DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 07/25/08

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 002054 SIPDIS DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA; WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION; TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN, DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR; CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA. E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 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 TOKYO 00002054 002 OF 012 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) TOKYO 00002054 003 OF 012 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 TOKYO 00002054 004 OF 012 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 TOKYO 00002054 005 OF 012 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. TOKYO 00002054 006 OF 012 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 TOKYO 00002054 007 OF 012 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 TOKYO 00002054 008 OF 012 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 TOKYO 00002054 009 OF 012 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. TOKYO 00002054 010 OF 012 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 TOKYO 00002054 011 OF 012 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 TOKYO 00002054 012 OF 012 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