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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 000036 
 
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//07 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
4) LDP's Taku Yamasaki off to Pyongyang today in personal effort to 
find clues to resolution of nuclear, abduction issues 
 
China connection: 
5) China's President Hu Jintao in meeting with New Komeito head Ota 
effectively using Japan-visit card to contain Yasukuni issue 
6) Text of conversation between Ota, Hu in Beijing 
 
7) Prime Minister Ave, Foreign Minister Aso leave on separate trips 
to Europe today, with aim of expanding exchanges with NATO on agenda 
 
 
8) Japan to present new proposal for UNSC reform that would add six 
seats, take US concerns into consideration 
 
Defense and security ties: 
9) Japan, US to issue joint statement that will include goal of 
strengthening relations with NATO 
10) Foreign Minister Aso, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki dismiss 
JDA chief Kyuma's call for a revision of the Futenma relocation plan 
 
11) Senior Pentagon official, dismissing JDA chief's call, rules out 
revision of V-shaped runway plan for Futenma relocation 
12) New unit at Yokota to strengthen military functions at the base 
 
13) Governor Ishihara announces agreement by US forces to cooperate 
with city's plan in case of a natural disaster 
14) US seeking Japan's cooperation in area of laser-guided missile 
intercept system 
15) LDP bill to allow limited military use of outer space, including 
intelligence gathering 
 
16) Mainichi poll of voters: 40% expect LDP to with summer Upper 
House election; 38% favor DPJ 
 
17) Agricultural Minister Matsuoka now admits contact with shady 
organization that sought help to get NPO status and provided 
unreported political donations 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry to establish new drug-oriented 40 
hospitals for speedy approval 
 
Mainichi: 
Ruling and opposition blocs agree to revise child abuse law to 
specify parental responsibility 
 
Yomiuri: 
Lawmaker Eto's secretary collected over 100 million yen as 
subscription fees from local firms in nine years 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
 
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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01//07 
 
Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry eyes fixed-rate, 
per-hospitalization system to raise efficiency in medial care 
 
Sankei: 
Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry to keep closer eye on 
unscrupulous firms abusing foreign trainees 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Land and Transport Ministry to obligate large vehicles to tighten 
bolts in inspections starting in April for preventing accidents 
 
Akahata: 
JCP, local residents succeed in revising Kita Ward's criteria for 
home-visit caretakers for the aged 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Attacks on homeless people mirror decaying morals 
(2) Welfare system requires mutual assistance 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Cooperation essential for international situation 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Time right for overhaul of education system 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Given dropping birthrate, domestic-demand-oriented industries 
need realignment 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Abe, Aso off to Europe to kick of strategic diplomacy 
(2) Market testing requires strong political leadership 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Thoughts at beginning of year: Strategic China essential 
 
Akahata: 
(1) White-collar exemption, a corporate crime, must not be allowed 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, January 8 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
January 9, 2007 
 
Morning 
Stayed at his private residence in Tomigaya. 
 
13:39 
Went to the fitness club at Park Hyatt Tokyo. 
 
16:44 
Arrived at his private residence. 
 
19:30 
Arrived at residence in Kantei. 
 
4) Yamasaki to visit N. Korea today 
 
 
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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01//07 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
January 9, 2007 
 
Taku Yamasaki, former vice president of the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party, arrived yesterday in Beijing, China, on a Chinese 
plane from Narita Airport. Yamasaki is expected to visit Pyongyang, 
North Korea, today. Ryotaro Tanose, senior vice secretary general of 
the party, will accompany Yamasaki to Pyongyang. During his stay in 
Pyongyang, Yamasaki will meet with North Korean officials and would 
like to grope for a clue to resolve pending bilateral issues, such 
as the issue of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea. 
 
According to informed sources, Yamasaki will meet with Chinese Vice 
Foreign Minister Wu Dawei this morning to exchange views about North 
Korea. After that, Yamasaki will head for Pyongyang, the sources 
say. Yamasaki plans to stay in North Korea for 4-5 days to meet with 
North Korean officials, he told the Mainichi Shimbun before leaving 
Japan. Tanose pointed to the lack of dialogue in Japan's policy 
toward North Korea. "So," he added, "we'd like to make up for 
that." 
 
5) Chinese president plays Japan-visit card effectively: Aim may be 
to contain Yasukuni Shrine visit by Abe 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
January 9, 2007 
 
Beijing, Takeshi Kumon 
 
Chinese President Hu Jintao indicated his desire to visit Japan at 
an early date, but he did not touch on a specific timeframe. This is 
presumably because he is aiming at probing Prime Minister Shinzo 
Abe's stance toward improving relations between Japan and China. 
Hu's refraining from mentioning any specific timeframe for his 
possible Japan visit also glimpsed his motive to contain the prime 
minister's visit to Yasukuni Shrine using a Japan-visit card in an 
effective manner. Though Abe's visit to China last October marked 
the first step in resuming exchanges of the leaders of the two 
countries, Hu's response epitomizes the current situation where 
there still remains the thorny Yasukuni Shrine issue between the two 
countries. Hu noted to New Komeito head Akihiro Ota, "Please convey 
to Prime Minister Abe that I will be happy to accept his invitation 
to visit Japan." The meeting between Hu and Ota was enveloped in an 
amicable and relaxed atmosphere all the way to the end. Hu did not 
directly refer to the Yasukuni issue. He instead gave high scores to 
the prime minister's visit to China last October, noting, "Our 
meeting wound up successfully, overcoming political obstacles. We 
have thus resumed high-level talks." However, he did not give any 
assurance about a timeline for his own visit to Japan to the end. 
 
Yasukuni Shrine enshrines Class-A war criminals along with the war 
dead. China's opposition to former Prime Minister Junichiro 
Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine, which took place six times, has 
chilled bilateral relations to this extent. Abe is taking an 
ambiguous strategy toward his own visit to Yasukuni, saying, "I will 
not reveal whether I had visited it or not." However, the Chinese 
side is hardly satisfied with such an explanation. 
 
6) Main points of talks between New Komeito head Ota and Chinese 
President Hu Jintao 
 
YOMIURI (Page 21) (Full) 
 
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January 9, 2007 
 
Shozo Nakayama, Beijing 
 
Japan-China relations 
 
New Komeito Representative Ota: Nearly 100 days have passed since 
the Abe cabinet came into being. The most important matter during 
that time was to improve relations with China. Prime Minister Abe is 
pleased to see his recent visit to China appreciated. The prime 
minister has a strong desire to mend relations with China. He hopes 
President Hu will visit Japan as soon as possible. He will be happy 
if you visit Japan, for instance, in June. 
 
President Hu: Improvement and progress in Japan-China relations will 
lead to bringing peace, stability, and development to Asia and the 
rest of the world. I accept your invitation with great pleasure. I'd 
like to visit Japan at a time convenient to both sides. 
 
North Korea 
 
Ota: The abduction issue is an important issue for Japan. We hope to 
see the issue put on the negotiating table in the six-party talks. 
We ask for China's cooperation for that. If that were realized, a 
dramatic shift in the Japanese public's sentiment toward China would 
arise. 
 
Hu: I hope to have good communication with Japan and play a 
constructive role. I understand the abduction issue is a matter of 
concern for the Japanese people. 
 
7) Prime Minister Abe, Foreign Minister Aso to leave for Europe 
today, with the aim of expanding exchanges with NATO 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 9, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Taro Aso will travel 
to Europe starting today. Abe will visit such major European Union 
members as Britain, France, and Germany, while Aso will visit 
Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia. The purposes of their 
visits are to boost international cooperation on the North Korean 
issue, as well as to expand exchanges to the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization (NATO). 
 
Abe is scheduled to deliver a speech as the first Japanese prime 
minister at the NATO board of directors meeting on Jan. 12, in which 
he will appeal on the need to bolster relations (with NATO) by means 
of, for instance, disaster reconstruction and antiterrorism 
measures. Japan has built a cooperative relationship via its 
Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling activities in the Indian 
Ocean with NATO. NATO, too, is moving to step up relations with 
Japan and Australia. By upgrading the current senior working-level 
talks and political dialogue with NATO to periodic ones, Japan 
intends to intensify such talks. 
 
The countries in Eastern Europe Aso plans to travel to are 
cooperative toward the war on terrorism led by the US. Aso pays 
special attention to Slovakia, which serves as the chair of the 
Visegrad Agreement (VA) with Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary, 
and which also serves as a nonpermanent member of the United Nations 
Security Council. By increasing relations with them, Aso intends to 
 
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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01//07 
 
further surround North Korea, and also he apparently aims to counter 
China and Russia, which are looking for opportunities to expand 
their influence over Eastern Europe. 
 
8) Government considering new proposal for six new UNSC seats: Aim 
is to secure US support with stricter conditions 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Slightly Abridged) 
January 6, 2007 
 
The Japanese government is now considering a new proposal for a 
resolution for reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). 
According to the outline of the unveiled draft, a proposed increase 
in the number of seats at UNSC, now 15, should be constrained at 
around six. The draft also proposed that (1) nations that bid for a 
permanent seat should have a certain track record in shouldering UN 
expenses; and that (2) obtaining a permanent seat should require 
support from more than two-thirds of UN member nations. The draft 
thus features stricter conditions for entry into the UNSC. The aim 
is to obtain support from the US, which is cautious about the idea 
of expanding the number of UNSC member nations. 
 
The government wants to start coordinating views this month with 
Germany, India and Brazil, members of the Group 4, which aims at 
securing permanent seats along with Japan. It then intends to sound 
out the views of related countries so that the issue can be taken up 
at a session to discuss UN reform at the African Union summit to be 
held in Ethiopia at the end of the month. The government aims at 
submitting the draft resolution to the UN after obtaining approval 
from various countries by the end of July. 
 
The new resolution requires candidate countries to meet with a 
certain set record of shouldering UN expenses as well as to obtain 
recommendations from 15-20 countries. African countries are expected 
to oppose the idea of making a track record for shouldering UN 
expenses a condition. 
 
The draft will also include a clause of disqualifying a country that 
failed to obtain approval from more than two-thirds of the UN member 
nations in a vote, even if it obtained an agreement for it to become 
a permanent member. Newly elected permanent members would not be 
awarded the veto rights given to the US, Britain, China, France and 
Russia. Of the six seats to be created, two to three members would 
be given permanent membership. Three to four countries would be 
allowed into the UNSC as non-permanent members. These seats would be 
allocated either to Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe 
(including East Europe) or only three of those four regions. 
 
9) Japan-US Security Consultative Committee to release joint 
statement emphasizing "strengthening ties with NATO" 
 
MAINICHI (Page 8) (Full) 
January 8, 2007 
 
Nobutake Yamashita 
 
The Japanese and US governments are now undertaking coordination in 
order to release a joint statement declaring the stepping up of 
relations with such organizations as the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization (NATO) during the Japan-US Security Consultative 
Committee (2 + 2) of the foreign and defense ministers expected to 
take place possibly late this month. Behind this move was the United 
 
TOKYO 00000036  006 OF 011 
 
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01//07 
 
States' strong request. Supposedly, the aim is to facilitate the 
spread of the ballistic missile defense (MD) system, but some in the 
Defense Agency (JDA) are concerned about deepening ties with 
military alliances. 
 
According to an official concerned, the US, in the process of giving 
shape to a joint statement, insisted on mentioning in the joint 
statement the bolstering of relations with NATO and such countries 
as Australia and New Zealand that the US thinks share the common 
values. Japan accepted this request. The statement is also expected 
to incorporate a mention of the need for a steady implementation of 
the realignment plans for the US forces in Japan. 
 
During the NATO summit meeting in late November, the US proposed 
stepping up cooperation with non-NATO members, such as Japan, South 
Korea, and Australia. America's aim in this regard is presumably to 
facilitate the introduction of the MD system now jointly developed 
by Japan and the US into Europe and the Pacific region. 
 
Tokyo is positive about bolstering ties with NATO and Australia. 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is scheduled to deliver a speech at the 
NATO headquarters in Brussels on Jan. 12. A senior Foreign Ministry 
official explained that by strengthening ties with countries sharing 
such universal values as freedom and democracy, "Japan can boost its 
diplomatic capability." 
 
However, given that Afghanistan, where NATO has played a leading 
part in bringing peace to that country, remains in the worsened 
security situation, if Japan strengthens relations with NATO, Tokyo 
may be asked to provide more of assistance to the NATO-led 
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan by 
means of, for instance, ground troop dispatches and financial aid. 
 
The Foreign Ministry stresses the need to "step up cooperation 
within the bounds of the Constitution" through such contributions as 
rescue operations in international disasters. On the other hand, a 
senior JDA official stated, "The move to strengthen relations is a 
matter we should welcome, but we need to carefully discuss what we 
will implement exactly." 
 
Coordination is underway between Tokyo and Washington to hold the 2 
+ 2 meeting on Jan 22 or 23. 
 
10) Aso, Shiozaki reject JDA chief Kuma's remark about "review of 
the V-shaped runway plan" 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 6, 2007 
 
Defense Agency Director-General Fumio Kyuma indicated that he did 
not dwell on the plan for the construction of V-shaped airstrips as 
agreed on the Japanese and US governments regarding the relocation 
of the US Marines' Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa) to 
a coastal area of Camp Schwab (in Nago City). But Foreign Minister 
Aso and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki during their 
respective press conferences on Jan. 5 stressed that the 
construction would be pushed forward as agreed on by both Japan and 
the US. 
 
Kyuma told reporters in Bangkok on Jan 3, where he was visiting: 
"It's acceptable even to construct one runway. Any plan the three 
parties (the central government, local governments, and the US 
 
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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01//07 
 
government) can agree on is fine." This remark is apparently 
intended to obtain understanding of Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima, 
who remains unwilling to accept the current construction plan. 
 
Aso, however, rejected that remark, saying: "Our basic policy is to 
do things along the direction decided at the 2+2 (Japan-US Security 
Consultative Committee) meeting (held in last May)." Following Aso, 
Shiozaki also stated: "The plan agreed on by Japan and the US is the 
basis of our policy. No shift will be made." 
 
11) Senior US official will not accept changes in Futenma relocation 
plan, backs V-shaped runway 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
January 7, 2007 
 
By Yoichi Kato in Washington, DC 
 
In an interview with the Asahi Shimbun Jan. 5, John Hill, senior 
director for East Asia at the US Defense Department, expressed his 
view about Defense Agency (JDA) Director General Fumio Kyuma's 
wanting to change a portion of the plan to relocate Futenma Air 
Station in Okinawa to Henoko Point in Nago City. He stressed the US 
intention of holding fast to the current plan, noting, "The Japanese 
government guaranteed that the current plan could be implemented. 
The US government's position is to carry out this plan as agreed 
with Japan." 
 
Hill also commented on Kyuma's thinking of moving the runway, which 
under the current plan is V-shaped, to shallow waters offshore, and 
making it into a single runway: "Although there was a single runway 
planned in the agreement reached in Oct. 2005 (interim report), it 
became V-shaped due to concerns about noise from local residents." 
He took the view that this would be a stumbling block. 
 
In addition, Hill pointed out: "The reason why the Futenma 
relocation, originally agreed to in 1996, has still not been carried 
out, even though 10 years have passed, has been because (the 
Japanese side) keeps trying to renegotiate to change the plan." He 
indicated that the US did not intend to make any more changes. 
 
In Okinawa Prefecture, Governor Hirokazu Nakaima and other officials 
are opposed to the current plan, but Hill insisted: "The Japanese 
government, our negotiating partner, clearly stated that this plan 
could be implemented. I think that local coordination is already 
finished." 
 
Regarding a 2 plus 2 meeting of foreign and defense ministers of 
Japan and the US, regarding which coordination had been taking place 
for a mid-January date, Hill said: "There has been a change in our 
Iraq policy and personnel shifts, so I think such would be difficult 
for the next month or two." He revealed the outlook that a 
postponement was most likely. 
 
12) US Air Force deploys new unit to Yokota airbase 
 
MAINICHI (Page 23) (Full) 
January 6, 2007 
 
The US Air Force's 13th Air Force, headquartered in Hawaii, held a 
ceremony yesterday at the US Yokota Air Base in Tokyo for its first 
deployment of a unit to Yokota. In addition to the 5th Air Force 
 
TOKYO 00000036  008 OF 011 
 
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01//07 
 
currently based at Yokota, the 13th Air Force will also strengthen 
its relations with the Air Self-Defense Force and consolidate its 
readiness for air defense in areas surrounding Japan. Yokota will 
step up its military functions. 
 
The newly deployed unit is the 1st Detachment, which is made up of 
about 50 military personnel from the 13th Air Force and is commanded 
by Col. Michael MacWilliam. The detachment will coordinate airborne 
operations in Japanese airspace with the 5th Air Force, 613th Air 
and Space Operations Center, and Air Self-Defense Force. 
 
The ceremony was held at the Yokota airbase with about 100 
attending. Lt. Gen. Chip Utterback, commander of the 13th Air Force, 
handed a new flag to Col. MacWilliam. In his press remarks after the 
ceremony, Lt. Gen. Utterback underscored the significance of the 
newly deployed detachment to Yokota as "very important" to fulfill 
its mission for Japan's national security, adding that the 
detachment's establishment at Yokota would make it possible to make 
very close and fine-grained decision even in the case where a 
decision is needed in a short time for air operations. 
 
"We can say it's the first step to making a strongpoint for missile 
defense between Japan and the United States," says Yoichi Endo, a 
member of Fussa City's municipal assembly, who represents RIMPEACE, 
a group of local assembly members watching US military bases in 
Japan. "The base will be built up for its permanent presence, and 
there's no doubt that it will be even more dangerous (to local 
communities in the vicinity of the Yokota base)," Endo added. 
 
13) Ishihara unveils plan to produce Tokyo disaster prevention plan 
specifying cooperation with USFJ in time of disaster 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 35) (Full) 
January 6, 2007 
 
The Tokyo metropolitan government has decided to draw up a local 
disaster prevention plan specifying the role of US Forces Japan, 
Gov. Shintaro Ishihara said in an interview with the Nihon Keizai 
Shimbun on Jan. 5. The metropolitan government envisions the 
mobilization of US military aircraft and ships in transporting 
supplies and workers unable to get home from work in time of a 
disaster. 
 
The Basic Law on Natural Disasters, which requires each local area 
to produce a disaster prevention plan, also prescribes the functions 
of administrative organizations. Ishihara categorically said: "An 
army is not only for war. (US Forces Japan) has mobility, and that 
is too good to pass up." 
 
US Forces Japan took part for the first time in Tokyo's disaster 
drill last September. In the drill, a US military helicopter 
airlifted medical supplies from Yokota Air Base to central Tokyo and 
a frigate transported hypothetical disaster victims from Tokyo Bay 
to Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. A South Korean rescue team was 
also invited to the drill. 
 
Based on such a drill, the metropolitan government will incorporate 
in its disaster prevention plan requests for assistance by foreign 
troops in addition to the role of USFJ. According to the Fire and 
Disaster Management Agency, neither the role of USFJ nor requests 
for foreign troops has ever been specified in any local disaster 
prevention plans. 
 
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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01//07 
 
 
The metropolitan government began reviewing its disaster prevention 
plan last March following the revised projection of damage from a 
major earthquake in Tokyo. The metropolitan government intends to 
finish drafting a plan within FY2006 for approval in May by the 
disaster prevention council. 
 
14) US asks Japan for technical, fiscal cooperation on missile 
defense using lasers 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
January 9, 2007 
 
The United States has asked Japan for technological cooperation on a 
missile defense system designed to intercept ballistic missiles in 
the boost phase, sources have revealed. The system's concept is to 
destroy enemy ballistic missiles in the boost phase with laser beams 
from aircraft. The US government is expecting Japan to transfer its 
private sector's technology and extend fiscal assistance. The 
Japanese government is studying a framework for cooperation. 
However, there are also many challenges, such as technical 
feasibility and financial resources. 
 
According to Japanese officials, the United States has selected 
three types of lasers that can destroy ballistic missiles. "The 
United States wants to deploy them in five years," says one of the 
Japanese government. The system needs to be miniaturized, and the US 
government has asked for technical cooperation while citing 
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and several other corporations. 
 
The Japanese government has been withholding its answer since it 
wants to ascertain the trends of those named companies. The 
government will shortly tap them. In the case of extending 
cooperation, the government will envision concluding a memorandum of 
understanding (MOU) that determines how to use transferred 
technologies. 
 
15) LDP drafts basic space legislation enabling country to develop 
spy satellites for defense purposes 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
January 8, 2007 
 
The Liberal Democratic Party has drafted legislation tentatively 
called the Basic Space Law. The legislation is chiefly designed to 
open space development for defense purposes, reviewing the 1969 Diet 
resolution limiting space development to nonmilitary peaceful 
purposes. This will enable Japan to develop and launch 
state-of-the-art military reconnaissance satellites. The LDP plans 
to submit it to the next regular Diet session as lawmaker-initiated 
legislation after undertaking coordination with the New Komeito. 
 
The draft legislation notes in its basic vision that space must be 
developed and used in a way to contribute to the peace and security 
of the international community and Japan. The legislation also calls 
for the country's independent efforts for developing technology, 
noting, "Measures must be implemented in order to promote space 
development contributing to the security of Japan." 
 
16) Poll: 40% would like LDP to win, 38% favor DPJ in upper house 
election 
 
 
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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01//07 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
January 6, 2007 
 
The Mainichi Shimbun found from its telephone-based nationwide 
public opinion survey conducted in December last year that 40% of 
the public would like the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to win, 
almost even with those 38% who would like the opposition Democratic 
Party of Japan (Minshuto) to win this summer's election for the 
House of Councilors. "Other political parties" accounted for 14%. In 
the survey, respondents were also asked which political party they 
supported. In response to this question, 31% picked the LDP, while 
17% preferred the DPJ. These figures indicate that non-DPJ 
supporters also have expectations for the DPJ against the LDP. 
 
Respondents were also asked whether they were interested in the 
upcoming election for the House of Councilors. In response, "yes" 
totaled about 70%, broken down into those "very interested" at 20% 
and "somewhat interested" at 51%. Meanwhile, 22% said they were "not 
very interested," with 5% saying they were "not interested at all." 
 
Respondents were further asked what they would consider first when 
voting. In response, 56% picked "policy," topping all other answers. 
Among other answers, "personal character" ranked second with 14%, 
"each candidate's political party" with 11%, "career, actual 
results" with 8%, and "image" with 4%. 
 
17) NPO application screening: Agriculture Minister Matsuoka admits 
to having made inquiry; Cabinet Office's document records the fact; 
His claim, "I have nothing to do with the matter," found to be a 
lie 
 
AKAHATA (Page 1) (Full) 
January 6, 2007 
 
Fukuoka Prefectural Police searched FAC, a capital management 
consulting company located in Fukuoka City, on suspicion of 
violating the Investment Law. In this connection, it was learned on 
Jan. 5 that the police confiscated a Cabinet Office document noting 
that a secretary to Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister 
Toshikatsu Matsuoka inquired about the situation of the screening of 
the application for NPO status by WBEF, an organization affiliated 
with FAC. Matsuoka on Jan. 5 admitted in effect to having made the 
inquiry, disconfirming his explanation that he himself and his 
office had nothing to do with WBEF. 
 
According to a related source, the document, issued March 28, 2006, 
reportedly noted that a person who claimed himself as a secretary of 
Matsuoka's office on March 13 asked the Cabinet Office about the 
situation of the screening of the application by WBEF. An official 
in charge of the matter replied, "The application is now being 
screened." The secretary told this Cabinet Office official, "Please 
see to the matter." 
 
It had already been found that WBEF purchased tickets for Matsuoka's 
fund-raising party tickets worth 1 million yen in December 2005, but 
Matsuoka failed to include the fact in his income and expenditures 
report on political funds. 
 
Matsuoka told a news conference last September, "My supporter asked 
WBEF to purchase the party tickets." He also stressed, "I am not 
acquainted with WBEF. I have never been asked by them to do 
something for them, either." 
 
TOKYO 00000036  011 OF 011 
 
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 01//07 
 
 
He during a press briefing after a cabinet meeting on Jan. 5 
admitted to having inquired about the matter in question, noting, 
"According to one of my supporters who is acquainted with WBEF, the 
company has had my office check procedures for its establishment. My 
understanding is, therefore, such an inquiry might have been made." 
He added, "Our office has just asked about a screening schedule. 
There is no such fact that we worked on or solicited a favor on the 
matter." 
 
Tatsuo Nishi, Quality of Life Bureau director general, said, "I 
heard that a person who claimed to be a secretary to Mr. Matsuoka's 
office made a query on the phone, but I did not hear that the call 
was to ask for or work on a favor." 
 
DONOVAN