読売、毎日、朝日各社英字新聞の社説を学習研究
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(Sep. 24, 2008) The Yomiuri Shimbun
Tighten inspections on China-made food
メラミン牛乳 中国産食品の検疫を厳格に（9月24日付・読売社説）
It is hard to believe that a mildly toxic chemical could get mixed in with milk. But this is exactly what happened in yet another food scandal in China.
牛乳の中に有害な化学物質を混ぜるとは、にわかには信じがたい出来事だ。またしても中国の食品である。
Several babies died, and tens of thousands of children reportedly have been sickened in the country, after consuming powdered milk tainted with melamine.
中国では有害物質「メラミン」を含んだ粉ミルクが原因で乳児が死亡し、何万人もの子どもが健康被害を訴えている。
Adding melamine to milk can make it appear to be richer in protein, and Chinese dairy producers allegedly "supplemented" protein levels in milk by adding melamine to it after the milk was diluted with water.
メラミンを混ぜると、蛋白(たんぱく)質を多く含む牛乳のように見せかけられる。酪農業者が原乳を水増しした後、薄まった蛋白質をメラミンで“補って”いたらしい。
This latest tainted food scandal has not been confined to China's shores.
隣国だけの問題ではない。
Although barely any fresh milk or other dairy products are imported from China, a substantial volume of processed foods made using Chinese milk already have entered the Japanese market.
中国の牛乳や乳製品は日本にほとんど輸入されていないものの、牛乳を原料とする加工食品の形では、かなり入り込んでいる。
Marudai Food Co., a leading manufacturer of ham and sausages based in Takatsuki, Osaka Prefecture, voluntarily announced Saturday that some of its products contained milk contaminated with melamine, and started recalling items already on the market.
菓子などに使用していた丸大食品は自主的に公表し、商品の回収を始めた。
According to the company, the amount of tainted milk used in the products was extremely small, and so far there have not been any reports of people being sickened after consuming them. It does not appear the widespread health problems in China will be replicated in Japan.
同社によれば、使用された牛乳は微量で、これまでのところ健康被害の報告はない。中国で懸念される状況が、そのまま日本で生じるわけではないだろう。
However, concerns among consumers will continue to grow as long as they are not able to distinguish between products that contain milk tainted with the chemical and those that do not.
だが、問題のある牛乳がどのような商品に使われているのか、全く分からない状況では、消費者の不安は膨らむ。
===
Time to tighten up checks
It is important that all of the concerned food production companies quickly grasp what is going on and announce the results of these investigations as soon as possible.
関連する食品メーカーは、実態調査を急ぎ、すべてを迅速に公表することが重要だ。
It also is necessary to review the way in which imported foods are dealt with at quarantine stations. At present, inspectors look only for pesticide residues and bacteria, not chemical contamination.
検疫のあり方も見直しが必要である。現状は、残留農薬や細菌の有無を調べることが目的で、化学物質の混入を想定していない。
Many cats and dogs died last year in the United States after eating pet food containing ingredients made in China. The culprit was found to be melamine. Yet Japanese quarantine authorities have not added melamine to their list of substances to be inspected for. This relaxed attitude toward potential chemical contamination must be abandoned and the possibility of such contamination must be assumed when checking imported foods.
昨年、米国で中国製原料のペットフードを食べた犬や猫が多数死んだ問題は、やはりメラミンが原因だった。にもかかわらず、メラミンを検査項目に加えていなかった。化学物質は想定外、との甘い姿勢は改めねばなるまい。
===
China withholding information?
The latest food contamination scandal only surfaced after the Beijing Olympics had finished. Suspicions have been raised that the Chinese government might have suppressed revelations about the damage done, even though the effects were known about for quite some time, out of concern over the possible impact the scandal might have had on the Games.
今回の問題は北京五輪が閉幕してから顕在化した。健康被害の訴えはかなり以前からあったのに、五輪への影響を考えて公表を抑えていたのではないか、との疑念をぬぐえない。
The World Health Organization also said somebody obviously withheld information on the scandal. It is interesting to note that a major dairy products manufacturer that sold milk powder containing melamine was one of the sponsors of the Beijing Olympics.
世界保健機関（ＷＨＯ）も「誰かが一定期間、情報を隠していたことは明白だ」との見解を示している。メラミン入り粉ミルクを販売した大手乳製品メーカーは、五輪のスポンサー企業だった。
In addition, the truth about the problem of tainted Chinese-made frozen gyoza in Japan has not yet been clarified. The government should urge China more strongly to improve the safety of Chinese-made foods and to disclose information on food contamination quickly.
冷凍ギョーザ事件も、真相はいまだに究明されていない。中国に対して日本政府は、もっと厳しく事態の改善を求め、迅速な情報開示を要求すべきである。
Meanwhile, a series of food safety scandals also have been occurring in Japan, including pesticide- and mold-tainted rice designated by the government as suitable only for industrial use being sold for human consumption.
一方で、日本においても事故米が不正転用されるなど、食をめぐる不祥事が相次いでいる。
Concerned ministries, agencies and the food industry must thoroughly investigate these problems originating in our own country. Failure to do so will undermine Japan's ability to blame China for shortcomings on food safety.
中国に毅然(きぜん)としてモノを言うためにも、関係官庁、食品業界は足元を総点検し、襟を正す必要があろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 24, 2008)
（2008年9月24日02時11分 読売新聞）
Tighten inspections on China-made food
メラミン牛乳 中国産食品の検疫を厳格に（9月24日付・読売社説）
It is hard to believe that a mildly toxic chemical could get mixed in with milk. But this is exactly what happened in yet another food scandal in China.
牛乳の中に有害な化学物質を混ぜるとは、にわかには信じがたい出来事だ。またしても中国の食品である。
Several babies died, and tens of thousands of children reportedly have been sickened in the country, after consuming powdered milk tainted with melamine.
中国では有害物質「メラミン」を含んだ粉ミルクが原因で乳児が死亡し、何万人もの子どもが健康被害を訴えている。
Adding melamine to milk can make it appear to be richer in protein, and Chinese dairy producers allegedly "supplemented" protein levels in milk by adding melamine to it after the milk was diluted with water.
メラミンを混ぜると、蛋白(たんぱく)質を多く含む牛乳のように見せかけられる。酪農業者が原乳を水増しした後、薄まった蛋白質をメラミンで“補って”いたらしい。
This latest tainted food scandal has not been confined to China's shores.
隣国だけの問題ではない。
Although barely any fresh milk or other dairy products are imported from China, a substantial volume of processed foods made using Chinese milk already have entered the Japanese market.
中国の牛乳や乳製品は日本にほとんど輸入されていないものの、牛乳を原料とする加工食品の形では、かなり入り込んでいる。
Marudai Food Co., a leading manufacturer of ham and sausages based in Takatsuki, Osaka Prefecture, voluntarily announced Saturday that some of its products contained milk contaminated with melamine, and started recalling items already on the market.
菓子などに使用していた丸大食品は自主的に公表し、商品の回収を始めた。
According to the company, the amount of tainted milk used in the products was extremely small, and so far there have not been any reports of people being sickened after consuming them. It does not appear the widespread health problems in China will be replicated in Japan.
同社によれば、使用された牛乳は微量で、これまでのところ健康被害の報告はない。中国で懸念される状況が、そのまま日本で生じるわけではないだろう。
However, concerns among consumers will continue to grow as long as they are not able to distinguish between products that contain milk tainted with the chemical and those that do not.
だが、問題のある牛乳がどのような商品に使われているのか、全く分からない状況では、消費者の不安は膨らむ。
===
Time to tighten up checks
It is important that all of the concerned food production companies quickly grasp what is going on and announce the results of these investigations as soon as possible.
関連する食品メーカーは、実態調査を急ぎ、すべてを迅速に公表することが重要だ。
It also is necessary to review the way in which imported foods are dealt with at quarantine stations. At present, inspectors look only for pesticide residues and bacteria, not chemical contamination.
検疫のあり方も見直しが必要である。現状は、残留農薬や細菌の有無を調べることが目的で、化学物質の混入を想定していない。
Many cats and dogs died last year in the United States after eating pet food containing ingredients made in China. The culprit was found to be melamine. Yet Japanese quarantine authorities have not added melamine to their list of substances to be inspected for. This relaxed attitude toward potential chemical contamination must be abandoned and the possibility of such contamination must be assumed when checking imported foods.
昨年、米国で中国製原料のペットフードを食べた犬や猫が多数死んだ問題は、やはりメラミンが原因だった。にもかかわらず、メラミンを検査項目に加えていなかった。化学物質は想定外、との甘い姿勢は改めねばなるまい。
===
China withholding information?
The latest food contamination scandal only surfaced after the Beijing Olympics had finished. Suspicions have been raised that the Chinese government might have suppressed revelations about the damage done, even though the effects were known about for quite some time, out of concern over the possible impact the scandal might have had on the Games.
今回の問題は北京五輪が閉幕してから顕在化した。健康被害の訴えはかなり以前からあったのに、五輪への影響を考えて公表を抑えていたのではないか、との疑念をぬぐえない。
The World Health Organization also said somebody obviously withheld information on the scandal. It is interesting to note that a major dairy products manufacturer that sold milk powder containing melamine was one of the sponsors of the Beijing Olympics.
世界保健機関（ＷＨＯ）も「誰かが一定期間、情報を隠していたことは明白だ」との見解を示している。メラミン入り粉ミルクを販売した大手乳製品メーカーは、五輪のスポンサー企業だった。
In addition, the truth about the problem of tainted Chinese-made frozen gyoza in Japan has not yet been clarified. The government should urge China more strongly to improve the safety of Chinese-made foods and to disclose information on food contamination quickly.
冷凍ギョーザ事件も、真相はいまだに究明されていない。中国に対して日本政府は、もっと厳しく事態の改善を求め、迅速な情報開示を要求すべきである。
Meanwhile, a series of food safety scandals also have been occurring in Japan, including pesticide- and mold-tainted rice designated by the government as suitable only for industrial use being sold for human consumption.
一方で、日本においても事故米が不正転用されるなど、食をめぐる不祥事が相次いでいる。
Concerned ministries, agencies and the food industry must thoroughly investigate these problems originating in our own country. Failure to do so will undermine Japan's ability to blame China for shortcomings on food safety.
中国に毅然(きぜん)としてモノを言うためにも、関係官庁、食品業界は足元を総点検し、襟を正す必要があろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 24, 2008)
（2008年9月24日02時11分 読売新聞）
PR
(Mainichi Japan) September 23, 2008
Regulator tip-offs defeat purpose of safety inspections
発信箱：何も変わらない＝玉木研二
Some baffling facts are emerging over how the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries conducts its inspections -- specifically, giving companies warning in advance.
汚染米問題は農水省の不可解な検査実態を露呈した。
Giving advance warning of inspections is like a pitcher warning a runner on base that he's going to throw a pickoff. He has no chance of getting the runner out; no, it's as if the pitcher doesn't even want to get him out.
予告するとは、野球なら「投げるぞう」と塁上走者に知らせてけん制球を投げるのと同じ。刺せるわけがない、いや、ハナから刺す気がない。
Think back 40 years. In the Kanemi-oil PCB poisoning scandal, where polychlorinated biphenyls were mixed in with rice bran oil, there were vast numbers of chickens dying on poultry farms months before reports of humans falling ill.
ちょうど４０年前。ＰＣＢ（ポリ塩化ビフェニール）使用の熱媒体が製造工程の米ぬか油に混入したカネミ油症事件は、人体被害が広がる数カ月前、養鶏の大量死を起こした。
When it was discovered that cooking oil used to create their feed was the cause, the ministry went down to their factory in Kitakyushu to perform an inspection, since animal feed is part of their jurisdiction. But after the operator told them the oil was "OK," they simply left it at that.
食用工程から派生した油が用いられたエサが原因と分かり、飼料を所管する当時の農林省が北九州の工場に立ち入り検査していた。だが、食用油の方は「大丈夫」という業者の説明でそのままにした。
If, at the time, the Farm Ministry had contacted the then-Ministry of Health and Welfare, which was in charge of food hygiene, asked it to have a look -- just to be on the safe side -- the contamination could have been confirmed, and the damage to humans limited. However, they say that they were just staying within their jurisdiction.
もしその時、農林省が自ら踏み込まずとも食品衛生を所管する厚生省（当時）に「念のため調べるべきだ」と速やかに連絡し、省を超えて徹底調査をしていたら、食用油の汚染も判明し、人体被害は相当回避できたはずだ。ところが、彼らは「所管」と「権限」の中で忠実に職務を果たしたというのである。
In Akira Kurosawa's "Ikiru," the protagonist is a local bureaucrat hopelessly dedicated to his job yet stricken with an incurable disease. Making a fresh start, he vows to "stand first for the people, and go the extra mile as a bureaucrat, working beyond his jurisdiction."
黒沢明監督の映画「生きる」は、ひたすら無遅刻無欠勤を守るだけの無気力な市役所課長が主人公だ。不治の病が彼を「市民のため先頭に立ち、縄張りを超えて働く役人」に生まれ変わらせる。だが、現実の役人世界が生まれ変わることは相当難儀らしい。
At his funeral, his boss remarks smugly: "That's the kind of thing someone who knows nothing about local government would say." His fellow desk jockeys nod their assent.
「そんなこと言ったって、キミ、それは役所の機構を知らない素人の言うことであってね」。映画の葬式のシーン。市役所の幹部がしたり顔で言い、周囲がうなずく。
The film was made in 1952. So much time has passed, yet the reality has not lost its color, because nothing much has changed. (Column by Kenji Tamaki, Expert Senior Writer, Mainichi Shimbun Editorial Board)
１９５２年の作品。リアリティーが色あせないのはこれほど長い時が流れても何も変わっていないということだ。（論説室）
毎日新聞 2008年9月23日 2時32分
Regulator tip-offs defeat purpose of safety inspections
発信箱：何も変わらない＝玉木研二
Some baffling facts are emerging over how the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries conducts its inspections -- specifically, giving companies warning in advance.
汚染米問題は農水省の不可解な検査実態を露呈した。
Giving advance warning of inspections is like a pitcher warning a runner on base that he's going to throw a pickoff. He has no chance of getting the runner out; no, it's as if the pitcher doesn't even want to get him out.
予告するとは、野球なら「投げるぞう」と塁上走者に知らせてけん制球を投げるのと同じ。刺せるわけがない、いや、ハナから刺す気がない。
Think back 40 years. In the Kanemi-oil PCB poisoning scandal, where polychlorinated biphenyls were mixed in with rice bran oil, there were vast numbers of chickens dying on poultry farms months before reports of humans falling ill.
ちょうど４０年前。ＰＣＢ（ポリ塩化ビフェニール）使用の熱媒体が製造工程の米ぬか油に混入したカネミ油症事件は、人体被害が広がる数カ月前、養鶏の大量死を起こした。
When it was discovered that cooking oil used to create their feed was the cause, the ministry went down to their factory in Kitakyushu to perform an inspection, since animal feed is part of their jurisdiction. But after the operator told them the oil was "OK," they simply left it at that.
食用工程から派生した油が用いられたエサが原因と分かり、飼料を所管する当時の農林省が北九州の工場に立ち入り検査していた。だが、食用油の方は「大丈夫」という業者の説明でそのままにした。
If, at the time, the Farm Ministry had contacted the then-Ministry of Health and Welfare, which was in charge of food hygiene, asked it to have a look -- just to be on the safe side -- the contamination could have been confirmed, and the damage to humans limited. However, they say that they were just staying within their jurisdiction.
もしその時、農林省が自ら踏み込まずとも食品衛生を所管する厚生省（当時）に「念のため調べるべきだ」と速やかに連絡し、省を超えて徹底調査をしていたら、食用油の汚染も判明し、人体被害は相当回避できたはずだ。ところが、彼らは「所管」と「権限」の中で忠実に職務を果たしたというのである。
In Akira Kurosawa's "Ikiru," the protagonist is a local bureaucrat hopelessly dedicated to his job yet stricken with an incurable disease. Making a fresh start, he vows to "stand first for the people, and go the extra mile as a bureaucrat, working beyond his jurisdiction."
黒沢明監督の映画「生きる」は、ひたすら無遅刻無欠勤を守るだけの無気力な市役所課長が主人公だ。不治の病が彼を「市民のため先頭に立ち、縄張りを超えて働く役人」に生まれ変わらせる。だが、現実の役人世界が生まれ変わることは相当難儀らしい。
At his funeral, his boss remarks smugly: "That's the kind of thing someone who knows nothing about local government would say." His fellow desk jockeys nod their assent.
「そんなこと言ったって、キミ、それは役所の機構を知らない素人の言うことであってね」。映画の葬式のシーン。市役所の幹部がしたり顔で言い、周囲がうなずく。
The film was made in 1952. So much time has passed, yet the reality has not lost its color, because nothing much has changed. (Column by Kenji Tamaki, Expert Senior Writer, Mainichi Shimbun Editorial Board)
１９５２年の作品。リアリティーが色あせないのはこれほど長い時が流れても何も変わっていないということだ。（論説室）
毎日新聞 2008年9月23日 2時32分
(Sep. 23, 2008) The Yomiuri Shimbun
Aso must speak out, seize political spotlight
麻生自民党総裁 「何をなすか」明確に発信せよ（9月23日付・読売社説）
Now is a critical time for the Liberal Democratic Party. Taro Aso, the newly elected party president, needs to get serious and face up to important issues in a speedy and bold manner.
自民党にとって危急存亡の秋(とき)である。麻生太郎新総裁は、そんな危機感をもって、迅速果敢に、重要課題に立ち向かう必要があろう。
Aso scored an overwhelming victory in Monday's party leadership election to become the 23rd LDP president, defeating four other candidates--Kaoru Yosano, state minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy; Yuriko Koike, former defense minister; Nobuteru Ishihara, former chairman of the LDP Policy Research Council; and Shigeru Ishiba, former defense minister.
自民党総裁選は２２日、投開票の結果、麻生幹事長が、与謝野馨経済財政相、小池百合子・元防衛相、石原伸晃・元政調会長、石破茂・前防衛相の４氏に、大差をつけて勝利し、第２３代総裁に就任した。
Aso is set to be named prime minister at an extraordinary Diet session that convenes Wednesday.
麻生氏は、２４日に召集される臨時国会で首相に指名される。
◆責任感と耐久力を示せ◆
Aso's grandfather is Shigeru Yoshida, who served as prime minister for a number of years just after World War II.
麻生氏は、戦後、長期にわたり政権を担当した吉田茂・元首相の孫にあたる。
The prime minister's post has most recently been held by scions of political dynasties, Yasuo Fukuda and Shinzo Abe, both of whom abruptly resigned. Aso needs to demonstrate his strong sense of responsibility and staying power.
世襲議員の首相が２代続けて政権から中途退場した後を継ぐ総裁である。今度こそ、最高リーダーとして、強い責任感と耐久力を発揮してもらいたい。
Why did Aso defeat the other four candidates by such a big margin?
それにしても、麻生氏がこれほど圧勝したのはなぜか。
This was the fourth time for Aso to run for party president. Having his own small faction as a stronghold, Aso gained support from members of all of the party's factions as he went through three campaigns for the party's top post since 2006.
麻生氏の総裁選への挑戦は今回で４回目だ。小派閥である麻生派を拠点に、２００６年から３年連続して総裁選を戦ううちに全派閥に横断的な支持を広げた。
His upbeat and unique character attracted popular support. In recent opinion polls, Aso was ranked as the person most suitable for the prime minister's post.
明るい独特のキャラクターが大衆受けし、「首相に最もふさわしい人」を聞く世論調査でも、最近はトップに立っていた。
Party members are pinning their hopes on Aso as the face of the party with the dissolution of the House of Representatives and a general election expected soon.
とくに党内から期待されたのは、近づく衆院解散・総選挙での「党の顔」としてだろう。
Unlike Fukuda, who lacked the ability to convey strong messages, Aso was evaluated highly for his communication skills.
「発信力」不足の福田康夫・前総裁に比べて、高いコミュニケーション能力が買われたともいえよう。
Many LDP Diet members and local chapter representatives decided to support Aso in hopes of being on the winning side. As the cases of Abe and Fukuda showed, however, an overwhelming victory in a party race does not necessarily mean the winner can expect stable support from party members.
国会議員も地方代表も、「勝ち馬」に乗ろうと雪崩を打って麻生支持に回った。だが、安倍、福田政権のように、圧勝は必ずしも、党内基盤の安定を意味しない。
===
Face of party
In appointing four main party executives, Aso retained incumbents in three of the four posts. For the post of party secretary general that he previously occupied, Aso picked Hiroyuki Hosoda, acting secretary general of the party. By retaining the previous executive lineup, Aso appears to be trying to ensure a smooth transition.
麻生総裁は、党役員人事で党四役のうち３人を留任させ、幹事長に細田博之幹事長代理を充てた。前体制を継承することで、スムーズな移行を図ったといえる。
Having elected Aso as party president, LDP lawmakers have a responsibility to support the new leader by building party unity.
麻生氏を選んだ以上、自民党国会議員は、挙党態勢の下、新総裁を支える責任があるだろう。
The relationship with the LDP's junior coalition partner New Komeito is also important. The ruling parties' relationship soured in the final days of the Fukuda administration over such issues as a bill to revise the new Antiterrorism Law to allow the Maritime Self-Defense Force to continue its refueling mission in the Indian Ocean and envisaged fixed-sum tax breaks.
公明党との関係も大切だ。福田政権の末期は、インド洋での海上自衛隊による給油活動を継続するための新テロ対策特別措置法改正案や定額減税などをめぐり、自公関係がギクシャクした。
It is necessary to strengthen the relationship with New Komeito to foster cooperation in the next lower house election. Reconfirming the two parties' ties is an urgent task for Aso.
公明党との関係強化は、衆院選での選挙協力のうえでも不可欠だろう。麻生総裁にとって、両党連携の再確認が急務である。
◆「麻生ＶＳ小沢」◆
Aso faces mounting problems. In the midst of the LDP presidential election, U.S. financial giant Lehman Brothers Inc. failed and stock prices violently fluctuated worldwide. Uncertainty over the economy has been growing due to commodity price hikes pushed by surging prices for raw materials.
自民党総裁選のさなか、米証券大手のリーマン・ブラザーズが経営破綻(はたん)し、日本の株価も乱高下した。原材料高による物価上昇もあって、景気の先行き不安が強まっている。
There were news reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was facing health problems. Ahead of the news, North Korea halted its denuclearization process, which had been based on agreements reached in the six-party talks. It also postponed a reinvestigation into the abduction of Japanese nationals to North Korea by its agents.
北朝鮮の金正日総書記の健康不安説も流れた。それに先立ち、北朝鮮は６か国協議の合意に基づく核施設の無能力化作業を中断し、日本人拉致被害者の再調査についても先送りした。
The problem of illegal trade in agricultural chemical- and mold-tainted rice has expanded and developed to the point that the agriculture minister and the administrative vice farm minister resigned.
農薬などに汚染された事故米の不正取引問題は拡大し、農相、事務次官の辞任へと発展した。
All of these are serious problems.
深刻な問題ばかりである。
===
Political priorities
Aso, after he is named prime minister on Wednesday, has to pick people who are trustworthy and immediately respond to such difficult issues in forming his cabinet.
麻生氏は、内閣人事では、これらの難問に即応できる、有能で信頼に足る人材を起用していかねばならない。
Yet, to fulfill his responsibility as LDP president, Aso's most basic task is to lead the LDP to victory over Ichiro Ozawa's Democratic Party of Japan in the next lower house election.
麻生総裁が、職責を果たしていくには、まず、次期衆院選で小沢代表が率いる民主党に勝利することが前提になる。
Aso had been labeling the LDP presidential race as an election to choose a "warrior" to face off against Ozawa. Immediately after he was elected the new LDP head, he emphasized, "I'll be able to say I fulfilled my destiny when we win in the next [lower house] election."
麻生氏は、総裁選を小沢代表と「戦う人」を選ぶ選挙と位置づけてきた。自民党大会で総裁に選出された直後には、「次の選挙に勝って初めて『天命』を果たしたことになる」と強調した。
◆政策の真贋が問われる◆
The lower house election, termed the Aso vs Ozawa election, will be a battle to determine the next ruling party. It will be fought on the basis of which party's policies are real and which are false.
政権の座をかけた「麻生ＶＳ小沢」の衆院選は、両党の政策の真贋(しんがん)を問う戦いになる。
In the LDP presidential race the five candidates debated various issues, which in some ways served as preparation for policy debate with the DPJ in the election.
総裁選では、５氏が論争を展開し、民主党との政策論戦への備えを固めるものにはなったろう。
However, there are quite a few issues that were not satisfactorily discussed.
しかし、なお消化不良に終わった論点は少なくない。
For instance, how should the government fund its plan to take on a greater portion of the burden of paying basic pension benefits from fiscal 2009?
０９年度から基礎年金の国庫負担割合を２分の１にするための財源をどう手当てするのか。
Raising the consumption tax rate may not be possible for the next fiscal year, but is it acceptable for the ruling party not to discuss the issue at all for now?
消費税率の引き上げは、当面は無理にしても、まったく議論すらしなくていいのか。
Doesn't the LDP have to show at least a blueprint for drastic reform of the pension, health care and nursing care systems to cope with the declining birth rate, graying society and declining population?
少子高齢化、人口減社会における年金、医療、介護制度の抜本改革について、青写真を示すべきではないか。
What should be done to pass a bill to revise the new Antiterrorism Law to fulfill Japan's responsibility to the international community?
国際社会での責務を果たすための新テロ特措法改正案の成立を図るため、どんな手立てを講じなければならないのか。
As LDP president, Aso must provide a concrete and comprehensible answer for each of these questions.
麻生総裁は、これら一つ一つに、具体的でわかりやすい答えを示すことが求められる。
Aso's unique characteristics will not shine if he repeats mealy-mouthed remarks out of an excessive fear of being nailed down on undesirable pledges.
言質をとられるのを恐れるあまり、奥歯にものが挟まった発言を繰り返したりすれば、麻生氏の持ち味は失われかねない。
As a national leader he needs to elucidate his policy goals and explain how he will achieve them.
国家指導者として、これから「何をなすか」を明確に発信し、それを具体化するプロセスを説明していく必要があるだろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 23, 2008)
（2008年9月23日01時54分 読売新聞）
Aso must speak out, seize political spotlight
麻生自民党総裁 「何をなすか」明確に発信せよ（9月23日付・読売社説）
Now is a critical time for the Liberal Democratic Party. Taro Aso, the newly elected party president, needs to get serious and face up to important issues in a speedy and bold manner.
自民党にとって危急存亡の秋(とき)である。麻生太郎新総裁は、そんな危機感をもって、迅速果敢に、重要課題に立ち向かう必要があろう。
Aso scored an overwhelming victory in Monday's party leadership election to become the 23rd LDP president, defeating four other candidates--Kaoru Yosano, state minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy; Yuriko Koike, former defense minister; Nobuteru Ishihara, former chairman of the LDP Policy Research Council; and Shigeru Ishiba, former defense minister.
自民党総裁選は２２日、投開票の結果、麻生幹事長が、与謝野馨経済財政相、小池百合子・元防衛相、石原伸晃・元政調会長、石破茂・前防衛相の４氏に、大差をつけて勝利し、第２３代総裁に就任した。
Aso is set to be named prime minister at an extraordinary Diet session that convenes Wednesday.
麻生氏は、２４日に召集される臨時国会で首相に指名される。
◆責任感と耐久力を示せ◆
Aso's grandfather is Shigeru Yoshida, who served as prime minister for a number of years just after World War II.
麻生氏は、戦後、長期にわたり政権を担当した吉田茂・元首相の孫にあたる。
The prime minister's post has most recently been held by scions of political dynasties, Yasuo Fukuda and Shinzo Abe, both of whom abruptly resigned. Aso needs to demonstrate his strong sense of responsibility and staying power.
世襲議員の首相が２代続けて政権から中途退場した後を継ぐ総裁である。今度こそ、最高リーダーとして、強い責任感と耐久力を発揮してもらいたい。
Why did Aso defeat the other four candidates by such a big margin?
それにしても、麻生氏がこれほど圧勝したのはなぜか。
This was the fourth time for Aso to run for party president. Having his own small faction as a stronghold, Aso gained support from members of all of the party's factions as he went through three campaigns for the party's top post since 2006.
麻生氏の総裁選への挑戦は今回で４回目だ。小派閥である麻生派を拠点に、２００６年から３年連続して総裁選を戦ううちに全派閥に横断的な支持を広げた。
His upbeat and unique character attracted popular support. In recent opinion polls, Aso was ranked as the person most suitable for the prime minister's post.
明るい独特のキャラクターが大衆受けし、「首相に最もふさわしい人」を聞く世論調査でも、最近はトップに立っていた。
Party members are pinning their hopes on Aso as the face of the party with the dissolution of the House of Representatives and a general election expected soon.
とくに党内から期待されたのは、近づく衆院解散・総選挙での「党の顔」としてだろう。
Unlike Fukuda, who lacked the ability to convey strong messages, Aso was evaluated highly for his communication skills.
「発信力」不足の福田康夫・前総裁に比べて、高いコミュニケーション能力が買われたともいえよう。
Many LDP Diet members and local chapter representatives decided to support Aso in hopes of being on the winning side. As the cases of Abe and Fukuda showed, however, an overwhelming victory in a party race does not necessarily mean the winner can expect stable support from party members.
国会議員も地方代表も、「勝ち馬」に乗ろうと雪崩を打って麻生支持に回った。だが、安倍、福田政権のように、圧勝は必ずしも、党内基盤の安定を意味しない。
===
Face of party
In appointing four main party executives, Aso retained incumbents in three of the four posts. For the post of party secretary general that he previously occupied, Aso picked Hiroyuki Hosoda, acting secretary general of the party. By retaining the previous executive lineup, Aso appears to be trying to ensure a smooth transition.
麻生総裁は、党役員人事で党四役のうち３人を留任させ、幹事長に細田博之幹事長代理を充てた。前体制を継承することで、スムーズな移行を図ったといえる。
Having elected Aso as party president, LDP lawmakers have a responsibility to support the new leader by building party unity.
麻生氏を選んだ以上、自民党国会議員は、挙党態勢の下、新総裁を支える責任があるだろう。
The relationship with the LDP's junior coalition partner New Komeito is also important. The ruling parties' relationship soured in the final days of the Fukuda administration over such issues as a bill to revise the new Antiterrorism Law to allow the Maritime Self-Defense Force to continue its refueling mission in the Indian Ocean and envisaged fixed-sum tax breaks.
公明党との関係も大切だ。福田政権の末期は、インド洋での海上自衛隊による給油活動を継続するための新テロ対策特別措置法改正案や定額減税などをめぐり、自公関係がギクシャクした。
It is necessary to strengthen the relationship with New Komeito to foster cooperation in the next lower house election. Reconfirming the two parties' ties is an urgent task for Aso.
公明党との関係強化は、衆院選での選挙協力のうえでも不可欠だろう。麻生総裁にとって、両党連携の再確認が急務である。
◆「麻生ＶＳ小沢」◆
Aso faces mounting problems. In the midst of the LDP presidential election, U.S. financial giant Lehman Brothers Inc. failed and stock prices violently fluctuated worldwide. Uncertainty over the economy has been growing due to commodity price hikes pushed by surging prices for raw materials.
自民党総裁選のさなか、米証券大手のリーマン・ブラザーズが経営破綻(はたん)し、日本の株価も乱高下した。原材料高による物価上昇もあって、景気の先行き不安が強まっている。
There were news reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was facing health problems. Ahead of the news, North Korea halted its denuclearization process, which had been based on agreements reached in the six-party talks. It also postponed a reinvestigation into the abduction of Japanese nationals to North Korea by its agents.
北朝鮮の金正日総書記の健康不安説も流れた。それに先立ち、北朝鮮は６か国協議の合意に基づく核施設の無能力化作業を中断し、日本人拉致被害者の再調査についても先送りした。
The problem of illegal trade in agricultural chemical- and mold-tainted rice has expanded and developed to the point that the agriculture minister and the administrative vice farm minister resigned.
農薬などに汚染された事故米の不正取引問題は拡大し、農相、事務次官の辞任へと発展した。
All of these are serious problems.
深刻な問題ばかりである。
===
Political priorities
Aso, after he is named prime minister on Wednesday, has to pick people who are trustworthy and immediately respond to such difficult issues in forming his cabinet.
麻生氏は、内閣人事では、これらの難問に即応できる、有能で信頼に足る人材を起用していかねばならない。
Yet, to fulfill his responsibility as LDP president, Aso's most basic task is to lead the LDP to victory over Ichiro Ozawa's Democratic Party of Japan in the next lower house election.
麻生総裁が、職責を果たしていくには、まず、次期衆院選で小沢代表が率いる民主党に勝利することが前提になる。
Aso had been labeling the LDP presidential race as an election to choose a "warrior" to face off against Ozawa. Immediately after he was elected the new LDP head, he emphasized, "I'll be able to say I fulfilled my destiny when we win in the next [lower house] election."
麻生氏は、総裁選を小沢代表と「戦う人」を選ぶ選挙と位置づけてきた。自民党大会で総裁に選出された直後には、「次の選挙に勝って初めて『天命』を果たしたことになる」と強調した。
◆政策の真贋が問われる◆
The lower house election, termed the Aso vs Ozawa election, will be a battle to determine the next ruling party. It will be fought on the basis of which party's policies are real and which are false.
政権の座をかけた「麻生ＶＳ小沢」の衆院選は、両党の政策の真贋(しんがん)を問う戦いになる。
In the LDP presidential race the five candidates debated various issues, which in some ways served as preparation for policy debate with the DPJ in the election.
総裁選では、５氏が論争を展開し、民主党との政策論戦への備えを固めるものにはなったろう。
However, there are quite a few issues that were not satisfactorily discussed.
しかし、なお消化不良に終わった論点は少なくない。
For instance, how should the government fund its plan to take on a greater portion of the burden of paying basic pension benefits from fiscal 2009?
０９年度から基礎年金の国庫負担割合を２分の１にするための財源をどう手当てするのか。
Raising the consumption tax rate may not be possible for the next fiscal year, but is it acceptable for the ruling party not to discuss the issue at all for now?
消費税率の引き上げは、当面は無理にしても、まったく議論すらしなくていいのか。
Doesn't the LDP have to show at least a blueprint for drastic reform of the pension, health care and nursing care systems to cope with the declining birth rate, graying society and declining population?
少子高齢化、人口減社会における年金、医療、介護制度の抜本改革について、青写真を示すべきではないか。
What should be done to pass a bill to revise the new Antiterrorism Law to fulfill Japan's responsibility to the international community?
国際社会での責務を果たすための新テロ特措法改正案の成立を図るため、どんな手立てを講じなければならないのか。
As LDP president, Aso must provide a concrete and comprehensible answer for each of these questions.
麻生総裁は、これら一つ一つに、具体的でわかりやすい答えを示すことが求められる。
Aso's unique characteristics will not shine if he repeats mealy-mouthed remarks out of an excessive fear of being nailed down on undesirable pledges.
言質をとられるのを恐れるあまり、奥歯にものが挟まった発言を繰り返したりすれば、麻生氏の持ち味は失われかねない。
As a national leader he needs to elucidate his policy goals and explain how he will achieve them.
国家指導者として、これから「何をなすか」を明確に発信し、それを具体化するプロセスを説明していく必要があるだろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 23, 2008)
（2008年9月23日01時54分 読売新聞）
(Mainichi Japan) September 20, 2008
Financial crisis (Pt. 3): No end to the worst crisis since WWII
金融崩壊：リーマン・ショック／下 戦後最悪の危機続く
"It's like a blood clot in a hopelessly tangled blood vessel." Following the Lehman Brothers collapse, the short-term interest rate for dollars traded between banks shot up more than 10 percent for some financial institutions. One U.K. bank stated that some banks may collapse due to a lack of liquidity, with no end in sight for the worst financial crisis since WWII, and the Sept. 18 announcement by major central banks in Japan, America, and Europe indicated that they would cooperate in supplying significant dollar funding to short-term money markets in an attempt to alleviate anxiety.
「血栓ができて血流が根詰まりしたみたいだ」。米大手証券リーマン・ブラザーズの経営破綻（はたん）後、銀行間で融通し合うドルの短期金利が突然、一部の金融機関向けで１０％以上に急上昇した。「流動性不足で破綻する銀行が出かねない」（英系銀行）戦後最悪の危機的状況が続く。日米欧の主要中央銀行が１８日夕、協調して短期金融市場に大量のドル資金を供給すると発表したのはこの不安を解消するのが狙いだった。
But confusion caused by the Lehman Brothers collapse continues. According to a major securities company, the decision on Sept. 16 to provide public support to AIG, a major American insurance corporation, raised hopes that the worst had passed. However, stock markets in New York were universally down on Sept. 17. Markets in Tokyo and Asia fell on Sept. 18, increasing the general anxiety.
リーマン破綻に端を発した混乱が止まらない。米保険最大手ＡＩＧへの公的支援が１６日に決まり「最悪期を脱する」（大手証券）との期待が高まったが、１７日のニューヨーク株式市場は全面安。１８日の東京株式市場をはじめアジアの株式市場も下落、不安が増幅した。
The markets are voicing increasing dissatisfaction with financial authorities. According to a Japanese bank analyst, "there is absolutely no sense that they have a desire or strategy to actively strengthen their involvement in reducing credit instability." There is also a strong distrust of American financial authorities, that in a span of just two days flip-flopped on their policy for public support.
「積極的に関与を強めて信用不安を解消していこうという意欲や戦略が全く感じられない」（邦銀アナリスト）。市場では金融当局への不満が募る。わずか２日間で公的支援の方針を転換した米金融当局への不信が強い。
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson hasn't made a public appearance since the Sept. 16 decision to prop up AIG. Facing criticism, White House press secretary Dana Perino uncomfortably commented on Sept. 17 that the "Treasury Secretary is working hard," but didn't touch on what the market really wants to know; specifically, the standards for providing public support.
だが、１６日のＡＩＧへの公的支援決定後、ポールソン米財務長官は公の場に姿を見せない。矢面に立たされたホワイトハウスのペリーノ大統領報道官は１７日、「財務長官が努力している」と苦しい対応に追われたが、市場が知りたい「公的支援実施の基準」には歯切れが悪いままだった。
The fearful and suspicious market also turned on major U.S. securities firms -- firms that were supposed to be stable. On Sept. 17, shares of Morgan Stanley, the second largest securities firm in the U.S., temporarily dropped 44 percent in the New York market, forcing them to pursue mergers with multiple financial institutions.
疑心暗鬼に陥った市場は、経営に不安がないはずの米証券大手にも襲いかかる。１７日のニューヨーク市場で米証券２位のモルガン・スタンレーの株価は一時、４４％下落。同社は、複数の金融機関に合併を打診する事態に追い込まれた。
Investors are pulling their money out of the stock market and putting it into gold and U.S. bonds, regarded as the safer bet. During trading on Sept. 17 the price of gold jumped 70 dollars, its greatest increase ever, and the interest on three-month U.S. bonds dropped to 0.03 percent, the lowest level since WWII.
投資家は、株式市場から資金を引き揚げ、「最も安全な資産」と呼ばれる金市場や米国債市場へと向かう。金の価格は１７日の取引で史上最大となる７０ドルの上げ幅を記録、米国債３カ月物の金利は、戦後最低水準となる０・０３％となった。
The financial market upheaval has also affected the economies of developing nations, which have been supporting global growth.
金融市場の混乱は、世界の成長を支えてきた新興国の経済運営にも影響を与えた。
On Sept. 15, the People's Bank of China discarded its inflation control policy, lowering interest rates for the first time in six years and seven months, a shocking reduction in the interest rate that followed less than half a day after the announcement of the Lehman Brothers collapse.
中国人民銀行は１５日、インフレ抑制という政策目標を投げ捨て、６年７カ月ぶりの利下げに踏み切った。リーマンの破綻発表から半日もたたない電撃的な利下げだった。
"Vice Premier Wang Qishan, head of Chinese financial affairs, was in Los Angeles for Cabinet-level talks between the U.S. and China on Sept. 15. After seeing the impact of the Lehman Brothers collapse first-hand, he probably bypassed People's Bank of China President Zhou Xiaochan to directly convince Premier Wen Jiabao," speculates one financial insider.
「その日は金融担当の王岐山副首相が米中経済閣僚会議でロサンゼルスに滞在中だった。現地でリーマン破綻の影響の大きさを実感し、周小川・人民銀総裁の頭越しに温家宝首相を説得したのではないか」と金融関係者は推測する。
Regardless, stock markets continued to drop after this rate reduction, with dark clouds starting to color Chinese economic trends that had been universally optimistic following the end of the Beijing Olympics.
だが、その後も株式市場は下落が続き、楽観論一色だった北京五輪後の中国経済動向には暗雲が垂れこめた。
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) tentatively estimates that losses from subprime loans "will reach 1.1 trillion dollars (115 trillion yen) worldwide," and IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn warned that the financial crisis may worsen.
"The consequences for some financial institutions are still in front of us. We expect that in the coming weeks or months there will be more financial institutions that will have problems."
国際通貨基金（ＩＭＦ）は、サブプライムローンの損失額は「全世界で１兆１０００億ドル（１１５兆円）に達する」と試算する。ストロスカーン専務理事は、１７日、サウジアラビアのジッダで「一部の金融機関への影響はこれから明らかになる。今後、数週間、あるいは数カ月で問題が浮上する可能性がある」と述べ、金融危機がさらに深まる可能性を警告した。
毎日新聞 2008年9月19日 東京朝刊
Financial crisis (Pt. 3): No end to the worst crisis since WWII
金融崩壊：リーマン・ショック／下 戦後最悪の危機続く
"It's like a blood clot in a hopelessly tangled blood vessel." Following the Lehman Brothers collapse, the short-term interest rate for dollars traded between banks shot up more than 10 percent for some financial institutions. One U.K. bank stated that some banks may collapse due to a lack of liquidity, with no end in sight for the worst financial crisis since WWII, and the Sept. 18 announcement by major central banks in Japan, America, and Europe indicated that they would cooperate in supplying significant dollar funding to short-term money markets in an attempt to alleviate anxiety.
「血栓ができて血流が根詰まりしたみたいだ」。米大手証券リーマン・ブラザーズの経営破綻（はたん）後、銀行間で融通し合うドルの短期金利が突然、一部の金融機関向けで１０％以上に急上昇した。「流動性不足で破綻する銀行が出かねない」（英系銀行）戦後最悪の危機的状況が続く。日米欧の主要中央銀行が１８日夕、協調して短期金融市場に大量のドル資金を供給すると発表したのはこの不安を解消するのが狙いだった。
But confusion caused by the Lehman Brothers collapse continues. According to a major securities company, the decision on Sept. 16 to provide public support to AIG, a major American insurance corporation, raised hopes that the worst had passed. However, stock markets in New York were universally down on Sept. 17. Markets in Tokyo and Asia fell on Sept. 18, increasing the general anxiety.
リーマン破綻に端を発した混乱が止まらない。米保険最大手ＡＩＧへの公的支援が１６日に決まり「最悪期を脱する」（大手証券）との期待が高まったが、１７日のニューヨーク株式市場は全面安。１８日の東京株式市場をはじめアジアの株式市場も下落、不安が増幅した。
The markets are voicing increasing dissatisfaction with financial authorities. According to a Japanese bank analyst, "there is absolutely no sense that they have a desire or strategy to actively strengthen their involvement in reducing credit instability." There is also a strong distrust of American financial authorities, that in a span of just two days flip-flopped on their policy for public support.
「積極的に関与を強めて信用不安を解消していこうという意欲や戦略が全く感じられない」（邦銀アナリスト）。市場では金融当局への不満が募る。わずか２日間で公的支援の方針を転換した米金融当局への不信が強い。
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson hasn't made a public appearance since the Sept. 16 decision to prop up AIG. Facing criticism, White House press secretary Dana Perino uncomfortably commented on Sept. 17 that the "Treasury Secretary is working hard," but didn't touch on what the market really wants to know; specifically, the standards for providing public support.
だが、１６日のＡＩＧへの公的支援決定後、ポールソン米財務長官は公の場に姿を見せない。矢面に立たされたホワイトハウスのペリーノ大統領報道官は１７日、「財務長官が努力している」と苦しい対応に追われたが、市場が知りたい「公的支援実施の基準」には歯切れが悪いままだった。
The fearful and suspicious market also turned on major U.S. securities firms -- firms that were supposed to be stable. On Sept. 17, shares of Morgan Stanley, the second largest securities firm in the U.S., temporarily dropped 44 percent in the New York market, forcing them to pursue mergers with multiple financial institutions.
疑心暗鬼に陥った市場は、経営に不安がないはずの米証券大手にも襲いかかる。１７日のニューヨーク市場で米証券２位のモルガン・スタンレーの株価は一時、４４％下落。同社は、複数の金融機関に合併を打診する事態に追い込まれた。
Investors are pulling their money out of the stock market and putting it into gold and U.S. bonds, regarded as the safer bet. During trading on Sept. 17 the price of gold jumped 70 dollars, its greatest increase ever, and the interest on three-month U.S. bonds dropped to 0.03 percent, the lowest level since WWII.
投資家は、株式市場から資金を引き揚げ、「最も安全な資産」と呼ばれる金市場や米国債市場へと向かう。金の価格は１７日の取引で史上最大となる７０ドルの上げ幅を記録、米国債３カ月物の金利は、戦後最低水準となる０・０３％となった。
The financial market upheaval has also affected the economies of developing nations, which have been supporting global growth.
金融市場の混乱は、世界の成長を支えてきた新興国の経済運営にも影響を与えた。
On Sept. 15, the People's Bank of China discarded its inflation control policy, lowering interest rates for the first time in six years and seven months, a shocking reduction in the interest rate that followed less than half a day after the announcement of the Lehman Brothers collapse.
中国人民銀行は１５日、インフレ抑制という政策目標を投げ捨て、６年７カ月ぶりの利下げに踏み切った。リーマンの破綻発表から半日もたたない電撃的な利下げだった。
"Vice Premier Wang Qishan, head of Chinese financial affairs, was in Los Angeles for Cabinet-level talks between the U.S. and China on Sept. 15. After seeing the impact of the Lehman Brothers collapse first-hand, he probably bypassed People's Bank of China President Zhou Xiaochan to directly convince Premier Wen Jiabao," speculates one financial insider.
「その日は金融担当の王岐山副首相が米中経済閣僚会議でロサンゼルスに滞在中だった。現地でリーマン破綻の影響の大きさを実感し、周小川・人民銀総裁の頭越しに温家宝首相を説得したのではないか」と金融関係者は推測する。
Regardless, stock markets continued to drop after this rate reduction, with dark clouds starting to color Chinese economic trends that had been universally optimistic following the end of the Beijing Olympics.
だが、その後も株式市場は下落が続き、楽観論一色だった北京五輪後の中国経済動向には暗雲が垂れこめた。
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) tentatively estimates that losses from subprime loans "will reach 1.1 trillion dollars (115 trillion yen) worldwide," and IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn warned that the financial crisis may worsen.
"The consequences for some financial institutions are still in front of us. We expect that in the coming weeks or months there will be more financial institutions that will have problems."
国際通貨基金（ＩＭＦ）は、サブプライムローンの損失額は「全世界で１兆１０００億ドル（１１５兆円）に達する」と試算する。ストロスカーン専務理事は、１７日、サウジアラビアのジッダで「一部の金融機関への影響はこれから明らかになる。今後、数週間、あるいは数カ月で問題が浮上する可能性がある」と述べ、金融危機がさらに深まる可能性を警告した。
毎日新聞 2008年9月19日 東京朝刊
(Sep. 22, 2008) The Yomiuri Shimbun
Ozawa talks big, but can he deliver?
小沢民主党 まだ見えぬ政策実行の財源（9月22日付・読売社説）
The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan under Ichiro Ozawa needs to present the public with clear and feasible policies that could offer a viable alternative for Japanese politics.
小沢民主党に今、求められているのは、日本の政治の選択肢を、明確で実行可能な政策の形で国民に示すことである。
An easy metric for weighing the pros and cons of policies is to look at them when linked to financial resources available to bring them about. If it is not clear where the money for election pledges will come from, then these pledges cannot be seriously considered as viable alternatives.
政策は、財源とセットで考えることで、その是非が判断できる。財源の根拠が不明確な公約では、選択肢にならない。
Ozawa's reelection to a third term as party president was formally endorsed at the party's convention on Sunday.
民主党大会で小沢代表の３選が正式に承認された。
In his acceptance speech, Ozawa said the next House of Representatives election would be the "deciding battle" and stressed he would stake his political future to bring about a change of government. He retained all the party's current executives, including Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama, a sign Ozawa is setting the stage early for the next general election.
小沢代表は演説で、次期衆院選を「最後の戦い」と位置づけ、自らの政治生命をかけて政権交代を目指す決意を強調した。鳩山幹事長ら全役員を留任させた。早期の総選挙に対応するためだろう。
===
A question of funding
In his speech, Ozawa presented three timelines for implementing different policies under a DPJ administration: one for policies related to the fiscal 2009 budget; one for policies to be put in place within two years; and one for policies to be put in place within four years. Financing these policies, set to come to about 22 trillion yen, would be secured by boldly changing the general and special account budgetary systems.
小沢代表は、自らの政権構想の個別政策の実施時期を「来年度予算で」「２年以内」「４年以内」に３分類すると表明した。財源は、一般会計や特別会計の予算などを「総組み替え」して捻(ねん)出(しゅつ)する。総額で２２兆円になるという。
Ozawa plans to disclose concrete policy proposals in the party's manifesto for the next general election set for release by the end of the month.
具体的な内容は、月内に発表する次期衆院選の政権公約（マニフェスト）で示す予定だ。
Ozawa's plan for a new administration, which would put top priority on quality-of-life issues, includes fundamental proposals that carry huge budgets, such as a system to guarantee minimum pension payments funded by tax revenue, an income compensation system for each farming household and a system to eliminate expressway tolls. However, these proposals have been criticized due to the ambiguous funding spelled out for them.
「国民の生活が第一」を掲げる小沢代表の政権構想には、最低保障年金、農家の戸別所得補償、高速道路の無料化など、多額の予算が必要な政策が並ぶ。そのための財源はあいまいで、強く批判されてきた。
With this criticism in mind, Ozawa might have been trying with his speech to clarify the timing and financial backing for his policies.
小沢代表が政策の実施時期や財源を明示しようとするのは、その批判を踏まえたものだろう。
But it still remains unclear what Ozawa would cut from the fiscal 2009 budget, what policies he would carry out and how he would proceed with the drastic change in general and special account budgetary systems to secure these necessary financial resources. The manifesto will need to present clearer, more concrete explanations.
だが、来年度予算では、何を削り、何を実施するのか。その後、「総組み替え」をどう進めるのか、まだ不透明なままだ。マニフェストでは、より具体的で明快な説明が求められる。
===
Sticky issues remain
The DPJ has pursued questions about scandals tied to bureaucrats, including the pension record fiasco and wasteful usage of tax revenues collected exclusively for highway projects. In this way, the DPJ has appeared to be playing its role as an opposition party.
民主党は、年金記録漏れ、道路特定財源の無駄遣いなど、官僚の不祥事を追及してきた。「野党」として、一定の役割を果たしてきたとは言えよう。
But more importantly, it needs to present to the public the policies necessary for being a ruling party.
しかし、より重要なのは、「与党」になった場合の政策だ。
The DPJ opposes the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling activities in the Indian Ocean. How can Japan otherwise help the global war on terrorism? Considering the current situation in which it silences any serious discussion within the party about such counterproposals, the DPJ seems too irresponsible.
安全保障面で民主党は、インド洋での海上自衛隊の給油活動に反対している。日本は今後、「テロとの戦い」にどう関与していくのか。現実的な対案について、党内論議さえ封印している現状は、あまりに無責任ではないか。
The DPJ and the People's New Party agreed in merger talks to drastically review the privatization of postal services. Although plans for the merger have been shelved, the DPJ intends to specify in its manifesto the need to review postal privatization, including a freeze on the sale of state-owned shares and again offering three key postal services under one roof.
民主党は国民新党との合併協議で、郵政民営化の抜本的見直しで合意した。合併構想は白紙に戻ったが、政府保有株の売却凍結、郵政３事業の一体的サービスの提供など、民営化見直しはマニフェストに明記する方針だ。
Does this not run counter to the DPJ's administrative reform policy of basically abolishing public corporations and the special account system? The party also needs to clarify this for the public.
特殊法人、特別会計の原則廃止を唱える民主党の行政改革路線に逆行するのではないか。この点も、詳しい説明が必要だろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 22, 2008)
（2008年9月22日02時08分 読売新聞）
Ozawa talks big, but can he deliver?
小沢民主党 まだ見えぬ政策実行の財源（9月22日付・読売社説）
The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan under Ichiro Ozawa needs to present the public with clear and feasible policies that could offer a viable alternative for Japanese politics.
小沢民主党に今、求められているのは、日本の政治の選択肢を、明確で実行可能な政策の形で国民に示すことである。
An easy metric for weighing the pros and cons of policies is to look at them when linked to financial resources available to bring them about. If it is not clear where the money for election pledges will come from, then these pledges cannot be seriously considered as viable alternatives.
政策は、財源とセットで考えることで、その是非が判断できる。財源の根拠が不明確な公約では、選択肢にならない。
Ozawa's reelection to a third term as party president was formally endorsed at the party's convention on Sunday.
民主党大会で小沢代表の３選が正式に承認された。
In his acceptance speech, Ozawa said the next House of Representatives election would be the "deciding battle" and stressed he would stake his political future to bring about a change of government. He retained all the party's current executives, including Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama, a sign Ozawa is setting the stage early for the next general election.
小沢代表は演説で、次期衆院選を「最後の戦い」と位置づけ、自らの政治生命をかけて政権交代を目指す決意を強調した。鳩山幹事長ら全役員を留任させた。早期の総選挙に対応するためだろう。
===
A question of funding
In his speech, Ozawa presented three timelines for implementing different policies under a DPJ administration: one for policies related to the fiscal 2009 budget; one for policies to be put in place within two years; and one for policies to be put in place within four years. Financing these policies, set to come to about 22 trillion yen, would be secured by boldly changing the general and special account budgetary systems.
小沢代表は、自らの政権構想の個別政策の実施時期を「来年度予算で」「２年以内」「４年以内」に３分類すると表明した。財源は、一般会計や特別会計の予算などを「総組み替え」して捻(ねん)出(しゅつ)する。総額で２２兆円になるという。
Ozawa plans to disclose concrete policy proposals in the party's manifesto for the next general election set for release by the end of the month.
具体的な内容は、月内に発表する次期衆院選の政権公約（マニフェスト）で示す予定だ。
Ozawa's plan for a new administration, which would put top priority on quality-of-life issues, includes fundamental proposals that carry huge budgets, such as a system to guarantee minimum pension payments funded by tax revenue, an income compensation system for each farming household and a system to eliminate expressway tolls. However, these proposals have been criticized due to the ambiguous funding spelled out for them.
「国民の生活が第一」を掲げる小沢代表の政権構想には、最低保障年金、農家の戸別所得補償、高速道路の無料化など、多額の予算が必要な政策が並ぶ。そのための財源はあいまいで、強く批判されてきた。
With this criticism in mind, Ozawa might have been trying with his speech to clarify the timing and financial backing for his policies.
小沢代表が政策の実施時期や財源を明示しようとするのは、その批判を踏まえたものだろう。
But it still remains unclear what Ozawa would cut from the fiscal 2009 budget, what policies he would carry out and how he would proceed with the drastic change in general and special account budgetary systems to secure these necessary financial resources. The manifesto will need to present clearer, more concrete explanations.
だが、来年度予算では、何を削り、何を実施するのか。その後、「総組み替え」をどう進めるのか、まだ不透明なままだ。マニフェストでは、より具体的で明快な説明が求められる。
===
Sticky issues remain
The DPJ has pursued questions about scandals tied to bureaucrats, including the pension record fiasco and wasteful usage of tax revenues collected exclusively for highway projects. In this way, the DPJ has appeared to be playing its role as an opposition party.
民主党は、年金記録漏れ、道路特定財源の無駄遣いなど、官僚の不祥事を追及してきた。「野党」として、一定の役割を果たしてきたとは言えよう。
But more importantly, it needs to present to the public the policies necessary for being a ruling party.
しかし、より重要なのは、「与党」になった場合の政策だ。
The DPJ opposes the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling activities in the Indian Ocean. How can Japan otherwise help the global war on terrorism? Considering the current situation in which it silences any serious discussion within the party about such counterproposals, the DPJ seems too irresponsible.
安全保障面で民主党は、インド洋での海上自衛隊の給油活動に反対している。日本は今後、「テロとの戦い」にどう関与していくのか。現実的な対案について、党内論議さえ封印している現状は、あまりに無責任ではないか。
The DPJ and the People's New Party agreed in merger talks to drastically review the privatization of postal services. Although plans for the merger have been shelved, the DPJ intends to specify in its manifesto the need to review postal privatization, including a freeze on the sale of state-owned shares and again offering three key postal services under one roof.
民主党は国民新党との合併協議で、郵政民営化の抜本的見直しで合意した。合併構想は白紙に戻ったが、政府保有株の売却凍結、郵政３事業の一体的サービスの提供など、民営化見直しはマニフェストに明記する方針だ。
Does this not run counter to the DPJ's administrative reform policy of basically abolishing public corporations and the special account system? The party also needs to clarify this for the public.
特殊法人、特別会計の原則廃止を唱える民主党の行政改革路線に逆行するのではないか。この点も、詳しい説明が必要だろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 22, 2008)
（2008年9月22日02時08分 読売新聞）
(Sep. 21, 2008) The Yomiuri Shimbun
Public financing giant needs to trim down
政府系金融再編 「メガ公庫」のスリム化進めよ（9月21日付・読売社説）
The reorganization of eight government-affiliated financial institutions, which was prescribed in the structural reform policies of the administration of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, will begin in October.
小泉構造改革で打ち出された政府系金融機関の再編が、１０月から実施される。
The reorganization is aimed at streamlining public financing, which is characterized by wasteful use of funds, and at entrusting to the private sector business fields it can look after. To enable the fruit of structural reforms to be harvested, efficiency should be further boosted after the reorganization.
ムダが多い官製金融をスリム化し、民間が担える分野は民間に任せるのが狙いだ。改革の実を挙げるためには、再編後も効率化を図らねばならない。
Three government financial entities, including the National Life Finance Corporation, and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation's international financial unit will be integrated to create the Japan Finance Corporation (JFC). The government-affiliated financial institutions will be fully unified when the Okinawa Development Finance Corporation is subsumed within the JFC sometime after fiscal 2012.
国民生活金融公庫など３公庫と国際協力銀行の国際金融部門が統合し、「日本政策金融公庫」が誕生する。沖縄振興開発金融公庫も２０１２年度以降に合流し、政府系金融機関は一本化される。
The Development Bank of Japan and Shoko Chukin Bank will become government-funded companies. The two companies will be totally privatized between five and seven years from now.
The operations of Japan Finance Corporation for Municipal Enterprises will be transferred to an organization jointly funded by municipalities.
日本政策投資銀行と商工組合中央金庫は政府出資の株式会社となり、５～７年後に完全民営化される。公営企業金融公庫は、地方自治体が出資する「地方公営企業等金融機構」に業務を引き継ぐ。
===
JFC must assist public sector
With the revamping of the three financial institutions, including the Development Bank of Japan, the government's target of halving the balance of outstanding loans by government-affiliated financial institutions will be achieved. But this is not enough.
日本政策投資銀など３機関が衣替えするため、政府系金融機関の融資残高を半減する政府目標は達成される。だが、それだけでは不十分である。
First of all, it is indispensable to streamline the JFC, which will have 25 trillion yen of outstanding loans--an amount equivalent to those held by Resona Holdings, Inc. For commercial banks targeting the same clients as the JFC--small and midsize companies--the massive government-affiliated financial institution will become a rival to be reckoned with.
まず、日本政策金融公庫のスリム化が欠かせない。融資残高は２５兆円と大手銀行のりそなグループ並みだ。中小企業など得意先が重なる銀行にとって、「メガ公庫」は手強(ごわ)いライバルとなる。
The JFC should not steal the best clients from private banks. It should focus on business fields that only public financing can undertake, including offering loans to small and midsize companies hit by the credit crunch. It should devote its energies to complementing the public sector.
優良顧客を公庫が民間銀行から横取りするようなことがあってはならない。貸し渋りに苦しむ中小企業への融資など、公的金融でなければ担えない案件に絞り、民業の補完に徹するべきだ。
Public financing will be put to the test at a time when the nation is grappling with a financial crisis and the threat of a recession looms. The government must prepare a system to supply a smooth flow of funds to businesses in need.
金融危機や不況の時こそ政策金融の真価が問われる。円滑な資金供給体制を整えておきたい。
As a matter of course, the fact that the JFC will play such a role should not be used as an excuse to preserve the organization's structure intact.
もちろん、こうした役割を組織温存の口実としてはならない。
===
Do away with sectionalism
Although the number of executives will be reduced from the current 43 in the former four organizations, the JFC will still have 27 executives. This is a transparent bid by the supervisory authorities to create plum jobs into which they can parachute retiring government officials. The quota should be pared further.
役員の定員は、旧４機関の合計４３人から減らすものの、まだ２７人もいる。天下り先を確保したい監督官庁の思惑が見え見えだ。さらに削り込むべきである。
While the number of JFC branches, at 152, will be two-thirds of the total of 233 of those of its predecessors, the number of workers will be trimmed just 5 percent from the about 8,000 staff now working for the predecessors. This problem results from the fact that the structures of each of the predecessor entities will be preserved after the reorganization.
支店は統合前の２３３店から１５２店へと３分の２に減るのに、約８０００人の職員は５年で５％しか減らさない。旧機関別に組織が縦割りで残る弊害である。
To make the reorganization effective, it is vital to do away with sectionalism and reduce the number of staff substantially by setting a numerical target.
統合効果を発揮するには、縦割りを解消し、数値目標を定め人員を大幅に削減する必要がある。
An assessment committee should be appointed to oversee the JFC to prevent cronyism.
公庫を監視する評価委員会も、チェックがお手盛りにならぬよう、委員の人選が重要となる。
Meanwhile, after being privatized, the Development Bank of Japan and Shoko Chukin Bank will find themselves in a more severe business environment, in which they will have to bear the higher costs needed to raise funds, as they do not have an "unspoken guarantee from the government."
一方、政策投資銀と商工中金は完全民営化されると「暗黙の政府保証」がなくなり、資金調達コストが高くなるなど、これまでより厳しい環境に置かれる。
In the process of becoming independent, it is imperative for the two organizations to make such management efforts as a thorough restructuring and development of highly profitable businesses.
独り立ちに向け、徹底したリストラや収益性の高い事業の開発など、経営努力が欠かせない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 21, 2008)
（2008年9月21日01時54分 読売新聞）
Public financing giant needs to trim down
政府系金融再編 「メガ公庫」のスリム化進めよ（9月21日付・読売社説）
The reorganization of eight government-affiliated financial institutions, which was prescribed in the structural reform policies of the administration of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, will begin in October.
小泉構造改革で打ち出された政府系金融機関の再編が、１０月から実施される。
The reorganization is aimed at streamlining public financing, which is characterized by wasteful use of funds, and at entrusting to the private sector business fields it can look after. To enable the fruit of structural reforms to be harvested, efficiency should be further boosted after the reorganization.
ムダが多い官製金融をスリム化し、民間が担える分野は民間に任せるのが狙いだ。改革の実を挙げるためには、再編後も効率化を図らねばならない。
Three government financial entities, including the National Life Finance Corporation, and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation's international financial unit will be integrated to create the Japan Finance Corporation (JFC). The government-affiliated financial institutions will be fully unified when the Okinawa Development Finance Corporation is subsumed within the JFC sometime after fiscal 2012.
国民生活金融公庫など３公庫と国際協力銀行の国際金融部門が統合し、「日本政策金融公庫」が誕生する。沖縄振興開発金融公庫も２０１２年度以降に合流し、政府系金融機関は一本化される。
The Development Bank of Japan and Shoko Chukin Bank will become government-funded companies. The two companies will be totally privatized between five and seven years from now.
The operations of Japan Finance Corporation for Municipal Enterprises will be transferred to an organization jointly funded by municipalities.
日本政策投資銀行と商工組合中央金庫は政府出資の株式会社となり、５～７年後に完全民営化される。公営企業金融公庫は、地方自治体が出資する「地方公営企業等金融機構」に業務を引き継ぐ。
===
JFC must assist public sector
With the revamping of the three financial institutions, including the Development Bank of Japan, the government's target of halving the balance of outstanding loans by government-affiliated financial institutions will be achieved. But this is not enough.
日本政策投資銀など３機関が衣替えするため、政府系金融機関の融資残高を半減する政府目標は達成される。だが、それだけでは不十分である。
First of all, it is indispensable to streamline the JFC, which will have 25 trillion yen of outstanding loans--an amount equivalent to those held by Resona Holdings, Inc. For commercial banks targeting the same clients as the JFC--small and midsize companies--the massive government-affiliated financial institution will become a rival to be reckoned with.
まず、日本政策金融公庫のスリム化が欠かせない。融資残高は２５兆円と大手銀行のりそなグループ並みだ。中小企業など得意先が重なる銀行にとって、「メガ公庫」は手強(ごわ)いライバルとなる。
The JFC should not steal the best clients from private banks. It should focus on business fields that only public financing can undertake, including offering loans to small and midsize companies hit by the credit crunch. It should devote its energies to complementing the public sector.
優良顧客を公庫が民間銀行から横取りするようなことがあってはならない。貸し渋りに苦しむ中小企業への融資など、公的金融でなければ担えない案件に絞り、民業の補完に徹するべきだ。
Public financing will be put to the test at a time when the nation is grappling with a financial crisis and the threat of a recession looms. The government must prepare a system to supply a smooth flow of funds to businesses in need.
金融危機や不況の時こそ政策金融の真価が問われる。円滑な資金供給体制を整えておきたい。
As a matter of course, the fact that the JFC will play such a role should not be used as an excuse to preserve the organization's structure intact.
もちろん、こうした役割を組織温存の口実としてはならない。
===
Do away with sectionalism
Although the number of executives will be reduced from the current 43 in the former four organizations, the JFC will still have 27 executives. This is a transparent bid by the supervisory authorities to create plum jobs into which they can parachute retiring government officials. The quota should be pared further.
役員の定員は、旧４機関の合計４３人から減らすものの、まだ２７人もいる。天下り先を確保したい監督官庁の思惑が見え見えだ。さらに削り込むべきである。
While the number of JFC branches, at 152, will be two-thirds of the total of 233 of those of its predecessors, the number of workers will be trimmed just 5 percent from the about 8,000 staff now working for the predecessors. This problem results from the fact that the structures of each of the predecessor entities will be preserved after the reorganization.
支店は統合前の２３３店から１５２店へと３分の２に減るのに、約８０００人の職員は５年で５％しか減らさない。旧機関別に組織が縦割りで残る弊害である。
To make the reorganization effective, it is vital to do away with sectionalism and reduce the number of staff substantially by setting a numerical target.
統合効果を発揮するには、縦割りを解消し、数値目標を定め人員を大幅に削減する必要がある。
An assessment committee should be appointed to oversee the JFC to prevent cronyism.
公庫を監視する評価委員会も、チェックがお手盛りにならぬよう、委員の人選が重要となる。
Meanwhile, after being privatized, the Development Bank of Japan and Shoko Chukin Bank will find themselves in a more severe business environment, in which they will have to bear the higher costs needed to raise funds, as they do not have an "unspoken guarantee from the government."
一方、政策投資銀と商工中金は完全民営化されると「暗黙の政府保証」がなくなり、資金調達コストが高くなるなど、これまでより厳しい環境に置かれる。
In the process of becoming independent, it is imperative for the two organizations to make such management efforts as a thorough restructuring and development of highly profitable businesses.
独り立ちに向け、徹底したリストラや収益性の高い事業の開発など、経営努力が欠かせない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 21, 2008)
（2008年9月21日01時54分 読売新聞）
(Mainichi Japan) September 21, 2008
Unusual all-red dragonfly found at Tokyo museum
トンボ：体も羽も赤いトンボ 都内２例目、ビオトープで見つかる－－北区 ／東京
The red dragonfly, Sept. 19, 2008.The Kita-ku Fureai Insect Information Center made an unusual find in its biotope: an all-red dragonfly, only the second one ever found in the metropolitan area, and which has been tentatively identified as a red grasshawk dragonfly.
北区立自然ふれあい情報館（同区十条仲原４）のビオトープで、体と羽が赤いトンボが見つかった。専門家は東南アジアに生息するフチドリベッコウトンボではないかと見ている。都内で確認されるのは２例目で、前回は０５年９月、同区赤羽付近で目撃されている。
Museum staff first found the dragonfly on Sept. 3 and managed to take a photo, but it flew off before they could capture it.
同区によると、今月３日、自然ふれあい情報館のスタッフがビオトープ内のコガマの葉にとまっているところを見つけた。写真は撮ったが、捕獲できなかった。
The photo was sent to an expert on south-east Asian dragonflies, asking him to identify it, but without a live specimen a positive identification couldn't be made.
同館が東南アジアのトンボを研究している専門家に写真を送り、トンボの種類を確定してもらえるよう依頼。しかし標本がないため、種類の確定にはいたっていないという。
According to the expert, the dragonfly could have been swept up by a low pressure air system, accidently imported along with some water plants, or brought in to the country for breeding purposes and escaped.
専門家は「低気圧に乗って運ばれたか、輸入された水草に付着したものがふ化したか、飼育用など故意に持ち込まれたものが逃げ出したことが考えられる」と説明している。【吉永磨美】
毎日新聞 2008年9月20日 地方版
Unusual all-red dragonfly found at Tokyo museum
トンボ：体も羽も赤いトンボ 都内２例目、ビオトープで見つかる－－北区 ／東京
The red dragonfly, Sept. 19, 2008.The Kita-ku Fureai Insect Information Center made an unusual find in its biotope: an all-red dragonfly, only the second one ever found in the metropolitan area, and which has been tentatively identified as a red grasshawk dragonfly.
北区立自然ふれあい情報館（同区十条仲原４）のビオトープで、体と羽が赤いトンボが見つかった。専門家は東南アジアに生息するフチドリベッコウトンボではないかと見ている。都内で確認されるのは２例目で、前回は０５年９月、同区赤羽付近で目撃されている。
Museum staff first found the dragonfly on Sept. 3 and managed to take a photo, but it flew off before they could capture it.
同区によると、今月３日、自然ふれあい情報館のスタッフがビオトープ内のコガマの葉にとまっているところを見つけた。写真は撮ったが、捕獲できなかった。
The photo was sent to an expert on south-east Asian dragonflies, asking him to identify it, but without a live specimen a positive identification couldn't be made.
同館が東南アジアのトンボを研究している専門家に写真を送り、トンボの種類を確定してもらえるよう依頼。しかし標本がないため、種類の確定にはいたっていないという。
According to the expert, the dragonfly could have been swept up by a low pressure air system, accidently imported along with some water plants, or brought in to the country for breeding purposes and escaped.
専門家は「低気圧に乗って運ばれたか、輸入された水草に付着したものがふ化したか、飼育用など故意に持ち込まれたものが逃げ出したことが考えられる」と説明している。【吉永磨美】
毎日新聞 2008年9月20日 地方版
(Sep. 20, 2008) The Yomiuri Shimbun
Culture at farm ministry sowed seeds of scandals
農水２首脳辞任 不祥事が続く体質が問題だ（9月20日付・読売社説）
Friday's turn of events showed that Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Seiichi Ota and Toshiro Shirasu, the ministry's top bureaucrat, finally came to realize how heavy their responsibility has been in allowing public distrust in food safety to spread so widely.
食への不信を拡大した責任の重さに気がついたということだろう。
Ota and Shirasu, administrative vice agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister, resigned Friday to take responsibility for the scandal in which imported rice contaminated with pesticide and mold was illicitly resold for purposes other than industrial use. Shirasu was effectively sacked from his post.
太田誠一農相と農林水産省の白須敏朗次官が、農薬などに汚染されたコメの不正転売問題の責任を取って辞任した。次官は事実上の更迭である。
It is only natural that the ministry's two top officials were replaced, but these personnel changes alone will not be enough to change the organizational climate in the ministry, which has induced one scandal after another. A sweeping structural reform should be carried out to resuscitate the ministry.
トップ２人の交代は当然だが、それだけでは、不祥事が続く体質は改まるまい。抜本的な改革で再生させる必要があろう。
Against the backdrop of widespread distribution of tainted rice is the ministry's industry-friendly stance, exemplified by its aggressive selling of contaminated rice to companies and its overlooking of the illicit sale of such rice as food by conducting lackadaisical inspections.
汚染米の流通が拡大した背景には、業者に積極的に汚染米を売り込み、甘い検査で転売を見逃し続けていた農水省の業界寄りの姿勢があった。
===
Succession of missteps
The ministry badly mishandled the situation after the illicit distribution of tainted rice came to light earlier this month.
The ministry's section chief in charge of selling tainted imported rice refused to disclose the names of companies that bought the rice, saying the ministry "does not have the authority to do so."
不正発覚後の対応も、極めて問題だった。担当課長は、「農水省には権限がない」などとして流通先の公表を拒んだ。
At the instruction of the Prime Minister's Office, the ministry revealed the list of those companies this week, but the list contained many errors, such as the inclusion of companies that have not dealt in tainted rice.
官邸の指示で、公表に踏み切った際には、汚染米を扱っていない業者まで流通先に含めるなど、ミスが相次いだ。
The ministry's Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau in charge of food safety issues initially was excluded from the ministry's response to the scandal because "no health damage" was reported. It took a whole week after the ministry revealed the illicit distribution for it to enlist all its bureaus to deal with the spiraling problem.
「健康被害はない」という理由で、本来、食の安全を担当するはずの消費・安全局は当初、外されていた。その後、問題の拡大を受けて省をあげての体制をとったのは、最初に問題を公表してから１週間もたってからだった。
Ota and Shirasu, both of whom were supposed to display leadership in dealing with the scandal, made comments that exposed the ministry's irresponsibility. "I'm not overly fazed by the scandal," Ota, said, while Shirasu opined, "I don't think [we were] directly responsible for the scandal."
さらに、陣頭指揮すべき大臣と次官は、「ジタバタ騒いでいない」「責任があるとは思わない」などと発言し、無責任体質を露呈する有り様だった。
The ministry has repeatedly mishandled food safety issues. For example, it made light of information on bovine spongiform encephalopathy from the European Union, and, as a result, it allowed the infiltration of BSE into Japan.
農水省はこれまでも、欧州連合（ＥＵ）からの情報を軽視し、ＢＳＥ（牛海綿状脳症）の国内への侵入を許すなど、食の安全を巡って失政を重ねている。
Based on lessons learned from such errors, the Food Safety Commission of the Cabinet Office and the ministry's Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau were established five years ago, tasked with revamping the administration of food safety so policies would be implemented from the viewpoints of consumers.
５年前に食品安全委員会が生まれ、省内に消費・安全局を設けたのも、この反省から、消費者の目線に立つ役所に生まれ変わるのが狙いだった。
But none of these lessons were heeded.
だが、こうした教訓は全く生かされなかった。
===
Problems systemic
In response to the scandal, the ministry has mapped out a package of measures designed to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. According to its plans, rice inspection and sales will be handled by different sections of the ministry, and a new system will be put in place to make country-of-origin labeling mandatory for tainted rice.
今回の事態を受け、農水省は、コメの検査と販売を別の部局に担当させ、原産地表示を制度化するなどの再発防止策をまとめた。
Of course, these measures are not enough. A thorough rethink is required if the government wants to change the organizational nature of the ministry.
これだけでは、到底不十分だ。どうすれば農水省の体質を変えられるか、一から考え直さなければならない。
For example, the ministry would be well advised to recruit an outsider to assume the key oversight function at its secretariat and take other steps to beef up its supervisory functions.
例えば、官房の中枢に、お目付け役として外部の人材を登用するなど、監視機能の一段の強化を図ってはどうか。
On Friday, the Cabinet Office established a panel of experts who will identify problems in the ministry's handling of tainted rice and supervision of companies buying such rice. Problem-prevention measures will also be studied by the panel.
１９日には内閣府で、農水省の対応の問題点を検証し、再発防止策などを検討する有識者会議が始動した。
We hope the panel will work out specific reform measures that also go as far as rectifying the structural problems of the ministry.
農水省の組織の在り方まで踏み込んで、改革の具体案を打ち出してほしい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 20, 2008)
（2008年9月20日01時57分 読売新聞）
Culture at farm ministry sowed seeds of scandals
農水２首脳辞任 不祥事が続く体質が問題だ（9月20日付・読売社説）
Friday's turn of events showed that Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Seiichi Ota and Toshiro Shirasu, the ministry's top bureaucrat, finally came to realize how heavy their responsibility has been in allowing public distrust in food safety to spread so widely.
食への不信を拡大した責任の重さに気がついたということだろう。
Ota and Shirasu, administrative vice agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister, resigned Friday to take responsibility for the scandal in which imported rice contaminated with pesticide and mold was illicitly resold for purposes other than industrial use. Shirasu was effectively sacked from his post.
太田誠一農相と農林水産省の白須敏朗次官が、農薬などに汚染されたコメの不正転売問題の責任を取って辞任した。次官は事実上の更迭である。
It is only natural that the ministry's two top officials were replaced, but these personnel changes alone will not be enough to change the organizational climate in the ministry, which has induced one scandal after another. A sweeping structural reform should be carried out to resuscitate the ministry.
トップ２人の交代は当然だが、それだけでは、不祥事が続く体質は改まるまい。抜本的な改革で再生させる必要があろう。
Against the backdrop of widespread distribution of tainted rice is the ministry's industry-friendly stance, exemplified by its aggressive selling of contaminated rice to companies and its overlooking of the illicit sale of such rice as food by conducting lackadaisical inspections.
汚染米の流通が拡大した背景には、業者に積極的に汚染米を売り込み、甘い検査で転売を見逃し続けていた農水省の業界寄りの姿勢があった。
===
Succession of missteps
The ministry badly mishandled the situation after the illicit distribution of tainted rice came to light earlier this month.
The ministry's section chief in charge of selling tainted imported rice refused to disclose the names of companies that bought the rice, saying the ministry "does not have the authority to do so."
不正発覚後の対応も、極めて問題だった。担当課長は、「農水省には権限がない」などとして流通先の公表を拒んだ。
At the instruction of the Prime Minister's Office, the ministry revealed the list of those companies this week, but the list contained many errors, such as the inclusion of companies that have not dealt in tainted rice.
官邸の指示で、公表に踏み切った際には、汚染米を扱っていない業者まで流通先に含めるなど、ミスが相次いだ。
The ministry's Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau in charge of food safety issues initially was excluded from the ministry's response to the scandal because "no health damage" was reported. It took a whole week after the ministry revealed the illicit distribution for it to enlist all its bureaus to deal with the spiraling problem.
「健康被害はない」という理由で、本来、食の安全を担当するはずの消費・安全局は当初、外されていた。その後、問題の拡大を受けて省をあげての体制をとったのは、最初に問題を公表してから１週間もたってからだった。
Ota and Shirasu, both of whom were supposed to display leadership in dealing with the scandal, made comments that exposed the ministry's irresponsibility. "I'm not overly fazed by the scandal," Ota, said, while Shirasu opined, "I don't think [we were] directly responsible for the scandal."
さらに、陣頭指揮すべき大臣と次官は、「ジタバタ騒いでいない」「責任があるとは思わない」などと発言し、無責任体質を露呈する有り様だった。
The ministry has repeatedly mishandled food safety issues. For example, it made light of information on bovine spongiform encephalopathy from the European Union, and, as a result, it allowed the infiltration of BSE into Japan.
農水省はこれまでも、欧州連合（ＥＵ）からの情報を軽視し、ＢＳＥ（牛海綿状脳症）の国内への侵入を許すなど、食の安全を巡って失政を重ねている。
Based on lessons learned from such errors, the Food Safety Commission of the Cabinet Office and the ministry's Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau were established five years ago, tasked with revamping the administration of food safety so policies would be implemented from the viewpoints of consumers.
５年前に食品安全委員会が生まれ、省内に消費・安全局を設けたのも、この反省から、消費者の目線に立つ役所に生まれ変わるのが狙いだった。
But none of these lessons were heeded.
だが、こうした教訓は全く生かされなかった。
===
Problems systemic
In response to the scandal, the ministry has mapped out a package of measures designed to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. According to its plans, rice inspection and sales will be handled by different sections of the ministry, and a new system will be put in place to make country-of-origin labeling mandatory for tainted rice.
今回の事態を受け、農水省は、コメの検査と販売を別の部局に担当させ、原産地表示を制度化するなどの再発防止策をまとめた。
Of course, these measures are not enough. A thorough rethink is required if the government wants to change the organizational nature of the ministry.
これだけでは、到底不十分だ。どうすれば農水省の体質を変えられるか、一から考え直さなければならない。
For example, the ministry would be well advised to recruit an outsider to assume the key oversight function at its secretariat and take other steps to beef up its supervisory functions.
例えば、官房の中枢に、お目付け役として外部の人材を登用するなど、監視機能の一段の強化を図ってはどうか。
On Friday, the Cabinet Office established a panel of experts who will identify problems in the ministry's handling of tainted rice and supervision of companies buying such rice. Problem-prevention measures will also be studied by the panel.
１９日には内閣府で、農水省の対応の問題点を検証し、再発防止策などを検討する有識者会議が始動した。
We hope the panel will work out specific reform measures that also go as far as rectifying the structural problems of the ministry.
農水省の組織の在り方まで踏み込んで、改革の具体案を打ち出してほしい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 20, 2008)
（2008年9月20日01時57分 読売新聞）
(Mainichi Japan) September 19, 2008
Japan needs to rethink emergency economic measures in wake of U.S. financial crisis
社説：米国発金融危機 日本は緊急施策の見直しを
The U.S. financial crisis, which has triggered the collapse of major financial institutions and prompted government bailouts, will have harmful consequences for the Japanese economy.
大手金融機関が経営破綻（はたん）や政府による救済にまで立ち至った米国の金融危機は、日本経済にも悪影響を及ぼす。
Japan's real GDP shrank in the second quarter (April to June) at an annualized rate of 3 percent compared with the previous quarter, and there are no signs that a recovery is underway in the third quarter, which ends on Sep. 30. If the financial crisis sends the U.S. economy into a deep recession, not only will Japan's exports fall off but also private-sector facilities investment will dry up. And if corporate performance deteriorates, workers' wages will stagnate, and personal consumption will decline.
今年４～６月期の実質成長率は前期比、年率でマイナス３％だった。７～９月期も立ち直りの兆候は出ていない。米国経済が金融危機の影響でより不況色が強まれば、日本は輸出の減少のみならず、海外需要を当てにしてきた民間設備投資の停滞も深くなる。企業業績が悪化すれば勤労者の賃金も伸び悩み、個人消費も抑えられる。
While these developments could set off a global depression, the Liberal Democratic Party, which is in the midst of a presidential election, and politicians on the whole have been oblivious to them.
ところが、総裁選中の自民党のみならず、政治全体が、世界同時不況をも招きかねない事態への感度が鈍いと言わざるを得ない。
On Wednesday, the government convened an economic and fiscal consultative meeting, the first such meeting since it adopted a comprehensive economic stimulus package on Aug. 29. The intent of the economic stimulus package is to jumpstart the Japanese economy, which is facing a global downturn triggered by the U.S. subprime crisis and high oil prices. The most urgent measures in the package are supposed to be implemented right away.
政府は１７日、経済財政諮問会議を開いた。「緊急総合対策」を決定した先月２９日以来だ。総合対策は米国のサブプライム問題に端を発した世界的な成長鈍化や原油高に直面している日本経済へのテコ入れ策だ。緊急を要する施策は直ちに実行するとされている。
But during the three weeks that have passed since the end of last month, the global economy has been jarred by upheaval. Hence, the implications of recent developments for the Japanese economy have also changed. The recent upheaval notwithstanding, Japan's politicians have yet to muster a response. And Wednesday's economic and fiscal consultative meeting did not go beyond analyzing the current situation.
先月末からの約３週間、世界経済は激動した。日本経済への影響も、違ってきたはずだ。それにもかかわらず、政治は動かなかった。１７日の会議も情勢分析段階にとどまった。
The more urgent the policy, the greater the caution that will need to be exercised to implement measures to carry it out. At one time, the price of oil had soared to 140 dollars a barrel, but has since fallen to 90 dollars a barrel. It is only natural, then, that the measures in the emergency stimulus package that address high oil prices be given a second look.
緊急性の高い対策であればあるほど、講ずべき施策の内容は異なってくる。一時、１バレル＝１４０ドル水準まで高騰した原油価格は、反落し９０ドル程度になっている。総合対策の原油高騰への緊急対策は、内容を見直すのが当然だ。
If the U.S. financial crisis grows more severe, Japanese financial institutions may be compelled to screen borrowers more strictly and be more apt to restrict lending. But small and medium-sized firms would bear the brunt of such changes. That is why measures that aim to give a shot in the arm to the finance sector or to prevent cutbacks in lending will become even more important.
米国の金融危機が深刻化すれば、日本の金融機関も連想で、厳密な審査など、貸し出しを絞る行動に出やすい。そのあおりを受けるのが中小・零細企業である。そこで、金融の円滑化や貸し渋り対策は一段と重要になる。
Furthermore, if exports languish for a long period of time, and the value of the yen continues to climb in foreign exchange markets, companies will try to restore their competitiveness by squeezing their subcontractors to extract lower prices from them. The government will then have to respond by beefing up its measures to protect subcontractors.
また、輸出の低迷長期化や外国為替市場で円高が進めば、元請け企業は競争力回復のため下請け代金の切り下げなどに走りがちだ。下請け企業へのしわ寄せである。こうしたことへの対応として、下請け事業者保護対策は強化しなければならない。
Though a political vacuum exists today, any attempt by the current administration to slack off and postpone economic management and policy decisions will not be tolerated. As has been the case in the U.S. financial crisis, conditions in Japan can change drastically in a flash. Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's Cabinet must shoulder the responsibility of managing the economy until the next prime minister is designated in the extraordinary Diet session. Since the government has already adopted a stimulus package, it must, while assessing events as they unfold, conduct a review of its emergency economic measures and seek to give them concrete shape.
政治空白と言われる状況にせよ、時の政権が経済運営や政策判断を怠ることや後回しにすることは許されない。米国の金融危機のように短期間に状況は激変する。福田康夫内閣は臨時国会で次期首相指名が行われるまで、経済運営を担わなければならない。総合対策を決定した以上は、事態の進行を見定めつつ、緊急実行施策は見直しも行い、具体化しなければならない。
It is still not clear when the supplementary budget to fund additional fiscal measures will be compiled and deliberated in the Diet. Though the general elections are looming, it is absurd that the LDP has still not determined its own policy on this issue.
追加予算措置が必要な施策のための補正予算をいつ編成し、国会審議はどうするのかも明らかでない。総選挙の時期と絡んでいるにしろ、自民党の方針が定まっていないのはおかしい。
Since the global economy is changing from moment to moment, the proper way to manage the Japanese economy would be to assess new developments accurately and then devise the necessary remedies.
世界経済は刻々と変化している。それを的確にとらえ、必要な施策を講ずるのが正常な経済運営の姿だ。
毎日新聞 2008年9月18日 0時19分
Japan needs to rethink emergency economic measures in wake of U.S. financial crisis
社説：米国発金融危機 日本は緊急施策の見直しを
The U.S. financial crisis, which has triggered the collapse of major financial institutions and prompted government bailouts, will have harmful consequences for the Japanese economy.
大手金融機関が経営破綻（はたん）や政府による救済にまで立ち至った米国の金融危機は、日本経済にも悪影響を及ぼす。
Japan's real GDP shrank in the second quarter (April to June) at an annualized rate of 3 percent compared with the previous quarter, and there are no signs that a recovery is underway in the third quarter, which ends on Sep. 30. If the financial crisis sends the U.S. economy into a deep recession, not only will Japan's exports fall off but also private-sector facilities investment will dry up. And if corporate performance deteriorates, workers' wages will stagnate, and personal consumption will decline.
今年４～６月期の実質成長率は前期比、年率でマイナス３％だった。７～９月期も立ち直りの兆候は出ていない。米国経済が金融危機の影響でより不況色が強まれば、日本は輸出の減少のみならず、海外需要を当てにしてきた民間設備投資の停滞も深くなる。企業業績が悪化すれば勤労者の賃金も伸び悩み、個人消費も抑えられる。
While these developments could set off a global depression, the Liberal Democratic Party, which is in the midst of a presidential election, and politicians on the whole have been oblivious to them.
ところが、総裁選中の自民党のみならず、政治全体が、世界同時不況をも招きかねない事態への感度が鈍いと言わざるを得ない。
On Wednesday, the government convened an economic and fiscal consultative meeting, the first such meeting since it adopted a comprehensive economic stimulus package on Aug. 29. The intent of the economic stimulus package is to jumpstart the Japanese economy, which is facing a global downturn triggered by the U.S. subprime crisis and high oil prices. The most urgent measures in the package are supposed to be implemented right away.
政府は１７日、経済財政諮問会議を開いた。「緊急総合対策」を決定した先月２９日以来だ。総合対策は米国のサブプライム問題に端を発した世界的な成長鈍化や原油高に直面している日本経済へのテコ入れ策だ。緊急を要する施策は直ちに実行するとされている。
But during the three weeks that have passed since the end of last month, the global economy has been jarred by upheaval. Hence, the implications of recent developments for the Japanese economy have also changed. The recent upheaval notwithstanding, Japan's politicians have yet to muster a response. And Wednesday's economic and fiscal consultative meeting did not go beyond analyzing the current situation.
先月末からの約３週間、世界経済は激動した。日本経済への影響も、違ってきたはずだ。それにもかかわらず、政治は動かなかった。１７日の会議も情勢分析段階にとどまった。
The more urgent the policy, the greater the caution that will need to be exercised to implement measures to carry it out. At one time, the price of oil had soared to 140 dollars a barrel, but has since fallen to 90 dollars a barrel. It is only natural, then, that the measures in the emergency stimulus package that address high oil prices be given a second look.
緊急性の高い対策であればあるほど、講ずべき施策の内容は異なってくる。一時、１バレル＝１４０ドル水準まで高騰した原油価格は、反落し９０ドル程度になっている。総合対策の原油高騰への緊急対策は、内容を見直すのが当然だ。
If the U.S. financial crisis grows more severe, Japanese financial institutions may be compelled to screen borrowers more strictly and be more apt to restrict lending. But small and medium-sized firms would bear the brunt of such changes. That is why measures that aim to give a shot in the arm to the finance sector or to prevent cutbacks in lending will become even more important.
米国の金融危機が深刻化すれば、日本の金融機関も連想で、厳密な審査など、貸し出しを絞る行動に出やすい。そのあおりを受けるのが中小・零細企業である。そこで、金融の円滑化や貸し渋り対策は一段と重要になる。
Furthermore, if exports languish for a long period of time, and the value of the yen continues to climb in foreign exchange markets, companies will try to restore their competitiveness by squeezing their subcontractors to extract lower prices from them. The government will then have to respond by beefing up its measures to protect subcontractors.
また、輸出の低迷長期化や外国為替市場で円高が進めば、元請け企業は競争力回復のため下請け代金の切り下げなどに走りがちだ。下請け企業へのしわ寄せである。こうしたことへの対応として、下請け事業者保護対策は強化しなければならない。
Though a political vacuum exists today, any attempt by the current administration to slack off and postpone economic management and policy decisions will not be tolerated. As has been the case in the U.S. financial crisis, conditions in Japan can change drastically in a flash. Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's Cabinet must shoulder the responsibility of managing the economy until the next prime minister is designated in the extraordinary Diet session. Since the government has already adopted a stimulus package, it must, while assessing events as they unfold, conduct a review of its emergency economic measures and seek to give them concrete shape.
政治空白と言われる状況にせよ、時の政権が経済運営や政策判断を怠ることや後回しにすることは許されない。米国の金融危機のように短期間に状況は激変する。福田康夫内閣は臨時国会で次期首相指名が行われるまで、経済運営を担わなければならない。総合対策を決定した以上は、事態の進行を見定めつつ、緊急実行施策は見直しも行い、具体化しなければならない。
It is still not clear when the supplementary budget to fund additional fiscal measures will be compiled and deliberated in the Diet. Though the general elections are looming, it is absurd that the LDP has still not determined its own policy on this issue.
追加予算措置が必要な施策のための補正予算をいつ編成し、国会審議はどうするのかも明らかでない。総選挙の時期と絡んでいるにしろ、自民党の方針が定まっていないのはおかしい。
Since the global economy is changing from moment to moment, the proper way to manage the Japanese economy would be to assess new developments accurately and then devise the necessary remedies.
世界経済は刻々と変化している。それを的確にとらえ、必要な施策を講ずるのが正常な経済運営の姿だ。
毎日新聞 2008年9月18日 0時19分
(Mainichi Japan) September 18, 2008
U.S. should prevent a financial crisis chain reaction
社説：リーマン破綻 危機の連鎖、米は全力で防げ
With the housing bubble in the U.S. finally triggering the bankruptcy of long-established securities corporation Lehman Brothers, and fellow major brokerage Merrill Lynch narrowly escaping collapse by selling itself, the collapse of the nerve center of the finance industry -- and the pride of the U.S. -- has rocked the securities and financial market worldwide.
米国の住宅バブル崩壊は、ついに老舗の大手証券、リーマン・ブラザーズを倒産に追いやった。同じ大手証券のメリルリンチも、破綻（はたん）こそ免れたが、事実上の身売りを選ばざるを得なかった。米国が世界に誇ってきた金融業の中枢が、崩れ始めたことを象徴する一連の出来事に、米国内だけでなく世界の証券・金融市場が大きく揺さぶられた。
However, Meltdown Monday's chain reaction cannot proceed unchecked. Japanese banks also have a 170 billion yen loan commitment in Lehman, and anxiety on how it will directly and indirectly influence Japan has spread. This may result in an unexpected and heavy blow, as countless financial institutions and investors are interrelated with various markets via complex financial products. The U.S. authorities should take all the necessary measures to avoid events expanding into a global depression.
週明けに始まった動揺なので、「メルトダウン・マンデー」などと呼ばれている。しかし、原子力施設の炉心溶解（メルトダウン）のように破綻の連鎖が止まらなくなる事態が起きてしまっては手遅れだ。邦銀もリーマンに計約１７００億円を融資しており、今後、日本への直接、間接の影響が心配される。複雑な金融商品を介して、多数の金融機関や投資家、複数の市場が関連し合っているため、予想もしなかったところに大きな打撃が及ぶ恐れもある。金融メルトダウン、世界的大不況へと発展しないよう、米当局にはあらゆる対策を取ってもらいたい。
The U.S. government's injection of the equivalent of over 20 trillion yen into government-affiliated housing finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- while leaving Lehman out in the cold -- is, in a sense, understandable. Fannie and Freddie have huge amounts of debt from overseas financial institutions under the implicit guarantee of the U.S. government, and if the U.S. allowed those two companies to collapse, the discredited dollar would crash, triggering global chaos. The influence on the housing market was also considered too serious.
政府系住宅金融会社、ファニーメイとフレディマックに計２０兆円超の公的資金投入枠を用意し、救済に乗り出した米政府が、リーマンには支援の手を差し伸べなかったことには、やむを得ない部分もある。ファニー、フレディは、米政府の保証付きという暗黙の了解のもとで海外の金融機関などから巨額の資金を借りていた。破綻を許せば、信頼を失ったドルの暴落など世界的な大混乱が予想された。住宅市場に与える影響も、甚大過ぎると思われた。
And while Lehman may have been the fourth largest U.S. brokerage, it still falls short of the scale of Fannie and Freddie. Furthermore, its business contacts are financial institutions and professional investors: Pumping in tax money for failure caused by sloppy risk management could lead to problems in future, while also serving to establish a precedent for major automotive manufactures or other private sectors.
リーマンは米４位の証券会社とはいえ、ファニー、フレディの規模には及ばない。取引相手は金融機関やプロの投資家だ。リスク管理の甘さからきた経営の失敗を、税金で穴埋めすれば将来に重大な禍根を残すとの判断だろう。リーマンを救えば、他の金融機関や、さらには大手自動車メーカーなど一般企業まで次々と救済しなければならなくなる恐れもあった。
Still, if a chain reaction of collapses were to start, or if it threw the market into a panic, we can't simply stick to the principle of self-responsibility. When the Japanese bad loan mess intensified, the U.S. government required an all-out policy mobilization in order "to avoid financial crisis induced by Japan." The same should go for the U.S.
しかしながら、今後、連鎖的な破綻や、市場にパニックが広がる恐れが生じれば、自己責任の原則を唱えてばかりもいられない。日本の不良債権問題が深刻化したとき米政府は、「日本発の金融危機を引き起こすな」と政策の総動員を求めた。今の米国は、まさに同じことが求められている。
This crisis has long since moved on from being a management problem at one lone financial institution, and has now caused the finance industry to crumble -- the very foundation of the securities business on which American capitalism was based -- thanks to overconfidence in highly-developing financial technologies and a global money glut, while disregarding risk evaluation, the basics of basics.
今回の金融危機では、個別金融機関の経営問題の次元を超え、米国の資本主義がよりどころとしてきた証券ビジネスの根幹、金融業の姿そのものが、崩れ落ちてしまった。金融技術の高度化と世界的な金余りの中で、自信過剰に陥り、リスクの評価という基本中の基本を軽視した結末である。
It's only logical that the price would eventually be paid by the country that danced on the bubble. The global economy will not tolerate a joint suicide.
その代償はバブルに踊った当事国で払うのが筋というものだ。世界経済まで道連れにされるようでは、たまらない。
毎日新聞 2008年9月17日 0時25分
U.S. should prevent a financial crisis chain reaction
社説：リーマン破綻 危機の連鎖、米は全力で防げ
With the housing bubble in the U.S. finally triggering the bankruptcy of long-established securities corporation Lehman Brothers, and fellow major brokerage Merrill Lynch narrowly escaping collapse by selling itself, the collapse of the nerve center of the finance industry -- and the pride of the U.S. -- has rocked the securities and financial market worldwide.
米国の住宅バブル崩壊は、ついに老舗の大手証券、リーマン・ブラザーズを倒産に追いやった。同じ大手証券のメリルリンチも、破綻（はたん）こそ免れたが、事実上の身売りを選ばざるを得なかった。米国が世界に誇ってきた金融業の中枢が、崩れ始めたことを象徴する一連の出来事に、米国内だけでなく世界の証券・金融市場が大きく揺さぶられた。
However, Meltdown Monday's chain reaction cannot proceed unchecked. Japanese banks also have a 170 billion yen loan commitment in Lehman, and anxiety on how it will directly and indirectly influence Japan has spread. This may result in an unexpected and heavy blow, as countless financial institutions and investors are interrelated with various markets via complex financial products. The U.S. authorities should take all the necessary measures to avoid events expanding into a global depression.
週明けに始まった動揺なので、「メルトダウン・マンデー」などと呼ばれている。しかし、原子力施設の炉心溶解（メルトダウン）のように破綻の連鎖が止まらなくなる事態が起きてしまっては手遅れだ。邦銀もリーマンに計約１７００億円を融資しており、今後、日本への直接、間接の影響が心配される。複雑な金融商品を介して、多数の金融機関や投資家、複数の市場が関連し合っているため、予想もしなかったところに大きな打撃が及ぶ恐れもある。金融メルトダウン、世界的大不況へと発展しないよう、米当局にはあらゆる対策を取ってもらいたい。
The U.S. government's injection of the equivalent of over 20 trillion yen into government-affiliated housing finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- while leaving Lehman out in the cold -- is, in a sense, understandable. Fannie and Freddie have huge amounts of debt from overseas financial institutions under the implicit guarantee of the U.S. government, and if the U.S. allowed those two companies to collapse, the discredited dollar would crash, triggering global chaos. The influence on the housing market was also considered too serious.
政府系住宅金融会社、ファニーメイとフレディマックに計２０兆円超の公的資金投入枠を用意し、救済に乗り出した米政府が、リーマンには支援の手を差し伸べなかったことには、やむを得ない部分もある。ファニー、フレディは、米政府の保証付きという暗黙の了解のもとで海外の金融機関などから巨額の資金を借りていた。破綻を許せば、信頼を失ったドルの暴落など世界的な大混乱が予想された。住宅市場に与える影響も、甚大過ぎると思われた。
And while Lehman may have been the fourth largest U.S. brokerage, it still falls short of the scale of Fannie and Freddie. Furthermore, its business contacts are financial institutions and professional investors: Pumping in tax money for failure caused by sloppy risk management could lead to problems in future, while also serving to establish a precedent for major automotive manufactures or other private sectors.
リーマンは米４位の証券会社とはいえ、ファニー、フレディの規模には及ばない。取引相手は金融機関やプロの投資家だ。リスク管理の甘さからきた経営の失敗を、税金で穴埋めすれば将来に重大な禍根を残すとの判断だろう。リーマンを救えば、他の金融機関や、さらには大手自動車メーカーなど一般企業まで次々と救済しなければならなくなる恐れもあった。
Still, if a chain reaction of collapses were to start, or if it threw the market into a panic, we can't simply stick to the principle of self-responsibility. When the Japanese bad loan mess intensified, the U.S. government required an all-out policy mobilization in order "to avoid financial crisis induced by Japan." The same should go for the U.S.
しかしながら、今後、連鎖的な破綻や、市場にパニックが広がる恐れが生じれば、自己責任の原則を唱えてばかりもいられない。日本の不良債権問題が深刻化したとき米政府は、「日本発の金融危機を引き起こすな」と政策の総動員を求めた。今の米国は、まさに同じことが求められている。
This crisis has long since moved on from being a management problem at one lone financial institution, and has now caused the finance industry to crumble -- the very foundation of the securities business on which American capitalism was based -- thanks to overconfidence in highly-developing financial technologies and a global money glut, while disregarding risk evaluation, the basics of basics.
今回の金融危機では、個別金融機関の経営問題の次元を超え、米国の資本主義がよりどころとしてきた証券ビジネスの根幹、金融業の姿そのものが、崩れ落ちてしまった。金融技術の高度化と世界的な金余りの中で、自信過剰に陥り、リスクの評価という基本中の基本を軽視した結末である。
It's only logical that the price would eventually be paid by the country that danced on the bubble. The global economy will not tolerate a joint suicide.
その代償はバブルに踊った当事国で払うのが筋というものだ。世界経済まで道連れにされるようでは、たまらない。
毎日新聞 2008年9月17日 0時25分
プロフィール
ＨＮ：
srachai
ＨＰ：
性別：
男性
職業：
civil engineer
趣味：
子育て
自己紹介：
妻はタイ人、娘ばかり３人も！
■近況
２００９年の９月１５日に脳梗塞を発症、右手が少し不自由になりました。
MRAで脳梗塞の部位を特定でき、素早い処置をとれたので大事に至りませんでした。
快復にむけてリハビリ中です。
(2011/01/01更新)
■自己紹介・リンク
[ はじめに ]
タイのスラチャイです。
英語学習に王道はありません。
毎日毎日の地道な努力の積み重ねが必要です。
スラチャイはＮＨＫのラジオ英語会話で現在の英語力を身につけました。
一日僅か１５分の学習でも数年間継続すれば相当な学習効果が期待できます。
[ 名前 ]
松井 清 （スラチャイ）
[ 略歴 ]
・福岡県出身
・国立高知大学卒業
・準大手建設会社に就職
・50歳で会社を早期退職
・99/10 タイ全土を旅行
・00/10 タイに移住
・03/07 カイちゃん誕生
・07/06 シーファーちゃん誕生
・現在タイ国コンケン在住
[ 座右の銘 ]
Slow and steady wins the race.
遅くとも着実な者が勝利する
（NHK基礎英語芹沢栄先生）
[ 学習の手引き ]
・音読して耳から英語を吸収
・Think in English.
・ネイティブ発音付辞書活用
・英英辞典を活用（英和も）
・翻訳和文で専門用語確認
[ English Newspapers ]
Yomiuri
Mainichi
Asahi
Japan Times
Washington Post
Newyork Times
Bangkok Post
The Nations
Phuket Gazette
[ 英字新聞の英和対訳学習 ]
英字新聞（読売）
英字新聞（毎日）
英字新聞（朝日）
英字新聞（朝日２）
[ スラチャイ編集の辞書 ]
タイ日辞書（改訂版）
日タイ辞書（改訂版）
ラオ日辞書
日ラオ辞書
最新記事
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カテゴリー
アーカイブ
リンク
家族、リンク、多言語、タイ語
スラチャイの家族紹介
私の家族
スラチャイの手作りリンク集
スラチャイタイ在住９年目
中国語会話基礎（北京語）
タイ日辞典（単語帳）
タイ語の子音
タイ語の母音
スラチャイ編曲のmidiのギター曲
スラチャイ編曲のJ.S.Bachです
スラチャイの多国言語学習
初歩のタイ語
初歩の中国語
初歩のラオス語
初歩のビルマ語
初歩のシンハリ語
初歩のタガログ語
タイ語の基礎
タイ文字
タイ日辞書
タイ語の副詞
タイ語の前置詞
タイ語の助動詞
タイ語の接続詞
基礎タイ語
基礎タイ語一覧（タイ文字、ローマ字）
seesaaサイト内リンク一覧：
01 あいさつ
02 別れのあいさつ
03 声をかけるとき
04 感謝の言葉と答え方
05 謝罪の言葉と答え方
06 聞き直すとき
07 相手の言うことがわからないとき
08 うまく言えないとき
09 一般的なあいづち
10 よくわからないときの返事
11 強めのあいづち
12 自分について述べるとき
13 相手のことを尋ねるとき
14 頼みごとをするとき
15 申し出・依頼を断るとき
16 許可を求めるとき
17 説明してもらうとき
18 確認を求めるとき
19 状況を知りたいとき
20 値段の尋ね方と断り方
21 急いでもらいたいとき
22 待ってもらいたいとき
23 日時・場所・天候を尋ねるとき
24 その他
基礎タイ語一覧(タイ文字、音声付き）
サイト外HPリンク一覧：
01 あいさつ
02 別れのあいさつ
03 声をかけるとき
04 感謝の言葉と答え方
05 謝罪の言葉と答え方
06 聞き直すとき
07 相手の言うことがわからないとき
08 うまく言えないとき
09 一般的なあいづち
10 よくわからないときの返事
11 強めのあいづち
12 自分について述べるとき
13 相手のことを尋ねるとき
14 頼みごとをするとき
15 申し出・依頼を断るとき
16 許可を求めるとき
17 説明してもらうとき
18 確認を求めるとき
19 状況を知りたいとき
20 値段の尋ね方と断り方
21 急いでもらいたいとき
22 待ってもらいたいとき
23 日時・場所・天候を尋ねるとき
24 その他
タイの文化、１４の戒律
タイの文化一覧:
01 雨の日にも傘をささないタイ人
02 勉強熱心なタイ人女性たち
03 タイ人は敬謙な仏教徒
04 タイの市場
05 タイの食堂
06 タイ人は外食が大好き
07 果物王国タイランド
08 タイ人の誕生日
09 タイの電話代は高い
10 微笑みの国タイランド
1４の戒律（テラワーダ仏教戒律）
seesaaサイト内リンク一覧：
第０１番目の戒律
第０２番目の戒律
第０３番目の戒律
第０４番目の戒律
第０５番目の戒律
第０６番目の戒律
第０７番目の戒律
第０８番目の戒律
第０９番目の戒律
第１０番目の戒律
第１１番目の戒律
第１２番目の戒律
第１３番目の戒律
第１４番目の戒律
1４の戒律（テラワーダ仏教戒律）
サイト外HPリンク一覧：
１４の戒律解説
第０１番目の戒律
第０２番目の戒律
第０３番目の戒律
第０４番目の戒律
第０５番目の戒律
第０６番目の戒律
第０７番目の戒律
第０８番目の戒律
第０９番目の戒律
第１０番目の戒律
第１１番目の戒律
第１２番目の戒律
第１３番目の戒律
第１４番目の戒律