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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 TOKYO 002308 
 
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 08/22/08 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 
 
Political issues: 
4) G-8 house speakers to meet in Hiroshima  (Yomiuri) 
5) Ex-U.S. envoys to advise Obama on Japan  (Sankei) 
6) Japan to accept U.S.-India nuclear pact  (Nikkei) 
7) Prime Minister Fukuda tells Defense Minister Hayashi to gain 
public understanding for new antiterror legislation  (Yomiuri) 
8) Gulf between LDP, New Komeito over new antiterror legislation 
(Sankei) 
9) DPJ's Noda gives up entry into party race, DPJ President Ozawa 
likely to be elected for 3rd term  (Sankei) 
10) New Komeito wants Diet dissolved late this year or early next 
year  (Asahi) 
11) Japan in a hurry for antipiracy legislation due to tanker hijack 
off Somalia  (Sankei) 
 
Economic topics: 
12) MOFA earmarks 500 billion yen, up 13 PERCENT , for ODA projects 
(Nikkei) 
13) GOJ eyes new R&D plan for eco-friendly, energy-saving 
technologies  (Nikkei) 
 
Defense & security issues: 
14) USS George Washington sets sail for Yokosuka  (Mainichi) 
15) SDP President Fukushima calls for detailed USG reports on U.S. 
flattop, sub accidents  (Yomiuri) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi, Mainichi, Yomiuri, Sankei, & Tokyo Shimbun 
Japan wins softball gold at Olympics 
 
Nikkei: 
Government to establish new form of corporation to promote joint 
technology research in environment, energy sectors 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) U.S. should freeze plan to deploy MD system in Europe 
(2) Minimize the effect of soaring oil prices on electricity 
charges 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Agriculture minister's "consumers-are-noisy" remark 
irresponsible 
(2) Tax-cut measures in economic package eyed for election 
campaigning 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Subsidy system expected to contribute to promote solar power 
(2) Encourage working mothers with childcare support programs 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Fiscal coordination causes dissolution of health insurance 
 
TOKYO 00002308  002 OF 007 
 
 
societies 
(2) Japan-Russia relations may turn icy 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Russia's military presence in Georgia unforgivable 
(2) Japanese tanker hijacked: Refueling mission must be continued 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Over Georgia, U.S. and Russia must not make same mistake as in 
Cold War era: 
(2) Work and life: Temp workers must not be forgotten 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, August 21 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 22, 2008 
 
10:00 
Met former MAFF Minister Tamazawa at the Kantei, followed by Defense 
Minister Hayashi. 
 
11:29 
Met MHLW Minister Masuzoe. 
 
12:09 
Met MLIT Minister Tanigaki. 
 
14:02 
Met Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura. 
 
16:12 
Met LDP reform taskforce chief Chuma, deputy chief Sonoda, and 
others. Chuma stayed on. 
 
18:30 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
19:02 
Dined at a Kudan-kita Chinese restaurant with Consumer 
Administration Minister Noda, her predecessor Kishida, Council for 
Promoting Consumer Policy Chairman Sasaki and others. 
 
21:13 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
4) G-8 speakers to meet in Hiroshima 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
August 22, 2008 
 
The Group of Eight (G-8) speakers' summit will take place in 
Hiroshima on Sept. 1-3. This is the first time for Japan to host 
such a summit. U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and other 
speakers are expected to attend. The speakers plan to lay flowers 
for those who perished in the atomic bombing and visit the Hiroshima 
Peace Memorial Museum. The speakers' summit will likely become an 
opportunity for Japan, as the only country to have been attacked 
with atomic weapons, to showcase its efforts to create peace to the 
international community. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002308  003 OF 007 
 
 
The nation that hosts the G-8 has also hosted a speakers' summit 
every year since the first such summit in Kingston, Canada, in 2002. 
The Hiroshima summit will be the seventh. 
 
The speaker of the host country picks a venue and topics for 
discussion. This time, Japan's Lower House Speaker Yohei Kono has 
chosen two discussion themes: the role of legislatures in creating 
peace and promoting disarmament, and decision-making processes in a 
two-chamber system. He has chosen Hiroshima as the venue. 
 
The speakers' summit is not open and does not release any statement. 
However, Kono is expected to hold a press conference after the 
meeting. 
 
Pelosi will be the first incumbent U.S. House speaker to visit 
Hiroshima. Since Pelosi is known for her strong interest in human 
rights issues, attention is being paid to whether she will make any 
comments on the atomic bombing. 
 
5) Former U.S. ambassadors to Japan join Obama campaign 
 
SANKEI (Page 7) (Slightly abridged) 
August 22, 2008 
 
The campaign team of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee 
Sen. Barack Obama announced on Aug. 20 that former U.S. Vice 
President Walter Mondale and former Speaker of the House Thomas 
Foley -- former U.S. ambassadors to Japan -- have become honorary 
chairmen of a policy advisory team on Japan policy. The move appears 
to be aiming at demonstrating Obama's policy of placing importance 
on Japan. 
 
 
Mondale and Foley released a statement saying: 
 
"It is important to underscore the longstanding friendship between 
the two countries. We are confident that Sen. Obama will actively 
promote the most unshakable bilateral relationship in Asia." 
 
6) Japan to accept U.S.-India nuclear cooperation accord 
 
NIKKEI (Page 6) (Full) 
August 22, 2008 
 
The Japanese government has decided to accept the U.S.-India nuclear 
cooperation agreement that allows the United States to provide India 
with civilian nuclear technologies and nuclear fuel, treating India, 
which is not a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 
(NPT), as an exception. Japan, as the only atomic-bombed country, 
had considered the matter in a cautious manner from its position of 
making efforts for nuclear disarmament. Japan has, however, 
determined that the agreement would make it possible to conduct some 
nuclear inspections on India under an agreement with the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and that it would be 
effective to prevent global warming. 
 
Japan is expected not to oppose the U.S.-India nuclear accord in a 
meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which is to take place 
on Aug. 21-22 in Vienna. Underlying the decision seems to be the 
judgment that if India concludes an inspection agreement with the 
IAEA, it would be possible for the IAEA to conduct inspections 
without advance notice; and that if India builds more nuclear 
 
TOKYO 00002308  004 OF 007 
 
 
power-generating plants, it would help curb the country's greenhouse 
gas emissions. 
 
7) Prime minister orders defense minister to win public 
understanding for amending antiterrorism law 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Abridged slightly) 
August 22, 2008 
 
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda held a meeting with Defense Minister 
Yoshimasa Hayashi at his office yesterday. They confirmed a policy 
to submit to the next extraordinary Diet session a bill amending the 
new Antiterrorism Special Measures Law to extend the Maritime 
Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. The 
prime minister also ordered Hayashi to obtain public understanding 
of the significance of continued activities by publicizing them. 
 
After the meeting, Fukuda said: "Another anniversary of the 9/11 
attacks (on the United States) is just around the corner. Not only 
Japan but also many countries around the world are engaged in the 
war on terror, which began then." After the meeting, Hayashi told 
reporters: "I think the prime minister's order is designed to set 
the stage for deliberations on the bill by stressing the importance 
of the refueling operation." 
 
In compliance with the prime minister's order, the Defense Ministry 
plans to produce and distribute videos and pamphlets and hold 
seminars to publicize the need to continue the refueling operation. 
 
8) Coordination of views in ruling bloc imperative ahead of next 
extra Diet session; Gulf with New Komeito over new terrorism law 
still remains 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Excerpts) 
August 22, 2008 
 
Given a high probability that DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa will win 
his third term without a vote in September, the government and 
ruling coalition will launch final coordination for convening the 
next extraordinary Diet session on Sept. 12 based on Prime Minister 
Yasuo Fukuda's mid-September plan. But there still remains a gulf 
between the LDP and the New Komeito on measures, including an 
extension of the new Antiterrorism Special Measures Law for the 
continuation of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission 
in the Indian Ocean, a highlight in the next session. Ironing out 
differences in views is an urgent task. 
 
The LDP intends to conduct Diet deliberations early in order to 
secure enough time for the antiterrorism law while keeping in mind a 
second vote in the Lower House under the Constitution's Article 59 
allowing regarding a failure to take a vote in the 
opposition-controlled Upper House as a de facto rejection, with an 
LDP officer saying, "Giving up on the law's extension is not our 
option." 
 
Meanwhile, the New Komeito, which has expressed opposition to 
resorting to a Lower House override vote that might hinder the next 
Lower House election, remains cautious about setting a period of 
time for the Diet session that is linked to a second vote. Highly 
alarmed at the DPJ's move to demand Diet testimony by former Komeito 
Chairman Junya Yano, the LDP's junior partner wants to shorten the 
next session. 
 
TOKYO 00002308  005 OF 007 
 
 
 
Now that DPJ President Ozawa is highly likely to secure his third 
term without a vote, the DPJ is certain to intensify its offensive 
against the ruling bloc. The LDP and New Komeito will now have to 
expedite their coordination efforts with a pitched battle with the 
main opposition party in the next session in mind. 
 
9) Noda to give up candidacy for DPJ presidential election 
 
SANKEI (Page 6) (Lead Paragraph) 
August 22, 2008 
 
Yoshihiko Noda, 51, chairman of the Public Relations Committee of 
the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), has continued coordination to 
run in the September party presidential election, but he decided 
yesterday to give up his candidacy. He made the decision after 
learning in an executive meeting of his group that many members 
remain cautious about his candidacy. Noda will formally announce 
this decision possibly today. It is now certain that DPJ President 
Ichiro Ozawa, 66, will win a third term without a formal vote. 
 
10) New Komeito cites later this year or early next year timing for 
Lower House dissolution 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
August 22, 2008 
 
In a satellite TV program yesterday, New Komeito President Ota said 
of the timing for the next House of Representatives election: 
 
"We must find an appropriate time when we would be in a favorable 
situation to win a victory. In this regard, sometime between later 
this year and early next year is the option that comes first." 
 
Ota had stopped short of mentioning any specific timing for the 
general election, just saying: "The Lower House will be dissolved in 
or after September." Focusing on the Tokyo gubernatorial election 
slated for next summer, the New Komeito wants to see an early 
dissolution. By publicly speaking of a concrete timing, Ota seems to 
be aiming at an early general election 
 
11) Government to expedite efforts to improve legislation following 
hijack of tanker 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Abridged slightly) 
August 22, 2008 
 
A Panamanian-registered tanker operated by a Japanese firm was 
hijacked by pirates off Somalia on Aug. 21. In the wake of this 
incident, the government has decided to expedite its efforts to 
improve existing legislation to crack down on suspicious boats, such 
as pirate ships. 
 
Speaking to reporters at his office last night, Prime Minister Yasuo 
Fukuda underlined the need for the government's maritime policy 
taskforce to accelerate its efforts to come up with steps to improve 
existing legislation, saying, "Given the frequent occurrence of such 
incidents (piracy), the study must be speeded up." 
 
There is no provision clearly specifying the authority to order a 
suspicious vessel in Japanese territorial waters or in waters near 
Japan to stop or to search it. The taskforce established a 
 
TOKYO 00002308  006 OF 007 
 
 
deliberation team last November to come up with steps to improve the 
system. The team is now discussing such approaches as amending the 
fisheries law and establishing a new law. 
 
The prime minister said last night: "Naval vessels of many countries 
are now at sea to assist Afghanistan. It is extremely important to 
ensure their safety. Providing fuel to such vessels, we have been 
cooperating indirectly in cracking down on piracy." The prime 
minister reiterated the need to extend the new Antiterrorism Special 
Measures Law authorizing the refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. 
 
12) Foreign Ministry to earmark 500 billion yen, up 13 PERCENT , in 
ODA budget for fiscal 2009 
 
NIKKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
August 22, 2008 
 
The Foreign Ministry has decided to propose in its budgetary 
estimate for fiscal 2009 an official development assistance (ODA) 
budget totaling 500.6 billion yen, up 13.6 PERCENT  over that in the 
2009 initial budget, though the ODA budget has been on the decline 
in recent years. The ministry will also incorporate in the request 
costs necessary to build six embassies in Africa and other 
countries. It will propose a budget totaling 747.1 billion yen, 
including personnel costs. With approval from the ruling parties, 
the ministry will announce it on Aug. 29. 
 
13) Government to establish new form of corporation to promote joint 
technology development in environment, energy sectors 
 
NIKKEI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
August 22, 2008 
 
The government has started coordination to establish a new form of 
corporation to enable multiple companies to work together on major 
research initiatives. Under the envisioned corporate system, 
companies would be allowed to book their stakes in the research 
corporations as an expense, lowering their tax burden. Once a 
technology is ready for practical use, the research unit could be 
turned into a stock company. In the environmental and energy 
sectors, in which demand is expected to increase in the future, the 
efforts for technology development by individual firms alone are 
seen as limited, so the government has judged it indispensable for 
firms to cooperate. It aims to create an environment under which 
companies find it easier to promote joint research. 
 
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is working out the 
details of the system, with the aim of submitting related bills to 
the ordinary Diet session next year. 
 
14) USS George Washington departs for Yokosuka 
 
MAINICHI (Page 26) (Abridged) 
August 22, 2008 
 
Kyodo 
 
SAN DIEGO-The USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered aircraft 
carrier to be deployed to the U.S. Navy's Yokosuka base in Kanagawa 
Prefecture, left a naval base in San Diego on the morning of Aug. 21 
(early on Aug. 22 Japan time) for Yokosuka. She was under repair due 
to a fire that was caused in May. 
 
TOKYO 00002308  007 OF 007 
 
 
 
The George Washington is scheduled to arrive at Yokosuka in late 
September. She will be the first U.S. nuclear-powered flattop to be 
based outside the U.S. mainland, replacing the USS Kitty Hawk, which 
is a conventional aircraft carrier. 
 
15) SDP leader calls for accident reports on U.S. naval vessels 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
August 22, 2008 
 
Social Democratic Party head Mizuho Fikushima visited the Foreign 
Ministry yesterday and urged the ministry to ask the U.S. government 
to provide Japan with detailed reports on a fire aboard the USS 
George Washington, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be deployed 
to Yokosuka Naval Base, and on the leak of radiation by the 
nuclear-powered submarine Houston while docked at Sasebo Naval Base. 
North American Affairs Bureau Director-General Shinichi Nishimiya 
indicated that the ministry would ask the U.S. side to present 
investigative reports. 
 
SCHIEFFER