JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 05/22/08

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E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 05/22/08 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) Defense and security affairs: 4) Defense Ministry presents reorganization report focusing on policy, operations, and equipment, and mixing uniformed and civilian personnel (Nikkei) 5) Defense Ministry's reorganization proposal meets with cool response (Yomiuri) 6) With passage of Basic Law on Outer Space, introduction of early-warning satellites is now possible (Nikkei) 7) Procurement-scandal tainted Yamada Corp. files lawsuit against Defense Ministry seeking compensation for CX engine and other contract losses (Tokyo Shimbun) 8) Letter to Tokyo Shimbun editor: Government rapped for giving special treatment to U.S. troops in Japan (Tokyo Shimbun) 9) LDP lawmakers form new study group on North Korea (Yomiuri) 10) Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) readies own bill on banning simple possession of child pornography (Asahi) Food aid: 11) Government plans to provide Africa with 20,000 tons of rice as food aid (Nikkei) 12) Government to establish new international organization for increasing rice production (Asahi) Global warming: 13) Panel presents interim report on global-warming countermeasures (Asahi) 14) Prime Minister Fukuda says system of emissions trading will have to be in place five to ten years from now (Nikkei) 15) LDP's proposed global-warming countermeasures calls for the introduction of an environment (green) tax (Yomiuri) Political agenda: 16) Extraordinary Diet session may be convened as early as late August (Yomiuri) 17) Council proposes creation of a consumer affairs agency (Asahi) 18) Government and ruling parties working to revise controversial system of medical care for elderly over 75 that tops their pensions. (Mainichi) Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi: Toyota Motor to pay full overtime wages linked to "kaizen" or extra group activities, acknowledging it as related to work Mainichi: Nonlife insurers overcharge 29.8 billion yen in premiums: Six leading companies to return overcharged amounts Yomiuri: Government panel seeks to give powerful authority to envisaged TOKYO 00001402 002 OF 013 consumer agency; Point of contacts to be integrated Nikkei: Government eyes fund to commercialize untapped state-of-the-art technologies Sankei: Defense Ministry presents reform plan, including mixed organization consisting of both uniformed group and civilians; Unit management to be integrated Tokyo Shimbun: Consumer agency: State to demand loss compensation from unscrupulous companies; Accident analysts to be assigned Akahata: China quake: Lawmaker Kasai calls for maximum aid; "Additional aid will be considered, if a request is made," says foreign minister 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) Enactment of Basic Law on Use of Space: Clear-cut principles for military use urged (2) Narita Airport marks 30th anniversary since opening: Integrating Narita and Haneda Airport operating companies is one way of boosting international competitiveness Mainichi: (1) Can scandals be rooted out with proposed Defense Ministry reform proposal? (2) New Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou: Dialogue between China and Taiwan urged Yomiuri: (1) Narita Airport marks 30th anniversary since opening: Shift to policy for co-existence with Haneda Airport (2) New Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou: China should also do its utmost to stabilize Taiwan Strait Nikkei: (1) U.S. Democratic Party conducting experiment choosing Obama as presidential candidate (2) Japanese banks have still long way to go to become strong Sankei: (1) Defense Ministry reform: Give teeth to mixed organization plan (2) Lay judge system: Further enhance public attitude regarding taking part in system Tokyo Shimbun: (1) Obama declares victory: Will face test of uniting party members (2) Nominal administrative position: McDonald's decision to pay overwork wages should be made milestone to reform harsh working conditions Akahata: (1) Consumption tax: LDP-New Komeito-led politics' number is up 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) Prime Minister's schedule, May 21 TOKYO 00001402 003 OF 013 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) May 22, 2008 09:55 Met Ambassador to Britain Ebihara. 10:06 Met Vice Foreign Minister Yabunaka. Followed by Special Advisor Ito. 11:18 Met Japan Science Foundation Chairman Arima, chairman of the Association to Consider the Earth, and others. Followed by Internal Affairs Minister Masuda and Consumer Affairs Minister Kishida. 12:14 Met Mie Asaoka, president of the Climate Network, and others, with former Foreign Minister Kawaguchi president. 14:13 Signed a condolence book at the Chinese Embassy in Moto-Azabu. Met Ambassador Cui Tiankai. 15:20 Met at the Kantei with U.S. PhRMA Chairman Richard Clark, with Foreign Ministry Economic Affairs Bureau Director General Otabe present. Later met Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Futahashi and Assistant Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Saka. 16:25 Met Environment Minister Kamoshita and Vice Minister Tamura. 17:00 Attended a meeting of the Council for Promoting Consumer Policy. Minister Kishida stayed behind. 18:05 Met LDP Tax System Research Commission Tsushima. 19:55 Returned to his official residence. 4) Defense Ministry submits reform plan for policy planning, SDF operations, defense buildup NIKKEI (Page 2) (Abridged) May 22, 2008 The Defense Ministry reported its reorganization plan to a Defense Ministry reform panel in its meeting held yesterday at the prime minister's office. The plan features reorganizing the current separate setups of the Defense Ministry's internal bureaus and the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces' respective staff offices into three functional bodies, each of which is to consist of both the Defense Ministry's internal bureau officials and the SDF's uniformed staff officers. The Defense Council, which advises the defense minister, will also be expanded. The plan goes no further than to come up with multiple ideas over whether to retain the SDF staff offices and what to do about its divisions for SDF operations, because the Defense Ministry was divided in opinion. TOKYO 00001402 004 OF 013 The Defense Ministry has set up a team under Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba to overhaul itself against the backdrop of scandals and incidents, such as its officials' corruption over acquisition and an MSDF Aegis destroyer's collision with a fishing boat. The reform panel will work out a report in mid-June. However, its coordination is expected to face rough going. In the reform panel meeting, Ishiba suggested the need for the Defense Ministry to rectify its bureaucratic sectionalism, noting that it is difficult for the Defense Ministry to optimize its budget and personnel allocation. The plan lists five problems, such as the ambiguity of authority and responsibility in the overlapping functions of the Defense Ministry's internal bureaus and the GSDF, MSDF, and ASDF staff offices. In addition, the Defense Ministry plans a new advisory system for its minister. In this regard, the Defense Ministry will abolish its current defense counselor system, under which the Defense Ministry's senior officials, including the directors general of its internal bureaus, assist the defense minister as defense counselors. Instead, the Defense Ministry plans to have political appointees as special assistants to its minister. The Defense Council, which has rarely met so far, will also be defined as a law-based body to advise and assist the defense minister on defense policies in general. The Defense Ministry will reorganize its current central organizational setups into three functional divisions for policy planning and public relations, SDF operations, and defense buildup programs. Each division is to be made up of civilian officials and SDF staff officers. When it comes to the two divisions for SDF operations and defense buildup programs, the reported plan lists both the idea of combining them into an internal bureau of the Defense Ministry and the idea of creating a special body like the SDF Joint Staff Office. Concerning the current setups of the three SDF staff offices, the Defense Ministry takes the position that they need to retain their respective administrative functionalities, such as providing SDF personnel with education and training programs. Even so, the Defense Ministry's reform plan lists three ideas: 1) absorbing the three SDF staff offices into an internal bureau of the Defense Ministry to abolish their current setups; 2) establishing headquarters in the GSDF, MSDF, and ASDF to retain some of their functionalities; and 3) maintain the current setups of the three SDF staff offices as they are. 5) Defense Ministry reform plan draws cautious views; Ironing out views likely to be difficult YOMIURI (Page 2) (Abridged) May 22, 2008 The Ministry of Defense (MOD) presented yesterday a set of MOD reform proposals to the government's Council on Reform of the Defense Ministry, chaired by Tokyo Electric Power Co. advisor Nobuya Minami, that met yesterday at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei). The proposal is mainly designed to integrate and realign the internal bureaus (civilian staff) and the staff offices of the three SDF branches (uniformed group) into bodies responsible for three separate functions. The plan elicited cautious views from most attendants. TOKYO 00001402 005 OF 013 The council plans to produce a report in June. The MOD's plan is designed to integrate the main duties of the internal bureaus and the staff offices into three functions: defense policymaking and planning, including public relations activities; operation of SDF units; and unified equipment procurement. This also designed to set up mixed units of personnel from both the civilian and uniformed groups. The plan lists two options: one is to integrate the three functions into the internal bureaus, and the other is to set up two new organizations, which in addition to the bureau would deal either with the operation of SDF units or the procurement of equipment. On personnel affairs and education regarding the staff offices of the three SDF branches that are outside the three functions, three plans were presented: (1) abolishing the staff offices to shift such functions to the internal bureau; (2) abolishing the staff offices and split the functions either to the internal bureau or the Joint Staff Office; and (3) laving them at the staff offices. The first two plans are designed to remove the chiefs of staff of the three SDF forces from the units' chain of command to exclusively serve as assistants to the defense minister. The reform plan has drawn critical views from attendants, with one saying: "The connection between a series of scandals and the planned organizational reform is hard to understand." The plan is drawing fire also from within the ministry. A uniformed officer said: "The elimination of the staff offices would lead to a decline in the SDF's voice. Unless the chiefs of staff of the three forces exit at the top of the units, their morale would decline." 6) Basic space law enacted; Introduction of early-warning satellites possible NIKKEI (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) May 22, 2008 The House of Councillors passed in its plenary session yesterday legislation allowing space to be used for defense purposes. The legislation will also allow the possession of high-performance reconnaissance satellites by the Self-Defense Forces, as well as the development and introduction of early-warning satellites for a missile defense system. The Defense Ministry intends to set up a space and maritime policy office as early as July to study a concrete policy for using space. Equipped with an infrared sensor, an early-warning satellite can detect the heat of a fired ballistic missile. A person concerned expressed hope, saying, "We have relied on the United States in obtaining intelligence. We will now be able to obtain information speedily and independently." The use of space has a wide range of applications, such as the introduction of communication satellites exclusively for use by the SDF and the development of special materials. The LDP Space Development Committee, which has been promoting basic space legislation, produced an interim report yesterday urging the government to incorporate space development in the next Midterm Defense Buildup Program. The Diet adopted a resolution in 1969 allowing the use of space limited to peaceful purposes only, and the government has followed it. But because industrialized countries began using military TOKYO 00001402 006 OF 013 satellites earnestly, the government slightly revised the resolution in 1985 to "allow the SDF to use satellites that are common." In the wake of a ballistic missile fired in 1998 by North Korea, the government has shifted the policy to allow the possession of multiple-purpose information-gathering satellites to deal with disasters and other situations. The country now has four such satellites (including one that is unusable). Nevertheless, their solution is about one meter, on the level of commercial satellites, in comparison to U.S. satellites' 10 centimeters. At the same time, there are cautious views in Japan and other countries about using space for military purposes. The development and possession of high-accuracy reconnaissance would weigh heavily on the nation's finances, and reactions by neighboring countries cannot be ignored, either. China has been alarmed at Japan's moves. Its official Xinhua News Agency has made a quick report on the enactment of Japan's basic space law, saying, "It is intended to launch military spy satellites." A senior Defense Agency official also expressed a cautious view: "Which is better -- to share the cost with the United States or to bear it independently? The government's space development budget has hit a plateau. I would like to watch the government's interpretation of the text at the Diet, as well as public opinion." Space industry expresses hope Fuji Heavy Industries President Ikuo Mori, who became chairman of the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies (SJAC) yesterday, spoke highly of the enacted the basic space law in a press conference yesterday: "The area of industrialization will be expanded." Former SJAC chairman and IHI advisor Mototsugu Ito also commented: "Bureaucratic sectionalism will be eliminated and administration will be unified, making it possible to tackle matters comprehensively, from basic research to industrialization." 7) Yamada Corp. files lawsuit against MOD seeking to pay all prices for sale of C-X engine, etc. TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Excerpts) May 22, 2008 It has been learned that the defense trading company Yamada Corp. has filed a civil lawsuit against the Ministry of Defense (MOD) calling for payments for the sale of such products as the C-X engine to be installed in the Air Self-Defense Force's (ASDF) Cargo aircraft-X (C-X) engine and other products. It is unusual for a company trading with the MOD to file a complaint against it. The first hearing is scheduled to take place in the Tokyo District Court on May 26. According to the MOD, the ministry was supposed to pay 1.42 billion yen to Yamada Corp. for the purchase of two C-X engines and a missile alarm device, which were all distributed in fiscal 2007 by Yamada Corp. Afterwards, however, it was discovered through the bribery case involving Yamada Corp's former executive Motonobu Miyazaki and former Administrative Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya that the company had broadly padded the prices of its products. The MOD paid to the company the amount in two installments - in this past TOKYO 00001402 007 OF 013 February and April -- after deducting the padded portion of 540 million yen from the 18 invoices related to the purchase of parts for the F-2 fighter. Yamada Corp., however, insisted that "It's strange that the ministry did not pay the prices of products after they were distributed to it. We purchased the C-X engine upon borrowing money from a bank. We had to pay interest on the money, but (the MOD) unilaterally reduced the amount it had to pay to us. We want to discuss the problem of padded invoices separately, but the MOD is unwilling to do so." 8) Letter to editor from bookstore employee: Government responsible for giving preferential treatment to U.S. service members TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 5) (Full) May 22, 2008 Kaori Suzuki, 51 year-old, resident in Nerima Ward, Tokyo The number of incidents caused by U.S. military personnel totaled 9,193 over the past five years from 2002 to 2006, averaging five cases a day. If such crimes as sexual ones that victims tend to hide were added, the total number would be certain to increase. It is surprising that more than 80 PERCENT of the crimes caused by U.S. service members occurred while they were off duty. It means that there were more than 7,000 incidents in the five years that would not have occurred if U.S. military personnel were not allowed to go outside bases. Japan spends annually several tens of billions yen of tax money for U.S. bases. Since there are entertainment facilities on U.S. bases made under Japan's host-nation support budget, I want U.S. military personnel to stay in their bases even when they are off duty. If they leave the bases, let them as U.S. citizens residing in Japan follow Japan's law. Meanwhile, I think the Japanese government, which gives preferential treatment to U.S. military personnel in Japan, is obliged to take responsibility in place of them. It is unforgivable that the government does not pay compensations to victims of crimes that are caused by U.S. service members while they are off duty. When thinking how much the Japanese government gives consideration to U.S. forces in Japan, I cannot accept such a government's stance. 9) LDP lawmakers to study North Korea pressure YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) May 22, 2008 Former Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hakubun Shimomura and other middle-ranking and junior lawmakers belonging to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party will launch a study group today to promote cautious and pressure-oriented diplomacy toward North Korea. The study group will start with a total of six LDP legislators, including Shimomura, Kenichi Mizuno from the House of Representatives, and Ichita Yamamoto from the House of Councillors. They insist that Japan should take economic sanctions and other resolute measures against North Korea in order to resolve issues over its nuclear development and abduction. The group will invite Kyoko Nakayama, special advisor to the prime minister on the abduction issue, to its first meeting today to hear about the abduction issue. TOKYO 00001402 008 OF 013 The study group is believed to be aimed at constraining former LDP Vice President Taku Yamasaki and other LDP lawmakers against their move to set up a superpartisan parliamentary league today for the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and North Korea at an early date. 10) DPJ decides on outline of own bill amending law banning child pornography, applies "simple possession" to limited cases ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) May 22, 2008 Noriko Akiyama The major opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) decided on the outline of its own bill amending the Law for Punishing Acts Related to Child Prostitution and Child Pornography. The features of the DPJ's bill include a review of the definition of child pornography. The bill will provide for punishment of "simple possession," namely individuals who collect child pornography, but the application of punishment on this sort of possession will be limited to cases where "individuals recklessly collect or obtain child pornography after purchasing it." The DPJ aims to submit the bill to the current session of the Diet. The Law for Punishing Acts Related to Child Prostitution and Child Pornography was initiated by lawmakers and was enacted into law in ¶1999. Whether to punish simple possession was discussed at the time of the establishment of the law, but it was decided not to punish it because of concerns that doing so may lead to violations of privacy. But this past March, United States Ambassador to Japan J. Thomas Schieffer, who has called for an international effort to prevent child abuse, asked for Justice Minister Hatoyama's cooperation to punish simple possession. The ruling parties are also discussing the question of amending the law. The ruling bloc's bill is likely to ban simple possession across the board and give a sentence of up to one-year imprisonment or a fine of up to one million yen. In contrast, the DPJ has limited cases subject to punishment to certain acts out of concern that there may arise cases where investigations will be carried out in an arbitrary manner or a confession will be forced. For both sides' bills, it is difficult, however, to be enacted into law during the current Diet session. The DPJ's bill reconsiders the current definition of child pornography. The bill revises the current provision on "acts of touching a child's sexual organs by others or child's behavior related to touching on others' sexual organs" to "something that arouses sexual organs, etc." and deletes the provision on "poses a naked child or semi-naked child " on the grounds of the ambiguity of the provision. The DPJ's bill also amends the title of the current law from "Acts Related to Child Prostitution and Child Pornography to "Acts Related to Child Abuse and Sexual Exploitation, Etc." 11) Government plans to provide 20,000 tons of rice to Africa as first tranche of emergency food aid NIKKEI (Page 5) (Excerpts) TOKYO 00001402 009 OF 013 May 22, 2008 The government has set a policy course of setting aside for African countries some $50 million and providing them with food aid centering on approximately 20,000 tons of rice that Japan has in stock. The cabinet will formally make a decision on May 23. This will be the first tranche in emergency food aid worth $100 million (approximately 10 billion yen) that was announced in April. The assistance in principle will be provided through the World Food Program (WFP). The aid policy measures will be specified at the TICAD Africa development conference that starts on May 28. The countries subject to the food aid will center on Africa, including the Sudan, Kenya, and the Congo Republic, as well as 12 other countries (sic) in the region including Afghanistan and the Palestinian Autonomous Region. Either rice or wheat will be provided, depending on the request of the recipient. Rice provided to five countries including Kenya will total 20,000 tons. The rice used will be minimum access rice, which Japan is obliged to import under international trade rules, and rice stored for emergencies. 12) Japan to establish international agency aimed at doubling rice production with eye on assistance to Africa ASAHI (Page 7) (Slightly abridged) May 22, 2008 Yusuke Murayama The government will establish an international aid organization aimed at doubling rice production in Africa. This new organization will consolidate aid in the agricultural sector provided so far by various aid organizations and distribute assistance in an effective manner in line with Africa's needs. This organization is expected to have the participation of some 30 countries and organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The objective is to constrain social unrest and help Africa to become independent economically. The name of the new organization is CARD (Africa Rice Production Promotion Initiative). CARD will be joined by seven agencies, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the International Rice Research Institute. CARD will be set up by October. Its headquarters will be located in Nairobi, Kenya. Japan will call on the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United States to take part in CARD. Rice is the principal food in Western Africa, and rice consumption is increasing even in East Africa. But with the rice self-sufficiency rate staying at 60 PERCENT , soaring food prices worldwide have hit the poor people in Africa. Famine and riots have occurred. At the upcoming fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) slated for May 28, Prime Minister Fukuda will announce a policy of doubling rice production in Africa over the next 10 years. CARD will serve as a major engine to promote this policy. CARD will first conduct a feasibility study as to an increase in rice production in African countries. It will select a dozen countries as priority aid-recipient countries and chart a rice production increase strategy. It will make arrangements and reorganize various aid measures provided by various aid agencies TOKYO 00001402 010 OF 013 with an eye on (1) improvement in variety of rice; (2) setting of small-scale water facilities; (3) introduction of rice mill machine; (4) support for small farmers to expand their sales networks; and (5) spread of production of New Rice for Africa (NRA). In Asia, Green Revolution that led to remarkable production increase due to improvement of variety of rice occurred in the 1960s. This became the basis for industrialization. Africa was slow to address improvement in agricultural production. Rice production per hectare in Africa is 40 PERCENT of Asia, but a government official noted: "Production increase is highly likely." 13) Subcommittee on global warming in interim report: "Discussion will continue" on whether to introduce emissions-trading system ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) May 22, 2008 A subcommittee of the government's Council on Global Warming released its interim report yesterday. On whether to introduce an emissions-trading system, the report includes both the pros and cons of a system and specifies a willingness to continue discussion. The council will set forth a policy direction on the propriety of introducing the system in early June. Prime Minister Fukuda will then make a final decision. Regarding an emissions-trading system, the report introduces this argument favorable for the system: "Introducing the system is a global trend. Since it is an effective means to reduce emissions, Japan should introduce it at an early date." But the report also inserts this view dominant in industries discharging large amounts of greenhouse gases: "How to allocate (emission credits) and what effect it will have on the nation's industrial competitiveness must be thoroughly considered. Western countries are taking a trial-and-error approach. Japan also should discuss whether to introduce the system in a cautious manner." The report then concludes: "While carefully watching moves in Western countries, we will continue discussion based on Japan's circumstances." The report stopped short of presenting a definite policy direction on an environment tax, just introducing such views as: "Taxes should be imposed on the private sector, emissions from which cannot covered by the proposed emissions-trading system," and "The existing tax system, not a new tax, should be made use of." Subcommittee Chairman Akio Morishima, former chairman of the Central Council for the Environment, told reporters: "Since the emissions-trading system contains various problems, no conclusion was reached on introducing it, but the way has been paved for discussing it, based on the judgment that the issue is worth discussing." The prime minister intends to announce a set of comprehensive proposals to fight global warming, based on the subcommittee's recommendations. Attention is focused on whether Fukuda will decide to introduce the emissions-trading system prior to the Group of Eight Summit in July. 14) Carbon emissions trading system: "The system will become necessary in five to 10 years' time," says prime minister NIKKEI (Page 1) (Excerpts) TOKYO 00001402 011 OF 013 May 22, 2008 The government has started looking into specific measures aimed at introducing a global warming greenhouse gas emissions trading system. Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda yesterday told former Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, who visited the Prime Minister's Office (Kantei): "Emissions trading will become necessary in five to 10 years' time. Charging for gas emissions would make people feel that they must cut emissions." He wants to make the system the showcase of the Fukuda Vision, which is to be released in June with an eye on the post-Kyoto framework staring in 2013. The focus will be when to introduce and how to design such a plan. Fukuda during the exchanges of views on the environmental issue with Kawaguchi and others underscored: "With a view to 2050, what should be done now is important. Efforts for the next decade are important. For international negotiations, five years from now are important." He also said, "I will make a surprising proposal. Please look forward to it." Under the Fukuda Vision, the prime minister intends to come up with a long-term goal of cutting domestic emissions by 60 PERCENT -80 PERCENT by 2050 anticipating that global warming green gas emissions will be a main item on the agenda of the G-8 in July. He wants to display leadership, including in the Fukuda Vision the pending issue of the domestic adoption of the emissions trading system. However, some domestic industries, such as the steel and power industries, are cautious about the idea of introducing such a system with one noting, "Such a system will hamper economic growth." A member from the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPCJ) during a subcommittee meeting yesterday of the Round-Table on Global Warming reporting to the prime minister pointed out, "It would be difficult to strike a balance between emissions cuts and economic growth under a system of the government forcibly establishing emissions quotas." 15) LDP taskforce on global warming prevention proposes introducing environment tax, emissions-trading system YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) May 22, 2008 The Liberal Democratic Party's Global Warming Prevention Headquarters, chaired by Takeshi Noda, will compile a set of recommendations by the end of May. A draft of the package defines the next five to 10 years as a period for special action and suggests that the government should intensively promote such tasks as introducing an emission-trading system and an environment tax designed to impose tax based on carbon dioxide emissions. The panel wants to reflect the recommendations in the Fukuda vision to be released by the government on how to curb global warming in June. From the viewpoint of mitigating global warming, the draft proposes reconstructing every policy mechanism, such as the tax and subsidy systems, as well as regulations. Besides, it suggests introducing daylight-saving time. Regarding the global warming countermeasures now being taken by the government, too, the panel will look into their effect and review them. Further, the package proposes that a basic law on creating a TOKYO 00001402 012 OF 013 low-carbon society be enacted and that the law should include measures to (1) set medium-term and long-term goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and (2) establish a study committee on climate change control (tentative name) composed of eminent persons from industry and academics. 16) Extra Diet session likely to be convened in late August YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) May 22, 2008 The government and ruling parties yesterday started looking into the possibility of convening an extraordinary session of the Diet in late August. The session now is scheduled to open in the fall. With an eye on the expiration next January of the new antiterrorism special measures law, the growing view is that an early opening of the extra Diet session is necessary in order to secure sufficient time for deliberations in the House of Councillors. There is a possibility that if a bill revising the new antiterrorism special measures law, intended to extend its term, is submitted to the Diet, the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) will be opposed to taking a vote on the bill in the Upper House. The DPJ has opposed also a bill amending the special law on state subsidies for the government-controlled health care program, which will be carried over to the extra session from the ongoing regular Diet session. Therefore, the ruling camp has judged that it is needed to secure the term of the session in view of the constitutional 60-day rule that stipulates if the House of Councillors fails to take vote on a bill within 60 days after receiving it from the House of Representatives, it is considered that the bill was rejected. A senior Liberal Democratic Party member even said yesterday: "When assuming the constitutional 60-day rule will be used, the extra Diet session should be opened sometime between late July and early August." In the past, the fall extraordinary Diet sessions were often convened during late September and early October. Under the political situation with the Diet divided between the ruling and opposition camps, the extra session opened on Sept. 10 last year. 17) Consumer policy panel reveals draft final report on ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) May 22, 2008 The government's Council for Promoting Consumer Policy held a meeting at the Kantei yesterday, in which Chairman Takeshi Sasaki, professor at Gakushuin University, spelled out its draft final report. The draft proposes establishing a consumer agency as an organ affiliated with the Cabinet Office, calling for giving to it powerful comprehensive coordination and recommendation rights. To reflect consumers' views, the report also suggests establishing an experts panel. Ministerial negotiations will start this week. Based on results in the negotiations and the recommendations in the draft report, the council will come up with a final report in early June. The government will then adopt its basic plan in a cabinet meeting and TOKYO 00001402 013 OF 013 submit a bill governing establishing a consumer agency in the extraordinary Diet session in the fall. As key duties for the consumer agency, the draft cites "planning and drafting new legislation beyond the vertically divided system of government administration." It also specifies that the panel will work out legal measures to save victims, focusing on such measures as seizing profits illegally earned by companies or dealers and introducing a system in which administrative organs file a damage complaint on behalf of victims. In the new body, two key sections will be set up; one as a control tower for coordinative views among government agencies, and another responsible for instructing companies or dealers, as well as for product testing. The proposed expert panel will be established based on Article 8 of the National Administrative Organization Law. The panel will be allowed to offer views to the prime minister and others on consumer policies and administrative punishment by government agencies. 18) Government, ruling parties to review medical insurance premiums reduction from pension benefits of people aged 75 and over MAINICHI (Page 1) (Abridged) May 22, 2008 The government and ruling parties decided yesterday to review part of the system of medical insurance premiums reduction from the pension benefits of those aged 75 and older. Under the present system, the medical insurance premiums of people whose monthly pension benefit is more than 15,000 yen are withheld. The government and ruling coalition will promote coordination with municipalities on a plan to raise the minimum to more than 30,000 yen. Although they intend to compile a revision plan by June 13 when the medical insurance premiums are withheld next time, the outlook is that the revision plan will be compiled in the fall or later since modification of the system is needed. SCHIEFFER