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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 001572 
 
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 07/10/09 
 
Index: 
 
G-8 Summit and Aso diplomacy: 
 
1) President Obama at G-8 Summit presses accelerator on nuclear 
disarmament, but Japan concerned about absence of nuclear-power 
China  (Mainichi) 
2) Expanded meeting at G-8 Summit releases statement on restarting 
WTO negotiations, but for Japan the bottleneck will continue to be 
agriculture  (Mainichi) 
3) Prime Minister Aso finds diplomacy tough going at the G-8 Summit: 
He is the only leader to speak out on North Korea issue  (Sankei) 
4) President Medvedev brings no new proposal on the northern 
territories to his G-8 summit meeting with Prime Minister Aso 
(Asahi) 
 
Defense and security issues: 
5) North Korea started its missile program in the late 1970s, using 
dual-use equipment obtained from Japan  (Sankei) 
6) U.S. and Japan will hold director-general-level talks next month 
on foreign and security affairs under the 2+2 framework  (Nikkei) 
7) Former high-level official reveals that around 2001, senior 
Foreign Ministry official ordered the U.S.-Japan secret nuclear-pact 
document destroyed  (Asahi) 
 
8) METI Minister Nikai told be Iraqi official that Japan may have 
the edge in obtaining rights to develop oil in Iraq  (Sankei) 
 
Opinion polls: 
9) Poll on voter consciousness by Nikkei finds over 90 PERCENT  of 
electorate intends to go to the polls in next Lower House election; 
DPJ favored 40 PERCENT  to 26 PERCENT  over LDP  (Nikkei) 
10) In Yomiuri election series poll, 41 PERCENT  of electorate say 
they will vote DPJ in the single district races, compared to only 23 
PERCENT  who plan to vote LDP  (Yomiuri) 
 
Political agenda: 
11) Lower House election now likely to be held after the end of 
August  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
12) DPJ (Democratic Party of Japan) planning vote of no confidence 
in Aso Cabinet, but the real intention is to make sure the prime 
minister stays on into the election  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
13) Aso's face is conspicuously absent from campaign posters for the 
LDP  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
14) Lower House committee pursuing DPJ President Hatoyama for his 
political organization's falsifying funding records with names of 
dead people  (Mainichi) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) Nuclear disarmament gains momentum; G-8 members support Obama 
strategy 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
July 10, 2009 
 
Kazuhiko Kusano, Shunji Oki, L'Aquila 
 
The Group of Eight Summit (L'Aquila Summit) adopted on July 8 a 
statement pledging to create a situation toward a world without 
nuclear weapons. With all the participating countries having agreed 
to the policy of U.S. President Barack Obama, who aims at a 
 
TOKYO 00001572  002 OF 012 
 
 
nuclear-free world, expectations have swollen that moves for nuclear 
disarmament will pick up speed at once. Nevertheless, there still 
remain many tough challenges partly because the stance of China, one 
of the major nuclear powers, remains unclear and such countries as 
North Korea and Iran are pursuing nuclear development. Will the 
statement be able to give a boost to the effort to abolish nuclear 
weapons? 
 
Japan concerned about China's absence 
 
Takashi Sudo 
 
The Japanese government welcomes the G-8 statement. But China's 
absence from that scene worries Tokyo, which fears that if the 
United States and Russia go ahead and reduce their nuclear weapons, 
the weight of China's nuclear weapons will increase and trust in the 
U.S. nuclear umbrella that protects Japan might decline. 
 
The G-8 statement urges all countries to take further nuclear 
disarmament steps with greater transparency. Japan's interpretation 
of this is that China is included in "all countries," according to a 
senior Foreign Ministry official. But China's stance remains 
unchanged, namely, that the United States and Russia should pursue 
nuclear disarmament first. 
 
Japan and the United States are scheduled to hold official 
working-level talks later this month to discuss nuclear strategies, 
such as the U.S. umbrella. Placed under the U.S. nuclear umbrella, 
Japan finds itself on the horns of a dilemma. The planned formal 
talks carry a strong aspect of the United States defusing Japan's 
anxiety. The Foreign Ministry official said, "Having talks is good, 
but nothing has been nailed down effectively." 
 
Trust in U.S. main factor 
 
Comment by Osaka Jogakuin College Professor Mitsuru Kurosawa 
 
The statement that includes the phrase "a world without nuclear 
weapons" reflect a change in times. 
 
The United States has made a huge shift from the former Bush 
administration's unilateralism to a stance of multilateralism. The 
declaration of nuclear disarmament not only by the United States and 
Russia but also by all major countries will give a boost to future 
talks. It can be said that the major nations have acknowledged that 
President Obama is "serious" about achieving nuclear disarmament. 
Progress is expected to be made in the future in three areas 
advocated by President Obama: nuclear disbarment, nuclear 
nonproliferation, and measures against nuclear terrorism. 
 
Nevertheless, the trends of North Korea and Iran are a concern. 
Nuclear development by those two countries will not have a direct 
impact on nuclear disarmament talks, but it might undermine the 
atmospherics of the other good trend. 
 
2) Leaders of G-8 member nations, emerging countries come up with 
goal of reaching final agreement at WTO Doha Round 
 
MAINICHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
July 10, 2009 
 
Kiyohiro Akama, Kesuke Ota 
 
TOKYO 00001572  003 OF 012 
 
 
Nozomi Saito, L'Aquila 
 
Leaders of the Group of Eight (G-8) major nations and five emerging 
countries, such as China and India, have come up with a goal of 
reaching a final agreement at the World Trade Organization (WTO) 
Doha Round (multi trade liberalization talks) before the end of 
¶2010. At work behind the move is their strong determination to 
revitalize trade, which has come to an impasse due to the impact of 
the ongoing financial crisis, for the purpose of turning around the 
economy, by establishing a free trade system. However, in actual 
talks, negotiations have repeatedly been derailed with the interests 
of various countries fiercely clashing with each other. As such, 
there is no knowing whether an agreement can be reached. 
 
Japan goes on defensive, suffering setback over agriculture 
 
Export-oriented Japan is positive about an early settlement of the 
Doha Round, which will lead to cuts in trade tariffs. However, 
sources connected with the agricultural sector, an area that is 
being urged to open its market, is still strongly opposed the Doha 
Round. Adjustments of opinions on the domestic front will likely 
face challenges. 
 
Japan has constantly been forced to play defense regarding the 
agriculture area at WTO talks. It has been struggling to increase 
the share of key items, which are exempt from tariff cuts. As a 
result, it has been unable to make its presence felt, eclipsed by 
confrontations between the U.S. and emerging countries in overall 
talks on mined and manufactured products. 
 
Japan called for setting the share of key items at 8 PERCENT  of all 
items at the informal ministerial meeting in July last year. 
However, the WTO came up with an adjudication proposal for setting 
the share at 6 PERCENT . Since the overall talks fell through at the 
time, Japan did not have to accept the adjudication proposal. 
However, the prevailing view among government officials is that 
there is a slim chance of Japan's stance on the agricultural area 
being accepted, as one negotiator put it. 
 
Japan has been protecting farmers by imposing high tariffs on many 
agricultural products. However, if the WTO talks reach a settlement, 
Japanese agriculture will be exposed to fierce competition with 
foreign products. The time is running out with bargaining likely to 
become fierce prior to the target for reaching an agreement in 2010. 
Japan is urged to promptly implement reform of its agricultural 
administration in preparation for opening up the market. 
 
3) G-8 and six other participating countries to aim to reach 
agreement at WTO talks 
 
SANKEI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
July 10, 2009 
 
Morimichi Imabori, Kazutaka Higa, Rome 
 
The G-8 summit (L'Aquila Summit) held a meeting of the Group of 
Eight countries, joined by five emerging countries, such as China 
and India, plus Egypt and adopted their first joint statement. Their 
aim is to set up a framework for settling international issues that 
cannot be dealt with by major countries alone, involving emerging 
countries. 
 
 
TOKYO 00001572  004 OF 012 
 
 
In the meantime, the G-8 countries on the evening of the 8th prior 
to that meeting discussed political issues. Participants condemned 
in the strong terms North Korea for its nuclear test and launching 
of ballistic missiles and adopted a statement noting that they urge 
the international community to implement UNSC Resolution 1874 in a 
complete and transparent manner. Concerning non-proliferation, the 
statement welcomed the nuclear arms reduction agreement reached at 
the U.S.-Russia summit on the 6th, noting that they will pledge to 
create a world without nuclear arms. 
 
Concerning the North Korea issue, Prime Minister Taro Aso said that 
since the North has conducted nuclear and missile tests in defiance 
of the international community, the international community should 
adopt a resolute stance in dealing with that nation. Many other 
participants supported Aso, saying that the North Korea issue is not 
the issue concerning Asia alone. 
 
The prime minister also brought up the abduction issue. The 
statement incorporated the wording noting that the G-8 urges North 
Korea to immediately address concern felt by the international 
community over humanitarian issue. The G-8 economic ministers' 
statement has also been adopted. It incorporated a proposal for 
setting up a working group to confirm the situation of the progress 
on development assistance, which the G-8 has pledged. 
 
4) No new proposals on Northern Territories from Medvedev at 
Japan-Russia summit 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
July 10, 2009 
 
Atsuko Tannai, Rome 
 
Prime Minister Taro Aso met Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev in 
L'Aquila on the morning of July 9 (afternoon of July 9, Japan time). 
Medvedev said, "We continue to be willing to consider all possible 
options under a unique approach," in referring to the key question 
of the Northern Territories, but did not present any new proposals 
to break the stalemate. 
 
Although Aso complained, "Without willingness to make progress in 
the territorial issue on the Russian side, it will not be possible 
to build a partnership," he also pointed out, "It is necessary to 
work simultaneously on both matters of interest (territorial issue 
and economic cooperation)." The two leaders agreed on instructing 
working level officials to step up negotiations and on the need to 
continue summit level discussions, including telephone 
conversations. 
 
They also agreed on the early launching of a trilateral experts' 
panel among Japan, the U.S., and Russia to discuss security issues 
in Asia and the Pacific. 
 
5) North Korea began developing missiles in 1975, using convertible 
materials from Japan 
 
SANKEI (Page 23) (Abridged slightly) 
July 10, 2009 
 
In connection with a Tokyo-based North Korea-connected trading 
company's attempted plan to illegally export missile-development 
materials, it became clear yesterday through interviews with police 
 
TOKYO 00001572  005 OF 012 
 
 
authorities that magnetic measuring instruments have been carried 
into North Korea on several occasions since 1975, under a plan of 
exporting such to Burma (Myanmar). Japanese-made magnetic measuring 
instruments are highly precise. Police authorities are paying close 
attention to the fact that North Korea started developing basic 
missile technology as early as 1975. They strongly believe that the 
attempted illegal export plan this time around shows North Korea's 
plan to provide its missile technology, a product of its many years 
of R&D, to Burma. 
 
The equipments carried into North Korea since 1975 were devices to 
measure the magnetism of metal materials and the like. They are 
widely used in such fields as manufacturing industrial machinery and 
basic industrial technology. Materials are indispensable for R&D of 
military technologies, such as missiles, and weapons of mass 
destruction (WMD). They can reportedly be used for nuclear 
development as well. 
 
Those devices were of models older than that of the one the company 
tried to export to Burma this time around, but an Economy, Trade and 
Industry Ministry source said, "Basically, there is no big 
difference in principles, and the precision of Japanese products has 
been at the world's top level since around 1975." 
 
The attempted illegal export to Burma occurred based on an order 
from the Second Economic Committee, a secret military procurement 
organ in North Korea, to Tokyo-based Toko Boeki President Lee Kyoung 
Ho, 41, to procure a magnetic measuring device that came via New 
East International Trading Co. in Beijing. It has become clear 
through investigations that Lee had placed an order to a Japanese 
maker and a trading firm and attempted to export the device to 
Burma's Industry 2 Ministry via Malaysia. 
 
It has become clear from the materials confiscated from Lee's home 
and other related places that materials similar to the one found 
this time were exported to North Korea on several occasions in 
around 1975. 
 
Investigative authorities believe that North Korea began developing 
missiles and WMD on a full scale around that time and continued its 
research to establish high technology. 
 
6) Japan, U.S. to hold working-level consultations this month on 
foreign, defense policy issues 
 
NIKKEI (Page 1) (Full) 
July 10, 2001 
 
Sachiko Deshimaru, Washington 
 
The Japanese and U.S. governments have now entered final 
coordination to hold working-level consultations in Japan in 
mid-July within the framework of the Security Consultative Committee 
of foreign and defense ministers from Japan and the United States 
(two-plus-two). The two governments will hold wide-ranging 
discussions, focusing mainly on their security policies in East Asia 
in response to the situation in North Korea. 
 
The working-level consultations are expected to be held with the 
participation of Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and 
Pacific Affairs Campbell and Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Gregson from the U.S. government 
 
TOKYO 00001572  006 OF 012 
 
 
and the Foreign Ministry's North American Affairs Bureau Director 
General Kazuyoshi Umemoto and the Defense Ministry's Defense Policy 
Bureau Director General Nobushige Takamizawa from the Japanese 
government. This is the first time for Japan and the United States 
to hold a meeting of their senior officials for foreign affairs and 
defense to discuss security issues since the Obama administration 
came into office. 
 
The agenda for discussion includes bilateral issues pending between 
Japan and the United States, such as selecting Japan's follow-on 
mainstay fighter (FX) and relocating the U.S. military's Futenma 
airfield. The two governments are going to to take up their regional 
security strategies, such as missile defense (MD) shielding. They 
are also expected to exchange views about the U.S. military's 
deterrence in East Asia. 
 
The two-plus-two working-level consultations will be held at a 
sensitive time when the House of Representatives could be dissolved 
for a general election. The political situation in Japan is now 
becoming murky. As it stands, the two governments are apparently 
aiming to push for better communication at the working level. When 
the Bush administration was in office, the Japanese and U.S. 
governments were closely in touch with each other and occasionally 
held two-plus-two ministerial meetings and working-level 
consultations. Under the Obama administration as well, the two 
countries are going to revamp bilateral cooperation. 
 
The Obama administration is upholding nuclear disarmament. The U.S. 
government is expected to explain its policy, anticipating U.S. 
allies' concerns about the U.S. military's weakening nuclear 
umbrella. 
 
Meanwhile, Japan, the United States, and South Korea will hold 
working-level consultations in Tokyo about the middle of this month 
with their defense officials attending. 
 
7) Ex-senior government officials: Senior MOFA official ordered 
destruction of secret accord-related documents before Information 
Disclosure Law implementation in 2001 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Slightly abridged) 
July 10, 2009 
 
It has been learned that in 2001, a senior Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs (MOFA) official ordered the destruction of documents in the 
ministry relating to a "secret nuclear agreement" concluded between 
Japan and the U.S. at the time of the revision of the bilateral 
Security Treaty in 1960. Under the agreement, Japan would allow U.S. 
vessels carrying nuclear weapons to call on Japanese ports and pass 
through its territorial waters. A number of former senior government 
and MOFA officials made the above testimony on condition of 
anonymity. 
 
It is believed that this was a step taken for fear of "documents 
that supposedly do not exist" being discovered when the archiving of 
documents in MOFA was reviewed before the implementation of the 
Information Disclosure Law in April 2001. 
 
The existence of the secret nuclear agreement has already been 
confirmed by official documents published on the U.S. side, but the 
Japanese government has consistently denied it. Ryohei Murata, who 
was administrative vice foreign minister during the late 1980s, told 
 
TOKYO 00001572  007 OF 012 
 
 
Asahi Shimbun that, "My predecessor gave me a one-page document 
during the handover process, and I briefed the foreign minister at 
that time." 
 
The former senior government officials who made the latest testimony 
admitted the existence of the secret agreement and said that 
documents for vice ministers in the handover process were included 
in the destroyed files. The practice of briefing the foreign 
minister is believed to have been discontinued when House of 
Representatives member Makiko Tanaka became the foreign minister in 
¶2001. 
 
One former government official explained that the decision to 
destroy the documents was made because "they were documents from a 
long time ago, and it was meaningless to faithfully preserve 
documents that did not exist officially." Another former government 
official said that: "It is believed that the relevant documents were 
kept at the North American Affairs Bureau and the Treaty Bureau (now 
the International Legal Affairs Bureau). I heard that they were all 
destroyed right before the implementation of the Information 
Disclosure Law." It is highly possible that guidelines on how the 
Japanese government should handle former Ambassador to Japan Edwin 
Reischauer's testimony in 1981 on the existence of the secret accord 
and other historical documents that only the Japanese side possessed 
were destroyed. However, neither of the former officials witnessed 
the actual burning or shredding of the documents. One of them 
pointed out that "the possibility remains that these documents might 
have been preserved as top secret files." 
 
One former administrative vice foreign minister stopped short of 
confirming the existence of the secret agreement but said that: 
"Right now, documents referring to the secret agreement do not 
exist. We cannot release documents that do not exist." It is 
believed that this line of reasoning is meant to be an explanation 
for the failure to find any relevant documents in case the 
Democratic Party of Japan, which is calling for disclosing the 
secret agreement, takes over the administration. 
 
Deprived of opportunity to investigate hidden truth 
 
Explanatory note: It is now very likely that documents related to 
the "secret nuclear agreement" in MOFA have been destroyed quietly. 
This is a dual crime, in the sense that the people have been 
continuously deceived about the secret accord and that present and 
future Japanese citizens have been deprived of a means to 
investigate this matter. A MOFA source also voices the criticism 
that, "If that is indeed the case, this is an act of historical 
betrayal." (former senior MOFA official) 
 
The "secret nuclear agreement" reached during the Security Treaty 
revision in 1960 provided a loophole to the three non-nuclear 
principles of "not producing, possessing, and introducing" nuclear 
weapons. After the end of the Cold War, the Bush administration in 
the early 1990s removed all nuclear arms carried on U.S. naval 
vessels, except those on strategic nuclear submarines. An incumbent 
senior MOFA official says that, "Since U.S. vessels no longer carry 
any nuclear weapons, the so-called secret agreement has already lost 
its meaning." 
 
However, with the rise of China and the development of nuclear arms 
by North Korea and Iran, it is possible that the U.S. may resume 
carrying nuclear arms on ships. In such a case, will the "secret 
 
TOKYO 00001572  008 OF 012 
 
 
nuclear agreement" be revived? A senior MOFA official says that, 
"Since past prime ministers and foreign ministers have stated 
repeatedly that the secret agreement did not exist, Japan will 
probably have to reach a new agreement with the U.S." However, a 
former MOFA official points out: "When it becomes necessary, the 
United States will not hesitate to bring in nuclear weapons. Japan, 
which is protected by the nuclear umbrella, does not have the option 
of saying 'no,' regardless of whether there is a secret agreement or 
not." 
 
No matter what security policy Japan intends to adopt, it is 
indispensable for the existence of the secret agreement to be 
clarified and for the role it has played over the years to be 
examined. 
 
8) Iraqi oil minister in talks with METI minister indicates Japan 
has the upper hand 
 
SANKEI (Page 9) (Full) 
July 10, 2009 
 
Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai on July 9 met 
with visiting Iraqi Oil Minister Husayn al-Shahristani in Tokyo. He 
conveyed Japan's strong desire to obtain the rights to develop Iraqi 
oil fields, saying, "There are projects in which Japanese companies 
hope to take part, including the Nasiriyah oil field development 
(which the Iraqi government will release to foreign companies). The 
government would like to extend overall assistance for those 
projects." An Italian firm is also hoping to take part in the 
development of the Nasiriyah oil field. The oil minister indicated 
that Japan has the lead in the competition, replying, "We expect 
participation by Japanese companies." A consortium consisting of 
Nippon Oil Corporation (ENEOS), Inpex Corporation and JGC 
Corporation is competing with Italy's Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi for 
the rights to develop the Nasiriyah oil field in southern Iraq. The 
oil minister told reporters that developer of the oil fields will be 
decided shortly. 
 
9) Pre-election poll: 40 PERCENT  to vote for DPJ, 26 PERCENT  for 
LDP 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
July 10, 2009 
 
Ahead of the forthcoming election for the House of Representatives, 
the Nihon Keizai Shimbun conducted a public opinion survey on July 
7-9 to probe public awareness. In the survey, respondents were asked 
which political party they would like to vote for in their 
proportional representation blocs. In response to this question, 40 
PERCENT  opted for the leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan 
(Minshuto), with 26 PERCENT  choosing the ruling Liberal Democratic 
Party. A total of more than 90 PERCENT  answered that they would go 
to the polls to cast their votes, broken down into 65 PERCENT 
saying they would surely go to the polls and 28 PERCENT  saying they 
would go to the polls if possible. 
 
Among other parties, the New Komeito was at 7 PERCENT  for 
proportional representation, with the Japanese Communist Party at 4 
PERCENT  and the Social Democratic Party at 3 PERCENT . 
 
Respondents were also asked which political party's candidate they 
would vote for in their single-seat constituencies. To this 
 
TOKYO 00001572  009 OF 012 
 
 
question, 39 PERCENT  chose the DPJ, with the LDP at 27 PERCENT , 
showing the same trend as in the case of proportional 
representation. 
 
The approval rating for the Aso cabinet was 18 PERCENT . The 
disapproval rating was 65 PERCENT . In the breakdown of public 
support for political parties, the LDP stood at 30 PERCENT , with 
the DPJ at 37 PERCENT . "None" or floating voters with no particular 
party affiliation accounted for 13 PERCENT . 
 
10) Poll: 39 PERCENT  see Aso as LDP's face for election, 44 PERCENT 
 see another; 41 PERCENT  favor DPJ versus LDP's 23 PERCENT  in 
voting for single-seat candidates 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
July 10, 2009 
 
Ahead of the forthcoming election for the House of Representatives, 
the Yomiuri Shimbun conducted a telephone-based ad hoc nationwide 
public opinion survey on July 7-9. In the survey, 39 PERCENT 
answered "yes" when asked if they thought it would be better for the 
ruling Liberal Democratic Party to go into the election with Prime 
Minister Aso, with 44 PERCENT  saying it would be better to replace 
him with another person. Respondents were also asked which political 
party they would vote for in their single-seat constituencies. To 
this question, 41 PERCENT  opted for the leading opposition 
Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto), with 23 PERCENT  choosing the 
LDP. In the popularity ranking of political parties for proportional 
representation as well, the DPJ was above the LDP, respectively 
standing at 41 PERCENT  and 24 PERCENT . 
 
Respondents were further asked who they thought would be appropriate 
for prime minister, when comparing Aso and DPJ President Hatoyama. 
To this question, 46 PERCENT  chose Hatoyama, with 21 PERCENT 
picking Aso. 
 
The support rate for the Aso cabinet was 20.2 PERCENT . The 
nonsupport rate was 69.3 PERCENT . In the breakdown of public 
support for political parties, the DPJ stood at 28.7 PERCENT , with 
the LDP at 23.8 PERCENT . 
 
11) Ruling coalition favors Lower House election in late August or 
later 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Top play) (Excerpts) 
July 10, 2009 
 
Chances are growing that the next House of Representatives election 
will be held at the end of August or later. The Liberal Democratic 
Party (LDP) is likely to face an uphill battle in the July 12 Tokyo 
Metropolitan Assembly election, following its defeat in the July 5 
Shizuoka gubernatorial election. With the situation of the Aso 
administration and the LDP becoming increasingly severe, the view is 
gaining ground in the LDP and its coalition partner, New Komeito, 
that an early Lower House dissolution for a snap election is 
unadvisable. If the election were to be held in late August or 
later, the chances are that the Lower House will be dissolved around 
the end of the current Diet session on July 28 for the election on 
Aug. 30 or Sept. 6 
 
If the dissolution were to be held off until the end of the current 
Diet session, the drive to unseat Aso in the LDP might gain 
 
TOKYO 00001572  010 OF 012 
 
 
momentum. For this reason, Prime Minister Taro Aso has searched for 
ways to dissolve the chamber immediately after the Tokyo poll for an 
election in early August. But this plan is drawing fierce 
objections, based on the opinion  that given the expected uphill 
battle in the Tokyo poll combined with the cabinet's dwindling 
support ratings, an early election will bring a humiliating defeat 
to the LDP. 
 
Yesterday afternoon, such LDP veteran lawmakers as former Secretary 
General Koichi Kato, former Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, and 
former Senior Deputy General Council Chairman Hajime Funada, held 
talks near the Diet building and agreed to oppose an early 
dissolution. 
 
The secretaries general of LDP actions also met last night. The 
prevalent view at the meeting was that top priority should be given 
to the enactment of key bills and DPJ President Hatoyama's donation 
scandal. 
 
Furthermore, former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who has a strong 
influence on the management of the Aso administration, has recently 
opposed an Aug. 2 election. Mori is showing a cautious stance about 
the Aso side's dissolution timetable. 
 
12) DPJ's real motivation is to keep Aso in prime minister's post 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
July 10, 2009 
 
The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has decided to 
submit next week to the House of Representatives a no-confidence 
motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Taro Aso. The DPJ, 
which has reportedly taken the lead in campaigning for the Tokyo 
Metropolitan Assembly election on July 12, intends to force Aso to 
dissolve the Lower House for a general election. 
 
Asked by reporters about submitting the no-confidence motion, DPJ 
President Yukio Hatoyama said yesterday at party headquarters: 
"Through the Tokyo assembly election, we will be able to see how 
strong public criticism of the Aso administration is. After seeing 
the results of the election, we will consider (submitting a 
no-confidence motion) early next week," revealing that the DPJ is 
considering submitting a no-confidence motion after the Tokyo race. 
 
The DPJ is aiming for a speedy dissolution of the Lower House. A 
defeat of the ruling parties in the Tokyo election would mean that 
the public indicates "No" to the Aso administration. This would be 
the optimal timing for the DPJ to submit a no-confidence motion and 
urge Aso to dissolve the Lower House. 
 
However, if the ruling coalition loses the Tokyo race, moves to oust 
Aso as prime minister will definitely strengthen in the Liberal 
Democratic Party (LDP). 
 
The DPJ's real motivation is to fight in the Lower House election 
with the LDP led by Aso, who has been suffering low support rates. 
Deputy President Naoto Kan said yesterday: "The public will not 
allow another replacement of a prime minister. If that happens, the 
DPJ might be forced (to allow Aso to) dissolve the Lower House." 
 
Therefore, submission of the motion of no confidence is intended to 
prevent the moves of anti-Aso forces. The DPJ's ideal is that 
 
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submission of the motion will lead to dissolution, prompting many 
rebels to emerge in the LDP. However, even if the motion is voted 
down, it will mean that the ruling parties give their vote of 
confidence. The DPJ, therefore, hopes that submission of the motion 
will produce the effect of preventing the moves of anti-Aso forces. 
 
However, the DPJ is concerned that it will come under criticism from 
the ruling party if the Diet fails to pass an organ transplant law 
amendment bill and special measures legislation on cargo inspections 
on ships going in and out of North Korea due to suspension of 
deliberations caused by submission of the motion of no confidence. 
Hatoyama, referring to the organ transplantation law amendment, 
asserted: "It is necessary to enact the bills that should be passed 
in the current regular Diet session." 
 
13) Prime Minister Aso gives order not to include his photo on the 
cover of LDP's manifesto 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Full) 
July 10, 2009 
 
It has been learned that Prime Minister Taro Aso (president of the 
Liberal Democratic Party) ordered the LDP project team (PT) in 
charge of drafting a manifest (set of campaign pledges for the next 
House of Representatives election) not to include his photograph on 
the cover of the manifest. 
 
LDP General Council Deputy Chairman Hajime Funada, a PT member, told 
reporters yesterday: "The Prime Minister wants young people to be 
able to read (our manifesto) on the train without hesistation. So 
the manifesto will not have Prime Minister's photograph on the 
cover." 
 
The LDP's manifesto for the 2005 Lower House election had a large 
portrait of then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi with the slogan, 
"Postal privatization is our key reform goal," on the cover. The 
fact that Prime Minster Aso's photograph will not being included 
will likely raise speculations that the ruling camp will lose the 
Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election and Aso will resign as prime 
minister before the Lower House general election. 
 
14) Ruling parties to turn heat on DPJ at Lower House committee 
 
MAINICHI (Page 5) (Full) 
July 10, 2009 
 
The House of Representatives Special Committee on Political Ethics 
Establishment and Revision of the Public Offices Election Law held a 
meeting to discuss a bill amending the Political Fund Control Law, 
which was submitted by the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan 
(DPJ). The ruling parties, which are searching for clues on turning 
the tables for the next Lower House election, pursued DPJ President 
Yukio Hatoyama's false political funding report issue. 
 
LDP Election Strategy Council Deputy Chairman Yoshihide Suga pointed 
out that the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry issued 
documents necessary for  tax exemptions for political donations by 
75 persons (totaling 11,862,000 yen), which Hatoyama's political 
fund management organization corrected in its reports on political 
funds for fiscal 2005, 2006, and 2007. The ministry admitted it. 
 
Base on this, Suga repeatedly pursed the Hatoyama issue, saying: "Is 
 
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it a fraud if the donations are used for tax returns?" Hatoyama last 
evening stressed to reporters at party headquarters: "I believe 
firmly that there was no tax evasion. I have absolutely no idea." 
The ruling camp intends to demand Hatoyama's fund management 
organization to submit accounting records at a committee meeting on 
July 10 based on the Diet Testimony Law. The DPJ, in protest of the 
holding of committee sessions, is expected to be absent from a 
meeting today. 
 
ZUMWALT