JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 11/28/06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 006738 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 11/28/06 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 4) ABE Cabinet support rate plummets 9 points to 59% in Nikkei poll, with 57% of public unhappy about his reinstating postal rebels into the LDP Postal rebels get reprieve: 5) LDP starts procedures to reinstate 11 of 12 postal rebels into the party, but rebel leader Hiranuma will not take pledge to support postal privatization 6) Former METI minister Hiranuma will still have three or four more chances to rejoin LDP before next summer's Upper House election 7) Former "assassin candidates", LDP candidates used in last election to oust postal rebels erupt angrily at reinstatement of party enemies into the fold 8) For Prime Minister Abe, bringing postal rebels back into the LDP was a matter of "good faith"; Resigned to take hit in opinion polls for action 9) Many in the LDP are disgruntled with the reinstatement of postal rebels 10) New Komeito's Ota wants the LDP to explain to his party's supporters why the postal rebels are being brought back into the LDP 11) Six out of eight town meetings on educational reform bill were packed with board of education supporters North Korea problem: 12) Meeting expected today between US, DPRK delegates in Beijing prior to rescheduling of date for six-party talks 13) Sudden increase in North Korean imports of pharmaceuticals since May Defense and security issues: 14) Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) against the revision of SDF Law, refused to allow main duty become overseas dispatches due to Iraq experience 15) Ruling camp expects the bill making JDA into a ministry to clear Lower House committee today Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi, Yomiuri, Sankei & Tokyo Shimbun: Students win tuition fee refund case Mainichi: Abe agrees to reinstate 11 postal rebels in LDP Nihon Keizai: FSA eyes stricter risk assessment rules for bank loans offered to investment funds Akahata: Instruction on national anthem in revision of education guidelines steps into children's heart: JCP member TOKYO 00006738 002 OF 011 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Readmission of 11 postal rebels: Will "assassins" be disposable? (2) Tuna quota cut: Consumer nation must work out measures to protect resources Mainichi: (1) Reinstatement of postal rebels is unreasonable (2) Ruling in tuition fee refund case: Universities should work to attract students Yomiuri: (1) ABE must demonstrate leadership in dealing with LDP postal rebels (2) Cut in tuna quota the bill for overfishing Nihon Keizai: (1) Voters cannot understand reinstatement of postal rebels (2) Universities must improve enrollment guidelines Sankei: (1) Government urged to eliminate illegal exports to North Korea (2) Obtaining wide-ranging support necessary for readmission of postal rebels Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Who will be convinced with readmission of postal rebels? (2) Tuna quota reduction: We cannot afford massive consumption Akahata: (1) Revision to Article 10 of the Basic Education Law unacceptable 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) Prime Minister's schedule, Nov. 27 NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) November 28, 2006 08:59 Attended a welcome ceremony for Indonesian President Yudhoyono held at Imperial Palace. 10:19 Met with Special Advisor Koike at Kantei. Afterwards, met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki. 11:30 Met with Vice Foreign Minister Yachi. 13:02 Attended the meeting of the chairmen of the LDP Public Relations Headquarters at LDP headquarters. 13:40 Met at Kantei with Ambassador to Indonesia Ebihara and MOFA Southwest Asia Division Director Atsumi. 15:22 Recorded "Live Talk Kantei" for the government's Internet TV TOKYO 00006738 003 OF 011 program. Afterwards, met with MOFA Parliamentary Secretary Sekiguchi and Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau Director-General Okuda. Later, met with Public Security Intelligence Agency Director-General Oizumi. 16:27 Met with Secretary General Nakagawa. 17:04 Attended the party executives' meeting in Diet. Photo shoot for a brochure for recruitment of guards. Later, met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Suzuki. 17:55 Met with New Komeito Representative Ota and others at Kantei. 18:27 Arrived at residence in Kantei. 19:11 Attended a dinner party for President Yudhoyono at Imperial Palace. 22:43 Arrived at residence in Kantei. 4) Poll: 57% opposed to reinstating postal rebels; ABE cabinet's support rate down to 59% NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Full) November 28, 2006 The rate of public support for Prime Minister SHINZO ABE and his cabinet was 59% in a public opinion survey conducted by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on Nov. 24-26. The approval rating was down 9%age points from a previous survey taken in late October. The disapproval rating was 29%, up 8 points. In the survey, respondents were asked whether they support the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's move to reinstate ex-LDP and now-independent lawmakers who voted against postal privatization and left the LDP. In response to this question, 57% answered "no," up 6 points from the last time. "Yes" accounted for only 25%, down 8 points. The survey shows the public's displeasure on this issue. The ABE cabinet's approval rating is still considerably high compared with its predecessors. However, the ABE cabinet's approval rating has gradually gone down, as it was 71% in late September right after its inauguration, 68% in late October, and 59% in the latest survey. In the breakdown of political party supporters, 85% of those who support the LDP supported the ABE cabinet, down 4 points from the last time. Among those who support the leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto),the ABE cabinet's approval rating in the last survey was comparatively high at 45%. In the latest survey, however, it nosedived to 30%. Among those who support no particular party, the approval and disapproval ratings changed places, with approval at 36%, down 12 points, and disapproval at 41%. In the breakdown of reasons for not supporting the ABE cabinet, 37% answered that its policies are bad, with 35% saying it lacks leadership ability and 29% saying it is unstable. The proportion of those who said "because it's an LDP cabinet" was 28%. In the last TOKYO 00006738 004 OF 011 survey, this reason topped all other reasons at 35%. In the latest survey, there was an increase in the number of persons choosing more specific options. In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the LDP stood at 51%, with the DPJ at 20%, both leveling off from the last time. Among other parties, the Japanese Communist Party was at 4% and the Social Democratic Party (Shaminto) at 3%. The New Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner, was at 2%. Even among LDP supporters, the proportion of those opposed to reinstating the postal rebels in the LDP reached 54%, up 7 points, and those in favor of their return to the LDP accounted for 32%, down 6 points. Among those with no particular party affiliation, negative answers overwhelmed affirmative ones at 52% to 17%. Asked whether those postal rebels' comeback to the LDP would work to the LDP's advantage, 23% answered "no," with 16% saying "yes." The survey was taken by Nikkei Research Inc. over the telephone on a random digit dialing (RDD) basis. For the survey, samples were chosen from among men and women aged 20 and over across the nation. A total of 1,543 households with one or more voters were sampled, and answers were obtained from 872 persons (56.5% ). 5) ABE orders procedures for reinstatement of 11 postal rebels except for Hiranuma; Official decision later this week TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Excerpts) November 28, 2006 Prime Minister SHINZO Abe, who is also the president of the Liberal Democratic Party, announced his decision before a party executive meeting last evening that he would allow 11 of the 12 postal rebels except for former Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Takeo Hiranuma, to rejoin the LDP. The 12 were expelled from the LDP last year for opposing the postal privatization bills. ABE has decided not to readmit Hiranuma to the party because he has not submitted a written pledge to, among other things, support postal privatization. The LDP Ethics Committee will meet later this week to make an official decision on the reinstatement of the 11 members. In the executive meeting, ABE said: "The eleven lawmakers have submitted (written pledges) fulfilling the conditions presented by Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa. To our regret, Mr. Hiranuma has failed to do so. Given the situation, we cannot allow him (to rejoin the party). I would like to see the Ethics Committee begin examining the reinstatement of the 11 members." 6) Hiranuma still searching for possibility of returning to LDP, expecting a couple more chances until Upper House election YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) November 28, 2006 Former Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma, who has served as a negotiator for the so-called postal rebels, intends to search for opportunities to be readmitted to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),waiting for the right time when Prime Minister ABE will needs him to come in, as his aide put it. As part of such efforts, TOKYO 00006738 005 OF 011 he wants to come up with policies and ideals with a strong conservative flavor as chairman of the nonpartisan parliamentary group to address North Korea's abductions of Japanese. However, the view is strong that unless he withdraws his opposition to postal privatization, there will be no chance of his readmission to the LDP realizing until the Upper House election next summer. Postal rebels yesterday held talks yesterday. Eleven lawmakers during the meeting strongly asked Hiranuma to submit a written pledge to support postal privatization together. Hiranuma, however, refused to agree, noting, "I am sorry, but please let me carry through with my belief. It is not possible to support postal privatization in light of my political creed." One rebel said, "Mr. Hiranuma cannot make a backroom deal. He has an obstinate side of adhering to carrying through with logic more than anyone else. It is questionable whether he was appropriate as a negotiator." Hiranuma has indicated his intention to transfer the role of a negotiator to former LDP Executive Council Chairman Mitsuo Horiuchi. He said he has no intention of forming a united parliamentary group with the LDP. However, he stressed during a meeting of his supporters' association held on the evening of the 26th in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, his view that opportunities for his return to the LDP will come again. He said: "There is still time until the Upper House election. There will be a couple of more chances like this until then." 7) LDP approves return of 11 postal rebels; Former assassins express dissatisfaction ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) November 28, 2006 In response to the filing of requests for readmission to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) by 12 postal rebels, including Takeo Hiranuma, the party executive yesterday afternoon convened a meeting of the Party Reform Implementation Headquarters. A number of participants during the meeting voiced their opposition to the readmission of the so-called postal rebels. Not only freshman lawmakers elected in what were once the postal rebels' home constituencies but also mid-ranking lawmakers opposed their readmission. Prime Minister ABE during an executive meeting held afterwards approved the return of 11 lawmakers, excluding Takeo Hiranuma, leaving those opposed to readmission in limbo. In response to the submission of requests for readmission yesterday morning, the Party Reform Implementation Headquarters met at 3:00 p.m. Following explanations given by Acting LDP Secretary General Nobuteru Ishihara, Mikio Aoki, the chairman of the LDP caucus in the Upper House who had called for unconditional readmission of postal rebels, including those who lost their seats in the Lower House election, said: "We should warmly welcome them back. They cast a white vote meaning approval at a plenary Diet session, instead of a blue vote. This is the most serious way of expressing their view." Aoki made this statement and left out of consideration for the fact that he would appear to be fleeing if he excused himself partway through the meeting without having said anything. However, as soon as Aoki left the room, many newcomer lawmakers TOKYO 00006738 006 OF 011 expressed a cautious view toward allowing readmission to the party. Freshman Lower House member Koichiro Shimizu insisted that importance should be attached to the will of the people as expressed in last year's postal election, noting, "Chairman Aoki made that statement, but for the people nothing is weightier than a general election." Lawmaker Jiro Ono, who was elected in Yamanashi Constituency No. 3, to which Takeshi Hosaka will return as his rival, urged Ishihara, "The LDP won support as a reborn party, not through emotional appeals. The party should devote sufficient time to carefully discussing readmission." Lower House member Hideaki Omura left halfway through the meeting and called Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa into the secretary general's office to express his opposition to readmission. He stressed, "The time is not ripe to approve the readmission of the 12 postal rebels." Omura was elected in Aichi Prefecture, where the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) is strong. Concerned about a negative impact on upcoming elections, he told reporters, "A gubernatorial election, unified local elections, and the Upper House elections are close at hand in Aichi. The time for their readmission is not ripe yet." Prior to the meeting of the Party Reform Implementation Headquarters, about 20 members of the Group to Consider the Readmission Issue, mainly consisting of freshman lawmakers opposed to early readmission of the postal rebels, met and conferred on ways to deal with the issue. Regarding the sudden call for a meeting of the headquarters, participants felt increasingly distrustful of the party executive, with one member saying, "The meeting was set almost like a surprise attack. I am very displeased." Key members of the group, including Upper House member Ichita Yamamoto, yesterday evening released a statement that said: "We have no choice but to oppose the party approving the readmission of postal rebels so easily. There must be procedures in place and adequate time to win the understanding of the people." They intend to lodge a protest with Nakagawa. 8) ABE allows 11 postal rebels to rejoin LDP based on his trust in them; Ready to take a hit on his support rating in the polls SANKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) November 28, 2006 "We can't let the rift and confusion in the party expand any further," Prime Minister SHINZO ABE told to an aide after deciding to reinstate 11 independent postal rebels. The reinstatement of the 11 lawmakers would not benefit the ABE administration, for it is certain to lower his support rating, leaving seeds of conflicts within the party, as well. This can explain why LDP executives, including Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa, took cautious views. Against all odds, ABE has decided to allow the 11 members to rejoin the LDP, giving priority to his trust in them. "As the LDP president, I made a responsible decision. The public will make a decision on political decisions like this through elections. I am going to continue explaining my views to the public thoroughly." Standing before the TV cameras at the Prime Minister's Office TOKYO 00006738 007 OF 011 yesterday evening, ABE looked invigorated. Asked by a reporter on a possible negative impact on his support rating, ABE said, "I'm fully aware of that." The question of readmitting the postal rebels to the LDP has been the thorniest issue for ABE in running the party. With the LDP Lower House holding more than 290 seats, there was no reason to readmit them to the party in a hurry. Although the party leadership was eager for their reinstatement with the aim of using them for collecting votes in the upcoming Upper House election, the step involved the risk of denting Abe's popularity, thereby adversely affecting the Upper House race. It was beneficial for ABE to put the reinstatement issue on a backburner until after the next Lower House election. Abe puts his trust in the postal rebels, however. ABE acted together with many postal rebels in dealing with the history textbook and Yasukuni issues based on their common political beliefs. The Diet dissolution for the snap Lower House election last year that forced the 11 members to leave the LDP has left a bitter memory for Abe. Even after the LDP achieved an overwhelming victory in the election, Abe deplored the treatment of the postal rebels. Before assuming office, Prime Minister ABE occasionally met postal rebels to encourage them and clearly indicated to voters that he would allow the postal rebels to come back to the party. ABE apparently could not bear to hear people say, "Why did you reverse your position once you became prime minister?" 9) Objections voiced in LDP MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) November 28, 2006 Koichi Yonemura While 11 postal rebels yesterday were allowed to return to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),objections to their return were voiced in the party. At an emergency general meeting of the party's Reform Implementation Headquarters, which took place at the request of lawmakers, a majority voiced a cautious view about their return to the party, with House of Representatives member Hideki Makihara arguing, "If their return to the party is allowed as a result of intra-party discussions only, we will lose public confidence." Another House of Representatives member, Hideaki Omura insisted, "Given elections set for next year, I think the time is not ripe (to allow them to return to the party)." LDP Upper House Caucus Chairman Mikio Aoki, who had insisted that all postal rebels be allowed to return to the party, also attended the meeting. At the outset of the meeting, Aoki indicated he favored their return to the party, noting: "It was a significant fact that in the prime ministerial election they voted for SHINZO Abe." Aoki, however, excused himself from the meeting before it ended. Later in the day, first-time lawmakers opposing the rebels' return to the party held a press conference at LDP headquarters and released a statement. The statement stressed, "If the LDP allows their return without giving a rational account to the public, voters who voted for LDP candidates in the elections last year will move away from the LDP." The statement insisted on adopting a two-step return, stating: "They should organize a parliamentary group and TOKYO 00006738 008 OF 011 work with the LDP in the Diet. Then, while seeing what they do, the LDP should decide whether to allow them to return. This may make it easy for the public to understand." During the press conference, Jiro Ono, who ran as an "assassin" in last year's general election and defeated a postal rebel, criticized (the party leadership): "What did the general elections last year mean?" Yukari Sato, as well, complained: "I applied in the public recruitment of candidates and ran in the election, but if the return of the rebels is resolved in an ambiguous manner, I think it will become difficult for a variety of people to run next time." 10) New Komeito Representative Ota: "LDP is accountable to New Komeito supporters" MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) November 28, 2006 Takashi Tanigawa New Komeito Representative Akihiro Ota yesterday delivered a speech at a meeting in Tokyo of the Asia Council, which is headed by former Ambassador to the US Takakazu Kuriyama. In the speech, referring to the question of the postal rebels' return to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),Ota indicated his party would ask the LDP to account for their return in a way convincing to New Komeito supporters, noting: "It is a matter for the LDP to decide, but the New Komeito backed 'assassins' (in last year's Lower House elections). Our party needs to explain this to our supporters." After the speech, Ota met with Prime Minister SHINZO ABE and said: "You are accountable to the public and our party." ABE told Ota: "I think that consideration of what happened in the past and the conditions that were set (for them to return to the LDP) constitute an explanation." Ota agreed. 11) Cabinet Office report: Government "mobilized" people for six out of eight education reform town meetings MAINICHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) November 28, 2006 The Cabinet Office Town Meeting Research Committee yesterday released a preliminary report on prefectural surveys. The report shows that local governments "mobilized" people to participate in six out of eight education reform town meetings at the request of the central government. It also shows that the advertisement agency commissioned to run the town meetings received inflated payments for excessive staffers. 12) US, North Korea may hold bilateral talks on nuclear issue today TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) November 28, 2006 Yasunobu Kiuchi, Norihiro Shinkai, Beijing North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan, the country's chief delegate to the six-party talks, may visit Beijing on Nov. 28, according to informed sources yesterday. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency also quoted an informed diplomatic source in Beijing as saying that Kim is likely to arrive in Beijing in the morning of the TOKYO 00006738 009 OF 011 same day for talks with United States Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, the head of the US delegation. Should a meeting between Hill and Kim be brought about, the groundwork may be laid for the next round of multilateral talks. According to diplomatic sources, China called on North Korean officials to visit China, stemming from the judgment that bilateral talks between the US and North Korea are indispensable in order to resume the six-party talks. Asked about the possibility of a visit to China by the North Korean chief delegate, Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director General Kenichiro Sasae, now in Beijing as the head of the Japanese delegation, replied, "Since the Chinese government has engaged in negotiations, I want to wait until China makes an announcement." Hill, who arrived in Beijing on the afternoon of the same day, told reporters at the airport, "We have always said that we are prepared to meet with North Korean officials." Sasae met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei and Foreign Assistant Minister Cui Tiankai in succession the same day. Sasae told the Chinese officials that a resolution of the abduction issue, in addition to North Korea's nuclear and missile ambitions, is imperative for the two countries to improve their bilateral relations. In response, the Chinese officials expressed understanding, according to Sasae. Sasae also exchanged views with Hill. According to a report by Yonhap, South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Chun Yong Woo, the head of the nation's delegation to the six-party talks, met with Chinese chief delegate Wu on the afternoon of the same day. Japan, the US, and South Korea have shared the view that it is important to urge North Korea to take specific action toward scrapping its nuclear programs. The three countries have launched a coordination effort under the lead of China, which chairs the six-party talks. 13) A surge in pharmaceutical exports in May attributable to DPRK's attempt to secure them before sanctions? SANKEI (Page 1) (Excerpts) November 28, 2006 The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Public Safety Bureau and the Niigata Prefectural Police, which are investigating the case of a relative of a senior official of the science and technology association of Korean residents in Japan -- an organization affiliated with the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) -- on charges of having attempted to smuggle a large number of bags of intravenous solution (IV solution) into North Korea via its cargo-passenger boat Man Gyong Bong, yesterday found that exports of pharmaceuticals via that boat had surged since May. Envisioning the likelihood that Japan will step up sanctions against North Korea if it test-launched missiles and conducted a nuclear test, North Korean officials might have accelerated exports (of medicine from Japan to the North). Japanese police authorities will rush to find out whether Chongryon had a hand in this case. On the same day, the Public Safety Bureau and TOKYO 00006738 010 OF 011 police authorities searched six locations, such as Chongryuon's Tokyo headquarters in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward and its central headquarters' Niigata branch office on home visits in Niigata City, Niigata, on charges of violation of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law and other laws. The relative is the wife, 74, of a board member living in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward of the science and technology association. This relative attempted to smuggle into the North amino acid IV solution bags for nutritional support, as well as drugs for liver, which are said to be effective for radiation exposed people. Police authorities, suspecting that the relative attempted to smuggle those drugs into North Korea ahead of the nuclear test in October so that exposed engineers could use them, will investigate into what purposes those drugs were supposed to be used. According to police authorities, a Japanese pharmaceutical maker has since August of last year suspended shipments of medicine to a pharmaceutical sales firm in Tokyo that had exported pharmaceuticals to the North because of the abduction and other issues. This sales firm looked for a new medicine supplier, but this June it was charged by the Kanagawa Prefectural Police with the violation of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law. Since April of last year, the law has been tightened, and it is now required to obtain prescriptions in order to sell drugs unlike in the past, when it was possible to sell them if there were doctors' "instructions". With the decrease in the number of drug suppliers for the North Koreans, exports of IV solution bags to the North have surged since the beginning of this year from hundreds of bags last year to 10,000 or more bags for this year to date. Exports were concentrated particularly on the April-June period. On May 18, the relative in question attempted to smuggle drugs into the North via the Man Gyong Bong. 14) DPJ to vote against SDF law revision if ruling parties refuse to preclude Iraq dispatch from SDF's primary missions TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) November 28, 2006 The Security Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives is now deliberating on a government-introduced package of legislative measures to upgrade the Defense Agency to the status of a ministry. In this regard, the leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) entered into coordination yesterday to vote against only amendments to the Self-Defense Forces Law, which incorporate tasking the SDF with activities in Iraq, if the ruling parties reject the DPJ's call for precluding the SDF's Iraq activities from its primary missions overseas. The DPJ is poised to vote for the Defense Agency upgrading legislation, making it a precondition to take preventive steps against the Defense Facilities Administration Agency's bid-rigging scandal, improve the morals of Defense Agency personnel, and preclude the SDF's Iraq dispatches from its primary missions overseas. However, the ruling coalition will presumably refuse to preclude the SDF's Iraq dispatches. 15) Ruling coalition to vote today on Defense Ministry bill SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) TOKYO 00006738 011 OF 011 November 28, 2006 The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito decided yesterday to take a vote on a government-introduced package of legislative measures upgrading the Defense Agency to the status of a ministry in a meeting of the House of Representatives Security Affairs Committee today. The ruling parties then conveyed this course of action to the opposition parties. The ruling parties had initially planned to take a vote on the morning of Nov. 30 and then to lay the legislation in a plenary sitting of the House of Representatives for its passage that afternoon. However, Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) President Ichiro Ozawa's attitude toward the legislation was still unclear. The ruling parties therefore made the decision. "If we wait for the DPJ's answer, there's no guarantee that we can hold a meeting of the committee on the morning of the 30th," an LDP Diet Affairs Committee source said. However, if the ruling camp forces through the legislation, it would affect Diet deliberations on a bill amending the Fundamentals of Education Law. So there are also cautious arguments in the ruling parties. SCHIEFFER