DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 08/17/07

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 003812 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 08/17/07 Index: (1) Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law: GOJ in defense mode against the "Ozawa doctrine"; Little room for compromise in understanding UN resolution (2) DPJ's opposition to extending Anti-Terrorist Special Measures Law increases level of danger for GSDF troops 3 (3) Analysis of war on terror, based on UN resolutions adopted since Sept. 11 terror attacks (4) Studies of DPJ: Criticism of Ozawa now quiet; Increasing unity with eye political change (5) Koike, Moriya to share pain: Final settlement on replacement of vice defense minister to be reached as early as this afternoon; Names of third candidates floated (6) State of US beef consumption after import resumption (7) TOP HEADLINES (8) EDITORIALS (9) Prime Minister's schedule, August 16 ARTICLES: (1) Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law: GOJ in defense mode against the "Ozawa doctrine"; Little room for compromise in understanding UN resolution MAINICHI (Page 2) (Abridged) August 17, 2007 The extension of the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law, which is set to expire on November 1, will be the main focus of the fall extraordinary Diet session. Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa has expressed his opposition to an extension of the law based on his reasoning that there is no UN Security Council resolution to support the war in Afghanistan. He plans to force the government to change its policy on the issue. The ruling party and the government are on the defensive, pointing out that Japan's support of the international war on terrorism is highly valued, as they try to combat Ozawa's position. It seems that Diet discussions will be a battle between Ozawa's "principles" and the LDP's "achievements." "There is no (UN) Security Council resolution directly authorizing the actions (of the US military and others)." In a meeting with US Ambassador to Japan Schieffer on August 8, Ozawa expressed his doubts this way about the interpretation of the UN Security Council resolution, which the Japanese government uses as justification for sending Maritime Self-Defense Forces to the Indian Ocean to assist in refueling operations. The Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) has been in the Indian Ocean assisting the US Navy since November 2001. The MSDF is a part of efforts to prevent the flow of terrorism-related materials from being transported by sea. This operation is connected with the US forces-centered Operation Enduring Freedom (OED),which is focused on mop-up operations against terrorists in Afghanistan. TOKYO 00003812 002 OF 010 The GOJ cites UN Security Resolution 1368, passed soon after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as the basis for its actions. The resolution calls on the international community to "redouble their efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist acts including by increased cooperation." (text taken from UN Security Resolution 1368 http://www.un.org/Docs/scres/2001/sc2001.htm) However Ozawa takes issue with the fact that OEF was not specifically mentioned in the resolution. He insists that the actions of either the US forces or the Self-Defense Forces cannot be condoned. Ambassador Schieffer countered Ozawa by citing UN Security Council Resolution 1746, passed in March 2007. This resolution clearly mentions OEF, calling on "the Afghan Government, with the assistance of the international community, including the International Security Assistance Force and Operation Enduring Freedom coalition....to continue to address the threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan posed by the Taliban (and) Al-Qaeda." (text taken from UN Security Council Resolution 1746 http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/unsc resolutions07.htm) Meanwhile, Ozawa showed some flexibility in his reference to the ISAF, created in December 2001 as a result of UN Security Council Resolution 1386, saying: "(The ISAF) was given the same attributes as peacekeeping operations (PKO) and was directly authorized (by the UNSC)." Ozawa has always asserted that the SDF's participation in peacekeeping operations should be limited to UN operations. However, the actions of the ISAF differ from those of a traditional PKO. In the southern part (of Afghanistan),in particular, where the situation is quite bad, the ISAF is basically engaged in combat operations. (2) DPJ's opposition to extending Anti-Terrorist Special Measures Law increases level of danger for GSDF troops Foresight (Page 29) (Full) September 2007 With Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ozawa's hardening of his stance opposing the extension of the Anti-Terrorist Special Measures Law that expires on Nov. 1, concern is growing inside the Defense Ministry that it could lead to casualties among Ground Self-Defense Force troops. The Anti-Terrorist Special Measures Law has already been extended three times, and the Maritime Self Defense Force (MSDF) is now in its sixth year of providing ship-to-ship refueling service in the Indian Ocean. But the DPJ has consistently been against the law and its extensions right from the start. This time, it is inevitable that the bill will be rejected in the DPJ-controlled Upper House. Although the ruling parties have more than the two-thirds vote necessary in the Lower House to override the Upper House's rejection, no one knows whether it can actually do so in the fall session of the Diet. Then why are ministry officials talking about casualties in the GSDF if the law expires? A senior Defense Ministry official explained: "The overseas operations of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) rest on two pillars of support for the United States: air transport by the Air Self-Defense Forces (ASDF) in Iraq; and the MSDF dispatch to the Indian Ocean. If one of these efforts disappears, the US will not TOKYO 00003812 003 OF 010 take it quietly. It will bring up again the possibility of dispatching GSDF troops to Afghanistan, a request it had made in the past." The dispatch of the GSDF troops to Afghanistan was considered by the government prior to their being sent to Iraq. The dispatch was withdrawn because under the current weapons-use criteria, they would not be able to respond (if attacked). The same official said: "In January this year, Prime Minister Abe during his European trip expressed a desire to send the SDF to Afghanistan. The US and European countries took this as an international commitment. If the dispatch to the Indian Ocean ends, a request to send the troops to Afghan would likely follow." The official continued, "If Afghanistan proves to be impossible, then another choice would be offered, sending troops for peacekeeping operations (PKO) to Darfur in the Sudan." Afghanistan, where NATO units have the lead, is a dangerous region, where the number of battle casualties rivals that of Iraq. The official continued: "The penalty for withdrawing from the Indian Ocean will be the dispatching of the GSDF to a dangerous zone. There have been no casualties for the SDF overseas for the past 15 years, but that would end." (3) Analysis of war on terror, based on UN resolutions adopted since Sept. 11 terror attacks YOMIURI (Page 11) (Excerpts) August 16, 2007 By Hidemichi Katsumata, editorial board member Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ozawa has expressed his opposition to the government's plan to extend the Antiterrorism Special Measures law, claiming: "The United States initiated the war on terrorism without obtaining consensus from the international community." Using as reference the UN resolutions adopted since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the US in 2001, this article examines if the ongoing war on terrorism in Afghanistan is a US war or a war authorized by the United Nations or the international community. International community supports US-led war Period between the 9-11 and the start of air offensive by the US and Britain on Afghanistan (Oct. 7) Following the terrorist attacks on the US, which KILLED about 3,000 persons from about 60 countries, US President Bush decided to launch retaliatory attacks on Al-Qaeda, an international terrorist group, and the Taliban government in Afghanistan supporting Al-Qaeda. The US launched the air offensive on the basis of the right to individual self-defense provided for in Article 51 of the UN Charter. The US worked on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to adopt a resolution criticizing the act of terror. In response, the UNSC unanimously adopted resolution 1368 on Sept. 12. The resolution specified the council's readiness to take all necessary steps to fight against threats to international peace and security. It also allowed the use of the right to self-defense and the right to collective self-defense. TOKYO 00003812 004 OF 010 In order to build an international coalition against terrorism, the US judged it necessary to obtain the "banner of the UN." Although the resolution adopted when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 authorized all UN members to take every possible step, resolution 1368 left vague who are allowed to take all steps, so the common view is that only the US is allowed to use the right to self-defense. Upon holding an emergency summit meeting on Sept. 21, the European Union (EU) announced a statement noting: "The EU members are ready to work out antiterrorism measures, including military assistance." The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),the Australia, New Zealand, the US Security Treaty (ANZUS),and the Organization of American States (OAS) - composed of the US, Canada, and Latin American countries - also decided to invoke the right to collective self-defense if the US made the request. The US obtained approval from Russia and China. The US then, in cooperation with Britain, launched an air offensive (Operation Enduring Freedom - OEF) on Oct. 7 against Afghanistan, based on the right to collective self-defense. The US reported to the UNSC chairman the same day on the start of military operations based on the right to self-defense. Looking back over the 26 days from the 9-11 attacks through the start of the air strike, the US chose the right of self-defense out of the two means to enable it to use armed force under international law. Although the UNSC did not order the US to organize a multinational force, the UN and the international community supported the US choice in actuality. On Sept. 12, the French newspaper Le Monde gave this prominent headline to the 9-11: "We are all Americans." Many countries, including those critical of US diplomacy, were shocked at the act of terror, and they could not treat the incident as being nothing to do with them. Although the war against Afghanistan was initiated under the lead of the US, the US took no unilateral action, unlike the case of the Iraq war. UN adopts resolutions in succession to maintain security in Afghanistan Period between the start of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and today The Taliban government collapsed about two months after the air raid by the US and Britain. But Osama bin Laden, the ringleader of the 9-11 attacks on the US, has yet to be captured. With terrorist threats still existing, the Coalition of Willing - composed of troops from the US, Britain, France and other countries - is still engaged in operations to capture terrorists and their stronghold in Afghanistan. Maritime Interdiction Operations based on the OEF are going on in the Indian Ocean, joined by the Maritime Self-Defense Force (SDF). Besides the efforts to eradicate terrorists, the UN adopted a resolution in December 2001 calling for dispatching an international security-assistance force (ISAF) composed of about 5,000 persons to Kabul to maintain security in its vicinity. In October 2003, the UN adopted a resolution to expand the area covered by ISAF activities to include the entire land of Afghanistan. The UN also adopted resolutions 1707 and 1746 last September and TOKYO 00003812 005 OF 010 this March, respectively. These resolutions call on the members of the Coalition of Willing joining the OEF to train the new Afghan national force in cooperation with the ISAF. They also specify the necessity of overall support from the international community, including the member countries of ISAF and OEF, to the Afghan government. The OEF, which was launched with the US exercising its right to self-defense, can be labeled, in the UN-authorized war on terror, as important as ISAF activities based on a UN resolution. The war on terror is going on, taking a stronger tinge of international cooperation, that is, collective security as aimed at by the UN. As long as terrorist threats are not removed, the war on terror must be continued. France and Germany have taken part in both the military operations of the OEF and the ISAF, although they opposed the opening of the Iraq war. Though this is cynical for the US, the international community has supported the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a quite contrary case to the Iraq war. (4) Studies of DPJ: Criticism of Ozawa now quiet; Increasing unity with eye political change NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) August 16, 2007 Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ) will cerebrate next April the 10th anniversary of its founding. With political change finally on the horizon, the unity of the DPJ members has strengthened even more under the leadership of Ozawa. No party members now have doubts about Ozawa's policy stance of going up against the ruling coalition, forming a united front with other opposition parties, and placing emphasis on regional economies. How far will the solidarity continue? No one is now talking about candidates to replace Ozawa. "I don't want you to worry because I have said what I should say to the appropriate person," said former President Seiji Maehara in a party on the night of Aug. 7 of the Ryoun-kai, a group made of about 30 members. Maehara was talking about the distinction of his policy from that of Ozawa regarding the question of whether to extend the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, which is set to expire on Nov. ¶1. Ozawa has expressed his opposition to the extension of the law, but Maehara, who is regarded as an active leader of the anti-Ozawa force, has advocated that the law should be extended. There was a rumor in the largest opposition party that Maehara might break away from Ozawa since the two have totally different views on national security. Maehara apparently tried to dispel the rumor by his speech. In early this month, Maehara secretly called at Ozawa's office in the Lower House members' office building, and exchanged views with him for about 30 minutes. Maehara urged the party head to carry out sufficient discussion in the party. Since Ozawa expressed his understanding, Maehara reportedly accepted Ozawa's policy of opposing the extension of the law. The DPJ was formed in April 1998 by the merger of the former DPJ founded by Naoto Kan and Yukio Hatoyama of the Sakigake Party and TOKYO 00003812 006 OF 010 Takahiro Yokomichi of the Social Democratic Party of Japan, Minseito (Good Governance Party),Shinto Yuai (New Fraternity Party),and the Democratic Reform League. In 2003, the Liberal Party headed by Ozawa joined the DPJ. There are several groups in the party, but they are not like factions in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). A number of DPJ lawmakers belong to more than one group. However, there are constant intergenerational and policy conflicts. At a Japanese style pub on the night of Aug. 9, Yoshihiko Noda, who has distanced himself from Ozawa, told about 30 followers: "We should fulfill our individual roles under the lead of President Ozawa so that we will grab the reins of government." They have agreed to let Ozawa head the party until the next House of Representatives election. Moves in the DPJ over the "post-Ozawa" issue will be quiet for the time being. In the July Upper House election, former President Katsuya Okawa, who is expected to become a successor to Ozawa, "delivered campaign speeches across the nation for candidates as he did so when he headed the party," his office said. Through his campaign trail of speeches for the Upper House race, Maehara urged new-face candidates to join his group, but he did no more than that. A veteran lawmaker said positively: "They know how party members see them. They have ambitions. They would openly take actions after the next Lower House election." If the possibility of political change moves closer to reality, differences in their views on individual policy issues might be brought to light. They will visit Busan in South Korea later this month to attend a forum sponsored by a private organization. (5) Koike, Moriya to share pain: Final settlement on replacement of vice defense minister to be reached as early as this afternoon; Names of third candidates floated YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) Evening, August 17, 2007 The government has decided to hold a meeting of the cabinet council personnel affairs review council as early as this afternoon to have it discuss the replacement of the vice defense minister, an issue over which there has been a continuing uproar, and reach a final settlement. The government will approve the resignation of Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya, but will not allow Chief of Secretariat Tetsuya Nishikawa, who hails from the National Police SIPDIS Agency, to be promoted to vice minister -- both of which have been called for by Koike. The government will also forgo the idea of promoting a home-bred Shinshiro Yamazaki, director general of the Bureau of Defense Operations Planning, who has spent his enter career at the Defense Ministry, to vice defense minister as recommended by Moriya. The government had intended to get the situation taken care of by having a new defense minister appoint a new vice defense minister after a cabinet reshuffle on Aug. 27. However, it has decided to settle the issue at an early date out of concern that the Abe administrations power base could further decline, if the furor continues. The names of Kohei Masuda, director general of the Bureau of Personnel and Education, and Iwao Kitahara, director general of the Defense Facilities Administration Agency, have been floated as a possible successor to Moriya. The defense minister has tried to have the replacement of Vice TOKYO 00003812 007 OF 010 Defense Minister Moriya, who has been in the post for more than four years, decided at a cabinet meeting on August 15. However, she did not obtain approval from Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki, a member of the cabinet meeting personnel affairs review council. She also did not inform Moriya of her decision to replace him, either. It was decided in 1979 that personnel changes concerning senior ministry and agency officials must be approved by the cabinet meeting personnel affairs review council consisting of the chief cabinet secretary and three deputy chief cabinet secretaries from the perspective of ensuring politically-guided personnel selections. Shiozaki and other government officials, therefore, fiercely opposed Koike's move. Moriya opposed the promotion of Nishikawa, who hails from the National Police Agency, citing the reason that deliberations on the bill amending the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law aimed at extending Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling operations in the Indian Ocean are to take place in the fall extraordinary Diet session. The furor has been continuing with Moriya rejecting the formal submission of a proposal for replacing himself and promoting Nishikawa to the prime minister's official residence (Kantei). (6) State of US beef consumption after import resumption TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 7) (Full) August 16, 2007 The decision to resume imports of US beef was made at the end of July last year. A year has passed since the arrival of the first shipment in early August that year. Leading retailers at first took a wait-and-see attitude due to consumer distrust, but they now at last have begun to sell the meat on a full scale. Imports are gradually recovering. Recovery: High cost hampering imports from increasing After hovering around 2,000 tons a month since last October, US beef imports as of June this year now exceed 4,000 tons a month. Import amounts reached 4,577 tons in July, indicating a recovery trend. The increase is attributable to this being the high-demand season for barbecue meat and the like. In addition, the all-box inspection requirement to ensure that shipments had no specified risk materials (SRM) was abolished. The US Meat Export Federation is optimistic, with one official saying, "Our aim is to export 40,000 tons this year." However, some Japanese trading house sources are still negative, noting that the price of US beef is 1.5-2.5 times higher than the pre-ban level. The reason is owing to the extra cost needed to comply with the import condition that only beef from cattle aged 20 months or younger is eligible for export to Japan. It is unlikely that US beef imports will increase steadily unless such an import condition is eased. Sales: Stores dealing with US beef gradually increasing For awhile after imports were resumed, only a limited number of medium-size supermarkets and barbecue restaurants were featuring US beef. Now, however, an increasing number of leading supermarket chains are beginning to sell the US product. TOKYO 00003812 008 OF 010 Seiyu started selling US beef at some of its outlets in March. The prices are 30% -50% lower than domestic products. Since it received a good customer response and the meat sold better than expected, Seiyu has gradually increased the number of outlets handling US beef. Three hundred and seventy-nine stores or almost all of its outlets started selling the US product on August 10. Ito-Yokado started selling at its 20 outlets in the Tokyo metropolitan area in June. A company spokesman said, "Though you cannot say that consumer anxieties have been completely wiped away, US beef fans are gradually increasing." All of its 175 outlets started dealing with US beef early this month. Apita-Uny started test-sales of US beef in June. Now all of its outlets deal with the US product. Daiei has decided to resume sales of US beef on a once a month basis for the time being, starting on Aug. 18. Among restaurant chains, Yoshinoya D&C started serving beef-bowls in September last year on a limited basis. It extended the beef-bowl serving time to 13 hours from 11:00 to 24:00. As a result, customer volume increased 30%. In the meantime, many supermarket and restaurant chains are cautious about selling US meat with an Aeon executive noting, "We give first consideration to our customers. We have no plan to handle US beef for the time being." Easing of condition: Consumer distrust deep-seated Though imports show an uptrend, the volume is a long way from reaching the 200,000- ton level that existed before the total ban that was imposed following the discovery of one BSE-infected cow in the US in 2003. The US government has cited harsh import conditions set by Japan as the main reason for the slow increase in beef imports. It is mounting pressure on Japan to ease its import conditions. In order to move toward easing the restriction, the two governments held technical talks in June and August. The US has called on Japan to scrap import conditions that include such criteria as the age of the cattle. It presented the data used by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) when it recognized the US this May as a country that can export beef regardless of cattle age. Japan will decide whether to ease that condition before the end of this month at the earliest and enter talks with the US. The government will then consult with the Cabinet Offices' Food Safety Commission and reach a final judgment on the propriety of easing the condition. However, there remains deep-seated distrust toward US beef among consumers as a result of the discovery of SRMS in US beef shipments due to human error. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries noted that it would be necessary to obtain understanding from consumers through briefings and other efforts, when the government decides to ease the condition. (7) TOP HEADLINES TOKYO 00003812 009 OF 010 Asahi, Mainichi & Tokyo Shimbun: Temperatures hit record 40.9C in Saitama, Gifu, marking highest ever in 74 years of record keeping Yomiuri: Education panel to propose enhancing students' language skills Nikkei: Mitsukoshi, Isetan to merge next spring into nation's largest department store Sankei: DPJ asks for bureaucrats' cooperation on policymaking, representing eagerness and uneasiness Akahata: National education gathering starts in Hiroshima (8) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Employ every means to protect the body from heat waves (2) Government should set standards to determine level of quake-caused damage Mainichi: (1) Inability to settle feud over vice defense minister's post shows weakness of government (2) Don't use lenient precedent in punishing drug-use cases in baseball world Yomiuri: (1) Is the Defense Ministry able to deal with a national emergency? (2) Ishiya betrayed customers' trust by falsifying sell-by dates for popular chocolate product Nikkei: (1) Falling stock prices across world exposing problems hidden in financial system Sankei: (1) Feud in Defense Ministry over personnel appointment must be stopped quickly (2) We expect IAEA report to work to expel rumors about radiation leaks Tokyo Shimbun: (1) We must take the torrential heat this summer as a warning (2) Government urged to review guidelines on safety of nuclear power plants Akahata: (1) Uncertainty over global stock markets: Some measures needed to prevent speculative activities (9) Prime Minister's schedule, August 16 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) August 17, 2007 09:31 TOKYO 00003812 010 OF 010 Met at Kantei with LDP Policy Research Council Senior Deputy Chairman Kawamura, followed by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matoba. 10:26 Met with deputy chief cabinet secretaries Shimomura and Suzuki and Special Prime Ministerial Advisor Seko, joined later by Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki. 12:56 Met with Matoba. 13:43 Met with Deputy Foreign Minister Yabunaka and Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department Director General Atsumi, attended by Shimomura. 15:16 Met Niigata Prefecture Association Chairman Tadashi Takahashi, joined by Seko. 18:46 Dined with secretaries at the Japanese restaurant "Unkai" in the ANA Continental Hotel Tokyo. 20:42 Returned to his official residence. 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