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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 TOKYO 001643 
 
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 04/13/07 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Premier Wen's Japan visit accompanied by executives of 50 
energy-related companies: China rushing to absorb technology; 
Consideration given to wariness felt by Japan 
 
(2) Japan-China summit highlights economic cooperation; Technology 
transfer included in joint statement with post-Kyoto Protocol 
framework in mind 
 
(3) Japan-China joint statement on environment on cooperation for 
effective framework for measures to prevent global warming 
 
(4) Did Japan, China melt the ice? Both sides looking for ways to 
return to "normal temperature" but frozen soil found in issues 
affected by emotions 
 
(5) Collective enshrinement of Class-A criminals and disclosed 
Yasukuni Shrine internal documents; Documents produced around 1978 
not made public 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Premier Wen's Japan visit accompanied by executives of 50 
energy-related companies: China rushing to absorb technology; 
Consideration given to wariness felt by Japan 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 9) (Full) 
April 13, 2007 
 
Executives of some 50 Chinese energy-related companies are 
accompanying Premier Wen Jiabao on his visit to Japan. They aim is 
to strengthen relations with Japanese companies, which have advanced 
energy-conserving and environmental protection technologies, since 
an energy shortage and environmental destruction have become serious 
issues in their country. 
 
The Chinese economy has grown for four consecutive years at the 
annual rate of more than 10% in GDP terms. However, its active 
diplomacy toward African countries to secure energy resources is now 
being criticized by European countries, the US and African countries 
as being a new colonialism. It is said that Japan's energy usage is 
ten times more efficient than that of China. There are data 
indicating that 10% of farmland in China is polluted. 
 
An executive of a certain Chinese company, now visiting Japan, 
explained, "It is urgent that China introduces Japan's experience 
and technology for clean energy and recyclable energy." However, 
given the fact that fake brand-name products and copied products are 
rampant in that nation, there is the possibility of its absorbing 
Japan's state-of-the-art technology offered in the name of 
cooperation. 
 
Wen in recent speeches and press conferences has repeatedly cited 
energy conservation, environmental protection, high-tech, financial 
services and information and technology (IT) as key areas for 
economic cooperation from Japan. He added intellectual property 
rights in a speech delivered in the Diet yesterday. It appears that 
he gave consideration to Japanese companies, which are afraid of the 
outflow of their technology. 
 
Business circles hoping for expanded business opportunities 
 
 
TOKYO 00001643  002 OF 007 
 
 
A number of Japanese business leaders voiced their hopes for 
expanded business opportunities on China's huge market, as talks to 
strengthen ties witch China, which is expected to continue to grow, 
have gotten underway. 
 
During the Koizumi administration, Japanese companies experienced 
anti-Japanese demonstrations in China. Their greatest matter of 
concern now is the strengthening of political relations between the 
two countries. Shigemitsu Miki, chairman of Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi 
UFJ, stressed, "We hope that political relations with China will 
improve and deepen." Osamu Watanabe, advisor to JETRO, also pointed 
out, "Japanese and Chinese companies have been unable to carry out 
business activities, if their governments were involved." He thinks 
the scope of corporate activities will widen. Business leaders 
highly praised Wen for his frank recognition of challenges facing 
the Chinese economy even by changing the prepared speech at luncheon 
hosted by business circles. Fujio Cho, chairman of Toyota Motors and 
the Japan-China Economic Association, called for efforts by the 
Japanese side as well, noting, "It would be necessary for Japan and 
China to jointly tackle challenges." 
 
Japan's economic recovery is largely attributable to increased 
exports to China. Speaking of the economies of the two countries, 
whose relations are increasingly becoming tied with each other, Akio 
Mimura, chairman of Nippon Steel Corporation, said, "Japan and China 
are neighbors. There will be absolutely no option for the two 
countries to cut off relations even if a border issue should 
occur." 
 
(2) Japan-China summit highlights economic cooperation; Technology 
transfer included in joint statement with post-Kyoto Protocol 
framework in mind 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 3) (Abridged) 
April 12, 2007 
 
Japan and China agreed yesterday to boost a wide range of economic 
cooperation in tandem with the summit meeting between Prime Minister 
Shinzo Abe and Premier Wen Jiabao. Bilateral cooperation is focused 
on the environment. Japan has come up with a plan to provide China 
with energy-saving technologies with an eye on growing international 
interest in global warming. But question marks are hanging over its 
effectiveness and other matters agreed upon by Abe and Wen. The 
future of the two countries' efforts for building "mutually 
beneficial strategic ties" remains unclear. 
 
The joint statement on the environment reads, "The development of 
cooperation in environmental protection serves the interests of the 
two countries and help them build mutually beneficial strategic ties 
between Japan and China." Japan promised to cooperate in preventing 
pollution in China, with the joint statement noting, "The two 
countries shall actively take part in the process of building an 
effective framework in 2013 and beyond (when the Kyoto Protocol 
specifying the greenhouse gas reduction targets expires)." 
 
Abe and Wen also signed a joint statement on energy. This will 
enable the two countries to promote cooperation in the industrial 
sector and jointly conduct research on policy frameworks for 
taxation and technical development. Agreements also included plans 
to build nuclear power plants and stockpile oil against 
emergencies. 
 
China is suffering from serious environmental pollution due to 
 
TOKYO 00001643  003 OF 007 
 
 
growing automobiles, construction for the 2008 Beijing Olympic 
Games, and other factors. China is the world's second largest 
emitter of carbon dioxide -- a cause of global warming -- after the 
United States. Some analysts projected that China will overtake the 
United States by 2010. 
 
China has set a target to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP 
by 20% during the 2006-2010 period. But in 2006, the country's 
consumption dropped merely 1.2%. Having technical guidance from 
Japan, an advanced energy-saving country, is essential for improving 
energy efficiency and reducing the burden on the environment. 
 
Environmental problems in China are a matter of great concern to 
Japan, as well. Aware of intensifying international efforts, as seen 
in the EU's independent greenhouse gas reduction targets, with the 
post-Kyoto Protocol era in mind, Japan intends to take the 
initiative in the environment sector by winning China over to its 
side. 
 
Pursuing both economic development and environment protection will 
not be easy for China. Wen expressed unwillingness to mention 
numerical targets, saying: "Although China supports the Kyoto 
Protocol, we are still a developing country." 
 
Transferring technologies from Japan to China involves the risk of a 
technical outflow into a third country. The leaders of the two 
countries have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a 
governmental committee to reduce such risk in the fields of energy 
conservation and the environment. 
 
(3) Japan-China joint statement on environment on cooperation for 
effective framework for measures to prevent global warming 
 
ASAHI (Page 10) (Full) 
April 12, 2007 
 
(Commentary) The Japan-China joint statement signed on April 11 
showcased participation in efforts to create an effective framework 
for international measures to prevent global warming, following the 
expiration of the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2003. It can be said 
that this is the outcome the Japanese government working on the 
Chinese government. China has thus far had an aversion to discussing 
a post-Kyoto framework, fearing that it could lead to its becoming 
obliged to cut greenhouse gas emissions on a par with industrialized 
countries. However, China has not clearly pledged to cut emissions 
in the future. There is not yet a prospect for establishment of a 
new framework for cutting greenhouse gas emissions involving China. 
 
Chinese Premier Wen made an in-depth statement on the environment 
issue, an indication of the realty that the international community 
is casting a harsh eye on China for its adamantly refusing mandatory 
greenhouse gas emission cuts. China, whose carbon dioxide emissions 
account for 20% of the total emission amount in the world, is 
expected to become the world's largest greenhouse effect gas 
emitter. Though it insists that it has actively pursued 
energy-conserving efforts, based on its own action program, it has 
now become necessary for it to indicate a positive stance amid the 
international community increasingly alarmed about global warming. 
 
One senior government official said, "There has been an indication 
that China wanted to show its change of mind to the international 
community. The summit meeting this time might have provided it with 
a good opportunity." 
 
TOKYO 00001643  004 OF 007 
 
 
 
With an eye on the G-8 Summit to be held in Germany in June and one 
to be held in Japan next year, Prime Minister Abe announced, "Japan 
will lead the international community in global warming prevention 
talks." Regarding the creation of the new framework, he has 
repeatedly insisted that participation of major carbon dioxide 
emitters, such as China and the US, would be indispensable. The 
agreement this time has been reached with Japan and China motivated 
by the same desire to appeal their stance to international 
community. 
 
(4) Did Japan, China melt the ice? Both sides looking for ways to 
return to "normal temperature" but frozen soil found in issues 
affected by emotions 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 13, 2007 
 
Ken Sato 
 
A spring breeze has begun caressing Japan-China relations, 
particularly their economic ties. The harsh winter, which was 
brought about by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for his 
continued visits to Yasukuni Shrine, has gone with Prime Minister 
Shinzo Abe's trip to China last November. Japanese companies 
operating in China have now felt their concerns being removed. 
Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao calls his visit to Japan this 
time an "ice-melting trip." But, frozen soil like emotion-affected 
history issues remains deep from the surface. 
 
Japanese companies now with a following wind 
 
"The Chinese market is attractive in view of its big potential and 
its huge labor. When it comes to business potential, we have 
projects for the grand development of the western region and the 
development of three northeast provinces," Wen said at a welcoming 
luncheon hosted by five economic organizations, such as the Japan 
Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), prompting Japanese business 
leaders to set up their factories in China. 
 
Japan's technology is an indispensable element for China in pushing 
for economic reform centering on quality improvement. Presumably for 
this reason, China has now turned around to improve ties with Japan 
and contained the media's "Japan-bashing" reports that could set off 
anti-Japanese demonstrations like two years ago. The state-run China 
Central Television (CCTV) aired special programs introducing the 
Japanese society in an objective manner since March to boost the 
friendship with Japan. 
 
A favorable wind blows for Japanese companies seeking workers. "We 
had as many as 12,000 applicants for the 40 or so position vacancies 
for (Chinese)," an officer at Mizuho Corporate Bank's Shanghai 
office screamed with delight. The number of applicants increased six 
times higher than last year. 
 
Japan and China since their diplomatic normalization in 1972 had 
attached importance to friendship, in spite of the Tiananmen Square 
Incident in 1989. This trend was changed by then President Jiang 
Zemin's visit to Japan in 1998 focusing on history, which afterwards 
gave rise to an emotional conflict and put bilateral ties in a 
stalemate. Premier Zhu Rongi's visit to Japan in 2000 was viewed as 
something to mend the fences, but with Koizumi coming into office as 
prime minister, the relations between the two countries were 
 
TOKYO 00001643  005 OF 007 
 
 
fatefully aggravated. Wen's visit to Japan this time has achieved 
certain results, but a Chinese Foreign Ministry official made this 
analysis: "The relationship has simply returned to where it was in 
2000." 
 
Both sides, taking into account Prime Minister Abe's trip to China 
slated for this fall, are carefully analyzing what attitude the 
other side will assume after that. Beijing is highly alarmed by the 
possibility that Abe may visit Yasukuni Shrine in the fall or 
beyond, while Tokyo suspects that China may intend to use its 
President Hu Jintao's visit to Japan as a diplomatic tool to bind 
Abe's behavior. 
 
The sources of trouble remain between the two countries. The Marco 
Polo Bridge Incident will mark the 70th anniversary in July, and the 
Nanjing Incident will do so in December.  In view of the history 
issues, the Chinese public is even now critical of Japan. 
 
The Chinese "bullet" train was put in operation between Shanghai and 
Nanjing in this past January. The train is based on Japan's 
Tohokushinkansen "Hayate," but Chinese media emphasized that the 
train was "made in China." Most Chinese do not realize that the 
technology related to the bullet train came from Japan. 
 
Beyond bilateral disputes 
 
Japan's trade with China continues to grow remarkably, reaching 24 
trillion yen in 2006. Meanwhile, there is a big gap in perception 
between the peoples of the two countries. 
 
The Japanese government's yen-loan programs under the official 
development assistance (ODA) scheme will come to an end in 2008. 
"China-Japan relations have to shift from the currently wet 
'North-South' relations to a pragmatically 'ordinary relationship,'" 
one Chinese Communist Party member said. In view of politics and 
economics, the two countries appear to be being tested whether to 
maintain "normal temperature" by growing out of the drastically 
fluctuating previous relationship portrayed as "the cold political 
relationship with convivial economic exchanges" or "the close 
political ties with cool economic exchanges." 
 
Japan and China, two big powers in Asia, are obligated to work 
together to keep the region stable, departing from the power 
struggle in Asia. There are so many issues for them to handle, for 
instance, how to stabilize the Korean Peninsula and the Asian 
economic zone through free trade. Japan and China have just set in 
motion their strategic, reciprocal relationship, but this 
relationship also needs to have a broad strategy without simply 
focusing on bilateral benefits. 
 
(5) Collective enshrinement of Class-A criminals and disclosed 
Yasukuni Shrine internal documents; Documents produced around 1978 
not made public 
 
MAINICHI (Page 7) (Abridged) 
April 13, 2007 
 
By Takenori Noguchi, Political News Department 
 
The National Diet Library (NDL) released in late March a book titled 
"A New Compilation of Materials on the Yasukuni Shrine Problems" for 
the first time in three decades. The 1,200-page book includes the 
shrine's 179 pieces of internal documents that have never been made 
 
TOKYO 00001643  006 OF 007 
 
 
public. 
 
The government's involvement in the enshrinement of war criminals at 
Yasukuni has long been known. 
 
It has become clear through documents in the book that ex-military 
officers with the former Health and Welfare Ministry's Social 
Welfare and War Victims' Relief Bureau and others had pressed 
Yasukuni for collective enshrinement. This testified to the 
government's active involvement in the process. 
 
Interesting enough, 94 pieces of items from the former Health and 
Welfare Ministry suggest that the government remained weak-kneed 
after sending to Yasukuni a list of Class-A war criminals to be 
enshrined there. 
 
For instance, the Social Welfare and War Victims' Relief Bureau 
Research Division chief sent on November 4, 1970 a notice titled 
"Yasukuni Shrine Collective Enshrinement Administrative Cooperation" 
to the prefectural governments. It said that the ministry would 
revise some expressions in its earlier notices regarding the 
enshrinement so as not to mislead the public that the ministry was 
directly responsible for collective enshrinement administrative 
work. This has served the foundation for the government's current 
view that it was the shrine that conducted the collective 
enshrinement and that the former Health and Welfare Ministry simply 
provided information (on the war dead) in compliance with a request 
from the shrine. 
 
In the previous year, the Liberal Democratic Party presented 
Yasukuni Shrine state protection legislation (scrapped in 1974), 
raising questions about the principle of separation of politics and 
religion. The post of War Victims' Relief Bureau deputy director 
general, which had been occupied by former military officers, was 
abolished five months before the notice was issued. The ministry's 
long "prewar period" ended in 1970. With changes in the political 
climate and the departure of former military officers from the 
ministry, former Health and Welfare Ministry bureaucrats tried to 
water down the ministry's image associated with the collective 
enshrinement. 
 
According to shrine documents, the government started talks on 
collective enshrinement with Yasukuni in 1956. Some documents made 
public indicate that their talks continued until 1970. The list of 
Class-A war criminals to be enshrined at Yasukuni was sent to the 
shrine in 1966. (On July 25, 1970), the shrine and the government 
reached an agreement to "hold their decision in consideration of the 
circumstances." This means that the government did not decide on the 
collective enshrinement and that the government was beginning to 
back off from the plan. In other words, it was the shrine that 
decided on the enshrinement and carried that out. 
 
Despite that, no documents have been made public on what took place 
around 1978, the year Class-A war criminals were honored at 
Yasukuni. What prompted the government to agree to the collective 
enshrinement? The NDL book does not provide detailed information on 
the enshrinement of Class-A war criminals at Yasukuni. 
 
The NDL book is centered on a set of collective enshrinement 
qualifications guidelines for the regular war dead. Although the 
shrine is certain to possess documents on war criminals, the shrine 
replied that they had searched in vain for them, according to the 
NDL. Researchers are unconvinced with the shrine's explanation on 
 
TOKYO 00001643  007 OF 007 
 
 
the documents that are invaluable. 
 
The shrine showed the documents that made the book to the NDL for 
the first time in late last year. It was six months after the 
discovery in July of former Imperial Household Agency Grand Steward 
Tomihiko Tomita's memo noting that Emperor Showa (Hirohito) had 
expressed displeasure with the enshrinement of Class-A war criminals 
at Yasukuni. "The documents clearly indicate that Yasukuni did not 
take the step on its own," a shrine executive said. Yasukuni might 
have released only those documents that would back up its 
traditional assertion that the government had played a central role 
in deciding to enshrine Class-A war criminals there and that the 
shrine simply followed the government's administrative procedures. 
 
If that was the case, the NDL book is ironical. The book is composed 
of documents that can be taken that Yasukuni Shrine and the former 
Health and Welfare Ministry are trying to force the responsibility 
for the collective enshrinement onto one another. 
 
Yasukuni Shrine, which has become a religious organization in the 
postwar period, was not able to carry out administrative work for 
the collective enshrinement without the government's assistance. The 
principle of separation of politics and religion was not strict when 
the Constitution took effect in 1947. Yasukuni disclosed only those 
documents that were produced before 1947. Class-A war criminals were 
enshrined at Yasukuni later. The shrine is urged to make public 
documents detailing why and how Class-A war criminals have been 
enshrined there. 
 
DONOVAN