DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 11/15/07

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 13 TOKYO 005244 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 11/15/07 Index: (1) Nuclear threat: Will nuclear proliferation be prevented? Prime Minister Fukuda to face test over US diplomacy (Yomiuri) (2) Editorial: Prime Minister Fukuda must face precariousness of Japan-US alliance (Sankei) (3) Time to consider durability of Japan-US alliance (Nikkei) (4) Asia and Japan-US alliance (part 1-a): Fukuda diplomacy gets underway; simultaneous settlement of nuclear, abduction issues to be explored (Mainichi) (5) Editorial: Fukuda's US visit and North Korea issue (Asahi) (6) Poll on Fukuda cabinet, political parties, MSDF refueling mission (Sankei) (7) Prime Minister's schedule, November 14 (Nikkei) (8) TOP HEADLINES (9) EDITORIALS 11 ARTICLES: (1) Nuclear threat: Will nuclear proliferation be prevented? Prime Minister Fukuda to face test over US diplomacy YOMIURI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) November 14, 2007 In a dinner party held at the US Deputy Chief of Mission's Official Residence in Roppongi, Tokyo, on the night of Oct. 31, the friendly atmosphere suddenly changed into a strained mood when United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Alexander Arvizu said: "The US will remove (North Korea) from its terrorist-sponsor list if that nation has refrained from committing terrorist acts, like the KAL downing incident, over the past six months. The abduction issue will not be taken into account." Eight members of a parliamentary group dealing with the abduction issue were also participating in the party, including former Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Takeo Hiranuma and former LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Shoichi Nakagawa. The US government arranged the dinner party, with the aim of listening to views about the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The suprapartisan group - chaired by Hiranuma - takes a hard-line stance on North Korea. Former Prime Minister Abe was a leading member of the group. Group members interpreted that the US, by holding the party, aimed to have participants understand its delisting plan. If the US decides to delist the North, Japan might take it as representing the collapse of the framework of Japan-US cooperation. Under former Prime Minister Abe, Japan and the US failed to take joint steps in dealing with North Korea. Abe left a severe environment to Prime Minister Fukuda. Following North Korea's promise to disable its nuclear facilities TOKYO 00005244 002 OF 013 this year, the Bush administration, in its last days, is about to give favors to the North even without any progress on the abduction issue. Although there is no time to waste, the prime minister has yet to come up with definite guidelines to deal with the change in Washington's attitude. To be sure, the prime minister is emphasizing a policy of dialogue with North Korea in an attempt to break the impasse in bilateral relations. In his policy speech, Fukuda did not use the word "pressure." Early this month, he instructed his aides to take some measures to move talks with North Korea forward. There is a delicate change in the environment surrounding the General Federation of Korean Residents (Chosen Soren) in Japan. A source familiar with this group said: "Under the former Abe administration, groups affiliated with Chosen Soren across the nation were prosecuted almost every month under the guise of strict law enforcement, but such pressure has been removed recently." Chosen Soren used to be one of the main secret routes of contact between Japan and North Korea. An aide to the prime minister said, "An increasing number of routes of contact between the two countries have been established than there were under the Abe administration." North Korea is greatly interested in the planned Japan-US summit in Washington on Nov. 16. According to a source familiar with Japan-North Korea relations, Pyongyang will keep close watch on what approach Fukuda, who has kept a low profile in various quarters in the nation and overseas, will take to the US, which is increasingly eager to reconcile with Pyongyang. A senior Foreign Ministry official commented: "All the more because North Korea will keep close watch on the summit, the prime minister must reiterate to President Bush his opposition to the US delisting North Korea." Japan had a bitter experience, and a member of the abduction parliamentary group said, "We don't want to have the same experience again." In the closing days of the former Clinton administration, the US moved in a hasty way to reconcile with North Korea. In response, Japan poured a total of 500 million dollars (about 60 billion yen) into a project to construct light water reactors in North Korea and also offered more than 1.3 million tons of rice in aid to that country. But North Korea did not scrap its missile development program. In October last year, Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test, worsening the security environment for Japan. Japan's position conflicts with the policy of reconciliation between the US and North Korea on some points. Prime Minister Fukuda, while pushing ahead with the policy of dialogue, should make resolute assertions. (2) Editorial: Prime Minister Fukuda must face precariousness of Japan-US alliance SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) November 14, 2007 Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda will visit the United States for the TOKYO 00005244 003 OF 013 first time since he took office and hold his first summit on Nov. 16 with US President George W. Bush. Under the Koizumi and Abe governments, it was said that the Japan-US alliance was the best ever. During the past several months, however, the political climate surrounding the bilateral alliance has drastically changed. The Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling operation in the Indian Ocean has been suspended. No progress has been made on the government's plan to relocate the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, which is the centerpiece of the realignment of US based in Japan. There still remain issues such as Japan's plan to reduce its financial burden for the costs for the US forces stationed in Japan, as well as US beef imports. The growing expectation is that the US government will delist North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, probably before the end of the year. With the Diet divided, the United States has found it difficult to understand Japanese politics. The Bush administration might have seen the "grand coalition" turmoil that was caused by Fukuda and Ichiro Ozawa, president of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto),as a murky move that made the US question whether Japan attached importance to the bilateral alliance or placed the United Nations above all else. Fukuda's choosing the US for his first official overseas trip is a good option. Even if there were no pending issue between two countries, constant efforts and mutual understanding are indispensable to maintain the alliance, but there remain many pending issues between the two countries. Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said: "The prime minister will confirm the ties of the Japan-US alliance" at the upcoming summit. What Machimura said is only natural, but the planned summit require more than the reconfirmation of solid ties. We view the summit as extremely important. In particular, whether the US government will remove the North from its list of terrorism-sponsoring states is a significant issue that connects directly with the sentiments of Japanese people wishing for a resolution of the abduction issue. Fukuda needs to obtain a promise from the US government that Washington will not sacrifice the Japan-US alliance in an attempt to resolve the nuclear issue and improve relations with North Korea. It is certain that Bush wants Japan to rejoin the war on terror by resuming the MSDF refueling mission in the Indian Ocean and to give momentum to USFJ realignment. In order to break the deadlock on the two difficult issues and to promote them, it is absolutely necessary for the two top leaders to discuss the issues in good faith. Ahead of Fukuda's US trip, the French president and German chancellor visited Washington one after another to reconfirm the close ties of their alliances with the US. In order also to aim at multilayered development of relations between Japan and the US, between the US and Europe, and Japan and Europe, Japan should state clearly the significance and value of the Japan-US alliance. We want the prime minister to carry out a fruitful meeting, keeping in mind that the Japan-US alliance is in danger. (3) Time to consider durability of Japan-US alliance NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) November 11, 2007 TOKYO 00005244 004 OF 013 By Hiroyuki Akita, member of editorial board How long will the alliances the US has so far established last? The US government reportedly is restudying and calculating the durability of the alliance relationships it has established since the end of the Cold War. The US distinguishes allies with which it expects to work together over the long run from other allies. The US intends to use more resources for cooperation with such allies and to gradually distance itself from the others. The US has used up its energy in the Iraq war and the war against terrorism. Under such a situation, the US seems willing to accelerate the restructuring of its allies. According to the head of a US think-tank well-versed in the matter, the US regards Britain and Australia, which joined the Iraq and Afghanistan war, as lasting allies. In contrast, there is a view that the alliance relationship between the US and South Korea, which has been strained over strategy toward North Korea, could be short-lived. This prediction might be behind the US decision to trim its military forces in South Korea. The think-dank president said: "Japan is one of the most trustworthy allies." But the situation does not warrant optimism. A Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker representing national defense interests said that his impression was reinforced through contacts with senior US Defense Department officers that "the US military might assume that (Japan) may try to restrict US military aircraft from taking off from bases in Japan." The US military plans to move about 8,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam. As the major reason for this plan, the US has cited its consideration for Okinawa. But the LDP lawmaker said: "Behind the US plan to transfer Marines to Guam, there seems to be the judgment that it may be difficult for the US military to take smooth action in Japan." The US government has hailed the strength of the Japan-US alliance, but some members express concern, wondering how long Japan will continue to welcome the presence of US forces. Some point out that the more precise Chinese missiles become, the more vulnerable US forces in Japan become. In working out policy toward Asia, the US fears most a scenario in which a conflict breaks out between China and Taiwan, driving the US and Chinese militaries into a confrontation across the Taiwan Strait. It is fully conceivable that relations between China and Taiwan will become strained after Taiwan's presidential election next March, because Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has strong aspirations for independence from China. If the US and China engage in hostilities, Japan will become the strategic forefront base of the US military. A senior US military official said: "US forces in Japan might come under attack by the Chinese military." According to Japanese officials, the US government and the US military have begun to harbor this kind of concern: At such a time, will the Japanese public support US forces flying missions out of TOKYO 00005244 005 OF 013 Japan? Growing anti-American sentiment in Japan in that event could lead to restrictions on moves by US forces in Japan. There are an increasing number of cases across the world in which an ally of the US invokes vetoes action by the US military as their friendship established during the Cold War has weakened. In the Iraq war, Turkey and Saudi Arabia refused the US military's use of their military bases. The government has been pressed to suspend the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. The US might take the suspension as not a result of a change in the dynamics of Nagata-cho (Japan's political center) but signs of a shortening of the durability period of the Japan-US alliance. The Japan-US security arrangement has been somewhat taken for granted, like air. If Japan intends to maintain the arrangement, it should be fully aware that the alliance will not be effective forever and must make efforts to extend its life span. (4) Asia and Japan-US alliance (part 1-a): Fukuda diplomacy gets underway; simultaneous settlement of nuclear, abduction issues to be explored MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full) November 14, 2007 Administrative Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi, who visited the US in order to pave the way for Prime Minister Fukuda's upcoming US visit, met with Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte in an office in the US State Department in Washington on October 25. Kenichiro Sasae, director general of the Asian and Oceanean Affairs Bureau, was also present. Their discussions focused not on the issue of continuing the refueling operations by the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) in the Indian Ocean but on the issue of removing North Korea from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. Yachi asked the US side to give consideration to the abduction issue, saying, "Full conditions for removing North Korea from the list have yet to be met. We want the US to consider bringing progress on the abduction issue. Otherwise, hardliners in Japan (toward North Korea) will not be calmed down." The US government had at first announced its intention to remove the DPRK from its list of state sponsors of terrorism in late December. Assistant Secretary of State Hill said that the USG would notify the Congress of the matter 45 days before, which would in effect mean that the nation was removed from the list. There was even a possibility of a countdown for delisting starting on Nov. 11. One senior MOFA official said that if such a notification were sent during the prime minister's visit to the US, it would be tantamount to political suicide for him. However, Negroponte's response was cold. He said, "I understand your concern, but we cannot include the abduction issue among conditions for removing the DPRK from the list." Yachi visited Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor James F. Jeffrey, Senior Director for Asia Denis Wilder and Vice President Cheney's national security advisor Hannah TOKYO 00005244 006 OF 013 and tried to persuade them to put off the planned delisting of the DPRK. The same Foreign Ministry official said, "We were able to obtain the US commitment to withholding the sending of a notification to the Congress during the prime minister's visit. The prime minister will be able to keep face." However, that also meant that removing the DPRK from the list is an established policy and implementation of that policy is imminent. Presumably in order to notify related countries, Hill visited Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo starting on October 10 and underscored that sending a notification will be a de facto removal of that nation from the list. On October 26, the day following the Yachi-Negroponte talks, Fukuda met with Shigeru Yokota, representative of the Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea, and others at the Prime Minister's Official Residence and said, "Abductees simply returning home is a major humanitarian issue. However, I want to repair relations with the DPRK, if possible. Now is the best opportunity for talks with that nation." The trend for North Korea disabling its nuclear facilities has been set with the initiative of the US, as can be seen in an agreement between the US and North Korea in Berlin in January and an agreement on the initial denuclearization steps at the six party talks held in Beijing in February. The observation was widespread that the former Abe administration, which gave top priority to the abduction issue, was in a fix with the US decision to eliminate the DPRK from the list. However, Fukuda is trying to use the US approach to North Korea as an opportunity. Explaining Prime Minister Fukuda's determination, the same Foreign Ministry official said, "The elimination of the DPRK from the list is no major problem. If the disablement of North Korea's nuclear facilities really makes progress, we will simultaneously settle the abduction issue. It would mean Japan making the kind of major decision that only comes along once every 20 years." Fukuda diplomacy will get underway with his summit with President Bush on Nov. 16. He will aim for harmony between Asia diplomacy and the Japan-US alliance. Mainichi Shimbun will explore challenges to and visions of Fukuda diplomacy through the North Korea issue and the overseas dispatch of Self-Defense Forces. (5) Editorial: Fukuda's US visit and North Korea issue ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) November 15, 2007 Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda kicks off his first official foreign visit today. He is scheduled to meet with President George W. Bush in Washington and to attend the ASEAN Plus Three -- Japan, China, and South Korea -- summit in Singapore next week. Fukuda diplomacy has an advantage over his predecessor. He is free from tough issues closely associated with historical views, such as the question of visiting Yasukuni Shrine and the wartime comfort women issue. Historical issues caused Asian nations to evince distrust in Japan and prompted the US House to adopt a resolution condemning Japan. Such issues will no longer haunt Fukuda's trip. It has been a long time since Japanese diplomacy had an unfettered response TOKYO 00005244 007 OF 013 capability. Fukuda chose the United States as the destination of his first foreign trip, which is understandable. He apparently plans to give Washington the impression that he is going to cooperate with the United States as the new prime minister who identifies the Japan-US alliance as the bedrock of Japan's diplomacy by making a clear distinction with his predecessor Abe's hawkish policy course. His intention carries significance. We would like to see him discuss the question of North Korea first of all. In recent months, the United States has actively held talks with North Korea for resolving the nuclear issue. If the nuclear threat were to be removed, Japan would benefit from it significantly. The prime minister must explicitly indicate that Japan will support the United States' efforts. There are concerns in Japan that the abduction issue might be left behind. Reportedly the United States will delist North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism possibly by the end of the year. Some observers think that the prime minister must raise a red flag to the US president. We must not forget, however, that if US-DRPK relations are improved and nuclear abandonment becomes a real possibility, that would favorably affect Japan-DPRK relations as well. In return for nuclear abandonment, the North is expecting normalized diplomatic ties with and economic assistance from Japan. The abduction issue must be resolved first, however. It is vital for the United States to share this view with Japan. (The United States) must not pursue a swift agreement with the North at the cost of the scope of nuclear facilities subject to disablement and abandonment. The two leaders should frankly discuss how the negotiations should proceed. The prime minister has some other tough issues, such as the suspended refueling operation of the Maritime Self-Defense Force in the Indian Ocean and Japan's proposal to reduce its host-nation support for US Forces Japan. Nevertheless, they should not rock the foundation of the Japan-US alliance. It is more important for Japan and the United States to crosscheck their diplomatic strategies in order to find ways to bring stability to the situation in East Asia. What are the priority policy issues and what role should each leader play? Keeping good communication at the top level is essential in order to come up with answers to those questions. Perceptions toward China are also a vital theme. We would like to see the prime minister move on to act two, Japan's policy toward Asia, armed with those results. Fukuda is scheduled to hold his first meetings with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and South Korea President Roh Moo Hyun, as well as a trilateral summit with them. Stable Japan-US relations would help enhance Japan's diplomacy toward Asia, which would in turn give Japan strength in facing the TOKYO 00005244 008 OF 013 United States. We would like to see the prime minister draw such a diplomatic strategy through this trip. (6) Poll on Fukuda cabinet, political parties, MSDF refueling mission SANKEI (Page 5) (Abridged) November 13, 2007 Questions & Answers (Figures shown in percentage, rounded off.) Q: Do you support the Fukuda cabinet? Yes 41.1 (55.3) No 40.3 (28.7) Don't know (D/K) + Can't say which (CSW) 18.6 (16.0) Q: Which political party do you support? Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 32.2 (33.9) Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 26.5 (28.1) New Komeito (NK) 3.6 (4.4) Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 3.1 (3.4) Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 2.6 (2.0) People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 0.7 (0.2) New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0.1 (0.2) Other answers (O/A) 1.3 (0.4) None 28.2 (26.1) D/K + Can't say (C/S) 1.7 (1.3) Q: Do you appreciate Prime Minister Fukuda and his government on the following points? His personal character Yes 62.3 No 22.6 D/K+CSW 15.1 His leadership Yes 28.5 No 43.1 D/K+CSW 28.4 North Korea policy Yes 15.5 No 60.3 D/K+CSW 24.2 Response to Defense Ministry scandals Yes 13.3 No 66.9 D/K+CSW 19.8 Response to pension issues Yes 31.2 No 53.9 D/K+CSW 14.9 Response to hepatitis C infections Yes 43.5 No 37.5 TOKYO 00005244 009 OF 013 D/K+CSW 19.0 Political steering Yes 27.1 No 40.2 D/K+CSW 32.7 Q: The ruling coalition holds a majority in the House of Representatives, but the opposition bench controls the House of Councillors. What do you think about this distortion in the Diet? Pick only one from among those listed below. That's good because there's political tension 13.9 The ruling and opposition parties should compromise through talks 41.3 The House of Representatives should be dissolved at an early date for a general election 41.3 DK+C/S 3.5 Q: The LDP and DPJ leaders met to resolve such a distortion in the Diet. DPJ President Ozawa once clarified his intent to resign and later retracted it. Then, what do you think about the following points? Do you think it was good that the Fukuda-Ozawa meetings were held? Yes 68.4 No 25.2 D/K+CSW 6.4 Do you support the initiative to form a grand coalition of the LDP and the DPJ? Yes 26.8 (40.3) No 60.5 (48.0) D/K+CSW 12.7 (11.7) Do you think the LDP and the DPJ should confer on policies? Yes 90.9 No 5.5 D/K+CSW 3.6 Do you understand what DPJ President Ozawa said and did before retracting his once-announced intent to step down? Yes 23.8 No 67.1 D/K+CSW 9.1 Do you think it was good that DPJ President made up his mind to stay on? Yes 45.9 No 40.8 D/K+CSW 13.3 Do you think the DPJ should have elected a new president after DPJ President Ozawa's announcement of his intent to resign? Yes 54.4 No 31.9 D/K+CSW 13.7 Do you think the LDP will win a majority in the next election for the House of Representatives? Yes 48.5 (37.0) TOKYO 00005244 010 OF 013 No 34.6 (51.5) D/K+CSW 16.9 (11.5) Q: What would you like the Fukuda government to pursue first? Economic disparities 26.9 Pensions 20.4 Political scandals over money 14.0 Tax reform, such as consumption tax 11.5 Education reform 11.3 Global warming 6.2 North Korea 3.6 National security 3.2 Constitutional reform 2.9 D/K+C/S 0 Q: When would you like the House of Representatives to hold its next election? Within the year 9.6 (16.6) During the first half of next year 35.8 (38.5) After the G-8 summit in Japan next year and during the latter half of next year 29.9 (22.3) Upon the current term's expiry or the year after next 19.9 (20.5) D/K+C/S 4.8 (2.1) Q: What form of government would you like to see after the next election for the House of Representatives? LDP-led coalition government 29.7 DPJ-led coalition government 32.1 LDP-DPJ grand coalition 29.3 D/K+C/S 8.9 Q: How long do you think the Fukuda government will continue? Step down within the year 4.7 (8.0) Until around the next election for the House of Representatives 56.2 (52.9) Until the fall of the year after next 21.9 (24.7) Continue until after the fall of the year after next 10.3 (10.6) D/K+C/S 6.9 (3.8) Q: Do you support extending the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling activities for vessels belonging to the multinational forces in the Indian Ocean? Yes 51.8 (51.0) No 38.2 (39.7) D/K+CSW 10.0 (9.3) Q: A bill voted down in the House of Councillors may be repassed in the House of Representatives and enacted into law in order to extend the MSDF's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. Do you support this legislation? Yes 51.2 No 37.2 D/K+CSW 11.6 Q: Do you think you are a floating voter with no party in particular to support? TOKYO 00005244 011 OF 013 Yes 58.3 No 38.1 D/K+CSW 3.6 (Note) Figures in parentheses denote the results of the last survey conducted Sept. 26-27. Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Nov. 10-11 by the Sankei Shimbun and Fuji News Network (FNN) over the telephone on a computer-aided random digit dialing (RDD) basis. For the survey, a total of 1,000 persons were sampled from among males and females, aged 20 and over, across the nation. (7) Prime Minister's schedule, November 14 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) November 15, 2007 09:55 Met at the Kantei with Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Ota. Joined by directors general for policy planning Fujioka and Matsumoto. 10:35 Met Kansai Economic Federation Chairman Hiroshi Shigetsuma and others. Followed by Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura. 11:00 Met former South Korean Prime Minister Kim Jong Pil. Later met with Election Committee Vice Chairman Suga. Followed by Upper House Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Suzuki and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Iwaki. 13:01 Attended a meeting of the National Governors' Association. 16:01 Met in the Diet building with members of the National Economists' Federation of South Korea. 16:14 Met Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Futahashi at the Kantei. Later, met Finance Minister Nukaga and Internal Affairs and Communications Masuda. Followed by former Upper House member Keizo Takemi and Japan Center for International Exchange President Tadashi Yamamoto. 17:10 Met Policy Research Council Chairman Tanigaki and New Komeito Policy Research Council Chairman Saito. Later attended a meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy. 18:36 Returned to his official residence. 18:59 Met Kyrgyzstan President Bakiyev at the Kantei. Later, attended a signing ceremony for a joint statement and a joint press conference. Later hosted a welcome party for the president. 21:31 Returned to his private residence in Nozawa. TOKYO 00005244 012 OF 013 (8) TOP HEADLINES Asahi: Consumption tax hike next fiscal year to be put off; Government, LDP have public opinion in mind Mainichi: Unidentified pension premium payment records: Only 2.3 PERCENT checked; Third part committee start correction work in June, but says calculations will take 10 years Yomiuri: Number of maternity hospitals down 10 PERCENT , according to nationwide Yomiuri survey: 127 hospitals, even key ones in regional areas, closed since last April Nikkei: Regulatory Reform Council urges total lifting of ban on mixed medical services system as key proposal in its second report; Easing of requirements for child minders also included Sankei: Diet likely to be open through the end of the year to keep new antiterrorism special measures bill from being scrapped Tokyo Shimbun: Subprime loans: Mizuho Financial Group expected to incur losses of 170 billion yen this financial year: Merger of Mizuho Securities to be put off Akahata: Welfare benefits administration: SOS at 4:00 a.m. (9) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Prime minister to leave for US: How is he going to press ahead with North Korea issues? (2) Road consolidation plan: There is no room for investing huge amount of money Mainichi: (1) Road consolidation mid-term plan will preserve construction state (2) Revitalization of graying communities: Scrap bureaucratic sectionalism and adopt residents-oriented policy- Yomiuri: (1) Road consolidation plan: MLIT plan is based on the idea of maintaining special road construction revenues (2) Crime White Paper: Preventing subsequent offenses hold key to reducing crimes Nikkei: (1) MLIT's road consolidation plan intended to preserve special road construction revenues, ignoring spending reform (2) Personnel appointments for government-affiliated organizations that require Diet approval question political parties' insight Sankei: (1) Thirty years since abduction of Megumi Yokota: Effects of North TOKYO 00005244 013 OF 013 Korean terrorism remain (2) Special road-construction revenues: What happened to proposal to use funds elsewhere? Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Special road-construction revenues: We hope to hear logical discussion (2) Disapproval of proposed personnel appointments for government-affiliated organizations requiring Diet approval: We want to closely check of system Akahata: (1) Maternity hospitals refuse to accept patients brought by ambulances: Why are no measures taken? DONOVAN