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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 000968 
 
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 02/24/06 
 
Index: 
 
1)   Top headlines 
2)   Editorials 
3)   Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
Defense topics: 
4)   Prime Minister Koizumi rules out any changes in 
  controversial Camp Schwab coastal plan for Futenma relocation 
5)   Nago mayor, Okinawa react sharply to Prime Minister's 
rejection of revision of relocation site for Futenma 
 
6)   MSDF leak in secret information reveals lax security 
  protection system 
7)   Four countries to discuss timetable for pullout from 
Samawah, Iraq 
8)   Then Foreign Minister Yohei Kono order denial of existence 
of secret pact between US, Japan on Okinawa reversion 
 
9)   Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe joins Foreign Minister Aso in 
  rebutting Russia on alleged "interference in internal affairs" 
 
China connection: 
10)  Ruling parties get less than royal treatment during visit to 
  China 
11)  Japan, China agree to clean up WWII chemical residue left 
behind by Japanese Imperial Army 
12)  Minshuto spells out policy view toward China 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) crash lands in Diet: 
13)  Admitting "my assumption" was wrong, Minshuto lawmaker 
  offers to resign over e-mail fiasco but party puts it off 
14)  Minshuto in total confusion over e-mail fiasco, but so far 
party is not asking for Maehara's head 
15)  As e-mail caper in Diet collapses, local chapters of 
Minshuto wonder "what's going on in the party?" 
16)  E-mail disaster reveals total lack of crisis management 
capability in Minshuto 
 
17)  Police crime statistics show rise in crimes by foreigners 
  last year 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Mainichi, and Yomiuri: 
Nagata's resignation over "Horie e-mail" shelved for time being; 
Exhausted lawmaker hospitalized for rest 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
High oil prices partially passed to finished products; Prices of 
boxes, plastic bags rising 
 
Sankei: 
NTT DoCoMo succeeded in 2.5 gigabit -- 6510 times faster than 
FOMA - fourth-generation telecommunications outdoor testing 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Livedoor decided on fictitious deal before fiscal 2004 account 
settlement in presence of Horie 
 
 
TOKYO 00000968  002 OF 012 
 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1)  Minshuto, plunging deeper into chaos, must make a fresh 
start 
(2)  Former National Land Agency chief Kosuke Ito: His good 
offices for Huser exposed 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)  Minshuto lawmaker Nagata: He should offer clear explanation 
before resigning 
(2)  Japanese Red Army: Bitter lessons must not be forgotten 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1)  Defense Agency must guard its secrets 
(2)  Horie rearrested: The hero betrayed the market 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1)  Stage almost set for quantitative easing 
(2)  Minshuto must put an end to the e-mail scandal properly 
 
Sankei: 
(1)  Minshuto needs a fresh start for restoring public trust 
(2)  Earthquake-resistance data falsification scandal: Ito must 
be summoned as a sworn witness 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)  Minshuto in hot seat: Should Maehara leadership continue? 
(2)  METI Minister's visit to China: A chance to change the 
politically cold relationship 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, February 23 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
February 24, 2006 
 
11:00 
Met at Kantei with LDP lawmakers from Okinawa, including Lower 
House member Seiji Nakamura, joined by former defense chief 
Ishiba. Met afterwards with Land, Infrastructure, and Transport 
Ministry Policy Bureau chief Takekura, Fair Trade Commission 
Secretary General Uesugi, and Assistant Deputy Chief Cabinet 
 
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Secretary Saka. 
 
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12:41 
Met with Vice Administrative Vice Defense Minister Moriya. 
 
14:30 
Met with LDP FTA/EPA Committee Chairman Yatsu. 
 
15:22 
Met Japan Post President Ikuta. 
 
16:35 
Met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Futahashi. 
 
17:30 
Attended a meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy. 
 
19:18 
 
TOKYO 00000968  003 OF 012 
 
 
Dined with CEFP members from the private sector, Homan and 
Yoshikawa. 
 
21:16 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
4) Prime Minister Koizumi has no intention to revise government's 
Futenma relocation plan 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
February 24, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi met yesterday with five Diet 
members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), including House of 
Representatives member Seiji Nakamura, all of whom were elected 
from Okinawa. In the meeting, Koizumi told the lawmakers that he 
had no intention to revise the government plan to relocate the US 
Marine Corps Futenma Air Station (Ginowan City, Okinawa 
Prefecture) to the cost of Camp Schwab (Nago City, Okinawa). 
 
5) Nago City mayor, Okinawa Prefecture react sharply to Prime 
Minister's rejection of revision of relocation site for Futenma: 
"We'll go with the government's plan" 
 
RYUKYU SHIMPO (Page 1) (Excerpt) 
February 24, 2006 
 
With Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's rejection of any revision 
of the plan to relocate the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station 
to the coastal portion of Camp Schwab by saying yesterday, "I 
would like to go with the government's plan," Nago City Mayor 
Yoshikazu Shimabukuro last evening reacted strongly, saying: "The 
prefecture, the city of Nago, and local residents all are 
unconvinced. Since the local community and the city government 
have continued to state that we cannot accept the plan as is, 
what in the world is he (the prime minister) thinking?" 
 
6) MSDF info leak: Data control found lax, serious repercussions 
likely 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
February 24, 2006 
 
The recent Internet leakage of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's 
in-house files, including confidential documents, has exposed the 
government's lax management of information regarding national 
security. The Defense Agency remains unable to gauge the 
incident's possible impact. Prime Minister Koizumi yesterday told 
the Defense Agency directly to take preventive steps. The 
government is taking this problem seriously. 
 
The Defense Agency categorizes its in-house materials under the 
three-stage precedence of "top secret" (kimitsu), "strictly 
secret" (gokuhi), and "secret" (hi). 
 
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The materials leaked this time are less confidential data falling 
under the "secret" category, a Defense Agency official says. 
Those materials include a listing of call signs used to identify 
Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels. "The MSDF will not be 
affected, because its vessels use different call signs in 
everyday operations," an MSDF staff officer at the Defense Agency 
said. The officer added, "We're now looking into the incident's 
 
TOKYO 00000968  004 OF 012 
 
 
repercussions, but it's very difficult to find out which units 
will be affected." 
 
"We must have impeccable information security for Japan's 
national security," Defense Agency Director General Nukaga stated 
in a House of Representatives plenary session yesterday 
afternoon. With this, Nukaga stressed that the agency would do 
its utmost to establish an information security system. The 
agency has set up an investigative committee to study specific 
countermeasures. 
 
Meanwhile, Koizumi called in Takemasa Moriya, administrative 
deputy director general of the Defense Agency, to his office 
yesterday afternoon. "This incident will cause the government to 
lose public confidence," Koizumi told Moriya. The premier also 
told Moriya to work out preventive measures for thoroughgoing 
information management. 
 
7) 4-nation talks to be held today on Samawah pullout 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Slightly abridged) 
February 24, 2006 
 
The governments of four countries-Japan, the United States, 
Britain, and Australia-will hold a meeting of working-level 
officials for foreign affairs and defense today in London to 
discuss the planned withdrawal of Ground Self-Defense Force 
troops currently deployed in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah, 
as well as the pullout of British and Australian troops. Japan, 
Britain, and Australia have decided to withdraw their troops by 
the end of May. Their troop withdrawal is expected to begin in 
March if the United States' understanding is obtained. 
 
In Iraq, the timetabled establishment of a new government will 
likely be delayed into April or afterward. However, Japan, 
Britain, and Australia will withdraw their respective troops 
before Iraq establishes a permanent government, explaining that 
the political process in Iraq is underway. Japan will continue to 
engage the Air Self-Defense Force in airlift missions between 
Kuwait and Iraq, whereby Japan would like to obtain the United 
States' understanding for its planned withdrawal of GSDF troops. 
 
8) 'Secret deal' on Okinawa reversion denied at Kono's request: 
ex-official 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
February 24, 2006 
 
In 1972, the United States returned Okinawa to Japan. In those 
days, the US government was supposed to pay 4 million dollars to 
restore the island prefecture's base land to its original state. 
Japan, however, made a secret deal with the United States to 
shoulder the cost. In 2000, US records verifying pact were 
discovered. At the time, Bunroku Yoshino, 87, who was the then 
director general of the American Affairs Bureau at the Foreign 
Ministry and was in charge of negotiations with the US 
government, told the Asahi Shimbun that Yohei Kono, the then 
foreign minister and current House of Representatives speaker, 
asked Yoshino to deny the pact. "Anyway, we had only to have the 
agreement ratified," Yoshino said, adding: "Get it over with and 
forget it. That's the kind of feeling I had. I thought to forget 
all about it." 
 
TOKYO 00000968  005 OF 012 
 
 
 
Yoshino retracted his previous testimony in an Asahi Shimbun 
interview early this month and admitted to the secret deal. Later 
on, the Asahi Shimbun interviewed him twice. In the interviews, 
he revealed Kono's request to deny the deal. 
 
In 2000, Masaaki Gabe, a professor at the University of the 
Ryukyus, and the Asahi Shimbun obtained US documents, one of 
which quotes Yoshino as saying the Japanese government will 
"secure" 4 million dollars, which, according to the Okinawa 
reversion agreement, the US government was supposed to pay on its 
own initiative. The document was signed by Yoshino and US 
Minister to Japan Sneider from the US embassy in Japan. 
 
Yoshino, according to his own account, received a telephone call 
from a Foreign Ministry official after the secret deal made the 
news. The official then asked Yoshino to deny the secret 
agreement if asked about it in press interviews, Yoshino told the 
Asahi Shimbun. Former Foreign Minister Kono also called Yoshino 
and asked him to do so. 
 
Kono later met the press and reiterated his predecessors' 
parliamentary remarks. In 2002, another US government official 
document endorsing the secret agreement was discovered. Foreign 
Minister Kawaguchi at the time stated before the House of 
Councillors Budget Committee that Kono had directly confirmed 
this with Yoshino. With this, Kawaguchi, based on Yoshino's 
testimony, denied the secret pact. With his testimony this time, 
the government has lost its grounds for its Diet reply. 
 
"Anyway, it was important to get the agreement ratified," Yoshino 
said. "I thought to forget all about it because I thought that I 
wouldn't feel guilty," he added. 
 
9) Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe rebuts Russia over criticism of 
Aso's comment 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full0 
February 24, 2006 
 
The Russian Foreign Ministry released a statement that Japanese 
Foreign Minister Taro Aso's comments on Japan-Russia relations 
were "interference in internal affairs." In that context, Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe stated in a press conference 
yesterday: "Foreign Minister Aso made a comment based on Japan's 
claim that the four northern territories belong to Japan. The 
Russian government's criticism is wrong." 
 
Foreign Ministry European Affairs Bureau Deputy Director General 
Tsuyoshi Yagi told the Russian minister to Japan on the phone, 
 
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"Since Russia's claim is utterly wrong, we cannot accept it." The 
minister then responded, by saying, "I will convey your claim to 
my home country." 
 
10) China differentiates treatment of ruling-party delegation to 
China from pro-Chinese Nikai; No high-level official responds; 
Checks post-Koizumi contenders 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
February 24, 2006 
 
The ruling parties' delegation to China, including Liberal 
 
TOKYO 00000968  006 OF 012 
 
 
Democratic Party Policy Research Council Chairman Hidenao 
Nakagawa, returned home yesterday. The delegation in talks with 
key Chinese government officials and members of the Communist 
Party found common ground on the need to repair the strained 
bilateral relations. The Chinese side, however, maintained the 
position that settling the Yasukuni Shrine issue should be the 
precondition for mending ties. Economy, Trade, and Industry 
Minister Toshihiro Nikai happened to be separately visiting China 
around the same time. In selecting partners for talks with ruling- 
party delegation members and Nikai, the Chinese side sent 
officials of different ranks to the two separate meetings. It 
thus appears that it wanted to send a message to post-Koizumi 
contenders, including Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, that it 
will not give in on the Yasukuni issue, through Nakagawa, who 
will play a role in the post-Koizumi race. 
 
During a meeting of the Japan-China Ruling Party Exchange 
Council, the main event in the delegation's visit to China, 
Nakagawa stated, "Our two countries need to focus more on common 
areas than differences, placing a priority on common interests." 
He thus noted that if the two countries stick to the Yasukuni 
issue, interests that are more important for both countries would 
be lost. "Common interests" was the key phrase for the 
delegation. 
 
The Chinese side indicated understanding of common interests, but 
it reiterated that differences in views of the two countries on 
the Yasukuni issue are not minor. Chinese Foreign Ministry 
Spokesman Liu Jianchao also pointed out: "If the Japanese side 
has illusions on this issue, it will not suit the improvement and 
development of bilateral relations." 
 
The partners of the talks were also disappointing for the 
Japanese side. Japan wanted to meet Wo Bangguo, chairman of the 
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and Vice 
President Zeng Qinghong. However, the delegation found it 
impossible to make arrangements for talks with either of them. A 
meeting with Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing was also canceled that 
day. On the other hand, Premier Wen Jiabao (who ranks third in 
the Communist Party) met Nikai. Another delegation consisting of 
members of seven Japan-China friendship organizations, including 
Ryutaro Hashimoto, which is scheduled to visit China in late 
March, is expected to meet with President Hu Jintao. Thus, the 
gap in the treatment is clear. 
 
Giving up on repairing the deteriorated relationship while Prime 
Minister Junichiro Koizumi is in power, China has begun to 
envisage a strategy toward Japan in the post-Koizumi era. The 
Chinese side was, therefore, motivated by the desire to give 
priority to the Japan-China Ruling Party Exchange Council as a 
setting for it to directly indicate basic conditions for mending 
the bilateral relations. 
 
As if to endorse this, Feb. 23 edition of Chinese dailies, such 
as the People's Daily, elaborately reported the contents of 
discussions with members of the Exchange Council rather than the 
contents of the talks between Wen and Nikai. Wang Jiarui, 
director of the Chinese Communist Party's International Liaison 
Department, during the meeting said: "The key to finding a 
breakthrough in the stalemate is for Japanese leaders to stop 
visiting Yasukuni Shrine. They should have political wisdom and 
courage." His statement was directed at post-Koizumi contenders. 
 
TOKYO 00000968  007 OF 012 
 
 
 
China during an internal meeting held late last year confirmed 
that the Yasukuni issue is a serious one concerning principles 
and that China will not compromise. At the same time, it also 
came up with a stance that once that issue is settled, it would 
be possible to resume top-level exchanges. The meeting with 
members of the Exchange Council can be characterized as a setting 
for the Chinese side to convey this policy to the Japanese side. 
 
China believes that Nakagawa will continue to play a key role in 
the post-Koizumi era. It apparently wants to use the Exchange 
Council as a starting point in building a new channel with 
Japanese political circles. 
 
11) Japan, China agree to set up combined organ to dispose of 
chemical weapons abandoned by the former Japan Imperial Army 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 23, 2006 
 
The Japanese and Chinese governments as of Feb. 22 have basically 
agreed to a plan to establish in the near future a "Japan-China 
Combined Organization" (tentative name) to jointly carry out the 
disposal of chemical weapons abandoned in China by the former 
Japan Imperial Army during World War II. The two governments 
agreed to a five-year extension on the current deadline of April 
2007 to dispose of the weapons, and, based on local surveys, to 
revise downward the estimated number of buried shells from 
approximately 700,000 to a new figure of between 300,000 and 
400,000. 
 
12) Minshuto recognizes China as threat to Japan 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Excerpts) 
February 24, 2006 
 
The main opposition party Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) 
approved in principle a basic view on China in a meeting 
yesterday of its foreign policy and defense department. The view 
finds it inevitable that China's military buildup and its moves 
to line up marine interests " from the viewpoint of the Japanese 
people are recognized as an actual threat to Japan " The largest 
opposition party also criticized the "intent" of the Chinese 
government for carrying out "words and actions that repeatedly 
threaten Japan's sovereignty." Those views are likely to be 
included in a "Maehara Vision" on foreign policy and security 
policy, which will be issues before the end of the ongoing Diet 
session. 
 
The basic view titled, "For Stable Cooperative Relations with 
China," points out that military threats rise to the surface with 
there is a linkage of "capabilities" and "intention." The view 
states that since there is a good reason for Japanese people to 
feel a Chinese military threat, the party should seriously take 
public concern about China's military actions. 
 
Outline of Minshuto's view on China 
 
China has rapidly moved forward with modernization of its 
military power by adding a fourth generation fighter aircraft, 
submarines and destroyers, in addition to nuclear weapons and 
ballistic missiles that can reach Japan. 
 
TOKYO 00000968  008 OF 012 
 
 
 
There is a good reason for many Japanese people to feel a threat 
to China's military buildup. The Democratic Party of Japan takes 
seriously public concern about China's military activities. 
 
The Chinese government has repeatedly in its words and actions 
threatened our country's sovereignty in terms of "its intention" 
such as the development of maritime resources based on its own 
assertion of sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands 
in Chinese), the Okinotorishima islands and the median line 
between Japan and China. 
 
If China strongly insists its own claims backed by its military 
"capability," Japan-China relations will unavoidably become 
tense. It is inevitable that the Japanese public takes such a 
situation as an actual threat. 
 
13) E-mail caper -- Minshuto Nagata: "Acted on my assumptions," 
apologizes and takes rest, but his resignation put off 
 
MAINICHI (Top Play) (Full) 
February 24, 2006 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) member Hisayasu Nagata, 36, 
expressed his intention to resign as a Diet legislator after he 
failed to prove his allegation that former Livedoor President 
Takafumi Horie had instructed one of his employees to wire 30 
million yen to the second son of Liberal Democratic Party 
Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe. In response to this 
 
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development, the opposition party urgently called an executive 
committee meeting last night to discuss whether to accept the 
resignation. The party decided in the meeting to tell Nagata to 
rest for a while. This means that the party leadership has chosen 
to delay its decision on his immediate fate. Secretary General 
Yukio Hatoyama quoted Nagata as saying: "I acted on my 
assumption. I offer an apology to the people and the party." He 
thus admitted it was a mistake for him to have taken up the issue 
at the Diet and expressed his regret. The party executive expects 
to see the situation calm down with Nagata's taking a rest. Some 
Minshuto members, however, have questioned party leaders' 
responsibility over the E-mail furor. The opposition party has 
unprecedentedly been thrown into confusion. 
 
Appearing on a TBS program last night, Hatoyama said: "Not only 
Mr. Nagata but even the party leaders who believed the 
credibility of the e-mail, including me, have to feel 
responsible." 
 
Last evening, Hatoyama and Diet Affairs Committee Chairman 
Yoshihiko Noda met with Nagata at a Tokyo hotel. Although Nagata 
had expressed his intention to resign when he met Noda on the 
night of Feb. 22, he reportedly said yesterday changed his mind. 
Hatoyama explained about Nagata's state of mind to reporters 
after the executive committee meeting last night: "He is in 
emotional turmoil. He is now in quite an unstable state in part 
from lack of sleep." The party leaders cannot figure out Nagata's 
real feelings. Hatoyama suggested that the party would take time 
in making a judgment. Some observers speculate that party leaders 
might be worried that an acceptance of Nagata's resignation might 
lead to the issue of their own culpability. 
 
In its emergency executive committee meeting yesterday morning, 
 
TOKYO 00000968  009 OF 012 
 
 
the party decided to leave to Hatoyama the decision on whether to 
accept Nagata's resignation. Speaking to reporters last evening, 
Noda ruled out the possibility of his resignation, saying: "It is 
our responsibility to make utmost efforts to uncover the details 
of the allegations involving Livedoor and persons close to Mr. 
Takebe." But it is uncertain whether the party executive would be 
able to calm down growing criticism against it over the clumsy 
responses taken after Nagata brought up the topic in the Diet and 
following Nagata's admission of his error. 
 
In a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on Feb. 
16, Nagata took up the e-mail issue but refused to table 
evidence, such as who was the sender, citing the need to protect 
the identity of the information provider. In reaction, questions 
were being raised about the authenticity of the e-mail from among 
LDP members. In the party head debate on Feb. 22, as well, the 
Minshuto head failed to present new evidence. (TN: Articles in 
weekly magazines have identified the sender as a freelance 
journalist with a spotty reputation for scandalous stories in 
tabloids.) 
 
Nagata hospitalized 
 
The Minshuto spokesman announced last night that Nagata was 
hospitalized in Meguro Ward, Tokyo. An executive member 
commented: "He is suffering from extreme stress." 
 
14) Confusion in Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) likely to 
be prolonged, with no one to replace Maehara; Ozawa, Kan, other 
leaders shy away from setting foot in minefield? 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
February 24, 2006 
 
The fury in Minshuto over the alleged Livedoor e-mail is likely 
to turn into a call for the resignation of the party leadership, 
including President Seiji Maehara. Members of each group in the 
party have taken the position of not holding the party leadership 
to account, apparently to avoid a destructive blow to the party, 
but their true desire is to avoid setting foot in a minefield, 
given the party is attempting to recovering from its crushing 
defeat in the Lower House election last year. However, their 
avoidance of doing so due to the difficulty in finding someone to 
replace (Maehara) will only help prolong the confusion. 
 
"The leadership has the responsibility to do our utmost to find 
out the truth of the suspicions involving Livedoor and aides to 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe," 
Yoshihiko Noda, chair of the Minshuto Diet Affairs Committee 
yesterday stressed to reporters in the Diet. 
 
The party executives intend to continue their pursuit of 
allegations that Livedoor offered money to Takebe's second son. 
They want to avoid a resignation of the leadership triggered by 
Hisayasu Nagata's resignation as a Diet member. 
 
Ichiro Ozawa and Naoto Kan, former party vice presidents, and 
others who have kept their distance from the leadership are 
taking a wait-and-see attitude, thinking that driving the 
leadership into a corner at this point could deepen the wound. 
 
15) "Horie e-mail" draws outcries from Minshuto local chapters; 
 
TOKYO 00000968  010 OF 012 
 
 
Maehara's responsibility splits local reactions 
 
ASAHI (Page 39) (Excerpts) 
February 24, 2006 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) lawmaker Hisayasu Nagata's 
sudden announcement yesterday that he would resign over the 
alleged "Horie e-mail" sent shockwaves through the party's local 
chapters, leading to such comments as, "The problem will not end 
with his resignation," and "If there is no hard evidence, he has 
no other option but to resign." Nagata's announcement split party 
members. Many also began questioning the responsibility of party 
head Seiji Maehara and other executives. The largest opposition 
party has gone down a self-destructive course after intensifying 
its offensive against the ruling coalition over the Livedoor and 
earthquake-resistance data falsification scandals and other 
matters. "We have been thrown into the abyss of despair," 
lamented a senior member of a prefectural chapter scheduled to 
face a by-election in April. 
 
"How could he do such a thing?" blasted Osaka Chapter Secretary 
General Kenji Tomita, obviously unable to conceal his irritation. 
The chapter is scheduled to open a political school for the 
general public next month with the aim of expanding the party's 
support base for the unified local elections in spring 2007. 
 
Tomita feared that the e-mail in question would prompt the public 
to call for a Lower House dissolution. "He should have posed 
questions based on hard evidence. He should of course fulfill his 
responsibility, but he won't be able to do so if there is no 
solid evidence." Tomita thinks Nagata has no choice but to 
resign. 
 
Shizuoka chapter Policy Research Council Chairman Masao Iwata 
noted: "He took up a groundless matter at the Diet and threw the 
party into turmoil. He cannot avoid taking the blame for it." 
 
Secretary General Yuichi Sakano of the Toyama chapter also said: 
 
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"We must respect Mr. Nagata's decision to resign. Besides, 
Minshuto lawmakers have caused enough scandals, such as drug 
abuse and allowing an aid to conduct legal activities without a 
license. All those scandals have had negative impacts on 
activities of prefectural chapters." 
 
Some think Nagata's resignation will hurt the party's image even 
more. One of them is the Fukuoka chapter's Ryohei Sukenobu, who 
said: 
 
"His resignation at this point would amplify public 
disappointment with Minshuto. Resigning means that the e-mail was 
bogus, and that would cause President Maehara to lose face as 
well." 
 
Maehara's responsibility splits local organizations 
 
Local chapters are also split over Maehara's course of action. 
 
Representative Yasuo Ichikawa of the Ishikawa chapter expressed 
opposition to Maehara's resignation, saying: "The Diet is in 
session, and Mr. Maehara should fulfill his responsibility. The 
party should continue seriously investigating possible ties 
 
TOKYO 00000968  011 OF 012 
 
 
between the LDP and Livedoor." 
 
Sharing Ichikawa's view, Kenji Narumi of the Ehime chapter also 
commented: 
 
"I would like to see Mr. Maehara continue urging the Diet to 
exercise its investigative powers to prove the authenticity of 
the e-mail. This will help clean up the political world." 
 
Kyoto's Soichi Utsunomiya took this view: 
 
"There was a party-head debate, and Mr. Maehara is not totally 
blameless. But he should not resign. It's not good for party 
executives to change all the time." 
 
Some are not so lenient toward Maehara's responsibility. Kazuo 
Takamatsu, an assemblyman in Akita, said in a strong tone: 
 
"Minshuto has blown itself up, exposing a lack of leadership. All 
those political stunts and the race for fame have also exposed 
the foolishness of Diet members. Mr. Maehara allowed Mr. Nagata 
to raise that question in the Diet, knowing Lower House 
dissolution would follow. Mr. Maehara's responsibility is grave." 
 
16) Minshuto lacking crisis management ability 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
February 24, 2006 
 
By Shinya Tokumasu 
 
Lawmaker Hisayasu Nagata yesterday apologized to senior members 
of Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) for the Horie e-mail 
issue. His apology has proved the alleged Horie e-mail not to be 
authentic. The case is likely to close with a poor result one 
week after Nagata's bombshell in the Lower House Budget 
Committee. 
 
The more closely the e-mail was scrutinized, the more questions 
cropped up. First, Nagata did not directly interview the person 
believed to be the source of information. He relied solely on 
information from his friend, a freelance journalist, thereby 
making his pursuit of the issue somewhat weak. According to a 
government source, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, based on 
highly reliable information, concluded that the e-mail in 
question was bogus. 
 
Party members who knew of the e-mail issue before it was brought 
up in the Diet were Nagata and only a few party executives, 
including President Seiji Maehara and Diet Policy Committee 
Chairman Yoshihiko Noda. Even Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama 
was reportedly left out of the loop. Noda, who had allowed Nagata 
to pursue the issue in the Diet, had expressed his expectations 
before his questioning in the Diet. Maehara continued to be 
protective of Nagata even after questions began to be raised, 
insisting: "It's highly reliable." As a result, he helped bring 
about a bigger blow to the party. The most serious problem is 
that the Maehara-led leadership was unable to verify the email, 
exposing its lack of crisis management capability and its 
immature Diet response. 
 
In 1983, former House of Representatives member Yanosuke Narazaki 
 
TOKYO 00000968  012 OF 012 
 
 
of the then Social Democratic Federation caused confusion in the 
Diet by saying that the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) were planning a 
coup at the Lower House Budget Committee. The case this time 
seems as though it will end up the same way. 
 
After its crushing defeat in the Lower House election last 
September, Minshuto has been trying to rebuild itself under the 
leadership of its young President Maehara, 43. But the nation's 
largest opposition parties have seen internal strife and 
divisions since the collapse of the 1955 political system, which 
involved the LDP and the Japan Socialist Party. On the other 
hand, in the LDP, where cohesive power lies in holding the reins 
of government, Prime Minister Koizumi has overcome difficulties 
by confronting the so-called forces of resistance in the party. 
But the opposition parties tend to split every time a conflict 
occurs. 
 
Nagata offered an apology to party executives, but he has not 
made any explanation at all not only to the party leadership but 
also to the public. In addition, the question of who is 
responsible has been put aside. The party appears to be in 
hopeless confusion. A veteran DPJ House of Councillors member 
remarked: "Nagata seems confused, but the party itself is 
confused. They don't understand what is the problem." 
 
17) Police raids last year net a record 47,874 crimes involving 
foreigners; Organized crimes also increase with 72% rate of joint 
criminal activities 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Full) 
February 24, 2006 
 
The National Police Agency yesterday released crime statistics 
for 2005 revealing that the number of crimes committed by 
foreigners (not permanent residents) as netted in nationwide 
crackdowns reached 47,877 incidents, up 1.6% from the previous 
year. This is the highest figure since such statistics have been 
kept starting in 1980. The number of criminals rounded up was 
down 3.0% to 22,179 persons. 
 
The portion of jointly committed crimes rose 6 points last year 
to 72.6%, the highest since such statistics were started in 1990. 
This is much higher than the percentage of joint crimes by 
Japanese (16.9% last year), indicating clearly that foreigners 
tended to be involved in organized crimes. 
 
Raids for special legal crimes such as violations of immigration 
law were down 1.4% last year to 14,833. Such felony crimes as 
murder or armed robbery were down 9.0% to 314, but burglaries, 
such as breaking into residences, were up 16.3% to 8,145 cases, 
and auto thefts were up 23.0% to 1,078. 
 
Chinese made up the largest number, 41.0%, of those arrested, 
based on nationality, or a total of 8,689. South Koreans made up 
9.6%; Philippinos, 8.4%, and Brazilians, 6.1%; 
 
SCHIEFFER