MEDIA REACTION Q ABE ADMINISTRATION - TOKYO

UNCLAS TOKYO 005721 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR, EAP/J, EAP/P, PM; USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI; SECDEF FOR OASD/PA; CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION Q ABE ADMINISTRATION - TOKYO LEAD STORIES: Most Monday morning papers front-paged reports that final arrangements are underway for Prime Minister Abe to visit Beijing on October 8 to meet with Chinese President Hu. Mainichi and Yomiuri added that Abe will also visit Seoul on October 9. However, Nikkei said his visit to Seoul is being considered for either October 7 or 9. ¶1. "A Proposal for the Abe Administration" The business daily Nihon Keizai editorialized (10/2): "...In his inaugural speech at the Diet, Prime Minister Abe devoted more time to the nation's diplomatic and national security policies than any previous prime minister. His speech was akin to President Bush's State of the Union addresses, the thrust of which shifted from domestic and economic policy to foreign affairs following 9/11.... The biggest task for the Abe administration is the reconstruction of Japan's Asia diplomacy. China and South Korea rejected summits with Japan in protest of former PM Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine.... ¶2. "Relations with the US may be surprisingly difficult for the Abe administration.... It has been reported that a candidate critical of the relocation of MCAS Futenma to Camp Schwab is leading in the Okinawa gubernatorial race. Should this candidate win, the US-Japan accord on realignment could again find itself up in the air." DONOVAN