内閣改造（読売社説）

(Aug. 2, 2008) The Yomiuri Shimbun

Revamped Cabinet must make tough choices

福田改造内閣　政策実現へ果断に取り組め（8月2日付・読売社説）

 

A divided Diet and a mountain of important issues, domestic and international, to be addressed means Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's new administration is sure to face a tough road ahead.

内外に重要課題が山積し、眼前には衆参ねじれ国会が立ちはだかる。福田新体制の前途は依然、多難である。

 

Fukuda carried out a major reshuffle of his Cabinet and executive posts of the Liberal Democratic Party on Friday. The revamped Cabinet is to be formally launched Saturday.

福田首相が内閣改造・自民党役員人事を断行した。改造内閣は、２日に正式に発足する。

 

What will Fukuda set out to achieve with his new Cabinet lineup? We hope he will tackle pressing policy issues head on and show bold leadership when implementing policy.

新たな内閣で何をなすのか。福田首相は、政策を真正面から訴え、実現に向け、大胆に指導力を発揮してもらいたい。

 

Fukuda's first Cabinet, which was launched in September, was largely inherited from the Cabinet of his predecessor Shinzo Abe. Ten months or so since becoming prime minister, Fukuda has finally established his own Cabinet.

昨年９月に発足した福田内閣は、安倍前内閣の顔ぶれをほぼ引き継いできた。福田首相は、就任から約１０か月たってようやく、自前の陣容を整えた。

 

The aim of this personnel reshuffle is clear--to solidify party unity both through party and Cabinet channels with the next House of Representatives election firmly in mind, and to establish a lineup that can address important domestic and diplomatic issues.

人事の狙いは明確である。

衆院選に向け、党、内閣を通じた挙党態勢を構築し、内政・外交の重要課題に取り組む体制を敷くことだ。

 

This intention was symbolized by the appointment of Taro Aso to the LDP's No. 2 post of secretary general, a post Aso has occupied before.

After being defeated in the race for the party presidency in September, Aso distanced himself from Fukuda, taking no important post in the administration.

自民党幹事長に麻生太郎・前幹事長を起用した人事は、その象徴だろう。麻生氏は、昨年９月の党総裁選で福田首相に敗れた後、役職には就かず、首相と距離を置いていた。

 

Fukuda picked Aso--who appears to be popular with the public--for the key LDP post in charge of election campaigning. The prime minister retained Makoto Koga as LDP Election Strategy Council chairman, tasked with actual election campaign operations.

国民から人気が高いとされる麻生氏を、選挙の「顔」となる幹事長に起用し、選挙実務を担当する古賀誠・選対委員長は留任させた。

 

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Fukuda eyeing next election

（選挙をにらんだ福田新体制）

Lower house lawmakers face a new election no later than September 2009, when their four-year term expires--unless Fukuda resigns, the party will contest the election under the new lineup.

衆院議員の任期切れまで１年余り。福田首相が退陣しない限り、次期衆院選は、この陣容で臨むことになるだろう。

 

The new Cabinet lineup features a number of picks with great experience and outstanding ability, including LDP faction leaders. As with Fukuda's first Cabinet, it can be chiefly categorized as a Cabinet of skilled technocrats.

◆キャリア重視の布陣

改造内閣には、自民党の派閥領袖を含めて、経験、能力のある人材が起用された。前内閣に引き続き、実務型の“仕事師内閣”という印象だ。

technocrat=技術家出身の管理職、政治家

 

Kaoru Yosano, who has been named state minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy, as well as Toshihiro Nikai, named as economy, trade and industry minister, and Okiharu Yasuoka, chosen as justice minister, each take up respective posts they have previously held.

与謝野経済財政相、二階経済産業相、保岡法相は、過去に経験したポストへの“再登板”だ。

 

Nobutaka Machimura remains chief cabinet secretary, the key post in the Cabinet.

Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura; Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Yoichi Masuzoe; and Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Hiroya Masuda stay in the Cabinet to ensure important issues that have been inherited from the previous cabinet are addressed without interruption.

内閣の要の町村官房長官、重要な継続案件を抱える高村外相、舛添厚労相、増田総務相は留任した。

 

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'Postal rebel' given post

(郵政関連はそのエキスパーに)

 

Fukuda, meanwhile, notably picked Seiko Noda, who previously served as post and telecommunications minister and has been in charge of consumer affairs in the LDP, as state minister in charge of consumer affairs. Kyoko Nakayama, a special adviser to the prime minister on the abduction issue with years of experience in the matter, was chosen as state minister in charge of the abduction issue.

その一方で、自民党で消費者問題を担当してきた野田聖子・元郵政相を消費者相に、北朝鮮による拉致問題に長年取り組んできた中山恭子・首相補佐官を拉致問題相に起用した。

 

Noda once quit the LDP over the privatization of postal services, but later was readmitted to the party. The appointment of the "postal rebel" to the Cabinet indicates Fukuda's intention to bolster party unity as the next general election approaches.

郵政民営化に反対して自民党を離党し、その後に復党した野田氏の起用には、衆院選に向けた挙党態勢への思惑がうかがえる。

 

Yosano and Bunmei Ibuki, who has been named as finance minister, both attach great importance to the reconstruction of state finances and boast policy expertise.

与謝野氏と伊吹財務相は、財政再建を重視する政策通だ。

 

Discussion at the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy should now be activated, and should not skirt the issue of raising the consumption tax rate to secure revenue sources for social security policy.

経済財政諮問会議の論議を活性化し、社会保障財源としての消費税率引き上げについても逃げずに議論すべきだ。

 

The nation's economy stands at the brink of a recession due to such factors as soaring prices of oil and food products. The Cabinet must, therefore, pay close attention to the economic situation and promptly implement necessary policies.

◆景気動向を警戒せよ

日本経済は、原油や食料品の高騰などを背景に、景気後退の瀬戸際に直面している。経済の動向への細かな目配りと機敏な政策措置が欠かせない。

 

Drastic reform of social security, tax and state finance systems to address the nation's declining birthrate and aging and shrinking population must be made without delay.

少子高齢化と人口減社会に対応するための社会保障や税財政の抜本改革も待ったなしである。

 

From the next fiscal year, the government and ruling parties will have to increase the portion of state financing set aside for the provision of basic pension benefits from the current level of about one-third to one-half. But discussion on how to secure revenue to implement this measure is not yet under way.

政府・与党は、来年度から、基礎年金の国庫負担割合を現在の３分の１強から２分の１に引き上げなければならない。しかし、そのための財源論議を、いまだに先送りしている。

 

Before the end of this year, when the budget for fiscal 2009 will be compiled, the Cabinet must hammer out detailed proposals regarding the allocation of road-related tax revenues for general purposes. They have not yet tackled the LDP lawmakers with vested interests in the industry.

The government and ruling parties also are tasked with the creation of a consumer affairs agency to unify the administration of consumer affairs. The measure is in line with Fukuda's "people-oriented reform" policy.

年末の予算編成では、道路特定財源の一般財源化の具体案をまとめねばならない。自民党道路族との調整はこれからだ。

首相が「国民目線の改革」として掲げている消費者行政を一元化する消費者庁の創設や、環境、医療への予算の重点配分の具体化なども課題となる。

vested=既得の、既得権

 

Discussion on key budget allocations for environment and medical issues also is on the agenda.

（環境問題や医療問題に対する予算の配分についても十分検討されるべきである。 by srachai）

 

The six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear development, as well as the abduction issue are now in a critical phase. The government must continue cooperating with the United States, which will soon see a change of leadership, to press North Korea hard to comply with the steps it must take to verify the declaration of its nuclear programs and reinvestigate the abductions of Japanese nationals.

北朝鮮の核や拉致問題を巡る６か国協議は、重要な局面を迎えている。政権交代期に入る米国との連携をしっかりと維持し、北朝鮮に対し、核申告の検証措置の受け入れや、拉致問題の再調査を迫っていかねばならない。

 

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LDP must use muscle, tact

（期待される自衛隊の活躍）

 

The new Fukuda administration also bears responsibility to pass during an extraordinary Diet session in the autumn a bill to revise the new Antiterrorism Law to allow the continuation of Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling operations in the Indian Ocean.

インド洋での海上自衛隊の給油活動を継続する新テロ対策特別措置法改正案も、秋の臨時国会で確実に成立させる責任がある。

 

The reshuffled Cabinet must resolve to pass bills concerning the very foundation of the nation--such as that revising the new Antiterrorism Law--by using a second vote in the lower house, employing the ruling camp's majority of more than two-thirds in the chamber. That said, it is necessary to also continue to consult with the leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan, which holds power in the House of Councillors.

◆政権党の責任を果たせ

福田改造内閣では、民主党に協議を求める姿勢は引き続き必要だが、新テロ特措法改正案など国としての基本にかかわる重要法案は、衆院の３分の２以上の多数を使って、粛々と再可決、成立させていく覚悟が肝要だ。

 

With difficult tasks in mind, LDP executives should make fresh efforts to solidify relations with New Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner.

そのためにも、自民党執行部は、連立政権を組んでいる公明党との関係を、改めて固め直さなければならない。

 

New Komeito, which is afraid of taking risks as the lower house election draws near, seems to be trying to distance itself from Fukuda as his Cabinet approval ratings flag. The party has shown a negative stance on having a second vote in the lower house on the bill to revise the new Antiterrorism Law.

公明党は、衆院選でのリスクを恐れるあまり、内閣支持率の低迷が続く福田首相から距離を置こうとしているようだ。新テロ特措法改正案の衆院での再可決についても、難色を示している。

 

If New Komeito puts its own interests regarding the election ahead of making policy decisions, it cannot be said to be fulfilling its responsibility as part of the ruling coalition. The party also has mentioned changing the prime minister before the next lower house election. Such talk only causes division and confusion within the coalition.

政策遂行の判断において、選挙対策ばかりを優先させるようなら、政権与党としての責任を果たしているとは、到底言えまい。まして、衆院選前の首相交代にまで言及していては、与党内の亀裂や混乱を招くばかりだ。

 

The LDP and New Komeito urgently need to hold discussions on basic strategy for future administrative operations, including such matters as when to convene an extraordinary Diet session.

自公両党は、臨時国会の召集時期などを含め、今後の政権運営の基本戦略について、早急に詰める必要がある。

 

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 2, 2008)

（2008年8月2日02時09分  読売新聞）