DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 06/29/07

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TOKYO 002967 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 06/29/07 Index: (1) Former US President Bush on Miyazawa's death: Mr. Miyazawa made utmost efforts to develop Japan-US relations (2) Blue-ribbon panel agrees on need to intercept US-bound ballistic missiles (3) Interview with Energy Department Assistant Secretary Spurgeon on Japan-US nuclear power cooperation: Fusion of advanced technology expected (4) Yonaguni port call: US military creates fait accompli; Locals let down, give up (5) Interview with Takushoku University Prof. Satoshi Morimoto on the right to collective self-defense (6) Interview with Takakazu Kuriyama, former ambassador to US, on collective self-defense; Government's interpretation unrealistic (7) Editorial: Get facts straight on comfort women (8) Proposal by singer Agnes Chan, UNICEF goodwill ambassador: Possession of child pornography must be banned ARTICLES: (1) Former US President Bush on Miyazawa's death: Mr. Miyazawa made utmost efforts to develop Japan-US relations NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) June 29, 2007 Former United States President Bush on June 28 issued a comment on the demise of former Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, saying: "I feel very sad to receive the news that my friend, Mr. Miyazawa, passed away. He made utmost efforts, as prime minister and finance minister, to significantly develop relations between Japan and the US." Senior Bush collapsed from overwork during a state banquet hosted by then Prime Minister Miyazawa at his official residence in Tokyo in January 1992. Since video footage of Miyazawa and Barbara, Bush's wife, cradling Bush was aired, Miyazawa was made widely known to most Americans. Bush concluded his statement with these words: "Mr. Miyazawa was a dear friend of Barbara and me." (2) Blue-ribbon panel agrees on need to intercept US-bound ballistic missiles Asahi Online 13:17 June 29, 2007 The blue-ribbon panel to study the right to collective self-defense met today at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei). The members agreed on the need to intercept ballistic missiles that might be headed for the United States. The dominant view was that the country should be allowed to use the right to collective self-defense, which is prohibited under the government's interpretation of the Constitution. At the outset of the meeting, the prime minister highlighted the need to improve the law to pave TOKYO 00002967 002 OF 008 the way for missile interception, saying: "There is no doubt that if Japan's ally suffered major damage, it would have a serious impact on the defense of Japan." The prime minister, with use of the missile defense (MD) system in mind, also ordered the panel to study a response to a fired ballistic missile being identified by radar. The prime minister also said: "Not only military personnel but also US citizens would suffer serious damage. This is an extremely crucial theme for the alliance." According to the panel's chair Shunji Yanai, a former ambassador to the United States, members said: "Not being able to shoot down a missile headed for the United States, on which Japan's security heavily relies on, cannot be an option," and, "Japan's inability to deal with such a situation will rock the foundation of the alliance with the United States." The government's standard interpretation is that intercepting a ballistic missile headed for a foreign country constitutes the use of the right to collective self-defense, which is prohibited under the Constitution. (3) Interview with Energy Department Assistant Secretary Spurgeon on Japan-US nuclear power cooperation: Fusion of advanced technology expected NIKKEI (Page 15) (Full) June 29, 2007 Japan and the United States are boosting cooperation in developing a next-generation nuclear reactor and constructing new nuclear power plants in the US under a global nuclear energy partnership (GNEP) initiative advocated by the US government in 2006. The Nikkei interviewed Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Dennis Spurgeon on future prospects for nuclear power propulsion under cooperation between Japan and the US and on a global scale. -- What is the US expecting from Japan? Japan has an advanced fast-reactor technology to effectively burn plutonium. In addition, Japan has promoted the development of an advanced technology to reprocess used nuclear fuel in cooperation with France. The US has an excellent simulation technique. If Japan and the US bring together their respected technologies, the two countries will be able to come up with an advanced reactor and reprocessing technology. -- What contributions do you think Japanese companies will be able to make in the project of constructing new nuclear power plants in the US? The US plans to construct about 30 nuclear reactors. I expect Japanese manufacturers will be engaged in more than half of them. Cooperation between Japanese and American companies is essential, like one between Westinghouse Electric Co. and Toshiba Co. and another between GE and Hitachi Ltd. -- Although no construction project was carried out over the past nearly 30 years, do you think the planned project will be implemented smoothly? TOKYO 00002967 003 OF 008 With the necessary infrastructure declining, there are no companies and persons with sufficient experience of designing or construction. The government will help the industry take a step forward. The Energy Policy Act enacted in 2005 provides for debt guarantee. The government intends to determine detailed rules on a mechanism for debt guarantee by this fall and obtain approval from the Congress next year. -- The management and disposal of nuclear waste may obstruct the promotion of nuclear-power policy. It is safer for nuclear waste to be managed and disposed of by the international community, rather than by waste-producing countries alone. In order to collect waste in several locations across the world and then dispose it, it is necessary to obtain agreement from the international community. So it is not an easy task. (4) Yonaguni port call: US military creates fait accompli; Locals let down, give up RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 2) (Full) June 27, 2007 On the morning of June 26, two US Navy minesweepers, the USS Guardian and USS Patriot, left the port of Sono in the Okinawa prefectural town of Yonaguni on the island of Yonagunijima. The US military made a port call at a civilian seaport in Okinawa Prefecture for the first time since the reversion of Okinawa to Japan. The US military has now actually left its footprint on the island with the port call of its warships. However, the townsfolk was divided into "yes" to the port call in expectation of local development incentives and "no" in anticipation of trouble and war involvement. The town is apparently in a mood to give up, with one saying: "Whatever we may say, the US military will come." The small frontier island, which is suffering from depopulation, is now downhearted. On June 25, two days after the US warships' arrival at the port of Sono, their crewmen were on shore. They were seen everywhere in the town of Yonaguni, with some of them shopping at a grocery and others entering a restaurant. "Where can we play billiard?" asked one of them. "I'd like to buy something like glasswork for my souvenir," another said. A group of soldiers sat down on the steps to a supermarket. "I've never seen so many soldiers." With this, a supermarket clerk looked embarrassed. After the two US warships left the island, US Consul General Okinawa Maher underscored the significance of their visit to the island, saying: "US warships visit everywhere in Japan. They contribute to security in the region." Maher expressed his gratitude to local residents who responded to exchanges. Sonkichi Sakihara, a Yonaguni Town assemblyman, is a local transporter and helped to lower landing steps from the minesweepers. "The grocery store's beverage sales were more than twice," Sakihara said. "It's just for once, though," he added. Meanwhile, there are also local residents who welcomed the two US warships in expectation of government incentives to local development that will lead to the town's revitalization over the long term. For that purpose, they want the port of Sono to be improved and opened. However, they see nothing in store. Their TOKYO 00002967 004 OF 008 expectations were in vain. In the past, military maneuvers overshadowed the daily lives of Yonaguni's townsfolk. For instance, China once launched missiles, which landed in waters near the island of Yonagunijima. In addition, Taiwan also conducted military training exercises. The island's fishermen therefore could not go out fishing. As an example, one Yonagunijima islander cited the case of Takeshima, which is a group of disputed islets in the Sea of Japan and is currently under the control of South Korea. Japan has been claiming territorial rights to Takeshima. "If there is no one on this island," the local resident said, "this island would be occupied by a foreign country." He added, "We guard the border." Meanwhile, Yonaguni Town has no high school. The island's children need to live outside the island when going to high school. Their parents have to send them a monthly allowance of about 100,000 yen. On the island, they all go out to work, as a matter of course. Most of them are raising livestock as a sideline to make a living somehow. "We must revitalize the island, or we can't live on. We wanted to exchange with Taiwan. But the government turned down our request. The government says the port of Sono is not an open port. We wanted to pave the way to an open port. We thought the island's port could be an open port if US warships come. That's why we accepted their port call." With this, Yono Sakihara, 59, who heads a local community center, came out of himself. Yonaguni Town fears further depopulation. The town has now given up on its consolidation with other municipalities. Instead, the town is exploring ways to its self-sustainability with expanded exchanges with Taiwan. The island's people were divided and rocked with expectations and anxieties over the suddenly proposed visit of US warships. Sakihara voiced his dissatisfaction: "I wonder what the government thinks about frontier people." (5) Interview with Takushoku University Prof. Satoshi Morimoto on the right to collective self-defense NIKKEI (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) June 26, 2007 -- Why did the prime minister have to set up the blue-ribbon panel to discuss the right to collective self-defense at this time? Morimoto: Breaking away from the postwar regime is the ABE administration's basic vision. The administration's ultimate goal is to amend the Constitution. But because it cannot propose constitutional revision until 2010 or later, it wants to produce an outline of constitutional amendments first. But before that, the administration has to rebuild its national strategy. That's why the National Security Council will be established next spring. The question of the right to collective self-defense has to be settled at the same time. One Aegis-equipped vessel (capable of intercepting ballistic missiles) will become operational around December as part of missile defense (MD). The question of collective defense is expected to arise when Japan and the United States decide on joint operational procedures. I think the administration wants to sort out contentious TOKYO 00002967 005 OF 008 points by then. -- Is sorting out contentious points the panel's main goal? Morimoto: Effectiveness does not come from simply sorting out problems associated with the right to collective self-defense. Constitutional interpretation will not hold unless the right is legally ensured in some fashion. The matter must be settled by means of the law rather than changing the interpretation. If the matter cannot be resolved with the law, the government should seek the people's judgment on constitutional revision. -- Prime Minister SHINZO ABE has presented four scenarios, such as intercepting a missile headed for the United States. Morimoto: They are all intended for resolving questions. What Japan can and cannot do in dealing with pressing issues, such as MD and assisting in Iraq's reconstruction efforts? Should the government change its constitutional interpretation, establish a law, or go all the way to constitutional revision? I think the prime minister wants a set of proposals encompassing general rules that are drawn from the panel's study of the four scenarios. -- The government's explanation to the public seems insufficient. Morimoto: The government must explain correctly to the people about what Japan would lose and gain. Will Japan's diplomacy become broader and its international contributions and cooperation expand? The sacrifice of Self-Defense Force personnel and shedding the blood of foreign people would entail some diplomatic risk, at well. Writing reports on what Japan can do without mentioning risks is irresponsible. (6) Interview with Takakazu Kuriyama, former ambassador to US, on collective self-defense; Government's interpretation unrealistic NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) June 27, 2007 -- What do you think is important viewpoints in thinking about the right to collective self-defense? Kuriyama: I think it is important to understand the concept of collective self-defense based on international law. According to the present government's interpretation, the right of individual defense is applied to our country's defense and the right of collective self-defense is applied to defending other countries. The concept of international law is that the right to collective defense is a means to protect "us" and not other countries. Defending other countries means no more than joint response to defend one's own country. -- What do you think about the government's interpretation of the Constitution? Kuriyama: The government's interpretation disavowing the use of the right of collective self-defense based on the Constitutional has imposed unrealistic constraints on Japan's security policy. As a member of the international community, the interpretation that prevents Japan from fulfilling its due responsibility should be rejected. However, Article 9 of the Constitution is Japan's vow to the international community that its people will live by international cooperation, unlike the prewar situation. The article TOKYO 00002967 006 OF 008 is worth keeping for it shows that the principle of pacifism is being realized. -- Japan should be allowed to exercise the right of collective defense by reinterpreting the Constitution, not by amending it. Is that your opinion? Kuriyama: I am not an advocate of constitutional revision. I believe that Article 9 does not obstruct Japan from fulfilling the roles the international community expects of it. The first task that Japan should accomplish is to discuss what it can or cannot do without amending the Constitution. After such debate, the Constitution should be amended if necessary. Since Japan's security policy is now at a turning point, the government should fulfill its accountability in the form of a prime ministerial statement. Unless the government clarifies when and how Japan will exercise the right of collective defense, countries concerned and neighboring countries would be concerned and we would invite repercussions. -- Some in Japan are concerned that if the exercise of the collective defense right is allowed, there would be no end to the use of force. Kuriyama: The exercise of the collective defense does not always involve the use of force. International law includes provision of bases to the armies of allies in the exercise of the right of collective defense. This is action to protect "us" in the concept of common interest. The government of the time would make a decision on what are common interests and how far the collective defense right should be exercised. These matters are not stipulated in the Constitution. (7) Editorial: Get facts straight on comfort women SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) June 28, 2007 To our regret, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee has adopted a resolution condemning Japan and demanding the Japanese prime minister's official apology over the so-called wartime comfort women issue. The adopted resolution that includes some changes in wording to note the importance of the US-Japan alliance in the Asia-Pacific region is somewhat softer than the initial resolution presented by Mike Honda (D-CA). But as seen in its assertion that the comfort women system was established by the Japanese government for sexual services for military personnel, the resolution still includes many factual mistakes. Rumor circulated sometime ago that Japanese constituted authorities had coercively recruited young women, like slaves, to make them serve as comfort women. But there was no evidence in the some 2,300 materials collected by the Japanese government over two years. Comfort women were recruited mostly by private-sector operators, and the military had a hand in it only for venereal disease prevention. The resolution is likely to be put to a vote on the full floor of the House in July. Although the resolution is nonbinding, not rebutting factual mistakes might mean accepting them in the TOKYO 00002967 007 OF 008 international community. The Foreign Ministry must make every to get the facts straight by making effective use of the collected official documents. In the House committee, some reportedly even condemned Japan by equating the comfort women issue with Nazi Germany's Holocaust. This is a fallacious argument repeatedly appearing n state legislatures regarding the Nanjing Incident and other events. The influence of Iris Chang's bestseller, The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II, is still being felt. In his summit meeting with President George W. Bush in late April, Prime Minister SHINZO ABE said: "As prime minister and as a human being, I have to express sympathy from the bottom of my heart to the former comfort women who suffered hardships." President Bush lauded the remark. The Foreign Ministry recently conducted an opinion survey about Japan in which a record 74 % of Americans answered that Japan was trustworthy. In order to make the Japan-US alliance firmer, Japan needs to show the correct historical facts and make persistent diplomatic efforts to correct the errors. (8) Proposal by singer Agnes Chan, UNICEF goodwill ambassador: Possession of child pornography must be banned MAINICHI (Page 28) (Full) June 28, 2007/06/29 "I need an eraser. I want to make a fresh start in my life with a clean slate." These words of a 16-year-old girl I met in June 2001 in the Philippines are still fresh in my memory. The girl ran away from home at 13 and sold her body to live, and had an abortion twice until then. Rapping her hand on the belly at the time, she said, "I'll undergo an abortion." I told her, "No need for an eraser. That's not the result of what you did on your own decision. Your life is not stained with anything." I cried together with her. I do not want to see this sort of language come from a child. In June 1998, when I assumed the post of UNICEF ambassador for the Japan National Committee, I visited Thailand to see firsthand the state of child prostitution and child pornography. I met with three girls picked up by a Japanese man at a hotel lobby. Two of the three were from Myanmar (Burma) and one from Thailand. They looked merely nine years old, but they all told me, "14 years old." They were forced to say that age so as to not violate the law. One of them told me, "The man who always comes to me is a young Japanese." Another said, "My first customer was an old Japanese man." I was shocked and blamed by members of local non-governmental organizations (NGOs),with one of them arguing, "The Japanese have money, so they can buy anything." Filipino and Thai girls were photographed by Japanese customers. Those girls said they hate being photographed and that they were ashamed of those photos. Their photos are freely posted on the Internet, and that makes them feel like being raped twice and three times over. They will suffer psychological damage indefinitely. Because of this experience, at the time of the establishment of the Law for Punishing Acts Related to Child Prostitution and Child TOKYO 00002967 008 OF 008 Pornography, I wanted simple possession (personal collection of pictures) as well to be banned. Allowing possession means it is all right to use it for entertainment. Sacrificing children for adult desires does not make any sense. Although international child pornography is available on the Internet, if Japan banned simple possession of images, it would be prohibited to access those particular websites. If that happened, Japan could dispel the image of a being a child pornography consumer and the market for that kind of pornography in Japan would vanish. Animated pornography, too, exists and stirs up adult sexual interest in children. But even now that is justified as "a personal hobby." This year is set for a review of the Law for Punishing Acts Related to Child Prostitution and Child Pornography. It is the responsibility of adults to protect children. Diet members represent the adults. Most Japanese people cherish children. Only a handful of the Japanese create a bad image of Japan by buying sex from children abroad and circulating child pornography on the Internet. I think it is high time to say these acts are impermissible. SCHIEFFER