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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 005495 
 
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 12/10/07 
 
Index: 
 
(1) Letter from US President Bush to Prime Minister Fukuda 
(Yomiuri) 
 
(2) Government to ease conditions for imports of U.S. beef to allow 
meat from cattle up to 30 months of age (Asahi) 
 
(3) US beef imports: Government proposes easing age restriction to 
under 30 months (Yomiuri) 
 
(4) US beef: Gaps in views of concerned government agencies; No 
coordination of views undertaken before talks with U.S. (Yomiuri) 
 
(5) "It is not appropriate to take vote in New Year period," says 
Upper House Defense Committee chairman; Option of taking vote on new 
antiterrorism legislation before year's end gaining ground in DPJ 
(Mainichi) 
 
(6) Prime minister determined to re-extend Diet session to enact new 
antiterrorism legislation at all costs; New Komeito supports his 
decision (Yomiuri) 
 
(7) Government bogged down over the extent of reduction in the 
sympathy budget, with the Finance Ministry seeking broad cuts and 
the Foreign Ministry citing concern about the bilateral relationship 
with the U.S. (Asahi) 
 
(8) DPJ President Ozawa meets with Chinese President Hu prior to 
Prime Minister Fukuda's planned visit to China, playing up 
diplomatic capability (Mainichi) 
 
(9) President Hu in meeting with Ozawa praises improvement in 
bilateral relations (Yomiuri) 
 
(10) COP13 chairman's proposal places severe numerical target on 
industrialized countries, but EU welcomes it (Nikkei) 
 
(11) COP13 chairman's draft reflects developing countries' views, 
expecting their cooperation for post-Kyoto framework (Nikkei) 
 
 ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Letter from US President Bush to Prime Minister Fukuda 
 
YOMIURI (Full) 
December 8, 2007 
 
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, chief U.S. 
delegate to the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programs, 
met on Nov. 7 with the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs 
Bureau Director General Kenichiro Sasae at Narita Airport. 
 
Hill handed to Sasae President George W. Bush's letter addressed to 
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. The President in the letter reportedly 
wrote that the United States and Japan should continue to closely 
consult and cooperate in realizing a complete nuclear declaration by 
North Korea and disabling of its nuclear facilities. 
 
Hill revealed his prediction on a list of the North's nuclear 
programs, which is required to be submitted by the end of the year, 
saying: "I think North Korea will probably submit a draft at least 
 
TOKYO 00005495  002 OF 010 
 
 
by the end of the year." As to when the U.S. administration decides 
to delist the North as a state sponsoring terrorism, he stated: "We 
can't say anything before we see a list of Pyongyang's nuclear 
programs." 
 
(2) Government to ease conditions for imports of U.S. beef to allow 
meat from cattle up to 30 months of age (Asahi) 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
December 8, 2007 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura, in a press conference on Dec. 7, 
referred to the issue of easing the import condition for American 
beef that now restricts it to meat from cattle no older than 20 
months. He formally admitted for the first time that the Japanese 
government was thinking of advising the Food Safety Commission (FSC) 
to ease the restriction to allow meat from cattle aged 30 months or 
less to be imported, if the U.S. will agree. 
 
However, the U.S. has been strongly requesting a complete removal of 
the age restriction, so prospects are not clear whether an agreement 
between Japan and the United States can be reached.  Moreover, in 
easing the age restriction on imports, the FSC's decision is 
regarded as essential, but in a press conference last month, 
Agricultural Minister Kobayashi said: "The government's policy 
course of making a decision from a scientific perspective has not 
changed." 
 
Machimura admitted at the press conference: "Since around this 
summer, we have been talking with the U.S. about such a policy 
stance," namely, easing the restriction to allow imports of beef 
from cattle up to 30 months in age. On the other hand, since the OIE 
(Office International des Epizooties) or the World Organization for 
Animal Health in May approved the United States as safe to export 
beef regardless of age of cattle, "the U.S. has taken a stance that 
beef imports should be based on international standards and be 
without restrictions, but Japan is not making such an adjustment," 
Machimura said. Machimura thus admitted that negotiations between 
Japan and the U.S. are not going well. 
 
(3) US beef imports: Government proposes easing age restriction to 
under 30 months 
 
YOMIURI (Top Play) (Full) 
December 8, 2007 
 
Following the discovery of a BSE-infected cow in the U.S., the 
government adopted an import condition that limits beef eligible for 
exports to cattle 20 months or younger. In this regard, it was 
revealed yesterday that the GOJ made a proposal to the U.S. for 
easing the age condition to allow imports of beef from cattle less 
than 30 months of age. This is the first time any specific content 
of the talks to ease US beef import conditions has been revealed. 
With the Japanese side indicating a stance of easing safety 
standards while the U.S. is requesting a complete end to age 
restrictions, bilateral talks to discuss Japan's U.S. beef import 
conditions have entered a new phase. 
 
U.S. Under Secretary of Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service Mark 
Keenum during a press conference held after the Japan-U.S. 
sub-cabinet-level economic dialogue on Dec. 6-7 explained, "The 
Japanese side said that they wanted to consult the Cabinet Office's 
 
TOKYO 00005495  003 OF 010 
 
 
Food Safety Commission (FSC) regarding easing the age limit to less 
than 30 months." 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura during a press conference the same 
day acknowledged that coordination is now underway to ease the age 
limit, noting, "We intend to propose basically easing the age limit 
to less than 30 months to the FSC, but coordination of views has yet 
to be undertaken." 
 
The Cabinet Office's FSC, which consists of experts, including food 
researchers, assess the impact of food on human health, based on 
science. The FSC will compile a report that will become a final 
conclusion after concrete conditions are set at Japan-U.S. talks. 
 
The Japanese government has thus far insisted on limiting beef 
eligible for export to cattle aged 20 months or younger. For this 
reason, all talks, including the summits held since mid-November, to 
ease U.S. beef import conditions set by Japan have failed. Japan is 
expected to aim at reaching a settlement on the beef import issue by 
facilitating talks with "less than 30 months" as a new condition. 
 
Referring to Japan's proposal for easing the age limit to less than 
30 months, Keenum indicated his determination to continue to 
strongly seek a total scrapping of the age condition from Japan, 
noting, "It is not necessary to take a phased approach." 
 
Tokyo and Washington have been continuing working-level talks by 
quarantine officials since June with the aim of jointly compiling a 
report on BSE risk in the U.S. Agriculture Minister Wakabayashi on 
Dec. 7 told reporters, "If we are to consider the next step, it 
would be adopting 'less than 30 months' as a new import condition. 
When the panel issues a report ensuring safety and consumer 
confidence, we will deal with the issue based on science." 
 
U.S. remains tough; Whether settlement can be reached unclear 
 
(Commentary)  The Japanese government is considering adopting a new 
age limit of less than 30 months for U.S. beef imports. However, the 
proposal is meeting strong opposition not only from the U.S., which 
is seeking a total end to the age limit, but also from consumers. 
 
The present import condition that limits beef eligible for export to 
cattle aged 20 months or younger is a criterion Japan adopted 
independently, based on the grounds that when it resumed in December 
2005 beef imports from the U.S., a 21-month-old BSE-positive cow had 
been discovered in Japan. Since Japan believes that older cattle 
have a greater risk of BSE, it has no intention of scrapping the age 
limit. 
 
South Korea and Mexico set an age limit of less than 30 months. 
Since more than 90 PERCENT  of U.S. beef imported by Japan before it 
banned such imports in Dec. 2003 was from cattle under 30 months, 
the Japanese side believes that setting 30 months as the age limit 
is essentially just as good as scrapping it. 
 
Since the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) in May 
classified the U.S. as a country with a "controlled risk" of BSE, 
the U.S. has been calling on importers of U.S. beef to scrap their 
age restrictions. Commenting on the fact that the Japanese 
government is considering setting an age limit of less than 30 
months, Keenum took a hard-line stance during a press conference on 
the 7th, saying, "We are dissatisfied." The road to a final 
 
TOKYO 00005495  004 OF 010 
 
 
settlement appears rough-going. 
 
(4) US beef: Gaps in views of concerned government agencies; No 
coordination of views undertaken before talks with U.S. 
 
YOMIURI (Page 9) (Full) 
December 8, 2007 
 
The Japanese government during talks with the U.S. to discuss easing 
Japan's U.S. beef import conditions proposed "less than 30 months" 
as the new age restriction in an effort to find a breakthrough in 
the stalemated issue between the two countries. However, there is a 
huge gap between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), which aims 
at an early settlement of an issue that is affecting bilateral 
relations, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 
(MAFF), which is negative about easing import conditions from the 
viewpoint of food safety. The Japanese side's view is far from 
unanimous in the face of a strong U.S. request for a total scrapping 
of import conditions. 
 
MAFF had been determined that if Japan's U.S. beef import conditions 
became a topic of discussion in the bilateral sub-cabinet-level 
economic dialogue held on Dec. 6-7, they would make their usual 
assertion that they would deal with the issue based on science, as 
one senior ministry official revealed. For this reason, they did not 
undergo coordination with MOFA before the dialogue, according to the 
same source. 
 
According to an informed source, officials from MAFF and the 
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) also took part in the 
economic dialogue. Deputy Foreign Minister Masaharu Kohno reportedly 
touched on the possibility of Japan easing its U.S. beef import 
conditions. However, referring to views exchanged at the economic 
dialogue, MAFF Minister Wakabayashi expressed displeasure to 
reporters: "The economic dialogue is not a forum for negotiations. I 
am the point of contact regarding the beef import issue." 
 
Tokyo and Washington will enter full-fledged talks to set specific 
import conditions once working-level officials, such as quarantine 
officers, compile a Japan-U.S. joint report. Chances are that the 
Cabinet Office's Food Safety Commission, which is responsible for 
reaching a final decision on conditions agreed on, might question 
the safety of beef from cattle under 30 months old. 
 
(5) "It is not appropriate to take vote in New Year period," says 
Upper House Defense Committee chairman; Option of taking vote on new 
antiterrorism legislation before year's end gaining ground in DPJ 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full) 
December 8, 2007 
 
Chairman Toshimi Kitazawa (Democratic Party of Japan) of the House 
of Councillors Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, now discussing 
the new antiterrorism special measures bill, told reporters in the 
Diet building yesterday: "I don't think it is appropriate to take a 
vote in the New Year period. Deliberation time (about 41 hours) 
spent in the House of Representatives could be a yardstick." He thus 
alluded to the possibility of taking a vote in late December when 
the committee's deliberation time could reach 40 hours on the 
assumption that the current Diet session is extended. An increase in 
calls in the DPJ for taking a vote within the year is expected to 
give a boost to the short extension option now being considered by 
 
TOKYO 00005495  005 OF 010 
 
 
the government and ruling bloc. 
 
Although the current Diet session is scheduled to end on Dec. 15, 
the government and ruling camp intend to extend it. Kitazawa 
expressed reluctance about delaying a vote, saying, "We will take a 
vote without fail. The rule (of determining the Upper House's 
failure to take a vote within 60 days after receipt of a bill from 
the Lower House as a rejection of the bill) would put the chamber's 
future in danger." DPJ Secretary-General Yukio Hatoyama, too, said 
earlier: "Although we would not hesitate to carry the bill over to 
next year, a vote would naturally follow once sufficient 
deliberation time is secured." 
 
Some in the government and ruling bloc are searching for ways to 
extend the session on a small scale to end within the year rather 
than a lengthy extension until early next year that might result in 
a Lower House dissolution. They fear at the same time that the DPJ 
may put the bill on ice to eventually scrap it. 
 
If the bill is voted down in the Upper House, the ruling camp will 
not hesitate to override it with a two-thirds majority in the Lower 
House. In that case, the focus would be on whether the DPJ would 
submit a censure motion against the prime minister in the Upper 
House. New Komeito Representative Akihiro Ota indicated in a press 
conference yesterday that a censure motion against the prime 
minister would not follow a revote, saying, "The two-thirds system 
is now widely recognized (by the people)." 
 
(6) Prime minister determined to re-extend Diet session to enact new 
antiterrorism legislation at all costs; New Komeito supports his 
decision 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
December 8, 2007 
 
The government and ruling parties have begun coordination for 
re-extending the current Diet session for a month. This reflects 
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's strong resolve to enact the new 
antiterrorism special measures bill even by using the constitutional 
rule of regarding the House of Councillors' failure to taka a vote 
as a rejection and the House of Representatives' right to override 
an Upper House decision. To be prepared for unforeseeable 
circumstances in the divided Diet, the government and ruling parties 
also want to convene the next ordinary Diet session as soon as 
possible in order to secure sufficient deliberation time in the 
current fiscal year. The next regular Diet session is likely to 
start soon after the current extraordinary session, an unusual 
case. 
 
The prime minister has repeatedly underlined the need for an early 
resumption of the refueling operation, saying it is highly praised 
by the international community. An LDP executive said yesterday: 
"The prime minister's resolve to aim for an early resumption of the 
fueling operation remains firm." 
 
Initially there was some skepticism in the New Komeito about 
re-extending the Diet session for taking another vote in the Lower 
House, fearing that this might result in dissolution of the chamber. 
However, perceiving that the prime minister's determination is 
solid, New Komeito Representative Akihiro Ota told a press 
conference yesterday about taking a second vote (in the Lower 
House): "Unlike in August and September, I have the impression that 
 
TOKYO 00005495  006 OF 010 
 
 
(the people) are supportive of the option to a certain extent." The 
New Komeito is now leaning toward allowing a second vote. 
 
Some in the ruling bloc also called for re-extending the Diet 
session for approximately two weeks by obtaining the major 
opposition DPJ's assurance that a vote will be taken within the 
year. 
 
Upper House Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Toshimi 
Kitazawa of the DPJ said to reporters yesterday about the new 
antiterrorism legislation: "We will absolutely not use the 60-day 
rule. We will take a vote when deliberations have progressed. The 
bill must not be carried over to next year." He thus alluded to a 
vote before year's end based on an agreement between the ruling and 
opposition blocs. Nevertheless, many ruling party members share an 
Upper House LDP executive's view that what (Kitazawa) said cannot be 
trusted, for it does not reflect the DPJ's consensus. At work behind 
the coordination for extending the session for one month until Jan. 
15, the deadline for regarding the Upper House's failure to take a 
vote as a rejection, is a sense of alarm toward the opposition 
bloc. 
 
In the regular Diet session next year, the government and ruling 
camp need to secure enough deliberation time for the fiscal 2008 
budget, budget-related legislation, and other bills that need to be 
enacted before the end of fiscal 2007. This can explain why they 
want to convene the next Diet session early. 
 
Meanwhile, DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa will be visiting China until 
Dec. 8. DPJ executives are scheduled next week to discuss a response 
to the Diet in its closing stage to determine the time for taking a 
vote on the new antiterrorism bill and whether to submit a censure 
motion against the prime minister. 
 
Some DPJ members are eager to submit a censure motion to bring about 
a Lower House dissolution for a snap general election by driving the 
government and ruling parties into a tight corner by shedding light 
on allegations involving the Defense Ministry. At the same time, 
there is a view that a censure motion should be put off until next 
spring or later when the pension issue and the budget bill will take 
center stage. 
 
(7) Government bogged down over the extent of reduction in the 
sympathy budget, with the Finance Ministry seeking broad cuts and 
the Foreign Ministry citing concern about the bilateral relationship 
with the U.S. (Asahi) 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
December 8, 2007 
 
Negotiations to revise Japan's share of the host-nation support 
(HNS) budget (sympathy budget) that covers expenses for stationing 
the U.S. forces in Japan are reaching the final stage. Although the 
Japanese government, citing the country's stringent fiscal straits, 
has been seeking a reduction in HNS, the U.S. government has 
objected strongly. The Japanese government itself is not lined up on 
the issue, with the Finance Ministry insisting on large-scale cuts 
and the Foreign Ministry expressing concerns about damaging the 
Japan-US relationship. Since 1978, Japan has borne a burden of over 
5 trillion yen in total, so it seems difficult to thrust a scalpel 
into this structure. 
 
 
TOKYO 00005495  007 OF 010 
 
 
The sympathy budget consists of two fiscal burdens delineated by a 
special measures agreement (SMA), one part based on the Status of 
Forces Agreement (SOFA) and another part that exceeds that 
framework. Under the existing SMA, 1) the basic salaries of Japanese 
employees on the U.S. bases are covered (the upper limit (under the 
master contract) being approximately 23,000 persons; 2) utilities 
costs at the bases and other facilities; and 3) expenses for 
training relocations. The total for such expenditures in fiscal 2007 
came to 140 billion yen. 
 
The Japanese government at first sought reductions in utilities 
costs, which came to approximately 25 billion yen. In response, the 
U.S. strongly advocated maintaining the status quo, citing such 
reasons as the enormous cost of the Iraq war. The debate continued 
along diverging lines. 
 
With the hard-line stance of the U.S. not wavering, a noticeable 
difference in attitudes emerged in the Japanese government. The 
Finance Ministry continued its insistence on large-scale cuts. In 
contrast, the Foreign Ministry secretly sounded out the Defense 
Ministry about withdrawing the request for cuts in utilities. The 
Defense Minister feared that the Finance Ministry would cut its own 
budget, so it simply advocated that negotiations continue. 
 
The government, even at the beginning of next week, will consult 
with responsible officials in relevant ministries, the plan being to 
firm up a final position, but it seems likely that the strong-minded 
U.S. may try to steamroller its stance. In the background lies the 
"debt that Japan owes for withdrawing from the Indian Ocean," as one 
senior Foreign Ministry official said. Prime Minister Fukuda in his 
meeting with President Bush in November confirmed, "The Japan-U.S. 
alliance relation must not be allowed to waver," so large-scale cuts 
reportedly will be difficult to force on him. 
 
(8) DPJ President Ozawa meets with Chinese President Hu prior to 
Prime Minister Fukuda's planned visit to China, playing up 
diplomatic capability 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
December 8, 2007 
 
Takeji Matsuura and So Watanabe, Beijing 
 
For Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) President Ichiro 
Ozawa, who wants to heighten the possibility of the DPJ taking the 
helm of government, his meeting on Nov. 7 with Chinese President Hu 
Jintao was a good opportunity to play up the political presence of 
the largest opposition party. He seems to have calculated the 
effects by having the jump on Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's trip to 
China scheduled for later this year. 
 
At a press conference after his meeting with Hu, Ozawa stated: "The 
DPJ also has carried out diplomacy and we have built good relations 
(with China). I hope our efforts will create a certain level of 
public confidence in our party." 
 
The DPJ has placed emphasis on its relations with China, while 
criticizing the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) for always 
following the U.S. policy lead. Since its foundation in 1998, 
successive DPJ presidents, excluding Seiji Maehara, who openly 
expressed his China-as-a-threat argument, visited Beijing and met 
with Chinese presidents. Ozawa is motivated to use his China visit 
 
TOKYO 00005495  008 OF 010 
 
 
to boost the mood of political change. 
 
The Chinese president told Ozawa: "We want to change the form of 
dialogue in line with Japan's situation and circumstances and 
increase exchanges further." Hu revealed a policy of stepping up the 
framework of the Japan-China exchange consultative organization, 
which is an organ to promote exchanges between the DPJ and the 
Chinese Communist Party (CCP). China is considering the possibility 
of a political change in Japan. The CCP in 2004 set up a similar 
organ also with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-New 
Komeito coalition. Beijing is now making preparations for the future 
Japanese political situation, while keeping a balance with both the 
ruling and opposition parties. 
 
Mutual consideration was seen in a meeting of the DPJ and CCP held 
before the Hu-Ozawa meeting. In the meeting, the CCP skipped the 
issues of history and Taiwan, although it included them in a draft 
speech exchanged with the DPJ. As if to echo this, the DPJ side did 
not refer to these issues. 
 
In his speech on Nov. 25 in the city of Otsu, Ozawa noted: "Next 
year, Taiwan will hold a referendum on its bid to join the United 
Nations (under the name of Taiwan). If the referendum is adopted in 
Taiwan, political tensions will grow between the Chinese government 
and Taiwan." He also repeated this on TV programs. 
 
All the more because the issue is most sensitive for China, Ozawa 
appears to have expressed consideration for Beijing. 
 
(9) President Hu in meeting with Ozawa praises improvement in 
bilateral relations 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
December 8, 2007 
 
Tetsuya Eniri, Beijing 
 
Ichiro Ozawa, president of the leading opposition Democratic Party 
of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto), and Chinese President Hu Jintao agreed 
yesterday in their meeting to strengthen cooperation between their 
countries in such areas as North Korea's nuclear program, security, 
the environment, and the economy. 
 
In the meeting, Hu praised improvement in bilateral relations since 
the inauguration of the former Abe government and stated: 
 
"Japan-China relations have improved and developed in recent years. 
I think a great deal of exchanges between the governments and 
parties of the two countries. Strengthening reciprocal relations 
will be helpful for bilateral cooperation in dealing with such 
global issues as the environment and energy. Dialogue on security 
and defense has been pushed forward and the two countries have 
carried out strong cooperation on the Korean Peninsula and nuclear 
issues." 
 
The president also emphasized: 
 
"Japan and China are responsible for protecting peace and promoting 
prosperity and development in Asia and the world. If we cooperate, 
we will benefit, but if we go against each other, we will lose." 
 
Ozawa then told Hu: 
 
TOKYO 00005495  009 OF 010 
 
 
 
"Asian countries have different political systems and are at 
different stages of economic development. Therefore, we won't be 
able to get prosperity and peace without mutual cooperation. To that 
effort, Japan-China relations are significant. So we have to build a 
relationship of trust between our countries." 
 
Referring to his China visit this time around in a press conference 
after his meeting with Hu, Ozawa stated: 
 
"For Japan, since (relations) with the United States and China are 
two major pillars, I hope the public will strengthen their trust in 
the DPJ by seeing that the DPJ has carried out (diplomacy) improving 
relations with (the two countries). We must hold the reins of 
government so that we will be able to create equal partnerships with 
the U.S. and China." 
 
Ozawa and Hu met for the first time since their meeting in July last 
year. The meeting lasted for about 30 minutes. Attending the meeting 
were DPJ Deputy President Naoto Kan, Diet Affairs Committee Chairman 
Kenji Yamaoka, and former Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, who was 
visiting Beijing at the request of the Chinese side. 
 
(10) COP13 chairman's proposal places severe numerical target on 
industrialized countries, but EU welcomes it 
 
NIKKEI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
December 9, 2007 
 
Atsunori Takeshita, Paris 
 
The chairman's draft proposal released on Dec. 8 at the 13th session 
of the Conference of the Parties (COP13) to the United Nations 
Framework Convention on Climate Change requires industrialized 
countries to set new targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions 
in a new framework beyond the 2012 timeframe set under the Kyoto 
Protocol. The European Union (EU) has welcomed it, but the draft 
will inevitably meet objections from Japan and the United States. 
Difficult negotiations are expected in the ongoing international 
conference to fight global warming. 
 
Following the announcement of the chairman's draft proposal, a 
representative from the Japanese government expressed opposition to 
it in a press conference in Paris, remarking: "Since the proposal 
includes a numerical target for emissions reductions, we cannot 
accept it." 
 
Meanwhile, the EU welcomed the draft proposal on Dec. 8. The draft 
also obligates industrialized countries to set their respective 
emissions cut targets. In negotiations to start on Dec. 10, Japan 
and the U.S. are expected to strongly call for removing the 
provision for numerical targets, so it remains to be seen whether 
the provision will be included in the chairman's proposal. 
 
(11) COP13 chairman's draft reflects developing countries' views, 
expecting their cooperation for post-Kyoto framework 
 
NIKKEI (Page 3) (Full) 
December 9, 2007 
 
Atsunori Takeshita, Paris 
 
 
TOKYO 00005495  010 OF 010 
 
 
The chairman's draft proposal at COP13 urges industrialized 
countries to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Behind 
this call is an aim to clarify the responsibility of advanced 
countries that emitted large quantities of greenhouse gases in the 
past for causing the ongoing global warming. The consensus is that 
if advanced countries beef up efforts to reduce emissions on their 
own initiative, developing countries like China and India, from 
which more gases are likely to be discharged with their economic 
growth, will offer cooperation in a post-Kyoto framework. 
 
A senior officer of the French Environment Ministry stated about the 
chairman's draft proposal on Dec. 8: "Japan and the United States, 
both of which have opposed setting any numerical targets, will 
inevitably be placed in a difficult situation." Japan is obligated 
to cut emissions by 6 PERCENT  from 1990 levels between 2008 and 
2012 under the Kyoto Protocol. It will be difficult for Japan to 
meet even the 6 PERCENT  target. Under such a situation, if a 
post-Kyoto pact requires Japan to cut 1990 levels of emissions by 25 
PERCENT  to 40 PERCENT  by the year 2020, more emissions-cut 
measures will become necessary. Japanese industries will also be 
urged to hammer out additional measures. 
 
The chairman's draft proposal greatly reflects developing countries' 
views. But it also specifies a proposal by Japan and the U.S. for 
setting industry-specific reduction targets to contain global 
warming. 
 
It will be difficult to reach an agreement at COP13 on a proposal 
for setting country-specific targets, and a conclusion is likely to 
be reached at the next round of the conference next year or later. 
The chairman's proposal is aimed to draw out lively discussion by 
specifying multiple proposals. 
 
SCHIEFFER