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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 TOKYO 002371 
 
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 05/29/07 
Part-2 
 
 
Index: 
11) Abe cabinet beset with woes, starting with pension issue and now 
shock of key cabinet member's suicide 
 
12) Ruling, opposition camps clash on TV talk show over pension 
issue, scandals 
 
13) New Komeito reluctant to back LDP candidates calling for 
revision of Article 9 of Constitution 
 
14) Abe Cabinet support rate dips to lowest point ever, 36 percent, 
in latest Asahi poll 
 
15) Mainichi poll: Abe support careens to record low for his 
administration, 32 percent, with non-support rate now at 44 percent 
 
16) Nikkei poll: Abe Cabinet's popularity plunges to 41 percent, 
with 49 percent of the public unhappy with prime minister's job 
performance 
 
17) Voters looking more to Minshuto (42 percent) than LDP (33 
percent) in next election, according to Mainichi poll 
 
18) Nikkei poll queries public of collective self-defense and finds 
39 percent prefer the status quo 
 
19) China's new foreign minister expresses concern to Foreign 
Minister Aso about planned visit to Japan by former Taiwanese 
president Lee Teng-hui 
 
20) Aso meets Burmese counterpart 
 
21) China to cooperate with Japan on abduction issue by providing 
information on victims, and possibly accepting Megumi Yokota's 
daughter as grad student 
 
22) Japan decides to send election observers to E. Timor under PKO 
assignment 
 
Articles: 
11) Failing pension system taking heavy toll on Abe cabinet 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Excerpts) 
May 29, 2007 
 
The Social Insurance Agency's (SIA) record-keeping errors have begun 
taking a toll on the Abe administration. In an attempt to quell 
public criticism, the government has come up with relief measures, 
such as the elimination of the statute of limitation enabling 
pensioners to receive benefits appropriately. But those steps have 
apparently failed to soften public outrage. Support ratings for the 
Abe cabinet have plummeted in recent public opinion polls. Prime 
Minister Shinzo Abe is busy devising new steps, such as taking 
relief measures ahead of schedule. However, such an approach might 
end up enhancing the impression that his administration's steps are 
all makeshift measures. 
 
"I have come to the conclusion that we need to respond to the matter 
speedily," Abe said last night, explaining why he has ordered the 
ruling coalition to introduce a bill to the ongoing Diet designed to 
abolish the statute of limitation regarding pension premiums. He 
 
TOKYO 00002371  002 OF 008 
 
 
also indicated that he has ordered an effort to clarify the 
responsibilities of past SIA chiefs, saying, "Those who have left 
the failing system uncorrected must feel responsible." 
 
Unexpectedly strong public outrage toward the SIA's record-keeping 
errors has forced Abe to take a new response. The government and the 
ruling coalition initially intended to come up with such steps as 
ending the statute of limitation and reexamining some 50 million 
cases not integrated into the basic pension numbering system in a 
bid to put an end to the SIA's blunder. They also planned to 
counterattack the major opposition Minshuto (Democratic Party of 
Japan), blaming the lax management of the system on the SIA labor 
union that supports Minshuto. 
 
But the government and the ruling coalition's relief measures lacked 
uniqueness, as they were a rehash of what the SIA has already done, 
except for ending the statute of limitation. In addition, those 
steps were insufficient to underline the government's eagerness to 
address the issue based on pensioners' claims. 
 
The government's failure to present a clear timeline for reexamining 
erroneous records has sparked concern that a shift to the envisioned 
Japan Pension Corporation would allow the SIA's blunder fade into 
oblivion. The government's original relief measures fueled public 
criticism rather than quell it. 
 
12) May 27 broadcast of "Hodo 2001" on missed pension benefit 
payouts: Kan - "It is embezzlement"; Katayama - "Integration of 
pension numbers, creation of system took place when Kan was MHLW 
minister" 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
May 28, 2007 
 
Toranosuke Katayama, secretary general of Liberal Democratic Party 
(LDP) members in the House of Councilors, and Acting Democratic 
Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) head Naoto Kan discussed the issue 
of missing pension premium payment records. 
 
-- What is your view on the missed pension benefit payouts stemming 
from the missing pension premium payment records? 
 
Kan: "It is embezzlement to receive premiums and not pay benefits." 
 
Katayama: "Pension numbers were integrated into a basic pension 
number system in 1997. This system was created when Mr. Kan was the 
health, labor and welfare (MHLW) minister. If the system were 
proper, this problem would not have occurred." 
 
Kan: "The MHLW minister when pension numbers were integrated was 
former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. The SIA conducted surveys 
from 1998 through 2006. They intended to get away with it without 
disclosing the survey results, if opposition parties had not pursued 
the case this time. The SIA should be dismantled and turned into a 
revenue agency along with the National Tax Agency. According to the 
government proposal, only its status will be privatized. This would 
make the locus of responsibility unclear." 
 
Katayama: "The DPJ wants to keep its officials' status intact . 
However, if they remain public servants, officials' morale will 
remain low." 
 
TOKYO 00002371  003 OF 008 
 
 
 
Yokohama Mayor Hiroshi Nakata: "The problem is not who created the 
system but that the SIA has no sense of being involved. Unless it is 
fully privatized so that its own mistakes are reflected in its staff 
members' salaries, SIA officials will never have a sense that they 
are responsible." 
 
-- What about the alleged bid-rigging involving the Japan Green 
Resources Agency? 
 
Kan: "Agriculture Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka said that the 
allegation is very regrettable. However, the presence of Mr. 
Matsuoka is very regrettable. People know who is behind the 
scenes." 
 
Katayama: "The investigative authorities are ferreting out the case. 
It is not necessary for Mr. Matsuoka to step down as a cabinet 
minister." 
 
Kan: "Prime Minister Abe is defending the agriculture minister, who 
is accountable for the matter, which is tantamount to saying that it 
is all right to keep bid-rigging as it is." 
 
13) New Komeito's Ota checks LDP on constitutional revision, 
expressing reluctance to back candidates who advocate revising 
paragraph 2 of Article 9 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 28, 2007 
 
New Komeito leader Ota referred to the Upper House election set for 
this summer on a TV-Asahi talk show on May 27 and checked the ruling 
Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) call for constitutional revision. 
Ota noted: "If (LDP candidates) make assertions that are 
fundamentally different from our party's, for instance allowing the 
exercise of the right to collective defense or deleting paragraph 2 
of Article 9 of the Constitution, and rejecting environmental 
rights, it is only natural that our party will be reluctant to back 
them." When asked about Prime Minister Abe's intention to make 
constitutional revision a campaign issue for the Upper House 
election, Ota again pointed out: "It's meaningless to emphasize 
constitutional revision without mentioning the substance." 
 
14) Poll: Cabinet support rate hits low of 36 PERCENT 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
May 29, 2007 
 
Ahead of this July's election for the House of Councillors, the 
Asahi Shimbun conducted its third telephone-based public opinion 
survey on May 26-27, in which the support rate for Prime Minister 
Abe and his cabinet was 36 percent with the nonsupport rate at 42 
percent. The Abe cabinet's support rate nosedived from the May 19-20 
survey, in which the support rate was 44 percent with the nonsupport 
rate at 36 percent. The cabinet support rate had rebounded in April 
and afterward. This time, however, nonsupport topped support again. 
 
Among women, the Abe cabinet's support rate substantially fell from 
48 percent in the last survey to 36 percent in the survey this time, 
with its nonsupport rate at 37 percent. Among those who support the 
New Komeito, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's coalition 
 
TOKYO 00002371  004 OF 008 
 
 
partner, the Abe cabinet's support rate was 35 percent, with its 
nonsupport rate at 45 percent. Among New Komeito supporters, the 
nonsupport rate topped the support rate for the first time. 
 
In the past three surveys, respondents were also asked which 
political party they would vote for if an election were to be held 
now for the House of Councillors. To this question, the proportion 
of those who picked the LDP was 28 percent in the first survey 
(taken May 12-13), 31 percent in the second survey, and 26 percent 
in the latest third survey. The proportion of those preferring the 
leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) was 21 
percent in the first survey, 21 percent in the second survey, and 25 
percent in the third survey. The LDP was above the DPJ in the past 
surveys. This time, however, the DPJ closed in on the LDP. In 
electoral districts as well, the two parties are close, with the LDP 
at 29 percent and the DPJ at 26 percent. 
 
Respondents were further asked which side between the ruling camp 
and the opposition camp they would like to see hold a majority as a 
result of this summer's House of Councillors election. In response, 
28 percent chose the ruling camp (36 percent in the last survey), 
with 48 percent preferring the opposition camp (43 percent in the 
last survey). Asked about the desirable form of government, 32 
percent chose an LDP-led coalition government (37 percent in the 
last survey), with 33 percent opting for a DPJ-led coalition 
government (31 percent in the last survey). As seen from these 
figures, the LDP and the DPJ are almost on a par. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the LDP 
stood at 29 percent (34 percent in the last survey), with the DPJ at 
18 percent (14 percent in the last survey). 
 
The survey was conducted 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. Valid answers were obtained from 1,031 persons (61 percent). 
 
15) Poll: Cabinet support rate lowest at 32 percent, down 11 points; 
Nonsupport up to 44 percent 
 
MAINICHI (Top play) (Abridged) 
May 28, 2007 
 
The Mainichi Shimbun conducted a telephone-based nationwide public 
opinion survey on May 26-27. The rate of public support for Prime 
Minister Shinzo Abe and his cabinet was 32 percent, down 11 
percentage points from the last survey taken in April. It is the 
lowest figure for the Abe cabinet since coming into office in 
September last year. The nonsupport rate for the Abe cabinet was 44 
percent, which is the highest figure for the Abe cabinet. The 
nonsupport rate topped the support rate in the latest survey, as 
well as in the surveys taken in February and March. In the survey, 
respondents were also asked which party between the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party and the leading opposition Democratic Party of 
Japan (Minshuto) they would like to see win in this summer's 
election for the House of Councillors. In response to this question, 
the DPJ led the LDP for the first time. Respondents were further 
asked which political party and which political party's candidate 
they would vote for if an election were to be held now. To this 
question as well, the DPJ was above the LDP both for proportional 
representation blocs and for electoral districts. This shows that 
 
TOKYO 00002371  005 OF 008 
 
 
the nation's voting population is taking a severe view of the fact 
that the government has lost its records of 50.95 million people's 
payments into its public pension plans. 
 
Among LDP supporters, the Abe cabinet's support rate was 66 percent, 
down 11 points. Among those with no particular party affiliation, 
the Abe cabinet's support rate was 20 percent, down 10 points. These 
two groups were major factors that led to the substantial drop in 
the cabinet support rate. Among those who support the LDP's 
coalition partner, New Komeito, the cabinet support rate was 60 
percent, up 8 points. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the LDP 
stood at 25 percent, down 4 points. The DPJ was at 19 percent, down 
3 points. Among other political parties, the New Komeito was at 5 
percent, the same as in the last survey, with the Japanese Communist 
Party at 3 percent, up 1 point. Those with no particular party 
affiliation accounted for 44 percent, up 2 points. 
 
16) Poll: Cabinet support plummets to 41 percent 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
May 28, 2007 
 
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun conducted a public opinion survey on May 
25-27, in which the rate of public support for Prime Minister Shinzo 
Abe and his cabinet was 41 percent, the lowest figure for the Abe 
cabinet, showing a sharp drop of 12 percentage points from the last 
survey conducted in April. The nonsupport rate for the Abe cabinet 
was 44 percent, up 7 points. The nonsupport rate topped the support 
rate for the first time in two months. In the survey, respondents 
were also asked if they appreciated the Abe cabinet's job 
performance. In response to this question, 49 percent answered "no," 
with 33 percent saying "yes." 
 
The Abe cabinet's approval rating continued to show a downward trend 
after its inauguration in September last year. In the last survey, 
however, it rose 10 points and was seen to have stopped declining. 
The sharp drop in the cabinet support rate this time can be taken as 
reflecting the government's failure to record payments into its 
public pension plans as a possible point at issue in this summer's 
election for the House of Councillors. In addition, it is apparently 
affected by the public's dissatisfaction with the Abe cabinet's 
attitude over the issue of politics and money. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the ruling 
Liberal Democratic Party stood at 41 percent, down 2 points. The 
leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) rose 2 
points to 23 percent. 
 
The survey was taken by Nikkei Research Inc. over the telephone on a 
random digit dialing (RDD) basis. For the survey, samples were 
chosen from among men and women aged 20 and over across the nation. 
A total of 1,496 households with one or more voters were sampled, 
and answers were obtained from 917 persons (61.3 percent). 
 
17) Poll: 42 percent want DPJ victory, topping LDP for 1st time 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full) 
May 28, 2007 
 
 
TOKYO 00002371  006 OF 008 
 
 
In the latest public opinion survey conducted by the Mainichi 
Shimbun, respondents were asked which political party they would 
like to win this summer's election for the House of Councillors. 
This is the fourth time this question has been asked since December 
last year. In response, 42 percent opted for the leading opposition 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto), up 6 percentage points from 
the last survey. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party was at 33 
percent, down 5 points. Other political parties were at 20 percent, 
up 2 points. 
 
In the past three surveys, the LDP was 2 points higher than the DPJ. 
This time, however, the DPJ topped the LDP for the first time. 
 
Respondents were also asked which political party or which political 
party's candidate they would vote for in their respective 
proportional representation blocs if an election were to be held now 
for the House of Councillors. In response to this question, 35 
percent chose the DPJ, with 28 percent picking the LDP. Among other 
political parties, the New Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner, was 
at 6 percent, with the Japanese Communist Party at 4 percent, the 
Social Democratic Party (Shaminto) at 3 percent, and the People's 
New Party (Kokumin Shinto) at 1 percent. In electoral districts, the 
DPJ marked 30 percent, with the LDP at 26 percent and independents 
at 15 percent. The DPJ was above the LDP both in proportional 
representation blocs and in electoral districts. 
 
18) Poll: 39 percent support current constitutional interpretation 
over collective self-defense 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 28, 2007 
 
In the latest public opinion survey conducted by the Nihon Keizai 
Shimbun on May 25-27, respondents were asked if they thought the 
government should change its current constitutional interpretation 
that prohibits Japan from exercising the right of collective 
self-defense. In response to this question, 39 percent answered 
"no," with 25 percent saying "yes" and 22 percent insisting the 
Constitution should be revised to allow Japan to participate in 
collective self-defense. As seen from these figures, public opinion 
was split over the advisability of reviewing the government's way of 
reading and interpreting the Constitution over collective 
self-defense. 
 
Among those who support the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, "no" 
accounted for 34 percent, topping all other answers. However, 29 
percent chose constitutional revision, with 27 PERCENT  preferring 
reinterpretation. 
 
19) New Chinese foreign minister expresses concern about planned 
Japan visit by former Taiwanese President Lee 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
May 29, 2007 
 
Jun Tabuse, Hamburg 
 
Foreign Minister Aso and his new Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi 
held their first meeting in Hamburg on May 28, local time. In 
reference to the private visit to Japan by former Taiwanese 
President Lee Teng-hui scheduled to begin on May 30, Yang expressed 
 
TOKYO 00002371  007 OF 008 
 
 
apprehension about a negative impact on Japan-China relations. On 
another topic, Aso briefed Yang on a new Japanese post-Kyoto global 
initiative proposed by Prime Minister Abe last week. In response, 
Yang said: "I hope the two countries will join hands on this 
challenge." 
 
According to informed sources on the Japanese side, Yang expressed 
concern about Lee's planned visit to Japan, saying: "I am concerned 
that the visit might be politicized and could hinder Japan-China 
relations." Aso replied: "I have been informed that he will not take 
part in political activities but will engage in sightseeing and 
cultural exchange." He then said: "There is no change in the 
Japanese government's position as specified in the Japan-China joint 
statement." 
 
20) Burmese foreign minister explains extended house arrest of Aung 
San Suu Kyi to Foreign Minister Aso 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
May 29, 2007 
 
Jun Ibuse, Hamburg 
 
Foreign Minister Aso met Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win at a 
Hamburg hotel on the morning of May 28. Officially admitting the 
Burmese decision to extend the house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, a 
leader of the democracy movement there, Nyan Win said: "If the 
United States had removed the sanctions against our country, there 
would have been the option of releasing her. This was a difficult 
decision for the sake of our national security." The Burmese 
government had not officially admitted that it decided to extend the 
house arrest of Suu Kyi. Aso sought her release, saying: "Unless the 
democratization process is promoted, there will be no economic 
growth in Burma." 
 
21) China mulling providing info on "abductees" to Japan 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
May 28, 2007 
 
Satoshi Saeki, Beijing 
 
China is considering the possibility of cooperating with Japan to 
resolve the abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea, for 
instance, by gathering information on victims of abductions and 
missing Japanese people via its own information networks, a source 
familiar with Japan-China relations revealed on May 27. 
 
On the collection of information on victims of abductions, China 
reportedly plans to conduct a broader investigation to include a 
portion of certain missing people (dozens of people) and provide the 
results to Japan. China also is considering accepting abductee 
Megumi Yokota's daughter Kim Hye Gyon, who is studying at Kim Il 
Sung University, as a master's student at Beijing University so that 
she can easily meet with Shigeru Yokota and his wife Sakie. 
Moreover, an idea is being floated that Chinese experts will conduct 
a DNA analysis of the remains handed by North Korea to Japan as 
Megumi's "ashes." 
 
Until recently the Chinese side had assumed the stance that the e 
resolution of the abduction issue." 
 
TOKYO 00002371  008 OF 008 
 
 
 
China appears to have concluded that progress on the abduction issue 
will have a good effect on such processes as energy aid to North 
Korea. In addition, China seems to be speculating that doing so will 
give momentum to the move for strengthening Japan-China relations, 
which have been brought back on the track owing to Premier Wen 
Jiabao's recent successful visit to Japan. 
 
Yet, there is the possibility that North Korea may react against 
China's offer of information as interference in domestic affairs. 
Whether China's plan will be put into practice depends on whether 
coordination between China and North Korea will go smoothly. 
 
22) Japan to send election monitors to East Timor 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 28, 2007 
 
The government intends to dispatch an election monitoring team in 
accordance with the United Nations Peacekeeping Cooperation Law to 
East Timor for its general election slated for June 30. Preparations 
are underway to send a dozen or so officials from the International 
Peace Cooperation Headquarters and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
 
In the general election, a fierce battle is expected between the 
largest political party, the Revolutionary Front for an Independent 
East Timor, and the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction 
led by former President Gusman. 
 
SCHIEFFER