The Yomiuri Shimbun October 30, 2013
Mizuho has a tough row to hoe before it can regain public trust
みずほ改善計画 信頼回復への道筋が見えない（10月29日付・読売社説）
Mizuho Bank appears to have hastily tried to end its lending scandal with lenient punishments. Given such lax punitive steps, the megabank faces a rocky path ahead to regain public trust that was lost by extending loans to gangsters.
甘い処分で幕引きを急いだとしか思えない。これでは、暴力団員への融資で失墜した信頼の回復に向けた道は険しい。
Mizuho should show strong determination to make a fresh start, even considering an overhaul of its management system.
みずほ銀行は経営体制の刷新も視野に、真摯(しんし)に出直す覚悟を見せるべきだ。
In connection with Mizuho’s loans to mobsters via its affiliated credit company, Orient Corp., among other entities, the bank has submitted to the Financial Services Agency a business improvement plan incorporating internal punishments and measures to prevent a recurrence of problematic lending.
みずほ銀が、系列信販会社のオリエントコーポレーションなどを通じ、多数の暴力団関係者に融資していた問題で、社内処分や再発防止策を盛り込んだ業務改善計画を金融庁に提出した。
Fifty-four current and former executives are subject to punishment. The penalties included dismissal of two executives in charge of compliance and pay cuts for 40 other executives. Yasuhiro Sato will remain president but have six months of his salary docked. Takashi Tsukamoto will step down as chairman of Mizuho Bank but remain as chairman of the bank’s parent, Mizuho Financial Group.
社内処分はＯＢを含む５４人が対象だ。法令順守担当の役員２人を更迭し、他の役員も報酬を一部カットする。佐藤康博頭取は半年間の無報酬で、頭取を続投する。塚本隆史会長は辞任するが、兼任の持ち株会社会長は留任する。
Former bank President Satoru Nishibori and 11 other former executives will be asked to return executive compensation.
西堀利・元頭取らには、過去の役員報酬の返納を求める。
The announced punishments are far from adequate as the current management will remain in place. Sato said at a news conference: “It’s extremely regrettable. We’ll deeply reflect on it.” But we cannot help but wonder whether he seriously considers his responsibility over such irregularities.
問題を放置した経営陣を温存する中途半端な内容だ。佐藤頭取は記者会見で「まさに痛恨の極み。深く反省している」と述べたが、不祥事の責任を重く受け止めているのか、疑われても仕方ない。
A third-party committee established to investigate the Mizuho scandal criticized the bank by saying in a report, “The bank lacked awareness as an organization of the importance of tackling the task of cutting off relations with antisocial groups.”
みずほ銀が調査のために設けた第三者委員会は、報告書で「反社会的勢力との関係遮断に組織として取り組む重要性について、認識が不足していた」と批判した。
The committee has also pointed out that the contracts on which loans were extended to mobsters failed to include a clause that excluded loans to organized crime syndicates. The bank’s response to the scandal was far too lenient.
暴力団融資の温床となったローンの契約に、暴力団排除の条項を追加していない点も指摘した。事後対応は、あまりに手ぬるい。
The committee, consisting of three lawyers, investigated the case for only about 20 days. Some people are doubtful whether the panel spent sufficient time trying to learn the truth.
第三者委は弁護士３人の体制で調査期間もわずか約２０日だった。どこまで真相に迫れたのか、疑問視する声もある。
Correct corporate culture
It was natural that Mizuho’s business improvement plan included establishment of a special section on the elimination of organized crime groups and introduction of board directors from outside. Efforts must be made thoroughly to prevent a recurrence of similar scandals.
改善計画でみずほ銀が、暴力団排除の専門部署や社外取締役の導入を掲げたのは当然だ。再発防止を徹底しなければならない。
Most imperative of all is to fundamentally rectify the bank’s corporate culture that has led to repeated irregularities since it was established in 2002 through the merger of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Fuji Bank and the Industrial Bank of Japan.
最も重要なのは、第一勧業、富士、日本興業の３行統合で発足して以来、不祥事を繰り返した企業風土を根底から正すことだ。
The turf-consciousness displayed by executives for the banks they hailed from led to a serious lack of corporate governance. This could be a factor behind the bank’s failure to deal with the loan scandal swiftly.
旧３行の縄張り意識によるガバナンス（企業統治）の欠如は深刻である。暴力団融資に迅速に対処できない一因ともなった。
There are views within Mizuho calling for the current top management to be maintained to avoid a confrontation by elements in the three former banks over the selection of their successors. Such an inward-looking attitude will not lead to establishing “one Mizuho.”
みずほ内には、後任を巡る旧３行の対立を避けるため、トップの続投を願う声もあるという。そんな内向きの発想で、本物の「ワンみずほ」は実現しないだろう。
In its on-site investigation of the bank, the FSA accepted at face value the bank’s explanation, that “the top management did not know about [the loans to mobsters],” thereby overlooking what actually happened. Was there any malicious attempt to prevent an additional probe? The FSA should investigate the scandal again and much more strictly.
金融庁は立ち入り検査で「経営トップは知らなかった」とする誤った説明をうのみにし、実態を見過ごした。本当に悪質な検査逃れはなかったのか。金融庁は改めて厳しく調べるべきである。
If Mizuho’s business improvement plan is found to be flawed, the financial watchdog should consider additional administrative punishments.
みずほの改善計画に不備があれば、金融庁は追加の行政処分を検討することが求められよう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 29, 2013)
（2013年10月29日02時05分 読売新聞）
2013/10/31
2013/10/30
第３セクター債 バブルの清算を加速させたい
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 29, 2013
Joint public-private firms must expedite efforts to end indebtedness
第３セクター債 バブルの清算を加速させたい（10月28日付・読売社説）
Joint public-private companies, generally known as third-sector corporations, may not be able to avoid liquidation as long as liabilities exceed assets.
債務超過に陥った第３セクターは整理が避けられない。
Local governments operating loss-making firms in partnership with private-sector entities must waste no time in addressing the task of liquidating them—ending a negative legacy dating back to the days of the bubble economy—even if doing so will cause fiscal pain.
地方自治体は、痛みが伴っても、バブル時代の「負の遺産」の清算を急ぐ必要がある。
Bond issuance to expedite the consolidation or abolition of poorly performing third-sector corporations and businesses run solely by local governments has risen sharply recently.
経営不振の３セクや地方公社などを整理・廃止するための地方債・第三セクター等改革推進債の発行が急増している。
Local governments issued third-sector bonds in 64 cases, with a combined value of ¥374.3 billion, during the April-September period this year.
２０１３年４～９月の３セク債発行は６４件、計３７４３億円に上った。
In the three-year period from fiscal 2009 to fiscal 2012, bonds were issued 104 times with a combined value of ¥471.4 billion, indicating how massive the issuance of bonds issued was in the first half of this fiscal year.
０９～１２年度の１０４件、計４７１４億円を大きく上回るペースだ。
With the issuance of third-sector bonds permitted specially for a period of five years from fiscal 2009, many local governments appear intent on issuing bonds just before the expiration of the deadline at the end of fiscal 2013.
３セク債発行は０９年度から５年間の特例措置で、最終年度の駆け込みが続いたのだろう。
Third-sector bonds are issued by local governments on the basis of resolutions by local assemblies, along with approval by either the internal affairs and communications minister or heads of relevant prefectural governments.
３セク債は、議会の議決と、総務相または都道府県の許可を経て自治体が発行する。
Issuance of these bonds enables local entities to reschedule their debts in the form of bonds, which have interest rates lower that those on other forms of debt. In addition, the central government offers preferential treatment by covering half of the interest cost by means of local tax grants, or tax allocations to local governments.
３セクの借金より低い金利に借り換えられるうえ、金利の半分は政府が交付税で負担してくれる利点がある。
It is an extremely serious situation that the number of juridical persons, such as companies, that are considered on the brink of bankruptcy stands at 639 out of 1,928 juridical persons comprising third-sector corporations and enterprises operated solely by municipalities.
自治体が財政支援している３セク・公社１９２８法人のうち、実質的に債務超過状態にある団体が６３９法人に上るのは深刻だ。
Don’t put off problems
About 60 percent of bond issues were by land development public corporations for the acquisition of plots of land prior to public works projects. Many local government-run corporations in such fields as forestry, housing and tourism are also heavily in debt.
自治体に代わって公共事業用地を先行取得する土地開発公社が３セク債発行の６割を占める。林業、住宅、観光などの公社も多い。
Some third-sector corporations have racked up debts surpassing their net worth after huge tracts of land they purchased during the bubble economy were left unused because planned public works projects were scaled down after the bubble burst and land prices declined.
バブル時代に膨大な土地を抱えたものの、バブル崩壊に伴う事業縮小と地価下落により、未利用の土地が塩漬けになり、債務超過に陥るのが典型例と言える。
The vast amount of debt incurred by third-sector corporations adversely affects the fiscal health of local governments.
３セクの巨額債務は、自治体財政にも影響する。
Third-sector business operations were the major factor behind the fiscal problems of the Yubari municipal government in Hokkaido. Because of its fiscal woes, the municipal government was designated as a body legally requiring fiscal reconstruction.
北海道夕張市が財政再建団体となったのも、３セクの失敗が一因だった。
Especially problematic is the fact that a little less than 40 percent of the 1,928 quasi-public corporations, or 716, have yet to thrash out reform programs.
問題なのは、１９２８法人のうち、改革方針が未定の団体が４割弱の７１６法人もあることだ。
Liquidation of third-sector corporations makes it inevitable for local governments to take over the debts of the corporations. Fearing criticism for shouldering the debts, many local government heads tend to put off resolving the problem while they are in office.
３セクの清算は自治体による債務肩代わりが必要となる。首長にすれば、その責任を問われるため任期中は問題を先送りしがちだ。
Postponing the problems, however, will certainly result in increasing burdens on the local governments and residents due to increasing interest payments and drops in land prices.
だが、先送りは、金利負担や一層の地価下落などで、結果的に自治体や住民の負担を増大させる。
Every local entity with third-sector debt problems must take up the challenge of drastically reforming the corporations by making use of the specially authorized bond issuance by the deadline at the end of March. This is prerequisite to ensuring an environment conducive to reinvigorating local economies.
３セクの債務問題を抱える自治体は、来年３月までの特例期間を逃さず、抜本改革に取り組むべきだ。それが、新たな地域活性化策に取り組む環境整備になろう。
Obviously, liquidation must be avoided as much as possible for third-sector corporations in charge of operations directly linked with residents’ lives such as hospitals and transportation.
無論、病院、交通など、住民生活に不可欠な事業を担う３セクの場合、安易な清算はできない。
Any further delay in heightening their business efficiency, however, will raise their indebtedness to be eventually passed on to residents.
しかし、事業を効率化しなければ、そのツケは住民に回る。
Local governments should consult with all parties concerned about what should be done. They should provide straightforward explanations to assemblies and residents, instead of covering up the debts of their third-sector bodies.
自治体は、少なくとも３セクの債務を隠さず、議会や住民にきちんと説明し、善後策を協議すべきだ。
The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry will, in principle, refuse local governments’ requests to extend the bond issuance deadline for third-sector corporations. However, it may conditionally allow a bond issuance if the corporations and local governments concerned are considered to be making serious rehabilitation efforts. This stance is reasonable.
総務省は、３セク債発行期限の単純な延長はしない一方、既に改革に着手し、真剣に努力している自治体には条件付きで延長を認める方向だ。妥当な対応だろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 28, 2013)
（2013年10月28日01時21分 読売新聞）
Joint public-private firms must expedite efforts to end indebtedness
第３セクター債 バブルの清算を加速させたい（10月28日付・読売社説）
Joint public-private companies, generally known as third-sector corporations, may not be able to avoid liquidation as long as liabilities exceed assets.
債務超過に陥った第３セクターは整理が避けられない。
Local governments operating loss-making firms in partnership with private-sector entities must waste no time in addressing the task of liquidating them—ending a negative legacy dating back to the days of the bubble economy—even if doing so will cause fiscal pain.
地方自治体は、痛みが伴っても、バブル時代の「負の遺産」の清算を急ぐ必要がある。
Bond issuance to expedite the consolidation or abolition of poorly performing third-sector corporations and businesses run solely by local governments has risen sharply recently.
経営不振の３セクや地方公社などを整理・廃止するための地方債・第三セクター等改革推進債の発行が急増している。
Local governments issued third-sector bonds in 64 cases, with a combined value of ¥374.3 billion, during the April-September period this year.
２０１３年４～９月の３セク債発行は６４件、計３７４３億円に上った。
In the three-year period from fiscal 2009 to fiscal 2012, bonds were issued 104 times with a combined value of ¥471.4 billion, indicating how massive the issuance of bonds issued was in the first half of this fiscal year.
０９～１２年度の１０４件、計４７１４億円を大きく上回るペースだ。
With the issuance of third-sector bonds permitted specially for a period of five years from fiscal 2009, many local governments appear intent on issuing bonds just before the expiration of the deadline at the end of fiscal 2013.
３セク債発行は０９年度から５年間の特例措置で、最終年度の駆け込みが続いたのだろう。
Third-sector bonds are issued by local governments on the basis of resolutions by local assemblies, along with approval by either the internal affairs and communications minister or heads of relevant prefectural governments.
３セク債は、議会の議決と、総務相または都道府県の許可を経て自治体が発行する。
Issuance of these bonds enables local entities to reschedule their debts in the form of bonds, which have interest rates lower that those on other forms of debt. In addition, the central government offers preferential treatment by covering half of the interest cost by means of local tax grants, or tax allocations to local governments.
３セクの借金より低い金利に借り換えられるうえ、金利の半分は政府が交付税で負担してくれる利点がある。
It is an extremely serious situation that the number of juridical persons, such as companies, that are considered on the brink of bankruptcy stands at 639 out of 1,928 juridical persons comprising third-sector corporations and enterprises operated solely by municipalities.
自治体が財政支援している３セク・公社１９２８法人のうち、実質的に債務超過状態にある団体が６３９法人に上るのは深刻だ。
Don’t put off problems
About 60 percent of bond issues were by land development public corporations for the acquisition of plots of land prior to public works projects. Many local government-run corporations in such fields as forestry, housing and tourism are also heavily in debt.
自治体に代わって公共事業用地を先行取得する土地開発公社が３セク債発行の６割を占める。林業、住宅、観光などの公社も多い。
Some third-sector corporations have racked up debts surpassing their net worth after huge tracts of land they purchased during the bubble economy were left unused because planned public works projects were scaled down after the bubble burst and land prices declined.
バブル時代に膨大な土地を抱えたものの、バブル崩壊に伴う事業縮小と地価下落により、未利用の土地が塩漬けになり、債務超過に陥るのが典型例と言える。
The vast amount of debt incurred by third-sector corporations adversely affects the fiscal health of local governments.
３セクの巨額債務は、自治体財政にも影響する。
Third-sector business operations were the major factor behind the fiscal problems of the Yubari municipal government in Hokkaido. Because of its fiscal woes, the municipal government was designated as a body legally requiring fiscal reconstruction.
北海道夕張市が財政再建団体となったのも、３セクの失敗が一因だった。
Especially problematic is the fact that a little less than 40 percent of the 1,928 quasi-public corporations, or 716, have yet to thrash out reform programs.
問題なのは、１９２８法人のうち、改革方針が未定の団体が４割弱の７１６法人もあることだ。
Liquidation of third-sector corporations makes it inevitable for local governments to take over the debts of the corporations. Fearing criticism for shouldering the debts, many local government heads tend to put off resolving the problem while they are in office.
３セクの清算は自治体による債務肩代わりが必要となる。首長にすれば、その責任を問われるため任期中は問題を先送りしがちだ。
Postponing the problems, however, will certainly result in increasing burdens on the local governments and residents due to increasing interest payments and drops in land prices.
だが、先送りは、金利負担や一層の地価下落などで、結果的に自治体や住民の負担を増大させる。
Every local entity with third-sector debt problems must take up the challenge of drastically reforming the corporations by making use of the specially authorized bond issuance by the deadline at the end of March. This is prerequisite to ensuring an environment conducive to reinvigorating local economies.
３セクの債務問題を抱える自治体は、来年３月までの特例期間を逃さず、抜本改革に取り組むべきだ。それが、新たな地域活性化策に取り組む環境整備になろう。
Obviously, liquidation must be avoided as much as possible for third-sector corporations in charge of operations directly linked with residents’ lives such as hospitals and transportation.
無論、病院、交通など、住民生活に不可欠な事業を担う３セクの場合、安易な清算はできない。
Any further delay in heightening their business efficiency, however, will raise their indebtedness to be eventually passed on to residents.
しかし、事業を効率化しなければ、そのツケは住民に回る。
Local governments should consult with all parties concerned about what should be done. They should provide straightforward explanations to assemblies and residents, instead of covering up the debts of their third-sector bodies.
自治体は、少なくとも３セクの債務を隠さず、議会や住民にきちんと説明し、善後策を協議すべきだ。
The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry will, in principle, refuse local governments’ requests to extend the bond issuance deadline for third-sector corporations. However, it may conditionally allow a bond issuance if the corporations and local governments concerned are considered to be making serious rehabilitation efforts. This stance is reasonable.
総務省は、３セク債発行期限の単純な延長はしない一方、既に改革に着手し、真剣に努力している自治体には条件付きで延長を認める方向だ。妥当な対応だろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 28, 2013)
（2013年10月28日01時21分 読売新聞）
2013/10/29
活字文化の日 図書館を魅力ある知の広場に
久しぶりに納得の論説を読みました。
青空文庫というのがネットで無料公開されています。
著作権の切れた古い作品ばかりですが、楽しめます。
夏目漱石や芥川龍之介は難しいものも多いですが、比較的読みやすいですね。
（スラチャイ）
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 28, 2013
Print Culture Day a good opportunity to bury your nose in a library book
活字文化の日 図書館を魅力ある知の広場に（10月27日付・読売社説）
Today is Characters and Print Culture Day, marking the start of this year’s Book Week.
今日は「文字・活字文化の日」だ。読書週間もスタートした。
It may be a good idea to spend time reading in a library during your day off this autumn.
秋の休日、図書館で活字に触れるのも、有意義な過ごし方だろう。
For people who do not read often, libraries may not figure much in their day-to-day lives.
普段はあまり読書をしない人にとって、図書館は縁遠い存在かもしれない。
Sixty-five percent of respondents to a recent Yomiuri Shimbun poll have not visited a library in the past year. Among major reasons cited for not using libraries were “having no time available to visit a library” and “do not enjoy reading.”
読売新聞の世論調査によると、この１年間に図書館を全く利用しなかった人は６５％に上る。「行く時間がない」「本は読まない」といった理由が多い。
An increasing number of libraries, however, are using their ingenuity to try to attract more visitors.
だが、最近は、多くの人に来館してもらおうと工夫を凝らしている図書館が少なくない。
The library run by the Tokorozawa municipal government in Saitama Prefecture, for instance, has introduced a system allowing people to check out or return the library’s books around the clock at any of the city’s eight convenience stores affiliated with the library.
埼玉県の所沢市立所沢図書館では、市内８か所の提携コンビニエンスストアで、２４時間いつでも、図書の受け取り・返却ができるサービスを実施している。
This is an extremely useful service for people too busy at work to visit a library during regular library hours.
仕事が忙しく、なかなか図書館に行けない人にとっては、ありがたい取り組みではないか。
The Takeo Municipal Library of the Takeo city government in Saga Prefecture has been drawing three times as many daily visitors than before completing renovation work in April. The library is visited by many people from other prefectures.
佐賀県の武雄市図書館は、４月に新装開館したところ、１日平均の来館者が約３倍に増えた。県外からも多くの人が訪れている。
The library modeled its interior after a large bookstore in Tokyo that features a space where customers can bury their noses in books. The library’s management has been consigned to a major rental company, which runs the library services year-round. The company allows visitors to check out CDs and DVDs for a fee and provides a corner for selling new publications.
ゆったりとした読書スペースを備えた東京の大型書店をモデルとした。運営は、大手レンタル業者に委託した。年中無休で、ＣＤ、ＤＶＤの有料貸し出しや新刊書販売のコーナーもある。
The Takeo Municipal Library has been criticized for becoming too commercialized, but it can safely be said that it provides a good example of a library using its initiative to become more attractive.
武雄市図書館に対しては、商業色が強すぎるという批判があるが、一方で、工夫次第で図書館の魅力が増すことを如実に示した好例とも言える。
‘Bibliobattle’ events
As stipulated by the Library Law, it should not be overlooked that the steady collection and storage of books and documents are a fundamental obligation of libraries.
図書館法が定めるように、資料を着実に収集、保存することが、図書館の基本的責務であることも忘れてはなるまい。
The library operated by the Akita prefectural government, for that matter, has created electronic versions of about 2,000 items, including books in the public domain and materials on local history, for their conservation. They can be downloaded and read using browsing software on smartphones and other media.
秋田県立図書館は、著作権が切れた書籍や郷土資料など約２０００点を電子化して保存した。閲覧用ソフトをスマートフォンなどにダウンロードすれば読める。
Only about 20 libraries in this country employ in-house browsing or renting services of electronic books, but such services will no doubt increase in the future.
電子書籍の館内閲覧や貸し出しを実施している公立図書館は、全国で約２０館に過ぎないが、今後、そうしたサービスはますます求められるに違いない。
In addition, libraries provide a space to enable people to get together and exchange ideas. They also serve as venues for such events as lectures and art exhibitions.
図書館には人々が交流する場としての機能もある。講演や美術展といった催しも開かれている。
Attracting great interest at present is a library-sponsored event referred to as a “bibliobattle.” Participants in the event introduce their favorite books and exchange opinions about them. In the end, the participants vote on what book they feel they would enjoy reading most. The event can give participants an unexpected opportunity to come across a great book that they would otherwise have missed.
最近、図書館のイベントとして話題になっているのが「ビブリオバトル」だ。お薦めの本を書評し合い、投票で「最も読みたくなった本」を１冊選ぶ。意外な名著を知るきっかけにもなる。
The theme for this year’s Book Week is “Make a journey with books and journey the world of books.” Paying a visit to a library in your neighborhood can be regarded as a small journey.
今年の読書週間の標語は、「本と旅する 本を旅する」だ。自宅近くの図書館を訪れるのも、小さな旅だろう。
A library housing a great diversity of books is a “plaza of knowledge,” where you may encounter a book beyond your expectations.
様々な本が並ぶ図書館は「知の広場」だ。思わぬ本との出合いがあるかもしれない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 27, 2013)
（2013年10月27日01時19分 読売新聞）
青空文庫というのがネットで無料公開されています。
著作権の切れた古い作品ばかりですが、楽しめます。
夏目漱石や芥川龍之介は難しいものも多いですが、比較的読みやすいですね。
（スラチャイ）
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 28, 2013
Print Culture Day a good opportunity to bury your nose in a library book
活字文化の日 図書館を魅力ある知の広場に（10月27日付・読売社説）
Today is Characters and Print Culture Day, marking the start of this year’s Book Week.
今日は「文字・活字文化の日」だ。読書週間もスタートした。
It may be a good idea to spend time reading in a library during your day off this autumn.
秋の休日、図書館で活字に触れるのも、有意義な過ごし方だろう。
For people who do not read often, libraries may not figure much in their day-to-day lives.
普段はあまり読書をしない人にとって、図書館は縁遠い存在かもしれない。
Sixty-five percent of respondents to a recent Yomiuri Shimbun poll have not visited a library in the past year. Among major reasons cited for not using libraries were “having no time available to visit a library” and “do not enjoy reading.”
読売新聞の世論調査によると、この１年間に図書館を全く利用しなかった人は６５％に上る。「行く時間がない」「本は読まない」といった理由が多い。
An increasing number of libraries, however, are using their ingenuity to try to attract more visitors.
だが、最近は、多くの人に来館してもらおうと工夫を凝らしている図書館が少なくない。
The library run by the Tokorozawa municipal government in Saitama Prefecture, for instance, has introduced a system allowing people to check out or return the library’s books around the clock at any of the city’s eight convenience stores affiliated with the library.
埼玉県の所沢市立所沢図書館では、市内８か所の提携コンビニエンスストアで、２４時間いつでも、図書の受け取り・返却ができるサービスを実施している。
This is an extremely useful service for people too busy at work to visit a library during regular library hours.
仕事が忙しく、なかなか図書館に行けない人にとっては、ありがたい取り組みではないか。
The Takeo Municipal Library of the Takeo city government in Saga Prefecture has been drawing three times as many daily visitors than before completing renovation work in April. The library is visited by many people from other prefectures.
佐賀県の武雄市図書館は、４月に新装開館したところ、１日平均の来館者が約３倍に増えた。県外からも多くの人が訪れている。
The library modeled its interior after a large bookstore in Tokyo that features a space where customers can bury their noses in books. The library’s management has been consigned to a major rental company, which runs the library services year-round. The company allows visitors to check out CDs and DVDs for a fee and provides a corner for selling new publications.
ゆったりとした読書スペースを備えた東京の大型書店をモデルとした。運営は、大手レンタル業者に委託した。年中無休で、ＣＤ、ＤＶＤの有料貸し出しや新刊書販売のコーナーもある。
The Takeo Municipal Library has been criticized for becoming too commercialized, but it can safely be said that it provides a good example of a library using its initiative to become more attractive.
武雄市図書館に対しては、商業色が強すぎるという批判があるが、一方で、工夫次第で図書館の魅力が増すことを如実に示した好例とも言える。
‘Bibliobattle’ events
As stipulated by the Library Law, it should not be overlooked that the steady collection and storage of books and documents are a fundamental obligation of libraries.
図書館法が定めるように、資料を着実に収集、保存することが、図書館の基本的責務であることも忘れてはなるまい。
The library operated by the Akita prefectural government, for that matter, has created electronic versions of about 2,000 items, including books in the public domain and materials on local history, for their conservation. They can be downloaded and read using browsing software on smartphones and other media.
秋田県立図書館は、著作権が切れた書籍や郷土資料など約２０００点を電子化して保存した。閲覧用ソフトをスマートフォンなどにダウンロードすれば読める。
Only about 20 libraries in this country employ in-house browsing or renting services of electronic books, but such services will no doubt increase in the future.
電子書籍の館内閲覧や貸し出しを実施している公立図書館は、全国で約２０館に過ぎないが、今後、そうしたサービスはますます求められるに違いない。
In addition, libraries provide a space to enable people to get together and exchange ideas. They also serve as venues for such events as lectures and art exhibitions.
図書館には人々が交流する場としての機能もある。講演や美術展といった催しも開かれている。
Attracting great interest at present is a library-sponsored event referred to as a “bibliobattle.” Participants in the event introduce their favorite books and exchange opinions about them. In the end, the participants vote on what book they feel they would enjoy reading most. The event can give participants an unexpected opportunity to come across a great book that they would otherwise have missed.
最近、図書館のイベントとして話題になっているのが「ビブリオバトル」だ。お薦めの本を書評し合い、投票で「最も読みたくなった本」を１冊選ぶ。意外な名著を知るきっかけにもなる。
The theme for this year’s Book Week is “Make a journey with books and journey the world of books.” Paying a visit to a library in your neighborhood can be regarded as a small journey.
今年の読書週間の標語は、「本と旅する 本を旅する」だ。自宅近くの図書館を訪れるのも、小さな旅だろう。
A library housing a great diversity of books is a “plaza of knowledge,” where you may encounter a book beyond your expectations.
様々な本が並ぶ図書館は「知の広場」だ。思わぬ本との出合いがあるかもしれない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 27, 2013)
（2013年10月27日01時19分 読売新聞）
2013/10/28
メニュー偽装 「誤表示」の強弁は通らない
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 27, 2013
Hankyu Hanshin Hotels paying high price for misleading menus
メニュー偽装 「誤表示」の強弁は通らない（10月26日付・読売社説）
A hotel operator’s obstinate insistence that “it wasn’t fabrication, but rather mislabeling” is unacceptable.
「偽装ではなく、誤表示だ」という強弁は通用するまい。
Food materials different from those described on menus were used in many dishes offered at restaurants of eight hotels operated by Hankyu Hanshin Hotels Co.
阪急阪神ホテルズが運営する八つのホテルのレストランなどで出された多くの料理で、メニュー表示と異なる食材が使用されていた。
The false labeling went on for more than seven years, with dishes cooked with falsely advertised materials served to at least 79,000 customers.
虚偽表示は７年以上に及び、約７万９０００人に提供された。
The hotel operator made excuses during a news conference, saying “there was a lack of awareness of the need to check whether the items matched those displayed on the menus” and “our staff members were ignorant and insensible regarding [food materials].”
阪急阪神ホテルズは記者会見で、「メニュー表示と食材が合っているかどうか、チェックする意識が欠落していた」「従業員が（食材に関して）無知・無自覚だった」と釈明している。
However, some employees said they knew the dishes offered did not use materials mentioned on the menus but that they “thought there was no problem.” It cannot be ruled out that the alleged fabrications were intentional.
だが、一部の従業員は、料理の中身がメニュー表示と異なることを知りながら、「問題ないと思った」と話している。故意に偽装していたという疑いは拭えまい。
Examples of false labeling include a case in which Shiba shrimp was written on menus, but Vannamei prawns were actually used. The former are priced at ¥2,500 per kilogram, while the latter costs far less, at ¥1,400 per kilogram.
虚偽表示の例は、次のようなものだ。メニューには「芝海老(えび)」と記載していたが、実際はバナメイエビだった。芝海老の仕入れ値が１キロ・グラム２５００円なのに対し、バナメイエビは１４００円だ。
Also, what was touted as Kujo-negi onions were found to be ordinary green and white leeks. The latter’s wholesale price is ¥800 per kilogram compared with ¥2,000 for leeks from Kujo, Kyoto Prefecture.
「九条ねぎ」とうたっていたものは、普通の青ねぎ、白ねぎだった。普通のねぎの仕入れ値は１キロ・グラム８００円で、九条ねぎの２０００円より格段に安い。
Lack of compliance
The hotel operator claimed “there was no intention whatsoever of gaining profits unfairly.” But this claim cannot be taken at face value. It is astonishing that a relatively famous hotel operator apparently did not comply with the law.
「不当に利益を上げる意図はなかった」というホテル側の主張は、額面通りに受け取れない。名の通ったホテルでコンプライアンス（法令順守）機能が働かない実態に、あきれるばかりだ。
Hankyu Hanshin Hotels has reported the case to the Consumer Affairs Agency as a suspected violation of the Law against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations. Masako Mori, state minister for consumer affairs and food safety, said her office would “deal with the case strictly.” A thorough probe is called for.
ホテル側は、景品表示法（優良誤認）に違反する恐れがあるとして、消費者庁に報告した。森消費者相は「厳正に対処したい」と語った。徹底調査を求めたい。
It came to light in June that roast beef originating in Chile had been misrepresented as “domestically produced beef” on the menus of restaurants at four Tokyo hotels operated by Prince Hotels, Inc.
東京のプリンスホテルでも６月に、チリ産ローストビーフを「国産牛肉」と表示していたことが明らかになった。
In the wake of this revelation, Hanshin Hankyu Hotels investigated its hotels and discovered the menu scam.
これを契機に、阪急阪神ホテルズが系列のホテルを調べた結果、今回の問題が発覚した。
The success of a hotel hinges on the quality of service offered. Customers pay money in exchange for enjoying delicious food made from high-quality materials.
ホテルの生命線は、サービスの質だ。利用客は、館内のレストランで、良質の食材を使ったうまい料理に見合う料金を支払う。
Hankyu Hanshin Hotels has tarnished its own brand, which was built over many years, with its wrongdoing.
阪急阪神ホテルズの行為は、長年かけて築いてきたブランドイメージを自ら傷つけるものだ。
Fabrication scams involving food are not uncommon. It was revealed in 2007 that a high-end Japanese restaurant in Osaka falsified the origin of its beef. The restaurant was forced to close after it later came to light that the restaurant reused food materials.
食品を巡る偽装行為は後を絶たない。２００７年には、大阪市の高級料亭で牛肉の産地偽装が発覚した。食材の使い回しなども判明し、廃業に追い込まれた。
The hotel chain operator intends to reimburse customers for the dishes made from falsely advertised materials. The refunds are said to total about ¥110 million.
阪急阪神ホテルズは客に代金を返す意向だ。返金額は最大で約１億１０００万円に上るという。
The price paid for misrepresentation is high, and regaining public trust is no easy task. Hankyu Hanshin Hotels’ scam cannot be shrugged off by those in the food industry as someone else’s problem.
偽装の代償は大きい。信用を取り戻すのは容易でない。食品関係者は、人ごとではなかろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 26, 2013)
（2013年10月26日01時32分 読売新聞）
Hankyu Hanshin Hotels paying high price for misleading menus
メニュー偽装 「誤表示」の強弁は通らない（10月26日付・読売社説）
A hotel operator’s obstinate insistence that “it wasn’t fabrication, but rather mislabeling” is unacceptable.
「偽装ではなく、誤表示だ」という強弁は通用するまい。
Food materials different from those described on menus were used in many dishes offered at restaurants of eight hotels operated by Hankyu Hanshin Hotels Co.
阪急阪神ホテルズが運営する八つのホテルのレストランなどで出された多くの料理で、メニュー表示と異なる食材が使用されていた。
The false labeling went on for more than seven years, with dishes cooked with falsely advertised materials served to at least 79,000 customers.
虚偽表示は７年以上に及び、約７万９０００人に提供された。
The hotel operator made excuses during a news conference, saying “there was a lack of awareness of the need to check whether the items matched those displayed on the menus” and “our staff members were ignorant and insensible regarding [food materials].”
阪急阪神ホテルズは記者会見で、「メニュー表示と食材が合っているかどうか、チェックする意識が欠落していた」「従業員が（食材に関して）無知・無自覚だった」と釈明している。
However, some employees said they knew the dishes offered did not use materials mentioned on the menus but that they “thought there was no problem.” It cannot be ruled out that the alleged fabrications were intentional.
だが、一部の従業員は、料理の中身がメニュー表示と異なることを知りながら、「問題ないと思った」と話している。故意に偽装していたという疑いは拭えまい。
Examples of false labeling include a case in which Shiba shrimp was written on menus, but Vannamei prawns were actually used. The former are priced at ¥2,500 per kilogram, while the latter costs far less, at ¥1,400 per kilogram.
虚偽表示の例は、次のようなものだ。メニューには「芝海老(えび)」と記載していたが、実際はバナメイエビだった。芝海老の仕入れ値が１キロ・グラム２５００円なのに対し、バナメイエビは１４００円だ。
Also, what was touted as Kujo-negi onions were found to be ordinary green and white leeks. The latter’s wholesale price is ¥800 per kilogram compared with ¥2,000 for leeks from Kujo, Kyoto Prefecture.
「九条ねぎ」とうたっていたものは、普通の青ねぎ、白ねぎだった。普通のねぎの仕入れ値は１キロ・グラム８００円で、九条ねぎの２０００円より格段に安い。
Lack of compliance
The hotel operator claimed “there was no intention whatsoever of gaining profits unfairly.” But this claim cannot be taken at face value. It is astonishing that a relatively famous hotel operator apparently did not comply with the law.
「不当に利益を上げる意図はなかった」というホテル側の主張は、額面通りに受け取れない。名の通ったホテルでコンプライアンス（法令順守）機能が働かない実態に、あきれるばかりだ。
Hankyu Hanshin Hotels has reported the case to the Consumer Affairs Agency as a suspected violation of the Law against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations. Masako Mori, state minister for consumer affairs and food safety, said her office would “deal with the case strictly.” A thorough probe is called for.
ホテル側は、景品表示法（優良誤認）に違反する恐れがあるとして、消費者庁に報告した。森消費者相は「厳正に対処したい」と語った。徹底調査を求めたい。
It came to light in June that roast beef originating in Chile had been misrepresented as “domestically produced beef” on the menus of restaurants at four Tokyo hotels operated by Prince Hotels, Inc.
東京のプリンスホテルでも６月に、チリ産ローストビーフを「国産牛肉」と表示していたことが明らかになった。
In the wake of this revelation, Hanshin Hankyu Hotels investigated its hotels and discovered the menu scam.
これを契機に、阪急阪神ホテルズが系列のホテルを調べた結果、今回の問題が発覚した。
The success of a hotel hinges on the quality of service offered. Customers pay money in exchange for enjoying delicious food made from high-quality materials.
ホテルの生命線は、サービスの質だ。利用客は、館内のレストランで、良質の食材を使ったうまい料理に見合う料金を支払う。
Hankyu Hanshin Hotels has tarnished its own brand, which was built over many years, with its wrongdoing.
阪急阪神ホテルズの行為は、長年かけて築いてきたブランドイメージを自ら傷つけるものだ。
Fabrication scams involving food are not uncommon. It was revealed in 2007 that a high-end Japanese restaurant in Osaka falsified the origin of its beef. The restaurant was forced to close after it later came to light that the restaurant reused food materials.
食品を巡る偽装行為は後を絶たない。２００７年には、大阪市の高級料亭で牛肉の産地偽装が発覚した。食材の使い回しなども判明し、廃業に追い込まれた。
The hotel chain operator intends to reimburse customers for the dishes made from falsely advertised materials. The refunds are said to total about ¥110 million.
阪急阪神ホテルズは客に代金を返す意向だ。返金額は最大で約１億１０００万円に上るという。
The price paid for misrepresentation is high, and regaining public trust is no easy task. Hankyu Hanshin Hotels’ scam cannot be shrugged off by those in the food industry as someone else’s problem.
偽装の代償は大きい。信用を取り戻すのは容易でない。食品関係者は、人ごとではなかろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 26, 2013)
（2013年10月26日01時32分 読売新聞）
2013/10/27
ネット配信 外国企業にも消費課税が要る
海外で無税ならば、日本でも無税にして調整するのがTPPの趣旨に合致するのではないでしょうか？
TPPの理論と完全に逆行しているではないですか＾＾。
税収増大だけにとらわれるとこうなります。
相手の国が黙っていないでしょう。
日本だって、国民は、ネット配信グッヅが出来るだけ安い方を望んでいるのではないでしょうか。
（スラチャイ）
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 26, 2013
Impose consumption tax on digital products distributed from overseas
ネット配信 外国企業にも消費課税が要る（10月25日付・読売社説）
An unfair situation has emerged regarding how domestic and foreign firms are taxed in the rapidly growing industry of online digital data distribution. An environment must be created in which they can compete on an equal footing.
急成長するインターネット配信ビジネスで、国内と外国の企業との間で課税の不公平が生じている。対等に競争できる環境作りが必要だ。
The Tax Commission has started examining the advisability of imposing the consumption tax even on e-books and music provided online from overseas.
政府税制調査会は、外国から電子書籍や音楽などを日本に配信するサービスに対しても、消費税を課すかどうか検討を開始した。
Under the current system, the tax is imposed only on domestically provided electronic information.
現行の税制では、国内から配信された電子情報だけに消費税が課税されている。
For instance, no consumption tax applies to e-books bought by Japanese consumers on the Amazon.com online marketplace based in the United States.
例えば、米国を拠点とするアマゾン・ドット・コムのネット書店で日本の消費者が電子書籍を買った場合には、非課税扱いとなる。
If there are price differences for the same e-products due to tax, depending on whether they are provided from overseas or at home, domestic firms will be forced into a disadvantageous situation.
同じ商品なのに、国内配信か、海外からの配信かによって消費税分の価格差が生じれば、国内企業は不利な競争を強いられよう。
The publishing and Internet industries have pointed out that such an unfair tax burden impairs the competitive environment. They have every reason to call for reexamining the tax system based on such an argument.
出版業界やネット業界が「競争条件を歪(ゆが)めている」と指摘し、税制の見直しを求めているのはもっともである。
Such circumstances have emerged because the imposition of consumption tax is limited to domestic transactions and imports of goods. The tax is not levied on data distributed through overseas servers because they are regarded as overseas transactions of non-goods.
こうした事態が生じたのは、消費税の対象を「国内取引」と「モノの輸入」に限定しているためだ。海外のサーバーからのデータ配信は、モノ以外の「国外取引」とみなされて課税されない。
The amount of tax revenues lost because of the no-tax rule for products provided online from overseas is said to be in the tens of billions of yen a year.
海外からの配信が非課税のために得られなかった日本の消費税収は、年数百億円規模に達しているという見方もある。
Adverse effects of levy
The government will raise the sales tax from 5 percent to 8 percent next April. The rate is scheduled to be increased to 10 percent in October 2015. If the range of the tax’s application is left unchanged, adverse effects of the tax exemption on online products provided from overseas are expected to expand.
政府は２０１４年４月に消費税率を５％から８％に引き上げる。１５年１０月には１０％まで上げる予定だ。消費税の扱いをこのままにしておけば、非課税措置による弊害が拡大してしまう。
Such unfair taxation may accelerate the hollowing-out of industry, as Japanese digital data providers may shift their bases overseas.
日本の配信業者が海外に拠点を移すなど、産業の空洞化を助長する一因にもなりかねない。
According to Impress Innovation Lab, Japan’s e-book market is expected to balloon to about ¥240 billion in fiscal 2017, about triple that of fiscal 2012.
インターネットメディア総合研究所によると、日本の電子書籍の市場規模は、１７年度には１２年度の約３倍にあたる２４００億円近くに膨らむ見通しだ。
Online information distribution is a promising growth industry. The government must accelerate work to reexamine the range of the consumption tax’s application.
ネット配信ビジネスは、有望な成長産業の一つである。政府は、消費税の課税対象の見直しを急がねばならない。
However, a host of challenges need to be tackled, such as how to accurately grasp the online distribution prices of foreign companies.
ただ、外国企業の日本への配信額を正確に把握できるかなど、検討すべき課題は多い。
Among other steps, it will be essential to establish a system in which Japanese tax authorities can cooperate with their foreign counterparts to share information on foreign companies.
外国の税務当局と協力し、海外企業に関する情報を共有できるようにすることなどが欠かせないだろう。
Since about a decade ago, Germany and other European Union member countries successively introduced the so-called value-added tax, which is equivalent to Japan’s consumption tax, on online distribution services provided from outside the EU.
欧州連合（ＥＵ）では約１０年前からドイツなどが順次、域外からネット配信されるサービスに日本の消費税にあたる付加価値税を課している。
Online data distributors outside the EU are required to file a business registration, which has produced certain results. Such a registration system for Japan is also worth studying.
域外の配信業者は、事業登録が求められる仕組みで、一定の成果が上がっている。登録制は、日本でも検討に値しよう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 25, 2013)
（2013年10月25日01時41分 読売新聞）
TPPの理論と完全に逆行しているではないですか＾＾。
税収増大だけにとらわれるとこうなります。
相手の国が黙っていないでしょう。
日本だって、国民は、ネット配信グッヅが出来るだけ安い方を望んでいるのではないでしょうか。
（スラチャイ）
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 26, 2013
Impose consumption tax on digital products distributed from overseas
ネット配信 外国企業にも消費課税が要る（10月25日付・読売社説）
An unfair situation has emerged regarding how domestic and foreign firms are taxed in the rapidly growing industry of online digital data distribution. An environment must be created in which they can compete on an equal footing.
急成長するインターネット配信ビジネスで、国内と外国の企業との間で課税の不公平が生じている。対等に競争できる環境作りが必要だ。
The Tax Commission has started examining the advisability of imposing the consumption tax even on e-books and music provided online from overseas.
政府税制調査会は、外国から電子書籍や音楽などを日本に配信するサービスに対しても、消費税を課すかどうか検討を開始した。
Under the current system, the tax is imposed only on domestically provided electronic information.
現行の税制では、国内から配信された電子情報だけに消費税が課税されている。
For instance, no consumption tax applies to e-books bought by Japanese consumers on the Amazon.com online marketplace based in the United States.
例えば、米国を拠点とするアマゾン・ドット・コムのネット書店で日本の消費者が電子書籍を買った場合には、非課税扱いとなる。
If there are price differences for the same e-products due to tax, depending on whether they are provided from overseas or at home, domestic firms will be forced into a disadvantageous situation.
同じ商品なのに、国内配信か、海外からの配信かによって消費税分の価格差が生じれば、国内企業は不利な競争を強いられよう。
The publishing and Internet industries have pointed out that such an unfair tax burden impairs the competitive environment. They have every reason to call for reexamining the tax system based on such an argument.
出版業界やネット業界が「競争条件を歪(ゆが)めている」と指摘し、税制の見直しを求めているのはもっともである。
Such circumstances have emerged because the imposition of consumption tax is limited to domestic transactions and imports of goods. The tax is not levied on data distributed through overseas servers because they are regarded as overseas transactions of non-goods.
こうした事態が生じたのは、消費税の対象を「国内取引」と「モノの輸入」に限定しているためだ。海外のサーバーからのデータ配信は、モノ以外の「国外取引」とみなされて課税されない。
The amount of tax revenues lost because of the no-tax rule for products provided online from overseas is said to be in the tens of billions of yen a year.
海外からの配信が非課税のために得られなかった日本の消費税収は、年数百億円規模に達しているという見方もある。
Adverse effects of levy
The government will raise the sales tax from 5 percent to 8 percent next April. The rate is scheduled to be increased to 10 percent in October 2015. If the range of the tax’s application is left unchanged, adverse effects of the tax exemption on online products provided from overseas are expected to expand.
政府は２０１４年４月に消費税率を５％から８％に引き上げる。１５年１０月には１０％まで上げる予定だ。消費税の扱いをこのままにしておけば、非課税措置による弊害が拡大してしまう。
Such unfair taxation may accelerate the hollowing-out of industry, as Japanese digital data providers may shift their bases overseas.
日本の配信業者が海外に拠点を移すなど、産業の空洞化を助長する一因にもなりかねない。
According to Impress Innovation Lab, Japan’s e-book market is expected to balloon to about ¥240 billion in fiscal 2017, about triple that of fiscal 2012.
インターネットメディア総合研究所によると、日本の電子書籍の市場規模は、１７年度には１２年度の約３倍にあたる２４００億円近くに膨らむ見通しだ。
Online information distribution is a promising growth industry. The government must accelerate work to reexamine the range of the consumption tax’s application.
ネット配信ビジネスは、有望な成長産業の一つである。政府は、消費税の課税対象の見直しを急がねばならない。
However, a host of challenges need to be tackled, such as how to accurately grasp the online distribution prices of foreign companies.
ただ、外国企業の日本への配信額を正確に把握できるかなど、検討すべき課題は多い。
Among other steps, it will be essential to establish a system in which Japanese tax authorities can cooperate with their foreign counterparts to share information on foreign companies.
外国の税務当局と協力し、海外企業に関する情報を共有できるようにすることなどが欠かせないだろう。
Since about a decade ago, Germany and other European Union member countries successively introduced the so-called value-added tax, which is equivalent to Japan’s consumption tax, on online distribution services provided from outside the EU.
欧州連合（ＥＵ）では約１０年前からドイツなどが順次、域外からネット配信されるサービスに日本の消費税にあたる付加価値税を課している。
Online data distributors outside the EU are required to file a business registration, which has produced certain results. Such a registration system for Japan is also worth studying.
域外の配信業者は、事業登録が求められる仕組みで、一定の成果が上がっている。登録制は、日本でも検討に値しよう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 25, 2013)
（2013年10月25日01時41分 読売新聞）
2013/10/26
シリア化学兵器 廃棄には国際支援が不可欠だ
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 25, 2013
Intl assistance vital for destroying Syria’s chemical weapons
シリア化学兵器 廃棄には国際支援が不可欠だ（10月24日付・読売社説）
We hope that international assistance, both economic and diplomatic, with scrapping Syria’s chemical weapons will also help bring the country’s civil war under control.
化学兵器廃棄に向けた経済、外交両面での国際的支援を、シリア内戦の収拾にもつなげたい。
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is expected to complete soon the inspection of 23 facilities that the administration of President Bashar Assad says were linked to Syria’s chemical weapons program. The OPCW will draw up a detailed work schedule for destroying the chemical weapons on the basis of its inspection results.
化学兵器禁止機関（ＯＰＣＷ）は、アサド政権が申告した２３か所の関連施設の査察を近く終える予定だ。査察結果に基づき化学兵器廃棄の詳細な工程表を作成する。
A joint mission of the United Nations and the OPCW has begun working in Damascus, with the goal of destroying Syria’s chemical stockpile and the equipment to produce the deadly weapons by mid-2014.
シリアの首都ダマスカスでは、来年前半までの廃棄作業完了を目指し、ＯＰＣＷと国連の合同派遣団が活動を開始した。
They will tackle the disposal of chemical weapons in cooperation with the Assad regime, but they have insufficient manpower and funds. The development of facilities to destroy the weapons has not yet started. It is essential for the international community to extend assistance quickly.
アサド政権に協力して廃棄作業に取り組むが、要員や資金は不足している。廃棄処理施設の整備もこれからだ。国際社会による早急な支援が不可欠である。
The Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to award this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to the OPCW, probably with the aim of calling on countries around the world to extend such assistance.
ノルウェーのノーベル賞委員会がＯＰＣＷへの平和賞授与を決めたのは、そのような支援を各国に呼びかける狙いもあろう。
The destruction of chemical weapons in Syria has been deemed extremely difficult, chiefly because the weapons have to be disposed of amid a civil war. Some of the chemical weapons facilities are located in areas where government forces and armed rebel groups are fighting. We cannot shake our concern that the personnel destroying the weapons may come to harm.
シリアでの化学兵器廃棄が困難を極めるのは、内戦の中で作業を進めねばならないからだ。
一部の化学兵器関連施設は、政府軍と反体制派武装勢力の戦闘地域内に位置する。作業要員に危害が及ぶ懸念も拭えない。
Ahmet Uzumcu, director general of the OPCW, is calling for a ceasefire so work to destroy the chemical weapons can proceed as planned. But it will not be easy to achieve a ceasefire anytime soon. It has been two years since the civil war began, and there is no end in sight to the fighting.
アフメト・ウズムジュＯＰＣＷ事務局長は、予定通り廃棄作業を進めるには停戦が必要だと訴えている。
だが、停戦の早期実現は容易でなかろう。内戦勃発から２年を過ぎても戦闘はやむ気配がない。
The death toll has topped 100,000, and 2 million people have become refugees. There is also the serious problem of Islamic extremist groups affiliated with the international terrorist organization Al-Qaida increasing their influence by taking advantage of the disorder in Syria.
犠牲者は１０万人を超え、難民も２００万人に上る。国際テロ組織アル・カーイダ系のイスラム過激派が、混乱に乗じて勢力を拡大しているのも深刻な問題だ。
Multilateral cooperation key
We hope international peace talks will be held soon, but most of Syria’s opposition leaders said they would only take part in such talks if Assad steps down.
和平に向けた国際会議の早期開催が望まれるが、反体制派の大半はアサド大統領退陣を会議参加の前提条件としている。
We hope both the United States, which has some influence on the opposition groups, and Russia, a supporter of the Assad regime, will do everything they can to bring about peace talks and a ceasefire.
会議と停戦の実現に向け、反体制派に影響力を持つ米国と、アサド政権の後見役であるロシアは、最大限の努力をしてほしい。
Japan is one of the few countries in the world, together with the United States and Russia, that has the technology and experience to destroy chemical weapons.
日本は、米露などと並び、化学兵器廃棄の技術と経験を有する世界でも数少ない国の一つだ。
Japan is now disposing of the chemical weapons abandoned in China by the Imperial Japanese Army at the end of World War II. Work has been prolonged, as it has taken longer than anticipated to find shells buried in the ground. In 2010, a mobile Japanese weapon-disposal facility began operations.
日本は中国で、旧日本軍の遺棄化学兵器の廃棄を進めている。地中に埋設された砲弾の発見に手間取り、作業は長期化しているが、２０１０年には日本製の移動式処理設備が稼働を始めた。
Japan also has experience disposing of highly toxic gas due to the March 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system by members of the Aum Supreme Truth cult.
オウム真理教による地下鉄サリン事件では、猛毒のサリンを処理した経験もある。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged at the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York that Japan will provide “the greatest possible cooperation” for the international community’s efforts to dispose of Syria’s chemical weapons.
安倍首相は国連総会で、シリア化学兵器廃棄への「能(あた)う限りの協力」を表明している。
Japan has contributed to the activities of the OPCW through financial aid and the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces personnel. We hope the government will extend further assistance to bring about peace in Syria.
ＯＰＣＷには、日本はこれまでも予算拠出や自衛官派遣で貢献してきた。シリア和平のため、一層の支援に努めてもらいたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 24, 2013)
（2013年10月24日01時41分 読売新聞）
Intl assistance vital for destroying Syria’s chemical weapons
シリア化学兵器 廃棄には国際支援が不可欠だ（10月24日付・読売社説）
We hope that international assistance, both economic and diplomatic, with scrapping Syria’s chemical weapons will also help bring the country’s civil war under control.
化学兵器廃棄に向けた経済、外交両面での国際的支援を、シリア内戦の収拾にもつなげたい。
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is expected to complete soon the inspection of 23 facilities that the administration of President Bashar Assad says were linked to Syria’s chemical weapons program. The OPCW will draw up a detailed work schedule for destroying the chemical weapons on the basis of its inspection results.
化学兵器禁止機関（ＯＰＣＷ）は、アサド政権が申告した２３か所の関連施設の査察を近く終える予定だ。査察結果に基づき化学兵器廃棄の詳細な工程表を作成する。
A joint mission of the United Nations and the OPCW has begun working in Damascus, with the goal of destroying Syria’s chemical stockpile and the equipment to produce the deadly weapons by mid-2014.
シリアの首都ダマスカスでは、来年前半までの廃棄作業完了を目指し、ＯＰＣＷと国連の合同派遣団が活動を開始した。
They will tackle the disposal of chemical weapons in cooperation with the Assad regime, but they have insufficient manpower and funds. The development of facilities to destroy the weapons has not yet started. It is essential for the international community to extend assistance quickly.
アサド政権に協力して廃棄作業に取り組むが、要員や資金は不足している。廃棄処理施設の整備もこれからだ。国際社会による早急な支援が不可欠である。
The Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to award this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to the OPCW, probably with the aim of calling on countries around the world to extend such assistance.
ノルウェーのノーベル賞委員会がＯＰＣＷへの平和賞授与を決めたのは、そのような支援を各国に呼びかける狙いもあろう。
The destruction of chemical weapons in Syria has been deemed extremely difficult, chiefly because the weapons have to be disposed of amid a civil war. Some of the chemical weapons facilities are located in areas where government forces and armed rebel groups are fighting. We cannot shake our concern that the personnel destroying the weapons may come to harm.
シリアでの化学兵器廃棄が困難を極めるのは、内戦の中で作業を進めねばならないからだ。
一部の化学兵器関連施設は、政府軍と反体制派武装勢力の戦闘地域内に位置する。作業要員に危害が及ぶ懸念も拭えない。
Ahmet Uzumcu, director general of the OPCW, is calling for a ceasefire so work to destroy the chemical weapons can proceed as planned. But it will not be easy to achieve a ceasefire anytime soon. It has been two years since the civil war began, and there is no end in sight to the fighting.
アフメト・ウズムジュＯＰＣＷ事務局長は、予定通り廃棄作業を進めるには停戦が必要だと訴えている。
だが、停戦の早期実現は容易でなかろう。内戦勃発から２年を過ぎても戦闘はやむ気配がない。
The death toll has topped 100,000, and 2 million people have become refugees. There is also the serious problem of Islamic extremist groups affiliated with the international terrorist organization Al-Qaida increasing their influence by taking advantage of the disorder in Syria.
犠牲者は１０万人を超え、難民も２００万人に上る。国際テロ組織アル・カーイダ系のイスラム過激派が、混乱に乗じて勢力を拡大しているのも深刻な問題だ。
Multilateral cooperation key
We hope international peace talks will be held soon, but most of Syria’s opposition leaders said they would only take part in such talks if Assad steps down.
和平に向けた国際会議の早期開催が望まれるが、反体制派の大半はアサド大統領退陣を会議参加の前提条件としている。
We hope both the United States, which has some influence on the opposition groups, and Russia, a supporter of the Assad regime, will do everything they can to bring about peace talks and a ceasefire.
会議と停戦の実現に向け、反体制派に影響力を持つ米国と、アサド政権の後見役であるロシアは、最大限の努力をしてほしい。
Japan is one of the few countries in the world, together with the United States and Russia, that has the technology and experience to destroy chemical weapons.
日本は、米露などと並び、化学兵器廃棄の技術と経験を有する世界でも数少ない国の一つだ。
Japan is now disposing of the chemical weapons abandoned in China by the Imperial Japanese Army at the end of World War II. Work has been prolonged, as it has taken longer than anticipated to find shells buried in the ground. In 2010, a mobile Japanese weapon-disposal facility began operations.
日本は中国で、旧日本軍の遺棄化学兵器の廃棄を進めている。地中に埋設された砲弾の発見に手間取り、作業は長期化しているが、２０１０年には日本製の移動式処理設備が稼働を始めた。
Japan also has experience disposing of highly toxic gas due to the March 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system by members of the Aum Supreme Truth cult.
オウム真理教による地下鉄サリン事件では、猛毒のサリンを処理した経験もある。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged at the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York that Japan will provide “the greatest possible cooperation” for the international community’s efforts to dispose of Syria’s chemical weapons.
安倍首相は国連総会で、シリア化学兵器廃棄への「能(あた)う限りの協力」を表明している。
Japan has contributed to the activities of the OPCW through financial aid and the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces personnel. We hope the government will extend further assistance to bring about peace in Syria.
ＯＰＣＷには、日本はこれまでも予算拠出や自衛官派遣で貢献してきた。シリア和平のため、一層の支援に努めてもらいたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 24, 2013)
（2013年10月24日01時41分 読売新聞）
2013/10/25
中国大気汚染 健康被害防止の対策が急務だ
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 24, 2013
China’s worsening air pollution crisis calls for health-hazard prevention
中国大気汚染 健康被害防止の対策が急務だ（10月23日付・読売社説）
Air pollution in China is becoming more and more serious, with haze so thick in some areas that even nearby buildings cannot be seen clearly.
間近なビルもかすんで見えない。中国の大気汚染が再び、深刻の度を増している。
It is feared that the atmospheric contamination in the country could further spread when the winter sets in, with a massive amount of coal to be burned for heating. An immediate task facing the Chinese government is to take swift measures to fight the worsening pollution.
暖房用石炭を大量に燃やす冬季になれば、汚染拡大が懸念される。中国政府には迅速な対策が求められる。
On Monday, the concentration of PM2.5 topped the observable upper limit of 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. The airborne particles, 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller, are considered most harmful to health.
黒竜江省ハルビンでは２１日、直径２・５マイクロ・メートル以下の微小粒子状物質（ＰＭ２・５）の濃度が、１立方メートルあたり１０００マイクロ・グラムの観測上限を超えた。
The figure far exceeds Japan’s environmental safety standard for PM2.5, which is set at an average of 35 micrograms per day.
日本の環境基準である１日平均３５マイクロ・グラムをはるかに上回る。
On Monday, all primary and middle schools were closed in Harbin, and bus service was suspended on some routes.
市内の全小中学校は休校になった。路線バスも一部運休した。
This dire situation is not limited to Harbin. In October, the PM2.5 pollution is extending to other areas, mostly in northern China. For instance, Beijing has been blanketed with thick smog. On many days, the Chinese capital has seen its PM2.5 pollution reach the “serious” level—the worst reading on the six-grade scale of air pollution set by the authorities.
こうした状況は、ハルビンにとどまらない。１０月に入り、北部を中心にＰＭ２・５の汚染が広がっている。北京でも、濃いスモッグに覆われ、当局が定める６段階の汚染指標で最悪の「深刻な汚染」に該当する日が続く。
There are concerns about health hazards posed by the air contamination. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, has certified that PM2.5 can cause cancer, saying that its cancer-causing risk is comparable to those of asbestos and smoking.
懸念されるのは、住民の健康被害だ。世界保健機関（ＷＨＯ）の専門組織である国際がん研究機関（ＩＡＲＣ）は、ＰＭ２・５について、「発がん性がある」と認定した。アスベストや喫煙と同じリスクがあるという。
PM2.5 particles can find their way deep into the lungs and can cause asthma and bronchitis. The IARC had every reason to assert that the international community must take quick steps to address the problem. There also are concerns about the health of Japanese residents in China.
肺の奥まで入り込むＰＭ２・５は、ぜんそくや気管支炎を引き起こす。ＩＡＲＣが早急な対策を求めたのは当然だ。
中国で生活している邦人の健康状態も気がかりである。
Reduce pollution sources
What must be done to fight the air pollution is, first of all, to install desulfurization equipment at coal-fired power stations and factories in China, a task necessary for making the smoke from these facilities relatively cleaner. Coal-fired thermal power accounts for about 80 percent of that country’s electricity supply. It is essential to ensure that the Chinese become deeply aware of the need to spend money for environmental protection, instead of only seeking short-term profits.
対策として、まず必要なのは、電力供給の約８割を占める石炭火力発電所や工場に脱硫装置を設置し、排煙を浄化することだ。目先の利益だけを追求するのでなく、環境対策にコストをかける意識を根付かせることが肝要だ。
Another pressing task is to reduce the air contamination caused by exhaust gases from more than 200 million cars and motorcycles on Chinese streets. Gasoline used in China contains a good deal of sulfur, a source of high-concentration pollutants. Given this, it is imperative to improve the quality of gasoline used in China.
約２億台に上る自動車・バイクの排ガス対策も急務である。中国で使われているガソリンは、硫黄含有量が多く、高濃度の汚染物質を排出しているとされる。ガソリンの品質向上が欠かせない。
The key to success—or failure—is whether the government of President Xi Jinping will be able to reform his country’s petroleum industry, which has long been able to gain exorbitant profits by selling low-quality products, an achievement made possible through its strong political clout.
強い政治力を背景に低品質製品で巨利を得てきた石油業界に対し、習近平政権がどこまでメスを入れられるかがカギを握る。
Japan cannot dismiss China’s air pollution as someone else’s problem. PM2.5 and other pollutants have been carried by the prevailing westerly winds to arrive in Japan, especially in the western part of the nation.
中国の大気汚染は、日本にとって人ごとではない。ＰＭ２・５などが偏西風に乗って、西日本を中心に飛来している。
Environmental protection is an important task that Japan and China must carry out together, despite their feud over the Senkaku Islands.
尖閣諸島を巡り、日中両国が対立する中にあっても、環境対策は、両国が協力して取り組むべき重要課題と言える。
The authorities in Beijing are scheduled to send a team of officials in charge of the problem to Tokyo by the end of the month. The Chinese government also has invited some Japanese experts to visit China. This apparently indicates a sense of urgency shared by both countries about the air pollution in China.
北京市は月内に担当者を東京都に派遣する。日本の専門家も中国に招かれている。現状に対する中国の危機感を物語っている。
We believe Japan’s environmental know-how—the technological solutions to its own past air pollution problems—will do much to improve the situation in China.
大気汚染を改善した日本のノウハウは中国にも役立つだろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 23, 2013)
（2013年10月23日01時55分 読売新聞）
China’s worsening air pollution crisis calls for health-hazard prevention
中国大気汚染 健康被害防止の対策が急務だ（10月23日付・読売社説）
Air pollution in China is becoming more and more serious, with haze so thick in some areas that even nearby buildings cannot be seen clearly.
間近なビルもかすんで見えない。中国の大気汚染が再び、深刻の度を増している。
It is feared that the atmospheric contamination in the country could further spread when the winter sets in, with a massive amount of coal to be burned for heating. An immediate task facing the Chinese government is to take swift measures to fight the worsening pollution.
暖房用石炭を大量に燃やす冬季になれば、汚染拡大が懸念される。中国政府には迅速な対策が求められる。
On Monday, the concentration of PM2.5 topped the observable upper limit of 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. The airborne particles, 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller, are considered most harmful to health.
黒竜江省ハルビンでは２１日、直径２・５マイクロ・メートル以下の微小粒子状物質（ＰＭ２・５）の濃度が、１立方メートルあたり１０００マイクロ・グラムの観測上限を超えた。
The figure far exceeds Japan’s environmental safety standard for PM2.5, which is set at an average of 35 micrograms per day.
日本の環境基準である１日平均３５マイクロ・グラムをはるかに上回る。
On Monday, all primary and middle schools were closed in Harbin, and bus service was suspended on some routes.
市内の全小中学校は休校になった。路線バスも一部運休した。
This dire situation is not limited to Harbin. In October, the PM2.5 pollution is extending to other areas, mostly in northern China. For instance, Beijing has been blanketed with thick smog. On many days, the Chinese capital has seen its PM2.5 pollution reach the “serious” level—the worst reading on the six-grade scale of air pollution set by the authorities.
こうした状況は、ハルビンにとどまらない。１０月に入り、北部を中心にＰＭ２・５の汚染が広がっている。北京でも、濃いスモッグに覆われ、当局が定める６段階の汚染指標で最悪の「深刻な汚染」に該当する日が続く。
There are concerns about health hazards posed by the air contamination. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, has certified that PM2.5 can cause cancer, saying that its cancer-causing risk is comparable to those of asbestos and smoking.
懸念されるのは、住民の健康被害だ。世界保健機関（ＷＨＯ）の専門組織である国際がん研究機関（ＩＡＲＣ）は、ＰＭ２・５について、「発がん性がある」と認定した。アスベストや喫煙と同じリスクがあるという。
PM2.5 particles can find their way deep into the lungs and can cause asthma and bronchitis. The IARC had every reason to assert that the international community must take quick steps to address the problem. There also are concerns about the health of Japanese residents in China.
肺の奥まで入り込むＰＭ２・５は、ぜんそくや気管支炎を引き起こす。ＩＡＲＣが早急な対策を求めたのは当然だ。
中国で生活している邦人の健康状態も気がかりである。
Reduce pollution sources
What must be done to fight the air pollution is, first of all, to install desulfurization equipment at coal-fired power stations and factories in China, a task necessary for making the smoke from these facilities relatively cleaner. Coal-fired thermal power accounts for about 80 percent of that country’s electricity supply. It is essential to ensure that the Chinese become deeply aware of the need to spend money for environmental protection, instead of only seeking short-term profits.
対策として、まず必要なのは、電力供給の約８割を占める石炭火力発電所や工場に脱硫装置を設置し、排煙を浄化することだ。目先の利益だけを追求するのでなく、環境対策にコストをかける意識を根付かせることが肝要だ。
Another pressing task is to reduce the air contamination caused by exhaust gases from more than 200 million cars and motorcycles on Chinese streets. Gasoline used in China contains a good deal of sulfur, a source of high-concentration pollutants. Given this, it is imperative to improve the quality of gasoline used in China.
約２億台に上る自動車・バイクの排ガス対策も急務である。中国で使われているガソリンは、硫黄含有量が多く、高濃度の汚染物質を排出しているとされる。ガソリンの品質向上が欠かせない。
The key to success—or failure—is whether the government of President Xi Jinping will be able to reform his country’s petroleum industry, which has long been able to gain exorbitant profits by selling low-quality products, an achievement made possible through its strong political clout.
強い政治力を背景に低品質製品で巨利を得てきた石油業界に対し、習近平政権がどこまでメスを入れられるかがカギを握る。
Japan cannot dismiss China’s air pollution as someone else’s problem. PM2.5 and other pollutants have been carried by the prevailing westerly winds to arrive in Japan, especially in the western part of the nation.
中国の大気汚染は、日本にとって人ごとではない。ＰＭ２・５などが偏西風に乗って、西日本を中心に飛来している。
Environmental protection is an important task that Japan and China must carry out together, despite their feud over the Senkaku Islands.
尖閣諸島を巡り、日中両国が対立する中にあっても、環境対策は、両国が協力して取り組むべき重要課題と言える。
The authorities in Beijing are scheduled to send a team of officials in charge of the problem to Tokyo by the end of the month. The Chinese government also has invited some Japanese experts to visit China. This apparently indicates a sense of urgency shared by both countries about the air pollution in China.
北京市は月内に担当者を東京都に派遣する。日本の専門家も中国に招かれている。現状に対する中国の危機感を物語っている。
We believe Japan’s environmental know-how—the technological solutions to its own past air pollution problems—will do much to improve the situation in China.
大気汚染を改善した日本のノウハウは中国にも役立つだろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 23, 2013)
（2013年10月23日01時55分 読売新聞）
2013/10/24
貿易赤字１５か月 原発再稼働で早期に歯止めを
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 23, 2013
Restart nuclear reactors to help stem snowballing trade deficit
貿易赤字１５か月 原発再稼働で早期に歯止めを（10月22日付・読売社説）
Japan’s trade deficit continues to grow unabated. If the nation’s wealth continues to pour out of the country, the path toward rejuvenation of Japan’s economy will become tougher.
貿易赤字の拡大に歯止めがかからない。国富の流出が続けば、日本経済再生への道は一段と険しくなるだろう。
The government must do everything in its power to enable Japan to rebuild itself as a trade-oriented nation.
政府は「貿易立国」の復活に向け、全力を挙げなければならない。
Japan’s balance of trade, the difference between the monetary value of exports and imports, stood at ¥930 billion in the red in September. This marked the 15th consecutive month of a year-on-year increase in the trade deficit, surpassing the previous record of 14 straight months set 33 years ago at the time of the second oil crisis.
輸出額から輸入額を差し引いた９月の貿易収支は、９３００億円の赤字だった。貿易赤字は１５か月連続で、第２次石油危機時の１４か月を超え、３３年ぶりに最長記録を更新した。
The trade deficit for the April-to-September first half of this fiscal year reached ¥4.9 trillion, a record for a fiscal half year.
今年度上半期（４～９月）の赤字も４・９兆円に達し、半期として過去最大となった。
The trade deficit has primarily stemmed from the sharp rise in Japan’s imports of fuel for thermal power plants, which are being used increasingly as an alternative power source for the nation’s idled nuclear power plants. The yen’s depreciation against the dollar in recent times has also been a factor in the deficit’s expansion.
貿易赤字の主因は、全国の原子力発電所が停止し、代替する火力発電所向けの燃料輸入が急増したことである。為替相場が円安・ドル高に振れたことも、赤字拡大に拍車をかけたと言える。
Imports of liquefied natural gas, the main fuel used for power generation, have doubled compared with just before the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.
主力燃料である液化天然ガス（ＬＮＧ）の輸入額は、東日本大震災前から倍増した。
According to a government estimate, additional fuel costs, including those of LNG and crude oil needed for thermal power generation due to the mothballing of nuclear reactors, is expected to total ¥9 trillion over the three fiscal years from 2011 to 2013.
政府試算によると、ＬＮＧや石油など、原発停止による火力発電の追加燃料費は、２０１１～１３年度の３年間で総額９兆円にのぼる見通しだ。
This extraordinary situation in which a massive amount of money for fuel imports has flowed out of Japan and into resource-rich countries in the Middle East and elsewhere cannot simply be brushed off.
巨額の輸入代金が、中東などの資源国に流出し続けている異常事態を看過できない。
This country urgently needs to restart nuclear power plants that have been confirmed safe to operate, and lessen its excessive dependence on thermal power plants.
安全性を確認できた原発を再稼働し、火力発電への過度な依存を改めることが急務である。
Give companies a hand
The rise in electricity rates stemming from higher fuel costs is also a serious issue. Within the service area of Tokyo Electric Power Co., electricity bills for an average-sized family have risen by about 30 percent compared with before the 2011 quake and tsunami disaster—an increase of nearly ¥1,800 a month.
燃料費の増大に伴う電気料金の上昇も深刻だ。東京電力の管内では、標準家庭の料金が震災前より約３０％、月額で１８００円近く値上がりした。
The electricity rate for corporate users has risen by an even wider margin. This situation could accelerate the hollowing-out of industry as businesses shift production bases abroad to avoid rising operating costs at home. There also are fears that a vicious circle may develop in which Japan’s exports decline as a result of the hollowing-out of industry, pushing the trade deficit even higher.
企業向けの電気料金は、家庭より値上げ幅が大きい。企業がコスト増を敬遠し、生産拠点を海外に移す「産業空洞化」が再び加速しかねない状況だ。空洞化で輸出が減り、貿易赤字がさらに拡大する悪循環も懸念される。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has indicated he plans to make Japan “the best country in the world for companies to do business,” by promoting his growth strategy, which includes deregulatory measures. To achieve this, it is essential to establish a system that guarantees a stable supply of cheap electricity.
安倍首相は規制緩和など成長戦略を推進し、日本を「世界で一番企業が活躍しやすい国」とする考えを示している。その実現には、安価な電力の安定供給体制を確立することが不可欠だろう。
It is worrisome that while imports of solar panels and smartphones from China have increased, Japan’s exports to newly emerging economies in Asia and elsewhere have remained sluggish.
中国からの太陽光パネルやスマートフォンの輸入が増える一方、アジアなど新興国向け輸出が伸び悩んでいるのは気がかりだ。
The government should cut the effective corporate tax rate and help companies boost their international competitiveness. The public and private sectors also should unite in the promotion of infrastructure exports, including nuclear power plants and high-speed railway systems.
政府は法人税実効税率を引き下げ、企業の競争力強化策を後押しすべきである。官民連携による、原発や高速鉄道などインフラ輸出の促進も求められる。
The bottom line is that private businesses produce attractive goods and services with their own originality and ingenuity. We hope they will rise to the challenge and emerge victorious in the international competition.
肝心なのは、民間企業が創意工夫で魅力的な商品やサービスを生み出すことである。チャレンジ精神を発揮し、国際競争を勝ち抜いてもらいたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 22, 2013)
（2013年10月22日01時32分 読売新聞）
Restart nuclear reactors to help stem snowballing trade deficit
貿易赤字１５か月 原発再稼働で早期に歯止めを（10月22日付・読売社説）
Japan’s trade deficit continues to grow unabated. If the nation’s wealth continues to pour out of the country, the path toward rejuvenation of Japan’s economy will become tougher.
貿易赤字の拡大に歯止めがかからない。国富の流出が続けば、日本経済再生への道は一段と険しくなるだろう。
The government must do everything in its power to enable Japan to rebuild itself as a trade-oriented nation.
政府は「貿易立国」の復活に向け、全力を挙げなければならない。
Japan’s balance of trade, the difference between the monetary value of exports and imports, stood at ¥930 billion in the red in September. This marked the 15th consecutive month of a year-on-year increase in the trade deficit, surpassing the previous record of 14 straight months set 33 years ago at the time of the second oil crisis.
輸出額から輸入額を差し引いた９月の貿易収支は、９３００億円の赤字だった。貿易赤字は１５か月連続で、第２次石油危機時の１４か月を超え、３３年ぶりに最長記録を更新した。
The trade deficit for the April-to-September first half of this fiscal year reached ¥4.9 trillion, a record for a fiscal half year.
今年度上半期（４～９月）の赤字も４・９兆円に達し、半期として過去最大となった。
The trade deficit has primarily stemmed from the sharp rise in Japan’s imports of fuel for thermal power plants, which are being used increasingly as an alternative power source for the nation’s idled nuclear power plants. The yen’s depreciation against the dollar in recent times has also been a factor in the deficit’s expansion.
貿易赤字の主因は、全国の原子力発電所が停止し、代替する火力発電所向けの燃料輸入が急増したことである。為替相場が円安・ドル高に振れたことも、赤字拡大に拍車をかけたと言える。
Imports of liquefied natural gas, the main fuel used for power generation, have doubled compared with just before the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.
主力燃料である液化天然ガス（ＬＮＧ）の輸入額は、東日本大震災前から倍増した。
According to a government estimate, additional fuel costs, including those of LNG and crude oil needed for thermal power generation due to the mothballing of nuclear reactors, is expected to total ¥9 trillion over the three fiscal years from 2011 to 2013.
政府試算によると、ＬＮＧや石油など、原発停止による火力発電の追加燃料費は、２０１１～１３年度の３年間で総額９兆円にのぼる見通しだ。
This extraordinary situation in which a massive amount of money for fuel imports has flowed out of Japan and into resource-rich countries in the Middle East and elsewhere cannot simply be brushed off.
巨額の輸入代金が、中東などの資源国に流出し続けている異常事態を看過できない。
This country urgently needs to restart nuclear power plants that have been confirmed safe to operate, and lessen its excessive dependence on thermal power plants.
安全性を確認できた原発を再稼働し、火力発電への過度な依存を改めることが急務である。
Give companies a hand
The rise in electricity rates stemming from higher fuel costs is also a serious issue. Within the service area of Tokyo Electric Power Co., electricity bills for an average-sized family have risen by about 30 percent compared with before the 2011 quake and tsunami disaster—an increase of nearly ¥1,800 a month.
燃料費の増大に伴う電気料金の上昇も深刻だ。東京電力の管内では、標準家庭の料金が震災前より約３０％、月額で１８００円近く値上がりした。
The electricity rate for corporate users has risen by an even wider margin. This situation could accelerate the hollowing-out of industry as businesses shift production bases abroad to avoid rising operating costs at home. There also are fears that a vicious circle may develop in which Japan’s exports decline as a result of the hollowing-out of industry, pushing the trade deficit even higher.
企業向けの電気料金は、家庭より値上げ幅が大きい。企業がコスト増を敬遠し、生産拠点を海外に移す「産業空洞化」が再び加速しかねない状況だ。空洞化で輸出が減り、貿易赤字がさらに拡大する悪循環も懸念される。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has indicated he plans to make Japan “the best country in the world for companies to do business,” by promoting his growth strategy, which includes deregulatory measures. To achieve this, it is essential to establish a system that guarantees a stable supply of cheap electricity.
安倍首相は規制緩和など成長戦略を推進し、日本を「世界で一番企業が活躍しやすい国」とする考えを示している。その実現には、安価な電力の安定供給体制を確立することが不可欠だろう。
It is worrisome that while imports of solar panels and smartphones from China have increased, Japan’s exports to newly emerging economies in Asia and elsewhere have remained sluggish.
中国からの太陽光パネルやスマートフォンの輸入が増える一方、アジアなど新興国向け輸出が伸び悩んでいるのは気がかりだ。
The government should cut the effective corporate tax rate and help companies boost their international competitiveness. The public and private sectors also should unite in the promotion of infrastructure exports, including nuclear power plants and high-speed railway systems.
政府は法人税実効税率を引き下げ、企業の競争力強化策を後押しすべきである。官民連携による、原発や高速鉄道などインフラ輸出の促進も求められる。
The bottom line is that private businesses produce attractive goods and services with their own originality and ingenuity. We hope they will rise to the challenge and emerge victorious in the international competition.
肝心なのは、民間企業が創意工夫で魅力的な商品やサービスを生み出すことである。チャレンジ精神を発揮し、国際競争を勝ち抜いてもらいたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 22, 2013)
（2013年10月22日01時32分 読売新聞）
2013/10/23
靖国参拝見送り 的外れな中韓両国の対日批判
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 22, 2013
Anti-Japan stance by China, S. Korea over Yasukuni Shrine unhelpful
靖国参拝見送り 的外れな中韓両国の対日批判（10月21日付・読売社説）
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe decided not to visit Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine on the occasion of its Oct. 17-20 annual autumn festival. Instead, he simply made a monetary offering to the shrine for a sacred masakaki tree branch traditionally used in Shinto rituals.
安倍首相は、靖国神社の秋季例大祭中の参拝を見送り、神前へ真(ま)榊(さかき)を奉納するにとどめた。
His decision not to pay his respects at the shrine after refraining from making visits earlier this year in the shrine’s annual spring festival and on Aug. 15, the date marking the end of World War II, was to prevent frayed ties with China and South Korea from further deteriorating.
春季例大祭と終戦記念日に続いて、今回も参拝を見送ったのは、中国、韓国との関係がさらに悪化する事態を避けるのが目的だ。
China and South Korea regard Yasukuni Shrine as a symbol of Japan’s wartime militarism, as it memorializes Japan’s war dead along with “Class A war criminals,” including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who were executed after being condemned by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, also known as the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal. They strongly oppose visits by prime ministers or Cabinet members.
中韓両国は、極東国際軍事裁判（東京裁判）で処刑された東条英機元首相ら「Ａ級戦犯」が合祀(ごうし)されている靖国神社を軍国主義の象徴とみなして、首相や閣僚の参拝に反対している。
Paying tribute to those who died in the war is purely an internal affair, and no country should interfere.
もとより、戦没者をどう追悼するかは、国内問題であり、他国から干渉される筋合いではない。
As the Yasukuni issue has become a diplomatic problem, however, the prime minister’s decision to avoid visiting the shrine this time is understandable.
だが、外交問題化している以上、首相の判断は妥当だろう。
The prime minister is said to strongly desire to pay his respects at Yasukuni Shrine, but he must pay scrupulous attention to the feasibility of making such a visit.
靖国神社に参拝することへの首相の意欲は強いとされる。なお慎重な対応が求められる。
In this connection, it is highly regrettable that neither China nor South Korea has shown a positive attitude after Abe’s decision to forgo a visit to the shrine.
残念なのは、中韓両国に、首相の参拝見送りを前向きに受け止める姿勢が見られないことだ。
Referring to Abe’s masakaki monetary offering in lieu of visiting the shrine, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Beijing opposes “any type of action [by the prime minister] of paying tribute at any time,” effectively saying that China equates the masakaki offering with a visit to the shrine. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry also expressed “deep concern and regret” over Abe’s offering to Yasukuni Shrine.
中国外務省は、首相の真榊奉納について「いつ、いかなる方式で参拝しようとも反対する」と述べ、事実上の参拝と見なす考えを示した。韓国外交省も「深い憂慮と遺憾の意」を表明した。
Tacit U.S. message
Since the end of the war, Japan has continued to follow the path of peace and contribute to the international community. We wonder whether both China and South Korea have deliberately shut their eyes to this fact.
日本は戦後一貫して平和国家として歩み、国際社会にも貢献してきた。中韓両国は、そのことに目をつむっているのではないか。
The criticism by Chinese and South Korean leaders against the Abe administration for “veering to the right” may be largely motivated by a desire to maintain their own domestic leadership on the strength of surges of popular anti-Japanese sentiment.
中韓の指導者が、安倍政権の政治姿勢を「右傾化」と批判するのは、反日世論を利用し、自らの求心力を維持する狙いもあろう。
As a result of the escalation of distorted anti-Japanese criticism, Japanese investment in China has dwindled, and the adverse impact has spread in the Chinese economy.
しかし、的外れな対日批判をエスカレートさせた結果、日本から中国への投資が落ち込み、中国経済への悪影響も広がっている。
Abe has persistently called for China and South Korea to hold summit talks. The leaders of China and South Korea should respond favorably to Abe’s overture and move to break the impasse. They should shift away from a “mutual harm” approach to a path leading to “mutual benefits.”
安倍首相は、首脳会談の開催を繰り返し呼びかけている。中韓首脳はこれに応じ、事態打開に動くべきだ。「互損」から「互恵」へ転換を図らねばならない。
The prime minister’s decision to forgo a visit to Yasukuni Shrine may also have been out of consideration for the United States, which is concerned about the standoff between Japan and its two neighbors.
今回の参拝見送りの背景には、日中・日韓の対立を懸念する米国に配慮した側面もある。
Early this month, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel laid wreaths at Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery for the war dead near Tokyo’s Imperial Palace. A state-run facility with no religious affiliation, the cemetery accommodates the remains of the war dead whose identities are not known.
今月初旬に来日した米国のケリー国務長官とヘーゲル国防長官は千鳥ヶ淵戦没者墓苑を訪れ、献花した。無宗教の国立施設である墓苑は、先の大戦の戦没者のうち、身元不明などで引き渡し先のない遺骨を納めている。
The visit by Kerry and Hagel to Chidorigafuchi is believed to be a tacit U.S. message to the Japanese government to exercise caution on the issue of visits to Yasukuni Shrine by the prime minister and other Cabinet members.
千鳥ヶ淵訪問は、靖国神社参拝について慎重な対応を求めるメッセージとも見られている。
Public opinion is divergent over how the souls of the war dead should be consoled. Criticism of those who played leading roles in the war remains deep-rooted.
戦没者の慰霊をどう考えるかは、日本国内にも様々な意見がある。戦争指導者への批判も根強い。
Under the circumstances, in-depth discussions should be held on the advisability of building a state-run facility that would enable everyone to pay tribute to the memory of the war dead without harmful consequences.
だれもが、わだかまりなく戦没者を追悼できる国立施設の建立について議論を深めるべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 21, 2013)
（2013年10月21日01時18分 読売新聞）
Anti-Japan stance by China, S. Korea over Yasukuni Shrine unhelpful
靖国参拝見送り 的外れな中韓両国の対日批判（10月21日付・読売社説）
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe decided not to visit Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine on the occasion of its Oct. 17-20 annual autumn festival. Instead, he simply made a monetary offering to the shrine for a sacred masakaki tree branch traditionally used in Shinto rituals.
安倍首相は、靖国神社の秋季例大祭中の参拝を見送り、神前へ真(ま)榊(さかき)を奉納するにとどめた。
His decision not to pay his respects at the shrine after refraining from making visits earlier this year in the shrine’s annual spring festival and on Aug. 15, the date marking the end of World War II, was to prevent frayed ties with China and South Korea from further deteriorating.
春季例大祭と終戦記念日に続いて、今回も参拝を見送ったのは、中国、韓国との関係がさらに悪化する事態を避けるのが目的だ。
China and South Korea regard Yasukuni Shrine as a symbol of Japan’s wartime militarism, as it memorializes Japan’s war dead along with “Class A war criminals,” including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who were executed after being condemned by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, also known as the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal. They strongly oppose visits by prime ministers or Cabinet members.
中韓両国は、極東国際軍事裁判（東京裁判）で処刑された東条英機元首相ら「Ａ級戦犯」が合祀(ごうし)されている靖国神社を軍国主義の象徴とみなして、首相や閣僚の参拝に反対している。
Paying tribute to those who died in the war is purely an internal affair, and no country should interfere.
もとより、戦没者をどう追悼するかは、国内問題であり、他国から干渉される筋合いではない。
As the Yasukuni issue has become a diplomatic problem, however, the prime minister’s decision to avoid visiting the shrine this time is understandable.
だが、外交問題化している以上、首相の判断は妥当だろう。
The prime minister is said to strongly desire to pay his respects at Yasukuni Shrine, but he must pay scrupulous attention to the feasibility of making such a visit.
靖国神社に参拝することへの首相の意欲は強いとされる。なお慎重な対応が求められる。
In this connection, it is highly regrettable that neither China nor South Korea has shown a positive attitude after Abe’s decision to forgo a visit to the shrine.
残念なのは、中韓両国に、首相の参拝見送りを前向きに受け止める姿勢が見られないことだ。
Referring to Abe’s masakaki monetary offering in lieu of visiting the shrine, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Beijing opposes “any type of action [by the prime minister] of paying tribute at any time,” effectively saying that China equates the masakaki offering with a visit to the shrine. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry also expressed “deep concern and regret” over Abe’s offering to Yasukuni Shrine.
中国外務省は、首相の真榊奉納について「いつ、いかなる方式で参拝しようとも反対する」と述べ、事実上の参拝と見なす考えを示した。韓国外交省も「深い憂慮と遺憾の意」を表明した。
Tacit U.S. message
Since the end of the war, Japan has continued to follow the path of peace and contribute to the international community. We wonder whether both China and South Korea have deliberately shut their eyes to this fact.
日本は戦後一貫して平和国家として歩み、国際社会にも貢献してきた。中韓両国は、そのことに目をつむっているのではないか。
The criticism by Chinese and South Korean leaders against the Abe administration for “veering to the right” may be largely motivated by a desire to maintain their own domestic leadership on the strength of surges of popular anti-Japanese sentiment.
中韓の指導者が、安倍政権の政治姿勢を「右傾化」と批判するのは、反日世論を利用し、自らの求心力を維持する狙いもあろう。
As a result of the escalation of distorted anti-Japanese criticism, Japanese investment in China has dwindled, and the adverse impact has spread in the Chinese economy.
しかし、的外れな対日批判をエスカレートさせた結果、日本から中国への投資が落ち込み、中国経済への悪影響も広がっている。
Abe has persistently called for China and South Korea to hold summit talks. The leaders of China and South Korea should respond favorably to Abe’s overture and move to break the impasse. They should shift away from a “mutual harm” approach to a path leading to “mutual benefits.”
安倍首相は、首脳会談の開催を繰り返し呼びかけている。中韓首脳はこれに応じ、事態打開に動くべきだ。「互損」から「互恵」へ転換を図らねばならない。
The prime minister’s decision to forgo a visit to Yasukuni Shrine may also have been out of consideration for the United States, which is concerned about the standoff between Japan and its two neighbors.
今回の参拝見送りの背景には、日中・日韓の対立を懸念する米国に配慮した側面もある。
Early this month, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel laid wreaths at Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery for the war dead near Tokyo’s Imperial Palace. A state-run facility with no religious affiliation, the cemetery accommodates the remains of the war dead whose identities are not known.
今月初旬に来日した米国のケリー国務長官とヘーゲル国防長官は千鳥ヶ淵戦没者墓苑を訪れ、献花した。無宗教の国立施設である墓苑は、先の大戦の戦没者のうち、身元不明などで引き渡し先のない遺骨を納めている。
The visit by Kerry and Hagel to Chidorigafuchi is believed to be a tacit U.S. message to the Japanese government to exercise caution on the issue of visits to Yasukuni Shrine by the prime minister and other Cabinet members.
千鳥ヶ淵訪問は、靖国神社参拝について慎重な対応を求めるメッセージとも見られている。
Public opinion is divergent over how the souls of the war dead should be consoled. Criticism of those who played leading roles in the war remains deep-rooted.
戦没者の慰霊をどう考えるかは、日本国内にも様々な意見がある。戦争指導者への批判も根強い。
Under the circumstances, in-depth discussions should be held on the advisability of building a state-run facility that would enable everyone to pay tribute to the memory of the war dead without harmful consequences.
だれもが、わだかまりなく戦没者を追悼できる国立施設の建立について議論を深めるべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 21, 2013)
（2013年10月21日01時18分 読売新聞）
2013/10/22
イラン核協議 外交的解決へ動き出すのか
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 21, 2013
Is a diplomatic solution on horizon over Iran’s nuclear program?
イラン核協議 外交的解決へ動き出すのか（10月20日付・読売社説）
Is it possible that the problem of Iran’s nuclear development program is moving toward a diplomatic solution? We should keep a close eye on this issue.
イラン核問題が外交的解決に向け動き出すのかどうか。注視したい。
In recent talks in what is referred to as P5-plus-1 countries, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council—the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China—plus Germany, Iran has come up with a new proposal for constraining its nuclear program in return for easing international economic sanctions that have battered the Iranian economy.
イランが、国連安全保障理事会常任理事国（米英仏露中）にドイツを加えた６か国との協議で、経済制裁緩和を条件に核開発を抑制するという新提案を行った。
The six powers have highly evaluated the Iranian proposal as an “important contribution” that could be conducive to accelerating future talks. The release of a joint statement at the close of the talks on Oct. 15 and 16, the first of its kind, also appears promising.
６か国側は協議への「重要な貢献」と評価した。共同声明が初めて発表されたのも良い兆候だ。
Although details of the talks have not been disclosed, Iranian officials said Tehran is set to rein in uranium enrichment levels. Iran appears to have made some concessions to the six major powers, which have demanded that Iran stop producing uranium enriched to 20 percent, a level that could lead to the manufacture of nuclear weapons.
詳細は未公表だが、イラン側によるとウラン濃縮の「レベル」を制限するという。核爆弾製造につながる濃縮度２０％のウランの生産停止を要求してきた６か国に、イランが歩み寄ったとも言える。
Talks between Iran and the six countries have been held since 2008, but no progress has been made because of Tehran’s negative attitude.
イランと６か国の核協議は、２００８年から行われてきたが、イランは消極的態度に終始し、進展は見られなかった。
During the stalemate, Israel hinted at the possibility of attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities. With the heightening of tensions, a war of nerves racked the countries involved.
その間、イスラエルがイランの核施設を攻撃する可能性をちらつかせた。緊張が高まり、関係国間では神経戦が続いてきた。
Whether Iran’s new proposal will push the talks forward remains uncertain.
今回の新提案を機に協議が進展するのか、なお不透明だ。
Iran has taken a more positive stance since Hassan Rouhani, a moderate, took office as president of the Islamic republic in August in the wake of growing public discontent with the country’s severe economic hardships.
イランが積極姿勢に転じたのは、経済困難に対する国民の不満の高まりを背景に、穏健派のロハニ大統領が選出されてからだ。
Obama’s leadership tested
Economic sanctions imposed at the initiative of the United States and European countries have halved Iran’s oil exports, the key source of revenue, causing inflation to spiral upward unchecked.
イランでは、米欧主導による経済制裁を科せられているため、主な収入源の原油輸出が半減し、急激なインフレが進んでいる。
It seems the new Iranian president wants to resuscitate the faltering economy by having the United States and Europe lift the sanctions after offering a compromise.
大統領には、核協議で米欧と妥協を図って制裁を解除させ、経済立て直しを図りたいとの思惑がうかがえる。
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has a final say in the country’s decision-making, basically appears to be in favor of Rouhani’s policies.
最終決定権を握る最高指導者ハメネイ師も、そうした方針を容認しているのだろう。
However, the leadership of U.S. President Barack Obama will now be tested.
オバマ米大統領の手腕が問われる局面でもある。
Although Washington has had a hostile relationship with Tehran since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, Obama, in recent talks with Rouhani by phone, reached an agreement with the Iranian president to work together for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem.
米国は革命後のイランと敵対的な関係を続けてきたが、オバマ氏はロハニ大統領と電話で会談し、核問題の外交的解決を目指すことで一致した。
If the United States embarks on actions to improve its relations with Iran, one of the Middle East’s major powers and a leading oil-producing country, the U.S. position in the region could be strengthened.
米国が、有数の産油国である地域大国イランとの関係改善に踏み出せば、中東における戦略的立場の強化に役立とう。
Negotiations with Iran, however, must be based on the premise of stopping Iran from going nuclear.
ただ、イランとの交渉には、核武装化の阻止があくまでも前提とならねばならない。
With the nuclear talks scheduled to resume next month, it is imperative for the six major powers to have Iran show its commitment through “meaningful, transparent and verifiable actions” never to undertake any project to develop nuclear weapons, as demanded by the United States.
核協議は来月に再開されるが、米国が主張するように、イランから、核兵器開発を決して行わないことを示す「有意義、透明かつ検証可能な行動」を引き出すことが肝要である。
Israel, for its part, does not disguise its intense distrust of Iran, saying Tehran “should be tested by its actions, not its proposals.”
イスラエルは、「提案ではなく、実際の行動」を見極めるとし、イランへの不信感を隠さない。
Whether fears of Israel launching a military strike against Iran can be dispelled depends largely on how Tehran behaves from now on.
イスラエルによる軍事攻撃の懸念を払拭できるかどうかは、イランの今後の出方にかかっていると言えよう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 20, 2013)
（2013年10月20日01時26分 読売新聞）
Is a diplomatic solution on horizon over Iran’s nuclear program?
イラン核協議 外交的解決へ動き出すのか（10月20日付・読売社説）
Is it possible that the problem of Iran’s nuclear development program is moving toward a diplomatic solution? We should keep a close eye on this issue.
イラン核問題が外交的解決に向け動き出すのかどうか。注視したい。
In recent talks in what is referred to as P5-plus-1 countries, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council—the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China—plus Germany, Iran has come up with a new proposal for constraining its nuclear program in return for easing international economic sanctions that have battered the Iranian economy.
イランが、国連安全保障理事会常任理事国（米英仏露中）にドイツを加えた６か国との協議で、経済制裁緩和を条件に核開発を抑制するという新提案を行った。
The six powers have highly evaluated the Iranian proposal as an “important contribution” that could be conducive to accelerating future talks. The release of a joint statement at the close of the talks on Oct. 15 and 16, the first of its kind, also appears promising.
６か国側は協議への「重要な貢献」と評価した。共同声明が初めて発表されたのも良い兆候だ。
Although details of the talks have not been disclosed, Iranian officials said Tehran is set to rein in uranium enrichment levels. Iran appears to have made some concessions to the six major powers, which have demanded that Iran stop producing uranium enriched to 20 percent, a level that could lead to the manufacture of nuclear weapons.
詳細は未公表だが、イラン側によるとウラン濃縮の「レベル」を制限するという。核爆弾製造につながる濃縮度２０％のウランの生産停止を要求してきた６か国に、イランが歩み寄ったとも言える。
Talks between Iran and the six countries have been held since 2008, but no progress has been made because of Tehran’s negative attitude.
イランと６か国の核協議は、２００８年から行われてきたが、イランは消極的態度に終始し、進展は見られなかった。
During the stalemate, Israel hinted at the possibility of attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities. With the heightening of tensions, a war of nerves racked the countries involved.
その間、イスラエルがイランの核施設を攻撃する可能性をちらつかせた。緊張が高まり、関係国間では神経戦が続いてきた。
Whether Iran’s new proposal will push the talks forward remains uncertain.
今回の新提案を機に協議が進展するのか、なお不透明だ。
Iran has taken a more positive stance since Hassan Rouhani, a moderate, took office as president of the Islamic republic in August in the wake of growing public discontent with the country’s severe economic hardships.
イランが積極姿勢に転じたのは、経済困難に対する国民の不満の高まりを背景に、穏健派のロハニ大統領が選出されてからだ。
Obama’s leadership tested
Economic sanctions imposed at the initiative of the United States and European countries have halved Iran’s oil exports, the key source of revenue, causing inflation to spiral upward unchecked.
イランでは、米欧主導による経済制裁を科せられているため、主な収入源の原油輸出が半減し、急激なインフレが進んでいる。
It seems the new Iranian president wants to resuscitate the faltering economy by having the United States and Europe lift the sanctions after offering a compromise.
大統領には、核協議で米欧と妥協を図って制裁を解除させ、経済立て直しを図りたいとの思惑がうかがえる。
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has a final say in the country’s decision-making, basically appears to be in favor of Rouhani’s policies.
最終決定権を握る最高指導者ハメネイ師も、そうした方針を容認しているのだろう。
However, the leadership of U.S. President Barack Obama will now be tested.
オバマ米大統領の手腕が問われる局面でもある。
Although Washington has had a hostile relationship with Tehran since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, Obama, in recent talks with Rouhani by phone, reached an agreement with the Iranian president to work together for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem.
米国は革命後のイランと敵対的な関係を続けてきたが、オバマ氏はロハニ大統領と電話で会談し、核問題の外交的解決を目指すことで一致した。
If the United States embarks on actions to improve its relations with Iran, one of the Middle East’s major powers and a leading oil-producing country, the U.S. position in the region could be strengthened.
米国が、有数の産油国である地域大国イランとの関係改善に踏み出せば、中東における戦略的立場の強化に役立とう。
Negotiations with Iran, however, must be based on the premise of stopping Iran from going nuclear.
ただ、イランとの交渉には、核武装化の阻止があくまでも前提とならねばならない。
With the nuclear talks scheduled to resume next month, it is imperative for the six major powers to have Iran show its commitment through “meaningful, transparent and verifiable actions” never to undertake any project to develop nuclear weapons, as demanded by the United States.
核協議は来月に再開されるが、米国が主張するように、イランから、核兵器開発を決して行わないことを示す「有意義、透明かつ検証可能な行動」を引き出すことが肝要である。
Israel, for its part, does not disguise its intense distrust of Iran, saying Tehran “should be tested by its actions, not its proposals.”
イスラエルは、「提案ではなく、実際の行動」を見極めるとし、イランへの不信感を隠さない。
Whether fears of Israel launching a military strike against Iran can be dispelled depends largely on how Tehran behaves from now on.
イスラエルによる軍事攻撃の懸念を払拭できるかどうかは、イランの今後の出方にかかっていると言えよう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 20, 2013)
（2013年10月20日01時26分 読売新聞）
2013/10/21
竹富町の教科書 違法状態の解消迫る是正要求
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 20, 2013
Govt must enforce rules on adoption of textbooks without any exceptions
竹富町の教科書 違法状態の解消迫る是正要求（10月19日付・読売社説）
The government acted properly to resolve the illegal adoption of a textbook in Okinawa Prefecture.
違法状態を解消するためには、当然の措置と言えよう。
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Hakubun Shimomura instructed the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education to issue a demand for corrective action against the town board of education of Taketomi in the prefecture as the board has been using an independently adopted textbook in violation of textbook adoption rules.
下村文部科学相が、沖縄県の竹富町教育委員会に対して是正要求を行うよう県教委に指示した。竹富町教委が教科書採択のルールを守らずに、独自採択した教科書を使用し続けているためだ。
Issuing a demand for corrective action is the strongest action the government can take under the Local Government Law. The action has been taken only twice before, and this is the first time it has been taken in the field of educational administration. Taketomi’s education board must take the situation seriously.
是正要求の指示は地方自治法上で最も強い措置である。発動は過去に２例しかなく、教育行政では初めてだ。竹富町教委は重く受け止めねばならない。
The regional council on textbook adoption of the Yaeyama district, comprising Ishigaki, Taketomi and Yonaguni, selected a civics textbook published by Ikuhosha Publishing Inc. as the textbook for middle schools in the district in the summer of 2011, but the Taketomi board alone adopted a different textbook.
今回の問題は、八重山地区（石垣市、竹富町、与那国町）が２０１１年夏、中学校の公民教科書に育鵬社の教科書を選んだにもかかわらず、竹富町教委だけが別の教科書を採択したことが発端だ。
The Ikuhosha textbook, written by former members of the Japan Society for History Textbook Reform, carries detailed descriptions of territories. One reason the Yaeyama regional textbook adoption council selected this textbook is that the district is close to the border with China, with tension between Japan and China rising.
「新しい歴史教科書をつくる会」の元メンバーらが執筆する育鵬社版は、領土に関する記述が詳しい。中国との緊張が高まる中、国境に近い八重山地区が育鵬社版を選んだ理由の一つだ。
On the other hand, some people in the prefecture complain the Ikuhosha textbook provides too much space to such things as the national flag, the national anthem and traditional Japanese culture. This may be behind the Taketomi board’s refusal to adopt the Ikuhosha textbook.
一方で、国旗・国歌や日本の伝統文化にもページを割いている育鵬社版に対しては、沖縄県内で反発がある。竹富町教委が採択を拒んだ背景には、こうした事情があるのだろう。
The law on free distribution of textbooks for compulsory education schools, which stipulates textbooks are paid for at national government expense, obliges adoption of the same textbook for a district comprising several municipalities.
国費による教科書の無償配布を定めた教科書無償措置法は、複数の市町村からなる広域地区では、同じ教科書の採択を義務づけている。
This is based on such considerations as that it is easier for teachers to jointly study teaching materials if they teach with the same textbook.
教師が教材の共同研究をしやすい点などを考慮している。
The Taketomi board’s independent adoption of the textbook obviously violates the free distribution law.
竹富町教委の独自採択が、無償措置法に反するのは明らかだ。
Wrong response
The confusion over the issue has been prolonged because of the wrong response to the problem by the Democratic Party of Japan-led government. Although then education minister Masaharu Nakagawa took the position that the independent adoption of a textbook violated the law, he tolerated the action if the town government purchased copies of the textbook at its own expense for distribution to students.
混乱を長引かせたのは、民主党政権の誤った対応である。当時の中川文科相は「独自採択は法律に抵触する」という立場をとりながら、竹富町が自前で教科書を購入し、生徒に配ることについては、容認する姿勢を示した。
As a result, the town government purchased copies of a different textbook with donations from residents and started to distribute them to students in April last year. After the change of government, Hiroyuki Yoshiie, then parliamentary secretary of the education ministry, visited Taketomi in March this year and instructed the education board to reverse its decision to adopt a different textbook. However, the board refused.
その結果、竹富町では町民らの寄付で別の教科書を購入し、昨年４月以降、生徒に配布してきた。政権交代後の今年３月に、当時の義家弘介文科政務官が竹富町を訪れ、決定を見直すよう指導したが、聞き入れられなかった。
It is extremely problematic that the town has been illegally conducting lessons for compulsory education without accepting the free distribution of the officially adopted textbook.
無償配布を受けず、違法状態のまま、義務教育の授業を行っているのは極めて問題である。
Also, it should not be overlooked that the prefectural board of education failed to instruct the Taketomi board to reverse its decision, although it was in a position to do so. To end the confusion, the prefectural board should fulfill its primary responsibility—ensuring that the Taketomi board observes the law.
竹富町教委を指導すべき立場にある沖縄県教委が、十分な働きかけをしてこなかったことも見過ごせない。混乱の収束に向け、県教委は、竹富町教委に法令を順守させるという本来の役割を果たさなければなるまい。
The education ministry should also thoroughly implement textbook adoption rules to prevent a recurrence of the Taketomi situation.
竹富町のような事態が再び起きないよう、文科省も改めて採択ルールの徹底を図るべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 19, 2013)
（2013年10月19日01時36分 読売新聞）
Govt must enforce rules on adoption of textbooks without any exceptions
竹富町の教科書 違法状態の解消迫る是正要求（10月19日付・読売社説）
The government acted properly to resolve the illegal adoption of a textbook in Okinawa Prefecture.
違法状態を解消するためには、当然の措置と言えよう。
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Hakubun Shimomura instructed the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education to issue a demand for corrective action against the town board of education of Taketomi in the prefecture as the board has been using an independently adopted textbook in violation of textbook adoption rules.
下村文部科学相が、沖縄県の竹富町教育委員会に対して是正要求を行うよう県教委に指示した。竹富町教委が教科書採択のルールを守らずに、独自採択した教科書を使用し続けているためだ。
Issuing a demand for corrective action is the strongest action the government can take under the Local Government Law. The action has been taken only twice before, and this is the first time it has been taken in the field of educational administration. Taketomi’s education board must take the situation seriously.
是正要求の指示は地方自治法上で最も強い措置である。発動は過去に２例しかなく、教育行政では初めてだ。竹富町教委は重く受け止めねばならない。
The regional council on textbook adoption of the Yaeyama district, comprising Ishigaki, Taketomi and Yonaguni, selected a civics textbook published by Ikuhosha Publishing Inc. as the textbook for middle schools in the district in the summer of 2011, but the Taketomi board alone adopted a different textbook.
今回の問題は、八重山地区（石垣市、竹富町、与那国町）が２０１１年夏、中学校の公民教科書に育鵬社の教科書を選んだにもかかわらず、竹富町教委だけが別の教科書を採択したことが発端だ。
The Ikuhosha textbook, written by former members of the Japan Society for History Textbook Reform, carries detailed descriptions of territories. One reason the Yaeyama regional textbook adoption council selected this textbook is that the district is close to the border with China, with tension between Japan and China rising.
「新しい歴史教科書をつくる会」の元メンバーらが執筆する育鵬社版は、領土に関する記述が詳しい。中国との緊張が高まる中、国境に近い八重山地区が育鵬社版を選んだ理由の一つだ。
On the other hand, some people in the prefecture complain the Ikuhosha textbook provides too much space to such things as the national flag, the national anthem and traditional Japanese culture. This may be behind the Taketomi board’s refusal to adopt the Ikuhosha textbook.
一方で、国旗・国歌や日本の伝統文化にもページを割いている育鵬社版に対しては、沖縄県内で反発がある。竹富町教委が採択を拒んだ背景には、こうした事情があるのだろう。
The law on free distribution of textbooks for compulsory education schools, which stipulates textbooks are paid for at national government expense, obliges adoption of the same textbook for a district comprising several municipalities.
国費による教科書の無償配布を定めた教科書無償措置法は、複数の市町村からなる広域地区では、同じ教科書の採択を義務づけている。
This is based on such considerations as that it is easier for teachers to jointly study teaching materials if they teach with the same textbook.
教師が教材の共同研究をしやすい点などを考慮している。
The Taketomi board’s independent adoption of the textbook obviously violates the free distribution law.
竹富町教委の独自採択が、無償措置法に反するのは明らかだ。
Wrong response
The confusion over the issue has been prolonged because of the wrong response to the problem by the Democratic Party of Japan-led government. Although then education minister Masaharu Nakagawa took the position that the independent adoption of a textbook violated the law, he tolerated the action if the town government purchased copies of the textbook at its own expense for distribution to students.
混乱を長引かせたのは、民主党政権の誤った対応である。当時の中川文科相は「独自採択は法律に抵触する」という立場をとりながら、竹富町が自前で教科書を購入し、生徒に配ることについては、容認する姿勢を示した。
As a result, the town government purchased copies of a different textbook with donations from residents and started to distribute them to students in April last year. After the change of government, Hiroyuki Yoshiie, then parliamentary secretary of the education ministry, visited Taketomi in March this year and instructed the education board to reverse its decision to adopt a different textbook. However, the board refused.
その結果、竹富町では町民らの寄付で別の教科書を購入し、昨年４月以降、生徒に配布してきた。政権交代後の今年３月に、当時の義家弘介文科政務官が竹富町を訪れ、決定を見直すよう指導したが、聞き入れられなかった。
It is extremely problematic that the town has been illegally conducting lessons for compulsory education without accepting the free distribution of the officially adopted textbook.
無償配布を受けず、違法状態のまま、義務教育の授業を行っているのは極めて問題である。
Also, it should not be overlooked that the prefectural board of education failed to instruct the Taketomi board to reverse its decision, although it was in a position to do so. To end the confusion, the prefectural board should fulfill its primary responsibility—ensuring that the Taketomi board observes the law.
竹富町教委を指導すべき立場にある沖縄県教委が、十分な働きかけをしてこなかったことも見過ごせない。混乱の収束に向け、県教委は、竹富町教委に法令を順守させるという本来の役割を果たさなければなるまい。
The education ministry should also thoroughly implement textbook adoption rules to prevent a recurrence of the Taketomi situation.
竹富町のような事態が再び起きないよう、文科省も改めて採択ルールの徹底を図るべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 19, 2013)
（2013年10月19日01時36分 読売新聞）
2013/10/20
伊豆大島災害 なぜ避難を促さなかったのか
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 19, 2013
Why was no evacuation order issued in Izu Oshima downpours?
伊豆大島災害 なぜ避難を促さなかったのか（10月18日付・読売社説）
Were there no means of preventing a major calamity from occurring?
大惨事を防ぐ手だてはなかったのか。
Because of the extremely heavy rain that accompanied Typhoon No. 26, several communities on Tokyo’s Izu Oshima island were hit by debris flows. The disaster claimed the lives of 22 people and left many missing. The Metropolitan Police Department and other organizations concerned must do their utmost to locate and rescue the missing.
台風２６号に伴う豪雨で伊豆大島の集落が土石流に襲われた。死者２２人、行方不明者も多数に上っている。警視庁などは不明者の救出に全力を挙げてほしい。
On Tuesday evening, when the typhoon—reported to be the strongest in the last 10 years—was moving north toward the Japanese archipelago, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued heavy rain and mudslide alerts to the Oshima town government on Izu Oshima island.
１０年に１度とされる強い台風が日本の南海上を北上中の１５日夕、気象庁は大雨警報と土砂災害警戒情報を東京都大島町に出した。
The alerts, which call for caution regarding mudslides, are considered key information for municipalities involved to use for reference in issuing evacuation advisories or orders, but the Oshima Island municipal authorities issued neither.
土砂災害警戒情報は市町村が避難勧告や避難指示を発令する際の参考情報と位置付けられるが、町は発令しなかった。
The town mayor explained the lack of action was because an evacuation advisory could “lead to an increased number of people exposed to the threat of strong rain at night.”
「夜間で大雨の中、被害者を増やす恐れがあった」というのが町長の説明だ。
The rainfall on the island increased sharply shortly after midnight Tuesday. Precipitation in the three hours before dawn on Wednesday reached the second-highest levels in the recorded history of domestic weather. The mudslides occurred around the same time.
雨量は１６日午前０時過ぎから急増した。未明の３時間雨量は国内統計史上２番目の数値を観測し、その頃、土石流が発生した。
Any attempt to evacuate residents in the midst of the violent storm would certainly have been difficult. However, was it impossible for municipal authorities to warn people to get out of danger the previous day when the meteorological agency issued the alerts?
確かに、暴風雨の中での避難は難しかったろう。だが、警戒情報が出た前日のうちに避難を呼びかけることはできなかったのか。
Given that typhoon’s paths are predictable to some extent, there can be lead time to evacuate, unlike such events as tsunami or tornadoes. The town authorities should have taken adequate precautions by recognizing the danger earlier.
進路予想がある程度正確な台風の場合、津波や竜巻などに比べて事前の避難には時間的余裕があるだろう。町は危険を察知し、適切な対応を取るべきだった。
Beware of localized disaster
It is possible that the town’s decision-making process was hindered by the fact that both the mayor and deputy mayor of the town were away from the island on a business trip when the typhoon hit.
町長と副町長が出張で不在だったことが、町の意思決定に影響を及ぼした可能性もある。
On Izu Oshima island, there have been many debris flows, including those in the 1958 Kanogawa Typhoon, in which 18 people were killed or injured and 104 houses were destroyed or damaged. It is highly regrettable the lessons of the past calamities failed to be used effectively in the latest disaster to hit the island.
伊豆大島では、１９５８年の狩野川台風で１０４棟が全半壊し、１８人が死傷するなど、度々、土石流が発生している。過去の教訓が生かされなかったのは残念だ。
The meteorological agency, for its part, came short of issuing a special warning recently introduced for the purpose of calling for vigilance against the highest level of danger due to rainfall. That was because the rainfall on the island did not meet the requirements for issuing the warning that requires threshold-level precipitation across an extensive area, or an area encompassing most of a prefecture.
気象庁は今回、最大級の危険に対して警戒を呼びかけるために導入した特別警報を発しなかった。府県のほぼ全域など、広い範囲で危険が迫っているという基準を満たさなかったからだ。
Based on this criteria, there can be many cases in which a disaster on a remote island may be excluded from the special warnings. Studies must be done to review the standards of how a similar level of warning could be issued against localized dangers.
この基準では、離島の災害は特別警報の対象から外れるケースが多くなる。局所的な危険に対し、同レベルの注意喚起ができるよう基準の見直しを検討すべきだ。
Under the law for the prevention of sediment-related, each prefectural government is supposed to designate danger areas as caution zones. When the designation is made, city, town and village governments concerned are obliged to create and make public hazard maps.
土砂災害防止法上、都道府県は危険地域を警戒区域などに指定することになっている。指定されると、市町村は避難場所などを明示したハザードマップを作成・公表する責任を負う。
The Tokyo metropolitan government, however, has yet to embark on procedures to apply the disaster-prone area designation to islands under its jurisdiction, while the town government of Oshima has failed to make any hazard map covering mudslides.
しかし、都は島嶼(とうしょ)部での指定に着手しておらず、大島町は土砂災害を想定したハザードマップを作成していなかった。
Designation of caution zones has been delayed nationwide, for reasons including opposition from local residents who worry that such a designation would reduce the value of their homes. Every municipality must redouble their efforts to secure residents’ understanding of the need for the designation.
警戒区域などの指定は全国的にも遅れている。「指定されると不動産価値が下がる」といった住民の反対などが背景にある。各自治体は住民の理解を得るよう努めなければならない。
The calamity on Izu Oshima island should be taken as a warning by everyone living in the nation, which is highly susceptible to disasters.
伊豆大島の惨事は、災害列島に暮らす国民への警鐘でもある。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 18, 2013)
（2013年10月18日01時32分 読売新聞）
Why was no evacuation order issued in Izu Oshima downpours?
伊豆大島災害 なぜ避難を促さなかったのか（10月18日付・読売社説）
Were there no means of preventing a major calamity from occurring?
大惨事を防ぐ手だてはなかったのか。
Because of the extremely heavy rain that accompanied Typhoon No. 26, several communities on Tokyo’s Izu Oshima island were hit by debris flows. The disaster claimed the lives of 22 people and left many missing. The Metropolitan Police Department and other organizations concerned must do their utmost to locate and rescue the missing.
台風２６号に伴う豪雨で伊豆大島の集落が土石流に襲われた。死者２２人、行方不明者も多数に上っている。警視庁などは不明者の救出に全力を挙げてほしい。
On Tuesday evening, when the typhoon—reported to be the strongest in the last 10 years—was moving north toward the Japanese archipelago, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued heavy rain and mudslide alerts to the Oshima town government on Izu Oshima island.
１０年に１度とされる強い台風が日本の南海上を北上中の１５日夕、気象庁は大雨警報と土砂災害警戒情報を東京都大島町に出した。
The alerts, which call for caution regarding mudslides, are considered key information for municipalities involved to use for reference in issuing evacuation advisories or orders, but the Oshima Island municipal authorities issued neither.
土砂災害警戒情報は市町村が避難勧告や避難指示を発令する際の参考情報と位置付けられるが、町は発令しなかった。
The town mayor explained the lack of action was because an evacuation advisory could “lead to an increased number of people exposed to the threat of strong rain at night.”
「夜間で大雨の中、被害者を増やす恐れがあった」というのが町長の説明だ。
The rainfall on the island increased sharply shortly after midnight Tuesday. Precipitation in the three hours before dawn on Wednesday reached the second-highest levels in the recorded history of domestic weather. The mudslides occurred around the same time.
雨量は１６日午前０時過ぎから急増した。未明の３時間雨量は国内統計史上２番目の数値を観測し、その頃、土石流が発生した。
Any attempt to evacuate residents in the midst of the violent storm would certainly have been difficult. However, was it impossible for municipal authorities to warn people to get out of danger the previous day when the meteorological agency issued the alerts?
確かに、暴風雨の中での避難は難しかったろう。だが、警戒情報が出た前日のうちに避難を呼びかけることはできなかったのか。
Given that typhoon’s paths are predictable to some extent, there can be lead time to evacuate, unlike such events as tsunami or tornadoes. The town authorities should have taken adequate precautions by recognizing the danger earlier.
進路予想がある程度正確な台風の場合、津波や竜巻などに比べて事前の避難には時間的余裕があるだろう。町は危険を察知し、適切な対応を取るべきだった。
Beware of localized disaster
It is possible that the town’s decision-making process was hindered by the fact that both the mayor and deputy mayor of the town were away from the island on a business trip when the typhoon hit.
町長と副町長が出張で不在だったことが、町の意思決定に影響を及ぼした可能性もある。
On Izu Oshima island, there have been many debris flows, including those in the 1958 Kanogawa Typhoon, in which 18 people were killed or injured and 104 houses were destroyed or damaged. It is highly regrettable the lessons of the past calamities failed to be used effectively in the latest disaster to hit the island.
伊豆大島では、１９５８年の狩野川台風で１０４棟が全半壊し、１８人が死傷するなど、度々、土石流が発生している。過去の教訓が生かされなかったのは残念だ。
The meteorological agency, for its part, came short of issuing a special warning recently introduced for the purpose of calling for vigilance against the highest level of danger due to rainfall. That was because the rainfall on the island did not meet the requirements for issuing the warning that requires threshold-level precipitation across an extensive area, or an area encompassing most of a prefecture.
気象庁は今回、最大級の危険に対して警戒を呼びかけるために導入した特別警報を発しなかった。府県のほぼ全域など、広い範囲で危険が迫っているという基準を満たさなかったからだ。
Based on this criteria, there can be many cases in which a disaster on a remote island may be excluded from the special warnings. Studies must be done to review the standards of how a similar level of warning could be issued against localized dangers.
この基準では、離島の災害は特別警報の対象から外れるケースが多くなる。局所的な危険に対し、同レベルの注意喚起ができるよう基準の見直しを検討すべきだ。
Under the law for the prevention of sediment-related, each prefectural government is supposed to designate danger areas as caution zones. When the designation is made, city, town and village governments concerned are obliged to create and make public hazard maps.
土砂災害防止法上、都道府県は危険地域を警戒区域などに指定することになっている。指定されると、市町村は避難場所などを明示したハザードマップを作成・公表する責任を負う。
The Tokyo metropolitan government, however, has yet to embark on procedures to apply the disaster-prone area designation to islands under its jurisdiction, while the town government of Oshima has failed to make any hazard map covering mudslides.
しかし、都は島嶼(とうしょ)部での指定に着手しておらず、大島町は土砂災害を想定したハザードマップを作成していなかった。
Designation of caution zones has been delayed nationwide, for reasons including opposition from local residents who worry that such a designation would reduce the value of their homes. Every municipality must redouble their efforts to secure residents’ understanding of the need for the designation.
警戒区域などの指定は全国的にも遅れている。「指定されると不動産価値が下がる」といった住民の反対などが背景にある。各自治体は住民の理解を得るよう努めなければならない。
The calamity on Izu Oshima island should be taken as a warning by everyone living in the nation, which is highly susceptible to disasters.
伊豆大島の惨事は、災害列島に暮らす国民への警鐘でもある。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 18, 2013)
（2013年10月18日01時32分 読売新聞）
2013/10/19
新聞週間 真実を伝える役割これからも
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 17, 2013
Newspapers’ mission to tell the truth becoming ever more important
新聞週間 真実を伝える役割これからも（10月16日付・読売社説）
The duty of newspapers is to spread the truth, a task essential for honoring the people’s right to know. Sincerely taking this obligation to heart once again, we wish to continue our efforts to write articles that offer analyses from various viewpoints regarding daily events and affairs.
国民の「知る権利」に応え、真実を伝える。新聞の使命を改めてかみしめ、世の中の出来事に様々な角度から分析を加えた記事を、これからも数多く届けたい。
Newspaper Week started Tuesday. This year’s slogan for the week is “Itsuno-himo Shinjitsu-ni Mukiau Kiji-ga Aru” (Every day, there are news stories that pursue the facts). This catchphrase was written by a 17-year-old high school girl.
新聞週間が始まった。今年の代表標語は「いつの日も 真実に 向き合う記事がある」だ。１７歳の女子高校生の作品である。
Some reports by newspapers and other news organizations about the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 drew criticism for their stance on the disaster. Critics said the media did not provide a full picture of the unprecedented calamity. Two years and seven months after the catastrophe, the media is still the subject of argument regarding how they should gather and report the news.
２０１１年の東日本大震災後、新聞などの報道には、未曽有の大災害の全貌を伝え切れていないといった批判があった。２年７か月が経過した現在も、報道の在り方は問われ続けている。
A particularly important task facing the media is to think about how to report the current situation in Fukushima Prefecture, where a nuclear disaster struck in the wake of the quake-triggered tsunami. A large number of residents have been forced to evacuate for extended periods. Some evacuees have complained that giving interviews to the media has done little to improve the situation.
特に、原発事故の影響で、住民の避難生活が長期化している福島の現状をどう伝えるかは、大きな課題である。避難住民の中には「取材に応じても状況は変わらない」などの声がある。
Residents in disaster-hit areas face grave uncertainties about the future of their lives. With this in mind, the media must report news in a manner that would help rehabilitate these areas. This duty could be fulfilled, for example, through articles that provide food for thought about how to make steady progress in decontaminating disaster-affected areas and paying compensation to stricken people for their difficulties, a task that would help them get their lives back on the road to reconstruction.
被災地では、先行きの見えない不安が重くのしかかっている。除染や被害賠償を着実に進めながら、被災者の生活をどう再建していくのか。復興につながる報道が今こそ、必要とされている。
Still the most trusted source
According to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey taken in late September, 86 percent of respondents said newspaper reports can be trusted, an increase of six percentage points from a similar poll conducted a year earlier. The figure was comparable to a level recorded before the great earthquake.
読売新聞が先月末に実施した世論調査では、「新聞の報道を信頼できる」と答えた人は８６％だった。昨年より６ポイント上昇し、東日本大震災前の水準に戻った。
We feel the recovery of trust in newspapers indicates that the public granted the press renewed credit for its efforts to provide readers with accurate information based on news-gathering activities. Undoubtedly, browsing through Internet websites can afford anyone easy access to a huge amount of information. However, a considerable chunk of information available online is open to dispute over its credibility.
新聞の信頼性が回復したのは、取材に裏打ちされた正確な情報提供が再評価されたからではないか。インターネットを検索すれば、多くの情報にアクセスできる時代になったが、真偽が定かでないものも少なくない。
The latest Yomiuri survey included a multiple-response questionnaire regarding which medium respondents felt to be trustworthy in July’s House of Councillors election, for which the legal ban on Net-based campaigning was lifted. Only 2 percent of respondents cited such social media as Twitter and Facebook.
世論調査では、ネットを利用した選挙運動が解禁された７月の参院選で、「信頼できると思ったメディア」を複数回答で尋ねた。「ツイッターやフェイスブックなどのソーシャルメディア」と回答した人は２％にとどまった。
This compared with 59 percent for newspapers. The figure indicated the degree to which voters trust newspapers when it comes to election reporting.
これに対し、新聞は５９％に上った。選挙報道で有権者が新聞に寄せる信頼がうかがえる。
A sizable 89 percent of those surveyed said newspapers would be needed in the future, too. We believe this figure shows readers greatly count on newspapers as a means of credible news reporting.
「新聞は今後も必要だ」と答えた人は８９％に達している。読者の期待の大きさを感じる。
The newspaper industry has insisted the consumption tax rate for newspapers be set at a lower level than that to be imposed on other goods and services when the current 5 percent rate is increased. In some respects, newspapers can be regarded as public property.
新聞業界は、消費税率を低く抑える軽減税率を新聞に適用するよう求めている。新聞には公共財としての側面があるからだ。
Earlier, the Japan Newspapers Publishers and Editors Association asked a panel of experts to advance opinions about the issue. The committee put together a report that said, “Whether a reduced tax rate is applied [to newspapers] is a matter related to Japanese culture and the future of democratic government.”
日本新聞協会が諮問した有識者の研究会は、「軽減税率が適用されるかどうかは、日本の文化や民主政治の将来に関わる問題だ」とする意見書をまとめた。
Newspapers are tasked with uncovering the truth behind possible irregularities committed by the national and local governments while also pressing them to rectify any problems that emerge.
新聞は、国政や地方行政の不正を追及し、問題点の改善を迫る役割を担っている。
We are determined to live up to this obligation by improving the quality of our daily news gathering and reporting.
日々の報道を充実させ、責任を果たしていきたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 16, 2013)
（2013年10月16日01時32分 読売新聞）
Newspapers’ mission to tell the truth becoming ever more important
新聞週間 真実を伝える役割これからも（10月16日付・読売社説）
The duty of newspapers is to spread the truth, a task essential for honoring the people’s right to know. Sincerely taking this obligation to heart once again, we wish to continue our efforts to write articles that offer analyses from various viewpoints regarding daily events and affairs.
国民の「知る権利」に応え、真実を伝える。新聞の使命を改めてかみしめ、世の中の出来事に様々な角度から分析を加えた記事を、これからも数多く届けたい。
Newspaper Week started Tuesday. This year’s slogan for the week is “Itsuno-himo Shinjitsu-ni Mukiau Kiji-ga Aru” (Every day, there are news stories that pursue the facts). This catchphrase was written by a 17-year-old high school girl.
新聞週間が始まった。今年の代表標語は「いつの日も 真実に 向き合う記事がある」だ。１７歳の女子高校生の作品である。
Some reports by newspapers and other news organizations about the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 drew criticism for their stance on the disaster. Critics said the media did not provide a full picture of the unprecedented calamity. Two years and seven months after the catastrophe, the media is still the subject of argument regarding how they should gather and report the news.
２０１１年の東日本大震災後、新聞などの報道には、未曽有の大災害の全貌を伝え切れていないといった批判があった。２年７か月が経過した現在も、報道の在り方は問われ続けている。
A particularly important task facing the media is to think about how to report the current situation in Fukushima Prefecture, where a nuclear disaster struck in the wake of the quake-triggered tsunami. A large number of residents have been forced to evacuate for extended periods. Some evacuees have complained that giving interviews to the media has done little to improve the situation.
特に、原発事故の影響で、住民の避難生活が長期化している福島の現状をどう伝えるかは、大きな課題である。避難住民の中には「取材に応じても状況は変わらない」などの声がある。
Residents in disaster-hit areas face grave uncertainties about the future of their lives. With this in mind, the media must report news in a manner that would help rehabilitate these areas. This duty could be fulfilled, for example, through articles that provide food for thought about how to make steady progress in decontaminating disaster-affected areas and paying compensation to stricken people for their difficulties, a task that would help them get their lives back on the road to reconstruction.
被災地では、先行きの見えない不安が重くのしかかっている。除染や被害賠償を着実に進めながら、被災者の生活をどう再建していくのか。復興につながる報道が今こそ、必要とされている。
Still the most trusted source
According to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey taken in late September, 86 percent of respondents said newspaper reports can be trusted, an increase of six percentage points from a similar poll conducted a year earlier. The figure was comparable to a level recorded before the great earthquake.
読売新聞が先月末に実施した世論調査では、「新聞の報道を信頼できる」と答えた人は８６％だった。昨年より６ポイント上昇し、東日本大震災前の水準に戻った。
We feel the recovery of trust in newspapers indicates that the public granted the press renewed credit for its efforts to provide readers with accurate information based on news-gathering activities. Undoubtedly, browsing through Internet websites can afford anyone easy access to a huge amount of information. However, a considerable chunk of information available online is open to dispute over its credibility.
新聞の信頼性が回復したのは、取材に裏打ちされた正確な情報提供が再評価されたからではないか。インターネットを検索すれば、多くの情報にアクセスできる時代になったが、真偽が定かでないものも少なくない。
The latest Yomiuri survey included a multiple-response questionnaire regarding which medium respondents felt to be trustworthy in July’s House of Councillors election, for which the legal ban on Net-based campaigning was lifted. Only 2 percent of respondents cited such social media as Twitter and Facebook.
世論調査では、ネットを利用した選挙運動が解禁された７月の参院選で、「信頼できると思ったメディア」を複数回答で尋ねた。「ツイッターやフェイスブックなどのソーシャルメディア」と回答した人は２％にとどまった。
This compared with 59 percent for newspapers. The figure indicated the degree to which voters trust newspapers when it comes to election reporting.
これに対し、新聞は５９％に上った。選挙報道で有権者が新聞に寄せる信頼がうかがえる。
A sizable 89 percent of those surveyed said newspapers would be needed in the future, too. We believe this figure shows readers greatly count on newspapers as a means of credible news reporting.
「新聞は今後も必要だ」と答えた人は８９％に達している。読者の期待の大きさを感じる。
The newspaper industry has insisted the consumption tax rate for newspapers be set at a lower level than that to be imposed on other goods and services when the current 5 percent rate is increased. In some respects, newspapers can be regarded as public property.
新聞業界は、消費税率を低く抑える軽減税率を新聞に適用するよう求めている。新聞には公共財としての側面があるからだ。
Earlier, the Japan Newspapers Publishers and Editors Association asked a panel of experts to advance opinions about the issue. The committee put together a report that said, “Whether a reduced tax rate is applied [to newspapers] is a matter related to Japanese culture and the future of democratic government.”
日本新聞協会が諮問した有識者の研究会は、「軽減税率が適用されるかどうかは、日本の文化や民主政治の将来に関わる問題だ」とする意見書をまとめた。
Newspapers are tasked with uncovering the truth behind possible irregularities committed by the national and local governments while also pressing them to rectify any problems that emerge.
新聞は、国政や地方行政の不正を追及し、問題点の改善を迫る役割を担っている。
We are determined to live up to this obligation by improving the quality of our daily news gathering and reporting.
日々の報道を充実させ、責任を果たしていきたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 16, 2013)
（2013年10月16日01時32分 読売新聞）
2013/10/17
空き家問題 放置せず撤去・再活用したい
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 16, 2013
More must be done to turn abandoned houses into places to come home to
空き家問題 放置せず撤去・再活用したい（10月14日付・読売社説）
The central and local governments need to cooperate in working out how unoccupied or abandoned houses can be effectively used or removed.
放置された空き家の再活用や撤去をいかに進めるか。国と自治体が連携し、実効性ある対策を打ち出さねばならない。
The Liberal Democratic Party plans to submit to the extraordinary Diet session a bill concerning special measures for unoccupied, abandoned houses. As it is feared the number of these houses will increase in line with the nation’s graying population and low birthrate, the central government needs to take action to address the problem.
自民党は、臨時国会に空き家対策の特別措置法案を提出する方針だ。少子・高齢化とともに、空き家が増えることが懸念されており、政府が対策に乗り出すことは必要だろう。
According to an Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry survey, there are about 7.6 million unoccupied houses in Japan, accounting for 13 percent of the total number.
総務省の調査によると、全国の空き家は約７６０万戸に上り、住宅全体の１３％を占める。
These unoccupied and often dilapidated houses adversely impact their surrounding environments, and have generated problems not only in depopulating provincial areas but also in densely populated urban areas.
老朽化で周囲の環境に悪影響を及ぼす空き家の存在は、過疎化が進む地方だけでなく、都心の住宅密集地でも問題化している。
There have been cases in which houses are at risk of collapse or their exterior walls are in danger of toppling, or suspicious people frequently enter and leave such buildings, worsening public safety in the vicinity. A community must not be left to fend for itself if it feels ill at ease concerning local disaster management and crime prevention.
倒壊や外壁の落下が懸念されたり、不審者の出入りで治安を悪化させたりする例もある。防災や防犯面で地域に不安を与える状態は野放しにできない。
Dealing with unoccupied, abandoned houses has so far been mostly left to local governments. Some municipalities have established their own ordinances to urge owners of unoccupied houses to manage them properly or have them removed. However, some observers have pointed out that measures taken by prefectural or city, town and village governments alone will only have a limited effect.
空き家対策はこれまで、ほぼ自治体に任されてきた。一部の自治体は独自に条例を作り、管理や撤去を促しているが、県や市町村の対応だけでは限界があるという声も出ていた。
To improve this situation, the LDP plans to authorize governments of cities, towns and villages to enter the premises of unoccupied houses, and enable them to order owners of houses that endanger neighboring areas to repair or remove them.
こうした事態を改善するために自民党案では、市町村に空き家の敷地内に立ち入る権限を与え、特に危険な家の所有者には修繕や撤去を命令できるようにする。
Nevertheless, it will cost a considerable amount of money to tear down and remove buildings. The central government should refer to a public subsidy system adopted by some local governments.
とはいえ、撤去には相当の費用がかかる。一部自治体の補助制度なども参考にしたい。
Give rural areas a boost
It also has been pointed out that when an unoccupied house is torn down, thus emptying the lot, the tax burden on the land owner becomes heavier because they are no longer eligible for a reduced fixed asset tax, which is applied to a housing site.
空き家を壊して更地にすると、住宅用地に適用される固定資産税の軽減措置などが受けられなくなり、税負担が重くなる問題も指摘されている。
The LDP proposal likely will include a reduction in the fixed asset tax for building owners who tear down and remove these structures at their own initiative. It is hoped this would encourage owners of such buildings to take needed actions voluntarily.
自民党案には、所有者が自ら進んで建物を撤去した場合、固定資産税を軽減する措置が盛り込まれる方向だ。所有者の自発的な対応を促す効果が期待できよう。
In addition to the provision of the special law, it will become important for the government to make efforts to reuse unoccupied houses or plots of land made vacant in favorable locations.
特措法の整備に加え、立地条件に恵まれた空き家や跡地を再活用する取り組みも重要になる。
It would be a good idea to expand such projects as renovating unoccupied houses into rented houses or rented stores in urban areas, and leasing them at reasonable rates to low-income earners or people who want to start up a business.
都市部では、空き家を賃貸住宅や店舗に改装し、低所得者や開業希望者に安く貸し出す事業などを拡充するのも一案だ。
We hope that in underpopulated areas, a helping hand can be given to projects designed to reinvigorate the local economy by, for instance, helping people who want to move from urban areas to provincial areas find unoccupied houses.
過疎地では、地方への移住を希望する人たちに空き家を提供し、地域を活性化する事業に役立てるための工夫も凝らしてほしい。
An increasing number of local governments have created an online “vacant house bank,” through which the public can find information concerning empty houses in their areas and apply to rent them. The central government could do worse than to consider the possibility of expanding this into a nationwide service modeled on the examples already in operation.
空き家の情報をネット上で公開し、借り手を公募する「空き家バンク」制度を作る自治体も増えている。先行事例を参考に全国規模への拡大を検討してはどうか。
Some real estate agents and security agencies have started proxy services for managing vacant houses. Both the public and private sectors need to think long and hard about how to turn plans for these abandoned buildings into action.
不動産会社や警備会社が空き家を管理する代行ビジネスを始める例も出てきた。様々な空き家対策を実現するため、官民でさらに知恵を絞る必要がある。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 14, 2013)
（2013年10月14日01時53分 読売新聞）
More must be done to turn abandoned houses into places to come home to
空き家問題 放置せず撤去・再活用したい（10月14日付・読売社説）
The central and local governments need to cooperate in working out how unoccupied or abandoned houses can be effectively used or removed.
放置された空き家の再活用や撤去をいかに進めるか。国と自治体が連携し、実効性ある対策を打ち出さねばならない。
The Liberal Democratic Party plans to submit to the extraordinary Diet session a bill concerning special measures for unoccupied, abandoned houses. As it is feared the number of these houses will increase in line with the nation’s graying population and low birthrate, the central government needs to take action to address the problem.
自民党は、臨時国会に空き家対策の特別措置法案を提出する方針だ。少子・高齢化とともに、空き家が増えることが懸念されており、政府が対策に乗り出すことは必要だろう。
According to an Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry survey, there are about 7.6 million unoccupied houses in Japan, accounting for 13 percent of the total number.
総務省の調査によると、全国の空き家は約７６０万戸に上り、住宅全体の１３％を占める。
These unoccupied and often dilapidated houses adversely impact their surrounding environments, and have generated problems not only in depopulating provincial areas but also in densely populated urban areas.
老朽化で周囲の環境に悪影響を及ぼす空き家の存在は、過疎化が進む地方だけでなく、都心の住宅密集地でも問題化している。
There have been cases in which houses are at risk of collapse or their exterior walls are in danger of toppling, or suspicious people frequently enter and leave such buildings, worsening public safety in the vicinity. A community must not be left to fend for itself if it feels ill at ease concerning local disaster management and crime prevention.
倒壊や外壁の落下が懸念されたり、不審者の出入りで治安を悪化させたりする例もある。防災や防犯面で地域に不安を与える状態は野放しにできない。
Dealing with unoccupied, abandoned houses has so far been mostly left to local governments. Some municipalities have established their own ordinances to urge owners of unoccupied houses to manage them properly or have them removed. However, some observers have pointed out that measures taken by prefectural or city, town and village governments alone will only have a limited effect.
空き家対策はこれまで、ほぼ自治体に任されてきた。一部の自治体は独自に条例を作り、管理や撤去を促しているが、県や市町村の対応だけでは限界があるという声も出ていた。
To improve this situation, the LDP plans to authorize governments of cities, towns and villages to enter the premises of unoccupied houses, and enable them to order owners of houses that endanger neighboring areas to repair or remove them.
こうした事態を改善するために自民党案では、市町村に空き家の敷地内に立ち入る権限を与え、特に危険な家の所有者には修繕や撤去を命令できるようにする。
Nevertheless, it will cost a considerable amount of money to tear down and remove buildings. The central government should refer to a public subsidy system adopted by some local governments.
とはいえ、撤去には相当の費用がかかる。一部自治体の補助制度なども参考にしたい。
Give rural areas a boost
It also has been pointed out that when an unoccupied house is torn down, thus emptying the lot, the tax burden on the land owner becomes heavier because they are no longer eligible for a reduced fixed asset tax, which is applied to a housing site.
空き家を壊して更地にすると、住宅用地に適用される固定資産税の軽減措置などが受けられなくなり、税負担が重くなる問題も指摘されている。
The LDP proposal likely will include a reduction in the fixed asset tax for building owners who tear down and remove these structures at their own initiative. It is hoped this would encourage owners of such buildings to take needed actions voluntarily.
自民党案には、所有者が自ら進んで建物を撤去した場合、固定資産税を軽減する措置が盛り込まれる方向だ。所有者の自発的な対応を促す効果が期待できよう。
In addition to the provision of the special law, it will become important for the government to make efforts to reuse unoccupied houses or plots of land made vacant in favorable locations.
特措法の整備に加え、立地条件に恵まれた空き家や跡地を再活用する取り組みも重要になる。
It would be a good idea to expand such projects as renovating unoccupied houses into rented houses or rented stores in urban areas, and leasing them at reasonable rates to low-income earners or people who want to start up a business.
都市部では、空き家を賃貸住宅や店舗に改装し、低所得者や開業希望者に安く貸し出す事業などを拡充するのも一案だ。
We hope that in underpopulated areas, a helping hand can be given to projects designed to reinvigorate the local economy by, for instance, helping people who want to move from urban areas to provincial areas find unoccupied houses.
過疎地では、地方への移住を希望する人たちに空き家を提供し、地域を活性化する事業に役立てるための工夫も凝らしてほしい。
An increasing number of local governments have created an online “vacant house bank,” through which the public can find information concerning empty houses in their areas and apply to rent them. The central government could do worse than to consider the possibility of expanding this into a nationwide service modeled on the examples already in operation.
空き家の情報をネット上で公開し、借り手を公募する「空き家バンク」制度を作る自治体も増えている。先行事例を参考に全国規模への拡大を検討してはどうか。
Some real estate agents and security agencies have started proxy services for managing vacant houses. Both the public and private sectors need to think long and hard about how to turn plans for these abandoned buildings into action.
不動産会社や警備会社が空き家を管理する代行ビジネスを始める例も出てきた。様々な空き家対策を実現するため、官民でさらに知恵を絞る必要がある。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 14, 2013)
（2013年10月14日01時53分 読売新聞）
2013/10/16
香山リカのココロの万華鏡:時代のアンテナ ／東京
October 13, 2013(Mainichi Japan)
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: Psychiatry patients as the antennas of their time
香山リカのココロの万華鏡:時代のアンテナ ／東京
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe formally announced raising the consumption tax rate from 5 percent to 8 percent in April next year at a press conference on Oct. 1.
１０月１日に安倍晋三首相が記者会見で、消費税率を今の５％から８％に引き上げることを正式に発表した。
The following day I was responsible for outpatients. As I had expected, this topic was brought up several times in the consultation room. "I couldn't sleep last night," said one patient. "I'm flustered with anxiety," said another.
翌日の２日は外来担当日。予想通り、診察室でこの話題を取り上げて「昨夜は眠れなかった」「不安でドキドキします」と語る人が何人かいた。
I suspect some people may be dubious, "Becoming immediately anxious and losing sleep when the tax rise is not until April next year is surely an overreaction."
「引き上げは来年４月とまだ先なのに『昨日の今日』で早くも不眠や不安を訴えるなんて大げさな」と、いぶかしむ人もいそうだ。
But through the ages psychiatry patients have been regarded as antennas of their time, being very sensitive to social problems.
だが、昔から「精神科の患者さんは時代のアンテナ」などとも言われており、社会問題にとても敏感に反応しやすい。
There are those that become depressed or frightened just by seeing incidents or conflicts overseas that in reality have no direct effect on their lives, some people even develop illnesses. These people empathize with those suffering in distant countries, regardless if it has any effect on themselves, and feel the hardship and fear as if experiencing it firsthand.
中には、実際に自分の生活に直接関係のない海外の事件や紛争などを見るだけで恐怖や落ち込みを感じ、症状が悪化する人もいる。その人たちは自分にも影響が及ぶかどうかというよりも、遠い国で苦しんでいる人の気持ちを想像し、あたかも自分が経験したかのようにつらさや怖さを感じているのだ。
When I see people that empathize with events in faraway places, being instantly responsive to the news and worrying more than the average person, I always wonder if they are the ones with healthier minds.
このようにニュースにいち早く反応して、やや過剰に心配したり遠い国の出来事に心を痛めたりしている人たちを見ると、いつも思うことがある。それは「この人たちの心のほうがずっと健全なのでは」ということだ。
In today's society there is an abundance of incidents occurring both in Japan and abroad. Everything is uncertain and there is no one that can guarantee peace and prosperity in the next decade. The lives of people in disadvantaged positions especially have become harder over time. If someone sees incidents such as widespread disasters or terrorist acts and says, "It has nothing to do with me," or dismisses whatever is reported in the news, in reality isn't this a much less natural attitude? Perhaps these people turn off their reaction switch and become programmed for indifference.
今の社会、国内でも海外でもあまりにいろいろなことが起きる。何もかもが不安定で、１０年後の平和や繁栄を確約できる人など誰もいない。特に、弱い立場にいる人たちの生活はますます厳しいものになりつつある。そういう中で、どんな話題が報じられても「まあ大丈夫じゃないの」と気にしないとか、世界各地での痛ましい災害やテロなどを見ても「私には関係ない」と無視するというほうが、本当はかなり不自然な態度なのではないか。もしかすると、そういう人たちは何かを感じ取る心のスイッチを切ってしまっているから、そんなふうに無頓着を装えるだけなのかもしれない。
But as a psychiatrist I can't just say, "Your reaction is normal," to patients who find it more difficult to sleep after hearing news of a consumption tax increase.
とはいえ、精神科医としては「消費税引き上げと聞いて、ますます眠れなくなりました」と訴える人に、「それが正常な神経です」と何も手当てしないわけにはいかない。
The best I can do is to give the symptom a name such as insomnia and write out a prescription. But I'm always left with mixed feelings. Are they the ones who are "sick," or is it me? After all, I seem to turn off my reaction switch. "Consumption tax increases? Yet another contaminated water leak? Never mind about that for now," I think, pretend that everything is fine and get a good night's sleep.
「そうですか。じゃ、睡眠を促すクスリを処方しますね」と言って「不眠症」などと病名をつけ、処方箋を書くしかないのだが、いつも複雑な気持ちになる。本当に「病気」なのはどちらなのか。
もしかしたら、「消費税アップ？ また汚染水漏れ？ いや、考えない、考えない」と心のスイッチを切ってしまい、何事もなかったかのように安眠している私のほうなのではないだろうか。
(By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
毎日新聞 2013年10月08日 地方版
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: Psychiatry patients as the antennas of their time
香山リカのココロの万華鏡:時代のアンテナ ／東京
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe formally announced raising the consumption tax rate from 5 percent to 8 percent in April next year at a press conference on Oct. 1.
１０月１日に安倍晋三首相が記者会見で、消費税率を今の５％から８％に引き上げることを正式に発表した。
The following day I was responsible for outpatients. As I had expected, this topic was brought up several times in the consultation room. "I couldn't sleep last night," said one patient. "I'm flustered with anxiety," said another.
翌日の２日は外来担当日。予想通り、診察室でこの話題を取り上げて「昨夜は眠れなかった」「不安でドキドキします」と語る人が何人かいた。
I suspect some people may be dubious, "Becoming immediately anxious and losing sleep when the tax rise is not until April next year is surely an overreaction."
「引き上げは来年４月とまだ先なのに『昨日の今日』で早くも不眠や不安を訴えるなんて大げさな」と、いぶかしむ人もいそうだ。
But through the ages psychiatry patients have been regarded as antennas of their time, being very sensitive to social problems.
だが、昔から「精神科の患者さんは時代のアンテナ」などとも言われており、社会問題にとても敏感に反応しやすい。
There are those that become depressed or frightened just by seeing incidents or conflicts overseas that in reality have no direct effect on their lives, some people even develop illnesses. These people empathize with those suffering in distant countries, regardless if it has any effect on themselves, and feel the hardship and fear as if experiencing it firsthand.
中には、実際に自分の生活に直接関係のない海外の事件や紛争などを見るだけで恐怖や落ち込みを感じ、症状が悪化する人もいる。その人たちは自分にも影響が及ぶかどうかというよりも、遠い国で苦しんでいる人の気持ちを想像し、あたかも自分が経験したかのようにつらさや怖さを感じているのだ。
When I see people that empathize with events in faraway places, being instantly responsive to the news and worrying more than the average person, I always wonder if they are the ones with healthier minds.
このようにニュースにいち早く反応して、やや過剰に心配したり遠い国の出来事に心を痛めたりしている人たちを見ると、いつも思うことがある。それは「この人たちの心のほうがずっと健全なのでは」ということだ。
In today's society there is an abundance of incidents occurring both in Japan and abroad. Everything is uncertain and there is no one that can guarantee peace and prosperity in the next decade. The lives of people in disadvantaged positions especially have become harder over time. If someone sees incidents such as widespread disasters or terrorist acts and says, "It has nothing to do with me," or dismisses whatever is reported in the news, in reality isn't this a much less natural attitude? Perhaps these people turn off their reaction switch and become programmed for indifference.
今の社会、国内でも海外でもあまりにいろいろなことが起きる。何もかもが不安定で、１０年後の平和や繁栄を確約できる人など誰もいない。特に、弱い立場にいる人たちの生活はますます厳しいものになりつつある。そういう中で、どんな話題が報じられても「まあ大丈夫じゃないの」と気にしないとか、世界各地での痛ましい災害やテロなどを見ても「私には関係ない」と無視するというほうが、本当はかなり不自然な態度なのではないか。もしかすると、そういう人たちは何かを感じ取る心のスイッチを切ってしまっているから、そんなふうに無頓着を装えるだけなのかもしれない。
But as a psychiatrist I can't just say, "Your reaction is normal," to patients who find it more difficult to sleep after hearing news of a consumption tax increase.
とはいえ、精神科医としては「消費税引き上げと聞いて、ますます眠れなくなりました」と訴える人に、「それが正常な神経です」と何も手当てしないわけにはいかない。
The best I can do is to give the symptom a name such as insomnia and write out a prescription. But I'm always left with mixed feelings. Are they the ones who are "sick," or is it me? After all, I seem to turn off my reaction switch. "Consumption tax increases? Yet another contaminated water leak? Never mind about that for now," I think, pretend that everything is fine and get a good night's sleep.
「そうですか。じゃ、睡眠を促すクスリを処方しますね」と言って「不眠症」などと病名をつけ、処方箋を書くしかないのだが、いつも複雑な気持ちになる。本当に「病気」なのはどちらなのか。
もしかしたら、「消費税アップ？ また汚染水漏れ？ いや、考えない、考えない」と心のスイッチを切ってしまい、何事もなかったかのように安眠している私のほうなのではないだろうか。
(By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
毎日新聞 2013年10月08日 地方版
2013/10/15
受刑者の選挙権 「制限は違憲」には疑問が多い
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 14, 2013
Is denying prison inmates the right to vote really unconstitutional?
受刑者の選挙権 「制限は違憲」には疑問が多い（10月13日付・読売社説）
Will the public agree to recognize the right of prisoners, who committed crimes and are serving time, to vote in a public election?
罪を犯し、服役している受刑者に選挙権を認めることに、国民の合意は得られるのだろうか。
The Osaka High Court recently judged that Article 11 of the Public Offices Election Law, which restricts the right to vote for prisoners across the board, violates the Constitution, which guarantees equal voting rights for every adult. The ruling was finalized, but we cannot completely agree with the result.
受刑者の選挙権を一律に制限した公職選挙法１１条の規定について、大阪高裁が、平等な選挙権を保障した憲法に違反するとの判断を示し、判決はそのまま確定した。何とも釈然としない結末である。
According to the intent and purpose of the Constitution, restrictions on suffrage cannot be permitted without unavoidable reasons except for people who violated the election law, the high court said.
高裁判決は、「憲法の趣旨からすれば、選挙違反以外の者に対しては、やむを得ない事由がない限り、選挙権を制限することは許されない」と指摘している。
“Just being a prisoner does not necessarily mean a person grossly lacks a law-abiding spirit,” the court said in its ruling. “It is not certain that there are unavoidable reasons” for stripping inmates of their voting rights.
「単に受刑者というだけで、著しく順法精神に欠けるとは言えない」とも言及し、受刑者の選挙権を奪うことについて、「やむを得ない事由があるとは言えない」と結論付けた。
Of course, the right to vote is an important right held by citizens of Japan.
無論、選挙権は国民が有する大切な権利である。
However, restrictions on inmates’ voting rights tend to be considered a legal repercussion resulting from a criminal punishment because Japan has adopted a penalty system that confines inmates in prisons and deprives them of their freedom to protect society.
一方で、社会防衛上、受刑者を服役させ、自由を奪う自由刑を採用している日本では、選挙権の制限は、刑罰の法的効果の一つとして捉える傾向が強い。
Even the high court recognized that the concept on which its latest ruling is based has not yet become a prevailing theory among legal scholars.
今回の判決も、「違憲」との考え方が学説上の通説になっていないことを認めている。
The Supreme Court judged in 2005 that restrictions the election law places on suffrage for Japanese living overseas are unconstitutional. In March this year, the Tokyo District Court ruled that a provision restricting voting rights for mentally handicapped and other adults under guardianship is unconstitutional.
公選法を巡っては、最高裁が２００５年、海外に住む日本人の選挙権の制限を違憲と判断した。今年３月には、東京地裁が、知的障害者ら成年被後見人の選挙権を制限する規定を違憲とした。
Questionable judgment
The high court’s latest ruling adheres to the Supreme Court ruling in 2005. However, we think it is unreasonable to consider voting rights of prisoners serving a punishment under the same framework as voting rights of Japanese expats.
大阪高裁は、０５年最高裁判決の考え方を踏襲したが、刑罰を科された受刑者の選挙権を、在外邦人と同じ枠組みで判断するのは、無理があると言えよう。
Meanwhile, the high court said it was unclear whether the election law’s provision was unconstitutional when the law was implemented in 1950.
そもそも、大阪高裁判決は、公選法の規定について、１９５０年の施行当時には「違憲であることが明白だったとは言えない」との見解を示した。
However, the ruling did not clarify what has made the provision apparently unconstitutional now. We can only say that the ruling lacks persuasiveness.
だが、その規定がどのような事情で明白に違憲となったのか、判決は示していない。説得力を欠くと言わざるを得ない。
The high court dismissed the plaintiff’s appeal and consequently the state won the case, so the state could not appeal to a higher court. But we think this raises more questions.
今回、訴訟自体は国の勝訴だったため、国側が上告できなかったことにも疑問が残る。
The plaintiff lost the case because the high court said his demand for a legal status that enables him to vote is unlawful because he has finished serving his sentence. If his demand is unlawful, we wonder if the court really needed to make a constitutional judgment at all.
原告の男性は服役を終えており、「投票できる地位を求める訴えは不適法」というのが、原告敗訴の理由だ。訴えが不適法であるなら、憲法判断にまで踏み込む必要があったのだろうか。
Consequently, the court’s ruling will have wings. The plaintiff’s side intends to accept the ruling but demand the election law be revised. The government should handle this matter very carefully.
結果として、違憲判断が独り歩きする。原告側は判決を受けて公選法改正を求める方針だが、政府は慎重に対応すべきだ。
We believe that important judgments on the Constitution should in principle be left to the Supreme Court because its rulings have binding power as judicial precedents.
本来、重要な憲法判断は、判決が判例として拘束力を持つ最高裁に委ねるのが筋である。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 13, 2013)
（2013年10月13日01時34分 読売新聞）
Is denying prison inmates the right to vote really unconstitutional?
受刑者の選挙権 「制限は違憲」には疑問が多い（10月13日付・読売社説）
Will the public agree to recognize the right of prisoners, who committed crimes and are serving time, to vote in a public election?
罪を犯し、服役している受刑者に選挙権を認めることに、国民の合意は得られるのだろうか。
The Osaka High Court recently judged that Article 11 of the Public Offices Election Law, which restricts the right to vote for prisoners across the board, violates the Constitution, which guarantees equal voting rights for every adult. The ruling was finalized, but we cannot completely agree with the result.
受刑者の選挙権を一律に制限した公職選挙法１１条の規定について、大阪高裁が、平等な選挙権を保障した憲法に違反するとの判断を示し、判決はそのまま確定した。何とも釈然としない結末である。
According to the intent and purpose of the Constitution, restrictions on suffrage cannot be permitted without unavoidable reasons except for people who violated the election law, the high court said.
高裁判決は、「憲法の趣旨からすれば、選挙違反以外の者に対しては、やむを得ない事由がない限り、選挙権を制限することは許されない」と指摘している。
“Just being a prisoner does not necessarily mean a person grossly lacks a law-abiding spirit,” the court said in its ruling. “It is not certain that there are unavoidable reasons” for stripping inmates of their voting rights.
「単に受刑者というだけで、著しく順法精神に欠けるとは言えない」とも言及し、受刑者の選挙権を奪うことについて、「やむを得ない事由があるとは言えない」と結論付けた。
Of course, the right to vote is an important right held by citizens of Japan.
無論、選挙権は国民が有する大切な権利である。
However, restrictions on inmates’ voting rights tend to be considered a legal repercussion resulting from a criminal punishment because Japan has adopted a penalty system that confines inmates in prisons and deprives them of their freedom to protect society.
一方で、社会防衛上、受刑者を服役させ、自由を奪う自由刑を採用している日本では、選挙権の制限は、刑罰の法的効果の一つとして捉える傾向が強い。
Even the high court recognized that the concept on which its latest ruling is based has not yet become a prevailing theory among legal scholars.
今回の判決も、「違憲」との考え方が学説上の通説になっていないことを認めている。
The Supreme Court judged in 2005 that restrictions the election law places on suffrage for Japanese living overseas are unconstitutional. In March this year, the Tokyo District Court ruled that a provision restricting voting rights for mentally handicapped and other adults under guardianship is unconstitutional.
公選法を巡っては、最高裁が２００５年、海外に住む日本人の選挙権の制限を違憲と判断した。今年３月には、東京地裁が、知的障害者ら成年被後見人の選挙権を制限する規定を違憲とした。
Questionable judgment
The high court’s latest ruling adheres to the Supreme Court ruling in 2005. However, we think it is unreasonable to consider voting rights of prisoners serving a punishment under the same framework as voting rights of Japanese expats.
大阪高裁は、０５年最高裁判決の考え方を踏襲したが、刑罰を科された受刑者の選挙権を、在外邦人と同じ枠組みで判断するのは、無理があると言えよう。
Meanwhile, the high court said it was unclear whether the election law’s provision was unconstitutional when the law was implemented in 1950.
そもそも、大阪高裁判決は、公選法の規定について、１９５０年の施行当時には「違憲であることが明白だったとは言えない」との見解を示した。
However, the ruling did not clarify what has made the provision apparently unconstitutional now. We can only say that the ruling lacks persuasiveness.
だが、その規定がどのような事情で明白に違憲となったのか、判決は示していない。説得力を欠くと言わざるを得ない。
The high court dismissed the plaintiff’s appeal and consequently the state won the case, so the state could not appeal to a higher court. But we think this raises more questions.
今回、訴訟自体は国の勝訴だったため、国側が上告できなかったことにも疑問が残る。
The plaintiff lost the case because the high court said his demand for a legal status that enables him to vote is unlawful because he has finished serving his sentence. If his demand is unlawful, we wonder if the court really needed to make a constitutional judgment at all.
原告の男性は服役を終えており、「投票できる地位を求める訴えは不適法」というのが、原告敗訴の理由だ。訴えが不適法であるなら、憲法判断にまで踏み込む必要があったのだろうか。
Consequently, the court’s ruling will have wings. The plaintiff’s side intends to accept the ruling but demand the election law be revised. The government should handle this matter very carefully.
結果として、違憲判断が独り歩きする。原告側は判決を受けて公選法改正を求める方針だが、政府は慎重に対応すべきだ。
We believe that important judgments on the Constitution should in principle be left to the Supreme Court because its rulings have binding power as judicial precedents.
本来、重要な憲法判断は、判決が判例として拘束力を持つ最高裁に委ねるのが筋である。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 13, 2013)
（2013年10月13日01時34分 読売新聞）
2013/10/14
ストーカー殺人 見過ごせない警察の連携不足
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 13, 2013
Lack of police cooperation partly to blame for stalking-murder case
ストーカー殺人 見過ごせない警察の連携不足（10月12日付・読売社説）
Another outrageous stalking-murder has occurred.
またも悲惨なストーカー殺人が起きた。
Why wasn’t such a terrible incident prevented? Police must thoroughly investigate their handling of the case.
最悪の事態を防げなかったのか。警察は徹底検証せねばならない。
A third-year female student at a private high school in Mitaka, Tokyo, was stabbed to death Tuesday and a 21-year-old Kyoto man she had previously dated was arrested later in the day.
東京都三鷹市で私立高校３年の女子生徒が８日に刺殺され、京都市在住の元交際相手の男が逮捕された。
The girl had refused to see him any longer. She had rejected his mobile phone calls and e-mails since June. But after the man appeared in the vicinity of her home early this month, her homeroom teacher called Suginami Police Station of the Metropolitan Police Department, which is near her school, to request countermeasures on Oct. 4.
女子生徒は、かつて付き合っていた男との交際を拒んでいた。６月からは電話やメールの着信も拒否していた。だが、今月に入り、自宅付近に男が姿を見せたため、担任教諭が４日、高校に近い警視庁杉並署に対処法を相談した。
The problem was that the station failed to adequately listen. Its response was simply to recommend that the teacher contact the Mitaka Police Station, which has jurisdiction over the area where the girl lived. The girl and her parents visited the Mitaka station four days later—and she was killed later the same day.
問題なのは、被害内容を詳しく聞き取らなかった杉並署の対応だ。女子生徒宅を管轄する三鷹署への相談を勧めただけだった。女子生徒は４日後、三鷹署に相談したが、その日に殺害された。
Suginami Police Station displayed a lack of concern for a case that happened outside its jurisdiction. If it had communicated with Mitaka Police Station immediately, the outcome could have been different.
杉並署は、管轄外で起きた事案への当事者意識を持てなかったのではないか。即座に三鷹署に連絡していたら、展開は違っていた可能性もある。
A question also arises as to whether the Mitaka station responded adequately. Just one police officer handled the case for half a day from when the girl visited until the time of her murder.
三鷹署の対応も十分だったのだろうか。女子生徒の相談を受けてから、事件発生までの半日間、担当者が１人で対処した。
If the station had carefully arranged safety measures such as patrolling around her home, vigilant to the fact that stalker cases tend to involve abrupt turns and twists, perhaps the murder could have been prevented.
ストーカー事件は急展開しやすいという危機感を持ち、女子生徒宅の周辺をパトロールするなど、手厚い態勢を取っていれば、事件を防ぐ余地もあっただろう。
Lessons not learned
In a stalker case two years ago in Nagasaki Prefecture, two family members of the stalking victim were killed even after help was sought from the Chiba, Nagasaki and Mie prefectural police, all of whom failed to share information on the case.
２年前に長崎県で起きたストーカー事件では、千葉、長崎、三重の３県警が情報を共有せず、相談をたらい回しにした結果、被害女性の家族２人が殺害された。
Based on that bitter experience, in which a response was delayed due to the involvement of police from different jurisdictions, the National Police Agency directed police stations nationwide to take quick action and thorough measures to protect stalking victims who seek help.
複数の県警が絡んで対処が遅れた苦い経験から、警察庁は、迅速な対応や被害者保護の徹底を全国の警察に指示した。
A revision to the Anti-Stalker Law was enforced on Oct. 3, enabling police and public safety commissions from outside a victim’s area of residence to issue warnings and stay-away orders to a suspected stalker.
ストーカー規制法も、被害者の居住地以外の警察や公安委員会でも警告・禁止命令を出せるように改正され、今月３日に施行されたばかりだった。
But the measures devised from lessons learned from the Nagasaki incident failed to meet their purpose this time. On the contrary, even two police stations that were both in Tokyo failed to communicate with each other this time.
しかし、長崎の事件を教訓にしたこうした対策の趣旨は生かされなかった。それどころか、今回は都内の警察署同士でさえ速やかに連携できなかった。
The MPD must profoundly consider the magnitude of the consequences.
招いた結果の重大性を警視庁は深刻に受け止めねばならない。
The number of stalking victims has soared. Nearly 20,000 stalking cases were confirmed by police last year alone. Dealing with stalkers is an increasingly important police duty.
ストーカー被害は増加傾向にある。警察が昨年１年間に把握しただけでも２万件近くに上る。警察の職務の中で、ストーカー対策は重要性を増している。
Most of the offenders are said to stop stalking and other acts following police intervention.
大半の加害者は警察の介入でつきまといなどをやめるという。
What is the best way to contact offenders and protect victims? We suggest nationwide police organizations comprehensively study past cases to devise stalking countermeasures.
いかにして加害者に接触し、被害者を保護するか。全国の警察が事例を持ち寄り、対処方法を練り上げてもらいたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 12, 2013)
（2013年10月12日01時39分 読売新聞）
Lack of police cooperation partly to blame for stalking-murder case
ストーカー殺人 見過ごせない警察の連携不足（10月12日付・読売社説）
Another outrageous stalking-murder has occurred.
またも悲惨なストーカー殺人が起きた。
Why wasn’t such a terrible incident prevented? Police must thoroughly investigate their handling of the case.
最悪の事態を防げなかったのか。警察は徹底検証せねばならない。
A third-year female student at a private high school in Mitaka, Tokyo, was stabbed to death Tuesday and a 21-year-old Kyoto man she had previously dated was arrested later in the day.
東京都三鷹市で私立高校３年の女子生徒が８日に刺殺され、京都市在住の元交際相手の男が逮捕された。
The girl had refused to see him any longer. She had rejected his mobile phone calls and e-mails since June. But after the man appeared in the vicinity of her home early this month, her homeroom teacher called Suginami Police Station of the Metropolitan Police Department, which is near her school, to request countermeasures on Oct. 4.
女子生徒は、かつて付き合っていた男との交際を拒んでいた。６月からは電話やメールの着信も拒否していた。だが、今月に入り、自宅付近に男が姿を見せたため、担任教諭が４日、高校に近い警視庁杉並署に対処法を相談した。
The problem was that the station failed to adequately listen. Its response was simply to recommend that the teacher contact the Mitaka Police Station, which has jurisdiction over the area where the girl lived. The girl and her parents visited the Mitaka station four days later—and she was killed later the same day.
問題なのは、被害内容を詳しく聞き取らなかった杉並署の対応だ。女子生徒宅を管轄する三鷹署への相談を勧めただけだった。女子生徒は４日後、三鷹署に相談したが、その日に殺害された。
Suginami Police Station displayed a lack of concern for a case that happened outside its jurisdiction. If it had communicated with Mitaka Police Station immediately, the outcome could have been different.
杉並署は、管轄外で起きた事案への当事者意識を持てなかったのではないか。即座に三鷹署に連絡していたら、展開は違っていた可能性もある。
A question also arises as to whether the Mitaka station responded adequately. Just one police officer handled the case for half a day from when the girl visited until the time of her murder.
三鷹署の対応も十分だったのだろうか。女子生徒の相談を受けてから、事件発生までの半日間、担当者が１人で対処した。
If the station had carefully arranged safety measures such as patrolling around her home, vigilant to the fact that stalker cases tend to involve abrupt turns and twists, perhaps the murder could have been prevented.
ストーカー事件は急展開しやすいという危機感を持ち、女子生徒宅の周辺をパトロールするなど、手厚い態勢を取っていれば、事件を防ぐ余地もあっただろう。
Lessons not learned
In a stalker case two years ago in Nagasaki Prefecture, two family members of the stalking victim were killed even after help was sought from the Chiba, Nagasaki and Mie prefectural police, all of whom failed to share information on the case.
２年前に長崎県で起きたストーカー事件では、千葉、長崎、三重の３県警が情報を共有せず、相談をたらい回しにした結果、被害女性の家族２人が殺害された。
Based on that bitter experience, in which a response was delayed due to the involvement of police from different jurisdictions, the National Police Agency directed police stations nationwide to take quick action and thorough measures to protect stalking victims who seek help.
複数の県警が絡んで対処が遅れた苦い経験から、警察庁は、迅速な対応や被害者保護の徹底を全国の警察に指示した。
A revision to the Anti-Stalker Law was enforced on Oct. 3, enabling police and public safety commissions from outside a victim’s area of residence to issue warnings and stay-away orders to a suspected stalker.
ストーカー規制法も、被害者の居住地以外の警察や公安委員会でも警告・禁止命令を出せるように改正され、今月３日に施行されたばかりだった。
But the measures devised from lessons learned from the Nagasaki incident failed to meet their purpose this time. On the contrary, even two police stations that were both in Tokyo failed to communicate with each other this time.
しかし、長崎の事件を教訓にしたこうした対策の趣旨は生かされなかった。それどころか、今回は都内の警察署同士でさえ速やかに連携できなかった。
The MPD must profoundly consider the magnitude of the consequences.
招いた結果の重大性を警視庁は深刻に受け止めねばならない。
The number of stalking victims has soared. Nearly 20,000 stalking cases were confirmed by police last year alone. Dealing with stalkers is an increasingly important police duty.
ストーカー被害は増加傾向にある。警察が昨年１年間に把握しただけでも２万件近くに上る。警察の職務の中で、ストーカー対策は重要性を増している。
Most of the offenders are said to stop stalking and other acts following police intervention.
大半の加害者は警察の介入でつきまといなどをやめるという。
What is the best way to contact offenders and protect victims? We suggest nationwide police organizations comprehensively study past cases to devise stalking countermeasures.
いかにして加害者に接触し、被害者を保護するか。全国の警察が事例を持ち寄り、対処方法を練り上げてもらいたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 12, 2013)
（2013年10月12日01時39分 読売新聞）
2013/10/13
水俣条約採択 「脱水銀」へ日本の教訓生かせ
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 12, 2013
U.N. Minamata convention must lead to world free of mercury poisoning
水俣条約採択 「脱水銀」へ日本の教訓生かせ（10月11日付・読売社説）
By learning important and serious lessons from Minamata disease, considered a historic example of a tragedy caused by environmental pollution, efforts must be made to effectively stem mercury contamination from spreading worldwide.
公害の原点である水俣病を教訓に、世界的な水銀汚染の広がりを食い止めねばならない。
The Minamata Convention on Mercury of the United Nations was adopted Thursday in an international council in Kumamoto, with delegates from about 140 countries and territories participating. The name Minamata was used for the landmark treaty at the initiative of the Japanese government.
「水銀に関する水俣条約」が、約１４０の国・地域が参加した熊本市での国際会議で採択された。日本政府の提案で、条約名に「水俣」が用いられた。
The U.N. Environment Program, which sponsored the conference, aims to have the pact take effect from 2016. The treaty bans in principle the manufacturing, export and import of products containing mercury, starting from 2020.
会議を主催した国連環境計画は２０１６年の発効を目指す。
水銀含有製品の製造や輸出入を２０年以降、原則として禁止する。
When a coal-fired thermal power plant is newly built that emits mercury in the process of combustion for power generation, the plant operator will be obliged under the treaty to introduce the best possible technology available to curb mercury emissions into the environment. The pact also includes such regulations as banning development of new mercury mines.
燃焼時に水銀を排出する石炭火力発電所を新設する際には、排出抑制装置を導入する。新規の水銀鉱山の開発を禁じる――。条約はこうした内容を盛り込んだ。
This is definitely a major step forward for the realization of a “world free of mercury.”
「脱水銀」へ大きな一歩だ。
Mercury has been used broadly in the production of goods familiar in our daily lives, such as batteries, thermometers and fluorescent lamps.
水銀は、電池や体温計、蛍光灯など身近な製品に使われてきた。
Japanese manufacturers have addressed the task of regulating the use of mercury ahead of many other countries, but there has been little progress on curbing the use of mercury in emerging and developing countries.
日本のメーカーは、いち早く水銀の使用規制に取り組んだが、新興国・途上国では進んでいない。
When discharged into the atmosphere, sea and rivers, mercury accumulates in living creatures’ bodies. Those who eat large quantities of mercury-contaminated fish and shellfish are in danger of developing poisoning symptoms like those of Minamata disease.
水銀が大気中や海、河川に排出されると、生物内に蓄積される。汚染された魚介類などを人間が大量に食べると、水俣病のような中毒症状を引き起こす。
China the largest emitter
The quantity of mercury being emitted into the atmosphere due to industrial activities and other causes is estimated at about 2,000 tons a year worldwide.
産業活動などで大気中へ排出される水銀は、年約２０００トンに上る。
It is a matter of urgency to cut back on mercury emissions to prevent health hazards that are a menace across national borders.
国境を超えた健康被害を防ぐには、排出削減が急務である。
Topping the list of mercury emissions by industry are small-scale gold mines, many of which are in developing countries. They consume mercury in the process of extracting gold from ores.
最も大量に排出しているのは、途上国に多い小規模の金採掘現場だ。鉱石から金を取り出すために水銀が使われている。
Mercury is indispensable for people who earn their living through gold-mining operations. In light of this, the international treaty falls short of prohibiting the use of mercury for mining purposes, calling instead for efforts to reduce its use.
金採掘で生計を立てる人々にとって、水銀は欠かせない。条約でも、採掘での使用については、禁止でなく、削減にとどまった。
How can support be given to developing nations that can hardly afford to fund projects for environmental conservation? This problem must be addressed if the Minamata convention is to be made truly effective and viable.
環境対策にまで手が回らない途上国をどう支援していくのか。条約を実効性あるものにするには、避けて通れない課題である。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed the Japanese government’s intention to earmark a total of $2 billion (about ¥200 billion) in aid to developing nations’ environmental measures projects in three years from 2014.
安倍首相は、途上国の環境対策費として、１４年からの３年間で２０億ドル（約２０００億円）の支援を表明した。
It is of great significance that Japan, aiming to prevent a recurrence of the tragedy of the widespread damage from Minamata disease that resulted from delays in responding to the problem, is now contributing to preventing mercury contamination around the world.
対応の遅れが被害拡大を招いた水俣病の悲劇を繰り返さないため、日本が世界の水銀汚染防止に貢献する意義は大きい。
Countermeasures against thermal power generation using coal containing mercury are also a key issue. In particular, China, which is the world’s largest discharger of mercury, must proactively tackle the challenge of phasing out mercury emissions.
水銀を含む石炭による火力発電の対策も重要だ。特に、世界一の水銀排出国の中国には、積極的な取り組みが求められる。
An outbreak of Minamata disease has been confirmed in watershed regions of some river systems in China. China appears poised to ratify the convention, seemingly with the aim of obtaining technological support from industrially advanced countries to reduce mercury emissions.
中国では河川流域で水俣病の発生も確認されている。今回、中国が条約を批准する見通しなのは、先進国から排出削減の技術支援を得る狙いもあるのだろう。
In the wake of the treaty’s adoption, Japan must take measures to respond to the fact that mercury has been recycled domestically from used products, mainly those produced abroad, for export to other Asian countries and elsewhere.
条約採択により、日本も対応を迫られる。国内では使用済みの海外製品などから水銀がリサイクルされ、アジア諸国などに輸出されている。
When the pact takes effect, however, it will be required to store the mercury domestically.
だが、条約発効後は国内保管が必要となる。
Taking this into account, building a system to safely manage spent mercury is certain to become a pressing task.
安全な管理体制の構築が欠かせない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 11, 2013)
（2013年10月11日01時38分 読売新聞）
U.N. Minamata convention must lead to world free of mercury poisoning
水俣条約採択 「脱水銀」へ日本の教訓生かせ（10月11日付・読売社説）
By learning important and serious lessons from Minamata disease, considered a historic example of a tragedy caused by environmental pollution, efforts must be made to effectively stem mercury contamination from spreading worldwide.
公害の原点である水俣病を教訓に、世界的な水銀汚染の広がりを食い止めねばならない。
The Minamata Convention on Mercury of the United Nations was adopted Thursday in an international council in Kumamoto, with delegates from about 140 countries and territories participating. The name Minamata was used for the landmark treaty at the initiative of the Japanese government.
「水銀に関する水俣条約」が、約１４０の国・地域が参加した熊本市での国際会議で採択された。日本政府の提案で、条約名に「水俣」が用いられた。
The U.N. Environment Program, which sponsored the conference, aims to have the pact take effect from 2016. The treaty bans in principle the manufacturing, export and import of products containing mercury, starting from 2020.
会議を主催した国連環境計画は２０１６年の発効を目指す。
水銀含有製品の製造や輸出入を２０年以降、原則として禁止する。
When a coal-fired thermal power plant is newly built that emits mercury in the process of combustion for power generation, the plant operator will be obliged under the treaty to introduce the best possible technology available to curb mercury emissions into the environment. The pact also includes such regulations as banning development of new mercury mines.
燃焼時に水銀を排出する石炭火力発電所を新設する際には、排出抑制装置を導入する。新規の水銀鉱山の開発を禁じる――。条約はこうした内容を盛り込んだ。
This is definitely a major step forward for the realization of a “world free of mercury.”
「脱水銀」へ大きな一歩だ。
Mercury has been used broadly in the production of goods familiar in our daily lives, such as batteries, thermometers and fluorescent lamps.
水銀は、電池や体温計、蛍光灯など身近な製品に使われてきた。
Japanese manufacturers have addressed the task of regulating the use of mercury ahead of many other countries, but there has been little progress on curbing the use of mercury in emerging and developing countries.
日本のメーカーは、いち早く水銀の使用規制に取り組んだが、新興国・途上国では進んでいない。
When discharged into the atmosphere, sea and rivers, mercury accumulates in living creatures’ bodies. Those who eat large quantities of mercury-contaminated fish and shellfish are in danger of developing poisoning symptoms like those of Minamata disease.
水銀が大気中や海、河川に排出されると、生物内に蓄積される。汚染された魚介類などを人間が大量に食べると、水俣病のような中毒症状を引き起こす。
China the largest emitter
The quantity of mercury being emitted into the atmosphere due to industrial activities and other causes is estimated at about 2,000 tons a year worldwide.
産業活動などで大気中へ排出される水銀は、年約２０００トンに上る。
It is a matter of urgency to cut back on mercury emissions to prevent health hazards that are a menace across national borders.
国境を超えた健康被害を防ぐには、排出削減が急務である。
Topping the list of mercury emissions by industry are small-scale gold mines, many of which are in developing countries. They consume mercury in the process of extracting gold from ores.
最も大量に排出しているのは、途上国に多い小規模の金採掘現場だ。鉱石から金を取り出すために水銀が使われている。
Mercury is indispensable for people who earn their living through gold-mining operations. In light of this, the international treaty falls short of prohibiting the use of mercury for mining purposes, calling instead for efforts to reduce its use.
金採掘で生計を立てる人々にとって、水銀は欠かせない。条約でも、採掘での使用については、禁止でなく、削減にとどまった。
How can support be given to developing nations that can hardly afford to fund projects for environmental conservation? This problem must be addressed if the Minamata convention is to be made truly effective and viable.
環境対策にまで手が回らない途上国をどう支援していくのか。条約を実効性あるものにするには、避けて通れない課題である。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed the Japanese government’s intention to earmark a total of $2 billion (about ¥200 billion) in aid to developing nations’ environmental measures projects in three years from 2014.
安倍首相は、途上国の環境対策費として、１４年からの３年間で２０億ドル（約２０００億円）の支援を表明した。
It is of great significance that Japan, aiming to prevent a recurrence of the tragedy of the widespread damage from Minamata disease that resulted from delays in responding to the problem, is now contributing to preventing mercury contamination around the world.
対応の遅れが被害拡大を招いた水俣病の悲劇を繰り返さないため、日本が世界の水銀汚染防止に貢献する意義は大きい。
Countermeasures against thermal power generation using coal containing mercury are also a key issue. In particular, China, which is the world’s largest discharger of mercury, must proactively tackle the challenge of phasing out mercury emissions.
水銀を含む石炭による火力発電の対策も重要だ。特に、世界一の水銀排出国の中国には、積極的な取り組みが求められる。
An outbreak of Minamata disease has been confirmed in watershed regions of some river systems in China. China appears poised to ratify the convention, seemingly with the aim of obtaining technological support from industrially advanced countries to reduce mercury emissions.
中国では河川流域で水俣病の発生も確認されている。今回、中国が条約を批准する見通しなのは、先進国から排出削減の技術支援を得る狙いもあるのだろう。
In the wake of the treaty’s adoption, Japan must take measures to respond to the fact that mercury has been recycled domestically from used products, mainly those produced abroad, for export to other Asian countries and elsewhere.
条約採択により、日本も対応を迫られる。国内では使用済みの海外製品などから水銀がリサイクルされ、アジア諸国などに輸出されている。
When the pact takes effect, however, it will be required to store the mercury domestically.
だが、条約発効後は国内保管が必要となる。
Taking this into account, building a system to safely manage spent mercury is certain to become a pressing task.
安全な管理体制の構築が欠かせない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 11, 2013)
（2013年10月11日01時38分 読売新聞）
2013/10/12
介護保険制度 高齢者も応分の負担が必要だ
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 11, 2013
Elderly also need to shoulder fair burden of nursing care cost
介護保険制度 高齢者も応分の負担が必要だ（10月10日付・読売社説）
To maintain the nursing care insurance system, it is impossible to ask only those people who are under retirement age to bear the heavy burdens. It is necessary for the elderly to bear their fair share of the costs.
介護保険制度を維持するには、現役世代にばかり負担を求めるわけにはいかない。高齢者にも相応の負担が必要だ。
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has submitted to the Social Security Council a draft to review the self-pay rate for nursing care services from the current 10 percent to 20 percent for people earning a certain level of income.
厚生労働省は、介護保険の自己負担割合について、一定の所得がある場合には、現在の１割から２割に引き上げる見直し案を社会保障審議会に提示した。
The ministry plans to submit a bill to revise the Nursing Care Insurance Law to an ordinary Diet session next year, aiming at enforcing the revised law in fiscal 2015. If realized, it would be the first raise in the self-pay rate since the nursing care insurance system was created in 2000.
来年の通常国会に介護保険法改正案を提出し、２０１５年度の実施を目指す。介護保険制度が２０００年に創設されて以来、自己負担率引き上げは初めてとなる。
Due to the rapid graying of society, the payment of benefits under the system has been snowballing. It is quite understandable that the government is trying to secure revenue.
急速な高齢化で、介護保険の給付費は膨らむ一方だ。政府が財源の確保を図るのは理解できる。
The people who will become subject to the increase in the self-pay rate are those with an annual pension income of nearly ¥3 million. About 20 percent of people aged 65 or older meet this criteria.
自己負担引き上げの対象となるのは、年金だけで年間３００万円近い収入がある人だ。高齢者全体の２０％程度が該当する。
Under the health care insurance system, the self-pay rate of those aged 70 or older and who have a monthly income of ¥280,000 has already been raised to 30 percent. It is inevitable to increase the amount paid for the nursing care insurance system in proportion to income.
医療保険では既に、現役並みの所得がある高齢者の自己負担は３割に引き上げられている。介護保険についても、所得に応じた負担増はやむを得まい。
The ministry will also review a system to lessen the burden on residents at nursing care facilities for the purpose of spending cuts.
歳出削減のため、厚労省は介護施設の入居者に対する負担軽減制度も見直す。
At facilities like special nursing homes for the aged, expenses, such as living and meal costs paid by low-income residents, are currently subsidized through nursing care insurance revenue. Under the ministry’s envisioned review, married couples with savings of ¥20 million or more will be excluded from the system.
特別養護老人ホームなどでは、低所得者を対象に、入居者が負担する食費や居住費を介護保険財源で補助している。その対象から、夫婦で預貯金が２０００万円以上ある場合などを除外する。
Currently, low-income earners are eligible for the subsidies even if they have a huge amount of assets. It is natural to review the system. There are no subsidies for people who receive in-home nursing care services or residents in so-called group homes for the aged, leading some to criticize the system as unfair. This point should be taken into consideration.
現在は多額の資産があっても補助対象になっている。これを見直すのは当然だろう。自宅で介護を受けている人やグループホーム入居者に補助はなく、不公平との指摘がある点も考慮すべきだ。
Major problems
However, the increased revenue following these measures is expected to reach only about several tens of billions of yen, which is obviously insufficient. We also doubt to what extent the government will be able to determine individuals’ assets since, in principle, the government will rely on self-reporting. These are major points to be studied.
ただ、これらの措置による財政改善効果は数百億円規模にとどまる見込みで、十分ではない。資産の把握も、自己申告が原則では実効性に疑問符がつく。今後の大きな課題である。
The ministry is now considering removing services for those users who require only low-level nursing care services from the nursing care insurance system and transferring them to programs run by city, town and village governments utilizing volunteers. The ministry is also thinking about changing the criteria for those eligible to enter special nursing homes for the aged from the current “Nursing care required: Level 1 or higher” to “Nursing care required: Level 3 or higher” under the nursing care requirement authorization system.
厚労省は、軽度者向けサービスを介護保険から外し、ボランティアを活用した市町村の事業への移管も検討している。特養の入居基準も、現在の「要介護１以上」から「要介護３以上」に改める。
We think the direction of the policy, using the limited revenues mainly for people requiring intensive nursing care, is appropriate. The important thing is to make the entire nursing care insurance system efficient.
限られた財源を重度者中心に振り向ける方向性は妥当と言える。重要なのは、介護保険サービス全体の効率化である。
On the other hand, the welfare ministry will reduce the nursing care insurance premiums of low-income earners, who account for 30 percent of the elderly. It is designed to prevent an increase of the burden on low-income earners if an increase in premiums is unavoidable due to the increase in the number of nursing care service users.
一方で厚労省は、高齢者の３割に当たる低所得者の介護保険料を軽減する。利用者の増加で保険料の上昇が避けられない中、低所得者の負担増を防ぐためだ。
However, public funds will be required to take such a measure for low-income earners. To ensure that revenue can be secured by increasing the burden on high-income earners, we think the rate and the people entitled to reduced premiums must be limited to the minimum necessary.
だが、低所得者対策には公費投入が必要になる。高所得層の負担引き上げで財源を確保する効果が失われないよう、保険料軽減の率や対象を絞るべきではないか。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 10, 2013)
（2013年10月10日01時22分 読売新聞）
Elderly also need to shoulder fair burden of nursing care cost
介護保険制度 高齢者も応分の負担が必要だ（10月10日付・読売社説）
To maintain the nursing care insurance system, it is impossible to ask only those people who are under retirement age to bear the heavy burdens. It is necessary for the elderly to bear their fair share of the costs.
介護保険制度を維持するには、現役世代にばかり負担を求めるわけにはいかない。高齢者にも相応の負担が必要だ。
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has submitted to the Social Security Council a draft to review the self-pay rate for nursing care services from the current 10 percent to 20 percent for people earning a certain level of income.
厚生労働省は、介護保険の自己負担割合について、一定の所得がある場合には、現在の１割から２割に引き上げる見直し案を社会保障審議会に提示した。
The ministry plans to submit a bill to revise the Nursing Care Insurance Law to an ordinary Diet session next year, aiming at enforcing the revised law in fiscal 2015. If realized, it would be the first raise in the self-pay rate since the nursing care insurance system was created in 2000.
来年の通常国会に介護保険法改正案を提出し、２０１５年度の実施を目指す。介護保険制度が２０００年に創設されて以来、自己負担率引き上げは初めてとなる。
Due to the rapid graying of society, the payment of benefits under the system has been snowballing. It is quite understandable that the government is trying to secure revenue.
急速な高齢化で、介護保険の給付費は膨らむ一方だ。政府が財源の確保を図るのは理解できる。
The people who will become subject to the increase in the self-pay rate are those with an annual pension income of nearly ¥3 million. About 20 percent of people aged 65 or older meet this criteria.
自己負担引き上げの対象となるのは、年金だけで年間３００万円近い収入がある人だ。高齢者全体の２０％程度が該当する。
Under the health care insurance system, the self-pay rate of those aged 70 or older and who have a monthly income of ¥280,000 has already been raised to 30 percent. It is inevitable to increase the amount paid for the nursing care insurance system in proportion to income.
医療保険では既に、現役並みの所得がある高齢者の自己負担は３割に引き上げられている。介護保険についても、所得に応じた負担増はやむを得まい。
The ministry will also review a system to lessen the burden on residents at nursing care facilities for the purpose of spending cuts.
歳出削減のため、厚労省は介護施設の入居者に対する負担軽減制度も見直す。
At facilities like special nursing homes for the aged, expenses, such as living and meal costs paid by low-income residents, are currently subsidized through nursing care insurance revenue. Under the ministry’s envisioned review, married couples with savings of ¥20 million or more will be excluded from the system.
特別養護老人ホームなどでは、低所得者を対象に、入居者が負担する食費や居住費を介護保険財源で補助している。その対象から、夫婦で預貯金が２０００万円以上ある場合などを除外する。
Currently, low-income earners are eligible for the subsidies even if they have a huge amount of assets. It is natural to review the system. There are no subsidies for people who receive in-home nursing care services or residents in so-called group homes for the aged, leading some to criticize the system as unfair. This point should be taken into consideration.
現在は多額の資産があっても補助対象になっている。これを見直すのは当然だろう。自宅で介護を受けている人やグループホーム入居者に補助はなく、不公平との指摘がある点も考慮すべきだ。
Major problems
However, the increased revenue following these measures is expected to reach only about several tens of billions of yen, which is obviously insufficient. We also doubt to what extent the government will be able to determine individuals’ assets since, in principle, the government will rely on self-reporting. These are major points to be studied.
ただ、これらの措置による財政改善効果は数百億円規模にとどまる見込みで、十分ではない。資産の把握も、自己申告が原則では実効性に疑問符がつく。今後の大きな課題である。
The ministry is now considering removing services for those users who require only low-level nursing care services from the nursing care insurance system and transferring them to programs run by city, town and village governments utilizing volunteers. The ministry is also thinking about changing the criteria for those eligible to enter special nursing homes for the aged from the current “Nursing care required: Level 1 or higher” to “Nursing care required: Level 3 or higher” under the nursing care requirement authorization system.
厚労省は、軽度者向けサービスを介護保険から外し、ボランティアを活用した市町村の事業への移管も検討している。特養の入居基準も、現在の「要介護１以上」から「要介護３以上」に改める。
We think the direction of the policy, using the limited revenues mainly for people requiring intensive nursing care, is appropriate. The important thing is to make the entire nursing care insurance system efficient.
限られた財源を重度者中心に振り向ける方向性は妥当と言える。重要なのは、介護保険サービス全体の効率化である。
On the other hand, the welfare ministry will reduce the nursing care insurance premiums of low-income earners, who account for 30 percent of the elderly. It is designed to prevent an increase of the burden on low-income earners if an increase in premiums is unavoidable due to the increase in the number of nursing care service users.
一方で厚労省は、高齢者の３割に当たる低所得者の介護保険料を軽減する。利用者の増加で保険料の上昇が避けられない中、低所得者の負担増を防ぐためだ。
However, public funds will be required to take such a measure for low-income earners. To ensure that revenue can be secured by increasing the burden on high-income earners, we think the rate and the people entitled to reduced premiums must be limited to the minimum necessary.
だが、低所得者対策には公費投入が必要になる。高所得層の負担引き上げで財源を確保する効果が失われないよう、保険料軽減の率や対象を絞るべきではないか。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 10, 2013)
（2013年10月10日01時22分 読売新聞）
2013/10/11
ＴＰＰ首脳声明 交渉加速へ「聖域」絞り込みを
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 10, 2013
Govt should narrow down ‘sanctuary’ categories to accelerate TPP talks
ＴＰＰ首脳声明 交渉加速へ「聖域」絞り込みを（10月9日付・読売社説）
Japan, the United States and other countries participating in Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations have put off their goal of quickly reaching a broad agreement. It will be difficult for them to reach a conclusion by the end of this year so they must reshape their strategy.
日米など参加国が目標にしてきた「大筋合意」は見送られた。年内妥結への道は険しく、戦略立て直しが課題だ。
Leaders from the 12 countries involved in the TPP negotiations met in Indonesia and adopted a statement on Tuesday.
１２か国による環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）交渉の首脳会合がインドネシアで開かれ、首脳声明を採択した。
The leaders’ statement emphasized, “We have agreed that negotiators should now proceed to resolve all outstanding issues with the objective of completing this year a comprehensive and balanced, and regional agreement.”
首脳声明は、「包括的でバランスの取れた協定を年内妥結するため、残された困難な課題の解決に取り組む」と強調した。
The 12 countries initially expected to reach a broad agreement in Indonesia to conclude the TPP negotiations by the end of this year. However, the United States and emerging economies were unable to resolve differences over such areas as intellectual property rights and competition policy. The 12 countries also shelved talks over tariff elimination.
１２か国は当初、年内決着に向け、インドネシアで大筋合意するシナリオだったが、知的財産権や競争政策などを巡って、米国と新興国の対立が解けなかった。関税撤廃の交渉も棚上げされた。
The fact that the 12 countries gave up reaching a broad agreement highlighted the difficulties of negotiations in which participating countries’ interests are intricately tangled. The abrupt absence of U.S. President Barack Obama, a facilitator in the TPP negotiations, also diminished the momentum of the talks.
大筋合意の断念は、複雑に利害が絡む交渉の難しさを浮き彫りにした。推進役であるオバマ米大統領の突然の欠席も、交渉の勢いを減退させた一因だろう。
The focus of attention from now on will be whether the participating countries can accelerate negotiations.
今後の焦点は、交渉を加速できるかどうかである。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is right in saying, “We must make this [the TPP] the first step toward the creation of a great, free economic zone in the Asia-Pacific region.” We hope the TPP will help Japan harness the economic vitality of other Asian countries to boost its own growth.
安倍首相が「アジア太平洋の大きな自由経済圏の第一歩にしなければならない」と述べたのはもっともだ。アジアの活力を取り込み、成長に弾みをつけたい。
Treating special items
An unavoidable issue is how to treat the five agricultural categories, such as rice, wheat and dairy products, which the Liberal Democratic Party demands should be regarded as “sanctuaries” that are exempt from eliminating tariffs.
避けて通れないのは、自民党が関税撤廃の「聖域」として求めているコメ、麦、乳製品など農産品５項目の扱いだ。
Koya Nishikawa, chairman of the LDP’s TPP committee, said Sunday, “We have to consider whether [some products in the five categories] can be eliminated [from a list of items for which tariffs will be maintained].” His remark drew a backlash from some LDP members and agricultural organizations.
同党の西川公也ＴＰＰ対策委員長が、「（関税維持対象から）抜けるか抜けないかを検討する」と述べたことで、党内の一部や農業団体などが反発している。
However, we believe it is quite natural and proper for Japan to closely examine the sanctuary categories.
だが、聖域の精査は、日本として当然の対応ではないか。
Although the TPP adopts a principle of eliminating tariffs on all items, participating countries are discussing a liberalization rate, a percentage of trade items that will be tariff-free. It is highly likely Japan will be urged to achieve a liberalization rate of above 95 percent.
ＴＰＰでは関税撤廃を原則としながらも、全貿易品目のうち関税を撤廃する割合を示す自由化率が議論されている。日本は９０％台後半を求められる可能性が高い。
The five agricultural categories cover 586 products in tariff classifications, with the rice category alone comprising 58 items. If tariffs are maintained for all those items, the liberalization rate will be only 93.5 percent.
農産品５項目は関税分類でコメ５８品目など計５８６品目あるが、これらをすべて維持すれば、自由化率は９３・５％にとどまる。
In preparation for an acceleration in the TPP negotiations, Japan must narrow down the sanctuary categories. Otherwise it will not be able to fully exert its negotiating power. The government must quickly have specific discussions over what items Japan should preferentially protect and on which items Japan should make concessions to best serve the overall national interest.
交渉加速に備え、５８６品目の「聖域」を絞り込まないと、交渉力も十分に発揮できまい。優先的に何を守り、何を譲ることが国益に資するのか。政府は具体的な検討を急がねばならない。
Rather than simply being defensive, it is also important for Japan to go on the front foot, for example, by capturing markets in emerging economies with its intellectual property.
守るだけでなく、知財で新興国市場を攻略するなど、攻めの姿勢を強化することも重要だ。
With negotiations over the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership for East Asia getting started, the future goal is to create a wider Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific.
東アジア包括的経済連携（ＲＣＥＰ）も動き出し、より広いアジア太平洋自由貿易地域（ＦＴＡＡＰ）作りが将来の目標になる。
Japan, which started later than South Korea in forming economic partnerships with other countries, must make up for this loss by leading trade liberalization. Japan’s negotiating power to better utilize different free-trade frameworks will certainly be put to the test.
韓国に経済連携で出遅れた日本は、貿易自由化を主導して挽回しなければならない。複数構想を使い分ける交渉力が問われる。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 9, 2013)
（2013年10月9日01時52分 読売新聞）
Govt should narrow down ‘sanctuary’ categories to accelerate TPP talks
ＴＰＰ首脳声明 交渉加速へ「聖域」絞り込みを（10月9日付・読売社説）
Japan, the United States and other countries participating in Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations have put off their goal of quickly reaching a broad agreement. It will be difficult for them to reach a conclusion by the end of this year so they must reshape their strategy.
日米など参加国が目標にしてきた「大筋合意」は見送られた。年内妥結への道は険しく、戦略立て直しが課題だ。
Leaders from the 12 countries involved in the TPP negotiations met in Indonesia and adopted a statement on Tuesday.
１２か国による環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）交渉の首脳会合がインドネシアで開かれ、首脳声明を採択した。
The leaders’ statement emphasized, “We have agreed that negotiators should now proceed to resolve all outstanding issues with the objective of completing this year a comprehensive and balanced, and regional agreement.”
首脳声明は、「包括的でバランスの取れた協定を年内妥結するため、残された困難な課題の解決に取り組む」と強調した。
The 12 countries initially expected to reach a broad agreement in Indonesia to conclude the TPP negotiations by the end of this year. However, the United States and emerging economies were unable to resolve differences over such areas as intellectual property rights and competition policy. The 12 countries also shelved talks over tariff elimination.
１２か国は当初、年内決着に向け、インドネシアで大筋合意するシナリオだったが、知的財産権や競争政策などを巡って、米国と新興国の対立が解けなかった。関税撤廃の交渉も棚上げされた。
The fact that the 12 countries gave up reaching a broad agreement highlighted the difficulties of negotiations in which participating countries’ interests are intricately tangled. The abrupt absence of U.S. President Barack Obama, a facilitator in the TPP negotiations, also diminished the momentum of the talks.
大筋合意の断念は、複雑に利害が絡む交渉の難しさを浮き彫りにした。推進役であるオバマ米大統領の突然の欠席も、交渉の勢いを減退させた一因だろう。
The focus of attention from now on will be whether the participating countries can accelerate negotiations.
今後の焦点は、交渉を加速できるかどうかである。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is right in saying, “We must make this [the TPP] the first step toward the creation of a great, free economic zone in the Asia-Pacific region.” We hope the TPP will help Japan harness the economic vitality of other Asian countries to boost its own growth.
安倍首相が「アジア太平洋の大きな自由経済圏の第一歩にしなければならない」と述べたのはもっともだ。アジアの活力を取り込み、成長に弾みをつけたい。
Treating special items
An unavoidable issue is how to treat the five agricultural categories, such as rice, wheat and dairy products, which the Liberal Democratic Party demands should be regarded as “sanctuaries” that are exempt from eliminating tariffs.
避けて通れないのは、自民党が関税撤廃の「聖域」として求めているコメ、麦、乳製品など農産品５項目の扱いだ。
Koya Nishikawa, chairman of the LDP’s TPP committee, said Sunday, “We have to consider whether [some products in the five categories] can be eliminated [from a list of items for which tariffs will be maintained].” His remark drew a backlash from some LDP members and agricultural organizations.
同党の西川公也ＴＰＰ対策委員長が、「（関税維持対象から）抜けるか抜けないかを検討する」と述べたことで、党内の一部や農業団体などが反発している。
However, we believe it is quite natural and proper for Japan to closely examine the sanctuary categories.
だが、聖域の精査は、日本として当然の対応ではないか。
Although the TPP adopts a principle of eliminating tariffs on all items, participating countries are discussing a liberalization rate, a percentage of trade items that will be tariff-free. It is highly likely Japan will be urged to achieve a liberalization rate of above 95 percent.
ＴＰＰでは関税撤廃を原則としながらも、全貿易品目のうち関税を撤廃する割合を示す自由化率が議論されている。日本は９０％台後半を求められる可能性が高い。
The five agricultural categories cover 586 products in tariff classifications, with the rice category alone comprising 58 items. If tariffs are maintained for all those items, the liberalization rate will be only 93.5 percent.
農産品５項目は関税分類でコメ５８品目など計５８６品目あるが、これらをすべて維持すれば、自由化率は９３・５％にとどまる。
In preparation for an acceleration in the TPP negotiations, Japan must narrow down the sanctuary categories. Otherwise it will not be able to fully exert its negotiating power. The government must quickly have specific discussions over what items Japan should preferentially protect and on which items Japan should make concessions to best serve the overall national interest.
交渉加速に備え、５８６品目の「聖域」を絞り込まないと、交渉力も十分に発揮できまい。優先的に何を守り、何を譲ることが国益に資するのか。政府は具体的な検討を急がねばならない。
Rather than simply being defensive, it is also important for Japan to go on the front foot, for example, by capturing markets in emerging economies with its intellectual property.
守るだけでなく、知財で新興国市場を攻略するなど、攻めの姿勢を強化することも重要だ。
With negotiations over the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership for East Asia getting started, the future goal is to create a wider Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific.
東アジア包括的経済連携（ＲＣＥＰ）も動き出し、より広いアジア太平洋自由貿易地域（ＦＴＡＡＰ）作りが将来の目標になる。
Japan, which started later than South Korea in forming economic partnerships with other countries, must make up for this loss by leading trade liberalization. Japan’s negotiating power to better utilize different free-trade frameworks will certainly be put to the test.
韓国に経済連携で出遅れた日本は、貿易自由化を主導して挽回しなければならない。複数構想を使い分ける交渉力が問われる。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 9, 2013)
（2013年10月9日01時52分 読売新聞）
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