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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 003146 
 
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 11/14/08 
 
Index: 
 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 
 
Financial summit: 
4) Prime Minister Aso to propose at the financial summit in 
Washington a doubling of IMF funding  (Nikkei) 
5) In effort to keep his administration afloat, Aso plans to show 
the public his diplomatic and economic skills at the financial 
summit  (Sankei) 
 
6) Japan, China, South Korea and ASEAN agree to expand dollar-swap 
arrangement  (Asahi) 
 
Defense and security affairs: 
7) Prime Minister Aso calls former ASDF chief Tamogami's historical 
essay "extremely inappropriate"  (Sankei) 
8) Aso under questioning in the Diet says civilian control of the 
SDF working as seen in the immediate dismissal of Tamogami  (Asahi) 
 
9) Following the Tamogami incident, Defense Ministry considering 
revision of the teaching of history to SDF troops  (Nikkei) 
10) ASDF head of training facility secretly dismissed for sexual 
harassment  (Mainichi) 
 
Diet agenda: 
11) Government and ruling parties agree that Diet dissolution this 
fiscal year will be difficult  (Yomiuri) 
12) Second supplementary budget will have to wait until early next 
year and the regular Diet session to be submitted  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
13) The Democratic Party of Japan is in a battle mode as Diet 
schedule slides  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
14) LDP factions agree that there is no reason to extend the current 
extra Diet session  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
15) Manufacturers' restructuring efforts in October resulted in the 
10,000 job losses  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
16) Japan Coast Guard puts off the placing of personnel on research 
whaling ships, seeing such as ineffective  (Mainichi) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Local governments rely on municipal bonds to fund retirement 
benefits for baby boomers; 44 prefectures' debts total 420 billion 
yen 
 
Mainichi: 
ASDF officer sacked over sexual harassment 
 
Yomiuri: 
Government to reinforce measures against soil contamination 
 
Nikkei: 
Aso at financial summit to push for dollar as key currency, more IMF 
funds 
 
 
TOKYO 00003146  002 OF 012 
 
 
Sankei: 
With debts 10 times GDP, Iceland on verge of collapse 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Financial summit tomorrow to share risks with rising countries 
 
Akahata: 
Rally held in Tokyo to rid government of bad policies in order to 
eliminate poverty, protect jobs, improving livelihood 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Organ transplants overseas: Actual state of brokers must be 
clarified 
(2) Cartels rampant: Legal revision urgent to tighten penalties 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Prime Minister Aso's failure to dissolve Lower House dissolution 
costs dearly 
(2) Local agencies require step beyond integration 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Relax rules to allow more organ transplants 
(2) Arrest of Chen Shui-bian a stain on Taiwan's democratic 
politics 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) International antimonopoly law must be applied strictly and 
fairly 
(2) Put an end to growing crimes by elderly 
 
Sankei: 
(1) North Korea nuclear verification: Rejection of sampling must not 
be allowed 
(2) Crack down on cartels natural 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Low long will the fuel surcharge system be in place? 
(2) Steel cartel impermissible 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Tamogami scandal: Command and supervision called into question 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, November 13 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 14, 2008 
 
07:59 
Met at Kantei with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Konoike. 
 
08:54 
Parliamentary Defense Secretary Kishi and Upper House member 
Masahisa Sato. 
 
09:00 
Attended Upper House Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee session. 
 
12:00 
 
TOKYO 00003146  003 OF 012 
 
 
Met with DPJ Upper House member Yukihisa Fujita. 
 
14:41 
Met at Kantei with Upper House member Katsuhito Asano. 
 
15:06 
Met with Special Advisor Yamaguchi, followed by Deputy Foreign 
Ministers Sasae and Kono, Economic Affairs Bureau chief Otabe and 
Finance Ministry International Bureau chief Tamaki, joined by Deputy 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsumoto and Assistant Deputy Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Hayashi. Sasae and Kono remained. 
 
15:45 
Met with Cabinet Secretariat Counsellors Gyoten and Ueno, attended 
by Matsumoto and Hayashi. 
 
16:01 
Met with New Komeito Deputy Chief Representative Hamayotsu and 
Women's Committee Chairperson Matsu. Met later with Cabinet 
Intelligence Director Mitani. 
 
17:09 
Met with Vice Foreign Minister Yabunaka. Attended Overseas Economic 
Cooperation Council meeting. Met later with METI Minister Nikai. 
 
19:17 
Met with Matsumoto. 
 
20:22 
Departed for Washington to attend G-20 financial summit on 
government plane. 
 
4) Financial summit: Prime minister to call for effort to maintain 
dollar's status as key currency, more IMF funds; Market oversight, 
regulations involving emerging countries as well 
 
NIKKEI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
November 14, 2008 
 
The emergency summit to discuss measures to stabilize the financial 
market and the global economy will start in Washington on the 
evening of November 14 (morning of the 15th, Japan time). Prime 
Minister Taro Aso will make comprehensive proposals featuring 
increased funding for the IMF. He will also call for maintaining the 
dollar's status as the key global currency in order to protect the 
international currency system. He intends to urge the early disposal 
of bad loans, based on lessons Japan learned from the collapse of 
its asset-inflated bubble economy. He will indicate Japan's stance 
of proactively making a contribution to overcome the crisis. 
 
Gist of proposals to be made by prime minister 
 
 
? Remove bad loans from balance sheets 
? Inject public money into financial institutions 
 
 
? Propose that the U.S. and other countries constrain excessive 
consumption and that Japan switch its economy to domestic-demand-led 
growth 
? Increased funding for the IMF. Japan will disburse up to 100 
billion dollars drawn from foreign currency reserves until that 
 
TOKYO 00003146  004 OF 012 
 
 
proposal is realized. 
? Strengthen the IMF's market surveillance and early warning 
functions 
? Expand the financial stabilization forum to add emerging countries 
to members 
? Currency officials join the work of standardizing accounting 
systems of various countries. Consider regulating credit-rating 
agencies. 
 
 
? Make efforts to maintain the dollar's status as the key global 
currency 
? Promote economic cooperation within East Asia 
 
5) Aso eager to appeal foreign, economic policy credentials at 
financial summit Nov. 14-15, aiming to keep political base afloat 
 
SANKEI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
November 14, 2008 
 
Prime Minister Taro Aso left Haneda Airport for Washington by 
government plane yesterday to attend the Group of 20 financial 
summit on Nov. 14-15. Aso will announce his own "initiative" 
designed to deal successfully with the ongoing global financial 
crisis. With the Aso initiative, he aims to play up Japan's presence 
and his own leadership at the summit. Critics have pointed out that 
Aso is losing his grip on power due to his decision to delay the 
dissolution of the House of Representatives and the calling of a 
snap election. Under such a situation, he aims to put the management 
of his administration back on track by his summit achievements. 
 
Speaking before reporters at the Prime Minister's Official Residence 
last night, the prime minister stressed that he had held discussions 
with state leaders on how to overcome the financial crisis at the 
recent Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and by phone. He said: 
 
"They place high hopes on Japan. I would like to speak of Japan's 
experience and provide other countries with useful knowledge. As 
long as the financial crisis persists, its effect on the real 
economy will become more serious. We must get over the crisis." 
 
Since he assumed office in September, Aso has shown an eagerness to 
play a leading role in dealing with the U.S.-triggered financial 
crisis. An aide to Aso said: "Japan's economy remains relatively 
stable. In addition, Japan dealt successfully with its own financial 
crisis by moving ahead with the disposal of nonperforming bank 
loans. These factors have given the prime minister a sense of 
confidence. In Aso's view, since Japan has experienced the so-called 
"lost decade," it has responsibility and qualifications (to take the 
lead in tackling the financial crisis)." Such confidence is 
represented by Japan's plan. Aso will announce in the summit a 
pledge of 100 billion dollars (approximately 9.6 trillion yen) to 
the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 
 
The prime minister is determined to make utmost efforts to buoy up 
the economy, emphasizing he gives priority to achieving policies 
over dissolving the Diet. Now that uncertainty is looming over the 
domestic economy and people's livelihoods, Aso finds it impossible 
to dissolve the House of Representatives until public support for 
his cabinet and the stock market turn around. Such circumstances 
have encouraged him to buckle down to the task of boosting the 
economy. As long as the prime minister remains unable to change the 
 
TOKYO 00003146  005 OF 012 
 
 
situation through foreign policy and other efforts, he will never be 
able to find the right timing for dissolving the Lower House. 
 
A mid-ranking member of the Liberal Democratic Party said: "The 
upcoming summit is a perfect opportunity for us to change the 
political situation," but the environment surrounding Japan is 
severe. Europe is about to grab the initiative in dealing with the 
financial crisis away from Japan, and Japan does not have as much 
influence as before. All the more because Japan is the sole 
industrialized nation in Asia among the G-20 countries, Japan may be 
pressed to play a difficult role, finding itself caught in the 
crossfire between the U.S. and Europe, as well as between 
industrialized countries and emerging countries. 
 
6) Japan, China, South Korea, ASEAN eye expanding amount of dollar 
swap deal 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
November 14, 2008 
 
The governments of ASEAN member nations, Japan, China and South 
Korea (ASEAN plus 3) have decided to increase the total amount of 
the swap agreement, which allows them to swap dollars in the event 
of a financial crisis. The plan is to further increase the amount 
from the 80 trillion dollars (approximately 8 trillion yen) set in 
May, to strengthen the system in readiness of a possible spillover 
of the financial crisis into Asia. 
 
Prime Minister Aso will propose at the financial summit promoting 
the dollar supply mechanism in the region. He will indicate a stance 
of tackling for currency stabilization in the Asian region. 
 
Under the plan, the total amount of the 2000 Chiang Mai Initiative, 
under which ASEAN member nations, Japan, China and South Korea 
forged bilateral currency swap deals, will be boosted. They will aim 
to reach an agreement at the ASEAN plus 3 summit meeting to be held 
in Chiang Mai, Thailand. 
 
The total amount of the pact is now is 58 billion dollars 
(approximately 5.8 trillion yen). Last May, the Asian countries 
agreed to increase the amount to more than 80 billion dollars and 
decided that the ratio of the swap pact between Japan, China and 
South Korea be set at 80 PERCENT  and such for ASEAN be set at 20 
PERCENT . However, the financial crisis has become serious since 
September. In Asia, South Korea's won plunged. Currency officials of 
Japan, China and South Korea have already begun talks to boost the 
amount of their swap deals. Finance ministers of the three countries 
are expected to hold talks in Washington on November 14. 
 
7) Tamogami essay extremely inappropriate: Aso 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Abridged) 
November 14, 2008 
 
The House of Councillors Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee met 
yesterday and held intensive deliberations focusing on civilian 
control of the Self-Defense Forces, with Prime Minister Taro Aso 
attending. 
 
In the committee meeting, Aso criticized former Air Self-Defense 
Force Chief of Staff Toshio Tamogami's making public his essay 
differing from the government's view as "extremely inappropriate." 
 
TOKYO 00003146  006 OF 012 
 
 
He stated: "Not only those in the Self-Defense Forces, all of us 
have freedom of speech. However, it's only natural that there are 
restrictions to what we can say from our respective positions. If 
they don't want such restrictions, they should not be in the 
service." With this, Aso stressed that the SDF brass should follow 
the government's view in what they say. 
 
In the past, Tamogami contributed a similar essay to an in-house 
journal published mainly for the Self-Defense Forces. Asked about 
this fact, Aso stated: "The situation has been overlooked for years. 
That's a problem." There was also a question stating that civilian 
control has been malfunctioning. Aso rebutted this criticism, 
stating: "You suggest there will be a coup at once. That's a leap of 
logic. Civilian control worked perfectly. That's why he was 
dismissed." 
 
8) Aso evades questions about ex-ASDF top official 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Abridged) 
November 14, 2008 
 
Following up on former Air Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Toshio 
Tamogami's publication of a controversial essay that conflicts with 
the government's view, the House of Councillors Foreign Affairs and 
Defense Committee met yesterday to hold intensive deliberations over 
civilian control. Prime Minister Aso stressed before the committee, 
"Civilian control worked perfectly, so we were able to dismiss him 
right away." Aso did not seem to have a strong sense of crisis about 
the case. 
 
In the committee meeting, Yukihisa Fujita, representing the leading 
opposition Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto), took the floor and 
noted that four years ago Tamogami had contributed another 
essay-which conflicted with Japan's exclusively defense-oriented 
policy-to a magazine published mainly for the Self-Defense Forces. 
"This proves that civilian control does not work at all," Fujita 
stated, criticizing the prime minister and the government for their 
lack of a sense of crisis. 
 
Aso admitted: "Such a situation has been overlooked for years. 
That's a problem." However, Aso dodged Fujita's pursuit by saying 
that civilian control functioned with the dismissal of Tamogami. The 
committee recently summoned Tamogami to testify as an unsworn 
witness. After that, Tamogami said the Murayama statement is "a tool 
for suppressing speech." Asked about this, Aso only stated: "That's 
what he said after he resigned. One may say that's control over 
freedom of speech, and many will start to say this and that, so I 
can't say anything careless." 
 
9) Defense Ministry considering review of history education for SDF 
personnel 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
November 14, 2008 
 
In the wake of the dismissal of Air Self-Defense Force Chief of 
Staff Toshio Tamogami over his controversial essay in which he 
contended that it was a false charge that Japan was an aggressor, 
the Defense Ministry yesterday began to consider a review of history 
education for the Self-Defense Forces personnel, including senior 
SDF officers. During recent deliberations in the ongoing Diet 
session, concern was expressed over the contents of Tamogami's 
 
TOKYO 00003146  007 OF 012 
 
 
lectures on views of the state and history, which he had done as 
president of the SDF Joint Staff College. With this in mind, the 
ministry will select lecturers from outside of the SDF and check the 
contents of lectures. 
 
10) ASDF brass officer dismissed for sexual harassment 
 
MAINICHI (Top play) (Full) 
November 14, 2008 
 
Air Self-Defense Force 1st Technical School Commandant Maj. Gen. 
Kesayoshi Miyashita, 55, was dismissed in September from his post at 
the school in Hamamatsu City on suspicion of sexually harassing a 
woman assigned there, according to sources. Usually, personnel 
changes in the commandant's post have been announced. This time, 
however, the personnel change was not made public. The suspicion of 
sexual harassment has been under wraps within the ASDF for 
investigative reasons. In July, a USB thumb drive was found to have 
been stolen in the Ground Self-Defense Force, as the Mainichi 
Shimbun reported. Now, the ASDF has covered up a scandal. 
 
The dismissal occurred on Sept. 18. No one has yet to be appointed 
to head the 1st Technical School as the successor to Miyashita. The 
school's deputy commandant is still acting as its commandant. 
 
According to informed sources, the woman complained of Miyashita's 
sexual harassment around September. The ASDF Air Staff Office began 
looking into the case. The Defense Ministry, which has personnel 
authority for appointments to school commandant and other staff 
posts in the Self-Defense Forces, judged that it was inappropriate 
to retain Miyashita in the commandant post, so the Defense Ministry 
transferred him to the Air Staff Office. "It's true that there was 
sexual harassment from the school commandant," a senior official of 
the Defense Ministry told the Mainichi Shimbun. 
 
Miyashita graduated from the National Defense Academy. In his ASDF 
career, Miyashita has filled the posts of Air Staff Office 
Maintenance Division director and Air Support Command Logistics 
Department director general. He was appointed to the post of 1st 
Technical School commandant on Sept. 1, 2007. On that occasion, he 
was transferred from the post of Northern Air Defense Force 
Headquarters chief of staff. In addition, the Defense Ministry 
promoted him from the rank of colonel to the rank of major general. 
The rank of major general in the ASDF is a key position equivalent 
to the director general of a department in the Air Staff Office, 
ranking next to lieutenant general-the highest rank in the ASDF that 
has about 47,000 members. The 1st Technical School is a specialized 
educational institution for learning the maintenance of aircraft and 
aircraft-related equipment like guided weapons. 
 
"I am now under investigation, so I can't say anything. Sexual 
harassment all depends on how a woman interprets it," Miyashita said 
yesterday evening. 
 
The Air Staff Office public relations division commented: "Generally 
speaking, in the case of scandals, we make a decision after 
investigation regarding whether to make public the scandals. This is 
not a kind of cover-up. The woman says she does not want this to be 
made public. This is also one of the reasons why this case has not 
been made public. However, we do not think the commandant's post 
being vacant for a long time is desirable." 
 
 
TOKYO 00003146  008 OF 012 
 
 
11) Lower House dissolution before end of March difficult; 
Government, ruling coalition will not extend current Diet session 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
November 14, 2008 
 
The government and ruling parties decided yesterday not to extend 
the term of the current extraordinary Diet session, which will run 
until Nov. 30. They intend to submit to a regular session that will 
be convened in January a second fiscal 2008 supplementary budget 
bill that includes a cash-benefits payments plan, and a bill 
amending the Special Account Law, which is related to the second 
supplementary budget. The prevailing view in the ruling coalition is 
that the chance for dissolution of the House of Representatives and 
a snap election is slipping away. This is because there is a 
possibility that cash payments would not be ready to disburse until 
March or later. 
 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Election Strategy Council Chairman 
Koga said in a meeting of his faction yesterday: 
 
"At one time a strong dissolution wind was blowing, but it has now 
become a gentle breeze. It will be important for you to carry out 
political campaigning in your electoral districts in December. But I 
also want you to make efforts (to reform the tax system and compile 
the budget)." 
 
The government and ruling coalition have judged that it would be 
wise for them to concentrate on compiling the state budget for next 
fiscal year and on diplomatic issues. The Diet will be out of 
session in December, since the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and 
other opposition parties have stepped up their stance of blocking 
the government's cash-benefits payment plan. The ruling camp is 
looking into the possibility of convening the regular session in 
early January, earlier than usual. 
 
A senior LDP official last night told reporters: "The current 
session will end on November 30." 
 
The ruling coalition has predicted that a bill amending the New 
Antiterrorism Law and a bill revising the Financial Functions 
Strengthening Law will be enacted before the end of November. As it 
stands, the government and ruling camp decided not to extend the 
ongoing session. The ruling camp is considering a minor extension of 
the current session, assuming that the DPJ might delay deliberations 
on the financial bill. 
 
12) Second supplementary budget to be submitted to Diet early next 
year; No extension of current Diet session 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
November 14, 2008 
 
The government and ruling coalition began yesterday coordination to 
submit a second supplementary budget for fiscal 2008 to an ordinary 
Diet session to be convened next January, without extending the 
current extraordinary session, which will end on Nov. 30. Prime 
Minister Taro Aso will make a final decision next week. 
 
Aso planned to submit the second supplementary budget bill, which 
would back a second economic stimulus package, including cash 
benefit payments worth 2 trillion yen, to the ongoing session and to 
 
TOKYO 00003146  009 OF 012 
 
 
get it through the Diet. 
 
The work of compiling a second supplementary budget will take until 
late this month. The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) 
intends to put up a do-or-die resistance, including a delay of 
deliberations. Under such circumstance, many in the ruling coalition 
predicted that it would be difficult to enact the supplementary 
budget bill even if the current session was extended. 
 
In December the government and ruling camp will have to concentrate 
on the compilation of a stated budget for fiscal 2009 and a debate 
on tax system reform. Views were erupted in the government and 
ruling camp that turmoil in the Diet by extending the Diet session 
and submitting a second supplementary budget should be prevented. 
 
In consideration of those circumstances, Aso has strengthened its 
judgment that it would be better to delay the submission of a second 
supplementary budget to the next ordinary session. A person close to 
Aso said yesterday: "At present, the possibility of postponement is 
99 PERCENT ." 
 
13) Postponement of second supplementary budget likely to tamp down 
DPJ's readiness for showdown 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
November 14, 2008 
 
By Yuji Nishikawa 
 
The government and the ruling coalition have begun coordinating 
views for giving up on a plan to submit a second supplementary 
budget to the current Diet session, and the major opposition 
Democratic Party of Japan has consequently lost a chance to bring 
down its fist. The party was prepared to put up do-or-die resistance 
following the prime minister's decision to push back dissolving the 
Lower House. But now that a critical phase is over, the atmosphere 
in the Diet is one of running out the clock. With DPJ President 
Ichiro Ozawa remaining reluctant to hold a party-head debate, the 
current session is likely to end without drama. 
 
DPJ Deputy President Naoto Kan in a press conference yesterday 
criticized Prime Minister Aso's political stance, saying: "He is 
clinging to the prime minister's post and power without implementing 
policies or carrying out an election. Everything is based on a clear 
explanation by the prime minister about that fact." 
 
The DPJ's logic is that if the government decides to give up on 
plans to submit a supplementary budget to ensure the fixed-sum 
payout program to the current Diet session and to extend the Diet 
session, that would conflict with the prime minister's declaration 
prioritizing policy over a Lower House dissolution. 
 
DPJ Upper House Caucus Chairman Azuma Koshiishi has indicated that 
his party will continue to attack the government and the ruling bloc 
even after the current session at out-of-session meetings and other 
occasions, saying, "There will be plenty of venues to grill them." 
But without an extension of the Diet session, such venues will be 
limited. 
 
The remaining venue for a showdown would be a party-head debate 
between Prime Minister Aso and DPJ President Ozawa. But Azuma 
commented: "The question is if there are themes appropriate for a 
 
TOKYO 00003146  010 OF 012 
 
 
party-head debate. Mr. Ozawa is reluctant to have such a debate 
unless there is a sound reason." There are no prospects for a 
party-head debate due to Ozawa's circumstances. 
 
14) LDP factions see no need to extend Diet session 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
November 14, 2008 
 
Many factions in the Liberal Democratic Party held their general 
meetings yesterday. In those sessions, member after member voiced 
their support for a policy course to give up on a plan to submit a 
fiscal 2008 second supplementary budget to the current Diet session 
and end the session, as planned, without extending it. 
 
In the Machimura faction meeting, former Secretary General Hidenao 
Nakagawa said emphatically: "The Diet session should be brought to a 
close as planned. It is important to make thorough preparations 
between the end of the year and the beginning of the New Year to 
make a restart in the New Year." 
 
At the Koga faction meeting, Diet Affairs Committee Principal Deputy 
Chairman Yoshitaka Murata reported: "At present, things are underway 
based on the plan to close the Diet on Nov. 30." 
 
Former Secretary General Bunmei Ibuki indicated to the faction he 
heads that it would be inadvisable to extend the session, saying: 
"Unless the DPJ cooperates (in deliberations), it is best to bring 
the session to a close without extending it." 
 
The prevailing view in the party is that the supplementary budget 
should be presented at the beginning of the next regular Diet 
session. Upper House Diet Affairs Committee Principal Deputy 
Chairman Masashi Waki said: "(Given no prospects for enactment), it 
is meaningless to submit it only for form's sake. We should present 
it at the outset of the regular Diet session (next year)." 
 
15) Ten thousand workers lost jobs in a month: Corporate downsizing 
in manufacturing sector serious in October 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Full) 
November 14, 2008 
 
Tokyo Shimbun learned on November 13 that more than ten thousand 
workers lost their jobs in October as a result of major industrial 
restructuring in the manufacturing sector. The Ministry of Health, 
Labor and Welfare (MHLW) reported the data the same day to the Upper 
House Committee on Welfare and Labor. Though detailed monthly 
figures are not available, the MHLW noted that an increasing number 
of workers are losing jobs as a result of corporate downsizing in 
the manufacturing sector. The statistics endorsed that a recession 
in the wake of the global financial crisis is having a serious 
impact on employment as well. 
 
Given the breakdown, 18 cases involving large-scale dismissals of 
dispatched workers, contract-based workers and temporary workers 
took place in the form of discontinuation of the renewal of 
contracts and dismissal before the expiration of contracts, 
resulting in the severance of a total of 4,940 workers. In 35 cases 
with each involving the dismissal of more than 100 permanent and 
temporary workers, a total of approximately 6,300 workers lost 
jobs. 
 
TOKYO 00003146  011 OF 012 
 
 
 
Those figures are tallies of figures labor departments throughout 
the nation reported to the MHLW, after they confirmed the dismissals 
of large numbers of workers. According to the MHLW, in October 14 
prefectures reported on the dismissals of dispatched workers and 
contract-based workers on such a scale and 17 prefectures on the 
dismissals of regular and part-time workers. 
 
16) JCG officials not to board whaling ships this fiscal year 
 
MAINICHI (Page 25) (Full) 
November 14, 2008 
 
The Fisheries Agency has decided not to ask the Japan Coast Guard 
(JCG) to assign patrol officials to vessels bound for the Southern 
Ocean for research whaling. JCG officials boarded whaling ships last 
fiscal year for the first time at the request of the Fisheries 
Agency. The aim was to contain acts of obstruction by such 
anti-whaling groups as the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SS) of 
the U.S. The JCG officials produced some achievements in this 
mission, including the recording of illegal acts by Sea Shepherd, 
but they failed to prevent acts of obstruction themselves. The 
Fisheries Agency and the JCG are considering alternative preventive 
measures. 
 
According to informed sources, this fiscal year's research vessels 
are ready to set sail shortly. The JCG has already picked officials 
to be dispatched to the research vessels, but the Fisheries Agency 
has decided not to make a request. 
 
The Fisheries Agency has entrusted research whaling in the Southern 
Ocean to the Institute of Cetacean Research. In fiscal 2007, six 
vessels left ports on Nov. 12 and 18.   It was the second time that 
JCG officials traveled aboard ships other than patrol ones outside 
Japanese territorial waters, following the case of the plutonium 
transport ship Akatsuki-maru in 1992. 
 
SS members obstructed whaling operations of Japanese whalers by 
throwing bottles of fluid chemicals and boarding the ship. As a 
result, the ships caught only 60 PERCENT  of the targeted number 
regarding minke whales and no fin whales. Photos of a JCG official 
throwing a warning ball were distributed across the world. 
 
A person concerned said: "The aim of anti-whaling groups is to 
demonstrate their presence. It is feared that such groups may use 
the boarding of JCG officials to deteriorate the image of whaling." 
Another observer commented: "It was found through the experience we 
had last year that even if JCG members board ships, there will not 
necessarily be the effect to prevent acts of obstruction." 
 
No ships to be dispatched by Greenpeace this fiscal year 
 
A representative from Greenpeace, an international organization to 
protect the environment, held a press conference in Tokyo yesterday 
and said that the group will not dispatch ships aimed to watch 
whaling operations in the Southern Ocean this fiscal year. Wakao 
Hanaoka, representing Greenpeace, indicated that the group would 
pour its energy into activities in the nation, saying: "In our past 
activities of protect, we collected enough evidence, including many 
photos, that (whaling activities) have destroyed the environment." 
Greenpeace have caused much trouble, obstructing whaling activities 
by ships dispatched to watch Japanese whaling. 
 
TOKYO 00003146  012 OF 012 
 
 
 
SCHIEFFER