DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 06/11/07

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 002611 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 06/11/07 Part-1 INDEX: (1) Prime Minister's schedule (2) Poll: 75 percent view social security as important in House of Councillors election (3) Main points of Prime Minister Abe's statement on G-8 summit (4) China will "consider" Japan's proposal for halving greenhouse-gas emissions (5) Isolation formula, effective during Okinawa Summit, to be used for the Toya Summit G-8 (6) Chinese president may visit Japan next spring (7) Lee Teng-hui's press conference before his departure from Japan (8) US Defense Department notifies Congress of decision to sell SM-3s for MD to Japan (9) Government to announce support for cluster bomb treaty (10) Japan, Russia finding it difficult to compromise on Northern Territories (11) Government to start talks with US on easing age limit for US beef imports after announcement of audit results Articles: (1)Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) -- Prime Minister's schedule, 7 & 8 NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) June 9, 2007 June 7 Evening: Met with Russian President Putin at Kur Haus in Heiligendamm, Germany. Night: Attended a working dinner with the G-8 leaders. Stayed at Grand Hotel Kempinski. June 8 Morning: Attended a meeting with leaders of African countries. Photo shoot with them. Noon: Attended a working lunch with leaders of newly emerging and African countries at Kur Haus. Afternoon: Met with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Afterwards, held a press briefing at the Sub-Media Center. Met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon at Kur Haus. -- Prime Minister's schedule, 8 & 9 NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) June 10, 2007 June 8 Evening: TOKYO 00002611 002 OF 010 Left Laage Airport in Rostock aboard a government plane. Refueling at Frankfurt. June 9(Japan time) 17:53: Arrived at Haneda Airport. 18:27: Reported on return home at the Imperial Palace. 19:39: Dined with his wife, Akie, and others at a French restaurant at Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka. 21:56: Arrived at Kantei residence. (2) Poll: 75 percent view social security as important in House of Councillors election TOKYO (Page 1) (Full) June 10, 2007 The Japan Polling Organization conducted a face-to-face public opinion survey on June 2-3 to probe public attitudes on the upcoming House of Councillors election, which is expected to be set for July ¶22. In the survey, respondents were asked to pick one or more points at issue for the election. In response to this question, a total of 75 percent picked "social security," such as pensions and healthcare, up 23 percentage points from a survey conducted in December last year, followed by "economy, employment, social divide" at 39 percent. In the wake of the Social Insurance Agency's pension record-keeping flaws, the pension issue is expected to become a major point at issue in the election. "Constitutional revision" was at 19 percent, and "political ethics" at 3 percent. Another focus of the forthcoming election for the House of Councillors is on the total number of seats for the ruling coalition, including those not up for the election. In this respect, the survey this time asked respondents if they would like the ruling coalition to lose its majority of the seats in the upper chamber. In response to this question, 47 percent answered "yes," with 44 percent saying "no." As seen from the figures, the proportion of those who would like the ruling parties to lose their majority slightly topped that of those who would like the ruling coalition to retain its majority, while "no" topped "yes" in the December survey. Respondents were also asked what they thought the ruling coalition should do if it loses its majority in the upper chamber. To this question, a total of 31 percent preferred to "dissolve the House of Representatives," topping all other answers. Among other answers, 22 percent said the ruling coalition should "coordinate policies with the opposition parties," with 21 percent saying the ruling coalition should "change its governing scheme" and 19 percent choosing to "replace the prime minister." The figures show that the nation's voting population prefers to show their will by casting their votes. In addition, a total of 90 percent answered "yes" when asked whether they would go to the polls for the election. The figure shows that the general public is highly interested in the upcoming election, as it is almost on a par with the figure in a survey conducted in May 2001 during the "Koizumi boom." TOKYO 00002611 003 OF 010 In the survey, respondents were also asked which political party or which political party's candidate they would like to vote for in the election. To this question, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party stood at 37 percent, down 4 points from last December's survey. The leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) was at 22 percent, down 2 points. New Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner, was at 4 percent. Independent candidates accounted for 4 percent. The Japanese Communist Party was at 3 percent, and the Social Democratic Party at 1 percent. "None" accounted for 19 percent. When it comes to the voting behavior of those who support a specific political party, the survey found that 51 percent of them have voted for a political party differing from the one they usually support. The figure shows that the public would vote for a political party that they do not usually supprt, depending on the circumstances at the time, such as points at issue and political situations. "No" accounted for 48 percent. Among floating voters with no particular party affiliation, 39 percent answered that they used to support a specific political party in the past but do not support any political party now, with 58 percent saying they have never supported any political party. The survey also asked them why they have no particular political party to support. To this question, a total of 67 percent pointed to the lack of attractiveness in politics or political parties, saying there is no trustworthy political party, nothing can be expected of politics itself, or they cannot support any political party's policies. Respondents were further asked what they would consider when they make up their mind to go to the polls. In response, a total of 51 percent said that is because voting is a right and an obligation, with 18 percent saying there is a candidate or a political party to vote for. Polling methodology: For the survey, a total of 3,000 persons were sampled out of males and females aged 20 and over at 250 locations throughout the country on a stratified two-stage random-sampling basis, so as to epitomize the nation's voting population of more than a 100 million. The survey was conducted over a period of two days, June 2-3, on a face-to-face interview basis. Answers were obtained from 1,858 persons, excluding those who could not be interviewed because of their having moved away or being on a trip, or for other reasons. The retrieval rate was 61.9 percent. In the breakdown of respondents, males accounted for 48.0 percent, and females 52.0 percent. (3) Main points of Prime Minister Abe's statement on G-8 summit ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) June 9, 2007 The following are the main points of a press conference Prime Minister SHINZO ABE held after the Group of Eight summit. Climate change I feel a sense of fulfillment that Japan's proposal was included in the summit statements and I was able to greatly contribute to the discussion at the summit and its achievements. Developing countries' TOKYO 00002611 004 OF 010 leaders expressed strong expectations for a funding mechanism. In order to achieve the goal of the Kyoto Protocol, I want to call for a 1 kg reduction of CO2 per person per day. I want to show the world Japan's magnificent nature from Lake Toya next year. Japan as a national commitment to the environment will take up climate change as a main discussion issue at the next G-8 summit. The achievements of Heiligendamm will become an important base for next year's summit. I would like to host an environment-friendly G-8 summit. Japan has the most advanced energy-conservation and environmental technologies in the world. I want to showcase those technologies and know-how. Japan-China relations We will accelerate negotiations with China on the dispute over exploration rights in the East China Sea gas fields with an eye on this fall. President Hu Jintao and I have reached an agreement that we will order our governments to look into ideas that would be acceptable. Rice exports from Japan will become a symbol of progress in a reciprocal relationship between Japan and China. North Korea I led a discussion on North Korean issues. North Korea cannot be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. The issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals, including a 13-year-old girl, is an unforgivable national crime. The chairman's summary included the abduction issue, securing understanding and support from the leaders of G-8 member countries. I would like to deal with this issue with iron determination, while cooperating with the international community. (4) China will "consider" Japan's proposal for halving greenhouse-gas emissions ASAHI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) June 9, 2007 Kentaro Kurihara, Heiligendamm, Germany Prime Minister ABE met with Chinese President Hu Jintao on the afternoon of June 8 (that night, Japan time). According to an account by the Japanese side, ABE explained Japan's proposal for halving greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050. In response, Hu told Abe: "We will seriously consider Japan's proposal. We'd like to step up cooperation." It is expected that the process of creating a post-Kyoto Protocol framework will make a certain degree of progress as the second-largest emitter after the United States, China, announced that "it will seriously consider it." On former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui's visit to Japan, Hu noted, "The political basis for the maintenance of Japan-China relations lies in efforts to properly resolve the issues of history and Taiwan." In response, ABE stressed: "Japan stands firm (on the one-China policy). There's no change in this position." Referring to North Korean issues, ABE stated, "If the abduction issue makes headway, we are ready to make efforts with sincerity to resolve the TOKYO 00002611 005 OF 010 issues, including a settlement on the past." ABE invited Hu to visit to Japan around next spring. At a press briefing after the meeting, ABE emphasized, "Cooperation between Japan and China in the environmental area would benefit the peoples of the two countries and the region." "I'd like to rally cooperation from such major emitters as the US, China, and India," he said, thus indicating his intention to work on those major emitters to participate in (a post-Kyoto Protocol framework). (5) Isolation formula, effective during Okinawa Summit, to be used for the Toya Summit G-8 YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) June 10, 2007 In the Group of Eight (G-8) summit in Japan next year, the government plans to set up a press center for domestic and foreign press corps in Rusutsu Village, about 20 minutes by car from Lake Toya. This is the "retreat formula" adopted at the Okinawa Summit in July 2000, in which ensuring security was the primary concern for the Japanese government. Under this formula, the G-8 summit was held in Nago City, while the dinner party for the leaders took place in Naha. Additionally, the Bankoku ShinryouKan, the venue for the summit, and the hotels where the G-8 leaders stayed, were scattered along the coastline. The National Police Agency (NPA) mobilized about 20,000 police officers and thousands of cars from all over the country. The agency conducted traffic control at main roads and thorough road inspections in areas near the summit venue. Mobilizing about 100 patrol ships and about 20 airplanes, the Japan Coast Guard also carried out the largest-scale ever sea patrol operations. As a result, there was no major confusion during the session. The NPA has already started preparations for the Toya Summit, such as transferring senior officials engaged in guarding in the Okinawa Summit to the Hokkaido Prefectural Police Headquarters in the personnel actions this May. (6) Chinese president may visit Japan next spring SANKEI (page 1) (Full) June 9, 2007 Hideyuki Hasegawa, Heiligendamm Prime Minister SHINZO ABE met on the afternoon of June 8 on the sidelines of the Group of Eight summit (Heiligendamm Summit) with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Hu told Abe: "I want to visit Japan at an appropriate time." ABE then responded: "I would like you to come to Japan by next spring." He also explained Japan's proposal to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Hu stated: "China will seriously consider Japan's proposal and strengthen cooperation." After the meeting, ABE told reporters: "Japan wants to step up cooperation (with China)." TOKYO 00002611 006 OF 010 In the meantime, Hu also told Abe: "Appropriately dealing with the issues of history and Taiwan is the political basis for maintaining Japan-China relations. I expect Japan will handle relevant issues appropriately." Regarding the Taiwan issue in particular Hu said: "I hope Japan will implement concrete policy measures while keeping its hitherto position." He appears to have sought to constrain Tokyo about its allowance of former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui to visit Japan. (7) Lee Teng-hui's press conference before his departure from Japan SANKEI (Page 5) (Slightly abridged) June 10, 2007 The following were questions and answers exchanged between former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui and reporters at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. -- Which party do you back in the next presidential election? "As a leader of the Kuomintang, I turned Taiwan into a democratic country. I take pride in that. But in the eyes of the Kuomintang, I was considered a traitor, so I left the Kuomintang with grace. I now observe political developments in Taiwan completely free from any political inclination. Who will become president is decided by the people not by me." -- What impact of your visit to Yasukuni Shrine do you think will have on Japan-China relations? "I wonder what was the beginning of the so-called Yasukuni Shrine issue. I think it is necessary to think of that point first. My understanding is that the issue was invented as a result of mainland China and Korea (implying North and South Korea) both having failed to settle their own problems. Japan, however, was too weak to deal with it politically. It's unreasonable for foreign governments to criticize it. It's only natural to honor those young people who died for the sake of their country. Any established notion must not obstruct the society that should follow a new path." -- What is your view about the ABE administration's China policy? "In order to make Japan a self-sustaining state in Asia, Prime Minister ABE visited mainland China first of all and told President Hu Jintao that both countries should build a strategic relationship of trust. I think this was a very good strategic move. "I visited Yasukuni to pray for the soul of my brother, but the Chinese (leadership) couldn't make any specific criticism of that. Only (the Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson) was making some noise about a trifling matter. It's wrong for newspapers to give a big coverage to this (spokesperson's) statement." -- What is your view about who possesses Taiwan? "There is no mention in the San Francisco Peace Treaty about whom Japan shall revert Taiwan to. The sovereignty of Taiwan (in legal terms) remains unclear even now, but (in actuality),sovereignty rests with the 23 million Taiwanese. I have proclaimed that Taiwan is an independent country with sovereignty and freedom. (From which TOKYO 00002611 007 OF 010 country) does Taiwan need to become independent? Even so, if we the people of Taiwan lack the awareness that Taiwan is our country, no one will help us." (8) US Defense Department notifies Congress of decision to sell SM-3s for MD to Japan ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) June 10, 2007 The United States Department of Defense notified the Federal Conference of its decision to sell to Japan nine sets of an Aegis destroyer-based Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) interceptors and related equipment as the basis for the missile defense system (MD). The total amount is an estimated 475 million dollars or approximately 58 billion yen. Under Japan's MD initiative, an incoming ballistic missile will be intercepted by an Aegis destroyer-based SM-3, and if the SM-3 fails to shoot it down, a surface-to-air guided Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) system will intercept the missile. The Japanese government initially planned to introduce the SM-3 at the end of this fiscal year, but North Korea's nuclear test last October made it decide to move the initial timetable forward to within this year. (9) Government to announce support for cluster bomb treaty SANKEI (Top play) (Abridged slightly) June 10, 2007 The government, echoing growing international calls, has decided to announce its support for a treaty banning the use of cluster bombs at an expert meeting of the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) scheduled to start in Geneva on June 19. Reversing its earlier elusive stance, the government now intends to play an active role in the process of producing a treaty in a bid to apply pressure on Norway, Peru and other countries that are calling for total and immediate abolition of cluster bombs, as well as to embroil the United States, China, and Russia, which produce and possess a large numbers of cluster bombs. Through coordination of views between the Foreign and Defense Ministries, the government has come up with a strategy to: (1) announce its basic support for the envisaged cluster bomb treaty at the CCW experts meeting and the conference of contracting parties to the CCW to be held in November, and (2) ensure that the treaty reflects Japan's thinking that in order to increase the efficacy of the treaty, a sufficient transitional period must be allowed for developing alternative weapons and that the United States, China, and Russia must join the treaty. US, Israeli and other forces have used cluster bombs in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and other conflict areas. Cluster bombs that reportedly fail to detonate 5 PERCENT to 20 PERCENT of the time remain deadly weapons threatening civilians. For this reason, Norway, Peru, and international NGOs are calling for the complete abolition of cluster bombs. TOKYO 00002611 008 OF 010 Countries discontent with the slow CCW negotiations process released what is called the Oslo Declaration this February to conclude a new treaty by 2008. The Oslo process, however, does not include the United States or China, with Russia remaining as a mere observer. Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma has completely ruled out the possibility of Japan using cluster bombs in attacks. Nevertheless, having so many remote islands and a long coastline, the government's position is that cluster bombs are indispensable in preventing enemy troops from landing in the country. Nevertheless, the government is eager to join the negotiations on a new treaty because it fears a repetition of a 1997 incident in which then Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi under the Hashimoto administration made a political decision to abolish antipersonnel mines. The government was initially skeptical about the efficacy of a treaty totally banning antipersonnel mines that did not include the United States, China, and Russia. "As a result, Japan's capability to prevent foreign troops from landing in the country has markedly dropped in comparison to its neighboring countries, such as North Korea and South Korea, which do not prohibit antipersonnel mines," a senior Ground Self-Defense Force officer noted. The government will aim at a pragmatic treaty through negotiations of the CCW that has membership of 100 countries, including the United States, China, and Russia, rather than through the radical Osco process. (10) Japan, Russia finding it difficult to compromise on Northern Territories YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) June 9, 2007 Hiroshi Oyama, political department Prime Minister SHINZO ABE and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in their meeting on June 7 to push ahead with negotiations on the disputed four northern islands off Hokkaido that constitute the Northern Territories. However the two leaders failed to produce concrete progress. It is difficult for Putin, who has conducted hard-line diplomacy backed by the country's booming economy, to find reasons to compromise with Tokyo. Therefore, how negotiations on the territorial row will turn out is uncertain. According to a senior Foreign Ministry official, the Japanese government wants to see progress on the territorial issue while President Putin has power. Although the term of his presidency will expire next May, Putin is expected to keep influence even after the end of his presidency. Therefore, with an eye on several years from now, Tokyo and Moscow set up this year a framework of strategic dialogue of vice-minister-level officials at the Japanese government's proposal. In order to strengthen a reciprocal relationship between Tokyo and Moscow, Prime Minister SHINZO ABE proposed on June 7 an "initiative on cooperation between the two countries in the Far East and East Siberia." Regarding Abe's proposal, political observers view that TOKYO 00002611 009 OF 010 the Japanese government is unilaterally courting Putin. The Putin government is capricious, however. Ahead of the recent Abe-Putin summit, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov stated: "The upcoming summit will be important because it may determine the future of Japan-Russia relations." Despite Losyukov's remarks, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on June 3 became the first Russian foreign minister to visit the disputed islands since the collapse of Soviet Union. Lavrov's visit to the Northern Territories shocked the Japanese government. With a widening gulf between Russia and the US and Europe due to the US government's decision to deploy a missile defense system in Europe, there is a view in the government that Russia will try to strengthen relations with Japan in order to seek to counter Europe and the US. However, an informed source after the Japan-Russia summit pointed out: "Piling up economic agreements will eventually provide a shortcut to resolving the territorial dispute." (11) Government to start talks with US on easing age limit for US beef imports after announcement of audit results ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) Evening, June 9, 2007 The government will announce the results of its audits of meatpacking plants in the United States in the middle of next week. It has now concluded that all the plants have prepared a system to be able to meet the requirements set by Japan (of exporting only beef from cattle 20 months or younger and removing specified risk materials). Based on this conclusion, the government will end the verification period that started last summer. In response, the US government will officially urge Japan to ease its import conditions. Japan and the US are now expected to start talks later this month on easing the conditions, including a call for raising the age limit to the international standard of 30 months. A Japanese expert team audited US meatpackers between November and December of last year and May 14-25 this year. The government will announce the results of the second round of audits of 28 facilities, including one to be newly certified by the US government for exporting beef to Japan. In the first round of audits of eight facilities, the team found no problems with their safety procedures, but since one of them shipped tongue allegedly in violation of Japan's safety criteria, the plant in question was reaudited in the second round. The expert team has now confirmed that a total of 35 facilities have complied with the agreed-upon beef export procedures. Washington is likely to call on Japan to abolish the age limit at an early date, given the World Organization for Animal Health's (OIE) decision to classify the US as a controlled-risk country for BSE to allow it to export beef irrespective of cattle age. As necessary data to look into the possibility of reviewing its import conditions on the basis of the scientific assessments by the experts, Tokyo intends to ask the US to submit the most recent data about BSE safeguard measures in the US and the data submitted to the OIE. MAFF and the MHLW will ask the Food Safety Commission to conduct deliberations and to offer advice. Based on its advice, the TOKYO 00002611 010 OF 010 two ministries will draw a conclusion. SCHIEFFER