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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 001023 
 
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 02/27/06 
 
 
Index: 
 
1)   Top headlines 
2)   Editorials 
Prime Minister's weekend scheduled: None 
 
Minshuto in crisis: 
3)   Although 58% of public see no need for Minshuto head Maehara 
  to resign over phony e-mail caper, party takes a hit in 
  popularity in Kyoto poll 
4)   Minshuto lawmaker Nagata to apologize today for using phone 
e-mail to attack LDP in Diet 
5)   Perception gap in Minshuto over enormity of issue of false 
charges against son of LDP's Takebe 
6)   Blacked out portions of controversial e-mail used by 
Minshuto to attack LDP are revealed 
 
Defense and security issues: 
7)   MSDF leaks from virus-infected computer were marine location 
  software data 
8)   USFJ realignment talks focus on joint use of Kadena Air Base 
9)   Transport ministry in computer simulation claims Yokota air 
space control costing civilian airlines a bundle to avoid area 
10)  Another thousand Okinawa Marines slated for transfer off the 
island under USFJ realignment, making total of 8,000 
11)  In addition to 8,000 Marines to be moved from Okinawa, three 
US facilities also will be closed 
12)  US sounds out GSDF to retain some officers in Basra after 
troop withdrawal from Samawah 
13)  US, British, Australian commands accept Japan's two-staged 
plan to remove GSDF from Samawah by end of May 
 
14)  Foreign Ministry will try best to persuade Iran to give up 
  nuclear ambitions during visit of Iran's foreign minister, who 
  arrives in Tokyo today 
 
15)  Newly appointed ambassador to China Miyamoto is a member of 
  the China school in the Foreign Ministry 
 
16)  ITER project: Japan will use its 20% budget share to 
  contract construction work from South Korea 
 
17)  Beef ban issue: USDA report acknowledges lack of training of 
  US inspectors on conditions for export of beef to Japan 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi and Mainichi: 
Torino Winter Olympics ends with Japan winning only 1 gold medal; 
Ninagawa comes in fourth in men's slalom 
 
Yomiuri: 
1 million households, mostly aged, expected to go on welfare in 
fiscal 2005; Working-age people on welfare also rising 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Yamato, Seino to jointly establish distribution company to 
cultivate new demand 
 
Sankei: 
 
TOKYO 00001023  002 OF 012 
 
 
Horie e-mail: Minshuto's Nagata to make apology possibly today; 
Leadership may be able to avert taking responsibility 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Freelance reporter fabricated "Horie e-mail" to send it to 
himself 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1)  Torino Winter Olympics ends 
(2)  Successful satellite launches create more players in space 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)  Bid-rigging: DFAA must not prey upon national security 
(2)  Treatment for giving up smoking should not go overboard 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1)  JAL must straighten up and fly right 
(2)  Japan's FTA talks need momentum from talks with Chile 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1)  Manpower in local areas attracting plants 
 
Sankei: 
(1)  Low morality exposed by leakage of MSDF information 
(2)  Religious conflicts in Iraq: Turn critical situation into 
opportunity 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)  MSDF information leakage: Stricter information management 
necessary 
(2)  Speedy patent examination process vital 
 
3) OPINION 
 
Poll: 58% see no need for Maehara to resign; DPJ substantially 
down in public support 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
February 27, 2006 
 
Kyodo News conducted a telephone-based spot nationwide public 
opinion survey on Feb. 25-26 over an opposition Democratic Party 
of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) lawmaker's parliamentary pursuit of 
Livedoor's alleged emailed order to send money to an LDP 
executive's son. In the survey, respondents were asked if they 
thought DPJ President Seiji Maehara should resign as party 
president. In response to this question, 27.6% answered "yes", 
with 58.7% saying "no" though he is responsible, and 7.8% saying 
he is not responsible. 
 
Public support for the DPJ was 11.3%, showing a substantial drop 
of 5.7 percentage points from the last telephone-based poll in 
January. The figure is the lowest ever since the merger of the 
DPJ and the Liberal Party in October 2003, and it shows the 
public's wavering trust in the DPJ. 
 
In the survey, respondents were also asked if they thought 
Toshiyasu Nagata, a House of Representatives member who took up 
the email issue in the Diet, should resign his Diet seat. In 
response to this question, "yes" accounted for 37.6% with "no" at 
 
TOKYO 00001023  003 OF 012 
 
 
22.9 % . However, 37.9% answered they "can't say which." Nagata's 
future course seems to be up to how the DPJ handles the email 
issue. 
 
The approval rating for the Koizumi cabinet was 51.8%, down 1.1 
points from the last survey. The disapproval rating was 37.2%, up 
2.9 points. In the breakdown of reasons for supporting the 
Koizumi cabinet, 38.2% picked "there's no other appropriate 
person," up 8.0 points from the last survey. However, there was a 
decrease in the proportion of positive reasons, such as "because 
something can be expected of its administrative reform." In 
particular, the proportion of those picking "because something 
can be expected of its foreign policies" dropped to 0.3%. 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted over a period of 
two days, Feb. 25-26, on a random digit dialing (RDD) basis. The 
computer-aided RDD methodology, which makes and puts out 
telephone numbers at random for polling, can survey those who do 
not have their telephone numbers listed in telephone directories. 
Among those randomly generated telephone numbers, those actually 
for household use with one or more eligible voters totaled 1,488. 
Answers were obtained from 1,027 persons. 
 
4) Lawmaker Nagata to apologize in day or two for e-mail fuss; 
Minshuto to decide on position before end of the week 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
February 27, 2006 
 
The largest opposition party Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) 
decided yesterday to have its House of Representative member 
Hisayasu Nagata make an apology at a press conference in a day or 
two for having alleged without conclusive proof in the Diet (that 
former Livedoor Co. President Takafumi Horie had sent his staff 
an email ordering a transfer of 30 million yen to Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe's son). 
Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Yoshihiko Noda will accompany 
Noda at the press conference. Minshuto intends to put an end to 
the e-mail issue without the resignation of Nagata. 
 
The LDP will consider whether to submit to the Diet a motion to 
punish Nagata after watching the press conference. 
 
The main opposition party intends to hold a press conference to 
announce the results of its investigation into the credibility of 
the e-mail before the end of this week when the fiscal 2006 
budget is scheduled to clear the Lower House. 
 
The party has found through its investigation that the sender and 
recipient of the e-mail were both the same person who provided 
the e-mail to Nagata. A party member familiar with the issue 
explained that the source might have forwarded the e-mail 
obtained from someone else to his own e-mail address and printed 
it, and therefore, it cannot be proved that the e-mail is fake. 
However, it is a fact that Nagata did not make his allegation 
with a true and correct copy. 
 
Hatoyama told reporters yesterday, "(Nagata) should apologize on 
his own to the public in a day or two." 
 
Appearing on an NHK talk show program yesterday, Maehara stated: 
"We have not arrived at a conclusion that the e-mail is 100% 
 
TOKYO 00001023  004 OF 012 
 
 
credible. I sincerely apologize for lawmaker Nagata having posed 
questions based on such information." Hatoyama also said on a 
Fuji TV program, "(The party leadership) needs to apologize 
before finding the result of the investigation." Asked about how 
the party leaders should take responsibility, Hatoyama responded, 
"Now is not time to arrive at a conclusion. We will reveal the 
results of our investigation into the matter and make a decision 
after seeing public opinion." 
 
LDP Acting Secretary General Ichiro Aisawa stated on a TV Asahi 
program yesterday: "We will decide" on whether to submit a motion 
to punish Nagata "after seeing (his press conference). If he 
decides to give up on his Diet seat, that would be one option to 
take political responsibility." 
 
5) Gaps in views of Minshuto executives on Diet uproar caused by 
"e-mail" issue 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
February 27, 2006 
 
The main opposition party Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) 
executive has gone along with a plan to have its House of 
Representative member Hisayasu Nagata, who is at the center of 
the e-mail scandal, remain in his Diet post, by letting him make 
an official apology today. However, it is obvious that there 
still remain gaps in views of the executive members on adverse 
effects on Diet debate caused by Nagata's questions, as well as 
his lack of efforts to check the credibility of the e-mail. 
Depending on trends in public opinion, Minshuto may continue to 
waver internally regarding Nagata's future course of action and 
the accountability of the party leadership. 
 
Appearing on a Fuji TV program yesterday, Secretary General Yukio 
Hatoyama stated, "I apologize for causing confusion in the Diet 
session, which has to conduct deliberations on the FY 2006 
budget." President Seiji Maehara, however, clearly stated on a TV 
Asahi program yesterday: "We have been severely pursuing a set of 
four issues, including the earthquake-proof data falsification 
scam. I don't think the Diet is in a state of confusion." 
 
Regarding the criticism of Minshuto for failing to confirm the 
credibility of the e-mail, Hatoyama implicitly criticized Diet 
Affairs Committee Chairman Yoshihiko Noda, with commenting, 
 
"It is probably the problem of lack of my political presence that 
I was not well informed of (the e-mail issue) in advance. It is 
true that we lacked a crisis management awareness. I'm not happy 
with such criticism." 
 
6) Sender and recipient of e-mail in question both found to be 
freelance reporter, Minshuto determines 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top Play) (Full) 
February 27, 2006 
 
In the e-mail fiasco involving former Livedoor President Takafumi 
Horie and Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Tsutomu 
Takebe's son, the sender and recipient of the e-mail in question 
had been unknown because those portions had been blacked out. But 
it was unveiled yesterday through investigations by the 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) that both the sender and 
 
TOKYO 00001023  005 OF 012 
 
 
recipient are the same person and not Horie. According to several 
party members, the person who introduced the e-mail to House of 
Representatives member Hisayasu Nagata, a Minshuto member, is a 
freelance reporter. 
 
A Minshuto member, though, said: "The allegation cannot be 
completely denied," keeping in mind the possibility that the 
contents of the e-mail were altered. The opposition party has 
continued fact-finding inquiries from persons concerned and 
intends to announce the results of the investigation by the end 
of this week if things go smoothly. 
 
In an effort to look into the e-mail's authenticity, the party 
investigation team poured its energy into finding out the sender 
and the recipient of the e-mail, portions which reportedly had 
already been blacked out when Nagata obtained it. As a result, 
the party found the e-mail address of the freelance reporter 
printed on the mail, according to informed sources. It is 
believed that the reporter sent it to his own mail address for 
some reason. 
 
Minshuto has confirmed, though, that the mail is highly likely to 
have actually been sent out at 3:21 p.m. on Aug. 26 of last year, 
as it says on the e-mail's time-stamp. Given this, a party member 
commented: "Little attention had been paid to relations between 
Livedoor funds and political circles as of last August, so the 
possibility cannot be completely ruled out that the controversial 
e-mail had been created based on some information on an e-mail 
actually sent out by Livedoor." 
 
In this connection, Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Yoshihiko 
Noda stated on a TV program yesterday: 
 
"It is difficult to prove the authenticity of the e-mail at 
present, but I do not support the allegation that it was 
fabricated. Even if some parts of the e-mail were altered, there 
are some that seem credible in content." 
 
7) Marine chart software for all vessels found to have been 
leaked along with leakage of MSDF's information; Fear of 
strategic accuracy being known to other countries 
 
MAINICHI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
February 26, 2006 
 
It was learned yesterday that marine chart software, developed 
independently for antisubmarine patrolling in Japanese waters, 
had been leaked out along with the data recently leaked out from 
the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF). The software can show a 
color image of seafloor topography of a specified sea area in 
three dimensions, which makes it easy to work out a strategy. 
According to an MSDF official concerned, the software was 
developed as the basic software used for all vessels, submarines 
and patrol aircraft, and is still in use. Given the fear of 
strategic accuracy being known to other countries through the 
leaked software, Japan will be forced to change its national 
defense plan. 
 
This marine chart software was developed by an engineering 
official at the MSDF's Operation and Development Unit (currently 
Vessel Development Unit) around 2000. The purpose was to make it 
easier to work out a strategy by using a highly detailed image of 
 
TOKYO 00001023  006 OF 012 
 
 
seafloor topography in three dimensions. The software was 
upgraded 16 times until September 2002. 
 
According to the manual and other files that come with the 
software, when an area is specified on the computer screen, a 
bird's eye-view of seabed topography is shown along with 
geographic latitude and longitude, as well as depth, and a cross- 
section image also can be shown. When an island shown on the 
chart is clicked, data relating to the island, such as its name, 
circumference, and area, are shown. The software has a number of 
functions, such as calculating a specified ground area and show 
sun-rising time and sun-setting time, the direction and altitude 
of the sun quickly. 
 
8) US bases in Okinawa: Japan, US in US military realignment 
talks agree on joint use of Kadena base and Camp Hansen 
 
Mainichi (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
February 26, 2006 
 
By Masaki Miyashita 
 
In the ongoing talks on the realignment of US forces in Japan, 
the Japanese and US governments have agreed on plans for joint 
use of the US Kadena Air Base and the US  Marine Corps' Camp 
Hansen between the US forces and the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), 
the Mainichi Shimbun learned yesterday. This is the first 
agreement in accordance with the interim report on the 
realignment of US bases in Okinawa, released last October. The 
joint-use plans will be incorporated in the final report to come 
out at the end of March. But local objections to the plans are 
likely to intensify because strengthening of military links comes 
first before anything else amid slow progress in talks on burden 
reduction, such as noise reduction at the Kadena base and a cut 
in US Marines in Okinawa. 
 
According to the agreement, the US Air Force and the Air Self- 
Defense Force (ASDF) will conduct joint drills - aerial combat, 
search and rescue, and transportation - by using F15-fighters 
with the Kadena base as the center of the drills. In Camp Hansen, 
the Marine Corps and the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) will 
conduct combat and live-fire training. The objective is to 
reinforce joint operational capabilities, assuming an emergency 
in Japan and a response to a large-scale terrorist attack. Both 
bases are the facilities for the US forces' exclusive use, so 
there is the need to follow the procedures for joint use in 
accordance with the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement. 
 
9) Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry's simulation: 470 
commercial flights being forced to make detours or steep turns 
daily to avoid Yokota RAPCON zone; Number of flights expected to 
increase to 650 in 2006 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
Evening, February 25, 2006 
 
About 470 fights taking off from and landing at Haneda and Narita 
Air Ports are being forced daily to make detours, steep climbing 
turns, or other measures due to the rights to air traffic control 
owned by Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, known as Yokota radar approach 
control (Yokota RAPCON), according to the Land, Infrastructure 
and Transport Ministry's first ever simulation. With Haneda and 
 
TOKYO 00001023  007 OF 012 
 
 
other airports scheduled to accommodate more flights in 2009, 
Yokota RAPCON is expected to affect an estimate 650 flights that 
year. The simulation underpinned the theory that a partial return 
of the southern part of Yokota RAPCON will lead to shorter flight 
time and less fuel. 
 
The airports' operational hours show that at present a plane has 
to make a detour around Yokota RAPCON every two minutes, but the 
frequency is expected to increase to every 90 seconds in 2009 and 
beyond. Experts have repeatedly pointed out that Yokota RAPCON 
has been restricting flight routes in Japan and its proximity, 
causing near misses. The Japanese and the US government have been 
conducting talks for a return of the airspace to Japan. The 
ministry's simulation has nothing to do with the bilateral talks, 
according to a ministry source. 
 
According to the simulation, at present about 190 flights from 
Haneda to northern Kyushu, such as Fukuoka, and Chugoku and 
Shikoku are forced to climb steeply over Tokyo Bay in order to 
rise over Yokota RAPCON. Without Yokota RAPCON, flight time can 
be shortened by three minutes. Conversely, 240 flights from such 
destinations to Haneda are forced to spend nine extra minutes to 
go around the southern edge of Yokota RAPCON. In addition, some 
40 flights from Narita to such destinations as South Korea's 
Seoul and China's Beijing need to spend seven extra minutes to 
fly over the Boso area. 
 
Haneda Airport is scheduled to open its fourth runway in 2009 and 
Narita Airport is expected to expand its second runway to 2,500 
meters to increase their capability to handle takeoffs and 
landings to 1.4 and 1.1 times, respectively. This also means that 
Yokota RAPCON will affect a total of 646 flights: 266 from 
Haneda, 336 to Haneda, and 44 to Narita. 
 
10) US vows to cut 8,000 Marines in Okinawa 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
February 27, 2006 
 
The United States has told Japan that it would be possible to 
reduce up to about 8,000 US Marines in Okinawa as a step for the 
planned realignment of US forces in Japan to alleviate the island 
prefecture's base-hosting burden, sources revealed yesterday. 
Meanwhile, the Japanese and US governments have already released 
an interim report incorporating a bilateral agreement to reduce 
about 7,000 Okinawa-based Marines. The two governments, slated to 
come up with a final report in late March, would like to work out 
details about their respective shares of the cost of Marine 
relocation to Guam. The US government wants this to be settled 
along with Futenma airfield's relocation. However, the government 
is facing difficulties in its coordination with base-hosting 
local communities. 
 
The US government has offered to reduce Okinawa-based Marines, 
including those assigned to the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force's 
headquarters at Camp Courtney, a US military base located in the 
city of Uruma, and the greater part of them will be moved to 
Guam. The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit-currently based at Camp 
Hansen in the town of Kin and other municipalities-and most other 
combat troops are expected to remain deployed in Okinawa. 
 
In realignment talks, the Japanese government asked the US 
 
TOKYO 00001023  008 OF 012 
 
 
government to show grounds for the US government's estimated 
costs for Marine relocation to Guam. The US government, in its 
calculation of troop cuts, deemed it possible to carry out a 
reduction of up to 8,000 troops from the current deployment of 
about 15,000 Marines in Okinawa. Their family dependents are 
expected to total about 10,000. 
 
Japan and the United States are to share costs for relocation to 
Guam. However, the Japanese government has asked the US 
government to show detailed grounds for the US government's 
estimate amounting to approximately 8 billion dollars. In 
addition, the two governments have yet to finalize their 
respective shares in the costs. 
 
Furthermore, the US government's position is that it would be 
difficult to move the Okinawa-based Marines if Futenma airfield 
cannot be relocated from the city of Ginowan to Cape Henoko in 
the city of Nago. The US government has been insisting on 
settling Marine relocation to Guam and Futenma relocation to 
Henoko as a "package" to maintain deterrence. 
 
Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro, however, has been calling for 
the Japanese government to modify the Cape Henoko plan. Prime 
Minister Koizumi has rejected the call. There has been no 
progress in coordination between the government and local 
authorities. 
 
11) Final Japan-US coordination on USFJ realignment will add 
another 1,000 US Marines to tally to make reduction of Marines on 
Okinawa total 8,000; Three facilities also to be fully returned 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Excerpt) 
February 26, 2006 
 
It was learned on Feb. 25 that the US government has informed the 
Japanese government that in connection with the reduction of US 
Marines stationed on Okinawa -- a showcase feature of the 
realignment of US forces in Japan -- it is thinking of adding 
another 1,000 more than originally planned, as a result of close 
examination of troop relocation possibilities, to bring the total 
number to 8,000 troops. In addition, the Japanese and US 
governments are now in the final process of coordinating the 
inclusion in the final report on USFJ realignment the 
consolidation and realignment of four facilities in south and 
central Okinawa that were not set by the interim report last 
October. Three of the four facilities that will be included in 
the final report in March will be fully returned: Naha Military 
Port in Naha City, Makiminato Service Area in Urasoe, and Camp 
Kuwae in Chitancho. The fourth facility, Camp Zukeran in Ginowan 
will be partially returned. 
 
12) US sounds out Japan on GSDF deployment to Basra 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
February 27, 2006 
 
Washington, Kyodo 
 
The US government has recently sounded out the Japanese 
government on sending Ground Self-Defense Force officers to the 
southern Iraqi city of Basra to have them participate in a 
provincial reconstruction team (PRT) for the purpose of helping 
 
TOKYO 00001023  009 OF 012 
 
 
Iraq improve its security and administrative capabilities, 
sources said yesterday. In addition, the US government has also 
asked Japan to expand the scope of Air Self-Defense Force 
activities using C-130 transport planes to two localities, 
including Baghdad, sources close to Japan-US relations revealed. 
 
The US government, which wants to have Iraq establish its 
legitimate government at an early date, has repeatedly urged 
Japan to participate in the PRT, with an eye on Japan's planned 
withdrawal of GSDF troops in late May. However, this is the first 
time that the US government has called for Japan's engagement 
with specific place names. 
 
The Japanese government remains cautious about participating in 
the PRT for fear of casualties among GSDF personnel. However, 
some Japanese government officials take it as "a de facto request 
to dispatch GSDF troops to Basra," and the Japanese government is 
continuing internal consultations. The government will likely be 
pressed to come up with an extremely difficult decision along 
with that on the expansion of airlift missions. 
 
13) US, Britain, Australia concurs with Japan's plan to withdraw 
GSDF from Samawah during end of March to May 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Excerpt) 
Evening, February 25, 2006 
 
In a meeting on Feb. 24 (local time) of working-level foreign and 
security affairs officials at the British Defense Ministry in 
London, the Japanese government has briefed and received the 
concurrence of the US, British, and Australian governments on a 
plan to start withdrawal of Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) 
troops carrying out humanitarian assistance activities in Samawah 
in southern Iraq in late March, and complete the pull out by mid- 
May. There is a possibility of the start of the withdrawal being 
delayed due to the changes in the public security situation at 
the local site, so Prime Minister Koizumi is thinking of making 
the final determination on the timing, looking at the moves of 
the other countries' troops and the political process in Iraq. 
 
14) Iranian foreign minister to arrive in Japan today; Prime 
Minister, Foreign Minister to call for giving up on nuclear 
ambitions 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 27, 2006 
 
Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki will arrive in Japan 
today. He will meet Foreign Minister Taro Aso the same day and 
pay courtesy call on Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi tomorrow. 
Should the United Nations Security Council adopt a resolution 
calling for economic sanctions against Iran for its resumption of 
nuclear research activities, including uranium enrichment, 
Japan's oil policy will be enormously affected. Japan imports 15% 
of its petroleum from Iran and is pushing ahead with a project to 
independently exploit a large-scale oil field in that nation. 
Keeping this in mind, Japan intends to convey to Mottaki the 
international community's strong reaction to his country's moves, 
urging Iran to give up on its nuclear ambitions. 
 
Iran is the third largest oil supplier to Japan, following Saudi 
Arabia and United Arab Emirates. The nation houses the Azadegan 
 
TOKYO 00001023  010 OF 012 
 
 
oil field in its southwest part, in which Japanese companies have 
engaged in developing oil. The two countries have established 
friendly ties, and Japan has taken a different stance toward the 
nation from that of the US, which deems the nation as part of the 
"axis of evil." 
 
In a press briefing held prior to a meeting with Mottaki, Aso 
said: "I will say what the other side doesn't want to hear," 
indicating that he would try to persuade Iran to give up its 
nuclear research activities. 
 
The Japanese side is ready to seek a peaceful solution by taking 
such an approach as praising the proposed plan for Iran to carry 
out the uranium enrichment process in Russia as "constructive," 
as Aso has noted. 
 
Iran has asserted: "Peaceful use (of nuclear weapons) has been 
allowed for Japan, a member nation of the Nuclear Non- 
Proliferation Treaty (NPT), like Iran." Keeping this in mind, the 
Japanese government will explain that the International Atomic 
Energy Agency (IAEA) recognized as a result of nearly 30 years of 
surveillance that "there are no doubts about Japan converting 
nuclear material for military use." Based on this, Japan will 
urge Iran to cooperate with IAEA inspections. 
 
15) Yuji Miyamoto named next ambassador to China 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
February 25, 2006 
 
Yuji Miyamoto, ambassador in charge of Okinawa affairs, a member 
of the so-called "China School," a group of specialists in the 
Chinese in the Foreign Ministry, was appointed yesterday to serve 
as next ambassador to China. The ministry initially intended to 
pick Yutaka Iimura, incumbent ambassador to Indonesia, a non- 
China School member, to the post, but it later made an unusual 
step to back off from its plan, having met a negative response 
from the Prime Minister's Official residence. A high ministry 
official commented on Miyamoto's appointment: "He is not a person 
to try to gain China's favor even though he belongs to the China 
School. He has his own opinions." 
 
16) ITER: Japan to place 20% or 11 billion yen worthy of orders 
with South Korea from its budget framework; Acknowledgement of 
support for Japan's bid to host project 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
February 27, 2006 
 
In the construction of the International Thermonuclear 
Experimental Reactor (ITER), the government has decided to 
allocate approximately 11 billion yen for projects or about 20% 
of Japan's budget to South Korea. In the original plan, the 
government intended to place orders for such with Japanese 
companies. Japan has obtained preferential treatments, including 
an expanded procurement framework in return for giving in to the 
EU on the construction site for facilities for the ITER. South 
Korea had been resentful of Japan alone being preferentially 
treated. It can, therefore, be said that the government's measure 
is a reward to South Korea for its support for Japan's campaign. 
The South Korean government has reportedly accepted the offer. 
 
 
TOKYO 00001023  011 OF 012 
 
 
Cadarache in the southern part of France has been selected as a 
site for the construction of the ITER. Japan, the EU, South 
Korea, the US, Russia, China and India will take part in the 
project. The construction costs are expected to total 
approximately 570 billion yen. The EU, which has succeeded in 
hosting the project, will shoulder 45% of the total construction 
costs. The remaining six countries will shoulder approximately 9% 
respectively. 
 
In return for giving up on its desire to host the ITER project, 
Japan last June obtained the right to preferential treatments, 
including that the EU procures 20% of the construction expenses 
it shoulders from Japanese domestic companies; related facilities 
should be built in Japan and the framework for Japanese personnel 
should be increased. 
 
South Korea had supported Japan's efforts to invite the project. 
According to an informed source, there was a secret deal between 
the two countries that if Japan succeeds in hosting the project, 
Japan will increase procurement from South Korea. 
 
South Korea had complained of the decision that Japan alone is to 
be awarded with preferential treatments in return for its giving 
up its bid to host the project, saying, "South Korea and Japan 
are in the same situation in the sense they are not the host 
country for ITER." Tokyo and Seoul have repeatedly held talks to 
settle this issue. 
 
As a result, the two countries agreed that the Japanese 
government places orders with South Korea for projects worth 
about 11 billion yen out of 9% or approximately 52 billion yen of 
the ITER construction costs, on which Japan has the right to 
place orders. 
 
The construction of ITER itself is expected to start next year or 
later. 
 
17) Inclusion of backbones: US inspector says, "I did not receive 
training on export requirements"; Not aware of conditions for 
Japan-bound exports 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) 
Evening, February 25, 2006 
 
In connection with the inclusion of backbones, a risk material 
that should have been as part of measures to prevent BSE 
infection, it has been learned that two USDA inspectors who 
authorized exports of products in question to Japan never 
received training on meat exports and did not know export 
conditions at all. The two testified in response to a hearing of 
circumstances conducted by the USDA. 
 
It has become clear that a sloppy checking system in the US has 
given rise to the inclusion of backbones in the Japan-bound 
shipment. The testimony will bring to light the faulty meat 
control administration in the US. 
 
The USDA on Feb. 17 submitted a report on the circumstances that 
have led to the inclusion of spinal columns and a package of 
measures designed to prevent a recurrence. The statements were 
unveiled through the deposition taken from the inspectors, which 
the USDA released as an appendix to the report. 
 
TOKYO 00001023  012 OF 012 
 
 
 
According to the statements, Inspector Wai Or, who authorized the 
export of beef by Atlantic Veal & Lamb Inc. in New York was hired 
nine months ago. He did not receive any training or orientation 
on export procedures. He did not know export requirements for 
Japan, either. He reportedly noted that he thought his USDA 
veterinarian supervisor was responsible for that. 
 
SCHIEFFER