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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001949 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV JA
SUBJECT: ABE GETS BOOST FROM SUMMIT; PRESS COVERAGE POSITIVE 
 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Joe Donovan. 
Reasons: 1.4(B),(D). 
 
¶1. (C)  Summary.  Polls taken shortly after Prime Minister 
Abe met April 27 with President Bush show Abe's support rate 
has risen close to 10 percent since March, with an equivalent 
decline in those saying they oppose Abe.  While the shift is 
not only because of Abe's successful visit to the U.S., the 
Japanese public has clearly reacted positively to Abe's 
handling of the U.S.-Japan relationship, both before and 
after the summit.  Most local press reports have labeled the 
"George and Shinzo" summit a success, citing discussions of 
DPRK policy, the comfort women, DPRI, UN reform, climate 
change, and other key issues as meeting expectations on both 
sides, despite remaining differences.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) Regular monthly polls taken by the Nikkei and 
Mainichi newspapers shortly after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's 
April 26-27 summit with the President show that the support 
rate for the Abe Cabinet has risen by as many as 10 points 
since March.  The nonsupport rate has recorded a nearly 
equivalent decline.  While the shift cannot be attributed 
directly to Abe's visit to the U.S., responses indicate a 
greater confidence in his leadership.  Other factors 
unrelated to the summit may include the visit by Chinese 
Premier Wen Jiabao to Tokyo two weeks earlier, a solid 
showing in recent local elections and Upper House 
by-elections, and the absence of recent scandals or gaffes 
involving administration figures. 
 
¶3. (C) Abe's remarkably productive series of legislative 
successes, including passage of extension of Japanese 
deployments in the Middle East and support for US-Japan 
alliance transformation, have also improved his reputation as 
a results-oriented leader.  Detailed responses from those 
polled indicate many now have greater confidence in Abe's 
leadership.  Importantly for Abe, support is up across all 
demographic sectors, including young people and women, groups 
that supported Koizumi but were predicted to be increasingly 
alienated by Abe's conservative agenda.  The bounce-back in 
Prime Minister Abe's popularity comes just in time to help 
rally support for the ruling coalition in advance of critical 
Upper House elections in July. 
 
¶4.  (C) Japanese media coverage of PM Abe's April 26-27 visit 
to the United States has been positive.  While the Japanese 
media is unfailingly critical and never misses opportunities 
to snipe at the country's leaders, most local press reports 
have labeled the "George and Shinzo" summit a success, noting 
that both sides went to great lengths to ensure that the 
leaders said exactly the right things on the DPRK, comfort 
women, defense realignment, economic policy, UN reform, 
climate change, and other key issues for the bilateral 
relationship.  Reporting has noted, but not dwelled on, the 
fact that the visit did little to erase existing differences 
between the two leaders on many of these issues. 
 
¶5.  (C) While the Japanese media have been quick to point out 
that Abe has yet to establish the kind of personal 
relationship with President Bush enjoyed by his predecessor, 
Junichiro Koizumi, personal touches, such as the President 
escorting Abe from Blair House to the White House, have 
received prominent play.  In fact, Koizumi's long-time 
personal secretary complain angrily that PR advisors to Abe 
were spinning the BLair House greeting and Camp David talks 
as a warmer reception than had been accorded his boss.  Close 
media attention has also been paid to the developing 
relationship between the two First Ladies, after nearly six 
years under the divorced Koizumi. 
 
¶6.  (C) First and foremost, from the Japanese perspective, 
the summit was viewed as an opportunity to coordinate policy 
on the DPRK, which many Japanese believe has shifted too 
quickly in the direction of dialogue.  President Bush allayed 
these worries by reassuring Abe that he is amenable to 
 
TOKYO 00001949  002 OF 002 
 
 
ratcheting up the pressure again, if the DPRK fails to meet 
its obligations, and promising to factor abductions into any 
decision to lift the DPRK's designation as a state sponsor of 
terrorism.  Abe, in meetings with both President Bush and 
congressional leaders, avoided falling into a trap over 
historical issues, apologizing "as a human being and as the 
Prime Minister" for the "painful experiences" of the comfort 
women, while avoiding any reference to official involvement 
in forcing women to work as prostitutes in the wartime 
comfort stations. 
DONOVAN