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Viewing cable 07TOKYO2480, DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 06/04/07

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07TOKYO2480 2007-06-04 08:20 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Tokyo
VZCZCXRO4056
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #2480/01 1550820
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 040820Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4156
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//
RUALSFJ/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA//J5/JO21//
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RUAYJAA/CTF 72
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 3794
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 1365
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 4927
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 0558
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 2227
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7253
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3312
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4464
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 002480 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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 06/04/07 
 
INDEX: 
(1) Editorial -- North Korean defectors found outside Japanese port: 
Is our emergency preparedness adequate? 
 
(2) Main points of Russian President Putin's statement 
 
(3) New tasks across the seas (Section 3): Thinking of SDF as 
Japan's new garrison-SDF in transformation (Part 4): P-3Cs 
dispatched to Australia for multilateral security 
 
(4) "Brainwashing" to justify aggression: Yasukuni DVD adopted by 
Education Ministry 
 
(5) Abe government shaken (Part 3 - conclusion): Minshuto taking the 
offensive 
 
(6) JITCO collected 1.2 billion yen in fees from 20,000 foreign 
trainee-accepting firms in FY2006 
 
(7) Prime Minister's schedule 
 
ARTICLES: 
(1) Editorial -- North Korean defectors found outside Japanese port: 
Is our emergency preparedness adequate? 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 4, 2007 
 
A suspicious boat was spotted in the Sea of Japan off the coast of 
Aomori Prefecture's Fukaura Port, and four men and women, believed 
to have fled North Korea, were taken into protective custody. They 
are reportedly hoping to be sent to South Korea, but before doing 
so, Japan has to carefully verify facts, such as their identities, 
motives, and the route they used to flee North Korea. 
 
At the same time, Japan needs to see whether its monitoring system 
functions adequately at the water's edge. Also, Japan needs to 
reexamine its fundamental attitude toward North Korean defectors and 
measures toward them, including new legislation, and if there are 
any shortcomings, Japan needs to deal with them quickly. 
 
The number of North Korean defectors has been rising rapidly in 
recent years, presumably because of the tough economic conditions in 
North Korea. According to South Korean officials, their numbers 
began to increase in the latter half of the 1990s, when the economic 
crisis in the North worsened. The number of North Korean defectors 
who entered South Korea last year came to some 2,000, making a total 
of about 10,000. 
 
Most defectors, helped by support organizations, decided their final 
destinations, while hiding themselves in northeastern China, where 
many Koreans live, after crossing the China-Korea border. China, out 
of consideration for North Korea and concern that those defectors 
will become a factor for instability in Chinese society, has been 
strictly guarding the bordering area and catching smugglers. 
 
A maritime affairs official described the defectors this time, who 
crossed the Sea of Japan aboard a small boat only 7 meters long, as 
"reckless," and noted that there has been only one similar case in 
the past. Given difficulties in procuring a motorized boat in North 
Korea, similar cases are unlikely to happen frequently. 
 
However, given the public's growing discontent in North Korea, the 
 
TOKYO 00002480  002 OF 010 
 
 
Kim Jong Il regime could collapse. If that were to happen, there 
would be an influx of refugees from North Korea. It is still fresh 
in our memory that Japan came under harsh criticism for the lack of 
measures toward refugees when North Korean defectors entered a 
Japanese consulate in Shenyang five years ago seeking shelter. 
 
In June 2006, Japan enacted a law on human rights in North Korea, 
which stipulates regarding the protection of North Korean defectors 
that the government "shall endeavor to take measures." But with the 
definition of protection left ambiguous, only ad hoc measures have 
been taken so far. Japan should sort out the matter quickly. 
 
The coastal monitoring system, as well, needs to be improved. 
Although it is difficult to seize small boats before they actually 
enter Japan, it is problematic that a small boat was easily able to 
enter a Japanese port. If that boat were a spy boat, the situation 
would have been more serious. Japan would be forced to reconsider 
its coastal preparedness. 
 
(2) Main points of Russian President Putin's statement 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 7) (Full) 
June 4, 2007 
 
Northern Territories 
 
We have been looking for measures to resolve the issue and will 
continue to do so. We however, afford no scope for discussion on the 
ownership of the four islands. This is a result of World War II. We 
understand well, however, that the Japanese side wants to put an end 
to the past problem. 
 
In the 1956 Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration, the Soviet Union showed 
extremely high flexibility that it would turn over the Habomai group 
of islets and Shikotan Island after the two countries conclude a 
peace treaty and then another two islands would be returned to Japan 
later. Although the declaration ratified by the parliaments of the 
two countries was valid, Japan refused to accept it. Under such a 
situation, it is difficult to find new measures. I am looking 
forward to discussing this matter with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at 
our planned meeting. If Prime Minister Abe wants to officially visit 
Russia, I welcome it. 
 
Crab exports 
 
We have not discontinued exports. We have banned poaching and 
smuggling. I expect cooperation with Japan, but that has yet to 
occur. There is a big difference between marine products imported to 
Japan and Japan's import statistics. It is a Russian problem, but we 
cannot resolve it without Japan's cooperation. I will discuss the 
issue with Prime Minister Abe. 
 
East Asia policy 
 
We are interested in strengthening economic relations with rapidly 
growing East Asia. Russia, as a member of the East Asia region, 
wants to cooperate with other members not only in the energy area 
but also the high-tech field. We believe such cooperation will lead 
to development of the Russian Far East. We have constructed an oil 
pipeline to the Pacific Ocean. We are now considering gas pipeline 
construction. We want to push forward with multilateral cooperation, 
including in the military field, with East Asia. 
 
 
TOKYO 00002480  003 OF 010 
 
 
Missile defense 
 
In the wake of the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), Russia 
has withdrawn large weapons from the Ural Mountains and westward. We 
also decreased troop strength by 300,000. On the other hand, 
Bulgaria and Rumania constructed new bases. An MD system will be 
built in the Czech Republic and in Poland. Russia cannot help but 
worry about a unilateral military buildup. MS systems will function 
as part of latent US nuclear potential. They will shake the 
international security system. I do not rule out the possibility of 
the US giving up on its plan at the end. I expect common sense from 
the United States. Russia is not responsible for what will happen 
later. The Russian public is looking for stable security. We must 
think about what we can do. I cannot understand that only Russia and 
the US are not allowed to deploy intermediate-range nuclear 
weapons. 
 
Energy development 
 
The production sharing agreement (PSA) for Sakhalin-2 includes 
contents that are similar to colonial rule. Russia had long allowed 
the use of resources for free. If shareholders (Royal Dutch Shell 
and Mitsui & Co. and Mitsubishi Corporation) followed the rules, we 
would not have any chance to review this situation. Since the 
stockholders destroyed the environment, we were able to make 
improvements in the situation. With the participation of Russia's 
natural gas monopoly in the gas program, Japan was able to maintain 
liquefied gas imports. 
 
Presidential term 
 
I will continue my job in 2008 as well. I'm too young to retire. I 
cannot tell now what I will do. I have some choices. I will make up 
my mind after watching the political situation during the period 
from the end of the year through early next year. The Russian 
presidential term is four years and the president can serve for two 
terms. The president of France is elected for a five-year term with 
no limit on terms. The US presidential term is four years with two 
terms. It is correct to limit multiple elections, but four years for 
one presidential term is short in Russia. A five-year term, six-year 
term or seven-year term would be appropriate for Russia. 
 
(3) New tasks across the seas (Section 3): Thinking of SDF as 
Japan's new garrison-SDF in transformation (Part 4): P-3Cs 
dispatched to Australia for multilateral security 
 
TOKYO (Page 1) (Full) 
June 1, 2007 
 
On June 3, 2006, a cluster of 46 Maritime Self-Defense Force 
officers were in the northern Australian city of Darwin. They were 
in Type-I full-dress uniforms with a stand-up collar and lined up in 
front of a war memorial there. 
 
Capt. Isao Watanabe, 50, was the commanding officer of those 
uniformed MSDF members. Watanabe offered flowers to the war 
memorial. The commander and all his men offered a silent prayer. A 
local newspaper also reported the Japanese rites. 
 
On Feb. 19, 1942, the year after the Pacific War started, the 
Imperial Japanese Army attacked Darwin. Its dive-bombing sank six 
battleships. The city's government office building and civilian 
facilities, including a hospital, were also bombed. As a result, a 
 
TOKYO 00002480  004 OF 010 
 
 
total of 143 people lost their lives in Darwin-a small town with a 
population of about 5,000. 
 
Australia was born with English settlers, and Japan has since been 
the first-and the last-to attack the country. Capt. Watanabe was 
worried about local sentiment. "I thought people there might not 
have good feelings toward Japan," the commanding officer said. 
"But," he added, "things were quiet." 
 
The MSDF has made fleet visits to a number of countries around the 
world with its escort ships (destroyers) and training vessels, 
thereby deepening its exchanges with foreign governments and navies. 
The MSDF, after its repeated fleet visits to Australia, sent two 
P-3C patrol planes to the country from Air Squadron 9, an MSDF unit 
based in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture. The MSDF P-3C aircraft had never 
made a goodwill visit to any foreign countries but the United 
States. 
 
"Ah, this brings back memories! We were also like this." So saying, 
one Australian military officer gave his impressions when he got on 
one of the two MSDF P-3C planes. Its cockpit display panels are 
different in shape and are incompatible. Moreover, their displays 
are black and white. Some of these instruments are inferior to even 
cellphones in data-processing capacity. 
 
In the case of P-3C scouts for Australian forces, their display 
panels are of the same shape and their display is in color. They 
were loaded with equipment of the latest model as well as P-3Cs for 
Canadian forces. Lt. Cdr. Koichi Indei, 40, piloted his P-3C plane 
to Australia. "I just saw their P-3C's exterior in Hawaii," Indei 
said. "But," he added, "I didn't thought it was so advanced." 
 
The Australian military has a total of 52,000 troops, and the 
Self-Defense Forces have 240,000 troops. The SDF outnumbers the 
Australian forces. However, Japan's defense spending is appropriated 
mainly for expensive missile defense systems and US forces stationed 
in Japan. The SDF's equipment is therefore becoming outdated. 
 
During the MSDF's P-3C visit to Australia, P-3Cs from the MSDF and 
the Australian forces conducted joint training to spot an Australian 
submarine. "It was easy to discover the submarine because the 
training was not intended to explore skills but was for friendship 
purposes," Lt. Cdr. Indei says. 
 
Australia has so far made five P-3C visits to Japan, seeking to 
strengthen its ties with Japan. This time around, the MSDF also made 
its P-3C visit to Australia at long last. This became a symbol that 
shows that Japan has made up its mind to step into multilateral 
security. 
 
On March 13 this year, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Australian 
Prime Minister Howard signed a joint statement on bilateral security 
between Japan and Australia. The declaration set forth trilateral 
cooperation among Japan, the United States, and Australia, saying 
security cooperation between Japan and Australia will help 
strengthen the cooperation of Japan, the United States, and 
Australia. 
 
The joint declaration was issued with the United States' strong 
backing. "Japan and Australia will increase their surveillance in 
the Asia-Pacific region in place of the United States, which has its 
hands full with the Iraq war," a senior official of the Defense 
Ministry said. The aim is to create a Pacific triangle against the 
 
TOKYO 00002480  005 OF 010 
 
 
emergence of China. 
 
As a matter of course, the Chinese media reacted all at once against 
the move, decrying it as aiming to constrain China. "Furthermore," 
Prime Minister Abe said, "I'd like to consider dialogue with India." 
With this, the premier clarified his intent to sandwich China. In 
April, Japan conducted trilateral joint training exercises with the 
United States and India in the sea near Japan for the first time. 
 
The symbol of a navy is a fleet of battleships. Japan, however, has 
a total of roughly 100 P-3C patrol planes. After the Soviet Union's 
collapse, Japan reduced its deployment of P-3Cs to 70. However, the 
scope of their activities has expanded. "Our overseas flights used 
to be bound for the United States," one MSDF P-3C pilot said. "And 
now," he added, "our flights are extended to Australia and 
Singapore." The MSDF once planned to send a squadron of three P-3Cs 
and 200 troops to the Indian Ocean in order to support an MSDF 
supply fleet's underway replenishment there. 
 
Will the MSDF become the 'pilot' of a new security strategy? 
 
(4) "Brainwashing" to justify aggression: Yasukuni DVD adopted by 
Education Ministry 
 
SHIMBUN AKAHATA (Page 3) (Excerpts) 
May 18, 2007 
 
Lawmaker Ikuko Ishii of the Japanese Communist Party during a 
meeting of the Special Committee on Education Revitalization on May 
17 brought up an animated DVD movie titled "Pride" produced by the 
Japan Junior Chamber Inc (JJCI). The movie, produced as a research 
project consigned by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, 
Science and Technology (MEXT), is full of words justifying Japan's 
aggressive war and colonial rule as follows: 
 
"I want to protect my beloved country. I want to liberate Asians 
from White people. I think there was always that feeling when Japan 
fought war." A young man from the past speaks in front of a Yasukuni 
Shrine gate: "That feeling has disappeared in the postwar decades. 
Both adults and children have received education that the one at 
fault was Japan. Only a sense of atonement for their sin has been 
implanted in the minds of the Japanese." 
 
Impact on children 
 
The movie repeats the remarks through narrations by the young man: 
"Japan fought in order to protect itself," or "The war was for the 
sake of liberating Asia." The words "colonial rule" are not used in 
describing what happened on the Korean Peninsula or in Taiwan. The 
young man from the past says, "Japan built roads and schools in 
order to modernize those Asian countries." The movie does not refer 
to the ill Japan did to Asian people, including recruiting wartime 
comfort women and drafting locals (for forced labor). 
 
The DVD is a teaching material for the Modern and Contemporary 
History Education Program, which the JJCI is promoting as a joint 
campaign with local JJCIs. They show this movie at schools as part 
of general studies based on that program, followed by discussions 
with the JJCI chair acting as a coordinator and providing detailed 
explanations. They drew such remarks from children as "Japan perhaps 
had no other choice but to fight a war in order to protect its own 
country" or "I did not know that Japan fought the war in order to 
protect its own country." 
 
TOKYO 00002480  006 OF 010 
 
 
 
Even JJCI sources voiced doubts about such contents of the DVD. A 
source close to a local JJCI, who has come to know the contents of 
the DVD on the JJCI's website said, "This is like brainwashing 
children. I thought it's appalling. They should stop doing that." 
 
Major contents of DVD 
 
The animated movie "Pride" follows the story of high school student 
Kokoro listening to the stories of a young man called Yuta, who has 
come from the past. They visit Yasukuni Shrine together. The 
following is the history of the war as told by Yuta. 
 
(Russo-Japanese War) 
 
Russia advanced southward as part of its strategy to expand its 
territories. Japan wanted to protect itself against Russia. The war 
developed into the Greater East Asia War, involving neighbors in a 
fashion that was different from they originally envisioned. 
 
(Sino-Japanese War of 1937-45) 
 
Russia began engineering various plots against Japan, while shrewdly 
manipulating the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, which were 
fighting for power. Japan, unaware of that, found it impossible to 
pull out of mainland China and found itself engaged in a messy war. 
 
(War with the US) 
 
"In those days, Japan called the war between Japan and the Allies, 
including the US, the Greater East Asian War, as it regarded 
liberating Asians from White rule the great cause of the war." 
 
"Japan was pressed to choose between following a path to ruin or 
plunging into war. It was forced to make the difficult decision to 
make war against the Allies, starting with the US." 
 
(Tokyo Trials, GHQ) 
 
"The Tokyo Trials were a trial of revenge, in which victor nations 
unilaterally judged the defeated nations." 
 
"The GHQ brainwashed the Japanese, implanting the image that heinous 
Japanese solders perpetrated atrocities. " 
 
Yuta says at Yasukuni Shrine: "I feel that the underlying thinking 
of Japan when it fought the war was that it wanted to protect its 
beloved country and liberate Asians from White rule." 
 
Hearing Yuta's story, Kokoro says in his mind: "We are here now 
thanks to many people who built the base of Japan in the past. What 
is important is to know facts correctly." 
 
(5) Abe government shaken (Part 3 - conclusion): Minshuto taking the 
offensive 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Almost full) 
June 1, 3007 
 
The main opposition party, Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), has 
gained strength due to the plummeting approval rates for the Abe 
cabinet and the suicide of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 
Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka. The party had been struggling to set 
 
TOKYO 00002480  007 OF 010 
 
 
clear campaign issues for the House of Councillors election in July. 
Whether the largest opposition party can catch the tailwind from 
public opinion is a major question. 
 
At 5:00 p.m. on May 29, Minshuto President Ichoro Ozawa instructed 
Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama to adopt this strategy for dealing 
 
SIPDIS 
with Diet affairs: 
 
"The pension issue slightly differs from the 'politics and money' 
scandals. It is related to everyone's financial situation, but the 
politics and money issue is not. Therefore we should put all our 
energies into the pension problem." 
 
Minshuto sees the plunge in cabinet support rates as a negative 
reaction by the public against the government's mishandling of the 
pension issue. So the party decided to place priority on the pension 
issue. Ozawa focused on this issue when questioning Prime Minister 
Shinzo Abe in a one-on-one debate on May 30. Minshuto was able to 
get a favorable political wind in 2004 by criticizing former Prime 
Minister Junichiro Koizumi's explanation on the unpaid national 
pension premium scandal that 'there were all kinds of people." So 
the main opposition party expects the same thing will occur. 
 
The fact that Minshuto decided on its policy stance based on the 
errors of its enemy means that the party will face a bumpy road 
ahead. 
 
Minshuto started in earnest soon after the consecutive holidays 
(from late April to early May) the work of formulating a manifesto 
(set of campaign pledges). On May 7 an intensive debate of the 
Policy Research Committee ran from 10:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. 
without reaching any conclusion. Lower House member Sumio Mabuchi 
expressed a sense of futility. 
 
Minshuto first tackled the unified local elections in April. In the 
44 prefectural assembly elections, the party won 375 seats (up 60 
percent from the previous election). However, many said that the 
party gained local assembly seats simply because it increased the 
number of candidates and warned that it could not successfully fight 
in the summer election with the income gap issue alone. Some 
lawmakers coming from urban areas even tried to make their own 
manifestos. 
 
Ozawa has continued his stumping tour of electoral districts where 
single seats are up for grabs in the Upper House election. The 29 
districts where singles seats are reelections are regarded as the 
key to a victory in the Upper House race. Ozawa aims to strengthen 
his party's regional organizations, slicing down rural areas, which 
are the support base of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). 
Some in the party, however, have criticized this strategy. There was 
an argument that which Ozawa prioritizes local organizations or 
mood. 
 
The plummeting support rates and Matsuoka's suicide completely 
changed the situation. A junior lawmaker shying away from Ozawa made 
this comment: "I did not expect this. This is a welcome 
miscalculation." The party will take a strategy of attaching 
priority to the pension fiasco. Public outrage against the issue of 
unpaid pension premium benefits is just what Minshuto needed. 
 
Some in the party, however, have said that neglecting the scandals 
-- money and politics issue -- would not be wise. A senior party 
member has underscored a stance of carefully watching public 
 
TOKYO 00002480  008 OF 010 
 
 
opinion, noting, "If we blame the dead, it could back fire on us." 
Although the LDP shows a stance of pursuing Ozawa's political fund 
management organization's possession of real estate, political 
observers predict that the LDP will not do so out of the fear of a 
backlash. About 50 days are left until the Upper Hose election. Will 
that be enough time to turn the tables? 
 
(6) JITCO collected 1.2 billion yen in fees from 20,000 foreign 
trainee-accepting firms in FY2006 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Full) 
June 1, 2007 
 
It is believed that the amount of support fees paid to the Japan 
International Training Cooperation Organization (JITCO, Chiyoda 
Ward, Tokyo) by organizations and corporations accepting foreign 
trainees topped l.2 billion yen as of the end of fiscal 2006. JITCO 
insurance commission paid by trainees is also believed to have 
exceeded 100 million yen. The system that produces profits from 
money collected from cash-strapped small- and medium-sized 
corporations and trainees is now being questioned. 
 
Under the JITCO system, trainee-accepting organizations (such as 
small firm business unions and agricultural cooperatives) pay a 
minimum 100,000 yen a unit and also pay 50,000 yen per a 
trainee-accepting corporation (such as textile-processing companies 
and farmers) under their umbrellas. 
 
The number of supporting organizations stood at 925, or 9,857 firms, 
as of the end of FY2001. The number increased to 1,493 
organizations, or 17,232 companies, at the end of FY2005. Their 
support fees also grew from 786 million yen to 1.161 billion yen. It 
is certain that the number of supporting companies topped 20,000 and 
support fees exceeded 1.2 billion yen as of the end of FY2006. 
 
The foundation also runs "JITCO insurance" targeting trainees in 
collaboration with 11 major insurance companies. It recorded about 
100 million yen in commission revenue in FY2005. The foundation 
collects 27,000 to 37,000 yen in annual insurance premium from 
trainees who make an average 66,000 yen a month. 
 
Meanwhile, state subsidies and agent service fees have been dropping 
due to the government's spending cuts. For instance, the amount 
declined from 785 million yen in FY2001 to 628 million yen in 
FY2005. Support fees have covered the shortfalls. 
 
The system contains many labor law violations, such as long working 
hours and low wages, and human rights violations, such as taking 
bankbooks and passports away from trainees. JITCO is required to 
play a central role in eliminating such problems. But given surging 
support fees, a trainee-accepting organization executive took this 
view: "I wonder if JITCO can give strong instructions to its 
supporting members, who are its de facto fee-paying customers." 
Another corporate executive said: "Guidance always follows an 
advance notice, and that makes things easy for us to deal with the 
situation." 
 
A Chinese trainee criticized JITCO, saying, "I consulted with JITCO 
about the unpaid wage, but it didn't take any concrete steps." 
Another corporate executive took this view: "The government should 
provide subsidies to small firms struggling against the recession 
rather than to foundations that offer jobs to retired government 
officials." 
 
TOKYO 00002480  009 OF 010 
 
 
 
(7) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
-- Prime Minister's schedule, June 1 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 2, 2007 
 
01:39: 
Returned to his official residence after ending a Lower House 
plenary session. 
08:06: 
Attended a strategic council on assisting children and families at 
Kantei. 
08:32: 
Attended a cabinet meeting. 
09:46: 
Met at Kantei with Lower House member Norihiko Akagi in the presence 
of Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki. 
10:00: 
Attended a Lower House Cabinet Committee meeting. 
12:13: 
Viewed at Kantei a next-generation auto and fuel demonstration. 
13:27: 
Met at Kantei with Economy and Fiscal Policy Minister Ota and 
advisor Nemoto, joined in by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Saka and 
others. 
13:59: 
Met Nemoto, followed by Deputy Foreign Minister Kono, Economic 
Affairs Bureau chief Otabe and others. 
16:12: 
Made an informal representation at the Imperial Palace and attended 
an attestation ceremony for new Agriculture Minister Akagi. 
17:01: 
Handed a letter of appointment to Akagi and had a photo session with 
him. 
17:16: 
Exchanged views with member of the National Council on Beautiful 
Forests. Afterward attended an Education Rebuilding Council 
meeting. 
18:25: 
Met Vice Finance Minister Fujii and Finance Bureau chief Tango. 
19:16: 
Attended an informal Education Rebuilding Council meeting at the 
Hotel Okura. 
19:28: 
Dined at the Hotel Okura with former Prime Minister Mori and Deputy 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Matoba joined in by critic Tetsuya 
Miyazaki. 
21:46: 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
-- Prime Minister's schedule, June 2 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 3, 2007 
 
08:28: 
Attended an LDP-sponsored Tama River Clean Campaign on the dry 
riverbed in Setagaya Ward. 
09:03: 
Attended a Kawasaki-sponsored Tama River Clean Campaign on the dry 
riverbed in the city's Takatsu Ward. 
 
TOKYO 00002480  010 OF 010 
 
 
10:56: 
Returned to his private residence in Tomigaya. 
10:56: 
Delivered street speeches in front of JR Shibuya Station with Chief 
Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki, advisor Nakayama and others. 
11:46: 
Returned to his official residence. 
15:02: 
Returned to his private residence. 
 
-- Prime Minister's schedule, June 3 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Full) 
June 4, 2007 
 
08:36: 
Departed JR Tokyo Station on Hikari 365. 
10:50: 
Arrived at JR Yonehara Station. 
11:12: 
Visited the Kurokabe Glass Museum at Kurokabe Square, Nagahama 
Hikiyama Museum and other places accompanied by Shiga Gov. Kada, 
Upper House lawmaker Hidetoshi Yamashita and others. 
12:10: 
Left Nagahama Port on a sightseeing boat to cruise Lake Biwa and 
take a firsthand look at Takeshima islet suffering from otter 
droppings. 
13:31: 
Arrived at Imazu Port in Takashima City in the prefecture. 
13:38: 
Exchanged views with local assemblymen at the Imazu Sun Bridge 
Hotel. 
14:12: 
Visited the Harie district accompanied by Lower House member 
Mineichi Iwanaga and others. 
16:02: 
Attended a meeting to discuss "a beautiful Japan" held by the LDP 
Shiga chapter at the Lake Biwa Hall in Otsu City. 
18:09: 
Left JR Kyoto Station on Nozomi 38. 
20:30: 
Arrived at JR Tokyo Station. 
20:49: 
Had a haircut at a barber in the Hilton Tokyo. 
22:41: 
Returned to his official residence. 
 
SCHIEFFER