DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 08/22/08

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TOKYO 002316 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 08/22/08 INDEX: (1) Three opposition parties trying to shake Kantei, New Komeito, given rift over length of Diet session (Mainichi) (2) Protest in Ginowan calls for immediate close of Futenma Air Station (Ryukyu Shimpo) (3) National Diet Library closed public access to archives that effectively waived Japan's jurisdiction over crimes by U.S. service members; Documents declassified in U.S. (Tokyo Shimbun) (4) Editorial: Establishing criminal case on dangerous doings can best deter antiwhaling activists (Sankei) ARTICLES: (1) Three opposition parties trying to shake Kantei, New Komeito, given rift over length of Diet session MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) August 21, 2008 The major three opposition parties - the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ),the Social Democratic Party (SDP),and the People's New Party - made it clear yesterday that if the ruling camp promises not to premise the Diet schedule on a revote in the House of Representatives, they will participate in deliberations on a bill to extend the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. The bill will certainly become a contentious issue in the upcoming extraordinary Diet session. The opposition parties remain opposed to the proposed extension of the refueling mission, so they are apparently aiming to rattle the Prime Minister's Office (Kantei) and the New Komeito, taking advantage of their rift over the length of the next Diet session. DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji Yamaoka and his SDP counterpart Fumihiro Himori met in the Diet building yesterday. They agreed that the opposition parties should take joint steps in dealing with the bill amending the New Antiterrorism Special Measures Law. In their Diet Affairs Committee meeting on Aug. 6, the three parties agreed not to attend deliberations if the scheduled is premised on a revote. After the meeting, Himori told reporters: "We will join deliberations if a revote is not a foregone conclusion. We need to ascertain the New Komeito's motives." The Kantei and the New Komeito have been at odds over a revote in the Lower House. Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who is eager to enact the bill into law out of consideration for the U.S., has proposed a Diet session long enough for a revote to be taken. But the New Komeito, which is in favor of an early Lower House election, has opposed the prime minister's proposal, fearing public strong reaction. A senior member of the Liberal Democratic Party's caucus in the House of Councillors grumbled: "Among the LDP leadership, including Secretary General Aso, there is no one who can persuade the New Komeito." The DPJ is also considering the possibility of summoning former Komeito President Junya Yano, who filed a complained against Soka Gakkai, the New Komeito's power base, as an unsworn witness to the next extraordinary Diet session. DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa said in a party executive meeting on Aug. 19: "In the extraordinary Diet TOKYO 00002316 002 OF 005 session, there is a problem involving Mr. Yano," showing his readiness to take advantage of the lack of unity in the ruling camp. (2) Protest in Ginowan calls for immediate close of Futenma Air Station RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 30) (Full) August 22, 2008 Ginowan In protest of the fact that no progress has been made on the return of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station to Okinawa, even though four years have passed since a U.S. military helicopter crashed on the campus of Okinawa International University, a protest was held yesterday at the Samashita Park in Ginowan City. The rally was held by the Okinawa Peace Movement Center, the Chubu Okinawa Labor Union, and the group of plaintiffs protesting the sound of explosions from Futenma. The organizers called the rally "Aug. 21 Protest Rally Four Years after U.S. Military Helicopter's Crash. Move Futenma! Don't Allow Relocation within Okinawa!" The organizers expressed anger at the fact that Futenma Air Station has been operating without eliminating its risks. They called for immediate return of Futenma's land to Okinawa and protested its relocation to Henoko. According to the organizers, the rally attracted 300 people. Peace Movement Center head Sakiyama stated at the rally: "Supporting Ginowan Mayor Yoichi Iha, we seek the prompt close of Futenma Air Station in order to protect the safety of Okinawa's people." Zenji Shimada, leader of the plaintiffs said: "Let's accomplish Futenma's return to Okinawa by continuing to raise an outcry." Ginowan Deputy Mayor Takeshi Asato stressed: "In order to move forward with the issue, let's keep working." Okinawa University Prof. Yasuo Kurima explained how outrageously the U.S. military behaved at the time the helicopter accident occurred. After the rally, the protesters marched to the U.S. Consulate General in Urasoe. (3) National Diet Library closed public access to archives that effectively waived Japan's jurisdiction over crimes by U.S. service members; Documents declassified in U.S. TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 26) (Abridged slightly) August 22, 2008 The National Diet Library (NDL) has closed public access to official documents that have been declassified by the U.S. government. Unconvinced with the step, journalist Takao Saito plans to file a lawsuit seeking to have the documents made publicly available again. The materials in question are documents created in March 1972 by the Justice Ministry Criminal Affairs Bureau. The documents include a 1953 Justice Ministry directive that effectively waived Japan's jurisdiction over incidents committed by U.S. service members in Japan except in cases of serious crimes. The NDL purchased it from a secondhand bookstore in March 1990. TOKYO 00002316 003 OF 005 Stored in the NDL's bibliographic database, the document was publicly accessible. Documentation showing the same facts has also been made public by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, and Japanese media reported in May this year that the governments of Japan and the United States made a secret deal in 1953 on waiver of jurisdiction. This was followed by the Justice Ministry's request to the NDL to withdraw the materials from public access. The library complied with the ministry's request in June. Saito futilely requested access to the document on the afternoon of Aug. 21. The journalist held a press conference in Tokyo later in the day in which he indicated that in declining his request, the library cited its rule, saying, "There are rarely materials whose use must be restricted, such as documents infringing on human rights." Saito added: "There was no convincing explanation about why this rule is applied. Under this rule, the library can withhold the disclosure of any inconvenient documents. This is a serious situation infringing on the people's right to know. I want to join hands with people sharing the same awareness to create a huge movement." Saito's attorney, Kazuo Hizumi, said: "We cannot afford to lose this lawsuit. I will spend several months making thorough preparations for it." To begin with, as a state, it is a serious problem to waive jurisdiction over crimes committed by U.S. service members, as Saito put it. What can the Justice Ministry gain from ending public access to the document that has been made public in the United States? The document was accessible for over 18 years and was circulating in the secondhand book industry. Chances are high that copies of it are in still circulation. Although such a case has never come to light, it can easily be imagined from the NDL's response that it has kept similar documents from public view. "NDL workers are kind and helpful. I have often used it to do my job. I thought it was a decent establishment and I had high regard for it," Saito said depressedly. The NDL is part of the legislative branch (Diet). Contributing to lawmakers' data-collection and investigative efforts, the library has also earned a good reputation from both ruling and opposition party members. The latest incident might undermine the reputation of the NDL, which has prided itself on its ability to meet the people's right to know. It is utterly deplorable that the library gave in to an unreasonable demand from the executive branch (Justice Ministry),which must remain independent from the principle of separation of powers. Saito said angrily: "How could the National Diet Library withdraw something from public access just because it was told to do so by the Justice Ministry? It's like saying, 'We won't show them because we decided so,' without offering a just reason. It should realize that its significance is being tested." TOKYO 00002316 004 OF 005 (4) Editorial: Establishing criminal case on dangerous doings can best deter antiwhaling activists SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) August 19, 2008 Japan's investigative authorities have obtained arrest warrants for three men -- two Americans and a Briton -- from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for interference in Japan's research whaling in the Southern Ocean. The three activists are charged with obstructing business by force. They threw a rope into the sea to catch a Japanese research whaling ship's propeller, and their vessel hit the whaling ship. Such acts are tantamount to terrorism and piracy and obviously violate an international convention. It is only natural for Japan to take a resolute action. It is true that there is a deep-seated discord ascribable to cultural differences over whales between whaling countries, including Japan, and antiwhaling countries, including the United States and Australia. However, it should be remembered that the primary purpose of Japan's research whaling is to collect data to study the number of cetacea and the like, and that Japan's research whaling is legitimate under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. However, the Sea Shepherd, ignoring these facts and Japan's repeated warnings, has continued radical activities in the name of protest. Sea Shepherd activists threw flares and bottles containing liquids at Japanese whaling ship crewmembers, inflicting injuries to some of them. Their activities were extremely malicious. Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura underscored: "Physical interference causing injuries or threatening someone's life is unforgivable, no matter what they say." This can be called a sound argument. The international community, including antiwhaling countries, has given a hard look at radical activities by Sea Shepherd members. In March this year, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) adopted a statement condemning the group. Japan asked relevant countries for investigative assistance to identify the three, and their cooperation was indispensable. Although the United States and Britain are both in an antiwhaling position, they probably judged that a sharp distinction should be made between the pros and cons of whaling and whether violent obstruction is right or wrong. The Japanese investigative authorities intend to put the three activists on an international wanted list through the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO). However, there is a question about the effectiveness of establishing a criminal case against them, including the actual arrest of them. Of course, the government should continue making its utmost efforts to build understanding for whaling. At the same time, the government should ask the countries concerned, regardless of whether Japan has concluded an extradition treaty with them, to arrest and hand them over to Japan. TOKYO 00002316 005 OF 005 That can best deter dangerous doings. ZUMWALT