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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 003205 
 
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 07/13/07 
 
 
Index: 
1) Top headlines 
 
2) Editorials 
 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
4) Secretary Rice calls Koike to congratulate her on her appointment 
as defense minister 
 
5) Assistant Secretary Hill to meet MOFA's Sasae today on upcoming 
six-party talks 
 
6) Six-party talks to discuss next stage of North Korea's 
denuclearization when they restart on July 18 
 
7) How will North Korea respond when six-party talks resume? 
 
8) Japan to hold firm to its policy of placing abduction issue at 
top of own agenda at six-party talks 
 
9) Group supporting House resolution on comfort-women places own 
advertisement in Washington Post to counter one placed earlier by 
Japanese opponents 
 
10) Japan, US, Australia, India to engage in joint drill in Bay of 
Bengal in September 
 
11) Former GSDF officer with amakudari post-retirement position 
involved in corruption scheme with contractor 
 
12) Poll shows neither Prime Minister Abe nor Minshuto head Ozawa 
are popular figures with the public 
 
13) Poll shows voters favoring Minshuto (DPJ) outpacing those 
picking the LDP as party of choice in upcoming election 
 
14) Number of voters registered for Upper House election exceeds 100 
million 
 
15) Voter turnout rate could be affected by fact that July 29, 
election day, is in the summer-vacation season 
 
16) Number of female candidates in the Upper House election less 
than 100, for second time in row 
 
17) Candidates include 30 who used to be in the Lower House and 7 
former postal rebels 
 
18) Eleven additional celebrity candidates running this time for 
Upper House seats 
 
19) Rural-urban voter disparity at 4.86 ratio, not much change since 
last election 
 
20) Government to co-develop with private sector an 
environmentally-friendly nuclear power reactor 
 
Articles: 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
Asahi: 
Kyodo poll: Favorability ratings for Abe, Ozawa somewhat low 
 
TOKYO 00003205  002 OF 012 
 
 
 
Mainichi: 
Upper House election: Battle of party heads in urban and rural 
areas 
 
Yomiuri, Sankei & Tokyo Shimbun: 
Total war between ruling and opposition camps in bid to win majority 
in Upper House; 377 individuals enter race 
 
Nikkei: 
Government to team up with Toshiba, other private concerns to 
develop environment-friendly nuclear reactor 
 
Akahata: 
If JCP gains Diet seats, Japan's politics will definitely change 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
Asahi: 
(1)  Welfare revenue sources: Voters deserve respect 
(2)  Postal privatization: Can Nishikawa implement it? 
 
Mainichi: 
(1)  Questions about MIC's high-handed stance of summoning senior TV 
officials 
(2)  Government bonds to be upgraded: Low interest rates should be 
returned to normal level 
 
Yomiuri: 
Upper House election calls for bold debate 
 
Nikkei: 
Decentralization, deregulation will revitalize regional economies 
 
Sankei: 
(1)  Debate pensions without partisan interests 
(2)  Huge burden on companies and users will weaken effectiveness 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)  Upper House race: Political parties must talk about unpleasant 
issues 
(2)  Pakistan: Impatience widened gulf 
 
Akahata: 
Don't walk away from campaign issues 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, July 12 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
July 13, 2007 
 
10:23: 
Arrived at LDP headquarters. 
10:53: 
Gave a public speech in front of JR Akihabara Station. 
12:28: 
Gave a public speech in front of Chiba Urban Monorail Chiba 
Prefectural Government Office Station in Chiba City. 
12:58: 
Had lunch with his secretaries at a Chinese restaurant at Keisei 
Hotel Miramare. 
 
TOKYO 00003205  003 OF 012 
 
 
15:28: 
Gave a public speech at the East Exit of JR Kawaguchi Station in 
Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture. 
17:03: 
Gave a public speech in front of the JR Shibuya Station. 
17:53: 
Arrived at Kantei residence. 
18:30: 
Met with LDP Election Strategy Headquarters Director Yatsu at LDP 
headquarters. 
19:30: 
Appeared on an NHK program. 
20:51: 
The shooting for a TV program at TBS Broadcasting Center at 
Akasaka. 
22:09: 
Arrived at Kantei residence. 
 
4) Secretary Rice gives congratulatory call to Defense Minister 
Koike 
 
MAINICHI Page 2) (Full) 
July 13, 2007 
 
Ryuko Tadokoro 
 
Defense Minister Yuriko Koike late yesterday received a 
congratulatory call on her assumption of office as defense minister 
from US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. It was unusual for Rice 
to directly contact another country's defense minister. Reportedly, 
Rice, as a female cabinet member, telephoned Koike, who became the 
first female defense minister, because Rice "wanted so much to 
congratulate Koike." Their conversation lasted about 10 minutes. 
Koike told Rice, "I need a lot of energy to carry out my duties." In 
response, Rice encouraged Koike, telling her: "You can do it." 
 
5) Japanese, US chief envoys to six-party talks to hold talks today 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
July 13, 2007 
 
US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill will visit Japan 
today and hold talks with his Japanese counterpart Kenichiro Sasae, 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally announced yesterday. With 
an eye on the next round of six-party talks starting on July 18, 
Hill and Sasae, director general of the Foreign Ministry Asian and 
Oceanian Affairs Bureau, will exchange views on the state of the 
initial steps, including the shutdown of North Korean nuclear 
facilities, agreed on in February. The two chief negotiators will 
also coordinate Japanese and US responses to be taken in the July 18 
meeting. Hill is expected to stay in Tokyo until the 15th and then 
leave for South Korea. 
 
6) Six-party talks set for July 18-19 
 
ASAHI (Page 7) (Slightly abridged) 
July 13, 2007 
 
Kenji Minemura, Beijing 
 
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang announced in a 
regular press conference on July 12 that the six-party talks on 
 
TOKYO 00003205  004 OF 012 
 
 
North Korea's nuclear programs would resume on July 18-19 in 
Beijing. The participants in the meeting are expected to discuss the 
steps to be taken after the North suspends operations at it nuclear 
facilities. The session, the first since March, is also likely to 
focus on the issue of North Korea's suspected highly enriched 
uranium (HEU) program. 
 
A South Korean ship carrying an initial shipment of the 50,000 tons 
of heavy oil pledged to North Korea will arrive there on July 14. 
This shipment is premised on the North shutting down and sealing its 
nuclear facilities as the "initial steps" under a deal in the 
February six-party talks. On July 14, a team from the International 
Atomic Energy Agency is also scheduled to arrive in North Korea to 
monitor the shutdown of the reactor in Yongbyon. Pyongyang may shut 
down the reactor within the day if all goes smoothly. 
 
The participants in the upcoming talks expect to confirm the state 
of progress in the North's nuclear disarmament process, as well as 
to discuss the steps beyond the initial phase. 
 
As the next steps, North Korea is required to report all its nuclear 
programs and to nullify existing nuclear facilities. If Pyongyang 
undertakes these steps, it will receive 950,000 tons of heavy fuel 
oil in exchange. But no decision has been made on how the burden 
should be shouldered among the five members of the six-party talks, 
excluding the North. 
 
China perplexed at hasty approach by US, South Korea 
 
Among the other five members of the six-party talks, a slight 
difference is observed in their stances toward the next session. The 
United States and South Korea are eager to rapidly move North 
Korea's nuclear issue forward following the settlement of the 
financial sanction issue involving a Macao bank, but the Japanese 
government has taken a cautious stance. China, the chair of the 
six-party talks, is somewhat perplexed at the recent closeness 
between the US and North Korea. 
 
Before the date for the next six-party session was set, the US 
government already announced a plan for Assistant Secretary of State 
Christopher Hill to visit Japan, South Korea, and China starting on 
July 13, showing its desire to resume the six-party talks quickly. 
North Korea has also indicated a positive stance, since the 
financial problem was resolved, about resuming the talks, such as 
its announcement on a plan to suspend operations of its nuclear 
reactors. Given this, the US is apparently hopeful of ensuring the 
North's denuclearization. 
 
The South Korean government led by President Roh Moo Hyun, who is 
becoming a lame duck but is still hoping to hold an inter-Korean 
summit, has positively supported Washington's stance. 
 
According to Hill in an interview with the Japanese media on July 
11, the participants in the session will set a rough timetable. They 
also aim to hold a plenary session before a six-party foreign 
ministerial to be held possibly in September to push ahead with 
preparatory work, such as drafting a ministerial declaration, in a 
drive to move ahead the denuclearization process. 
 
Meanwhile, the Japanese government has called for "the next six 
party talks to be held after the North takes all the initial steps," 
as a senior Foreign Ministry official said. As for results to be 
 
TOKYO 00003205  005 OF 012 
 
 
produced in the talks, as well, Japan is skeptical, with Foreign 
Minister Aso saying: "We need to watch whether (North Korea) will 
properly take action." Behind this stance of Japan is its irritation 
at slow progress on the abduction issue and in talks at the working 
group on normalization of bilateral diplomatic ties. 
 
As if to take advantage of the difference in interest between Japan 
and the US and South Korea, North Korea has repeatedly questioned 
Japan's fitness to remain as a member of the six-party talks. 
 
China, which has so far played a mediating role between the US and 
North Korea, seems to have mixed feelings. A diplomatic source in 
Beijing said: "China was not eager to resume the talks in a hurry." 
China was calling for the next session to be held after ascertaining 
North Korea's moves for denuclearization and then the way is paved 
for specific results to be produced. 
 
There is also the view that China has not been given enough 
information because the US-North Korea meeting was not held in 
Beijing and also because Hill returned to the US without dropping in 
Beijing after visiting Pyongyang. 
 
7) How will DPRK respond to second-phase steps, "declaration and 
disablement of nuclear facilities" 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
July 13, 2007 
 
Seiji Nishioka, Beijing 
 
The focus of the upcoming session of the chief delegates to the 
six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue set to occur on 
July 18 is on how North Korea will respond to the much tougher 
second-phase steps, namely, the "full declaration of every nuclear 
program" and the "disablement of nuclear facilities," than the 
"first-phase ones" of shutting down and sealing nuclear facilities 
at such locations as Yongbyon. 
 
A centerpiece of the "full declaration" is whether North Korea has 
developed a highly- enriched uranium (HEU)-type nuclear reactor, 
although it has denied that to date. According to one official 
connected with the six-party talks, the "disablement" is viewed as 
an "irreversible action to make North Korea unable to produce 
plutonium," but the term "disablement" has not yet been defined in a 
clear-cut manner. The definition is expected to be discussed among 
experts at a working group session. 
 
North Korea wants to start talks also on the provision of 
light-water reactors, still a major goal for that country. The 
United States, however, has made it clear that it will provide 
light-water reactors to the North only after the North abandons all 
its nuclear programs and diplomatic relations between the two 
countries are normalized. Given this, should the North bring up the 
question of light-water reactors, talks would inevitably stall. 
 
The February six-party agreement says 950,000 tons of heavy fuel oil 
will be provided to the North Koreans if they implement the 
second-phase steps, but Japan has firmly maintained that it will not 
take part in the aid plans unless the abduction issue is resolved. 
North Korea's official media have repeatedly criticized such a Japan 
recently. For example, Korean Central News Agency reported on July 
4: "Japan's participation in the six-party talks is an unstable 
 
TOKYO 00003205  006 OF 012 
 
 
factor from every angle, given its refusal to implement its 
obligations." By strongly calling for "exclusion of Japan" from the 
six-party talks, the North is pressuring Japan to shift its 
attitude. 
 
8) Six-party talks: Government to maintain policy of giving top 
priority to abduction issue and remaining cautious about extending 
aid 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
July 13, 2007/07/13 
 
Top envoys to the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear ambitions 
will meet July 18-19. Japan will maintain its basic policy of not 
extending energy aid without progress on the abduction issue. The 
talks this time will likely focus on the next stage aimed at 
disabling North Korea's nuclear facilities. If assistance as 
compensation for North Korea abandoning its nuclear ambitions 
becomes an agenda item, Japan will find itself in a difficult 
position. 
 
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mitsuo Sakaba during a press briefing 
yesterday stressed the meaning of the meeting of top envoys, noting, 
"It will be an important opportunity for the six-party talks to 
enter the next-stage, while confirming the implementation of initial 
steps by North Korea." 
 
However, Japan has been reluctant from the beginning to hold such a 
meeting at a time when the Upper House campaign is going on. If it 
is left behind while being unable to switch its tough stance on the 
abduction issue because of the election, public expectations of the 
Abe administration, which places top priority to the abduction 
issue, could weaken. Should that occur, the possibility of the LDP 
suffering a setback in the election cannot be ruled out. Sakaba 
stated: "Settling the abduction issue is absolutely necessary. It is 
necessary to strike a balance between the denuclearization of the 
Korean Peninsula and improvement of Japan-North Korea relations." 
However, a path in that direction is not yet in sight. 
 
The government is looking into the possibility of extending 
financial assistance to inspections by the International Atomic 
Energy Agency (IAEA) with the aim of giving the impression that it 
is cooperative on the nuclear issue. However, since its stance 
toward cooperation remains within a secondary area, pressure on 
Japan could mount. 
 
9) Opinion ad supporting the House "comfort women" resolution 
appears in US daily 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
July 13, 2007 
 
Jiji, Washington 
 
The Washington Post in its July 12 edition carried an opinion 
advertisement criticizing the Japanese leadership's response to the 
wartime "comfort women" issue during World War II and backing the 
resolution recently adopted by the US House Committee on Foreign 
Affairs. This one-quarter-page ad was placed by an Asian-American 
organization. The ad said, "We really feel resentment at the recent 
moves by Japanese rightists and revisionists," asserting, "It's high 
time for the Japanese leader to put an end to shameless denial of 
 
TOKYO 00003205  007 OF 012 
 
 
the truth." 
 
10) Japan, US, Australia, India to conduct 1st joint naval training 
in Sept. 
 
NIKKEI (Page 8) (Abridged) 
July 13, 2007 
 
SYDNEY-Japan, the United States, Australia, and India will conduct 
their first joint naval training in September. The joint training 
will be carried out in the Bay of Bengal, India. Australia will 
dispatch a naval vessel for the joint training exercises, Australian 
Defense Minister Nelson, now visiting India, clarified in a press 
conference that was held after the Australian and Indian governments 
signed an agreement to share security intelligence. 
 
"We will send a frigate for the maneuvers. We will continue to join 
training exercises in various areas," Nelson said. However, he also 
said, "We do not want any formal four-way strategic dialogue on 
defense or security." With this, the Australian defense chief showed 
a negative view about including India in the tripartite strategic 
dialogue of Japan, the United States, and Australia. 
 
11) GSDF asked briber for amakudari jobs 
 
MAINIHCHI (Page 31) (Abridged) 
July 13, 2007 
 
The Ground Self-Defense Force has asked a contractor involved in 
bribery to employ retirees for amakudari (golden parachute) 
post-retirement positions, sources have revealed in connection with 
a recently exposed bribery case involving the GSDF over its 
procurement. The contractor in question, Shinsei Corp., is a 
manufacturer of outdoor cooking ware in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. The 
company still has a 64-year-old retiree from the GSDF as a full-time 
advisor. This retiree used to procure and manage equipment for GSDF 
use. The company has delivered more than 90 PERCENT  of its products 
to the GSDF. There is a voice pointing out that their collusive 
chemistry through amakudari might have been a hotbed for bribery. 
 
In the corruption case, GSDF Col. Shingo Nishi, 44, is alleged to 
have taken bribes, and Tomonori Matsui, also 44, an executive of 
Shinsei Corp., is charged with doing the bribing. Tokyo's 
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested the two for bribery. 
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office is expected to 
prosecute the two today, the time limit for their detention. 
 
The GSDF retiree, currently in the employ of Shinsei Corp. as a 
full-time advisor, graduated from the National Defense Academy in 
the 1960s. Later on, he became education chief at the GSDF 
Quartermaster School, which researches equipment for GSDF use. As 
seen from this career, he was consistently tasked with equipment 
research and management. He retired from the GSDF nine years ago and 
has since been employed by Shinsei Corp. as a full-time advisor. 
 
The GSDF retiree told the Mainichi Shimbun: "The GSDF Ground Staff 
Office headquarters made the arrangement, and they told me to go to 
Shinsei Shoji (Shinsei Corp.). At that time, there were five (GSDF) 
retirees working on a part-time basis." 
 
12) Asahi-University of Tokyo joint poll: Abe, Ozawa struggling to 
improve their images 
 
TOKYO 00003205  008 OF 012 
 
 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
July 13, 2007 
 
A battle between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who doubles as president 
of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and major opposition 
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) President Ichiro Ozawa opened 
yesterday as campaigning for the July 29 House of Councillors 
election got underway, with a majority of seats at stake. Although 
winning the race seems to depend on gaining support of unaffiliated 
voters, a joint Asahi Shimbun-University of Tokyo opinion survey has 
exposed the two leaders struggling to generate favorable public 
images. The ongoing campaigning is likely to test the two parties' 
abilities to make heir policies appealing to the public without 
relying on their images as leaders. 
 
The joint opinion survey was conducted by the Asahi Shimbun and the 
offices of Ikuo Kabashima and Masaki Taniguchi, professors at the 
University of Tokyo. Voters were asked to rate Prime Minister Shinzo 
Abe, Minshuto President Ichiro Ozawa, and former Prime Minister 
Junichiro Koizumi on their likeability on the scale of 0 to 100, 
with 0 denoting maximum dislike and 100 maximum like. 
 
As a result, both Abe and Ozawa scored minus 8, lower than 0 
assigned for the midpoint of 50. Abe's figure was even lower than 
the LDP's score of minus 5, and Ozawa's also fell below the 
Minshuto's 0. This means both Abe and Ozawa are more unpopular than 
their parties. 
 
Unaffiliated voters, who once supported Koizumi, gave the especially 
low score of minus 14 to Abe. It was lower than Ozawa's minus 9, 
Koizumi's rating this time, minus 6, and even the LDP's minus 12. 
Although the LDP has selected Abe as its "poster boy" for the 
election, the survey results showed that he needs to improve his 
strategy toward swing voters. 
 
Although a simple comparison cannot be made because the subject 
group has changed in this survey, the results sharply contrast with 
the previous four surveys between 2003 and 2005, in which 
unaffiliated voters gave Koizumi 2 to 12, higher than the ratings 
given to the LDP. The liability of the LDP and its president has 
reversed since Koizumi, who was extremely popular among the public. 
In the ongoing campaigning, party heads' true abilities will be 
tested rather than their personalities. 
 
13) Poll: More to vote for DPJ; Cabinet support spirals down to 30.2 
percent 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
July 13, 2007 
 
The Yomiuri Shimbun conducted a telephone-based public opinion 
survey on July 10-12 as the fourth in serial polling to probe public 
attitudes toward the forthcoming election for the House of 
Councillors. In the public choice of political parties for 
proportional representation, the leading opposition Democratic Party 
of Japan (Minshuto) was ahead of the ruling Liberal Democratic 
Party, with the DPJ scoring 28 percent, up 3 percentage points from 
the last survey taken July 3-5, and the LDP at 21 percent, down 2 
points. For electoral districts as well, the DPJ outpaced the LDP, 
respectively marking 27 percent, up 5 points from the last survey, 
and 22 percent, down 2 points. 
 
TOKYO 00003205  009 OF 012 
 
 
 
However, in the survey this time as well, the proportion of 
"undecided" voters was 33 percent for electoral districts and 34 
percent for proportional representation. For proportional 
representation, New Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner, stood at 5 
percent, with the Japanese Communist Party at 4 percent and the 
Social Democratic Party (Shaminto) at 2 percent. 
 
The rate of public support for Prime Minister Abe and his cabinet 
was 30.2 percent, down 1.8 points. The Abe cabinet's support rate 
further dropped in the survey this time, following its previous 
decline in the last survey. The nonsupport rate for the Abe cabinet 
rose 3.8 points to 57.7 percent. 
 
14) Number of eligible voters at 104.55 million 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
July 13, 2007 
 
The number of eligible voters in Japan for the July 29 House of 
Councillors election was 104.44 million as of July 11, up 1.49 
million from the previous Upper House election, according to the 
Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry yesterday. The number 
of eligible voters overseas was 103,000, up 22,000. In total, the 
number came to 104.55 million. The biggest disparity in the relative 
weight of one vote has decreased to 4.85 from 5.16 in the previous 
election. 
 
15) Upper House election: Mixed motives over voter turnout in ruling 
and opposition parties 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Full) 
July 13, 2007 
 
The ruling and opposition camps are paying close attention to the 
likely voter turnout in the upcoming election. They share the view 
that if there is a high turnout, largely because of the pension 
record mess, it would give the advantage to the opposition camp. But 
they also view that the more the election date is delayed, the lower 
would be the voter turnout because people's interest in the pension 
issue would wane somewhat. The opposition is concerned that with the 
election set for July 29, the first Sunday after schools enter the 
summer holiday period, voter turnout could be low. 
 
Looking at past national elections, House of Councilors elections in 
1989, 1992, 1995, and 2001 were conducted on July 23, July 26, July 
23, and July 29, respectively - all overlapping with the school 
summer holiday season. The voter turnouts in prefectural electoral 
districts in the 1992 and 1995 elections were 50.72 percent and 
44.52 percent. The turnout in the 2001 race was 56.44 percent, the 
increase due to the popularity of then Prime Minister Junichiro 
Koizumi. The Liberal Democratic Party suffered a crashing defeat in 
the 1989 election, the turnout in which was 65.02 percent. 
 
As it stands, the ruling and opposition blocs are focusing on early 
voting. In the 2004 Upper House election, about 7.17 million people 
or 12.37 percent cast their (absentee) votes earlier than the voting 
day. About 8.96 persons or 12.89 percent voted before the due date. 
 
16) Number of female candidates falls below 100 for two elections in 
row 
 
 
TOKYO 00003205  010 OF 012 
 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
July 13, 2007 
 
The number of female candidates marked 91 for the July 29 House of 
Councillors election. Although it signifies an increase of 25 since 
the previous election three years ago, the number of female 
candidates still fell below 100 for two consecutive elections. The 
female candidates account for 24.1 percent of the total, up 3.5 
points. By party, the Japanese Communist Party has 22 female 
candidates (1 less from the previous race), the Democratic Party of 
Japan has 19 (6 more), the Liberal Democratic Party 13 (8 more), the 
People's New Party 7, the Social Democratic Party 6 (2 more), and 
the New Komeito 4 (1 more). 
 
The number of female candidates peaked in 1989. Although the rate of 
successful candidates topped 50 percent in 1980, the rate has been 
between 10 percent and 20 percent in the last five elections. 
 
17) 30 former Lower House members running for Upper House election, 
including seven postal rebels 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
July 13, 2007 
 
Thirty former House of Representatives members are running as 
candidates in the upcoming House of Councilors election. They 
consist of 23 who had lost their seats in the 2005 Lower House 
election and another seven who failed to get official recognition 
from the Liberal Democratic Party due to their votes against postal 
privatization bills. 
 
Of such candidates, 19 are running under the proportional 
representation segment, and 11 in constituencies. Classified by 
political party, 16, the largest number, are from the Democratic 
Party of Japan (Minshuto), seven from the People's New Party, two 
from the LDP and the Japanese Communist Party each, and one from the 
Social Democratic Party. There are also two independents. Only 
Hiroyuki Nagahama of Minshuto is an incumbent. 
 
Some are critical of candidates who used to be Lower House members, 
claiming: "They are making light of the identity of the Upper 
House." 
 
18) 11 celebrity candidates are running in Upper House election 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Slightly abridged) 
July 13, 2007 
 
In the upcoming House of Councillors election, the number of 
celebrity candidates, including athletes and entertainers, increased 
by four to 11. The government has adopted a system under which 
voters choose their proportional representation candidates by name 
from party lists or will vote for the parties themselves. Given 
this, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Japan 
(Minshuto) have fielded a certain number of such candidates in a bid 
to grab unaffiliated voters. The LDP has fielded the largest number 
of celebrity candidates at five, and Minshuto has backed three. 
 
19) Largest disparity in weight of vote comes to 4.86: Slight drop 
from 2004 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Excerpts) 
 
TOKYO 00003205  011 OF 012 
 
 
July 13, 2007/07/13 
 
The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry yesterday released 
the number of voters registered as of July 11, the day before the 
official announcement of the Upper House election. According to the 
number of voters per lawmaker worked out, based on that list, 
Kanagawa Prefecture has the largest reading of 1,205,250, and 
Tottori Prefecture has the smallest reading of 248,091, making the 
greatest disparity in the weight of votes between the two 
prefectures at 4.86. Though a correction has been made to the fixed 
number of lawmakers in some constituencies by adding two and 
reducing two for the election this time, the reduction in the 
disparity from 5.13 votes in the previous Upper House election in 
2004 is very small. 
 
Since it has become possible for Japanese nationals living abroad to 
vote starting this election, the total number of voters combining 
Japanese who live in Japan and those who live abroad comes to 
104,550,380 (50,639,474 men and 53,910,906 women), up 1,517,873 from 
¶2004. 
 
20) Government plans to develop environment-friendly nuclear reactor 
with private companies, including Toshiba; Nuclear waste to be 
reduced by 40 percent 
 
Nikkei (Top play) (Excerpts) 
July 13, 2007 
 
The government will develop in cooperation with private companies, 
such as Toshiba Corp. and Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), a highly 
environment-friendly next-generation nuclear reactor that has a high 
output capacity and can reduce spent nuclear fuel by up to 40 
percent from conventional types. The project will be launched in 
fiscal 2008 with the government and the private sector splitting 60 
billion yen in the project cost. The goal is commercialization by 
¶2025. In view of a sharp increase in demand for nuclear generation 
as a result of heightened interest in environmental protection, the 
government will aim at taking the lead in global nuclear power 
generation competition through joint development with private 
companies. 
 
Sixty billion yen to be invested: Commercialization by 2025 aimed 
at 
 
The project will be joined by utility companies, such as TEPCO, and 
companies, including Toshiba, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and 
Hitachi. Of the total development cost of 60 billion yen, 30 billion 
yen will be disbursed from the government's special account for 
energy countermeasures over an eight-year period. 
 
The project will develop a light-water reactor using regular water 
as the cooling agent and the moderator. The major feature of the 
envisaged nuclear reactor is that it will extensively reduce spent 
nuclear fuel, so-called nuclear waste, and have high generation 
capacity. To realize the plan, participants in the project will 
develop new materials, such as highly durable special stainless 
steel able to withstand the use of highly enriched uranium. 
 
Recycling and storing spent nuclear fuel is a problem, because it 
costs a huge amount of money. However, the envisaged nuclear reactor 
is expected to produce 30 percent -40 percent less pent nuclear fuel 
than conventional reactors. Its output capacity will be 1.8 million 
 
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kilowatts, 30 PERCENT -60 percent more than conventional types. 
 
The planned project will be the first joint nuclear generator 
project between the government and the private sector in about 20 
years. Demand for nuclear generators is often determined by the 
government's nuclear policy. Initial investment costs are also high. 
For this reason, in foreign countries, such as France and the US, 
governments often take a hand in such projects through the 
appropriation of subsidies with the aim of holding down investment 
risks involving private companies. In France, a state-run company 
has reportedly launched a project to develop a follow-on light-water 
reactor. 
 
SCHIEFFER