所信表明演説 「有言実行」に見合う成果を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Oct. 4, 2010)
'True-to-its-word' Cabinet must be worthy of name
所信表明演説　「有言実行」に見合う成果を（10月3日付・読売社説）

If Prime Minister Naoto Kan is going to use the phrase "true-to-its-word Cabinet" as a slogan, he must make solid policy achievements commensurate with his words.
　菅首相は、「有言実行内閣」を標榜(ひょうぼう)する以上、その言葉に見合う、確かな政策面の成果を上げることが求められよう。

On Friday, Kan delivered a policy speech for the second time since he became prime minister in June. In it, he highlighted five important policy agendas--achieving economic growth, putting public finances on a sound footing, reforming social security, advancing reform of regional sovereignty and implementing proactive diplomacy--and pledged to steadily carry them out.
　菅首相が、６月の就任以来、２回目の所信表明演説を行った。重要政策課題として、経済成長、財政健全化、社会保障改革、地域主権改革、主体的な外交の５項目を挙げ、それぞれを着実に実行する考えを表明した。

Kan's latest policy speech was a declaration that his administration will no longer postpone implementing important policies, and an expression of his resolve to settle issues put off during the two lost decades after the collapse of the bubble economy, rather than hand them down to the next generation.
　首相は、今回の演説を「先送り一掃宣言」と位置づけ、バブル崩壊後の「失われた２０年」の間、先送りされてきた課題を、次世代に遺(のこ)さず解決する決意とされる。

Kan's message is clear, but he has yet to indicate a specific path for tackling such issues in the current divided Diet, where the passage of any legislation must have the cooperation of opposition parties.
　そのメッセージこそ明確だが、野党の協力なしでは法案が成立しない衆参ねじれ国会で、いかに課題を実行するのか、具体的道筋は見えてこない。

Also, the specifics of Kan's many policies appear to be the same as those already in existence and are therefore unsatisfactory.
政策内容も従来と同じものが多く、物足りない。

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Admit errors in manifesto

Kan again proposed talks between the ruling and opposition parties over a draft supplementary budget, achieving fiscal soundness and social security reform.
　首相は、補正予算案や財政健全化、社会保障改革をめぐる与野党協議を改めて提案した。

"Let us work together to build politics in which sovereignty truly lies with the people," Kan said. However, the situation is not so easy that such a call alone can solicit cooperation from opposition parties.
「真の国民主権の政治に向け、共に頑張りましょう」と野党に呼びかけた。だが、これだけで野党の協力が得られるほど甘い状況にはない。

Regarding the Democratic Party of Japan's manifesto, which opposition parties are demanding be reviewed, Kan did not say much besides: "We will continue to make a sincere effort to fulfill the campaign pledges," and "In cases where budgetary constraints make it difficult to implement policies as originally stated in our manifesto, I will seek to come up with measures...that are acceptable to the Japanese people by candidly explaining to them the situation."
　野党が見直しを求める民主党の政権公約について、首相は「誠実に取り組む」「実現が困難な場合は、国民に率直に説明し、納得できる施策に仕上げる」と語るにとどまった。これでは不十分だ。

However, this is insufficient.

Kan needs to tackle drastic reform of the manifesto by admitting that campaign promises for which there is not sufficient funding, such as the child-rearing allowance, were a mistake and apologize to the public.
　子ども手当など、財源の裏付けを欠いた政権公約の過ちを認め、国民に謝罪して、抜本的な見直しに取り組む必要がある。

Kan spoke of the need to conduct "active, proactive diplomacy" to secure this country's peace and prosperity. His understanding of the issue is correct, but Kan's handling of foreign policy appears unsure.
　菅首相は、日本の平和と繁栄を確保するため、「主体的で能動的な外交」を展開する必要性を訴えた。その問題意識は正しいが、菅外交の取り組みは心もとない。

The government has continued to postpone coordination with local governments over the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corp.'s Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, which has kept relations between Tokyo and Washington from improving.
　米軍普天間飛行場の移設問題では、地元調整を先送りし続け、日米関係の改善は進んでいない。

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Kan's meaning unclear

The Kan administration came under fire for leaving to prosecutors an important decision about releasing the captain of a Chinese fishing boat after his trawler collided with Japan Coast Guard vessels off the Senkaku Islands last month. The administration also has delayed the dispatch of the Ground Self-Defense Force to Sudan to engage in peacekeeping operations there.
　尖閣諸島沖の中国漁船衝突事件では、船長釈放という重要な政治判断を検察当局に委ねたと批判されている。スーダンでの国連平和維持活動（ＰＫＯ）にも、陸上自衛隊の部隊派遣を見送った。

Kan said, "All of our citizens need to regard this as a problem that affects them directly, and we need to work together as a nation to develop an active foreign policy."
However, his explanation is not enough, and it is difficult to understand what he really means by saying that. It is important for the public to be interested in this country's foreign policy, but Kan's remark could give the impression that the government is dodging its responsibility.
　首相が「国民一人ひとりが自分の問題として捉(とら)え、国民全体で考える外交」を主張したのも、説明不足で、真意が分かりづらい。国民が外交に関心を持つのは大切だが、政府が責任逃れをしているような印象を与えかねない。

A series of important international meetings are scheduled from this week to mid-November, including the Asia-Europe Meeting, the East Asia Summit, Group of 20 summit meeting and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Kan should do his utmost to reconstruct Japan's diplomacy on his own responsibility.
　今週から来月中旬にかけて、アジア欧州会議、東アジア首脳会議、Ｇ２０（世界２０か国・地域）、アジア太平洋経済協力会議と、重要な国際会議が続く。菅首相は、自らの責任で、日本外交の立て直しに全力で取り組む必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 3, 2010)
（2010年10月3日01時19分 読売新聞）