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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 000343 
 
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 01/25/07 
 
 
Index: 
 
Kyuma report: 
1) Defense Minister Kyuma criticizes Pres. Bush, calls starting Iraq 
war was a "mistake" 
2) Kyuma willing to allow Japan to conditionally export weapons to 
countries other than US 
 
3) Minato ward officials ask for early reversion of USFJ's heliport 
at Roppongi in downtown Tokyo 
 
4) Asahi poll; 78% of the public say they have "patriotic" feelings, 
but 88% of them also admit Japan should "reflect" on its wartime 
past 
 
Russia connection: 
5) Japan, Russia share view that northern territorial issue can be 
solved through dialogue 
6) First strategic dialogue between Japan, Russia ends on a high 
note 
 
7) Yachi diplomacy: Vice foreign minister traveled to six countries 
last year, worked to repair Japan's ties with China, ROK 
 
8) Japan to run for non-permanent seat in 2008 since Mongolia has 
stepped aside 
 
9) Political fund management office expenses under new LDP rules 
will require receipts on items over 50,000 yen 
 
Beef trade: 
10) US beef not making expected comeback, with import share still 
less than 10% of pre-ban, due to consumer shift to Australia beef 
and to pork 
11) US asking Japan to ease beef import restriction to allow meat 
from cattle 30 months of age 
 
Education reform: 
12) Abe administration to present three education-reform bills to 
Diet 
13) Education policy clique in the Diet unhappy with new education 
reform proposals 
 
Articles: 
 
1) Kyuma raps Bush for "wrong decision" over Iraq war 
 
TOKYO (Page 2) (Full) 
January 25, 2007 
 
Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma expressed a critical view of the Iraq 
war in his speech delivered yesterday in Tokyo, saying US President 
Bush launched the war while assuming Iraq had weapons of mass 
destruction. "I think that decision was wrong," Kyuma said. 
 
Kyuma has been critical of the Iraq war. However, it is unusual for 
a Japanese cabinet minister to criticize a US president's policy 
decision. 
 
"In those days, I said the prime minister should have said Japan 
understands the United States going to war," Kyuma said, adding, "I 
still think so." With this, Kyuma raised a question again over the 
 
TOKYO 00000343  002 OF 009 
 
 
Koizumi cabinet's support for the Iraq war. 
 
In connection with the issue of relocating the US Marine Corps' 
Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, in the process 
of realigning US forces in Japan, Kyuma stressed that the government 
would like to go ahead with an environmental assessment of a coastal 
area of Camp Schwab in the northern Okinawa city of Nago as the site 
for the planned relocation of Futenma airfield. "We will hold talks 
(with Okinawa) premised and based on the V-shaped airstrips plan (as 
agreed between the Japanese and US governments)," Kyuma said. 
 
2) Kyuma supports expanding exceptional framework for arms exports 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 25, 2007 
 
Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma, addressing the Japan National Press 
Club yesterday, suggested the need for Japan to review its 
self-imposed three principles on weapons exports, which prohibit 
Japan from exporting weapons in principle. "I think it's all right 
for Japan to be allowed to work together with the United States and 
Europe for joint research to develop universal weapons 
technologies," Kyuma said. The government, in its statement released 
in 2004 by the then chief cabinet secretary, excepted Japan's joint 
development and production of weapons technologies relating to 
missile defense with the United States. However, there are strong 
calls from within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party for expanding 
this exceptional framework for weapons exports to countries other 
than the United States. Kyuma's remark tuned in to the LDP side. In 
addition, Kyuma raised a question about the United States' decision 
over the Iraq war, saying, "I think the decision was wrong." 
 
3) Ward chiefs ask municipality for early reversion of US forces' 
heliport at Roppongi 
 
YOMIURI (Page 31) (Full) 
January 25, 2007 
 
There has been an agreement among the central government, Tokyo 
municipal government, and the US Forces Japan to allow the continued 
use of the heliport at Roppongi, Minato-ku, that has been provided 
to the US forces on a provisional basis in return for the reversion 
of an adjacent portion of land as a substitute. Upon learning of 
this agreement, Masaharu Takei, the head of Minato District, and 
Tosan Kishida, president of the district assembly, visited the Tokyo 
Municipal Building on Jan. 24 to present a petition seeking efforts 
to obtain a full and early reversion of the Akasaka Press Center 
facility, including the heliport. 
 
Regarding the tripartite agreement, the written petition stressed: 
"We cannot accept the fact that the land being used provisionally as 
a heliport will not be restored to its original state and returned." 
 In addition, the petition touched on the agreement signed between 
the municipality and the US forces to jointly use the heliport 
during a natural disaster or the like, stating, "We have strong 
concerns that this will lead to the expanded functions of the US 
military base and its permanency." 
 
4) Poll: 78% feel "patriotism" toward Japan 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 25, 2007 
 
TOKYO 00000343  003 OF 009 
 
 
 
An estimated 80% of the Japanese people believe they have patriotic 
feelings toward Japan and 90% of them think Japan should reflect on 
its acts of aggression and colonial rule in Asia during the past 
war, the Asahi Shimbun found from its face-to-face public opinion 
survey. Japan' relations with China and South Korea have been soured 
by gaps in views on historical issues. However, it may safely be 
said that the greater part of the Japanese people has a coolheaded 
view of Japan's wartime history, while feeling a patriotic spirit. 
 
The survey was conducted Dec. 2-3 last year with a total of 3,000 
persons chosen from among the nation's voting population. 
 
In the survey, respondents were asked if they thought having been 
born in Japan was a good thing. In response to this question, 94% 
answered "yes." They were also asked if they had feelings of 
patriotism toward Japan. In response, those who answered "yes" added 
up to 78%, broken down into 20% for "very much" and 58% for 
"somewhat." The proportion of "yes" answers tends to be less among 
the young. But even among people in their 20s, it was 63%, far 
higher than the 37% who answered "no." When it comes to those who 
answered they had "very high," feelings of patriotism, however, 
those in their 20s to 40s averaged around 10%. As seen from this 
figure, strong patriotism was not very high in those age brackets. 
 
Among those who answered they thought it was good to be born in 
Japan, the proportion of those who had a "high" level of patriotic 
feelings toward Japan accounted for 21% and "somewhat" for 60%, both 
higher than the total averages. These figures mirror their sentiment 
of feeling that they like the Japan where they were born, and this 
feeling has led them to feel patriotic. 
 
When asked if Japan should reflect on its acts of aggression and 
colonial rule, those who answered "yes" totaled 85%, broken down 
into 32% of those who answered "very much" and 53% who said 
"somewhat." There was almost no generational perception gap on this 
question. Among those who have patriotic sentiment, the proportion 
of those who think Japan should reflect on its past conducts was 
88%, higher than the total average. Among those who are highly 
patriotic, the proportion of those who think Japan should 
self-reflect very much on its past conducts was 39%, topping the 
total average. 
 
Respondents were further asked if patriotism should be taught at 
school. In response, the proportions of affirmative and negative 
answers were close to each other, with "yes" accounting for 50% and 
"no" reaching 41%. In addition, "yes" outnumbered "no" among those 
in their 50s and older, and vice versa among those in their 40s and 
younger. As seen from these figure, public opinion split over the 
advisability of teaching patriotism at school. 
 
5) Japanese, Russian foreign ministers agree to try to settle 
territorial issue through talks 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
January 25, 2007 
 
Kurashige, Moscow 
 
Administrative Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi and Russian First 
Vice Foreign Minister Denisov wound up the two-day first strategic 
talks in Russia on Jan. 24. Both sides agreed to record the talks as 
 
TOKYO 00000343  004 OF 009 
 
 
important start on a new page. On the Northern Territories issue, 
they confirmed that the two countries would try to find a solution 
by exchanging views. The two also agreed to hold the next round of 
talks in Japan this year. 
 
In reference to bilateral relations between Japan and Russia, Yachi 
said, "Despite the efforts by leaders and peoples of the two 
countries, the relations were not so bright," stressing the 
importance of continued dialogue. Denisov replied, "We would like to 
accelerate work to build a partnership with Japan." 
 
6) Only general arguments exchanged on territorial issue in first 
Japan-Russia strategic talks 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 25, 2007 
 
The first strategic talks of vice foreign ministers from Japan and 
Russia in Moscow ended on Jan. 24. In the two-day talks, both sides 
exchanged views on a wide range of areas, such as economic 
cooperation and defense exchanges, but on the Northern Territories 
issue, only general arguments were exchanged. The next session is 
expected to take place in Japan around the summer. Whether both 
sides will be able to develop an environment to move the territorial 
issue forward through repeated dialogue is likely to hold the key to 
whether a Russia visit by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be 
arranged. 
 
Mutual visits between the Japanese and Russian leaders have been 
suspended since President Putin came to Japan in 2005. The G-8 
summit in 2006 was held in St. Petersburg, Russia, and (then) Prime 
Minister Junichiro Koizumi attended it, but the visit was not 
official. In view of diplomatic courtesy, Prime Minister Abe's visit 
to Russia should come next. 
 
But there are no prospects in sight. The Japanese Foreign Ministry 
has taken a cautious stance about a prime ministerial visit to 
Russia, a senior official saying: "If the territorial issue remains 
stalled, (even if the prime minister visits Russia), Japan will only 
be criticized. It is impossible to easily use the card of a Russia 
visit by the prime minister." Japan intends to wait for the next 
move by Russia, which has taken a tough stance. 
 
The prolonged suspension of mutual visits by the Japanese and 
Russian leaders is also undesirable for Russia in terms of 
investment from Japan. The Foreign Ministry plans to persistently 
continue talks until arrangements are made for a visit by prime 
minister to Russia, based on the view that mutual understanding 
deepened in the strategic talks." 
 
7) Vice Foreign Minister Yachi a key player to determine prime 
minister's destiny 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
January 25, 2007 
 
Foreign Ministry's Administrative Vice Minister Shotaro Yachi, 63, 
played up his presence in the first strategic dialogue between Japan 
and Russia. He has represented Japan in negotiations in promoting an 
"assertive Japanese diplomacy," as aimed at by Prime Minister Abe. 
The top bureaucrat making use of his contacts in various circles is 
a mild-mannered man with a genuine conservative philosophy. However, 
 
TOKYO 00000343  005 OF 009 
 
 
he is capable of brave and bold action. He is unique and 
distinctive. 
 
Yachi called on Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on Jan. 23 and 
discussed with him a variety of themes, including North Korea, Iran, 
and UN reform. The meeting lasted for 70 minutes, though it had 
initially been arranged for 30 minutes. He was treated as if he were 
foreign minister, an accompanying source saying, "Such a posture of 
the other side represents its willingness to treat Japan with 
respect." 
 
It is quite rare for an administrative vice minister to directly 
engage in diplomatic negotiations. Yachi, though, visited six 
countries last year. He made arrangements for the tour of China and 
South Korea by Prime Minister Abe last October. He has close ties 
with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, and they sometimes 
go to karaoke bars together. 
 
Yachi is also gutsy, in a sense. When relations between Japan and 
South Korea became strained over South Korea's radiological 
investigation in waters near the Takeshima/Dokdo islets last 
September, he visited Seoul and presented a 20-centimeter-thick 
batch of documents to Foreign Affairs and Trade Vice Minister Yoo, 
claiming: "The South Korean government's proceedings are against 
international law. If Japan brings the case to trial, Japan will 
win." As a result, he succeeded in securing the other side's 
agreement on a joint survey. 
 
When Yachi was promoted to assistant deputy chief cabinet secretary 
from Comprehensive Foreign Policy Bureau director general of the 
Foreign Ministry in 2002, Shinzo Abe was deputy chief cabinet 
secretary. In dealing with North Korea's abduction issue, Yachi 
 
SIPDIS 
found himself on the same wavelength with Abe, who has called for 
applying pressure on the North. Even now, Prime Minister Abe meets 
alone with Yachi once or twice a week. He is an unprecedented 
"incumbent policy advisor" to the prime minister. 
 
Seeing the Abe administration's popularity plunging, some members in 
the administration insist that there will be no other means but to 
score points with diplomatic efforts. Yachi is indisputably a key 
player in determining the prime minister's destiny. 
 
8) Mongolia gives in to Japan concerning election for UNSC 
nonpermanent seats in 2008: Japan to declare candidacy 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
January 25, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Abe yesterday exchanged views on United Nations 
reform on the phone with Mongolian President Enkhbayar. The 
president conveyed his nation's decision not to run in the election 
for nonpermanent seats on the United Nations Security Council to 
take place in the fall of 2008 and asked Japan to come forward. 
Responding to the request, the prime minister announced his desire 
for Japan to run in the election. Iran is expected to announce 
candidacy in the Asian framework. However, the UNSC has adopted a 
sanctions resolution against that nation for its nuclear program. As 
such, the government views that Japan stands a good chance of 
becoming a nonpermanent member in 2009. 
 
Abe on the evening of the same day told reporters at the Prime 
Minister's Official Residence, "We want to fulfill our 
 
TOKYO 00000343  006 OF 009 
 
 
responsibility in response to Mongolia's favor." 
 
The UNSC consists of five permanent member nations and 10 
nonpermanent members. The tenure of nonpermanent members is two 
years. Elections take place every year to replace half the 
nonpermanent members. However, reelection for two consecutive terms 
is banned. Of the 10 seats, two are allocated to Asia, three to 
Africa, one to East Europe, two to Latin America and two to Western 
Europe and other regions. 
 
The next step is undertaking coordination with Iran to choose a 
single candidate from the Asian framework. If the coordination 
fails, the one that obtains more than two-thirds of valid votes in 
the UN General Assembly will be elected. A senior Foreign Ministry 
official noted in confidence that even if an election takes place, 
Japan stands a good chance, because even if China is opposed, it 
cannot exercise a veto. 
 
9) Political management office expenses: LDP to revise Political 
Funds Control Law aiming at requiring politicians to attach receipts 
-- 50,000 yen or more each case - to political funds reports 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
January 25, 2007 
 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka and 
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Bunmei 
Ibuki reported huge amounts of money as their political management 
office expenses in their reports on political funds to the 
government, even though they used rent-free offices in a Diet 
members' building. In connection with this issue, the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) has adopted a policy line of revising the 
Political Funds Control Law designed to require the attachment of 
receipts for expenses of 50,000 yen or more each to political funds 
reports. 
 
In an attempt to play up its efforts dealing with the issue of 
"politics and money" in the July House of Councilors election, the 
LDP leadership is now carrying out coordination within the party and 
its junior coalition partner, New Komeito, aiming at amending the 
law during the regular session of the Diet, which convenes today. 
The LDP reform implementation headquarters began yesterday 
discussion of amending the law at the compliance subcommittee. 
 
The Political Funds Control Law classifies the expenses of a 
political management organization into operating expenses, including 
office expenses, utility charges, and labor costs; and political 
activity expenses such as election related costs and organizational 
activity expenses. Under the law, politicians are obliged to submit 
receipts when they used 50,000 yen or more for each political 
activity, but there is no obligation to attach any receipts to a 
report on operating expenses, just to list total amounts. 
 
10) Store meat cases without US beef become familiar; Imports after 
reinstatement of trade are less than 10% of pre-ban level; Customers 
shifting to Australian beef and to pork 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
January 25, 2007 
 
It has been six months since the Japanese government decided to 
resume US beef imports on July 27 last year. The import level after 
 
TOKYO 00000343  007 OF 009 
 
 
the import resumption is now less than 10% of the pre-ban monthly 
average recorded in December 2003. Only a limited number of 
retailers deal with US beef. Yoshinoya beef bowl restaurant chain 
has put back beef bowls on its menus, but they are served only at 
lunchtime. With more supermarkets, whose main customers are 
safety-sensitive housewives, having switched to Australian products, 
store-shelves without US beef are now a familiar scene. Beef 
consumption by Japanese customers is undergoing a change, as can be 
seen in the fact that overall consumption of imported beef has 
dropped. 
 
Trade statistics show that imports of US beef last November stood at 
approximately 1,600 tons. The average monthly import before the ban, 
which was introduced following the discovery of a BSE-infected cow 
in the US, was 20,000 tons. 
 
Food supermarket chain Top, head office in Setagaya, Tokyo, has 
resumed sales of US beef. At present its 14 stores can only secure 
about 300 kg a week. It means each store can only get 70 packs 
containing 300 grams of beef. They are sold out in a day at some 
stores. 
 
Few stores sell US beef. US beef accounted for 15% of the beef Aeon 
sold before the ban. However, the store has put off a decision on 
whether to purchase US beef citing that it wants to determine 
whether it is safe to buy US beef. Leading supermarket chains remain 
cautious, noting that they do not hear strong requests from 
customers for US beef. 
 
US beef has disappeared from store shelves. What has replaced it? 
 
Low-priced US beef used to be popular in Japan. However, following 
the end of the import ban, demand for US beef remained low. 
According to the Agriculture & Livestock Industries Corporation 
(ALIC), domestic consumption of beef dropped from 904,000 tons in 
fiscal 2003 to 809,000 tons in fiscal 2004. Consumption of domestic 
beef dropped by 2,000 tons to 355,000 tons, but consumption of 
imported beef dropped even more -- 17% from 546,000 tons. 
 
However, sales of Australian products have grown. Of the beef 
purchased by food supermarket chain Inageya in October 2002, 12% was 
from Australia and 8% was US products, but it has gradually shifted 
to Australian products. Now the share of Australian beef is 24%. 
Live Corporation noted that the "US been has been entirely replaced 
with Australian products." 
 
There was a strong image among Japanese costumers that the texture 
of Australian beef was dry. Cattle fed on grain, whose red meat 
contains fat, have increased in Australia. Inageya said that this 
type of meet caters to the taste of Japanese consumers, leading to 
the increased sales. 
 
11) US applying pressure for eased standards, insisting on 
introduction of 30-months-or-younger rule; Japan says it is too 
early to ease standards 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Full) 
January 25, 2007 
 
The US government has begun strengthening pressure on Japan in 
pursuit of eased import standards applied to its beef. Its point is 
that the current standard that since only beef from cattle aged 20 
 
TOKYO 00000343  008 OF 009 
 
 
months or younger can be imported for the prevention of BSE is 
strict in light of international guidelines, it should be revised 
now that six months have passed since the removal of the import ban. 
The Japanese government remains firm on its present stance, noting 
that it is too early to discuss the possibility of reviewing the 
standard. 
 
When Agriculture Minister Matsuoka visited the US in the middle of 
this month, US Secretary of Agriculture Johanns and other officials 
strongly called on Japan to ease the standard and adopt a 
30-months-or-younger rule. It was discovered yesterday that the US 
government had continued to seek an early easing of the standard in 
writing even after that. The Japan-US agreement on US beef 
stipulates that the Japanese side checks whether the US side is 
observing conditions set for products exported to Japan during the 
six months after the removal of the import ban. The US position is 
that since this monitoring period ends this month, Japan should ease 
the import standards. However, the Japanese government is cautious 
about the idea of revising the standards, including further 
inspections of facilities from where products are shipped to Japan, 
with an Agriculture Ministry official noting, "We have yet to 
conduct inspections of the US export system." 
 
12) Prime Minister Abe to submit three education reform bills to 
regular Diet session based on education reform panel's interim 
report 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
January 25, 2007 
 
At a meeting yesterday of the Education Rebuilding Council headed by 
Ryoji Noyori, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe revealed his intention to 
submit to a regular session of the Diet to start today a set of 
three bills related to education reform, including a bill revising 
the school education law aimed at a review of the so-called 
pressure-free education system and the introduction of a teachers' 
license renewal system. He ordered to the ruling coalition and the 
education ministry to draft legislation, aiming at passing the bills 
through the Diet during the regular session. The education reform 
panel adopted in its meeting yesterday the first interim report 
stipulating such proposals as increasing classroom hours by 10%. The 
panel then handed it to Abe. 
 
Main points of education reform panel's interim report 
 
7 Review the cram-free education and increase classroom hours by 10% 
 
7 Utilize a system to suspend offending students from school and 
support them recovery 
7 Treat excellent public school teachers by increasing pays and 
promotion 
7 Introduce a teachers' license renewal system 
7 Set up a third-party organ to assess schools 
7 Review the boards of education and integrate them that 
municipalities with the population of 50,000 or less 
 
13) Education policy clique unhappy with education reform panel's 
primary report 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
January 25, 2007 
 
 
TOKYO 00000343  009 OF 009 
 
 
Many in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), particularly 
lawmakers representing educational policy interests, expressed 
unhappiness with a primary report compiled by the government's 
Education Rebuilding Council. The report calls for a review of the 
so-called pressure-free education system. The education policy 
clique appears to have sought to check the Prime Minister's Official 
Residence's initiative in reforming the education system. 
 
The LDP and its coalition partner, New Komeito were briefed last 
evening by Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Education Eriko 
Yamatani on the report at the ruling camp's education rebuilding 
study panel headed by Tadamori Oshima. The meeting lasted two hours, 
but the panel put off approval to the next session. 
 
Many LDP lawmakers, who have advocated the pressure-free education 
system, made specific requests of Yamatani, with former education 
minister Takeo Kawamura saying, "Rejecting the pressure-free 
education system does not lead to reform of education." 
 
At the meeting, the fact that Prime Minister directed Education 
Minister Bunmei Ibuki to submit to the regular Diet session to be 
convened today a set of three bills, including a review of the 
school teachers' license system came under the lash. New Komeito 
Acting Chief Representative Toshiko Hamayotsu warned: "I want the 
prime minister to let the ruling coalition to discuss the bills 
before submitting them." 
 
SCHIEFFER