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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 002053 
 
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 05//07 
 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Poll: 51% favor constitutional revision, 19% opposed 
 
(2) Poll on constitutional revision, political parties 
 
(3) Upper House election: LDP, Minshuto aim to win floating votes 
 
(4) New Komeito President Ota: Party aims to hold on to 13 seats in 
election by showing achievements 
 
(5) ADP annual meeting: Difficult to balance environment and 
development 
 
(Corrected copy of the Index from Morning Highlights dated May 8, 
2007) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Poll: 51% favor constitutional revision, 19% opposed 
 
MAINICHI (Top play) (Full) 
May 3, 2007 
 
The Mainichi Shimbun conducted a telephone-based nationwide public 
opinion survey on April 28-29. In the survey, respondents were asked 
if they thought it would be better to revise the Constitution. In 
response to this question, 51% answered "yes," with 19% saying "no" 
and 22% "don't know." Among those who answered "yes," nearly 80% 
cited the passage of 60 years since the Constitution came into 
effect when asked why, with less than 10% saying that is because it 
was imposed by the United States or noting a gap between the 
Self-Defense Forces' existence and Constitution Article 9. Among 
those opposed to constitutional revision, a total of 70% said it 
could lead to rewriting Article 9 or it has yet to be fully 
discussed. 
 
The proportion of those in favor of revising the Constitution topped 
50% for the first time in a Mainichi poll. The results of previous 
polls and the one taken this time cannot be simply compared due to 
different polling methodologies. In a previous survey conducted in 
September 2004, however, pro-revision respondents accounted for 46%. 
In the breakdown of their reasons, 49% said it no longer meets the 
times, with 28% saying it has never been revised. In light of 
another question, more than 80% of those in favor of revising the 
Constitution say the Constitution has considerably or somewhat 
contributed to postwar Japan. They seem to think it would be all 
right to renew the Constitution along with the changes of the times, 
rather than to say there is something inconvenient in concrete 
terms. 
 
Among other reasons given by pro-revision respondents, 9% said that 
was because the Constitution was imposed by the United States, with 
9% saying there is a gap between what the SDF is doing and Article 
9, and 4% saying individual rights are overrespected. 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who makes it a goal for his government to 
revise the Constitution, has been taking the position that Article 9 
is now outdated. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party, in its draft 
of a new constitution, argues that the Constitution was imposed by 
the United States. However, both the prime minister and the LDP have 
a perception gap with most of those in favor of revising the 
Constitution. 
 
TOKYO 00002053  002 OF 009 
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 05//07 
 
 
In the breakdown of reasons given by those against constitutional 
revision, 46% said that was because it could lead to rewriting 
Article 9. Among other reasons, 24% said it has yet to be fully 
debated, with 16% saying there is no positive reason and 10% citing 
the possibility of individual rights being restricted or obligations 
being stipulated. There are also opinions that passively affirm the 
Constitution as is. The proportion of those who positively defend 
the Constitution was only 2%, saying that is because the 
Constitution meets the times. Those who answered they "don't know" 
accounted for 22% when asked whether they would like the 
Constitution to be revised, marking the lowest figure since the 
1980s. However, the proportion of anti-revision respondents was 
lower than even the proportion of those who could not answer one way 
or the other. 
 
(2) Poll on constitutional revision, political parties 
 
ASAHI (Page 5) (Full) 
May 2, 2007 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures shown in percentage, rounded off. Bracketed figures denote 
proportions to all respondents.) 
 
Q: Which political party do you support now? 
 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)                    31 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto)       14 
New Komeito (NK)                                   4 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP)                     3 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto)          2 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto)         0 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon)            0 
Other political parties                            0 
None                                              41 
No answer (N/A) + don't know (D/K)                 5 
 
Q: The Constitution of Japan turns 60 on May 3. Do you usually talk 
about the Constitution at your home or workplace? (One choice only) 
 
Often               4 
Sometimes          30 
Almost never       43 
Not at all         23 
 
Q: Constitution Article 9 stipulates that Japan renounces war and 
will never maintain war potential. Over the past 60 years, Japan has 
been at peace without going to war. Do you think Constitution 
Article 9 has contributed to this? 
 
Yes       78 
No        15 
 
Q: Then, do you think Constitution Article 9 has contributed to 
peace and security in East Asia? 
 
Yes       58 
No        27 
 
Q: There is an opinion saying the Self-Defense Forces is 
unconstitutional, and there is also an opinion saying the SDF is not 
unconstitutional. To which opinion do you agree? 
 
TOKYO 00002053  003 OF 009 
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 05//07 
 
 
Unconstitutional           23 
Not unconstitutional       60 
 
Q: The Constitution describes nothing about the SDF. Do you think 
the SDF should be described in the Constitution? 
 
Yes       56 
No        31 
 
Q: The LDP announced its draft of a new constitution the year before 
last. The LDP draft version of a new constitution clearly describes 
that Japan will have "armed forces" for self-defense, and it renames 
the SDF accordingly. Aside from whether to describe it in the 
Constitution, do you think it appropriate to do so? 
 
Yes       18 
No        70 
 
Q: How far do you think the SDF should be allowed to act overseas? 
Which opinion is closest to yours? (One choice only) 
 
The SDF should not be allowed to act overseas at all       10 
The SDF may be allowed to act overseas if it does not use armed 
force       64 
The SDF should be allowed to use armed force if necessary       22 
 
Q: Do you think it would be better to rewrite Constitution Article 
9? 
 
Yes       33 
No        49 
 
Q: There is an opinion saying the Constitution was imposed by 
America. Which opinion is closest to yours? (One choice only) 
 
Imposed               21 
Not imposed           14 
Can't say which       63 
 
Q: Do you think the Constitution should be revised on the whole? 
 
Yes       58 
No        27 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "yes") Why? (One choice only) 
 
Because we want to create a new constitution ourselves 
       7(4) 
Because Article 9 is problematical 
6(4) 
Because new rights and systems should be incorporated 
84(48) 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "no") Why? (One choice only) 
 
Because it has taken root in the nation and has no problems to 
revise 
33(9) 
Because Article 9 may be rewritten 
39(11) 
Because it has contributed to freedom and rights guaranteed 
25(7) 
 
TOKYO 00002053  004 OF 009 
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 05//07 
 
 
Q: Do you think it realistic to revise the Constitution, or do you 
otherwise think it's still in the way ahead? 
 
Realistic       59 
Way ahead       31 
 
 
Q: Prime Minister Abe has clearly said he would go for 
constitutional revision. Would you like the Constitution to be 
revised under Prime Minister Abe? 
 
Yes       40 
No        42 
 
Q: Do you think constitutional revision matters much to you? 
 
Yes       57 
No        35 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted April 14-15 over the 
telephone on a computer-aided random digit dialing (RDD) basis. 
Respondents were chosen from among the nation's voting population on 
a three-stage random-sampling basis. Among randomly generated 
telephone numbers, those actually for household use with one or more 
eligible voters totaled 3,330. Valid answers were obtained from 
1,807 persons (54% ). 
 
(3) Upper House election: LDP, Minshuto aim to win floating votes 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Slightly abridged) 
May 8, 2007 
 
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the leading opposition 
party, Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) yesterday shifted gears 
upward in the campaign for the House of Councillors election. The 
LDP decided to give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe the go ahead to give 
street-corner speeches as early as this month in order to win over 
unaffiliated voters. Minshuto as started to discuss ways to look for 
campaign issues in addition to the current one on rectifying the 
income gap in society. President Ozawa yesterday stumped in election 
districts in the urban areas. Competition between the two parties 
will likely intensify with an eye on scoring points with nonaligned 
voters. 
 
LDP stepping up measures to win votes in regional areas under Abe's 
lead 
 
Abe told LDP Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa at noon yesterday: 
"In the Upper House election, I want to bring up global warming and 
the environment as campaign issues." He intends to play up the 
importance of local areas with an eye on single-seat districts in 
the prefectures. Abe's aide said, "The prime minister will give a 
street corner speech every week in June." 
 
Global warming is one of the issues that Abe plans to discuss at the 
2008 G-8 Summit to be in the Lake Toya area, Hokkaido. He will take 
a strategy of playing up his own policy agenda in campaigning for 
the Upper House election, calling for the need for constitutional 
reform. 
 
The approval rating for the Abe cabinet has recently been on the 
increase in the polls. Abe's aide said, "The prime minister should 
 
TOKYO 00002053  005 OF 009 
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 05//07 
 
display his own identity rather than taking makeshift measures." 
When visiting Qatar on May 1, Abe clearly stated: "I have no 
intention to take special measures to win the floating votes. I will 
give voters simple and honest explanations about my policies and 
implement them." The words "simple and honest" will be his strategy 
to score with unaffiliated voters. 
 
Secretary General Nakagawa gave a pep talk at a general meeting on 
 
SIPDIS 
April 29 of the LDP Kochi chapter: "We must win in the battle of one 
thing in mind, creating a new constitution." 
 
However, the prime minister's aides do not think that they will be 
able to overcome the current political situation. Although the 
Koizumi cabinet had public support ratings at the 50% level, it 
suffered a setback in the 2004 Upper House election. Abe, who was 
chief cabinet secretary at that time, is calling for strengthening 
the party's organizational strength. 
 
Nakagawa called in three candidates-to-be to LDP headquarters 
yesterday. According to one of the three, Nakagawa told them, "I 
want you to make efforts to obtain support from female voters." 
 
Minshuto groping for better campaign issues than social divide 
 
Acting President Naoto Kan: "There are such issues as medical, 
pension, welfare, a change of government, and waste of tax money. We 
should discuss the environment problem, including agriculture." 
 
President Ozawa: "We must delve deeper into the social divide issue, 
since it is so abstract." 
 
Ozawa, Kan, and Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama held a meeting on 
May 7 at party headquarters. The three agreed that the party would 
hasten to come up with new campaign issues that would be easy to 
convey to voters, while assessing the will of the voters. After the 
meeting, Hatoyama stressed: "We have to come up with campaign themes 
that are easy to be understood by the public and will have an impact 
on them." 
 
On May 7 Policy Research Committee Chairman Takeaki Matsumoto and 
other committee members met at party headquarters and conducted 
intensive debate for about seven hours on a plan to draft a 
manifesto (set of campaign pledges) for the Upper House election. 
The party reportedly wants a manifesto of 10 to 15 items, including 
the pension issue, Iraq, bid-rigging and amakudari (golden parachute 
system), employment, medical service, education and agriculture. 
 
Minshuto has determined that it cannot defeat the LDP with only 
measures to narrow the income gap. Ozawa, who toured the prefectures 
where single seats are up for reelection, made his position clear 
that his party would place priority on scoring with unaffiliated 
voters. He visited Chukyo Women's University, whose president will 
run in the Upper House race on Minshuto ticket for the Aichi 
constituency. Minshuto apparently will be filing two candidates each 
in Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, and Aichi prefectures. It will be 
difficult for the party to win two seats in each constituency with 
the conventional support layer, including labor union votes. 
Therefore, it plans to focus on the floating votes and measures to 
capture some of the multiple seat districts up for election. 
 
(4) New Komeito President Ota: Party aims to hold on to 13 seats in 
election by showing achievements 
 
 
TOKYO 00002053  006 OF 009 
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 05//07 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
May 8, 2007 
 
-- How many seats is the party aiming at (in the upcoming House of 
Councillors election)? 
 
We aim to secure our current 13 seats, with eight proportional 
representation seats and five in prefectural constituencies. With 
this number, the coalition will be able to maintain its majority. 
 
-- A fierce battle is expected in constituencies, isn't it? 
 
Our party has fielded candidates in five constituencies. In four of 
the five electoral districts, excluding Tokyo, the number of seats 
is three. In Saitama, Kanagawa, and Aichi of the four, Minshuto 
(Democratic Party of Japan) has put up two candidates. But we aim to 
desperately defend one seat in each constituency. 
 
-- What if the coalition fails to keep its majority? 
 
A volatile political situation will unavoidably have a negative 
impact on the nation's economy, although it has recovered to this 
far. In such a case, Japan probably will be thrown into confusion. 
 
-- What issues will the party focus on in the Upper House election 
campaign? 
 
Our party's attention-grabbing message is "politics that takes 
responsibility for the future." Eight years have passed since the 
New Komeito became a member of the Liberal Democratic Party-led 
coalition government. During this period, the economy returned to a 
recovery path, and it became possible to envision the future of 
Japan. Our capability to map out a future vision for Japan will be 
tested. 
 
-- What theme are you going to give priority to? 
 
We give priority to the capability to translate policy plans into 
reality. We will show our past achievements and a course of action 
for the future. During the seven months after I assumed office as 
party head, the government implemented such specific measures as 
expanding the scope of those eligible for child allowance and 
increasing budgetary allocations for small businesses. Opposition 
parties did nothing." 
 
-- The LDP plans to bring up a revision of the Constitution as the 
central issue in the campaign, doesn't it? 
 
I do not think it will be focused on in the campaign. It is more 
important to present future options and a specific vision for this 
nation, rather than discussing constitutional clauses. Focusing on 
essential points in the challenges facing this nation, such as 
social security, environmental protection, security and safety, 
politicians should forge ahead with political agenda items. 
 
-- You seem to have a different view from the prime minister on a 
review of the government's interpretation of the right to collective 
self-defense. 
 
The prime minister has clearly said (to me): "I have no intention of 
reinterpreting the Constitution." Regarding national basic issues, 
It is important to take the stance of aiming at hitting the ball to 
center, instead of aiming at doubling to right field. The New 
 
TOKYO 00002053  007 OF 009 
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 05//07 
 
Komeito, as the party of peace, might be expected to apply the 
brakes when (the prime minister) is about to go too far. 
 
-- Minshuto is grilling the ruling coalition over social 
disparities. 
 
It is imperative to take specific measures to prevent the existing 
gaps from expanding and being fixed. The New Komeito has most 
contributed to implementing specific measures. 
 
-- Isn't there any possibility of the New Komeito buried between the 
two big political parties, the LDP and Minshuto? 
 
Adopting a two-party system is no longer a global trend. Many have 
begun to regard the third and fourth parties as important. It is 
essential to have a variety of people's intentions reflected in 
politics. Since the New Komeito, which understands the feelings of 
the common people, small- to medium-sized companies, and people in a 
difficulty, is a member of the ruling camp, the ruling coalition has 
been able to take well-balanced policies. 
 
(5) ADP annual meeting: Difficult to balance environment and 
development 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 9) (Full) 
May 8, 2007 
 
The 40th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADV), which 
was held in Kyoto, ended yesterday, completing a two-day session. 
President Haruhiko Kuroda made a closing speech on the evening of 
the same day. In the speech he indicated the bank's policy of aiming 
at economic growth in Asia and a reduction of poverty, while giving 
consideration to the environment. 
 
Kuroda explained, "Member nations have agreed that growth in Asia 
must be sustainable." To be precise, they confirmed the need for 
mutual cooperation for the promotion of the use of clean and 
efficient energy. 
 
Member nations have also confirmed that the ADB should make efforts 
to improve the environment, noting that such efforts are beneficial 
to the education and health of developing countries. 
 
The next annual meeting will be held in Madrid, Spain, next May. 
 
Progress made for establishment of ADV fund 
 
The meeting took place at the venue where the Kyoto Protocol was 
adopted 10 years ago. Some progress has been made, as can be seen in 
that Japan has come up with a proposal for establishing a fund to 
spread energy-conservation as a measure to prevent global warming, a 
key agenda item. An environmental protection group criticized the 
ADV for continuing providing loans for development of energy using 
fossil fuels, arguing that such loans will accelerate global 
warming. 
 
ADB President Kuroda during the meeting made a speech, noting, "We 
should think that we are responsible for protecting the environment 
not for the sake of cost but for the sake of investment in the 
future." Finance Minister Koji Omi explained to participants from 
various countries that cutting carbon emissions is unavoidable, 
indicating the outlook that energy consumption in Asia will double 
from the present level in 2030. 
 
TOKYO 00002053  008 OF 009 
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 05//07 
 
 
The ADB at present extends loans worth 1 billion yen a year for 
environment-related projects, including the introduction of 
energy-conserving technology and the promotion of hydroelectric 
generation and wind-power generation. It plans to continue providing 
loans worth more than 1 billion yen a year. It will also focus on 
providing knowledge and technology for protection of the environment 
as a hub of expert knowledge. 
 
In the meantime, the ADB will continue to depend on fossil fuels, as 
can be seen in its decision to finance the construction of a coal 
thermal power station in India. According to Greenpeace, an 
environmental protection group, the total amount of loans the ADB 
has provided for the construction of coal thermal power stations 
over the past five years is six times larger than the amount it 
provided for the use of clean energy, such as wind-power 
generation. 
 
The person in charge of an environment-related section at the ADB, 
said, "We respect the views of nongovernmental organizations as well 
as those of developing countries." There are still 600 million 
persons in Asia who live on less than one dollar a day. 
Infrastructure has yet to be consolidated there. He explained the 
reality of Asia: "Poverty must be eliminated through power 
generation. If a country has rich oil reserves and the cost of using 
such resources is cheap, it is bound to depend on coal." 
 
(Corrected copy of the Index from Morning Highlights dated May 8, 
2007) 
 
Prime Minister Abe offered gift to Yasukuni Shrine during spring 
festival in April in lieu of paying homage at the shrine 
 
Abe first prime minister to make offering to Yasukuni during 
shrine's spring festival since Nakasone 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
May 8, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made an offering to Yasukuni Shrine using 
his title as "prime minister" on the occasion of the shrine's spring 
festival from April 21-23. Abe has become the first Japanese prime 
minister to make an offering to the shrine since Yasuhiro Nakasone 
did so about 20 years ago. Abe has been elusive about visiting 
Yasukuni Shrine, telling people, "I have no intention of saying 
whether or not I will visit or have visited the shrine." Abe 
apparently showed some consideration to the shrine by making an 
offering instead of visiting. 
 
According to a shrine source, Abe offered a potted masakaki plant 2 
meters tall. The pot is now lined with other masakaki plants 
alongside the wooden steps leading to the inner shrine. The pot 
carries a wooden label that says "prime minister." 
 
Such persons as the Lower House speaker and the chairmen of the 
Japan War-Bereaved Association and the Association to Acknowledge 
the Divine Spirits of the Dead have offered masakaki plants to the 
shrine annually. But no prime minister has made an offering since 
Nakasone. When former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited 
Yasukuni, he offered flower wreaths. 
 
The shrine sent a letter to Abe asking for his attendance at its 
spring festival and an offering, and in response Abe paid 50,000 yen 
 
TOKYO 00002053  009 OF 009 
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 05//07 
 
for the plant. 
 
Yasukuni Shrive invites guests to its April and October festivals, 
which carry greater importance than the August 15 end-of-the-war 
anniversary. The spring festival this year occurred just after 
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Japan. 
 
The shrine source welcomed Abe's offering, saying: "I think Mr. Abe, 
who has been abstaining from visiting the shrine since becoming 
prime minister, showed his feelings. We appreciate it." 
 
 
DONOVAN