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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 003539 
 
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 06/27/06 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
Koizumi going to Washington, Graceland: 
4) Prime Minister Koizumi to leave today for White House to meet 
President Bush, play up bilateral partnership 
5) Prime Minister Koizumi to leave today for US, other countries 
6) Prime Minister Koizumi to leave today for North America, possibly 
with Tokyo's political moves, China in mind 
 
Opinion polls: 
7) Yomiuri poll shows 46% for next prime minister's visits to 
Yasukuni Shrine, 43% against 
8) 67% urge central bank chief to quit over investment problem 
9) Abe leads Fukuda in post-Koizumi race, support rating for Koizumi 
cabinet at 45% 
 
Political, military issues: 
10) Prime Minister Koizumi does not rule out Aug. 15 Yasukuni visit 
 
11) Japan yet to confirm whether North Korea fueled Taepodong 
missile: JDA chief 
12) National Congress on 21st Century Japan urges LDP, Minshuto to 
put high priority on policy discussions in selecting presidents 
 
Economic topics: 
13) Japan tops US in e-commerce showings: METI report 
14) Farm, health ministries to check US beef on site 
15) Gov't, ruling parties decide to ax fiscal spending 
 
Japan-China ties: 
16) China wooing Japan with open base event, visitors program 
17) Japan-China gas talks postponed, Beijing ignores Tokyo's 
proposal for resumption 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Mainichi, Yomiuri & Tokyo Shimbun: 
Kidnapped female college student unharmed and taken into protective 
custody; Two male kidnappers demanding 300 million yen in ransom 
detained 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Expenditure reduction plan adopted by government, ruling parties to 
resolve revenue shortage 
 
Sankei: 
Government's Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy approves 
expenditure reduction plan set by government, ruling parties 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Reform of annual expenditure and revenue: Optimistic scenarios 
are dangerous 
(2) Chuetsu earthquake-hit area: Support needed for rice growing 
 
 
TOKYO 00003539  002 OF 010 
 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Mega-takeover of steel firm: This is not someone else's problem 
(2) Pro-Seoul group Mindan: What will happen next after 
reconciliation dropped? 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Reform of annual expenditure and revenue: Raising consumption 
tax implied 
(2) Bankruptcy of Yubari City: How to promote rebuilding local 
government finances? 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Steel industry as harbinger of global realignment 
(2) Proper implementation of annual expenditure cut plan essential 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Reform of annual expenditure and revenue: Still a lack of crisis 
awareness 
(2) Misuse of research funds: A system to prevent recurrence needed 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Financial reconstruction: More efficient government is urgently 
needed 
(2) Emissions trading: We should not miss the right goal 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, June 26 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 27, 2006 
 
10:21 
Met at Kantei with Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Yosano and 
Honma and Yoshikawa of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy. 
 
11:00 
Met Deputy Foreign Minister Yabunaka, followed by Central Nippon 
Expressway President Kondo. Afterward met Lower House member 
Matsuoka. 
 
13:14 
Met Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Futahashi, Internal Affairs and 
Communications Minister Takenaka, followed by Natural Resources and 
Energy Agency Director General Kodaira, Deputy Foreign Minister 
Nishida, METI Director General Kusaka, and Finance Ministry 
International Bureau Director General Ido. 
 
15:04 
Met Nishida, MOFA North American Affairs Bureau chief Kawai, 
followed by LDP Secretary General Takebe. 
 
16:05 
Met Disaster Prevention Minister Kutsukake, Deputy Chief Cabinet 
Secretary for Crisis Management Noda, and others, followed by Vice 
 
SIPDIS 
MAFF Minister Ishihara. Afterward handed a letter of appointment to 
Science and Technology Policy member Honjo in the presence of 
Science and Technology Agency Director General Matsuda and others. 
 
17:07 
Attended a gender equality award ceremony. Afterward attended a 
meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy. 
 
TOKYO 00003539  003 OF 010 
 
 
 
18:43 
Returned to his residence. 
 
4) Prime Minister Koizumi off for US today; Japan-US unity to be 
shown to the world 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 27, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will leave today for Canada and the 
United States. He is expected to meet with his Canadian counterpart 
Stephen Harper on June 28. He will then meet on the 29th with US 
President George W. Bush and hold a joint press conference. He will 
attend a formal banquet. He plans to visit on June 30 Memphis, which 
is the hometown of Elvis Presley, of whom Koizumi is a big fan, 
along with the president and Mrs. Bush. 
 
In the Japan-US summit, the two leaders will assess their efforts to 
strengthen the Japan-US alliance and confirm the perception that the 
strengthened bilateral alliance would become the basis for future 
Japan-US relations. They will also issue a joint statement 
advocating that Japan and the US will maintain and strengthen the 
bilateral alliance. The joint statement will also underscore the 
significance of the Japan-US alliance in the world. The statement 
will stipulate that Japan and the US, with the common values of 
freedom and democracy, will cooperate in such areas as politics, 
security, and the economy. 
 
While North Korea is showing sings that it is preparing to 
test-launch a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile, Koizumi and Bush are 
expected to agree to urge Pyongyang to abandon its plan and return 
to the six-party talks. The two leaders will also confirm the need 
for the bilateral alliance in East Asia in order to respond to the 
China's rapid economic growth. 
 
Regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, Tokyo and Washington will urge 
Iran to accept a set of proposals complied by the UN Security 
Council and Germany. Koizumi will announce that Japan will continue 
to provide Iraq with reconstruction assistance even after the Ground 
Self-Defense Force troops are withdrawn. 
 
5) Koizumi off today to visit US; Red-carpet treatment being 
prepared, reflecting "five years of honeymoon-like personnel ties" 
with Bush 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
June 27, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will leave for Canada and the 
United States today and meet with US President Bush on June 29. This 
will be the 7th meeting with Bush in the US and the first official 
US visit for Koizumi since he assumed office in April 2001. 
 
No Japanese prime minister has made an official visit to the US 
since Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi went in April 1999. The president 
plans to host a banquet for Koizumi at the White House. In addition, 
Blair House, the President's Guest House, will be used as 
accommodation for the prime minister. 
 
Since the prime minister is not the head of state, Koizumi's visit 
is categorized as an official visit in terms of protocol, but he 
 
TOKYO 00003539  004 OF 010 
 
 
will be treated like a state guest. Cited as a difference in 
treatment to him and a state guest, the 21-gun salute is the highest 
honor given to a state guest in a welcome ceremony, but Koizumi will 
be greeted with a 9-gun salute. 
 
When Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the US this April, only a 
luncheon party was arranged for him. The red-carpet treatment for 
Koizumi indisputably reflects the firmness of the Japan-US 
alliance. 
 
President Bush is also planning to take Koizumi to Memphis, 
Tennessee, in which the museum Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, 
is located. The president will use his personal plane, Air Force 
One, to go with Koizumi to Memphis from Washington. After enjoying a 
tour of the Presley's home, the prime minister will attend a 
luncheon meeting hosted by the president and his wife. 
 
Last time, President Bush and Prime Minister Koizumi met in Kyoto 
last November. This will be their 13th meeting. Although the two 
leaders will meet at the St. Petersburg Summit in mid-July, the 
summit in the US will be their last meeting to wind up their five 
years of honeymoon-like personal ties. 
 
There are no major sticking points between Japan and the US for now. 
Plans for US force realignment in Japan were adopted in a cabinet 
meeting on May 30. On the issue of US beef imports, the two 
governments agreed to resume trade on June 21. Given this, the two 
leaders will discuss mainly international issues. 
 
High on the agenda will be North Korea's nuclear and missile 
programs. Now that North Korea appears to be ready to test-fire a 
long-range Taepodong-2 missile, Bush and Koizumi are expected to 
urge Pyongyang to stop its provocative action and swiftly return to 
the six-party talks. 
 
On Iran's nuclear development program, the US has unofficially asked 
Japan to prepare to take financial sanctions against that nation, 
but Japan's position is that it is not the proper time to reach an 
agreement. Reflecting the stance of Japan, the two leaders are 
expected to just call on Iran to give an early reply to the package 
of incentives for ending the nuclear program drawn up by the 
permanent members of the UNSC plus Germany. 
 
Regarding reconstruction assistance for Iraq, Japan will withdraw 
Ground Self-Defense Force troops stationed there, but the prime 
minister will reveal a plan to expand the scope of activities by the 
Air Self-Defense Force. The Japanese and US leaders will confirm 
their countries' continued commitment to reconstructing Iraq. 
 
The two governments are making arrangements to issue a joint 
statement touting such achievements in the summit. No joint 
statement has been issued since Koizumi and Bush met for the first 
time in June 2001. 
 
The statement, as a conclusion of the honeymoon-like relations 
between Japan and the US over the five years, will play up "the 
Japan-US alliance in a global context" to jointly deal with global 
challenges. 
 
6) Koizumi departs for North America today; May use foreign trips 
politically and to constrain China 
 
 
TOKYO 00003539  005 OF 010 
 
 
SANKEI (Page 4) (Abridged slightly) 
June 27, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will depart for the United States 
and Canada today to highlight the Japan-US alliance in a global 
context -- the fruit of his diplomacy of five years -- to the people 
of Japan and the world. Besides those countries, Koizumi's 
diplomatic timetable is packed with such destinations as the Middle 
East and Mongolia. Speculation is afoot that he will use such 
foreign trips for the Liberal Democratic Party's presidential 
election in late September. 
 
After returning home on July 1, Koizumi will visit Israel, the 
Palestinian region, and Jordan in mid-July and then directly head 
for St. Petersburg to attend the G8 summit. In August, he is 
scheduled to visit Mongolia, and on September 10-11, he will attend 
the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to be held in Helsinki. Additionally, 
there has been talk that he would deliver a speech at the UN General 
Assembly to be held in New York generally in tandem with the LDP 
presidential election. Koizumi may visit a couple of other 
countries, according to a senior government official. 
 
Koizumi's true motive behind all those foreign trips remains 
unclear, however. One government official explained: "The prime 
minister will visit the Middle East and Mongolia to discourage China 
from wielding influence on those countries." 
 
In the wake of his decision to pull out Ground Self-Defense Force 
troops from Samawah, some observers anticipate that Koizumi will 
make a surprise visit to Iraq in the days surrounding the Middle 
East-Mongolia trip. But a mid-level LDP lawmaker thinks that the 
prime minister will visit the countries he simply wants to travel to 
partly as his summer vacation. 
 
Another former cabinet minister took this view: "The prime minister 
has always used his foreign trips to the maximum as a political 
tool." In fact, during his European tour in the fall of 2003, 
Koizumi aides, in an effort to pick off anti-Koizumi forces, warned: 
"The prime minister will dissolve the Lower House if he is defeated 
in the presidential race." During his African tour this May, Koizumi 
told accompanying reporters that the Mori faction should not try to 
field a single candidate, causing a stir. 
 
For Koizumi, foreign trips are a good chance to draw attention and 
to send out messages by shutting off noise from the Japanese 
political community. 
 
Given the high likelihood that Koizumi will visit Yasukuni Shrine on 
August 15, an LDP cabinet-level member speculates that he will make 
the next move during his foreign trip. 
 
7) Poll: 46% support next prime minister visiting Yasukuni Shrine, 
43% opposed 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 27, 2006 
 
According to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey conducted on June 17-18, 46% 
said they would support Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's successor 
visiting Yasukuni Shrine, while 43% answered that they would oppose 
such a visit by the next prime minister. The figure of those 
favoring the visit was 4 points lower than a similar survey 
 
TOKYO 00003539  006 OF 010 
 
 
conducted in February, while those opposed slipped 1 point. 
 
Asked whether Japan should attach more importance to diplomatic 
relations with neighboring countries, including China and South 
Korea, 79% agreed and only 16% disagreed. The result suggests many 
people consider it necessary to improve strained relations with 
China and South Korea. 
 
On the question of whether the prime minister should not visit the 
shrine in order to help mend relations with China, 51% disagreed, 
while 42% answered yes. China has pressed Japan to stop the visits 
to the shrine by the prime minister as a condition for China to 
resume exchanges between leaders of the two countries. But the 
result of the survey indicates that many Japanese oppose China 
making such conditions a prerequisite for improving bilateral ties. 
 
Japan is at odds with China over gas field development in the East 
China Sea and with South Korea over the sovereignty of the 
Takeshima/Dokdo islets. Regarding such disputes, 68% said that Japan 
should stick to its position, while 24% answered that Japan should 
take the opinions of other countries into consideration. The result 
indicates that many Japanese thought that Japan should pursue 
diplomatic efforts in consideration of the nation's interests. 
 
8) Poll: 67% urge BOJ head to resign 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
June 27, 2006 
 
The Asahi Shimbun conducted a telephone-based nationwide public 
opinion survey on June 24-25, in which 67% of respondents answered 
"yes" when they were asked if they thought Bank of Japan Governor 
Toshihiko Fukui should resign over his investment of 10 million yen 
in the Murakami Fund and his profit of 14.73 million yen. Meanwhile, 
"no" accounted for 25%. Respondents were also asked if they thought 
Fukui hurt BOJ monetary policy. In response to this question, 70% 
answered "yes," with 25% saying "no." The poll shows the public's 
severe view of the problem. 
 
In the survey, respondents were further asked if they thought 
Fukui's investment for such profit-making purposes was a problem. In 
response, "yes" accounted for 80%, with "no" at no more than 15%. 
 
9) Poll: Abe stands at 45% in post-Koizumi race, Fukuda at 25% 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
June 27, 2006 
 
The Asahi Shimbun conducted a telephone-based nationwide public 
opinion survey on June 24-25, in which respondents were asked who 
they thought would be appropriate for the next prime minister. In 
response to this question, 45% picked Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo 
Abe, with 25% preferring Yasuo Fukuda, one of Abe's predecessors in 
the CCS post. In a previous survey taken in May, Abe stood at 41%, 
with Fukuda at 29%. In the latest survey, the margin between the two 
was wider than in the last survey. Among other post-Koizumi 
candidates, Foreign Minister Taro Aso marked 5% and Finance Minister 
Sadakazu Tanigaki at 3%. Among those who picked Abe, 52% or more 
than half of those surveyed cited his personal character and image. 
 
The approval rating for the Koizumi cabinet was 45%, leveling off 
from the last survey. The disapproval rating was 39%. 
 
TOKYO 00003539  007 OF 010 
 
 
 
10) Prime Minister Koizumi does not rule out possibility of visiting 
Yasukuni Shrine while in office, including Aug. 15 
 
ASAHI (Page 5) (Full) 
June 27, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Koizumi, when asked yesterday, "Do you plan to visit 
Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15?" said: "I recently attended the memorial 
service for the war dead in Okinawa. The representative of the war 
bereaved families stated that they hope I will continue the shrine 
visits in the future, as well." Bearing in mind the Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) presidential race in September, Koizumi said: 
"The shrine visit should not be made an issue, should it?" He was 
thus replying to reporters at his official residence. 
 
When asked about his shrine visits, Koizumi until recently had said, 
"I will make a decision properly." But yesterday, Koizumi, citing 
the words of the representative of the war-bereaved families, did 
not deny the possibility of visiting the shine while he is in 
office, including Aug. 15. 
 
On the other hand, referring to LDP Policy Research Council Chairman 
Hidenao Nakagawa's proposal made on June 23 to expand the 
Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery by dismantling the government 
servants' compounds, Koizumi explained: "If there were 
government-owned land, it would be good to rebuild it as a park, and 
it would be good if such a park is welcomed by people. I asked him 
to have in-depth discussions on that." 
 
11) Defense chief Nukaga: Whether North Korea has fueled Taepodong-2 
is uncertain 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
June 27, 2006 
 
In a party yesterday evening of House of Representatives members of 
the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Osaka, Defense Agency Director 
General Fukushiro Nukaga said: "It is probably true that a 
Taepodong-2 long-range ballistic missile has been mounted on a 
launch pad. But it is uncertain whether North Korea has fueled the 
missile." 
 
12) National Congress on 21st Century Japan urges LDP, Minshuto to 
put high priority on policy discussions in selecting presidents 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) 
June 27, 2006 
 
The National Congress on 21st Century Japan, an expert panel, 
released a set of proposals yesterday calling for thorough 
discussions on policies in the Liberal Democratic Party and Minshuto 
(Democratic Party of Japan) prior to their respective presidential 
elections. 
 
The proposal urged the LDP leadership to examine and release the 
party's achievement of its manifesto produced for last year's Lower 
House election prior to the upcoming presidential election. The 
report also urged prospective candidates to announce their 
presidential manifestos, which include the following: (1) whether or 
not to continue with the party's manifesto, released last year for 
the Lower House election; (2) specific approaches to foreign 
 
TOKYO 00003539  008 OF 010 
 
 
affairs, fiscal reconstruction, and decentralization; and (3) the 
party's decision-making rules and the relationship between the 
government and the ruling bloc. 
 
The panel also urged prospective Minshuto presidential candidates to 
produce their manifestos. Additionally, the proposal advised the 
largest opposition party to discuss its future image more thoroughly 
than the LDP. 
 
13) E-commerce reaches 224 trillion yen, topping US, according to 
last year's market survey 
 
MAINICHI (Page 11) (Lead para.) 
June 27, 2006 
 
The 2005 market survey on e-commerce released yesterday by the 
Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) found that Japan's 
e-commerce market came to 224 trillion yen, exceeding the 189 
trillion yen recorded in the US. In terms of the e-commerce rate, 
which reflects the difference in the scale of the two countries' 
economies, the difference is still greater, with that of Japan 
reaching 20.6% while that of the US stands at 11.9%. The survey 
found that Japan is ahead of the US in terms of making Internet 
trading more efficient. 
 
14) MAFF, MHLW to start prior inspections of US meatpackers 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 5) (Full) 
June 27, 2006 
 
Following the agreement to resume US beef imports, the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) and the Ministry of 
Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) will start prior inspections of 35 
US meat-processing plants authorized to export products to Japan 
starting on June 26, US time. The plan is that the inspections, 
which will be carried out by three teams, will be completed on July 
¶21. 
 
Prior inspections are one of the conditions for reinstating the beef 
trade. Inspectors will check whether the US meat-processing plants 
are fully equipped with processing facilities and employees are 
familiar with conditions for exporting products to Japan. 
 
Once the schedule is completed, MAFF and other concerned 
organizations will vet the details of the inspection reports and 
authorize imports from the plants that had no problems. US beef will 
be on store shelves in late July at the earliest. 
 
Tokyo and Washington on June 21 agreed to resume US beef imports by 
Japan. As conditions for that, the US has pledged to allow the 
Japanese side to conduct prior inspections and observe surprise 
inspections by the US. Japan has pledged to strengthen its 
quarantine system. 
 
15) More than 70%, or 11.4-14.3 trillion yen, of fiscal 
reconstruction to be funded with spending cuts, government, ruling 
camp decide; Consumption tax hike to come into focus 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Top Play) (Lead para.) 
June 27, 2006 
 
The government and the ruling camp yesterday adopted a spending cut 
 
TOKYO 00003539  009 OF 010 
 
 
plan to be implemented over the next five years as a cardinal 
feature of unified reform of revenues and expenditures aimed at 
reconstructing national and local finances. The government will cut 
expenditures by 11.4 to 14.3 trillion yen with the aim of moving the 
primary balance of the national and local governments into the black 
in fiscal 2011. To that end, approximately 16.5 trillion yen is 
needed. The plan is to make up for more than 70% of that amount with 
spending cuts, and the remaining 2-5 trillion yen will be financed 
with tax hikes and other means. The margin of a hike in the 
consumption tax and when such an increase should take place will now 
become a focus of attention. 
 
16) China now ardently trying to enhance friendship with Japan, but 
wary of Yasukuni visit 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
June 27, 2006 
 
Nobuyoshi Sakajiri, Beijing 
 
China is actively signaling Japan that it wants to improve relations 
between the two countries. President Hu Jintao has expressed his 
intention to make a visit to Japan, even though he has attached some 
conditions. Since then, China has been playing up the need to expand 
bilateral exchanges, as well as the transparency of its military. 
Beijing has paid close attention to whether Prime Minister Koizumi 
will visit controversial Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15, the anniversary 
of the end of World War II, and to the Liberal Democratic Party 
(LDP) presidential election to determine who will succeed Koizumi. 
China's ulterior motive is to create an environment as favorable as 
possible to it by displaying its willingness to enhance its 
friendship with Japan. 
 
"Apparently, China has turned around." 
 
This remark came yesterday from one of the 6th Self-Defense Forces 
(SDF) delegation of field-grade officers to China. China has 
promised that it would open, for instance, its naval base at 
Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, which is drawing attention in 
connection with gas field development in the East China Sea to SDF 
personnel this year. This will be the first time for China to open 
its military facilities to people from other countries. Yesterday, 
the first day of their China tour, SDF delegates visited a main tank 
regiment in the Beijing military area. 
 
During the events in Huludao, Liaoning Province, commemorating the 
60th anniversary of the repatriation of Japanese soldiers, State 
Council Councilor Tang Jiaxuan delivered a speech in which he said: 
"Development of China-Japan relations will be highly beneficial to 
the peoples of the two countries." 
 
In addition, the All China Youth Federation, a unified front 
composed mainly of China Youth Communist Federation members, is 
planning to invite the 3,000 Japanese who visited China in 1984 to 
revisit. This plan has come in response to President Hu's desire and 
is drawing attention. Hu once belonged to the Youth Communist 
Federation. 
 
A diplomatic source in Beijing said: "Around the time President Hu 
indicated to Japanese Ambassador to China Yuji Miyamoto his 
intention to visit to Japan with conditions, China turned around and 
since then has undertaken a friendship offensive." 
 
TOKYO 00003539  010 OF 010 
 
 
 
Lying behind this move by China is its desire to prevent Koizumi and 
his successor from visiting Yasukuni on Aug. 15 by easing anti-China 
sentiment in Japan and instead increasing Japanese public calls for 
improvement in Japan-China relations. China has invited Democratic 
Party of Japan (Minshuto) President Ichiro Ozawa to visit China. 
This invitation is perhaps intended to shake the LDP. 
 
An expert on relations with Japan here said: "China is well aware 
that it is highly likely that Prime Minister Koizumi will visit 
Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15. China is making efforts now to prevent 
such a situation and even if such a situation happens, to prevent 
China-Japan relations from falling into in an irreparable situation. 
The fact that China is doing this before Prime Minister Koizumi's 
last visit to the United States as prime minister would send a 
strong message to the US." 
 
17) Gas field talks not to be held until July or beyond with China 
disregarding Japan's call 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
June 27, 2006 
 
Tokyo and Beijing were to resume bilateral bureau-chief-level talks 
to discuss gas fields in the East China Sea within this month. 
However, the talks are now certain to be put off until July or 
beyond. Japan is calling for an early resumption of the talks, but 
China has made no clear response. Instead, it is working to create a 
fait accompli. As part of such a move, the State Oceanic 
Administration has revealed that it will shortly start operations at 
the Shirakaba Field (Chunxiao in Chinese). 
 
Commenting on the postponed talks, a senior Foreign Ministry 
official indicated his view that China might be using the scheduling 
of the talks as a bargaining chip. He said, "China has delayed the 
scheduling of the talks in the past as well, giving various 
reasons." 
 
Tokyo and Beijing have been diametrically opposed in talks to 
jointly develop gas fields in the East China Sea and draw their 
exclusive economic zone boundary. Since the matter involves the 
deep-seated issue of the ownership of the Takeshima/Dokdo islets, 
the talks remain stalemated. 
 
Progress cannot be hoped for all the more due to the fact that China 
is reluctant to hold talks while Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is 
in office. 
 
Amid the stalemate, China is frantically trying to establish a fait 
acompli. 
 
DONOVAN