Cablegate: Japanese Morning Press Highlights 01/23/07

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 000296

SIPDIS

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: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01/23/07

Index:

1) Top headlines
2) Editorials
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule

Poll panic:
4) Asahi poll: Abe Cabinet support rate sinks to record low of 39%,
as public distances itself from prime minister's policy agenda
5) Yomiuri poll: Abe Cabinet support rate drops 7.5 points to 48%,
with non-support rate rising 8.9 points to 38.7%
6) Results of Yomiuri poll show serious erosion of public confidence
in Abe administration

7) Higashi shock: LDP worried about ripple effect of loss of
Miyazaki governorship on Upper House election

8) Prime Minister Abe's upcoming Diet opening speech to stress his
education reform program

Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) in action:
9) Minshuto head Ozawa falsely reported his political income
10) Minshuto lawmaker Tsunoda, despite money scandal, will not
resign his Diet post
11) Internal coordination in Minshuto heading in direction of
approving constitutional referendum bill

Defense and security affairs:
12) State Minister for Okinawa Takaichi, Chief Cabinet Secretary
Shiozaki agree not to introduce local proposal revising Futenma plan
into consultation process
13) Vice defense minister expresses concern about China's expanding
military power

China connection:
14) China's premier may give speech to Japanese Diet during his
visit
15) China courting Japanese politicians one after the other as
steady stream of visitors head for Beijing

Articles:

1) TOP HEADLINES

Asahi:
Poll: Cabinet support rate drops to 39%

Mainichi, Yomiuri & Akahata:
Bid rigging also on Nagoya highway project

Nihon Keizai:
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to make lithium-ion batteries for cars

Sankei:
Russia steadily forming an Organization of Natural Gas Exporting
Countries

Tokyo Shimbun:
Nippon Oil Co. to tie up with South Korean SK

2) EDITORIALS

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Asahi:
(1) LDP, Minshuto should become reliable parties
(2) Miyazaki governor race shows importance of vote

Mainichi:
(1) Fabricated TV program: Kansai Television cannot call itself a
media organization
(2) Yokohama incident: Court also should clear off history

Yomiuri:
(1) More than words needed to beat bid-rigging blight
(2) Part-time Labor Law: How to establish fair treatment

Nihon Keizai:
(1) Strict investigations into companies that never end bid-rigging
practices
(2) Can new Miyazaki governor change the prefecture?

Sankei:
(1) Fabricated TV program: Principles of media being questioned
(2) Gas leak in Kitami: Lax awareness invites tragedy

Tokyo Shimbun:
(1) Bid-rigging on subway construction: Declaration of break with
bid-rigging was a lie
(2) Miyazaki governor race: Political parties are too dull

Akahata:
Suicides of SDF personnel: They are suffering from Iraq war

3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei)

Prime Minister's schedule, January 22

NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full)
January 23, 2007

09:09
Left his private residence in Tomigaya.

09:30
Met with Education and Science Minister Ibuki at the Kantei,
followed by State Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy Ota.
Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Nemoto joined.

11:10
Met with incoming and outgoing presidents of Japan Finance
Corporation for Small Business Shosaku Yasui and Koichi Mizuguchi.
Then met with Kang Sin Ho, chairman of the National Federation of
Economists of South Korea. Association of South Korea. Then met with
Jiro Nemoto, chairman of the Middle East Cooperation Center.

14:07
Attended government's Tax System Commission meeting. Then met with
business leaders of Japan, the US and India, including JR-Tokai
Chairman Toshiyuki Kasai. Then met with Vice Finance Minister
Tanaka.

15:02
Met with Education Revitalization Council Chairman Ryoji Noyori,
Vice Chairman Morio Ikeda and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister
Yamatani, joined by Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki. Then met with

TOKYO 00000296 003 OF 010

Kita-Kyushu Mayor Sueyoshi.

16:08
Met with Assistant Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries Saka and Ando.
Then met with Shiozaki and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shimomura.
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matoba joined.

17:06
Met with Secretary General Nakagawa. Then attended meeting of
cabinet ministers related to monthly economic report.

18:39
Met with Japan Business Federation Chairman Mitarai.

19:08
Met with former Ambassador to Hisahiko Okazaki, Taro Yayama,
political commentator, and Yoshiko Sakurai, journalist.

4) Poll: Cabinet support spirals down to 39% ; Policies diverge from
public sense

ASAHI (Top play) (Abridged)
January 23, 2007

The approval rating for the cabinet of Prime Minister Abe was 39% in
a telephone-based public opinion survey conducted by the Asahi
Shimbun on Jan. 20-21, dropping from the 47% rating in a previous
survey taken in December 2006 and failing to reach 40% for the first
time. Meanwhile, the disapproval rating for the Abe cabinet was 37%,
rising from 32% in the last survey. The support rate was down
particularly among those in their 20s to 40s and among those in big
cities. Those thinking of Abe as a politician remote from the public
sense accounted for 50%. The Abe cabinet is pursuing economic growth
while the leading Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) is insisting
on correcting economic disparities. In the survey, respondents were
asked which they thought should be prioritized. In response to this
question, 30% picked economic growth, with 45% preferring to correct
disparities. As seen from these figures, the Abe cabinet's policy is
divergent from the general public's sense. This perception gap seems
to lie behind the drop in the support rate for the Abe cabinet.

The Abe cabinet made its debut with a 63% support rate in a survey
conducted in September last year. In the following surveys, however,
the Abe cabinet's support rate edged down. About four months later,
its approval rating is now down to a level close to its disapproval
rating.

This time, the support rate among men was down to 36% from 45% in
the last survey while the nonsupport rate among men was up to 46%
from 39% in the last survey, and the disapproval rating topped the
approval rating among men for the first time. Among women, the
support rate was 42% while the nonsupport rate was 29%. The support
rate among women remains higher than that among men.

In the breakdown of political party supporters, the Abe cabinet's
support rate was down from 80% to 74% among those who support the
ruling Liberal Democratic Party and also down from 67% to 58% among
those who support the New Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner.
Among those who have no party to support, as well, the Abe cabinet's
support rate was down from 27% to 24%.

In the survey, those who said they did not support the Abet cabinet

TOKYO 00000296 004 OF 010

were asked why. In response, 58% said "policies." The figure is
close to 60%, which is apparently critical of the Abe cabinet's
corporate-oriented economic policy.

Meanwhile, touched off by former Administrative Reform Minister
Sata's resignation over his mishandling of political funds, it has
now become clear that Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister
Matsuoka and Education, Science and Technology Minister Ibuki also
had problems in their way of handling political funds. In the
survey, respondents were asked if they thought the facts of these
problems have been brought to light. In response, 85% answered "no,"
with only 2% saying "yes." Asked if the Abe cabinet is strong and
powerful, "yes" accounted for only 12%, with "no" reaching 67%. The
proportion of negative views doubled from 34% in a survey conducted
right after the Abe cabinet's inauguration. The public seems to be
doubtful of the prime minister's ability in the midst of scandals
involving his cabinet ministers.

The LDP's support rate was 32%, down from the 36% rating in the last
survey. It dropped substantially among those in their 20s and among
those in big cities. The DPJ stood at 16%, slightly up from the 14%
rating in the last survey. The proportion of those with no
particular party affiliation increased to 45% from 41% in the last
survey.

Abe is touting constitutional revision as a point of contention for
this summer's House of Councillors election. In the survey this
time, respondents were asked if it would be appropriate to do so. In
response, "yes" accounted for only 32%, with "no" reaching 48%.

Meanwhile, respondents were also asked if they thought the LDP could
win in the forthcoming upper house election under Abe. In response,
44% answered "yes," with 28% saying "no." In response to a similar
question about the DPJ led by its President Ichiro Ozawa, "yes"
accounted for only 13%, with "no" reaching 61%.

5) Poll: Cabinet support edges down to 48%

YOMIURI (Page 1) (Abridged)
January 23, 2007

The rate of public support for Prime Minister Abe and his cabinet
was 48.4% in a face-to-face nationwide public opinion survey
conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun on Jan. 20-21, down 7.5 percentage
points from the 55.9% rating in last month's survey. The approval
rating for the Abe cabinet upon its inauguration marked 70.0% in a
survey conducted in October last year, but it dropped in the
following three surveys and fell below 50% for the first time. The
Abe cabinet's disapproval rating was 38.9%, up 8.9 points.

The drop in the support rate can be taken as resulting from scandals
over politics and money involving cabinet ministers as seen in the
resignation of former Administrative Reform Minister Genichiro Sata,
in addition to the resignation of former Government Tax Commissioner
Masaaki Honma over his inappropriate renting of a government
apartment for public servants.

6) Abe cabinet support rate continues plummeting; Lack of leadership
results in public distrust

YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts)
January 23, 2007

TOKYO 00000296 005 OF 010

The support rate for the cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has
again dropped. Many observers think growing public distrust in the
Abe administration comes from poor coordination between Prime
Minister Abe and the ruling coalition over policies and a string of
revelations of scandals exemplifying Abe's lack of leadership.

In the wake of Yomiuri Shimbun polls showing the plummeting support
rate for the Abe administration, Liberal Democratic Party Secretary
General Hidenao Nakagawa released a comment yesterday saying,
"Basically, the administration has been keeping the support rate
close to 50%." At the same time, Nakagawa indicated that the
administration would quickly take measures for age groups with low
rates.

As the reason for not supporting the Abe cabinet, 40% of respondents
-- the highest ratio -- cited the cabinet's political stance.

New Komeito Secretary-General Kazuo Kitagawa attributed the
plummeting support rate to a series of improprieties and the
resignation of a cabinet minister, adding: "It's important for the
prime minister to acutely feel public concerns and implement
countermeasures steadily."

A senior LDP lawmaker also noted yesterday: "Prime Minister Abe's
cabinet is becoming like the leadership of former Minshuto
(Democratic Party of Japan) President Seiji Maehara."

The Maehara leadership featuring junior members was launched
following Minshuto's major setback in the 2005 Lower House election.
The leadership displayed poor internal party coordination skills,
evidenced by the e-mail fiasco brought about by then Minshuto member
Hisayasu Nagata.

A junior LDP member took this view: "Prime Minister Abe has
appointed junior members close to him as his aides, and that makes
it difficult to coordinate things with the ruling parties. Although
the prime minister issues orders and policies, the ruling parties
are unable to follow them."

7) Higashi shock: Switching approved candidates for upcoming Upper
House election flaring up again? LDP concerned about defeat in
Miyazaki gubernatorial election spilling over into Upper House
election

SANKEI (Page 5) (Slightly abridged)
January 23, 2007

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership yesterday was busy
dealing with the aftermath of the landslide victory of Sonomanma
Higashi, former TV personality, in the Miyazaki Prefecture
gubernatorial election. The ruling parties have analyzed that the
cause of the defeat was the split of conservative forces. If
distrust in political parties continues to accelerate, the trend
could spill over into the upcoming unified local elections and Upper
House elections. Chances are that the issue of replacing approved
candidates for those elections, though it has been settled earlier,
could flare up again.

Analyzing the defeat of the candidate backed by the LDP in the
Miyazaki gubernatorial election, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday
told reporters at the Prime Minister's Official Residence: "Voters

TOKYO 00000296 006 OF 010

presumably pinned hopes on Mr. Higashi reconstructing prefectural
administration. I want the new governor to meet their expectations."
Regarding a possible impact of the result on the Upper House
election, Abe noted, "Local elections and the Upper House election
are different issues. We will do it straight in the Upper House
election."

The prime minister pretended to be calm. However, LDP Secretary
General Hidenao Nakagawa on the afternoon of the same day called
Campaign Headquarters General Bureau Director General Yoshio Yatsu,
First Deputy Secretary General Toshimitsu Mogi, Special Advisor to
the Prime Minister Hiroshige Seko and others for an emergency
meeting. He gave them an order: "The election result this time could
affect the Upper House election. I want you to analyze how
prefectural citizens judged and consider the appropriate way to
endorse candidates for local elections once again."

Nakagawa was quick to move because he has judged that local
conditions were not the only factor for the LDP's devastating defeat
in Miyazaki. What would constitute victory in the Upper House
election are 29 single-seat constituencies. Miyazaki is one of the
29. Signs of conservative forces splitting are seen in other
single-seat constituencies as well. If the party neglects measures
to deal with this situation, support for the LDP could split.

Emerging from the emergency meeting, Yatsu said on a stern note,
"The Upper House election should provide clear-cut options to voters
so that they can definitely choose between yes and no without
question. Otherwise, non-affiliated voters would not turn up at
polling stations." Regarding the issue of changing already approved
candidates for the Upper House election, he said, "It would be very
difficult, but we must fully consider such a possibility."

Regarding this issue, some junior and mid-ranking Lower House
members said, "We should field candidates with a power base,
otherwise we would not be able to win." However, there are no
prospects for replacing officially approved candidates due to strong
resistance from the Upper House members of the party. This issue
could flare up again in some constituencies. Should that occur, the
leadership's coordination capability would be put to the test.

8) Prime minister's policy speech outlined; Review of "relaxed
education" will be mentioned

NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts)
January 23, 2007

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will deliver his first policy speech at
the ordinary session of the Diet to be convened on Jan. 25. An
outline of the speech was determined yesterday. On the
revitalization of education, a high priority issue for the
government, Abe in the speech will mention a review of the "relaxed
education" policy and highlight a plan to modify relevant laws. He
will also place emphasis on measures against the falling birth rate.
The speech in this regard will include a plan to chart a
comprehensive strategy. In order to recover the approval rating for
his cabinet, Abe will emphasize his attitude of producing results to
meet the public's expectations.

As he mentioned at the New Year's press conference on Jan. 4, Abe
will call this year the "first year of efforts to rebuild Japan into
a beautiful country" in the speech.

TOKYO 00000296 007 OF 010

On the revitalization of education, he will indicate such plans as
reforming the board-of-education system and amending the Teaching
License Law in preparation for the introduction of a teaching
license renewal system as part of measures against school bullying.

On the declining birth rate, he will propose setting systems that
will make it easy for people to get married and raise children. A
council the government will establish shortly will reveal a concept
for planning a comprehensive strategy.

As priority tasks, Abe will also cite the reform of the Social
Insurance Agency and stress his intention to "close, dismantle, and
divide the agency into six sections" and streamline them for highly
efficient operation. He will emphasize the efforts he will make to
recover the public's trust in social security programs.

On the Japanese-style white-collar exemption from overtime pay, a
rule to exclude employees meeting given conditions from overtime
pay, Abe will not mention this system in his policy speech in
concrete terms, because the adoption of the system is to be
delayed.

In the speech, Abe will reiterate his resolve to amend the
Constitution. He will reveal his intention to deepen debate between
the ruling and opposition parties on their respective national
referendum bills stipulating the procedures for constitutional
revision and set the environment for the ruling parties and the
opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto or DPJ) to unify
their respective bills and submit a unified bill to the Diet.

On economic policy, Abe will come out with a growth strategy to push
cuts in expenditures while sustaining the growth, and he will
stress: "I will spread the economic recovery to the household
level." He will thus make clear his stance to counter Minshuto,
which has zeroed in on the problem of social disparities.

As the pillars of his "assertive diplomacy," Abe is expected to
state in his speech, for instance, (1) cooperation with countries
sharing basic values; (2) rebuilding Asia into an open region full
of innovations; and (3) playing an active part in contributing to
the peace and stability of the world.

9) Errors found in Ozawa's political fund statements

SANKEI (Page 1) (Abridged slightly)
January 23, 2007

Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa's fund
management organization Rikuzan Kai made corrections under the date
of Jan. 17 and 19 to the addresses of buildings and pieces of land
listed on the organization's 2005 political fund report, it has been
learned. "The problem occurred from simple administrative mistakes,"
the fund management body explained.

Rikuzan Kai posted under the office expenses in the report a piece
of land and a building at 6-28-5, Fukasawa, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo
worth 365 million yen. There is no building or a piece of land
corresponding to that address, and Rikuzan Kai corrected the address
to 8-28-5, Fukasawa.

"The land was purchased to make it into a dormitory for secretaries,

TOKYO 00000296 008 OF 010

a work area, and parking lots," the fund management body explained.
A two-story wooden-steel apartment building stands on the property.
A dormitory for married secretaries is also under construction on
the premises.

Rikuzan Kai also posted on its funds reports over the last three
years a piece of land and a building purchased for 33.2 million yen
in 2001 under the address of 2-2-6, Aoyama, Minato Ward. But that
address in Aoyama, Minato Ward does not exist. In the wake of the
Sankei Shimbun's indication, the group has changed the address to
2-2-6, Minami-Aoyama, Minato Ward under the date of Jan. 19.

In addition, the group failed to post in its fund reports the
detailed addresses of other real estate and buildings. The Political
Funds Control Law requires the recording of precise addresses of
buildings and real estate. Rikuzan Kai explained: "In principle, we
have abstained from making public the detailed addresses of
buildings for the security of secretaries and other reasons."

10) Political fund scandal: Giichi Tsunoda has no intention to
resign from Upper House vice president post; Survey results to be
revealed today

YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full)
January 23, 2007

Giichi Tsunoda of Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), who is now
serving as vice president of the House of Councilors, failed to
include in his report on political funds to the government 25.2
million yen it had been donated. Regarding this issue, Tsunoda will
explain the results of research by his party at a press conference
today. He will express his intention not to resign as vice president
of the Upper House, citing, "I am not responsible for the issue
because I was not involved in drafting the political funds report,"
according to what he told a senior Minshuto member. With Tsunoda's
explanation, the party leadership wants to put an end to the matter,
but whether he can obtain understanding from inside and outside the
party is uncertain.

Minshuto, centering on the party's Upper House Chairman Azuma
Koshiishi, and Tsunoda, has conducted the research since Jan. 16
when the issue came to light. The party reportedly checked the
process of donations through officials of its Gunma prefectural
chapter, which Tsunoda heads. According to the findings, Tsunoda was
not at all involved in the process of making the political funds
report in question since then chief of secretariat of the
prefectural chapter handled the political funds.

Koshiishi and other Minshuto Upper House executives will report to
the Upper House board meeting today the results of the research.
Although they intend to obtain understanding from the House of
Representatives, there is a growing view criticizing Tsunoda inside
and outside the main opposition party.

11) DPJ to undertake intra-party coordination of views to approve
national referendum bill: Legislation could secure Diet approval
during next regular session

MAINICHI (Page 1) (Excerpts)
January 23, 2007

The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) has embarked on

TOKYO 00000296 009 OF 010

intra-party coordination of views on the national referendum bill,
which stipulates procedures for revising the Constitution, with the
possibility of approving it, provided that the ruling parties adopt
its propositions during the upcoming regular session of the Diet to
convene on January 25. The ruling bloc and the DPJ late last year
agreed on a modified plan, which incorporates some DPJ propositions,
including giving voting rights to those aged 18 or older. With the
ruling camp expected to come up with a modified plan reflecting this
agreement, there is now a strong possibility of the bill being
enacted during the upcoming Diet session.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is aiming at revising the Constitution
during his tenure. He wants to conduct his election campaign on a
platform of constitutional revision. He is characterizing the bill
as one of the most important bills to be handled during the regular
Diet session. The ruling camp is aiming for early passage of the
legislation.

The DPJ, which had recognized the need for the bill from the
beginning, is stepping up their call for approving passage of the
bill before Constitution Day on May 3 in order to avoid the matter
from being made a campaign issue.

12) Okinawa Affairs Minister Takaichi suggests Nago City's proposal
be discussed

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full)
January 23, 2007

In her meeting last night with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa
Shiozaki at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei), Sanae
Takaichi, state minister in charge of Okinawa affairs, told Shiozaki
her view that the idea of drastically modify the agreement on the
relocation of US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma reached by the
governments of Japan and the United States should be discussed. Nago
City, to which the air station will be relocated from Ginowan City,
has insisted that the agreement be substantially revised. After the
meeting Shiozaki, however, indicated the view that the government
would reject Takaichi's proposal, telling reporters, "The government
has no intention to take up Nago City's view at meetings."

13) Defense vice minister expresses concern over China's military
buildup

SANKEI (Page 5) (Full)
January 23, 2007

Defense Vice Minister Takemasa Moriya in a press conference
yesterday took this view regarding China's mass production and
deployment of the state-of-the-art fighter Jian-10: "We are
seriously concerned about China's military modernization. We will
watch carefully where China will deploy the new fighter." Moriya
also expressed concern over China's anti-satellite test, saying: "We
will continue collecting information and analyzing things in order
to determine China's goal in space development."

14) Chinese premier to address Japanese Diet in April

NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full)
January 23, 2007

By Shunsuke Shigeta, Beijing

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The ruling camp's delegation to China, including the Liberal
Democratic Party's (LDP) Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Toshihiro
Nikai, yesterday met with Chinese State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan, and
they agreed on a plan that Premier Wen Jiabao, if his visit to Japan
in April is realized, would address the Japanese Diet. In the
meeting, Tang suggested, "We'd like to have an opportunity for an
exchange with Japanese Diet members on the occasion of Mr. Wen's
tour of Japan." Nikai agreed.

Wen will be the first ranking Chinese official to address the Diet
since Secretary General Hu Yaobang did so in 1983 and National
People's Congress' Standing Committee Chairman Peng Zhen in 1985.

Regarding the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear ambitions,
Tang stated: "A conclusion may not come out immediately, but the
talks will surely produce results. I am optimistic."

15) China reminds Japan that a visit to Yasukuni Shrine by PM is
unacceptable, while enhancing exchanges with Japan's ruling camp
members

NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full)
January 23, 2007

By Shunsuke Shigeta, Beijing

Exchanges between Japanese lawmakers of the ruling camp and Chinese
leaders are gaining momentum. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Diet
Affairs Committee Chairman Toshihiro Nikai and other ruling party
lawmakers met with Chinese State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan yesterday.
Following them, LDP General Council Chairman Yuya Niwa will travel
to China in February, and LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa in
March. At the same time, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and
Premier Wen Jiabao will visit Japan in February and April,
respectively. Lying behind these exchanges seems to be China's
intention not to give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe any opportunity to
visit Yasukuni Shrine.

Abe has not made clear whether he will visit the shrine. Owing to
this ambiguous stance, Japan-China relations are not characterized
at present by friction and discord as they were under the Koizumi
administration.

However, during the meeting yesterday, Tang, referring to Premier
Wen's visit to Japan, commented: "The timing of his visit will
coincide with a season that could give rise to a delicate issue for
Japan-China relations." Apparently, Tang reminded Japanese lawmakers
that (Abe) should not visit Yasukuni during the shrine's Spring
Festival in April. The Chinese National People's Congress' Standing
Committee Chairman Wu Banguo, too, mentioned: "A number of delicate
issues lie between Japan and China." After the meeting, Nikai told
reporters: "That is a matter the leaders of Japan and China should
decide on in view of further development of the two countries'
relations."

SCHIEFFER

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