国会延長問題 予算委での政策論争が必要だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jun. 11, 2010)
Hold policy debates at budget committees
国会延長問題　予算委での政策論争が必要だ（6月10日付・読売社説）

With less than a week to go before the end of the ordinary Diet session, the question on many people's lips is: Will it be extended?
　通常国会の会期が残り１週間を切り、会期を延長するかどうかが焦点となっている。

The People's New Party, a junior member of the ruling coalition, is pressing the Democratic Party of Japan-led administration to extend the session so the bill on the postal services reform can be passed into law.
　国民新党は、郵政改革法案を今国会で成立させるべきだとして、会期延長を主張している。

The opposition parties also want the government to extend the session, but for a different reason. They want the Diet budget committees to discuss such issues as political funds scandals, including one involving former DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa, and the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture.
　野党各党も、小沢一郎・民主党前幹事長らの「政治とカネ」の問題や、米軍普天間飛行場移設問題などをテーマに、会期を延長してでも予算委員会を開催するよう求めている。

However, appeals for an extension of the Diet session are falling on deaf ears as far as the DPJ is concerned. The prevailing view in the party is that Prime Minister Naoto Kan should deliver his policy speech followed by interpellations on that speech by representatives of political parties, and the session should then be closed on June 16 as scheduled.
　これに対し民主党は会期延長に消極的で、党内には、首相の所信表明演説と代表質問だけで国会を閉会すべきだとの意見が強い。

This view is based on the belief that it would be advantageous for the party to hold the House of Councillors election on July 11, by closing the Diet on schedule, while the public approval rating of the newly inaugurated Kan Cabinet remains high.
　菅内閣の支持率が高いうちに、１６日に国会を終え、７月１１日投開票の日程で参院選を実施した方が有利、と判断しているようだ。

===

Q&A sessions needed

It is true the Diet session is nearing its end, but the nation's politics is in an abysmal state with the recent change in prime ministers.
　会期末とはいえ、首相交代という異例の事態である。

Kan should first present the policy targets his Cabinet wants to aim for and explain what concrete actions are needed to implement them.
菅首相が真っ先になすべきは、内閣として取り組む政策目標を提示して、それを実施する具体的な道筋を明らかにすることだ。

Also, to clarify points of contention in the upper house election, the ruling and opposition parties should debate their policies.
　参院選の争点を明確化するためにも、与野党が積極的に政策論争を行うことが求められる。

Interpellations on Kan's policy speech, which would be basically in the form of a "one-way" question-and-answer session, are hardly sufficient in providing a thorough understanding of the prime minister's political stance or diplomatic issues in general.
　質問と答弁が一方通行の代表質問では、首相の政治姿勢や内政・外交全般にわたる考え方は十分わからない。

It would be much better to hold budget committee sessions so the views of both sides could be exchanged in a question-and-answer format.
やはり予算委を開催して、一問一答形式で双方向の議論をかわすべきだ。

A party that only considers its relative advantages in an election deprives its rivals of an opportunity to present their viewpoints.
　論戦の機会を奪い、選挙の得失だけを考える。

This reminds us of political developments in the Taisho (1912-1926) and early Showa (1926-1989) eras, when major parties, including Rikken Seiyukai (the Friends of Constitutional Government Party) and Rikken Minseito (the Constitutional Democratic Party), alternately held the reins of government and dissolved the House of Representatives rather than answer questions posed by their rivals. This led the people to lose trust in party politics.
そうした姿勢は、大正から昭和初期にかけ、政友会と民政党などが、交互に野党側の質疑をさえぎる形で衆院解散を繰り返し、政党政治への信頼を失墜させたことを想起させる。

===

Diet debates will help voters

Like the latest development, prime ministers changed during the ordinary Diet session in 2000 with Yoshiro Mori assuming the top post. At that time, however, his policy speech and interpellations were followed by question-and-answer sessions at the budget committees of both houses of the Diet before the lower house was dissolved for a general election.
　今回同様、通常国会中に首相が交代した２０００年の森首相の場合、所信表明演説と代表質問だけでなく、衆参両院の予算委で質疑に応じてから衆院を解散し、総選挙に臨んでいる。

With a change in prime ministers, it is only reasonable for an administration to offer voters more information to decide, through Diet debates, how to cast their ballots. The DPJ should support the call for budget committee sessions.
　首相が交代した以上、国会論戦を通じて、有権者が１票を行使するための判断材料を提供するのは当然のことだ。民主党は予算委員会の開催に応じるべきだ。

The issue concerning the political funds scandals remains unanswered.
　「政治とカネ」の問題も、置き去りにされている。

The Deliberative Council on Political Ethics at the Diet, which Ozawa had earlier showed his intention of attending to clarify the extent of the political funds scandal he is involved in, has yet to be held.
　小沢氏がいったんは出席の意向を示した政治倫理審査会も開催されないままだ。

If the Diet closes without the council meeting, the Kan administration will be criticized for keeping everything in the dark.
これで国会を閉じれば、「疑惑隠し」のそしりは免れまい。

When the DPJ was in the opposition camp, Kan tenaciously questioned the government during budget committee sessions. Kan is an experienced debater and will disgrace himself if he becomes defensive now that he is prime minister.
　菅首相は野党時代、予算委で政府を厳しく追及してきた。首相に就任したとたん、守勢に回るのでは、論客の名が泣くだろう。

We hope the prime minister will go on the offensive and exchange verbal blows with representatives from the opposition parties.
攻めの姿勢で野党との論戦に臨んでもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 10, 2010)
（2010年6月10日01時23分 読売新聞）