読売、毎日、朝日各社英字新聞の主として社説を学習研究します
フェイスブックを通してオバマ大統領と交流していました。
たったいま、オバマ大統領をサポートしてくれていることに対する感謝のメッセージを送ると連絡がありました。
４週間～６週間後に、オバマ大統領から直接感謝のメールが届くはずです。
驚きました。オバマ大統領はたいへん律儀な人です。
Friend --
The President is grateful for your support. Thanks for providing your
address so that he can send you a thank-you note.
It should be in your mailbox in four to six weeks.
Thanks again, for everything you do,
Mitch
関連記事を毎日新聞英語版より引用します。
英語版しかありませんが、英文は平易です。
難しい単語が数箇所ありますが、辞書なしで全体の流れを読み取ってください。
田邊雅章（たなべまさあき）さんは広島原爆の被災者ですが、１５年ほど前にあるきっかけから、原爆の恐ろしさを後世に伝えようと決心しました。それで｢原爆が消した廣島｣という本を出版しました。
田邊雅章（たなべまさあき）さんの手法は普通の手法と違っていて、原爆投下前の広島爆心地の情景を、写真をもとに可能な限り再現することで、消された町の悲惨さ、原爆の恐ろしさを訴えています。
（スラチャイ記）
Masaaki Tanabe's works eloquently re-create the lives of those lost to the bomb
The best book I have read this year is "Genbaku ga Keshita Hiroshima" (Hiroshima that was annihilated by the atomic bomb), published by Bungei Shunju. I was attracted by the title, which uses an old character for "Hiroshima" and invokes the life of this town, which once flourished at the mouth of rivers flowing into the Seto Inland Sea.
The author of the book, Masaaki Tanabe, 73, is a renowned filmmaker. He has re-created the town that was at ground zero in his films, using state-of-the-art technology. This year, he completed a documentary film that elaborately re-enacted the Nakajima district located in the heart of Hiroshima, which was the city's leading entertainment quarter and, reduced to ashes, now hosts the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
Tanabe was born in what was then Sarugakucho, near where the Atomic Bomb Dome stands now. It was the end of 1937, when the Sino-Japanese War was turning into a quagmire. When Tanabe was a second-grade elementary school student, he lost his mother and brother to the atomic bomb, as well as his home, which was located at ground zero. When Tanabe returned home with his grandmother from an evacuation location in the countryside, he saw the aftermath of the bomb and was exposed to residual radiation. His father, who was a serviceman, became weak from radiation from the bomb and died on Aug. 15 in despair -- on the day Japan lost the war.
Tanabe worked his way through college to study filmmaking, and after graduation he started working for a newspaper company, where he was in charge of news films. He always stayed away from the A-bomb issues, even after he left the newspaper company and started working on his own.
However, an unexpected turning point came when he was 60. Some high school girls who seemed to be on a school trip to Hiroshima asked Tanabe to take their pictures in front of the A-bomb Dome.
While he looked through the finder of the camera -- and the high school girls gave peace signs and yelled cheerfully for the shot -- he noticed the site where the kitchen of his childhood home used to be, where his mother and brother supposedly died.
Those girls don't know what happened here, he thought, but he didn't blame them for that. The experience, however, led him to decide that he shouldn't run away from A-bomb issues any more. Re-creating what ground zero looked like before the bomb was his mission, he felt.
We have seen a number of films that portray the catastrophe that the A-bomb brought to the streets and people of Hiroshima. However, what are re-enacted in Tanabe's films are the ordinary lives of people in the town, filled with their various day-to-day emotions, as well the town's rhythm and atmosphere.
Tanabe visited people across the country that have affiliations with ground zero, traced their memories, and collected their photographs they had taken from before the atomic bombing. Many of the pictures are carried in the book, and they surely portray just the same innocent smiles as those of the high school girls who posed in front of the A-bomb Dome.
An interesting story that Tanabe gives is that a recreation of the town at ground zero made based on the recollections of former residents turned out to actually be twice as big as the real town, showing that human beings tend to remember the things they cherish as being larger and greater than they really were. Tanabe determined the actual width of each house's front based on the intervals between electricity poles taken in pictures from those days.
"I wanted to bring to film the lives of ordinary citizens up until just before the dropping of the atomic bomb," Tanabe writes in his book. I believe the description of the ordinary lives that were lost can tell the tale of terror of destruction and deprivation more eloquently than anything else.
This year saw a number of foreign dignitaries visiting Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and I hope the U.S. president will follow suit next year. When he visits Hiroshima, in addition to the casualty records, I also hope he will see what the old Hiroshima was like before its annihilation and compare it to the streets and people back in his home country. (By Kenji Tamaki, Expert Senior Writer)
(Mainichi Japan) December 30, 2010
昨夜TBSの死刑制度の是非を議論する番組に鳩山邦夫元法務大臣が登場、言いたい放題で頭にきた。
こんな奴こそ裁判にかけて厳しく制裁を受けさせるべきだ。
怒りで血圧が上がってしまいました。
国民はだまされてはいけません。
公私混同、職権乱用の最たるものです。
趣味の蝶収集のために大使館職員が２名命を落とされています。
（スラチャイ）
鳩山邦夫元法務大臣が在任中フィリピンでご法度の蝶々探しに大使館員が参加。運悪くその中の一人が高圧電線にふれて死亡。それをアレンジした大使館員もその後（多分責任をとって）自殺という不幸な出来事があった。
↓
http://kiyoshimatforklog.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2010/07/post-a536-1.html
cite from msn news,
鳩山邦夫氏が法相時、宮崎元死刑囚の死刑「執行すべきと指示」明かす
2010.12.30 00:33
幼女４人連続誘拐殺人事件で死刑執行された宮崎勤元死刑囚について、当時法相だった鳩山邦夫氏が、民放の収録番組で「最も凶悪な事案の一つと思うから、宮崎を執行すべきだと思うが、検討しろと私から指示した」と発言していたことが２９日、分かった。
毎日放送（大阪）が制作し、２９日夜にＴＢＳ系列で放送された情報番組で、死刑制度や検察の捜査の在り方などをめぐって国会議員や論客らが議論。鳩山氏の発言部分は今月２日に収録された。
番組の中で鳩山氏は宮崎元死刑囚について「ここまで非人間的というか、悪くなれる人間がいるんだなと。凶悪性にびっくり」「こんなやつ、生かしてたまるかと思う」などと発言。任期中の死刑執行についても「考えてみれば少なかったと反省している。３０～４０人はしなくてはならなかったと反省している」と述べた。
2010.12.30 | Comments(0) | Trackback(0) | 未分類
(Mainichi Japan) December 29, 2010
Under pressure to leave DPJ, Ozawa agrees to testify over scandal -- with conditions
小沢元代表：政倫審出席 離党圧力で方針転換
Ichiro Ozawa, former secretary-general and a political kingpin of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), has finally agreed to testify to a Diet ethics committee over a political funding scandal after mounting pressure to leave the party if he didn't, but he has shrewdly taken advantage of the situation to seek removal of a political opponent.
On Dec. 27, Prime Minister Naoto Kan made it clear that the DPJ would ask Ozawa to leave the party if he refused to appear before the ethics committee. Kan's statement forced Ozawa, who is facing indictment as early as the beginning of next year over the scandal, to move towards testifying.
民主党の小沢一郎元代表が衆院政治倫理審査会へ出席する意向を表明したのは、首相が２７日に小沢氏の「出処進退」に言及し、出席要請に応じない場合は離党勧告も含めて小沢氏を排除する姿勢を鮮明にしたためだ。年明けにも強制起訴を控え追い込まれた小沢氏は、出席に前向きな回答をせざるを得なくなった。
However, Ozawa took the opportunity to make a counter-attack, demanding that Kan dismiss Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku as a precondition for Ozawa's appearing at the committee. Kan has been under pressure from opposition parties to sack Sengoku after the opposition-controlled House of Councillors adopted a censure motion against the chief cabinet secretary.
だが一方で、野党から参院で問責決議を受けた仙谷由人官房長官の更迭を事実上条件として挙げ、政権の弱点を突いた。
The move by Ozawa takes advantage of indications by the prime minister that he would reshuffle his Cabinet -- even though that reshuffling was intended to accompany the addition of the Sunrise Party to a DPJ-led coalition administration, a deal which fell through.
首相がたちあがれ日本との連立工作に失敗しながら内閣改造を検討する姿勢を示した動きをとらえ、反撃に出た。
On the afternoon of Dec. 28, just before making the announcement that he would testify at the committee, Ozawa visited former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and stressed the need to sack Sengoku.
"For the Diet, the censure motion against Sengoku is the more serious problem, so the prime minister should respond properly to it," Ozawa was quoted as saying to Hatoyama, who agreed with him.
小沢氏は出席を表明する直前の２８日昼、東京・赤坂の鳩山由紀夫前首相を訪ね、「問責決議の方が国会審議にとって大きな問題だから、首相もしっかりやってもらわないといかんな」と告げた。
Ozawa and Hatoyama, both outside of the mainstream of the party, agreed that they will demand that the prime minister replace Sengoku with a pro-Ozawa legislator, saying it will be for the benefit of party unity.
鳩山氏は同意し、非主流派の２人はまず仙谷氏を更迭させ、内閣改造で小沢氏側の人物を登用する挙党態勢を求めることを確認した。
Azuma Koshiishi, head of the DPJ's caucus in the House of Councillors and close ally of Ozawa, is in step with the two. "If the prime minister wants to restore public trust in his administration, he should reshuffle the Cabinet," he told reporters.
小沢氏に近い輿石東参院議員会長も記者団に「内閣改造を、政権に信頼を取り戻す方法として考えているならそうした方がいい」と語り、足並みをそろえた。
政権の課題は来春の統一地方選と１１年度予算案だ。小沢氏は予算案成立と引き換えの政倫審出席もちらつかせ、証人喚問や離党勧告に進もうとする執行部をけん制した。一方で、首相が仙谷氏を更迭せず野党が審議拒否すれば、国会停滞の責任は首相にあるとして、小沢氏は政倫審に出席しない意向だ。
（この部分の英語版はありません。訳抜けです＾＾）
A point of contention is the timing of the testimony. Ozawa says he will only attend the ethics council if it is convened after the regular Diet session opens in January -- in other words, after Kan has made the decision of whether to sack Sengoku.
小沢氏が政倫審出席の条件に「国会開会後」を挙げているのも、まずは仙谷氏を更迭してから、という意味だ。
Kan, however, fearing that if he complied it would give the public the impression that he had bowed to pressure from Ozawa, strongly demanded on Dec. 28 that Ozawa attend the ethics council before the next Diet session convenes.
しかし、小沢氏の政倫審出席前に首相が仙谷氏を更迭すれば、首相が小沢氏に屈した形になる。だからこそ首相は２８日夕、小沢氏に国会前の政倫審出席を強く求めた。
On the night of Dec. 28, pro-Ozawa legislators, including Koshiishi, former Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koji Matsui, and former DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Shinji Tarutoko met in Tokyo and were reportedly in agreement on using Ozawa's testimony to the ethics council as a bargaining chip to demand a reshuffling of the Cabinet. (By Takashi Sudo, Political News Department)
小沢氏に近い輿石氏、松井孝治前官房副長官、樽床伸二前国対委員長らは２８日夜、東京都内で会合を開いた。出席者によると「小沢氏の政倫審出席が有効なカードになるよう態勢を整えるべきだ」として、執行部側に内閣改造を求めることで一致した。【須藤孝】
毎日新聞 2010年12月29日 9時17分
英語版の記事で英文の翻訳抜けがありました。
翻訳抜けの箇所を（ ）で示しておきます。
（スラチャイ）
2010/12/28
--The Asahi Shimbun Dec. 27
EDITORIAL: Search for war remains
遺骨が問う戦後―過去に向き合い続ける
The search for the remains of Japanese soldiers who died in the Pacific War is gaining momentum.
太平洋戦争の戦没者の遺骨収集事業が、動きだしている。
"We will check each and every grain of sand," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said after digging into the volcanic ash and soil of Iwo Jima, a fierce battleground between Japan and the United States.
「一粒一粒の砂まで確かめる」。先日、日米激戦の地、硫黄島で火山灰まじりの土を掘り返した菅直人首相は、こう誓った。
The remains of 13,000 Japanese soldiers have yet to be found on this island, but the prime minister's special task force has located a group burial ground based on information from American documents. A full-fledged excavation project is to begin.
この島では日本兵１万３千人分の遺骨が見つかっていないが、官邸の特命チームが米国資料をもとに集団埋葬地を特定。これから発掘作業が本格化する。
Kan stressed, "The country has a responsibility to bring the remains back home," and implied that he is eager to expand the search program to other battle zones.
首相は「遺骨帰還は国の責務」と強調し、他の戦域での収集の拡充にも意欲を見せた。
About 2.4 million Japanese died in Okinawa and in foreign lands during the war. The 65th year after the war is drawing to a close, yet the remains of only 1.26 million have returned home.
沖縄や海外での戦没者は計２４０万人。戦後６５年が暮れつつあるというのに、戻ってきた遺骨は１２６万柱にとどまっている。
Actually, there is no law that says "the country has a responsibility" to retrieve the remains. When the war ended, what is now the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare took over the unfinished administerial business of the Japanese military, and the ministry has conducted the search as part of an assistance program for families of the war dead.
実は、遺骨収集を「国の責務」と定めた法律はない。旧軍の残務整理を引き継いだ厚生労働省が、戦没者遺族の援護の一環で続けてきた。
For a while after the war, it was difficult to set foot on lands the Japanese military had once invaded. It was not until the late 1960s, after reparation payments to those governments had made progress, that official government teams could make repeated trips to those lands in search of the remains.
敗戦後しばらく、侵略した地に足を踏み入れるのは難しかった。政府が率いる遺骨収集団が盛んに赴くようになったのは、各国への賠償が進んだ１９６０年代末のこと。
Former war comrades would serve as guides for the families of the fallen as they made their way into the jungles. The rescue of Shoichi Yokoi, a Japanese soldier who had held out in Guam until 1972, gave the project momentum.
戦友が道案内し、遺族が肉親の最期を思いながら、密林にわけ入る。７２年、グアム島の残留兵横井庄一さん救出で関心が高まり、遺骨収集は一気に進んだという。
With Japan entering the Heisei Era starting in 1989, veterans and families have grown older. With fewer leads on possible locations of the remains, the project dwindled down.
平成に入り、戦友や遺族は高齢となった。遺骨のありそうな場所の情報は減り、事業は先細りになる。
Starting four years ago, parts of the recovery project were commissioned to private groups, but there have been rumors that some of the bones that an NPO had collected in the Philippines might include those of local people. Some have suggested perhaps it was time to draw the project to a close.
４年前からは一部で民間団体への委託が始まったが、フィリピンではＮＰＯ法人が集めた骨に現地の人のものが混ざっている疑いが指摘されている。そろそろ幕引きを、という声も出ていた。
Kan had shown interest in this matter since his days in the opposition. We would like to believe that his involvement is not for the sake of his administration's popularity, but that he is truly committed to the recovery project in the numerous former battlegrounds.
菅首相は、野党時代からこの問題に関心を持ってきた。思いつきの政権浮揚策ではなく、本気で各地での収集に取り組もうとしていると信じたい。
If so, is it not time to consider moving beyond the usual framework of assisting the families and paying tribute to the deceased?
だとしたら、従来の遺族援護や慰霊といった枠組みを越え、遺骨収集のあり方を考え直すときではないか。
In the future, the recovery project should involve more young people, including student volunteers.
（収集の正確さや効率を期すのは当然だ。） 今後の担い手は学生ボランティアなど、若い人にも広げるべきだろう。
Perhaps the recovery project can be continued as a process of contemplation and soul-searching; a process for us to think and question why people were mobilized by the state and had to die in such places, only to be left there. It can be turned into an opportunity for us to learn the horrors of war, to learn from the mistakes of the past, and discover means of reconciliation.
国家に動員された人たちが、なぜこんな所で命を落とし、放置されねばならなかったのか。戦争の悲惨さと、反省を学び、和解の手がかりとする。そんな営みとして続けられないか。
For example, of the 520,000 Japanese casualties of war in the Philippines, the remains of 370,000 have returned home. But when we search for the remains of Japanese soldiers, we must not forget that more than 1 million Philippine civilians were killed.
たとえば５２万人が戦死したフィリピンには、３７万人分の遺骨が残る。しかしあの戦争では、１００万人を超すフィリピン民間人が犠牲になっている。日本兵の最期を捜すときには、そのことを忘れてはなるまい。
In China and North Korea, the search for remains, let alone their recovery, is still difficult. The remains include those of the soldiers who were originally from lands Japan colonized. Seoul is demanding Tokyo return the remains of those forcibly taken to Japan.
中国や国交のない北朝鮮では、いまだに遺骨調査さえ難しい。兵士には旧植民地出身者も含まれる。韓国政府からは、日本各地に強制連行された人の骨を返せと、求められてもいる。
The bones are silent, but from the dark they continue to question how Japan dealt with the aftermath of war. The important thing is to constantly face up to the past.
物言わぬ骨たちが、暗闇からこの国の戦後処理を問うている。大切なのは過去に向き合い続ける姿勢である。
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 28, 2010)
MPD's delayed response worsened info leak damage
警察資料流出 対応の遅れが被害拡大招いた（12月27日付・読売社説）
The Metropolitan Police Department eventually admitted last week that some of its internal documents on investigations into international terrorism were leaked onto the Internet--nearly two months after the leak was revealed.
発覚から２か月近くもたって、警視庁が、ネット上に流出した国際テロ捜査に関する資料を内部文書と認めた。
In the meantime, the MPD failed to take necessary action, allowing the online spread of personal information such as names and addresses of informants to continue. A senior MPD officer apologized over the matter, saying, "It's extremely regrettable." But the MPD bears heavy responsibility for having worsened the leak damage.
この間、必要な対応を怠ってきたため、「捜査協力者」らの実名や住所などの個人情報がネット上で拡散を続けた。警視庁幹部は「極めて遺憾で申し訳ない」と謝罪したが、被害拡大を招いた責任は極めて重大である。
Investigative authorities must take all possible measures to ensure the safety of those whose personal data were leaked as well as conduct thorough investigations to determine who leaked the information online in the first place.
警察当局は個人情報をさらされている被害者の安全確保に万全を期すとともに、徹底捜査で流出元を突き止めねばならない。
The leaked data included information provided by foreign investigative organizations. The MPD had adamantly refused to admit the leaked information was part of its internal data because it feared it would lose confidence abroad if it referred to the attribution or genuineness of leaked data.
流出資料には外国捜査機関からの情報が含まれていた。資料の帰属や真偽を語ると、国際的な信用を失うとの理由から、警視庁はこれまで内部文書と認めることをかたくなに拒んできた。
Because of this, the MPD could not even file a complaint when a book carrying the leaked data, including personal information, was published. Faced with mounting criticism over the department's stance of sticking to its position to save face as an organization, the MPD probably had no alternative but to admit the leak of its internal information and apologize.
このため、個人情報を含む流出資料をそのまま掲載した本が出版されても、抗議すらできなかった。組織としてのメンツにこだわる警察の姿勢に批判が高まったことを受けて、流出を認め、謝罪せざるを得なくなったのだろう。
===
No leniency for colleagues
Although pointing out the possibility that the leaked information includes some belonging to its Public Security Bureau, the MPD has avoided specifying which data came from the bureau. The MPD could have acknowledged this much immediately after the leak of the data came to light.
ただ、流出資料の中に警視庁公安部の情報が含まれている可能性がある、と認めながら、個別にどの資料が内部文書にあたるかの特定は避けている。この程度の説明であれば、流出直後でも十分可能だったはずだ。
In any case, the bureau's sloppy administration of data was also revealed.
公安部の情報管理のずさんさも明らかになってきた。
The leaked information is believed to have been compiled by the bureau's Third Foreign Affairs Division, which is in charge of investigations into international terrorism. Personal computers for common use by division personnel reportedly included some from which information can be taken easily with the use of a private-use external memory device.
流出した捜査資料は、国際テロ捜査を担当する公安部外事３課で作成されたとみられている。課内にある共用パソコンには、私用の外部記憶媒体で容易に情報を取り出せるものがあったという。
The MPD has been questioning about 400 members, including some current and past members of the division. The investigation should be conducted strictly without leniency for colleagues.
警視庁は外事３課に在籍した職員ら４００人から事情を聞いている。身内への甘さを排した厳正な捜査が必要だ。
The MPD has investigated the case on suspicion of obstructing police business through fraudulent means. But the allegation should be switched to a breach of confidentiality in violation of the Local Civil Service Law.
これまでは、資料流出が警察の警備業務に支障を生じさせたという偽計業務妨害容疑で捜査してきたが、流出行為そのものを問う地方公務員法の守秘義務違反に容疑を切り替えるべきである。
===
A way to regain confidence
The Public Security Bureau, in many cases, has narrowed down lists of suspects based on the information collected from informants. Therefore, the information thus gathered is highly confidential. Extreme care should be taken in its handling.
公安部では捜査協力者から集めた情報を基に容疑者を絞り込むことが多いだけに、情報の機密性は格段に高い。その取り扱いには細心の注意が求められる。
We live in an era in which international cyberterrorism is rampant. Without improvements to prevent leaks of investigative information, it would be difficult for the domestic investigative authorities to regain the confidence of their foreign counterparts.
ネット上で国境を越えたサイバーテロが頻発する時代である。捜査情報が流出する状態を改善しない限り、海外の捜査機関の信頼を回復することは難しいだろう。
In the process of promptly reexamining its information management system, the MPD must fully secure the confidentiality of electronic information as well as enhance its ability to investigate cybercrimes.
情報管理態勢を早急に見直す中で、電子情報の機密保持を徹底するとともに、ネット犯罪への捜査能力を高める必要がある。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 27, 2010)
（2010年12月27日01時27分 読売新聞）
2010/12/25
--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 24
EDITORIAL: New nuclear disarmament treaty
新核軍縮条約―多国間の削減へ踏み出せ
A new nuclear disarmament treaty aimed at reducing U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons has taken a major step toward validation. The U.S. Senate, which had been reluctant to pass and ratify it, finally approved it eight months after it was signed.
米ロの戦略核兵器を減らす新核軍縮条約が、発効へと大きく前進した。批准承認を渋っていた米議会上院が、条約調印から８カ月たってようやく可決にたどりついた。
With no prospects for the treaty to take effect, U.S. President Barack Obama's initiative for "a world without nuclear weapons" could have lost its footing. It is significant that the Senate approved it at the last moment and did not allow the initiative aimed at abolishing nuclear weapons to fall apart.
発効のめどがたたないままだと、オバマ大統領が打ち出した「核のない世界」への構想が根本から揺らぎかねなかった。土俵際で踏みとどまって、核ゼロに向かう構想を崩壊させなかったことの意義は大きい。
The development should provide momentum for the United States to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty that President Obama mentioned in his April 2009 "Prague speech" and to strike a treaty on banning production of weapons-grade fissionable materials. Nuclear powers are also urged to step up their efforts for disarmament without delay.
これを弾みにして、昨年４月の「プラハ演説」で示した包括的核実験禁止条約（ＣＴＢＴ）の米国での批准、兵器用核分裂性物質の生産禁止に関する条約交渉の開始、核保有国によるさらなる軍縮などを、一刻も早く前進させるべきである。
In particular, we wish to make a request on future nuclear disarmament.
とくに、今後の核軍縮について注文をつけておきたい。
The United States and Russia are required to reduce the number of strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 or fewer within seven years from the time the treaty takes effect. But even this figure means the two countries would still possess enormous capability to destroy civilization.
米ロは、新条約の発効から７年以内に、戦略核弾頭を双方１５５０発以下まで減らす。だがこの数でさえ、過剰な殺戮（さつりく）能力が残ることに変わりない。
Instead of seven years, the countries should hasten negotiations for the treaty to cut the number of nuclear warheads to 1,000 or fewer. If possible, the next nuclear disarmament treaty should take effect before the next Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty review conference slated for 2015.
文明破壊の危険から脱するために、この期限を待たずに１千発以下に減らす条約交渉を急ぐべきだ。できれば、２０１５年にある次回の核不拡散条約（ＮＰＴ）再検討会議までに、次の核軍縮条約を発効させたい。
It is also important to sound out consultations with nuclear powers other than the United States and Russia.
米ロ以外の核保有国との協議をさぐることも大事だ。
China has maintained the stance that the United States and Russia should take the lead in nuclear disarmament.
中国は「米ロ核軍縮が先だ」との立場をとり続けてきた。
However, if prospects for each of the two countries to possess 1,000 nuclear warheads or fewer become likely, even China would no longer be able to escape the disarmament administration. Rather, it should positively propose multilateral consultations.
だが、米ロ双方の１千発以下の時代が見えてくれば、もはや中国も核軍備管理から逃げられない。むしろ積極的に多国間の協議について提案すべきだろう。
In particular, in Asia, the United States, China and related countries need to discuss how the regional arms control and security framework ought to be so as not to trigger an arms race in conventional forces.
とくにアジアでは、核軍縮が通常戦力の軍拡を引き起こすことがないように、地域的な軍備管理、安全保障の枠組みのあり方を米中や関係国で協議していく必要がある。
As a country that suffered atomic bombings, Japan has an important role to appeal to other countries and present a new initiative. We must also not forget that it would also benefit Japan's own security.
それを呼びかけ、新たな構想を示すのは、被爆国である日本の重要な役割だろう。それが日本の安全保障に資することも忘れてはならない。
For the new treaty to take effect, ratification by Russia is indispensable. Russia's nuclear missiles are rapidly aging. Without the treaty, the cost of renewing them will weigh heavily on the country. In that sense, the treaty is also reasonable for Russia and should be ratified as soon as possible.
今回の新条約の発効には、ロシアの批准が欠かせない。条約がなければ、急速に老朽化が進む核ミサイルの更新費用が大きな財政負担になる。ロシアにも理にかなう条約だ。早期に批准すべきである。
Former U.S. secretaries of state and defense of the former Republican administration have expressed their support for the new treaty one after another. Despite such circumstances, the approval had been put off because there is strong reluctance within the Republican Party to help Obama score a point.
新条約には米国の共和党政権期の元国務長官、元国防長官たちが相次いで支持を表明してきた。それなのに承認が先延ばしされたのは、共和党内にオバマ大統領の得点になることに協力したくない空気が強いからだ。
Unless Washington advances nuclear disarmament, its position to call for the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons would weaken and directly affect the security of the United States and its allies.
核軍縮を進めぬ限り、核不拡散を主張する米国の足場は弱まる。それは、米国や同盟国の安全保障問題に直結する。
The Republican Party's stance of dragging nuclear disarmament due to its partisan interests makes light of the will of many countries that aim at "a world without nuclear weapons" under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. We strongly urge the Republican Party to reflect on its behavior.
党派的な利害で足を引っ張る共和党の姿勢は、ＮＰＴの下で「核のない世界」に向かう多くの国の意思を軽視するものだ。強く反省を促したい。
スラチャイが１０年前につくったタイ語の単語帳です。
収録語数は２２０００語ほど、打ち込むのに４カ月かかりました。
私は死ぬほど苦しみましたが、この辞書を利用して楽にタイ語を習得してください。
まじめなタイ語学習者のお役にたてれば、これに勝るよろこびはありません。
タイ日辞書
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 26, 2010)
Fiscal 2011 budget fails to address key issues
来年度予算案 辻褄合わせはもう限界だ（12月25日付・読売社説）
The Cabinet approved a record 92.41 trillion yen fiscal 2011 budget at its meeting on Friday.
２０１１年度予算案が２４日、閣議決定された。総額９２兆４１００億円は過去最大である。
The Finance Ministry probably would like to engage in a bit of old-style wordplay to read the total figure as "kuni yoi," meaning "country in good condition," as the digit 9 can be read as "ku," 2 as "ni," 4 as "yo" and 1 as "i."
かつて恒例だった数字の語呂合わせをすれば、財務省なら「国、良い」とでも言いたいところだろう。
However, if one looks at the severe reality of the budget, which depends on debt, such an optimistic assessment would be unwarranted.
だが、借金頼みのお寒い内容を見れば、そんな甘い評価など到底出来まい。
This is the second budget compilation since the Democratic Party of Japan-led administration was established last year. However, the administration of Prime Minister Naoto Kan does not have any effective measures to cope with the revenue shortfall. Instead, it only shows its determination to continue its unreasonable handout policies.
昨年の政権交代以来、民主党政権による予算編成は２度目だ。しかし、菅内閣は財源不足に抜本的な手を打たず、無理なバラマキ政策を継続する意思を示した。
In such a situation, it is impossible to escape from the nation's chronic state of deficits. Looking at this budget, this is certainly the last time the DPJ-led administration will be able to make ends meet by unreasonably using bonds to balance revenue and expenditures. Many citizens must feel anxious now.
これでは赤字体質も改善しようがない。歳入と歳出の辻褄(つじつま)合わせもいよいよ限界だと、多くの国民が不安を感じる予算になった。
44 tril. yen govt bond issue set
◆国債発行は依然４４兆円◆
The outstanding feature of the fiscal 2001 budget is 28.7 trillion yen in social security-related costs, exceeding half of general expenditures. Debt-servicing costs came to 21.5 trillion yen.
１１年度予算案の歳出は、社会保障関係費が２８・７兆円と、一般歳出全体の半分を超えたのが目を引く。国債の償還や利払いに充てる国債費は２１・５兆円である。
On the revenue side, tax income will be 40.9 trillion yen, up more than 3 trillion yen from the initial fiscal 2010 budget. It regained the 40-trillion yen mark for the first time in two years.
一方の歳入面。税収は１０年度当初より３兆円以上増えて４０・９兆円と、４０兆円台を回復する。
However, nontax revenue comes to only 7.2 trillion yen, even if the so-called buried treasure of reserve funds in special accounts is frantically scooped up.
だが、税外収入は、埋蔵金を必死にかき集めても７・２兆円にとどまる。
As a result, the revenue shortfall is covered by issuance of government bonds worth a hefty 44.3 trillion yen, almost identical to the amount in the 2010 budget, which was the largest-ever issuance in an initial budget.
結局、歳入の不足分は、当初予算として最も多かった１０年度とほぼ同じ、４４・３兆円もの国債を出して賄う。
It will be the second year in a row that government bond issuance exceeds tax revenue. For the latest budget, the government depends on bonds for 48 percent of its revenue. What on earth does the government think about this abnormal situation?
国債発行額が税収を超えるのは２年連続だ。歳入の国債依存度は４８％にのぼる。この異常な事態を政府はどう捉えているのか。
"We met the target of capping bond issuance at [about] 44 trillion yen," Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda emphasized.
野田財務相は「国債発行の上限を４４兆円とする目標は守られた」と強調する。
Indeed, the target is stipulated in the fiscal management strategy the government compiled in June.
確かにこの目標は、政府が今年６月にまとめた財政運営戦略に盛り込まれている。
However, it is utter nonsense to make the largest-ever issuance the upper limit. More reasonably, the government should aim at reducing the amount.
だが、過去最大の発行額を上限とすること自体がナンセンスだ。削減を目指すのが筋だろう。
The fiscal management strategy also aims at achieving a surplus in the primary balance in state and local finances by fiscal 2020.
財政運営戦略には、国と地方の基礎的財政収支（プライマリーバランス）を２０２０年度までに黒字化するという目標もある。
If this is the goal of fiscal rehabilitation, the fiscal 2011 budget should have been the first step toward that end, but the government stumbled at this initial step.
これを財政再建の最終着地点とするなら、まず１１年度予算で大きく改善の一歩を踏み出さねばならないが、最初からつまずいた。
Consumption tax issue evaded
◆消費税から逃げたツケ◆
This was arguably the result of the Kan administration's procrastination in raising the consumption tax rate. In inaugurating his administration in June, Kan emphasized the need to raise the consumption tax rate. And in this summer's House of Councillors election, he even touched upon the possibility of raising the current rate of 5 percent to 10 percent.
それも、菅内閣が消費税率の引き上げを先送りしたツケといえよう。菅首相は、６月の就任に当たり、消費税率引き上げの必要性を訴え、夏の参院選では税率１０％に言及した。
It was probably because he realized the need for fiscal rehabilitation as he attended international conferences as the finance minister and studied fiscal matters until immediately before assuming the prime minister's post. As the leader of the nation, his raising the issue of the need to increase the consumption tax is proper.
首相になる直前まで、財務相として国際会議などに出席し、財政再建の必要性に目覚めたからだろう。これは国の指導者として、当然の姿勢である。
However, he was criticized by opposition parties when he abruptly proposed a discussion of the consumption tax issue. Even within the DPJ, many opposed the move because it would put the party at a disadvantage in the election. Kan then cooled his rhetoric on the matter considerably. After the party's huge defeat in the upper house election, he rarely touched upon the issue. We quite regret his change of attitude.
だが、発言に唐突感があったことなどで野党から批判され、民主党内からも「選挙対策上、マイナス」との反発を受けると、一気にトーンダウンした。参院選敗北後は、ほとんど触れなくなった。極めて遺憾である。
The factor that made the confusion in budget compilation complete was an obsession with the DPJ's manifesto for last year's House of Representatives election. A prime example of this is an increase in the amount of child-rearing allowances.
予算編成の迷走に輪をかけたのが、民主党の政権公約（マニフェスト）へのこだわりだ。子ども手当の増額がその象徴といえる。
Currently, a monthly payment of 13,000 yen per child is given to families with children. Because the DPJ manifesto stipulates 26,000 yen per child a month, the government will increase the monthly amount by 7,000 yen per child younger than 3 years old to bring the payments closer to the full amount. This will require about 210 billion yen in revenue in fiscal 2011.
子ども手当は現在、月１万３０００円支給されている。政権公約では月２万６０００円としているため、政府は満額に近づけようと、３歳未満を対象に月７０００円増額する。必要な財源は来年度２１００億円に上る。
In addition, the administration included funding in the budget for policies related to its election pledges for such things as making expressways toll-free and income compensation for individual farmers. Such actions are unbelievable, considering the government's lack of revenue sources.
このほか、高速道路無料化や農家の戸別所得補償など、公約関連項目は、予算を上積みしている。財源がないというのに、理解しがたい対応である。
The government has decided to increase taxes for high-income earners to mainly secure revenue for programs with increased budgets. This is a problem.
政府は、これら増額分の財源確保などのため、高所得層への増税を決めた。これは問題だ。
High-income earners support the Japanese economy, and their consumer confidence is high. Targeting them may invite a drain of talented people to foreign countries, for instance, which would work against the aims of the government. The government should immediately withdraw the tax hike plan.
日本経済を支え、消費意欲も高い高所得層をねらい撃ちすれば、人材の海外流出などを招いて、逆効果になりかねない。こうした増税は撤回すべきである。
When the government decides on recommendations for social security reforms, which were discussed concurrently with the budget compilation, it is highly likely to avoid any reform accompanied by an increased burden to taxpayers for such programs as health care for the aged and nursing care insurance.
一方、予算編成と同時に進められた社会保障改革では、高齢者医療や介護保険で、負担増を伴う改正が、軒並み退けられる見通しとなっている。
The DPJ backed away from drastic reform ahead of the nationwide local elections next spring to avoid inviting a fierce reaction from voters. This is a shameful action for a ruling party.
来春の統一地方選を前に、有権者の反発を恐れて民主党の腰が引けてしまった。政権党として情けない限りだ。
Revise manifesto
◆マニフェスト見直しを◆
As the fiscal 2011 budget was approved by the Cabinet, long-term debts of the central and local governments are expected to reach 891 trillion yen at the end of of fiscal 2011, or 1.84 times the nation's gross domestic product. The figure is far worse than even that of Greece, which suffered fiscal collapse.
１１年度予算案の決定で、国と地方の長期債務は１１年度末で８９１兆円と、国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）の１・８４倍に及ぶ見通しになった。財政破綻したギリシャなどよりはるかに悪い数値である。
To prevent the nation's finances from collapsing, sufficient tax revenues must be secured. It is clear that raising the consumption tax rate is the only measure. The consumption tax is also a dependable source of revenue for supporting social security programs.
破綻を回避するには税収の確保が肝要だが、それには消費税率引き上げしか手がないのは、はっきりしている。社会保障財源の手当てでも頼りは消費税だ。
The DPJ said in its 2009 manifesto that a huge amount of money can be squeezed from state coffers simply by correcting wasteful uses of tax revenue. Now everybody knows that was unrealistic.
民主党は政権公約で、税の無駄遣いを正せば、巨額な財源が捻出できるとしていた。それが画餅だったことは明白である。
Now, as we are at the end of the year, the Kan administration should decide to raise the consumption tax next year. It should also honestly admit its mistakes in its 2009 manifesto and drastically revise it.
菅内閣は来年こそ、消費税率の引き上げを決断すべきだ。政権公約の誤りも正直に認め、大胆に見直す必要がある。
Unless it overcomes these two important problems, the nation will be put on the wrong course and could face fiscal collapse.
この二つの懸案をクリアしなければ、いずれ財政は破綻し、国を誤ることになろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 25, 2010)
（2010年12月25日01時32分 読売新聞）
スラチャイは現在7カ国語を同時に学習中です。
お金はあまりありませんが、それでも語学学習への熱い思いは冷めることがありません。
アジアの比較言語学はスラチャイの長年の夢でした。
タイ語とラオス語の学習者にスラチャイ手作りの辞書をプレゼントします。
エクセルで作った単語のデータベースですが、検索は極めて素早く行えます。
すべてエクセルのxls形式で掲載してありますので、学習者は自分のPCに保存すれば自由に使えます。
発音の記号を自分で追加するのもよい練習となるでしょう。
新しい単語を自分のデータ－ベースに追加して行けば貴重な資料となります。
タイ語、ラオス語学習は最初が肝心です。
毎日、母音、子音の表を参照しながら辞書の発音を確認して行けば１週間ほどで文字が読めるようになります。
健闘を祈ります。
●タイ日辞書（改訂版）
エクセルを使用し、１０年前に作成したスラチャイ手作りのタイ日辞書データベースです。
スラチャイが現在使っている最新版です＾＾。
発音記号付きで、子音文字、母音文字の一覧表を添付しました。
http://srachai.web.fc2.com/thai-jap_dic.html
●日タイ辞書（改訂版）
エクセルを使用し、１０年前に作成したスラチャイ手作りの日タイ日辞書データベースです。
スラチャイが現在使っている最新版です＾＾。
発音記号付きで、子音文字、母音文字の一覧表を添付しました。
http://srachai.web.fc2.com/jap-thai_dic.html
●ラオ日辞書
エクセルを使用したスラチャイ作成のラオ日辞書データベースです。
発音記号付きで、子音文字、母音文字の一覧表を添付しました。
http://srachai.web.fc2.com/lao-jap_dic.html
●日ラオ辞書
エクセルを使用したスラチャイ作成の日ラオ辞書データベースです。
発音記号付きで、子音文字、母音文字の一覧表を添付しました。
http://srachai.web.fc2.com/jap-lao_dic.html
(Mainichi Japan) December 24, 2010
China's boycott diplomacy ugly but effective
木語：外交力で「大使は不在」＝金子秀敏
＜ｍｏｋｕ－ｇｏ＞
Mainichi Shimbun staff writer Mayumi Otani, who covered the Nobel Prize award ceremony this year, angrily said, "The Chinese government's behavior was ugly." She refers to pressure China applied to its allies to boycott the ceremony because the Nobel Peace Prize would be awarded to Chinese anti-government activist Liu Xiaobo, and 17 countries refused to send representatives to the ceremony. (Mainichi Shimbun Dec. 20 morning edition -- from Norway)
ノーベル平和賞の授賞式を取材した本紙、大谷麻由美記者が「中国政府の振る舞いはダサかった」と怒っている。あの平和賞ボイコット外交のことである。反政府活動家、劉暁波氏に平和賞が贈られるとあって、中国政府が授賞式に出席しないよう圧力をかけ、１７カ国が欠席した。（２０日朝刊「Ｆｒｏｍノルウェー」）
Like Otani, I remember most Japanese journalists and newspapers criticized China's action as arrogant with the only exception being Bangkok-based journalist Makoto Suzuki. (The Sankei Shimbun Dec. 15 morning edition) He analyzed China's boycott diplomacy from the viewpoint of Southeast Asia.
どの新聞も、大谷記者と同様、中国は横暴だと非難していたように思う。例外はバンコク在住のジャーナリスト、鈴木真氏である（１５日産経新聞朝刊）。中国のボイコット外交を「東南アジア」という物さしで測っている。するとなにが見えるだろうか。
Suzuki pointed out that of the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Thailand was the only country that sent a representative to the award ceremony as far as he confirmed. However, a minister at the Thai Embassy attended it on behalf of the ambassador, who the embassy said was staying in his home country.
鈴木氏は言う－－東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）１０カ国のうち、平和賞授賞式に参加したことが確認できたのはタイ１国だけ。そのタイも大使は「本国に帰国中」で公使が出た。
The Indonesian ambassador was also absent from the ceremony for the same reason, while the Philippine ambassador also failed to be present because the ceremony did not fit his schedule. Even Vietnam, which is in dispute with China over sovereignty issues in the South China Sea, criticized presenting the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu on the grounds that the prize should not be used for political purposes. However, it is too naive to insist that Japan should join hands with ASEAN in an attempt to counter China.
インドネシアの大使も「本国に帰国中」で欠席。フィリピンは大使の「日程が合わず」欠席したという。中国と南シナ海で主権紛争のあるベトナムは「政治目的に利用すべきではない」と劉氏への授賞を批判した。だから、日本とＡＳＥＡＮが手を結び、中国と対抗すべきだというような議論は空論である－－。
Regardless of whether its behavior was ugly, China did score diplomatic points through its boycott diplomacy. This is the reality of Asia.
ダサかろうがどうだろうが中国はボイコット外交でこれだけのポイントを挙げた。これがアジアの現実である。
It raises the question why does China have such strong diplomatic power? This is apparently because the free trade agreement (FTA) between China and ASEAN came into effect on Jan. 1, 2010. China and ASEAN have been integrated into a single market and the amounts of goods and services traded in these areas sharply increased, improving the economic conditions of Southeast Asia.
では、なぜ中国はこれほどの外交力を持っているのか。今年の１月１日、中国とＡＳＥＡＮの自由貿易協定（ＦＴＡ）が発効したからだろう。中国と東南アジアが一つのマーケットになり、物流が急増して、東南アジアの景気が良くなった。
As their economic relations have become closer, China and ASEAN tend to avoid political conflicts. Philippine news organizations criticized the ambassador's absence from the ceremony, but politicians in ASEAN member countries share the view that they will gain nothing if they anger China.
経済的に接近すれば政治的関係も対立を避けるようになる。フィリピンではマスコミが大使欠席を批判したが、政界からは「中国を怒らせて得はない」という本音が漏れている。
Shortly before the award ceremony, a high-ranking Philippine military officer visited China and held talks on the purchase of Chinese-made weapons. ASEAN member countries fear anti-government guerrillas within their respective territories more than the threat posed by China.
授賞式の直前、フィリピン軍首脳が訪中して中国製武器の買い付け交渉をしている。中国の脅威より国内の反政府ゲリラのほうが怖いのだ。
The United States is now pressing forward with a plan to form the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement in a bid to counter the China-ASEAN FTA. Washington is now trying to increase its presence in the Asian market, but struggling to make up for its late start.
中国ＡＳＥＡＮのＦＴＡに対抗して、米国が推進しているのが環太平洋パートナーシップ協定（ＴＰＰ）である。アジア市場で巻き返しを狙っているが、出遅れた。
In the South China Sea where China is steadily increasing its military presence, the United States is soliciting ASEAN to build up a framework to counter the threat posed by China, but ASEAN is unlikely to comply. China's boycott diplomacy was certainly ugly. However, the brass-knuckles aggressiveness of its diplomacy should not be underestimated. (By Hidetoshi Kaneko, Expert Senior Writer)
中国が着々と軍事的プレゼンスを高めている南シナ海では、米国はＡＳＥＡＮと中国の脅威に対抗する枠組みを作ろうとしている。しかし、ＡＳＥＡＮは簡単に乗らない。中国のノーベル平和賞授賞式ボイコット外交は、確かにダサい。しかしダサいほどがむしゃらな外交力は侮れない。（専門編集委員）
毎日新聞 2010年12月23日 東京朝刊
(Mainichi Japan) December 23, 2010
More than meets the eye in declassified diplomatic documents
社説：外交文書公開 隠し事はまだあった
Declassified diplomatic documents covering Japan-U.S. negotiations on the 1972 reversion of Okinawa have raised suggestions that the ministry covered up details of its secret accords.
外務省が１９７２年の沖縄返還をめぐる日米交渉などに関する外交文書を公開した。
An examination conducted by an experts' panel set up by the Foreign Ministry had clarified part of the Japan-U.S. secret agreement on the reversion of Okinawa to Japan's sovereignty. However, the declassified documents recently released by the Foreign Ministry shed light on larger part of the accord -- they were not covered by the panel's examination.
日米密約の一部については同省の有識者委員会の検証で一定程度解明されたが、今回はその検証の対象外だった文書の中から不自然な焼却処分の痕跡や財政負担に関する密約を裏付ける資料などが新たに見つかった。
In May, the Foreign Ministry put into effect regulations requiring declassification of virtually all of its official documents 30 years from the time they were compiled. This time, the third round of disclosure, 291 files, including 56 regarding Okinawa, were disclosed.
外務省は今年５月、作成から３０年たった文書を原則公開する新たな規則を施行した。３回目の今回は沖縄関連５６冊を含む計２９１冊の文書が公開された。
Among the documents is one suggesting that the Japanese and U.S. governments plotted to ensure that a conservative candidate would win the first election of governor of the Ryukyu government under U.S. rule. Another shows Tokyo and Washington played a tug-of-war over the wording of an agreement to include the Senkaku Islands in the Okinawa islands to be returned to Japan's sovereignty.
初の琉球政府行政主席公選で日米両政府が保守系候補を勝たせるために画策したことや、沖縄返還にからみ尖閣諸島が返還地域に含まれることをどう表現するかをめぐり日米が綱引きを演じたことなどを示す文書も含まれている。
More surprisingly, a memorandum showing that three confidential telegrams were incinerated was found in a file of documents on the Japan-U.S. secret agreement. Under the secret agreement, Japan footed the 4 million dollars required to restore land vacated by U.S. military facilities in Okinawa to its original state, even though such costs should have been borne by the United States.
中でも驚かされるのは、沖縄返還に際して米国が支払うことになっていた米軍用地の原状回復補償費４００万ドルを日本が肩代わりした密約に関するファイルの中から、３通の機密電報を焼却したことを示すメモが見つかったことだ。
Furthermore, an entry in the handwritten index of the file titled, "Document 1 -- the leak of confidential information on Okinawa reversion talks" has been crossed out and the text of the document is missing although its cover is still kept in the file. A new typed index of the file does not even list the document.
ファイル内容を記した手書きの目次では「沖縄返還交渉機密漏洩（ろうえい）事件」が横線で消され文書が欠落していた。その後、新たにタイプで作成された目次には「沖縄返還交渉機密漏洩事件」そのものが消えていた。
The Foreign Ministry states that it does not know how the ministry managed documents 40 years ago, and the memorandum does not show what kind of telegrams were incinerated.
外務省は「４０年も前の文書管理については分からない」と言っており、何が焼却されたのかは不明だ。
If the telegrams were incinerated in order to destroy evidence of the secret pact, it would be an outrageous act that could betray the public's trust in the government. Questions also remain as to why the document showing that Japan footed the 4 million dollars was not found in the ministry's earlier investigation into the case.
もし密約の証拠を消すための意図的な焼却だったのなら許し難い背信行為である。４００万ドル肩代わり密約を裏付ける文書そのものも先の外務省調査で見つからなかったことと合わせ釈然としない。
The declassified documents include one backing up another secret agreement under which Japan shouldered 65 million dollars to renovate and relocate U.S. military facilities in Okinawa -- in addition to the 320 million dollars stated in the official agreement on Okinawa's reversion. The document details a dialogue in which an official of the ministry's First North America Division and an official of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo discussed the issue.
また、沖縄返還協定に記された３億２０００万ドルのほかに米軍施設改良移転費名目で６５００万ドルを日本側が負担するとした密約を裏付ける日本側の文書も初めて見つかった。外務省北米１課担当者と在京米大使館員のやりとりを記した文書だ。
These findings obviously support assertions the experts' panel made in a report submitted to the ministry in March that negotiations on the expenses of the Okinawa reversion lack transparency.
今年３月に出された外務省有識者委員会の報告書は「沖縄返還に伴う財政経済交渉には不透明な部分が多々ある」と指摘したが、これもそのひとつなのだろう。
The ministry is set to disclose approximately 22,000 files of documents that are still being withheld even though more than 30 years have passed since they were compiled. It is hoped that the details of how Japan footed the expenses of the Okinawa reversion, which is shrouded in mystery, will be clarified in the process of disclosing these documents.
外務省は作成後３０年以上経過しながらまだ公開されていない文書約２万２０００冊について順次公開していくという。その過程で、闇に包まれている財政負担の全貌が明らかになることを望む。
Enthusiasm that the Foreign Ministry has recently shown about disclosing diplomatic documents should be appreciated to a certain extent, but the method of disclosure should be improved. Many members of the public have complained that declassified documents are accessible only at the ministry's Diplomatic Record Office in Tokyo, and that it takes a long time and costs too much money to make photocopies of documents. The ministry should take measures to improve the convenience of accessing such documents.
外交文書公開での外務省の積極姿勢は評価するが注文もある。東京都内の外交史料館でしか閲覧できないことや、資料の複写に時間がかかり料金が高額なことなどに対する利用者の苦情を耳にする。利便性を高める工夫をしてもらいたい。
Kobe Steel, iPhone bright spots for 'declining' Japan, but challenges lie ahead from China
水説：アイフォーンの３４％＝潮田道夫
＜ｓｕｉ－ｓｅｔｓｕ＞
I'm a big fan of the TV Tokyo program "Sora kara Nihon o mitemiyo" (Let's take a look at Japan from the sky). The dialogue between Kumojii (Grandpa Cloud) and Kumomi, a "girl cloud," is entertaining, and it's refreshing to see various parts of the country from a vantage point not unlike that of a floating cloud.
テレビ東京系の「空から日本を見てみよう」という番組のファンである。「くもじい」と「くもみ」の掛け合いが面白いし、雲に乗った感覚で列島各地を見下ろすのは気分がいい。それに勉強になる。
The program, moreover, is informative. The other day, viewers were given a glimpse of the steel manufacturer Kobe Steel, based in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, and told that if the company were to stop its operations, production of half the world's cars would come to a halt. I'd had no idea.
先日の番組では神戸製鋼がでてきて「この製鉄所が止まると世界の自動車の半分が造れなくなる」と言っていた。知らなかったなあ。
Looking into the matter, I found that Kobe Steel has about a 50-percent share of the wire rods used to produce valve springs, which are installed at the top of car cylinders.
調べてみると、自動車のシリンダー上部に取り付ける弁ばね用の線材で、神戸製鋼製が世界シェアの約半分を占めている。おそらく、そのことを言っているのだろう。
The valves are subject to strenuous contraction and expansion, but their quality must remain unchanged even when a car clocks 100,000 kilometers. Kobe Steel's wire rods apparently fit the bill and therefore dominate the world market. I find this good news, especially nowadays, when Japan's economic decline has become widely accepted.
このばねは激しい伸縮運動を強いられる。そして自動車が１０万キロ走ろうとも、へたらず変わらぬ品質を維持しなければならない。日本の神戸製鋼製がベスト。高品質で世界市場を席巻している。日本衰退論が目立つ昨今、非常にうれしい話だった。
Japan is a major exporter of finished products such as cars and LCD televisions, but with regards to world share, companies like Kobe Steel that produce materials and parts account for a larger share. While such companies are little known in Japan, they are the ones that are helping to maintain the country's economic edge.
日本は自動車や液晶テレビなど完成品の大輸出国だが、世界シェアをどれだけとっているかという観点では、神戸製鋼の例のように、むしろ素材や部品が強い。消費者にはなじみの薄い企業が多いが、そういう企業が日本経済を支えている。
A Dec. 15 Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article, "Not Really 'Made in China,'" highlights the problem with distortions in trade statistics. The iPhone was developed by Apple Inc., an American company, but is assembled in China. Because of this, the phones are considered to be "imported" by the U.S. as products "made in China," adding $1.9 billion to the U.S. trade deficit with China. But does it make sense to credit the $1.9 billion to China alone?
米ウォールストリート・ジャーナルが先日、この点に着目し「実際は中国製とは言えない」という記事を掲載していた。ｉＰｈｏｎｅ（アイフォーン）はいうまでもなく米アップル社の開発した世界的ヒット商品だが、組み立て工場は中国。だから「中国製」として米国に輸入される。その結果、アイフォーンは昨年、米国の対中赤字に１９億ドルを追加することになった。しかし、１９億ドル全部を中国一人の責めに帰するわけにいくまいというのだ。
There are some very interesting figures with regards to iPhone sales. The phones are sold wholesale by China for $178.96 each, but since Chinese workers are only involved with assembling the phones, only 3.6 percent of that amount actually goes to China. The countries that provide the parts actually get a larger share of the wholesale cost. Japan receives 34 percent, while Germany gets 17 percent, South Korea 13 percent, and the U.S. 6 percent.
非常に興味深い数字が出ている。対米輸出価格は１７８・９６ドル（約１万５０００円）だが、中国は組み立てるだけなので中国に落ちるカネはその３・６％だけ。部品等の供給国の分け前の方が大きい。日本３４％、ドイツ１７％、韓国１３％、米国６％の順だ。
What struck me was the figure, 34 percent. With Apple's iPod, most of the parts were made in Japan. Since I'd been told previously that Japan had no chance against South Korea and China when it came to the iPhone, I was relieved to hear that it still holds a 34-percent share.
私が注目したのは３４％という数字である。同じアップルが以前に出したアイポッドでは部品のほとんどが日本製だった。ところが、アイフォーンでは韓国と中国に駆逐され見る影もないと聞いていたので、まだ３４％も占めていたかとホッとしたのである。
The WSJ article runs the risk of giving a false impression, however. No longer a mere "assembling factory," China is rapidly shifting towards becoming a Japanese-style supplier of materials and parts. Southeast Asian countries are in great fear of China's rise to economic hegemony, which they see as imminent. Japan must also acknowledge that maintaining its 34-percent share will not be easy. (By Michio Ushioda, Expert Senior Writer)
しかし、この記事は誤解を生みかねない。中国はもはや「組み立て基地」ではない。日本型の「素材・部品の供給基地」に急速に変容しつつある。東南アジア諸国は中国の経済覇権の完成間近と見て、戦々恐々としている。日本も「３４％」にホッとしている場合でない。（専門編集委員）
(Mainichi Japan) December 22, 2010
毎日新聞 2010年12月22日 東京朝刊
2010/12/21
--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 20
EDITORIAL: Japanese rice and TPP
ＴＰＰと農業―衰退モデル脱却の好機だ
Prime Minister Naoto Kan's decision to consider Japan's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement has provoked acrimony over whether to protect Japan's export industries or its agriculture.
守るべきは輸出産業か、それとも国内農業か。菅直人首相が表明した「環太平洋パートナーシップ協定」（ＴＰＰ）への参加検討の方針が、そんな対立を生んでいる。
But this is not an either-or issue.
だがこれは、二者択一の問題ではない。
The TPP is a multilateral pact to create a free trade zone by eliminating tariffs between the member countries. Nine countries, including the United States, are negotiating the agreement.
関税撤廃で自由貿易圏をつくろうという構想がＴＰＰである。米国など９カ国が推進している。
Joining the TPP offers a great opportunity for Japan to catch up with some rival trade powers in the race to strike free trade agreements (FTAs).
日本にとって、そこに参加することは自由貿易協定（ＦＴＡ）戦略の出遅れを一気に取り戻すチャンスである。
Japan should try to figure out a way to ensure the long-term viability of its agriculture without missing out on this opportunity.
そうする中で農業との両立をさぐるのが筋だ。
Agricultural reform is key
■改革こそ両立の道
When South Korea's free trade agreements with the United States and Europe come into force next year, Japanese export industries will find themselves at a serious disadvantage against their South Korean rivals.
韓国が米欧とのＦＴＡを来年発効させれば、日本の輸出産業は韓国企業に比べて不利になる。
Japan's participation in the TPP pact would offset the negative effects. It would also help ease the pressure on Japanese companies to shift operations overseas.
ＴＰＰ参加はその不利を打ち消す。日本企業の海外移転圧力を和らげる効果もある。
As a resource-poor country, Japan has no choice but to stake its survival on trade. But food security is also vital for safeguarding the well-being of the people. Japan cannot give up either trade or agriculture.
資源に乏しい日本は通商国家として生きるしか道はない。さりとて国民生活を守るには食糧の安全保障も重要だ。いずれも切り捨てられない。
The key to solving this knotty question is agricultural reform.
難問を解くカギは農業改革にある。
The farm ministry and agricultural cooperatives argue that Japan's participation in the TPP would deliver a devastating blow by bringing down its crucial protective wall--high tariffs. But Japanese agriculture should try to secure its survival and improve its future prospects through reform.
農林水産省や農協は、ＴＰＰ参加で高関税という防護壁を失えば、「国内農業は壊滅的打撃を受ける」と主張する。だが、改革による生き残りと再生への道を歩むべきではないか。
Since long before the TPP issue came to the fore, Japanese agriculture has been in urgent need of reform. The average age of farmers in Japan is 66, and there is a serious shortage of young people willing to pursue a career in agriculture. Japanese agriculture could collapse in 10 years or so.
ＴＰＰ問題が浮上するずっと前から、農業は改革の必要に迫られてきた。働き手が平均６６歳と高齢化し、後継者不足も深刻で、あと１０年もすれば国内農業は自壊しかねない。
One of the main factors putting Japanese agriculture in its current miserable state is the so-called acreage reduction program, which has been the main pillar of Japan's agricultural policy. It is the government's program to maintain rice prices through production adjustments, and it involves reducing the amount of land devoted to rice cultivation in response to declining demand for rice.
こうなった要因の一つが農政の基軸だった減反政策だ。米価維持のためにコメの需要減に合わせて水田の作付面積を減らす官製の生産調整策である。
Seven trillion yen ($83.5 billion) of taxpayer money has been spent for the program in 40 years, but the average income of farmers has halved in the past two decades.
４０年間で総額７兆円の税金が投じられたが農業所得は２０年前から半減した。
Its greatest harm is that it has hampered the efforts of well-motivated full-time farmers to become financially independent through ingenuity and expansion of their operations.
減反の最大の罪は、創意工夫と大規模化で自立しようと努力する主業農家の足を引っ張ってきたことだ。
Food security under threat
■危うい食糧確保
Under the program, annual production quotas are decided on the basis of actual rice sales in the previous year.
減反政策ではコメの販売実績によって翌年の生産枠が決まる。
The new program to prop up the income of farmers with direct cash payments, which was introduced this year by the government led by the Democratic Party of Japan as its key policy initiative, is making things worse.
Under the program, the amounts of cash that farmers receive are based on their production quotas. This has prompted agricultural cooperatives across the nation to try to increase rice sales by cutting prices in efforts to secure larger output quotas, thereby accelerating the falls of rice prices.
しかも今年から始まった民主党政権の目玉政策、農家への戸別所得補償制度では枠が大きいほど補償額も増える。このため各地の農協がコメを安売りしてでも枠の拡大を競うようになり、米価の下落に拍車をかけている。
The situation is tougher for full-time farmers than for part-time farmers who get much of their income outside of farming.
こうなると、主な所得が他にある兼業農家より、農業で稼いでいる主業農家の方が苦しくなる。
The income support program is hindering consolidation of farming land and promoting the division of land into smaller lots.
戸別所得補償が農地の集約を阻害し、細切れ化を促すという弊害も出てきた。
Since the program covers all farmers selling rice, small farmers who were on the way out of the business are now rushing to terminate the lease of their farmland to others to receive cash from the government.
すべての販売農家を対象にしたために、退出するはずの零細農家も補償を得ようと、貸していた農地の「貸しはがし」に走る傾向がある。
This is making it even more difficult to promote cost reduction through expanding the scale of farming.
これでは日本の農業の大規模化によるコスト削減はままならない。
Japan is struggling to curb rice production to prevent a glut. But the global outlook for the future of agriculture is quite different.
コメ余りを避けようと、政策的に生産を抑えこむのに四苦八苦する日本だが、世界に目を転ずると、別の光景が広がる。
The world population is projected to grow to 9.1 billion in 2050 from the current 6.9 billion. Steadily growing demand for grain is certain to remain on a sharp upward trajectory in the coming years.
現在６９億人の世界人口は２０５０年に９１億人まで増える。増加の一途をたどる穀物需要は、今後もまちがいなく膨張する。
Fortunately, the kind of acute food shortage predicted by the British economist Thomas Malthus in his "An Essay on the Principle of Population" has not become reality, at least so far.
経済学者マルサスが「人口論」で予言した深刻な食糧不安は、幸いこれまでは無用の心配だった。
That's because cultivated acreage has been increased steadily while technological innovations for fertilizers and other means have raised production per unit area.
耕地面積を広げ、肥料などの技術革新で単位収量を増やせたからだ。
But what about the future? Even small changes in the supply-demand balance often cause sharp rises and falls in the grain markets. It is not rare either for food-exporting countries to cause international concerns about food supplies by trying to ensure sufficient supplies at home.
これからはどうか。穀物市況はわずかな需給の変化でも激変する。輸出国が自国供給を優先して、国際不安を呼ぶことも珍しくない。
Three years ago, India and China imposed restrictions on their grain exports. This past summer, Russia temporarily halted its wheat exports, creating a stir among importing countries.
３年前にはインド、中国などの穀物輸出制限、今夏もロシアが小麦の一時輸出停止で輸入国に波紋を広げた。
Many industrialized countries have been raising their grain production capacity in response to concerns about food shortages. That has been possible because of their export-promotion policies.
多くの先進国は食糧不安に備え、穀物生産力を高めてきた。それを可能にしたのは農産物の輸出政策である。
Germany, for instance, has achieved complete self-sufficiency in wheat and dairy products and is exporting the surpluses.
たとえばドイツは小麦や乳製品で完全自給を超過する分を輸出している。
Japan has not taken that approach and has been cutting down its output. As a result, Japan's food self-sufficiency ratio has fallen to 40 percent from nearly 80 percent half a century ago.
日本はその道を選ばず生産量を減らし、半世紀前に８０％近くあった自給率はいま４０％だ。
A breed-improvement project to increase rice production has long been a taboo at agricultural experimental stations across the nation. This is an agricultural policy that is bucking the global trend.
全国各地の農業試験所では、コメの収量を増やすための品種改良はずっと御法度だった。世界の潮流とかけ離れた政策である。
End failed farm policy
■失敗農政の大転換を
Japanese rice, known for its high quality, has the potential to find customers among the swelling ranks of rich Asian consumers.
本来、高品質で定評のあるコメは今後ふくれあがるアジアの富裕層向けに輸出できる潜在力がある。
In a belated move, the farm ministry reached an agreement in early December with a Chinese state enterprise on Japanese rice exports to China. There is great hope for growth in Japanese rice exports to the fast-growing neighbor.
遅ればせながら農水省は今月上旬、中国の国営企業とコメの対中輸出について覚書を交わした。今後、大いに期待できる。
It is hard to believe that scrapping the prohibitive 778-percent tariff imposed on rice imports to open the door to foreign rice would drive Japanese rice out of the market.
７７８％というコメの高関税をなくし輸入米に門戸を開いても、日本のコメが国内市場から締め出されるようなことは考えにくい。
The price differences between Japanese and foreign rice often cited by opponents of rice import liberalization have narrowed significantly. The price of rice produced in Japan is about 13,000 yen per 60 kilograms, while the price of rice imported from China, for instance, exceeds 10,000 yen, three times higher than it was 10 years ago.
反対論者が反対理由に挙げる内外価格差は接近してきた。国産米価格は６０キロ当たり約１万３千円だが、中国産米の輸入価格も１０年前の３倍となって１万円超だ。
Some large-scale farmers are distancing themselves from the stance of agricultural cooperatives, which are dead set against opening the rice market to imports.
大規模農家の中には「絶対反対」の農協と一線を画す動きもある。
A group of agricultural production corporations and large rice growers in Niigata Prefecture, a rice production center in Japan, has urged the government to swiftly make clear how Japan's participation in the TPP would change its agricultural policy over the long term.
コメどころ新潟県の農業生産法人や大規模農家らの団体は、ＴＰＰ参加に伴って中長期的な農政がどう変わるのか、早急に示すよう政府に求めたいという。
"Simply opposing the TPP doesn't help revive Japanese agriculture," says one representative of the group.
「ＴＰＰに反対しているだけでは、日本の農業の再生はもはやできないからだ」と団体代表の一人は話す。
The lack of a clear vision for the future of Japanese agriculture discourages young and highly motivated people from entering the business. The acreage reduction program, which runs counter to the efforts to brighten the future prospects of Japanese agriculture, should be abolished.
展望が描けなければ、若く有望な後継者は入ってこない。それに逆行する減反政策は廃止すべきだ。
The direct payment program should also be revised to focus on supporting well-motivated full-time farmers from paying cash to all farmers selling rice.
戸別所得補償もすべての販売農家を対象にする制度から、意欲ある主業農家に絞った直接支払い制度に変える必要がある。
Japan should outgrow the defeatist notion that agriculture is victimized by policy efforts to support export industries.
「農業が輸出産業の犠牲になる」という発想を乗り越えたい。
If Japanese agriculture is reinvented to make its products competitive in the global market, there is nothing for Japanese farmers to fear about trade liberalization.
グローバル市場を相手に日本農業を再設計すれば、貿易自由化はけっして怖くない。
スカイマインドさんのイルミネーションがすごいなって思っていたら、アメリカにもっとすごい人がいました。１００万個の電球を使用するので、１カ月の電気代がなんと６８０万円！腰が抜けました。今はやりのLEDにすると電気代は大幅に節約できますが、それでも壱カ月８９万円。やりすぎですね＾＾。
敗戦から６５年、もうそろそろ時効ではないでしょうか。
日本の国を守るのはやはり日本人じゃないとおかしな話です。
自民党だったら恐らく今回ような改定は難しかったのではないでしょうか。
批判も見受けられますがスラチャイは、当然の流れだと考えます。
むしろ遅すぎた感があります。
（スラチャイ記）
New thinking welcome on defense strategies
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 20, 2010)
新防衛大綱 機動性ある自衛隊へ転換急げ（12月19日付・読売社説）
The security environment around Japan is growing ominous. To secure peace and safety for the nation under such circumstances, it is necessary to eliminate the remnants of Cold War strategies and construct a more flexible and resilient defense system.
我が国周辺の安全保障情勢は厳しさを増している。その中で日本の平和と安全を確保するには、冷戦期の残滓(ざんし)を排し、より機動的で柔軟性ある防衛体制を構築する必要がある。
The government has decided on new National Defense Program Guidelines, the first revisions in six years and the third overall since the guidelines were originally worked out in 1976.
政府が、新しい「防衛計画の大綱」を決定した。１９７６年に防衛大綱が策定されて以来、６年ぶり３回目の改定である。
The new guidelines call for a paradigm shift from the 1976 emphasis on "fundamental defense" to the modern concept of "dynamic defense capability."
新大綱は、７６年大綱が掲げた防衛力整備の基本指針の「基盤的防衛力構想」を、「動的防衛力」に転換する方針を打ち出した。
◆冷戦の残滓排除が重要◆
The fundamental defense concept calls for possessing the minimum defense forces necessary for an independent country. The concept has been used as grounds for deploying the Self-Defense Forces evenly over the country, a strategic vestige of the Cold War period.
基盤的防衛力とは、独立国として必要最小限の防衛力を保有するという概念だ。冷戦時代から残る「全国均等な部隊配置」の根拠となってきた。
The dynamic defense capability concept, on the other hand, emphasizes having the capabilities to respond to a variety of threats and contingencies.
これに対し、動的防衛力は、多様な脅威や事態に機動的に対処する能力を重視している。
The diverse activities of today's SDF include dealing with missiles and new threats such as terrorism, and taking part in international peacekeeping operations.
自衛隊の任務は、ミサイル、テロなど新たな脅威への対応や、国際平和協力活動への参加など、多様化している。
The days are gone when the SDF could remain a passive organization. Possessing up-to-date tanks, ships and planes alone is not sufficient for deterrent power to work.
自衛隊に極力何もさせず、抑制的な組織にとどめておけば良かった時代は、遠く去った。最新鋭の戦車や艦船、航空機も、保有しているだけでは、抑止力は十分機能しない。
Deterrence can work only when the SDF is seen deploying its units to perform various duties. Adoption of such a dynamic defense capability as the concept of the new defense guidelines would be an appropriate policy switch in the dramatically changing security landscape we face today.
自衛隊が様々な任務をこなし、部隊を動かすことを通じて抑止力を働かせる。そうした動的防衛力の採用は、大きな時代の変化に即した適切な政策転換と言える。
China a 'major concern'
The new guidelines refer to China's rapidly increasing defense spending, the stepped-up activities of its naval and air forces and the lack of transparency in its military buildup programs, which the guidelines mention as a "matter of concern for the region and the international community."
新大綱は、中国の国防費の増加や海空軍の活動活発化、透明性の不足について、「地域・国際社会の懸念事項」と明記した。
China's military emergence is conspicuous. China's publicly announced plan to build aircraft carriers has changed the military balance in the East China Sea. It has been actively ramping up moves to expand its maritime interests, thereby intensifying friction with Southeast Asian nations.
中国の台頭は著しい。空母保有を公言し、東シナ海の軍事バランスが変化しつつある。海洋権益拡大を図る動きも激しく、東南アジア諸国との軋轢(あつれき)が増している。
Under such circumstances, it is natural that the new guidelines include beefing up island defenses, such as in the Nansei Islands, which include Okinawa Prefecture and part of Kagoshima Prefecture. It is essential to go ahead with a plan to deploy Ground Self-Defense Force units on Yonagunijima, Japan's western most island.
こうした中、新大綱が南西諸島など島嶼(とうしょ)防衛の強化を打ち出したのは当然だ。与那国島への陸上自衛隊の部隊配置などを着実に進める必要がある。
Referring to North Korea, the guidelines say that country remains "an urgent and serious destabilizing factor." Given that the reclusive communist state conducted two nuclear tests, test-fired ballistic missiles, torpedoed a South Korean warship and shelled the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, it is indispensable for Japan to bolster military ties with the United States and South Korea.
北朝鮮については、アジア地域の「喫緊かつ重大な不安定要因」と記述した。２度の核実験や、弾道ミサイル発射、韓国艦船や延坪(ヨンピョン)島(ド)への攻撃を踏まえれば、日本は、米韓両国との軍事面の連携を強化することが肝要だ。
A new five-year midterm defense buildup program, which was approved by the Cabinet Friday together with the new guidelines, sets the defense budget ceiling for fiscal 2011-15 at about 23.49 trillion yen. In other words, the annual defense budget over the five years will be set at the same level as that of the current fiscal year. This is a significant step as it ends an eight-year period of consecutive annual declines in defense spending.
新大綱と同時に閣議決定された次期中期防衛力整備計画は、２０１１～１５年度の防衛予算の総額上限を約２３兆４９００億円と定めた。１０年度予算をほぼ維持するもので、８年連続の漸減に歯止めをかけた意義は大きい。
◆陸自定員削減は不十分◆
For years, Japan has been alone in reducing its defense budget while its neighbors China, Russia, South Korea and North Korea, as well as the United States, have been increasing their military spending. This has been a serious problem.
米国、中国、ロシア、韓国、北朝鮮など周辺国が近年、そろって国防費を大幅に伸ばす中で、日本だけが防衛費を減らし続けてきたことは、深刻な問題だった。
Policies imperfectly balanced
The government must clearly distinguish areas to be enhanced from those to be trimmed if it is to develop a truly effective defense system on a limited budget.
限られた予算の中で、真に実効性ある防衛体制を整えるには、増強する分野と削減する分野のメリハリが欠かせない。
A focal issue in the guidelines was the fixed strength of GSDF personnel. The guidelines say the current 155,000 GSDF members should be reduced by 1,000. But this is hardly sufficient.
新大綱の焦点となった陸自の編成定数は、現行の１５万５０００人から１０００人の削減にとどまった。極めて不十分である。
If the balance of the SDF had been considered in a comprehensive manner, more GSDF personnel would have been cut in addition to the reduction in tanks and artillery that has been decided upon in the guidelines. At the same time, the fixed strength of personnel in the Air and Maritime Self-Defense Forces and the number of their vessels and aircraft should have been increased.
自衛隊全体のバランスを考えれば、今回実現した陸自の戦車・火砲の大幅な削減に加え、陸自定員を一層削減し、海上、航空両自衛隊の定員や艦船・航空機の増強などに回すべきだった。
With such measures, the new concept of dynamic defense capability in the guidelines would have been defined more clearly. We expect the government to address this in drafting budgets for fiscal 2011 and thereafter.
そうしてこそ、「動的防衛力」という新概念がより明確になったはずだ。１１年度以降の予算編成での是正を求めたい。
Prime Minister Naoto Kan's government put off clearly calling for a review of the nation's three principles on arms exports in the guidelines because it has asked the Social Democratic Party, a former coalition partner, for cooperation in the Diet and thus has given consideration to the smaller party's policy of opposing any relaxation of the principles prohibiting arms deals with virtually any other countries. We think the government's decision was regrettable.
武器輸出３原則の見直しは、菅政権が国会運営で協力を求めている社民党に配慮するため、新大綱への明記を見送ってしまった。残念な判断である。
Meanwhile, it is praiseworthy that the guidelines have left room for future review. The guidelines said that Japan should study measures to keep up with changes in a global environment where joint international development and production of military equipment has become routine among advanced countries. We hope such measures will be studied as soon as possible.
一方で、国際共同開発・生産が「先進国で主流になっている」と指摘し、具体策の検討を盛り込んだのは、将来の見直しの余地を残したものと評価できる。早期に実現してもらいたい。
The government should also actively proceed with a review, mentioned in the guidelines, of the five conditions placed on SDF participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
新大綱が言及した国連平和維持活動（ＰＫＯ）参加５原則の見直しも、積極的に進めるべきだ。
The record of GSDF participation in such operations is still short. Tight limits imposed on weapons use, which have always been an impediment to dispatching GSDF troops abroad, should be relaxed immediately in accordance with international standards.
陸自のＰＫＯ参加実績はまだ少ない。海外派遣の際、常に障害となる武器使用権限を国際標準並みに拡大することが急務である。
◆安全保障戦略の策定を◆
Security council in sight?
The guidelines also stipulate establishment of a new organization at the Prime Minister's Office to coordinate national security policies. Presumably, this would be like a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council. A past government led by the Liberal Democratic Party once also submitted bills concerned with establishing such an organization to the Diet.
新大綱は、国家安全保障の政策調整組織を首相官邸に設置することも明記した。かつて自民党政権が関連法案を提出した日本版ＮＳＣ（国家安全保障会議）のような組織を想定しているのだろう。
The organization would be essential for dealing with security issues without interruption and responding quickly to emergency situations. We hope the ruling and opposition parties will discuss a detailed proposal on it in a suprapartisan way to bring such a council into existence as quickly as possible.
多くの安全保障課題に継続的に取り組み、緊急事態に迅速に対応するには、こうした組織が不可欠だ。与野党の枠を超えて具体案を協議し、実現を急いでほしい。
The government also should start formulating national security strategy since the guidelines put priority on improvement of defense capabilities.
安全保障戦略の策定にも着手すべきだ。防衛大綱はあくまで防衛力整備に力点が置かれている。
To secure peace and prosperity for Japan and the rest of the world, what specific goals should be presented and how should the nation's foreign, defense and domestic policies be pursued? The government must compile a comprehensive package of strategies and resolutely carry out each strategy.
日本と世界の平和と繁栄を確保するには、どんな具体的目標を掲げ、外交、防衛、国内政策をどう進めるのか。包括的戦略をまとめ、着実に取り組むことが大切だ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 19, 2010)
（2010年12月19日01時12分 読売新聞）
カフェ友のいわおさんが衝撃的な記事を掲載中です。
特に気になったのが日本の米国国債引受金額の莫大さとその不透明な管理体制です。
歴代の首脳陣でもアメリカ離れを匂わせるような行動をした大臣たちはみな早死にさせられているようです。
先日ウィキリークスのアサンジュ氏が莫大な保釈金を支払って保釈されましたが、真実の報道のために頑張るということです。真実の報道に命をかけるのが真のジャーナリストの姿だと思います。命を狙われているのにもかかわらず自分の信念を曲げない彼の強い心に打たれました。
微力ですが、スラチャイも新聞社がタブーとする部分に焦点を当てた記事を掲載したくなりました。
第一弾は｢不透明な米国国債買い入れ｣です。
いわおさんの最新記事 ｢竹中平蔵・・・又やったのね！｣ を呼んでから、いわおさんにメールしました。
↓
毎月１．８兆円の米国債を買い続ける日本は、どうなのよ！毎年ではなく毎月なのだ！！＞
とういのがありましたが本当でしょうか。
年間だったら２０兆円にもなります。
この予算を毎年増大する社会保障費２．５兆円に回してもらえば、消費税を増額することなく安定した社会保障制度を保ち続けることができます。子供手当てだって、サラリーマン高額所得者にターゲットと絞った増税措置をしなくたって、簡単にクリアできますね。
政府は何故それをしないのでしょうか。
アメリカがそれほど恐ろしいということでしょうかね。よく分りません。
橋元元総理や中川昭一元外相は暗殺されたのでしょうかね。
お二人とも死ぬには若すぎる突然死でなんだかすっきりとしません。
気になります。
cite from the website with iwao-san, ocn cafe.
カフェ友いわおさんのサイトより引用しました。
http://page.cafe.ocn.ne.jp/profile/iwao3386/diary/d326
竹中平蔵・・・又やったのね！
小泉ライオン丸とタッグを組んで郵政民営化を推し進めた売国奴！いつの間にか慶應義塾の教授になり、なんとか所長になっていた。
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%AB%B9%E4%B8%AD%E5%B9%B3%E8%94%B5
そこで、慶応の資産を金融商品に投資して大損食らわしたらしい。ミスター￥こと榊原も一枚かんでいるようです。あれほどの立場に立っていたならインサイダー情報で勝てるはずなのに、、である。実際５００億ほどくすねた実績もあるのに、、である。
おまけに日本国に税金を払って居ないのである。（アメリカに住居を構えている）
で、竹中平蔵で検索すると、必ず竹中平蔵○○とか後ろにオマケがついて現れる。売国奴であったり、○和だったり、、。こんなやつ早く葬り去らないと日本国民が売り飛ばされる！！でも、次期日銀総裁候補なんだってo(｀ω´*)o
あ～～～～国民の資産が売り飛ばされる！！手始めに米国債の直接引き受けか？σ(￣。￣) オイラにお金があったらゴルゴ１３に依頼するんだけど、、、。
あっ！それで思い出した。
中川昭一大臣、一連の酷聞は米国債の引き受けを渋ったためと判明！！
最後は殺されちゃった。ポマード大王こと橋本元首相もアノ若さで突然死・・・・米国債を売りたい衝動に駆られると言っただけで、殺されちゃった！！
毎月１．８兆円の米国債を買い続ける日本は、どうなのよ！毎年ではなく毎月なのだ！！
ま、この国では国士は早死にし、売国奴がのさばるんです。よってこれからも発覚次第実名と内容を晒す！
怒れる小市民なσ(´ρ` )
私が死んだらＣＩＡの手先に殺されたか草加せんべいの仕業と思ってください。私は自殺はしません！！
2010/12/16
--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 15
EDITORIAL: Pension benefit cuts
年金減額―負担を分かち合う時代
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has decided to lower public pension benefit payments in the coming fiscal year, the first such cut in five years. As a measure in line with the rule of fair distribution among different generations, this move can be seen as inevitable.
厚生労働省は、来年度の公的年金の支給額を５年ぶりに引き下げる方針を決めた。世代間の公平な分配のためのルールに沿った措置で、やむをえないといえよう。これを機に、制度のあり方を考えてみたい。
The decision to reduce payouts stems from the forecast that this year's commodity prices will dip below the standard previously set. The move thus reflects the current state of deflation to a certain degree. But even so, this measure will not produce a fair sharing of intergenerational burdens and benefits.
引き下げ決定は、あらかじめ決めておいた基準を今年の物価が下回る見通しとなったためで、デフレの現状をある程度は反映したものだ。だが、これで世代間の負担と給付が公平なものになるわけではない。
Up to now, adjustments have been made in the interest of preventing the value of pension receipts from falling in comparison to prices and wages to the greatest degree possible. Yet in effect, measures aimed at protecting the rights of current recipients have effectively shunted the weight of the system onto the backs of future generations. This aspect of the policy measure begs closer scrutiny.
これまでは、物価や賃金に比べて年金の受取金額がなるべく減らないよう配慮した調整が行われてきた。しかし、こうした受給者の権利を守る措置が、結果的に負担を将来世代に先送りしているという現実がある。こうした側面に、もっと目を向けるべきではないだろうか。
Under the current system, reformed in 2004, a plan known as the "macroeconomic slide" was introduced to stabilize pension finances over the long term.
２００４年に改正された現行制度では、年金財政を長期にわたって安定させるため「マクロ経済スライド」という仕組みが導入された。
The idea was to limit the rise in pension payments to senior citizens, even if the wages of the working generation and commodity prices increased. This was an attempt to curb the increase in premiums if only to a slight degree. In an aging society with a falling birthrate, failure to take such action will place an excessively heavy burden on the younger generation.
現役世代の賃金や物価が上がっても高齢者の年金はあまり増えないようにして、保険料の上昇を少しでも抑えようとしたのだ。少子高齢社会では、そうしないと若い世代の負担が重くなりすぎてしまうからである。
Unfortunately, the impact of the global recession and other developments ensued, while prolonged deflation and price and wage slumps dragged on. As a result, the envisioned automatic adjustment mechanism has yet to kick in.
だが、その後は世界同時不況などの影響もあってデフレが長期化し、物価や賃金の低迷が続いている。このため、自動調整の仕組みは、いまだに発動されていない。
Against this backdrop, there has been a relative rise in the pension level for seniors. According to 2004 estimates, the level of pension benefits as a ratio of take-home pay for the current working generation was expected to decline from 59 percent in 2004 to 57 percent in 2009. An examination of the statistics in 2009, however, shows a rise in that payout level to 62 percent.
その結果、高齢者の年金水準は相対的に上がっている。０４年の推計では、現役世代の会社員の手取り収入に対する厚生年金の給付水準が、０４年の５９％台から０９年には５７％台に下がる見通しだった。ところが、０９年の検証では６２％台に上昇している。
The primary reason for that gain is the failure to reflect past commodity price falls. The sole purpose of the determined benefit cuts, therefore, can be seen in the context of bringing the pension benefits closer to the level of what it should be.
これは、過去に物価下落を反映しなかった分を解消しきれていないことが主な原因だ。今回の引き下げは、年金を本来の水準に近づけるためのものでしかないともいえよう。
Any further delay in such adjustments will prompt a major slide in the next generation's pension benefits. To prevent that, substantial tax and premium hikes will be necessary.
こうした調整の遅れが放置されれば、次世代の年金水準が大きく目減りする。それを避けるには、税金や保険料を大幅に増やす必要がある。
Considerations will naturally be necessary to prevent any sharp drops in payments to elderly people whose only real source of income is their pension. Then again, upsetting the balance with the working generation for that purpose would be a case of putting the proverbial cart before the horse.
もちろん、年金以外に収入がない高齢者のために急激な引き下げが起きないようにする配慮は必要だ。しかし、そのために現役世代とのバランスを崩しては本末転倒である。
This is an issue impossible to sidestep when pondering integrated social security and tax reforms. Pensioners can also be expected to protest any cuts in their benefits.
この問題は、社会保障と税の一体改革を考える際に避けて通れない。減額に反発する受給者は少なくないだろう。
Yet we must also remember that the very foundation of a public pension system lies in mutual assistance between generations. We look forward to an approach conceived in the spirit of sharing the collective burden that will be acceptable to both senior citizens and the younger generation.
だが、年金は世代間の助け合いだ。負担を分かち合う姿勢で、高齢者も若い世代も共に納得できる制度のありようを考えたい。
In the political arena, there is a tendency to grow fainthearted about cutting benefits for senior citizens out of concerns about the impact at the polls. Acting with such timidity, however, will prevent leaders from ever living up to their responsibilities.
政治は、選挙への影響を心配して高齢者の給付の削減には及び腰になりがちだが、それでは責任を果たせない。
年収５００万円の時代も１０００万円の時代も経験しました。
働けば働くほど損をするなって思いました。
早期退職した理由のひとつです。
（スラチャイ記）
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 16, 2010)
Tax reforms shouldn't aim only at the wealthy
個人課税強化 高所得層狙い撃ちは筋が違う（12月15日付・読売社説）
The government's Tax Commission has adopted a set of proposals for reviewing income, inheritance and other individual taxes that will be incorporated into an outline of tax reform plans for fiscal 2011.
政府税制調査会は、２０１１年度税制改正大綱に盛り込む所得税や相続税など個人向け課税の見直し案を決めた。
The reforms would raise about 470 billion yen in revenue by reducing various tax deductions from personal income. We believe the deduction system--by which a certain amount is subtracted from each taxpayer's income to ease his or her tax burden--should be reconsidered, as the nation is in dire fiscal straits.
個人の税負担を軽くするため、収入から一定額を差し引いている様々な控除の額を小さくして、国の税収を４７００億円ほど増やす内容だ。厳しい財政事情を考えれば、控除の見直し自体は必要な措置であろう。
It should be noted, however, that the proposed cuts in the tax deductions--a measure tantamount to increasing individual taxes--would target people in the higher income brackets nearly exclusively. This proposal can be regarded as an attempt to single out people who can pay higher taxes as the sole target of increased levies.
Doing so is not only unfair to taxpayers. The measure is bound to cause serious adverse effects, such as a decline in the morale of working taxpayers and the vitality of the nation's economy.
しかし今回、「増税」の対象は高所得者に集中している。税金を負担する能力が高い層ばかりを狙い撃ちにしたやり方は、公平性を欠くだけでなく、人々の働く意欲や経済の活力を失わせる副作用が大きいと言わざるを得ない。
===
Lower deductions sought
The proposed imposition of greater taxes on high-income earners would be made possible by, for example, setting an upper limit on deductions for wage income--a scheme by which a certain amount of the salary earned by a corporate employee is deducted from his or her paycheck as necessary expenses recognized by the tax authorities.
高所得者への課税強化は、例えば、会社員の給料の一定額を必要経費と見なして差し引く給与所得控除に上限を設定することだ。
The proposal would correct the current system, which increases the amount of deductions from individual corporate employees' salaries in proportion to their respective annual incomes. Instead, the plan would deduct the same amount from the salaries of anyone whose annual income exceeds 15 million yen.
年収に応じて控除額が増える仕組みを改め、年収１５００万円超の人は控除額を一律にする。
This would be accompanied by even greater cuts in the deductions given to high-income corporate executives.
報酬が高い企業役員の控除額は、一般社員よりさらに圧縮する。
The proposed reforms would, as a rule, do away with deductions for people supporting dependent relatives aged 23 to 69 if their yearly income surpasses 6.89 million yen.
また、２３～６９歳の親族を扶養する人に対する成年扶養控除は、年収が６８９万円を超えれば、原則として受けられなくなる。
Inheritance taxes also would be subject to the proposed changes. The reforms would introduce a 40 percent reduction in the basic deductions from inheritances, a move aimed at expanding the range of people subject to inheritance taxation.
相続税も、遺産から差し引ける基礎控除額を現状より４割減らして、課税対象者を増やす。
An official of the government's key tax panel has said all these proposals are intended to rectify income disparities among individuals by enhancing the power of the current tax system to encourage income redistribution. However, we believe the panel is confident that high-income earners would be less strongly opposed to heavier taxation than low- and middle-income taxpayers.
税調幹部は「所得再分配機能を強め、格差を是正するため」と説明する。だが、実際は、高所得者の方が中低所得者より課税強化への反発が少ないという現実を見越してのことではないか。
===
Tax burden already high
Admittedly, only 1 percent of salaried workers would shoulder a greater financial burden due to the proposed cuts in their employment income deductions under the reform plan. The proposed reform would affect only a modest 20 percent of taxpayers who are currently entitled to deductions for the support of adult dependents.
負担が増えるのは、給与所得控除でサラリーマン全体の１％に過ぎず、成年扶養控除でも適用されている人の２割にとどまる。
However, the current tax burden imposed on high-income earners is hardly light. Take a family comprising a married couple with two children--if its annual income stands at 5 million yen, such a family pays 195,000 yen in income and resident taxes annually.
This compares with 1.13 million yen in similar taxes to be paid by a household that earns 10 million yen annually. This means the latter family, which earns twice as much as the former, must shoulder a tax burden close to six times greater.
しかし、現在でも高所得者の負担が軽いとは言えまい。夫婦と子ども２人で年収５００万円の世帯は、所得税と住民税の負担が１９・５万円なのに対し、１０００万円の世帯は１１３万円だ。収入は２倍でも、負担額は６倍近い。
The current system imposes income taxes on families whose annual income is 3.25 million yen or more--a level of taxation higher than those in the United States, Britain, Germany and other industrialized powers.
所得税が課される最低年収は３２５万円で、米英独などの先進各国を上回る水準だ。
Certainly, due consideration must be paid to low- and middle-income earners when it comes to tax reform. However, there is concern that tax reforms--if carried out in a manner that imposes greater burdens only on wealthy people--could produce negative effects.
Talented large-income earners could eventually leave Japan to work in low-tax countries, for example, despite their important role in supporting the nation's economy.
中低所得者への配慮は必要だが、富裕層に負担増を求めるだけの税制改正では、日本経済を支える優秀で高収入の人材が税金の安い海外に流出する、といったマイナスの効果を生む恐れもある。
The panel's call for revisions to the deduction system can be regarded as an attempt to force high-income people to pick up the bill for massive government expenditures incurred through an increase in child-rearing allowances and other lavish handout policies and programs. The proposed measures will do little to fundamentally reform the tax system.
今回の控除見直しは、子ども手当増額など、ばらまき政策のツケを高所得層に押し付けた形で、税制の抜本改革につながるものではない。
The government should immediately do what is needed to implement thorough tax reform, including an increase in the consumption tax. Doing so is essential to ensuring fair tax burdens.
公平な税負担を実現するためにも、消費税率引き上げなどに早急に取り組むべきであろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 15, 2010)
（2010年12月15日01時21分 読売新聞）
On Dec 10, 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi spoke with a group of high school students at Vashon Island High School in WA State via cell phone. The event, perhaps the first of its kind, was recorded in its entirety.
２０１０年１２月１０日、ノーベル平和賞受賞者のアウンサンスーチー女史はアメリカのワシントン州にある高校生たちと携帯電話を通して会話した。このような種類のイベントの収録は多分世界で初めてではないか。
Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest Nov 13, 2010 after more than 15 years of confinement. Now free, she continues her crusade for non-violent political change in Burma by reaching out to students in the United States.
スーチー女史は２０１０年１１月１３日に１５年間以上にわたる自宅軟禁から開放された。
自由のみになったスーチー女史は、ビルマにおける非暴力政治改革を目的としてアメリカの学生たちに声をかける。
http://vimeo.com/17772284
スーチーさんの美しい響きのクイーンズイングリッシュは特筆される。たいへんに聞き取りやすい。
それに対して、アメリカ人高校生の米語は大変に聞き取りにくい。慣れだとは思いますが。
スーチーさんのリスニングコムプリヘンション能力の高さに舌を巻きました。
黒柳徹子さんだってここまでは到達していないと思いました＾＾。
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 15, 2010)
Parties must cooperate on social security
社会保障改革 方向は与野党で一致している（12月14日付・読売社説）
The government and ruling parties have come up with a proposal to promote social security reforms. The basic principles in the proposal are based on the following two pillars:
政府・与党が社会保障改革を推進するための基本方針をまとめた。
柱となるのは、以下の２点である。
-- Setting up a permanent suprapartisan meeting to discuss the issue.
「超党派で常設の会議を設置する」
-- Drafting concrete plans on social security reform and the taxes that will fund the reforms by the middle of next year.
「来年半ばまでに、社会保障改革とその財源となる税の具体案を作成する」。
However, the Liberal Democratic Party and some other parties oppose the proposal, saying that the Democratic Party of Japan did not agree to take part in suprapartisan talks when it was in the opposition. Given the critical situation surrounding social security and fiscal conditions at present, policymakers must not use the issue to score political points.
自民党などからさっそく、「民主党は野党の時は超党派協議に応じなかったではないか」と否定的な反応が出ている。だが、社会保障と財政の危機的状況を見れば、政争の具にする時ではない。
Lawmakers also must not be allowed to postpone the deadline on the plan. The DPJ must reflect on what it did as an opposition party while the LDP should sit down at the negotiating table without chafing at what happened in the past.
来年半ばまでという期限を、それ以上先送りすることは許されまい。民主党は野党当時の姿勢を反省し、自民党も過去のいきさつにこだわらず、議論のテーブルにつくべきだ。
Shared principles exist
The basic principles are fleshed out in a report by a panel of experts set up by the government and the ruling parties. The report is titled "Social security visions for realizing a sense of security and vitality."
基本方針は、政府・与党が設置した有識者検討会の「安心と活力への社会保障ビジョン」と題した報告書で肉付けされている。
The report called for principles such as building a social security system that seamlessly covers people of all ages and securing stable fiscal resources so as not to pile financial burdens on future generations. It also proposed using the consumption tax exclusively for social security purposes.
ビジョンは、切れ目なく全世代を対象とした社会保障を構築することや、次世代に負担を先送りしないために安定的財源を確保するといった原則を掲げた。財源として、消費税を社会保障目的税化することなども提言している。
The report's proposals significantly overlap those written in a different report by a panel of experts tasked with realizing a secure society under the LDP-led government of former Prime Minister Taro Aso. The older report even had a similar title: "Toward a Japan with a sense of security and vitality."
内容は、麻生政権による安心社会実現会議の報告書「安心と活力の日本へ」とほぼ重なる。安心と活力、というスローガン自体が同じだ。
This shows that the change of government has not altered the basic policies needed by society.
政権が交代しても、求められる政策の方向は変わらない、ということだろう。
The current government's report also calls for setting up a task force on social security comprising experts and lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties. The envisaged panel is quite similar to something the Aso administration proposed: the roundtable for realizing a secure society.
与野党議員と有識者による「社会保障諮問会議」の設置をビジョンは提唱しているが、これも麻生政権時に提案された「安心社会実現円卓会議」そのものである。
These facts clearly show that the ruling and opposition parties have many things in common in their ideas and way of thinking when it comes to social security policies.
The next step is to take action.
内容も考え方も一致しているのだから、後は行動だけだ。
Govt must move first
As an initial step, the government and ruling parties must show how serious they are about realizing the basic principles of social security reform. They must present concrete proposals as soon as possible on key points, such as how much the consumption tax rate should be raised. If the government and ruling parties merely call on the opposition bloc to join suprapartisan talks, opposition parties will likely find it difficult to agree.
まず、政府・与党が今回の基本方針の本気度を示す必要がある。消費税率の引き上げ幅など具体的な考えを早急に打ち出すべきだ。単に超党派協議を呼びかけても野党は乗れまい。
The administration of Prime Minister Naoto Kan is having difficulty in finding fiscal resources for each of the main social security fields, including medical care, nursing care, pensions and child care, in the budget compilation for fiscal 2011.
菅内閣は来年度予算の編成作業において、医療、介護、年金、子育てなど社会保障の主な分野で、ことごとく財源の壁に突き当たっている。
The greatest cause of the problem is the DPJ's election manifesto, which included many pledges that have proven extremely difficult to realize. In addition, the DPJ has been putting off discussions on the consumption tax hike, just as the coalition government of the LDP and New Komeito did, and has failed to secure stable revenue sources to implement necessary policies.
最大の原因は、民主党の政権公約（マニフェスト）に無理がありすぎたことだが、自公政権に続いて民主党も消費税の議論を先送りし、安定財源を確保してこなかった点も大きい。
If the situation is allowed to stand as it is, Japan's social security system will surely continue to be mired in a stalemate.
このままでは、社会保障がさらに行き詰まることは明らかだ。
It is necessary for lawmakers to move beyond party affiliations in order to build a stable social security system.
揺るぎない制度を構築するためには、党派を超えて行動しなければならない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 14, 2010)
（2010年12月14日01時25分 読売新聞）
2010/12/14
--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 11
EDITORIAL: Nobel Peace Prize
平和賞と中国―君子の外交を求めたい
The ceremony in Oslo to award this year's Nobel Peace Prize was not attended by the winner. Liu Xiaobo, the Chinese writer and dissident who won the award, remains imprisoned in China. Even his wife, Liu Xia, could not attend the ceremony because she was under house arrest.
オスロで開かれたノーベル平和賞の授賞式は、主役が不在だった。受賞者である中国の民主活動家、劉暁波氏は投獄されたままだ。妻の劉霞さんも軟禁状態で参加できなかった。
No relative or representative was present to accept the award for the first time since 1935, when German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky won the prize. Nazi Germany blocked him and his supporters from attending.
関係者が誰も出席しないのは、１９３０年代にナチス・ドイツに出席を阻まれた平和活動家、オシエツキー氏の受賞以来という。
Liu co-authored "Charter 08," which called for an end to one-party rule by the Communist Party. As a result, he has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for the crime of "inciting subversion."
劉氏は共産党独裁の廃止などを求める「０８憲章」を起草した。「国家の転覆を扇動した」として１１年間の実刑判決を受けている。
Beijing continues to crack down on pro-democracy activists and human rights lawyers by house arrest or rigorous monitoring.
中国では民主活動家や人権派弁護士の軟禁や監視が続いている。
The Chinese public is denied access to broadcasts and websites critical of the government, including those related to Liu.
劉氏に関するものをはじめ、政府を批判する放送やネットは遮断されている。
We urge the Chinese government to release all prisoners of conscience who are imprisoned only because of their thoughts and creeds. China should realize that muzzling the press undermines the nation's development in the long term.
思想・信条を理由に投獄している良心の囚人を、一日も早く釈放するよう中国政府に求める。報道規制も、長い目で見れば、中国の発展への力をそいでいることを考えるべきだ。
China has rebuked the Norwegian Nobel Committee and filed a protest against the Norwegian government, which hosts the committee. It has also unilaterally suspended bilateral trade talks with the country.
中国はノーベル賞委員会を非難し、ホスト国のノルウェー政府にも抗議して貿易交渉も一方的に中断した。
Many countries invited to attend the ceremony were absent, apparently in support of China. The list of the absentees seems like a collection of nations with poor track records of freedom of speech, such as Russia, Cuba, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
授賞式に招待を受けた国のうち少なからぬ国が欠席した。中国に同調したとみられる。その顔ぶれをみると、ロシア、キューバ、サウジアラビア、イランなど、「言論の自由」という点で合格点にほど遠い国が集まった印象を受ける。
It is regrettable that such Asian nations as Pakistan and Vietnam also did not attend the ceremony, expressing views that echoed Beijing's stance toward the issue.
アジアでも、パキスタンやベトナムなどが中国と同じような見解を示して欠席したのは残念である。
It is true that the selections of the Nobel Peace Prize winners have reflected the international situations at the times and have had political implications. There was heated debate on the appropriateness of awarding the prize to U.S. President Barack Obama last year.
ノーベル平和賞が、その時々の国際事情を反映し、政治色を帯びてきたのは事実だ。昨年のオバマ米大統領の受賞も、是非をめぐって議論があった。
But one important role of the prize is to promote common international understanding of the significance of peace by provoking various debates.
だが、様々な論議を通じて、平和の意味について共通の認識を深めていくことに平和賞の意義もあろう。
The list of the past winners include Nelson Mandela, who fought against apartheid in South Africa, and Martin Luther King Jr., the leader of the civil right movement in the United States. As a leading power in the 21st century, China is expected to take part in this tradition with a positive attitude.
南アフリカで人種隔離と闘ったネルソン・マンデラ氏や、米国の公民権運動指導者キング牧師らも、歴代の受賞者に含まれている。２１世紀の大国である中国に求められるのは、こうした伝統に前向きに参加していくことだ。
Countries around the world should cherish the Nobel Peace Prize as a valuable legacy built by the international community over years, like the system of international human rights laws.
ノーベル平和賞は国際人権法の体系とともに、国際社会が長年かけて築き上げてきたものとして、各国が大切にしていかなければならない。
The countries that attended the ceremony should also make efforts to promote it.
その努力が求められるのは、授賞式に出席する国も同じである。
President Obama, who has invited Chinese President Hu Jintao to the United States next year, should urge China to take steps toward improving its human rights record.
来年、胡錦濤国家主席を招く米国のオバマ大統領は、人権問題で中国に注文をつけるべきである。
Japan should also seek candid conversations with China over human rights issues at occasions like bilateral summits.
日本も、首脳会談などで率直に意見を交換していこう。
Prime Minister Naoto Kan appears to be unwilling to touch on China's human rights problems for fear of straining relations, just as they were by the recent spat over the Senkaku Islands, and inviting unwanted effects on the Japanese economy.
尖閣沖の衝突事件の時のようなあつれきや経済への影響を恐れて、菅直人首相は遠慮してはいないか。
In an apparent bid to undercut the Nobel Peace Prize, China has hastily created its own competing peace prize dubbed the Confucius Peace Prize. In its diplomatic activities, we hope China will practice the teachings of Confucius about how respectable men of virtue should behave and act.
ノーベル平和賞に対抗するかのように、中国は「孔子平和賞」を作ったそうだ。孔子が教えた尊敬される君子の道を、中国は外交で実践してもらいたい。
If China does so, Japan and the United States would have to respond by trying to build relations with China like those among men of virtue.
そして、日本や米国も君子の交わりで応じたいものである。
This is exactly the same as what I wanted to say.
私のウィキリークス問題に対する考えを代弁してくれました。
（スラチャイ記）
2010/12/10
--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 9
EDITORIAL: WikiLeaks' information
ウィキリークス―公益の重みで判断したい
WikiLeaks, a website dedicated to disclosing secret information about governments and corporations, has been releasing U.S. diplomatic cables.
内部告発サイト「ウィキリークス」による米国の外交公電の暴露が続いている。
Meanwhile, Julian Assange, the founder and editor in chief of WikiLeaks, has been arrested by British police on suspicion of sex offenses in Sweden amid growing hostility from the governments of many countries.
多くの国の政府から敵視されるなかで、創設者で編集長のアサンジュ容疑者が英警察に逮捕された。スウェーデンでの強姦（ごうかん）容疑である。
Whether his arrest is appropriate or not can only be determined by the results of the authorities' investigation.
逮捕の当否は捜査の行方を待つほかない。
But the evaluation of WikiLeaks' disclosure activities should be separated from the charges against Assange and made from the viewpoint of whether the information it publishes ultimately serves the interests of citizens. In other words, is the information important for the public interest?
けれども、ウィキリークスの情報発信活動への評価は、編集長の容疑とは切り離し、公開する情報が最終的に市民の利益になるか、つまり公益の重さを中心に判断すべきである。
In April this year, WikiLeaks received international attention by posting video footage of a 2007 incident in Iraq in which U.S. military helicopter crew mistakenly shot and killed civilians, including reporters for the Reuters news agency.
イラクで米軍ヘリがロイター通信記者ら民間人をテロリストとみて誤射、殺害した映像を、ウィキリークスは今年４月に暴露し注目された。
The website then exposed other disturbing facts about the Iraq war, including that civilians account for 66,000 of the 109,000 casualties of the conflict.
ついで、イラク戦争の犠牲者約１０万９千人のうち、民間人が約６万６千人にのぼっていることなどを明らかにした。
All these revelations have cast fresh light on the harrowing realities of the war the U.S. government has been concealing. As a member of the journalistic community, we applaud WikiLeaks for these achievements.
いずれも米政府が隠してきた戦争の悲惨な実態であり、功績はジャーナリズムに関わる者として評価したい。
The publication of a cache of a quarter million confidential U.S. diplomatic cables that started late last month has revealed views and concerns about the future of the Korean Peninsula secretly held by countries and exposed North Korea's exports of ballistic missiles.
先月末に始まった２５万通におよぶ外交公電の公開も、朝鮮半島の将来像をめぐる各国の思惑や、北朝鮮による弾道ミサイル輸出などを明らかにした。
The Western newspapers and magazines that received in advance the diplomatic documents, including the Guardian of Britain and Le Monde of France, published reports on the material after independently assessing the content and credibility of the documents.
外交公電の大量公開では、ウィキリークスから情報提供を受けた英ガーディアンや仏ルモンドなど欧米の新聞や雑誌は、それぞれが文書の内容と信頼性を吟味したうえで報道した。
It can be said that so far this cooperation between the online site and news media has struck readers as an effort to serve the public interest and played a positive role in disseminating information that helps serve democracy.
現時点までこのネットとメディアの協業は、読者に公益性を感じさせ、民主主義に資する情報を流通させる役割を果たしているのではないか。
There is no denying that the publication will make it harder for officials of many countries to carry out their missions and gather information in their traditional ways.
各国政府の担当者がこれまでのやり方での外交や情報収集をしづらくなるのは事実だろう。
There are also concerns that the disclosure of sensitive information not meant for publication could provoke strong reactions from the public of a nation, making it difficult for the country to take reasonable diplomatic actions.
また、公開を前提としていなかった情報が国内世論をあおり、その結果、理にかなった外交政策の遂行が難しくなる恐れはある。
Making the important truths about international relations known to the public, however, is crucial for democracy, which means citizens determine the stance and course of their country.
だが、国際関係の真相を知ることは市民が国のあり方や針路を決める民主主義に欠かせない。
History is littered with examples of politically powerful people and institutions concealing inconvenient facts under the pretext of national interests. Just remember how hard the governments concerned tried to protect secrets about the Vietnam War and talks between Japan and the United States over the return of Okinawa to Japanese sovereignty.
政治権力が国益を盾にして都合の悪いことを隠してきた歴史は、ベトナム戦争や沖縄返還交渉を思い出すだけでもきりがない。
On the other hand, it creates serious risks to publish on the Internet huge amounts of classified documents containing national secrets.
一方で、国家機密を大量に入手してネットを通して世界中にばらまく手法には、危険も大きい。
Negotiations for the settlement of a conflict could collapse if the secret aims and thoughts of the countries involved are disclosed during the process. Information sources and cooperators may fall into danger.
紛争を収める交渉のさなかに、当事国の思惑が暴露されればまとまる和解も壊れかねない。情報源や協力者に危害が加えられる恐れもある。
WikiLeaks has also published a list of facilities around the world regarded by the U.S. government as critically important for national security. But such information could be used by terrorists deciding what targets to attack.
米政府が安全保障上で重視する世界の施設の一覧も明らかにされたが、テロリストに重要度を知らせることにもなりかねない。
Material related to private-sector organizations and activities could violate the privacy of the people involved.
民間におよぶ情報は市民のプライバシー侵害の恐れもある。
When something illegal is going on in secret, there can be ways to expose it through a narrowly focused publication of related information to avoid collateral damage.
不正行為が存在するならば、その点だけを選んで告発する手法がとれる局面もあろう。
Both the whistle-blowers and news media should always carefully guard against the danger that exposing secrets could deviate from the cause of information disclosure for the public interest.
暴露そのものが自己目的になって情報公開という大義から逸脱する危険を、発信者もそれを伝えるメディアも、常に細心に警戒する必要がある。
2010/12/11
--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 10
EDITORIAL: Failure of Akatsuki probe
あかつき―失敗を次の探査に生かせ
Venus, which is about the same size as Earth, is also called its twin. Repeatedly in the past, however, the planet named after the goddess of love and beauty had coldly rejected U.S. and Soviet space probes. This time, too, the goddess turned its back on a messenger from Japan.
金星は地球とほとんど同じ大きさで双子の惑星ともいわれる。これまで何度も米ソの探査機を阻んできた冷たいビーナスの顔も持つ。日本からの使者を待っていたのも、そんな冷たい女神だったようだ。
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's space probe Akatsuki failed to enter an orbit around Venus.
宇宙航空研究開発機構（ＪＡＸＡ）の金星探査機「あかつき」が、金星を回る軌道に入るのに失敗した。
Akatsuki's mission was to seek the real face of Venus, which has turned into a blazing hell with the greenhouse effect caused by carbon dioxide getting out of control.
あかつきは、二酸化炭素による温室効果が暴走して灼熱（しゃくねつ）地獄になったこの惑星の素顔を探るのが目的だった。
Earlier this year, after a journey of tribulations, the space probe Hayabusa returned to Earth with dust samples from the asteroid Itokawa. Akatsuki had also been launched amid big expectations.
小惑星探査機「はやぶさ」は、壮絶な旅の末に小惑星イトカワの砂を持ち帰った。あかつきも、大きな期待を背負っていた。
The result is really regrettable.
何とも残念な結果である。
Original plans called for the probe to reverse its engine thrust, brake suddenly and enter Venus' sphere of gravitation, but the reverse thrust stopped midway. According to researchers, the ceramic engine nozzle developed with domestic technology may have broken. But first, it is important to thoroughly look into the cause of the failure.
逆噴射して急ブレーキをかけ、金星の引力圏に入る計画だったが、噴射が途中で止まった。国産技術によるセラミック製のエンジン噴射口が壊れた可能性もあるというが、まずは、徹底的な原因究明が重要だ。
Akatsuki passed by Venus and entered an orbit to travel around the sun in about six months. Six years from now, it will once again come close to Venus. When it does, JAXA plans to try to put it into orbit again. Depending on the condition of the engine and other equipment, chances of success may not be great, but we urge the agency to make every effort.
あかつきは金星を通り過ぎ、太陽の周りを約半年かけて回る軌道に乗っている。６年後に再び金星に近づく。そのときに再度、軌道投入を試みる。エンジンや機器の状態により、可能性は決して高くないかもしれないが、最大限の努力をしてほしい。
The Mars probe Nozomi, which was launched in 1998, also could not be put into an orbit around the red planet because of trouble in the fuel system and other equipment. With Akatsuki's failure, Japan's planet probes have failed two straight times.
１９９８年に打ち上げた火星探査機「のぞみ」も、燃料系統や機器の故障が重なって、火星の軌道に入れなかった。惑星をめざした探査は、２回連続の黒星となった。
The gravity of the Itokawa asteroid where Hayabusa landed is weak, and the probe was able to approach it repeatedly. However, engine maneuvering to enter the gravitational sphere of a large planet with great gravitational force like Venus cannot be repeated. It is difficult because it is a one-shot deal.
はやぶさが訪ねた小惑星イトカワは重力が小さく、何度も接近することができた。だが、金星のように重力が大きい惑星の引力圏に入るエンジン操作は、やり直しがきかない。一発勝負の難しさがある。
The history of Japan's planetary probes is short. It can even be described as immature. It is important to thoroughly study and learn from the failure this time and put it to use for future projects.
日本の惑星探査は歴史が浅い。未熟な面があることは否めない。今回の失敗をとことん研究して学び、今後に生かすことが大切だ。
JAXA remade flight plans for Nozomi, which had little remaining fuel, to reach Mars four years later. The experience was useful in enabling Hayabusa to return to Earth three years behind schedule. This is a good precedent.
燃料が少なくなったのぞみを４年遅れで火星に到達させる飛行計画を作り直した経験が、はやぶさの３年遅れの帰還に役立った。良い前例である。
It is important to take a long view to support challenges in space, a realm that remains largely unknown.
宇宙という未知の空間への挑戦は、長い目で支えていくことが大切だ。
The recent discovery of a bacterium in the United States that eats arsenic defied our common sense of biology. We don't know what kinds of living matter live where. Looking for the presence of life in space is a major purpose of planetary probes.
最近、ヒ素を食べる細菌が米国で見つかった。生物学の常識を覆す発見だった。どこにどんな生命体がいるか、わからない。生命の存在を宇宙に探るのは惑星探査の大きな目的の一つだ。
But the undertaking is also very costly. Countries are launching space probes commensurate with their interests and technological capability. More researchers from around the world are taking part in joint projects. For example, as far as Venus is concerned, Japan and Europe are supposedly the leading players. Plans for Japan and Europe to cooperate and launch one space probe each to Mercury are also progressing.
惑星探査は巨額の費用を要する。各国が関心や技術力に応じて探査機を飛ばし、世界の研究者が参加する形が増えている。たとえば、金星は当面、日本と欧州が主役のはずだった。水星でも、日欧が１機ずつ飛ばす本格的な協力計画が進む。
Also in order for Japan to live up to its international responsibility, it should clarify the problems to enhance trust and take off toward the next faraway journey into space.
国際的な責任を果たすためにも、問題を洗い出して信頼性を高め、次のはるかな旅路に飛び立ってほしい。
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 11, 2010)
Foolish short-term view on arms exports
武器輸出３原則 将来に禍根残す緩和見送り（12月10日付・読売社説）
Has the Democratic Party of Japan-led administration already forgotten about the abysmal failure of its previous coalition government involving a political party that held a conflicting basic policy?
基本政策が異なる政党と連立政権を組んだ致命的な失敗の教訓を、もう忘れてしまったのか。
The government has decided not to clearly stipulate the three principles on weapons exports--which effectively ban arms deals with other countries--will be eased in the new National Defense Program Guidelines it will approve next week. Prime Minister Naoto Kan made the decision in consideration of the opposition Social Democratic Party, which he had asked for cooperation in steering the Diet. The SDP opposes any relaxation of the three principles.
政府は、来週決定する「防衛計画の大綱」に武器輸出３原則の緩和を明記しない方針を決めた。菅首相が国会運営での協力を求めた野党・社民党が、３原則緩和に反対していることに配慮したものだ。
The government had been leaning toward lifting the ban on weapons that would be exported for peace-building operations and to combat terrorism and piracy. It also planned to approve the joint development of weapons with Europe, South Korea and Australia as an extension of defense cooperation between Japan and the United States, and because appropriate export controls are firmly in place.
政府は、平和構築やテロ・海賊対策などが目的の武器輸出を解禁する方向で調整していた。欧州や韓国、豪州などとの武器の共同開発も、日米両国との防衛協力や適切な輸出管理が実施されている観点から、認める見通しだった。
===
Appropriate policy
Such a policy shift would still fit nicely with the philosophy of "a pacifist nation." We think reviewing the weapons export ban policy is appropriate.
こうした政策は、「平和国家」の理念と十分両立する。本来は妥当な見直しである。
The export of weapons for other nations' peace-building efforts and to combat terrorism and piracy could contribute to global peace and stability. In addition, joining development programs of cutting-edge jet fighters and other weapons will be indispensable for maintaining domestic defense technologies and this nation's production base.
他国の平和構築やテロ・海賊対策を支援するための武器輸出は、世界の平和と安定に寄与する。最新鋭戦闘機などの共同開発への参加は、国内の防衛技術・生産基盤の維持に欠かせない。
Cabinet ministers involved in defense matters and senior DPJ members were on the same page on this issue. However, the government got cold feet and made a political decision to put the handling of government affairs ahead of an important policy.
関係閣僚や民主党幹部も同じ認識だったが、政策よりも政権運営を優先する政治判断から、３原則緩和を見送ってしまった。
The Kan administration decided that in addition to the support of coalition partner People's New Party, it needs the SDP's cooperation to help pass key bills into law in the divided Diet. Having both parties onside will make it possible for the DPJ to pass bills into law with a second vote at the House of Representatives by overriding any rejection by the House of Councillors because the three parties will hold at least two-thirds of the members present.
衆参ねじれ国会で重要法案を成立させるには、国民新党に加え社民党の協力を得て、衆院の３分の２以上の賛成による再可決を可能にする必要があるとの判断だ。
However, cozying up the SDP could come back to haunt the Kan administration. The SDP's foreign and security policies bear little in common with those of the DPJ. This will certainly lead to serious problems in the future.
だが、外交・安保政策で相いれない社民党との連携は、菅政権の政策遂行に大きな足かせとなる。将来に禍根を残すのは確実だ。
The SDP left the coalition government in disgust at the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture to the Henoko district of Nago in the same prefecture. The SDP's position remains unchanged.
社民党は米軍普天間飛行場の辺野古移設に反対し、連立政権を離脱した。今も同じ立場だ。
===
SDP vs Japan-U.S. alliance
We wonder how Kan can strike a balance between working with the SDP and deepening the Japan-U.S. alliance with his visit to the United States next spring and a bilateral joint statement to be issued during his trip.
首相は、社民党との連携と、来春の訪米と日米共同声明による同盟深化をどう両立させるつもりなのか。
SDP leader Mizuho Fukushima has gone so far as to say Japan will be a "merchant of death" if it softens the weapons exports principles. Her remark is nothing but an irrational, hot-button outburst.
社民党の福島党首は、３原則を緩和すれば日本が「死の商人」になるかのような主張までしている。感情的な暴論と言うほかない。
Japan's security situation has become increasingly severe. This nation must face up to reality of the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear program and missiles, as well as that country's military provocations, including the recent shelling of a South Korean island, and China's military buildup and overbearing approach to securing marine resources and expanding its territory.
日本の安全保障環境は厳しさを増している。北朝鮮による核・ミサイルの脅威や、韓国への砲撃などの軍事的挑発、中国の軍備増強と海洋権益・領土拡張への強引な手法を直視せねばなるまい。
With only a limited defense budget, Japan's security policy urgently needs to be revised and the Self-Defense Forces transformed into more effective units. Relaxing the weapons exports principles would be a major pillar of this overhaul.
限られた防衛予算の中、日本の安保政策と自衛隊の体制をより実効性あるものに見直すことが急務で、３原則緩和はその柱だ。
We think cooperative ties between the DPJ-led administration and the SDP are doomed to crumble before long.
民主党政権と社民党の協力関係は、政策面の矛盾によって遠からず破綻が避けられないだろう。
The government should take this into consideration. Even if the government shies away from clearly saying in the new defense guidelines that the three principles will be eased, it should at the very least mention problems inherent in the current principles and leave the door open to easing the ban in the future.
その事態を視野に入れて、新防衛大綱では、３原則緩和の明記は見送っても、現行の３原則の問題点を列挙し、緩和の余地を残しておくことが最低限必要である。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 10, 2010)
（2010年12月10日01時45分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 10, 2010)
Kids' academic ability can be improved more
国際学力調査 応用力を鍛えて向上めざせ（12月9日付・読売社説）
The decline in Japanese children's academic ability has seemingly been stopped.
日本の子どもたちの学力低下傾向に歯止めがかかったようだ。
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on Tuesday released the results of academic aptitude tests it conducted last year under the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).
経済協力開発機構（ＯＥＣＤ）が昨年実施した国際学習到達度調査（ＰＩＳＡ）の結果が公表された。
The PISA tests have been conducted every three years since 2000, and the latest tests were given to 15-year-old students in 65 countries and regions who had finished their compulsory education. These tests assess how students apply their knowledge in real life.
義務教育を終えた１５歳を対象に、２０００年から３年ごとに行われ、昨年は６５の国と地域が参加した。知識を実生活でどれだけ生かせるかを測る調査である。
In the first PISA tests, Japanese students ranked top in mathematical literacy, second in science and eighth in reading.
日本は第１回調査で「数学的応用力」１位、「科学的応用力」２位、「読解力」８位の成績だった。
Since then, however, Japanese students had been slipping down the ladder. They ranked 15th in reading in the 2006 tests, a result that shocked Japanese educators.
ところが、その後低下の一途をたどり、前回の０６年は「読解力」が１５位に低迷するなど、教育関係者に衝撃を与えていた。
In the latest tests, Japanese students ranked eighth in reading, ninth in mathematics and fifth in science, showing improvement in every field.
今回、読解力は８位に、数学、科学もそれぞれ９位、５位へと順位を上げた。
The improvement apparently stemmed from changes made to the so-called cram-free education policy of the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, and schools' efforts to encourage students to read more. The education ministry must have breathed a sigh of relief at the latest findings.
ゆとり教育路線の見直しや、読書活動の普及などに取り組んできた成果だろう。文部科学省は胸をなでおろしている。
The next academic year will usher in the full implementation of new teaching guidelines that require more content to be taught in classrooms. We hope teachers will unswervingly try to improve students' academic ability even further.
来年度以降、教える内容を増やす新学習指導要領が全面実施される。学校現場は気を緩めず、学力の向上を図ってもらいたい。
Don't celebrate yet
However, the latest results also revealed some disturbing problems.
ただ課題も浮かびあがった。
More than 10 percent of Japanese students were among the lowest achievers in all three academic categories. Students in this group are considered likely to have difficulty living as members of society. These figures were strikingly high among the top 10 countries and regions.
「社会生活を営む上で支障があるレベル」とされる低学力層の割合が、日本は三つの分野とも１割を超えていた。上位１０か国・地域の中では目立って高い。
Are any students being left behind because they do not understand what is being taught? It is important that teachers give meticulous attention to these students to help them learn and overcome their difficulties.
授業内容を理解できないままの子どもはいないか。先生が細かく目を配り、つまずきを克服するまで指導することが大切である。
In exam questions that required written answers, many Japanese students simply left blank spaces.
記述式の問題で日本は無解答が多かった。
Schools and parents need to get creative in helping children learn to express themselves. Getting children into the habit of regularly reading books and newspapers and organizing their thoughts would be one way of doing this.
日頃から本や新聞を読んで自分の考えをまとめる習慣をつけさせるなど、学校や家庭で表現力を育てる工夫を重ねたい。
Teaching methods need to be verified and improved to ensure children's academic ability improves. In this respect, the National Achievement Exams in which children are tested on their ability to apply their scholastic skills--just like the PISA tests--would be quite effective.
学力向上には指導方法の検証と改善が欠かせない。その意味でＰＩＳＡと同じ応用力を問う問題が出される全国学力テストは有効だろう。
To cut costs, the administration led by the Democratic Party of Japan only had students at schools chosen at random take these national tests from fiscal 2010. We think this policy should be dropped and the tests should be taken by all public schools, as they were in the past.
民主党政権はコスト削減を理由に抽出方式に変えたが、全員参加方式に戻すべきだ。
Shanghai top of the class
Asian countries and regions made eye-catching jumps in the rankings. Students from Shanghai, which participated in the tests for the first time as a region, topped all three fields.
目を引くのはアジア勢の台頭だ。地域として初参加した中国の上海が全分野で１位となった。
Although the figures of Shanghai students cannot be easily compared with those of their counterparts who participated as a country, their high scores stood out. Curriculums at Shanghai schools reportedly focus on helping students improve their ability to apply their knowledge and academic skills, and they are closely linked with university entrance exams there.
他の国と単純に比べられまいが、得点の高さは際立っている。応用力重視のカリキュラムを組み、大学入試とも連動しているという。
Students from Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea also generally eclipsed Japanese students.
シンガポールや香港、韓国も総じて日本を上回っている。
Meanwhile, head offices of some Japanese companies have begun hiring excellent Asian students. This is an age in which young Japanese now find themselves competing with rivals from foreign countries to get a job.
アジアの優秀な学生を日本の本社で採用する企業も現れ始めた。日本の若者が各国のライバルと就業を競う時代に入っている。
Students also need to polish their ability to express themselves and communicate with others. The government has a responsibility to ensure Japan's youth can acquire academic abilities that will not be put to shame by students in other countries.
自己表現力や対話能力も問われる。見劣りしない能力をつけさせることは国の責務だろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 9, 2010)
（2010年12月9日00時58分 読売新聞）
鈴木さんは８０才、根岸さんは７５才です。
ノルウェイの大学でのノーベル賞受賞記念講演は英語だと思います。
お二人とも英語はすでにネイティブレベルに達せられているのではないでしょうか。
今後、英語学習を継続する上で大きな励みとなります。
スラチャイはまだ６１才、まだまだやれるはずです。
cite from jiji-tsuushinsha,
やはり大連立構想の発起人はナベツネだったみたいですね。
そのうち、読売から大連立構想を賛美、推進する記事が登場するでしょう。
新聞社の命は真実の報道です。
報道の記事は記者が作成するべきで、会社の権力者により左右されるべきではない。
（スラチャイ記）
cite from jiji-tsuushinsha,
2010年12月8日 23時32分
「大連立」の動きか＝菅・森会談で自民に波紋
自民党の森喜朗元首相が８日、菅直人首相と首相官邸で会談し、同党内に波紋が広がった。森氏は福田政権下の２００７年秋に起きた民主、自民両党による大連立構想の仲介役。菅政権の苦境を踏まえ、実現に向け再び動きだしたとの見方が多いが、党内には反発も強い。
会談は硫黄島での旧日本軍の遺骨収集をめぐって、森氏が首相に持ち掛けた。首相は記者団に「（遺骨収集に）超党派でしっかり取り組もうと互いに話をした」と説明したものの、「政局の話はしたか」との質問には答えなかった。
自民党内では、わざわざ森氏が官邸に直接出向いて話す内容なのか、「極めて不自然」（幹部）との受け止めが多い。
こうした中、森氏の動きとタイミングを合わせるかのように、自民党の谷垣禎一総裁が８日、０７年の大連立に関与した渡辺恒雄読売新聞グループ本社会長と会談した。党幹部によると、渡辺氏は席上、民主党との大連立を打診。同氏は７日に民主党の鳩山由紀夫前首相とも都内で会っており、大連立に動き始めたとみる向きがある。
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妻はタイ人、娘ばかり３人も！
■近況
２００９年の９月１５日に脳梗塞を発症、右手が少し不自由になりました。
MRAで脳梗塞の部位を特定でき、素早い処置をとれたので大事に至りませんでした。
快復にむけてリハビリ中です。
(2011/01/01更新)
■自己紹介・リンク
[ はじめに ]
タイのスラチャイです。
英語学習に王道はありません。
毎日毎日の地道な努力の積み重ねが必要です。
スラチャイはＮＨＫのラジオ英語会話で現在の英語力を身につけました。
一日僅か１５分の学習でも数年間継続すれば相当な学習効果が期待できます。
[ 名前 ]
松井 清 （スラチャイ）
[ 略歴 ]
・福岡県出身
・国立高知大学卒業
・準大手建設会社に就職
・50歳で会社を早期退職
・99/10 タイ全土を旅行
・00/10 タイに移住
・03/07 カイちゃん誕生
・07/06 シーファーちゃん誕生
・現在タイ国コンケン在住
[ 座右の銘 ]
Slow and steady wins the race.
遅くとも着実な者が勝利する
（NHK基礎英語芹沢栄先生）
[ 学習の手引き ]
・音読して耳から英語を吸収
・Think in English.
・ネイティブ発音付辞書活用
・英英辞典を活用（英和も）
・翻訳和文で専門用語確認
[ English Newspapers ]
Yomiuri
Mainichi
Asahi
Japan Times
Washington Post
Newyork Times
Bangkok Post
The Nations
Phuket Gazette
[ 英字新聞の英和対訳学習 ]
英字新聞（読売）
英字新聞（毎日）
英字新聞（朝日）
英字新聞（朝日２）
[ スラチャイ編集の辞書 ]
タイ日辞書（改訂版）
日タイ辞書（改訂版）
ラオ日辞書
日ラオ辞書
[ 英字新聞リンク ]
ocn cafe
fc2
goo
yahoo
ameba
