JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 12/27/06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 007136 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 12/27/06 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 4) Administrative Reform Minister Sata likely to resign over political fund abuse charges 5) Government's counterintelligence council meets for first time, will set unified standards to prevent intelligence leaks 6) Yasukuni Shrine to revise display on China at Yushukan war museum 7) ODA white paper focuses on promotion of private sector activities in developing countries through economic cooperation 8) Yomiuri opinion poll finds 78% of public do not feel the economy has recovered Economic agenda: 9) Cabinet Office simulation of national and regional incomes predicts country's finances will move into black, eliminating need for tax hikes 10) Prime Minister Abe appoints respected senior economist Kosai to head recently vacated government tax council post 11) Ministry of Health and Labor to prevent part-time employees from discriminatory treatment 12) Health and agricultural ministries after investigation will allow US packer that mistakenly sent unauthorized byproduct to Japan to resume exports of beef 13) Japanese diplomat, formerly in Yemen embassy and now in Honolulu consulate, to be charged with absentee vote violation in Diet election Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi: Death sentence for ex-Iraqi President Saddam Hussein finalized, to be executed within 30 days Mainichi: Cabinet Office predicts surplus in primary balance of state and local governments to return to black by FY2011 without consumption tax hike Yomiuri: Comsn suspected of excessively claiming nursing-care benefits under nursing-care system; Tokyo government investigate 50 offices Nihon Keizai: Toyota chairman meets Ford CEO over possible tie-up Sankei: Administrative Reform Minister Sato to resign over false political fund reports �00A; TOKYO 00007136 002 OF 009 Tokyo Shimbun: Aneha handed five years in prison for fabricating earthquake-resistance data Akahata: Administrative Reform Minister Sata's political organ submitted false political fund reports claiming 78 million yen in expenses for office that did not exist 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Man convicted of killing five people with poisoned wine deserves benefit of the doubt (2) Two years after quake off Sumatra: Real recovery lies ahead Mainichi: (1) Poisoned wine murder case: Credibility of confession in question after 45 years (2) Strengthening order to collect defective goods is needed to protect people (senior writer Keita Koizumi) Yomiuri: (1) Regulatory reform plan: Consideration needed also for adverse effects (2) Aneha sentenced to five years in prison: Victims' anger will not be eased Nihon Keizai: (1) Strong expectations for new Tax Commission Chairman Kosai (2) Tokyo District Court condemns Aneha's concealing of quake-resistance data falsification Sankei: (1) Aneha handed prison term: Long way for architects to regain public confidence (2) Nabari (poisoned wine) murder case: The same court reverses decision Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Poisoned wine murder case: Look at the course of events (2) Court sentences Aneha to five-years: High professional ethics required Akahata: (1) University budget cuts: Abe government unqualified to talk about "education reform" 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) Prime Minister's schedule, December 26 NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) December 27, 2006 10:04 Attended a cabinet meeting at Kantei. Met Japan Tobacco President Hiroshi Kimura and former President Katsuhiko Honda. Later attended a meeting of the taskforce to deal with heavily indebted persons. 10:52 Met Deputy Foreign Minister Yabunaka and European Affairs Bureau TOKYO 00007136 003 OF 009 Director General Harada. 12:35 Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki, deputy chief cabinet secretaries Shimomura, Suzuki, and Matoba, and special advisors, SIPDIS including Koike. 13:21 Former Education Minister Nakasone and former Agriculture Minister Shimomura. 14:05 Attended a meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy. 15:00 Met special advisor Nemoto. Followed by New Komeito President Ota and others. Later, met Policy Research Council Chairman Nakagawa. 17:30 Met Cabinet Office International Peace Cooperation Office Secretariat Chief Ozawa, and assistant deputy chief cabinet SIPDIS secretaries Ando and Yanagisawa. SIPDIS 18:54 Enjoy the musical "Girlfriends" with his wife, Akie, at the Hakuhinkan Hall, Ginza. 21:51 Returned to his official residence. 4) Administrative Reform Minister Sata likely to resign to take responsibility for false political fund reports amid growing criticism in ruling coalition SANKEI (Top Play) Full) December 27, 2006 A political organization for State Minister in charge of Administrative Reform Genichiro Sata, 54, representing the Gunma No. 1 electoral district, submitted false political fund reports claiming expenses for an office that did not exist, according to allegations. Amid growing calls in the ruling coalition questioning Sata's moral responsibility for the alleged violations, Sata himself appears to have decided yesterday to step down from his post. Aides to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have begun looking for his replacement. The dominant view among Abe's aides is that the prime minister has no choice but to remove him from the cabinet post in a bid to minimize the negative impact on the Abe administration. Abe revealed last night to reporters that he had told Sata to explain the reports to him quickly, saying, "I told Mr. Sata to thoroughly investigate the reports and that political funds must be properly reported. I also told him that politicians must act properly." With this regard, a high government official made this comment: "The results of the investigations must be submitted by Dec. 28 at the latest. It is too late to submit them next year." If the murky situation continues, Abe's responsibility for appointing him might be called into question. In his press conference on Dec. 19, Sata severely criticized former TOKYO 00007136 004 OF 009 Tax Commission Chairman Masaaki Honma for having lived in a government-paid apartment without authorization, saying, "I want him to make a decision on his own and act properly." Sata in a press briefing yesterday, however, would not admit to the allegations, reiterating: "I learned them for the first time thorough media reports. I will explain after investigating them." He and his secretaries have sequestered themselves since yesterday afternoon, canceling all official duties. Opposition parties, meanwhile, made it clear they wanted his resignation, with Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama saying, "If the allegations are true, he must resign. The prime minister has responsibility for appointing him." Criticism is gaining impetus in the ruling coalition. A senior New Komeito member noted: "The amount of political money involved is too large. It is not a matter that can be resolved by saying a secretary did it." An LDP member said, "He will be able to make a decision in one or two days after learning the results of the investigation." As a result, it appears that Sata has no choice but to resign. 5) Gov't to work out info guidelines for leak prevention YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) December 27, 2006 The Counterintelligence Promotion Council, a government panel chaired by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Junzo Matoba, held its first meeting yesterday at the prime minister's office. In the meeting, the panel decided to formulate guidelines for the government to prevent intelligence leaks. The guidelines will incorporate regulations for government officials handling classified information. The government will set up a working group under the panel. The working group, which will be made of officials at the division director level from various ministries and agencies, will study intelligence leakage cases in the past, such as the suicide of a Japanese diplomat posted at the Consulate General of Japan in Shanghai, China. This diplomat committed suicide with a note reportedly saying he was coerced by Chinese intelligence authorities into providing classified information. 6) Yasukuni Shrine museum to retouch China exhibits, soften offensive descriptions ASAHI (Page 26) (Full) December 27, 2006 Yasukuni Shrine yesterday began retouching the historical descriptions of panels exhibited at its war museum, Yushukan. The shrine, with Toshiaki Nanbu as its chief priest, will modify panel descriptions over the outbreak of war between Japan and the United States as planned. In addition, the shrine will also change China-related exhibits, such as the Manchurian Incident and the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-45. The museum will be temporarily closed until the end of the year and will be reopened to the public on Jan. ¶1. The Yushukan museum will replace seven panels headlined "Russo-Japanese War to Manchurian Incident," "Manchurian History," TOKYO 00007136 005 OF 009 "China Incident," "Hitler," Stalin," Roosevelt," and "Japan-US negotiations." One of the seven panels is about the outbreak of Japan-US war on Dec. 8, 1941, saying that US President Roosevelt "drove Japan, a resourceless country, into a corner with an embargo and compelled Japan to open war." The museum will delete this description, which stresses the United States' responsibility. Instead, the museum will exhibit replacements, including a diary of US War Secretary Stimson, to indicate that the United States had an "intention" to open war. In addition, the museum will exhibit the "Imperial edict to open war" with an English translation for foreign visitors to deepen their understanding of Japan's position in those days. The United States was also critical about the current description of war between Japan and the United States. The museum is reviewing its exhibits and retouching their panel descriptions under the supervision of Taro Nagae, former chief researcher at the National Institute for Defense Studies, a think tank of the Defense Agency. "Historical documents will be in place so as not to cause misunderstanding," Nagae says. Yushukan will also modify the China-related descriptions of its exhibits, but Yasukuni Shrine's public information division says it cannot disclose any of their changes until the museum is reopened to the public. "Yushukan's exhibition was intended to cope with a masochistic view of history," a shrine official said. "But," this official added, "there were also excessively offensive expressions against other countries, so we'd like to soften that point." However, the shrine will not recognize the Sino-Japanese war as a "war of aggression." Yushukan is a war memorial to praise fallen soldiers, and it was rebuilt and opened in July 2002. It will mark its fifth anniversary next year and will continue to review and retouch its exhibition. 7) Promote private-sector activities through economic cooperation, ODA White Paper notes TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) December 27, 2006 Foreign Minister Taro Aso presented the Official Development Assistance (ODA) White Paper for fiscal 2006 at a cabinet meeting yesterday. According to the report, the total amount of ODA (yen terms) extended in fiscal 2005 went up approximately 50% from the previous year's level, reaching approximately 1.4474 trillion yen due to special elements, including debt relief for Iraq and assistance for the major earthquake off Sumatra and the accompanying tsunami. If such elements were excluded, the total amount of ODA SIPDIS would be approximately 942.1 billion yen, down approximately 4% compared with the preceding year. As new objectives of ODA, the report cited promotion of private-sector activities through economic cooperation and securing energy resources through strengthened relations with natural resource-rich nations. As specific measures to promote economic activities, the report gave protection of intellectual property rights and assistance for the signing of economic partnership agreements. TOKYO 00007136 006 OF 009 8) Poll: 78% don't feel economic recovery YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) December 27, 2006 The Yomiuri Shimbun found from its recent a face-to-face nationwide public opinion survey conducted Dec. 9-10 that a total of 78% did not actually feel economic recovery or did not feel it very much, even though the government has declared that the economy has been recovering. In the survey, respondents were also asked if they thought the nation's social divide-such as the income gap-has widened. In response to this question, "yes" and "yes to a certain degree" totaled 74%. Japan is said to be currently in the postwar longest phase of economic expansion. However, the survey shows that the general public does not actually feel such a declared economic upbeat. The total proportion of those actually feeling economic recovery increased 4 percentage points from a survey taken in January this year. Those not actually feeling it totaled only 21%. Respondents were asked how their livelihood has changed over the past year. In response, 69% said there was no change, topping all other answers. To a question asking if they have held down their spending, "very much" and "somewhat" totaled 63%. Asked about the nation's social divide, more than 70% answered that it has widened, with 22% saying it remains unchanged and only 3% saying it has narrowed. In addition, a total of 67% answered that there was economic disparity between urban and rural districts. The survey also asked respondents about their living standard. To this question, a total of 46% answered that it was average, topping all other answers. However, the figure dropped 6 points from a survey in December 2005. The proportion of those thinking of themselves as "lower middle" class marked an all-time high of 33%, up 6 points. The "lower" class also increased 6 points to 7%. 9) Primary balance of national and local governments can be brought into black without tax hike: Cabinet Office; Necessary amount can be reduced by 7 trillion yen MAINICHI (Top Play) (Full) December 27, 2006 The Cabinet Office yesterday released its estimate of the amount needed to achieve the government target of moving the primary balance of the central and local governments into the black in fiscal 2011. It calculated that the necessary fiscal sources can be reduced from the initially estimated 16.5 trillion yen to 9.5 trillion yen due to an increase in tax revenues as a result of the economic recovery. If the maximum target for spending cuts to be achieved by fiscal 2011 as indicated in the basic policy guidelines on economic and fiscal management and structural reforms for the fiscal 2006 national budget is accomplished, it would be possible in sheer numbers to move the primary balance into the black without a tax hike. The estimate will likely spark a trend to block discussions calling for a hike in the consumption tax. The report was presented yesterday at a meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy chaired by Prime Minister Abe. TOKYO 00007136 007 OF 009 The basic policy guidelines for the fiscal 2006 estimated that 16.5 trillion yen in fiscal sources would be needed to move the primary balance into the black. According to this estimate, the government decided to reduce this number by 11.4-14.3 trillion yen over five years from fiscal 2007 through fiscal 2011 through spending cuts and cover the remaining amount with increased revenues. The Cabinet Office has calculated that if the effects of increased revenues of 3.5 trillion yen and efforts to cut expenditures worth 3.5 trillion yen in the fiscal 2007 draft budget are taken into account, the amount of fiscal resources needed to bring the primary balance into the black can be extensively reduced. The primary balance can be shifted into the black without hiking the consumption tax, if 7.9-10.8 trillion yen, the amount worked out by deducting the spending cut target for fiscal 2007 from the total target for spending cuts, can be cut over four years. Some government officials take the view that it is necessary to set a new target for the surplus needed to move forward the time when the primary balance will shift into the black and to reduce the amount of outstanding debt. However, State Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy Hiroko Ota told a news conference, "The necessary amount of fiscal sources will change, depending on future tax revenues." She categorically said that the government has no intention of changing its policy in the basic policy guidelines for fiscal 2007. However, chances are high that if the present government target is kept as is, an optimistic view toward fiscal reconstruction could prevail, generating an argument in the ruling camp that it is not necessary to raise the consumption tax. 10) Economic think-tank adviser Kosai tapped as tax panel head, expected to follow economic expansion policy ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) December 27, 2006 Prime Minister Abe announced yesterday that he would install Yutaka Kosai, senior adviser at the Japan Center for Economic Research, to the post of chairman for the government's Tax Commission to succeed Masaaki Honma, who resigned over a scandal. Kosai, former Cabinet Office's Economic Society Comprehensive Research Institute head, will be formally appointed chairman of the tax council at a plenary session in January, after becoming a panel member as early as today. The prime minister told reporters at the Kantei last night: "Since Mr. Kosai is highly knowledgeable about the financial and tax systems, I have great respect for him. I hope he will work out a well-balanced tax system." In the government and the ruling camp, the name of Motoshige Ito, professor at the University of Tokyo, was once floated, but Ito declined the offer. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki, under the instruction of the prime minister, asked Kosai yesterday to assume the chairmanship. Kosai spoke of his aspirations before reporters in Tokyo last night: "If the economy grows even slightly, it will be easier for problems to be resolved in order to restore the nation's finances. In this context, the role of the tax system is important." TOKYO 00007136 008 OF 009 Kosai used to be an official at the former Economic Planning Agency. He later served as Economic Research Institute chief research officer and Tokyo Institute of Technology professor. In 2002, Kosai mapped out a package of measures to dispose of nonperforming bank loans as chairman of the project team on emergency response strategy in the financial sector under Financial Services Minister Takenaka. In 2005, as chairman of an expert research panel of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy under State Minister in Charge of Economic and Fiscal Policy Takenaka he produced a report titled, "Japan's vision for the 21st century," which presented necessary reform challenges for Japan in order to maintain its economic strength. The vision pointed out the possibility of raising the nation's real economic growth rate by improving productivity and other means. This view is close to Prime Minister Abe's policy of giving priority to economic growth. Kosai is expected to succeed the former chairman's stance of pursuing tax reform, focusing on revitalizing the Japanese economy. 11) Ban on discriminatory treatment of part-timers: MHLW to submit bill amending law YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) December 27, 2007 The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) yesterday decided to incorporate a clause that bans a discriminatory treatment of part-timers whose working conditions are the same as those of fulltime employees in a bill amending the part-time labor law, which is to be submitted to the regular Diet session next year. The Labor Policy Council's Equal Employment Taskforce, which met yesterday, compiled a report on measures for part-timers and submitted it to MHLW Minister Yanagisawa. The government has discussed possible amendments to the law as part of its policy of correcting disparities between permanent and non-permanent workers. The panel report noted that discriminatory treatment of part-timers who have been under employment for a long period of time and who work under the same conditions as those of permanent employees in terms of, for instance, working hours and assignments, should be banned. The bill also mandates employers to issue a paper that stipulates working conditions, such as pay raises, bonuses and retirement benefits. It also notes that penalties will be imposed on employees, who failed in their obligation and neglected the duty even after guidance and recommendations are given. The legislation also obligates employees to introduce a system of switching part-timers to permanent employees in order to promote corporate efforts to employ part-timers as permanent workers. 12) Eight US plants authorized to resume beef imports, with no problems found in on-site inspections ASAHI (Page 10) (Full) December 27, 2006 The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries released the results of their on-site inspections of eight US plants with licenses to ship beef to Japan from Nov. 26 through Dec. 13. The two ministries announced TOKYO 00007136 009 OF 009 that there were no problems, as the plants have complied with the beef export procedures agreed on between Japan and the US, such as the removal of specified risk materials. An inspection was also conducted at the Swift Gregory plant in Colorado, in whose shipment ineligible sweetbread was found in October. The audit found that the cause of the violation was as explained by the US side and that improvement measures have been implemented. Based on this result, the two ministries will resume import procedures for the beef shipped from Gregory starting today. 13) Former secretary at embassy in Yemen to be charged with violation in absentee vote in 2003 Lower House election NIHON KEIZAI (Page 39) (Excerpts) December 27, 2007 It was found yesterday that the Metropolitan Police Department has sent papers to prosecutors on a diplomat who was a second secretary at the embassy in Yemen and now a consul in Honolulu on suspicion of having filled in ballots prior to the voting period for the House of Representatives election in November 2003 and having other embassy staffer treat the ballots as valid votes. The Foreign Ministry yesterday took disciplinary action against the diplomat and another, including a salary cut of one-tenth of their monthly pay for three months, and also punished two of their superiors. The illegal act was discovered due to a report from within the embassy around the fall of last year. The Foreign Ministry accused the diplomat of violating the Public Office Election Law in late November of this year. DONOVAN