Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TOKYO1677
2007-04-17 08:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 04/17/07
how-toVZCZCXRO7607 PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #1677/01 1070821 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 170821Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2715 INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY RULSDMK/USDOT WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5// RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// RUALSFJ/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA//J5/JO21// RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA RUAYJAA/COMPATWING ONE KAMI SEYA JA RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 3164 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 0714 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 4245 RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 0025 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 1634 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6624 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2698 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3960
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 001677
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA
WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION;
TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN,
DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA
FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR;
CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA.
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA
SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 04/17/07
INDEX:
(1) Editorial on the Upper-House by-election: Each vote will set the
course of the nation 2
(2) US sounds out Japan on reorganizing sub-cabinet economic
dialogue, with future FTA negotiations in mind 3
ARTICLES:
(1) Editorial on the Upper-House by-election: Each vote will set the
course of the nation
OKINAWA TIMES (Page 5) (Full)
April 17, 2007
The campaign for an Upper-House seat in the Okinawa by-election show
Aiko Shimajiri (42),a new candidate endorsed by the Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) and the New Komeito, is somewhat ahead but
Yoshimasa Karimata (57),another new candidate endorsed by the
Social Democratic Party (SDP),Shadai, the Japanese Communist Party
(JCP). Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan),and the Kokumin Shinto
(New Peoples Party) is catching up.
The situation became clear when a telephone-based opinion survey was
carried out by the Okinawa Times and the Asahi Shimbun among
eligible voters in the prefecture, April 14-15.
Together with the Upper House by-election in Fukushima, the two
races are seen as preliminary skirmishes before the main event, the
election for the House of Councilors this summer. The ruling and
opposition camps are clashing, using every effort to win. Last
Sunday, April 15, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Minshuto (Democratic
Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa and other senior politicians
came one after the other to Okinawa to campaign on local streets.
Since the results of the two by-elections will reverberate in the
main election, setting the country's policy course on such issues as
constitutional reform, we would like everyone to fully understand
their importance and vote without fail.
As for the main points of the survey of the situation, over 30% of
the voters had not made up their minds yet, both camps can be
expected to wage fierce battles until the final stage. The
peculiarity of this election is that both candidates in their policy
debates placing more emphasis on livelihood issues than on US base
issues. There has been a change in the voters' consciousness toward
giving priority to their daily lives. When asked in the poll which
should carry more weight in the campaigns, livelihood or base
issues, 64% of respondents chose "livelihood," and only 15 chose
"base issues." The preference of voters of stressing daily issues,
such as economic recovery, instead of base problems was loud and
clear.
What should we make of this development?
Perhaps the residents of Okinawa are experiencing a sense of
fatigue, for although over 10 years have passed since the Special
Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) Agreement, the base problem has
still not been resolved, with the issue of relocating MCAS Futenma
bogged down.
The reason for stressing the livelihood issue is a little unclear,
but it indeed has been an important matter for many years in
TOKYO 00001677 002 OF 003
Okinawa, where the prefecture's gap with the mainland in incomes and
economic development never goes away. We would like voters to cast
a scrutinizing eye on the livelihood policies of candidates Aiko
Shimajiri and Yoshimasa Karimata before voting.
In the poll, 22% answered that they were "greatly interested" in the
election, and another 59% said that they were "somewhat interested,"
making a total of around 80%. However, can we conclude that such
high interest will be reflected in the actual voter-turnout rate?
Looking at the support rates of the parties, we find 42% answered
that they had no affiliation. Another 19% said they could not answer
or did not know. So about 60% of the electorate are floating
voters.
The expansion of unaffiliated voters is the flip side of popular
distrust of politics. What is being questioned is not only the
consciousness of voters but also the significance of political
parties. However, this time, there is no doubt that the moves of
unaffiliated voters will determine the turnout rate and be key as to
who wins or loses.
(2) US sounds out Japan on reorganizing sub-cabinet economic
dialogue, with future FTA negotiations in mind
Jiji Press (Full)
April 14 2007
Washington. US government officials revealed on April 14 that the
Bush administration has sounded out Japan about reorganizing the
Japan-US sub-cabinet economic dialogue. The concept being considered
within the US government would launch a bilateral economic strategic
dialogue at the cabinet level, with an eye on changing it in the
future to negotiations to reach a free-trade agreement (FTA).
Although Japan is negative about revising the sub-cabinet dialogue,
fearing that such would lead to agricultural liberalization, it
seems likely that the question of how to build a new framework for
economic talks will become a major challenge between the two
countries.
According to US government officials, the sounding out by the US
took place immediately after the sub-cabinet dialogue held in
Washington on April 6. At the time, the US, out of consideration for
Japan's situation of holding Upper House elections this summer,
avoided reference to specific contents about the reorganization,
limiting its comment to the expression, "more ambitious economic
talks."
The sub-cabinet dialogue, consisting of vice-ministerial-level
officials from relevant ministries and agencies, started in 2001. In
the talks on April 6, the participants took up such subjects as the
new multilateral negotiations (Doha Round) under the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and the issue of US beef exports to Japan.
However, the view has set in within the US about these talks is that
"they have lost their momentum." A US government official stated:
"We have a keen awareness that for the world's largest and next
largest economies to go along this way is a problem." Compared with
political and security affairs, over which the two countries have
bilateral Security Consultative Committee (2-plus-2) meetings of
defense and foreign affair meetings, the channels of communication
in the economic area are thin, the official pointed out.
The Japan-US Business Council has expressed a strong view calling
TOKYO 00001677 003 OF 003
for launching new talks at the private-sector level, while urging an
early signing of an economic partnership agreement (EPA). The
American Chamber of Commerce in Japan has proposed the notion of
establishing a Japan-US cabinet-level forum of economic ministers,
to be held twice year.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA
WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION;
TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN,
DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA
FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR;
CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA.
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA
SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 04/17/07
INDEX:
(1) Editorial on the Upper-House by-election: Each vote will set the
course of the nation 2
(2) US sounds out Japan on reorganizing sub-cabinet economic
dialogue, with future FTA negotiations in mind 3
ARTICLES:
(1) Editorial on the Upper-House by-election: Each vote will set the
course of the nation
OKINAWA TIMES (Page 5) (Full)
April 17, 2007
The campaign for an Upper-House seat in the Okinawa by-election show
Aiko Shimajiri (42),a new candidate endorsed by the Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP) and the New Komeito, is somewhat ahead but
Yoshimasa Karimata (57),another new candidate endorsed by the
Social Democratic Party (SDP),Shadai, the Japanese Communist Party
(JCP). Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan),and the Kokumin Shinto
(New Peoples Party) is catching up.
The situation became clear when a telephone-based opinion survey was
carried out by the Okinawa Times and the Asahi Shimbun among
eligible voters in the prefecture, April 14-15.
Together with the Upper House by-election in Fukushima, the two
races are seen as preliminary skirmishes before the main event, the
election for the House of Councilors this summer. The ruling and
opposition camps are clashing, using every effort to win. Last
Sunday, April 15, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Minshuto (Democratic
Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa and other senior politicians
came one after the other to Okinawa to campaign on local streets.
Since the results of the two by-elections will reverberate in the
main election, setting the country's policy course on such issues as
constitutional reform, we would like everyone to fully understand
their importance and vote without fail.
As for the main points of the survey of the situation, over 30% of
the voters had not made up their minds yet, both camps can be
expected to wage fierce battles until the final stage. The
peculiarity of this election is that both candidates in their policy
debates placing more emphasis on livelihood issues than on US base
issues. There has been a change in the voters' consciousness toward
giving priority to their daily lives. When asked in the poll which
should carry more weight in the campaigns, livelihood or base
issues, 64% of respondents chose "livelihood," and only 15 chose
"base issues." The preference of voters of stressing daily issues,
such as economic recovery, instead of base problems was loud and
clear.
What should we make of this development?
Perhaps the residents of Okinawa are experiencing a sense of
fatigue, for although over 10 years have passed since the Special
Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) Agreement, the base problem has
still not been resolved, with the issue of relocating MCAS Futenma
bogged down.
The reason for stressing the livelihood issue is a little unclear,
but it indeed has been an important matter for many years in
TOKYO 00001677 002 OF 003
Okinawa, where the prefecture's gap with the mainland in incomes and
economic development never goes away. We would like voters to cast
a scrutinizing eye on the livelihood policies of candidates Aiko
Shimajiri and Yoshimasa Karimata before voting.
In the poll, 22% answered that they were "greatly interested" in the
election, and another 59% said that they were "somewhat interested,"
making a total of around 80%. However, can we conclude that such
high interest will be reflected in the actual voter-turnout rate?
Looking at the support rates of the parties, we find 42% answered
that they had no affiliation. Another 19% said they could not answer
or did not know. So about 60% of the electorate are floating
voters.
The expansion of unaffiliated voters is the flip side of popular
distrust of politics. What is being questioned is not only the
consciousness of voters but also the significance of political
parties. However, this time, there is no doubt that the moves of
unaffiliated voters will determine the turnout rate and be key as to
who wins or loses.
(2) US sounds out Japan on reorganizing sub-cabinet economic
dialogue, with future FTA negotiations in mind
Jiji Press (Full)
April 14 2007
Washington. US government officials revealed on April 14 that the
Bush administration has sounded out Japan about reorganizing the
Japan-US sub-cabinet economic dialogue. The concept being considered
within the US government would launch a bilateral economic strategic
dialogue at the cabinet level, with an eye on changing it in the
future to negotiations to reach a free-trade agreement (FTA).
Although Japan is negative about revising the sub-cabinet dialogue,
fearing that such would lead to agricultural liberalization, it
seems likely that the question of how to build a new framework for
economic talks will become a major challenge between the two
countries.
According to US government officials, the sounding out by the US
took place immediately after the sub-cabinet dialogue held in
Washington on April 6. At the time, the US, out of consideration for
Japan's situation of holding Upper House elections this summer,
avoided reference to specific contents about the reorganization,
limiting its comment to the expression, "more ambitious economic
talks."
The sub-cabinet dialogue, consisting of vice-ministerial-level
officials from relevant ministries and agencies, started in 2001. In
the talks on April 6, the participants took up such subjects as the
new multilateral negotiations (Doha Round) under the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and the issue of US beef exports to Japan.
However, the view has set in within the US about these talks is that
"they have lost their momentum." A US government official stated:
"We have a keen awareness that for the world's largest and next
largest economies to go along this way is a problem." Compared with
political and security affairs, over which the two countries have
bilateral Security Consultative Committee (2-plus-2) meetings of
defense and foreign affair meetings, the channels of communication
in the economic area are thin, the official pointed out.
The Japan-US Business Council has expressed a strong view calling
TOKYO 00001677 003 OF 003
for launching new talks at the private-sector level, while urging an
early signing of an economic partnership agreement (EPA). The
American Chamber of Commerce in Japan has proposed the notion of
establishing a Japan-US cabinet-level forum of economic ministers,
to be held twice year.
SCHIEFFER