JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 05/26/09

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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 05/26/09

Index:
North Korea nuclear test:
1) Ruling and opposition parties all denounce North Korea for
testing another nuclear weapon (Mainichi)
2) Government considering full embargo on all trade with North Korea
(Nikkei)
3) Government did not expect the timing of Pyongyang's latest
nuclear test (Yomiuri)
4) Over 50 North Korean technicians travelled to Iran since April,
raising suspicions that the trips were related to the nuclear
weapons program (Sankei)
5) Two pundits analyze the significance of the latest North Korea
nuclear test (Yomiuri)
6) U.S., China, Russia denounce North Korea for nuclear testing; UN
Security Council to meet; President Obama's nuclear free-world idea
impacted (Asahi)
7) Government plans to ask for UN sanctions against North Korea
(Nikkei)
8) Nuclear test calls into question future of 6-Party Talks (Tokyo
Shimbun)

Defense issues:
9) U.S. asks Japan to consider the F-35 instead of the F-22 as the
most suitable aircraft to introduce (Tokyo Shimbun)
10) Government and ruling camp considering easing weapons export
restrictions to allow joint development and commercialization
(Nikkei)

11) Government to announce new greenhouse gas-reduction target next
month of 7 PERCENT compared to 1990 (Mainichi)

12) Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan gets boost from favored
candidate winning the Saitama mayoralty race (Nikkei)

13) OIE to recognize safety of Japanese beef; Government considering
easing inspection guidelines (Tokyo Shimbun)

Artciels:

1) Ruling and opposition parties denounce North Korea's second
nuclear test; Calls for hard-line stance growing in LDP

MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full)
May 26, 2009

Daisuke Ono, Takenori Noguchi, Joichi Sato

The second nuclear test conducted on May 25 by North Korea has drawn
fire from both ruling and opposition parties in Japan. Japan is
growing irritated with North Korea, which conducted the test in
defiance of a UN Security Council sanctions resolution and Japan's
independent sanctions in reaction to a ballistic missile launch in
April. Calls are growing in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) for
such options as possessing the capability to attack enemy bases and
stepping up economic sanctions against the North. Meanwhile, the
major opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) intends to
formulate its manifesto (campaign pledges) for the next House of
Representatives Election featuring a Northeast Asia denuclearization
initiative and other nuclear disarmament policies.

Former prime minister Shinzo Abe of the LDP made the following
comment to a group of reporters in Fukuoka yesterday: "Japan would

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be the most affected by North Korean missile and nuclear tests. The
country must be thoroughly prepared." Former finance minister and
financial services minister Shoichi Nakagawa, too, indicated to the
Mainichi Shimbun the need to conduct serious discussion on North
Korea. He indicated the notion that the LDP must study measures
against North Korea with an eye on its manifesto for the next Lower
House election.

What Abe has in mind seems to be the possession of the capability of
striking enemy bases. In 2006, Nakagawa, who was serving as LDP
Policy Research Council chief at the time, underlined the need for
Japan to discuss its nuclear options, creating a stir at home and
abroad.

Mid-level and junior lawmakers, including House of Councillors
member Ichita Yamamoto, intend to come up with measures to
strengthen the country's deterrence today, such as the possession of
an enemy base strike capability, saying that Japan's security is now
under a greater threat.

Japan has unilaterally imposed sanctions against the North and is
unable to find a way out of the current deadlock in dealing with the
North. Given the situation, calls for a hard-line stance are gaining
ground in the LDP. For instance, Taku Yamasaki, who has been
advocating a dialogue policy course as chairman of the Parliamentary
League to Promote Diplomatic Normalization between Japan and North
Korea, exhibited a stern attitude in Tokyo yesterday, saying: "It is
impossible for the time being to settle the matter based on a
dialogue policy course. A response based on a new UN Security
Council resolution will be necessary."

New Komeito Secretary General Kazuo Kitagawa, too, said to a group
of reporters in the Diet building: "If (the nuclear test by the
North) is a fact, we must lodge a strong protest. There is obviously
a need to consider new sanctions as well."

2) Japan mulling imposition of complete economic embargo on North
Korea

NIKKEI (Page 2) (Abridged slightly)
May 26, 2009

In the wake of North Korea's nuclear test yesterday, the government
has begun studying the option of further tightening its own economic
sanctions against that country. The discussion is focused on
shifting a ban on exports to the North, which is now limited to
luxury goods, to a blanket export ban. But because the country has
just recently strengthened its sanctions against the North in
reaction to its launch of a Taepodong-2 missile in April, there are
only a few "cards" that are at Japan's disposal.

"We will consider what can be used as sanctions against the North in
the remaining cards," Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said in
a press conference yesterday after a Security Council of Japan
meeting. His comment also exposed the government's angst over the
limited steps it can take to reinforce its own sanctions.

The international community's reaction to the North after the
Taepodong-2 launch was not monolithic. As such, the government is
closely watching international opinion, including the UN Security
Council. Prime Minister Taro Aso indicated that he would make a
decision based on UNSC discussions by saying to the press at his

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office, "It is proper to begin with discussions at the UNSC."

The government intends to ask the UNSC for a new resolution on North
Korea. Kawamura said: "It is unknown whether (the UNSC) will urge
the North to abide by the resolutions adopted in the past or (adopt
a resolution) on additional sanctions. No one can foretell what will
happen." To conduct UNSC discussions at its advantage, Japan will
hurry enhancing cooperation with countries concerned, such as the
United States and South Korea.

Kawamura indicated that the "situation is severe" regarding a
possible impact on the Six-Party Talks by the North's nuclear test
yesterday. There are calls in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) for
reinforced sanctions against the North if the Six-Party Talks cannot
move forward immediately.

In reaction to the North's launch in April of the Taepodong-2
missile, the government decided to extend for one year the ban on
port calls by North Korean vessels and the ban on imports from North
Korea. At that time, the government studied a total ban as one
option but decided to keep it in reserve to use it in reaction to
another nuclear test by the North.

According to Finance Ministry trade statistics, imports from North
Korea have been zero since 2007 and the total amount of exports to
that country was less than 800 million yen. Some think that an
embargo by Japan alone would be ineffective, but a government source
said that such could be a symbolic act to signify Japan's resolute
stance against the North.

3) Timing of nuclear test unexpected by government; DPRK warnings
not seen as signs

YOMIURI (Page 32) (Abridged)
May 26, 2009

North Korea fired three short-range missiles into the Sea of Japan
right after its nuclear test on May 25. The DPRK had issued
navigation warnings setting off-limits areas in the Sea of Japan up
to May 30, and this information had been known to the relevant
ministries. However, that the nuclear test and short-range missile
launches would come almost simultaneously was unexpected.

Japan Coast Guard (JCG) patrol boats, cruising the Sea of Japan, had
caught the DPRK's navigation warnings on May 21 and 23. The
off-limits areas were two sections northeast and east of the DPRK.
By early evening of May 25, the JCG had also caught the navigation
warning issued for the area around West Korea Bay.

Navigation warnings are transmitted to ships sailing nearby via
radio signals and are also issued during naval exercises,
shipwrecks, marine accidents, and so forth. The JCG had informed the
relevant ministries via the Prime Minister's Office Residence
(Kantei) that North Korea might be making moves right after it
caught the information.

The Ministry of Defense (MOD) and the National Police Agency had
been gathering information recently since North Korea had announced
it would conduct a nuclear test on April 29 and the comings and
goings of trucks had been observed since May in the vicinity of
North Hamgyong Province, where the nuclear test took place. However,
the navigation warnings were not seen as signs of a nuclear test

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based on the analysis that in order for North Korea to achieve
direct negotiations with the U.S., "even if it conducts a nuclear
test, it will have to adopt the diplomatic tactic of escalating the
crisis level in stages," (according to a senior government
official).

For this reason, a senior MOD appeared to be surprised that "the
test took place so quickly." At a regular news conference on the
afternoon of May 25, although Vice Defense Minister Kohei Masuda
said that he "does not feel" that the navigation warnings "are
directly related to a nuclear test," he would only say "no comment"
when asked if signs of such a test had been observed.

4) North Korean engineers visited Iran

SANKEI (Page 1) (Abridged)
May 26, 2009

A North Korean group of more than 50 nuclear and missile engineers,
including operatives, visited Iran after North Korea launched a
long-range ballistic missile on April 5, sources close to diplomacy
between Japan and the United States revealed yesterday. In Iran,
they secretly visited Natanz, where an underground nuclear facility
is believed to be located.

Their visit will draw attention in connection with North Korea's
underground nuclear test. In addition, North Korea, which has so far
pursued nuclear development for plutonium-type weapons, is believed
to be aiming to acquire Iran's technical know-how for uranium
enrichment centrifugation.

According to the sources and others, North Korea invited more than
10 Iranians, including military officers and scientists, at the time
of its missile launch in April for technical exchanges on missile
launch technologies. After that, North Korean engineers visited Iran
and went to Natanz, the sources said. North Korea and Iran are said
to have possibly exchanged technical information for nuclear
development.

Iran has so far denied involvement in technical cooperation with
North Korea.

5) North Korea conducts nuclear test

YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full)
May 26, 2009

Hajime Izumi, professor at Shizuoka University (specialization in
international relations and Korean Peninsula domestic and foreign
policies): North Korea is aiming at normalizing relations with U.S.

The aim of North Korea is not at the level of drawing the U.S. into
negotiations but at urging the U.S. to abandon its hostile policy
toward it and promote specific negotiations, such as those that
normalize bilateral diplomatic ties.

North Korea issued a declaration criticizing the UN Security
Council's presidential statement condemning its ballistic missile
launch the day after the statement was adopted. Such an
unprecedentedly quick response might be evidence of its desire to
pave the way for normalizing diplomatic relations with the U.S. by
2012, which marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of chairman Kim

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Il Sung, and to establish the framework for the next regime.

The North still has such bargaining chips as (1) more nuclear tests;
(2) an increase in plutonium production; (3) enrichment of uranium;
and (4) test firing of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM).
If North Korea succeeds in producing a miniaturized warhead, Japan
will be exposed to a grave threat.

Japan, the U.S., China, and other countries will take a tougher
stance toward the North following its latest nuclear test. I expect
that the game of patience between these countries, which take the
stance of waiting until North Korea returns to the Six-Party Talks,
and North Korea, which might come up with more threats, will last at
least six months.

Hideshi Takesada, executive director of the National Institute for
Defense Studies of the Defense Ministry: Kim regime gives priority
to military logic

North Korea conducted a nuclear test in a short period of time after
launching a missile in April. It is speculated that the North is
aiming at sending a stronger appeal to the international community,
taking advantage of the combined effect of nuclear testing and
missile launching. Its latest missile launch showed North Korea's
success in developing a technology to extend its range. This fact is
more serious than whether it succeeded in launching a satellite.
North Korea is suspected of hoping to impress the international
community with its success in producing a downsized nuclear weapon
in order to upgrade its status as a nuclear power.

It is certain that North Korea's nuclear test will upset China and
cause the U.S. to refuse negotiations with the North for a short
period of time. North Korea's nuclear test this time despite such
circumstances indicates that the nation has given priority to
military logic. North Korea's judgment is that it will possess its
first nuclear deterrent for self-defense if it develops a missile
with a range that covers Washington, the capital of the U.S. To that
end, the North wants to succeed in producing a miniaturized
warhead.

It is impossible to read North Korea's intentions based on the logic
of repeating diplomatic bargaining in order to secure the survival
of its regime. The Kim regime's stance is to give priority to
military affairs and to enjoy its by-products. It final goal is to
remove intervention from the U.S. and attain South-North unification
with the North taking advantage.

6) U.S., China, Russia Condemn North Korea's Nuclear Test; UN
Security Council Meets Today

ASAHI (Top play) (Excerpts)
May 26, 2009

Kayo Matsushita, New York; Yusuke Murayama, Washington; Kengo
Sakajiri, Beijing

In light of North Korea's underground nuclear test, the UN Security
Council (UNSC) will hold an emergency meeting at the UN headquarters
in New York at 4:00 p.m. on May 25 (5:00 a.m. on May 26, Japan
time). The key issue is whether a consensus can be reached on taking
stern measures, including the imposition of additional sanctions, on
North Korea. The responses of Russia, UNSC chair for May, and China,

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which chairs the Six-Party Talks, are drawing attention in
particular. The U.S., China, and Russia all condemned the DPRK on
May 25.

Commentary: Shadow Cast on Obama's Vision of "No Nuclear Arms"

Hirotsugu Mochizuki

On April 5, the very day on which U.S. President Barack Obama made
an appeal to the world for a "world free of nuclear weapons" in the
Czech capital of Prague, North Korea went ahead and launched its
ballistic missile. Just 50 days later, as if challenging Obama's
message that "the path to security and respect will never come
through threats and illegal weapons," the DPRK conducted its second
nuclear test.

The main difference between this test and the first test is the
advent of the Obama administration in the U.S. It is believed that
North Korea's purpose is to give a jolt to the six-month old U.S.
administration and draw it into direct U.S.-DPRK talks outside the
Six-Party Talks framework. Just like its first nuclear test in 2006
during the previous Bush administration, this is regarded as a
brinkmanship tactic using "threat" to gain the upper hand.

However, this experiment may cast a dark shadow over concrete steps
toward Obama's "no nuclear arms" vision.

The two pillars of Obama's "no nuclear arms" plan are: (1)
"vertical" disarmament between the two nuclear superpowers, the
United States and Russia; and (2) "horizontal" nuclear
non-proliferation through strengthening the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and safeguarding nuclear materials.

With regard to (1),negotiations for a sequel to the Strategic Arms
Reduction Treaty I (START I) have resumed based on an agreement
between the U.S. and Russian leaders in April. Working-level
officials are also engaged in discussions in preparation for the
next summit meeting in July. However, since U.S. allies under the
protection of its "nuclear umbrella" are being confronted with North
Korea's nuclear threat once again, the Obama administration will
have less of a free hand in nuclear disarmament talks.

As for (2),the main point is the United States' ratification of the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT),which prohibits nuclear
experiments, to enable the treaty to take effect at an early date.
In this issue, North Korea's blatant nuclear tests may serve to
reinforce persistent doubts about the effectiveness of the CTBT in
the U.S.

For now, it is believed that the Obama administration will deal with
North Korea sternly through the UNSC and other venues. However, like
the Bush administration, which agreed to direct talks in the end and
removed the DPRK from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, it is
also very likely that it may not be able to pursue a tough stance
single-mindedly.

Meanwhile, North Korea is certain to become even more isolated with
this nuclear test. For the Kim Jong Il regime, which is facing
uncertainties over the succession of power internally, there are
serious risks involved in persisting with an aggressive stance. It
is inevitable that both the U.S. and the DPRK will eventually have
to resume efforts to find a way to resolve the situation through

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"dialogue."

Obama will face the dilemma of reconciling his position on a "world
without nuclear weapons" and his philosophy of "willingness to
engage in dialogue even with hostile countries." The diplomatic
process of seeking "common ground" with North Korea will represent a
major challenge in the long road to a world with no nuclear arms.

7) Japan to ask other countries for their cooperation in adopting
sanctions resolution

NIKKEI (Page 1) (Abridged slightly)
May 26, 2009

Prime Minister Taro Aso placed a telephone call to South Korean
President Lee Myung Bak and talked with him for about 15 minutes in
the wake of the nuclear test by North Korea yesterday. Aso said to
Lee: "(The nuclear test) is a grave challenge to the nuclear
nonproliferation regime and a threat to the peace and stability of
the international community. It is a clear violation of UN Security
Council resolutions and is absolutely intolerable." Lee expressed a
similar view, and the two agreed to deal severely with North Korea.

Aso said to reporters, "Japan and South Korea must make close
contacts and deal with the situation resolutely." The prime minister
also indicated that Japan will ask the UN Security Council for a new
resolution.

Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone held talks with his Chinese
counterpart Yang Jiechi in Vietnam's Hanoi and asked for China's
cooperation in adopting a sanctions resolution by the UN Security
Council, "It is indispensable for the international community to
clarify its will by adopting a resolution."

Nakasone also spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on
the telephone. The two agreed as a result to aim at a fresh UNSC
resolution. Clinton emphatically said, "There will be consequences
in reaction to North Korea's act, and the countries concerned must
pull together and adopt a powerful resolution swiftly."

8) Commentary: Worthiness of Six-Party Talks questioned

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full)
May 26, 2009

Yasunobu Shirouchi, international news reporter

North Korea has gone ahead with its second nuclear test. This
country has repeatedly taken actions that violate the agreement
reached at the Six-Party Talks. With this most recent nuclear test,
the talks that started in August 2003 are back to square one.

North Korea had promised to "abandon all nuclear weapons and
existing nuclear programs" in the joint statement issued at the
Six-Party Talks in September 2005. The participants had finally
agreed on the disablement of nuclear facilities and the declaration
of existing nuclear programs after various twists and turns.

However, after the UN Security Council (UNSC) adopted a presidential
statement condemning the DPRK's missile launches in April, this
country announced its non-participation in the Six-Party Talks. In
late April, it also disclosed the resumption of the reprocessing of

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spent nuclear fuel rods.

By conducting its second nuclear test, North Korea has made clear
its intention to proceed with the development of nuclear weapons.
The test has made its nuclear declaration last year even less
credible, and the Six-Party Talks agreement has turned out to be an
illusion.

The DPRK conducted missile launches and a nuclear test in 2006,
which resulted in its seizing the initiative in bilateral talks with
the U.S., which the latter had been unwilling to engage in. Its
recent action is a result of its success last time.

North Korea has been playing tough repeatedly. The manner in which
the Six-Party Talks is being conducted, including its effectiveness,
is now in question.

9) U.S. asked Japan to introduce F-35

MAINICHI (Page 1) (Abridged)
May 24, 2009

When Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada visited the United States on
May 1, he was asked by Secretary of Defense Gates to consider
introducing the F-35 fighter as the follow-on mainstay fighter for
the Air Self-Defense Force, sources revealed yesterday. In their
meeting at that time, Gates explained that it would be difficult for
the U.S. to export the F-22, a state-of-the-art stealth fighter jet
that the Defense Ministry has considered to be the most likely
candidate. Gates cited the Congress-imposed embargo as a reason. It
will be difficult for the ASDF to introduce the F-22 now that the
United States has strongly urged Japan to buy the F-35.

The F-22 uses the world's highest-level stealth technology. The U.S.
Congress, concerned about the outflow of such technology, has
embargoed the F-22. Furthermore, in April, Gates announced that the
Pentagon was planning to produce 187 F-22s and would stop the F-22
production line afterward. Gages also said he would introduce the
F-35, the newest stealth aircraft being currently co-developed with
Britain and Australia, for U.S. forces.

In a meeting at the White House, Gates briefed Hamada on the U.S.
Congress' decision. Gates cited the F-35 and suggested Japan select
it, according to the sources. Hamada said, "We would like to
consider introducing aircraft that has trustworthy air defense
capability." With this, Hamada indicated that the F-22 would remain
on the list of candidates. However, the United States gives first
consideration to military secrets. Most of the Defense Ministry
deems it difficult to introduce the F-22, with one of them saying,
"There's no doubt that it will be difficult to introduce the F-22."

10) Gov't, ruling coalition mull easing Japan's arms embargo policy

NIKKEI (Page 1) (Abridged)
May 24, 2009

The government and ruling parties will consider easing Japan's
self-imposed three principles on arms exports, sources said
yesterday. The National Defense Program Guidelines, which is
expected to be revised late this year, will incorporate developing
and producing weapons with foreign countries and lifting the ban on
exports to co-developers. This is aimed at paving the way for Japan

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to participate in the joint development and production of mainstay
equipment, such as the next-generation fighter jet being
co-developed by the United States and its European partners, and is
also aimed at holding down procurement costs and revitalizing the
domestic defense industry.

In 1967, then Prime Minister Sato announced the three principles of
not exporting weapons to communist nations, countries against which
the United Nations has taken sanctions, and conflict-ridden
countries. In 1976, then Prime Minister Takeo Miki switched to a de
facto "total ban on arms exports." Japan's embargo still continues,
with the exception of such cases as its joint development of missile
defense systems with the United States.

The government and ruling parties will retract the "total ban on
arms exports." Communist nations will be off the list of countries
subject to the export ban. Instead, the list will include countries
backing terrorists, countries abusing human rights, and countries
failing to control exports and imports. The government will actually
judge whether or not to export weapons, based on such factors as the
possibility of transfer to other countries and the potential impact
on regional security.

The government will also review the scope of its export ban. Those
that are currently under the export ban include production
equipment, military trucks, and protective suits and gas masks "as
weapons and the like." The government will remove them from the
list, judging whether they have attack capabilities.

11) Greenhouse gas emissions cut: Mid-term goal with focus on 7
PERCENT cut compared with 1990 level

MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full)
May 25, 2009

The government on May 24 held a meeting of the Round Table on the
Global Warming Issue, chaired by advisor to Toyota Motors Hiroshi
Okuda, at the Kantei to discuss Japan's goal for cutting greenhouse
gas emissions to be achieved by 2020 (mid-term goal). Environmental
conservation groups, which are calling for a substantial cut, and
business circles, which want to see a lenient goal, are squabbling
over the six proposals made thus far. In polls, many respondents
supported an intermediate goal of a 7 PERCENT cut, compared with
the 1990 level, or a 14 PERCENT cut from the 2005 level. As such,
the government is making adjustments based on this proposal. Prime
Minister Taro Aso said, "The government will release a mid-term goal
as early as the beginning of June."

At the meeting, it was reported that in a poll targeting 4,000
persons carried out between May 7 and 17, 45.4 PERCENT , the biggest
group, chose a 7 PERCENT cut, followed by 15.3 PERCENT in favor of
a 4 PERCENT increase in comparison with the 1990 level (or a 4
PERCENT cut from the 2005 level) as supported by the Japan Business
Federation, and 4.9 PERCENT in favor of a 25 PERCENT reduction
from the 1990 level (or a 30 PERCENT cut from the 2005 level) as
sought by environmental organizations.

Concerning matters that should be given priority in setting a
mid-term goal, 36.3 PERCENT chose "feasibility," followed by
"impartiality in goals set by between Japan and other countries"
cited by 29 PERCENT of respondents and "contribution to efforts to
prevent damage caused by global warming" by 25.9 PERCENT .

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Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito and Economic, Trade and Industry
Minister Toshihiro Nikai will confer on the matter to look into how
much the margin of the emissions cut can be increased, focusing on
the 7 PERCENT cut proposal.

12) DPJ-backed candidate wins Saitama mayoral election

NIKKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts)
May 25, 2009

The candidate backed by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) won the
Saitama mayoral election yesterday, beating five rivals including
the incumbent backed by the ruling camp. This election was the first
major local election after Yukio Hatoyama assumed the main
opposition party's presidency. The victory has given the party's new
leadership a boost toward the next House of Representatives
election. Eyeing a number of local elections to be held until this
summer, the ruling coalition has been extremely concerned. The
outcomes of such local elections might affect the timetable for the
next general election.

Results of local elections might affect Lower House election

DPJ Deputy President Naoto Kan said in an interview with the Nikkei
last night: "Expectations of the DPJ have returned after the new
Hatoyama leadership was launched." Election Strategy Committee
Chairman Hirotaka Akamatsu also confidently said: "With the weight
lifted from us, we can now move forward."

Following the indictment of former party president Ichiro Ozawa's
secretary for huge political donations from Nishimatsu Construction
Co., DPJ-backed candidates were defeated in the Chiba and Akita
gubernatorial elections. The party members feel that the effects of
Ozawa's resignation have already surfaced.

Hayato Shimizu, who won the election, was backed by just the DPJ's
Saitama prefectural chapter, but the new leadership strongly
supported him, as seen in Hatoyama's stumping tour for him just
before the election date. In the previous Lower House election, the
DPJ suffered losses in all the single seat constituencies. Bearing
this bitter experience in mind, the main opposition party has taken
the victory in the Saitama mayoral election as a favorable
indication of the restoration of its popularity in cities that are
home to many unaffiliated voters.

Recent major local elections

Chiba gubernatorial election (Mar. 29) X
Akita gubernatorial election (April 12) X
Nagoya mayoral election (April 26) O
Saitama mayoral election (May 24) O

O = victory of the DPJ- backed candidate
X = defeat of the DPJ-backed candidate

Future major local elections

Chiba mayoral election (June 14) The LDP and Rengo endorse the
former vice mayor, while the DPJ endorses an assembly member.
Shizuoka gubernatorial election (July 5) The LDP has decided to
endorse its Upper House member. The DPJ has made no decision.
Hyogo gubernatorial election (July5) Prefectural assembly members of

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the LDP, the DPJ, and other political parties have decided to
support the incumbent.
Tokyo gubernatorial election (July 12) The LDP and the New Komeito
aim to maintain the majority.
Sendai mayoral election (July 26) The focus is likely to be on the
incumbent's municipal administration.

13) BSE preventive measures: OIE to recognize safety of Japanese
beef; Government considering easing inspection guidelines

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full)
May 25, 2009

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE),which is in charge
of formulating guidelines for monitoring BSE, will likely recognize
Japan as a country with a controlled risk of BSE at its opening
plenary meeting on May 24, giving high marks to the safety of
Japan's beef production.

Once Japan receives the OIE certification, the government will start
efforts to expand exports of domestic beef. It will also likely give
full consideration to easing cattle subject to BSE inspection,
judging that Japan's system of preventing BSE from occurring among
young cows, including the introduction of a feed rule, has been
recognized. Cattle aged 21 months or older are currently subject to
such an inspection.

Revisions to Japan's BSE inspection guidelines could spur the U.S.
to further strengthen its pressure on Japan to further ease the
guidelines, including the abolition of import restrictions. Since
public distrust in food safety still remains deep-rooted, the
government will likely search for a specific time frame for easing
the guidelines in a cautious manner.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(MAFF),the OIE categorizes BSE status of beef exporting countries,
based on applications made by various countries. Japan made such an
application in December 2008. The OIE assesses BSE status of beef
exporting countries into three categories - "negligible risk of BSE"
applicable to countries where no BSE cases have been confirmed,
"controlled risk of BSE" for countries that have an appropriate BSE
control system, such as the removal of specified risk materials
(SRM),and undetermined risk of BSE. At present, 10 countries are
recognized as a country with negligible risk of BSE and 31
countries, including the U.S., as a country with controlled risk of
BSE. Many countries recognized as a county with controlled risk of
BSE subject cattle aged 30 months or older to SE inspection.

Japan in 2001 for the first time confirmed 36 BSE infection cases.
However, with measures, such as a ban on meat-and-bone meal that
uses SRMs, such as brains and spinal cords, producing effect, the
number of BSE infection cases dropped to 3 in 2007 and one in 2008
and 2009. The OIE has decided to give the risk-controlled
classification to Japan, giving high marks to its efforts.

However, among about 20 nations that placed a ban on beef imports
from Japan, only five countries, including Singapore, have resumed
imports.

ZUMWALT