野田内閣改造 日本の再生を託し得る布陣か

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Oct. 3, 2012)
Can Noda's new Cabinet be entrusted to revive Japan?
野田内閣改造　日本の再生を託し得る布陣か（10月2日付・読売社説）

　◆「発信力」で田中文科相起用の愚◆

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has given favorable treatment to lawmakers seeking cabinet posts and obviously wanted to prevent more members from leaving his party ahead of the upcoming House of Representatives election. The new lineup is characterized by such an inward-looking approach.
　衆院選を控え、入閣を待望していた議員の処遇を図るとともに、これ以上の離党者を防ぎたいという「内向き」な姿勢の目立つ布陣である。

Noda launched his third reshuffled Cabinet on Monday. The purpose of the reshuffle, he said, was "to further deepen cooperation between the government and the ruling parties and to strengthen the Cabinet's functions."
　野田第３次改造内閣が、発足した。野田首相はその目的を「政府与党の連携を一層深め、内閣の機能を強化する」と述べた。

The prime minister used a certain amount of ingenuity in the reshuffle by retaining core ministers, such as Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada, and appointing lawmakers who held executive posts in the Democratic Party of Japan to key posts.
　岡田副総理ら要の閣僚を留任させて、民主党の役職経験者を重要閣僚に配置するなど工夫は見られる。

However, concern cannot be dispelled over whether the reshuffle will serve its purpose.
だが、果たして狙い通りになるのか、懸念を拭えない。

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Rework nuclear plant policy
　◆原発政策の立て直しを◆

When considering future national strategy and revival of Japan's economy, we wonder, first of all, why Noda retained Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yukio Edano, who was responsible for allowing the nation's nuclear power plant and energy policy to stray off course.
　今後の国家戦略や日本経済の再生を考えると、まず、疑問なのは原発・エネルギー政策を迷走させてきた枝野経済産業相を留任させたことである。

Edano played a central role when the government drew up its innovative energy and environmental strategy, which set a target of zero nuclear power plants operating in the 2030s.
　枝野氏は、政府が２０３０年代に原発の稼働ゼロを目指す「革新的エネルギー・環境戦略」を策定した際、中心的役割を担った。

Concerning this target, Edano was optimistic, saying, "As long as it's not done the wrong way, it will have a positive impact on the economy."
　枝野氏は、原発ゼロについて「やり方を間違わなければ、むしろ経済にプラスだ」と楽観的な見解も示している。

His remark seems to ignore the various issues that concern business circles, such as the impact mothballing nuclear power plants would have on the Japanese economy, job losses caused by the hollowing-out of industry and a decrease in the number of nuclear power engineers.
　こうした言動は、脱原発がもたらす日本経済への打撃や、産業空洞化に伴う雇用喪失、原子力関連の技術者減少など、経済界が懸念を示す様々な課題について軽視しているように見える。

Under the circumstances, Edano can only be accused of irresponsibility as the economy, trade and industry minister has to ensure a stable supply of electricity as well as industrial development.
　これでは電力の安定供給と産業振興に責任を負う経産相として、無責任のそしりを免れない。

A wide range of cooperation from the business world is essential in developing technological innovations for renewable energy.
　再生可能エネルギーの技術革新を実現するには、経済界の幅広い協力が必要だ。

Former DPJ Policy Research Committee Chairman Seiji Maehara, who assumed the position of state minister for national policy, and economic and fiscal policy, pushed the government to decide on the zero nuclear power policy as head of the party's Energy and Environment Research Committee.
　国家戦略・経済財政相に就任した前原誠司前政調会長も、これまで民主党のエネルギー・環境調査会をリードし、「原発ゼロ」の方針決定を後押ししてきた。

At a press conference after assuming his new post, Maehara said, "I'll promote a strategy to increase the nation's power, and work out plans for it." However, how will he overcome deflation and ensure the nation's growth while pushing for a zero nuclear power policy?
　前原氏は、就任後の記者会見で「いかに国力を上げるかという国家戦略を推進し、企画立案する」と述べたが、「原発ゼロ」を推進する一方で、デフレ克服と成長促進をどう実現するのか。

Mapping out a mid- and long-term basic energy plan will be a huge task.
　中長期的なエネルギー基本計画の策定が大きな課題になる。

In addition to opposition from the business community, the United States, which concluded a cooperation agreement on nuclear energy with Japan, has also expressed strong concern over Japan's nuclear power plant policy. It is crucial for Japan to improve its relationship with the United States.
　経済界が反発していることに加えて、日本と原子力協定を結ぶ米国も日本の原発政策に強い懸念を示している。関係を改善することが欠かせない。

Maehara, who once served as foreign minister, will find his ability to coordinate policy tested again.
　外相経験もある前原氏の政策調整力が、改めて問われる。

===

Tanaka's appointment strange
　◆党内不協和音収まらず◆

The appointment of Makiko Tanaka as education, culture, sports, science and technology minister is mystifying.
　田中真紀子元外相の文部科学相起用は、およそ理解し難い。

Tanaka assumed the post of foreign minister during the administration of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, but it soon became apparent she lacked even a fundamental knowledge of diplomacy. Her frequent aberrant behavior in dealing with the ministry's bureaucrats led to diplomacy becoming totally dysfunctional.
　田中氏は小泉内閣で外相に就いたが、外交の基本的認識さえ欠く始末だった。外務官僚との確執から常軌を逸した行動を繰り返し、外交を機能不全に陥らせた。

It is obvious she lacks what it takes to serve as a cabinet minister. Of great concern is that she will lose control again and cause national politics to become chaotic. Noda said he placed great expectations on her communication skills. But if Tanaka's appointment is intended to help the DPJ in its campaign for the next general election, it would be like treating the general public with derision.
　閣僚としての資質に乏しいことは明らかである。またもや暴走して国政を混乱させないか、大いに懸念される。首相は「発信力」を期待しているというが、仮にも選挙対策を考えたのなら、国民を愚弄する話ではないか。

An analysis of the list of Cabinet members who were named for the first time indicates their appointments were made as rewards for supporting Noda's reelection as DPJ president and aimed at promoting intraparty unity.
　新任閣僚の顔ぶれには代表選で首相再選を支持した議員への論功行賞、党内融和もうかがえる。

Keishu Tanaka, one of the party's vice presidents and a former member of the now defunct Democratic Socialist Party, was appointed justice minister, while Wakio Mitsui and Ikko Nakatsuka, who both had close connections with former DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa, were named health, labor and welfare minister and state minister for financial services, respectively.
　旧民社党系グループの田中慶秋副代表を法相に起用し、小沢一郎元代表に近かった三井辨雄氏を厚生労働相、中塚一宏氏を金融相に充てている。

Noda's three rivals in the DPJ presidential election and their supporters received no cabinet posts. It seems likely that consideration will be given to their groups in appointing senior vice ministers and parliamentary secretaries.
　代表選で争った陣営からの入閣はなかったが、副大臣、政務官人事で配慮するようだ。

===

Intraparty discord

However, intraparty discord shows no sign of dissipating, and Noda will continue to be pressured over his management of the party.
　だが、党内の不協和音が収まる気配はない。引き続き難しい党運営を迫られよう。

The prime minister stressed the need for cooperation between the government and ruling parties. His naming of former DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Koriki Jojima as finance minister is symbolic in this respect.
　首相の強調する政府と与党との連携という観点では、財務相に城島光力前国会対策委員長を起用したことが象徴的だ。

The appointment could serve as an indication that Jojima's connections with the opposition parties will be used to help pass through the Diet a special bill to enable the issuance of deficit-covering government bonds and steadily promote integrated reform of social security and tax systems.
　野党とのパイプを生かして、赤字国債発行を可能にするための特例公債法案の成立や、社会保障と税の一体改革を着実に進めるというメッセージにはなる。

Jojima's capabilities as finance minister will be put to the test during a meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank scheduled in Tokyo next week.
　東京で来週開かれる国際通貨基金（ＩＭＦ）・世界銀行総会で財務相としての能力が試される。

===

Consistency important
　◆外交安保の継続は当然◆

It is natural for Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba and Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto to retain their posts given the rigorous international environment surrounding Japan.
　玄葉外相、森本防衛相の留任は、日本を取り巻く厳しい国際情勢を考えれば当然である。

Negotiations have just started with Russia to resolve the territorial dispute over four islands off Hokkaido. So have talks with North Korea over the abduction issue. It is also urgent to improve relations with China and South Korea, which have been strained over the Senkaku Islands and Takeshima island, respectively.
　北方領土問題を巡るロシアとの交渉や、拉致問題で北朝鮮との協議の仕切り直しが始まったばかりだ。尖閣諸島、竹島問題で対立の続く日中・日韓関係を改善することも差し迫った課題だ。

Six MV-22 Ospreys flew to the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture from the U.S. Iwakuni Air Station on Monday. It is natural that Gemba pointed out the tilt-rotor transport aircraft are "indispensable for security in Japan and East Asia as they are key equipment of the marine corps."
　米軍岩国基地に駐機していた新型輸送機オスプレイが１日、沖縄の米軍普天間飛行場に移動した。玄葉外相が、「日本、東アジアの安全保障にとって、海兵隊の中核となる装備なので不可欠だ」と指摘したのはもっともである。

Gemba and Morimoto must make all-out efforts to promote the relocation of the Futenma Air Station and further strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance. This will be necessary even as Japan rebuilds diplomatic ties vis-a-vis Beijing and Seoul.
　対中・韓外交を立て直すためにも玄葉、森本両氏は、普天間飛行場の移設と日米同盟の一層の強化に全力を挙げねばならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 2, 2012)
（2012年10月2日01時25分  読売新聞）