成長戦略決定 「絵空事」に終わらせるな

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jun. 22, 2010)
Growth strategy needs more substance
成長戦略決定　「絵空事」に終わらせるな（6月21日付・読売社説）

The government has drawn up its new growth strategy. However, uncertainties remain over whether this strategy can achieve the anticipated economic growth by effectively tapping the vigor of private businesses.
　民間企業の活力をうまく引き出して、期待通りの経済成長を実現できるかどうか、未知数の部分も多い。

The strategy is aimed at galvanizing seven fields, such as environment/energy and health, while accelerating moves to help the economy break free from deflation. It contains 21 measures for promoting what have been touted as national strategy projects to establish a strong economy.
　政府が決定した新成長戦略は、デフレからの脱却を急ぎつつ、環境・エネルギーや健康など戦略７分野をテコ入れする。国家戦略プロジェクトと銘打った２１の施策を進めて、「強い経済」の実現を図るという。

Implementing these measures, the government calculates, will create more than 120 trillion yen in new demand and about 5 million jobs. This would generate average yearly economic growth of more than 2 percent in real terms and more than 3 percent in nominal terms in the decade to come.
　その結果、１２０兆円を超える新規需要と、約５００万人の雇用が生まれ、今後１０年の経済成長率は、実質で平均２％超、名目では３％超になると見込んでいる。

The strategy contains some measures likely to be effective. But there is a question over whether it can bring about the sort of drastic impact the government is banking on. The government should prioritize the measures and enhance their efficacy.
　有効と思われる内容もあるが、果たしてこれほど劇的な効果が上がるかどうかは疑問だ。施策の重点化など、さらに実効性を高める工夫が求められよう。

Many of the measures are intended to back up corporate activity and boost the vigor of the private sector.
　成長戦略には、企業活動を後押しして、民間活力を高める施策が多く盛り込まれた。

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Boost corporate activity

One pillar of the strategy is to lower the effective corporate tax rate gradually from the current 40 percent or so to 30 percent or about 25 percent--the same level as in many other industrialized nations. This will reinforce the international competitiveness of Japanese firms.
　約４０％の法人税実効税率を、３０％から２０％台半ばにあたる「主要国並み」まで、段階的に引き下げるとした。日本企業の競争力強化に役立つだろう。

The strategy calls for establishing a special committee representing both the private and public sectors to promote sales of social infrastructure projects in Asia, such as the construction of nuclear power plants and Shinkansen bullet train networks. If successful, the plan will bring in orders for huge infrastructure projects in the region.
　アジアへ原子力発電所や新幹線など社会基盤（インフラ）を積極的に売り込むため、官民共同で専門委員会を設ける構想もある。うまくいけば、巨額のインフラ投資の受注が期待できる。

However, the strategy is not without shortcomings. The practicality of some measures is debatable, such as the project to build an environmentally friendly futuristic city. Since the strategy is making plans for 10 years from now, it contains many rough and vague plans. These plans must be fleshed out in the years to come.
　一方で、環境未来都市の整備など、実現できるかどうか疑問符のつくメニューも並んだ。１０年先を目指した戦略だけに、内容が大ざっぱで、雲をつかむような構想もある。今後、肉付けが必要だ。

There are concerns about whether measures to revive forests and forestry will include simple handouts. We want the government to reexamine whether these measures are suitable for inclusion in its growth strategy.
　「森林・林業再生プラン」などは、ばらまき的な施策が紛れ込まないか心配だ。成長戦略として適切かどうか再点検してほしい。

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Devil's in the (lack of) details

An overall problem is that the strategy lacked precise figures for the fiscal spending and costs that will be needed to carry out the measures, although it projected concrete figures--such as the demand that will be created--for the fruit of the measures.
　全体の問題として、需要創出など効果の数字は出したのに、必要な財政支出などコストを示していない点を指摘しておきたい。

Unless details are spelled out about how to fund these projects at a time when the state finances are in dire straits, none of the plans will get off the ground. A close eye will need to be kept on whether each measure has an effect commensurate with its cost.
　厳しい財政の中、費用をどう工面するのか詰めないと、せっかくのプランも絵空事になる。コストの割に成果が乏しくないかなど、監視の継続も重要である。

Another matter of concern is the lack of clarity on how the measures will be carried out. Previous strategies were beset by failures due to conflicts of authority between government ministries involved in the projects. It is necessary to speed up efforts to establish a system that can promote several measures comprehensively and simultaneously.
　実施体制のあいまいさも気がかりだ。過去の成長戦略は、府省の権限争いなどで失敗続きだった。複数の政策を総合的に推進する体制の整備を急がねばならない。

The Democratic Party of Japan-led government calls for banning in principle the dispatch of temporary workers to the manufacturing industry and reducing greenhouse gases by 25 percent--measures that could adversely affect corporate activity. These steps do not wash with its new growth strategy designed to help businesses.
　成長戦略の一方で、民主党政権が製造業派遣の原則禁止や、温室効果ガスの２５％削減など、企業活動にマイナスになる政策を続けるのは整合性を欠いている。

The government should drop its adherence to its campaign pledges for last year's general election and instead devote itself to reviving the economy before all else.
　マニフェスト（政権公約）へのこだわりを捨て、経済優先の姿勢に徹するべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 21, 2010)
（2010年6月21日01時41分 読売新聞）