The Yomiuri Shimbun September 29, 2013 Abe must make sure to implement economic growth policies effectively 首相スピーチ 「日本は買い」を確かなものに（9月28日付・読売社説）
The determination of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is trying to advertise Japan overseas to give an additional push to his economic rejuvenation policies, has become very clear. What he must do now is demonstrate his ability to implement policy measures to realize his goal. 海外で「日本」を売り込み、経済再生に弾みを付けようとする安倍首相の決意が鮮明になった。問われるのは政策の実行力である。
Abe, who is visiting the United States, delivered a speech at the New York Stock Exchange and explained his Abenomics economic policies. “Buy my Abenomics,” he said during the speech. The three words symbolize the prime minister’s aim. 米国訪問中の安倍首相がニューヨーク証券取引所で講演し、経済政策「アベノミクス」を説明した。「Ｂｕｙ ｍｙ Ａｂｅｎｏｍｉｃｓ（アベノミクスは買いだ）」――。この言葉に、首相の狙いが象徴的に表れている。
Specifically, he emphasized that the government would do its best to create an environment to facilitate investment. 具体的には、投資しやすい環境作りに努める方針を強調した。
As part of his growth strategy, he said he would push through a “bold tax reduction” to promote proactive investment by companies. He also made clear that he would push regulatory reform to realize economic revitalization. 成長戦略の一環として、企業の積極的な投資を促すため、「大胆な減税」に踏み切る意向だ。経済活性化を目的に、規制改革を断行することも表明した。
Corporate tax cuts and deregulation can also be expected to help lure foreign investment to Japan. 法人税減税と規制緩和は、海外からの対日投資を呼び込む効果も期待できよう。
Abe must now demonstrate his leadership in implementing his growth strategy, which is now an “international pledge,” and in reviewing various regulations. “国際公約”となった成長戦略の実施や規制の見直しで、首相のリーダーシップが求められる。
During the speech at the NYSE, Abe also publicized Japan’s state-of-the-art technologies. 首相は日本の優れた技術のアピールにも努めた。
He emphasized the high levels of safety technology in the nation’s nuclear reactors and said that Japan will “continue to make contributions to the world” with the technology. He also stated that Japan will not abandon its nuclear power generation technology. 原子力発電所に関連する日本の安全技術の高さを強調し、その技術で「世界に貢献していく」と語った。原発技術を「放棄することはない」とも明言した。
He thus clarified his stance of actively utilizing nuclear power plants. For resource-poor Japan, this is an appropriate choice. 原発を活用していく路線を明確にしたもので、資源の乏しい日本にとって、妥当な判断である。
He explained that introduction of a high-speed railway system using Japan’s superconducting magnetic levitation technology could connect New York and Washington “in less than an hour.” 日本の超電導リニア技術による高速鉄道を導入すれば、ニューヨークとワシントンは１時間以内で結ばれると説明した。
Supporting women
Infrastructure exports such as nuclear reactors and railway systems are considered a major pillar of Japan’s growth strategy. Cooperation between the public and private sectors must be reinforced to promote such exports. 原発や鉄道などのインフラ（社会基盤）輸出は、日本の成長戦略の柱と言える。官民連携を強化して取り組まねばならない。
During his speech at the U.N. General Assembly, Abe said Japan would positively contribute to the peace and stability of the international community from the standpoint of a “proactive pacifism” based on the recovery of its economic might. 首相は国連総会の一般討論演説で、経済力の回復を背景に、「積極的平和主義」の立場から、国際社会の平和と安定に積極的に貢献していく考えも示した。
Gaining a greater voice and influence in the international community will likely positively affect the Japanese economy. It is important to generate such a virtuous circle. 国際社会で発言力と影響力を高めることは、日本経済にも良い効果をもたらすだろう。そうした好循環を生み出すことが肝要だ。
It is noteworthy that Abe positioned support of women as one of Japan’s important international contributions and declared Japan would implement official development assistance in excess of $3 billion to that end over the next three years. 注目されるのは、女性への支援を国際貢献の重要課題の一つに位置づけ、３年間で３０億ドル超の拠出を表明したことである。
Abe also said clearly that he would bring about “a society where women shine.” 首相は「女性が輝く社会をつくる」と明言した。
Through ODA, Abe explained, Japan will tackle the promotion of women’s active participation in society, improvement of health and medical care for women, and securing the safety of women in times of conflict. 政府開発援助（ＯＤＡ）を通じ、世界の女性の社会進出に対する支援や、女性の保健医療の充実、紛争下にある女性の安全確保に取り組むと述べた。
Utilizing the potential of women would also result in economic growth. “Womenomics,” in Abe-speak, should be concretely realized. 女性（ウイメン）の潜在力を活用することは経済成長にもつながる。首相の言う「ウイメノミクス」を具体化させたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 28, 2013) （2013年9月28日01時30分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 28, 2013 Realize right to collective defense in pursuit of ‘proactive pacifism’ 集団的自衛権 「積極的平和主義」を追求せよ（9月27日付・読売社説）
This country must make a more proactive contribution to peace and stability in Asia and the world. アジアや世界の平和と安定へ、日本が従来よりも積極的に貢献する。
A review of the government interpretation of the Constitution concerning the right to collective self-defense is a prerequisite to realizing the new ideal of “proactive pacifism” declared by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. 安倍首相が掲げる「積極的平和主義」という新たな理念の具体化には、集団的自衛権に関する政府の憲法解釈の見直しが欠かせない。
Delivering a speech Wednesday in New York on the subject of Japan’s right to collective self-defense, Abe expressed his strong desire to change the Japanese government’s interpretation of the Constitution, in which the government has adopted the view that this country has the right to collective self-defense but is banned from exercising it. 首相がニューヨークで講演し、集団的自衛権について、「行使できない」とする現行の憲法解釈の変更に強い意欲を表明した。
Abe cited two cases in which this constitutional constraint could pose problems. In one scenario, the Self-Defense Forces would not be able to help foreign troops working with the SDF in a U.N. peacekeeping operation even if the foreign troops came under attack. In the other, Japan would not be able to help a U.S. warship operating around Japan if the ship were attacked by an airplane in international waters. 問題となる具体例として、自衛隊による国連平和維持活動（ＰＫＯ）中の他国部隊への「駆け付け警護」と、公海上における米軍艦船の防護の二つに言及した。
The prime minister rightly pointed out in the speech that “threats see no borders” in the world today. Such menaces as ballistic missiles, the spread of weapons of mass destruction and international terrorist activities, as well as cyber-attacks, have undeniably been increasing. 「いまや脅威がボーダーレスとなった」との首相の指摘は適切だ。弾道ミサイルや大量破壊兵器の拡散、国際テロ、サイバー攻撃などの脅威は確実に増している。
In addition to enhancing its own defense capabilities, it is essential for this country to enhance the Japan-U.S. alliance, while also expanding cooperation with other countries concerned. 日本の防衛能力の向上に加え、日米同盟を強化し、米国以外の関係国との連携も拡充する必要がある。
To this end, the task of enabling this country to exercise its right to collective self-defense must urgently be addressed. それには集団的自衛権の行使を可能にすることが急務だ。
In the years immediately after World War II, it was somewhat worthwhile to interpret as strictly as possible the security-related stipulations of the Constitution, restricting the role of the SDF. Today, however, the nation must squarely face up to the reality that rigid interpretation of the supreme law is hobbling efforts to ensure the nation’s security. 戦後間もない時代には、憲法を極力厳格に解釈し、自衛隊の役割を限定することに一定の意味があった。だが、今は、硬直した憲法解釈が日本の安全の足かせとなっている現実を直視すべきだ。
Requirements of the times
Over the period from the war’s end to this day, the security environment surrounding the country and the public’s evaluation of the SDF have changed dramatically. A review of the interpretation of the Constitution is definitely in line with the requirements of the times. この間、日本の安全保障環境や、国民の自衛隊に対する評価は劇的に変化した。憲法解釈の見直しは時代の要請にほかならない。
In a meeting with reporters later Wednesday, Abe said he was not in favor of a “geographical philosophy of [ruling out action on] the other side of the world.” He also said he weighs “what is closely linked with the people’s life, property and national interests.” 安倍首相は記者団との懇談で、解釈変更に伴う自衛隊の活動に関し、「地理的な概念で『地球の裏側』（は除外する）との考え方はしない」と語った。「国民の生命と財産、国益に密着するか、という観点はある」とも述べた。
His remarks apparently alluded to concerns being expressed by some regarding constitutional interpretation that Abe may want SDF troops to be dispatched to far-flung locales to fight alongside U.S. forces. 解釈変更について「自衛隊が地球の裏側まで行き、米軍と一緒に戦うのか」といった懸念があるのを意識した発言だ。
The intention not to impose geographical constraints on the SDF, while deciding flexibly on SDF activities in accordance with developments in events, is quite reasonable. 自衛隊の活動に地理的制約は設けず、事態の態様に応じて判断すべきだ、との考え方は理にかなっている。
For instance, it is conceivable that SDF troops could be in charge of removing mines in the Persian Gulf to ensure the safety of sea lanes in the Gulf used by Japan. Should an event occur in which Japanese nationals are once again taken hostage in Africa, SDF troops could be sent to their rescue. 例えば、日本の海上交通路（シーレーン）の安全確保のため、自衛隊がペルシャ湾で機雷を除去することが想定される。アフリカで再び邦人が人質になれば、自衛隊を派遣する可能性もあろう。
Obviously, there should be some curbs on SDF activities, but it should be noted that accurately foreseeing the possibility of a grave emergency is a near impossibility. To enable this country to cope effectively with a diverse range of emergencies, endeavors to secure a wide range of legal alternatives are the core of national security. 無論、自衛隊の活動に歯止めは必要だが、どんな重大事態が発生するかを予測するのは困難だ。様々な事態に対処できるように、法律上の選択肢は幅広く確保することが安全保障の要諦である。
As a matter of practical thinking, whether to have SDF troops actually take part in international operations, and what activities they should engage in, should be the subject of a comprehensive judgment by the government in place when a crisis arises, while appropriate limitations on SDF activities should be ensured through such means as requiring approval by the Diet. 実際に自衛隊が参加するか、どんな活動をするかは、時の政府が総合的に判断し、国会の承認を得るなどの方法で歯止めをかけるのが現実的な対応だろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 27, 2013) （2013年9月27日01時03分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 27, 2013 Introduce reduced tax rate when consumption tax is raised to 8% 軽減税率 消費税８％時に導入を目指せ（9月26日付・読売社説）
If the government would like to soften the public’s feeling of shouldering a burden when it raises the consumption tax rate, it is essential to introduce a reduced tax rate to keep the tax on daily necessities at the current level. 消費増税する際に国民の負担感を和らげるには生活必需品の税率を低く抑える軽減税率の導入が欠かせない。
The government and ruling parties must start taking concrete steps toward introducing the reduced tax rate simultaneously with the increase of the consumption tax rate to 8 percent. 政府・与党は８％への増税と同時期の導入を目指し、具体的な作業に入るべきである。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has reportedly decided to increase the consumption tax rate from 5 percent to 8 percent in April next year. He is now trying to compile a ¥5 trillion-level economic stimulus package to keep the economy from a possible slowdown after the tax rate is raised. 安倍首相は、来年４月に消費税率を５％から８％に引き上げる方針を固めた。増税後の景気腰折れを防ぐため、５兆円規模の経済対策をまとめようとしている。
Although the economy has started to pick up, the recovery is not full-fledged. The road to overcoming deflation, for instance, is still unclear. It would be best for the government to shelve the tax rate increase to 8 percent. However, we understand that aiming at introducing an economic package is the second-best option. 景気は上向いてきたものの、本格回復にはほど遠い。デフレ脱却への道も不透明である。本来は、８％への引き上げを見送るべきだが、次善の策として経済対策を打ち出す狙いは理解できる。
That said, we think the measures contained in the package currently being studied by the government to curb a possible downturn in personal spending are insufficient. ただ、増税で消費が落ち込みかねないことに対し、検討されている対策は不十分ではないか。
The consumption tax has a regressive character, meaning the burden it places on low-income earners is relatively heavy. For this reason, the government is now studying a “simplified benefit plan,” under which it will provide ¥10,000 to ¥15,000 per head in benefits to low-income households, such as those earning too little to have to pay resident taxes. 消費税には、低所得層の負担が相対的に重くなる逆進性がある。このため政府は、住民税の非課税世帯などを対象に１人当たり１万～１万５０００円を支払う「簡素な給付措置」を検討している。
However, the effects of such a temporary cash provision plan in supporting household finances after the tax hike will be short-lived. It is only reasonable to introduce a reduced tax rate that a wide range of people, including low-income earners, can expect to benefit from. だが、現金を一時的に支給する方法では、増税後の家計を支える効果は長続きしない。低所得層を含む幅広い消費者に恩恵が期待できる軽減税率の導入が適切だ。
As part of the economic stimulus package, the government and ruling parties are studying an option of moving ahead the abolition of a special corporate tax for reconstruction by one year. The tax was added to the regular corporate tax to provide a revenue source for reconstruction from the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. 政府・与党は経済対策で、東日本大震災の復興財源のために上乗せした復興特別法人税の１年前倒しでの廃止を検討中である。
Reduce rate for basics
With the investment tax credit, a main pillar of the stimulus package, the government aims at establishing a virtuous cycle by prompting corporate earnings growth, which could in turn result in a pay hike. 経済対策の柱となる投資減税は企業収益の拡大を促して賃上げにつなげる好循環も狙っている。
Consumers have strongly criticized the measures as preferential treatment of corporations. Also, we are worried that it will take time for the effects of the prop-up measure for companies to reach households. 消費者には「企業優遇だ」といった批判が根強い。企業のてこ入れ策が家計に波及するまで時間がかかることも懸念される。
On the other hand, a reduced tax rate has the advantage of making consumers feel that they are shouldering less of a financial burden in their daily purchases. これに対し、軽減税率には、負担軽減を日常の買い物で消費者が実感しやすい利点がある。
The government and ruling parties have been pressing their aim to introduce the reduced tax rates when the consumption tax rate is raised to 10 percent, not when it is raised to 8 percent. 政府・与党は、８％段階ではなく、１０％に引き上げる際に軽減税率の導入を目指すとしてきた。
However, a 3 percentage point rise all at once would have a significant impact on household finances. It is important to introduce the reduced rate when the government raises the tax rate to 8 percent and to keep it at the current 5 percent for selected items. しかし、３％も一気に増税されると、家計への影響は大きい。８％への引き上げ時から軽減税率を導入し、現在の５％に維持することが肝要だろう。
Items subject to the reduced tax rate should be narrowed down to basic food products that are indispensable for daily life, such as rice and miso bean paste, as well as newspapers, which support democracy and print culture, among other things. 軽減税率の対象は、コメ、みそなど生活に欠かせない食料品や、民主主義と活字文化を支える新聞などに絞り込むべきである。
European countries have adopted reduced tax rates. Many nations set their value-added tax, the counterpart of Japan’s consumption tax, at about 20 percent. As reduced tax rates have already taken root in these countries, people are more likely to accept high tax rates. 軽減税率は欧州各国で導入されている。日本の消費税にあたる付加価値税は２０％前後の国が多い。軽減税率の定着が、国民に高い税率を受け入れやすくしている。
As it is commonly recognized that a tax should not be levied on knowledge, most of these countries made newspapers subject to the reduced tax rate system. Japan must learn from such examples. 「知識に課税せず」という共通認識があり、新聞を軽減対象とする国が大半を占める。日本も先例を参考にしなくてはならない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 26, 2013) （2013年9月26日02時28分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 26, 2013 Chinese court’s ruling on Bo indication of Communist Party’s fears for future 薄被告無期判決 共産党政権の危機感の表れだ（9月25日付・読売社説）
The Chinese court ruling on former senior politician Bo Xilai was politically motivated and placed top priority on stabilizing Chinese Communist Party rule. However, public discontent is simmering and there is uncertainty over the country’s future. 共産党統治の安定を最優先した政治的な判決だったと言えよう。だが、国民の不満はくすぶり、先行きは不透明だ。
The court handed down a life sentence to Bo, a former Politburo member and Chongqing city party leader, who was charged with taking bribes, embezzlement and abuse of power. It is unusual for a former party leader to receive such a severe sentence. 収賄、横領、職権乱用罪に問われた中国重慶市党委員会の元トップ、薄煕来・元政治局員に、無期懲役の判決が言い渡された。党指導経験者への異例の厳刑である。
Although China is supposedly ruled by law despite being a one-party state, rulings on important trials are basically decided by the Chinese Communist Party. China has a two-tiered justice system, but it is highly unlikely Bo’s sentence will be overturned, even if he appeals. 一党独裁体制の中国は、法治主義の建前をとっているものの、重要な裁判の判決は、基本的に党が決定する。２審制だが、薄被告が上訴しても判決は覆るまい。
The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping decided to sentence Bo to life in prison apparently to show ordinary Chinese that it would never forgive corruption, even if senior party officials are involved. It also must have been intended to condemn Bo’s demagogic style, which could cause the party’s rule to disintegrate. 習近平政権が無期懲役判決に踏み切ったのは、党要人であっても腐敗は許さないとの決意を国民に示すためだろう。併せて、党の支配を破綻させかねない薄被告の大衆扇動的な手法を断罪する狙いもあったに違いない。
When he was party chief in Chongqing, Bo placed priority on the ideal of equality, which the party must have originally touted, and implemented policies to correct disparities, such as constructing affordable housing for the poor. 薄被告は重慶在任中、党が本来掲げていたはずの平等の理想を強調し、貧困層向けに安価な住宅を建設するなど格差是正を主眼とする政策を展開した。
Bo aimed to join China’s supreme leadership. He had people sing revolutionary songs from the Mao Zedong era to show how much the people supported him. 人々に毛沢東時代の革命歌を歌わせ、大衆の支持を誇示して、党の最高指導部入りを目指した。
The Xi administration probably feared that Bo’s style could ignite the people’s frustration against the current situation and lead to a flurry of criticism against the party. 政権には、薄被告のやり方が現状への大衆の不満に火を付け、党批判の暴発を誘いかねないとの危機感があったのではないか。
Popularity still high
However, the court only examined the abuse of power charge in connection with Bo’s career as Chongqing party chief. His political style itself was not considered problematic in the ruling. ただ、重慶時代については職権乱用罪のみが審理され、被告の政治手法そのものが判決で問題視されることはなかった。
Bo still has strong public support, particularly among the poor. The Xi administration must have feared that the ruling, if it referred negatively to Bo’s political style, might have unnecessarily riled the public. 薄被告には、今も貧困層を中心に根強い支持がある。習政権は、判決がその手法に言及すれば、国民をいたずらに刺激しかねないと警戒したのだろう。
The fact that messages posted on the Internet, sympathetic to Bo and opposed to the ruling, were deleted indicates how alert the Chinese authorities were on the matter. インターネット上で、薄被告に同情して判決に反発する書き込みが削除されたことにも、当局の警戒ぶりがうかがえる。
Bo categorically denied the charges and adopted a confrontational attitude. The life sentence apparently was intended to silence Bo and prevent the emergence of “another Bo Xilai,” who would stir up the people. 薄被告は、起訴事実を全面否認し、対決姿勢を示した。無期刑には、被告の口を封じるとともに、大衆を扇動する「第二の薄煕来」の出現を阻むという意図が込められていると言える。
At around the same time as the trial, the Xi administration launched a corruption probe into senior officials of an oil company linked to former Politburo Standing Committee member Zhou Yongkang, who was said to support Bo. This is aimed at dealing a blow to people linked to Bo and solidifying Xi’s power base. 習政権は、公判に合わせるように、薄被告の後ろ盾と言われた周永康・前政治局常務委員の人脈に連なる石油業界の幹部らを汚職で摘発している。薄被告とつながる勢力に打撃を加え、権力基盤を固めようとする動きの一つだ。
Xi plans to hammer out economic structural reform measures at the general meeting of the party’s Central Committee scheduled for November. 習氏は、１１月に開かれる党中央委員会総会で、経済構造改革方針を打ち出そうとしている。
Corruption and disparity problems will remain even if Bo is out of the picture. How Xi overcomes public discontent will hold the key to the party’s future. 薄被告を排除しても、腐敗や格差の問題は残る。習氏が国民の不満をどう解消するかが、党の将来を左右することになろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 25, 2013) （2013年9月25日01時43分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 25, 2013 Merkel’s stunning election victory reflects hopes for strong economy メルケル氏続投 強い経済へ期待示す独総選挙（9月24日付・読売社説）
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc, consisting of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union, scored a stunning victory in the country’s general election Sunday, virtually guaranteeing her a third term. ドイツの総選挙で、メルケル首相の保守政党、キリスト教民主・社会同盟（ＣＤＵ・ＣＳＵ）が大勝し、首相の３選が確実になった。
If she serves out her third term, she will have been in office for 12 years, surpassing the 11 years served by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the first woman to hold that office. Merkel’s tenure would also be the longest ever in Germany. 任期を全うすれば在任１２年に達し、女性宰相の先輩、サッチャー元英首相を抜く。独歴代政権の中でも長期政権となる。
The bloc’s victory can be attributed to the fact that German voters appreciated her achievements in keeping the German economy on a stable road while the leaders of other European countries were replaced one after another due to fiscal and monetary crises. Her continued term of office will be hailed by the international community, which hopes for a stable business recovery. 同盟の勝利は、欧州の財政・金融危機で各国指導者の交代が相次ぐ中、ドイツの堅調な経済を守り抜いたメルケル首相の実績が国民に評価されたためだろう。続投は、安定的な景気回復を望む国際社会からも歓迎されよう。
Merkel has steered her country, the strongest economic power in Europe, by displaying strong leadership. メルケル氏はこれまで、欧州一の経済大国ドイツを、強い指導力で牽引(けんいん)してきた。
The jobless rate, which once topped 10 percent, has been halved under her administration. Exports set a new record in terms of value last year. Merkel has promoted structural reform and deregulation, the agenda she inherited from the previous administration, and reduced the corporate tax rate. These efforts, it may be said, enhanced the international competitiveness of German companies. メルケル政権下で、１０％を超えていた失業率は半減した。輸出も昨年、過去最高額を更新した。前政権からの構造改革と規制緩和を推進し、法人税率の引き下げなどに踏み切ったことが、企業の国際競争力を高めたと言える。
Some German voters were deeply unhappy that the country’s financial burden ballooned as a result of its pivotal role in providing financial assistance from the European Union to southern European countries, including financially strapped Greece. However, Merkel’s bloc maintained its top spot during the campaign. 危機に瀕(ひん)したギリシャなど南欧諸国に対し、欧州連合（ＥＵ）が支援を行った際、中心的役割を担ったドイツの負担が膨らんだことに、有権者の一部には強い不満があった。だが、選挙戦で同盟の優位は揺るがなかった。
She made tenacious efforts to win over the public by asserting that aiding other European countries to defend the euro was indispensable for the development of the European economy and would serve the national interest of Germany. She was successful in these efforts. ユーロを守るため他国を救済することは、欧州経済の発展に不可欠で、ドイツの国益にかなうという首相の粘り強い説得が、国民に浸透してきたのではないか。
Challenges in 3rd term
Ending the financial crisis in Europe remains the primary agenda to be tackled in Merkel’s third term. ３期目も、危機の収拾が最大懸案であることには変わりない。
Some southern European countries have complained that Germany’s demand for excessive fiscal austerity as a condition for financial assistance delayed their business recovery. 南欧諸国からは、ドイツが支援の条件として過度の緊縮財政を強いて、景気回復を遅らせたと反発する声が出ている。
The eurozone’s structural problems, represented by the fact that it has one currency but fiscal management is conducted separately in each country, remain unsettled. More cooperation will be called for between Germany and other major European countries, including France. 「通貨は一つで財政はバラバラ」というユーロ圏の構造的な問題も未解決だ。フランスなど欧州主要国との連携が一層問われる。
Attention is now focused on how negotiations to establish a stable coalition government will turn out. 当面の焦点は、安定的政権を目指す連立交渉の行方だ。
The Free Democratic Party, which was the union bloc’s coalition partner before the election, lost its parliamentary seats, making it impossible by a small margin of seats for the bloc to form a government single-handedly. In view of this, the bloc will negotiate with other parties regarding a possible coalition, centering on a grand coalition plan with the Social Democratic Party, which is the second-largest party after the bloc. 連立を組んでいた自由民主党が議席を失い、過半数議席にわずかに届かない同盟は、第２党の社会民主党（ＳＰＤ）との大連立を軸に多数派工作に乗り出す。
To form a grand coalition with the center-left Social Democrats, who support assistance to southern European nations and fiscal union in the eurozone, it will be necessary to iron out policy differences. 左派のＳＰＤは、南欧支援やユーロ圏の財政統合に同盟より積極的であり、連立には政策のすり合わせが必要になろう。
Of concern to Japan is that Merkel has not visited this nation since 2008, while she has been keen on bolstering economic relations with China. 日本にとって気がかりなのは、メルケル首相が中国との経済関係強化に熱心な一方で、２００８年以来、訪日していないことだ。
In her third term, we hope she will promote an exchange of visits by the prime ministers of the two countries. There must be many subjects to be discussed by the two leaders, including an economic partnership agreement between Japan and the EU and environmental issues. ３期目では、首脳の往来を活発化してほしい。日ＥＵの経済連携協定（ＥＰＡ）や環境問題など協議事項は少なくないはずだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 24, 2013) （2013年9月24日01時31分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 24, 2013 New FSA inspection method must help boost lending to growing firms 新金融検査方針 成長重視で新規融資に弾みを（9月23日付・読売社説）
If the Financial Services Agency limits its activities to pressuring commercial banks to dispose of bad loans, there is little possibility new loans will be extended to firms with growth potential. 金融庁が銀行に不良債権処理を厳しく迫るばかりでは、成長分野への新規融資は進まない。
The FSA has therefore found it necessary to revise its method of inspecting financial institutions to keep abreast of the times. 金融検査の手法も、時代の要請によって変えていく必要がある。
The FSA, the government watchdog of banks, brokerages and other financial businesses, recently made major changes in how it inspects and supervises financial institutions. 金融庁が、金融検査・監督方針を大きく転換した。
The focus of the changes lies in amending the conventional approach of examining the financial health of banks with a fine tooth comb to see whether they have nonperforming loans. Instead, it will leave the risk assessment of small-lot loans to small and midsize borrowers to the discretion of the banks. 不良債権がないか、しらみつぶしに調べる手法を改め、中小企業向けなど小口融資の査定を各銀行の判断に委ねるという。
The way the FSA inspected banks at the time of the financial unrest in the wake of the bursting of the bubble economy could be referred to as a “crisis response method” with priority placed on bad loan disposal. In those days, there were a number of cases such as those depicted in TV dramas in which grim-looking inspectors relentlessly took bank executives to task. バブルが崩壊し、金融不安が高まった時期の検査は、不良債権処理を優先する「危機対応型」だった。こわもての検査官が、銀行幹部を容赦なくやりこめる。そんなテレビドラマのような場面も、実際に少なくなかった。
Even now, many banks, fearing FSA’s inspections, remain reluctant to provide loans to small and midsized companies and business ventures. 今も銀行は金融検査を恐れ、中小企業やベンチャー企業への融資を渋りがちだ。
It is reasonable for the FSA, with a view to improving the current state of affairs which has seen financial services impeded, to shift its inspection method in favor of encouraging growth. 金融が目詰まりを起こした現状を改めようと、検査方針を「成長促進型」に切り替えるのは適切な対応と言える。
The greater latitude for discretionary judgment on the part of banks means that their management responsibility is heavier. 融資判断の自由度が高まれば、銀行自身の責任は重くなる。
If banks turn down loan requests from small and midsize companies from now on, they may not be able to use the excuse of not being able to obtain permission from the FSA. 中小企業への融資を断る際、「金融庁が認めないから」といった言い訳は通らなくなろう。
Banks must sharpen their “discerning eyes” to find small businesses with promising futures and competent managers. 事業の将来性や経営者の資質などを見極め、小さいながらキラリと光る成長企業を発掘する「目利き力」の強化が求められる。
Strengthen regional banks
It is essential for banks to adopt lending policies to sectors with high growth potential to make a major contribution to the Abenomics economic growth strategy led by the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. 銀行が成長分野への融資を積極的に展開し、安倍政権の経済政策「アベノミクス」を後押しすることが望まれる。
Regarding inspections of the three megabank groups, including Mitsubishi-UFJ Financial Group, the FSA has decided not to check individual banks on a bank-by-bank basis but to inspect them in a cross-sectional way by setting up expert teams in accordance with key inspection categories such as lending risks and quality of corporate governance. 金融庁は、三菱ＵＦＪフィナンシャル・グループなど３メガバンクへの検査では、融資リスクや企業統治など重要テーマ別に専門チームを設け、複数行を横断的に検査する新手法を導入する。
The new method is aimed at clarifying problems and challenges common to the megabanks to help them improve their management. The megabanks, for their part, should accept suggestions offered through the new inspection method to enhance their international competitiveness. 日本のメガバンクに共通する課題を洗い出し、経営改善につなげるのが狙いだ。メガバンクは検査で受けた指摘を生かし、国際競争力を高めてもらいたい。
There is no doubt that the rigorous inspections the FSA put into place in the past contributed to helping stabilize the nation’s financial system by pressing banks to quickly liquidate bad loans that ballooned as a result of the collapse of the bubble economy. 従来の厳格な金融検査が、バブル崩壊で膨らんだ不良債権の処理を促し、金融システム安定に貢献したことも事実である。
While it is reasonable for the FSA to respect banks’ self-assessment of their assets, the agency must remain vigilant concerning large-lot loans to keep a damper on nonperforming loans. 銀行の自己査定を尊重するにしても、金融庁が主要な融資にはしっかり目を光らせ、巨額の不良債権を見逃さないことが肝要だ。
In this connection, it is noteworthy that the FSA has called on regional banks and similar financial institutions to study the advisability of working out medium- and long-term business strategies over five- or 10-year periods. 金融庁が地銀などに、５～１０年後を見据えた中長期戦略の検討を求めた点も注目される。
As there are too many regional banks—three or four in a single prefecture—there are cases in which some have become financially strapped because of excessive competition. 地銀が同じ都府県に３～４行も乱立し、過当競争で疲弊するケースが目立つ。
The Abe administration places great hopes on the financing functions of regional banks and similar local financial institutions remaining robust to reinvigorate local economies. 安倍政権の目指す地域経済再生には、地銀などの金融機能強化が欠かせない。
Regional banks must waste no time in revising their management strategies, including business realignment through mergers or other means with other banks. 各地銀は他行との再編を含め、経営戦略の練り直しを急ぐべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 23, 2013) （2013年9月23日01時35分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 23, 2013 U.S. Federal Reserve Board faces long, difficult road to QE3 exit ＦＲＢ金融緩和 「出口戦略」への難しい舵取り（9月22日付・読売社説）
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board has decided not to scale down its monetary “QE3” quantitative easing policy implemented to deal with the financial crisis. 米連邦準備制度理事会（ＦＲＢ）が、金融危機対策として続けてきた量的緩和策第３弾（ＱＥ３）の縮小を見送った。
It was a surprise decision for the market as many observers expected the Fed to take the first step of its exit strategy for ending QE3. ＱＥ３の終了に向け、「出口戦略」の第一歩を踏み出すという観測が多かっただけに、サプライズと言える。
However, the path to the exit is not clear. The markets speculate the Fed would scale down its economic stimulus program in December. The central bank will face some difficult maneuvering from here on. 出口への道は不透明である。市場では早くも「縮小は１２月」との見方が浮上しているが、ＦＲＢは難しい舵(かじ)取りを迫られよう。
The Fed held a two-day policy meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee and decided to maintain the central bank’s $85 billion (¥8.4 trillion) monthly purchases of the U.S. government bonds, an unusual way to supply funds to the market. ＦＲＢは、連邦公開市場委員会（ＦＯＭＣ）を開き、米国債などを毎月８５０億ドル（約８・４兆円）買い入れて資金を市場に供給する異例の対策を維持した。
The Fed said it would like to await conclusive evidence on improvement of the economy and employment before deciding to reduce its stimulus. 「景気や雇用情勢の改善を確実に見届けるまで判断を待ちたい」との声明を発表した。
It has apparently chosen the safer option of ensuring lasting economic recovery rather than rushing for the exit. The U.S. economy has been showing signs of recovery since the annualized growth rate of its gross domestic product increased by 2.5 percent in April-June quarter compared to the previous quarter. あえて出口へ急がず、景気の持続的な回復を最優先する安全策を選択したのだろう。 米国経済は、４～６月期の国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）の伸び率が前期比年率で２・５％増となり、景気回復基調が鮮明になってきた。
But the employment situation remains a concern. Though the jobless rate dropped to 7.3 percent in August, the number of workers in the nonagricultural sector is still increasing very slowly. しかし、気掛かりは雇用情勢である。８月の失業率は７・３％に低下したが、非農業部門の就業者数の増加ペースは緩慢だ。
Meanwhile, the central bank is wary of negative effects from the recent hike of long-term borrowing rates. Stymied negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties over the U.S. debt ceiling, which will be exceeded in mid-October, might cast a shadow over economic prospects. ＦＲＢは最近の長期金利の上昇による悪影響も警戒している。１０月半ばに迫った連邦債務上限を巡る与野党協議の難航は、景気の先行きに影を落としかねない。
Dialogue with market
New York stock prices soared right after the Fed’s decision to maintain the pace of its QE3 as many investors took heart from the development. ＱＥ３縮小の先送り直後、ニューヨーク株価が急騰したのは、安心感が広がったからだろう。
In light of expectations that the Fed would implement its exit strategy, speculative funds were flowing out of emerging economies but have been returning since the Fed’s decision, and fears of an economic slowdown have been alleviated. ＦＲＢの出口戦略を先取りする形で投機マネーが流出していた新興国でも、現地通貨が買い戻され景気減速懸念が少し和らいだ。
If the Fed had acted hastily, it would have had a great impact on the global economy and market, including Japan. The Fed’s wise decision to avoid confusion is praiseworthy. ＦＲＢが拙速に動けば、日本を含めて、世界景気や市場に多大な影響を与える。ひとまず混乱を回避できた点は歓迎したい。
Nevertheless, it cannot continue the large-scale quantitative easing for good because of such negative effects as excessive funds circulating around the globe, causing asset-inflated bubbles. ただし、ＦＲＢはいつまでも大規模な量的緩和策を続けることはできない。過剰マネーが世界を駆け巡り、資産バブルを引き起こす副作用も懸念される。
The central bank’s stated policy was to start scaling back QE3 by year-end and to terminate it around the middle of next year. Even if it follows this plan, the exit route remains long. The Fed needs to hold dialogues with the market to avoid causing confusion. ＦＲＢは「年内にＱＥ３縮小を開始し、来年半ばに終了する」との方針を示してきた。その通りに踏み出したとしても、出口までの道は長い。混乱を招かないよう、「市場との対話」が要る。
Now, attention is focused on who will succeed the current Fed chairman, Ben Bernanke, whose term expires at the end of January. U.S. President Barack Obama has given up replacing Bernanke with former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, who had been considered the front-runner for the job. 来年１月末に任期が切れるバーナンキＦＲＢ議長の後任人事も焦点だ。オバマ大統領は、最有力候補とみられたサマーズ元財務長官の指名断念を発表した。
The field has been narrowed to only a few candidates, including Fed Vice Chairman Janet Yellen, now considered the favorite. We hope Obama will decide as soon as possible on a successor to Bernanke and try to stabilize U.S. financial policy. イエレンＦＲＢ副議長を軸に最終調整される見通しだが、大統領は早期に後任を指名し、金融政策の安定を目指してもらいたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 22, 2013) （2013年9月22日01時13分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 22, 2013 3 sides urged to discuss ways to achieve virtuous cycle of growth 政労使協議 成長の好循環へ議論深めたい（9月21日付・読売社説）
Pulling the country out of deflation is a goal shared by the government and the labor and business communities. We urge these three sides to deepen discussions and draw up a feasible strategy to establish a virtuous cycle in which wages will rise along with economic growth. デフレからの脱却は、政府、労働界、経済界に共通する目標である。 政労使は、経済成長とともに賃金が上昇していく「好循環」の実現に向けた論議を深め、実効性のある戦略を練ってもらいたい。
The government proposed launching such three-way talks in its growth strategy unveiled in June, and the three sides held their first meeting on Friday. 政府が６月の成長戦略で設置を打ち出した、「政労使協議」の初会合が開かれた。
The government has taken the rare action of establishing a forum in which it will discuss wages and other labor issues with representatives of workers and employers. This appears to signal that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is determined to lift the Japanese economy from deflation by any means. 政府が労使と、賃金改善などの方策を話し合う異例の措置をとったのは、何としてもデフレ脱却を果たしたいという、安倍首相の強い決意の表れだろう。
During Friday’s meeting, Abe stressed that the government intends to strengthen cooperation with businesses and other sides concerned. “Whether we can establish a virtuous cycle that will boost corporate earnings, increase wages and expand employment is key,” he said. 首相は会合で、「企業収益と賃金、雇用の拡大を伴う好循環につなげられるかが勝負だ」と述べ、経済界などとの連携を強化する考えを強調した。
Meanwhile, Hiromasa Yonekura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), called on the government to implement support measures for companies. “If conditions are improved so companies can demonstrate their abilities, both employment and wages will grow,” Yonekura said. 一方、経団連の米倉弘昌会長は「企業が力を発揮できる環境整備が行われれば、雇用も賃金も上がっていく」との見通しを示し、企業への政策支援を求めた。
The nation’s consumption and manufacturing are recovering, apparently backed by the current administration’s Abenomics economic measures. The Abe administration is expected to face a crucial test as to whether it will be able to help companies’ brisk earnings spill over to households and achieve self-sustaining economic growth driven by the private sector. 安倍政権の経済政策「アベノミクス」の効果で、消費や生産は回復している。企業の好業績が家計を潤し、民間主導の自律的成長を達成できるかどうか、これからが正念場である。
End vicious cycle
If inflation rises to 2 percent, the target set by the Bank of Japan, and the consumption tax rate is raised in April as planned, households have to bear a heavier financial burden. Unless wages go up, consumption could slump, possibly leading to an economic downturn. 日銀が目標とする消費者物価の２％上昇や、来年４月の消費税率の引き上げが実現すると、家計の負担は増える。賃金も上昇しないと消費が冷え込み、景気が腰折れする恐れがある。
The issue of individual companies’ wage levels is not on the agenda of the three-way talks, but the development of the talks could affect future labor-management wage negotiations. 政労使協議は、個別の賃金水準を議題にしない方針だが、論議の行方によっては、今後の賃金交渉に影響が及びそうだ。
In recent years, many labor unions refrained from seeking a rise in overall pay scales during annual spring labor offensives, as they put higher priority on job security. Thus, the Abe administration’s positive stance on wage hikes could become a strong tailwind for labor unions. 近年の春闘で労働組合の多くが雇用確保を優先し、賃金改善を求めるベースアップ要求を控えてきた。賃上げに前向きな安倍政権の姿勢は、労組には頼もしい追い風となるのではないか。
After seeing an upturn in their earnings, companies tend to raise bonuses but try to leave basic pay scales unchanged as much as possible, because basic wage hikes are likely to result in fixed cost increases. 企業は業績が上向いた場合、ボーナスは増やしても、固定費の上昇につながる基本給をできるだけ据え置く傾向がある。
This can be regarded as a rational management decision for an individual company. However, lower wages could dent consumers’ appetite for spending, eventually reducing sales of products and services. In the past, such sales slumps have spurred price falls and contributed to worsening deflation. 個々の経営判断としては合理的とも言えるが、賃金低迷は消費者の購買意欲を低下させ、企業の売り上げは減る。物価下落に拍車をかけ、デフレ悪化の一因となってきたことは否めない。
Japanese companies are estimated to hold about ¥220 trillion in cash and deposits. The firms’ massive reserves are met with criticism, as they appear to make them reluctant to share profits with workers. 日本企業の保有する現金と預金は約２２０兆円もある。巨額の内部留保の存在は、日本企業が労働者への利益分配に消極的だとする批判の根拠とされている。
The government plans to soon devise its second growth strategy, centering on support measures for companies, such as tax cuts for investments. Public attention will likely be focused on whether employers raise overall wage scales with support from government measures. 政府は近く、投資減税など企業支援策を柱とした成長戦略第２弾を打ち出す。政策による後押しを生かし、ベースアップの動きが広がるかどうか、注目される。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 21, 2013) （2013年9月21日02時20分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 21, 2013 Govt must take more active role in handling N-contaminated water 原発汚染水対策 政府は廃炉まで積極関与せよ（9月20日付・読売社説）
Resolving the problems at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s ruined Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is a process requiring as many as 30 to 40 years before plant’s reactors can be dismantled. 東京電力福島第一原子力発電所の事故対応は、廃炉まで３０～４０年もの取り組みになる。
During that time, the government must retain the ability to involve itself responsibly in resolving problems at the complex. 政府が責任を持って関与する体制を整えるべきだ。
Visiting the plant on Thursday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe inspected items such as tanks that leaked water contaminated with radioactive substance. He also gave workers words of encouragement. 安倍首相は福島第一原発を訪れ、汚染水漏れを起こした貯蔵タンクなどを視察し、現場の職員を激励した。
Abe urged TEPCO management to push forward with cleaning up the tainted water by instituting deadlines for the task. He also called for the decommissioning of the Nos. 5 and 6 reactors, which have remained idle even though they did not suffer meltdowns or hydrogen explosions after the March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. 東電に対しては、期限を決めて汚染水の浄化を進めることや、停止している５、６号機の廃炉を要請した。
It seems Abe has taken the bull by the horns and resolved to beef up countermeasures against the vast amounts of tainted water. It is only natural and reasonable that, after the on-site inspections, he reiterated that the government “must take the lead and fulfill its responsibility” in tackling the crisis. 汚染水対策を強化する姿勢を自ら示したと言える。視察後、首相が「国が前面に出て責任を果たしていかなければならない」と改めて述べたのも当然だ。
The government has decided to allocate about ¥47 billion to try to address the contaminated water problem. Its steady budgetary implementation is imperative. 政府は、汚染水の対策費として約４７０億円の国費投入を決めている。着実な実施を求めたい。
Until now, the government has left the task of handling the crisis, including tainted water disposal, in TEPCO’s hands. 政府は、汚染水対策など事故処理を東電にゆだねてきた。
There can be no denying that the government’s inaction slowed efforts to deal with the accident and ensuing turmoil. 政府が積極的に関与してこなかったことが、対応の遅れや混乱につながったのは間違いない。
The Liberal Democratic Party, for that matter, has begun considering enacting a special law to share responsibility for the clean up between the government and TEPCO and clarify a chain of command. Passage of such a law will provide the government with the mandate to extend fiscal support to end the crisis. 自民党は、汚染水対策で国と東電の責任分担を定め、指揮系統を明確にする特別措置法の検討を始めた。特措法が制定されれば、財政支援する根拠にもなろう。
Just beginning of resolution
What is of high importance in this matter is that the special law should not be limited to countermeasures against contaminated water, but should cover the entire process of resolving the crisis. 重要なのは、特措法を汚染水対策に限定せず、事故収束まで視野に入れた総合的な内容にすることだ。
The task of containing the tainted water is nothing more than the beginning of resolving the crisis. 汚染水の封じ込めは、事故収束への「入り口」に過ぎない。
Given the colossal expenses and manpower needed for reactor decommissioning, decontamination and related challenges, it would be unrealistic to leave everything to TEPCO. The system of extending assistance to the utility must be drastically revamped. 廃炉や除染に巨額な費用がかかり、人材確保も必要になることを考えれば、東電にすべて任せるのは無理だ。支援体制を抜本的に見直す必要がある。
At the International Olympic Committee general meeting earlier this month in Buenos Aires, Abe said the tainted water problem at the plant “is under control.” 首相は、ブエノスアイレスでの国際オリンピック委員会総会で、福島原発について「状況はコントロールされている」と語った。
In a bid to win the right to host the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the prime minister’s remark was based on the idea that contaminated water is limited to the port adjacent to the plant. After Thursday’s inspection, he said the message was intended to “assure the world that the situation is safe and secure and poses no risk to human health.” 五輪招致にあたり、汚染水の影響は原発の港湾内にとどまっているとのメッセージだった。首相は原発視察後、「健康への被害はなく安心してもらいたいと世界に発信した」とも説明した。
The Democratic Party of Japan, for its part, has criticized the prime minister’s message, saying the current situation at the plant “is far from being under control.” However, the public will surely take such remarks as little more than frivolous objections. 民主党は、コントロールされている状況とは程遠いなどと批判しているが、揚げ足取りと受け取られても仕方あるまい。
First of all, it was the DPJ administration that set the pattern of leaving crisis resolution to TEPCO. そもそも、東電任せの事故処理の枠組みを作ったのは民主党政権だ。
It has been brought to light that DPJ leader Banri Kaieda, while serving as economy, trade and industry minister two years ago, acknowledged TEPCO’s decision to postpone plans to install protective walls to prevent tainted water leaks at the Fukushima plant. ２年前、汚染水流出を防ぐ遮水壁の設置を先送りする東電の判断を、当時経済産業相だった海江田代表は容認していた。
The top priority for both the ruling and opposition camps should be to come up with better ways to resolve the issue. 今優先すべきは、より良い対策となるよう与野党が知恵を絞ることである。
Discussions should be deepened between the ruling and opposition blocs about such issues as how the crisis should be addressed and how the burden should be shared between the government and TEPCO, through such venues as meetings during the Diet recess and deliberations in the extraordinary Diet session, which will be convened in mid-October. 国会の閉会中審査や、１０月中旬に始まる臨時国会の審議では、原発対応のあり方や、政府と東電の役割分担についても議論を深めてもらいたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 20, 2013) （2013年9月20日01時30分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 20, 2013 Japan, U.S. and ASEAN must team up to counter China’s maritime advance 南シナ海情勢 日米ＡＳＥＡＮで対中連携を（9月19日付・読売社説）
It is becoming apparent that China intends to strengthen its hegemony in the South China Sea while stalling for time in drawing up a code of conduct to avoid hostilities. 紛争を避けるルール作りで時間稼ぎをする間に南シナ海での支配力を強める。中国のそんな意図が見えてきた。
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations held the first official talks among senior officials to move toward deciding on a code of conduct to regulate the activities of countries concerned in the South China Sea. 中国と東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）は、南シナ海で各国の行動を規制する「行動規範」の策定に向けた初の公式高官協議を行った。
Yet China remained halfhearted over the issue throughout the talks, with the meeting only deciding on the establishment of a meeting of experts. だが、中国は消極的態度に終始し、専門家会合設置を決めるにとどまった。
In the South China Sea, China is in conflict with such ASEAN countries as the Philippines and Vietnam regarding sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and other islands and reefs. 南シナ海では、南沙諸島などの領有権を巡り、中国と、フィリピン、ベトナムなどＡＳＥＡＮ加盟国が対立している。
China asserts a claim of exclusive sovereignty over not only the Spratly Islands but nearly all of the South China Sea. Yet it has not brought the international community around to its point of view. 中国は、南沙諸島だけでなく、南シナ海ほぼ全域で独占的な権益を持つと主張しているが、国際的な理解は得られていない。
For over a decade, the ASEAN countries have been trying to secure agreement from China on the establishment of rules of conduct to prevent overt hostilities in the South China Sea. Yet, with its overwhelming military and economic power, China refused to hold such a meeting until recently. ＡＳＥＡＮは中国に対して、１０年以上にわたり紛争防止のためのルール作りを働きかけてきた。しかし、軍事的にも経済的にも圧倒的な力を持つ中国は協議を受け入れてこなかった。
It is regrettable that even when China finally did come to the negotiating table, it proposed discussing other issues instead and would not go into a detailed discussion on the code of conduct. ようやくテーブルに着いたものの、中国が別の議題を提示し、行動規範で突っ込んだ議論をしようとしなかったのは残念である。
Scarborough stare-down
In the South China Sea, with no code of conduct for concerned countries, the crisis is only deepening. The current focal point lies in the conflict between the Philippines and China. ルールなき南シナ海で、危機は深まる一方である。現在の焦点は、フィリピンと中国の対立だ。
Around the disputed Scarborough Shoal, over which both countries claim sovereignty, naval vessels from the two sides faced each other for two months. The government of the Philippines said that after it moved its vessels away, China placed concrete blocks on the shoal. 係争地スカボロー礁では、昨年、両国の艦船が２か月間にらみ合った。比政府によると、フィリピンが艦船を引き揚げた後、中国がコンクリートブロックを据え付けたという。
Earlier this year, the Philippines filed a request for arbitration under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, asserting that China’s claim of sovereignty over the shoal is unlawful. This month, China held an exhibition inviting heads of ASEAN member countries. But the president of the Philippines was not invited. フィリピンは今年に入り、国連海洋法条約に基づき、中国の領有権の主張は不当であるとして、仲裁裁判を申請した。今月、中国では、ＡＳＥＡＮ首脳らを招いた博覧会が開かれたが、比大統領は招待されなかった。
The snub must be interpreted as an attempt by China to rebuke the Philippines over the country’s having taken legal action against China. 法的手段に訴えたフィリピンへの、中国の嫌がらせと取られても仕方がない。
It is understandable that the Philippines, pressured physically by China, has been intensifying relations with the United States and Japan. 中国に物理的圧力をかけられたフィリピンが、米国や日本へ接近を強めているのは理解できる。
While having expanded a joint military exercise with the United States, the Philippines is moving ahead in talks with the United States that are likely to lead, in effect, to the stationing of U.S. forces in the Philippines again. There is a possibility that the Subic naval base, once a strategic foothold for the United States, will again be used for the deployment of U.S. forces. 米比共同軍事訓練を強化したほか、実質的な米軍再駐留につながる協議を進めている。かつての米戦略拠点だったスービック海軍基地が再び米軍の展開に使われる可能性もある。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, since he took office last December, has intensively visited ASEAN countries and presented his plan of providing 10 patrol vessels to the Philippines. 安倍首相は就任以来、ＡＳＥＡＮ諸国を重点的に歴訪し、フィリピンには巡視船１０隻を供与する方針を示した。
For both Japan and the United States, which face the expanding presence of China in the East China Sea and the western Pacific, the significance of cooperating with ASEAN member countries by taking concerted actions with them is not limited to the South China Sea. It will help their efforts to check China from expanding its maritime activities elsewhere as well. 東シナ海や西太平洋で中国の膨張に直面する日米両国にとって、歩調を合わせてＡＳＥＡＮ諸国と連携する意味合いは、南シナ海にとどまらない。中国の海洋進出全体を牽制(けんせい)することにもなろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 19, 2013) （2013年9月19日01時32分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 19, 2013 Kindergartens must ensure safety of children when disasters occur 園児犠牲訴訟 津波への予見と情報があれば（9月18日付・読売社説）
A private kindergarten in Miyagi Prefecture has been taken to task in a court ruling on a lawsuit filed by parents whose kindergarten children died in the March 2011 disaster. The ruling blamed the kindergarten for failing to protect its pupils from the tsunami triggered by the catastrophic Great East Japan Earthquake, and the facility’s operator was ordered to pay compensation. This may serve as a wake-up call for facilities taking care of small children. 津波から園児の命を守れなかった責任は、幼稚園にある。幼い子供を預かる施設への警鐘と言える賠償命令だ。
On Tuesday, the Sendai District Court ordered the kindergarten’s operator to pay about ¥177 million in compensation to the parents of four children who died along with a kindergarten employee when the tsunami engulfed their school bus immediately after the earthquake. 東日本大震災の直後、宮城県石巻市の私立幼稚園の送迎バスが津波に巻き込まれ、園児らが死亡した事故で、仙台地裁は幼稚園側に約１億７７００万円の損害賠償を命じた。
The lawsuit had been filed by the parents, who argued that the deaths were caused by the kindergarten’s failure to take appropriate action to protect their children’s lives. In supporting the plaintiffs, the district court concluded that the kindergarten had neglected to gather information about the likelihood of a tsunami following the quake. 死亡した園児４人の両親が「園の対応の悪さが引き起こした人災だ」と訴えていた。判決は「津波に関する情報収集義務を怠った」と結論付け、訴えを認めた。
Kindergarten pupils are far less competent in avoiding danger than grown-ups. It is difficult for them to escape to safety at their own discretion in an emergency. 幼い園児は、危険を回避する能力が大人ほど発達していない。津波襲来の際などには、自らの判断で避難することは困難だ。
The court ruling was quite reasonable in stating that there was no way for kindergarten children to ensure their safety other than to trust the school’s director and teachers and follow their instructions. 判決が「園長、教諭を信頼して指導に従うほかに生命身体を守る手立てがない」と指摘したのは、もっともである。
Kindergartens are duty-bound to protect the safety of their pupils. In fact, the court ruling stated that kindergartens are obliged to anticipate possible danger and do their utmost to avert any threat. 手立てがない以上、幼稚園には、子供の安全を守る高度な義務が課される。判決も「危険性を予見し、回避する最善の措置を取る義務を負う」と判断した。
Based on this, the court placed the blame on the kindergarten in Ishinomaki, arguing that the facility should have expected the arrival of a tsunami considering that an earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of lower 6 on the Japanese scale of 7 had continued for about three minutes. The ruling said the kindergarten should have listened closely to the radio and the community public address system to gather information about a possible tsunami. その上で、最大震度６弱の揺れが約３分間も続いたことを考えれば、園側が津波襲来を予見するのは可能であり、「ラジオや防災無線を正確に聴く必要があった」と、園側の落ち度を認定した。
No preparations made
During the trial, the kindergarten insisted that the tragedy was an unavoidable accident caused by a devastating tsunami that could not have been foreseen. 園側は「予測不可能な異常な津波で引き起こされた不可抗力による事故」と主張してきた。
It should be noted, however, that the bus taking the children home was headed toward the sea after leaving the kindergarten, which was on elevated ground. It was reasonable for the four children’s parents to argue that the loss of life should be attributed to the kindergarten’s thoughtless conduct, especially as the facility itself was not affected by the tsunami. だが、幼稚園は高台にあるのに、園児を自宅に送り届けようとバスは海側に向かった。園自体は津波被害を受けなかっただけに、園児の両親が「園の行為で犠牲が出た」と訴えたのは理解できる。
A manual prepared by the kindergarten to protect its pupils whenever a major earthquake occurs requires its employees to ensure the children take refuge in the facility’s play area at first, and then allow them to return home with their parents when they arrive to pick them up. However, most of the kindergarten’s staff had not known of the manual. No disaster drills had been carried out in accordance with the manual, either. 大地震の際は園庭に避難し、保護者が迎えに来てから園児を引き渡すとの園のマニュアルがあるにもかかわらず、教職員の大半が存在を知らず、マニュアルに沿った訓練も実施しなかったという。
Evidently, the kindergarten lacked preparations regarding a massive earthquake and possible tsunami. 大地震と津波への備えを欠いていたのは明らかだろう。
If the kindergarten appeals to a higher court, a new round of hearings will start. It remains to be seen whether the kindergarten will be able to pay the massive amount of court-ordered compensation. 園側が控訴すれば、訴訟は続くが、多額の賠償命令に対し、園側に支払い能力はあるのかという問題は残る。
If a feared massive Nankai Trough earthquake actually strikes, a tsunami is predicted to follow that would cause damage in excess of that incurred by the Great East Japan Earthquake. 南海トラフ巨大地震では、東日本大震災を上回る規模の津波被害が想定されている。
Kindergartens must secure evacuation sites and routes in preparation for such a disaster, while also conducting periodic disaster drills to make sure their teaching staff and pupils know how to use them. This task should be tackled immediately by all facilities that take care of children, including day-care centers and primary schools. 避難場所や経路を確保し、日ごろの訓練で教職員や子供に徹底させる。幼稚園だけでなく、保育所や小学校など、子供のいる施設が早急に取り組むべき課題だ。
At municipally run kindergartens in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, children, teachers and all other staff conduct drills in which they evacuate to higher ground almost every day. This is the kind of effort that should be made in other parts of the country. 和歌山県串本町の町立幼稚園では、ほぼ毎日、園児と職員全員が高台への避難訓練を続けている。こうした取り組みを広げたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 18, 2013) （2013年9月18日01時28分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 18, 2013 Nation’s law schools must improve for the good of the profession, society 法科大学院 優秀な人材をどう集めるか（9月17日付・読売社説）
If things are left as they are, talented young people may no longer be attracted to careers in law. The nation’s law schools, meant to be the core of efforts to foster legal professionals, have fallen into a critical situation. このままでは、優秀な人材が法曹界に集まらなくなるのではないか。 法曹養成の中核である法科大学院が、危機的な状況に陥っている。
The number of people who passed this year’s national bar exam after graduating from law school stood at 1,929. The pass rate remains low. Hovering around 26 percent, it is a far cry from the 70-80 percent rate originally assumed. 今年の司法試験で、法科大学院の修了生の合格者は１９２９人、合格率は約２６％と低迷を続けている。当初想定された７～８割という合格率には遠く及ばない。
In light of such a reality, students are becoming less interested in going to law school. The number of applicants for law school enrollment this spring has fallen to one-fifth of what it was at its peak. こうした現状から、学生の法科大学院離れは進む一方だ。入学志願者は減少し、今春はピーク時の５分の１に落ち込んだ。
The popularity of law departments at universities is also declining. At national and other public universities, the number of students applying to law departments has fallen by about 10 percent over the past two years. 大学の法学部人気も低下しており、国公立大学では法学部の志願者がこの２年で約１割減った。
As one of the three branches of government depends on a strong pool of legal talent, the foundation of a state under the rule of law may be shaken if the number of young people who aspire to enter legal circles declines. 三権の一角を担う法曹界を目指す若者が減れば、法治国家の根幹が揺らぎかねない。
The first law schools opened in 2004 to further judicial system reform by “fostering an ample source of legal professionals both in terms of quality and quantity.” The schools were initially expected to produce work-ready law practitioners equipped with specialized knowledge and legal analytical abilities. 法科大学院は、「質・量ともに豊かな法曹を育てる」という司法制度改革の理念の下、２００４年に開校した。専門知識と法的分析力を備えた即戦力の実務家を育成することが期待された。
Yet as the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry broadly allowed many academic institutions to open law schools, as many as 74 law schools with varying levels of quality have opened. As a result, a number of schools had only single-digit numbers of their students pass the national exam for the year. ところが、文部科学省が広く参入を認めた結果、７４校が乱立し、司法試験の合格者数が１けたにとどまるところが続出した。
Weed out subpar schools
Next fiscal year, the education ministry is set to cut its subsidies to 18 law schools that have failed to produce strong results, as the pass rate of their students remains low. The cut is designed to urge these schools to integrate with other schools or leave the field altogether. Law schools that fail in fostering legal professionals must inevitably be weeded out. 文科省は来年度、司法試験の合格率低迷など、実績を上げられない法科大学院１８校の補助金を減額する方針だ。統廃合を促す狙いがある。養成機能を果たせない法科大学院の淘汰(とうた)はやむを得ない。
Meanwhile, the number of people who passed the bar exam without graduating from law school has been increasing sharply. Such people become eligible to take the bar exam after passing a preliminary qualification test. This year, the number who succeeded surged to 120, nearly double last year’s figure. 一方、法科大学院を修了せずに司法試験の受験資格を得られる「予備試験」経由者の合格が急増している。今年は前年の約２倍の１２０人を数えた。
The preliminary test system was introduced to open the way for people unable to enroll in law school for economic reasons to tackle the bar exam. Despite this purpose, many law school students used the preliminary exam to take and pass the bar exam without graduating from law school. 予備試験は、経済的理由で法科大学院に通えない人にも司法試験に挑戦する道を開くために設けられた。にもかかわらず、今年の司法試験に合格した予備試験組には法科大学院在学生が目立つ。
If an increasing number of people use the preliminary test as a shortcut to pass the bar exam without completing their law school studies, the hollowing out of law schools will only accelerate. 法科大学院で学ぶ過程を省く「近道」として予備試験を利用する人が増え続ければ、法科大学院の空洞化が進むだけだ。
If the law school system is to be maintained, it is necessary to review it, such as by allowing law school graduates to take the bar exam more often, so that students will become more willing to go on to law school. 法科大学院制度を維持するなら、修了者に対し、司法試験の受験回数の制限を大幅に緩和するなど、学生が法科大学院に進みたいと思うような見直しが必要だ。
Needless to say, law schools, for their part, are asked to strive to improve their quality of education. 無論、法科大学院にも教育の質向上の取り組みが求められる。
Furthermore, the current situation in which many of those who have passed the bar exam and become lawyers are unable to find jobs is serious. 司法試験に受かり、弁護士になっても、働き口が見つからない状況も深刻だ。
It is naturally expected that students will tend to shy away from entering the legal profession as long as there is little prospect of employment. 将来の展望が開けないのでは、学生が法曹界を敬遠するのも無理はない。
The government and legal circles must discuss ways to expand the range of activities for lawyers by, for instance, expanding their job opportunities in local governments and private businesses as soon as possible. 自治体や企業による雇用拡大など、弁護士の活動領域を広げる方策について、政府と法曹界は早急に検討すべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 17, 2013) （2013年9月17日02時11分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 17, 2013 U.S.-Russia agreement should not permit Syrian regime to buy time 米露外相合意 シリアに時間稼ぎを許すな（9月16日付・読売社説）
Military strikes against Syria have been averted, at least for now, apparently in a move aimed at achieving a political settlement to that country’s civil war. However, quite a few problems must be overcome. 軍事攻撃は当面回避され、内戦の政治解決に向けて一歩を踏み出した。だが、まだまだ不透明な点が少なくない。
The foreign ministerial talks between the United States and Russia that were held in Geneva for three days until Saturday produced an agreement designed to formulate a framework to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons. ジュネーブで３日間にわたって開かれた米露外相会談は、シリアの化学兵器全廃を目指す枠組みで合意した。
Under the Washington-Moscow accord, Syria must hand over a complete list of its chemical weapons arsenal within a week, and the U.N.-backed Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is scheduled to embark on inspections of Syria’s chemical weapons sites by November. Complete destruction of the arsenal is planned for the first half of 2014. アサド政権に、すべての化学兵器を１週間以内に申告させ、１１月までに化学兵器禁止機関が査察を開始する。２０１４年前半までの完全廃棄を目標としている。
The accord, however, leaves one major question after another unanswered. Is there any guarantee Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime, which did not acknowledge until recently the existence of chemical weapons in the country, will unequivocally declare a list of its chemical weapons and live up to its promise to do away with them? Will it be possible for OPCW inspectors to carry out effective inspections in the midst of a civil war? ただ、化学兵器の存在すら認めてこなかった政権が正直に申告し、廃棄する保証があるのか。国内各地で戦闘の続く内戦下で、果たして実効性のある査察ができるのか。次々と疑問が浮かぶ。
In regard to North Korea’s nuclear weapons development program, we recall that Pyongyang, after committing to abandoning the program, maneuvered to have it delayed and eventually refused to accept inspections. 北朝鮮の核問題でも、北朝鮮はいったん核放棄を約束しながら、核計画の申告を遅らせ、査察を受け入れなかった。
The Assad government must never be allowed to buy time to prolong the life of the regime by deliberately delaying the implementation of the inspection accord. アサド政権が、合意の履行を意図的に遅らせて、政権延命への時間稼ぎをするような事態を許してはなるまい。
UNSC resolution essential
The latest agreement came after Russia, the patron of the Assad administration, embarked on diplomatic arbitration in the wake of U.S. President Barack Obama’s announcement of plans to launch punitive military action against Syria following the Assad regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons. 今回の合意は、オバマ米大統領が、化学兵器使用への懲罰的軍事攻撃を表明したために、アサド政権の後見役のロシアが外交調停に乗り出し、実現したものだ。
After striking the deal with Moscow, Washington agreed to delay military operations against Damascus. The question over whether the Assad regime used chemical weapons has been shelved. 合意を受け、米国は軍事攻撃を当面先送りした。アサド政権が化学兵器を使用したかどうかは、棚上げされたままである。
The agreement stipulates that if the Assad administration fails to comply with the terms of the accord, including a ban on the use of chemical weapons and their transportation without prior permission, the U.N. Security Council would take measures based on Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, which will pave the way for military sanctions. 合意文書には、化学兵器の使用や無許可の移送など、アサド政権が合意不履行の場合は、国連安全保障理事会が、武力制裁に道を開く国連憲章第７章に基づく措置を取るべきだと明記されている。
This means that strong pressure, including the threat of military strikes, is essential to ensure the Assad regime abides by the agreement to eliminate chemical weapons. 政権に合意を履行させるには、なお軍事行動を含む強力な圧力が必要ということだろう。
In a statement released after the agreement, Obama said, “If diplomacy fails, the United States remains prepared to act,” implying that the United States retains the option of carrying out military strikes. オバマ大統領も、合意後の声明で、「外交が失敗すれば、米国は行動する用意がある」と述べ、米国として軍事攻撃の選択肢を維持する方針を強調した。
The U.N. Security Council, for its part, is set to draw up a resolution in response to the U.S.-Russia accord. The resolution must be adopted promptly, as it is indispensable for the international community as a whole to continue to exert pressure on the Assad regime to honor the accord. 安保理では、合意を受けた決議案を作成する。早期に採択し、国際社会全体でアサド政権に履行を促す努力が欠かせない。
The civil war has already claimed the lives of 100,000 people, and refugees total 2 million. It is imperative to end the war as soon as possible. 内戦では既に、１０万人が犠牲となり、２００万人が難民となった。一刻も早く戦闘を終わらせる方策を見つけなければならない。
The U.S. and Russian foreign ministers are scheduled to meet again in New York soon to discuss the feasibility of holding an international conference with both Assad regime officials and rebels taking part. 米露外相は近くニューヨークで再会談し、アサド政権と反体制派双方が参加する国際会議の開催に向け協議する。
The rebels are far from united, as they comprise a multitude of forces, such as Islamist groups and secular organizations. Diplomatic negotiations to resolve these differences face many difficulties. 反体制側は、イスラム主義勢力や世俗派など様々な勢力が入り乱れている。外交交渉の前途は多難である。
Japan, for that matter, should not stand idly by. It should expand its humanitarian aid, including refugee relief, to the Syrian people. 日本も手をこまねいてはいられない。難民対策など人道支援を一層充実させる必要があろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 16, 2013) （2013年9月16日01時41分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 16, 2013 Govt, TEPCO still bear responsibility for roles in Fukushima catastrophe 原発事故不起訴 東電と政府の責任は免れない（9月15日付・読売社説）
A decision by prosecutors has brought to light how difficult it is to establish criminal responsibility for the consequences of an unprecedentedly massive disaster. 未曽有の大災害に伴う事故で刑事責任を問うことの難しさを示す結果になったと言えよう。
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office announced Thursday it would not indict any of the 42 people against whom complaints had been filed seeking indictment on charges of professional negligence resulting in deaths and injuries in connection with the nuclear crisis at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Among them were top executives of TEPCO and government leaders at the time of the outbreak of the nuclear crisis. 東京電力福島第一原子力発電所の事故を巡り、業務上過失致死傷容疑などで告訴・告発された当時の東電経営陣や政府関係者ら計４２人全員を、検察が不起訴とした。
The prosecutors office said the gigantic tsunami triggered by the March 11, 2011, earthquake should be considered unpredictable and the failure of TEPCO management and nuclear regulatory authorities to take sufficient precautionary measures in advance did not constitute criminal negligence. 東日本大震災による巨大津波は予測不可能で、東電首脳らが事前に対策をとらなかったことは過失とは言えない、という理由だ。
The office also said an on-the-spot inspection that then Prime Minister Naoto Kan conducted at the crippled nuclear plant immediately after the disaster could not be deemed to have hindered the venting of steam to lower pressure inside the reactors. 菅元首相が事故直後に現地を視察したことも、原子炉内の圧力を下げるベント作業には影響を与えなかった、と判断した。
Given that the prosecution could not produce enough clear evidence to establish a case for criminal negligence, the decision not to indict should be considered inevitable. 過失を裏付ける明確な証拠が集まらなかった点を考えれば、不起訴の結論はやむを得まい。
In the nuclear crisis, the power sources for the backup generators for the plant’s reactors were disabled, rendering them unable to pump cooling water and eventually leading to reactor core meltdowns and hydrogen explosions in reactors Nos. 1, 3 and 4. The result was that radioactive substances were spewed from the tsunami-wrecked plant, exposing a large number of residents in the vicinity to radiation. 原発事故では、原子炉の電源喪失で冷却装置が機能不全となったため、炉心損傷と水素爆発が起きた。放射性物質が拡散し、多くの周辺住民が被曝した。
After determining the loss of power supply was caused by the tsunami, the prosecutors office, after hearing the opinions of seismologists, concluded the colossal scale of the tsunami was unforeseeable even by experts. 検察は、この電源喪失が津波によって引き起こされたと認定した上で、地震学者への聴取結果から、今回のような規模の津波の発生は、専門家の間でも想定されていなかったと結論づけた。
Be ready for the unforeseen
To establish a case for professional negligence in such a situation, there must be evidence to prove failure to take necessary steps despite being aware of the potential danger of the tsunami, instead of merely a nebulous feeling that a crisis could occur. 業務上過失致死傷罪として立件するには、漠然とした危機感ではなく、具体的に津波が襲来する危険を認識しながら、必要な対策を怠っていた証拠が求められる。
The fact that the tsunami was an unpredictable natural disaster posed a high hurdle for the prosecutors. 想定外の天災という要素が、捜査を進める上で、高いハードルになったのは間違いない。
It is noteworthy that probes into professional negligence focus on individuals, which was another hurdle in this case. The extremely chaotic nature of the crisis made it very hard for prosecutors to charge a particular individual with criminal responsibility for the accident. 過失犯の捜査では、個人の処罰が焦点になる。混乱を極めた事故後の状況下では、特定の個人に刑事責任を負わせるのは難しいという側面もあったのだろう。
In the United States, courts sometimes award huge punitive damages for unscrupulous corporate behavior to prevent similar harmful actions. In Japan, however, there is no such system even in civil litigation. 米国には、悪質な企業に巨額の賠償金を支払わせて制裁を加え、再発抑止を図る懲罰的損害賠償の制度がある。日本には、民事訴訟でもこうした仕組みはない。
In light of the grave impact the nuclear crisis has had on society and the nation’s economy, both TEPCO and the government still bear heavy responsibility for the disaster, even though they are exempt from criminal responsibility. だが、法的責任は認められなくとも、原発事故が社会・経済に与えた深刻な打撃を考慮すれば、東電や政府の責任は重大である。
The government panel tasked with investigating the accident has pointed out that TEPCO had been complacent about safety. It also noted that the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry’s former Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency and other nuclear power generation regulators had left the task of implementing safety measures up to TEPCO. Both the government and regulators left the studies of risk factors on a back burner. The Diet commission that investigated the accident declared in its report that the disaster was “man-made.” 政府の事故調査委員会は、東電が安全神話にとらわれ、経済産業省の旧原子力安全・保安院など規制当局も対策を電力会社に任せ、リスクの検討を後回しにしていたと指摘した。国会事故調は「事故は人災」とまで断じている。
Bearing the lessons of the crisis deeply in mind, both the government and TEPCO must urgently address the task of creating effective safety procedures to cope with unforeseen situations. 政府も東電も、事故の教訓を踏まえ、想定外の事態にも対処し得る安全管理態勢の構築を急ぐ必要がある。
The Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant is struggling to contain highly radioactive water flowing out of the wrecked reactors. 福島第一原発は今も汚染水漏れ問題を抱えている。
Countermeasures as well as operations to decommission the reactors must steadily be implemented. その対策や、廃炉に向けた作業を、着実に進めなければならない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 15, 2013) （2013年9月15日01時31分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 15, 2013 Filmmakers must inherit Miyazaki’s aspirations for artistic animation 宮崎監督引退 アニメ芸術の志引き継ぎたい（9月14日付・読売社説）
Fans of Hayao Miyazaki’s animation undoubtedly want him to continue making movies. He will be greatly missed after his retirement. 世界中のファンは、まだまだ作品を見たいに違いない。惜しまれる引退である。
Miyazaki, who has enchanted people around the world with a variety of spectacular masterpieces, has decided to retire from the production of full-length anime movies. The currently showing “Kaze Tachinu” (The Wind Rises) will be his last film. スケールの大きい数々の名作で人々を魅了し続けてきた宮崎駿監督が、現在公開中の映画「風立ちぬ」を最後に、長編アニメーションの仕事から身を引く決断をした。
Miyazaki said, “No matter how much I get in shape, the number of hours I can concentrate has been decreasing year by year.” He has probably recognized that at 72, he has reached his limit physically. 宮崎さんが「どんなに体調を整えても集中している時間が年々減っていく」と言うように、７２歳は体力的に限界だったのだろう。
Sticking to hand drawing, he has taken extra care in drawing even the effects of wind, the motion of water and the play of light. Drawing requires long hours of work with great strain on the eyes and hands. Miyazaki has also thought about story lines while proceeding with production, without deciding on the conclusion at the outset. Hence anime production was extremely hard work for him. 宮崎さんは手描きにこだわり、風や水、光まで丁寧に描いた。目や手を酷使し、長時間にわたる作業が強いられる。結末を決めずに、制作しながらストーリーを考えていく手法を取った。アニメ制作は「つらい仕事」でもあった。
Miyazaki also said, “I’m free and there are many things I want to do and try.” その一方で、宮崎さんは「ぼくは自由です」と言い、「やってみたいことや試したいことが色々ある」とも述べている。
We hope he will display his talents again in other fields besides production of animated feature films, which require long hours of work and impose a heavy physical burden. 時間的、肉体的に負担の大きい長編アニメとは別の分野で再びその本領を発揮してもらいたい。
Insightful messages
Miyazaki’s greatest achievement was his contribution to raising the production of entertainment anime, initially designed for children, to the level of art backed by deep insightful messages and creating a new Japanese anime culture that is preeminent in the world. 宮崎さんの業績は、子ども向けと思われていた娯楽アニメを、深い思想性に裏打ちされた芸術に高め、世界に冠たる日本の新しいアニメ文化を創造した点にある。
His productions have also proved successful in terms of box office returns. This could be attributed to the fact that he was extremely fortunate in his producers, many staff members and investors. 興行的にも成功を収めた。プロデューサーや多くのスタッフ、出資者にも恵まれたからだろう。
“Kaze no Tani no Naushika” (Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind), released in 1984, depicted a world after the collapse of a great civilization and contained philosophical insights into nature and civilization. It also criticized Japanese society, which tends to be preoccupied with economic wealth. 巨大文明崩壊後の世界を描いた１９８４年の「風の谷のナウシカ」は、自然や文明についての哲学的考察に貫かれている。経済的な豊かさにばかりとらわれがちな日本社会への批判でもあった。
Miyazaki depicted a poetic world in “Tonari no Totoro” (My Neighbor Totoro, 1988), which featured the rich natural environment of the countryside. He broke new ground with “Mononoke Hime” (Princess Mononoke), released in 1997, which featured battles between malevolent gods and humans in medieval Japan. 田園の豊かな自然を背景にした「となりのトトロ」では、詩情あふれる世界を描き上げた。 ９０年代に入ると、日本の中世を舞台に、荒ぶる神々と人間の戦いをテーマにした「もののけ姫」で新たな境地を開いた。
“Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi” (Spirited Away, 2001) achieved the highest box office returns in Japanese movie history and won the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin International Film Festival and the 2003 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The film was highly acclaimed as a refined and powerful fantasy. 日本映画史上、最高の興行成績を残した２００１年の「千と千尋の神隠し」は、ベルリン国際映画祭金熊賞と米アカデミー賞も受賞した。「洗練され、パワーのあるファンタジー」と絶賛された。
Influenced by children’s literature, Miyazaki has provided a dreamy beautiful world for children. He is said to have wanted to tell them “this world is worth living for.” This desire underlies his anime movie production. 宮崎さんは、児童文学の影響を受けて、子どもたちに夢のある美しい世界を提供してきた。アニメ制作の根幹には「この世は生きるに値する」ことを伝えたいとの思いがあったという。
As a message to the next generation of anime producers, he said, “Never stop trying to achieve more universal and profound expressions of humanity.” 次世代に向けて、「より普遍的で、より深い人間性の表現に挑むという方向性は絶対に捨ててはいけない」とも語っている。
We hope to see the emergence of filmmakers who will inherit this aspiration and grow to receive international acclaim. そうした意志を引き継ぎ、世界で評価される人材が育つことを期待したい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 14, 2013) （2013年9月14日01時35分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 14, 2013 Comprehensive security strategy must be drawan up 国家安保戦略 日本の将来へ包括的指針示せ（9月13日付・読売社説）
It is imperative for this country to clearly designate the national interests and goals of its diplomatic and security policies for the medium- and long-term, and create a comprehensive set of policy guidelines for their realization. 中長期的な外交・安全保障上の国益と目標を明示し、その実現に向けた包括的な政策指針を掲げることが肝要である。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has instructed relevant Cabinet members to draw up a national security strategy as the basis for the nation’s security policy. A panel of diplomacy and security policy experts met for the first time Thursday at the Prime Minister’s Office to discuss specifics of the envisioned strategy. 安倍首相が「国家安全保障戦略」の策定を関係閣僚に指示した。その中身を議論する有識者会議の初会合が開かれた。
The government plans to submit a bill to create a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council to an extraordinary Diet session this autumn. The newly established body is scheduled to make its national security strategy public around the end of the year. 秋の臨時国会で国家安全保障会議（日本版ＮＳＣ）設置法案を成立させ、ＮＳＣが今年末に国家安保戦略を発表する。
A new version of the Defense Program Guidelines, an outline of the nation’s long-term defense policy, which the government will also present at year’s end, will be compiled to translate the strategy into reality. 年末に作成する新防衛大綱も、この戦略を具体化する内容にする予定だ。
The government worked out the first Defense Program Guidelines in 1976, having revised the key security document three times so far. 政府は１９７６年に防衛大綱を策定し、３回改定している。
The main purpose of the guidelines concerns the buildup of the nation’s defense capabilities. The envisaged comprehensive national security strategy encompassing diplomatic and economic issues as well as defense will be the first of its kind. Along with the planned NSC, a control tower to address national security tasks, the forthcoming national security strategy will surely be extremely significant. だが、大綱は防衛力整備が目的だ。外交、経済を含む総合的な国家安保戦略の策定は初めてで、安保の司令塔となるＮＳＣの創設と合わせて、画期的な意義を持つ。
The United States has been formulating its national defense strategy since 1987. The government of President George W. Bush, the predecessor of the administration of President Barack Obama, had a strategy of preemptive strikes against terrorism-sponsoring countries. However, the Obama administration follows a goal of international collaboration. Other countries, such as Britain, Russia, South Korea and Australia, have set similar strategies. 米国は８７年以来、国家安保戦略を策定している。ブッシュ前政権はテロ国家への先制攻撃論、オバマ政権は国際協調を掲げた。英露韓豪各国も同様の戦略を持つ。
More ‘active’ pacifism
Given the rapidly deteriorating security environment surrounding Japan in recent years, this country should have drawn up its own national security strategy sooner. 日本も、近年の安全保障環境の悪化を踏まえれば、もっと早く戦略を立てるべきだった。
China, aiming to become a major maritime power, has been ramping up its military, conducting menacing and provocative activities in the East China Sea and elsewhere. In addition to North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile development programs, the threat of terrorist activities and cyber-attacks have also increased. 中国は、海洋強国を目指し、軍備を増強して、東シナ海などで示威活動を展開する。北朝鮮の核・ミサイル開発に加え、テロ、サイバー攻撃の脅威も増している。
To ensure the peace and prosperity of Japan and the Asian region, what goals should be set up and what approach should be taken to that end? 日本とアジアの平和と繁栄を確保するには、何を目標に掲げ、どんなアプローチを取るべきか。
The chief cabinet secretary, foreign and defense ministers, other relevant Cabinet members and members of the expert panel are strongly urged to have deep discussions in crafting a national strategy. 官房長官、外相、防衛相ら関係閣僚や、有識者はしっかりと議論し、戦略をまとめてもらいたい。
Of high importance to the ministries and agencies involved will certainly be the ability to share priority tasks and awareness of problems among themselves, in a feasible manner to be reflected adequately in policies. その作業を通じて、関係府省が外交・安保の優先課題や問題意識を共有し、その後の政策に適切に反映することが重要である。
To be able to address the many security challenges facing this country, what must be tackled first is the bolstering of the Self-Defense Forces and the Japan Coast Guard’s capabilities to defend the integrity of Japan’s territory. Beefing up the SDF’s cooperation with U.S. forces to strengthen that bilateral alliance is also a must. 山積する安全保障の課題に取り組むには、まず日本の領土・領海を守る自衛隊や海上保安庁の体制を拡充する必要がある。自衛隊と米軍の協力を拡大し、日米同盟を強化することも欠かせない。
Based on Abe’s initiative for a more “active” pacifist stance, Japan should play more roles than it has so far for such causes as international peacekeeping operations and actions to fight pirate activities, by boosting cooperation with the international community. International cooperation on economic and energy issues should also be steadily consolidated. 首相の掲げる「積極的平和主義」に基づき、国連平和維持活動（ＰＫＯ）や海賊対処行動などで日本が従来以上に役割を果たし、国際社会と連携することが大切だ。経済・エネルギー面の国際協力も着実に進めねばなるまい。
These must be systematically incorporated into the planned national security strategy. 安保戦略には、こうした具体策を体系的に盛り込むべきだ。
Making Japan’s goals and key policies as clear as as possible is vital, at it will ensure their transparency both at home and abroad. 重要なのは、日本の目標や政策をできるだけ明確にし、国内外への透明性を確保することだ。
By doing so, it will become possible to deepen public understanding of the national security strategy, while making it clear that the claim of Japan’s “drift to the right” is far off the mark. It will also differentiate Japan from China, which has been under criticism for the lack of transparency of its military. 国家安保戦略に対する国民の理解を深めるとともに、日本の「右傾化」批判が的外れなことや、不透明な軍事力が批判される中国との違いを示すことにもなろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 13, 2013) （2013年9月13日01時52分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 13, 2013 Don’t stick to ‘1 millisievert’ in decontamination work 福島の除染計画 「１ミリ・シーベルト」への拘りを捨てたい（9月12日付・読売社説）
We want the government to advance its decontamination work in Fukushima Prefecture swiftly and efficiently, looking ahead to the early return of residents who are still forced to live as evacuees. 避難生活が続く住民の帰還を見据え、効率的な除染を迅速に進めてもらいたい。
As decontamination work has not been going as planned in municipalities around the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co., the Environment Ministry has announced it will revise its decontamination program. 東京電力福島第一原子力発電所周辺の除染が思うように進まず、環境省が計画の見直しを発表した。
This is because the ministry cannot finish decontamination in seven out of 11 cities, towns and villages where decontamination has been conducted under its direct jurisdiction by the end of March next year, the date it initially scheduled to end the work. The ministry will formulate new programs for each of the seven municipalities within this year at the earliest. 環境省直轄で除染を実施している１１市町村のうち、７市町村で当初予定の来年３月末までに作業を終えるめどが立たないためだ。年内にも市町村ごとに新たな計画を策定するという。
Many owners of land lots that are subject to decontamination have evacuated to different areas, making it difficult to obtain their consent for the work. The ministry has also had trouble gaining residents’ understanding for the establishment of temporary storage sites for removed surface soil. As a result, the ministry does not have clear prospects for constructing interim facilities to store contaminated soil at temporary storage sites in an integrated manner. 除染対象の土地所有者が各地に避難し、同意の取り付けが難航している。はぎ取った表土などを保管する仮置き場の設置に対し、住民の理解が得られない。仮置き場の汚染土を集約して保管する中間貯蔵施設の建設も見通せない。
Given these circumstances, reviewing the decontamination project is inevitable. The Environment Ministry must tenaciously explain the situation to residents to get their cooperation. こうした現状を考えれば、計画見直しはやむを得ない面がある。環境省は住民に粘り強く説明し、協力を得ていかねばならない。
It is also vital to make the decontamination work more efficient. The ministry needs to employ cutting-edge equipment in such efforts as removing surface soil and cleaning road surfaces to speed up the process in general. 除染の効率化も欠かせない。表土の削り取りや路面洗浄などの作業に最新機材を投入し、スピードアップを図る必要がある。
In its review of the decontamination project, the ministry has expanded the range of decontamination in forests, in response to residents who asked for a greater area to be cleaned. However, if the residents’ early return is taken into consideration, the decontamination of forests should be limited to areas where people live and surrounding areas. 今回の計画見直しで、環境省は森林除染の対象を広げた。除染拡大を求める住民の声を受けたものだ。だが、早期帰還のためには、森林の除染は極力、住民の生活圏周辺に限定すべきだ。
If forests are decontaminated on a large scale, it will be quite difficult to determine when such work will end and costs will swell out of control. It will also be hard to secure places to store the huge amount of contaminated soil. Removing plants and trees over a wide area brings a danger of sediment disasters such as landslides. 大規模に森林除染を行えば、終了時期が見通せず、除染費用は際限なく膨らむ。大量の汚染土の置き場を確保するのも困難だ。草木を広範囲に取り除けば、土砂災害を引き起こす危険もある。
Understanding numbers
Among the 11 municipalities, meanwhile, decontamination work has finished in Tamura. In Naraha, Okuma and Kawauchi, decontamination is expected to be finished within the current fiscal year, which runs through March next year. These municipalities are required to promote such steps as improving infrastructure aimed at rebuilding residents’ lives. 一方、１１市町村のうち、田村市では、除染が完了した。楢葉町、大熊町、川内村では今年度内に作業を終える見通しだ。今後は、住民の生活再建を視野に入れたインフラ整備なども進めていくことが求められる。
The government has set a maximum annual dose of 20 millisieverts as a guideline for realizing residents’ return to the 11 municipalities, based on a recommendation by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. 政府は、住民帰還の目安となる年間被曝(ひばく)線量を「２０ミリ・シーベルト以下」としている。国際放射線防護委員会の提言に沿った数値だ。
In keeping with this recommendation, the government’s policy is to lower the guideline over the long term to 1 millisievert or less a year. However, many residents are demanding the standard for returning be set at 1 millisievert or less immediately. その上で、長期的には「年間１ミリ・シーベルト以下」に下げる方針だ。 しかし、住民の中には、直ちに１ミリ・シーベルト以下にするよう拘(こだわ)る声が依然、少なくない。
Human beings are exposed to radiation from outer space and the ground every day. A CT scan at a hospital may expose a person to about 8 millisieverts in one test. Also, experts point out that no causal relationship has been established between the development of cancer and accumulated doses of radiation of 100 millisieverts or less in a follow-up study on atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 人間は宇宙や大地から放射線を浴びて生活している。病院のＣＴ検査では、１回の被曝線量が約８ミリ・シーベルトになることがある。 専門家は、広島と長崎の被爆者に対する追跡調査の結果、積算線量が１００ミリ・シーベルト以下の被曝では、がんとの因果関係は認められていないと指摘する。
It is important for the government to make people well aware of accurate information about radiation. 政府は、放射能の正しい情報を周知していくことが大切だ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 12, 2013) （2013年9月12日01時31分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 12, 2013 Remain resolute on Senkakus in face of China’s provocations 尖閣国有化１年 毅然たる態度を貫くしかない（9月11日付・読売社説）
Japan should remain undaunt-ed by China’s persistent menacing conduct and adhere to its resolute stance in dealing with that country. 中国の威嚇にたじろがず、日本は毅然(きぜん)とした態度を貫くべきだ。
Wednesday marks one year since the government placed the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture under state control. On 63 days during the past year, Chinese government ships have entered Japanese waters around the group of islands. Chinese aircraft also have intruded into Japan’s airspace during that time. 政府が沖縄県・尖閣諸島を国有化して１１日で１年になる。この間、中国の公船は、尖閣諸島周辺の日本領海に計６３日侵入した。中国機の領空侵犯もあった。
On Sunday and Monday, two Chinese bombers and warships passed between Okinawa Island and Miyakojima—an island about 290 kilometers southwest of the former island. On Monday, an unmanned Chinese aircraft flew over waters off the Senkaku Islands, an incident that prompted an Air Self-Defense Force fighter to scramble. Such incidents could trigger an accidental conflict between the two countries. ８、９両日には、中国軍の爆撃機と艦船が沖縄本島と宮古島の間を通過した。無人機が尖閣諸島沖まで飛来し、航空自衛隊機が緊急発進する事態も起きた。偶発的な衝突に発展しかねない。
One of the most important tasks facing Japan and China today is to rebuild bilateral relations. The two nations have close economic ties. They also need to promote cooperation in addressing such issues as North Korea’s nuclear weapons development and China’s environmental problems. 日中関係の再構築は、最重要課題の一つである。日中間の経済関係の結びつきは深く、北朝鮮の核開発、環境対策などでの連携も必要だ。
If the hostile situation facing Japan and China continues, it is bound to adversely affect both nations. 険悪な状況が続くことは、双方にマイナスだろう。
However, Tokyo cannot yield to Beijing over issues related to this nation’s sovereignty. The Senkaku Islands—which China calls Diaoyu and Taiwan Tiaoyutai—inherently belong to Japan from the standpoint of both international law and historical facts. Therefore, no territorial dispute exists between Japan and China over the islands. By the same token, there is no need to leave the Senkaku issue to gather dust on the shelf, either. だが、主権を巡る問題で譲歩はできない。尖閣諸島は、国際法的にも歴史的にも日本固有の領土だ。日中間に領土問題は存在しないし、棚上げする必要もない。
Given this, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had good reason to reject China’s offer to hold a Japan-China summit meeting “if [Tokyo] acknowledges there is a territorial dis-pute [over the Senkakus] and agrees to shelve the problem.” 安倍首相が、中国側の「領土問題の存在を認めて棚上げすれば首脳会談に応じる」という誘いを拒否したのは当然である。
Better policing needed
The government is currently stepping up efforts by the Japan Coast Guard to better police waters surrounding the Senkaku archipelago. It is essential that Japan continue to do all it can to defend its territorial integrity, including improving its defense capability. 政府は、周辺海域で海上保安庁による警備体制の充実を図っている。防衛力の整備も含め、今後も万全の備えが欠かせない。
The government’s recent signing of a fisheries agreement with Taiwan can be regarded as a certain measure of success in stopping Beijing and Taipei forming cooperative ties in dealing with the Senkaku issue. This is significant because Taipei also claims sovereignty over the Senkakus. 中国と同様に尖閣諸島の領有権を主張する台湾と、漁業協定を締結したことは、中台の連携阻止で一定の成果を上げたと言える。
The Senkaku Islands are covered by the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, which serves as the greatest deterrence to China. The Japan-U.S. relationship was unstable when the then Democratic Party of Japan-led government placed the Senkakus under state control. However, immediately after taking office as prime minister, Abe made an appropriate decision to try to bring the shaky bilateral alliance back on track. 尖閣諸島は日米安全保障条約の適用対象であり、日米同盟こそ、中国に対する最大の抑止力だ。日米関係は、国有化当時、民主党政権下で不安定だったが、安倍首相がまず同盟の立て直しを進めたのは適切な判断である。
During talks in St. Petersburg last week, U.S. President Barack Obama urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to resolve the Senkaku issue through diplomacy and dialogue rather than force. The U.S. president’s direct call for the top Chinese leader to exercise restraint in this respect is significant. オバマ米大統領は先週、ロシア・サンクトペテルブルクで習近平・中国国家主席と会談し、尖閣諸島について、「力ではなく、外交や対話による解決」を求めた。米大統領が中国トップに直接、自制を促した意味は大きい。
Japan and the United States must closely cooperate in dealing with China and refrain from making concessions to that country. By doing this, Beijing may be encouraged to change its strong-arm diplomatic tactics. 日本が米国と緊密に協調しつつ、中国に一歩も引かない態度を堅持してこそ、中国が力ずくの外交を変える可能性が出てくる。
During a brief meeting with Abe in St. Petersburg, the Chinese president said he wanted to see progress in promoting what has been repeatedly called “strategically reciprocal relations” by the two countries’ top leaders in recent years. It was the first time the two leaders had spoken to each other. サンクトペテルブルクで安倍首相と初めて直接言葉を交わした習主席は、これまで日中首脳が確認してきた「戦略的互恵関係」を進めたいと語った。
What was the true motive behind the Chinese leader’s remark? その真意はどこにあるのだろうか。
Xi’s administration has sought to stir nationalistic sentiment among the Chinese in trying to unite his people and gain popular support. This means he cannot adopt what his people may perceive as “a weak-kneed approach” in dealing with Japan. With this in mind, the Japanese government must be prepared to see China’s threatening and provocative conduct in waters around the Senkaku Islands continue for some time to come. 習政権は、愛国主義を求心力としている。国民の目に「弱腰」と映るような対日政策は取れない。日本政府は、尖閣諸島周辺での威嚇や挑発行為が長期化することを覚悟しておかねばなるまい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 11, 2013) （2013年9月11日01時34分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 11, 2013 Tokyo Olympics sporting tonic to spur recovery, economic growth ２０２０年東京五輪 復興と経済成長の起爆剤に（9月10日付・読売社説）
◆オールジャパンで成功させたい◆
We are delighted that the Olympic flame will be lit again in Tokyo. 東京に再び聖火がともることを喜びたい。
Tokyo has been chosen to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games and Paralympics after comfortably defeating Istanbul in the decisive vote at the International Olympic Committee’s general meeting in Buenos Aires. ２０２０年夏季五輪・パラリンピックの開催都市が東京に決まった。 ブエノスアイレスでの国際オリンピック委員会（ＩＯＣ）総会で、イスタンブールとの決選投票を大差で制し、招致を勝ち取った。
Fifty-six years after it hosted the Olympics in 1964, Tokyo will be home to the sports extravaganza for a second time. Together with the Winter Games in Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998, the 2020 Games will be the fourth time Japan has hosted the Olympics. 東京では１９６４年以来、５６年ぶりの五輪だ。冬季の札幌（７２年）、長野（９８年）と合わせると、日本では４度目の五輪となる。
Athletes from around the world will converge on Tokyo. The news that Tokyo has been selected to host the Games has probably given hope to many Japanese people. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he wants the Games to be “a spark to end deflation.” 世界のアスリートが東京に集う。五輪決定の報は、多くの国民に希望をもたらしただろう。安倍首相は、五輪開催をデフレ脱却の「起爆剤にしたい」と語った。
All-out efforts got job done ◆国挙げた招致が奏功◆
Seven years remain before the Tokyo Olympics begin. The nation must make unbridled efforts to ensure the international sports event is a success. 開幕まで、あと７年。国を挙げて準備に万全を期し、スポーツの祭典を成功させたい。
Tokyo was said to be locked in a tight struggle with Istanbul and Madrid in the bidding race, but the final result was a solid victory by Tokyo. 招致レースはイスタンブール、マドリードとの横一線と言われたが、結果は東京の完勝だった。
Final presentations by Paralympic athlete Mami Sato and other speakers at the IOC general meeting were all excellent and brimming with enthusiasm. ＩＯＣ総会で、パラリンピック選手の佐藤真海さんらによる最終プレゼンテーションは、いずれも熱意がこもった見事な内容だった。
Princess Hisako of Takamado expressed gratitude for the international support given after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami disaster in 2011. Her remarks apparently struck a chord with IOC members who cast votes. 高円宮妃久子さまが、東日本大震災での各国からの支援に謝辞を述べられたことは、票を投じたＩＯＣ委員の心に響いたのではないか。
One factor behind Tokyo’s victory was the all-out campaigning made by the wide spectrum of sectors behind the bid. The political and business worlds offered their full support. The public support rate for hosting the Games was significantly higher than it was during the unsuccessful bid for the 2016 Olympics. 勝因の一つはオールジャパン体制で臨めた点だ。政財界が招致を全面支援した。五輪開催に対する国民の支持率は、２０１６年五輪の招致時より大幅に上昇した。
Ardent lobbying of IOC members by the Tokyo bidding committee, which consisted of Olympic medalists and others, also achieved the desired result. メダリストら招致委員会のメンバーによるＩＯＣ委員への積極的なロビー活動も功を奏した。
Tokyo’s blueprint and vision for the Games were rated highly from the very beginning. The main event venues will be within an eight-kilometer radius of the Olympic Village to minimize travel times for athletes as much as possible. The plans give utmost consideration to the athletes. 東京の開催計画は、当初から高い評価を受けていた。移動時間を短縮させるため、主要な競技会場を選手村から半径８キロ・メートル圏内に集中させるなど、選手に最大限、配慮した内容と言える。
In light of its high public safety, well-prepared transport networks and accommodation facilities, and stable financial backing including funds of ¥400 billion, some IOC members likely voted for Tokyo because they recognized the capi-tal’s excellent ability to host such a major event. Tokyo fared well in these aspects, compared with the two other candidate cities, which are fraught with such problems as political instability and a fiscal crisis. ４０００億円の基金など都の安定した財政基盤、整備された交通網や宿泊施設、良好な治安――。政情不安や財政危機などの問題を抱えた他の２都市と比較し、東京の高い開催能力を支持の決め手としたＩＯＣ委員もいただろう。
A primary concern that threatened to derail Tokyo’s bid—and an issue widely reported overseas—was the leaks of contaminated water at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. 最も懸念されたのは、海外でも報じられている福島第一原子力発電所の汚染水問題だった。
On Friday, South Korea announced it would ban imports of marine products from Fukushima and seven other prefectures. This step, devoid of any scientific backing, is seen by some as an attempt by Seoul to tarnish Tokyo’s image. 韓国は６日、福島県など８県の水産物の輸入を禁止すると発表した。科学的根拠を欠く措置だ。東京のイメージダウンを図ったとの見方もある。
Toxic leak issue festering ◆汚染水問題の収束急げ◆
In response to a question by an IOC member, Abe said: “The impact [of the leak] has been completely blocked within the port facilities of the nuclear plant...In numerical terms, the level [of contaminants] monitored in waters off Fukushima Prefecture is one-500th of the standards set under the World Health Organization guidelines for drinking-water quality.” 安倍首相は、ＩＯＣ側の質問に対し、「影響は原発の港湾内で完全にブロックされている」「福島近海でのモニタリング数値は、最大でもＷＨＯ（世界保健機関）の飲料水ガイドラインの５００分の１だ」などと説明した。
By using hard facts that ruled out the possibility that contaminated water might have an adverse impact on the Olympics, Abe’s explanation helped dispel concerns held by some IOC members. 具体的事実を挙げて、五輪開催への影響を明確に否定したことが、ＩＯＣ委員が抱く不安の解消につながったと言えるだろう。
The government must steadily bring an end to these toxic water leaks. 政府は今後、着実に汚染水問題を収束させねばならない。
The 1964 Tokyo Olympics showed the international com-munity that Japan was back on its feet after the end of World War II. In step with the holding of the Games, the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train line went into operation between Tokyo and Osaka, and the Shuto Expressway network was built in the capital. Tokyo’s infrastructure was upgraded by leaps and bounds. ６４年の東京五輪は、戦後の復興を世界に示した大会だった。東海道新幹線が開通し、首都高速道路が建設された。東京のインフラ整備が飛躍的に進んだ。
What legacy will the 2020 Olympics leave for future generations? ２０２０年五輪は、どのような遺産を未来へと残すのか。
The expectations for the Games are massive. Abe even went as far as describing them as the “fourth arrow” of Abenomics, his economic policies comprising the “three arrows” of bold monetary easing, fiscal stimulus and a growth strategy. 安倍首相が、経済政策であるアベノミクスの「第４の矢」と言うほど、五輪への期待は極めて大きい。
The economic effects of the Games are estimated at ¥3 trillion, and 150,000 jobs will be created. 経済効果は３兆円に上り、１５万人の雇用を生むと試算されている。
The Olympics will certainly generate a ripple effect that reaches various sectors, including the construction industry, which will build Games-related facilities, and tourism and real estate. The share prices of “Olympics-related” companies have shown signs of rising since the IOC’s decision. 確かに、施設整備を担う建設業をはじめ、観光や不動産業など、様々な分野に効果が波及しよう。こうした「五輪関連銘柄」の株価は上昇傾向を見せている。
We hope hosting the Games will reinvigorate not only Tokyo, but also areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nation as a whole. 五輪開催を東京だけでなく、東日本大震災の被災地、さらに日本全体の活性化につなげたい。
It is also necessary to steadily promote environmentally conscious construction projects, including the use of renewable energy to power facilities for major events and large greenery projects in the Tokyo Bay area. 主要競技場の電力に再生可能エネルギーを使用することや、湾岸部などの大規模な緑化事業など、環境に配慮した整備計画も着実に進める必要がある。
As Tokyo prepares to hold the Paralympics, it is important to promote efforts to make the city barrier-free and easier to get around for people with disabilities. パラリンピックの開催に備え、街のバリアフリー化を一層、推進することも大切だ。
Strategic athlete development ◆戦略的な選手強化を◆
Excellent performances by Japanese athletes will be crucial for making the Games sizzle. 五輪が盛り上がるためには、日本選手の活躍が欠かせない。
The leading athletes in seven years are more than likely now middle or high school students. An increasing number of children will undoubtedly put their heart into their favorite sports as they dream of participating in the Games in their home country. ７年後の主力となるのは、現在の中学生や高校生だろう。自国での五輪出場を夢見て、スポーツに打ち込む子供たちがますます増えるに違いない。
The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry and the Japanese Olympic Committee need to strategically development athletes, with the focus on today’s middle and high school students. 文部科学省や日本オリンピック委員会（ＪＯＣ）は、中高生を中心とした選手の強化に、戦略的に取り組むことが必要だ。
The program at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will feature 28 sports, including wrestling, whose return as an Olympic sport was decided Sunday. ２０年の東京五輪では、残留が決まったレスリングを含め、２８競技が実施される。
We can hardly wait for the Games to start seven years from now. ７年後が今から待ち遠しい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 10, 2013) （2013年9月10日01時22分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 10, 2013 Exploitation of young workers should never be tolerated ブラック企業 若者の使い捨ては許されない（9月8日付・読売社説）
Businesses referred to as “black companies”—firms that compel young employees to work under brutal conditions—have become a social problem. 若者に過重労働を強いる「ブラック企業」が社会問題となっている。
The Health, Welfare and Labor Ministry has embarked on on-site investigations of about 4,000 companies, which have markedly high attrition rates and where unpaid overtime and nonpayment of regular wages are common occurrences. 厚生労働省は、離職率が極端に高く、サービス残業や賃金未払いが常態化している企業約４０００社を対象に、立ち入り調査を始めた。
The ministry says it will make public the names of firms whose labor practices are deemed especially vicious. It should solidly grasp the prevailing situation and resolutely exercise its leadership in issuing corrective instructions to black companies. 悪質な企業については、社名を公表するという。実態を把握し、指導を強めてもらいたい。
There is no clear-cut definition of a “black company,” but such firms generally give their workers little choice but to work excessively long hours and treat them inhumanly as if they are worthless. There are many cases in which superiors intimidate younger workers through verbal abuse. ブラック企業に明確な定義はないが、共通するのは、異常な長時間労働をさせた上で、社員を使い捨てにする点だ。上司の暴言などによるパワーハラスメントが横行しているケースも多い。
In some cases, employees receive no overtime pay even though they work more than 100 hours of overtime per month. Some workers are criticized repeatedly after completing their normal shift, and forced to practice how to serve customers. One young male worker was so depressed he quit his job and had no choice but to support himself on welfare payments. 残業が月１００時間を超えても残業代が支払われない。業務終了後も上司から繰り返し叱責され、接客の練習をさせられる。うつ病になって退職し、生活保護を受けている。若手男性社員のこのような例もある。
A situation in which a young worker who, under ordinary circumstances, would play a role in helping to support the nation’s social welfare system through payment of taxes and publicly run insurance premiums, conversely becomes a welfare recipient is a true loss for society. 本来なら働いて税や保険料を納め、社会保障の支え手となるべき若者が、逆に受け手となるのは社会全体の損失だ。医療費や生活保護費は国民の負担となる。
Unscrupulous companies that profit by passing social welfare costs on to society should be criticized as irredeemably selfish. こうしたコストを社会に押しつけて、利益を上げようという企業経営は、あまりに身勝手だ。
The recent increase in black companies is the result of a stagnation of job offers due to the business slump, and the labor market becoming a buyer’s market for employers. ブラック企業が増えている背景には、不況に伴う求人の低迷で、就職戦線が買い手市場になっていることがある。
Relief steps urgent
These exploitative companies hire young workers en masse, assuming that most of them would be unable to endure the harsh working conditions and eventually quit. 早期退職が続出するのを見越して大量採用する。
After hiring young workers, some firms assign abnormally heavy work burdens on them, permitting only those who fulfill their quotas to continue on the payroll to “fight” for the companies. その上で、過剰なノルマを課し、成果を上げた社員だけを「即戦力」として選別する企業もあるという。
Ordinary companies provide new recruits with in-house job training to help them become fully fledged members of the firms. 普通の企業なら、若手を一人前に育てるために社員教育を実施する。
Judging from what they are doing, however, black companies have no intention of tapping the abilities of new recruits or enhancing their job skills. しかし、ブラック企業の実態からは、社員の能力を引き出し、伸ばしていこうという人材育成の姿勢が全く見えない。
To prevent young workers from being compelled to accept unreasonable treatment because of their weak positions vis-a-vis management, a mechanism should be established so young employees’ voices of protest against harsh working conditions can be heard. 弱い立場の若手社員が、泣き寝入りしないためには、過酷な労働実態を訴える声をすくい上げる体制整備が、まずは欠かせない。
The ministry, for that matter, plans to create a telephone counseling service for young employees. Some lawyers’ organizations as well as the ministry’s “Hello Work” job placement offices also plan to expand counseling services for young workers. These programs should be effective in functioning as “shelters” for exploited young workers. 厚労省は、若者からの電話相談窓口を新設する。弁護士団体やハローワークも相談業務を拡充する方針だ。“駆け込み寺”として有効に機能させたい。
A European Union regulation makes it obligatory for companies to have workers rest for 11 straight hours or more every 24 hours. 欧州連合（ＥＵ）では、２４時間につき連続１１時間以上の休息を社員にとらせることを企業に義務づけたルールがある。
In Japan, the Labor Standards Law stipulates the upper ceilings of working hours, but under special labor-management agreements, employees can be forced to work as long as the companies want. 日本では、労働基準法で労働時間の上限が定められてはいるが、労使が特別な協定を結べば、企業が事実上、際限のない長時間労働を社員に課すことができる。
It is a key task for the government to establish a system to restrict excessive overtime similar to that of the EU. ＥＵなどの例も参考に、過度な長時間労働を抑える仕組み作りも、今後の課題だろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 8, 2013) （2013年9月8日01時46分 読売新聞）
September 08, 2013(Mainichi Japan) Kaleidoscope of the Heart: Storms of instability calm with age 香山リカのココロの万華鏡:心の嵐、年とともに治まる ／東京
Singer Keiko Fuji, a face of the Showa era and the mother of singer Hikaru Utada, recently took her own life. Based on comments released by her family, it appears that she had long suffered from a mental illness involving extreme emotional shifts. 昭和を代表する大歌手、藤圭子さんが自ら命を絶った。家族が発表したコメントによると、藤さんは感情が激しく変化する「心の病」に長い間苦しんでいたことがうかがわれる。
The singer displayed dizzying swings, yet there was a time when she was cheerful and was able to perform stably as a singer. The name of her illness was not given, but judging from these traits, it's possible that she had a personality disorder -- a malady marked by a lack of stability. 診断名などは書かれていないが、めまぐるしく揺れ動く半面、明るい時や歌手としてきちんと活動できる時もあったことから推測すると、不安定さを特徴とする「パーソナリティー」の障害だった可能性も考えられる。
A significant number of people suffer from frequent waves of emotion due to illnesses such as borderline personality disorders, while their families are left at their mercy. The recent turn of events no doubt shocked them. 不安定なパーソナリティーを特徴とする心の病、たとえば「ボーダーライン性パーソナリティー障害」を持ち、頻繁に訪れる感情の波に苦しむ人やそれに翻弄される家族は少なくない。そういう人たちは、今回の出来事にショックを受けているのではないだろうか。
But not everybody faces endless instability and a tragic ending. Recently I had the opportunity to sit in on a lecture by psychiatrist Kenichiro Okano at a meeting of a certain academic society. Okano introduced a U.S. study which found that 70 percent of patients who were diagnosed as having a borderline personality disorder didn't meet the requirements to be diagnosed with that disorder six years down the track. He surmised, "It's possible that the conventional perceptions of personality disorders being hard to treat and continuing for life are wrong." しかし、誰の場合でも不安定さがずっと続き、悲劇的な結末が待っているわけではない。先日、ある学会で精神科医の岡野憲一郎氏の講演を聴く機会があった。岡野氏は「ボーダーライン」と診断された患者さんを６年後に再び診断したところ、その７割が診断基準を満たさなかった、という米国の研究を紹介し、「パーソナリティー障害というと治りにくいもの、一生続くものという従来の常識は間違っている可能性がある」と話した。
In his own experience, Okano found that traits such as aggressiveness and impulsiveness would settle as patients got older. Conversely, loneliness and other such feelings sometimes continued for a long time. Unstable personalities tend to "wither" with age -- something that goes for ordinary people, too. 岡野氏の経験でも、特に攻撃性や衝動性といった傾向は、年齢を重ねるうちに落ち着いていくことが多いという。逆に「むなしさ」などは長く残ることがある。一般の人でもそうだが、不安定なパーソナリティーも年齢とともに「枯れていく」のだ。
Personally, I've found that when people who are highly creative have unstable personalities like those symbolic of "borderline" disorders, the speed of the withering process ironically slows down. One artist in their 60s, who continued to paint pictures with vivid colors, would curse other family members and go out on the town at night, just like someone going through puberty. 私の経験では、もともと創造性の高い人が「ボーダーライン」などの不安定な人格を有していた場合、皮肉なことに「枯れ」のスピードが遅いように思う。６０代になっても鮮烈な色彩で激しい絵を描くアーティストは、その年齢でも思春期の頃と同様に、家族をののしったり夜の街に飛び出して行ったりしていた。
However -- and this is a fortunate thing -- many people don't have that much energy, and when instability comes, they somehow make it through without shouting at other people or running amok. Even if a feeling of loneliness lingers in someone's heart, they should be able to fit in with the people around them. ただ、これは幸いなことだと思うのだが、多くの人はそこまでのエネルギーを保てず、不安定さが押し寄せてきても怒鳴ったり暴れたりせずに、なんとかしのげるようになる。「むなしさ」が心の中に残っていても、それを周囲と調和させることもできるようになるはずだ。
I want people who are now struggling with a storm of instability inside to tell themselves: "This storm will certainly pass with age." 今、自分の中で荒れ狂う不安定さに困り果てている人も自分に言い聞かせてほしい。「この嵐は年齢とともに必ず治まっていくはず」。
It's heartbreaking that that didn't happen for Keiko Fuji. I want to pray that we can at least listen to her music, and by doing so, soothe her soul. そうならなかった藤圭子さんは本当に痛ましい。せめて私たちが彼女の歌を聴き続けることで、その魂が安らぐことを祈りたい。
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 8, 2013 U.S.-Russia differences over Syria overshadow G-20 summit meeting Ｇ２０シリア問題 攻撃巡る米露対立が際立った（9月7日付・読売社説）
If no military action is taken against Syria, the use of chemical weapons against people—a grave crime—will go unaddressed. However, carrying out military strikes could make the Syrian situation even more chaotic. シリアを攻撃しなければ、化学兵器使用という大罪を見過ごすことになる。攻撃すれば、混乱が広がりかねない。
During a summit meeting of the Group of 20 developed and developing economies in St. Petersburg, the United States and Russia, which have expressed conflicting views over a possible response to Syria’s use of chemical weapons, tried various ways to obtain backing for their stances from other countries. ロシア・サンクトペテルブルクでの主要２０か国・地域首脳会議（Ｇ２０サミット）は、シリア問題を巡り米露両国が相反する主張を掲げて、多数派工作を行う異例の展開となった。
U.S. President Barack Obama, who has expressed his determination to carry out limited military strikes against the administration of Syrian President Bashar Assad, called the use of chemical weapons “a tragedy” and a violation of international law. アサド政権への限定的攻撃を決断しているオバマ米大統領は、化学兵器の使用が「悲劇」であり、国際法に違反していると訴えた。
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who acts as Syria’s protector, countered that there is no evidence that Damascus used chemical weapons. シリアの後見役であるプーチン露大統領は、政権側による使用を断定する証拠がないと反論した。
The use of chemical arms is clearly unacceptable on humanitarian grounds. Syria’s civil war has taken more than 100,000 lives, and Assad bears the blame for worsening the strife. The international community should not idly stand by. 化学兵器の使用が人道上許されないのは自明だ。まして、内戦の死者は１０万人を上回る。事態悪化の責任はアサド大統領にある。国際社会は無為ではいられない。
However, Obama has struggled to expand support for his position. France is the only major country that has backed a military response to Syria’s behavior. A joint statement adopted by G-20 leaders did not refer to Syria, and even the prospects of a resolution by the U.S. Congress to authorize the strikes remain uncertain. だが、オバマ氏への支持は依然、広がりを欠く。主要国で攻撃参加を表明したのはフランスだけだ。Ｇ２０サミットで採択された首脳宣言にもシリアへの言及はなかった。米議会ですら攻撃承認の決議案を可決するかどうか不透明だ。
Concerns over extremists
This is probably due to the uncertainty about future developments in Syria if military action is taken. A limited military operation could punish Syria for the use of chemical weapons, but it is unlikely to deal a significant blow to the Assad regime. Some are concerned that the military intervention could destabilize the country further if Assad and his loyalists fight back. 攻撃後、シリア情勢がどうなるのか、見通せないからだろう。限定的攻撃は、化学兵器使用の懲罰にはなっても、アサド政権の軍事力に大きな打撃は与えられまい。政権側の反撃で、情勢が一層不安定になることも懸念される。
The goal of ousting Assad, which Japan, the United States and European countries have sought, is nowhere in sight. As rebels fighting the Assad government remain divided, anti-U.S. Islamist extremists could increase their influence amid the confusion. 日本や米欧が求めるアサド氏退陣への道筋も見えてこない。反体制派にはまとまりがなく、混乱に乗じ、反米的なイスラム過激派が勢力を増す恐れがある。
How should the international community deal with Syria to solve the problem? The United States has been urged to implement a comprehensive strategy based on both political and military perspectives. 今後、シリアにどう関与し、事態を収拾するのか。米国に問われているのは、軍事、政治両面にわたる総合的な戦略と言える。
Russia and China have used their vetoes to block U.N. Security Council resolutions condemning the Assad government. But in the meantime, the countries have failed to propose effective measures to end the Syrian civil war. They should fulfill their international responsibility. 国連安全保障理事会で、ロシアは中国とともに拒否権を行使し、アサド政権への非難決議を葬ってきた。内戦収拾への効果的な方策は示していない。国際的な責任を果たすべきだ。
On the sidelines of the G-20 summit, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a meeting with Obama, during which Abe reportedly said, “The use of chemical weapons is far from acceptable.” Abe also told Obama he fully understands the U.S. president’s position on the Syria issue. 一方、安倍首相はオバマ大統領との会談で、「化学兵器の使用は断じて許されない」と強調した。さらに「大統領の考えは十分理解している」と、表明した。
Abe’s stance that he would not overlook the use of weapons of mass destruction stands to reason. 大量破壊兵器の使用は看過しないとする首相の認識は当然だ。
Japan faces a threat of nuclear and chemical weapons possessed by North Korea, which has military ties with Syria. A failure by the international community to warn the Assad government against using chemical weapons again could send the wrong message to Pyongyang. 日本はシリアと軍事協力関係にある北朝鮮の核と化学兵器の脅威に直面している。国際社会がアサド政権に警告を発し、化学兵器の再使用を防がねば、北朝鮮に誤ったメッセージを送りかねない。
It is vital for Japan to work together with the United States, its only major security ally, and assess changes in the Syrian situation. 日本は、唯一の同盟国である米国と連携し、情勢の変化を見極めることが大切だ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 7, 2013) （2013年9月7日02時02分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 8, 2013 G-20 unity needed to tackle new economic challenges リーマン５年 新たなリスクに問われる結束（9月7日付・読売社説）
The worst is in the past for the world economy, but the recovery lacks vigor. Industrialized and newly emerging economies alike must strengthen cooperation to make economic growth compatible with fiscal reconstruction. 世界経済は最悪期を脱したが、景気回復は力強さを欠く。経済成長と財政再建の両立へ、先進国と新興国は連携を強化する必要がある。
The declaration adopted after the G-20 Leaders’ Summit in Russia stated, “Strengthening growth and creating jobs is our top priority and we are fully committed to taking decisive actions to return to a job-rich, strong, sustainable and balanced growth path.” Ｇ２０サミットが採択した首脳宣言は、「成長強化と雇用創出を最優先課題」とし、「持続的で均衡ある成長への回帰を目指して断固たる行動を取る」と強調した。
It has been almost exactly five years since the so-called Lehman Shock, triggered by the bankruptcy of major U.S. securities house Lehman Brothers, brought the world to the brink of depression. 米大手証券リーマン・ブラザーズが経営破綻し、世界恐慌の寸前まで陥ったリーマン・ショックから、まもなく５年を迎える。
At the G-20 summit held in November 2008 in the immediate aftermath of the Lehman Shock, Japan, the United States and Europe joined hands with China and other emerging economies and agreed to take all possible measures, such as large-scale stimulus programs and ultraloose monetary policy, to overcome the unprecedented shock. リーマン・ショック後のＧ２０サミットでは、日米欧と中国など新興国が結束し、大型景気対策や超金融緩和策などの総動員で空前のショックを乗り切った。
Now, however, the G-20 is suffering the aftereffects of those exceptional measures. It should be assumed that difficulties will continue. だが、Ｇ２０は今、危機克服のための異例の対策がもたらす後遺症に苦しめられている。試練がなお続いていると見るべきだ。
Attention will be focused for the moment on the U.S. Federal Reserve Board, which is expected to soon launch an “exit strategy” of scaling back quantitative monetary easing. 当面の焦点は、米連邦準備制度理事会（ＦＲＢ）が近く、量的緩和策を縮小する「出口戦略」に踏み出しそうなことである。
Investment funds have begun to flow back from emerging economies, including Brazil and India, into the U.S. market in anticipation of hikes in U.S. interest rates. 米金利上昇を先取りする形でブラジル、インドなどの新興国から投機資金が流出し、米国市場に戻る動きがでている。
Inflationary trends have appeared in emerging economies, as their currencies have been rapidly weakening, which causes import prices to rise. Discontent has mounted due to the continued business slowdown. It is feared that deterioration of the business climate in emerging economies will adversely affect industrialized countries. 新興国では急激に通貨安が進み、輸入物価上昇を引き金にしたインフレ傾向が目立つ。景気減速も続いており、不満は高まっている。新興国経済の変調が先進国にも悪影響を及ぼしかねない。
Ripple effects feared
The latest G-20 declaration stated that member nations would take note of negative knock-on effects. Behind this could be their stronger caution toward risks and consideration to emerging economies. 首脳宣言が「負の波及効果に留意する」と明記したのは、こうしたリスクへの警戒感を強め、新興国に配慮したのだろう。
To prevent the world market from falling into chaos, countries must cooperate with each other and pay attention to excessive fund movements. 世界の市場の混乱を回避するため、各国が連携し、行き過ぎた資金移動を注視すべきである。
The European financial crisis, which became more serious following the Lehman Shock, has begun to show signs of coming to a close. But a full-scale recovery is far from expected yet, and close watch still must be kept. リーマン・ショック後に深刻化した欧州危機は収束の兆しが出てきたが、景気の本格回復にはほど遠く、まだ警戒は怠れない。
Ballooning of fiscal deficits in the G-20 nations is another challenge to tackle. It is natural that the Leaders’ Declaration and the Action Plan emphasized the need to achieve economic growth and fiscal soundness in a balanced manner. 各国の財政赤字拡大も課題といえる。首脳宣言と行動計画が、経済成長と財政健全化を両立させる必要性を強調したのは当然だ。
Attention was focused on Japan, which has the biggest fiscal deficit. 注目されたのは、先進国最悪の財政赤字を抱える日本だった。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stressed his determination to end deflation and revitalize the Japanese economy by implementing his Abenomics economic policies and explained about the country’s medium-term fiscal program. 安倍首相は、経済政策「アベノミクス」によって、デフレ脱却と日本経済を再生させる決意を強調し、中期財政計画も説明した。
Other G-20 nations did not make any special requests of Japan, but the country is being tested as to whether it can put words into action. 各国から日本に特に注文はなかったというものの、問われるのは日本の実行力だろう。
Abe will decide in early October whether to raise the consumption tax next spring as scheduled. Japan’s economic revival is largely expected to stimulate the global economy. He is urged to make a judgment while also taking into account the recently intensified Syrian situation. 首相は１０月初めに予定通り来春に消費税率を引き上げるかどうかを決める。日本の経済再生が世界景気に弾みをつけることに期待は大きい。緊迫するシリア情勢も踏まえた判断が求められる。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 7, 2013) （2013年9月7日02時02分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 6, 2013 Top court prioritizes protection of children born out of wedlock 婚外子相続差別 家族観の変化に沿う違憲判断（9月5日付・読売社説）
The latest decision by the Supreme Court is a historic judgement of unconstitutionality that took changes in Japanese family values into consideration. 日本人の家族観の変化を踏まえた歴史的な違憲判断である。
The top court’s Grand Bench reached the decision Wednesday, finding that a provision in the Civil Code stipulating that the inheritance share for a child born to unmarried parents shall be one half of that of a child born in wedlock violates the Constitution, which guarantees “equality under law.” 結婚していない男女間に生まれた非嫡出子（婚外子）の遺産相続分を、結婚した夫婦の子の２分の１とした民法の規定について、最高裁大法廷は「法の下の平等」を保障した憲法に違反するとの決定を出した。
The decision said that reasonable grounds to make such a distinction have been lost. 「区別する合理的な根拠は失われた」との理由からだ。
In 1995 the Supreme Court judged the same Civil Code provision to be constitutional. We think the top court reversed the decision because it seriously considered changes in circumstances surrounding children born out-side of marriage. 最高裁は１９９５年、民法のこの規定を「合憲」と判断した。今回、正反対の結論になったのは、婚外子を巡る状況の移り変わりを重視した結果と言えよう。
According to the decision, the Supreme Court listed conditions to be taken into consideration, including national traditions, social circumstances and public sentiment, in deciding the nation’s inheritance system. On that basis, the Grand Bench said these conditions change with the times, so the rationality of the system should be constantly reviewed. 決定は、相続制度を定める際に考慮すべき要件として、国の伝統、社会事情、国民感情を挙げた。そのうえで、これらの要件は「時代と共に変遷するため、合理性について不断に検討されなければならない」との見解を示した。
What the Supreme Court said is quite natural if we consider the point that the Civil Code is a law closely connected to the daily lives of the people. 民法が国民生活に密接に関わる法律であることを考えれば、当然の指摘である。
In recent years, the number of children born out of wedlock has been increasing. The term “shinguru maza” (single mother) has taken root in society. So-called de facto marriages are not uncommon now and the social view to perceive children born out of wedlock as different has probably withered considerably. 近年、婚外子の出生が増えている。シングルマザーという言葉も定着した。事実婚も珍しくなくなった。婚外子を特別視する風潮は薄れているだろう。
In residence certificate and family register notations describing relationships to the head of the household or parents, the distinction of a child born out of wedlock has already been abolished. 住民票や戸籍の続き柄の表記では、出生による区別が既に廃止されている。
In major Western countries such as the United States and Europe, the abolition of inequalities in inheri-tance has progressed considerably. Japan is the only major advanced nation that still has discriminatory regulation. 欧米では相続格差の撤廃が進み、主要先進国で格差が残っているのは日本だけになっている。
The Supreme Court’s unconstitutionality judgment was made in line with the current international legal climate. 違憲判断は、こうした流れの延長線上に位置づけられよう。
Equality for all children
The distinguishing point of the latest decision is that it strongly reflects the belief that protection of the rights of children born out of wedlock should be considered a top priority. 今回の決定で特徴的なのは、婚外子の権利保護を最優先に考えるべきだという姿勢を色濃くにじませている点だ。
A Cabinet Office opinion poll taken last year revealed that 61 percent of Japanese think children born out of wedlock should not be treated disadvantageously under the law. 内閣府の昨年の世論調査でも、婚外子に対し、法律上、不利益な扱いをしてはならないと考える人は６１％に上っている。
The Supreme Court said in the judgment that children born out of wedlock should not be at a disadvantage as a result of their parents not being married, a situation the children had no control over. We think many people will accept the decision without dis-comfort. 「父母が婚姻関係になかったという、子にとっては自ら選択・修正する余地のない事柄を理由として、その子に不利益を及ぼすことは許されない」。最高裁のこの判断を、多くの国民は違和感なく受け止めるのではないか。
The provision of inheritance inequalities was made during the Meiji period and passed down to the current Civil Code, which was revised after World War II. The underlying reason was the traditional view attaching great importance to statutory marriages. 婚外子の相続格差の規定は明治時代に設けられ、戦後の民法に受け継がれた。法律婚の重視という伝統的な結婚観が根底にある。
It is undeniable that the provision to set the share in inheritance of children born out of wedlock at one half of that of children born in wedlock has consequently helped to create a discriminatory environment for children born out of wedlock. 相続分を半分にするという規定が、結果として婚外子の差別を助長してきた面は否めない。
Given the Supreme Court’s decision, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, “It’s a matter of course to make legal arrangements.” The government plans to submit a bill to revise the Civil Code to an extraordinary Diet session at the earliest. 最高裁の決定を受け、菅官房長官は「立法的手当ては当然だ」と語った。早ければ臨時国会に民法改正案を提出する方針だ。
We urge that the law should be swiftly revised. 速やかな改正を求めたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 5, 2013) （2013年9月5日01時32分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 5, 2013 With debt over ¥1 quadrillion, govt must tighten fiscal discipline 概算要求 財政規律の緩みにメス入れよ（9月4日付・読売社説）
The government’s fiscal discipline is far too lax considering that the country’s outstanding debt exceeds ¥1 quadrillion. 国の借金が１０００兆円を超えているにもかかわらず、財政規律があまりに緩んでいないか。
The Finance Ministry must strictly assess the budget appropriation requests submitted by other ministries, including the Cabinet Office, and cull any spending deemed neither essential nor urgent. 財務省は各府省からの要求を厳しく査定し、不要不急な歳出を削減すべきだ。
Total budget requests for fiscal 2014 are expected to reach a record ¥99.2 trillion, far larger than the initial budget of about ¥92.6 trillion for the current fiscal year. ２０１４年度予算の概算要求の総額が、過去最大の約９９・２兆円に達する見通しとなった。１３年度当初予算の約９２・６兆円を大きく上回る規模である。
The primary reason for the expected expansion in budget requests is the government’s failure to place ceilings on expenditures because it has been unable to come up with tax revenue projections, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has yet to decide whether the consumption tax rate should be raised next spring. 要求が膨らんだ主因は、来春に消費増税に踏み切るかどうか、安倍首相が最終的に判断する前で、税収見通しが立たず、歳出上限額を事前に示せなかったためだ。
The government earlier set a policy of reducing by 10 percent the allocations for discretionary spending, such as for public works projects. 政府は、公共事業など裁量的経費を１０％削減する方針を示した。
However, the government established what it called a “priority framework for a new Japan.” This allowed the ministries to submit requests, separately from ordinary budget requests, for public works spending in such areas as growth strategy and disaster management. This has turned out to be a loophole. しかし、成長戦略や防災対策の名目で公共事業などの要求を別に認める「優先課題推進枠」を設けたことが抜け穴になった。
Under the circumstances—and with the backing of the ruling parties—the ministries have increased their requests by a large margin. こうした状況の下、与党が後押しして、各府省が要求を大幅に積み上げたと言えよう。
Symbolic of this is that the ministries hurriedly put in requests totaling about ¥3.5 trillion, the framework’s upper limit. 象徴的なのが、約３・５兆円の推進枠の上限いっぱいまで要求が殺到したことだ。
Yet it is doubtful whether these requests are in line with the framework, as many concern conventional public works such as road construction and farmland improvement. 道路建設や農地整備など旧来型の事業も多く、推進枠の目的に沿った事業だけが要求されているのか疑わしい。
Also, several ministries and agencies made separate requests that appear similar, such as the promotion of the use of so-called big data. ビッグデータの活用促進など複数の省庁がほぼ同じ狙いの事業を別々に要求している例もある。
Use funds wisely
It is problematic that public works spending requests, when added to requests under the priority framework, have increased significantly. その結果、推進枠と合算した各府省の公共事業費が大幅に増額されたのは問題だ。
Public works spending requested by the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry totals ¥5.2 trillion, up about 17 percent from the fiscal 2013 initial budget. The ministry included requests for the construction of roads and dams and for extending Shinkansen lines, under the overall theme of “promoting projects to enhance national land resilience.” 国土交通省の公共事業は前年度当初予算比で約１７％増の５・２兆円に上った。「国土強靱(きょうじん)化」を旗印に、道路やダム、整備新幹線の建設費などを積み上げた。
The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry has increased its requests for public works projects by about 19 percent to ¥770 billion, due to an increase in spending on land improvement projects, which was reduced markedly under the previous government led by the Democratic Party of Japan. 農林水産省の公共事業は、民主党政権で大幅に削られた土地改良事業の増額などで約１９％増の７７００億円ほどの要求となった。
Measures to deal with decrepit infrastructure and the rejuvenation of the farming sector are important. But the government should not allocate large sums of money for road construction or to subsidize the farming sector, both of which are not considered essential. インフラ（社会基盤）の老朽化対策や農業活性化策は重要だが、必要性が乏しい道路建設や農業支援策に多額の予算を計上する余裕はない。
The government must rack its brains to ensure effective use of a limited amount of funds and employ the principle of “selection and concentration” in implementing projects. 限られた財源の有効活用に知恵を絞り、事業の「選択と集中」を徹底すべきである。
If the ministries merely inflated their budgetary requests in anticipation of tax revenue increases following the economic recovery and the consumption tax hike, they are completely devoid of a sense of crisis regarding the deterioration of the nation’s fiscal situation. 各府省が、景気回復に伴う税収増や消費増税を当て込み、要求を増やしたとすれば、財政悪化への危機感が乏し過ぎる。
Even if the consumption tax hike is implemented as planned, the expected increase in tax revenue is principally intended to finance ballooning social security programs, leaving no room for the government to throw money around. たとえ消費増税を実施したとしても、社会保障財源に充てるのが本来の目的で、予算の大盤振る舞いの財源にはならない。
If the government fails to compile a carefully thought out budget, the government’s efforts to achieve fiscal reconstruction will be more difficult. メリハリの利いた予算を編成しなければ、財政再建への道のりは遠のく。
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry’s budget request is an estimated record ¥31 trillion, sending the social security budget spiraling upward. The government must waste no time in wielding the ax to slash some of the highest expenditures in this request. 厚生労働省の要求が約３１兆円と過去最大になるなど、社会保障予算も膨らんだ。最大の歳出項目に切り込む改革も待ったなしだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 4, 2013) （2013年9月4日01時39分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 4, 2013 U.S. must disclose adequate info to obtain approval on Syria attack シリア攻撃決断 米は十分な情報開示と説明を（9月3日付・読売社説）
U.S. President Barack Obama has decided to take military action against Syria, as he is firmly determined not to let the use of chemical weapons go unchallenged. オバマ米大統領がシリアへの軍事攻撃を決断した。化学兵器は黙認しないという決意表明だ。
In a statement, Obama harshly criticized the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad for allegedly launching a chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds of civilians. In expressing his outrage, Obama said the attack “also presents a serious danger to our national security” and “could lead to proliferation of chemical weapons to terrorist groups.” オバマ氏は声明で、シリアのアサド政権が化学兵器で市民多数を殺害したとして、強く非難した。「米国の安全保障にも深刻な脅威」であり「テロ組織への拡散につながりかねない」と危機感を示した。
Although Syria is not a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention, Damascus is strongly suspected of violating international rules on the use, possession and proliferation of chemical weapons. シリアは化学兵器禁止条約に未加盟だが、化学兵器の使用や保有、拡散を禁じている国際規範に違反している疑いが濃厚だ。
The White House has released a report in which it concluded that, based on wiretapped communications between leaders of the Assad administration, there could be “no doubt” the Syrian government used chemical weapons. 米政府は報告書の中で、政権幹部の通信傍受記録などをもとに、アサド政権が化学兵器を使ったと「確信する」と結論づけた。
But the U.S. government has not revealed any details of its claims under the pretext of protecting classified information. It should disclose sufficient information and give detailed explanations. ただ、米政府は、詳細は機密情報として明らかにしていない。十分な情報を開示し、丁寧に説明することが求められる。
A U.S. president is authorized to take military action without a declaration of war. However, Obama opted to seek congressional approval on military action against Syria, as he probably wants to show domestically and internationally that the United States is unified on this matter. He is taking a gamble that could deal him a political blow if congressional approval is not obtained. 米大統領は宣戦布告なしに軍事行動を行う権限を持つのに、あえて、オバマ氏は議会に攻撃の承認を求めた。米国が一枚岩だと、国内外に強調したいのだろう。承認を得られない場合は、政治的痛手となる“賭け”だ。
U.S. public opinion is divided over military action on Syria. The U.S. administration of former President George W. Bush cited weapons of mass destruction as a reason for attacking Iraq but no such weapons were discovered. This was a bitter lesson for the United States. シリア攻撃の賛否を巡り、米世論は割れている。ブッシュ前政権がイラク攻撃の根拠とした大量破壊兵器は結局、見つからなかった。米国にはこの苦い教訓がある。
Focus on Congress
World attention is focused on deliberations in the U.S. Congress, which will resume its full session Monday. ９日に本格的に再開する米議会で行われる審議の行方を、世界中が注視している。
Britain has decided not to join in a military attack on Syria. France is the only major nation willing to take part. If the U.S. Congress gives the green light on the attack, it may result in winning greater international approval. 英国は軍事攻撃への不参加を決め、参加に前向きな主要国はフランスだけだ。米議会が攻撃を承認すれば、国際的な支持取り付けにも弾みがつく可能性がある。
Obama said an attack on Syria would involve “no boots on the ground” and would be “limited and narrow” in terms of duration and scale. But there is concern in the U.S. Congress that a limited attack would not lead to the toppling of the Assad administration. オバマ氏は、攻撃が地上軍派遣を伴わない、「期間と規模を限定したものになる」と強調した。だが、米議会には、限定的な攻撃ではアサド政権の打倒にはつながらないと懸念する声もある。
Attention is also focused on whether Obama’s decision will help end Syria’s civil war. 大統領の決断が内戦収拾に道を開くかどうかも焦点である。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed understanding of Obama’s announcement of possible military action against Syria, saying it represents a “weighty political decision.” Regarding the worsening situation in Syria, Abe criticized the Assad government by saying it is “responsible for depriving innocent people of their lives and ignoring the deteriorating human rights situation.” 安倍首相は、オバマ氏の発表について「大統領の重い決意の表明」と理解を示した。シリア情勢の悪化については「無辜(むこ)の人命を奪い、人道状況の悪化を顧みないアサド政権に責任がある」とアサド政権を非難している。
Abe’s assessment of the situation is appropriate. If the Assad administration is proved beyond doubt to have used chemical weapons as alleged by Washington, Japan would not be able to remain aloof as it faces the threat of weapons of mass destruction from North Korea. 妥当な認識だ。アサド政権が実際に化学兵器を使用したなら、北朝鮮の大量破壊兵器の脅威を受ける日本としても看過できない。
In an effort to determine the reasoning and conditions behind the statement he will make on Japan’s position in the event of military action against Syria, Abe should call on Washington to describe the evidence it has collected on the use of chemical weapons, while collecting information on U.S. congressional moves. 首相は、軍事攻撃時の態度表明をどんな論理や条件で行うかを見極めるうえでも、化学兵器の使用を認定した根拠の説明を米国に求めるとともに、米議会の動向の情報収集に努める必要がある。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 3, 2013) （2013年9月3日01時16分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 3, 2013 Promote personnel amalgamation in Defense Ministry as 1st priority 防衛省改革 まずは混合組織化が現実的だ（9月2日付・読売社説）
It is important for civilian officials of the Defense Ministry and uniformed officers of the Self-Defense Forces to cooperate closely as an inseparable combination and build a system to support the defense minister. 文官の背広組と自衛官の制服組が「車の両輪」として緊密に連携し、防衛相を支える体制を構築することが重要だ。
The ministry has announced a plan to restructure its organization. The main change is to expand the joint deployment of civilian officials and uniformed officers to the ministry’s internal bureaus and units of the Self-Defense Forces, while abolishing the Operational Policy Bureau and integrating its functions into the Joint Staff, so as to centralize the operation of the SDF units. 防衛省が省改革の組織改編案を発表した。文官と自衛官の相互配置を拡大するとともに、部隊運用の一元化に向けて、内局の運用企画局を廃止し、統合幕僚監部に統合することが柱だ。
Civilian bureaucrats at the ministry’s bureaus will be tasked with drawing up laws and ordinances, formulating policies and coordinating views with political parties and other government ministries, while uniformed officers will be expected to keep their military expertise current by maintaining their connections with their counterparts abroad. Naturally, it is desirable for both to give full play to their natural abilities and cooperate with each other. 背広組の防衛官僚は、法令作成や政策立案、政党・他省庁との調整を専門とする。制服組は豊富な軍事的知見や他国軍とのパイプを持つ。当然、双方が持ち味を生かし、協力することが望ましい。
Currently, personnel exchanges between the ministry’s internal bureaus and SDF units are limited. Only 32 majors or lieutenant colonels of the Air or Ground Self-Defense Forces and lieutenant commanders or commanders of the Maritime Self-Defense Force have been assigned to ministry’s internal bureaus, while five young civilian officials are working in units of the Ground Self-Defense Force. 現在は、２、３佐級の自衛官３２人が内局で、若手の文官５人が陸上自衛隊部隊でそれぞれ勤務するだけで、人事交流は限定的だ。
From next fiscal year, the number of SDF officers assigned to the ministry’s internal bureaus will be increased to 56, with the number to be formally fixed, while the number of civilian officials assigned to SDF units will be increased to 22. This course of action, which is aimed at promoting the intermingling of civilian officials and uniformed officers, is reasonable. 来年度から、内局勤務の自衛官を５６人に増やし、正式に定員化する。自衛隊勤務の文官も２２人に増員する。防衛省の混合組織化を進める方向性は妥当である。
We can also expect positive effects in the field of manpower development if civilian officials who may one day become senior ministry officials and uniformed officers who may become senior SDF officers learn about the administrative organization and the real state of the SDF units and broaden their vision. 将来、幹部となる文官や自衛官が行政組織や部隊の実態を知り、視野を広めることは、人材育成面の効果も期待できよう。
The organizational amalgamation should be expanded, including the manpower exchange of even higher-ranking officials, in the middle and long term. 中長期的に、より高官の人事交流も含め、混合組織化を拡大すべきだ。
Merger may not by practical
On the other hand, it is questionable whether the idea of integrating the Operational Policy Bureau into the Joint Staff is practical. 一方で、運用企画局を統幕に統合する案は、果たしてうまく機能するのか、疑問である。
When a major disaster occurs or when North Korea launches a ballistic missile, both cilivian officials and SDF officers gather at the central command center in the basement of the Defense Ministry building and respond promptly. In ordinary times, the Operational Policy Bureau and the Joint Staff cooperate with each other, and there is no particular problem with this. 現状でも、大規模災害や北朝鮮の弾道ミサイル発射の際は、防衛省地下の中央指揮所に文官と自衛官が集結し、迅速に対応している。平時は運用企画局と統幕が連携しており、特に問題はない。
In the operation of the SDF units, not only wise military decisions must be made but the government must make policy decisions and situation assessments, making the presence of civilian officials all the more meaningful. 部隊運用には、軍事的合理性だけでなく、政府としての政策・情勢判断が重要な要素となる。そこに文官の存在意義がある。
For the prime minister and the defense minister to properly maintain civilian control, it is necessary to maintain those internal bureaus, which would gather information and assist the defense minister and other officials, separately from the Joint Staff. 首相や防衛相が的確な文民統制（シビリアンコントロール）を行うには、統幕とは別に、情報を集約し、防衛相らを補佐する内局組織を維持することが必要だ。
As medium- and long-term challenges, the reorganizational plan includes the idea of integrating the procurement of defense equipment under a tentatively named “defense equipment agency.” 中期的課題では、防衛装備品の調達を「防衛装備庁」（仮称）に一元化することも盛り込んだ。
The ratio of the defense equipment budget allocated to the three SDF branches has remained fixed for a long time, which some have said encourages bureaucratic sectionalism. 陸海空３自衛隊の装備予算の比率は長年、ほぼ固定化しており、縦割りの弊害が指摘されている。
It is important to promote an organizational restructuring that would increase the equipment budget for maritime and air defense units, which should be given a higher priority. より優先度の高い海・空の装備予算の拡大につなげる方向で、組織改編を進めることが大切だ。
Any large-scale organizational reform would entail the risk of causing organizational disarray and lowering morale. Now that the ministry is beset with many important issues, including a revision of the National Defense Program Guidelines, there is little need to press the ministry’s reform plan now, which may only bring about a leadership struggle between civilian officials and SDF officers. 大規模な改革は組織の混乱や士気低下を招くリスクを伴う。防衛大綱の改定など、多くの重要案件を抱える今、文官と自衛官の主導権争いを招きかねない省改革をあえて進める必要性は乏しい。
A realistic approach would be to first promote the integration of civilian bureaucrats and uniformed officers, and, while examining its merits and demerits, the ministry should prudently move ahead with its organizational restructuring. まずは混合組織化を進め、その功罪を検証しつつ、組織改編を慎重に進めるのが現実的だろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 2, 2013) （2013年9月2日01時03分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 2, 2013 Better national strategy needed to prepare for major disasters 防災の日 被災地の声を対策に生かそう（9月1日付・読売社説）
◆緊急事態に備える国家戦略を
Sept. 1 is Disaster Prevention Day. Disaster drills and related events are scheduled around the country. On this occasion, the government should conduct a full review of its antidisaster measures. ９月１日は、防災の日だ。全国各地で防災訓練や関連行事が予定されている。災害対策を総点検する必要がある。
Reconstruction work from the damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake has only been half completed. Torrential rain caused extensive damage in various parts of the country this summer. The government must conduct simulations of various kinds of disasters such as earthquakes, tsunami, torrential rain and volcanic eruptions, and work on measures to minimize damage. 東日本大震災からの復興は道半ばだ。今夏は記録的な豪雨による被害も各地で相次いだ。地震や津波、豪雨、火山噴火……。様々な事態を想定し、「減災」に取り組まねばならない。
◆関東大震災から９０年に
Today is the 90th anniversary of Great Kanto Earthquake, which killed 100,000 people. きょうは、１０万人もの犠牲者を出した関東大震災からちょうど９０年の節目でもある。
The earthquake occurred shortly before lunchtime, when many families used fire for cooking. The collapse of houses and strong winds spread the flames. Many administrative offices and bridges were razed, obstructing evacuation and rescue efforts. Water supplies were cut, hampering firefighting crews. Fire reportedly killed 90 percent of the victims. This shows the importance of making buildings earthquake-resistant and developing towns where fire cannot spread easily. 発生時は昼食の少し前で、火を使っていた家庭が少なくなかった。家屋倒壊と強風で火の手が広がった。行政施設や橋も多くが焼失し、避難や救援を妨げた。断水のため、消火活動も遅れた。 犠牲者の９割が火災で亡くなったという。建造物の耐震化と、火災が起きても容易に延焼しない街づくりの大切さを物語る。
Nonetheless, urban areas still have many districts where wooden houses are clustered together. The alleys in some areas are too narrow for fire trucks to enter. だが、いまだに都市部に木造住宅の密集地が多い。路地が狭く、消防車が入れない地区もある。
Japan needs resilience
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet has established an office under the Cabinet Secretariat tasked with making the nation more resilient through planning and coordinating measures to prevent or reduce damage from disasters. The Cabinet wants to have a bill passed through the next Diet session on a basic law to make Japan more resilient against disasters. 安倍内閣は、内閣官房に「国土強靱(きょうじん)化推進室」を設け、防災・減災策の立案や調整をしている。国土強靱化基本法案も次期国会で成立を図る方針だ。
The Cabinet is also scheduled to draw up a bill on special measures to deal with a possible huge quake with a focus directly under the Tokyo metropolitan area and a massive Nankai Trough earthquake that could affect a very wide area ranging from Shizuoka Prefecture to Kyushu. We expect the Diet to enact them as soon as possible. 首都直下地震と、静岡県沖から九州までを襲う南海トラフ巨大地震については、特別措置法を制定し、対策を特に充実させる予定だ。立法を急いでもらいたい。
What would make local communities more resilient against disasters? It is important to plan countermeasures to help people unable to return home from work or school if a disaster paralyzes public transportation systems. As many as 5 million people were stranded in the metropolitan area when the Great East Japan Earthquake struck in March 2011. 災害に強い街をどう作るか。東日本大震災の際、首都圏で５００万人に上った帰宅困難者対策も重要だ。
The government must work on effective countermeasures, rather than throw a lot of money around on public works projects. In this regard, it is essential for the central government to coordinate actions with local governments and private companies. 政府は、公共事業のバラマキにならぬよう、効率的に対策を講じねばなるまい。自治体や民間事業者との連携も欠かせない。
Bigger role for govt ◆国の役割強めた災対法
The Disaster Countermeasures Basic Law, the basis for other laws on natural disasters, stipulates that municipal governments are primarily responsible for disaster preparedness in areas under their jurisdiction. Municipal governments are assisted by prefectural governments that are supported by the central government, according to the basic law. However, this system failed to function after the Great East Japan Earthquake devastated municipalities over a wide area. 災害法制の根幹である災害対策基本法（災対法）は、災害対策の一義的な責務は市町村にあると規定している。都道府県は市町村を支援し、国がさらに補う。広範囲に市町村が壊滅した東日本大震災では機能しない構造だった。
After the March 2011 earthquake, the government revised the basic law twice, mainly to enhance the central government’s role. According to the revisions, the central government would take emergency measures instead of municipal governments if the local governments were unable to function after a major disaster. The central and prefectural governments also would be able to supply relief materials to victims in disaster-hit municipalities without waiting for requests from municipal governments. 政府は大震災後、災対法を２度改正した。ポイントは国の役割を強めたことにある。市町村が機能しない場合、国が応急措置を代行する。国や都道府県は、被災自治体の要請を待たずに、独自の判断で救援物資を供給できる。
The revisions have also enhanced evacuation measures in case of a disaster. Municipal governments are obliged to make lists of residents needing assistance when forced to evacuate by collecting personal information on the aged, disabled and other people considered vulnerable in a disaster. 災害時の避難対策も強化した。市町村に対し、高齢者、障害者など災害弱者の個人情報を集めた「避難行動要支援者名簿」の作成を義務づけた。
Even though such lists have been drawn up, their effectiveness has been questioned because the ratio of those disaster-susceptible people who have been listed compared with the total is often low. 名簿は、作成されていても名前の掲載率が低いなど、有効性に疑問符がついていた。
This is due mainly to the tendency of local entities to overemphasize the Personal Information Protection Law, under which listing the names of individuals is supposed to require their consent. Instead of sticking rigidly to the law’s provisions, local governments should place priority on drawing up lists that are useful at times of emergency. 自治体が名簿掲載に本人同意を求める個人情報保護条例を配慮し過ぎるからだ。緊急時に役立つ名簿にしたい。
The Disaster Relief Law, meanwhile, calls for prefectural governments to abide by the “principle of in-kind benefits,” under which disaster victims are to be provided with such facilities as evacuation centers and temporary housing. 一方、災害救助法には、都道府県が避難所、仮設住宅などを提供する「現物給付の原則」がある。
In disaster-struck regions, however, this principle has been criticized because it is a major impediment to local governments in their efforts to make use of housing units rented from the private sector as “equivalent temporary housing.” 被災地では、民間から借り上げた「みなし仮設」住宅を活用するうえで、この原則こそが障害になっているとの不満が強い。
Since this includes houses or apartments rented by the victims, administrative procedures concerning their eligibility under the in-kind benefit principle are cumbersome and complex, as they include the need to have the rental agreements concluded afresh in the name of the local governments concerned. This principle should be flexibly implemented. みなし仮設の対象には独力で住宅を借りた場合も含まれるが、契約を結び直すなど、行政手続きは煩雑だ。運用を柔軟にすることにも配慮すべきだろう。
Studies should also be made in response to wishes from disaster-hit areas to make it easier to obtain certification of disaster victims and approve government cash assistance to rehabilitate their livelihoods. 被災地の要望を踏まえ、罹災(りさい)判定、生活再建支援金といった支援制度が使いやすくなるよう見直してほしい。
Are these arrangements under existing laws sufficient for the government to cope promptly and effectively when an immense disaster occurs? こうした現行法の枠組みだけで、未曽有の巨大災害にも、政府は迅速かつ的確に対処できるのだろうか。
Compiling its final report in July last year, the government council for the promotion of antidisaster measures said additional steps must be worked out “to ensure the country’s existence as a state.” 政府の防災対策推進検討会議は昨年７月、「国家として存立していくための対策が不可欠」とする最終報告書をまとめた。
The antidisaster basic law allows the prime minister to declare a state of emergency after a disaster. The issuance of this declaration is limited to when the Diet is in recess, while issuance of emergency ordinances following the declaration is restricted to such things as the rationing of daily necessities and controlling commodity prices. 災対法には、首相が「災害緊急事態」を布告できるとの規定がある。国会閉会中などに限られ、緊急政令も生活必需物資の配給や物価統制などに限定されている。
The council’s report also referred to the need to expand emergency measures for such purposes as protecting commuters unable to return home and ensure public order in the aftermath of a massive earthquake. In addition, the panel urged the government to make preparations in case the Diet was unable to function after a powerful earthquake beneath the capital. 報告書は、帰宅困難者対策や治安維持にも緊急措置を拡大することの必要性に言及した。首都直下地震で国会が動かない状況下での対応も検討を促している。
The revisions of the law, however, failed to change its provisions in these respects. It is possible that Diet debate may have been avoided because such attempts may infringe the Constitution. だが、この点での改正は見送られた。憲法に抵触しかねない、と議論を避けた面は否めない。
Prepare for crises ◆未曽有の危機想定して
By placing top priority on human lives, it goes without saying a bare minimum of restrictions should be placed on the freedom of habitation and movement as well as on other fundamental human rights, such as owning property. 人命救助を最優先するには、居住や移転の自由、財産権など基本的人権を一時的に必要最小限の範囲で制限することはあり得る。
Most foreign countries have “emergency situation articles” in their constitutions that lay down what a government should do in response to an emergency. ほとんどの国の憲法が「緊急事態条項」を備え、国の対処を規定している。
The Constitution must be revised in this respect. If amending the Constitution is considered impractical because it is time-consuming, legislation of an “emergency situation basic law,” which was once discussed by the Liberal Democratic Party, New Komeito and the Democratic Party of Japan, should be taken up again. やはり、憲法改正が必要だ。時間がかかるというなら、かつて自民、公明、民主の３党が議論した「緊急事態基本法」の制定を再検討すべきではないか。
The situation in which government is slow to respond in taking necessary measures every time a disaster occurs must end. 災害のたびに対応が後手に回る事態を繰り返してはならない。
It is essential to thoroughly review the nation’s antidisaster legal system as an integral part of the country’s national strategy. 国家戦略の観点からも、災害法制のあり方を見直すことが肝要だ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 1, 2013) （2013年9月1日01時56分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun September 1, 2013 Govt should shelve sales tax hike to 8% in April to guard recovery 消費税率 「来春の８％」は見送るべきだ（8月31日付・読売社説）
◆デフレからの脱却を最優先に
The most imperative issue for the Japanese economy is to overcome deflation. If an increase in the consumption tax rate dampens the economy, which has finally begun to recover, it will ruin the whole situation. 日本経済の最重要課題は、デフレからの脱却である。消費税率引き上げで、ようやく上向いてきた景気を腰折れさせてしまえば元も子もない。
The government should shelve the planned hike in the consumption tax rate to 8 percent in April next year. Rather, it would be a realistic choice to raise the tax rate from the current 5 percent to 10 percent in October 2015 after achieving a full economic recovery. 政府は、２０１４年４月に予定される消費税率の８％への引き上げは見送るべきだ。景気の本格回復を実現したうえで、１５年１０月に５％から１０％へ引き上げることが現実的な選択と言えよう。
The government has been holding intensive discussion sessions to hear a wide range of opinions from experts and others over the advisibility of the planned increase in the consumption tax rate. 消費増税を巡って、有識者らから幅広く意見を聴く政府の集中点検会合が開かれている。
Achieve growth, fiscal health ◆成長と財政再建両立を
It was a matter of course for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is expected to make a decision on the tax hike this autumn, to say: “I’ll ultimately decide on my own responsibility. After getting the results of the discussions, I’ll try to make a proper judgment taking into account a variety of economic indicators.” 安倍首相が今秋の決断へ、「最終的に私の責任で決める。会合の結果報告を受け、様々な経済指標を踏まえて適切に判断したい」と述べているのは妥当だ。
Japan has been suffering from deflation for 15 years and running huge fiscal deficits. If economic stagnation continues for a prolonged period, Japan’s strength might be further weakened. 日本は、１５年間もデフレが継続し、巨額の財政赤字を抱える。景気低迷がさらに長期化すれば国力の低下が進みかねない。
How can the nation defeat deflation and achieve both economic growth and fiscal reconstruction? What is required for Japan are concrete measures to tackle these difficult problems. デフレを克服し、経済成長と財政再建の両立をいかに図るか。日本に求められているのは、この難題に取り組む方策である。
The Yomiuri Shimbun has insisted on the necessity of raising the consumption tax from the standpoint that the nation needs to secure fiscal resources for social security expenditures, which are growing year by year, and get its fiscal condition in sound shape in the medium term. We maintain this stance. 読売新聞は年々増える社会保障費の財源を確保し、中期的に財政健全化を図るべきだとの立場から、消費増税の必要性を主張してきた。考えは変わらない。
Many of the experts and others participating in the discussions have argued in favor of raising the tax rate next spring as planned, but the question is whether that is the right time to raise the tax. 有識者らの多くは、来春に予定通り引き上げるよう主張したが、問題は、来春が増税するのに適切な時期かどうかだ。
The nation’s real gross domestic product for April-June rose only 2.6 percent on an annualized basis. Although the effects of the Abe administration’s Abenomics economic policies have begun to be seen, it is far from what we could call a self-sustaining recovery led by private-sector demand. 今年４～６月期の実質国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）は、年率換算で２・６％増にとどまった。 安倍政権の経済政策「アベノミクス」の効果が見え始めてきたものの、民需主導の自律的回復というにはほど遠い。
It is a cause for concern that the nation has not yet achieved a virtuous cycle of Abenomics in which growth results in higher wages and more employment. 懸念されるのは、成長に伴って賃金が上昇し、雇用も拡大するというアベノミクスの好循環が実現していないことだ。
Next April will be a crucial time, particularly as companies may decide to increase wages after the annual spring labor offensive and may decide to expand their recruitment of new graduates for 2015. Cold water must not be thrown on progress leading toward a virtuous cycle. 来年４月は、春闘による賃上げや新卒採用の拡大などが見込まれる重要な時期である。好循環への動きに冷水を浴びせたくない。
Surely, a consumption tax rate hike alone will not help the nation achieve fiscal reconstruction. There are fears that if the economy loses steam with the tax hike, it could mean that tax revenues from such sources as corporate and income taxes will not increase as much as expected. Such a scenario would rather push fiscal reconstruction further into the distance. もちろん、消費増税だけで財政は再建できない。増税で景気が失速すれば、法人税や所得税などの税収も期待したほどは増えない恐れがある。それではかえって財政健全化が遠のくだろう。
Although the government this autumn plans to hammer out additional economic measures, including a tax cut to stimulate investment, as part of its growth strategy, it will take time for these policy measures to produce tangible results. 政府は今秋、成長戦略として投資減税などの追加策を打ち出す方針だが、そうした政策効果が表れるまでには時間がかかる。
Aim for 10% in ’15 ◆１５年の１０％を目指せ
If the consumption tax rate cannot be raised to 10 percent in 2015 as a result of adhering to the plan to increase it to 8 percent next April, that will be an inversion of Japan’s priorities. ８％への引き上げに固執した結果、景気が落ち込み、１０％への引き上げを実現できなくなれば、本末転倒である。
Some people, on the other hand, have expressed concern that if the tax hike is postponed, confidence in Japanese government bonds will drop, leading to a rise in long-term interest rates. 他方、消費増税を先送りした場合には、日本国債の信認が損なわれ、長期金利が上昇すると懸念する声が出ている。
What matters is whether the government can send a strong message that will dispel such fears. The government is urged to seek understanding both at home and abroad by announcing that postponing the rate increase to 8 percent is the result of its giving top priority to ending deflation and that its committ-ment to fiscal reconstruction will not falter in the least. 重要なのは、不安を払拭する政府の強いメッセージである。８％見送りはデフレ脱却を最優先した結果であり、財政再建の決意はいささかも揺るがないと表明し、内外の理解を求めてもらいたい。
A matter to be tackled in this connection is how to secure fiscal funds to make up for tax revenue that will be lost by putting off the tax hike. It will be necessary to curtail nonurgent spending while considering all possible measures. 増税先送りに伴う消費税収分をカバーする財政資金の確保も課題になる。まず緊急性の低い歳出は削減し、併せて、あらゆる政策を検討する必要がある。
One policy could be to make effective use of untapped household assets by issuing government bonds that do not bear interest but are exempt from inheritance tax on their face value. The funds to be collected widely could be used on a priority basis for social security programs and measures to prevent and reduce disasters. 利子が付かない代わりに、国債の額面分に相続税を課さない無利子非課税国債を発行し、家計に眠る貯蓄を有効活用することは政策メニューの一つだ。 広く集めた資金を社会保障や防災・減災対策などに重点配分することが考えられる。
Steps to reduce burdens ◆軽減税率を新聞にも
When the rate is raised to 10 percent in October 2015, it will be indispensable to consider measures to lessen the burden on the public. We suggest the government introduce reduced tax rates on certain items and that the current tax rate of 5 percent be maintained for foodstuffs such as rice and miso paste as well as newspapers, which are public goods necessary to sustain democracy. １５年１０月に消費税率を１０％に引き上げる際は、国民負担の軽減が不可欠だ。税率を低く抑える軽減税率を導入し、コメ、みそなどの食料品や、民主主義を支える公共財である新聞を対象とし、５％の税率を維持すべきだ。
We cannot agree with increasing the consumption tax in increments of one percentage point because it will vastly increase the administrative work for small and midsize businesses and make it difficult for them to reflect the tax increase in their product prices. 消費税率を１％ずつ段階的に引き上げる案では、中小企業などの事務負担が増大し、価格転嫁しにくくなるため、賛成できない。
When deciding on a tax increase, it is necessary to keep a close watch on the world economy. 消費増税の判断にあたっては、世界経済への警戒も怠れない。
As tensions have risen in Syria, U.S. military action is looming as a possibility. Crude oil prices have already been soaring, while the strong yen and low stock prices have continued. With no prospect in sight of restarting of nuclear reactors, further rises in utility rates can be anticipated due to escalating fuel costs. シリア情勢が緊迫化し、米国による軍事行動が取り沙汰される。すでに原油価格が高騰し、円高・株安傾向も続いている。原発再稼働の見通しが立たない中、燃料高に伴い、電気料金のさらなる値上げも予想されよう。
The U.S. “exit strategy” of phasing out its unconventional monetary easing measures and China’s financial risks can be regarded as destabilizing factors. 米国が異例の量的緩和策を縮小する「出口戦略」や、中国の金融リスクも波乱要因と言える。
When the consumption tax was raised from 3 percent to 5 percent in April 1997, business suddenly slowed down due to the double blow of serious financial uncertainty and the Asian monetary crisis. This was a bitter lesson to learn. １９９７年４月に消費税率を３％から５％に引き上げた際、深刻な金融不安に加え、アジア通貨危機が重なり、景気が急減速したことが苦い教訓である。
The government is urged to closely examine domestic and foreign affairs, and make an appropriate decision so as not to miss the chance to revitalize Japan. 内外情勢を十分に見極め、日本再生のチャンスを逃さない決断が政府に求められている。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 31, 2013) （2013年8月31日01時31分 読売新聞）
