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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 000777 
 
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:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 02/13/06-2 
 
 
INDEX: 
 
(14) Poll: Cabinet support rating falls 4 points to 48% 
 
(15) Poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, female accession 
to imperial throne 
 
(16) Poll: 39% for, 55% against revising Imperial House Law in 
current Diet session; 65% support emperor of matrilineal descent 
 
(17) US deputy under secretary of defense gives no grounds for 
estimated cost of relocating Marines in Okinawa to Guam 
 
(18) US force realignment: Japan, US faced with mounting 
challenges before reaching settlement in March; Local consent not 
obtained, huge relocation cost not clear 
 
(19) US force realignment: Japan presents compromise plan to 
allow partial use of Iwakuni by aerial tankers 
 
(20) Police to investigate leading precision equipment maker in 
Kawasaki tomorrow over illegal supplies of nuclear-related 
equipment to China, Thailand 
 
(21) SDP adopts declaration calling SDF unconstitutional and 
previous support for single-seat system "mistake" 
 
(22) SDP calls SDF "unconstitutional" in party platform; DPJ's 
Maehara says  it is "regrettable" 
 
(23) Government to strengthen ties with India, Australia against 
China 
 
(24) Editorial: Secret pact on Okinawa reversion - time to come 
clean 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(14) Poll: Cabinet support rating falls 4 points to 48% 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Abridged) 
February 12, 2006 
 
In a recent telephone-based nationwide public opinion survey 
conducted Feb. 10-11, the support rating for the cabinet of Prime 
Minister Junichiro Koizumi was 48%, down 4 percentage points from 
the last survey conducted in January. The nonsupport rating for 
the Koizumi cabinet rose 5 points to 40%. The cabinet support 
rating rebounded after Prime Minister Koizumi's dissolution of 
the Diet for postal privatization and was over 50%. However, it 
fell below 50% for the first time in six months, possibly 
reflecting the Livedoor shock. The figure still remains high. 
Among those who support no specific party, however, the Koizumi 
cabinet's approval and disapproval ratings have changed places. 
As seen from this finding, there are also changes in the 
structure of public support for the Koizumi cabinet. 
 
Among female respondents, the Koizumi cabinet's support rate was 
50%, almost leveling off with a slight drop of 1 point. Among 
male respondents, however, the figure in support of the Koizumi 
cabinet markedly dropped from 52% to 45%. Among those in their 
50s, the cabinet support rate decreased 13 points from 48% to 
35%. Among those who support the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, 
 
TOKYO 00000777  002 OF 010 
 
 
the cabinet support rate was 82%. Among those who support the New 
Komeito, a coalition partner of the LDP, the cabinet support rate 
was 57%. Among those with no particular party affiliation, 
however, the Koizumi cabinet's support rate was 39% (44% in the 
last survey) and its nonsupport rate was 44% (37% in the last 
survey). As seen from these figures, the disapproval rating 
topped the approval rating in the latest survey. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the 
ruling Liberal Democratic Party stood at 31 %, up 3 percentage 
points from the last poll. The leading opposition Democratic 
Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) also rose 3 points to 20%. 
 
(15) Poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, female accession 
to imperial throne 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
February 12, 2006 
 
Questions & Answers 
(T = total; P = previous; M = male; F = female) 
 
Q: Do you support the Koizumi cabinet? 
 
                      T         P         M        F 
Yes                  48       (52)       45       50 
No                   40       (35)       44       36 
Not interested       10       (13)        9       12 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "yes" to the above question) Why? 
 
T       P       M       F 
Because the prime minister is from the Liberal Democratic Party 
5       (5)       6       4 
Because something can be expected of Prime Minister Koizumi's 
leadership 
29       (28)       32       26 
Because new policy measures can be expected 
17       (15)       16       18 
Because the nature of politics is likely to change 
46       (51)       45       47 
 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "no" to the above question) Why? 
 
T       P       M       F 
Because the prime minister is from the Liberal Democratic Party 
13       (9)       14       12 
Because the prime minister compromises too much with the ruling 
parties 
21       (21)       22       20 
Because the nation's economic recovery is slow 
29       (40)       29       30 
Because the prime minister is reluctant to take action against 
political scandals 
25       (19)       23       27 
 
Q: Which political party do you support? 
 
T       P       M       F 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 
31       (28)       33       30 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 
 
TOKYO 00000777  003 OF 010 
 
 
20       (17)       23       17 
New Komeito (NK) 
4       (6)       2       6 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 
4       (3)       5       3 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 
2       (2)       2       2 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 
0       (0)       0       -- 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 
0       (0)       --       0 
Other parties 
1       (1)       3       0 
None 
36       (41)       31       40 
 
Q: Do you support female accession to the imperial throne? 
 
           T       P       M        F 
Yes       78              74       81 
No        17              19       15 
 
 
Q: To date Japan has preserved the male line of imperial 
succession with emperors receiving imperial blood from the 
father's side. If those receiving imperial blood from the 
mother's side are also allowed to ascend to the imperial throne, 
it will be a historic changeover. Do you think the male line of 
imperial succession should be preserved, or do you otherwise 
think female-line succession should be allowed as well? 
 
T       P       M       F 
Male-line succession should be kept 
29              30       29 
Female-line succession should also be allowed 
65              63       67 
 
Q: Her Imperial Highness Princess Kiko is expected to give birth 
to a baby this fall. Do you support revising the Imperial House 
Law before that during the current Diet session to allow female 
and female-line succession to the imperial throne? 
 
           T       P       M        F 
Yes       39              34       42 
No        55              59       51 
 
Q: Do you think the Imperial House Law should be revised even in 
case the law is not revised at the current Diet session? 
 
           T       P       M        F 
Yes       52              54       50 
No        41              39       42 
 
(Note) Figures shown in percentage, rounded off. "0" indicates 
that the figure was below 0.5 %. "--" denotes that no respondents 
answered. "No answer" omitted. Parentheses denote the results of 
the last survey conducted Jan. 21-22. 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Feb. 10-11 over the 
telephone with the aim of calling a total of 1,000 voters across 
the nation on a computer-aided random digit sampling (RDS) basis. 
Answers were obtained from 1,115 persons. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000777  004 OF 010 
 
 
(16) Poll: 39% for, 55% against revising Imperial House Law in 
current Diet session; 65% support emperor of matrilineal descent 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
February 12, 2006 
 
The Mainichi Shimbun conducted a telephone-based nationwide 
public opinion survey on Feb. 10-11. In the survey, respondents 
were asked if they were in favor of revising the Imperial House 
Law during the current Diet session before Princess Kiko, the 
wife of Emperor Akihito's younger son Prince Akishino, gives 
birth to a baby, in order to allow female accession to the 
imperial throne or an emperor of matrilineal descent. In 
response, "yes" accounted for 39%, with "no" at 55%. Even in the 
event Princess Kiko gives birth to a boy, 52% said it is 
necessary to revise the law, with 41% said it is unnecessary to 
do so. Respondents were also asked if they would support a female 
monarch, and 78% answered "yes" to this question. The poll also 
found that 65% would support an emperor of matrilineal descent, 
meaning a person who received imperial blood only from the 
mother's side. The figure is down from a previous survey 
conducted in December last year, but still accounts for a 
majority. 
 
(17) US deputy under secretary of defense gives no grounds for 
estimated cost of relocating Marines in Okinawa to Guam 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
February 11, 2006 
 
Defense Agency (JDA) Director General Nukaga met with US Deputy 
Under Secretary of Defense Lawless at the Defense Agency 
yesterday. Nukaga called on Lawless to present grounds for the 
estimated cost worked out by the US to transfer Marines now 
stationed in Okinawa to Guam. Both sides incorporated this 
transfer plan in the interim report on US force realignment. 
Specific grounds are necessary for the agency to submit bills 
related to financial aid for the transfer to the current Diet 
session. Nukaga said: "In order to take satisfactory legal and 
budgetary bills by March, we will need to quickly map out 
specific measures at an early date." But Lawless stopped short of 
mentioning the basis for the calculation or a timeframe for 
presenting it. 
 
According to JDA officials, Nukaga told Lawless: "The entire 
world now knows that Japan and the US will come up (with a final 
report) by March. A failure to do so will inevitably have a 
negative impact on bilateral relations." Lawless replied: "If we 
miss this opportunity, it will become impossible to realign the 
US forces in the next decade or two." Lawless, though, added: 
"More problems have been left unresolved than expected." 
 
(18) US force realignment: Japan, US faced with mounting 
challenges before reaching settlement in March; Local consent not 
obtained, huge relocation cost not clear 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Abridged) 
February 11, 2006 
 
The Japanese and US governments have been speeding up their talks 
on the planned US force realignment in an effort to produce a 
final report by the end of March, as planned. In a three-day 
meeting that began in Tokyo on Feb. 9, senior officials of the 
 
TOKYO 00000777  005 OF 010 
 
 
two countries worked hard to finalize specific plans and costs 
for the relocation of US bases. The prevailing view is that 
obtaining local consent before producing a final report will be 
difficult. The two countries are faced with mounting challenges. 
 
Local coordination 
 
In his talks with US Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Richard 
Lawless on the night of Feb. 10, Defense Agency Director General 
Fukushiro Nukaga revealed his intention to put an end to the 
ongoing deputy director-level talks in February. He said: 
 
"In light of the future political timetable, we need to settle 
issues, including seeking local understanding and cooperation, 
before the end of February. Otherwise, it will be difficult to 
produce a final report in March." 
 
Nukaga also underlined the importance of measures for local 
areas, saying, "Lawmakers know it is important to offer 
explanations to the electorate." 
 
In the talks on Feb. 10, senior officials of the two countries 
discussed the realignment and consolidation of US bases in the 
central and southern parts of Okinawa and other matters. US 
officials are scheduled to explain the cost for relocating US 
Marines from Okinawa to Guam today. 
 
But local chiefs have yet to agree to the planned realignment. 
For instance, when Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro of Nago, Okinawa 
Prefecture, the relocation site for US Marine Corps Futenma Air 
Station, called on government and ruling party leaders on Feb. 9, 
he reiterated his intention to reject a plan to relocate Futenma 
Air Station to the coast of Camp Schwab. Shimabukuro has 
reportedly cancelled his meeting with Nukaga as well. "It was a 
message that Shimabukuro would not discuss the matter with the 
Defense Agency, which has refused to make changes to the coastal 
plan," a Defense Agency official said. 
 
Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, is also scheduled to conduct a 
municipal plebiscite on March 12 on the propriety of shifting 
carrier-borne aircraft from Atsugi to Iwakuni. The stage is not 
set to obtain the consent of affected local governments before 
the final report is produced in March. 
 
Although Nukaga announced a plan Feb. 7 to establish a council of 
the central government and affected local governments, specific 
steps and other factors have yet to be worked out. Some in the 
government have begun whispering of the need to postpone local 
coordination until after the production of final report. 
 
A financial burden 
 
In the current talks with the US, Japan has put particularly high 
priority on its share of the expenses for relocating US Marines 
to Guam. In talks in the past, the US has informed Japan that the 
relocation would cost approximately 8 billion dollars in total. 
But a Defense Agency official complained: "The figure lacks a 
clear basis for the calculation, including the number of 
facilities to be built and other specifics. The estimate is 
simply too rough." 
 
Contrary to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's remarks that 
realignment cannot wait any longer, the US has been slow to work 
 
TOKYO 00000777  006 OF 010 
 
 
out detailed estimates and make arrangements within the US 
military for the planned base relocations. 
 
Discord in the Japanese government is also being mentioned. On 
Jan. 30, the Defense Agency replaced Defense Policy Bureau Deputy 
Director General Chisato Uchiyama, who was responsible for the 
deputy-director-level talks, with the agency's spokesman Hironori 
Kanazawa. The Defense Agency has rejected making any changes to 
the plan to relocate Futenma Air Station to the coast of Camp 
Schwab, while the Foreign Ministry seems willing to alter the 
plan. 
 
The Defense Agency and the Foreign Ministry are also at odds over 
the return of the air traffic control held by Yokota Air Base, 
with the former contending that there is every reason for the US 
to return to Japan control of the airspace over the country's 
capital and the latter arguing that the US is unwilling to return 
it because of operational reasons, so there is no need to ask for 
it so strongly. 
 
(19) US force realignment: Japan presents compromise plan to 
allow partial use of Iwakuni by aerial tankers 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 12, 2006 
 
Japan and the United States held deputy-director-level talks in 
Tokyo on Feb. 11 to discuss the planned relocation of aerial 
tankers based at US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, 
Okinawa Prefecture. In the session, Japan presented compromise 
plans to basically relocate them to the Maritime Self-Defense 
Force's Kanoya base in Kagoshima Prefecture, as specified in the 
interim report, and also to allow them to partially use the US 
Marine Corps' Iwakuni Air Station, as called for by the US. The 
compromise plans called for the use of Iwakuni only within the 
limits of not increasing noise. The two countries plan to 
continue the discussions. 
 
The interim report gave priority to relocating 12 KC-130 tanker 
planes from Futenma Air Station to the Kanoya base, saying, "The 
two countries will reach a final decision based on a study on 
operational and technical factors." 
 
In the talks, the US presented an official estimate of 8 billion 
dollars (856 billion yen based on the fiscal 2005 exchange rate) 
for the relocation of US Marines from Okinawa to Guam. The US 
also promised that it would soon present Japan with a detailed 
breakdown of the costs, in addition to rough estimates for base 
facilities and training facilities. The US, however, did not 
present Japan's share of the expenses. 
 
(20) Police to investigate leading precision equipment maker in 
Kawasaki tomorrow over illegal supplies of nuclear-related 
equipment to China, Thailand 
 
SANKEI (Top Play) (Slightly abridged) 
February 12, 2006 
 
The Metropolitan Police Board (MPB) has decided to raid a leading 
precision equipment maker based in Kawasaki possibly tomorrow on 
suspicion of a violation of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign 
Trade Control Law. The company allegedly exported three- 
dimensional measuring equipment and related software to China and 
 
TOKYO 00000777  007 OF 010 
 
 
Thailand in 2001 without obtaining permission from the Ministry 
of Economic, Trade, and Industry (METI). 
 
The three-dimensional measuring equipment can be used for 
operating centrifuges designed to enrich uranium in the process 
of manufacturing nuclear weapons. 
 
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspected nuclear 
weapons facilities in Libya from December 2003 through March 
2004, following leader Kadhafi's admission that the Libyan 
government had been engaged in the development of nuclear and 
chemical weapons and his agreement to accept IAEA inspections. 
The UN nuclear watchdog found the high-tech equipment in question 
and other types of measuring equipment at a nuclear development 
research institute. 
 
Investigators suspect the equipment was illegally exported to 
Libya through a third country. In response to a report submitted 
by the IAEA, the MPB, in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry 
and METI, traced the equipment's shipping route. 
 
The Libyan government explained to the IAEA: "We procured the 
nuclear-related equipment on the international black market." 
 
The Metropolitan Police Board now suspects through the 
investigation that the measuring equipment had been flown into 
North Korea or had been put on the nuclear black market via 
Thailand or other countries. In 2003, the MPB prosecuted a 
trading firm on suspicion of attempting to supply North Korea 
with direct current stabilizing power-supply equipment without 
permission in violation of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade 
Control Law. At that time, the MPB found that the firm had 
planned to illegally export the product to North Korea through a 
corporation in Thailand in order to avoid a METI investigation. 
 
The company in question in Kawasaki was established in 1938 and 
is the nation's largest precision equipment maker. The 
manufacturer has strategic bases in 23 countries across the 
world, including such communist countries as China and Vietnam, 
as well as nuclear powers like India. 
 
(21) SDP adopts declaration calling SDF unconstitutional and 
previous support for single-seat system "mistake" 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 12, 2006 
 
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) at its 10th party convention 
held on Feb. 10 adopted a declaration saying, "The existence of 
the Self-Defense Forces clearly violates the Constitution." The 
declaration also touched on the party's aim of disbanding the SDF 
in the future, saying, "We aim to realize an unarmed Japan." The 
SDP, which declared the SDF constitutional in 1994 when it was 
called the Social Democratic Party of Japan, has again openly 
referred to the SDF as unconstitutional, shifting its stance. 
 
Party head Mizuho Fukushima delivered a speech in which she said, 
"The SDF, which have been dispatched to Iraq to assist the US 
military using force, can hardly be said to be within the purview 
of the Constitution." She also underlined the need to maintain 
Article 9, revealing her party's plan to oppose a move to submit 
to the Diet a national referendum bill stipulating a set of 
procedures for amending the Constitution. 
 
TOKYO 00000777  008 OF 010 
 
 
 
Secretary General Seiji Mataichi also indicated that the party's 
 
SIPDIS 
support for a bill implementing the system combining single-seat 
constituencies and proportional representation in 1993-1994 had 
been a mistake. The party approved his view. The party also 
decided to restore the honor of the nine Lower and Upper House 
members who had been punished for revolting against party policy. 
 
The party convention ends Feb. 12 with the adoption of an action 
policy aiming, among other things, to win seven seats in next 
summer's Upper House election. 
 
(22) SDP calls SDF "unconstitutional" in party platform; DPJ's 
Maehara says  it is "regrettable" 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 12, 2006 
 
The opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) has 
adopted a declaration expressly stipulating that the Self-Defense 
Forces are "clearly in an unconstitutional state." Asked about 
this declaration, Seiji Maehara, president of the leading 
opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto), noted 
yesterday to reporters in the city of Oita that it is important 
to think of how to rewrite the Constitution, as the SDF are 
needed for Japan. "It's regrettable that the SDP is now back in 
an unrealistic situation," Maehara said. 
 
(23) Government to strengthen ties with India, Australia against 
China 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Slightly abridged) 
February 11, 2006 
 
Japan-China relations are growing more and more serious as seen 
from the sharp exchange of barbs between both countries' leaders 
over Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni 
Shrine. Although both sides have continued holding working-level 
talks and personnel exchanges at the levels of private citizens 
and lawmakers, the prime minister and Foreign Minister Aso have 
taken an uncompromising stance toward China. Such a stance has 
been reflected in the Foreign Ministry's China policy. The 
ministry is gearing up to check China by deepening Japan's ties 
with India and Australia. 
 
The antagonism between Japan and China is becoming fierce. In a 
House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on Feb. 7, 
Prime Minister Koizumi said: "Only the Chinese and South Korean 
leaders say where the Japanese prime minister can or cannot go in 
his own country." In reaction, Chinese State Council member Tang 
Jiaxuan (deputy premier-level official responsible for foreign 
policy) told visiting Lower House member Takeshi Noda on Feb. 8: 
"We can no longer place expectations on Prime Minister Koizumi." 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe criticized Tang's remark as 
"inappropriate as a statement made by a leader." 
 
(When Noda visited China,) he said to Chinese officials that the 
Japanese government was ready to hold summits and foreign 
ministerial meetings with Beijing. But China adamantly refused 
such talks, citing the prime minister's visit to Yasukuni Shrine. 
Foreign Minister Aso made a statement in a speech on Feb. 4 
indicating that the level of education in Taiwan was improved 
when it was under Japan's control. This remark further stiffened 
 
TOKYO 00000777  009 OF 010 
 
 
China's stance. 
 
Chinese First Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo arrived in Japan 
to attend the vice-minister-level comprehensive policy talks 
started on Feb. 10 in Tokyo. A Chinese Communist Party member 
quoted him as saying: "I came to Japan, although some suggested 
that I not do so." The Japanese government aims to create an 
amicable atmosphere in the talks by selecting a hot spring resort 
as the site. Japan and China are also expected to soon hold 
bureau-director-level talks on the issue of gas field development 
in the East China Sea. 
 
At the same time, the Japanese Foreign Ministry aims to deepen 
the partnerships Japan formed with India and Australia during the 
East Asia Summit late last year. Foreign Minister Aso toured 
India during the New Year's holiday and is also expected to visit 
Australia in March. 
 
Administrative Vice Minister Shotaro Yachi visited member 
countries of the European Union (EU) and work on them to continue 
their bans on arms exports to China. Yachi succeeded in 
soliciting an agreement from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to 
take a cautious stance about lifting the ban. 
 
China, though, has indicated no signs of changing its attitude. 
 
(24) Editorial: Secret pact on Okinawa reversion - time to come 
clean 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
February 11, 2006 
 
A former senior Foreign Ministry official admitted to the fact 
that Japan paid the cost of restoring land in Okinawa to its 
original state (on behalf of the United States) in spite of the 
Japan-US agreement on the reversion of Okinawa (that stipulated 
the US obligation to pay the cost). The existence of a secret 
pact on Japan's shouldering of the cost was already revealed in 
US government documents and other files, but this official was 
the first Japanese official to admit to the existence of such a 
pact. 
 
The official who admitted Japan's shouldering of the cost is 
Bunroku Yoshino, who at the time served as chief of the 
ministry's American Affairs Bureau. In an interview with the 
Mainichi Shimbun, Yoshino essentially acknowledged the existence 
of a secret deal, noting: "The US Congress wouldn't have accepted 
it if Japan hadn't paid money." His acknowledgement is of great 
significance, given his role at the time in negotiations. 
 
As for Okinawa, which since the end of WWII had been under US 
administration, in 1969 Prime Minister Eisaku Sato and President 
Nixon agreed that Okinawa would be nonnuclear and on a par with 
mainland Japan, and in 1971 they signed an agreement on 
reversion. The Diet approved the agreement. 
 
This agreement stipulated that the US would on its own initiative 
pay four million dollars as compensation for damage US forces 
caused during their occupation to land previously owned by 
Okinawa residents. This cost was not supposed to be included in 
the 320 million yen Japan paid to the US to purchase its assets. 
 
However, US government documents include a description that 
 
TOKYO 00000777  010 OF 010 
 
 
indicates the existence of a secret deal on Japan's shouldering 
of the cost. 
 
According to a US government file the Mainichi Shimbun obtained 
at the US National Archives and Records Administration in 2002, 
four million dollars of the cost to restore land to its original 
state was supposed to have been paid by the US, but the amount 
was added to the 316 million dollars - the amount Japan paid to 
the US in return for the reversion of Okinawa. The file gave this 
explanation: "The Japanese government has become nervous about 
how to prevent the figure of four million dollars and the secret 
pact on this matter from coming out." 
 
In 1971, a Mainichi Shimbun reporter obtained Foreign Ministry 
telegrams (on the secret pact) and reported on portions of them. 
Following the reports, the secret pact issue was debated in the 
Diet, but the government has continued to deny the existence of 
such a deal. This time, as well, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo 
Abe commented: "We have been informed that there was no secret 
pact." Foreign Minister Taro Aso as well denied it, saying: "This 
issue has been resolved. There's no change in the Foreign 
Ministry's stance." 
 
However, the testimony this time by a former Japanese diplomat 
corresponds to what US government documents indicated. In other 
words, a historical fact has now been confirmed. No matter how 
firmly the government denies it, it will be useless. Facts are 
not something the government can invent. 
 
The government's basic stance about the disclosure of diplomatic 
documents is to disclose them in principle 30 years after their 
creation. But such documents relating to the reversion of 
Okinawa, Japan-USSR negotiations, and Japan-ROK treaty talks have 
not been opened to the public yet. 
 
Under the Information Disclosure Law, the government is allowed 
not to disclose information in some cases, for instance: 1) there 
is fear of national security being endangered; 2) there is fear 
of damaging a relationship of trust with another country; and 3) 
there is fear of putting Japan at a disadvantage. But when it 
comes to the agreement on the reversion of Okinawa that was 
concluded 35 years ago, it has certainly entered the domain of 
history. And considering the present Japan-US relationship, it is 
least likely that disclosing relevant information would damage 
security or harm the relationship of trust. 
 
Our advice is that it is about time for the government to admit 
to the fact. 
 
SCHIEFFER