野田代表再選 民自公党首会談で連携確認を

９月２３日の１９時過ぎに夜行バスでコンケンからバンコクへ向かいました。
バスの中で日付は２４日となりましたが、まだ夜の明けきらぬ深夜の午前２時前にバンコク北バスターミナルに到着、フェイスブックお友達の越川さんにホテルで面会いたしました。
午前２時から世の白々と明け初（そ）める５時半まで、ホテルのロビーで話に花が咲きました。私が長い間気に掛けていた真実も、ほぼ完璧なかたちで確認できました。
真相は私の予想通りだったのです。やはりショックですね。
それにもめげず前向きな人生を歩まれる越川さんの強さに打たれ、不覚にも涙を流しました。越川さんを尊敬いたします。

遅くなりました。昨日掲載予定の原稿です。

（スラチャイ）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Sep. 23, 2012)
With Noda reelected, DPJ must reconfirm 3-party pact
野田代表再選　民自公党首会談で連携確認を（9月22日付・読売社説）

　◆「離党」恐れて政策は定まらず◆

By the numbers, it was a landslide victory, but considering the difficulty of the tasks ahead, the win can only be seen as bittersweet.
　数字上は大差だが、多難な前途を考えれば、ほろ苦い勝利でもある。

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda was reelected as Democratic Party of Japan president on Friday. Former Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Kazuhiro Haraguchi and the two other challengers only managed to garner about one-third of the votes between them.
　民主党代表選で、野田佳彦首相が再選を果たした。原口一博元総務相ら他の３候補の獲得票は合計で全体の３分の１程度にとどまった。

At the cost of splitting the ruling party, the prime minister pushed legislation through the Diet to comprehensively revamp the social security and tax systems, reforms that are essential for Japan's revitalization. Noda's reelection is a clear sign that DPJ members endorse the agreement to work together toward reform made between the three major political parties--the DPJ, the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito.
　首相は、党分裂という犠牲も辞さずに、日本再生に不可欠な社会保障・税一体改革関連法を成立させた。今回の再選は、その民主、自民、公明の３党の協調路線が信任されたことを意味する。

===

Noda's stance endorsed
　◆信任された首相の路線◆

In a speech after winning the election, Noda called for party unity, telling DPJ members, "I'd like to work with all of you to make a country where smiling faces are everywhere."
　野田首相は再選後、「笑顔が広がる国を、皆さんと一緒に造りたい」と、党の結束を呼びかけた。

We think the party should now unite behind its newly reelected leader.
代表選の結果が出た以上、民主党は首相の下で団結すべきだ。

However, it was disappointing that the DPJ presidential candidates did not conduct a meaningful policy debate.
　残念なのは、肝心の政策論争が低調だったことだ。

Noda has been supportive of Japan participating in talks over the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, but he hedged his remarks on the issue during the campaign, only acknowledging that the discussions with other countries are ongoing. He did not address the issue directly around his rivals, who were either against the TPP or had adopted cautious positions.
　環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）への参加問題で、野田首相は本来、「推進」の立場なのに、「関係国との協議が継続中」などと慎重な発言に終始した。「反対・慎重」の原口氏ら３人に、正面から論争を挑む場面はなかった。

The prime minister was probably concerned that pushing for TPP participation would cause more DPJ members to bolt. However, the decision should not be put off any longer, and we urge the government to join the TPP negotiations as soon as possible.
　ＴＰＰ参加に踏み込めば、さらなる離党者が出かねないと、首相は懸念したのだろう。しかし、政府としては参加の判断を先送りせず、早期にＴＰＰ交渉に加わるべきである。

Meanwhile, Noda supported the goal of eliminating nuclear power in the nation in the 2030s. "I want to unswervingly promote various measures in line with this basic policy," he said, while Haraguchi and the other candidates proposed an even earlier target date.
　原子力政策では、首相は「２０３０年代の原発ゼロ」を掲げて、「ぶれない姿勢で、この基本方針の下、様々な政策を推進したい」と語った。原口氏らは「原発ゼロ」達成時期の前倒しを唱えた。

However, it is worrying that the four candidates hardly touched on the formidable challenges that could arise from reducing the nation's reliance on nuclear power to zero, such as negative impacts on the economy and foreign affairs, as well as how to maintain consistency with already existing policies such as a nuclear fuel-cycle policy.
　４氏とも、「原発ゼロ」が経済や外交関係に与える悪影響や、核燃料サイクルとの整合性など、深刻な課題への対策をほとんど論じなかったのは問題だ。

They appeared enamored with the belief that touting the zero nuclear policy would work to their advantage in an election. As prospective leaders of the ruling party, we see such actions as irresponsible.
　「脱原発」の旗を掲げれば、選挙に有利だろうという思惑ばかりが先行している。政権党として、極めて無責任な対応である。

The debate over how to buffer low-income earners from the impact of a consumption tax hike also was mostly left alone, although two contenders--Hirotaka Akamatsu and Michihiko Kano, both former agriculture, forestry and fisheries ministers--proposed implementing reduced tax rates on certain items.
　消費税率引き上げの低所得者対策でも、赤松広隆元農相と鹿野道彦前農相が軽減税率導入に言及したが、議論は深まらなかった。

We lament that the DPJ missed an opportunity to set the direction for several key issues through its leadership election.
　代表選を通じて重要政策を方向づける機会を逸したと言える。

===

Thornier path ahead
　◆政権運営は一層厳しく◆

Although he emerged victorious, Noda faces even more difficulties than before the election in steering the ship of state.
　野田首相の今後の政権運営は、一段と困難になろう。

A total of 114 ballots were cast against Noda in the party leadership race.
　「反野田」の国会議員票は計１１４票に達した。

In the debates prior to the election, Kano criticized Noda by calling for a "stronger culture of responsibility in the DPJ," while Haraguchi called for Noda "to take responsibility for causing the party to split more than once."
論戦では、鹿野氏に「民主党に責任を取る文化を」と提起され、原口氏にも「分裂を重ねた責任」を問われた。

Seeking any possible advantage in the next House of Representatives election, DPJ members have continued to move away from the party to join the new Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party) and other emerging political forces.
　次期衆院選を少しでも有利に戦おうと、新党「日本維新の会」などへの合流を目指し、離党する動きが続く。

If around 10 more DPJ lower house lawmakers were to leave, the party would lose its majority in the powerful chamber, even counting the seats held by its coalition partner, the People's New Party. This would leave the ruling camp vulnerable to a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet proposed by the opposition.
衆院でも、１０人程度が離党すれば、国民新党と合わせても過半数を割り、内閣不信任決議案を否決できない恐れがある。

In such circumstances, the prime minister walks a tightrope in navigating political issues, and must maintain a precarious balance between preserving party unity and addressing difficult policy tasks.
　首相は、党内融和に配慮しながら困難な政策課題に取り組む、という綱渡りの対応を迫られる。

At this stage, it is vitally important that the tripartite framework between the DPJ, the LDP and Komeito be kept intact.
　重要なのは、民自公３党の協調路線を堅持することだ。

In the divided Diet, where the opposition controls the House of Councillors, no bill stands a chance without cooperation between the three parties.
衆参ねじれ国会である以上、３党の協力なしでは、法案は成立せず、政治は前に進まない。

The prime minister has said he will make a preliminary decision on a reshuffle of the DPJ leadership by Monday, when he leaves for the United States to attend the U.N. General Assembly.
　首相は、国連総会出席のため訪米する２４日までに党役員人事の骨格を固める意向を表明した。

The focal point in the reshuffle is whether Secretary General Azuma Koshiishi will retain his post. Noda appointed Koshiishi to the No. 2 post last year to help ensure party unity.
最も注目されるのは、輿石幹事長が留任するかどうかだ。
　昨秋、輿石氏を幹事長に起用したのは、党内融和を重視する狙いだった。

Koshiishi, however, has clashed often with the opposition over Diet affairs, including during the deliberations over the social security and tax system reform. Koshiishi's behavior highlighted the differences between his views and Noda's.
　だが、輿石氏は一体改革法案審議など国会運営で再三、野党と衝突し、首相との路線の違いも表面化した。

We urge Noda in reshuffling his party's executive lineup to place more importance on promoting cooperation between the ruling and opposition camps, instead of sticking only to crafting a strategy relating to dissolving the lower house for a general election.
　今回は、衆院解散戦略だけでなく、与野党協調をより重視した布陣が求められる。

The prime minister has also expressed an intention to meet with the new leader of the LDP, who will be elected in the largest opposition party's presidential contest Wednesday, to reconfirm the three-party reform accord.
　野田首相は、２６日の自民党総裁選後、新総裁と党首会談を行い、一体改革をめぐる３党合意を再確認したい考えを示している。

We see a meeting in which the heads of the three main parties can exchange views on key political challenges as highly significant.
３党首間で、当面の重要課題について腹合わせをすることは大切だ。

We hope the three party chiefs will have a candid discussion over such issues as how to rectify vote disparities in lower house elections, legislation for issuing deficit-covering bonds, and the compilation of a supplementary budget for fiscal 2012.
　衆院選の「１票の格差」是正や赤字国債の発行を可能にする特例公債法案、補正予算の扱いについて率直に話し合ってほしい。

===

Start by cutting 5 seats
　◆「０増５減」を先行せよ◆

Concerning reform of the lower house's electoral system, the DPJ caused considerable consternations in the Diet by proposing, over strong objection from the opposition, legislation that included partial adoption of a seat-allocation formula for proportional representation elections that would favor small and midsize parties. The ruling party should not repeat such a sloppy, irresponsible act.
　衆院選挙制度改革で、民主党は野党の反対を押し切って、連用制の一部導入を含む法案を提出し、混乱を招いた。こんないいかげんな対応は、もう許されない。

Noda in a news conference showed he is willing to tackle the task of slashing the number of seats in the lower house.
　野田首相は記者会見で、衆院定数の削減に意欲を示した。

Before anything else, it would be practical to cut five single-seat districts to end the "state of unconstitutionality" in vote disparities. This would pave the way for dissolution of the lower house.
だが、衆院を解散するには、「違憲状態」を解消する小選挙区の「０増５減」の先行実施が現実的だ。

There is a high possibility that any talks between the three party heads would include on the agenda the prime minister's pledge to dissolve the lower house for a general election "sometime soon."
　３党首会談では、首相が約束した「近いうち」の衆院解散・総選挙も議題となる可能性が高い。

Noda has hinted that a general election should be postponed because "the political situation has changed" after the passage of an opposition-backed censure motion against him in the upper house. However, neither the LDP nor Komeito has backed off their demands for an early lower house dissolution.
　首相は「問責（決議）という状況の変化がある」と解散先送りの可能性も示唆しているが、自公両党は早期解散を求める立場を変えていない。

Given this, we suspect the prime minister will have a difficult time unilaterally scrapping his pledge to dissolve the lower house.
首相が一方的に約束を反故(ほご)にするのは難しいだろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 22, 2012)
（2012年9月22日01時14分 読売新聞）