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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 005221 
 
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 09/12/06 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
 
2) Editorials 
 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
4) Abe holds firm with 70 percent of the party votes secure in his 
bid for the LDP presidency: Yomiuri poll 
 
5) But internal LDP survey shows Abe has less than half of votes 
lined up in his presidential bid 
 
6) Abe wants constitutional revision within five years    4 
 
7) Three LDP presidential candidates debate Japan's right of 
collective self-defense, with each citing need to study the issue 
 
8) While LDP presidential candidates Abe, Aso back Iraq war and 
policy, Tanigaki draws line, stresses negative results of war 
 
9) Abe stresses that it was not a mistake to have used armed force 
against Iraq 
 
10) Prime Minister Koizumi, still in Finland, makes statement 
backing Abe's "second chance" program 
 
11) New Komeito's Fuyushiba to be in the new cabinet following LDP 
election 
 
12) Ichiro Ozawa, running unopposed, declares candidacy for 
presidency of Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) 
 
13) Text of Ozawa's policy statement to the press 
 
14) Senior agricultural vice minister visits Taiwan, meets Pres. 
Chen 
 
15) Japan, ROK agree to start joint surveys next month in waters 
around disputed Takeshima isles 
 
16) Crooked company Mitsutoyo may have exported illegal goods to the 
United States, as well 
 
17) Prime minister, foreign minister will both skip the UN General 
Assembly opening 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
Asahi: 
Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry to seek 10 billion yen 
in fines from bridge builders for rigging bids 
 
Mainichi & Sankei: 
US marks fifth anniversary of 9/11 
 
Yomiuri: 
Poll: More than 70 percent of eligible LDP lawmakers support Abe in 
presidential race 
 
 
TOKYO 00005221  002 OF 010 
 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Internet TV broadcasts to set unified standard for Net distribution 
of digital TV programs 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Abe pledges to revise Constitution in five years 
 
Akahata: 
International Conference of Asian Political Parties winds up after 
adopting declaration calling for permanent peace, prosperity 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
Asahi: 
(1)LDP presidential debate heating up: Tanigaki merits appreciation 
for enthusiasm 
(2)Thorough earthquake-resistance measures needed for nuclear power 
plants 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)Anti-drunk-driving campaign: Introduce tougher measures 
(2)LDP presidential election: Focus in economic and fiscal policy 
should be on how to reduce debts 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1)Fully study right to collective self-defense 
(2)Reelection of Minshuto head Ozawa: Active policy debate needed 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1)Discussion on small government still insufficient 
(2)Further debate needed on labor agreement between Japan, the 
Philippines 
 
Sankei: 
(1)LDP presidential election: Specific arguments, explanations are 
not still enough 
(2)UNGA: Japan should continue to insist on reform 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)Substance lacking in debate among candidates for LDP presidential 
election 
(2)Specific results should be presented at ASEM 
 
Akahata: 
(1)Drastic cuts in tax on large firms: Take the scalpel to vested 
interests 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, September 9, 10 & 11 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
September 12, 2006 
 
Sept. 9 (Local time) 
Night: 
Arrived at Scandic Continental Hotel at Helsinki, Finland, and 
stayed there. 
 
Sept. 10 
Morning: 
Attended a summit meeting at Helsinki Fair Center of Asian 
participants in the ASEM Summit Conference. 
 
TOKYO 00005221  003 OF 010 
 
 
Visited the underground shelter in Helsinki. 
Afternoon: 
Attended the opening ceremony of the ASEM Summit Conference held at 
Helsinki Fair Center. 
Had the photo-taking occasion. Attended the 1st meeting. 
Evening: 
Met with Spanish President Zapatero. 
Night: 
Joined a working dinner held at the presidential office. 
Arrived at Sandic Continental Hotel and stayed there. 
 
Sept. 11 
Morning: 
Met with Vietnamese Dung. Attended the 2nd meeting. 
Noon: 
Had a working lunch. 
Afternoon: 
Attended the 3rd and 4th meetings, and the closing ceremony. 
Night: 
Held a press conference with Japanese and foreign reporters at 
Scandic Continental Hotel. 
 
4) Poll: Abe gets support from over 70 percent in LDP race 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Abridged) 
September 12, 2006 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe is now certain to garner 288 votes or 
more than 70 percent of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's 403 
lawmakers in the party's presidential election slated for Sept. 20, 
the Yomiuri Shimbun found yesterday from its recent poll. In 
addition, more than 60 percent of the LDP's nonparliamentary members 
across the nation support Abe, according to findings from another 
Yomiuri Shimbun poll conducted over the telephone. Based on this 
finding, Abe is expected to win more than 75 percent of the party's 
300 nonparliamentary votes. Consequently, Abe is sure to take office 
with an overwhelming victory in the first ballot scheduled for Sept. 
¶20. Two other running candidates, Foreign Minister Aso and Finance 
Minister Tanigaki, are even in the race with parliamentary and 
nonparliamentary votes expected for them. Their duel for second 
place is now heating up in an aim to keep up their intraparty clouts 
after the election. 
 
The trends of support among the LDP's lawmakers are based on 
interviews with them in person or with their staffs. In the party, 
Abe ensured support from 288 lawmakers or 71.5 percent, Aso from 44 
lawmakers or 10.9 percent, and Tanigaki from 42 lawmakers or 10.4 
percent. There were 29 undecided lawmakers. 
 
Abe is an LDP lawmaker from the 86-member Mori faction. Aso is from 
the 11-member Kono faction, and Tanigaki chairs his own 15-member 
faction. The three are endorsed by all of their respective factions. 
Among four other factions, the 15-member Nikai faction will cast all 
of its votes for Abe. The Niwa-Koga faction has a total of 50 
members, and about 10 of them are standing behind Aso or Tanigaki. 
In addition, some of the 32-member Ibuki faction and the 15-member 
Komura faction will back either Aso or Tanigaki. 
 
The Tsushima faction, which has 75 lawmakers, will independently 
cast its votes, with more than 40 of them having made up their minds 
to vote for Abe and with about 10 each supporting either Aso or 
Tanigaki. However, many of the Tsushima faction, including those 
 
TOKYO 00005221  004 OF 010 
 
 
holding seats in the House of Councillors, remain undecided. 
Accordingly, there is room for each of the three candidates to gain 
more support from within the Tsushima faction. 
 
The 36-member Yamasaki faction will also independently cast its 
votes, with more than 20 of them having clarified their support for 
Abe. In the Yamasaki faction, however, more than 10 lawmakers are 
backing Tanigaki. 
 
The LDP also has 68 unaffiliated lawmakers, and about 50 of them 
support Abe. However, Aso has ensured support from more than 10 of 
those unaffiliated lawmakers. 
 
In the meantime, the LDP's nonparliamentary members were surveyed 
over the telephone on Sept. 8-10. Answers were obtained from 717 of 
the party's local bloc members across the nation. In this survey, 
62.8 percent supported Abe, up 6.3 percentage points from a previous 
survey taken in June. Aso stood at 13.7 percent, up 11.4 points, and 
Tanigaki at 13.5 percent, up 11.7 points. 
 
5) Abe having unexpected trouble extending support? Fewer than 50 
percent of LDP members have clearly expressed support 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
September 12, 2006 
 
The Joint Election Campaign Headquarters (JECH led by Hakuo 
Yanagisawa), which supports Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe in the 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential race, has calculated the 
votes of party members. The tally found that those who have replied 
that they definitely support Abe stood at less than 50 percent. The 
dominant view is that Abe will garner more than 70 percent of votes 
both from lawmakers and party members. However, support for him 
among party members appears to be flat at the present stage. 
 
JECH survey 
 
According to several senior JECH members, the Abe camp carried out a 
telephone survey of approximately 1.07 million LDP members. It 
solicited support for Abe from about 774,000 members over the phone 
as of Sept. 10. Of that number, approximately 377,000 clearly 
expressed their support for Abe, about 49 percent of all members. 
 
The JECH intends to continue its efforts to secure further support 
for Abe, with executive director Toshiaki Amari noting, "We must 
work harder so that support for Abe will grow more than the expected 
level." 
 
6) Abe reveals during LDP presidential debate his intention to 
revise Constitution within five years 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
September 12, 2006 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, Finance Minister Sadakazu 
Tanigaki, and Foreign Minister Taro Aso, who have declared their 
candidacy for the Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election, 
yesterday attended an LDP presidential debate hosted by the Japan 
National Press Club. Abe revealed his intention of aiming for 
constitutional revision within five years, noting: "I must consider 
a time span of five years or so. Frontloading that timeline will 
also be an option." Regarding a visit to Yasukuni Shrine, Abe 
 
TOKYO 00005221  005 OF 010 
 
 
indicated that he would not characterize any possible future visits 
as "official ones," saying, "Even if I visit the shrine, I will not 
do so in an official capacity." 
 
7) 3 LDP candidates suggest need to study collective defense 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Excerpt) 
September 12, 2006 
 
Three candidates running in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's 
presidential election-Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe, Finance Minister 
Tanigaki, and Foreign Minister Aso-held an open debate yesterday at 
the Japan National Press Club at Uchisaiwaicho, Tokyo. 
 
In the debate, the three touched on Japan's self-imposed 
prohibitions against the right of collective self-defense in 
conformity with the government's constitutional interpretation. 
"Japan will have to make efforts to ensure equality in the Japan-US 
alliance," Abe said. "I wonder if we're not allowed even to make 
efforts to discuss or study what has been prohibited so far," Abe 
added. Aso also said, "We should think of making it possible for 
Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense under 
appropriate conditions." Meanwhile, Tanigaki has been taking the 
position that the Constitution should be amended in order for Japan 
to be allowed to participate in collective defense. He said, "I 
won't rule out the necessity of discussing and studying this 
matter." With these remarks, the three candidates admitted to the 
necessity of going ahead with case studies for Japan's possible 
participation in collective defense. 
 
8) LDP presidential debate: "Iraq war has left major source of 
trouble in future," Tanigaki says; Abe, Aso stress their position of 
supporting US 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
September 12, 2006 
 
An open Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential debate held 
yesterday, the fifth anniversary of 9/11, took up the Iraq war. 
 
Abe supported the US strike on Iraq, noting: "The US made a mistake 
in terms of intelligence. However, its use of force was right. Iraq 
was given an opportunity to prove that it had no weapons of mass 
destruction (WMD), but it did not." 
 
Abe maintained that the Japanese government's decision to support 
the US was also correct, saying, "Japan supported the US with the UN 
resolution seeking the abolition of WMD and cooperation for 
inspections from Iraq and the Japan-US alliance in mind. There was a 
rational reason for the decision." 
 
Foreign Minister Aso aligned himself with Abe, saying, "We must not 
forget that Iraq had ignored UN resolutions for 12 years." He also 
pointed out, "If the Bush administration made any mistake, it would 
be in falling short of thoroughly working out a postwar occupation 
policy." 
 
Finance Minister Tanigaki drew a distinction with Abe and Aso, 
saying, "With the benefit of hindsight, the US has left open a major 
source of trouble in the future in terms of its failure to prove the 
presence of WMD." 
 
 
TOKYO 00005221  006 OF 010 
 
 
9) Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe: Was not a mistake to use force 
against Iraq 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
September 12, 2006 
 
At a panel discussion yesterday at the Japan National Press Club, 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe, Finance Minister Tanigaki, and Foreign 
Minister Aso made clear their evaluations of the Iraq war. On the 
question of the United States' inability to come up with the 
evidence that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and had 
links to Al Qaeda, Abe stated: "The United States might have made 
some mistake in gathering and analyzing information, but it was not 
a mistake to use force against (Iraq). It was rational to suspect 
Iraq (might have possessed weapons of mass destruction)." Following 
Abe, Aso stated, "When it comes to US policies to control and occupy 
Iraq after the war, the finale was weak."  He added, however: "The 
country held an open election and properly elected 
representatives." 
 
In contrast, Tanigaki stated: "The failure to come up with evidence 
showing the existence of weapons of mass destruction became a source 
of trouble in the future." 
 
10) Prime Minister Koizumi voices support for ensuring that people 
get a second chance 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 12, 2006 
 
Ruhi Ahiru, Helsinki 
 
At a press briefing on the night of Sept. 11 (early Sept. 12, Japan 
time), Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi implied that he would give 
strong backing to Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe's idea of 
helping those who have failed to try again, saying: "Japan has among 
the lowest social disparities in the world. Japan needs to create a 
system that will give those who fail a chance to try again." 
 
Asked about the selection of cabinet members and the Liberal 
Democratic Party executives by the new prime minister, Koizumi 
reiterated: "After listening to views from a number of people, the 
new prime minister must choose them himself." 
 
On the question of the nation's strained relations with China and 
South Korea, Koizumi said, "In dealing with North Korean issues, we 
have worked together, and we will continue to do so," but he added: 
"It's not me who has insisted that no summit meeting be held because 
both sides are in disagreement on one subject. Which side do you 
think is wrong?" He thus again criticized China and South Korea, 
both of which have refused to meet with Koizumi because of his 
visits to Yasukuni Shrine. 
 
11) Fuyushiba to join new cabinet; Abe to accept New Komeito's 
recommendation 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full) 
September 12, 2006 
 
The New Komeito has decided to recommend Secretary General Tetsuzo 
Fuyushiba as a successor to outgoing Land, Infrastructure and 
Transport Minister Kazuo Kitagawa in a new cabinet to be launched 
 
TOKYO 00005221  007 OF 010 
 
 
after the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential race. Kitagawa 
has informally been appointed to take office as secretary general. 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, who is certain to be elected as 
the next prime minister, will likely accept the recommendation. 
 
Fuyushiba has spearheaded coordination within the ruling camp along 
with party head Takenori Kanzaki, who is to step down at the party 
convention on Sept. 30. Since a new lineup led by Acting Secretary 
General Akihiro Ota will start after the convention, the New Komeito 
has made this decision in hopes of Fuyushiba, who has a solid 
channel with the LDP, acting as a coordinator in the coalition. The 
New Komeito is assuming Fuyushiba will be given a key portfolio, 
such as minister of internal affairs and communications or minister 
or land, infrastructure and transport. 
 
12) Ozawa announces candidacy for Minshuto presidential race; 
reelection certain 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 12, 2006 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa, holding 
a press conference yesterday, officially announced his candidacy for 
the party presidential election (to be officially announced today) 
and unveiled his basic visions and policies. Ozawa's reelection will 
become certain this afternoon, as no other candidates are expected 
to join the race. 
 
Criticizing the LDP for what he called "the politics of 
demagoguery," Ozawa declared that he would pursue "the politics of 
common sense" based on the ideals of coexistence and fairness. Ozawa 
played up his adversarial stance against Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Shinzo Abe, who is certain to become the next prime minister. 
Elimination of disparity was set as top priority. 
 
Ozawa also explained that the consumption tax rate could be kept at 
5 percent for the time being by turning the consumption tax into a 
welfare tax and implementing drastic administrative reforms, such as 
abolishing subsidies. 
 
13) Ozawa's basic principles and policies 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
September 12, 2006 
 
The following are the main points of Minshuto (Democratic Party of 
Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa's basic principles and policies 
 
Basic principles 
 
Transform Japan into a fair country that is based on logic. 
Correcting social disparities will be the top priority for Minshuto 
politics. Japan is at heightened risk due to a rise of extreme and 
biased "demagogic politics." Turn Japan into a normal country by 
conducting "common-sense politics." 
 
Educational reform 
 
Establish a Japan basic education law. The state will be held 
responsible for compulsory education. Expand the period of 
compulsory education to begin at age 5 and continue through middle 
and high school and provide preschool education free of charge. 
 
TOKYO 00005221  008 OF 010 
 
 
 
Correcting disparities 
 
Provide childrearing allowances to families with children and 
parental allowances to families with elderly parents living with 
them. Promote a shift from nonpermanent employment to permanent 
employment and establish a basic rule of providing equal wages to 
permanent and nonpermanent workers. Apply the rule of free 
competition to the management and lifelong employment to 
non-supervisory workers. Integrate pension programs into one 
composed of a consumption tax-financed part (60,000 yen a month) and 
an income-based portion. Maintain the current level of the burden 
for insurance premiums. Convert the consumption tax into a welfare 
tax. Put a cap on pension benefits to high-income earners. 
 
Food safety and ensuring peace of mind 
 
Establish a food self-sufficiency system to produce comestibles that 
can meet the necessary minimum calories. Establish an individual 
income compensation system to pay to growers the differences between 
the production costs and the market prices of key farm products. 
 
Decentralization 
 
Abolish separate subsidies and provide local governments with 
subsidies in a lump sum. Integrate municipalities into about 300 
basic local governments. 
 
Diplomacy and national security 
 
Conclude a free trade agreement with the United States at an early 
date to establish a true Japan-US alliance. Make every effort to 
build relations of trust with Asian countries, including China and 
South Korea. Japan is allowed to exercise its individual or 
collective self-defense right only when it is faced with imminent 
and unjust aggression. The country will not use force in other 
cases. Actively participate in UN-centered peace operations in 
compliance with UN requests. 
 
Political reform 
 
Bureaucrats are not allowed to join Diet deliberations. Abolish the 
council of administrative vice-ministers and let the council of 
senior vice-ministers to undertake coordination in the government. 
Speedily correct flaws in the legal system to prevent extralegal 
measures. 
 
14) Senior vice agricultural minister visited Taiwan in August and 
held talks with President Chen and others 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 12, 2006 
 
Toshinao Ishii, Taipei 
 
Senior Vice Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Mitsuhiro 
Miyakoshi visited Taiwan in August and held talks with President 
Chen Shui-bian, Minister of the Council of Agriculture Su Jia-chyuan 
chuan, and others, sources familiar with Japan-Taiwan relations 
revealed yesterday. The Miyakoshi side explained that it was a 
private visit. The Japanese government has voluntarily restricted 
visits to Taiwan by senior government officials since Tokyo severed 
 
TOKYO 00005221  009 OF 010 
 
 
diplomatic ties to Taipei in 1972. It was unprecedented for an 
incumbent senior vice minister to visit Taiwan to hold talks with 
Taiwanese leaders. 
 
Miyakoshi made a three-day visit to Taiwan in mid-August. "He 
visited Taiwan not as senior vice minister but as a private citizen 
to see his friends and others in Taiwan," an official with the 
Miyakoshi office explained. Japan and Taiwan have been at odds over 
marine interests in waters around the Senkaku Islands, known as 
Tiaoyutai in Taiwan, in the East China Sea. Miyakoshi exchanged 
views with Su and others in his private capacity, according to a 
Taiwan source. 
 
In the past, a senior vice minister for economy and trade made a 
personal visit to Taiwan to attend the funeral of a Taipei Economy 
and Cultural Office representative. But no senior Japanese official 
has held talks with Taiwan leaders. 
 
15) Japan, ROK agree to conduct joint radiation survey in six spots 
around Takeshima/Dokdo next month 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
September 12, 2006 
 
The Japanese and South Korean governments yesterday announced that 
they agreed to conduct sometime in October a joint radiation survey 
in six spots, including the waters around Takeshima, a group of 
islets claimed by both countries. 
 
The joint survey will be carried out in three points of the water 
area where the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) claimed by both 
countries overlap, as well as in three points within Japan's EEZ. 
 
Japan has conducted the survey of the three points of the overlapped 
EEZs since 1994. As for the three spots within Japan's EEZ, South 
Korea insisted, "They need to be surveyed now." Responding to this 
request, those three locations have now been added to the joint 
survey. 
 
Japanese and South Korean research ships will jointly survey each 
location and exchange data obtained in the survey. Both countries' 
researchers will get aboard each research ship. 
 
Japan's Administrative Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi told the 
press yesterday: "We're not saying we will continue the joint survey 
next year or after. We'd like to speed up the process of 
negotiations on the demarcation of the EEZs, as well as on a 
temporary framework that includes a prior notification system." 
 
The two countries jointly conducted a radiation survey in 1994 and 
1995, and since 1996, Japan has conducted the survey independently. 
This year, too, Japan had a plan to conduct a similar survey 
independently, but the plan met with objections from South Korea 
because the waters around Takeshima were included in the planned 
survey. So both sides continued negotiations. 
 
16) Mitutoyo also suspected of nuclear trafficking to US; US to 
exchange information with Japan on missing instruments 
 
SANKEI (Page 31) (Excerpts) 
September 12, 2006 
 
 
TOKYO 00005221  010 OF 010 
 
 
In connection with Mitutoyo's illegal exports (to China and Thailand 
discovered this February), the company is now suspected of also 
illegally exporting to its subsidiary in the US under a package 
export-permission system over the last decade more than 40 percent 
of the about 4,000 three-dimensional instruments that could be used 
in producing nuclear weapons. According to the Metropolitan Police 
Board's Public Safety Department, many of the instruments are 
missing. Fearing that the equipment might have made its way to 
countries suspected of developing weapons of mass destruction (WMD), 
the US has asked Japan for the state of progress in its 
investigation into the case. Japanese police intend to exchange 
information with US authorities. 
 
Under the package permission system, case-by-case screening is 
exempted with the aim of lightening the burden on corporations. The 
system is applied on the conditions that the instruments are not 
precision instruments and that their export destinations are not 
countries suspected of developing WMD. Exporters are required to 
renew the permission once every three years. 
 
Mitutoyo started exporting the three-dimentional instruments in full 
swing in 1995 and received package permission from the Ministry of 
International Trade and Industry (MITI) in February 1996. 
 
According to the Public Safety Department, over the past decade, 
Mitutoyo exported about 10,000 instruments, and about 4,000 units, 
about 40 percent of the total, were found to have been illegally 
exported. Of the about 10,000 units, the company shipped 
approximately 4,000 units to its subsidiary in the US. The 
department suspects that though at least 40 percent of them, or more 
than 1,600 units were high-precision equipment, the company exported 
them under the package-permission system. 
 
According to a senior police officer, some of the instruments 
brought into the US have been found missing, so US investigation 
authorities fear that the equipment might have been sent to 
countries suspected of developing WMD via third countries. 
 
17) Prime Minister, Foreign Minister to skip UN general assembly 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpt) 
September 12, 2006 
 
It is now likely that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Foreign 
Minister Taro Aso will both skip delivering a speech at the 61st 
United Nations General Assembly in New York starting on Sept. 19. 
The reason is that the Liberal Democratic Party presidential 
election and party executive and cabinet appointments are scheduled 
for Sept. 20. It is only three times since Japan joined the UN in 
1956 that neither a Japanese prime minister nor a foreign minister 
gave a speech at an annual UN assembly, including a case in which 
the Showa Emperor fell sick in 1988 and another case in which the 
assembly was delayed to November due to the terrorist attacks on the 
US on Sept. 11, coinciding with the extraordinary Diet session. 
 
In the case of Aso, if he leaves Japan on the morning of the 21st, 
he would be able to make it. But he is reluctant to do so, citing 
his candidacy. Even if he is defeated in the election, there is the 
possibility of his being appointed for a key party executive or 
cabinet post, so attending the UN assembly seems difficult. 
 
SCHIEFFER