野田内閣発足 国難乗り切る処方箋を示せ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Sep. 4, 2011)
Noda Cabinet must show recipe for repairing nation
野田内閣発足　国難乗り切る処方箋を示せ（9月3日付・読売社説）

　◆「鳩菅政治」からの決別が急務だ◆

Although it lacks sparkle, the lineup of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's Cabinet gives the impression he is determined to get the wheels of the nation's politics turning again.
　華やかさはないが、国政を前に動かそうという野田首相の意欲を感じさせる布陣だ。

The next step is to strategically implement various policies effectively.
あとは政策をいかに戦略的に実現していくかである。

The new Cabinet was launched Friday.
　野田内閣が２日、発足した。

The lineup is characterized by the inclusion of several House of Councillors members and former heads of the Democratic Party of Japan's Diet Affairs Committee.
Apparently Noda attached importance to cooperation with opposition parties to overcome the so-called divided Diet.
閣僚に参院議員や国会対策委員長経験者が目立つのは、衆参ねじれ国会を乗り切るため、野党との連携を重視したのだろう。

Under Naoto Kan, the DPJ could not function as a ruling party due to internal conflict triggered by disagreements over policies, and strained ties with opposition parties.
Reflecting on the shortcomings of the Kan administration, the new Cabinet contains a balance of members from intraparty groups.
　民主党内の路線対立で政権党の体をなさず、野党との関係もぎくしゃくした菅政権の反省に立ち、党内グループの勢力均衡を図る人選となった。

Together with the lineup of DPJ executives, the party unity Noda was desperate to realize has been achieved--for the time being.
党執行部と合わせて、野田首相が腐心した挙党態勢はひとまず整ったと言える。

　◆政官関係の見直しを◆

The Noda administration has many urgent issues in its in-tray. They include restoration from the March 11 disaster, bringing the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant under control, participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral trade agreement, fiscal rehabilitation, reform of the social security system with a hike in the consumption tax rate as the main pillar, and rebuilding the nation's diplomacy.
　震災復興や原子力発電所事故の収束、環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）への参加、財政再建、消費税率引き上げを柱とする社会保障制度改革、外交立て直し……。

The Noda Cabinet does not have a minute to lose.
　一刻の猶予も許されない課題ばかりだ。

It should come up with concrete proposals to address these matters as soon as possible.
早急に具体的な処方箋を提示する必要がある。

===

Review ties with bureaucrats

Intraparty debate over important policies Noda raised, such as tax increases to fund reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake, was basically settled when the curtain came down on last week's DPJ presidential election.
　野田首相が掲げる復興増税などの重要政策を巡る党内論争は基本的には代表選で決着した。

It is important that each minister accept the results of the election, and that they work as a team to resolve the problems.
　その結果に各閣僚は従い、内閣が一丸となって取り組むことが重要だ。

The ministers must be careful not to make irresponsible remarks off the cuff or generate infighting within the Cabinet, as often happened under past administrations.
これまでのように、閣僚が勝手に発言し、閣内不一致を繰り返すようでは困る。

At the same time, the prime minister should not easily back down for the sake of reconciliation.
首相も融和優先で妥協してはならない。

Former DPJ Deputy Secretary General Osamu Fujimura, one of Noda's closest aides, has been appointed chief cabinet secretary, the linchpin of the Cabinet.
　内閣の要の官房長官には首相の腹心である藤村修・前幹事長代理が起用された。

As a right-hand man of Noda, Fujimura must restore the functions of the Prime Minister's Office, which crumbled under the administrations of Yukio Hatoyama and Naoto Kan.
首相の女房役として鳩山、菅両政権で混乱した首相官邸の機能を回復してほしい。

The DPJ has removed bureaucrats from the government's decision-making process under the misguided "lawmaker-led politics" principle, which caused bureaucrats to turn against the administration and attempt to hinder its operations.
　民主党政権はこれまで、誤った「政治主導」のもと、官僚を意思決定の場から排除し、官僚の離反とサボタージュを招いた。

After the devastating earthquake, the administration started to more effectively use the bureaucracy by, for instance, having administrative vice ministers of the Cabinet Office and ministries participate in a liaison council set up under the special headquarters for measures to assist disaster victims.
However, this does not go far enough.
　震災後は、各府省連絡会議に各府省の次官を参加させるなど官僚機構を活用する姿勢を見せ始めたが、まだまだ不十分だ。

To realize proper politician-led politics, we suggest the new administration resurrect a conference of vice ministers.
本来の政治主導を実現するためにも、次官会議を復活させてはどうか。

From the viewpoint of beefing up functions of the Prime Minister's Office, it is noteworthy that Noda met the leaders of three major business organizations, including Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) Chairman Hiromasa Yonekura, before selecting his ministers and asked them to support a planned council that will work on economic and fiscal issues, among others.
　官邸機能強化という観点では、首相が、組閣に先立ち、経団連の米倉弘昌会長ら経済３団体の長と会談し、首相官邸に設ける経済や財政に関する会議への協力を要請したことも注目に値する。

The planned council, which will be set up at the office, is intended to repair government relations with the business world that became strained under the Kan administration.
　菅政権で悪化した経済界との関係を修復するとともに、

The council also will integrate and realign many of the economy-related advisory bodies that have been haphazardly set up.
乱立した経済関係の会議を統合・再編するのが狙いだという。

Establishing this council will allow the government to tap the wisdom and knowledge of bureaucrats and a wide range of experts from the private sector.
官僚はもとより、民間の知恵とノウハウを活用するのは、妥当な考え方だ。

　◆「震災」「原発」を迅速に◆

Noda reappointed some members of the Kan Cabinet, including Tatsuo Hirano as reconstruction minister and Goshi Hosono as minister in charge of stabilizing the Fukushima nuclear crisis. This makes sense because continuity is essential for speedily reconstructing disaster-hit areas.
　震災対策を迅速に進めるためには、平野達男復興相、細野豪志原発相らの再任は当然だろう。

===

Get N-plants operating again

Where does the government stand on nuclear power generation? Simply calling for reducing reliance on nuclear power without providing a convincing energy policy vision--the mistake made by the Kan administration--could plunge the economy and people's lives into disarray.
　原発については、菅政権のように、見通しのない「脱原発依存」を訴えるだけでは、経済も、国民生活も混乱するばかりである。

Noda said he wants nuclear reactors currently suspended for regular inspections "reactivated after firmly ensuring they are safe and provided we have the understanding of residents living nearby."
　野田首相は、「原発の安全性をきっちり確保し、地元の理解を前提に原発を再稼働する」と述べた。

Hosono should endeavor in tandem with Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoshio Hachiro to get the nuclear plants operating again.
細野原発相は、鉢呂吉雄経済産業相とともに、原発の再稼働に向けて努力すべきだ。

The post of finance minister has been assumed by Jun Azumi, a former DPJ Diet Affairs Committee chairman.
　財務相には、安住淳・前国会対策委員長が起用された。

His ability to handle this job is unknown.
手腕は未知数である。

The domestic economic environment is extremely severe--not least because of the historically strong yen--and the fiscal crisis is worsening.
だが、歴史的な円高をはじめ日本経済をめぐる環境は極めて厳しく、財政悪化も深刻だ。

Azumi must work out measures to fix these problems without causing a national credit crisis.
国家の信用危機に陥ることのないよう対策を講じねばならない。

Perhaps the biggest weakness of the DPJ-led governments has been diplomatic and national security policy.
　民主党政権の最大の弱点は外交・安全保障政策だ。

Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba and Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa have been given posts in these fields for the first time. Their caliber will be put to the test.
玄葉光一郎外相、一川保夫防衛相はいずれも、外交・安保の分野に本格的に携わるのは初めてであり、その力量を問われよう。

It was appropriate that Noda reconfirmed in talks with U.S. President Barack Obama over the telephone that the alliance with the United States is the "cornerstone of Japan's diplomacy."
　野田首相が、オバマ米大統領との電話会談で、日米同盟が「日本外交の基軸」であることを確認したことは適切だった。

The government must think hard about how to deepen the security alliance while reducing the burdens of Okinawa Prefecture residents in line with the bilateral accord on realigning U.S. forces in Japan.
　在日米軍再編の日米合意を踏まえ、沖縄の負担軽減を模索する中で、日米同盟を深化させるための知恵を絞る必要がある。

It should never be forgotten that Okinawa Prefecture and Washington lost faith in Hatoyama because of his bungled handling of the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station.
　鳩山元首相が米軍普天間飛行場移設問題の対応で沖縄と米国から信頼を失い、

His successor Kan also hurt national interests due to the inept response to a Chinese fishing boat's collision with two Japan Coast Guard patrol vessels off the Senkaku Islands and the dispute with Russia over the northern territories off Hokkaido.
菅前首相も尖閣諸島沖の中国漁船衝突事件や北方領土問題を巡る失政で国益を損なったことを忘れてはなるまい。

===

Push ahead with TPP talks
　◆ＴＰＰ参加へ動こう◆

We cannot help but feel uneasy about Michihiko Kano's reappointment as agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister, since he has been cool toward the nation's participation in the TPP trade framework.
　再任された鹿野道彦農相が、ＴＰＰへの参加に慎重姿勢を示しているのは気がかりだ。

We want Kano, who has a reputation for being well-versed in agricultural affairs, to play a key role in keeping opponents to the TPP talks in check.
農政通としてＴＰＰ反対派を抑える役割を果たしてもらいたい。

Noda is the third prime minister since the DPJ swept to power in 2009.
　野田首相は、民主党政権で３代目となる。

When the DPJ was an opposition party, it regularly fired broadsides at Liberal Democratic Party-led governments as prime ministers came and went in quick succession.
The DPJ argued that any administration that had not obtained a mandate of the people through a general election lacked legitimacy.
民主党は、野党時代、選挙で国民の審判を受けていない政権は正統性に欠けるとして、首相交代を繰り返す自民党政権を批判してきた。

If that is the case, it would be quite logical for the DPJ to seek voter judgment by holding a general election.
そうであるなら、国民に信を問い直すのが筋だ。

As long as the DPJ argues it must stay in power without holding an election because it places top priority on recovery from the March 11 disaster and that there must not be a political vacuum, it is imperative that the Noda Cabinet produce good results by successfully tackling the challenges confronting the nation.
　復興を最優先の課題とし、「政治空白を作れる状況ではない」との理由で政権を担当する以上、山積する課題を処理して実績を上げるしかない。

We strongly hope Noda will produce tangible results even as he fights with his back to the wall.
首相の「背水の陣」の成果を期待したい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 3, 2011)
（2011年9月3日01時20分 読売新聞）