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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 002207 
 
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 04/24/06 
 
Index: 
 
1)   Top headlines 
2)   Editorials 
Prime Minister's weekend schedule: None 
 
LDP's election woes: 
3)   Ozawa's Minshuto candidate wins in the Chiba by-election by 
  narrow margin, dealing painful blow to LDP 
4)   Defeat in Chiba election, which the LDP should have won, is 
a big setback for Koizumi-style politics, reforms 
5)   Ihara wins mayoralty race in Iwakuni City, calls it a 
"victory for the urban citizens" who said "no" to plan to move US 
jets from Atsugi 
6)   Central government will continue with plan to move US jets 
from Atsugi to Iwakuni base, despite win of mayoralty race by 
Ihara 
7)   Major base-hosting cities are starting to fall into 
opposition hands 
 
Defense and security issues: 
8)   JDA chief Nukaga about to meet Secretary Rumsfeld in 
  Washington after talks with Deputy Under Secretary Lawless, 
  Ambassador Schieffer 
9)   Nukaga discusses lowering Japan's share of Guam relocation 
with Lawless, Schieffer 
10)  With resolution of Japan's share of cost of relocating 
Marines to Guam still up in the air, final decision kicked up to 
defense summit level 
11)  Flash: Japan, U.S. Agree on costs for moving Marines to 
Guam: Nukaga 
 
Compromise on Takeshima survey issue: 
12)  South Korea agrees to postpone naming underwater sites near 
  Takeshima at international conference in return for Japan 
  recalling ships from disputed waters 
13)  Diet members are calling for a new set of rules to govern 
marine activities around Takeshima islets 
 
14)  Foreign Ministry breathes sigh of relief as Iraq selects 
  Shiite member Maliki to be prime minister 
 
15)  Director general talks in Teheran between Japan, Iran on 
  nuclear issue ends in failure 
 
16)  Finance Minister Tanigaki, Treasury Secretary Snow discuss 
  economy, IMF during meeting in Washington 
 
17)  Imports of US potatoes into Japan are halted again over bug 
  infestation 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: Mainichi: Yomiuri: Sankei: Tokyo Shimbun: 
DPJ-backed Ota wins close by-election for Lower House Chiba 
Constituency race by 955 votes; First victory for President 
Ozawa; Blow to LDP, Koizumi reform drive 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Nissan to build passenger car plant in Russia with annual 
 
TOKYO 00002207  002 OF 010 
 
 
production capacity of 20,000 units, starting in 2008 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1)  DPJ wins in Lower House by-election in Chiba: What is DPJ 
president Ozawa's next move? 
(2)  One year since JR accident; What should JR do in order to 
really transform itself? 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)  DPJ wins in Lower House by-election in Chiba: Comeback of 
politics with sense of tension 
(2)  Suspension of maritime survey near Takeshima islets: 
Government should rush for full-fledged talks with South Korea to 
remove source of contention 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1)  By-election in Chiba Constituency No. 7: Will DPJ's victory 
give impetus to its efforts for revitalization 
(2)  One year since JR railway accident at Amagasaki: Only 
halfway to dissolving passengers' misgivings 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1)  Ozawa-led DPJ secures stepping stone for revitalization 
(2)  Consequence of crises of GM and Ford 
 
Sankei: 
(1)  DPJ wins in Chiba by-election: Competition for reform by two 
major parties urged 
(2)  Japan-South Korea reach agreement on Takeshima issue: 
Stopgap measure will pass the buck to the future 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)  Chiba by-election: Are voters tired of Koizumi politics? 
(2)  Japan-South Korea agreement on Takeshima islets: Working- 
level talks urged 
 
3) Ozawa-led Minshuto wins Lower House by-election in Chiba's No. 
7 district by slim margin of 955votes; LDP suffers stinging 
defeat 
 
SANKEI (Top Play) (Lead Paragraph) 
April 24, 2006 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) candidate Kazumi Ota, 26, a 
former Chiba Prefectural Assembly member, defeated Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) candidate Ken Saito, 46, former vice 
governor of Saitama Prefecture, by a narrow margin of 955 votes 
in a House of Representatives by-election in Chiba's No. 7 
district yesterday. With victory in the first election conducted 
under his leadership, Minshuto President Ichiro Ozawa now has a 
basis for turning up the heat on the ruling coalition. Meanwhile, 
the LDP, which played up the continuation of Prime Minister 
Junichiro Koizumi's reform drive, has suffered a stinging defeat. 
The expectation is that Koizumi's grip on the party will weaken. 
The result of Sunday's Lower House by-election will inevitably 
affect the September LDP presidential race, with an eye on next 
summer's House of Councillors election. 
 
4) Minshuto to draw clear line from ruling coalition at second 
half of Diet session; Ruling camp to plays up continuation of 
 
TOKYO 00002207  003 OF 010 
 
 
reform drive, Minshuto to pursue social divide issue 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 24, 2006 
 
In the wake of its victory in a House of Representatives by- 
election for the Chiba No. 7 constituency, the main opposition 
party Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) intends to engage in 
heated debate in the second half of the current Diet session, 
calling for correction of the growing social disparity and other 
related issues that reflect the negative effects of Prime 
Minister Junichiro Koizumi's reform program. The ruling coalition 
is determined to pass such key bills as one to promote 
administrative reforms, as well as a bill to reform the medical 
system. The ruling camp will also pledge to carry out the reform 
policy line. There is a possibility that the ruling and 
opposition camps will head for another showdown on the Koizumi 
reform drive as they did in the first half of the ongoing Diet 
session. 
 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe 
stated at a press conference yesterday on his party's Diet 
management in the future, "We will deal with Diet business as a 
different matter from the result of the election." A senior LDP 
member indicated there would no change in the reform policy line, 
saying, "With the next House of Councillors election in mind, we 
should not change our present policy line to a policy course to 
bring about large government and tax hikes." 
 
The ruling parties intend to pass the administrative reform and 
medical reform bills before the end of May. They also plan to 
come up in June with a process for a plan to reform the revenue 
and expenditure systems in order to continue the ongoing reform 
program even after Prime Minister Koizumi steps down from office. 
 
"Many people are unhappy with and worried about Japan's present 
politics," Minshuto President Ichiro Ozawa said after his party's 
candidate won yesterday's by-election. He has now assumed the 
stance of facing down the ruling coalition. The largest 
opposition party intends to pursue the "dark side" of the Koizumi 
reform drive, including the widening social disparity? 
 
5) Katsusuke Ihara wins Iwakuni mayoral election; Calls it 
"citizens' victory" for saying "no" to US military relocation 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 23) (Full) 
April 24, 2006 
 
Iwakuni City yesterday elected as its first mayor since its 
merger Katsusuke Ihara, 55, who has called for scrapping a plan 
to relocate US carrier-based aircraft to the local US Marine 
Corps base. The election was held a month and a half since an 
overwhelming majority of Iwakuni voters expressed their 
opposition to the plan in a March referendum. Ihara commented: 
"It is a victory for the citizens, who expressed their good 
sense." 
 
When TV news reported at around 9:45 p.m. that Ihara was sure to 
be elected, supporters in his office burst into applause. 
Appearing before them, Ihara categorically told them: "I know the 
outcry of the local citizens toward the relocation plan. I want 
the central government to take their voices seriously and discuss 
 
TOKYO 00002207  004 OF 010 
 
 
the issue with local communities." 
 
Ihara carried out a grass-roots campaign. Sumie Tanaka, 69, a 
housewife, said: "I don't want to hand down the burden of US 
bases to our children and grandchildren. I want the mayor to 
transmit the voice of we at the local level to the central 
government." 
Taro Asjimura, 38, who was defeated by Ihara, bowed profoundly 
and said, "I'm sorry I was unable to meet your expectations." 
 
6) Ihara wins Iwakuni mayoral election; Government determined to 
push for relocation plan 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
April 24, 2006 
 
Katsusuke Ihara, the former Iwakuni mayor who opposes the planned 
relocation of US carrier-based aircraft to the US Marine Corps' 
base in the city, won the mayoral election yesterday in Iwakuni, 
Yamaguchi Prefecture. In response, Defense Agency Director 
General Nukaga said: "We will make utmost efforts to obtain local 
understanding and cooperation," but the government is determined 
to forge ahead with the realignment plan as agreed on between 
Japan and the US. In the government and ruling camp, however, 
many officials have voiced concerns about the impact of Ihara's 
victory on the plan, which is scheduled to start in fiscal 2008 
or after. The government will have to pay the price for having 
put efforts to obtain local understanding on the backburner, as 
was the case with the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station. 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe released a comment last night saying, 
"I am disappointed with the election result, but we will continue 
our efforts to explain US military base issues to the citizens in 
a sincere manner." 
 
Ihara is calling on the government to withdraw the relocation 
plan, but the government has no intention to comply with it, as 
Foreign Minister Aso said: "National defense is an issue that 
should be controlled exclusively by the government." The central 
government intends to include the plan in a final report being 
worked out by Japan and the US and to move it forward. 
 
In its efforts to obtain understanding from the local communities 
involved in the plan to realign US military forces in Japan, the 
government gave top priority to winning agreement from Nago City 
for the Futenma issue. Relocation work involving Iwakuni will 
start in or after fiscal 2008, when the construction of an 
offshore runway is to be completed. Now that the government has 
won agreement from the Nago municipal government, it is 
determined to push ahead with the entire US force realignment 
plan. 
 
7) Ruling party candidates being defeated in number of mayoral 
elections across nation, including Iwakuni 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 24, 2006 
 
The ruling parties yesterday lost a number of mayoral elections 
that were in the public spotlight, including the Iwakuni mayoral 
election in Yamaguchi Prefecture, where the campaign issue was 
how to respond to the US aircraft carrier-borne jet transfer 
 
TOKYO 00002207  005 OF 010 
 
 
plan. 
 
Twenty-six mayoral elections took place yesterday, because 
elections for local government heads coincided with major 
municipal mergers in late March. 
 
In Iwakuni, former Mayor Katsusuke Ihara (55), who has called for 
the withdrawal of the US military relocation plan, was returned 
to office after the merger to become the first mayor of the 
enlarged city. He beat LDP-backed company president Taro Ajimura 
(38). Ajimura supported a pragmatic policy of seeking development 
measures in return for the acceptance of the relocation plan, but 
he failed to beat Ihara. 
 
In the Okinawa mayoral election in Okinawa prefecture, too, 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto)-backed former Lower 
House member Mitsuko Tomon (63), who is against the joint use of 
US forces Kadena Air Base with the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), 
defeated former municipal assembly member Sachio Kuwae (50), 
endorsed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the New 
Komeito. 
 
Commenting on the LDP-backed candidates' defeats in the Iwakuni 
and Okinawa mayoral elections, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe 
released a statement: "The results are regrettable. However, the 
government would like to offer explanations on the base issue in 
a sincere manner." 
 
New independent candidate Toshinao Nakagawa (35), the second son 
of LDP Policy Research Council chairman Hidenao Nakagawa and a 
former secretary to him, ran in the Higashi-Hiroshima mayoral 
race in Hiroshima Prefecture. He was defeated by new independent 
candidate Yoshio Kurata (54), a former prefectural assembly 
member. 
 
8) Nukaga meets Ambassador Schieffer prior to meeting with 
Rumsfeld on Guam relocation 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 24, 2006 
 
Masahiro Tsuruoka, Washington 
 
Over the issue of Japan's share of the cost of relocating Okinawa- 
based Marines to Guam, Defense Agency Director General Nukaga, 
now visiting the US, met with Deputy Under Secretary of Defense 
Lawless and Ambassador to Japan Schieffer at a hotel in suburban 
Washington for about one hour on the afternoon of April 22, local 
time. Nukaga is scheduled to meet with Defense Secretary Rumsfeld 
on the evening of April 23. Observers surmise that Nukaga tried 
to seek out common ground prior to the meeting with Rumsfeld. 
 
9) US to reduce Japan's share of cost for relocating Okinawa- 
based Marines to Guam, reconsidering cost for constructing 
housing 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 24, 2006 
 
Takashi Imai, Washington 
 
Defense Agency Director General Nukaga, now visiting the US, met 
 
TOKYO 00002207  006 OF 010 
 
 
Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Lawless and Ambassador to Japan 
Schieffer at a hotel in the Washington suburbs on the afternoon 
of April 22, local time, to discuss Japan's share of the cost to 
relocate Okinawa-based Marines to Guam. The US has indicated that 
it would reduce the estimate cost for constructing housing for 
troops and their families from 2.55 billion dollars (283 billion 
yen on the basis of the exchange rate used for the fiscal 2006 
budget) to about 2.1 billion dollars. The US has so far asked 
Japan to pay 75% of the 9.5 billion dollars (1.545 trillion yen) 
in the total Guam transfer cost. Reflecting the proposed 
reduction in the housing cost, Lawless told Nukaga that the US 
would reconsider Japan's share. Nukaga also promised that Japan 
would provide a certain amount of grant aid, in addition to the 
already announced loans worth about 3 billion dollars (333 
billion yen). Lawless and Nukaga agreed on the need that a 
settlement should be reached during a meeting between Nukaga and 
Defense Secretary Rumsfeld set for the afternoon of April 23, 
local time. Nukaga told reporters on the evening of April 22: 
"There are many points now that we share a common understanding." 
 
10) Settlement of Guam relocation cost remains fluid; Likely to 
be resolved at defense summit level 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
April 24, 2006 
 
By Naohisa Nakazawa in Washington 
 
Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga, who is now 
visiting the United States, will meet with Secretary of Defense 
Rumsfeld on the evening of the 23rd (early morning of the 24th, 
Japan time) to resolve the issue of the cost of relocating 
Marines stationed on Okinawa to Guam -- the remaining focal point 
of attention in the realignment of US forces in Japan. 
 
Prior to the meeting, Nukaga met on the afternoon of April 22 
(early on the 23rd, Japan time) with US Ambassador to Japan 
Schieffer and Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Lawless at his 
hotel. There being no apparent progress in the talks, the 
situation remains fluid whether the issue of Japan's share of the 
cost can be resolved in the summit meeting of defense chiefs. 
 
Director General Nukaga, after his meeting with Schieffer and 
Lawless, told the press corps: "It is important to set up the 
playing field (for debate). I will do my best so that both sides 
will have a mutual recognition of the problem." The defense chief 
also said: "Little by little, we are moving closer to a common 
position." 
 
11) Japan, U.S. agree on costs for moving Marines to Guam: Nukaga 
 
KYODO  ---  WASHINGTON, 
April 24 KYODO 
 
Japan and the United States struck a deal Sunday on sharing the 
costs of relocating 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam, 
Japanese Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga said 
after a meeting with his U.S. counterpart. 
 
Nukaga said he and U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld agreed 
that Japan will shoulder 59% of the total cost of $10.27 billion, 
or $6.09 billion, including grants and loans. 
 
TOKYO 00002207  007 OF 010 
 
 
 
After the meeting, Nukaga told reporters the two agreed on the 
cost sharing and all other points related to the relocation 
issue. Rumsfeld said they reached common understanding in a way 
that will be beneficial for both sides. 
 
Japan's share of cost is broken down to $2.8 billion in grants, 
$1.5 billion in investments and $1.79 billion in loans, according 
to Nukaga. 
 
Tokyo and Washington had been at odds over Tokyo's share for the 
Guam relocation cost. The U.S. side had asked Japan to pay 75%, 
or $7.5 billion, and the Japanese side had offered to grant $3 
billion and loan another $3 billion. 
 
The meeting between the defense chiefs was held after failing in 
several rounds of senior working-level talks to nail down the 
share to pave the way for completing an implementation plan for 
an overall package of agreements they reached last October to 
realign the U.S. military presence in Japan. 
 
Now that they have an agreement, the two nations now hope to make 
final arrangements at another round of senior working-level talks 
Monday and Tuesday in Washington to set the stage for a top 
security meeting of defense and foreign affairs ministers early 
next month to finalize the overall implementation plan. 
 
12) Japan calls off maritime survey near Takeshima, South Korea 
shelves plan to propose Korean names for seafloor topography; 
Agreement reached to conduct demarcation talks in May 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
April 23, 2006 
 
Hayami Ichikawa, Seoul 
 
An agreement was reached in Japan-South Korea vice-ministerial 
talks yesterday on Japan's planned maritime survey in the 
exclusive economic zone (EEZ), claimed by both Japan and South 
Korea, near Takeshima, known as Dokdo in South Korea, that South 
Korea would not propose Korean names for the seafloor topography 
near the disputed islets at an international conference in June 
and that Japan in return would not conduct the maritime survey. 
The two sides also agreed to resume director-general-level talks 
in May on the demarcation of EEZs near Takeshima. South Korea 
threatened that if Japan carried out the maritime survey, it 
would not hesitate to seize Japanese survey vessels. But a clash 
with South Korea has been averted for the time being. 
 
Following the session April 21, Administrative Vice Foreign 
Minister Shotaro Yachi held talks intermittently with South 
Korean First Vice Minister Yu Myung Hwan for nearly 10 hours at a 
Seoul hotel yesterday. 
 
After the talks, Yachi told reporters: 
 
"We both explained our respective positions fully and finally 
managed to cut a package deal. We exchanged views severely, and 
it was hard to find a settlement line." 
 
He also said about Japan's proposal for establishing a system 
requiring the two countries to notify each other before 
 
TOKYO 00002207  008 OF 010 
 
 
conducting a maritime survey in the area where the two countries' 
EEZs overlap, "South Korea was not in a mood to accept Japan's 
proposal." 
 
Despite compromise, source of territorial row remains 
 
Commentary 
 
Japan and South Korea both made compromises April 22 regarding 
the issue of Japan's planned maritime survey in the Sea of Japan 
in a bid to avert a clash. In shelving its plan to propose Korean 
names for seafloor topography, South Korea affirmed its 
standpoint of making proposals "at a time of its choosing." As a 
result, Seoul would not come under fire from the hard-liners in 
the country for backtracking its standpoint. But the source of 
the Takeshima row with South Korea still remains. 
 
13) Government, ruling parties come out with views favoring 
consideration of new rules regarding maritime surveys around 
Takeshima, naming of topographical features 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpt) 
April 24, 2006 
 
Although the government and ruling camp yesterday gave high marks 
to the resolution of the issue of the maritime survey in waters 
around Takeshima (Korean name, Dokdo) that avoided a worst-case 
scenario, the views coming out one after the other seek as the 
next challenge the creation of rules regarding such surveys and 
the naming of underwater features. Liberal Democratic Party 
Policy Research Council Chairman Hidenao Nakagawa, appearing on 
Fuji TV yesterday, said: "It would be better to study  jointly 
(between Japan and South Korea) the problem of naming underwater 
geological features." National Land and Transportation Minister 
Kazuo Kitagawa stressed the setting up rules for maritime 
research in negotiations on setting a boundary line for the EEZ. 
 
14) Government to earnestly consider GSDF pullout from Iraq; 
Foreign Ministry official: Critical stage is over with 
designation of al-Maliki 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 24, 2004 
 
The government hails great progress made in Iraq's political 
process, as seen in the designation of Jawad al-Maliki as its new 
prime minister. The government plans to speed up preparations for 
resuming yen loans to the country for the first time in about 20 
years, as well as seriously considering a timeline for 
withdrawing Ground Self-Defense Force troops from the southern 
Iraqi city of Samawah, meaning that the stage is being set for a 
pullout. 
 
Following the designation of al-Maliki as the new Iraqi prime 
minister, Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Yoshinori Katori 
released a statement yesterday reading, "Japan welcomes his 
appointment as a great stride toward the establishment of a new 
government under national unity." 
 
A senior Foreign Ministry official said: 
 
"The most critical stage is now over for the establishment of a 
 
TOKYO 00002207  009 OF 010 
 
 
permanent government. We need to watch closely the process of 
appointing new cabinet ministers. It should go smoothly, because 
the transitional government has formed a cabinet once." 
 
The government hopes to reach a formal agreement with a permanent 
Iraqi government in May on the implementation of yen-loan 
projects, including those for port improvement and irrigation, 
worth about 76.5 billion yen. The government also intends to 
invite to Japan senior Iraqi government officials, including top- 
level leaders. 
 
The government initially envisaged beginning a GSDF pullout in 
late March and wrapping it up in May. But the timetable has been 
slipping due to a delay in the establishment of a new Iraqi 
government because of sectarian clashes. The government is 
expected to issue an order to dispatch the 10th GSDF contingent 
to Iraq later this month to replace the 9th contingent in late 
May. A withdrawal may not begin until June or later. The 
government is poised to determine a timeline for withdrawal while 
watching the formation of a formal Iraqi government and other 
factors. 
 
15) Japan, Iran talks on nuclear development issue end in failure 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 23, 2006 
 
By Takayuki Haruhi in Teheran 
 
Middle East-Africa Bureau Director General Motoi Yoshikawa of the 
Foreign Ministry met on April 22 in Teheran with Iran's vice 
foreign minister for Asian affairs and other officials. The talks 
centered on Iran's nuclear development issue, but ended along 
divergent lines. Japan on April 11 expressed its regret that Iran 
had announced its successful enrichment of uranium. The Iranian 
government rebutted: "We will not change from our previous 
position of using nuclear energy for peaceful use." 
 
16) Japanese, US finance ministers discuss review of IMF quota 
system to correct under-representation of emerging economies in 
Asia 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
April 24, 2006 
 
Masakuni Mizu, Washington 
 
Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, currently visiting the US, 
met with US Treasury Secretary Snow for about 30 minutes on the 
afternoon of April 22, local time. During the meeting, the two 
agreed to discuss a review of the International Monetary Fund's 
(IMF) quota system used for allotting voting power. In the IMF, 
the US and European countries have now strong clout. The proposed 
revision is aimed to correct the current under-presentation of 
emerging economies in Asia and other regions. 
 
In a meeting of the IMF International Monetary Financial 
Committee held prior to the finance ministerial, the participants 
agreed to have the IMF senior director submit a revision plan 
with an eye to the September annual assembly. In the Japan-US 
finance ministerial, Snow, who was cautious about IMF reform, 
also showed understanding. 
 
TOKYO 00002207  010 OF 010 
 
 
 
Should the IMF quota system be reviewed, emerging economies, such 
as China and South Korea, will have increased voting power, while 
that of some European countries will decrease. Such countries 
will certainly raise objections to the proposed revision of the 
quota system. 
 
17) Second ban on US potato imports due to new finding of pests 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
April 22, 2006 
 
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) 
yesterday announced a ban on US potato imports, which had been 
allowed with conditions, such as that imported products should be 
used only for potato chips. The move follows the discovery of 
pests at a farm in Idaho. The import embargo had been lifted only 
a little over two months ago. 
 
Japan had suspended US potato imports due to the breeding of 
potato cyst nematodes, but the US called on Japan to import US 
potatoes for potato chips from areas where such pests had not 
been found. MAFF then lifted the ban on the imports of US 
potatoes from 14 states, including Idaho for the February-June 
period. Approximately 430 tons had thus far been imported. 
 
However, following the finding of white potato cyst nematodes, 
which are harmful to potatoes, in Idaho in April, MAFF decided to 
suspend the potato imports from all over the US. 
 
DONOVAN