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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TOKYO 000702 
 
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 02/20/07-2 
 
 
Index: 
 
Foreign affairs: 
16) Armitage 2 Report calls for Japan, US to boost cooperation on 
China strategy     11 
17) US congressional resolution on "comfort women issue" and moves 
in LDP to revise Kono statement on the issue pose first test for 
Abe's "soft diplomacy"     12 
18) Japan, China considering defense "hotline" to allow exchanges of 
views on North Korea and other issues     13 
19) Japan, Russia to expand cooperation on natural disasters in area 
around disputed northern islands     13 
20) Foreign Minister Aso engages Iranian counterpart in telephone 
conference on nuclear issue and Japan's sanctions     14 
21) Japan, Australia to regularize cabinet-level consultations on 
defense, foreign affairs     14 
 
Political agenda: 
22) Tough advice from LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa to 
Prime Minister Abe, but Abe seems to brush them off     15 
23) Cabinet shuffle rumor still circulated but Abe denies that 
possibility     15 
24) Opposition camp expects victory in upcoming July Upper House 
election     16 
25) Opposition parties may submit no-confidence motion against 
Health Minister Yanagisawa     17 
26) Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara surprises LDP by rejecting the 
party's support for his reelection campaign     17 
 
Articles: 
 
16) Armitage Report -- Revised Edition -- stresses Japan-US 
cooperation on strategy toward China, calls for expansion of Japan's 
role in defense area 
 
MAINICHI (Page 6) (Full) 
Eve., February 17, 2007 
 
By Masaya Oikawa in Washington 
 
A bipartisan group of experts led by former Deputy Secretary of 
State Armitage issued on Feb. 16 a revised edition of the "Armitage 
Report," which lays out a strategy toward Japan, looking ahead at 
the Asia situation in 2020. The report stresses the need for the 
United States and Japan to respond strategically to a rising China. 
In addition, while the report welcomes the activities of the 
Self-Defense Forces for the international community, with services 
in the Indian Ocean and in Iraq following the terrorist attacks on 
the US, it also urges Japan to expand its role in the defense area. 
The previous report, issued in 2000, later became the basic policy 
line for strengthening the bilateral security alliance. The revised 
report, too, is likely to have a powerful influence on the Japanese 
and US governments. 
 
On China, the report states, "An important challenge for China is 
securing energy resources." As a result, the report warns of 
friction arising over such issues as competition to acquire 
resources in the ocean. Stating, "It will be the US and Japan that 
will affect China's moves the most," the report states that "Japan 
and the US should cooperate closely" on a strategy toward China. 
 
On the other hand, the report predicts that in 2020, India will 
 
TOKYO 00000702  002 OF 008 
 
 
"have a presence that surpasses China's." The panel urges the US and 
Japan to strengthen a strategic partnership with India -- a 
democracy with shared values -- and to establish a trilateral 
relationship among US, Japan, and India aimed at China. 
 
Moreover, on the Korean Peninsula issue, the report states that "the 
possibility is great that there will be unification by 2020," but it 
also points out, "There is the possibility of North Korea to 
continue to produce nuclear weapons." The report proposes, "Japan 
and the US should prepare for all sorts of scenarios." 
 
Regarding strengthening the US-Japan alliance, the report states: 
"The US will continue to be a key element in Japan's national 
security," and it points out the need to stress repeatedly the role 
of the US as Japan's nuclear umbrella. On the other hand, the panel 
urges Japan to take broader responsibility for the defense of its 
homeland. It lauds the debates in Japan on constitutional reform and 
on establishing a permanent law for overseas dispatches of the SDF. 
In addition, the report urges Japan to 1) increase defense spending; 
2) scrap the three principles on weapons exports; and 3) jointly 
develop with the US the next generation US warship that would be 
equipped with missile-defense capability. 
 
The drafters of the Armitage Report are as before Armitage 
(Republican); Harvard University Professor Joseph Nye (Democrat); 
former National Security Council senior director of Asian affairs 
Michael Green, former Defense Department senior official Campbell 
and other Japan experts. 
 
17) US House of Representatives' resolution on comfort women issue 
becoming a test for Abe's "soft diplomacy"; Revision of Kono 
statement (on comfort women issue) could also heat up again 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Excerpts) 
February 20, 2007 
 
The issue of the US House of Representatives having passed a 
resolution demanding an apology from the Japanese government for 
World War II military-controlled comfort women (i.e., sex slaves) 
was debated on Feb. 10 in the Lower House Budget Committee, as well. 
The focus was on how to treat the 1993 "Statement by Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Yohei Kono," in which an apology was made for the 
 
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involvement of the former Japan Imperial Army. Prime Minister Shinzo 
Abe has taken the position, "We will accept and follow the Kono 
Statement," but a group of conservative members of the government 
and ruling party who seek to revise the Kono Statement reacted 
sharply. Set off by the resolution, the issue is expected for break 
out into the public, an ironic development. This is likely to be a 
strong test of Prime Minister Abe's "soft diplomacy," under which 
Abe has kept silent on the issue of prime ministerial visits to 
Yasukuni Shrine in order to improve ties with China and the Republic 
of Korea. 
 
Foreign Minister Aso's comment: "The resolution (presented by the US 
House of Representatives) is not based on objective fact. It is 
extremely regrettable since it did not take into consideration the 
response by the Japanese government." (Feb. 10, in the Lower House 
Budget Committee) 
 
18) Japan, China to establish defense hotline to exchange views on 
North Korea issue and other matters 
 
 
TOKYO 00000702  003 OF 008 
 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
February 19, 2007 
 
Tokyo and Beijing have begun considering the establishment of a 
hotline between Japan's Defense Ministry and China's People's 
Liberation Army. The purpose is to enable the two countries' top 
defense leaders to keep in touch at all times to exchange views on 
the East Asia situation, including the North Korean issue. Exchanges 
of defense authorities of the two countries have resumed following 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China last year, which has 
helped improve bilateral relations. The two countries intend to 
identify the new move as a symbol of their diplomatic thaw. 
 
A defense hotline is already in place with South Korea as well as 
with the United States, Japan's ally. The Defense Ministry has 
installed an exclusive telephone line for a telephone number 
exchanged in advance with South Korea that is not open to other 
agencies at home and abroad. Defense leaders can leave messages on 
the machine, as necessary. 
 
A study is underway to establish a similar arrangement with China. 
Tokyo and Beijing intend to come up with a concrete plan by summer 
to be ready for a visit to Japan in September by Chinese National 
Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan, as part of defense exchanges between 
the two countries. 
 
19) Japan, Russia to expand disaster cooperation around northern 
islands 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) 
February 17, 2007 
 
The governments of Japan and Russia has started final coordination 
with an eye to strengthening cooperation on the area of disaster 
relief in the case of earthquakes and tsunamis near the disputed 
four northern islands off Hokkaido. The expectation is that a formal 
agreement on the issue will be reached in a meeting between Prime 
Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian Premier Mikhail Fradkov, who will 
arrive in Japan on Feb. 27. The Japanese government hopes to see 
progress on bilateral talks on the Northern Territories issue, which 
have been stagnant, through urgently needed cooperation on disaster 
cooperation measures. 
 
There were two earthquakes of the magnitude of 8.0 or so last 
November and January this year. The quakes caused damage to the east 
coast of Hokkaido and Sakhalin. The Meteorological Agency has said 
that the two countries have a common risk. However the observation 
is that it is not easy for the two countries to cooperate with each 
other in coming up with comprehensive measures in this area since 
the issue of ownership of the Northern Territories has yet to be 
resolved. An official involved in disaster relief affairs said: "The 
two countries should hurry to create a disaster coordination 
system." 
 
Foreign Minister Taro Aso clearly stated in a national convention to 
call on the return of Northern Territories on Feb. 7: 
 
"We will push forward with cooperation (with Russia) on the disaster 
coordination area as part of improving the environment for promotion 
on the bilateral negotiations on the territorial issue." 
 
The Russian side also stressed the significance of bilateral 
 
TOKYO 00000702  004 OF 008 
 
 
cooperation on disaster countermeasures, noting, "Cooperation 
(between Japan and Russia) may become possible over the South Kurile 
(four northern islands), which have been the object of dispute 
between the two countries." 
 
Tokyo and Moscow agreed to make an action plan for disaster 
cooperation measures in an experts meeting in early Feb. Moscow 
intends to incorporate in the action plan such efforts as building 
monitoring stations on isolated islands. 
 
20) Aso talks with Mottaki on phone 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
February 20, 2007 
 
Foreign Minister Taro Aso talked on the phone with Iranian Foreign 
Minister Manouchehr Mottaki for about 40 minutes yesterday. Aso told 
Mottaki that in accordance with a UN Security Council resolution on 
Iran's nuclear programs, Japan has invoked sanctions, such as a 
freeze on assets, against 10 groups and 12 individuals who are 
allegedly involved in the development of nuclear and missile 
programs. Aso again urged Iraq to completely halt uranium enrichment 
activities, saying, "I would like to see a settlement of the issue 
in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution. It is 
regrettable that a positive response has not been shown." In 
response, Mottaki rejected Japan's call for ending uranium 
enrichment activities, while criticizing the United States and other 
countries. 
 
21) Japanese, Australian foreign and defense chiefs to hold regular 
meetings: Three countries including US to set up 
bureau-director-level meetings as well 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
February 20, 2007 
 
The government yesterday decided to establish regular talks with 
Australia of foreign and defense ministers. Japan and the US, and 
the US and Australia already have frameworks like the Japan-US 
Security Affairs Consultative Committee, a so-called two-plus-two 
meeting of defense and foreign ministers. The aim of setting up a 
similar framework with Australia is, therefore, to reinforce ties 
among the three countries. 
 
US Vice President Cheney will visit Japan and Australia starting 
today. He is expected to discuss security cooperation among the 
three countries with Prime Minister Abe and others. Australian Prime 
Minister Howard will also visit Japan in mid-March. The three 
countries have decided to establish a framework to make the proposed 
cooperation into a concrete deal availing themselves of those 
visits. The government wants to realize the first session of the 
Japan-Australia two-plus-two meeting and a Japan-US-Australia 
bureau-director-level meeting around Howard's Japan visit. 
 
Discussions at the talks will focus on measures to deal with 
possible terrorist attacks in the Pacific and natural disasters. The 
three countries already enjoy cooperative operations in such areas 
as can be seen in the fact that they promptly carried out relief 
activities in cooperation after 2004 Sumatra earthquake and Indian 
Ocean tsunami. They will look into more detailed measures. 
 
The three countries also plan to use the frameworks as a venue for 
 
TOKYO 00000702  005 OF 008 
 
 
obtaining cooperation on the North Korea issue from Australia, which 
is not a member of the six-party talks. 
 
The three countries have a strategic dialogue of foreign ministers 
but not of defense ministers. Since it is difficult for foreign and 
defense ministers of the three countries to meet all together in 
terms of schedules, the three countries have decided to establish 
three two-plus-two frameworks undergirded by bureau-director-level 
meetings. 
 
22) LDP executive members, including Nakagawa, complain about 
cabinet ministers' "lack of respect" for the prime minister 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
February 20, 2007 
 
Liberal Democratic Party executive members, including Secretary 
General Hidenao Nakagawa and Policy Research Council Chairman 
Shoichi Nakagawa, have unprecedentedly complained about the lack of 
intensity and unity in the Abe cabinet. 
 
In a liaison meeting of the government and the ruling parties 
yesterday, Secretary General Nakagawa, who had called on cabinet 
ministers to have a sense of loyalty toward the prime minister, 
complained before the prime minister and key cabinet members: 
 
"Party members have begun to make remarks expressing concern about 
the lack of unity in the government. Cabinet ministers and 
bureaucrats are not allowed to give priority to their own views." 
 
"The lack of unity" pointed out by Nakagawa is also seen from recent 
words and actions by close aides to the prime minister over the 
issue of rebuilding education. 
 
The prime minister has indicated a willingness to have bills related 
to educational revitalization enacted in the current Diet session. 
However, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Shimomura said on a 
TV program, "Having the bills passed in the current session should 
be considered flexibly." Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki 
also implied a view similar to Shimomura's. 
 
Cabinet ministers have made controversial remarks in succession, 
including Yanagisawa's comment and Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma's 
remarks critical of the United States. The LDP executive has judged 
that the lack of intensity in the government has allowed the cabinet 
ministers to make such remarks. Secretary General Nakagawa also 
seems to have the impression that such cabinet ministers are making 
light of the young prime minister. 
 
Asked for his view about Nakagawa's statement last night, the prime 
minister dismissed the concern in the LDP executive, saying: "Ask 
Secretary General Nakagawa. You have no need to worry." 
 
SIPDIS 
 
In the LDP, though, a sense of alarm toward the cabinet's plummeting 
support rate is growing in the run-up to the House of Councillors 
election. Complaints and requests toward the cabinet are likely to 
continue. 
 
23) Cabinet support rate continues to drop; Calls for cabinet 
shuffle smoldering but Prime Minister Abe rejects possibility 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
 
TOKYO 00000702  006 OF 008 
 
 
February 20, 2007 
 
The ruling coalition is increasingly alarmed over the House of 
Councillors election campaign in the summer, since the support rate 
for the Abe cabinet has continued to fall. A senior Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) member close to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has 
called on the cabinet ministers to act properly since he sees that 
the low cabinet support stems from inappropriate words and deeds by 
cabinet ministers, including Health Minister Yanagisawa calling 
women "baby-making machines" and the large amount of office expenses 
by politicians. There is also smoldering debate about a cabinet 
reshuffle even though Abe has repeatedly said that he has no 
intention of conducting one. 
 
During a meeting yesterday of the government and the ruling parties, 
LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa stated: "The government, the 
ruling coalition, and cabinet ministers should unite under the prime 
minister's initiative." In his speech on Feb. 18, too, Nakagawa 
sought absolute loyalty and sacrifice from cabinet ministers for the 
prime minister. In yesterday's meeting, New Komeito Secretary 
General Kazuo Kitagawa sided with Nakagawa. 
 
Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori also expressed unhappiness with 
some cabinet members, telling reporters on Feb. 13 in India: 
 
"Financial Services Minister Yamamoto, Economy, Trade and Industry 
Minister Amari and Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Suga 
do not follow the prime minister. Defense Minister Kyuma, Foreign 
Minister Aso and Finance Minister Omi, who are senior to Prime 
Minister Abe and serving in the Diet more terms than the prime 
minister, do not seem to respect the prime minister." 
 
Both Mori and Nakagawa, who have close ties with Abe, believe that 
cabinet ministers' blunders and their words and actions making light 
of the prime minister are reasons for the declining support rate for 
the Abe cabinet. So they have repeated criticism of cabinet members. 
They also appear to be protecting Abe by doing so. 
 
Although Abe has calmly said, "I'm not doing my job in the hope of 
raising support rates," it appears that he has recently taken pains 
to regain support. To that end, he visited Akita Prefecture on Feb. 
¶3. He is expected to go to Niigata Prefecture on Feb. 25. Since the 
largest opposition party Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) plans 
to make social disparities as a campaign issue for the July Upper 
House election, Abe aims to obtain public support by showing his 
stance of placing priority on improving local economies. 
 
In consideration of criticism that he is in over his head, Abe has 
made efforts to communicate with the ruling bloc. He has held 
already met four times at night with ruling coalition lawmakers 
although he held such a meeting only once a month last October and 
November soon after he took office. 
 
24) Opposition parties expect victory in Upper House election 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
February 20, 2007 
 
Opposition parties intend to bring about a reversal of the places of 
the ruling and opposition camps in the summer's House of Councillors 
election by escalating their stance of opposing the Abe cabinet, 
whose support rate continues to drop. 
 
TOKYO 00000702  007 OF 008 
 
 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) Diet Affairs Committee Chairman 
Yoshiaki Takagi commented yesterday on the slumping support rate for 
the Abe cabinet: 
 
"The government and ruling parties have failed to reach an agreement 
on education reform. I assume that such instability is causing the 
declining support rate. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has not fulfilled 
his leadership role." 
 
Minshuto Chief Deputy Secretary General Watanabe said: "The prime 
minister's reform drive has not sense of the people's living 
conditions. Minshuto will come up with specific measures to tackle 
the pension system and the lack of medical doctors so that we can 
win the Upper House election." 
 
25) Secretaries general of three opposition parties to meet today to 
discuss a submission of non-confidence motion against Yanagisawa 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
February 20, 2007 
 
A move is afoot again in the opposition camp, to explore the 
possibility of submitting a non-confidence motion against Health, 
Labor and Welfare Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa for his controversial 
remark calling women "baby-making machines." The secretaries general 
of Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), the Social Democratic 
Party, and the People's New Party are scheduled to meet today to 
discuss the matter, but some members looked puzzled, with one member 
saying, "We have already missed the chance." 
 
Minshuto Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said in a press conference 
in Kofu City on Feb. 17, "I would like to meet (the secretaries 
general of) Minshuto and the People's New Party early next week and 
reach an agreement" on the idea of submitting a non-confidence 
motion. 
 
The idea emerged around when the three opposition parties and the 
Japanese Communist Party boycotted Diet deliberations in reaction to 
the controversial remark by Yanagisawa early this month. By 
submitting a resolution, the opposition bloc aimed to have ruling 
party members take a loyalty test and use it as an opportunity for 
them to return to Diet deliberations, but it decided to give it up 
in the end, based on the judgment that if the motion was rejected, 
the result would be that confidence would be placed in Yanagisawa 
instead. 
 
26) Tokyo Governor Ishihara declines recommendation from LDP 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Slightly Abridged) 
February 20, 2007 
 
Governor Shintaro Ishihara (74), who has declared his candidacy for 
the Tokyo gubernatorial election to be announced on March 22 (voting 
day on Apr. 8) to seek a third term, yesterday conveyed to Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Nakagawa his decision to 
decline a recommendation from the LDP. He will contest the election 
as an independent with no backing from any political party, as was 
the case in the past two gubernatorial elections. 
 
The LDP had decided to back him in mid-January and had been ready to 
issue a recommendation by Prime Minister Abe. According to Nakagawa, 
 
TOKYO 00000702  008 OF 008 
 
 
Ishihara told him on the phone: "Making this decision from a broad 
perspective, I will run without backing from any political party. 
Please understand my decision." 
 
Ishihara once indicated that he would accept the recommendation from 
the LDP responding to a strong call to do so from the party's Tokyo 
chapter. However, he presumably has judged that in view of the 
election of Hideo Higashikokubaru as a non-affiliated candidate in 
the Miyazaki gubernatorial election on Jan. 21, it would not be wise 
to have a strong political party stamp. 
 
SCHIEFFER