独法・特会改革 肝心なのは政府支出の削減だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jan. 25, 2012)
Cuts in govt spending key to administrative reform
独法・特会改革　肝心なのは政府支出の削減だ（1月24日付・読売社説）

A review of organizational structures is only the first step in administrative reform.
　組織形態の見直しは最初の一歩にすぎない。

To expand the people's acceptance of a tax hike, it is indispensable to link it with a substantial cut in government spending.
増税への国民の理解を広げるには、政府の財政支出の実質的な削減につなげることが重要だ。

The Government Revitalization Unit has decided on reform proposals for independent administrative entities and special accounts.
　政府の行政刷新会議が独立行政法人や特別会計の改革案を決定した。

The government will submit related bills to an ordinary session of the Diet to realize the reform.
通常国会に関連法案を提出し、実現を図る。

The proposed reform calls for abolishing seven of 102 independent agencies, including the Public Foundation for Peace and Consolation, and privatizing seven entities, including the National Hospital Organization.
　１０２ある独法のうち、平和祈念事業特別基金など７法人は廃止し、国立病院機構など７法人は民営化する。

Thirty-five agencies, including the Riken research institute, will be consolidated into 12 entities.
理化学研究所など３５法人は１２法人に統合する。

As a result, the number of such agencies will be trimmed by nearly 40 percent.
全体の法人数は４割近く減る予定だ。

In its draft proposal, the government called for abolishing or privatizing a total of five agencies.
　政府原案の廃止・民間移管は計５法人だった。

To show the government's determination to carry out administrative reforms, the number of such entities being downsized or abolished has increased remarkably in line with the ruling parties' philosophy that politicians, not bureaucrats, should take the initiative in formulating policies.
The reductions lay the foundation for integrated reform of social security and tax systems.
社会保障と税の一体改革の環境整備として行革の姿勢を示そうと、政治主導で削減数を増やした。

The reform plan this time, it can be said, is more drastic than the one proposed by the coalition government of the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito in terms of the number of agencies to be cut.
数に限れば、自公政権時より踏み込んだと言える。

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Old wine in new bottles

But the entities to be abolished include those to be transferred to state jurisdiction. Many of those to be privatized represent a mere change of names. It is undeniable that priority was given to manipulating numbers.
　ただし、廃止には、国に移管される独法が含まれる。民営化も看板の掛け替えが多い。「数合わせ」を優先した感は否めない。

Even if the number of executives is trimmed by absorbing other independent administrative entities in charge of completely different affairs, it is feared the changes could lead to the creation of bloated organizations if the staff of each agency remains intact.
　全く別の業務を担当する独法を統合し、トップの数を減らしても、各法人の体制を温存すれば、組織が逆に肥大化する恐れもある。

The biggest concern is that the government has not revealed how much it will curtail government spending on independent administrative agencies, which totals 3 trillion yen a year.
　最大の問題は、年間３兆円を超す独法への政府支出の削減額が示されていないことだ。

In line with organizational reforms, it will be necessary to downsize staff and reduce or abolish nonessential and nonurgent operations.
　組織改革に合わせて、職員のリストラや、不要不急の事業の廃止・縮減に本格的に取り組む必要がある。

It is important to transfer operations that can be entrusted to local governments and the private sector as much as possible, thereby eliminating dual administration and other administrative waste.
自治体や民間に任せられる事業は積極的に移管し、二重行政などを廃することが大切だ。

Big agencies hold the key to spending cuts.
　歳出削減のカギは大物法人だ。

Concerning the Urban Renaissance Agency and the Japan Housing Finance Agency, panels of external experts will be formed to draw conclusions on spending cuts this summer.
都市再生機構と住宅金融支援機構については、外部有識者の検討会を設置し、今夏に結論を出す。

We hope for reasonable results.
きちんと成果を上げてほしい。

Agencies that continue to exist will be classified by type of function into such categories as financing, human resources development and research and development, and the most appropriate supervisory system will be introduced at each agency.
　一方で、存続する独法は、金融業務、人材育成、研究開発型など機能別に分類したうえ、それぞれ最適な監督体制を導入する。

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Continuous reform needed

This is because it is unreasonable to manage independent agencies with different purposes and operations under one system.
　様々な目的・事業を持つ独法を同一の制度で運営するのは無理があるためで、狙いは理解できる。

Continuous reforms are called for.
継続的な改革が求められる。

The number of special accounts will be reduced from 17 to 11 through abolition or integration of such accounts as the one on social capital investment.
　特別会計は、社会資本整備事業特会などの統廃合によって、１７から１１に削減する。

But mere cuts in the number of special accounts will not lead to reduced spending and enhanced efficiency.
　特会の数を減らすだけでは、歳出削減や効率化に直結しない。

The former Road Improvement Special Account was used regardless of profitability to construct highways whose necessity was considered low.
Allocating budgets to higher-priority areas while eliminating such a sanctuary would produce results.
旧道路整備特会が、採算性を無視して、必要性の低い高速道路を造り続けたような“聖域”をなくし、優先度の高い他の分野に予算を振り替えてこそ、効果を生む。

According to the Board of Audit, 1.8 trillion yen in surplus funds for fiscal 2009 was not used in the following fiscal year and was carried over to fiscal 2011.
　会計検査院によると、２００９年度の剰余金計１・８兆円が翌年度も使われず、１１年度に繰り越されたことが判明している。

If possible, surplus funds should be transferred to the general account and used effectively.
　可能なものは一般会計に繰り入れるなど、有効活用すべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 24, 2011)
（2012年1月24日00時59分 読売新聞）