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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 9159

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 001199 
 
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 03/07/06 
 
Index: 
 
1)   Top headlines 
2)   Editorials 
3)   Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
Iraq assistance: 
4)   Government planning to delay start of GSDF withdrawal from 
  Iraq until after March, depending on situation in new Iraqi 
  government 
5)   Japanese troops' phased withdrawal from Iraq could slip to 
even beyond mid-April, with government mulling the dispatch of 
additional 100 support troops 
 
6)   Foreign Minister Aso and Russian counterpart in phone call 
  agree on peaceful settlement of Iran nuclear issue 
 
7)   Strategic talks between Japan, ROK at vice-minister level 
  preparing way for "future-oriented relationship"  post-Koizumi 
 
China connection: 
8)   Japan, China agree on need for early restart of 6-party 
  talks on North Korea 
9)   China rejects Japan's proposal in talks on E. China Sea gas 
field development 
 
Defense issues: 
10)  LDP's Taku Yamasaki predicts Prime Minister Koizumi will 
  reach political deal with Okinawa Governor Inamine to break 
  impasse on Futenma relocation issue 
11)  Koizumi negative about meeting Okinawa Governor Inamine 
12)  Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe stresses that final USFJ 
realignment report will be inked, "even without local agreement" 
13)  JDA chief Nukaga meets Nago City mayor and other officials 
in Okinawa on base issue but to no avail 
14)  JDA Vice Minister Moriya sees no possibility of revision of 
current Futenma relocation plan 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) after the crash landing: 
15)  In Upper House Budget Committee deliberations, Minshuto does 
  not even bring up its set of four issues that include Livedoor 
  scandal and US beef 
16)  Minshuto showing lack of spirit as returns to Diet 
deliberations 
17)  Minshuto lawmaker Renho clashes sharply with State Minister 
Inoguchi on government's budget and policy toward shrinking 
population 
 
18)  Agriculture and health ministries submit list of 20 
  questions to USDA on recent BSE beef report 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
One of the so-called Aneha buildings identified as lacking 
strength is found to be safe according to another authorized 
strength calculation formula 
 
Mainichi: 
Tokyo Metropolitan Government warns against high levels of lead 
 
TOKYO 00001199  002 OF 010 
 
 
detected in imported accessories for children 
 
Yomiuri: 
Government's draft of rescue guidelines gives priority to the 
aged and the disabled in event of disasters, avoids uniform 
treatment 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Council on Fiscal and Economic Policy plans to specify sector-by- 
sector cuts in expenditures in the reform timetable; A maximum 20 
trillion yen cut planned in such areas as social welfare, local 
allocation tax; Binding force to constrain tax increase 
 
Sankei: 
AT&T's purchase of BellSouth casts doubts about splitting up NTT; 
US certain to enter an age of two major telecoms 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Japan Post mulling opening postal saving banks in more than 200 
places across the nation; Objections may arise with the 
possibility of bringing pressure on private-sector banks 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1)  Hollow Diet: Minshuto (DPJ) should not recoil 
(2)  Iran's nuclear ambitions: Not yet time to throw our hands up 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)  Minshuto: Do not be swayed by Sunday talk shows 
(2)  China's National People's Congress: No immediate remedy to 
create an integrated society 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1)  New corporate recruitment: A good utilization of a broad 
range of choices 
(2)  Air gun regulations: Sale of dangerous weapons has been 
allowed 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1)  When will China initiate political reform? 
(2) Reorganization of US telecom firms ahead of international 
mega-competition 
 
Sankei: 
(1)  China's National People's Congress: Steel beneath the smile 
(2)  Japanimation: Time to face hard truth 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)  China's National People's Congress: Hope for agriculture? 
(2)  Revitalization of urban areas: The viewpoint of the elderly 
necessary 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, March 6 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
08:02 
Met at Kantei with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Suzuki. 
 
TOKYO 00001199  003 OF 010 
 
 
 
09:00 
Attended an Upper House Budget Committee session. 
 
12:03 
Returned to Kantei. 
 
13:00 
Attended the Upper House Budget Committee session. 
 
17:05 
Attended an LDP executive meeting. 
 
17:57 
Met at Kantei with Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Yosano. 
 
18:40 
Met with Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister Nikai. 
 
19:05 
Dined with Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy members, 
including BOJ President Fukui and Japan Business Federation 
Chairman Okuda. 
 
21:16 
Returned to his residence. 
 
4) Gov't to put off GSDF pullout originally scheduled for this 
month 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Abridged) 
March 7, 2006 
 
The government will postpone the timetable for pullout of Ground 
Self-Defense Force troops in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah 
until after April, officials said yesterday. The GSDF had planned 
to begin recalling the Samawah-based troops this month. In Iraq, 
however, Islamic Sunnis and Shiites are intensifying their 
conflict. In such a situation, the two conflicting groups cannot 
be expected to enter into talks for a permanent government. As it 
stands, the government has now made the decision. The US 
government, frowning on Japan's troop pullout planned for March, 
asked Japan to continue its troop deployment in Iraq. Japan is 
now expected to comply with the request. 
 
Britain, meanwhile, has told Japan that British troops, currently 
tasked with the security of Samawah, would pull out in March. The 
government has therefore coordinated its plan to begin 
withdrawing the GSDF troops and complete their withdrawal in May. 
 
In late February, however, a bomb exploded at a Shiite mosque in 
the central Iraqi city of Samara. The incident touched off 
conflict between the Sunnis and the Shiites, resulting in 
deteriorating security conditions in Iraq. The government judged 
that Iraq has yet to recover its public security and has seen no 
progress in its political process, and that such a situation 
still does not allow the GSDF to pullout. 
 
5) GSDF troops to begin pullout not until mid-April or later; 
Government to send 100-strong support unit to Iraq 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
 
TOKYO 00001199  004 OF 010 
 
 
March 7, 2006 
 
The government decided yesterday to begin pulling Ground Self- 
Defense Force troops out of southern Iraqi city of Samawah in mid- 
April or later. The decision follows Britain's step to postpone 
withdrawing its troops carrying out security duties in Samawah. 
Australian troops will continue providing support until all GSDF 
troops are out of Iraq. The government intends to send a 100- 
strong withdrawal support unit to Iraq. The government also plans 
to hand over the GSDF camp in Samawah to Iraqi authorities. 
 
Working-level foreign and defense officials of Japan, US, 
Britain, and Australia met in London on Feb. 24. At the London 
meeting and subsequent informal talks, the British government 
sounded out other countries on a plan to withdraw its troops from 
Samawah starting in mid-April. 
 
The British government, which intended to beef up its troops in 
Afghanistan in May, had initially studied a plan to begin 
withdrawing from Samawah in March. Britain, however, eventually 
decided to postpone such a plan due to: (1) the deteriorating 
security situation in Iraq because of intensifying religious 
conflict; (2) the need to watch the future of a full-fledged 
Iraqi government; and (3) US discontent with Britain withdrawing 
from Iraq before the situation calms down. 
 
As a result, Japan decided to withdraw GSDF troops starting in 
mid-April or later by keeping pace with British troops. Even if 
Britain begins withdrawal in mid-April, it can reportedly 
complete the withdrawal by the end of May, as originally 
scheduled. In contrast, it would take more than two months for 
the GSDF to leave Iraq. Complete withdrawal may not occur until 
June or later. 
 
6) Japanese, Russian foreign ministers agree to settle Iranian 
nuclear issue peacefully 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
Foreign Minister Taro Aso discussed Iran's nuclear program and 
other matters with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, for 
about 30 minutes on the phone last night. Aso praised Moscow's 
proposal to Teheran to pursue a uranium enrichment program in 
Russia instead of its own nuclear activities in Iran. The two 
foreign ministers reached an agreement on the need to settle the 
issue peacefully. 
 
Aso placed the call to Lavrov prior to the International Atomic 
Energy Agency opening its board meeting on Iran's nuclear program 
in Vienna on March 6, local time, according to the Foreign 
Ministry. 
 
7) Japan-South Korea strategic dialogue to pave way for post- 
Koizumi relations; Agreement reached to promote future-oriented 
relationship 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
Though Japan's Asian diplomacy has cooled down due to Prime 
Minister Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine, working-level talks 
 
TOKYO 00001199  005 OF 010 
 
 
are now picking up. As part of the move, Tokyo and Seoul held 
strategic talks in Tokyo yesterday. A two-day bureau-director- 
level meeting between Tokyo and Beijing also started in Beijing 
yesterday to discuss the development of gas fields in the East 
China Sea. There is a deep-seated view on both sides that it will 
be difficult to repair the strained bilateral relationship before 
September, when the prime minister's tenure as the president of 
the Liberal Democratic Party expires. However, the move seems to 
point the way to build post-Koizumi bilateral relations. 
 
At the outset of the meeting with South Korea, Vice Foreign 
Minister Shotaro Yachi stressed: "Both Japan and South Korea 
share freedom, democracy, and a market economy. They are both 
allies with the US. Friendship and cooperation between the two 
countries is extremely important for peace and stability in 
Northeast Asia." South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Yu Myung Hwan 
responded, "I am pleased that we can now exchange views with Mr. 
Yachi after a long time since we met in Seoul last October." 
 
The strategic dialogue was held for the first time since last 
October, when the prime minister visited Yasukuni Shrine. Yu and 
Yachi agreed to promote a future-oriented relationship, including 
expanded exchanges of young people, but they remained at odds 
over the Yasukuni issue. During a speech given on Mar. 1, South 
Korea President Roh Moo Hyun criticized Koizumi's Yasukuni 
visits. A growing view among Japanese government officials is 
that it will be difficult to resume the suspended shuttle 
diplomacy between the leaders of the two countries while Koizumi 
is in office. 
 
The two countries are, however, continuing working-level talks 
amid the suspension of mutual visits by their leaders, envisaging 
post-Koizumi relations. South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon 
has entered the race to succeed UN Secretary General Annan, who 
is to rotate out at the end of the year. Japan's support is 
essential for South Korea. The continuation of strained relations 
with Japan, with which it has a close economic relationship, is 
disadvantageous to it, too. 
 
Japan is in the same situation. Signing a free trade agreement 
(FTA) with South Korea is a model FTA case, because it can expect 
expanded trade and strengthened corporate competitiveness from 
it. The FTA talks with South Korea were suspended last December, 
and there are no prospects for resuming them. The setback could 
undermine Japan's economic diplomacy as a whole. 
 
8) Japan, China in agreement to resume six-party talks as swiftly 
as possible 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
By Hidetoshi Ikebe, Beijing 
 
The Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director- 
General Kenichiro Sasae, now in China to attend the senior 
working-level talks with China on the explorations of natural gas 
fields in the East China Sea, yesterday met with Chinese Vice 
Foreign Minister Wu Dawei at the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The 
two diplomats agreed on the need to resume the six-party talks as 
quickly as possible. Sasae said to Wu: "We hope to see China make 
even more efforts as the host nation to restart the six-nation 
 
TOKYO 00001199  006 OF 010 
 
 
talks." Wu replied, "We'll continue our efforts to work on the 
United States and North Korea," explaining North Korea's moves. 
Sasae also met with the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Asian Affairs 
Bureau Director-General Hu Zhengyue yesterday and exchanged views 
about specific approaches to enliven cultural exchanges. 
 
9) China rejects Japan's proposal for joint gas field development 
in East China Sea; Both sides still far apart on joint 
development 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
March 7, 2006 
 
By Hidetoshi Ikebe, Beijing 
 
Senior working-level talks between Japan and China to discuss the 
development of natural gas fields in the East China Sea began at 
the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing yesterday afternoon. 
The Chinese delegation declared its intention not to accept 
Japan's proposal for the joint development of four gas fields, 
including Shirakaba (or Chunxiao in Chinese), located near the 
equidistance line between Japan and China. That proposal had been 
offered in the previous round of talks held at the end of last 
September. In the talks yesterday, both delegates went no further 
than to explain their respective positions. They will continue 
the talks today. On the occasion of the talks held late last May, 
China came up with a joint gas field development proposal within 
the Japanese territory on the east side of the Japan-China medial 
line, but Japan turned it down. In the previous meeting, Japan 
offered a counterproposal, and China took it back home, saying, 
"We'll discuss it." 
 
The talks this time were attended by Kenichiro Sasae, director- 
general of the Foreign Ministry's Asia and Oceanian Affairs, 
Nobuyuki Kodaira, director-general of the Natural Resources and 
Energy Agency and other officials from Japan. The Chinese 
delegation included Hu Zhengyue, director-general of the Chinese 
Foreign Ministry's Asian Affairs Bureau. 
 
10) Futenma relocation at top meeting: Yamasaki 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Abridged) 
March 7, 2006 
 
Former Liberal Democratic Party Vice President Taku Yamasaki, 
currently presiding over an LDP panel on security affairs, held a 
press conference yesterday at the Japan National Press Club, in 
which he indicated that Prime Minister Koizumi and Okinawa Gov. 
Inamine would make a political decision over the pending issue of 
relocating the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in the city 
of Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, to a coastal area of Camp Schwab 
in the island prefecture's northern coastal city of Nago. "This 
issue will be settled at a top-level meeting of Prime Minister 
Koizumi and Governor Inamine," Yamasaki said. "We'll have to be 
in a hurry for coordination," he added. 
 
Yamasaki also noted that Inamine has been raising questions about 
the Futenma relocation plan while taking the position that it 
runs counter to the agreement of the Special Action Committee on 
Facilities and Areas in Okinawa (SACO). In this regard, he 
insisted that the government should ask for local understanding 
in an even more careful manner, suggesting the need for the 
 
TOKYO 00001199  007 OF 010 
 
 
government to explain that the plan is within the framework of 
the SACO accord. 
 
11) Koizumi rules out meeting with Inamine over Futenma 
relocation 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Koizumi has ruled out the possibility of meeting 
with Okinawa Gov. Inamine over the bogged-down issue of 
relocating the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa 
Prefecture to a coastal area of Camp Schwab in the island 
prefecture's northern coastal city of Nago. "Officials have met 
with him, so I'm not sure about that," Koizumi told reporters 
yesterday evening. "I don't know about that in the future, 
though," he said. 
 
12) Japan, US to finalize USFJ realignment even without local 
consent: Abe 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
The Japanese and US governments will work out a final report on 
the planned realignment of US forces in Japan even without local 
consent, Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe told a news conference 
yesterday. The government has now run into rough waters with 
Okinawa and other base-hosting localities over the issue of 
realigning the US military presence in Japan. The Japanese and US 
governments are expected to release a final report in late March 
on specific realignment plans. "I hope that the government can 
obtain local consent at the earliest possible date before that," 
Abe said. "But when it comes to the final agreement," he added, 
"Japan and the United States have been negotiating, so that will 
be the final agreement after the negotiations." The Japanese and 
US governments will resume working-level consultations today in 
Hawaii over the US military realignment, with their senior 
officials for foreign affairs and defense attending. The two 
governments are expected to push for coordination to work out the 
final report late this month. However, officials deem it 
difficult to obtain base-hosting local communities' agreements 
before releasing the final report. 
 
13) Nukaga remains at odds with Nago mayor and others over 
Futenma relocation plan 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga dined together 
last night in Tokyo with mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro of Nago, the 
relocation site for the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, as 
well as Higashi Mayor Shigeru Miyagi and Kin Mayor Tsuyoshi Gibu, 
to exchange views on the relocation plan. 
 
Shimabukuro and others reiterated their request for the 
government to present a revision to the plan to relocate the 
airfield to Cape Henoko, agreed upon by Japan and the US last 
year, saying, "We would like to see the government listen to 
local requests and alter the plan even slightly." 
 
 
TOKYO 00001199  008 OF 010 
 
 
In response, Nukaga said: "We will listen to local requests, but 
talks are underway between Japan and the US. I hope you will 
understand the Cape Henoko plan." The two sides remained far 
apart. 
 
14) No revision to Futenma relocation plan 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
Referring to the Okinawa rally held in opposition to the planned 
transfer of US forces' Futenma heliport, Defense Agency Vice 
Minister Takemasa Moriya yesterday told reporters: "We are aware 
that the people of Okinawa are highly interested in the issue. 
However, we have reached an agreement with the US with the 
intention to improve the situation in Okinawa as soon as 
possible, taking into account the past circumstances." He thus 
reiterated that the government has no intention of revising the 
plan to transfer Futenma functions to the coastal part of Camp 
Schwab. 
 
15) Minshuto losing guts to fight, hardly touches on four main 
issues in Upper House Budget Committee meeting 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
The House of Councillors Budget Committee started deliberations 
on the fiscal 2006 budget yesterday. This session was a good 
chance for Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), which has been 
hurt over the fake e-mail fiasco, to take a step forward to 
reconstruct itself. But the opposition party kept a low profile, 
hardly touching on four controversial issues, including the 
Livedoor scam and the faulty architectural standards issue. 
 
Azuma Koshiishi, who took the floor as the first questioner from 
Minshuto, said: "I would like to ask about Prime Minister 
Koizumi's determination in addressing administrative reform at 
the current Diet session." This was the very theme of which the 
prime minister wanted to speak even if there were no question, so 
the premier shot back: "The main purpose is to simplify and make 
effective (the jobs of) the government." 
 
In response promptly, Koshiishi said: "We have defined this 
session as a 'safety session.' We are in stark contrast with 
you." But the prime minister replied: "Safety is also the top 
priority for the government. An administrative reform Diet 
session and a safety Diet session are not contradictory." As it 
stands, Koshiishi's question ended up stage-managing the 
administrative reform Diet session. 
 
Koshiishi and other Minshuto members did not take up the so- 
called four-point package. Only Tasuo Hirano, the last questioner 
from Minshuto, briefly referred to the US beef issue, but he 
stopped shy of deeply pursuing the Japanese government's 
responsibility. His remark also gave Agriculture, Forestry, and 
Fisheries Minister Shoichi Nakagawa a chance to speak of his 
determination. Nakagawa said: "Although there were problems on 
the US side, Japan will also make its utmost efforts." 
 
Hirano concluded his question with this remark: "Minshuto is in a 
quite serious situation, but it is now on the path to its 
 
TOKYO 00001199  009 OF 010 
 
 
reconstruction. Ruling party members, you just wait." But in the 
Diet session yesterday, the will to fight was not detected among 
Minshuto members. 
 
16) Minshuto less energetic, while LDP's Katayama takes shine of 
Minshuto at Upper House Budget Committee session 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
The House of Councillors yesterday started a basic question-and- 
answer session at the Budget Committee. As the Livedoor e-mail 
fiasco caused by a Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) lawmaker 
has dragged on, yesterday's Lower House Budget Committee session 
was conducted under the leadership of the ruling parties. 
Representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) posed 
questions with ease at the session, while seeking to stymie the 
largest opposition party with the e-mail issue. 
 
The LDP intends to bring up the so-called set of four issues, 
including the earthquake-resistance data falsification scam, if 
Minshuto does not. Counterintuitively, it was Minshuto's 
questioners who were hesitant. 
 
LDP Upper House Caucus Secretary General Toranosuke Katayama, the 
first questioner of the ruling parties, categorically said, 
"Since the Lower House was unable to spend much time for 
deliberations in the second half of the session because of the e- 
mail uproar (raised by Minshuto), we will carry out heated debate 
on policies." Minshuto members could only sit silently and listen 
to Katayama's statement. 
 
Katayama launched into his idea on the so-called trinity reform 
that would rearrange taxation and fiscal relations between the 
central and local governments. He underscored the importance of 
transferring tax collection authority to local governments. He 
then said to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, "I want you to 
focus your reform drive on that point." 
 
Meanwhile, Yukihiro Tani of Minshuto mainly focused on the 
reconstruction of Ashikaga Bank, which is located in his home 
constituency. He did not raise the issue of US beef imports, even 
though he had planned to do so. 
 
Tatsuo Hirano, Minshuto's second questioner, addressed the 
government's monetary policy and the trinity reform. He then 
brought up the beef issue, but he only went so far as to say, "We 
want the government to make clear what it will demand from the 
United States." His pursuit of the government lacked punch. 
 
17) Heated debate between Inoguchi and Reiho over spending for 
falling birthrate measures 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
At a House of Representatives Budget Committee session yesterday, 
Minshuto lawmaker Reiho and Kuniko Inoguchi, state minister in 
charge of measures for the declining birthrate, traded barbs over 
how much should be spent for measures to counter the falling 
birthrate and whether expenses for delivery should be free of 
charge. Of the total of approximately 80 trillion yen in the 
 
TOKYO 00001199  010 OF 010 
 
 
state budget for fiscal 2006, 1.58 trillion yen is allocated for 
measures to counter the falling birthrate. 
 
Reiho asked Inoguchi's view on the 1.58 trillion yen: "Don't you 
think the budget is extremely small?" Inoguchi, however, reacted 
strongly, responding, "I think we were able to secure the 
necessary budget within the framework of the state budget." 
 
Inoguchi made a statement at a press conference in January that 
the idea of making expenses for delivery free of charge would be 
considered. She, however, later corrected her earlier remarks 
after meeting Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, saying, "I did 
not say that we would look into it." With this regard, Reiho 
questioned the minister, "Did Mr. Abe warn you about it?" 
 
Inoguchi responded, "Making delivery charges free is one of the 
requests I have received." Abe also stated: "Issues will not be 
resolved only by making expenses for delivery free. We would like 
to implement various measures in addition to conventional 
measures." 
 
18) Government makes 20 inquiries about USDA beef report 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 5) (Full) 
March 7, 2006 
 
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and 
the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare yesterday submitted to 
the US government a set of questions about a US Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) report on the issue of vertebral columns found 
in a US beef shipment to Japan. The inquiries include whether 
there were any problems with the US inspection system and what 
measures USDA plans to take to prevent a recurrence of a similar 
incident. The paper noted: "The US should sort out and look into 
problems in a comprehensive manner." It then called on Washington 
to present specific grounds for its assertion that the incident 
was a "unique" case. 
 
The 20 questions were classified into six items, including the 
relevant US government institutions, the facilities in question, 
and preventive measures. In questions pertaining to the US 
government institutions, the paper seeks explanations about 
whether there were any problems about authorizing the facilities 
in questions and what training the inspectors received. 
 
In questions concerning the meat-processing facilities, the paper 
asked the US to explain who was responsible for handling exports 
to Japan, and why that person failed to fulfill his or her 
responsibility. The ministries called on Washington to present to 
Tokyo the specific ways it is planning to implement an 
improvement plan for recurrence prevention, including the methods 
of unannounced on-site surveys of the facilities, as well as the 
training system for inspectors. 
 
The USDA report was submitted to the Japanese government on Feb. 
¶17. MAFF finished translating the contents of the report into 
Japanese on March 3 and held consultations with other government 
ministries concerned on additional inquiries. 
 
SCHIEFFER