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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 004297 
 
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 09/14/07 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule 
 
Public reacts: 
4) Asahi poll: 70 PERCENT  of public think Prime Minister Abe's 
sudden decision to step down "irresponsible; 50 PERCENT  want an 
early Diet dissolution 
5) Mainichi poll: 59 PERCENT  of public want an early dissolution 
Diet for a snap election; 43 PERCENT  want to DPJ (Democratic Party 
of Japan) to win 
 
Anti-Terrorism Law: 
6) Public's understanding of need to continue MSDF oil-refueling 
services in the Indian Ocean has heightened, with approval rate now 
at 49 PERCENT : Mainichi poll 
7) Afghanistan's foreign minister in letter to Foreign Minister 
Machimura asks for continued support in Indian Ocean 
8) Indian Ocean report: MSDF supplying most fuel now to Pakistani 
ship 
9) JCS Chairman Saito denies MSDF oil being diverted for use in Iraq 
campaign 
10) DPJ's Maehara, citing need for Japan to keep in war on terror, 
distances self from party head Ozawa, indicates 40-50 party members 
feel the same 
 
11) Japanese prime minister will not attend UNGA session this year 
 
 
LDP presidential race: 
12) Date for LDP presidential election new set for Sept. 23 
13) Party support for Yasuo Fukuda wells up, with majority of 
members now backing him for LDP presidency 
14) Former Prime Minister Koizumi backs Fukuda and will campaign for 
him 
 
Crisis at the top: 
15) With Prime Minister Abe hospitalized, Kantei (Prime Minister's 
Official Residence) role being criticized 
16) Kantei functions seem to have ground to a halt absent the prime 
minister 
17) Abe's "delicate condition" in part was kept secret, following 
traditional practice 
18) State budget may have to be compiled next year due to political 
vacuum 
 
19) Ozawa's DPJ trying to show diplomatic credentials, with Ozawa 
meeting Chinese VIP, debating issues with Afghan-supporting NGO 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Fukuda to announce candidacy for LDP presidency; Aso will officially 
declare his candidacy today; Presidential election set for Sept. 23 
 
Mainichi: 
Fukuda likely to win LDP presidency, has support from majority of 
LDP lawmakers; Fukuda expected to announce candidacy 
 
TOKYO 00004297  002 OF 012 
 
 
 
Yomiuri: 
Support for Fukuda widening in LDP; Fukuda to announce his 
candidacy; Presidential election set for Sept. 23 
 
Nikkei: 
Coordination under way to back Fukuda as successor to Abe; 
Presidential election will be announced today with election day set 
for Sept. 23; Support for Fukuda widening 
 
Sankei: 
LDP presidential election set for Sept. 23; Fukuda widening his 
support, Aso maneuvering to win a majority of votes 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Fukuda to run in an LDP presidential election set for Sept. 23, 
standing at advantage; Aso to announce his candidacy today 
 
Akahata: 
Collapse of LDP-New Komeito administration led by Abe: "LDP is 
fracturing" 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) LDP presidential election: Qualifications for new president 
(2) Japan's failure to get a director's post in International Judo 
Federation 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) LDP first needs to reflect on why it established this unready 
government 
(2) National Police Agency needs to enhance investigative ability in 
addition to rewards for information about guns 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) LDP presidential election: Leadership capabilities and 
governance essential for new president 
(2) There seem to be many more incompetent teachers 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Fukuda enters presidential race 
(2) Oil prices rise to new high despite OPEC's increase in 
production 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Announcement of LDP presidential election: New cabinet needs to 
better handle this political crisis 
(2) A further review of contents of learning necessary 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Pension issue needs to be resolved swiftly in spite of political 
vacuum 
(2) Social studies in senior high schools: History should not be put 
in a list of optional subjects 
 
Akahata: 
(1) It's unacceptable that descriptions about the Imperial Japanese 
Army's forced collective suicide are deleted in the school textbook 
screening 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
TOKYO 00004297  003 OF 012 
 
 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, September 13 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 14, 2007 
 
10:40 
Underwent checkups at Keio University Hospital in Shinano-machi, and 
was admitted to the hospital. 
 
4) Poll: 70 PERCENT  see Abe's resignation as irresponsible; 50 
PERCENT  urge early Diet dissolution 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
September 14, 2007 
 
Following up Prime Minister Abe's announcement of his intention to 
resign, the Asahi Shimbun conducted a telephone-based spot 
nationwide public opinion survey. The prime minister voiced his 
resignation right after his policy speech before the Diet at the 
offset of its current extraordinary session. Asked about this, 70 
PERCENT  said it was "irresponsible." Respondents were also asked 
when they thought the House of Representatives should be dissolved 
for a general election. To this question, 50 PERCENT  said the Diet 
should be dissolved "as soon as possible," with 43 PERCENT  saying 
there is "no need to hurry." In a previous survey taken in late July 
right after the election for the House of Councillors, 39 PERCENT 
called for dissolving the Diet at an early date, while 54 PERCENT 
ruled out the necessity of doing so. In the survey this time, 
however, the figures changed places. The prime minister has now 
dumped his government with no way out of the current impasse that 
resulted from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's rout in this 
summer's House of Councillors election. In response to such a 
situation, the survey shows an upsurge of public opinion calling for 
a general election. 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the LDP 
stood at 30 PERCENT , with the leading opposition Democratic Party 
of Japan (Minshuto) at 28 PERCENT . New Komeito, the LDP's coalition 
partner, was at 3 PERCENT . The Japanese Communist Party was at 2 
PERCENT , and the Social Democratic Party (Shaminto) at 1 PERCENT . 
The DPJ outpaced the LDP in post-election surveys. In the survey 
this time, however, the LDP rose from 25 PERCENT  in the last survey 
and topped the DPJ. 
 
5) Poll: 59 PERCENT  call for Diet dissolution; 43 PERCENT  want DPJ 
to win 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Abridged) 
September 14, 2007 
 
The Mainichi Shimbun conducted a telephone-based spot nationwide 
public opinion survey on Sept. 12-13. In the survey, respondents 
were asked if they thought the House of Representatives should be 
dissolved for a general election. In response to this question, 59 
PERCENT  answered "yes," with 37 PERCENT  saying "no." Respondents 
were also asked which political party between the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party and the leading opposition Democratic Party of 
Japan (Minshuto) they would like to see win in the next election for 
the House of Representatives. To this question, 43 PERCENT  picked 
the DPJ, with 39 PERCENT  opting for the LDP. As seen from these 
figures, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's announcement of his resignation 
 
TOKYO 00004297  004 OF 012 
 
 
does not necessarily "resolve the situation" in his words. 
 
6) 49 PERCENT  back continuing Japan's refueling mission; Defense 
chief says public understanding has deepened 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 14, 2007 
 
In a spot public opinion survey conducted by the Mainichi Shimbun on 
Sept. 12-13, opinions for continuing the Maritime Self-Defense 
Force's refueling activities in the Indian Ocean outnumbered those 
against it. The government and the ruling coalition of the Liberal 
Democratic Party and New Komeito welcomed the survey results. "It's 
a good sign," LDP Senior Secretary General Hiroyuki Hosoda said. 
Meanwhile, the leading opposition Democratic Party is poised to 
oppose continuing the MSDF's refueling mission regardless of changes 
in public opinion. However, one of the DPJ's lawmakers voiced 
concern, saying, "If we go too far, we may lose public support." 
 
Referring to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's announcement of his 
resignation, Defense Minister Masahiko Komura commented: "I don't 
know whether it was good or bad, but I think it helped the people 
understand that the MSDF's refueling mission is important from the 
aspect of Japan's national interests." 
 
Komura yesterday met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Kaoru Yosano and 
Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura. In the meeting, the three 
confirmed that the government would create a new legislative measure 
allowing Japan to continue the MSDF's activities, which are limited 
to refueling, without Diet approval. The government will begin in 
earnest with the legislative process after the new prime minister 
comes into office. 
 
Under such circumstances, pro-refueling opinions outnumbered 
anti-refueling opinions. "We will carefully explain this matter," 
Deputy Chief Cabinet Mitsuhide Iwaki said. "If public understanding 
deepens," Iwaki added, "I think there will be many more opinions (to 
support the MSDF's refueling mission)." There were also voices from 
within the Defense Ministry. "It's a happy surprise," one said. 
Another said, "If public understanding deepens, that will be a 
tailwind." 
 
Shigeru Ishiba, former director general of the Defense Agency, now 
upgraded to full ministry status, was also "happy" with the survey 
results. Ishiba said, "Whoever may become prime minister, there's no 
change in Japan's way of fulfilling its international 
responsibility." 
 
Meanwhile, Naoto Kan, vice president of the leading opposition 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto), stressed that the trends of 
public opinion and his party's course of action were on different 
planes, saying: "President Ichiro Ozawa has clearly said it's not 
appropriate in principle to engage the Self-Defense Forces in such 
activities, rather than to say this and that about public opinion." 
 
Meanwhile, the DPJ has noted that MSDF-supplied fuel might have been 
used for activities in Iraq. The government, however, rebutted such 
criticism from the DPJ. The government and the ruling parties-which 
now think the MSDF's refueling activities are obtaining public 
support-will likely change their usual stance of asking for (the 
opposition bench's) understanding to a stance of facing off with the 
opposition parties in the Diet. The DPJ may be pressed to show its 
 
TOKYO 00004297  005 OF 012 
 
 
policy stance differing from Kan's official view. 
 
7) Afghan foreign minister request in letter to Machimura MSDF's 
continued refueling mission 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
September 14, 2007 
 
Afghanistan Ambassador to Japan Amine met Foreign Minister Machimura 
at the Foreign Ministry yesterday and handed to him a letter from 
Foreign Minister Spanta calling on Japan to continue the ongoing 
refueling operations by the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) in 
the Indian Ocean based on the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law. 
 
Amine said: "The continuation (of the MSDF refueling mission) is 
desired not only by the Afghan government but also by our people. I 
hope this desire is shared by the Japanese people." 
 
8) Report on MSDF refueling mission from Indian Ocean: "We will 
faithfully perform our duties," says MSDF captain; Most oil going to 
Pakistani ships 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 26) (Abridged) 
September 14, 2007 
 
By Tokyo Shimbun senior writer Shigeru Handa, Arabian Sea 
 
Ship-to-ship refueling by the Maritime Self-Defense Force's supply 
vessel Tokiwa, deployed to the Indian Ocean this past July from the 
MSDF Yokosuka base in Kanagawa Prefecture, was opened to the press 
on September 13. Due to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's abrupt 
announcement to step down, this might be the vessel's last tour in 
the Indian Ocean. 
 
At 2:10 p.m., the Tokiwa began pumping fuel and water to a 
British-made Pakistani destroyer about 40 meters away from it. 
 
Throughout the refueling process that took one and a half hours, the 
life vest-clad MSDF personnel were on the deck observing the 
operation under the scorching sun. 
 
This is Tokiwa's fifth tour. Eighty-two persons, or about 60 PERCENT 
 of the vessel's 132 crew members, have served in the Indian Ocean 
before. Captain Sugawara said: "Although safety, accuracy, and speed 
are essential in Japan, speed does not matter over here in the 
Indian Ocean. The captain of the destroyer that received fuel from 
us today was highly skilled, however." 
 
Since the Tokiwa started its services on August 4, the vessel 
conducted ship-to-ship refueling eight times, including seven 
Pakistani vessels. Refined fuel has been supplied in compliance with 
their request. Of the eight countries taking part in the Indian 
Ocean operations as the Coalition of the Willing, Pakistan is the 
only Islamic country. As grounds for extending the Antiterrorism 
Special Measures Law, the Japanese government has cited its support 
for Pakistan. 
 
When did the Tokiwa crew learn of Prime Minister Abe's announcement 
to resign? Deck operation chief Akira Masuda, 48, said: "We learned 
of (Prime Minister Abe's September 12 resignation press conference) 
from an officer, and we were all shocked." 
 
 
TOKYO 00004297  006 OF 012 
 
 
Captain Yoshitaka Ojima, 47, of the command of the dispatched unit, 
took this view: "Although we were surprised by the unexpected news, 
we will faithfully perform our duties. We will not discuss this or 
that about our future mission for such would not do any good. We 
earnestly hope that the government will turn Japan into a country 
where children can live happily." 
 
Due to Prime Minister Abe's abrupt decision to abandon his 
administration, the fate of the Antiterrorism Law is now on the 
line. A person connected with the MSDF indicated that this might the 
MSDF's last mission in the Indian Ocean. 
 
9) SDF joint staff chief denies allegations that MSDF fuel has been 
diverted for use in Iraq war 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 14, 2007 
 
SDF Joint Staff Chief Admiral Takashi Saito at a press conference 
yesterday denied allegations that the fuel the Maritime Self-Defense 
Force supplied under the Antiterrorism Law to US naval vessels 
engaged in the Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) in the Indian 
Ocean has been diverted for use in the war in Iraq. Admiral Saito 
said: "The fuel supplied by our country has been used appropriately 
in line with the objectives of the Antiterrorism Special Measures 
Law." 
 
Admiral Saito added: "The notes exchanged with countries receiving 
support from Japan clearly specify: 'Refueling operations shall be 
conducted based on the Antiterrorism Law.' The operations have been 
confirmed out in the Indian Ocean." The Maritime Self-Defense Force 
has reportedly confirmed at the command in Bahrain that the vessels 
are taking apart in the MIO. 
 
10) Maehara: 40-50 DPJ lawmakers think Japan must join war on 
terrorism 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 14, 2007 
 
Appearing on an Asahi Newstar program recorded yesterday, Seiji 
Maehara, a former president of the Democratic Party of Japan, took 
the following view about an extension of the Maritime Self-Defense 
Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean: "Quite a few members 
in our party think Japan must join the war on terrorism. As far as I 
know, there are 40 to 50 such members." Maehara's comment is likely 
to create a stir on the back of President Ichiro Ozawa's clear 
denial of a continued Indian Ocean mission. 
 
Maehara said: "President Ozawa's words carry great significance. 
When our party endorsed the basic plan (specifying the scale and the 
duration for the deployment of the SDF), we were not yet merged with 
the Liberal Party (led by Ozawa). Views have not been sorted out 
following the merger between the Liberal Party and the DPJ." 
 
About Ozawa's insistence on using a UN Security Council resolution 
for determining the dispatch of the SDF, Maehara noted: "Opinions in 
the party have not been worked out. We must discuss (why we are 
opposed to an extension). Is it because of a lack of information 
disclosure, constitutional debate, or the interpretation of a UN 
resolution?" 
 
 
TOKYO 00004297  007 OF 012 
 
 
11) Next prime minister will not attend UNGA 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
September 14, 2007 
 
Since the presidential election of the Liberal Democratic Party 
(LDP) will be held on Sept. 23, the next prime minister will not be 
able to attend a high-level meeting on climate change, which the 
United Nations will hold on Sept. 24 in New York, as well as the UN 
General Assembly session starting on the 25th. 
 
This is because the new cabinet will be inaugurated on the 25th at 
the earliest, after the Diet vote on the prime minister, unless the 
new LDP president is selected without going through an election. 
 
In that case, the Foreign Ministry will likely arrange a plan to 
have Ambassador to the UN Yukio Takasu attend the session. The 
government had looked into the attendance of Prime Minister Shinzo 
Abe since global warming will be a major topic of discussion in the 
2008 Group of Eight summit, which Japan will host. However, the 
ministry conveyed before Sept. 12 when Abe announced his intention 
to step down to the UN Secretariat that it would be difficult for 
Abe to attend the sessions. 
 
12) Preliminary skirmish over polling day for LDP presidential race; 
Date for election slips to Sept. 23 from initial 19th 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
September 14, 2007 
 
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has decided that it will announce 
today the party presidential election will be held on Sept. 23, even 
though the party leadership initially intended to hold it at an 
earlier date. Out of concern about the next House of Representatives 
election, many lawmakers called for "an open presidential race." The 
forces that had pushed for a shorter period of time for preparations 
for the contest to make it advantageous for Secretary General Taro 
Aso are opposed to the executive's plan. Due to each group's 
interests, a preliminary skirmish was carried out prior to the 
official announcement of the presidential election. 
 
"As many lawmakers as possible should run in the election, and 
candidates should vigorously debate on their policies." "It is 
necessary for candidates to show the public their differences with 
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, taking sufficient time." These views were 
raised in a meeting yesterday of all LDP lawmakers. The dominant 
view in the meeting was that more time should be provided, opposing 
the leadership's initial plan to hold the contest on Sept. 19. Some 
members suggested holding the election on Sept. 25, but the 23rd was 
selected in the end. Citing the Diet now in session as a reason, 
there were few LDP members who wanted an early election. 
 
Many LDP lawmakers are still upset with Prime Minister Abe's abrupt 
announcement of his intention to resign amid the aftermath of the 
party's humiliating defeat in the July House of Councillors 
election. The LDP appears to be seeing the presidential race as a 
good opportunity to attract public attention. 
 
In the presidential election this time, one vote is given to the 387 
LDP lawmakers and three votes to the 47 prefectural chapters. 
Therefore, a total of 528 votes will be cast. 
 
 
TOKYO 00004297  008 OF 012 
 
 
13) Fukuda likely to win LDP presidency with support from a majority 
of LDP lawmakers; Fukuda expected to announce his candidacy 
 
MAINICHI (Top play) (Excerpts) 
September 14, 2007 
 
Ahead of a presidential election of the ruling Liberal Democratic 
Party (LDP) to choose a successor to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who 
days before announced his intention to resign, former Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Yasuo Fukuda (71) of the Machimura faction yesterday made 
 
SIPDIS 
up his mind to run and conveyed this intention to several party 
officials. Fukuda was critical of the Abe administration for its 
Asian policy. Fukuda plans to ask for cross-factional support. The 
largest Machimura faction (with a membership of 80) has now been 
united to back Fukuda, and a considerable number of lawmakers from 
the Koga, Yamasaki, and Tanigaki factions are likely to support 
Fukuda. Garnering support from a majority of party lawmakers, Fukuda 
immediately has an advantage over other candidates. Meanwhile, 
Secretary General Taro Aso (66) of the Aso faction pushed back the 
 
SIPDIS 
day for him to declare his candidacy from yesterday to today. After 
much discussion in the party, the LDP decided to announce a 
presidential election today, accept applications for candidacy 
tomorrow, and hold an election at a general meeting of the party 
lawmakers of both the chambers of the Diet on Sept. 23 to choose a 
new president. 
 
Fukuda indicated his strong enthusiasm for the presidency in the 
Diet yesterday evening, telling reporters: "Whether to run for 
presidency is under consideration." In an interview with the 
Mainichi Shimbun, Fukuda commented: "Many (in the party) have told 
me to run. I must respond to this call." In the Machimura faction, 
to which Fukuda belongs, former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori met 
separately with Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, former 
Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa, and Fukuda to determine the 
 
SIPDIS 
faction's stance ahead of the presidential election. As a result, 
the faction has decided to back Fukuda. Fukuda is to announce his 
candidacy possibly today. Fukuda is a six-term lawmaker. His father 
is the late former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda. In the second Mori 
cabinet and the Koizumi cabinet, Fukuda served as chief cabinet 
secretary. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
14) Former Prime Minister Koizumi to back Fukuda in LDP presidential 
election, saying, "I will spearhead his election campaign." 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
September 14, 2007 
 
Former Prime Minister Koizumi yesterday conveyed to former Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Hidenao Nakagawa on the 
phone his intention to support former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo 
Fukuda, who will run in the LDP presidential race. Regarding 
Fukuda's candidacy, Koizumi said, "That's good. I will stand at the 
front in his election campaign." Koizumi told former Prime Minister 
Mori, "I will 100 percent not run in the race." He thus clarified 
his determination not to run in the race. 
 
There has now appeared a possibility of Koizumi's decision having an 
impact on the movements of junior lawmakers who have been seeking 
his candidacy. 
 
15) Healthcare system in Kantei being called into question, with 
prime minister's hospitalization 
 
TOKYO 00004297  009 OF 012 
 
 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
September 14, 2007 
 
Following Prime Minister Abe's hospitalization yesterday, the 
healthcare and crisis-management systems in the Prime Minister's 
Official Residence (Kantei) are now being called into question. The 
government has decided not to appoint an acting prime minister. A 
government official also said that there is no problem with the 
crisis-management system. But some government officials voiced 
apprehension about the systems, one saying: "It is impossible to 
predict what the effect would be on national politics." 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yosano indicated in a press conference 
yesterday that there was no problem with the healthcare system to 
look after the prime minister's health, saying: "The prime minister 
was keeping tabs on his health through his own doctor. He was 
properly taking control of his own health." 
 
In April 2000, then Prime Minister Obuchi suffered a stroke in the 
Kantei and was immediately taken into hospital, but he later died. 
Set off by this experience, the government started healthcare 
arrangements in the Kantei. One Self-Defense Force (SDF) medical 
officer and one nurse are permanently stationed in the medical 
office in the Kantei so that the prime minister's health is checked 
on a round-the-clock basis. When the prime minister makes an 
overseas trip, a medical officer, a nurse, and his doctor usually 
accompany him. 
 
When Abe made trips abroad, his doctor Toshifumi Hibi, from Keio 
University Hospital, has gone along with him. Hibi said in a press 
conference yesterday: "I accompanied the prime minister on his visit 
to Australia (late last week), but he became extremely weak before 
leaving the country." 
 
However, because the prime minister announced his resignation while 
he was in bad physical shape, calls are expected to grow for 
improving the healthcare system in the Kantei. 
 
16) Malfunctioning Kantei; What happened to crisis management? 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
September 14, 2007 
 
With the hospitalization of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after 
suffering from functional gastrointentional disorder yesterday, the 
Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) is leaderless now. The 
government has put off important meetings in succession. The 
political center of Nagatacho and the government office district of 
Kasumigaseki are now closely watching the Liberal Democratic Party's 
(LDP) presidential race, in which Abe's successor will be elected. 
For all practical purposes, the Kantei has now ceased to function. 
 
At the Kantei, meetings of the senior vice ministers and 
administrative vice ministers were held yesterday as scheduled. 
After Abe's hospitalization, no politicians and bureaucrats visited 
the Kantei. 
 
The government decided yesterday to switch to an informal cabinet 
meeting from the regular cabinet meeting slated for today. It 
forwent a meeting planned for today of its blue-ribbon panel on the 
legal foundation for national security, an advisory panel tasked 
 
TOKYO 00004297  010 OF 012 
 
 
with discussing the right of collective self-defense. 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Kaoru Yosano stressed in a press conference 
yesterday that the effect of the prime minister's hospitalization 
would be limited, saying: "We divided meetings into those that 
should be held even in the prime minister's absence and other 
meetings that can be put off." 
 
17) Prime Minister's health a delicate issue: Cases that were kept 
as top secret or not announced at all in the past 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
September 14, 2007 
 
Prime Minister Abe was yesterday admitted to a Tokyo hospital with 
functional gastrointestinal disorder. The health condition of an 
incumbent prime minister is politically an extremely delicate issue. 
In many cases, the fact of hospitalization itself or disease names 
were not announced officially. 
 
In a recent case, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi was hospitalized after 
a stroke in the early hours of Apr. 2, 2000. The cabinet resigned en 
masse two days later. Obuchi died on May 14. 
 
On that occasion, the announcement of his hospitalization was 
suspended for a whole day. Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki at the 
time took office as acting deputy prime minister on the morning of 
Apr. 3. There was no prime minister in office during this timeframe, 
raising a question on the crisis management system of the Prime 
Minister's Official Residence (Kantei). 
 
Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama during a working dinner at the 
Naples Summit in July 1994 became ill and was hospitalized 
temporarily. In May 1980, Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira, who was 
forced to dissolve the Lower House for a general election with the 
adoption of a no-confidence motion against his cabinet, was 
hospitalized. He was diagnosed as suffering from irregular heart 
beat and died of acute cardiac failure while in office. The Liberal 
Democratic Part (LDP) won a landslide victory in the concurrent 
Lower and Upper House elections held right after Ohira's death. 
Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda was hospitalized in September 1964. The 
name of his disease was precancerous syndrome. He announced his plan 
to resign the day after the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics 
in Oct. 1964. 
 
18) Budget compilation likely to be carried over to coming year: 
Concern about negative impact on people's lives 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
September 14, 2007 
 
There is concern about a delay in the compilation of the fiscal 2008 
budget due to the turmoil caused by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's 
announcement of his plan to step down. If the turmoil in the 
political situation continues because of a dissolution of the Lower 
House, the budget compilation process would come to a halt, causing 
a delay in the adoption of the budget bill expected to take place at 
year's end until the coming year. Should that happen, it would be 
the first time since a similar case happened during the Morihiro 
Hosokawa cabinet 14 years ago. A delay in the compilation of the 
budget will have a major impact on people's lives. The Ministry of 
Finance (MOF) is concerned about the development of the political 
 
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situation. 
 
MOF closed the acceptance of estimated budget requests at the end of 
August and has started screening those requests for the compilation 
at year's end. However, there is a mountain of obstacles to the 
compilation of the budget within the year. 
 
The ruling parties suffered a crushing defeat in the July Upper 
House election. The Upper House is dominated by the opposition, led 
by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Prime Minister Abe has 
announced his plan to quit only a month after reshuffling his 
cabinet. The LDP will hold a presidential election on Sept. 23. A 
new prime minister is expected to be chosen before the end of this 
month. However, it is uncertain whether the new prime minister will 
be able to find a breakthrough in the present political situation, 
in which the opposition camp controls the Upper House while the 
ruling bloc holds a majority in the House of Representatives. 
 
19) DPJ's Ozawa making strategic moves on diplomatic front in effort 
to grab political power 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 14, 2007 
 
Looking askance at the confusion in the ruling camp caused by Prime 
Minister Shinzo Abe's announcement of his resignation, Democratic 
Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa is steadily making 
strategic moves on the diplomatic and security fronts. He met with 
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Chairman Jia 
Qinglin yesterday and stressed that he would make utmost efforts to 
seize political power, saying: "Japan and China are both at a major 
turning point." The DPJ has also resumed talks on the issue of 
extending the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law in preparation for 
the start of debate with the new administration. 
 
The Ozawa-Jia meeting lasted for about one hour. Ozawa told Jia: 
"Even after a new prime minister assumes office, the current state 
of the reversal of strengths between the ruling and opposition 
parties will remain unchanged. This state will continue at least for 
three years. Unless we accurately recognize this situation, it will 
be impossible to implement political administration as desired." He 
then categorically said: "The Liberal Democratic Party has no 
capability to completely alter the contradictions in the current 
political mechanism controlled by the bureaucracy." The meeting was 
arranged in response to a request from Chinese Ambassador to Japan 
Wang Yi. Coordination is also underway for Ozawa to meet President 
Hu Jintao during his planned visit to China in December. 
 
In a meeting of the DPJ foreign and defense committee held yesterday 
morning, the participants confirmed the party's policy of opposing 
the government's plan to continue the Maritime Self-Defense Force's 
(MSDF) refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. The party had asked 
the Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry to submit data 
covering 42 items related to MSDF activities. In the meeting, it was 
reported that the government has refused to reply to almost all 
requests in effect, on the grounds that coordination with the United 
States is necessary. 
 
The items include: (1) The destinations of and the state of 
participation in the war by the US naval vessels that were refueled 
by MSDF; (2) detailed areas in which MSDF refueled various 
countries' ships; and (3) the possibility of offering other 
 
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materials on the occasion of refueling. If the DPJ is unable to 
receive satisfactory replies, the party plans to invoke its 
investigative power in national politics. 
 
In the evening, the meeting invited representatives from a 
non-government organization (NGO) offering medical services in 
Afghanistan. The participants and the representatives exchanged 
views on new contribution measures, centering on humanitarian aid, 
to replace the MSDF mission under the Antiterrorism Special Measures 
Law. 
 
Views in the DPJ have gradually been unified into that of opposing 
the MSDF refueling, in line with Ozawa's assertion that SDF troops 
should be dispatched overseas only under a UN resolution. Regarding 
security policy, intertwined with a revision of the Constitution, 
views in the party were split. Given this, antagonism may appear in 
the party in the future. 
 
 
SCHIEFFER