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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0804

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 003388 
 
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 06/19/06 
 
 
Index: 
 
(1) Abe a step ahead of others in LDP presidential race; 
Political maneuvering intensifying over 704 votes; "Yasukuni," 
"generational change" likely to be campaign issues 
 
(2) Potential successor to Prime Minister Koizumi: What are the 
campaign issues? Part one, fiscal reconstruction; Which should be 
given priority, tax increase or spending cuts? 
 
(3) Poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, post-Koizumi race 
 
(4) Poll: 49% urge BOJ gov. to quit over his investment 
 
(5) Interview with Heizo Takenaka on achievements of Koizumi 
administration over five years (Part 2): There is no serious 
poverty in Japan creating social disparity 
 
(6) Editorial: We appreciate Yokosuka's decision to accept 
nuclear-powered warship deployment 
 
(7) Editorial: Japan should take initiative in scientific 
argument at IWC plenary session 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Abe a step ahead of others in LDP presidential race; 
Political maneuvering intensifying over 704 votes; "Yasukuni," 
"generational change" likely to be campaign issues 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Abridged) 
June 17, 2006 
 
Now that the current Diet session is effectively over, potential 
successors to Liberal Democratic Party President Junichiro 
Koizumi will dash ahead toward the presidential goal. Although 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, 51, appears to be taking the 
lead in the race at present, senior LDP lawmakers critical of Abe 
are expected to rally around former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo 
Fukuda, 69, to turn the tables. The new LDP president will be 
determined by a total of 704 votes, the LDP lawmakers and local 
rank-and-file members combined. Fierce campaigns have effectively 
been kicked off in order to capture as many votes as possible. 
 
404 Diet members' votes 
 
Abe, who has been steadily gaining support in the party, told a 
press conference yesterday: "There are so many things to be taken 
care of, and I must devote myself to my duties for the time 
being." Abe intends to announce his candidacy after the St. 
Petersburg Summit in mid-July. 
 
Abe loyalists, mostly mid-level and junior LDP lawmakers, have 
launched a parliamentary league to support a second chance, a de 
facto support group for Abe. A total of 94 LDP lawmakers showed 
up at its inaugural meeting, exhibiting cross-factional support 
for Abe. 
 
Meanwhile, Abe's prospective rival, Fukuda, brushed aside growing 
speculation of his candidacy after a Lower House plenary session 
yesterday. 
 
 
TOKYO 00003388  002 OF 010 
 
 
In contrast to junior members who are eager to throw support 
behind Abe, senior members have high hopes for Fukuda in the hope 
of blocking a generational change. Both Fukuda and those senior 
members are critical of Abe, who is supportive of visits to 
Yasukuni Shrine by Prime Minister Koizumi. Such influential party 
members as Koichi Kato and Taku Yamasaki, who are not supportive 
of Abe in consideration of relations with China and South Korea, 
are closely watching whether the shrine visits would become a 
campaign issue. 
 
Yamasaki and others are considering joining hands with veteran 
members of the Tsushima, Ibuki, and Niwa-Koga factions who do not 
have any specific individuals to support. Clamping down on Abe- 
tilted junior members in those factions is also a challenge for 
them. 
 
Recent opinion polls also showed low support rates for Finance 
Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, 61, and Finance Minister Taro Aso, 
65, alluding to their slow starts. Even so, Aso at a Kono faction 
meeting last night expressed his eagerness to run for the LDP 
presidency, describing it as his dream for the past five years. 
Tanigaki, on the other hand, only indicated that he would work 
hard to fulfill his duties. 
 
Whether or not Fukuda will join the race is a matter of great 
concern to many. Veteran lawmakers fear that in the event Fukuda 
decides not to run in the race, they will run out of time to find 
a powerful candidate in place of Fukuda. 
 
In a meeting yesterday of LDP Lower House members, Koizumi 
predicted fierce factional maneuvering, saying, "Although the 
Diet session is ending, a fierce power struggle is expected to 
occur in the LDP." 
 
300 local votes: Rural areas call for special consideration, 
while urban areas expect continued reform programs 
 
The future of 300 votes to be assigned to prefectural chapters is 
also a focal point. Some 1 million rank-and-file and fraternity 
members, who paid membership dues for two years until the end of 
last year, are eligible to cast votes. The recent trend is 
characterized by a growingpercentage of "floating votes" that are 
not bound by wishes of factions or support groups, as evidenced 
by Koizumi's collection of 68.3% of the votes in the 2003 
presidential poll. 
 
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun conducted a telephone-based survey on 
June 15-16 of secretaries general, chiefs of the secretariat, and 
other executives of prefectural chapters to probe their outlooks 
on the presidential race and campaign issues. Prefectural 
secretaries general know local situations inside out and have 
 
SIPDIS 
strong voices toward rank-and-file members, as they in many cases 
served as prefectural assembly members. 
 
Backing the right horse 
 
In the survey, six persons - the greatest number - pointed to Abe 
as the lawmaker most suitable to become the next prime minister. 
His support ranged in region from Hokkaido to Gifu to Osaka, in 
addition to his home turf of Yamaguchi. Aso followed Abe with 
five people (Fukuoka, Nagano, and other prefectures), and Fukuda 
with three (Gunma, Shimane, and another place). 
 
TOKYO 00003388  003 OF 010 
 
 
 
Nearly 70% said "undecided" or "cannot answer." Many also 
expressed their willingness to back Abe once he announces his 
candidacy officially. A secretary general in the Tokai region 
predicted that industrial organizations would back the right 
horse to maintain communication channels with a new 
administration so as not to be labeled as a orce of resistance. 
 
Prefectural chapters are expecting the next president to serve as 
the party's attractive standard bearer for the Upper House 
election next summer. "Mr. Abe has the edge in terms of 
popularity," a Tohoku region secretary general noted. 
 
Local areas unhappy with structural reform 
 
The survey exposed a clear difference in awareness of campaign 
issues between urban and local areas. For instance, 21 party 
members in Tohoku, Kyushu, and other rural areas cited the 
correction of the social disparity as a major issue. In contrast, 
many in urban areas, such as Kanagawa and Osaka, underline the 
need for fiscal reconstruction, pension reform, and continued 
reform programs. 
 
Discontent is deeply seated in the LDP's local chapters that the 
Koizumi administration has pursued structural reform at the cost 
of local areas. Abe in the press conference yesterday played up 
his determination to pursue policies to encourage working-class 
people in rural areas. Aso also underlined the need to pay more 
attention to local districts. Post-Koizumi contenders have begun 
making comments with the issue of social disparity in mind. 
 
(2) Potential successor to Prime Minister Koizumi: What are the 
campaign issues? Part one, fiscal reconstruction; Which should be 
given priority, tax increase or spending cuts? 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
June 18, 2006 
 
Party takes initiative 
 
Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki on June 14 visited the Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) Headquarters office of Policy Research 
Council Chairman Hidenao Nakagawa, who is leading the work of 
drafting a spending cut plan to be incorporated in basic policy 
guidelines on economic and fiscal management and structural 
reforms to be issued in July. He told Nakagawa, "I will firmly 
cooperate with you." Budget bureau officials responsible for 
drafting a budget for each government agency are also visiting 
the Policy Research Council chairman's office. Some are even 
saying, "It appears that the Finance Ministry's Budget Bureau has 
moved to LDP Headquarters." 
 
Tanigaki and State Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy Hajime 
Yosano, who is in charge of the Council on Economic and Fiscal 
Policy, have shown a desire to make the tax hike argument into a 
concrete deal by advocating unified reform of expenditures and 
revenues. 
 
However, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in late March ordered 
the drafting of a concrete plan by the LDP. Following this order, 
Nakagawa has seized the initiative, taking the position that 
national burden should be constrained to the minimum level 
 
TOKYO 00003388  004 OF 010 
 
 
through "thorough spending cuts." He is close to Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Shinzo Abe. This has contributed to the spread of the 
 
SIPDIS 
observation that the prime minister has Abe in mind as a 
candidate for his successor. 
 
Having trouble in increasing approval ratings in opinion polls, 
Tanigaki found it necessary to go halfway to talk to Nakagawa. 
 
Yosano during a press conference on June 16 clarified his stance 
of cooperating with the LDP, noting, "It is better for the 
government to refrain from actively making statements at the 
present stage." 
 
Yosano, who is regarded as the fifth potential candidate 
following Foreign Minister Taro Aso, Finance Minister Sadakazu 
Tanigaki, former Chief Cabinet Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, recently has been holding meetings 
with mid-ranking and junior LDP members. He is also approaching 
Nakagawa, with whom he has had run ins in the past over various 
actions and policies. Some members of the Ibuki faction, which is 
affiliated with the Nakasone faction, to which Yosano, now a non- 
affiliated member, once belonged, see that his move is out of 
consideration to the presidential race. 
 
Nikai acts as go-between 
 
In order to avoid the tax hike argument, Nakagawa wanted to 
estimate an increase in tax revenues at a higher level by setting 
economic growth at a slightly high level. Yosano was against this 
policy. There appeared to be no way out in their economic growth 
argument. The moves of Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry 
(METI) Toshihiro Nikai have become entangled in this situation. 
 
METI has then drafted an economic growth strategy targeting a 
real growth rate of 2.25 a year and calculated a gap between 
revenues and spending, based on a high economic growth rate that 
can be attained. In the meantime, the government and the ruing 
camp are aiming at a high growth rate under a growth strategy 
outline. This approach has saved the faces of both Nakagawa and 
Yosano. 
 
Last year's Lower House election took place when Nikai was 
serving as the chairman of the LDP Executive Council, which is 
responsible for election campaigning. He approached Abe, who was 
then acting chief cabinet secretary. Calling for improving 
relations with China, he has much in common with Fukuda, Abe's 
rival. 
 
Because of this position, Nikai was able to act as a go-between 
to reconcile Yosano and Nakagawa. Yosano is expected to receive 
support from anti-Abe lawmakers in the event Fukuda does not 
declare his candidacy for the presidential race. In that sense, 
it is significant for Yosano to cooperate with Nakagawa, a member 
of the Abe camp. 
 
The prime minister, who has rejected the idea of raising the 
consumption tax during his tenure, reiterated his stance of 
giving priority to cutting expenditures at a meeting of the 
National Council of Secretaries General of the LDP Local Chapters 
held on June 14, "General-account spending also should be cut if 
you want to avoid a tax hike, despite a substantial rise in tax 
revenues." 
 
TOKYO 00003388  005 OF 010 
 
 
 
(3) Poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, post-Koizumi race 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 19, 2006 
 
Questions & Answers 
(T = total; P = previous; M = male; F = female) 
 
Q: Do you support the Koizumi cabinet? 
 
                      T         P         M        F 
Yes                  41       (50)       44       39 
No                   38       (36)       41       35 
Not interested       20       (13)       15       24 
 
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 
       9       (8)       8       10 
Because something can be expected of Prime Minister Koizumi's 
leadership 
       27       (24)       26       28 
Because new policy measures can be expected 
       9       (17)       7       10 
Because the nature of politics is likely to change 
       53       (47)       56       50 
 
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       (8)       10       7 
Because the prime minister compromises too much with the ruling 
parties 
       16       (22)       18       13 
Because I can't feel there is an economic recovery 
       57       (49)       47       65 
Because the prime minister is reluctant to take action against 
political scandals 
       14       (15)       18       10 
 
Q: Which political party do you support? 
 
       T       P       M       F 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 
       28       (31)       29       28 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 
       21       (20)       24       19 
New Komeito (NK) 
       5       (6)       3       6 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 
       3       (2)       2       3 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 
       1       (2)       1       2 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 
       0       (0)       1       0 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 
       --       (0)       --       -- 
Other parties 
       2       (1)       2       2 
 
TOKYO 00003388  006 OF 010 
 
 
None 
       38       (35)       38       38 
 
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 in the LDP for the next prime minister? 
 
                        T         P         M        F 
Taro Aso                4        (3)        6        3 
Shinzo Abe             42       (38)       38       44 
Taro Kono               2        (2)        2        1 
Sadakazu Tanigaki       2        (3)        2        2 
Yasuo Fukuda           19       (20)       25       15 
Taku Yamasaki           1        (1)        1        0 
Not on the list        26       (27)       24       27 
 
Q: What would you like the next prime minister to pursue first? 
 
       T       P       M       F 
Fiscal reconstruction 
       16       (19)       17       15 
Economic expansion 
       23       (29)       21       24 
Cope with low birthrates 
        25       (23)       18       31 
Improve Japan's ties with China, South Korea 
       9       (14)       14       6 
Fix social divide 
       17       (--)       19       15 
Not on the list 
       7       (8)       10       5 
 
(Note) Figures shown inpercentage, rounded off. "0" indicates 
that the figure was below 0.5%. "No answer" omitted. Parentheses 
denote the results of the last survey conducted May 13-14. 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted June 17-18 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 1,026 persons. 
 
(4) Poll: 49% urge BOJ gov. to quit over his investment 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
June 19, 2006 
 
Kyodo News conducted a telephone-based nationwide public opinion 
survey on June 17-18, in which 49.2% of respondents answered that 
it would be better for Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui to 
resign over his investment of 10 million yen in the Murakami 
Fund. 
 
Fukui continued investing in the fund even after becoming BOJ 
governor. In the survey, respondents were asked if they thought 
it was problematical. In response to this question, 62.4% of the 
public answered "yes," with only 10.7% saying "no." The figures 
show that many people questioned his investment in the fund. 
Those who "can't say which" accounted for 24.9%. Fukui has said 
he would report his investment gains to the Diet by tomorrow. 
However, he will be required to account even more clearly for his 
behavior and future response. 
 
 
TOKYO 00003388  007 OF 010 
 
 
In the survey, 13.0% answered that Fukui does not have to resign. 
However, 35.9% said they could not tell whether he should resign 
or not. As seen from such results, the survey indicated that 
there were also cautious opinions about whether to call for his 
resignation. 
 
(5) Interview with Heizo Takenaka on achievements of Koizumi 
administration over five years (Part 2): There is no serious 
poverty in Japan creating social disparity 
 
ASAHI (Page 15) (Full) 
June 6, 2006 
 
Hoshi: When the bureaucrats criticize you, they cite the issue of 
widening income disparity. What do you say to their argument? 
 
Takenaka: In an age of advancing globalization and new businesses 
like IT expanding, winners and losers are generated, and income 
disparity eventually grows. Despite this fact, some critics 
attribute the widening gap to the Koizumi reform drive. In most 
industrialized countries, the wealth gap has widened since the 
1980s, and it is not correct to say that something special is 
occurring only in Japan. 
 
If the non-performing bank loans had been left unattended, the 
number of jobless persons would probably have surged from the 
current 2 million or so to 4 or 5 million. If this number of 
people earned no income, the nation's income disparity would have 
risen further. The more the economy improves, the more the social 
divide will be narrowed. The Koizumi administration indisputably 
made efforts to that end." 
 
Yamada: Various incidents have taken place recently. Looking into 
their details, various problems can be detected behind them. 
 
Takenaka: Rather than income disparity, what should be discussed 
is the question of poverty. If poverty spreads to a certain 
extent, the government will have to work out countermeasures. In 
this country, however, I do not think there is a level of poverty 
that must be tackled at a social policy level. 
 
Yamada: It might be a logical conclusion that scrapping the 
traditional convoy system only expanded the income gap. 
 
Takenaka: That might be true, but it is also true that the convoy 
system resulted in growing income disparity, for example, by 
raising the income of bankers. 
 
Yamada: Local economies, though, are worn out. 
 
Takenaka: Some complain of decreasing local allocation of tax 
transfers, but one of the main reasons for the allocation cuts is 
that local tax revenues have been on the increase. According to 
local governments' fiscal plans for FY2006, local expenditures 
have decreased only 0.7% from the year before. Spending on public 
works in local districts has certainly been reduced in relative 
terms, but before that, public works spending was on the rise in 
the regions. The situation is returning to what it used to be. 
 
In order to revitalize local economies, there will be no other 
means but for the government to resort to orthodox policy 
measures, like special deregulation zones or local 
 
TOKYO 00003388  008 OF 010 
 
 
rehabilitation. Some local governments have brought about 
positive results by such means. 
 
Hoshi: Some criticize your policy stance as "being at the US' 
beck and call." Does Japan have to choose between either living 
in Asia or acting as a mediator between the US and Asia? 
 
Takenaka: Japan should play both roles. The degree of Japanese 
manufacturers' integration in Asia is significantly high. This 
trend, including the workforce turnover, is likely to continue 
into the future. It is also important for Japan to keep close 
ties with the US. Even so, the integration of Asia is quite 
different from that of Europe in nature. 
 
Japan and the US are now enjoying good relations, but such a 
favorable state owes much to the personnel ties between Mr. 
Koizumi and President Bush. It might be necessary for the country 
as a whole to make more efforts. 
 
Hoshi: What do you think about the problem of ethics in the 
market that came into focus in the wake of the Livedoor scam and 
the Murakami Fund scandal? 
 
Takenaka: I think that Japanese society was somewhat lenient 
(about such wrongdoings). Those involved in the scandals were 
overly optimistic. They still believed that some infractions 
would be tolerated in a village society (mura shakai). 
 
(Interviewed by editorial board members Atsushi Yamada, Hiroshi 
Hoshi) 
 
(To be continued) 
 
(6) Editorial: We appreciate Yokosuka's decision to accept 
nuclear-powered warship deployment 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 19, 2006 
 
Yokosuka Mayor Ryoichi Kabaya expressed his intention to accept 
the planned deployment of the USS George Washington, a nuclear- 
powered aircraft carrier, at the naval base in the city. 
 
The US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier will be deployed at 
Yokosuka Port as the replacement of the USS Kitty Hawk, which 
will end its service in two years. Yokosuka Port will become the 
first Japanese port of a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. 
 
Mayor Kabaya stated: "In consideration of the security of Japan 
and the Far East, the presence of a nuclear-powered aircraft is 
important. We have no choice but to accept the deployment of a 
nuclear carrier." His statement should be highly appreciated. 
 
Moves by North Korea, which is preparing the test-launch of a 
long-range ballistic missile, and by China, which does not deny 
the possible use of arms against Taiwan, have become worrisome 
issues for Japan. 
 
In an attempt to prevent such moves, the presence of the US 
aircraft carrier assumes the role of maintaining peace and 
stability in the Asia-Pacific region. It is significant that the 
city of Yokosuka understands that the effectiveness of deterrence 
 
TOKYO 00003388  009 OF 010 
 
 
in collaboration of the US military and Japan's Self-Defense 
Forces (SDF) secures Japan's security. 
 
The governments of Japan the United States reached an agreement 
last October on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier deployment. 
The USS Kitty Hawk, the oldest aircraft carrier, came into 
commission in 1961. The Japanese government accepted the US 
Navy's plan to replace all its aircraft carriers to nuclear- 
powered aircraft ones. 
 
However, Mayor Kabaya continued to ask for a conventional 
carrier. The city assembly also had passed unanimously a 
resolution calling for withdrawal of the plan to deploy a nuclear- 
powered aircraft carrier. 
 
The mayor finally accepted the planned deployment of the USS 
George Washington because Foreign Minister Taro Aso had said that 
there was no possibility of the US deploying a conventional 
aircraft carrier, and at the same time revealed talks would start 
with the US on a mutual assistance pact in case of nuclear 
disaster, which the city had demanded. 
 
The mayor himself stated at a press conference, "We made a tough 
choice." The Japanese and US governments, therefore, should do 
their utmost so that Yokosuka residents will be able to accept 
the deployment. 
 
Regarding the safety of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, the 
Japanese and US governments have found no detection of leakage of 
radioactivity in their monitoring of more than 1,200 aircraft 
carriers making port calls in Japan since the 1960s. Yet, in 
order to eliminate the anxiety of residents, the two governments 
need to strive for perfection in the arrangements. 
 
According to the outcome of a survey conducted by the Cabinet 
Office in April, 76% of the public -- the highest ever -- support 
the Japan-US security arrangements. We should not forget that the 
Japanese public desires Japan-US security cooperation to be 
promoted. 
 
(7) Editorial: Japan should take initiative in scientific 
argument at IWC plenary session 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 16, 2006 
 
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) will hold its annual 
plenary session on St. Christopher Nevis on the Caribbean Sea. 
Amid the rumor that the IWC has stopped functioning due to the 
confrontation between whaling countries and anti-whaling 
countries, we would like to see cool-headed debate, based on 
scientific data. 
 
Though Japan, which is calling for the resumption of commercial 
whaling, has been forced to take the offensive, the number of pro- 
whaling countries will likely exceed that of anti-whaling 
countries at the upcoming plenary session. 
 
This could be the outcome of Japan's efforts bearing fruit, but 
in order to have critical choices adopted at the IWC, it is 
necessary to gain approval from three-quarters of the member 
nations. For this reason, the introduction of a revised 
 
TOKYO 00003388  010 OF 010 
 
 
management system (RMS) that stipulates a catch-quota system, 
based on the resumption of commercial whaling, and a monitoring 
system, as proposed by Japan and other countries will likely be 
put on the back burner. Tangible progress cannot be hoped for. 
 
However, the increase in the number of pro-whaling countries has 
brought about the possibility of IWC discussions emerging from 
fruitless past arguments featured by simple exchanges of 
recriminations. This can be a good opportunity to break with the 
present rigid situation in the IWC. 
 
Taking advantage of this situation, Japan plans to declare its 
intention to form a group of pro-whaling countries. Pro-whaling 
countries will discuss a sustainable method of utilizing whale 
resources from a scientific standpoint in this setting. Anti- 
whaling countries may oppose the move, but we would like to see 
pro-whaling countries group hold meetings in a way that can 
convince the international community, characterizing such a venue 
as a starting point for the normalization of the IWC. 
 
The determination of populations of whales will likely become a 
hot issue at the plenary session. In particular, an estimate for 
the number of black minke whales will likely be revised downward 
from the present 760,000 to about 300,000. 
 
The figure 300,000 has been worked out, based on calculations 
through observation. It is said that the number varies, depending 
on the oceanic areas that are surveyed, and the ice-formation 
situation. 
 
As a matter of fact, Japan's research whaling has proved that the 
number of whales has increased since the total ban on commercial 
whaling. There is even a view that the increase in the number of 
fishes eaten by whales, which are on top of the oceanic 
ecosystem, is directly linked to the decrease in the number of 
sardines, sauries and squids. 
 
For this reason, Japan should offer counterarguments to the new 
estimate for populations of whales, based on a scientific 
standpoint. 
 
When it is said that there would be food shortages in the near 
future, it would not be possible to avoid the issue of whaling, 
which plays a big role in terms of being a food resource. We want 
Japan to take the initiative in discussions on the whaling issue, 
based on a scientific standpoint, for that purpose as well. 
 
SCHIEFFER