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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 003870 
 
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 08/22/07 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
Abe diplomacy: 
4) Prime Minister Abe arrives in India on second leg of tour 
5) India to back Japan's plan for reducing global-warming greenhouse 
gases by half 
6) Abe meets the presidents of India's leading universities 
 
Defense and security affairs: 
7) Defense Minister Koike is off to tour Pakistan and India 
8) Government to upgrade F-15s and keep them as mainstay fighters 
9) Did the 22 billion yen spent for anti-terror activities have 
results? 
10) Defense ministry plans to unify the military police of the three 
Self-Defense Forces to strengthen investigative powers 
11) Document discovered in recent SDF intelligence leakage case is a 
Beijing order to obtain "special defense secrets" in Japan 
 
DPJ in action: 
12) Democratic Party of Japan's (DPJ or Minshuto) Maehara and other 
party members form study group to discuss anti-terror policy options 
 
13) DPJ unifies around Ozawa to oppose extension of anti-terror 
bill, but will enter discussion on expanding humanitarian aid in 
Afghanistan 
14) Will the DPJ follow an alliance with US line or United Nations 
line in the fall battle in the Diet on extending the anti-terror 
bill 
15) Ozawa to reshuffle internal DPJ lineup on Aug. 31, but Kan, 
Hatoyama will stay in place 
16) DPJ head Ozawa in a speech calls the Abe administration "brain 
dead" 
 
Abe administration on the hot seat: 
17) Komeito head Ota calls the Abe administration "slovenly" 
18) Anti-Abe group in the LDP meets for the first time 
19) Chief Cabinet Secretary under fire to resign for political-fund 
issue by disgruntled LDP members 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Mainichi & Tokyo Shimbun: 
Fuel leak possibly from right engine joining area of China Airlines 
jetliner 
 
Yomiuri: 
Defense Ministry plans to integrate police units of Ground, 
Maritime, Air Self-Defense Forces by March 2009 with aim of strict 
observance of laws and ordinances 
 
Nikkei: 
LDP tax panel chief indicates difficulties in specifying a 
consumption tax hike in a package of tax system revisions to be 
decided later this year 
 
Sankei: 
 
TOKYO 00003870  002 OF 012 
 
 
Defense secrets leak: Instructions to acquire special defense 
secrets might have come from Chinese government official, according 
 
SIPDIS 
to documents seized by police officers 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Shiozaki and money scandal: Reform of Political Fund Control Law 
essential 
(2) Mitsukoshi and Isetan: Consumers' support necessary 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Drastic measures necessary to combat global warming 
(2) Shortage of doctors: Government needs to change its policy of 
constraining the number of doctors 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Elaborate inspections of nuclear reactors essential to restore 
trust 
(2) ROK presidential election: Will a new president change the 
previous policy toward DPRK? 
 
Nikkei: 
Way of working: Equal treatment necessary to remove the income gap 
between regular and nonregular workers 
 
Sankei: 
(1) ROK presidential election: We hope for emergence of a healthy 
conservative leader 
(2) The responsibility of the sumo world now questioned over 
Asashoryu trouble 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Shortage of electricity: Let's cultivate culture of saving 
electricity 
(2) Thailand's new constitution somehow adopted, but advice and aid 
necessary from Japan and other friendly nations for restoration of 
democratic government 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, August 21 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 22, 2007 
 
Morning 
Met at Hotel Nikko Jakarta in Jakarta, Indonesia, with those who had 
studied in Japan. Offered flowers at the National Heroic Cemetery in 
Karibata. Left Halim Airport. 
Afternoon Arrived at Palam Air Force Station in Delhi, India. 
 
Evening 
Met with a Japanese mission led by the Japan Business Federation 
(Nippon Keidanren) together with Indian Prime Minister Singh at an 
international convention hall. 
 
Night 
Attended a welcome party hosted by Japan-India friendship 
organizations at the India International Center. Afterwards, 
attended a meeting with presidents of Japanese and Indian 
universities. Later, attended a dinner party hosted by Prime 
 
TOKYO 00003870  003 OF 012 
 
 
Minister Singh at his official residence. 
 
4) Prime Minister Abe arrives in India 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 22, 2007 
 
Yudai Nakazawa, New Delhi 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday afternoon (night of that day, 
Japan time) arrived in New Delhi, India, the second leg of his Asian 
tour, by a government plane. He attended a welcome party hosted by 
Japan-India friendship organizations and emphasized the importance 
of promoting exchange between the two countries. 
 
Abe joined Prime Minister Singh receiving a courtesy call from a 
Japanese economic mission led by the Japan Business Federation 
(Nippon Keidanren). On that occasion, Abe declared, "I will work out 
measures that will benefit both Japanese and Indian private-sector 
companies in cooperation with the Indian government so as to sign an 
economic partnership agreement (EPA) and improve infrastructure." 
Welcoming the mission, Singh said: "For further expansion of 
relations in the area of trade and investment, I welcome proposals 
from Japanese firms." Afterwards, Abe attended a dinner party hosted 
by Singh held at the prime minister's official residence. 
 
Today, Abe will attend a welcome ceremony at the presidential 
residence and deliver a speech in the Indian parliament. 
 
5) Indian prime minister supports Prime Minister Abe's proposal for 
halving emissions of greenhouse gases 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 5) (Full) 
August 22, 2007 
 
Yasuo Awai, New Delhi 
 
Indian Prime Minister Singh yesterday received a courtesy call from 
a Japanese mission led by the Japan Business Federation (Nippon 
Keidanren) in New Delhi. Referring to global warming, Singh told the 
mission, "I welcome Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's initiative," 
indicating he supports Abe's "Cool Earth 50," a concept aimed at 
reducing the greenhouse gases emitted from the entire earth by half 
by 2050. 
 
India emits greenhouse gases accounting for 4 PERCENT  or so of the 
world's total. Singh emphasized his intention to grapple with 
cutting the emissions of greenhouse gases by improving, for 
instance, energy efficiency, noting, "India shares concerns about 
climate change with the rest of the world." At the same time he 
indicated that a post-Kyoto Protocol framework should give 
consideration to developing countries, saying, "It's important to 
keep a balance between development and poverty reduction. 
 
Speaking of Japan-India negotiations on an economic partnership 
agreement (EPA), which started in January, Singh underscored his 
plan to sign an EPA as quickly as possible, noting, "The economies 
of the two countries significantly complement each other, so I 
expect an EPA to play a meaningful role." Nippon Keidanren Chairman 
Fujio Mitarai revealed a simulation that "The companies that have 
sent their representatives to this mission to India have plans to 
invest 200 billion yen or more in India over the next five years." 
 
TOKYO 00003870  004 OF 012 
 
 
 
Prime Minister Abe, who, along with Singh, received this courtesy 
call from the Japanese mission, expressed his enthusiasm to 
strengthen economic ties with India, noting, "Japan-India relations 
have now moved into a new dimension as the trade value has doubled 
and the amount of investments have expanded four times for the past 
three years." 
 
6) Conference of presidents of Japanese and Indian universities held 
with Prime Minister Abe also in attendance 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 22, 2007 
 
Kensuke Nakazawa, New Delhi 
 
Prime Minister Abe, who is now on a tour of Asian countries, 
yesterday morning (afternoon of that day, Japan time) departed 
Jakarta, Indonesia, aboard a government plane and arrived in India 
on the afternoon of the same day (evening of that day, Japan time). 
 
Taking this opportunity of Abe's visit to India, presidents of 12 
Japanese universities, including the University of Tokyo, Kyoto 
University, Waseda University, and Keio University, and 14 Indian 
universities, such as the Indian Institute of Technology, yesterday 
evening (night of the same day, Japan time) held the first 
Japan-India conference of university presidents at the India 
International Center in New Delhi. The session was joined by Prime 
Minister Abe. He emphasized in a speech given there: "Of some 
100,000 foreign students studying in Japan, the number of Indian 
students is only 500 or so. We on the part of the government would 
like to actively support exchanges of students between Japan and 
India." 
 
The conference of presidents this time was aimed at increasing 
exchanges of Japanese and Indian students, which have been less 
active than those with Japan's neighboring countries like China. The 
Japanese government deems it essential to promote personnel 
exchanges in order to team up with India, which has been remarkably 
growing in the areas of information technology and finance. 
 
7) Defense Minister Koike departs for India, Pakistan 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
August 22, 2007 
 
Defense Minister Yuriko Koike yesterday left Narita by a JAL plane 
to visit India and Pakistan. 
 
Today, Koike will meet with President Musharraf and Defense Minister 
Iqbal of Pakistan and exchange views with them about the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force's (MSDF) refueling services to US, Pakistani and 
other countries vessels engaged in the fight against terrorism in 
the Indian Ocean. 
 
Koike will explain that the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, the 
legal basis for the MSDF's refueling operations, expires on Nov. 1 
and indicate that the Japanese government will continue cooperation 
on the war on terror. She is expected to confirm the importance of 
continuing refueling operations with the Pakistani side. 
 
In India, Koike will meet with Defense Minister Antony and confirm 
 
TOKYO 00003870  005 OF 012 
 
 
cooperation and promotion in the security area. On Aug. 25, she will 
return home. 
 
8) With negotiations on F-22s stalled, MOD to request budget money 
for refitting F-15s, current mainstay fighter aircraft, at cost of 
100 billion yen 
 
Nikkei (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
Eve., August 21, 2007 
 
The Ministry of Defense (MOD) on August 21 has decided to include in 
its budget request for fiscal 2008 outlays to greatly refit the 
F-15, which is Japan's current mainstay fighter aircraft. The 
request is for approximately 100 billion yen, the anticipated cost 
of refitting 32 aircraft. The amount is four times the usual budget 
allocation for refitting aircraft. With coordination with the United 
States over the its providing information on the F22A-Raptor, a new 
Stealth-type aircraft that Japan sees as a leading candidate to be 
its next generation fighter (FX), the aim is to prevent a 
deterioration in Japan's air power. 
 
9) MSDF's refueling mission cost 22 billion yen; Government avoids 
explanation, citing military secrecy 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
August 22, 2007 
 
The Antiterrorism Law was established in October 2001 with the aim 
of extending logistical support in the operations against terrorists 
in Afghanistan. The Maritime Self-Defense Force has been refueling 
naval vessels of the United States and other countries in the Indian 
Ocean. It is a symbol of the Japan-US alliance, according to a 
senior Defense Ministry official. But the actual situation and the 
results of the MSDF's activities of six years remain unclear. 
 
As of July 26, the MSDF provided a total of 480,000 kiloliters of 
fuel to vessels of 11 countries, including the United States, 
Britain, and Pakistan, on 769 occasions. They also provided 940 
kiloliters of fuel for helicopters on 64 occasions, and 6,170 tons 
of water on 113 occasions. The total cost came to 22 billion yen. 
 
The vessels that were refueled by the MSDF have been engaged in 
operations to block the travel of terrorists and the transport and 
proliferation of weapons in the Indian Ocean. 
 
A senior Defense Ministry official explained: "Supporting the war on 
terrorism leads to international contributions and an enhanced 
Japan-US alliance." 
 
But the government has been ignoring the Democratic Party of Japan's 
request for a detailed explanation about the results of Japan's 
assistance by citing military secrecy. 
 
DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said: "We want to know 
specifically what countries and what vessels have been receiving 
fuel from the MSDF. Is the MSDF refueling only vessels headed to 
Afghanistan? Or are they refueling vessels bound for Iran and Iraq 
as well?" 
 
The DPJ has cited a lack of information for its opposition to the 
law's extension. 
 
 
TOKYO 00003870  006 OF 012 
 
 
10) SDF police commands to be integrated 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Abridged) 
August 22, 2007 
 
The Defense Ministry plans to integrate the police commands of the 
Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces in order to toughen 
SDF personnel's discipline and prevent their misconduct, officials 
said yesterday. The GSDF, MSDF, and ASDF police commands are in 
charge of investigating criminal cases involving SDF personnel. The 
police commands of the three SDF services will be reorganized into 
one, which will be placed under the defense minister's direct 
control. In the past, there were a number of events brought about by 
SDF personnel. For instance, MSDF personnel removed data about 
Aegis-equipped vessels. Among other incidents, the Defense 
Facilities Administration Agency was involved in bid-rigging cases. 
The Defense Ministry will therefore strengthen the SDF police 
commands in order for SDF personnel to abide by laws and ordinances. 
The Defense Ministry will also launch a new body, called the Defense 
Inspection Headquarters, in September. In this connection, the 
Defense Ministry has informally decided to appoint Masafumi Sakurai, 
62, former superintendent public prosecutor of the Nagoya High 
Public Prosecutors Office, as the first incumbent for the post of 
defense inspector general at the Defense Inspection Headquarters. 
The defense inspector general ranks next to the post of vice 
minister. 
 
The three SDF police commands are expected to be reorganized by 
March 2009. The GSDF Police Command is manned with 800, the MSDF 
Police Command with 140, and the ASDF Police Command with 150. The 
three police commands remain unable to cooperate in a sufficient way 
because of their separate structures, so there is a limit to their 
investigative capacity. 
 
The Defense Ministry says it will be possible for the three SDF 
branches to share investigative information and know-how as a result 
of integrating their police commands. In addition, the Defense 
Ministry also deems it possible to conduct intensive investigations 
into major events. 
 
11) China possibly involved in defense info leaks 
 
SANKEI (Top play) (Abridged) 
August 22, 2007 
 
An engineering official of the Defense Agency, now the Defense 
Ministry, took out submarine-related files for internal use only. In 
connection with this incident, Tokyo's Metropolitan Police 
Department (MPD) searched a former trading company president's home 
and other locations where the police seized documents that can be 
taken as implying that a Chinese government official told the former 
trading house chief executive to get Japan's defense secrets 
(tokubetsu boei himitsu), sources revealed yesterday. The former 
chief executive has known officials from the Chinese Embassy in 
Japan. This former chief executive is suspected of having worked on 
the defense engineering official to provide information about the 
Self-Defense Forces' weapons and systems that fall under the 
category of defense secrets that are restricted under the Law for 
Information Security Concerning the Japan-US Mutual Defense 
Assistance Agreement and Other Arrangements, or the Japan-US Secret 
Protection Law for short. The police authorities are investigating 
the case on suspicion of a violation of the law. 
 
TOKYO 00003870  007 OF 012 
 
 
 
The ex-defense engineering official was assigned to the 1st Research 
Institute of the Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI) 
under the Defense Ministry when it was in agency status. In March 
2000, the engineering official, asked by the trading company 
president, photocopied and took out without permission a research 
paper on special steel materials used for submarine hulls, the 
police say. In March 2005, the police searched his home and other 
locations. In February this year, the MPD sent papers to prosecutors 
on the engineering official for theft. However, the prosecutors 
dropped the case because of insufficient evidence. 
 
The directive document, which is believed to have been created by 
the China side, was seized at the former trading company president's 
related location, according to informed sources. The confiscated 
document is written in Chinese with a listing of defense equipment 
items for information. Those defense equipment items on the list are 
separate from the special steel materials for submarines. They are 
suspected of including those under the category of defense secrets 
that are highly confidential, according to the police authorities. 
 
The MPD has also seized a note handwritten in Japanese by the former 
trading company president to rewrite the directive document's 
contents. In police questioning, the ex-defense engineering official 
stated that he remembers being asked by the former trading company 
president about those defense equipment items described that are on 
the list and described in the note. The engineering official has 
thus implied that the trading company president had worked on the 
engineering official to provide information. 
 
In December 2001, the ex-defense engineering official visited 
Beijing at the former trading company president's expense and met 
several Chinese people at a hotel. The former engineering official 
explained that he "thought they were officials from the Chinese 
government." The former trading company president is therefore 
believed to have arranged the meeting in an aim to have those 
Chinese government officials get defense equipment information 
directly from the ex-defense engineering official. 
 
12) DPJ launches security panel to discuss antiterrorism measures 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Abridged slightly) 
August 22, 2007 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) established 
yesterday a panel to discuss ways to make international 
contributions composed of such members as Policy Research Committee 
Chair Takeaki Matsumoto, former party head Seiji Maehara, and 
Financial Committee Chair Kenji Yamaoka. 
 
The purpose is to discuss antiterrorism measures and international 
contributions in anticipation that the question of extending the 
Antiterrorism Special Measures Law will be high on agenda in the 
next extraordinary Diet session. 
 
Matsumoto, Maehara, Yamaoka and others held a preparatory meeting at 
party headquarters yesterday. As a result, they decided that the 
panel should discuss: (1) the contents of the antiterrorism law, (2) 
the security situation in Afghanistan and assistance by other 
countries, (3) the UN Security Council resolution that serves as the 
basis for support activities, and (4) the DPJ's security polity. The 
panel will meet once a week. 
 
TOKYO 00003870  008 OF 012 
 
 
 
After the July House of Councillors election, Maehara and others 
made a proposal to the party leadership and the party's official 
security research council to begin discussion on the antiterrorism 
law's extension and a permanent law pertaining to the overseas 
deployment of the SDF. But given the strong resistance about 
establishing a permanent law from the former socialists in the 
party, a decision has been made to discuss the matter at the newly 
launched panel. 
 
DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa yesterday told Secretary General Yukio 
Hatoyama and Upper House Caucus Chairman Azuma Koshiishi to spend 
much time discussing a permanent law. 
 
13) DPJ to unify its view on opposing the extension of the 
Anti-Terrorist Special Measures Law, while making a counterproposal 
for humanitarian aid its main policy theme 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
August 22, 2007 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) on Aug. 21 decided 
to unify party views on opposing the amendment bill to extend the 
Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law, which will be the focus of 
attention in the upcoming extraordinary session of the Diet. From 
now on, it will actively promote in foreign and defense 
affairs-related party council meetings the drafting of a 
counterproposal to the anti-terror law. The outlook is the 
counterproposal would center on humanitarian assistance and other 
measures that members of the party would find difficult to oppose. 
The final decision on this approach will be made by November by the 
Next Cabinet (shadow cabinet). 
 
DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa yesterday in a speech referred to his 
meeting with US Ambassador to Japan Schieffer, stressing: "Although 
I transmitted my message as if it were a personal view, I was only 
explaining our party's basic principle." For the first time, he 
stated that the party's policy stance would be to oppose extension 
of the anti-terror law. 
 
Although there are views in the party, such as those of former 
President Seiji Maehara, that place importance on the alliance with 
the US and favor extending the law, Ozawa's unifying force has 
stifled such objections in the party. Ozawa in his speech severely 
criticized the government's responses, saying: "As always, without 
setting down any basic principles, they were driven by the US 
request, and went ahead based on a tortured logic." 
 
Within the party, many take the view that "by just opposing the law, 
our party's ability to assume the reins of government will be 
questioned." With reconstruction assistance toward Afghanistan in 
mind, Ozawa told party Secretary General Hatoyama: "It would be nice 
if Japan could find some way to provide assistance in some kind of 
form that addresses poverty, the root of terrorism." Apparently what 
he had in mind included such specific official development 
assistance as civilian-led medical and food aid. 
 
14) Extension of Antiterrorism Law expected to rekindle controversy; 
Should Japan prioritize its alliance with US or UN-centered 
diplomacy? 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) 
 
TOKYO 00003870  009 OF 012 
 
 
August 22, 2007 
 
The question of extending the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law 
will be high on agenda in the extraordinary Diet session in the 
fall. The Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling services of nearly 
six years to naval vessels of the United States and other countries 
will be discussed in the Diet, whose upper chamber is now controlled 
by the opposition. Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 
President Ichiro Ozawa, who advocates UN-centered diplomacy, has 
expressed opposition to the government's call for the law's 
extension that puts high priority on the alliance with the United 
States. Debate is likely to flare up again over the SDF's overseas 
missions. 
 
The war in Afghanistan is an operation against terrorist that 
followed the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United 
States. Then Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka defined it as the 
exercise of the individual self-defense right by the United States. 
 
In the previous regular Diet session, then Defense Minister Fumio 
Kyuma described the Antiterrorism Law as the legislation to back up 
and support America's war. 
 
To explain his opposition to the law's extension, Ozawa indicated 
that America's war in Afghanistan has not been authorized by the 
United Nations. 
 
The DPJ, advocating UN-centered diplomacy regarding the SDF's 
overseas missions, has been calling for "engagement" in collective 
security based on a UN resolution. Ozawa's stock argument is that 
Japan is allowed to join activities using force as long as they are 
based on a UN request. In his meeting on August 8 with US Ambassador 
to Japan Schieffer, Ozawa expressed a positive stance about allowing 
the SDF to join the NATO-led ISAF (International Security Assistance 
Force) in Afghanistan, saying that the force is on a mission to 
carry out activities similar to peacekeeping operations. 
 
In enacting the Antiterrorism Law, the government also cited UN 
Security Council Resolution 1368 that recognized 9/11 as a threat to 
international peace and security as the basis for sending the SDF. 
The resolution also called for an international effort for 
eradicating terrorism. 
 
The DPJ argued, however, that the resolution did not authorize the 
United States to use force. The government argued that Japan's 
assistance did not constitute the use of force. The government 
consequently dispatched troops although its interpretation of the UN 
resolution was still ambiguous. 
 
Following the enactment of the Antiterrorism Law, the previous 
Koizumi administration supported the US decision to launch the Iraq 
war, and embarked on the SDF's Iraq mission, playing up the 
"Japan-US alliance in a global context" during the 2003 Japan-US 
summit. Japan's diplomacy has been centered on its alliance with the 
United States. 
 
Ozawa's opposition to the law's extension is intended to create a 
stir in such a policy course. The Diet is likely to replay the 
debate that took place when the law was established. 
 
Earlier this month, Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi explained to 
visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte that the basic 
 
TOKYO 00003870  010 OF 012 
 
 
diplomatic policy course would not change. But the 
opposition-controlled Upper House has begun affecting the 
government's diplomatic and security policies. 
 
15) DPJ to reshuffle its party executive lineup on Aug. 31, but Kan, 
Hatoyama expected to continue in their posts 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Excerpt) 
August 22, 2007 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) President Ichiro Ozawa 
yesterday indicated his intention to reshuffle the party executive 
lineup on Aug. 31.  He wants to establish a unified party 
arrangement by strengthening links to the Upper House, where the 
ruling and opposition camps have traded places due to the election. 
The aim is to compete with the shuffled cabinet and Liberal 
Democratic Party executive lineup that Prime Minister Abe is 
planning for Aug. 27. 
 
16) DPJ's Ozawa: "Government, probably in a state of brain death, 
has become quiet" 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
August 22, 2007 
 
Delivering a speech in Tokyo yesterday, Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ) President Ozawa cynically talked about the state of the Abe 
administration after its crushing defeat in the July House of 
Councillors election: "Probably because the government has lost its 
capacity for being a party or because it is in a state of brain 
death, it has become quiet about when an extraordinary Diet session 
this fall will be convened. But if the Abe cabinet is still in power 
next month, it supposedly will convene a session." 
 
In reference to the issue of an extension of the Antiterrorism 
Special Measures Law, Ozawa emphasized that his opposition is in 
line with the party's policy platform released late last year. He 
said: "I told Ambassador Schieffer that I cannot support the 
government's plan to extend the law. This is not my personal view 
but is in accordance with the party's policy decision." He then 
explained why he is opposed to the plan: "US President Bush said 
that when the US goes to war, there is no need to obtain agreement 
from the international community. It is irrational for the US to ask 
the international community to offer aid at this stage." 
 
17) New Komeito's Ota criticizes Abe administration as "sloppy" 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
August 22, 2007 
 
"There were many happenings, such as a cabinet minister (former 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Akagi) appearing with 
bandages on his face. It might be true that the Abe administration 
is sloppy, as everybody says." 
 
New Komeito President Ota criticized the Abe administration in his 
street-corner speech for the candidates backed by his party for the 
Hinodemachi assembly election, which was officially announced 
yesterday. 
 
In his first campaign speech after the July House of Councillors 
election, Ota said: "I would like to have the New Komeito make a 
 
TOKYO 00003870  011 OF 012 
 
 
fresh start." During the Upper House election campaign, Ota hardly 
criticized the Abe administration. His comment yesterday might have 
expressed his real feeling. In the party, there is dissatisfaction 
smoldering at the Abe cabinet, with a senior member grumbling: "The 
New Komeito's devastating defeat in the Upper House election is 
attributed to a serious of gaffes by some members in the Abe 
cabinet." Such an atmosphere may be behind Ota's critical comment. 
 
18) LDP's Anti-Abe lawmakers hold meeting; Group to release policy 
proposal in early September 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
August 22, 2007 
 
By Eriko Horii and Tamiko Kobayashi 
 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers who are critical of Prime 
Minister Shinzo Abe, on 21 August, held a preparatory meeting in 
Tokyo for establishing a policy study group.  The lawmakers agreed 
to formulate a policy proposal to address regional disparities and 
release it in early September.  They also plan to seek the 
participation of the other lawmakers who approve of the policy 
proposal.  There is a possibility that the study group will serve as 
an organization of lawmakers who call on Prime Minister Abe for a 
policy change. 
 
The participants of the preparatory meeting were: from the Tsushima 
faction, former education minister Kenji Kosaka, Lower House 
lawmakers Asahiko Mihara and Masazumi Gotoda; former home affairs 
minister Takeshi Noda of the Yamasaki faction; and Lower House 
lawmakers Hiroyuki Sonoda and Koichi Yamamoto of the Tanigaki 
faction.  Lower House member Kisaburo Tokai (Yamasaki faction), 
another member of the meeting, was absent on 21 August. 
 
The participants agreed that they will call for a change to measures 
to vitalize provinces, a social security policy, the education 
issue, and deregulation.  Sonoda told a group of reporters after the 
meeting: "There are increasing disparities among the regions and 
industries, because market fundamentalism has gone too far.  We 
would like to present a concrete proposal on how to narrow these 
gaps." 
 
Sonoda stressed that the meeting's participants "are not anti-Abe." 
However, a critical view on Abe is simmering in the three LDP 
factions to which these lawmakers belong.  None of the members of 
these factions were appointed cabinet ministers except Akira Amari 
(Yamasaki faction), minister of economy, trade and industry, who was 
selected as a "reward" for supporting Prime Minister Abe in the LDP 
presidential election last year.  LDP lawmakers are closely watching 
how many more lawmakers will join the group. 
 
19) Calls for Shiozaki's resignation growing stronger in ruling 
camp, following discovery of embezzlement of political funds by 
staffer 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
August 22, 2007 
 
In reaction to the alleged embezzlement of political funds by a 
staff member of Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki's office, 
critical voices are erupting from ruling party members, with one 
member grumbling: "That is enough. I am really disgusted." 
 
TOKYO 00003870  012 OF 012 
 
 
Politics-and-money scandals involving Abe cabinet members are 
cropping up one after another. It was found that even Shiozaki, who 
is in the most pivotal post in the cabinet, had also been involved 
in a money scandal. Despite this, he issued just a short comment. 
Many in the ruling parties are dissatisfied with the Abe cabinet, 
which is composed of his friends. They are expected to call on the 
prime minister to remove Shiozaki in the upcoming cabinet 
reshuffle. 
 
In press conferences held after the media reported office expense 
scandals involving former Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 
Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka, who committed suicide, and former 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norihiko Akagi, 
Shiozaki regarded these cases as politicians' individual problems 
and stressed the government's stance of offering no comment. But 
public criticism of such politics-and-money problems brought a 
crushing defeat to the Liberal Democratic Party in the July House of 
Councillors election. 
 
After the election, Prime Minister Abe dismissed Akagi when another 
political funds scandal involving him came to light. When it was 
discovered that Justice Minister Nagase's office had received 
donations from a group accepting foreign trainees, Shiozaki also 
instructed Nagase to give a necessary explanation to the people. As 
it stands, the Prime Minister's Office (Kantei) has altered its 
response to such scandals in effect. 
 
The LDP also decided on Aug. 7 to require its lawmakers to check 
their political groups' account books and financial reports covering 
from 2003 through 2006, as part of efforts to reconstruct the party, 
with an eye to the cabinet reorganization. But Shiozaki himself 
resulted in dampening such efforts. 
 
The staff member of the Shiozaki's office had double-booked 6.26 
million yen, attaching copies of the same receipts to different 
reports. After such sloppy funds management was brought to public 
notice, Shiozaki issued only a short comment on Aug. 20, evoking 
criticism that he has not fulfilled his duty to explain. 
 
In the LDP, there is strong criticism of Shiozaki for a lack of 
prior consultations with the ruling parties and the Diet. Many party 
members have expressed opposition to Shiozaki's staying in office or 
assuming another cabinet post in the upcoming cabinet reshuffle. 
 
MESERVE