鉢呂経産相 無神経発言での辞任は当然だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Sep. 13, 2011)
His insensitive remarks meant Hachiro had to go
鉢呂経産相　無神経発言での辞任は当然だ（9月11日付・読売社説）

The administration of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda started with high approval ratings, only to suffer an immediate setback.
　高い支持率で船出した野田政権が、いきなりつまずいた。

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoshio Hachiro resigned Saturday over careless remarks he made on his recent inspection tour to the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant and the surrounding area.
　鉢呂吉雄経済産業相が１０日、福島県の原子力発電所視察を巡る失言の責任を取って辞任した。

While the nuclear crisis has yet to be controlled, Hachiro repeatedly made remarks that appeared to ride roughshod over the feelings of those affected. His qualification as the minister in charge of nuclear power policy was cast into doubt.
　原発事故がまだ収束しない中、原子力政策の担当閣僚が、被災者たちの感情を踏みにじるような発言を繰り返すようでは、資質が疑われる。

A chorus of calls for his resignation arose from members of the ruling parties plus members of opposition parties.
野党側からも鉢呂氏の辞任を求める声が強まっていた。

His resignation is quite reasonable. Noda himself shares in the blame for having appointed Hachiro as a Cabinet member.
　辞任は当然だ。野田首相の任命責任も問われよう。

===

'Here's some radiation'

Accompanying Noda, Hachiro made an inspection tour to the nuclear plant in question and neighboring municipalities Thursday.
　鉢呂氏は８日、野田首相に同行し、東京電力福島第一原発や周辺自治体を視察した。

After he returned from the tour and was questioned by a reporter at a housing facility for Diet members, Hachiro reportedly gestured as if to press the sleeve of his jacket against the reporter, saying, "Here's some radiation."
　帰京後、議員宿舎で記者団の取材を受けた際、着ていた防災服の袖を記者にこすりつけるようなしぐさをして、「ほら、放射能」などと語ったとされる。

"I don't remember exactly what I said," Hachiro explained later. But as a politician who is supposed to prevent radiation-related rumors and misinformation from causing harm, such remarks and behavior are insensitive.
　鉢呂氏は「言葉は正確に記憶していない」と釈明したが、風評被害を抑えるべき立場にある政治家としては、あまりに無神経だ。

At a press conference Friday morning, he called the areas he visited near the nuclear plant "towns of death." 　９日の記者会見では、視察した原発の周辺市町村を「死のまち」と表現した。

Those affected by the crisis must have been dismayed to hear their hometowns called "towns of death" by a member of the Cabinet, which should be doing its utmost to tackle the crisis.
事故対応に全力を挙げるべき内閣の一員から、ふるさとを「死のまち」と呼ばれては、被災者は到底納得できまい。

At a press conference later the same day, he apologized for his remark and withdrew it.
鉢呂氏は陳謝して発言を撤回した。

Even regarding trade and industrial policies, Hachiro made faltering remarks.
　鉢呂氏は産業・通商政策に関しても腰の定まらない発言が目立った。

Concerning the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade accord, he said, "It is difficult to reconcile the elimination of tariffs and revitalization of the nation's agriculture," thus showing his backward-looking stance on the issue.
環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）については「関税ゼロと農業再生の両立は難しい」と後ろ向きの姿勢を示していた。

On nuclear power policy, he expressed his view that nuclear plants will, in principle, be eliminated in the long run, showing little understanding of the need for a stable energy supply.
　原子力政策でも、将来は基本的に「原発ゼロ」になるとの見通しを語るだけで、エネルギー安定供給への認識には乏しかった。

===

Noda tries damage control

Noda tried to put an early end to the matter, probably because of his judgment that, with an extraordinary Diet session--his administration's first--scheduled to start on Tuesday, he might face a hard time steering Diet proceedings with the opposition raising questions concerning Hachiro's gaffe.
　首相が早期幕引きを図った背景には、１３日から始まる政権初の臨時国会を控え、失言に対する野党の追及で厳しい国会運営を強いられるとの判断があろう。

The situation whereby a key minister has resigned just nine days into the job is, indeed, a heavy blow to the Noda administration.
　重要閣僚が就任から９日目に辞任する事態は、野田政権には極めて大きな打撃だ。

In another resignation related to the Great East Japan Earthquake, Ryu Matsumoto resigned as minister in charge of rebuilding areas ravaged by the March 11 disaster after making offensive remarks in July.
　東日本大震災を巡っては、７月に松本龍・前復興相が失言で辞任している。

Public distrust in politics thus continues to grow.
政治への不信感はさらに増幅するばかりである。

In addition to Hachiro's gaffes, inappropriate remarks have been made by members of the Cabinet and the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.
　鉢呂氏以外にも、政府・与党からは不用意な発言が飛び出している。

Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa has described himself as an "amateur" on national security issues.
一川防衛相は「安全保障に関しては素人だ」と発言し、

Hirofumi Hirano, the DPJ's Diet Affairs Committee chairman, told his opposition party counterparts his idea of not holding a Budget Committee meeting during the extra Diet session, saying, "As the [newly launched] Cabinet remains in an incomplete condition, we cannot properly reply to interpellations."
平野博文国会対策委員長も「内閣が不完全な状態では十分な国会答弁ができない」と語った。

The Noda administration has many policy issues waiting to be handled, including post-disaster reconstruction efforts, ways to deal with the rapid rise of the yen, and diplomatic issues.
　震災復興、円高対策、外交問題など、野田政権には多くの政策課題が待ち構えている。

Noda must rebuild his Cabinet quickly and make doubly sure that he is fully prepared to manage the administration.
首相は早急に体制を立て直し、政権運営に万全を期さねばならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 11, 2011)
（2011年9月11日01時16分 読売新聞）