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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 001089 
 
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 03/13/07-1 
 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Prime Minister Abe now showing true colors, alarming New 
Komeito 
 
(2) Minshuto ready to launch attack against LDP over Matsuoka's huge 
utilities bills, focusing on fund reports, Diet replies, 
responsibility for appointment 
 
(3) Perception gap between LDP, New Komeito, with eye on elections; 
Passage of national referendum bill in Lower House likely in or 
after April 
 
(4) Poll: 26% concerned about low birthrate, 23% interested in 
economy 
 
(5) US Japan experts concerned about Prime Minister Abe's remarks 
about comfort-women issue 
 
(6) American publisher releases book refuting Beijing's claim that 
300,000 civilians were killed in Nanking Incident 
 
(7) Editorial: Comfort women issue-Doing nothing about falsified 
history is turning a blind eye to future trouble 
 
(8) Prime Minister Abe's remarks on comfort women issue come under 
fire from inside and outside Japan 
 
(9) Government decides to refrain from counterargument over comfort 
women issue 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Prime Minister Abe now showing true colors, alarming New 
Komeito 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
March 9, 2007 
 
Toshinari Etori 
 
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) junior coalition 
partner, New Komeito is puzzled about how to keep in step with Prime 
Minister Abe because of his recent desire to "go back to the 
starting line." Abe has recently inserted himself into intricate or 
sensitive problems. One typical case was his allowing the 
reinstatement of former House of Representatives member Seiichi Eto 
into the LDP.  In addition, the LDP, which is now playing hardball, 
in line with Abe's wishes, and is rushing to pass the national 
referendum bill through the Diet, likewise makes the New Komeito 
nervous. The New Komeito's irritation with the LDP seems likely to 
continue, particularly with the approaching national elections that 
will pit one political party against another. 
 
Eto's reinstatement in LDP intensifies New Komeito's distrust of 
Abe, LDP 
 
The New Komeito's nervousness about the LDP's actions started with 
question of whether the party would let Eto would be allowed to 
return to the LDP. The New Komeito was opposed to Eto's return to 
the fold out of fear that cooperation in the upcoming Upper House 
election could collapse. But Abe prioritized his friendship toward 
Eto over consideration for the New Komeito. Eto and Abe are old 
 
TOKYO 00001089  002 OF 011 
 
 
friends sharing the same view of history; both also want 
constitutional revision. This also irritates the New Komeito. 
 
At a time when Abe formed his administration, some in the New 
Komeito were concerned about the prime minister's "right-wing" 
nature. But Abe has refrained from repeating his pet arguments on 
historical issues and Yasukuni Shrine and instead held early 
meetings with the leaders of China and South Korea. At the time, 
many in the New Komeito began to view Abe this way: "He is willing 
to listen to the views of others." But, Abe's recent "move to 
"return to his own starting line" is alarming the New Komeito, with 
one senior party member noting, "I wonder whether he may be trying 
to remove the gap between what he stated before taking office as 
prime minister and what he has been doing as prime minister." 
 
The thought of Abe's returning to his basic line seems to have 
alarmed the New Komeito. It fears it may be rendered obsolete by the 
two major parties, the LDP and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or 
Minshuto). 
 
New Komeito's move may delay the passage of national referendum bill 
in Lower House 
 
The Lower House Special Committee on the Constitution yesterday 
cancelled a meeting planned for that day to set up a date for a 
hearing. This cancellation was decided by the committee's Chairman 
Nakayama (of the LDP), because both board members of the LDP and 
Minshuto were absent from the board meeting that day and also 
because the New Komeito was negative about escalating confrontation 
between the ruling parties and the Minshuto. The LDP, which thinks a 
week or so delay is unavoidable, intends to single-handedly add 
changes to the national referendum bill and aim to pass it through 
the Lower House by the end of the month. But, depending on the 
Minshuto's response to the revised bill and the New Komeito's 
judgment on it, the passage of the revised bill in the Lower House 
may be delayed to April. 
 
New Komeito caught in dilemma over election cooperation 
 
The New Komeito is placing priority on the unified local elections 
in April. 
 
Given that important event, the party wishes to avoid any 
questioning of the ruling parties and any policies that would 
irritate its supporters. A senior New Komeito member in this regard 
expressed concern: "If the Diet were thrown into turmoil by a 
vote-taking on the national referendum bill, it would have a 
significant impact on the upcoming elections." 
 
The New Komeito was opposed to the LDP's reinstatement of Eto in the 
party primarily because of the upcoming elections. Eto's running for 
an Upper House seat in a proportional representation bloc would take 
away some of the votes supposed to be cast for a New Komeito 
candidate. 
 
But the New Komeito leadership was quick to calm down internal 
objections to Eto's reinstatement in the LDP.  Touching on Eto's 
rejoining the LDP, New Komeito Secretary General Kitagawa noted: 
"The process of how to build a cooperative relationship with his 
electorate is likely to start now." After that, no criticism has 
been voiced openly in the party. 
 
The party's quick move to quiet down objections is attributable to 
 
TOKYO 00001089  003 OF 011 
 
 
amalgamation of the LDP and the New Komeito over cooperation in 
national elections. The New Komeito long struggled to increase the 
number of votes it won in the proportional representation portion of 
the election to the 7 million level. After joining the coalition 
government with the LDP, the New Komeito was able to raise the level 
of votes captured to the 8 million level in 2001. Then, in 2004, the 
number of votes for its candidates increased to 8,620,000. 
 
In order for the New Komeito to keep the 13 Upper House seats up for 
grabs in the elections this summer, it is imperative to gain the 
LDP's support for New Komeito candidates expected to run in five 
constituencies, as well as the LDP support for the New Komeito in 
the proportional representation races. 
 
Given that this sort of cooperation has the same pattern in the 
Lower House elections, the New Komeito cannot turn back. The 
challenge facing the party at present is how to find a common ground 
with the prime minister while avoiding causing discord. 
 
Mid-level lawmakers of the New Komeito, who aim to build a new 
communication channel with the Prime Minister's Official Residence, 
recently dined with the prime minister. One of them said: "This kind 
of association will allow us to talk to each other without 
reserve." 
 
(2) Minshuto ready to launch attack against LDP over Matsuoka's huge 
utilities bills, focusing on fund reports, Diet replies, 
responsibility for appointment 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
March 12, 2007 
 
"Why is 5 million yen in utilities charges needed annually in a 
rent-free suite in a Diet members' office building?" To this 
question made in a House of Councillors' Budget Committee meeting 
yesterday, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Toshikatsu 
Matsuoka refused to give an explanation. Minshuto (Democratic Party 
of Japan) intends to call for Matsuoka to be summoned to the Diet as 
a sworn witness over his political fund organization's allegedly 
bogus reports. The main opposition is ready to grill the Liberal 
Democratic Party over the Matsuoka scandal in the ongoing Diet 
session, focusing also on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's responsibility 
for appointing him. 
 
In the Upper House meeting yesterday, Matsuoka only replied, "I have 
reported properly what should be reported," refusing to give no 
detailed explanation. 
 
During a meeting of the said committee on March 5, Matsuoka said 
that expenses for a water purifier and heating equipment were added 
to the utilities bills. According to a veteran secretary, however, 
"Such spending should be listed as equipment and consumables 
costs." 
 
On the morning of March 9, a Minshuto member visited the office of 
Matsuoka's fund organization. But the member found no water purifier 
in the office. An Upper House member animatedly said, "If he unveils 
this fact, his office's misstatement will be discovered. If he 
refuses to reveal it, he will be accused of having told a lie in a 
Diet session." 
 
In the meeting yesterday, Minshuto member Kiichiro Asao asked for 
Prime Minister Abe's view as the one who appointed Matsuoka to head 
 
TOKYO 00001089  004 OF 011 
 
 
the agriculture ministry. In response, the prime minister said, 
"(Matsuoka) has made reports in compliance with law." Minshuto 
intends to "continue grilling the LDP with the three points of 
Matsuoka's falsified reports and Diet replies, as well as the prime 
minister's responsibility for appointing him as a set," a 
mid-ranking lawmaker said. 
 
(3) Perception gap between LDP, New Komeito, with eye on elections; 
Passage of national referendum bill in Lower House likely in or 
after April 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
March 13, 2007 
 
It is now certain that the budget bill for next fiscal year will be 
given the Diet's final approval within this fiscal year (which ends 
at the end of March). Under such a situation, a perception gap has 
begun to stand out between the Liberal Democratic Party and the New 
Komeito over pending issues. Over the national referendum bill, many 
members of the New Komeito, keeping the coming unified local 
elections in mind, are calling for prudence about a forcible 
approach in the Diet. Given this, the passage of the bill in the 
House of Representatives is likely to slip to April or later. The 
New Komeito is also dissatisfied with the LDP's responses to the 
office expense scandal involving Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 
Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka, as well as its decision to reinstate 
Seiichi Eto in the party and to support his candidacy under the 
proportional representation segment. Should the gap between the two 
ruling parties widen, Prime Minister Abe might lose even more 
political strength. 
 
Prime Minister Abe said (on March 11) that he would not stick to the 
idea of passing the bill by May 3. New Komeito President Akihiro Ota 
defined the prime minister's remark as natural, saying before 
reporter early yesterday afternoon: "I have repeatedly talked about 
it." 
 
Concern about forced passage 
 
The leaderships of the LDP and the New Komeito affirmed in February 
that they aimed at having the national referendum bill passed the 
current session by Constitution Day. Minshuto, though, declined 
their offer to jointly rewrite the bill. In response, some New 
Komeito members began to take this view: "We should refrain from 
taking a vote in a forcible manner before the first half of the 
unified local elections on April 8." The bill is unlikely to be 
clear the Lower House by the end of March. 
 
Cool responses to Matsuoka's Diet replies 
 
The office of Agricultural Minister Matsuoka's political fund 
organization is located in the Diet members' Office Building, which 
does not charge utilities. But the office management earmarked a 
total of about 28.8 million yen as utilities charges over the five 
years up to 2005. The opposition bloc has seized on this issue as 
"unnatural." 
 
In a meeting of the House of Councillors' Budget Committee 
yesterday, as well, Matsuoka just said, "I have submitted everything 
that is required under the Political Funds Control Law." Many 
members in the New Komeito, which place "integrity" as its guiding 
principle, take the view that "there is no need to defend him." Diet 
Affairs Committee Chairman Yoshio Urushibara also said coolly, "I do 
 
TOKYO 00001089  005 OF 011 
 
 
not think his explanation was fully convincing." 
 
As measures to increase transparency regarding office expenses, Ota 
referred again to a revision of the Political Funds Control Law, 
saying, "A systemic reform is necessary in the current Diet 
session." In the LDP, however, many are calling for dealing with the 
situation by tightening its domestic rules. 
 
Doubt about support for Eto 
 
The LDP's Election Committee's sub-commission unofficially decided 
in its meeting yesterday to support reinstated Eto, a postal rebel, 
as its candidate under the proportional representation segment. But 
one participant said, "I want proper steps to be taken so that a 
negative impact will not appear in the Upper House election." 
 
The New Komeito is concerned that the number of votes for its 
candidates for proportional representation seats in Kyushu could 
decrease due to Eto's candidacy. The LDP solicited an agreement from 
Eto to refrain from staging a campaign in Oita, his electoral 
district, but the New Komeito is still skeptical of the agreement. A 
senior member of the LDP's coalition partner said, "After 
ascertaining what moves Mr. Eto takes, we will consider" whether to 
support LDP candidates in single-seat constituencies." 
 
(4) Poll: 26% concerned about low birthrate, 23% interested in 
economy 
 
TOKYO (Page 1) (Abridged) 
March 12, 2007 
 
The Japan Polling Organization conducted a face-to-face nationwide 
public opinion survey on March 3-4 to probe public interest in the 
nation's 16th quadrennial local elections to be held in April. As 
major points at issue in the upcoming local elections, 26% picked 
"aging populations with dwindling fertility rates, welfare," with 
23% preferring "economic and employment measures." As seen from 
these figures, the nation's voting population wants the elections to 
focus on issues close to their daily lives. 
 
Among other issues, "fiscal problems," such as the fiscal bankruptcy 
of Yubari City in Hokkaido, accounted for 17%, with "social divide" 
reaching 9%. "Education," a pillar of the Abe cabinet's policy 
agenda, accounted for 8%. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is 
laying emphasis on the modality of "public service personnel," but 
this issue accounted for only 4%. The LDP was apart from public 
opinion. The issue of "politics and money" was at 8%. 
 
Respondents were asked pick one or more they would consider in 
voting. To this question, "manifesto, policies, principles" topped 
all other answers at 50%. "Political actions" also accounted for 
47%. It may safely be said that voters want candidates to fulfill 
their policies and translate them into action. 
 
Polling methodology: For the survey, a total of 3,000 persons were 
sampled out of males and females aged 20 and over at 250 locations 
throughout the country on a stratified two-stage random-sampling 
basis, so as to epitomize the nation's voting population of more 
than a 100 million. The survey was conducted by the Japan Polling 
Organization over a period of two days, March 3-4, on a face-to-face 
interview basis. Answers were obtained from 1,778 persons, excluding 
those who could not be interviewed because of their having moved 
away or being on a trip, or for other reasons. The retrieval rate 
 
TOKYO 00001089  006 OF 011 
 
 
was 59.3%. In the breakdown of respondents, males accounted for 
49.6%, and females 50.4%. 
 
(5) US Japan experts concerned about Prime Minister Abe's remarks 
about comfort-women issue 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Slightly abridged) 
March 10, 2007 
 
Yoichi Kato, Washington 
 
A controversy has erupted in the United States over the issue of 
Japan's wartime comfort women. The New York Times and other major US 
dailies carried editorials criticizing the Japanese government. 
Support for a resolution now before the US House of Representatives 
that demands a formal apology from Japan is now reportedly growing 
in the Congress. American experts on Japan affairs are becoming 
increasingly alarmed at the situation. Some are now calling on the 
Abe administration to respond in some form. 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on March 1 made this comment about the 
House resolution: "The truth is that there was no evidence that the 
Imperial Japanese Army used coercion (to force women into 
prostitution at frontline brothels)." Abe's remark has served to 
strengthen congressional support for the resolution. 
 
Michael Green, who served as a senior director for Asian affairs on 
the National Security Council at the White House until the end of 
2005, said: "Last week, many members of the House opposed the draft 
resolution, but (due to Prime Minister Abe's comment) all of them 
this week changed their position to support the resolution." 
 
The State Department this week reportedly stopped briefing lawmakers 
on Japan's efforts. 
 
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Campbell, who had just 
returned home from Japan, stated on March 6: "Japan watchers and 
supporters in the US are disappointed and perplexed (by Abe's 
remark)." He pointed out: 
 
"The US lauds Japan for having issued various declarations 
(including the Kono Statement), in the past, but the problem is that 
China, South Korea and other countries critical of Japan, have 
raised doubts about such efforts." 
 
He gave this warning: "Support for Japan in the US will decrease if 
Japan continues to hold this position." 
 
Green, who is now visiting Japan, pointed out: 
 
"The question of whether the Imperial Japanese Army coerced women 
into sexual slavery has nothing to do with it. Outside of Japan, 
nobody is interested in that point. The question is the tragic 
picture that the comfort women's experiences reveal. Japanese 
politicians have forgotten that basic fact." 
 
Green said that as a result of this situation, criticism has welled 
up toward Japan in the US, but "no one is hearing any sympathetic 
words from Japan for the victims." He regards this issue as more 
serious than the beef import issue and the realignment of US bases 
in Okinawa. 
 
Green proposed three measures that Japan should take: 1) Even if the 
 
TOKYO 00001089  007 OF 011 
 
 
US House of Representatives adopts the resolution, do not rebut it; 
2) Leave the Kono Statement alone; and 3) The prime minister and 
foreign minister should express understanding and sympathy toward 
the victims. 
 
US Ambassador Thomas Schieffer told an Asahi Shimbun reporter on 
March 9 at his official residence in Tokyo: "Although the draft 
resolution has no binding force, it is a mistake for Japan to 
underestimate the effect of this issue in the US. The ambassador 
then added: "There are no friends of Japan in the US who want Japan 
to back away from the Kono Statement." He sought to constrain a move 
in the LDP calling for a review of the Kono Statement. 
 
(6) American publisher releases book refuting Beijing's claim that 
300,000 civilians were killed in Nanking Incident 
 
SANKEI (Page 3) (Abridged) 
March 11, 2007 
 
Yoshihisa Komori, Washington 
 
An English translation of a Japanese book rejecting Beijing's claim 
that 300,000 persons had been killed in the Nanjing Massacre came 
out this past February from a prestigious American publisher 
specialized in academic books. It is the first book published in the 
United States reflecting the Japanese view of the Nanking Incident. 
The book is expected to create a stir in US research circles and 
others debating this historical issue. 
 
The book in question is The Politics of Nanjing: An Impartial 
Investigation by Minoru Kitamura, a professor of history at 
Ritsumeikan University, published by University Press of America 
(UPA). Kitamura, a well-known historian who is an expert on China, 
published in 2001 a book titled Nankin Jiken no Tankyu (Research on 
the Nanking Incident) by Bungei Shinsho based on new data on the 
National Party and other matters. In publishing The Politics of 
Nanjing in the United States, Kitanuma partially rewrote Nankin 
Jiken no Tankyu and added some details to it. The book was 
translated by Hal Gold, an American doing historical research who is 
a long-time resident of Japan. 
 
Based on the a cache of historical documents discovered in Nanjing, 
Taiwan, and other places, The Politics of Nanjing admits that the 
Imperial Japanese Army killed a large number of Chinese prisoners of 
war. At the same time, it refutes Beijing's claim, noting: "China's 
assertion that the Japanese army planned and massacred over 300,000 
Chinese civilians is groundless." 
 
An English translation of another book on the Nanjing Incident by 
Katsuichi Honda, a former Asahi Shimbun reporter, was published in 
the United States ahead of The Politics of Nanjing. Except for the 
one by Honda, all books were either put our by Japanese publishers 
in the United States on published at the author's own expense. In 
many parts, Honda's book resonates with the assertions of Chinese 
authorities. In that context, Kitamura's book is the first book 
published in the United States that brushes aside China's claim. 
 
Publications by UPA, a major American publisher of academic and 
scholarly monographs in humanities and social sciences with solid 
channels to colleges and university, research institutes, and 
libraries across the country, are used as textbooks and references. 
York University Professor Joshua Fogel, a leading scholar of modern 
Asian studies who specializes in Chinese-Japanese cross-cultural 
 
TOKYO 00001089  008 OF 011 
 
 
connections, took this view about The Politics of Nanjing: "Although 
I don't agree with some points in the book, it will be used widely 
by researchers and scholars in English-speaking societies." 
 
This year, which marks the 70 anniversary of the Nanking Incident, 
Chinese authorities are planning many events denouncing the 
incident. Some documentary films on the incident have been produced 
in the United States, as well. Kitamura's book is expected to 
contribute to normalizing the debate on the incident as a rare 
English-language material depicting a Japanese view. Kitamura is 
scheduled to deliver a speech on his book at the Foreign 
Correspondents' Club of Japan on April 2. 
 
ThinkFilm plans to release Nanking at year's end 
 
Hideya Yamamoto, Washington 
 
ThinkFilm, a New York-based film distribution company, revealed on 
March 9 that it has won the right to release Nanking, a documentary 
film on the 1937 Nanking Incident. The company plans to release it 
in December this year in commemoration of 70th anniversary of the 
incident. 
 
(7) Editorial: Comfort women issue-Doing nothing about falsified 
history is turning a blind eye to future trouble 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 10, 2007 
 
A statement released by a one-time chief cabinet secretary over the 
comfort women issue has marred Japan's honor and has cast a shadow 
even on Japan-US relations. This situation is serious. Japan must 
resolutely reject any unreasonable political interpretation of facts 
in history and needs wisdom to avoid unnecessary diplomatic 
friction. In other words, Japan needs a strategic approach. 
 
In that sense, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sincerely faced up to 
facts. In his Diet reply, Prime Minister Abe stated: "There is no 
evidence to endorse claims that government authorities used 
coercion." A South Korean woman, in her testimony in a public 
hearing of the US House of Representatives, testified that she was 
compelled by a Japanese man in military uniform to prostitute 
herself. However, she did not state that she was taken away by the 
Japanese military. 
 
The point is whether there was state coercion over the comfort women 
issue or whether there was someone between brothels and girls who 
sold themselves. 
 
However, the government, in its statement that came from then Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Kono, owned up to "the Imperial Japanese Army's 
roles" in setting up the brothels with no definitive evidence. The 
Kono statement therefore spread the wrong awareness that those women 
were "sex slaves" to the Japanese military. Prime Minister Abe has 
denied the claims. Then, US newspapers distorted what the prime 
minister really meant to say. This resulted in proliferating 
misunderstandings. 
 
The prime minister tried to avoid bringing about further diplomatic 
minuses by indicating his intention to leave the matter to his 
ruling Liberal Democratic Party's investigation and study. US 
newspapers-often taking a pro-Chinese stance like the New York 
Times-are watching vigilantly for a chance to distort the prime 
 
TOKYO 00001089  009 OF 011 
 
 
minister's remarks. Once the prime minister gives them something to 
criticize, the Americans in general will be misled. That will please 
China and South Korea as they are attempting to come between Japan 
and the United States. 
 
In particular, China embarked on an anti-Japanese campaign using the 
historical view issue as a weapon to block Japan's bid for a 
permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. China's 
anti-Japanese campaign came under fire from the US and European 
media when they  became aware there was something questionable about 
it. Then, China changed course to win them over to its side. Some US 
newspapers were taken in by China. 
 
Iris Chang's book, "The Rape of Nanking," contains a number of 
mistakes. The China Foundation for Human Rights Development 
presented her portrait bust to a famous American university. One of 
that Chinese organization's leaders said it would play up its 
propaganda toward the United States and Europe with its drive to 
blame Japan for its historical perception. This proves that their 
media was taken in. 
 
The US House of Representatives is about to vote on a bill 
denouncing Japan over the comfort women issue, and the US newspapers 
continue to mislead their readers. There is no need for the prime 
minister to come out against such. Instead, the Japanese government 
should submit corrections each time. If Japan does nothing about 
their misunderstanding and exaggeration of facts in history, 
falsified history will have wings. That means to turn a blind eye to 
future trouble. 
 
(8) Prime Minister Abe's remarks on comfort women issue come under 
fire from inside and outside Japan 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
March 11, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said that he upholds the 1993 
statement by then Chief Cabinet Secretary on the comfort women 
issue, while denying that the Japanese military forced foreign women 
into sexual slavery "in the narrow sense". Not only Japan's 
opposition parties and other Asian countries but also the US media 
have criticized Abe's position. The issue might become a new source 
of trouble for the Abe administration. 
 
At a House of Councillors Budget Committee session on March 5, Abe 
stated: "In a broad sense there was coercion when brokers recruited 
the women, but there was no evidence of coercion by the government 
authorities in a narrow sense." 
 
Abe made a similar statement also at last October's extraordinary 
Diet session in which he expressed his intention to stand by the 
Kono Statement. It is absolutely necessary for Abe as prime minister 
to follow the Kono Statement. Before assuming the prime minister's 
post, however, he made it clear that the government authorities' 
direct involvement in recruiting the comfort women that the Kono 
Statement acknowledged was not proved. Abe then tried to avoid the 
opposition's pursue of the issue by saying, "There is no coercion in 
a narrow sense." 
 
Abe gave a similar explanation on March 5, as well. It is difficult 
for foreign countries to understand differences of nuances between 
"a narrow sense and a broad sense." In addition, he said the same 
day that he would not issue a fresh apology for the comfort women 
 
TOKYO 00001089  010 OF 011 
 
 
issue, even if Japan were urged to do so by a US congressional 
resolution that demands a clear apology from the Japanese 
government. This comment created a stir. 
 
China and South Korea strongly reacted against Abe's remark, 
claiming, "The comfort women issue is a historical fact that the 
Japanese government should admit and bear its responsibility." The 
US media criticized the prime minister's position rather than 
commenting on whether there was coercion or not. The New York Times 
wrote: "Japan is only dishonored by such efforts to contort the 
truth." 
 
Some lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are 
concerned about the future of Japan-US relations. Former Secretary 
General Koichi Kato commented: "The US has begun considering that 
the Abe administration is trying to avoid Japan's responsibility for 
the war." 
 
When asked about his view on the comfort women issue at an Upper 
House Budget Committee session on March 9, Abe said: "I talked about 
the facts but my view was not correctly conveyed." He has capped his 
"narrow and broad sense" argument, but his argument will inevitably 
be pursued. Since he plans to visit the US in April for the first 
time since assuming office, he will likely need to give more 
explanations on the issue. 
 
(9) Government decides to refrain from counterargument over comfort 
women issue 
 
SANEKI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
March 10, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said yesterday that the government would 
refrain from openly criticizing a resolution currently under debate 
in the United States' House Committee on Foreign Affairs criticizing 
Japan over the so-called comfort women issue. Although the prime 
minister had repeatedly denied the Japanese Imperial Army coerced 
young women into sexual slavery and had indicated his intention of 
refusing to offer an apology even if the resolution was adopted, 
such remarks resulted in inviting fierce reactions from the US mass 
media. Reflecting on this, Abe has judged it unwise to "spread 
unproductive debate." This might help to prevent the resolution from 
being adopted. 
 
In a House of Councillors Budget Committee meeting and an interview 
with reporters yesterday, Prime Minister Abe referred to US liberal 
newspapers intensifying criticism of his own remarks: "Since my 
statements have not been accurately reported, it might be the proper 
political judgment to prevent the debate from spreading." 
 
He indicated that he would not step into the same ring, based on the 
judgment even if he continued to make counterarguments, his real 
intention would not be conveyed, conversely resulting in stirring up 
more criticism of Japan in the US media. 
 
Behind the prime minister's judgment is also this view, as a 
government source noted: "The more Japan argues back, the more the 
comfort women issue will be spotlighted, resulting in benefiting 
China and South Korea." Foreign Minister Taro Aso also commented in 
the meeting yesterday, "We are trying to avoid taking outstanding 
measures" to prevent the resolution in the US House from being 
adopted. 
 
 
TOKYO 00001089  011 OF 011 
 
 
But according to a government source, "Prime Minister Abe still 
desires to rewrite the Kono Statement." Given this, the government 
intends to support moves in the Liberal Democratic Party to uncover 
the details of the comfort women issue, such as the presentation of 
data detailing explanations by former comfort women. An LDP 
mid-ranking official takes the view that even if the resolution with 
no legal binding power is adopted in the US House of 
Representatives, "it will become easier for Japan to make 
counterarguments. It would provide an opportunity for Japan to 
review the Kono Statement, which was used by the House of 
Representatives as the basis for submitting the resolution." 
 
SCHIEFFER