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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 15 TOKYO 002445 
 
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 05/08/06 
 
 
Index: 
 
1)   Top headlines 
2)   Editorials 
Prime Minister's weekend schedule: Returned from overseas tour 
 
Koizumi diplomacy: 
3)   Swedish premier tells Prime Minister Koizumi during 
  Stockholm meeting that Japan should improve relations with China 
4)   Koizumi's Africa tour, carried out without a hitch, in sharp 
contrast to lack of policy to improve strained relations with 
neighboring Asian countries 
 
Defense and security issues: 
5)   ASDF considering transport of goods in and out of Baghdad 
6)   Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Lawless says the 3 trillion 
yen cited Japan's share of USFJ realignment cost was not a hard 
figure 
7)   Defense chief Nukaga puts Japan's share of USDF realignment 
cost at less than 2 trillion yen 
8)   Opposition parties blast the final USFJ realignment 
agreement 
9)   Local community finds it may have to bear 40 billion yen in 
costs linked to reversion of part of USFJ's Sagami Depot 
10)  Paying for Guam relocations hits Japan's policy bank JBIC 
just when it is undergoing drastic reform 
11)  US, Japanese defense chiefs agree to consider new defense 
cooperation scheme 
12)  Government to propose at next month's summit meeting an 
updating of joint US-Japan operations plans to meet contingencies 
13)  US, Japan to engage in talks on specific aspects of defense 
cooperation 
14)  Nukaga expects Cabinet decision this month on Futenma 
relocation, aiming at first obtaining Okinawa Gov. Inamine's 
concurrence 
15)  Gov. Inamine positively evaluates the USFJ realignment 
agreement, but seeks a temporary heliport be established at Camp 
Schwab instead of current plan 
 
16)  Iwakuni mayor tells defense vice minister that he cannot go 
  along with the realignment plan to relocate carrier-based 
  aircraft to Iwakuni base 
17)  LDP's Kyuma in Washington states that Japan's three weapons- 
export principles can be applied flexibly 
18)  GSDF jointly trained with US forces on riot control 
 
Beef issue: 
19)  In meeting with Foreign Minister Aso, Secretary of State 
  Rice urges early restart of US beef imports 
20)  Farm minister Nakagawa concerned about USDA reducing BSE 
inspections of cattle, urges US to reverse policy 
21)  US pressure on Japan to reopen beef market intensifies 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport to suspend 
operations of truck, bus, and taxi companies if they commit 
serious road law violations 
 
 
TOKYO 00002445  002 OF 015 
 
 
Mainichi: 
Universities recruiting high school students earlier 
 
Yomiuri: 
Government to issue certificates for business people obtaining 
college credits to help them get better jobs 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Government considering offering tax incentives to individuals, 
firms filing tax reports via Internet 
 
Sankei: 
Number of "Net supermarkets" expanding 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Two-thirds of public corporations hired retired senior 
bureaucrats in fiscal 2005 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1)  Government should come up with effective comprehensive 
strategy for tackling cancer 
(2)  Nepalese should decide on whether to keep or abolish the 
royal family 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)  Strengthening of information system: Failure of Tokyo Stock 
Exchange is a lesson 
(2)  Prevent biotechnology from being used to split mankind 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1)  White Paper on small and medium enterprises: Prepare for 
mass retirements of older generations 
(2)  Nuclear power plants and earthquakes: Quake-resistant 
nuclear power plants should be built 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1)  Create vigorous schools through decentralization and 
liberalization 
 
Sankei: 
(1)  Grants to local governments: Allocation rate is not sacred 
(2)  Allergy to cedar pollen: Cure the allergy by eating rice 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)  Conspiracy bill: Ruling parties should not overpower the 
opposition with their numbers 
(2)  China's environmental problem: China should promote 
cooperation with neighboring countries 
 
3) During summit talks, Sweden urges Japan to improve relations 
with China 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
May 5, 2006 
 
By Shoichi Takayama, Stockholm 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the morning of May 3 (night 
of the same day, Japan time) met with Swedish Prime Minister 
Persson at the Swedish prime minister's office in Stockholm. 
 
TOKYO 00002445  003 OF 015 
 
 
During the talks, Persson urged Koizumi to improve relations with 
China: "Japan and China are both very important countries in 
Asia. It's important for the two nations to develop relations in 
a friendly manner." 
 
Koizumi told Persson: "I am an advocate for friendship with 
China. Because of one issue, the Chinese leader has now refused 
to meet with the Japanese leader, but I am ready to hold a summit 
meeting with China at anytime." Speaking of his visits to 
Yasukuni Shrine, against which China has objected, Koizumi 
explained: "I visit there out of a desire for peace." 
 
Koizumi gave an account of the abductions of Japanese nationals 
by North Korea. Persson indicated his intention to cooperate to 
resolve the issue, telling Koizumi: "Sweden has a strong interest 
in human rights issues. We have diplomatic ties with North Korea 
and have opportunities to meet with (North Korean leaders). We'd 
like to offer as much cooperation as possible to you." 
 
The two leaders agreed on the need to reform the United Nations. 
But Persson did not make clear whether he would endorse Japan's 
bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. 
 
4) Prime Minister's tour of Africa, Northern Europe gets passing 
mark, demonstrating friendly relations with faraway countries and 
a lack of measures to improve ties with neighboring countries 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 5) (Full) 
May 5, 2006 
 
Shoichi Takayama, Stockholm 
 
Winding up his tour of three countries in Africa and Northern 
Europe on May 4, Prime Minister Koizumi will return home on May 
¶5. Through the tour, he has achieved some positive results 
regarding mid- and long-term tasks, such as strengthening ties 
with the African Union (AU). But he has put urgent challenges, 
including improving ties with China and South Korea, on the 
backburner. 
 
Koizumi visited Ethiopia and Ghana in Africa. During his stay in 
the two countries, Koizumi mentioned Japan's bid to get permanent 
membership on the United Nations Security Council and obtained AU 
Chairman Konare's pledge that "all countries in Africa support" 
Japan's bid, though this may have been lip service. 
 
Koizumi suddenly suggested establishing a Hideyo Noguchi award to 
honor biomedical researchers in Africa apparently in a bid to 
highlight his efforts to strengthen relations with Africa. 
 
In Sweden, Koizumi exchanged views on common tasks facing 
advanced nations, such as how to deal with the falling birthrate. 
 
But there are no pending issues between Japan and these 
countries. As an incumbent prime minister, Koizumi visited the 
three countries for the first time. "The tour itself of these 
three countries was seen as achievement," according to a 
government official. 
 
On the other hand, many diplomatic issues that need to be tackled 
quickly have been left in limbo. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002445  004 OF 015 
 
 
The foremost one is Japan's Asia diplomacy. There are no 
prospects for improving relations with China and South Korea, 
which are both criticizing Koizumi's repeated visits to Yasukuni 
Shrine. Mutual visits between the leaders of Japan and China and 
the shuttle diplomacy between the leaders of Japan and South 
Korea have been interrupted. Beijing and Seoul appear farther 
away from Japan than Africa and North Europe. 
 
The same holds true of the North Korean issue. Koizumi and North 
Korean leader Kim Jong Il exchanged the Pyongyang Declaration in 
September 2002. The two countries appeared to be moving forward 
toward resolving the abduction issue and normalizing diplomatic 
ties, but since then there has been no major progress, except 
that some of the abduction victims and their family members 
returned home. 
 
Koizumi decided to dispatch Self-Defense Forces (SDF) troops to 
Iraq despite objections at home. He wanted to pull out the 
dispatched troops while he is in office, but given the chaotic 
situation in Iraq, he has no choice but to delay a withdrawal of 
the SDF until the fall or later. Koizumi was once keen about 
resolving the Northern Territories issue, but there has been no 
progress. 
 
How will Koizumi tackle these pending issues during the remaining 
five months before he steps down? Will he pass them all on to his 
successor? His responsibility is now called into question. 
 
5) Aso expresses Japan's willingness to consider extending ASDF 
activities to cover Baghdad if there is a request from UN 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
Evening, May 6, 2006 
 
Toyofumi Amano, Brussels 
 
Foreign Minister Taro Aso, now traveling Europe, gave an 
interview to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun at a hotel in Brussels on 
the night of May 4. Touching on the Kuwait-based Air Self-Defense 
Force's (ASDF) activities for the reconstruction of Iraq, Aso 
revealed the government's plan to consider airlifting personnel 
and supplies to Baghdad International Airport, saying, "If there 
is a strong request from the United Nations for airlifting 
supplies and personnel to Baghdad, there won't be any problem if 
Japan complies with it." It was the first case for a Japanese 
cabinet minister to refer to expanding flight routes in Iraq. 
 
The ASDF, which is now based at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, 
has been airlifting supplies to Tallil Airport for Ground Self- 
Defense Force troops in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah. 
 
The US military has repeatedly asked for the ASDF's transport 
activities to cover Baghdad to meet the high demand there, but 
the ASDF rejected the requests citing the unstable security 
situation. A decision to cover Baghdad would mean the ASDF's 
shift of emphasis from reconstruction assistance to logistical 
support for the multinational forces' security activities. 
 
Aso explained why the government would consider an expansion of 
the ASDF's activities to include Baghdad this way: 
 
"Over the last two years or so, there have been no terrorist or 
 
TOKYO 00002445  005 OF 015 
 
 
rocket-propelled grenade attacks at Baghdad International 
Airport. The ASDF's C130 transport planes are capable of 
countering guided missiles. They possess better countermeasures 
than those of other countries." 
 
Aso added, however, that there has been no formal request from 
the UN for the ASDF's activities to cover Baghdad. 
 
6) Japan's 3 trillion yen share not a detailed estimate: Lawless 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 4, 2006 
 
WASHINGTON-US Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Lawless met with 
Fumio Kyuma, chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's 
executive board, and other ruling coalition delegates on May 2 at 
the Pentagon. In his recent press remarks, Lawless said Japan's 
share of costs for the realignment of US forces in Japan would be 
approximately 26 billion dollars, equivalent to 2.886 trillion 
yen in the fiscal 2006 budget. The figure, however, was not based 
on a detailed estimate, Lawless told the delegates. With this, he 
admitted that the grounds for the amount were insufficient. 
 
"In Japan, all eyes were on the cost of relocating Okinawa-based 
Marines to Guam," Lawless said. "But," he added, "I wanted to 
show that much more spending will be needed for the force 
realignment." 
 
On April 25, Lawless met the press and then explained that Japan 
would pay 6.09 billion dollars-equivalent to 59% of the cost of 
Marine relocation from Okinawa to Guam-and would additionally pay 
about 20 billion dollars for the realignment of US forces in 
Japan. In the meantime, Japan has raised questions about the 
grounds for the estimated amount of money. 
 
7) Japan, US defense chiefs agree to study new framework for 
bilateral defense cooperation 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 4, 2006 
 
WASHINGTON-Visiting Defense Agency Director General Nukaga met 
with US Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld for about 30 minutes at the 
Pentagon. In the meeting, Nukaga and Rumsfeld agreed to study a 
new framework for bilateral defense cooperation in place of the 
current Japan-US defense cooperation guidelines. 
 
"We've seen unexpected events following our 1996 joint 
declaration on security," Nukaga said in the meeting. "It's 
important to make steady studies to deal with new developments," 
he noted, adding, "We'll need to show the overarching objectives 
and ideals of our alliance, and that will lead to transparency." 
With this, Nukaga stressed the necessity of a new framework. 
 
"I know how important it is, so it's all right to talk," Rumsfeld 
responded. At the same time, Rumsfeld also said, "We're now in 
the process of talking about specific defense cooperation between 
our two countries, and it's important to carry it out in a steady 
way." With this, the Pentagon chief noted that Japan and the 
United States, on the sidelines of talks on bilateral defense 
cooperation, should also go ahead with bilateral defense planning 
in anticipation of emergencies in Japan and mutual cooperation 
 
TOKYO 00002445  006 OF 015 
 
 
planning in anticipation of emergencies in areas surrounding 
Japan. 
 
On May 1, Japan and the United States held a "two-plus-two" 
meeting of their intergovernmental security consultative 
committee and then finalized a report regarding the realignment 
of US forces in Japan. "In order to implement the agreement, the 
Japanese government will make a cabinet decision," Nukaga said. 
"The Japanese government will also coordinate with local 
governments and will take budgetary measures," he also said, 
adding, "We will make efforts to obtain public understanding." 
 
Another issue in the meeting was whether to withdraw Ground Self- 
Defense Force troops currently deployed in Iraq. "We'd like to 
consider it while factoring in the local political process, 
security situation, and reconstruction." Rumsfeld showed his 
understanding. 
 
8) Opposition parties criticize final agreement on USFJ 
realignment 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
May 3, 2006 
 
Opposition parties on May 2 released statements criticizing the 
final agreement on the realignment of US forces in Japan reached 
between the governments of Japan and the United States. The 
opposition intends to pursue the government's accountability 
regarding the grounds for Japan's share of the cost for 
realigning the US military. 
 
Takeaki Matsumoto, chairman of the largest opposition party 
Minshuto's (Democratic Party of Japan) Policy Research Committee, 
stated: "The public will have to bear an enormous burden. The 
government has a significant responsibility." He gave a modicum 
of praise to a plan of relocating US Marines from Okinawa to 
Guam, saying, "The agreement would reduce some of Japan's 
burden." He, however, argued, "Fundamental discussions were not 
conducted on whether Japan should bear the costs, and the process 
of negotiations was unclear." 
 
Japanese Communist Party Policy Committee Chairman Akira Koike 
sad: 
 
"Japan and the United States have agreed to expand and strengthen 
the Japan-US military alliance on a global scale. The two 
countries have also agreed to greatly change the alliance to an 
aggressive one." 
 
Social Democratic Party Secretary General Seiji Mataichi stated: 
"The final accord will substantially change Japan's security 
policy exceeding the Japan-US Security Treaty. Therefore, we 
cannot accept it." 
 
9) Local government reacting to central government's demand for 
40 billion yen payment to take back land used for US Army Sagami 
Depot 
 
MAINICHI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
May 3, 2006 
 
The US military has agreed to return to Japan 17 hectares of the 
 
TOKYO 00002445  007 OF 015 
 
 
land now used for US Army Sagami Depot in Sagamihara City, 
Kanagawa Prefecture. If the Sagamihara municipal government 
redevelops the returned land, it will be required to pay 30 to 40 
billion yen to the central government. The municipal government 
intends to ask the central government to transfer it free of 
charge, claiming that the city has greatly suffered from the 
presence of the base for nearly 70 years since the rule of the 
Imperial Japanese Army. But the Finance Ministry, keeping the 
current financial difficulties in mind, wants to allow the local 
government to use the land based on an onerous contract. One 
ministry official said: "There is the possibility that if the 
city is unable to purchase the land, the government might sell it 
to the private sector." 
 
Of the 214 hectares of the Sagami General Depot, the first-class 
area with a space of 17 hectares in front of JR Sagami Station 
will be returned to Japan. The central government possesses most 
of the area now used for the depot. The Imperial Japanese Army 
used it as a plant to manufacture tanks and bombshells beginning 
in 1938, but the US military took over the land in 1949. The 
municipal government began to call on the US to return the land 
about 40 years ago. In response, the US has finally agreed to the 
request. 
 
The local government hopes to redevelop the land in front of the 
station. According to the Finance Ministry, however, it is 
required as a general rule for the central government to transfer 
property returned from the US military to base-housing local 
governments for value based on market rates. Should a road be 
constructed, the land will be transferred free of charge, but if 
the land is used for a park, the local government concerned will 
be asked to pay for one-third of the area. According to its 
estimate, the Sagamihara government has worked out 30 to 40 
billion yen as the acquisition fee. The local government has 
already paid a total of 18.4 billion yen to the central 
government for 37.9 hectares of land vacated by the US military. 
 
10) Plan to finance US Marine relocation to Guam under JBIC loan 
arrangement may affect reforms of government-affiliated financial 
institutions 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
May 7, 2006 
 
The government has decided to finance its share of the total cost 
for relocating Okinawa-based Marines to Guam with loans from the 
Japan Bank for International Corporation (JBIC). This plan, 
though, goes against its policy direction of scaling down the 
JBIC as part of its planned streamlining of government-affiliated 
financial institutions. It is also uncertain whether the 
government will be able to submit to the current Diet session 
legislation to make it possible to earmark money for the 
realignment of US forces in Japan. The government has been torn 
between administrative reforms and financial assistance for the 
US military. 
 
The government has decided to pay approximately 700 billion yen 
as its share of the total Guam relocation cost. Of the amount, it 
will finance about 380 billion yen in costs for constructing 
housing for troops' families and infrastructures with loans and 
investments. Most of them will be funded by loans from JBIC. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002445  008 OF 015 
 
 
The administrative reform bills, which the government has deemed 
as the most important legislation in the current Diet session, 
was passed the House of Representatives in mid-April and is now 
under deliberations at the House of Councillors. The legislation 
proposes that the international financing section should be 
separated from JBIC and be merged with four banks into a new 
policy finance institution in fiscal 2008. This legislation also 
comes up with the numerical target of halving the total loans 
outstanding of public financial institutions in terms of gross 
domestic product (GDP) by the end of fiscal 2008, based on the 
principle of forming a simple, effective government. 
 
Japan, however, is urged to take an emergency step to finance its 
huge share of the cost of US Marines to Guam. The government is 
willing to set up a special account in JBIC to offer loans only 
for the Guam relocation plan and place it outside the reach of 
the targeted reduction of the loans outstanding. 
 
To do so, the government will have to make legal preparations to 
ensure JBIC loans and financial support for base-hosting local 
communities on which a heavier burden will be imposed following 
the planned US force realignment. One government official said: 
"We must explain to the public the necessity of setting up a 
separate framework for loans for Guam relocation through Diet 
deliberations." 
 
11) Defense Agency chief Nukaga: Expenditures for USFJ 
realignment, excluding cost of relocating US Marines to Guam, 
will be less than 2 trillion yen 
 
YOMIURI (Page 8) (Full) 
May 8, 2006 
 
Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga, appearing on an 
NHK talk show yesterday, said that expenditures for troops 
relocations within Japan, which were incorporated in a final 
agreement on the realignment of US forces in Japan "should not 
cost two or three trillion yen." He then indicated that the cost 
for the USFJ realignment, excluding the cost of relocating US 
Marines from Okinawa to Guam, would total less than 2 trillion 
yen. 
 
Nukaga, however, denied a possible tax hike, saying, "It is not 
being considered at this time." 
 
US Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Lawless stated in late April 
that Japan's share would total 20 billion dollars (2.22 trillion 
yen). He, however, in a meeting on May 2 with Liberal Democratic 
Party General Council Chairman Fumio Kyuma and others said, "The 
figures are not specific ones." 
 
12) Japan-US defense cooperation: Government to propose at next 
month's summit meeting an updating of joint operations plan to 
specify deployment, use of forces, premised on emergency and 
heightened deterrence capability 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Top play) (Full) 
May 5, 2006 
 
The government has decided to completely update the joint Japan- 
US operations plan that sets the specific cooperative 
relationship between the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) and the US 
 
TOKYO 00002445  009 OF 015 
 
 
armed forces during a Japan defense emergency, and the Japan-US 
mutual cooperation plan for use in an emergency in areas 
surrounding Japan. The rewriting of the plans will stipulate in 
detail the deployment and use of troops, as well as such other 
features as the emergency use of private facilities. It also will 
heightened the defense capability toward North Korea and other 
countries. The government is considering the creation of a new 
scheme to replace the existing Japan-US defense cooperation 
guidelines set in 1997 and making this core document. It aims at 
completion of the rewriting of the plans by next summer at the 
earliest. 
 
With Japan-US consultations on US force realignment concluded, 
the Japanese government is aiming now at giving more effective 
content to the bilateral alliance as it enters a new stage. Final 
coordination is proceeding in the direction of having Prime 
Minister Junichiro Koizumi propose the revisions at the summit 
meeting with US President Bush in late June. Legally-based 
responses to a Japan defense emergency and to contingencies in 
areas neighboring Japan have largely been set by such legislation 
as the Self-Defense Forces Law, defense emergency legislation, 
and the national protection legislation. However, although this 
series of laws mention comprehensive defense cooperation between 
Japan and United States, they lack specificity. 
 
The joint operations plan once revised would become the 
implementation guidelines that specifically indicate what 
tactical operations the three self-defense forces and the US 
forces will carry out during a contingency. Although the 1997 
defense cooperation guidelines clearly mention such, the effort 
to draft specifics was slow, irritating the US. For example, 
should North Korea fire missiles at Japan and there are 
casualties, the safety of local residents must be secured, and 
the SDF and US forces must be ready to counterattack. There needs 
to be a plan that would specify the units to be deployed in an 
emergency and the quantity of goods to be transported and the 
transport means. In addition, the plan must specify by name the 
roads, ports, airports, and medical facilities to be used. 
 
Although the existence of a plan to handle secrets has been 
mentioned, "the timetable for drafting such has lapsed, and there 
is a lack of specificity," noted a senior Defense Agency 
official. For that reason, the government has decided on a policy 
course of drafting a detailed plan covering the following areas: 
1) a Japan emergency, premising aggression by North Korea or 
another country; 2) a regional contingency, premised on such on 
the Korean Peninsula or Taiwan Strait; and 3)Japan-US cooperation 
in case of international terrorism, as well as a large-scale 
natural disaster. 
 
With the Japan-US agreement on USFJ realignment, the Japanese and 
US governments have basically concurred on studying the 
possibility of a new defense cooperation scheme to replace the 
old set of guidelines. The government's thinking is to clearly 
position the new scheme as the means for responding to such new 
threats as terrorism, as well as to update the joint operations 
plan. Consideration is being given to issuing a new declaration 
that would revise the joint security declaration of 1996. 
However, the deep-seated view of the US is that if the joint 
operations plan is updated, there would be no need for a new 
defense scheme, too; so coordination on this will be a challenge. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002445  010 OF 015 
 
 
The rewriting of the joint plan would fall under the purview of 
such bodies as the bilateral planning committee (BPC), whose 
participants include the deputy commander of the US forces Japan 
and the chairman of the Joint Staff Council. With local 
governments expressing their reluctance to accept the USFJ 
realignment agreement, the task of drafting a new plan that has 
combat in mind is likely to run into objections from opposition 
parties and local governments. 
 
13) New framework proposed with aim of attaching importance to 
efficacy of defense cooperation; Specific discussion with US to 
kick off 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
May 3, 2006 
 
(Washington, Reporter Tatsuya Fukumoto) 
 
Defense Agency Director General Nukaga on May 1 proposed holding 
talks to discuss a possible creation of a framework for new 
defense cooperation that will replace the existing bilateral 
defense cooperation guidelines mapped out in 1997. He made this 
proposal, based on the US position: "It would be desirable to 
create a more effective framework rather than reviewing the 
existing guidelines." Nukaga intends to discuss the specifics of 
the new framework in concrete terms during a meeting with Defense 
Secretary Rumsfeld on the 3rd. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
Nukaga on the evening of the 1st (morning of the 2nd, Japan time) 
told reporters traveling with him at a hotel in Washington: "Just 
reviewing the guidelines will be very limited in terms of scale. 
The US side has also said, 'such an approach will lack 
flexibility.'" 
 
The JDA had at first undertaken coordination of views with the 
possibility of incorporating the revision plan in a final report 
on USFJ realignment, because Rumsfeld on April 2 told Nukaga, "I 
agree with the revision plan." However, a number of Foreign 
Ministry officials voiced a negative view toward the idea of 
revising the existing guidelines with Foreign Minister Aso 
noting, "We are not considering reviewing the guidelines 
immediately." Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi also said, "I 
do not think there is any insufficiencies in the guidelines that 
would require immediate revision." The US side called for a 
framework to replace the existing guidelines from a perspective 
of attaching importance to bringing about cooperation between the 
Self-Defense Force and the US military, including the formulation 
of a mutual cooperation plan in the event of emergencies in areas 
surrounding Japan. 
 
14) Futenma relocation: Nukaga aims for cabinet decision later 
this month upon winning Inamine's concurrence 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
May 3, 2006 
 
Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga, now visiting 
the United States, expressed his desire on the night of May 1 
(around noon May 2, Japan time) for a new cabinet decision later 
this month that would adopt a new relocation agreement and cancel 
Japan's old agreement with the US to relocate the US Marine 
Corps' Futenma Air Station from Ginowan to waters off the Henoko 
 
TOKYO 00002445  011 OF 015 
 
 
district. The defense chief expressed the view to journalists 
traveling with him to Washington. Nukaga also plans to hold talks 
with Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine after the Golden Week 
consecutive holiday period to win his concurrence on the final 
agreement. The defense chief also intends to urge Inamine to hold 
talks with Prime Minister Koizumi. 
 
Defense Facilities Administration Agency Director General Iwao 
Kitahara is scheduled to brief Inamine on the final agreement on 
May 4. Nukaga, too, intends to seek Inamine's support for the 
Futenma relocation plan by explaining that such steps as 
relocating Okinawa-based US Marines to Guam and returning US 
military facilities would help reduce Okinawa's burden. 
 
Inamine stated in a press meeting on May 2, "I would like to 
respect Okinawa's stance (of seeking a relocation site outside 
the prefecture except for the Henoko offshore plan)." Inamine 
also expressed his intention to look for ways to prevent a 
relocated base from becoming a permanent fixture and seek 
emergency measures to eliminate Futenma's risks based on the 
agreed plan. They are regarded as Inamine's alternative 
conditions to replace such previous conditions as placing a 15- 
year time limit on the use of the alternate facility by the US 
military. 
 
Nukaga intends to make a cabinet decision on a new relocation 
plan upon obtaining Inamine's consent to the final agreement. 
Once talks between Inamine and Prime Minister Koizumi were held, 
Nukaga wants to reflect Okinawa's intention in a cabinet 
decision. 
A senior government official noted May 1: "A cabinet decision 
does not require Okinawa's agreement. But because there is an 
agreement with Nago, the central government is seeking the 
understanding of the prefectural government." Thus he indicated 
that it was desirable for the government to make a cabinet 
decision after winning the concurrence of Okinawa in order to 
avoid a local backlash. 
 
15) Inamine proposes temporary heliport for Futenma airfield, 
appreciates USFJ realignment 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
May 5, 2006 
 
Okinawa Prefecture's Governor Keiichi Inamine met with Defense 
Facilities Administration Agency Director General Iwao Kitahara 
yesterday at the Okinawa prefectural government office. In the 
meeting, Inamine expressed the prefectural government's view of 
the final report on the realignment of US forces in Japan, 
saying, "We appreciate it on the whole." However, Inamine 
rejected the planned relocation of Futenma airfield in the city 
of Ginowan to a coastal area of Camp Schwab in the city of Nago. 
As an emergency measure to eliminate the airfield's danger, 
Inamine proposed building a temporary heliport in an inland area 
on the premises of Camp Schwab. Kitahara answered, "We'd like to 
obtain Okinawa Prefecture's understanding on the relocation plan 
that has reached an agreement between the Japanese and US 
governments." 
 
After the meeting, Inamine held a press conference, in which he 
clarified his positive view of the final report, noting that it 
incorporated an agreement to move about 8,000 US Marines from 
 
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Okinawa to Guam and return Futenma airfield in its entirety. "On 
the whole, I highly appreciate the final report as alleviating 
our base-hosting burden in a way that visible to the prefecture's 
people." 
 
The city of Nago and the village of Ginozason, which are to host 
Futenma airfield's alternative in its relocation, have basically 
agreed with the government on the Futenma relocation to Camp 
Schwab's coastal site. However, Inamine said he could not accept 
it. For one thing, Inamine said Futenma airfield's relocation to 
a coastal area of Camp Schwab differs from Okinawa Prefecture's 
basic stance of seeking to move the Marines elsewhere outside of 
Okinawa Prefecture. For another, he noted that the prefectural 
and central governments agreed on a basic plan to relocate 
Futenma airfield to a site in waters off the Henoko district of 
Nago, whereas the government changed the basic plan in the recent 
realignment talks. 
 
Inamine also remarked that the original purpose of relocating 
Futenma airfield was to get rid of danger, adding: "Aside from 
the relocation issue, the most important thing is to take 
emergency measures." It will take at least eight years to 
complete the construction of V-shaped airstrips, so the governor 
called for building a temporary heliport for provisional use. 
 
16) Iwakuni mayor tells deputy JDA director general, "I will not 
agree on the transfer of carrier-based aircraft" 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
May 3, 2006 
 
Katsusuke Ihara, mayor of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on May 2 
met with Deputy Defense Agency Director General Takemasa Moriya. 
Regarding the relocation of carrier-based aircraft from US Atsugi 
Naval Air Station (Yamato, Kanagawa City) to Iwakuni Marine Corps 
Air Station as part of USFJ realignment, Ihara said, "I cannot 
agree on the proposal." He agreed to continue talks, though. 
 
17) Kyuma calls for flexible application of three weapons-export 
rules to allow Japan to repair US military aircraft, other 
equipment 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Full) 
Evening, May 6, 2006 
 
Hiroshi Marutani, Washington 
 
Liberal Democratic Party General Council Chairman Fumio Kyuma, in 
a press conference in Washington on the evening of May 4 (morning 
of May 5, Japan time), indicated that Japan should flexibly 
operate the three principles restricting arms exports and 
technology based on the final agreement reached between Tokyo and 
Washington US force realignment. As a specific example, Kyuma 
suggested allowing Japan to repair US warships and military 
aircraft in Japan. 
 
Traveling to the US with LDP defense policy experts, Kyuma 
exchanged views with senior US government and military officials. 
Touching on US force realignment, Kyuma underlined the need to 
prevent the defense industry from weakening, saying: "The Japan- 
US alliance has been enhanced and improved. In order to preserve 
Japan's technology, the industrial sector needs to conduct 
 
TOKYO 00002445  013 OF 015 
 
 
exchanges with the US, in addition to intergovernmental and 
defense exchanges between the SDF and the US military." 
 
Kyuma went on to say, "The three weapons-export principles must 
be relaxed to a certain extent, as is the case with the joint 
development of missile defense." Technology transfer to the US 
and the joint development of missile defense are allowed as 
exceptions under the three weapons-export principles. Kyuma's 
statement highlighted the need to expand the scope of exception 
further. 
 
Kyuma also noted in connection with his talks with US officials: 
"Some US officials indicated that Japan would probably have to 
join the trend of developing defense technology multilaterally." 
 
18) GSDF received security training March 2005 from US forces 
premised on quelling riots 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Excerpt) 
May 8, 2006 
 
It was learned yesterday that the Ground Self-Defense Force 
(GSDF) received live-ammunition security training last year in 
March from the US Marines at Camp Hansen's training ground that 
encompasses four towns and cities in Okinawa including the town 
of Kin.  The training was to enable the GSDF to quell riots and 
other acts of reckless violence. According to a report obtained 
by the Mainichi Shimbun, putting down rioting groups are 
mentioned, but the MSDF command indicates that such is training 
to protect the units. This is the first time that joint training 
between Japanese and US forces have been revealed as aimed at 
cooperating to quell violence. 
 
19) Japan, US during foreign ministerial meeting agree to aim for 
early resumption of US beef imports 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 4, 2006 
 
(Washington, Reporter Hiroshi Oyama) 
 
Foreign Minister Aso on the morning of May 3 (late at night on 
May 3, Japan time) met with his US counterpart Rice at the 
Department of State for about 40 minutes. The two agreed to make 
efforts to aim for an early settlement of the US beef import 
resumption issue. 
 
During the talks, Aso said: "There are many people who want to 
eat meat back in Japan. There are many people who want to sell 
meat here in the US. Though we have had trouble over import 
procedures, we must carry out inspections strictly." Aso thus 
pointed out the need to make sure that as a precondition to 
reinstate the beef trade, inspections must be carried out on meat 
packers that are authorized to export products to Japan. He made 
this comment bearing in mind the fact that the inclusion of 
vertebral columns, a material banned in Japan as a mad cow 
disease risk, in US beef shipment has led to the second ban on US 
beef imports by Japan. 
 
Regarding Iran's nuclear development issue, Aso indicated his 
view that Iran has not correctly received a critical message from 
the international community, noting, "Their message has not been 
 
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correctly transmitted to Iran." 
 
20) Japan-US agriculture ministers' meeting; US indicates plan to 
reduce number of cattle subject to BSE inspection; Nakagawa urges 
to reconsider decision 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Full) 
May 4, 2006 
 
(Geneva, Reporter Takafumi Ichimura) 
 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shoichi Nakagawa and 
US Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns on May 2 met 
in Geneva. Regarding the issue of resuming US beef imports by 
Japan, Johanns conveyed to Nakagawa the US plan to scale down the 
number of cattle subject to BSE inspections, based on the 
inspection result that the rate of BSE-infected cattle in the US 
is near zero." Nakagawa urged Johanns to reconsider the decision, 
saying, "Such a plan will not work positively for Japan." 
 
Johanns explained cattle inspection results: "Among 42 million 
cows, only 4 to 7 head are suspected of being infected with BSE. 
US cattle's BSE risk is in effect zero." He revealed a plan to 
present an inspection report to the Japanese government possibly 
next week to have it vetted. He then handed copies of e-mails 
seeking economic sanctions against Japan from supporters of 
members of the House of Representatives who are against the 
second ban on US imports placed by Japan. Johanns has thus once 
again urged the Japanese side to resume US beef imports, by 
indicating that the US side is becoming impatient. 
 
Nakagawa said after the meeting: "The problem is not so much 
safety as whether the US can strictly observe the rules, 
including the removal of specified risk materials (SRM). Some 
members of the Food Safety Commission have pointed out that the 
US cattle inspection is lenient." Japanese consumers are 
increasingly becoming distrustful of the US inspection system, 
following the discoveries of SRM in US beef shipments to Hong 
Kong and Taiwan. Nakagawa indicated his view that under such a 
circumstance, it would not be appropriate to scale down the 
number of cattle subject to inspection. 
 
21) Last resort proposal for resumption of US beef imports: Japan 
to inspect and verify safety of 37 facilities and remove ban in 
order; Full-scale negotiations with US after consecutive holidays 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Excerpt) 
Evening, May 6, 2006 
 
Negotiations between Japan and the United on resuming US beef 
imports, halted when BSE-related risk materials were found in a 
shipment of US beef, will start full-scale following the 
consecutive holidays. Voices are rising in the Japanese 
government from those who wish an early resumption of imports. 
They say that even if the safety of meat packers in the US cannot 
all be confirmed, those that have been ascertained by Japanese 
inspections to be safe could be allowed to resume shipments in 
order. However, regarding the essential timetable for restarting 
imports, Japanese officials find themselves sandwiched in between 
the US, which is pressuring for an early resumption, and Japanese 
consumers, who demand the beef be safe. 
 
 
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DONOVAN