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The Yomiuri Shimbun November 18, 2013
Broad perspective needed to review fairness of taxes on motor vehicles
自動車課税 公平な負担へ議論を尽くせ（11月17日付・読売社説）
How to review the current tax levies on motor vehicles has emerged as a major point of contention in discussions about next fiscal year’s tax system changes, which will culminate toward year-end.
消費増税に伴う自動車課税の見直しが、年末の税制改正論議で大きな争点となってきた。
The government and the ruling coalition parties of the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito must do their best to realistically resolve the issue by paying balanced attention to the necessity of securing tax revenues and the possible impact tax changes could have on the economy.
政府と自民、公明の与党は、財源の確保と景気への影響に目配りした現実的な解決策に知恵を絞るべきである。
The ruling camp is committed to abolishment of the “automobile acquisition tax,” imposed at the time of purchasing a new motor vehicle, if the consumption tax rate is raised to 10 percent in October 2015 as planned.
政府が２０１５年１０月に消費税率を１０％へ予定通り引き上げる場合、与党は車の購入時に課している「自動車取得税」を廃止する方針を掲げている。
Some fear the consumption tax hike could cause a drop in motor vehicle sales, slowing the pace of economic recovery.
自動車販売が消費増税で落ち込めば、景気の足を引っ張りかねない。
It should be noted in this connection that the automobile acquisition tax has been under fire from various quarters for being a form of double taxation when combined with the consumption tax. Abolishing the acquisition tax is the right thing to do.
取得税は、消費税との「二重課税」との批判も受けてきた。取得税の廃止は適切だろう。
Revenues in fiscal 2013 from the automobile acquisition tax, a local tax, are estimated at ¥190 billion and play an important role as revenue sources of local governments.
地方税である取得税は１３年度で１９００億円の税収が見込まれ、地方財政の一端を担っている。
The question in this connection is how to secure new sources of revenue to make up for revenue shortfalls caused by the planned abolition of the tax.
問題は取得税の撤廃で不足が生じる財源をどう確保するかだ。
The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry has proposed covering the shrinkage in tax revenue by raising the yearly minivehicle tax paid by minivehicle owners, which is now ¥7,200.
総務省は、軽自動車の所有者が毎年納める「軽自動車税」の増税などで賄う案をまとめた。
The tax burden on minivehicle users is about one-fourth that of owners of small passenger cars for private use with engine displacement of 1,000cc or less, which is ¥29,500 a year.
現在の軽自動車税（自家用）は年７２００円で、排気量１０００ｃｃ以下の小型の自家用車にかかる「自動車税」の年２万９５００円と比べると、税負担は約４分の１に過ぎない。
Respect ‘beneficiaries pay’
The ministry argues that the gap in the tax burdens is “unreasonably out of balance.”
「バランスを欠いている」というのが総務省の主張だ。
Motor vehicles with engine displacement of 660cc or less are categorized as minivehicles. Recently, the differences between minivehicles and small passenger and other small vehicles have markedly narrowed in such terms as prices and fuel efficiency. Minivehicles have become increasingly popular, now accounting for about 40 percent of the sales of new vehicles.
排気量６６０ｃｃ以下が軽自動車の基準だが、最近、軽自動車と小型車の価格や燃費などの差が縮まっている。新車販売の約４割を占めるなど人気が高い。
The ministry-proposed review of the tax burden gaps between minivehicles and other motor vehicles is worthy of consideration.
税負担の違いの見直しを狙う総務省案は、検討に値する。
Auto businesses and the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, however, have vehemently opposed the idea of the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry.
自動車業界や経済産業省はこれに猛反発している。
Leaders of the motor vehicle industry argued in a recent news conference that the envisioned increase in the minivehicle tax would “make abolition of the automobile acquisition tax meaningless,” insisting that drops in tax revenues should be covered by tax levies on things other than motor vehicles.
業界首脳らは記者会見し、「財源を軽自動車税にするなら取得税廃止が無意味になる」と述べ、車以外への課税で賄うべきだと訴えた。
The auto business leaders also stressed that minivehicles serve as “means of transport tied to the daily lives” of people who live in rural areas, where other means of transportation are meager.
軽自動車が交通手段の乏しい地方を中心に「生活の足」として役立っている点も強調した。
It should be noted, however, that motor vehicles put a burden on roads, which require costly repairs and maintenance, and affect the environment. Coming up with revenue to fund repairs and renewal of older roads is a serious challenge for local governments.
ただ、自動車の走行で道路や環境に負荷がかかり、維持や保全に費用が発生する。老朽化した道路の修繕や更新の財源の手当ては地方自治体の深刻な課題である。
It would be hard to make up for declines in revenue brought by the abolition of the automobile acquisition tax by additional taxes on non-vehicle products alone. It will be inevitable for minivehicle users to assume a heavier tax burden in accordance with the beneficiaries-pay principle.
取得税廃止による税収の穴を車以外の課税で全て埋めるのは難しい。受益者負担として一定の課税を迫られるのはやむを得まい。
With taxes related to motor vehicles amounting to nearly ¥8 trillion a year, a widely held opinion is that consumers’ motor vehicle taxes are unreasonably heavy.
自動車関係の税収は合計で８兆円近くに上り、消費者の負担が重すぎるとの批判も根強い。
There are also calls to expand tax breaks for highly efficient, environmentally friendly vehicles.
環境性能の高い車を優遇するエコカー減税の拡充を望む声もある。
Besides addressing the issues of the automobile acquisition tax and the minivehicle tax, the government and the ruling coalition parties should consider the motor vehicle-linked tax system in its entirety when discussing what should be done to realize impartiality in taxation.
政府・与党は、取得税と軽自動車税の問題にとどまらず、自動車課税全体を見渡し、公平な課税の在り方を議論すべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 17, 2013)
（2013年11月17日01時43分 読売新聞）
Broad perspective needed to review fairness of taxes on motor vehicles
自動車課税 公平な負担へ議論を尽くせ（11月17日付・読売社説）
How to review the current tax levies on motor vehicles has emerged as a major point of contention in discussions about next fiscal year’s tax system changes, which will culminate toward year-end.
消費増税に伴う自動車課税の見直しが、年末の税制改正論議で大きな争点となってきた。
The government and the ruling coalition parties of the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito must do their best to realistically resolve the issue by paying balanced attention to the necessity of securing tax revenues and the possible impact tax changes could have on the economy.
政府と自民、公明の与党は、財源の確保と景気への影響に目配りした現実的な解決策に知恵を絞るべきである。
The ruling camp is committed to abolishment of the “automobile acquisition tax,” imposed at the time of purchasing a new motor vehicle, if the consumption tax rate is raised to 10 percent in October 2015 as planned.
政府が２０１５年１０月に消費税率を１０％へ予定通り引き上げる場合、与党は車の購入時に課している「自動車取得税」を廃止する方針を掲げている。
Some fear the consumption tax hike could cause a drop in motor vehicle sales, slowing the pace of economic recovery.
自動車販売が消費増税で落ち込めば、景気の足を引っ張りかねない。
It should be noted in this connection that the automobile acquisition tax has been under fire from various quarters for being a form of double taxation when combined with the consumption tax. Abolishing the acquisition tax is the right thing to do.
取得税は、消費税との「二重課税」との批判も受けてきた。取得税の廃止は適切だろう。
Revenues in fiscal 2013 from the automobile acquisition tax, a local tax, are estimated at ¥190 billion and play an important role as revenue sources of local governments.
地方税である取得税は１３年度で１９００億円の税収が見込まれ、地方財政の一端を担っている。
The question in this connection is how to secure new sources of revenue to make up for revenue shortfalls caused by the planned abolition of the tax.
問題は取得税の撤廃で不足が生じる財源をどう確保するかだ。
The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry has proposed covering the shrinkage in tax revenue by raising the yearly minivehicle tax paid by minivehicle owners, which is now ¥7,200.
総務省は、軽自動車の所有者が毎年納める「軽自動車税」の増税などで賄う案をまとめた。
The tax burden on minivehicle users is about one-fourth that of owners of small passenger cars for private use with engine displacement of 1,000cc or less, which is ¥29,500 a year.
現在の軽自動車税（自家用）は年７２００円で、排気量１０００ｃｃ以下の小型の自家用車にかかる「自動車税」の年２万９５００円と比べると、税負担は約４分の１に過ぎない。
Respect ‘beneficiaries pay’
The ministry argues that the gap in the tax burdens is “unreasonably out of balance.”
「バランスを欠いている」というのが総務省の主張だ。
Motor vehicles with engine displacement of 660cc or less are categorized as minivehicles. Recently, the differences between minivehicles and small passenger and other small vehicles have markedly narrowed in such terms as prices and fuel efficiency. Minivehicles have become increasingly popular, now accounting for about 40 percent of the sales of new vehicles.
排気量６６０ｃｃ以下が軽自動車の基準だが、最近、軽自動車と小型車の価格や燃費などの差が縮まっている。新車販売の約４割を占めるなど人気が高い。
The ministry-proposed review of the tax burden gaps between minivehicles and other motor vehicles is worthy of consideration.
税負担の違いの見直しを狙う総務省案は、検討に値する。
Auto businesses and the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, however, have vehemently opposed the idea of the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry.
自動車業界や経済産業省はこれに猛反発している。
Leaders of the motor vehicle industry argued in a recent news conference that the envisioned increase in the minivehicle tax would “make abolition of the automobile acquisition tax meaningless,” insisting that drops in tax revenues should be covered by tax levies on things other than motor vehicles.
業界首脳らは記者会見し、「財源を軽自動車税にするなら取得税廃止が無意味になる」と述べ、車以外への課税で賄うべきだと訴えた。
The auto business leaders also stressed that minivehicles serve as “means of transport tied to the daily lives” of people who live in rural areas, where other means of transportation are meager.
軽自動車が交通手段の乏しい地方を中心に「生活の足」として役立っている点も強調した。
It should be noted, however, that motor vehicles put a burden on roads, which require costly repairs and maintenance, and affect the environment. Coming up with revenue to fund repairs and renewal of older roads is a serious challenge for local governments.
ただ、自動車の走行で道路や環境に負荷がかかり、維持や保全に費用が発生する。老朽化した道路の修繕や更新の財源の手当ては地方自治体の深刻な課題である。
It would be hard to make up for declines in revenue brought by the abolition of the automobile acquisition tax by additional taxes on non-vehicle products alone. It will be inevitable for minivehicle users to assume a heavier tax burden in accordance with the beneficiaries-pay principle.
取得税廃止による税収の穴を車以外の課税で全て埋めるのは難しい。受益者負担として一定の課税を迫られるのはやむを得まい。
With taxes related to motor vehicles amounting to nearly ¥8 trillion a year, a widely held opinion is that consumers’ motor vehicle taxes are unreasonably heavy.
自動車関係の税収は合計で８兆円近くに上り、消費者の負担が重すぎるとの批判も根強い。
There are also calls to expand tax breaks for highly efficient, environmentally friendly vehicles.
環境性能の高い車を優遇するエコカー減税の拡充を望む声もある。
Besides addressing the issues of the automobile acquisition tax and the minivehicle tax, the government and the ruling coalition parties should consider the motor vehicle-linked tax system in its entirety when discussing what should be done to realize impartiality in taxation.
政府・与党は、取得税と軽自動車税の問題にとどまらず、自動車課税全体を見渡し、公平な課税の在り方を議論すべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 17, 2013)
（2013年11月17日01時43分 読売新聞）
PR
The Yomiuri Shimbun November 17, 2013
Review of school textbook screening must help understanding of history
教科書検定基準 領土と歴史の理解に役立つ（11月16日付・読売社説）
It is essential that textbooks children study accurately describe their country’s territories and history.
子供たちが学ぶ教科書には、自国の領土や歴史についての正しい記述が不可欠である。
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Hakubun Shimomura has announced that the government plans to review its standards on textbook screenings and aims to implement new criteria beginning next fiscal year.
下村文部科学相が、教科書検定基準を見直す方針を表明した。来年度の検定からの適用を目指す。
We regard it reasonable that the government has decided to require textbooks to mention its consensus views on historical and territorial issues, a key point of the review.
見直しの柱として、政府の統一見解があれば、必ず記述するよう求めた点はうなずける。
Japan’s confrontations with China and South Korea over territorial and historical issues have escalated. Teaching Japan’s stance accurately would help children correctly understand the nation’s relationship with other countries. Such efforts are also important for the nation to foster people capable of disseminating the message of the legitimacy of the government’s positions on such issues to the international community.
領土や歴史認識に関し、中国や韓国との対立が目立つ。日本の立場を教えることは、他国との関係を正しく理解する助けになる。国際社会で日本の正当性を発信する人材を育てる上でも重要だ。
South Korea has unlawfully occupied the Takeshima islands, an inherent part of Japanese territory, and Tokyo has taken the stance that there is no territorial dispute with Beijing over the Senkaku Islands administered by Japan.
日本固有の領土である竹島については、韓国が不法占拠している。日本が有効支配している尖閣諸島を巡っては、日中間に解決すべき領有権問題は存在しない。
Japan also has frictions with South Korea over the so-called comfort women issue and South Koreans’ rights to seek compensation from Japanese companies for what they claim was forced labor during wartime.
韓国との間には、いわゆる従軍慰安婦問題や、戦時中に徴用された韓国人労働者の賠償請求権に絡むあつれきも生じている。
The Japanese and South Korean governments reached an accord on damage claims in 1965 that stipulates the issue “was resolved completely and finally.” Thus, the issue of compensation for individual South Koreans has been settled already.
１９６５年に日韓両国政府が締結した日韓請求権協定には、請求権問題は「完全かつ最終的に解決された」と明記されている。個人請求権の問題は解決済みだ。
It is vital that such Japanese government stance will be expressed in textbooks.
こうした日本政府の立場を教科書で伝えることは大切だ。
Objectivity is key
In revamping textbook screening standards, the government intends to demand that textbook publishers avoid conclusive descriptions on issues for which it has yet to reach a consensus. We believe this is an appropriate call to secure objectivity of textbooks.
検定基準の見直しでは、通説が定まっていない事項について、断定的な記述をしないことも盛り込まれる。教科書の客観性を担保する上で適切な措置だろう。
For example, the number of people killed in the 1937 Nanjing Incident has yet to be determined. The figures vary widely, with some Japanese estimates citing several tens of thousands to 200,000 while China estimates more than 300,000 people were killed.
例えば、１９３７年の南京事件の犠牲者数は確定していない。日本では数万人から２０万人、中国では３０万人以上など諸説がある。
When dealing with such sensitive issues, descriptions unbiased by certain historical views are crucial.
このような事例を扱う際には、特定の歴史観に偏らないバランスのとれた記述が欠かせない。
In responding to a question in the Diet in April, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his view that the current textbook screening system does not reflect the spirit of the revised Fundamental Law of Education, which emphasizes the cultivation of patriotism. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s special panel also has called for the screening standards to be improved, saying it has found “descriptions with a self-deprecating view” in history textbooks.
教科書検定に関し、安倍首相は４月の国会答弁で、愛国心などの涵養(かんよう)をうたった改正教育基本法の精神が生きていないとの認識を示した。自民党の特別部会も「自虐史観の記述がある」として、検定基準の改善を要望していた。
However, the government has stopped short of seeking a review of a provision that requires it to pay certain consideration to Japan’s past relations with its neighboring Asian countries when referring to modern and contemporary history.
ただ、近隣アジア諸国への配慮を求める近隣諸国条項については今回、見直しが見送られた。
This so-called neighboring-countries provision was added to the textbook screening standards in 1982 to mitigate the fierce reactions from China and South Korea following false media reports that the education ministry had forced a change in the country’s textbooks of the description of an “invasion” of China by the defunct Imperial Japanese Army to an “advance.”
１９８２年、教科書で旧日本軍の中国「侵略」が「進出」に書き換えられたとの誤報を機に、中国と韓国が反発し、それを沈静化させるために設けられた条項だ。
The creation of such a provision, however, has produced side effects such as self-restrictions by publishers and writers of textbooks.
だが、その後、教科書会社や執筆者が自己規制するなどの副作用も出てきた。
In the increasingly globalized contemporary society, the nation should respect not only its neighbors but also other countries.
グローバル化が進む現代社会では、近隣諸国に限らず、他国を尊重する姿勢が求められる。
The historic role played by the provision is apparently coming to an end.
近隣諸国条項は歴史的役割を終えつつあると言える。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 16, 2013)
（2013年11月16日01時33分 読売新聞）
Review of school textbook screening must help understanding of history
教科書検定基準 領土と歴史の理解に役立つ（11月16日付・読売社説）
It is essential that textbooks children study accurately describe their country’s territories and history.
子供たちが学ぶ教科書には、自国の領土や歴史についての正しい記述が不可欠である。
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Hakubun Shimomura has announced that the government plans to review its standards on textbook screenings and aims to implement new criteria beginning next fiscal year.
下村文部科学相が、教科書検定基準を見直す方針を表明した。来年度の検定からの適用を目指す。
We regard it reasonable that the government has decided to require textbooks to mention its consensus views on historical and territorial issues, a key point of the review.
見直しの柱として、政府の統一見解があれば、必ず記述するよう求めた点はうなずける。
Japan’s confrontations with China and South Korea over territorial and historical issues have escalated. Teaching Japan’s stance accurately would help children correctly understand the nation’s relationship with other countries. Such efforts are also important for the nation to foster people capable of disseminating the message of the legitimacy of the government’s positions on such issues to the international community.
領土や歴史認識に関し、中国や韓国との対立が目立つ。日本の立場を教えることは、他国との関係を正しく理解する助けになる。国際社会で日本の正当性を発信する人材を育てる上でも重要だ。
South Korea has unlawfully occupied the Takeshima islands, an inherent part of Japanese territory, and Tokyo has taken the stance that there is no territorial dispute with Beijing over the Senkaku Islands administered by Japan.
日本固有の領土である竹島については、韓国が不法占拠している。日本が有効支配している尖閣諸島を巡っては、日中間に解決すべき領有権問題は存在しない。
Japan also has frictions with South Korea over the so-called comfort women issue and South Koreans’ rights to seek compensation from Japanese companies for what they claim was forced labor during wartime.
韓国との間には、いわゆる従軍慰安婦問題や、戦時中に徴用された韓国人労働者の賠償請求権に絡むあつれきも生じている。
The Japanese and South Korean governments reached an accord on damage claims in 1965 that stipulates the issue “was resolved completely and finally.” Thus, the issue of compensation for individual South Koreans has been settled already.
１９６５年に日韓両国政府が締結した日韓請求権協定には、請求権問題は「完全かつ最終的に解決された」と明記されている。個人請求権の問題は解決済みだ。
It is vital that such Japanese government stance will be expressed in textbooks.
こうした日本政府の立場を教科書で伝えることは大切だ。
Objectivity is key
In revamping textbook screening standards, the government intends to demand that textbook publishers avoid conclusive descriptions on issues for which it has yet to reach a consensus. We believe this is an appropriate call to secure objectivity of textbooks.
検定基準の見直しでは、通説が定まっていない事項について、断定的な記述をしないことも盛り込まれる。教科書の客観性を担保する上で適切な措置だろう。
For example, the number of people killed in the 1937 Nanjing Incident has yet to be determined. The figures vary widely, with some Japanese estimates citing several tens of thousands to 200,000 while China estimates more than 300,000 people were killed.
例えば、１９３７年の南京事件の犠牲者数は確定していない。日本では数万人から２０万人、中国では３０万人以上など諸説がある。
When dealing with such sensitive issues, descriptions unbiased by certain historical views are crucial.
このような事例を扱う際には、特定の歴史観に偏らないバランスのとれた記述が欠かせない。
In responding to a question in the Diet in April, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his view that the current textbook screening system does not reflect the spirit of the revised Fundamental Law of Education, which emphasizes the cultivation of patriotism. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s special panel also has called for the screening standards to be improved, saying it has found “descriptions with a self-deprecating view” in history textbooks.
教科書検定に関し、安倍首相は４月の国会答弁で、愛国心などの涵養(かんよう)をうたった改正教育基本法の精神が生きていないとの認識を示した。自民党の特別部会も「自虐史観の記述がある」として、検定基準の改善を要望していた。
However, the government has stopped short of seeking a review of a provision that requires it to pay certain consideration to Japan’s past relations with its neighboring Asian countries when referring to modern and contemporary history.
ただ、近隣アジア諸国への配慮を求める近隣諸国条項については今回、見直しが見送られた。
This so-called neighboring-countries provision was added to the textbook screening standards in 1982 to mitigate the fierce reactions from China and South Korea following false media reports that the education ministry had forced a change in the country’s textbooks of the description of an “invasion” of China by the defunct Imperial Japanese Army to an “advance.”
１９８２年、教科書で旧日本軍の中国「侵略」が「進出」に書き換えられたとの誤報を機に、中国と韓国が反発し、それを沈静化させるために設けられた条項だ。
The creation of such a provision, however, has produced side effects such as self-restrictions by publishers and writers of textbooks.
だが、その後、教科書会社や執筆者が自己規制するなどの副作用も出てきた。
In the increasingly globalized contemporary society, the nation should respect not only its neighbors but also other countries.
グローバル化が進む現代社会では、近隣諸国に限らず、他国を尊重する姿勢が求められる。
The historic role played by the provision is apparently coming to an end.
近隣諸国条項は歴史的役割を終えつつあると言える。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 16, 2013)
（2013年11月16日01時33分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun November 16, 2013
Bolster self-sustaining growth despite decelerated GDP pickup
ＧＤＰ減速 経済成長の持続力を高めたい（11月15日付・読売社説）
Although the pace of the nation’s economic growth since the beginning of the year has slowed, economic expansion remains in positive territory.
年初から続いていた高成長にブレーキがかかったが、プラス成長は維持している。
The government, together with the Bank of Japan, should steadily push ahead with the Abenomics economic policy of the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to accelerate fresh economic growth.
政府と日銀は、安倍政権の経済政策「アベノミクス」を着実に前進させ、成長の再加速を図ってもらいたい。
The nation’s preliminary real gross domestic product for the July-September period, announced by the Cabinet Office on Thursday, showed a 0.5 percent rise from the previous quarter, the fourth straight quarter of improvement.
内閣府が発表した今年７～９月期の実質国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）は、前期比０・５％増と、４四半期連続でプラスになった。
On an annualized basis, however, the growth figure is 1.9 percent, half the previous quarter’s 3.8 percent.
だが、年率換算の成長率は１・９％で、前期の３・８％から半減した。
A major factor behind the decrease is the sluggish pace of personal spending, which has served as the engine for economic growth.
成長を牽引(けんいん)してきた個人消費が低迷したことが響いた。
Exports, which were expected to increase on the strength of the weakening yen, turned to negative growth in the July-September period on declining demand from emerging economies in Asia and elsewhere.
円安の追い風が期待された輸出も、アジアなど新興国の景気減速を受けて、マイナスに転じた。
What shored up the growth despite weak domestic and external demand in such major categories was expenditures on public works projects, which increased through a set of emergency economic stimulus measures.
内外需の柱が不振に陥る中で、成長を支えたのは、緊急経済対策で上積みした公共投資だった。
Commenting on the latest GDP figure, Akira Amari, state minister for economic and fiscal policy, expressed a bullish point of view, saying the government believes “domestic demand has remained firm, indicating the economy will continue picking up.” However, this is no time for the government to let its guard down.
甘利経済財政相は「内需は底堅く、景気が引き続き上向いていると考える」と、強気の見方を示したが、油断は禁物だろう。
Higher growth achieved through public spending cannot last for long.
財政出動による成長の押し上げは、持続力に限りがある。
Price markups looming
Any uptrend will level off sooner or later if public spending-led growth is not replaced with self-sustaining growth through increases in private demand such as consumer spending and capital investment.
消費や設備投資など民間需要が主導する自律的な成長に移行しないと、いずれ息切れは避けられまい。
What should be of particular concern is rising prices of imported goods such as food and fuel, in addition to increased electricity charges due to idle nuclear power stations.
懸念されるのは、食品や燃料など輸入品の価格が上昇し、原子力発電所の停止で電力料金も値上がりしていることだ。
According to a survey by the Cabinet Office, 90 percent of households believe prices will be “higher than they are now” in the coming year. There are fears that consumer sentiment will ebb due to anxieties over increased prices.
内閣府の調査で、９割の世帯が１年後の物価は「上がる」と答えた。物価高を警戒して、消費者の心理が冷え込みかねない。
Although consumption will likely become firmer from around the end of the year until the early months of next year due to a last-minute surge in demand ahead of a consumption tax increase on April 1, reactionary drops after the tax hike could be highly problematic.
来年４月の消費税率引き上げをにらんだ「駆け込み需要」で、消費は年末から来年にかけて堅調さを取り戻すにしても、問題なのは増税後の反動減だ。
Should consumer spending run out of steam, the economic recovery could plunge into an alarming state, falling into a serious “consumption slump,” just before realizing the “virtuous economic cycle” the Abe administration has been seeking.
消費が失速すれば、日本経済再生に黄信号がともる。安倍政権の目指す「経済の好循環」を実現するどころか、深刻な「消費不況」に沈む恐れがある。
The first-half aggregate profits of listed companies through September are likely to be double those of a year earlier. It is strongly hoped that firms enjoying good business performance will take the bold step of raising wages to help boost household purchasing power.
上場企業の今年９月中間決算は、利益総額が前年の２倍に増える勢いだ。好業績の企業が賃上げに踏み切り、家計の購買力を底上げすることが望まれる。
Boosting income for both regular and nonregular employees of not only large companies, but also second-tier, medium- and small-sized businesses is certain to become a key task.
大企業だけでなく、中堅・中小企業の従業員や非正規労働者を含めた、所得全体の向上も大きな課題となろう。
The current slow pace of capital investment by private businesses is also a matter of concern.
民間企業の設備投資の回復が鈍いのも気がかりである。
Private-sector companies of course play a predominant role in realizing economic growth. All companies are urged to find a way out of being on the defensive, relying solely on cost curtailment, and instead draw up forward-looking business strategies.
経済成長の主役は民間企業である。各社が前向きの経営戦略を描き、合理化頼みの「守りの経営」から脱することが求められる。
The government, for its part, must redouble efforts to support corporate strategies through such measures as bold deregulation and cuts in effective corporate tax rates, which are significantly higher than those in other advanced economies.
政府は、大胆な規制改革や主要国より高い法人税実効税率の引き下げなど、企業戦略を後押しする施策を加速させるべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 15, 2013)
（2013年11月15日01時36分 読売新聞）
Bolster self-sustaining growth despite decelerated GDP pickup
ＧＤＰ減速 経済成長の持続力を高めたい（11月15日付・読売社説）
Although the pace of the nation’s economic growth since the beginning of the year has slowed, economic expansion remains in positive territory.
年初から続いていた高成長にブレーキがかかったが、プラス成長は維持している。
The government, together with the Bank of Japan, should steadily push ahead with the Abenomics economic policy of the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to accelerate fresh economic growth.
政府と日銀は、安倍政権の経済政策「アベノミクス」を着実に前進させ、成長の再加速を図ってもらいたい。
The nation’s preliminary real gross domestic product for the July-September period, announced by the Cabinet Office on Thursday, showed a 0.5 percent rise from the previous quarter, the fourth straight quarter of improvement.
内閣府が発表した今年７～９月期の実質国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）は、前期比０・５％増と、４四半期連続でプラスになった。
On an annualized basis, however, the growth figure is 1.9 percent, half the previous quarter’s 3.8 percent.
だが、年率換算の成長率は１・９％で、前期の３・８％から半減した。
A major factor behind the decrease is the sluggish pace of personal spending, which has served as the engine for economic growth.
成長を牽引(けんいん)してきた個人消費が低迷したことが響いた。
Exports, which were expected to increase on the strength of the weakening yen, turned to negative growth in the July-September period on declining demand from emerging economies in Asia and elsewhere.
円安の追い風が期待された輸出も、アジアなど新興国の景気減速を受けて、マイナスに転じた。
What shored up the growth despite weak domestic and external demand in such major categories was expenditures on public works projects, which increased through a set of emergency economic stimulus measures.
内外需の柱が不振に陥る中で、成長を支えたのは、緊急経済対策で上積みした公共投資だった。
Commenting on the latest GDP figure, Akira Amari, state minister for economic and fiscal policy, expressed a bullish point of view, saying the government believes “domestic demand has remained firm, indicating the economy will continue picking up.” However, this is no time for the government to let its guard down.
甘利経済財政相は「内需は底堅く、景気が引き続き上向いていると考える」と、強気の見方を示したが、油断は禁物だろう。
Higher growth achieved through public spending cannot last for long.
財政出動による成長の押し上げは、持続力に限りがある。
Price markups looming
Any uptrend will level off sooner or later if public spending-led growth is not replaced with self-sustaining growth through increases in private demand such as consumer spending and capital investment.
消費や設備投資など民間需要が主導する自律的な成長に移行しないと、いずれ息切れは避けられまい。
What should be of particular concern is rising prices of imported goods such as food and fuel, in addition to increased electricity charges due to idle nuclear power stations.
懸念されるのは、食品や燃料など輸入品の価格が上昇し、原子力発電所の停止で電力料金も値上がりしていることだ。
According to a survey by the Cabinet Office, 90 percent of households believe prices will be “higher than they are now” in the coming year. There are fears that consumer sentiment will ebb due to anxieties over increased prices.
内閣府の調査で、９割の世帯が１年後の物価は「上がる」と答えた。物価高を警戒して、消費者の心理が冷え込みかねない。
Although consumption will likely become firmer from around the end of the year until the early months of next year due to a last-minute surge in demand ahead of a consumption tax increase on April 1, reactionary drops after the tax hike could be highly problematic.
来年４月の消費税率引き上げをにらんだ「駆け込み需要」で、消費は年末から来年にかけて堅調さを取り戻すにしても、問題なのは増税後の反動減だ。
Should consumer spending run out of steam, the economic recovery could plunge into an alarming state, falling into a serious “consumption slump,” just before realizing the “virtuous economic cycle” the Abe administration has been seeking.
消費が失速すれば、日本経済再生に黄信号がともる。安倍政権の目指す「経済の好循環」を実現するどころか、深刻な「消費不況」に沈む恐れがある。
The first-half aggregate profits of listed companies through September are likely to be double those of a year earlier. It is strongly hoped that firms enjoying good business performance will take the bold step of raising wages to help boost household purchasing power.
上場企業の今年９月中間決算は、利益総額が前年の２倍に増える勢いだ。好業績の企業が賃上げに踏み切り、家計の購買力を底上げすることが望まれる。
Boosting income for both regular and nonregular employees of not only large companies, but also second-tier, medium- and small-sized businesses is certain to become a key task.
大企業だけでなく、中堅・中小企業の従業員や非正規労働者を含めた、所得全体の向上も大きな課題となろう。
The current slow pace of capital investment by private businesses is also a matter of concern.
民間企業の設備投資の回復が鈍いのも気がかりである。
Private-sector companies of course play a predominant role in realizing economic growth. All companies are urged to find a way out of being on the defensive, relying solely on cost curtailment, and instead draw up forward-looking business strategies.
経済成長の主役は民間企業である。各社が前向きの経営戦略を描き、合理化頼みの「守りの経営」から脱することが求められる。
The government, for its part, must redouble efforts to support corporate strategies through such measures as bold deregulation and cuts in effective corporate tax rates, which are significantly higher than those in other advanced economies.
政府は、大胆な規制改革や主要国より高い法人税実効税率の引き下げなど、企業戦略を後押しする施策を加速させるべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 15, 2013)
（2013年11月15日01時36分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun November 15, 2013
Isahaya issue cannot be solved solely with judicial decisions
諫早開門問題 司法判断だけでは解決できぬ（11月14日付・読売社説）
Another layer of confusion has been added to the issue concerning the Isahaya Bay land reclamation project in Nagasaki Prefecture. We think it is impossible to solve the problem with only judicial judgments.
長崎県の諫早湾干拓事業を巡る問題は、混迷の度を増すばかりだ。もはや、司法判断による解決は困難ではないか。
The Nagasaki District Court has decided to issue a provisional injunction to the government to stop the planned opening of floodgates of a dike built in the bay.
長崎地裁が、湾内に設けられた堤防排水門の開門差し止めを国に命じる仮処分を決定した。
The court has judged it is highly probable agriculture and fisheries will suffer damage if the floodgates were to be opened. The court therefore ruled in favor of parties who filed a suit, including farmers, who oppose a government study that would involve opening the floodgates.
「開門すれば、農業や漁業が被害を受ける蓋然性が高い」と判断し、開門調査に反対する干拓地の営農者らの訴えを認めた。
It is a conclusion in direct opposition to the one made by the Fukuoka High Court in December 2010. The high court ordered the government to open the floodgates for five years to investigate what impact it could have on fisheries in the area. The high court decision has already been finalized.
２０１０年１２月の福岡高裁判決と正反対の結論である。高裁は、漁業に与える影響を調べるため、国に対して５年間の開門を命じ、判決は確定している。
It is natural for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi to have commented on the matter, “It is an extremely difficult situation as we are charged with two [conflicting] obligations: ‘We must open the gates’ or ‘We must not open the gates.’”
林農相が「開門と、開門してはならないという二つの義務を負うことになり、大変難しい状況だ」と語ったのは当然だろう。
Because judges base their decisions on the advantages and disadvantages to parties in a lawsuit from evidence submitted, the interests of parties not directly involved in the lawsuit are not taken into consideration.
裁判官は、提出された証拠だけに基づき、訴訟当事者のみの利害を判断するため、訴訟に絡まない関係者の利害は考慮されない。
In cases in which the interests of farmers and fishermen are intricately intertwined with multiple lawsuits underway—as can be seen with the Isahaya issue—conflicting judicial conclusions are sometimes drawn according to evidence submitted to courts.
この問題のように、営農者や漁業者の利害が複雑に交錯し、複数の訴訟が係争中のケースでは、示された証拠によって相反する結論が導かれることもある。
Political settlement desirable
As a result, judicial rulings will fall short of fully solving the issue. Therefore, we believe it is desirable to settle the Isahaya Bay issue politically rather than through judicial rulings.
結果として、司法判断によって解決が遠のく。諫早湾問題は、司法決着よりも、政治による解決が望ましいと言える。
However, thorough preparations and coordination are indispensable to politically solve the problem. After the Fukuoka High Court’s ruling in 2010, then Prime Minister Naoto Kan decided not to appeal the high court decision to the Supreme Court although he had not sufficiently examined the impact of opening the floodgates and other factors.
ただし、政治解決を図るには周到な調整が欠かせない。菅首相（当時）は、福岡高裁判決後、開門の影響などを十分に検討しないまま、上告を断念した。
“I have my own knowledge on this issue,” Kan stressed, but he was ultimately unable to point the problem toward a final settlement. Instead, his actions have invited distrust against the politics of parties involved in the issue.
菅氏は「私なりの知見を持っている」と力説したが、最終解決への道筋は示し得なかった。それどころか、関係者の政治不信を招く結果になった。
If the government had appealed the high court ruling to the top court, there was a possibility the issue could have ended with a court-mediated settlement. Even if such a settlement was not made, there might have been a different development in the issue’s history if the Supreme Court had handed down its decision on the issue, because top court decisions strongly influence subsequent decisions in trials at lower courts regarding similar cases.
上告していれば、和解成立の可能性もあった。そうでなくても、下級審に強い影響力を持つ最高裁判決が示されれば、異なる展開になっていたかもしれない。
The Fukuoka High Court-ordered deadline to begin the floodgate-opening study, Dec. 20, is now approaching. With the Nagasaki court’s decision, it is unlikely for the government to start the investigation by the date. The administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe must do its best to reach out to parties involved in this issue, such as local governments, fishermen and farmers, to find a compromise.
福岡高裁判決が命じた開門調査の開始期限は１２月２０日に迫っている。今回の決定で、期限内の調査開始は見通せなくなったと言えよう。安倍政権は事態打開に向け、地元自治体や漁業者、営農者の歩み寄りに全力を挙げるべきだ。
The Isahaya Bay land reclamation project has been regarded as a prime example of a “public works project that cannot be stopped once it has started.” The initial purpose of the project was to create an increase in food production. However, even if the government shifted its policy to reducing rice fields, the project would continue under the pretext of disaster management or securing a water resource.
諫早湾の干拓事業は、「止まらない公共事業」の代名詞とされてきた。当初は、食料増産が目的だったが、国が減反政策に転換しても、防災や水資源確保などに名目を変えて継続された。
We suspect the government underestimated the impact of the project on fishermen and farmers as it placed too much priority on simply keeping the project moving. The major lesson from the issue of the Isahaya Bay land reclamation project is how important it is to obtain the understanding of the parties involved.
政府は事業継続を優先するあまり、漁業者や営農者への影響を過小評価していたのではないか。利害関係者の理解を得ることがいかに大切か。諫早湾干拓事業の大きな教訓である。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 14, 2013)
（2013年11月14日01時46分 読売新聞）
Isahaya issue cannot be solved solely with judicial decisions
諫早開門問題 司法判断だけでは解決できぬ（11月14日付・読売社説）
Another layer of confusion has been added to the issue concerning the Isahaya Bay land reclamation project in Nagasaki Prefecture. We think it is impossible to solve the problem with only judicial judgments.
長崎県の諫早湾干拓事業を巡る問題は、混迷の度を増すばかりだ。もはや、司法判断による解決は困難ではないか。
The Nagasaki District Court has decided to issue a provisional injunction to the government to stop the planned opening of floodgates of a dike built in the bay.
長崎地裁が、湾内に設けられた堤防排水門の開門差し止めを国に命じる仮処分を決定した。
The court has judged it is highly probable agriculture and fisheries will suffer damage if the floodgates were to be opened. The court therefore ruled in favor of parties who filed a suit, including farmers, who oppose a government study that would involve opening the floodgates.
「開門すれば、農業や漁業が被害を受ける蓋然性が高い」と判断し、開門調査に反対する干拓地の営農者らの訴えを認めた。
It is a conclusion in direct opposition to the one made by the Fukuoka High Court in December 2010. The high court ordered the government to open the floodgates for five years to investigate what impact it could have on fisheries in the area. The high court decision has already been finalized.
２０１０年１２月の福岡高裁判決と正反対の結論である。高裁は、漁業に与える影響を調べるため、国に対して５年間の開門を命じ、判決は確定している。
It is natural for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi to have commented on the matter, “It is an extremely difficult situation as we are charged with two [conflicting] obligations: ‘We must open the gates’ or ‘We must not open the gates.’”
林農相が「開門と、開門してはならないという二つの義務を負うことになり、大変難しい状況だ」と語ったのは当然だろう。
Because judges base their decisions on the advantages and disadvantages to parties in a lawsuit from evidence submitted, the interests of parties not directly involved in the lawsuit are not taken into consideration.
裁判官は、提出された証拠だけに基づき、訴訟当事者のみの利害を判断するため、訴訟に絡まない関係者の利害は考慮されない。
In cases in which the interests of farmers and fishermen are intricately intertwined with multiple lawsuits underway—as can be seen with the Isahaya issue—conflicting judicial conclusions are sometimes drawn according to evidence submitted to courts.
この問題のように、営農者や漁業者の利害が複雑に交錯し、複数の訴訟が係争中のケースでは、示された証拠によって相反する結論が導かれることもある。
Political settlement desirable
As a result, judicial rulings will fall short of fully solving the issue. Therefore, we believe it is desirable to settle the Isahaya Bay issue politically rather than through judicial rulings.
結果として、司法判断によって解決が遠のく。諫早湾問題は、司法決着よりも、政治による解決が望ましいと言える。
However, thorough preparations and coordination are indispensable to politically solve the problem. After the Fukuoka High Court’s ruling in 2010, then Prime Minister Naoto Kan decided not to appeal the high court decision to the Supreme Court although he had not sufficiently examined the impact of opening the floodgates and other factors.
ただし、政治解決を図るには周到な調整が欠かせない。菅首相（当時）は、福岡高裁判決後、開門の影響などを十分に検討しないまま、上告を断念した。
“I have my own knowledge on this issue,” Kan stressed, but he was ultimately unable to point the problem toward a final settlement. Instead, his actions have invited distrust against the politics of parties involved in the issue.
菅氏は「私なりの知見を持っている」と力説したが、最終解決への道筋は示し得なかった。それどころか、関係者の政治不信を招く結果になった。
If the government had appealed the high court ruling to the top court, there was a possibility the issue could have ended with a court-mediated settlement. Even if such a settlement was not made, there might have been a different development in the issue’s history if the Supreme Court had handed down its decision on the issue, because top court decisions strongly influence subsequent decisions in trials at lower courts regarding similar cases.
上告していれば、和解成立の可能性もあった。そうでなくても、下級審に強い影響力を持つ最高裁判決が示されれば、異なる展開になっていたかもしれない。
The Fukuoka High Court-ordered deadline to begin the floodgate-opening study, Dec. 20, is now approaching. With the Nagasaki court’s decision, it is unlikely for the government to start the investigation by the date. The administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe must do its best to reach out to parties involved in this issue, such as local governments, fishermen and farmers, to find a compromise.
福岡高裁判決が命じた開門調査の開始期限は１２月２０日に迫っている。今回の決定で、期限内の調査開始は見通せなくなったと言えよう。安倍政権は事態打開に向け、地元自治体や漁業者、営農者の歩み寄りに全力を挙げるべきだ。
The Isahaya Bay land reclamation project has been regarded as a prime example of a “public works project that cannot be stopped once it has started.” The initial purpose of the project was to create an increase in food production. However, even if the government shifted its policy to reducing rice fields, the project would continue under the pretext of disaster management or securing a water resource.
諫早湾の干拓事業は、「止まらない公共事業」の代名詞とされてきた。当初は、食料増産が目的だったが、国が減反政策に転換しても、防災や水資源確保などに名目を変えて継続された。
We suspect the government underestimated the impact of the project on fishermen and farmers as it placed too much priority on simply keeping the project moving. The major lesson from the issue of the Isahaya Bay land reclamation project is how important it is to obtain the understanding of the parties involved.
政府は事業継続を優先するあまり、漁業者や営農者への影響を過小評価していたのではないか。利害関係者の理解を得ることがいかに大切か。諫早湾干拓事業の大きな教訓である。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 14, 2013)
（2013年11月14日01時46分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun November 14, 2013
Japan, other countries should do more to deal with natural disasters
フィリピン台風 被災者救援に日本も力尽くせ（11月13日付・読売社説）
Destruction from the killer typhoon that struck the Philippines produced a tragic scene reminiscent of areas devastated by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
東日本大震災の被災地を想起させる悲惨な光景が広がっている。
Typhoon Haiyan smashed into the Philippines Friday, a catastrophe that is believed to have left as many as 10,000 dead and affected an estimated 11.3 million people. Japan should do its utmost to aid the typhoon-ravaged country.
猛烈な台風３０号が、フィリピンを直撃し、死者１万人とも言われる壊滅的な被害が出た。被災者は約１１３０万人に上る。日本は最大限の支援を急ぐべきだ。
The typhoon is believed to have registered a maximum wind velocity of 105 meters per second. Tacloban, the main city on Leyte Island, was severely damaged, with tsunami-like waves several meters high striking the area. Surging floodwaters destroyed a huge number of simple wooden houses in the city, and even wiped out some local communities.
台風の最大瞬間風速は秒速１０５メートルだったとされる。最も被害が大きかったレイテ島の中心都市タクロバンは数メートルの高潮に襲われた。簡素な木造の住宅は破壊され、消滅した集落もあるという。
No contact has yet been made with many of the 133 Japanese residents on Leyte and neighboring Samar Island.
レイテ島と隣のサマル島に住む邦人１３３人の多くとも連絡が取れないままだ。
There is a pressing need to search for and rescue missing people, while also treating those injured in the disaster. This must be complemented by efforts to deliver water, food and medical supplies to survivors.
行方不明者の捜索や救助、負傷者の治療が急務である。同時に、被災者に水や食料、医薬品を届けなければならない。
It is also important to take hygiene measures to prevent people from falling victim to infectious diseases and other ill-effects caused by the typhoon.
感染症などで犠牲者をこれ以上増やさないようにするための衛生対策も重要だ。
Though he reportedly called on his people to evacuate before the typhoon hit, Philippine President Benigno Aquino was unable to prevent a catastrophe. Little progress has been made in determining the extent of the damage. His administration also has been slow to release information about casualties. There is a growing lack of confidence among Filipinos in their government over its failure to take appropriate post-disaster measures.
アキノ大統領は台風上陸前に避難を呼びかけたというが、甚大な被害を食い止められなかった。被災状況の把握が進まず、死傷者に関する情報の公開も遅れている。政府の対応の不手際には国民の不信感も高まっている。
The international community needs to extend its full support to the Philippines. There is much that can be done to aid the disaster-stricken country—not just rescue work. International assistance may include securing means of communications and transportation, and assembling relief supplies. In fact, Japan, the United States, China, the European Union and other nations have already announced what assistance they will provide.
国際社会による全面的な支援が必要だ。被災者救出にとどまらず、通信手段や交通の確保、救援物資の集積など協力できることは多い。既に、日本をはじめ、米国、中国、欧州連合（ＥＵ）などが、次々に支援を表明している。
Set up typhoon info network
The Japanese government has sent a medical team from the Japan Disaster Relief Team to the Philippines, while also deciding to extend $10 million, or about ¥1 billion, in emergency grants-in-aid for that country.
日本政府は、国際緊急援助隊の医療チームを現地に送るとともに、１０００万ドル（約１０億円）の緊急無償資金協力を決めた。
The government was quick to decide it would dispatch Self-Defense Forces personnel in response to a request from the Philippine government. A 50-member advance SDF team is scheduled to arrive first, with the aim of extending medical and other assistance to stricken areas.
比政府の要請を受けて、政府が自衛隊の派遣を決めたのも妥当な判断だ。先遣隊５０人がまず現地入りし、医療支援などにあたる。
In the wake of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, Japan received a great deal of assistance from other countries, including the Philippines. Japan has an obligation to aid any disaster-hit nation.
東日本大震災の際、日本は、フィリピンを含む各国から多大な支援を受けた。 国際的な災害支援は日本の責務と言えよう。
After coastal areas along the Indian Ocean were hit by tsunami generated by a massive earthquake in 2004, the Japanese government took the initiative in establishing a multilateral tsunami warning system covering the region.
２００４年のインド洋津波の後、日本政府は、インド洋における多国間の津波警戒システムの構築に、主導的役割を果たした。
Japan’s initiative in this respect also covers typhoons. The Japan Meteorological Agency has provided other Asian nations with data from weather satellites and other weather-related information. A multilateral typhoon information network should be created to reduce damage caused by a disaster comparable to the typhoon.
台風に関しても、日本の気象庁が、気象衛星のデータや予報情報をアジア諸国に提供しているが、今回のような被害を少しでも減らすために、同様の情報ネットワーク作りが求められる。
Asia is one of the world’s most disaster-prone regions. About half of the victims of natural calamities in the past 30 years have been in this part of the world.
アジアは世界有数の自然災害多発地帯だ。過去３０年間の犠牲者の約半数が集中するという。
Japan, the Philippines and other Asian nations that frequently suffer typhoon damage should further increase their cooperation to reduce and manage devastation caused by typhoons.
日本やフィリピンをはじめ、台風災害に苦しめられるアジア各国は、防災面での連携も一層強化すべきだろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 13, 2013)
（2013年11月13日01時52分 読売新聞）
Japan, other countries should do more to deal with natural disasters
フィリピン台風 被災者救援に日本も力尽くせ（11月13日付・読売社説）
Destruction from the killer typhoon that struck the Philippines produced a tragic scene reminiscent of areas devastated by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
東日本大震災の被災地を想起させる悲惨な光景が広がっている。
Typhoon Haiyan smashed into the Philippines Friday, a catastrophe that is believed to have left as many as 10,000 dead and affected an estimated 11.3 million people. Japan should do its utmost to aid the typhoon-ravaged country.
猛烈な台風３０号が、フィリピンを直撃し、死者１万人とも言われる壊滅的な被害が出た。被災者は約１１３０万人に上る。日本は最大限の支援を急ぐべきだ。
The typhoon is believed to have registered a maximum wind velocity of 105 meters per second. Tacloban, the main city on Leyte Island, was severely damaged, with tsunami-like waves several meters high striking the area. Surging floodwaters destroyed a huge number of simple wooden houses in the city, and even wiped out some local communities.
台風の最大瞬間風速は秒速１０５メートルだったとされる。最も被害が大きかったレイテ島の中心都市タクロバンは数メートルの高潮に襲われた。簡素な木造の住宅は破壊され、消滅した集落もあるという。
No contact has yet been made with many of the 133 Japanese residents on Leyte and neighboring Samar Island.
レイテ島と隣のサマル島に住む邦人１３３人の多くとも連絡が取れないままだ。
There is a pressing need to search for and rescue missing people, while also treating those injured in the disaster. This must be complemented by efforts to deliver water, food and medical supplies to survivors.
行方不明者の捜索や救助、負傷者の治療が急務である。同時に、被災者に水や食料、医薬品を届けなければならない。
It is also important to take hygiene measures to prevent people from falling victim to infectious diseases and other ill-effects caused by the typhoon.
感染症などで犠牲者をこれ以上増やさないようにするための衛生対策も重要だ。
Though he reportedly called on his people to evacuate before the typhoon hit, Philippine President Benigno Aquino was unable to prevent a catastrophe. Little progress has been made in determining the extent of the damage. His administration also has been slow to release information about casualties. There is a growing lack of confidence among Filipinos in their government over its failure to take appropriate post-disaster measures.
アキノ大統領は台風上陸前に避難を呼びかけたというが、甚大な被害を食い止められなかった。被災状況の把握が進まず、死傷者に関する情報の公開も遅れている。政府の対応の不手際には国民の不信感も高まっている。
The international community needs to extend its full support to the Philippines. There is much that can be done to aid the disaster-stricken country—not just rescue work. International assistance may include securing means of communications and transportation, and assembling relief supplies. In fact, Japan, the United States, China, the European Union and other nations have already announced what assistance they will provide.
国際社会による全面的な支援が必要だ。被災者救出にとどまらず、通信手段や交通の確保、救援物資の集積など協力できることは多い。既に、日本をはじめ、米国、中国、欧州連合（ＥＵ）などが、次々に支援を表明している。
Set up typhoon info network
The Japanese government has sent a medical team from the Japan Disaster Relief Team to the Philippines, while also deciding to extend $10 million, or about ¥1 billion, in emergency grants-in-aid for that country.
日本政府は、国際緊急援助隊の医療チームを現地に送るとともに、１０００万ドル（約１０億円）の緊急無償資金協力を決めた。
The government was quick to decide it would dispatch Self-Defense Forces personnel in response to a request from the Philippine government. A 50-member advance SDF team is scheduled to arrive first, with the aim of extending medical and other assistance to stricken areas.
比政府の要請を受けて、政府が自衛隊の派遣を決めたのも妥当な判断だ。先遣隊５０人がまず現地入りし、医療支援などにあたる。
In the wake of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, Japan received a great deal of assistance from other countries, including the Philippines. Japan has an obligation to aid any disaster-hit nation.
東日本大震災の際、日本は、フィリピンを含む各国から多大な支援を受けた。 国際的な災害支援は日本の責務と言えよう。
After coastal areas along the Indian Ocean were hit by tsunami generated by a massive earthquake in 2004, the Japanese government took the initiative in establishing a multilateral tsunami warning system covering the region.
２００４年のインド洋津波の後、日本政府は、インド洋における多国間の津波警戒システムの構築に、主導的役割を果たした。
Japan’s initiative in this respect also covers typhoons. The Japan Meteorological Agency has provided other Asian nations with data from weather satellites and other weather-related information. A multilateral typhoon information network should be created to reduce damage caused by a disaster comparable to the typhoon.
台風に関しても、日本の気象庁が、気象衛星のデータや予報情報をアジア諸国に提供しているが、今回のような被害を少しでも減らすために、同様の情報ネットワーク作りが求められる。
Asia is one of the world’s most disaster-prone regions. About half of the victims of natural calamities in the past 30 years have been in this part of the world.
アジアは世界有数の自然災害多発地帯だ。過去３０年間の犠牲者の約半数が集中するという。
Japan, the Philippines and other Asian nations that frequently suffer typhoon damage should further increase their cooperation to reduce and manage devastation caused by typhoons.
日本やフィリピンをはじめ、台風災害に苦しめられるアジア各国は、防災面での連携も一層強化すべきだろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 13, 2013)
（2013年11月13日01時52分 読売新聞）
cite from msn sankei,
english translation by srachai,
2013.10.26 18:10 ［安倍首相］
2013.10.26 18:10 [Abe]
安倍首相、海外逃亡中のタイの元首相と会食
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, dined with exiled former Thai Prime Minister,Thaksin Shinawatra
安倍晋三首相は２６日、タイのタクシン元首相と都内のホテルで、昼食をとりながら会談した。両国の経済問題などについて意見交換したとみられる。
On October 26, 2013, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met to take a lunch with former exiled Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at a hotel in Tokyo, discussing about bilateral economic issues between the two countries.
タクシン氏はインラック現首相の実兄にあたる。国有地の不正購入をめぐる汚職事件で実刑判決を受け海外逃亡中だ。
Exiled Thaksin is a brother of Yingluck Shinawatra, the current Prime Minister of Thailand.
Being sentenced tow years' imprisonment at the Thai Court against some bribery scandals involving the illegal purchase of State-owned land, Thaksin exiled him as a fugitive abroad.
タイ政界に影響力を有しているタクシン氏だが、日本の首相が、海外逃亡中の外国要人と会談するのは異例だ。
Although Thaksin still has great influence in Thailand politics, it is quite an extraordinary case for Japan's Prime Minister to meet an exiled foreign dignitaries.
related story,
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/politics/news/131026/plc13102618110010-n1.htm
http://www.newsclip.be/article/2013/10/31/19574.html
english translation by srachai,
2013.10.26 18:10 ［安倍首相］
2013.10.26 18:10 [Abe]
安倍首相、海外逃亡中のタイの元首相と会食
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, dined with exiled former Thai Prime Minister,Thaksin Shinawatra
安倍晋三首相は２６日、タイのタクシン元首相と都内のホテルで、昼食をとりながら会談した。両国の経済問題などについて意見交換したとみられる。
On October 26, 2013, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met to take a lunch with former exiled Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at a hotel in Tokyo, discussing about bilateral economic issues between the two countries.
タクシン氏はインラック現首相の実兄にあたる。国有地の不正購入をめぐる汚職事件で実刑判決を受け海外逃亡中だ。
Exiled Thaksin is a brother of Yingluck Shinawatra, the current Prime Minister of Thailand.
Being sentenced tow years' imprisonment at the Thai Court against some bribery scandals involving the illegal purchase of State-owned land, Thaksin exiled him as a fugitive abroad.
タイ政界に影響力を有しているタクシン氏だが、日本の首相が、海外逃亡中の外国要人と会談するのは異例だ。
Although Thaksin still has great influence in Thailand politics, it is quite an extraordinary case for Japan's Prime Minister to meet an exiled foreign dignitaries.
related story,
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/politics/news/131026/plc13102618110010-n1.htm
http://www.newsclip.be/article/2013/10/31/19574.html
The Yomiuri Shimbun November 12, 2013
Board of Audit warning must lead to better infrastructure management
会計検査院報告 杜撰なインフラ管理を見直せ（11月10日付・読売社説）
The improper and ineffective use of taxpayers’ money remains strikingly conspicuous.
税金が有効に使われていないケースが、相変わらず目立つ。
The Board of Audit, in its auditing report for the fiscal year that ended on March 31 this year, has pointed out 630 cases of improper, questionable use of ¥490.7 billion of government funds.
会計検査院は２０１２年度の決算検査報告書で６３０件、４９０７億円の問題点を指摘した。
Japan has long had the worst fiscal deficits among industrially advanced countries. No time should be wasted in buckling down to the challenge of fiscal reconstruction.
日本は先進国で最悪の財政赤字を抱えている。財政再建は待ったなしだ。
All ministries and agencies that have been asked by the board to rectify problematic use of public funds must squarely address the task of proper budgetary implementation.
検査院から改善を求められた各省庁は、予算の適正な執行に取り組まねばならない。
The public funds watchdog this time focused its inspections on how public infrastructure has been maintained and managed because infrastructure is closely linked to the public’s safety.
検査院は今回、公共インフラの維持・管理の調査に力を入れた。国民の安全にかかわるからだ。
The fact that the board’s inspections have uncovered a large number of cases of sloppy infrastructure management cannot be overlooked.
その調査で、杜撰(ずさん)な実態が浮かび上がったことは看過できない。
A case in point is problems with the management of overpasses across expressways.
例えば、高速道路をまたぐ陸橋（跨(こ)道橋）の管理だ。
The board’s inspections of all the nation’s approximately 4,500 overpasses have revealed that 635 of them have been left unchecked. In addition, it remains unconfirmed whether another 548 overpasses have been checked.
全国の約４５００か所すべてを調べたところ、６３５橋で点検が実施されていなかった。５４８橋では点検をしたかどうかすら不明だった。
It is astonishing that no steps have been taken to prevent concrete pieces from becoming detached at 968 overpasses built 30 years or more ago. If pieces of concrete hit a passing motor vehicle, the result could be disastrous. In fact, such an accident happened on the Tomei (Tokyo-Nagoya) Expressway.
３０年以上経過した陸橋のうち９６８橋で、コンクリート片の剥落防止措置がとられていなかったことにも驚く。通行中の自動車を直撃すれば、惨事を招きかねない。過去には東名高速道路にコンクリ片が落下した事例もある。
The collapse of an overpass in a major earthquake could sever expressway networks, rendering them unable to function as arteries for transporting emergency supplies.
大地震の際、陸橋が崩落すると、高速道路が寸断され、緊急輸送路としての機能を果たせなくなる事態が懸念される。
Past lessons unheeded
Expressway companies built the overpasses to connect communities separated by the construction of thoroughfares, and their management is up to the relevant local municipalities.
陸橋は、高速道路による地域の分断対策として、高速道路会社側が建造し、所在地の自治体が管理している。
Given that the structures were not built at the expense of the municipalities, local governments apparently tend to lack awareness of their responsibility to maintain and repair the overpasses.
自治体が自らの予算で造った施設でないことが、当事者意識を欠いた対応につながっているのではないか。
Expressway operators and municipalities must heighten their collaboration to ensure the safety of the structures.
高速道路会社と自治体は連携し、安全対策を進めるべきだ。
There also are a pile of problems with tunnels on national highways. The board’s inspections have revealed that no regular checks have been conducted on at least 11 of them during the past 10 years or so.
国道トンネルにも問題が多い。少なくとも１１か所で約１０年間、定期点検が行われていなかった。
No lessons have been utilized from the collapse of the Toyohama Tunnel near Yoichi, western Hokkaido, in 1996, which killed 20 people. It is only natural that the Board of Audit has demanded that the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry thoroughly inspect national highway tunnels to ensure their safety.
２０人が犠牲になった１９９６年の北海道・豊浜トンネル崩落事故の教訓が生かされていない。検査院が国土交通省に対し、点検の徹底を求めたのは当然である。
Shikoku Railway Co. (JR Shikoku) has left 56 of its railway bridges unrepaired for more than three years despite knowing they needed repairs, according to the board. One railway bridge has been left without repairs for as long as 23 years, the board said. It naturally came under fire for having little safety awareness.
ＪＲ四国の鉄道橋では、補修の必要性を把握しながら、３年以上修繕していない橋が５６か所に上った。中には２３年間、放置された橋もあった。安全への認識が希薄だと批判されても仕方あるまい。
We are also astonished by the sloppiness, as uncovered by the board, of the central and local governments in reinforcing infrastructure to improve earthquake resistance.
国や自治体のお粗末な耐震補強工事にもあきれるばかりだ。
In one instance, antiseismic ferroconcrete slabs were installed around pillars of bridges, but it was later learned that doing so weakened the quake-resistance of the bases of the pillars because of the additional load the pillars had to bear as a result of the reinforcement, the board noted.
橋脚の柱部分に鉄筋コンクリートを巻き付ける工事で、重量の増加を適切に考慮しなかったため、橋脚を支える基礎部分の耐震性がかえって低下したケースがあった。
The administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has hammered out a policy of boosting national land resilience.
安倍政権は、国土強靱(きょうじん)化の方針を打ち出している。
The sloppy rudimentary inspection and maintenance of existing infrastructure revealed by the Board of Audit could damage the trustworthiness of Abe’s policy.
だが、既存の建造物の基本的な保守・点検がおろそかなようでは心もとない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 10, 2013)
（2013年11月10日01時58分 読売新聞）
Board of Audit warning must lead to better infrastructure management
会計検査院報告 杜撰なインフラ管理を見直せ（11月10日付・読売社説）
The improper and ineffective use of taxpayers’ money remains strikingly conspicuous.
税金が有効に使われていないケースが、相変わらず目立つ。
The Board of Audit, in its auditing report for the fiscal year that ended on March 31 this year, has pointed out 630 cases of improper, questionable use of ¥490.7 billion of government funds.
会計検査院は２０１２年度の決算検査報告書で６３０件、４９０７億円の問題点を指摘した。
Japan has long had the worst fiscal deficits among industrially advanced countries. No time should be wasted in buckling down to the challenge of fiscal reconstruction.
日本は先進国で最悪の財政赤字を抱えている。財政再建は待ったなしだ。
All ministries and agencies that have been asked by the board to rectify problematic use of public funds must squarely address the task of proper budgetary implementation.
検査院から改善を求められた各省庁は、予算の適正な執行に取り組まねばならない。
The public funds watchdog this time focused its inspections on how public infrastructure has been maintained and managed because infrastructure is closely linked to the public’s safety.
検査院は今回、公共インフラの維持・管理の調査に力を入れた。国民の安全にかかわるからだ。
The fact that the board’s inspections have uncovered a large number of cases of sloppy infrastructure management cannot be overlooked.
その調査で、杜撰(ずさん)な実態が浮かび上がったことは看過できない。
A case in point is problems with the management of overpasses across expressways.
例えば、高速道路をまたぐ陸橋（跨(こ)道橋）の管理だ。
The board’s inspections of all the nation’s approximately 4,500 overpasses have revealed that 635 of them have been left unchecked. In addition, it remains unconfirmed whether another 548 overpasses have been checked.
全国の約４５００か所すべてを調べたところ、６３５橋で点検が実施されていなかった。５４８橋では点検をしたかどうかすら不明だった。
It is astonishing that no steps have been taken to prevent concrete pieces from becoming detached at 968 overpasses built 30 years or more ago. If pieces of concrete hit a passing motor vehicle, the result could be disastrous. In fact, such an accident happened on the Tomei (Tokyo-Nagoya) Expressway.
３０年以上経過した陸橋のうち９６８橋で、コンクリート片の剥落防止措置がとられていなかったことにも驚く。通行中の自動車を直撃すれば、惨事を招きかねない。過去には東名高速道路にコンクリ片が落下した事例もある。
The collapse of an overpass in a major earthquake could sever expressway networks, rendering them unable to function as arteries for transporting emergency supplies.
大地震の際、陸橋が崩落すると、高速道路が寸断され、緊急輸送路としての機能を果たせなくなる事態が懸念される。
Past lessons unheeded
Expressway companies built the overpasses to connect communities separated by the construction of thoroughfares, and their management is up to the relevant local municipalities.
陸橋は、高速道路による地域の分断対策として、高速道路会社側が建造し、所在地の自治体が管理している。
Given that the structures were not built at the expense of the municipalities, local governments apparently tend to lack awareness of their responsibility to maintain and repair the overpasses.
自治体が自らの予算で造った施設でないことが、当事者意識を欠いた対応につながっているのではないか。
Expressway operators and municipalities must heighten their collaboration to ensure the safety of the structures.
高速道路会社と自治体は連携し、安全対策を進めるべきだ。
There also are a pile of problems with tunnels on national highways. The board’s inspections have revealed that no regular checks have been conducted on at least 11 of them during the past 10 years or so.
国道トンネルにも問題が多い。少なくとも１１か所で約１０年間、定期点検が行われていなかった。
No lessons have been utilized from the collapse of the Toyohama Tunnel near Yoichi, western Hokkaido, in 1996, which killed 20 people. It is only natural that the Board of Audit has demanded that the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry thoroughly inspect national highway tunnels to ensure their safety.
２０人が犠牲になった１９９６年の北海道・豊浜トンネル崩落事故の教訓が生かされていない。検査院が国土交通省に対し、点検の徹底を求めたのは当然である。
Shikoku Railway Co. (JR Shikoku) has left 56 of its railway bridges unrepaired for more than three years despite knowing they needed repairs, according to the board. One railway bridge has been left without repairs for as long as 23 years, the board said. It naturally came under fire for having little safety awareness.
ＪＲ四国の鉄道橋では、補修の必要性を把握しながら、３年以上修繕していない橋が５６か所に上った。中には２３年間、放置された橋もあった。安全への認識が希薄だと批判されても仕方あるまい。
We are also astonished by the sloppiness, as uncovered by the board, of the central and local governments in reinforcing infrastructure to improve earthquake resistance.
国や自治体のお粗末な耐震補強工事にもあきれるばかりだ。
In one instance, antiseismic ferroconcrete slabs were installed around pillars of bridges, but it was later learned that doing so weakened the quake-resistance of the bases of the pillars because of the additional load the pillars had to bear as a result of the reinforcement, the board noted.
橋脚の柱部分に鉄筋コンクリートを巻き付ける工事で、重量の増加を適切に考慮しなかったため、橋脚を支える基礎部分の耐震性がかえって低下したケースがあった。
The administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has hammered out a policy of boosting national land resilience.
安倍政権は、国土強靱(きょうじん)化の方針を打ち出している。
The sloppy rudimentary inspection and maintenance of existing infrastructure revealed by the Board of Audit could damage the trustworthiness of Abe’s policy.
だが、既存の建造物の基本的な保守・点検がおろそかなようでは心もとない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 10, 2013)
（2013年11月10日01時58分 読売新聞）
November 10, 2013(Mainichi Japan)
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: The power of baseball
香山リカのココロの万華鏡:見る人の心奪う「野球」 ／東京
This year's professional baseball Nippon Series really generated a buzz. The Yomiuri Giants and Rakuten Golden Eagles came to the plate with very different histories. Some people were moved to give the Golden Eagles their fervent support simply because they were a team from the disaster-hit northeast.
今年のプロ野球日本シリーズは大変盛り上がった。読売ジャイアンツと東北楽天ゴールデンイーグルスは球団の歴史も、戦歴も対照的。さらにイーグルスは東北の球団だけに被災地へ心を寄せる人たちも熱心に応援した。
Baseball fans were excited elsewhere as well. In American Major League Baseball the Boston Red Sox won the World Series, with Japanese pitchers Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa greatly contributing to the victory and grabbing the attention of fans in Japan, as well as those in the United States.
海の向こうの米国メジャーリーグではボストン・レッドソックスがワールドシリーズ制覇を果たしたが、同球団所属の上原浩治、田沢純一両投手が大活躍し、こちらも日米のファンは大いに沸いた。
This talk about baseball reminds me of the 1976 Academy Award winner "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
野球といえば１９７６年のアカデミー賞映画「カッコーの巣の上で」を思い出す。
Set in a 1960s American mental institution, a man pretending to be a psychiatric patient is admitted there and rebels against the administration. During a "discussion therapy" session that is anything but, he suddenly requests that the institution staff change the building's schedule so the patients can watch the World Series.
６０年代の米国の州立精神科病院が舞台のこの作品では病人を装って入院し、病棟の管理体制に反発する男が名ばかりの「ディスカッション療法」で突如、「ワールドシリーズ中継をテレビで見られるように病棟の日課を変更してほしい」と要求する。
Although the other patients at first say they want to watch baseball, when a vote is held only two others agree with the man.
口では「野球が見たい」と言いながらも、投票を行うと男に賛成したのは２人。
Afterwards, the man convinces the other patients that it's OK for them to express their opinions, and in a second vote on the baseball issue all the participating patients vote in favor of the man's proposal.
その後、男は入院患者を「自分の意見を言っていいんだ」と説得し、２回目の投票では参加した患者全員が賛同票を投じる。
However, the medical staff turn down the idea on the grounds that not all the patients participated in the vote, and in the end they refuse to allow them to watch the games.
しかし、医療スタッフ側は「投票に参加していない患者もいる」という理屈を持ち出して結局、野球中継の観戦は許可されなかった。
The movie was a heavy critique of mental institutions of the time that ignored patients' rights, and there are many things that can be learned from it. When I first watched it as a university student, I was moved by the power of baseball to motivate people to act, even when they were resigned to other things.
当時の人権を無視した精神医療への強烈な批判となっているこの作品から学ぶことはあまりに多いが、私は大学時代に本作を初めて見た時に「他のことでは我慢している人たちも、『野球が見たい』となると立ち上がるんだな」と、野球というスポーツが人をひき付ける力に感心した。
When I became a psychiatrist myself and began working in a hospital ward, I started experiencing that power again and again.
その後、自分も精神科医になって病棟に勤務するようになると、ますますそれを実感することになった。
Back then, many baseball games, Giants games in particular, were broadcast on television. When the clock went past 6 p.m., patients would gather around the television to watch games.
当時はジャイアンツ戦を中心に多くの試合が中継されていたが、午後６時を過ぎると多くの患者さんたちがテレビの周囲に集まってくる。
There were many times when I was surprised by a patient who, though normally reticent, would give swift responses when asked about their favorite baseball team or baseball player.
他の話題には乗ってこないような人に「好きな球団は？ ひいきの選手は？」と問いかけると即座に答えが返ってきて、驚くこともしばしばだった。
Afterwards, soccer replaced baseball as the more popular sport, and baseball games became a less common sight on TV.
その後、世間では野球よりもサッカー熱が高まり、地上波放送での野球中継も少なくなってしまった。
However, the roles of the different players in baseball are more clearly defined than in soccer, and the rule of changing batting and fielding roles every three outs, along with other aspects of the sport, give it ups and downs that continue to entertain audiences.
ただ、サッカー以上にそれぞれの役割がはっきり分かれており、「３アウトで攻守がチェンジ」などメリハリがある野球は今でも見ている誰もが楽しめ、心を奪うスポーツであることは確かなのではないだろうか。
I no longer work in the hospital where I watched the baseball games with the patients, but I think nostalgically about whether those patients watched and enjoyed the Nippon Series this year.
患者さんたちと一緒に野球中継を見た病院から私は異動してしまったが、彼らも今年の日本シリーズに胸を熱くしただろうか、と懐かしく思い出すのだ。
(By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
毎日新聞 2013年11月05日 地方版
〔都内版〕
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: The power of baseball
香山リカのココロの万華鏡:見る人の心奪う「野球」 ／東京
This year's professional baseball Nippon Series really generated a buzz. The Yomiuri Giants and Rakuten Golden Eagles came to the plate with very different histories. Some people were moved to give the Golden Eagles their fervent support simply because they were a team from the disaster-hit northeast.
今年のプロ野球日本シリーズは大変盛り上がった。読売ジャイアンツと東北楽天ゴールデンイーグルスは球団の歴史も、戦歴も対照的。さらにイーグルスは東北の球団だけに被災地へ心を寄せる人たちも熱心に応援した。
Baseball fans were excited elsewhere as well. In American Major League Baseball the Boston Red Sox won the World Series, with Japanese pitchers Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa greatly contributing to the victory and grabbing the attention of fans in Japan, as well as those in the United States.
海の向こうの米国メジャーリーグではボストン・レッドソックスがワールドシリーズ制覇を果たしたが、同球団所属の上原浩治、田沢純一両投手が大活躍し、こちらも日米のファンは大いに沸いた。
This talk about baseball reminds me of the 1976 Academy Award winner "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
野球といえば１９７６年のアカデミー賞映画「カッコーの巣の上で」を思い出す。
Set in a 1960s American mental institution, a man pretending to be a psychiatric patient is admitted there and rebels against the administration. During a "discussion therapy" session that is anything but, he suddenly requests that the institution staff change the building's schedule so the patients can watch the World Series.
６０年代の米国の州立精神科病院が舞台のこの作品では病人を装って入院し、病棟の管理体制に反発する男が名ばかりの「ディスカッション療法」で突如、「ワールドシリーズ中継をテレビで見られるように病棟の日課を変更してほしい」と要求する。
Although the other patients at first say they want to watch baseball, when a vote is held only two others agree with the man.
口では「野球が見たい」と言いながらも、投票を行うと男に賛成したのは２人。
Afterwards, the man convinces the other patients that it's OK for them to express their opinions, and in a second vote on the baseball issue all the participating patients vote in favor of the man's proposal.
その後、男は入院患者を「自分の意見を言っていいんだ」と説得し、２回目の投票では参加した患者全員が賛同票を投じる。
However, the medical staff turn down the idea on the grounds that not all the patients participated in the vote, and in the end they refuse to allow them to watch the games.
しかし、医療スタッフ側は「投票に参加していない患者もいる」という理屈を持ち出して結局、野球中継の観戦は許可されなかった。
The movie was a heavy critique of mental institutions of the time that ignored patients' rights, and there are many things that can be learned from it. When I first watched it as a university student, I was moved by the power of baseball to motivate people to act, even when they were resigned to other things.
当時の人権を無視した精神医療への強烈な批判となっているこの作品から学ぶことはあまりに多いが、私は大学時代に本作を初めて見た時に「他のことでは我慢している人たちも、『野球が見たい』となると立ち上がるんだな」と、野球というスポーツが人をひき付ける力に感心した。
When I became a psychiatrist myself and began working in a hospital ward, I started experiencing that power again and again.
その後、自分も精神科医になって病棟に勤務するようになると、ますますそれを実感することになった。
Back then, many baseball games, Giants games in particular, were broadcast on television. When the clock went past 6 p.m., patients would gather around the television to watch games.
当時はジャイアンツ戦を中心に多くの試合が中継されていたが、午後６時を過ぎると多くの患者さんたちがテレビの周囲に集まってくる。
There were many times when I was surprised by a patient who, though normally reticent, would give swift responses when asked about their favorite baseball team or baseball player.
他の話題には乗ってこないような人に「好きな球団は？ ひいきの選手は？」と問いかけると即座に答えが返ってきて、驚くこともしばしばだった。
Afterwards, soccer replaced baseball as the more popular sport, and baseball games became a less common sight on TV.
その後、世間では野球よりもサッカー熱が高まり、地上波放送での野球中継も少なくなってしまった。
However, the roles of the different players in baseball are more clearly defined than in soccer, and the rule of changing batting and fielding roles every three outs, along with other aspects of the sport, give it ups and downs that continue to entertain audiences.
ただ、サッカー以上にそれぞれの役割がはっきり分かれており、「３アウトで攻守がチェンジ」などメリハリがある野球は今でも見ている誰もが楽しめ、心を奪うスポーツであることは確かなのではないだろうか。
I no longer work in the hospital where I watched the baseball games with the patients, but I think nostalgically about whether those patients watched and enjoyed the Nippon Series this year.
患者さんたちと一緒に野球中継を見た病院から私は異動してしまったが、彼らも今年の日本シリーズに胸を熱くしただろうか、と懐かしく思い出すのだ。
(By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
毎日新聞 2013年11月05日 地方版
〔都内版〕
The Yomiuri Shimbun November 10, 2013
Do Shanxi bombings reflect anger at Chinese Communist Party rule?
中国連続爆発 共産党統治への反発の表れか（11月9日付・読売社説）
Another violent incident has occurred in China, underscoring the seriousness of the social unrest in the country. Does this represent repugnance over the Communist Party’s rule?
中国の社会不安の深刻さを裏付ける事件が、また発生した。共産党の統治に対する強い反発の表れだろうか。
A series of explosions occurred at the Communist Party’s provincial committee headquarters in the inland city of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring eight others.
内陸部にある山西省太原の省党委員会庁舎前で６日、連続爆発が起こり、１人が死亡し、８人が重軽傷を負った。
The provincial authorities have detained a 41-year-old Taiyuan resident. Handmade explosive devices and other material evidence were reportedly found at his home, but the background and motives behind the bombings are not yet known. The Communist Party’s provincial committees have supreme power in their respective provinces, and the Taiyuan incident apparently stunned the party.
当局は、地元の４１歳の男を拘束した。自宅から手製の爆発装置などが見つかったという。背景や動機は不明だが、党委員会は地方で最高の権力を持つ組織だ。党にとって、衝撃的な事件と言える。
The latest incident came after a car crashed and exploded in flames in a deadly attack late last month in front of Tiananmen Gate in central Beijing, which features a huge portrait of Mao Zedong.
先月末には、毛沢東の巨大な肖像が掲げられた、北京の天安門前に車が突入して炎上する事件が発生したばかりだ。
Investigative authorities determined that the attack was committed at the direction of an international terrorist organization. But there are strong suspicions among some people that the attack was committed by Uygurs with personal grudges against the Communist Party.
当局は国際テロ組織の指示を受けた犯行と断定したが、党に個人的な恨みを持つウイグル族住民の仕業との見方も依然根強い。
Shanxi Province, where the latest incident took place, is known for its huge coal mining industry. Like other regions in China, the gap between rich and poor is wide.
今回事件が起きた山西省は、石炭の大産地だ。中国の他地域と同様、貧富の格差が顕著である。
Mine operators are known for using their financial muscle to buy up real estate in such urban areas as Beijing and Shanghai. Corruption has long been said to involve officials with the power to grant mining rights.
炭鉱経営者は、財力に物を言わせて、北京や上海などで不動産を買いあさることで有名だ。採掘許可権限を持つ当局者の腐敗も指摘されて久しい。
Many coal miners work in poor environments, and many of them are believed to have lost their jobs as coal prices have fallen due to the slowdown in economic growth in recent years.
炭鉱労働者の多くは、劣悪な環境で働いている。近年の成長減速に伴う石炭価格下落により、職を失った者も多いとみられる。
Coal miners are not the only Chinese who are discontent. The petition counter at the provincial committee’s headquarters building, the scene of the latest incident, is said to be overflowing with petitions from residents protesting unfair court decisions and forcible expropriation of land.
不満を抱いているのは、炭鉱労働者だけではない。事件のあった党委庁舎の陳情窓口には、不公正な司法や土地の強制収用に抗議する住民が殺到していたという。
In the eyes of workers and farmers, party leaders appear to be using their power to enrich themselves.
労働者や農民には、党幹部が権力をかさに、私腹を肥やしているように見えるのではないか。
Huge number of protests
Public discontent against the Communist Party and the government has triggered numerous incidents in various parts of the country. According to some sources, there are about 180,000 mass protests a year.
中国各地で、党や政府への民衆の不満が引き金となった事件が続発している。集団抗議行動は年間１８万件に上るとの情報もある。
In April, about 4,000 residents of Xiamen (Amoy) in Fujian Province stormed into the provincial government building to protest unfair land transactions by the authorities concerned. In August, about 10,000 residents of Guanxi Zhuang Autonomous Region clashed with police during a protest rally over deaths allegedly caused by the discharge of water at a dam.
今年４月、福建省アモイでは、当局の土地不正取引に反対する住民約４０００人が政府庁舎に押しかけた。８月には、広西チワン族自治区で、ダムの放水で死者が出たとして住民約１万人が抗議、警官隊と衝突した。
To deal with these incidents, the administration of President Xi Jinping has ordered thorough implementation of antiterrorist measures. In line with this harsh approach, the president has inspected poor farming communities in an effort to show his concern for local residents. But it is open to question whether these efforts have had the desired results.
こうした事態に対し、習近平政権は、「テロ対策」徹底を命じる一方、習国家主席自身が貧しい農村を視察するなど、硬軟両様の姿勢で臨んでいる。だが、成果が上がっているとは言えない。
The Xi administration, which will shortly enter its second year, opens the third plenary meeting of the Chinese Communist Party’s 18th Central Committee on Saturday. Focal points of discussion at the meeting will be economic structure reforms aimed at correcting the gap between rich and poor, among other issues.
まもなく２年目に入る習政権は９日から、党の第１８期中央委員会第３回総会（３中総会）を開く。格差是正も視野に入れた経済構造改革などが焦点になるだろう。
Can China achieve stable growth while reining in public anxiety? The Xi government faces a difficult job steering the country.
民衆の動揺を抑えつつ、安定成長を実現できるのか。習政権は、厳しい舵(かじ)取りを迫られている。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 9, 2013)
（2013年11月9日01時30分 読売新聞）
Do Shanxi bombings reflect anger at Chinese Communist Party rule?
中国連続爆発 共産党統治への反発の表れか（11月9日付・読売社説）
Another violent incident has occurred in China, underscoring the seriousness of the social unrest in the country. Does this represent repugnance over the Communist Party’s rule?
中国の社会不安の深刻さを裏付ける事件が、また発生した。共産党の統治に対する強い反発の表れだろうか。
A series of explosions occurred at the Communist Party’s provincial committee headquarters in the inland city of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring eight others.
内陸部にある山西省太原の省党委員会庁舎前で６日、連続爆発が起こり、１人が死亡し、８人が重軽傷を負った。
The provincial authorities have detained a 41-year-old Taiyuan resident. Handmade explosive devices and other material evidence were reportedly found at his home, but the background and motives behind the bombings are not yet known. The Communist Party’s provincial committees have supreme power in their respective provinces, and the Taiyuan incident apparently stunned the party.
当局は、地元の４１歳の男を拘束した。自宅から手製の爆発装置などが見つかったという。背景や動機は不明だが、党委員会は地方で最高の権力を持つ組織だ。党にとって、衝撃的な事件と言える。
The latest incident came after a car crashed and exploded in flames in a deadly attack late last month in front of Tiananmen Gate in central Beijing, which features a huge portrait of Mao Zedong.
先月末には、毛沢東の巨大な肖像が掲げられた、北京の天安門前に車が突入して炎上する事件が発生したばかりだ。
Investigative authorities determined that the attack was committed at the direction of an international terrorist organization. But there are strong suspicions among some people that the attack was committed by Uygurs with personal grudges against the Communist Party.
当局は国際テロ組織の指示を受けた犯行と断定したが、党に個人的な恨みを持つウイグル族住民の仕業との見方も依然根強い。
Shanxi Province, where the latest incident took place, is known for its huge coal mining industry. Like other regions in China, the gap between rich and poor is wide.
今回事件が起きた山西省は、石炭の大産地だ。中国の他地域と同様、貧富の格差が顕著である。
Mine operators are known for using their financial muscle to buy up real estate in such urban areas as Beijing and Shanghai. Corruption has long been said to involve officials with the power to grant mining rights.
炭鉱経営者は、財力に物を言わせて、北京や上海などで不動産を買いあさることで有名だ。採掘許可権限を持つ当局者の腐敗も指摘されて久しい。
Many coal miners work in poor environments, and many of them are believed to have lost their jobs as coal prices have fallen due to the slowdown in economic growth in recent years.
炭鉱労働者の多くは、劣悪な環境で働いている。近年の成長減速に伴う石炭価格下落により、職を失った者も多いとみられる。
Coal miners are not the only Chinese who are discontent. The petition counter at the provincial committee’s headquarters building, the scene of the latest incident, is said to be overflowing with petitions from residents protesting unfair court decisions and forcible expropriation of land.
不満を抱いているのは、炭鉱労働者だけではない。事件のあった党委庁舎の陳情窓口には、不公正な司法や土地の強制収用に抗議する住民が殺到していたという。
In the eyes of workers and farmers, party leaders appear to be using their power to enrich themselves.
労働者や農民には、党幹部が権力をかさに、私腹を肥やしているように見えるのではないか。
Huge number of protests
Public discontent against the Communist Party and the government has triggered numerous incidents in various parts of the country. According to some sources, there are about 180,000 mass protests a year.
中国各地で、党や政府への民衆の不満が引き金となった事件が続発している。集団抗議行動は年間１８万件に上るとの情報もある。
In April, about 4,000 residents of Xiamen (Amoy) in Fujian Province stormed into the provincial government building to protest unfair land transactions by the authorities concerned. In August, about 10,000 residents of Guanxi Zhuang Autonomous Region clashed with police during a protest rally over deaths allegedly caused by the discharge of water at a dam.
今年４月、福建省アモイでは、当局の土地不正取引に反対する住民約４０００人が政府庁舎に押しかけた。８月には、広西チワン族自治区で、ダムの放水で死者が出たとして住民約１万人が抗議、警官隊と衝突した。
To deal with these incidents, the administration of President Xi Jinping has ordered thorough implementation of antiterrorist measures. In line with this harsh approach, the president has inspected poor farming communities in an effort to show his concern for local residents. But it is open to question whether these efforts have had the desired results.
こうした事態に対し、習近平政権は、「テロ対策」徹底を命じる一方、習国家主席自身が貧しい農村を視察するなど、硬軟両様の姿勢で臨んでいる。だが、成果が上がっているとは言えない。
The Xi administration, which will shortly enter its second year, opens the third plenary meeting of the Chinese Communist Party’s 18th Central Committee on Saturday. Focal points of discussion at the meeting will be economic structure reforms aimed at correcting the gap between rich and poor, among other issues.
まもなく２年目に入る習政権は９日から、党の第１８期中央委員会第３回総会（３中総会）を開く。格差是正も視野に入れた経済構造改革などが焦点になるだろう。
Can China achieve stable growth while reining in public anxiety? The Xi government faces a difficult job steering the country.
民衆の動揺を抑えつつ、安定成長を実現できるのか。習政権は、厳しい舵(かじ)取りを迫られている。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 9, 2013)
（2013年11月9日01時30分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun November 9, 2013
Establish framework to guarantee posterity can verify validity of ‘secrets’
秘密保護法案 後世の検証が可能な仕組みに（11月8日付・読売社説）
◆国民の懸念払拭へ審議を尽くせ◆
Classified information related to the nation’s security that could affect the survival of this country must certainly be protected. It is very important to establish a solid legal system to protect information while also paying due attention to the people’s right to know.
国の存亡にかかわる安全保障上の機密は、守らなければならない。国民の「知る権利」に配慮しつつ、情報保全法制を整備することが肝要だ。
Diet deliberations started Thursday on a bill to ensure protection of specially designated state secrets.
特定秘密保護法案の国会審議が７日から始まった。
Under the proposed legislation, the government will designate information that is believed to require especially high confidentiality as “special secrets” in the four fields of defense, diplomacy, counterintelligence and counterterrorism. The envisaged law allows for harsher punishment of public servants who leak such secrets.
防衛、外交、スパイ活動防止、テロ防止の４分野で特に秘匿性の高い情報を、「特定秘密」に指定し、漏えいした公務員らの罰則を強化する内容である。
Key to security strategy
◆安保戦略に欠かせない◆
The aim of the bill is to ensure the creation of a structure that will prevent important information related to the country’s security from being casually divulged.
法案の狙いは、国の安全保障に関する重要情報が簡単に漏えいしない仕組みを構築することだ。
The situation surrounding Japan is increasingly severe, including North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile development programs and moves by China to augment its arsenal.
北朝鮮の核・ミサイル開発や中国の軍備増強など、日本を取り巻く情勢は厳しさを増している。
To ensure the nation’s peace and security, the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been seeking to establish a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council as a control tower for the government’s diplomatic and security policies.
日本の平和と安全を確保するため、安倍政権は、外交・安全保障政策の司令塔となる国家安全保障会議（日本版ＮＳＣ）の創設を目指している。
A bill to launch the Japanese NSC passed a plenary session of the House of Representatives on Thursday.
設置法案は７日、衆院を通過した。
For the Japanese NSC to function properly, it is indispensable for it to share important information with Japan’s allies and other friendly countries.
日本版ＮＳＣを機能させるには同盟国や友好国と重要情報を共有することが欠かせない。
All countries will be understandably reluctant to provide information to another nation where there are fears that classified information will be leaked. In this regard, the special secrets protection law will be of great significance in improving the mutual trust between Japan and allies, such as the United States.
漏えいの恐れがある国に、機密は提供されにくい。「特定秘密保護法」は、米国などとの信頼関係を強める上で大きな意義がある。
According to the government-submitted bill, the designation and lifting of the special secrets classification will be conducted by “chiefs of relevant organs of government administration,” such as the defense minister and foreign minister. This can be safely called an adequate arrangement, as decisions involving secrets must be made from a comprehensive point of view based on national strategy and national interests.
法案によると、秘密の指定や解除は、防衛相や外相など「行政機関の長」が行う。国家戦略や国益を踏まえた総合判断が求められる以上、妥当な手続きと言える。
Situations must be avoided, however, in which ministries and agencies designate information as special secrets only to conceal information that is detrimental to their interests.
ただ、省庁が自らに都合が悪いというだけで、情報を秘密指定する事態は避けねばならない。
The bill calls for the government to establish a set of operational standards for designating and lifting the special secrets classification, by holding hearings to listen to opinions from experts. The envisioned standards must be used as criteria for not expanding the scope of secrets more than necessary.
法案は、政府が有識者の意見を聞き、指定や解除の統一基準を定めるとしている。指定の範囲を必要以上に広げない基準とすべきだ。
Prevent arbitrary operation
◆恣意的運用の防止図れ◆
Some have expressed concern that designated secrets will be kept confidential permanently, and never be disclosed to the public.
秘密指定が永久に続き、公開されないのではとの危惧もある。
The bill sets the period for the designation of special secrets at a maximum of five years, stipulating designated secrets should be disclosed when confidentiality becomes unnecessary. However, the legislation also allows the government to extend the confidentiality period, and secrets could be kept undisclosed for 30 years or longer, depending on approval by the Cabinet.
法案は、秘密指定の期間を最長５年とし、必要性がなくなれば、解除すると規定している。延長も可能で、内閣が承認すれば、３０年を超えることもできる。
Secrets should be made public as a matter of principle after the passage of a certain period of time, to make it possible for posterity to verify the validity of the secrets’ designation.
重要なのは、一定期間を過ぎれば、原則公開し、後世の歴史的検証を受けるという視点である。
If secrets are publicly disclosed in the future, we believe concerns about administrative organs arbitrarily classifying information as special secrets can be eliminated for the most part.
将来公開されるとなれば、行政機関による恣意(しい)的な秘密指定を相当程度、排除できるのではないか。
There could of course be highly confidential state secrets that are difficult to disclose even in the future. The government is examining the requirements for extending the designation of such secrets beyond 30 years. Included in this category are secret codes and weapons used by the Self-Defense Forces.
無論、将来も開示が困難な秘密もあろう。政府は、３０年を超えて秘密指定を延長する場合の要件を検討している。自衛隊で使用する暗号や武器の性能などだ。
Extreme care must also be taken with information provided by other countries.
他国からの提供情報には、細心の注意を払う必要もある。
Another challenge is the preservation and administration of documents.
文書の保存・管理も課題だ。
The Public Records and Archives Management Law calls for setting a preservation period for all administrative documents. The law also makes it mandatory to transfer documents with historical value and significance to the National Archives of Japan and obtain the prime minister’s approval if such documents are to be destroyed.
公文書管理法は、すべての行政文書に保存期間を定めるよう求めている。その上で、歴史的価値のある文書は国立公文書館へ移管し、廃棄する場合には首相の同意を得ることも義務づけている。
Currently, however, defense secrets kept under the Self-Defense Forces Law are excluded from the Public Records and Archives Management Law. Over a five-year period up until 2011, about 30,000 items containing defense secrets that had exceeded their mandatory period of preservation were destroyed at the discretion of senior Defense Ministry officials.
だが、現在、自衛隊法に基づく防衛秘密は公文書管理法の適用除外とされている。２０１１年までの５年間に、保存期間の過ぎた防衛秘密の文書約３万件が防衛省幹部の判断で廃棄された。
If the secret protection bill is enacted, defense secrets will be included among special secrets. So it was appropriate that Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera issued an order not to destroy defense secrets until the secret protection law is enforced.
特定秘密保護法案が成立すると、防衛秘密は特定秘密に統合される。小野寺防衛相が法施行まで、防衛秘密の文書を廃棄しないよう指示したのは適切である。
Special secrets also should be administered strictly under the Public Records and Archives Management Law.
特定秘密も、公文書管理法の下で厳格に管理すべきだ。
Public’s right to know
Fulfilling responsibilities to the people is a natural obligation of the government of a democratic country.
国民に対し、説明責任を果たすのは、民主主義国家における政府の当然の責務である。
Concerns about the bill possibly interfering with the people’s right to know were expressed even by ruling party members during a plenary session of the lower house Thursday.
法案が国民の知る権利を制約する懸念は、７日の衆院本会議で与党議員からも指摘された。
◆「知る権利」への配慮を◆
As a result of negotiations between the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner New Komeito, the bill was modified to add a statement that consideration should be given to freedom of news coverage and reporting. Concerning news gathering activities by the media, the bill stipulates that they are “regarded as legitimate practice, as long as they are not illegal or excessively unjust,” thus excluding any criminal charge against them in principle.
自民、公明両党の修正協議の結果、取材・報道の自由への配慮が法案に明記された。報道関係者の取材行為についても、「違法または著しく不当でない限り、正当な業務とする」と規定され、原則、罪に問われないとされた。
However, public servants would be subject to punishment if they leak special secrets. The bill calls for up to 10 years in prison for violators, which is far stricter than the maximum of one year under the National Civil Service Law and the maximum of five years under the SDF law.
しかし、秘密を漏えいした公務員らは処罰対象となる。罰則も現行の国家公務員法の懲役１年以下、自衛隊法の懲役５年以下より格段に重い懲役１０年以下だ。
There is concern that public servants will not comply with interview requests due to fear of punishment, thereby making it impossible for the media to provide information that the public needs to know. We urge the ruling and opposition parties to deepen discussions about whether they can prevent such a situation.
公務員が萎縮して取材に応じず、報道機関が国民に必要な情報を伝えられない恐れがある。こうした事態を防げるのか、与野党は議論を深めてもらいたい。
Debate on how the Diet will be involved in dealing with special secrets also cannot be overlooked.
国会がどう特定秘密に関与するかという論点も放置できない。
The bill would allow for the communication of secrets to Diet committee members, among others, on condition that they hold closed-door sessions. Whether to provide secrets would be decided by the head of the administrative organization.
法案は、秘密会の開催を条件にして、国会の委員会などに秘密を提供できるとしている。ただ、提供するかどうかの判断は、行政機関の長に委ねられている。
Is it appropriate for lawmakers to decide on the future course of the nation without knowing important information on national security? The legislature might not be able to conduct proper oversight of the administration. The Diet must study a system under which it can share secrets.
国会議員が安全保障上の重要情報を知らずに、日本の針路を決めていいものか。行政に対する立法府の監視機能が働かない可能性もある。国会としても、秘密を共有する仕組みを検討すべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 8, 2013)
（2013年11月8日01時50分 読売新聞）
Establish framework to guarantee posterity can verify validity of ‘secrets’
秘密保護法案 後世の検証が可能な仕組みに（11月8日付・読売社説）
◆国民の懸念払拭へ審議を尽くせ◆
Classified information related to the nation’s security that could affect the survival of this country must certainly be protected. It is very important to establish a solid legal system to protect information while also paying due attention to the people’s right to know.
国の存亡にかかわる安全保障上の機密は、守らなければならない。国民の「知る権利」に配慮しつつ、情報保全法制を整備することが肝要だ。
Diet deliberations started Thursday on a bill to ensure protection of specially designated state secrets.
特定秘密保護法案の国会審議が７日から始まった。
Under the proposed legislation, the government will designate information that is believed to require especially high confidentiality as “special secrets” in the four fields of defense, diplomacy, counterintelligence and counterterrorism. The envisaged law allows for harsher punishment of public servants who leak such secrets.
防衛、外交、スパイ活動防止、テロ防止の４分野で特に秘匿性の高い情報を、「特定秘密」に指定し、漏えいした公務員らの罰則を強化する内容である。
Key to security strategy
◆安保戦略に欠かせない◆
The aim of the bill is to ensure the creation of a structure that will prevent important information related to the country’s security from being casually divulged.
法案の狙いは、国の安全保障に関する重要情報が簡単に漏えいしない仕組みを構築することだ。
The situation surrounding Japan is increasingly severe, including North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile development programs and moves by China to augment its arsenal.
北朝鮮の核・ミサイル開発や中国の軍備増強など、日本を取り巻く情勢は厳しさを増している。
To ensure the nation’s peace and security, the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been seeking to establish a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council as a control tower for the government’s diplomatic and security policies.
日本の平和と安全を確保するため、安倍政権は、外交・安全保障政策の司令塔となる国家安全保障会議（日本版ＮＳＣ）の創設を目指している。
A bill to launch the Japanese NSC passed a plenary session of the House of Representatives on Thursday.
設置法案は７日、衆院を通過した。
For the Japanese NSC to function properly, it is indispensable for it to share important information with Japan’s allies and other friendly countries.
日本版ＮＳＣを機能させるには同盟国や友好国と重要情報を共有することが欠かせない。
All countries will be understandably reluctant to provide information to another nation where there are fears that classified information will be leaked. In this regard, the special secrets protection law will be of great significance in improving the mutual trust between Japan and allies, such as the United States.
漏えいの恐れがある国に、機密は提供されにくい。「特定秘密保護法」は、米国などとの信頼関係を強める上で大きな意義がある。
According to the government-submitted bill, the designation and lifting of the special secrets classification will be conducted by “chiefs of relevant organs of government administration,” such as the defense minister and foreign minister. This can be safely called an adequate arrangement, as decisions involving secrets must be made from a comprehensive point of view based on national strategy and national interests.
法案によると、秘密の指定や解除は、防衛相や外相など「行政機関の長」が行う。国家戦略や国益を踏まえた総合判断が求められる以上、妥当な手続きと言える。
Situations must be avoided, however, in which ministries and agencies designate information as special secrets only to conceal information that is detrimental to their interests.
ただ、省庁が自らに都合が悪いというだけで、情報を秘密指定する事態は避けねばならない。
The bill calls for the government to establish a set of operational standards for designating and lifting the special secrets classification, by holding hearings to listen to opinions from experts. The envisioned standards must be used as criteria for not expanding the scope of secrets more than necessary.
法案は、政府が有識者の意見を聞き、指定や解除の統一基準を定めるとしている。指定の範囲を必要以上に広げない基準とすべきだ。
Prevent arbitrary operation
◆恣意的運用の防止図れ◆
Some have expressed concern that designated secrets will be kept confidential permanently, and never be disclosed to the public.
秘密指定が永久に続き、公開されないのではとの危惧もある。
The bill sets the period for the designation of special secrets at a maximum of five years, stipulating designated secrets should be disclosed when confidentiality becomes unnecessary. However, the legislation also allows the government to extend the confidentiality period, and secrets could be kept undisclosed for 30 years or longer, depending on approval by the Cabinet.
法案は、秘密指定の期間を最長５年とし、必要性がなくなれば、解除すると規定している。延長も可能で、内閣が承認すれば、３０年を超えることもできる。
Secrets should be made public as a matter of principle after the passage of a certain period of time, to make it possible for posterity to verify the validity of the secrets’ designation.
重要なのは、一定期間を過ぎれば、原則公開し、後世の歴史的検証を受けるという視点である。
If secrets are publicly disclosed in the future, we believe concerns about administrative organs arbitrarily classifying information as special secrets can be eliminated for the most part.
将来公開されるとなれば、行政機関による恣意(しい)的な秘密指定を相当程度、排除できるのではないか。
There could of course be highly confidential state secrets that are difficult to disclose even in the future. The government is examining the requirements for extending the designation of such secrets beyond 30 years. Included in this category are secret codes and weapons used by the Self-Defense Forces.
無論、将来も開示が困難な秘密もあろう。政府は、３０年を超えて秘密指定を延長する場合の要件を検討している。自衛隊で使用する暗号や武器の性能などだ。
Extreme care must also be taken with information provided by other countries.
他国からの提供情報には、細心の注意を払う必要もある。
Another challenge is the preservation and administration of documents.
文書の保存・管理も課題だ。
The Public Records and Archives Management Law calls for setting a preservation period for all administrative documents. The law also makes it mandatory to transfer documents with historical value and significance to the National Archives of Japan and obtain the prime minister’s approval if such documents are to be destroyed.
公文書管理法は、すべての行政文書に保存期間を定めるよう求めている。その上で、歴史的価値のある文書は国立公文書館へ移管し、廃棄する場合には首相の同意を得ることも義務づけている。
Currently, however, defense secrets kept under the Self-Defense Forces Law are excluded from the Public Records and Archives Management Law. Over a five-year period up until 2011, about 30,000 items containing defense secrets that had exceeded their mandatory period of preservation were destroyed at the discretion of senior Defense Ministry officials.
だが、現在、自衛隊法に基づく防衛秘密は公文書管理法の適用除外とされている。２０１１年までの５年間に、保存期間の過ぎた防衛秘密の文書約３万件が防衛省幹部の判断で廃棄された。
If the secret protection bill is enacted, defense secrets will be included among special secrets. So it was appropriate that Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera issued an order not to destroy defense secrets until the secret protection law is enforced.
特定秘密保護法案が成立すると、防衛秘密は特定秘密に統合される。小野寺防衛相が法施行まで、防衛秘密の文書を廃棄しないよう指示したのは適切である。
Special secrets also should be administered strictly under the Public Records and Archives Management Law.
特定秘密も、公文書管理法の下で厳格に管理すべきだ。
Public’s right to know
Fulfilling responsibilities to the people is a natural obligation of the government of a democratic country.
国民に対し、説明責任を果たすのは、民主主義国家における政府の当然の責務である。
Concerns about the bill possibly interfering with the people’s right to know were expressed even by ruling party members during a plenary session of the lower house Thursday.
法案が国民の知る権利を制約する懸念は、７日の衆院本会議で与党議員からも指摘された。
◆「知る権利」への配慮を◆
As a result of negotiations between the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner New Komeito, the bill was modified to add a statement that consideration should be given to freedom of news coverage and reporting. Concerning news gathering activities by the media, the bill stipulates that they are “regarded as legitimate practice, as long as they are not illegal or excessively unjust,” thus excluding any criminal charge against them in principle.
自民、公明両党の修正協議の結果、取材・報道の自由への配慮が法案に明記された。報道関係者の取材行為についても、「違法または著しく不当でない限り、正当な業務とする」と規定され、原則、罪に問われないとされた。
However, public servants would be subject to punishment if they leak special secrets. The bill calls for up to 10 years in prison for violators, which is far stricter than the maximum of one year under the National Civil Service Law and the maximum of five years under the SDF law.
しかし、秘密を漏えいした公務員らは処罰対象となる。罰則も現行の国家公務員法の懲役１年以下、自衛隊法の懲役５年以下より格段に重い懲役１０年以下だ。
There is concern that public servants will not comply with interview requests due to fear of punishment, thereby making it impossible for the media to provide information that the public needs to know. We urge the ruling and opposition parties to deepen discussions about whether they can prevent such a situation.
公務員が萎縮して取材に応じず、報道機関が国民に必要な情報を伝えられない恐れがある。こうした事態を防げるのか、与野党は議論を深めてもらいたい。
Debate on how the Diet will be involved in dealing with special secrets also cannot be overlooked.
国会がどう特定秘密に関与するかという論点も放置できない。
The bill would allow for the communication of secrets to Diet committee members, among others, on condition that they hold closed-door sessions. Whether to provide secrets would be decided by the head of the administrative organization.
法案は、秘密会の開催を条件にして、国会の委員会などに秘密を提供できるとしている。ただ、提供するかどうかの判断は、行政機関の長に委ねられている。
Is it appropriate for lawmakers to decide on the future course of the nation without knowing important information on national security? The legislature might not be able to conduct proper oversight of the administration. The Diet must study a system under which it can share secrets.
国会議員が安全保障上の重要情報を知らずに、日本の針路を決めていいものか。行政に対する立法府の監視機能が働かない可能性もある。国会としても、秘密を共有する仕組みを検討すべきだ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 8, 2013)
（2013年11月8日01時50分 読売新聞）
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