--The Asahi Shimbun, April 6 EDITORIAL: Abe must not be allowed to rush Diet approval of TPP accord （社説）ＴＰＰと国会 承認ありきは許されぬ
The Lower House has started deliberating a draft approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) accord and a bill to revise all 11 related laws. 環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）の承認案と、関連する１１本の法律を一括改正する法案の審議が、衆院で始まった。
Ever since the World Trade Organization fell into dysfunction, bilateral and multilateral agreements on free trade and economic cooperation have propelled market liberalization. 世界貿易機関（ＷＴＯ）が機能不全に陥った後、二国間や多国間の自由貿易・経済連携協定が自由化の推進役となっている。
The TPP, in particular, has 12 signatories from the Asia-Pacific region, which leads the global economy, and their combined gross domestic product represents 40 percent of the world total. Japan, which continues to languish under sluggish economic growth, pins considerable hopes on what this accord could bring. 中でもＴＰＰには世界経済を引っ張るアジア太平洋の１２カ国が参加し、国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）で世界の４割を占める。低成長が続く日本にとって、その効果への期待は小さくない。
The TPP is called a “21st century-type” accord because it covers matters concerning intellectual property, the environment and labor, in addition to the elimination and reduction of tariffs and the liberalization of capital investment. But since the accord is expected to affect many industry sectors and the people’s lives in all sorts of ways, grave concerns and questions have been raised, not to mention stiff opposition. ＴＰＰが扱うのは関税の撤廃・引き下げや投資の自由化などのほか、知的財産や環境・労働分野に及び、「２１世紀型」と呼ばれる。さまざまな産業や国民生活への影響が予想され、不安や疑問、反対論も根強い。
The Diet, which represents the people, has the responsibility to address these concerns through debate. We hope each political party will base its stance and proposals on the protection of consumer interests. 審議を通じてそうした声に向き合うことが、国民の代表としての国会の責任だろう。各党は「消費者の利益」を基準に、是非と対策を考える姿勢で審議を尽くしてほしい。
One disturbing factor is the unmistakable eagerness of the government and the ruling coalition to approve the TPP during the current Diet session. 気がかりなのは、今の国会でＴＰＰを承認しようという与党と政府の前のめりな姿勢だ。
All TPP 12 signatories signed the accord in February, but each country must secure the approval of its national assembly and complete all necessary procedures for the accord to take effect. Under the TPP rules, the completion of such procedures by the United States and Japan--the two leading nations--is indispensable. 参加１２カ国は２月にＴＰＰに署名したが、発効には各国が議会承認を含めて必要な手続きを終えねばならない。ＴＰＰの規定では、２大国である米国と日本の手続き完了が不可欠だ。
But the United States is currently in the middle of its primaries season, and the front-runner presidential candidates--both Democratic and Republican--are negative toward the TPP. The prevalent thinking in America is that Congress will not approve the accord until after election day in November. 大統領選の最中にある米国では、民主、共和両党とも有力候補はこぞってＴＰＰに否定的。議会承認は１１月の大統領選後、との見方がもっぱらである。
The administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe positions the TPP as one of the pillars of its “Abenomics” economic policy. The prime minister enthuses, “Japan will take the lead to speed up the accord’s approval.” But hasty Diet deliberations must not be allowed. 安倍政権はＴＰＰをアベノミクスの柱の一つと位置づける。「日本が率先して発効への機運を高める」と意気込むが、拙速な審議は許されない。
And if Abe is hoping to quickly settle this matter in view of the Upper House election this summer and the possibility of holding a Lower House election on the same day, he has his priorities completely wrong. 夏の参院選や、取りざたされる衆参同日選をにらみ、懸案を片付けておこうとの思惑なら本末転倒だ。
The main opposition Democratic Party is poised to focus on issues related to the reduction and elimination of tariffs on farm and fisheries products. 民進党は、農林水産分野の関税撤廃・引き下げ問題を中心に追及する構えだ。
Three years ago, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Committee of the Upper House as well as the Lower House voted to ensure careful handling of this matter regarding rice and four other items of greatest importance. But the Democratic Party must refrain from obsessing on whether these five items are protected under the TPP accord. The party must try not to lose sight of the big picture. 衆参の農林水産委員会は３年前、コメなど重要５項目に十分に配慮するよう決議している。ＴＰＰの協定案が５項目を「聖域」として守っているかを突くだけでなく、幅広い視点からの議論を心がけてほしい。
Ample information is necessary to ensure thorough discussions. The government has finally agreed to disclose records of meetings between U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Akira Amari, former minister in charge of TPP negotiations, but the documents have been extensively blacked out. The government must do its best to disclose information. 徹底した審議には十分な情報が必要だ。交渉で主役を演じた甘利明・前ＴＰＰ担当相とフロマン・米通商代表部代表の会談資料について、政府はようやく開示に応じることを決めたが、黒塗りだという。できるだけ情報公開に努めるべきだ。
We also demand anew that Amari explain the bribery suspicion he is under. If this is difficult now because of his poor health, this is all the more reason not to rush into approving the TPP accord. 甘利氏が金銭授受疑惑について説明責任を果たすことも、改めて求めたい。体調がすぐれず難しいなら、なおさらＴＰＰの承認を急ぐべきではない。
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