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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 001662 
 
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 03/30/06 
 
Index: 
 
1)   Top headlines 
2)   Editorials 
3)   Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
4)   Ambassador to UN Bolton warns Japan on Iran nuclear issue 
  not to give priority to oil business 
 
5)   Japan gives up on UNSC reform proposal as latest effort to 
  elicit US cooperation on bid to permanent seat fizzles 
 
China connection: 
6)   Foreign Ministry poll: 78% of Japanese say relations with 
  China should be improved 
7)   Former prime minister Hashimoto to lead delegation of seven 
friendship groups to China today, meet President Hu tomorrow 
 
8)   Prime Minister Koizumi to travel to African countries during 
  Golden Week holidays 
 
9)   New crop of high school textbooks clearly refer to 
  territorial claims: "Japan's Takeshita Isles occupied by Republic 
  of Korea" 
 
Defense and security issues: 
10)  Foreign Minister Aso limits Japan's share of Guam relocation 
  cost to less than 50% 
11)  Limiting Japan's share of Guam relocation cost to less than 
50% is an Aso ploy to elicit compromise from US 
12)  Key to resolving impasse in local coordination of Futenma 
relocation plan may lie in treatment of "shallow waters" and 
"restricted waters" near Camp Schwab 
 
Beef talks: 
13)  US, Japan agree that incident of bones found in beef 
  shipment was an "unique example," and will start procedures 
  aiming at restart of beef trade 
14)  Japan has softened stand on beef issue, accepting US 
explanation during experts talks 
15)  With US, Japanese beef experts reaching common view, process 
of restarting beef imports moves half step forward 
 
16)  Points at issue used in drafting constitutional referendum 
  are revealed by Lower House panel 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Yomiuri, and Tokyo Shimbun: 
Education Ministry unveils 2005 high school textbook screening 
results; Developmental descriptions prevalent; Government's view 
reflected in civics; "Ions," "DNA" to make comebacks; Difficulty 
polarizing 
 
Mainichi: 
Kawasaki 9-year-old boy's accidental fall to death may develop 
into murder case; Video footage shows suspicious man 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
GM intends to sell Isuzu stake either to Mitsubishi or Itochu to 
 
TOKYO 00001662  002 OF 010 
 
 
put end to invest-in-Japan strategy 
 
Sankei: 
Pingtien weekly magazine's rejection of Sun Yat-Sen University 
professor's rebuttal reflects Chinese leadership's intention to 
contain academic rows 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1)  Let schools decide curriculum on English education 
(2)  Kadima's victory in Israeli poll must be welcomed 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)  Middle East peace: Popular will for changes must be 
respected 
(2)  Cultural diversity offers opportunities 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1)  FRB boosts key interest rate: Bernanke's decision gives 
peace of mind to the market 
(2)  Israeli poll: Will Kadima be able to launch stable 
administration? 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1)  New FRB chairman keeps firm grip on inflation 
(2)  Israeli election exposes change and barrier to Middle East 
 
Sankei: 
(1)  Rokkashomura active reprocessing test run: Extra caution 
required for finishing up the test 
(2)  Voluntary bid rigging declaration system deserves attention 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)  New Israeli government: Compromise necessary for pushing 
Middle East peace process forward 
(2)  Professional baseball system needs reform in spring season 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, March 29 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
March 30, 2006 
 
09:58 
Met at Kantei with Chairman Ito of the expert panel on relocation 
of national servants' dormitory and use of vacant site, joined by 
Administrative Vice Finance Minister Hosokawa and Financial 
Bureau chief Makino. 
 
11:08 
Met with GLOBE Japan head Yatsu, and primary school students in 
Tokyo and Okayama Prefecture, who study environment problem. Met 
later with Matsuoka, chairman of the LDP Commission on Trade in 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Products. 
 
14:00 
Met National Association of Commercial Broadcasters Chairman- 
designate Hirose, followed by chirographer Yamakawa and his wife, 
as well as New Komeito Upper House Chairman Kusakawa. 
 
 
TOKYO 00001662  003 OF 010 
 
 
15:01 
Met with LDP Secretary General Takebe and New Komeito Secretary 
General Fuyushiba. Met afterwards with Japan Federation of Bar 
Association incoming and outgoing chairmen Hirayama and Kajitani. 
 
16:31 
Met with Osaka Gov. Ota and Fukuoka Mayor Yamasaki, promoters of 
the forum on promotion of direct foreign investments in Japan. 
 
17:06 
Met Hamburg Sakura Queen Bachmann and Japanese Sakura Queen Miki. 
Attended later meeting of Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy. 
 
19:18 
Had haircut at barber in Capital Tokyo Hotel. 
 
20:18 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
4) In interview, US Ambassador to UN Bolton warns Japan on Iran 
nuclear issue, seeks to constrain from placing priority on oil 
business 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
March 30, 2006 
 
By Hiroyuki Nakamae in New York 
 
In an interview with the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on March 28, US 
Ambassador to the United Nations Bolton commented on the issue of 
Iran's nuclear issue: "I ask Japan not to be pressed into a 
dilemma on the nuclear proliferation issue by Iran, which is 
using oil resources as its shield." He sought to constrain Japan 
from being weak-kneed on the nuclear issue because of its oil 
industry's strong ties with Iran. He also took a negative stand 
on reform of the UN Security Council, which Japan is using in its 
bid for a permanent seat on the Council, saying, "There is no 
enthusiasm for debating this in the UN General Assembly." 
 
The UNSC is now discussing the issue of Iran's nuclear program, 
having been entrusted with it by the IAEA. The US is taking a 
hard-line stance that includes the possibility of sanctions 
against Iran. In the interview, the Ambassador gave Japan high 
marks, saying, "Japan has a praiseworthy history on nuclear non- 
proliferation issues." He urged Japan to go along with the US' 
stance. 
 
In addition, he stressed, "Iran aims at expanding its influence 
as a major (oil) supplier." He indicated that he considered Iran 
to be aiming to use oil as a weapon to obtain developments that 
would advantage its position.  Japan has a high dependency on oil 
imports and has obtained the rights to develop the Azadegan oil 
field in Southwest Iran. The Ambassador warned Japan not be 
influenced by Iran's tactics. 
 
5) Japan's cooperation with US over permanent UNSC seat 
unsuccessful; Government puts off submission of UNSC reform 
resolution 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Slightly abridged) 
March 30, 2006 
 
 
TOKYO 00001662  004 OF 010 
 
 
The government has given up on its plan to present a UNSC reform 
resolution designed to expand the number of members from the 
current 15 to 21. It made this decision because the US, Japan's 
only hope, was cold to the idea and the proposal failed to obtain 
wide support from UN member nations. Japan now finds itself in a 
tight corner with a second failure to obtain a permanent seat on 
the UNSC, following last year's failed attempt. 
 
The government, along with Germany, Brazil, and India (G-3), 
submitted a resolution last July to increase the number of UNSC 
members to 25. The proposal was, however, killed after meeting 
opposition from the US. 
 
Reflecting on this outcome, Japan switched its policy to 
promoting closer ties with the US. Giving consideration to that 
nation, which is cool to the idea of expanding the UNSC, Japan 
independently drafted a plan consisting of the following 
proposals: (1) the number of UNSC member nations should be 
increased to 21; (2) A permanent seat can be awarded to a 
candidate that secured support from more than two-thirds (128 
nations) of the UN member nations in balloting; (3) candidates 
that failed to secure support from more than two thirds should be 
given a semi-permanent membership with a renewable four-year 
term, which is longer than the non-permanent membership (two-year 
term, not renewable). Japan began explaining its proposal to 
other member nations in late January. 
 
However, US Ambassador to UN Bolton expressed a negative view. In 
addition, the G-3 and the African Union (AU) had already 
submitted their own UNSC expansion resolutions. As a result, 
Japan's new initiative failed to obtain wide support. 
 
6) Foreign Ministry poll: 78% say Japan-China relations "should 
be repaired" 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 30, 2006 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday released the 
findings of a survey of perception about Japan-China relations. 
The poll showed 77.9% of the respondents said Japan-China 
relations should be repaired, highlighting the concern shared by 
a large number of the public about the currently strained 
relations with China due to such factors as Prime Minister 
Koizumi's repeated visits to Yasukuni Shrine. 
 
The survey was conducted on a total of 2,000 men and women over 
20 years of age nationwide on Feb. 10-13. The response rate was 
65.7%. 
 
In response to the question of what do you think about the 
current Japan-China relations, only 6.9% of the respondents said, 
"Japan has favorable relations with China," while 66.7% of the 
respondents said, "I don't think Japan has favorable relations 
with China." When asked whether Japan should improve relations 
with China," 12.0% of the respondents said, "Japan should keep 
the status quo." 
 
When the respondents were asked to pick more than one issue lying 
between Japan and China, the largest percentage of the 
respondents cited "the issue involving past events, including 
historical perception" with 58.9%, followed by "the lack of 
 
TOKYO 00001662  005 OF 010 
 
 
mutual understanding between the two nations" with 32.1%, 
"disagreement on policy in international politics" with 30.2%, 
and "the issue relating to marine interests" with 28.7%. 
 
7) Leaders of 7 Japanese friendship organizations will arrive in 
China today, meet with President Hu tomorrow 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 30, 2006 
 
The Japanese delegation led by former Prime Minister Ryutaro 
Hashimoto of leaders of seven Japan-China friendship 
organizations will travel to China starting today and meet with 
President Hu Jintao in Beijing tomorrow. They will visit China in 
response to the China-Japan Friendship Association's invitation 
to them to visit China. Attention is now focused on what message 
the top Chinese leader will signal to Japan regarding the 
currently chilly relations between the two nations due to Prime 
Minister Koizumi's continued visits to Yasukuni Shrine. 
 
The delegation consists of leaders -- including Hashimoto who 
chairs the Association for the Promotion of International Trade, 
Japan -- of seven Japanese organizations, for instance, the Japan- 
China Friendship Parliamentary League chaired by former Foreign 
Minister Masahiko Komura and the Japan-China Friendship 
Association chaired by Professor Emeritus Ikuo Hirayama of the 
Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. For the seven 
organizations, this is their first joint visit to China. 
 
The planned dialogue between President Hu and Japanese 
politicians will follow the last one in last May held in China 
between Hu and the secretaries general of the Liberal Democratic 
Party and the New Komeito. In the upcoming dialogue, Hu is 
expected to deliver an important speech concerning relations with 
Japan. 
 
8) Prime Minister Koizumi to visit Ethiopia, Ghana during Golden 
Week holidays 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
March 30, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will visit Ethiopia, Ghana, and 
Sweden from April 29 to May 5, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe 
revealed yesterday at a press conference. Koizumi will be the 
first Japanese prime minister to visit Sweden. He is expected to 
exchange views with his counterparts on Japan's economic 
assistant for their countries, among other issues. He told 
reporters last night at the Prime Minister's Official Residence: 
"I'm not looking for short-term success. My aim is to improve 
friendly relations with other countries." 
 
9) High school textbook screening: Education Ministry seeks 
accurate descriptions such as South Korea occupies Japan's 
Takeshima islands 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
March 30, 3006 
 
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and 
Technology revealed yesterday the results of the screening of 
high school textbooks to be used from next spring. The ministry 
 
TOKYO 00001662  006 OF 010 
 
 
called for more accurate accounts in describing such issues as 
territorial disputes, North Korea's abductions of Japanese 
nationals, as well as such words as "gender." Publishers have 
corrected the parts. However, there still remain many 
inappropriate descriptions centered on modern history, such 
repeating the general understanding that there were more than 
200,000 victims in the Nanjing Massacre. 
 
The number of descriptions on the Takeshima Islands (Okinoshima 
Town in Tottori Prefecture) and the Senkaku Islands (Ishigaki 
City in Okinawa Prefecture) increased from that of the previous 
screening (in 2001). Almost all textbooks, excluding geography 
and history, as well as world history, mention those islands. Of 
the 40 descriptions, the ministry called on publishers to clearly 
stipulate in 26 descriptions that those islands are Japanese 
territory. 
 
On the Senkaku Islands, the ministry explained: "Unlike the 
Northern Islands and Takeshima Island, since Japan effectively 
controls the Senkaku Islands, no territorial dispute exists." The 
ministry continued: "Since the Northern Territories and the 
Takeshima Island, which are Japanese territories, have been 
seized by Russia and South Korea, respectively, there remain 
territorial disputes with those countries. Although the Senkaku 
Islands belong to Japan, China and other countries have claimed 
sovereignty over them." 
 
10) Aso suggests capping Japan's share in Guam relocation cost at 
50% in bid to elicit compromise from US; Reaching agreement in 
mid-April aimed for 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
March 30, 2006 
 
Touching on the question of cost sharing for the planned 
relocation of US Marines from Okinawa to Guam, Foreign Minister 
Taro Aso stated before the Lower House Special Committee on the 
Northern Part of Okinawa yesterday, "We would like to decided on 
it by mid-April." Aso's statement reflected the government's 
intention to reach an accord with the US in mid-April after 
arriving at a general agreement at the Japan-US senior working- 
level talks to be held April 4-6. Aso also said regarding Japan's 
share, "I would like to see it cut down to below 50%. There is 
only so much we can bear." 
 
Five cabinet ministers, including Aso and Defense Agency Director 
General Fukushiro Nukaga, held talks March 28 and confirmed that 
Japan would only be able to shoulder up to 50% of the total cost 
estimated at 10 billion dollars. In other words, they approved 
setting a ceiling on Japan's share at 50%, which also coincides 
with the prevalent view in the government and the ruling 
coalition that Japan should settle on paying half of the total 
cost. Japan seemingly intends to elicit compromise from the US by 
offering more than it did before but still within a range that is 
convincing to the public. 
 
But Aso also told the Lower House committee: "We may be able to 
obtain an understanding on funding housing and the like, but 
military facilities are out of the question. Rather than focusing 
on the amount, we mustn't lose sight of the logic." In order for 
the government to provide direct outlays of 5 billion dollars, 
instead of loans, to cover facilities beyond housing, a new logic 
 
TOKYO 00001662  007 OF 010 
 
 
would be necessary. 
 
The US response remains unclear. To accomplish the Guam 
relocation in a short period of time, there is only so much the 
US can bear, according to a source in the Foreign Ministry. US 
Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Richard Lawless also said: "The 
relocation is happening at Japan's request, so it is only natural 
to ask Japan to foot 75% of the bill." 
 
If Japan exhibits a conciliatory stance, the US may press Japan 
harder for more compromises. For this reason, Japan is expected 
to decide on whether to broach the 50% ceiling in the next round 
of talks while carefully watching Washington's move. In a press 
conference yesterday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said 
this about capping Japan's share, "The government has not set any 
target." 
 
11) Foreign Minister Aso says Japan should hold down its share of 
the cost of relocation of US Marines to Guam to "below 50% " 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 30, 2006 
 
At a meeting yesterday of the Upper House Special Committee on 
Okinawa and the Northern Territories, Foreign Minister Aso 
referred to Japan's share of the cost of the planned relocation 
of US Marines in Okinawa to Guam as part of the realignment of US 
forces in Japan and noted: "I'd like to somehow hold down our 
share to below 50%. I've no intention to concede to a 50% share, 
but I can't tell now where the point of compromise is." His 
remarks are construed as indicating Japan cannot accept the US 
call on Japan to pay 75% of the 10-billion-dollar relocation cost 
estimated by the US government. 
 
12) Futenma relocation: Seaweed bed, restricted waters hold key 
to local coordination 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Abridged) 
March 30, 2006 
 
The government and Okinawa Prefecture's Nago City have been 
coordinating over the issue of relocating the US Marine Corps' 
Futenma Air Station from the island prefecture's city of Ginowan 
to a coastal area of Camp Schwab in Nago. In the meantime, 
seaweed beds and restricted waters in the offshore area of Camp 
Schwab are now being floated as factors holding the key to 
coordination over changes to the relocation plan. For one thing, 
the plan-depending on how to modify it-could even more seriously 
affect the underwater seaweed bed on which dugongs depend. For 
another, it would be difficult to restrict access to the waters. 
The government anticipates that this could help local protestors 
conduct even stronger campaigns against the airfield's 
relocation. 
 
Nago City has asked the government to install the planned 
alternative facility for Futenma, including its runway, at an 
offshore location more than 450 meters south of its planned 
construction site in order to move the flight course of US 
military aircraft to the sea off the areas of local communities. 
The government rejected the proposal, maintaining that its 
planned reclamation from the sea is up to 10 hectares but coastal 
reclamation will result in filling up a wider area of the 
 
TOKYO 00001662  008 OF 010 
 
 
underwater forest. Instead, the government proposed turning the 
runway's direction 10 degrees. 
 
The government wants any changes to be minor, as this would 
affect the restricted waters within the offing of Camp Schwab. 
 
At the time of Okinawa's return to Japan in 1972, the Japanese 
and US governments agreed to set up five restricted zones off the 
coast of Camp Schwab. The government's planned relocation site is 
mostly within two off-limits zones called Area 1 within 50 meters 
from the shore and Area 2 within 500 meters from the shore. The 
construction site, if moved to an offshore area, would stretch 
over Area 3, where vessel access is allowed except for mooring, 
diving, and other continuous activities. In this case, the 
government deems it difficult to prevent local protesters from 
approaching. The government once planned to build a sea-based 
heliport in waters off the coast of Henoko in Nago. However, the 
government had to give up that offshore construction plan after 
encountering local protests at sea. This has become a bitter 
experience for the government and ruling parties. 
 
13) In experts' talks on beef row, Japan shows understanding of 
US assertion "ineligible shipment was unique case;" Japan, US to 
start procedures for import resumption 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpt) 
March 30, 2006 
 
Japan and the United States yesterday ended their two-day expert- 
level talks on the incident in which vertebral columns - a 
specified risk material (SRM) - were included in a shipment of US 
beef processed at two meatpacking plants in the US. Japan 
indicated a certain level of understanding toward the US 
assertion that the ineligible shipment was caused in improper 
meat processing at the two plants and not by any problem of the 
US inspection system itself. Now that both sides reached a common 
understanding to some extent as to why the inappropriate beef 
export occurred, the two governments will soon start specific 
procedures with an eye on Japan's resumption of US beef imports. 
 
14) Beef row: Japan makes concession out of consideration to US, 
following US admission of fault 
 
ASAHI (Page 11) (Full) 
March 30, 2006 
 
(Commentary) 
 
In the Japan-US expert-level talks that ended yesterday on the 
issue of vertebral columns discovered in a US veal shipment to 
Japan, Japan made a significant compromise, indicating 
understanding of the assertions made by the US although it had 
raised questions about the US inspection system itself. With 
Japan's about-face, both sides reached some consensus. This 
development reflects Japan's consideration to the US government 
and Congress, which have applied pressure on Japan out of 
irritation at its prolonged ban on US beef imports. 
 
Japan is worried about the possibility that more violations in 
shipments involving meat-processing facilities other than the 
plants in question could occur. It intended to express such 
concerns to the US side in the talks. A senior official of the 
 
TOKYO 00001662  009 OF 010 
 
 
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Ministry had said: "There is 
a wide perception gap between Japan and the US." 
 
According to Charles Lambert, acting US agriculture under 
secretary for marketing and regulatory programs, however, said, 
 
SIPDIS 
"Japan and the US reached a common understanding" on the second 
day of the talks. On Japan's switch in posture, a senior 
government official said: "Japan gave consideration to the US, 
which has urged Japan to swiftly resume imports using such 
radical expressions as 'trade war'." 
 
In addition, the US, which had never admitted its errors, 
admitted its fault, saying: "It is fully conceivable that (the 
ineligible shipment) could have been avoided if we had improved 
our manuals on exports to Japan." Japan was groping for a way to 
come to a compromise. Japan therefore welcomed the US side's 
reference to its faults, with one official remarking: "We were 
able to avoid making a unilateral concession." 
 
Last December, Japan decided to resume imports upon receiving a 
report on the results of deliberations by the Cabinet Office's 
Food Safety Commission. This time, though, it will be possible 
for the government to reopen its market only with a decision by 
the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Ministry and the Health, 
Labor, and Welfare Ministry. The two ministries have entered the 
stage of finding the best timing for resuming US beef imports. 
 
15) Inching closer to resumption of US beef imports; Japan-US 
beef expert talks share common perception to certain extent 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 5) (Slightly abridged) 
March 30, 2006 
 
The Japan-US beef experts wound up two days of discussion 
yesterday afternoon on a possible resumption of US beef imports 
by Japan. The Japanese side had high praise for the meeting, 
deeming that the two countries shared a common perception to a 
certain extent on the cause of the inclusion of vertebral columns 
in a US beef shipment, a breach of the import conditions. The 
governments of the two countries affirmed their intention to 
speed up efforts to map out measures to prevent a recurrence, 
including a method of inspecting US meat packers, and to move 
toward a reinstatement of beef trade. 
 
Meeting the press after the session, the division director of the 
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MOFA) of Japan 
explained, "We now significantly understand why vertebral 
columns, a material banned in Japan as a BSE risk, were found in 
a US beef shipment." He indicated that in his view the bilateral 
talks had made progress with the two countries obtaining a common 
perception to a certain extent on the cause of the inclusion of 
the banned material. 
 
The two meat packers that shipped the product in question 
exclusively handle calves, which are considered to be at low risk 
for BSE contamination. Unlike other ordinary cattle processing 
facilities, slaughtering facilities and processing facilities are 
separated at those plants. The Japanese side accepted that 
because of this situation, the circumstances of those two 
facilities were quite different from other facilities. 
 
The US had thus far insisted that it was appropriate to authorize 
 
TOKYO 00001662  010 OF 010 
 
 
the two plants to export beef to Japan. It did not change that 
stance at the meeting this time. However, it admitted that there 
was an oversight on its side, noting, "There were things that 
needed to be improved, such as that processing procedures should 
have been more detailed." The Japanese side gave high marks to 
this statement, too. 
 
The US government claimed that safety was secured as a whole. 
However, the division director after the meeting countered, "We 
are not convinced to that extent." 
 
Acting Under Secretary of Agriculture Lambert representing the US 
stressed to a press conference, "We will fully take measures to 
prevent a recurrence in order to ensure that the incident will 
not happen again." The US pledged to press ahead with efforts to 
implement measures to prevent a recurrence, including training of 
employees at meat packers, and to inspect all other plants so 
that similar incidents will not happen. The Japanese side will 
hold a briefing for representatives of consumers to explain the 
result of the meeting. It will also submit a report to the Food 
Safety Commission. The plan is to hold talks with the US to boil 
down matters, including a timeline for resuming imports, before 
the end of April at the earliest, after going through that 
process. 
 
16) Report on points at issue in referendum legislation proposes 
theme-specific voting system 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
March 30, 2006 
 
The House of Representatives' Special Committee on the 
Constitution, chaired by Taro Nakayama, yesterday unveiled a 
report on points at issue the committee will use in drafting 
national referendum legislation governing procedures for revising 
the Constitution. On the controversial issue of a voting system 
on constitutional amendment legislation, the report proposed a 
theme-specific voting system in principle. The special committee 
will start discussion of disputed points in its directors meeting 
today. 
 
The report was worked out at unofficial talks of the Liberal 
Democratic Party, the New Komeito, and the Democratic Party of 
Japan (Minshuto). As for a voting formula, the three parties 
decided to adopt a theme-specific voting system in principle, 
instead of a package voting formula. Regarding rules on 
campaigning, the report called for "no restrictions in principle 
but minimum restrictions attached." 
 
Minshuto is calling for general national referendums to be also 
held on key political other than a revision of the Constitution, 
but the ruling camp has opposed it. Given this, the report 
included both pros and cons of the issue. 
 
On the voting age, the report cited these three arguments: (1) 20 
years of age or older, like national elections; (2) 18 years of 
age or older, based on the view that wide-ranging people should 
be given the right to offer their opinions; and (3) 20 years of 
age or older for the time being, but a change to 18 years of age 
or older afterward, matching that of national elections. 
 
SCHIEFFER