支持率持ち直し 菅内閣は政策実現に全力を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jan. 17, 2011)
Kan must meet goals to build public trust
支持率持ち直し　菅内閣は政策実現に全力を（1月16日付・読売社説）

The approval rating for Prime Minister Naoto Kan's Cabinet has risen to 34 percent, according to a survey The Yomiuri Shimbun conducted in rapid response to Friday's reshuffle. The reshuffle, Kan's second, appeared to give a slight boost to the approval rating, which had dropped as low as 25 percent last month.
　内閣再改造直後に実施した読売新聞の緊急世論調査で菅内閣の支持率が３４％になった。先月、内閣支持率は２５％にまで落ち込んだが、再改造でやや持ち直した。

The improved figure apparently reflects the public's desire for the new administration to carry out significant policy measures.
　政策実現のための新たな布陣にひとまず期待するということだろう。

The rise in the approval rating may be attributed to public hopes for the new lineup of ministers, whom the prime minister has dubbed "the strongest team," though the reshuffle was relatively minor.
　小幅ながらも、閣僚の顔ぶれが変わり、首相の言う「最強の態勢」に期するところが、内閣支持率を押し上げたと言える。

Support for tax hike, TPP

The survey also found that about 60 percent of respondents gave positive answers when asked about their opinion of a possible hike in the consumption tax rate to sustain the social security system. The same number supported the idea of the nation's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade agreement among Asia-Pacific countries.
　世論調査では、社会保障制度維持のための消費税率引き上げ、アジア太平洋諸国と貿易を自由化する環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）への参加について前向きに答えた人がいずれも約６割を占めた。

Taking into consideration what many of the public hope, the prime minister should take an assertive approach to resolving outstanding issues.
　多くの国民が望んでいることを踏まえ、首相は、懸案解決に断固とした姿勢で臨むべきだ。

The same thing can be said regarding former Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa's alleged involvement in a money-and-politics scandal. Eighty-one percent of respondents said Ozawa should explain about it at the Diet.
　小沢一郎・元民主党代表の「政治とカネ」の問題についても同様である。８１％が、小沢氏は国会で説明すべきだと考えている。

Kan has already expressed his intention to urge Ozawa to resign as a lawmaker and leave the DPJ when a mandatory indictment is made against him. The survey found that Kan's position is supported by 72 percent of the public. If the prime minister can solve issues related to Ozawa, the public evaluation of the Kan Cabinet is bound to improve.
　小沢氏が強制起訴された場合、菅首相は議員辞職や離党を促す意向を示したが、こうした首相の方針を７２％の人が支持した。小沢氏の問題の解決が、菅内閣の評価を高めることにつながろう。

Meanwhile, nearly half of respondents did not back the move that attracted the most attention in the reshuffle, namely the appointment of former Chief Cabinet Secretary Kaoru Yosano as state minster in charge of economic and fiscal policy.
　一方、今回の改造で最も注目された、与謝野馨・元官房長官の経済財政相起用については「評価しない」が、ほぼ半数を占めた。

When he belonged to the Liberal Democratic Party and then to the Sunrise Party of Japan, Yosano was highly critical of the DPJ-led government. This fact has made the public unable to understand his appointment as a Cabinet member, and opposition to it is getting stronger not only within the DPJ but also in the LDP and the other opposition parties.
　与謝野氏は自民党、たちあがれ日本で、激しく民主党政権を批判してきた。それだけに国民の間には、「入閣は理解できない」という思いが広がっているのだろう。民主党だけでなく、自民党など野党側にも反発が強まっている。

Yosano must deal with such doubts and criticism by showing good results. Whether he does so will surely have an impact on the fate of the Kan Cabinet.
　こうした疑問や批判に対して、与謝野氏は、実績を示すことで応えなければならない。それが、菅内閣の行方を左右することになるに違いない。

The second reshuffle seems to have temporarily lifted the Kan Cabinet out of the public-opinion danger zone. However, the people's feelings toward it remain cold, especially when compared to how the Cabinet's approval rating jumped to 66 percent in a poll conducted immediately after the first reshuffle in September.
　菅内閣は、再改造によってとりあえず“危険水域”を脱した格好だ。ただ、昨年９月の内閣改造直後の世論調査では支持率が６６％に跳ね上がったことと比べると、国民の見方は依然冷ややかだ。

Will Kan be able to do it?

It is symbolic that 70 percent of respondents replied "no" to a question on whether the Cabinet will be able to achieve satisfactory results with its policy measures.
　象徴的なのが、政策面で実績を上げられると思うかという問いに対し、７０％が「そうは思わない」と答えていることである。

Kan has used flashy slogans, such as "walk the talk" and "employment first, employment second and employment third." But he lacked the ability to make his slogans come true. The prime minister got cold feet after more and more members of the DPJ expressed opposition to a consumption tax rate hike and participation in the TPP trade pact.
　菅首相は「有言実行」、「一に雇用、二に雇用、三に雇用」などスローガンは掲げるが、実行力が伴わなかった。消費税率引き上げやＴＰＰについても、党内で反対論が強まると及び腰になった。

If he shows signs of backpedaling again, the public will lose all confidence in Kan for good. With this in mind, the prime minister should proactively tackle state affairs.
　首相が再び逃げを打つような態度に出れば国民に見放される。そのことを胸に刻み、国政のかじ取りに当たってもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 16, 2011)
（2011年1月16日01時12分 読売新聞）