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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 002929 
 
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 06/28/07 
 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
Reactions to comfort-women resolution: 
4) Prime Minister Abe will not respond to House committee's passage 
of comfort-women resolution 
5) Abe calls the House resolution just one among many 
6) Parliamentary group who ran Post ad calls the House panel's 
adoption of the comfort-women resolution: "a major crack in the 
Japan-US relationship" 
7) Opposition blasts Prime Minister Abe for handling of 
comfort-women issue 
8) Passage of comfort-women resolution by House panel is result of 
pressure from anti-Japan group connected with China: Sankei's Komori 
 
9) House leadership gave consideration to Japan be softening 
somewhat the language in the draft resolution on comfort-women issue 
 
 
10) With four-party talks set, Tokyo concerned that Japan is being 
cut out of the peace process on the Korean Peninsula 
 
11) In meeting with Russia, Japan to express willingness to provide 
technology for building a bullet-train line in Siberia 
 
Political agenda: 
12) Pension legislation set to pass the Diet today 
13) Civil service reform bill that would contain amakudari (golden 
parachutes for retired senior officials) planned for passage by the 
Diet this week 
14) All night session of the Diet expected in order to pass 
important bills 
15) Ex-Peruvian president Fujimori agrees to run for an Upper House 
seat in July 
16) LDP's Koichi Kato, raising the liberal flag, launches criticism 
of Abe's policies 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
CRT-based televisions now have nowhere to go with China refusing to 
import: Not allowed to dump due to recycle law 
 
Mainichi: 
Fake sale of Chongryon head office: Former Public Security 
Intelligence Agency received receipts totaling 484 million yen; 
Evidence to false deal? 
 
Yomiuri: 
Bullet-train system technology to be transferred to Russia for 
Siberian railways: Japan, Russia to hold talks; Taskforce to be set 
up in fall 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
Patent Agency to raise patent fees up to 40 %  ; Corporate burden to 
be reduced next year 
 
Sankei: 
Harmful China-made toothpaste sold at 100-yen stores as well: 1.3 
 
TOKYO 00002929  002 OF 010 
 
 
million tubes shipped; Nine companies recalled products 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Indoor hot spas: only eight facilities out of 56 equipped with gas 
detectors, according to Tokyo Metropolitan Government survey 
 
Akahata: 
Missing pension premium payment records: JCP revealed emergency 
settlement bill 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Comfort women resolution: Prime minister must be aware of the 
seriousness of the matter 
(2) Deputy Tokyo Governor Inose: Can he say no to the governor? 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) SIA reform plan: Stop to reconsider 
(2) Comfort women resolution: There is a problem with Abe diplomacy 
as well 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Comfort women resolution: Address the root of the US Congress' 
misunderstanding 
(2) Scholarship system for high school baseball players: Reform the 
Federation 
 
Nihon Keizai: 
(1) Democratization still a challenge in Hong Kong 10 years after 
reversion to China 
(2) Do not leave tragedy in Sudan unheeded 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Comfort women resolution: Dispel misunderstandings by presenting 
facts 
(2) Scholarship system for high school baseball players: Flexible 
response needed 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Adoption of comfort women resolution should not be made thorny 
issue between Japan and US 
(2) Scholarship system for high school baseball players: Return to 
starting point 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Adoption of comfort women resolution reflects harsh criticism 
toward the Yasukuni faction that defends past war of aggression 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, June 27 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2)  (Full) 
June 28, 2007 
 
09:19 
Met at Kantei with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Suzuki. Attended 
party to encaurage medical doctors who will be dispatched to regions 
with shortage of doctors. 
 
10:00 
 
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Met with incoming GSDF Eastern Army Headquarters Commanding General 
Izumi and others, followed by TSE Chairman Taizo Nishimuro and 
President Jun Saito. 
 
10:41 
Met with Narita International Airport Co. President Shozaburo 
Morinaka, joined by Japan Business Federation Chairman Mitarai. 
 
11:05 
Met with Senior Vice Cabinet Minister Hayashi. 
 
12:00 
Talk with personality Terry Ito for the radio program recorded at 
Nippon Broadcasting System in Yurakucho. 
 
14:25 
Met at Kantei with Mainichi Shimbun President Kitamura, followed by 
TV Tokyo Chairman Kasuya and President Shimada. 
 
15:08 
Met with Special Advisor to the Cabinet Office Kurokawa, followed by 
Internal Affairs Minister Suga. 
 
17:08 
Handed LDP candidates for Upper House race at party headquarters, 
attended by Secretary General Nakagawa and LDP Upper House Chairman 
Aoki. Nakagawa and Aoki remained in the office. 
 
17:56 
Arrived at Kantei. 
 
18:38 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
Articles: 
 
4) Abe sees no need to respond to passage of "comfort women" 
resolution 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 28, 2007 
 
Concerning a US House of Representatives committee's passage of a 
resolution on the "comfort women" issue, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe 
told reporters at his office yesterday that he explained his view 
when he visited the United States (in April). With this, Abe 
indicated that there is no need to respond again. However, some 
lawmakers see the US Congress's move this time as ascribable to 
remarks made by Abe himself and lawmakers close to him. In addition, 
some have questioned the Foreign Ministry's response. 
 
"The Japanese government has to repeat its explanation," New Komeito 
Secretary General Kazuo Kitagawa told reporters yesterday. However, 
 
SIPDIS 
Kitagawa also noted, "We should abstain from saying anything that 
could cause misunderstanding of the (Japanese government's) stance." 
So saying, he criticized opinion leaders and lawmakers close to Abe 
for their advertisement in a US newspaper that denied the 
now-defunct military's forcing of comfort women to brothels. 
 
Takeaki Matsumoto, policy chief of the leading opposition Democratic 
Party of Japan (Minshuto), criticized Abe, saying: "The prime 
minister has sent various messages, but his failure to communicate 
 
TOKYO 00002929  004 OF 010 
 
 
with the US Congress has brought about such a result. He's 
responsible for this." Akira Koike, chairman of the Japanese 
Communist Party's policy board, noted: "It's the failure of Yasukuni 
diplomacy that defends a war of aggression." 
 
Lawmakers close to Abe believe that the resolution's passage is 
attributable to the Foreign Ministry's response. Nariaki Nakayama, 
who heads a group of Diet members that thinks about Japan's future 
and history education, stressed: "Japan's diplomatic efforts have 
not been successful. We must make our case." One of the 
advertisement's sponsors, Takeo Hiranuma, seated in the House of 
Representatives, released a statement suggesting the need for Japan 
and the United States to study history together. 
 
5) Prime minister: Comfort women resolution is one of many adopted 
in US Congress 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
June 28, 2008 
 
Regarding the resolution on the so-called comfort women adopted by 
the United States House of Representatives Foreign Affairs 
Committee, Prime Minister Abe said last night: "I have no intention 
of making any comment on a resolution adopted by the US Congress. I 
already expressed my own view about that issue when I visited the 
US." He added: "A considerable number of resolutions have been 
passed by the US Congress. This is just one of them." He was 
responding to questions by reporters at his official residence. 
 
When one reporter asked -- "All of many resolutions adopted in the 
US Congress are considerably important, aren't they?" -- the prime 
minister with an unpleasant look just replied, ""That is your view, 
isn't it," and he took no further questions. 
 
6) Suprapartisan group of lawmakers releases statement stating: US 
comfort women resolution will create major fissure in Japan, US 
relations 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
June 28, 2007 
 
In reaction to the United States House of Representatives Foreign 
Affairs Committee's adoption of a resolution on the wartime 
comfort-women issue, a suprapartisan group of about 50 lawmakers 
released a statement yesterday that stressed: "The resolution 
denouncing Japan based on an erroneous perception of the facts will 
create a serious crack in the Japan-US relationship, and cast a pall 
over future relations." The group, headed by former Minister of 
Economy, Trade and Industry Takeo Hiranuma, is composed of members 
mainly of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of 
Japan (Minshuto). (TN: Hiranuma was one of the sponsors of the 
Washington Post advertisement, The Facts, that rejected the factual 
contents of the House resolution.) 
 
The statement further noted: "One proponent said the resolution was 
based on the 1993 statement by then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei 
Kono." The Kono statement admitted the Japanese military's 
involvement in setting up brothels and coercion of young women into 
sexual slavery. Pointing out: "It is necessary to look into why the 
Kono statement was issued," the statement suggests that Japan should 
propose: (1) establishing a Japan-US joint history study group on 
the comfort women issue; and (2) studying why the Kono statement was 
 
TOKYO 00002929  005 OF 010 
 
 
issued. 
 
7) Opposition parties criticize Abe over "comfort women" resolution 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
June 28, 2007 
 
Opposition parties yesterday criticized Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 
connection with the adoption of the "comfort women" resolution by 
the US House Foreign Affairs Committee. 
 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) policy chief Takeaki Matsumoto 
said in a press conference: "I have much to say about the contents 
of the resolution, but the adoption resulted from a failure to 
communicate between the prime minister and the US Congress. The 
prime minister will be held responsible." Japanese Communist Party 
policy chief Akira Koike took this view: "The adoption spells out 
the failure of the 'Yasukuni faction' diplomacy trying to justify a 
war of aggression. Lending an ear to this voice, the government must 
clearly express an apology and remorse over the comfort women 
issue." Social Democratic Party head Mizuho Fukushima said: "The Abe 
cabinet must squarely face up to this fact." 
 
8) Existence of pressure from Chinese-affiliated anti-Japanese 
organizations behind passage of "comfort women" resolution at US 
House committee 
 
SANKEI (Page 7) (Abridged) 
June 28, 2007 
 
Yoshihisa Komori, Washington 
 
The US House Committee on Foreign Affairs (chaired by Tom Lantos) 
yesterday passed a "comfort women" resolution denouncing Japan. 
Lying behind this passage was strong pressure on Chairman Lantos 
from Chinese-affiliated anti-Japanese organizations, which 
reportedly had threatened to back another candidate in the next 
election if he failed to swiftly move to take a vote on the 
resolution. 
 
This information came as a news story carried on June 14 by the Bay 
City News, a San Francisco-based local press agency focusing on news 
reports on mid-California. This story was carried by other local 
newspapers. 
 
According to that news story, senior members of the Global Alliance 
for Preserving the History of WWII in Asia (ALPHA), a US-based 
Chinese body persistently denouncing Japan over historical issues, 
along with senior members of other Chinese-affiliated organizations 
in the US, gathered together at a Chinese restaurant in California 
and discussed ways to promote the passage of the comfort-women 
resolution introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. 
Michael Honda and other lawmakers. According to what ALPHA Vice 
President Ignatius Ding said, senior ALPHA members indicated at the 
gathering that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Lantos were being 
evasive (about taking a vote on the resolution). Referring 
particularly to Lantos, they asserted that although he was viewed as 
a pro-human rights lawmaker, "He is unwilling to respond to our call 
to support the resolution and looks down on voters and 
Asian-American society." 
 
These remarks came at a time when veteran Japanese-American Sen. 
 
TOKYO 00002929  006 OF 010 
 
 
Daniel Inouye asked Lantos and others not to deliberate on the 
resolution and also when they softened their approach toward the 
resolution in response to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's statement made 
during his US visit that "I feel sympathy" for former comfort 
women. 
 
According to the news report by Bay City News, senior ALPHA members, 
who have made political contributions to both Democratic and 
Republican legislators, expressed concern that if no action were 
taken, they would simply end up being used as political donors and 
being left unattended. Ding said, "If they were unable to have good 
communications with Chairman Lantos, whose electoral district is 
made up of 33 %   of Asian-Americans, he could be replaced by a 
newcomer," implying that in the 2008 election they could put up 
their own candidate instead of backing Lantos. 
 
Ding stated: "We've been totally embarrassed recently by the staff 
of the Lantos office for their treatment of us. We are already 
examining several persons, including a fully-qualified 
Asian-American woman who could be a good rival, as our own 
candidate." 
 
The Lantos office, when asked on June 26 about the news report on 
these moves by Ding and others, said: "The new development has 
already changed the situation." 
 
9) Comfort women resolution: House leaders give consideration Japan 
in language 
 
YOMIURI (Page 7) (Full) 
June 28, 2007 
 
WASHINGTON-The US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee 
has now passed a resolution demanding an apology from Japan over the 
so-called comfort women issue. US House of Representatives Speaker 
Pelosi (Democrat), who holds the key to its being passed by the full 
House, has expressed her support for the resolution. The House of 
Representatives is now likely to adopt the resolution for the first 
time in its full session in July. Pelosi and other floor leaders in 
the US Congress, though, have shown consideration for Japan by 
trying to minimize the ill effects on Japan-US relations. But an 
increasing number of lawmakers pressed by their supporters are 
endorsing the resolution. It could become a potential source of 
trouble between Japan and the United States in the future. 
 
House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom 
Lantos and Senior Director Ros-Lehtinen from the Republican Party 
proposed an amendment to the resolution before its June 26 passage, 
underscoring the importance of "the Japan-US alliance based on 
common interests and values." This is apparently intended to prevent 
a congressional image of "Japan bashing." In her statement after the 
resolution was adopted, Pelosi also showed consideration to a 
certain extent, saying Japan has been displaying leadership on 
humanitarian and other issues but that it needs to make still 
greater efforts. 
 
However, nearly 20 lawmakers, who stated their views before the 
committee in its June 26 meeting, set forth severe opinions. Jewish 
lawmakers, including Lantos, and Rep. David Scott, who is black, 
respectively referring to the Holocaust and to slavery in the United 
States, noted that Japan "would become free (of this issue" by 
issuing an apology." Rep. Sheila Lee, a female lawmaker, pointed to 
 
TOKYO 00002929  007 OF 010 
 
 
"the tragedy of women now being victimized on the battlefield." With 
this, she criticized Japan while putting the comfort women issue in 
the same category with present-day war crimes. 
 
Rep. Ron Paul, who voted against the resolution, insisted on the 
necessity of discussing the United States' own problems, such as the 
issue of human rights for terrorist suspects held at the US 
Guantanamo base in Cuba. However, he did not defend Japan on the 
comfort women issue. 
 
10) Japan alarmed at four-party North Korea peace framework 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
June 28, 2007 
 
A plan announced by US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill 
to establish a framework of four countries -- the United States, 
China, South Korea, and North Korea -- to discuss a process for 
bringing lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula will exclude Russia 
and Japan, the other two members of the six-party framework. This 
move has sparked a sense of alarm in Tokyo about discussions moving 
forward without Japan. 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, appearing on a radio program yesterday, 
expressed his displeasure, noting, "Ostracizing Japan will not help 
North Korea to be accepted by the international community." Abe 
underlined the need to push ahead with discussions under the current 
six-party framework. 
 
Hill, who is chief US delegate to the six-party talks, said in a 
press conference on June 25: 
 
"I would like to see a Korean Peninsula peace process framework 
composed of parties directly concerned set in motion, once the 
disabling of the nuclear facility begins. The United States, China 
and the two Koreas are our definition of the discussion members. 
That would be anybody's definition." 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki also raised an objection 
on June 26: "A four-party framework has not yet been defined." Abe 
also said in a strong tone yesterday: "They (North Korea) are trying 
to use all sorts of tactics to isolate Japan. We must not fall into 
their plans." 
 
The six-party agreement reached in February on North Korea's initial 
steps for nuclear dismantlement also specified "joint efforts for 
the peace and stability of Northeast Asia by the six countries" 
along with the establishment of a peace process framework. But the 
relationship between the two bodies is an item for future 
discussion, according to a senior Foreign Ministry official. 
 
With Washington shifting its policy line toward a dialogue with 
Pyongyang, Tokyo is concerned that the six-party framework is 
turning into a mere shell. Shiozaki apparently underlined the need 
for the North to implement the initial steps first in a bid to 
derail the four-party plan. 
 
11) Bullet-train system technology to be transferred to Russia for 
Siberian railways: Japan, Russia to hold talks; Taskforce to be set 
up in fall 
 
YOMIURI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
 
TOKYO 00002929  008 OF 010 
 
 
June 28, 2007 
 
The government yesterday revealed that it would start talks with 
Russia on assistance for that nation's plan to consolidate a 
Siberian railway network, which stretches approximately 9,300 meters 
between Vladivostok and Moscow, using Japan's bullet-train system. A 
taskforce composed of both countries' government officials and 
companies will be established possibly this fall for discussion on 
concrete measures. The Japanese government intends to sell Japan's 
railway technology to Russia, whose economy is growing rapidly, in 
the hope of expanding business opportunities. It also wants to make 
strengthened relationship of cooperation with Russia with rich 
energy resources, such as oil and natural gas, lead to stable energy 
supply. 
 
The Russian government is set to map out possibly this September a 
railway system consolidation plan with 2030 as the goal year. The 
modernization of the Siberian railway, the longest in the world, 
will form the core of the plan. The Russian government last year 
informally sounded out Japan for cooperation on the plan, noting 
that it wants to consider the possibility of introducing Japan's 
railway technology, such as its bullet-train system. 
 
In response, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (MET) has 
sought cooperation from domestic vehicle manufacturers. The 
government also plans to assist Russia with its comprehensive 
development program, such as developing industrial sites along the 
Siberian railway. Senior METI officials will visit Russia in early 
July to meet with Russian Railways President Yakunin and senior 
government officials for preliminary research. Tokyo and Moscow are 
expected to look into the feasibility of cooperation in terms of 
vehicle technology and railway operation technology. 
 
The specific consolidation plan for the Siberian railway has yet to 
be revealed. The plan appears to be partially laying new railway 
tracks for the introduction of the bullet-train system. 
 
12) Ruling coalition to take vote on pension bill today; Vote on 
civil service reform bill at Upper House committee to be skipped 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
June 28, 2007 
 
The ruling coalition yesterday proposed to the opposition camp 
taking a vote today at an Upper House committee session bills 
related to reform of the Social Insurance Agency, including one to 
remove the five-year statute of limitations on pension claims, and 
bills amending the National Civil Service Law. Although the 
opposition rejected the proposal, the ruling parties intend to pass 
the SIA reform bills on the authority of chairman of the Committee 
on Health, Labor and Welfare. Chances are that since the chairman of 
the Committee on the Cabinet Office, a member of the main opposition 
party Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) is unlikely to take a 
vote on the bills amending the civil service law, the ruling camp 
will take a vote on the legislation tomorrow at an Upper House 
plenary session, skipping a vote at the committee. The ruling 
coalition intends to pass those key bills this week. The opposition 
plans to submit to the Lower House a no-confidence motion against 
the cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe if the pension bills are 
passed. As it stands, the fierce battle between the ruling and 
opposition camps will enter a final stage. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002929  009 OF 010 
 
 
13) Ruling camp poised to pass civil service reform bill this week 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) 
June 28, 2007 
 
The House of Councillors' Cabinet Committee resumed deliberations on 
a bill amending the National Civil Service Law yesterday. The ruling 
parties are resolved to have the bill passed within this week. Even 
if Chairman Masashi Fujiwara (Democratic Party of Japan or Minshuto) 
refuses to take a vote on the bill, the ruling camp intends to 
submit the bill to an Upper House plenary session without a vote 
taken. On bills related to reform of the Social Insurance Agency and 
a pension bill, the ruling parties will step up efforts to have them 
put to vote in a meeting of the Upper House Health, Labor and 
Welfare Committee today and enacted in a plenary session tomorrow. 
The opposition camp is poised to put up resistance by submitting a 
no-confidence motion against the cabinet. 
 
Prime Minister Abe said yesterday: "We have fully discussed these 
three bills. We extended the Diet session and took more time for 
discussing them. They must be put to vote in the end." 
 
The Upper House Cabinet Committee decided to hold a six-hour 
question-and-answer session today on the civil service reform bill. 
At the Upper House Health, Labor and Welfare Committee, as well, the 
ruling and opposition parties agreed to hold an interpellation 
session on the SIA bill and the pension bill for six hours the same 
day, but the opposition camp is against voting on them. The ruling 
bloc is willing to take a vote as soon as the deliberations wind 
up. 
 
14) Key bills likely clear Diet tomorrow 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
June 28, 2007 
 
The ruling and opposition camps will likely face off against each 
other on June 29-30 over whether to take a vote on important bills. 
The ruling parties plan to pass all together such key bills as bills 
related to reform of the Social Insurance Agency and a bill to 
remove the statute of limitations on pension claims; bills amending 
the National Civil Service Law; and a bill revising the Political 
Funds Control Law at a plenary session today of the House of 
Councillors. The opposition camp, however, intends to lock horns 
with the ruling bloc by submitting a no-confidence motion against 
the cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with the possibility of 
the session lasting all night. The opposition has stepped up its 
attack on the government and ruling coalition over the residential 
tax hike implemented in June. With the July 29 Upper House election 
in mind, a tug-of-war has intensified between the ruling and 
opposition camps. 
 
In a meeting of their Diet Affairs Committee chairmen, Minshuto 
(Democratic Party of Japan) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) -- 
opposition parties -- agreed on June 27 that they would thoroughly 
fight against the government and ruling bloc. The two parties plan 
to holds today a meeting of the party heads, including the 
representative of the People's New Party. 
 
The three parties will confirm that they will submit to the House of 
Representatives a no-confidence motion against the cabinet if the 
SIA reform bills are put to a vote at an Upper House plenary session 
 
TOKYO 00002929  010 OF 010 
 
 
tomorrow, and they will submit to the Upper House no-confidence 
motions against Prime Minister Abe and Health, Labor and Welfare 
Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa. The opposition apparently aims to impress 
on the public the forcible tactics of the government and ruling 
coalition, looking ahead to the Upper House election next month. 
 
15) Ex-Peruvian President Fujimori to run in Upper House election 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 28, 2007 
 
Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, 68, who remains under 
house arrest in Chile, made up his mind to run in Japan's House of 
Councillors election next month, accepting an offer by the People's 
New Party. This was revealed yesterday by a source close to 
Fujimori. Fujimori is expected to announce his candidacy as early as 
this morning, Japan time. According to the source, the PNP is 
considering filing him as a candidate for the proportional 
representation segment. It is the first time for a former head of 
state of a foreign country to run in a Japanese national election. 
Since Fujimori has Japanese citizenship, it is possible for him to 
run even though he is under house arrest in a foreign country. 
Reportedly there would be no legal problems even if he did not 
attend any Diet sessions after being elected. 
 
16) Kato, raising the liberal flag, criticizes Abe's policy line in 
new book 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
June 28, 2007 
 
Koichi Kato, a former secretary general of the Liberal Democratic 
Party, has written a book titled, Strong Liberal (Tsuyoi riberaru). 
published by Bungeishunju on June 26. The book criticizes the 
advocacy of the policy line of "market fundamentalism" 
(shijou-genrishugi) by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Kato sees such a policy as the cause of 
expanded social and income disparities in Japan. Defining a liberal 
as someone who "cares for others," Kato, in raising the flag for his 
cause, writes that liberalism "can develop into a political force 
that will be accepted by those people seeking peace of mind." 
 
Kato in a press conference on June 26 said: 
 
"Showing voters that not all LDP lawmakers advocate market 
fundamentalism will help bring good results to the upcoming House of 
Councillors elections. There are factions and individuals who think 
that (the prime minister) does not have to resign even if the party 
suffers a serious setback in an election. But that's a matter of 
their integrity." 
 
He was cynically describing Machimura faction leaders (Abe's 
faction) who rule out the prime minister assuming responsibility (if 
the party loses the election). 
 
SCHIEFFER