:38 Had a haircut at a barber at Capital Tokyu Hotel. 21:03 Arrived at the official residence. 4) US Assistant Secretary of State Hill arrives in Japan to exchange views with Japanese leaders on six-party talks MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) September 5, 2006 Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director General Kenichiro Sasae of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs late yesterday met with US Assistant Secretary of State Hill in Tokyo. The two leaders agreed to strongly work on North Korea to implement the United Nations Security Council resolution seeking a freeze on missile launches. They also confirmed that they would work together to prevent North Korea from nuclear testing and discussed additional sanction measures against North Korea. Hill, who will also visit China and South Korea starting tomorrow, told the press: "I have no fresh proposals. I don't have any intention to propose any rewards for North Korea if it returns to the (six-party) talks." 5) Hill, Sasae discuss how to get North Korea return to six-party talks ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) September 5, 2006 Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, chief delegate to the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue, held talks with Foreign Ministry Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau Director-General Kenichiro Sasae, Japan's chief delegate, on Sept. 4 in Tokyo. The two discussed ways to prompt the North return to the six-party talks and the need to dissuade Pyongyang from taking provocative acts, such as launching another set of missiles. Touching on chances of the North conducting a nuclear test, Hill said ahead of his talks with Sasae: "North Korea must practice caution before resorting to a provocative act." TOKYO 00005033 004 OF 010 6) Japanese, US officials urge North Korea to refrain from conducting nuclear test SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) September 5, 2006 Kenichi Sasae, director general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Foreign Ministry, and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill, chief delegates from Japan and the US to the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear issues, on the evening of Sept. 4 met in Tokyo. The two agreed to work on Pyongyang to refrain from conducting a nuclear test -- there is information that that nation is preparing such a test, noting that the international community cannot accept an underground nuclear test by North Korea. Sasae and Hill also reassured their continued cooperation for an early and unconditional return of Pyongyang to the six-party talks and a settlement of the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korean agents. After the meeting, Sasae told reporters, "Japan and the US will work on Pyongyang in concert not to launch missiles again and refrain from conducting a nuclear test, while cooperating with other participants of the six-party talks." 7) 2006 LDP presidential election: ABE looking for ways to repair relations with China, ROK; summit meetings likely to occur in November MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) September 5, 2006 Naoyuki Inukai Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO ABE in his policy platform for the upcoming Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election has mentioned the need to strengthen ties with China and South Korea. If he is elected as president, he would likely meet with the top leaders of China and South Korea on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit meeting in Vietnam slated for November. An aide to ABE is looking for ways for ABE to visit China and South Korea by the end of the year, but ABE has not denied the possibility of visiting Yasukuni Shrine even after assuming the post of prime minister. So whether reciprocal visits will be resumed remains to be seen. "Relations between Japan and China and between Japan and South Korea are extremely important. I think it is necessary for both sides to make efforts in order to resume summit talks." ABE made this remark during a press conference on Sept. 1, when he formally declared his candidacy for the LDP presidential race and indicated his enthusiasm to improve relations with those two countries. On the question of whether he would visit Yasukuni Shrine, ABE has stated, "I will not mention whether I will visit it or not." ABE is apparently trying to handle the Yasukuni issue and summit talks with those two countries as two separate matters so that he can rebuild relations with them. Meanwhile, China has since the start of this year made clear its stance of moving to improve relations with Japan once Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi steps down. Even in its statement of protest against Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15, China emphasized the need to bring the currently strained Japan-China TOKYO 00005033 005 OF 010 relations back on a normal track. Expectations for Japan and China to improve their bilateral ties after ABE establishes his administration are thus growing. Recently, however, it was revealed that ABE had secretly visited Yasukuni Shrine this past April. He has not openly admitted making this visit, so China has not openly criticized such a visit by Abe, perhaps out of consideration for him. But South Korea has insisted Abe should declare he would not visit the shrine, citing is as a condition for that country to accept a summit meeting with Japan. A difference in attitude toward Japan between China and South Korea is thus emerging. 8) Japan, South Korea make no headway in first day of EEZ talks NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) September 5, 2006 Seoul, Hiroshi Minegishi Japan and South Korea began yesterday the 6th round of negotiations on the boundary of exclusive economic zones (EEZ). Since both sides did not change their claims over the ownership of the Takeshima/ Dokdo islets, the discussion went nowhere yesterday. The talks will be continued today, as well. 9) JCP Chairman Shii during his planned visit to South Korea to demonstrate that his party is open SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) September 5, 2006 Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chairperson Kazuo Shii will make a six-day trip to South Korea starting today in order to take part in the 4th International Conference of Asian Political Parties to be held in Seoul. This will be the first visit to that nation by a JCP leader. In order to expand the party strength, he also intends to demonstrate that the JCP is an open party, by bolstering the impression among domestic and foreign audiences that his party is attaching importance to Asia. Shii is expected to meet with pro-government Uri Party Chairman Kim, Grand National Party Floor Leader Kim, senior officials of the ruling and opposition parties and government officials. They will exchange views on the North Korean issue and the situation in East Asia. Shii also plans to visit Pakistan for the first time in the middle of this month and meet with Prime Minister Aziz and officials of the government, ruling and opposition parties. Since then Tetsuzo Fuwa (chairperson at the time) visited Southeast Asian nations, including Malaysia, in 1999, the JCP has been eager to develop relations with Islamic nations. The Central Committee chairperson has been exclusively responsible for party diplomacy, but some JCP members have credited Shii for having contributed to expanding exchanges with Pakistan. The JCP wants Shii to be place his policy imprint on party diplomacy through talks with key officials, including Aziz. 10) Nukaga, Canadian defense minister agree on need to resolve North Korean missile issue TOKYO 00005033 006 OF 010 YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) September 5, 2006 Defense Agency Director-General Fukushiro Nukaga held talks with visiting Canadian Defense Minister Gordon O'Connor at the Defense Ministry on Sept. 4 and reached an agreement to urge China to improve the transparency of its military capabilities. Touching on the ballistic missiles launched on July 5 by North Korea, Nukaga said: "North Korean missiles are a direct threat to Japan. We need to press the North to dismantle its nuclear and missile ambitions (through the six-party talks)." In response, O'Connor said, "We condemn the North's missile launch as it threatens peace." The two leaders thus agreed to continue to work on North Korea through the six-party talks and other venues. 11) Miyazaki City to conditionally accept plan for US fighter training YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) September 5, 2006 Miyazaki City, which is adjacent to the Air Self-Defense Force's Nyuutabaru Base (Shintomi-cho, Miyazaki Prefecture),indicated yesterday that it would conditionally accept a plan for the transfer there of US fighter training. The plan is part of the ongoing realignment of US forces in Japan. Shintomi-cho, which hosts the base, as well as its neighbors - Seito City, Takanabe-cho, and Kijou-cho - have also indicated a willingness to accept the training. All five municipalities were initially opposed to the plan. 12) ABE unveils a plan to enact bills to make conspiracy a crime a crime and to upgrade Defense Agency to ministry status in next extraordinary Diet session YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) September 4, 2006 Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO ABE in an LDP Tohoku bloc convention held in Morioka City on Sept. 3 announced a plan to enact three bills -- one is to amend the Basic Education Law, another is to amend the Organized Crime Punishment Law to make it a criminal offense to conspire to commit a crime even if it is never carried out, and the last is to upgrade the Defense Agency to ministry status -- in the next extraordinary Diet session in the fall. They have all been carried over from the previous ordinary Diet session. Abe said: "It is important to amend the Basic Education Law (in the upcoming extraordinary Diet session). There are also (bills) to upgrade the Defense Agency to ministry status and amend the criminal law (Organized Crime Punishment Law) to prevent terrorism." Touching on the plan to amend the Organized Crime Punishment Law, a domestic step required for ratifying the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, adopted by the United Nations in 2000, ABE said: "Britain was able to thwart a terrorist plot. Japan must improve its law as a responsible signatory of the treaty." 13) ABE plans to review preamble to LDP-drafted constitution to allow government to exercise collective self-defense right TOKYO 00005033 007 OF 010 MAINICHI (Top play) (Excerpts) September 4, 2006 Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO ABE has decided to draft a new set of constitution by reviewing the one drafted by the Liberal Democratic Party last October once he is elected new LDP president on Sept. 20. Abe is expected to revise the preamble to the LDP-drafted constitution to allow Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense. He intends to issue an order before year's end for making preparations for launching a constitution-drafting panel before the Upper House election next summer. The LDP adopted a new constitution, drafted by a committee chaired by former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, last October as a project commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the party. Former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone said on the LDP-drafted constitution on a Fuji-TV program on Sept. 3: "(Mr. Abe) said that once he was elected new LDP president, he would consider drafting a second set of constitution. He also said: 'The first set is insufficient. It has many problems, such as the question of the right of collective self-defense.' I think he intends to revise the preamble, as well." The new constitution drafted last year specified Japan's possession of the self-defense military (Jieigun) by totally revising the controversial paragraph 2 of Article 9 of the Constitution to allow the government to interpret it in a way allowing it to exercise the right of collective self-defense. But the words "the right of collective self-defense" did not make the draft resolution, and some LDP members are unhappy with that. 14) Prime Minister Koizumi no longer insisting on convening extra Diet session on Sept. 22 TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) September 5, 2006 The government and ruling coalition are carrying out final coordination on plans to convene an extra session of the Diet on Sept. 22 in which the next prime minister will be elected. With this regard, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters yesterday: "We should decide on it after listening to the view of Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan). Since the first Diet session under the new government, I think the (ruling and opposition parties) should discuss the matter well before arriving at a conclusion." He indicated that he is not insisting on opening the extra session on Sept. 22. Koizumi seems to have given consideration to Minshuto head Ichiro Ozawa, who has expressed strong opposition to the plan to convene the extra Diet session before his party's presidential race on Sept. 25. 15) SHINZO ABE to give priority to amending Basic Education Law in extraordinary Diet session; Social Insurance Agency Law also to be revised NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Excerpts) September 5, 2006 Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO ABE has revealed his intention to give top priority to passing a bill amending the Basic Education Law, which has been carried over from the previous regular Diet session, in the autumn extraordinary Diet session, if he takes TOKYO 00005033 008 OF 010 office as prime minister. He made this statement at a Tohoku bloc conference of the Liberal Democratic Party held in Morioka City. During the speech, ABE stressed: "Since the extraordinary Diet session will be held only on a limited number of days, we must intensively tackle agenda items. Amending the Basic Education Law is, above all, important." The features of a bill amending the Basic Education Law include: (1) mentioning that the target of education is to cultivate an attitude of loving our nation and local communities; (2) deleting the provision that the duration of compulsory education is nine years; and (3) adding an article concerning lifelong learning and private schools. ABE is placing emphasis on educational reform, and this will be the first set of his educational reform. However, the extraordinary Diet session to be convened on September 22 will likely run only until early December. Though the ruling camp expects support from the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ = Minshuto),the deliberation schedule is going to be tight. 16) Three LDP presidential candidates positive about letting former LDP rebels rejoin the party; "If they head same direction, cooperation is possible," ABE says NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) September 5, 2006 Three Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential candidates took a positive stance yesterday the LDP Kyushu regional convention toward the view of allowing former LDP members who left the party after defying the party and voting against the postal-privatization legislation last year to rejoin the LDP. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo ABE stated: "Some members worked hard for the LDP for a long time. If they are heading in the same direction as us, we should consider ways to cooperate with them." Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki agreed with Abe. While stressing, "The purpose is not to win the Upper House election," ABE said, "We should let persons of excellent caliber take part in our work of building an ideal country." Aso stated: "Basically it was excessive that we forced them to leave the party. If the prefectural chapters approve, it is not wrong for them to rejoin the party." Tanigaki said, "I totally agree with Mr. Aso." 17) Sept. 3 Episode of "Hodo 2001": Machimura defends Abe's view on Yasukuni SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) September 4, 2006 Former Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Vice President Taku Yamasaki, former Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, and former Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) Acting President Hirohisa Fujii discussed the LDP presidential election and China policy. -- Should Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO ABE become prime minister, do you think a settlement will be brought to Yasukuni and other historical issues? Machimura: That depends on whether China would use (the historical issue) as a bargaining chip toward Japan. Once we recognize that China holds the key, things will become easily comprehensible. The next prime minister should think about it in a cool-headed manner TOKYO 00005033 009 OF 010 and determine (what response should be taken). -- Mr. ABE has yet to clearly speak about his visit to Yasukuni Shrine this April. Yamasaki: That is an ambiguous strategy, and it is not like him to take such an attitude. Machimura: He deemed it improper to turn Yasukuni into a diplomatic issue, and his judgment was proper. He believes that keeping silent on (whether he visited the shrine) is in the interest of the nation and will contribute to improving bilateral relations. He has no intent of obscuring historical issues. -- What do you think are the chances for a meeting between the Japanese and Chinese leaders in the future? Machimura: We have obtained information that the Chinese government is now willing to review its policies toward Japan and North Korea. There is a high possibility (that a summit will be held by the end of this year). -- How do you evaluate Mr. Abe's policy platform? Machimura: Although Prime Minister Koizumi hardly touched on such issues as constitutional revision and educational reform, Mr. ABE has laid out a clear vision on these issues. Fujii: The policy platform reminds me of Prime Minister Koizumi's view that better relations between Japan and the US will serve to resolve problems between Japan and other countries like China. Things are not so simple. -- ABE is ready to study a change in the government's interpretation of the Constitution to enable Japan to use the right to collective self-defense. Yamasaki: It is impossible to allow (the exercise of) the right to collective self-defense by changing or expanding the interpretation. That would mean a denial of the basic view of successive LDP administrations. To allow the exercise of the right, the Constitution should be revised. 18) Takeo Hiranuma implies possibility of cooperation with Ichiro Ozawa in Upper House election NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) September 5, 2006 House of Representatives member Takeo Hiranuma, who bolted the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) after voting against the government's postal-privatization bills, delivered a speech in a study session yesterday of the group called "Isshin Kai" made up of junior Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) lawmakers, who are close to party head Ichiro Ozawa. In the study session held in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Hiranuma stated, "Chances are strong that the next summer's Upper House election will lead to changing the political situation." Regarding the possibility of cooperation with Ozawa, citing People's New Party deputy head Shizuka Kamei, who has expressed his support for Minshuto, Hiranuma said, "I understand his feelings." TOKYO 00005033 010 OF 010 Prior to yesterday's study session, the group had held a session in Shizuoka Prefecture, in which Lower House member Makiko Tanaka gave a speech. Tanaka, referring to Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO ABE becoming premier, said, "He will not last long." She criticized Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, noting, "The public was at first surprised by him. Now five years later, we must think about what he did." 19) People's New Party to cooperate with Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan),says Kamei, in waging campaign battle against LDP, New Komeito in Upper House election ASAHI (Page 2) (Excerpt) September 4, 2006 Shizuka Kamei, the president of the People's New Party (Kokumin Shinto),appearing on a TV Asahi program on Sept. 3, predicted that in next year's Upper House, "The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and New Komeito will lose their majority." In addition, he was positive about cooperation with President Ozawa of Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan); "We will join forces. We will give it our best shot in the next (Upper House) election. After that, we will hound them into dissolving (the Lower House)." He took a clear confrontational stance toward the LDP. 20) Ozawa to engage in grassroots exchanges in US SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) September 4, 2006 Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa left for the United States by ANA from Narita yesterday. He will attend the 16th Japan-US Grassroots-level Summit Convention in Colorado on Sept. 5 and exchange views with participants. He will return to Japan on Sept. 7. Ozawa is scheduled to travel to China in October for a Japan-China exchange program called the "Great Wall Program." Through these overseas trips, he aims to promote grassroots exchanges energetically. While in the US, Ozawa has no plans to meet US government officials but instead plans to meet private citizens. The annual grassroots summit is held under the sponsorship of the John Manjiro Whitfield International Grassroots Exchange Center, a foundation chaired by Ozawa himself. The convention is alternately held in Japan and the US. About 200 Japanese will attend. While staying with American families, they will take part in a variety of exchange programs. In the 14th four-day session of the Great Wall Program this year starting on Oct. 26, Ozawa plans to attend a dinner party at the Great People's Hall, tour the Great Wall, and do sightseeing in Beijing. DONOVAN