問責決議可決 民主党は貨物法案を葬るのか

The Yomiuri Shimbun(Jul. 15, 2009)
Is DPJ going to kill off N. Korea cargo bill?
問責決議可決　民主党は貨物法案を葬るのか（7月15日付・読売社説）

A no-confidence motion submitted by four of the opposition parties against Prime Minister Taro Aso's Cabinet was voted down by the House of Representatives on Tuesday, but a censure motion against the prime minister passed the House of Councillors.
　野党４党が衆院に提出した内閣不信任決議案は否決されたものの、麻生首相問責決議案は参院で可決された。

Following the approval of the censure motion, the opposition parties began boycotting the Diet session in the both upper and lower houses, saying they cannot discuss bills under a prime minister they have censured.
　野党は、自らが問責した首相の下では国会審議に応じられないとして、衆参両院で全面的な審議拒否に入った。

If this deadlock continues, 17 bills the government has submitted to the current Diet session, including one to enable inspections of North Korean cargo, likely would be scrapped with the dissolution of the lower house, tipped for July 21 at the earliest.
　このままの状況が続けば、２１日にも予定される衆院解散で、北朝鮮貨物検査特別措置法案など政府提出の１７法案は廃案になる。

The ruling bloc and the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan look set to reach an agreement on changes to be made to some bills sponsored by lawmakers, including one to revise the law banning child prostitution and pornography, but they likely also will be cast aside.
児童ポルノ禁止法改正案のように、与党と民主党が法案修正で合意目前だった議員立法も同様だ。

Does the DPJ really think it is right to let the North Korean cargo inspection bill be abandoned? If the bill is not approved, the Japan Coast Guard and customs will remain unable to inspect the cargo of ships traveling to and from North Korea, or to seize embargoed items.
　民主党は、貨物検査法案をこのまま廃案にしてよいと思っているのだろうか。法案が成立しないと、北朝鮮に出入りする船舶への貨物検査や禁輸品の押収を、海上保安庁や税関が実施できない状態が続くことになる。

These measures are called for under a U.N. Security Council resolution against North Korea.
　これらの措置は、北朝鮮に対する国連安全保障理事会の制裁決議に基づくものだ。

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DPJ wary of N. Korea bill

DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama at a press conference expressed his intention to approve early passage of the cargo inspection bill, the contents of which meet the U.N.-centered approach advocated by the DPJ. These two factors make it reasonable for the main opposition party to support the bill.
　民主党の鳩山代表は記者会見で、法案の早期成立を是認する意向を示していた。民主党が掲げる国連中心主義にも合致する。法案に賛成するのが筋だろう。

Some DPJ members, including those from the former Japan Socialist Party, remain cautious about the bill because it enables the dispatch of Maritime Self-Defense Force ships. According to some observers, the DPJ is concerned that if the party were to support the bill, it could adversely affect its electoral alliance with the Social Democratic Party before the lower house election.
　民主党内には、法案が海上自衛隊の派遣も可能にしているため、旧社会党系議員を中心に、消極的な意見がある。法案への賛成は、衆院選を前にして、社民党との選挙協力に悪影響が出ることを懸念したとの見方もある。

But failing to ensure the nation's domestic laws are adequate might also come back to haunt the DPJ.
　国内法の不備を放置するツケが近い将来、民主党に回ってこないとも限らない。

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Undermining joint intl efforts

In the latter half of September, weeks after the lower house election, the U.N. General Assembly will meet in New York and a Group of 20 financial summit meeting is to be held in Pittsburgh.
　衆院選から数週間後の９月後半にニューヨークで国連総会、ピッツバーグで世界２０か国・地域（Ｇ２０）金融サミットが開かれる。

The Japanese prime minister is expected to attend these meetings and it is highly likely that prime minister will hold summit talks at that time with U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
　日本の首相も出席し、その場でオバマ大統領との日米首脳会談や胡錦濤国家主席との日中首脳会談が行われる可能性も高い。

The meetings present excellent opportunities for Japan to encourage the leaders of China and the other countries to faithfully implement the U.N. Security Council resolution on North Korea and give the prime minister a chance to highlight the need to strenghten the coalition of nations to urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear development program.
　中国はじめ各国の首脳に対し、制裁決議の厳格な履行を促し、北朝鮮に核廃棄を迫る国際包囲網の強化を訴える絶好の機会だ。

If the DPJ wins the upcoming lower house election and a change of power is realized, "Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama" will make his international debut at these meetings. If the North Korean cargo inspection bill is not yet approved at this time, Hatoyama's appeal to the world leaders will have no impact. Will the DPJ not regret this?
　衆院選で民主党が勝利し、政権交代が実現すれば、「鳩山首相」の外交デビューとなる。その時、貨物検査法案が成立していなければ、「鳩山首相」の訴えは、まったく迫力を欠くものとなろう。民主党はそれでもよいのか。

The ruling bloc has criticized the DPJ for refusing to take part in Diet deliberations, saying the main opposition party is doing so to avoiding being pursued in the Diet over the scandal regarding fabrication of personal donations to Hatoyama.
　審議拒否の理由について、与党は、鳩山代表の個人献金偽装問題を国会で追及されたくないからだと批判している。

Whether this criticism is right or wrong, the DPJ should still cooperate with the ruling coalition parties to ensure the North Korean cargo inspection bill passes the Diet by the end of the current session.
　与党の批判の当否はともかく、民主党はやはり、北朝鮮貨物検査法案の今国会での成立に協力すべきであろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 15, 2009)
（2009年7月15日01時18分 読売新聞）