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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 004417 
 
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 08/07/06 
 
 
Index: 
1) Top headlines 
 
2) Editorials 
 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
4) Joint Yomiuri-Hankook Ilbo poll: 59 PERCENT  of Japanese see ties 
with ROK as worsened, up 24 points from last year's survey 
 
5) Prime Minister Koizumi hints at paying homage at Yasukuni Shrine 
in near future 
 
6) Abe's secret visit to Yasukuni Shrine in April carefully planned 
and executed 
 
7) Foreign Minister Aso knew about Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe's 
April visit to Yasukuni 
 
8) Opposition camp blasts Abe for secret visit to Yasukuni Shrine 
 
9) New Komeito fears that Abe flap may hurt the administration 
 
10) Tojo's order limited Yasukuni to solely those killed during the 
war 
 
11) Emperor not only stopped visiting Yasukuni Shrine after Class-A 
war criminals enshrined, he avoided ancillary war shrines across 
country 
 
12) LDP policy affairs council planning law that would place 
Yasukuni Shrine under state jurisdiction 
 
13) Foreign Minister Aso has plan to secularize Yasukuni Shrine 
 
14) Survey of LDP lawmakers shows Abe already has lined up support 
from almost majority for his bid to become next party president 
 
15) LDP's Yamasaki may not run in the LDP presidential race after 
all 
 
16) Learning from lesson of Nagano election, LDP realizes has a lot 
of homework to do if it hopes to capture the fickle unaffiliated 
voter in next years' Upper House race 
 
17) Government, Okinawa setting up consultative organ on Futenma 
base relocation 
 
18) Japan, US complete joint analysis of recent North Korean missile 
launches 
 
19) GSDF troops carrying out PKO on Golan Heights are on the edge of 
the fighting between Israel, Hezbollah 
 
Articles: 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Mainichi, Yomiuri, Sankei &Tokyo Shimbun: 
Murai ousts Tanaka in Nagano gubernatorial race 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
44 PERCENT  of 100 top executives see another year of economic 
 
TOKYO 00004417  002 OF 012 
 
 
growth 
 
Akahata: 
2006 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs in Hiroshima 
wraps up; Time to rid the world of nuclear weapons 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1)Drastic reform of the Social Insurance Agency absolutely 
necessary 
(2)Bicycle traffic offenders should be fined 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)Postal reform committee members should fulfill responsibility 
(2)Limits to mock change in government seen (by editorial committee 
member Masao Yora) 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1)Adjust consumption tax, not income tax 
(2)Nagano citizens sought solid reform 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1)Questioning policy issues for 2006 LDP presidential race: 
(2)Leap of corporations and environmental consolidation urgent 
 
Sankei: 
(1)Hiroshima peace declaration fails to include warning against 
North Korea's threat 
(2)Decrease in ATM transfer amount: Exercise wisdom to maintain 
convenience 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)Surge in oil prices: The future situation cannot be taken 
lightly 
(2)Defense White Paper: Transparency in policies should be 
heightened 
 
Akahata: 
Deregulatory Council Chairman Miyauchi wants own way too much 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, August 6 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 7, 2006 
 
07:41: 
Left the Hiroshima Prince Hotel. 
08:00: 
Attended a memorial service marking the 61st anniversary of the 
atomic bombing, held at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima. 
09:49: 
Met Upper House President Ogi at Hiroshima Air Port. 
10:46: 
Left Hiroshima Air Port aboard ANA 676. 
11:57: 
Arrived at Haneda Air Port. 
12:28: 
Arrived at his official residence. 
 
 
TOKYO 00004417  003 OF 012 
 
 
4) Poll: 60 PERCENT  see Japan-ROK relations as worse, a leap of 24 
points in a year 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
August 7, 2006 
 
Nearly 60 PERCENT  of the Japanese public think Japan-South Korea 
relations are in bad shape, the Yomiuri Shimbun found from a joint 
public opinion survey conducted in Japan and South Korea with the 
Hankook Ilbo (Korea Times), a South Korean daily. The survey has 
been conducted five times since 1995, but the figure this time is 
the worst level ever. 
 
The survey was conducted in Japan and South Korea from late June 
through early July on a face-to-face basis. 
 
In Japan, a total of 36 PERCENT  answered that Japan-South Korea 
relations are in good shape, down 24 percentage points from last 
year's survey. Meanwhile, a total of 59 PERCENT  think the two 
countries' relations are in bad shape, up 24 points. In South Korea, 
"good" totaled 12 PERCENT , with "bad" reaching 87 PERCENT . There 
were no substantial changes in the proportions of positive and 
negative figures. 
 
In Japan, a total of 51 PERCENT  answered they cannot trust South 
Korea, up 17 points from last year, with a total of 43 PERCENT 
saying they can trust South Korea, down 16 points. In South Korea, a 
total of 11 PERCENT  answered they can trust Japan, with a total of 
89 PERCENT  saying they cannot trust Japan. 
 
In South Korea, anti-Japanese sentiments grew strong last year after 
Shimane Prefecture cited an ordinance to establish a commemorative 
day for Takeshima, a group of disputed islets called Dokdo in South 
Korea. This year, the Japanese public appears to have grown 
distrustful of South Korea for its public's negative sensitivities 
over the Takeshima issue and the Yasukuni issue. 
 
In the survey, Japanese and South Korean respondents were asked if 
they thought the Takeshima issue could be resolved through 
intergovernmental talks between the two countries. "Yes" totaled 30 
PERCENT  in Japan and 21 PERCENT  in South Korea. 
 
Respondents were also asked if they would not care about the prime 
minister paying homage at Yasukuni Shrine. In Japan, "no" marked 60 
PERCENT . In South Korea, however, "no" accounted for only 10 
PERCENT . 
 
In the meantime, North Korea still continues its nuclear development 
programs. Respondents were asked if they felt a threat from that 
country's nuclear development. In response to this question, "yes" 
totaled 87 PERCENT  in Japan and 59 PERCENT  in South Korea. The 
figures show an evident perception gap between the two nations. 
 
5) Koizumi hints at Yasukuni visit before stepping down 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Slightly abridged) 
August 7, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi indicated the possibility that he 
would visit Yasukuni Shrine before stepping down from his post, 
saying: "I can visit the shrine at any time, but I will decide on 
the timing appropriately." 
 
TOKYO 00004417  004 OF 012 
 
 
 
Koizumi responded to questions from reporters in Hiroshima after 
attending the annual memorial service to mark the US atomic bombing 
of the city in World War II. 
 
Taking issue with China and South Korea for refusing to hold summit 
meetings with Tokyo, Koizumi said: "I have said I am ready to hold 
meetings with China and South Korea at any time. It is not me doing 
the rejecting." 
 
6) Abe went in secrecy to pay homage at Yasukuni Shrine in April as 
last resort; Visit was carefully planned and aimed at balancing 
personal political belief and need to repair China, ROK relations 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
August 5, 2006 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe secret visit to Yasukuni Shrine 
in April has created a sensation domestically and abroad. It has 
created a debate within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in 
connection with the upcoming LDP presidential election pitting Abe 
supporters against anti-Abe forces. However, Prime Minister Koizumi 
has expressed his understanding and strong support, calling Abe's 
shrine visit a matter of "personal freedom." Why did Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Abe, in stark contrast with Prime Minister Koizumi, pay 
 
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homage at the shrine in secrecy? Why did this closely-held visit to 
the shrine surface at this delicate time just prior to the 
end-of-war anniversary on August 15? 
 
Almost nobody noticed Abe visiting Yasukuni Shrine early in the 
morning. It happened at 6:30 am on April 15, just after dawn. Abe's 
staff notified Yasukuni Shrine just beforehand that Abe would soon 
be arriving. Abe did not come by official car. He arrived at the 
shrine accompanied by a policy secretary and two police escorts. He 
went up to the main hall and paid homage to the dead. It was six 
days before the great spring shrine festival, which Abe for some 
time had brought up as one of the appropriate times for him to pay 
homage at the shrine. That morning of the 15th, he was scheduled to 
attend the Prime Minister's Cherry Blossom Viewing Party at Shinjuku 
Gardens, so his being dressed in morning coat was not unusual. There 
was less possibility of someone noticing that he had gone earlier to 
the shrine to worship. That was probably Abe's calculation, for he 
reportedly had decided in late March on the timing of the visit. 
 
For Abe, who strongly desires to continue to pay homage at Yasukuni 
Shrine, his method of secretly visiting it was a carefully planned 
strategy designed to somehow balance his own personal political 
beliefs and the need to improve relations with China and the 
Republic of Korea, strained over the Yasukuni issue. One can say 
that Abe, aware of the prime minister's power, decided to plot a 
more pragmatic course. 
 
There is a strong view in the group of junior LDP lawmakers who back 
Abe that he should visit the shrine. In considering the LDP 
presidential election, Abe, too, must be aware of such a political 
force behind him. However, the prime minister's shrine visits have 
been used as the reason by China and South Korea to cut off summit 
meetings with Koizumi. For Abe, who is considering the rebuilding of 
Asia diplomacy as one of the challenges of his administration, he 
cannot walk in the same footsteps as Koizumi. 
 
Aides of Abe have been haunted by this issue, one of them saying, 
 
TOKYO 00004417  005 OF 012 
 
 
"If he visits on August 15, there will be no way to avoid this issue 
in the presidential race, but if he goes in October at the fall 
festival, it would damage the launching of his administration. So by 
doing it in April, there would seem to be little to worry about." 
 
7) Aso knew of Abe's Yasukuni Shrine visit 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 6, 2006 
 
Commenting on Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe's visit to Yasukuni 
Shrine in April, Foreign Minister Taro Aso on August 5 told 
reporters, "Since I have known of his visit to Yasukuni for a long 
time, I have no special feelings about it." Regarding whether he 
would visit the shrine or not, he stressed that he would "remain 
cautious about the issue." 
 
8) Opposition parties criticize Abe in unison 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpt) 
August 5, 2006 
 
Opposition parties have strongly criticized Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Shinzo Abe for having visited Yasukuni Shrine. 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa told 
reporters on Aug. 4 in Kyoto: "Japan has been unable to hold talks 
with China and South Korea. If Mr. Abe becomes prime minister, the 
same situation will continue." He indicated his view that if Abe 
became prime minister, it would be difficult to improve Japan's 
relations with Beijing and Seoul. He also posed a question about 
Abe, who had not made public his homage at the Shinto shrine, 
saying, "Since that's his belief, he should have made his actions 
public." 
 
9) New Komeito concerned about Abe government 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpt) 
August 7, 2006 
 
With the revelation of Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe's visit to 
Yasukuni Shrine in April, the New Komeito, the junior partner in the 
ruing coalition led by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has a 
heightened sense of alarm toward an Abe government. 
 
Although New Komeito leader Takenori Kanzaki has repeatedly called 
on the prime minister, foreign minister, and chief cabinet secretary 
to refrain from visiting the shrine, Abe did so after assuming his 
current post, and he has set forth policies, including a change in 
the government's interpretation of the exercise of the right to 
collective self-defense, that are unacceptable for the New Komeito. 
 
10) Wartime Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, according to secret document 
toward end of war, rigidly set standard for enshrinement at Yasukuni 
Shrine, limiting it to those who directly served and fought in 
battle 
 
TOKYO (Top play) (Excerpt) 
August 6, 2006 
 
It was learned as of yesterday that toward the end of World War II, 
then Prime Minister Hideki Tojo (who was also Army Minister) in a 
 
TOKYO 00004417  006 OF 012 
 
 
secret Imperial Army document set the standard for enshrinement at 
 
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Yasukuni Shrine, limiting it to those military personnel or civilian 
employees of the military who had died "as a direct result of 
serving in battle." Under the strict rules he set, it would be 
impossible for those who did not die on the battlefield to be 
enshrined. If the order from the wartime prime minister himself is 
applied, Class-A war criminals now enshrined at Yasukuni who include 
himself, would be excluded from consideration for such status. 
 
11) Emperor Showa stopped visiting war-related Shinto shrines across 
country after enshrinement of Class-A war criminals at Yasukuni 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 7, 2006 
 
After Class-A war criminals were enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine along 
with the war dead in 1978, the Showa Emperor (Hirohito) also stopped 
visiting ancillary Shinto shrines across the nation designated as 
places of worship for those who died in the war (gokoku-jinja). The 
Sankei Shimbun has obtained this information. An informed source 
also revealed that before the current Emperor visited the Shinto 
Shrine in Tochigi Prefecture (Utsunomiya City) in 1996, the Imperial 
Household Agency had asked if the souls of Class-A war criminals 
were enshrined there. 
 
Until the mid-1970s, the Showa Emperor visited war-dead-related 
Shinto shrines across the nation almost every year since 1957. In 
May 1978, just before the souls of Class-A war criminals were 
enshrined at Yasukuni, he visited the gokoku-jinja shrine in Kochi 
Prefecture (Kochi city), but afterward, he ceased visiting such 
shrines. 
 
Showa Emperor made his final visit to Yasukuni Shrine in November 
¶1975. The enshrinement of Class-A war criminals occurred three years 
later, so many took the view that the late emperor's cessation of 
visits to the shrine had nothing to do with the enshrinement of the 
war criminals. Looking at his paying homage at gokoku-jinja shrines 
across the nation, though, we can see that the enshrinement of 
Class-A criminals was an apparent turning point. 
 
The souls of Class-A war criminals are enshrined at gokoku-jinja 
shrines in their respective hometowns. A memorandum written by then 
Imperial Household Agency Grand Steward Tomohiko Tomita refers to 
then Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka and then Ambassador to Italy 
Toshio Shiratori. Matsuoka and Shiratori are enshrined at the Shinto 
gokoku-jinja shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture (Yamaguchi City) and the 
gokoku-jinja shrine in Chiba Prefecture (Chiba City), respectively. 
 
The current Emperor visited a gokoku-jinja shrine in Saitama 
Prefecture (Saitama City) in 1993, the first visit to such a 
designated shrine by an emperor in 15 years. In 1996, he visited the 
gokoku-jinja shrine in Tochigi Prefecture, but no souls of Class-A 
war criminals are enshrined at either shrine. 
 
According to persons related to the Tochigi shrine, there was direct 
contact from the Imperial Household Agency to ask if Class-A war 
criminals were enshrined or not. The emperor has not visited any 
gokoku-jinja shrine for 10 years since then. 
 
12) LDP Nakagawa eyes legislation to place Yasukuni Shrine under 
state management 
 
 
TOKYO 00004417  007 OF 012 
 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 7, 2006 
 
Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Council Chairman Hidenao 
Nakagawa indicated yesterday that the government would study 
submitting a bill designed to turn Yasukuni Shrine, a religious 
corporation, into a state-run war memorial. Speaking before 
reporters, Nakagawa said in connection with growing calls for 
removing Class-A war criminals from the shrine's enshrined soul 
list: "The government might submit a related bill if the bereaved 
families' group agrees to it." 
 
Over the enshrinement of Class-A war criminals along with the war 
dead, the Japan War-Bereaved Association decided just after the 
general election last September to look into the matter. On a TV 
program yesterday, Nakagawa stated: "(Bereaved families) seem to be 
gradually coming to favor Yasukuni Shrine being changed into a 
nonreligious corporation and placed under state control." Later, he 
told reporters: "The LDP should discuss the issue with 
representatives from the association." 
 
The LDP submitted to the Diet session in 1969 a bill that aimed to 
change Yasukuni into a nonreligious facility, but the bill was 
killed in the face of objections from opposition parties. Former 
Secretary General Makoto Koga, association chairman, and Foreign 
 
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Minister Taro Aso have also come up with proposals. Nakagawa's 
statement yesterday is likely to heat up the debate on the issue. 
 
In reference to Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe's refusal to 
confirm his visit to Yasukuni Shrine in April, Nakagawa told the 
reporters: "Since he paid homage in the capacity of a private 
citizen, there is no need to mention it." 
 
13) Foreign Minister Aso urges Yasukuni Shrine be made nonreligious 
organization; Legislation to establish national facility 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
Evening, August 5, 2006 
 
Foreign Minister Aso, who has declared his candidacy for the Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election in September, has 
drafted a reform plan regarding Yasukuni Shrine. The details were 
unveiled on August 5. The plan proposes a gradual step of first 
calling on Yasukuni Shrine to disband itself as a religious 
organization on a voluntary basis and making it a national memorial 
facility after legally turning it into a nonreligious organization. 
The sticking point is the Class-A war criminals that are honored at 
Yasukuni Shrine along with the war dead. The Aso plan proposes that 
the Diet make a decision, noting, "The Diet should decide through 
debate whose souls should be consoled." Aso does not intend to visit 
Yasukuni Shrine until these measures are realized. 
 
The views of the candidates to succeed Prime Minister Koizumi on the 
Yasukuni issue differ. While it was revealed that Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Abe visited the shrine in April, Finance Minister Tanigaki 
 
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has announced his intention not to visit Yasukuni if he becomes 
prime minister. Chances are that if Prime Minister Koizumi visits 
the shrine on August 15, Yasukuni will become an issue in the LDP 
presidential race. The reform plan presented by Aso, who has been 
viewed as close to Abe in terms of diplomatic policy, will likely 
give impetus to the discussion on reforming Yasukuni 
 
 
TOKYO 00004417  008 OF 012 
 
 
The Aso plan, which he claims is his private view, stresses the need 
to keep Yasukuni Shrine as far away from politics as possible and 
keep it as a "(nonpolitical) place of worship for eternity." The set 
of proposals also noted: "It may not be an exaggeration to say that 
the government has privatized its business of consoling the souls of 
the war dead. By doing so, it has left the business itself 
unattended until it dies out in course of time." He thus indicated a 
sense of crisis regarding the continuation of Yasukuni Shrine as 
is. 
 
As a measure to resolve this issue, the Aso plan calls on Yasukuni 
Shrine to take procedures to become a nonreligious organization on a 
voluntary basis, noting that it is necessary. It also pointed out: 
"There are 52 Shinto shrines designated as places of worship for 
those who died in the war throughout the nation. They are exactly 
the same as Yasukuni Shrine in terms of the process of their 
establishment, the nature of the facilities, and problems concerning 
the present situation. It is, therefore, appropriate to deal with 
Yasukuni Shrine along with those shrines as a package." 
 
14) Survey: Over 190 LDP lawmakers, nearly half, support Abe for 
presidency 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Abridged slightly) 
August 6, 2006 
 
In the wake of Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki's official 
announcement on August 5 of his candidacy for the September 20 LDP 
presidential election (campaigning to formally kick off Sept. 8) and 
former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda's announcement that he 
will not run in the race, the Tokyo Shimbun conducted a survey of 
the 403 LDP Diet members. The results showed that over 190 - close 
to a majority of 202 - were determined to vote for Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Shinzo Abe. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
The results were analyzed comprehensively based on interviews with 
lawmakers and information obtained from party executives. Those who 
supported a candidate other than Abe, Tanigaki, or Foreign Minister 
Taro Aso were categorized as "other and undecided," because their 
favorites may not run in the race. The Tokyo Shimbun conducted a 
similar survey on July 21, as well. 
 
In the previous survey, over 170 lawmakers said they would support 
Abe. 
 
Fukuda's withdrawal from the race has prompted the Mori faction, to 
which Abe and Fukuda belong, to field Abe as its only candidate. 
Support for Abe has also spread in the Niwa-Koga faction, the Ibuki 
faction, and the Komura faction, which do not have their own 
candidates. 
 
Fukuda's withdrawal has also sparked calls in the Tsushima faction 
to field Defense Agency chief Fukushiro Nukaga. 
 
The Yamasaki faction was less eager to support Abe from the previous 
poll due to former LDP Vice President Taku Yamasaki's tight grip on 
its members. Yamasaki is keeping the door open to his own 
candidacy. 
 
About 20 members - the requirement for official candidacy -- 
expressed their support each for Tanigaki and Aso, as in the 
previous survey. 
 
TOKYO 00004417  009 OF 012 
 
 
 
15) Taku Yamasaki indicates he will not run in LDP presidential 
race 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
August 5, 2006 
 
Appearing on a Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) program on Aug. 4, 
Taku Yamasaki, who heads a faction in the Liberal Democratic Party 
(LDP), discussed the possibility of his running in the September LDP 
presidential election: 
 
 "Since the result of the race is known, I don't want to join as a 
minor league player. If I join the game, I would like to do so as a 
good player as I have responsibility and pride. I will be cautious 
about it." 
 
Yamasaki's view apparently is that if there is no change in Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe's advantage, he will not run in the 
election. 
 
Asked about when he would announce his decision, Yamasaki responded, 
"I have said that I will make up mind after the mid-August Bon 
holiday break." 
 
16) LDP gives reserved support to Jin Murai, former Lower House 
member of LDP in order to attract voters without any party 
affiliation 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
August 7, 2006 
 
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is relieved that Jin Murai, a 
former Lower House lawmaker of the LDP, was returned in the 
gubernatorial election in Nagano Prefecture. Though the LDP 
Headquarters stopped short of giving an official endorsement to him, 
it had been concerned that if incumbent Yasuo Tanaka, a harsh critic 
of Prime Minister Koizumi's politics, won, it would spark momentum 
in the opposition parties, particularly the Democratic Party of 
Japan (DPJ = Minshuto). 
 
The LDP gave no more than a prefectural federation-level endorsement 
to Murai, because the executive judged that in order to embrace 
voters without any party affiliation it would be wise for the 
candidate to constrain a party flavor. Behind the judgment are also 
calculated motives to avoid responsibility in the event of Murai 
losing the election despite overall backing from the LDP, following 
failures in the by-election in the Lower House Chiba Constituency 
No. 7 in April and the gubernatorial election in Shiga Prefecture in 
July. 
 
The two candidates locked in a neck-and-neck race until the final 
stage of the campaign. The executive encouraged Murai, "Firmly fight 
the rival candidate," but it never offered organized support. 
 
Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe yesterday evening told reporters, 
 
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"We judged that the party should not intervene in this election." He 
thus underscored that the LDP's reserved support has proved 
effective. However, dampening its joy over the victory in Nagano the 
LDP found no effective approach to capture uncommitted voters in 
looking ahead to next year's nationwide local elections and the 
Upper House election. 
 
TOKYO 00004417  010 OF 012 
 
 
 
17) Government, Okinawa to establish consultative body later this 
month to discuss specific Futenma relocation plans, new economic 
stimulus measures 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
August 6, 2006 
 
The central and the Okinawa prefectural governments have entered in 
the final stage of negotiations to establish a consultative body 
later this month to draw up plans for the relocation of the US 
Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, now located in Ginowan, and 
incentives for municipalities that will accept the relocated 
facilities. Atsushi Watanabe, head of the Defense Facilities 
Administration's Facilities Department, will visit the prefecture on 
Monday to exchange views with prefectural government officials on 
the planned consultative body. 
 
The basic plan for the realignment of US forces in Japan, endorsed 
by the cabinet in May, calls for the establishment of a panel 
comprising representatives from the central and Okinawa prefectural 
governments and affected municipalities to discuss the relocation of 
the air base to a coastal areas of Camp Schwab in Nago. The 
prefectural government has been opposed to setting up the panel, 
saying it has not endorsed the government's relocation plan. 
 
But the prefecture has now changed its stance and convened on 
Saturday a liaison council to discuss the issue with Nago and 11 
other municipalities in the northern part of the prefecture. The 
council will meet with agency officials on Monday. 
 
Nago and the other municipalities affected by the relocation expect 
measures for spurring economic growth, particularly because the 10 
billion yen in annual funding for current projects will come to an 
end this year. "The Okinawa prefectural government must take into 
consideration the local population's desire for economic measures 
when discussing the relocation issue with the central government," a 
government source said. To facilitate the local government's 
participation in the panel, the central government plans to place 
priority on the drafting of new economic growth measures for the 
northern part of the prefecture. The Futenma relocation issue will 
likely become the greatest campaign issue in the Okinawa 
gubernatorial election in November. To what extent Okinawa will 
cooperate on mapping out plans for the alternative facility remains 
to be seen. 
 
18) All six North Korean Rodong and Scud missiles landed in targeted 
sea zone, Japan, US conclude; They are accurate and operational 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
August 6, 2006 
 
Six of seven missiles that North Korea test-fired on July 5 fell 
inside a sea zone that was put off-limits for ships in advance by 
Pyongyang, the Japanese and US governments have concluded. Soon 
after the launches, the government announced the six missiles, which 
were Rodongs (with a range of 1,300 kilometers) and Scuds (300 to 
500 kilometers) excluding a Taepodong-2 (6,000 kilometers), were 
estimated to have hit points 400 to kilometers out to sea. But the 
government later learned the six missiles likely splashed in an area 
bout 50 kilometers in radius, as North Korea had calculated. 
 
 
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A Defense Agency official said: "The targeting accuracy of the 
Rodong and Scud missiles was high to a certain degree, and it proved 
the missiles are operational." 
 
North Korea set the restricted area - a triangle about 160 
kilometers long on each side - in the Sea of Japan off the North 
Korean coast between July 4 and 11, and notified concerned persons 
in North Korea of the restricted zone. 
 
According to Japanese and US analyses based on data from radar of 
Aegis-equipped warships and other intelligence, the Rodong and Scud 
missiles traveled about 300 to 400 kilometers northeast from a 
missile base in Kitaeryong in the southeastern part of the country. 
All the landing points were inside the designated zone and the 
government believe they were within an area with a radius of about 
50 kilometers. A senior Defense Agency official indicated it was 
unknown whether the missiles accurately hit targeted points. "As we 
don't know the target points that North Korea set, it's difficult to 
make that judgment," the official said. 
 
19) GSDF carrying out PKO on Golan Heights close to war zone where 
Israel and Hezbollah are having it out; Danger of becoming wrapped 
up in their fighting 
 
AKAHATA (Page 2) (Abridged) 
August 6, 2006 
 
As the combat situation worsens in Lebanon between the Israeli 
forces and Hezbollah, the Shiite faction's civilian militia in that 
country, attention is turning to the impact of the fighting on the 
peacekeeping operations (PKO) of the Ground Self-Defense Force 
troops dispatched to the Golan Heights, an area of Syria which is 
adjacent to Israel and Lebanon. Sources in the GSDF are worried that 
Japanese troops might become wrapped up in the fighting. 
 
The Golan Heights, where PKO is being carried out, spans across 
eastern and western Syria. To the north is Lebanon, and to the south 
is Israel. The Heights are on the very edge of the battle-zone next 
door. On July 15, a rocked landed near the GSDF unit when they were 
at a point over a dozen kilometers from the camp where they are 
stationed. The rocket seems to have been launched by Hezbollah. The 
incident, reported in the Yomiuri Shimbun on July 29, quoted one 
person as saying, "Missiles and rockets are always flying back and 
forth under our noses (at camp)." 
 
PKO in the Golan Heights began after Israel and Syria called a halt 
to their fighting in 1974, with both armies withdrawing from the 
Heights when international observers arrived. Later, United Nations 
Disengagement Observer Forces (UNDOF) was deployed as ADS or Active 
Directory Service. The Japanese government from Feb. 1996 dispatched 
a GSDF transport unit to UNDOF. Currently, there are 43 GSDF 
personnel active in the unit. As logistical support for UNDOF, the 
unit transports mostly daily necessity goods. In addition, two GSDF 
officers are attached to UNDOF Headquarters. 
 
In late August, the current unit is scheduled to be rotated out and 
be replaced by the next unit in line to come. The United Nations 
Peace Cooperation Headquarters  reports that the route used to 
transport goods extends into the area of northern Israel that is 
being shelled by Hezbollah. In the 2006 Defense of Japan (White 
Paper), issued by Defense Agency, fierce fighting has spread all 
across the south part of Lebanon where Israeli troops continue 
 
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large-scale strikes.  The Defense Agency explains that currently it 
is aware of the need to maintain the safety of the mission and that 
activities in Lebanon and Israel are not now taking place. However, 
GSDF troops on the Heights are becoming increasingly perplexed, 
fearing that they could become wrapped up in the combat situation. 
 
SCHIEFFER