参院議長発言―危機の中で「倒閣」の愚

この問題に関する読売と朝日の論調は正反対で興味深い。
どちらの論理が正しいのであろうか。
（スラチャイ記）

2011/05/22
--The Asahi Shimbun, May 21
EDITORIAL: Nishioka's call for Kan's resignation can only lead to political turmoil
参院議長発言―危機の中で「倒閣」の愚

Politicians should have the freedom to call for the resignation of a government official or a Diet member they disapprove of.
　政治家が気に入らない相手に辞めてしまえ、という。それはご勝手にどうぞ、である。

But that doesn't mean that the chief of one of the three branches of government should be allowed to urge the head of another branch to step down.
　だが、三権の長の一人が、もう一人の長に退陣を迫るというのであれば話は違う。

Such an action by a person in one of the highest offices in the nation is outrageous and outlandish.
乱暴すぎる異様な光景と言うしかない。

Upper House President Takeo Nishioka sent a letter to Prime Minister Naoto Kan urging him to "resign immediately."
　西岡武夫参院議長が菅直人首相に「即刻、辞任すべきだ」とする書簡を送った。

Nishioka also called for Kan's departure at a news conference and in an article he wrote for The Yomiuri Shimbun.
記者会見や読売新聞への寄稿でも同じ趣旨の主張を繰り返している。

Nishioka, who was a member of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan until he assumed his current post, cited Kan's inept responses to the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear disaster triggered by the earthquake as the reason for his high-profile political attack against the embattled premier.
　理由は東日本大震災や、原発事故での対応のまずさだという。

Nishioka went so far as to argue that if Kan refuses to step down, the opposition parties should submit a no-confidence motion against his Cabinet to the Lower House before this year's Group of Eight summit, slated to be held in France on May 26.
辞めないなら、２６日からの主要国首脳会議（Ｇ８サミット）の前に「野党が衆院に内閣不信任決議案を出す以外に道はない」とまで言い切っている。

Public distrust of the Kan administration has been growing by the day due to its poor and delayed responses to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and its failure to disclose adequate information about the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
　確かに、菅政権の震災対応の遅れや原発事故の情報公開の不十分さに、人々は日に日に不信感を募らせている。

It is hardly surprising that criticism of Kan's leadership has also grown in the Diet.
国会でも批判が高まるのは無理からぬところもある。

However, for the representative of the legislature to argue for the resignation of the prime minister, who heads the administrative branch--without any decision by the legislature--is an ethical transgression that cannot be overlooked.
　しかし、立法府の代表が院としての決定もないのに、行政府の長である首相の進退を口にするのは看過できない。

By convention, the Upper House president, like the Lower House speaker, leaves his or her political party in order to perform their duty with fairness and political neutrality.
議長は公正中立を旨とし、わざわざ会派を離脱する慣例がある。

Nishioka's remarks clearly exceed the boundaries of the role he is expected to perform.
そんな議長ののりを越えている。

In addition, Nishioka is the president of the Upper House.
　しかも、西岡氏は参院の議長である。

In the designation of the prime minister, the Lower House's decision takes precedence over the Upper House's.
Only the Lower House has the power to pass a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet.
首相指名は衆院の決定が優越し、内閣不信任決議も衆院だけに許されている。

In other words, the Upper House is expected to act as the seat of common sense that distances itself from any power struggles.
参院は権力争いから距離を置く、「良識の府」としての役割を求められているのだ。

By making a public call for the prime minister's resignation, Nishioka is making the house look like an arena of political conflict.
なのに、議長が公然と首相退陣を唱えるのでは、まるで「権力の府」そのものではないか。

This is no time for discussing whether Kan should remain in office, in the first place.
　それに、そもそもいま首相の進退を論じている場合なのか。

When the nation is going through such a crisis, lawmakers obviously should join hands in tackling challenges instead of trying to undermine the efforts of their colleagues.
危機のさなかには、足を引っ張るのではなく、力を合わせる。

We are fed up with the nation's political situation where common sense doesn't prevail.
そんな当たり前のことができない政治のありさまには、うんざりしてしまう。

Quoting the phrase "Don't change horses in a midstream," Nishioka said Kan doesn't even have the determination to cross the rushing stream. He asserted that the risk of allowing the current situation to continue is bigger than the risk of changing horses.
　西岡氏は「急流で馬を乗り換えるな」という言葉を引いたうえで、首相には激流に立ち向かう決意もすべもないとし、「乗り換える危険よりも、現状の危険が大きい」と切り捨てる。

The anti-Kan group within the DPJ is echoing Nishioka's criticism of the prime minister.
　こんな物言いに、民主党内の「反菅」勢力が呼応する構えも見せている。

If the opposition parties submit a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet, the DPJ group led by former party chief Ichiro Ozawa and its political allies within the party may vote for the motion, ensuring its passage.
野党が不信任案を出したとき、小沢一郎元代表のグループなどが賛成に回り、可決される展開もありうるかもしれない。

But there are wide differences over key policy issues between the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party, which is calling for the abolition of the new childcare allowance program the DPJ-led government has introduced, and the Ozawa group, which has vowed to keep the program alive.
There will be no prospect for a workable ruling coalition between the LDP and the Ozawa group if they join forces to force Kan to resign. There can only be deeper political confusion.
　だが子ども手当などの施策を撤回せよという自民党と、固守を唱える小沢氏らが倒閣だけで一致した先に、政権の展望は開けない。あるのは、さらなる混迷に違いない。

We have no choice now but to give spurs to our horses in order to cross the rushing stream in front of us.
　急流を乗り切るまでは、馬を叱咤（しった）し、激励し、前に進ませるしかない。

Debate on whether Kan should leave office should wait until the crisis is over.
進退を論じるのは、そのあとでいい。