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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 002611 
 
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 06/11/07 
Part-1 
INDEX: 
(1) Prime Minister's schedule 
 
(2) Poll: 75 percent view social security as important in House of 
Councillors election 
 
(3) Main points of Prime Minister Abe's statement on G-8 summit 
 
(4) China will "consider" Japan's proposal for halving 
greenhouse-gas emissions 
 
(5) Isolation formula, effective during Okinawa Summit, to be used 
for the Toya Summit G-8 
 
(6) Chinese president may visit Japan next spring 
 
(7) Lee Teng-hui's press conference before his departure from Japan 
 
(8) US Defense Department notifies Congress of decision to sell 
SM-3s for MD to Japan 
 
(9) Government to announce support for cluster bomb treaty 
 
(10) Japan, Russia finding it difficult to compromise on Northern 
Territories 
 
(11) Government to start talks with US on easing age limit for US 
beef imports after announcement of audit results 
 
Articles: 
(1)Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
-- Prime Minister's schedule, 7 & 8 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
June 9, 2007 
 
June 7 
Evening: 
Met with Russian President Putin at Kur Haus in Heiligendamm, 
Germany. 
Night: 
Attended a working dinner with the G-8 leaders. Stayed at Grand 
Hotel Kempinski. 
 
June 8 
Morning: 
Attended a meeting with leaders of African countries. Photo shoot 
with them. 
Noon: 
Attended a working lunch with leaders of newly emerging and African 
countries at Kur Haus. 
Afternoon: 
Met with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Afterwards, held a press 
briefing at the Sub-Media Center. Met with UN Secretary-General Ban 
Ki Moon at Kur Haus. 
 
-- Prime Minister's schedule, 8 & 9 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
June 10, 2007 
 
June 8 
Evening: 
 
TOKYO 00002611  002 OF 010 
 
 
Left Laage Airport in Rostock aboard a government plane. Refueling 
at Frankfurt. 
 
June 9(Japan time) 
17:53: 
Arrived at Haneda Airport. 
18:27: 
Reported on return home at the Imperial Palace. 
19:39: 
Dined with his wife, Akie, and others at a French restaurant at 
Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka. 
21:56: 
Arrived at Kantei residence. 
 
(2) Poll: 75 percent view social security as important in House of 
Councillors election 
 
TOKYO (Page 1) (Full) 
June 10, 2007 
 
The Japan Polling Organization conducted a face-to-face public 
opinion survey on June 2-3 to probe public attitudes on the upcoming 
House of Councillors election, which is expected to be set for July 
¶22. In the survey, respondents were asked to pick one or more points 
at issue for the election. In response to this question, a total of 
75 percent picked "social security," such as pensions and 
healthcare, up 23 percentage points from a survey conducted in 
December last year, followed by "economy, employment, social divide" 
at 39 percent. In the wake of the Social Insurance Agency's pension 
record-keeping flaws, the pension issue is expected to become a 
major point at issue in the election. "Constitutional revision" was 
at 19 percent, and "political ethics" at 3 percent. 
 
Another focus of the forthcoming election for the House of 
Councillors is on the total number of seats for the ruling 
coalition, including those not up for the election. In this respect, 
the survey this time asked respondents if they would like the ruling 
coalition to lose its majority of the seats in the upper chamber. In 
response to this question, 47 percent answered "yes," with 44 
percent saying "no." As seen from the figures, the proportion of 
those who would like the ruling parties to lose their majority 
slightly topped that of those who would like the ruling coalition to 
retain its majority, while "no" topped "yes" in the December survey. 
Respondents were also asked what they thought the ruling coalition 
should do if it loses its majority in the upper chamber. To this 
question, a total of 31 percent preferred to "dissolve the House of 
Representatives," topping all other answers. Among other answers, 22 
percent said the ruling coalition should "coordinate policies with 
the opposition parties," with 21 percent saying the ruling coalition 
should "change its governing scheme" and 19 percent choosing to 
"replace the prime minister." The figures show that the nation's 
voting population prefers to show their will by casting their 
votes. 
 
In addition, a total of 90 percent answered "yes" when asked whether 
they would go to the polls for the election. The figure shows that 
the general public is highly interested in the upcoming election, as 
it is almost on a par with the figure in a survey conducted in May 
2001 during the "Koizumi boom." 
 
 
TOKYO 00002611  003 OF 010 
 
 
In the survey, respondents were also asked which political party or 
which political party's candidate they would like to vote for in the 
election. To this question, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party 
stood at 37 percent, down 4 points from last December's survey. The 
leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto) was at 22 
percent, down 2 points. New Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner, 
was at 4 percent. Independent candidates accounted for 4 percent. 
The Japanese Communist Party was at 3 percent, and the Social 
Democratic Party at 1 percent. "None" accounted for 19 percent. 
 
When it comes to the voting behavior of those who support a specific 
political party, the survey found that 51 percent of them have voted 
for a political party differing from the one they usually support. 
The figure shows that the public would vote for a political party 
that they do not usually supprt, depending on the circumstances at 
the time, such as points at issue and political situations. "No" 
accounted for 48 percent. 
 
Among floating voters with no particular party affiliation, 39 
percent answered that they used to support a specific political 
party in the past but do not support any political party now, with 
58 percent saying they have never supported any political party. The 
survey also asked them why they have no particular political party 
to support. To this question, a total of 67 percent pointed to the 
lack of attractiveness in politics or political parties, saying 
there is no trustworthy political party, nothing can be expected of 
politics itself, or they cannot support any political party's 
policies. 
 
Respondents were further asked what they would consider when they 
make up their mind to go to the polls. In response, a total of 51 
percent said that is because voting is a right and an obligation, 
with 18 percent saying there is a candidate or a political party to 
vote for. 
 
Polling methodology: For the survey, a total of 3,000 persons were 
sampled out of males and females aged 20 and over at 250 locations 
throughout the country on a stratified two-stage random-sampling 
basis, so as to epitomize the nation's voting population of more 
than a 100 million. The survey was conducted over a period of two 
days, June 2-3, on a face-to-face interview basis. Answers were 
obtained from 1,858 persons, excluding those who could not be 
interviewed because of their having moved away or being on a trip, 
or for other reasons. The retrieval rate was 61.9 percent. In the 
breakdown of respondents, males accounted for 48.0 percent, and 
females 52.0 percent. 
 
(3) Main points of Prime Minister Abe's statement on G-8 summit 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
June 9, 2007 
 
The following are the main points of a press conference Prime 
Minister Shinzo Abe held after the Group of Eight summit. 
 
Climate change 
 
I feel a sense of fulfillment that Japan's proposal was included in 
the summit statements and I was able to greatly contribute to the 
discussion at the summit and its achievements. Developing countries' 
 
TOKYO 00002611  004 OF 010 
 
 
leaders expressed strong expectations for a funding mechanism. In 
order to achieve the goal of the Kyoto Protocol, I want to call for 
a 1 kg reduction of CO2 per person per day. 
 
I want to show the world Japan's magnificent nature from Lake Toya 
next year. Japan as a national commitment to the environment will 
take up climate change as a main discussion issue at the next G-8 
summit. The achievements of Heiligendamm will become an important 
base for next year's summit. I would like to host an 
environment-friendly G-8 summit. Japan has the most advanced 
energy-conservation and environmental technologies in the world. I 
want to showcase those technologies and know-how. 
 
Japan-China relations 
 
We will accelerate negotiations with China on the dispute over 
exploration rights in the East China Sea gas fields with an eye on 
this fall. President Hu Jintao and I have reached an agreement that 
we will order our governments to look into ideas that would be 
acceptable. Rice exports from Japan will become a symbol of progress 
in a reciprocal relationship between Japan and China. 
 
North Korea 
 
I led a discussion on North Korean issues. North Korea cannot be 
allowed to possess nuclear weapons. The issue of North Korea's 
abductions of Japanese nationals, including a 13-year-old girl, is 
an unforgivable national crime. The chairman's summary included the 
abduction issue, securing understanding and support from the leaders 
of G-8 member countries. I would like to deal with this issue with 
iron determination, while cooperating with the international 
community. 
 
(4) China will "consider" Japan's proposal for halving 
greenhouse-gas emissions 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) 
June 9, 2007 
 
Kentaro Kurihara, Heiligendamm, Germany 
 
Prime Minister Abe met with Chinese President Hu Jintao on the 
afternoon of June 8 (that night, Japan time). According to an 
account by the Japanese side, Abe explained Japan's proposal for 
halving greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050. In response, Hu told Abe: 
"We will seriously consider Japan's proposal. We'd like to step up 
cooperation." 
 
It is expected that the process of creating a post-Kyoto Protocol 
framework will make a certain degree of progress as the 
second-largest emitter after the United States, China, announced 
that "it will seriously consider it." 
 
On former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui's visit to Japan, Hu 
noted, "The political basis for the maintenance of Japan-China 
relations lies in efforts to properly resolve the issues of history 
and Taiwan." In response, Abe stressed: "Japan stands firm (on the 
one-China policy). There's no change in this position." Referring to 
North Korean issues, Abe stated, "If the abduction issue makes 
headway, we are ready to make efforts with sincerity to resolve the 
 
TOKYO 00002611  005 OF 010 
 
 
issues, including a settlement on the past." Abe invited Hu to visit 
to Japan around next spring. 
 
At a press briefing after the meeting, Abe emphasized, "Cooperation 
between Japan and China in the environmental area would benefit the 
peoples of the two countries and the region." "I'd like to rally 
cooperation from such major emitters as the US, China, and India," 
he said, thus indicating his intention to work on those major 
emitters to participate in (a post-Kyoto Protocol framework). 
 
(5) Isolation formula, effective during Okinawa Summit, to be used 
for the Toya Summit G-8 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
June 10, 2007 
 
In the Group of Eight (G-8) summit in Japan next year, the 
government plans to set up a press center for domestic and foreign 
press corps in Rusutsu Village, about 20 minutes by car from Lake 
Toya. This is the "retreat formula" adopted at the Okinawa Summit in 
July 2000, in which ensuring security was the primary concern for 
the Japanese government. Under this formula, the G-8 summit was held 
in Nago City, while the dinner party for the leaders took place in 
Naha. Additionally, the Bankoku ShinryouKan, the venue for the 
summit, and the hotels where the G-8 leaders stayed, were scattered 
along the coastline. 
 
The National Police Agency (NPA) mobilized about 20,000 police 
officers and thousands of cars from all over the country. The agency 
conducted traffic control at main roads and thorough road 
inspections in areas near the summit venue. Mobilizing about 100 
patrol ships and about 20 airplanes, the Japan Coast Guard also 
carried out the largest-scale ever sea patrol operations. As a 
result, there was no major confusion during the session. 
 
The NPA has already started preparations for the Toya Summit, such 
as transferring senior officials engaged in guarding in the Okinawa 
Summit to the Hokkaido Prefectural Police Headquarters in the 
personnel actions this May. 
 
(6) Chinese president may visit Japan next spring 
 
SANKEI (page 1) (Full) 
June 9, 2007 
 
Hideyuki Hasegawa, Heiligendamm 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met on the afternoon of June 8 on the 
sidelines of the Group of Eight summit (Heiligendamm Summit) with 
Chinese President Hu Jintao. 
 
Hu told Abe: "I want to visit Japan at an appropriate time." Abe 
then responded: "I would like you to come to Japan by next spring." 
He also explained Japan's proposal to halve greenhouse gas emissions 
by 2050. Hu stated: "China will seriously consider Japan's proposal 
and strengthen cooperation." 
 
After the meeting, Abe told reporters: "Japan wants to step up 
cooperation (with China)." 
 
 
TOKYO 00002611  006 OF 010 
 
 
In the meantime, Hu also told Abe: "Appropriately dealing with the 
issues of history and Taiwan is the political basis for maintaining 
Japan-China relations. I expect Japan will handle relevant issues 
appropriately." Regarding the Taiwan issue in particular Hu said: "I 
hope Japan will implement concrete policy measures while keeping its 
hitherto position." He appears to have sought to constrain Tokyo 
about its allowance of former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui to visit 
Japan. 
 
(7) Lee Teng-hui's press conference before his departure from Japan 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Slightly abridged) 
June 10, 2007 
 
The following were questions and answers exchanged between former 
Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui and reporters at the Foreign 
Correspondents' Club of Japan. 
 
-- Which party do you back in the next presidential election? 
 
"As a leader of the Kuomintang, I turned Taiwan into a democratic 
country. I take pride in that. But in the eyes of the Kuomintang, I 
was considered a traitor, so I left the Kuomintang with grace. I now 
observe political developments in Taiwan completely free from any 
political inclination. Who will become president is decided by the 
people not by me." 
 
-- What impact of your visit to Yasukuni Shrine do you think will 
have on Japan-China relations? 
 
"I wonder what was the beginning of the so-called Yasukuni Shrine 
issue. I think it is necessary to think of that point first. My 
understanding is that the issue was invented as a result of mainland 
China and Korea (implying North and South Korea) both having failed 
to settle their own problems. Japan, however, was too weak to deal 
with it politically. It's unreasonable for foreign governments to 
criticize it. It's only natural to honor those young people who died 
for the sake of their country. Any established notion must not 
obstruct the society that should follow a new path." 
 
-- What is your view about the Abe administration's China policy? 
 
"In order to make Japan a self-sustaining state in Asia, Prime 
Minister Abe visited mainland China first of all and told President 
Hu Jintao that both countries should build a strategic relationship 
of trust. I think this was a very good strategic move. 
 
"I visited Yasukuni to pray for the soul of my brother, but the 
Chinese (leadership) couldn't make any specific criticism of that. 
Only (the Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson) was making some 
noise about a trifling matter. It's wrong for newspapers to give a 
big coverage to this (spokesperson's) statement." 
 
-- What is your view about who possesses Taiwan? 
 
"There is no mention in the San Francisco Peace Treaty about whom 
Japan shall revert Taiwan to. The sovereignty of Taiwan (in legal 
terms) remains unclear even now, but (in actuality), sovereignty 
rests with the 23 million Taiwanese. I have proclaimed that Taiwan 
is an independent country with sovereignty and freedom. (From which 
 
TOKYO 00002611  007 OF 010 
 
 
country) does Taiwan need to become independent? Even so, if we the 
people of Taiwan lack the awareness that Taiwan is our country, no 
one will help us." 
 
(8) US Defense Department notifies Congress of decision to sell 
SM-3s for MD to Japan 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 10, 2007 
 
The United States Department of Defense notified the Federal 
Conference of its decision to sell to Japan nine sets of an Aegis 
destroyer-based Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) interceptors and related 
equipment as the basis for the missile defense system (MD). The 
total amount is an estimated 475 million dollars or approximately 58 
billion yen. 
 
Under Japan's MD initiative, an incoming ballistic missile will be 
intercepted by an Aegis destroyer-based SM-3, and if the SM-3 fails 
to shoot it down, a surface-to-air guided Patriot Advanced 
Capability 3 (PAC-3) system will intercept the missile. The Japanese 
government initially planned to introduce the SM-3 at the end of 
this fiscal year, but North Korea's nuclear test last October made 
it decide to move the initial timetable forward to within this 
year. 
 
(9) Government to announce support for cluster bomb treaty 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Abridged slightly) 
June 10, 2007 
 
The government, echoing growing international calls, has decided to 
announce its support for a treaty banning the use of cluster bombs 
at an expert meeting of the Convention on Prohibitions or 
Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) 
scheduled to start in Geneva on June 19. Reversing its earlier 
elusive stance, the government now intends to play an active role in 
the process of producing a treaty in a bid to apply pressure on 
Norway, Peru and other countries that are calling for total and 
immediate abolition of cluster bombs, as well as to embroil the 
United States, China, and Russia, which produce and possess a large 
numbers of cluster bombs. 
 
Through coordination of views between the Foreign and Defense 
Ministries, the government has come up with a strategy to: (1) 
announce its basic support for the envisaged cluster bomb treaty at 
the CCW experts meeting and the conference of contracting parties to 
the CCW to be held in November, and (2) ensure that the treaty 
reflects Japan's thinking that in order to increase the efficacy of 
the treaty, a sufficient transitional period must be allowed for 
developing alternative weapons and that the United States, China, 
and Russia must join the treaty. 
 
US, Israeli and other forces have used cluster bombs in Iraq, 
Afghanistan, Lebanon and other conflict areas. Cluster bombs that 
reportedly fail to detonate 5 PERCENT  to 20 PERCENT  of the time 
remain deadly weapons threatening civilians. For this reason, 
Norway, Peru, and international NGOs are calling for the complete 
abolition of cluster bombs. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002611  008 OF 010 
 
 
Countries discontent with the slow CCW negotiations process released 
what is called the Oslo Declaration this February to conclude a new 
treaty by 2008. The Oslo process, however, does not include the 
United States or China, with Russia remaining as a mere observer. 
 
Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma has completely ruled out the 
possibility of Japan using cluster bombs in attacks. Nevertheless, 
having so many remote islands and a long coastline, the government's 
position is that cluster bombs are indispensable in preventing enemy 
troops from landing in the country. 
 
Nevertheless, the government is eager to join the negotiations on a 
new treaty because it fears a repetition of a 1997 incident in which 
then Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi under the Hashimoto 
administration made a political decision to abolish antipersonnel 
mines. 
 
The government was initially skeptical about the efficacy of a 
treaty totally banning antipersonnel mines that did not include the 
United States, China, and Russia. "As a result, Japan's capability 
to prevent foreign troops from landing in the country has markedly 
dropped in comparison to its neighboring countries, such as North 
Korea and South Korea, which do not prohibit antipersonnel mines," a 
senior Ground Self-Defense Force officer noted. 
 
The government will aim at a pragmatic treaty through negotiations 
of the CCW that has membership of 100 countries, including the 
United States, China, and Russia, rather than through the radical 
Osco process. 
 
(10) Japan, Russia finding it difficult to compromise on Northern 
Territories 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
June 9, 2007 
 
Hiroshi Oyama, political department 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin 
agreed in their meeting on June 7 to push ahead with negotiations on 
the disputed four northern islands off Hokkaido that constitute the 
Northern Territories. However the two leaders failed to produce 
concrete progress. It is difficult for Putin, who has conducted 
hard-line diplomacy backed by the country's booming economy, to find 
reasons to compromise with Tokyo. Therefore, how negotiations on the 
territorial row will turn out is uncertain. 
 
According to a senior Foreign Ministry official, the Japanese 
government wants to see progress on the territorial issue while 
President Putin has power. Although the term of his presidency will 
expire next May, Putin is expected to keep influence even after the 
end of his presidency. Therefore, with an eye on several years from 
now, Tokyo and Moscow set up this year a framework of strategic 
dialogue of vice-minister-level officials at the Japanese 
government's proposal. 
 
In order to strengthen a reciprocal relationship between Tokyo and 
Moscow, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe proposed on June 7 an "initiative 
on cooperation between the two countries in the Far East and East 
Siberia." Regarding Abe's proposal, political observers view that 
 
TOKYO 00002611  009 OF 010 
 
 
the Japanese government is unilaterally courting Putin. 
 
The Putin government is capricious, however. Ahead of the recent 
Abe-Putin summit, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov 
stated: "The upcoming summit will be important because it may 
determine the future of Japan-Russia relations." Despite Losyukov's 
remarks, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on June 3 became the first 
Russian foreign minister to visit the disputed islands since the 
collapse of Soviet Union. Lavrov's visit to the Northern Territories 
shocked the Japanese government. 
 
With a widening gulf between Russia and the US and Europe due to the 
US government's decision to deploy a missile defense system in 
Europe, there is a view in the government that Russia will try to 
strengthen relations with Japan in order to seek to counter Europe 
and the US. However, an informed source after the Japan-Russia 
summit pointed out: "Piling up economic agreements will eventually 
provide a shortcut to resolving the territorial dispute." 
 
(11) Government to start talks with US on easing age limit for US 
beef imports after announcement of audit results 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
Evening, June 9, 2007 
 
The government will announce the results of its audits of 
meatpacking plants in the United States in the middle of next week. 
It has now concluded that all the plants have prepared a system to 
be able to meet the requirements set by Japan (of exporting only 
beef from cattle 20 months or younger and removing specified risk 
materials). Based on this conclusion, the government will end the 
verification period that started last summer. In response, the US 
government will officially urge Japan to ease its import conditions. 
Japan and the US are now expected to start talks later this month on 
easing the conditions, including a call for raising the age limit to 
the international standard of 30 months. 
 
A Japanese expert team audited US meatpackers between November and 
December of last year and May 14-25 this year. The government will 
announce the results of the second round of audits of 28 facilities, 
including one to be newly certified by the US government for 
exporting beef to Japan. In the first round of audits of eight 
facilities, the team found no problems with their safety procedures, 
but since one of them shipped tongue allegedly in violation of 
Japan's safety criteria, the plant in question was reaudited in the 
second round. The expert team has now confirmed that a total of 35 
facilities have complied with the agreed-upon beef export 
procedures. 
 
Washington is likely to call on Japan to abolish the age limit at an 
early date, given the World Organization for Animal Health's (OIE) 
decision to classify the US as a controlled-risk country for BSE to 
allow it to export beef irrespective of cattle age. 
 
As necessary data to look into the possibility of reviewing its 
import conditions on the basis of the scientific assessments by the 
experts, Tokyo intends to ask the US to submit the most recent data 
about BSE safeguard measures in the US and the data submitted to the 
OIE. MAFF and the MHLW will ask the Food Safety Commission to 
conduct deliberations and to offer advice. Based on its advice, the 
 
TOKYO 00002611  010 OF 010 
 
 
two ministries will draw a conclusion. 
 
SCHIEFFER