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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 9979

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 001434 
 
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 05/23/08 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Prime Minister Fukuda positive about endorsing a treaty banning 
cluster bombs (Mainichi) 
 
(2) Stop cluster bombs - Voices of world and Japan: Interview with 
Yukio Hatoyama, secretary general of major opposition Democratic 
Party of Japan; Stop giving consideration to U.S. (Mainichi) 
 
(3) U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Arvizu: No delisting of 
North Korea prior to scrapping nuclear programs (Nikkei) 
 
(4) Former Prime Minister Koizumi: "The LDP is buffeted by a 
headwind" (Asahi) 
 
(5) Scope column: DPJ likely to disapprove again of government's 
appointments of members of surveillance committee on new human 
resource agency (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
(6) Asia-Pacific region: Prime minister plays up region-opening 
vision in "new Fukuda Doctrine"; Rise of China, India also taken 
into account (Nikkei) 
 
(7) Ma Ying-jeou has just taken office as president, but have 
Japan-Taiwan relations already become strained? (Sankei) 
 
(8) Africa aid: Government firms up action program, including 
investment agreement with South Africa (Nikkei) 
 
(9) Facing Africa (Part 3): Japan greatly falling behind other G8 
members in tackling sharp rise in food prices (Mainichi) 
 
(10) Government use anti-desertification measures as trump card to 
lure Africa into negotiations on new mechanism to fight global 
warming (Mainichi) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Prime Minister Fukuda positive about endorsing a treaty banning 
cluster bombs 
 
MAINICHI ONLINE NEWS (Full) 
May 23, 2008, 13:19 
 
Ken Uzuka 
 
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, speaking this morning of placing 
restrictions on the use of cluster munitions that kill and wound 
civilians with the delayed explosion of some of their sub-munitions, 
took a positive stance toward endorsing a treaty banning cluster 
bombs, by noting: "The Japanese government needs to respond by 
taking another step forward." 
 
Fukuda was replying to calls from the junior coalition partner New 
Komeito's Deputy Representative Toshiko Hamayotsu and others for 
Japan to play a leading role to realize a total ban on the use of 
cluster munitions. While the prime minister mentioned the need to 
deal with the matter, he also said, "A number of issues still remain 
to be discussed." But he implied that a political decision might be 
made, by noting, "I'd like you to give me time so that I can mange a 
soft-landing (of this issue). I'll handle it properly." 
 
 
TOKYO 00001434  002 OF 009 
 
 
Debate is continuing in the Dublin Conference of the Oslo Process 
that opened in Dublin, Ireland, on May 19, with the aim of laying 
down a convention restricting cluster munitions. Germany and France 
have been calling for an almost total ban on cluster bombs, 
excepting only the latest models whose submunitions can identify the 
targets and then explode, while Japan has sought to except only 
cluster bombs whose dud rates are high. 
 
Britain was initially viewed as being close to Japan's position, but 
on May 21, it hinted at a policy-switch to come close to the views 
of Germany and France. With the tendency to formulate a treaty in 
the way close to totally ban cluster munitions gaining momentum, 
Japan, too, now apparently judges it necessary to shift its previous 
attitude. 
 
Japan is in favor of the idea of restricting the use of cluster 
bombs in line with a convention, but it had not so far declared 
which sort of specific draft treaty it would side with. 
 
(2) Stop cluster bombs - Voices of world and Japan: Interview with 
Yukio Hatoyama, secretary general of major opposition Democratic 
Party of Japan; Stop giving consideration to U.S. 
 
MAINICHI (Page 7) (Full) 
May 23, 2008 
 
Interviewer: Kenjiro Sato 
 
The government is always overly conscious of the United States in 
dealing with foreign affairs and security issues. Japan deployed 
Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel to the Indian Ocean and Iraq in 
the context of its relations with the U.S. On the issue of cluster 
munitions, as well, the government out of consideration for the U.S. 
remains unable to decide whether to favor a total ban on those 
weapons. It is my wish that the government would swiftly turn around 
its previous policy and endorse a total ban, taking the lead among 
the countries of the world. 
 
In taking part in the Oslo Process, Japan has said it gives 
importance to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). 
While taking the position that as the sole atomic-bombed country, it 
wishes to convey its feelings to the rest of the world, Japan tries 
to justify its possession of cluster bombs. I think it is really 
regrettable that Japan has yet to determine its stance in a 
clear-cut fashion. If Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda keenly believes in 
the importance of peace, he should send a clear message to the 
international audience. 
 
Regarding the Oslo Process, I would like to see Japan clearly 
express its position and in that way, contribute to bringing peace 
to the world. Japan's half-baked attitude reflects its reluctance to 
reject America's use of cluster munitions as offensive weapons. 
Japan's ambiguous stance is apparently fettered by the Japan-U.S. 
Security Treaty, and it is not appreciated internationally. 
 
I have the experience in observing first hand the way land mines 
were removed in Afghanistan. Those land mines were very destructive. 
I also met with children who had lost their legs in the accidental 
explosion of land mines. We must eliminate from the globe any 
weapons (including cluster munitions) that kill and wound civilians 
indiscriminately. 
 
 
TOKYO 00001434  003 OF 009 
 
 
There is an argument allowing the use of cluster munitions that 
explode accurately while placing under restriction those cluster 
munitions with high rates of unexploded bomblets. But a certain 
Foreign Ministry official told me: "There are no standards to 
distinguish between good and bad bombs." (Cluster bombs) are 
originally offensive weapons to kill and wound people. There are no 
good cluster bombs. 
 
The Parliamentary Council to Promote a Ban on Cluster Munitions is 
working hard, but the number of legislators participating in the 
group is less than 10 PERCENT  of the whole. I think it is necessary 
to give it a boost. It should send some kind of message, such as a 
Diet resolution. 
 
(3) U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Arvizu: No delisting of 
North Korea prior to scrapping nuclear programs 
 
NIKKEI (Page 6) (Full) 
May 23, 2008 
 
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Alex Arvizu, referring to 
the issue of removing North Korea from the list of states sponsoring 
terrorism, stated: "We will not take North Korea off the list of 
states that sponsor terrorism prior to its abandoning its nuclear 
programs." On the question of its abandoning the nuclear programs 
this year, a target set by the State Department, Arvizu said: "If 
one considers the rapid progress of the past several weeks (such as 
increased contacts with North Korea), it is fully possible that the 
goal will be attained." 
 
On the timing of the resumption of Six-Party Talks on the North 
Korea nuclear problem, Deputy Assistant Secretary Arvizu said that 
it would depend on the results of analyzing the records presented by 
North Korea. He gave this outlook: "I hope it will be in the very 
near future." 
 
(4) Former Prime Minister Koizumi: "The LDP is buffeted by a 
headwind" 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
May 23, 2008 
 
Former Prime Minister Koizumi yesterday gave a speech at a meeting 
in Tokyo of junior Lower House members of the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP) and revealed his outlook that in the next 
Lower House election, "The LDP will have to fight an uphill battle, 
buffeted by a headwind." Koizumi analyzed the current political 
situation this way: "The major opposition Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ) will not so easily concede, for it believes it can win victory 
in the next Lower House. Perhaps for this, that party raises 
objections to everything." But Koizumi added that after the 
election, "Even if the DPJ comes to power, it will without fail seek 
cooperation from the LDP. When the LDP, along with its junior 
coalition partner New Komeito, hold a majority of seats, the LDP 
will ask for the DPJ's cooperation." Koizumi thus indicated that 
forming a grand coalition or political realignment would be an 
unavoidable choice. 
 
(5) Scope column: DPJ likely to disapprove again of government's 
appointments of members of surveillance committee on new human 
resource agency 
 
 
TOKYO 00001434  004 OF 009 
 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
May 23, 2008 
 
In the final stage of the current regular session of the Diet, the 
appointments of officials to staff government-affiliated 
institutions that require approval by both Diet chambers are again 
cropping up as the main focus of attention. The government is 
expected to submit probably next week the names of 25 candidates to 
full posts in nine organizations. However, there is stubborn 
resistance in the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) to 
accepting any of the government's appointees. The DPJ's concurrence 
is key to getting the government's candidates approved by the Diet. 
It seems likely that the same kind of turmoil that welled up during 
the selection of the governor of the Bank of Japan will occur 
again. 
 
The main focus of attention will be the appointment of a deputy BOJ 
governor, which has been vacant, as well as the selection of 
chairman and members of a Surveillance Committee on Reemployment of 
Retired Bureaucrats, which will be set up soon. 
 
In April, the government's proposal of appointing Hitotsubashi 
University Prof. Hiroshi Watanabe as a deputy BOJ governor was 
rejected by the DPJ on the grounds that Watanabe had been vice 
finance minister for international affairs. 
 
There is a strong mood in the largest opposition party that if the 
government presents its appointment of again a former Finance 
Ministry official, the party should immediately oppose it, according 
to a mid-level DPJ member. 
 
In order to avoid the DPJ's rejection, there is a view in the 
government calling for forgoing the submission of the candidate for 
deputy BOJ governor. However, if the government forgoes submitting a 
name, it might come under fire for leaving the post vacant. Prime 
Minister Yasuo Fukuda will likely find the decision difficult to 
make. 
 
All eyes will be focused more on the appointments of chairman and 
members of the Surveillance Committee on Reemployment of Retired 
Bureaucrats. The committee will be set up in October, along with a 
center to promote personnel changes between the public and private 
sectors, a new human resource agency, which will undertake 
single-handedly reemployment of civil service personnel. All the 
more because the DPJ, which advocates the scrapping of the amakudari 
(golden parachute) practice, has opposed the establishment of a new 
human resource agency, many DPJ members have taken the view that 
they can't approve even the establishment of the surveillance 
committee. 
 
During a transitional period until the new human resource agency 
starts its business, job offers by ministries and agencies will be 
possible only when the surveillance committee approves. Therefore, 
the DPJ's view is that if the appointments of members of the 
surveillance committee are undecided, the amakudari practice will 
not work. Whoever the government recommends as members of the 
committee, there is a possibility that the DPJ will disapprove of 
the appointments. 
 
However, since the DPJ came under criticism for its repeated 
disapproval of the government's proposals for the appointments of 
BOJ governor and deputy governors, some in the largest opposition 
 
TOKYO 00001434  005 OF 009 
 
 
party would like a cautious response. 
 
Yoshito Sengoku, chairman of the DPJ panel in charge of the 
appointments requiring Diet approval, said that the DPJ would 
consider the selection of committee members from such viewpoints as 
"whether the committee would become the reserve seats for retired 
senior bureaucrats" or how the DPJ would handle it when it held the 
reins of government. The appointments of the committee members will 
likely become a new trump card for the DPJ to shake up the Fukuda 
government. 
 
(6) Asia-Pacific region: Prime minister plays up region-opening 
vision in "new Fukuda Doctrine"; Rise of China, India also taken 
into account 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
May 23, 2008 
 
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, during a banquet of the international 
exchange conference "The Future of Asia" yesterday, announced 
foreign-policy principles for opening up the Asia-Pacific region. He 
asked: "What if the Pacific Ocean were to become an inland sea like 
the Mediterranean?" 
 
It has been about 30 years since former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda 
announced his Fukuda Doctrine in Manila in 1977. Since then, 
distances in the Asia-Pacific region have dramatically shrunken due 
to the development of transport and communications means. 
 
Looking ahead the next 30 years, the prime minister noted that 
leading economies will be lined up along the Pacific Ocean with 
newly emerging countries, such as China and India, becoming more 
powerful. Such a change in perspective reflecting the situation in 
the Asia-Pacific region, which accounts for 60 PERCENT  of the 
global economy, has brought about the prime minister's "vision," 
which might be called the "New Fukuda Doctrine." 
 
In creating an Asian community, leadership struggles can be been 
seen almost every year during the series of conferences that 
includes the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, 
which is held at the end of the year. China, India and Russia all 
aim to increase their regional influence on the strength of their 
high growth, while ASEAN continue to hold those countries in 
balance. One diplomatic source expressed this concern: "Unless the 
various countries give in when it comes to national interest, 
cooperation within the region will reach a deadlock." 
 
The prime minister in his speech stressed:  "Why don't we wipe away 
our mental barrier"; and "The key word is opening (the region)." His 
statement indicated his sense of crisis that cooperation in the 
Asia-Pacific would be hindered by a growing sense of alarm, 
confrontation and inward-looking mind-set within the region. 
 
(7) Ma Ying-jeou has just taken office as president, but have 
Japan-Taiwan relations already become strained? 
 
SANKEI (Page 6) (Full) 
May 23, 2008 
 
(Tanaka, Taiwan) 
 
Unforeseen strains have already appeared between Japan-Taiwan 
 
TOKYO 00001434  006 OF 009 
 
 
relations over the speech made by new President of Taiwan Ma 
Ying-jeou in his inaugural ceremony on May 20. Behind this 
unexpected development is a perception gap involving Japan's concern 
about Ma's image of being pro-mainland China and anti-Japanese, and 
Taiwan's irritation at Japan's policy stance. The strains could lead 
to a deterioration of bilateral ties. 
 
"Japan will make efforts so that the word 'Japan' will be inserted 
in the next inaugural speech four years from now," said Japan-Taiwan 
Parliamentary League Chairman Takeo Hiranuma in a luncheon at the 
Presidential Office in Taiwan on the afternoon of the 20th. He was 
indirectly complaining of the fact that the new president did not 
refer to Japan in his speech. 
 
In Japan, there is strong concern that Ma might downplay relations 
with Japan. This is because Ma has emphasized his willingness to 
enhance ties with Beijing and Washington, and in the past, he has 
expressed severe views about Japan's past military aggression. The 
Hiranuma remark reflects such apprehension. But his complaint was 
not conveyed to the Chinese side as the interpreter on the Taiwanese 
side mistranslated what Hiranuma said in this way: "I want you to 
deliver a speech in Japanese four years from now." 
 
In a press conference on the 21st, Ma refuted Japan's complaint: "It 
is impossible to cite the names of all the countries in a speech. I 
had lunch with the Japanese delegation, and that was meant to show 
my emphasis on Japan-Taiwan relations." A senior member of the 
Nationalist Party grumbled: "It is Japan that should be aware of Mr. 
Ma's consideration and have the courage to establish a new 
Japan-Taiwan relationship, taking advantage of the change of 
government." 
 
The Taiwanese government asserts: "President Ma, just after being 
elected, often referred to 'giving priority to relations with Japan' 
in an effort to erase his anti-Japanese image." He has softened his 
stance slightly to establish a future-oriented relationship with 
Japan, while keeping his severe views about Japan's past Imperial 
rule over Taiwan. On May 8, Ma attended a memorial service for 
Japanese engineer Yoichi Hatta. President Ma, who has expressed his 
desire to be knowledgeable about Japan, said during the luncheon; 
"The Taiwan High Speed Railway is based on Japan's technology." 
 
In response, Japanese participants just used diplomatic language. 
All the Japanese lawmakers of the delegate returned to Japan 
immediately after the luncheon. Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara and 
other participants also set out on an inspection tour. None of the 
prominent Japanese figures who attended the ceremony showed up at a 
celebration party held in Kaohsiung that evening. 
 
The United States also sent a delegate to Taiwan. Former Special 
Assistant to the President Card handed a personal letter from 
President Bush to the new Taiwan president. The U.S. highly praised 
the contents of the inaugural speech and the change of government. 
 
Five successive chairmen of the Board of the American Institute in 
Taiwan (corresponding to the U.S. ambassadorship) accompanied 
President Ma on his trip to Kaohsiung and held talks with Ma in the 
train. They discussed a variety of topics ranging from the security 
issue in the Taiwan Straits to relations among the U.S., China, and 
Taiwan, in an apparent attempt to restore the bilateral relations 
that became strained under the government of President Chen 
Shui-bian. 
 
TOKYO 00001434  007 OF 009 
 
 
 
A senior Nationalist Party member said: "There is an obvious 
difference in responses made by Japan and the U.S. In forecasting 
the future of Japan-Taiwan relations, the ball is in Japan's court. 
We want Japan to be aware that it is a country involved in a new era 
for East Asia." 
 
(8) Africa aid: Government firms up action program, including 
investment agreement with South Africa 
 
NIKKEI (Page 3) (Full) 
May 23, 2008 
 
The government has outlined an Africa Action Program, an aid policy 
to be released at the Tokyo International Conference on African 
Development (TICAD) starting from May 28. The package focuses on the 
promotion of trade and investment, focusing mainly on resource-rich 
countries, as well as the provision of direct support to be extended 
by the government, including a doubling of official development 
assistance to African nations. As a first step, the government is 
expected to agree to hold a preparatory meeting to sign an 
investment agreement with the Republic of South Africa. 
 
TICAD is an international conference launched in response to a 
proposal made by Japan. It is held every five years. The upcoming 
three-day meeting to be held in Yokohama is the fourth round. The 
meeting will bring together 52 African nations that have diplomatic 
ties with Japan, of which more than 40 will dispatch their heads of 
state. 
 
The action program will include doubling ODA to Africa from the 
current 100 billion yen over five years, doubling rice production in 
Africa over the next 10 years, and extending food aid totaling 100 
million dollars and mainly to Africa. 
 
Paving the way for promoting trade and investment is characterized 
as a showcase item to meet a request from African nations, which aim 
at becoming economically independent. The plan is to help their 
efforts with an investment agreement and the use of trade insurance, 
by setting goals to double investment in and trade with Africa. 
 
A preparatory meeting to sign an investment agreement with South 
Africa will take the form of a joint trade committee between the 
governments and private sectors of both sides. The first meeting 
will be held as early as this fall with the aim of signing a pact in 
about three years. According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and 
Industry (METI), such an agreement, if realized, will be the first 
with any sub-Saharan country. The government will call on other 
countries to agree to sign such an accord, by setting a model with 
an agreement with South Africa. 
 
In the trade area, Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) 
will exchange a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Islamic 
Corporation for Insurance Investments and Export Credits (ICIEC) 
with the aim of forming cooperative relationship. Trade amount 
between Japan and Africa in 2007 stood at approximately 3.1 trillion 
yen, combining both imports and exports. In order to expand trade, 
Japan plans to boost energy imports through resource exploration 
cooperation. It also wants to find 40 product items that can be sold 
to about 20 African nations. Another plan is to launch a project of 
disseminating new energy resources, such as solar energy generation, 
in areas without electric power supply. 
 
TOKYO 00001434  008 OF 009 
 
 
 
(9) Facing Africa (Part 3): Japan greatly falling behind other G8 
members in tackling sharp rise in food prices 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
May 22, 2008 
 
A meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) development ministers was held 
in April in Tokyo. At a press conference after the meeting, most 
participants expressed concern about the worsening food situation 
among African countries. The German minister stated: "A one percent 
increase in the prices of staple foods would have a drastic impact." 
The representative from France said: "Since my country will chair 
the European Union, I would like to take this issue up as a main 
agenda item." 
 
However, there was no word "food" in the chairman's statement 
drafted by Japan. Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura would only say: 
"(The food issue) is important, but we could not sacrifice other 
issues." So, there was a significant gap in views on the food issue 
between Japan and Europe. 
 
Earlier, in March, United Nations World Food Plan (WFP) asked the 
Japanese government to provide additional food aid, and the deputy 
secretary general even traveled from Rome to Tokyo, but the 
government did not give a clear answer. While slashing the 
government official development assistance (ODA) budget, Japan's 
contributions in 2008 to the WFP decreased to approximately 6.8 
million dollars, one-tenth of what Japan had extended in 1997. 
Compared with its bilateral assistance, the effects of which are 
easily seen, Japan has been putting off responses to global issues. 
 
Discussion of the sharp rise in global food prices is absolutely 
necessary in the G8 summit in July in Hokkaido and in the Tokyo 
International Conference on African Development. Japan, however, had 
been reluctant to take up this issue as a main topic of discussion 
until it received on April 9 a letter from British Prime Minister 
Gordon Brown urging it to fulfill its leadership as chair of the G8 
summit 
 
Japan finally decided on April 25 to provide approximately 100 
million yen in aid. Although the government underscored that 50 
million yen of this would go to Africa, it is difficult to say that 
Tokyo is fulfilling its leadership. 
 
(10) Government use anti-desertification measures as trump card to 
lure Africa into negotiations on new mechanism to fight global 
warming 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
May 23, 2008 
 
In a preparatory meeting for the 4th Tokyo International Conference 
on African Development (TICAD4) held in Gabon, central Africa, in 
late March, Foreign Minister Koumura said: "Africa is the continent 
that is the most vulnerable to climate change." 
 
One of the obstacles in forming a new international mechanism to 
fight global warming in the run-up to the Lake Toya Summit in 
Hokkaido is the negative stance of developing countries in Africa 
and other regions. They think restrictions on greenhouse gas 
emissions will hinder their economic growth. 
 
TOKYO 00001434  009 OF 009 
 
 
 
Given this, Japan has launched a strategy to use preventive measures 
against desertification - a headache for Africa - as a bargaining 
chip to lure Africa into negotiations. The government will establish 
the "Cool Earth Partnership," a fund worth approximately 1 trillion 
yen. Money in the fund will be used to finance measures to restrict 
excessive pasturage, cultivation, and deforestation, as well as to 
offer assistance in the wake of disasters, such as droughts. In 
return for such financial aid, recipient countries will hold policy 
talks with Japan on global warming countermeasures and will take 
part in forming a new international climate regime. 
 
Rapidly growing China is now the world's second largest greenhouse 
gas emitter, but it has formed a "developing countries group" with 
African countries that has brushed aside the existing global warming 
countermeasures. Their assertion is that they cannot assume the same 
responsibility as industrialized countries. They are members of the 
expanded summit conference. They will be tough negotiators in 
forming a new climate framework. 
 
A senior Foreign Ministry official said: "The Cool Earth will be 
financial sources to bring in Africa." Japan has so far agreed with 
Senegal and other two countries that have been tormented by 
desertification to disburse funds and start talks. 
 
The total amount of carbon dioxide gas given off by Africa accounts 
only about 3 PERCENT  of the total emission across the world, but 
Africa will play a key role in determining the outcome of the 
negotiations on global warming. 
 
SCHIEFFER