安倍自民新総裁 政権奪還への政策力を高めよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Sep. 28, 2012)
Abe should enhance policymaking capability to retake reins of govt
安倍自民新総裁　政権奪還への政策力を高めよ（9月27日付・読売社説）

　◆保守志向が再登板の追い風に◆

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's "retry" comes with a heavy task--retaking the reins of government.
　政権奪還という重い課題を担っての「再チャレンジ」である。

Abe was elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday, defeating four contenders, including former LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Shigeru Ishiba.
　自民党総裁選は、安倍晋三元首相が、石破茂前政調会長ら４氏を破り、新総裁に選出された。

Ishiba won the first round of the race by securing a majority of local chapters' votes, but Abe turned the tables in a runoff in which only Diet members were eligible to vote.
　第１回投票では、石破氏が地方票の過半数を獲得して１位となったが、国会議員による決選投票で安倍氏が逆転した。

Depending on the results of the next House of Representatives election, it is highly likely that Abe will become prime minister. After winning the presidential election, Abe expressed his resolve, saying: "I'll make all-out efforts to retake the reins of government. I'll make a strong Japan." He needs to devise a strategy and policy to revive the nation starting now.
　安倍氏は、次期衆院選の結果次第では首相に就任する可能性が大きい。当選後のあいさつでは「政権奪還に向けて全力を尽くす。強い日本をつくる」と、決意を表明した。今から日本再生への戦略と政策を練る必要がある。

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Senkaku issue changes race
　◆「尖閣」で地方票に変化◆

The fact that the runoff was fought by Abe and Ishiba, neither of whom head their own faction, illustrates the changes in LDP presidential elections, which in the past were characterized by alliances of intra-party factions.
　派閥の代表ではない安倍、石破両氏が決選投票を争ったことは、派閥の合従連衡による総裁選からの変化をうかがわせる。

Initially, LDP Secretary General Nobuteru Ishihara was seen as the likeliest to win the LDP presidency, but Abe and Ishiba expanded their support among local rank-and-file members. This is obviously related to China's high-handed behavior toward Japan over the Senkaku Islands.
　当初は石原伸晃幹事長が有力視されたが、安倍、石破両氏が地方の党員に支持を広げた。これは総裁選のさなか、中国が尖閣諸島を巡って日本に高圧的な外交を展開したことと無縁ではない。

During the presidential election campaign, Abe and Ishiba stressed the importance of diplomacy and security policy, saying they will resolutely protect Japan's land and territorial waters.
　両氏とも総裁選では、日本の領土・領海を「断固として守る」と訴え、外交・安全保障政策の重要性を強調した。

However, we cannot expect sticking to a hard-line stance to improve Japan's relationship with China.
　しかし、中国に強硬一辺倒の姿勢では関係改善は望めない。

When he was prime minister, Abe rebuilt the relationship with China, which had deteriorated under the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Abe agreed with Beijing to seek a "mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests."
　安倍氏は首相時代に、小泉内閣で悪化した対中関係を立て直し、中国と「戦略的互恵関係」を目指すことで合意した。

Amid growing anti-Japan sentiment in China after the Japanese government's purchase of three of the Senkaku Islands, concrete measures to rebuild the Japan-China relationship are now called for again.
尖閣諸島国有化で中国の反日機運が高まる中、日中関係を再構築する具体策が改めて求められている。

Abe indicated that he will work on strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance by enabling Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense and also that he would work to amend the Constitution. In addition, he has a favorable attitude toward reviewing a 1993 statement concerning so-called comfort women, which was issued by then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono.
　安倍氏は、集団的自衛権の行使を可能にすることによる日米同盟の強化や、憲法改正に取り組む考えを示している。いわゆる従軍慰安婦問題に関する「河野談話」の見直しにも前向きだ。

These are all reasonable aspirations. We urge Abe to present concrete steps to realize them.
　いずれも妥当な考え方である。実現に向けて、具体的な道筋を示してもらいたい。

It was unfortunate that there was little in-depth discussion on the challenges Japan currently faces during the party presidential race.
　総裁選で残念だったのは、日本の直面する課題について、踏み込んだ議論が乏しかったことだ。

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Show clear stance on TPP, energy
　◆ＴＰＰ・原発政策示せ◆

Regarding the issue of whether to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, Abe has been wary of clarifying his stance. "We first have to enhance our bargaining power. Then we should consider whether [joining the TPP] would serve the interests of the nation," he said.
　環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）参加問題で、安倍氏は「交渉力を強めた上で、国益を守れるかどうか考えないといけない」と慎重な発言に終始した。

A considerable number of LDP members oppose Japan's joining the TPP, so we assume Abe was concerned about the opinion of such lawmakers. However, if Abe really plans to lead the party in regaining power from the Democratic Party of Japan, he must prepare measures to enhance the competitiveness of the nation's agricultural sector and pave the way for the nation to join negotiations for the TPP.
　党内に根強いＴＰＰ参加反対論に配慮したのだろうが、政権奪還を目指すなら、農業の競争力強化策をまとめ、交渉参加への環境を整えなければならない。

On the energy issue, it was appropriate for him to express negative views on the DPJ-led government's "zero nuclear" policy. However, that is not enough.
　エネルギー問題でも、政府・民主党の「原発ゼロ」方針に否定的な見解を示したのは適切だったにせよ、それだけでは不十分だ。

Abe should lead discussions within the party over an energy policy capable of securing a stable supply of electricity for the nation--a purpose for which safe nuclear power plants are necessary--and come up with a viable counterproposal.
　安全な原発は活用し、電力を安定供給できるエネルギー政策について党内で議論を深め、責任ある対案を打ち出すべきである。

Six years ago, Abe became the first Japanese born after World War II to assume the post of prime minister. Under the slogan of "departing from the postwar regime," he revised the Fundamental Law of Education and upgraded the Defense Agency to the Defense Ministry. His other achievements include the enactment of the National Referendum Law, which stipulated procedures to amend the Constitution.
　安倍氏は６年前、戦後生まれで初の首相となった。「戦後レジーム（体制）からの脱却」を掲げ、教育基本法を改正し、防衛庁を省に格上げした。憲法改正手続きを定めた国民投票法も成立させるなど実績を上げている。

However, under his leadership, the LDP suffered a humiliating defeat in the House of Councillors election in July 2007, which divided the Diet as opposition parties took control of the upper house. Soon after the election, Abe resigned from his post.
　しかし、２００７年７月の参院選に惨敗し、衆参ねじれ国会を生んだ。

It is now said that one of the reasons Abe decided to quit was a chronic disease--ulcerative colitis--but the abrupt resignation left a strong impression with the public that Abe had irresponsibly thrown away his administration.
その後の突然の辞任は、潰瘍性大腸炎という持病が一因とされるが、政権を無責任に投げ出した印象が強く残っている。

Abe will be tested on whether he can wipe away his negative image of being plagued with health problems and a lack of vigor.
　安倍氏には、「健康不安」やひ弱なイメージを払拭できるかどうかが、問われよう。

Abe's first task as new LDP president will be to appoint new party executives.
　新総裁として最初に取り組むのは党役員人事である。

In the first round of the presidential race, Ishiba secured a majority of votes cast by local chapters. At a press conference held after being chosen as the new president, Abe said he will "take this fact seriously." The results showed that Ishiba is highly popular at the local level. It would be reasonable for Abe to give him an important post.
　安倍氏は、総裁就任後の記者会見で、石破氏が党員票の過半数を獲得したことについて「重く受け止めなければならない」と述べた。石破氏には地方に圧倒的な支持のあることが裏付けられた。要職に起用するのは理解できる。

During his time as prime minister, Abe was criticized for appointing too many of his sworn friends and aides to important Cabinet posts. We would like to carefully watch to whom Abe will give senior party posts.
　安倍氏は首相時代に内閣の要職を盟友や側近で固め、批判を浴びた。今回、党役員にどういう人材を登用するかも注目したい。

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Avoid unproductive confrontations
　◆解散で「紳士協定」を◆

How Abe will steer the LDP in the next extraordinary Diet session will be important in determining his fate as the new leader.
　重要なのは、次期臨時国会での対応である。

The ordinary Diet session closed earlier this month after the upper house adopted an opposition-backed censure motion against Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. The LDP has said the fact that the upper house has adopted the censure motion will carry over to the next Diet session. However, Abe showed a flexible attitude on the censure motion at the press conference, saying that his party will not necessarily refuse to participate in all Diet deliberations.
　先の通常国会は、参院で野田首相の問責決議を可決したまま閉会した。これまで自民党は問責の効力が次の国会にも及ぶとしてきたが、安倍氏は記者会見で、一切審議を拒否するわけではないと柔軟な姿勢を示した。

It seems that Abe wants to hold Noda to his promise to dissolve the lower house "sometime soon," which the LDP regards as a gentlemen's agreement, in exchange for the LDP's cooperating with the Noda administration on such matters as the passage of a special bill that enables the government to issue deficit-covering bonds in the extraordinary Diet session. We believe this is a constructive approach.
　赤字国債発行のための特例公債法案の成立などに協力する代わりに、野田首相が約束した「近いうち」の衆院解散を「紳士協定」として確認したい考えのようだ。建設的な提案だと評価できる。

Abe was plagued by a divided Diet when he was the prime minister. It is time to put an end to unproductive confrontations between the ruling and opposition parties, such as opposition parties refusing to participate in Diet deliberations and justifying it with the passage of a censure motion, and political paralysis caused by such confrontations.
　安倍氏自身、首相時代にねじれ国会に悩まされた。参院の問責決議を理由にした審議拒否など不毛な与野党対立や政治の停滞には、もう終止符を打つ時である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 27, 2012)
（2012年9月27日01時30分 読売新聞）