中国の原発増設 世界を席巻する日が来るのか

The Yomiuri Shimbun
China’s ambition to sweep the world with nuclear technology concerning
中国の原発増設　世界を席巻する日が来るのか

We cannot afford to be unconcerned about China’s moves to accelerate construction of nuclear power plants. Is the safety of these facilities ensured?
　中国が原子力発電所の建設を加速している。安全性は確保されているのか。不安を拭えない。

According to the World Nuclear Association, 30 nuclear reactors are currently operating in China. Japan has 43, but as the restart of the nation’s idled reactors is lagging, China is effectively fourth on the list of nations with the most nuclear power plants — behind the United States, France and Russia.
　世界原子力協会によると、中国で運転中の原発は３０基に上る。４３基を有しながら再稼働が進まない日本を除くと、米国、フランス、ロシアに次ぎ、実質４位の原発国だ。

The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping is planning to further increase the number of nuclear power plants to cope with the nation’s serious air pollution, which stems from coal-fired power generation, and increasing energy demand.
　習近平政権は、さらなる増設を計画している。石炭火力発電に伴う深刻な大気汚染や、エネルギー需要の増大に対応するためだ。

According to local media reports, Beijing will build six to eight nuclear reactors annually in the next five years. By 2030, the number is set to reach 110, surpassing the 99 in the United States.
　現地の報道では、来年以降５年間は年６～８基を増設し、２０３０年には、米国の９９基を上回る１１０基にまで増やす方針だ。

One major concern is that information about nuclear power plants in China is extremely limited.
　問題なのは、原発に関する情報が極めて少ないことだ。

China’s nuclear power operations began in 1994, and the number of nuclear reactors has increased rapidly since then.
　中国の原発は、１９９４年から運転を開始し、その後、急ピッチで増設が進んできた。

However, the details of regulatory standards are not disclosed — it is quite obscure what kind of safety measures China is currently taking. There are limited examples of the Chinese government officially disclosing troubles with the nation’s nuclear power plants to the public, such as leaks of radioactive material or mechanical problems caused by accidents.
　ただし、規制基準の詳細は公表されておらず、安全確保策の現状には不明な点が多い。放射能漏れや事故故障などのトラブルが公式に開示された例は少ない。

The less information available, the more concern there is. The Japanese government must reinforce its measures to collect information on China’s nuclear power plants.
　情報が乏しいと、不安は増幅する。日本政府は、情報収集を強化する必要がある。

Impact on Japan

Prevailing westerlies bring yellow sand and air pollutants to Japan from China. If serious nuclear accidents occur in China, there could be serious repercussions for Japan.
　中国からは、偏西風に乗って黄砂や大気汚染物質が飛来する。深刻な原発事故が起これば、日本に甚大な影響が及ぶ恐れがある。

It cannot be overlooked the fact that China’s nuclear power plants are concentrated in coastal areas. After the nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, Beijing has put restrictions on the construction of nuclear power plants in inland areas. We assume Beijing is wary of the domestic impact from accidents if they occur inland.
　沿岸部に原発が偏在している現状は軽視できない。中国政府は、東京電力福島第一原発の事故以降、内陸部での原発建設を制限している。事故時に国内に影響が及ぶのを警戒しているのだろう。

China’s nuclear reactors rarely use technologies developed in the country — they are basically an amalgamation of technologies imported from European countries, the United States and Japan.
　元々、中国の原発は独自技術に乏しい。欧米や日本の技術を導入し、組み合わせたものだ。

Japan provides core parts, such as reactor pressure vessels.
日本は原子炉の圧力容器など、中核となる部品を供給している。

In recent years, China’s export drive on nuclear power plants has received worldwide attention. During his visit to Britain in October, Xi agreed with British Prime Minister David Cameron to build a Chinese Hualong One reactor, which is an improved version of a French reactor, in Britain.
　近年は輸出攻勢が目立つ。習国家主席が１０月に訪英した際には、仏の原子炉を改良した中国炉「華竜１号」を建設することで、キャメロン英首相と合意した。

Britain was once an advanced nuclear nation, but its technology declined after the nation stopped building new reactors. Under the current circumstances, it was unavoidable for Britain to rely on the technology of China, a nation that is rapidly gaining experience by building new reactors and has the advantage of cheap construction costs.
　英国はかつて、原発の先進国だったが、増設がストップし、技術力が衰退した。建設費が安く、増設で経験を積む中国に頼らざるを得なかったと言えよう。

Beijing is also constructing Hualong One reactors in Pakistan, and is seeking to launch a promotion drive in South American and African countries.
　中国はパキスタンでも、華竜１号を建設中だ。南米やアフリカ諸国にも売り込みを図っている。

However, we must point out that Hualong One is a model still under construction even in China itself. It is problematic that a model without sufficient operation records has begun sweeping the whole world.
　華竜１号は、おひざ元の中国でも建設の途上だ。運転実績のない原子炉が世界を席巻しつつある現状には、問題が多い。

For Japan, the export of nuclear power technologies is a pillar of the nation’s infrastructure export drive. It is crucial to further polish the nation’s technological capability and produce tangible results. We also urge the government to start discussions about constructing new reactors in Japan.
　日本にとっても、原発はインフラ輸出の柱の一つだ。技術力をさらに向上させ、実績を積み重ねることが重要である。国内での新増設も検討せねばならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 12, 2015)

中国大気汚染 これは体制の問題だ

--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 11
EDITORIAL: Chinese leaders must heed the opinions of their coughing citizens
（社説）中国大気汚染　これは体制の問題だ

People in Beijing and many other cities in China cannot see a clear blue sky amid the latest bout of air pollution.
　北京をはじめ中国各地で青空が見えなくなっている。

The concentration of fine, deadly particulate matter called PM 2.5 has far exceeded safety standards, prompting the government to close schools and forcing people to wear masks when they go to work.
　微小粒子状物質ＰＭ２・５の濃度が基準値をはるかに超え、学校が臨時休校となり、通勤にはマスクが欠かせないという。

The toxic smog that has blanketed the capital and other parts of the nation should be regarded as a violation of people’s right to live. China should ask itself why the problem has become so serious.
　この大気汚染はもはや生存権の侵害だ。なぜ問題が深刻化したかを問わねばならない。

A combination of factors has caused this public health crisis, including smoke from factories, exhaust gas from automobiles and coal burning.
　原因は、工場の煙、自動車の排気、石炭など複合的だ。

While the serious health hazard of rapidly deteriorating air quality in China has become widely recognized as the “PM 2.5 problem” only in the past several years, air pollution actually has been damaging human health in the country for more than a decade.
「ＰＭ２・５」問題として注目され始めたのはこの数年のことだが、実際には１０年以上前から大気汚染が人々の体をむしばんでいたのである。

Japan and other industrial nations have the bitter experience of suffering from air pollution and water contamination from economic development.
　経済発展に伴う大気汚染や水質汚濁は、日本を含む先進国がもつ苦い経験である。

These countries had to go through a similar process in overcoming the problem.
　問題の克服には一連の過程が必要だった。

First, people facing pollution expressed their concerns and complaints and demanded policy responses to the problems. Experts then investigated the problems, and media reported on them. Eventually, the judiciary ruled on lawsuits, forcing the government, which tends to put higher priority on the interests of businesses, to take action to deal with the situation.
公害に直面した住民が声をあげ、専門家が調べ、メディアが伝え、司法機関が裁き、企業を優先しがちな政府を動かす、というものだ。

But this mechanism is apparently not at work in China.
　だが、このメカニズムが中国では働いていないようだ。

One factor believed to be behind China’s bad air is the poor quality of gasoline. No serious efforts to address the problem have been made because state-owned oil companies have close ties with the Communist Party leadership, according to observers.
　中国で指摘されてきた問題の一つはガソリンの質の悪さだ。いっこうに改善されなかったのは、国有石油企業が共産党政権の中枢とつながっていたためといわれる。

The new air pollution prevention law, which will go into force at the beginning of next year, contains provisions requiring the establishment of quality standards for fuels. But the measure has come too late.
　年明けに施行される新しい大気汚染防止法は、燃料の品質基準を定めることを盛りこんでいるが、遅きに失した。

In February this year, Chai Jing, a former reporter at China Central Television, released online a documentary film on air pollution, evoking a huge public response. Initially, the minister of environmental protection praised the video, but it was removed before long. It is believed that authorities, alarmed by civic protests triggered by the film, took it off the Internet.
　ことし２月、元中国中央テレビ記者の柴静さんが大気汚染を告発する動画をネットで公表し、反響を呼んだ。当初は環境保護相も支持したが、ほどなく見ることができなくなった。抗議行動が起き始めたことを当局が危険視したためとされる。

There have been recent outbreaks of opposition to plans to build factories in various parts of the nation. Chinese citizens are becoming increasingly more conscious of environmental problems.
　最近は工場建設への反対運動が頻発している。市民の環境問題への意識は高い。

The Chinese government’s refusal to listen to such voices is probably the principal cause of the serious decline of air quality.
こうした声に耳を傾けなかった政権の姿勢こそが、事態の深刻化を招いた元凶ではないか。

The media have reported on government measures to improve the situation, such as shutting down factories that illegally discharge pollutants into the atmosphere.
　汚染物質を違法に排出する工場を一斉に閉鎖させるといった対応策が伝えられている。

These reports may be aimed at touting the government’s policy actions. But such dirty factories would have disappeared long ago if the government had respected the will of the people.
政権の行動を宣伝する狙いかもしれないが、住民の意思が反映されれば、そんな工場はとうになくなっていたはずだ。

This is a matter that affects people’s lives.
　ことは人命にかかわる。

Air pollution causes more than a million deaths in China every year, according to one estimate.
大気汚染を原因とする死者は、中国で毎年百数十万に上るとの推計もある。

What is especially worrisome is the impact on the health of children.
心配なのは子どもたちだ。

Reportedly, a growing number of children in China are being rushed to hospitals because they can’t stop coughing.
せきが止まらず病院に駆け込む例が増えているという。

Japan and China have various frameworks for bilateral cooperation on environmental problems.
　日中間では環境問題で協力する枠組みがさまざまあるが、

More efforts are needed on various levels to come up with ideas to support China’s fight against air pollution. Japan’s central and local governments as well as nongovernmental organizations should be involved in such efforts.
日本の政府、自治体、ＮＧＯなど各レベルでもっと助力を強める余地はないか知恵を絞りたい。

We should tackle this formidable environmental challenge to help sensible Chinese people again see the blue sky.
　青空を見たい、問題を解決したいと願う心ある中国の人々を勇気づけたい。

核燃料サイクル 国の関与で確実に推進したい

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Boost nation’s N-fuel cycle project steadily with govt involvement
核燃料サイクル　国の関与で確実に推進したい

A system restructure is needed in order to push the nation’s nuclear fuel cycle program forward.
　核燃料サイクル事業を推進するためには、必要な体制整備である。

The government has decided to transfer the management of a project to reprocess nuclear power plants’ spent fuel from the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), a private entity, to a new, authorized corporation. The government will submit a related bill to the ordinary session of the Diet next year.
　原子力発電所から出る使用済み核燃料の再処理事業について、政府は、民間の日本原燃から、新たな認可法人に運営を移管する方針を決めた。来年の通常国会に関連法案を提出する。

The nuclear fuel cycle is a scheme in which plutonium and uranium are extracted from spent nuclear fuel and reused. The fuel cycle takes on an important role for resource-poor Japan when viewed from the standpoint of its energy security.
　核燃料サイクルは、使用済み核燃料からプルトニウムとウランを取り出し、再利用する仕組みだ。資源に乏しい日本にとって、エネルギー安全保障の観点から重要な役割を担う。

Since the government promotes the nuclear fuel cycle as a national policy, it is only reasonable for the government to increase its involvement in the project by transferring the management of the reprocessing project.
　国策として核燃料サイクルを推進する以上、運営移管により政府の関与を強めるのは当然だ。

With the liberalization of the energy market slated to start next spring, leading utilities will be exposed to competition from new entrants to the market. Should the corporate management of leading power companies come under pressure from the increased competition, forcing them to suspend the supply of human resources and funds to the JAEA, the continuation of the nuclear fuel cycle project will be at risk.
　来春からの電力自由化により、電力大手は新規参入組との競争にさらされる。電力大手の経営が圧迫され、原燃への人材と資金の提供がストップすれば、核燃料サイクル事業の存続は危うくなる。

Unless the nuclear fuel cycle is realized, spent nuclear fuel, now kept in storage at nuclear power plants, will have nowhere to go, impeding the operation of nuclear power plants.
　核燃料サイクルを実現させないと、各原発に保管されている使用済み核燃料の行き場がなくなり、原発の稼働に支障を来す。

In order to avoid such a development, it will be necessary to have the authorized corporation function effectively.
　こうした事態を避けるためには、認可法人を有効に機能させる必要があろう。

Work has been slow

The authorized entity will supervise the JAEA, which will be entrusted by the entity with the operation of the recycling project. The leading electric power companies will be obliged to contribute financially to the authorized entity.
　認可法人は、業務委託先となる日本原燃を監督する。電力大手には、認可法人への拠出金の支払いが義務づけられる。

Under the system that has existed up to now, with the JAEA being the core of the project, the nuclear fuel cycle project did not make the progress that had been hoped for. Therefore, the authorized corporation’s responsibility is heavy.
　日本原燃が中核だったこれまでの体制では、核燃料サイクル事業が思うように進展しなかっただけに、認可法人の責任は重い。

The leading power companies that own nuclear power plants also need to continue cooperating with the nuclear fuel cycle project.
　原発を所有する電力大手も、核燃料サイクル事業に引き続き協力していかねばならない。

The biggest concern is that the start of operations of a plant for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, now under construction in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture, has been delayed by as much as about 20 years. The construction cost has also swollen from the original estimate of ¥760 billion to over ¥2 trillion.
　最大の懸案は、青森県六ヶ所村に建設中の使用済み核燃料再処理工場の稼働が、予定より約２０年も遅れていることだ。建設費も、当初の７６００億円から２兆円以上に膨らんだ。

The authorized corporation will be required to oversee strict management of progress in the work, including the operation of such facilities as a plant to process mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel, a blend of reprocessed plutonium and uranium. It is also important to have the JAEA make thorough cost-cutting efforts.
　再処理されたウラン・プルトニウム混合酸化物（ＭＯＸ）燃料の加工工場などの稼働も含め、認可法人には、厳しい工程管理が求められる。日本原燃にコスト削減を徹底させることも重要である。

Should plutonium, which can be used to produce nuclear weapons, be continuously kept in storage, with no prospect of being used for energy, it may arouse concern among foreign countries. The government needs to demonstrate that it will definitely use plutonium as fuel at nuclear power plants.
　核兵器に転用できるプルトニウムを、使うメドが立たないまま保有し続ければ、海外から懸念を持たれかねない。政府は、プルトニウムを原発の燃料として確実に利用することを示す必要がある。

Together with the operation of the reprocessing plant, it is essential to restart existing nuclear power plants that use the MOX fuel.
　再処理工場の稼働とともに、ＭＯＸ燃料を使用する既存の原発の再稼働が欠かせない。

Regarding the Oma nuclear power plant in Aomori Prefecture, which will have a new type of reactor capable of generating power using MOX without other fuel, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) should proceed promptly with its examination toward the start of operation.
ＭＯＸ燃料だけで発電する新型の大間原発（青森県）についても、運転開始に向け、原子力規制委員会は迅速に審査を進めるべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 10, 2015)

「民泊」のルール 安全管理と地域の理解が要る

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Safe management, local understanding needed for running ‘minpaku’ facilities
「民泊」のルール　安全管理と地域の理解が要る

The so-called “minpaku” business of using rooms in private homes or at condominiums to accommodate tourists, in place of hotels, is growing.
　個人宅の一角やマンションの空き室をホテル代わりに使う「民泊」が広がりを見せている。

Such services may be convenient as inexpensive lodging for foreign tourists, whose number has soared recently. But they are also causing problems between service users and local residents. It is necessary to expedite efforts to draw up relevant rules.
　安価な宿として、急増する外国人旅行者らにとっては便利なサービスだろうが、近隣住民とのトラブルも起きている。ルールの整備を急ぐ必要がある。

The Inns and Hotels Law stipulates that it is mandatory for operators of accommodations to obtain permission from local governments when accepting paying guests repetitively. An enforcement ordinance also sets standards for the size and structure of facilities to ensure hygiene and safety of accommodations. Rooms used as minpaku facilities are, in theory, subject to the law.
　旅館業法は、客を有料で繰り返し泊めるには、自治体の許可を得るよう定めている。施行令で宿泊施設の面積や構造、衛生や安全の面での基準も示している。民泊として使用する部屋も、本来なら旅館業法の適用を受ける。

Yet the number of rooms rented as minpaku facilities that have not obtained official licenses is rising sharply, particularly in urban areas, due to the shortage of hotels.
　だが、都市部を中心に、無許可の民泊用の部屋が急速に増えている。ホテル不足が背景にある。

Some business operators act as online go-betweens for people who want to rent empty rooms and tourists seeking places to stay. The number of registered properties using these services exceeds 20,000 in Japan. Yet most of these properties are believed to be operating without licenses.
　空き室を貸したい人と旅行者をインターネットを通じて仲介する業者もある。国内の登録物件は、２万件を超える。その多くが、無許可営業とみられる。

The current state of affairs should be improved as local governments cannot keep up with overseeing the growing number of such business operations.
　自治体の監視が追いつかない現状は、改善すべきだ。

With the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics scheduled for 2020, the central government — which aims to make Japan a tourism-oriented nation — has established a panel of experts, tasked with studying how minpaku services should be offered. While reviewing the Inns and Hotels Law, the panel will also consider the possibility of establishing new provisions.
　２０２０年東京五輪を控え、観光立国を掲げる政府は、民泊の在り方を検討する有識者会議を設置した。旅館業法を見直し、新たな規定を設けることも検討する。

It is important to make minpaku facilities places where tourists can stay with a sense of security.
　旅行者が安心して泊まれる受け皿とすることが大切だ。

Ward offers good example

In creating rules for minpaku facilities, efforts made by Tokyo’s Ota Ward, where Haneda Airport is located, serve as a useful example.
　民泊のルール作りを進める上で、羽田空港を抱える東京都大田区の取り組みは参考になろう。

Utilizing the government-designated national strategic special zone system, which exempts certain types of accommodation facilities for foreign tourists from adhering to the Inns and Hotels Law, the Ota Ward government has put into effect an ordinance to permit the operation of minpaku facilities. The ward will become the first special zone of this kind in Japan next year.
　外国人向けの一部の宿泊施設を旅館業法の適用外とする国家戦略特区制度を活用し、民泊を認める条例を成立させた。来年には全国初の特区としてスタートする。

In the special zone, individuals can rent rooms to tourists who plan to stay long term for seven days or more at their minpaku facilities. Such restrictions are designed so that minpaku facilities will not adversely affect the operations of hotels and ryokan inns.
　特区では、７日間以上の長期滞在者を民泊の対象としている。ホテルや旅館の業務を圧迫しないようにするための配慮だ。

The Ota Ward government plans to limit the area where minpaku facilities can operate to one where the construction of hotels and ryokan inns is permitted, in accordance with the Building Standards Law. The ward will also ask minpaku facilities operators to keep a copy of their guests’ passports to prevent such facilities from becoming hotbeds of crimes or terrorism.
　大田区は、民泊の対象エリアを建築基準法上、ホテルや旅館の建築が可能な地域に限定する方針だ。犯罪やテロの温床とならぬよう、受け入れ側にパスポートの写しの保管を求める。

All these measures are deemed necessary in operating such facilities in the area. Yet a number of challenges remain.
　地域で民泊を運用していくためには、いずれも必要な措置だろう。ただし、課題も少なくない。

Local residents may feel uneasy about seeing foreign strangers come and go from condominiums or private houses in their neighborhood.
　見知らぬ外国人がマンションなどに出入りすることに、不安を感じる住民もいるだろう。

The ordinance makes it mandatory for operators of minpaku facilities to inform nearby residents of their business plans in advance and enables ward government officials to make on-site inspections. We wonder how effective such measures would be.
　条例は、民泊の事業者に近隣住民への周知を義務づけ、区の立ち入り調査も可能にしたが、どこまで実効性があるだろうか。

Some grievances have been voiced by residents living near currently operating minpaku facilities over the ways tourists take out their garbage and the noise they make.
　既存の民泊施設では、宿泊者のゴミの出し方や騒音などに対し、住民から苦情が出ている。

To prevent friction from occurring in neighborhoods, minpaku operators should ensure their facilities are managed safely.
　地域であつれきが生じないよう、民泊施設の安全管理などに留意する必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 9, 2015)

米国のテロ対策 「イスラム国」の扇動を許すな

The Yomiuri Shimbun
U.S. and intl community must not allow ISIL’s stoking of terrorism
米国のテロ対策　「イスラム国」の扇動を許すな

How can terrorism committed by individuals or a small group of people who have been radicalized through the Internet or other means be prevented? This is a tough challenge that should be tackled jointly by the international community.
　インターネットなどで過激思想に染まった個人や小グループによるテロをどう防ぐか。国際社会共通の困難な課題だ。

In an urgently televised address from the White House on Sunday, U.S. President Barack Obama warned that the “terrorist threat has evolved into a new phase.” His speech followed the shooting spree that occurred in western United States on Wednesday, killing 14 people. In the speech, Obama put forth a policy of strengthening measures against terrorism.
　オバマ米大統領は、緊急テレビ演説を行い、「テロの脅威は新たな段階に移っている」と警鐘を鳴らした。米西部で今月初めに１４人が殺害された銃乱射テロを受けたもので、テロ対策を強化する方針を示した。

The Muslim couple who perpetrated the deadly shooting had visited Internet sites related to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militant group. The wife reportedly pledged allegiance to ISIL in an online post. Pipe bombs and thousands of rounds of ammunition were discovered at their home.
　事件を起こしたイスラム教徒の夫妻は、過激派組織「イスラム国」の関連サイトを閲覧していた。妻はネットで忠誠を誓う書き込みも行っていた。自宅からパイプ爆弾や銃弾数千発が見つかった。

There was no ISIL directive to carry out the shooting, but the perpetrators are believed to have committed the crime after being influenced by a terrorism-stoking ideology that regards the United States and Europe as enemies.
　「イスラム国」からの犯行指示はなかったが、米欧を敵とみなし、テロを煽あおる過激思想に感化され、犯行に及んだのだろう。

It is a matter of concern that “lone wolf” terrorism by “home-grown terrorists,” such as the most recent case, has been on the rise globally.
　懸念されるのは、今回のような自国に長く住む「ホームグロウン・テロリスト」による「ローンウルフ（一匹狼おおかみ）」型のテロが世界的に増加傾向にあることだ。

The attack on a weekly political magazine publisher that took place in Paris in January and deadly attacks in the same city in November were both characterized by analysts as acts of “home-grown terrorists.”
　今年１月にパリで発生した政治週刊紙襲撃事件や１１月のパリ同時テロも、「ホームグロウン」による犯行と分析されている。

Since the 2001 simultaneous attacks by the Al-Qaida international terrorist organization, the United States has constantly monitored the moves of extremists to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.
　米国は、国際テロ組織アル・カーイダが実行した２００１年の同時テロ以来、過激派の動向を常時監視し、再発を阻止してきた。

Find clues to potential terror

Finding clues for potential attacks by terrorists of the lone-wolf type is not easy because they exchange information with other people or organizations less frequently. It is reasonable that Obama pointed out the need for establishing a system under which data on communications can be obtained through the cooperation of the Internet industry.
　だが、「一匹狼」は外部との情報交換が乏しく、犯行の端緒をつかむのは容易ではない。オバマ氏がネット業界との協力を通じて、通信情報を得られる仕組み作りの重要性を指摘したのは妥当だ。

It is imperative to uncover potential terrorists hiding in society, and preempt their attacks.
　社会に潜む「テロリスト予備軍」をあぶり出し、犯行を防ぐことが肝要である。

It may be unavoidable that the United States has decided to adopt stricter visa screening of visitors.
　米国への渡航者の査証審査の厳格化もやむを得まい。

More than half of the governors of the 50 U.S. states oppose allowing Syrian refugees to settle in their states, and the House of Representatives has approved a bill calling for barring entry into the U.S. of such refugees. The United States is urged to carry on the tradition of turning the potential ability of immigrants and refugees into national power while simultaneously seeking to deter terrorism.
　米国では、５０州の半数以上の知事がシリア難民の受け入れに反対し、下院では停止を目指す法案が可決された。移民や難民の潜在力を国力に変えてきた伝統と、テロ阻止の両立が求められよう。

Moderate Islamic leaders of the world, for their part, need to clearly condemn the radicals’ propaganda that they are waging a “holy war against the United States and Europe.”
　世界各地の穏健なイスラム教指導者の側でも、「米欧に対する聖戦」という過激派の宣伝を明確に否定する取り組みが必要だ。

Halting the procurement of weapons by terrorists is also an urgent task. In the United States, a loophole in the law in this regard is that identification does not have to be confirmed in online transactions of firearms. It is problematic that highly lethal weapons can be purchased by individuals. Obama’s call to bolster gun control is understandable.
　テロリストの武器調達の阻止も急務である。米国では、ネットでの銃器売買で、身元確認が行われないなどの抜け穴がある。殺傷能力の高い武器を個人が購入できるのも問題だ。オバマ氏が銃規制強化を提唱したのは理解できる。

Defeating ISIL is difficult as long as its stoking of terrorism is left unchecked. Terrorism is a matter of concern not only for the United States and Europe but also for Japan and other Asian countries as well. Cooperation must be beefed up in responding to ISIL’s propaganda campaign and sharing information.
　「イスラム国」の扇動を許していては打倒は難しい。米欧だけでなく、日本などアジアにとっても人ごとではない。宣伝戦への対応や情報共有で連携を強めたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 8, 2015)

補正予算編成 バラマキで課題は解決しない

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Lavish budgetary handouts will not solve nation’s various problems
補正予算編成　バラマキで課題は解決しない

What is the purpose of a supplementary budget? The compilation of the envisaged budget must include efforts to fully examine its objective and its effectiveness.
　何のための補正予算なのか。その目的と効果を十分に吟味した編成が求められよう。

The government is working to draw up a supplementary budget for fiscal 2015, under instructions from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The size of the budget will likely be somewhere in the first half of the ¥3 trillion range. The government will seek to shepherd the budget through the Diet after submitting it to an ordinary session of the legislature to be convened early in January.
　政府が、２０１５年度補正予算の編成作業を進めている。安倍首相が指示したもので、総額は３兆円台前半の見通しだ。年明けに召集される通常国会に提出し、成立を目指す。

The main pillars of the budget include emergency measures to realize “a society that will promote the dynamic engagement of all its citizens,” as well as steps aimed at addressing problems affecting the agricultural sector due to a broad agreement reached in multilateral talks over the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact.
　「１億総活躍社会」を実現するための緊急対策や、環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）の大筋合意に伴う農業対策が柱となる。

Another main feature of the budget is a plan to establish more nursing facilities for elderly people, in pursuit of the goal touted by the Abe administration to ensure that no one has to quit their job to provide nursing care for a relative. It can be hoped that the plan, if translated into action at an early date, will produce even greater results.
　安倍政権が掲げた「介護離職ゼロ」に向けた介護施設の増設などは、早期に着手することで、より大きな効果が期待できよう。

The budget is also likely to include allocations for such policies as antiterrorism measures to be taken in preparation for the Ise-Shima summit of Group of Seven nations in May next year, and rehabilitation work to be carried out in areas that were struck by natural disasters. They can be understood as urgent budgetary appropriations.
　来年５月の主要国首脳会議（伊勢志摩サミット）のテロ対策や、災害復旧の費用なども、緊急を要する予算であると理解できる。

However, the budgetary content currently being studied by the government entails a considerable number of items open to question. Doubts can be raised about whether they truly need to be funded by the supplementary budget.
　しかし、政府が検討中の内容には、補正予算で手当てする必要が本当にあるのか、疑問が生じる項目が少なくない。

There are concerns that the budget may include policies that could be viewed as lavish government handouts, in the guise of trying to improve the quality of social security services and addressing problems arising from the TPP accord. Such policies may serve as a means of responding to requests from elderly people and regional communities in preparation for next summer’s House of Councillors election. Each item included in the budget must be rigorously assessed by closely examining its cost-effectiveness.
　来夏に参院選を控え、高齢者や地方の要望に応えようと、社会保障の充実やＴＰＰ対策に名を借りた、バラマキ的な政策が紛れ込まないか。費用対効果を精査し、厳しく査定すべきだ。

Why limited to elderly?

One typical example of such lavishness is a plan to pay about ¥30,000 in benefits per person to elderly people who receive low pension payments. The plan has been described as a measure to address the increasing burden felt by ordinary households as a result of a rise in the consumption tax rate and rising prices due to the depreciation of the yen.
　典型的なのは、年金受給額が低い高齢者に１人あたり３万円程度の給付金を支給する案だ。消費税率の引き上げや、円安による物価上昇で家計の負担感が増していることに対応する狙いだという。

The number of elderly people eligible for such government benefits will likely surpass about 10 million, with the necessary budgetary funding expected to total as much as ¥300 billion. However, such a one-time benefit program may prove to be limited in producing good results.
　対象者は、約１０００万人超に上り、総額３０００億円規模の予算が必要となるが、一時的な給付金では効果は限られよう。

First of all, it is difficult to understand why the persons covered by the benefit program will be limited to pension recipients at a time when a large number of young people who are working in non-regular jobs for low salaries are experiencing financial hardships.
　そもそも、低所得で生活が苦しい若い非正規労働者も多いのに、給付対象を年金受給者だけに限ることも理解に苦しむ。

We believe the government should thoroughly discuss measures to aid low-income members of the population within the social security policy framework — not just try to address pertinent issues on an ad hoc basis with the supplementary budget.
　補正予算で場当たり的に対応するのでなく、社会保障政策全体の中で、低所得者対策をしっかりと議論すべきではないか。

The budget is also expected to incorporate such TPP-related measures as plans to build and improve farm roads and carry out other land improvement projects. We doubt that our nation’s agricultural competitiveness will be increased only through efforts to add such conventional agricultural civil engineering projects to the existing ones. The boost to the economy will also be limited.
　ＴＰＰ対策では、農道整備などの土地改良事業が盛り込まれるとみられる。こうした従来型の農業土木事業を積み増しても、農業の競争力強化にはつながるまい。景気浮揚効果も限定的だ。

We believe importance should be attached to implementing measures aimed at supporting farmers who are willing to adopt a proactive stance regarding their agricultural operations. Specific steps include cultivating channels for overseas sales conducive to bolstering agricultural exports and developing new high value-added products.
　農作物の輸出を後押しする海外販路の開拓や、付加価値の高い新商品の開発など「攻めの農業」の支援策に重点を置きたい。

Fiscal resources necessary for the supplementary budget will be raised by using appropriations left unused under the fiscal 2014 budget and extra gains accrued from greater-than-expected tax revenue due to an economic recovery in fiscal 2015.
　補正予算の財源は、１４年度予算の使い残しと、景気回復で増えた１５年度税収の上振れ分で賄う。

We find it reasonable to avoid issuing new government bonds under the budget. In consideration of the nation’s critical fiscal condition, however, it should not be forgotten that the reasonable option for utilizing an unused portion of budgetary allocations is to set it aside to repay debts.
　新規国債の発行を回避するのは妥当だが、危機的な財政状況を考えれば、本来、余った予算は借金返済に充てるのが筋であることも忘れてはなるまい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 7, 2015)

香山リカのココロの万華鏡: 私の人生 これでよし ／東京

December 6, 2015 (Mainichi Japan)
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: My life is fine as it is
香山リカのココロの万華鏡: 私の人生　これでよし　／東京

I recently appeared on a radio program as a guest.
　ラジオの特別番組のゲストに出た。

The subject of the program was songs that speak our feelings.
テーマは「私の気持ちを代弁してくれる歌」。

We collected requests from listeners for songs.
生放送中にリクエストを募るのだが、

Perhaps because the radio host, myself and the other two guests were all women, we received emails and fax messages from female listeners across a wide range of ages.
パーソナリティーも３人のゲストも女性だからか、幅広い世代の女性リスナーからたくさんのメール、ファクスが来た。

Every person wrote not only the name of the song they wanted, but when and under what circumstances they listened to it in the past.
　どの人も、曲名だけでなく、いつ、どんな状況で好きだったかを書いてくれる。

"When I lost my husband of many years, I was cheered up by this song," wrote one listener.
「長年連れ添った夫を亡くしたとき、どれほど励まされたか」

"I quietly handed this CD over to my son, who was becoming a shut-in," wrote another.
「引きこもりぎみの息子にそっとＣＤを渡しました」といった感動的な話から

Yet another listener sent a story that made me worry a bit, reading, "When I reunited with this person who I used to like, we were both married.
「好きだった人と再会したときはお互い既婚者。

I now keep in contact with this person as a friend, and I put my feelings in this song."
いまは友だちとして連絡している私の気持ちを曲に託します」など、思わず「大丈夫か」とドキドキしてしまう話まであった。

At any rate, I really feel that women have a lot of changes in their lives.
　それにしても、つくづく「オンナの人生、いろいろなことがある」と思う。

From marriage to childbirth to child-raising, their roles in life change around quickly and drastically.
結婚から出産、育児と立場が目まぐるしく変わり、

Sometimes they may live overseas as their husband's jobs are relocated, or they may suddenly have to deal with caring for an elderly relative.
ときには夫の転勤などでいきなり外国に住んだり突然介護の問題が迫ってきたりすることもある。

Having children is a happy thing, but they are also the source of great concern, such as when they won't talk to their parents, or when they are slow in becoming independent.
子どもがいるのは幸せなことだが「親と口をきかない」「いつまでも自立しない」など大きな悩みの種になることもある。

Women's lives don't go at all according to their plans.
自分でいくら人生のプランを立てても、ちっともその通りにいかない、というのが女の人生だ。

Neither the radio show personality nor I have children.
　パーソナリティーを務めた女性アナウンサーにも私にも子どもはおらず、

We occasionally do jobs together once every few years, and our situations are similar.
何年に一度かいっしょに仕事をする機会があるが、お互い状況はあまり変わらない。

When the radio show ended at around 11 p.m., we went out for drinks, and remarked on our carefree lives.
放送が夜１１時近くに終わってから「飲みに行こう」と街にくり出し、「私たちはずいぶん気楽な生活だな」と苦笑してしまった。

The national government is pushing a goal to ensure active lives for all citizens, creating a society where people can have and raise children without concern, and not have to worry about quitting their jobs to care for elderly family.
　政府は「１億総活躍」というキーワードを掲げ、安心して子どもを産み育て、介護で仕事をやめる必要のない社会を作ろう、と言っている。

I will be perfectly happy if that happens, but I don't want the national government or government organs telling people how to live, and even if people decide their own lives, things don't necessarily go to plan.
そうなるのはおおいに歓迎だが、それでも「こう生きなさい」と国や行政に決められたくはないし、自分で決めたとしてもなかなかうまくいかない場合もある。

When things don't go to plan, we don't have to think of our lives as failures.
そのときに「私の人生、失敗ね」と自信を失う必要はない。

Every life is a unique one that only that person can live.
どんな人生も、その人にしか歩めない、世界にふたつとないものだからだ。

Whether that life is one that we chose or one that came unexpectedly, we should be proud and say, "My life is fine as it is."
それが選んだ結果であっても期せずしてそうなった場合でも、自分で「私の人生、これでよし」と誇りに感じるべきだ。

I myself did not live focusing solely on my work.
　私にしても、「これしかない」と強く思って仕事ひとすじに生きてきたわけではない。

But before I knew it, I had become this age.
はっと気づいたらこの年齢、という感じだ。

Still, as I drank good wine with that radio show host who I've long known, I felt, "This life isn't so bad."
それでも長いつき合いの女性アナとおいしいワインで乾杯していると「まあ、この人生、悪くないな」と思えてくるからおもしろい。

(By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist) （精神科医）
毎日新聞2015年12月1日　地方版