Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO6846
2006-12-05 02:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
The Japan Economic Scope -- Economic News At-A-
how-toVZCZCXRO6076 RR RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #6846/01 3390210 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 050210Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8872 RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 5152 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2511 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 0118 RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 8645 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 9081 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 1567 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TOKYO 006846
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
PARIS PLEASE PASS USOECD
DEPT PASS USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ECON JA ZO EAGR
SUBJECT: The Japan Economic Scope -- Economic News At-A-
Glance.
Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TOKYO 006846
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
PARIS PLEASE PASS USOECD
DEPT PASS USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ECON JA ZO EAGR
SUBJECT: The Japan Economic Scope -- Economic News At-A-
Glance.
Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) Table of Contents
3. GOJ Backsliding on Triangular Mergers
4. Japan Starts Indonesia EPA Process with Focus on
Energy
5. ANRE's Arima Outlines Sub-Cabinet Energy Goals
6. Agriculture Minister Seeks to Increase Biofuel
Production
7. Hokkaido Agriculture Co-op Proposes Japan's Largest
Ethanol Plant
8. Northeast Asia Energy Newsletter
9. Russia Oil Seminar Reveals Differing Views on Russian
Energy Policy
10. Yen Exchange Rate and GM and Chrysler Japan; No
Complaints Here
11. Embassy Attends Corporate Signing Ceremony, Direct
Outcome of Investment Initiative
12. Japan's "Core" Consumer Price Growth Decelerates
Again in October, Up Mere 0.1%
13. Recent Major Economic Indicators
2. (U) The Japan Economic Scope (JES) is a weekly e-
newsletter produced by Embassy Tokyo's ECON section in
collaboration with other sections and constituent Posts
and published every Friday. It provides a brief
overview of recent economic developments, insights
gleaned from contacts, summaries of the latest cables
and a list of upcoming visitors. This cable contains
the December 1, 2006, JES, minus the attachments that
accompany many of the individual stories in the e-mail
version. To be added to the e-mail list, please email
ProgarJ@state.gov.
3. (SBU) GOJ Backsliding on Triangular Mergers
-------------- -
As we approach the end-game for implementation of new
rules to facilitate FDI into Japan by allowing cross-
border M&A through stock swaps ("triangular mergers"),
the GOJ bureaucracy has begun to backslide and is
proposing to deny tax deferral for the majority of these
deals, making the procedure effectively unusable.
This sudden shift in position in the final days before
the Diet will decide on tax amendments for FY-2007
contradicts repeated GOJ assurances to the foreign
business community and to us and, if sustained, would
cripple the Prime Minister's stated goal of doubling
inward FDI by 2010.
Japanese companies now have meaningful opportunities to
acquire U.S. companies via M&A, but, without tax
deferral, U.S. companies would be unable to acquire
Japanese firms using all-stock deals.
We will focus last lobbying efforts to overrule the
bureaucracy on senior political leaders and LDP tax
committee members and expect to raise this issue at the
forthcoming sub-cabinet meetings.
4.(SBU) Japan Starts Indonesia EPA Process with Focus on
Energy
--------------
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting Indonesian
President Susilo Bambang Yudyoyono on November 28 agreed
in principal on elements of an economic pact that will
form the basis for a free trade agreement.
If completed, it also will be Japan's first to
incorporate cooperation over a stable supply of energy
and mineral resources, in particular, liquefied natural
gas (LNG).
Japan is the world's largest LNG importer-58 million
tons in 2005-and Indonesia is Japan's largest supplier
at about 24 percent.
TOKYO 00006846 002 OF 004
Indonesia's increased domestic consumption has forced
the country to reassess whether to renew its current LNG
supply contracts with Japan, which expire in 2010 and
2011.
Japan is hoping that an EPA by next year would ensure
Japan continues to receive LNG from Indonesia.
5. (SBU) ANRE's Arima Outlines Sub-Cabinet Energy Goals
--------------
Japan's Trade Ministry is looking for USG support to
ensure a secure world energy supply during next week's
sub-cabinet meetings in Tokyo.
Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE)
International Affairs Division Director Jun Arima
repeatedly emphasized to us that Japan was looking to
"send a signal to emerging countries like India and
China" and wanted a "coordinated approach" with the
United States.
Arima said that the plan for next week is that MOFA
Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs Mitoji Yabunaka
will give a general energy presentation and METI
International Affairs Vice-Minister Toshiaki Kitamura
will follow with a discussion of specifics.
The two Ministries wish to make three main points: that
the United States and Japan must engage China and India
on energy at multi- and bilateral levels; that new
investment in energy-producing countries must be fair
and transparent; and that energy diversification, such
as the use of clean coal and nuclear energy, must be the
centerpiece of a global energy strategy. Arima also
stressed the need to end energy subsidies.
6. (U) Agriculture Minister Seeks to Increase Biofuel
Production
--------------
Agriculture Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka hopes to
replace ten percent of annual gasoline consumption,
currently at 60 million kilo liters, with biofuel.
If realized, the target could halt expansion in idle
farmland -- a rising concern in the aging farming sector
-- as it would trigger demand for rice, wheat, corn and
sugarcane.
Under Prime Minister Abe's orders, ministries of Trade,
Agriculture, Environment, Transportation etc. have begun
discussions on measures to increase biofuel production.
A study group aims to draft a time schedule by the end
of March 2007.
The figures Matsuoka raise are hailed as somewhat
optimistic, especially by the Ministry of Economy, Trade
and Industry (METI),the authority for energy policies,
which pursues in addition to biofuel, other possible
alternatives for gasoline, such as fuel cells and hybrid
electric cars etc.
Trade Minister Amari has reportedly mentioned that
"Japan needs to double the size of its farmland if it
were to achieve (Minister Matsuoka's) target using sugar
beets", hinting how difficult this would be.
In the meantime, sensing opportunities, trading firms
and petroleum related sectors are reportedly starting to
pursue the possibility of imports from Brazil.
Experiments for biofuel production that are subsidized
by the Agriculture Ministry are already underway in six
locations, including Hokkaido and Okinawa. However,
annual turnout is still limited to 30 kiloliters. In
order to serve as an alternative for gasoline, costs
need to be cut by streamlining facilities for mass
production, accelerating technical innovation and
TOKYO 00006846 003 OF 004
implementing exemption or reduction in tax rates for the
fuel.
7. (U) Hokkaido Agriculture Co-op Proposes Japan's
Largest Ethanol Plant
--------------
Isami Miyata, president of Japan Agricultural
Cooperatives Central Hokkaido (JACH),announced in late
October that JACH plans to build a new ethanol testing
plant by as early as 2009 in the Tokachi region of
Hokkaido if it receives funding from the Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries(MAFF).
The new ethanol plant would be located in the town of
Shimizu at the center of current LDP Policy Research
Council Chairman and Former MAFF and METI Minister
Shoichi Nakagawa's electoral district. If realized, the
plant would produce 15,000 kiloliters of ethanol
annually from locally grown sugar beets, rice and wheat,
making it the largest ethanol plant in the country.
MAFF has included funding in next year's budget for
three ethanol plants. Sensitive about moving into an
energy sector traditionally controlled by METI, Tokyo-
based rather than Hokkaido-based MAFF officials have
been conducting talks with JACH to see if the proposed
plant might qualify for this funding.
8. (SBU) Northeast Asia Energy Newsletter
--------------
The Northeast Asia energy officers produce a monthly
newsletter on regional energy topics, attached below.
If you would like to be included on the mailing list
please send a note to John Wecker.
(U) Russia Oil Seminar Reveals Differing Views on
Russian Energy Policy
--------------
Two Russian guest panelists at a November 9 seminar on
Russian energy strategy in Tokyo displayed starkly
different views on Moscow's energy policy.
An executive of the energy company Rosneft strenuously
defended the Russian government and its environmental
policies, particularly as they relate to the Russian
island Sakhalin.
A journalist specializing in energy issues had a more
cynical view of Russian motives and was particularly
critical of the government's relationship with Russian
gas major Gazprom.
A Japanese guest panelist, the chief researcher at Japan
Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) said
little other than to outline concerns over the Sakhalin
2 project, the one project out of six on Sakhalin Island
in which Rosneft has not investment.
For more details please see Tokyo 6758.
10. (SBU) Yen Exchange Rate and GM and Chrysler Japan;
No Complaints Here
--------------
Following up on the Big Three automakers' meeting with
the President last month in Washington, in which they
complained about an artificially undervalued yen, we met
with GM and Chrysler Japan to get their perspectives.
Neither company is making an issue of the yen exchange
rate here. Their main concerns are to promote their
premium car sales in Japan, which they anticipate to be
on the order of several thousand units a year.
We will meet with Ford shortly to get their take as
well.
TOKYO 00006846 004 OF 004
11. (U) Embassy Attends Corporate Signing Ceremony,
Direct Outcome of Investment Initiative
--------------
On November 29 we attended a signing ceremony between a
U.S. high tech company and its Japanese sole agent.
The U.S. company, Ann Arbor-based Coherix Corporation,
makes high precision measuring equipment for use in
machine tools. Its sales focus is on Japan's auto
manufacturers.
Coherix participated in the Embassy-JETRO sponsored
investment seminars in Sendai and Yokohama in early
October.
12. (SBU) Japan's "Core" Consumer Price Growth
Decelerates Again in October, Up Mere 0.1%
--------------
Japan's nationwide "core" CPI, which excludes perishable
food items, rose 0.1 percent in October from the year
before, after increases of 0.3 percent in August and 0.2
percent in September, the Ministry of Internal Affairs
and Communication (MIC) announced December 1.
13. (SBU) Recent Major Economic Indicators
--------------
The Cabinet Office states that Japan's economy has set a
post-war boom record, although conditions have worsened
slightly.
The monthly economic report, submitted to the Cabinet on
November 22, indicated that the economy is in its record
58th month of growth, exceeding the "Izanagi" boom of
1965-1970.
The report said that the economy is recovering, despite
some weakness in consumption. It added that private
consumption is almost flat.
The BOJ report, released on November 16, kept unchanged
its overall assessment, indicating that the economy is
"expanding moderately."
The BOJ said that domestic private demand is likely to
continue increasing against the background of strong
corporate profits, and a moderate rise in household
income.
As for the outlook, the BOJ expects the economy to
continue expanding moderately.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
PARIS PLEASE PASS USOECD
DEPT PASS USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ECON JA ZO EAGR
SUBJECT: The Japan Economic Scope -- Economic News At-A-
Glance.
Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) Table of Contents
3. GOJ Backsliding on Triangular Mergers
4. Japan Starts Indonesia EPA Process with Focus on
Energy
5. ANRE's Arima Outlines Sub-Cabinet Energy Goals
6. Agriculture Minister Seeks to Increase Biofuel
Production
7. Hokkaido Agriculture Co-op Proposes Japan's Largest
Ethanol Plant
8. Northeast Asia Energy Newsletter
9. Russia Oil Seminar Reveals Differing Views on Russian
Energy Policy
10. Yen Exchange Rate and GM and Chrysler Japan; No
Complaints Here
11. Embassy Attends Corporate Signing Ceremony, Direct
Outcome of Investment Initiative
12. Japan's "Core" Consumer Price Growth Decelerates
Again in October, Up Mere 0.1%
13. Recent Major Economic Indicators
2. (U) The Japan Economic Scope (JES) is a weekly e-
newsletter produced by Embassy Tokyo's ECON section in
collaboration with other sections and constituent Posts
and published every Friday. It provides a brief
overview of recent economic developments, insights
gleaned from contacts, summaries of the latest cables
and a list of upcoming visitors. This cable contains
the December 1, 2006, JES, minus the attachments that
accompany many of the individual stories in the e-mail
version. To be added to the e-mail list, please email
ProgarJ@state.gov.
3. (SBU) GOJ Backsliding on Triangular Mergers
-------------- -
As we approach the end-game for implementation of new
rules to facilitate FDI into Japan by allowing cross-
border M&A through stock swaps ("triangular mergers"),
the GOJ bureaucracy has begun to backslide and is
proposing to deny tax deferral for the majority of these
deals, making the procedure effectively unusable.
This sudden shift in position in the final days before
the Diet will decide on tax amendments for FY-2007
contradicts repeated GOJ assurances to the foreign
business community and to us and, if sustained, would
cripple the Prime Minister's stated goal of doubling
inward FDI by 2010.
Japanese companies now have meaningful opportunities to
acquire U.S. companies via M&A, but, without tax
deferral, U.S. companies would be unable to acquire
Japanese firms using all-stock deals.
We will focus last lobbying efforts to overrule the
bureaucracy on senior political leaders and LDP tax
committee members and expect to raise this issue at the
forthcoming sub-cabinet meetings.
4.(SBU) Japan Starts Indonesia EPA Process with Focus on
Energy
--------------
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting Indonesian
President Susilo Bambang Yudyoyono on November 28 agreed
in principal on elements of an economic pact that will
form the basis for a free trade agreement.
If completed, it also will be Japan's first to
incorporate cooperation over a stable supply of energy
and mineral resources, in particular, liquefied natural
gas (LNG).
Japan is the world's largest LNG importer-58 million
tons in 2005-and Indonesia is Japan's largest supplier
at about 24 percent.
TOKYO 00006846 002 OF 004
Indonesia's increased domestic consumption has forced
the country to reassess whether to renew its current LNG
supply contracts with Japan, which expire in 2010 and
2011.
Japan is hoping that an EPA by next year would ensure
Japan continues to receive LNG from Indonesia.
5. (SBU) ANRE's Arima Outlines Sub-Cabinet Energy Goals
--------------
Japan's Trade Ministry is looking for USG support to
ensure a secure world energy supply during next week's
sub-cabinet meetings in Tokyo.
Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE)
International Affairs Division Director Jun Arima
repeatedly emphasized to us that Japan was looking to
"send a signal to emerging countries like India and
China" and wanted a "coordinated approach" with the
United States.
Arima said that the plan for next week is that MOFA
Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs Mitoji Yabunaka
will give a general energy presentation and METI
International Affairs Vice-Minister Toshiaki Kitamura
will follow with a discussion of specifics.
The two Ministries wish to make three main points: that
the United States and Japan must engage China and India
on energy at multi- and bilateral levels; that new
investment in energy-producing countries must be fair
and transparent; and that energy diversification, such
as the use of clean coal and nuclear energy, must be the
centerpiece of a global energy strategy. Arima also
stressed the need to end energy subsidies.
6. (U) Agriculture Minister Seeks to Increase Biofuel
Production
--------------
Agriculture Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka hopes to
replace ten percent of annual gasoline consumption,
currently at 60 million kilo liters, with biofuel.
If realized, the target could halt expansion in idle
farmland -- a rising concern in the aging farming sector
-- as it would trigger demand for rice, wheat, corn and
sugarcane.
Under Prime Minister Abe's orders, ministries of Trade,
Agriculture, Environment, Transportation etc. have begun
discussions on measures to increase biofuel production.
A study group aims to draft a time schedule by the end
of March 2007.
The figures Matsuoka raise are hailed as somewhat
optimistic, especially by the Ministry of Economy, Trade
and Industry (METI),the authority for energy policies,
which pursues in addition to biofuel, other possible
alternatives for gasoline, such as fuel cells and hybrid
electric cars etc.
Trade Minister Amari has reportedly mentioned that
"Japan needs to double the size of its farmland if it
were to achieve (Minister Matsuoka's) target using sugar
beets", hinting how difficult this would be.
In the meantime, sensing opportunities, trading firms
and petroleum related sectors are reportedly starting to
pursue the possibility of imports from Brazil.
Experiments for biofuel production that are subsidized
by the Agriculture Ministry are already underway in six
locations, including Hokkaido and Okinawa. However,
annual turnout is still limited to 30 kiloliters. In
order to serve as an alternative for gasoline, costs
need to be cut by streamlining facilities for mass
production, accelerating technical innovation and
TOKYO 00006846 003 OF 004
implementing exemption or reduction in tax rates for the
fuel.
7. (U) Hokkaido Agriculture Co-op Proposes Japan's
Largest Ethanol Plant
--------------
Isami Miyata, president of Japan Agricultural
Cooperatives Central Hokkaido (JACH),announced in late
October that JACH plans to build a new ethanol testing
plant by as early as 2009 in the Tokachi region of
Hokkaido if it receives funding from the Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries(MAFF).
The new ethanol plant would be located in the town of
Shimizu at the center of current LDP Policy Research
Council Chairman and Former MAFF and METI Minister
Shoichi Nakagawa's electoral district. If realized, the
plant would produce 15,000 kiloliters of ethanol
annually from locally grown sugar beets, rice and wheat,
making it the largest ethanol plant in the country.
MAFF has included funding in next year's budget for
three ethanol plants. Sensitive about moving into an
energy sector traditionally controlled by METI, Tokyo-
based rather than Hokkaido-based MAFF officials have
been conducting talks with JACH to see if the proposed
plant might qualify for this funding.
8. (SBU) Northeast Asia Energy Newsletter
--------------
The Northeast Asia energy officers produce a monthly
newsletter on regional energy topics, attached below.
If you would like to be included on the mailing list
please send a note to John Wecker.
(U) Russia Oil Seminar Reveals Differing Views on
Russian Energy Policy
--------------
Two Russian guest panelists at a November 9 seminar on
Russian energy strategy in Tokyo displayed starkly
different views on Moscow's energy policy.
An executive of the energy company Rosneft strenuously
defended the Russian government and its environmental
policies, particularly as they relate to the Russian
island Sakhalin.
A journalist specializing in energy issues had a more
cynical view of Russian motives and was particularly
critical of the government's relationship with Russian
gas major Gazprom.
A Japanese guest panelist, the chief researcher at Japan
Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) said
little other than to outline concerns over the Sakhalin
2 project, the one project out of six on Sakhalin Island
in which Rosneft has not investment.
For more details please see Tokyo 6758.
10. (SBU) Yen Exchange Rate and GM and Chrysler Japan;
No Complaints Here
--------------
Following up on the Big Three automakers' meeting with
the President last month in Washington, in which they
complained about an artificially undervalued yen, we met
with GM and Chrysler Japan to get their perspectives.
Neither company is making an issue of the yen exchange
rate here. Their main concerns are to promote their
premium car sales in Japan, which they anticipate to be
on the order of several thousand units a year.
We will meet with Ford shortly to get their take as
well.
TOKYO 00006846 004 OF 004
11. (U) Embassy Attends Corporate Signing Ceremony,
Direct Outcome of Investment Initiative
--------------
On November 29 we attended a signing ceremony between a
U.S. high tech company and its Japanese sole agent.
The U.S. company, Ann Arbor-based Coherix Corporation,
makes high precision measuring equipment for use in
machine tools. Its sales focus is on Japan's auto
manufacturers.
Coherix participated in the Embassy-JETRO sponsored
investment seminars in Sendai and Yokohama in early
October.
12. (SBU) Japan's "Core" Consumer Price Growth
Decelerates Again in October, Up Mere 0.1%
--------------
Japan's nationwide "core" CPI, which excludes perishable
food items, rose 0.1 percent in October from the year
before, after increases of 0.3 percent in August and 0.2
percent in September, the Ministry of Internal Affairs
and Communication (MIC) announced December 1.
13. (SBU) Recent Major Economic Indicators
--------------
The Cabinet Office states that Japan's economy has set a
post-war boom record, although conditions have worsened
slightly.
The monthly economic report, submitted to the Cabinet on
November 22, indicated that the economy is in its record
58th month of growth, exceeding the "Izanagi" boom of
1965-1970.
The report said that the economy is recovering, despite
some weakness in consumption. It added that private
consumption is almost flat.
The BOJ report, released on November 16, kept unchanged
its overall assessment, indicating that the economy is
"expanding moderately."
The BOJ said that domestic private demand is likely to
continue increasing against the background of strong
corporate profits, and a moderate rise in household
income.
As for the outlook, the BOJ expects the economy to
continue expanding moderately.
SCHIEFFER