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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 002630 
 
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 05/15/06 
 
Index: 
 
1)   Top headlines 
2)   Editorials 
Prime Minister's weekend schedule: None 
 
Opinion polls: 
3)   Koizumi Cabinet support rate up a point to 49% in Nikkei 
  poll, while prime ministerial candidate Abe's lead over Fukuda 
  shrinks 
4)   65% of public laud Koizumi's accomplishments as prime 
minister: Nikkei 
5)   Ichiro Ozawa gives Minshuto a boost in Nikkei poll to 24% 
party support rate 
6)   Mainichi poll: 38% of public favor Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Abe for next premier, while former Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda 
nets 20% 
7)   Minshuto recovers public support of 20% in Mainichi poll 
 
US ties: 
8)   Senior US congressman in letter to House speaker demands 
  Koizumi promise not to visit Yasukuni if he is to give speech to 
  joint session of Congress 
9)   Special treatment for Yasuo Fukuda in US included stay at 
Tennessee home of former US ambassador to Japan Baker 
 
10)  Japan-ROK talks on EEZ demarcation have been postponed 
 
11)  Foreign Ministry explains that it reported suicide of envoy 
  in Shanghai as "stress related" in order to reclaim body from 
  Chinese government 
 
Defense issues: 
12)  JDA chief denies Japan supplied data on which Deputy Defense 
  Under Secretary Lawless estimated Japan's share of USFJ 
  realignment at 3 trillion yen 
13)  Government to pass special measures law for USFJ realignment 
with separate packages for Nago, Iwakuni economic development 
14)  60 DFAA officials to be punished for roles in bid-rigging 
scandal 
 
BSE issue: 
15)  Government plans to reach agreement on restarting US beef 
  imports prior to Koizumi-Bush summit in late June 
16)  Government finds deep suspicions remain about US beef at 
town meeting with consumers in Tokyo on resumption of imports 
 
17)  Ozawa to clash with Koizumi in scheduled Diet debate on May 
  17 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Has the taste of Niigata's Koshihikari brand rice changed?; New 
variety since last year for the firsts time in 50 years; Same 
brand name used both for old and new varieties 
 
Mainichi: 
Those on probation to be obliged to have home interview; 
Probation to be cancelled, if they reject 
 
TOKYO 00002630  002 OF 012 
 
 
 
Yomiuri: 
Japanese Consulate in Shanghai explain and sign a report noting 
that the dead official committed suicide due to heavy burden of 
duties, which was submitted in order to receive the dead body of 
the official; Report provides Chinese side with grounds for 
denying it has threatened this official 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Average summer bonus to reach 800,000 yen; Increase for four 
consecutive years; Steel, machinery industries as driving force 
 
Sankei: 
USFJ realignment: Special economic promotion framework for Nago, 
Iwakuni; Employment to be maintained after return of facilities 
as well 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Sixty Defense Facilities Administration Agency officials to be 
disciplined; Former Construction Department chief orders to 
destroy evidence of bid-rigging; Most senior officials admit 
involvement in bid-rigging in internal investigation 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1)  Medical accidents: Learn lessons from mishaps 
(2)  Exchange with Chinese high school students: Welcome to Japan 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)  Strange Diet session: Lack of enthusiasm over legislation 
(2)  Thoughts on social divide: Vested interests of each 
industrial sector now being questioned 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1)  Group litigation system should be used to prevent consumers 
from being victimized 
(2)  Mountain climbing by the middle-aged persons; Tragedies of 
alpine accidents should not be repeated 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1)  Retailers should use resourcefulness instead of depending on 
regulatory control 
 
Sankei: 
(1)  Shigeru Yokota, father of abductee, to visit South Korea; 
Roh Administration should take confrontational stance against the 
North 
(2)  Upbeat corporate financial settlements: Good opportunity for 
aggressive industrial restructuring 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)  Measures to prevent AIDS: Intensive approach needed 
(2)  Iran's nuclear development issue: Wise choice to gain 
substance 
 
3) OPINION 
 
Poll: Abe stands at 33%, Fukuda at 21% in post-Koizumi race; 
Cabinet support inches up 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
 
TOKYO 00002630  003 OF 012 
 
 
May 15, 2006 
 
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun conducted a public opinion survey on May 
12-14 to probe into the public choice of an appropriate person 
for the next prime minister. In this popularity rating, Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe ranked at the top with 33%, and 
Yasuo Fukuda surged to 21%. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party 
is scheduled to elect its new president in September. In its run- 
up, all eyes are on Abe and Fukuda within the LDP. Meanwhile, the 
Abe-vs.-Fukuda showdown is now being reflected in the general 
public's awareness as well. 
 
In the survey, the rate of public support for the Koizumi cabinet 
was 49%, up 1percentage point from the last survey. The 
disapproval rating was 39%, down 1 point. The Koizumi cabinet's 
support rate dropped somewhat early this year. However, the 
Koizumi cabinet, now in office for five years, still sustains 
considerably high popularity. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the 
ruling Liberal Democratic Party stood at 44%, leveling off from 
the last time. The leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ or Minshuto) was at 24%, up 5percentage points. 
 
The survey was taken by Nikkei Research Inc. over the telephone 
on a random digit dialing (RDD) basis. For the survey, samples 
were chosen from among males and females, aged 20 and over, 
across the nation. A total of 1,499 households with one or more 
voters were sampled, and answers were obtained from 867 persons 
(57.8%). 
 
4) Poll: 65% give high marks to Koizumi cabinet's performance 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 15, 2006 
 
In the latest poll, respondents were asked about the Koizumi 
cabinet's performance over the past five years since it came into 
office. In response to this question, more than 60% gave 
affirmative answers, broken down into 20% who "appreciate it" and 
45% who "appreciate it to a certain degree." Negative answers 
were broken down into 16% who "do not appreciate it to a certain 
degree" and 8% who "do not appreciate it." 
 
The Koizumi cabinet's structural reforms are now under way. In 
the meantime, the nation's economy is getting back on a recovery 
track. These factors appear to have been reflected in the general 
public's positive evaluation of the Koizumi cabinet's 
performance. Affirmative answers accounted for 84% among those in 
support of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and 50% even among 
those in support of the leading opposition Democratic Party of 
Japan (Minshuto). 
 
However, public opinion was split over the nation's social 
divide, with 22% saying individual efforts should be rewarded and 
20% insisting that the gap should not widen further. Meanwhile, 
43% pointed to the necessity of considering how to narrow down 
the social divide, topping all other answers. 
 
5) Poll: DPJ rebounds to 24% in public support with Ozawa effects 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
 
TOKYO 00002630  004 OF 012 
 
 
May 15, 2006 
 
In the latest poll, the rate of public support for the leading 
opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) has 
rebounded to 24%. This can be taken as reflecting the public's 
positive view of the party's new leadership under Ichiro Ozawa. 
In the survey, respondents were asked to pick a person who they 
thought would be appropriate for the next prime minister. In 
response to this question, Ozawa, though he is an opposition 
leader, ranked third, following Shinzo Abe and Yasuo Fukuda. 
 
The DPJ's approval rating topped 30% right after the House of 
Councillors election in the summer of 2004. Later, however, the 
party lost much public support, with its popularity rate 
plummeting to 19% in a previous survey conducted in March when 
the party was in turmoil due to its fake email fiasco. In the 
latest survey, however, the party's public support has recovered 
somewhat due to the Ozawa effect. 
 
Even so, when asked if the DPJ is competent enough to take 
office, "yes" answers accounted for only 25%, while "no" reached 
59%. 
 
Even among DPJ supporters, "yes" accounted for 46%, with "no" at 
47%. 
 
6) Poll: Abe marks 38%, Fukuda at 20% in post-Koizumi race 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
May 15, 2006 
 
The Mainichi Shimbun conducted a telephone-based public opinion 
survey across the nation on May 13-14. In the survey, respondents 
were asked to pick one from among six lawmakers in the ruling 
Liberal Democratic Party as the most appropriate person for the 
next prime minister. In response to this question, Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Shinzo Abe topped all others at 38%, followed by one of 
 
SIPDIS 
his predecessors, Yasuo Fukuda, at 20%, respectively up 
2percentage points from a previous survey taken in April. The 
post-Koizumi race is now being narrowed down to the two. 
 
In the survey, respondents were further asked what they would 
like the next prime minister to pursue first. Among those who 
sought to improve Japan's relations with China and South Korea, 
Fukuda was 6 points higher than Abe. This shows that Fukuda is 
favored by those opposing Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. 
 
Among others, Foreign Minister Taro Aso stood at 3%, leveling 
from the last time, with Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki at 
3%, up 2 points. Meanwhile, Senior Vice Justice Minister Taro 
Kono, who has announced his intention to run in the race, was at 
2%. 
Among LDP supporters, Abe stood at 54%, overwhelming all others. 
Fukuda was at 16%. Among those in support of the Koizumi cabinet 
as well, Abe overwhelmed all others at 48%, with Fukuda at 15%. 
Among those not in support of the Koizumi cabinet, Abe was at 
27%, with Fukuda rising to 30%. 
 
Respondents were also asked what they would like the next prime 
minister to pursue. In response to this question, 29% picked 
economic recovery, topping all other answers. However, the 
proportion of those who want the next prime minister to improve 
 
TOKYO 00002630  005 OF 012 
 
 
Japan's relations with China and South Korea also rose 3 points 
from the last survey to 14% in the latest survey. 
 
The rate of public support for the Koizumi cabinet was 50%, up 2 
points from the last survey, and rebounded to the 50% level for 
the first time in about four months since it last marked 52% in 
January this year. The nonsupport rate for the Koizumi cabinet 
was 36%, flat from the last time. 
 
7) Poll: DPJ rebounds to 20% in public support 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
May 15, 2006 
 
The leading Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) stood at 
20% in public support, showing a rise of 8percentage points from 
the last survey conducted in April before Ichiro Ozawa became the 
party's new president. The DPJ's support rate is now back to the 
same level as the 20% rating in this February's survey before its 
fake email fiasco. In the survey, respondents were also asked if 
they had expectations for the DPJ under Ozawa's leadership. In 
response to this question, "yes" answers accounted for 53%, with 
"no" at 41%. As seen from these figures, the proportion of 
affirmative answers was 12 points higher than that of negative 
answers. This shows that the party's new leadership under Ozawa 
has led to its recovery of public trust. Among other parties, the 
ruling Liberal Democratic Party stood at 31%, down 2 points from 
the last time; the New Komeito party, a coalition partner of the 
LDP, was at 6%, up 3 points; and the Japan Communist Party at 2%, 
down 1 point. The proportion of those who have no party to 
support was 35%, down 8 points, and was almost flat from 36% in 
this February's survey. This can be taken as indicating that 
unaffiliated voters who used to be in support of the DPJ came 
back to support the DPJ. 
 
8) US congressman in his letter to House speaker letter urges 
Japanese prime minister to "assure he would not visit Yasukuni" 
in connection with prime minister's desire to deliver speech 
before US Congress 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
Eve. May 13, 2006 
 
Yoshiyuki Komurata, Kei Ukai, Washington 
 
US House Committee on International Relations Henry Hyde, 82, 
sent a letter to House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert 
urging that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who is planned to 
travel to the United States in late June, "needs to declare on 
his own initiative that he will not visit Yasukuni Shrine" if he 
intends to make a speech before the US Congress -- an event that 
the Japanese government is trying to bring about during the prime 
minister's visit, a source revealed yesterday. The letter 
essentially warned the prime minister against visiting the shrine 
around the anniversary of the end of World War II in August. 
 
According to a US congressional source, the letter, which was 
sent to Japan in late April, basically welcomed a speech by the 
prime minister before the Congress as a representative of one of 
the strong allies backing the US in military operations in Iraq 
and Afghanistan. At the same time, the senior congressman 
expressed concern about a possible fallout from the prime 
 
TOKYO 00002630  006 OF 012 
 
 
minister's visit to Yasukuni Shrine if it occurs several weeks 
after his address at the Congress, pointing out that if the prime 
minister pays his respect to Class A war criminals, including 
former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who decided to launch an 
attack on Pearl Harbor and is now enshrined at Yasukuni, his 
behavior would dishonor the Congress, where President Franklin 
Roosevelt made a speech right after the Pearl Harbor attack. 
 
Additionally, the letter noted that the generation that remembers 
the attack on Pearl Harbor, would feel concern about a negative 
impact from the prime minister's speech if followed by his shrine 
visit, and even may feel insulted. The letter reportedly urged 
Japan "to take some steps to convince the Congress and ensure 
that after a speech, the prime minister will not visit the 
shrine." 
 
Japan, which wants to underscore the good Japan-US relationship, 
is looking for ways for the prime minister to deliver a speech at 
a joint session of the House and the Senate during his US visit. 
 
9) Baker entertains Fukuda warmly at private residence 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 15, 2006 
 
Hiroyuki Kano, Washington 
 
Former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, now visiting the US, 
stayed at the private residence of former Ambassador to Japan 
Baker in Tennessee May 11-13, local time. Baker warmly 
entertained Fukuda, welcoming and sending him off by his private 
jet plane. Baker, who worked to set up meetings between Fukuda 
and US prominent figures, including Vice President Cheney, 
exchanged views with the pro-China Fukuda on "improvement in 
Japan-China relations," according to informed sources. 
 
Meeting for more than 100 times with Fukuda when he was serving 
as ambassador to Japan, Baker engaged in coordinating views on 
such difficult issues as the dispatch of Self-Defense Force 
troops to Iraq. In a speech just before stepping down in January 
of last year, the ambassador played up his close ties with 
Fukuda, saying: "He is my counterpart and good friend." During 
the US tour, Fukuda fully made use of Baker's network of personal 
connections, in a sense. 
 
Fukuda also met members of the Congress, including Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee Chairman Lugar, as well as officials of think 
tanks. During such meetings, Fukuda "stressed the importance of 
strengthening relations between Japan and China," said an 
informed source. 
 
Baker used to always say: "It is necessary for Japan and China to 
try to find out ways to cooperate with each other." In part 
because Asia diplomacy will be a major controversial issue in the 
Liberal Democratic Party presidential race in September, the US' 
hospitality toward Fukuda might reflect its expectations for 
improvement in the current strained Japan-China ties. 
 
10) Japan, South Korea to give up talks on EEZ demarcation this 
month 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
 
TOKYO 00002630  007 OF 012 
 
 
May 15, 2006 
 
Talks on demarcating an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) planned for 
this month by the Japanese and South Korean governments are now 
likely to slip to June. If a Japan-South Korea foreign 
ministerial is held on the sideline of the Asia Cooperation 
Dialogue (ACD) to start on May 23 in Qatar, Foreign Minister Taro 
Aso will call on his counterpart Ban Ki-moon to resume the talks 
in June. 
 
The major reason for the delay is the unified local elections in 
South Korea on May 31. The outcome of the elections will greatly 
affect the South Korean presidential race later next year. Seoul 
apparently has taken the view that "an indication of a 
conciliatory stance in EEZ negotiations with Japan will have a 
major effect on the election campaigning," according to a source 
connected with Japan-South Korea relations. 
 
11) Consulate said "Official committed suicide because of work 
stress" in death certificate it signed and handed to Shanghai 
police; China uses this as evidence that denies blackmailing 
official 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
May 15, 2006 
 
A 46-year-old official at the Japanese Consulate General in 
Shanghai committed suicide in May 2004, leaving behind a suicide 
note in which he said he had been pressed by a Chinese 
intelligence agent to divulge classified diplomatic information. 
In connection with this incident, this newspaper learned 
yesterday that the Consulate General had signed a death 
certificate to explain that the suicide resulted from "heavy work 
pressure" without revealing the official's suicide note to 
Chinese police. The Chinese side has used this document as 
evidence to deny the Chinese government's involvement in the 
suicide incident, saying, "The Chinese government had nothing to 
do with the incident." This document has caused both sides to 
fail to reach a settlement of the suicide incident. Consulate 
officials, thinking that retrieving the diplomat's corpse was the 
first priority matter, signed the document, but the Foreign 
Ministry's behavior of this sort is again being called into 
question. 
 
According to a report filed by a fact-finding team the Foreign 
Ministry sent to Shanghai to investigate the suicide, if foreign 
nationals die in China, a death certificate issued by Chinese 
authorities is required before cremation can take place or a body 
can be retrieved. In the suicide case this time, after consulate 
officials had taken the diplomat's body to a hospital, Shanghai 
police officers examined the body and produced the document. 
 
According to a concerned source, consulate officials already 
grasped the details of the suicide note revealing, for instance, 
that the diplomat had been persistently pressed by a Chinese 
intelligence agent to provide classified information. But they 
judged, "If the truth had been conveyed to the Chinese side, 
Chinese intelligence authorities, fearing a possible leakage of 
the truth, might have refused to hand over the body to his 
relatives." The Consulate General eventually explained that the 
cause of the suicide had been "work pressure" and its official 
signed the document in which such a cause was written. 
 
TOKYO 00002630  008 OF 012 
 
 
 
12) Nukaga rejects Lawless statement 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 15, 2006 
 
Touching on US Deputy Defense Under Secretary Richard Lawless' 
estimate of Japan's share for US force realignment at 3 trillion 
yen, Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga, appearing 
on a TV Asahi program yesterday, brushed aside Lawless' 
explanation that he had obtained basic information from a 
Japanese partner. Nukaga said: "I don't think he presented the 
figure based on Japan's estimate. We are going to present our own 
figure by tallying up specifics." 
 
13) US force realignment: Contents of special measures 
legislation revealed; Separate economic stimulus measures for 
Nago, Iwakuni, continued employment after return of bases 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
May 15, 2006 
 
The contents of a special measures bill to promote US force 
realignment was revealed yesterday. The legislation has three 
main elements: (1) local economic promotional measures; (2) job 
measures for base workers and measure to promote the use of US 
base land being returned; and (3) a special exception for the 
Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to become 
involved. The legislation is also designed to designate "special 
areas" and establish separate economic packages, with Okinawa's 
Nago City and Yamaguchi's Iwakuni City in mind. The legislation 
also specifies keeping base workers employed by means of 
personnel transfers as US bases in Okinawa are returned. 
 
The special measures bill for smooth implementation of US force 
realignment will be a time-limited legislation valid for ten 
years. The legislation also calls for the establishment of a US 
force realignment council in the Cabinet Office composed of 
relevant cabinet ministers and chaired by the prime minister. 
 
Local economic development will be in two stages. The government 
will designate bases mentioned in the US force realignment final 
report as "realignment-related special facilities" and provide 
subsidies to municipalities hosting those facilities for having 
to bear greater burdens. The government will also adopt a system 
to designate jet-accommodating bases as "special defense 
facilities" and apply the existing law for improving the living 
environment for communities near existing defense facilities by 
expanding the scope of government subsidies that cover industrial 
promotion and the like. 
 
The government will additionally designate municipalities that 
will shoulder greater burdens as realignment-related special 
areas, such as Okinawa's Nago, the relocation site for Futenma 
Air Station, and Yamaguchi's Iwakuni, which will host carrier- 
based aircraft now based at the Atsugi base. For those 
municipalities, the government will provide handsome economic 
packages, including social welfare services, by modeling the 
program on the system used to provide subsidies to municipalities 
that accepted nuclear power plants. 
 
Coordination for designating the municipalities will under the 
 
TOKYO 00002630  009 OF 012 
 
 
prime minister and the realignment-related council to be 
established in the Cabinet Office. To ensure the efficacy of the 
realignment plan, decisions will be made based on the progress of 
the plan, such as local governments' announcement of acceptance 
of bases. 
 
To avoid returned US facilities causing fiscal burdens on local 
governments, the central government will adopt certain measures, 
such as transferring or leasing returned land to municipalities 
free or at low rates. 
 
Main points in US force realignment facilitation special measures 
legislation 
 
¶1.   The legislation is valid for only ten years. 
¶2.   Establish a realignment-related council in the Cabinet 
Office chaired by the prime minister. 
¶3.   Designate realignment-related special defense facilities to 
provide subsidies with municipalities in the vicinity. 
¶4.   Map out promotional plans for areas that will bear greater 
burdens as a result of US force realignment. 
¶5.   Continue employing as many base workers as possibly by means 
of personnel transfers even after bases are returned. 
¶6.   Transfer or lease returned land to municipalities and other 
entities for free or at low rates. 
¶7.   Specify investment in and loans to Guam as a special case 
under the operations of the Japan Bank for International 
Cooperation. 
 
14) DFAA to punish 60 officials; Most senior officials admitted 
to rigged-bidding, according to an in-house investigation; Former 
construction chief instructed destruction of evidence 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Lead paragraph) 
May 15, 2006 
 
An in-house investigation by the Defense Facilities 
Administration Agency's (DFAA) investigative committee revealed 
that ahead of a raid by a task force of the Tokyo District Public 
Prosecutors Office on the DFAA as part of investigations into the 
bureaucrat-initiated bid-rigging scandals involving the agency, 
former DFAA Construction Department director general had 
instructed via his staff to destruct evidence of the big-rigging 
list to determine successful tenderers. As this move came after 
Defense Agency (JDA) Director-General Fukushiro Nukaga had 
instructed all the staff to cooperate on the investigations, 
Nukaga's leadership  capabilities as well as the supervisory 
responsibility of DFAA Director-General Iwao Kitahara are likely 
to be called into question. When asked by the investigative team 
about bid-rigging cases, most senior officials at the 
Construction Department said, "They were aware of them." The DFAA 
intends to punish some 60 its officials at the assistant division 
director level or above by suspending them from office or cutting 
their salaries. 
 
15) Resumption of US beef imports; Government intends to reach 
agreement before bilateral summit; US ends re-inspection of beef 
processing plants 
 
YOMIURI (Page 9) (Full) 
May 13, 2006 
 
 
TOKYO 00002630  010 OF 012 
 
 
A second ban continues on US beef imports, following the 
inclusion of vertebral columns in US beef shipment after the 
lifting of the first ban. In resolving this issue, the government 
on May 12 decided to aim at reaching an agreement to resume beef 
trade before the Japan-US summit meeting, slated for late June. 
This was revealed by several government sources. Both Tokyo and 
Washington intend to avoid making a political decision on the 
resumption of US beef imports by Japan. They will work out 
conditions for resuming imports that can obtain the understanding 
of Japanese consumers during an experts meeting to be held within 
a week. 
 
The US has completed reinspections of 37 meat-processing plants 
that are authorized to export products to Japan. It will submit a 
report to Japan and then hold the experts meeting to discuss a 
timetable for resuming imports and the conditions for such. The 
Japanese side intends to ask for certain details, such as 
conditions for resuming imports and a method of determining 
safety, during the experts meeting. 
 
The US has indicated its readiness to approve inspections of meat 
packers by Japanese inspectors prior to the resumption of 
imports, as well as their accompanying US inspectors when they 
carry out surprise inspections after the beef trade is 
reinstated. The US also plans to explain the circumstances in 
which vertebral columns, banned for safety concerns, were 
included in its shipments to Hong Kong and Taiwan. There are now 
few grounds left for Japan to continue to reject US beef imports, 
according to a government source. The Japanese side is now having 
the Prime Minister's official residence (Kantei) and relevant 
government agencies look into the possibility of reinforcing 
quarantine officials. 
 
The government wants to come up with a decision to resume US beef 
imports before the US-Japan summit, because such a decision after 
the meeting could incur criticism, such as that Japan decided to 
import US beef under pressure from the US. It intends to hold 
town meetings with consumers to discuss conditions for resuming 
the beef set at the experts meeting and the lift the ban, if it 
can in principle obtain the understanding of consumers. It will 
resume imports after the determining of the safety of US 
facilities by Japanese inspections. 
 
However, some government officials are still wary of such a 
process with one official noting: "If the government rushes to 
decide to resume US beef imports and a problem occurs afterwards, 
it will be held responsible for what happened and consumers will 
never buy US beef again." 
 
16) Town meeting with consumers in Tokyo; Voices of concern over 
safety of US beef still pronounced; Tokyo, Washington to hold 
experts meeting possibly in middle of this week 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Full) 
May 15, 2006 
 
The government yesterday held a town meeting with citizens in 
Tokyo to discuss agricultural policy reform and international 
agricultural talks. Many participants voiced their wariness over 
safety and peace of mind concerning food, including safety of US 
beef, whose imports are currently under suspension, and the drop 
in the rate of Japan's food self-sufficiency. 
 
TOKYO 00002630  011 OF 012 
 
 
 
Approximately 400 people, including company employees and 
students, took part in the town meeting. Agriculture, Forestry 
and Fisheries Minister Shoichi Nakagawa represented the central 
government. A number of participants, showing high interest in US 
beef, called on the government to deal with the import resumption 
issue in a cautious manner. Their views included such statements 
as: "Safety is not respected in the international society"; and, 
"Do consumers have to ensure the safety of beef on their own 
responsibility?" 
 
Nakagawa replied that the government would thoroughly manage risk 
control, noting, "The objective of this town meeting is not only 
the resumption of US beef imports but also to allow consumers to 
eat beef with peace of mind." Commenting on Japan-US talks on the 
resumption of US beef imports, Nakagawa during a press conference 
held after the meeting said, "A team of US experts is expected to 
visit Japan shortly." He indicated that a meeting of Japanese and 
US government experts would take place soon. That meeting will 
likely be held for a couple of days starting in the middle of 
this week. 
 
17) Koizumi, Ozawa to engage in first head-on Diet battle on May 
17 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
May 15, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Minshuto (Democratic Party 
of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa will engage in a head-on battle 
for the first time in the party heads debate in the Diet on May 
¶17. One month has passed since Ozawa assumed the post of party 
president, bearing on his shoulder the party members' 
expectations that he can rejuvenate Minshuto. If Ozawa gains the 
edge in the debate by demonstrating his own policy stance over 
that of Koizumi, who is still enjoying high support rates even 
after five years in office, it could have an impact on Diet 
strategy in the final phase of the current session and on the 
outcome of the Liberal Democratic Party's presidential race. 
 
"Phony politics have been carried out over the last five years": 
said Ozawa during a speech in Nagata blasting Koizumi's political 
style, giving a preview of the 45-minute head-to-head battle with 
the prime minister that will soon talks place. He stressed that 
the House of Councillors election next year would be "a decisive 
battle." 
 
For Ozawa, "the upcoming party head battle comes at the best 
time," said a senior Minshuto member. In the by-election in 
Chiba's 7th District for the House of Representatives held just 
after Ozawa assumed office, the Minshuto-backed candidate 
defeated the LDP candidate after a hard-fought game, and public 
support rates for Minshuto are also rising. Expectations of Ozawa 
are growing in the party, Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama 
saying: "He will ask and answer questions that make the public 
think that the two leaders are on different levels." 
 
Ozawa is poised to grill Koizumi over specific issues. Included 
the government's bill to amend the Fundamental Law of Education. 
Minshuto drafted its own counterproposal on May 12. Out of 
consideration to the New Komeito, which is cautious about 
"patriotism," the government used only this expression: "a mind 
 
TOKYO 00002630  012 OF 012 
 
 
that loves the nation and homeland." But Minshuto's draft 
specified, "(Aimed education) is to foster a mind that loves 
Japan." It also included "fostering religious sensitivity." The 
current law includes the wording "without obeying improper 
commands," a provision that has been viewed as the basis for 
allowing the Japan Teachers' Union to control the field of 
education. Minshuto's draft deleted this part. 
 
A senior Minshuto member was overheard saying: "Conservative 
members in the LDP might be willing in their hearts to support 
the Minshuto draft." A senior member of the party's Diet Affairs 
Committee eagerly said prior to the party head debate: "We would 
like to play up our policy stance that is different from the 
prime minister's negative stance toward educational issues." 
 
In addition, the opposition party is considering taking up such 
issues as Japan's share of the US force realignment cost and 
income disparity. 
 
SCHIEFFER