JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 10/31/06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 006302 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 10/31/06 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule Defense and security issues: 4) Interview with JDA chief Kyuma on North Korea nuclear issue 5) Kyuma meets with China's military brass, as exchanges resume after long hiatus 6) LDP, Minshuto reach compromise on bill to raise JDA to ministry status 7) Likelihood now that JDA will be raised to a ministry this Diet 8) Ruling parties' candidate for Okinawa governor Nakaima would allow prefecture to accept Futenma relocation 9) Interview on base issues to local paper by Naha Consulate General Kevin Maher Political flaps: 10) Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shimomura apologizes to LDP execs for causing trouble with his remark about reviewing comfort-women issue 11) LDP policy chief Nakagawa continues to stress constitutional right for Japan to possess nuclear arms, though willing to accept three no-nuclear principles Political agenda: 12) Ruling and opposition camps lock horns in Diet committee over amending Basic Education Law 13) Prime Minister Abe: Postal rebels must approve postal privatization first before being reinstated into LDP 14) Argument for separating souls of war criminals enshrined at Yasukuni seems to have faded into background following Abe's trips to China, ROK Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi: Schools' failure to teach compulsory subjects dominate Basic Education Law committee discussion; Who should be held responsible - the government, boards of education, or schools? Mainichi: Three major consumer loan companies to post huge debts in September term Yomiuri: MEXT to expand national university tuition fee exemption program starting next spring Nihon Keizai: Toshiba Ceramics to tie up with domestic and foreign investment funds for MBO Sankei: Lower House committee begins deliberations on bullying, lack of required credit units, and education law revision; Government oversight to be strengthened Tokyo Shimbun: TOKYO 00006302 002 OF 010 Government to help students failing to acquire required credit units with 70 hours of extra lessons Akahata: Education law revision a counterproductive approach to bullying 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Buy more natural energy (2) Postal privatization: Concrete steps to downsizing essential Mainichi: (1) Basic Education Law revision: Look at reality first (2) Softbank's number portability fiasco Yomiuri: (1) Kono Statement: Question is whether "comfort women" were forced to provide sexual services against their will (2) Surprise discount plan sparks confusion Nihon Keizai: (1) Softbank harms public trust in number portability system (2) Reinstatement of postal rebels inappropriate Sankei: (1) School bullying resulting in suicides (2) Number portability fiasco exposes telecom carriers' responsibility Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Bullying and suicides: Break the link (2) Softbank must strike balance between fees and credibility Akahata: (1) Law Supporting the Independence of the Handicapped must be reviewed 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) Prime Minister's schedule, October 30 NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) October 31, 2006 09:00 Met Education Minister Ibuki at Kantei, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki, and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shimomura. Shimomura stayed behind. 10:01 Attended a meeting of the Lower House's Special Committee on the Basic Education Law. 12:07 Met Shimomura at Kantei. 13:00 Returned to the meeting of the special committee. 17:03 Attended an LDP executive meeting in the Diet building. TOKYO 00006302 003 OF 010 17:58 Met at Kantei with Nippon Yusen Chairman Kusakari, chairman of the Regulatory Reform and Liberalization Promotion Committee. 18:35 Dined at a restaurant in the Otemachi First Square with members of the Seven Companies' Association of media firms, including Yomiuri Shimbun President Tsuneo Watanabe and TV Tokyo Advisor Yutaka Ichigi. 20:30 Returned to his private residence. 4) Interview with JDA chief Kyuma on North Korea's nuclear issue ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) October 31, 2006 -- In the talks on Oct. 18 between you and United States Secretary of State Rice, both agreed to launch working-level talks on implementing sanctions against North Korea. Are the two countries going to start full-scale talks after the mid-term elections in early November? It is not correct to think that the US does not start talks before elections, but the US is watching the next move by North Korea. -- Now that the United Nation Secretary Council has adopted a resolution calling for sanctions, including cargo inspections, what can Japan do now? In addition to monitoring (by the Self-Defense Force) and the collection and transmission of intelligence, Japan can offer fueling service (also to warships from other countries than the US) under the Goods Control Law and the Financial Law. -- You remain cautious about invoking the regional contingency law to enable Japan's rear support for the US military and ship inspections, don't you? We are not in a tense situation. It is not proper to draw up a basic plan (on support for the US military) and obtain Diet approval now. When the need arises, we should decide what we should do and then lay out a basic plan. -- It has been reported in South Korea and other countries that North Korea is pushing ahead with preparations for another nuclear test. Are there any signs to prove such a report? I have not heard anything yet. But that nation might be making preparations before we know. -- The government acknowledged on Oct. 27 that North Korea had conducted a nuclear test. Was it based on the official acknowledgement by the US and South Korea? Although Japan has not received any decisive information, the US announced that it has obtained (radioactive) materials, and South Korea, which is located closer to the North than Japan, said that it detected earthquake waves. These countries have said with confidence that Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test. It is therefore proper for TOKYO 00006302 004 OF 010 the government to judge that the North conducted a nuclear test and to think that some countermeasures are necessary. -- Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Council Chairman Shoichi Nakagawa's statements over debate on Japan's nuclear option have caused controversy. Even if Japan possessed nuclear weapons, (the result would be to only heat up the nuclear arms race, so) it would not serve as a deterrent. The US has consistently maintained in the postwar period that "since Japan cannot protect itself independently, we will protect it under our 'nuclear umbrella." Japan therefore should keep its three antinuclear principles." 5) Kyuma meets China's military brass SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) October 31, 2006 Defense Agency Director General Fumio Kyuma yesterday met at his office with a visiting Chinese group of 20 military brass officers from the People's Liberation Army of China. They are now visiting Japan on a bilateral defense exchange program for field officers. In the meeting, Kyuma invited Chinese naval vessels and Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan to visit Japan. A Chinese fleet visit to Japan was scheduled for 2003 but has been suspended due to the two countries' respective circumstances, such as the worsening of bilateral relations. The Chinese delegation responded to the invitation, with one of them saying China wants to do so at the earliest possible date. In addition, Kyuma stressed the necessity of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. The Chinese delegation also expressed strong concern about North Korea's nuclear test. 6) LDP, Minshuto agree to resume deliberations on bill upgrading Defense Agency to a ministry SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) October 31, 2006 The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the main opposition party Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) engaged in a fierce battle yesterday over a bill designed to upgrade the Defense Agency to the status of a ministry. On the premise of agreeing to carry out deliberations on the bill, Minshuto demanded that concentrated discussion on a bid-rigging scandal involving the Defense Facilities Administration Agency (DFAA) be carried for two days. The LDP initially suggested holding a discussion only one day but the largest opposition party assumed a hard-line stance of being ready to boycott the deliberations on the bill. The LDP, therefore, accepted the Minshuto's demand late last night. As a result, the two parties reached an agreement to attend the debate on the bills. Last evening, Hiroshi Imazu of the LDP, who serves as chief director of the House of Representatives Security Committee, and Ryuzo Sasaki of Minshuto held talks in the Diet building. Sasaki there told Imazu that even if the LDP held a session on the afternoon of Oct. 31, he would not attend it, saying, "We cannot yield our demand for a two-day debate." Imazu then accepted Minshuto's demand at last. Minshuto, however, has not make clear its stand toward the bill as to whether or not approve of it because the party appears to be unwilling to destroy cooperation with the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party, which have clearly opposed the TOKYO 00006302 005 OF 010 bill, in the Nov. 19 Okinawa gubernatorial election as they have jointly backed the same candidate. In the largest opposition party, however, many lawmakers are in favor of the bill upgrading the Defense Agency to a ministry. A young conservative lawmaker voiced concern about the fact that the party brandished the treat of boycotting the deliberations, saying, "People may misunderstand that Minshuto is opposed to the upgrade of the Defense Agency to a ministry." 7) 'Defense Ministry' bill likely to pass Diet during current session TOKYO (Page 2) (Full) October 31, 2006 A government-introduced package of legislative measures, including a bill revising the Defense Agency Establishment Law to upgrade the agency to the status of a ministry, is now likely to pass the Diet at its current session ending Dec. 15. The House of Representatives Security Affairs Committee yesterday held a meeting of its senior directors from the ruling and opposition parties to schedule deliberations. As a result, the legislation will enter into full-fledged deliberations on Nov. 7 and is expected to pass the lower chamber after Nov. 10. The leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) called for a two-day session of intensive deliberations over the Defense Facilities Administration Agency's bid-rigging scandal. The ruling coalition insisted on a one-day session of intensive deliberations but has now complied with the DPJ's request. The DPJ therefore agreed to deliberate on the legislation. However, the DPJ is expected to vote against the legislation in consideration of a possible impact on the opposition camp's joint struggle in Okinawa Prefecture's gubernatorial election scheduled for Nov. 19. 8) Nakaima may accept Futenma relocation within Okinawa MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) October 31, 2006 Former Okinawa Electric Power Co. Chairman Hirokazu Nakaima, 67, who has now announced his candidacy for Okinawa Prefecture's gubernatorial election scheduled for Nov. 19 as an independent new face recommended by the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito, held a press conference in Naha City yesterday and remarked for the first time that he would likely accept relocating the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within Okinawa Prefecture. Nakaima has so far avoided clarifying his standpoint about where to relocate the airfield. Meanwhile, Keiko Itokazu, 59, currently seated on the House of Councillors, is an independent new face recommended by anti-LDP and anti-Komeito parties, including the Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto),the Japanese Communist Party, and the Social Democratic Party (Shaminto). Itokazu is calling for relocating the airfield elsewhere outside Okinawa Prefecture or overseas. The two candidates have now made clear the difference between their respective assertions. TOKYO 00006302 006 OF 010 9) US Consul General Kevin Maher in Okinawa: Dangers will be eliminated with realization of Futenma relocation OKINAWA TIMES (Page 2) (Slightly abridged) October 28, 2006 Interviewer: Go Watanabe -- During the relocation work for the US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, there was an arrest. Consul General Maher: "It is my understanding that one reason why the previous Henoko relocation plan was derailed was a campaign by opponents of the relocation plan. One reason why the United States has accepted a new relocation plan is because the Japanese government has insisted that it is confident it can make the plan come true, and another reason is our judgment that the plan is feasible. Given these things, my understanding about the removal of a sit-in protest staged in front of the gate is that the Japanese government demonstrated its strong will to implement the plan. I respect the right to protest, but a protest movement should be staged legitimately and peacefully." -- How will you plan to remove dangers of the Futenma airfield? "If the objective of the US military transformation is simply to 'reduce the burden,' it is possible to close Futenma airfield immediately, but the current security environment is not so favorable. I know, of course, that the citizens of Ginowan City are concerned about safety and noise. Realistically, the best approach would be to implement the plan as quickly as possible." -- Why are you going to deploy Patriot missiles at Kadena Air Base? "We've decided to deploy them from a comprehensive standpoint, taking into account such factors as the Self-Defense Forces' (SDF) plan to deploy the PAC-3, and the plan to deploy the X-Band radar and the Aegis ship. If you ask whether these things are for the defense of the Kadena base or for the defense of Okinawa, our answer is to defend both. Our role is to defend Japan, as well as to contribute to peace and security in the Far East. At the same time, Japan's role is to provide facilities to us. In order for us to fulfill our duties, we need bases, and we need to defend bases." -- What is your plan to return the bases located south of Kadena? "We will make a master plan by next March, but I've no idea at present how detailed it can be. Regarding the functions of the facilities south of Kadena that are planned to be returned to Japan, we need to decide where the necessary portion of the functions will be relocated to which units that will stay in Okinawa. Regarding the functions of Naha Port, our plan is to relocate them to a reclaimed area in Urasoe City. Regarding others, our basic idea is to combine them in US military facilities. For instance, the Kadena Munitions Depot, (Camp) Hansen, and (Camp) Schwab Depot." -- The Guam relocation plan shows the relocation of a Marine Corps combat unit. Is there a possibility that drills for that unit will be carried out in Okinawa? "The plan will take shape in the weeks ahead, so I have no idea about details. If a combat unit is deployed in Guam, I think there TOKYO 00006302 007 OF 010 is a possibility that it will have drills in Okinawa under a unit deployment program (UDP). However, I don't think that the scale of drills conducted in Okinawa or the number of times of drills will expand." -- Will anything other than the headquarters of the US Marine Corps in Okinawa be relocated to Guam? "There's no such relocation plan. If there is an increase in Marine Corps personnel in Guam, Marines will be sent from the US mainland. The US military transformation plans to enable the Marine Corps to flexibly respond to a crisis in the area near Guam, Okinawa, and Hawaii. Even after the headquarters is relocated to Guam, the combat unit and the functions of the Futenma base will remain in Okinawa. In Okinawa, the Futenma base must be relocated by 2014. The package deal (concerning the relocation of Futenma and Marines) must be kept in mind." 10) Shimomura apologizes to ruling party execs TOKYO (Page 2) (Full) October 31, 2006 Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hakubun Shimomura met with Liberal Democratic Party Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Toshihiro Nikai and New Komeito Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Yoshio Urushibara in the Diet yesterday afternoon to offer his apologies for his recent remarks over the issue of comfort women. Shimomura said, "I troubled many people, and I intend to be more careful." Shimomura had suggested the necessity of reinvestigating the facts about former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono's statement that admitted to the now-defunct Japanese military's compelling of comfort women. 11) LDP policy chief Nakagawa: Japan can possess nuclear weapons constitutionally, but in reality Japan has three nonnuclear principles MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) October 31, 2006 Referring to the question of whether Japan should debate a nuclear option in a speech delivered yesterday in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Policy Research Council Chairman Shoichi Nakagawa stated: "According the government's interpretation of the Constitution, nuclear weapons are included in minimum necessary armaments. However, there are the three nonnuclear principles in Japan. In view of the actual policy, Japan is not allowed to possess nuclear weapons, but the government says Japan can have them constitutionally." Commenting on North Korea's nuclear test, he underscored the need for a debate on whether or not Japan should possess nuclear weapons, noting: "What should we do if missiles come from the North? In order to prevent such a situation, Japan needs to cooperate with the United States and China. And we should debate on a nuclear option now." TOKYO 00006302 008 OF 010 In a lecture meeting yesterday at a Tokyo hotel of the Asia Research Institute, which is chaired by former Ambassador to the US Kuriyama, LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa stated on the fact that policy chief Nakagawa and others have advocated the need for Japan to consider a nuclear option: "We must not suppress views calling for study (of policy issues)." He indicated that the party would allow to individual politicians to speak their personal views. 12) Basic Education Law Special Committee intensively discusses students' lack of required credit units and bullying; Ruling coalition accelerates debate on review of boards of education MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) October 31, 2006 The Lower House Basic Education Law Special Committee began deliberations yesterday on Basic Education Law revision with discussion centering on problems associated with schools, such as high school students' lack of required credit units and students' bullying resulting in suicides. The government and the ruling coalition are accelerating the argument calling for reviewing prefectural boards of education by criticizing them. The approach seems to reflect their intention to shield the government and the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry from criticism. Responsibility and authority In yesterday's education committee session, education minister Bunmei Ibuki lashed out at prefectural boards of education regarding their responses to bullying, saying: "They lack a sense of responsibility. In the event idealistic arguments (do not work),the system must be reviewed." Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also described schools' failure to teach compulsory subjects as a violation of the rules. Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Yoshihiko Noda pursued the education ministry's responsibility, arguing, "If only one school had failed to meet the requirements, that could be settled with an apology of the principal of that school, but violations have occurred throughout the country." In response, Ibuki said, "I am to blame partially." At the same time, he ruled out legal responsibility. Ruling bloc on offensive over patriotism Former education minister Tadamori Oshima of the Liberal Democratic Party, who took the floor as the first questioner, pressed Minshuto Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama, who had presented the Minshuto SIPDIS plan, for revision talks, saying, "Reflecting the Minshuto plan on the government plan would serve the interests of society and the general public." Oshima's call was intended to shake the Minshuto's strategy to prolong deliberations, although the ruling coalition thinks revision was out of the question. The focus of Basic Education Law revision was the description of "patriotism," which is specified in both the ruling and Minshuto plans. The Minshuto plan simply reads, "to nurture a mind to love Japan." The difference with the government plan that reads, "to nurture an attitude that loves the nation and homeland," did not become clear. The LDP, which thinks that all contentious points have been discussed, aims to obtain Lower House approval in early November. TOKYO 00006302 009 OF 010 Views held by the government and Minshuto over educational issues Issue ¶1. Government ¶2. Minshuto A lack of required credit units ¶1. The results are attributable to schools' encouragement to violate rules in a bid to achieve good results in college entrance examinations. (Prime Minister Shinzo Abe) ¶2. The matter concerns not only some schools and boards of education but also the government and the education ministry. (Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Yoshihiko Noda) Bullying ¶1. There is a tendency that teachers and boards of education play key roles in bullying and hide bullying incidents. (Education minister Bunmei Ibuki) ¶2. It is not clear about who is responsible. Interviews have been insufficient. (Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama) Basic Education Law ¶1. I am skeptical about handing educational rights to chiefs to be selected in elections. (Education minister Ibuki) ¶2. A system must be established in which ombudsmen will audit it under the responsibility of municipalities. (Secretary General Hatoyama) 13) Prime Minister Abe: Supporting postal privatization a condition for postal rebels to return to LDP MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) October 31, 2006 Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa said that if postal rebels want to rejoin the LDP, they should support the government's postal privatization plan. Asked by reporters yesterday at his office (Kantei) about his view on Nakagawa's remarks, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe responded: "It is only natural for them to agree to my policies, which are included in my policy speech. My policy speech stipulates the (postal-privatization plan)." Abe indicated that he would agree to the reinstatement of postal rebels if they approve postal privatization. 14) Idea of separately enshrining Class-A war criminals now up in air following prime minister's visits to China, South Korea NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) October 31, 2006 Uncertainty is looming over the idea of removing the souls of Class-A war criminals from Yasukuni Shrine. Debate on the idea appeared to gather momentum following the proposal made by Japan War-Bereaved Association Chairman Makoto Koga, a Liberal Democratic Party member. But deliberations have been low key since the LDP presidential election. Views in the bereaved association are split. TOKYO 00006302 010 OF 010 In addition, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's meetings with the Chinese and South Korean leaders have lowered the issue's priority on the political agenda. Abe successfully brought about summits with China and South Korea under the strategy of stopping short of whether he would visit Yasukuni Shrine In a speech at the Fukushima Prefecture War-Bereaved Association's convention held in Fukuoka yesterday, Koga said, "We must work out a way under which anyone can pay homage without any hesitation." Koga thus indicated his willingness to continue to advocate the idea of separately enshrining Class-A war criminals, although he did not directly refer to it. In his policy statement released this May with an eye on the presidential race, Koga advocated the idea of unenshrining Class-A war criminals and called on association members to look into the idea. Koga, who distanced himself from former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, also stressed the need to improve Japan's relations with China and South Korea, which were strained over Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine. Removing the war criminals enshrined at Yasukuni is the "third way" that can satisfy the bereaved association, which is calling for the prime minister's annual visit to the shrine, and serve to restore the strained relations with China and South Korea. However, with an eye on the House of Councillors election next summer, many bereaved association executives want to avoid fissures in their organization as a result of stepping into the delicate issue. Furthermore, the birth of the Abe administration has turned around the situation. Abe's meetings with the Chinese and South Korean leaders moved relations with the two countries in the direction of improvement, resulting in placing the idea of unenshrining war criminals in limbo. SCHIEFFER