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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 006661 
 
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 11/22/06 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
Defense and security issues: 
4) Panel on setting up Japan's National Security Council to be 
launched today 
5) Prime Minister Abe indicates "possibility" of considering Japan 
intercepting missiles flying over headed toward the United States 
6) JDA chief Kyuma disagrees, says "impossible" for Japan to 
intercept US-bound missiles 
 
7) Abe meets Danish premier, makes pitch for EU not selling weapons 
to China 
 
Diet agenda: 
8) Education reform bills should pass Upper House today as Diet 
returns to normal following opposition's extended boycott 
9) Ruling camp recovers confidence in managing Diet as session 
returns to normal 
10) Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) in compromising mood as it 
ends Diet boycott, but deep internal turmoil, dissatisfaction with 
leader Ozawa are evident 
 
Postal rebel issue: 
11) Postal rebel representative Hiranuma will not take loyalty test 
in order to get back into the LDP 
12) Deep reluctance in the LDP toward letting back former LDP 
lawmakers who bitterly opposed Koizumi's postal privatization reform 
 
13) Will Abe give in to party pressure, popular opinion and back 
away from reinstating postal rebels into the LDP? 
 
14) WEF report: Japan ranks a dismal 79th among countries in the 
world in terms the social and economic gap between men and women 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare considers withholding national 
pension premiums from part-timers' salaries 
 
Mainichi: 
Tax revenue expected to recover to 50 trillion yen for the first 
time in six years, likely to help cut government bonds by 2 trillion 
yen 
 
Yomiuri: 
With business opportunity brought by "metabolic syndrome," Life 
insurance firms eye corporate health insurance societies 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Government's tax panel to suggest a review of the depreciation 
system so that depreciation will be entered under losses 
 
Sankei: 
Fiscal System Council to suggest abolishing addition to social aid 
for single-mother households under the policy of no sacred area for 
 
TOKYO 00006661  002 OF 012 
 
 
expenditures cuts 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Shibuya Ward to amend ordinance for providing information on the 
elderly without agreement 
 
Akahata: 
Reorganization of government-managed health insurance systems for 
small firms likely to raise premiums, cause gaps between prefectures 
with different premium rates 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Realignment of private universities: Benefits essential 
(2) Social security needs to ease requirements and help foster 
self-reliance 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Minshuto: Unreasonable "confrontation" is not good 
(2) Age of university mergers: Substance of highest educational 
institutions now questioned 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Does merger of Keio University, Kyoritsu University of Pharmacy 
herald era of realignment? 
(2) Family Day: Municipalities' reservoir of ideas needs to be 
employed 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Thorough discussions on bill amending the Basic Education Law 
necessary in Upper House, as well 
(2) Objection to payment of 7 yen per month 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Japanese version NSC: Creating an agile control mechanism 
(2) Keio University, Kyoritsu University of Pharmacy should enhance 
international competitive edge with merger 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Unification of pension systems: Not beneficial for public 
servants? 
(2) Interim results: Investment in human resources now necessary 
 
Akahata: 
Succession of bureaucrat-led collusion cases: Politics led by "all 
ruling parties" must be changed 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, November 21 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 22, 2006 
 
09:01 
Attended a cabinet meeting. Foreign Minister Aso stayed on. 
Afterward met with Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Amari, 
followed by Finance Minister Omi. 
 
09:58 
Signed in at the Imperial Palace to report his return. 
 
TOKYO 00006661  003 OF 012 
 
 
 
10:36 
Met at Kantei with LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Nakagawa. 
 
11:40 
Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki and his deputy Nemoto. 
 
14:02 
Met Nemoto, followed by Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Ota and 
others, joined in by Nemoto. 
 
15:33 
Met with Prime Minister Rasmussen of Denmark. 
 
16:45 
Met Science and Technology Minister Takaichi, Council for Science 
and Technology Policy member Hiroyuki Abe, and others. 
 
17:17 
Attended a meeting of the Council for Science and Technology 
Policy. 
 
18:13 
Met Shiozaki, followed by Administrative Reform Minister Sata, 
Cabinet Office Senior Vice Minister Hayashi, and others, joined in 
by administrative streamlining council chairman Iida. 
 
19:40 
Returned to his residence in Tomigaya. 
 
4) Abe-planned Japanese-version of NSC to be take first step toward 
launching today 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
November 22, 2006 
 
A council chaired by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to strengthen the 
functions of Kantei (Prime Minister's Official Residence) on 
national security will be launched today with the aim of 
establishing a Japanese-version of the US' National Security Council 
(NSC). The council, consisting of opinion leaders who have handled 
Japanese security crises, will discuss how to erect a national 
control tower to handle foreign and security policy affairs. A study 
on the right to collective self-defense - a challenge set forth by 
Abe -- is also expected to become a "hidden theme." 
 
In a press conference yesterday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa 
Shiozaki described the council as a group of professionals. 
 
Many members have engaged in crisis management. For instance, Nobuo 
Ishihara handled as a deputy chief cabinet secretary the crisis 
situation in the wake of the firing of a Rodong missile by North 
Korea, as well as the Great Osaka-Kobe Earthquake. Shunji Yanai was 
the first secretary general of the International Peace Cooperation 
Headquarters launched under the UN Peacekeeping Operations 
Cooperation Law, and when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on 
the US occurred, Ken Sato was serving as vice defense minister. 
 
The lineup of such members reflects Abe's intention to pursue 
pragmatic discussion. Abe also expects the former bureaucrats on the 
team to rein back their respective government ministries and 
agencies. Once the NSC is launched, it might infringe on the vested 
 
TOKYO 00006661  004 OF 012 
 
 
interests of the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Agency, and other 
agencies. 
 
A Foreign Ministry official took this view: "We will welcome the 
step if it can enhance diplomatic functions in general. It would be 
meaningless if the new body takes too much time in processing 
issues, and its functions might become paralyzed as a result." 
 
Atsuyuki Sassa, a former National Police Agency official, has 
already learned of complaints from the agency that the council is 
short on terrorism and natural disaster experts. Sassa expressed his 
eagerness for realizing the plan, saying, "We have been conducting 
the debate over the last three decades. We will do our best to live 
up to Prime Minister Abe's expectations." 
 
What Abe has in his mind is the US' 200-member National Security 
Council that is placed directly under the president. Abe has been 
developing the plan from before becoming prime minister by 
exchanging views with former American NSC staffers. In his policy 
speech, Abe unveiled a plan to build a format to allow the Kantei to 
keep close communication channels with the White House. 
 
But the prime minister's power over the cabinet ministers and the 
council members is not as strong as that held by the US president, 
who has full command of his administration. 
 
Advisor Yuriko Koike toured Britain in early November to take a 
firsthand look at the situation there. In Britain, which also has a 
parliamentary system, the Cabinet Secretariat has the power to 
undertake coordination with relevant agencies in emergency 
situations. The council intends to study matters by using the 
British model as a reference, which is regarded as relatively easy 
to introduce. 
 
The council's themes might expand once the NSC is launched. 
 
One of the members, military analyst Kazuhisa Ogawa noted: "People 
eager to launch the NSC are all aware of the need to discuss the 
question of the right to collective self-defense. Once we start 
discussing it, we might be able to reach a conclusion early." 
 
His view is that the NSC will conduct fundamental debate on Japan's 
security policy. 
 
On Sept. 29, Abe delivered a policy speech that said: "We will 
thoroughly study individual, specific cases to identify what kind of 
case falls under the exercise of the right of collective 
self-defense." 
 
Another council member said eagerly: "I would like to see the 
council reach a consensus in line with the prime minister's plan to 
study specific cases." 
 
The right to collective defense has surfaced as a "hidden theme" 
reflecting the difficulty openly discussing it in the government. 
 
In the government, there is a hopeful voice that the prime minister 
will allow the country to partially exercise the right to collective 
self-defense in order to increase the bilateral nature of the 
Japan-US alliance. The Cabinet Legislation Bureau is highly alert 
against such development. A failure to launch a government-wide 
study panel might throw the government into confusion. 
 
TOKYO 00006661  005 OF 012 
 
 
 
5) Premier to study possibility of intercepting missiles targeted at 
US 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 22, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Abe indicated last evening that he would consider 
reviewing a government statement that was released in 2003 by Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda at the time and that limited the 
scope of missile defense (MD) to Japan's self-defense only. "It 
showed a policy judgment regarding the introduction of an MD 
system," Abe told reporters at his office. In this regard, the 
premier noted that the question is whether an act of intercepting 
missiles headed for the United States falls under the category of 
collective self-defense. "We need to study its interaction with MD," 
he added. 
 
Asked about collective self-defense, Abe stressed his view, saying, 
"We need to study it in order to fulfill the responsibility of 
protecting the Japanese people's lives and property." 
 
The Fukuda statement was released along with the government's 
decision to introduce an MD system. It says: "MD is intended to 
defend Japan, so it will not be used to defend third countries. 
Accordingly, the issue of collective self-defense will not arise." 
The government will presumably study whether an act of intercepting 
ballistic missiles headed for the United States constitutes the 
defense of a third country or whether it is within the bounds of 
individual self-defense. 
 
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Japan Schieffer, when he met the press 
in October, called on Japan to reinterpret the Constitution so Japan 
will be allowed to intercept US-bound missiles with its MD systems. 
 
6) Kyuma stands off with Abe, Shiozaki over MD case studies 
 
SANKEI (Page 3) (Abridged) 
November 22, 2006 
 
Is it possible to shoot down ballistic missiles targeted at the 
United States? Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has now suggested the need 
for the government to study whether an act of cutting off US-bound 
missiles with Japan's missile defense (MD) system falls under the 
category of collective self-defense. Meanwhile, Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki has echoed Abe's advocacy of case 
 
SIPDIS 
studies. Defense Agency Director General Fumio Kyuma, however, 
negated Shiozaki's view yesterday. "We can't shoot them down," Kyuma 
said. "I don't know what situation he has in mind," the defense 
chief added. With this, Kyuma criticized Shiozaki, distancing 
himself from Abe and his top government spokesman. 
 
Abe yesterday evening implied the likelihood of reviewing the 
so-called CCS Fukuda statement, in which the government took the 
position that Japan would not use its MD system for third countries. 
"The statement showed a policy judgment when the government decided 
to introduce an MD system," Abe said. "It's a judgment as to 
specific cases, and that's the government's stance," the premier 
added. Referring to Japan's self-imposed prohibition against 
collective self-defense, Abe said the question is whether specific 
cases (such as intercepting missiles) are within the bounds of 
collective self-defense. "I mentioned that we would need to study 
 
TOKYO 00006661  006 OF 012 
 
 
interactions with MD in the government's constitutional 
interpretation," he said. 
 
US Ambassador to Japan Schieffer recently touched on the United 
States' defense role, saying, "The United States is obligated to 
shoot down missiles even if they are targeted at Japan, but Japan is 
not obligated to do the reverse." Bearing this remark in mind, Abe 
has suggested the necessity of studying whether Japan is allowed to 
cut off missiles targeted at the United States. 
 
Meanwhile, Kyuma, meeting the press yesterday, negated the 
feasibility of intercepting outbound missiles. "As a matter of fact, 
Japan's MD system cannot shoot down missiles launched at other 
countries," Kyuma said. "It's possible to defend Japan against 
inbound projectiles, but it's physically impossible to catch up with 
outbound missiles from behind," he added. 
 
7) Japan opposed to EU's calling off of arms embargo to China: Abe 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 22, 2006 
 
Prime Minister Abe met with visiting Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen 
yesterday afternoon at his office. In the meeting, the premier 
voiced his concern about China's military buildup, saying: "We need 
to pay close attention to China's arms expansion and its 
nontransparency. Japan is opposed to the European Union's lifting of 
its ban on arms exports to China." 
 
8) Basic education law revision bill to clear Diet during current 
session; Defense Agency upgrade bill to be passed through Lower 
House before end of this month 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
November 22, 2006 
 
It has now been certain that a bill amending the Basic Education 
Law, which the cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has positioned 
as top priority, will be passed by the Diet during the current 
session. As a result of intermittent discussions of the Diet Affairs 
Committee chiefs of the ruling and opposition parties, the 
opposition, which had boycotted Diet debate, agreed yesterday to 
return to deliberations today. A House of Councillors special 
committee will begin deliberations today on the education 
legislation. A bill upgrading the Defense Agency to a ministry 
statue will likely clear the House of Representatives before the end 
of this month. The ruling coalition hopes to push the two bills 
through the Diet by Dec. 15, when the ongoing session ends, while 
looking into the possibility of a minor extension of the current 
session. 
 
9) Governing parties confident about steering Diet after it returns 
to normal, aim to handle bills on priority basis 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
November 22, 2006 
 
The Diet will return to normalcy after a lapse of seven days. The 
opposition parties, which had been refusing to attend Diet 
deliberations, are now forced to turn around their stance after 
having met public criticism. The ruling parties are deepening their 
confidence in better steering the Diet in the days ahead. They 
 
TOKYO 00006661  007 OF 012 
 
 
intend to handle bills on a priority basis during the limited 
remaining days of the session of the Diet. 
 
During talks late yesterday of the Diet Affairs Committee chairmen 
from both the ruling and opposition parties, the opposition members 
called for intensive deliberations on such problems as school 
bullying at the Lower House Budget Committee. 
 
This request was, however, rejected by the ruling bloc; both sides 
eventually agreed to hold an intensive question-and-answer session 
at the Special Committee on the Basic Education Law. But only three 
hours will be devoted to this session. In addition, when to hold the 
session has yet to be determined, thereby suggesting that the 
opposition bloc was forced to concede more than the ruling bloc in 
order to put an end to the stalemate in the Diet. 
 
At a press conference after the talks, Democratic Party of Japan 
(Minshuto or DPJ) Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Yoshiaki Takagi 
revealed his resentment: "It would be good if more time were devoted 
to deliberations, but that was the best choice we were able to make 
then. It was unavoidable." 
 
The major reasons why the opposition camp has become weak-kneed were 
first of all because "Our refusal of deliberations encountered much 
severer criticism than expected," according to a Minshuto source, 
and second, because of the opposition candidate's defeat in the 
Okinawa gubernatorial election, in which the ruling and opposition 
camps faced off. There also is discord in the party over the 
boycotting strategy led by its House of Representatives members as 
its House of Councilors members were critical of the strategy. 
 
Minshuto's Upper House Caucus Secretary General Imaizumi yesterday 
afternoon met with his ruling parties' counterparts Katayama of the 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Koba of the New Komeito and 
reached a basic agreement with them to bring the Diet to normalcy. 
At that point, Minshuto's Lower House group was still continuing 
negotiations with the ruling camp; as a result, it allowed the 
ruling parties to take advantage of its discord. 
 
However, the Diet calendar is very tight for the ruling parties, 
given that there are only three weeks left before the end of the 
Diet session. 
 
10) Minshuto back to Diet, affected by defeat in Okinawa election, 
plunging deeper into internal confusion; Lack of unity exposed 
between Lower, Upper House members 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Slightly abridged) 
November 22, 2006 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) decided yesterday to return to 
Diet deliberations, two days after the defeat of the candidate 
backed jointly by opposition parties in the Okinawa gubernatorial 
election. In the deliberations between the ruling and opposition 
parties yesterday, a lack of unity was exposed between House of 
Representatives and House of Councillors members in Minshuto. Party 
head Ichiro Ozawa, with an eye to the Upper House election next 
summer, stressed that the party will uphold its confrontational 
stance against the ruling camp. But discontent is erupting within 
the party. On bills to elevate the Defense Agency (JDA) to ministry 
status, as well, the main opposition party will be pressed to make a 
hard decision, given the divided views in the party. 
 
TOKYO 00006661  008 OF 012 
 
 
 
Opposition parties had boycotted deliberations on bills amending the 
Fundamental Law of Education since Nov. 15, when the ruling camp 
forcibly took a vote in a meeting of the Lower House Basic Education 
Law Special Committee. But they agreed in a meeting of the Diet 
Affairs Committee chairmen from the ruling and opposition parties 
yesterday to return Diet proceedings to normalcy. In a press 
conference after the meeting, Minshuto Diet Affairs Committee 
Chairman Yoshiaki Takagi said with a bitter look, "It could not be 
helped." 
 
Encouraged by the victory of its-backed candidate, the ruling bloc 
assumed leadership in the meeting yesterday, even showing a 
willingness to push ahead with deliberations in the absence of the 
opposition parties. A senior ruling party member of the Diet Affairs 
Committee said, "We can now take a bullish stance. That was an 
influential election." 
 
In Minshuto, a lack of unity between Lower and Upper House members 
has also come to the surface. Although the Diet Affairs Committee 
chairmen of ruling and opposition parties were still engaged in 
deliberations in the Lower House, the secretaries general of the 
Liberal Democratic Party, Minshuto and the New Komeito agreed to 
normalize Diet proceedings yesterday. 
 
In the Upper House, Takeo Nishioka, who drafted Minshuto's proposal, 
and other opposition members called for deliberations, even while 
stressing the need to block a passage of the government-drafted 
education bills. Such independent actions, though, upset senior Diet 
Affairs Committee members of the Lower House, leaving dissension in 
the party. 
 
In a press conference at party headquarters yesterday, Ozawa said in 
a strong tone: "It is idiotic to say that we will change our 
confrontational stance because of our loss in the Okinawa election. 
Are party members in a state of gloomy depression? I don't think 
so." 
 
Some observers point out that since Minshuto joined hands with the 
Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party in the 
Okinawa election, its conservative supporters have began to distant 
themselves from the party. In response, Ozawa flatly said, "We must 
consider what we should do in order to win support from a large 
number of people. Is it possible for Minshuto alone to garner that 
number of votes?" 
 
Stung by the defeat in the Okinawa gubernatorial election, some 
Minshuto members now are expressing dissatisfaction with Ozawa for 
leading the boycott strategy. 
 
Ozawa seems to have had no choice but to agree to normalize Diet 
proceedings, giving consideration to such an atmosphere within the 
party. 
 
The next question for the opposition party is how to respond to the 
legislation to upgrade the JDA to a ministry. The ruling bloc aims 
to have the bills clear the Lower House next week. Many Minshuto 
members indicate understanding of the elevation of the JDA status, 
but the dominant view is that shedding light on the truth of the 
scandal involving the Defense Facilities Administration Agency 
should be made a condition for us to support the bills. 
 
 
TOKYO 00006661  009 OF 012 
 
 
In reference to Foreign Minister Taro Aso's remarks calling for a 
debate on a nuclear options for Japan, Ozawa categorically said, "It 
is unacceptable to dwell on his assertion, while setting important 
issues aside. It is natural to place restrictions on party debate." 
 
As one party member said, "The joint opposition struggling line has 
collapsed. We must return from a left-leaning policy course to what 
it used to be in the party." Monolithic unity in Minshuto seems to 
be slipping away. 
 
11) Postal rebels' letter asking LDP to reinstate them does not 
state whether they support postal privatization; Hiranuma says, "We 
will reject a litmus test" 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Slightly abridged) 
November 22, 2006 
 
The full text of a draft letter written by the so-called postal 
rebels calling on the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to allow them 
to rejoin the party was revealed yesterday. The postal rebels, who 
bolted the LDP after voting against the government's sponsored 
postal-privatization bills at last year's regular Diet session, are 
now considering submitting the letter to the LDP. They pledge in the 
letter that they will cooperate with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 
pushing forward his reform drive. However since the letter does not 
stipulate whether they support postal privatization, it appears to 
be difficult to convince some LDP lawmakers who are cautious about 
readmitting them to the party. 
 
The letter addressed to Prime Minister Abe states: "We would like to 
push ahead with your reform drive and contribute to the LDP's 
prosperity. We therefore ask you to let us rejoin the party." 
 
The letter does not refer to whether they support postal 
privatization, or whether they reflected on their conduct of 
violating the party rules, which party Secretary General Hidenao 
Nakagawa has called for. 
 
Takeo Hiranuma, the former trade minister who represents the group, 
demands that all former LDP lawmakers, including those who were 
defeated in the House of Representatives election last year, be 
readmitted. Therefore, he is mulling a submission of the letter 
under the names of postal rebels and those defeated in last year's 
Lower House election. 
 
Hiranuma told reporters last night in Tokyo, "We will not take a 
litmus test (on whether to support postal privatization)." In his 
meeting with Nakagawa planned for today, Hiranuma seems to be 
opposing making their support for postal privatization as a 
precondition for reinstating them. 
 
12) Hesitancy about readmitting postal rebels strong in LDP 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) 
November 22, 2006 
 
Although the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership is now 
working seriously on coordination to reinstate the postal rebels, 
there is growing hesitancy within the party about doing so. If the 
party leadership defiantly reinstates them, the group favoring the 
readmission and the other group cautious about the idea might be at 
odds. 
 
TOKYO 00006661  010 OF 012 
 
 
 
A group of freshman Lower House members held a meeting yesterday and 
decided to ask the party leadership to continue internal discussions 
on the matter. 
 
Last night a group of Lower House members not affiliated with any 
faction exchanged views with Secretary General Nakagawa. After the 
meeting, Yukari Sato told reporters, "We don't want to let voters 
down." She called for the party to exercise caution. 
 
Toranosuke Katayama, secretary general of the LDP caucus in the 
Upper House who has pushed for their reinstatement, told reporters: 
"Those who were defeated in the election should be allowed to rejoin 
the party after the incumbent lawmakers are readmitted." 
 
In an informal meeting of the Party Ethics Committee, a majority of 
16 members attending the session agreed to reinstate the postal 
rebels on the condition that they clarify their support for postal 
privatization. 
 
13) Return of postal rebels to LDP: Prime minister wavering between 
management of administration and friendship? Some lawmakers share 
political ideals with Abe; Aware of public opinion Abe unable to 
yield on sorting out issue finally 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
November 22, 2006 
 
The issue of whether to allow the return to the party of the 
so-called "postal rebels," lawmakers who seceded from the Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) to protest the privatization of postal 
services, is drawing much attention. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who 
is also president of the LDP, has been calmly watching how the 
matter develops. His approach is to relegate the issue to the party 
executive and then make a final decision, once he determines the 
direction of the party. What is his real intention though? 
 
Abe on Nov. 19 told reporters during his recent visit to Vietnam, "I 
need to have them agree with the government's policy and basic 
approach before they can be allowed to return to the LDP. Otherwise, 
the public would find it difficult to understand. I have made it 
clear that postal privatization is a done deal." Abe thus for the 
first time said categorically that approving postal privatization is 
a precondition for their return to the party. 
 
Many postal rebels otherwise share the prime minister's conservative 
political ideals. 
 
An example of one such lawmaker is former Economy, Trade and 
Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma. Before he left the LDP, he worked 
together with Abe in their effort to block the submission of the 
human rights protection legislation to the Diet. Many view that the 
prime minister must be eager for the return of Hiranuma, as one LDP 
source put it. In fact, many postal rebels might have assumed key 
posts under the Abe administration, if they had not left the party. 
 
Presumably out of such feelings, the prime minister in late October 
took a positive stance toward the return of postal rebels, noting, 
"I would like party leaders, starting with the secretary general, to 
consider what response the party should make to those who share our 
views." With this comment, the issue of allowing the return of 
postal rebels has taken on a realistic touch in one sweep. 
 
TOKYO 00006661  011 OF 012 
 
 
 
However, the matter is not as simple as that. Hiranuma is still 
against postal liberalization. Postal privatization is the symbol of 
reform, which Abe inherited from the Koizumi administration. If Abe 
forces his will on the party, allowing postal rebels to return to 
the LDP without wiping the slate clean on the main issue, the act 
would give the country the image of being contrary to reform. The 
public would then be bound to react negatively. 
 
In November, Abe added another precondition, saying, "I want to 
reach a judgment, while taking into consideration the voices of 
party members and the Japanese people." On the 19th, he added 
another precondition that they need to approve postal privatization. 
It is clear that aware of views against their return to the party 
seen in public opinion and among party members, Abe is gradually 
adding stricter conditions. 
 
Many aides to Abe rather take the position that the issue must be 
dealt with in a cautious manner, but they are unable to fathom what 
the prime minister, who is pondering the issue on his own, really 
thinks. Though his aides say that the prime minister's mind is 
divided on the matter, he appears to be agonizing over it, 
sandwiched between the need to manage his administration and his 
friendships. 
 
Compared with former Prime Minister Koizumi, who carried through his 
policy with iron-heartedness, Abe is said to have tender feelings. 
What decision will he reach in the end? 
 
14) Japan ranks 79th in terms of gender disparities in survey of 115 
nations on economy, education, health, politics: Scandinavian 
countries occupy upper echelon 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
November 22, 2006 
 
The World Economic Forum (WEF), based in Geneva, on Nov. 21 released 
a report on a survey of 115 countries on gender disparities. 
Scandinavian countries, such as Sweden, occupied the upper echelon 
of the list of countries with fewer disparities. Japan ranked 79th. 
 
The WEF conducted the survey by creating indices for data in four 
fields - the economy (income and professional positions), education 
(employment and higher education rates), health (life expectancy), 
and politics (ratio of women to men in cabinets and legislative 
bodies) - based on the statistics of the surveyed governments and 
international organizations, and results of hearings it conducted 
independently, and compared them. It adopted a ranking system for 
the second time following last year. However, since a different 
method was taken in the previous survey, which targeted only 60 
countries, no comparison was made with the results of the previous 
survey. 
 
Scandinavian countries - Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland - 
occupied the top four slots, because gender disparities in the 
political and economic fields were smaller in those countries. Japan 
ranked first in the health area but came in 83rd in the economic 
area, 59th in the education area, and 83rd in the political area. 
 
The WEF has created indices for gender disparities of each of the 
115 countries in terms of economic opportunities and advancement 
into society in their own countries. It says that the level of 
 
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economic development of the surveyed countries has not been taken 
into account. For this reason, the Philippines ranked sixth, as its 
gender disparities in the economic, educational, and health fields 
were small, pushing up its total points. 
 
Ranking of countries with fewer gender disparities 
 
1.Sweden; 2. Norway; 3. Finland; 4. Iceland; 5. Germany; 6. The 
Philippines; 7. New Zealand; 8. Denmark; 9. Britain; 10. Ireland; 
¶22. US; 49. Russia; 63. China; 70. France; 79. Japan; 92. South 
Korea; 98. India; 115. Yemen. 
 
SCHIEFFER