DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 09/14/06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TOKYO 005308 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 09/14/06 INDEX: (1) Govern to impose financial sanctions against North Korea possibly this month, including a ban on overseas remittances to that country (2) ABE plans to strengthen Kantei in two stages (3) Azadegan oil field talks to continue allowing for Japan to gain time for determining international situation over Iran's nuclear development program ARTICLES: (1) Govern to impose financial sanctions against North Korea possibly this month, including a ban on overseas remittances to that country MAINICHI (Top play) (Excerpts) Evening, September 14, 2006 The government today set a policy direction of implementing possibly this month financial sanctions against North Korea that would target groups and individuals suspected of being connected to that country's development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) by banning such transactions as withdrawing savings from financial accounts and transmitting cash remittances overseas, and by freezing assets. The measures will be based on the United Nations Security Council condemning North Korea after it launched missiles. Even though two months have gone by since the UNSC resolution was passed, North Korea has not responded to requests for dialogue, and at this point, there appears to be no prospect of it returning to six-party talks. The judgment was made that additional sanctions were necessary. The possibility is that the sanctions will be implemented before Prime Minister Koizumi leaves office on Sept. 26. The contents of the sanctions will be set under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Law. The more than a dozen groups and individuals to be subject to the sanctions will be based on the 12 groups and one individual that the US has already targeted, plus those identified by information gathered by investigative authorities in each country. The designated groups and individuals will need government permission to withdraw savings from accounts in domestic financial institutions and to send cash remittances overseas. Since it cannot be proved that the transaction would be unrelated with WMD development, the measure is in effect a ban. In the case of overseas accounts, as well, a permission system will be in effect regarding remittances from Japan to those accounts. So again, a ban will be in effect. The 12 organizations and one individual that the US has made subject to financial sanctions are mostly North Korean trading companies and financial institutions. (2) ABE plans to strengthen Kantei in two stages MAINICHI (Page 2) (Abridged) September 14, 2006 An outline of Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO Abe's plan to enhance the functions of the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) once he becomes prime minister became clear yesterday. The plan is chiefly designed to: (1) establish a Japanese version of the TOKYO 00005308 002 OF 004 National Security Council; (2) increase the number of deputy chief cabinet secretaries; (3) enhance the role of the cabinet public relations secretary; and (4) expand the political appointee system to include senior government officials. But the presentation of bills for establishing the NSC and other posts would not occur until next year's ordinary Diet session or later, as they would require additional legislation or law revision. For this reason, an ABE government intends to strengthen the existing Kantei system in two stages for the time being. In his policy platform, ABE has come up with the idea of establishing a Kantei-led system. Ahead of this, LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Hidenao Nakagawa, who is close to Abe, ordered an LDP think tank to study specific means to strengthen the Kantei. A study is underway by a political power enhancement project team, established in August by five private-sector experts. The NSC will be modeled after America's National Security Council. Until an NSC establishment law is established, the administration would utilize the Council for Overseas Economic Cooperation chaired by the prime minister, which was established in April under Abe's lead. Abe wants to increase the number of deputy chief cabinet secretaries for parliamentary affairs to five, which is fixed at two under the current Cabinet Law. As such, ABE intends to appoint five junior ruling party members as prime ministerial assistants, one each responsible for: (1) diplomacy and security; (2) economics; (3) education; (4) second chances; and (5) administrative reform. Once the Cabinet Law is revised, three of them will be promoted to the post of deputy chief cabinet secretary. The LDP think-tank puts high priority on expanding the political appointee system. The government now automatically approves personnel actions above the level of director-general, which are subject to cabinet decisions. "We need to set the stage for giving senior posts to persons who share the prime minister's policies," an LDP source said. Abe also indents to make major changes to the role of the cabinet public relations secretary. He is specifically considering giving the public relations secretary access to the core of the government to let him hold regular press conferences instead of the chief cabinet secretary so that he can remain as a stagehand. (3) Azadegan oil field talks to continue allowing for Japan to gain time for determining international situation over Iran's nuclear development program YOMIURI (Page 9) (Almost full) September 14, 2006 Japan's right to develop Iran's Azadegan oil field has been threatened because of such issues as that country's nuclear program. But it looks now that bilateral talks on the oil development project will continue. Japan has been able to narrowly hold on to its right to independently develop the oil field, which is seen as key to its energy security. Still, with US confrontation with Iran growing and Washington mulling possible sanctions against that country, Japan finds it has no choice but to give priority to international cooperation. It is under pressure now to make a difficult choice as to how to continue its strategy of securing energy supplies. TOKYO 00005308 003 OF 004 Economic sanctions Both Iranian Petroleum Minister Vaziri-Hamaneh and Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Minister Nikai indicated their intention to continue the oil field development talks even after the Sept. 15 deadline. However, while Vaziri-Hamaneh took an optimistic view on talks progressing, Nikai was cautious about the possibility of reaching an agreement at an early date. Iran's agreement to continue the talks with Japan is a switch from the previous stance of brandishing the threat of transferring Japan's rights in the Azadegan project to some other country. Behind this policy change is Iran's reaction to -growing international criticism. The US has opposed Japan's participation in the development of the Azadegan oil field right from the beginning. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) also is looking into the possibility of imposing economic sanctions on Iran. Under such circumstances, Iran, which wants to avoid becoming isolated in the international community, views Japan as a partner that can be easily brought into the fold. Motivated by a desire to press Japan to make an early decision, Vaziri-Hamaneh noted that how the talks will develop depended on Japan's decision. In the meantime, the Sept. 15 deadline was the worst possible timing due to growing international criticism of Iran. For Japan, if the development of the Azadegan oil field were to put on the back burner, it would be hopeless to expect to develop another oil field in the Middle East, as a senior METI official put it. Japan, therefore, had no other choice but to continue talks for the time being, while waiting for the situation in Iran to change. The US, which is increasingly at odds with Iran, will most likely indicate its displeasure at the continuation of the talks between Japan and Iran. It will most likely make a stronger call for putting a moratorium on the project plan. Some observers think that China and India, both trying to secure rights to develop oil fields all over the world, are now moving ahead to land the Azadegan project in anticipation of Japan giving up the talks. As a reason for not being able to go ahead with the development, Japan has cited the delay in the work of removing land mines planted on the project site during the Iran-Iraq war. However, Vaziri-Hamaneh on the 13th declared that the work to remove land mines "has been completed." Japan is gradually exhausting its excuses for postponing its decision-making. Talks to review contract Talks between INPEX, Japan's oil development company, and Iran's state-run oil company are also facing difficulty on conditions for beginning the project due to the soaring crude oil prices. According to an informed source, the contract signed between INPEX and Iran's state-run oil company is based on a buy-back system, in which INPEX receives oil as payoff for its investment in the project. However, as crude oil prices went up, the number of projects to develop oil fields have increased throughout the world. As a result, the shortage of such materials as mining machines has given rise to price increases. It is said that the estimated total investment amount has risen by 20-30 PERCENT from the original amount of 2 billion. INPEX has asked Iran to increase the amount of crude oil to be supplied to Japan to cover the increased portion, but Iran is refusing to agree to the request. There is no prospect TOKYO 00005308 004 OF 004 for the two companies to be able to coordinate differences in the views on this issue. Iranian Petroleum Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh: "A settlement will be reached" -- What is the present situation of the talks on the development of Azadegan? "I have no intention of revealing the specifics of the talks. However, the talks are going in a favorable direction. A settlement will be reached. Land mines buried on the project site have been the obstacle in promoting the project plan. However, they have already been removed as of two days ago." -- The deadline for the talks is Sept. 15. "We are determined to bring a successful end to the talks with Japan and implement the project. We are pinning high hopes on the development of the talks. Japan has rights to develop that the oil field. We will continue the talks even after the Sept. 15 deadline." -- The US is opposing Japan's participation in the development of the Azadegan oil field. "It is up to Japan to decide what it wants to do. If Japan has no intention of carrying out the project, we will then end the talks." (Interview Hiroyuki Nakamura in Vienna) MEITI Minister Nikai: We will consider the issue from an overall perspective in hopes of reaching an amicable settlement -- Do you intend to continue the talks even after the Sept. 15 deadline? "It is important to deal with the issue from an overall perspective in hopes of reaching a settlement as smoothly as possible. Iran is not acting in a one-man show. I fully discussed the issue with Iranian Foreign Minister Motaki, when he visited Japan this February. Iran considers Japan as an important negotiating partner." -- How are you going to deal with the issue amid a growing move to impose economic sanctions on Iran? "We cannot afford to neglect the need to cooperate with the international community. It is not appropriate for Japan alone to stand out. At the same time, Iran's role in Japan's energy policy is great. I have a serious interest in this matter. Since the matter involves an internationally delicate issue, I cannot put my cards on the table." SCHIEFFER