JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 04/11/07

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E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 04/11/07 TOKYO 00001577 001.2 OF 010 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule Chinese Premier Wen off to Tokyo: 4) Chinese Premier Wen to arrive in Japan today 5) Japan-China summit today, joint statement expected for bilateral cooperation on environmental, other issues 6) Japan, China to team up for energy research 7) Business world's eyes on Chinese premier's visit to Japan China ties: 8) Prime Minister Abe plans to visit China this year 9) LDP's Kato, Yamasaki to leave for China on April 27 Iraq & Russia ties: 10) Visiting Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki says there is no need to set timetable for US troop pullout 11) Russia ready to cooperate with Japan on atomic energy 12) Moscow negative about territorial settlement with Japan DPRK issues: 13) Prime Minister Abe urges Pyongyang to translate its nuclear abandonment into action 14) No headway, no unfreezing: Prime Minister Abe 15) Foreign Minister Aso pessimistic about North Korea's nuclear facility shutdown before time is up 16) MOF reminds Japanese banks of North Korea sanctions Political topics: 17) Diet to intensify debate after "Golden Week" holidays in May on USFJ realignment, educational reform, Iraq assistance, NSC installation 18) Ruling coalition proposes voting tomorrow on USFJ realignment legislation 19) Koizumi totally denies coming back into office as premier Economic topics: 20) Japan cautious about 3rd-party participation in WTO talks over China piracy 21) Japan to explain rate hike at G-7 meeting in D.C. 22) Japan to set store on Africa with ODA projects Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi, Mainichi, Sankei, and Tokyo Shimbun: Macao monetary authority unfreezes North Korean-linked funds; US announces support for step Yomiuri: Ruling camp puts off plan to revise 300-day clause on babies born to divorced mothers Nihon Keizai: Daiei to sell 31% stake in OMC; SMFG eager to purchase Akahata: Ruling coalition propose taking vote on constitutional revision bill tomorrow; 22 bar associations opposed to legislation TOKYO 00001577 002.2 OF 010 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Producing terminal care guidelines an urgent task (2) Growing acquittals point to need for prosecutors to review their stances Mainichi: (1) Having terminal care guidelines is not enough (2) Relief measures for Kanemi oil victims not an end to deadly syndrome Yomiuri: (1) Morals as a school subject: Numerical evaluation unfit for inner feelings (2) North Korea sanctions card must be used effectively Nihon Keizai: (1) Bank of Japan must offer detailed explanations on prices and monetary policy (2) Japan must demonstrate strong leadership in support for Iraq Sankei: (1) Wen Jiabao's "ice-melting trip" to Japan (2) Terminal care guidelines include many challenges Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Terminal care guidelines must save patients and doctors (2) Technical cooperation on natural gas essential Akahata: (1) Constitutional revision bill must not be put to vote 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) Prime Minister's schedule, April 10 NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) April 11, 2007 09:01 Attended cabinet meeting in the Diet building. Justice Minister Nagase remained in the office. 09:48 Met at Kantei with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matoba, followed by JCCI Chairman Nobuo Yamaguchi. 10:29 Met again with Matoba. 11:05 Met with Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit. 12:03 Visited Nichido Art Gallery on the Ginza. 12:29 Returned to Kantei. 14:00 Met with Ambassador to China Miyamoto, Foreign Ministry Asian and TOKYO 00001577 003.2 OF 010 Oceanian Affairs Bureau chief Sasae, joined by Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki. SIPDIS 15:05 Met with Vice Finance Minister Fujii and Vice Minister for International Affairs Watanabe. Met afterwards with LDP Lower House member Yasuhide Nakayama, member of the group to implement reform plan. 16:06 Met with Vice Defense Minister Moriya and Defense Intelligence Headquarters Chief Mukunoki. Moriya remained in the office. 16:32 Met with International Court of Justice President Higgins, joined by ICJ Judge Hisashi Owada. Met later with LDP Acting Secretary General Ishihara. 17:13 Attended Overseas Economic Cooperation Council meeting. 18:10 Met with Justice Minister Omi. 19:08 Met at his official residence with LDP Secretary General Nakagawa, General Council Chairman Niwa, LDP Upper House Chairman Aoki, and Shiozaki. 4) Chinese premier to arrive in Japan today NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Full) April 11, 2007 Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will officially visit Japan for three days from April 11. He is expected to meet today with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to come up with a joint statement to substantiate an agreement to build a strategic and reciprocal relationship that China and Japan reached when Abe visited Beijing last October. The joint statement will include starting regular charter flights between Haneda and Shanghai this year, as well as lifting China's import ban on Japanese rice in July. The statement will also stipulate that the two countries should face the history issue squarely, like last November's joint press statement. Wen will be the first Chinese premier to visit Japan since then Premier Zhu Rongji came to Tokyo in October 2000. 5) Japan, China to issue joint statement pledging cooperation on environment at today's summit YOMIURI (Page 2 (Full) April 11, 2007 Prime Minister Abe and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will likely reach an agreement on cooperation on the environment and energy during their summit today and issue a joint paper separately. Regarding other bilateral pending issues, such as North Korea and wartime history, final coordination is now underway for the compilation of a joint paper incorporating specific measures based on the perception of a strategic reciprocal relationship, which they agreed on when Abe visited China last October. The Chinese side TOKYO 00001577 004.2 OF 010 wants to release a joint statement, which is higher in status than the joint press release issued at the summit last October. However, Japan's stance is that it is not necessary to draft such a statement unless progress is made over the issue of jointly developing gas fields in the East China Sea, as a senior Foreign Ministry official noted. This is the first visit of a Chinese premier to Japan since Zhu Rongji came in Oct. 2000. 6) Japan, China to include in joint statement cooperation on energy issue YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) April 11, 2007 Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Amari and National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) head Ma Kai will meet after the Japan-China summit today. They are expected to sign a joint energy statement. According to the full text of the statement revealed yesterday, the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan, and the NDRC Energy Research Center will introduce in cooperation the legal consolidation and tax systems of Japan, which is ahead of China in terms of energy conservation, to China to help it formulate an energy policy. The two countries will also set up an energy conservation and environmental business promotion committee consisting of bureau-director-level officials responsible for energy conservation policy. They will agree on the promotion of the private-sector-level transfer of energy-conserving technologies from Japan to China. They will also agree that the governments of both countries designate such business activities as model projects and obligate involved companies to submit progress reports, thereby keeping an eye on trouble over the possible infringement of intellectual property rights and the collection of the cost for the transfer of such technologies between private companies. 7) China to curtail preferential policy for foreign capital: Business circles paying attention to premier's visit to Japan TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 9) (Full) April 11, 2007 Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will visit Japan today. The eyes of Japan's business circles are on China's new policy of curtailing its preferential measures for foreign companies. They are also keenly interested in what sort of cooperative system Japan and China will set up on the environment and energy conservation. They are fixing their attention on statements to be made by Wen. The Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) carried out a survey this March on about 200 member companies regarding questions they want to ask Wen. Most companies cited the change to China's trade and foreign capital usage policy last November, as well as the environment and energy conservation. China has pressed ahead with a policy of actively introducing foreign capital since 1992 and strengthened exports by expanding production on the strength of cheap labor. However, in the policy switch this time, it has defined the role of foreign capital as TOKYO 00001577 005.2 OF 010 providing technology that will lead to beefing up China's domestic industrial structure, such as the introduction of state-of-the-art technology and advanced management know-how. It has decided to select foreign capital by limiting or rejecting the advance of foreign companies that fail to clear its standards on energy conservation and water consumption. It has also decided to impose the same corporate taxation system as applied to domestic companies on foreign companies, revising the preferential corporate tax rate currently imposed on foreign companies. Such measures could press Japanese companies operating in China to take a second look at their investment policy. For this reason Keidanren will pay attention to the Diet speech and speech at a luncheon hosted by economic organizations Wen will deliver on the 12th. They are eager to discern China's true intentions. 8) Prime Minister Abe announces in meeting with Chinese premier that he will visit China this year YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) April 11, 2007 Prime Minister Abe plans to visit China this fall or afterward. Abe will convey the plan to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao when Abe meets with Wen today at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei). Abe's planned visit to China is for mutual visits by the top leaders of Japan and China so that bilateral relations improved by his China visit last October will be more solidified. Abe wishes to pave the way for an early visit to Japan by Chinese President Hu Jintao. Wen is expected to invite Abe to visit China during today's meeting. Abe will reveal his plan to travel to China in the form of responding to Wen's invitation. The Chinese government expects that Abe will visit China, after making it clear that he will not pay homage at Yasukuni Shrine on such occasions as the shrine's fall festival. Abe, however, refrained from revealing his stance on whether to visit the shrine. He intends to carefully make a decision on when to go to China. 9) LDP's Kato, Yamasaki off for China on April 27 SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) April 11, 2007 Koichi Kato, former secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),and Taku Yamasaki, former LDP vice president, will make a five-day trip to China from April 27, Sankei learned yesterday. The two senior LDP lawmakers reportedly plan to meet with Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and see the North Korean border from the Chinese side. 10) Maliki denies need for setting timetable for US withdrawal TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) April 11, 2007 Visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki indicated yesterday that there is no need to set a timetable for a withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, saying, "There is no need for a timeline for (US) withdrawal." He revealed this view in a press conference held at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. TOKYO 00001577 006.2 OF 010 Maliki took a negative view about setting a timeframe for (US) withdrawal, saying: "We are working hard to realize (US) withdrawal as soon as possible. Requesting a withdrawal is a democratic right. Actually deciding on a withdrawal depends on our level of confidence in the process of handing security control (over to the Iraqi government)." 11) Russia energy policy head expresses hopes for closer cooperation with Japan on nuclear energy NIHON KEIZAI (Page 9) (Full) April 11, 2007 The Japan Atomic Industrial Forum opened its annual convention in the city of Aomori yesterday. Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency head Sergei Kirienko in a speech expressed his willingness to promote cooperation with Japan on nuclear energy. Kirienko disclosed a plan to construct an aluminum plant and nuclear power plant at the same site in the Russian Far East. He added: "The site is located near Japan, so we want Japanese manufacturers to study the possibility of cooperation." 12) Russian presidential assistant: There is no peace treaty between Japan and Russia, but it does not hinder bilateral economic cooperation MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) April 11, 2007 Naoya Sugio, Moscow Russian Presidential Assistant for International Affairs Prikhodiko stated in a press conference yesterday: "Although Russia and Japan have no peace treaty, bilateral economic cooperation projects have not been prevented." With this, Prikhodiko indicated that he was reluctant to resolve the territorial row. President Putin has said that the two countries should find a solution that will be acceptable to both sides. However, the presidential assistant's remark can be taken as a change in the Russian presidential office that hopes to leave the peace treaty issue up in the air. Prikhodiko said: "It is not right to set a settlement of the territorial dispute as a condition for improving bilateral ties." 13) Abe urges North Korea to take steps for nuclear abandonment NIHON KEIZAI (Page 9) (Full) April 11, 2007 Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, touching on the unfreezing of North Korea-linked funds at a Macao bank, urged Pyongyang last night to take steps swiftly for nuclear abandonment, saying: "The environment surrounding North Korea will not change unless it delivers on its promise made at the six-party talks (in February) to take specific steps for nuclear abandonment." He was responding to a question from a reporter at his official residence. 14) Abe: Japan will not lift sanctions on North Korea unless there is progress on nuclear, abduction issues ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) TOKYO 00001577 007.2 OF 010 April 11, 2007 Touching on the fact that the government has extended its economic sanctions on North Korea, including the ban on port calls by North Korean ships, for another six months in reaction to Pyongyang's nuclear test last year, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said: "There has been no visible progress on the nuclear, missile, and abduction issues. We will not lift the sanctions unless there is progress on those issues." He thus indicated that Japan would not lift its sanctions unless North Korea makes positive responses to those issues. He was speaking to reporters at his official residence. Abe also urged the North to swiftly implement what was agreed on at the six-party talks (in February),saying: "In the six-party talks, North Korea promised to take specific steps for nuclear elimination. The environment surrounding North Korea will not change unless Pyongyang delivers on its promise." 15) Aso: Having North Korea shut down nuclear facilities by deadline "extremely difficult" YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) April 11, 2007 In a meeting of the House of Councillors' Foreign and Defense Policy Committee yesterday, Foreign Minister Aso said: "Prospects are extremely dim that North Korea could implement the first steps toward denuclearization (by the deadline)" as agreed on in the six-party talks on Feb. 13, such as shutting down and sealing nuclear facilities in Yongbyon within 60 days. He replied to a question by Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) member Shinkun Haku. North Korea has refused to hold talks on its nuclear issue, citing the lack of progress in the return of DPRK-linked funds frozen at Banco Delta Asia in Macao. The United States Department of the Treasury issued a statement early on April 10, local time, indicating that the BDA issue would be resolved shortly. In the government, however, many officials remain skeptical about North Korea's moves. Even if the BDA issue is settled, it will be necessary to resume the six-party talks before North Korea implements all the first steps, including holding talks on compiling a list of all North Korea's nuclear programs. But since Chinese Foreign Vice Minister Wu Dawei is scheduled to visit Japan together with Premier Wen Jiabao, it seems difficult to resume the talks by the end of this week. 16) MOF calls for thorough implementation of sanctions against DPRK NIHON KEIZAI (Page 5) (Full) April 11, 2007 The Ministry of Finance (MOF) again called on banking institutions yesterday to thoroughly implement the ban on carrying out payments for imports from North Korea. This move came to response to the government's decision to extend the term of the sanctions against North Korea for another six months. The ban on transactions has been in place since last October. If banking institutions handle remittances, they need to make sure whether they are payments for imports from North Korea or not. TOKYO 00001577 008.2 OF 010 17) Battle between ruling and opposition parties to further intensify after Golden Week holidays over US force realignment, revitalization of education system, Iraq assistance, establishment of a Japanese-style NSC SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) April 11, 2007 At a meeting yesterday of the Lower House Security Committee, the ruling parties suggested taking a vote on April 12 on a special measures bill for the realignment of the US Forces Japan (USFJ),in addition to the national referendum bill. Although the opposition camp is opposed to this move, the ruling bloc intends to stick to the confrontational stance in dealing with other key bills as well. The ruling and opposition camps are already intensifying their battle in the Diet as the election campaign for the Upper House will in effect start after the consecutive holidays in May. The ruling bloc is poised to take a vote on the national referendum bill and the special measures bill for the realignment of the USFJ by the end of the week, even single-handedly. With the Upper House election set for this summer, it is practically impossible to extend the current ordinary session of the Diet. "We can no longer respond to the opposition parties' tactic of delaying deliberations on the bills," said Toshihiro Nikai, chair of the Diet Affairs Committee of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). In order to speed up deliberations on three bills related to the revitalization of education as highlighted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the ruling parties plan to set up a special committee in the Lower House. They aim to take a decision on this establishment at a plenary session on April 12. On the other hand, some bills have already faced difficulties in being enacted into law at an early date. For instance, the bill extending the Special Measures Law on Reconstruction of Iraq for another two years appears unlikely to clear the Lower House by April 26, when the prime minister departs for the United States, because the Lower House Security Committee dealing with that bill is prioritizing the handling of the special measures bill for the realignment of the USFJ at present. Following that bill, the committee needs to handle the bill amending the Security Council Establishment Law in preparation for the establishment of a Japanese-style national security council (NSC). Bills relating to the reform of the public servant system, on which the confrontation between the government and the ruling parties is continuing, have not yet been introduced to the Diet. The ruling parties are likely pressed to reduce the number of bills they intend to get enacted into law during the current Diet session in the days ahead. In contrast, the major opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto),aiming to prolong deliberations, has submitted counterproposals to such key bills as the three bills related to the revitalization of education. An impotent feeling, however, is afloat in the party, with a mid-level member saying, "We will be eventually overridden by the weight of numbers." Some in the party are shifting emphasis to the upcoming Upper House election. 18) US force realignment bill may clear Lower House Security Committee tomorrow TOKYO 00001577 009.2 OF 010 NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) April 11, 2007 The ruling coalition proposed to the opposition camp yesterday that the Lower House Security Committee take a vote on a US force realignment promotion bill tomorrow. The opposition camp opposed the proposal, citing a lack of deliberation time. They will discuss the matter again today. Meanwhile, Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa, Diet Policy Affairs Committee Chairman Toshihiro Nikai, and others met in the Diet building and confirmed a policy course of taking a vote on the legislation at the Lower House Security Committee on April 12 and at a Lower House plenary session on April 13. This has increased the chances for the bill to clear the Lower House before the end of this month. 19) Former Prime Minister Koizumi categorically rejects possibility of return to power MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) April 11, 2007 Takenori Noguchi Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) last night dined with first-term Lower House members of the party at a noodle shop in Tokyo. According to one participant, Koizumi rejected the call for him to return to office, saying: "I rule out that possibility 100%." When asked about the Upper House election slated for this summer, Koizumi reiterated his notion that even if the LDP fails to keep a majority, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will not have to resign, noting: "Given that the party holds a majority of seats in the Lower House, the current administration will stay on even if the party loses (in the Upper House election)." The noodle shop is located near the Public Dormitory for Lower House Members in Takanawa. Koizumi has been a frequent visitor at the shop even while he was in office as prime minister. Ahead of the closing of the dormitory at the end of May, Koizumi, who lives in the dormitory, and first-term lawmakers living in the same dormitory gathered together for a farewell party. 20) Japan cautious about US request to take part in its talks with China as third party over piracy MAINICHI (Page 11) (Full) April 11, 2007 The US has asked Japan to take part in its talks with China over piracy as a third party. However, with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Japan starting today, the Japanese government will for the time being remain cautious in determining whether to accept the US request for cooperation, as Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akira Amari put it. It will consider how to respond later. Japan has thus far cooperated with the US as a third party when it filed a complaint with the WTO over China's export subsidy issue. 21) Japan to explain interest rate hike in G-7 starting on April 13 TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 8) (Excerpts) April 11, 2007 TOKYO 00001577 010.2 OF 010 A meeting of Group of Seven (G-7) finance ministers and central bank governors will start in Washington on April 13. The participants will exchange views about the impact of the United States economy saddled with a housing loan issue on the global economy and its future, as well as the delayed reform of the Chinese yuan and the current depreciating value of the yen, at which European countries are greatly dissatisfied. After the G-7 meeting, discussion will be conducted, also joined by some oil-producing countries, on the state of certain oil producers' augmented funds owing to recent oil price rises. Finance Minister Koji Omi and Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui will attend the meeting from Japan. They will explain that the Japanese economy has been on the recovery track, as well as why the benchmark interest rate hike on Feb. 21 was needed. 22) Government to give priority to Africa in ODA policy ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) April 11, 2007 The government's Overseas Economic Cooperation Council, chaired by Prime Minister Abe, decided yesterday to offer official development assistance (ODA) to Africa on a priority basis, as part of the challenges Japan will tackle prior to an annual meeting of the leaders of the major industrial countries (G-8 Summit) Japan will host next year. Focusing on Africa as a reservoir of natural resources, such as oil and precious metals, Japan will help it build infrastructure in the public health area, such as measures to contain infectious diseases, and promote resources exploitation. Japan also plans ministerial visits to Africa. DONOVAN