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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 004834 
 
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 08/24/06 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
Prime Minister's daily schedule: On vacation. 
 
3) Prime Minister Koizumi's ends vacation of hunkering down in his 
official residence 
 
4) No surprises in poll on Koizumi's 8/15 Yasukuni visit: 85.8% of 
the public expected it 
 
Political campaign: 
5) Abe considering setting up Japanese-style CIA directly under the 
prime minister in order to strengthen Japan's intelligence 
capabilities 
6) Abe supporters in the party not all in line, with junior 
lawmakers balking at letting Mori faction take lead 
7) Finance Minister Tanigaki, campaigning for LDP presidency, warns 
about growing "biased nationalism" in Japan 
 
New Komeito changing leadership: 
8) New Komeito Representative Kanzaki announces he will not seek 
another term in office 
9) Komeito under Ota, the next party representative, may have a more 
difficult relationship with ruling coalition partner Liberal 
Democratic Party 
 
10) One week after Russian shooting, capture of fishing vessel, no 
early resolution in sight, with bilateral talks not converging 
 
Defense and security issues: 
11) JDA requests a 1.5% increase in its FY2007 defense budget     8 
12) JDA to go for bulk-item contracts on front-line equipment in 
order to save costs 
13) Yamaguchi governor accepts the transfer of US Navy carrier-based 
jets to Iwakuni 
14) JDA asks for more budget money in order to speed up deployment 
of PAC-3 missiles 
15) Marine Commander Camp Butler anticipates Ospreys will be 
deployed to new facility at Camp Schwab replacing Futenma 
16) LDP panel completes outline of draft permanent legislation to 
allow overseas dispatches of SDF troops, even without a UN 
resolution 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Financial Services Agency urges life insurers to fully check consent 
of new enrollees due to consumer loan firms using policies as 
security 
 
Mainichi: 
Oji Paper's Hokuetsu buyout plan appears unlikely to materialize 
 
Yomiuri: 
Government to review assistance measures for NEETs 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Nippon Steel, Mittal to expand tie-up; New plant to be built in US 
 
TOKYO 00004834  002 OF 011 
 
 
 
Sankei: 
Abe mulling setting up Japanese version of CIA under prime 
minister's direct control 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Experts council on construction of underground highways to come up 
with final report on Sept. 15 
 
Akahata: 
US forces, SDF have conducted joint drills 416 days so far; Number 
of days for joint exercise increased by 85 days in FY2005 from 
FY2004 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Iran's nuclear issue: Buying time cannot be allowed 
(2) Gauss Prize: The depth of mathematics 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Underground highways: First step for a review of public 
investment 
(2) Koizumi's dumping issues on the laps of his cabinet members was 
effective for disposing of nonperforming loans (Tasuyuki Kitamura, 
editorial committee member) 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Iran's suspension of uranium enrichment is first step for Tehran 
to regain international confidence 
(2) Beach garbage: First thing to do is to eliminate the vertically 
fragmented system of administration 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Iran's buying time unallowable 
(2) Arrest of wrong person: Criminal justice system must learn 
lesson 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Iran's refusal of calls to halt nuclear development: 
International community must return to starting point for 
nonproliferation 
(2) J-Com debacle lawsuit: Open debate is meaningful 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Iran's nuclear issue: Buying time cannot be allowed 
(2) Arrest of wrong person: Investigative authorities must examine 
all process of investigations 
 
Akahata: 
Gifu prefectural government's slush funds: Shed light on the truth 
about the scandal and find those responsible 
 
3) Koizumi to resume official duties today after spending entire 
summer break at official residence 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) 
August 24, 2006 
 
Winding up his summer break, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will 
resume his official duties today. Since returning from Mongolia on 
the night of Aug. 11, he has strictly remained at his official 
 
TOKYO 00004834  003 OF 011 
 
 
residence except for his visit to Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15. During 
that period, his secretaries briefed Koizumi on such events as the 
shooting of a Japanese fishing boat by the Russian Coast Guard and 
the blackout in the Tokyo metropolitan area on Aug. 14. In response, 
Koizumi simply ordered thorough measures. "We don't know what he's 
been doing at his official residence," sources connected with the 
Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) have all said. 
 
Lounging around doing nothing has been Koizumi's way of enjoying his 
summer vacation. He has done so with the exception of last summer, 
in which the Lower House election campaigning began. This year, he 
has not gone to view movies or plays. "Once he resigns as prime 
minister, he can do whatever he wants to at any time. He has avoided 
outings that would require heavy security," a Koizumi aide 
explained. 
 
4) Poll: No surprise from Koizumi's Aug. 15 shrine visit 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
August 24, 2006 
 
The Tokyo Shimbun tabulated findings from its recent Internet 
polling of political monitors yesterday, focusing on Prime Minister 
Junichiro Koizumi's Aug. 15 visit to Yasukuni Shrine. In that Net 
poll, 85.5% said they had expected Koizumi to visit the shrine, with 
only 2.8% saying they did not think he would do so. His visit to 
Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15-the anniversary of the end of World War 
II-was said to be the "last surprise" he would make before stepping 
down (next month as president of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party 
and as prime minister). However, the poll shows that his shrine 
visit that day did not surprise the general public. 
 
Asked whether they support Koizumi's Aug. 15 visit to Yasukuni 
Shrine, 31.0% answered "yes," with 57.8% saying "no." Even among 
those who thought he would visit the shrine on Aug. 15, "no" 
accounted for 56.6%. Among those who support the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party, however, "yes" accounted for 58.0%. 
 
The Tokyo Shimbun chose 500 monitors for its third Internet poll on 
Aug. 16-21 and obtained answers from 429 persons or 85.8%. 
 
Respondents were asked who they would like to become LDP president. 
In this popularity ranking, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe 
topped all others at 47.3%, though slightly down from 51.5% in the 
last survey. Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, who has criticized 
Koizumi for his Yasukuni visits and has said he would not visit the 
shrine, was at 24.5%, substantially up from 13.0% in the last 
survey. Foreign Minister Taro Aso was at 10.3%, up from 8.8% in the 
last survey. 
 
5) Abe mulling Japanese equivalent of CIA that reports to prime 
minister; Strengthening intelligence gathering capability eyed 
 
SANKEI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
August 24, 2006 
 
It was learned yesterday that Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, 
assuming he will take office as the next prime minister, is looking 
into the possibility of establishing an external intelligence agency 
that reports to the prime minister in order to strengthen the 
government's intelligence gathering capability. The envisaged 
intelligence agency will apparently be the Japanese equivalent of 
 
TOKYO 00004834  004 OF 011 
 
 
the US' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Abe's proposal is 
motivated by an awareness of the problem that Japan without being 
able to gather intelligence on its own would not be able to manage 
well its foreign and security policies, ensure the safety of the 
nation and the people, and meet national interests. 
 
Currently the government's intelligence apparatus consists of the 
National Police Agency, the Public Security Investigative Agency 
(PSIA) and the Cabinet Information Research Office (CIRO). However, 
these organizations focus their activities on the collection and 
analyses of intelligence on domestic public safety. Japan, 
therefore, lagging behind foreign countries regarding the collection 
of foreign intelligence. Its foreign intelligence collection 
functions are extremely weak in terms of both personnel and 
authority. It can be said that intelligence gathering is the area 
post-Japan has neglected most, as a senior Liberal Democratic Party 
(LDP) member put it. 
 
In order to prevent international terrorism at the water's edge, it 
is absolutely necessary for the nation to gather intelligence on its 
own and share intelligence with intelligence agencies of other 
countries. Britain has recently succeeded in foiling a terrorist 
plot to explode civilian airplanes due to cooperation with other 
countries. Intelligence on North Korea's political and military 
movements is especially important for Japan. 
 
Abe's plan is, therefore, to establish the envisaged foreign 
intelligence in the Cabinet Secretariat and have it gather 
intelligence on international terrorism within and outside Japan and 
foreign political and military intelligence. The plan also includes 
the establishment of a system that enables cooperation with 
intelligence agencies of other countries, such as the CIA and 
Britain's Military Intelligence 6 (MI6), including exchange of 
intelligence. Competent personnel will be recruited from the NPA, 
the Defense Agency, CIRO, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the 
private sector. 
 
6) 2006 LDP presidential race: Junior second chance league members 
reject Mori faction's leadership in campaigning for Abe 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
August 24, 2006 
 
Discord has emerged between junior and mid-level members of the 
Parliamentary League to Support a Second Chance and senior members 
of the Mori faction, to which Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe 
belongs, over a support system for Abe in the LDP presidential 
election in September. The Mori faction intends to establish a 
cross-factional election campaign taskforce involving the 
parliamentary league. But the parliamentary league, unhappy with the 
Mori faction's idea, plans to conduct activities independently. The 
discord between the two groups is a cause of anxiety for the Abe 
camp. 
 
A meeting was held at a Tokyo hotel yesterday morning between Mori 
faction executives, including Policy Research Council Chairman 
Hidenao Nakagawa and former Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, and 
the league's Yuji Yamamoto of the Komura faction and Yoshihide Suga 
of the Niwa-Koga faction. 
 
In the session, Nakagawa called for united efforts. In response, 
Yamamoto asked for understanding toward the league's independent 
 
TOKYO 00004834  005 OF 011 
 
 
activities, saying: "Some league members have decided to back Mr. 
Abe even by risking their factional membership. Cooperating with 
factions at this point would leave a bad aftertaste. The Mori 
faction should not take the lead in supporting Mr. Abe." Nakagawa 
and others asked Suga to head the envisaged campaign taskforce, but 
Suga declined the offer, saying, "I have conducted my activities 
separate from any faction." 
 
The Mori faction plans to hold a preliminary meeting of factions 
supporting Abe tomorrow to officially launch the campaign taskforce 
on Sept. 1. LDP Tax Commission Chairman Hakuo Yanagisawa of the 
Niwa-Koga faction is expected to head the taskforce to dilute the 
Mori flavor. 
 
In tandem with the Mori faction's move, veteran members of various 
factions, such as former Science and Technology Minister Koji Omi of 
the Mori faction and Policy Research Council Acting Chairman Akira 
Amari of the Yamasaki faction, held a meeting in Tokyo on Aug. 23 
and decided to back Abe's campaign as a group of senior members. 
 
Meanwhile, the second chance support league is scheduled to hold an 
expanded executive meeting on Aug. 29 and start full-fledged 
campaign activities on Sept. 1. Although Suga and others will take 
part in the campaign taskforce, they will secure a separate office 
in party headquarters once the election campaign officially kicks 
off on Sept. 8. This means Abe will have two separate campaign 
groups. 
 
7) Tanigaki criticizes current state of Japan-China relations, 
stressing need to conquer parochial nationalism 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
August 24, 2006 
 
Finance Minister Tanigaki, who has declared his candidacy for the 
Liberal Democratic Party presidency, expressed his views about the 
current state of relations between Japan and China yesterday in 
response to questions from reporters in an interview at the Foreign 
Correspondent's Club of Japan: 
 
"There are cases in which both countries' raw nationalism clash with 
each other. This situation is against their national interests.... 
If we nurture sound conservatism, it will be possible to conquer the 
current parochial nationalism that reminds us of the situation in 
the 1930s (before World War II)." 
 
Tanigaki cited "the Japanese people's loss of confidence following 
the bursting of the bubble economy" as one cause for the parochial 
nationalism in the nation, adding: 
 
"Progressing urbanization and reduced intimacy in people's 
relationships have deepened (people's) sense of isolation and 
eventually have served to prompt them to jump at something radical. 
It might be possible for them to overcome their sense of group 
affiliation by restoring strong ties in households and 
communities." 
 
8) New Komeito leader Kanzaki reveals intention to step down from 
post; Ota most likely to replace him 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
August 24, 2006 
 
TOKYO 00004834  006 OF 011 
 
 
 
In response to an interview to the Asahi Shimbun yesterday, New 
Komeito Representative Takenori Kanzaki revealed his intention to 
step down from his post in a shakeup of the party's leadership at a 
convention scheduled for Sept. 30. He said: 
 
"Any organization should be renewed. I served as leader for nine 
years, one year as head the New Party Peace and eight years as 
representative of the New Komeito. I would like younger generations 
to continue to make further efforts." 
 
Since early this year, Kanzaki has been telling persons close to him 
that he wanted to resign when his term of office expires. Timed to 
the Sept. 20 Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election to 
choose a successor to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and late 
September leadership election of the main opposition party Minshuto 
(Democratic Party of Japan), in which President Ichiro Ozawa is 
expected to be reelected, the New Komeito intends to shuffle its own 
leadership lineup. 
 
Kanzaki stated in the interview: "The LDP and Minshuto will face off 
(in elections in the future). I want the next party head to make the 
utmost effort to display our party's political identity." 
 
Acting Secretary General Akihiro Ota is expected to succeed Kanzaki. 
He served as youth division chief of the religious sect Soka Gakkai, 
the New Komeito's chief supporter. He has long been regarded as a 
future leader of the New Komeito. 
 
9) New leadership of New Komeito may find it difficult to maintain 
ties with LDP 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Slightly abridged) 
August 24, 2006 
 
The New Komeito has decided to reshuffle the leadership, promoting 
Acting Secretary General Akihiro Ota to the party's top post. The 
aim of the planned reshuffle is to play up the new image of the 
party by a generational change in line with a political change that 
will take place following the presidential election of the ruling 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). However, Ota seems to be lacking the 
ability to bring his party together, with some previously calling 
for Acting Representative Toshiko Hamayotsu to replace Kanzaki. On 
assuming the top post, Ota will likely face difficulties such as how 
to build relations with an "Abe administration, which would have a 
strong conservative flavor and is calling for completely rewriting 
the Constitution. 
 
The New Komeito has decided to prepare for next year's elections by 
altering the executive lineup. The party regards next year when 
unified local elections and a House of Councillors election will 
both occur as the year of "great political battles." Ota, who served 
as youth division chief of the religious sect Soka Gakkai, which is 
the support body of the New Komeito, has long been touted as 
Kanzaki's successor. 
 
Under such circumstances, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the 
strongest candidate in the LDP presidential race, has already 
conveyed to the New Komeito his hope that Hamayotsu would be picked 
as the next party head or that she would be allowed join his new 
cabinet. Abe apparently aims to take advantage of the high 
popularity of Hamayotsu in the Soka Gakkai's women's division, 
 
TOKYO 00004834  007 OF 011 
 
 
looking at next year's Upper House election. Concerned about 
possible internal disorder, Tomio Fujii, supreme advisor to the New 
Komeito, once looked into the possibility of retaining Kanzaki in 
his post. Kanzaki, however, strongly refused to remain due to a 
health condition. Hamayotsu as well turned down an informal offer of 
the top party post. After consulting with Soka Gakkai, the New 
Komeito now has decided to pick Ota as party head. 
 
10) A week after fishing boat shooting incident: No prospects for 
release of seized fishermen; Japan, Russia at odds 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 24, 2006 
 
August 23 marked the seventh day since a fishing boat from Nemuro 
City, Hokkaido, was fired on and seized by a Russian Coast Guard 
vessel. Backlash against and voices protesting Russia's refusal to 
release the Japanese crew it seized are spreading among the ruling 
and opposition parties and the local community. There are no 
prospects for Russia to release the crew, with Interfax reporting a 
comment by the Russia Coast Guard that the crew will be detained in 
Kunashiri until the investigations are over. 
 
Yoshiaki Hara, chairman of the Lower House Foreign Affairs 
Committee, yesterday called summoned the Russian Acting Ambassador 
to Japan Galuzin to the Diet and called for the early release of the 
crew, the return of the fishing boat, and the prevention of a 
recurrence, noting: "It is excessive to fire on an unarmed fishing 
boat. There is no justification for such an action." 
 
In response, the acting ambassador noted: "The Russian authorities 
are now investigating the crew on suspicion of intruding into 
Russian's territorial waters and poaching. Russia's law is applied 
in those waters (waters near the Northern Territories)." He also 
stressed, "The fishing boat, which intruded into our waters with no 
lights on at night and engaged in poaching, is responsible for what 
happened." 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is calling for the early 
release of the detained fishermen through various diplomatic 
channels. However, the Russian side replied, "We are carefully 
inspecting the vessel. It takes time to investigate the crew through 
an interpreter." The view is that the inspection of the vessel is to 
endorse the firer's statement that he did not intend to hit the 
fisherman." There is information that the investigation will take 
more than 30 days. MOFA plans to dispatch Senior Vice Minister 
Katsutoshi Kaneda as early as August 30 to find a breakthrough in 
the situation. 
 
Some are beginning to question the responsibility of the government, 
which has no effective means to bring progress in the situation. 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ = Minshuto) Secretary General 
Hatoyama yesterday called on Foreign Minister Aso to settle the 
issue at an early date. He later told reporters: "I pointed out that 
there has been no progress on the Northern Territories issue, and 
the foreign minister replied, 'I am doing my job properly.' However, 
his perception is far from that of the people." Lower House member 
Muneo Suzuki (New Party Daichi), who has long been involved in the 
Northern Territories issue, pointed out: "During the five years of 
the Koiuzmi administration MOFA has not made serious efforts to 
improve relations with Russia and build confidence between the two 
countries. It is now being forced to pick up the tabs for its 
 
TOKYO 00004834  008 OF 011 
 
 
negligence." 
 
11) JDA to request 4.86 trillion yen in FY2007 budget, up 1.5% 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
August 24, 2006 
 
The Defense Agency (JDA) will request 4,863.6 billion yen in the 
FY2007 budget, up 1.5% over the FY2006 initial budget. Although 
other government agencies have been asked to trim their budget 
requests, only the JDA has taken a bullish stance, demanding a 
larger amount of funds for missile defense (MD) given the recent 
friction with North Korea. The agency has also been calling for a 
separate budgetary framework to be set up for the realignment of US 
forces in Japan. Difficult coordination is expected between the JDA 
and the Finance Ministry. 
 
Regarding the JDA budget request for next fiscal year, a senior 
official said: "Our request includes only necessary funds for 
national defense. There is no part to be cut." In the Basic Policies 
for Economic and Fiscal Management for 2006, the government called 
for slashing the defense budget by 400 to 600 billion yen over the 
coming five years, evoking a strong reaction from the JDA. 
 
Behind the Defense Agency's bullish request is the growing tension 
in areas around Japan in the wake of North Korea's missile launches 
in July and other issues. For the MD project, the agency calls for 
219 billion yen, 1.5 times more than this fiscal year. The funds are 
to finance additional measures to deal with possible ballistic 
missiles launches (22.7 billion yen), in addition to maintenance 
costs for interceptor missiles and radars, which have been included 
in its past budgetary requests. The budget also includes costs for 
repairing electronic surveillance aircraft. 
 
Japan's MD, though, is a huge project worth one trillion yen, so 
many in the government and the ruling parties have voiced doubts 
about its cost-benefit performance. One government source 
categorically said: "Although I admit that there are risks, MD alone 
should not be treated specially." 
 
The JDA has divided individual plans on US force realignment into 
those designed to strengthen bases and others to reduce base-hosting 
communities' burden. In the latter part, the JDA does not present a 
specific amount of money to fund local economic incentives, as well 
as a plan to relocate the US Marine Corp's Futenma Air Station in 
Okinawa to a coastal area of Camp Schwab, saying that it is 
difficult to determine the budget in advance. 
 
The total cost of US force realignment in Japan is estimated at 3 
trillion yen. The JDA has requested that this spending be separated 
from the defense budget, probably in an attempt to apply pressure to 
the Finance Ministry, which has expressed opposition to the request 
by the JDA. 
 
12) JDA to adopt package equipment-purchase system to reduce 
spending 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
August 24, 2006 
 
The Defense Agency (JDA) decided yesterday to reduce its 
expenditures by procuring defense equipment in a package starting in 
 
TOKYO 00004834  009 OF 011 
 
 
FY2007. JDA planned to procure five F-2 fighter planes each in 
FY2007 and FY2008, but it will procure 10 in FY2007 in order to save 
about 13.6 billion yen by reducing production costs. The JDA also 
will procure 16 multi-purpose helicopters for the Ground 
Self-Defense Force (GSDF) in a package and will save approximately 
1.9 billion yen. 
 
Regarding US force realignment costs, the JDA will include 15.9 
billion yen in its budget request, including research expenses for 
relating the GSDF Central Readiness Command to Camp Zama. 
 
13) Yamaguchi gov. to accept US carrier-based wing redeployment to 
Iwakuni 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 24, 2006 
 
Yamaguchi Prefecture's Governor Sekinari Nii will call at the 
Defense Facilities Administration Agency and the Foreign Ministry 
today to tell the government that he will accept the planned 
redeployment of US carrier-borne fighter jets to the US Marine 
Corps' Iwakuni Air Station in the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi 
Prefecture, in the process of realigning US forces in Japan. 
Meanwhile, Iwakuni is opposed to their redeployment to the city, so 
Nii has so far avoided clarifying whether he would accept it. Nii 
will come up to Tokyo and ask the government to take budgetary 
action to resume civilian flights to and from the base. He will meet 
DFAA Director General Iwao Kitahara and other government officials 
to tell them that he will accept the redeployment of fighters to 
Iwakuni. 
 
In his petition, Nii notes that the government has now made a 
cabinet decision on the realignment of US forces in Japan. "I 
understand that the realignment will be carried out in a steady 
way," Nii states in the letter. He also notes that his proposal to 
resume an airport for commercial flights is "closely linked to US 
force realignment." With this, the governor will ask the government 
to bear the total cost of new facilities. 
 
14) Defense Agency to request PAC-3 deployment funding ahead of 
schedule 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 24, 2006 
 
In the wake of the launches of ballistic missiles by North Korea, 
the Defense Agency decided yesterday to incorporate in its fiscal 
2007 budgetary requests outlays for an early deployment of some 
PAC-3 ground-based interceptor missiles under the missile defense 
(MD) system. The agency originally planned to earmark funds in 
fiscal 2008 and 2009 for producing dozens of PAC-3 missiles under a 
licensing system. But the agency has now decided to purchase them 
from the United States. The MD-related budgetary request, including 
the frontloading portion, will come to 220 billion yen. 
 
The Defense Agency plans to deploy PAC-3 missiles at the Air 
Self-Defense Force's Iruma base in Saitama Prefecture by the end of 
fiscal 2006 as the first case. The number of missiles is limited. 
Following Pyongyang's test launching of seven missiles on July 5, 
Tokyo has asked Washington to deploy PAC-3 missiles in Japan on a 
priority basis, citing a lack of missiles. The US has responded 
positively to Japan. 
 
TOKYO 00004834  010 OF 011 
 
 
 
15) US Marine Commander declares possible use of Ospreys at new 
Okinawa base at Camp Schwab 
 
AKAHATA (Page 2) (Full) 
August 24, 2006 
 
Brigadier General Joseph Medina of the US Marine Corps on Okinawa 
(commander of Camp Butler) stated on Aug. 23 that there was a 
possibility Ospreys, an aircraft that can take off and land 
vertically, might be used at the new Marines base to be built on the 
shores of Camp Schwab, as planned under the US forces realignment 
agreement. The reply came to a question by Japanese Communist Party 
lawmaker Akamine and others who were present as members of a special 
Lower House committee on Okinawa and Northern Territories, who had 
been invited to visit the Marine base. 
 
Akamine also asked why under the USFJ realignment plan was the 
length of the new facility extended to 1,800 meters, when under the 
SACO plan agreed to by Japan and the US in 1996 the length was 
supposed to be 1,500 meters. 
 
Brigadier General Medina revealed that in the USFJ realignment 
talks, the US had requested a 2,000-meter long facility, but "(as a 
result of the talks,) it became 1,800 meters," he noted. "An 
1,800-meter runway is long enough to be used during a contingency by 
C-130s (transports) and Ospreys," he added. 
 
The US Marines have already revealed a plan to deploy Ospreys to 
Okinawa starting in 2012. However, the Japanese government has 
repeatedly explained, "At this point, nothing concrete has been 
settled." 
 
The statement by Brigadier General Medina indicates once more the 
danger that Ospreys will be operated at the new base. 
 
The members of the special committee on Okinawa and Northern 
Territories starting on Aug. 22 have been touring US bases and other 
areas on Okinawa. In addition to Akimine, the group includes members 
of the Liberal Democratic Party, Minshuto (Democratic Party of 
Japan) and New Komeito. 
 
16) LDP eyes legislation for SDF missions overseas without UN 
resolution 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Full) 
August 24, 2006 
 
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party yesterday held a meeting of its 
defense policy subcommittee to review a draft bill for a permanent 
law allowing Japan to send the Self-Defense Forces overseas for 
international peace cooperation. The subcommittee, with former 
Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba presiding, approved 
the draft bill. The legislative measure does not necessarily require 
a United Nations resolution or an international organization's 
request. In addition, the legislation eases the government's 
guidelines for SDF personnel's use of weapons or the rules of 
engagement (ROE). It is intended for Japan to make its own proactive 
contributions to international peace. 
 
The government has so far created a number of separate laws in order 
for Japan to take part in international peace cooperation activities 
 
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overseas, such as humanitarian reconstruction assistance in Iraq. 
However, Japan cannot respond quickly with such legislative steps, 
according to an agency official. So the government needs a permanent 
law to prompt and facilitate SDF activities overseas. 
 
The draft SDF bill allows the government to send SDF troops to 
engage in overseas activities if and when there is a UN resolution 
or an international organization's request. In addition, the 
legislation also allows the government to do so without 
authorization from the United Nations or any other international 
organizations if and when the government recognizes it necessary for 
Japan to conduct activities overseas under the banner of 
international cooperation. 
 
Japan has carried out humanitarian reconstruction assistance, 
ceasefire surveillance, and logistical support for foreign forces 
under the UN Peacekeeping Cooperation Law and the Iraq Special 
Measures Law. In addition, the draft bill also incorporates security 
missions and ship inspections. The scope of security missions 
includes possible activities intended to maintain public security in 
Iraq, and ship inspections are intended to prevent terrorist 
movements and ensure the effectiveness of economic sanctions. 
 
SDF members on overseas missions are currently not allowed to use 
weapons even in the event unattended Japanese nationals or 
independently operating troops from a foreign country in cooperative 
relations with Japan come under attack. 
 
The draft bill allows SDF personnel to use weapons in that case if 
they are in their operational area. 
 
DONOVAN