VZCZCXRO2674
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #0055/01 0090813
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 090813Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9633
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/USDOT WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5//
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA//
RHMFIUU/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA//J5/JO21//
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RUAYJAA/COMPATWING ONE KAMI SEYA JA
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 1970
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 9488
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2937
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 8968
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 0512
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5441
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1531
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2981

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 000055 
 
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:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 01/09/07 
 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Taku Yamasaki of LDP to visit Pyongyang to find a diplomatic 
breakthrough; Seeking way to restore Japan-DPRK Pyongyang 
Declaration 
 
(2) New Komeito head says, "It's too early to set constitutional 
revision as a campaign issue" for Upper House election 
 
(3) Central, local governments agree to discuss Futenma relocation 
plan on Jan. 19 
 
(4) Finance Ministry plans to simplify domestic procedures for EPAs 
 
(5) Japan, US to draw up nuclear energy promotion action program 
featuring technological cooperation, funds assistance 
 
(6) China hunting for crude oil: Obtains concession rights to 29 
sites in 15 African countries in exchange for financial assistance 
 
(7) Poll on this summer's upper house election 
 
(8) Poll on living, economy 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Taku Yamasaki of LDP to visit Pyongyang to find a diplomatic 
breakthrough; Seeking way to restore Japan-DPRK Pyongyang 
Declaration 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
January 9, 2007 
 
Taku Yamasaki, former vice president of the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP), yesterday left Narita Airport for Beijing 
and continued on to North Korea today. The purpose of his trip to 
North Korea is to meet with a high-level North Korean official to 
confirm that the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration, seen now 
essentially as a dead letter, is still valid. He also will seek 
clues for breaking the deadlock in Japan-North Korea relations. 
Yamasaki's planned visit to the North is a private one that does not 
involve the Japanese government. 
 
Just before leaving for Beijing yesterday afternoon, Yamasaki stated 
that he wanted to restore the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang 
Declaration. He stated that the nuclear, abduction, and missile 
issues must be resolved together, and in order to reach that goal, 
he said he wanted to exchange views with senior officials, taking 
much time. 
 
Yamasaki will leave Beijing this morning and arrive in Pyongyang 
this afternoon. Deputy LDP Secretary General Ryotaro Tanose 
(Yamasaki faction) will travel with him. They are expected to stay 
in Pyongyang until Jan. 13. 
 
As to whom he plans to meet with during his visit, Yamasaki stated: 
"I've asked for meeting a ranking official close to North Korean 
leader Kim Jong Il. I may meet with Ambassador Song Il Ho, who is in 
charge of Japan-DPRK talks. He is not the communication channel used 
for this visit." 
 
Ahead of his trip, Yamasaki met with relevant US and Chinese 
officials as part of the preparations. When he visited the United 
 
TOKYO 00000055  002 OF 011 
 
 
States last July, Yamasaki secretly met with a journalist having 
close ties with the North and received (from the journalist) an 
"invitation to visit that country" in the name of General Secretary 
Kim. He also met with Senator John McCain, former Deputy Secretary 
of State Richard Armitage, and other officials to exchange views on 
diplomatic strategy toward the North. 
 
After the Abe administration was established in last September, 
Yamasaki met with Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wang Yi in Tokyo and 
conveyed to him a plan to travel to North Korea. 
 
Their series of talks reportedly made Yamasaki more convinced that: 
(1) in order to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, it is vitally 
important  to bring North Korea back to the Nuclear 
Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and have it accept inspectors from 
the International Atomic Energy Agency; and (2) Japan should give 
more weight to dialogue and persuasion instead of increasing 
pressure on the North by sanctions. 
 
Late last year, Yamasaki met with former Prime Minister Koizumi and 
strongly advised him to make a third trip to Pyongyang so as to 
confirm with General Secretary Kim the restoration of the Pyongyang 
Declaration and to break the current impasse in bilateral relations. 
Yamasaki describes his visit to Pyongyang this time as setting the 
stage for Koizumi to make a third trip to North Korea. 
 
The Japanese government, however, has been cool about Yamasaki's 
visit. 
 
A government official concerned stated critically: "Mr. Yamasaki's 
tour of the North would be seen as no more than a part of 'spying 
activities' by North Korea. Some in Japan fall victim to North 
Korea's allurement and become cautious about economic sanctions." 
 
A senior LDP member, too, pointed out: "In diplomatic talks, it is 
customary for the North Koreans to seek a reward. But in the case of 
diplomacy led by an individual lawmaker, there is a limit to what he 
can promise to the other side, for example, food aid." 
 
(2) New Komeito head says, "It's too early to set constitutional 
revision as a campaign issue" for Upper House election 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 8, 2007 
 
Toshinari Etori, Beijing 
 
New Komeito Representative Ota, now on his tour of China, when asked 
by reporters accompanying him in Beijing on the night of Jan. 7 
about Prime Minister Abe's move to make constitutional revision a 
campaign issue in this summer's Upper House election, made this 
comment: "I deem it important for every party to have in-depth 
discussion. A hasty discussion of the details of constitutional 
revision would not lead to bringing about a good result. Isn't it 
too early to make constitutional revision a campaign issue for the 
Upper House election?" 
 
Ota also revealed that when he had telephoned the prime minister on 
Jan. 6, the two agreed to enact a national referendum bill 
prescribing the procedures for constitutional revision into a law 
during the ordinary Diet session, which is to be convened on Jan. 
¶25. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000055  003 OF 011 
 
 
Moreover, speaking of the problem that a person associated with 
Agriculture Minister Matsuoka had made an inquiry about approval for 
an non-profit organization to the Cabinet Office, Ota indicated that 
Matsuoka's account was insufficient to obtain public understanding, 
noting: "First of all, Mr. Matsuoka needs to provide a much clearer 
account." 
 
On the night of Jan. 7, Ota met with Wang Jiarui, head of the 
International Department of the Communist Party of China in Beijing 
and made this request about the abductions of Japanese people by 
North Korea: "The Abductions are an emotional issue and a matter of 
sovereignty. We strongly hope to see the issue put on the 
negotiating table in the six-party talks (which are now in recess)." 
Wang responded, "We'd like to give due consideration to your 
request," indicating a positive attitude about taking up the 
abduction issue in the six-party talks. 
 
(3) Central, local governments agree to discuss Futenma relocation 
plan on Jan. 19 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 9, 2007 
 
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Suzuki arrived in Okinawa on 
Jan. 7 and held talks on the relocation of the US Marine Corps' 
Futenma Air Station (in Ginowan City, Okinawa) with Okinawa Gov. 
Hirokazu Nakaima and heads of relevant municipalities. Both sides 
agreed in principle to hold the third round of talks between the 
central government and local governments on Jan. 19. 
 
Later in the day, Suzuki met with Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro 
and heads of Kim Town, Ginoza Town, and Higashi Town, in addition to 
Gov. Nakaima. On the Futenma relocation plan, Defense Agency 
Director-General Kyuma made a remark implying a review of the 
current plan for the construction of V-shaped runways. But after a 
series of meeting yesterday, Suzuki told reporters: "I conveyed to 
them that the (central government) would like to go ahead with the 
V-shaped runway plan as previously agreed on (by Japan and the US)." 
He thus made it clear that the central government would advance the 
current plan. 
 
(4) Finance Ministry plans to simplify domestic procedures for EPAs 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Abridged slightly) 
January 9, 2007 
 
The Finance Ministry has decided to simplify the domestic process 
each economic partnership agreement (EPA) has to undergo before 
taking effect with the aim of helping the government implement trade 
pacts speedily. Under the current system, it takes an inked EPA 
about one year to go into effect. The ministry aims to pass EPA 
advantages speedily on to domestic industries in line with the 
government's policy direction to utilize EPAs in revitalizing the 
economy. 
 
The Finance Ministry plans to submit related bills to the Diet in 
the regular session scheduled to open on Jan. 25. The simplified 
procedures could be applied to all the EPAs inked on April 1 or 
beyond. Japan has reached basic accords on EPAs -- a step short of 
signing pacts -- with Thailand, Chile, Indonesia, and Brunei. 
 
Once an EPA is signed under the current system, the government is 
required each time to draft a bill to amend the Temporary Tariff 
 
TOKYO 00000055  004 OF 011 
 
 
Measures Law specifying tariffs on specific items and other factors 
for deliberations in the Diet. In concrete terms, the legislation 
specifies: (1) a bilateral safeguard (import curb) system allowing 
the government to suspend tariff cuts in stages for protecting 
domestic producers hard hit by rapid increases in imports; and (2) a 
bilateral tariff quota system to impose high tariffs on imports of 
certain items in excess of specific levels. 
 
In the case of Singapore, Japan's first EPA partner, it took Tokyo 
about 10 months to make preparations for the pact to go into effect. 
In the event of the EPA with Malaysia that was inked last July, the 
procedures took seven months. 
 
The Finance Ministry intends to submit to the Diet a plan to 
establish a general provision in the Temporary Tariff Measures Law 
to apply the safeguard and the bilateral quota systems widely so 
that the government would not have to revise the law every time a 
pact is inked. This will result in reduced costs for administrative 
work, such as drawing up bills and conducting Diet deliberations. 
 
To date, Japan has concluded or reached basic accords on EPAs with 
eight countries. The government's Council on Economic and Fiscal 
Policy has come up with a plan to triple the number of EPAs over the 
next two years. With major powers, including China and the United 
States, accelerating efforts to conclude EPAs, speedily implementing 
trade pacts has been a policy task for Japan. 
 
(5) Japan, US to draw up nuclear energy promotion action program 
featuring technological cooperation, funds assistance 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Full) 
January 9, 2007 
 
The Japanese and US governments will draw up an action program by 
April for promoting a project to construct nuclear facilities in the 
US. The program will feature joint research on nuclear fuel 
reprocessing technology and economic assistance to Japanese firms 
entering the US nuclear power plant construction market. An official 
agreement is expected to reach in talks on Jan. 9 in Washington 
between Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister Akira Amari and US 
Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
Last February, the US came up with the Global Nuclear Energy 
Partnership (GNEP) featuring a new approach to recycling of spent 
nuclear fuel. Japan, a country with an excellent record in 
developing fast-breeder reactors, will extend technological 
cooperation for realizing the US plan. Japan and US will jointly 
produce an action plan by putting together specific contents of 
cooperation, a timetable for joint research, and other factors. 
 
The US had been reluctant to build new nuclear power plants since 
the 1979 Three Mile Island accident, but the country shifted its 
policy in 2005. The US is expected to make 25 nuclear reactors 
operational by 2020. The action program is expected to incorporate 
financial assistance and other measures to a give boost to Japanese 
firms eager to join the project to construct nuclear power plants in 
the US. As financial assistance, the US government plans to 
implement tax cuts and debt guarantees and the Japanese government 
intends to apply trade insurance to the project. 
 
Amari and Bodman are also like to reach an accord on promoting clean 
use of coal and bio-fuel. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000055  005 OF 011 
 
 
(6) China hunting for crude oil: Obtains concession rights to 29 
sites in 15 African countries in exchange for financial assistance 
 
YOMIURI (Page 10) (Excerpts) 
January 4, 2006 
 
Facing a sharp increase in the prices of energy, such as crude oil 
and natural gas, many countries are strategically trying to secure 
interests in natural resources. Natural resources nationalism, 
meaning natural-resource-rich nations enclosing their natural 
resources, is rising. This newspaper will report this situation in 
detail and probe into how Japan should deal with the situation. 
 
¶I. Scramble for natural resources 
 
Part 1: Clashes of national interests 
 
Lagos, a port city in southwestern Nigeria, is lively due to the 
boom to develop oil fields on the coastal area. 
 
Many Chinese are working at crude oil drilling sites. However, there 
is no sign of the Chinese workers because those other than persons 
in charge are denied access to the area that is seen as a potential 
target of anti-government terrorists. 
 
Even so, the presence of Chinese workers can be felt here and there. 
Chinese companies are undertaking the construction of 
infrastructure, including the construction of roads and 
communications cables, in the city. Construction overseers are also 
Chinese. 
 
Nigeria is the largest oil-producing nation in Africa with its 
output at 2.5 million barrels a day. Three Chinese state-run oil 
companies have advanced into Nigeria and obtained rights to explore 
and develop minerals. 
 
China's top-level diplomatic efforts have resulted in China National 
Petroleum Corporation's (CNPC) obtaining a development right in the 
No. 4 mining area. President Hu Jintao visited Nigeria in April 
¶2006. He offered financial assistance worth 4 billion dollars 
(approximately 470 billion yen) for the construction of a power 
plant and other facilities and obtained the developing right in 
exchange for that. 
 
China is constructing railways, hospitals, houses and power plants 
in many African countries. Its strategy is to obtain 
energy-development rights by establishing close political relations 
through generous financial assistance. 
 
A survey by the Yomiuri Shimbun found that China has obtained rights 
to develop 29 oil fields in 15 countries since it started advancing 
into African nations. 
 
China hosted the China-Africa Cooperation Forum Beijing Summit on 
November 4-5 last year, inviting leaders of 48 African countries. 
Declaring that China is Africa's partner that can be trusted 
forever, Hu pledged to extend low-interest loans worth 3 billion 
dollars for the next three years and forgive debts of heavily 
indebted nations. 
 
China attaches importance to Africa, because international oil 
measures have already obtained rights to develop major oil fields in 
the Middle East or those oil fields are already under strict 
 
TOKYO 00000055  006 OF 011 
 
 
government control. Chinese companies have even advanced into Sudan 
and Angola, countries which European, US and Japanese companies find 
it too risky to embark on business due to great political risks, 
such as unstable political situations or human rights suppression. 
It does not care about international criticism. 
 
Demand for crude oil is skyrocketing in China, where high economic 
growth topping 9% a year is continuing. Its crude oil imports 
doubled from 60.26 million tons in 2001 to 122.72 million tons in 
¶2004. Imports in 2006 are estimated to have reached around 140 
million tons. 
 
Commenting on China's all-out efforts to obtain interests in natural 
resources, Ken Koyama, research director of the Japan Energy and 
Economic Research Center, pointed out: "A sharp increase in crude 
oil imports by China has made the crude oil market a sellers' market 
politicizing the market, where prices are supposed to be set by 
market mechanisms." 
 
The price of crude oil, which stood at the 20-dollar-per-barrel 
level (West Texas Intermediate) in the beginning of 2001, soared to 
78 dollars at one point. 
 
Japan losing one development right after another 
 
Moves to secure crude oil through political clout are spreading to 
other countries in order to counter China. 
 
South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun visited Nigeria in March 2006 
and obtained an oil-development right there in exchange for 
investment of 6 billion dollars for the construction of a power 
plant and other facilities. He also invited leaders of more than 20 
African countries to the Blue House in Seoul and announced a plan to 
triple official development assistance (ODA) to those countries. It 
is acting exactly the same as China. 
 
On the other hand, Japan has lost rights to develop oil fields 
independently one after another. It drilled in the Khafji oil field 
stretching over Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for 40 years but lost the 
rights in Saudi Arabia when negotiations to renew the contract with 
that nation ended in rupture in February 2000. 
 
Japan had pinned hopes on the Azadegan oil field as a major oil 
field replacing the Khafji oil field. However, its stake was reduced 
from 75% to 10% last October. Japan's stake in the Sakhalin-2 
project, a project to develop oil and natural gal in Sakhalin, was 
also reduced 50% last December. It is being overpowered by 
resource-rich countries, which are trying to regain interests in 
their own resources. 
 
Occasioned by China's economic rise, the world has begun to undergo 
a sea change into the age of hegemony. 
 
(7) Poll on this summer's upper house election 
 
MAINICHI (Page 15) (Full) 
January 6, 2007 
 
Questions & Answers 
(T = total; M = male; F = female) 
 
Q: Are you interested in this summer's election for the House of 
Councillors? 
 
TOKYO 00000055  007 OF 011 
 
 
 
                            T        M        F 
Very interested            20       25       15 
Somewhat interested        51       51       51 
Not very interested        22       18       26 
Not interested at all       5        6        5 
 
Q: Which political party between the Liberal Democratic Party and 
the Democratic Party of Japan would you like to win in this summer's 
election for the House of Councillors? 
 
                               T        M        F 
LDP                           40       36       44 
DPJ                           38       48       29 
Other political parties       14       11       18 
 
Q: What will you consider first when voting in the forthcoming 
election? 
 
                                             T        M        F 
Personal character                          14       12       16 
Image                                        4        3        4 
Career, actual results                       8        8        8 
Policies                                    56       56       56 
Each candidate's political party            11       16        7 
Requests from acquaintances, relatives       3        2        4 
 
Q: What would you like politicians to consider first when they are 
elected in this summer's election? 
 
T       M       F 
National policies 
61       65       58 
Liaising with government, ruling party officials 
5       6       5 
Contributing to home constituencies 
28       25       30 
 
Q: There is also an opinion saying the House of Councillors is 
unnecessary. What do you think about this upper chamber of the 
Diet? 
 
                                T        M        F 
All right to maintain it       29       27       32 
Empower it further             36       40       33 
Abolish it                     26       29       23 
 
Q: Prime Minister Abe came into office after Prime Minister Koizumi. 
Do you think the LDP has changed under Prime Minister Abe? 
 
                             T        M        F 
Changed for the better       6        7        5 
Changed for the worse       18       22       15 
No change                   69       67       71 
 
Q: (Only for those who said the LDP has "changed for the better") 
How do you think the LDP has changed for the better? 
 
                                    T        M        F 
The LDP is now again what it used to be before Prime Minister 
Koizumi                            41       45       36 
The LDP is further destroyed       41       48       32 
 
 
TOKYO 00000055  008 OF 011 
 
 
Q: (Only for those who said the LDP has "changed for the worse") How 
do you think the LDP has changed for the worse? 
 
                                    T        M        F 
The LDP is now again what it used to be before Prime Minister 
Koizumi                            68       74       60 
The LDP is further destroyed       25       19       33 
 
Q: Internet electioneering on websites and through emails is 
currently prohibited under the Public Offices Election Law. 
Meanwhile, there is an opinion insisting on revising the law to 
allow electioneering on the Internet. What do you think about this? 
 
T       M       F 
Allow both website and email electioneering 
18       20       15 
Allow website electioneering only 
39       44       34 
Internet electioneering should not be allowed 
29       27       31 
 
(Note) Figures shown in percentage, rounded off. "0" indicates that 
the figure was below 0.5%. "No answer" omitted. 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Dec. 9-10, 2006 over 
the telephone with the aim of calling a total of 1,500 voters across 
the nation on a computer-aided random digit sampling (RDS) basis. 
Answers were obtained from 1,451 persons. 
 
(8) Poll on living, economy 
 
YOMIURI (Page 11) (Full) 
December 27, 2006 
 
Japan is currently in the postwar longest phase of economic 
expansion. However, the general public cannot actually feel its 
blessings. This was endorsed in a recent nationwide public opinion 
survey conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun. That is presumably because 
steady corporate performance has not reached the livelihood of 
people in general. Furthermore, the general public is strongly aware 
of the nation's social divide, such as the income disparity and the 
urban-rural gap. This shows that the nation's economic expansion is 
a boom for those on the winning side. 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures shown in percentage) 
 
Q: The government has declared that Japan's economy has been 
smoothly recovering. Do you actually feel economic recovery? 
 
Very much             2.0 
Somewhat             19.0 
Not very much        41.9 
Not at all           36.0 
No answer (N/A)       1.0 
 
 
Q: Are you better off now when compared with this time last year? 
 
Very easy            0.7 
Somewhat easy        5.0 
No change           68.5 
Somewhat hard       19.8 
 
TOKYO 00000055  009 OF 011 
 
 
Very hard            5.5 
N/A                  0.5 
 
Q: Has your household's before-tax income increased over the past 
year? 
 
Increased very much       0.9 
Increased somewhat       11.2 
No change                56.4 
Decreased somewhat       23.2 
Decreased very much       6.5 
N/A                       1.8 
 
Q: Have you constrained your spending when compared with a year 
ago? 
 
Constrained very much           12.1 
Constrained somewhat            50.8 
Not constrained very much       27.9 
Not constrained at all           6.4 
N/A                              2.9 
 
Q: Do you now feel less reluctant to buy expensive goods when 
compared with this time last year? 
 
Yes                            8.4 
Yes to a certain degree       16.6 
No to a certain degree        30.6 
No                            40.9 
N/A                            3.6 
 
Q: Did you spend more money this year for clothing and fashion than 
you did last year? 
 
More than last year        9.2 
No change                 61.3 
Less than last year       29.0 
N/A                        0.5 
 
Q: How about money for eating out? 
 
More than last year       13.5 
No change                 57.6 
Less than last year       28.3 
N/A                        0.6 
 
Q: How about travel and leisure spending? 
 
More than last year       11.7 
No change                 56.8 
Less than last year       30.8 
N/A                        0.7 
 
Q: Are you thinking of spending more money for shopping and other 
purposes? 
 
Yes       11.3 
No        79.2 
N/A        9.5 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "no" to the foregoing question) Why? 
Pick as many as you like from among those listed below. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000055  010 OF 011 
 
 
Can't expect my income to increase                     56.5 
Feel uneasy about future life, such as pension, medical service, 
nursing care.                                          49.3 
Can't take it easy                                     35.3 
Want to save money for future purposes                 34.7 
Feel uneasy about the future of the economy            30.8 
A tax hike seems inevitable                            23.2 
There's nothing to buy                                  9.9 
No particular reason                                    3.7 
Other answers (O/A) + N/A                               1.2 
 
Q: If there's anything for which you want to spend more money, pick 
as many as you like from among those listed below. 
 
Health                              43.5 
Eating                              20.3 
Clothing, fashion                   10.6 
Housing, interior furnishings       15.8 
TV, other electric appliances       11.4 
PCs                                  5.5 
Autos, motorcycles                   6.8 
Travel, leisure                     27.6 
Hobbies                             27.5 
Get a license, enlighten myself      9.1 
Education                           15.8 
Communications                       7.2 
O/A                                  0.3 
Nothing in particular               16.8 
N/A                                  0.2 
 
Q: What's your level of living? Pick only one from among those 
listed below. 
 
Upper               1.5 
Upper middle       12.1 
Average            45.9 
Lower middle       32.5 
Lower               6.5 
N/A                 1.5 
 
Q: Do you think the gap between rich and poor people in Japan has 
widened, or do you otherwise think it has narrowed? 
 
Widened                           46.0 
Widened to a certain extent       27.8 
No change                         22.2 
Narrowed to a certain extent       2.0 
Narrowed                           0.5 
N/A                                1.5 
 
Q: Do you think the economic gap between urban and rural districts 
have widened, or do you otherwise think it has narrowed? 
 
Widened                           40.9 
Widened to a certain extent       26.2 
No change                         24.4 
Narrowed to a certain extent       1.6 
Narrowed                           0.9 
N/A                                5.9 
 
Q: Recently, companies tend to hire part-time or temporary workers, 
instead of hiring permanent employees, to constrain personnel costs. 
Do you think it is a problem? 
 
TOKYO 00000055  011 OF 011 
 
 
 
Yes                            50.1 
Yes to a certain degree        25.7 
No to a certain degree         10.1 
No                             10.2 
N/A                             3.9 
 
Q: Do you think Japan's economy will be better than now in a year, 
or do you otherwise think it will be worse than now? 
 
Better                 16.8 
Remain unchanged       61.7 
Worse                  17.8 
N/A                     3.7 
 
Q: What's the size of your family now? Pick only one from among 
those listed below. 
 
A big family with grandparents and grandchildren        20.1 
A family with parents and children only                 48.4 
A family with husband and wife                          23.4 
Living alone (bereaved, divorced, separated, etc.)       3.7 
Living alone (unmarried)                                 3.5 
O/A                                                      0.3 
N/A                                                      0.6 
 
Polling methodology 
Date of survey: Dec. 9-12, 2006. 
Subjects of survey: 3,000 persons chosen from among all eligible 
voters throughout the country (at 250 locations on a stratified 
two-stage random-sampling basis). 
Method of implementation: Door-to-door visits for face-to-face 
interviews. 
Number of valid respondents: 1,751 persons (58.4% ) 
Breakdown of respondents: Male-44%, female-56% ; persons in their 
20s-10%, 30s-15%, 40s-16%, 50s-22%, 60s-21%, 70 and over-16% ; big 
cities (Tokyo's 23 wards and government-designated cities)-23%, 
major cities (with a population of more than 300,000)-19%, 
medium-size cities (with a population of more than 100,000)-24%, 
small cities (with a population of less than 100,000)-23%, towns and 
villages-11%. 
 
DONOVAN