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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 001545 
 
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 04/10/07 
 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
Visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki: 
4) Prime ministers Abe, Maliki agree to build a strategic 
relationship between Japan and Iraq 
5) Japan strengthening ties with Iraq as part of policy effort to 
secure vital resources 
 
Visit of Chinese Premier Wen: 
6) China sending prime minister to Japan as part of drive to improve 
relations with Japan 
7) China to promise cooperation to resolve Japan's abduction issue 
in joint statement during premier's visit 
8) Government to start this fiscal year an energy-conservation 
project with China that may set the "Asian standard" for 
global-warming countermeasures 
 
North Korea problem: 
9) Assistant Secretary Hill, transiting Japan, confirms US-Japan 
cooperation on restarting six-party talks with North Korea 
10) Government will today extend sanctions against North Korea for 
another six months 
 
11) Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) urges government to speed 
up preparation for US-Japan economic pact 
 
Local elections analysis: 
12) Mainichi exit polls in Sunday's gubernatorial races queried 
voters about Upper House election party preferences to gauge level 
of confrontation of major parties 
13) In 47 municipal and prefectural assembly races, LDP garnered 
1310 seats; Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) took 416, a big 
jump from last election 
14) Minshuto jumped from 235 to 375 in 44 prefectural assemblies 
15) Local elections underscore early trend of New Komeito starting 
to distance itself from LDP 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Simulation trials show professional judges may overly lead lay 
judges' views 
 
Mainichi & Sankei: 
Health Ministry in first guidelines proposes entrusting judgment to 
medical teams on whether to continue life support for terminal 
patients 
 
Yomiuri: 
Comsun obtains business licenses for three nursing care centers 
through fraudulent applications 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Japanese, US leading firms, including Hitachi, expanding research 
and development units in China 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Education Rebuilding Council proposes differentiating wages based on 
 
TOKYO 00001545  002 OF 010 
 
 
evaluations 
 
Akahata: 
JCP Central Committee issues report on results in first round of 
nationwide local elections 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) All political parties lacking in spirit in local elections 
(2) Increase the number of doctors for children 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Ishihara, elected to third term, must swiftly implement campaign 
pledges 
(2) Shiga assembly election: Let's send out ripples, starting with 
Lake Biwa 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Iraqi prime minister's Japan visit: Japan must make strategic 
arrangements in terms of energy strategy 
(2) Revised Equal Employment Law: Foster better working environment 
for both men and women 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Bill to unify pensions designed to benefit bureaucrats 
(2) Presidential election and agony of East Timor 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Japan's bid to host 2016 Olympic Games: Future vision must be 
shown for mature metropolis 
(2) Japanese Association of Medical Sciences meeting: Reflect 
up-to-date knowledge in healthcare measures 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Countermeasures to global warming: World's attitude beginning to 
change 
(2) Revision of Copyright Law: Caution needed for restricting 
private reproductions 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Bill to create human resources bank goes against public call for 
banning Amakudari practice 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, April 9 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
April 10, 2007 
 
09:47 
Met with Asian Development Bank Governor Kuroda and Vice Financial 
Minister for International Financial Affairs Watanabe. 
 
11:03 
Met with Vice Foreign Minister Yachi. 
 
12:01 
Government-ruing parties liaison council meeting. 
 
14:00 
 
TOKYO 00001545  003 OF 010 
 
 
Met with Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Amari and Resources 
and Energy Agency Director General Mochizuki. Agriculture Minister 
Matsuoka and Ambassador Yokota for international trade and economic 
affairs of the Foreign Ministry joined, after Mochizuki left. 
Matsuoka remained. 
 
15:22 
Met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matoba, followed by LDP 
Secretary General Nakagawa. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
16:37 
Met with Chinese Ambassador to Japan Yang Yi. Foreign Ministry 
Asia-Pacific Affairs Bureau Director General Sasae was present. 
 
17:03 
LDP executive meeting in the Diet building. 
 
18:18 
Met with Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki. Then dinner party he hosted. 
 
20:41 
Returned to the official residence. 
 
4) Premiers of Japan, Iraq agree to build strategic relationship, 
work together in a broad range of areas 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 10, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Abe last night met with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister 
Maliki at the Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei). The two 
leaders agreed to aim to build a long-term, strategic partnership in 
an effort to promote cooperation between the two countries in a 
broad range of fields, including political and economic affairs. Abe 
conveyed to Maliki his policy of extending the Iraq Reconstruction 
Special Measures Law for another two years and to keep Air 
Self-Defense Force (ASDF) troops carrying out operations in the 
region. 
 
Maliki is visiting Japan for the first time since he assumed the 
post of prime minister in May 2006. In the session, Abe indicated 
his plan to cooperate in the area of reconstructing Iraq in the 
future as well, telling Maliki: "A stable Iraq is indispensable for 
the stability of the Middle East and directly leads to Japan's 
national interests as well." Abe also urged Maliki to make efforts 
for national reconciliation in Iraq, where sectarian disputes are 
continuing. 
 
Maliki expressed gratitude for Japan's assistance and stressed: 
"Iraq is making a challenge for a new age. We must further develop 
our friendship with Japan." 
 
Iraq is the third largest oil reserves in the world, but its oil 
production in 2006 was two-thirds or so before the Iraq war. By 
strengthening relations with Iraq, Abe wants to somehow secure a 
stable oil supply from Iraq in the future. 
 
An agreement was reached yesterday between Tokyo and Tehran on yen 
loans worth 103 billion yen for repairing oil refineries in Iraq's 
major southern city of Basra and other purposes. Both sides 
exchanged letters of agreement. 
 
 
TOKYO 00001545  004 OF 010 
 
 
5) Japan-Iraq summit: Japan to strengthen bilateral relations for 
natural resources; Japan to positively involve itself in 
reconstruction assistance 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 10, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday met with Iraqi Prime Minister at 
the Prime Minister's Office (Kantei). During the talks, Abe 
clarified Japan's stance of positively involving itself in the Iraqi 
reconstruction process, pledging the continuation of airlifting 
operations between Kuwait and northern Iraq by the Air Self-Defense 
Forces (ASDF) and the extension of yen loans. The two leaders agreed 
on the idea of building a long-term and strategic partnership for 
bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas for political and 
economic ties. 
 
Abe stressed, "The stabilization of Iraq is indispensable for the 
international community. It will also meet our country's national 
interests." He conveyed to Maliki that Japan has extended the Iraq 
reconstruction assistance special measures law for another two 
years. 
 
Maliki expressed his gratitude and said, "Iraq should further 
develop friendship with Japan. He invited Abe to visit Iraq. 
 
Japan's assistance to Iraq has started with cooperation for the US 
fight against terrorism as a major objective. However, the emphasis 
has now shifted to securing resources with the situation in Iraq 
thrown into turmoil. Iraq ranks third following Saudi Arabia and 
Iran in terms of oil reserves. However, its production amount stands 
at 2 million barrels a day due in part to the ongoing war. The 
contract to extend yen loans to Iraq worth up to 102.8 billion yen 
signed this time includes the restoration of crude oil export 
facilities. 
 
Iran, Japan's third largest crude supplier, is increasingly being 
isolated in the international community due to its nuclear 
development ambitions. Abe will visit five Middle East nations in 
late April to strengthen relationships with them. Abe diplomacy is 
focusing on the Middle East, which has a significant bearing on 
energy security. 
 
Iraq is also doing its utmost to invite foreign capital. Key cabinet 
ministers, such as the oil minister, the electricity minister and 
the industry and minerals minister, are accompanying Maliki on his 
Japan visit. Maliki yesterday met with METI Minister Akira Amari in 
Tokyo and said: "Some areas have restored public security. I 
strongly hope Japanese companies will make investment in such 
areas." European companies are positive toward making investment in 
such areas as the Krudish autonomous region, where public security 
is relatively good. Japanese companies are still cautious about 
investing in Iraq as they are concerned about public security 
there. 
 
6) Chinese premier to arrive in Japan tomorrow, aims to improve 
relations with Japan 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
April 10, 2007 
 
Tetsuya Suetsugu, Beijing 
 
TOKYO 00001545  005 OF 010 
 
 
 
Using the opportunity of Premier Wen Jiabao's official visit to 
Japan starting tomorrow, China intends to ease the mutual distrust 
that had grown between the two countries and make efforts to bring 
improving relations with Japan back on track through the 
implementation of steps to build a strategic, reciprocal 
relationship. Improving relations with Japan will directly be in 
China's national interest and also help it to firm up the foundation 
of its government. On the other hand, concerns are still smoldering 
in China about the question of whether Prime Minister Abe will visit 
Yasukuni Shrine and about Abe's foreign policy. 
 
During Wen's visit to Japan this time, China plans to confirm with 
Japan the strengthening of cooperation with Japan in such areas as 
energy-saving, environmental preservation, high-tech and finance. 
China is under pressure to overcome such problems as energy 
shortages, the worsening environment, and the weakness of its 
financial system. 
 
Ahead of the 17th Convention of the Chinese Communist Party slated 
for this fall, the Chinese leadership apparently wants to reinforce 
the foundation of the government by improving relations with Japan 
as well as keeping its foreign policy stable. 
 
7) China's cooperation to resolve abduction issue to be mentioned in 
Japan-China joint document for the first time 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 10, 2007 
 
An outline of a joint document to be formed during summit talks 
between Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who is to arrive in Japan 
tomorrow, and Prime Minister Abe, was revealed. The joint document 
will state that the two countries will further develop strategic, 
reciprocal relations as agreed on during the Japan-China summit in 
last October. The joint document will also include such items as the 
start of high-level economic dialogue of ministerial-level 
officials, the lifting of the ban on exports of Japanese rice to 
China, and China's offer of Japanese crested ibises. On the 
abduction issue caused by North Korea, the joint document will 
include the wording that China "will offer necessary corporation." 
Doing so will be the first time among the joint documents between 
Japan and China. 
 
The high-level economic dialogue will be co-chaired by Japan's 
Foreign Minister Aso and China's Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan and deal 
with a wide spectrum of subjects, such as natural 
resources/energies, the environment, and the protection of 
intellectual property rights. On the history issue, the joint 
document will state "we will learn lessons from the unfortunate 
past" and declare the two countries will advance such programs as a 
joint history study of Japanese and Chinese experts and the disposal 
of chemical weapons abandoned in China by the former Imperial 
Japanese Army. 
 
Regarding cooperation in the areas of the environment and 
energy-saving, a separate document will be formed. 
 
The last joint statement formed at the time of a Chinese leader's 
visit to Japan was the one at the time of (then) Chinese President 
Jiang Zemine's visit to Japan in 1998. 
 
 
TOKYO 00001545  006 OF 010 
 
 
8) Project to make Japan's environment-related systems into Asian 
standard: Government to provide international assistance, including 
revision of China's energy-conservation law 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
Evening, April 9, 2007 
 
The government will launch a project to spread Japan's 
environment-related legal system and qualifications as Asian 
standards. As part of such efforts, it will start a project to 
cooperate with China in its effort to amend its energy law. Japan 
also reached a consensus with Vietnam on a similar project. It will 
thus back Asian countries in their move to adopt environmental 
measures, which tend to be slow, compared with the speed of economic 
growth. 
 
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will visit Japan on Apr. 11 and meet with 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. A meeting of energy ministers is also 
expected. Tokyo and Beijing will likely agree on Japan's cooperation 
with an amendment to China's energy-conserving law. 
 
China established an energy-conserving law in 1997. However, since a 
government agency responsible for this law is not clear, the law 
does not stipulate a punitive clause. It contains almost no articles 
stipulating specific procedures on the implementation of the law. 
Calls for a drastic revision of the law have been raised from the 
private sector. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will 
dispatch experts versed in energy conservation and related laws to 
China. Japan will accept trainees from China. 
 
Japan and Vietnam agreed in general outline that Japan helps Vietnam 
establish an energy-conserving law by 2009. The Vietnamese 
government will formulate an action plan to press ahead with energy 
conservation involving Japanese experts possibly by June. Those 
experts will also give advice regarding areas to be regulated and 
the way a punitive clause should be set. 
 
9) Hill, Sasae reaffirm Japan-US cooperation for resumption of 
six-party talks 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 10, 2007 
 
Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, US chief 
negotiator to the six-party talks on North Korean nuclear programs, 
met last night with his Japanese counterpart Kenichiro Sasae, 
Foreign Ministry Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau chief. The two 
officials reaffirmed a policy course for Japan and the United States 
to continue working closely for a resumption of the six-party 
talks. 
 
Referring to the transfer of North Korean linked funds at Banco 
Delta Asia in Macau, Hill said after the meeting, "We have some 
plans. But we will have to wait for the next couple of days to see 
if we can implement them. (North Korea) will not start addressing 
the nuclear issue unless there is progress on the bank in Macau." He 
thus explained North Korea's failure to implement the agreement 
reached in February to shut down and seal its Yongbyon nuclear 
complex. 
 
10) Government to decide to extend unilateral sanctions against 
North Korea for six months 
 
TOKYO 00001545  007 OF 010 
 
 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
April 10, 2007 
 
The government will decide in a cabinet meeting today to extend for 
another six months the unilateral sanctions Japan imposed on North 
Korea in reaction to its nuclear test last October. 
 
Japan invoked sanctions against the North on Oct. 14 of last year, 
with a time limit of six months. The sanctions include measures to 
(1) ban imports of every kind of products from North Korea; (2) 
prohibit vessels of North Korean registry from calling at Japanese 
ports; and (3) ban North Korean nationals from entering Japan in 
principle. Seeing no positive change seen in North Korea's posture, 
the government has decided to extend the sanctions prior to their 
expiration. 
 
11) Keidanren chairman to call for accelerated preparations for 
Japan-US economic pact 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 5) (Full) 
April 10, 2007 
 
In a press conference yesterday, Nihon Keidanren (Japan Business 
Federation) Chairman Fujio Mitarai said in reference to a free trade 
agreement (FTA) signed recently between the United States and South 
Korea: "The agreement reached between the US and South Korea showed 
that moves pursuing bilateral economic agreements have begun in full 
swing. Japan must not lag behind this global trend." He then 
indicated that he would call on the government to accelerate 
preparatory work for Japan and the United States to conclude an 
economic partnership agreement (EPA), remarking: "I would like to 
work on the government to establish a joint academic, industrial, 
and government research at an early date." 
 
12) Exit poll: Voting behavior in governor races correlating to this 
summer's upper house election 
 
MAINICHI (Top play) (Full) 
Eve., April 9, 2007 
 
In campaigning for yesterday's gubernatorial elections held in five 
prefectures, including Tokyo and Hokkaido, the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party and the leading opposition Democratic Party of 
Japan (Minshuto) faced off for candidates they backed. The Mainichi 
Shimbun conducted an exit poll of voters there to ask them whom they 
voted for and also asked which political party and which political 
party's candidate they would vote for if an election were to be held 
now for the House of Councillors. In Hokkaido, Iwate, Tokyo, and 
Fukuoka, 56-62% of those who voted for a candidate recommended or 
supported by the LDP answered that they would vote for the LDP and 
its candidate. Meanwhile, the pro-DPJ figure also reached 51-67%, 
showing a certain correlation with the pro-LDP figure. In Kanagawa, 
however, there was a distortion, indicating that the trend of urban 
voters is invisible. 
 
In Tokyo, 58% of those who voted for Shintaro Ishihara, now elected 
for a third term with the LDP's backing, said they would vote for 
the LDP in the upper house election, with 12% of them choosing the 
DPJ. Among those who voted for Shiro Asano, a lost candidate backed 
by the DPJ, 54% said they would vote for the DPJ in the upper house 
election, with only 11% choosing the LDP. 
 
TOKYO 00001545  008 OF 010 
 
 
 
In Hokkaido and Fukuoka Prefecture, where the candidates recommended 
or supported by the LDP won governorship, similar trends were shown, 
with the LDP and the DPJ locking on more than half of those who 
voted for their respective tickets in the governor race. 
 
In Iwate Prefecture, where Tatsuso Takuya, recommended by the DPJ, 
was elected for the first time, 61% of those who answered that they 
voted for Tatsuso said they would vote for the DPJ in the upper 
house election, and 62% of those who voted for Junichi Yanagimura, a 
lost candidate recommended by the LDP, said they would vote for the 
LDP. As seen from these figures, similar trends were shown in Iwate 
as well. 
 
In Kanagawa Prefecture, however, voters came out with a different 
trend. Shigefumi Matsuzawa, now elected for a second term, was 
backed by the DPJ as a matter of fact. However, 35% of those who 
voted for Matsuzawa answered that they would vote for the LDP in the 
upper house election, with 32% of them preferring the DPJ. As seen 
from these figures, the pro-LDP percentage topped the pro-DPJ figure 
among those who voted for Matsuzawa, who was the successful 
candidate with the DPJ standing behind him. Among those who voted 
for Tadashi Sugino, a lost candidate who garnered votes mainly from 
LDP supporters in the governor race, the proportion of those who 
chose the LDP was only 47%, lower than that of those who preferred 
the DPJ. 
 
Such findings indicate that there are many people who will choose a 
candidate to vote for in this summer's upper house election while 
going beyond the framework of showdown in the gubernatorial 
elections. This can be taken as featuring the electorates of urban 
districts. In Tokyo, which represents the nation's urban 
electorates, the governor race turned out to be a de facto proxy war 
for the LDP and the DPJ in its last phase, with voters marked out 
for either party. In Kanagawa Prefecture, however, each candidate's 
election campaign did not go thoroughly with organized supporters. 
Instead, the Kanagawa voter came out with a trend that is peculiar 
to the electorate of urban districts. 
 
13) LDP adds up to 1,310 seats, Minshuto holds 416 in 47 prefectural 
assemblies 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
April 10, 2007 
 
The counting of votes ended yesterday for the 44 prefectural 
assembly elections. Adding to those elected to the Tokyo, Ibaraki, 
and Okinawa assembly members, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party 
(LDP) now has 1,310 seats -- 110 fewer than it gained in the 2003 
election -- in all 47 prefectural assemblies, accounting for 47% of 
the entire prefectural assembly seats, a drop of two points. 
 
The main opposition party, Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), 
holds 416 seats, up 161 from the previous election and 15% of all 
assembly seats, up 6 points. The number of assembly seats won by the 
LDP and Minshuto totals 1,726, which accounts for 62% of all seats, 
up about four points from four years ago. 
 
The New Komeito has 211 seats, up four from four years ago. The 
Japanese Communist Party has 118 seats, down 10. The Social 
Democratic Party holds 56 seats, down 18. 
 
 
TOKYO 00001545  009 OF 010 
 
 
14) Minshuto wins 375 prefectural assembly seats, up from 230, 
showing signs of recovery in metropolitan area; Two-party system 
looming over horizon 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
April 10, 2007 
 
In the 44 prefectural assembly elections in the first round of the 
nationwide local elections on April 8, the major opposition party 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) made a big leap, though still 
far behind the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The nation's 
political scene has begun showing some signs of a two-party system. 
Minshuto squared off with the LDP in five gubernatorial races in 
which the major opposition party achieved only two victories. 
Nevertheless, Minshuto head Ichiro Ozawa's strategy to solidify the 
party's local footing seems to have proven successful with an eye on 
the Upper House election this summer. 
 
A Minshuto executive indicated that the party's leap in the 
prefectural assembly races is far more important than the 
gubernatorial contests, saying: "After all, (most of the governors) 
who won the races are incumbents. What really matters is the number 
of prefectural assembly seats we won." 
 
Local lawmakers, including prefectural assemblymen, are important 
not only because they send out messages on political parties' 
policies and visions but also because they serve as the main 
workforce in national elections. This can explain why Minshuto party 
headquarters played an active role in fielding candidates for the 
April 8 races. 
 
As a result, Minshuto garnered 375 seats -- up 145 seats from the 
previous election's 230 (including those won by the now defunct 
Liberal Party) - in the 44 prefectural assembly races, shrinking the 
difference with the LDP (including those of the now defunct New 
Conservative Party) by 246 seats. 
 
It is particularly noteworthy that Minshuto won seats in six 
prefectures, including Fukui and Mie, where the party did not hold 
any seats in the previous elections. The party now holds seats in 
all prefectures except for Okinawa, where no seats were contested 
this time. 
 
In Mie, six Minshuto candidates were elected. In one case an 
incumbent who had declined Minshuto's endorsement in the previous 
election accepted its support this year. "Aversion to Minshuto has 
gone," a local Minshuto source explained. Another Minshuto source 
pointed out the party's growing positive recognition in rural areas. 
The party has apparently succeeded in solidifying its support base 
in regional areas. 
 
Minshuto also made a big leap in the metropolitan area. In the five 
prefectures -- Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa -- the 
party won a total of 78 seats, up 34 seats from the previous race. 
In the 2005 Lower House election, the party lost to the LDP in 
single-seat constituencies across the board. Minshuto is now showing 
signs of revival. 
 
In contrast, the LDP's strength is now 101 seats below the previous 
level. Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa explained the LDP's poor 
showing this way: (1) the party reduced the number of candidates by 
32 to cope with the number of total local seats, which is now 90 
 
TOKYO 00001545  010 OF 010 
 
 
seats less than before, and (2) the number of seats has increased 
due to municipal mergers, creating constituencies that can give an 
advantage to Minshuto candidates. 
 
15) Unified local elections in 2007: Subtle distance between LDP and 
New Komeito; New Komeito backers take sever view of Abe cabinet 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
April 10, 2007 
 
Thirteen gubernatorial elections took place on Sunday and eight 
candidates backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and 
its junior coalition partner New Komeito were all elected. The two 
ruling parties now think that they were able to solidify election 
cooperation for the House of Councillors election this summer. 
However, it is clear that the Abe cabinet's approval rating among 
the New Komeito supporters has recently been on the decline. 
Observers see that friction has marked recent relations between the 
LDP and New Komeito. 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday said with satisfaction, "As the 
ruling coalition, I'm relieved" at the results of the unified local 
elections. 
 
After a meeting yesterday of the government and the ruling parties 
held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence, New Komeito 
President Akihiro Ota also told reporters: "The results stemmed from 
mature cooperative relations between the LDP and New Komeito. We 
were able to gain a foothold toward the Upper House election." 
 
According to Yomiuri's exit polls, 75% of New Komeito backers voted 
for Shintaro Ishihara in the Tokyo governor's election, while 80% of 
them voted for Wataru Aso in the Fukuoka gubernatorial race. A 
person affiliated with the New Komeito commented: "Our supporters 
were reluctant to vote for Ishihara since he has a strong hawkish 
bent." If the Abe administration strengthens a right-wing stance in 
working on foreign policy, security, and the historical perception 
of the war, it might have a negative impact on cooperation between 
the LDP and New Komeito on the Upper House race. 
 
Actually, New Komeito supporters have taken a sever view of the Abe 
cabinet. According to a Yomiuri poll, 70% of New Komeito backers had 
supported until January, but the percentage plunged to 50% in March, 
while 80% of LDP backers have supported the Abe cabinet. In a poll 
conducted in March, asked about whether Prime Minister Abe displayed 
his leadership, about 80% of New Komeito backers responded: "He is 
not as good as expected. He has yet to achieve results." Only 10% 
said: "He has steadily made achievements as he pledged." 
 
One senior official of the religious sect, Soka Gakkai, the New 
Komeito's main backer, analyzed this trend: "They are still unhappy 
with Abe's decision to allow former Lower House member Seiichi Eto, 
a postal rebel, to rejoin the LDP." The senior official meant that 
New Komeito backers were distrustful of Abe, who had the party 
reinstate Eto, as well as let him run in the summer's Upper House 
election as a candidate for the proportional representation 
segment. 
 
SCHIEFFER