第２次安倍内閣 危機突破へ政権の総力挙げよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 28, 2012)
Abe must work wholeheartedly to lead nation out of crisis
第２次安倍内閣　危機突破へ政権の総力挙げよ（12月27日付・読売社説）

　◆「強い経済」取り戻す知恵が要る◆

Defeating deflation, continuing with post-disaster reconstruction, overhauling nuclear power policy, and rebuilding foreign policy--Japan is faced with many challenges.
However, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's determination to resolve these issues was reflected in his choice of Cabinet ministers.
　デフレからの脱却、震災復興、原発政策の再構築、外交立て直し――。日本が直面する難問を解決しようという意欲のうかがえる布陣だ。

The second Abe Cabinet was formed Wednesday, making Abe the second politician since the end of World War II to make a comeback as prime minister, following Shigeru Yoshida (1878-1967).
　第２次安倍内閣が発足した。戦後、首相の再登板は吉田茂以来２人目である。

"I would like to gain the trust of the public by producing results as soon as possible," Abe said at a press conference after being elected prime minister.
　安倍首相は就任後の記者会見で「一日も早く結果を出すことで信頼を得たい」と強調した。

Abe's first Cabinet broke up five years ago after only a short period in office. Has he learned from the bitter experience? The spotlight is now on whether he can put his policies into practice.
短命政権に終わった５年前の苦い経験を教訓に政策実現能力が問われる。

Abe has said his Cabinet's reason for being is to "break through the national crisis." We hope the new prime minister can lead the nation out of the dead end it has found itself in.
「危機突破内閣」の看板通り、閉塞状況を打開してもらいたい。

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Use bureaucrats to full potential
　◆「霞が関」を使いこなせ◆

Political heavyweights including former Prime Minister Taro Aso, former Liberal Democratic Party President Sadakazu Tanigaki and former New Komeito Chief Representative Akihiro Ota gained spots in the Cabinet alongside midranking and junior lawmakers close to Abe, such as Takumi Nemoto, the new state minister for disaster reconstruction.
　閣僚には、自民党の麻生元首相や谷垣禎一前総裁、公明党の太田昭宏前代表ら重鎮が並んだ。根本匠復興相ら首相に近い中堅・若手の登用も目立つ。

Abe built his Cabinet around a close confidant in choosing former LDP Acting Secretary General Yoshihide Suga as chief cabinet secretary. Hiroshige Seko, another Abe ally and former chairman of the LDP Policy Board in the House of Councillors, was appointed deputy chief secretary. Isao Iijima, who served as parliamentary secretary under former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, was made a special adviser to the Cabinet.
　内閣の要となる官房長官に腹心の菅義偉前幹事長代行、官房副長官には世耕弘成前参院政審会長ら側近を据えた。内閣官房参与に小泉元首相の政務秘書官を務めた飯島勲氏を起用している。

His appointments in the Cabinet Secretariat show Abe's desire to strengthen the collective power of his administration based on the leadership of the Cabinet Office, as well as to enhance the office's crisis-management capabilities.
　首相官邸を中心にしたチーム力と大災害時などの危機管理能力を高めるのが狙いだろう。

The administrations led by the Democratic Party of Japan sailed under the slogan "politics led by politicians," but they failed to understand the true meaning of the phrase. The Abe administration must make a clear distinction between it and the DPJ administrations by making use of the bureaucracy.
We ask Abe to exploit the full potential of the Kasumigaseki bureaucrats.
　民主党政権の誤った「政治主導」とは一線を画し、官僚機構を十二分に使いこなして、霞が関の機能を引き出すことが大切だ。

The Abe Cabinet's top priority will be reviving the economy. Cabinet ministers who are expected to play a central role in this include Aso, who is deputy prime minister, finance minister and state minister for financial services; Akira Amari, state minister for economic revitalization; and Toshimitsu Motegi, the economy, trade and industry minister.
　安倍内閣の最重要課題は、日本経済の再生である。麻生太郎副総理・財務・金融相、甘利明経済再生相、茂木敏充経済産業相の３閣僚が、その中核を担う。

All three are known as expert policymakers and have chaired the party's Policy Research Council. We hope they will swiftly draw up effective measures to jump-start the economy.
　いずれも政調会長を経験した政策通である。実効性のある政策を迅速に打ち出してほしい。

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Govt bodies to revive economy
　◆司令塔を機能させたい◆

The new administration needs to steadily raise the consumption tax rate to obtain enough revenue to fund social security programs. However, the administration must first compile a supplementary budget large enough to buoy the economy, which is showing signs of further decline.
　社会保障財源を確保するため、消費税率を着実に引き上げていく必要がある。それには、後退色を強める景気を下支えする大規模な補正予算の編成が急務だ。

Abe has said he will revive the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, a government panel that was idled under the DPJ, and establish a new body tentatively named Japan's economic revitalization headquarters. The prime minister must steer these two organs effectively so they can play a leading role in economic policy.
　経済再生に向けて、首相は経済財政諮問会議を復活させ、新たに日本経済再生本部を置く。二つの組織を経済の司令塔として、しっかり機能させねばならない。

The administration of former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda pledged to achieve "zero nuclear power" in the 2030s, a policy that endangers the stability of the power supply and will accelerate the hollowing-out of the domestic industrial sector. We urge the Abe administration to annul this policy and come up with practical nuclear and energy policies.
　野田政権の「２０３０年代に原発稼働ゼロ」の方針では電力の安定供給が揺らぎ、産業空洞化も加速する。これを早急に撤回し、現実的な原発・エネルギー政策を再構築すべきである。

With our society graying, birthrate low and population decreasing, shrinkage of domestic demand is unavoidable for the medium term. Japan must join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade framework to spur economic growth.
　少子高齢化と人口減で中期的には国内需要の縮小が避けられない。日本の成長に弾みをつけるには環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）への参加を決断するしかない。

We have high hopes that Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will play a pivotal role in enhancing the international competitiveness of the agriculture industry, a necessary part of preparing to further open the domestic market.
　林芳正農相は、一層の市場開放に備え、農業の国際競争力を強化する重要な役割を担う。

It is also essential for the Abe administration to improve the nation's aging infrastructure and implement disaster-management measures. Keiji Furuya, state minister for disaster management, will be in charge of "strengthening national land"--one of the key policies of the new Cabinet.
　老朽化したインフラ（社会基盤）の整備と防災対策も欠かせない。古屋圭司防災相が目玉政策の「国土強靱(きょうじん)化」を担当する。

Needless to say, it should not be forgotten that the nation's finances have been seriously dependent on borrowing. The Abe Cabinet has to come up with effective methods of public investment so that we will not pass on any further heavy burdens to future generations.
　無論、日本が深刻な借金財政に陥っていることも忘れてはなるまい。将来世代にこれ以上重いツケを回さないよう、効率的な公共投資を工夫することが肝要だ。

To make the nation's social security system sustainable, it is inevitable to cut benefit payments. Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Norihisa Tamura will be tested on handling the issue as a social security expert.
　社会保障制度を持続可能にするには給付の削減は避けられない。社会保障の専門家である田村憲久厚生労働相の手腕が問われる。

The post of foreign minister has been assumed by Fumio Kishida, a former state minister for Okinawa Prefecture affairs. Progress will not be made on the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in the prefecture unless Kishida can restore trust with the prefecture, a condition that was seriously damaged by the administration of former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama from the DPJ.
　外相には、岸田文雄元沖縄相が就任した。鳩山政権が著しく損なった沖縄県との信頼関係を回復しなければ、米軍普天間飛行場の移設問題は前進しない。

It is reasonable for Abe to appoint Kishida as foreign minister, as he is knowledgeable on situations facing Okinawa Prefecture and is said to have a relationship of trust with Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima.
　沖縄県の事情に通じ、仲井真弘多知事とも一定の信頼関係があると言われる岸田氏の起用は妥当だと言えよう。

Named as defense minister was Itsunori Onodera, former parliamentary senior vice minister for foreign affairs.
　防衛相には小野寺五典元外務副大臣が起用された。

Over the dispute on the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, China has sent not only its vessels to intrude into Japanese waters, but also an airplane to violate the nation's airspace. Dealing with China--which has been seeking to expand its economic and military might--is the Abe Cabinet's top priority in the diplomatic and security field.
　尖閣諸島を巡って中国は、領海だけでなく、領空まで侵犯した。経済、軍事両面で膨張路線をとる中国とどう向き合うかは外交・安全保障の最重要課題だ。

The new prime minister has to establish a flexible, shrewd strategy by working closely with Kishida and Onodera.
　首相は岸田、小野寺両氏と十分連携し、柔軟で、したたかな戦略を打ち立てる必要がある。

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LDP seeks to renew itself
　◆自公民路線は堅持を◆

Meanwhile, the lineup of the LDP's new party leadership is attracting attention as two of its three key executives posts have been given to women: Sanae Takaichi has been named chairwoman of the Policy Research Council, while Seiko Noda has been given the post of chairwoman of the General Council.
　一方、自民党の新執行部体制では、高市早苗政調会長、野田聖子総務会長という女性２人の党三役への登用が注目される。

The appointments aim to make the two women part of the face of the party along with Shigeru Ishiba--who is being retained as secretary general and is especially popular in less urban areas--for the upcoming upper house election next summer. Abe said the changes in the LDP can be signaled by the two female members assuming the key posts.
　地方で人気のある石破幹事長とともに来夏の参院選で「党の顔」とすることを狙った人事だ。自民党の変化を示すものだという。

However, such an image alone cannot help restore public confidence in the LDP. The party is urged to make further efforts and assume a humble attitude to move the nation's politics forward. Otherwise, the LDP could follow the path Abe warned of: "We'll become a cheap, old LDP as soon as we begin to rely only on party traditions."
　だが、イメージだけでは党に対する国民の信頼は回復しない。政治を前に動かすために、一層の努力と謙虚な姿勢が求められる。首相が言う通り、「伝統にあぐらをかけば、あっという間に陳腐な古い自民党と化す」だろう。

The Diet remains divided until the next upper house election. The LDP, Komeito and the DPJ should maintain their framework of cooperation regarding the integrated reform of the social security and tax systems.
　参院選までは衆参のねじれが続く。社会保障と税の一体改革の実現に向けて、自公民３党の協力路線を堅持していくべきである。

We are fed up with political indecisiveness. We hope Abe will manage his government in a different way than previous administrations.
　「決められない政治」はもううんざりだ。これまでとは次元の違う政権運営を期待したい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 27, 2012)
（2012年12月27日01時09分  読売新聞）