DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 11/02/06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 006358 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 11/02/06 INDEX: (1) More US fleet visits to Hokkaido: Donovan (2) Okinawa gubernatorial election: Both camps contradictory over Futenma base (3) 2006 Okinawa gubernatorial race: Anger and bewilderment (Part 1): "V-shaped pair of runways a cheap trick" (4) Agreement to resume 6-party talks: Behind-the-scenes negotiations held for 13 days (5) Seiron (Opinion) column by Jun Sakurada: Follow-up on my last argument on flaws in Japan's nuclear-arms debate; How to secure the quality of Japan-US security arrangements? (6) Cabinet Office admits having asked participants to ask questions from position of supporting bill amending education law (7) Battle intensifying between ruling, opposition camps over bill amending Basic Education Law (8) Action program on preventing global warming worked out by Japan, US, Australia and other three APP members ARTICLES: (1) More US fleet visits to Hokkaido: Donovan HOKKAIDO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) November 2, 2006 US Embassy Minister Donovan responded to the Hokkaido Shimbun's interview at the US Consulate General in Sapporo. In connection with the rising tension over the North Korean situation, Donovan clarified his outlook to the following effect: "US Navy ships capable of intercepting ballistic missiles will call more often at Muroran, Otaru, and other ports in Hokkaido." Referring to US fleet visits to Hokkaido, Donovan explained: "That is because of ballistic missile defense (MD). They function within the framework of security." The United States has so far recounted that the purpose of US naval vessels' port calls in Hokkaido is to promote friendship and receive supplies. However, Donovan, as a US government official, has clarified that their port calls in Hokkaido are part of the United States' military strategy toward North Korea. In addition, Donovan said the US Air Force would relocate its F-15 fighter jets' training to the Air Self-Defense Force's Chitose base next year or afterward. He added, "We'd like to convey necessary information in a transparent way." With this, he indicated that the US government would endeavor to ease the anxieties of local residents. In the meantime, importers of farm products like Japan and exporters like the United States have been at odds in the Doha round of World Trade Organization (WTO) multilateral trade negotiations over the issue of lowering tariffs on farm products. On this issue, Donovan said there would be no growth for agriculture protected by high tariffs. "Hokkaido farmers should be competitive enough to survive the international market, and they can." With this, he underscored TOKYO 00006358 002 OF 009 the US position. (2) Okinawa gubernatorial election: Both camps contradictory over Futenma base MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) November 1, 2006 Okinawa Prefecture will announce its gubernatorial election tomorrow. The election is expected to become a de facto one-on-on duel between Hirokazu Nakaima, 67, recommended by the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito, and Keiko Itokazu, 59, recommended by the opposition camp. It can be positioned as Round 3 for the LDP led by Prime Minister SHINZO ABE and the leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) headed by Ichiro Ozawa, following the recent two by-elections for the House of Representatives and Fukushima Prefecture's gubernatorial election. Meanwhile, it is a battle between the government and Okinawa in connection with the issue of realigning the US military presence in Japan. On Oct. 29, an open debate was held in the city of Naha with the participation of those expected to run in the upcoming gubernatorial election. In the forum, the two prospective candidates, Nakaima and Itokazu, developed their respective opinions over the issue of relocating the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station as the biggest point of contention in their election campaigns. In May, Tokyo and Washington reached a final agreement on a plan to lay down a V-shaped pair of airstrips in a coastal area of Camp Schwab. Nakaima: "I can't accept the present V-shaped airstrips plan. I will participate in the consultative council, and I want to resolve the problem without delay." Itokazu: "I will attend the consultative council's meetings to convey Okinawa Prefecture's public opinion against Futenma relocation within Okinawa Prefecture." Nakaima and Itokazu stressed their respective stances toward the government's consultative body with Okinawa's prefectural and municipal governments over the relocation of Futenma airfield, and they got a big hand. Nakaima and Itokazu are both alike opposed to the idea of relocating Futenma airfield to Camp Schwab's coastal area. However, Itokazu is poised to carry through her claim for the airfield's overseas relocation. Meanwhile, Nakaima, in his Oct. 30 press remarks, touched for the first time on the airfield's relocation within the island prefecture, saying: "Its relocation somewhere outside this prefecture is the best possible option. However, it's also conceivable to accept its relocation elsewhere within this prefecture." Nakaima announced his candidacy on Sept. 5 and he did not clarify whether he would accept the Futenma relocation within Okinawa Prefecture. That is because of his position as a successor to Governor Keiichi Inamine, who has been insisting on relocating the airfield elsewhere outside Japan. In January this year, however, Nakaima criticized Inamine for his rejection of the coastal relocation plan, saying, "I wonder if it's appropriate to make trouble with the government." In his heart of hearts, Nakaima was in favor of relocating Futenma airfield within the island prefecture. In the open debate, Itokazu pointed to this fact. Nakaima rebutted, TOKYO 00006358 003 OF 009 "I can't accept the relocation plan as is, and I'm protesting the government's decision in disregard of Okinawa." This was all he could say. Itokazu also has a weak point. In her Oct. 13 policy remarks, Itokazu said she would not accept the Japan-US security alliance. Five days after that, however, she about-faced to accept the bilateral security setup. It was out of consideration for the DPJ and a conservative political group named "Sozo" (or the "Political group of OKINAWA revolution" as its official English name),with which she is united against the LDP and the New Komeito. In the debate, Itokazu recounted: "I'm going to run in the election against Futenma relocation within Okinawa Prefecture. Security is not the point of contention." However, an embarrassed stir ran through the audience. LDP avoids going too far for fear of backlash, guarded against Nakaima "It's been a decade since the government decided to return Futenma airfield. He has to be realistic. That's good." With this, Defense Agency Director General Fumio Kyuma, meeting the press yesterday, welcomed Nakaima's remarks accepting Futenma airfield's relocation within Okinawa Prefecture. There was an optimistic view, saying: "If Nakaima becomes governor, the (Camp Schwab) coastal relocation plan-which is a categorical imperative-will make headway." However, the government and ruling coalition avoid going too far into the election battle, with LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa having proclaimed nonintervention in the race. That is because the LDP thinks that its coming out to back Nakaima in the race would bring about stronger backlashes from Okinawa's local communities and would result in encouraging Itokazu. The government plans to lay down a Futenma alternative in a coastal area of Camp Schwab, with its both ends stretching out into the sea. The government will therefore have to ask for the governor's approval under the Public Water Body Reclamation Law before starting construction work, and the governor will greatly affect the future course of the coastal relocation plan. Some in the government are insisting on creating a special measures law in order to transfer the governor's authority to the state if Itokazu wins the race. On the other hand, the government remains guarded against Nakaima. In particular, the Defense Agency is strongly distrustful of Okinawa since Governor Inamine has not shown any positive stance about Futenma relocation in spite of his conservative position. One senior official of the agency even says, "It would be better to see Itokazu win and establish a special measures law to forcibly push for the plan." The government will have to start construction work without delay after the gubernatorial election in order to relocate Futenma airfield by 2014 as agreed with the United States. The government is only growing impatient. (3) 2006 Okinawa gubernatorial race: Anger and bewilderment (Part 1): "V-shaped pair of runways a cheap trick" TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 27) (Abridged slightly) November 2, 2006 "Don't fly over our city! US helos out now!" This message can be TOKYO 00006358 004 OF 009 found on the roof of the Ginowan City Office adjacent to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture. The message has been there since December 2, 2005, the 10th anniversary of the SACO (Special Action Committee on Okinawa) final agreement. Under the agreement, the United States was supposed to return MCAS Futenma to Japan in five to seven years' time. In May this year, Tokyo and Washington produced a final US force realignment report indicating that the relocation site for MCAS Futenma would be shifted from waters off the Henoko district in Nago to the coastline of Camp Schwab. The report called for the construction of a V-shaped pair of runways at the new site. Then Defense Agency Director-General Fukushiro Nukaga explained to Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro: "Two runways will be built for takeoffs and landings so that US military aircraft will not fly over residential areas." Shimabukuro bought the explanation and endorsed the relocation plan. Shigeo Yamauchi, head of Ginowan's Military Base Liaison Section, said: "The explanation was not true. Touch-and-go flight training has been conducted constantly at MCAS Futenma. It's not possible to use separate runways for takeoffs and landings." US aircraft make 150 to 300 takeoffs and landings daily in training at the airfield. They include Futenma-based helicopters and KC130 aerial refueling tanker aircraft and Kadena-based P3C patrol planes. The runways' two separate purposes are not specified in any documents. The force realignment final report simply stipulates the size of the runways. A chart illustrating a visual flight path of the runway facing the sea, possible prepared for landing and takeoff training, is affixed to the agreements that were exchanged between the Defense Agency and Nago City and Ginoza Village. The chart is devoid of any explanation. Nago assemblyman Zenko Nakamura noted, "Although I asked about landing and takeoff training in an assembly session, the answer was vague." Tomihiroshi Ashi, representative of a local anti-heliport group, took this view: "In order to accept the Futenma relocation plan, the Nago mayor pretended to be taken in by the government." Is it true that once the V-shaped pair of runways is constructed, US military aircraft will not fly over residential areas? From Ginowan's experience, Yamauchi is skeptical. In order to reduce noise from MCAS Futenma, the Japan-US Joint Committee decided in March 1996 to prohibit flights between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. But the US military did not follow the rule, and nearby residents kept complaining about noise. Also in 1996, the MCAS Futenma commander sought the city's approval of a plan to expand the flight path circling the east side of the runway. The city rejected the request, but the US military went ahead and implemented the plan, which is still in place today. "Base representatives always say, 'We cannot answer operational questions.' They don't abide by a formal pact, and we don't expect such people to keep a verbal promise," Yamauchi noted. Hirokazu Nakaima, 67, a former Chairman of the Okinawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is planning to run in the upcoming Okinawa gubernatorial race on the ticket of the ruling bloc. He is TOKYO 00006358 005 OF 009 supportive of a plan to relocate MCAS Futenma to a site within the prefecture, while opposing the V-shaped plan. The opposition camp is set to field Upper House lawmaker Keiko Itokazu, 59, who is eager to move the base out of the prefecture. In February this year, Ginowan released an MCAS Futenma redevelopment plan featuring efforts to nurture new industries and an environment-friendly community. There is no knowing when that will come true, however. (4) Agreement to resume 6-party talks: Behind-the-scenes negotiations held for 13 days NIHON KEIZAI (Page 8) (Full) November 2, 2006 WASHINGTON-The United States, China, and North Korea engaged in a hard-played tug of war until Pyongyang finally agreed to rejoin the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue. The situation underwent a sudden change on Oct. 19 when Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan visited North Korea and met with Kim Jong Il. The three countries went through diplomatic negotiations behind the scenes for 13 days. "The visit of Mr. Tang to North Korea showed how seriously China was taking the problem. China's working on North Korea was extremely important." With this, US State Department Spokesman McCormack indicated that Tang's North Korea visit as a key person in charge of China's foreign policy became a watershed. Tang arrived in Pyongyang on Oct. 18 and met with Kim Jong Il after waiting 24 hours. Back in Beijing, Tang met with US Secretary of State Rice, who was on her way to the countries concerned. "My visit to North Korea was not in vain," Tang told Rice. North Korea's aim was consistent from beginning to end. Pyongyang wanted Washington to call off its financial sanctions imposed on North Korea. Pyongyang explored a direct dialogue with the United States. However, Washington would not change its principle, insisting on negotiating within the framework of the six-party talks. China, aware of the United States' intention, set out to work on North Korea, searching for common ground while implying pressure on North Korea. In the meantime, Assistant Secretary of State Hill, who represents the United States at the six-party talks, was accompanying Rice. On Oct. 21, however, Hill, apart from Rice, went to Hong Kong for a briefing from the US Consulate General in Hong Kong on financial sanctions imposed on the Banco Delta Asia, a Macau-based bank. His visit to Hong Kong was a message to North Korea in a way, meaning the United States will not call off the sanctions and signaling North Korea to return to the six-party talks if it wants to talk about finance. On Oct. 23, Hill left Hong Kong for Fiji to attend a forum of Pacific island nations. At that point of time, Pyongyang seemed to have deemed that there would be no chance to talk about the financial sanctions if it does not come back to the six-party talks. "We'd like to hold talks in Beijing. We want the United States to participate in our informal talks in Beijing." With this, North Korea asked China to host an informal meeting of the United States, China, and North Korea. In response, China sounded out the United TOKYO 00006358 006 OF 009 States on whether the United States would join the trilateral talks in Beijing. Later on, CNBC, a US TV broadcaster, interviewed Rice. In the interview, she revealed the circumstances behind the scenes. The North Korean proposal, which China conveyed to the United States, had a time limit. China asked the United States to answer by Oct. 31. Rice informally told Japan and other countries concerned about North Korea's proposal to hold trilateral talks with the United States and China. Meanwhile, Hill stayed in the Pacific-Asia region and was on standby in Australia until Washington gave the go-ahead. On Oct. 27, Tang met with South Korean Foreign and Trade Minister Ban Ki Moon. "This is an important time, so we should be coolheaded," Tang told Ban. With this, China indirectly urged the United States to participate in the trilateral talks. "Let's do it that way." Rice gave this answer to China after talking with President Bush. Hill left Sydney for Beijing. On Oct. 31, Hill first met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei in Beijing. Later on, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye Gwan joined Hill and Wu. The three held talks over lunch. In the end, they agreed to resume the six-party talks, with Hill and Kim getting in touch. Their Beijing talks lasted seven hours. As a result, the 13-day diplomatic bargaining came to an end. (5) Seiron (Opinion) column by Jun Sakurada: Follow-up on my last argument on flaws in Japan's nuclear-arms debate; How to secure the quality of Japan-US security arrangements? SANKEI (Page 13) (Slightly abridged) October 30, 2006 North Korea's recent nuclear test is reviving the debate in Japan on nuclear arms. The debate in itself, as Foreign Minister Taro Aso stated, should not be squelched. But the past nuclear arms debates in Japan have lacked a constructive nature, sandwiched between the sentiment of Japan being an only-victim nation of nuclear bombings and the desire to make Japan truly an independent state by means of nuclear arms as advocated mostly by conservative and rightist intellectuals. I think the path the French government followed under President Charles de Gaulle before that country went nuclear at the early 1960s is a good reference for Japan in thinking about the meaning of nuclear arms. Opinions expressed by intellectuals who clustered around de Gaul as advisors implied the reasons why France needed to possess nuclear arms. First, Raymond Aron looked at nuclear possession in the context of international politics. Aron advocated that France's "nuclear arms" would not be replaced by those of the United States. Secondly, Pierre Gallois, from a military point of view, formulated a theory of nuclear strategy. He studied the reasons why France needed to become a nuclear power amid the standoff between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Thirdly, France unfolded a policy laced with the culture of France symbolized by Andre Malraux. These intellectuals at times were at odds with each other and sometimes compensated each other in debating a nuclear option and gave support to the de Gaulle administration until it acquired nuclear weapons. At the time of the Cuban crisis, which brought humankind to the brink of a nuclear war, de Gaulle, who by then had made France into a nuclear power, definitely supported the US. Under TOKYO 00006358 007 OF 009 the de Gaulle government, an advantage of nuclear possession, as Aron indicated, is that it makes it possible for the country to keep a balance between psychological independence as sought by France, and realism necessary to secure harmony in the West at the time. I think unless advisors like Aron, Gallois, and Malraux, are available to Japan, nuclear possession is not a realistic option at all. I wonder how Japan will conform to the ongoing international efforts to realize nuclear nonproliferation if it becomes a nuclear power. I also wonder how Japan will handle its "nuclear weapons" once the Korean Peninsula is denuclearized? How will Japan's "nuclear weapons" be actually used under the Japan-US security arrangements? No doubt Japan's "nuclear weapons" would make other countries less sympathetic to it. Can Japan appropriately prepare a system to make up for that loss of sympathy? Japan needs to answer each of those questions with persuasion; otherwise Japan's "nuclear weapons" won't meet its national interests. I have consistently maintained to date that improving conventional weapons that are applicable in actual scenes and signing an accord on the criteria on their use would be far more useful than considering nuclear possession. When North Korea test-fired missiles in early July, an argument calling on Japan to have a capability to attack the command center of the enemy base came out. I wonder how far this argument has deepened so far. Boiling down discussion on that argument and coming up with a proper policy would be a substantial contribution to the security of Japan. What is more, if Japan continues to rely on America's nuclear umbrella while being a nuclear free country, it is inevitable that it will have to delete "not allowing nuclear weapons into Japan" from the three nonnuclear principles of not possessing, not producing and not allowing nuclear weapons into Japan. However, the current state of the three nonnuclear principles shackle America's nuclear umbrella, though Japan relies on it. This is illogical in terms of securing the effectiveness of the Japan-US security arrangements. Debate on a review of the three nonnuclear principles ought to be essentially conducted from this point of view. North Korea's "nuclear possession" is no longer an armchair threat but a real one. It is therefore necessary for us to debate pragmatically, away from sway of useless emotions or desires, how to respond to North Korea's nuclear weapons in order to achieve the goals of removing and easing the threat. Jun Sakurada: politician scientist and lecturer at Toyo Gakuen University. (6) Cabinet Office admits having asked participants to ask questions from position of supporting bill amending education law YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) November 2, 2006 The Cabinet Office asked participants prior to a town meeting on educational reform held by the government in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, on Sept. 2, to ask questions from the position of TOKYO 00006358 008 OF 009 supporting the bill amending the Fundamental Law of Education. In a meeting of the House of Representatives' Special Committee on the Fundamental Law of Education, lawmaker Ikuko Ishii (Japanese Communist Party) revealed this information, citing documents produced by the Cabinet Office, the Education Bureau of Aomori Prefecture, and other organizations. The government acknowledged the fact. Ishii presented two documents that had been sent by fax to the principles of local junior high schools by an education office and the Education Bureau of Aomori Prefecture. One document, "Request about questions in the town meeting," suggests that participants ask one of the three listed questions. Another document notes, "There was the following advice by the Cabinet Office about statements: (1) Use your own words, given the nature of the meeting as much as possible (and avoid reading in a monotone); and (2) don't say that you are "asked" (and give an impression that you are expressing your own opinion). In a question session of the committee yesterday, Hiroshi Doihara, Deputy Vice Minister of the Cabinet Office explained: "There are cases in which we distribute background data, with the aim of animating discussion. The Cabinet Office produced such data, though not all." Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki said that the office will investigate to check if there are similar cases and then "survey results will be reported." (7) Battle intensifying between ruling, opposition camps over bill amending Basic Education Law YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) November 2, 2006 Now that rescue measures have been worked out for high school students who will not earn sufficient credit units for graduation, the ruling parties are eager to accelerate deliberations on a bill amending the Fundamental Law of Education. Meanwhile, the opposition camp intends to zero in on the government while stressing the need to review the current educational administration system in order to bring about a fundamental solution to education problems. The battle is heating up between the ruling and opposition parties over whether the bill should be passed in the current Diet session. The Special Committee on the Fundamental Law of Education decided in its directors' meeting yesterday to hold on Nov. 8 local public hearings, a precondition for taking a vote. But the opposition camp has been calling for more local public hearings, as well as a central public hearing to be held. The ruling camp is willing to speed up deliberations on the bill, separating it from the scandal over schools not offering compulsory classes, deeming that the problem has already been settled with the government's rescue measures. In the House of Representatives, nearly 70 hours have already been spent for deliberations on the bill amending the education law in both the current and last ordinary sessions. Given this, one official said, "Contentious points over the bill have been fully discussed," and the ruling side aims to have the bill pass the Lower House around Nov. 10. A senior LDP member said: "To secure satisfactory time for deliberations in the House of Councillors, we will have to pass the bill in the Lower House around Nov. 15, one month before the adjournment of the current session, at the TOKYO 00006358 009 OF 009 latest." In a meeting yesterday of the party's "next cabinet," Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) Secretary General Hatoyama revealed his intention to further pursue the government's responsibility, saying: "I wonder why this problem had been left covered up until now. There is the culture of secrecy, and the responsibility also rests with the Education, Science and Technology Ministry." On the amendment bill, Hatoyama stressed his determination to block the bill from passing in the current Diet session, saying: "The bill will not serve to deal with contemporary issues. Should the ruling parties try to push the bill through the Diet, we will have to doggedly hold out against it." Minshuto, the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the People's New Party decided in a meeting yesterday of their Diet Affairs Committee chairmen to call on the Lower House Education and Science Committee to hold intensive deliberations on problems related to bullying and failure in teaching compulsory subjects. Minshuto Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Yoshiaki Takagi argued: "We will not be able to properly deliberate on the amendment bill as long as such issues as bullying and compulsory subject issues remain unresolved." (8) Action program on preventing global warming worked out by Japan, US, Australia and other three APP members ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) November 2, 2006 The government yesterday released an action program compiled by the Asia-Pacific Partnership (APP) on Clean Development and Climate launched by six countries, including Japan, the United States, and Australia. Under this program, the six countries will set up eight industry-specific working panels tasked with mapping out specific projects, under which experts will be sent to China and India, in which large volumes of carbon dioxide (CO2) have been emitted from the iron and steel industry. The dispatched experts will give guidance on improvement of energetic efficiency and research each nation's potential capability of reducing CO2 emissions from the cement industry. SCHIEFFER