SATURDAY-SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22-23, 2005

© The Asahi Shimbun 2005 ● NUMBER 16594 ● Japan’s Leading National Newspaper English Edition 23

PRIVACY ISSUE Limits urged for N. Korea now ready to resident registers discuss abduction issue entered in resident registers at tion Treaty and allow inter- The Asahi Shimbun municipal government offices Pyongyang will also rejoin national inspectors to monitor A panel reviewing the open- under the current system. all nuclear facilities. viewing system of resident But calls for privacy protec- 6-way talks, says U.S. official. At the ‘‘appropriate time,’’ he registers has recommended re- tion have increased among the said Pyongyang was willing to strictions on disclosing infor- general public. By TARO KARASAKI Korea’s first invite International Atomic En- mation, such as names, addres- The panel said those wish- vice foreign ergy Agency chief Mohammed ses, birthdates and sex, to ing to view resident registers Staff Writer minister, and ElBaradei for discussions on protect the public’s privacy. should submit documents North Korea is ready to Kim Yong how to manage nuclear ma- The advisory panel to Taro outlining the contents of polls unconditionally return to Nam, presi- terials. Aso, the internal affairs minis- they plan to conduct. The multilateral talks on disman- dent of the ‘‘I strongly believe that we ter, compiled a report Thurs- users should also make clear tling its nuclear capabilities and Presidium of made progress in our dis- day that says the four items of how they plan to keep and reopen channels with Japan to the Supreme cussions in North Korea on the information should not be dis- discard the information ob- discuss the thorny abduction People’s As- diplomatic front, on the nuclear closed as freely as they are tained from the registers. issue, New Mexico Governor sembly, front, on the humanitarian under the current system. The The names of the viewing Bill Richardson said Friday. among others. Richardson front,’’ Richardson said. panel said measures are need- parties should basically be Richardson, just returned Richardson He said he had briefed U.S. ed to prevent the information made public, according to the from a private four-day visit to visited from Monday to Thur- Assistant Secretary of State of residents from being used in panel. North Korea, told the Foreign sday. Christopher Hill on the out- direct mail services, market The panel also said more Correspondents’ Club of Japan A former ambassador to the come of his talks. research and other commer- severe fines should be con- that officials in Pyongyang ap- United Nations, Richardson Richardson said Pyongyang cial purposes. sidered if the viewers use the peared ‘‘willing’’ to be more has previously made four visits showed ‘‘flexibility’’ on its pre- Disclosure should be limited information in ways other than forthcoming on the abduction to North Korea. vious demand that a light-water to work by the central and the initially stated purposes. issue. He said the North Koreans reactor be provided before it local governments, polls con- The panel also proposed a He said Pyongyang was also were particularly keen to dis- dismantles all its other nuclear ducted by the media, and ban on photocopying lists of keen to resume talks on nor- cuss the disputed DNA analysis capabilities. Washington and academic studies of univer- voters names as well as limit- malization of diplomatic re- of human remains that Pyong- Tokyo both oppose this idea. sities and other research or- ing viewing of such lists to lations with Japan. yang said were of abductee He said the North Koreans ganizations, the report said. research on elections and poli- Richardson’s insights come Megumi Yokota but which To- had agreed to allow a third ‘‘There is a need to strictly tics. at a time when Tokyo has been kyo dismissed as false. party—such as the IAEA—to assess public interest related Calls for restricting access SHINJI MURAMATSU/ THE ASAHI SHIMBUN anxiously waiting for Pyong- The remains were handed to oversee the introduction of to planned polls,’’ the panel to resident registers mounted yang to send word on whether a Japanese delegation during nuclear fuel, operations and said. after a disturbing case in 4 injured after car slams into students it plans to resume talks on all intergovernmental consul- disposal of spent fuel. The criteria for disclosure Nagoya. A man found the outstanding issues, including tations last year in Pyongyang. Richardson said there should be whether results of address of a girl living with a Bicycles belonging to eight students of Zuiryu Junior High School in Hitachi-Ota, Ibaraki the abduction problem. North Korea claims Yokota were still snags to iron out, planned polls will be pub- single parent by viewing the Prefecture, lay wrecked Friday after a car plowed into the group as they headed to Tokyo announced Sept. 20 died in 1994. though. ‘‘There is still mis- licized and whether the results resident register at a ward school around 8 a.m. Four of the students, three first-year males and one female in the that the two sides had agreed to On the nuclear issue, trust and still problems on would benefit society, accord- office. He was arrested in third year, were injured. According to police, the 23-year-old driver turned the steering hold talks, but no date was set. Richardson quoted North sequencing (the dismantling ing to the panel. February this year on sus- wheel too sharply after he failed to properly negotiate a right bend. The vehicle hit a Richardson, accompanied by Korean officials as saying they process) and verification’’ on Anyone can basically view picion of sexually assaulting concrete wall on the side of the road, and then careened back to the left, slamming into a delegation of 10, said he met were now ready to abide by the the North Korean side, he the four types of information the girl. the students who were walking their bikes on the sidewalk. with Kang Sok Ju, North terms of Nuclear Nonprolifera- said.

Redress Panel backs first-born child as heir to the throne UPDATE submitting a bill to the Diet to determined at the time of his or perial lineage. Such a move chief Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, The Asahi Shimbun LDP expels 9 rebel members for 9,500 revise the Imperial House Law, her birth, the sources said. would put a male in line for the president of the National Insti- An advisory panel to Prime officials said. The system would also be throne. tute of Advanced Industrial and called a snap election. The Asahi Shimbun Minister Junichiro Koizumi has Opposition to allowing fe- easier for the public to under- The group wants to maintain Science and Technology, told They had submitted let- asbestos reached a consensus that an male emperors has already stand, the sources said. the imperial tradition of pass- reporters Oct. 5. ‘‘We have no The Liberal Democratic ters of resignation from the emperor’s first-born child— been voiced. If the proposal is accepted, ing succession on to only plans to solicit public feedback Party, seeking the last word party, but LDP executives regardless of sex—should be The panel in early October Princess Aiko, the 3-year-old males. anew.’’ in the postal privatization decided to expel them in- deaths the heir to the Chrysanthemum came up with two possible daughter of Crown Prince The prime minister’s advis- The government is also not dispute, officially expelled stead. throne, sources said Friday. proposals in allowing a female Naruhito and Crown Princess ory panel said it will review the planning to conduct public nine ‘‘rebels’’ on Friday after LDP executives are mull- The panel had earlier agreed emperor: One gave the oldest Masako, would be first in line. public opinions it has gathered opinion polls on the matter, the refusing to accept their resig- ing disciplinary measures The Asahi Shimbun that female emperors should be child of the emperor priority in No boy has been born in the so far and consolidate mem- sources said. nations. against 50 other party law- Family members of up to allowed, and that their children succession, regardless of sex, imperial household for 40 bers’ views at meetings starting But a senior government The rebels include former makers who voted against 9,500 people who have died of be able to ascend the throne to while the other gave priority to years. Tuesday. official said, ‘‘This is a very Lower House speaker Tami- the bills. The LDP will an- mesothelioma will be eligible maintain stability in succession. the oldest son of the emperor, However, a group of scholars Some panel members have difficult matter to deal with, for suke Watanuki and former nounce its decision next for payouts under a planned The panel is scheduled to even if he was not the first-born on Oct. 6 issued an ‘‘emergency argued that public views on the its historical importance.’’ party policy chief Shizuka Friday. law designed to compensate compile a final report by the child. statement’’ arguing that former issue could drastically change if The government plans to Kamei. Earlier Friday, the party’s victims of asbestos, the En- end of November and submit it The panel decided that giv- imperial family members who a boy is born to the imperial submit a bill to revise the They all joined new par- disciplinary committee start- vironment Ministry said to the prime minister. ing the first-born child priority withdrew from the imperial family, the sources said. Imperial House Law to the ties after Prime Minister ed deliberations on all 59 Friday. Once the report is issued, the to the throne would stabilize registration after Japan’s defeat ‘‘We had been discussing the regular Diet session next year. Junichiro Koizumi dissolved rebel lawmakers, 37 of whom The ministry said those vic- government will gauge public the succession system because in World War II should be matter with a sense that we But the move could be delayed the Lower House on Aug. 8 were in the Lower House. tims, who were not covered by sentiment on the issue before the imperial heir would be allowed to return to the im- represent the public,’’ panel depending on public opinion. workers’ accident insurance, are among an estimated 9,993 who have died of the asbestos- caused cancer since 1970. The government is consider- NOBODY’S HOME ing payouts of 2.4 million yen for families whose members were killed by mesothelioma, according to sources. One in five households won’t even sign a contract with Data compiled by the Minis- try of Health, Labor and Wel- scandal-ridden NHK, let alone pay mandatory viewer fees. fare showed that 7,013 people Door-to-door revolt: died of mesothelioma between 1995 and 2004. But there were By YO KONISHI and KENTARO OIKAWA ‘‘Most cases involve those system to one that reflected The present government ad- no statistics for mesothelioma households that have just moved viewing patterns became more visory panel on deregulation is EXPERTS WEIGH IN deaths before 1995. The Asahi Shimbun or with whom contact cannot be prominent from the mid-1990s also discussing scrambled broad- The Environment Ministry So many subscribers to made even after repeated visits to after a flood of new channels casting for NHK. estimated the number of deaths scandal-ridden Japan Broadcast- the home,’’ said an NHK official. emerged. They were made poss- However, NHK executives at a maximum 2,195 between ing Corp. (NHK) are refusing to However, other experts said ible through digital broadcasting have continued to oppose that NHK needs radical reform 1970 and 1994, based on a pay mandatory viewer fees that there were about 400,000 to using communications and proposal. hypothesis that one individual the organization hinted in Sep- 500,000 households that refuse broadcasting satellites. Their argument is: In order to ship of participation by viewers The Asahi Shimbun would develop mesothelioma tember it may take legal action to sign contracts because they In 2000, during debate on fulfill the role of public broad- based on trust like the one in for every 170 tons of asbestos against the scofflaws. are dissatisfied with the present administrative reform, some ex- casting of responding to the Japan Broadcasting Corp. Britain with the BBC. imported to Japan during that But NHK might have an even legal structure that requires a perts touched upon changes that needs of viewers without being (NHK) must take drastic He says that rather than period, the officials said. bigger problem, one that it has signed contract and fee payment were needed at NHK. influenced by television ratings measures if it hopes to rebuild a simply talk about indepen- That means the total number not addressed for a decade: the even if NHK programs are not Some questioned whether the or specific interests, we need an relationship of trust with dence from government power, of victims of mesothelioma is nearly 10 million households and watched. current system of requiring ow- independent fiscal base, and the viewers, experts say. it is important to provide speci- between 8,826 and 9,993, in- companies that refuse to even The problem of unsigned ners of TV sets to sign contracts current viewer fee system is the This can only happen if it fic action, such as saying: We cluding those who died this sign a viewing contract with households will likely add fuel to was still valid from the stand- ideal one for obtaining that base. allows viewers to participate in will end explanations to poli- year. NHK, let alone pay the fees. the debate that the entire viewer point of respecting the will of However, some scholars say any debate on the future fund- ticians about specific programs The lump-sum payment That means one in five fee system should be changed viewers and reducing the burden that if viewers can prove they do ing of the public broadcaster, prior to broadcast. planned under the new law is households—8.87 million drastically. on viewers. not watch NHK, they should be says Hiroshi Matsuda, a former Shigeyuki Tahara, author of a intended to cover medical costs altogether—won’t even let NHK When television broadcasting Others said measures should able to absolve themselves from professor of media studies at book on NHK’s recent prob- and other expenses after a get its foot in their door along began in Japan in 1953, there be implemented to resolve the the obligation of signing a viewer Kyoto’s Ritsumeikan Univer- lems with nonpaying sub- patient develops mesothelio- with 710,000 offices. were only two networks, NHK issue of unsigned households contract with NHK. sity. scribers, said NHK should ma. By law, every household or and the Nippon Television Net- from the standpoint of maintain- The debate about NHK’s Public broadcasting is indis- listen to third parties if it is The government plans to company that owns a TV set is work Corp. ing fairness with those sub- viewer fee system could lead to a pensable, he says. It is vital to truly serious about reforming provide 2.4 million yen for each required to sign a contract with In 1964, an advisory panel to scribers who have paid their fees fundamental change in not only have a form of media that is not itself. victim, based on estimated av- NHK. However, as in the case of the posts and telecommuni- and of obtaining transparency in the state of public broadcasting, influenced by government There will be no future for erage monthly medical spend- the nonpayment of viewer fees, cations minister issued a report the management situation at but of the broadcasting sector as power and capital interests, but public broadcasting if NHK ing of 100,000 yen and an there are no legal penalties for that described the viewer fee NHK. a whole. can provide a forum for infor- only proposes a resuscitation average two-year treatment those who refuse to sign con- system as appropriate if con- In 2001, a year after NHK In the revival plan announced mation and debate from the program consisting of words period. tracts. sidered as a special contribution. started BS digital broadcasting, by NHK in September, the public standpoint of citizens. only and no specifics, and if it In light of the Atomic Bomb But that could change. Another advisory panel to the the government’s three-year broadcaster said it would con- In his opinion, the viewer fee insists on taking legal measures Survivors’ Support Law, the Along with hinting at legal minister in 1987 considered plan for promoting deregulation sider having summary courts system is the only fiscal frame- against those who refuse to sign government is also considering action against nonpaying sub- alternatives to pay for NHK included an item calling for send invoices to subscribers who work that will, in the end, not viewing contracts, Tahara said. providing 190,000 yen for fu- scribers, NHK said it is also programming, including com- consideration of introducing refuse to pay their fees, which create a gap in information due Also, reviving the viewer fee neral costs, as well as 70,000 considering legal measures again- mercials, taxes and pay-per-view scrambled broadcasting of BS total 16,740 yen for a year for to income differences. In short, system is not an issue that can yen a month for patients st those households that refuse to programs. However, that panel’s programming. Scrambling the households with a color set. it provides the needed univer- be resolved within NHK. It undergoing treatment, the of- sign contracts. conclusion was that the ‘‘viewer signals would mean only sub- Those who also receive pro- sal service to viewers, he says. should be left up to a wide ficials said. The persistent problem could fee system will still be appropri- scribers who paid their fees gramming through broadcasting The problem with NHK now social debate as well as pro- The Environment Ministry is be just a technical matter, officials ate for NHK in the future.’’ would be able to view those satellites pay a total of 28,080 is its failure to foster a relation- posals submitted by viewers. also planning to pay compen- say. Calls for changing the fee programs. yen a year. sation for people killed by lung cancer caused by asbestos.