JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 06/30/08

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 001783

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 06/30/08

Index:

North Korea problem:
1) Secretary Rice, Foreign Minister Koumura agree to keep up
pressure on North Korea to resolve abduction issue; U.S. says not
downplaying abductions (Tokyo Shimbun)
2) Rice, Koumura in Kyoto meet reaffirm policy cooperation on DPRK,
but gap remains on priority order for abduction issue (Nikkei)
3) Even in meeting with ROK Foreign Minister Yu, Rice gives
consideration to Japanese public opinion in remarks on need for DPRK
to resolve abduction issue (Sankei)
4) Government is fretting that abduction issue could be left behind,
as North Korea has still not set any timetable for reinvestigation
(Mainichi)
5) Foreign Minister Koumura on TV talk show acknowledges that
nuclear issue takes priority over the abduction issue in Six-Party
Talks with North Korea (Yomiuri)
6) Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is split pro and con over U.S.'
decision to delist DPRK from terror list in return for nuclear
declaration (Yomiuri)
7) One by one, statements coming out of the Fukuda government,
ruling camp calling for early investigation of the abduction issue
by DPRK (Nikkei)
8) LDP Secretary General Ibuki wants joint Japan-DPRK investigation
of abduction issue, thinks Pyongyang may have "deceived" U.S. with
nuclear "deal" (Nikkei)
9) Former Democratic Party of Japan head Seiji Maehara says Japan
"has depended too much" on the U.S. to carry its water on the
abduction issue (Yomiuri)
10) Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura on TV talk show discusses G-8
summit, U.S. removal of DPRK from terror-sponsor list, and abduction
issue (Sankei)

11) Foreign ministers agree to let Japan, U.S., Australia draft
guidelines for disaster relief (Tokyo Shimbun)

Political agenda:
12) DPJ Hatoyama complains that he has "really suffered" with Ozawa
as party head (Tokyo Shimbun)

13) UN Secretary General Ban wants Japan to set a "tougher target"
for CO2 emission cuts (Yomiuri)

14) Education ministry to put into elementary school textbooks for
the first time explanations of the Battle of Okinawa, atomic bombing
of Japan (Sankei)

Articles:

1) Foreign Minister Koumura, Secretary of State Rice in meeting
agree to continue pressuring North Korea to resolve abduction issue;
U.S. dismisses concerns that it is downplaying abduction issue

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Full)
June 28, 2008

Foreign Minister Koumura met with U.S. Secretary of State Rice on
the afternoon of June 27 at the Kyoto Guest House in Kyoto City. The
two confirmed they would continue to closely cooperate on the North
Korea nuclear problem and to work together on North Korea for a
quick resolution of the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korean
agents. Secretary Rice after the meeting told the press corps this

TOKYO 00001783 002 OF 010


about the abduction issue: "Persuading North Korea to tackle the
resolution of this issue in positive way is an important policy for
the United States, as well. We intend to continue applying pressure
on that country." She indicated that the U.S. would continue to
press the DPRK for a resolution of the abduction issue even after
that country is removed from the list of states sponsoring
terrorism.

Secretary Rice's statement seems to be aimed at easing criticism in
Japan toward the U.S. decision to delist North Korea, and to present
a view that the United States is not brushing aside the abduction
issue in the rush to achieve progress on denuclearization.

The two foreign minister in their meeting agreed that now that the
North Korean nuclear declaration has been received, it had to
undergo a rigid verification, the goal being to make North Korea
completely abandon all of its nuclear programs.

Foreign Minister Koumura asked the U.S. to continue to work on the
DPRK, saying, "With the notification to the Congress of the U.S.
decision, there are worries in Japan that the abduction issue would
now be neglected."

In response, Secretary Rice promised to cooperate in achieving an
early resolution of the abduction issue, noting, "This is not a
problem for Japan alone, for the U.S., too, this is an issue that we
should be concerned about."

Rice stressed to the press corps: "We will continue to have a lot of
influence on this and will continue to pursue North Korea." Both
high officials agreed to cooperate closely in the run up to the G-8
Summit at Lake Toya, Hokkaido, on such issues as climate change and
the situation in Zimbabwe, where political turmoil continues.

2) Foreign ministers' meeting confirms cooperation on policy toward
North Korea: Japan and U.S. take pains to show bilateral strains are
gone, but gap remains on priority order for abduction issue

NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
June 28, 2008

The Japanese and U.S. governments at the foreign ministers' meeting
on June 27 once more underscored the principle of lining up policy
stances toward North Korea. The aim of the Japanese side was to ease
the strains that had been created by the U.S. decision to remove
North Korea from the list of states sponsors of terrorism and to
bind together the cords of unity once more. However, there remains a
gap between Japan and the U.S. over which has priority, the nuclear
issue or the abduction issue, so how far solidarity can be
maintained is unclear.

Suddenly a mini-press conference

The meeting took place the day after the U.S. had announced its
decision to delist the DPRK. Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura
repeatedly drove home the point that the U.S. should not leave the
abduction issue behind. He first asked: "We would like to request
that the U.S. continue to work on North Korea to the maximum extent
possible." Secretary Rice promised: "We will cooperate to bring
about a resolution of this issue." She followed up by saying: "Let
us cooperate so that both the nuclear issue and the abduction issue
move forward together."

TOKYO 00001783 003 OF 010



Both took pains in their other appearances, as well, to erase the
impression that a gap had grown between Japan and the U.S. At first,
after the meeting, Koumura was scheduled to meet the press corps
alone to answer questions, but suddenly, it was changed to a
mini-press conference with Rice. When asked whether the removal of
North Korea from the U.S. terror list was having an adverse effect
on Japan-U.S. ties, Foreign Minister Koumura rebutted: "We are not
at all thinking of doing anything that would worsen Japan-U.S.
relations and make North Korea happy." The two clearly took a stand
of solidarity so that North Korea would get no benefit.

"From now on, we would like to apply pressure on North Korea in
order to quickly resolve the abduction issue. The abduction issue is
important to U.S. policy." Secretary Rice, holding a prepared memo,
promised in this way to cooperate to resolve the abduction issue,
reading out a quote from President Bush's June 26 announcement.

Both of their statements were designed to turn around what both
Japan and the U.S. most feared: the surfacing of an impression that
there was discord between the two governments. If the rumor of a gap
existing between Japan and the U.S. were to spread, there was
concern, according to a senior Foreign Ministry official, "It would
play into the hands of the North Koreans."

Alarm that abduction issue would be left behind

However, there remains a large difference in ardor between the
American government, which wants to use the delisting as leverage on
North Korea to hasten progress on the nuclear front, and the
Japanese government, which is alarmed that the U.S. will abandon the
abduction cause.

"I would like to ask Hill for an explanation," was the question that
came out during the portion of the G-8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting on
the morning of June 27 when the theme being discussed was the North
Korea problem. Foreign Minister Koumura directed the question on
purpose toward Assistant Secretary Hill, who was present at the
meeting. He sought an explanation of the North's nuclear
declaration, as well as the procedures to delist the DPRK. He
seemed, according to a diplomatic source, as if "he wanted to nail
him down so that the U.S. could not run on ahead alone."

3) U.S. Secretary of State Rice gives consideration to public
opinion; Vows to urge North Korea to resolve abduction issue

SANKEI (Page 3) (Full)
June 29, 2008

Ruriko Kubota in Seoul

U.S. Secretary of State, visiting South Korea, met with Foreign and
Trade Minister Yu on June 28. In her press conference after the
meeting, Secretary Rice touched on the issue of Japanese abducted by
North Korean agents, saying, "The abduction issue between Japan and
the DRPK must be resolved soon." She urged North Korea to respond by
resolving the issue, including carrying out a promised
reinvestigation. In addition, although she was positive in her
remarks about North Korea's nuclear declaration, she confirmed that
there needed to be a thorough verification of its contents.

In connection with North Korea's nuclear declaration, Secretary Rice

TOKYO 00001783 004 OF 010


pointed out: "We consider the next stage to be extremely important,
and on that point, we agreed that there needed to be thorough
verification."

Continuing, Secretary Rice brought up the issue of the Japanese
abducted by North Korean agents, and she urged the North Koreans to
respond earnestly. She said that in that context, the U.S. would
handle the declaration, and delist the DPRK. In that sense, she
displayed consideration toward the concerns of Japanese public
opinion.

She also responded to a question about a separate informal document
that would answer the questions of uranium enrichment and suspicion
of nuclear cooperation with Syria. She said: "We still do not have
sufficient answers that we need. All of the weapons and materials
must be scrapped." She stressed a stance of working toward
completely reaching the goal of denuclearization.

4) Government fears that abduction issue might be left behind;
Reinvestigation steps yet to be determined between Japan and North
Korea

MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full)
June 29, 2008

Although the issue of denuclearizing North Korea has moved forward
as seen in the United States' policy to delist the North as a state
sponsor of terrorism, there are no prospects for Japan-DPRK talks on
the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korean agents.
There is growing concern in the political community that the
abduction issue might be left behind. The government must expedite
efforts to produce results of some sort.

At the G-8 foreign ministers meeting held on June 27 in Kyoto,
Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura categorically said: "To the
Japanese people, (the abduction issue) is an extremely important
humanitarian and human rights issue. It must be shared by the
international community."

Koumura's statement reflected the Japanese government's fear that
the abduction issue might be left behind. Although an agreement was
reached in June 11-12 Japan-DPRK talks on a reinvestigation of the
abduction issue (by the North),specific steps for the
implementation of the agreement and the timetable for the next round
of bilateral talks have yet to be decided. The next six-party talks
are expected to take place as early as this week mainly to discuss
the verification of the nuclear deflation presented by the North. A
Foreign Ministry source familiar with the six-party talks indicated
that Japan-DPRK talks on the abduction issue would not be held
during the next six-party talks, saying: "Attending the upcoming
talks would be North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan not
Song Il Ho, ambassador in charge of diplomatic normalization talks
with Japan." A view is gaining ground that there would be no visible
progress on the abduction issue until after the G-8 Lake Toya
summit. Given no specific timeline and steps, doubts are strong in
Japan about the effectiveness of the reinvestigation into the
abduction issue. Prime Minister Fukuda might find himself under fire
unless he can find a lead to progress on the abduction issue during
the 45 days before Washington's policy to delist the North as a
state sponsor of terrorism takes effect.

5) Delisting of North Korea: Foreign minister accepts priority being

TOKYO 00001783 005 OF 010


given to nuclear issue

YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts)
June 30, 2008

Referring to the North Korean nuclear and abduction issues, Foreign
Minister Koumura on an NHK-TV talk show on June 29 indicated his
stance of basically accepting the U.S. decision to take North Korea
off its list of state sponsors of terrorism, following the nuclear
declaration by that nation. He said: "It is best for the two issues
to make progress in a balanced manner. However, it is better for the
nuclear issue to make progress than neither issue making progress."
Explaining why, Koumura said, "North Korea will not be able to
obtain Japan's economic cooperation if it does not settle the
abduction issue. If the nuclear issue makes headway, it would be an
incentive for it to settle the abduction issue."

Commenting on a reinvestigation into the abduction issue by North
Korea, Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura in a street-corner speech
given in Shibuya said, "The Japanese government is about to decide
its policy regarding how the investigation should be implemented and
how its results should be verified. We will shortly discuss these
matters in concrete terms at bilateral talks." Concerning sanctions
against North Korea, he said, "We may partially lift sanctions if
North Korea takes concrete action."

In contrast, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on the Abduction
Issue Nakayama in a speech given in Kawaguchi City, Saitama
Prefecture, underscored, "Sanctions must not be lifted until it
becomes that clear North Korea has located the whereabouts of
abductees and takes action to return them to Japan."

6) LDP split over U.S. policy to delist North Korea as state sponsor
of terrorism; Yamasaki calls for cooperation with U.S., Abe thinks
sanctions must be kept in place

YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts)
June 28, 2008

Views in the Liberal Democratic Party are now sharply divided over
the United States' decision to delist North Korea as a state sponsor
of terrorism. On the one hand, former LDP Vice-President Taku
Yamasaki has given a positive assessment to the development as a
first step toward normalizing relations between Japan and North
Korea. On the other hand, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has
expressed concern about Japan losing a vital bargaining chip with
the DPRK for resolving the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by
North Korean agents. Yamasaki represents a group in the party who
give priority to carrying out a dialogue with the North, while Abe
represents a second group who prefer pressure tactics. The dispute
in the party is likely to continue for a while.

Yamasaki in a meeting on June 27 of Lower House members of his party
faction underlined the need to act in concert with the United
States, saying: "Five countries (Japan, the United States, South
Korea, China, and Russia) have been making unified efforts to bring
about a normalization of ties between Japan and North Korea, as well
and between the United States and North Korea, while working for the
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. It is unacceptable for
Japan to undermine those efforts." Former Secretary General Koichi
Kato and former Defense Agency Director-General Gen Nakatani take
views similar to Yamasaki's.

TOKYO 00001783 006 OF 010



Abe, however, underscored in remarks to reporters on June 27 the
need to keep international sanctions against the DRPK in place: "It
is truly regrettable that the United States will take the North off
its list of terrorist-sponsoring nations, despite the fact that
there has been no progress on the abduction issue. President Bush
has indicated that the United States would not forget the abduction
issue. There still remains the option of applying international
pressure."

Many LDP lawmakers share Abe's concern over Washington's decision.
Secretary General Bunmei Ibuki, delivering a speech in Nara on the
night of June 27, said: "When the presidential election approaches,
the United States always rushes to reach a settlement. During the
Clinton era, the United States was duped (by the North) in the end.
(The Japanese government) must say clearly what it has to say to the
United States."

Abe and others have yet to directly criticize Prime Minister
Fukuda's foreign policy. Nevertheless, Takeo Hiranuma, a former
economy, trade and industry minister and the chair of the
parliamentary league on the abduction issue, which works closely
with Abe, told reporters on June 27: "Japan has lost important
leverage for resolving the abduction issue. (Japan's decision to
partially lift sanctions) will not do the Fukuda administration any
good."

7) Abduction issue: Growing calls in government, ruling parties for
implementation of reinvestigation at early date

NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
June 30, 2008

Following North Korea's declaration on its nuclear program and the
start of U.S. procedures for removing that nation from its list of
state sponsors of terrorism, calls for seeking an early
implementation of the reinvestigation of abduction victims as
promised by North Korea during recent bilateral talks were heard
yesterday in the government and the ruling parties.

Referring to the next round of bilateral talks to discuss the method
to be used in the reinvestigation, Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura
on a TV Asahi talk show said, "We should move on to the next round
because a reinvestigation must take place quickly." He took a stance
of aiming at holding bilateral talks without a pause from the
previous round, which took place on June 11 and 12. Chief Cabinet
Secretary Nobutaka Machimura in an outdoor speech in Tokyo expressed
the government's position: "The government is now about to determine
its policy regarding what form the envisaged reinvestigation should
take and how the results of the investigation should be verified. We
will shortly discuss those matters in concrete terms with North
Korea." He indicated that the government plans to finalize the
reinvestigation method and the way verification should be
accomplished.

The government wants to hurry to implement the reinvestigation,
because the delisting of North Korea from the U.S. blacklist will
take effect on Aug. 11. It intends to proceed with talks with the
DPRK, using Japan's participation in the energy assistance program
as a bargaining chip. Japan is not taking part in the program at
present.


TOKYO 00001783 007 OF 010


Regarding this approach, Koumura on an NHK TV program underscored,
"Japan's key 'card' is its economic cooperation." Concerning
humanitarian assistance, Machimura said, "The present situation does
not allow us to implement humanitarian assistance, including the
provision of food."

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Bunmei Ibuki in an
outdoor speech pointed out, "If the result of the envisaged
reinvestigation is not satisfactory to Japan, we cannot possibly so
easily provide aid, using our tax money." His remark means that
though Japan plans to agree to partially lift its economic sanctions
in return for the reinvestigation, it should cautiously consider the
propriety of extending economic and energy aid.

Kyoko Nakayama, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister responsible
for the abduction issue, gave a speech in Kawaguchi City, Saitama
Prefecture. Referring to a partial easing of the economic sanctions,
she said, "We must not lift the sanctions until North Korea locates
the missing persons' whereabouts and their return to Japan becomes
certain." She took a stance that the government should not lift its
sanctions against North Korea unless moves for the repatriation of
abductees take shape. She continued, "There are at present no
specific moves for the government to lift the sanctions against
North Korea."

8) LDP secretary general states that Japan, North Korea will jointly
conduct reinvestigation into abductees; On U.S.-DPRK relations:
"There is a possibility of the U.S. having being deceived"

NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
June 30, 2008

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Bunmei Ibuki on
June 29 gave on outdoor speech in Musashino City, Tokyo. Referring
to the promised reinvestigation into the abductions of Japanese
nationals by North Korea, he said, "Since North Korea always comes
up with the same results, we have made an arrangement for a joint
reinvestigation of the issue, joined by Japanese experts." Ibuki is
the first government official who has categorically stated that
Japan and North Korea would jointly conduct the envisaged
reinvestigation.

Concerning the U.S. government having entered into procedures for
delisting North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism,
Ibuki expressed concern about Washington's approach, noting, "The
former Clinton administration sent Secretary of State Albright to
Pyongyang, but its efforts ended in failure. In my view, there is a
strong possibility of the U.S. having been deceived by North Korea
again."

9) DPJ's Maehara: Japan relies too much on U.S. regarding abduction
issue

YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full)
June 28, 2008

In a speech delivered in Kyoto on June 27, Seiji Maehara, former
president of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),
referred to the United States' decision to delist North Korea as a
state sponsor of terrorism followed by the North's presentation of a
list of its nuclear programs:


TOKYO 00001783 008 OF 010


"The framework of the six-party talks was created to resolve (North
Korea's) nuclear issues, but not to resolve the issue of Japanese
abductees to North Korea. It is only natural for America to decide
to delist the DPRK if it is determined that doing such will serve
the best interests of it."

Maehara then took a view that Japan should take part in an
international effort to provide North Korea with economic and energy
assistance.

He stated on the abduction issue:

"A resolution of the abduction issue is a precondition for
normalization of diplomatic ties between Japan and North Korea.
Japan should severely pursue the issue in bilateral normalization
talks. The Japanese government excessively depends on America,
expecting even improvement on the abduction issue (in the framework
of the six-party talks)."

10) Excerpts from "Hodo 2001," broadcast on June 29

SANKEI (Page 5) (Full)
June 30, 2008

Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura talked about prospects
for the G-8 in Hokkaido and the possible impact of the U.S. decision
to delist North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism
on the abductions of Japanese nationals.

-- Do you think that participants can agree to cut greenhouse gas
emissions in concrete terms at the G-8?

"Representatives of the participating countries are now working out
details on final wording. We must move a step forward from the
previous Heiligendamm Summit."

-- Is it possible to realize the Fukuda Vision of cutting greenhouse
gas emissions by 60 PERCENT to 80 PERCENT by 2050?

"It would not be possible to meet this target without drastic
technical development. We are now injecting a considerable amount of
money into technical development for innovative and creative
programs. However, since we still have a long way to go, we will
continue our efforts boldly."

-- Families of the victims of abduction are feeling anxiety
following the delisting of North Korea by the U.S. What is your view
on that?

"Designating a country as a state sponsor of terrorism is not the
only way of pressing it. The U.S. maintains sanctions based on a UN
resolution. Japan has not made its stance clear regarding a ban on
exports to and imports from that nation and humanitarian assistance.
North Korea above all wants Japan's technology and a considerable
amount of money. We want them to understand that Japan has such
means."

-- Is the Bush administration feeling pressed to achieve a legacy?

"I do not know about that. North Korea has come to the second stage,
following the joint statement by six countries in September 2005.
(The declaration) does not refer to nuclear weapons. This must be

TOKYO 00001783 009 OF 010


sought strictly at the final stage."

-- Will the abduction issue be brought up at the G-8?

"Yes. We will do our utmost."

11) Japan, U.S, Australia agree in foreign ministerial to come up
with guidelines for disaster relief cooperation

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full)
June 28, 2008

Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura met on the night of June 27 in
Kyoto with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Australian
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith. The three reached an agreement on a
plan to come up with a new framework for information sharing and
guidelines to step up cooperation on disaster relief and
humanitarian assistance in the Asia-Pacific region. The three
countries will hold consultations of working-level officials
probably in November.

In the expected consultations, representatives from the three
countries will exchange views on antiterrorism measures and weapons
of mass destruction.

(08063004kn) Back to Top


12) DPJ Secretary General Hatoyama: I really suffered in maintaining
relations with Mr. Ozawa

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full)
June 29, 2008

Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama
gave a speech on June 28 in Hashimoto City, Wakayama Prefecture.
Asked about his relations with DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa, Hatoyama
confided that he had "really suffered," citing last year's grand
alliance uproar and the appointment of new Bank of Japan governor in
April.

Speaking of the party's response to the government's nomination
Hiroshi Watanabe, former vice finance minister for international
affairs, for Bank of Japan deputy governor Hatoyama said: "Since our
views (Ozawa and Hatoyama's) were different, I wondered whether I
could continue to serve as secretary general." He underscored the
present situation, noting: "After all that, we are now able to
understand each other. We will unite to fight the next House of
Representatives election to secure the reins of government."

13) UN Secretary General Ban urges Japan to set higher greenhouse
gas reduction target

YOMIURI (Page 2) (Abridged slightly)
June 30, 2008

Visiting UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in a speech at a town-hall
meeting on global warming held on June 29 at Kyoto University called
on Japan to set a far-reaching medium-term target for the reduction
of greenhouse gas emissions to take a leading role in the
international community in the fight against global warming.


TOKYO 00001783 010 OF 010


Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has projected that Japan would be able
to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 14 PERCENT from 2005 levels by

2020. Ban in the speech urged Japan to make greater efforts to cut
emissions further ahead of discussions on global warming at the
upcoming the G-8 Lake Toya summit. In a question-and-answer session
with panelists, Ban categorically indicated that the industrialized
nations that have emitted a large amount of greenhouse gases should
take responsibility in reducing such gases. Ban also noted that he
would hold a meeting with Fukuda on June 30, saying that crafting a
new framework replacing the Kyoto Protocol would require top-level
political decisions.

Participants representing industrial circles expressed concern that
intellectual property rights might be infringed upon as a result of
technology transfers to developing countries to assist their efforts
to combat global warming. Ban, upon underlining the need to protect
intellectual property rights, said: "Such concern must not hinder
technology transfers." He also indicated that Japan, as a world
leader in technological innovation, should take political
responsibility significantly in the mechanism of financial support
and technology transfers to developing countries.

14) Battle of Okinawa, A-bombing to be described for first time in
school curriculum guidelines

SANKEI (Page 3) (Full)
June 30, 2008

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
has decided to describe for the first time the Battle of Okinawa,
the Great Tokyo Air Raids, and the atomic bombing on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki in the elementary school curriculum guidelines to be used
from fiscal 2011. The purpose is to improve curriculums on the
history of war. The ministry will explain this to prefectural board
of education members in a briefing session starting today.

According to an education ministry official, almost all social
studies textbooks for elementary schools describe the three
incidents. Therefore, elementary schools will likely be able to give
more specific explanations to students by using the guideline
descriptions.

Regarding the Battle of Okinawa, at the request of Okinawa
Prefecture, the ministry has rewritten the description that the
Japanese military ordered or forced Okinawan people to commit mass
suicide, which had been for a while deleted in the process of
screening high-school history books. At that time, Minister Kisaburo
TOKAI had released a statement that the ministry would improve
school curriculums on the Battle of Okinawa.

SCHIEFFER