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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 15 TOKYO 002689 
 
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:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 05/16/06 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, post-Koizumi race 
(Mainichi) 
 
(2) Poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, post-Koizumi race 
(Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
(3) Poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, LDP race 
(Yomiuri) 
 
(4) Poll on education law revision 
 
(5) Camp Schwab coastline plan and Okinawa governor: Inamine 
needs to offer clear explanation to Okinawa public 
 
(6) Reason why pro-American Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe gave the 
cold shoulder to US Assistant Secretary of State Hill 
 
(7) METI to assist Asia in its energy conserving effort; Plan to 
be mapped out before end of this month; Stabilizing crude oil 
prices eyed 
 
(8) JAL lets person on board aircraft who was not on manifest 
 
(9) Post-Koizumi contenders; Researching Taro Aso (part 1); Does 
not hide his desire to assume premiership, but remains unable to 
open vista 
 
(10) Number of children under state guardianship rises to 35,792, 
because of child abuse, divorces, deaths of parents 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, post-Koizumi race 
(Mainichi) 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 16, 2006 
 
Questions & Answers 
(T = total; P = previous; M = male; F = female) 
 
Q: Do you support the Koizumi cabinet? 
 
                      T         P         M        F 
Yes                  50       (48)       46       53 
No                   36       (36)       43       50 
Not interested       13       (15)       10       16 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "yes" to the above question) Why? 
 
        T         P         M        F 
Because the prime minister is from the Liberal Democratic Party 
        8       (11)        8        8 
Because something can be expected of Prime Minister Koizumi's 
leadership 
       24       (28)       22       25 
Because new policy measures can be expected 
       17       (17)       17       18 
Because the nature of politics is likely to change 
       47       (41)       52       43 
 
 
TOKYO 00002689  002 OF 015 
 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "no" to the above question) Why? 
 
        T         P         M        F 
Because the prime minister is from the Liberal Democratic Party 
        8       (11)        9        7 
Because the prime minister compromises too much with the ruling 
parties 
       22       (22)       25       17 
Because the nation's economic recovery is slow 
       49       (46)       44       56 
Because the prime minister is reluctant to take action against 
political scandals 
       15       (15)       15       16 
 
Q: Which political party do you support? 
 
       T          P         M        F 
Libera l Democratic Party (LDP) 
       31       (33)       29       33 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 
       20       (12)       27       14 
New Komeito (NK) 
        6        (3)        4        7 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 
        2        (3)        2        2 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 
        2        (3)        2        1 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 
        0        (0)        0        0 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 
        0        (0)        0        0 
Other parties 
        1        (1)        0        1 
None 
       35       (43)       34       36 
 
Q: Prime Minister Koizumi will not run in the LDP's presidential 
election set for this September and will step down. Who do you 
think is appropriate for the next prime minister? 
 
                        T         P         M        F 
Taro Aso                3        (3)        3        3 
Shinzo Abe             38       (36)       35       42 
Taro Kono               2       (--)        2        1 
Sadakazu Tanigaki       3        (1)        4        2 
Yasuo Fukuda           20       (18)       27       13 
Taku Yamasaki           1        (1)        1        1 
Not on the list        27       (28)       25       29 
 
 
Q: What would you like the next prime minister to pursue first? 
 
                                 T         P         M        F 
Fiscal reconstruction 
                                19       (20)       21       18 
Economic recovery 
                                29       (27)       27       31 
Cope with low birthrates        23       (23)       19       26 
Improve Japan's ties with China, South Korea 
                                14       (11)       20       10 
Constitutional revision          3        (4)        4        2 
Not on the list                  8        (9)        8        9 
 
 
TOKYO 00002689  003 OF 015 
 
 
Q: It has been one month since Ichiro Ozawa became DPJ president. 
Do you have expectations for the DPJ under him? 
 
           T               M        F 
Yes       53              60       47 
No        41              37       45 
 
(Note) Figures shown in percentage, rounded off. "0" indicates 
that the figure was below 0.5%. "No answer" omitted. Parentheses 
denote the results of the last survey conducted April 1-2. In the 
last survey, Taro Kono was not on the list of post-Koizumi 
candidates, and Heizo Takenaka was on the list. 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted May 13-14 over the 
telephone with the aim of calling a total of 1,000 voters across 
the nation on a computer-aided random digit sampling (RDS) basis. 
Answers were obtained from 1,061 persons. 
 
(2) Poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, post-Koizumi race 
(Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
May 16, 2006 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures shown in percentage. Parentheses denote the results of 
the last survey conducted April 7-8.) 
 
Q: Do you support the Koizumi cabinet? 
 
Yes                                      49.6       (47.2) 
No                                       37.6       (39.9) 
Don't know (D/K) + no answer (N/A)       12.8       (12.9) 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "yes" to the previous question) 
What's the primary reason for your approval of the Koizumi 
cabinet? Pick only one from among those listed below. 
 
The prime minister is trustworthy 
9.6      (12.4) 
Because it's a coalition cabinet of the Liberal Democratic Party 
and the New Komeito 
3.5      (5.4) 
The prime minister has leadership ability 
19.5     (16.8) 
Something can be expected of its economic policies 
4.0       (6.6) 
Something can be expected of its foreign policies 
5.1       (1.8) 
Something can be expected of its political reforms 
16.5       (20.3) 
Something can be expected of its tax reforms 
1.4       (2.0) 
Something can be expected of its administrative reforms 
10.6       (6.1) 
There's no other appropriate person (for prime minister) 
28.3       (25.7) 
Other answers (O/A) 
0.7       (1.5) 
D/K+N/A 
0.8       (1.4) 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "no" to the first question) 
 
TOKYO 00002689  004 OF 015 
 
 
What's the primary reason for your disapproval of the Koizumi 
cabinet? Pick only one from among those listed below. 
 
The prime minister is untrustworthy 
12.2       (9.6) 
Because it's a coalition cabinet of the Liberal Democratic Party 
and the New Komeito 
5.8       (4.1) 
The prime minister lacks leadership ability 
1.6       (0.7) 
Nothing can be expected of its economic policies 
22.2       (23.9) 
Nothing can be expected of its foreign policy 
15.1       (12.5) 
Nothing can be expected of its political reforms 
10.5       (9.2) 
Nothing can be expected of its tax reforms 
11.0       (12.9) 
Nothing can be expected of its administrative reforms 
6.6       (10.0) 
Don't like the prime minister's personal character 
11.1       (11.8) 
O/A 
2.0       (3.7) 
D/K+N/A 
1.9       (1.6) 
 
Q: Which political party do you support? 
 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)                 39.0       (43.4) 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto)    24.2       (19.9) 
New Komeito (NK)                                3.8        (3.0) 
Japan Communist Party (JCP)                     1.9        (2.6) 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto)       1.9        (1.5) 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto)      0.1        (0.3) 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon)         0.2        (0.1) 
Other political parties, groups                 ---        (---) 
None                                           27.2       (27.3) 
D/K+N/A                                         1.7        (1.9) 
 
Q: Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has declared his intention to 
step down in September this year. The next prime minister will 
essentially be elected in this fall's LDP presidential election. 
Who do you think is appropriate for the next prime minister? Pick 
only one. 
 
Taro Aso                 4.5 
Shinzo Abe              40.1 
Taro Kono                1.6 
Sadakazu Tanigaki        2.7 
Yasuo Fukuda            31.4 
Others                   1.4 
D/K+N/A                 18.3 
 
Q: Do you think the next prime minister should pay homage at 
Yasukuni Shrine? 
 
Yes           35.8 
No            51.8 
D/K+N/A       12.4 
 
Q: Prime Minister Koizumi has pushed for structural reforms, such 
as introducing market mechanisms and carrying out deregulation. 
 
TOKYO 00002689  005 OF 015 
 
 
What do you think the next prime minister should do about 
structural reforms? Pick only one. 
 
Continue       30.1 
Revise         30.6 
Overhaul       32.3 
D/K+N/A         7.0 
 
Q: When would you like the next House of Representatives election 
to be held? Pick only one. 
 
By the end of this year, after this fall's LDP presidential 
election                      36.3 
By the end of next year       28.6 
In 3 years, shortly before the present House of Representatives 
members' term ends            24.8 
O/A                            0.3 
D/K+N/A                       10.0 
 
Q: There will be an election for the House of Councillors in the 
summer of next year. At this point, which political party or 
which political party's candidate would you like to vote for? 
Pick only one. 
 
LDP                                  37.1 
DPJ                                  28.9 
NK                                    3.8 
JCP                                   2.4 
SDP                                   1.5 
PNP                                   0.1 
NPN                                   --- 
Other political parties, groups       --- 
Independent                           2.9 
Won't go to the polls                 0.9 
D/K+N/A                              22.4 
 
Polling methodology:  The survey was conducted by Kyodo News 
Service over a period of two days, May 13-14, on a random digit- 
dialing (RDD) basis. The computer-aided RDD methodology, which 
makes and puts out telephone numbers at random for polling, can 
survey those who do not have their telephone numbers listed in 
telephone directories. Among those randomly generated telephone 
numbers, those actually for household use with one or more 
eligible voters totaled 1,486. Answers were obtained from 1,025 
persons. 
 
(3) Poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, LDP race 
(Yomiuri) 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 16, 2006 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures shown in percentage. Parentheses denote the results of a 
survey conducted in April.) 
 
Q: Do you support the Koizumi cabinet? 
 
Yes                      54.4       (56.0) 
No                       35.4       (35.5) 
Other answers (O/A)       2.7        (2.3) 
No answer (N/A)           7.5        (6.2) 
 
 
TOKYO 00002689  006 OF 015 
 
 
Q: Give up to two reasons for your approval of the Koizumi 
cabinet. 
 
I can appreciate its political stance       31.9 
I can appreciate its policy measures        15.6 
It's stable                                 13.8 
The prime minister is trustworthy           15.7 
It's achieved actual results                40.3 
It's a coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New 
Komeito                                      7.7 
It's better than its predecessors           38.4 
O/A                                          1.5 
N/A                                          0.4 
 
Q: Give up to two reasons for your disapproval of the Koizumi 
cabinet. 
 
I can't appreciate its political stance            38.7 
I can't appreciate its policy measures             42.2 
It's unstable                                      12.0 
The prime minister is untrustworthy                25.4 
It's failed to achieve noticeable results          22.9 
It's a coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New 
Komeito                                            15.2 
It's worse than its predecessors                    3.9 
O/A                                                 3.3 
N/A                                                 1.7 
 
Q: Which political party do you support now? 
 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)       42.3       (42.8) 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto)       15.8 
(14.0) 
New Komeito (NK)                                 3.4       (2.2) 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP)                   2.0       (1.5) 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto)        1.2       (1.0) 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto)       ---       (0.1) 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon)          0.2       (0.2) 
Other political parties                          0.1       (---) 
None                                            34.5      (36.9) 
N/A                                              0.7       (1.2) 
 
Q: Prime Minister Koizumi has clarified his intention to resign 
as prime minister in September this year when his term as LDP 
president runs out. Who do you think is appropriate for the next 
prime minister? If any, pick only one from among the following 
nine persons. 
 
Taro Aso                              4.1 
Shinzo Abe                           40.0 
Koichi Kato                           2.8 
Yuriko Koike                          1.2 
Heizo Takenaka                        1.6 
Sadakazu Tanigaki                     1.4 
Fukushiro Nukaga                      0.4 
Yasuo Fukuda                         23.2 
Taku Yamasaki                         0.4 
Others + not on the list + N/A       24.8 
 
Q: Do you have expectations for DPJ President Ozawa? 
 
Yes                           27.0 
Yes to a certain degree       22.5 
 
TOKYO 00002689  007 OF 015 
 
 
No to a certain degree        16.9 
No                            30.8 
N/A                            2.8 
 
Q: Do you think the DPJ is competent enough to take office? 
 
Yes       29.4 
No        61.4 
N/A        9.2 
 
Q: To what extent do you think DPJ President Ozawa will affect 
the LDP presidential election? 
 
Very much           15.3 
Somewhat            43.6 
Not very much       25.4 
Not at all           9.4 
N/A                  6.3 
 
Polling methodology 
Date of survey: May 13-14. 
Subjects of survey: 3,000 persons chosen from among all eligible 
voters throughout the country (at 250 locations on a stratified 
two-stage random sampling basis). 
Method of implementation: Door-to-door visits for face-to-face 
interviews. 
Number of valid respondents: 1,788 persons (59.6% ). 
Breakdown of respondents: Male-49%, female-51%. 
 
(4) Poll on education law revision 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 16, 2006 
 
Questions & Answers 
(T = total; P = previous; M = male; F = female) 
 
Q: A government-introduced bill is now before the Diet for 
amendments to the Basic Education Law. The bill incorporates the 
wording "respect Japan's traditions and culture" and "love Japan 
and its land." What do you think about these expressions? 
 
       T       P        M        F 
They're fine 
       40              37       42 
Patriotism should be even more expressly stipulated 
       26              29       24 
There's no need to incorporate patriotism 
       25              30       21 
 
Q: Do you think the law should be amended during the current Diet 
session? 
 
           T       P       M        F 
Yes       17              16       18 
No        66              70       62 
It should be voted down and scrapped in the current Diet session 
           7               9        5 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted May 13-14 over the 
telephone with the aim of calling a total of 1,000 voters across 
the nation on a computer-aided random digit sampling (RDS) basis. 
Answers were obtained from 1,061 persons. 
 
TOKYO 00002689  008 OF 015 
 
 
 
(5) Camp Schwab coastline plan and Okinawa governor: Inamine 
needs to offer clear explanation to Okinawa public 
 
MAINICHI (Page 4) (Abridged slightly) 
May 16, 2006 
 
By Teruhisa Mimori of the Mainichi Shimbun Naha Bureau 
 
Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine reached an accord with the Defense 
Agency to relocate the functions of the US Marine Corps' Futenma 
Air Station to the coastline of Camp Schwab in Nago in the 
prefecture and signed a basic agreement with the central 
government. Despite that, the governor has repeatedly denied he 
has given his concurrence on the coastal plan, which he had been 
rejecting since the release of the interim realignment report 
between Japan and the US last October. But the more he tries to 
insist that he is not in agreement, the more unclear his true 
motives become. His denial even makes me think that he had no 
choice but to accept the plan given a reduction in the security 
burden and the return of some of the bases in the prefecture. 
Inamine should stop speaking with a forked tongue and explain his 
real intention to the Okinawa public. 
 
The biggest problem with the basic agreement is that it is an 
accord on the coastal plan, no matter how it is read, and that it 
is totally divorced from Okinawa's May 4 request for a temporary 
heliport to prevent the new site from becoming a permanent base. 
Inamine said in a press conference on May 12, "It simply affirmed 
continued talks while recognizing differences in views between 
the central and Okinawa prefectural governments." 
 
If that is true, why there are no passages explaining the 
differences between the government's coastal plan and Okinawa's 
temporary heliport plan? Inamine also explained that being unable 
to accept the coastal plan, the prefectural government has 
presented the central government with a written request for a 
temporary heliport. But the central government and Okinawa signed 
only one agreement. 
 
The agreement reads: "To deal with the matter carefully when 
eliminating risks of Futenma Air Station." The Defense Agency may 
argue that the coastal plan is the ultimate means to eliminate 
risks. 
 
The major difference between the coastal and temporary heliports 
plans is that the former involves landfills. Both plans involve 
the use of the land portion of Camp Schwab. The phrase "based on 
the government's plan" does not automatically rule out a 
temporary heliport. The authority to issue permission for 
reclaiming land rests with the governor. Every time Inamine was 
asked if he would say 'yes' to a government request for 
landfills, he always said, "That won't occur anytime soon. For 
now, I'll focus on my immediate goals." The central government 
may ask for the governor's permission in three or four years. 
Inamine might not be in office when the government asks for it. 
If Inamine is absolutely determined to reject the coastal plan to 
the last, why couldn't he tell people that he will not allow a 
landfill project if he is in office three or for years from now? 
 
Seventy-five% of US bases in Japan are concentrated in Okinawa, a 
prefecture making up only 0.6% of Japan's national land area. 
Opinion polls conducted in April by two local newspapers showed 
 
TOKYO 00002689  009 OF 015 
 
 
that 70% of Okinawans were against the coastal plan. Inamine is 
in a position to represent their wishes. He is also one of the 
governors of prefectures hosting US bases -- a position bearing 
heavy responsibilities. 
 
There are more lawmakers and local heads who are reneging on 
promises than one can count. Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro is 
one of them. Shimabukuro had shown boundaries for revision talks 
by using aerial photos before the city assembly, but he soon 
reached an agreement with the Defense Agency on a V-shaped runway 
plan, a large deviation from the boundaries he talked about. 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi also described the government's 
failure to deliver on his pledge to keep the issuance of new 
bonds below 30 trillion yen as "no big deal." 
 
In discussing the Okinawa base issue, Inamine used language that 
was hard to understand. Spending the last year in Naha, I have 
developed a favorable impression of Inamine as governor attaching 
importance to his previous statements and their consistency. He 
kept refusing the coastal plan even after Tokyo and Washington 
produced their final report incorporating major steps to reduce 
Okinawa's burden, such as relocating 8,000 US Marines to Guam and 
returning six bases south of Kadena Air Base. 
 
But I must admit that my view of Inamine was wrong. Inamine 
indicated that he would play up the temporary heliport plan in 
talks with the central government. But there is no connection 
between the coastal plan, which would pave the way for permanent 
base arrangements, and the temporary heliport plan. Inamine's 
insistence on the heliport plan is certain to collapse. 
 
The return of the six bases and a decline in the number of US 
Marines would tremendously affect the incomes of local 
landowners, employment of local base workers, and Okinawa's 
overall economy. As those issues cannot be settled independently, 
Okinawa must cooperate with the government. Accepting the coastal 
plan is one option. 
 
In order to make decisions, Okinawa residents need a thorough 
explanation. Given no clear explanation, they must have greeted 
the 35th anniversary of the reversion of Okinawa to Japan 
yesterday with deeply mixed emotions. 
 
(6) Reason why pro-American Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe gave the 
cold shoulder to US Assistant Secretary of State Hill 
 
SHUKAN BUNSHU (Page 54) (Full) 
April 27, 2006 
 
On April 10, the members of the six-party talks on North Korea's 
nuclear issue assembled in Tokyo for a "Tokyo Conference." All 
eyes were on the possibility of a meeting between the United 
States and North Korea, but since US Assistant Secretary of State 
Hill had rejected such a possibility, nothing resulted in the 
end. However, there was another person whom Hill himself wanted 
to meet but did not. That person was Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Shinzo Abe. 
 
A political reporter for a national daily said: "Assistant 
Secretary Hill sounded out Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe about a 
 
SIPDIS 
meeting. But Abe's aides were reluctant, so a date was never 
set." Abe is known to be part of the Diet's pro-American group, 
going back to the days when former US Deputy Secretary of State 
 
TOKYO 00002689  010 OF 015 
 
 
Armitage and Abe's father (when he was foreign minister) were in 
close contact. Abe's accomplishments also include his standing on 
the forefront in tackling issues with North Korea. Then, why did 
Abe refuse to meet Assistant Secretary Hill? 
 
According to the same source, "Assistant Secretary Hill is a big 
hater of Japan. At the time when Secretary of State Rice visited 
Indonesia on March 14, he assembled the accompanying press and 
naming him by name said, 'Mister Abe is too hawkish.' He 
criticized Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe as if he were one of the 
causes of discord in the six-party talks. Since Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Abe knew that fact, he must have made the judgment that 
 
SIPDIS 
there was no reason to meet Hill." 
 
In the post-Koizumi political race, Abe's evaluation in America 
is growing stronger every day. That is why Assistant Secretary 
Hill wanted to repair relations with him. But he was rejected 
like a spurned lover. Assistant Secretary Hill has long been 
known in the US government for his tendency to make irresponsible 
remarks. A White House source revealed: "At the beginning of this 
year, Hill, forgetting his position was that of assistant 
secretary of State, directly told President Bush that the reason 
 
SIPDIS 
for the lack of progress in six-party talks was the Yasukuni 
issue. President Bush admonished him, 'You're in no position to 
make such a charge." 
 
A source in the Foreign Ministry revealed: "At one point, Asia- 
Pacific Affairs Bureau Director General Kenichiro Sasae was 
working strongly on Assistant Secretary Hill in order to bring 
about a meeting between the US and North Korea. But the White 
House sent Victor Cha, the director of North Korean and Japanese 
affairs in the National Security Council, to accompany Hill as 
its 'chief spy,' for Assistant Secretary Hill was not allowed to 
act on his own. As a result, Assistant Secretary Hill, having 
been stiffed by Abe, met with the prime minister's personal 
secretary (Kaoru) Iijima, but after the meeting, he reportedly 
 
SIPDIS 
let this slip out: 'That was a waste of time.'"  The sea is rough 
indeed when it comes to negotiations with North Korea. 
 
(7) METI to assist Asia in its energy conserving effort; Plan to 
be mapped out before end of this month; Stabilizing crude oil 
prices eyed 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
May 15, 2006 
 
In a bid to cut fast-growing energy consumption in Asia, the 
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has as of May 14 
decided to map out an Asia energy conservation program, which is 
designed to disseminate Japan's top-level energy conserving 
technology and system to Asian countries. Characterizing the 
program as part of its future energy policy, METI will 
incorporate it in its new state energy strategy, which it will 
compile before the end of May. The aim of providing such 
assistance is to stabilize rising energy prices, such as oil, as 
well as to bring developing countries, such as China and India, 
whose carbon dioxide emissions are on the increase, into a 
framework that will replace the current Kyoto Protocol, whose 
first commitment period ends in 2012. 
 
A major portion of the program will be to assist Asian countries 
with the implementation of various systems that have been proved 
successful in Japan, including setting energy conserving targets 
 
TOKYO 00002689  011 OF 015 
 
 
for automobiles and household electric appliances and mandating 
companies to report their energy-conserving efforts. 
 
Countries eligible for such assistance will be chosen from among 
such countries as China, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, 
and experts will be dispatched for chosen countries. 
 
Under the program, companies that have energy conserving 
technology will help Japanese companies engaging in business 
operations in Asia using public money. Their assistance 
activities will also cover the improvement of inefficient power 
plants. METI will also look into the possibility of assisting the 
establishment of energy conserving targets for electric equipment 
in cooperation with environmental protection groups. 
 
According to the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, the 
amount of oil Japan consumers in producing a certain set amount 
of profits is one-ninth of the amount China uses. Thus, its 
energy-conserving level is far higher than that of other Asian 
countries. 
 
Demand for energy in the Asian region has sharply increased in 
recent years, following the expanded economic activities there. 
This is contributing to the sharp rise in crude oil prices. 
 
(8) JAL lets person on board aircraft who was not on manifest 
 
NHK website 
May 16, 2006 
 
According to Japan Air Lines (JAL), one of its aircraft departed 
last month on the 16th from Qingdao (China) bound for Narita 
having allowed on board a passenger, a Japanese male in his 
thirties, who was not listed on the passenger manifest. The man 
originally was supposed to depart on ANA flight 40 minutes later 
bound for Narita, but after he went through boarding procedures 
at Qingdao Airport, he reportedly switched tickets with a women 
he knew who was scheduled to board the JAL flight in question. 
ANA at the boarding gate noticed that he had a woman's passport 
and her ticket, and refused to let him board since he was a 
different person, but JAL did not notice the difference and let 
him board the plane. The man reportedly (later) gave such 
explanations as, "There was a person on the JAL flight I was 
traveling with, so I asked the woman to let me go in her stead." 
The Ministry of Land and Transport has made it obligatory for 
airline companies as an anti-terrorist measure to check the 
passports and boarding passes of all passengers in flights bound 
for Japan. The Ministry has ordered JAL to take measures to 
prevent a reoccurrence. JAL gave this explanation: "That day, we 
could not check the passengers because we were busy handling 
another flight that had been cancelled. We intend to thoroughly 
confirm the identities of passengers and make every effort to 
prevent a reoccurrence." 
 
(9) Post-Koizumi contenders; Researching Taro Aso (part 1); Does 
not hide his desire to assume premiership, but remains unable to 
open vista 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Slightly abridged) 
May 16, 2006 
 
Five second to third-term Lower House members on the evening of 
May 12 gathered at a restaurant in Roppongi, Tokyo, having been 
 
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invited there by Foreign Minister Taro Aso. Over dinner, Aso 
cited such words as "elderly society with vigor" and "small but 
strong government." Though he has never openly declared his 
candidacy for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential 
election, he does not hide his desire to succeed Prime Minister 
Koizumi. 
 
Discord in faction exposed 
 
The five lawmakers were not members of the former Kono faction, 
to which Aso belongs. Aso holds a meeting with middle-ranked and 
junior lawmakers once a week. His efforts indicate that there 
remain high barriers he must clear in order to assume the reins 
of government. In order to run in the LDP presidential race, 
which is to take place in September, a candidate needs to be 
backed by 20 lawmakers. The former Kono faction has only ten 
members, excluding Aso and Lower House Speaker Yohei Kono, who 
has temporarily left the faction in order to serve in that post. 
 
Shunichi Yamaguchi, Seiko Noda and Koki Arai recommended Aso in 
the 2001 presidential election, in which he competed with 
Junichiro Koizumi. However, they have left the party due to the 
political crisis over last year's postal services privatization. 
At the outset of this year, Yohei Kono said: "We will back Mr. 
Aso in unison. I do not mind changing the name of our faction 
into the Aso faction." However, his eldest son Taro Kono all of a 
sudden declared his candidacy on May 11, revealing a 
deterioration of factional unity. 
 
A certain middle-ranked lawmaker, who backed Aso five years ago, 
said, "If Shinzo Abe runs, I want to back a winner this time 
around." While traveling abroad this month, Aso said, "I am 
confident that I can collect enough recommendations." However, 
the atmosphere of Nagata-cho (Diet) is neither friendly nor warm 
toward him now.. 
 
The Aso camp's strategy for his becoming prime minister is to 
increase his name recognition. To face the presidential election, 
he must have the public's backing, made possible by his having 
served in the high-profile position of foreign minister. This is 
the strategy for taking the reins of government envisaged by his 
camp. However, it is not necessarily working out smoothly. 
 
He holds rallies once a week, giving speeches at such venues as 
Akihabara, Tokyo. He has also intentionally increased his TV 
appearances since April. He has added a blog to his website, 
which was updated on May 8. 
 
Nevertheless, in a poll conducted by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on 
May 12 through 14, Aso's popularity rating stood at 3%, far 
behind Abe's 33% and Yasuo Fukuda's 21%. There is no sign of his 
support rate taking an upward turn. 
 
Another strategy of the 65-year old Aso is to be the antithesis 
of the young Abe, as he said, "Considering that the leader of the 
major opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) is 
(veteran) Ichiro Ozawa, being young alone may not suffice as a 
post-Koizumi contender." However, since the Mori faction decided 
to allow more than one candidate, chances are now high that 
Fukuda will also run in the race. If Aso idly stands by, he will 
be defeated again as was the case in the 2001 election, in which 
he garnered only 31 votes. 
 
 
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The outspoken Aso is said to be the maverick of Nagata-cho. He 
began to show his political presence after the presidential 
election 10 years ago. Since then, he has successively served in 
high-profile posts, such as chairman of the LDP Policy Research 
Council and Internal Affairs and Communications minister. Now his 
name is on the list of candidates for the LDP president. He once 
candidly revealed his mind: "I am not a favorite, but I have come 
this far by not yielding to flattery." 
 
Prospects for his winning look severe, but he is not pessimistic, 
saying, "You cannot tell whether you will be elected or not if 
you do not run." He enjoys reading comics, seeing in them the 
present situation of hopes always being pinned on the arrival of 
a national savior. Probably because he has made his bid to run in 
the race, he told his aide: "If the times still yearn for a 
leader like Mr. Koizumi, I have a chance." 
 
(10) Number of children under state guardianship rises to 35,792, 
because of child abuse, divorces, deaths of parents 
 
YOMIURI (Page 34) (Full) 
May 15, 2006 
 
By Masaki Takakura 
 
The number of children placed under the care of the state (from 
under one year old to 18 years old) who cannot live with their 
parents for such reasons as child abuse, their parents' divorces, 
or deaths of their parents rose to 35,792 individuals as of the 
end of March 2005, up 1,091 from the year before, according to a 
survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. 
 
Children under state guardianship are temporarily taken into 
protective custody by child consultation centers and later moved 
to child protection centers, homes for orphaned, neglected or 
abused children, or foster homes registered in each prefecture. 
As of the end of March 2005, a total of 2,942 children were 
placed at 117 child protection centers and a total of 29,828 
children at 557 homes for orphaned, neglected or abused children. 
Children left in the hands of foster parents numbered 3,022 
persons. 
 
Despite the declining birthrate, the Japanese society has seen 
the number of children under state care on the rise. As the 
reasons, the National Council of Children's Homes at Chiyoda 
Ward, Tokyo, explained: "There are no signs that child abuse 
cases caused by, for instance, domestic violence and neglect of 
child rearing, are shrinking. Moreover, with nuclear families now 
the norm, family households no longer work as a place for rearing 
children." 
 
"I'll become a member of the Herman family" 
 
Take the case of children unable to live with their parents who 
come under state care. Most of such children taken into state 
protection are sent to orphanages and live with similar children 
there. Less than 10% of such children live with their foster 
parents. On the other hand, some such children, on their own 
will, seek the warmth of having a family and choose to be adopted 
into foreign families, ending up going abroad 
 
A 10-year-old boy, Hiroto, who was raised at the orphanage, "Aiji 
no Ie" in Nakano Ward, Tokyo, was adopted by an American couple, 
 
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the Hermans. Early next month, the boy, together with his new 
family, will depart for Kansas. 
 
Hiroto encountered the couple - husband, B.J. (TN: phonetic), 33, 
a trainer at the US Yokota Air Base in Fussa City, Tokyo, and his 
wife, Jenny (TN: phonetic), 32, a teacher at an elementary school 
- in December 2002. This school has had personal exchanges with 
"Aiji no Ie" for 40 years. The beginning of their encounter was 
when Jenny invited Hiroto to visit her house. 
 
Hugged 
 
That night, when Hiroto stayed for the first time with the 
Hermans, being unable to speak English, he began crying: "I'm 
scared." The couple spoke to him in English, consoling him, 
"There's nothing to worry about," and hugged him. Soon Hiroto 
stopped crying and went to sleep. 
 
For six months since then, the couple invited Hiroto to their 
house every weekend to stay with them. They asked the children's 
home to allow them to adopt Hiroto, saying: "Children should grow 
up, receiving 100% love from parents." "That first night, when 
they both hugged me. I felt very much relieved," Hiroto said. 
Experiencing the warmth of having a family, Hiroto decided to let 
himself be adopted as their son. 
 
10-year-old boy to depart for US next month 
 
"I'll become a member of the Herman family," Hiroto told his 
biological mother, 31, at a guest room of the orphanage, "Aiji no 
Ie." His mother told him, "You may never be able to see me 
again," but he nodded: "Even so, I want to go with them." 
 
Hiroto had lived at the orphanage since he was around three. Most 
children there would be visited by their parents and brought to 
their homes every weekend, but Hiroto has never had such an 
experience and had always been alone. His biological mother, 
deeply in debt, drifted from town to town and did not keep 
contact with him. His father has never showed up even once. 
 
In May 2004, Hiroto celebrated his birthday with the Herman 
family at their house for the first time. An unexpected present 
from his biological mother arrived. It was her handmade photo 
album that contained snapshots showing them enjoying themselves 
at Tokyo Disneyland. 
 
The last page of the album carried a farewell note of sorts that 
went: "I hope you will become a humane and strong person. Mother 
will always love you." 
 
In September that year, a baby was born as a son to the couple. 
Hiroto now has a younger brother named Eiden (TN: phonetic). Late 
that year, the family court approved the adoption of Hiroto into 
the Herman family. Hiroto now goes to an elementary school at the 
base and speaks English fluently. Reportedly, he has no problem 
about daily life at the Hermans. 
 
Since B.J. has concluded his assignment in Japan, the Hermans 
will depart with his new family for the United States next month. 
He is now in the fifth grade in elementary school, and still 
becomes somewhat nervous. He suddenly revealed this feeling to 
Jenny: "I may miss my mother after settling down in the US." 
 
 
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DONOVAN