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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 000948 
 
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 04/08/08 
 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 
 
4) Yomiuri poll on constitution reform finds drop in approval rate 
to 42.5 PERCENT  and those against revision now higher at 43.1 
PERCENT   (Yomiuri) 
 
Politics in disarray: 
5) Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) will accept Shirakawa as new Bank 
of Japan governor but is opposed to Watanabe as his deputy  (Asahi) 
 
6) Government, ruling parties on defensive in Upper House debate on 
pension issue with no tools to restore public confidence wrecked by 
broken pledge  (Mainichi) 
7) DPJ has run out of ammunition for attack?: Lacked punch in 
pursuing pension issue (Sankei) 
8) Yomiuri survey finds 42 out of 47 prefectural governors want 
restoration of the provisional tax rates, whose revenues their 
governments depend on  (Yomiuri) 
9) LDP policy chief Nobuteru Ishihara pessimistic that Lower House 
will be able to muster enough votes to override Upper House on 
restoring road-related taxes  (Yomiuri) 
10) LDP election chief Koga and former Prime Minister Koizumi are 
now talking about the possibility of an early dissolution of the 
Lower House  (Yomiuri) 
11) Prime Minister Fukuda hints at touching on consumption tax as 
part of tax reform debate  (Asahi) 
 
Foreign affairs: 
12) Japanese, Russian vice foreign minister-level strategic dialogue 
to set the stage for Fukuda's pre-G8 summit visit to Moscow 
(Nikkei) 
13) Vice Foreign Minister Yabunaka to visit the U.S. on April 9 
(Nikkei) 
14) Foreign Ministry's North Korea talks delegate Saiki to travel to 
Beijing for briefing by Assistant Secretary Hill on his meeting with 
DPRK delegate  (Nikkei) 
15) Discussions of Africa Partnership Forum on African aid to be 
reflected in the G8 summit  (Asahi) 
 
Defense affairs: 
16) Defense ministry readies final report of reform of procurement 
system  (Mainichi) 
17) Non-partisan parliamentarian league restarts activity to promote 
permanent SDF dispatch law  (Nikkei) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Mainichi, Yomiuri, Nikkei: 
Shirakawa set to be approved as BOJ chief, but appointment of 
Watanabe as deputy governor uncertain 
 
Sankei & Tokyo Shimbun: 
Olympic torch relay cut short in Paris 
 
Akahata: 
JCP points out problems in medical system for very old patients 
 
TOKYO 00000948  002 OF 010 
 
 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Japan should also decide to eliminate cluster bombs 
(2) Basketball association: Don't disappoint children's dreams 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) With new plan for BOJ top posts, settlement should be reached 
(2) Upper House pension debate: We no longer want to listen to 
excuses 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Put end to dispute over nominations for BOJ top posts 
(2) Poll shows political mess cooling public support for 
constitutional revision 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Vacant seat will be finally filled if Shirakawa assumes 
governorship, but problems remain 
(2) Change policy to increase ODA disbursements 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Olympic torch relay: Solution based on Olympic spirit desired 
(2) U.S.-Russia summit leaves possibility of new cold war in future 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Fukuda administration should reflect on mishandling of 
nominations for BOJ top posts 
(2) U.S., Russian leaders end meeting without results 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Stop work for free or for long hours by corporate managers 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, April 7 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 8, 2008 
 
08:04 
Arrived at Kantei. 
 
09:00 
Attended an Upper House Budget Committee session. 
 
12:05 
Met with Finance Minister Nukaga, joined by Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Machimura. Nukaga remained. 
 
13:00 
Attended an Upper House Budget Committee session. 
 
16:35 
Met with Nukaga and Machimura. 
 
17:23 
Attended an LDP executives' meeting. 
 
17:55 
Met with MOFA Asian and Oceanic Affairs Bureau Director-General 
 
TOKYO 00000948  003 OF 010 
 
 
Saiki at Kantei. 
 
18:21 
Met with Machimura. 
 
18:55 
Dined with Nippon Keidanren Chairman Mitarai, Toyota Motor Advisor 
Hiroshi Okuda, NTT Chairman Norio Wada, Nippon Steel Corporation 
Honorary Chairman Takashi Imai and others at Le Trianon at Grand 
Prince Hotel Akasaka. 
 
20:31 
Arrived at Kantei residence. 
 
4) Poll: 42.5 PERCENT  for constitutional revision, 43.1 PERCENT 
against 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 8, 2008 
 
The proportion of people against constitutional change outstripped 
that of those for it, though slightly, the Yomiuri Shimbun found 
from its recent face-to-face nationwide public opinion survey. In 
the survey, 42.5 PERCENT  answered that they think it would be 
better to revise the Constitution, with 43.1 PERCENT  saying they 
think it would be better not to revise it. However, a total of 71 
PERCENT  think political parties should further discuss the 
Constitution. Meanwhile, more than 70 PERCENT  also think it would 
be better to amend some of the Constitution's provisions or add new 
provisions to the Constitution. People seem to be strongly aware 
that Japan's postwar constitution, which will mark its 61st 
anniversary this year, has now become outdated in many respects. 
 
The survey was conducted Mar. 15-16 as a part of the Yomiuri 
Shimbun's annual serial polling on Japan and its people. 
 
The serial survey on the Constitution started in 1981. In the 1993 
and following surveys, the proportion of those in favor of 
constitutional change consistently outstripped that of those against 
it. In the latest survey, however, the proportion of pro-revision 
people decreased 3.7 percentage points from last year. Meanwhile, 
the proportion of anti-revision people increased 4.0 points, topping 
the proportion of pro-revision people. Former Prime Minister Abe was 
strongly willing to revise the Constitution, but he suddenly stepped 
down. In addition, the Diet has been divided, with the ruling 
coalition dominating its lower chamber and the opposition camp 
controlling its upper chamber. This parliamentary standoff has 
brought about the current stagnation of state affairs. The results 
of the survey this time can be taken as reflecting such factors. 
 
In the survey, those in favor of constitutional revision were asked 
to pick one or more reasons. Among them, the most common reason was 
"because the Constitution can no longer allow Japan to meet 
international contributions and many other newly arising 
challenges," accounting for 45 PERCENT . Among those negative about 
constitutional revision, the most common reason was "because it is a 
pacifist constitution Japan can boast of in the world" at 53 PERCENT 
. 
 
When asked to pick one or more concerns about the Constitution, "war 
renunciation and the Self-Defense Forces" accounted for 47 PERCENT , 
topping all other answers for the seventh year in a row. "Court 
 
TOKYO 00000948  004 OF 010 
 
 
trials" accounted for 20 PERCENT  (15 PERCENT  in last year's 
survey). This shows the public's growing concern about the lay judge 
system. 
 
Respondents were also asked for multiple answers about what they 
thought it would be better to amend or add. To this question, many 
cited Japan's possession of armed forces for self-defense (27 
PERCENT ), "right to live in a good environment" (25 PERCENT ), and 
"state and local roles" (22 PERCENT ). "Nothing in particular" 
accounted for 24 PERCENT . 
 
5) DPJ set to approve nomination of Shirakawa as BOJ governor but 
likely to oppose appointment of Watanabe as deputy governor 
 
ASAHI (Top Play) 
April 8, 2008 
 
The government yesterday made a proposal to the Diet to appoint Bank 
of Japan (BOJ) Deputy Governor Masaaki Shirakawa as BOJ governor and 
Hitotsubashi University Professor Hiroshi Watanabe as one of the 
central bank's two deputy governors. The Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ) has decided to agree on Shirakawa's promotion, but the party 
is likely to oppose the nomination of Watanabe, a former vice 
finance minister for international affairs, reflecting party leader 
Ozawa's opposition to the idea. 
 
 The government had intended to submit the plan of nominating 
Watanabe for the BOJ deputy governor post in yesterday early 
afternoon but delay it by about five years. Some officers in the 
government and the ruling parties suggested that if no prospects are 
in sight for the main opposition party to approve the Watanabe plan, 
they should put off presenting the plan or submitting only the plan 
for Shirakawa governorship plan. But reflecting Prime Minister 
Fukuda's strong desire to nominate a former Finance Ministry 
official well versed in financial policy for one of the three top 
posts, the government and the ruling camp decided to present the 
plan of nominating Shirawawa and Watanabe without ensuring the DPJ's 
agreement. 
 
The Steering Committees of both chambers of the Diet Affairs 
Committee will hold hearings with Shirakawa and Watanabe today. If 
the Shirakawa plan is endorsed in plenary sessions of both Houses of 
the Diet tomorrow, the governorship will be filled after a lapse of 
about three weeks. The government wants to send Shirakawa to a 
meeting of the Group of Seven (G-7) finance ministers and central 
bank governors to be held in Washington on April 11. 
 
DPJ executives, including Ozawa and Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama 
discussed how to respond to the government's new plan last night. 
Hatoyama insisted that the party should give an agreement to the 
plan, but Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji Yamaoka and House of 
Councillors chairman Azuma Okoshi expressed their opposition. 
 
6) Government, ruling bloc on defensive over pension issue at Upper 
House budget panel with no golden remedy in sight 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
April 8, 2008 
 
Keishi Yoshida 
 
At a session yesterday of the Upper House Budget Committee, Prime 
 
TOKYO 00000948  005 OF 010 
 
 
Minister Yasuo Fukuda offered an apology for the first time for the 
unidentified 50 million pension accounts, by saying, "We have 
provided misleading information." The prime minister apparently had 
to admit that the ruling parties' campaign pledge advocated in the 
Upper House election last year made the public expect that the 
pension fiasco would be resolved in March. The government is now 
desperate to restore public confidence, but there is no golden 
remedy to do so. The ruling parties appear helpless in face of 
verbal attacks from the opposition bloc, which is gaining momentum. 
 
Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated, "We will identify every 
owner of the unidentified accounts to pay pension correctly." Health 
and Labor Minister Yoichi Masuzoe remarked, "We will deadly endeavor 
to identify the last unidentified one yen account." 
 
At an Upper House Budget Committee hearing yesterday, Masamitsu 
Naito of the major opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), 
citing a series of remarks made by senior ruling coalition members 
concerning the unidentified pension premium accounts, grilled Fukuda 
by arguing, "You fabricated the campaign pledge. You should offer a 
sincere apology." Fukuda, admitting that "there was the phrase that 
misled the public," apologized: "We have made (the public) harbor 
excessive hopes. I must apologize for that." 
 
Until then the prime minister brushed aside any criticism over the 
pension issue by noting, "We have pushed ahead with the process of 
identifying the mysterious accounts." But faced with the fact that 
40 PERCENT  of those accounts still remain unidentified at present, 
Fukuda appeared to conclude that he was unable to make any more 
excuse. 
 
Still, Fukuda did not admit to violation of the campaign pledge till 
the last. The DPJ is insisting that the government can't turn the 
current measures around unless it admits its mistake. The DPJ has 
urged the government to check 850 million handwritten records with 
the records stored in the computer. But it is never an easy task to 
earmark billion yen or perhaps more as a budget to do so. All the 
government can do now would be at least to increase the number of 
staff who will be engaged in checking the unidentified records. A 
senior Social Insurance Agency official revealed difficulties in 
identifying the mysterious records, by noting, "There seems to be no 
showy resolution." 
 
Taking advantage of the difficulties the government has faced, the 
DPJ has shifted its tactic to use both the pension fiasco and the 
new medical care system for the elderly to attack the government. 
At a budget committee hearing yesterday, Nobuo Matsuno of the DPJ, 
eyeing the start of withholding insurance premiums for the new 
medical system on April 15, grilled the prime minister with this 
expression, "Withholding the premiums all of sudden is what a cruel 
bailiff can do." 
 
In response, the government assumed a defensive stance by abruptly 
changing the name of the system and indicating this simulation that 
in the case of those who receive a full amount of a pension from the 
government (66,000 yen per month), the current premium of 2,800 yen 
will decline to 1,000 yen or so. But the premium will be unavoidably 
raised in the future. But the government is unable to come up with a 
next step. 
 
7) DPJ has run out of ammunition for attack?: Lacked punch in 
pursuing pension issue 
 
TOKYO 00000948  006 OF 010 
 
 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
April 8, 2008 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) is enthusiastic 
about attacking the government with one noting, "We will thoroughly 
pursue pension and medical services issues, following the road funds 
issue." However, during intensive deliberations on social security 
matters held on April 7 at the House Budget Committee, they did 
nothing but ask questions that have already been taken up in the 
Diet. All the more because President Ichiro Ozawa during a press 
conference on the 1st had emphatically revealed his determination to 
consider submitting a censure motion against Health, Labor and 
Welfare Minister Yoichi Masuzoe, their approach gave the impression 
that they lacked punch. 
 
Four DPJ members asked questions that day, of whom three brought up 
the pension premium payment record issue. Masamitsu Naito said that 
there are omissions of benefit payments even in cases which the 
Social Insurance Agency categorized as "settled." He criticized the 
case as the camouflage of words. He succeeded in having Prime 
Minister Yasuo Fukuda offering an apology. However, Masuzoe fended 
off his pursuit, saying, "We will investigate into the case in order 
of priority." Questions the remaining two asked lacked freshness. 
The government's side repeatedly made the same replies it gave 
previously. 
 
The Budget Committee meeting on the 7th was televised nationwide. 
However, the DPJ saved members who have actively brought up the 
pension issue, including Renho, for an Upper House Health, Labor and 
Welfare meeting on the 8th. However, since their pursuit of the 
government was sluggish, some DPJ members criticized the party's 
strategy, saying, "It was a strategic mistake that we did not let 
them take part in the televised Budget Committee meeting." On the 
other hand, some ruling party members made a remark in a relaxed 
manner, "The DPJ is continuing to make a fuss over the pension 
issue. They might have run out of ammunition for an attack." 
 
8) 42 governors want provisional taxation restored 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
April 8, 2008 
 
The Yomiuri Shimbun conducted a questionnaire survey of all 
governors about restoring gasoline and other provisional tax rates 
and about incorporating road-related tax revenues into the state's 
general account budget for general-purpose spending as well as for 
road construction and other road-related infrastructure projects. 
 
Among the 47 governors, 42 supported the idea of restoring the 
gasoline and other provisional tax rates, with none of them opposing 
it. The governors of five prefectures-Aomori, Iwate, Akita, 
Kanagawa, and Kyoto-did not specify whether or not they support the 
idea of restoring the provisional tax rates. When asked about the 
idea of using road-related tax revenues for general purposes, "yes" 
came from only four governors, including the governor of Tokushima 
Prefecture. "No" came from 11 governors, including Tokyo's. 
Meanwhile, 32 governors did not specify whether or not they support 
it. 
 
The 42 governors in support of restoring the provisional tax rates 
complained of their plights, with Miyazaki Gov. Hideo 
 
TOKYO 00000948  007 OF 010 
 
 
Higashikokubaru saying, "This will also affect healthcare, welfare, 
education, and other areas." The same question was asked in a 
nationwide public opinion survey conducted by the Yomiuri Shimbun on 
Apr. 1-2. In this public opinion survey, "yes" accounted for 27 
PERCENT , with "no" at 57 PERCENT . The results show a perception 
gap between the people and the governors. 
 
9) Former LDP policy chief Ishihara: Dual overrides of Upper House 
decisions difficult 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
April 8, 2008 
 
Nobuteru Ishihara, former chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party 
Policy Research Council, said yesterday in a speech in Tokyo: 
 
"It will be quite difficult as a political matter to take revotes in 
the House of Representatives on tax-related bills in April and on a 
bill amending the Special Taxation Measures Law in May. If (the 
opposition) submits a censure motion against Prime Minister Fukuda 
to the House of Councillors and the motion is adopted there, we will 
not be able to do anything in the Diet. Calls for a vote of 
confidence may become strong." 
 
10) Koizumi, Koga expecting early Lower House dissolution 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Abridged slightly) 
April 8, 2008 
 
LDP Election Strategy Council Chairman Makoto Koga and former Prime 
Minister Junichiro Koizumi made speeches at a fund-raising party 
held yesterday evening by the LDP Kanagawa chapter. In their 
speeches, the two leaders pointed out the possibility of an early 
dissolution of the House of Representatives. 
 
Koga said about the timing for Lower House dissolution for a snap 
general election: 
 
"Throwing a party like this, the Kanagawa chapter has demonstrated 
its readiness for the next election. Your observation of the 
political situation is splendid. I, too, must say, 'Something is 
coming up,' rather than to note, 'An election within the year is 
unlikely.'" 
 
Koizumi said: 
 
"I feel that a certain kind of wind (wind of dissolution) has begun 
to blow. In the pervious Lower House election, all candidates 
(including those who ran in the proportional representation segment) 
backed by the prefectural chapter were able to win seats, so you 
really need to buckle down. The divided Diet has brought about an 
age of tremendous change. Only those lawmakers and political parties 
that can deal with change can survive." 
 
Koizumi also underlined the need for boldness and flexibility. 
 
Koga had previously expressed hope that the next Lower House 
election will take place around September 2009, when the Lower House 
members' term of office expires. Koizumi, too, had noted, "There is 
a possibility that the Lower House will be dissolved after next 
year's G-8 summit." They made the statements yesterday in an effort 
to brace up the party and to apply pressure on the major opposition 
 
TOKYO 00000948  008 OF 010 
 
 
Democratic Party of Japan, which is taking an increasingly 
antagonistic stance against the Fukuda administration. 
 
11) "Tax code revision discussions will cover consumption tax as 
well," says premier 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
April 8, 2008 
 
Prime Minister Fukuda during an Upper House Budget Committee meeting 
on April 7 once again indicated his intention to implement his 
proposal for reallocating special-purpose road construction revenues 
to the general account in the tax code revision for fiscal 2009, 
even if revision talks with opposition parties do not take place. He 
indicated his perception that a hike in the consumption tax will 
also be subject to discussion, noting, "Whether the consumption tax 
should be increased or not will naturally be discussed in amending 
the tax code. The consumption tax will naturally be included in the 
tax code revision for the next fiscal year, if proposed expenditures 
or payouts financed with a hike in the consumption tax are 
appropriate for the nature of the tax." He made this remark in 
replying to a question asked by Social Democratic Party (SDP) member 
Masamichi Kondo. 
 
12) Japan-Russia vice minister level strategic dialogue held to pave 
way for visit to Russia by Prime Minister Fukuda 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 8, 2008 
 
The Japanese and Russian governments held yesterday a vice minister 
level strategic dialogue at the Foreign Ministry's Iikura Guest 
House in Tokyo. With an eye on a visit to Russia by Prime Minister 
Yasuo Fukuda planned for sometime before the Group of Eight summit 
in July in Hokkaido, the vice minister-level officials discussed a 
broad range of issues, including the Northern Territories issue. 
They confirmed that Tokyo and Moscow would raise a bilateral 
relationship a higher dimension through summit-level political 
dialogue. 
 
Yesterday's strategic dialogue was the fourth since such exchanges 
were initiated in January last year. Vice Administrative Foreign 
Minister Mitoji Yabunaka and First Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey 
Denisov attended the session. The two officials exchanged views on 
the resources development in East Siberia, for which the Russian 
side has sought Japan's technical cooperation, and bilateral 
cooperation on the environmental area for the G8 summit. They appear 
to have discussed the missile defense development, which the United 
States has planned in East Europe. 
 
Yabunaka in a press conference yesterday stated: "Russia has strong 
interest in the Asia-Pacific region. There are areas in which the 
two countries can cooperate more than ever." He then expressed 
eagerness for building a close relationship with Russia. 
 
13) Vice Foreign Minister Yabunaka to visit U.S. on April 9 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 8, 2008 
 
The Foreign Ministry announced yesterday that Administrative Vice 
Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka will leave for Washington tomorrow 
 
TOKYO 00000948  009 OF 010 
 
 
for a four-day visit. He is expected to exchange views with Deputy 
Secretary of State Negroponte on a series of incidents involving 
 
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U.S. military personnel in Japan, as well as on the state of Diet 
deliberations on a new bill on Japan's host nation support for U.S. 
forces in Japan. This will be Yabunaka's first visit to the United 
States since taking office. 
 
14) Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau chief Saiki to meet Assistant 
Secretary of State Hill 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 8, 2008 
 
The Foreign Ministry announced yesterday that Asian and Oceanian 
Affairs Bureau Director General Akitaka Saiki will visit Beijing for 
two days from today. The main purpose of his visit is to be briefed 
by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill about his 
talks with his North Korean counterpart today in Singapore on the 
North's nuclear programs. 
 
15) Discussion on aid to Africa starts 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
April 8, 2008 
 
The Africa Partnership Forum for donor nations, including G8 
members, to discuss how to help Africa with representatives of 21 
African nations started in Tokyo yesterday. Participants will 
finalize their discussions on climate change and economic growth in 
the form of a chairman's summary and have it reflected in the July 
Lake Toya G8 Summit in Hokkaido, where Africa will be a major item 
on the agenda. 
 
16) MOD reform council: Debate on procurement reform losing steam 
due to calming down Moriya scandal 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Abridged slightly) 
April 8, 2008 
 
The government's Council on Reform of the Ministry of Defense, 
chaired by Tokyo Electric Power Co. advisor Nobuya Minami, discussed 
yesterday a final report on reform of equipment procurement, 
produced by the MOD in the wake of a bribery scandal involving 
former Vice-Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya. Calls for sweeping 
reform emerged following a string of scandals that followed a 1998 
bill-padding scandal involving the then Defense Agency Central 
Procurement Office. This time around, the interest of the Prime 
Minister's Office (Kantei) and the ruling coalition centered on the 
MOD's organizational reform. Given the Moriya scandal that is likely 
to be concluded in time, the discussion on procurement reform, 
however, lost steam in the end, concluding that the matter requiring 
specialized expertise must be left to the MOD. 
 
The report released by the MOD in late March is designed to (1) 
require the ministry to make direct inquiries to overseas 
manufacturers about estimates, and (2) collect twice the difference 
in penalty for bill padding. Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba 
initially ordered to consider concluding contracts directly with 
makers without trading firms. This drew objections, with one saying, 
"Nurturing a large number of experts replacing trading firms is 
difficult." In the end, numerical targets of direct contracts and 
other factors were not presented. Further, modalities for the three 
 
TOKYO 00000948  010 OF 010 
 
 
weapons-export principles, which were expected to become a point at 
issue, did not make the report. 
 
In yesterday's meeting, members said, "The ministry should first 
explain to the public on what kind of equipment it needs," or "A 
system must be created in which the MOD self-examines the efficacy 
of equipment to be procured." However, with no experts in 
procurement in its members, the council is heading toward bringing 
down the curtain on its discussion, as seen in a high-ranking 
government official's comment, "Contentious points have generally 
been discussed." Procurement is apparently placed on the backburner, 
with attention focused on the MOD's organizational reform, such as 
Ishiba's plan to integrate the internal bureaus with the 
Self-Defense Forces. 
 
Further, with the Moriya scandal stopped short of escalating into a 
political scandal, the government's initial plan to structurally 
reform the procurement system has now lost steam. "The report 
includes only minor items that can be implemented immediately," a 
senior MOD official said. 
 
17) Suprapartisan parliamentary league to resume activities to 
establish SDF dispatch permanent law 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 8, 2008 
 
The Young Parliamentarians' League to Establish a Security System 
for a New Century, which is composed of junior and mid-level 
lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition 
partner New Komeito, and the main opposition Democratic Party of 
Japan (DPJ or Minshuto), will resume its activities for the first 
time in three years. The league plans to hold a general meeting in 
April. The aim is to back an argument calling for formulating a 
permanent (general) law enabling Japan to dispatch the Self-Defense 
Forces (SDF) overseas as required, debate on which has been stalled 
due to the divided Diet, in which the opposition camp holds the 
majority in the House of Councillors. 
 
The parliamentary league has ceased its activities since April 2005 
when its some members made an inspection of the East China gas 
fields. The group will ask former LDP Security Research Commission 
Chairman Gen Nakatani, former DPJ President Seiji Maehara, and Isamu 
Ueda of the New Komeito to participate in the planned meeting. About 
 
SIPDIS 
100 legislators will likely take part in the meeting. 
 
SCHIEFFER