DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 07/25/08

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 002054

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SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 07/25/08

INDEX:

(1) Okinawa governor on Futenma relocation: "Tacit agreement" with
the central government (Mainichi)

(2) PACOM refuses to meet Ginowan mayor (Okinawa Times)

(3) ASEAN Regional Forum losing its reason for existence (Yomiuri)

(4) Government accelerating signing of tax treaties with
resource-rich countries: Talks with Saudi Arabia, Oman start
(Nikkei)

(5) Right to self-defense against attacks: Iranian envoy (Sankei)

(6) Simulation: Cabinet shuffle on July 30 most likely (Tokyo
Shimbun)

(7) Secretary General Ibuki eager to stay in office (Sankei)

(8) Chorus of calls for pork-barrel largesse from the ruling camp,
concerned about support groups deserting LDP (Asahi)

(9) Appointments of senior MOFA officials (Yomiuri)

(10) TOP HEADLINES

(11) EDITORIALS

(12) Prime Minister's schedule, July 24 (Nikkei)

ARTICLES:

(1) Okinawa governor on Futenma relocation: "Tacit agreement" with
the central government

MAINICHI (Internet edition) (Excerpt)
July 25, 2008

In connection with the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps'
Futenma Air Station, Hirokazu Nakaima, governor of Okinawa
Prefecture, stated today, "There is a tacit agreement (with the
central government) on moving it." He was referring to moving the
government's planned location (of the site) into the ocean, as the
prefecture has been seeking. He indicated his perception that the
government would now respond by moving the site into the sea.
However, until now, although Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba has
said, "We will discuss (the relocation) keeping in mind a possible
moving (of the site) into the ocean," he also has repeatedly stated
this view, "Unless there is a logical reason, revising (the plan)
would be difficult." Governor Nakaima's statement is likely to
create a new stir.

He made the remark at his regular news conference at the prefectural
building.

(2) PACOM refuses to meet Ginowan mayor

OKINAWA TIMES (Page 20 (Full)
July 25, 2008

GINOWAN-Ginowan City's Mayor Yoichi Iha is scheduled to visit the

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United States from July 27 for a direct appeal, seeking to close
down the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station at an early date. In
the meantime, U.S. Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of the
U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM),headquartered in Hawaii, and Lt. Gen.
Keith J. Stalder, commander of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific,
have refused to meet with the mayor, sources revealed yesterday. In
addition, the mayor has been unable to get an appointment with any
other officers. The city is continuing its coordination with the
U.S. military through other channels. Iha will visit the United
States as planned.

The city asked the Foreign Ministry's Okinawa liaison office in
early July to ensure meetings with the two commanders. According to
the office, the U.S. military answered that it would be difficult
for the two commanders to meet with the mayor because their
schedules are tight. The U.S. military did not give any detailed
reasons or refer to which office could meet with the mayor, the
office said.

On June 29, the U.S. Navy kicked off the Rim-of-the-Pacific naval
exercises, or RIMPAC 2008, in waters off Hawaii. The naval drills
will be carried out until July 31, with the participation of naval
forces from a total of 10 countries, including Japan. The city has
again asked the U.S. military for appointments with the commanders
through U.S. Senator Feinstein, whom Iha once met when he visited
the United States in the past, and through Bob Nakasone, a member of
Hawaii's state legislature.

Iha had plans to tell the commanders during his visit to the United
States that he has obtained a copy of the U.S. military's masterplan
for Futenma airfield and that Futenma airfield violates the U.S.
military's safety standards. The mayor also planned to ask them to
close down the airfield at an early date.

It is now difficult for Iha to make a direct appeal to the
commanders. "They will not respond to requests from the local
communities suffering from damage," Iha said. He added: "This means
that the U.S. military's responsibility will be called into
question. Their future risk is greater. I'm planning to meet over
there with Federal Congress and State Legislature members and also
with experts on base issues. This alone is meaningful." With this,
he stressed the effectiveness of his U.S. visit.

Iha to pursue U.S. military's inconsistency

GINOWAN-A group of local supporters for Ginowan City's Mayor Yoichi
Iha held a send-off party for him yesterday at the city's Social and
Welfare Center before he leaves for the United States to make a
direct appeal. Iha will be accompanied by two Okinawa prefectural
assembly members, Seiryo Arakaki and Kiyoko Tokashiki. They
reaffirmed their resolve for their visit to the United States.

Iha noted that the U.S. military's masterplan for Futenma airfield
sets up "clear zones" that restrict land uses. "About 3,600 people
live in the clear zones where land uses are restricted, and there is
a primary school in that area. The U.S. military does not follow its
own standards. I will pursue such an inconsistency in person. This
will lead to base reversion."

(3) ASEAN Regional Forum losing its reason for existence

YOMIURI (Page 7) (Abridged slightly)

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July 25, 2008

Singapore, Tetsuya Tsuruhara

The Singapore Declaration adopted on July 24 by the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) ministerial
conference reflects the group's intention to develop the ARF, a
loose-knit government-to-government framework, from a venue for
dialogue into a regime for action. Although ASEAN has been pulling
together 26 countries and one organization to participate in its
conference, ASEAN's own foundation is starting to sink. In order
also to effectively operate the ARF, it has become imperative to
increase the pace of integration of ASEAN, the forum's driving
force.

The declaration that includes the wording "to undertake concrete and
practical cooperation" is a product of growing pressure for a review
for the future of the ARF, which has been criticized as "all words
and no action." Disaster relief, antiterrorism, maritime security,
denuclearization, and disarmament form the major areas of
cooperation. Groups centering on like-minded countries will explore
specific ways to cooperate in each area.

Cooperation will be centered on ASEAN. The organization was supposed
to declare this year the launching of its "charter," which can be
called a basic law for building by 2015 a community equivalent to a
single market. This would be done through a series of conferences
starting with the July 20 ASEAN foreign ministerial and ending with
the ARF ministerial. Instead, ASEAN's attention was diverted by the
Burmese junta's isolationism, which collided with the spirit of
integration, and by the border dispute between Cambodia and
Thailand, an example of nationalism and not integration.

As seen in ASEAN+3 and the East Asia Summit, ASEAN has moved forward
by serving as the glue binding together such major powers as Japan,
the United States, China, India and Russia. There have also emerged
in Asia in recent years other forums, such as the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization, in which ASEAN's mediation has not been
needed. Although the latest informal six-party foreign ministerial
on North Korean denuclearization was held in Singapore, Beijing is
the home ground for the talks. Japan, China and South Korea also
decided earlier this year to hold a trilateral summit regularly
apart from ASEAN.

ASEAN is now faced with both internal and external challenges.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in the July 21 ASEAN
ministerial meeting stressed the need to accelerate ASEAN's
integration, saying: "The pace of ASEAN integration should not be
set by its slowest members, or else all will be held back by the
problems of a few."

(4) Government accelerating signing of tax treaties with
resource-rich countries: Talks with Saudi Arabia, Oman start

NIKKEI (Top Play) (Almost full)
July 25, 2008

The government plans to accelerate a drive to sign a tax treaty with
resource-rich countries. In June, it reached a basic agreement to
sign such a treaty with uranium-rich Kazakhstan and Brunei, an oil
producing country. It has also informally launched talks with Saudi
Arabia, the largest oil producing country in the world. The aim of

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signing such a treaty is to back Japanese companies' activities in
resource-rich countries, where large projects joined by Japanese
companies are on the increase, and to lure investment from
deep-pocketed resource-rich countries, by preventing double taxation
in Japan and partner countries.

Support for penetration of Japanese companies; Luring investment in
Japan

The Japanese government is now engaging in talks with Kuwait and the
United Arab Emirate (UAE),where there are rich crude oil reserves.
It has also informally started talks with Saudi Arabia and Oman --
both prominent oil-producing countries. Countries like Qatar, which
has ample liquefied natural gas, have been floated as candidates for
partners for such a treaty.

Resource-rich countries are active in implementing large-scale
projects, starting with projects for building infrastructure, due to
the steep rise in crude oil prices. Marubeni Corporation has taken
part in a power generation project in the UAE. Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries and Obayashi Corporation have also joined a railway
construction project in that country. According to the Japan
External Trade Organization (JETRO),the number of Japanese
companies that have advanced into the UAE has doubled from four
years ago, exceeding 300. Isuzu Motors also plans to advance into
Saudi Arabia. Companies operating in those countries have been
calling on the government to sign a tax treaty for fear of being
doubly taxed.

Such a treaty could also produce an effect of luring investment
money from various Middle-Eastern countries, whose funds in hand are
expanding due to surging resource prices. For instance, the Abu
Dhabi Investment Authority, a UAE government-affiliated fund, is
presumably managing more than 80 billion dollars and the Kuwait
Investment Authority approximately 200 billion dollars throughout
the world.

Under Japan's existing system, in the event of foreign companies and
investors from countries with which it has not tax treaty purchasing
stocks of Japanese listed companies, the income taxes of 7 PERCENT
is imposed on dividends and 15 PERCENT on interests on bonds,
working as impediments to investment. If there is a tax treaty, such
taxes could be reduced. In many cases, taxation could be reduced to
between 5 PERCENT and 10 PERCENT , though the percentage may differ
according to treaties.

Japan has signed tax treaties with the U.S., Sweden, Denmark, etc.,
since the 1950s. Since then, it has signed such a treaty with
European countries, such as France, Germany, and then Asian
countries, such as India and China, as its economic relations with
those countries deepened as a result corporate advances into those
countries. The government intends to increase such a treaty with
resource-rich countries, whose presence is increasing because of
their oil money.

(5) Right to self-defense against attacks: Iranian envoy

SANKEI (Page 7) (Full)
July 24, 2008

Iran recently carried out missile tests against Israel's military
training exercises that anticipated strikes on Iran's nuclear

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facilities. Meanwhile, the U.S. Bush administration has shifted to a
flexible stance, having a high-ranking official participate in the
European Union's nuclear talks with Iran for the first time. There
are now new developments regarding the Iranian nuclear issue. On
that issue, the Sankei Shimbun interviewed Iranian Ambassador to
Japan Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who took part in the nuclear issue as
vice foreign minister for legal and international affairs and who
arrived at his post in March.

-- How do you evaluate the nuclear talks held with the EU and other
entities in Geneva on the 19th of this month?

Ambassador Araghchi: All participants agreed that it would be better
to shelve preconditions and negotiate. This is a step forward.

-- This time, the U.S. Department of State's No. 3 man, Under
Secretary of State for Political Affairs Burns, was present.

Araghchi: I wonder why they (U.S.) did not send someone in the
past.

-- The international community is calling on Iran to stop enriching
uranium. Will Iran do so?

Araghchi: We cannot find any reason for us to do so. Our nuclear
program is for peaceful purposes. Iran has the right to do so. The
more the United States and Europe tell us to stop enriching uranium,
the more we will be distrustful of the United States and Europe.
They say we are playing for time while refusing to stop the program.
But Iran has already acquired technical know-how, so we don't need
more time.

-- The U.S. and Europe think Iran's purpose is to develop nuclear
weapons.

Araghchi: The United States says Iran will go nuclear in the future.
At this point, however, there's no sign of it. The United Nations
Security Council is imposing sanctions on Iran for what we've not
done yet. In 2003, the United States and Europe requested Iran stop
its nuclear program. We did so and negotiated for two and a half
years. They're still imposing sanctions. And we found that the real
aim of the United States and Europe is to stop our nuclear
activities forever. Confidence building should be bidirectional, and
Iran has fulfilled its responsibility. The United States and Europe
also have the responsibility to do so.

-- Iran has the world's third largest amount of oil reserves. Why
does Iran need nuclear energy?

Araghchi: We will use nuclear energy for electric power generation,
and we will use earnings from our exports of oil and natural gas to
invest in infrastructure improvement.

-- In 1981, Israel raided the Osirak reactor in Iraq. Do you
anticipate such an event?

Araghchi: They wouldn't attack. It's easy to start a new war in this
region. But it's almost impossible to end it.

-- Some people in Iran say Iran would block the Straits of Hormuz if
the situation deteriorates.


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Araghchi: We have the right to defend ourselves when we're
attacked-no matter what it takes. On the nuclear issue as well,
we're ready to cooperate and talk, and we're also ready for a
showdown.

-- The July 9 missile test will destabilize the region.

Araghchi: Security is basically for deterrence and defense. Our
missile plan is limited to self-defense.

-- What about nuclear cooperation with North Korea?

Araghchi: Iran is developing its nuclear program on its own, and I
can say definitely it has nothing to do with North Korea. North
Korea could be a threat to Japan, but Iran is unlikely to become a
threat to Japan.

(6) Simulation: Cabinet shuffle on July 30 most likely

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full)
July 24, 2008

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has remained silent regarding a cabinet
shuffle. Therefore, ruling coalition lawmakers have been on pins and
needles. They, however, can narrow down the timing of a cabinet
shuffle because of the tight political calendar.

Fukuda has yet to reveal even his intention on whether he will
shuffle his cabinet or not. Yet, many ruling camp members believe
that if the extraordinary Diet session is convened in late August
and if Fukuda wants to shuffles his cabinet before the convocation
of the extra session, he will do so on July 30.

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akira Amari and Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries Minister Masatoshi Wakabayashi will be
staying in Geneva until July 27 to attend the ministerial meetings
of the new round of global trade talks (Doha Round negotiations).
The Fukuda cabinet is expected to approve on July 29th budgetary
estimate request guidelines for fiscal 2009.

Although a government official said that the cabinet approval of
budgetary request guidelines for FY2009 would not be an obstacle to
the setting of the date for a cabinet shuffle, Fukuda has stated
that he gives top priority to implementation of policy measures and
only then will he make a decision on the cabinet-shuffle issue.

The government is expected to come up with a plan to set up a
third-party organization, as well as a five-point social welfare
plan by July 29. With this, Fukuda will complete his policy agenda
for the time being.

Fukuda is expected to visit Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki (on
August 9). He also plans to go to China to attend the opening
ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. The week of August 11 starts the
O-Bon holiday break. So it is evident that shuffling the cabinet
will be difficult during that time. Considering the fact that it
takes a couple of days to pick senior vice ministers and
parliamentary secretaries, the dominant view is that August 1 would
be the last day for Fukuda to be able to shuffle his cabinet.
However, July 30 (astrologically) is a very unlucky day.

Some ruling camp members have suggested delaying the convocation of

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the extra session to late September. If that is the case, Fukuda
does not need to carry out a cabinet shuffle quickly. If so, a
cabinet shuffle may slip to after the O-Bon holiday break. The
timing of the opening of a Diet session and a cabinet shuffle are
closely related. In that context, ruling coalition members are very
interested in a meeting of Fukuda and New Komeito leader Akihiro
Ota, which will soon be held to work out the Diet calendar.

A senior LDP member, however, said that he could not agree to delay
a cabinet shuffle to sometime after the O-Bon holidays. Fukuda seems
to be hearing such views. What kind of a decision will he make
finally?

(7) Secretary General Ibuki eager to stay in office

SANKEI (Page 4) (Excerpts)
July 25, 2008

Bunmei Ibuki is enthusiastic about keeping his job as LDP secretary
general at a time when everyone's attention is on when Prime
Minister Yasuo Fukuda will shuffle his cabinet. Although Ibuki is
known as a policy expert and enjoys the strong confidence of the
prime minister, the faction headed by him is small with only 28
members. He is not exactly popular in the party, either, due to his
blunt speaking style. Further, he reportedly does not get along well
with his New Komeito counterpart, Kazuo Kitagawa. What kind of
secret plan is he crafting amid rumors that the next extraordinary
Diet session will be put off or that the prime minister will
dissolve the Lower House before the end of the year?

"I don't know if the prime minister thinks a variety of outstanding
issues should be handled by the current cabinet or new members. I
have talked with him many times. I think he will make a decision
around next week."

Ibuki, attending a lecture meeting at an Osaka hotel on July 24,
alluded to a cabinet shuffle next week. Having met Fukuda at a pace
of once a week, Ibuki apparently intended to play up his strong ties
with the prime minister.

On July 22, the day after Fukuda's vacation ended, Ibuki reportedly
urged the prime minister to convene the next Diet session as early
as possible in order to extend the new antiterrorism special
measures law at all cost.

An Ibuki aide indicated that he has been upbeat since mid-July. The
prevailing view in the LDP is that Ibuki has won assurance from
Fukuda that he would not replace him as secretary general.

On July 17, a meeting was held at a Tokyo hotel among the
secretaries general and Diet affairs chiefs of the LDP and New
Komeito. In the session, Ibuki locked horns with Kitagawa over the
timing for the convocation of the next extraordinary Diet session.
Kitagawa sought the convocation in late September, while Ibuki
insisted on late August. Sparks flew between the two.

The gulf with Election Strategy Council Chairman Makoto Koga is also
expanding. Koga on July 23 echoed the New Komeito's call for
delaying the convocation of the next Diet session by citing divided
views within the ruling bloc and among the general public on
amending the antiterrorism legislation. Ibuki on July 24 raised an
outright objection, saying: "The international community is not as

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understanding as allowing Japan to discontinue its refueling
activities in the Indian Ocean. It is natural for the cabinet to do
risk management in running Diet business."

The responsibility for election campaigning used to rest exclusively
with the secretary general, but the prime minister has upgraded the
election campaign chief to the election strategy council chairman on
par with the secretary general. Given vaguely defined duties,
Secretary General Ibuki has begun meddling in every area from
election campaigning to Diet measures to policy. A former cabinet
minister regards this as the cause of discord in the LDP
leadership.

(8) Chorus of calls for pork-barrel largesse from the ruling camp,
concerned about support groups deserting LDP

ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts)
July 24, 2008

With the guidelines for the fiscal 2009 budget to be adopted later
this month, calls for increased spending are growing in the ruling
camp. Some lawmakers are demanding the withdrawal of cuts in social
expenditures and public works, which Prime Minister Fukuda has
characterized as a symbol of ensuring fiscal discipline. With the
next Lower House election in mind, the legislators are calling for
pork-barrel spending without inhibition.

Root of all evil

Hidehisa Otsuji, head of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) caucus
in the Upper House, is known as a welfare and labor policy expert in
the Diet. At a press conference held after a joint welfare and
labor-related meeting of the party on July 23, he lashed out at the
government's policy since fiscal 2007 of cutting 220 billion yen
from the natural increase in social security expenditures. He said,
"The root of all evil is to be found in the 220 billion yen cut. I
want it to be stopped. I cannot approve automatically cutting social
security expenditures."

Social security spending is not the only target of attack. Finance
Minister Nukaga on July 19 during a foreign trip revealed a policy
of expanding the cut in public works from the current 3 PERCENT to
5 PERCENT . Many participants in the plenary meeting of the LDP
Policy Research Council opposed the proposal with Takashi
Mitsubayashi, chairman of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Division, saying, "We cannot accept even a 3 PERCENT cut. A 5
PERCENT cut is utterly unacceptable." Upper House member Masashi
Waki warned, "The construction industry will completely desert the
LDP."

New Komeito steps in line with LDP

The ruling parties are inclined to call for boosting expenditures
because they anticipate dissolution of the Lower House for a snap
election. With only about a year left until the term of office of
the incumbent members of the Lower House expires next September, the
LDP believes that the outcome of the fiscal 2009 budget will
directly affect the responses of support groups and industrial
associations.

Some members of the New Komeito, the coalition partner, are in line
with the LDP. Election Committee Chairman Yosuke Takagi on a TV

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program on July 20 pointed out, "The government annually cuts 220
billion yen from the natural increase in social security
expenditures. There should be aspects of this policy that can be
reviewed." The New Komeito is openly seeking substantive fiscal
disbursements as a measure to address the steep rise in crude oil
prices. Such aid is being sought by fisheries associations. Komeito
head Ota noted, "More than 1 trillion yen in subsidies is needed.''

Reform or policy switch?

However, if constraints on expenditures are eased at this stage, the
move could undermine the government's target of moving the primary
balance into the black by fiscal 2011, as set by the basic policy
guidelines on economic and fiscal management and structural reforms
for the fiscal 2006 national budget, adopted during the Koizumi
administration. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who inherited the
Koizumi policy line, in a speech on the 18th stressed, "Wasteful
spending must be eliminated in the process of compiling the budget.
There should not be any outlay that can be labeled pork barrel.
Fiscal reconstruction is a challenge that must be addressed by using
every means."

All eyes are now on Prime Minister Fukuda to see if he will decide
to maintain the reform policy line or to give in to those in the
ruling camp seeking policy change. On the 22nd, he met with former
Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe at his office. When Takebe asked
for drastic measures to address soaring crude oil and grain prices,
Fukuda simply said, "The sharing of roles between the government and
the party is needed. I welcome the party sending decisive
messages."

(9) Appointments of senior MOFA officials

YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full)
July 25, 2008

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced yesterday a roster
of its new senior officials who include International Cooperation
Bureau Koro Bessho as the replacement of Foreign Policy Bureau
Director General Chikao Kawai. Kawai will assume the post of
assistant chief cabinet secretary. The appointments will be
officially announced on July 29.

Foreign Policy Bureau Director General

Kojiro Bessho: Graduated from the law faculty of the University of
Tokyo in 1975; has been serving as director general of the
International Cooperation Bureau; born in Kagawa Prefecture; age

55.

Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau Director General

Satoru Sato: Graduated from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in
1977; has been serving as minister at the embassy in Indonesia; born
in Shimane Prefecture; age 55.

European Affairs Bureau Director General

Yasuaki Tanizaki: Graduated from the law faculty of the University
of Tokyo in 1975; has been serving as director general of the
Consular Affairs Bureau; born in Tokyo; age 56.


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Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau Director General

Toshiro Suzuki: Graduated from the law faculty of the University of
Tokyo in 1977; has headed the Office of Civilian Assistance to
Reconstruction of Iraq; born in Tokyo; age 54.

International Cooperation Bureau Director General

Masato Kitera: Graduated from the law faculty of the University of
Tokyo in 1976; has been director general for Sub-Sahara African
Affairs; born in Tokyo; age 55.

International Legal Affairs Bureau Director General

Koji Tsuruoka: Graduated from the law faculty of the University of
Tokyo in 1976; has been director general for Global Issues; born in
Tokyo; age 55.

Consular Affairs Bureau Director General

Hiroshi Fukada: Left Osaka University of Foreign Studies in
mid-course in 1977; has been serving as chief of the secretariat of
the office to prepare for G-8 summit; born in Osaka; age 56.

Intelligence and Analysis Service Director General

Jiro Kodera: Graduated from the faculty of economics of Hitotsubashi
University in 1977; has been ambassador to the United Nations; born
in Hokkaido; age 55.

Public Diplomacy Department Director General Kenjiro Moji

Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department Director
General Toshio Sano

Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department Director General
Koji Inomata

Director General for Sub-Sahara African Affairs Yoshitaka Akimoto

Director General for Global Issues Shinsuke Sugiyama

Ambassador to Ghana Keiichi Katakami

Ambassador to Cote d'lvoire Yoshifumi Okamura

(10) TOP HEADLINES

Asahi & Tokyo Shimbun:
Defense industry consultant arrested on suspicion of tax evasion

Mainichi:
Former Oita education board official says top board executive
ordered to make several examinees pass teacher employment tests

Yomiuri:
Government to give financial support for medical services in rural
areas

Nikkei:
Government to speed up tax accords with resource-rich nations


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Sankei:
Tohoku earthquake leaves 132 injured in 8 prefectures

Akahata:
Tohoku earthquake leaves 126 injured in 7 prefectures

(11) EDITORIALS

Asahi:
(1) Iwate earthquake: Whole country must prepare for quakes
(2) Random stabbing incidents: Sever this chain

Mainichi:
(1) Foreign ministerial of six-party nations: How to seize North
Korean pace
(2) Defense consultant Akiyama arrested: Shed light on defense
concessions

Yomiuri:
(1) Six-party nation foreign ministerial: No progress made on
nuclear and abduction issues
(2) Iwate earthquake: Unexpected regions also must prepare for
quakes

Nikkei:
(1) Steeper path lies ahead before U.S. financial system stabilizes
(2) Japan must prepare for earthquakes

Sankei:
(1) Foreign ministerial of six-party nations: U.S. should consider
withdrawal of its decision to delist North Korea as state sponsor of
terrorism
(2) Iwate earthquake: Need to raise awareness of disaster prevention


Tokyo Shimbun:
(1) Major quakes: Entire Japan is dangerous
(2) Arrest of Akiyama: Don't seal off defense interests

Akahata:
(1) Measures against surging fuel prices: Direct compensation
urgent

(12) Prime Minister's schedule, July 24

NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
July 25, 2008

01:52
Met Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary Yanagisawa at his official
residence.

06:48
Met Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary for Crisis Management Ito.

08:57
Discussed post-Iwate earthquake measures at the Cabinet Crisis
Management Center. Talked with Anti-Disaster Minister Izumi on the
phone.

10:02
Attended a meeting of the central council on promoting measures for

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the handicapped. Met middle school students who attended the
northern youth exchange program, followed by Vice-Foreign Minister
Yabunaka.

12:15
Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura, followed by Deputy Chief
Cabinet Secretary Futahashi.

14:35
Met Defense Ministry Defense Intelligence Headquarters chief
Hokazono, Defense Policy Bureau chief Takamizawa, and Cabinet
Intelligence Director Mitsuya. Mitsuya stayed on.

15:14
Met NHK and commercial TV station announcers who are serving as
ambassadors of terrestrial digital broadcasting.

15:39
Met MHLW Minister Masuzoe, Declining Birthrate Minister Kamikawa,
People's Life Minister Kishida, and Assistant Chief Cabinet
Secretary Saka.

16:54
Met Izumi and Cabinet Office policy director-director Omori.

17:12
Met MEXT Minister TOKAI, followed by former LDP Secretary General
Nakagawa.

18:37
Met Machimura and Futahashi.

19:37
Returned to his official residence.

ZUMWALT