「第３極」 政策のあいまいさ放置するな

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 20, 2012)
Ishin no Kai must clarify policies to vie with DPJ, LDP
「第３極」　政策のあいまいさ放置するな（11月19日付・読売社説）

If a new party aspires to become a third major force in national politics and take on the two main parties--the Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Democratic Party--it will need to present clear proposals for addressing this nation's challenges.
　民主、自民の２大政党に続く「第３極」を目指すなら、日本が直面する課題について明確な政策を掲げる必要がある。

Former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara's Taiyo no To (The Sunrise Party) has decided to merge into Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party), led by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto. The new party will be led by Ishihara, with Hashimoto as acting leader.
　石原慎太郎前東京都知事が率いる太陽の党は、橋下徹大阪市長を代表とする日本維新の会への合流を決めた。
　石原氏が代表、橋下氏が代表代行に就く。

Hoping to capitalize on the high name recognition of both Ishihara and Hashimoto, Ishin no Kai is looking to fare well in the upcoming House of Representatives election, not only in proportional representation blocs but also in single-seat districts where large parties are seen as holding an advantage.
　知名度の高い石原、橋下両氏が組む相乗効果で、衆院比例選だけでなく、大政党に有利な小選挙区でも議席確保を見込んでいる。

However, the two parties' merger was announced abruptly after Ishihara dropped an already announced plan to join forces with tax-slashing Genzei Nippon. The move thus smacks of a mutual-aid deal designed only to win the election.
　ただ、石原氏は、いったん発表した減税日本との合流を白紙に戻すなど、動きが慌ただしい。「結集ありき」のような選挙互助会的政党には疑問を禁じ得ない。

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Accord full of problems

The policy agreement put together by Ishin no Kai and Taiyo no To is fraught with problems.
　維新の会と太陽の党がまとめた合意文書にも問題が多い。

On nuclear power generation--a central issue in the election--the accord merely mentioned a need to set rules on safety standards. This likely was the result of disagreement between Ishin no Kai, which supports ending the nation's reliance on nuclear power in the 2030s, and Taiyo no To, which has been critical of the zero nuclear option.
　焦点の原発政策に関しては、安全基準の「ルール構築」などにとどめた。「２０３０年代の原発全廃」を目指す維新の会と、脱原発には批判的な太陽の党の溝が埋まらなかったためだろう。

We agree with Ishihara's assertion that nuclear power policy needs to be discussed from a multifaceted viewpoint that takes economic and industrial factors into consideration. A zero nuclear policy is unrealistic at this point.
　石原氏が言うように、原発政策は、経済・産業への影響など、複合的な観点から議論する必要がある。今から「原発ゼロ」を掲げるのは非現実的だ。

The proposal to make the consumption tax a local tax, a centerpiece of Ishin no Kai's platform, did make it into the agreement, although it was widely believed that Ishihara was less than enthusiastic about putting the consumption tax under local government control. If Ishihara has made an about-face, he needs to explain himself.
　合意には、維新の会の看板政策とも言える「消費税の地方税化」が盛り込まれた。石原氏は地方税化に慎重だったはずなのに、政策をがらりと変えるのであれば、きちんとした説明が必要だ。

Concerning the Senkaku Islands, the accord called for urging China to make its case before the International Court of Justice. We question whether this position amounts to Japan admitting there exists a territorial dispute with China.
　尖閣諸島問題では、中国に国際司法裁判所（ＩＣＪ）への提訴を促す、とした。これでは、日本が領有権問題の存在を認めることにならないか疑問だ。

Regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade framework, the accord "supports participation in the TPP negotiations but opposes entry if the talks show it is not in the national interest." This appears to be a blending of the pro-TPP stance of Ishin no Kai and the anti-TPP position of Taiyo no To.
　環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）については「交渉に参加するが、協議の結果、国益に沿わなければ反対」とした。維新の会の推進論と、太陽の党の反対論を併記しただけのように見える。

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A merger of convenience?

Other parties have denounced the tie-up as "a merger of convenience without policy." Hashimoto has refuted this. "We are much closer [on policy matters] than other conventional parties are," he said.
　橋下氏は、「政策抜きの野合」との他党の批判に対し、「既存政党に比べれば、はるかに一致している」と反論している。

Even so, we worry that after the election, Ishin no Kai would be continually enveloped in chaos over internal policy differences, as has been the case with the DPJ.
　そうは言っても、民主党のように路線対立で混乱を繰り返すのではないか、懸念は消えない。

Your Party has been lobbying to join forces with Ishin no Kai in next month's general election, also hoping to increase its national presence as a part of a third political pole. Furthermore, the People's Life First party is exploring ways to join hands with other parties by trumpeting its opposition to the planned consumption tax increase and its support of a zero nuclear policy.
　「第３極」を目指して、みんなの党が維新の会との選挙協力を進めている。国民の生活が第一も、反消費増税、脱原発を掲げ、他党との連携を模索している。

These are moves intended to sway non-affiliated voters, who have increased due to a decline in people's trust in politics during the three-plus years of the DPJ-led administration.
　民主党政権下で政治不信が高まり、無党派層が増えたことを意識した動きだ。

We urge political parties to avoid promoting policies aimed only at pandering to the people, and to sufficiently scrutinize their platforms.
国民の歓心を買うような政策ばかりでは困る。政策の十分な吟味が必要である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 19, 2012)
（2012年11月19日01時30分  読売新聞）