JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 06/03/09

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E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 06/03/09 Index: 1) Top headlines 2) Editorials 3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) The President's Mideast tour: 4) President Obama to start Middle East trip (Nikkei) Visit of Deputy Secretary Steinberg: 5) Deputy Secretary Steinberg tells Prime Minister Aso in 'unprecedented' meeting that U.S. will cooperate with China on North Korea problem (Nikkei) 6) Deputy Secretary Steinberg meets with Prime Minister Aso, asks Japan to strengthen ship inspections (Yomiuri) DPRK issues: 7) Kim Jong Il's 3rd son 'named as heir': ROK news reports (Asahi) 8) China cautious about pressuring North Korea (Nikkei) 9) Japan, India agree on international community response to North Korea (Nikkei) Defense & security issues: 10) LDP eyes enacting new law for North Korean ship inspections (Sankei) 11) LDP panel calls for more defense spending (Yomiuri) Political issues: 12) LDP, DPJ to confer on antipiracy bill modifications (Mainichi) 13) LDP puts off ban on hereditary candidates; Ex-PM Koizumi's son to get party ticket in next general election (Tokyo Shimbun) 14) GOJ's S&T white paper lays emphasis on advancing Japan's basic scientific capability (Yomiuri) DPJ & JCP: 15) DPJ President Hatoyama to leave for Seoul on June 5 (Mainichi) 16) DPJ President Hatoyama says he will not visit Yasukuni Shrine (Yomiuri) 17) JCP Chair Shii interested in visiting U.S. (Sankei) Japan-China ties: 18) Japan-China foreign ministerial likely to take place on June 7 (Nikkei) 19) Japan, China ready to cooperate to aid developing countries (Nikkei) Africa: 20) Japan vows to continue Africa aid (Yomiuri) 10 Economic topics: 21) Finance Minister Yosano says Washington made "good decision" over GM (Asahi) 10 Articles: 1) TOP HEADLINES Asahi: North Korea tells China Kim Jong Il's third son named as successor Mainichi: TOKYO 00001239 002 OF 009 Japan to scale down goals for fiscal soundness Yomiuri: Only 10 PERCENT of drug makers considering disclosure of funds provided to doctors Nikkei: Japan, China teaming up on infrastructure development in Asia Sankei: Ozawa of DPJ to be in charge of campaigns for upcoming Lower House election Tokyo Shimbun: Twenty major manufacturers slashed 87,000 jobs over past six months 2) EDITORIALS Asahi: (1) 20 years since Tiananmen Square incident: China should undergo political reform if it is a great nation (2) Policy financing: Unraveling privatization of Development Bank of Japan not acceptable Mainichi: (1) Diet session extended: Rush to draft manifesto for upcoming Lower House election (2) Stable master Azumazeki retires: We still want to hear his husky voice offering advice to sumo wrestlers Yomiuri: (1) Diet session extended: Fruitful policy debate in run-up to Lower House election urged (2) 20 years since Tiananmen Square incident: Economic development devoid of political reform Nikkei: (1) China remains unable to overcome Tiananmen Square incident even after 20 years (2) Ruling and opposition parties should speed up preparations for upcoming general election Sankei: (1) Extended Diet session: What is the prime minister trying to say? (2) Gang-rape by students of college of education: Unbelievable crime committed by prospective school teachers Tokyo Shimbun: (1) 20 years since Tiananmen Square incident: China should become a great nation that acknowledges adverse opinions (2) Number of tourists drops, discouraged by concerns over employment, old age 3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) Prime Minister's schedule, June 2 NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) June 3, 2009 08:45 Attended an emergency employment and economic measures meeting TOKYO 00001239 003 OF 009 at the Diet. 09:09 Attended a meeting of the Space Development Strategy Headquarters. Later, attended a cabinet meeting. 10:49 Met U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Steinberg, Special Representative for North Korea Policy Bosworth and others at the Kantei, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura and others present. 11:28 Met All Japan Defense Association Chairman Nobuo Yamaguchi and others. 12:48 Attended a meeting of lawmakers at the Diet. Then met with Secretary General Hosoda. 13:02 Attended a Lower House plenary session. 14:05 Called Indian Prime Minister Singh by telephone at the Kantei. 15:23 Met former UN secretary general Annan in the presence of JICA President Ogata and others. Later met Ambassador to Spain Takahashi and Ambassador to Burkina Faso Sugiura. 16:05 Met Finance Minister Yosano, followed by JC Chairman Shigenobu Asato and others. 17:35 Attended a meeting of the Overseas Economic Cooperation Conference. 19:11 Dined with Asato and others at a restaurant in the Hotel Okura. 21:05 Went to a bar in the Hotel Okura with Asato and others. 23:02 Returned to his official residence. 4) President Obama to visit Middle East MAINICHI (Page 7) (Full) June 3, 2009 Kazuhiko Kusano, Washington U.S. President Barack Obama will leave on June 3 for a trip to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Germany, and France. Following his visits to Turkey and Iraq, this will be his third visit to Islamic states. Obama, who advocates the need for solidarity with the Muslim world, will deliver a speech in Cairo on June 4 to ease anti-American sentiment in the Middle East region. According to a high-level U.S. government official, the President will refer in the speech, as he did in his inaugural address and speech in Turkey, to Middle East peace efforts and extremism, aiming at reconciliation with the Muslim world based on mutual benefits and respect. Anti-American feelings in the Muslim world that were deepened by the Iraq war are attributed to the United States' pro-Israel stance. It is also indispensable for the Obama administration to assuage anti-American sentiment in order to increase U.S. troops in Afghanistan and antiterror operations in Pakistan. With an eye on the June 12 Iranian presidential election, Obama also aims to build solidarity with Arab nations. 5) U.S. senior official stresses need for cooperation with China in dealing with North Korea NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) June 3, 2009 Visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg yesterday stressed the need for cooperation with China in adopting a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution condemning North Korea's latest TOKYO 00001239 004 OF 009 nuclear test. In replying to questions by reporters at the Prime Minister's Office (Kantei),he said: "China has positively participated in discussions and has presented its own ideas at the UN. We can take a common stance with China." Steinberg made a courtesy call to Prime Minister Taro Aso at the Kantei yesterday. Aso told him: "We cannot tolerate North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons as it poses a grave threat to Japan's national security. It is important for the UNSC to quickly adopt a powerful resolution including additional sanctions." Steinberg replied: "I agree with your view." It is unusual for a prime minister to meet a lower-ranked deputy secretary of state. Steinberg is visiting Japan as the leader of a U.S. government delegation under the instruction of President Barack Obama. 6) U.S. calls for enhanced ship inspections YOMIURI (Page 6) (Full) June 3, 2009 Visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg held talks with Prime Minister Taro Aso at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) yesterday. In the session, they also discussed Iran's nuclear development in connection with North Korea's nuclear and missile issues. The Obama administration, which has advocated nuclear nonproliferation, is highly alarmed at the nuclear networking of North Korea and Iran. During its visit to Japan, the U.S. delegation is believed to have directly called for enhancing ship inspections as a concrete measure. (Keiichi Honma of the Washington bureau in Tokyo) In the talks, Aso indicated that the issue of North Korea, which has conducted nuclear tests, is more serious than Iran's nuclear development. Steinberg appears to have referred to the "nuclear black marketing" linking the two countries. What the Obama administration fears regarding North Korea's nuclear and missile development is the threat of nuclear proliferation. During a Senate confirmation hearing, Steinberg, who now leads the delegation, expressed eagerness to prevent North Korea from proliferating nuclear weapons and technology, saying, "To our national security, there is nothing more threatening than nuclear materials and a nuclear development capability falling into the hands of dangerous individuals." The Obama administration has strongly called for cargo inspections in the ongoing UN Security Council discussion on possible sanctions on North Korea. During his visit to South Korea and China starting June 3, Steinberg is expected to convey this policy course to foreign minister-level officials and tell them that the United States will deal with North Korea's threat to cargo inspections. 7) North Korea tells China "General Secretary designated third son as successor" ASAHI (Top play) (Abridged) TOKYO 00001239 005 OF 009 June 3, 2009 Kenji Minemura, Beijing It was learned that a senior Workers Party of Korea (WPK) official has informed a senior cadre of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) that North Korea's General Secretary Kim Jong Il, 67, has designated his third son Jong Un, 25, as his successor. The Chinese were also told that Jong Un assumed the position of director of the WPK Organization and Guidance Department, which controls personnel affairs of the party and the armed forces, early this year. This was revealed by a source on PRC-DPRK relations in Beijing who has close ties with the WPK senior official and a North Korean source close to General Secretary Kim who travels frequently between China and North Korea. It is said that the senior WPK official met the senior CPC official during an unofficial visit to Beijing in early 2009 and informed him verbally. However, it remains unclear whether North Korea will continue to maintain a dictatorial system or transition to a collective leadership, and it is also unknown which powers of General Secretary Kim, the supreme leader, will be handed over and in what manner. The arrangements may change with a sudden deterioration in the general secretary's health or with discord in the top leadership. Jong Un was born in 1984 and his mother is the general secretary's third wife, the late Ko Yong Ki. Details of his biographical data are unknown, but it is reported that after studying in an international school in Switzerland in the 1990s, he enrolled in the Kim Il Song Military University. 8) Foreign ministers' phone conversation: China reluctant to apply pressure on DPRK, citing "need to return to negotiations" NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) June 3, 2009 Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi had a telephone conversation lasting around 30 minutes on June 2 on North Korea's recent nuclear test. Nakasone sought China's cooperation for the early adoption of a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on the imposition of sanctions. Yang said: "The problem cannot be solved by a UNSC resolution and sanctions," indicating a cautious stance on a solution to the problem through the application of stronger pressures. On the contents of the UNSC resolution, Nakasone asked for a "strong resolution," while Yang said that, "We are in favor of the UNSC making an appropriate response and adopting a balanced resolution." He added that, "In addition to applying pressure, it is necessary to make North Korea return to the negotiating table." 9) Prime Minister Aso, Indian Prime Minister Singh agree that international community should unite in dealing with North Korea issue NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) June 3, 2009 Prime Minister Taro Aso on June 2 spoke with Indian Prime Minister Singh for about 10 minutes by telephone. Referring to the nuclear TOKYO 00001239 006 OF 009 test conducted by North Korea, he pointed out, "It is important for the international community to send a unified message to the North that it will not accept its nuclear development." Singh responded, "North Korea's nuclear development is an issue that concerns the security of the entire world." 10) LDP to draw up new law on DPRK ship inspections in preparation for UN "sanctions" SANKEI (Page 1) (Abridged) June 3, 2009 The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) decided on June 2 to draft a new law to enable Japan to conduct ship inspections as sanctions against North Korea's nuclear test. If "mandatory cargo inspection" is included in the sanction resolution against the DPRK currently being deliberated at the UN Security Council (UNSC),Japan will also be covered by this provision. However, under existing laws, the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) is only authorized to conduct cargo inspections during a recognized regional contingency - when there is a threat of armed attack against Japan - and this is "difficult to apply to the recent case where only an nuclear test was conducted" (senior Defense Ministry official). Therefore, it was judged that a new law enabling ship inspections without the certification of a regional contingency is necessary. 11) LDP panel calls for more defense spending YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) June 3, 2009 The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) National Defense Division defense policy subcommittee unveiled yesterday its final proposals for the National Defense Program Guidelines (NDPG),which the government will revise at the end of the year. While pointing out the military buildup of Japan's neighbors, such as North Korea, the report underlines the need to maintain and increase the nation's defense spending by reversing the spending curtailment policy since fiscal ¶2003. The report also mentions the need to possess the capability of striking enemy bases. At the same time, in deference to those concerned about a possible friction with the U.S., the report specifies the need to establish stronger cooperative arrangements between Japan and the U.S., factoring in the U.S. military's intelligence and striking capabilities. 12) Upper House to launch revision talks on antipiracy bill MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) June 3, 2009 House of Councillors Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee directors from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) agreed yesterday to commence deliberations on revising the antipiracy bill. The DPJ plans to submit on June 4 to the Diet its own proposals, including setting up an antipiracy taskforce, as well as a stipulation requiring the government to ask the Diet for its approval before sending out the Self-Defense Forces, as it did so in the House Representatives. The two parties are expected to find it difficult to reach common ground. 13) LDP decides to postpone plan to restrict hereditary candidates; TOKYO 00001239 007 OF 009 Koizumi's son and others likely to be endorsed for next Lower House election TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Excerpts) June 3, 2009 The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) decided yesterday to postpone a plan to restrict so-called hereditary candidates beginning with the next House of Representatives election until after the following one. As a result, Shinjiro Koizumi, the second son of former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, and Shoichi Usui, the eldest son of former justice minister Hideo Usui are likely to win the party's endorsement to officially run in Kanagawa Constituency No. 11 and Chiba Constituency No. 1, respectively, in the next Lower House election, as originally planned. The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has already decided to prohibit relatives within the third degree of kinship from running in the same electoral district beginning with the next Lower House election. With the LDP's decision, the propriety of allowing hereditary candidates is certain to become a point at issue in the next Lower House election. 14) Science and Technology white paper places emphasis on measures to boost basic scientific capability YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) June 3, 2009 The 2009 white paper on science and technology was adopted at a cabinet meeting on June 2. Following four Japanese nationals being awarded the Nobel Prize in physics and chemistry, the white paper placed emphasis on the description of measures to improve Japan's basic scientific capability, which the government is now pursuing. The white paper highly praises the nation's research level in the basic science area as being high from a global perspective, as well. It also points out some problems, noting that the ratio of government share in research expenditures is lower than that of various foreign countries and those who assist researchers are underhanded. It also refers to the Obama administration's efforts to strengthen basic scientific capability through such measures as doubling the federal budget for basic science. The government has already decided to establish 9-billion yen funds for 30 state-of-the-art research themes totaling 270 billion yen, broken down into 9 billion yen for each theme. 15) Hatoyama to visit South Korea on June 5 MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) June 3, 2009 Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio Hatoyama revealed at a press conference yesterday that he would visit South Korea to hold talks with South Korean President Lee Myung Bak. 16) DPJ head Hatoyama: I will not visit Yasukuni Shrine if I become prime minister YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) June 3, 2009 TOKYO 00001239 008 OF 009 When asked yesterday by a reporter about whether he would visit Yasukuni Shrine if his party took over the reins of government in the next House of Representatives election, Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio Hatoyama indicated that he would not visit the Shinto shrine. He told the press corps: "I have said that since Class-A war criminals are enshrined in Yasukuni, (the prime minister) should not pay homage at the shrine." 17) JCP's Shii eyes visit to U.S., but arranging meetings with senior government officials might be difficult SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) June 3, 2009 Japanese Communist Party (JCP) Chairman Kazuo Shii is considering visiting the U.S. after the next House of Representatives election, informed sources said yesterday. If the plan is turned into reality, Shii will be the first JCP leader to visit the U.S. He has been making a pitch for the U.S. since U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a speech in Prague, outlining his vision of a world free from nuclear weapons. In the JCP, however, some members have reacted negatively to Shii's rapprochement toward the U.S., in light of the history of the party, which has criticized the U.S. as imperialist, as well as consistency with the party's platform that advocates breaking down the policy of blindly following the U.S. The JCP received a response from the U.S. government to a letter the JCP had sent to U.S. President Obama highly evaluating his comprehensive strategy with the elimination of nuclear weapons as its ultimate goal. This prompted Shii to consider a visit to the U.S. According to an informed source, after receiving the reply, Shii told his aides to work out a schedule, saying: "I must consider a visit to the U.S." The source said that Shii was expected to express his eagerness during the 8th Central Committee plenum on June 4-5 to meet U.S. government officials and Congress members responsible for the nuclear abolition issue. But there is an obstacle to realizing the plan. A JCP source said: "The plan will be implemented if arrangements are made for him to meet with appropriate persons in the U.S. government," though the party is fully aware that his meeting with President Obama is infeasible. The Shii leadership has been well under way, but the source said that former chairman Tetsuzo Fuwa and veteran members are opposed to Shii's strategy that has not summed up the party's conventional policy toward the U.S. The internal struggle might be reignited, depending on Shii's moves. 18) Japan-China foreign ministerial meeting to be held on the 7th NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) June 3, 2009 Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Kazuo Kodama during a press briefing on June 2 revealed that adjustments are now being made with the possibility of holding a Japan-China foreign ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the cabinet-level bilateral economic dialogue slated for the 7th. TOKYO 00001239 009 OF 009 19) Japan, China teaming up on cooperation to aid developing countries NIKKEI (Top play) (Lead para.) June 3, 2009 Tokyo and Beijing will cooperate on infrastructure construction in various Asian countries. The plan is to create a mechanism of government-affiliated financial institutions from both countries providing in cooperation financial assistance and export credit for development projects for which their companies received orders. By combining Japan's advanced technologies and expertise with China's ample labor power, the two major economies in Asia will help developing countries develop their economies. They will also aim to encourage their respective companies to advance into those Asian countries in energy conservation and environmental businesses. 20) Aso promises Annan that Japan will continue to support Africa YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) June 3, 2009 Prime Minister Taro Aso met yesterday in his office with former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. During the meeting, Aso told Annan that Japan will continue to support Africa and he will call for the Group of Eight member countries to support Africa in the G-8 annual summit in July. Annan then said: "I feel confident that Japan has expanded its support." 21) Finance Minister Yosano praises U.S. government's handling of GM's bankruptcy as good decision ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) June 3, 2009 Commenting on the bankruptcy of GM in the U.S., Kaoru Yosano, who is in charge of economic and fiscal policy as well as financial services, on June 2 indicated his view that although GM's collapse will affect Japanese manufacturers, the impact will be negligible." He also praised the U.S. government's decision saying, "This is a good decision for the sake of the economy as well." He made the remarks at a press conference held after a cabinet meeting. ZUMWALT