DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 01/09/07

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 000055 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 01/09/07 INDEX: (1) Taku Yamasaki of LDP to visit Pyongyang to find a diplomatic breakthrough; Seeking way to restore Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration (2) New Komeito head says, "It's too early to set constitutional revision as a campaign issue" for Upper House election (3) Central, local governments agree to discuss Futenma relocation plan on Jan. 19 (4) Finance Ministry plans to simplify domestic procedures for EPAs (5) Japan, US to draw up nuclear energy promotion action program featuring technological cooperation, funds assistance (6) China hunting for crude oil: Obtains concession rights to 29 sites in 15 African countries in exchange for financial assistance (7) Poll on this summer's upper house election (8) Poll on living, economy ARTICLES: (1) Taku Yamasaki of LDP to visit Pyongyang to find a diplomatic breakthrough; Seeking way to restore Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) January 9, 2007 Taku Yamasaki, former vice president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),yesterday left Narita Airport for Beijing and continued on to North Korea today. The purpose of his trip to North Korea is to meet with a high-level North Korean official to confirm that the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration, seen now essentially as a dead letter, is still valid. He also will seek clues for breaking the deadlock in Japan-North Korea relations. Yamasaki's planned visit to the North is a private ONE that does not involve the Japanese government. Just before leaving for Beijing yesterday afternoon, Yamasaki stated that he wanted to restore the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration. He stated that the nuclear, abduction, and missile issues must be resolved together, and in order to reach that goal, he said he wanted to exchange views with senior officials, taking much time. Yamasaki will leave Beijing this morning and arrive in Pyongyang this afternoon. Deputy LDP Secretary General Ryotaro Tanose (Yamasaki faction) will travel with him. They are expected to stay in Pyongyang until Jan. 13. As to whom he plans to meet with during his visit, Yamasaki stated: "I've asked for meeting a ranking official close to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. I may meet with Ambassador Song Il Ho, who is in charge of Japan-DPRK talks. He is not the communication channel used for this visit." Ahead of his trip, Yamasaki met with relevant US and Chinese officials as part of the preparations. When he visited the United TOKYO 00000055 002 OF 011 States last July, Yamasaki secretly met with a journalist having close ties with the North and received (from the journalist) an "invitation to visit that country" in the name of General Secretary Kim. He also met with Senator John McCain, former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, and other officials to exchange views on diplomatic strategy toward the North. After the Abe administration was established in last September, Yamasaki met with Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wang Yi in Tokyo and conveyed to him a plan to travel to North Korea. Their series of talks reportedly made Yamasaki more convinced that: (1) in order to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, it is vitally important to bring North Korea back to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and have it accept inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency; and (2) Japan should give more weight to dialogue and persuasion instead of increasing pressure on the North by sanctions. Late last year, Yamasaki met with former Prime Minister Koizumi and strongly advised him to make a third trip to Pyongyang so as to confirm with General Secretary Kim the restoration of the Pyongyang Declaration and to break the current impasse in bilateral relations. Yamasaki describes his visit to Pyongyang this time as setting the stage for Koizumi to make a third trip to North Korea. The Japanese government, however, has been cool about Yamasaki's visit. A government official concerned stated critically: "Mr. Yamasaki's tour of the North would be seen as no more than a part of 'spying activities' by North Korea. Some in Japan fall victim to North Korea's allurement and become cautious about economic sanctions." A senior LDP member, too, pointed out: "In diplomatic talks, it is customary for the North Koreans to seek a reward. But in the case of diplomacy led by an individual lawmaker, there is a limit to what he can promise to the other side, for example, food aid." (2) New Komeito head says, "It's too early to set constitutional revision as a campaign issue" for Upper House election ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) January 8, 2007 Toshinari Etori, Beijing New Komeito Representative Ota, now on his tour of China, when asked by reporters accompanying him in Beijing on the night of Jan. 7 about Prime Minister Abe's move to make constitutional revision a campaign issue in this summer's Upper House election, made this comment: "I deem it important for every party to have in-depth discussion. A hasty discussion of the details of constitutional revision would not lead to bringing about a good result. Isn't it too early to make constitutional revision a campaign issue for the Upper House election?" Ota also revealed that when he had telephoned the prime minister on Jan. 6, the two agreed to enact a national referendum bill prescribing the procedures for constitutional revision into a law during the ordinary Diet session, which is to be convened on Jan. ¶25. TOKYO 00000055 003 OF 011 Moreover, speaking of the problem that a person associated with Agriculture Minister Matsuoka had made an inquiry about approval for an non-profit organization to the Cabinet Office, Ota indicated that Matsuoka's account was insufficient to obtain public understanding, noting: "First of all, Mr. Matsuoka needs to provide a much clearer account." On the night of Jan. 7, Ota met with Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China in Beijing and made this request about the abductions of Japanese people by North Korea: "The Abductions are an emotional issue and a matter of sovereignty. We strongly hope to see the issue put on the negotiating table in the six-party talks (which are now in recess)." Wang responded, "We'd like to give due consideration to your request," indicating a positive attitude about taking up the abduction issue in the six-party talks. (3) Central, local governments agree to discuss Futenma relocation plan on Jan. 19 ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) January 9, 2007 Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Suzuki arrived in Okinawa on Jan. 7 and held talks on the relocation of the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa) with Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima and heads of relevant municipalities. Both sides agreed in principle to hold the third round of talks between the central government and local governments on Jan. 19. Later in the day, Suzuki met with Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro and heads of Kim Town, Ginoza Town, and Higashi Town, in addition to Gov. Nakaima. On the Futenma relocation plan, Defense Agency Director-General Kyuma made a remark implying a review of the current plan for the construction of V-shaped runways. But after a series of meeting yesterday, Suzuki told reporters: "I conveyed to them that the (central government) would like to go ahead with the V-shaped runway plan as previously agreed on (by Japan and the US)." He thus made it clear that the central government would advance the current plan. (4) Finance Ministry plans to simplify domestic procedures for EPAs NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Abridged slightly) January 9, 2007 The Finance Ministry has decided to simplify the domestic process each economic partnership agreement (EPA) has to undergo before taking effect with the aim of helping the government implement trade pacts speedily. Under the current system, it takes an inked EPA about ONE year to go into effect. The ministry aims to pass EPA advantages speedily on to domestic industries in line with the government's policy direction to utilize EPAs in revitalizing the economy. The Finance Ministry plans to submit related bills to the Diet in the regular session scheduled to open on Jan. 25. The simplified procedures could be applied to all the EPAs inked on April 1 or beyond. Japan has reached basic accords on EPAs -- a step short of signing pacts -- with Thailand, Chile, Indonesia, and Brunei. Once an EPA is signed under the current system, the government is required each time to draft a bill to amend the Temporary Tariff TOKYO 00000055 004 OF 011 Measures Law specifying tariffs on specific items and other factors for deliberations in the Diet. In concrete terms, the legislation specifies: (1) a bilateral safeguard (import curb) system allowing the government to suspend tariff cuts in stages for protecting domestic producers hard hit by rapid increases in imports; and (2) a bilateral tariff quota system to impose high tariffs on imports of certain items in excess of specific levels. In the case of Singapore, Japan's first EPA partner, it took Tokyo about 10 months to make preparations for the pact to go into effect. In the event of the EPA with Malaysia that was inked last July, the procedures took seven months. The Finance Ministry intends to submit to the Diet a plan to establish a general provision in the Temporary Tariff Measures Law to apply the safeguard and the bilateral quota systems widely so that the government would not have to revise the law every time a pact is inked. This will result in reduced costs for administrative work, such as drawing up bills and conducting Diet deliberations. To date, Japan has concluded or reached basic accords on EPAs with eight countries. The government's Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy has come up with a plan to triple the number of EPAs over the next two years. With major powers, including China and the United States, accelerating efforts to conclude EPAs, speedily implementing trade pacts has been a policy task for Japan. (5) Japan, US to draw up nuclear energy promotion action program featuring technological cooperation, funds assistance NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Full) January 9, 2007 The Japanese and US governments will draw up an action program by April for promoting a project to construct nuclear facilities in the US. The program will feature joint research on nuclear fuel reprocessing technology and economic assistance to Japanese firms entering the US nuclear power plant construction market. An official agreement is expected to reach in talks on Jan. 9 in Washington between Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister Akira Amari and US Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman. SIPDIS Last February, the US came up with the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) featuring a new approach to recycling of spent nuclear fuel. Japan, a country with an excellent record in developing fast-breeder reactors, will extend technological cooperation for realizing the US plan. Japan and US will jointly produce an action plan by putting together specific contents of cooperation, a timetable for joint research, and other factors. The US had been reluctant to build new nuclear power plants since the 1979 Three Mile Island accident, but the country shifted its policy in 2005. The US is expected to make 25 nuclear reactors operational by 2020. The action program is expected to incorporate financial assistance and other measures to a give boost to Japanese firms eager to join the project to construct nuclear power plants in the US. As financial assistance, the US government plans to implement tax cuts and debt guarantees and the Japanese government intends to apply trade insurance to the project. Amari and Bodman are also like to reach an accord on promoting clean use of coal and bio-fuel. TOKYO 00000055 005 OF 011 (6) China hunting for crude oil: Obtains concession rights to 29 sites in 15 African countries in exchange for financial assistance YOMIURI (Page 10) (Excerpts) January 4, 2006 Facing a sharp increase in the prices of energy, such as crude oil and natural gas, many countries are strategically trying to secure interests in natural resources. Natural resources nationalism, meaning natural-resource-rich nations enclosing their natural resources, is rising. This newspaper will report this situation in detail and probe into how Japan should deal with the situation. ¶I. Scramble for natural resources Part 1: Clashes of national interests Lagos, a port city in southwestern Nigeria, is lively due to the boom to develop oil fields on the coastal area. Many Chinese are working at crude oil drilling sites. However, there is no sign of the Chinese workers because those other than persons in charge are denied access to the area that is seen as a potential target of anti-government terrorists. Even so, the presence of Chinese workers can be felt here and there. Chinese companies are undertaking the construction of infrastructure, including the construction of roads and communications cables, in the city. Construction overseers are also Chinese. Nigeria is the largest oil-producing nation in Africa with its output at 2.5 million barrels a day. Three Chinese state-run oil companies have advanced into Nigeria and obtained rights to explore and develop minerals. China's top-level diplomatic efforts have resulted in China National Petroleum Corporation's (CNPC) obtaining a development right in the No. 4 mining area. President Hu Jintao visited Nigeria in April ¶2006. He offered financial assistance worth 4 billion dollars (approximately 470 billion yen) for the construction of a power plant and other facilities and obtained the developing right in exchange for that. China is constructing railways, hospitals, houses and power plants in many African countries. Its strategy is to obtain energy-development rights by establishing close political relations through generous financial assistance. A survey by the Yomiuri Shimbun found that China has obtained rights to develop 29 oil fields in 15 countries since it started advancing into African nations. China hosted the China-Africa Cooperation Forum Beijing Summit on November 4-5 last year, inviting leaders of 48 African countries. Declaring that China is Africa's partner that can be trusted forever, Hu pledged to extend low-interest loans worth 3 billion dollars for the next three years and forgive debts of heavily indebted nations. China attaches importance to Africa, because international oil measures have already obtained rights to develop major oil fields in the Middle East or those oil fields are already under strict TOKYO 00000055 006 OF 011 government control. Chinese companies have even advanced into Sudan and Angola, countries which European, US and Japanese companies find it too risky to embark on business due to great political risks, such as unstable political situations or human rights suppression. It does not care about international criticism. Demand for crude oil is skyrocketing in China, where high economic growth topping 9% a year is continuing. Its crude oil imports doubled from 60.26 million tons in 2001 to 122.72 million tons in ¶2004. Imports in 2006 are estimated to have reached around 140 million tons. Commenting on China's all-out efforts to obtain interests in natural resources, Ken Koyama, research director of the Japan Energy and Economic Research Center, pointed out: "A sharp increase in crude oil imports by China has made the crude oil market a sellers' market politicizing the market, where prices are supposed to be set by market mechanisms." The price of crude oil, which stood at the 20-dollar-per-barrel level (West Texas Intermediate) in the beginning of 2001, soared to 78 dollars at ONE point. Japan losing ONE development right after another Moves to secure crude oil through political clout are spreading to other countries in order to counter China. South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun visited Nigeria in March 2006 and obtained an oil-development right there in exchange for investment of 6 billion dollars for the construction of a power plant and other facilities. He also invited leaders of more than 20 African countries to the Blue House in Seoul and announced a plan to triple official development assistance (ODA) to those countries. It is acting exactly the same as China. On the other hand, Japan has lost rights to develop oil fields independently ONE after another. It drilled in the Khafji oil field stretching over Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for 40 years but lost the rights in Saudi Arabia when negotiations to renew the contract with that nation ended in rupture in February 2000. Japan had pinned hopes on the Azadegan oil field as a major oil field replacing the Khafji oil field. However, its stake was reduced from 75% to 10% last October. Japan's stake in the Sakhalin-2 project, a project to develop oil and natural gal in Sakhalin, was also reduced 50% last December. It is being overpowered by resource-rich countries, which are trying to regain interests in their own resources. Occasioned by China's economic rise, the world has begun to undergo a sea change into the age of hegemony. (7) Poll on this summer's upper house election MAINICHI (Page 15) (Full) January 6, 2007 Questions & Answers (T = total; M = male; F = female) Q: Are you interested in this summer's election for the House of Councillors? TOKYO 00000055 007 OF 011 T M F Very interested 20 25 15 Somewhat interested 51 51 51 Not very interested 22 18 26 Not interested at all 5 6 5 Q: Which political party between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Japan would you like to win in this summer's election for the House of Councillors? T M F LDP 40 36 44 DPJ 38 48 29 Other political parties 14 11 18 Q: What will you consider first when voting in the forthcoming election? T M F Personal character 14 12 16 Image 4 3 4 Career, actual results 8 8 8 Policies 56 56 56 Each candidate's political party 11 16 7 Requests from acquaintances, relatives 3 2 4 Q: What would you like politicians to consider first when they are elected in this summer's election? T M F National policies 61 65 58 Liaising with government, ruling party officials 5 6 5 Contributing to home constituencies 28 25 30 Q: There is also an opinion saying the House of Councillors is unnecessary. What do you think about this upper chamber of the Diet? T M F All right to maintain it 29 27 32 Empower it further 36 40 33 Abolish it 26 29 23 Q: Prime Minister Abe came into office after Prime Minister Koizumi. Do you think the LDP has changed under Prime Minister Abe? T M F Changed for the better 6 7 5 Changed for the worse 18 22 15 No change 69 67 71 Q: (Only for those who said the LDP has "changed for the better") How do you think the LDP has changed for the better? T M F The LDP is now again what it used to be before Prime Minister Koizumi 41 45 36 The LDP is further destroyed 41 48 32 TOKYO 00000055 008 OF 011 Q: (Only for those who said the LDP has "changed for the worse") How do you think the LDP has changed for the worse? T M F The LDP is now again what it used to be before Prime Minister Koizumi 68 74 60 The LDP is further destroyed 25 19 33 Q: Internet electioneering on websites and through emails is currently prohibited under the Public Offices Election Law. Meanwhile, there is an opinion insisting on revising the law to allow electioneering on the Internet. What do you think about this? T M F Allow both website and email electioneering 18 20 15 Allow website electioneering only 39 44 34 Internet electioneering should not be allowed 29 27 31 (Note) Figures shown in percentage, rounded off. "0" indicates that the figure was below 0.5%. "No answer" omitted. Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Dec. 9-10, 2006 over the telephone with the aim of calling a total of 1,500 voters across the nation on a computer-aided random digit sampling (RDS) basis. Answers were obtained from 1,451 persons. (8) Poll on living, economy YOMIURI (Page 11) (Full) December 27, 2006 Japan is currently in the postwar longest phase of economic expansion. However, the general public cannot actually feel its blessings. This was endorsed in a recent nationwide public opinion survey conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun. That is presumably because steady corporate performance has not reached the livelihood of people in general. Furthermore, the general public is strongly aware of the nation's social divide, such as the income disparity and the urban-rural gap. This shows that the nation's economic expansion is a boom for those on the winning side. Questions & Answers (Figures shown in percentage) Q: The government has declared that Japan's economy has been smoothly recovering. Do you actually feel economic recovery? Very much 2.0 Somewhat 19.0 Not very much 41.9 Not at all 36.0 No answer (N/A) 1.0 Q: Are you better off now when compared with this time last year? Very easy 0.7 Somewhat easy 5.0 No change 68.5 Somewhat hard 19.8 TOKYO 00000055 009 OF 011 Very hard 5.5 N/A 0.5 Q: Has your household's before-tax income increased over the past year? Increased very much 0.9 Increased somewhat 11.2 No change 56.4 Decreased somewhat 23.2 Decreased very much 6.5 N/A 1.8 Q: Have you constrained your spending when compared with a year ago? Constrained very much 12.1 Constrained somewhat 50.8 Not constrained very much 27.9 Not constrained at all 6.4 N/A 2.9 Q: Do you now feel less reluctant to buy expensive goods when compared with this time last year? Yes 8.4 Yes to a certain degree 16.6 No to a certain degree 30.6 No 40.9 N/A 3.6 Q: Did you spend more money this year for clothing and fashion than you did last year? More than last year 9.2 No change 61.3 Less than last year 29.0 N/A 0.5 Q: How about money for eating out? More than last year 13.5 No change 57.6 Less than last year 28.3 N/A 0.6 Q: How about travel and leisure spending? More than last year 11.7 No change 56.8 Less than last year 30.8 N/A 0.7 Q: Are you thinking of spending more money for shopping and other purposes? Yes 11.3 No 79.2 N/A 9.5 Q: (Only for those who answered "no" to the foregoing question) Why? Pick as many as you like from among those listed below. TOKYO 00000055 010 OF 011 Can't expect my income to increase 56.5 Feel uneasy about future life, such as pension, medical service, nursing care. 49.3 Can't take it easy 35.3 Want to save money for future purposes 34.7 Feel uneasy about the future of the economy 30.8 A tax hike seems inevitable 23.2 There's nothing to buy 9.9 No particular reason 3.7 Other answers (O/A) + N/A 1.2 Q: If there's anything for which you want to spend more money, pick as many as you like from among those listed below. Health 43.5 Eating 20.3 Clothing, fashion 10.6 Housing, interior furnishings 15.8 TV, other electric appliances 11.4 PCs 5.5 Autos, motorcycles 6.8 Travel, leisure 27.6 Hobbies 27.5 Get a license, enlighten myself 9.1 Education 15.8 Communications 7.2 O/A 0.3 Nothing in particular 16.8 N/A 0.2 Q: What's your level of living? Pick only ONE from among those listed below. Upper 1.5 Upper middle 12.1 Average 45.9 Lower middle 32.5 Lower 6.5 N/A 1.5 Q: Do you think the gap between rich and poor people in Japan has widened, or do you otherwise think it has narrowed? Widened 46.0 Widened to a certain extent 27.8 No change 22.2 Narrowed to a certain extent 2.0 Narrowed 0.5 N/A 1.5 Q: Do you think the economic gap between urban and rural districts have widened, or do you otherwise think it has narrowed? Widened 40.9 Widened to a certain extent 26.2 No change 24.4 Narrowed to a certain extent 1.6 Narrowed 0.9 N/A 5.9 Q: Recently, companies tend to hire part-time or temporary workers, instead of hiring permanent employees, to constrain personnel costs. Do you think it is a problem? TOKYO 00000055 011 OF 011 Yes 50.1 Yes to a certain degree 25.7 No to a certain degree 10.1 No 10.2 N/A 3.9 Q: Do you think Japan's economy will be better than now in a year, or do you otherwise think it will be worse than now? Better 16.8 Remain unchanged 61.7 Worse 17.8 N/A 3.7 Q: What's the size of your family now? Pick only ONE from among those listed below. A big family with grandparents and grandchildren 20.1 A family with parents and children only 48.4 A family with husband and wife 23.4 Living alone (bereaved, divorced, separated, etc.) 3.7 Living alone (unmarried) 3.5 O/A 0.3 N/A 0.6 Polling methodology Date of survey: Dec. 9-12, 2006. Subjects of survey: 3,000 persons chosen from among all eligible voters throughout the country (at 250 locations on a stratified two-stage random-sampling basis). Method of implementation: Door-to-door visits for face-to-face interviews. Number of valid respondents: 1,751 persons (58.4% ) Breakdown of respondents: Male-44%, female-56% ; persons in their 20s-10%, 30s-15%, 40s-16%, 50s-22%, 60s-21%, 70 and over-16% ; big cities (Tokyo's 23 wards and government-designated cities)-23%, major cities (with a population of more than 300,000)-19%, medium-size cities (with a population of more than 100,000)-24%, small cities (with a population of less than 100,000)-23%, towns and villages-11%. DONOVAN