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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 TOKYO 004998 
 
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 09/01/06 
 
 
Index: 
 
Political campaign: 
1) Poll of all LDP lawmakers shows Shinzo Abe has more than 70% 
backing for LDP president 
2) Abe to declare LDP candidacy today: Finds no problem with Class A 
war criminals at Yasukuni 
3) Abe's campaign book, Toward a Beautiful Country, to vie with 
Ozawa's campaign book, Ozawa-ism, in run up to next summer's Upper 
House election 
4) Tanigaki now has the 20 names needed to sponsor his candidacy in 
the LDP race 
 
5) Prime Minister Koizumi finishes up his "strategic diplomacy in 
Finland at ASEM 
 
6) Japan prepares another 5 million yen grant to Lebanon for 
infrastructure repairs 
 
Iran problem: 
7) Foreign Minister Aso presses Iran's vice foreign minister on 
nuclear issue 
8) Iran's defiance of the UN by continuing uranium enrichment puts 
Japan in bind 
 
Security affairs: 
9) US, Japan reach agreement on Japan paying for Kadena 
aircraft-training relocation cost 
10) Strategic dialogue next week between Japan and ROK 
11) Minshuto's Naoto Kan comes out against the argument tolerating 
Japan's use of collective self-defense 
12) US, Japan agree that Taepodong-2 test launches so far a complete 
failure 
 
13) Fear that US long grain rice mixed with banned GMO strain may be 
mixed in with grain imports in Japan 
 
Articles: 
 
1) OPINION 
 
Nikkei poll: Over 70% of LDP lawmakers support Abe in the party 
presidential election; Abe to announce his candidacy today 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Excerpt) 
September 1, 2006 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe will officially announce his 
candidacy for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidency at a 
press conference in Hiroshima City this evening. In a survey of the 
situation carried out by this newspaper as of Aug. 31 of 403 LDP 
lawmakers, a total of 296 supported Abe or more than 70 % of the 
whole. He has a commanding lead over other two candidates, Finance 
Minister Tanigaki, expected to announce his candidacy shortly, and 
Foreign Minister Aso. 
 
2) Abe regards enshrinement of Class-A war criminals as presenting 
no problem; to announce policy platform today; 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
September 1, 2006 
 
 
TOKYO 00004998  002 OF 007 
 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe will officially announce his 
candidacy for the Liberal Democratic Party presidency and his policy 
platform in Hiroshima today. Yesterday, he attended the LDP Hokkaido 
Block Convention in Sapporo. In connection with the Yasukuni Shrine 
issue, he indicated that he had no problem with the enshrinement of 
Class-A war criminals at the shrine, citing the fact that 
Confederate soldiers are buried on the site of Arlington National 
Cemetery in the United States. 
 
Abe's policy platform focuses on educational reform, constitutional 
revision, as well as regional measures. The measures are intended to 
rectify the state of expanding regional discrepancies caused as a 
result of Koizumi reforms. He also has in mind the House of 
Councillors election next summer. 
 
On the question of whether he would visit Yasukuni should he win the 
presidency, Abe said: "I have no intention to declare (that I will 
go or I will not go)" in order to avoid the issue from developing 
into a diplomatic or political issue." 
 
3) Ozawa publishes book Ozawaism, keeping Abe's book, Toward a 
Beautiful Country, in mind 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
September 1, 2006 
 
"Ozawaism," a book authored by Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) 
President Ichiro Ozawa, will be put on sale today. The book includes 
many passages written apparently with Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo 
Abe in mind, like criticism of Abe's call for patriotic education in 
the classroom. The day of publication also falls on the same day as 
Abe's announcement of his candidacy for the Liberal Democratic Party 
presidency. In July, Abe issued a book titled: "Toward a Beautiful 
Country" (Bunshun Shinsho). In the run-up to the start of debates on 
a bill to amend the Basic Education Law in the extraordinary Diet 
session this fall, Ozawa and Abe have given a preview of the fight 
with their new books. 
 
This is Ozawa's first major book since he wrote Blueprint for A New 
Japan in 1993. The book that goes on sale today details what leaders 
and politics should do. At the outset, the importance of elections 
is emphasized. He noted: "It is important for candidates to meet 
various people and learn what problems they have. Door-to-door 
canvassing is indisputably the original point of democracy." He 
draws a line with Abe, who indicates in his book the importance of 
patriotism or love of country. 
 
Regarding patriotism, Ozawa notes: "Even if children are taught and 
brainwashed, real love of country will not be generated among them. 
... It is meaningless to carry out a patriotitic education program 
that does not include the importance of forming a society and a 
state of which children can be proud." This description is in 
contrast to Abe's assertion for "correction of masochistic history 
education." 
 
4) Tanigaki now has recommendations for LDP presidency from 20 
lawmakers 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
September 1, 2006 
 
The Niwa-Koga and Yamasaki factions in the Liberal Democratic Party 
 
TOKYO 00004998  003 OF 007 
 
 
(LDP) have decided to let two members each support Finance Minister 
Sadakazu Tanigaki, a LDP presidential candidate-to-be, in the Sept. 
21 party leadership race. The two factions have judged it necessary 
to deepen debate on Asia diplomacy and fiscal reconstruction by 
letting Tanigaki run in the election. With this, Tanigaki has now 
secured recommendations from 20 LDP Diet members, including 
lawmakers with no factional allegiance. 
 
The Niwa-Koga faction confirmed in its executive meeting yesterday 
that the faction would back Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe. 
However since faction members individually support Tanigaki and 
Foreign Minister Taro Aso, the faction has informally decided to 
give recommendations from two House of Representatives members to 
Tanigaki and a total of three supporters -- two Lower House members 
and one Upper House member --to Aso. 
 
The Yamasaki faction, meanwhile, has decided to allow its members to 
cast their votes independently. However since faction head Taku 
Yamasaki and other members favor Tanigaki's policies, the faction 
will give Tanigaki two backers. 
 
A senior Tanigaki faction member told a senior Niwa-Koga faction 
member: "With this, Tanigaki now has the 20 sponsors he needed." 
 
5) Prime minister ends his strategic diplomacy with visit to Finland 
starting on the 7th; Unfinished tasks to be left for his successor 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Excerpts) 
September 1, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi returned home yesterday, winding up 
a visit to Central Asia. He has made 50 foreign trips since taking 
office. He has traveled approximately 800,000 kilometers by plane, 
which is equivalent to going around the earth almost 20 times. The 
strategic diplomacy of Koizumi, who is to step down in less than a 
month, will end with a visit to Finland starting in early 
September. 
 
The government yesterday announced that the prime minister would 
visit Finland for six days starting on Sept. 7 to attend the 
Asia-Europe Meeting. It is going to be his last foreign trip as 
prime minister, according to an aide. 
 
Looking back on his foreign trips, Koizumi told reporters on the 
29th at a hotel in Tashkent: "I did my utmost. I am now satisfied." 
The meaning of some of his trips was called into question, according 
to a source connected with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). 
However, a number of trips were planned by the Prime Minister's 
Official Residence (Kantei) without the involvement of the Foreign 
Ministry. 
 
The quintessential case among his numerous trips was his surprise 
visit to North Korea in September 2002. Kantei spent two years 
carefully arranging visits to Turkey in January, and to Israel, the 
Palestinian territories, and Jordan in July this year in order to 
deepen Japan's involvement in the Middle East peace process. In 
arranging visits to Ghana and Ethiopia in April, and Mongolia in 
August, followed by Central Asia, Kantei had a strategy of securing 
energy resources that can replace oil from the Middle East, thereby 
checking China and Russia. 
 
6) Government to provide Lebanon with 5 million dollars in 
 
TOKYO 00004998  004 OF 007 
 
 
reconstruction aid 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
September 1, 2006 
 
In an international conference on support for Lebanon held in 
Sweden, Senior Foreign Vice Minister Katsutoshi Kaneda announced the 
government's decision to extend a total of 5 million dollars in 
additional aid to Lebanon. The money will be spent for the 
reconstruction of Lebanon's infrastructure, mine removal, and heavy 
oil removal, through the United Nations and other organizations. 
 
7) Foreign Minister in meeting with Iranian vice foreign minister 
calls on Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment activity 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 1, 2006 
 
Foreign Minister Aso yesterday met with visiting Iranian Vice 
Foreign Minister Araqchi at the Foreign Ministry. During the talks, 
he criticized Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program: "Iran has 
engaged in nuclear development activities over the past 18 years 
without notifying the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)." He 
then called on Iran to respond to the United Nations Security 
Council's (UNSC) call to end its uranium enrichment activity. 
 
Araqchi did not directly respond to Aso's call. He instead stressed 
that his nation was ready to discuss the nuclear issue with the 
permanent UNSC members and Germany, noting, "All of our doors are 
open for a peaceful settlement of the issue." 
 
The UNSC is calling on Iraq to suspend its uranium enrichment 
activity, setting the deadline for August 31. 
 
8) Iran fails to respond to call to suspend its uranium enrichment 
activity 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
September 1, 2006 
 
Iran failed to respond to the United Nations Security Council's 
(UNSC) call to suspend its uranium enrichment activity as of Aug. 
31, the deadline to meet the request. Full discussions on whether to 
apply sanctions on the nation by the UNSC will start, following a 
report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The 
situation will then enter a key juncture of deciding whether to 
invoke sanctions or continue talks. However, with Iran increasing 
its presence in the Middle East and the Islamic community amid the 
situation in Lebanon, there is no excellent idea to let it stop 
nuclear activities. The international community is facing a policy 
dilemma. 
 
Japan's position 
 
Japan, which relies on Iran for approximately 15% of its crude oil 
import and also has a major stake in the development of the Azadegan 
oil field, has worked on that nation to make concessions. However, 
failing to exercise any influence, the growign anticipation in the 
government is that sanctions "may be unavoidable." 
 
Talks on the development of the Azadegan oil field are being pursued 
on the private sector level. However, Japan is bound to come under 
 
TOKYO 00004998  005 OF 007 
 
 
international fire if it starts up the project. As such, Foreign 
Minister Aso has repeatedly said, "Japan will never give in on the 
nuclear issue easily for the sake of its own oil interests." The 
Foreign Ministry takes this view, "Even if the UNSC starts 
discussing the possibility of applying sanctions, sanctions will be 
mild at first." MOFA thus intends to support the argument calling 
for sanctions. 
 
9) Japan, US agree on Japan's share of cost of relocating training 
of aircraft based at Kadena Air Base, with implementation by next 
spring 
 
TOKYO (Top play) (Excerpts) 
September 1, 2006 
 
It has been learned that Japan and the United States have reached 
agreement that the Japanese government would bear the relocation 
cost of training by US aircraft that will be relocated from Kadena 
Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture to a Self-Defense Forces base on 
mainland Japan. The two sides aim to implement the first training 
relocation by next March. The plan calls for Japan to bear the 
burden of responding to the needs of the US forces with such 
facilities as billets and hangars. 
 
Since the F-15s at Kadena will have to fly back and forth between 
Okinawa and mainland Japan, the Japanese side will pick up will be 
such expenses as necessary fuel costs, transportation of mechanics 
who will have to accompany the aircraft and of maintenance 
equipment. 
 
10) Japan, South Korea to hold strategic dialogues next week in 
Seoul 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
September 1, 2006 
 
The governments of Japan and South Korea have generally decided 
yesterday to hold next week in Seoul a vice foreign minister-level 
strategic dialogue, as well as talks of senior foreign ministry 
officials on the boundary of exclusive economic zones (EEZs). 
 
Administrative Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi from the Japanese 
side and the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry's First Vice 
Minister Ryu Myong Hwang from the South Korean side will attend the 
upcoming third strategic dialogue to discuss the issue of North 
Korea's missile lunches and other issues. At the two meetings, Tokyo 
will call on Seoul to create an advance notification system under 
which the two countries would notify in advance their plans on 
marine research in waters around the Takeshima/Dokdo isles where 
both sides have claimed their EEZs. 
 
11) Minshuto's Kan opposes Abe's view to allow the exercise of the 
right to collective defense 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
September 1, 2006 
 
Referring at a press conference yesterday to Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Shinzo Abe's view that the exercise of the right to collective 
defense should be allowed, Naoto Kan, acting president of the 
largest opposition party Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), 
expressed his opposition to Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe's 
 
TOKYO 00004998  006 OF 007 
 
 
view that exercise of the right to collective defense should be 
allowed by changing the government's interpretation and not by 
constitutional amendment. He stated: 
 
"Various people have mentioned the right to collective defense (in 
the Liberal Democratic Party presidential race). The present 
Constitution does not allow Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) 
personnel to go abroad for the purpose of fighting and for war. If 
and when we consider amending the Constitution in the future, the 
interpretation of the Constitution that would allow the SDF to do so 
is not desirable. This is our party's stance." 
 
12) Japan, US conclude Taepodong-2 launch was complete failure; 
First stage landed 2 kilometers from base, second stage near North 
Korean coast 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
September 1, 2006 
 
The first stage of the Taepodong-2 long-range missile launched by 
North Korea on July 5 blew up immediately after being fired and 
landed in a spot 2 kilometers away from the launch base, the 
Japanese and US governments have concluded. The Defense Agency 
indicated earlier that the second stage had splashed into waters in 
the Sea of Japan 400 kilometers away from the North Korean base. But 
actually, the second stage seems to have landed in a spot near North 
Korea's eastern coast. As a result, the Defense Agency has concluded 
that the Taepodong-2 was a complete failure. 
 
According to Japanese government sources, Taepodong-2 was launched 
from the missile base in Musudanri in northern North Korea toward 
waters off Hawaii. Immediately after being launched, the first stage 
split off from the second stage and the first stage fell to the 
ground. 
 
Japanese and US intelligence satellites detected a burnt hole 100 
meters long and 50 meters wide at a spot about 2 kilometers away 
from the base. With missile parts scattered around the base, the 
Taepodong-2 is believed to have begun coming apart immediately after 
being launched. 
 
The Defense Agency, based on the launch pad's angle obtained from 
the intelligence satellites and other data, initially concluded that 
the missile had landed in a spot 400 kilometers away from the base. 
The US recalculated the missile's trajectory based on data collected 
by ballistic missile-observing reconnaissance aircraft Cobra Ball 
and equipment. A senior Defense Agency official said, "It was a 
complete failure." 
 
13) GMO long-grain rice might be contained in grain shipment from 
US 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
September 1, 2006 
 
Unauthorized genetically modified (GM) long rice was found mingled 
with a grain shipment from the United States in May. In this 
connection, it was found yesterday that long-grain rice flour - 
about 7% of the total - was contained among the miscellaneous 
cereals that Nippon Flour Mills imported from the US. Since it is 
still unknown whether or not the product is GM-free, the company 
reported it to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and the 
 
TOKYO 00004998  007 OF 007 
 
 
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It has also halted 
the distribution of about 8 tons of stocked products made by such 
imported cereals. 
 
DONOVAN