DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 03//07

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TOKYO 000876 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 03//07 INDEX: (1) US to quickly provide North Korea with humanitarian assistance including food and power generator, after it ascertains nuclear facility has been shut down (2) Economy high on agenda in talks between Japanese, Russian prime ministers, with territorial issue also in mind; Disappointment with scant achievements (3) Scanner column -- Japanese version of NSC: Kantei to take lead in charting security strategy; How to eliminate divided administrative functions remains challenge (4) Government has to give order of priority for key bills (5) Education Minister Ibuki keeps mentioning his stock arguments; He made controversial remarks last year as well: Japan is a homogeneous country (Nov. 28); if you gorge yourself with human rights, you will develop metabolic syndrome (Nov. 30) (Corrected copy) 3,600 candidates to run in 44 prefectural assembly elections ARTICLES: (1) US to quickly provide North Korea with humanitarian assistance including food and power generator, after it ascertains nuclear facility has been shut down MAINICHI (Top play) (Excerpts) Eve., March 1, 2007 Toshihiko Kasahara in Washington It was learned on Feb. 28 that if North Korea carries out the terms of its agreement at the six-party talks on the nuclear issue, including shutting down and sealing its Yongbyon nuclear facility in the northwest portion of that country, the United States government in return plans to provide the North with emergency humanitarian aid. The information was briefed to this newspaper by senior US officials. Until now, the Bush administration has taken a cautious stance about an early provision of assistance in return (for fulfilling the agreement),so by deciding to actually provide aid, the US has moved closer toward a shift in its policy line toward North Korea. Regarding emergency energy aid, a high-level US official explained: "The 50,000 tons of heavy oil at international market prices is �00A;equivalent to approximately $15 million dollars (approximately 1.8 billion yen) in aid, which (the five countries) will implement." The official added: "Although the US cannot provide heavy oil, we are considering emergency humanitarian aid, such as food and some other form of energy." Another US official concerned said, "The specific contents have not yet been decided, but a power generator or shipment of diesel fuel to a hospital is possible as humanitarian aid." In addition, the high-level US official clarified the policy course of close contact between the US-DPRK and Japan-DPRK normalization working groups and of urging North Korea to take a positive stance in the Japan-DPRK working group. The same official expressed the view, "Japan is a key player in the six-party talks, so if North TOKYO 00000876 002 OF 008 SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 03//07 Korea does not cooperate with Japan in their talks, we will not be able to have a successful conclusion." (2) Economy high on agenda in talks between Japanese, Russian prime ministers, with territorial issue also in mind; Disappointment with scant achievements ASAHI (Page 4) (Slightly abridged) March 1, 2007 Masahiko Ota, Miho Tanaka, Hideaki Abe Prime Minister Abe and Russian Premier Fradkov reaffirmed in their talks yesterday that both sides would continue efforts to come up with a resolution acceptable to both sides. But in the talks this time, their energies were focused mostly on "creating an environment for resolving the territorial issue" via strengthening economic ties, a Foreign Ministry official said. No progress on oil project Coinciding with the premier's visit to Japan, the Russian economic minister and a large group of Russian corporate leaders came to Japan. On the Siberia-Pacific pipeline project for the transportation of oil from East Siberia to the Pacific coast, Russian Industry & Energy Minister Khristenko in a meeting with Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Amari promised: "We will complete the construction of the pipeline to reach Japan." But they went no further than to confirm previous plans. Japan aimed at negotiating with Russia over interests in oil resource development, but negotiations made no headway, as Russia is moving to put natural resources under state management. A senior official of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) lamented, "Oil-producing countries hold a strong position." On nuclear energy, as part of efforts to cope with the escalating price of uranium, Japan suggested promoting cooperation so that it can ask Russia to enrich spent uranium, and Russia agreed. But in order for Japan to do so, the two countries need to sign a nuclear energy cooperation agreement. Given this, the progress is seen as a half step forward, not a full step. The aim of the Russian mission to Japan this time was apparently to expand investment from Japan not only in the area of resources and energy but also in such other areas as automobiles and IT and telecommunications. But Japanese firms are still highly skeptical about investment in Russia. In fact, at the Japan-Russia investment forum held in Tokyo yesterday, Kunio Anzai, an advisor to Tokyo Gas, said in a speech: "Some progress has been seen in the investment environment, but uncertainties still lie ahead when it comes to administrative procedures." Investment rule-setting Trade value between Japan and Russia is on the increase, but it is yet only one-sixteenth of that between Japan and the United States and one-fifteenth of that between Japan and China. In order to improve this situation, the governments of Japan and Russia signed an agreement yesterday for expanding cooperation on trade and investment in a bid to improve the investment environment. A senior METI official noted: "Taking advantage of Russia's enthusiasm for investment expansion, we have now been able to set the rules. This will sooner or later bring about progress in negotiations on TOKYO 00000876 003 OF 008 SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 03//07 energies." "Strengthening relations at various levels will lead to forming the foundation for resolving the territorial issue," a Foreign Ministry official noted, finding hope of resolving pending issues even in economic-oriented exchanges this time. No breakthrough came in the stalled territorial talks under the Koizumi administration, but Prime Minister Abe met with President Putin in Hanoi in last November soon after coming into power. This past January, Administrative Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi visited Moscow and had the first strategic talks with his Russian counterpart. Opportunities for bilateral talks are on the increase. Relations with Russia are becoming more and more important in dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue and the abduction issue, as Russia is a close friend of North Korea. Territorial issue ultimately depends on Russia's response Even if Japan-Russia relations are strengthened, the territorial issue ultimately "depends on how Russia wants to change its relations with Japan," a senior Foreign Ministry official commented. No one can tell what will happen with the future of bilateral relations. (3) Scanner column -- Japanese version of NSC: Kantei to take lead in charting security strategy; How to eliminate divided administrative functions remains challenge YOMIURI (Page 3) (Excerpts) February 28, 2007 Kiyoshi Miyamoto Will a national strategy for foreign and security policies be determined swiftly? A Japanese version of the US National Security Council (NSC),establishment of which Prime Minister Abe is aiming at, was outlined yesterday. We examine the mechanism of Japan's NSC as proposed in the final report released by the Council to Strengthen the Prime Minister's Official Residence's Functions on National Security and the challenges. In step with US "I received an excellent idea. We can swiftly deal with foreign and security issues, responding to the change of the times," Abe told reporters late yesterday with a satisfied look when asked about a Japanese version of the US NSC, establishment of which was mentioned in the final report. Up to now, foreign and security policies have been handled each by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Ministry of Defense (MOD),but now a system is taking shape to allow the Kantei to lead the process of charting a national strategy. Abe came up with the idea of creating a Japanese version of the US NSC, learning lessons from North Korea's missile launches last July, when he served as chief cabinet secretary. Abe was impressed by the fact that US National Security Adviser Hadley, whom Koizumi at the time made contact with, had powerful authority. Abe then keenly realized the need to have the equivalent of America's national security adviser by creating an organization like the US NSC in the Kantei so that Japan can act in concert with the US. TOKYO 00000876 004 OF 008 SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 03//07 US Deputy National Security Adviser Crouch, who is number two in the NSC, yesterday met with Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Yuriko Koike at the Kantei. After the meeting, Crouch told the press corps: "We are looking forward to deepening cooperation (with Japan's NSC or JNSC)." Anticlimax Whether Japan's NSC will function like the US NSC as Abe expects is questionable, however. There are some in Japan that think the NSC system is not fit for Japan's political system. Norihiko Narita, vice president of Surugadai University, cited the difference in the political system between the US, where administrative power is concentrated in the president, and Japan with a parliamentary system of government: "Abe has no experience of serving as a minister heading a ministry, even though he served as chief cabinet secretary. That's why he came up with a Japanese version of the US NSC. If an advisor to such an entity gives orders to MOFA, MOD, and other ministries, ignoring their ministers, government offices would only be thrown into confusion." The JNSC will be far smaller in size than the US NSC. The US entity has a staff of 200 at its secretariat, while Japan's is expected to have a staff of only 10-20. Shinichi Kitaoka, the professor at the University of Tokyo who wrote the final report, explained: "Our idea is that it is better to see at a glance who the members of the organization are. A large staff would easily turn the organization something bureaucratic." But according to one member of the advisory panel, many insist that the "staff is too small." At one point putting the Overseas Economic Cooperation Council under the JNSC was discussed, but the final report brushed that idea aside on the grounds that "an experts' council will be organized as need arises." There is a view that the JNSC's authority will be limited because the finance minister, who has budgetary discretion, will not take part in the JNSC. At the same time, the information-gathering and analytical functions are spun off from the JNSC. "That is because if the policy-planning sector and the information sector exist in the same entity, it is impossible to collect and analyze information in an objective manner," Kitaoka said. The final report states, "It is desirable for the JNSC advisor to the prime minister to take part in a meeting for the cabinet intelligence director to brief the prime minister." But it is questionable whether the JNSC can gather necessary information. Horse-trading on top JNSC post Following the release of the final report, maneuvering over the post of chief of the JNSC secretariat, who will manage the JNSC, has begun. Among MOFA officials, many are recommending Ambassador to the US Ryozo Kato for the post, but MOD officials are alarmed by this move, arguing that the entity would be reduced to a MOFA branch office. Some MOD officials are expecting the administrative vice defense minister to assume the post. A tug of war between MOFA and MOD for leadership over the JNSC is likely to intensify in the days ahead. TOKYO 00000876 005 OF 008 SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 03//07 (4) Government has to give order of priority for key bills ASAHI (Page 4) (Slightly abridged) March 1, 2007 In the current Diet session, now that deliberations on the FY2007 budget bill are in the final stage, the focus of attention has been shifted to the fate of the key bills on the Diet agenda. Over most of these bills, since the ruling and opposition camps have been at loggerheads, it is difficult to enact all of them. The government and the ruling parties have to set the order of priority for the bills. Whether to select SIA reform bills (to slash public servants) or labor legislation (to rectify social disparity) directly affects LDP's Upper House election strategy The Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito held a meeting of their secretaries general and Diet Affairs Committee chairmen in Tokyo yesterday. After an agreement was reached to have the budget bill clear the House of Representatives tomorrow, one participant broached this in the meeting: "There is not much time for deliberations after the Golden Week holidays due to the House of Councillors election (set for July). We need to select bills that we must enact in the current session without fail." In the Welfare and Labor Committee, six bills, including ones related to labor and the others reforming the Social Insurance Agency (SIA),are on the agenda. It is not easy to have all the bills enacted within the limited number of days because unified local elections will be held (in April). The competent minister is Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Yanagisawa. Due to his controversial remark calling women "baby-making machines," the opposition bloc might continue to grill him, and eventually deliberations could bog down. The government and the ruling parties have yet to set the order of priority, but LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa is particularly eager about enacting the SIA reform bills. The bills are designed to dismantle the SIA and to deprive of its members' official status. In the LDP presidential election campaign last fall, Prime Minister Abe emphasized: "The current Social Insurance Agency is no longer functioning properly. I am determined to drastically reform it." As it stands, the ruling parties appear to be aiming to win broader support from unaffiliated voters by "slashing the number of public servants" and to apply pressure to Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) for being supported by labor unions of central and labor governments and public corporations. Meanwhile, Upper House Chairman Mikio Aoki and the New Komeito have strong aspirations to address the social disparity issue. Behind such eagerness is their apprehension that "If they sidestep the social disparity issue, they might be unable to put up a good fight in the Upper House election" at a time when Minshuto has asserted that in the current session, priority should be given to tackling the social disparity problem and has challenged the ruling parties to a debate on the issue. Of the labor-related bills, the ruling camp is aiming at quickly passing three bills, including a bill amending the Part-Time Labor Law, which is linked to the budget. Regarding the remaining three bills, including a bill amending the Minimum Wage Law, no prospects TOKYO 00000876 006 OF 008 SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 03//07 are in sight for their enactment. But if all these bills are enacted into law, it will become possible for the ruling camp to dodge an attack from the opposition camp to some extent in Upper House election campaigning. The reason why the ruling parties remain unable to set the order of priority is because it is extremely difficult to ascertain which bills will benefit them, with an eye on the Upper House election. If the focus is placed on the SIA reform bills, the pension issue will be inevitably highlighted. In the Upper House election three years ago, Minshuto, which touted pension reform, won a victory. The ruling camp fears a repetition of this outcome. On the other hand, if the ruling camp gives priority to the bills aimed at redressing the social disparity, it means that the ruling side agreed to step into the ring of Minshuto. Minshuto is ready to present an emergency measures bill to narrow the existing social disparity. Setting aside their feasibility, the bill includes measures generous for workers, such as a bill requiring the minimum wage to be set at 1,000 yen per hour across the nation. Abe eager to enact national referendum bill, educational reform bills A national referendum bill governing the process of revising the Constitution has become a major contentious issue. In his policy speech, the prime minister emphasized, "I strongly expect the referendum bill to be enacted in the current Diet session." In an executive meeting on Feb. 26, the prime minister also referred to the referendum bill, saying, "I hope you will fully discuss the bill, with the aim of enacting it by Constitution Day on May 3." In the ruling bloc, there naturally are some who take cool views toward the prime minister's eagerness about the referendum bill, with one member remarking, "The people do not think this is an imminent issue," based on the view that this is not a bill that should be prioritized in the current Diet session, ahead of the Upper House election. Minshuto has not clarified its response to the national referendum bill. If the ruling parties try to ram the bill through the Diet, the Diet might be thrown into an all-out confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties. In such a case, the possibility might fizzle out of the establishment of both bills aimed at slapping public servants and others designed to rectify the social disparity. The prime minister has also been sticky on passing three education-related bills and a bill to create a Japanese version of the National Security Council (JNSC). These bills also could have some effect on the fate of other key bills. (5) Education Minister Ibuki keeps mentioning his stock arguments; He made controversial remarks last year as well: Japan is a homogeneous country (Nov. 28); if you gorge yourself with human rights, you will develop metabolic syndrome (Nov. 30) AKAHATA (Page 2) (Full) March 1, 2007 TOKYO 00000876 007 OF 008 SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 03//07 Bunmei Ibuki, minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology, has made such controversial remarks as, "Japan is a homogeneous nation governed by the Yamato (Japanese) race"; and he has even compared the human rights to butter, "If you eat too much of it, you will develop metabolic syndrome." However this was not the first time for Ibuki has made such controversial comments. Taking the fact that former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone described Japan as a "homogeneous" nation and came under fire from inside and outside Japan into consideration, Ibuki said: "I didn't say a homogeneous race." During a meeting on Nov. 28 last year of the House of Councillors Special Committee on the Basic Education Law However, however, Ibuki categorically stated: "Japan has been kind of a homogeneous and monocultural country." Ainu indigenous people and many South and North Korean residents live in Japan. Ibuki made the above remarks when the committee was discussing a set of bills revising the Basic Education Law forcing the public "to love the nation," giving no consideration to individual's personal freedom or their thinking. Ibuki's recent comment describing Japan as a homogeneous country seems to be his stock argument. Moreover, at a House of Representatives Budget Committee session on Feb. 27, he stated: "Human rights are important, but if you eat too much of it, you will develop human rights metabolic syndrome." He made the remarks based on his pet arguments. In a session of the Upper House Special Committee on the Basic Education Law on Nov. 27 last year, Ibuki said: "It has been said meat, milk, and butter are healthy. But no matter how healthy they may be, eating too much of them will lead to metabolic syndrome. It is necessary to change the Basic Education Law and other laws in accordance with the situations in society." At a meeting on Nov. 28 last year of the said Upper House special committee, he compared the rights of individuals to eggs, milk, and butter, and said, "If you eat too much of them, you will develop metabolic syndrome." Comparing human rights to milk, butter and meat, he stated on Nov. 30: "As we are now in an age of plentiful food, we eat too much food. So we have developed metabolic syndrome." Ibuki is well known as the person who called jobless workers "lazy persons." Grilled at the Feb. 27 Lower House Budget Committee session, he stressed: "Human rights and individual rights are important." But everybody knows his real intent. In the wake of successive offensive outbursts by cabinet ministers, it is clear that the Abe cabinet lacks awareness of human rights. (Corrected copy) 3,600 candidates to run in 44 prefectural assembly elections TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) March 1, 2007 About one month is left until the official campaign for the unified local elections, will begin on March 30. Unified local assembly elections will be held in 44 prefectures, except for Ibaraki, Tokyo, TOKYO 00000876 008 OF 008 SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 03//07 and Okinawa. According to a survey compiled by Kyodo News Agency as of yesterday, 3,581 persons are now preparing to run in the elections, but the number of prospective candidates is 121 less than that in the 2003 elections. The number of prospective female candidates also decreased by 14 to 328. One of the reasons is that the number of total seats in the election has been cut to 2,544. The competition ratio would be about the same as last time: about 1.4 times more candidates than seats. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is expected to file 1,439 candidates, a drop of 50 from the previous election. The reason seems to be changes in electoral districts due to the integration of municipalities. The main opposition party, Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan),will file a total of 470 candidates, including 29 to run in the Iwate prefectural assembly election, aiming to win a majority of the 48 seats, and more than 40 candidates in the Hokkaido, Kanagawa, and Aichi races. The New Komeito has endorsed 181 persons as its candidates -- the number is the same as that of the previous race, with the aim of having all the candidates win. The Japanese Communist Party planned to field 279 candidates and the Social Democratic Party, 75, hoping to hold on to the number of seats they currently have. The People's New Party will field four candidates in the elections. A total of 1,088 persons have announced their candidacies as independents. The 1,088 include 432 ruling camp-affiliated candidates, 320 opposition camp-affiliated candidates, and 326 other candidates. A total of 1,316 people are planning to run in 15 government ordinance city assembly elections, the official campaign for which will start on March 30. DONOVAN