自公連立協議 現実的な原発政策を掲げよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 20, 2012)
LDP, Komeito need to present realistic nuclear power policy
自公連立協議　現実的な原発政策を掲げよ（12月19日付・読売社説）

If the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito are to form a coalition government, it is a matter of course that they will have to make adjustments on important policies as much as possible to prevent discord within the cabinet.
　連立政権を組む以上、閣内不一致に陥らないように、重要政策について極力すり合わせておくのは、当然である。

LDP President Shinzo Abe and Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi met Tuesday to launch a series of policy consultations ahead of the inauguration of the second Abe Cabinet next week.
　自民党の安倍総裁と公明党の山口代表が会談し、第２次安倍内閣の発足に向けた政策協議を開始した。

To begin with, they agreed to compile a large supplementary budget for fiscal 2012 to serve as temporary economic stimulus.
当面の経済対策として、大型の今年度補正予算を編成する方針で一致した。

LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Akira Amari and Komeito Policy Research Council Chairman Keiichi Ishii are expected to hammer out the details for the budget ahead of an official accord by the end of the week.
　詳細は、自民・甘利、公明・石井の両党政調会長が協議し、週内の合意を目指すという。

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Economy a proper priority

The country desperately needs to be lifted out of deflation. The incoming administration is right in its decision to give top priority to economic reconstruction as a symbol of its efforts to move politics forward.
　デフレ脱却は急務である。新政権が、政治を前に動かす「象徴」として、景気の立て直しを最優先する判断は間違っていない。

Komeito supports a supplementary budget to the tune of about 10 trillion yen, while the LDP has yet to be specific.
　補正予算の規模について、公明党は１０兆円規模を主張するが、自民党は規模を明示していない。

Since at least part of any supplementary budget has to rely on the issuance of additional government bonds, it is important to avoid simple handout policies and choose spending that will have a highly positive economic effect.
　財源の一部を国債の追加発行に頼らざるを得ないこともあり、バラマキを避け、経済効果の高い歳出項目を選ぶことが大切だ。

Adjustments to energy policy will be another focus of attention during the policy talks between the two parties. While the LDP pledged to "establish the best possible combination of power generation sources within 10 years," Komeito advocates "aiming to reduce the number of nuclear power plants to zero as soon as possible."
　政策協議ではエネルギー政策の調整が焦点となる。自民党が「１０年以内に最適な電源構成を確立する」方針を掲げるのに対し、公明党は「可能な限り速やかに原発ゼロを目指す」と唱えている。

However, Komeito also acknowledges the need to give consideration to possible negative effects on the economy and employment, as well as to the securing of nuclear power engineers.
　ただ、公明党も、経済・雇用への影響や技術者の確保に配慮する必要性は認めている。

Imports of fuel for the nation's thermal power plants, which are being used as alternative power sources to nuclear power plants, have continued to surge, with 3 trillion yen of national wealth currently flowing overseas per year.
　今も原発の代替電源である火力発電の燃料輸入が急増し、年３兆円の国富が海外に流出している。

Zero nuclear power would accelerate the hollowing-out of the domestic industrial sector, which we see as contradicting the economic measures Komeito places importance on.
「原発ゼロ」では、産業の空洞化が加速し、公明党が重視する経済対策にも逆行するだろう。

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Reactivation a must

We urge both the LDP and Komeito to craft a realistic policy that includes reactivating the nation's nuclear reactors once they are confirmed safe and rejecting the idea of zero nuclear power in the mid- and long term.
　安全性が確認された原発は再稼働し、中長期的にも「原発ゼロ」は避けるという現実的な政策を自公両党はまとめてもらいたい。

The LDP and Komeito also differ over amending the Constitution, but the two parties will unlikely go deeply into the issue during the policy talks this time around, due to its "low priority." This is an inevitable judgment given the limited amount of time before the new administration takes power.
　自公両党間では、憲法改正問題で主張の隔たりがあるが、今回の政策協議では「優先度が高くない」として深入りしない方向だ。新政権発足まで時間が限られている以上、やむを得ない判断だろう。

The LDP insists the government's interpretation of the Constitution should be revised so the country can exercise its right to collective self-defense. This would deepen the Japan-U.S. alliance, and is something we believe should be realized.
　自民党は、集団的自衛権を行使できるように政府の憲法解釈の変更を主張している。日米同盟を深化するうえで、重要な意義を持つ。本来は、ぜひ実現したい。

Komeito has consistently opposed such a move. However, Japan would only be required to exercise its right to collective self-defense in a limited number of situations, such as if a U.S. military vessel was attacked by a foreign country on the high seas or if a ballistic missile headed for the United States passed over Japan.
　公明党は反対の立場を崩していないが、実際に日本が集団的自衛権の行使を求められるのは、公海上で米軍艦船が他国に攻撃される場合や、日本上空を通過する弾道ミサイルで米国が攻撃される場合など、限定されている。

When should exercising the right to collective self-defense be allowed, and how should it be restricted? We believe it is possible for the two parties to find common ground if they engage in deep, reality-based discussions. We hope they, as ruling parties, will continue to discuss this matter after the new administration is launched.
　どのケースで行使を可能にし、どんな歯止めをかけるのか。現実に即して議論を深めれば、両党の接点を見つけることは不可能ではあるまい。新政権の発足後も、与党内で論議を続けてほしい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 19, 2012)
（2012年12月19日01時12分  読売新聞）