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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 004261 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA; 
WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION; 
TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; 
SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN, 
DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA 
FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR; 
CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 09/12/07 
 
 
Index: 
 
(1) Text of Prime Minister Abe's Resignation Statement 
 
(2) Opposition parties to call for a resolution of Lower House and a 
snap election with Prime Minister Abe's announcement of his 
intention to resign 
 
(3) Prime Minister Abe decides to step down to take responsibility 
for political confusion 
 
(4) Prime Minister Abe tells senior ruling party members he will 
step down 
 
(5) Prime Minister Abe conveys intention to resign to LDP secretary 
general 
 
(6) Prime Minister Abe decides to step down, judging it would be 
difficult for him to maintain his administration 
 
(7) Prime Minister Abe now under strong fire from both ruling and 
opposition blocs for his intention to resign as prime minister 
 
(8) Ambassador Schieffer: "We are ready to disclose information 
about antiterrorism operations 
 
(9) Diet debate starting today: Doubts remain about Environment 
Minister Kamoshita's erroneous loan records, use of blank receipts 
 
(10) MSDF withdrawal will harm solidarity among countries taking 
part in war on terrorism 
 
(11) Poll on Abe cabinet, political parties 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Text of Prime Minister Abe's Resignation Statement 
 
ASAHI SHIMBUN ONLINE 
14:22, September 12, 2007 
 
Today I decided that I should step down as prime minister. The 
results of the House of Councillors election were harsh, but I 
decided to stay out of determination that the reform line must not 
be stopped, and I made every effort to have it continue. Regarding 
our actions in the war on terrorism, as well, I was of the opinion 
that we have received high praise internationally and that we must 
continue (our role). Keeping in mind that we have a responsibility 
to see this through, I gave it everything I had, and I said that I 
staked my position on it. 
 
I made every effort, and in the full knowledge that I was putting 
myself at risk, I went forward. 
 
I asked DPJ President Ozawa for a meeting with the goal of conveying 
my frank thoughts and ideas. Unfortunately, my request was 
effectively rebuffed. 
 
I wondered what I should do so that (Japan) can continue (taking 
part in) the war on terrorism. I came to the conclusion that the 
situation had to be changed and that we should aim to continue 
(taking part in) the war on terrorism under the leadership of a new 
 
TOKYO 00004261  002 OF 010 
 
 
prime minister. A new prime minister should also be the one to 
attend the coming meeting of the UN General Assembly. 
 
I stayed on out of the determination to continue reform, and I 
reshuffled the cabinet, but given the current situation, I realized 
it would be difficult to move forward strongly on policy based on 
the support and trust of the people. I came to the conclusion that I 
had to change the situation by bringing matters to a close myself. 
 
I conveyed my intention to the five top officials in the LDP, and I 
instructed them that the party needs to choose its next president 
quickly so as to avoid a political vacuum. If the decision (on a 
successor) is put off, the chaos in the Diet will grow, so I 
determined to make my decision (to resign) quickly. 
 
(2) Opposition parties to call for a dissolution of Lower House and 
a snap election with Prime Minister Abe's announcement of his 
intention to resign 
 
YOMIURI ONLINE NEWS (Almost full) 
September 12, 2007, 15:22 p.m. 
 
Following Prime Minister Abe's (President of the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP)) announcement of his intention to step down 
as prime minister, the LDP will hold a presidential election to 
choose a successor to Abe. 
 
A new president is expected to be nominated as prime minister in the 
Diet. But the opposition parties are calling for an early 
dissolution of the Lower House and a snap election. They may refuse 
to respond to discussion under a new prime minister, thereby 
throwing the Diet into confusion. The confusion is certain to be 
prolonged. 
 
The LDP leadership intends to discuss without delay when and how to 
hold a presidential election. One possibility is that the LDP 
lawmakers and the representatives of the party's local chapters will 
elect a new president without the participation of rank-and-file 
party members as an emergency measure. 
 
As a presidential candidate, the Aso faction and junior lawmakers 
recommend Secretary General Aso, who has broad experience. Aso is 
well-known and popular with the public. Some pin hopes on him as the 
"face" of the next Lower House election. Former Finance Minister 
Sadakazu Tanigaki, who has been critical of Prime Minister Abe's 
foreign policy and distanced himself from Abe, also may run in the 
presidential election, emphasizing the need for a change from Abe's 
policy line. 
 
Some veteran lawmakers in the LDP recommend former Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Yasuo Fukuda. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kaoru Yosano is also 
 
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being named. 
 
Interpellations in the Diet have now been cancelled at the request 
of the government and the ruling camp. With Abe's declaration of his 
intention to step down, Diet deliberations are unlikely to occur 
before a new prime minister is nominated. 
 
In the Lower House, a new president of the LDP will be designated as 
prime minister, but in the Upper House, a candidate backed by 
opposition parties will be designated as prime minister. In line 
with the provisions of the Constitution, the person designated by 
 
TOKYO 00004261  003 OF 010 
 
 
the Lower House will precede the person designated by the Upper 
House. 
 
For a new prime minister, the first challenge will be how to prepare 
legislation that will allow the Maritime Self-Defense Force's (MSDF) 
refueling operations in the Indian Ocean. The government and the 
ruling coalition intend to submit a new bill aimed at continuing the 
refueling mission to the Diet. So the current Diet session will be 
certain to be extended significantly. 
 
However, the opposition bloc is unlikely to respond to deliberations 
and instead it is likely to intensify their offensive in calling for 
an early dissolution of the Lower House and a snap election. The 
ruling and opposition parties are likely to engage now in a full 
confrontation. 
 
(3) Prime Minister Abe decides to step down to take responsibility 
for political confusion 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN ONLINE (Abridged) 
13:13, September 12, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier today conveyed to LDP executives 
his intention to step down to take responsibility for political 
confusion resulting from, among other matters, political fund 
scandals involving cabinet ministers. Abe has been under fire for 
his decision to remain in office despite the ruling bloc's crushing 
defeat in the July Upper House election. Many LDP members have also 
complained that they would not be able to fight the next Lower House 
election under Prime Minister Abe. 
 
Following Abe's decision to resign, the LDP is expected to conduct a 
party presidential election at an early date to determine its new 
leader. The selection process is likely to proceed under the 
leadership of Secretary General Taro Aso and other LDP executives 
who have been supporting Prime Minister Abe. 
 
After the July election, Abe played up his plan to remain in power, 
declaring: "It is my responsibility to keep implementing reforms. A 
political vacuum must not be created." He has just recently shuffled 
the lineups of his cabinet and LDP executives in an effort to revamp 
his administration. 
 
But it came to light on August 27 that an agricultural mutual aid 
association headed by Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister 
Takehiko Endo improperly received government subsidies, and Endo 
stepped down to take responsibility for it. This was soon followed 
by improper funds management by Environment Minister Ichiro 
Kamoshita and Declining Birthrate Minister Yoko Kamikawa. Raising 
questions about Abe's responsibility for appointing them, the 
opposition parties were intensifying their offensive against Abe, 
with a censure motion against him in mind. (Kyodo) 
 
(4) Prime Minister Abe tells senior ruling party members he will 
step down 
 
YOMIURI (Full) 
September 12, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe decided to resign from his post and 
relayed this decision to senior ruling party members today. 
 
 
TOKYO 00004261  004 OF 010 
 
 
He will announce the decision in a press conference this afternoon. 
Observers see that the prime minister has judged it difficult to 
continue to steer his government due to the Liberal Democratic 
Party's crushing defeat in the July House of Councillors election. 
 
Learning of the prime minister's intention, the government told the 
Diet to cancel the planned representative interpellation session. 
 
In the LDP, the selection of candidates to succeed Abe as LDP 
president and prime minister will start in earnest. Abe assumed the 
premiership in September 2006 at the age of 51, becoming the 
youngest prime minister in the postwar era. He worked to improve 
Japan's relations with China and South Korea, which had deteriorated 
under the Koizumi administration. He also stepped up efforts to 
resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and the issue of North 
Korea's past abductions of Japanese nationals. 
 
On internal affairs, Abe made such achievements as revising the 
Fundamental Law of Education and upgrading the Defense Agency to 
ministry status. In addition, he continued the Koizumi 
administration's reform line, making efforts for such challenges as 
reallocating road-construction revenues for general expenditures. 
 
(5) Prime Minister Abe conveys intention to resign to LDP secretary 
general 
 
NIKKEI ONLINE 
13:00, September 12, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today conveyed his intention to step down 
from office. He appears to have decided to resign in consideration 
of the present situation in which the cabinet's approval rating has 
remained low after the crushing defeat in the July House of 
Councillors election due to a series of politics-money-scandals, as 
well as the resignation of his cabinet ministers. The expectation is 
that the Abe cabinet will formally announce at a press conference 
sometime today that it will resign en masse. The focus has now 
shifted to whom the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will pick as its 
new president, replacing Abe. The ongoing extraordinary session of 
the Diet has fallen into chaos. 
 
Secretary General Taro Aso told reporters at noon today: "I have 
 
SIPDIS 
heard (from Abe) his intention to resign. Regarding the reason, he 
told me that he does not have the ability to unify the party." Abe 
also told Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Tadamori Oshima: "I won't 
be able to reply to questions by party representatives." Following 
this, Oshima requested Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Diet Affairs 
Committee Chairman Kenji Yamaoka to put off the planned schedule for 
the questioning sessions by party representatives at the Lower House 
plenary session. 
 
The Diet was to start this afternoon a questioning session by party 
representatives at the Lower House. The outlook is that the Diet 
schedule will be considerably postponed. 
 
(6) Prime Minister Abe decides to step down, judging it would be 
difficult for him to maintain his administration 
 
Mainichi Online (Excerpts) 
13:42, September 12, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sept. 12 decided to step down and 
 
TOKYO 00004261  005 OF 010 
 
 
conveyed his decision to senior officials of the ruling camp. 
Following the crushing defeat in the Upper House election, Abe has 
tried to reshape his administration through reshuffling. However, he 
has failed to open up any prospects for extending the Antiterrorism 
Special Measures Law in the extraordinary Diet session. He was also 
bound to face a fierce offensive over the politics and money issue. 
As such, he appears to have judged that it would be difficult for 
him to maintain his administration. Now that Abe has been forced to 
step down even before his administration marks its first 
anniversary, the effort to select his successor as Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) president will begin in a frenzy. 
 
The prime minister will hold a press conference at the Prime 
Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) at 2:00 p.m. on Sept. 12 and 
formally announce his decision to resign. He earlier telephoned LDP 
Secretary General Taro Aso and Diet Affairs Committee Chairman 
 
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Tadamori Oshima and conveyed his decision to step down, noting, "I 
will not be able to reply in the question-and-answer session in the 
Diet." Regarding Abe's decision to quit, Aso told reporters, "I knew 
of Prime Minister Abe's intention to step down from long before. He 
said that he had no power base in the Diet." According to a senior 
LDP official, Abe reportedly said, "I cannot attend the 
question-and-answer session in the Diet for health reasons." Abe has 
been taking a break from his official duties since yesterday, citing 
a cold. A question-and-answer session in the extraordinary Diet 
session convened on Sept. 11 for representatives of ruling and 
opposition parties and other parliamentary groups in connection with 
the prime minister's policy speech was scheduled for the 12th, but 
it was cancelled on short notice. 
 
The prime minister decided to stay on, though the LDP suffered a 
devastating defeat in the July 29 Upper House election due to the 
impact of the pension flap. He reshuffled his cabinet on August 27 
to reshape the administration. However, his efforts have suffered a 
major setback, because Agriculture Minister Takehiko Endo was forced 
to resign over the illegal receipt of subsidies. Furthermore, the 
Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, the law that serves as the basis 
for dispatching MSDF vessels in the Indian Ocean, expires on Nov. 1. 
However, with the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 
remaining opposed to an extension of the law, a bill allowing the 
continuation of the MSDF operations has faced bleak prospects of 
securing Diet approval in the current session of the Diet. The 
government and the ruling camp had aimed to find a breakthrough by 
enacting a new law. However, the prime minister in Sydney, which he 
was visiting to take part in the APEC summit, held a press 
conference on Sept. 9 and noted that he would stake his premiership 
on the continuation of refueling activities. He also indicated his 
resolve to step down if his effort failed. Concerning the 
resignation of the prime minister, there has been a rumor going 
around that some weekly magazines due to be published later in the 
week planed to report a scandal involving Abe. 
 
Following Abe's announcement of his decision to quit, the LDP will 
start selecting his successor as LDP president. Aso and former Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda have been floated as candidates. 
 
(7) Prime Minister Abe now under strong fire from both ruling and 
opposition blocs for his intention to resign as prime minister 
 
MAINICHI ONLINE NEWS (Excerpts) 
September 12, 2007 
 
 
TOKYO 00004261  006 OF 010 
 
 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe conveyed his intention to resign as prime 
minister to senior members of the ruling coalition. But he faces 
strong criticism from both the ruling and opposition parties because 
he declared his intention to step down at a time when 
interpellations in both the chambers of the Diet are about to start 
after he delivered his keynote address. One lawmaker argued, "He is 
utterly irresponsible." 
 
The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan's (DPJ) Secretary 
General Yukio Hatoyama commented: "It's irresponsible to step down 
at this point in time. He should have resigned much earlier." Social 
Democratic Party (SDP) Chairperson Mizuho Fukushima noted: "It's 
irresponsible to leave his job unfinished. He should have resigned 
immediately after the Upper House election." 
 
A mid-level lawmaker made this critical comment: "The (ruling 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)) will be caught up in the selection 
of a successor. There is an immeasurable impact on national 
politics. The nation is now in a critical situation." 
 
The LDP is likely to be preoccupied over the selection of a 
successor. 
 
There will be inevitably a significant impact on deliberations in 
the Diet on what to do about the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, 
the legal basis for the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling 
operations in the Indian Ocean, and new legislation to replace that 
law. 
 
(8) Ambassador Schieffer: "We are ready to disclose information 
about antiterrorism operations 
 
SANKEI ONLINE NEWS (Full) 
September 12, 2007, 12:58 p.m. 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Kaoru Yosano this morning met with US 
Ambassador to Japan J. Thomas Schieffer at the Prime Minister's 
Official Residence, and speaking of the Maritime Self-Defense 
Force's (MSDF) refueling operations in the Indian Ocean, declared: 
"We on the part of the government will do all we can to continue the 
operations."  The ambassador expressed strong hope for a 
continuation of the MSDF's refueling mission, saying, "It is an 
important task not only for the United States but also for the 
international community, including countries engaged in the 
operation in the Indian Ocean." 
 
After the meeting, Schieffer told reporters: "We will welcome 
Japan's continued refueling operations even if (Japan's assistance) 
is limited to the supply of oil and water." Referring to the major 
opposition Democratic Party of Japan's (DPJ) call on the government 
to disclose the results of the MSDF's operations in the Indian 
Ocean, Schieffer indicated he would respond to that request, saying, 
"We will provide classified information to Diet members so that they 
can understand (the achievements). I think doing so is very 
important, and I don't think there is anything to hide in this 
regard." Afterwards, the ambassador met with Foreign Minister 
Nobutaka Machimura at the Foreign Ministry. 
 
(9) Diet debate starting today: Doubts remain about Environment 
Minister Kamoshita's erroneous loan records, use of blank receipts 
 
YOMIURI (Page 38) (Full) 
 
TOKYO 00004261  007 OF 010 
 
 
September 12, 2007 
 
Corrections of political fund reports by lawmakers are continuing. 
The politics and money issue, including an amendment to the 
Political Fund Control Law, will be one of the key issues in the 
extra Diet session, where interpellations are to start on Sept. 12. 
A number of record-keeping errors have been found in the political 
fund reports filed by some cabinet ministers, including Environment 
Minister Kamoshita. They will likely be asked to provide more 
explanations. 
 
Among several erroneous entries found in Kamoshita's fund reports, 
the amount of borrowings reported by his fund management body first 
came into question. The body's reports since 1998 recorded 10 
million yen as a loan extended by Kamoshita in Aug. 1996. However, 
its fund report for 1996 claimed 2 million yen as a borrowing. Which 
entry is correct? If the 1 million yen is correct, the remaining 8 
million yen would present a problem. 
 
Kamoshita corrected his fund reports for 10 years through 2006, 
claiming that the correct amount was 2 million yen. However, as 
grounds for the correction, he cited his own memory, which he 
admitted to be unclear, and produced a copy of part of his own bank 
book, which has a record of the withdrawal of 2 million yen. 
However, it is not possible to determine that this 2 million yen was 
loaned to the fund management body. 
 
Slipshod management of fund reports by Kamoshita is also visible in 
his handling of copies of receipts that have to be attached to the 
reports. 
 
The branch of the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) Tokyo 
Constituency No. 13 headed by Kamoshita did not attach three 
receipts for printing expenses totaling 1.49 million yen to the 2003 
fund report. 
 
On Sept. 10, it was found that five copies of receipts (totaling 
1.47 million yen) with the names to which they were issued deleted 
were attached to the same fund report. Kamoshita explained that 
since the receipts were issued to an official in charge instead of 
to the branch office, his secretary deleted the name out of 
excessive concern. However, his explanation is unclear, because he 
did not produce the original receipts. 
 
Agriculture Minister Wakabayashi has also a problem regarding his 
relationship with his supporters, as can be seen in the fact that 
the chairman of his supporters' association in Tokyo (now resigned) 
doubled as the head of a subsidy distribution organization. Deputy 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Mitsuhide Iwaki has also been asked to give 
explanations on the issue of a political body related to him having 
doubly reported expenses to hire the hall used for the speech 
meeting. 
 
(10) MSDF withdrawal will harm solidarity among countries taking 
part in war on terrorism 
 
YOMIURI (Page 17) (Abridged slightly) 
September 12, 2007 
 
By Koichi Furusho, former MSDF chief of staff 
 
Under the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, the Maritime 
 
TOKYO 00004261  008 OF 010 
 
 
Self-Defense Force has been providing assistance to naval vessels of 
other countries that are taking part in the war on terrorism from 
the Indian Ocean to the Persian Gulf. Is the Japanese public fully 
aware of it? What is the Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) of 
the last six years? What did it accomplish? What is the evaluation 
of it by the rest of the world? Did the government and Defense 
Ministry explain all those matters to the general public? 
 
When the government decided to dispatch the MSDF immediately after 
9/11, I was in a position to command the unit in the field as the 
commander of the fleet escort force. I felt that I had to brace for 
the job, thinking that Japan had finally decided to fulfill its 
responsibility against the threat of terrorism as a member of the 
international community. 
 
But the government eventually enacted the special measures law 
chiefly designed to provide refueling services in "safe waters" 
instead of danger zones. Initially an Aegis vessel was also excluded 
from the unit headed for the Indian Ocean for fear of violating the 
Constitution, which prohibits exercising the right to collective 
self-defense. This apparently injured the pride of the MSDF troops. 
Given the situation, I instructed the commander and the troops 
picked for the Indian Ocean mission to fulfill their duties, for 
such would serve the country's national interests. 
 
The refueling mission of the last six years in a severe environment 
as part of the coalition forces has given the MSDF troops confidence 
and pride. 
 
Every year, new MSDF officers go on a long training cruise lasting 
150 days or so. The readiness of destinations receiving the MSDF 
officers has markedly changed on the back of the war on terrorism, 
according to a report by the commander of the long cruise. 
 
For instance, while in France in 2007, the group was reportedly 
offered free fuel directly from the French Navy chief of staff in 
appreciation of the MSDF mission in the Indian Ocean. In Germany, 
the joint operations headquarters deputy commander, upon spotting 
the name of the unit commander, reportedly hastily came back from 
his summer vacation to return favors the German forces had owed in 
the Indian Ocean. 
 
I also heard that commanders of naval forces of other countries 
carrying out activities in the Indian Ocean indicated that the 
presence of MSDF supply ships and destroyers in their operational 
waters has given them a sense of reassurance. 
 
Apart from the war on terrorism, MSDF troops were able to rush to 
rescue victims in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster in 
December 2004 owing largely to the presence of MSDF vessels in 
waters from the Persian Gulf to Japan. 
 
Above all, the mission in the Indian Ocean has enabled the MSDF to 
forge strong relations of trust with naval forces of other 
countries. However, I still believe it is in Japan's best interests 
to deploy destroyers in the permissible scope to join the MIO to 
interdict terrorists, weaponry and ammunition, as in the case with 
other countries. 
 
Needless to say, decisions must be made on the diplomatic and 
military fronts based on national interests. Should Japan withdraw 
from the Indian Ocean without presenting any alternative to the 
 
TOKYO 00004261  009 OF 010 
 
 
Antiterrorism Law, it would have an immeasurable impact on the 
solidarity of the countries participating in the war on terrorism. 
Japan would also be left behind the United States and the rest of 
the world. In view of the magnitude of the matter, the government 
must not make any mistake in national policy by letting party 
interests stand in the way. 
 
(11) Poll on Abe cabinet, political parties 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 11, 2007 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures shown in percentage. Parentheses denote the results of a 
survey conducted in August.) 
 
Q: Do you support the Abe cabinet? 
 
Yes 29.0 (27.2) 
No 60.7 (63.7) 
Other answers (O/A) 2.6 (3.1) 
No answer (N/A) 7.7 (5.9) 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "yes" to the foregoing question) 
Give up to two reasons for your approval of the Abe cabinet. 
 
I can appreciate its political stance 25.7 (27.6) 
It's stable 7.1 (8.8) 
The prime minister is trustworthy 25.5 (22.0) 
There's a fresh image of the prime minister 30.9 (29.4) 
I can appreciate its economic policy 3.9 (7.4) 
I can appreciate its foreign policy 12.2 (11.3) 
Because it's a coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New 
Komeito 17.4 (19.8) 
It's better than its predecessors 9.8 (8.6) 
O/A+N/A 13.1 (11.1) 
 
Q: (Only for those who answered "no" to the foregoing question) Give 
up to two reasons for your disapproval of the Abe cabinet. 
 
I can't appreciate its political stance 39.4 (47.1) 
It's unstable 45.2 (34.1) 
The prime minister is untrustworthy 26.3 (26.3) 
The prime minister lacks political experience 18.6 (18.2) 
I can't appreciate its economic policy 16.4 (18.8) 
I can't appreciate its foreign policy 3.6 (3.4) 
Because it's a coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New 
Komeito 7.0 (8.7) 
It's worse than its predecessors 13.0 (12.8) 
O/A+N/A 3.2 (4.5) 
 
Q: What issues do you want the Abe cabinet to pursue on a priority 
basis? Pick as many as you like from among those listed below, if 
any. 
 
Economic, employment measures 47.4 
Fiscal reconstruction 20.5 
Tax reform, consumption tax 31.5 
Social security reform, including pension and healthcare systems 
63.3 
Low birthrate countermeasures, including childcare support 25.7 
Education reform 20.3 
 
TOKYO 00004261  010 OF 010 
 
 
Social divide, including income gaps 29.2 
Administrative reform, including public service personnel cuts 19.8 
Politics and money issues 40.1 
Asia diplomacy, including China and South Korea 10.9 
North Korea 24.0 
Defense, security 11.2 
Constitutional revision 7.2 
Crisis management, including disaster prevention 10.7 
Public security, crime prevention 18.7 
Environmental protection 20.4 
Food safety 21.3 
O/A + nothing in particular + N/A 3.1 
 
Q: Which political party do you support now? Pick only one. 
 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 29.3 (25.8) 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) 20.9 (26.9) 
New Komeito (NK) 3.3 (3.6) 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 1.8 (2.2) 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto) 1.0 (1.0) 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto) 0.2 (0.2) 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon) 0.2 (0.4) 
Other political parties --- (0.1) 
None 42.4 (38.7) 
N/A 1.0 (1.1) 
 
Q: Under the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, the government has 
sent Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels to the Indian Ocean, where 
the MSDF is currently engaged in fuel and other supply services for 
foreign naval vessels to back up the antiterror campaign of 
multinational forces in Afghanistan. The antiterror law is to expire 
Nov. 1 this year. Do you support extending the MSDF's mission in the 
Indian Ocean? 
 
Yes 29.3 
No 38.8 
Can't say which 28.6 
N/A 3.2 
 
 
Q: Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Endo has now 
resigned to take responsibility for the fact that an agricultural 
mutual aid association headed by him was found to have improperly 
received government subsidies. As his successor, Prime Minister Abe 
appointed former Environment Minister Wakabayashi. After seeing such 
a series of events, what's your image of the Abe cabinet now? 
 
Better 3.4 
Worse 47.3 
No change 46.7 
N/A 2.6 
 
Polling methodology 
Date of survey: Sept. 8-9. 
Subjects of survey: 3,000 persons chosen from among all eligible 
voters throughout the country (at 250 locations on a stratified 
two-stage random sampling basis). 
Method of implementation: Door-to-door visits for face-to-face 
interviews. 
Number of valid respondents: 1,787 persons (59.6 PERCENT ). 
 
SCHIEFFER