Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More

Search

 

Cablegate: Daily Summary of Japanese Press 12/16/08

VZCZCXRO7181
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #3419/01 3510823
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 160823Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9481
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/USDOT WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5//
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA//
RHMFIUU/USFJ //J5/JO21//
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RUAYJAA/CTF 72
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 3811
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 1454
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 5245
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 9427
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 2020
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6849
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2850
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2949

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 003419

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 12/16/08

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

INDEX:

(1) U.S. State Department Japan Desk director hopes to see Japan
send civilians to Afghanistan (Asahi)

(2) Editorial: ASDF pullout from Iraq: Thorough probe a political
responsibility (Tokyo Shimbun)

(3) Prime Minister Aso's comment on WTO Doha Round (Prime Minister's
Official Residence Home page)

(4) Editorial: WTO agreement before year's end dropped (Sankei)

(5) Rift between Machimura and Nakagawa might split the largest LDP
faction in two (Yomiuri)

(6) DPJ to launch offensive with employment bills (Mainichi)

(7) Poll on Aso cabinet, political parties (Tokyo Shimbun)

(8) Poll: LDP prefectural chapters distancing themselves from Aso,
only 60 PERCENT have hopes for him (Mainichi)

(9) TOP HEADLINES

(10) EDITORIALS

(11) Prime Minister's schedule, December 14 & 15 (Nikkei)

ARTICLES:

(1) U.S. State Department Japan Desk director hopes to see Japan
send civilians to Afghanistan

ASAHI (Internet edition) (Full)
December 16, 2008

Yoshiyuki Komurata in Washington

At a press conference on Dec. 15, U.S. State Department Japan
Country Director Russel expressed his hope that Japan would dispatch
civilians to assist Afghanistan. "Although it has been said there
should be 'boots on the ground', there are many different kind of
boots that can participate in assisting Afghanistan," he said.

Russel praised Japan's contributions, such as the Self-Defense
Forces' refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. He also gave specific
examples of civilian dispatches, saying, "Although there are
military boots, there are also those of architects, educators,
nurses, and administrators." He indicated that such specialists
were being sought at the local level, and he expressed his view that
there should be talks with the Japanese government along such
lines.

(2) Editorial: ASDF pullout from Iraq: Thorough probe a political
responsibility

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 5) (Full)
December 16, 2008

Winding up its activities in Iraq, the Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF)
has begun withdrawing from the country. There are many unclear

TOKYO 00003419 002 OF 012


points in the actual situation of the Self-Defense Forces' five
years of missions in the battlefield, including past developments. A
thorough probe is necessary. The abdication of responsibility by
clearly cowardly lawmakers is not permissible.

Following the attacks on Iraq by the United States and Britain in
2003, the then Koizumi administration decided to send SDF troops for
the first time to a battlefield that is in a state of hostilities.
The SDF has completed its mission in the severe life-threatening
environment without any member having been sacrificed.

The Ground Self-Defense Force and ASDF began their activities in
2004. Even after the withdrawal in 2006 of the GSDF, which had
conducted water-supply activities and road restoration work, the
ASDF continued airlifting multinational force troops and relief
supplies. Based on improved security conditions and other factors in
Iraq, the government has concluded that (the SDF) has achieved its
objective of humanitarian and reconstruction assistance.

Nevertheless, there is a strong impression that the SDF conducted
activities to support the U.S. military. In particular, the ASDF
made 821 flights to airlift 46,500 persons and 673 tons of supplies.
Although the details are unclear, a large part of the duty is
believed to be the airlifting of U.S. troops and U.S. military
supplies. The ASDF aircrafts were reportedly called "taxis" by the
U.S. military. Did such activities deserve to be called
international contributions?

(In April), the Nagoya High Court ruled the ASDF mission
unconstitutional. If the government is to praise (the ASDF mission)
as having won high marks from the international community, it should
clarify its activities that were unclear to the public and check
consistency with the Constitution at the Diet.

The Japanese government's support for attacks on Iraq has not been
summed up, either. Even President George W. Bush described the
failure to find weapons of mass destruction, the factor he cited in
launching the war, as his "biggest regret." It is absurd that
despite that, the government continues taking the hardened attitude,
saying its decision to support (the attacks on Iraq) was correct. It
is imperative for the government to fulfill its accountability by
scrutinizing how it arrived at that policy course.

The focus of the war on terror is certain to shift from Iraq to
Afghanistan where the security situation has markedly deteriorated.

Late last week, the ruling camp bulldozed through the House of
Representatives a bill extending the refueling mission in the Indian
Ocean with an overriding vote. The incoming Obama administration,
which has made it clear to shift the focus to Afghanistan, is
expected to strongly press Japan for additional human contributions,
including (an SDF) dispatch to Afghanistan, as well as for financial
assistance.

The government must not decide on the next contributions in a
flurry. It must come up with a solid set of diplomatic guidelines
suitable for Japan, a peaceful nation, without giving priority to
military affairs. To begin with, it is the challenge that must be
addressed by a full-fledged administration reflecting the popular
will. The country is being pressed to pick up the hefty tabs for the
political vacuum that has been created under the Aso administration,
which is becoming weaker under the divided Diet.

TOKYO 00003419 003 OF 012

(3) Prime Minister Aso's comment on WTO Doha Round

Prime Minister's Official Residence Home Page
December 15, 2008

1. In the Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy and the
APEC Summit held earlier, strong statements were issued regarding
the WTO Doha Round trade talks. Despite these statements, a
ministerial meeting has been put off and a modalities agreement is
unlikely to be reached by the end of this year. That is
regrettable.

2. Given the current serious economic situation, it is necessary to
grow the global economy through expanded trade. Our nation will
continue to persistently make efforts to bring about an agreement in
the Doha Round at an early date. In the agricultural sector, on
which various discussions were conducted in past negotiations, Japan
will continue to strengthen its domestic industry.

3. In an effort to resist moves for protectionism, our nation is
determined to strongly call on the WTO member nations at its
meetings to refrain from introducing new barriers in the trade and
investment areas, including export restrictions.

(4) Editorial: WTO agreement before year's end dropped

SANKEI (Page 2) (Full)
December 16, 2008

The new multilateral trade talks (Doha Round) sponsored by the World
Trade Organization (WTO) deadlocked in July this year. Though a mood
for clinching a deal at an early date was mounting following the
spreading financial crisis, member countries failed to find a
breakthrough in the stalemate and had to give up the goal of
reaching an agreement before year's end.

Since an agreement in the trade liberalization talks under the WTO
had been expected to undergird the global economy, the condition of
which has been worsened by the financial crisis, it is extremely
regrettable that member countries had to give up the goal of
reaching an agreement before year's end.

In particular, we fear various countries will now strengthen
protectionist moves, including imposing import restrictions, in an
attempt to protect their domestic industries and employment. It is
clear from the history of the Great Depression that protectionism
will in the end up shrinking trade and worsening the global
economy.

Aware of the potential danger of protectionism, leaders from 20
leading economies at the financial summit vowed to make effort to
reach a framework agreement at the WTO talks before year's end. The
statement issued by participants in the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation forum (APEC) even noted that they would pledge to reach
an agreement before the end of the year.

Nevertheless, they failed to reach an agreement, which underscores
the difficulty of the multilateral trade talks. The failure also
exposed how light and insufficient has been the political will of
the countries in the world. Added to this, the financial and
economic crisis that shows no signs of slackening, are major causes

TOKYO 00003419 004 OF 012


for concern.

Talks carried out under the past rounds have been led by
industrialized countries. But in the current Doha Round, it is said,
such emerging countries as India, China and Brazil are playing
leading roles.

The major cause of the collapse of the WTO talks in July was
apparently the confrontation between the U.S., and India and other
emerging countries over conditions for special emergency product
import restrictions (safeguards) on agricultural products granted to
developing countries. Developing countries, including China, put up
strong opposition in the talks to lower sector-specific tariffs on
mined and manufactured products.

It appears unavoidable that the environment surrounding the trade
talks will become even more severe due to the worsening economy.
Pressure on politics from industrial circles, centered on
agricultural organizations, is increasing in various countries,
including Japan. It is another cause of concern that the U.S. will
not be ready for the resumption of the talks in early 2009 due to
the change of government.

The more the trade talks become protracted, the more the global
economy will suffer from the negative impact. We should consider the
overall benefits, while properly dealing with specific sacrifices.

(5) Rift between Machimura and Nakagawa might split the largest LDP
faction in two

YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full)
December 14, 2008

The largest Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) faction, headed by former
Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura, is now becoming
unstable. The rift between Machimura and former LDP Secretary
General Hidenao Nakagawa might break up the faction in the future,
intertwined with a controversy within the faction over whether it
should support Prime Minister Taro Aso or distance itself from him.
Machimura and Nakagawa are well-known rivals.

In a general meeting on Dec. 11 of the Machimura faction, tension
rose between Machimura and Nakagawa at a time when Nakagawa suddenly
interrupted Machimura, who was speaking against hiking the tax on
cigarettes. With a look of irritation on his face, Nakagawa said:
"Abut 60 PERCENT of the public support an increase in the cigarette
tax."

Machimura has made it clear that he supports Aso, aiming to deepen
his relationship with former Prime Ministers Yoshiro Mori and Shinzo
Abe, who are prominent figures in the faction. Machimura intends to
strengthen his support base within the party by stepping up
cooperation with Mori and Abe. He visited the Prime Minister's
Official Residence on Dec. 9 and reportedly gave Aso words of
encouragement, saying: "It is important to implement the Prime
Minister's policies in the next fiscal year's budget."

As there have been reports of Machimura having frequent contacts
with Mori and Abe, some lawmakers suspect that Machimura has his eye
on the next administration after Aso, with one lawmaker saying: "Mr.
Machimura is preparing to run in the next party leadership race to
succeed Mr. Aso."

TOKYO 00003419 005 OF 012

Meanwhile, Nakagawa hosted a meeting on Dec. 9 of a group of LDP
lawmakers calling for the maintenance and promotion of postal
privatization and a preparatory meeting on Dec. 11 to establish a
study group on the daily lives of the people. Twenty-five of the 63
LDP members, who took part in the Dec. 9 meeting, and 26 of the 57
LDP members, who attended the Dec. 11 meeting, were members of the
Machimura faction. The figures show that Nakagawa has strong
influence on junior and mid-level lawmakers of the Machimura
faction.

Observers view that the establishment of the two groups is a
preparatory step for a political arrangement after the Aso
administration. Nakagawa's relationship with Aso does not look good.
According to sources, business leaders mediated between Nakagawa and
Aso with the aim of arranging a meeting between the two on Dec. 12,
but it was later cancelled.

Nakagawa used to be a close aide of Mori, but their relationship has
deteriorated rapidly. Although Machimura was invited to a party
hosted by Mori held on Dec. 10 in Tokyo for the second in a row,
Nakagawa, who was invited to the party last year, was not seen at
the party this year.

Concerned that the confrontation between Machimura and Nakagawa will
intensify, Abe joined Nakagawa-hosted study session in an effort to
fix their relationship. However, many faction members are worried
that the confrontation between the two might break the faction in
two.

(6) DPJ to launch offensive with employment bills

MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full)
December 13, 2008

President Ichiro Ozawa and other executive members of the Democratic
Party of Japan (DPJ) met yesterday and discuss what approach the
party should take in the remaining days of the Diet session. The job
market has worsened, as seen from increasing cases of companies
cancelling job offers or dismissing temporary employees. To improve
the situation, the party will submit bills aimed to boost the job
market to the ongoing session on Dec. 15, with the aim of having the
bills passed before the session ends on the 25th. The party intends
to call on the ruling coalition for its cooperation in enacting the
bills, while emphasizing that employment promotion is a common
challenge for the ruling and opposition camps. If the ruling parties
refuse to respond to the call, the DPJ will try to break the impasse
by arranging talks between Ozawa and Prime Minister Taro Aso.

Ozawa expressed his eagerness in the executive meeting to enact the
employment bill, saying: "I will have to urge the prime minister to
approve the bills when the time comes, because negotiations will not
easily move forward." Other participants took Ozawa's remark as
expressing his readiness to hold another party head meeting.

The employment bill is one of the six bills proposed in the DPJ's
package of economic and fiscal measures as counterproposals to the
fiscal 2008 second supplementary budget bill. The party submitted
four bills, including a bill to support child rearing, to the House
of Councillors on Dec. 11, but the executive meeting defined the
employment bill as the top priority bill in the current Diet
session.

TOKYO 00003419 006 OF 012

Although the government has decided to delay the submission of the
second extra budget bill to the next ordinary Diet session, the DPJ
will submit the employment bill during the current session. Diet
Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji Yamaoka said, "We are determined to
enact the bill, even by forcing a vote." In a meeting held by three
opposition parties' Diet Affairs Committee chairmen after the
executive meeting, Yamaoka called on the Japanese Communist Party,
the Social Democratic Party, and the People's New Party to jointly
work to pass the employment bill. The bill is expected to be
submitted jointly by these three opposition parties.

The bills related to employment include these five key elements: (1)
Restrictions on job offer withdrawals; (2) expanding the scope of
employment adjustment subsidies to cover non-regular workers:
Special measures bill related to the prevention of the termination
of contracts for dispatch workers; (3) accommodation and welfare
support for former dispatch workers searching for employment: Bill
to provide accommodation and welfare payments for such individuals
together with work training and job introductions; (4) improvement
in the employment insurance system, such as reducing the minimum
insured period required to receive benefits; and (5) clearer rules
on limited-term labor contracts.

In a press conference yesterday, Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama
expressed opposition to the fixed-amount cash handout scheme
included in the second extra budget bill. He then called on the
ruling camp for its cooperation, saying: "The government should
perceive that the job-creation issue is an imminent task. Our bill
should be enacted first of all."

(7) Poll on Aso cabinet, political parties

TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full)
December 8, 2008

Questions & Answers
(Figures shown in percentage. Parentheses denote the results of the
last survey conducted Nov. 8-9.)

Q: Do you support the Aso cabinet?

Yes 25.5 (40.9)
No 61.3 (42.2)
Don't know (D/K) + no answer (N/A) 13.2 (16.9)

Q: (Only for those who answered "yes" to the previous question)
What's the primary reason for your approval of the Aso cabinet? Pick
only one from among those listed below.

The prime minister is trustworthy 15.7 (13.5)
Because it's a coalition cabinet of the Liberal Democratic Party and
the New Komeito 9.6 (6.7)
The prime minister has leadership ability 1.6 (10.1)
Something can be expected of its economic policies 4.9 (13.3)
Something can be expected of its foreign policies 3.5 (6.9)
Something can be expected of its political reforms 3.5 (5.7)
Something can be expected of its tax reforms 6.4 (5.3)
Something can be expected of its administrative reforms 2.6 (1.9)
There's no other appropriate person (for prime minister) 49.2
(35.1)
Other answers (O/A) 2.0 (0.7)

TOKYO 00003419 007 OF 012


D/K+N/A 1.0 (0.8)


Q: (Only for those who answered "no" to the first question) What's
the primary reason for your disapproval of the Aso cabinet? Pick
only one from among those listed below.

The prime minister is untrustworthy 19.8 (10.0)
Because it's a coalition cabinet of the Liberal Democratic Party and
the New Komeito 4.5 (14.5)
The prime minister lacks leadership ability 18.7 (6.5)
Nothing can be expected of its economic policies 28.3 (27.9)
Nothing can be expected of its foreign policies 1.4 (1.3)
Nothing can be expected of its political reforms 6.5 (11.3)
Nothing can be expected of its tax reforms 2.4 (7.7)
Nothing can be expected of its administrative reforms 5.2 (7.8)
Don't like the prime minister's personal character 11.1 (10.1)
O/A 0.3 (0.9)
D/K+N/A 1.8 (2.0)

Q: Prime Minister Taro Aso has decided to present a second
supplementary budget to the Diet at its ordinary session next year,
not at its current extraordinary session. This budget is for
economic stimulus measures, including a plan to hand out cash
benefits totaling 2 trillion yen. Do you think it is appropriate to
present the extra budget to the Diet at its ordinary session to be
convened early next year?

Yes 26.0
No 55.7
D/K+N/A 18.3


Q: The government and the ruling coalition will increase spending on
public investments and social security programs unlike before and
will change the Koizumi cabinet's fiscal reconstruction policy. Do
you support this policy changeover?

Yes 56.9
No 28.3
D/K+N/A 14.8

Q: There are calls from within the ruling and opposition parties for
freezing the Koizumi cabinet's decision to sell the government's
stocks in Japan Post in order to maintain the integrated management
of the JP group's four constituent companies or reviewing the JP
privatization plan. Do you support the idea of reviewing this JP
privatization plan?

Yes 52.3
No 32.5
D/K+N/A 15.2

Q: The House of Representatives' current term is up until September
next year. When would you like the House of Representatives to be
dissolved for a general election?

Late this year after the budget for next fiscal year is compiled
22.1 (21.2)
At the beginning of the ordinary Diet session to be called in
January next year 23.7 (17.9)
Around April after the budget for next fiscal year is approved in

TOKYO 00003419 008 OF 012


the Diet 19.7 (18.6)
Around June next year when the ordinary Diet session ends 6.3 (7.4)
Wait until the current term expires in September next year without
dissolving the Diet 16.2 (24.3)
D/K+N/A 10.0 (10.6)

Q: Would you like the present LDP-led coalition government to
continue, or would you otherwise like it to be replaced with a
DPJ-led coalition government?

LDP-led coalition government 33.1 (36.1)
DPJ-led coalition government 45.4 (43.2)
D/K+N/A 21.5 (20.7)

Q: Which political party are you going to vote for in the next House
of Representatives election in your proportional representation
bloc?

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 27.4 (33.6)
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 38.3 (35.5)
New Komeito (NK) 3.9 (3.8)
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 4.9 (4.1)
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 2.1 (1.8)
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 0.6 (0.2)
Reform Club (RC or Kaikaku Kurabu) 0.1 (---)
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) --- (0.2)
Other political parties, groups --- (---)
D/K+N/A 22.7 (20.8)

Q: When comparing Prime Minister Taro Aso and DPJ President Ichiro
Ozawa, which one do you think is more appropriate for prime
minister?

Taro Aso 33.5 (51.0)
Ichiro Ozawa 34.5 (24.4)
D/K+N/A 32.0 (24.6)

Q: (Only for those who gave "Taro Aso") What is the primary reason
for your choice of Prime Minister Aso? Pick only one.

Because he's trustworthy 12.1
Because he's with the LDP 30.5
Because he has leadership ability 5.6
Because something can be expected of his policies 13.8
Because he's appropriate as Japan's leader 14.7
O/A 12.5
D/K+N/A 10.8

Q: (Only for those who gave "Ichiro Ozawa") What is the primary
reason for your choice of DPJ President Ozawa? Pick only one.

Because he's trustworthy 5.5
Because he's with the DPJ 24.2
Because he has leadership ability 20.8
Because something can be expected of his policies 32.3
Because he's appropriate as Japan's leader 5.5
O/A 7.5
D/K+N/A 4.2

Q: Which political party do you support?

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 28.9 (33.8)

TOKYO 00003419 009 OF 012


Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 28.7 (26.5)
New Komeito (NK) 3.3 (3.5)
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 4.9 (2.5)
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 1.9 (3.0)
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 0.3 (0.5)
Reform Club (RC or Kaikaku Kurabu) 0.1 (---)
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) --- (0.1)
Other political parties, groups --- (0.1)
None 30.4 (28.1)
D/K+N/A 1.5 (1.9)

Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Dec. 6-7 across the
nation by Kyodo News Service on a computer-aided random digit
dialing (RDD) basis. Among randomly generated telephone numbers,
those actually for household use with one or more eligible voters
totaled 1,474. Answers were obtained from 1,023 persons.

(8) Poll: LDP prefectural chapters distancing themselves from Aso,
only 60 PERCENT have hopes for him

MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full)
December 14, 2008

The Mainichi Shimbun asked the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
prefectural chapters whether they expected Prime Minister Taro Aso
to lead the LDP in the next general election for the House of
Representatives. About 40 PERCENT or 18 chapters answered that they
could not rely on Aso or gave no answer. Aso won the LDP
presidential election in last September, obtaining 95 PERCENT of
the prefectural chapters' votes, but the survey pointed out that the
number of LDP's regional organizations distancing themselves from
Aso is increasing.

The secretaries general of the LDP prefectural chapters were
surveyed on Dec. 12-13. In Yamagata, Ibaraki and Tokyo, general
affairs council chairmen responded to the questions.

A total of 29 chapters said they could place their expectations on
Aso and seven chapters said they could not, while 11 chapters could
not say. Some of the 11 chapters refrained from giving their
answers, citing that there was no candidate to succeed Aso.

Of the 29 chapters that answered that they could place their
expectations on Aso, 12 put forward Aso's economic policy as a
reason for their judgment, while three chapters gave negative
support for Aso, such as the Wakayama chapter that said: "Public
confidence can never be regained if the prime minister keeps
changing." "If the LDP replaces the president now, it will be
severely attacked by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)," answered
the Aichi prefecture chapter. Of the seven chapters, which replied
that they did not want to see Aso lead the LDP in the election, four
pointed out his inability to keep his mouth shut, including his
gaffes, as a reason for their answer. These seven chapters said that
Aso should boost his administration's popularity by compiling a
state budget for fiscal 2009, but no chapter said that Aso should
shuffle his cabinet or an LDP presidential election should be held.


Meanwhile, 33 prefectural chapters or 70 PERCENT said that next
spring after the compilation of FY2009 state budget would be most
desirable for Lower House dissolution. Nine chapters replied that it
would be unnecessary to wait Lower House dissolution by the end of

TOKYO 00003419 010 OF 012


the terms of the incumbent Lower House members. Three chapters said
that the Lower House should be dissolved around next summer. There
was no answer that the lower chamber should be dissolved immediately
or at the beginning of the ordinary Diet session in January. The
survey showed that many LDP prefectural chapters were concerned
about the next Lower House election.

(9) TOP HEADLINES

Asahi:
Education ministry panel seeks enhancement of Japanese-language
ability

Mainichi:
Fundamental balance 13 trillion yen in red; General account to reach
88 trillion yen level in fiscal 2009

Yomiuri:
Panel to propose banning mobile phones at elementary, junior high
schools

Nikkei:
Toyota to seek steel sheet price cuts for FY 2009 for first time in
7 years

Sankei and Tokyo Shimbun:
ASDF Iraq pullout begins

Akahata:
JCP's Nihi calls for emergency guarantee for small companies in all
industrial sectors

(10) EDITORIALS

Asahi:
(1) New Thai prime minister: Dialogue with public essential
(2) Stemming global warming: There is way to benefiting North and
South

Mainichi:
(1) BOJ's Tankan report: Companies overly pessimistic
(2) COP14 closes: Striking balance between environment and economy
possible

Yomiuri:
(1) Economy's downhill slide picking up speed
(2) New antiterrorism law enacted: What should follow refueling
mission must be considered

Nikkei:
(1) Sharp economic downturn requires speedy policies
(2) Tough challenges postponed at Poznan COP 14

Sankei:
(1) Emissions trading: System allowing Japan to compete with EU
essential
(2) No WTO meeting this year: Do not be afraid of rise of
protectionism

Tokyo Shimbun:
(1) ASDF Iraq pullout: Political probe must follow
(2) COP14 must move forward

TOKYO 00003419 011 OF 012

Akahata:
(1) Japan, China, South Korea and ASEAN: Greater peace and
cooperation in East Asia called for

(11) Prime Minister's schedule, December 14 & 15

NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full)
December 16, 2008

December 14
07:50
Met with Cabinet Special Advisor Sueyoshi at the Hotel Nikko Fukuoka
in Fukuoka City.

08:00
Met with Liberal Democratic Party Fukuoka Chapter Chairman Shingu,
followed by Fukuoka Medical Association Chairman Yokokura.

09:32
Visited Kita-Kyushu City's Eco Town Center, Japan Environmental
Safety Center Corp.'s Kita-Kyushu Facility, Shirashima pavilion, and
wind power station.

10:38
Met Kenichi Iwamura, managing chairman of school aimed at lifetime
active service; and Noriaki Seki, NPO representative at Higashida
Eco Club House.

12:09
Met with his local supporters at Rihga Royal Hotel Kokura.

13:19
Attended 2008 International Seminar on Environment Model Urban
Cities

15:30
Left Fukuoka on a government airplane.

16:50
Arrived at Haneda Airport.

17:27
Met with deputy chief cabinet secretaries Matsumoto and Konoike at
the Okura Hotel. Konoike remained.

21:15
Returned to his private residence in Kamiyama-cho.

December 15

08:23
Met at Kantei with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Konoike.

08:56
Met with Environment Minister Saito and Finance Minister Nakagawa in
the Diet.

09:00
Attended an Upper House Audit Committee session.

12:03

TOKYO 00003419 012 OF 012


Returned to Kantei.

12:58
Met with METI Minister Nikai in the Diet.

13:00
Attended an Upper House Audit Committee session.

17:07
Attended an LDP executive meeting.

17:57
Met at Kantei with Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Yosano.

18:54
Dined with Toyota Motor Chairman Fujio Cho, Nippon Steel Chairman
Akio Mimura, Kikkoman Chairman Yuzaburo Mogi, Administrative Reform
Minister Amari, Consumer Affairs Minister Noda, former Chief Cabinet
Secretary Machimura, and former Environment Minister Suzuki, later
joined by Nakagawa and former Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Minister Tanigaki.

21:14
Met with his secretary.

23:23
Returned to his private residence.

SCHIEFFER

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
World Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.