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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 003996 
 
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 07/19/06 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
North Korea problem: 
4) Prime Minister Koizumi during recent summit meeting urged 
President Bush to hold bilateral talks with North Korea as only way 
to achieve progress 
5) Government as additional sanction on North Korea to seek to stop 
roundabout exports there by requiring certain companies to file 
reports 
6) US provides Japan with list of transactions to use in imposing 
financial sanctions on North Korea 
7) ASEAN ARF may discuss North Korea in own version of six-party 
talks 
 
Iraq assistance: 
8) Last June, when GSDF convoy attacked in Iraq, troops loaded 
weapons for combat a first for Japanese forces overseas 
9) Quick withdrawal of GSDF from Iraq and expansion of role of 
remaining ASDF troops raise concerns about security 
10) Government decides to expand ASDF assistance efforts in Iraq 
11) In meeting, JDA chief Nukaga asks Kuwait's foreign minister for 
assistance as ASDF expands transport role 
 
Defense issues: 
12) Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) is against a permanent PKO 
law 
13) USFJ to participate in Tokyo disaster drill, focusing on 
transporting to safety stranded city dwellers 
14) Relocation of US forces training accepted by ASDF base in 
Ibaraki 
 
Political agenda: 
15) Declassified State Department documents from 1950s, '60s detail 
flow of USG assistance money to ruling and opposition camps in Japan 
 
16) While party toils, Minshuto President Ozawa goes deep-sea 
fishing 
17) Yamasaki faction preparing foreign policy paper to counter Abe 
candidacy with own ideas 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Paloma admits responsibility for CO poisoning 
 
Mainichi & Yomiuri: 
Death toll from CO poisoning involving Paloma heater rises to 20 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Leading commercial banks to raise short-term prime rates for first 
time in 6 years 
 
Sankei: 
Government to apply financial sanctions on North Korea, based on 
trade-related list presented by US 
 
 
TOKYO 00003996  002 OF 011 
 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
GSDF troops in Iraq were moments from firing weapons when convoy 
came under attack in June 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Murder of daughter in Akita: Thorough investigation was needed 
(2) Sumo wrester Roho's violence deplorable 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Completion of SDF withdrawal: Experiences in Samawah must be 
utilized in future 
(2) Effect of new system to limit rehabilitation must be 
scrutinized 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Major task left after successful end of GSDF mission 
(2) Overly lax investigation missed mother's violent act 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Lack of responsibility for ensuring safety cause fatal CO 
poisoning involving Paloma heater 
(2) What was learned from the Iraq dispatch? 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Reflect lessons from SDF mission in Iraq in permanent law 
(2) Lax investigation in Akita caused tragedy 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Were there mistakes in initial investigation of the murder case 
in Akita? 
(2) One year after enactment of Landscape Law: Lets search for local 
assets first 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, July 17 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
July 19, 2006 
 
Evening 
Left the airport in St. Petersburg by government plane. 
 
(local time) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, July 18 
 
12:07 
Arrived at Haneda Airport 
 
12:41 
Reported return home at the Imperial Palace. 
 
12:54 
Arrived at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. 
 
13:40 
Met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe. 
 
17:14 
 
TOKYO 00003996  003 OF 011 
 
 
Arrived at his residence. 
 
(Japan time) 
 
4) Koizumi urged Bush to engage in direct dialogue with North Korea 
during Japan-US summit in June; Bush refused to fall into the 
North's trap 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
July 19, 2006 
 
"Things will not move forward without direct dialogue." Prime 
Minister Junichiro Koizumi urged US President George W. Bush last 
month to promote a high-level direct dialogue with North Korea for 
resolving the North's nuclear and missile issues, sources said 
yesterday. The advice was a gamble for the dialogue-oriented 
Koizumi, who made two trips to Pyongyang for a normalization of 
diplomatic relations between Japan and North Korea. But President 
Bush did not abandon his cautious stance. Days later, Pyongyang 
launched missiles, pushing Japan and other countries toward a 
pressure approach. Chances are diminishing that Koizumi's advice 
will bear fruit. 
 
Koizumi called for a US-North Korea direct dialogue at the June 29 
Japan-US summit and in a subsequent telephone conversation with 
Bush. Japanese government sources cited Koizumi as telling Bush, 
while citing his two visits to Pyongyang: 
 
"North Korea is hoping for a dialogue with the United States. In 
dealing with a country like North Korea, things will not move 
forward unless leaders of the two countries engage in a direct 
dialogue. It is the United States rather than China who can settle 
North Korean issues. In order also to resolve the abduction issue, 
the nuclear and missile issues must be moved forward." 
 
Thus Koizumi told President Bush that the United States must conduct 
direct high-level talks with the North. 
 
In response, Bush said: "You are the only leader who has objected 
(to America's policy) to my face. I will consider your advice." But 
in subsequent conversations with Koizumi, Bush maintained a cautious 
stance, saying to the Japanese prime minister: "Engaging in a direct 
dialogue means falling into North Korea's trap." 
 
On July 5, the North test-fired seven missiles, including a 
Taepodong-2. In his telephone conversation with Bush on July 6, 
Koizumi reiterated the need for direct dialogue, but Bush did not 
change his attitude, according to the sources. The view is prevalent 
in Japan and abroad that despite Koizumi's advice, chances have 
further diminished for a direct dialogue between the US and North 
Korea. 
 
5) Government to mandate designated firms to report export details 
under revised law to prevent roundabout exports to North Korea 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
July 19, 2006 
 
The government has decided to strengthen trade-control regulations 
by revising the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law, with a view 
to additional sanctions against North Korea. If it decides to halt 
trade with that nation by invoking additional economic sanctions, 
 
TOKYO 00003996  004 OF 011 
 
 
the government as a measure to prevent roundabout exports will 
mandate domestic companies affiliated with North Korea, to report on 
business details, including export destinations and items. The 
government also plans to introduce tougher penalties for violators. 
 
The government has already slapped sanctions on North Korea, 
including banning its ferry Mangyongbong-92 from calling at Japanese 
ports. In addition, it is considering imposing heavier economic 
sanctions, such as halting cash remittances and trade activities, 
depending on a future response by Pyongyang, which has refused to 
comply with a resolution adopted by the United Nations Security 
Council. 
 
In the event that Japan decides to adopt the trade-suspension 
measures, only direct trade with the North will come under the 
application of the measure under the current law. The Ministry of 
Economy, Trade and Industry intends to revise the law in order to 
prevent Japanese firms affiliated with North Korea from exporting 
goods to North Korea via a third country. 
 
Once the government decides to apply additional sanctions on North 
Korea, it will designate "firms linked to the country subject to the 
sanctions," such as North Korea-affiliated companies, and will 
require the firms to report on export items and destinations. Of 
about 300 firms engaged in North Korea-bound exports, those whose 
export values are large will likely come under the reporting 
requirement. If a firm fails to acquit this obligation, the firm is 
likely to be punished for unauthorized exports. The relevant 
government ordinance will be revised when sanctions are invoked. 
 
6) North Korea's missile launches: US presents a list of 
transactions to Japan; Tokyo to implement financial sanctions 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
July 19, 2006 
 
The government yesterday decided to implement sanctions against 
North Korea in accordance with the Foreign Exchange and Foreign 
Trade Control Law in order to halt transactions concerning missiles 
and weapons of mass destruction, as well as freeze that country's 
financial assets, following the United Nations Security Council's 
adoption days ago of a resolution condemning North Korea's recent 
missile launches. According to several government sources, the 
United States has already presented Japan a list of transactions 
concerning Pyongyang's missile development and other issues. Based 
on the list, Japan will examine domestic financial institutions as 
to whether they have accounts or financial assets that might have 
been or may be used for illegal transactions. 
 
Meeting the press yesterday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe 
said: "We can't see any sign that North Korea will make a radical 
policy change, though it needs to do so. Following the UN 
resolution, we'll impose sanctions on it in both the areas of goods 
and money related to weapons of mass destruction. It's important for 
us to work together with the US and other countries of the world." 
He thus indicated that the imposition of additional sanctions would 
be unavoidable. 
 
7) "Six-party" foreign ministerial likely to occur on sidelines of 
ARF 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
 
TOKYO 00003996  005 OF 011 
 
 
July 19, 2006 
 
Nanae Kurashige and Tadahisa Takatsuki,  Seoul 
 
The Japanese government is making arrangements to bring about a 
foreign ministerial of the member nations of the six-party talks on 
the North Korean nuclear issue on the sidelines of the upcoming 
ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Malaysia slated for July 28, sources 
revealed. Taking advantage of the ARF in which the foreign ministers 
of all the members of the six-party talks, including North Korea, 
take part in, Japan wants to take the opportunity to restart the 
currently stalled six-party talks. Foreign ministerial talks between 
Japan and China and between Japan and South Korea are also expected 
to take place. 
 
However, according to a Japanese government source, China has asked 
North Korea about its participation in the planned meeting, but no 
response has come from North Korea yet. There is a growing call to 
hold a meeting even among the five nations if North Korea is 
unwilling to attend. 
 
Foreign Minister Aso, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, North 
Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun, and others will take part in 
the ARF. This will be the first occasion for cabinet-level officials 
to assemble since the United Nations Security Council's adoption of 
a resolution against North Korea. 
 
From Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Asian and Oceanian 
Affairs Bureau Director-General Kenichiro Sasake, the chief 
representative to the six-party talks, will accompany the foreign 
minister to ARF. Sasae is reportedly contacting Chinese Vice Foreign 
Minister Wu Dawei, the chief representative to the six-party talks, 
in trying to realize a foreign ministerial among the six nations. 
 
8) GSDF troops loaded guns with live bullets in Iraq; Shootout 
nearly occurred when convoy came under attack 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Abridged) 
July 19, 2006 
 
In June last year, an explosion took place near a convoy of Ground 
Self-Defense Force vehicles in Iraq. In that incident, a GSDF 
armored vehicle was damaged. On hearing the explosion, GSDF members 
loaded their guns with live cartridges in readiness to fight back, 
sources revealed. They did not fire, but this episode shows a 
dangerous fact about deployment to the front. The Self-Defense 
Forces has a 14-year history of overseas missions, but this is the 
first report of SDF members abroad loading their weapons with live 
bullets. 
 
The incident occurred on June 23 last year. A remote-controlled bomb 
set on the right side of a road exploded when two GSDF vehicles, 
front- and rear-escorted by light-armored vehicles, were running in 
the southern Iraqi city of Samawah. One of the two escorted vehicles 
was damaged on its windshield and door. 
 
According to several Defense Agency sources, GSDF members on board 
the light-armored vehicles loaded the magazines of 5.5-mm 
machineguns and were ready to fire. At the same time, they saw 
someone running away through the desert. However, the convoy turned 
back to its camp. 
 
 
TOKYO 00003996  006 OF 011 
 
 
About 20 GSDF members were on the move. There is no knowing how many 
of them loaded their weapons with live bullets. However, a shootout 
might have broken out if armed insurgents had attacked the convoy. 
The actual scene was far tenser than reported. 
 
9) Security situation causing concern about reconstruction 
assistance in Iraq; GSDF troops quickly pull out of Samawah; 
Apprehension regarding expansion of ASDF operations 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
July 19, 2006 
 
Kuwait, Masahiro Tsuruoka 
 
Ground Self-Defense (GSDF) personnel deployed to Samawah to help 
with reconstruction in Iraq have completed a pullout to Kuwait in 27 
days, though initial expectations were that it would take a month to 
a month and a half. The GSDF has decided to time the withdrawal to 
coincide with that of British and Australian troops due to the 
deteriorating security situation there. Air Self-Defense (ASDF) 
troops will now expand their transport operations to cover Baghdad. 
However, the capital is in a state close to civil war. Though the 
government insists that the airport is a non-combat area, some 
sources connected with the Defense Agency (JDA) have pointed out 
that the government claim is a fallacy. 
 
British and Australian troops on July 13 transferred security 
authority over Muthana Province, where Samawah is located, to the 
Iraqi government. However, the security situation there has worsened 
since late June, when the GSDF started pulling out. 
 
A number of explosions occurred near the GSDF, British, and 
Australian camps this month. In fact, there was an explosion on the 
15th, the day before the final withdrawal of the GSDF troops. 
 
British and Australian troops, which guarded the GSDF troops, aim to 
pull out of Samawah before the end of the month. A senior GSDF 
officer noted, "The British troops intend to pull out of Samawah 
earlier than originally planned due to the series of explosions near 
their camp." The British troops helped GSDF personnel pull out of 
Samawah quicker than their original plan by transporting them to 
Talill Airport by helicopter. 
 
The GSDF officer explained, "We rushed to pull out of Samawah in 
order not to disturb the withdrawals of British and Australian 
troops following the GSDF troops." The last GSDF troops evacuated 
the camp to the airport overland at night to avoid possible 
attacks. 
 
JDA Director-General Nukaga, who visited Kuwait to meet the GSDF 
personnel, on the 17th told reporters that ASDF operations will be 
expanded to cover Baghdad and Arbill as early as the end of this 
month. 
 
10) ASDF mission to expand starting in late July to include 
airlifting UN personnel and supplies between Baghdad and Arbil 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
July 19, 2006 
 
The government decided yesterday to allow the Kuwait-based Air 
Self-Defense Force's airlift mission to include the transport of 
 
TOKYO 00003996  007 OF 011 
 
 
United Nations personnel and supplies between Baghdad and Arbil in 
Iraq starting in late July in accordance to the Iraq Humanitarian 
Reconstruction Support Special Measures Law. The decision follows 
the Ground Self-Defense Force's complete withdrawal from the 
southern Iraqi city of Samawah. 
 
In May, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan asked Prime Minister 
Junichiro Koizumi for the ASDF's cooperation on airlifting UN 
personnel and supplies. When Koizumi formally decided to withdraw 
the ground troops from Iraq, he also came up a policy course to 
expand the ASDF mission as part of Japan's continued assistance to 
Iraq. But the government has postponed the step until all ground 
troops pulled out of Iraq, which required ASDF transport planes. 
 
The ASDF's C-130 transport planes and 200 personnel based at Ali Al 
Salem Air Base in Kuwait have airlifted GSDF and multinational force 
personnel and supplies to Tallil and Basra near Samawah. The 
government has concluded the ASDF would be able to secure safety 
between Baghdad and Arbil as well. The UN, which has been making 
preparations for the recovery of functions of its local office to 
coincide with the establishment of the new the new Iraqi government, 
has asked for the provision of transport planes. 
 
11) JDA Director-General Nukaga asks for assistance for ASDF 
operations during meeting with Kuwaiti foreign minister 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
July 19, 2006 
 
Kuwait City, Hiroshi Funatsu 
 
Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga on the morning of 
July 18 (afternoon of the same day, Japan time) met with Foreign 
Minister Mohammad at the National Assembly in Kuwait City. Nukaga 
expressed gratitude to the Kuwaiti government for its cooperation 
for Ground Self-Defense troops, which have ended their humanitarian 
and reconstruction assistance in Iraq. He then asked for assistance 
for Air Self-Defense (ASDF) troops, which will continue transport 
operations out of Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. 
 
Nukaga thanked Mohammad: "The GSDF's humanitarian and reconstruction 
assistance operations were successful thanks to Kuwait's 
cooperation." He also asked for its continued cooperation to the 
ASDF. Mohammad replied, "We fully trust the role Japan is fulfilling 
for Gulf countries." 
 
Nukaga on the afternoon of the same day (evening of the same day, 
Japan time) visited a US military base outside Kuwait City, where 
GSDF personnel were undergoing health examinations. He hailed their 
service there. 
 
He told reporters: "Their experience here will be definitely used in 
the future. They now must be confident that their troops can work 
not only to defend Japan but also to build international peace." 
 
12) DPJ's Ozawa opposed to permanent law for SDF dispatch 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
July 19, 2006 
 
Regarding the Ground Self-Defense Force's pullout from Iraq, 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) President Ichiro Ozawa, meeting 
 
TOKYO 00003996  008 OF 011 
 
 
the press yesterday, opposed the idea from within the government and 
the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of establishing a permanent law 
that would allow Japan to send Self-Defense Forces personnel 
overseas at any time. 
 
"The government is going to create a procedural law (for Japan to 
send SDF troops overseas) without showing its constitutional 
interpretation of Japan's military operations; their thinking is 
upside down," Ozawa said. "They're confusing the order of things, 
and it's strange for a law-governed nation to do so," he added. 
 
Meanwhile, the government is now beginning to prepare additional 
economic sanction measures against North Korea. In this regard, 
Ozawa noted that Japan must consider Japan's pluses and minuses on 
the economic and political sides before taking sanction measures, 
and he also noted that Japan tends to think of doing something based 
on a mood. In addition, Ozawa raised a question about the 
effectiveness of additional economic sanctions. He insisted: 
"There's a limit to what Japan can do alone. The whole world will 
have to work together, or we can't expect Japan's sanction measures 
to be effective." 
 
13) USFJ to participate in Tokyo Metropolitan Government's disaster 
drill; Transportation of disaster survivors unable to return home by 
USFJ now considered 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
July 19, 2006 
 
US Forces Japan (USFJ) has reached a basic agreement on its 
participation in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's comprehensive 
disaster drill that is conducted in September every year. The USFJ 
and the metropolitan government are in final discussions on 
specifics of the drill, such as the transportation of disaster 
survivors unable to return home and goods via USFJ ships and 
helicopters. The USFJ has made Yokota Air Base available to the 
metropolitan government during this drill since 2001, but according 
to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and other government 
offices, a joint drill with the USFJ with the participation of its 
troops and vessels has never taken place so far in Japan. 
 
The drill will be conducted on the assumption of the occurrence of 
an earthquake directly under Tokyo. Final coordination on the drill 
is going on between the metropolitan government and the USFJ on 
plans for US troops and its vessels to transport disaster survivors 
unable to return home due to the disruption of the transport systems 
to Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, by the US Navy's ships or 
transport relief goods from the Yokota Base by the US Air Force's 
helicopters. How many US troops, ships, and helicopters will take 
part in the drill is likely to depend on the situation that day. 
 
At the time of the Chuetsu earthquake in Niigata Prefecture in 2004, 
US aircraft transported relief goods from Yokota Air Base. A 
metropolitan government official in charge of the drill explained: 
"The purpose of the upcoming drill is to prepare a system for us to 
smoothly accept support from the US forces." Reportedly, the USFJ 
has indicated that it has participated in relief activities when a 
disaster occurs and that its participation in the upcoming drill is 
of a similar nature. 
 
14) Local city to accept US military aircraft training to Hyakuri 
base 
 
TOKYO 00003996  009 OF 011 
 
 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
July 19, 2006 
 
In the process of realigning the US military presence in Japan, the 
government is planning to transfer US military fighter jets' 
training to the Air Self-Defense Force's Hyakuri base in the city of 
Omitama, Ibaraki Prefecture. On this issue, Omitama City decided 
yesterday to accept the training to the base on the condition that 
agreements on noise abatement, safety assurances, and other measures 
are concluded. The city's mayor, Joichi Shimada, will formally 
inform the government of the decision tomorrow. The Ibaraki 
prefectural government is also expected to approve the city's 
decision. Omitama has so far been reluctant to accept the planned 
transfer of US military aircraft training to the base because of 
opposition from the city's municipal assembly and local residents. 
Late last month, however, local communities accepted it 
conditionally. In the meantime, the city's municipal assembly also 
concurred. The city's municipal government therefore changed its 
course of action. 
 
The proposed agreement has yet to be detailed. However, the city 
will ask the government to take measures, such as abating noise, 
ensuring safety, cooperating on local development, and limiting the 
number of training flights. Other localities hosting Chitose base in 
Hokkaido and Komatsu base in Ishikawa Prefecture have already 
accepted US military aircraft training relocation to these bases. 
Omitama City also would like to negotiate with the government for 
advantageous conditions. 
 
In May, the Japanese and US governments agreed on the planned 
realignment of US forces in Japan. Along with this realignment, the 
US Air Force is to relocate F-15 fighter jets' training in part from 
three US military bases, including Kadena Air Base in Okinawa 
Prefecture, to six ASDF bases, including Hyakuri. 
 
US fighters are expected to carry out touch-and-go training at the 
Hyakuri base for up to four weeks and about 1,000 times a year. 
 
15) US State Department to release documents showing US government's 
financial assistance to LDP, moderate opposition party members in 
1950s, 1960s 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
July 19, 2006 
 
Sueya Kaihara, Washington 
 
By publishing on July 18 a collection of diplomatic documents on 
Japan prepared under the Johnson administration, the US State 
Department will make public documents underpinning that the US 
government's "secret support operation" (financial aid) to some LDP 
executives and moderate opposition party members existed from the 
late 1950s through 1964. Although the New York Times reported in 
1994 on financial assistance from the CIA to the LDP, public 
documents on such assistance have never been released. It has 
already come to light that the US government extended financial 
assistance to some opposition party members. The US government has 
decided to shed new light on America's postwar history. 
 
The State Department is publishing the second part of volume 29 of 
the Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) as those documents 
 
TOKYO 00003996  010 OF 011 
 
 
become declassified after a period of 30 years. 
 
According to a State Department press conference, the operation was 
of a minor scale and was designed to provide assistance to major 
pro-US lawmakers and split moderates from left-wing opposition 
parties. The Johnson administration reportedly halted the operation 
in 1964, concluding that the program was inappropriate and that the 
potential risks associated with the exposure were not worth it. But 
the secret social and propaganda program to eliminate communist 
influence rather than to financial assistance to lawmakers was in 
place until 1968. Edward Kiefer, editor-in-chief of the FRUS, has 
said to the Asahi Shimbun: "Although the operation was small in 
scale, it included financial assistance." 
 
16) Is deep-sea fishing "party work" for Minshuto President Ozawa? 
 
The Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) has upgraded a fishing trip 
planned for President Ichiro Ozawa and other party leaders at the 
island of Miyake (Miyake Village, Tokyo-to) to party work that would 
include an inspection of the island's restoration. Minshuto Acting 
President Naoto Kan and Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama will 
accompany Ozawa on the two-night, three-day trip that starts July 
¶31. The invitation to Kan and Hatoyama to go fishing came from the 
Ozawa side. At first, it was supposed to be "private," according to 
an Ozawa aide, but later a schedule was added at the request of 
Miyake Village for the trio to inspect the island where eruptions of 
volcanic gases still continue. 
 
Although party officials explained, "The main purpose of the trip is 
to inspect the island, as well as to build up the island's image as 
a tourist center by fishing there," some party members are 
complaining, such a mid-level lawmaker who said, "I just don't want 
it to be thought they just went there to have fun." 
 
17) Yamasaki faction aims to unite anti-Abe forces; Policy plays up 
Asia diplomacy 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
July 19, 2006 
 
The Yamasaki faction of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) yesterday 
released a policy vision in the run-up to the September LDP 
presidential election. The package proposed constructing a national 
secular memorial for the war dead and discussing the nature of 
Yasukuni Shrine, taking into consideration an argument heard in the 
LDP calling for separate enshrinement of Class-A war criminals. The 
vision strongly reflects the aim of Yamasaki, who wants to unite 
anti-Abe forces using Asia diplomacy as a focal point. 
 
Touching on Japan-China relations in a press conference held to 
release the vision and a speech delivered after that, Yamasaki 
stressed the need to improve bilateral relations. He noted: "It is 
important that we be able to talk with that country. In order to 
find a breakthrough in the current situation, I want the 
post-Koizumi administration to carry out flexible diplomacy." He 
then noted: "I do not know which potential candidates will adopt my 
policy vision. If nobody takes it up, I will do it myself." He thus 
indicated the possibility of his running in the LDP presidential 
race. 
 
The policy vision titled "A Japan that contributes to the world with 
vitality and harmony" consists of four pillars: (1) diplomacy based 
 
TOKYO 00003996  011 OF 011 
 
 
on justice and harmony; (2) a dynamic economy; (3) a safe society 
that guarantees peace of mind; and (4) education that opens up the 
future. 
 
As a means to indicate his resolve to build a nation that positively 
contributes to peace, the package noted that consideration should be 
given to the possibility of constructing a facility where people can 
offer their sincere condolences to the war dead and renew their 
pledge to protect peace, as well as looking into the nature of 
Yasukuni Shrine. It also calls for stopping North Korea's nuclear 
development through the six-party talks and establishing a 
multilateral security initiative in Asia, centered on Japan, the US, 
South Korea, China, and Russia. For domestic politics, the package 
proposed raising the consumption tax by 2009 in order to cope with 
the declining birthrate and establishing a comprehensive social 
security insurance scheme that unifies pension, medical care, 
nursing care, benefits for handicapped persons, employment, and 
child care systems. 
 
SCHIEFFER