中国が日本を追い抜いて世界第二の経済大国へ、２０２５年にはアメリカをも追い抜いて世界一になる見通し。
cite from washington post
China Now World's Second-Largest Economy
中国が日本を追い抜いて世界第二の経済大国へ
Surpassing Japan, China's economy is second only to that of the United States, which it is projected to overtake sometime around 2025. The per-capita income, though, is still a paltry $3,800.
中国が日本を追い抜いて世界第二の経済大国へ、２０２５年にはアメリカをも追い抜いて世界一になる見通し。
ただ一人当りに換算するとわずか3800ドルにすぎない。
2010/07/31
検索大手提携 グーグルの市場支配が心配だ
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 31, 2010)
Yahoo Japan-Google tie-up must be monitored
検索大手提携 グーグルの市場支配が心配だ（7月30日付・読売社説）
Internet search giant Google Inc. and Japan's top portal Yahoo Japan have agreed to form a search engine alliance and cooperate in online advertising and other services.
インターネット検索で世界最大の米グーグルと国内最大手のヤフーが、検索やネット広告配信で提携する。
The partnership between Yahoo Japan and Google of the United States will mean the two companies will acquire a dominant 90 percent of the Internet search market in this country. This could reduce the options available to Internet users seeking a more diverse variety of online information. With this in mind, it is necessary to ensure that the alliance does not prevent the Internet market from growing further.
両社合わせた国内検索市場の占有率は９割に達し、多様なネット情報を望む利用者の選択肢が狭まる可能性がある。提携がネット市場の発展を妨げないよう注視が必要だ。
Ironically, while the Japanese portal, in which telecom operator SoftBank Corp. has a major stake, has joined hands with its rival Google, Yahoo Inc. of the United States is struggling to catch up with the world's largest search service provider through a tie-up with Microsoft Corp.
米ヤフーはマイクロソフトと提携し、グーグルを追撃するが、ソフトバンクが出資する日本のヤフーはライバルと手を結んだ。
Yahoo Japan's move apparently reflects a decision that it has no choice but to adopt Google's cutting-edge technology if it wants to survive in the search market, the major battleground in the Internet business.
ネット事業の主戦場である検索分野で生き残るには、グーグルの最先端技術を取り入れるしかないと判断したのだろう。
Under the agreement, Google will provide Yahoo Japan with a search engine and technology to display ads associated with the search results.
今回の提携で、グーグルは「検索エンジン」と、検索結果に連動して広告を表示するシステムをヤフーに提供する。
Will U.S. giant control market?
The search engine appends indexes to vast amounts of data on the Internet, with each piece of information ranked depending on keywords users type in, enabling them to select the data they need instantly. Use of search engines has taken firm root in our daily lives, as is evident by the fact that 50 million people use such Internet tools in this country every month.
検索エンジンは、ネット上の膨大なデータに索引を付け、利用者がキーワードを入力すれば、瞬時に関連情報を順位付けして取り出せる仕組みだ。月間延べ５０００万人以上が利用し、今や日常生活にすっかり定着したと言える。
Corporations strive to attract customers through the Internet by having their Web sites and ads displayed in the upper ranks of search results, so such information will be easily discerned by users.
ネット経由の集客に力を入れる企業は、利用者の目に触れやすいように自社のサイトや広告が、検索結果の上位に表示されるように懸命になっている。
However, the Google-Yahoo Japan alliance is problematic as the U.S. search giant could end up monopolizing the market in Japan.
問題は、そうした中核サービスが事実上、グーグル１社に握られる恐れがあることだ。
Yahoo Japan has denied this, saying its services will include data and information distinct from that provided by the U.S. firm.
However, some people fear users may be unable to access the information they need because of Google's ability to control search results. Is there no reason to worry? There also is a concern that the Google-Yahoo Japan tie-up could lead to an increase in ad rates.
ヤフーは自社サービスに独自色を出すとして寡占化を否定するが、検索結果がグーグルの意向に左右され、利用者が欲しい情報にたどり着けない事態が本当に起きないか。一方で、広告料金が引き上げられる懸念もある。
FTC sees no problem
The Fair Trade Commission has said the partnership between the two giants--both of which operate separately--does not pose a problem in relation to the Antimonopoly Law.
公正取引委員会は、今回の提携について、「営業活動などは別であり、独占禁止法上の問題はない」としている。
It should be noted, however, that the U.S. Justice Department put a stop to an attempt by Yahoo Inc. and Google to form a tie-up two years ago, saying their alliance would violate the U.S. antitrust law. In Europe, the regulatory authorities are reportedly keeping watch on Google to thwart any bid to control the market.
だが、２年前に米ヤフーがグーグルと提携しようとした際、米司法省は独禁法違反を理由に待ったをかけた。欧州の規制当局は現在、グーグルが市場支配力を乱用していないか、監視の目を光らせているという。
The FTC needs to keep a close eye on how the Google-Yahoo Japan alliance works out.
公正取引委員会も、提携の行方を注意深く見守る必要がある。
The Internet's remarkable development is the result of intense competition among start-up companies in providing a variety of services. This is also the case with Google, which has grown into a huge company providing excellent services through its innovative search engine technology.
ネットがめざましい発展を遂げたのは、新興企業が多様なサービスで競い合ってきたからだ。グーグル自身も革新的な検索技術で超優良企業にのし上がった。
Admittedly, access to online search engine services free of charge is great, but there is a danger of information being selected and ranked arbitrarily. Internet users should take this to heart.
無料のネット検索は確かに便利な機能ではあるが、情報の仕分けが恣意(しい)的に操作される危険性がある――。そんなことを利用者も十分認識しておきたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 30, 2010)
（2010年7月30日01時27分 読売新聞）
Yahoo Japan-Google tie-up must be monitored
検索大手提携 グーグルの市場支配が心配だ（7月30日付・読売社説）
Internet search giant Google Inc. and Japan's top portal Yahoo Japan have agreed to form a search engine alliance and cooperate in online advertising and other services.
インターネット検索で世界最大の米グーグルと国内最大手のヤフーが、検索やネット広告配信で提携する。
The partnership between Yahoo Japan and Google of the United States will mean the two companies will acquire a dominant 90 percent of the Internet search market in this country. This could reduce the options available to Internet users seeking a more diverse variety of online information. With this in mind, it is necessary to ensure that the alliance does not prevent the Internet market from growing further.
両社合わせた国内検索市場の占有率は９割に達し、多様なネット情報を望む利用者の選択肢が狭まる可能性がある。提携がネット市場の発展を妨げないよう注視が必要だ。
Ironically, while the Japanese portal, in which telecom operator SoftBank Corp. has a major stake, has joined hands with its rival Google, Yahoo Inc. of the United States is struggling to catch up with the world's largest search service provider through a tie-up with Microsoft Corp.
米ヤフーはマイクロソフトと提携し、グーグルを追撃するが、ソフトバンクが出資する日本のヤフーはライバルと手を結んだ。
Yahoo Japan's move apparently reflects a decision that it has no choice but to adopt Google's cutting-edge technology if it wants to survive in the search market, the major battleground in the Internet business.
ネット事業の主戦場である検索分野で生き残るには、グーグルの最先端技術を取り入れるしかないと判断したのだろう。
Under the agreement, Google will provide Yahoo Japan with a search engine and technology to display ads associated with the search results.
今回の提携で、グーグルは「検索エンジン」と、検索結果に連動して広告を表示するシステムをヤフーに提供する。
Will U.S. giant control market?
The search engine appends indexes to vast amounts of data on the Internet, with each piece of information ranked depending on keywords users type in, enabling them to select the data they need instantly. Use of search engines has taken firm root in our daily lives, as is evident by the fact that 50 million people use such Internet tools in this country every month.
検索エンジンは、ネット上の膨大なデータに索引を付け、利用者がキーワードを入力すれば、瞬時に関連情報を順位付けして取り出せる仕組みだ。月間延べ５０００万人以上が利用し、今や日常生活にすっかり定着したと言える。
Corporations strive to attract customers through the Internet by having their Web sites and ads displayed in the upper ranks of search results, so such information will be easily discerned by users.
ネット経由の集客に力を入れる企業は、利用者の目に触れやすいように自社のサイトや広告が、検索結果の上位に表示されるように懸命になっている。
However, the Google-Yahoo Japan alliance is problematic as the U.S. search giant could end up monopolizing the market in Japan.
問題は、そうした中核サービスが事実上、グーグル１社に握られる恐れがあることだ。
Yahoo Japan has denied this, saying its services will include data and information distinct from that provided by the U.S. firm.
However, some people fear users may be unable to access the information they need because of Google's ability to control search results. Is there no reason to worry? There also is a concern that the Google-Yahoo Japan tie-up could lead to an increase in ad rates.
ヤフーは自社サービスに独自色を出すとして寡占化を否定するが、検索結果がグーグルの意向に左右され、利用者が欲しい情報にたどり着けない事態が本当に起きないか。一方で、広告料金が引き上げられる懸念もある。
FTC sees no problem
The Fair Trade Commission has said the partnership between the two giants--both of which operate separately--does not pose a problem in relation to the Antimonopoly Law.
公正取引委員会は、今回の提携について、「営業活動などは別であり、独占禁止法上の問題はない」としている。
It should be noted, however, that the U.S. Justice Department put a stop to an attempt by Yahoo Inc. and Google to form a tie-up two years ago, saying their alliance would violate the U.S. antitrust law. In Europe, the regulatory authorities are reportedly keeping watch on Google to thwart any bid to control the market.
だが、２年前に米ヤフーがグーグルと提携しようとした際、米司法省は独禁法違反を理由に待ったをかけた。欧州の規制当局は現在、グーグルが市場支配力を乱用していないか、監視の目を光らせているという。
The FTC needs to keep a close eye on how the Google-Yahoo Japan alliance works out.
公正取引委員会も、提携の行方を注意深く見守る必要がある。
The Internet's remarkable development is the result of intense competition among start-up companies in providing a variety of services. This is also the case with Google, which has grown into a huge company providing excellent services through its innovative search engine technology.
ネットがめざましい発展を遂げたのは、新興企業が多様なサービスで競い合ってきたからだ。グーグル自身も革新的な検索技術で超優良企業にのし上がった。
Admittedly, access to online search engine services free of charge is great, but there is a danger of information being selected and ranked arbitrarily. Internet users should take this to heart.
無料のネット検索は確かに便利な機能ではあるが、情報の仕分けが恣意(しい)的に操作される危険性がある――。そんなことを利用者も十分認識しておきたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 30, 2010)
（2010年7月30日01時27分 読売新聞）
2010/07/30
防衛白書延期 禍根残す政府の事なかれ主義
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 30, 2010)
Defense report delay unnecessary
防衛白書延期 禍根残す政府の事なかれ主義（7月29日付・読売社説）
The government's decision to put off the release of this year's defense white paper is nothing but an attempt not to disturb the Japan-South Korea relationship. But a retreat to safe ground on this issue is an ill-thought-out move to turn a blind eye to future trouble that could arise between Tokyo and Seoul.
日韓関係に波風を立てたくない、という無責任な事なかれ主義であり、今後に禍根を残すと言わざるを得ない。
The administration of Prime Minister Naoto Kan has postponed giving cabinet approval to the "Defense of Japan 2010" white paper until September, despite an earlier plan to finalize the annual report Friday.
政府が、３０日に予定していた２０１０年版防衛白書の閣議了承を９月に延期した。
In explaining the government's decision, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku cited recent actions taken by the United Nations in connection with the sinking of a South Korean naval ship in March. He added the government wanted the white paper to address some issues that will be taken up in a report to be issued in August by a government panel tasked with reviewing the current National Defense Program Guidelines. Sengoku's reasoning is far from convincing.
仙谷官房長官は、延期の理由について、韓国の哨戒艦沈没事件に関する国連の動きや、防衛大綱見直しの報告書などを新たに記載することなどを挙げた。到底、納得できる説明ではない。
In the first place, the government does not have to write about the developments cited by Sengoku in the white paper. His account does little to convince the public of the need to postpone the release of the report, more than 14,000 copies of which have already been printed at a cost of about 9.4 million yen.
本来、こうした動きをいちいち追加する必要性はない。既に約９４０万円をかけて、１万４０００部以上を印刷した白書の公表を延期する理由として不十分だ。
The real reason behind the decision, according to government sources, is that Tokyo does not want to antagonize Seoul. Previous defense white papers described the disputed Takeshima islets as "an inherent part of our nation's territory."
政府関係者によると、本当の理由は韓国側への配慮だとされる。防衛白書は例年、竹島を「わが国固有の領土」と明記している。
The sources said the government did not want to stir up anti-Japanese sentiment among South Koreans as this year marks the centennial of the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty of 1910. On Aug. 29 that year, the treaty took effect, starting 35 years of Japanese rule over the Korean Peninsula.
今年は８月２９日に日韓併合条約発効１００年を控えており、反日感情を刺激したくなかったという。
Takeshima belongs to Japan
However, the government has every reason to incorporate into the white paper its assertion that Takeshima inherently belongs to Japan.
だが、政府の白書が、竹島は日本固有の領土という政府見解を盛り込むのは当然のことだ。
Admittedly, South Korea has protested the Japanese government's view every year, claiming sovereignty over the islet group. However, Seoul's reaction has not been so strong as to undermine bilateral relations. Some people fear anti-Japanese feelings could grow among South Koreans as Aug. 29 marks the 100th anniversary of the treaty. So far, however, no such hostility has surfaced.
竹島の領有権を主張する韓国側は毎年、抗議しているが、日韓関係を損なうほどではなかった。日韓併合１００年を前に、反日感情の高まりを懸念する向きもあるものの、現時点で、そんな動きは表面化していない。
We think the government should have adhered to its practice of publishing a defense white paper at this time of year.
政府は、例年通り、白書を淡々と公表すべきだった。
Postponing the paper's release and then scrambling for an explanation as to why has proved of no avail. Doing so has only drawn public attention to the Takeshima controversy. We feel all this could adversely affect the Japan-South Korea relationship. The Kan administration made the wrong decision about the release of the report.
公表直前に異例の形で延期し、姑息(こそく)な説明を加えたことで、かえって竹島問題が注目を集めてしまい、日韓関係にも逆効果ではないか。菅政権の判断ミスである。
The Defense Ministry and the Foreign Ministry had insisted the defense report should be released as initially scheduled. Last week, Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Seiji Maehara and Parliamentary Vice Defense Minister Akihisa Nagashima visited South Korea, where some officials reportedly asked them to reconsider the timing of the white paper's release. After being briefed by Maehara and Naga-shima, the prime minster and the chief cabinet secretary decided to delay the report's release, according to informed sources.
防衛、外務両省は、白書を予定通り公表するよう主張していた。前原国土交通相と長島昭久防衛政務官が先週韓国を訪問した際、一部の関係者から配慮を求められた。その報告を受けた菅首相と仙谷長官が延期を決めたという。
Not the DPJ's first blunder
This episode is yet another perfect example of an ill-advised initiative taken by political leaders--that is, members of the Democratic Party of Japan-led administration--in formulating key policies. Political confusion has erupted frequently since the DPJ came into power, as best exemplified by the turmoil created by the government's ham-handed handling of the dispute over the transfer of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture.
米軍普天間飛行場移設問題などで露呈した民主党政権の「悪(あ)しき政治主導」の典型例と言える。
In December, the DPJ government decided not to include a reference to the Takeshima issue in a teacher's manual for high school geography lessons to be given under the education ministry's new course of study. Failure to say what Japan needs to say could be interpreted as a willingness by our government to make concessions on issues that could affect the foundation of the country.
民主党政権は昨年１２月にも、新学習指導要領の高校地理の解説書で竹島問題への言及を見送っている。このように、言うべきことを言わない対応を続けては、日本は国の根幹にかかわる問題でも譲歩すると見られかねない。
Takeshima belongs to Japan, both historically and under international law. South Korea is an important neighbor, but our government should not easily buckle to Seoul when dealing with territorial issues.
竹島は、歴史的にも国際法上も日本の領土である。韓国は、日本にとって重要な隣国だが、領土問題で安易な妥協は禁物だ。
It is entirely possible for Japan to maintain proper relations with other countries despite a conflict over territorial problems. The government should pursue such a diplomatic approach.
領土問題で主張が異なっても、２国間関係をきちんと維持することは十分可能なはずであり、そうした外交こそ追求すべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 29, 2010)
（2010年7月29日01時08分 読売新聞）
Defense report delay unnecessary
防衛白書延期 禍根残す政府の事なかれ主義（7月29日付・読売社説）
The government's decision to put off the release of this year's defense white paper is nothing but an attempt not to disturb the Japan-South Korea relationship. But a retreat to safe ground on this issue is an ill-thought-out move to turn a blind eye to future trouble that could arise between Tokyo and Seoul.
日韓関係に波風を立てたくない、という無責任な事なかれ主義であり、今後に禍根を残すと言わざるを得ない。
The administration of Prime Minister Naoto Kan has postponed giving cabinet approval to the "Defense of Japan 2010" white paper until September, despite an earlier plan to finalize the annual report Friday.
政府が、３０日に予定していた２０１０年版防衛白書の閣議了承を９月に延期した。
In explaining the government's decision, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku cited recent actions taken by the United Nations in connection with the sinking of a South Korean naval ship in March. He added the government wanted the white paper to address some issues that will be taken up in a report to be issued in August by a government panel tasked with reviewing the current National Defense Program Guidelines. Sengoku's reasoning is far from convincing.
仙谷官房長官は、延期の理由について、韓国の哨戒艦沈没事件に関する国連の動きや、防衛大綱見直しの報告書などを新たに記載することなどを挙げた。到底、納得できる説明ではない。
In the first place, the government does not have to write about the developments cited by Sengoku in the white paper. His account does little to convince the public of the need to postpone the release of the report, more than 14,000 copies of which have already been printed at a cost of about 9.4 million yen.
本来、こうした動きをいちいち追加する必要性はない。既に約９４０万円をかけて、１万４０００部以上を印刷した白書の公表を延期する理由として不十分だ。
The real reason behind the decision, according to government sources, is that Tokyo does not want to antagonize Seoul. Previous defense white papers described the disputed Takeshima islets as "an inherent part of our nation's territory."
政府関係者によると、本当の理由は韓国側への配慮だとされる。防衛白書は例年、竹島を「わが国固有の領土」と明記している。
The sources said the government did not want to stir up anti-Japanese sentiment among South Koreans as this year marks the centennial of the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty of 1910. On Aug. 29 that year, the treaty took effect, starting 35 years of Japanese rule over the Korean Peninsula.
今年は８月２９日に日韓併合条約発効１００年を控えており、反日感情を刺激したくなかったという。
Takeshima belongs to Japan
However, the government has every reason to incorporate into the white paper its assertion that Takeshima inherently belongs to Japan.
だが、政府の白書が、竹島は日本固有の領土という政府見解を盛り込むのは当然のことだ。
Admittedly, South Korea has protested the Japanese government's view every year, claiming sovereignty over the islet group. However, Seoul's reaction has not been so strong as to undermine bilateral relations. Some people fear anti-Japanese feelings could grow among South Koreans as Aug. 29 marks the 100th anniversary of the treaty. So far, however, no such hostility has surfaced.
竹島の領有権を主張する韓国側は毎年、抗議しているが、日韓関係を損なうほどではなかった。日韓併合１００年を前に、反日感情の高まりを懸念する向きもあるものの、現時点で、そんな動きは表面化していない。
We think the government should have adhered to its practice of publishing a defense white paper at this time of year.
政府は、例年通り、白書を淡々と公表すべきだった。
Postponing the paper's release and then scrambling for an explanation as to why has proved of no avail. Doing so has only drawn public attention to the Takeshima controversy. We feel all this could adversely affect the Japan-South Korea relationship. The Kan administration made the wrong decision about the release of the report.
公表直前に異例の形で延期し、姑息(こそく)な説明を加えたことで、かえって竹島問題が注目を集めてしまい、日韓関係にも逆効果ではないか。菅政権の判断ミスである。
The Defense Ministry and the Foreign Ministry had insisted the defense report should be released as initially scheduled. Last week, Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Seiji Maehara and Parliamentary Vice Defense Minister Akihisa Nagashima visited South Korea, where some officials reportedly asked them to reconsider the timing of the white paper's release. After being briefed by Maehara and Naga-shima, the prime minster and the chief cabinet secretary decided to delay the report's release, according to informed sources.
防衛、外務両省は、白書を予定通り公表するよう主張していた。前原国土交通相と長島昭久防衛政務官が先週韓国を訪問した際、一部の関係者から配慮を求められた。その報告を受けた菅首相と仙谷長官が延期を決めたという。
Not the DPJ's first blunder
This episode is yet another perfect example of an ill-advised initiative taken by political leaders--that is, members of the Democratic Party of Japan-led administration--in formulating key policies. Political confusion has erupted frequently since the DPJ came into power, as best exemplified by the turmoil created by the government's ham-handed handling of the dispute over the transfer of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture.
米軍普天間飛行場移設問題などで露呈した民主党政権の「悪(あ)しき政治主導」の典型例と言える。
In December, the DPJ government decided not to include a reference to the Takeshima issue in a teacher's manual for high school geography lessons to be given under the education ministry's new course of study. Failure to say what Japan needs to say could be interpreted as a willingness by our government to make concessions on issues that could affect the foundation of the country.
民主党政権は昨年１２月にも、新学習指導要領の高校地理の解説書で竹島問題への言及を見送っている。このように、言うべきことを言わない対応を続けては、日本は国の根幹にかかわる問題でも譲歩すると見られかねない。
Takeshima belongs to Japan, both historically and under international law. South Korea is an important neighbor, but our government should not easily buckle to Seoul when dealing with territorial issues.
竹島は、歴史的にも国際法上も日本の領土である。韓国は、日本にとって重要な隣国だが、領土問題で安易な妥協は禁物だ。
It is entirely possible for Japan to maintain proper relations with other countries despite a conflict over territorial problems. The government should pursue such a diplomatic approach.
領土問題で主張が異なっても、２国間関係をきちんと維持することは十分可能なはずであり、そうした外交こそ追求すべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 29, 2010)
（2010年7月29日01時08分 読売新聞）
2010/07/29
概算要求基準 予算編成を人気取りに使うな
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 29, 2010)
Budget compilation isn't popularity contest
概算要求基準 予算編成を人気取りに使うな（7月28日付・読売社説）
The Cabinet has adopted guidelines for fiscal 2011 budgetary requests.
２０１１年度予算の大枠を示す概算要求基準が閣議決定された。
Last year, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's Cabinet decided to drop similar guidelines, which led to the fiscal 2010 budget ballooning to become the biggest ever.
昨年は、鳩山内閣によって基準が廃止され、１０年度予算の規模が大きく膨らむ原因となった。
We think the government is right to revive the guidelines for budgetary requests, considering what happened last year. However, the government seems set to charge ahead with the free-spending handout policies the Democratic Party of Japan announced in last year's election manifesto. In stark contrast to planned spending cuts, the government plans to offer income compensation to farmers and partially abolish expressways tolls.
それを反省して今回、基準を復活させたのは妥当である。だが、農家の戸別所得補償や高速道路の一部無料化など、昨年の民主党の政権公約（マニフェスト）に基づく予算が削減の例外になるなど、バラマキ体質は残ったままだ。
The government also plans to set aside funds to be funneled to growth fields, such as medical and nursing services as well as the environment. It also proposed that determining how to allocate this special budget would be conducted in full view of the public.
医療・介護や環境など、成長分野に予算を重点配分するための特別枠を設けるが、公開の席で優劣を競う「政策コンテスト」で配分先を決めるという。
The government apparently plans to conduct something along the lines of the budget screening for wasteful spending, which smacked of political grandstanding.
政治的なパフォーマンスが目立った「事業仕分け」に似た手法といえる。
===
Kan seeking boost?
The plan appears to be an attempt to restore the falling popularity of Prime Minister Naoto Kan. But we doubt whether cool-headed discussions can be carried out in an environment open to the public. The government must not use the budget compilation process as a tool to gain popularity.
菅内閣の支持率低下を挽回(ばんかい)する狙いもあるのだろうが、そうした場で冷静な議論ができるとは思えない。予算編成を人気取りの手段にしてはなるまい。
The prime minister must sincerely review and retract funding scheduled to be used for the manifesto pledges, and secure revenue sources before the fiscal 2011 budget will be decided at the end of the year.
年末の１１年度予算案決定に向け菅首相は今後、マニフェスト予算の改廃や財源の確保に、真摯(しんし)に取り組むべきである。
The outline for the budgetary request guidelines is in line with the fiscal management strategy compiled in June. The government will cap general-account spending, excluding debt-servicing costs, below 71 trillion yen and new government bond issuance below 44 trillion yen, just as in the fiscal 2010 budget.
要求基準の骨格は、６月にまとまった財政運営戦略に準拠した。国債費を除く歳出と国債新規発行額は、１０年度予算とそれぞれ同じ７１兆円と４４兆円以下にする。
Based on these figures, the Cabinet approved a natural increase of 1.3 trillion yen in social security costs. An expected rise in these costs from the graying population and declining birthrate will be unavoidable, but the child-rearing allowance should be reviewed from scratch.
これを前提にまず、社会保障費について、１・３兆円の自然増をそのまま認めることにした。少子高齢化で膨らむ分はやむを得ないが、子ども手当については抜本的に見直す必要がある。
===
Growth fields
The focus of the budget will be the special allocation for growth fields. The DPJ initially proposed to the government that 2 trillion yen be earmarked for the scheme. The two parties eventually settled on the ambiguous expression of "an amount far above 1 trillion yen."
焦点は特別枠の扱いである。民主党側は当初、２兆円を提案したが、政府側との調整で、「１兆円を相当上回る額」とのあいまいな表現で決着した。
Combined with the natural increase in social security costs, the government will need an additional 3 trillion yen or so. The government said this could be covered by a uniform 10 percent cut in policy-related spending for all ministries and agencies--including spending on education, defense and public works projects.
特別枠に社会保障費の自然増を加えると、３兆円前後の原資が必要になる計算だ。その分は、教育費や防衛費、公共事業費など一般的な歳出を各府省が一律に１割削減して捻出(ねんしゅつ)する、としている。
However, the government likely will struggle to secure the revenue it needs, given that ministries and agencies have bristled at the across-the-board 10 percent cut plan, and manifesto-related budgets are to be handled separately.
だが、ただでさえ各府省が１割削減に抵抗しているうえ、マニフェスト関連が例外では、目標の達成は容易ではあるまい。
The government used more than 10 trillion yen in nontax revenue, including surplus funds in special accounts, dubbed "buried treasure," for the fiscal 2010 budget. However, the buried treasure chest is almost empty. If nontax revenue drastically declines, the government may be forced to issue more government bonds than it did in the current fiscal year, rather than capping the issuance at 44 trillion yen as planned.
１０年度予算では、埋蔵金を含む税外収入を１０兆円余り計上した。だが、埋蔵金は枯渇しつつある。税外収入が大幅に減る場合、国債の発行額は４４兆円以下どころか、増える可能性もある。
But this would make a mockery of Japan's international pledge to put state finances back on a sound footing. Securing revenue sources will be essential to reducing the budget deficit.
それでは、財政健全化の国際公約に逆行する。赤字減らしには歳入の確保が肝要だ。
The fiscal 2011 budget compilation process is spelling out in black and white that the government must urgently tackle tax system reform--including an increase in the consumption tax rate.
消費税率の引き上げを含む税制改革に早急に取り組む必要があることを、１１年度予算の編成作業は教えている。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 28, 2010)
（2010年7月28日01時18分 読売新聞）
Budget compilation isn't popularity contest
概算要求基準 予算編成を人気取りに使うな（7月28日付・読売社説）
The Cabinet has adopted guidelines for fiscal 2011 budgetary requests.
２０１１年度予算の大枠を示す概算要求基準が閣議決定された。
Last year, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's Cabinet decided to drop similar guidelines, which led to the fiscal 2010 budget ballooning to become the biggest ever.
昨年は、鳩山内閣によって基準が廃止され、１０年度予算の規模が大きく膨らむ原因となった。
We think the government is right to revive the guidelines for budgetary requests, considering what happened last year. However, the government seems set to charge ahead with the free-spending handout policies the Democratic Party of Japan announced in last year's election manifesto. In stark contrast to planned spending cuts, the government plans to offer income compensation to farmers and partially abolish expressways tolls.
それを反省して今回、基準を復活させたのは妥当である。だが、農家の戸別所得補償や高速道路の一部無料化など、昨年の民主党の政権公約（マニフェスト）に基づく予算が削減の例外になるなど、バラマキ体質は残ったままだ。
The government also plans to set aside funds to be funneled to growth fields, such as medical and nursing services as well as the environment. It also proposed that determining how to allocate this special budget would be conducted in full view of the public.
医療・介護や環境など、成長分野に予算を重点配分するための特別枠を設けるが、公開の席で優劣を競う「政策コンテスト」で配分先を決めるという。
The government apparently plans to conduct something along the lines of the budget screening for wasteful spending, which smacked of political grandstanding.
政治的なパフォーマンスが目立った「事業仕分け」に似た手法といえる。
===
Kan seeking boost?
The plan appears to be an attempt to restore the falling popularity of Prime Minister Naoto Kan. But we doubt whether cool-headed discussions can be carried out in an environment open to the public. The government must not use the budget compilation process as a tool to gain popularity.
菅内閣の支持率低下を挽回(ばんかい)する狙いもあるのだろうが、そうした場で冷静な議論ができるとは思えない。予算編成を人気取りの手段にしてはなるまい。
The prime minister must sincerely review and retract funding scheduled to be used for the manifesto pledges, and secure revenue sources before the fiscal 2011 budget will be decided at the end of the year.
年末の１１年度予算案決定に向け菅首相は今後、マニフェスト予算の改廃や財源の確保に、真摯(しんし)に取り組むべきである。
The outline for the budgetary request guidelines is in line with the fiscal management strategy compiled in June. The government will cap general-account spending, excluding debt-servicing costs, below 71 trillion yen and new government bond issuance below 44 trillion yen, just as in the fiscal 2010 budget.
要求基準の骨格は、６月にまとまった財政運営戦略に準拠した。国債費を除く歳出と国債新規発行額は、１０年度予算とそれぞれ同じ７１兆円と４４兆円以下にする。
Based on these figures, the Cabinet approved a natural increase of 1.3 trillion yen in social security costs. An expected rise in these costs from the graying population and declining birthrate will be unavoidable, but the child-rearing allowance should be reviewed from scratch.
これを前提にまず、社会保障費について、１・３兆円の自然増をそのまま認めることにした。少子高齢化で膨らむ分はやむを得ないが、子ども手当については抜本的に見直す必要がある。
===
Growth fields
The focus of the budget will be the special allocation for growth fields. The DPJ initially proposed to the government that 2 trillion yen be earmarked for the scheme. The two parties eventually settled on the ambiguous expression of "an amount far above 1 trillion yen."
焦点は特別枠の扱いである。民主党側は当初、２兆円を提案したが、政府側との調整で、「１兆円を相当上回る額」とのあいまいな表現で決着した。
Combined with the natural increase in social security costs, the government will need an additional 3 trillion yen or so. The government said this could be covered by a uniform 10 percent cut in policy-related spending for all ministries and agencies--including spending on education, defense and public works projects.
特別枠に社会保障費の自然増を加えると、３兆円前後の原資が必要になる計算だ。その分は、教育費や防衛費、公共事業費など一般的な歳出を各府省が一律に１割削減して捻出(ねんしゅつ)する、としている。
However, the government likely will struggle to secure the revenue it needs, given that ministries and agencies have bristled at the across-the-board 10 percent cut plan, and manifesto-related budgets are to be handled separately.
だが、ただでさえ各府省が１割削減に抵抗しているうえ、マニフェスト関連が例外では、目標の達成は容易ではあるまい。
The government used more than 10 trillion yen in nontax revenue, including surplus funds in special accounts, dubbed "buried treasure," for the fiscal 2010 budget. However, the buried treasure chest is almost empty. If nontax revenue drastically declines, the government may be forced to issue more government bonds than it did in the current fiscal year, rather than capping the issuance at 44 trillion yen as planned.
１０年度予算では、埋蔵金を含む税外収入を１０兆円余り計上した。だが、埋蔵金は枯渇しつつある。税外収入が大幅に減る場合、国債の発行額は４４兆円以下どころか、増える可能性もある。
But this would make a mockery of Japan's international pledge to put state finances back on a sound footing. Securing revenue sources will be essential to reducing the budget deficit.
それでは、財政健全化の国際公約に逆行する。赤字減らしには歳入の確保が肝要だ。
The fiscal 2011 budget compilation process is spelling out in black and white that the government must urgently tackle tax system reform--including an increase in the consumption tax rate.
消費税率の引き上げを含む税制改革に早急に取り組む必要があることを、１１年度予算の編成作業は教えている。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 28, 2010)
（2010年7月28日01時18分 読売新聞）
2010/07/28
video clips of kai chan and seefaa chan
I’ve just posted family video clips of kai chan and seefaa chan.
カイちゃんとシーファーちゃんのビデオクリップ掲載しました。
บันทึกวีดีโอขอนไก่จังและสีฟ้าจังเสร็จแล้วนะครับ
english version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCOlwEOks3g
thai version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utePJh4h2gA
カイちゃんとシーファーちゃんのビデオクリップ掲載しました。
บันทึกวีดีโอขอนไก่จังและสีฟ้าจังเสร็จแล้วนะครับ
english version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCOlwEOks3g
thai version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utePJh4h2gA
名古屋場所閉幕 「賜杯なき優勝」を繰り返すな
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 28, 2010)
Learn from tourney lacking Emperor's Cup
名古屋場所閉幕 「賜杯なき優勝」を繰り返すな（7月27日付・読売社説）
The Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, which was rocked by a scandal over illegal betting on professional baseball games, ended Sunday with a remarkable accomplishment by yokozuna Hakuho--he became the first wrestler since the end of World War II to claim three consecutive championships without losing a single match.
野球賭博問題に揺れた大相撲の名古屋場所は、横綱白鵬の３場所連続全勝優勝という戦後初の快挙で幕を閉じた。
Since the Japan Sumo Association refrained from accepting any awards from outside organizations due to the gambling scandal, Hakuho received only the championship flag and a certificate at the award ceremony.
日本相撲協会が外部からの表彰を辞退したため、表彰式で白鵬に贈られたのは、優勝旗と賞状だけだった。
Hakuho also extended his winning streak to 47 bouts, exceeding legendary yokozuna Taiho's record of 45, but said with tears in his eyes that the Nagoya tournament was "very difficult."
"On behalf of [all] wrestlers, I wish I could've received just the Emperor's Cup," he added.
自身の連勝記録を、大鵬の４５を上回る４７に伸ばした白鵬は、「大変な場所だった」と涙を浮かべ、「力士代表として、天皇賜杯だけは頂きたかった」と語った。
To prevent such situations in the future, the JSA must proceed with reforms and regain the trust of sumo fans as soon as possible.
このような事態を繰り返さないためには、相撲協会は改革を推し進め、ファンの信頼を一刻も早く取り戻さなくてはならない。
===
More problems arise
Regrettably, however, a few cases suggesting close ties between sumo officials and gangsters were revealed during the Nagoya tourney. One of them involves stablemaster Matsugane and is too serious to overlook.
だが、残念ながら、名古屋場所中にも角界と暴力団関係者の親密な関係がうかがえる複数の事例が明らかになった。特に、看過できないのは、元大関若嶋津の松ヶ根親方の問題である。
A former ozeki who wrestled under the name Wakashimazu, Matsugane has used a building rented from the president of a gang-related real estate agency as lodgings for his wrestlers during spring tournaments in Osaka. He has done so since he started his own stable 20 years ago.
松ヶ根親方は、暴力団と関係が深いとされる不動産会社社長から借りたビルを春場所（大阪）の宿舎に使っていた。部屋を興した２０年前から続いているという。
The company president in question was arrested in 2008 over land sharking, the practice of forcing people to sell their residences so a land shark can resell consolidated plots of land for large development projects. Despite knowing this, however, Matsugane continued to rent the building.
"I thought he was a businessman," Matsugane said.
この社長は２００８年に、地上げに絡んで逮捕された。松ヶ根親方は、事件のことを知りながらも借り続け、社長については「実業家と思っていた」という。
Nevertheless, he should have at least stopped using the building when the president was arrested. This is a scandal caused by insufficient risk management.
しかし、少なくとも、社長が逮捕された時点で、ビルの使用を見合わせるべきだった。甘い危機管理が招いた不祥事である。
Securing lodgings for wrestlers is certainly an important issue for a stable, and stablemasters badly need offers of help. But sumo officials must not forget that this is one way gangsters approach them.
確かに、相撲部屋にとって、宿舎の確保は大きな問題だ。支援の申し出は、親方にとっては「渡りに船」だろうが、それが、暴力団関係者が近付いてくる手口であることも忘れてはならない。
Gangs use their close ties with the sumo world to flaunt their influence. We strongly feel that gangs are spreading their tentacles into everything.
暴力団は、角界との親密な関係を力の誇示に利用する。暴力団の触手は至る所に伸びているという感を強くするばかりである。
===
Rules not enough
Also, a serious problem has surfaced over special ringside seats at sumo tournaments, the kind primarily allocated to financial supporters of the JSA. It was discovered that a gang boss obtained a ticket for a ringside seat via a chain of people that included an acquaintance of a member of the special panel investigating the gambling scandal.
土俵近くの特別席である維持員席を巡っても、ゆゆしき問題が発覚した。維持員席に座っていた暴力団組長にチケットが渡る過程で、不祥事の調査を担当している特別調査委員会のメンバーの知人が関与していたというものだ。
Since this could erode public trust in the investigation panel, the JSA was quite right to dismiss that member.
調査委への信頼を損なう問題だけに、相撲協会がこのメンバーを解任したのは当然のことだ。
An independent panel of the JSA tasked with improving the association's governance and implementing organizational reforms is planning to compile measures to eliminate gangsters' influence, including a provision that would penalize sumo wrestlers and officials severely if they associate with gangsters.
相撲協会の改革案を協議している「ガバナンス（統治能力）の整備に関する独立委員会」は、暴力団との交際には厳罰を下す規定などを盛り込んだ暴力団排除対策をまとめる方針だ。
Of course, strict rules are necessary. But, it is more important that sumo wrestlers and stablemasters learn lessons from the commotion during the Nagoya tournament and strengthen their determination to sever their ties with gangsters.
規定も必要だが、大切なのは名古屋場所の騒動を教訓に、力士、親方が暴力団との関係を断つという意識を徹底することである。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 27, 2010)
（2010年7月27日01時17分 読売新聞）
Learn from tourney lacking Emperor's Cup
名古屋場所閉幕 「賜杯なき優勝」を繰り返すな（7月27日付・読売社説）
The Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, which was rocked by a scandal over illegal betting on professional baseball games, ended Sunday with a remarkable accomplishment by yokozuna Hakuho--he became the first wrestler since the end of World War II to claim three consecutive championships without losing a single match.
野球賭博問題に揺れた大相撲の名古屋場所は、横綱白鵬の３場所連続全勝優勝という戦後初の快挙で幕を閉じた。
Since the Japan Sumo Association refrained from accepting any awards from outside organizations due to the gambling scandal, Hakuho received only the championship flag and a certificate at the award ceremony.
日本相撲協会が外部からの表彰を辞退したため、表彰式で白鵬に贈られたのは、優勝旗と賞状だけだった。
Hakuho also extended his winning streak to 47 bouts, exceeding legendary yokozuna Taiho's record of 45, but said with tears in his eyes that the Nagoya tournament was "very difficult."
"On behalf of [all] wrestlers, I wish I could've received just the Emperor's Cup," he added.
自身の連勝記録を、大鵬の４５を上回る４７に伸ばした白鵬は、「大変な場所だった」と涙を浮かべ、「力士代表として、天皇賜杯だけは頂きたかった」と語った。
To prevent such situations in the future, the JSA must proceed with reforms and regain the trust of sumo fans as soon as possible.
このような事態を繰り返さないためには、相撲協会は改革を推し進め、ファンの信頼を一刻も早く取り戻さなくてはならない。
===
More problems arise
Regrettably, however, a few cases suggesting close ties between sumo officials and gangsters were revealed during the Nagoya tourney. One of them involves stablemaster Matsugane and is too serious to overlook.
だが、残念ながら、名古屋場所中にも角界と暴力団関係者の親密な関係がうかがえる複数の事例が明らかになった。特に、看過できないのは、元大関若嶋津の松ヶ根親方の問題である。
A former ozeki who wrestled under the name Wakashimazu, Matsugane has used a building rented from the president of a gang-related real estate agency as lodgings for his wrestlers during spring tournaments in Osaka. He has done so since he started his own stable 20 years ago.
松ヶ根親方は、暴力団と関係が深いとされる不動産会社社長から借りたビルを春場所（大阪）の宿舎に使っていた。部屋を興した２０年前から続いているという。
The company president in question was arrested in 2008 over land sharking, the practice of forcing people to sell their residences so a land shark can resell consolidated plots of land for large development projects. Despite knowing this, however, Matsugane continued to rent the building.
"I thought he was a businessman," Matsugane said.
この社長は２００８年に、地上げに絡んで逮捕された。松ヶ根親方は、事件のことを知りながらも借り続け、社長については「実業家と思っていた」という。
Nevertheless, he should have at least stopped using the building when the president was arrested. This is a scandal caused by insufficient risk management.
しかし、少なくとも、社長が逮捕された時点で、ビルの使用を見合わせるべきだった。甘い危機管理が招いた不祥事である。
Securing lodgings for wrestlers is certainly an important issue for a stable, and stablemasters badly need offers of help. But sumo officials must not forget that this is one way gangsters approach them.
確かに、相撲部屋にとって、宿舎の確保は大きな問題だ。支援の申し出は、親方にとっては「渡りに船」だろうが、それが、暴力団関係者が近付いてくる手口であることも忘れてはならない。
Gangs use their close ties with the sumo world to flaunt their influence. We strongly feel that gangs are spreading their tentacles into everything.
暴力団は、角界との親密な関係を力の誇示に利用する。暴力団の触手は至る所に伸びているという感を強くするばかりである。
===
Rules not enough
Also, a serious problem has surfaced over special ringside seats at sumo tournaments, the kind primarily allocated to financial supporters of the JSA. It was discovered that a gang boss obtained a ticket for a ringside seat via a chain of people that included an acquaintance of a member of the special panel investigating the gambling scandal.
土俵近くの特別席である維持員席を巡っても、ゆゆしき問題が発覚した。維持員席に座っていた暴力団組長にチケットが渡る過程で、不祥事の調査を担当している特別調査委員会のメンバーの知人が関与していたというものだ。
Since this could erode public trust in the investigation panel, the JSA was quite right to dismiss that member.
調査委への信頼を損なう問題だけに、相撲協会がこのメンバーを解任したのは当然のことだ。
An independent panel of the JSA tasked with improving the association's governance and implementing organizational reforms is planning to compile measures to eliminate gangsters' influence, including a provision that would penalize sumo wrestlers and officials severely if they associate with gangsters.
相撲協会の改革案を協議している「ガバナンス（統治能力）の整備に関する独立委員会」は、暴力団との交際には厳罰を下す規定などを盛り込んだ暴力団排除対策をまとめる方針だ。
Of course, strict rules are necessary. But, it is more important that sumo wrestlers and stablemasters learn lessons from the commotion during the Nagoya tournament and strengthen their determination to sever their ties with gangsters.
規定も必要だが、大切なのは名古屋場所の騒動を教訓に、力士、親方が暴力団との関係を断つという意識を徹底することである。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 27, 2010)
（2010年7月27日01時17分 読売新聞）
2010/07/25
アフガン会議 支援とともに監視が必要だ
アフガニスタン問題はブッシュ政権の負の遺産です。
ひっこみがつかなくなってオバマ大統領は苦悩しているのではないでしょうか。
大統領就任直後にアフガニスタンからの段階的撤退を表明していますが、さすがオバマ大統領だと思いました。
しかしながら、このテロリスト封じ込め作戦はうまくいっていないのが現実です。
世界はアフガニスタン支援よりも自国のテロ防止組織を強化したほうが良いのでは。
底の抜けているバケツに水を入れ満杯にする、むなしい努力のような気がします。
日本は自国の雇用改善対策にこのお金を使ったほうが良い。
srachai from khonkaen, thailad
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 25, 2010)
Aid to Afghanistan must be accounted for
アフガン会議 支援とともに監視が必要だ（7月24日付・読売社説）
For the past nine years, the international community has continued to provide reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan to keep the country from becoming a nest of terrorists again.
アフガニスタンをテロの巣に戻さぬために、国際社会は９年に及ぶ復興支援を続けてきた。
The administration of Afghan President Hamid Karzai must respond to this steady flow of support with action.
その忍耐強い支持に、アフガンのカルザイ政権は行動で応えなければならない。
At an international donor conference recently held in Kabul, Karzai declared the Afghan government would take responsibility for its own security, for which it currently relies largely on foreign troops, across the country by the end of 2014. Countries participating in the conference welcomed the initiative.
カルザイ大統領はカブールで開かれたアフガン支援国際会議で、駐留外国軍に頼っている治安維持を、２０１４年末までに全土でアフガン政府が担うと宣言した。会議参加国もそれを歓迎した。
Karzai's declaration likely matched the intentions of Western leaders who are eager to draw up an exit strategy as soon as possible amid growing opposition at home to the continued deployment of their troops in Afghanistan.
アフガンに派兵する欧米諸国では、駐留継続反対論が高まっている。カルザイ大統領の宣言は、撤兵を視野に入れた出口戦略を早く描きたいという各国指導者の思惑とも合致したのだろう。
Given the status quo, however, we must say that such a scenario is unlikely to occur.
だが、現状をみれば、実現は難しいと言わざるをえまい。
===
Is the end really in sight?
An increase of U.S. troops by 30,000 is expected to be completed next month, bringing the total number of foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan to 150,000. But their operations to hunt down members of the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban, which has sheltered members of the international terrorist organization Al-Qaida, have been unable to make progress in the face of the ongoing insurgency. Meanwhile, the number of casualties among the international troops continues to rise.
米軍の３万人増派は来月には完了する。アフガン駐留外国軍の規模は１５万人に達するが、国際テロ組織アル・カーイダを匿(かくま)ったイスラム原理主義勢力タリバンの掃討は進展するどころか、反転攻勢に苦しめられている。駐留軍の犠牲者は増え続けるばかりだ。
The recent dismissal of Gen. Stanley McChrystal as the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan after he criticized the U.S. government's handling of Afghanistan is probably not unrelated to the deadlock seen in that nation.
米政府のアフガン政策を批判した駐留米軍司令官の更迭劇も、アフガン情勢の行き詰まりと無縁ではなかろう。
To transfer security responsibility, it is essential to train Afghan security forces. The Afghan government plans to increase the number of personnel in the military and police to more than 300,000 by October next year. But the question is the quality of the security forces. Afghan security forces are not only ill equipped, they are also known for a low literacy rate and a lack of discipline.
治安維持任務の移管には、アフガン人治安部隊の育成が欠かせない。アフガン政府は来年１０月までに、軍と警察を合わせた要員を３０万人超に増やす計画だが、問題はその質だ。装備の貧弱さだけでなく、識字率や規律意識も低い。
To improve the security situation, job creation projects and the establishment of infrastructure related to daily life also must proceed. There are too many issues that must be resolved before the Afghan government can be entrusted with maintaining security.
治安改善のためには、生活基盤整備や雇用創出事業も同時に進めなければならない。アフガン政府に治安維持を任せるまでに、克服すべき課題はあまりにも多い。
===
Where does the money go?
Since 2002, more than 35 billion dollars (about 3 trillion yen) in aid money has been poured into Afghanistan. Most of the funds were provided directly to international nongovernmental organizations and other entities engaged in reconstruction work.
アフガンには０２年以来、３５０億ドル（約３兆円）を超える援助資金が注がれてきた。その大半は、復興事業を担う国際的な非政府組織（ＮＧＯ）などに対する直接支援だった。
An agreement was made at the conference that up to half the aid money would be channeled through the Afghan government in two years. Donor nations accepted Karzai's request that his government be given discretion to more effectively use aid money.
会議では、今後２年間で援助資金の半分までを、アフガン政府経由に切り替えることで合意した。「政府の裁量でより有効に資金を使いたい」とのカルザイ大統領の要望を受け入れたのだ。
But we still frequently hear about corruption and irregularities involving senior officials of the Afghan government. It is unacceptable for aid funds to be embezzled or misappropriated.
しかし、アフガン政府幹部らの不正、腐敗への批判は絶えない。援助資金の横領などあってはならない。
Karzai has expressed an intention to strengthen corruption countermeasures, such as the creation of a special tribunal to try those accused of corruption. We hope to see these measures producing results as soon as possible.
大統領は、特別法廷の設置など汚職対策強化を表明したが、早急に成果を示してほしい。
Japan pledged to provide 5 billion dollars in aid during the five years from 2009. Donor nations, including Japan, need to strictly check whether aid money is properly used.
日本も０９年から５年間で５０億ドルの支援を約束した。日本を含めた支援国は、援助資金が適切に使われるよう、厳しく監視していく必要がある。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 24, 2010)
（2010年7月24日01時07分 読売新聞）
ひっこみがつかなくなってオバマ大統領は苦悩しているのではないでしょうか。
大統領就任直後にアフガニスタンからの段階的撤退を表明していますが、さすがオバマ大統領だと思いました。
しかしながら、このテロリスト封じ込め作戦はうまくいっていないのが現実です。
世界はアフガニスタン支援よりも自国のテロ防止組織を強化したほうが良いのでは。
底の抜けているバケツに水を入れ満杯にする、むなしい努力のような気がします。
日本は自国の雇用改善対策にこのお金を使ったほうが良い。
srachai from khonkaen, thailad
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 25, 2010)
Aid to Afghanistan must be accounted for
アフガン会議 支援とともに監視が必要だ（7月24日付・読売社説）
For the past nine years, the international community has continued to provide reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan to keep the country from becoming a nest of terrorists again.
アフガニスタンをテロの巣に戻さぬために、国際社会は９年に及ぶ復興支援を続けてきた。
The administration of Afghan President Hamid Karzai must respond to this steady flow of support with action.
その忍耐強い支持に、アフガンのカルザイ政権は行動で応えなければならない。
At an international donor conference recently held in Kabul, Karzai declared the Afghan government would take responsibility for its own security, for which it currently relies largely on foreign troops, across the country by the end of 2014. Countries participating in the conference welcomed the initiative.
カルザイ大統領はカブールで開かれたアフガン支援国際会議で、駐留外国軍に頼っている治安維持を、２０１４年末までに全土でアフガン政府が担うと宣言した。会議参加国もそれを歓迎した。
Karzai's declaration likely matched the intentions of Western leaders who are eager to draw up an exit strategy as soon as possible amid growing opposition at home to the continued deployment of their troops in Afghanistan.
アフガンに派兵する欧米諸国では、駐留継続反対論が高まっている。カルザイ大統領の宣言は、撤兵を視野に入れた出口戦略を早く描きたいという各国指導者の思惑とも合致したのだろう。
Given the status quo, however, we must say that such a scenario is unlikely to occur.
だが、現状をみれば、実現は難しいと言わざるをえまい。
===
Is the end really in sight?
An increase of U.S. troops by 30,000 is expected to be completed next month, bringing the total number of foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan to 150,000. But their operations to hunt down members of the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban, which has sheltered members of the international terrorist organization Al-Qaida, have been unable to make progress in the face of the ongoing insurgency. Meanwhile, the number of casualties among the international troops continues to rise.
米軍の３万人増派は来月には完了する。アフガン駐留外国軍の規模は１５万人に達するが、国際テロ組織アル・カーイダを匿(かくま)ったイスラム原理主義勢力タリバンの掃討は進展するどころか、反転攻勢に苦しめられている。駐留軍の犠牲者は増え続けるばかりだ。
The recent dismissal of Gen. Stanley McChrystal as the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan after he criticized the U.S. government's handling of Afghanistan is probably not unrelated to the deadlock seen in that nation.
米政府のアフガン政策を批判した駐留米軍司令官の更迭劇も、アフガン情勢の行き詰まりと無縁ではなかろう。
To transfer security responsibility, it is essential to train Afghan security forces. The Afghan government plans to increase the number of personnel in the military and police to more than 300,000 by October next year. But the question is the quality of the security forces. Afghan security forces are not only ill equipped, they are also known for a low literacy rate and a lack of discipline.
治安維持任務の移管には、アフガン人治安部隊の育成が欠かせない。アフガン政府は来年１０月までに、軍と警察を合わせた要員を３０万人超に増やす計画だが、問題はその質だ。装備の貧弱さだけでなく、識字率や規律意識も低い。
To improve the security situation, job creation projects and the establishment of infrastructure related to daily life also must proceed. There are too many issues that must be resolved before the Afghan government can be entrusted with maintaining security.
治安改善のためには、生活基盤整備や雇用創出事業も同時に進めなければならない。アフガン政府に治安維持を任せるまでに、克服すべき課題はあまりにも多い。
===
Where does the money go?
Since 2002, more than 35 billion dollars (about 3 trillion yen) in aid money has been poured into Afghanistan. Most of the funds were provided directly to international nongovernmental organizations and other entities engaged in reconstruction work.
アフガンには０２年以来、３５０億ドル（約３兆円）を超える援助資金が注がれてきた。その大半は、復興事業を担う国際的な非政府組織（ＮＧＯ）などに対する直接支援だった。
An agreement was made at the conference that up to half the aid money would be channeled through the Afghan government in two years. Donor nations accepted Karzai's request that his government be given discretion to more effectively use aid money.
会議では、今後２年間で援助資金の半分までを、アフガン政府経由に切り替えることで合意した。「政府の裁量でより有効に資金を使いたい」とのカルザイ大統領の要望を受け入れたのだ。
But we still frequently hear about corruption and irregularities involving senior officials of the Afghan government. It is unacceptable for aid funds to be embezzled or misappropriated.
しかし、アフガン政府幹部らの不正、腐敗への批判は絶えない。援助資金の横領などあってはならない。
Karzai has expressed an intention to strengthen corruption countermeasures, such as the creation of a special tribunal to try those accused of corruption. We hope to see these measures producing results as soon as possible.
大統領は、特別法廷の設置など汚職対策強化を表明したが、早急に成果を示してほしい。
Japan pledged to provide 5 billion dollars in aid during the five years from 2009. Donor nations, including Japan, need to strictly check whether aid money is properly used.
日本も０９年から５年間で５０億ドルの支援を約束した。日本を含めた支援国は、援助資金が適切に使われるよう、厳しく監視していく必要がある。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 24, 2010)
（2010年7月24日01時07分 読売新聞）
2010/07/24
入安居（いりあんご）＝ カオパンサー
２０10年７月24日
入安居（いりあんご）＝ カオパンサー
タイのテラワーダ仏教の中でも比較的大きな行事である入安居が７月26日と28日の二日間、私がチャイヤープーム県に建設した家のある村のお寺で行われる。
私は特に敬謙な仏教徒というわけではないが、タイ国の中で生きようとすれば仏教の行事に参加するのは当然の義務であり、この国で生残るための重要な手段となっている。
入安居はタイ語ではカオ パンサーと呼ばれている。
入安居の発祥の地はお釈迦さま（ゴータマ シッタルータ）の生れたインドで仏僧は雨季の間約３ヶ月間、外出を控え、お寺にこもり修行に専念する。
私が最初に移住したチャイヤープーム県のこの村の住人はこぞって貧しい。
こんな貧困の中でも、人々は明るく、のびのびと暮している。
こんなに貧しいのに、入安居の日には、こぞってお寺に参拝し、競って寄進（寄付）を行う。
食べるものも十分に無いような状況の中でも、驚くほど熱心に寄進を行う。
私も日本人として、できるだけのことはするつもりでいる。
金持ちの日本人がけちなまねはできない。
8年ほど前には、この村のお寺の別棟を新築したが、私はこのお寺の屋根の部分を寄進した。
お寺の建築資金が底をつき、このお寺の住職が私に助けを求めてきた。
私は心の中では、もったいないな、と思ったが、表情にそれがでないように気をつけながら、この住職の申し出を受入れた。
それで、このお寺の別棟には、無事屋根を取付けることが出来たのだ。
周辺の村にもアメリカ人やヨーロッパ人が何人が住んでいるが、お寺の行事に参加する人は皆無である。
村人たちは口をそろえてファラン（タイ語で白人社会よりタイ国にやってきた人々）はキーニアオ(けちんぼう）だと罵っている。
あと３ヶ月したら、今度は出安居（であんご：オーク パンサー）の行事があり、そのあとには、灯篭流し（ローイ クラトーン）がやってくる。
一年を通してタイ国の仏教行事がとぎれることはなく、この国の国王といえども重要な仏教行事には決まって参加している。
タイ国の国王のお名前はプミポーン アドンヤデートといわれる。
この国王は敬虔な仏教徒であり、かつ抜群の能力を有するシビルエンジニアー（土木技師）でもある。
タイ国の各地にはこのきわめて優秀なシビルエンジニアーである国王が建設されたダムが数多くあり、人々は深い尊敬の念と感謝の心をもって、この国王に対している。
で、英字新聞は２６日、２７日の二日間お休みします。携帯電話の電波も届かない超僻地です。
入安居（いりあんご）＝ カオパンサー
タイのテラワーダ仏教の中でも比較的大きな行事である入安居が７月26日と28日の二日間、私がチャイヤープーム県に建設した家のある村のお寺で行われる。
私は特に敬謙な仏教徒というわけではないが、タイ国の中で生きようとすれば仏教の行事に参加するのは当然の義務であり、この国で生残るための重要な手段となっている。
入安居はタイ語ではカオ パンサーと呼ばれている。
入安居の発祥の地はお釈迦さま（ゴータマ シッタルータ）の生れたインドで仏僧は雨季の間約３ヶ月間、外出を控え、お寺にこもり修行に専念する。
私が最初に移住したチャイヤープーム県のこの村の住人はこぞって貧しい。
こんな貧困の中でも、人々は明るく、のびのびと暮している。
こんなに貧しいのに、入安居の日には、こぞってお寺に参拝し、競って寄進（寄付）を行う。
食べるものも十分に無いような状況の中でも、驚くほど熱心に寄進を行う。
私も日本人として、できるだけのことはするつもりでいる。
金持ちの日本人がけちなまねはできない。
8年ほど前には、この村のお寺の別棟を新築したが、私はこのお寺の屋根の部分を寄進した。
お寺の建築資金が底をつき、このお寺の住職が私に助けを求めてきた。
私は心の中では、もったいないな、と思ったが、表情にそれがでないように気をつけながら、この住職の申し出を受入れた。
それで、このお寺の別棟には、無事屋根を取付けることが出来たのだ。
周辺の村にもアメリカ人やヨーロッパ人が何人が住んでいるが、お寺の行事に参加する人は皆無である。
村人たちは口をそろえてファラン（タイ語で白人社会よりタイ国にやってきた人々）はキーニアオ(けちんぼう）だと罵っている。
あと３ヶ月したら、今度は出安居（であんご：オーク パンサー）の行事があり、そのあとには、灯篭流し（ローイ クラトーン）がやってくる。
一年を通してタイ国の仏教行事がとぎれることはなく、この国の国王といえども重要な仏教行事には決まって参加している。
タイ国の国王のお名前はプミポーン アドンヤデートといわれる。
この国王は敬虔な仏教徒であり、かつ抜群の能力を有するシビルエンジニアー（土木技師）でもある。
タイ国の各地にはこのきわめて優秀なシビルエンジニアーである国王が建設されたダムが数多くあり、人々は深い尊敬の念と感謝の心をもって、この国王に対している。
で、英字新聞は２６日、２７日の二日間お休みします。携帯電話の電波も届かない超僻地です。
臨時国会 強引な運営はもう通用しない
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 24, 2010)
No room for arrogance in Diet affairs
臨時国会 強引な運営はもう通用しない（7月23日付・読売社説）
The ruling and opposition parties have agreed to open Budget Committee meetings in both Diet chambers during an extraordinary session to be convened at the end of this month.
月末から始まる臨時国会で、衆参両院の予算委員会が開かれることが決まった。
It is unusual for the legislature to call Budget Committee sessions so soon after a House of Councillors election. However, the ruling camp has bowed to strong demands from the opposition bloc to hold such discussions.
参院選直後の国会での予算委開催は異例だが、野党が強く要求し、与党もこれを受け入れた。
These meetings should have been convened during the last ordinary Diet session--namely, before the July 11 upper house election. This would have enabled Prime Minister Naoto Kan to wage a battle of words with the opposition parties for the first time since he took office.
だが、菅首相が予算委で野党と初めて論戦をかわす場は本来、参院選前の通常国会だったはずだ。
However, the ruling Democratic Party of Japan rejected opposition demands for Budget Committee sessions, and refused to extend the last Diet session. The DPJ's move apparently reflected its belief that the party would fare better in the election if the poll took place while the Cabinet was buoyed by high popular support generated by Kan's replacement of his unpopular predecessor, Yukio Hatoyama.
それなのに民主党は、首相交代で内閣支持率が高いうちに選挙をした方が有利とみて予算委を拒み、国会会期を延長しなかった。
The DPJ also refused to open a plenary session of the upper chamber, turning a deaf ear, in effect, to a no-confidence motion submitted against upper house President Satsuki Eda by the opposition camp. The DPJ feared the motion would be narrowly adopted.
加えて、野党が提出した江田参院議長への不信任決議案なども不測の事態を恐れて事実上黙殺し、本会議を開会しなかった。
The DPJ's high-handed approach to Diet management was a ploy repeatedly used by the party's preceding top brass led by former party Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa and others.
強引な国会運営は、そもそも小沢一郎・前幹事長ら前執行部が繰り返してきたことだ。
===
Move came too late
The DPJ's concession to opposition demands for Budget Committee meetings comes too late. The ruling party should seriously reflect on its conduct in steering Diet sessions. The DPJ must end its overbearing attitude toward the opposition bloc and, instead, seek a dialogue with the rival camp.
遅きに失したとはいえ、野党に歩み寄って予算委の開催に応じたのを機に、民主党は、これまでの国会運営を厳しく反省し、野党との話し合いを重視する姿勢に転換する必要がある。
A spate of politics-and-money scandals involving some DPJ members--most notably Ozawa--remain unresolved. During its days in power, the Liberal Democratic Party accepted opposition demands for scandal-tainted party members, including former prime ministers, to testify in the Diet about their problems. Given this, the DPJ has no reason to keep rejecting demands for its scandal-hit lawmakers and others to be summoned before the legislature.
小沢氏らの「政治とカネ」の問題は依然、未解決のままだ。自民党の場合、疑惑を持たれた政治家は、首相経験者を含めて国会招致に応じてきた。関係者の招致を拒み続けるのは筋が通らない。
The DPJ forcibly arranged for a plenary session of the House of Representatives to vote on a postal reform bill after only six hours of discussions on the legislation at a lower house committee. The bill was eventually scrapped in the last Diet session. Nevertheless, the DPJ should stop slighting Diet debates.
廃案になった郵政改革法案は、わずか６時間の委員会審議だけで採決した。審議軽視の態度も改めるべきだ。
The DPJ's defeat in the July 11 election created a divided Diet. This has made it difficult for the DPJ to bulldoze bills through the Diet.
衆参「ねじれ」国会となり、民主党は、強引に法律を成立させることは困難になった。
These circumstances have apparently encouraged the DPJ to maintain a low profile in dealing with the opposition camp. What is truly required of the DPJ, however, is to end its arrogant Diet management, an approach resulting from its numerical strength in the lower house.
こうした事情が、民主党に低姿勢を促しているのだろうが、民主党に求められるのは、数を頼った驕(おご)りの姿勢からの脱却である。
===
Opposition must play ball
Meanwhile, we hope the opposition parties will behave sensibly. While an opposition party, the DPJ repeatedly rejected government proposals on personnel affairs at important institutions subject to Diet approval. In those days, the LDP-New Komeito coalition had an overwhelming majority in the lower house, while the upper chamber was controlled by the opposition camp.
野党側にも、常識的な対応を求めたい。民主党は野党時代、「ねじれ」国会の下、政府提案の国会同意人事にノーを連発した経緯がある。
The LDP and other opposition parties should not act out of spiteful retaliation toward the DPJ under the circumstances.
野党がこれに対して意趣返しするのは禁物だ。
The upper house will elect its new president and vice president at the outset of the forthcoming extraordinary Diet session.
注目されるのは、臨時国会の冒頭で行う正副議長人事だ。
The opposition camp has insisted Eda not be reelected as upper house president, saying he failed to steer the chamber fairly.
野党側は、公正な国会運営をしなかったとして江田議長の再任を拒んでいる。
However, the opposition parties' bid to choose a new upper house president from their camp is little more than an abuse of their numerical strength for deciding Diet matters. This would run counter to the long-running practice of selecting the upper house president from the predominant party in the chamber--currently the DPJ--and choosing the vice president from the second-largest party in the house.
だが、「比較第１党から議長、第２党から副議長」の慣例に背いて、議長ポストまで狙うのは、それこそ数を頼みにした対応で、問題が多い。
The election of the upper house president and vice president will be the first test of whether the Diet can become a citadel of cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties. We hope both sides will properly discuss the selection of the upper chamber's president and vice president.
与野党協調の国会に改まるかどうか、最初の関門だ。与野党はしっかり協議を重ねてほしい。
The upcoming Budget Committee sessions are expected to focus on such issues as the politics-and-money scandals and Kan's recent remarks about a possible increase in the consumption tax rate. We hope lawmakers will engage in lively verbal battles during the all-too-brief extraordinary session.
予算委では、前国会からの政治とカネの問題や、消費税増税をめぐる菅首相の発言などが論点になりそうだ。限られた日数ではあるが、活発な論戦を期待したい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 23, 2010)
（2010年7月23日01時55分 読売新聞）
No room for arrogance in Diet affairs
臨時国会 強引な運営はもう通用しない（7月23日付・読売社説）
The ruling and opposition parties have agreed to open Budget Committee meetings in both Diet chambers during an extraordinary session to be convened at the end of this month.
月末から始まる臨時国会で、衆参両院の予算委員会が開かれることが決まった。
It is unusual for the legislature to call Budget Committee sessions so soon after a House of Councillors election. However, the ruling camp has bowed to strong demands from the opposition bloc to hold such discussions.
参院選直後の国会での予算委開催は異例だが、野党が強く要求し、与党もこれを受け入れた。
These meetings should have been convened during the last ordinary Diet session--namely, before the July 11 upper house election. This would have enabled Prime Minister Naoto Kan to wage a battle of words with the opposition parties for the first time since he took office.
だが、菅首相が予算委で野党と初めて論戦をかわす場は本来、参院選前の通常国会だったはずだ。
However, the ruling Democratic Party of Japan rejected opposition demands for Budget Committee sessions, and refused to extend the last Diet session. The DPJ's move apparently reflected its belief that the party would fare better in the election if the poll took place while the Cabinet was buoyed by high popular support generated by Kan's replacement of his unpopular predecessor, Yukio Hatoyama.
それなのに民主党は、首相交代で内閣支持率が高いうちに選挙をした方が有利とみて予算委を拒み、国会会期を延長しなかった。
The DPJ also refused to open a plenary session of the upper chamber, turning a deaf ear, in effect, to a no-confidence motion submitted against upper house President Satsuki Eda by the opposition camp. The DPJ feared the motion would be narrowly adopted.
加えて、野党が提出した江田参院議長への不信任決議案なども不測の事態を恐れて事実上黙殺し、本会議を開会しなかった。
The DPJ's high-handed approach to Diet management was a ploy repeatedly used by the party's preceding top brass led by former party Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa and others.
強引な国会運営は、そもそも小沢一郎・前幹事長ら前執行部が繰り返してきたことだ。
===
Move came too late
The DPJ's concession to opposition demands for Budget Committee meetings comes too late. The ruling party should seriously reflect on its conduct in steering Diet sessions. The DPJ must end its overbearing attitude toward the opposition bloc and, instead, seek a dialogue with the rival camp.
遅きに失したとはいえ、野党に歩み寄って予算委の開催に応じたのを機に、民主党は、これまでの国会運営を厳しく反省し、野党との話し合いを重視する姿勢に転換する必要がある。
A spate of politics-and-money scandals involving some DPJ members--most notably Ozawa--remain unresolved. During its days in power, the Liberal Democratic Party accepted opposition demands for scandal-tainted party members, including former prime ministers, to testify in the Diet about their problems. Given this, the DPJ has no reason to keep rejecting demands for its scandal-hit lawmakers and others to be summoned before the legislature.
小沢氏らの「政治とカネ」の問題は依然、未解決のままだ。自民党の場合、疑惑を持たれた政治家は、首相経験者を含めて国会招致に応じてきた。関係者の招致を拒み続けるのは筋が通らない。
The DPJ forcibly arranged for a plenary session of the House of Representatives to vote on a postal reform bill after only six hours of discussions on the legislation at a lower house committee. The bill was eventually scrapped in the last Diet session. Nevertheless, the DPJ should stop slighting Diet debates.
廃案になった郵政改革法案は、わずか６時間の委員会審議だけで採決した。審議軽視の態度も改めるべきだ。
The DPJ's defeat in the July 11 election created a divided Diet. This has made it difficult for the DPJ to bulldoze bills through the Diet.
衆参「ねじれ」国会となり、民主党は、強引に法律を成立させることは困難になった。
These circumstances have apparently encouraged the DPJ to maintain a low profile in dealing with the opposition camp. What is truly required of the DPJ, however, is to end its arrogant Diet management, an approach resulting from its numerical strength in the lower house.
こうした事情が、民主党に低姿勢を促しているのだろうが、民主党に求められるのは、数を頼った驕(おご)りの姿勢からの脱却である。
===
Opposition must play ball
Meanwhile, we hope the opposition parties will behave sensibly. While an opposition party, the DPJ repeatedly rejected government proposals on personnel affairs at important institutions subject to Diet approval. In those days, the LDP-New Komeito coalition had an overwhelming majority in the lower house, while the upper chamber was controlled by the opposition camp.
野党側にも、常識的な対応を求めたい。民主党は野党時代、「ねじれ」国会の下、政府提案の国会同意人事にノーを連発した経緯がある。
The LDP and other opposition parties should not act out of spiteful retaliation toward the DPJ under the circumstances.
野党がこれに対して意趣返しするのは禁物だ。
The upper house will elect its new president and vice president at the outset of the forthcoming extraordinary Diet session.
注目されるのは、臨時国会の冒頭で行う正副議長人事だ。
The opposition camp has insisted Eda not be reelected as upper house president, saying he failed to steer the chamber fairly.
野党側は、公正な国会運営をしなかったとして江田議長の再任を拒んでいる。
However, the opposition parties' bid to choose a new upper house president from their camp is little more than an abuse of their numerical strength for deciding Diet matters. This would run counter to the long-running practice of selecting the upper house president from the predominant party in the chamber--currently the DPJ--and choosing the vice president from the second-largest party in the house.
だが、「比較第１党から議長、第２党から副議長」の慣例に背いて、議長ポストまで狙うのは、それこそ数を頼みにした対応で、問題が多い。
The election of the upper house president and vice president will be the first test of whether the Diet can become a citadel of cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties. We hope both sides will properly discuss the selection of the upper chamber's president and vice president.
与野党協調の国会に改まるかどうか、最初の関門だ。与野党はしっかり協議を重ねてほしい。
The upcoming Budget Committee sessions are expected to focus on such issues as the politics-and-money scandals and Kan's recent remarks about a possible increase in the consumption tax rate. We hope lawmakers will engage in lively verbal battles during the all-too-brief extraordinary session.
予算委では、前国会からの政治とカネの問題や、消費税増税をめぐる菅首相の発言などが論点になりそうだ。限られた日数ではあるが、活発な論戦を期待したい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 23, 2010)
（2010年7月23日01時55分 読売新聞）
2010/07/23
タイ株式投資
３月の後半、２週間ラヨーンのビーチで過ごしましたが、この期間遊びながら旅行代金を稼ぎ出しました。４月のはじめに大きく（私にとって、本当は小さい）タイ株式のある銘柄に投資しましたが全く動きがありませんでした。毎日イライラする状態が4ヶ月も続いたのです。昨日７月２２日に大きな動きがあり株価が上昇、２３日早朝の買いを入れていました。写真は２３日のタイ株式オープン時のものです。
お金持ち（多分外国資本）が大きな買いを入れ、これ一発で勝負がつきました。やっと利益確定ができました。疲れがどっと押し寄せてきていますが、満足です。信念を曲げなかったことが勝利へと導いてくれたのだと思います。
photo by srachai from OCNフォトフレンド
就職留年者急増 職業意識を高め再挑戦しよう
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 23, 2010)
Whet students' appetite for working life
就職留年者急増 職業意識を高め再挑戦しよう（7月22日付・読売社説）
An estimated 79,000 university seniors who failed to find jobs chose to repeat a year despite having reached the end of their studies this spring, according to a recent Yomiuri Shimbun survey.
就職先が見つからず、卒業年限を迎えながら留年する。今春の「就職留年者」と推定される大学生が、約７万９０００人にも上ることが読売新聞の調査でわかった。
The figure equates to one in every seven prospective graduates opting to stay on at school. It also is disturbing to see that about 31,000 students graduated this spring despite failing to secure jobs. All this illustrates the grim employment situation as a result of the corporate sector's severe business environment.
卒業予定者の７人に１人が大学にとどまった計算になる。就職が決まらないまま卒業した大学生も約３万１０００人おり、厳しい経営環境の下での深刻な雇用状況を浮き彫りにしている。
An important factor behind the large number of students choosing to repeat a year because of their unsuccessful hunt for a job is the system by which corporations hire fresh graduates en masse. The system mainly selects successful job applicants from seniors expected to graduate in March. This encourages students to stay on at school if they fail to find work, and look for jobs as fresh graduates, instead of allowing themselves to be treated as graduates from an earlier school year.
就職留年の背景には、「新卒一括採用」と呼ばれる企業の採用形態がある。卒業予定の大学４年生（新卒者）を選考の中心とするため、学生は卒業して既卒者扱いになるより、留年して新卒者として志望する道を選んでいる。
===
Revamp recruitment policy
According to a survey by the Japan Business Federation, about 59 percent of corporations polled said they had no plan to accept graduates from an earlier year as job applicants.
日本経済団体連合会のアンケート調査では、「既卒者を受け付ける予定がない」と回答した企業は約５９％に達した。
We believe these businesses should give students as many chances as possible to find work by, for example, treating past graduates the same as new graduates for a certain period and hiring graduates as employees throughout the year. The corporate sector should reconsider its recruitment method to offer more jobs.
卒業後の一定期間は新卒者と同じ扱いにしたり、年間を通じて採用を行ったりして、学生になるべく多くのチャンスを与えられないか。企業は雇用拡大に向け、採用形態を見直すべきだろう。
It is no less important to educate students about the significance of working. Questions can be raised about whether high schools, colleges and universities have properly taught students what it means to work in society. Many students do not choose a career path before graduating from high school, preferring to go to university before looking for a job.
職業教育も必要だ。高校や大学は、社会で働くことの意味を十分教えてきただろうか。将来どんな職業に就くかという目的意識を持つことなく、取りあえず高校から大学に進学し、そのまま就職活動に臨む学生は多い。
Obviously, many students lack basic scholastic ability. Many corporations are skeptical of the university education system's ability to churn out potentially talented employees.
基礎的な学力不足も目立ち、特に大学教育に対して、企業側には不信感がある。
In February, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry revised its university establishment standards, requiring all universities from the next academic year to raise their students' job consciousness.
文部科学省は２月に大学設置基準を改正し、来年度からすべての大学に対し、職業意識を育む教育を行うことを義務づけた。
Students need more than just cosmetic skills such as the ability to give a polished performance at a job interview. It is essential to encourage students to set postgraduation targets while acquiring skills and moral values indispensable for occupations they hope to take up.
面接テクニックの指導など、小手先の対策ではない。学生一人ひとりに卒業後の目標を立てさせるとともに、目指す職業に必要な能力や倫理観を身に着けさせる教育が肝要である。
===
Onus also on students
It is also necessary for academic and business circles to maintain a dialogue and agree on what abilities and aptitudes should be required of students.
教育界と経済界が対話を重ね、求められる資質についての認識を共有する必要もあろう。
Students also need to think about their own attitude toward job hunting.
一方、学生側も自らを振り返ってみることが大切だ。
Many may well be inclined toward job offers at large corporations, which are more likely to enable them to live a stable life. However, switching jobs and other means can help improve one's career. Doors could open by using experiences gained through jobs that students believe best suit their skills and ambitions.
安定志向から、大企業に志望が偏るのはわかるが、まず自らの適性を見極めて就職し、経験を積んでから、転職などでキャリアアップを図る道もある。
Progress in economic globalization is certain to increase the number of corporations that will employ foreign students studying in this country. This means Japanese students likely will face even greater competition for jobs.
経済のグローバル化で、今後は外国人留学生を採用する企業が増える。日本人学生は、就職戦線でこれまで以上に厳しい競争を強いられることが予想される。
We hope students who have chosen to repeat a year after failing to find work will spend the additional year wisely by, for instance, honing their foreign language and other skills.
例えば語学力を磨くなど、留年した１年を自己研(けん)さんにあて、有意義な時間にしてほしい。（さんは金へんに「先」二つに「貝」）
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 22, 2010)
（2010年7月22日01時44分 読売新聞）
Whet students' appetite for working life
就職留年者急増 職業意識を高め再挑戦しよう（7月22日付・読売社説）
An estimated 79,000 university seniors who failed to find jobs chose to repeat a year despite having reached the end of their studies this spring, according to a recent Yomiuri Shimbun survey.
就職先が見つからず、卒業年限を迎えながら留年する。今春の「就職留年者」と推定される大学生が、約７万９０００人にも上ることが読売新聞の調査でわかった。
The figure equates to one in every seven prospective graduates opting to stay on at school. It also is disturbing to see that about 31,000 students graduated this spring despite failing to secure jobs. All this illustrates the grim employment situation as a result of the corporate sector's severe business environment.
卒業予定者の７人に１人が大学にとどまった計算になる。就職が決まらないまま卒業した大学生も約３万１０００人おり、厳しい経営環境の下での深刻な雇用状況を浮き彫りにしている。
An important factor behind the large number of students choosing to repeat a year because of their unsuccessful hunt for a job is the system by which corporations hire fresh graduates en masse. The system mainly selects successful job applicants from seniors expected to graduate in March. This encourages students to stay on at school if they fail to find work, and look for jobs as fresh graduates, instead of allowing themselves to be treated as graduates from an earlier school year.
就職留年の背景には、「新卒一括採用」と呼ばれる企業の採用形態がある。卒業予定の大学４年生（新卒者）を選考の中心とするため、学生は卒業して既卒者扱いになるより、留年して新卒者として志望する道を選んでいる。
===
Revamp recruitment policy
According to a survey by the Japan Business Federation, about 59 percent of corporations polled said they had no plan to accept graduates from an earlier year as job applicants.
日本経済団体連合会のアンケート調査では、「既卒者を受け付ける予定がない」と回答した企業は約５９％に達した。
We believe these businesses should give students as many chances as possible to find work by, for example, treating past graduates the same as new graduates for a certain period and hiring graduates as employees throughout the year. The corporate sector should reconsider its recruitment method to offer more jobs.
卒業後の一定期間は新卒者と同じ扱いにしたり、年間を通じて採用を行ったりして、学生になるべく多くのチャンスを与えられないか。企業は雇用拡大に向け、採用形態を見直すべきだろう。
It is no less important to educate students about the significance of working. Questions can be raised about whether high schools, colleges and universities have properly taught students what it means to work in society. Many students do not choose a career path before graduating from high school, preferring to go to university before looking for a job.
職業教育も必要だ。高校や大学は、社会で働くことの意味を十分教えてきただろうか。将来どんな職業に就くかという目的意識を持つことなく、取りあえず高校から大学に進学し、そのまま就職活動に臨む学生は多い。
Obviously, many students lack basic scholastic ability. Many corporations are skeptical of the university education system's ability to churn out potentially talented employees.
基礎的な学力不足も目立ち、特に大学教育に対して、企業側には不信感がある。
In February, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry revised its university establishment standards, requiring all universities from the next academic year to raise their students' job consciousness.
文部科学省は２月に大学設置基準を改正し、来年度からすべての大学に対し、職業意識を育む教育を行うことを義務づけた。
Students need more than just cosmetic skills such as the ability to give a polished performance at a job interview. It is essential to encourage students to set postgraduation targets while acquiring skills and moral values indispensable for occupations they hope to take up.
面接テクニックの指導など、小手先の対策ではない。学生一人ひとりに卒業後の目標を立てさせるとともに、目指す職業に必要な能力や倫理観を身に着けさせる教育が肝要である。
===
Onus also on students
It is also necessary for academic and business circles to maintain a dialogue and agree on what abilities and aptitudes should be required of students.
教育界と経済界が対話を重ね、求められる資質についての認識を共有する必要もあろう。
Students also need to think about their own attitude toward job hunting.
一方、学生側も自らを振り返ってみることが大切だ。
Many may well be inclined toward job offers at large corporations, which are more likely to enable them to live a stable life. However, switching jobs and other means can help improve one's career. Doors could open by using experiences gained through jobs that students believe best suit their skills and ambitions.
安定志向から、大企業に志望が偏るのはわかるが、まず自らの適性を見極めて就職し、経験を積んでから、転職などでキャリアアップを図る道もある。
Progress in economic globalization is certain to increase the number of corporations that will employ foreign students studying in this country. This means Japanese students likely will face even greater competition for jobs.
経済のグローバル化で、今後は外国人留学生を採用する企業が増える。日本人学生は、就職戦線でこれまで以上に厳しい競争を強いられることが予想される。
We hope students who have chosen to repeat a year after failing to find work will spend the additional year wisely by, for instance, honing their foreign language and other skills.
例えば語学力を磨くなど、留年した１年を自己研(けん)さんにあて、有意義な時間にしてほしい。（さんは金へんに「先」二つに「貝」）
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 22, 2010)
（2010年7月22日01時44分 読売新聞）
2010/07/22
タイの詩聖スントンプー
今年の３月の後半、２週間に渡りラヨーンのメーラムプンビーチで過ごしました。
最初に現れる写真はタイの詩聖スントンプー記念碑を訪れたときに撮影したものです。
この記念碑はメーラムピンビーチの東側２０ｋｍのところにあります。
クレーンという街に隣接していますが、クレーンはスントンプーの生誕地です。（２００年前）
後半現れる鹿の写真は、私のもう一つの実家（チャイヤプーム）の近くの自然動物園で撮影しました。
この動物園はプミポン国王の建設されたチュラポーンダム（美しいロックフィルダム）を含む広大な保存林の中にあります。プミポン国王はきわめて優れたシビルエンジニアでもあられます。
↓
最初に現れる写真はタイの詩聖スントンプー記念碑を訪れたときに撮影したものです。
この記念碑はメーラムピンビーチの東側２０ｋｍのところにあります。
クレーンという街に隣接していますが、クレーンはスントンプーの生誕地です。（２００年前）
後半現れる鹿の写真は、私のもう一つの実家（チャイヤプーム）の近くの自然動物園で撮影しました。
この動物園はプミポン国王の建設されたチュラポーンダム（美しいロックフィルダム）を含む広大な保存林の中にあります。プミポン国王はきわめて優れたシビルエンジニアでもあられます。
↓
タイの詩聖スントンプー記念碑
今年の３月の後半、２週間に渡りラヨーンのメーラムプンビーチで過ごしました。
最初に現れる写真はタイの詩聖スントンプー記念碑を訪れたときに撮影したものです。
この記念碑はメーラムピンビーチの東側２０ｋｍのところにあります。
クレーンという街に隣接していますが、クレーンはスントンプーの生誕地です。（２００年前）
後半現れる鹿の写真は、私のもう一つの実家（チャイヤプーム）の近くの自然動物園で撮影しました。
この動物園はプミポン国王の建設されたチュラポーンダム（美しいロックフィルダム）を含む広大な保存林の中にあります。プミポン国王はきわめて優れたシビルエンジニアでもあられます。
↓
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS5K130chp8
最初に現れる写真はタイの詩聖スントンプー記念碑を訪れたときに撮影したものです。
この記念碑はメーラムピンビーチの東側２０ｋｍのところにあります。
クレーンという街に隣接していますが、クレーンはスントンプーの生誕地です。（２００年前）
後半現れる鹿の写真は、私のもう一つの実家（チャイヤプーム）の近くの自然動物園で撮影しました。
この動物園はプミポン国王の建設されたチュラポーンダム（美しいロックフィルダム）を含む広大な保存林の中にあります。プミポン国王はきわめて優れたシビルエンジニアでもあられます。
↓
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS5K130chp8
金元工作員来日 政府は「北」に拉致協議を促せ
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 22, 2010)
Nudge North Korea on abduction talks
金元工作員来日 政府は「北」に拉致協議を促せ（7月21日付・読売社説）
Kim Hyon Hui, a former North Korean agent responsible for the fatal 1987 bombing of a Korean Air passenger jet, has arrived in Japan. During her stay through Friday, Kim is scheduled to meet the families of several Japanese abducted decades ago by North Korean agents.
１９８７年の大韓航空機爆破事件の実行犯、金賢姫・元北朝鮮工作員が来日した。２３日までの滞在中、拉致被害者の家族らと面会する。
The Japanese government asked the South Korean government to allow Kim--who now lives in the South--to visit Japan to "generate resentment toward the abductions and prick public awareness of the issue." The visit comes against the backdrop of South Korean President Lee Myung Bak's hard-line stance against North Korea.
「国民に拉致事件への憤りと関心を持ってもらう」ためにと、政府が韓国側に来日を働きかけてきた。拉致被害者の家族も要望していた。背景には、韓国の李明博政権が北朝鮮に厳しい姿勢をとっていることもある。
As part of her special spy training, Kim received lessons she said were "designed to transform her into a perfect Japanese" between 1981 and 1983 in North Korea. Kim's instructor was Yaeko Taguchi, who was abducted from Tokyo in 1978.
金元工作員は、特殊訓練の一環として８１年から８３年にかけて「完全な日本人になりきる」教育を北朝鮮で受けた。その時の教師役が７８年に東京から拉致された田口八重子さんだった。
During questioning by Japanese and South Korean authorities, and in her autobiography, Kim gave detailed accounts on the lead-up to and execution of the KAL bombing. In March last year, she met with Taguchi's relatives in Busan, South Korea.
金元工作員は、爆破事件までの過程を、日韓当局の聴取や手記の中で詳細に語っている。田口さんの家族との面会は、昨年３月に韓国・釜山で実現している。
===
Little room for optimism
Kim later told Japanese officials she had met with Megumi Yokota, a Japanese abducted by Pyongyang's agents from Niigata in 1977.
We do not hold much hope that Kim will provide any new information that might shed light on the fate of the abductees.
その後、拉致被害者の横田めぐみさんとも「北朝鮮で会ったことがある」と、新たな証言をしたものの、拉致被害者の安否にかかわる決定的な情報が明かされることは、期待しにくい。
Nevertheless, we hope Kim will sincerely engage with abductees' family members, who are desperate for any crumb of information about how their loved ones lived after being snatched away.
それでも、拉致後の消息を少しでも知りたいと思う拉致被害者の家族の気持ちに、金元工作員は誠実に応えるべきだ。
The South Korean government has concluded a torpedo fired by a North Korean submarine sank a South Korean Navy ship in March. This incident encapsulates just how North Korea's nature as a terrorist state has not changed one jot.
哨戒艦沈没事件で、韓国政府が「北朝鮮の魚雷攻撃」と断定するなど、北朝鮮のテロ国家の本質は何も変わっていない。
North Korea has promised it would reinvestigate the fate of Japanese abductees that Tokyo believes could still be alive. However, Pyongyang has made no tangible progress on the reinvestigation, so bilateral negotiations on the issue have been locked in a stalemate for nearly two years.
拉致問題でも拉致被害者の再調査の約束を実行しないまま、日朝間協議は２年近く進展がない。
Kim's visit to Japan is partly intended to demonstrate that the Democratic Party of Japan-led government is seriously tackling the abduction issue. However, we believe it is even more important to bring to light the entire picture of the abductions by North Korean agents and step up pressure on Pyongyang to return the abductees to Japan.
金元工作員の来日は、民主党政権が拉致問題に真剣に取り組んでいる姿勢を示す狙いもあるのだろう。しかし、拉致の真相究明や被害者の帰国に向けた北朝鮮への働きかけを強めていくことこそ、重要である。
===
Political decision
Kim's visit has not been without its problems.
今回の来日には問題もある。
Firstly, Kim is a former death row inmate. She was sentenced to death in South Korea in 1989 for her role in the airliner bombing, but was freed by a presidential pardon in 1990.
金元工作員は韓国で死刑判決を受け、その後、特別赦免となった元死刑囚だ。
From Japan's perspective, Kim is a suspect in a case involving a forged official document. She allegedly traveled with a fake Japanese passport under the name of Mayumi Hachiya in the airliner bombing.
同時に、日本からすれば、大韓機を爆破した際に日本人名義の偽造旅券を使った偽造公文書行使の容疑者である。
The Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law bars foreign nationals who have been sentenced to one year or more in jail from entering Japan, with political prisoners as exceptions.
出入国管理・難民認定法は、政治犯を除き、国の内外で１年以上の懲役・禁固刑を受けた外国人の入国を認めていない。
Justice Minister Keiko Chiba issued a special permit for Kim to enter Japan in line with a special provision under the immigration law.
今回は同法の特例の規定に基づき、千葉法相が特別に上陸許可を出した。
Japanese police would normally be expected to question Kim as a suspect, but they plan to forgo questioning her this time.
警察は本来なら金元工作員を容疑者として事情聴取すべきなのだが、それも見送る方針だ。
The government may have made a political decision it believes best serves the national interest. But we think the government should give the public a detailed explanation of the reasoning behind its decision.
こうした措置が国益にかなうという政治判断はあり得るが、その理由については、政府として詳しく説明すべきだろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 21, 2010)
（2010年7月21日01時36分 読売新聞）
Nudge North Korea on abduction talks
金元工作員来日 政府は「北」に拉致協議を促せ（7月21日付・読売社説）
Kim Hyon Hui, a former North Korean agent responsible for the fatal 1987 bombing of a Korean Air passenger jet, has arrived in Japan. During her stay through Friday, Kim is scheduled to meet the families of several Japanese abducted decades ago by North Korean agents.
１９８７年の大韓航空機爆破事件の実行犯、金賢姫・元北朝鮮工作員が来日した。２３日までの滞在中、拉致被害者の家族らと面会する。
The Japanese government asked the South Korean government to allow Kim--who now lives in the South--to visit Japan to "generate resentment toward the abductions and prick public awareness of the issue." The visit comes against the backdrop of South Korean President Lee Myung Bak's hard-line stance against North Korea.
「国民に拉致事件への憤りと関心を持ってもらう」ためにと、政府が韓国側に来日を働きかけてきた。拉致被害者の家族も要望していた。背景には、韓国の李明博政権が北朝鮮に厳しい姿勢をとっていることもある。
As part of her special spy training, Kim received lessons she said were "designed to transform her into a perfect Japanese" between 1981 and 1983 in North Korea. Kim's instructor was Yaeko Taguchi, who was abducted from Tokyo in 1978.
金元工作員は、特殊訓練の一環として８１年から８３年にかけて「完全な日本人になりきる」教育を北朝鮮で受けた。その時の教師役が７８年に東京から拉致された田口八重子さんだった。
During questioning by Japanese and South Korean authorities, and in her autobiography, Kim gave detailed accounts on the lead-up to and execution of the KAL bombing. In March last year, she met with Taguchi's relatives in Busan, South Korea.
金元工作員は、爆破事件までの過程を、日韓当局の聴取や手記の中で詳細に語っている。田口さんの家族との面会は、昨年３月に韓国・釜山で実現している。
===
Little room for optimism
Kim later told Japanese officials she had met with Megumi Yokota, a Japanese abducted by Pyongyang's agents from Niigata in 1977.
We do not hold much hope that Kim will provide any new information that might shed light on the fate of the abductees.
その後、拉致被害者の横田めぐみさんとも「北朝鮮で会ったことがある」と、新たな証言をしたものの、拉致被害者の安否にかかわる決定的な情報が明かされることは、期待しにくい。
Nevertheless, we hope Kim will sincerely engage with abductees' family members, who are desperate for any crumb of information about how their loved ones lived after being snatched away.
それでも、拉致後の消息を少しでも知りたいと思う拉致被害者の家族の気持ちに、金元工作員は誠実に応えるべきだ。
The South Korean government has concluded a torpedo fired by a North Korean submarine sank a South Korean Navy ship in March. This incident encapsulates just how North Korea's nature as a terrorist state has not changed one jot.
哨戒艦沈没事件で、韓国政府が「北朝鮮の魚雷攻撃」と断定するなど、北朝鮮のテロ国家の本質は何も変わっていない。
North Korea has promised it would reinvestigate the fate of Japanese abductees that Tokyo believes could still be alive. However, Pyongyang has made no tangible progress on the reinvestigation, so bilateral negotiations on the issue have been locked in a stalemate for nearly two years.
拉致問題でも拉致被害者の再調査の約束を実行しないまま、日朝間協議は２年近く進展がない。
Kim's visit to Japan is partly intended to demonstrate that the Democratic Party of Japan-led government is seriously tackling the abduction issue. However, we believe it is even more important to bring to light the entire picture of the abductions by North Korean agents and step up pressure on Pyongyang to return the abductees to Japan.
金元工作員の来日は、民主党政権が拉致問題に真剣に取り組んでいる姿勢を示す狙いもあるのだろう。しかし、拉致の真相究明や被害者の帰国に向けた北朝鮮への働きかけを強めていくことこそ、重要である。
===
Political decision
Kim's visit has not been without its problems.
今回の来日には問題もある。
Firstly, Kim is a former death row inmate. She was sentenced to death in South Korea in 1989 for her role in the airliner bombing, but was freed by a presidential pardon in 1990.
金元工作員は韓国で死刑判決を受け、その後、特別赦免となった元死刑囚だ。
From Japan's perspective, Kim is a suspect in a case involving a forged official document. She allegedly traveled with a fake Japanese passport under the name of Mayumi Hachiya in the airliner bombing.
同時に、日本からすれば、大韓機を爆破した際に日本人名義の偽造旅券を使った偽造公文書行使の容疑者である。
The Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law bars foreign nationals who have been sentenced to one year or more in jail from entering Japan, with political prisoners as exceptions.
出入国管理・難民認定法は、政治犯を除き、国の内外で１年以上の懲役・禁固刑を受けた外国人の入国を認めていない。
Justice Minister Keiko Chiba issued a special permit for Kim to enter Japan in line with a special provision under the immigration law.
今回は同法の特例の規定に基づき、千葉法相が特別に上陸許可を出した。
Japanese police would normally be expected to question Kim as a suspect, but they plan to forgo questioning her this time.
警察は本来なら金元工作員を容疑者として事情聴取すべきなのだが、それも見送る方針だ。
The government may have made a political decision it believes best serves the national interest. But we think the government should give the public a detailed explanation of the reasoning behind its decision.
こうした措置が国益にかなうという政治判断はあり得るが、その理由については、政府として詳しく説明すべきだろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 21, 2010)
（2010年7月21日01時36分 読売新聞）
2010/07/21
明と暗
１００名以上の犠牲者を出した大韓航空爆破事件、主犯格の一人金賢姫（キム・ヒョンヒ）の犯した罪は消えない。
北朝鮮の強い要望で韓国政府から恩赦を受け死刑囚から一般人に復帰している。
マスコミも金賢姫（キム・ヒョンヒ）元死刑囚に同情的で彼女の犯罪を仕方がなかったと受け入れる認識だが、なんだか割り切れない気分がするのは私一人だけであろうか。
昨日金賢姫元死刑囚が来日、拉致被害者と面会を果たした。
彼女は拉致被害者の気持ちを考えて少しでも手助けをしたいのだろう。
けれどもあの大きな衝撃の事件を忘れ去って良いものだろうか。
明と暗、今朝、金賢姫元死刑囚来日の記事を読みながら、そんなことを考えていた。
罪は許されたと言うのでしょうか？
srachai from khonkaen, thailand
cite from Mainichi Jp
＜金賢姫元死刑囚＞田口さん絶対生きている…長男らと面会
初来日した北朝鮮の元工作員、金賢姫（キム・ヒョンヒ）元死刑囚（４８）が２０日、拉致被害者の田口八重子さん（行方不明時２２歳）の長男、飯塚耕一郎さん（３３）と兄で拉致被害者家族会代表の飯塚繁雄さん（７２）と、長野県軽井沢町の鳩山由紀夫前首相の別荘で面会した。昨年３月に韓国で初めて会って以来の再会。繁雄さんは会見で「金さんは改めて『（田口さんは）絶対生きている。そのうち帰ってくる』と言ってくれた。大事な生き証人として今後も（交流を）つなげていきたい」と述べた。【合田月美、袴田貴行】
cite from wikipedia
2010年7月20日早朝、政府のチャーター機で来日が実現。23日まで日本に滞在し、拉致被害者家族と面会する予定である。滞在の場所として鳩山由紀夫元総理大臣の軽井沢別荘が警備上等の理由で選ばれている。日本政府は元来、死刑囚の入国は出入国管理及び難民認定法の規定で認めていないが、法務大臣が出入国管理及び難民認定法の12条特例条項を適用して入国を認め、日本の警察も旅券偽造容疑による事情聴取も今回来日中は見送る方針である。
1987年11月29日 - 平壌の順安飛行場から、モスクワ・オーストリア・ベオグラードを経てバグダッドに到着し、ここからKAL858号機に乗り込んだ。アブダビでパナソニックのAM/FMラジオRF-082型（実際にラジオとして動作する）に偽装した時限爆弾と、酒瓶に詰めた液体爆弾を青のビニール製ショッピングバッグに詰め、座席 (7B、7C) の上の棚に置いたまま二人は飛行機を降り、バーレーンに向かう。
大韓航空858便（ボーイング707、登録記号HL7406）は、イラクのバグダッドを出発し、アラブ首長国連邦のアブダビ、タイ王国のバンコクを経由して韓国のソウルに向かうフライトプランであった。この便の乗客のほとんどは中近東への出稼ぎから帰る韓国人労働者だった。
パイロットは緊急信号や地上の管制塔に緊急事態を宣言する間もなく、爆発の衝撃で即死した[2]と見られる。乗客・乗員115人全員が行方不明（12月19日に全員死亡と認定）となった。
北朝鮮の強い要望で韓国政府から恩赦を受け死刑囚から一般人に復帰している。
マスコミも金賢姫（キム・ヒョンヒ）元死刑囚に同情的で彼女の犯罪を仕方がなかったと受け入れる認識だが、なんだか割り切れない気分がするのは私一人だけであろうか。
昨日金賢姫元死刑囚が来日、拉致被害者と面会を果たした。
彼女は拉致被害者の気持ちを考えて少しでも手助けをしたいのだろう。
けれどもあの大きな衝撃の事件を忘れ去って良いものだろうか。
明と暗、今朝、金賢姫元死刑囚来日の記事を読みながら、そんなことを考えていた。
罪は許されたと言うのでしょうか？
srachai from khonkaen, thailand
cite from Mainichi Jp
＜金賢姫元死刑囚＞田口さん絶対生きている…長男らと面会
初来日した北朝鮮の元工作員、金賢姫（キム・ヒョンヒ）元死刑囚（４８）が２０日、拉致被害者の田口八重子さん（行方不明時２２歳）の長男、飯塚耕一郎さん（３３）と兄で拉致被害者家族会代表の飯塚繁雄さん（７２）と、長野県軽井沢町の鳩山由紀夫前首相の別荘で面会した。昨年３月に韓国で初めて会って以来の再会。繁雄さんは会見で「金さんは改めて『（田口さんは）絶対生きている。そのうち帰ってくる』と言ってくれた。大事な生き証人として今後も（交流を）つなげていきたい」と述べた。【合田月美、袴田貴行】
cite from wikipedia
2010年7月20日早朝、政府のチャーター機で来日が実現。23日まで日本に滞在し、拉致被害者家族と面会する予定である。滞在の場所として鳩山由紀夫元総理大臣の軽井沢別荘が警備上等の理由で選ばれている。日本政府は元来、死刑囚の入国は出入国管理及び難民認定法の規定で認めていないが、法務大臣が出入国管理及び難民認定法の12条特例条項を適用して入国を認め、日本の警察も旅券偽造容疑による事情聴取も今回来日中は見送る方針である。
1987年11月29日 - 平壌の順安飛行場から、モスクワ・オーストリア・ベオグラードを経てバグダッドに到着し、ここからKAL858号機に乗り込んだ。アブダビでパナソニックのAM/FMラジオRF-082型（実際にラジオとして動作する）に偽装した時限爆弾と、酒瓶に詰めた液体爆弾を青のビニール製ショッピングバッグに詰め、座席 (7B、7C) の上の棚に置いたまま二人は飛行機を降り、バーレーンに向かう。
大韓航空858便（ボーイング707、登録記号HL7406）は、イラクのバグダッドを出発し、アラブ首長国連邦のアブダビ、タイ王国のバンコクを経由して韓国のソウルに向かうフライトプランであった。この便の乗客のほとんどは中近東への出稼ぎから帰る韓国人労働者だった。
パイロットは緊急信号や地上の管制塔に緊急事態を宣言する間もなく、爆発の衝撃で即死した[2]と見られる。乗客・乗員115人全員が行方不明（12月19日に全員死亡と認定）となった。
日中間Ｍ＆Ａ―強みを生かす融合の時代
2010/07/20--The Asahi Shimbun, July 19
EDITORIAL: Closer Japan-China ties.
日中間Ｍ＆Ａ―強みを生かす融合の時代
Chinese companies are increasingly eyeing mergers and acquisitions (M&As) with Japanese companies. High-end clothing maker Renown Inc. becoming an affiliate of a large Chinese textiles company is but one example. These moves symbolize the coming of an era of increased business management fusion between China and Japan.
日本企業に対する中国企業の合併・買収（Ｍ＆Ａ）の動きが活発化してきた。高級衣料のレナウンが中国の大手繊維メーカーの傘下に入ることもその一例で、日中間の経営融合が進む時代の到来を象徴している。
Renown, which is now restructuring its management, will hold an extraordinary shareholders' meeting to decide whether to accept a 40-percent injection of capital investment from Shandong Ruyi Science and Technology Group.
経営再建中のレナウンは、山東如意科技集団から４割の出資を仰ぐことなどを臨時株主総会で決める。
Renown has been suffering under the onslaught of new competition, unable to move out of its old business model that relied on department store sales. Renown has famous brand products and the company has strong management skills.
レナウンは百貨店依存の古いビジネスモデルから脱却できず、新興勢力に押しまくられてきたが、有名ブランドや優れた品質管理力をもつ。
Shangdon Ruyi, on the other hand, is strong in high-end wool textiles, courtesy of its unique spinning technology. But it is still weak in terms of merchandising and brand-development strategies.
一方の山東如意は、独自の紡績技術を基に高級毛織物で強みを持つ半面、衣料の製品企画力やブランド戦略のノウハウではなお弱さを抱える。
The heads of the two companies said they will try to nurture a cooperative relationship "like brothers" and become a shining example of a new kind of M&A between Japan and China, where each company complements the other. This will help to advance both the development of the Chinese market and business innovation in Japan.
双方が補い合い、中国市場の開拓と日本でのビジネス変革を進める。「兄弟のような」と両社トップが語る協力関係を築き、日中間の新しいＭ＆Ａの良き先例となってほしい。
Previously, it was a one-way street with Japanese companies buying Chinese businesses. The collapse of Lehman Brothers in fall 2008 changed the tide. Chinese enterprises, which continue to grow, have begun buying Japanese companies even though they have particular skills and business know-how. More management fusion between Japan and China via M&As should occur.
以前は日本企業が中国企業を買う一方だったが、リーマン・ショックで流れが変わった。成長を続ける中国企業が、技術やノウハウを持ってはいるが経営難にある日本企業を買うようになった。Ｍ＆Ａを通じた日中の経営融合は、もっと起きていい。
Some people fear there will be an outflow of Japanese technology. But if this is in a specific area that Japan simply cannot let go, then there are ways to prevent a skills drain, with the cooperation of business partners and, if necessary, government support.
「日本の技術が流出する」との警戒感もあるが、本当に譲れない分野なら取引先の連帯や、場合によっては政府の支援などで守ればいい。
Rather, in order to open up a path whereby Japanese companies can better utilize their accumulated skills and know-how, perhaps they should approach M&A proposals more aggressively.
むしろ日本企業が蓄えてきた技術やノウハウをもっと生かす道を切り開くためには、Ｍ＆Ａに前向きに取り組むべきではないだろうか。
To help blend into the Chinese market, Japanese companies should consider how to get more people in China to understand Japanese business practices. M&As are one way of removing national barriers within management. It would be the quickest way to enhance Chinese appreciation of Japanese technology and tastes and demonstrate that these qualities will work to increase China's prosperity.
とりわけ中国市場に溶け込むには、経営の中から国境を取り除く効果が期待できるＭ＆Ａを通じて、中国側に理解者を増やすことを考えてはどうか。日本の技術や感性の「良さ」への評価を広げ、中国の豊かさにも役立つことを示すのが近道だ。
In the case of golf club maker Honma Golf Co., which was absorbed by a conglomerate of Chinese retailers, it was the Chinese who admired Honma's high-grade artisan club sets, which cost millions of yen. Now, they are planning to market the clubs to China's new rich class.
中国の小売業などの連合体の傘下に入った本間ゴルフでは、職人技で作られた数百万円もする高級クラブセットに中国側が惚（ほ）れ込み、富裕層に向けて売ろうとしている。
The winds of fusion are bringing change to Japanese enterprises, too. The business style of Japanese electronics retailer Laox Co. changed markedly during the past year or so after Suning Appliance Co. of Nanjing took over. 「融合」は日本での事業にも新風を吹き込む。家電量販店ラオックスの経営は、南京市の蘇寧電器集団の傘下に入ったこの１年余で激変した。
Its flagship shop in Akihabara, Tokyo, is at the forefront of international retail. Of the 116 sales clerks, 60 percent are not Japanese, but Chinese, Russian, Brazilian and so on. Staff can handle inquiries in 23 languages. This turned the tide, which had been constantly on the decline.
東京・秋葉原にある本店は国際化の最先端を行く。１１６人の店員の６割は中国、ロシア、ブラジルなどの外国人。２３の言語で顧客対応できる。縮小一辺倒だった流れを逆転した。
Japanese companies that have entered into business ventures in China are also appointing more Chinese to top executive positions, so fusion is progressing.
中国に進出した日本企業の間でも、中国人を経営上層部に登用する動きが広がり、融合は進みつつある。
In the Chinese classic "Yi Jing," there is a passage that goes as follows: "When hard-pressed, things will change; when things change, a path will open; when a path opens, it will last." Thus, in order to adapt to change and open up a vision for the future, it is important to pursue the path of fusion that utilizes each other's strong points.
中国の古典「易経」に「窮すれば変ず、変ずれば通ず、通ずれば久し」とある。変化に対応して未来への展望を開くには、互いの長所を生かした「融合」の道を極めることが大切だ。
EDITORIAL: Closer Japan-China ties.
日中間Ｍ＆Ａ―強みを生かす融合の時代
Chinese companies are increasingly eyeing mergers and acquisitions (M&As) with Japanese companies. High-end clothing maker Renown Inc. becoming an affiliate of a large Chinese textiles company is but one example. These moves symbolize the coming of an era of increased business management fusion between China and Japan.
日本企業に対する中国企業の合併・買収（Ｍ＆Ａ）の動きが活発化してきた。高級衣料のレナウンが中国の大手繊維メーカーの傘下に入ることもその一例で、日中間の経営融合が進む時代の到来を象徴している。
Renown, which is now restructuring its management, will hold an extraordinary shareholders' meeting to decide whether to accept a 40-percent injection of capital investment from Shandong Ruyi Science and Technology Group.
経営再建中のレナウンは、山東如意科技集団から４割の出資を仰ぐことなどを臨時株主総会で決める。
Renown has been suffering under the onslaught of new competition, unable to move out of its old business model that relied on department store sales. Renown has famous brand products and the company has strong management skills.
レナウンは百貨店依存の古いビジネスモデルから脱却できず、新興勢力に押しまくられてきたが、有名ブランドや優れた品質管理力をもつ。
Shangdon Ruyi, on the other hand, is strong in high-end wool textiles, courtesy of its unique spinning technology. But it is still weak in terms of merchandising and brand-development strategies.
一方の山東如意は、独自の紡績技術を基に高級毛織物で強みを持つ半面、衣料の製品企画力やブランド戦略のノウハウではなお弱さを抱える。
The heads of the two companies said they will try to nurture a cooperative relationship "like brothers" and become a shining example of a new kind of M&A between Japan and China, where each company complements the other. This will help to advance both the development of the Chinese market and business innovation in Japan.
双方が補い合い、中国市場の開拓と日本でのビジネス変革を進める。「兄弟のような」と両社トップが語る協力関係を築き、日中間の新しいＭ＆Ａの良き先例となってほしい。
Previously, it was a one-way street with Japanese companies buying Chinese businesses. The collapse of Lehman Brothers in fall 2008 changed the tide. Chinese enterprises, which continue to grow, have begun buying Japanese companies even though they have particular skills and business know-how. More management fusion between Japan and China via M&As should occur.
以前は日本企業が中国企業を買う一方だったが、リーマン・ショックで流れが変わった。成長を続ける中国企業が、技術やノウハウを持ってはいるが経営難にある日本企業を買うようになった。Ｍ＆Ａを通じた日中の経営融合は、もっと起きていい。
Some people fear there will be an outflow of Japanese technology. But if this is in a specific area that Japan simply cannot let go, then there are ways to prevent a skills drain, with the cooperation of business partners and, if necessary, government support.
「日本の技術が流出する」との警戒感もあるが、本当に譲れない分野なら取引先の連帯や、場合によっては政府の支援などで守ればいい。
Rather, in order to open up a path whereby Japanese companies can better utilize their accumulated skills and know-how, perhaps they should approach M&A proposals more aggressively.
むしろ日本企業が蓄えてきた技術やノウハウをもっと生かす道を切り開くためには、Ｍ＆Ａに前向きに取り組むべきではないだろうか。
To help blend into the Chinese market, Japanese companies should consider how to get more people in China to understand Japanese business practices. M&As are one way of removing national barriers within management. It would be the quickest way to enhance Chinese appreciation of Japanese technology and tastes and demonstrate that these qualities will work to increase China's prosperity.
とりわけ中国市場に溶け込むには、経営の中から国境を取り除く効果が期待できるＭ＆Ａを通じて、中国側に理解者を増やすことを考えてはどうか。日本の技術や感性の「良さ」への評価を広げ、中国の豊かさにも役立つことを示すのが近道だ。
In the case of golf club maker Honma Golf Co., which was absorbed by a conglomerate of Chinese retailers, it was the Chinese who admired Honma's high-grade artisan club sets, which cost millions of yen. Now, they are planning to market the clubs to China's new rich class.
中国の小売業などの連合体の傘下に入った本間ゴルフでは、職人技で作られた数百万円もする高級クラブセットに中国側が惚（ほ）れ込み、富裕層に向けて売ろうとしている。
The winds of fusion are bringing change to Japanese enterprises, too. The business style of Japanese electronics retailer Laox Co. changed markedly during the past year or so after Suning Appliance Co. of Nanjing took over. 「融合」は日本での事業にも新風を吹き込む。家電量販店ラオックスの経営は、南京市の蘇寧電器集団の傘下に入ったこの１年余で激変した。
Its flagship shop in Akihabara, Tokyo, is at the forefront of international retail. Of the 116 sales clerks, 60 percent are not Japanese, but Chinese, Russian, Brazilian and so on. Staff can handle inquiries in 23 languages. This turned the tide, which had been constantly on the decline.
東京・秋葉原にある本店は国際化の最先端を行く。１１６人の店員の６割は中国、ロシア、ブラジルなどの外国人。２３の言語で顧客対応できる。縮小一辺倒だった流れを逆転した。
Japanese companies that have entered into business ventures in China are also appointing more Chinese to top executive positions, so fusion is progressing.
中国に進出した日本企業の間でも、中国人を経営上層部に登用する動きが広がり、融合は進みつつある。
In the Chinese classic "Yi Jing," there is a passage that goes as follows: "When hard-pressed, things will change; when things change, a path will open; when a path opens, it will last." Thus, in order to adapt to change and open up a vision for the future, it is important to pursue the path of fusion that utilizes each other's strong points.
中国の古典「易経」に「窮すれば変ず、変ずれば通ず、通ずれば久し」とある。変化に対応して未来への展望を開くには、互いの長所を生かした「融合」の道を極めることが大切だ。
2010/07/20
マニラの日本大使館の職員が自殺した事件の真相
私のお友達マニラの棟朝淳州（むねともあつくに）さんのブログです。
http://manilaboy.blog66.fc2.com/blog-entry-19.html#cm
下の一節はそのブログより引用しました。
↓
その後のことだが、自民党のある代議士（名前をだすと問題かな）が、フィリピンでご法度の蝶々探しに大使館員が参加。運悪く その中の一人が高圧電線にふれて死亡。それをアレンジした大使館員もその後自殺。という不幸な出来事があったが、住職はその亡くなられた方のお嬢様の面倒を見られている。今度日本の大学からフィリピンの大学に英語教育のために転向させるとのこと住職のお心には頭が下がります。
(このご住職は浄土宗本願寺、東京調布の延浄寺のご住職網代氏です）
私はこの事件が気になり、コメントをしました。
↓
しばらく前に｢フィリピンで大使館員が自殺｣という新聞の見出しを見た覚えがありますが、私の覚え違いでしょうか。単なる事故ではすまされないと思いますが、問題の代議士は処分されたのでしょうか。
それにしても立派な住職もいるものですね。
日本人として誇りに思います。
今日まったく偶然にフィリピン通らしき人のブログでこの事件を再確認できました。
長く喉につかえていたものがとれて、ようやく真相に一歩近づくことができました。
↓
http://bartolina.blog4.fc2.com/blog-entry-253.html#more
鳩山邦夫元法務大臣、人間じゃない。
人間として全く許しがたい悪鬼の所業です。
日向氏の長女と名乗る方からからの上記ブログへのコメント
↓
『 日向博美の長女です。ちっちゃなシジミチョウを好むということで、それを捕まえに父は行き、そして、鳩山氏一行がチョウの隠れる草むらをパタパタさせていたのをみて、俺に任せな！って感じで父は竿を振り上げていたそうです。軽いからいつも使う竿はカーボンな父でした。父が病院へ運ばれたときには直ぐにホテルに帰る。そして次の日以降も蝶取り。こんな人の為にクリスマスを、命を犠牲にした父が一番憎たらしいです。 』
http://manilaboy.blog66.fc2.com/blog-entry-19.html#cm
下の一節はそのブログより引用しました。
↓
その後のことだが、自民党のある代議士（名前をだすと問題かな）が、フィリピンでご法度の蝶々探しに大使館員が参加。運悪く その中の一人が高圧電線にふれて死亡。それをアレンジした大使館員もその後自殺。という不幸な出来事があったが、住職はその亡くなられた方のお嬢様の面倒を見られている。今度日本の大学からフィリピンの大学に英語教育のために転向させるとのこと住職のお心には頭が下がります。
(このご住職は浄土宗本願寺、東京調布の延浄寺のご住職網代氏です）
私はこの事件が気になり、コメントをしました。
↓
しばらく前に｢フィリピンで大使館員が自殺｣という新聞の見出しを見た覚えがありますが、私の覚え違いでしょうか。単なる事故ではすまされないと思いますが、問題の代議士は処分されたのでしょうか。
それにしても立派な住職もいるものですね。
日本人として誇りに思います。
今日まったく偶然にフィリピン通らしき人のブログでこの事件を再確認できました。
長く喉につかえていたものがとれて、ようやく真相に一歩近づくことができました。
↓
http://bartolina.blog4.fc2.com/blog-entry-253.html#more
鳩山邦夫元法務大臣、人間じゃない。
人間として全く許しがたい悪鬼の所業です。
日向氏の長女と名乗る方からからの上記ブログへのコメント
↓
『 日向博美の長女です。ちっちゃなシジミチョウを好むということで、それを捕まえに父は行き、そして、鳩山氏一行がチョウの隠れる草むらをパタパタさせていたのをみて、俺に任せな！って感じで父は竿を振り上げていたそうです。軽いからいつも使う竿はカーボンな父でした。父が病院へ運ばれたときには直ぐにホテルに帰る。そして次の日以降も蝶取り。こんな人の為にクリスマスを、命を犠牲にした父が一番憎たらしいです。 』
財政健全化 来年度予算の編成が試金石だ
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 20, 2010)
Drawing up next year's budget a touchstone
財政健全化 来年度予算の編成が試金石だ（7月19日付・読売社説）
The Cabinet of Prime Minister Naoto Kan faces difficulty managing policy due to his party's debilitating defeat in the House of Councillors election. Whatever the effects of the poll, the fact that Japan faces a serious fiscal crisis remains unchanged.
参院選での敗北で、菅内閣は難しい政策運営を迫られているが、日本が深刻な財政危機に直面する状況に変化はない。
The fiscal 2011 budget, compilation of which will start soon, must be the first step Kan takes toward putting state finances back on sound footing.
首相は、編成作業が間もなくスタートする２０１１年度予算を、財政健全化の一歩としなければならない。
Of the 92 trillion yen in spending in the fiscal 2010 budget, a mere 37 trillion yen can be covered by tax revenue. After including nontax revenue, the 44 trillion yen shortfall must be made up for by issuing government bonds.
歳出総額９２兆円のうち、税収で賄えるのは３７兆円だけ。税外収入をかき集めても不足する４４兆円は国債発行頼み――。これが１０年度予算の実態である。
Moreover, the combined long-term debt of the central and local governments adds up to a staggering 862 trillion yen, the worst among industrialized nations.
加えて、国と地方を合わせた長期債務は８６２兆円と、先進国で最悪の水準だ。
Because of the concern that Japan will follow Greece on a path of fiscal meltdown, Kan called for raising the consumption tax rate and restraining government spending.
この状況を放置すればギリシャの二の舞いになるとして、菅首相が訴えたのが消費税率引き上げであり、歳出の抑制である。
==
Spending-cut framework
The government has already established a framework for curbing spending.
そのうち、歳出抑制については大枠が設定済みだ。
In the fiscal management strategy approved by the Cabinet last month, the government decided to cap expenditures, which consist of general-account spending and tax grants allocated to local governments, at 71 trillion yen, the figure for fiscal 2010, in the fiscal 2011 to fiscal 2013 budgets. Government bond issuance was set at no more than 44 trillion yen for fiscal 2011.
先月閣議決定した「財政運営戦略」で、１１年度～１３年度予算では地方交付税と一般歳出を合わせた支出を、１０年度と同じ７１兆円以下にすることが決められた。また、１１年度の国債発行額は、４４兆円を上限とすることも明記された。
However, the proposed plan to cut government spending is insufficient because what was used as a reference, the fiscal 2010 budget, was a typical example of a bloated budget.
だが、放漫財政の典型とされた１０年度予算と同じ規模では、歳出削減策として不十分だ。
The government must seriously reexamine the handout policies based on the Democratic Party of Japan's manifesto for last summer's House of Representatives election.
昨年の衆院選で民主党が掲げた政権公約（マニフェスト）に基づくバラマキ政策を、大胆に見直すことが肝要である。
The budget for the current fiscal year includes a large portion of allocations to cover child-rearing allowances, for income compensation for farming households, and to make some expressway portions toll-free.
１０年度予算には、子ども手当や農家への戸別所得補償、高速道路の一部無料化などに、多額の予算が計上されている。
In its campaign platform for the recent upper house poll, the DPJ pledged to maintain and expand these handout policies, raising the fear that government spending will increase further. Given the dire fiscal situation, the government cannot afford to continue such spending policies.
民主党は参院選で、こうした政策の継続・拡大を公約しており、歳出がさらに膨らむ恐れがある。財政難のおり、こうした施策を続ける余裕はないはずだ。
With this in mind, a ceiling on budgetary requests made by government ministries and agencies becomes indispensable.
その意味で、予算要求の段階で縛りをかける概算要求基準（シーリング）が重要となる。
===
Secure revenue sources first
In compiling the current fiscal budget, the administration of former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama eliminated the ceiling established by the previous government formed by the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner New Komeito. This led to government offices making unlimited budgetary requests and eventually to bloated government spending.
１０年度予算では、自公政権が設定したシーリングを鳩山内閣が撤廃したため、各省庁から要求が際限なく出され、結局、削減しきれずに歳出が大きく膨らんだ。
Reflecting on this, the Kan Cabinet was scheduled to reinstate the ceiling by approving it at a Cabinet meeting Friday.
その反省から菅内閣はシーリングを復活させ、７月２３日にも閣議了解する予定だった。
However, discussions on the reinstatement of the ceiling have not made any headway because some Cabinet ministers raised objections. Given the deadlock, it looks less likely that the Kan administration will be able to halt the increase in government spending.
だが、一部閣僚から一律にシーリングをかけることに異論が出るなど、議論は進んでいない。これでしっかり歯止めをかけることが出来るのだろうか。
The government's fiscal management strategy incorporates the principle that a revenue source must be secured before a new policy is implemented. Cabinet ministers must comply with this principle when making budgetary requests for fiscal 2011.
財政運営戦略には、新政策を実施する場合は、それに見合う財源を確保してから、という原則が盛り込まれた。各閣僚は、１１年度予算の要求に当たって、この原則を順守すべきである。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 19, 2010)
（2010年7月19日01時32分 読売新聞）
Drawing up next year's budget a touchstone
財政健全化 来年度予算の編成が試金石だ（7月19日付・読売社説）
The Cabinet of Prime Minister Naoto Kan faces difficulty managing policy due to his party's debilitating defeat in the House of Councillors election. Whatever the effects of the poll, the fact that Japan faces a serious fiscal crisis remains unchanged.
参院選での敗北で、菅内閣は難しい政策運営を迫られているが、日本が深刻な財政危機に直面する状況に変化はない。
The fiscal 2011 budget, compilation of which will start soon, must be the first step Kan takes toward putting state finances back on sound footing.
首相は、編成作業が間もなくスタートする２０１１年度予算を、財政健全化の一歩としなければならない。
Of the 92 trillion yen in spending in the fiscal 2010 budget, a mere 37 trillion yen can be covered by tax revenue. After including nontax revenue, the 44 trillion yen shortfall must be made up for by issuing government bonds.
歳出総額９２兆円のうち、税収で賄えるのは３７兆円だけ。税外収入をかき集めても不足する４４兆円は国債発行頼み――。これが１０年度予算の実態である。
Moreover, the combined long-term debt of the central and local governments adds up to a staggering 862 trillion yen, the worst among industrialized nations.
加えて、国と地方を合わせた長期債務は８６２兆円と、先進国で最悪の水準だ。
Because of the concern that Japan will follow Greece on a path of fiscal meltdown, Kan called for raising the consumption tax rate and restraining government spending.
この状況を放置すればギリシャの二の舞いになるとして、菅首相が訴えたのが消費税率引き上げであり、歳出の抑制である。
==
Spending-cut framework
The government has already established a framework for curbing spending.
そのうち、歳出抑制については大枠が設定済みだ。
In the fiscal management strategy approved by the Cabinet last month, the government decided to cap expenditures, which consist of general-account spending and tax grants allocated to local governments, at 71 trillion yen, the figure for fiscal 2010, in the fiscal 2011 to fiscal 2013 budgets. Government bond issuance was set at no more than 44 trillion yen for fiscal 2011.
先月閣議決定した「財政運営戦略」で、１１年度～１３年度予算では地方交付税と一般歳出を合わせた支出を、１０年度と同じ７１兆円以下にすることが決められた。また、１１年度の国債発行額は、４４兆円を上限とすることも明記された。
However, the proposed plan to cut government spending is insufficient because what was used as a reference, the fiscal 2010 budget, was a typical example of a bloated budget.
だが、放漫財政の典型とされた１０年度予算と同じ規模では、歳出削減策として不十分だ。
The government must seriously reexamine the handout policies based on the Democratic Party of Japan's manifesto for last summer's House of Representatives election.
昨年の衆院選で民主党が掲げた政権公約（マニフェスト）に基づくバラマキ政策を、大胆に見直すことが肝要である。
The budget for the current fiscal year includes a large portion of allocations to cover child-rearing allowances, for income compensation for farming households, and to make some expressway portions toll-free.
１０年度予算には、子ども手当や農家への戸別所得補償、高速道路の一部無料化などに、多額の予算が計上されている。
In its campaign platform for the recent upper house poll, the DPJ pledged to maintain and expand these handout policies, raising the fear that government spending will increase further. Given the dire fiscal situation, the government cannot afford to continue such spending policies.
民主党は参院選で、こうした政策の継続・拡大を公約しており、歳出がさらに膨らむ恐れがある。財政難のおり、こうした施策を続ける余裕はないはずだ。
With this in mind, a ceiling on budgetary requests made by government ministries and agencies becomes indispensable.
その意味で、予算要求の段階で縛りをかける概算要求基準（シーリング）が重要となる。
===
Secure revenue sources first
In compiling the current fiscal budget, the administration of former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama eliminated the ceiling established by the previous government formed by the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner New Komeito. This led to government offices making unlimited budgetary requests and eventually to bloated government spending.
１０年度予算では、自公政権が設定したシーリングを鳩山内閣が撤廃したため、各省庁から要求が際限なく出され、結局、削減しきれずに歳出が大きく膨らんだ。
Reflecting on this, the Kan Cabinet was scheduled to reinstate the ceiling by approving it at a Cabinet meeting Friday.
その反省から菅内閣はシーリングを復活させ、７月２３日にも閣議了解する予定だった。
However, discussions on the reinstatement of the ceiling have not made any headway because some Cabinet ministers raised objections. Given the deadlock, it looks less likely that the Kan administration will be able to halt the increase in government spending.
だが、一部閣僚から一律にシーリングをかけることに異論が出るなど、議論は進んでいない。これでしっかり歯止めをかけることが出来るのだろうか。
The government's fiscal management strategy incorporates the principle that a revenue source must be secured before a new policy is implemented. Cabinet ministers must comply with this principle when making budgetary requests for fiscal 2011.
財政運営戦略には、新政策を実施する場合は、それに見合う財源を確保してから、という原則が盛り込まれた。各閣僚は、１１年度予算の要求に当たって、この原則を順守すべきである。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 19, 2010)
（2010年7月19日01時32分 読売新聞）
2010/07/19
天国へ旅立ったおじいさん、どうぞ安らかに
昨日、団地のお隣さんが交通事故で死亡しました。このおじいさんはアルコール依存症で片時もアルコールを切り離せない。酔っ払って気が大きくなり、バイクで大通りへ乗り出した直後に大型車と接触、ヘルメットもかぶってなかったので頭部を損傷、病院で息を引き取りました。病院からそのまま村のお寺に運ばれ通夜が行われました。団地の住人はこぞって参加し、このおじいさんをしのびました。タイの役所の退職者でタイ人としてはきれいな英語もしゃべっていましたが、毎日大声で団地の住民に迷惑をかけていました。最後まで酒を断たず、迷惑をかけっぱなしのこのおじいさんですが、さびしかったですね。通夜の席でおじいさんの奥さんから、よく出席してくれましたと抱きしめられましたが涙が出そうになりました。私は１０年目にしてタイの住民に受け入れられたのを実感させられました。本日もお寺へ出向き火葬の準備とうお手伝いします。
大相撲改革 世間の常識が通用する協会に
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 19, 2010)
Sumo body must shed closed culture
大相撲改革 世間の常識が通用する協会に（7月18日付・読売社説）
Stamping out evil practices that have taken deep root in the Japan Sumo Association is the only way to rebuild the national sport, which has lost public trust due to illegal gambling by sumo wrestlers and officials on pro baseball.
野球賭博問題で信頼が地に落ちた大相撲を立て直すには、日本相撲協会に染み付いた悪弊を排除するしかない。
We hope the "independent committee concerning improvement of governance," which was inaugurated with 11 third-party members to reform the JSA, will present a road map toward the sumo body's rebirth that can fully satisfy sumo fans.
相撲協会を改革するため、外部のメンバー１１人で発足した「ガバナンス（統治能力）の整備に関する独立委員会」には、ファンが納得する再生の道筋を示してもらいたい。
The committee, which held its first meeting Friday, is mostly discussing ways to eliminate the involvement of organized crime syndicates, prevent the recurrence of scandals and strengthen the JSA's crisis management methods, before the panel comes up with a reform proposal. These are unavoidable and important tasks for drastically overhauling the JSA.
１６日に初会合を開いた独立委は今後、暴力団の排除、不祥事の再発防止、危機管理の強化などについて重点的に協議し、改革案をまとめる。いずれも、相撲協会の抜本改革には避けて通れない重要な課題である。
As the committee's name suggests, there is no doubt that the JSA, which is run by former sumo wrestlers, is remarkably incapable of governing its own affairs.
独立委の名称に表れているように、力士出身者が運営する相撲協会が著しく統治能力を欠いていたことは間違いない。
===
JSA's faulty logic at issue
The thinking that "only people in the sumo world can understand sumo" has led to the JSA's closed culture. Logic that does not hold water in the world at large has put a brake on the body's own reform efforts. This is the source of the saying, "Common sense in the sumo world equals thoughtlessness in the wider world."
「相撲のことは角界の者にしか分からない」という意識が閉鎖的な体質につながり、一般には通用しない論理が改革にブレーキをかけてきた。「角界の常識は世間の非常識」と言われるゆえんだ。
Some stablemasters opposed the appointment of Hiroyoshi Murayama, a former chief of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office, to the post of acting chairman, despite the fact that the gambling scandal led to unprecedented consequences such as the dismissal of the ozeki wrestler Kotomitsuki.
野球賭博問題では、大関琴光喜の解雇など前例のない事態を招きながらも、外部の村山弘義・元東京高検検事長が理事長代行に就くことに一部の親方は抵抗した。
What first must be eliminated is this inward-looking logic.
まず排除しなくてはならないのは、この内向きの論理である。
Two of the current JSA directors who decide important matters for the association come from outside sumo. The JSA finally opened its doors to the outside world after the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry requested the body appoint outsiders to its board following the 2007 case in which a teenage sumo wrestler was fatally abused by fellow wrestlers in the Tokitsukaze stable.
相撲協会の重要事項を決定する１２人の理事のうち、外部のメンバーは２人だ。時津風部屋の暴行死事件を受け、文部科学省に外部からの登用を求められて、ようやく門戸を開いた経緯がある。
===
Reform requires outside push
However, such efforts to date have been far from satisfactory. To steadily move forward with reform at the JSA, it is necessary to increase the number of directors from outside sumo. We hope the independent committee will compile a sweeping proposal that includes increasing the number of outside JSA directors to a majority.
だが、これでは不十分だ。改革を着実に進めるためには、外部の理事はさらに増やす必要があろう。独立委には、外部理事を全体の過半数にまで増員するなど、踏み込んだ改革案を期待したい。
The gambling scandal will not be brought to a close just because stablemasters and sumo wrestlers stopped gambling. It is said that organized crime syndicates run the gambling on pro baseball games. It is crucial and paramount that the sumo world completely cut its ties with mobsters.
野球賭博問題は、親方や力士が賭博をやめれば一件落着というわけではない。野球賭博を仕切っているのは暴力団だとされる。大切なのは、角界が暴力団とのかかわりを完全に断つことである。
It is essential to apply stern punishment, up to and including dismissal, to stablemasters and sumo wrestlers who had relationships with organized crime syndicates.
暴力団との付き合いを持った親方や力士には、解雇などの厳罰で臨むことが肝要だ。
The Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament--which is being held under the extraordinary circumstances of NHK declining to broadcast live coverage of the tourney and six wrestlers in the top makuuchi division having been suspended--has entered its middle phase.
ＮＨＫの中継中止、幕内だけで６人の力士が謹慎休場という異例の状況で開かれている名古屋場所は、中盤戦に入った。
Vacant seats are noticeable at the 15-day tourney and prize money has fallen sharply. These factors indicate the depth of the wound suffered by the JSA as a result of the recent gambling scandal.
会場では空席が目立ち、懸賞金も激減している。今回の問題で相撲協会が負った傷がいかに深いかを物語っている。
The JSA never will be able to restore the public trust it has lost unless the body is reborn as an open organization and resolutely carries out bold reforms.
開かれた組織へと生まれ変わり、大胆な改革を断行する――。それができなければ、相撲協会の信頼は回復しない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 18, 2010)
（2010年7月18日01時06分 読売新聞）
Sumo body must shed closed culture
大相撲改革 世間の常識が通用する協会に（7月18日付・読売社説）
Stamping out evil practices that have taken deep root in the Japan Sumo Association is the only way to rebuild the national sport, which has lost public trust due to illegal gambling by sumo wrestlers and officials on pro baseball.
野球賭博問題で信頼が地に落ちた大相撲を立て直すには、日本相撲協会に染み付いた悪弊を排除するしかない。
We hope the "independent committee concerning improvement of governance," which was inaugurated with 11 third-party members to reform the JSA, will present a road map toward the sumo body's rebirth that can fully satisfy sumo fans.
相撲協会を改革するため、外部のメンバー１１人で発足した「ガバナンス（統治能力）の整備に関する独立委員会」には、ファンが納得する再生の道筋を示してもらいたい。
The committee, which held its first meeting Friday, is mostly discussing ways to eliminate the involvement of organized crime syndicates, prevent the recurrence of scandals and strengthen the JSA's crisis management methods, before the panel comes up with a reform proposal. These are unavoidable and important tasks for drastically overhauling the JSA.
１６日に初会合を開いた独立委は今後、暴力団の排除、不祥事の再発防止、危機管理の強化などについて重点的に協議し、改革案をまとめる。いずれも、相撲協会の抜本改革には避けて通れない重要な課題である。
As the committee's name suggests, there is no doubt that the JSA, which is run by former sumo wrestlers, is remarkably incapable of governing its own affairs.
独立委の名称に表れているように、力士出身者が運営する相撲協会が著しく統治能力を欠いていたことは間違いない。
===
JSA's faulty logic at issue
The thinking that "only people in the sumo world can understand sumo" has led to the JSA's closed culture. Logic that does not hold water in the world at large has put a brake on the body's own reform efforts. This is the source of the saying, "Common sense in the sumo world equals thoughtlessness in the wider world."
「相撲のことは角界の者にしか分からない」という意識が閉鎖的な体質につながり、一般には通用しない論理が改革にブレーキをかけてきた。「角界の常識は世間の非常識」と言われるゆえんだ。
Some stablemasters opposed the appointment of Hiroyoshi Murayama, a former chief of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office, to the post of acting chairman, despite the fact that the gambling scandal led to unprecedented consequences such as the dismissal of the ozeki wrestler Kotomitsuki.
野球賭博問題では、大関琴光喜の解雇など前例のない事態を招きながらも、外部の村山弘義・元東京高検検事長が理事長代行に就くことに一部の親方は抵抗した。
What first must be eliminated is this inward-looking logic.
まず排除しなくてはならないのは、この内向きの論理である。
Two of the current JSA directors who decide important matters for the association come from outside sumo. The JSA finally opened its doors to the outside world after the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry requested the body appoint outsiders to its board following the 2007 case in which a teenage sumo wrestler was fatally abused by fellow wrestlers in the Tokitsukaze stable.
相撲協会の重要事項を決定する１２人の理事のうち、外部のメンバーは２人だ。時津風部屋の暴行死事件を受け、文部科学省に外部からの登用を求められて、ようやく門戸を開いた経緯がある。
===
Reform requires outside push
However, such efforts to date have been far from satisfactory. To steadily move forward with reform at the JSA, it is necessary to increase the number of directors from outside sumo. We hope the independent committee will compile a sweeping proposal that includes increasing the number of outside JSA directors to a majority.
だが、これでは不十分だ。改革を着実に進めるためには、外部の理事はさらに増やす必要があろう。独立委には、外部理事を全体の過半数にまで増員するなど、踏み込んだ改革案を期待したい。
The gambling scandal will not be brought to a close just because stablemasters and sumo wrestlers stopped gambling. It is said that organized crime syndicates run the gambling on pro baseball games. It is crucial and paramount that the sumo world completely cut its ties with mobsters.
野球賭博問題は、親方や力士が賭博をやめれば一件落着というわけではない。野球賭博を仕切っているのは暴力団だとされる。大切なのは、角界が暴力団とのかかわりを完全に断つことである。
It is essential to apply stern punishment, up to and including dismissal, to stablemasters and sumo wrestlers who had relationships with organized crime syndicates.
暴力団との付き合いを持った親方や力士には、解雇などの厳罰で臨むことが肝要だ。
The Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament--which is being held under the extraordinary circumstances of NHK declining to broadcast live coverage of the tourney and six wrestlers in the top makuuchi division having been suspended--has entered its middle phase.
ＮＨＫの中継中止、幕内だけで６人の力士が謹慎休場という異例の状況で開かれている名古屋場所は、中盤戦に入った。
Vacant seats are noticeable at the 15-day tourney and prize money has fallen sharply. These factors indicate the depth of the wound suffered by the JSA as a result of the recent gambling scandal.
会場では空席が目立ち、懸賞金も激減している。今回の問題で相撲協会が負った傷がいかに深いかを物語っている。
The JSA never will be able to restore the public trust it has lost unless the body is reborn as an open organization and resolutely carries out bold reforms.
開かれた組織へと生まれ変わり、大胆な改革を断行する――。それができなければ、相撲協会の信頼は回復しない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 18, 2010)
（2010年7月18日01時06分 読売新聞）
2010/07/18
豪雨被害 的確な情報で早めの避難を
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 18, 2010)
In 'guerrilla rain' fight, the key weapon is data
豪雨被害 的確な情報で早めの避難を（7月17日付・読売社説）
Torrential rains caused by a seasonal rain front have brought death and destruction to the nation, mainly in western Japan.
西日本を中心に、梅雨前線の影響による集中豪雨の被害が相次ぐ。
A number of people have been killed or are missing. The victims were crushed in their homes by mudslides or swept away by rain-swollen rivers.
土砂崩れで倒壊した家屋の下敷きになったり、増水した河川に流されたりして、大勢の死者・行方不明者が出ている。
In the past month, there have been over 350 reported landslides. In Matsue, a mudslide on the slope behind a private house caused two huge rocks, each measuring four meters in diameter, to strike the building, killing two residents. In Yaotsucho, Gifu Prefecture, a mudslide crushed a private house, killing three residents.
とりわけ土砂災害は、このひと月余りで３５０件を超えた。
松江市では、住宅裏の斜面が崩れて、直径４メートルの岩２個が民家を直撃、２人が死亡した。岐阜県八百津町でも民家が押しつぶされ、住人が死亡した。
===
Landslides must be studied
In recent years, experts have attributed large-scale mudslides to the so-called deep-seated landslide mechanism. Heavy rain soaks into cracks in the bedrock, which has been weakened over time, and when the bedrock collapses downhill, it takes a large volume of upper soil with it.
近年、専門家からは、大規模な土砂崩れについて「深層崩壊」というメカニズムが指摘されている。長い間に風化した岩盤の亀裂に大雨がしみこみ、脆弱(ぜいじゃく)化した岩盤ごと大量の土砂が崩落する。
Unlike shallow landslides, which can be prevented to a certain degree through good forestry practices, there are no known measures to prevent the occurrence of deep-seated landslides. We consider it necessary to urgently study what steps could be taken.
森林保全で一定の予防ができる表層崩壊と違い、発生を防ぐ手だては今のところないという。対応策の研究を急ぐ必要がある。
Meanwhile, the phenomenon of so-called guerrilla rain--sudden downpours into relatively narrow zones, mainly in urban areas--has attracted attention in recent years. Such rain is caused mainly by cumulonimbus clouds that form in a clash of warm and cold air. But some experts think the urban heat island phenomenon and global warming trends have a causal relationship to the sudden downpours.
一方、都市部を中心に、狭い地域を突然襲う「ゲリラ豪雨」も近年の特徴だ。冷たい空気と暖かい空気がぶつかってできる積乱雲が主な原因だが、ヒートアイランド現象や地球温暖化との関係を指摘する専門家もいる。
Guerrilla rain is frightening in that it is difficult to predict and the damage it causes occurs all at once.
襲来予測が難しく、被害が一気に発生するのが怖いところだ。
In the summer of 2008, five workers died in Tokyo after being washed away by a surge in sewer water while working underground. Also that summer, a swollen river killed five people, including primary school children, in Kobe.
一昨年夏には都内でマンホール内の水が急増して作業員５人が死亡。神戸市内でも川が増水して小学生ら５人が死亡した。
On July 5 this year, an intense rainfall of 107 millimeters per hour was recorded in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.
東京・板橋では５日、１時間に１０７ミリという猛烈な雨が観測されている。
To prevent damage from heavy rain, it is essential to have highly accurate weather forecasts and to issue appropriate warnings. Such information must be adequately conveyed by local governments to residents in affected areas. It is imperative that those residents be advised to evacuate if necessary as soon as possible.
豪雨被害の防止には、精度の高い気象予測と警報の発令、それを自治体が的確に住民に伝え、早めの避難を勧めることが大切だ。
The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry has started introducing advanced radar systems capable of accurately measuring the strength of precipitation mainly in major cities. Such radar can also be used to predict situations in wide areas affected by heavy rain. There also are private-sector services offering guerrilla rain forecasts on mobile phone sites.
国土交通省は大都市を中心に、雨の強さが正確に計測できる高性能レーダーの導入を進めている。集中豪雨の広範な周辺状況まで観測できる。民間でも携帯電話サイトを使ったゲリラ豪雨の予報サービスが登場している。
Since late May, the Meteorological Agency has issued warnings and advisories on heavy rain and floods in a much more detailed manner as it increased the number of forecasting areas from 375 to 1,777 to correspond to each municipality.
気象庁は５月末から、大雨や洪水などの警報・注意報を、従来の全国３７５地域から市町村単位（１７７７地域）に細分化して発表するようにした。
===
Stay alert to stay safe
We urge each municipal government to effectively use such information to issue advisories and instructions for evacuations of local residents. It also is important that local governments regularly conduct disaster drills and establish systems to provide local residents with necessary information via community wireless services and other means in the event of an emergency.
市町村には、これらの情報を住民避難の勧告や指示に、有効に生かしてもらいたい。日ごろから避難訓練を実施し、いざという時には防災無線などを使って必要な情報が確実に住民に届く体制作りをしておくことも重要だ。
As the rainy season winds down across the nation, summer vacations will soon start for schoolchildren. We are entering a holiday season during which people flock to beaches, mountains and rivers. People must not forget to take precautions against rain and flood disasters wherever they go.
列島は南から順次、梅雨が明ける。子供たちの夏休みも始まる。海・山・川がにぎわうシーズンだ。どこへ行っても雨と水への警戒を怠らないようにしたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 17, 2010)
（2010年7月17日01時49分 読売新聞）
In 'guerrilla rain' fight, the key weapon is data
豪雨被害 的確な情報で早めの避難を（7月17日付・読売社説）
Torrential rains caused by a seasonal rain front have brought death and destruction to the nation, mainly in western Japan.
西日本を中心に、梅雨前線の影響による集中豪雨の被害が相次ぐ。
A number of people have been killed or are missing. The victims were crushed in their homes by mudslides or swept away by rain-swollen rivers.
土砂崩れで倒壊した家屋の下敷きになったり、増水した河川に流されたりして、大勢の死者・行方不明者が出ている。
In the past month, there have been over 350 reported landslides. In Matsue, a mudslide on the slope behind a private house caused two huge rocks, each measuring four meters in diameter, to strike the building, killing two residents. In Yaotsucho, Gifu Prefecture, a mudslide crushed a private house, killing three residents.
とりわけ土砂災害は、このひと月余りで３５０件を超えた。
松江市では、住宅裏の斜面が崩れて、直径４メートルの岩２個が民家を直撃、２人が死亡した。岐阜県八百津町でも民家が押しつぶされ、住人が死亡した。
===
Landslides must be studied
In recent years, experts have attributed large-scale mudslides to the so-called deep-seated landslide mechanism. Heavy rain soaks into cracks in the bedrock, which has been weakened over time, and when the bedrock collapses downhill, it takes a large volume of upper soil with it.
近年、専門家からは、大規模な土砂崩れについて「深層崩壊」というメカニズムが指摘されている。長い間に風化した岩盤の亀裂に大雨がしみこみ、脆弱(ぜいじゃく)化した岩盤ごと大量の土砂が崩落する。
Unlike shallow landslides, which can be prevented to a certain degree through good forestry practices, there are no known measures to prevent the occurrence of deep-seated landslides. We consider it necessary to urgently study what steps could be taken.
森林保全で一定の予防ができる表層崩壊と違い、発生を防ぐ手だては今のところないという。対応策の研究を急ぐ必要がある。
Meanwhile, the phenomenon of so-called guerrilla rain--sudden downpours into relatively narrow zones, mainly in urban areas--has attracted attention in recent years. Such rain is caused mainly by cumulonimbus clouds that form in a clash of warm and cold air. But some experts think the urban heat island phenomenon and global warming trends have a causal relationship to the sudden downpours.
一方、都市部を中心に、狭い地域を突然襲う「ゲリラ豪雨」も近年の特徴だ。冷たい空気と暖かい空気がぶつかってできる積乱雲が主な原因だが、ヒートアイランド現象や地球温暖化との関係を指摘する専門家もいる。
Guerrilla rain is frightening in that it is difficult to predict and the damage it causes occurs all at once.
襲来予測が難しく、被害が一気に発生するのが怖いところだ。
In the summer of 2008, five workers died in Tokyo after being washed away by a surge in sewer water while working underground. Also that summer, a swollen river killed five people, including primary school children, in Kobe.
一昨年夏には都内でマンホール内の水が急増して作業員５人が死亡。神戸市内でも川が増水して小学生ら５人が死亡した。
On July 5 this year, an intense rainfall of 107 millimeters per hour was recorded in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.
東京・板橋では５日、１時間に１０７ミリという猛烈な雨が観測されている。
To prevent damage from heavy rain, it is essential to have highly accurate weather forecasts and to issue appropriate warnings. Such information must be adequately conveyed by local governments to residents in affected areas. It is imperative that those residents be advised to evacuate if necessary as soon as possible.
豪雨被害の防止には、精度の高い気象予測と警報の発令、それを自治体が的確に住民に伝え、早めの避難を勧めることが大切だ。
The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry has started introducing advanced radar systems capable of accurately measuring the strength of precipitation mainly in major cities. Such radar can also be used to predict situations in wide areas affected by heavy rain. There also are private-sector services offering guerrilla rain forecasts on mobile phone sites.
国土交通省は大都市を中心に、雨の強さが正確に計測できる高性能レーダーの導入を進めている。集中豪雨の広範な周辺状況まで観測できる。民間でも携帯電話サイトを使ったゲリラ豪雨の予報サービスが登場している。
Since late May, the Meteorological Agency has issued warnings and advisories on heavy rain and floods in a much more detailed manner as it increased the number of forecasting areas from 375 to 1,777 to correspond to each municipality.
気象庁は５月末から、大雨や洪水などの警報・注意報を、従来の全国３７５地域から市町村単位（１７７７地域）に細分化して発表するようにした。
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Stay alert to stay safe
We urge each municipal government to effectively use such information to issue advisories and instructions for evacuations of local residents. It also is important that local governments regularly conduct disaster drills and establish systems to provide local residents with necessary information via community wireless services and other means in the event of an emergency.
市町村には、これらの情報を住民避難の勧告や指示に、有効に生かしてもらいたい。日ごろから避難訓練を実施し、いざという時には防災無線などを使って必要な情報が確実に住民に届く体制作りをしておくことも重要だ。
As the rainy season winds down across the nation, summer vacations will soon start for schoolchildren. We are entering a holiday season during which people flock to beaches, mountains and rivers. People must not forget to take precautions against rain and flood disasters wherever they go.
列島は南から順次、梅雨が明ける。子供たちの夏休みも始まる。海・山・川がにぎわうシーズンだ。どこへ行っても雨と水への警戒を怠らないようにしたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 17, 2010)
（2010年7月17日01時49分 読売新聞）
2010/07/17
第１検察審議決 小沢氏不起訴にまた疑問符
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 17, 2010)
Prosecutors should keep Ozawa in sights
第１検察審議決 小沢氏不起訴にまた疑問符（7月16日付・読売社説）
A panel for the inquest of prosecution has again pointed out shortcomings in the investigations into former Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa over a scandal involving his political funds management organization. Prosecutors must take this situation gravely.
民主党の小沢前幹事長に対する捜査の不十分さが、検察審査会から改めて指摘された。検察は重く受け止めるべきだ。
Public attention is focused on whether the Tokyo No. 5 Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution will recommend for the second time that Ozawa should be indicted. The Tokyo No. 1 Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution made a separate conclusion Thursday that it was "unjust" for prosecutors not to have indicted Ozawa over the funds body's alleged falsification of its 2007 political funds report.
東京第５検察審が小沢氏の強制起訴につながる２度目の議決を出すかどうかが注目される中、これとは別に、東京第１検察審が「不起訴不当」の議決をした。
Three of Ozawa's former secretaries, including House of Representatives member Tomohiro Ishikawa, have been indicted on suspicion of making false entries into political funds reports for 2004, 2005 and 2007 to hide a shady transfer of 400 million yen the funds management body, Rikuzan-kai, used for the purchase of a plot of land in Tokyo.
小沢氏の資金管理団体「陸山会」が都内の土地を購入する際に使った４億円を隠蔽(いんぺい)するため、２００４年、０５年、０７年分の収支報告書に虚偽記入をしたとして、石川知裕衆院議員ら小沢氏の元秘書３人が起訴された。
===
Waiting for 2nd conclusion
However, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office decided not to indict Ozawa due to lack of evidence. Because civilians dissatisfied with this decision filed for a review of the case, the No. 5 panel has been reexamining whether the prosecutors' decision was appropriate regarding the false entries for 2004 and 2005, while the No. 1 panel did likewise for the 2007 report.
しかし検察は、小沢氏については嫌疑不十分で不起訴とした。これを不服とする市民らの申し立てを受け、０４年分と０５年分の虚偽記入については第５検察審、０７年分については第１検察審が処分の妥当性を審査してきた。
The No. 5 committee in late April concluded Ozawa "merits indictment." This panel is now reviewing the case for the second time after the prosecutors office again said it would not indict Ozawa.
If the No. 5 panel again concludes Ozawa should be indicted, the ruling party bigwig will face mandatory indictment.
第５検察審は４月末、１度目の「起訴相当」の結論を出し、検察の再度の不起訴処分を受けて２度目の審査段階にある。次に「起訴すべき」との議決が出れば、小沢氏は強制起訴される。
A DPJ presidential election is scheduled for September. As such, the timing of the No. 5 panel's second conclusion has become a focus of mounting concern, especially among politicians with a stake in the race and its outcome.
９月には民主党代表選が予定されており、再議決の時期は政治的にも関心が高まっている。
If prosecutors decide not to indict Ozawa after their investigation despite the No. 1 committee's "unjust" decision, there will be no second review of the case by the panel.
今回の「不起訴不当」議決に対しては、検察が再捜査で不起訴とすると、２度目の審査はない。
Nevertheless, the panel flatly stated that Ozawa's explanation to the prosecutors--that he left the entry of data into the reports entirely to his secretaries--was "unnatural" and demanded prosecutors conduct a more exhaustive investigation.
とはいえ、第１検察審は、「秘書に任せていた」という小沢氏の弁明を「不自然である」と言い切り、検察に、これまで以上に徹底した捜査を迫っている。
Regarding false entries in the political funds reports, the panel concluded that confessions by Ishikawa and another former secretary--they claim they told Ozawa they would not enter the 400 million yen transaction into the reports and received Ozawa's approval for the omission--are credible. The panel said they could not escape the belief that the prosecutors' questioning of Ozawa "did not go far enough."
報告書への不記載について、小沢氏に報告し、了承を得たという石川議員や別の元秘書の供述を信用できるとした上で、小沢氏に対する検察の聴取を「追及不足の印象は免れない」と批判した。
===
Unusual demands
The panel also demanded the prosecutors ask Ozawa and the former secretaries to submit pocketbooks and notes in which they recorded their activities and check them against the facts. It is quite unusual for members of the panel, who are chosen from the public, to make such demands on investigation methods to prosecutors.
元秘書や小沢氏から、行動を記録しているはずの手帳やメモを提出させ、事実関係の裏付けをとるよう求めている。市民から選ばれた審査員が、捜査方法にまで注文を付けるのは異例のことだ。
The panel has implicitly warned the prosecutors not to simply go through the motions by deciding the outcome before even starting their investigation. We urge the prosecutors to leave no stone unturned in their investigation.
検察が結論ありきの形式的な再捜査をすることに、クギを刺したということだろう。検察は捜査を尽くすべきである。
Ozawa appeared emboldened by the prosecutors' decision not to indict him and has refused to give any explanation about the scandal at the Diet. The possibility that Ozawa might take the stand at the House of Representatives Deliberative Council on Political Ethics has been left up in the air.
小沢氏は、検察の不起訴処分を自らに有利に解釈し、国会でも一切の説明を拒んできた。衆院政治倫理審査会への出席も、うやむやになってしまった。
The Tokyo No. 1 panel's conclusion was a resounding "no" to Ozawa's refusal to clear up this matter. We again urge Ozawa to fulfill his responsibility to clearly explain to the public his involvement--if any--in the alleged wrongdoing.
第１検察審の議決は、小沢氏のこうした姿勢にも「ノー」を突きつけたものだ。小沢氏に重ねて求められるのは、国民への説明責任を果たすことである。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 16, 2010)
（2010年7月16日01時17分 読売新聞）
Prosecutors should keep Ozawa in sights
第１検察審議決 小沢氏不起訴にまた疑問符（7月16日付・読売社説）
A panel for the inquest of prosecution has again pointed out shortcomings in the investigations into former Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa over a scandal involving his political funds management organization. Prosecutors must take this situation gravely.
民主党の小沢前幹事長に対する捜査の不十分さが、検察審査会から改めて指摘された。検察は重く受け止めるべきだ。
Public attention is focused on whether the Tokyo No. 5 Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution will recommend for the second time that Ozawa should be indicted. The Tokyo No. 1 Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution made a separate conclusion Thursday that it was "unjust" for prosecutors not to have indicted Ozawa over the funds body's alleged falsification of its 2007 political funds report.
東京第５検察審が小沢氏の強制起訴につながる２度目の議決を出すかどうかが注目される中、これとは別に、東京第１検察審が「不起訴不当」の議決をした。
Three of Ozawa's former secretaries, including House of Representatives member Tomohiro Ishikawa, have been indicted on suspicion of making false entries into political funds reports for 2004, 2005 and 2007 to hide a shady transfer of 400 million yen the funds management body, Rikuzan-kai, used for the purchase of a plot of land in Tokyo.
小沢氏の資金管理団体「陸山会」が都内の土地を購入する際に使った４億円を隠蔽(いんぺい)するため、２００４年、０５年、０７年分の収支報告書に虚偽記入をしたとして、石川知裕衆院議員ら小沢氏の元秘書３人が起訴された。
===
Waiting for 2nd conclusion
However, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office decided not to indict Ozawa due to lack of evidence. Because civilians dissatisfied with this decision filed for a review of the case, the No. 5 panel has been reexamining whether the prosecutors' decision was appropriate regarding the false entries for 2004 and 2005, while the No. 1 panel did likewise for the 2007 report.
しかし検察は、小沢氏については嫌疑不十分で不起訴とした。これを不服とする市民らの申し立てを受け、０４年分と０５年分の虚偽記入については第５検察審、０７年分については第１検察審が処分の妥当性を審査してきた。
The No. 5 committee in late April concluded Ozawa "merits indictment." This panel is now reviewing the case for the second time after the prosecutors office again said it would not indict Ozawa.
If the No. 5 panel again concludes Ozawa should be indicted, the ruling party bigwig will face mandatory indictment.
第５検察審は４月末、１度目の「起訴相当」の結論を出し、検察の再度の不起訴処分を受けて２度目の審査段階にある。次に「起訴すべき」との議決が出れば、小沢氏は強制起訴される。
A DPJ presidential election is scheduled for September. As such, the timing of the No. 5 panel's second conclusion has become a focus of mounting concern, especially among politicians with a stake in the race and its outcome.
９月には民主党代表選が予定されており、再議決の時期は政治的にも関心が高まっている。
If prosecutors decide not to indict Ozawa after their investigation despite the No. 1 committee's "unjust" decision, there will be no second review of the case by the panel.
今回の「不起訴不当」議決に対しては、検察が再捜査で不起訴とすると、２度目の審査はない。
Nevertheless, the panel flatly stated that Ozawa's explanation to the prosecutors--that he left the entry of data into the reports entirely to his secretaries--was "unnatural" and demanded prosecutors conduct a more exhaustive investigation.
とはいえ、第１検察審は、「秘書に任せていた」という小沢氏の弁明を「不自然である」と言い切り、検察に、これまで以上に徹底した捜査を迫っている。
Regarding false entries in the political funds reports, the panel concluded that confessions by Ishikawa and another former secretary--they claim they told Ozawa they would not enter the 400 million yen transaction into the reports and received Ozawa's approval for the omission--are credible. The panel said they could not escape the belief that the prosecutors' questioning of Ozawa "did not go far enough."
報告書への不記載について、小沢氏に報告し、了承を得たという石川議員や別の元秘書の供述を信用できるとした上で、小沢氏に対する検察の聴取を「追及不足の印象は免れない」と批判した。
===
Unusual demands
The panel also demanded the prosecutors ask Ozawa and the former secretaries to submit pocketbooks and notes in which they recorded their activities and check them against the facts. It is quite unusual for members of the panel, who are chosen from the public, to make such demands on investigation methods to prosecutors.
元秘書や小沢氏から、行動を記録しているはずの手帳やメモを提出させ、事実関係の裏付けをとるよう求めている。市民から選ばれた審査員が、捜査方法にまで注文を付けるのは異例のことだ。
The panel has implicitly warned the prosecutors not to simply go through the motions by deciding the outcome before even starting their investigation. We urge the prosecutors to leave no stone unturned in their investigation.
検察が結論ありきの形式的な再捜査をすることに、クギを刺したということだろう。検察は捜査を尽くすべきである。
Ozawa appeared emboldened by the prosecutors' decision not to indict him and has refused to give any explanation about the scandal at the Diet. The possibility that Ozawa might take the stand at the House of Representatives Deliberative Council on Political Ethics has been left up in the air.
小沢氏は、検察の不起訴処分を自らに有利に解釈し、国会でも一切の説明を拒んできた。衆院政治倫理審査会への出席も、うやむやになってしまった。
The Tokyo No. 1 panel's conclusion was a resounding "no" to Ozawa's refusal to clear up this matter. We again urge Ozawa to fulfill his responsibility to clearly explain to the public his involvement--if any--in the alleged wrongdoing.
第１検察審の議決は、小沢氏のこうした姿勢にも「ノー」を突きつけたものだ。小沢氏に重ねて求められるのは、国民への説明責任を果たすことである。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 16, 2010)
（2010年7月16日01時17分 読売新聞）
2010/07/16
振興銀首脳逮捕 “改革派”の仮面がはがれた
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 16, 2010)
Arrest of ex-bank head debunks reformist mask
振興銀首脳逮捕 “改革派”の仮面がはがれた（7月15日付・読売社説）
Former Incubator Bank of Japan Chairman Takeshi Kimura, incumbent President Tatsuya Nishino and three other former and current executives have been arrested on suspicion of violating the Banking Law by obstructing an audit of the Financial Services Agency.
日本振興銀行の木村剛前会長や西野達也社長ら５人が、銀行法違反（検査忌避）の疑いで警視庁に逮捕された。
As financial inspections by the agency loomed last year, the then executives deleted--on Kimura's orders--280 e-mails likely to have been of interest to the inspectors.
金融庁の検査の際、見られては都合の悪い電子メール２８０通を、木村前会長の指示で削除していたという。
Suspicions of other shady behavior by the bank have since emerged. We hope the Metropolitan Police Department uncovers the whole truth of the case through an exhaustive investigation.
振興銀をめぐっては、検査忌避以外にも様々な疑惑が浮上している。警視庁は徹底した捜査で全容を解明してほしい。
Kimura, who started his business career as a Bank of Japan official, served as a brain truster of Heizo Takenaka, who was state minister in charge of economic, fiscal and financial policy in Junichiro Koizumi's administration. Later, Kimura established the Incubator Bank of Japan with like-minded comrades at the Junior Chamber International Tokyo. The bank's motto was to support small and midsize enterprises.
木村前会長は日銀出身で、小泉政権時代に竹中平蔵元金融相のブレーンを務めた。その後、東京青年会議所の有志らと、中小企業支援を掲げ振興銀を旗揚げした。
Against the backdrop of structural reform pushed by Koizumi's administration, market fundamentalism and the "profit-comes-first" principle based on the law-of-the-jungle philosophy had many strong followers among young entrepreneurs.
小泉政権時代、構造改革路線を背景に、市場原理主義や弱肉強食の利益最優先の風潮が若手起業家らの間に強まった。
This excessive worship of money was exemplified by the window-dressing case that battered Livedoor Co., including its former president, Takafumi Horie, and insider trading committed by the so-called Murakami Fund, whose president was Yoshiaki Murakami.
その中で、堀江貴文・ライブドア元社長の粉飾決算や、村上世彰元代表のファンドによるインサイダー取引など拝金主義を象徴する事件が起きた。
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Unjustifiable actions
During this period, Kimura prided himself as being a standard-bearer of financial reform. In the end, however, he betrayed himself--just like Horie and Murakami did.
同時期に金融改革の旗手を自任した木村前会長も、結局、彼らと同様に馬脚をあらわした。
Despite once being deeply involved in financial administration, Kimura now is a suspect in a criminal case. His alleged actions cannot be justified.
金融行政に深く関与した経験がありながら、自ら事件を起こすとは、言語道断と言わざるを得ない。
Writer Go Egami, who was one of the bank's outside directors, has been appointed as the bank's new president.
逮捕された西野社長の後任には振興銀の社外取締役を務める作家の江上剛氏が就く。
Egami has written about his days as a banker at the defunct Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank. In one memorable episode, he pressed the Dai-Ichi Kangyo management to terminate its ties with sokaiya corporate racketeers.
The management environment at Incubator Bank is severe. As president, Egami must tread a thorny path.
旧第一勧業銀行の行員時代、総会屋との決別を経営陣に迫った逸話は有名だが、振興銀の経営環境は極めて厳しく、江上新社長は茨(いばら)の道を歩むことになろう。
It has become apparent that the bank put profit-making before all else, while projecting itself as "the friend of small and midsize enterprises."
中小企業の味方という振興銀の看板の裏には、利益のためなら手段を選ばぬ実態があった。
The bank allegedly charged a hefty commission when asking major moneylender SFCG Co. to buy back loan claims. This, in effect, was the equivalent of imposing an illegally high interest rate of about 46 percent, far above the upper limit stipulated in the Investment Deposit and Interest Rate Law, according to investigation sources. SFCG, which earned an unsavory reputation for its strong-arm loan collection methods, is undergoing bankruptcy procedures. The bank disguised the transactions as legitimate trades of loan claims. However, a healthy bank would not make such moves that took away proceeds from a loan shark facing difficulties raising funds.
強引な取り立てで問題になった商工ローン「ＳＦＣＧ」（破産手続き中）に、出資法の上限を上回る年４６％の暴利で融資した。表向きは適法な債権売買を装い、資金繰りに窮した高利貸しの上前をはねる取引と言える。
===
More suspicions remain
Incubator Bank also allegedly recommended a person affiliated with the bank be appointed as an executive to a company that had applied for a loan, and pressed the applicant firm to accept the plan. The person consequently took control of the firm's management. The bank thus had shades of a corporate raider.
融資を頼んできた会社に、振興銀の息のかかった人物を役員に推薦して受け入れを強要し、経営の主導権を奪うなど、乗っ取りまがいの行為もあった。
The FSA inspections that began last year exposed the bank's illegal activities. But we wonder if the agency could have detected the bank's true nature--and penchant for breaking the rules--much earlier.
金融庁は昨年からの検査で違法行為を暴いたが、ルール無視に染まった銀行の実態を、もっと早くつかめなかったのか。
Investigators will try to trace the inner workings of a group of the bank's client companies, a network established under Kimura's presidency. The bank extended loans to these member firms, which in turn accepted requests to boost the bank's capital.
木村前会長を中心に、取引先の中小企業で結成したグループの実態解明も焦点だ。振興銀が会員企業に融資する一方で、会員企業は振興銀の増資に応じていた。
We wonder whether such loans and capital increases were legal. The MPD should get to the bottom of this matter, too.
融資や増資は適正だったのか、警視庁はこうした点についても真相を明らかにすべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 15, 2010)
（2010年7月15日01時01分 読売新聞）
Arrest of ex-bank head debunks reformist mask
振興銀首脳逮捕 “改革派”の仮面がはがれた（7月15日付・読売社説）
Former Incubator Bank of Japan Chairman Takeshi Kimura, incumbent President Tatsuya Nishino and three other former and current executives have been arrested on suspicion of violating the Banking Law by obstructing an audit of the Financial Services Agency.
日本振興銀行の木村剛前会長や西野達也社長ら５人が、銀行法違反（検査忌避）の疑いで警視庁に逮捕された。
As financial inspections by the agency loomed last year, the then executives deleted--on Kimura's orders--280 e-mails likely to have been of interest to the inspectors.
金融庁の検査の際、見られては都合の悪い電子メール２８０通を、木村前会長の指示で削除していたという。
Suspicions of other shady behavior by the bank have since emerged. We hope the Metropolitan Police Department uncovers the whole truth of the case through an exhaustive investigation.
振興銀をめぐっては、検査忌避以外にも様々な疑惑が浮上している。警視庁は徹底した捜査で全容を解明してほしい。
Kimura, who started his business career as a Bank of Japan official, served as a brain truster of Heizo Takenaka, who was state minister in charge of economic, fiscal and financial policy in Junichiro Koizumi's administration. Later, Kimura established the Incubator Bank of Japan with like-minded comrades at the Junior Chamber International Tokyo. The bank's motto was to support small and midsize enterprises.
木村前会長は日銀出身で、小泉政権時代に竹中平蔵元金融相のブレーンを務めた。その後、東京青年会議所の有志らと、中小企業支援を掲げ振興銀を旗揚げした。
Against the backdrop of structural reform pushed by Koizumi's administration, market fundamentalism and the "profit-comes-first" principle based on the law-of-the-jungle philosophy had many strong followers among young entrepreneurs.
小泉政権時代、構造改革路線を背景に、市場原理主義や弱肉強食の利益最優先の風潮が若手起業家らの間に強まった。
This excessive worship of money was exemplified by the window-dressing case that battered Livedoor Co., including its former president, Takafumi Horie, and insider trading committed by the so-called Murakami Fund, whose president was Yoshiaki Murakami.
その中で、堀江貴文・ライブドア元社長の粉飾決算や、村上世彰元代表のファンドによるインサイダー取引など拝金主義を象徴する事件が起きた。
===
Unjustifiable actions
During this period, Kimura prided himself as being a standard-bearer of financial reform. In the end, however, he betrayed himself--just like Horie and Murakami did.
同時期に金融改革の旗手を自任した木村前会長も、結局、彼らと同様に馬脚をあらわした。
Despite once being deeply involved in financial administration, Kimura now is a suspect in a criminal case. His alleged actions cannot be justified.
金融行政に深く関与した経験がありながら、自ら事件を起こすとは、言語道断と言わざるを得ない。
Writer Go Egami, who was one of the bank's outside directors, has been appointed as the bank's new president.
逮捕された西野社長の後任には振興銀の社外取締役を務める作家の江上剛氏が就く。
Egami has written about his days as a banker at the defunct Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank. In one memorable episode, he pressed the Dai-Ichi Kangyo management to terminate its ties with sokaiya corporate racketeers.
The management environment at Incubator Bank is severe. As president, Egami must tread a thorny path.
旧第一勧業銀行の行員時代、総会屋との決別を経営陣に迫った逸話は有名だが、振興銀の経営環境は極めて厳しく、江上新社長は茨(いばら)の道を歩むことになろう。
It has become apparent that the bank put profit-making before all else, while projecting itself as "the friend of small and midsize enterprises."
中小企業の味方という振興銀の看板の裏には、利益のためなら手段を選ばぬ実態があった。
The bank allegedly charged a hefty commission when asking major moneylender SFCG Co. to buy back loan claims. This, in effect, was the equivalent of imposing an illegally high interest rate of about 46 percent, far above the upper limit stipulated in the Investment Deposit and Interest Rate Law, according to investigation sources. SFCG, which earned an unsavory reputation for its strong-arm loan collection methods, is undergoing bankruptcy procedures. The bank disguised the transactions as legitimate trades of loan claims. However, a healthy bank would not make such moves that took away proceeds from a loan shark facing difficulties raising funds.
強引な取り立てで問題になった商工ローン「ＳＦＣＧ」（破産手続き中）に、出資法の上限を上回る年４６％の暴利で融資した。表向きは適法な債権売買を装い、資金繰りに窮した高利貸しの上前をはねる取引と言える。
===
More suspicions remain
Incubator Bank also allegedly recommended a person affiliated with the bank be appointed as an executive to a company that had applied for a loan, and pressed the applicant firm to accept the plan. The person consequently took control of the firm's management. The bank thus had shades of a corporate raider.
融資を頼んできた会社に、振興銀の息のかかった人物を役員に推薦して受け入れを強要し、経営の主導権を奪うなど、乗っ取りまがいの行為もあった。
The FSA inspections that began last year exposed the bank's illegal activities. But we wonder if the agency could have detected the bank's true nature--and penchant for breaking the rules--much earlier.
金融庁は昨年からの検査で違法行為を暴いたが、ルール無視に染まった銀行の実態を、もっと早くつかめなかったのか。
Investigators will try to trace the inner workings of a group of the bank's client companies, a network established under Kimura's presidency. The bank extended loans to these member firms, which in turn accepted requests to boost the bank's capital.
木村前会長を中心に、取引先の中小企業で結成したグループの実態解明も焦点だ。振興銀が会員企業に融資する一方で、会員企業は振興銀の増資に応じていた。
We wonder whether such loans and capital increases were legal. The MPD should get to the bottom of this matter, too.
融資や増資は適正だったのか、警視庁はこうした点についても真相を明らかにすべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 15, 2010)
（2010年7月15日01時01分 読売新聞）
2010/07/15
税制抜本改革 ひるまず消費税論議を進めよ
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 15, 2010)
Get cracking on consumption tax talks
税制抜本改革 ひるまず消費税論議を進めよ（7月14日付・読売社説）
The Democratic Party of Japan's crushing defeat in Sunday's House of Councillors election has raised concern that discussions on far-reaching tax reform, including a possible consumption tax hike, will be put on the back burner.
参院選で民主党が敗北し、消費税率引き上げを含む税制改革論議が後退する懸念が出ている。
DPJ Secretary General Yukio Edano has indicated his intention not to stick to Prime Minister Naoto Kan's plan of formulating concrete plans on tax reform by the end of fiscal 2010. "We won't necessarily adhere to the initial deadline," Edano said.
民主党の枝野幹事長は「必ずしも当初想定していた期限にこだわらない」と語り、菅首相が目指していた２０１０年度内の具体案のとりまとめに固執しない意向を示した。
However, the government cannot put off discussions on consumption tax any longer. The nation is mired in an extraordinary fiscal condition in which tax revenue is less than the amount of new government bonds issued. Furthermore, the increasingly creaky social security system needs urgent repair.
しかし、税収が新規国債発行額を下回る異常な財政事情や、将来不安が高まる社会保障制度の現状を直視すれば、消費税論議を先送りする余裕はないはずだ。
The Kan Cabinet must swiftly resuscitate the economy, which in turn will boost tax revenue, and knuckle down to reform the tax system--including consumption, corporate and income taxes.
菅内閣は、税収増につながる日本経済の再生を急ぎ、消費税、法人税、所得税など税制全般の改革にも取り組まねばならない。
The election defeat has stung Kan. But the prime minister must dust himself off and start full-fledged efforts to coordinate intraparty opinions on consumption tax and continue inviting opposition parties to start suprapartisan discussions on the issue.
首相は選挙の敗北にひるまず、消費税についての党内調整を本格化させると同時に、野党に対し、引き続き超党派の協議を呼びかける必要がある。
We urge the opposition camp to take up the prime minister's offer of discussions on a new consumption tax system.
野党側も、これに応じ、制度設計に踏み込んだ議論を進めるべきである。
===
Tax not reason for defeat
◆消費税が敗因ではない
At Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, Kan suggested the consumption tax dispute contributed to the ruling bloc's failure to retain its majority in the upper house, saying his remarks on the issue just before the election likely caught the public by surprise.
首相は１３日の閣議で、参院選での与党の過半数割れについて「唐突な感じを与えてしまった」と述べ、消費税問題が敗因につながったとの認識を示した。
However, the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party increased its number of upper chamber seats, despite proposing raising the consumption tax rate to 10 percent in its election platform.
だが、「消費税率１０％」を参院選公約に明記した自民党は議席を伸ばした。
A Yomiuri Shimbun survey taken after Sunday's election showed more than 60 percent of the public believe a consumption tax hike will be necessary. This figure barely changed from a similar survey conducted before the election.
読売新聞が参院選後に実施した世論調査では、消費税率の引き上げが必要と答えた人は６割以上に上っている。消費税率アップの必要性についての意識は、今回の選挙の前後で全く変化がない。
In the election, voters did not give a verdict on a consumption tax hike per se, but rather on Kan's inconsistent remarks on the matter.
有権者が問題にしたのは、消費税率引き上げそのものではなく、一貫性を欠いた首相の言動だ。
During the campaign, Kan failed to present clear principles on fundamental questions about a consumption tax hike, such as why an increase is necessary and how the extra tax revenue it brings in would be used.
首相は、なぜ消費税率を上げるのか、増税分を何に使うのか、といった根本的な問題に明確な方針を示すことができなかった。
When Kan found himself being boxed in by criticism over the consumption tax issue, he tweaked his previous statement, saying he would not raise "even yen1" in consumption tax until the next general election. This gave the impression that Kan was uncertain what to do.
増税批判で苦境に立たされると「次の総選挙まで１円たりとも上げない」と発言を修正するなど、最後まで軸が定まっていない印象も与えた。
===
Build intraparty consensus
◆民主は党内合意急げ
To restore public trust in the DPJ, the party must form a consensus on a consumption tax hike as soon as possible and carefully explain its position to the public.
国民の信頼を取り戻すために民主党が取り組むべきは、消費税率引き上げに関する党としての考え方を早急にまとめ、丁寧に国民に説明することである。
Future discussions likely will focus on measures to alleviate the burden any increase would place on low-income earners, among other issues.
今後の議論では、低所得者対策などが一つの論点となる。
A consumption tax refund was one option floated, but this idea is fraught with problems, such as where to draw the line on household income that would be subject to the scheme and how accurately the government can calculate individual households' income.
消費税額を還付する案が浮上しているが、所得に応じて対象者をどう線引きするか、対象者の所得をどこまで正確に把握できるかといった問題がある。
A reduced tax rate system, under which tax rates are set lower for daily necessities and other items, might be one possibility. Given that reduced tax rates are applied to newspapers, books and food in some European countries, such a system is certainly worth consideration.
生活必需品などの税率を低く設定する軽減税率の導入も選択肢だ。欧州の軽減税率は新聞や書籍、食料品などに適用されており、検討に値しよう。
The DPJ must spell out that the primary purpose of raising the consumption tax rate is to fund ballooning social security costs in pension, medical care and nursing services.These costs will only increase as the nation's society grays and birthrate declines.
消費税率を引き上げる目的については、少子高齢化の進展で増大する年金、医療、介護などの社会保障費を賄うことが主眼であることを明確にすべきだ。
After storming into power in September, the DPJ insisted it would find the money to fund its policies by weeding out wasteful spending. However, efforts to cut government fat had less of an impact than expected on the fiscal 2010 budget compilation.
政権交代後、民主党は無駄減らしで財源を捻出(ねんしゅつ)するとしていたが、１０年度予算編成で、歳出削減の効果はわずかだった。
The consumption tax, which imposes a financial burden on a wide spectrum of people, is the only stable tax revenue source, given that income and corporate tax revenues can fluctuate greatly, depending on the state of the economy.
一方、税収確保の点では、所得税や法人税が景気動向に大きく左右される以上、安定した財源となるのは国民が広く負担を分かち合う消費税しかない。
If the government can restore the social security system through a consumption tax increase, it also would help stimulate consumer spending as the public would be more willing to buy things if they did not have so many anxieties about their future.
消費税増税で社会保障制度を立て直せば、将来不安の解消で消費を刺激する効果も出てこよう。
===
Lower corporate tax rates
◆法人税引き下げを
Discussions on tax reform should aim to create a society free from concerns by stabilizing the public finances and social security, as well as maintain economic vitality.
税制改革論議では、財政や社会保障を安定させて安心社会を実現し、日本経済の活力を維持する視点が不可欠だ。
Japan's effective corporate tax rate is more than 40 percent, far higher than the average of 26 percent among the 30 member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. We think the government should quickly lower corporate tax rates as this will strengthen Japanese companies' international competitiveness.
日本の法人税の実効税率は４０％超で、経済協力開発機構（ＯＥＣＤ）加盟３０か国の平均２６％と比べてかなり高い。企業の国際競争力を強化するためには、法人税率の引き下げが急務だ。
To make up for expected tax revenue shortfalls, the government must expedite discussions on tax system reform for fiscal 2011, including streamlining tax incentives that have run their course.
その減収を補う措置として、役割を終えた政策減税を整理するなど、１１年度税制改正に向け議論を急ぐべきである。
During the election campaign, Kan suggested strengthening the progressive taxation system, under which high-income earners and others bear heavier tax burdens.
参院選で首相は、高所得層を中心に負担を重くする所得税の累進性の強化を示唆した。
However, the maximum income tax rate already stands at 40 percent, which is high by international standards. Because this rate is applied to only a few taxpayers, no visible tax revenue increase can be expected from Kan's plan. Rather, the prime minister seemed to be trying to fend off public criticism that the proposed consumption tax hike would hurt the pockets of the wider general public.
だが、所得税の最高税率（４０％）は国際的に高水準で、適用される納税者は少なく、増収効果はあまりない。むしろ、消費税の税率アップが大衆増税になるとの批判をかわすのが狙いだろう。
Raising the maximum income tax rate will discourage people from working hard and undermine efforts to energize the country's businesses.
所得税の最高税率の引き上げは国民の働く意欲をそぎ、経済社会の活性化に逆行する。
Before all else, the government should review its tax deduction measures.
様々な所得控除の見直しが先である。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 14, 2010)
（2010年7月14日01時38分 読売新聞）
Get cracking on consumption tax talks
税制抜本改革 ひるまず消費税論議を進めよ（7月14日付・読売社説）
The Democratic Party of Japan's crushing defeat in Sunday's House of Councillors election has raised concern that discussions on far-reaching tax reform, including a possible consumption tax hike, will be put on the back burner.
参院選で民主党が敗北し、消費税率引き上げを含む税制改革論議が後退する懸念が出ている。
DPJ Secretary General Yukio Edano has indicated his intention not to stick to Prime Minister Naoto Kan's plan of formulating concrete plans on tax reform by the end of fiscal 2010. "We won't necessarily adhere to the initial deadline," Edano said.
民主党の枝野幹事長は「必ずしも当初想定していた期限にこだわらない」と語り、菅首相が目指していた２０１０年度内の具体案のとりまとめに固執しない意向を示した。
However, the government cannot put off discussions on consumption tax any longer. The nation is mired in an extraordinary fiscal condition in which tax revenue is less than the amount of new government bonds issued. Furthermore, the increasingly creaky social security system needs urgent repair.
しかし、税収が新規国債発行額を下回る異常な財政事情や、将来不安が高まる社会保障制度の現状を直視すれば、消費税論議を先送りする余裕はないはずだ。
The Kan Cabinet must swiftly resuscitate the economy, which in turn will boost tax revenue, and knuckle down to reform the tax system--including consumption, corporate and income taxes.
菅内閣は、税収増につながる日本経済の再生を急ぎ、消費税、法人税、所得税など税制全般の改革にも取り組まねばならない。
The election defeat has stung Kan. But the prime minister must dust himself off and start full-fledged efforts to coordinate intraparty opinions on consumption tax and continue inviting opposition parties to start suprapartisan discussions on the issue.
首相は選挙の敗北にひるまず、消費税についての党内調整を本格化させると同時に、野党に対し、引き続き超党派の協議を呼びかける必要がある。
We urge the opposition camp to take up the prime minister's offer of discussions on a new consumption tax system.
野党側も、これに応じ、制度設計に踏み込んだ議論を進めるべきである。
===
Tax not reason for defeat
◆消費税が敗因ではない
At Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, Kan suggested the consumption tax dispute contributed to the ruling bloc's failure to retain its majority in the upper house, saying his remarks on the issue just before the election likely caught the public by surprise.
首相は１３日の閣議で、参院選での与党の過半数割れについて「唐突な感じを与えてしまった」と述べ、消費税問題が敗因につながったとの認識を示した。
However, the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party increased its number of upper chamber seats, despite proposing raising the consumption tax rate to 10 percent in its election platform.
だが、「消費税率１０％」を参院選公約に明記した自民党は議席を伸ばした。
A Yomiuri Shimbun survey taken after Sunday's election showed more than 60 percent of the public believe a consumption tax hike will be necessary. This figure barely changed from a similar survey conducted before the election.
読売新聞が参院選後に実施した世論調査では、消費税率の引き上げが必要と答えた人は６割以上に上っている。消費税率アップの必要性についての意識は、今回の選挙の前後で全く変化がない。
In the election, voters did not give a verdict on a consumption tax hike per se, but rather on Kan's inconsistent remarks on the matter.
有権者が問題にしたのは、消費税率引き上げそのものではなく、一貫性を欠いた首相の言動だ。
During the campaign, Kan failed to present clear principles on fundamental questions about a consumption tax hike, such as why an increase is necessary and how the extra tax revenue it brings in would be used.
首相は、なぜ消費税率を上げるのか、増税分を何に使うのか、といった根本的な問題に明確な方針を示すことができなかった。
When Kan found himself being boxed in by criticism over the consumption tax issue, he tweaked his previous statement, saying he would not raise "even yen1" in consumption tax until the next general election. This gave the impression that Kan was uncertain what to do.
増税批判で苦境に立たされると「次の総選挙まで１円たりとも上げない」と発言を修正するなど、最後まで軸が定まっていない印象も与えた。
===
Build intraparty consensus
◆民主は党内合意急げ
To restore public trust in the DPJ, the party must form a consensus on a consumption tax hike as soon as possible and carefully explain its position to the public.
国民の信頼を取り戻すために民主党が取り組むべきは、消費税率引き上げに関する党としての考え方を早急にまとめ、丁寧に国民に説明することである。
Future discussions likely will focus on measures to alleviate the burden any increase would place on low-income earners, among other issues.
今後の議論では、低所得者対策などが一つの論点となる。
A consumption tax refund was one option floated, but this idea is fraught with problems, such as where to draw the line on household income that would be subject to the scheme and how accurately the government can calculate individual households' income.
消費税額を還付する案が浮上しているが、所得に応じて対象者をどう線引きするか、対象者の所得をどこまで正確に把握できるかといった問題がある。
A reduced tax rate system, under which tax rates are set lower for daily necessities and other items, might be one possibility. Given that reduced tax rates are applied to newspapers, books and food in some European countries, such a system is certainly worth consideration.
生活必需品などの税率を低く設定する軽減税率の導入も選択肢だ。欧州の軽減税率は新聞や書籍、食料品などに適用されており、検討に値しよう。
The DPJ must spell out that the primary purpose of raising the consumption tax rate is to fund ballooning social security costs in pension, medical care and nursing services.These costs will only increase as the nation's society grays and birthrate declines.
消費税率を引き上げる目的については、少子高齢化の進展で増大する年金、医療、介護などの社会保障費を賄うことが主眼であることを明確にすべきだ。
After storming into power in September, the DPJ insisted it would find the money to fund its policies by weeding out wasteful spending. However, efforts to cut government fat had less of an impact than expected on the fiscal 2010 budget compilation.
政権交代後、民主党は無駄減らしで財源を捻出(ねんしゅつ)するとしていたが、１０年度予算編成で、歳出削減の効果はわずかだった。
The consumption tax, which imposes a financial burden on a wide spectrum of people, is the only stable tax revenue source, given that income and corporate tax revenues can fluctuate greatly, depending on the state of the economy.
一方、税収確保の点では、所得税や法人税が景気動向に大きく左右される以上、安定した財源となるのは国民が広く負担を分かち合う消費税しかない。
If the government can restore the social security system through a consumption tax increase, it also would help stimulate consumer spending as the public would be more willing to buy things if they did not have so many anxieties about their future.
消費税増税で社会保障制度を立て直せば、将来不安の解消で消費を刺激する効果も出てこよう。
===
Lower corporate tax rates
◆法人税引き下げを
Discussions on tax reform should aim to create a society free from concerns by stabilizing the public finances and social security, as well as maintain economic vitality.
税制改革論議では、財政や社会保障を安定させて安心社会を実現し、日本経済の活力を維持する視点が不可欠だ。
Japan's effective corporate tax rate is more than 40 percent, far higher than the average of 26 percent among the 30 member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. We think the government should quickly lower corporate tax rates as this will strengthen Japanese companies' international competitiveness.
日本の法人税の実効税率は４０％超で、経済協力開発機構（ＯＥＣＤ）加盟３０か国の平均２６％と比べてかなり高い。企業の国際競争力を強化するためには、法人税率の引き下げが急務だ。
To make up for expected tax revenue shortfalls, the government must expedite discussions on tax system reform for fiscal 2011, including streamlining tax incentives that have run their course.
その減収を補う措置として、役割を終えた政策減税を整理するなど、１１年度税制改正に向け議論を急ぐべきである。
During the election campaign, Kan suggested strengthening the progressive taxation system, under which high-income earners and others bear heavier tax burdens.
参院選で首相は、高所得層を中心に負担を重くする所得税の累進性の強化を示唆した。
However, the maximum income tax rate already stands at 40 percent, which is high by international standards. Because this rate is applied to only a few taxpayers, no visible tax revenue increase can be expected from Kan's plan. Rather, the prime minister seemed to be trying to fend off public criticism that the proposed consumption tax hike would hurt the pockets of the wider general public.
だが、所得税の最高税率（４０％）は国際的に高水準で、適用される納税者は少なく、増収効果はあまりない。むしろ、消費税の税率アップが大衆増税になるとの批判をかわすのが狙いだろう。
Raising the maximum income tax rate will discourage people from working hard and undermine efforts to energize the country's businesses.
所得税の最高税率の引き上げは国民の働く意欲をそぎ、経済社会の活性化に逆行する。
Before all else, the government should review its tax deduction measures.
様々な所得控除の見直しが先である。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 14, 2010)
（2010年7月14日01時38分 読売新聞）
2010/07/14
菅首相続投 経済再生へ政治の機能回復を
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 14, 2010)
Restore Diet function to revive economy
菅首相続投 経済再生へ政治の機能回復を（7月13日付・読売社説）
Prime Minister Naoto Kan's administration suffered a crushing defeat in Sunday's House of Councillors election. The result has created a serious problem for his government--a so-called divided Diet, in which the opposition parties control the upper house and the ruling parties the lower house.
参院選で敗北した菅政権にとって、新たな衆参ねじれ国会の状況は深刻だ。
Given this situation, the prime minister should drastically review the handout measures contained in the manifesto created by the Democratic Party of Japan last year and seek cooperation from the opposition parties.
昨年の民主党政権公約のバラマキ政策を大胆に見直し、野党に協力を求めることが肝要である。
The results of the upper house election, which was a chance for voters to give their interim assessment of the change of administration, were more severe than expected for the ruling coalition parties.
政権交代の中間評価の機会となった参院選の結果は、事前の予想以上に厳しかった。
The DPJ won only 44 seats, 10 seats less than its preelection strength, and the People's New Party, the DPJ's junior coalition partner, could not obtain any seats at all. Consequently, the coalition parties--including an independent who was backed by the coalition parties--now hold a total of 110 seats, 12 short of 122, a majority in the upper house.
民主党は改選前に比べ１０減の４４議席で、連立与党の国民新党は１議席も獲得できなかった。与党全体でも、過半数の１２２議席に１２議席も足りない状況に至った。
===
High-handedness backfired
◆バラマキ政策を見直せ◆
The Kan administration has postponed making changes to the Cabinet and the DPJ leadership until the DPJ presidential election is held in September, when Kan's term as party president will expire.
But the road ahead is rocky.
菅政権は内閣改造・党役員人事を９月の党代表選後に先送りしたが、その前途は多難だ。
At an extra Diet session to be convened at the end of this month, the prime minister is planning only to elect the president and vice president of the upper house. However, if his administration fails to cooperate with any opposition party before the next extraordinary Diet session in autumn, the prime minister will not be able to pass any important bills and will have difficulty managing the government.
今月末召集の臨時国会は、参院の正副議長の選出などにとどめる予定だ。だが、どの野党とも連携できないまま、秋の臨時国会を迎えれば、重要法案が成立せず、政権運営は行き詰まるだろう。
After a major victory in the 2007 election, the DPJ and other opposition parties controlled the upper house. The DPJ employed hard-nosed tactics as it faced off against the Liberal Democratic Party-led government and its ruling coalition regarding the appointment of a Bank of Japan governor and other important issues, focusing on creating a favorable political situation for itself.
民主党は２００７年参院選後のねじれ国会で、野党として日銀総裁の同意人事などで政府・与党と徹底的に対決する「政局至上主義」とも言える戦術をとった。
Even after becoming the ruling party, the DPJ repeatedly used its numerical strength to ignore traditional practices concerning Diet deliberations during this year's ordinary Diet session. The party used high-handed methods worse than those the LDP had employed to steer Diet business and deepened its split with the opposition parties.
与党になった後も、今年の通常国会では、衆院の「数の力」を頼みに国会審議の慣例を再三無視するなど、かつての自民党以上に強引な国会運営を行い、野党との亀裂を深めた。
Now that the opposition controls the upper house, however, the Kan administration will have to acknowledge that the opposition parties may seek "revenge," so he must manage Diet affairs in a nonconfrontational manner based on reaching consensus.
菅政権は今後、野党から“意趣返し”を受ける可能性も自覚し、合意重視の円満な国会運営を心がける必要がある。
In the latest upper house election, voters decided to prevent the DPJ from running wild rather than support the DPJ-led coalition government. However, that does not mean they want a lame-duck government unable to pass important bills in a divided Diet.
今回の参院選で、有権者は、もっぱら民主党が主導する政権ではなく、民主党の“独走”に歯止めをかける道を選択した。だが、ねじれ国会の下で法案が成立せず、政治が機能不全に陥る事態を決して容認しているわけではない。
===
Concessions necessary
◆与野党連携で危機克服◆
Japan is facing many challenges.
わが国は今、多くの困難な課題に直面している。
Leaders of the Group of 20 developed and major emerging countries set a goal at their summit meeting last month of restoring fiscal soundness while maintaining economic growth. Japan also made an international pledge there to simultaneously achieve economic growth and fiscal health.
先月の世界２０か国・地域（Ｇ２０）首脳会議は、経済成長を維持しつつ、財政健全化を進める目標を掲げた。日本も、経済成長と財政再建の両立が国際公約となった。
Now the government has to start reviewing public pension and other social welfare systems, and try to mend Japan-U.S. relations that were strained under the administration of former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.
年金など社会保障制度の見直しや、鳩山前政権時代に悪化した日米関係の改善も、これからだ。
To tackle these issues, the Kan administration must make policy concessions with the opposition parties and seek their cooperation.
菅政権がこれらに取り組むには政策面で野党の主張に歩み寄り、協力を得ることが不可欠だ。
Leaders in various sectors are voicing their concerns about a possible political stalemate.
"The government should not postpone processing the mountain of issues due to the divided Diet," said Hiromasa Yonekura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren).
日本経団連の米倉弘昌会長が１２日、「ねじれ国会で、山積する課題を先送りしてはいけない」と述べたように、政治の停滞を懸念する声は各方面から出ている。
Currently, every opposition party is refusing to form a coalition with the DPJ. Your Party leader Yoshimi Watanabe said Monday that the division between the upper and lower houses demonstrates the will of the public today, and demanded the prime minister resign.
すべての野党は目下、民主党との連立を拒否している。みんなの党の渡辺代表は１２日、「衆参両院でねじれが起きたのが直近の民意だ」と菅首相の退陣を求めた。
===
Manifesto must be revised
However, all the opposition parties are leaving room for a "partial" coalition with the government, in which the ruling and opposition parties may work together depending on the issue.
ただ、各野党とも、政策ごとに与野党が連携する「部分連合」には協力の余地を残している。
For example, the Kan government is expected to work together with Your Party to reform the civil servant system and with the LDP on social welfare policy and reform of the taxation system.
例えば、菅政権が公務員制度改革ではみんなの党と、社会保障政策や税制改革では自民党と連携するといった展開も想定される。
Of course, the opposition parties have various motives, so cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties may not be easy. However, the major requirement for any cooperation will be a drastic revision of the DPJ's manifesto.
無論、各野党の思惑も様々で、与野党協力は簡単ではない。いずれも前提となるのは、民主党の政権公約の大幅な見直しだ。
The Kan government should admit the failure of the DPJ's handout measures that lack financial backing, such as the child-rearing allowances and abolition of expressway tolls. It should offer an explanation and an apology to the public.
菅政権は、子ども手当や高速道路の無料化など、財源の裏付けのないバラマキ政策の誤りを認め、国民に説明・謝罪すべきだ。
The DPJ lost in the upper house election not because Kan mentioned an increase in the consumption tax rate but because he was inconsistent in his remarks and actions. Kan is contradicting himself as he advocates a thorough cut in government expenditures while continuing handout measures.
参院選の敗因は、首相が消費税率引き上げに言及したことではない。税率上げの前提として「徹底した歳出削減」を掲げながら、バラマキ政策を継続する矛盾や、右往左往した首相の言動だ。
Public understanding of the need to increase the consumption tax rate is deepening as social welfare-related spending is increasing by 1 trillion yen a year.
社会保障費が毎年約１兆円も増える中、消費税増税への理解は国民の間に深まっている。
It is important for the prime minister to reach an agreement among the ruling and opposition parties on the details of a hike in the consumption tax rate, such as when and how much it should be raised. The LDP should not only criticize the government and the ruling coalition but also respond positively to talks between the ruling and opposition parties.
首相は、税率引き上げの時期や上げ幅など具体策に関する与野党合意形成を目指すことが大切だ。自民党なども、政府・与党を批判するばかりでなく、与野党協議に前向きに対応すべきだろう。
===
Don't rush to Ozawa
Meanwhile, a group of DPJ members, including those close to former DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa, is questioning the responsibility of current Secretary General Yukio Edano and other party executives for the party's debacle in the upper house election. Efforts to field a candidate against Kan will become increasingly active ahead of the party presidential election scheduled for September.
民主党内では、小沢一郎・前幹事長のグループを中心に、参院選敗北の枝野幹事長らの責任を問う声が出ている。９月の党代表選に向けて、菅首相の対立候補を擁立する動きも活発化しよう。
This will require difficult maneuvering by the prime minister.
首相は難しい舵(かじ)取りを迫られる。
◆千葉法相留任は疑問だ◆
However, Kan should not easily join hands with Ozawa to quickly restore party unity. He should not allow Ozawa to control the DPJ again by compromising on the consumption tax rate and other political issues.
だが、菅首相は、挙党態勢の構築を急ぐあまり、小沢氏と安易に手を結び、消費税問題など政策面で妥協して、「小沢支配」の復活を許すべきではない。
Kan must remember that his administration enjoyed a high approval rating immediately after its inauguration because the public approved of his efforts to eliminate Ozawa's influence.
菅政権が発足直後、高い支持率を得たのは、小沢氏の影響力を排除したことへの評価が大きかったことを忘れてはなるまい。
The prime minister has decided to keep Justice Minister Keiko Chiba, who lost her Diet seat in Sunday's election, in her current post until after the party presidential election in September. He said this was to maintain continuity in the administration, but it seems Kan actually wanted to avoid confrontations and confusion within the party over the selection of her successor.
菅首相は今回、落選した千葉法相を代表選後まで留任させることを決めた。表向きは「行政の継続性」を理由にしているが、実際は後任人事をめぐる党内の対立や混乱を避けるためと見られる。
There is little precedent for a person who has lost his or her Diet seat to stay in a ministerial post for more than a month. Though Chiba's post is not as important as the finance and foreign ministers, the popular judgment regarding Chiba should be taken more seriously. We question Kan's decision to retain Chiba as justice minister.
落選した閣僚を１か月以上続投させた例はほとんどない。財務、外務など主要閣僚でないとはいえ、国民の審判は重い。留任の判断には疑問が残る。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 13, 2010)
（2010年7月13日01時30分 読売新聞）
Restore Diet function to revive economy
菅首相続投 経済再生へ政治の機能回復を（7月13日付・読売社説）
Prime Minister Naoto Kan's administration suffered a crushing defeat in Sunday's House of Councillors election. The result has created a serious problem for his government--a so-called divided Diet, in which the opposition parties control the upper house and the ruling parties the lower house.
参院選で敗北した菅政権にとって、新たな衆参ねじれ国会の状況は深刻だ。
Given this situation, the prime minister should drastically review the handout measures contained in the manifesto created by the Democratic Party of Japan last year and seek cooperation from the opposition parties.
昨年の民主党政権公約のバラマキ政策を大胆に見直し、野党に協力を求めることが肝要である。
The results of the upper house election, which was a chance for voters to give their interim assessment of the change of administration, were more severe than expected for the ruling coalition parties.
政権交代の中間評価の機会となった参院選の結果は、事前の予想以上に厳しかった。
The DPJ won only 44 seats, 10 seats less than its preelection strength, and the People's New Party, the DPJ's junior coalition partner, could not obtain any seats at all. Consequently, the coalition parties--including an independent who was backed by the coalition parties--now hold a total of 110 seats, 12 short of 122, a majority in the upper house.
民主党は改選前に比べ１０減の４４議席で、連立与党の国民新党は１議席も獲得できなかった。与党全体でも、過半数の１２２議席に１２議席も足りない状況に至った。
===
High-handedness backfired
◆バラマキ政策を見直せ◆
The Kan administration has postponed making changes to the Cabinet and the DPJ leadership until the DPJ presidential election is held in September, when Kan's term as party president will expire.
But the road ahead is rocky.
菅政権は内閣改造・党役員人事を９月の党代表選後に先送りしたが、その前途は多難だ。
At an extra Diet session to be convened at the end of this month, the prime minister is planning only to elect the president and vice president of the upper house. However, if his administration fails to cooperate with any opposition party before the next extraordinary Diet session in autumn, the prime minister will not be able to pass any important bills and will have difficulty managing the government.
今月末召集の臨時国会は、参院の正副議長の選出などにとどめる予定だ。だが、どの野党とも連携できないまま、秋の臨時国会を迎えれば、重要法案が成立せず、政権運営は行き詰まるだろう。
After a major victory in the 2007 election, the DPJ and other opposition parties controlled the upper house. The DPJ employed hard-nosed tactics as it faced off against the Liberal Democratic Party-led government and its ruling coalition regarding the appointment of a Bank of Japan governor and other important issues, focusing on creating a favorable political situation for itself.
民主党は２００７年参院選後のねじれ国会で、野党として日銀総裁の同意人事などで政府・与党と徹底的に対決する「政局至上主義」とも言える戦術をとった。
Even after becoming the ruling party, the DPJ repeatedly used its numerical strength to ignore traditional practices concerning Diet deliberations during this year's ordinary Diet session. The party used high-handed methods worse than those the LDP had employed to steer Diet business and deepened its split with the opposition parties.
与党になった後も、今年の通常国会では、衆院の「数の力」を頼みに国会審議の慣例を再三無視するなど、かつての自民党以上に強引な国会運営を行い、野党との亀裂を深めた。
Now that the opposition controls the upper house, however, the Kan administration will have to acknowledge that the opposition parties may seek "revenge," so he must manage Diet affairs in a nonconfrontational manner based on reaching consensus.
菅政権は今後、野党から“意趣返し”を受ける可能性も自覚し、合意重視の円満な国会運営を心がける必要がある。
In the latest upper house election, voters decided to prevent the DPJ from running wild rather than support the DPJ-led coalition government. However, that does not mean they want a lame-duck government unable to pass important bills in a divided Diet.
今回の参院選で、有権者は、もっぱら民主党が主導する政権ではなく、民主党の“独走”に歯止めをかける道を選択した。だが、ねじれ国会の下で法案が成立せず、政治が機能不全に陥る事態を決して容認しているわけではない。
===
Concessions necessary
◆与野党連携で危機克服◆
Japan is facing many challenges.
わが国は今、多くの困難な課題に直面している。
Leaders of the Group of 20 developed and major emerging countries set a goal at their summit meeting last month of restoring fiscal soundness while maintaining economic growth. Japan also made an international pledge there to simultaneously achieve economic growth and fiscal health.
先月の世界２０か国・地域（Ｇ２０）首脳会議は、経済成長を維持しつつ、財政健全化を進める目標を掲げた。日本も、経済成長と財政再建の両立が国際公約となった。
Now the government has to start reviewing public pension and other social welfare systems, and try to mend Japan-U.S. relations that were strained under the administration of former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.
年金など社会保障制度の見直しや、鳩山前政権時代に悪化した日米関係の改善も、これからだ。
To tackle these issues, the Kan administration must make policy concessions with the opposition parties and seek their cooperation.
菅政権がこれらに取り組むには政策面で野党の主張に歩み寄り、協力を得ることが不可欠だ。
Leaders in various sectors are voicing their concerns about a possible political stalemate.
"The government should not postpone processing the mountain of issues due to the divided Diet," said Hiromasa Yonekura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren).
日本経団連の米倉弘昌会長が１２日、「ねじれ国会で、山積する課題を先送りしてはいけない」と述べたように、政治の停滞を懸念する声は各方面から出ている。
Currently, every opposition party is refusing to form a coalition with the DPJ. Your Party leader Yoshimi Watanabe said Monday that the division between the upper and lower houses demonstrates the will of the public today, and demanded the prime minister resign.
すべての野党は目下、民主党との連立を拒否している。みんなの党の渡辺代表は１２日、「衆参両院でねじれが起きたのが直近の民意だ」と菅首相の退陣を求めた。
===
Manifesto must be revised
However, all the opposition parties are leaving room for a "partial" coalition with the government, in which the ruling and opposition parties may work together depending on the issue.
ただ、各野党とも、政策ごとに与野党が連携する「部分連合」には協力の余地を残している。
For example, the Kan government is expected to work together with Your Party to reform the civil servant system and with the LDP on social welfare policy and reform of the taxation system.
例えば、菅政権が公務員制度改革ではみんなの党と、社会保障政策や税制改革では自民党と連携するといった展開も想定される。
Of course, the opposition parties have various motives, so cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties may not be easy. However, the major requirement for any cooperation will be a drastic revision of the DPJ's manifesto.
無論、各野党の思惑も様々で、与野党協力は簡単ではない。いずれも前提となるのは、民主党の政権公約の大幅な見直しだ。
The Kan government should admit the failure of the DPJ's handout measures that lack financial backing, such as the child-rearing allowances and abolition of expressway tolls. It should offer an explanation and an apology to the public.
菅政権は、子ども手当や高速道路の無料化など、財源の裏付けのないバラマキ政策の誤りを認め、国民に説明・謝罪すべきだ。
The DPJ lost in the upper house election not because Kan mentioned an increase in the consumption tax rate but because he was inconsistent in his remarks and actions. Kan is contradicting himself as he advocates a thorough cut in government expenditures while continuing handout measures.
参院選の敗因は、首相が消費税率引き上げに言及したことではない。税率上げの前提として「徹底した歳出削減」を掲げながら、バラマキ政策を継続する矛盾や、右往左往した首相の言動だ。
Public understanding of the need to increase the consumption tax rate is deepening as social welfare-related spending is increasing by 1 trillion yen a year.
社会保障費が毎年約１兆円も増える中、消費税増税への理解は国民の間に深まっている。
It is important for the prime minister to reach an agreement among the ruling and opposition parties on the details of a hike in the consumption tax rate, such as when and how much it should be raised. The LDP should not only criticize the government and the ruling coalition but also respond positively to talks between the ruling and opposition parties.
首相は、税率引き上げの時期や上げ幅など具体策に関する与野党合意形成を目指すことが大切だ。自民党なども、政府・与党を批判するばかりでなく、与野党協議に前向きに対応すべきだろう。
===
Don't rush to Ozawa
Meanwhile, a group of DPJ members, including those close to former DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa, is questioning the responsibility of current Secretary General Yukio Edano and other party executives for the party's debacle in the upper house election. Efforts to field a candidate against Kan will become increasingly active ahead of the party presidential election scheduled for September.
民主党内では、小沢一郎・前幹事長のグループを中心に、参院選敗北の枝野幹事長らの責任を問う声が出ている。９月の党代表選に向けて、菅首相の対立候補を擁立する動きも活発化しよう。
This will require difficult maneuvering by the prime minister.
首相は難しい舵(かじ)取りを迫られる。
◆千葉法相留任は疑問だ◆
However, Kan should not easily join hands with Ozawa to quickly restore party unity. He should not allow Ozawa to control the DPJ again by compromising on the consumption tax rate and other political issues.
だが、菅首相は、挙党態勢の構築を急ぐあまり、小沢氏と安易に手を結び、消費税問題など政策面で妥協して、「小沢支配」の復活を許すべきではない。
Kan must remember that his administration enjoyed a high approval rating immediately after its inauguration because the public approved of his efforts to eliminate Ozawa's influence.
菅政権が発足直後、高い支持率を得たのは、小沢氏の影響力を排除したことへの評価が大きかったことを忘れてはなるまい。
The prime minister has decided to keep Justice Minister Keiko Chiba, who lost her Diet seat in Sunday's election, in her current post until after the party presidential election in September. He said this was to maintain continuity in the administration, but it seems Kan actually wanted to avoid confrontations and confusion within the party over the selection of her successor.
菅首相は今回、落選した千葉法相を代表選後まで留任させることを決めた。表向きは「行政の継続性」を理由にしているが、実際は後任人事をめぐる党内の対立や混乱を避けるためと見られる。
There is little precedent for a person who has lost his or her Diet seat to stay in a ministerial post for more than a month. Though Chiba's post is not as important as the finance and foreign ministers, the popular judgment regarding Chiba should be taken more seriously. We question Kan's decision to retain Chiba as justice minister.
落選した閣僚を１か月以上続投させた例はほとんどない。財務、外務など主要閣僚でないとはいえ、国民の審判は重い。留任の判断には疑問が残る。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 13, 2010)
（2010年7月13日01時30分 読売新聞）
2010/07/13
参院選民主敗北 バラマキと迷走に厳しい審判
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 13, 2010)
Voters give DPJ policy the thumbs-down
参院選民主敗北 バラマキと迷走に厳しい審判（7月12日付・読売社説）
Voters have passed a stinging judgment on the Democratic Party of Japan's 10 months in government since it came to power following last summer's general election.
昨年夏の衆院選で政権交代を果たし、その後の政権運営の評価を問う民主党に対し、有権者は厳しい審判を下した。
The DPJ suffered a crushing defeat in Sunday's House of Councillors election and fell far short of the 54 seats targeted by Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who also is DPJ president. Justice Minister Keiko Chiba lost her seat. The DPJ and its tiny coalition partner, the People's New Party, failed to hold their majority in the 242-seat upper house, including uncontested seats.
１１日投開票の参院選で民主党は、菅首相が目標に掲げた改選５４議席を大きく下回り、敗北した。千葉法相も落選した。連立与党の議席も、非改選を含め過半数に届かなかった。
The election has led to a divided Diet in which the House of Representatives is controlled by the ruling camp and the upper chamber by opposition parties. To gain a majority in the upper house, the DPJ has no alternative but to stitch together a coalition with one or more opposition parties.
この結果、衆参両院で多数派が異なる「ねじれ国会」になる。民主党は、参院の過半数を確保するため、野党との連立を模索せざるを得ない状況だ。
At a news conference after the election, Kan insisted he would stay on, saying, "I would like to continue to responsibly manage the government." However, Kan's political clout has undeniably been weakened. Political chaos is all but certain as moves grow within the DPJ demanding the party leadership--including Kan--take responsibility for the election loss.
菅首相は記者会見で「責任ある政権運営を続けたい」と、続投の意向を表明したが、求心力の低下は否めない。首相を含めた党執行部の責任問題が浮上する可能性もあり、混乱は避けられまい。
Kan's handling of the consumption tax issue was the biggest factor behind the DPJ's setback.
民主党の最大の敗因は、菅首相の消費税問題への対応だ。
Kan hinted the rate could be lifted to 10 percent, a move echoing the Liberal Democratic Party's campaign pledge. But Kan failed to properly explain the purpose of the tax increase and how the revenue would be used. He compounded his problems by making inconsistent remarks on tax refunds for low-income earners.
自民党の消費税率１０％への引き上げ公約に乗る形で税率引き上げに言及したが、税率アップの狙いや使途などについて十分説明を尽くさず、低所得者対策に関する発言も揺らいだ。
The DPJ was not unified on the consumption tax. Some party members openly opposed Kan's tax policy.
首相の方針に対して、民主党内から公然と批判が出るなど、党内不一致も露呈した。
Of course, other factors also contributed to the election defeat, including political funding scandals that tainted former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and former party Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa; the Hatoyama administration's bumbling of the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture; and deadlock over handout policies such as child-rearing allowances.
無論、鳩山前首相、小沢一郎・前幹事長の「政治とカネ」の問題をはじめ、米軍普天間飛行場移設問題の迷走、子ども手当などバラマキ政策の行き詰まりなど、前政権の失政も響いた。
===
LDP's strategy successful
◆自民が改選第１党に◆
The LDP won the most seats contested Sunday, topping the number snared by the DPJ. The LDP's election tactics, such as fielding rookie candidates handpicked from public applicants, proved successful.
自民党は、今回の改選議席では民主党を上回った。公募による新人候補の擁立など選挙戦術も功を奏したとみられる。
Nevertheless, it is premature to conclude the LDP has made a full recovery.
もっとも、自民党が本格的に復調したと考えるのは早計だ。
The LDP rode to victory largely thanks to the DPJ's shortcomings. The LDP fared worse than the DPJ in the proportional representation bloc elections. Many voters probably were counting on the LDP to prevent the DPJ from "running wild."
民主党の敵失に乗じた面が大きく、比例選では民主党に及ばなかった。有権者は、民主党の“独走”を阻む役割を自民党に期待したのではないか。
Your Party made major gains by attracting voters disillusioned with both major parties. The party called for slashing the number of government employees and abolishing amakudari--a practice in which high-ranking government officials parachute into cushy jobs after retirement.
みんなの党は、公務員の大幅削減や天下り根絶などを唱えて、２大政党にあきたらない人々の票を吸い上げ、躍進した。
The party now has a responsibility to act in a manner befitting the number of seats it holds. The party might have to rethink some of its policies and behavior that smack of populism.
しかし、今後は、その議席数にふさわしい責任を果たさねばならない。ポピュリズム（大衆迎合主義）的な政策や言動は、改めざるを得ないだろう。
Party leader Yoshimi Watanabe, who had set the goal of positioning his party to hold a decisive say in the Diet, should not whip up political turmoil by taking advantage of the seats his party gained in Sunday's election.
キャスチングボートを握ることを目指していた渡辺代表は、今回の獲得議席を基に、政局を混乱させることがあってはなるまい。
===
Promote tax debate
◆消費税協議を進めよ◆
A hallmark of this election campaign was that the two major parties--the DPJ and the LDP--did not sidestep debate on a consumption tax hike.
今回の選挙戦の特徴は、民主、自民の２大政党が、消費税率引き上げという増税論議を避けずに戦ったことである。
According to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey during the campaign, two-thirds of respondents said a tax hike will be "necessary." This indicates public understanding of a consumption tax hike has solidified.
選挙中の本紙世論調査では、税率アップについて３人に２人が「必要」と答えていた。消費増税への理解は着実に進んでいるとみていいようだ。
On the campaign trail, Kan called for suprapartisan discussions on sweeping tax system reform, including an increase in the consumption tax. The LDP, for its part, wants a similar roundtable discussion on the matter.
菅首相は、選挙戦で消費税を含む税制の抜本改革に関する超党派の協議を呼びかけた。自民党も同種の「円卓会議」を主張した。
But it is unreasonable to launch such a debate while the DPJ-led government charges ahead with child-rearing allowances and other cash handouts. A responsible government would only enter discussions on a consumption tax hike after reviewing such handout policies.
だが、子ども手当などのバラマキ政策を放置し、協議を開始するのは無理がある。これらの政策を見直したうえ、消費税率引き上げに向けて協議を進めることが政治の責任と言える。
The DPJ and the LDP both should make concessions to start talks on the matter.
民主、自民両党は互いに歩み寄って協議に入るべきだ。
The end of August is the deadline for deciding on a construction method for a runaway at a replacement facility for the Futenma base and other relocation details. The government must follow through on the Futenma agreement reached with the United States and get bilateral ties back on track before U.S. President Barack Obama visits Japan in November.
普天間問題では、工法決定などの約束期限が８月末に迫っている。日米合意を誠実に履行し、日米関係を修復の軌道に乗せて、１１月のオバマ米大統領の来日につなげる努力が欠かせない。
The DPJ's election loss could embolden a group of party members who support Ozawa to strengthen moves to shake up the party leadership ahead of the party's presidential election in September.
今回の参院選敗北を受けて、民主党内では、小沢前幹事長支持グループなどが、９月の党代表選に向けて、執行部への揺さぶりを強める可能性がある。
But if Kan changes tack on the consumption tax and Futenma issue in the face of intraparty opposition, public confidence in his government will fade even further.
しかし、首相が、消費税や普天間の問題で示した方針を変更するようなことがあれば、国民の信頼を一層、失うだけだ。
Kan should maintain the pragmatic approach to domestic and diplomatic issues he adopted in a major break from the line taken by the Hatoyama administration.
鳩山前政権から大きく舵(かじ)を切った内政、外交の現実路線は、しっかり堅持すべきであろう。
The DPJ commands an absolute majority in the lower house. But the DPJ and the PNP hold fewer than two-thirds of the seats in the lower house, the threshold at which the ruling bloc can approve again--and pass--a bill voted down in the upper house.
民主党は、衆院では絶対安定多数を維持しているが、国民新党を加えても、参院で否決された法案を衆院で再可決するための３分の２以上の議席には達しない。
Consequently, the Kan administration will face a more difficult job in steering Diet business than the LDP-led administrations of three former prime ministers--Shinzo Abe, Yasuo Fukuda and Taro Aso--that also found themselves in a divided Diet.
この点では、自民党の安倍、福田、麻生の歴代政権よりも、厳しい国会運営が迫られる。
===
Policy-based coalition needed
◆連立は政策本位で◆
At the news conference, Kan said he would reach out to opposition parties to hold policy discussions and try to build a coalition government.
菅首相は記者会見で、野党との連立を視野に入れ、政策面の協議を行う考えを表明した。
He should remember that the coalition with the Social Democratic Party blew up in the DPJ's face because their security policies had little in common. The major premise for a coalition government should be that the parties involved share basic policies.
その際、安全保障政策で隔たりのある社民党との連立が政治を混乱させたことを忘れてはなるまい。連立政権は、基本政策の一致を大前提とすることが肝要だ。
With the next lower house election in mind, many opposition parties have said they will not join a coalition government. Therefore, the government will inevitably pursue a noncabinet partnership or a partial coalition with an opposition party on certain bills.
各野党は、次期衆院選をにらみ、連立政権には参加しないとしている。このため、閣外協力や、法案ごとに協力し合う「部分連合」も追求せざるを得ないだろう。
Many hurdles loom for the Kan administration, including an extraordinary Diet session and a DPJ presidential election.
菅政権の前途には、臨時国会や党代表選など、多くのハードルが待ち構えている。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 12, 2010)
（2010年7月12日03時55分 読売新聞）
Voters give DPJ policy the thumbs-down
参院選民主敗北 バラマキと迷走に厳しい審判（7月12日付・読売社説）
Voters have passed a stinging judgment on the Democratic Party of Japan's 10 months in government since it came to power following last summer's general election.
昨年夏の衆院選で政権交代を果たし、その後の政権運営の評価を問う民主党に対し、有権者は厳しい審判を下した。
The DPJ suffered a crushing defeat in Sunday's House of Councillors election and fell far short of the 54 seats targeted by Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who also is DPJ president. Justice Minister Keiko Chiba lost her seat. The DPJ and its tiny coalition partner, the People's New Party, failed to hold their majority in the 242-seat upper house, including uncontested seats.
１１日投開票の参院選で民主党は、菅首相が目標に掲げた改選５４議席を大きく下回り、敗北した。千葉法相も落選した。連立与党の議席も、非改選を含め過半数に届かなかった。
The election has led to a divided Diet in which the House of Representatives is controlled by the ruling camp and the upper chamber by opposition parties. To gain a majority in the upper house, the DPJ has no alternative but to stitch together a coalition with one or more opposition parties.
この結果、衆参両院で多数派が異なる「ねじれ国会」になる。民主党は、参院の過半数を確保するため、野党との連立を模索せざるを得ない状況だ。
At a news conference after the election, Kan insisted he would stay on, saying, "I would like to continue to responsibly manage the government." However, Kan's political clout has undeniably been weakened. Political chaos is all but certain as moves grow within the DPJ demanding the party leadership--including Kan--take responsibility for the election loss.
菅首相は記者会見で「責任ある政権運営を続けたい」と、続投の意向を表明したが、求心力の低下は否めない。首相を含めた党執行部の責任問題が浮上する可能性もあり、混乱は避けられまい。
Kan's handling of the consumption tax issue was the biggest factor behind the DPJ's setback.
民主党の最大の敗因は、菅首相の消費税問題への対応だ。
Kan hinted the rate could be lifted to 10 percent, a move echoing the Liberal Democratic Party's campaign pledge. But Kan failed to properly explain the purpose of the tax increase and how the revenue would be used. He compounded his problems by making inconsistent remarks on tax refunds for low-income earners.
自民党の消費税率１０％への引き上げ公約に乗る形で税率引き上げに言及したが、税率アップの狙いや使途などについて十分説明を尽くさず、低所得者対策に関する発言も揺らいだ。
The DPJ was not unified on the consumption tax. Some party members openly opposed Kan's tax policy.
首相の方針に対して、民主党内から公然と批判が出るなど、党内不一致も露呈した。
Of course, other factors also contributed to the election defeat, including political funding scandals that tainted former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and former party Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa; the Hatoyama administration's bumbling of the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture; and deadlock over handout policies such as child-rearing allowances.
無論、鳩山前首相、小沢一郎・前幹事長の「政治とカネ」の問題をはじめ、米軍普天間飛行場移設問題の迷走、子ども手当などバラマキ政策の行き詰まりなど、前政権の失政も響いた。
===
LDP's strategy successful
◆自民が改選第１党に◆
The LDP won the most seats contested Sunday, topping the number snared by the DPJ. The LDP's election tactics, such as fielding rookie candidates handpicked from public applicants, proved successful.
自民党は、今回の改選議席では民主党を上回った。公募による新人候補の擁立など選挙戦術も功を奏したとみられる。
Nevertheless, it is premature to conclude the LDP has made a full recovery.
もっとも、自民党が本格的に復調したと考えるのは早計だ。
The LDP rode to victory largely thanks to the DPJ's shortcomings. The LDP fared worse than the DPJ in the proportional representation bloc elections. Many voters probably were counting on the LDP to prevent the DPJ from "running wild."
民主党の敵失に乗じた面が大きく、比例選では民主党に及ばなかった。有権者は、民主党の“独走”を阻む役割を自民党に期待したのではないか。
Your Party made major gains by attracting voters disillusioned with both major parties. The party called for slashing the number of government employees and abolishing amakudari--a practice in which high-ranking government officials parachute into cushy jobs after retirement.
みんなの党は、公務員の大幅削減や天下り根絶などを唱えて、２大政党にあきたらない人々の票を吸い上げ、躍進した。
The party now has a responsibility to act in a manner befitting the number of seats it holds. The party might have to rethink some of its policies and behavior that smack of populism.
しかし、今後は、その議席数にふさわしい責任を果たさねばならない。ポピュリズム（大衆迎合主義）的な政策や言動は、改めざるを得ないだろう。
Party leader Yoshimi Watanabe, who had set the goal of positioning his party to hold a decisive say in the Diet, should not whip up political turmoil by taking advantage of the seats his party gained in Sunday's election.
キャスチングボートを握ることを目指していた渡辺代表は、今回の獲得議席を基に、政局を混乱させることがあってはなるまい。
===
Promote tax debate
◆消費税協議を進めよ◆
A hallmark of this election campaign was that the two major parties--the DPJ and the LDP--did not sidestep debate on a consumption tax hike.
今回の選挙戦の特徴は、民主、自民の２大政党が、消費税率引き上げという増税論議を避けずに戦ったことである。
According to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey during the campaign, two-thirds of respondents said a tax hike will be "necessary." This indicates public understanding of a consumption tax hike has solidified.
選挙中の本紙世論調査では、税率アップについて３人に２人が「必要」と答えていた。消費増税への理解は着実に進んでいるとみていいようだ。
On the campaign trail, Kan called for suprapartisan discussions on sweeping tax system reform, including an increase in the consumption tax. The LDP, for its part, wants a similar roundtable discussion on the matter.
菅首相は、選挙戦で消費税を含む税制の抜本改革に関する超党派の協議を呼びかけた。自民党も同種の「円卓会議」を主張した。
But it is unreasonable to launch such a debate while the DPJ-led government charges ahead with child-rearing allowances and other cash handouts. A responsible government would only enter discussions on a consumption tax hike after reviewing such handout policies.
だが、子ども手当などのバラマキ政策を放置し、協議を開始するのは無理がある。これらの政策を見直したうえ、消費税率引き上げに向けて協議を進めることが政治の責任と言える。
The DPJ and the LDP both should make concessions to start talks on the matter.
民主、自民両党は互いに歩み寄って協議に入るべきだ。
The end of August is the deadline for deciding on a construction method for a runaway at a replacement facility for the Futenma base and other relocation details. The government must follow through on the Futenma agreement reached with the United States and get bilateral ties back on track before U.S. President Barack Obama visits Japan in November.
普天間問題では、工法決定などの約束期限が８月末に迫っている。日米合意を誠実に履行し、日米関係を修復の軌道に乗せて、１１月のオバマ米大統領の来日につなげる努力が欠かせない。
The DPJ's election loss could embolden a group of party members who support Ozawa to strengthen moves to shake up the party leadership ahead of the party's presidential election in September.
今回の参院選敗北を受けて、民主党内では、小沢前幹事長支持グループなどが、９月の党代表選に向けて、執行部への揺さぶりを強める可能性がある。
But if Kan changes tack on the consumption tax and Futenma issue in the face of intraparty opposition, public confidence in his government will fade even further.
しかし、首相が、消費税や普天間の問題で示した方針を変更するようなことがあれば、国民の信頼を一層、失うだけだ。
Kan should maintain the pragmatic approach to domestic and diplomatic issues he adopted in a major break from the line taken by the Hatoyama administration.
鳩山前政権から大きく舵(かじ)を切った内政、外交の現実路線は、しっかり堅持すべきであろう。
The DPJ commands an absolute majority in the lower house. But the DPJ and the PNP hold fewer than two-thirds of the seats in the lower house, the threshold at which the ruling bloc can approve again--and pass--a bill voted down in the upper house.
民主党は、衆院では絶対安定多数を維持しているが、国民新党を加えても、参院で否決された法案を衆院で再可決するための３分の２以上の議席には達しない。
Consequently, the Kan administration will face a more difficult job in steering Diet business than the LDP-led administrations of three former prime ministers--Shinzo Abe, Yasuo Fukuda and Taro Aso--that also found themselves in a divided Diet.
この点では、自民党の安倍、福田、麻生の歴代政権よりも、厳しい国会運営が迫られる。
===
Policy-based coalition needed
◆連立は政策本位で◆
At the news conference, Kan said he would reach out to opposition parties to hold policy discussions and try to build a coalition government.
菅首相は記者会見で、野党との連立を視野に入れ、政策面の協議を行う考えを表明した。
He should remember that the coalition with the Social Democratic Party blew up in the DPJ's face because their security policies had little in common. The major premise for a coalition government should be that the parties involved share basic policies.
その際、安全保障政策で隔たりのある社民党との連立が政治を混乱させたことを忘れてはなるまい。連立政権は、基本政策の一致を大前提とすることが肝要だ。
With the next lower house election in mind, many opposition parties have said they will not join a coalition government. Therefore, the government will inevitably pursue a noncabinet partnership or a partial coalition with an opposition party on certain bills.
各野党は、次期衆院選をにらみ、連立政権には参加しないとしている。このため、閣外協力や、法案ごとに協力し合う「部分連合」も追求せざるを得ないだろう。
Many hurdles loom for the Kan administration, including an extraordinary Diet session and a DPJ presidential election.
菅政権の前途には、臨時国会や党代表選など、多くのハードルが待ち構えている。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 12, 2010)
（2010年7月12日03時55分 読売新聞）
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