VZCZCXRO9201
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #4121/01 2490129
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060129Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7268
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/USDOT WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5//
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA//
RUALSFJ/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA//J5/JO21//
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RUAYJAA/CTF 72
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 5426
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 3001
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 6631
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 1985
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 3738
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8812
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4874
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 5785

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 004121 
 
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 09/06/07 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
4) Six-party framework: First day of Japan-North Korea talks on 
"settling the past" end along divergent lines 
 
War on terror: 
5) Defense Minister Komura to observe drill in Tokyo Bay as part of 
promotion of MSDF efforts under Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law 
 
6) MSDF on Afghan anti-terror mission in Indian Ocean may have 
refueled US warships that were engaged in strikes on Somalia 
 
Political agenda: 
7) Prime Minister Abe in Diet policy speech to call for cooperation 
from opposition parties 
8) Opposition camp set to battle the ruling camp on pension issue, 
anti-terror bill in "reversal of power" Diet session that opens 
Sept. 10 
9) LDP Secretary General Aso and other party leaders building 
environment to let former postal-rebel lawmaker Hiranuma back into 
the LDP 
10) Head of farm minister Wakabayashi's political association also 
represents body receiving subsidies from his ministry 
11) State Minister for Declining Birthrate Kamikawa also corrects 
"mistakes" in her political assets report 
 
12) DPJ may file censure motion against environmental minister for 
"missing" eight million yen in political funds report 
 
DPJ in action: 
13) DPJ head Ozawa, New Japan Party head Tanaka agree on Diet 
alliance 
14) DPJ announces its shadow cabinet, picked not for policy 
expertise but ability to clash with ruling camp in the Diet 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Mainichi, Nikkei & Tokyo Shimbun: 
154.4 billion yen in corporate pensions unpaid to 1.24 million 
eligible beneficiaries 
 
Yomiuri: 
Japan Securities Finance Co. suspected of unduly raising fees 
 
Sankei: 
Social Security Agency failed to file criminal complaints against 
nearly half of pension administrators who embezzled pension funds 
 
Akahata: 
More than 1,000 retrials on compensation for industrial accidents 
remain unresolved 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Should martial arts and dance be compulsory subjects? 
 
TOKYO 00004121  002 OF 011 
 
 
(2) Safety check necessary for nanotechnology 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Environment Minister Kamoshita must give full explanations on 
mistakes in political fund reports 
(2) Improve workplaces of nursing-care service business 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Need for caregivers 
(2) Policies against inequality must cover young people 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) FRB Chairman Bernanke's challenge 
(2) Cooperative banks' efforts to boost credit 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Comsn's nursing-care operations must fulfill responsibility 
(2) Making martial arts compulsory subject will contribute to 
improving national character 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1)  New DPJ leadership must show power 
(2)  Improving labor conditions in Comsn's nursing-care operations 
urgent 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Stop compiling budgets for next fiscal year as business circles 
say 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, September 5 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 6, 2007 
 
09:34 
Arrived at the Kantei. 
 
10:00 
Reported to the Emperor in private. 
 
11:19 
Met with State Minister for Administrative Reform Watanabe at the 
Kantei, followed by Ambassador to the US Kato. 
 
13:40 
Met with Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Yamaguchi, 
followed by Internal Affairs Minister Masuda and Postal 
Administration Bureau Director General Hashiguchi. 
 
14:35 
Met with Deputy Foreign Minister Yabunaka and European Affairs 
Bureau Director General Harada. 
 
16:53 
Met with Public Security Intelligence Agency Director General 
Yanagi, followed by Lower House member Taro Nakayama. 
 
17:37 
Met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matoba. 
 
 
TOKYO 00004121  003 OF 011 
 
 
18:45 
ined with advisor to Matsushita Electric Co. Morishita and TEPCO 
President Katsumata at Hotel Okura. 
 
20:24 
Arrived at the official residence. 
 
4) Japan, DPRK fail to reach agreement on "settlement of past" at 
working group talks 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Full) 
September 6, 2007 
 
Yudai Nakazawa, Seiji Nishioka, Ulan Bator 
 
Japan and North Korea yesterday began the first day of talks at 
their working group under the six-party talks in Ulan Bator, 
Mongolia, to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue. The session 
dealt with the abduction issue as well as how to "settle the past" 
related to Japan's past colonial of Korea. On the "settlement of the 
past," Japan contended that this issue should be resolved by a 
package formula of economic cooperation in accordance with the 2002 
Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration. In response, North Korea 
demanded for compensation for Koreans who had been forced into labor 
or prostitution during the war. Both sides failed to reach an 
agreement. 
 
The governments of Japan and North Korea confirmed that the first 
day of talks would focus on how to "settle the past" and that the 
second day would have a full discussion of the abduction issue. 
Japanese Ambassador Yoshiki Mine in charge of diplomatic 
normalization talks between the two countries said, "Resolving the 
abduction issue is essential even in dealing with the issue of the 
'settlement of the past'." Mine thus indicated his intention to aim 
to resolve the abduction issue as well as the issue of the 
settlement of the past. 
 
North Korean Ambassador Song Il Ho in charge of diplomatic 
normalization talks between the two countries cited the five former 
abductees and their families who have already returned to Japan and 
contended: "We've taken some measures in this regard." Song 
emphasized his country's efforts made toward resolving the abduction 
issue. But Song reportedly did not use the expression "the abduction 
issue has been already settled" as his country's officials used in 
the past. 
 
Referring to the "settlement of the past," Mine said, "There is an 
agreement that the leaders of the two countries will resolve that 
issue in the form of an economic cooperation formula. I think it is 
important to resolve the issue in line with this principle." Mine 
insisted that based on the 2002 Japan-North Korea Pyongyang 
Declaration, the issue should be resolved through a "package formula 
of economic cooperation," under which Japan would offer economic 
assistance to North Korea in return for the renouncement of its 
claim for compensation. 
 
On the other hand, Song mentioned "human damage, property damage, 
and psychological damage," and he again demanded for compensation 
for those who had been forced into labor during the war, as well as 
for the so-called wartime comfort women. 
 
After the session, Mine emphasized an emergence of a change in North 
 
TOKYO 00004121  004 OF 011 
 
 
Korea's attitude, telling reporters, "We had a good discussion." 
 
5) Defense Minister Komura observes refueling drill to publicize 
importance of extending Antiterrorism Law 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
September 6, 2007 
 
In order to publicize the significance of extending the 
Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, Defense Minister Masahiko Komura 
observed yesterday a refueling drill on a Maritime Self-Defense 
Force vessel in Tokyo Bay. The MSDF vessel, the Mashu, returned to 
Japan last December after completing its mission in the Indian 
Ocean. Running at 20 kph, the vessel provided 10 kl of light oil per 
minute to a destroyer. 
 
The Defense Ministry is desperate to generate public support for 
extending the Antiterrorism Law, by producing brochures and videos. 
 
6) Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law: MSDF (in Indian Ocean) may 
have become involved in US warship attack on Somalia by providing 
fuel to those ships 
 
AKAHATA (Page 1) (Full) 
September 6, 2007 
 
Suspicions have arisen that a Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) 
unit dispatched to the Indian Ocean to provide assistance to 
warships of the US and other countries based on the Anti-Terrorism 
Special Measures Law may have become involved in attacks on Somalia, 
Africa, by US forces. The reason is that those US warships providing 
with refueling and other assistance by the MSDF participated in such 
an attack. This underscores that the anti-terror law is a law to 
support retaliatory wars, making it possible to assist US forces on 
a global scale. 
 
The US forces on Jan. 7 carried out air strikes on southern Somalia 
as part of the "war on terror." Many civilian casualties resulted 
from the strikes. 
 
The US Naval Forces Central Command, which is responsible for 
tactical operations in the Middle East, deployed ships from the CTF 
150 (Combined Task Force 150) off the coast of Somalia, according to 
the US Navy News, Jan. 5. "in order to prevent (international 
terrorist organization) al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations 
from using the sea as a potential escape route." 
 
The CTF 150 is composed of warships from such countries as the US, 
Britain, Pakistan, Germany, France, Canada. The MSDF provides such 
supplies as fuel and water to them. Their duty is conducting 
"maritime security operations" in such waters as the Bay of Oman, 
North Arabian Sea, and the Red Sea.  In addition, the CTF 150 after 
Jan. monitored the waters off Somalia, citing as a reason 
"anti-piracy measures." In a document produced by the MSDF in 
August, the sea area off the coast of Somalia is clearly marked as a 
"main refueling point." There is a possibility that in response to 
the situation in Somalia, the activities of the MSDF were moved to 
that same sea location. 
 
The government will not reveal the contents of the MSDF activities, 
citing "operational reasons." The US' unilateral strikes on Somalia 
in the name of being "anti-terrorist" have been denounced strongly 
 
TOKYO 00004121  005 OF 011 
 
 
by the international community, and even in the US Congress, debate 
has been waged about the basis for such strikes. 
 
7) Prime Minister Abe in his policy speech to ask for DPJ's 
cooperation 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 6, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Abe's policy speech to be delivered on the first day 
of an upcoming extraordinary session of the Diet on Sept. 10 was 
sketched out yesterday. One feature of the speech is that the prime 
minister will frankly ask for cooperation from the main opposition 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) in the process of 
drafting policy measures and bills as well as in steering the Diet. 
The speech seems to be reflecting the prime minister's strong desire 
to keep his administration going in spite of the reality that it is 
difficult to pass bills in the Upper House without cooperation from 
the opposition parties, which hold a majority there. 
 
This unusual call by the prime minister on the DPJ to work together 
stems from his judgment that a failure to extend the Antiterrorism 
Special Measures Law would have a serious impact on the Japan-US 
alliance. 
 
On economic policy, the prime minister will assert he will firmly 
uphold his economic growth strategy and reform initiative, and he 
will state he will do his utmost to revitalize local economies. As 
evidence, he will touch on his choice of Hiroya Masuda, who was 
known as a "reformist governor," as minister of internal affairs and 
communications and minister in charge of reduction of gaps between 
rural and urban areas. The prime minister is aware that the ruling 
Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) document that examined the results 
of the Upper House pointed out that the LDP's defeat in the election 
had been in part attributable to the lack of consideration for the 
gaps. 
 
The prime minister will also emphasize the importance of resolving 
environmental and educational issues as his policy imprint. The term 
"beautiful country" was the buzzword in his first policy speech 
delivered immediately after his cabinet came into being, but he will 
not use that term as often as he did before. The speech is not as 
long as it was before in order to dodge possible criticism that the 
speech is intended to please everybody. The prime minister will also 
state that the reshuffled cabinet will seriously address the missing 
pension premium records and the politics-and-money problem and 
endeavor to restore the public's trust. 
 
The DPJ plans to have its Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama and its 
Deputy Policy Research Council Chairman Akira Nagatsuma take the 
floor to question the prime minister after his policy speech. 
 
8) Extraordinary Diet session set to convene on September 10; LDP, 
DPJ ready to lock horns over pension, antiterrorism law 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
September 6, 2007 
 
With endorsement yesterday by the Lower House Rules and 
Administration Committee, the next Diet session is now officially 
set to convene on September 10. The Democratic Party of Japan, which 
has now become the largest party in the Upper House, determined 
 
TOKYO 00004121  006 OF 011 
 
 
yesterday the lineup of its "next cabinet (NC)" The party has 
appointed Akira Nagatsuma, who has dug up the pension problem, as 
minister in charge of pension affairs to counter Health, Labor and 
Welfare Minister Yoichi Masuzoe in the Abe cabinet. The Liberal 
Democratic Party and the DPJ are now armed with their executive 
lineups to face off with each other in the upcoming Diet session. 
 
"Embezzlements of pension premiums have come to light. The matter 
greatly concerns the general public." 
 
In announcing the lineup of the NC, DPJ President Ozawa played up 
work by Nagatsuma, who has become the man in the news, having led 
the party's pension strategy in the latest election campaign. 
Nagatsuma is also scheduled to take the Lower House floor during 
Diet questioning. Asked by the press corps about Masuzoe, Nagatsuma 
said: "I'm looking forward to asking him questions. I want to 
discuss how to implement policies." 
 
After the press conference, Ozawa met with New Party Nippon 
representative Yasuo Tanaka and agreed that Tanaka would join the 
Upper House DPJ group. Ozawa voiced his high hopes for Tanaka, 
saying, "It means a lot more than gaining an additional seat." 
 
Meanwhile, the government and ruling coalition are highly alarmed at 
the Upper House, which is now controlled by the opposition. Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Kaoru Yosano and the secretaries general and Diet 
affairs chiefs of the LDP and its coalition partner New Komeito held 
a meeting in Tokyo yesterday morning. Their discussion focused on an 
extension of the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, which is to 
expire on November 1. They reached an agreement to come up with 
measures to allow the Maritime Self-Defense Force to continue its 
refueling operation. 
 
9) Aso, Yosano laying groundwork for reinstating Hiranuma in LDP 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
September 6, 2007 
 
It became even more likely yesterday that former trade minister 
Takeo Hiranuma, who last year left the Liberal Democratic Party 
(LDP) in opposition to the government's postal-privatization 
program, will be reinstated in the party. The reasons are that 
Hidenao Nakagawa, who had refused to let Hiranuma rejoin the party 
unless he presented a written pledge expressing his approval of the 
postal-privatization drive, has now left the secretary general's 
post; and the new secretary general, Taro Aso, who has close 
personal ties with Hiranuma, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Kaoru 
Yosano, have lined up in favor of reinstating Hiranuma. The move can 
be taken as a clear sign of the new Abe cabinet's opposition to the 
policy taken by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Concerned 
that giving a helping hand to Hiranuma would invite an outcry from 
the public, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is now waiting for a right 
timing to reinstate Hiranuma into the party. 
 
Aso conveyed to Hiranuma his intention to allow him to return to the 
party on Sept. 4 by phone. Hiranuma reportedly told him that he 
would like to attach top priority to the sentiments of his 
supporters in his home constituency. 
 
Yosano, who was Aso's classmate at Azabu High School, has indirectly 
backed such efforts. As state minister in charge of North Korean 
abductions of Japanese nationals, Yosano called yesterday on 
 
TOKYO 00004121  007 OF 011 
 
 
Hiranuma at his office to urge him to rejoin the party. Hiranuma 
heads a group of Japanese lawmakers addressing North Korea's 
abductions of Japanese nationals. 
 
Last year, Abe also tried to reinstate Hiranuma, with whom he has 
close ties, but his efforts ended in failure, blocked by Hidenao 
Nakagawa. With Nakagawa's resignation as secretary general, the LDP 
leadership has laid the groundwork for letting Hiranuma back into 
the party. 
 
Hiranuma wishes to support Abe, who has been in a fix due to the 
LDP's crushing defeat in the July House of Councillors election, as 
well as a series of resignations of his cabinet ministers. He was 
hospitalized last December after suffering a stroke, but he is now 
well again. In a meeting on Sept. 1 of his supporters in Tsuyama 
City, Okayama Prefecture, he expressed his enthusiasm for returning 
to the LDP, saying, "Matters are moving in the direction of not 
requiring me to write a pledge. I would like to make a decision 
after hearing your views." 
 
Since Hiranuma is sticking to procedure in planning his return, he 
intends to strongly seek the reinstatements of former Lower House 
member Minoru Kiuchi and other postal rebels. He commented: "I acted 
according to my principles (by refusing to submit a written vow). 
I'm waiting for the LDP's response (toward those who lost their 
Lower House seats)." 
 
10) Head of farm minister Wakabayashi's political association also 
represents body receiving subsidies from his ministry 
 
ASAHI (Page 37) (Abridged) 
September 6, 2007 
 
A top executive of a body receiving subsidies from the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries also heads a political support 
association for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister 
Masatoshi Wakabayashi, a House of Councillors member elected from 
Nagano Prefecture, sources revealed yesterday. This representative 
has been found to have personally contributed money to Wakabayashi's 
political body. In addition, this representative was an executive of 
a body that had bought tickets for the political body's fund-raising 
parties. Wakabayashi is a minister of state on the side of a 
government ministry that subsidizes organizations, and he has 
received money from the side of an organization receiving subsidies 
from his ministry. Wakabayashi's office says, "If we're told that 
this is not appropriate, we'd like to consider declining 
contributions during his term of office as minister." 
 
A number of scandals have now been brought to light over 
subsidization relating to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 
Ministry. A political body for Wakabayashi's predecessor, Takehiko 
Endo, received a contribution of 50,000 yen from a body that had 
been subsidized by an independent administrative agency under the 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry's jurisdiction. Endo's 
office returned the money, saying it was "inappropriate." His office 
has corrected his political fund report. 
 
The political body for Wakabayashi is "Tokyo Seifukai." According to 
his office and other sources, its representative is Goroku Satake, 
who once headed the Fisheries Agency as its director general. 
 
According to Satake and others, around 2002-2004 when Satake was 
 
TOKYO 00004121  008 OF 011 
 
 
chief director at the Fish Price Stabilization Fund, an incorporated 
foundation under the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry's 
jurisdiction, he bought a 20,000-yen party ticket or so a year for 
Tokyo Seifukai at the fund's expense. The fund received more than 
1.6 billion yen in fiscal 2006 as a subsidy under the Agriculture, 
Forestry and Fisheries Ministry's fishery product price 
stabilization system. In fiscal 2007, the fund receives 1.4 billion 
yen. 
 
In addition, Satake contributed money to "Seifu Sangyo Seisaku 
Kondankai," another political body for Wakabayashi, amounting to 
50,000 yen in 2004, 20,000 yen in 2005, and 50,000 yen in 2006. 
 
Satake also chairs the National Recreational Fishing Guides 
Association, Inc., an incorporated body under the Agriculture, 
Forestry and Fisheries Ministry's jurisdiction. This association has 
received subsidies from the ministry for PR on fishing safety and 
for other purposes, amounting to 17 million yen in fiscal 2005 and 
more than 19 million yen in fiscal 2007. 
 
The Political Funds Control Law prohibits state-subsidized 
organizations from making political contributions. However, the law 
has no stipulations about contributions from their executives and 
other individuals. The Political Funds Regulation Division of the 
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications explains: "They pay 
money to participate in a party, and the payment of money in this 
case is different from a donation. The law does not prohibit 
government-subsidized organizations from buying party tickets." 
 
11) Kamikawa corrects assets reports 
 
MAINICH (Page 1) (Abridged slightly) 
September 6, 2007 
 
Yoko Kamikawa, state minister in charge of declining birthrate, 
filed corrections yesterday for her asset disclosure reports, saying 
that the reports did not include loans to her fund management 
organization and her support association. The corrections amounted 
to 11.18 million yen for the year 2003. A Kamikawa office source 
explained the discrepancies this way: "There were miscommunications 
between the Kamikawa family that prepared the asset reports and the 
borrowers, including the fund management organization." 
 
Corrections were made to loans to the Asia Pacific Council, 
Kamikawa's fund management organization, and the Yoko Kamikawa 
supporters association. Kamikawa specifically failed to report 
9,681,238 yen in loans to those bodies in the 2000 asset disclosure 
report; 11,181,238 yen in 2003; and 7,981,238 yen in 2005. 
 
Meanwhile, the loans from Kamikawa were included in political funds 
reports prepared by the fund management organization and the 
supporters association. Kamikawa's failure to declare loans in her 
asset reports came to light as a result of inquiries from news 
agencies to her office. Kamikawa has yet to offer any explanation. 
 
12) DPJ eyes a censure motion against Kamoshita; "Matter is more 
serious than simple clerical mistakes" 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full) 
September 6, 2007 
 
In the wake of revelation that there was discrepancy in the amount 
 
TOKYO 00004121  009 OF 011 
 
 
of loans from Environment Minister Ichiro Kamoshita, listed in a 
political funding report prepared by Kamoshita's political funds 
management organization, a senior Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker 
told the Mainichi Shimbun last night: "The matter is much more 
serious than simple clerical errors. If he remains unable to offer a 
sufficient explanation, we might have to consider submitting a 
censure motion against the environment minister to the House of 
Councillors." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe defended 
Kamoshita by saying to the press corps: "The environment minister 
told me that it was a mistake, and I believe that was what it is." 
The opposition camp is certain to lock horns with the ruling bloc 
over this matter in the upcoming extraordinary Diet session. 
 
The senior DPJ lawmaker said: "Under normal circumstance, no one 
mistakes 2 million yen for 10 million yen. It's also absurd that the 
organization has left the figure uncorrected for so many years." 
 
The shuffled Abe cabinet has been hit by a series of 
politics-and-money scandals following Takehiko Endo, who resigned as 
agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister over a subsidy scandal. 
Taking this seriously, the DPJ intends to demand question-and-answer 
sessions and fresh explanations at the Budget Committee once the 
next Diet session opens. 
 
In the event Kamoshita continues to cite clerical errors, the DPJ 
intends to consider submitting a censure motion against him. 
 
13) NPN head Tanaka agrees in talks with DPJ head Ozawa to form 
joint parliamentary group 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 6, 2007 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) Chairman Ichiro Ozawa 
and New Party Nippon (NPN) Chairman Yasuo Tanaka yesterday met at 
the DPJ's headquarters. They agreed to form a joint parliamentary 
group in the extraordinary Diet session to be convened on Sept. 10. 
The planned group is expected to be named "DPJ-New 
Ryokuhukai-Japan," which will be reported to the Upper House on 
Sept. 10. 
 
Ozawa's motive to bring the number of lawmakers belonging to the 
group close to a majority of 122, coincided with the interests of 
Tanaka, who wanted to increase opportunities to raise questions in 
the Diet by joining a bigger group. 
 
The DPJ-New Ryokuhukai group, a group in the Upper House, yesterday 
submitted a notification of the joining of Yoetsu Suzuki (elected 
from the Akita constituency), an independent, in it. The new power 
relationship in the Upper House is as follows: DPJ-New Ryokufukai 
group - 114; Group of LDP members and independents - 84; New Komeito 
20; Japanese Communist Party - 7; Social Democratic Party and 
Pro-Constitution Federation - 5; PNP - 4; Independents - 7; and seat 
unfilled - 1. 
 
14) DPJ releases "next cabinet" lineup: Emphasis attached to Diet 
confrontation instead of policy 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 6, 2007 
 
With the fall extraordinary Diet session to be convened shortly, the 
 
TOKYO 00004121  010 OF 011 
 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) yesterday appointed the 
lineup of its "next cabinet," its policy-setting organ. It has 
selected people with importance attached to Diet confrontation 
instead of policy as can be seen in the appointment of former Diet 
Affairs Committee Chair Yoshio Hachiro as shadow foreign minister to 
be in charge of the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, an issue 
that will come into focus in the next Diet session. The DPJ has thus 
brought to the forefront its determination to oust the Abe cabinet, 
which is rapidly losing its power base, at an early date. Aside from 
the post responsible for welfare and labor affairs, a post in charge 
of pensions has been created. Lower House member Akira Nagatsuma, 
who has high name recognition because of his pursuit of pension 
record-keeping errors, has been named to the shadow post. 
 
The number of shadow cabinet ministers picked from among Upper House 
members has increased from three to eight, including the appointment 
of Masayuki Naoshima, former secretary general of DPJ members in the 
Upper House who has recently been appointed Policy Research 
Committee chair, as shadow chief cabinet secretary. The DPJ has thus 
attached importance to the Upper House in selecting "next cabinet" 
members, following the trading of places between the ruling and 
opposition camps there. 
 
Chairman Ichiro Ozawa during a press conference held at the party 
headquarters stressed, "If we will clarify our points and confront 
the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the New Komeito, the public 
will be able to clearly perceive differences in the views of the 
ruling and opposition camps." 
 
The government and the ruling parties are pressing the DPJ to hold 
policy talks on an extension of the antiterror legislation. They are 
indicating a cooperative stance, but it has become clear through the 
lineup of the "next cabinet" that Ozawa intends to bring areas of 
contention into bold relief instead of undertaking policy 
coordination with the government and the ruling bloc. 
 
Previously "next cabinet" members had been selected from among two- 
to three-term junior lawmakers versed in policy, as they were 
expected to work as working-level members in policy talks. However, 
the DPJ this time has appointed lawmakers who have been elected more 
than four times. It has also picked lawmakers for posts that are not 
their fields. 
 
New lineup of DPJ's next cabinet 
 
Prime minister Ichiro Ozawa, Lower House member (13) 
Deputy prime minister Naoto Kan, Lower House member (9) 
Deputy prime minister Azuma Koshiishi, Upper House member (2) (2 in 
Lower House) 
Affairs of state Yukio Hatoyama, Lower House member (7) 
Chief cabinet secretary Masayuki Naoshima, Upper House members (3) 
Internal affairs Kazuhiro Haraguchi, Lower House member (4) 
Foreign affairs Yoshio Hachiro, Lower House member (6) 
Defense affairs Keiichiro Asao, Upper House member (2) 
Cabinet office Koji Matsui, Upper House member (2) 
Fiscal affairs Masaharu Nakagawa, Lower House member (4) 
Financial affairs Akihiro Ohata, Lower House member (6) 
Welfare and labor Masahiko Yamada, Lower House member (4) 
Pensions Akira Nagatsuma, Lower House member (3) 
Economy and industry Teruhiko Mashiko, Upper House member (1) (3 in 
Lower House) 
Legal affairs Ritsuo Hosokawa, Lower House member (6) 
 
TOKYO 00004121  011 OF 011 
 
 
Education and science Yoko Komiyaya, Lower House member (3) (1 in 
Upper House) 
Children and gender equality,  Mieko Kamimoto, Upper House member 
(2) 
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries Nobutaka Tsutsui, Lower House 
member (4) 
Land and transport Hiroyuki Nagahama, Upper House member (1) (4 in 
Lower House) 
Environment Tomiko Okazaki, Upper House member (3) 
 
Figures in ( ) and ( ) indicate number of times elected 
 
DONOVAN