JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 07/30/07-1

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E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 07/30/07-1 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials Election results: 3) Election results table: LDP 37 seats; DPJ 60 seats; Komeito 8 seats 4) LDP goes down to historical defeat in Upper House election; DPJ (Minshuto) emerges as top party in the Upper House for the first time 5) LDP wins six, loses 23 single-seat districts 6) Nakagawa Hidenao quits as LDP secretary general; Prime Minister Abe intends to shuffle cabinet 7) DPJ President Ozawa's election strategy pays off; Party will now aim at forcing snap election 8) New Komeito suffers historical defeat 9) Japanese Communist Party: Zero district seats 10) Social Democratic Party: Wins 2 of 3 seats up for grabs Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi, Mainichi, Nikkei, Sankei Tokyo Shimbun & Akahata: LDP suffers historic defeat, Prime Minister ABE to stay in office Yomiuri: DJP becomes largest party in Upper House 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: LDP's defeat in Upper House election means voters' lack of confidence in Abe's politics Mainichi: LDP suffers defeat; Popular will rejects "Abe politics" Abe must ask for the people's vote of confidence through Lower House election Yomiuri: Turmoil in national politics unforgivable Nikkei: Prime Minister ABE must take seriously the judgment by voters Sankei: LDP's major defeat: DPJ has now great responsibility Prime Minister ABE must do some soul-searching and strengthen his cabinet Tokyo Shimbun: Abe-led LDP loses Upper House race: Existence of "my cabinet" difficult Akahata: Nuclear-free world and Japan: Hope for success of World Conference against A & H Bombs 3) Results of Upper House election (July 28, 2007) TOKYO 00003458 002 OF 006 NIKKEI (Page 1) (Full) July 30, 2007 Party: Total won Before elect. Elect. districts Proportional Uncontested DPJ 60 (32) 40 20 49 LDP 37 (64) 23 14 46 New Komeito 8 (12) 2 6 11 JCP 3 (5) 0 3 4 SDP 2 (3) 0 2 3 Kokumin 2 (2) 1 1 2 Nippon 1 (0) 0 1 0 Unaffiliated 7 (1) 7 -- 6 Total 120 (119) ASTERISK 73 47 121 Remaining seat 1 2 seats were unfilled prior to election 4) LDP suffers historical defeat; Komeito, too; Prime Minister ABE announces he will stay in office; DPJ leaps ahead to become No. 1 party in Upper House ASAHI (Top play) (Excerpt) July 30, 2007 The 21st election for the House of Councillors, billed as a poll to test voter confidence in the ABE administration, was held on July ¶29. In it, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) dropped from its pre-election 64 seats to 37 seats, a major historical defeat on par with the worst Upper House election results on record, 36 seats, after Sosuke Uno resigned as prime minister in 1989. The New Komeito, too, suffered a defeat, dropping three out of the five district seats it had held before the election. Even adding seats that were not up for election this time, the ruling coalition has lost its majority in the Upper House. However, Prime Minister SHINZO Abe last night announced that he would stay on in office. In contrast, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) jumped from the 32 seats it had held before the election to 60 seats. This is the first time since the LDP was formed in 1955 that it has lost the position of being the number 1 party in the Upper House to an opposition party. DPJ executives last night called for the resignation of Prime Minister ABE and an early snap election for the Lower House. In a nationwide exit poll by the Asahi Shimbun, 56% of the respondents replied that they wanted a change in the prime minister. Inevitably, the issue of whether he will step down or not will continue to fester. 5) In 29 single-seat constituencies, LDP wins only 6 seats; Katayama beaten by DPJ candidate MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) July 30, 2007 In the 29 single-seat constituencies, Liberal Democratic Party candidates won only in 6 in the House of Councillors election yesterday. The LDP experienced the second loss in single-seat constituencies since its foundation in 1955, following the one in the 1989 election, in which the LDP, negatively affected by the TOKYO 00003458 003 OF 006 introduction of the consumption tax and the Recruit scandal, garnered only 3 of 26 seats. Toranosuke Katayama, the LDP's Upper House secretary general, was beaten by a Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) candidate in Okayama Prefecture. Single-seat constituencies, which are home to many farmers, were once bastions of the LDP. The election outcome this time, however, shows that an increasing number of voters in such districts have abandoned the LDP due to the pension mess and the widening social disparities. The LDP had been overwhelmingly strong in single-seat districts in the past elections, except for the 1989 one. The party won more than 20 seats in five consecutive elections in 1974. Even in the 2004 election, in which the LDP was outperformed by the DPJ, the LDP won 14 of the 27 single seats. The LDP had not lost in Saga since 1956, but it did so yesterday for the first time in 51 years in Saga. The LDP candidate also lost in Toyama for the first time in 39 years. Among big-name candidates, former Construction Minister Katsutsugu Sekiya lost his seat in Ehime, and former Environment Agency Director General Kenji Manabe was defeated in Kagawa. The LDP candidates in the four constituencies in Shikoku were all defeated for the first time in 18 years. In Kyushu, where the support rate of the LDP exceeded 40%, as well, the LDP won a victory only in Oita and Kagoshima out of the seven constituencies. In Kagoshima, the LDP candidate won by a narrow margin of about 2,600 votes. 6) LDP Secretary General Nakagawa submits resignation, prime minister indicates intention to shuffle cabinet YOMIURI (Page 1) (Excerpts) July 30, 2007 Appearing on many TV programs last night, Prime Minister ABE (Liberal Democratic Party President) said, "The responsibility of our crushing defeat rests with me." But he indicated that he would stay on as prime minister, remarking: "My nation-building project has just gotten off the ground. I must push ahead with reforms and fulfill my responsibility as prime minister." Meanwhile, LDP Secretary General Nakagawa, who took the initiative in the House of SIPDIS Councillors election campaign, submitted a letter of resignation to the prime minister yesterday. Upon receiving the resignation, ABE told Nakagawa to continue to serve as secretary general for the time being to make efforts to save the current difficult situation. LDP Upper House Chairman Aoki also indicated a willingness to step down from his post. On a TV news program last night, the prime minister said: "Taking the election results seriously, I will consider a shuffling of the cabinet. I would like to consider the possibility from the viewpoints of a whole-party approach and the principle of the right person in the right place." Regarding the timeframe for a cabinet reshuffle, views are split in the government and the ruling coalition, with some suggesting September, when the incumbent LDP executives' term of office expires, and others calling for a shuffle as soon as possible. In shuffling the cabinet and appointing LDP executives, it is necessary to pick personnel who will serve to give a boost to the administration, as well as to focus on efforts to tackle new policy agenda and reform the party. It is certain that calls from LDP TOKYO 00003458 004 OF 006 members will grow louder for a whole-party approach to be taken, so difficulties are expected in the selection process. As for future Diet management, the prime minister said: "We will cooperate and discuss fully with the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) and take its assertions into account if they are worthy of consideration." Asked about a possible dissolution of the House Representatives for a general election, ABE said: "There are still nearly two years left. I have no intention of dissolving the Lower House at an early date." 7) As Ozawa's strategy proves effective, DPJ ready to launch offensive to urge ruling coalition to dissolve Lower House election MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) July 30, 2007 The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) succeeded in taking charge of the House of Councillors in the election yesterday by garnering significantly more seats than its pre-election tally of 32, now becoming the main political party in the chamber. The strategy hammered out by DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa, with efforts focused on the 29 single-seat constituencies, proved effective, destroying the longstanding foundations of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). It can be said that the DPJ scored a complete victory for the first tome since a non-LDP government was established in ¶1993. In a drive to take over the political reins in the next general election, the main opposition party is set to accelerate moves to have the ruling coalition dissolve the House of Representatives at an early date. The DPJ is now certain to put more pressure on the ruling camp. On the behalf of Ozawa, who fell ill, Deputy Head Naoto Kan said last night: "President Ozawa must be pleased with the election outcome, though I have yet to talk with him. He played an energetic part since he assumed office (in April of last year) as if the election campaign were started on the day of his assumption." 8) New Komeito also suffers historic defeat ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) July 30, 2007 The junior coalition partner New Komeito was unable to maintain the 13 seats it won in 2001 Upper House election, losing three seats in Aichi, Saitama, and Kanagawa constituencies. It was the first time for the party to lose more than three of its seats up for re-election. It was the first time since 1989 for it to suffer a defeat in electoral districts. Indeed, the party suffered a historic defeat. The growing criticism of the ABE administration forced New Komeito Representative Ota to have an uphill battle in the first grand nation election after taking office as representative of the party. Criticism of his leadership is likely to emerge, but Ota late yesterday said, "There was support extended to our achievements and policies," noting: "I'd like to serve out by making efforts to widening the public's support for our party." One senior New Komeito member said, "Our party's principles and assertions are quite different from the prime minister's," but the New Komeito has given the top priority to being in the coalition TOKYO 00003458 005 OF 006 government and in effect given approval to policy measures strongly reflecting the prime minister's ideological aspects and his highhanded management of the Diet. The party has in a way played the role of minimizing the cabinet members' gaffes and scandals, but some in the party and its supporting body Soka Gakkai are discontent with the party leadership now. Given this, some in the party are likely to urge the party leadership to come up with measures with its imprint. Representative Ota late yesterday emphasized: "We will say what we should say." Acting Chief Representative Toshiko Hamayotsu said: "We should do so particularly over the politics-and-money issue." Regarding politics on which the party is not in agreement with the Liberal Democratic Party, for instance, the question of revising the constitutional interpretation to allow Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense, the New Komeito is likely to intercept the LDP's moves. 9) JCP now has no seats in election districts for Upper House as well YOMIURI (Page 7) (Full) July 30, 2007 The Japanese Communist Party failed to retain five seats up for election. It lost a seat in the Tokyo constituency as well. It now has zero seats in election districts for both for the Lower and Upper Houses. JCP Chair Shii told reporters early today: "It was very regrettable that our party was unable to win any seats in election districts. However, we took the lead in the election battle under the banner of 'stop poverty' and 'protect Article 9 of the Constitution." He ruled out the possibility of his quitting his post to take responsibility, noting, "I want to fulfill my responsibility by finding a breakthrough in the current situation in a positive manner." General Secretary Ichita yesterday evening indicated his perception that his party was unable to absorb votes critical of the ruling camp. He said, "There was a fairly strong trend among voters of voting for the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto),the no. 1 opposition party, to punish the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the New Komeito." In past Upper House elections, the JCP gained five seats in 2001 and four in 2004. An increasing number of members now have begun saying, "The JCP's challenge is to gain support from more swing-voters." 10) SDP falls short of retaining seats up for election YOMIURI (Page 7) (Full) July 30, 2007 The Social Democratic Party (SDP) only gained two seats, falling short of retaining three up for election. It was unable to stem a decline in party forces. The outcome apparently indicates that it was unable to show its presence amid a fierce battle staged between the ruling bloc and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Meeting the press, party head Fukushima said, "The result is very severe. It is good to gain control of the Upper House for the opposition, but the SDP was unable to fully get its points fully TOKYO 00003458 006 OF 006 across, overshadowed by the two major parties. Opposition to amending Article 9 of the Constitution did not become the largest campaign issue." Regarding the party's approach to the future political situation, Fukushima said, "Since the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) suffered a crushing defeat, the DPJ, the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) and the SDP will strongly call for the prime minister's resignation." SCHIEFFER