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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 001843 
 
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 04/25/07 
 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
US beef: 
4) US likely to be on offensive, Japan's food safety committee to 
take time 
5) Washington, Tokyo come around with Bush-Abe meeting just around 
the corner 
6) US accepts Japanese inspections 
7) US agrees to inspect meatpackers, but MAFF delays announcement 
 
US-Japan ties: 
8) Japan to assist US with atomic power plant construction 
9) LDP group cancels US visit 
 
Defense & security agenda: 
10) Yokosuka, MOFA officials to visit US naval facility in 
Washington State to see N-energy disaster drill 
11) Aegis data proliferated from MSDF service school instructor 
12) Japan, US, China to participate in joint drills 
 
Futenma: 
13) Japan to uphold Futenma accord 
14) Gov't preparing to probe sea for Futenma relocation 
 
Iraq mission: 
15) Iraq bill enters into Diet deliberation 
16) Over 80% of ASDF airlifts in Iraq for multinational coalition 
forces 
 
Political topics & G-8 ministerial scenesetting: 
17) Gov't eyes reinterpreting Japan's top law for collective 
self-defense 
18) Prime Minister Abe mad at Asahi Shimbun magazine article over 
Nagasaki shooting 
19) Japan to host G-8 ministerial meetings in local cities 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
FTC to investigate forest road projects ordered by Forestry Agency, 
focusing on possibility of amakudari 
 
Mainichi: 
Cabinet approves bill amending Civil Service Law, which provides for 
prime minister's responsibility for monitoring illegalities 
 
Yomiuri: 
Five postal companies project 587 billion yen profit in FY2011 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Government writes off 12 trillion yen in process of special 
corporations reorganized into independent ones with no clear-cut 
explanation 
 
Sankei: 
Aegis data leak: MSDF lieutenant distributed copies to more than 30 
students 
 
 
TOKYO 00001843  002 OF 012 
 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
More than 80% of ASDF mission in Iraq is transportation of coalition 
forces 
 
Akahata: 
Many call for caution in public hearings on constitutional revision 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) National standardized tests: Efforts needed not to widen gaps in 
academic capabilities 
(2) Yeltsin stopped history from moving backward 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Prime minister's visit to US: Solid Japan-US ties should be 
confirmed 
(2) Death of Yeltsin: Cold relations between US, Russia worrisome 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Yeltsin played role in dismantling Soviet Union 
(2) Each party should present specific measures to rectify tax, 
income gaps before Upper House election 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Conduct probing debate led by cabinet on restrictions on 
amakudari 
(2) Yeltsin played important role 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Death of Yeltsin: Follow his spirit of law and justice 
(2) Death of Lucie Blackman: Japanese police's ability being 
questioned 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Prime minister's first visit to US: Make efforts to cement 
bilateral relations 
(2) Death of Yeltsin: Uncompleted revolution must be continued 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Extension of Iraq Special Measures Law runs counter to growing 
calls for US troops' withdrawal 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, April 24 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
April 25, 2007 
 
08:16 
Met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shimomura at Kantei. 
 
09:01 
Attended a cabinet meeting in Diet. Foreign Minister Aso remained. 
After Aso, met with Agriculture Minister Matsuoka. 
 
09:18 
Met with MLIT Minister Fuyushiba, and later met with Finance 
Minister Omi. 
 
09;58 
 
TOKYO 00001843  003 OF 012 
 
 
Made an informal representation to the Emperor at Imperial Palace. 
 
11:03 
Met with Deputy Foreign Minister Yabunaka, North American Affairs 
Bureau Director-General Nishinomiya, Economic Affairs Bureau 
Director-General Odabe, and International Cooperation Bureau 
Director-General Bessho and others at Kantei. 
 
11:56 
Met with members of the champion basketball team Osaka Evessa, 
joined by LDP Secretary General Nakagawa and others. Nakagawa 
remained. 
 
13:02 
Attended a Lower House plenary session. 
 
14:44 
Handed the LDP's certificate of official endorsement to a candidate 
expected to run in an Upper House seat in Yamagata Constituency, 
joined by Nakagawa and House of Councilors member Aoki. 
 
15:31 
Responded to an interview with the US CNN TV, together with his wife 
Akie. 
 
16:37 
Attended a meeting of the Council for Science and Technology 
Policy. 
 
18:00 
Attended an "LDP gathering for promotion of creating a new 
constitution of Japan" held at Kudan Kaikan Hall. 
 
19:32 
Attended a special cabinet meeting at Kantei. 
 
19:58 
Met with journalist Yoshiko Sakurai and others at Kantei. 
 
4) Beef offensive bound to come; US beef import conditions to be 
eased 
 
ASAHI (Page 9) (Excerpts) 
April 25, 2007 
 
The issue of the US calling on Japan to ease its US beef import 
conditions will enter a new stage with its accepting inspections of 
its meat-processing facilities by Japanese experts. The US has urged 
Japan to ease its import condition that limits beef eligible for 
exports to cattle aged 20 months or younger to 30 months or younger. 
However, a cautious view is deep-seated in Japan. The US is bound to 
heighten pressure on Japan at government-to-government talks, which 
will become active. 
 
It will take time for Food Safety Commission to reach conclusion 
 
The Japanese government has taken the position that talks will not 
progress unless the US accepts Japan's request for inspections of US 
meatpackers. However, now that the US has accepted the request, 
Japan will find the easing of its import condition as a pressing 
issue. 
 
 
TOKYO 00001843  004 OF 012 
 
 
If inspections confirm that US meat-processing facilities are 
observing export guidelines as agreed on between the two countries, 
the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) will end its 
guidance given to importers to conduct blanket inspections of US 
beef boxes. Further, if it is determined through inspections that 
BSE preventive measures, such as one to prevent BSE from getting 
into feed, are fully functioning, the government will likely start 
procedures for easing import conditions. 
 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) Minister Matsuoka during 
a press conference yesterday noted that the government would follow 
domestic procedures based on the latest scientific knowledge. He 
thus indicated the outlook that if the US makes a formal request 
once it is recognized as a quasi-safe country, the government will 
consult the Food Safety Commission of the Cabinet Office about the 
propriety of easing the import condition. 
 
However, it will take time for the panel to reach a decision. In 
addition, the MHLW is cautious about the idea of easing the import 
condition, while MAFF is taking a flexible stance. Views in 
government circles are thus not in unity. Even if the government has 
undergone procedures for easing the import condition, friction 
between the two countries could recur with the US side complaining, 
"Japan is trying to gain time," if the US becomes dissatisfied with 
the slow progress. 
 
5) Japan, US found common ground: US to accept beef inspections by 
Japan; Japan to discuss possibility of easing import conditions 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 5) (Full) 
April 25, 2007 
 
Discussions on the easing of import conditions imposed on US beef 
have gotten underway. The agriculture ministers of Japan and the US 
during their recent telephone conversation agreed that the US would 
comply with Japan's request to inspect meatpackers exporting 
products to Japan. Japan on its part will consult the Food Safety 
Commission about a possible revision of its import guidelines, based 
on the premise that an international organization will recognize the 
US BSE preventive measures as safe. Japan's move is apparently 
intended to quell a source of bilateral contention prior to the 
bilateral summit. 
 
Japan resumed US beef imports last summer. However, the US had 
rejected future inspections of its meat-processing facilities by 
Japan. It has also urged Japan to scrap its import criterion that 
limits products beef eligible for exports to cattle aged 20 months 
or younger. Behind the US move is the fact that though Japan has 
started importing US beef, the import volume remains below the 
pre-ban level, giving rise to growing dissatisfaction in the US beef 
industry. The import volume of US beef remains at 10% of the pre-ban 
level. The age limit is also hampering shipments. 
 
Following the agreement this time, voices noting that European 
countries usually set the age limit at 30 months or younger are 
beginning to be heard in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and 
Fisheries. Coordination of views on the US beef import issue will 
likely be undertaken with the possibility of expanding the eligible 
cattle age bracket. In conjunction with this move, the government 
will also look into the possibility of taking a second look at the 
present domestic BSE inspection system, which is applied to cattle 
aged 21 months or older. 
 
TOKYO 00001843  005 OF 012 
 
 
 
The aim of making concessions prior to the summit is to prevent the 
beef issue from becoming politicized so as not to incur opposition 
from the public and industrial organizations. Japan and the US have 
thus found a common ground. However, anxieties about and public 
distrust in the safety of US beef have yet to be wiped away. 
 
6) US agrees to allow Japanese inspections of beef exporters 
 
SANKEI (Page 11) (Excerpts) 
April 25, 2007 
 
The government announced yesterday that the United States has agreed 
to accept Japan's request on Japanese inspections of US meatpacking 
plants. Under the agreement, if no problem is found in the 
inspections, Japan will discontinue its requirement of checking 
every box of beef shipped form US plants. The agreement would pave 
the way for Japan to ease its condition of importing only beef from 
cattle 20 months of age or younger. The beef row will not emerge as 
a major issue at the upcoming bilateral summit on April 27. 
 
7) US accepts inspection of meat-processing facilities: Heightening 
pressure for eased age limit 
 
MAINICHI (Page 9) (Excerpts) 
April 25, 2007 
 
Now that the US has decided to allow Japan to inspect its 
meat-processing facilities, the focus of the US beef import issue 
will shift to what course discussions on the easing of Japan's 
import condition will take. The US has called for the scrapping of 
the age criterion that limits beef eligible for exports to cattle 
aged 20 months or younger. However, there is the possibility of such 
a move meeting opposition in Japan. The issue is expected to 
encounter difficulties. 
 
Agreement released after four days 
 
According to Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) Minister 
Toshikatsu Matsuoka, the agreement in principle on the 
implementation of such inspection was reached on April 20 during his 
telephone talks with US Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns. 
However, Vice MAFF Minister Yoshio Kobayashi told a news conference 
on the 23rd, "No agreement was reached on the implementation of 
inspections. The talks ended in failure." There was a discrepancy in 
the statements by Matsuoka and Kobayashi, leaving a question about 
the way MAFF discloses information. 
 
MAFF explained that it did not reveal that the agreement was reached 
because coordination of views within the governments of both 
countries had yet to be undertaken as of Apr. 20. Matsuoka noted 
that he finally confirmed the agreement when he received a phone 
call from US Ambassador to Japan Schieffer on the afternoon of the 
23rd, which was after the statement issued by Kobayashi. 
 
Reflecting the criticism it received for its response to the first 
discovery of a BSE case in Japan in 2001, MAFF had pledged to 
promptly provide the public with information on food safety. 
 
8) Japan, US to promote nuclear energy policy coordination; Japan to 
extend assistance to construction of nuclear power plants in US 
 
 
TOKYO 00001843  006 OF 012 
 
 
SANKEI (Page 9) (Excerpts) 
April 25, 2007 
 
The governments of Japan and the United States announced yesterday 
that the two countries have adopted an action plan on bilateral 
nuclear energy policy coordination. The plan requires Japan's 
assistance to the planned construction of nuclear power plants in 
the US for the first time in 30 years and both countries' 
cooperation in establishing a system to ensure nuclear 
nonproliferation. Under the plan, the two countries will also 
conduct joint research on fast-breeder reactor technology in order 
to translate into action the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership 
(GNEP) initiative announced by the Bush administration. The GNEP 
features resuming a nuclear fuel recycling program with the aim of 
curbing nuclear proliferation and preventing the dumping of 
radioactive waste. Japan and the US have also agreed to set up a 
working group to discuss such matters as fast-breeder reactor 
technology, ways to dispose of radioactive waste, and measures to 
protect nuclear materials. The two countries plan to set up the 
group in June and conduct joint studies on more complicated tasks 
after establishing a basic cooperative structure over one year. 
 
9) Parliamentary group of revisionist lawmakers cancels visit to the 
US 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
April 25, 2007 
 
Nariaki Nakayama, chair of the Parliamentary League to Consider 
Japan's Future and History Education, a group of lawmakers of the 
ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and other members of the 
league yesterday met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki and 
reported to him that the group cancelled a planned visit to the 
United States. The group had planned to visit the US later this 
month in order to lobby against a House bill calling on Prime 
Minister Abe to apologize for former comfort women. Nakayama said: 
"We wavered over the question of whether our visit to the US would 
have a good effect or a negative one. We have now concluded that the 
mood in Japan, including that of the media, was not necessarily good 
for our visit." 
 
10) Government delegation, including Yokosuka City officials, to 
view nuclear disaster drill in US 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
April 25, 2007 
 
It became known yesterday that a government delegation consisting of 
officials from Yokosuka City, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) 
and other government bodies, who are consulting safety measures 
ahead of the planned deployment of the USS George Washington in the 
US Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, is to 
observe a nuclear disaster drill to be carried out at a naval 
shipyard in the State of Washington in mid-May. It is unprecedented 
for the US military to make this sort of training "open" to another 
country, as US forces keep information about nuclear reactors on 
military ships classified as top secret. 
 
The shipyard the Japanese delegation will inspect is the Puget Sound 
Naval Shipyard near Seattle. This shipyard is known for repair and 
maintenance of nuclear carriers and nuclear submarines, whose 
homeports are Bremerton and Everette nearby. 
 
TOKYO 00001843  007 OF 012 
 
 
 
The observation of the drill is scheduled for May 16. The details of 
the drill are unknown, but the drill is likely to be an actual 
exercise to see whether there are any problems about actions taken 
in line with the manual aimed at dealing with a disaster that 
occurred in the process of repairing nuclear reactor-related parts. 
 
Joining the inspection tour will be working-level officials from the 
Japanese and US governments, the US Navy, and Yokosuka City, who are 
discussing safety measures in preparation for the Yokosuka base to 
be used as a homeport for a nuclear submarine to use the Yokosuka 
base as a homeport. The delegation is to travel to the US on May 
13-18, observe the drill, and exchange views with local 
municipalities about such measures as the nuclear disaster 
prevention system. 
 
On safety measures for nuclear ships, Yokosuka City and the US Navy 
in Japan have already concluded a disaster prevention pact that 
includes nuclear accidents. Both sides have continued consultations 
to create a "mutual assistance manual," which will specify in detail 
such things as a rescue system in the event of a nuclear accident 
and rescue operations. The results of the planned inspection will be 
used as a reference for the creation of the manual. 
 
11) Leaked Aegis information spread to over 30 students from 
lieutenant, a former technical school instructor 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Abridged) 
April 25, 2007 
 
The information on the Aegis system, including its pivotal data, 
taken out by a 33-year-old Maritime Self-Defense Force petty officer 
2nd class, has spread because a 48-year-old lieutenant, a former 
instructor at the MSDF 1st Technical School (Edajima, Hiroshima 
Prefecture) allowed over 30 students to copy it before it finally 
found its way to the seaman in question, according to the Nakagawa 
prefectural police and an MSDF military police unit. The leaked 
information that included information classified as "special defense 
secrets" has again exposed the MSDF's low awareness of secrecy and 
 
SIPDIS 
its lax information control. 
 
A 43-year-old lt. commander who belonged to a program development 
division (already disbanded) responsible for maintaining and 
managing the system compiled the essential Aegis data that leaked. 
The data had been kept in files on his personal computer as teaching 
materials for senior officers. 
 
The files were repeatedly copied and they reached a 30-year old 
petty officer 3rd class based at the destroyer Shirayuki of the 
Yokosuka District. The petty officer 2nd class copied his all 
files. 
 
The two had been assigned to the same destroyer, the Hatsuyuki. 
 
Consequent investigations found that the lieutenant, who used be an 
instructor at the 1st Technical School, possessed files identical to 
those compiled by the lt. commander. The lieutenant told 
investigators that he had allowed his students to copy them as 
educational materials. Investigators also found out that over 30 
individuals, including his students, had copied the same files. 
 
The petty officer 3rd class, who is unconnected with the technical 
 
TOKYO 00001843  008 OF 012 
 
 
school, is believed to have obtained the files that leaked to the 
students in one way or another. 
 
The lieutenant indicated that he had no recollection of the source 
of the files. The 43-year-old lt. commander, who had also been a 
technical school instructor, also possessed the same files. Because 
the lieutenant did not have the files until the lt. commander 
arrived at the school, investigators believe that the files 
possessed by its producer were first copied by the lt. commander, 
who used work as an instructor. 
 
12) Japan, US, China to participate in joint drills 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 25, 2007 
 
Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Chinese navy will 
participate in multilateral maritime training exercises to be 
conducted in waters near Singapore on May 14-20, sources have 
revealed. The joint drills are planned for the Western Pacific Naval 
Symposium (WPNS) sponsored by the Singaporean navy, and this is the 
first time for China to participate in WPNS sessions. The drills 
will involve 10 countries, including Japan, the United States, 
India, France, and Australia. The MSDF will promote mutual 
understanding with the naval forces of these participating countries 
through search and rescue training, target spotting and tracking 
training, and other training sessions. 
 
13) Defense minister to reveal in US Japan's determination to 
maintain bilateral agreement on Futenma relocation 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 12) (Full) 
April 25, 2007 
 
When he visits the United States later this month, Defense Minister 
Fumio Kyuma will relay Japan's policy of not altering the agreement 
reached in May of last year between Japan and the United States on 
the relocation of the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station. The 
agreement features the construction of a V-shaped pair of runways in 
a coastal area of Camp Schwab in Nago City. By revealing Japan's 
determination to steadily implement the final agreement on the 
realignment of US forces in Japan, Kyuma hopes to underline Japan's 
stance of giving priority to the Japan-US alliance. 
 
Defense Minister Kyuma once indicated a flexible view about 
reviewing the coastal plan in response to a call from Okinawa 
Governor Hirokazu Nakaima. However, Kyuma, based on the judgment 
that a delay in implementing the bilateral agreement would have a 
negative impact on relations with the US, has now decided to reveal 
Japan's firm maintenance of the agreement during the upcoming 2+2 
US-Japan security and foreign ministerial on May 1. 
 
In the Japan-US summit set for April 27, as well, Prime Minister 
Shinzo Abe and President Bush are expected to confirm a similar 
principle. The two countries plan to complete the Futenma coastal 
relocation plan in 2014. Officials concerned predict that it will 
take three years for environmental surveys and five years for the 
construction of barracks and other buildings. 
 
14) Futenma relocation: Gov't begins preparations for sea probe 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
 
TOKYO 00001843  009 OF 012 
 
 
April 25, 2007 
 
The government yesterday began preparations for probing waters in 
the offing of Camp Schwab, a US military base in Nago, Okinawa 
Prefecture, in order to push ahead with the planned relocation of 
the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in the central Okinawa city 
of Ginowan to a coastal area of the camp. Probing the sea has 
nothing to do with an environmental assessment survey that is 
legally required for the relocation of Futenma airfield. However, 
the government is now in the run-up to the Futenma relocation and 
will shortly conduct a full-fledged survey of the waters with 
Okinawa Prefecture's consent. The start of preparatory work is aimed 
at impressing the United States with the Japanese government's 
efforts to fulfill its agreement with the United States. 
 
15) Deliberations on bill amending the Iraq Special Measures Law 
begin in Lower House 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
April 25, 2007 
 
An explanation of a bill aimed at extending the Iraq Special 
Measures Law, which is to expire at the end of July, for another two 
years was given at a Lower House plenary session yesterday and a 
question and answer session about the bill followed. Discussion on 
the bill has started. The ruling bloc intends to enact the bill into 
law as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, the major opposition party 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto or DPJ) has submitted a bill 
aimed at scrapping the Iraq Special Measures Law. Debates between 
the ruling and opposition parties are likely to hot up ahead of the 
upcoming Upper House election for this summer. 
 
Japan has deployed some 200 Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) troops and 
three C-130 planes in Iraq. Kuwait has been used as their base for 
transportation from there to Iraq. Japan also has sent about 10 
senior officers to the coalition force's air operation headquarters. 
Prime Minister Abe is to visit ASDF troops deployed in Kuwait on May 
1 to encourage them. 
 
In the question-and-answer session, Hideo Jinpu (of Minshuto) posed 
a question. In response, Abe said: "Preventing Iraq from serving as 
a breeding ground for terrorists and helping that country to recover 
as a peaceful and democratic country is meaningful in view of the 
stability of the international community and in the sense of meeting 
our country's national interests." 
 
16) ASDF Iraq mission: Over 80% of travel used for airlifting 
coalition forces, possible aberration from basic plan centered on 
reconstruction assistance 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Full) 
April 25, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in yesterday's Lower House plenary session 
to discuss an extension to the Iraq Special Measures Law revealed 
for the first time the contents of the Air Self-Defense Force's 
activities in Iraq, saying: "The ASDF has airlifted 46.5 tons of 
supplies on 150 occasions (since the Ground Self-Defense Force 
withdrew from the country last July). They airlifted 706 UN workers 
and 2.3 tons of UN supplies on 25 occasions." 
 
This means that the remaining 125 flights, or 80% of the total, were 
 
TOKYO 00001843  010 OF 012 
 
 
for airlifting US-led coalition forces. Abe did not announce the 
number of people. 
 
The basic plan stipulates that SDF activities must be centered on 
humanitarian and reconstruction assistance. The aerial 
transportation of personnel and supplies of international 
organizations, such as the United Nations, falls under this 
description. 
 
A large number of flights for coalition forces points to the 
possibility of the ASDF mission's deviation from the basic plan. 
 
Abe stressed that the airlifting of coalition forces has been 
conducted in line with the basic plan, saying: "Their activities 
constitute humanitarian and reconstruction assistance and security 
support." 
 
A senior Defense Ministry official also explained: "The coalition 
forces have been engaged in humanitarian and reconstruction 
assistance as well." But it is believed that only a small portion of 
US troops in Iraq is conducting humanitarian and reconstruction 
assistance, with the great majority on security duties. 
 
17) Government to allow country to exercise collective defense by 
reviewing its constitutional interpretation 
 
SANKEI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
April 25, 2007 
 
The government decided yesterday to allow the country to exercise 
its right to collective self-defense, reviewing its constitutional 
interpretation that the country posses that right but cannot 
exercise it, in connection with the ongoing plan to introduce a 
missile defense system to intercept incoming ballistic missiles. The 
Cabinet Legislation Bureau, which has been reluctant to change the 
government's interpretation, is showing a stance of approving it. 
 
The government envisages four types of incidents to use the right: 
(1) intercepting a US-targeted ballistic missile with the MD system, 
(2) a counterattack by MSDF vessels in reaction to an attack on a US 
vessel navigating alongside them, (3) a counterattack following an 
attack on a multinational force sharing the mission, and (4) using 
weapons for eliminating obstacles during UN peacekeeping 
operations. 
 
The government's expert council on collective defense is scheduled 
to set up taskforces on each category to flesh out the government's 
reinterpretation. 
 
Members of the expert council 
 
Yoko Iwama 
Associate professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy 
Studies 
 
Hisahiko Okazaki 
Former Ambassador to Thailand 
 
Yoshiyuki Kasai 
Chairman of JR Tokai 
 
Shinichi Kitaoka 
 
TOKYO 00001843  011 OF 012 
 
 
Professor at the University of Tokyo 
 
Kazuya Sakamoto 
Professor at Osaka University graduate school 
 
Masamori Sase 
Professor Emeritus at the Defense Academy 
 
Ken Sato 
Former Vice Administrative Defense Minister 
 
Akihiko Tanaka 
Professor at the University of Tokyo Institute of Oriental Culture 
 
Hiroshi Nakanishi 
Professor at Kyoto University 
 
Osamu Nishi 
Professor at Komazawa University 
 
Tetsuya Nishimoto 
Former Joint Staff Council Chairman 
 
Shinya Murase 
Professor at Sophia University 
 
Shunji Yanai 
Former Ambassador to the United States 
 
18) Prime Minister Abe outraged at Weekly Asahi article on 
assassination of Nagasaki mayor: "I'll resign if there is any 
connection" 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 25, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe late yesterday blasted a Weekly Asahi 
article (carried in its May 4-11 issue) for giving the impression 
that the assassination of the Nagasaki mayor was related to trouble 
involving the prime minister's secretary. Abe said: "It's a total 
fabrication. The reporter should be ashamed of writing such a thing. 
If my secretary and I were to have any connections with the shooter 
and his gang, I would resign as prime minister and a House of 
Representatives member." Abe strongly called on the Asahi Shimbun to 
apologize. 
 
Abe was replying to reporters at the Prime Minister's Official 
Residence (Kantei). It was unprecedented for the prime minister to 
protest against media reporting by referring to his course of 
action. 
 
Abe told reporters: "I was flabbergasted by the Weekly Asahi's 
advertisement. My secretary and I have families and relatives, and 
also children. This is an act of terrorism by means of speech and a 
political campaign aimed at (toppling my cabinet) instead of 
reporting the news." 
 
The article titled "Links between the assassination of the Nagasaki 
mayor and Prime Minister Abe's secretary" quotes a senior National 
Police Agency official as saying that the shooting occurred while 
the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department was investigating the gang 
to which suspect Tetsuya Shiroo belonged to for threatening Abe's 
 
TOKYO 00001843  012 OF 012 
 
 
former secretary without providing any information about this 
investigation to the Nagasaki Prefectural Police. 
 
19) G-8 summit: Government picks Kyoto for foreign ministerial, 
Osaka for finance ministerial, Kobe for environment ministerial 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
April 25, 2007 
 
The government yesterday chose Kyoto as the site for the foreign 
ministerial meeting, Osaka for the finance ministerial, and Kobe for 
the environment ministerial, all of which will be held on the 
occasion of the Group of Eight (G-8) summit next summer. The Tokyo 
International Conference on African Development (TICAD) to be held 
next spring will be held in Yokohama. 
 
The prime minister chose Toya Lake in Hokkaido as the site for the 
G-8 summit, but many other prefectural and municipal governments had 
announced their willingness to host the summit. Given this, the 
government picked different locations for the foreign, finance, and 
environment ministerial meetings. 
 
DONOVAN