自民党政権公約 「責任力」に見合う具体策示せ

The Yomiuri Shimbun(Aug. 1, 2009)
Responsible party needs responsible policies
自民党政権公約　「責任力」に見合う具体策示せ（8月1日付・読売社説）

The Liberal Democratic Party unveiled its campaign platform for the upcoming House of Representatives election on Friday.
　自民党が衆院選の政権公約を発表した。

Although the manifesto contained an unusual phrase lauding the party's "ability to govern responsibly," the LDP was at pains to trumpet that it is a responsible political party and spelled out where it differed from the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan.
　「責任力」という聞き慣れない造語を使ってまで、自民党は責任政党ぶりを強調し、政権交代を訴える民主党への対抗意識を前面に打ち出した。

However, sections on how the LDP will carry out its policies are riddled with vague explanation. We think the LDP should describe its policies in far more detail during political debates from now on.
　だが、個々の政策を実現させる道筋には曖昧(あいまい)な部分が目立つ。今後の論戦を通じて、さらに具体的な説明に努める必要がある。

The LDP picks up social security system reform and tax system reform from the opening of its manifesto. It says, "We will implement necessary legislative measures by fiscal 2011 in regard to fundamental taxation reform, including a consumption tax rate increase."
　公約の冒頭に社会保障制度改革と税制改革を掲げ、「消費税を含む税制抜本改革について、２０１１年度までに必要な法制上の措置を講じる」としている。

The platform then goes on to say the party "will construct a social security system of medium welfare levels and medium burden." The LDP spells out in black and white that it wants the public to bear a fair share of the cost of providing a social security safety net, including through a rise in the consumption tax rate in the future.
　その上で、「『中福祉・中負担』の社会保障制度を構築する」とも記し、将来の消費税率引き上げを含め、国民に応分の負担を求める姿勢を明確にした。

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Finding the funding

The LDP tried to pick apart the DPJ platform and cast doubt on whether the DPJ can actually find the resources to bankroll its policies. The LDP should be given some credit for having found the courage to mention a consumption tax increase and prodding the public to shoulder a "medium burden" of social security costs. However, the LDP failed to specify crucial details of these policies.
　財源の裏付けがあやふやな民主党との違いを際立たせよう、という狙いからだろうが、及び腰ながら、消費税や「中負担」に踏み込んだことは一応、評価できる。

The centerpiece of the LDP manifesto is a policy to phase out preschool fees for children aged 3 to 5, with these fees eventually being waived in fiscal 2012. The policy is a direct counterproposal to the DPJ pledge to offer a monthly allowance of 26,000 yen per child to households with children of middle school age or younger.
　目玉政策は、幼児教育の負担を段階的に軽減し、２０１２年度に完全無償化することだという。中学生まで１人月額２万６０００円を支給するとした民主党の「子ども手当」に対抗して掲げた。

However, the LDP will need to wring an additional about 790 billion yen from somewhere to cover the costs of this policy. Although this is a fraction of the 5.5 trillion yen the DPJ will need for its monthly allowance policy, it is still a hefty price tag. The party manifesto offered no clear answers on how it would finance this plan.
　だが、完全無償化には新たに約７９００億円を捻出(ねんしゅつ)しなければならない。「子ども手当」実現に必要な５・５兆円とは桁(けた)が違うとはいえ、かなりの額だ。財源はどう手当てするのか。その答えは示されていない。

If the LDP is serious about extolling its ability to govern responsibly, it should not crank up a skirmish based on pork-barrel spending as it seeks to woo voters.
　「責任力」を強調するのなら、票目当てのばらまき合戦をエスカレートさせるべきではない。

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Security issues

In the diplomatic and national security fields, the platform says that, to counter North Korea's ballistic missile threat, the LDP will implement necessary security measures that will enable the interception of ballistic missiles fired toward the United States as well as protect U.S. vessels operating in cooperation with Japan on the ballistic missile defense shield.
　一方、外交・安全保障分野では、北朝鮮の弾道ミサイルの脅威に対し、「米国に向かう弾道ミサイルの迎撃」「弾道ミサイル防衛で連携する米国艦艇の防護」が可能となるよう、「必要な安全保障上の手当てを行う」としている。

If the LDP suggests there could be a change from the current government interpretation on the right to collective self-defense--in which the nation possesses this right but cannot exercise it--we think the party should have come right out and said so.
　集団的自衛権の「権利はあるが、行使できない」とする現行の政府解釈の変更を意味しているのなら、もっと明確に書くべきだったのではないか。

The DPJ said in its collection of policies unveiled at the same time as its manifesto that it will not stick to conceptual discussions on whether self-defense is individual or collective. The DPJ's stance can be interpreted as accepting the exercise of the right to collective self-defense, but this lack of clarity makes the party's stance difficult to understand. We think the DPJ needs to flesh out its explanation.
　集団的自衛権について、民主党は公約と一緒に発表した政策集で「個別的・集団的といった概念上の議論に拘泥せず」としている。行使の容認とも読めるが、分かりにくい。補足の説明が必要だ。

All the major parties have presented their campaign platforms, so now the cut-and-thrust of a full-fledged election campaign can begin in earnest. We hope each party focuses on spreading their messages and policies on pending domestic and international issues.
　主要政党の政権公約が出揃(そろ)い、論戦はいよいよ本格化する。各党には、内外の懸案に対する具体的な処方箋(せん)を競うことに主眼を置いてもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 1, 2009)
（2009年8月1日01時18分 読売新聞）