「一定のめど」―菅さん、それはない

通常は菅首相を擁護する立場をとる傾向の強い朝日新聞がこの記事を書いた意味は重い。
新聞社で菅首相を面と向かって非難しないのは、毎日新聞だけとなってしまった。
こんなときに政治のドタバタ悲喜劇を繰り返す政治家どもには失望しました。
全員、総入れ替えが妥当です。
（スラチャイ）

2011/06/05
--The Asahi Shimbun, June 4
EDITORIAL: Kan should exit gracefully, not cling to power
「一定のめど」―菅さん、それはない

Within a day of indicating his intention to step down, Prime Minister Naoto Kan started maneuvering to stay in office.
　辞意を表明した菅直人首相が一転、続投をめざすそぶりだ。

Kan didn't refer to his resignation either in a news conference on the night of June 2 after an opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion was voted down, or during a June 3 Upper House session.
おととい夜の記者会見でも、きのうの参院の審議でも「辞任」を口にせず、

His equivocal attitude is causing a lot of confusion.
わけがわからない状況に陥っている。

Is he acting out of a sense of responsibility, feeling that he should not abandon his duty to bring an end to the nuclear crisis and lay a solid foundation for reconstruction from the devastation caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake?
　原発事故から目が離せない。震災復興に道筋をつけずに投げ出せない。そんな首相の責任感からなのか。

Or is he trying to avoid being treated as an irrelevant lame duck by the opposition parties?
　辞めると認めたら、野党から「退陣する首相など相手にできない」と無視されるので、それを避けたいのか。

Whatever the reason, no good will come of a political brawl between lawmakers of the ruling and opposition camps. They should calm down first.
　だが、与野党の国会議員がののしり合っても何も生まれない。ここはまず、お互いにかっかしている頭を冷やすことだ。

Let us set the record straight.
　確認しておこう。

During a meeting of ruling Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers before the Lower House vote on the no-confidence motion, Kan pledged to "pass on responsibility" to a younger generation when it becomes clear that efforts to deal with the aftermath of the disaster have made "a certain degree of progress."
　首相は内閣不信任決議案を採決する前の民主党代議士会で、震災対応に「一定のめど」がついた段階で、若い世代に責任を引き継ぐと表明した。

Following his speech, former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama further explained Kan's remarks. Hatoyama said Kan had agreed to resign as soon as the proposed basic law for the post-disaster reconstruction is enacted and the formulation of a second supplementary budget to finance related measures is firmly on track.
　直後に鳩山由紀夫前首相が立ち、復興基本法が成立し、第２次補正予算案の編成にめどが立った段階での辞任で合意していると補足した。

Kan didn't try to correct Hatoyama as he listened.
　首相はそれを否定せずに聞いていた。

It seemed clear to anybody present that Kan had effectively confirmed his intention to leave office.
だれの目にも辞意を認めたように見えた。

That's why the anti-Kan group of DPJ members of the Lower House who had threatened to support the no-confidence motion decided to abort their revolt.
だから、不信任案に賛成すると息巻いていた「反菅勢力」も沈静化した。

Kan, however, started acting as if he had made no promise to resign.
　ところが、その後、辞意はどこへやらだ。

When asked what he had meant by "a certain degree of progress," Kan referred to cold shutdown of the wrecked reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant--a stable state with the coolant water at a temperature below 100 degrees.
　「一定のめど」を問われて、原発が１００度未満で安定する時点を挙げたのを見ると、

That suggests that Kan is looking to stay in power well into next year, depending on the situation at the crippled nuclear power plant.
来年まで続投する気もあるらしい。

The lawmakers in both the ruling and opposition camps who tried to oust Kan in the middle of a national crisis certainly acted in an extremely irresponsible manner.
　もともと、危機の中で「菅おろし」に走った与野党議員は無責任の極みだった。

Still, Kan was unable to win public support and faced the possibility of a no-confidence motion passing against his Cabinet.
　それでも菅首相は世論の支持を得られず、不信任されそうになった。

In a desperate situation, under the media glare, Kan tried to save his political skin by making the "certain degree of progress" remarks.
　そんなとき、国民注視のなかで飛び出したのが「一定のめど」だった。

It appears, however, that Kan effectively deceived legislators in both camps.
The only thing we can say to the embattled prime minister is, "Mr. Kan, you shouldn't do this."
　結果的に、与野党議員を欺いた発言に、「菅さん、それはないでしょう」というしかない。

Kan's political maneuvering will only cause the opposition parties to harden their attitudes and step up attacks on the government in the Upper House, which is under their control.
　これでは野党が態度を硬化させ、多数を握る参院での政権攻撃を激化させる。

It will also deepen the already serious rift within the DPJ.
民主党内の対立もさらにこじれる。

The upshot will be the lack of progress on key policy issues on both the domestic and diplomatic fronts.
内政課題も外交も停滞してしまう。

It defies common sense that a prime minister who has said he would step down staying in power without making clear when he will leave office.
　いったん辞意を口にした首相が、退任時期を示さないまま地位にとどまり続けるのは無理がある。

Such behavior only deepens public cynicism about politics.
政治不信をさらに膨らませるだけだ。

When should Kan hand over the reins, then?
　首相は、いつ辞めるのか。

The common sense view would be some time soon, within the year.
それは年内の遠くない時期というのが常識的だろう。

As a lame duck prime minister, Kan should act swiftly to pave the way for enactment of a new spending plan and bills for reconstruction efforts.
期限付きの首相として、大震災関連の予算や法案づくりを急ぐのだ。

It would be more convincing if Kan at the same time launched the process of selecting his successor within the party.
　同時に、党内で次の党代表選びの作業にとりかかれば、説得力が増す。

To ensure that a new leader is selected in a less feverish atmosphere, the process should involve not just the DPJ Diet members, who are preoccupied with the power struggle, but all other card-carrying party members.
政争ばかりの国会議員だけでなく、全党員で落ち着いてリーダーを選べばいい。