JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 06/18/08

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 001667 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: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 06/18/08 Index: Defense and security affairs: 1) MSDF vessel to transport assistance goods to China for earthquake relief (Yomiuri) 2) Prime Minister Fukuda says he plans to extend MSDF's Indian Ocean refueling mission (Nikkei) North Korea problem: 3) Assistant Secretary of State Hill to visit Japan and China from the 19th (Yomiuri) 4) U.S., Japanese, ROK delegates to Six-Party Talks to meet to disclose resumption of the talks, hear Japan's briefing of recent bilateral talks (Asahi) 5) Ruling parties in Japan talking a cautions approach to partial removal on North Korea sanctions (Mainichi) 6) Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) may halt boycott in order to attend Diet discussion of Japan-DPRK issues (Mainichi) 7) Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura: Japan will apply "action for action" formula with North Korea (Asahi) Taiwan dispute: 8) Taiwan's President Ma calls for talks with Japan on the Japan Coast Guard's accidental sinking of small protest vessel near disputed Senkaku Isles (Yomiuri) 9) Taiwan's representative to Japan resigns over the vessel-collision incident (Yomiuri) 10) Anti-Japanese criticism in Taiwan heating up (Mainichi) 11) Japan to host ministerial-level conference on the Middle East peace process next month (Yomiuri) 12) Japan, China arrive at settlement of E. China Sea gas-field development issue with announcement of agreement today (Nikkei) Political agenda: 13) Prime Minister Fukuda in interview says its time to start thinking about raising taxes in Japan, but avoids specifics (Nikkei) 14) Fukuda's remark about the possibility of tax hike is praised by some in the LDP (Yomiuri) 15) Deep-seated opposition to tax hikes set off in the LDP by Fukuda's positive remark (Nikkei) 16) Mainichi opinion poll: Respondents pick Fukuda over Ozawa, 19 to 15 PERCENT , as more appropriate to be prime minister, though 57 PERCENT find both unsatisfactory (Mainichi) 17) Speculation rife about a cabinet shuffle following the G-8 
Summit (Yomiuri) 18) PM Fukuda reduces stress by a good sleep and drinking fine wine (Nikkei) Articles: 1) MSDF to ship supplies in aid to Sichuan quake victims YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) June 18, 2008 A Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer will visit Zhanjiang in China's Guangdong Province on June 24-28, Defense Minister Ishiba told a press conference yesterday. This is the first time for an MSDF vessel to visit China. The MSDF vessel, Sazanami, will also TOKYO 00001667 002 OF 011 deliver relief supplies, including blankets, canned food, masks, and sticking plasters, for those affected in a recent earthquake that devastated Sichuan. The government, after the Sichuan earthquake, considered flying Air Self-Defense Force aircraft to airlift tents and other supplies in aid. However, the government has foregone its ASDF dispatch plan as a result of consulting with the Chinese government that was concerned about negative reactions from the Chinese public. The Sazanami's sealift of supplies in aid is an alternative measure. In August last year, Japan and China agreed in a meeting of their defense ministers on MSDF and the Chinese naval visits to each other. In November last year, a missile destroyer of the Chinese navy visited Japan for the first time. Zhanjiang is where the South Sea Fleet of the Chinese navy is based. An MSDF ship was initially scheduled to visit China, but its visit has been postponed due to the Sichuan quake. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Ishiba is now coordinating to visit China in mid-July. Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Japan in May, when Japan and China issued a joint statement that incorporated an agreement on his visit to China within this year. Ishiba will meet with the Chinese defense minister and others in Beijing. On that occasion, Ishiba will ask China to ensure transparency in its growing defense spending. In addition, he is also expected to exchange views on security in East Asia. He is also considering visiting a base of the People's Liberation Army. In September 2003, then Ishiba, who was the then director general of the Defense Agency at the time, visited China. Japan's defense minister will visit China for the first time since then. 2) Fukuda eyes extending MSDF mission in Indian Ocean NIKKEI (Page 2) (Abridged) June 18, 2008 Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda met representatives from the Group of Eight (G-8) nations' news agencies yesterday and clarified his intention to extend a special measures law, which is for the Maritime Self-Defense Force's current refueling mission in the Indian Ocean and is set to expire Jan. 15 next year, in order to continue the MSDF mission. Fukuda judged that there would be no time to enact a permanent law that will allow Japan to send the Self-Defense Forces overseas whenever necessary. 3) Assistant Secretary of State Hill to visit Japan, China from June 19 YOMIURI (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) June 18, 2008 A U.S. State Department press official announced on June 17 that Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, the chief U.S. delegate to the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue, will visit Tokyo on June 19 for a tripartite meeting with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts. Hill is expected to travel to Beijing on June 20 to hold talks with Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, chair of the six-party talks. A visit to North Korea is reportedly not scheduled. In the series of talks, a nuclear declaration by North Korea and the TOKYO 00001667 003 OF 011 question of delisting the North as a state sponsor of terrorism are likely to be discussed. 4) Japan, U.S., ROK delegates from the Six-Party Talks to meet to discuss restarting the talks and hear Japan's briefing of its talks with the DPRK ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) June 18, 2008 The delegates from Japan, United States, and South Korea to the Six-Party Talks on the North Korea nuclear issue will meet on June 19 in Tokyo. This was confirmed yesterday by a source connected with the government. In addition to Japan giving a briefing to the two other delegates of its formal talks with North Korea in Beijing on June 11-12, there apparently will be an exchange of views on such matters as ways to get the six-country talks restarted. Assistant Secretary of State Hill will come from the U.S., and Kim Sook, the special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs will come from South Korea. They will meet with the Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki from the Republic of Korea. Following the talks between Japan and North Korea, the possibility has grown strong that the U.S. will move to remove the DPRK from the list of states sponsoring terrorism. The Japanese government does not see "progress" on the abduction front until the reinvestigation that North Korea promised during the bilateral talks starts out in a concrete way, and at this upcoming meeting, the plan is to strongly urge the U.S. to respond cautiously. 5) Government undecided on when to ease sanctions against North Korea, reflecting growing calls in ruling camp for caution MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) June 18, 2008 Japan agreed in the recent official working-level talks between Japan and North Korea to partially remove its sanctions against Pyongyang, but a number of ruling party members are calling on the government to make a cautious response while carefully watching moves by the North. In response, a slight change has been seen in the government's posture. It initially decided to start the procedures to partially lift the sanctions later this week, but the view that it is still premature is gaining influence. Given this, it is becoming uncertain when the sanctions will be eased. Former Economic, Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma, chairman of a group of Diet members dealing with the abduction issue, visited the Prime Minister's Office yesterday and told Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura: "The government should not ease its sanctions before specific progress is made." When the government announced a plan to ease its sanctions on June 13, it intended to quickly translate the plan into action, as a senior Foreign Ministry official saying: "It will take several days for coordination among the relevant government agencies." Since then, though, the atmosphere has been gradually changing, Machimura emphasized in a press conference yesterday that North Korea's specific action should be the premise for Japan's next move. But officials have different definitions of what is meant by North Korea's "specific action." Former Liberal Democratic Party Vice President Taku Yamasaki, chairman of a group of Diet members to TOKYO 00001667 004 OF 011 promote diplomatic normalization talks between Japan and North Korea, defined it as "an agreement on reinvestigation procedures." But Kyoko Nakayama, special advisor to the prime minister, said: "(Easing the sanctions) should be approved only after it is confirmed that the other side has carried out a thorough investigation." 6) DPJ to attend Diet deliberations on Japan-North Korea issues as exception to boycott strategy MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) June 18, 2008 The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) decided yesterday to agree to calls for holding meetings of the Special Committee on the Abduction Issue in the two houses of the Diet as an exception to its strategy of boycotting Diet deliberations taken since a censure motion against the prime minister was adopted in the House of Councillors. In the party, many members have said that the party should participate in Diet deliberations on Japan-North Korea issues. The decision reflected such views. After a devastating earthquake hit northeastern Japan, the main opposition also asked the ruling camp to hold a meeting of the Anti-Disaster Special Committee. The DPJ's strategy apparently has already begun wavering. The DPJ's taskforce to deal with the abduction issue, chaired by Hiroshi Nakai, held an executive meeting yesterday morning. On the government's agreement in the recent Japan-North Korea working-level talks to partially remove its sanctions against North Korea, the participants in the meeting shared the view that problems in the decision should be discussed at the Diet. Nakai asked Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji Yamaoka to call a meeting of the Special Committee on the Abduction Issue. DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa and Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama discussed the proposal last evening in response to Yamaoka's suggestion and agreed to hold a meeting based on the view that the abduction issue is a humanitarian issue. They affirmed the need to make exceptions in the cases of humanitarian and pressing issues. 7) Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura: "Action for action is the principle for removing sanctions (on DPRK) ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) June 18, 2008 Speaking to the press corps yesterday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura made this statement about the government's plan to partially remove sanctions imposed on North Korea in return for a reinvestigation of the case of abducted Japanese: "We are not at the dimension of trading words for words, but from now on, we will respond with the principle of action for action. We do not take it as action for (the North Koreans) to have uttered words." He indicated that the condition for removing sanctions on North Korea would be specific action in the form of the reinvestigation. Machimura hinted at the possibility of staged easing of sanctions, saying, "In response to the level of the action carried out by North Korea, we will decide what action to take." 8) Taiwan President Ma praises acts of patrol boats, calls on Japan for talks TOKYO 00001667 005 OF 011 YOMIURI (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) June 18, 2008 Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou holding a press conference on June 17 claimed Taiwan's sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands, known as Tiaoyutai in Taiwan, and praised the fact that nine Taiwanese patrol boats along with protest vessels entered waters near the Senkakus. Ma also called on Japan for a peaceful settlement of the matter. Taiwan authorities' plan to dispatch naval vessels to waters near the Senkakus has been called off. President Ma has announced his position for the first time since a Taiwanese fishing boat sank after colliding with a Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel in waters near the Senkakus on June 10. Ma criticized the Japanese patrol boat's "intrusion" into the waters in question, saying: "The Tiaoyutai belong to Taiwan. It is natural for a fishing boat to enter the waters in question. I protest the interference by another country." Ma also called for Japan-Taiwan talks, saying: "Japan is not trying to discuss the sovereignty issue, and the fisheries issue has yet to reach any conclusion. There is a need to change that." 9) Taiwan representative to Japan to resign YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) June 18, 2008 Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou announced on June 17 that he has decided to approve the resignation of representative Koh Se-kai of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, who is Taiwan's de facto ambassador to Japan. Koh's successor is undecided. Koh, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years, has served as a professor at Tsuda University and held other posts. He is also a senior statesman of Taiwan's independence movement. Koh announced on June 16 his decision to resign from his present post after he was criticized by the ruling Kuomintang as "favoring Japan" and being a "traitor" over the Senkaku issue. President Ma praised Koh as having contributed to the development of Taiwan-Japan relations. 10) Anti-Japanese sentiments growing in Taiwan following Senkaku accident; President Ma says Taiwanese coast guard vessels entered "our territorial waters" MAINICHI (Page 6) (Abridged slightly) June 18, 2008 Criticism against Japan is growing (in Taiwan) following an accident in which a Taiwanese sport-fishing boat sank after colliding with a Japan Coast Guard patrol boat in Japanese territorial waters near the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands in Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture. Feelings in Taiwan are heating up due partly to Taiwanese newspapers' reports fanning the flames of confrontation with Japan, as seen in one newspaper's article comparing Taiwan's military power with that of Japan. The situation continues to become more chaotic. President Ma Ying-jeou in an interview with local news agencies on June 17 called for efforts to calm down the commotion, indicating that the matter would be settled peacefully. At the same time, touching on intrusion into Japanese waters by Taiwan's protest vessels escorted by coast guard vessels, Ma said: "Since they are TOKYO 00001667 006 OF 011 our territorial waters to begin with, they should be allowed to go there." His comment that could be taken as a seal of approval might prompt Taiwanese fishing boats and protest vessels to frequently enter Japanese territorial waters. Known as a hawk on the question of sovereignty over the Senkakus, Ma was apparently driven by public opinion. The Ma administration first gave a restrained response to the accident in consideration of relations with Japan, but the Kuomintang's criticism of it as weak-kneed prompted the administration to take a hard-line stance. In the wake of the accident, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry has decided to abolish its Japan affairs office, and its de facto ambassador to Japan Koh Se-kai has also announced he would resign from his post. The matter is becoming increasingly complicated due to the closure of Taiwan's points of contact with Japan. Amid growing anti-Japanese sentiments, there are moves in Taiwan exploring ways to calm the storm. For instance, the Presidential Office and Kuomintang Chairman Wu Baixiong have successfully dissuaded the national assembly from dispatching naval vessels to the Senkakus as early as June 18. Given strong anti-Japanese sentiments, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, Taiwan's point of contact in Japan, on June 16 alerted Japanese residents in Taiwan with a message on its website saying the safety of Japanese living in Taiwan might be affected. 11) Government to hold ministerial conference on Middle East peace in Tokyo next month YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) June 18, 2008 The government has decided to hold a ministerial conference on the Middle East peace process involving Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority in Tokyo on July 2. In the conference, such issues will be discussed as how to give concrete form to the Japan-proposed Corridor for Peace and Prosperity, a project to develop the West Bank. The issue of Middle East peace will also be on the agenda at the Lake Toya Summit in Hokkaido in July. Prime Minister Fukuda will report in the Summit on the results of the conference. Japan's concept calls for the creation of agricultural land and a distribution center in the Jordan Valley with Japan's financial aid, in an effort to secure the economic independence of Palestinians. 12) Japan, China reach settlement on gas fields: Joint development plan to be released today NIKKEI (Page 1) (Abridged slightly) June 18, 2008 The governments of Japan and China have reached a final agreement on the pending issue of jointly exploring gas fields in the East China Sea and will formally release it today. The showcase of the plan is that joint exploration will be carried out on both sides of the median line. China is now independently developing Shirakaba (Chunxiao in Chinese) near the median line. Japan will invest in TOKYO 00001667 007 OF 011 China's exploration company in order to secure a stake in that company. Specific areas subject to joint development will be decided when a treaty is crafted. A settlement has now been reached about four years after the issue of jointly developing gas fields cropped up in 2004. Both countries will enter into working-level negotiations to sign an agreement for the purpose of setting concrete plans for joint development. Two areas are subject to joint development -- areas straddling the median line, including Asunaro (Longjing in Chinese),and Shirakaba. Regarding the development of Shirakaba, the Chinese side will keep majority control with consideration given to the fact that it has already made investment in the exploration of the area. In the past negotiations on conditions for joint development, both countries agreed that benefits from the developed gas fields should be divided between them in proportion to the ratio of capital contribution. A settlement is now likely as both countries finally agreed on the exploration of Shirakaba, over which coordination of views had faced difficulty to the end. 13) Strong resistance in LDP against early consumption tax hike out of fear of negative impact on Lower House election NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) June 18, 2008 Many Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) members are against an early increase in the consumption tax rate. There is a possibility that differences in the tax policy stances between those favoring a consumption tax hike and the others like former Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa who advocate the need for economic growth without tax increases would create conflict in the party. It is difficult to foresee how the consumption tax hike issue will be resolved because the view is strong among LDP members that fiscal resources necessary for social welfare expenses should be covered by cuts in expenditures, increases in tax revenues by economic growth, and revenue funds from special account budgets. The LDP predicts that it will face an uphill battle in the next House of Representatives election. Many LDP lawmakers do not want to make tax increase a main campaign issue. Mikio Aoki, former chairman of the LDP caucus in the Upper House, told his aides: "It would be impossible (to increase the consumption tax) before the Lower House election, don't you think?" The prevailing view in the New Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner, is that taking up the consumption tax problem at present should be avoided, with a senior party member saying: "Promising a consumption tax increase before the Lower House race would be impossible." The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),which had once called for a consumption tax hike, set forth in last year's House of Councillors election a policy of retaining the current consumption tax rate, following party head Ichiro Ozawa's assertion that the state can survive for the time being by reducing the waste of tax money. The DPJ has shelved the issue. However, there is a view in the largest opposition party that a three to five percent increase in the consumption tax might be necessary. 14) Some LDP members praise Prime Minister Fukuda's remark on consumption tax hike TOKYO 00001667 008 OF 011 YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) June 18, 2008 Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda yesterday revealed his intention to seek the timing for making a decision on an increase in the consumption tax rate. One of the four executive members of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) praised Fukuda's remark, saying: "The Prime Minister expressed his determination to do what should be done." A government source pointed out: "He may have judged that the issue has been boiled down through discussion in the National Council on Social Welfare." There is also a skeptical view about whether Fukuda will make up his mind before the end of the year. A senior LDP member in the House of Councillors said: "The idea of increasing the consumption tax will not be approved by the LDP before the House of Representatives election. So, it is not that the issue will be resolved soon." A senior member of the New Komeito, the LDP's junior coalition member, which is cautious about a tax hike, said: "The Prime Minister might have meant it to be a future scenario." 15) Prime Minister Fukuda says now is time to decide on consumption tax hike with eye on tax code reform for next fiscal year NIKKEI (Top Play) (Excerpts) June 18, 2008 Regarding the propriety of raising the sales tax, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda during an interview yesterday with news agencies from the Group of Eight nations said, "Now is a crucial time to make a decision." He said, "Given the rapid aging of society, the choices are becoming more limited." As a reason for a consumption tax hike, he gave the need to secure fiscal resources for social security expenditures. His statements were seen as a suggestion that a consumption tax hike will be discussed as part of fiscal 2009 tax reform. It will likely spur tax hike discussions in the government and the ruling parties. Fukuda stops short of touching on timeline for tax hike and margin of hike The prime minister on June 17 gave an interview at a Tokyo hotel to news agencies from countries participating in the G-8 Summit in Hokkaido in July. He pointed out that the current level of the consumption tax in Japan is much lower than the rates in European countries and the U.S. He noted, "Japan has kept this rate even though it has one of the world's highest percentage of elderly citizens, and this is why it has such a high fiscal deficit." Noting that securing funding for social security through other means would be difficult, Fukuda said, "We have so far discussed the matter extensively but have been unable to make a political decision." He then suggested that he would keep an eye on public opinion, saying, "My concern is how the people will react." He stopped short of touching on a timeline for the envisaged tax hike and the margin of the hike. TOKYO 00001667 009 OF 011 Fukuda has thus far steered clear of making any in-depth statement on a consumption tax hike. However, his comments yesterday may spur tax code reform discussion. In the meantime, the government's Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy at a meeting yesterday vowed to keep the spending cut policy line. The panel has started discussing basic policy guidelines for the fiscal 2008 national budget, which include a call for the realization of a drastic reform of the tax code, including the consumption tax, at an early date. 16) Fukuda tops Ozawa in popularity ranking for premiership MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) June 18, 2008 The Mainichi Shimbun conducted a telephone-based nationwide public opinion survey on June 14-15, in which respondents were asked to choose between Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) President Ichiro Izawa as the appropriate person for prime minister. In this popularity rating, Fukuda scored 19 PERCENT , with Ozawa marking 15 PERCENT . The Mainichi Shimbun began to ask this question in April, and this is the third time. In the last survey conducted in May, Fukuda stood at 14 PERCENT and Ozawa at 18 PERCENT . In the latest survey, Fukuda outstripped Ozawa again. However, 57 PERCENT answered that neither Fukuda nor Ozawa is appropriate, remaining an overwhelming majority. Among men, both Fukuda and Ozawa were at 18 PERCENT . Among women, Fukuda stood at 21 PERCENT , with Ozawa at 13 PERCENT . Among those in their 20s and 30s, Ozawa ranked higher than Fukuda. Among those in their 40s and over, Fukuda was above Ozawa. Among those in their 70s and over, Fukuda was at 27 PERCENT , with Ozawa at 8 PERCENT . Among those who support the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, 53 PERCENT picked Fukuda. Among DPJ supporters, only 40 PERCENT chose Ozawa. "Neither is appropriate" accounted for 40 PERCENT among LDP supporters and 53 PERCENT among DPJ supporters. As is evident from these figures, both Fukuda and Ozawa are questioned by many of those who support their respective parties. Meanwhile, respondents were also asked to answer which one between the LDP and the DPJ they would like to see win in the next election for the House of Representatives. To this question, the DPJ was at 46 PERCENT , down 5 percentage points from the last survey. The LDP was at 25 PERCENT , up 1 point. "Other political parties" accounted for 15 PERCENT . The Mainichi Shimbun began to ask this question in a survey conducted in August last year, and this is the tenth time. The DPJ was above the LDP in all the surveys. However, the gap, which was more than double in the last survey, narrowed in the survey this time. Among DPJ supporters, 93 PERCENT chose the DPJ. Among LDP supporters, however, the proportion of those who picked the LDP was just 79 PERCENT . 17) Possibility of post-G8 summit cabinet shuffle drawing increasing attention: Ruling parties hope to boost administration YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) June 18, 2008 TOKYO 00001667 010 OF 011 The ruling camp has sharpened its interest in whether Prime Minister will shuffle his cabinet after the Toyako G-8 Summit in Hokkaido in July. Some lawmakers are holding out hope that a cabinet shuffle will lead to buoying up the administration's sagging popularity. However, it also could heat up the confrontation in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) over the party's economic policy line. The prime minister is now pressed to make a difficult decision. Asked about the possibility of a cabinet shuffle, the prime minister yesterday evening responded to reporters with this short answer: "I do not hear voices calling for a cabinet shuffle. I am not thinking about a cabinet shuffle right now." The prime minister has not revealed his cards even to legislators close to him, either. One cabinet minister speculated, "He probably has no intention of shuffling the cabinet." However, ruling party members are pinning high hopes on such a possibility. When Prime Minister Fukuda took office last September, he reappointed 13 out of 17 members of the previous Abe cabinet. Another two also from the Abe cabinet were appointed to different posts. Only two were newly appointed. Such being the case, the view favoring a cabinet shuffle is gaining ground, mainly among those who hope to become cabinet members. The pet argument of former Prime Minister Mori, who is close to the prime minister, is that Fukuda would be better off if he has his own hand-picked cabinet that is to his liking. Former Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe also met the prime minister on the 11th and offered this opinion, "It is important to put together a new lineup to let the people understand the Fukuda administration." His suggestion is aimed at putting an end to the low cabinet support ratings. Voices calling for a cabinet shuffle are also growing in the New Komeito, which now has Transport Minister Fuyushiba in the cabinet. In the event of the prime minister shuffling his cabinet, the prevailing view in the ruling camp is that it might be either in July or August prior to the convening of the next extraordinary Diet session. However, there are many challenges to a cabinet shuffle. One is on how to consider the intraparty confrontation over a consumption tax hike in setting up a cabinet lineup at a time when reform of the tax code is close at hand in the fall. 18) Prime Minister Fukuda: To relieve stress, I sleep well and enjoy drinking wine NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) June 18, 2008 Asked in a meeting yesterday with major new agencies from the G-8 countries how he relieved his stress, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said: "To relieve stress, I sleep well." He then added: "(Being prime minister) is nothing but pain." Asked about wine, his favorite drink, he responded with a pleasant smile: "Having dinner with a good wine is a way I relieve stress." Fukuda, a wine expert, said: "I enjoy French wine, but American wine is good, too." The representative from the Russian news company asked him, "How about vodka?" Fukuda said: "It's all right to drink TOKYO 00001667 011 OF 011 once in a while, but it's too strong for me." SCHIEFFER