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RUAYJAA/CTF 72
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RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3111
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3161

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 000030 
 
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 01/07/09 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Government to scrap capital gains tax for foreigners holding 
stakes in Japan firms via investment funds (Nikkei) 
 
(2) Pro- and anti-Aso groups shaking the LDP; Meeting after meeting 
held by mid-level and junior members, with Lower House election 
scheduled to take place by fall; Sense of crisis from plummeting 
support ratings (Nikkei) 
 
(3) Questionnaires to candidates for Lower House election: 80 
PERCENT  of LDP candidates call for review of postal privatization 
(Mainichi) 
 
(4) Assistant Secretary Hill: Next U.S. administration also will 
recognize importance of abduction issue (Sankei) 
 
(5) Okinawa governor visits U.S., requests concessions on base 
problem (Sankei) 
 
(6) Former reporter calls for reciprocal visits to Hiroshima and 
Pearl Harbor by top leaders of Japan and the United States; True 
reconciliation nowhere in sight (Mainichi) 
 
(7) TOP HEADLINES 
 
(8) EDITORIALS 
 
(9) Prime Minister's schedule, January 6 (Nikkei) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Government to scrap capital gains tax for foreigners holding 
stakes in Japan firms via investment funds 
 
NIKKEI (Top Play) (Almost Full) 
January 7, 2009 
 
The government has finalized a revision to taxation on foreigners 
who hold stakes in Japanese companies through investment funds, the 
aim being to promote investment in Japan. The feature of the package 
is to exclude, in principle, capital gains from taxation. The 
measure will also apply to investment through existing foreign 
investment funds, on condition that relevant investors account for 
less than 25 PERCENT  of a fund. The government aims to halt the 
slump in investment in Japan, following the slowing down of the 
global economy. 
 
Funds need to have held stakes in Japanese firms for at least a 
year 
 
Many overseas investors buy into Japanese firms via funds. However, 
Japan currently levies a corporate tax of about 40 PERCENT  on 
capital gains when funds sell shares -- one of the highest rates in 
the world. 
 
Foreign investors account for only 4 PERCENT  of fund investment in 
Japan, which is far below the 75 PERCENT  in Britain, the 60 PERCENT 
 in the EU and the 20 PERCENT  in the U.S. The ruling parties' tax 
code revision outline for fiscal 2009, compiled late last year with 
this situation taken into consideration, mentions that investment 
through investment funds should be excluded from being subject to 
 
TOKYO 00000030  002 OF 009 
 
 
taxation, such as income and corporate taxes. The government has 
been working out the details. It plans to submit bills related to 
tax code revisions to the current Diet session, seeking to end 
related corporate and income taxes from April. 
 
The fund eligible for tax exemption is investment limited liability 
partnerships -- the most popular fund that is said to make up 
roughly 80 PERCENT  of funds in Japan and abroad. The advantage is 
that since investors are not held responsible for more than the 
amount they have invested, their risks will not expand. The benefit 
will also apply to existing foreign and domestic funds as well as to 
funds established after the revision of the law. However, in order 
to ensure stable investment, the funds need to have held stakes in 
Japanese firms for at least a year in order to be given this tax 
exemption. 
 
Conditions for foreign investors to become eligible for the capital 
gain tax exemption include: (1) their stake in these partnership 
funds should be below 25 PERCENT ; (2) their stake in management 
companies for these funds should be below 50 PERCENT ; (3) they 
should not have businesses in Japan; and (4) neither they nor a 
family member manages the funds. These restrictions are intended to 
limit the exemption to investors seeking return and not 
acquisitions.  According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and 
Industry, partnership funds targeting Japanese companies number more 
than 200 but the money they manage totals only 2 trillion yen. 
 
An increase in investment by foreigners will bring about a strong 
yen over the near term. However, over the mid- to long-term, it 
could help revitalize the Japanese economy, by boosting investment 
by Japanese companies and creating jobs. 
 
In order to lure investment into Japan, a system to exempt taxation 
on capital gains applicable to overseas investors who have fund 
operators in Japan was established in April last year. However, this 
system was not used actively, because many investors were 
dissatisfied with it with one complaining, "It is far too costly" or 
another saying, "It is inconvenient, because we must prove the 
independence of our agents." 
 
(2) Pro- and anti-Aso groups shaking the LDP; Meeting after meeting 
held by mid-level and junior members, with Lower House election 
scheduled to take place by fall; Sense of crisis from plummeting 
support ratings 
 
NIKKEI (Page 3) (Abridged slightly) 
January 7, 2009 
 
A group was launched yesterday in the Liberal Democratic Party that 
is composed of members critical of Prime Minister Taro Aso's plan to 
hike the consumption tax. Group after group has been launched in the 
LDP mostly by mid-level and junior members who are keeping 
themselves at arms' length with the prime minister. Looming in the 
background is a sense of alarm at the Aso cabinet's sagging support 
ratings. At the same time, the party is highly alarmed at any 
developments that can be taken as an anti-Aso movement. A 
parliamentary league supporting the prime minister was also launched 
yesterday mainly by mid-level lawmakers. 
 
With the next Lower House election scheduled to take place by the 
fall this year, disturbing developments are likely to continue 
unfolding for some time. 
 
TOKYO 00000030  003 OF 009 
 
 
 
"The envisioned consumption tax hike must not be incorporated into 
our manifesto (campaign pledges) for the next Lower House 
election." 
 
Seven mid-level and junior LDP lawmakers, including Ichita Yamamoto, 
set up a study group yesterday opposing the prime minister's plan to 
raise the sales tax in fiscal 2011 or later. The group plans to call 
for thorough administrative and fiscal reforms, including a 
reduction in the number of Diet seats. 
 
Besides this study group, the LDP has many others, including one 
that includes Yasuhisa Shiozaki and those other lawmakers who 
pressed the prime minister for an early presentation of a second 
supplementary budget for fiscal 2008. There is another parliamentary 
group urging the prime minister to completely free up road-related 
revenues for general spending. Factions are visibly less eager to 
tighten control over their members acting against the party 
leadership. A growing number of LDP lawmakers are turning their 
backs on Prime Minister Aso who took office just three months ago. 
 
A senior LDP member criticized such developments as grandstanding 
for the sake of the next election. Junior members with weak 
political bases fear that without strong public support, they might 
lose their seats. They are also sensitive to public criticism of tax 
increases and pork-barrel spending. 
 
Although the party leadership appears calm on the surface, it is 
paying much attention to criticism of a cash handout program and of 
moving road tax revenues into the general account. That is because 
if a large number of LDP members vote against the second extra 
budget, the fiscal 2009 budget and related bills, the administration 
could not survive. 
 
A parliamentary group called the Group to Powerfully Revitalize 
Japan was set up yesterday. After the group's inaugural meeting, the 
group's chair Hiroshi Imazu told reporters: "We don't want to 
generate a public image that the party's unity has declined. We, 
mid-level members, will band together firmly and support the prime 
minister." Last night, there was a meeting of Diet members, 
including Election Strategy Council Chairman Makoto Koga, who are 
from Kyushu, from which Prime Minister Aso also comes. There seems 
to be some kind of relationship between those pro-Aso meetings and 
the party leadership's sense of crisis. 
 
Included in what appear to be anti-Aso groups are many individuals 
who are close to Yoshimi Watanabe, who plans to leave the LDP. But 
at this time, only a handful of people think those developments will 
directly result in a campaign to topple the Aso cabinet and 
political realignment. 
 
Some members avoided attending the meeting of Yamamoto and others so 
as not to be regarded as anti-Aso. Yamamoto emphatically said: "We 
are not against the administration. I don't think we will have a 
negative impact on the party." 
 
There is this analysis: Even if one remains anti-Aso, that might 
just result in sporadic guerrilla warfare. Given a positive 
projection for the next Lower House election, the DPJ remains firmly 
united. This can explain why some LDP members are slow to take 
action, though they are discontent with the current situation. 
 
 
TOKYO 00000030  004 OF 009 
 
 
Koichi Kato, who aims at uniting liberal forces, has been abstaining 
from acting against the administration. Former Secretary General 
Hidenao Nakagawa, who is oriented toward political realignment, too, 
has shifted weight to intra-party activities. 
 
The group named New Breeze led by former Secretary General Tsutomu 
Takebe also met yesterday. The group has many members critical of 
the prime minister. In fact, Watanabe showed up at the meeting after 
being officially admitted into the group yesterday. Takebe advised 
Watanabe not to leave the beloved LDP so easily. 
 
Major LDP groups that have made eye-catching moves over the Aso 
administration 
 
Name Main members Assertions/characteristics 
Group to Powerfully Revitalize Japan Hiroshi Imazu 4 
Shunichi Yamaguchi 6 
Keiji Furuya 6 Established on Jan. 6 to support the Aso 
administration. Inaugural meeting was attended by 54 people. 
Group of Lawmakers from Kyushu Taku Yamasaki 12 
Seishiro Eto 8 
Seiichi Ota 8 Composed of members from Kyushu, the prime minister's 
home turf 
New Breeze Tsutomu Takebe 7 Consists mostly of "Koizumi's children" 
Group to Realize Policies from the People's Perspective Ichita 
Yamamoto 8 
Masahiko Shibayama 2 
Koichi Yamauchi 1 Opposes specifying in the manifesto a plan to 
raise the consumption tax starting in fiscal 2011 
Group to Fundamentally Advance the Plan to Use Road-Related Tax 
Revenue for General Purposes Yasufumi Tanahashi 4 
Kenichi Mizuno 4 
Keisuke Suzuki 1 Calls for thoroughly freeing up road-related 
revenues for general spending 
Group of Lawmakers Seeking the Swift Realization of Policies 
Yasuhisa Shiozaki 4 
Toshimitsu Motegi 5 
Masaaki Taira 1 Composed mostly of mid-level and junior members 
critical of the policies of the Aso administration 
 
Note: Circled figures denote the number of times elected to the 
Diet. Yamamoto is an Upper House member. Shiozaki served one term in 
the Upper House. 
 
(3) Questionnaires to candidates for Lower House election: 80 
PERCENT  of LDP candidates call for review of postal privatization 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
January 7, 2009 
 
Diet debate began yesterday with an eye on a possible dissolution of 
the House of Representatives. What kind of views on policy issues do 
those who plan to run for the next general election for the House of 
Representative have? Based on the answers from surveys of political 
candidates conducted from October to December, the Mainichi Shimbun 
has analyzed their views by category such as political parties to 
which they belong, their age, electoral district in which they will 
run. 
 
In the wake of the global financial crisis, Prime Minister Taro Aso 
has given top priority to pump-priming measures to bolster the 
economy, while pushing back Lower House dissolution. When Mainichi 
 
TOKYO 00000030  005 OF 009 
 
 
asked whether or not the candidates approved Aso's policy of 
bolstering the economy, relegating reforms in public finance to the 
back-burner, 64 PERCENT  of the respondents approved it, while 22 
PERCENT  disapproved. Seventy-nine percent of the candidates on the 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) ticket and 75 PERCENT  of the 
candidates backed by the New Komeito approved Aso's policy. Around 
70 PERCENT  of the candidates of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 
and Social Democratic Party (SDP) supported it. However, 46 PERCENT 
of the Democratic Party of Japan's (DPJ) candidates disapproved, 
while 41 PERCENT  approved. 
 
More than one year has passed since the state-run postal services 
were privatized. Mainichi questioned about how postal services 
should be in the future. Of the candidates who will run in 
thinly-populated electoral districts, 77 PERCENT  said that the 
harmful effects of postal privatization should be reviewed, 
exceeding by 11 percentage points the 66 PERCENT  of all respondents 
who said the same thing. The figures mean that they are unhappy with 
service degradation in depopulated areas. 
 
Of the LDP candidates, 83 PERCENT  favored review of postal 
privatization, while only 14 PERCENT  said that the privatization 
policy should be continued. These are ironic results in 
consideration of the fact that the LDP won a landslide in the 2005 
Lower House election conducted under then Prime Minister Junichiro 
Koizumi who advocated postal privatization. More than 80 PERCENT  of 
the candidates of the DPJ and People's New Party favored a review of 
the privatization policy. Many candidates of the JCP and SDP said 
that the postal services should be returned to the ones that they 
were run by the state. 
 
The government shifted in effect the policy of restoring fiscal 
health, which was included in the 2006 "big-boned" reform policy 
guidelines when it compiled a state budget for fiscal 2009. The 
outlook is that tax revenues earmarked for road projects will be 
converted to general spending funds, but most of the road-related 
tax revenues will be used for road maintenances and public projects. 
 
 
Regarding the construction of highways in the future, 60 PERCENT  of 
the respondents said that construction should be drastically scaled 
down, while 24 PERCENT  replied that roads should be improved as 
much as possible. However, 56 PERCENT  of the LDP candidates 
answered that road should be constructed as much as possible, while 
19 PERCENT  preferred a drastic cut. In contrast, 77 PERCENT  of the 
DPJ candidates favored a substantial decrease. 
 
The replies to questions about the Koizumi reform policy line show 
that politicians' enthusiasm for reforms is gradually cooling down. 
 
(4) Assistant Secretary Hill: Next U.S. administration also will 
recognize importance of abduction issue 
 
SANKEI (Internet edition) (Full) 
January 7, 2009 
 
By Takashi Arimoto in Washington 
 
Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on the Abduction Issue Kyoko 
Nakayama, who is visiting the United States, met on the afternoon of 
Jan. 6 (7:00 AM, Japan time) at the State Department with Assistant 
Secretary of State for East Asia Pacific Affairs Hill, who is the 
 
TOKYO 00000030  006 OF 009 
 
 
U.S. delegate to the Six-Party Talks on the North Korea nuclear 
issue. Hill said: "I have already briefed the next administration's 
transition team on the abduction issue. There is no doubt that the 
next administration will fully understand the importance of the 
abduction issue and work hard to bring about a resolution." 
 
After the meeting, Nakayama told the press corps: "I confirmed that 
(even after the change in administration,) the U.S. will move 
together with us on the abduction issue." Nakayama said that her 
reason for visiting the U.S. immediately before the change in 
government was "in order to explain to knowledgeable people the 
abduction issue and deepen their understanding." She is scheduled 
next to meet with former ambassador to Japan Mondale and former 
Secretary of State Kissinger. Nakayama expressed her desire to 
return to the U.S. after the inauguration and explain the abduction 
issue to senior officials in the Obama administration. 
 
(5) Okinawa governor visits U.S., requests concessions on base 
problem 
 
SANKEI (Internet edition) (Full) 
January 7, 2009 
 
By Takashi Arimoto in Washington 
 
Hirokazu Nakaima, governor of Okinawa Prefecture, arriving in 
Washington on the morning of Jan. 6 (late at night on the 6th, Japan 
time), visited the State Department to explain the current state of 
base issues in Okinawa and make his appeal for a revision of the 
Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and other concessions. 
 
There were strong doubts about the efficacy of his making a trip to 
the U.S. just prior to the change from the Bush administration to 
the Obama administration. The governor told the press corps at the 
airport in the Washington suburbs his reason for coming to the U.S. 
now: "It will take a half a year before the new administration 
settles in. In visiting now, I would like by explaining the Okinawa 
base problem have (my requests) carry over to the next 
administration." 
 
On the relocation of Futenma Air Station (Ginowan City in Okinawa) 
to the coastline of Camp Schwab (Nago City in Okinawa), the biggest 
issue in the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, Nakaima expressed 
his view that in this visit to the U.S. he did not intend to 
proactively raise the question since "views are split in the 
prefecture." 
 
According to the prefecture, he reportedly will mainly make three 
requests: 1) urge resolution of the various base issues, such as 
incidents and accidents involving U.S. military personnel; 2) 
request revision of the SOFA; and 3) consolidation and reduction of 
U.S. bases. 
 
(6) Former reporter calls for reciprocal visits to Hiroshima and 
Pearl Harbor by top leaders of Japan and the United States; True 
reconciliation nowhere in sight 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
January 3, 2009 
 
Takahiro Takino 
 
 
TOKYO 00000030  007 OF 009 
 
 
Fumio Matsuo, 75, a former Washington bureau chief of Kyodo News 
Service, finally arrived at Dresden Central Station on the evening 
of November 15, 2008, after an eight-hour train ride. The boulevard 
stretching from the station is lined with buildings badly damaged by 
air strikes (during WWII). Dresden was a city Matsuo had been dying 
to visit for the last 13 years. 
 
On February 13, 1995, Matsuo was staying at a Washington hotel on 
business as a member of the news agency's new department after 
ending his career as a reporter. His eyes were riveted on the 
hotel's television screen that was showing a program on the Dresden 
Reconciliation. In the closing days of WWII, U.S. and British forces 
bombed Dresden. The indiscriminate bombings destroyed 80 PERCENT  of 
the beautiful buildings in Dresden, including churches, claiming 
over 35,000 lives. On the television was the 50th anniversary of the 
Dresden Bombings, attended by British royals and top British and 
American military officers. 
 
This shocked Matsuo. Reconciliation had been reached between the 
United States and Germany. In the last stage of WWII, Japan, too, 
suffered indiscriminate bombings that were followed by the atomic 
bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Matsuo also learned that U.S. 
presidents had not visited Hiroshima or Nagasaki and Japanese prime 
ministers never laid flowers at the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor. He 
keenly realized that Japan and the United States had not reached 
true reconciliation. "Words are unnecessary. It is sufficient for 
the top leaders of the two countries to join their hands in prayer 
and lay wreaths." Resuming his work as a journalist, Matsuo began 
calling for reciprocal visits by the top leaders of Japan and the 
United States. 
 
Matsuo himself endured one of U.S. raids on Japan as a 12-year-old 
child in the western city of Fukui, to which his family and him were 
evacuated from Tokyo. He took refuge by laying low in a sweet potato 
field when a bomb fell just 20 meters away from him. He narrowly 
escaped death because the bomb malfunctioned and splashed unopened 
into the paddy instead of dispersing above ground as intended. 
 
Why did Japan go to war with the United States? That intense 
experience in Fukui was Matsuo's starting point of his insatiable 
interest in the United States as a journalist. 
 
On August 16, 2005, Matsuo contributed an article to the opinion 
page of The Wall Street Journal in which he proposed that the U.S. 
President lay a wreath in Hiroshima and that Japan pursue 
reconciliation with its Asian neighbors. On the following day, 
Matsuo received a telephone call from former White House spokesman 
Speakes expressing his support. U.S. Ambassador to Japan J. Thomas 
Schieffer, too, said he would like to listen to his story. He felt 
that the United States took his proposal more seriously than Japan. 
 
 
Shortly after returning from Germany, Matsuo listened to a lecture 
by former ASDF Chief of Staff Toshio Tamogami, held at the Foreign 
Correspondents' Club of Japan. It was painful to watch Tamogami 
repeat his stock argument that there had been no "aggression," while 
giving consideration to the United States. Matsuo felt sorry for 
him. Reconciliation begins with bring matters to closure. He thinks 
putting a closure to matters is his mission as a survivor. 
 
Late last year, Matsuo was invited to a civic lecture event in Kofu 
City titled "Paying Tribute to the War Dead and Reconciliation." 
 
TOKYO 00000030  008 OF 009 
 
 
Students and elderly people were all ears when he spoke. One said, 
"I cannot understand the meaning of reconciliation," and another 
noted, "In the end, the wishes of the country with strong military 
might and the dollar will take precedence over other things." The 
session continued until beyond 9 o'clock. Matsuo said to the 
student: "Please study the United States well; reconciliation will 
follow." 
 
(7) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Israel attacks 3 UN schools in Gaza 
 
Mainichi: 
Government to inject public funds into more than 40 regional banks 
 
Yomiuri: 
New law eyed to dispatch MSDF to clamp down on pirates off Somalia 
 
Nikkei: 
Government to scrap capital-gains tax for foreigners holding stakes 
in Japan firms via investment funds 
 
Sankei: 
Prime Minister Aso orders Japanese version of Green New Deal: 
Investment into environment to create 800,000 jobs 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
Cash payouts to high income earners as well 
 
Akahata: 
JCP's Sasaki urges Aso to come up with emergency measures to protect 
livelihoods 
 
(8) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) Cash-benefit plan: Prime Minister Aso, don't hesitate to change 
your mind 
(2) Housing support for elderly living along 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) 20th anniversary for Emperor's reign: Emperor for the people 
(2) United States must stop Israel from attacking Gaza 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) Ruling, opposition camps need cooperation, not just 
confrontation 
(2) How to prevent decline of college students' academic 
performances 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Auto manufacturers urged to take preparatory steps for the 
future 
(2) Japan, China should calmly realize agreement on gas fields 
 
Sankei: 
(1) 20th anniversary of Emperor's reign: The Emperor hopes for unity 
of people 
(2) Diet interpellations: Early enactment of budgets indispensable 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
 
TOKYO 00000030  009 OF 009 
 
 
(1) Time to ban worker dispatch to manufacturers 
(2) Hast to rebuild relationship of trust with China 
 
Akahata: 
(1) Second extra budget has no prospect and warmth 
 
(9) Prime Minister's schedule, January 6 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
January 7, 2009 
 
07:34 
Took a walk around the private residence in Kamiyama-cho 
 
10:10 
Met with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsumoto at the Kantei. 
Then met with outgoing and incoming Deputy Foreign Ministers Otabe 
and Kono. 
 
11:47 
Government-Ruling Parties Liaison Council 
 
12:46 
Met with Secretary General Hosoda and Diet Policy Committee Chairman 
Oshima. Attended a lawmakers meeting. 
 
13:02 
Lower House Plenary session. 
 
16:26 
Met with Chairman Endo of the Special Committee on Water Safety and 
New Komeito Foreign Affairs Division chief Hamada. Finance Minister 
Nakagawa was present. 
 
17:05 
Met with Environment Minister Saito and Vice Minister Nishio. 
 
17:34 
Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy. METI minister Nikai remained. 
 
 
18:00 
Delivered to former Tokyo Institute of Technology President Masuo 
Aizawa and others letters of appointment as members of the Council 
for Science and Technology Policy. State Minister for Science and 
Technology Policy Noda was present. 
 
19:18 
Met with LDP lawmakers elected in Kyushu constituencies, including 
Foreign Affairs Research Commission Chairman Yamazaki at Toranomon 
Pastoral Hotel. 
 
20:06 
Met with LDP Tax System Research Commission Chairman Tsushima and 
Deputy Chairman Yanagisawa. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura was 
present. 
 
22:15 
rrived at the private residence. 
 
SCHIEFFER