JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01/23/07

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 000296 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 01/23/07 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule Poll panic: 4) Asahi poll: ABE Cabinet support rate sinks to record low of 39%, as public distances itself from prime minister's policy agenda 5) Yomiuri poll: ABE Cabinet support rate drops 7.5 points to 48%, with non-support rate rising 8.9 points to 38.7% 6) Results of Yomiuri poll show serious erosion of public confidence in ABE administration 7) Higashi shock: LDP worried about ripple effect of loss of Miyazaki governorship on Upper House election 8) Prime Minister Abe's upcoming Diet opening speech to stress his education reform program Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) in action: 9) Minshuto head Ozawa falsely reported his political income 10) Minshuto lawmaker Tsunoda, despite money scandal, will not resign his Diet post 11) Internal coordination in Minshuto heading in direction of approving constitutional referendum bill Defense and security affairs: 12) State Minister for Okinawa Takaichi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki agree not to introduce local proposal revising Futenma plan into consultation process 13) Vice defense minister expresses concern about China's expanding military power China connection: 14) China's premier may give speech to Japanese Diet during his visit 15) China courting Japanese politicians one after the other as steady stream of visitors head for Beijing Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi: Poll: Cabinet support rate drops to 39% Mainichi, Yomiuri & Akahata: Bid rigging also on Nagoya highway project Nihon Keizai: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to make lithium-ion batteries for cars Sankei: Russia steadily forming an Organization of Natural Gas Exporting Countries Tokyo Shimbun: Nippon Oil Co. to tie up with South Korean SK 2) EDITORIALS TOKYO 00000296 002 OF 010 Asahi: (1) LDP, Minshuto should become reliable parties (2) Miyazaki governor race shows importance of vote Mainichi: (1) Fabricated TV program: Kansai Television cannot call itself a media organization (2) Yokohama incident: Court also should clear off history Yomiuri: (1) More than words needed to beat bid-rigging blight (2) Part-time Labor Law: How to establish fair treatment Nihon Keizai: (1) Strict investigations into companies that never end bid-rigging practices (2) Can new Miyazaki governor change the prefecture? Sankei: (1) Fabricated TV program: Principles of media being questioned (2) Gas leak in Kitami: Lax awareness invites tragedy Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Bid-rigging on subway construction: Declaration of break with bid-rigging was a lie (2) Miyazaki governor race: Political parties are too dull Akahata: Suicides of SDF personnel: They are suffering from Iraq war 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) Prime Minister's schedule, January 22 NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) January 23, 2007 09:09 Left his private residence in Tomigaya. 09:30 Met with Education and Science Minister Ibuki at the Kantei, followed by State Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy Ota. Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Nemoto joined. 11:10 Met with incoming and outgoing presidents of Japan Finance Corporation for Small Business Shosaku Yasui and Koichi Mizuguchi. Then met with Kang Sin Ho, chairman of the National Federation of Economists of South Korea. Association of South Korea. Then met with Jiro Nemoto, chairman of the Middle East Cooperation Center. 14:07 Attended government's Tax System Commission meeting. Then met with business leaders of Japan, the US and India, including JR-Tokai Chairman Toshiyuki Kasai. Then met with Vice Finance Minister Tanaka. 15:02 Met with Education Revitalization Council Chairman Ryoji Noyori, Vice Chairman Morio Ikeda and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Yamatani, joined by Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki. Then met with TOKYO 00000296 003 OF 010 Kita-Kyushu Mayor Sueyoshi. 16:08 Met with Assistant Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries Saka and Ando. Then met with Shiozaki and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shimomura. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matoba joined. 17:06 Met with Secretary General Nakagawa. Then attended meeting of cabinet ministers related to monthly economic report. 18:39 Met with Japan Business Federation Chairman Mitarai. 19:08 Met with former Ambassador to Hisahiko Okazaki, Taro Yayama, political commentator, and Yoshiko Sakurai, journalist. 4) Poll: Cabinet support spirals down to 39% ; Policies diverge from public sense ASAHI (Top play) (Abridged) January 23, 2007 The approval rating for the cabinet of Prime Minister ABE was 39% in a telephone-based public opinion survey conducted by the Asahi Shimbun on Jan. 20-21, dropping from the 47% rating in a previous survey taken in December 2006 and failing to reach 40% for the first time. Meanwhile, the disapproval rating for the ABE cabinet was 37%, rising from 32% in the last survey. The support rate was down particularly among those in their 20s to 40s and among those in big cities. Those thinking of ABE as a politician remote from the public sense accounted for 50%. The ABE cabinet is pursuing economic growth while the leading Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) is insisting on correcting economic disparities. In the survey, respondents were asked which they thought should be prioritized. In response to this question, 30% picked economic growth, with 45% preferring to correct disparities. As seen from these figures, the ABE cabinet's policy is divergent from the general public's sense. This perception gap seems to lie behind the drop in the support rate for the ABE cabinet. The ABE cabinet made its debut with a 63% support rate in a survey conducted in September last year. In the following surveys, however, the ABE cabinet's support rate edged down. About four months later, its approval rating is now down to a level close to its disapproval rating. This time, the support rate among men was down to 36% from 45% in the last survey while the nonsupport rate among men was up to 46% from 39% in the last survey, and the disapproval rating topped the approval rating among men for the first time. Among women, the support rate was 42% while the nonsupport rate was 29%. The support rate among women remains higher than that among men. In the breakdown of political party supporters, the ABE cabinet's support rate was down from 80% to 74% among those who support the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and also down from 67% to 58% among those who support the New Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner. Among those who have no party to support, as well, the ABE cabinet's support rate was down from 27% to 24%. In the survey, those who said they did not support the Abet cabinet TOKYO 00000296 004 OF 010 were asked why. In response, 58% said "policies." The figure is close to 60%, which is apparently critical of the ABE cabinet's corporate-oriented economic policy. Meanwhile, touched off by former Administrative Reform Minister Sata's resignation over his mishandling of political funds, it has now become clear that Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Matsuoka and Education, Science and Technology Minister Ibuki also had problems in their way of handling political funds. In the survey, respondents were asked if they thought the facts of these problems have been brought to light. In response, 85% answered "no," with only 2% saying "yes." Asked if the ABE cabinet is strong and powerful, "yes" accounted for only 12%, with "no" reaching 67%. The proportion of negative views doubled from 34% in a survey conducted right after the ABE cabinet's inauguration. The public seems to be doubtful of the prime minister's ability in the midst of scandals involving his cabinet ministers. The LDP's support rate was 32%, down from the 36% rating in the last survey. It dropped substantially among those in their 20s and among those in big cities. The DPJ stood at 16%, slightly up from the 14% rating in the last survey. The proportion of those with no particular party affiliation increased to 45% from 41% in the last survey. Abe is touting constitutional revision as a point of contention for this summer's House of Councillors election. In the survey this time, respondents were asked if it would be appropriate to do so. In response, "yes" accounted for only 32%, with "no" reaching 48%. Meanwhile, respondents were also asked if they thought the LDP could win in the forthcoming upper house election under Abe. In response, 44% answered "yes," with 28% saying "no." In response to a similar question about the DPJ led by its President Ichiro Ozawa, "yes" accounted for only 13%, with "no" reaching 61%. 5) Poll: Cabinet support edges down to 48% YOMIURI (Page 1) (Abridged) January 23, 2007 The rate of public support for Prime Minister ABE and his cabinet was 48.4% in a face-to-face nationwide public opinion survey conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun on Jan. 20-21, down 7.5 percentage points from the 55.9% rating in last month's survey. The approval rating for the ABE cabinet upon its inauguration marked 70.0% in a survey conducted in October last year, but it dropped in the following three surveys and fell below 50% for the first time. The Abe cabinet's disapproval rating was 38.9%, up 8.9 points. The drop in the support rate can be taken as resulting from scandals over politics and money involving cabinet ministers as seen in the resignation of former Administrative Reform Minister Genichiro Sata, in addition to the resignation of former Government Tax Commissioner Masaaki Honma over his inappropriate renting of a government apartment for public servants. 6) ABE cabinet support rate continues plummeting; Lack of leadership results in public distrust YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) January 23, 2007 TOKYO 00000296 005 OF 010 The support rate for the cabinet of Prime Minister SHINZO ABE has again dropped. Many observers think growing public distrust in the Abe administration comes from poor coordination between Prime Minister ABE and the ruling coalition over policies and a string of revelations of scandals exemplifying Abe's lack of leadership. In the wake of Yomiuri Shimbun polls showing the plummeting support rate for the ABE administration, Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa released a comment yesterday saying, "Basically, the administration has been keeping the support rate close to 50%." At the same time, Nakagawa indicated that the administration would quickly take measures for age groups with low rates. As the reason for not supporting the ABE cabinet, 40% of respondents -- the highest ratio -- cited the cabinet's political stance. New Komeito Secretary-General Kazuo Kitagawa attributed the plummeting support rate to a series of improprieties and the resignation of a cabinet minister, adding: "It's important for the prime minister to acutely feel public concerns and implement countermeasures steadily." A senior LDP lawmaker also noted yesterday: "Prime Minister Abe's cabinet is becoming like the leadership of former Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) President Seiji Maehara." The Maehara leadership featuring junior members was launched following Minshuto's major setback in the 2005 Lower House election. The leadership displayed poor internal party coordination skills, evidenced by the e-mail fiasco brought about by then Minshuto member Hisayasu Nagata. A junior LDP member took this view: "Prime Minister ABE has appointed junior members close to him as his aides, and that makes it difficult to coordinate things with the ruling parties. Although the prime minister issues orders and policies, the ruling parties are unable to follow them." 7) Higashi shock: Switching approved candidates for upcoming Upper House election flaring up again? LDP concerned about defeat in Miyazaki gubernatorial election spilling over into Upper House election SANKEI (Page 5) (Slightly abridged) January 23, 2007 The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership yesterday was busy dealing with the aftermath of the landslide victory of Sonomanma Higashi, former TV personality, in the Miyazaki Prefecture gubernatorial election. The ruling parties have analyzed that the cause of the defeat was the split of conservative forces. If distrust in political parties continues to accelerate, the trend could spill over into the upcoming unified local elections and Upper House elections. Chances are that the issue of replacing approved candidates for those elections, though it has been settled earlier, could flare up again. Analyzing the defeat of the candidate backed by the LDP in the Miyazaki gubernatorial election, Prime Minister SHINZO ABE yesterday told reporters at the Prime Minister's Official Residence: "Voters TOKYO 00000296 006 OF 010 presumably pinned hopes on Mr. Higashi reconstructing prefectural administration. I want the new governor to meet their expectations." Regarding a possible impact of the result on the Upper House election, ABE noted, "Local elections and the Upper House election are different issues. We will do it straight in the Upper House election." The prime minister pretended to be calm. However, LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa on the afternoon of the same day called Campaign Headquarters General Bureau Director General Yoshio Yatsu, First Deputy Secretary General Toshimitsu Mogi, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Hiroshige Seko and others for an emergency meeting. He gave them an order: "The election result this time could affect the Upper House election. I want you to analyze how prefectural citizens judged and consider the appropriate way to endorse candidates for local elections once again." Nakagawa was quick to move because he has judged that local conditions were not the only factor for the LDP's devastating defeat in Miyazaki. What would constitute victory in the Upper House election are 29 single-seat constituencies. Miyazaki is one of the ¶29. Signs of conservative forces splitting are seen in other single-seat constituencies as well. If the party neglects measures to deal with this situation, support for the LDP could split. Emerging from the emergency meeting, Yatsu said on a stern note, "The Upper House election should provide clear-cut options to voters so that they can definitely choose between yes and no without question. Otherwise, non-affiliated voters would not turn up at polling stations." Regarding the issue of changing already approved candidates for the Upper House election, he said, "It would be very difficult, but we must fully consider such a possibility." Regarding this issue, some junior and mid-ranking Lower House members said, "We should field candidates with a power base, otherwise we would not be able to win." However, there are no prospects for replacing officially approved candidates due to strong resistance from the Upper House members of the party. This issue could flare up again in some constituencies. Should that occur, the leadership's coordination capability would be put to the test. 8) Prime minister's policy speech outlined; Review of "relaxed education" will be mentioned NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) January 23, 2007 Prime Minister SHINZO ABE will deliver his first policy speech at the ordinary session of the Diet to be convened on Jan. 25. An outline of the speech was determined yesterday. On the revitalization of education, a high priority issue for the government, ABE in the speech will mention a review of the "relaxed education" policy and highlight a plan to modify relevant laws. He will also place emphasis on measures against the falling birth rate. The speech in this regard will include a plan to chart a comprehensive strategy. In order to recover the approval rating for his cabinet, ABE will emphasize his attitude of producing results to meet the public's expectations. As he mentioned at the New Year's press conference on Jan. 4, ABE will call this year the "first year of efforts to rebuild Japan into a beautiful country" in the speech. TOKYO 00000296 007 OF 010 On the revitalization of education, he will indicate such plans as reforming the board-of-education system and amending the Teaching License Law in preparation for the introduction of a teaching license renewal system as part of measures against school bullying. On the declining birth rate, he will propose setting systems that will make it easy for people to get married and raise children. A council the government will establish shortly will reveal a concept for planning a comprehensive strategy. As priority tasks, ABE will also cite the reform of the Social Insurance Agency and stress his intention to "close, dismantle, and divide the agency into six sections" and streamline them for highly efficient operation. He will emphasize the efforts he will make to recover the public's trust in social security programs. On the Japanese-style white-collar exemption from overtime pay, a rule to exclude employees meeting given conditions from overtime pay, ABE will not mention this system in his policy speech in concrete terms, because the adoption of the system is to be delayed. In the speech, ABE will reiterate his resolve to amend the Constitution. He will reveal his intention to deepen debate between the ruling and opposition parties on their respective national referendum bills stipulating the procedures for constitutional revision and set the environment for the ruling parties and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto or DPJ) to unify their respective bills and submit a unified bill to the Diet. On economic policy, ABE will come out with a growth strategy to push cuts in expenditures while sustaining the growth, and he will stress: "I will spread the economic recovery to the household level." He will thus make clear his stance to counter Minshuto, which has zeroed in on the problem of social disparities. As the pillars of his "assertive diplomacy," ABE is expected to state in his speech, for instance, (1) cooperation with countries sharing basic values; (2) rebuilding Asia into an open region full of innovations; and (3) playing an active part in contributing to the peace and stability of the world. 9) Errors found in Ozawa's political fund statements SANKEI (Page 1) (Abridged slightly) January 23, 2007 Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa's fund management organization Rikuzan Kai made corrections under the date of Jan. 17 and 19 to the addresses of buildings and pieces of land listed on the organization's 2005 political fund report, it has been learned. "The problem occurred from simple administrative mistakes," the fund management body explained. Rikuzan Kai posted under the office expenses in the report a piece of land and a building at 6-28-5, Fukasawa, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo worth 365 million yen. There is no building or a piece of land corresponding to that address, and Rikuzan Kai corrected the address to 8-28-5, Fukasawa. "The land was purchased to make it into a dormitory for secretaries, TOKYO 00000296 008 OF 010 a work area, and parking lots," the fund management body explained. A two-story wooden-steel apartment building stands on the property. A dormitory for married secretaries is also under construction on the premises. Rikuzan Kai also posted on its funds reports over the last three years a piece of land and a building purchased for 33.2 million yen in 2001 under the address of 2-2-6, Aoyama, Minato Ward. But that address in Aoyama, Minato Ward does not exist. In the wake of the Sankei Shimbun's indication, the group has changed the address to 2-2-6, Minami-Aoyama, Minato Ward under the date of Jan. 19. In addition, the group failed to post in its fund reports the detailed addresses of other real estate and buildings. The Political Funds Control Law requires the recording of precise addresses of buildings and real estate. Rikuzan Kai explained: "In principle, we have abstained from making public the detailed addresses of buildings for the security of secretaries and other reasons." 10) Political fund scandal: Giichi Tsunoda has no intention to resign from Upper House vice president post; Survey results to be revealed today YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) January 23, 2007 Giichi Tsunoda of Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan),who is now serving as vice president of the House of Councilors, failed to include in his report on political funds to the government 25.2 million yen it had been donated. Regarding this issue, Tsunoda will explain the results of research by his party at a press conference today. He will express his intention not to resign as vice president of the Upper House, citing, "I am not responsible for the issue because I was not involved in drafting the political funds report," according to what he told a senior Minshuto member. With Tsunoda's explanation, the party leadership wants to put an end to the matter, but whether he can obtain understanding from inside and outside the party is uncertain. Minshuto, centering on the party's Upper House Chairman Azuma Koshiishi, and Tsunoda, has conducted the research since Jan. 16 when the issue came to light. The party reportedly checked the process of donations through officials of its Gunma prefectural chapter, which Tsunoda heads. According to the findings, Tsunoda was not at all involved in the process of making the political funds report in question since then chief of secretariat of the prefectural chapter handled the political funds. Koshiishi and other Minshuto Upper House executives will report to the Upper House board meeting today the results of the research. Although they intend to obtain understanding from the House of Representatives, there is a growing view criticizing Tsunoda inside and outside the main opposition party. 11) DPJ to undertake intra-party coordination of views to approve national referendum bill: Legislation could secure Diet approval during next regular session MAINICHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) January 23, 2007 The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) has embarked on TOKYO 00000296 009 OF 010 intra-party coordination of views on the national referendum bill, which stipulates procedures for revising the Constitution, with the possibility of approving it, provided that the ruling parties adopt its propositions during the upcoming regular session of the Diet to convene on January 25. The ruling bloc and the DPJ late last year agreed on a modified plan, which incorporates some DPJ propositions, including giving voting rights to those aged 18 or older. With the ruling camp expected to come up with a modified plan reflecting this agreement, there is now a strong possibility of the bill being enacted during the upcoming Diet session. Prime Minister SHINZO ABE is aiming at revising the Constitution during his tenure. He wants to conduct his election campaign on a platform of constitutional revision. He is characterizing the bill as one of the most important bills to be handled during the regular Diet session. The ruling camp is aiming for early passage of the legislation. The DPJ, which had recognized the need for the bill from the beginning, is stepping up their call for approving passage of the bill before Constitution Day on May 3 in order to avoid the matter from being made a campaign issue. 12) Okinawa Affairs Minister Takaichi suggests Nago City's proposal be discussed TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) January 23, 2007 In her meeting last night with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei),Sanae Takaichi, state minister in charge of Okinawa affairs, told Shiozaki her view that the idea of drastically modify the agreement on the relocation of US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma reached by the governments of Japan and the United States should be discussed. Nago City, to which the air station will be relocated from Ginowan City, has insisted that the agreement be substantially revised. After the meeting Shiozaki, however, indicated the view that the government would reject Takaichi's proposal, telling reporters, "The government has no intention to take up Nago City's view at meetings." 13) Defense vice minister expresses concern over China's military buildup SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) January 23, 2007 Defense Vice Minister Takemasa Moriya in a press conference yesterday took this view regarding China's mass production and deployment of the state-of-the-art fighter Jian-10: "We are seriously concerned about China's military modernization. We will watch carefully where China will deploy the new fighter." Moriya also expressed concern over China's anti-satellite test, saying: "We will continue collecting information and analyzing things in order to determine China's goal in space development." 14) Chinese premier to address Japanese Diet in April NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) January 23, 2007 By Shunsuke Shigeta, Beijing TOKYO 00000296 010 OF 010 The ruling camp's delegation to China, including the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Toshihiro Nikai, yesterday met with Chinese State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan, and they agreed on a plan that Premier Wen Jiabao, if his visit to Japan in April is realized, would address the Japanese Diet. In the meeting, Tang suggested, "We'd like to have an opportunity for an exchange with Japanese Diet members on the occasion of Mr. Wen's tour of Japan." Nikai agreed. Wen will be the first ranking Chinese official to address the Diet since Secretary General Hu Yaobang did so in 1983 and National People's Congress' Standing Committee Chairman Peng Zhen in 1985. Regarding the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear ambitions, Tang stated: "A conclusion may not come out immediately, but the talks will surely produce results. I am optimistic." 15) China reminds Japan that a visit to Yasukuni Shrine by PM is unacceptable, while enhancing exchanges with Japan's ruling camp members NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) January 23, 2007 By Shunsuke Shigeta, Beijing Exchanges between Japanese lawmakers of the ruling camp and Chinese leaders are gaining momentum. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Toshihiro Nikai and other ruling party lawmakers met with Chinese State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan yesterday. Following them, LDP General Council Chairman Yuya Niwa will travel to China in February, and LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa in March. At the same time, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Premier Wen Jiabao will visit Japan in February and April, respectively. Lying behind these exchanges seems to be China's intention not to give Prime Minister SHINZO ABE any opportunity to visit Yasukuni Shrine. Abe has not made clear whether he will visit the shrine. Owing to this ambiguous stance, Japan-China relations are not characterized at present by friction and discord as they were under the Koizumi administration. However, during the meeting yesterday, Tang, referring to Premier Wen's visit to Japan, commented: "The timing of his visit will coincide with a season that could give rise to a delicate issue for Japan-China relations." Apparently, Tang reminded Japanese lawmakers that (Abe) should not visit Yasukuni during the shrine's Spring Festival in April. The Chinese National People's Congress' Standing Committee Chairman Wu Banguo, too, mentioned: "A number of delicate issues lie between Japan and China." After the meeting, Nikai told reporters: "That is a matter the leaders of Japan and China should decide on in view of further development of the two countries' relations." SCHIEFFER