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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2217

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 005914 
 
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 10/11/06 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
North Korea threat: 
4) Ambassador Schieffer tells Japanese audience that the US nuclear 
umbrella will protect Japan 
5) Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki calls on North Korea to 
implement Pyongyang Declaration 
6) Japan issues 3rd set of independent sanctions against North Korea 
that includes full ban on imports from that country 
7) Japan's sanctions could have impact on stopping DPRK's flow of 
illegal money 
8) Japan would have legal difficulty carrying out ship searches on 
high seas if UN sanctions on North Korea include such 
9) Government worried that dangerous North Korea might send agents 
to carry out terrorist acts 
10) Prime Minister Abe speculates that cumulative impact of 
sanctions on North Korea could bring down the Kim regime 
11) Upper House also passes its own resolution condemning North 
Korea 
12) Japan's additional sanctions on North Korea will further boost 
Abe's diplomatic credentials 
13) METI to strictly monitor third country trade to make sure North 
Korea is not getting Japanese imports indirectly 
14) Finance Minister Omi says that his ministry will strictly 
monitor for possible cash remittances to North Korea 
15) Speculation that further nuclear testing by DPRK is coming will 
not die away 
 
16) Atsugi Air Station under SOFA scrutiny for opening pizza parlor 
to public 
 
17) Four opposition parties agree to consolidate efforts to help 
campaign of Itokazu for governor of Okinawa 
 
18) Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) sponsoring handicapped bill 
in order to drum up support for by-election on Oct. 22 
 
19) Team of advisors to Prime Minister Abe further beefed up with 
additional staff 
 
20) Kyodo poll finds people are more cautious about prime 
ministerial visits to Yasukuni following Abe's recent China and ROK 
visits 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Mainichi, Yomiuri, Nihon Keizai & Tokyo Shimbun: 
Japan to ban all imports from North Korea as well as its ships' 
entry into Japanese ports 
 
Sankei: 
Japan to ban all imports from North Korea as well as its ships' 
entry into Japanese ports as sanction measures, tighten regulations 
on entry into country; US president intends to enhance defense 
cooperation with Japan: "A powerful UNSC will be essential" 
 
 
TOKYO 00005914  002 OF 012 
 
 
Akahata: 
Lawmaker Inoue: Diplomatic solution to North Korea's nuclear test 
issue essential to avoid war 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) US, China should act together to deal with North Korea's nuclear 
ambitions 
(2) "New" Abe: Has he changed his mind? 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Education Revitalization Council: Discussions should be made 
open; national debate essential 
(2) Cluster bombs: Pact banning their use necessary 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Education Revitalization Council: We expect proposals different 
from those of bureaucrats 
(2) Azadegan oilfield project: Priority given to international 
cooperation over national interest 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Abe administration's harsh sanctions on North Korea 
(2) Education Revitalization Council needs to come up with fresh 
ideas 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Education Revitalization Council should aim to depart from 
postwar thinking through drastic reform 
(2) Transplants: Understanding required to resolve donor shortage 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) UN Secretary General-elect Ban should do his best for UN-led 
preventive diplomacy 
(2) Chunichi Dragons' CL championship: We want to see them win Japan 
Series 
 
Akahata: 
Consumer loans: Don't allow life insurance policies to be used as 
collateral 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, October 11 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
08:01 
Met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Suzuki at the Prime 
Minister's Official Residence (Kantei). 
 
09:01 
Upper House Budget Committee meeting. 
 
12:13 
Met with Suzuki at the Kantei. 
 
13:00 
Upper House Budget Committee meeting. 
 
 
TOKYO 00005914  003 OF 012 
 
 
17:06 
Upper House plenary session. 
 
17:30 
Ceremony at the Kantei honoring people for the creation of safe and 
secure towns. Then met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki and 
Assistant Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Ando. 
 
18:20 
Dined with the Emperor and the Empress together with his wife Akie. 
 
 
20:40 
Arrived at the Kantei. 
 
21:03 
Security Council meeting. 
 
22:17 
Returned to private residence at Tomigaya. 
 
4) Nuclear umbrella of the US has protected Japan, US Ambassador 
Schieffer says 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
US Ambassador to Japan Schieffer yesterday took part in an informal 
meeting of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai 
Doyukai). In connection with North Korea's claim that it conducted a 
nuclear test, he noted, "The nuclear umbrella of the US has 
protected Japan. If Japan considers adopting an independent policy, 
this region (East Asia) will soon be placed in a dangerous 
situation." Schieffer presumably made this statement out of concern 
that calls for nuclear arms might arise in East Asia, including 
Japan. 
 
Prime Minister Abe during yesterday's Lower House Budget Committee 
categorically stated: "I have no intention whatsoever to change our 
stance that possessing nuclear weapons is not an option. There will 
be no change at all in Japan's three nonnuclear principles." 
 
5) Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki calls on North Korea to live up 
to Pyongyang Declaration 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
Kim Yong Nam, chairman of North Korea's Supreme People's Council, 
categorically stated during an interview with the Kyodo New Agency 
that the 2002 Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration is still 
effective. Referring to this statement, Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Shiozaki during yesterday's press conference stressed: "I heard that 
North Korea is saying that the Declaration is still in effect. It is 
important for it to implement items stipulated in the Declaration 
one by one." Regarding Kim's indication of a view that Pyongyang is 
ready to return to the six-party talks with the removal of financial 
sanctions as a precondition, Shiozaki urged the North to return to 
the framework without preconditions, saying, "The basic view of the 
other five other countries is that the North should return to the 
six-party talks without preconditions." 
 
 
TOKYO 00005914  004 OF 012 
 
 
6) Japan decides to ban all imports from North Korea for half year 
as third independent set of sanction measures; North Korean ships 
barred entry into Japan 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
October 12, 2006 
 
The government yesterday held a Security Council meeting at the 
Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) and decided to 
independently impose a set of sanction measures on North Korea, 
which days ago had declared it had tested a nuclear bomb. This 
action will follow ones taken in July and September respectively. 
Japan will cut off all imports, for example, of farm products, from 
North Korea, and also ban North Korean ships from entering Japanese 
ports. Entry into Japan by those people who are of North Korean 
nationality will be prohibited, as well. Once the United Nations 
Security Council (UNSC) adopts a sanction resolution, Tokyo will 
come up with a fourth round of sanction measures including financial 
actions. 
 
The prohibition of entry into Japan (by North Korean nationals) was 
put into force the same day. After obtaining approval of the 
prohibition of entry into Japan by ships and the ban on imports at a 
cabinet meeting tomorrow, the government will put them into force on 
Oct. 14. These actions will be each valid for a half-year. After the 
meeting, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe emphasized to rAPuPc North Korea itself 
declared it conducted a nuclear test, that consultations on 
sanctions measures are progressing at the UN, that Japan is now 
under mounting threats of missile and nuclear development, and that 
the North has failed to show a sincere attitude in dealing with the 
abduction issue, Tokyo now decided to toughen sanctions. 
 
Japan's major sanction measures against North Korea 
 
First set of sanCQvQ 
7 Ban on North Korea's cargb/Q;entry 
into Japanese ports 
7 Ban on North Korean chartered planes' flight :?`forth Korean government officials' entry into 
Japan 
 
Second set of sanction upQ{>QQe with 
the UN resolution condemning North Korea) 
 
TOKYO 00005914  005 OF 012 
 
 
 
7 Prevention of remittances to 15 organizations and one individual 
highly suspected of having links to development of weapons of mass 
destruction 
 
Third set of sanction measures (decided on Oct. 11) before the UNSC 
adopts a resolution in response to the North's announcement that it 
conducted a nuclear test 
 
7 Ban on entry into Japan by North Korean ships 
7 Ban on all imports from North Korea 
7 Ban in principle on entry into Japan by those people who are of 
North Korean nationality 
 
7) Additional sanctions by Japan on North Korea may be effective in 
sealing off flow of secret funds 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Excerpt) 
October 12, 2006 
 
The government yesterday decided to impose on North Korea a set of 
additional sanction measures on its own. The aim was to give 
additional impetus to the sanctions resolution anticipated to be 
adopted by the United Nations Security Council later this week. 
Japan felt it was necessary to show North Korea its strong will in 
resolving the nuclear issue and the abduction cases, as well. But 
the hidden reason seems to have been the calculation that the 
sanctions would be effective in cutting NortQ(QOQ9uQWon of ships difficult under existing law; recognition of 
state of conflict needed 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
The government is negative toward carrying out inspections of ships 
in seas close to North Korea, which the US is calling for as one 
sanction item. Though Japan has a legal framework to carry it out, 
taking such action essentially requires that areas near Japan be in 
a state of battle. The government judgment is that the present state 
of affairs does not meet this requirement for invoking such a 
sanction. 
 
The Vessels Inspection Activities Law, which went into force in 
2001, stipulates that Japan can independently carry out maritime 
inspections of ships. The law envisages Maritime Self-Defense Force 
(MSDF) vessels inspecting ships on the high seas. This would enable 
MSDF vessels to board and search ships to and from North Korea and 
urge such ships to change their destinations. 
 
The application of the law requires the identification of a 
contingency in an area surrounding Japan. The government must adopt 
a basic plan, including a specific activity area and the contents of 
such an activity, at a cabinet meeting and obtain Diet approval. 
 
The problem is the definition of a contingency, because it is 
extremely vague: "a situation in areas close to Japan that has a 
serious impact on Japan's peace and security." The provision 
envisions a possible dispute on the Korean Peninsula. However, the 
views of government officials are divided over whether this 
 
TOKYO 00005914  006 OF 012 
 
 
provision can be applied to the situation this time. 
 
Defense Agency Director General Akio Kyuma during yesterday's Upper 
House Budget Committee meeting categorically stated, "It is not 
possible to recognize the current situation as an emergency." 
 
9) Government on alert for possible terrorist activities by North 
Korean agents, instructs police, SDF to tighten security measures 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
The government yesterday raised the level of alert, based on the 
judgment that the risk of terrorist activities by North Korean 
agents has increased following Japan's imposition of strict 
sanctions on that nation. The National Police Agency (NPA) 
instructed prefectural police headquarters to strengthen their 
crisis-management and quick-response systems. It also set up a 
security headquarters under the NPA director general yesterday. In 
addition, NPA has ordered the Defense Agency (JDA) and the 
Self-Defense Force (SDF) to make preparations to be able to take 
quick action in times of emergency. 
 
North Korea remains confidence, as seen from an official's statement 
that the international community's moves toward sanctions against 
his country are tantamount to a declaration of war. In the 
government, there is a growing concern that North Korea might launch 
destructive operations in Japan in reaction to the stricter 
sanctions. As possible targets for destructive or obstructive 
operations by agents, some list power plants, communication 
facilities and transport facilities, which have a serious impact on 
the people's livelihood if they are destructed, as well as SDF and 
US military bases. 
 
In a House of Councillors Budget Committee meeting yesterday, 
National Public Safety Commission Chairman Mizote stated: "I have 
instructed prefectural police headquarters on what measures should 
be taken to prevent various types of illegal activities by North 
Korean agents, including destructive operations against Japan." 
 
The JDA issued an order under the name of Joint Staff Chief Takashi 
Saito to the Ground, Maritime and Air Self Defense Forces on Oct. 9 
to reinforce their quick-response systems. Specifically, the JDA 
includes measures to deal with an emergency, such as an increase in 
the number of personnel at each station and restrictions on SDF 
members' prolonged outings. 
 
Assuming that North Korean spy boats might appear in waters near 
Japan, if it is judged that only the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) alone 
cannot deal with the situation, the JDA plans to quickly instruct 
the Maritime Self-Defense Force to mobilize escort vessels or P3C 
patrol aircraft for joint operations with the JCG against the spy 
boats based on the Self Defense Force Law. 
 
10) Prime minister: Harsh sanctions on North Korea might destroy Kim 
regime 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
In a House of Councillors Budget Committee meeting yesterday, Prime 
Minister Abe stated, "Due to its development of nuclear weapons, 
 
TOKYO 00005914  007 OF 012 
 
 
North Korea will gradually face more severe conditions for its 
survival." He thus indicated that harsher sanctions on North Korea 
by the international community could push the Kim regime to 
collapse. 
 
The prime minister said: 
 
"North Korea, drawing international attention for arming itself with 
nuclear weapons, might have begun to believe it has grown into a 
country that can negotiate with the United States, but such a view 
is an illusion. . . . The North Korean government should make utmost 
efforts to improve the lives of its people instead of producing 
nuclear weapons." 
 
11) Upper House also adopts resolution condemning North Korea 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
In its plenary session yesterday, the House of Councillors 
unanimously adopted a resolution denouncing North Korea's nuclear 
test and calling on the North to scrap its nuclear weapons and 
nuclear program. The House of Representatives adopted a similar 
resolution on Oct. 10. The resolution condemning Pyongyang's nuclear 
development as a direct threat to the peace and safety of the entire 
Northeast Asian region, including Japan, as well as a serious 
challenge to the peace and safety of the international community. 
 
12) Government decides to invoke additional sanctions: Preemptive 
move to orchestrate Japan's independent stance with aim of 
demonstrating Abe diplomacy 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
The government yesterday evening decided to independently invoke 
additional sanctions against North Korea. It judged that by doing so 
at that time, it would be able to demonstrate the efficacy of Prime 
Minister Abe's diplomacy by issuing such while coordination of views 
on adoption of a sanctions resolution by the United Nation Security 
Council (UNSC) was entering the home stretch. Some government 
officials took the view that such sanctions should be adopted after 
the international community judged that North Korea had actually 
carried out a nuclear test. However, the government has allowed 
itself to take this risk, based on the calculation that if it waits 
any longer and the invocation of sanctions coincides with the UNSC 
adoption of a North Korea resolution, then its sanctions would lose 
their individuality. An aide to Prime Minister Abe explained the 
reason for the quick decision, "The UNSC is acting quickly. It was 
necessary for us to show that Japan is spearheading the move before 
the Council adopts its resolution." 
 
The government had originally considered the possibility of 
independently invoking sanctions as early as on Oct. 9, when Abe was 
scheduled to return home from his visits to China and South Korea. 
However, some suggested that the test might turn out to be a failure 
or North Korea might be faking the test, using conventional 
explosives. Foreign Minister Aso noted, "It is better to refrain 
from Japan alone going ahead. North Korea is claiming that it has 
carried out a nuclear test, but the possibility of its claim being 
false cannot be ruled out." 
 
 
TOKYO 00005914  008 OF 012 
 
 
Abe aims at displaying leadership in the diplomatic field, following 
the recent visits to China and South Korea. He directly ordered the 
inclusion of the abduction issue in the announcement of the 
government decision to invoke sanctions against North Korea 
regarding its nuclear test. With the two Lower House by-elections 
close at hand (voting on Oct. 22), Abe appears to be motivated by 
the desire to hold a commanding lead in the election campaigns by 
showing a resolute stance to North Korea. 
 
13) METI to strictly monitor imports of North Korean products via 
third countries 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
Following the government decision to invoke a blanket ban on imports 
from North Korea, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) 
yesterday revealed its policy of strictly monitoring possible 
imports of North Korean products via third countries. It will call 
for far-reaching country-of-origin labeling and strengthen efforts 
to crack down on false labeling. If it notices a sharp increase in 
imports of specific items from third countries after the invocation2qhp"aih Korea will conduct another nuke test will 
not go away 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
Two days has now passed since North Korea proclaimed that it had 
conducted a nuclear test. Yet, no radioactive gasses have been 
detected in the atmosphere. The government therefore remains unable 
to obtain final confirmation. Still, the government has become 
increasingly alarmed, presuming that North Korea will likely proceed 
with a second nuclear test. Despite no readouts of abnormal seismic 
waves or radioactive substances, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa 
Shiozaki, meeting the press yesterday afternoon, stressed that the 
gover&~(Uht 
on the alert, with the Self-Defense Forces flying aircraft on a 
monitoring mission. 
 
TOKYO 00005914  009 OF 012 
 
 
 
There are three reasons for such a deep-seated conjecture pointing 
to the possibility of North Korea going ahead with another nuclear 
test. 
 
First, nuclear powers tend to conduct a series of nuclear tests 
during a certain period. Nuclear testing is intended to see if 
nuclear weapons will detonate as designed. So they need to confirm 
the power of several nuclear bombs with different explosive yields 
and different detonating systems. In addition, they also need to 
detonate some nuclear bombs of the same type in order to confirm the 
quality of mass-produced weapons. 
 
Second, some sources in the international community are saying the 
underground nuclear test proclaimed by North Korea on Oct. 9 ended 
in failure. If that is true, North Korea needs to conduct another 
test and make it work right North Korea has already acquired 
technical know-how for producing nuclear weapons. Even so, the 
bomb-which North Korea tried to detonate in its Oct. 9 test-might 
have been defective. 
 
Furthermore, the US government remains cautious in confirming the 
nuclear test. As it stands, the United States seems to be 
intentionally ignoring the North Korean nuke test by remaining 
silent. This stance can be taken to mean that the United States by 
not acknowledging the fact about the nuclear test itself, will try 
to baffle North Korea's attempt to have the international community 
acknowledge that it is now a nuclear power and use this to gain an 
edge in talks it wants to pursue with the United States. 
 
If that conjecture is correct, North Korea would need to carry out 
more nuclear tests in order to advertise its success at home and 
abroad. The North Korean Foreign Ministry yesterday hinted at the 
likelihood of another test. Government officials will likely become 
edgy for a while. 
 
16) US Atsugi Naval Air Station to suspend openings of cafeterias to 
Japanese public; Taking out pizzas violates SOFA 
 
ASAHI (Page 38) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
US Atsugi Naval Air Station (Yamato and Ayase Cities in Kanagawa 
Prefecture) has decided to temporary suspend biweekly openings of 
its cafeterias since Yokohama Customs Office has complained that 
some visitors have purchased and taken out large quantities of 
pizzas, which the office claims violates the US-Japan. Status of 
Forces Agreement (SOFA), which prohibits taking tax-free items out 
of US installations. 
 
The base started on Sept. 16 the openings of cafeterias every other 
Saturdays at the proposal by the commander in the hope of deepening 
cultural exchanges with residents in the region. On the opening day, 
about 1,000 visitors came to the base to buy cheap goods. However, 
once tax-free items are taken out of the base, they become taxable. 
Base officials urged visitors not to take them out, but some 
Japanese reportedly have taken out large quantities of cheap 
pizzas. 
 
Yokohama Customs Office said that it had overlooked the issue when 
the base only carried out the openings of the pizza parlor twice a 
year -- one in spring and the other in fall. The office reportedly 
 
TOKYO 00005914  010 OF 012 
 
 
made a complaint because the number of such openings has increased. 
 
The base side reportedly is disappointed with the customs office's 
position, saying, "It is difficult to realize our objective to 
deepen cultural exchanges with regional residents." It will now only 
open its cafeterias once a month, starting in November, while 
reminding Japanese visitors not to take anything out. 
 
17) Four opposition parties band together for Okinawa election 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
Four opposition parties held a rally in Tokyo yesterday for Keiko 
Itokazu, an independent House of Councillors member who will run in 
Okinawa Prefecture's Nov. 19 gubernatorial election. The rally was 
held with the participation of opposition leaders from the 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto), the Japanese Communist Party, 
the Social Democratic Party (Shaminto), and the New Party Nippon 
(Shinto Nippon). 
 
In the rally, DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama concluded that 
the Japanese and US governments' agreement on a plan to relocate the 
US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture to a 
coastal area of Camp Schwab in Nago City was "deceitful." He 
clarified that the DPJ would do its best to win the election. 
 
18) Minshuto submits to Lower House bill revising Law to Support the 
Handicapped 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
The main opposition party Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) 
submitted yesterday to the House of Representatives a bill amending 
the Law to Support the Handicapped, which was just put into force in 
April. Main features of the bill include: suspending for the time 
being the new system under which the handicapped have to pay 10% of 
total support service charges and restore the conventional one under 
which the handicapped should pay based on their incomes. Moreover, 
in order to maintain those services, the central and regional 
municipalities would provide them with necessary assistance. 
 
Since narrowing the income gap in society is the largest opposition 
party's campaign pledge for the Oct. 22 Lower House by-elections, 
the party is trying to play up its effort by submitting the bill 
aimed at reducing the burden of the handicapped. 
 
Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama repeatedly stressed in his speeches 
 
SIPDIS 
supporting the party's candidates for the by-elections, saying: "I 
wonder how the handicapped will survive under the law. We must give 
consideration to them." A main member of the group drafting the 
revision bill said, "We considered the by-election. The bill will 
become a symbol of the party's campaign pledges for the 
by-elections." 
 
19) Special Advisor Nemoto, 10 junior bureaucrats to strengthen 
Kantei functions 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
October 12, 2006 
 
 
TOKYO 00005914  011 OF 012 
 
 
As part of effort to bolster the functions of the Prime Minister's 
Official Residence (Kantei), the government has formed a taskforce 
in charged of economic and policy affairs under the leadership of 
Special Advisor to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Fiscal Policy Takumi 
Nemoto. The group, made up of ten junior bureaucrats from the 
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Education, 
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and other ministries, is 
commonly called "Takumi Team." It is in charge of drafting specific 
strategy for economic growth. In addition to economic strategy, the 
team is looking into the possibility of promoting "an Asia Gateway" 
aimed to have Japan become a bridge between Asian and the rest of 
the world through economic, information and cultural exchanges. 
 
Nemoto underscored: "We would like to play a part of the Kantei-lead 
management and accelerate the pace of policy-making effort." 
 
However, its relations with the government's Economic and Fiscal 
Policy Council remain unclear. Nemoto has not revealed the division 
of roles, saying, "The council is an engine for the reform drive. We 
will cooperate with it. It is not necessary" to decide on how to 
cooperate. The issue will likely be resolved from now on. 
 
20) Poll: Public cautious about Abe's Yasukuni Shrine visit after 
his visits to China, South Korea 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Abridged) 
October 12, 2006 
 
Kyodo News conducted a telephone-based spot nationwide public 
opinion survey on Oct. 10-11 after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's 
recent visits to China and South Korea. The issues of historical 
perception and Yasukuni Shrine were brought up in his talks with the 
Chinese and South Korean leaders. In response to this, 56.6% 
answered that the prime minister should not visit Yasukuni Shrine, 
up 5.3%age points from 51.3% in a previous survey taken right after 
the Abe cabinet's inauguration. Meanwhile, 32.6% urged the prime 
minister to visit the shrine, down 0.4 points. 
 
Respondents were also asked if they appreciated the prime minister's 
visits to China and South Korea. In response to this question, a 
total of 83.2 answered "yes," broken down into "yes" and "yes to a 
certain extent." Negative answers-"not very much" and "no"-totaled 
13.1%. However, when asked if they thought Japan's relations with 
China and South Korea would change for the better, 35.9% answered 
"yes," with 48.7% saying they "can't say which." 
 
The public gives high marks to Abe's China and South Korea visits 
this time, during which he agreed with the two countries' leaders to 
improve relations. However, the public is increasingly cautious 
about the prime minister's Yasukuni visits, a primary factor that 
has caused Japan's relations with the two countries to go from bad 
to worse. There are not so many people taking an optimistic view of 
Japan's future relations with China and South Korea. This shows that 
the public's careful wait-and-see attitude toward the Abe cabinet, 
focusing their attention on whether it will be able to reconstruct 
Japan's Asia diplomacy. The rate of public support for the Abe 
cabinet was 62.7%, slightly down from 65.0% in a previous survey. 
The nonsupport rate was 19.5%. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the ruling 
Liberal Democratic Party stood at 43.5%, with the leading opposition 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) reaching 22.6%. The New Komeito 
 
TOKYO 00005914  012 OF 012 
 
 
party, an LDP-allied coalition partner, was at 3.5%. The Japanese 
Communist Party was at 2.2% ; the Social Democratic Party (Shaminto) 
at 1.6% ; the People's New Party (Kokumin Shinto) at 1.2% ; the New 
Party Nippon (Shinto Nippon) at 0.1% ; and none at 24.2%. 
 
SCHIEFFER