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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 001497 
 
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 06//08 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's weekend schedule  (Nikkei 
 
4) Prime Minister Fukuda meets Germany's Chancellor Merkel on first 
leg of European tour: Two to vow cooperation on global warming, 
discuss Africa  (Mainichi) 
 
China earthquake assistance: 
5) Government to use commercial aircraft to deliver 1200 tents to 
quake victims in China  (Tokyo Shimbun 
6) Senior PLA officer "can't welcome" ASDF aircraft bringing relief 
goods to earthquake victims in China  (Asahi 
7) Japan's medical team returns from earthquake zone in China today, 
with sense of "having deepened trust relations" between two peoples 
(Tokyo Shimbun) 
8) Japan to provide 500 million yen in additional aid to China quake 
victims  (Asahi) 
 
9) Government considering sending 100,000 tons of rice aid to Sri 
Lanka  (Yomiuri) 
 
Defense and security affairs: 
10) Japan signs on to total cluster-munitions ban, but it will cost 
the government 200 billion yen to scrap the existing stockpile 
(Tokyo Shimbun) 
11) Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura: GSDF dispatch to Afghanistan 
is a possibility  (Asahi) 
12) Government considering sending GSDF to Afghanistan to 
participate in ISAF  (Yomiuri) 
13) Government considering sending SDF to Sudan  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
14) Prime Minister Fukuda takes cautious stance about sending GSDF 
to Afghanistan  (Sankei) 
15) DPJ Secretary General Hatoyama cautious about dispatch of GSDF 
to Afghanistan  (Mainichi) 
16) Defense Secretary Gates, Defense Minister Ishiba in meeting in 
Singapore confirm commitment to complete Futenma relocation by 2014 
(Asahi) 
17) Gates, Ishiba agree in meeting that road map for USFJ 
realignment must be used unchanged  (Nikkei) 
18) Ishiba at Asian security symposium in Singapore told that 
Japan's needs a strategy  (Mainichi) 
 
19) Prime Minister Fukuda joins domestic policy debate over 
reviewing the acreage reduction system in view of growing food 
shortages in world  (Sankei)    11 
 
DPJ in action: 
20) Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) revises strategy to favor Diet 
dissolution in the fall or later, with first priority now on 
reelecting party head Ozawa  (Nikkei) 
21) DPJ may "reelect" Ozawa as party head without a formal vote 
(Yomiuri) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi & Sankei: 
Gasoline prices exceed 170 yen per liter 
 
TOKYO 00001497  002 OF 012 
 
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 06//08 
 
 
Mainichi: 
Police determine 1,696 unidentified children in child porn materials 
in 2007 
 
Yomiuri: 
Illicit businesses change names after getting penalized, allegedly 
defrauding 6,200 people of 1.2 billion yen for 2 years 
 
Nikkei: 
Japan Post to change its fleet to electric vehicles 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Escalating gasoline prices 
 
Akahata: 
International Food Forum: Local production for local consumption 
would cool the earth 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Prime Minister Fukuda, local government chiefs should show 
determination for decentralization 
(2) Government urged to recognize more atomic bomb victims as 
sufferers of A-bomb sickness 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) End of TICAD: We want to see economic development in Africa in 
TICAD V 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Imported rice in stock would alleviate shortage 
(2) The Manyoshu, oldest existing anthology of poetry, must be 
handed down to future generations 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Efforts for measures to prevent new-type flu 
(2) Can Japan-China-ROK cooperation framework work? 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Kibo space lab is crystallization of Japan's space technologies 
(2) Citizen-judges should be told of responsibilities in easy to 
understand language 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Revised traffic law: People must follow new rules 
(2) COP10: Nagoya should dispatch messages 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Class action lawsuit seeking government's recognition as 
sufferers of A-bomb sickness: Need for government's fundamental 
policy change 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, May 31 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 1, 2008 
 
10:11 
 
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SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 06//08 
 
Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura, joined in by Assistant Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Saka, at the Kentei. 
 
10:58 
Met Consumer Administration Promotion Council Chairman Takeshi 
Sasaki and others in the presence of Machimura and Consumer 
Administration Promotion Minister Kishida. Kishida stayed on. 
Afternoon Spent time at his official residence. 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, June 1 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 2, 2008 
 
11:23 
Departed from Haneda Airport on government plane for a trip to three 
European countries. 
 
(Local time) 
Afternoon 
Arrived at Tegel Airport in Berlin and then at the Intercontinental 
Hotel. 
 
Evening 
Attended a welcome ceremony hosted by German Chancellor Merkel and 
had a meeting with Merkel. 
 
Night 
Held a joint press conference. 
 
4) Japanese, German leaders to confirm cooperation on joint efforts 
to fight global warming, to exchange views on Africa issue 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 2, 2008 
 
(Naoyuki, Inukai, Berlin) 
 
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, now on a Europe tour, held his first 
meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Prime Minister's Office 
in Germany on the evening of June 1, local time. The two leaders 
will confirm the need for Japan and Germany to cooperate in fighting 
global warming, a major theme in the upcoming Lake Toya Summit 
(Group of Eight Summit) in July. They will also exchange views on 
such issues as globally skyrocketing food prices and African 
development. 
 
In the meeting, Fukuda will spell out the government's proposed 
sector-by-sector approach to cut greenhouse gas emissions based on 
targets classified by industry and sector and seek her cooperation 
in forming a new international framework to fight global warming 
following the 2012 expiration of the Kyoto Protocol. 
 
Fukuda and Merkel will also agree on cooperation between their 
governments in dealing with the food problem and the African 
development issue, based on the discussions conducted at the 4th 
Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD4) in 
Yokohama in late May, 
 
Besides, the two leaders are expected to confer on economic issues, 
such as the reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), 
which both Japan and Germany are calling for, and soaring oil 
 
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prices. After the meeting, they will hold a joint press conference 
at the Prime Minister's Office. 
 
5) Japan to send 1,200 tents for Sichuan quake victims 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Abridged) 
May 31, 2008 
 
Japan will provide additional aid worth up to 500 million yen for 
those affected by the Sichuan earthquake in China, Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Nobutaka Machimura told a news conference yesterday 
afternoon. The government will send 1,200 tents on commercial 
flights to Chengdu, Sichuan, or Beijing. It will cost about 163 
million yen, including the charter flights. 
 
The government had initially considered flying Self-Defense Forces 
aircraft to airlift relief supplies. However, the government has now 
forgone this SDF airlift mission out of consideration for China's 
reluctance. However, the government would like to make an appeal on 
Japan's proactive stance of aiding quake victims with relief 
supplies on commercial flights. 
 
The additional aid this time follows the government's initial 
emergency financial and materiel aid amounting to 500 million yen. 
The Japanese government's aid will total 1 billion yen. 
 
The government will also provide medical supplies, drinking water, 
and water purifiers, as requested by China. 
 
6) High-ranking Chinese military officer indicates Beijing "cannot 
welcome" SDF aircraft, citing anti-Japanese sentiment 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 1, 2008 
 
China's deputy chief of the People's Liberation Army staff Ma 
Xiaotian in Singapore on May 31 commented on the Japanese 
government's aborted plan to send Self-Defense Force aircraft to 
deliver relief supplies to survivors of the Sichuan earthquake. He 
said that Beijing "would not able to welcome it" at the moment. 
Citing a possible psychological impact on Chinese national 
sentiments as the reason, Ma underlined the need for long-term joint 
efforts (by Japan and China). He thus admitted that there were the 
anti-Japanese sentiment and rejection to SDF aircraft behind the 
government's decision to forgo sending SDF planes. 
 
This is the first time that a ranking Chinese military officer has 
responded to questions from the media. Ma, who attended the annual 
Asia Security Summit held in Singapore sponsored by the Asahi 
Shimbun and other organizations, indicated to an Asahi reporter 
about allowing SDF aircraft to deliver relief supplies, "Personally, 
I cannot express a sense of welcome." 
 
As the reason, he said: "If Japanese military aircraft fly over 
China's airspace and land on a Chinese airport, it would have a 
certain degree of impact on the psychology of the Chinese public." 
 
Prior to this, Ma stated during a lecture that Beijing could not 
accept the SDF aircraft based on historic, cultural and 
psychological reasons, as well as on the selection and sentiment of 
the Chinese government and public. He added that Japan understands 
the reasons. 
 
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7) Japanese medical team to return home today from China's quake-hit 
areas 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
June 2, 2008 
 
(Minoru Ikeda, Chengdu (Sichuan Province, China)) 
 
Japan's medical team gave a press conference in Chengdu, Sichuan 
Province, on the night of June 1 after completing rescue operations 
for victims of the massive earthquake. Team leader Kazuhiro Tajiri 
said: "We were able to conduct rescue operations smoothly. Deepened 
mutual understanding between Japan and China facilitated our 
cooperation in emergency medical treatment." 
 
The Japanese medical team treated more than 250 emergency 
outpatients in cooperation with Chinese staff at Sichuan University 
West China Hospital. There were 280 inpatients, and those who 
received X-rays exceeded 700. The team will leave Chengdu Airport on 
the morning of June 2 and arrive in Japan on the night of the same 
day. 
 
Tajiri said in the press conference: "We were able to deepen 
individual relations with the Chinese staff and patients day by day. 
They offered words that encouraged us. I am pleased with that." He 
also quoted a woman who just had a baby in the obstetrics and 
gynecology department as saying when a midwife offered parting words 
to her: "I will have the baby learn Japanese. Let's have a chat 
through my child ten years later." 
 
The medical team arrived in Chengdu on May 20 and started rescue 
operations at the said hospital on the 22nd, 11 days after the 
quake. 
 
8) Government to extend additional 500 million yen in aid to China 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
May 31, 2008 
 
The government announced on May 30 that the country would offer an 
additional up to 500 million yen in aid to victims of the Sichuan 
earthquake in China. It is the second package following the one 
worth 500 million yen, announced on May 23. Although the government 
has forgone dispatching SDF aircraft to deliver relief supplies to 
China, it plans to send as early as next week some 1,200 tents, 
including those possessed by the SDF, by using chartered commercial 
planes. The government plans to continue sending blankets, medical 
supplies, water purifiers and the like in compliance with requests 
from China. 
 
For the delivery, the Cabinet Office International Peace Cooperation 
Headquarters Secretariat will provide 700 tents, the SDF 100, and 
Hyogo and Aichi Prefectures 200 each all for free of charge. Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said in a press conference on 
May 30: "If any organization would like to discuss (providing 
tents), please notify any government agency concerned." 
 
9) Japan mulling offering rice to Sri Lanka 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 1, 2008 
 
TOKYO 00001497  006 OF 012 
 
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 06//08 
 
 
The government is considering providing Sri Lanka with some 100,000 
tons of the rice Japan imports obligatorily, sources revealed on May 
¶31. If this is realized, Sri Lanka will be the second country after 
the Philippines to receive Japan's imported rice amid the growing 
food crisis. 
 
According to sources, the government of Sri Lanka asked Japan to use 
100,000-200,000 tons of its imported rice for assistance to that 
country. International rice prices have tripled over the last five 
months. Sri Lanka is apparently finding it difficult to secure 
imports of rice. Japan is expected to export 200,000 tons of rice to 
the Philippines. 
 
10) GSDF to scrap all cluster munitions at a cost of 200 billion 
yen 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Full) 
May 31, 2008 
 
Following the Japanese government's agreement to a draft treaty 
totally banning cluster munitions except for some of such bombs, the 
Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) is expected to scrap all of its 
multiple launch rocket system (MLRS)-equipped vehicles. 
Approximately 200 billion yen was spent to install the MLRS system 
in 99 vehicles, but all those vehicles will now be rendered 
obsolete, and in addition, a the defense budget will be hit for 
enormous outlays to purchase alternative weapons. 
 
The MLRS is installed in special armored vehicles capable of 
carrying 12 rocket bombs (cluster munitions) incorporating 644 
submunitions. If there is a land invasion, rockets would be fired at 
the enemy that would eject submunitions and put the area under 
control in a moment. 
 
As a trump card to cope with the landing of invading forces, Japan 
began purchasing cluster-munitions launchers from the United States 
in fiscal 1992. The number of those vehicles possessed by five 
Artillery Battalions totals 99 at present. 
 
A senior GSDF officer noted: "We need to review our strategy. The 
firepower of one MLRS-equipped vehicle is tantamount to three pieces 
of ordnance." In order to make up for one MLRS-equipped vehicle 
worth 2 or so billion yen, three pieces of 155mm artillery are 
necessary. This means a total of approximately 1.2 billion yen will 
be needed to purchase them. 
 
The MLRS is capable of carrying the Army Tactical Missile System 
(ATACMS) that does not use cluster munitions, but the GSDF does not 
possess this system. Referring to ATACMS, another senior GSDF 
officer said, "The defense trading house Yamada Yoko is related to 
imports of ATACMS, and former Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya, 
now under indictment on a bribery charge, eagerly insisted on 
purchasing the system. Given such a circumstance, it does not appear 
to be a good choice to purchase it. Japan is unlikely to move to 
purchase ATACMS. 
 
Scrapping cluster bombs requires a huge amount of money. In addition 
to cluster munitions installed in the MLRS, the Self-Defense Forces 
(SDF) have two other types of cluster munitions: one type is that 
they will eject 202 submunitions when they are air-dropped and the 
other type is that high explosive shells are fired from a piece of 
 
TOKYO 00001497  007 OF 012 
 
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 06//08 
 
155mm artillery. The Air Self-Defense Force's (ASDF) Chief of Staff 
Toshio Tamogami said, "It will cost us 10 billion yen to scrap 
them," and the GSDF said that it had no idea about how much it would 
cost to scrap them. 
 
The government spent approximately 2 billion yen to scrap some one 
million antipersonnel land mines after signing the treaty banning 
such land mines. Japan agreed now to a treaty totally banning 
cluster munitions "from a broad perspective," says Tamogami, but 
this agreement is certain to serve as a material to further 
constrain Japan's defense spending, which has continued to decrease 
for six years in a row. 
 
11) Machimura suggests ground-based assistance for Afghanistan in 
attempt to drag DPJ into debate 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 1, 2008 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura delivering a speech on 
May 31 in Tokyo indicated in connection with the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force's refueling operation in the Indian Ocean that 
the government would consider sending Ground Self-Defense Force 
troops to Afghanistan as part of the country's assistance for the 
reconstruction of that country. 
 
Dispatching ground troops to Afghanistan requires the enactment of a 
new law. Machimura said: "We will consider assistance for 
Afghanistan while keeping in mind how to obtain the understanding of 
the Democratic Party of Japan under the divided Diet." In view of 
DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa's positive stance about joining the 
International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, Machimura's 
comment was seemingly intended to drag the DPJ into the security 
argument. 
 
12) Gov't mulls physical support for Afghanistan 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 1, 2008 
 
The government will consider conducting physical support in 
Afghanistan in addition to the Maritime Self-Defense Force's ongoing 
refueling activities in the Indian Ocean, Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Machimura said in a speech at an international conference hosted by 
private businesses yesterday in Tokyo. The MSDF has been tasked 
there with refueling activities under a new antiterrorism special 
measures law, which will expire in January next year. Meanwhile, 
Ichiro Ozawa, president of the leading opposition Democratic Party 
of Japan (Minshuto), has been insisting on the need for Japan to 
engage the Ground Self-Defense Force in the International Security 
Assistance Force (ISAF). The government will also consider GSDF 
participation in ISAF operations. 
 
"The government is about to consider in a little broader view 
whether it is possible for Japan to do something in addition to the 
MSDF's continued refueling activities, including whether it is 
possible to do something in Afghanistan," Machimura said. He added: 
"This is related to legislation, so we will think about it, 
including whether we can get the DPJ's understanding." 
 
In this connection, a high-ranking government official said 
yesterday: "The most likely option is to extend the MSDF's refueling 
 
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mission. But we'd like to consider what kind of contribution we can 
do. Mr. Ozawa has advocated SDF participation in ISAF. We'd like to 
call on the DPJ through the ruling coalition for policy talks." 
 
Defense Minister Ishiba told reporters at a Singapore hotel 
yesterday evening: "In the case of GSDF activities, the primary 
requirement is to send them to a noncombat zone. We will have to 
discuss what kind of activities we will conduct and where." 
 
In October last year, Ozawa announced his advocacy of sending SDF 
troops to Afghanistan for ISAF participation. The DPJ incorporated 
its Afghan reconstruction assistance plan in its counterproposal of 
a new antiterror legislative measure, including sending SDF members, 
policemen, and physicians. At the time, however, Ozawa forwent the 
SDF's ISAF participation out of consideration for cautious arguments 
in his party. 
 
12-2) Fukuda: "GSDF's reconstruction aid in Afghanistan depends on 
local situation" 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 2, 2008 
 
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda revealed yesterday that the government 
is looking into the possibility of dispatching Ground Self-Defense 
Force (GSDF) troops to Afghanistan to assist its reconstruction 
efforts, saying: "If the nation is in a situation where Japan can 
offer cooperation on land activities, it will be fine. We are always 
considering the possibility." But he added: "We are ready to do what 
we can do. Even so, it depends on the local situation." He indicated 
the need for Japan to first ascertain the local situation. 
 
On Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura's reference in a 
speech on May 31 to a review of the current rice 
production-adjustment policy (acreage-reduction policy), Fukuda 
said: "Since you (reporters) are young, eat more rice so that it 
will become unnecessary to reduce crop acreage. If that becomes the 
case, the nation's self-sufficiency rate will automatically rise." 
He thus indicated that priority should be given to expanding 
domestic consumption over increasing production. He made these 
remarks in replying questions by reporters at his official 
residence. 
 
13) Japan considering sending SDF to Sudan 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
May 31, 2008 
 
President Bashir of Sudan, who attended the meeting of the Tokyo 
International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Yokohama, 
late on May 30 had a news conference, in which he said: "Prime 
Minister (Yasuo) Fukuda told me in a summit meeting that he was 
mulling sending Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel to Sudan." 
Fukuda had a dialogue with the president on May 28. 
 
In Sudan, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) is engaged in 
peacekeeping operations (PKO) in the southern part of the country, 
where a civil war has continued since the 1980s, apart from the 
so-called Darfur genocide in the southern part of Sudan, where the 
refugee issue is becoming serious. But according to Bashir, Fukuda, 
as the purposes of the SDF dispatch to Sudan, cited construction of 
infrastructure and removal of land mines instead of participation in 
 
TOKYO 00001497  009 OF 012 
 
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 06//08 
 
a PKO. A Sudanese diplomat told Tokyo Shimbun: "Prime Minister 
Fukuda referred to a southern area of Sudan as a location for (the 
SDF) to be dispatched. We did not hear of the scale of troops to be 
dispatched. What he said was not a decision to dispatch but was that 
he is considering dispatching (SDF personnel)." 
 
14) Prime Minister Fukuda cautious about Japan's launching 
land-based activities in Afghanistan, saying, "Conditions must allow 
such" 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
June 2, 2008 
 
When asked by the press about the possibility of Japan becoming 
involved in land-based activities in Afghanistan to help the country 
reconstruct, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda stated on June 1: 
 
"If the conditions there enable us to provide such cooperation, we 
could do so. I'm always considering such a possibility. The Japan 
International Cooperation Agency already is working there." 
 
Fukuda, however, indicated that Japan would need to cautiously study 
the option, saying: "Our position is that we will do whatever we can 
do, but we won't be able to do so if the circumstances there do not 
allow us." 
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura, in a speech on May 31, 
revealed that the government was mulling such activities (by the 
Ground Self-Defense Force). 
 
15) DPJ Secretary General Hatoyama: Cautious about dispatch of GSDF 
to Afghanistan 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 2, 2008 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama 
indicated in a press conference in Suzaka City, Nagano Prefecture, 
yesterday that his party would cautiously consider the propriety of 
dispatching Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) troops to Afghanistan 
for land operations. In reference to Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Nobutaka Machimura's remark suggesting that the government would 
discuss the possibility of dispatching GSDF troops for land 
activities in Afghanistan in connection with the continuation of the 
Maritime Self-Defense's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean, 
Hatoyama said: "We cannot easily agree with it. We must consider the 
possibility in a cautious manner." 
 
16) Japanese, U.S. defense ministers confirm relocation of Futenma 
Air Station by 2014 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 1, 2008 
 
Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, now visiting Singapore, held a 
meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on May 31. 
Touching on U.S. force realignment, Gates sought the implementation 
of a Japan-U.S. agreement, including the relocation of the U.S. 
Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station by 2014, saying, "It is extremely 
important to implement the plans as scheduled." In response, Ishiba 
said, "We would like to advance them sincerely." 
 
 
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According to the Defense Ministry, Okinawa's request to move the 
planned Futenma replacement facility in Nago into the ocean did not 
crop up in the meeting. Ishiba also requested U.S. cooperation on 
Japan's cost of the planned relocation of U.S. Marines from Okinawa 
to Guam, saying: "We need to offer an explanation to the public." In 
response, Gate said: "We are naturally prepared to provide you with 
information." 
 
17) Ishiba, Gates confirm roadmap for USFJ realignment 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 1, 2008 
 
SINGAPORE-Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with U.S. Secretary of 
Defense Gates yesterday in Singapore, where he visited to attend an 
Asian security conference. Ishiba and Gates agreed to steadily 
realign U.S. forces in Japan in accordance with a roadmap for 
realignment plans, including the one to relocate the U.S. Marine 
Corps' Futenma Air Station by 2014. Ishiba asked Gates to provide 
information about the planned relocation of U.S. Marines from 
Okinawa to Guam. Gates indicated that he would consider the 
request. 
 
Japan and the United States last held a meeting of their defense 
chiefs in Tokyo in November last year. On the pending issue of 
relocating Futenma airfield, Okinawa Prefecture has calling for the 
planned relocation site to be moved into the sea. In the meeting, 
Gates took a cautious stance about reviewing the Futenma accord, 
saying: "Everything is interrelated in the realignment. It's 
important to implement it as scheduled in accordance with the 
roadmap." Ishiba said, "We want to promote it in a sincere way." 
 
Ishiba also touched on Japan's burden sharing in the cost of moving 
Okinawa-based U.S. Marines to Guam. Ishiba noted: "In Japan, we are 
highly interested in this, including its cost. We're committed to 
implementing realignment plans in a sincere way. But we have public 
accountability." Gates said: "In the United States as well, we need 
to explain, so it's only natural (to provide information)." 
 
Later in the day, Ishiba met with the defense ministers of six other 
countries, including South Korea and Australia. Japan and South 
Korea agreed to expand periodic defense exchanges, including their 
defense ministers. In addition, Japan agreed with Australia to set 
up a working group to work together for logistical assistance in the 
area of international peace cooperation. 
 
18) Ishiba at Asia security conference: Japan's challenge is to 
adopt a strategy 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Full) 
June 2, 2008 
 
Makoto Matsuo in Singapore 
 
An Asia security conference held in Singapore from May 30 to June 1 
resulted in giving the impression of China's growing presence. 
Although criticism of China for its arms buildup has been 
constrained since the huge earthquake in Sichuan Province, the 
conference, which had been a framework in which the United States 
and ASEAN countries sought to hold China in check in recent years, 
has had a growing image of being a forum for holding a dialogue with 
that country. 
 
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The conference started in 2002, following the terrorist attacks on 
the United States. China for the first time last year sent a 
sub-cabinet level military officer.  A Defense Ministry official 
said it seemed "that China was displaying a stance of strengthening 
its involvement with the Asia-Pacific region." Deputy chief of the 
People's Liberation Army staff Ma Xiaotian this time attended. 
Defense Minister Ishiba throughout the conference repeatedly sought 
China's making its defense spending transparent, but he also 
stressed that he could not agree with those proclaiming that China 
was a threat. 
 
However, although Ishiba met with seven defense chiefs including 
Defense Secretary Gates, he did not formally meet with the Chinese 
side. Singapore's Prime Minister Lee told Ishiba: "(Japan) needs a 
positive strategy, and not just trade and investment." One can say 
that he laid on an extra challenge for Japan. 
 
19) Prime Minister Fukuda urges young people to eat more rice so 
that acreage reduction policy would become unnecessary 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
June 2, 2008 
 
At a press conference held prior to his trip to  Europe, including 
his participation in a food security summit, Prime Minister Yasuo 
Fukuda underscored the need for expanding domestic rice consumption, 
saying: "I want young people to eat more rice so that the government 
will not need to continue the reduced-rice-acreage policy." 
 
Fukuda made such a remark in response to Chief Cabinet Secretary 
Nobutaka Machimura's speech on May 31 in which he had referred to a 
review of the government's rice acreage reduction policy due to the 
international food shortage. Fukuda also stressed: "(Japan's food) 
self-sufficiency rate would automatically increase if the 
reduced-rice-acreage policy was not needed. Let's do so at first!" 
He appears to have taken the view that an expansion of rice 
consumption must come first because there is concern that a revising 
the rice acreage reduction policy would drop rice prices. 
 
Japan's food self-sufficiency rate for fiscal 2006 was 39 PERCENT . 
Of the 8,556,000 tons of domestic rice production in 2006, 7,800,000 
tons were actually consumed. 
 
20) DPJ revising its strategy to press for Diet dissolution in the 
fall or later, focusing instead on election stance (Nikkei) 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Excerpt) 
June 1, 2008 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has begun to reconstruct its 
election strategy aimed at the next Lower House race. Since Prime 
Minister Fukuda has rejected the idea of an early Diet dissolution 
and snap election, the party has revised its anticipated timing of 
dissolution from this Diet session to the fall or later. It will now 
engage in full-scale consideration of possibly changing its 
candidate lineup. In the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the 
predominant view now is that dissolution is fairly far off in the 
future, with care being taken on how to prevent the election stance 
from weakening. 
 
21) DPJ trying to avoid electing new party president without a 
 
TOKYO 00001497  012 OF 012 
 
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 06//08 
 
formal vote 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
June 1, 2008 
 
It is becoming increasingly likely that Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ) President Ozawa will be reelected to a third term in 
September, but there is a growing view in the party that it should 
not be without a formal vote. The reason is that the party should 
use the presidential election as a means to publicize its identity. 
 
 
Although Ozawa himself has not formally indicated his intention to 
run as a candidate, conventional wisdom has it that he will announce 
his candidacy for a third term, since he has stated, "I will stake 
my political life on bringing about a change in government in the 
next general election." With this in mind, party leaders including 
Secretary General Hatoyama have announced their support for a third 
term for Ozawa. The thinking is that since he won them the Upper 
House, they should fight in a Lower House election under him. 
 
SCHIEFFER