JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 09/19/06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 005339 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: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 09/19/06 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule: None, the 18th was a national holiday 4) Customers happy when Yoshinoya features US beef on menu after 2 years, 7 months absence 5) Poll: SHINZO ABE favored as next prime minister by 36 percent of public a day before the LDP election, but Taro Aso's support suddenly rises to 20 PERCENT 6) ABE has 70 percent of LDP votes locked up one eve of LDP presidential election 7) LDP presidential candidates Abe, Tanigaki spar in campaign over historical views 8) Minshuto's Naoto Kan criticizes Abe's views of history as affecting Japan's relations with the US 9) US media brand prime ministerial candidate ABE as a "nationalist" 10) Time, Newsweek magazines take up Abe's candidacy in cover stories 11) Aso may stay on as foreign minister if "prime minister" ABE so wishes 12) Minshuto's (Democratic Party of Japan) Ozawa, Kan, not wanting to witness the birth of ABE administration will fly to Iwo Jima tomorrow 13) Major Japanese banks to constrain transactions with Iran, following US lead 14) Finance Minister Tanigaki discusses China's currency, Iran sanctions with US Treasury Secretary 15) JDA to create a "strategic planning office" in anticipation of it being raised to ministry status 16) Futenma relocation site: New wrinkle with plan for unannounced land reclamation in waters near Schwab to secure work area 17) JDA to establish office in US that would be separate from the Japanese Embassy 18) US unhappy with JDA's report on North Korea's missile launch Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi: Mainichi: Yomiuri: Nihon Keizai: Average land prices in three major cities rise for first time in 16 years; Residential and commercial land prices drop in 90 percent of outlying areas TOKYO 00005339 002 OF 010 
 Sankei: Russia orders suspension of two Sakhalin projects; Japan's natural gas procurement bound to be affected Tokyo Shimbun: Transfer of Futenma functions; Previous plan included unannounced coastal reclamation plan to secure working site; Such a site still needed Akahata: Chairman Shii meets with Pakistani prime minister; Agrees on need to maintain peace and order in the world and eliminate terrorism and nuclear weapons 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1)Loopholes remain in money-lending regulation (2)New Komeito: Party head Kanzaki to step down without leaving a policy imprint Mainichi: (1)Taking a second look at amakudrai will heighten public distrust (2)Return of postal rebels to LDP is too opportunistic Yomiuri: (1)Re-creation of Nihonbashi Bridge a model for urban renewal (2)Mixi listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange's Mothers section; Emergence of new champion in IT industry? Nihon Keizai: (1)Questions on policy in 2006 LDP presidential election: Seriously tackle decentralization issue, including introduction of doshu system Sankei: (1)Social divide and LDP presidential election: It is regrettable that discussion remains shallow (2)Children's morality: Parents behind problem children Tokyo Shimbun: (1)North Korea's nuclear arms will only protract sanctions (2)Conference on biodiversity expected to serve as occasion to take second look at value of life Akahata: (1)Conference of Heads of States and Chiefs of Non-Aligned Nations confirms effort to strengthen activities to create peaceful and fair world 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule: None, the 18th was a national holiday 4) Gyudon returns to menu at Yoshinoya ASAHI (Page 34) (Slightly abridged) September 19, 2006 Fast-food chain Yoshinoya D&D Co. resumed serving its popular gyudon (beef bowl) using US beef for the first time in two years and seven months yesterday. Since imports of US beef remain low, the company TOKYO 00005339 003 OF 010 has no plans to serve the dish on any other day this month. Most of the one million orders prepared at 1,000 shops yesterday were sold out before the evening. While many welcomed the resumption, others still voiced concerns about the safety of US beef. Just before 11:00 a.m. in front of the Yoshinoya restaurant in Yurakucho, Tokyo, which is tops in terms of sales volume among all its shops, the manager and other members welcomed the customers, who applauded. Takanori Umeki, 24, a graduate school student in Bunkyo Ward who had waited for nearly 12 hours, said after eating a beef bowl priced at 380 yen, 100 yen higher than that before the ban was imposed on US beef imports: "The amount is just right, and the beef is juicy. Yoshinoya's gyudon is the best." Misuzu Nakano, 27, a company employee in Hamura City, Tokyo, said: "I came here at my family members' request." At this shop, about 2,000 orders were sold in just four hours. Meanwhile, a female company employee in her forties from Toyoshima Ward, Tokyo, interviewed on street said: "There is little information saying that US beef is safe. I have no intention of eating it until its safety is guaranteed." Yoshinoya plans a limited sale of one million orders of gyudon a day on October 1-5 and November 1-5. US Ambassador Schieffer, enjoying large order of gyudon, says: "Today is a day of celebration." United States Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer and his wife Susanne visited a Yoshinoya restaurant in Toranomon, located near the US Embassy in Tokyo, just after the shop opened at 11:00 a.m. yesterday. While eating a large order of gyudon, he gave a thumbs up sign. The ambassador said with satisfaction: "Today is a day of celebration for the return of US beef to Japan. It was worth waiting more than two years," adding: "The resumption of US beef after both sides successfully dealt with differences is wonderful for both Japan and the US." He also emphatically said: "US beef is safe and healthy food." 5) Net polling on LDP race: ABE keeps pole position with 36 percent support NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Abridged) September 19, 2006 The Nihon Keizai Shimbun conducted its third Internet-based public opinion survey on Sept. 15-17 about the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election. In the survey, respondents were asked to name an appropriate person to be the next prime minister, and Shinzo ABE maintained a substantial lead at 36 percent over all other candidates, although he was down 3 points from the second survey. Taro Aso ranked second at 20 percent, up 5 points from the last survey. Sadakazu Tanigaki leveled off at 13 percent. Among LDP supporters, the rate of public support for ABE was 62 percent, down 4 points. However, ABE still enjoys high popularity. Aso stood at 19 percent, up 4 points, and Tanigaki at 9 percent, up TOKYO 00005339 004 OF 010 2 points. Aso and Tanigaki, however, have yet to close the gap with Abe. 6) ABE has 70 percent of votes locked up in LDP presidential election that occurs tomorrow; Aso in second place TOKYO (Page 1) (Excerpt) September 19, 2006 Voting will take place in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election on Sept. 20, the winner being the combined tally of the votes of party members and lawmakers. This newspaper has confirmed through news gathering and analyzing the votes in each camp that Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO ABE will receive approximately 500 votes or 70 percent of the combined votes of the party members and lawmakers. Continuing to vie for second place is Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, with Aso having a slight lead in the regional party votes. 7) Noticeable difference in views of history between Abe, Tanigaki YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) September 19, 2006 During debates in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential campaign, Chief Cabinet Secretary ABE and Finance Minister Tanigaki have locked horns over their historical views of World War II. ABE is trying to avoid making historical views a point at issue in the presidential campaign, noting, "Historical issues should be left in the hands of historians," while Tanigaki has emphasized the need to give consideration to Japan's neighbors in talking about war responsibility. In a public speech in Tokyo yesterday, Tanigaki appealed to the audience: "It's a fact that Japan sent troops to China and that many Chinese people died. We must respect the sentiments of our neighbors." With Asia diplomacy now a campaign issue, Tanigaki is trying to win votes of those not committed to ABE by differentiating his stance from Abe's. At the panel discussion on Sept. 11 hosted by the Japan National Press Club, Tanigaki questioned ABE about his view on the Chinese government's position that the war was caused by Japan's militarists and that the Japanese public as well were the victims. Tanigaki tried to stir up controversy with ABE over the issue. ABE rebutted: "There was no such a document (of agreement) left (at the time of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China). Dividing the Japanese people into two groups is a notion stemming from the class-conscious awareness of history." Abe stressed on a TV-Asahi program on Sept. 17: "It's true that China came up with the perception of separating militarists from the general public, but Japan has not agreed to that." When asked about making clear who were responsible for the war, ABE questioned instead: "Do you think I as a politician can judge this person was guilty and that person was not guilty as if I were a sort of god?" When asked about Prime Minister Murayama's statement released in 1995 in which Murayama expressed remorse and apology over (Japan's) past colonial rule and invasion, ABE went no further to say, "I'll inherit its spirit," but Tanigaki said clearly, "I agree." TOKYO 00005339 005 OF 010 8) DPJ's Kan implies that Abe's historical views would affect Japan-US relations TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) September 19, 2006 In a public speech in Ibaraki City, Osaka, yesterday afternoon, the Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) Acting President Naoto Kan referred to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential campaign and stated: "If a person who has the same view as that of Yasukuni Shrine's history museum, Yushukan, becomes prime minister, Japan-US relations will worsen." This is an implicit criticism of Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe, who is certain to take office as prime minister shortly. Kan expressed concern that Abe's historical views would affect diplomatic ties with the US, saying, "We are at an historic crossroads in terms of whether issues will be moving toward resolution or heading toward danger after (Mr. Abe) has been in power for three to five years." The way Yushukan displays war-related items has now come under criticism in the US, as well. For instance, some in the US Congress have called for revisions to a caption that describes the former Imperial Japanese Army as "liberators" in the Asia-Pacific region. Later in the day, in a speech delivered in Nara City, Kan cast doubts on Abe's campaign slogan, "Toward a beautiful country," arguing: "When a politician plans to rebuild a country into a beautiful one, who decides (what that means)? Will (Mr. ABE base this on) his own sense of aesthetics and his way of life?" 9) ABE described by US media as nationalist SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) September 19, 2006 Takashi Arimoto, Washington With the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election coming up on Sept. 20, the US Congress and media are showing interest in who might succeed Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who has built honeymoon-like personal ties with President George W. Bush. At the same time, the media, including the New York Times, have a tendency to link Japan's growing nationalism to Koizumi's successor, describing Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO ABE as a nationalist. But some experts have faulted the media for shedding the same light on Abe as prewar nationalism. In addition to the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times have referred to ABE as "nationalist." The New York Times has introduced ABE as "right-wing nationalist" and a "hawkish leader of the younger generation" since it first labeled him "conservative nationalist" in May 2005. In a Sept. 14 public hearing on Japan and neighboring countries, held by the US House International Relations Committee, some witnesses ascribed strained Japan-China relations to growing nationalism in Japan. However, former White House National Security Council Senior Asian Director Green Michael Green testified: "An argument that Japan would return to its prewar bellicose attitude is irrelevant." TOKYO 00005339 006 OF 010 Georgetown University Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures Chair Prof. Kevin Doak also took this view about comparing Japan's rising nationalism today to its prewar period: "There is no tendency for Japan to return to the ethnic nationalism of the 1930s. Mr. ABE has clearly rejected such a nationalism. Rather, he appears to be a nationalist who is trying to raise the public's awareness and their sense of participation in the country." 10) Foreign media paying close attention to "hawkish Abe" MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) September 19, 2006 The overseas media, including the Chinese and US media, have been paying close attention to Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO Abe, who is certain to be elected the new LDP president on Sept. 20. ABE made the covers of the Asian versions of Newsweek and Time that went on sale last week. All in all, the foreign media are critical of Abe, expressing concern over strained relations with China and South Korea, citing Abe's diplomatic and security policies tinged with hawkish overtones and raising questions about the continuation of Koizumi's economic and fiscal reform policy line. Newsweek portrayed ABE as a mysterious person, saying that although he has a short track record, he is already putting neighboring countries on alert, citing his two major goals: (1) revising the country's pacifist Constitution; and (2) rivalry with China. Time critically described ABE as a dangerous nationalist on one hand and introduced him as a potential strong leader on the other, with a watchful eye on whether or not he would continue visiting Yasukuni Shrine after becoming prime minister. Abe's perception of history has also drawn fire from other foreign media. For instance, German magazine Spiegel compared ABE to Iranian President Ahmadi-Nejad, who had denied the Holocaust. Singapore's Straits Times reported: "Abe is more conservative than Prime Minister Koizumi and has rejected the legitimacy of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East." Many articles expressed concern over Abe's "lack of experience" as a successor to Koizumi, whose reform policy line has won high marks overseas. The September issue of the US publication Far Eastern Economic Review wrote: "Unlike Koizumi, who gave many posts to people in the private sector, ABE is surrounded only by bureaucrats and lawmakers. Japan will depart from the reform line." 11) Aso willing to serve as foreign minister under ABE MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) September 19, 2006 Foreign Minister Taro Aso, appearing on an NTV program yesterday, indicated that if Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO ABE becomes the next prime minister and asks him to stay on, he will accept Abe's offer. Asked, "Are you willing to serve as foreign minister under Abe?" Aso said, "I will do my best to meet his expectations." 12) Minshuto's Ozawa, Kan to visit Iwo Jima tomorrow TOKYO 00005339 007 OF 010 MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) September 19, 2006 Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa and Deputy Director General Naoto Kan will visit Iwo Jima, which was the site of a fierce battle in WWII, on Sept. 20-21. They plan to have a firsthand look at places from which remains were collected and the ruins of air-raid shelters. The aim is to demonstrate their eagerness to tackle the issue of war responsibility, but Ozawa's absence from Nagata-cho is intended to indicate a lack of interest in the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election on Sept. 20. On Iwo Jima, about 22,000 Japanese soldiers died in February-March 1945, but the remains of only 8,510, less than 40 percent of the total, have been collected. Kan decided to independently visit the island out of the idea that "people have forgotten the tragedy of war." But Ozawa, who was reelected as party head on Sept. 12, also decided to join him out of a desire to "hide himself until (the extraordinary party convention) on Sept. 25 in order to avoid an expected uproar over personnel appointments in the party." 13) Leading Japanese banks to voluntarily refrain from business transactions with Iran's national bank; Mitsubishi-Tokyo-UFJ, Sumitomo-Mitsui to fall in step with US measure NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Full) Evening, September 16, 2006 Leading Japanese banks, such as Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo-Mitsui Banking Corp. have revealed plans to voluntarily refrain from business transactions with Bank Saderat, Iran's major state-run bank. The US government has imposed a complete ban on business transactions with that bank for sending money to terrorists. These Japanese banks have decided to withhold trade with Saderat in line with the US government's policy. Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo-Mitsui will refrain from transferring dollars to Saderat from their domestic and overseas branches. Mizuho Corporate Bank intends to follow suit. As Japan and Iran have crude-oil business, Japanese banks have business relations with Bank Saderat to pay for crude oil. It is concerned that if the settlement of trade accounts were suspended, Japan's oil-related companies and leading trading houses would be affected. This is not the first time for Japan's leading banks to refrain from trading with foreign banks based on a political decision. The voluntary restraint this time is presumably based on the judgment that if they continue business with that bank against Washington's wishes, their business activities in the US might be affected. 14) Japanese, US finance ministers urge reform of Chinese yuan during meeting to discuss sanctions on Iran NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Excerpts) Evening, September 16, 2006 Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki and US Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson on the morning of Sept. 16 met in Singapore ahead of a TOKYO 00005339 008 OF 010 meeting of the Group of Seven (G-7) finance ministers and central bankers. They agreed that further efforts would be needed to reform China's yuan. With possible financial sanctions on Iran, which is continuing its nuclear development program, in mind, Paulson called on Japan to work out concrete cooperative measures. This is the first time for them to meet since Paulson took office in July. 15) Defense Agency to set up strategic planning office YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) September 19, 2006 The Defense Agency will launch a strategic planning office next fiscal year to study mid- to long-term defense policies. The new office will be set up in the Defense Policy Division of the Defense Policy Bureau. The Defense Agency wants the Diet to pass bills within the year in connection with its bid to upgrade its status to a ministry. Along with this, the agency is aiming to consolidate its policy planning functions in order for Japan to respond flexibly on its own to international terrorism, WMD proliferation, North Korea's nuclear ambitions and missiles, and various other issues. For the time being, the strategic planning office will study; 1) deterrence in the new security environment; 2) international peace cooperation activities and exchange programs for the Self-Defense Forces with various countries; 3) maritime policy regarding natural resources in the East China Sea and teamwork with the Japan Coast Guard for territorial defense; and 4) space policy and Japan's national defense. 16) Unannounced landfill planned for Futenma relocation TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Abridged) September 19, 2006 The central government and the Okinawa prefectural government once agreed in 2002 to relocate the heliport functions of the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture to a site in waters off the Henoko district of the island prefecture's northern coastal city of Nago. On this issue, Tokyo had planned a vast expanse of on-site landfill-covering a total area of approximately 34 hectares-in the city's Oura Bay to build a concrete foundation consisting of pontoon-type caissons needed to reclaim land from the sea, sources revealed yesterday. In May this year, Japan and the United States wound up their intergovernmental talks over the realignment of US forces in Japan, incorporating an agreement to relocate Futenma airfield to a coastal area of Camp Schwab. However, there is no change in the fact that an on-site scaffolding landfill is needed. The government will likely be saddled another issue of land reclamation, in addition to laying down a Futenma alternative. The government has so far remained mum about the necessity of such a landfill. The Henoko offshore heliport plan was to reclaim land from the sea and install a facility of 184 hectares within the offing of Nago's Henoko district. The government conducted a geological survey of the seabed and then had to stop the survey as it faced local opposition. TOKYO 00005339 009 OF 010 According to Defense Facilities Administration Agency officials, the government had planned to sink a number of gigantic caissons-about 20 meters long and wide each-in the sea to build a foundation for the offshore facility. In this connection, the government then planned to construct a caisson-manufacturing yard and a land-stockpiling site at sea. The government initially listed three candidate sites, including Kushi Bay and Oura Bay, which are situated near Henoko. The other candidate location was Nakagusuku Bay. At the time, a private developer had a plan to reclaim land from the sea in the northern part of Oura Bay to create a yacht harbor. This project became a decisive factor for the government to decide informally on its initial blueprint to lay down the Futenma alternative in Oura Bay. The DFAA planned to create an on-site landfill covering a total area of about 34 hectares and to offer it to local communities for nothing after the Futenma alternative is completed. The DFAA sounded out only a handful of Nago City officials on those plans so as not to spill the beans. "We didn't go so far as to reclaim land from the sea, so we didn't make it public," one of the DFAA officials said. 17) JDA to establish office in US MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full) September 17, 2006 Yoso Furumoto The Defense Agency (JDA) has decided to establish in Washington, DC, an intelligence liaison office, which will function separately from the Japanese Embassy in the United States. The objective is to step up cooperation with US intelligence agencies. In order to prepare for the establishment of the office, the JDA will within the year send a senior official from its Defense Policy Bureau to Washington and aim to put the office into full operation from early next year. In the past, as well, the JDA has exchanged intelligence with US intelligence agencies. For instance, when North Korea launched ballistic missiles in July, the JDA shared such information as satellite photos and records of communications. But America's analytical methods are highly specialized, so some in the government have pointed out that simply sharing intelligence as part of crisis management when something happens is insufficient. Also, under the current sectionalism-based system taken by the Japanese Embassy in the US, there have been a noticeable number of cases where it has been difficult for Japan to work together with the US. So the JDA deemed it necessary to have a liaison office of military intelligence experts on a regular basis. The JDA has assumed the US Defense Department's Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) to be its liaison office's counterpart. DIA specializes in physical and chemical analysis, has the function of a spy agency, and is tasked with coordinating intelligence offices under the Pentagon's control. In addition, the JDA plans to cooperate with the National Security Agency (NSA),which is in charge of signal intelligence, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), which is in charge of photographic intelligence. 18) US reluctant to reveal analysis of North Korean missiles MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) TOKYO 00005339 010 OF 010 September 19, 2006 The United States' reluctance to allow the Defense Agency to release a detailed report on the test-launches of ballistic missiles on July 5 by North Korea has forced defense chief Fukushiro Nukaga to announce the results of the analysis only orally in a press conference. The Defense Agency released a report in the wake of the North's firing of a Taepodong-1 missile in 1998. Although a senior defense official had expressed eagerness to "fulfill the agency's accountability," Tokyo had to respect Washington's wishes, as a large part of the data necessary for the analysis came from the United States. SCHIEFFER