VZCZCXRO2984
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #2834/01 2840800
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 100800Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7862
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/USDOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/USDOT WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5//
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA//
RHMFIUU/USFJ //J5/JO21//
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RUAYJAA/CTF 72
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 2672
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 0319
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 4064
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 8392
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 0892
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5784
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1779
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2044

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 002834 
 
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 10/10/08 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Foreign Minister Nakasone: No contact from the U.S. about 
removing North Korea from the list of terrorist-sponsoring states 
(Nikkei) 
 
(2) Editorial: North Korea nuclear verification-Terror delisting 
unacceptable (Sankei) 
 
(3) Interview with former BOJ Assistant Governor Eiji Hirano: G-7 
should send strong message to contain financial crisis (Mainichi) 
 
(4) Editorial: International financial cooperation; New thinking 
needed in addressing unexperienced crisis (Mainichi) 
 
(5) Prime Minister Aso, seven Aso cabinet members found to have 
received donations from controversial companies (Akahata) 
 
(6) Three former DPJ presidents challenge verbal confrontation 
against premier (Yomiuri) 
 
(7) TOP HEADLINES 
 
(8) EDITORIALS 
 
(9) Prime Minister's schedule, October 9 (Nikkei) 
 
(Corrected copy): Legislation to extend refueling mission until Jan. 
2010 likely to pass Diet on Oct. 24, at earliest (Sankei) 
 
There will be no Daily Summary on October 13 - an American holiday. 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Foreign Minister Nakasone: No contact from the U.S. about 
removing North Korea from the list of terrorist-sponsoring states 
 
NIKKEI ONLINE (Full) 
October 10, 2008 
 
At a press conference following a cabinet meeting this morning, 
Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone commented on the issue of the 
U.S. removing North Korea from the list of states sponsoring 
terrorism. Making it clear that there had not been any contact from 
the U.S. about delisting, he said, "The United States will be 
talking to our country prior to its making a final decision."  Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Tateo Kawamura also announced at his press 
briefing, "At this point in time, there has been no formal contact 
from the U.S. about delisting the DPRK in mid-October." 
 
Regarding the contents of the U.S.-DPRK talks on North Korea's 
verification of its nuclear programs, Foreign Minister Nakasone said 
that when he met U.S. Ambassador to Japan Schieffer, "he told me 
that there were remaining points that were still not confirmed." 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura also indicated, "Right now, there 
seems to be a verification process going on within the U.S. 
government." 
 
On the possibility that the delisting would occur before there was 
any progress on the abduction issue, Foreign Minister Nakasone 
stated: "We are asking that the abduction issue be quickly surveyed 
as an abduction issue. It is not that the nuclear issue, which is in 
 
TOKYO 00002834  002 OF 010 
 
 
the midst of being considered by the U.S., in not unrelated, but we 
are thinking of separating it off." 
 
(2) Editorial: North Korea nuclear verification-Terror delisting 
unacceptable 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 10, 2008 
 
On the issue of North Korea's nuclear verification, the United 
States and North Korea, having forgone the critical pending issues, 
will now likely proceed with delisting North Korea as a state 
sponsor of terrorism. Delisting with no guarantee of strict 
verification is contrary to the principle of having North Korea 
completely abandon its nuclear programs, and Japan should not accept 
it. 
 
A U.S. special envoy briefed the Japanese Foreign Ministry yesterday 
on the progress of talks held between the United States and North 
Korea during the recent visit to North Korea of U.S. Assistant 
Secretary of State Hill, chief U.S. delegate to the six-party talks 
over North Korea's nuclear programs. What was discussed there in the 
talks is under wraps. However, North Korea's concurrence is 
reportedly preconditioned on inspecting its nuclear facilities. 
There is also a news report saying North Korea's uranium enrichment, 
which North Korea has refused to declare, and its nuclear 
proliferation, are not subject to verification. 
 
The six-party talks have reached an agreement, which is North 
Korea's promise to come up with a "complete and accurate" 
declaration of its nuclear activities for strict verification. In 
June, North Korea declared its nuclear programs. Its nuclear 
declaration, however, did not include uranium enrichment. The United 
States has called for North Korea to accept overall verification and 
delayed its action to remove North Korea from the terror blacklist. 
 
North Korea, reacting negatively, called off its process of 
disabling its nuclear facilities. However, verifying only the 
existing nuclear facilities is insufficient to have North Korea 
completely abandon its nuclear facilities. It is also a categorical 
imperative to uncover North Korea's uranium enrichment as well as 
its nuclear proliferation to third countries. That is why the United 
States has stopped its delisting procedures at President Bush's 
judgment and called for North Korea to show and implement a reliable 
verification plan. 
 
North Korea, whenever it is inconvenient, will always play tough and 
press for concessions. Concurring on vague verification could result 
in a once-avoided mistake. 
 
Delisting, should it be based on concessions with no principles, 
would also have a serious impact on the issue of Japanese nationals 
abducted to North Korea. In June, Japan and North Korea held talks. 
At the time, North Korea promised to reinvestigate. Nevertheless, 
North Korea has yet to translate its promise into action. 
 
Time and again, Japan and the United States have confirmed their 
stance of working together to seek solutions to the nuclear and 
abduction issues under their principles. When Prime Minister Taro 
Aso met with abductee families yesterday, he also indicated that the 
abduction issue still remains unresolved and is an "extremely 
serious" problem. 
 
TOKYO 00002834  003 OF 010 
 
 
 
The matter of primary concern is that offhand delisting could rock 
the Japan-U.S. alliance's unity. U.S. Ambassador to Japan Schieffer 
said yesterday that the president has not decided anything. 
 
Prime Minister Aso should exactly convey such awareness to the U.S. 
government, and he should call on the U.S. government to hand down 
the right judgment. We want Japan and the United States to team up 
with each other and make North Korea keep its word. 
 
(3) Interview with former BOJ Assistant Governor Eiji Hirano: G-7 
should send strong message to contain financial crisis 
 
MAINICHI (Page 9) (Full) 
October 10, 2008 
 
The Mainichi Shimbun interviewed Eiji Hirano, executive vice 
president of Toyota Financial Services and a former Bank of Japan 
assistant governor, prior to the upcoming meeting of the Group of 
Seven (G-7) finance ministers and central bank governors in 
Washington on Oct. 10. 
 
-- The global financial crisis is in a critical state. 
 
A financial bailout bill was enacted in the U.S. But since it was 
once rejected by the Congress, an increasing number of people began 
to take the pessimistic view that a solution of the crisis with 
public funds might be difficult. The crisis has spilled into Europe 
and the real economy, and this is also a negative factor. Even so, 
the real economy has not bottomed out. A drastic solution is to 
inject public funds into financial institutions. The U.S. should 
immediately take this measure. 
 
-- The central banks of the U.S. and Europe slashed interest rates 
on Oct. 8. 
 
 If it were under normal circumstances, the banks would have taken 
that step after the upcoming meeting. But reflecting growing 
tensions in the market, they must have judged it necessary to take 
action before the meeting in order to win praise from market 
players. The demonstration of their cooperative stance must work 
effectively to ease the tensions in the market. But that is not a 
step to resolve the lack of funds in financial institutions, a 
problem lying behind the ongoing global financial crisis. 
 
-- U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson hinted at the possibility 
of injecting capital into the banking system. 
 
It is necessary for the G-7 to back up the U.S. Britain has revealed 
plans to inject funds, so a lack of unity among the G-7 nations is 
undesirable. Taking the crisis seriously, the G-7 should send a 
strong message expressing a determination to take every possible 
mean. If the U.S. promptly injects capital, the global economy is 
expected to bottom out in the latter half of next year. But if the 
measure is delayed, it would take three years until the system is 
completely recovered. 
 
-- The yen's value significantly surged against the dollar. 
 
The current financial crisis may lower the United States' status 
over the long run, but I do not think the U.S. dollar will 
immediately plunge because the Japanese and European economies also 
 
TOKYO 00002834  004 OF 010 
 
 
remain fragile. I do not think concerted intervention (to prevent a 
further drop in the dollar's value) is necessary at this stage. The 
financial crisis is behind the current exchange rate fluctuation, so 
the top priority task in the coming G-7 meeting is how to overcome 
the ongoing financial crisis. 
 
(4) Editorial: International financial cooperation; New thinking 
needed in addressing unexperienced crisis 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
October 10, 2008 
 
Financial authorities flustered by a surge of panic in the market 
urgently adopt a package of measures, they then look into another 
package in the wake of another panic -- there seems to be no end to 
the cascade of this sloppy approach by financial officials. 
 
The U.S. Economic Stabilization Act was legislated after 
complications were overcome. However, the global financial market is 
continuing to go on a wild ride. Financial uncertainties are far 
from being addressed. It appears that the crisis is nearing the 
unknown phase. 
 
Deeply alarmed about the development of the situation, the central 
banks of the U.S. and Europe carried out coordinated rate cuts. They 
aimed to put an end to market anxieties, by making a public appeal 
that they are ready to address the crisis in unison. 
 
The coordinated rate cuts themselves were a desirable step. However, 
the measure was not powerful enough to change the situation. This is 
because cooperation among major industrialized countries was no more 
than a traditional step. The market is continuing to make nervous 
moves. 
 
Prior to the coordinated rate cuts, British Prime Minister Brown, 
who has decided to inject public money into the market in an 
unprecedented move, said, "The time for adhering to a conventional 
thinking or outmoded doctrine is over. It is time to take a 
ground-breaking intervention step to dig into the heart of the 
matter." He is correct. 
 
The greatest problem is that credit, the major premise for financial 
institutions, has almost disappeared. Nobody is willing to provide 
funds for fear of loans turning sour. The blocked cash flow is 
beginning to threaten the real economy's activities. 
 
It is impossible to regain credit with the piecemeal implementation 
of measures based on the conventional concept taken only after being 
prodded by the market. An innovative approach unfettered by the 
conventional thinking is sought. 
 
This must be done very quickly. Otherwise, it would be impossible to 
hold out against market movements. U.S. Treasury Secretary Paulson 
indicated a proactive stance to the injection of public money. It is 
imperative for him to put it into practice, instead of just 
referring to such a possibility. 
 
A meeting of the Group of Seven (G-7) finance ministers and central 
bank governors is to be held, while drawing unprecedentedly 
heightened interest from the market. It is time for G-7 member 
nations to cooperate, based on a new thinking. It is only natural 
for each country to settle its own problems. However, since the 
 
TOKYO 00002834  005 OF 010 
 
 
crisis is increasingly becoming global, it is important to come up 
with a global policy measure beyond the traditional framework. 
 
For instance, what should be done, if a country finds it impossible 
to deal with the crisis it is facing, creating a fear of causing a 
serious setback to the international financial system, should the 
situation be left unattended? It is way more difficult to take part 
in an operation to bail out overseas financial institutions. 
However, industrialized countries are responsible for protecting the 
global system, because the fallout of the financial collapse could 
spread beyond national boundaries. Creativity and courage are facing 
a testing time. 
 
The unprecedented crisis can only be tided over with new thinking 
and cooperative arrangements. 
 
(5) Prime Minister Aso, seven Aso cabinet members found to have 
received donations from controversial companies 
 
AKAHATA (Page 14) (Full) 
October 10, 2008 
 
It was discovered yesterday that the fund-raising bodies of five Aso 
cabinet ministers had received political donations from companies 
charged with bid-rigging practices by the Japan Fair Trade 
Commission. The number of Aso cabinet members whose fund-raising 
bodies received donations from shady companies now totals eight, 
including Prime Minister Taro Aso and Foreign Minister Hirofumi 
Nakasone. 
 
Finance Minister Nakagawa 
 
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Hokkaido No. 11 chapter headed by 
Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa received a total of 1.66 million 
yen in donations from three companies that were warned due to 
violations of the Antimonopoly Law from 2004 through 2007. 
 
The companies in question include: Kushiro Seisakusho Co. (in 
Hokkaido); Kobe Steel, Ltd. (Tokyo); and Nittoc Co. (Tokyo). Kushiro 
Seisakusho and Kobe Steel were warned by the FTC over a bridge 
bid-rigging practice in September 2005. Nittoc was warned in May 
2002 by the FTC in connection with a bid-rigging practice in a slope 
protection project ordered by Kanagawa Prefecture. 
 
According to the chapter's political funding report, Kobe Steel 
donated 50,000 yen each in 2005 and 2007. Kushiro Seisakusho 
contributed 120,000 yen in 2005 and 240,000 yen each in 2006 and 
¶2007. Nittoc donated 240,000 yen annually from 2004 through 2007. 
 
METI Minister Nikai 
 
The LDP Wakayama Prefecture No. 3 chapter headed by Economy, Trade 
and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai received 2.53 million yen in 
donations from three companies even after the discovery of the fact 
that they had been ordered to suspend business by the Ministry of 
Land, Infrastructure and Transport. 
 
According to the chapter's report on political funds, the 
Nikai-headed chapter received 1.44 million yen from Nishijima 
Seisakusho (in Takatsuki City, Osaka), which was warned to cease and 
desist all activities due to its bid-rigging practice in a sewage 
treatment facility project ordered by Tokyo Metropolitan government, 
 
TOKYO 00002834  006 OF 010 
 
 
from 2004 to 2007. It also received 850,000 yen during the same 
period from Nankai Katsuma Co. (Tsu City), which was excluded from 
the list of companies designated for competitive bidding due to a 
design error in bridge pier antiseismic reinforcement work. In 2006 
and 2007, it then received 240,000 yen from Ars Bridge & Engineering 
Co. (Tokushima City), and was ordered to suspend business due to its 
involvement in a bid-rigging practice in a project ordered by the 
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and others. 
 
The Wakayama No. 3 chapter also received 3.8 million yen from 
Nitori, which was warned by the FTC to prevent a recurrence of 
illegally reducing payments to subcontractors. 
 
Declining Birthrate Minister Obuchi 
 
The LDP Gunma Prefecture No. 5 chapter headed by Minister of State 
for Declining Birthrate Yuko Obuchi received a total of 3.18 million 
yen from 2004 through 2006 from six companies, including Sanko Air 
Conditioning Co. (Osaka City), which was excluded from the list of 
companies designated for competitive bidding over its involvement in 
the Defense Facilities Administration Agency-led bid-rigging 
practice, Dai-Dan Co., and Tekken Co. 
 
Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kaneko 
 
The LDP Gifu Prefecture No. 4 chapter headed by Land, Infrastructure 
and Transport Minister Kazuyoshi Kaneko received a total of 360,000 
yen in donations from 2005 to 2007 from Abe Kogyo (which changed the 
name to Abe Nikko Kogyo Co. in July 2006), which was warned by the 
FTC to end its activities over its bid-ridding practice in a project 
ordered by the Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport. 
 
Consumer Affairs Minister Noda 
 
The LDP Gifu Prefecture No. 1 chapter headed by Minister of State 
for Consumer Affairs Seiko Noda received a total of 210,000 yen in 
2005 and 2007 from Abe Kogyo. 
 
(6) Three former DPJ presidents challenge verbal confrontation 
against premier 
 
YOMIURI (Page 4) (Full) 
October 8, 2008 
 
The DPJ had former Deputy President Naoto Kan and former Vice 
Presidents Katsuya Okada and Seiji Maehara take the podium at a 
meeting of the Lower House Budget Committee on October 7. The three 
engaged in a battle of words against Prime Minister Aso, while 
demonstrating the party's policy and their own stances with an eye 
on the next Lower House election. However, there were visibly scenes 
where they were arguing on different planes. 
 
The DPJ picked the three as debaters representing the party with the 
aim of making an appeal to the public that the DPJ has abundant 
personnel who can run the government, as one senior DPJ official 
said. 
 
Kan, who took the podium first, emphatically rebutted a criticism 
that revenue resources to finance the DPJ's policy are unclear, a 
claim that the government and the ruling camp, starting with Prime 
Minister Aso, have repeatedly made. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002834  007 OF 010 
 
 
Aware that the debate was being broadcast on television, Kan used a 
panel carrying the words "DPJ government's four-year revenue source 
plan" and explained, using gestures, that it is possible to secure a 
total of 56.9 trillion yen in revenue sources over four years 
starting in fiscal 2009, by cutting back on public works. He pressed 
Aso, saying, "We have clarified the revenue sources. The government 
and the ruling parties have yet to clarify revenue resources to 
finance a fixed-sum tax break and a rise in the portion of the basic 
pension funded from tax revenues. This is not fair." 
 
The prime minister rebutted Kan by saying, "The government and the 
ruling parties are responsible for implementing policies properly. 
We will work out the revenue source issue at a meeting of the Tax 
Research Commission to be held at the end of the year." Finance 
Minister Nakagawa opposed Kan, saying, "Given the DPJ's 
explanations, I found more inaccurate points about revenue sources." 
Regarding revenue sources for the fixed-sum tax cut, he simply said, 
"We will discuss the matter later in the days ahead." 
 
Okada, who took the podium after Kan, focused on measures to combat 
global warming, his bailiwick. When he asked Aso whether he intends 
to succeed former Prime Minister Fukuda's long-term goal of cutting 
global warming gas emissions by 60 PERCENT -80 PERCENT , the prime 
minister was at a loss, because he did not know the target figure. 
 
Okada criticized the three-part reform (tax grant cuts from the 
central government to local entities, slashing of central government 
subsidies and a shift in tax revenues sources from the central 
government to local governments), which the prime minister compiled 
as internal affairs minister, calling it a "failure." He pursued 
Aso, asking, "How can you carry out decentralization, if you become 
prime minister?" 
 
Aso stressed that he realized the transfer of tax revenue sources 
worth 3 trillion yen in the three-part reform. However, he admitted 
that he was unable to dig into final authority, as he was appointed 
foreign minister part way. 
 
Touching on the government policy of cutting a natural increase in 
social security expenses by 220 billion yen each fiscal year, 
Maehara proposed making up for that portion with revenues generated 
by the integration of road-related tax revenues into the general 
account. The prime minister, however, dismissed the proposal, 
saying, "The issue has yet to be looked into. However, I have no 
intention of allocating the full amount for that purpose." 
 
(7) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Scholarship society to give info to banks on students with 
delinquent repayments 
 
Mainichi: 
Okayama lawyer overcharges fees for work as state-appointed lawyer 
 
Yomiuri: Nikkei: 
Japan to propose at G-7 use of foreign reserves for IMF emergency 
loans to rapidly emerging countries 
 
Sankei: 
Financial assets worth 21 trillion yen disappeared in nine days 
 
 
TOKYO 00002834  008 OF 010 
 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Professor Yamanaka generates iPS cells without viruses 
 
Akahata: 
Give top priority to protection of people's livelihood: Sacrificing 
public unforgivable 
 
(8) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Additional economic pump-priming measures: It is most important 
to reconstruct safety network 
(2) Refueling bill: Rush-in Diet deliberations abnormal 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) International financial cooperation: New thinking needed to 
handle unprecedented crisis 
(2) Additional economic stimulus package: Remove anxieties people 
are feeling about future 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Coordinated rate cuts: Market urging U.S. to take additional 
measures 
(2) Result of achievement test: Revision to release rule needed 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Government, BOJ should come up with effective measures to 
address sudden change in economic conditions 
(2) Flashpoints still remain after reconciliation between Georgia 
and Russia 
 
Sankei: 
(1) Global stock plunges: U.S. should decide on capital injection 
(2) Verification of North Korea's nuclear development program: 
Removing the country from U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism 
unacceptable 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Financial crisis will question true value of G-7 
(2) Revision to Worker Dispatch Law: Ban on dispatch of day workers 
progress 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Four Japanese win Nobel Prize: Major occasion to assist basic 
research 
 
(9) Prime Minister's schedule, October 9 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
October 10, 2008 
 
08:30 
Met at Kantei with LDP and New Komeito policy chief Hori and 
Yamaguchi, and LDP International Financial Crisis Project Team chief 
Yanagisawa. Called Osamu Shimomura, winner of Nobel Prize in 
chemistry. 
 
10:00 
Attended Upper House Budget Committee session. 
 
10:04 
Met with Welfare Minister Masuzoe, followed by Land, Infrastructure 
 
TOKYO 00002834  009 OF 010 
 
 
and Transport Minister Kaneko, by METI Minister Nikai. 
 
11:22 
Met at Kantei with Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura. 
 
11:49 
Had lunch with secretary Japanese restaurant Tempura-Tenshin in 
Hiraga-cho. 
 
13:21 
Arrived at his private office in Nagata-cho. 
 
16:31 
Met at Kantei former Finance Minister Ibuki, later joined by 
Kawamura. 
 
17:03 
Met with LDP Administrative Reform Promotion Headquarters chief 
Chuma. Met afterwards with JCCI President Okamura, followed by 
Foreign Ministry Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Chief Saiki. 
 
18:06 
Met with Defense Ministry Defense Policy Bureau Chief Takamizawa, 
Defense Intelligence Headquarters Chief Sotozono and Cabinet 
Intelligence Director Mitani. Mitani remained. 
 
20:14 
Met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsumoto at Bar "Golden 
Lion" in Imperial Hotel. 
 
22:30 
Retuned to his private residence in Kamiyama-cho. 
 
(Corrected copy): Legislation to extend refueling mission until Jan. 
2010 likely to pass Diet on Oct. 24, at earliest 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
October 10, 2008 
 
A bill amending the New Antiterrorism Special Measures Law is likely 
to pass the Diet later this month. The bill is designed to extend 
the ongoing Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the 
Indian Ocean beyond its January expiration. This development 
followed a suggestion yesterday by the Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ), which is opposed to the bill, to put the bill to the vote in 
a meeting of the House of Representatives Special Committee on Oct. 
¶20. The bill will be voted down in the opposition-controlled House 
of Councillors but will be reinstated by a two-thirds lower chamber 
overriding vote on the 24th, at the earliest. 
 
The legislation will make it possible for Japan to continue the 
refueling operation, which Japan has labeled as its main 
contribution in the war on terror, until January in 2010. 
 
The Lower House Antiterrorism Special Committee decided in its 
executive meeting yesterday to hold a session for explanations about 
the rationalization for the government-sponsored bill and a 
counterproposal by the DPJ today and deliberations on the bill on 
the 17th and the 20th. The DPJ proposed in the meeting taking a vote 
on the 20th. The bill is likely to be approved by a majority from 
the ruling camp and clear the Lower House on the 21st. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002834  010 OF 010 
 
 
The DPJ intends to vote the bill after few days of deliberations in 
the House of Councillors. After it is voted down in the Upper House 
on the 24th, at the earliest, the bill will be enacted by an 
override vote in a Lower House plenary session the same day. 
 
The refueling service was suspended last November but was resumed in 
February as the New Antiterrorism Special Measures Law was enacted 
by a revote in the Lower House this January with approval from the 
ruling camp. The said law is to expire on Jan. 15. 
 
(08101003ys) Back to Top 
 
SCHIEFFER