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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 002144 
 
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 04/20/06 
 
INDEX: 
 
1)   Top headlines 
2)   Editorials 
3)   Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
Ambassador Schieffer's Jiji speech: 
4)   In speech in Tokyo, Ambassador Schieffer calls for early end 
  to ban on US beef imports 
5)   Ambassador Schieffer calls Japan's agriculture a barrier to 
US, Japan signing economic partnership agreement 
6)   Schieffer unhappy that proposed East Asian FTA would exclude 
US 
 
Crisis in the Japan Sea: 
7)   As JCG ship sails to survey waters near disputed isles, last 
  minute Japanese, South Korean officials negotiate to avoid 
  international incident 
8)   Japan ready to stop survey near Takeshima (Dokdo) isles if 
ROK agrees not to submit names of sea-bottom features to 
international confab 
9)   Row between Japan, South Korea over maritime survey in 
disputed waters could derail bilateral cooperation on North Korea 
abduction issue 
 
10)  Finance Ministry as pressure tactic against North Korea to 
  restrict foreign sailors from taking used goods out of Japan 
 
11)  LDP's Yamasaki to visit China starting on April 25 
 
12)  EU High Representative for the CSFP Solana says EU will 
  consult Japan, US before removing ban on weapons exports to China 
 
13)  Happy with its resolving Futenma relocation issue, Prime 
  Minister's office gives go-sign to JDA to become a ministry, with 
  bill to Diet this session 
 
USTR: 
14)  Japanese government rebuts latest USTR trade barrier report 
15)  USTR-designate Susan Schwab known as tough negotiator who 
knows Japan 
 
16)  DOE: As follow-up to GNEP, US wants to sign agreement with 
  Japan on verification testing of technologies related to 
  recycling nuclear fuel 
 
Political agenda: 
17)  Five administrative reform-related bills to clear the Lower 
  House today 
18)  New Komeito annoyed that Minshuto President Ozawa denied 
meeting with Soka Gakkai leader 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Fierce tug-of-war underway between Japan, South Korea over 
Japan's Takeshima maritime survey that may begin today; Tokyo 
searches for breakthrough; South Korea adopts parliamentary 
resolution demanding Japan's survey be suspended 
 
Mainichi: 
 
TOKYO 00002144  002 OF 010 
 
 
Majority of Nuclear Safety Commission quake resistance sub-panel 
members doubling as industrial organization officers; Neutrality 
questionable 
 
Yomiuri: 
Metropolitan Police Department to search eHomes on suspicion of 
dressing capital 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Financial Services Agency considering TOB requirements, such as 
disclosure of terms and acquisition rates 
 
Sankei: 
Chernobyl - 20 years later (Part 1): Eerie-looking damaged "stone 
coffin" 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Government suggests suspension of Takeshima maritime survey on 
condition that South Korea gives up proposing Korean names at 
international conference 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1)  Takeshima maritime survey: Level-headedness essential for 
Japan, South Korea 
(2)  New traffic system: Learn lessons from unprofitable Kobe 
Port Liner 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)  Yen loans to China: Program should focus on environmental 
projects 
(2)  Social divide: Realize coexistence of multiple cultures by 
overcoming absurdity 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1)  New oil shock threatens nation 
(2)  Kubota makes speedy decision to help asbestos victims 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1)  Japan, South Korea must exercise self-discipline for 
settling Takeshima row 
(2)  Customers must come first in e-money 
 
Sankei: 
(1)  Takeshima: Who has been provocative? 
(2)  Wheel-separation suit: Ruling must fit social norm 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)  Takeshima maritime survey: Extreme reaction undesirable 
(2)  Consumer protection requires legal steps 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, April 19 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
April 20, 2006 
 
08:03 
Met Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Nagase at Kantei. 
 
09:00 
 
TOKYO 00002144  003 OF 010 
 
 
Attended a meeting of the Lower House Administrative Reform 
Special Committee. 
 
11:58 
Arrived at Kantei. 
 
13:00 
Returned to the Lower House Administrative Reform Special 
Committee meeting. 
 
17:47 
Attended a meeting of Council on economic and Fiscal Policy at 
Kantei. 
 
19:17 
Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe. 
 
19:42 
Met Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Futahashi. 
 
19:44 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
4) US ambassador: "We would like Japan to lift its ban on US beef 
imports" 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 20, 2006 
 
In a speech in Tokyo yesterday, US Ambassador to Japan Thomas 
Schieffer pointed to the existence of a perception gap between 
Japanese and American consumers on the safety of US beef. He 
remarked: "In order to remove it (the perception gap), we would 
like the Japanese government to lift its ban first. If US beef 
reach them, I believe Japanese consumers, too, will find US beef 
safe." He called for an early resumption of US beef imports. 
 
The ambassador then added: "Even if I stress the safety of US 
beef, the product is not on supermarket shelves, so (consumers) 
cannot buy it. (Japanese consumers) have no choice of buying US 
beef." 
 
5) US Ambassador: "Agriculture stands in way of promoting Japan- 
US EPA," calling for Japan's early resumption of US beef 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 9) (Full) 
April 20, 2006 
 
In a speech in Tokyo yesterday, US Ambassador to Japan Thomas 
Schieffer spoke about a possible economic partnership agreement 
(EPA), including a free trade agreement (FTA), between Japan and 
the US. He took a positive view about such an accord, saying: "If 
the two countries promote economic integration, they would be 
able to enjoy unimaginably high economic growth." But he also 
indicated that the issue of Japan's agricultural market 
liberalization would stand in the way of such negotiations 
between the two countries. 
 
Many Japanese government officials, from the viewpoint of 
protecting domestic farmers, are negative about concluding an EPA 
with the US. The ambassador said that the US gives priority to 
concluding a comprehensive accord, including the agricultural 
sector. "It is Japan that must make the judgment, for if it keeps 
 
TOKYO 00002144  004 OF 010 
 
 
its agricultural market closed, the US will not be able to start 
negotiations," he added. In reference to the East Asia EPA 
concept advocated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, 
the ambassador said: "The US is a part of the Asia-Pacific 
region. If we are excluded from Asia, it would be unacceptable to 
us." On the issue of US beef imports, Schieffer stated, "Unless 
we swiftly resolve the issue, it could undermine our bilateral 
economic relations." He stressed, "I would like Japan to lift its 
ban on US beef imports." 
 
6) US Ambassador in speech: "I am worried about exclusion of US" 
from East Asia FTA 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 5) (Full) 
April 20, 2006 
 
In a speech in Tokyo yesterday, US Ambassador to Japan Thomas 
Schieffer expressed concern about the proposal by the Ministry of 
Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to conclude a comprehensive 
free trade agreement (FTA) covering the entire East Asian region. 
The ambassador said: "There seems to be the intention of 
excluding the US from Asia." 
 
Countries in East Asia are increasingly interested in signing 
bilateral FTAs. The METI proposal calls for an accord involving 
Japan, China, South Korea, the Association of Southeast Asian 
Nations (ASEAN), India and other countries in the region. The 
ambassador stated: "The US is a member of Asia and also has 
interests in the region. I am worried that the US may be shut out 
of Asia." 
 
7) Japan, ROK trade last-minutes barbs over Takeshima survey; 
Japan looking for ways to reach breakthrough, while ROK adopts 
parliamentary resolution seeking cancellation of survey 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
April 20, 2006 
 
The government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) has raised a strong 
objection to the Japan Coast Guard's (JCG) plan for a marine 
survey within (Japan's) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that 
includes the waters around Takeshima (Dokdo), which is claimed by 
both Japan and the ROK. The Japanese government, hoping to 
resolve the standoff, continued negotiations with the ROK 
yesterday. ROK Minister of Foreign Affairs & Trade Ban Ki Moon is 
expected to call Japanese Ambassador to the ROK this morning to 
convey his country's response to the Japanese side. Meanwhile, 
the JCG's two survey boats yesterday arrived at Sakai Port in 
Tottori Prefecture and are standing by there for a survey. 
Depending on the response from the ROK, relations between the two 
countries are likely to go from bad to worse. 
 
Prime Minister Koizumi late yesterday stated: "I'd like to deal 
with the matter in accordance with international law." When asked 
by reporters at his official residence about the strong 
opposition raised by the ROK government, Koizumi said: "It's 
better not to be overly excited. Japan will respond in a non- 
emotional manner." He called on the ROK to respond cool-headedly. 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe told a press briefing yesterday: 
"Following international law, both sides need to respond coolly. 
Our planned survey is a scientific one, and I think it is the 
same as the ones conducted by other countries." Abe indicated 
 
TOKYO 00002144  005 OF 010 
 
 
that a marine survey is allowed without giving prior notice to 
other countries under the United Nations Convention on the Law of 
the Sea. 
 
He also revealed that Japan was discussing the matter with the 
ROK, saying: "We on the part of Japan want to resolve it as 
amicably as possible. We are in contact with South Korean 
officials." 
 
According to a government official, Administrative Vice Foreign 
Minister Shotaro Yachi yesterday met with ROK Ambassador to Japan 
Ra Jong Yil in Tokyo and suggested adopting a prior notification 
system under which both countries would give prior notice to each 
other on surveys. 
 
In addition, Japan has suggested to the ROK that if the ROK did 
not apply to the upcoming international conference in June for 
permission to use Korean names to describe the ocean floor in the 
area. 
 
But the ROK appears unwilling to change its stance in spite of 
this suggestion. Ban said, "If Japan immediately withdrew its 
(survey) plan, we'd be able to respond to negotiations with 
Japan." As it stands, no clue for resolving the standoff is in 
sight. 
 
8) Government may conditionally suspend maritime survey near 
Takeshima; Proposes to South Korea it give up naming submarine 
features 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
April 20, 2006 
 
In an attempt to find a breakthrough in the standoff between 
Tokyo and Seoul over Japan's planned maritime survey near a group 
of South Korea-controlled islets (Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in 
South Korea) in the Sea of Japan, claimed by both Japan and South 
Korea, the Japanese government yesterday proposed to South Korea 
that it give up on proposing at an international conference in 
Germany in June a list of names for submarine features around the 
disputed islets. Tokyo has told Seoul that if South Korea gives 
up on the naming, Japan would halt the marine survey. This was 
revealed by a government source. 
 
Although the government has not changed its policy, it is 
concerned that the bilateral relationship will worsen further 
since South Korea has strongly reacted against the planned 
survey. Tokyo has begun negotiations with Seoul to bring about a 
satisfactory settlement. However, whether South Korea will 
respond to Japan's proposal is uncertain. 
 
9) ROK's strong reaction to Japan's maritime survey near 
Takeshimas could derail two countries' "joint struggle" on 
abduction issue; Perplexed Kantei eager to calm the storm 
 
TOKYO (Page 2) (Excerpt) 
April 20, 2006 
 
The Japanese government plans to carry out a maritime survey in 
the vicinity of Takeshima (Dokdo in Korean), the isles claimed by 
both Japan and the Republic of Korea. Faced with a fierce 
reaction to the plan from South Korea, the Prime Minister's 
Official Residence (Kantei) is eager to calm the storm that has 
 
TOKYO 00002144  006 OF 010 
 
 
been created. If the Japanese side were to compromise and halt 
the survey, it would make an accomplished fact the ROK's claim to 
the isles.  But if relations between the two countries become 
even worse, it might lead to damaging the planned "joint 
struggle" to resolve the issue of Japanese and South Koreans 
abducted by North Korea. 
 
10) Japan to embargo outward-bound secondhand goods, tighten 
pressure on North Korea 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 20, 2006 
 
The Ministry of Finance has decided to introduce stricter 
procedures on May 1 for foreign seamen's personal exports of 
secondhand articles from Japanese ports. At present, crewmen on 
board foreign vessels entering Japanese ports have only to orally 
declare outward-bound secondhand goods as private souvenirs. MOF 
will now require them to declare these used commodities in 
writing. This is intended to tighten customs clearance. However, 
it is also aimed to step up Japan's pressure on North Korea with 
its stricter application of existing laws. 
 
A senior MOF official clarified the decision in yesterday's 
meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's abduction task 
force headed by LDP Acting Secretary General Ichiro Aisawa. 
 
According to the MOF Customs and Tariff Bureau, outgoing foreign 
seafarers currently have only to verbally declare their own 
personal goods and other commodities worth up to 300,000 yen for 
customs clearance. This has enabled foreign crewmen to export 
commodities in large quantities, such as used electric appliances 
and bicycles. 
 
MOF has already decided to revise its relevant notifications and 
narrow the applicable scope of simplified customs clearance. 
Articles for non-private purposes will be subject to written 
declaration with their names, quantities, values, and other 
required descriptions for permission. 
 
Electronic appliances with hi-tech parts could be diverted to 
military use. Used bikes were reportedly sold in China as sources 
for its acquisition of foreign currency. 
 
"We strictly check even orally declared articles," a senior MOF 
customs official said, adding: "From now on, however, we'd like 
to step up our cooperation with other relevant organizations." 
Customs agents will keep a sharp eye out for human and materiel 
traffic to North Korea, as well as drug and gun running. 
 
Pyongyang has not shown any sincere willingness to resolve the 
problem of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea. The 
government has therefore announced that Japan will intensify its 
pressure on North Korea. In the meantime, the Ministry of 
Internal Affairs and Communications has also notified each 
prefectural government of its decision to review property tax 
breaks and exemptions for facilities affiliated with the pro- 
Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan 
(Chongryun). In addition, MIC has plans to intensify postal 
checks in order to prevent illegal remittances to North Korea and 
to monitor illegal radiowaves. 
 
11) Former LDP Vice President Yamasaki to leave for China on 
 
TOKYO 00002144  007 OF 010 
 
 
April 25 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
April 20, 2006 
 
Taku Yamasaki, former vice president of the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) will visit Beijing for two days from April 
¶25. He is expected to meet separately with Chinese Vice President 
Zeng Qinghong and National Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan. He 
plans to exchange views with the Chinese leaders on such issues 
as China's military buildup, China's gas exploration in the East 
China Sea, North Korea's nuclear programs, and Prime Minister 
Junichiro Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine. He will be 
accompanied by former Defense Agency chief Gen Nakatani, a member 
of the Tanigaki faction in the LDP. 
 
12) EU Representative Solana: "After consultations with Japan, 
US," EU will decide on whether to lift its arms embargo 
 
MAINICHI (Page 9) (Full) 
April 20, 2006 
 
By Naoki Fukuhara, Brussels 
 
European Union (EU) Representative of Common Foreign and Security 
Policy Solana was interviewed yesterday by the news media, 
including the Mainichi Shimbun, ahead of the Japan-EU summit 
meeting later this month. On the question of whether to lift the 
EU's arms embargo on China, Solana took a cautious stance, saying 
that the EU would make its decision after consultations with 
Japan and the United States. On the other hand, he stated that 
the EU "cannot provide assistance" to the Palestinian government 
now led by Hamas, an Islamic fundamentalist group. 
 
Since the Tiananmen Square Incident in 1989, the EU has placed an 
arms embargo on such exports to China, but China has been calling 
for its early removal. But Solana said, "We are not at the final 
stage for lifting the ban," and he emphasized: "The EU is now in 
the process of working out strict rules on arms exports." 
 
Referring to Hamas, which the EU designates as a terrorist 
organization, Solana called on it to reject violence and respect 
the Middle East peace process. He implied that unless Hamas 
complies with that request, the EU would continue the policy of 
not providing direct aid to the Palestinian Authority. 
 
13) Kantei gives green light to raising Defense Agency to 
ministry status in appreciation of Futenma relocation agreement; 
Bill may be submitted to current Diet session 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
April 20, 2006 
 
Bright prospects have appeared for the government's plan to 
submit to the current Diet session a bill to upgrade the Defense 
Agency to ministry status. The issue has been clouded by a bid- 
rigging scandal involving the Defense Facilities Administration 
Agency. The Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
reportedly has approved the bill's presentation as a reward to 
the Defense Agency, which successfully obtained local government 
concurrence with the relocation plan for the US Marine Corps' 
Futenma Air Station in Okinawa. With the Diet's June 18 closing 
date approaching, the bill may not pass the Diet without an 
 
TOKYO 00002144  008 OF 010 
 
 
extension of the session. Nevertheless, the ministry's elevation 
in status has suddenly become a real possibility. 
 
One Defense Agency official said, "The Kantei has given the go- 
sign to the ministry plan." The Kantei has given high marks to 
the Defense Agency's initiative in producing a revised government 
plan that has obtained the support of Nago City, the relocation 
site for Futenma Air Station, despite strong local opposition, 
according to another official. Upon being briefed April 10 by 
Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga on what was 
agreed upon with Nago, Prime Minister Koizumi praised the 
ministry's efforts, saying, "Great progress was made." 
 
The bid-rigging incident involving DFAA, in which three agency 
officials were arrested in January, has been an impediment to 
raising the Defense Agency to ministry status. The Defense Agency 
came up with a set of scandal-prevention steps, including 
dismantling the DFAA, and presented them to the prime minister on 
March 24. The view is prevalent in the Liberal Democratic Party 
that the bid-rigging scandal has been settled for now. 
 
Timed with this, the ruling bloc's coordination effort has moved 
into full swing. The Ruling Coalition National Security Project 
Team chaired by Taku Yamasaki met yesterday in the Diet building 
to receive from the Defense Agency an itemized explanation on the 
bill to make the Defense Agency a ministry. The Defense Agency 
plan includes such steps as revising the Defense Agency 
Establishment Law into a ministry establishment law and revising 
the Self-Defense Forces Law in a way to raise the SDF's 
international peace cooperation activities to be a primary duty. 
 
14) Government submits letter rebutting USTR report 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 20, 2006 
 
The government yesterday submitted to the US government a letter 
of refutation of the 2006 trade barrier report issued by the US 
Trade Representatives (USTR) that included a call for Japan's 
early resumption of US beef imports. The letter noted: "The US 
first must observe the import conditions agreed on between Japan 
and the US as part of efforts to restore our confidence in its 
export program." 
 
The USTR report, released in late March, referred to the incident 
in January of a specified risk material found in a US beef 
shipment to Japan: "Export safety criteria were not observed, but 
there were no problems in terms of safety." In reaction, Tokyo 
claimed in the letter: "We suspended import procedures because 
doubts are being raised about the inspection system of the US 
Department of Agriculture, in addition to problems with private 
meat-processing plants." 
 
15) Susan Schwab, Japan expert and tough negotiator, nominated as 
USTR representative 
 
YOMIURI (Page 9) (Full) 
April 20, 2006 
 
Susan Schwab, 51, has been nominated as the US Trade 
Representative after only five months in her post as deputy USTR 
since last November. She is the third woman to assume the top 
USTR post, following Carla Hills and Charlene Barshefsky. 
 
TOKYO 00002144  009 OF 010 
 
 
 
Schwab demonstrated her tough negotiating stance in the Doha 
Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, which 
took place immediately after she assumed the deputy USTR slot. At 
the negotiating table, she said, "Food importers, including 
Japan, have no interest in making progress in these 
negotiations." 
 
Schwab was once posted as a trade policy officer at the US 
Embassy in Tokyo from 1979 to 1981. She is considered a Japan 
expert. In an interview by the Yomiuri Shimbun on the sidelines 
of the WTO Hong Kong conference late last year, she replied to a 
question in the Japanese for: "Oh, is that so?" All the more 
because she knows Japan well, she will likely take a tough stance 
in the negotiations with Japan on US beef imports and other 
issues. 
 
The WTO Doha Round is now in an extremely delicate situation 
since it is seems difficult to reach a general agreement in late 
April, the date decided in the Hong Kong conference. The 
replacement of the USTR representative may give the impression 
that the United States has given up on having a successful Round. 
Global attention will be on how enthusiastic the new USTR head 
will be about those talks. 
 
16) US plans nuclear fuel reprocessing test with Japan 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
April 20, 2006 
 
Washington, Hiroaki Wada 
 
The United States wants to conclude a bilateral agreement with 
Japan to test technologies in the areas of fast reactors and 
spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, US Deputy Secretary of Energy 
Clay Sell told the Mainichi Shimbun in an interview on April 18. 
The Department of Energy will send an official to Japan next week 
to explain its plan. 
 
In February this year, the United States announced the Global 
Nuclear Energy Partnership, or GNEP for short, to work together 
with Japan and other countries to develop spent nuclear fuel 
reprocessing technologies that can hardly be diverted to nuclear 
weapons. "Japan has an enormous accumulation of fast reactor and 
reprocessing technologies," Sell said in the interview. 
 
The GNEP initiative also coincides with Japan's policy of 
consolidating a nuclear nonproliferation regime. "Japan is 
interested in the export market of relevant technologies, so our 
cooperation will be in the interests of both countries," Sell 
stressed. 
 
Sell said the United States for the time being would like to work 
together with Japan within the framework of existing 
arrangements, such as the Japan-US Atomic Energy Agreement. The 
United States would like to hold talks with Japan and other 
partners in order to enter into a bilateral or multilateral 
agreement intended to protect intellectual property rights and to 
share costs and benefits, the DOE official said. 
 
17) Five administrative reform bills to pass Lower House today; 
Prime minister indicates plan to leave formation of specifics to 
next cabinet 
 
TOKYO 00002144  010 OF 010 
 
 
 
SANKEI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
April 20, 2006 
 
In its meeting yesterday, the House of Representatives 
Administrative Reform Special Committee voted on five 
administrative reform bills, which the government regarded as 
priority legislation, and adopted them by a majority. The five 
bills are likely to be adopted in a Lower House in its plenary 
session today and be sent to the House of Councillors. In a 
general interpellation to wind up the meeting yesterday, Prime 
Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed his intention to leave the 
task of working out specifics for reform plans, including a cut 
in the number of public servants, to his successor. Such a plan 
might leave open the possibility of allowing the bureaucracy to 
put up resistance. 
 
In yesterday's meeting, the prime minister indicated that his 
successor would take responsibility for working out specifics in 
line with his policy line once the bills are enacted. 
 
The administrative reform bills include only the philosophy of 
reform and numerical targets. So the focus was on to what extent 
details will be worked out in Diet deliberations. 
 
In the meetings held so far by the Lower House Administrative 
Reform Special Committee, however, all cabinet ministers remained 
noncommittal. The prime minister, too, just said regarding the 
proposed 5% net reduction in the number of public servants over 
five years, a measure to which bureaucrats have reacted most 
fiercely: "It is not easy to address this challenge, because it 
is necessary to reduce about 6,800 civil servants annually." 
 
18) New Komeito leader Kanzaki expresses annoyance with Minshuto 
head Ozawa's denial of meeting with Soka Gakkai chairman 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
April 20, 2006 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa 
denied in a press conference on April 19 reports of a meeting 
with Soka Gakkai Chairman Einosuke Akiya. The religious sect Soka 
Gakkai is the main support body of the New Komeito. In that 
connection, New Komeito head Takenori Kanzaki commented: "I heard 
about the meeting from the Soka Gakkai. Mr. Ozawa reportedly 
called on Mr. Akiya to tell him of his assumption of the Minshuto 
presidency. I wonder why Mr. Ozawa denied the meeting." He 
expressed his annoyance with Ozawa's action. 
 
SCHIEFFER