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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 14 TOKYO 004784 
 
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 10/12/07 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 
 
Anti-terrorism legislation: 
4) DPJ in Diet interpellations charges that MSDF fueled Aegis 
destroyer USS Paul Hamilton, a key warship in the Iraq war (Asahi) 
 
5) 200,000 gallons provided directly to US destroyer (Asahi) 
6) Government rewriting new anti-terror bill to remove suspicions of 
fuel diversion (Tokyo Shimbun) 
7) DPJ determined to be completely confrontational on the new 
anti-terror bill (Nikkei) 
8) Ruling camp cautious about resorting to voting override of 
anti-terror bill in Lower House after the opposition camp shoots it 
down in the Upper House (Nikkei) 
9) Prime Minister Fukuda hopes to visit the US right after the 
anti-terror bill is passed (Tokyo Shimbun) 
10) But Fukuda's first trip to US as prime minister may be to 
explain why MSDF refueling mission has been stopped, at least for 
while (Asahi) 
11) Defense Ministry to again hold seminar to make the public 
understand the refueling mission (Asahi) 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and the ISAF issue 
12) Strong resistance inside the DPJ to President Ozawa's pet 
argument about Japan joining ISAF (Nikkei) 
13) DPJ in turmoil about what to do with Ozawa's ISAF proposal 
(Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
14) US pressured Japan in 1974 to downplay leak of radioactivity 
from Navy warship entering Okinawa port (Akahata) 
 
North Korea problem: 
15) Government mulling humanitarian aid to North Korea conditioned 
to investigation of remaining abductees (Sankei) 
16) ROK premier says that Kim Jong Il never mentioned abduction 
issue in his meeting with Roh (Yomiuri) 
 
17) Gap between Japan, China on gas field development could not be 
filled in latest meeting (Nikkei) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
MSDF ship refueled key US warship for Iraq war 
 
Mainichi: 
Poll: At least 60 children remain in brain-dead condition for long 
time 
 
Yomiuri: 
Towa Ban's losses expanded as bank knowingly continuing loans to 
firms with deteriorating business 
 
Nikkei: 
Independent administrative entities hold 600 billion yen in hidden 
losses 
 
TOKYO 00004784  002 OF 014 
 
 
 
Sankei: 
Mock jury-judge trials: Variation of punishments 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Expert panel to recommend Japan High School Baseball Federation to 
give scholarship up to 5 students per grade 
 
Akahata: 
JCP lawmaker Akamine says at Lower House Budget Committee: Education 
Ministry deleted expression "forced" on mass suicide in Okinawa from 
history textbook 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Scholarship for high school baseball players: Time to correct 
excessiveness 
(2) Man acquitted: Lawyers bear heavy responsibility 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Eliminate antisocial web sites! 
(2) Scholarship for high school baseball players: Welcome realistic 
response 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Suicide web cite leads to murder for hire 
(2) Expressway toll charges should be kept simple 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) BOJ should pay attention to prices from multilateral 
standpoints 
(2) Man acquitted: Visualization viewpoint needed for 
investigations 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Man acquitted: Prosecutors, lawyers, judges bear 
responsibilities 
(2) Sound competition needed for cell-phone users 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Court downplays utility of videotaping interrogations 
(2) Alternate CFC is a hint for success 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Mass suicide in Okinawa: Prime Minister Fukuda must take back 
his words and respond to Okinawa's sentiments 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, October 11 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2007 
 
07:44 
Met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Ohno at the Kantei. 
 
09:01 
Lower House Budget Committee meeting. 
 
12:06 
 
TOKYO 00004784  003 OF 014 
 
 
Returned to the Kantei. 
 
13:00 
Lower House Budget Committee meeting. 
 
17:03 
Met with next chairman of the Vietnam and Japan Parliamentarian 
Friendship League. Chairman Takebe of the Japan-Vietnam 
Parliamentarian Friendship League was present. The met with Chuma, 
head of the LDP Administrative Reform Promotion Headquarters. 
 
17:46 
The 10th regular convention of the Japanese Trade Union 
Confederation held at the Tokyo International Forum in Marunouchi. 
 
18:09 
Returned to the Kantei. 
 
18:44 
Met with ambassadors to Japan from Islam nations at ANA 
Intercontinental Hotel in Tokyo. Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura 
was present. 
 
19:41 
Returned to his private residence in Nozawa. 
 
4) Fuel supplied to core ship in Iraq operations before war; DPJ to 
pursue fuel diversion; MOD asks US for info 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Abridged) 
October 12, 2007 
 
In late February 2003, shortly before the Iraq war, a Maritime 
Self-Defense Force supply ship refueled a US Aegis-equipped 
destroyer that can be loaded with cruise missiles, the Ministry of 
Defense revealed yesterday. In this regard, the ministry has 
inquired of the United States about whether the Aegis destroyer was 
loaded with Tomahawk missiles when refueled and about the 
destroyer's activities thereafter, officials said yesterday. The US 
destroyer participated in antiterror operations in the Indian Ocean. 
However, it is evident that the destroyer played a key role in the 
Iraq war as well and launched about 50 Tomahawk missiles. Meanwhile, 
in the Diet, the House of Representatives Budget Committee held a 
meeting of its directors yesterday. In the meeting, a committee 
director representing the leading opposition Democratic Party of 
Japan (Minshuto) proposed invoking the right to conduct 
investigations in relation to government in conformity with the 
Constitution's Article 62, suspecting that fuel provided by the MSDF 
might have been used for Iraq operations. 
 
Kazuhiro Haraguchi, a House of Representatives member from the DPJ, 
took up the matter when the Budget Committee of the lower chamber 
met yesterday. In the meeting, Haraguchi asked about the USS Paul 
Hamilton, a US destroyer. He noted that the destroyer participated 
in Iraq attacks with Tomahawk missiles onboard. "This destroyer has 
tremendously strong fighting power and was a core ship in the Iraq 
war," Haraguchi stated before the committee. He then asked whether 
the destroyer used MSDF-supplied fuel for Iraq operations. 
 
In his reply, Defense Minister Ishiba promised to release findings. 
"To tell the truth," Ishiba stated, "I'm also aware of this matter 
you've noted now." He also stated: "The question is whether it's a 
 
TOKYO 00004784  004 OF 014 
 
 
ship that can be loaded with Tomahawks. That's the point, I think. 
We're now looking into the facts, and I want to make it public as 
soon as we're ready." 
 
The USS Paul Hamilton is equipped with Aegis systems including 
powerful radar, according to the US Navy's official website and 
other sources. Tomahawk missiles can be also mounted on the 
destroyer. The Paul Hamilton was out at sea for a period of about 
nine months from August 2002 through April 2003. The Aegis destroyer 
participated in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), an antiterror 
operation in the Indian Ocean. In addition, the destroyer also 
participated in the Iraq war. 
 
In those days, CNN reported that the USS Paul Hamilton had arrived 
in the Persian Gulf before the Iraq war and participated in 
sanctions against the then Hussein regime through maritime 
interdiction operations like cargo ship inspections. The Paul 
Hamilton fired a total of about 50 Tomahawk missiles during the Iraq 
war, the largest number of Tomahawk missiles fired by a single 
vessel. 
 
Such suspicions being floated, the DPJ proposed invoking the right 
to investigate state affairs in a meeting yesterday of directors on 
the House of Representatives Budget Committee. The DPJ currently 
holds a majority of the seats in the House of Councillors. The 
ruling and opposition parties have now changed places in the Diet's 
upper chamber. This is the first time for the DPJ to propose 
invoking its investigative right in such a situation. The DPJ is now 
going through parliamentary investigative procedures, seeking to 
unveil facts about the activities of foreign naval vessels in the 
Indian Ocean over the past six years, including the USS Kitty Hawk, 
a US aircraft carrier that is suspected of having used MSDF-supplied 
fuel for Iraq operations, and the USS Paul Hamilton, as well as 
facts about the activities of multinational forces in Afghanistan. 
 
5) 200,000 gallons provided directly to US destroyer 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
October 12, 2007 
 
According to the Japanese and US governments, the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force supply vessel Tokiwa refueled the USS Pecos, a US 
oiler, with about 800,000 gallons in the Indian Ocean on Feb. 25, 
2003, and after that provided about 200,000 gallons of fuel to the 
Paul Hamilton as well. On the same day, the USS Pecos, capable of 
tanking up to 7,560,000 gallons on board, refueled the USS Kitty 
Hawk, a US aircraft carrier, with about 675,000 gallons, and also 
refueled the USS Cowpens, a US cruiser, with about 149,000 gallons. 
 
The Kitty Hawk began to support Iraq operations on the night of Feb. 
28, 2003, three days after its arrival in the Persian Gulf. 
According to the Japanese and US governments, the Kitty Hawk, before 
her embarkation on Iraq operations, consumed fuel equivalent to the 
amount of fuel provided by Japan. In the Diet, however, the 
opposition bench pursued this matter, suspecting that the Kitty Hawk 
might have used MSDF-supplied fuel for Iraq operations. It is also 
evident from US military data that the Cowpens, after receiving fuel 
from the MSDF, was almost on the same track as the Kitty Hawk. 
 
6) Government, ruling parties mulling inclusion of clause 
prohibiting refueling oilers into new legislation; Policy switch 
following suspected fuel diversion 
 
TOKYO 00004784  005 OF 014 
 
 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
October 12, 2007 
 
The government and the ruling camp yesterday started reconsidering 
the possibility of including a clause prohibiting refueling other 
countries' oilers, an act allowed under the existing Antiterrorism 
Special Measures Law, into new legislation aimed at enabling the 
Maritime Self-Defense Force to continue refueling operations in the 
Indian Ocean. 
 
They considered mentioning such a ban in an exchange of notes with 
oil-recipient countries, instead of directly mentioning it in an 
article under the law. However, following the allegation that fuel 
supplied by an MSDF supply ship has been used for other than 
Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) purposes, the government has 
decided to seek understanding in the envisaged new legislation from 
the opposition camp, by including a ban to refuel oilers. It will 
adopt the new legislation at a special cabinet meeting on Oct. 17 
and submit it to the Diet. 
 
Regarding the issue of extending refueling operations for a US 
oiler, opposition parties at a Lower House Budget Committee meeting 
harshly pursued a case in which a US aircraft carrier, which was 
indirectly refueled by a US oiler that received fuel from an MSDF 
supply vessel in February 2003 right before the outbreak of the Iraq 
war, took part in the Iraq war, citing that the MSDF-supplied fuel 
was diverted for the use in the Iraq war. 
 
As a result, calls for clarifying a policy of reviewing refueling 
activities for oilers, which has triggered the diversion allegation, 
flared up again in view of Diet deliberations on the new 
legislation. In a speech given at plenary session of a meeting of 
his faction, LDP Vice President Taku Yamasaki, who presides over the 
ruling party's project team, announced his parties plan, "We want to 
modify the outline of the new legislation and include a measure 
addressing questions raised by the opposition before submitting it 
to the Diet." 
 
The new legislation would limit vessels eligible for receiving fuel 
to those engaged in the MIO, in which the MSDF is taking part. 
However, some government officials are calling for going no further 
than making such a limit a measure to be observed in actual 
operations with one noting, "This is not a matter to be stipulated 
in the bill." 
 
7) DPJ to offer do-or-die resistance to new antiterrorism 
legislation; Calls for invoking administrative investigation rights 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2007 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) is ready to offer do-or-die 
resistance to the government's new legislation to continue the 
Maritime Self-Defense Force's (MSDF) refueling mission in the Indian 
Ocean. In a directors' meeting of the House of Representatives 
Budget Committee yesterday, the DPJ called for invoking its right to 
investigate state affairs, on the grounds that the government's 
replies to the DPJ's request for disclosing detailed information on 
the refueling operation are insufficient. 
 
The DPJ has repeatedly called on the government to disclose related 
 
TOKYO 00004784  006 OF 014 
 
 
documents at the Lower House Budget Committee and the party's Policy 
Research Committee. The aim is to prove the alleged diversion of 
MSDF-supplied fuel for use in the Iraq war. If this charge is proved 
true, the propriety of the new legislation designed to eradicate 
terrorism in Afghanistan will be shaken. 
 
In a Lower House Budget Committee meeting yesterday, Kazuhiro 
Haraguchi pointed out the possibility that an US Aegis destroyer 
provided with 200,000 gallons of oil by the MSDF in February 2003 
might have carried Tomahawk cruise missiles. He then grilled the 
government over the allegation of diversion of MSDF-provided fuel 
for use in the Iraq war. Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba promised to 
give a reply after an investigation and also solicited an 
instruction from Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to relevant government 
agencies to disclose information. 
 
In the directors' meeting held afterward, the main opposition party 
urged the government to present related documents on the areas and 
the numbers of refueling, as well as the navigation plans of the 
refueled naval ships, including logbooks. The party then demanded 
invoking its administrative investigation rights. There is little 
possibility in the Lower House, where the ruling coalition has 
control, but head director Katsuya Okada stressed before reporters: 
"In the House of Councillors, in which the opposition bloc holds a 
majority, our right probably will be invoked." 
 
(Political agenda) 
 
Oct.15-17 Upper House Budget Committee meetings 
17 Cabinet decision on a new bill to continue MSDF refueling mission 
in the Indian Ocean. 
18 Targeted start of deliberations in the ruling coalition on the 
new antiterrorism bill. 
Nov. 1 Expiration of the current Antiterrorism Special Measures Law 
10 End of the extraordinary Diet session 
21 An East Asia summit meeting (in Singapore) 
Mid-Nov. US Visit by the prime minister 
Mid-Dec. Decision by the ruling parties on an outline for tax system 
reform for next fiscal year. 
Late Dec. Government's decision on a budget bill for the next fiscal 
year at a cabinet meeting 
 
8) New refueling legislation to be submitted to Diet on Oct. 17, 
aiming at enacting it in second vote 
 
NIKKEI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) 
October 12, 2007 
 
The ruling coalition is quaking over the handling of new legislation 
enabling the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) to continue its 
refueling mission in the Indian Ocean, the top priority issue in the 
ongoing extraordinary Diet session. There appears a cautious view, 
centering on the New Komeito, the junior coalition partner of the 
ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), toward a hard-line approach 
that if the legislation is voted down in the House of Councillors, 
the ruling camp will take a vote again in the House of 
Representatives and get it pass through the Diet with its two-thirds 
strength in the Lower House. The LDP also wants to avoid a situation 
under which Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda will be forced to dissolve 
the Lower House to call a general election due to a possible 
political uproar triggered by taking two votes on the legislation. 
The ruling bloc is now being forced to make a tough decision on 
 
TOKYO 00004784  007 OF 014 
 
 
whether to continue deliberations on the bill in the Lower House or 
whether to send it to the Upper House in order to challenge the 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto), the largest opposition 
party. 
 
Forges idea of extending extra session to next year 
 
Last night Minister Fukuda expressed his willingness to continue the 
MSDF refueling operation in the Indian Ocean, telling reporters: "I 
want to continue that operation in the Indian Ocean." The government 
will get a cabinet approval of the new refueling bill and submit it 
to the Diet on Oct. 17. 
 
The ruling coalition initially aimed to pass the bill through the 
Lower House in early November. Although an extension of the current 
Diet session, which will run until Nov. 10, is unavoidable, the 
ruling camp will likely forego extending the session up to late 
January next year due to a growing cautious view about taking vote 
twice in the Lower House. Therefore, the session will likely extend 
until mid-December at the longest. 
 
60 PERCENT  public approval needed 
 
A senior New Komeito member commented: "I think that we will be able 
to take a vote on the new legislation twice if at least 60 PERCENT 
of the public support it." The senior member predicted that an early 
dissolution of the Lower House will be a disadvantage for the ruling 
coalition. 
 
In reaction to the ruling coalition's move to take a vote twice, in 
case the opposition camp submits to the Upper House a censure motion 
against the prime minister and the chamber passes it, deliberations 
will be stalled. And chances are that the opposition will strengthen 
its stance of confronting the ruling bloc, prompting the possibility 
of a Lower House dissolution. If the New Komeito does not join with 
the LDP, it will be impossible to vote again in the Lower House. The 
LDP, therefore, cannot ignore the New Komeito's view. 
 
Explanations to other countries indispensable 
 
How Japan should contribute to the international community is 
another issue. The United Nations Security Council adopted in 
September a resolution expressing "appreciation" for activities 
against terrorism and preventing arms transfer. The UNSC expressed 
expectations of the continued refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. 
If the ruling coalition gives up on taking twice a vote in the Lower 
House, it will be difficult to enact new legislation based on the UN 
resolution. Since Fukuda has repeatedly stressed the importance of 
international contributions, he will have to explain to the 
international community. He is expected to visit the United States 
in mid-November. He will then explain Japan's situation regarding 
the new legislation to President George W. Bush and seek his 
understanding. 
 
9) Fukuda determined to visit US in November after enacting new 
refueling legislation 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) 
October 12, 2007 
 
Yasuo Fukuda has picked the United States as the destination of his 
first overseas trip as prime minister. He is planning visiting the 
 
TOKYO 00004784  008 OF 014 
 
 
country during a delicate period -- in mid- or late November -- when 
the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian 
Ocean will have to be halted. The decision seems to reflect his 
strong resolve to enact new legislation in order to continue the 
MSDF mission. 
 
Fukuda's US visit planned for November is drawing attention for two 
factors. One is how the question of refueling will be handled in his 
talks with President George W. Bush. 
 
Through a post-inaugural telephone conversation with President Bush, 
Fukuda has been in accord with the US president to visit the United 
States early. 
 
But once the Antiterrorism Law now in force expires on Nov. 1, the 
MSDF's refueling operation will inevitably be suspended. For this 
reason, there was concern early on that if the planned US trip was 
set for shortly after Nov. 1, the prime minister would find it 
difficult to visit the country just to explain the failure to 
continue the refueling operation. 
 
Despite that, the prime minister has begun making preparations for 
the US visit. This can be taken that the scenario of extending the 
current session of the Diet until Nov. 10 to get the new refueling 
legislation to clear the House of Representatives by using a 
two-thirds majority rule once it is rejected in the House of 
Councillors has become a real possibility. 
 
Asked last night by a reporter about his resolve for enacting the 
new legislation during the current Diet session, Fukuda said: "I 
want to pave the way for continuing the maritime operation in the 
Indian Ocean at all costs." 
 
The US visit is also intended to dispel the concern that Japan's 
foreign policy might extremely tilt toward China. 
 
Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was regarded as pro-American, 
opted to visit China and South Korea shortly after assuming office, 
postponing his visit to the United States for six months. Although 
Fukuda is seen as pro-China, his visit to China is unlikely to occur 
until early next year. Their first official foreign trips clearly 
tell a difference in their diplomatic stances. 
 
10) Fukuda to visit US first out of concern for possible suspension 
of refueling mission, emphasizes importance of Japan-US relations as 
cornerstone of Japanese foreign policy 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
October 12, 2007 
 
Nanae Kurashige 
 
Prime Minister Fukuda has made up his mind to make the United States 
his first overseas destination after coming to power. Coordination 
has begun between the governments of Japan and the US to realize the 
visit in November. The purpose of the visit is apparently to 
emphasize Japan's continued stance of backing the war on terrorism 
despite an unavoidable suspension of the Maritime Self-Defense 
Force's (MSDF) refueling mission in the Indian Ocean, in which the 
MSDF has refueled US and other countries' vessels. Fukuda, who tends 
to be portrayed as a pro-China politician, appears to be motivated 
by his desire to produce an impression of prioritizing relations 
 
TOKYO 00004784  009 OF 014 
 
 
with the US as the cornerstone of Japan's foreign policy on the 
domestic and international audiences. 
 
"Japan-US relations are the core of Japanese diplomacy. I think it 
is necessary to further cement relations with the US in order also 
to advance our diplomacy in Asia. After visiting the US, I want to 
travel to Asian nations," Fukuda told reporters at the Prime 
Minister's Official Residence late yesterday, making clear his 
intention to set his diplomatic calendar in a way to visit first the 
US and then Asia. 
 
Fukuda has emphasized the importance of diplomacy toward Asia and 
clearly denied the possibility of visiting Yasukuni Shrine out of 
consideration for China since taking office as prime minister. 
Partly for these circumstances, China was suggested at one point by 
some in the government as the first country for Fukuda to visit as 
prime minister. In fact, in a telephone conversation with Chinese 
Premier Wen Jiabao held immediately after assuming power as prime 
minister, Fukuda agreed with Wen to visit China as swiftly as 
possible. 
 
However, it has become hopeless to enact by Nov. 1 a new law 
enabling the MSDF to continue its refueling mission because the 
opposition parties, which now control the Upper House, including the 
major opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), remain opposed to 
enacting a new law. Concerned about the impact of a possible 
suspension of the refueling mission, many in the government had been 
insisting that the prime minister should prioritize his visit to the 
US. 
 
Fukuda has good relations with US officials, including former 
Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker. In fact, when he visited 
Washington in May 2006 after stepping down as chief cabinet 
secretary, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice despite her tight 
 
SIPDIS 
schedule spared time to meet with Fukuda. Thus Fukuda has a broad 
personal network with the US. But because Fukuda has given a strong 
impression of being a pro-China politician, if he failed to visit 
the US first, "he could send a wrong message that he has prioritized 
Asia over the US," a government official noted. 
 
Fukuda eventually decided to prioritize his visit to the US. As for 
his visit to China, coordination is underway to realize it possibly 
in next January. Former Deputy Foreign Minister Hitoshi Tanaka, who 
was regarded as one of the key advisors for Fukuda when he served as 
chief cabinet secretary, speculated on Fukuda's real intentions: 
"The fundamental premise of Japanese diplomacy is that Japan-US 
relations are of vital importance. Based on that, Mr. Fukuda is 
considering 'Japan in Asia'." 
 
11) Defense Ministry to again hold seminar to make the public 
understand the refueling mission 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
October 12, 2007 
 
The Ministry of Defense (MOD) plans to hold a seminar on defense 
issues in 14 cities across the country starting on Oct. 17. The aim 
is to disseminate among the public the importance of the 
Self-Defense Forces' (SDF) refueling mission in the Indian Ocean 
under the Antiterrorism Special Measures Law. This seminar will 
follow the one held in September. The seminar will have a 
question-and-answer session and in the seminar, SDF personnel will 
 
TOKYO 00004784  010 OF 014 
 
 
explain their experiences. The planned locations of the seminar are 
as follows: Kumamoto (Oct. 17), Nagoya (Oct. 23), Kobe (Oct. 24), 
Niigata (Oct. 26), Kagoshima (Oct. 29), Obihiro in Hokkaido (Oct. 
30), Aomori (Oct. 30), Yokosuka in Kanagawa (Oct. 31), Yonago in 
Tottori (Oct. 31), Asahikawa in Hokkaido (Nov. 1); Chiba (Nov. 5), 
Fukushima (Nov. 6), Takamatsu (Nov. 6), and Hamamatsu (Nov. 9). 
 
Details are shown on MOD's website: 
http://www.mod.go.jp/j/news/2007/10/05b.html, 
 
12) Disharmony appearing in opposition camp over Ozawa's idea of 
participation in ISAF in Afghanistan 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2007 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa's idea of 
having the Self-Defense Force (SDF) join the International Security 
Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan has caused cracks to appear 
within the opposition camp. Some think that the proposed 
participation is unconstitutional because operations by the ISAF 
could entail the use of armed force. 
 
Ozawa's idea is based on the view that since operations under a 
United Nations resolution are beyond the self-defense right that 
requires the mobilization of state power, they do not violate 
Article 9 of the Constitution even if they involve the use of force. 
Ozawa's opposition to the Maritime Self-Defense Force's continued 
refueling mission stems from the lack of endorsement by a UN 
resolution. 
 
In the main opposition party, some members who came from the former 
Japan Socialist Party and mid-ranking or junior lawmakers have 
strong antipathy to SDF using force overseas. In a meeting yesterday 
of its senior House of Councillors members, one participant said: 
"(The Ozawa proposal) might lead to changing the political 
situation. Politicians tend to make a mistake in their strong 
areas." 
 
Senior DPJ members are frantically trying to relieve the anxiety. In 
reference to Ozawa's earlier remark: "Those who do not agree with my 
idea should leave the party," Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji 
Yamaoka said in a press conference yesterday: "He did not 
necessarily mean that those who do not support his idea cannot stay 
in the party. He just expressed a general view." 
 
When all opposition parties are aiming to form a strong united 
front, with an eye to the next House of Representatives election, 
some in the opposition bloc have also negatively reacted to the 
ISAF-participation idea. 
 
Japanese Communist Party Chairman Kazuo Shii said in a press 
conference: "Our party will cooperate in opposing the government's 
new antiterrorism legislation," but he stressed regarding the 
proposed participation in the ISAF: "The Constitution bans the use 
of armed force overseas regardless whether there is a UN resolution 
or not. The participation would be a violation of the Constitution." 
In a general meeting of Rengo (Japanese Trade Union Confederation), 
Social Democratic Party President Mizuho Fukushima also stated in 
her speech after Ozawa left the session: "Japan's participation in 
the ISAF apparently infringes on the Constitution. We cannot approve 
it." 
 
TOKYO 00004784  011 OF 014 
 
 
 
13) DPJ in uproar due to Ozawa's reference to ISAF participation as 
"party policy," drawing fire from constitutional protectionists and 
conservatives 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Abridged slightly) 
October 12, 2007 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto or DPJ) President Ichiro Ozawa's 
statement terming participation in the International Security 
Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan as "party policy" has created 
a stir in the party. The party leadership is trying to play down the 
significance in reaction to strong protests from conservatives and 
constitutional protectionists in the party as too forcible. 
 
Touching on ISAF participation, Ozawa declared on Oct. 10: "We have 
promised it to the people as the party's basic view. Anyone who 
doesn't like it should leave the party." Deputy President Katsuya 
Okada, meeting the press in the Diet building yesterday, said in a 
delicate tone: "What the president said is extremely weighty. I 
think we will have to discuss what to do with the ISAF question in 
the party, while respecting the president's wishes." 
 
A constitutional protectionist indicated that Ozawa should not have 
mentioned it at this point in time. A conservative member quipped: 
"It was as though they were words from God. The 'Ozawa disease' has 
come back." 
 
To begin with, many DPJ lawmakers were reluctant about ISAF 
participation. There was also a mood in the party to put up with a 
call for ISAF participation as long as it was Ozawa's personal view. 
Ozawa's abrupt reference to ISAF participation as "party policy" has 
thrown the party into turmoil. 
 
Sensing the party's atmosphere, Diet Affairs Committee Chairman 
Kenji Yamaoka told a press conference: "President Ozawa just 
mentioned a general argument. It means the ISAF is in line with the 
party view (proclaiming active participation in UN operations)." 
 
Deputy President Azuma Koshiishi also explained: "The policy 
mentioned by President Ozawa is fine, but if there is a need for 
discussion, we will conduct discussions." 
 
To counter a government-sponsored new refueling bill, discussion is 
underway in the largest opposition party to come up with a 
counterproposal including participation in the ISAF nonmilitary 
sector. But there is no guarantee that this will become a settlement 
line. The turmoil is likely to continue. 
 
14) In 1974, radioactivity polluted water once nuclear-powered US 
warship entered port - the cause unknown, but Japanese government 
under US pressure changed its Diet reply on the matter (Akahata) 
 
AKAHATA (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2007 
 
Revealed by US document 
 
A declassified US government document that has been acquired by 
international affairs researcher Akiharu Niibaru revealed that the 
US government put pressure on Japan when an Okinawa Prefecture port 
frequently entered by a US nuclear-powered warship was found to be 
 
TOKYO 00004784  012 OF 014 
 
 
polluted by radioactivity to change its reply in the Diet to "there 
was no pollution." The incident raises questions not only about the 
US government's invasion of Japan's sovereign right but also about 
the Japanese government's caving in to US pressure so simply. 
 
The incident happened on Feb. 25, 1974, in the Upper House Budget 
Committee where (then) Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Susumu Kato 
raised the question. Kato was pursuing the issue of the discovery of 
a high level of cobalt 60, a type of radioactive substance, found in 
the mud of the port of Naha and of White Beach in Okinawa 
Prefecture. The then deputy director of the Nuclear Energy Bureau of 
the Science and Technology Agency, Yoshitoku Ihara, replied: "We can 
surmise that a certain portion (of the cobalt 60) may have come from 
a nuclear-powered submarine." He acknowledged that the radioactive 
pollution was caused by the US forces. 
 
However, three days later, on Feb. 28, Ihara changed his reply when 
queried by another lawmaker to say: "(The cause of the unusual level 
of cobalt 60) must be concluded as completely unknown." 
 
The whole story behind the changed Diet reply has now come out with 
the discovery by Niibara of the diplomatic telegram addressed to the 
US Department of State (dated Feb. 27, 1974) titled, "Assertion of 
radioactive pollution from nuclear sub." According to the document, 
the next day after the question by Kato in the Diet, the US 
Embassy's counselor responsible for political and military affairs 
told the director of the security affairs division in the Foreign 
Ministry that he was "horrified" by Ihara's reply, and he demanded 
that "no more such statements be made in the Diet." A ministry 
official then met immediately with Ihara who convinced him that the 
statement made in the Diet was a mistake. 
 
In addition, the US embassy counselor provided a detailed 
instruction on how to explain this issue, saying, "The presentation 
should include that Cobalt 60 also exists in natural world (the 
initial announcement having stated 'unusual level'). The report 
noted that the Foreign Ministry official indicated his 
understanding. 
 
However, cobalt 60 does not exist in the natural world, for in 
another State telegram dated March 6, addressed to the US Embassy in 
Japan, it was stated: "Cobalt 60 does not exist in the natural 
world." This incident indicates that the Foreign Ministry was 
willing to accept without criticism the instructions of the US even 
though scientifically incorrect. 
 
15) Japan considering providing humanitarian aid to DPRK on 
condition of reinvestigation into Japanese abductees 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Full) 
October 12, 2007 
 
The government yesterday began discussion to provide humanitarian 
aid to the flood-hit North Korea if that country responds to Japan's 
call for a reinvestigation into Japanese abductees. Japan intends to 
use humanitarian aid as a bargaining chip for dialogue with North 
Korea as its leader Kim Jong Il has indicated during the recent 
inter-Korea summit that he is positive about holding talks with the 
Fukuda administration. Tokyo intends to suggest holding a working 
group meeting on diplomatic normalization between Japan and the 
North under the six-party talks as quickly as possible. 
 
 
TOKYO 00004784  013 OF 014 
 
 
At the end of August, when the North suffered damage by flood, the 
former Abe administration considered offering humanitarian aid to 
the North, but it later gave up on doing so because there was no 
progress on the abduction issue at the Japan-DPRK working group held 
in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in early September. 
 
Later, the Fukuda cabinet, which has emphasized the importance of 
dialogue with North Korea, came into being. In the recent two Koreas 
summit meeting, North Korean leader Kim noted: "I will wait and see 
how Japan's policy will change now that Mr. Yasuo Fukuda became 
prime minister." Expectations are building in the Japanese 
government with one Foreign Ministry official saying, "There seems 
to be a subtle change in North Korea's stance compared to its 
previous attitude that the abduction issue has been already 
settled." 
 
Tokyo continues the sanctions measures now imposed independently on 
the North in protest against its nuclear test, but on the other 
hand, it wants to elicit concessions from the North on the abduction 
issue by providing humanitarian aid to the North as an emergency 
measure. 
 
16) Kim Jong Il: No mention of "Japanese abductees" 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2007 
 
Shinichi Hirano, Seoul 
 
South Korean Unification Minister Lee Tae Joung yesterday said that 
during the inter-Korean summit meeting held in Pyongyang on Oct. 3, 
the issue of normalizing diplomatic ties between Japan and North 
Korea was put on agenda, but that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il 
did not make any specific mention of the Japanese abductees, noting, 
"There was no concrete mention (of the abduction issue)." Lee 
revealed this at a panel discussion with senior members of the South 
Korean press companies. A professor at Yonsei University who 
accompanied South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun's visit to Pyongyang 
noted on Oct. 8 that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il had said, 
"There are no more Japanese abductees." Unification Minister Lee 
attended every part of the summit meeting. 
 
According to Lee, Roh stressed in the summit: "It is absolutely 
important to normalize relations between Japan and North Korea for 
the sake of the peace of the Korean Peninsula as well as Northeast 
Asia. To this end, it is essential to improve without fail relations 
between Japan and North Korea." In response, Kim revealed his 
intention to wait and see what is the Fukuda administration's policy 
and attitude, but there was no specific mention of the abduction 
issue. 
 
17) Gap remains at Japan-China gas field talks, casting pall over 
agreement before deadline 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 12, 2007 
 
The governments of Japan and China yesterday held bureau 
director-level talks in Beijing to discuss the development of gas 
fields in the East China Sea. However, the two sides remained at 
odds over areas for joint development. They just confirmed that they 
would meet again in Tokyo as soon as possible in November. Emerging 
 
TOKYO 00004784  014 OF 014 
 
 
from the meeting, Natural Resources and Energy Agency Director 
General Harufumi Mochizuki indicated his perception, "The path for 
promoting joint development is very severe." 
 
Tokyo and Beijing during the April summit agreed to report on 
concrete measures to settle the joint development issue to their 
respective leaders this fall. However, reaching common ground before 
the deadline now appears difficult. The Japanese side wants to see 
areas covering Shirakaba (Chunxiao in Chinese) near the Japan-China 
median line, which it claims the line of demarcation drawn to 
separate the exclusive economic zones claimed by Tokyo and Beijing, 
chosen for joint development. However, China appears to have 
continued its stance of rejecting Japan's proposal. 
 
"I expect China to make a political decision," says Foreign Minister 
Komura 
 
Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura yesterday evening met with China's 
next Ambassador to Japan Cui Tiankai. Regarding the issue of 
developing gas fields in the East China Sea, over which the views of 
Japan and China are at odds, Komura asked China to make concessions, 
noting, "I hope that China will make a political decision for the 
building of a mutually beneficial strategic relationship." Cui 
replied, "We want to move forward for joint development so that the 
issue will not become an obstacle to the development of bilateral 
relations." He also asked Komura to visit China at an early date. 
 
DONOVAN