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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 000296 
 
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 01/23/07 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
Poll panic: 
4) Asahi poll: Abe Cabinet support rate sinks to record low of 39%, 
as public distances itself from prime minister's policy agenda 
5) Yomiuri poll: Abe Cabinet support rate drops 7.5 points to 48%, 
with non-support rate rising 8.9 points to 38.7% 
6) Results of Yomiuri poll show serious erosion of public confidence 
in Abe administration 
 
7) Higashi shock: LDP worried about ripple effect of loss of 
Miyazaki governorship on Upper House election 
 
8) Prime Minister Abe's upcoming Diet opening speech to stress his 
education reform program 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) in action: 
9) Minshuto head Ozawa falsely reported his political income 
10) Minshuto lawmaker Tsunoda, despite money scandal, will not 
resign his Diet post 
11) Internal coordination in Minshuto heading in direction of 
approving constitutional referendum bill 
 
Defense and security affairs: 
12) State Minister for Okinawa Takaichi, Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Shiozaki agree not to introduce local proposal revising Futenma plan 
into consultation process 
13) Vice defense minister expresses concern about China's expanding 
military power 
 
China connection: 
14) China's premier may give speech to Japanese Diet during his 
visit 
15) China courting Japanese politicians one after the other as 
steady stream of visitors head for Beijing 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Poll: Cabinet support rate drops to 39% 
 
Mainichi, Yomiuri & Akahata: 
Bid rigging also on Nagoya highway project 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to make lithium-ion batteries for cars 
 
Sankei: 
Russia steadily forming an Organization of Natural Gas Exporting 
Countries 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Nippon Oil Co. to tie up with South Korean SK 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
 
TOKYO 00000296  002 OF 010 
 
 
Asahi: 
(1) LDP, Minshuto should become reliable parties 
(2) Miyazaki governor race shows importance of vote 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Fabricated TV program: Kansai Television cannot call itself a 
media organization 
(2) Yokohama incident: Court also should clear off history 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) More than words needed to beat bid-rigging blight 
(2) Part-time Labor Law: How to establish fair treatment 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Strict investigations into companies that never end bid-rigging 
practices 
(2) Can new Miyazaki governor change the prefecture? 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Fabricated TV program: Principles of media being questioned 
(2) Gas leak in Kitami: Lax awareness invites tragedy 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Bid-rigging on subway construction: Declaration of break with 
bid-rigging was a lie 
(2) Miyazaki governor race: Political parties are too dull 
 
Akahata: 
Suicides of SDF personnel: They are suffering from Iraq war 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, January 22 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
January 23, 2007 
 
09:09 
Left his private residence in Tomigaya. 
 
09:30 
Met with Education and Science Minister Ibuki at the Kantei, 
followed by State Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy Ota. 
Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Nemoto joined. 
 
11:10 
Met with incoming and outgoing presidents of Japan Finance 
Corporation for Small Business Shosaku Yasui and Koichi Mizuguchi. 
Then met with Kang Sin Ho, chairman of the National Federation of 
Economists of South Korea. Association of South Korea. Then met with 
Jiro Nemoto, chairman of the Middle East Cooperation Center. 
 
14:07 
Attended government's Tax System Commission meeting. Then met with 
business leaders of Japan, the US and India, including JR-Tokai 
Chairman Toshiyuki Kasai. Then met with Vice Finance Minister 
Tanaka. 
 
15:02 
Met with Education Revitalization Council Chairman Ryoji Noyori, 
Vice Chairman Morio Ikeda and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister 
Yamatani, joined by Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki. Then met with 
 
TOKYO 00000296  003 OF 010 
 
 
Kita-Kyushu Mayor Sueyoshi. 
 
16:08 
Met with Assistant Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries Saka and Ando. 
Then met with Shiozaki and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shimomura. 
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matoba joined. 
 
17:06 
Met with Secretary General Nakagawa. Then attended meeting of 
cabinet ministers related to monthly economic report. 
 
18:39 
Met with Japan Business Federation Chairman Mitarai. 
 
19:08 
Met with former Ambassador to Hisahiko Okazaki, Taro Yayama, 
political commentator, and Yoshiko Sakurai, journalist. 
 
4) Poll: Cabinet support spirals down to 39% ; Policies diverge from 
public sense 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Abridged) 
January 23, 2007 
 
The approval rating for the cabinet of Prime Minister Abe was 39% in 
a telephone-based public opinion survey conducted by the Asahi 
Shimbun on Jan. 20-21, dropping from the 47% rating in a previous 
survey taken in December 2006 and failing to reach 40% for the first 
time. Meanwhile, the disapproval rating for the Abe cabinet was 37%, 
rising from 32% in the last survey. The support rate was down 
particularly among those in their 20s to 40s and among those in big 
cities. Those thinking of Abe as a politician remote from the public 
sense accounted for 50%. The Abe cabinet is pursuing economic growth 
while the leading Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) is insisting 
on correcting economic disparities. In the survey, respondents were 
asked which they thought should be prioritized. In response to this 
question, 30% picked economic growth, with 45% preferring to correct 
disparities. As seen from these figures, the Abe cabinet's policy is 
divergent from the general public's sense. This perception gap seems 
to lie behind the drop in the support rate for the Abe cabinet. 
 
The Abe cabinet made its debut with a 63% support rate in a survey 
conducted in September last year. In the following surveys, however, 
the Abe cabinet's support rate edged down. About four months later, 
its approval rating is now down to a level close to its disapproval 
rating. 
 
This time, the support rate among men was down to 36% from 45% in 
the last survey while the nonsupport rate among men was up to 46% 
from 39% in the last survey, and the disapproval rating topped the 
approval rating among men for the first time. Among women, the 
support rate was 42% while the nonsupport rate was 29%. The support 
rate among women remains higher than that among men. 
 
In the breakdown of political party supporters, the Abe cabinet's 
support rate was down from 80% to 74% among those who support the 
ruling Liberal Democratic Party and also down from 67% to 58% among 
those who support the New Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner. 
Among those who have no party to support, as well, the Abe cabinet's 
support rate was down from 27% to 24%. 
 
In the survey, those who said they did not support the Abet cabinet 
 
TOKYO 00000296  004 OF 010 
 
 
were asked why. In response, 58% said "policies." The figure is 
close to 60%, which is apparently critical of the Abe cabinet's 
corporate-oriented economic policy. 
 
Meanwhile, touched off by former Administrative Reform Minister 
Sata's resignation over his mishandling of political funds, it has 
now become clear that Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister 
Matsuoka and Education, Science and Technology Minister Ibuki also 
had problems in their way of handling political funds. In the 
survey, respondents were asked if they thought the facts of these 
problems have been brought to light. In response, 85% answered "no," 
with only 2% saying "yes." Asked if the Abe cabinet is strong and 
powerful, "yes" accounted for only 12%, with "no" reaching 67%. The 
proportion of negative views doubled from 34% in a survey conducted 
right after the Abe cabinet's inauguration. The public seems to be 
doubtful of the prime minister's ability in the midst of scandals 
involving his cabinet ministers. 
 
The LDP's support rate was 32%, down from the 36% rating in the last 
survey. It dropped substantially among those in their 20s and among 
those in big cities. The DPJ stood at 16%, slightly up from the 14% 
rating in the last survey. The proportion of those with no 
particular party affiliation increased to 45% from 41% in the last 
survey. 
 
Abe is touting constitutional revision as a point of contention for 
this summer's House of Councillors election. In the survey this 
time, respondents were asked if it would be appropriate to do so. In 
response, "yes" accounted for only 32%, with "no" reaching 48%. 
 
Meanwhile, respondents were also asked if they thought the LDP could 
win in the forthcoming upper house election under Abe. In response, 
44% answered "yes," with 28% saying "no." In response to a similar 
question about the DPJ led by its President Ichiro Ozawa, "yes" 
accounted for only 13%, with "no" reaching 61%. 
 
5) Poll: Cabinet support edges down to 48% 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
January 23, 2007 
 
The rate of public support for Prime Minister Abe and his cabinet 
was 48.4% in a face-to-face nationwide public opinion survey 
conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun on Jan. 20-21, down 7.5 percentage 
points from the 55.9% rating in last month's survey. The approval 
rating for the Abe cabinet upon its inauguration marked 70.0% in a 
survey conducted in October last year, but it dropped in the 
following three surveys and fell below 50% for the first time. The 
Abe cabinet's disapproval rating was 38.9%, up 8.9 points. 
 
The drop in the support rate can be taken as resulting from scandals 
over politics and money involving cabinet ministers as seen in the 
resignation of former Administrative Reform Minister Genichiro Sata, 
in addition to the resignation of former Government Tax Commissioner 
Masaaki Honma over his inappropriate renting of a government 
apartment for public servants. 
 
6) Abe cabinet support rate continues plummeting; Lack of leadership 
results in public distrust 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
January 23, 2007 
 
TOKYO 00000296  005 OF 010 
 
 
 
The support rate for the cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has 
again dropped. Many observers think growing public distrust in the 
Abe administration comes from poor coordination between Prime 
Minister Abe and the ruling coalition over policies and a string of 
revelations of scandals exemplifying Abe's lack of leadership. 
 
In the wake of Yomiuri Shimbun polls showing the plummeting support 
rate for the Abe administration, Liberal Democratic Party Secretary 
General Hidenao Nakagawa released a comment yesterday saying, 
"Basically, the administration has been keeping the support rate 
close to 50%." At the same time, Nakagawa indicated that the 
administration would quickly take measures for age groups with low 
rates. 
 
As the reason for not supporting the Abe cabinet, 40% of respondents 
-- the highest ratio -- cited the cabinet's political stance. 
 
New Komeito Secretary-General Kazuo Kitagawa attributed the 
plummeting support rate to a series of improprieties and the 
resignation of a cabinet minister, adding: "It's important for the 
prime minister to acutely feel public concerns and implement 
countermeasures steadily." 
 
A senior LDP lawmaker also noted yesterday: "Prime Minister Abe's 
cabinet is becoming like the leadership of former Minshuto 
(Democratic Party of Japan) President Seiji Maehara." 
 
The Maehara leadership featuring junior members was launched 
following Minshuto's major setback in the 2005 Lower House election. 
The leadership displayed poor internal party coordination skills, 
evidenced by the e-mail fiasco brought about by then Minshuto member 
Hisayasu Nagata. 
 
A junior LDP member took this view: "Prime Minister Abe has 
appointed junior members close to him as his aides, and that makes 
it difficult to coordinate things with the ruling parties. Although 
the prime minister issues orders and policies, the ruling parties 
are unable to follow them." 
 
7) Higashi shock: Switching approved candidates for upcoming Upper 
House election flaring up again? LDP concerned about defeat in 
Miyazaki gubernatorial election spilling over into Upper House 
election 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Slightly abridged) 
January 23, 2007 
 
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership yesterday was busy 
dealing with the aftermath of the landslide victory of Sonomanma 
Higashi, former TV personality, in the Miyazaki Prefecture 
gubernatorial election. The ruling parties have analyzed that the 
cause of the defeat was the split of conservative forces. If 
distrust in political parties continues to accelerate, the trend 
could spill over into the upcoming unified local elections and Upper 
House elections. Chances are that the issue of replacing approved 
candidates for those elections, though it has been settled earlier, 
could flare up again. 
 
Analyzing the defeat of the candidate backed by the LDP in the 
Miyazaki gubernatorial election, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday 
told reporters at the Prime Minister's Official Residence: "Voters 
 
TOKYO 00000296  006 OF 010 
 
 
presumably pinned hopes on Mr. Higashi reconstructing prefectural 
administration. I want the new governor to meet their expectations." 
Regarding a possible impact of the result on the Upper House 
election, Abe noted, "Local elections and the Upper House election 
are different issues. We will do it straight in the Upper House 
election." 
 
The prime minister pretended to be calm. However, LDP Secretary 
General Hidenao Nakagawa on the afternoon of the same day called 
Campaign Headquarters General Bureau Director General Yoshio Yatsu, 
First Deputy Secretary General Toshimitsu Mogi, Special Advisor to 
the Prime Minister Hiroshige Seko and others for an emergency 
meeting. He gave them an order: "The election result this time could 
affect the Upper House election. I want you to analyze how 
prefectural citizens judged and consider the appropriate way to 
endorse candidates for local elections once again." 
 
Nakagawa was quick to move because he has judged that local 
conditions were not the only factor for the LDP's devastating defeat 
in Miyazaki. What would constitute victory in the Upper House 
election are 29 single-seat constituencies. Miyazaki is one of the 
¶29. Signs of conservative forces splitting are seen in other 
single-seat constituencies as well. If the party neglects measures 
to deal with this situation, support for the LDP could split. 
 
Emerging from the emergency meeting, Yatsu said on a stern note, 
"The Upper House election should provide clear-cut options to voters 
so that they can definitely choose between yes and no without 
question. Otherwise, non-affiliated voters would not turn up at 
polling stations." Regarding the issue of changing already approved 
candidates for the Upper House election, he said, "It would be very 
difficult, but we must fully consider such a possibility." 
 
Regarding this issue, some junior and mid-ranking Lower House 
members said, "We should field candidates with a power base, 
otherwise we would not be able to win." However, there are no 
prospects for replacing officially approved candidates due to strong 
resistance from the Upper House members of the party. This issue 
could flare up again in some constituencies. Should that occur, the 
leadership's coordination capability would be put to the test. 
 
8) Prime minister's policy speech outlined; Review of "relaxed 
education" will be mentioned 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
January 23, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will deliver his first policy speech at 
the ordinary session of the Diet to be convened on Jan. 25. An 
outline of the speech was determined yesterday. On the 
revitalization of education, a high priority issue for the 
government, Abe in the speech will mention a review of the "relaxed 
education" policy and highlight a plan to modify relevant laws. He 
will also place emphasis on measures against the falling birth rate. 
The speech in this regard will include a plan to chart a 
comprehensive strategy. In order to recover the approval rating for 
his cabinet, Abe will emphasize his attitude of producing results to 
meet the public's expectations. 
 
As he mentioned at the New Year's press conference on Jan. 4, Abe 
will call this year the "first year of efforts to rebuild Japan into 
a beautiful country" in the speech. 
 
TOKYO 00000296  007 OF 010 
 
 
 
On the revitalization of education, he will indicate such plans as 
reforming the board-of-education system and amending the Teaching 
License Law in preparation for the introduction of a teaching 
license renewal system as part of measures against school bullying. 
 
On the declining birth rate, he will propose setting systems that 
will make it easy for people to get married and raise children. A 
council the government will establish shortly will reveal a concept 
for planning a comprehensive strategy. 
 
As priority tasks, Abe will also cite the reform of the Social 
Insurance Agency and stress his intention to "close, dismantle, and 
divide the agency into six sections" and streamline them for highly 
efficient operation. He will emphasize the efforts he will make to 
recover the public's trust in social security programs. 
 
On the Japanese-style white-collar exemption from overtime pay, a 
rule to exclude employees meeting given conditions from overtime 
pay, Abe will not mention this system in his policy speech in 
concrete terms, because the adoption of the system is to be 
delayed. 
 
In the speech, Abe will reiterate his resolve to amend the 
Constitution. He will reveal his intention to deepen debate between 
the ruling and opposition parties on their respective national 
referendum bills stipulating the procedures for constitutional 
revision and set the environment for the ruling parties and the 
opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto or DPJ) to unify 
their respective bills and submit a unified bill to the Diet. 
 
On economic policy, Abe will come out with a growth strategy to push 
cuts in expenditures while sustaining the growth, and he will 
stress: "I will spread the economic recovery to the household 
level." He will thus make clear his stance to counter Minshuto, 
which has zeroed in on the problem of social disparities. 
 
As the pillars of his "assertive diplomacy," Abe is expected to 
state in his speech, for instance, (1) cooperation with countries 
sharing basic values; (2) rebuilding Asia into an open region full 
of innovations; and (3) playing an active part in contributing to 
the peace and stability of the world. 
 
9) Errors found in Ozawa's political fund statements 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Abridged slightly) 
January 23, 2007 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa's fund 
management organization Rikuzan Kai made corrections under the date 
of Jan. 17 and 19 to the addresses of buildings and pieces of land 
listed on the organization's 2005 political fund report, it has been 
learned. "The problem occurred from simple administrative mistakes," 
the fund management body explained. 
 
Rikuzan Kai posted under the office expenses in the report a piece 
of land and a building at 6-28-5, Fukasawa, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo 
worth 365 million yen. There is no building or a piece of land 
corresponding to that address, and Rikuzan Kai corrected the address 
to 8-28-5, Fukasawa. 
 
"The land was purchased to make it into a dormitory for secretaries, 
 
TOKYO 00000296  008 OF 010 
 
 
a work area, and parking lots," the fund management body explained. 
A two-story wooden-steel apartment building stands on the property. 
A dormitory for married secretaries is also under construction on 
the premises. 
 
Rikuzan Kai also posted on its funds reports over the last three 
years a piece of land and a building purchased for 33.2 million yen 
in 2001 under the address of 2-2-6, Aoyama, Minato Ward. But that 
address in Aoyama, Minato Ward does not exist. In the wake of the 
Sankei Shimbun's indication, the group has changed the address to 
2-2-6, Minami-Aoyama, Minato Ward under the date of Jan. 19. 
 
In addition, the group failed to post in its fund reports the 
detailed addresses of other real estate and buildings. The Political 
Funds Control Law requires the recording of precise addresses of 
buildings and real estate. Rikuzan Kai explained: "In principle, we 
have abstained from making public the detailed addresses of 
buildings for the security of secretaries and other reasons." 
 
10) Political fund scandal: Giichi Tsunoda has no intention to 
resign from Upper House vice president post; Survey results to be 
revealed today 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 23, 2007 
 
Giichi Tsunoda of Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), who is now 
serving as vice president of the House of Councilors, failed to 
include in his report on political funds to the government 25.2 
million yen it had been donated. Regarding this issue, Tsunoda will 
explain the results of research by his party at a press conference 
today. He will express his intention not to resign as vice president 
of the Upper House, citing, "I am not responsible for the issue 
because I was not involved in drafting the political funds report," 
according to what he told a senior Minshuto member. With Tsunoda's 
explanation, the party leadership wants to put an end to the matter, 
but whether he can obtain understanding from inside and outside the 
party is uncertain. 
 
Minshuto, centering on the party's Upper House Chairman Azuma 
Koshiishi, and Tsunoda, has conducted the research since Jan. 16 
when the issue came to light. The party reportedly checked the 
process of donations through officials of its Gunma prefectural 
chapter, which Tsunoda heads. According to the findings, Tsunoda was 
not at all involved in the process of making the political funds 
report in question since then chief of secretariat of the 
prefectural chapter handled the political funds. 
 
Koshiishi and other Minshuto Upper House executives will report to 
the Upper House board meeting today the results of the research. 
Although they intend to obtain understanding from the House of 
Representatives, there is a growing view criticizing Tsunoda inside 
and outside the main opposition party. 
 
11) DPJ to undertake intra-party coordination of views to approve 
national referendum bill: Legislation could secure Diet approval 
during next regular session 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
January 23, 2007 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) has embarked on 
 
TOKYO 00000296  009 OF 010 
 
 
intra-party coordination of views on the national referendum bill, 
which stipulates procedures for revising the Constitution, with the 
possibility of approving it, provided that the ruling parties adopt 
its propositions during the upcoming regular session of the Diet to 
convene on January 25. The ruling bloc and the DPJ late last year 
agreed on a modified plan, which incorporates some DPJ propositions, 
including giving voting rights to those aged 18 or older. With the 
ruling camp expected to come up with a modified plan reflecting this 
agreement, there is now a strong possibility of the bill being 
enacted during the upcoming Diet session. 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is aiming at revising the Constitution 
during his tenure. He wants to conduct his election campaign on a 
platform of constitutional revision. He is characterizing the bill 
as one of the most important bills to be handled during the regular 
Diet session. The ruling camp is aiming for early passage of the 
legislation. 
 
The DPJ, which had recognized the need for the bill from the 
beginning, is stepping up their call for approving passage of the 
bill before Constitution Day on May 3 in order to avoid the matter 
from being made a campaign issue. 
 
12) Okinawa Affairs Minister Takaichi suggests Nago City's proposal 
be discussed 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
January 23, 2007 
 
In her meeting last night with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa 
Shiozaki at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei), Sanae 
Takaichi, state minister in charge of Okinawa affairs, told Shiozaki 
her view that the idea of drastically modify the agreement on the 
relocation of US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma reached by the 
governments of Japan and the United States should be discussed. Nago 
City, to which the air station will be relocated from Ginowan City, 
has insisted that the agreement be substantially revised. After the 
meeting Shiozaki, however, indicated the view that the government 
would reject Takaichi's proposal, telling reporters, "The government 
has no intention to take up Nago City's view at meetings." 
 
13) Defense vice minister expresses concern over China's military 
buildup 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
January 23, 2007 
 
Defense Vice Minister Takemasa Moriya in a press conference 
yesterday took this view regarding China's mass production and 
deployment of the state-of-the-art fighter Jian-10: "We are 
seriously concerned about China's military modernization. We will 
watch carefully where China will deploy the new fighter." Moriya 
also expressed concern over China's anti-satellite test, saying: "We 
will continue collecting information and analyzing things in order 
to determine China's goal in space development." 
 
14) Chinese premier to address Japanese Diet in April 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 23, 2007 
 
By Shunsuke Shigeta, Beijing 
 
TOKYO 00000296  010 OF 010 
 
 
 
The ruling camp's delegation to China, including the Liberal 
Democratic Party's (LDP) Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Toshihiro 
Nikai, yesterday met with Chinese State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan, and 
they agreed on a plan that Premier Wen Jiabao, if his visit to Japan 
in April is realized, would address the Japanese Diet. In the 
meeting, Tang suggested, "We'd like to have an opportunity for an 
exchange with Japanese Diet members on the occasion of Mr. Wen's 
tour of Japan." Nikai agreed. 
 
Wen will be the first ranking Chinese official to address the Diet 
since Secretary General Hu Yaobang did so in 1983 and National 
People's Congress' Standing Committee Chairman Peng Zhen in 1985. 
 
Regarding the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear ambitions, 
Tang stated: "A conclusion may not come out immediately, but the 
talks will surely produce results. I am optimistic." 
 
15) China reminds Japan that a visit to Yasukuni Shrine by PM is 
unacceptable, while enhancing exchanges with Japan's ruling camp 
members 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 23, 2007 
 
By Shunsuke Shigeta, Beijing 
 
Exchanges between Japanese lawmakers of the ruling camp and Chinese 
leaders are gaining momentum. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Diet 
Affairs Committee Chairman Toshihiro Nikai and other ruling party 
lawmakers met with Chinese State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan yesterday. 
Following them, LDP General Council Chairman Yuya Niwa will travel 
to China in February, and LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa in 
March. At the same time, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and 
Premier Wen Jiabao will visit Japan in February and April, 
respectively. Lying behind these exchanges seems to be China's 
intention not to give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe any opportunity to 
visit Yasukuni Shrine. 
 
Abe has not made clear whether he will visit the shrine. Owing to 
this ambiguous stance, Japan-China relations are not characterized 
at present by friction and discord as they were under the Koizumi 
administration. 
 
However, during the meeting yesterday, Tang, referring to Premier 
Wen's visit to Japan, commented: "The timing of his visit will 
coincide with a season that could give rise to a delicate issue for 
Japan-China relations." Apparently, Tang reminded Japanese lawmakers 
that (Abe) should not visit Yasukuni during the shrine's Spring 
Festival in April. The Chinese National People's Congress' Standing 
Committee Chairman Wu Banguo, too, mentioned: "A number of delicate 
issues lie between Japan and China." After the meeting, Nikai told 
reporters: "That is a matter the leaders of Japan and China should 
decide on in view of further development of the two countries' 
relations." 
 
SCHIEFFER