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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 003555 
 
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 06/28/06 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
Opinion polls: 
4) CCS Abe leads Fukuda in post-Koizumi race: Yomiuri poll of LDP 
members 
5) Asahi poll shows 49% positive, 35% negative about Japan's troop 
deployment in Iraq, 55% against continued airlift mission 
6) 52% against, 37% for US beef import resumption: Asahi poll 
 
Defense and security issues: 
7) Futenma talks yet to start, Okinawa governor refuses to attend 
8) USFJ warming up new radar to watch out for Taepodong missiles 
9) Japan to go beyond Far East in cooperation with US for global 
stability 
 
North Korea problem: 
10) Japan to raise abduction issue at G-8 foreign ministerial, ask 
for cooperation against North Korean missiles 
11) Japan alert to Taepodong-2 missile, aiming to contain North 
Korea 
 
ROK, China, Japan politics: 
12) Japan to claim EEZ waters from Nagasaki Prefecture's Torishima 
isle against South Korean demand 
13) DPJ President Ozawa to visit China next month 
14) CCS Abe to announce candidacy in late August for post-Koizumi 
LDP presidency 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Kidnappers confess they planned to take daughter of famous cosmetic 
surgeon after seeing extravagant lifestyle on TV 
 
Mainichi: 
Number of children per older married couple plummets to 2.09, 
affected by trend of late marriage 
 
Yomiuri: 
Poll: LDP members favor Abe as next prime minister, with 57% for 
Abe, 24% for Fukuda 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Government, ruling coalition to put off plan to reallocate taxes 
used only for road construction for general expenditures 
 
Sankei: 
Government to demand that South Korea accept Japanese EEZ based on 
Torishima 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Japan Post proposes stopping mail-collection service at 1,048 post 
offices in many local areas starting in September 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
 
TOKYO 00003555  002 OF 010 
 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Renewal system for teachers' licenses unnecessary 
(2) Prime Minister should not agree to US-India nuclear agreement 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Will license renewal system produce reliable teachers? 
(2) Compilation of FY2007 budget viewed as test case for spending 
cuts 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Government urged to review M&A standards 
(2) US-India agreement on nuclear power poses question about 
sustainability of nuclear non-proliferation framework 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Effective measures necessary for moving postal services to 
private sector 
(2) DPJ member Matsui must give explanation 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Japanese, US leaders expected to give strong warning to North 
Korea's nuclear threat 
(2) Witness help resolve college student kidnapping incident 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Bankruptcy legislation must not impair local government 
autonomy 
(2) With Arcelor-Mittal merger deal, Japanese steelmakers urged to 
work out response measures 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, June 27 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
June 28, 2006 
 
09:32 
Attended an executives' meeting at party headquarters. 
 
10:02 
Attended a cabinet meeting at Kantei. Foreign Minister Aso remained. 
Later, attended a joint meeting of the Administrative Reform 
Promotion Headquarters and the Policy and Financial Reform Promotion 
Headquarters. 
 
10:44 
Met with Intelligence Officer Mitani, JDA Defense Policy Bureau 
Director General Oko, and Intelligence Office Chief Mukunoki. 
 
12:19 
Left Haneda Airport for a tour of Canada and the US on a government 
plane. 
 
Local time 
 
Morning 
Arrived at airport in Toronto, Canada. 
 
4) Poll: 57% of LDP members favor Abe as next prime minister, 24% 
support Fukuda 
 
 
TOKYO 00003555  003 OF 010 
 
 
YOMIURI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
June 28, 2006 
 
The Yomiuri Shimbun learned yesterday from its survey that a 
majority of the rank-and-file members of the Liberal Democratic 
Party (LDP) would vote for Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo in the LDP 
presidential election in September, and some 20% would support 
former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda. Other potential 
candidates Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Finance Minister Sadakazu 
Tanigaki are facing an uphill battle. Abe, who has come out on top 
in various opinion polls regarding possible candidates to succeed 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, also appears to have the backing 
of many LDP rank-and-file members who could sway the outcome of the 
party presidential race. His high popularity among party members 
could affect other LDP lawmakers and their strategies for the 
election. 
 
Yomiuri conducted the telephone survey on June 23-25 on 738 LDP 
rank-and-file members from 47 prefectures, of which 568 (344 men and 
224 women) responded. 
 
Asked who is the most appropriate person to succeed Koizumi as LDP 
president and prime minister, Abe ranked first with 56.5% and Fukuda 
followed with 23.9%. The two leading potential candidates garnered 
more than 80% of the total, suggesting the rank-and-file members 
expect a showdown between them. 
 
However, Aso and Tanigaki, who have indicated they plan to run in 
the race, scored just 2.3% and 1.8%, respectively. 
 
In a Yomiuri poll conducted on eligible voters on June 17-18, 44% of 
respondents supported Abe, while 19% backed Fukuda. The survey of 
party rank-and-file members clearly showed Abe as the favorite among 
party members with direct voting rights to chose the next party 
president. 
 
5) Poll: 49% support SDF dispatch to Iraq, 35% say SDF mission was 
"not good"; 55% oppose continued ASDF deployment 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
June 28, 2006 
 
The Asahi Shimbun learned from its nationwide survey on June 24-25 
that 49% supported the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces troops to 
Iraq, saying that the mission was good for Japan, while 35% said it 
was not good. Asked about the planned continuation and expansion of 
transport assistance by Air Self-Defense Force personnel, 55% were 
opposed, with 33% supporting it. 
 
Some 54% of male respondents supported the SDF mission in Iraq, 
while 44% of female respondents supported it. Separating the 
responses by age, those in their twenties were highest at 55%. 
 
On the question of whether the government's decision to continue and 
expand ASDF operations, 41% of male respondents said, "Appropriate," 
and 51% opposed it, while 26% of female respondents supported it and 
58% were opposed. Among supporters of the Liberal Democratic Party 
(LDP), 46% supported it and 42% were opposed. 
 
Asked whether the government's decision to pull out the Ground 
Self-Defense Force troops from Iraq at present, 34% said, 
"Appropriate," while 53% said that the GSDF personnel should have 
 
TOKYO 00003555  004 OF 010 
 
 
withdrawn earlier. Only 6% said the troops should not be pulled 
out. 
 
6) 52% oppose resumption of US beef imports, 37% support it 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
June 28, 2006 
 
According to an Asahi Shimbun survey, 52% opposed the resumption of 
US beef imports, while 37% supported it. Asked about whether they 
would eat US beef after it was imported, 71% said that they did not 
want to eat it. Women were especially reluctant to eat US beef. The 
figure showed that many Japanese consumers were concerned about the 
safety of US beef. 
 
In a survey conducted last October, 67% opposed and 21% supported 
the previous resumption of US beef imports. In the latest survey, 
the percentage of those opposing the resumption decreased, while the 
support rate increased. Some 60% of female respondents opposed it, 
with only 27% in support, while 44% of male respondents opposed it 
with 47% support. 
 
Asked whether they would eat US beef after imports were resumed, 23% 
said they would eat it, while 71% said they did not want to. As many 
as 81% of female respondents said they would not eat it. Among those 
supporting the resumption of beef imports, 36% said they did not 
want to eat it. 
 
This is the fourth survey conducted by Asahi, and the percentage of 
those who said they "don't want to eat US beef" was highest at 67% 
in the survey last October and was 62% in the January survey. 
 
7) Establishment of Futenma consultative body likely to be delayed 
due to Inamine's rejection; Government considering talks without 
Okinawa 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Abridged slightly) 
June 28, 2006 
 
The central government, the Okinawa prefectural government, and 
affected municipalities originally planned to establish a 
consultative body this summer to discuss specific plans to relocate 
Futenma Air Station and local economic stimulus measures -- focal 
points in the realignment of US forces in Japan. But the 
establishment of the body is now likely to be delayed because 
Okinawa Governor Kenichi Inamine is refusing to participate. The 
government, which wants to map out detailed plans by October, has 
begun considering establishing the new body without Okinawa. 
 
"I know it will take time, but we would like to continue talks with 
you, the local people, persistently." Following the event 
commemorating the Battle of Okinawa on June 23, Prime Minister 
Junichiro Koizumi underlined the government's plan to push ahead 
with talks with local governments to realize the Futenma relocation 
plan. 
 
In May, the government and Okinawa exchanged a basic confirmation 
noting that Futenma Air Station will be relocated "based on the 
government's plan." They also decided later in May to establish the 
consultative body. 
 
Futenma relocation is a prerequisite for reducing Okinawa's burden 
 
TOKYO 00003555  005 OF 010 
 
 
by relocating Okinawa-based US Marines to Guam and other steps. For 
relocating Futenma, the government plans to complete a V-shaped pair 
of runways at Cape Henoko in Nago in eight years. To that end, the 
government intends to work out detailed plans by October and compile 
a budget including necessary expenses. 
 
But Inamine declared: "I will not join the consultative body if it 
discusses the government's plan alone." Inamine remains adamant that 
he will not join the body unless it also considers Okinawa's 
counterproposal for a temporary heliport. 
 
Possible negative impact on the budget 
 
If this situation persists, the government may not be able to 
establish the body even in August when it will present rough 
budgetary requests for fiscal 2007. Given the situation, a plan has 
emerged in the government to begin talks with affected 
municipalities first without Okinawa and obtain Okinawa's 
concurrence before mapping out specific plans. Nago Mayor Yoshikazu 
Shimabukuro and others are willing to hold talks with the central 
government. 
 
Nago does not like the idea of establishing such a body without the 
Okinawa government, however. Given the fact that the central 
government discontinued its economic assistance to the northern part 
of Okinawa, the prefecture strongly hopes to discuss a new economic 
package with the central government. Okinawa wants to discuss new 
stimulus measures first apart from the Futenma relocation plan. 
 
Okinawa is hoping that government will shift its attitude with the 
changeover of the prime minister in September before the Okinawa 
gubernatorial election in November. 
 
Situation may change with the election 
 
Behind Okinawa's reluctance to join the new body lies the 
gubernatorial election in November. Learning of Inamine's intention 
not to run for reelection, the Liberal Democratic Party and the New 
Komeito have begun looking for a candidate. There is a view that if 
Inamine sat at the negotiating table to realize the government's 
plan by disregarding Okinawa's anti-base sentiment, a candidate seen 
as Inamine's successor would not able to win the race. 
 
The LDP Okinawa chapter confirmed at its June 24 convention a policy 
direction of aiming for the early construction of an alternative 
Futenma facility -- a step closer to the government's plan. 
 
The LDP chapter has yet to determine to what extent it will 
cooperate with the government. The LDP originally planned that if 
the party was able to find a gubernatorial candidate by June 29, 
when LDP members would ask questions at the Okinawa Assembly, it 
would let Inamine announce his decision not to run in the race in 
the form of answering questions. But that plan is likely to defer. 
 
Meanwhile, such opposition parties as Minshuto (Democratic Party of 
Japan), the Japanese Communist Party, and the Social Democratic 
Party are selecting their candidates under the anti-Futenma 
relocation banner. "If an opposition candidate won the race, the 
relocation plan would again stall," an alarmed senior Foreign 
Ministry official said. The government and Okinawa have drawn the 
scenario based on a victory by a ruling-party candidate in the 
gubernatorial election. 
 
TOKYO 00003555  006 OF 010 
 
 
 
8) USFJ starts new radar test 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
June 28, 2006 
 
US Forces Japan (USFJ) has now deployed an antimissile mobile early 
warning radar system, codenamed X-band radar, at the Air 
Self-Defense Force's Shariki Detachment base in the city of Tsugaru, 
Aomori Prefecture, sources said yesterday. USFJ seems to have been 
test-operating the X-band radar, according to the sources. The newly 
installed radar is expected to go operational within the year. North 
Korea is now making preparations to launch a long-range ballistic 
missile that is believed to be a Taepodong-2, so USFJ appears to 
have gone ahead with the new radar's test operation. 
 
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, 
USFJ has informed the ministry that the US military plans to start 
radar operation on June 26. The ministry has set up a no-fly zone 
with a radius of 6 kilometers and a height of 6 kilometers on the 
west side of the base. "US forces seem to have already started radar 
operation, but I'd like to abstain from making a formal comment," a 
senior official of the Defense Agency said. 
 
9) US force realignment and Japan-US alliance: Focus of alliance 
likely to be shifted from responses to national contingencies to 
preventive measures for global stabilization 
 
ASAHI (Page 15) (Excerpts) 
June 28, 2006 
 
In the June 29 Japan-US summit, the two leaders are expected to 
confirm in their joint statement the new role of the Japan-US 
alliance in a global context, based on the final agreement reached 
in May on plans for US force realignment in Japan. The planned 
realignment is part of efforts to establish a military setup under 
the lead of the United States to deal with terrorist threats. The 
realignment plans covering the Asia-Pacific region have China's 
recent military buildup in mind. Reflecting also ongoing changes in 
the bilateral alliance relations, the US is likely to expect Japan 
more to take joint steps with it. 
 
Expansion of cooperation beyond Far East 
 
The main purpose of the realignment of US forces in Japan is to 
reduce the security burden on the base-hosting local communities and 
enhance the sustainability of the Japan-US alliance. Under the US 
force realignment plan in South Korea, key US Army units will be 
significantly trimmed. Compared with it, the planned realignment in 
Japan will be on a smaller scale. The realignment plan for Japan, 
though, will inevitably have a major effect on the Japan-US 
alliance. 
 
Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS) Japan Desk 
Director Green said that the US would expect Japan to: (1) join the 
like-minded coalition to fight terrorism and engage in 
disaster-relief operations, even if Japan does not undertake the 
same mission as Britain and Australia; and (2) apply pressure on 
moves by China and North Korea. 
 
Green added: 
 
 
TOKYO 00003555  007 OF 010 
 
 
"Ten years ago, China would have judged that Japan would play no 
role in dealing with a crisis in the Taiwan Strait, but that nation 
may fear Japan's moves now. Such fear should work to discourage 
China from taking action." 
 
Once US force realignment plans are implemented, Japan and the US 
are expected to carry out joint training between the US military and 
the Self-Defense Forces in Guam. The document of agreement reached 
between the two countries last October specifies: "Opportunities for 
training will increase." On this issue, the two countries will soon 
start talks. 
 
Once facilities and the environment are arranged, Air Self-Defense 
Force and Maritime Self-Defense Force troops are expected to go to 
Guam for training for air battles and anti-submarine warfare, 
respectively. 
 
If the role of the Japan-US alliance in a global context is 
highlighted in the upcoming Japan-US summit, it will become 
necessary to discuss how to expand the framework of cooperation, 
which is now limited to the Far East region under the Japan-US 
Security Treaty. 
 
The Japan-US alliance is designed to deal with contingencies based 
on the principle of defending Japanese territory for now. But the 
plan for US force realignment in Japan is also likely to change the 
alliance in nature and role into a preventive one aimed at 
stabilizing the world, in addition to a geographical change. 
 
10) G-8 foreign ministerial to kick off tomorrow; Foreign Minister 
Aso to raise abduction issue; Will ask for cooperation on North 
Korean missile 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
June 28, 2006 
 
Moscow, Yoshitaka Kuribayashi 
 
Foreign Minister Taro Aso arrived in Moscow on the evening of June 
27 (night of the same day, Japan time) to attend the Group of Eight 
(G-8) foreign ministerial meeting to be held on the 29th. During the 
meeting, Aso will call for the issue of the abductions of Japanese 
nationals by North Korean agents to be on the agenda at the G-8 
Summit (St. Petersburg Summit) in July. He will also bring up the 
issue of North Korea's preparations to launch a Taepodong-2 and ask 
for cooperation to prevent a launch. 
 
Commenting on the upcoming foreign ministerial, Aso told a news 
conference held on the morning of the 27th: "The nuclear programs of 
North Korea and Iran will be high on the agenda. Regarding the 
missile issue, the situation of waiting for North Korea's response 
is continuing. The abduction issue will also be on the summit 
agenda." 
 
Aso will call for tough measures, including the submission of the 
issue to the UNSC and economic sanctions, in the event that North 
Korea launches a missile. Attention is being paid to how Russia, 
which is friendly to Pyongyang, will respond. When it comes to the 
nuclear issue, Aso will present the government's view that North 
Korea should return to the six-party talks at an early date. 
 
On Iran's nuclear issue, he will indicate the view that it should 
 
TOKYO 00003555  008 OF 010 
 
 
accept at an early date a package proposed by the five permanent 
members of the UNSC plus Germany. 
 
11) Government continues to be on alert over Taepodong-2; Intends to 
call for self-restraint, step up pressure on Pyongyang 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
June 28, 2006 
 
North Korea is now preparing to launch a Taepodong-2 long-range 
ballistic missile. The government will remain alert, while eyeing 
the possibility of the situation becoming protracted. At the same 
time, it will aim at having the international community besiege that 
nation at such venues as the Japan-US summit on June 29. 
 
Reuters on June 12 quoted a US government official as saying that 
Pyongyang was preparing to launch a Taepodong-2 missile. Several 
days later, it was confirmed that an object thought to be a missile 
was mounted on a launch pad. Since then, there has been no marked 
move, according to a source informed of Japan-North Korea 
relations. 
 
Defense Agency Director-General Fukushiro Nukaga yesterday told a 
news conference, "As long as a crisis is there, we will remain 
alert." 
 
Views are divided over whether the injection of liquid fuel, a 
yardstick in judging whether a launch is drawing near, has been 
completed. It is believed that a mixture of kerosene and an 
oxidizing agent is used as fuel for the Taepodong-2. Since oxidizing 
agents are corrosive, once fuel is injected into a missile tank, it 
has to be launched within a month or so. Otherwise, there might be 
the danger of a fuel leak. 
 
The Japanese government has yet to find out the aim of the North. As 
a Foreign Ministry official noted, "We do not know yet." It is now 
carefully analyzing the situation in cooperation with the US. Some 
take the view that, hard hit by financial sanctions by the US, the 
Kim Jong Il regime is trying to bring the US to the negotiating 
table by creating a crisis. 
 
The Japanese government plans to bring up the Taepodong-2 issue at 
the Japan-US summit to be held on the 29th and the G-8 foreign 
ministerial meeting to be held in Moscow. During those meetings, 
Japan will convey to various countries that in the event Pyongyang 
launches the missile, it will take harsh measures, including 
economic sanctions and suspension of aid. 
 
12) Government decides to set Torishima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, 
as base point of EEZ to counter ROK's demand 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Full) 
June 28, 2006 
 
Ahead of the planned negotiations with South Korea on the 
demarcation of the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in waters around 
the Takeshima/Dokdo islets, the government yesterday decided to urge 
South Korea to agree to set Torishima in Goto City, Nagasaki 
Prefecture, as the base point of Japan's EEZ. This move has come, 
because South Korea altered its previous position and now has 
demanded that Takeshima, Japan's territory, be used as the base 
point of South Korea's EEZ. 
 
TOKYO 00003555  009 OF 010 
 
 
 
During the next round of Japan-South Korea talks in Seoul slated for 
September, Japan intends to propose to South Korea that Torishima be 
used as the base point of Japan's EEZ in order to broaden Japan's 
EEZ. 
 
The government had until recently asserted that Japan's EEZ should 
be demarcated with Takeshima as the base point, and at the same time 
it had pointed that Torishima is an island enabling Japan to use it 
as the base point to establish its EEZ in accordance with the United 
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. On the other hand, South 
Korea has insisted that Torishima is a rock, so it is not possible 
to set the EEZ based on Torishima. 
 
During the recent demarcation talks in Tokyo June 12-13, South Korea 
began asserting suddenly that Takeshima, which the South Koreans 
until then had regarded as a group of rocks, was a group of islets. 
Departing from its previous assertion that the base point of South 
Korea's EEZ is Ullungdo Island, South Korea then proposed changing 
the base point to Takeshima, thereby greatly expanding South Korea's 
EEZ. 
 
South Korea's about-face came amid the Roh Moo Hyun administration's 
political motive to put more pressure on Japan over Takeshima, which 
is claimed by both Japan and South Korea and which South Korea has 
illegally occupied, by shifting the Takeshima territorial issue to 
the history issue, as well as the administration's steady efforts to 
create a fait accompli by having a South Korean fisherman and his 
wife live there to make it an "inhabited island." 
 
Both Japan and South Korea have agreed to hold demarcation talks in 
accordance with the agreement reached during the Japan-South Korea 
summit in 1996 that states the two countries will promote EEZ 
demarcation talks, setting aside the territorial issue involving 
Takeshima. 
 
In the recent bilateral talks, Japan refused to accept South Korea's 
assertion that Takeshima be used as the ROK base point. In future 
negotiations, Japan intends to inquire as to why South Korea 
suddenly shifted its position. 
 
A senior Foreign Ministry official explained: "South Korea's 
assertions are inconsistent. There is a possibility that Torishima 
could develop its own economic activities." Japan intends to assert 
that it should use Takeshima as the base point of its EEZ in the Sea 
of Japan and Torishima as the base point of its EEZ in the East 
China Sea. Given these factors, intense negotiations are likely. 
 
13) Three Minshuto officials to visit China starting July 3 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
June 28, 2006 
 
It has been decided that Ichiro Ozawa, head of the Democratic Party 
of Japan (DPJ, or Minshuto) will visit China starting July 3. He 
will meet with Chinese leaders, including President Hu Jintao, on 
the 4th and 5th. It has also been formally decided that Acting DPJ 
President Naoto Kan and DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama will 
travel with Ozawa. Their China visit will likely serve as an 
occasion to make a public appeal regarding the party's stance of 
attaching importance to Asia, as well as party solidarity. 
 
 
TOKYO 00003555  010 OF 010 
 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi yesterday left Japan for his last 
visit to the US and Canada as prime minister. It appears that Ozawa 
wanted to show his differences with Koizumi by choosing China as the 
first country for his visit. He will return home on the 5th or the 
6th. 
 
14) Abe to declare candidacy in late August for LDP presidential 
election 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) 
June 28, 2006 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe decided yesterday to declare his 
candidacy in late August for the Liberal Democratic Party 
presidential election in September. Abe conveyed this intention to 
former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, the chairman of the Mori 
faction, to which Abe belongs. 
 
Abe has determined that the circumstances surrounding the 
presidential race could change depending on whether Prime Minister 
Junichiro Koizumi visits Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15, the day marking 
the end of World War II. Abe seems to have judged it wiser to watch 
closely to see what moves former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo 
Fukuda, another likely candidate of the same faction, would make. 
 
DONOVAN