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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 003219 
 
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 06/12/06 
 
 
Index: 
 
1)   Top headlines 
2)   Editorials 
Prime Minister's weekend schedule: None 
 
US-Japan relations: 
3)   Three tough issues for Prime Minister Koizumi going into the 
  end of June summit with President Bush: Iran, USFJ realignment, 
  and Burma 
4)   Koizumi to announce at summit meeting with President Bush 
Japan's support for US' cooperative nuclear agreement with India 
5)   Treasury Secretary Snow in meeting with Finance Minister 
Tanigaki presses Japan to consider financial sanctions on Iran 
for continuing nuclear program 
6)   Tanigaki, Snow meet for the last time as finance ministers 
 
Aso diplomacy: 
7)   Foreign Minister Aso in meeting with Iran's vice foreign 
  minister urges Iran to accept proposed package of rewards for 
  ending nuclear program 
8)   Japan, Russia to hold first strategic dialogue at foreign 
minister level at G8 summit 
9)   Foreign Minister Aso: Cautious decision made to extend yen 
loans to China beyond fiscal 2006 
10)  Foreign Ministry is toughening counter-intelligence 
measures, including personnel training, following Shanghai 
suicide incident 
 
11)  Japan, South Korea start EEZ negotiations today but 
  Takeshima issue likely to be a stumbling block 
 
12)  RENK official says US sanctions on Pyongyang working: Glut 
  of counterfeit bills that North Korea cannot circulate overseas 
 
13)  As anti-terrorist measure, METI this year to expand ban on 
  export of military-use materials, including precious metals 
 
Minshuto President Ozawa in action: 
14)  Ozawa will definitely run for reelection this fall as 
  president of Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) 
15)  Ozawa supports raising JDA to ministry status, complains 
about bill being submitted at end of current Diet session 
 
Opinion polls: 
16)  Political opinion poll: 54% of party supporters admit to 
  voting for another party in past election 
17)  Yomiuri poll shows an alarming 80% of public see weakening 
of "human relations" in Japan 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Colleges struggling to accept retired baby boomers 
 
Mainichi: 
Active fault zone detected near Shimane atomic power plant 
 
Yomiuri: 
2004 tsunami ODA aid bids were 'murky' 
 
TOKYO 00003219  002 OF 011 
 
 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Poll on 400 companies: 90% say child-care packages help companies 
keep top workers 
 
Sankei: 
Flu outbreak 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Retirement payments for public servants to expand 130% 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1)  Second chance for failures:  A more moderate market society 
should be built 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)  Intellectual property plan: Create a system where people can 
benefit by their wisdom 
(2)  "Heart-to-heart communication also needs rules (by Yuri 
Aono, editorial committee member) 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1)  Don't slacken efforts to fiscally reconstruct state finances 
(2)  Local governments should make efforts to slash expenditures 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1)  Intellectual property strategy now at stage of moving from 
defense to offense 
(2)  Hope for G-8 cooperation to stabilize oil prices 
 
Sankei: 
(1)  Reform of Basic Education Law: Minshuto's (Democratic Party 
of Japan) response intangible 
(2)  Energy strategy: National security viewpoints needed 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)  Terrorism in Iraq: Illusion about mastermind's death 
(2)  Baby boomers will narrow distance between the food we eat 
and agriculture 
 
3) After Prime Minister Koizumi steps down, what will become of 
three outstanding Japan-US issues: Iran, force realignment, and 
Burma? 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
June 12, 2006 
 
With the end to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's term in office 
approaching, Japan and the United States remain saddled with 
three tough issues to resolve. The US has urged Japan to impose 
financial sanctions on Iran. Washington has also repeatedly urged 
Tokyo to implement the bilateral agreement on US force 
realignment plans. Japan and the US are also wide apart on Burma 
(Myanmar), with Washington even prepared to call for UN 
sanctions. 
 
Iran 
 
"Can't you do something about Iran financially?" In his talks 
with Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki on the sidelines of the 
 
TOKYO 00003219  003 OF 011 
 
 
G8 financial summit in St. Petersburg on June 9, US Treasury 
Secretary John Snow took up the Iranian nuclear issue. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
At present, the Iran nuclear issue hinges on Teheran's response 
to a package of incentives presented by the five permanent UN 
Security Council members plus Germany. 
 
Should Iran refuse the package, the US intends to push the issue 
toward talks at the Security Council. However, with China and 
Russia remaining reluctant to impose sanctions, a UN resolution 
is unlikely. In anticipation of such a consequence, the US is 
searching for ways to impose sanctions by a "coalition of the 
willing." 
 
The position of Tokyo, which has strong economic ties to Teheran, 
is that Iran is not an imminent threat to Japan and that 
sanctions require a UN resolution. If this situation persists, 
the policies of Japan and the US would clash. "The Iranian issue 
could test the Japan-US alliance," an American specialist noted. 
 
US force realignment 
 
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld held talks with his Japanese 
counterpart Fukushiro Nukaga on June 4 in Singapore in which the 
former repeatedly asked, "Are you going to set up a separate 
budget slot, or can you finance the project with your defense 
spending, which is 1% of GDP?" Given Tokyo's decision to give up 
on presenting US force realignment-related bills to the ongoing 
Diet session, Rumsfeld was trying to win Japan's assurance of 
bearing the cost of relocating Okinawa-based US Marines to Guam. 
 
In a speech, Nukaga referred to US force realignment as the most 
significant event for the history of the Japan-US alliance of 
several decades. But that, too, is based on the implementation of 
the bilateral US force realignment agreement. 
 
A Futenma Air Station relocation plan that followed a zigzag path 
created strong discontent among US officials. Washington is 
closely watching Tokyo's efforts to come up with the necessary 
funds, enact related bills, and convince affected communities. 
Washington is likely to press Tokyo harder for the implementation 
of the agreement, as necessary. 
 
Burma 
 
The US is considering a UN resolution regarding the situation of 
Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader who continues to be 
under extended house arrest by decision of the Burmese junta. 
Japan intends to oppose such a step, thinking that forcible 
action would make her situation even worse. 
 
The US sought to constrain Japan by informally inquiring about 
Tokyo's true intention. The US Congress also raised an objection 
to Japan's stance. The US is increasingly dissatisfied with 
Japan, for it regards the abduction issue involving North Korea 
and Burma's case are similar violations of human rights. 
 
4) Japan to express its support for US-India nuclear cooperation 
agreement during upcoming Japan-US summit 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) 
June 11, 2006 
 
TOKYO 00003219  004 OF 011 
 
 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has decided to express his 
support for the US-India agreement on cooperation on civilian 
nuclear power. The US, which is brandishing the threat of 
sanctions against Iran, a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation 
Treaty (NPT), for its nuclear development, has decided to 
cooperate with India, a nuclear power that is not an NPT member. 
The government of Japan, the only country on which nuclear 
weapons have been used, has strongly called for nonproliferation. 
Chances are that if it makes clear its support for the US and 
India out of consideration for the US, it could come under fire 
from within and from outside. 
 
Prime Minister Koizumi during his upcoming talks with US 
President Bush in Washington intends to convey support for 
cooperation between the US and India instead of indicating common 
understanding. He made this decision taking into account the fact 
that India has indicated that it will accept inspections of its 
civilian nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy 
Agency (IAEA). Tokyo's decision is also motivated by the desire 
to strengthen ties with India with the rise of China in mind. 
 
However, in response to the deep-rooted international opposition 
to the US having approved India's vague position, Japan intends 
to continue to call on India to accept inspections of its nuclear 
facilities, including military facilities. 
 
Washington had sought understanding from Japan for its agreement 
with India in March, as well as to place the issue on the agenda 
of the upcoming bilateral summit. Tokyo has thus far held off 
clarifying its stance toward the US-India agreement, with Foreign 
Minister Taro Aso noting, "We would like to carefully consider 
the possible impact of the agreement on international nuclear 
disarmament and the nuclear nonproliferation regime." 
 
5) US Treasury Secretary calls for Japan's cooperation on 
financial sanctions against Iran 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
June 10, 2006 
 
Hitoshi, St. Petersburg 
 
Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki and US Secretary of the 
Treasury Snow held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G- 
8 financial ministers meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 
¶9. 
 
In reference to Iran's nuclear program, Snow called on Japan to 
discuss the possibility of imposing financial sanctions on Iran, 
such as a imposing a freeze on funds, saying: "Is it possible for 
Japan to express its concerns in the financial area?" 
 
This was the first time for a senior US government official to 
ask a key Japanese cabinet minister line up with the US on 
sanctions against Iran. Japan is now likely to be under even more 
intense pressure to respond. 
 
Tanigaki replied that Japan would determine its response upon 
holding discussions with European and other countries concerned. 
Japan has been cautious about joining sanctions against Iran, 
given its deep economic relations with that country through such 
 
TOKYO 00003219  005 OF 011 
 
 
economic activities as the development of the Azadegan oil field. 
 
On his country's nuclear problem, President Ahmadi-Nejad has 
indicated a willingness to look into the package of rewards 
proposed by the US, Europe, China, Russia and other countries. 
The US has indicated that if the Iranian president rejected this 
proposal, Washington would slap economic sanctions against 
Teheran. 
 
In the bilateral talks, Tanigaki also stressed the importance of 
stabilizing the international exchange market, saying: "Violent 
fluctuations on the market are undesirable." 
 
6) Last meeting between Finance Minister Tanigaki and US Treasury 
Secretary Snow 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SANKEI (Page 7) (Full) 
June 10, 2006 
 
Shogo Otsuka, St. Petersburg 
 
June 9 was the last time for Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki 
and Secretary of the Treasury John Snow to meet since Snow 
announced in late May his resignation. 
 
After Snow steps down from his post, Tanigaki will be the second 
most senior financial minister in the Group of Eight 
industrialized nations, following British Chancellor of the 
Exchequer Gordon Brown, who is widely expected to succeed Prime 
Minister Tony Blair. With the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 
presidential election coming up in September, there will be a few 
chances for Tanigaki to attend other international conferences. 
 
The meeting yesterday was the 12th for Tanigaki and Snow. Before 
departing for St. Petersburg, Tanigaki told a Sankei Shimbun 
reporter, "Mr. Snow is a gentleman. We get along well." 
 
The first meeting between Tanigaki, who assumed his post in 2003, 
and Snow was held in February 2004 when Japan was continuing its 
largest ever exchange intervention. Since then, the economic 
situations of both countries have improved, and they dined 
privately as "good friends" whenever they visited each other's 
country. 
 
7) Foreign Minister Aso in meeting with Iranian vice foreign 
minister calls for Iran's acceptance of compromise proposal 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
June 10, 2006 
 
Foreign Minister Taro Aso met with the Iranian vice foreign 
minister at the Foreign Ministry yesterday to urge Iran's 
acceptance of the package of incentives proposed (by six 
countries): "We would like your country to fully study the 
proposal and then sit down at the negotiating table." 
 
The vice minister replied: 
 
"Although there are positive elements in the proposal, it also 
contains dubious, vague parts. We will thoroughly look into it 
and present our reply at a proper time. .... Iran would like to 
avoid the precondition (of suspending its uranium enrichment 
 
TOKYO 00003219  006 OF 011 
 
 
activities). I believe, though, that there is some leeway between 
Iran's position and the rewards proposal." 
 
8) Japan, Russia to hold first strategic dialogue on sidelines of 
G8 foreign ministerial 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
June 11, 2006 
 
The Japanese and Russian governments have decided to hold their 
first strategic dialogue on the sidelines of the Group of Eight 
(G8) foreign ministerial in Moscow on June 29, ahead of the G8 
Summit in St. Petersburg. Foreign Minister Taro Aso will meet 
with Russian Security Council Secretary Ivanov (former Foreign 
Minister) and again praise the way Russia is tacking with Iran's 
nuclear issue. Japan intends to reiterate the need to discuss the 
North Korean abduction issue as a major subject at the G8 Summit. 
 
In the strategic dialogue, Japan and Russia are expected to 
confirm the need to urge North Korea to return quickly to the six- 
party talks. Based on the results of the recent foreign 
ministerial meeting between Japan and Central Asian nations held 
in Tokyo on June 5 and the Summit Conference of the Shanghai 
Cooperation Organization (SCO) between Russia, China, and four 
Central Asian nations slated for June 15, the two countries will 
also discuss steps against terrorism and narcotics to bring 
stability to Central Asia. 
 
As the SCO Summit Conference will be joined also by Iranian 
President Ahmadinejad as an observer, Japan and Russia in their 
strategic dialogue will also discuss the outlook for Iran's 
response on the nuclear issue. 
 
The establishment of a strategic dialogue was agreed on during 
the Japan-Russia summit talks held in last November. 
 
9) "Cautious judgment needed for continuing yen loans to China 
after fiscal 2006 as well," says Aso 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 12, 2006 
 
Commenting on the government decision on June 6 to lift the 
suspension of yen loans to China for fiscal 2005, Foreign 
Minister Aso during a town meeting held in Kitakyushu on June 11 
noted: "(The government has agreed to suspend yen loans to China 
until fiscal 2008). Whether the lifting of the suspension should 
be continued into that year will be determined depending on the 
development of future talks between Tokyo and Beijing." During a 
press conference held later, he gave high marks to Chinese 
President Hu Jintao's indication of his wish to visit Japan, if 
conditions are met. 
 
10) Foreign Ministry to give favorable consideration to diplomats 
who report leaks 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
June 12, 2006 
 
The Foreign Ministry has decided to strengthen counterespionage 
measures for diplomats stationed overseas. The decision stems 
from its reflection on the suicide of an official at the Japanese 
 
TOKYO 00003219  007 OF 011 
 
 
Consulate General in Shanghai. In this case, the official killed 
himself, leaving a suicide note reading that he was blackmailed 
by Chinese authorities to hand over classified information. The 
ministry will inform all members of the basic policy that if a 
ministry official is threatened to provide clasified information, 
the organization will deal with the case. If the official files 
an accurate report without concealing anything, the ministry will 
give that official favorable consideration in terms of personnel 
decisions, even if that person leaked information. The ministry 
plans to provide training to inform all its personnel of the 
counterespionage measures, as well as to strengthen information 
control at missions overseas. 
 
11) Japan-ROK EEZ talks today likely to run into difficulties 
over Takeshima issue 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
June 12, 2006 
 
Japan and South Korea will hold the 5th round of senior working- 
level boundary demarcation talks on both countries' exclusive 
economic zones (EEZs), starting today at Japan's Foreign Ministry 
starting today and running for two days. The talks will be the 
first in six years since June 2000. The negotiations, though, are 
likely to run into snags, given the issue of Takeshima/Dokdo 
islets claimed by both Japan and South Korea. 
 
On the border demarcation issue, Japan intends to propose that 
the EEZs should be determined by an equidistant line between 
Takeshima and Ullundo as before, with Japan's base point starting 
from Takeshima and South Korea's from Ullungdo. South Korea's 
previous assertion was to set the border by an equidistant line 
between Ullungdo and Okinoshima Island, with South Korea's base 
point starting from Ullundo and Japan's from Okinoshima Island. 
But South Korea is likely to revise its previous assertion to 
make its base point Takeshima. 
 
In the talks today, Japan intends to discuss demarcation after 
reaffirming the 1996 agreement reached by the top leaders of both 
countries. Given the recently heightened tensions over a marine 
survey around Takeshima, Japan intends to propose establishing a 
prior notification system on scientific surveys in this area. The 
participants include Japan's Foreign Ministry International Law 
Bureau Director General Ichiro Komatsu and South Korean Foreign 
Ministry Treaties Bureau Director General Park Hui Kwon. 
 
12) NGO survey: North Korea saturated with counterfeit bills 
because can't circulate them overseas due to US sanctions 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
June 12, 2006 
 
An interview survey conducted in North Korea by a Japanese 
nongovernmental organization, Rescue The North Korean 
People/Urgent Action Network (RENK), found that counterfeit 
bills, including US dollars, Chinese yuan, and Japanese yen, were 
circulating in massive amounts in North Korea and regions 
bordering between China and North Korea. The survey results also 
revealed that North Korea is saturated with the bogus bills due 
to US-imposed financial sanctions and its strict crackdown on 
that country for its money laundering and the circulation of the 
counterfeit currency it has printed. 
 
TOKYO 00003219  008 OF 011 
 
 
 
This April, a RENK member interviewed five men and women in their 
30s-60s living in Pyongannamdo, Hamgyongpukdo, Hamgyongnamdo, or 
Hwanghaenamdo in North Korea about bogus bills and other matters. 
With the departure of this member from North Korea to China, RENK 
tabulated the results of the survey. 
 
A male drug smuggler in his 30s said that he had sold stimulant 
drugs at the price of 610,000 yen to someone in a place near the 
China-North Korea border and afterwards he had found the money he 
received in yen was all counterfeit. In a stimulant drug deal, 
there is no practice to make sure whether money or drugs are fake 
or genuine at the time of their exchange. So this man was unable 
to make sure whether the money was real. 
 
According to this man, a North Korean defector now living in 
South Korea sent 20,000 dollars via a secret remittance channel 
last December to his relative living in North Korea, but his 
money was converted into fake 100 dollars by a North Korean 
border guard. 
 
In the case of a trader in his 40s, he crossed the border to meet 
with his relative living in China, but he was detained by Chinese 
security authorities and was handed over to an organization 
affiliated with North Korea's People's Security Ministry (police 
organization). An official from the organization seized the 5,000 
Chinese yuan the trader had before questioning and after the 
questioning returned the money to him, but he found that of the 
5,000 yuan returned to him, 3,000 yuan had been switched to fake 
bills. 
 
Kansai University Professor Lee Young Hwa, director of RENK, gave 
this analysis about the recent survey results: "No doubt North 
Korea has had a hand in making and circulating fake bills as a 
national project, but it seems to be becoming difficult to 
circulate fake bills outside the country because of the impact of 
America's sanctions on that country. There seems to be a 
considerable number of poorly-made counterfeit bills mixed with 
sophisticated ones." 
 
13) Antiterrorism measures; METI plans to expand items subject to 
embargo to precious metals 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
June 12, 2006 
 
The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) plans to 
reinforce its trade control system, including increasing the 
number of items subject to the export ban, as part of measures to 
prevent terrorism. Following a series of illegal exports of 
equipment that can be converted for military use, METI has 
decided to revise the government ordinance regarding the Foreign 
Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Law in compliance with a UNSC 
resolution that seeks stronger antiterrorism measures. 
 
The existing domestic law prohibits exports of weapons of mass 
destruction and materials that are convertible for military use 
and money transfers to international terrorist organizations and 
terrorists designated by the UNSC and other organizations. The 
revised law will ban exports of general cargo as well. It will 
thus become impossible to send precious metals, which can easily 
be converted into money. 
 
TOKYO 00003219  009 OF 011 
 
 
 
Under the revised law, control of exports to Iran, Iraq, North 
Korea, and Libya, which are suspected of developing weapons of 
mass destruction, will also be tightened. It has thus far been 
possible to export even items that are convertible for military 
use if the value of such cargo was below 50,000 yen. The revised 
law will require permission for exports of such goods. This is 
designed to prevent exports of second-hand electronic equipment, 
such as sonar, which detect the movements of submarines, at low 
prices. 
 
14) Minshuto head Ozawa certain to be reelected as many party 
members call for his remaining in presidency 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full) 
June 12, 2006 
 
It has now become certain that Minshuto (Democratic Party of 
Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa will be reelected in the leadership 
election slated for September. Ozawa is determined to keep the 
present executive lineup, including Acting President Naoto Kan 
and Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama. Given that, many junior and 
mid-level lawmakers in the main opposition party are now 
supporting the maintaining of the present unanimous party 
arrangement. Attention is now on whether a rival candidate will 
run for the race, but chances are that Ozawa will be reelected 
without going through an election. 
 
Ozawa said yesterday in Aomori City that he would make public a 
basic policy of the party before the presidential race. 
 
Ozawa's term will expire at the end of September since he assumed 
in April after his predecessor Seiji Maehara had stepped down. He 
has secured a certain level of appreciation from the party 
members because of the party's victory in the April Lower House 
by-election for Chiba No. 7 constituency and the success in 
preventing controversial bills from being passed during the 
current Diet session. Therefore, in addition to the pro-Ozawa 
group, including Kan, Hatoyama and lawmakers coming from the 
former Social Democratic Party, junior lawmakers, who have 
distanced themselves from Ozawa, have gradually called for 
Ozawa's staying at the helm. 
 
In addition to its Diet members, the largest opposition allows 
its rank-and-file members and supporters to vote in the 
presidential election. Some party members are working on fielding 
a rival candidate against Ozawa. Even if a rival candidate is 
fielded, it will be difficult for the candidate to compete with 
Ozawa. 
 
15) Ozawa favors upgrading Defense Agency to ministry 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
June 12, 2006 
 
Ichiro Ozawa, president of the leading opposition Democratic 
Party of Japan (Minshuto), has expressed his approval of 
upgrading the Defense Agency to the status of a ministry. "The 
obligation of national defense should properly assigned to an 
organization of the state," Ozawa said in a speech he delivered 
in the city of Aomori yesterday. "We should make (the defense 
agency) into a proper ministry," Ozawa added. However, Ozawa 
 
TOKYO 00003219  010 OF 011 
 
 
criticized the government for its introduction of relevant bills 
to the Diet at the final stage of its current session. He said: 
"It's irresponsible that the government suddenly presented the 
bills, without even debate on security policy. I can't support 
the Koizumi cabinet's way of doing things." 
 
16) Poll: 54% of political party supporters voted for different 
party 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 11) (Full) 
June 11, 2006 
 
An estimated 54% of those who support a particular political 
party say they have voted for a different political party or its 
candidate, it was learned from a nationwide public opinion survey 
conducted by the Japan Polling Organization on June 3-4 to probe 
into the political awareness of the nation's voting population, 
including unaffiliated voters who are said to affect the outcome 
of elections. The poll found that the core of public support for 
political parties was actually about half of what it seems, and 
the findings also show that the trends of those moderate in their 
support for political parties and those with no particular party 
affiliation hold the key to the outcome of elections. 
 
A public opinion survey of the nation's unaffiliated voting 
population was last conducted in December 1998 when the Obuchi 
cabinet was in office. Among those who have no political party to 
support, the proportion of those who are interested in politics 
has increased from 56% in the last survey to 62% in the latest 
survey. 
 
In the latest survey, 78% answered "yes" when asked if they were 
interested in politics. Respondents were also asked which 
political party they supported. In response to this question, a 
total of 77% gave the names of specific political parties, such 
as the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of 
Japan. Among them, 54% answered "yes" when asked if they have 
ever voted for a political party other than the one they used to 
support or if they have otherwise voted for a candidate on the 
ticket of a political party other than the one they used to 
support in recent elections for the House of Representatives and 
the House of Councillors. 
 
Note:percentages rounded off. 
 
Polling methodology: For the survey, a total of 3,000 persons 
were sampled out of males and females aged 20 and over at 250 
locations throughout the country on a stratified two-stage random- 
sampling basis, so as to epitomize the nation's voting population 
of more than a 100 million. The survey was conducted over a 
period of two days, June 3-4, on a face-to-face interview basis. 
Answers were obtained from 1,787 persons, excluding those who 
could not be interviewed because of their having moved away or 
being on a trip, or for other reasons. The retrieval rate was 
59.6%. 
 
17) Poll: 80% feel interpersonal connections weakening 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
June 12, 2006 
 
In a recent nationwide face-to-face public opinion survey 
 
TOKYO 00003219  011 OF 011 
 
 
conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun, 80% answered "yes" when asked 
if they thought of themselves as becoming less sociable or if 
they thought their interpersonal ties were weakening, up 
7percentage points from the previous survey taken in July 2000. 
The proportion of those who answered "yes" marked a rapid 
increase in medium-size cities, small cities, towns, and 
villages, rather than in big cities. The poll shows that an 
increasing number of people are feeling a lack of human 
relationships not only in big cities but also throughout the 
country. 
 
The survey was conducted May 13-14. In the survey, 80% answered 
"yes" when asked if they thought their interpersonal ties were 
becoming weaker, with 19% saying "no." 
 
"Yes" answers accounted for 81% in medium-size cities with a 
population of more than 100,000, excluding Tokyo's 23 wards and 
government-designated cities. Among other city categories, the 
"yes" proportion was 80% in small cities with a population of 
less than 100,000; 78% in big cities (i.e., Tokyo's 23 wards and 
government-designated cities); 75% in towns and villages. The 
figure in big cities was up 3percentage points from the last 
survey. However, there were substantial increases in other city 
categories as thepercentage was up 6 points in medium-size 
cities, towns, and villages, and up 10 points in small cities. 
 
In the breakdown of reasons, 49% said that was because many more 
people feel it troublesome to keep in touch with others. Among 
other reasons, 48% said that was because many more people cannot 
understand the positions of others, with 48% saying many more 
people spend time playing video games alone or using a personal 
computer. 
 
SCHIEFFER