The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 22, 2009)
Supercomputer vital to Japan's scientific future
スパコン凍結　科学技術立国の屋台骨が傾く（11月22日付・読売社説）

Is the new administration's stance on science and technology about to be called into question due to its budget measures?
　科学技術に対する新政権の基本姿勢が問われるのではないか。

In its review of ministerial budget requests for fiscal 2010, which is aimed at cutting wasteful spending, the Government Revitalization Unit has decided to "effectively freeze" a project by the Education, Science and Technology Ministry to develop a next-generation supercomputer.
　文部科学省の「次世代スーパーコンピューター（スパコン）」開発事業が、行政刷新会議の事業仕分けで「事実上の凍結」とされた。

The supercomputer would be used for science and technology research.
　スパコンは科学技術研究用の高速計算機だ。

The world's leading supercomputers can make calculations one million times faster than a standard personal computer.
最新のものはパソコンより１００万倍も速い。

They have more than 1,000 central processing units--the brains of a computer--as well as other components that allow for higher computing speed.
　コンピューターの頭脳であるＣＰＵ（中央演算処理装置）が１０００個以上、その他部品も高速動作するものを使う。

Most supercomputers are huge and due to the heat they generate while making calculations need to be installed in a large, well air-conditioned room.
本体も巨大なことが多く、計算時の発熱を防ぐため、ほとんどが空調完備の大部屋や建屋に設置されている。

The machines are used for simulations in a wide variety of fields, including climate-change prediction, aircraft design and genetic research. They are indispensable to those who need to conduct tests in fields where practical experiments are nearly impossible to do and they cut the time it takes to carry out research, thereby keeping research costs down.
　気候変動予測や航空機設計、生命現象の解明など多分野で「シミュレーション（模擬実験）」に使われている。実際の実験が難しい分野では欠かせない。研究期間の短縮、費用の圧縮もできる。

In light of these important roles, there is a fierce global competition to develop supercomputers and the Japanese project is going up against the world's best. Does the government intend to undermine advancement in key research areas?
　その重要性から、世界で開発競争が展開され、日本の計画も世界をにらんでいる。こうした意義を軽視していいのか。

===

U.S. leading the way

Currently, the United States is leading the race to develop supercomputers that are even better than the world's leading models, which have reached speeds of about 1 quadrillion calculations per second.
　現在、スパコン開発でトップを走るのは米国だ。上位機種の計算速度は、１秒間に１兆回の１０００倍程度に達している。

Japan's next-generation supercomputers aim at improving this calculation performance by the power of one. Such an improvement would see the period taken to develop an aircraft, in simple terms of calculation, lowered to a 10th of the time it currently takes. That would bring huge benefits.
　日本の次世代スパコンは、これを１桁(けた)上回ることが目標だ。１桁でも、例えば航空機開発なら、単純計算で開発期間が１０分の１になるのだから恩恵は大きい。

However, it is not easy to improve performance by the power of one over what are already cutting-edge machines. To that end, it is necessary to develop improved circuitry, including better semiconductors, a basic part of every computer. The private sector cannot take on such a massive task alone.
　しかし、最先端で１桁性能を向上させるのは容易でない。基本部品である半導体の開発など幅広く手がける必要があり、民間だけでは挑めない。

The United States and other countries develop supercomputers with financial backing from their governments. Japan also included about 27 billion yen for this purpose in the fiscal 2010 budget requests.
　米国など各国も、政府発注により開発を進めており、日本も来年度予算の概算要求に約２７０億円を盛り込んでいる。

===

Govt backing crucial

During scrutiny of the budget request relating to the supercomputer project, government panel members made comments such as, "Is it really necessary to aim for first place [in this field]?" or "It's better to purchase such equipment from abroad." But these observations of the current situation are both poorly expressed and inaccurate.
　事業仕分けでは「１位を目指す必要があるのか」「海外から買えばいい」などの声が出た。こんな現状認識は甘い。

Unless Japan makes an effort to take the lead in supercomputer development, it will not rank with the superpowers in the field.
　１位を目指すくらいでないと世界に伍(ご)せない。

Japan ranked first in the world in terms of supercomputer calculation speed in 2002, but lost the top spot 2-1/2 years later. Today, it languishes in 31st place, behind even China and South Korea.
２００２年に日本のスパコンが計算速度で世界１位になったが、２年半で抜かれ、今は３１位だ。中国、韓国が保有するスパコンにも後れを取る。

Buying a supercomputer from abroad can prove very difficult because nations closely guard the secrets behind their state-of-the-art technology. Japan would be reduced to purchasing only midranking supercomputers in terms of processing capacity.
　海外から買うにも最先端技術は各国が詳細を秘している。一般的な性能のものしか買えない。

If researchers cannot use cutting-edge supercomputers in Japan, it could lead to a brain drain of capable researchers. An overseas report has already appeared in which it was said that Japan's science and technology spheres would fall into decline if the supercomputer project was frozen.
　日本で最先端スパコンが使えないと、優秀な研究者が流出することにもなりかねない。スパコン凍結で日本の科学技術は衰退に向かう、との海外報道もある。

Budget requests for other science and technology-related projects also were severely scrutinized. It is natural to want to cut wasteful spending in the budget requests, but we do not want to see a situation emerge in which Japan's science and technology lifeline also is cut.
　事業仕分けでは、他の科学技術関連予算も厳しくたたかれた。無駄排除は当然だが、日本の科学技術の命脈を断つ事態は困る。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 22, 2009)
（2009年11月22日00時10分 読売新聞）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 21, 2009)
BOJ must get serious about deflation
デフレ認定　日銀は政府と危機感の共有を（11月21日付・読売社説）

The Japanese economy, as had been widely expected, is mired in deflation as prices continue to fall.
　やはり日本経済は、物価が下がり続けるデフレに陥っていた。

In a monthly economic report released Friday, the government acknowledged the economy is in a mild deflationary phase and warned that deflation could impede the nation's recovery.
　政府は月例経済報告で「緩やかなデフレ状況にある」と認定し、デフレが景気を腰折れさせる恐れがあるとの見方を示した。

In March 2001, the government for the first time in the postwar period acknowledged that the nation's economy was in deflation due to prolonged price drops. The government has not declared that the economy has overcome this deflation. Conversely, deflation has returned to haunt the economy before a full recovery could be confirmed.
　政府は２００１年３月、物価下落が長期化したため、戦後初めてデフレを認定したが、今も脱却宣言はない。全快を確認できないまま、デフレがぶり返した。

The government and the Bank of Japan must closely cooperate and use all available policy tools to ensure a complete departure from deflation this time.
　政府と日銀は、連携を密に政策を総動員し、今度こそ完治を図らねばならない。

Falling prices are good news for consumers. But lower prices mean reduced profits for companies, which often results in job and salary cuts. If this situation generates drops in consumption and further price falls, the economy could tumble into a deflationary spiral.
　物価が下がれば消費者にとってはうれしいが、企業の利益は減少し、給料カットや失業として跳ね返る。その影響による消費の減少で物価がさらに下がれば、デフレと不況が連鎖するデフレスパイラルにつながる。

===

Economic prospects gloomy

A lack of demand is the prime cause of deflation. Accordingly, bringing an end to deflation will require boosting demand. However, the future of the nation's economy is uncertain.
　デフレからの脱却には、最大の原因である需要不足の解消が欠かせないが、先行きは不透明だ。

Gross domestic product has registered positive growth for the past two consecutive quarters thanks to the government's stimulus measures, such as the eco point purchase incentive program for energy-efficient home appliances and the subsidy scheme for eco-friendly vehicles.
　家電のエコポイントやエコカー補助などが奏功し、実質国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）は、この２四半期連続でプラス成長となった。

But the unemployment rate remains stubbornly high and winter bonuses are set to be cut significantly. Prospects for the year-end shopping season are decidedly gloomy. The impact of the freeze on some public works projects under the administration of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is yet another cause for concern. Compounding this grim situation, the appreciation of the yen pushes down prices of imported products.
　だが、失業率は高く、冬のボーナスも大幅減が確実だ。年末商戦の見通しは暗い。鳩山内閣が公共事業の一部を凍結した影響も心配だ。円高で輸入品が安くなるもうひとつのデフレも懸念される。

The government intends to make measures related to employment, the environment and child care the centerpieces of a second supplementary budget for this fiscal year and the initial budget for next fiscal year.
　政府は、今年度２次補正予算と来年度当初予算を、雇用、環境、子どもへの対策を重点に編成するという。

===

Govt must watch its pennies

But the government is facing a severe fiscal situation. If a massive amount of government bonds were issued, interest rates might rise sharply. The government must avoid resorting to generous spending. Instead, it should make proper budget allocations that focus on projects that will likely generate an immediate expansion in demand.
　ただ、財政は厳しい。国債を大増発すれば金利が急上昇しかねない。大盤振る舞いを避け、需要拡大に即効性のある事業に絞った予算配分が必要となろう。

Some government officials reportedly have floated the idea of introducing a housing version of the eco point scheme. We hope the government comes up with effective measures, without merely sticking to its policy pledges just for sake of doing so.
　政府内には「住宅版エコポイント」などの新たなアイデアもあるという。子ども手当などの政権公約にとらわれず、効果的な対策に知恵を絞ってもらいたい。

Compiling a mid- to long-term strategy to achieve private sector-driven growth without relying only on fiscal measures to stimulate demand remains an urgent task on the government's to-do list.
　需要の穴埋めを財政だけに頼らず、民間主導の成長実現に向けた中長期的な戦略も、策定を急がねばならない。

Meanwhile, we doubt if the Bank of Japan, which should play a central role in combating deflation, is taking the price falls as seriously as the government is.
　一方、デフレ退治の主役であるべき日銀が、デフレへの危機感を、政府としっかり共有しているのか疑問がある。

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on Thursday said deflation in Japan would linger through 2011. The organization also called on the Bank of Japan to fight deflation with quantitative easing measures.
　経済協力開発機構（ＯＥＣＤ）は１９日、日本のデフレが２０１１年まで続くとし、日銀に量的金融緩和で戦うべきだと提言した。

At a policy board meeting Friday, however, the central bank decided to keep the current key interest rate unchanged. Bank of Japan Gov. Masaaki Shirakawa suggested additional measures, such as further quantitative easing, are not needed.
　だが、日銀は２０日の金融政策決定会合で政策を現状維持し、白川方明総裁は量的緩和の拡大など追加策は不要との考えを示した。

The central bank appears to lack the government's concern when it comes to deflation.
　政府より、デフレに対する認識が甘いのではないか。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 21, 2009)
（2009年11月21日01時28分 読売新聞）

私には養女が二人いる。
それぞれ22歳と18歳になる。
上の養女はコーンケーンの私立大学に進学させ、来年卒業予定だ。
人の子供を大学まで進学させて頭がおかしいんじゃないのか、という人もいる。
私はそれは違うと思う。
いずれ遠からず私も死ぬ日がやってくる。
実子カイちゃんとシーファーちゃんはまだ幼い。
私がいなくなった後、娘たちの面倒を見てくれる人たちは多いほどよい。
はるか遠くを見据えた将来への投資といったところでしょうか。
義父として養女たちへの愛情も芽生えてきている。
これでいい。
私は正しい路を進んでいると確信している。

srachai from khonkaen, thailand

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 20, 2009)
Hatoyama should agree to debate with Tanigaki
党首討論見送り　首相の決断で応じるべきだ（11月20日付・読売社説）

The ruling Democratic Party of Japan has long been insisting that a Diet session should be a stage for debates among lawmakers. However, the party has recently been contradicting its policy line by refusing to hold a debate between party leaders at the Diet.
　国会を政治家同士の論戦の場としたい――。そう力説している民主党が党首討論の開催に応じないのは、まったく筋が通らない。

The first debate between Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who also is president of the DPJ, and Liberal Democratic Party President Sadakazu Tanigaki was initially scheduled for Wednesday. But the DPJ had been reluctant to hold the question time since last week, and the debate was eventually called off.
　鳩山首相と谷垣自民党総裁による初の党首討論は当初、１８日に開催する予定だった。ところが、民主党が先週になって難色を示し、日の目を見なかった。

The parties had agreed to hold a debate of party leaders every Wednesday. This means Nov. 25 would be the last opportunity for the leaders to cross verbal swords if the current Diet session is not extended.
　党首討論は、各党の申し合わせで毎週水曜に開催するとなっているので、会期延長がなければ、来週の２５日が最後の機会となる。

The DPJ insists question time was not held because the party wanted to give priority to deliberations on outstanding bills. 　民主党は、法案審議を優先するためとしている。

However, this excuse seems rather flimsy, considering a debate between party leaders would take only 45 minutes from 3 p.m. each Wednesday.
　しかし、党首討論は水曜の午後３時から４５分間だけだ。

The DPJ could do several things to get question time up and running, such as setting aside time by taking a break from deliberations on the bills with the cooperation of the LDP--the party chomping at the bit to hold the debate.
開催を要求する自民党の協力を得て、その時間だけ法案審議を中断するなど工夫の余地はいろいろあろう。

===

Frail reasoning

Most baffling of all, if giving priority to Diet deliberations was the DPJ's real motive for dodging question time this week, holding the debate toward the end of the Diet session will only become more difficult. The prospect of the leaders facing off on Nov. 25 looks ever more unlikely. Is the Hatoyama administration going to postpone the first verbal joust between party leaders until next year's ordinary Diet session?
　そもそも法案審議の優先が理由なら、会期末ほど開催が困難で、２５日の開催も危うくなる。鳩山政権初の党首討論を来年の通常国会まで先送りするつもりなのか。

The agreement among the parties states that all cabinet ministers are supposed to sit with the prime minister during question time. The DPJ has since griped that having every minister available at debate time is very difficult. However, the LDP has said it does not mind if every minister is not present.
　各党の申し合わせでは、すべての閣僚が「原則として陪席する」となっている。民主党はこれを持ち出し、閣僚全員をそろえるのが容易でないとも釈明するが、自民党は「閣僚がそろわなくてもよい」と言っている。

We think both reasons given by the DPJ for postponing question time lack conviction. This will only give more ammunition to critics in the LDP who suspect the DPJ refuses to hold the debate because it does not want Hatoyama's falsified political donations scandal to be pursued at the Diet.
Even if the party is averse to such criticism, the prime minister should agree to take part in the debate without ducking for cover.
　いずれも、説得力を欠く理由ばかりだ。これでは、「首相の偽装献金問題を追及されたくないからだ」と批判する自民党を勢いづかせるだけだろう。それが不本意なら、鳩山首相は逃げ隠れせずに党首討論を受けて立てばよい。

===

Ozawa has role to play

We think DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa, who is responsible for Diet affairs, should comply with the LDP demand to hold the debate. Ozawa, who is trying to submit a bill on Diet reforms to the current Diet session, himself said a Diet session should be an arena for debates among politicians.
　国会対応の責任者である小沢幹事長も、自民党の要求に応じるべきだ。小沢氏は国会改革に関する法案の今国会提出をめざし、「国会も政治家同士の論戦に改めるべきだ」と強調している。

By this logic, surely a debate among party leaders is the prime example of politicians locking horns.
　「政治家同士の論戦」の最たるものが、党首討論ではないか。

A working group of the National Council for Building a New Japan (21st Century Rincho), a nongovernmental think tank, made a proposal to hold a debate between party leaders every week after Ozawa had sought its advice. This would not require any new legislation and could be realized immediately--if the DPJ decided to give it the green light.
　小沢氏の要請を受けた「新しい日本をつくる国民会議」（２１世紀臨調）も、党首討論の毎週開催を提言している。新たな立法措置を必要とせず、民主党が決断すれば直ちに実現することだ。

It is also important to simplify the debate arrangements with some remedial measures, such as cutting the length of the debate and reviewing the agreement that requires every cabinet minister to attend.
時間の短縮や全閣僚陪席の見直しなど、開催しやすくすることも大事だ。

Intensive, detailed discussions are needed on a raft of political issues, including financial sources for new policy measures such as child-rearing allowances, and the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture, on which Hatoyama's remarks have often been inconsistent. We also want to hear exhaustive explanations on the falsified political donations directly from the mouth of the prime minister himself.
　子ども手当など新規施策の財源や、首相の発言がぶれる米海兵隊普天間飛行場移設の問題など、掘り下げるべき論点は多い。首相の偽装献金問題も、本人の口からきちんとした説明を聞きたい。

It is obvious the DPJ is obstructing these debates. The party should agree to hold question time on Nov. 25--unless it fancies being accused of trying to sweep its leader's donations scandal under the carpet or of reducing its Diet reform pledge to an empty slogan.
　それを阻んでいるのは、明らかに民主党である。「疑惑隠し」「看板倒れの国会改革」のそしりを受けたくなければ、２５日の党首討論開催に応じるべきである。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 20, 2009)
（2009年11月20日01時19分 読売新聞）

アクセスアップ、オレンジ、トラフィック…、
毎日パソコンを稼動させるのも面倒だし電気代ももったいないですね。
画面の向こうで見てくれている人は少ないのが実情です。
特に自動サーフではほとんど誰も見ていないと思います。
私もこの手法を使っていてむなしさを覚えました。
今では使っていません。

NTTが無料で提供するアクセスUPの手法は一味ちがいます。
楽しみながらアクセスアップができる新しいタイプの手法です。
無料登録してあなたのブログのアクセスを増やしてください。

登録は本当に簡単です。
あなたのブログとメールアドレスをご用意ください。

↓

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 19, 2009)
Hiring right bureaucrat for right job is no taboo
官僚ＯＢ人事官　適材の起用なら問題はない（11月19日付・読売社説）

If somebody is deemed the right person to serve in a certain government post, it is the responsibility of politicians, including the prime minister and Cabinet members, to appoint that person, regardless of whether he or she has served as a former bureaucrat or is from the private sector.
This principle needs to be established.
　官僚ＯＢでも民間人でも、「適材」として間違いない人物なら、首相や閣僚など政治家の責任で起用する。そんな原則を確立する必要がある。

Both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors have approved the government's appointment of Takeshi Erikawa, a former administrative vice health, labor and welfare minister, as one of the commissioners of the National Personnel Authority, an appointment that requires Diet approval.
　人事院の人事官に江利川毅・前厚生労働次官を起用する国会同意人事が、衆参両院で可決された。

One of the three commissioner posts at the authority has successively been held by former bureaucrats. It makes sense to have a person like Erikawa as a commissioner to handle the personnel affairs of national public servants, given that former bureaucrats are familiar with public services operations.
　人事官３人のうち１人は、官僚ＯＢが就任してきた。国家公務員の人事管理を扱う人事官に、江利川氏のように、公務の実情を知る官僚ＯＢを加えるのは、理にかなったことといえよう。

===

Amakudari redefined

Referring to Erikawa's appointment, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said at the upper house Budget Committee: "We must carry out a reform of the civil servant system [that could be as drastic as] requiring discussions on whether the National Personnel Authority should continue to exist. A capable person should take up the post."
　鳩山首相は参院予算委員会で、江利川氏の起用について、「人事院の存廃の議論が必要なぐらいの公務員制度改革をしなくてはならない。実力がある人をつけなければならない」と説明した。

The government has effectively taken the stance that Erikawa's appointment does not constitute an instance of the so-called amakudari practice, in which retired bureaucrats take well-paid jobs at corporations in sectors they formerly oversaw. The government takes the view that appointing the right person for the right job, while considering such factors as the status of the post and the job's requirements--and as long as there is no mediation by government bodies in the appointment--does not constitute amakudari.
　政府は、今回の人事に関して、「府省庁による斡旋(あっせん)を受けずに、再就職先の地位や職務内容等に照らし、適材適所の再就職をすることは、天下りには該当しない」との見解を示している。

This could be interpreted to mean that appointments of former bureaucrats by politicians to posts the government considers important, such as to the personnel commissioner, do not constitute amakudari.
　今回のように政府が重要と考えるポストに、官僚ＯＢを政治任用することは「天下り」にあたらない、ということだろう。

The appointment of Jiro Saito, former administrative vice finance minister, as president of Japan Post, also should be seen as an example of this stance.
　先に日本郵政社長に斎藤次郎・元大蔵事務次官を起用したのも、その見解に沿った任用というべきである。

It would be difficult to carry out appropriate personnel changes if, as a mere formality, former bureaucrats were automatically disqualified. We hope the government's personnel decisions are made based on the principle of choosing the right person for the right job.
　形式的、機械的に官僚ＯＢを排除していたら、的確な人事の断行は困難になる。民間人を含め、政府の人事は「適材適所」を基本に進めてもらいたい。

===

Both parties risk dishonor

When the Democratic Party of Japan led the opposition, it repeatedly made a political issue of government appointments that required the approval of both chambers of the Diet.
　民主党は野党時代、国会同意人事を政争の具にしてきた。

Last year, the party opposed the government's appointment of Toshiro Muto, a former administrative vice finance minister, as president of the Bank of Japan. This shook the then administration of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda in a divided Diet, in which the lower house was controlled by the Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition and the upper house by the DPJ-led opposition.
　昨年は、衆参ねじれ国会の下、日銀総裁に武藤敏郎・元財務次官を充てる人事案を拒否して、福田政権を激しく揺さぶった。

The DPJ's Takeo Nishioka, who serves as the chairman of the upper house Rules and Administration Committee, has recently said, "The political situation took precedence over simply judging whether Mr. Muto was good or bad [for the job]."
"I still think it was nonsense that Mr. Muto was rejected," he added.
　民主党の西岡武夫参院議院運営委員長は今になって「純粋に武藤さんがいい、悪いという前に政治状況があった」とし「武藤さんがはねられたのは今でもおかしいと思っている」と語ったという。

These remarks are truly unwise.
　実に不見識な発言と言わなければならない。

However, the LDP's rejection of Erikawa's appointment also is dishonorable.
　自民党が今回、人事官人事に反対したのもいただけない。

Regarding the LDP's opposition, party President Sadakazu Tanigaki said: "[The DPJ] made an about-face by changing the interpretation of amakudari soon after it took power and urging support for [Erikawa's appointment.] There's no ground [for us] to approve it."
　自民党の谷垣総裁は、反対理由として「政権に就いた途端、掌(てのひら)を返すように天下りの定義を変え、賛成しろと言われても、賛成する根拠がない」と語った。

This apparently shows LDP defiance in the face of the DPJ's shifted stance. But if the LDP brushed off an appropriate examination of whether the person in question was the right person for the job, it goes against the claims made by the party while it was in power. It also indicates that the party might, in the end, be merely acting out of revenge.
　これは、民主党の方針変更に対する反発だろう。しかし「適材」かどうかの吟味を脇に置いてしまっては、与党の時の自らの主張を否定し、ただの“意趣返し”に終わってしまうのではないか。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 19, 2009)
（2009年11月19日01時15分 読売新聞）

--The Asahi Shimbun, Nov. 17(IHT/Asahi: November 18,2009)
EDITORIAL: China's auto industry.
車年産１千万台―中国は緑色革命に弾みを

From January through October, China's automobile output and sales both exceeded 10 million units. The figures could each top 13 million by the end of this year, which would make China the world's top vehicle maker as well as largest sales market for the first time. Currently, the United States leads the world in sales, and Japan in production.
　中国での自動車の生産、販売台数が１月から１０月までの合計で、ともに１千万台を超えた。年間では１３００万台を超える可能性もある。販売では米国、生産では日本を抜き、いずれも初めて世界一になる。

New vehicle sales in China grew sixfold in the last decade. In sharp contrast, the U.S. market shrank rapidly after the global economic meltdown forced General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC to file for bankruptcy. Japanese automakers, which had depended on the U.S. market for growth, also slumped.
　新車販売台数はこの１０年で６倍に膨らんだ。世界経済危機でゼネラル・モーターズやクライスラーの経営が破綻（はたん）し、急速にしぼんだ米国市場や、そこに依存して伸びてきた日本メーカーの疲弊ぶりと対照的な勢いだ。

China is expected to overtake Japan in terms of gross domestic product next year at the earliest--an achievement befitting a nation that is now seen as a new engine to drive global economic growth. But given the grave impact of a bloating Chinese auto market on energy resources and the environment, the situation signals the urgency of technological renovation to shift to non-gasoline cars.
　来年にも国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）が日本を追い抜く中国。世界経済の新たな成長エンジンとして寄せられた期待に応える実績だろう。だが同時に、資源や環境への影響の深刻さを考えると、中国自動車市場の急膨張は、「脱ガソリン車」への技術革新をせかすシグナルでもある。

China's Communist Party and government have actively promoted the auto industry for its huge potential to create jobs and push technological development in a broad range of sectors. Expressways built in China over the last decade are more than six times longer than the total in Japan.
　中国共産党・政府は雇用や技術開発のすそ野が広い自動車産業を重視してきた。高速道路はここ１０年で、日本の総延長の６倍を超える距離を整備した。

When China's annual vehicle production reached the 10-million mark for the first time last month, the occasion was celebrated with a new model of the Jiefang (Liberation) truck rolling off the assembly line at state-owned China FAW Group Corp.
１千万台目には、国有企業が生産してきた中国製トラック「解放」の現代版を選び、派手に祝った。

Passenger cars became the market mainstay a few years ago. Rising income levels in China have made them affordable to more citizens. With the emergence of domestic automakers, inexpensive passenger cars have become available. The government has been promoting sales with tax breaks and subsidies for buyers.
　市場の主力は、すでに数年前から乗用車だ。所得水準が向上し、マイカーに手の届く人が増えた。国内メーカーの台頭で安い乗用車も出回るようになった。政府の購入補助や減税措置が消費を後押しした面もある。

In 2008, China's per-capita GDP topped $3,000 (about 267,000 yen)--the watershed that turns a nation into a mass consumer society. Japan got there in the early 1970s.
　中国の１人あたりＧＤＰは０８年、３千ドルを超えた。大衆消費社会へ生活様式の変わり目となるとされる水準だ。日本では７０年代初めにあたる。

With car ownership still less than 5 percent today, China is on the threshold of motorization.
　自動車普及率は５％足らずで、なおモータリゼーションの入り口にある。

According to International Monetary Fund projections, China will have roughly doubled its per-capita GDP by around 2015. New vehicle sales at that time are expected to increase to 15 million units, comparable with sales in the reviving U.S. market. The figure in China is estimated to reach about 20 million around 2020.
国際通貨基金の予測によると、２０１５年ごろに中国の１人あたりＧＤＰは現在の約２倍になる。中国の新車販売はそのころ、１５００万台規模に復活する米国と並び、２０２０年ごろには２千万台規模となるとみられている。

That's effectively double the scale of today's Chinese market. And if 20th-century-type gasoline cars are still the mainstay, the massive energy consumption and environmental destruction that will result are too horrendous to even consider.
　いまの中国市場がもうひとつできるようなものだ。ガソリンエンジンに頼った２０世紀型の自動車が主流のままでは、すさまじい資源消費と環境破壊に直面するだろう。

Beijing is aware of the need to save energy and protect the environment if the nation's auto industry is to keep growing. The Chinese government has taken measures, including more stringent fuel-efficiency requirements, tax breaks for small cars and support for the development of electric vehicles and other green cars. It has also begun improving rail, subway and other mass public transport services. These efforts must be enhanced.
　中国共産党・政府も、成長の持続には省エネと環境保護が重要だとして、燃費規制の強化や小型車向け減税に加え、電気自動車など「環境車」の開発支援に取り組んでいる。鉄道や地下鉄など公共交通網の整備にも力を入れるようになった。こうした施策はさらに強める必要がある。

The Chinese auto market has become a battleground where Japanese, U.S., European, South Korean--and now Chinese--automakers are engaged in cutthroat competition.
　中国市場は、日米欧韓に加えて中国メーカーがしのぎを削る大競争の舞台だ。

To survive in this burgeoning market, we hope Japanese makers, which have been leading the world in gas-electric hybrid and other clean-car technologies, will remain leaders in the "green revolution" by using their technological expertise to offer affordable green cars and help the auto industry grow without sacrificing the environment.
ハイブリッド車を軸に環境車でリードしてきた日本メーカーは、頼もしい中国市場に活路を見いだすためにも、蓄えた技術を手の届く価格で商品にし、環境と発展を調和させる「緑色革命」の先導役を担ってほしい。

Restore U.S trust by settling relocation issue
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 18, 2009)
普天間作業部会　年内決着で対日不信を解け（11月18日付・読売社説）

If Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama continues putting off a final decision on the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture, it will only amplify U.S. distrust of the Japanese leader, pushing the Japan-U.S. relationship to the brink of crisis. It is vital to resolve the issue by the end of this year.
　米海兵隊普天間飛行場の移設問題の結論をこのまま先送りし続ければ、鳩山首相に対する米国の不信は増幅され、日米関係が危機に陥ろう。年内の決着が不可欠だ。

The Japan-U.S. ministerial-level working group started discussing the relocation issue Tuesday. The two parties reaffirmed that they would expeditiously reach a conclusion, without specifying a time frame.
　移設問題に関する日米の閣僚級の作業部会が始まり、時期は明示しないまま、「迅速に結論を出す」方針を再確認した。

While the Japanese side indicated its intention to focus on reviewing the current plan, including the process of drawing it up, the United States reiterated its position that the current plan is the only feasible option.
　日本側は、現行計画が決まった経緯などの「検証」を重視する考えを示した。だが、米側は「現行計画が唯一実現可能な選択肢」との立場を改めて強調した。

The Hatoyama administration has spent a long time reviewing the relocation issue. Given this, is it truly necessary to start over again? As agreed upon in the recent Japan-U.S. summit talks in Tokyo, we believe the two countries should make expeditiously reaching a conclusion a top priority.
　鳩山政権は既に、「検証」に相当な時間を費やしている。改めてやり直す必要があるのか。先の日米首脳会談の合意通り、「迅速な結論」を最優先すべきだろう。

What cannot be overlooked is that Hatoyama continues making statements that can be interpreted as reversing the agreement. We find this highly regrettable.
　看過できないのは、鳩山首相がオバマ大統領との合意を翻すような発言を繰り返していることだ。極めて憂慮すべき事態である。

===

Role of current plan questioned

The prime minister stressed that the current relocation plan is not a premise for discussions at the high-level working group. He even suggested that the discussions start from scratch, saying that there was absolutely no prerequisite. This logic is hard to understand.
　首相は、作業部会は現行計画を前提としないと強調する。「すべての前提を置かない」と、白紙で議論するかのような発言もしている。この理屈は理解しがたい。

U.S. President Barack Obama stressed in the summit talks that the working group should adhere to the basic agreement. In a joint press conference with the prime minister, the president also said that the working group would be focused on implementing the 2006 Japan.-U.S. accord to relocate the marine base from Ginowan to Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture. The prime minister did not object to this statement.
　オバマ大統領は首脳会談で「基本は守るべきだ」と強調した。首相との共同記者会見でも、「作業部会は日米合意の履行を焦点とする」と述べた。だが、鳩山首相は特に異論をはさまなかった。

It is no wonder that the president views the current relocation plan as the premise for the high-level working group. If a rift opens between the Japanese and U.S. leaders, it may seriously damage Japan's national interests.
　大統領が現行計画を作業部会の前提と考えるのは無理もない。日米首脳間の信頼に亀裂が生じるような事態になれば、日本の国益を大きく損ねかねない。

Furthermore, if the negotiation starts from scratch, it would be like turning the clock to 1996, when Japan and the United States agreed on the return of the Futenma Air Station. In that case, the return of the airfield will highly likely be delayed by more than a decade and decisively damage the Japan-U.S. relationship.
　さらに、白紙で議論するとなれば、普天間飛行場の返還に日米が合意した１９９６年にまで、時計の針を逆戻りさせる。返還は１０年以上遅れる可能性が大きいし、日米関係も決定的に悪化しよう。

===

Time of the essence

As for the timing of an expeditious conclusion, Hatoyama said that he might decide which direction to take in line with the outcome of the Nago mayoral election scheduled for January.
　「迅速な結論」の時期について鳩山首相は、来年１月の「名護市長選の結果に従って方向性を見定めることもある」とも語った。

However, the prime minister said last month, "I didn't mean that [the decision would be made] after the mayoral race." As such, Hatoyama's remarks have been inconsistent.
　首相は先月、「市長選の後と言ったつもりはない」などと述べており、発言がぶれ続けている。

In the first place, the prime minister, as the one who takes charge of national security, should avoid leaving such a key issue concerning the fundamentals of the Japan-U.S. alliance to the result of a mayoral election.
　そもそも日米同盟の根幹の問題を市長選に委ねることは、国の安全保障の最高責任者として避けるべきだ。

Some in Okinawa Prefecture are also critical of the prime minister's policymaking style, saying that it is "unreasonable" to put the responsibility for making a key diplomatic decision on local governments.
沖縄からも、外交問題を地元に押しつける手法は「理不尽だ」との声が出ている。

If the prime minister wishes to respect the feelings of people in Okinawa, he has to sincerely listen to these voices, too.
　首相が「沖縄の気持ちが大事」というなら、こうした声こそ真剣に受け止める必要がある。

Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa called for settling the issue by the end of the year from the viewpoint of appropriating necessary funds in the fiscal 2010 budget. Their opinions are quite right, and the prime minister should respect the views of the relevant ministers.
　岡田外相と北沢防衛相は、来年度予算に必要経費を計上する観点から、年内決着の必要性を指摘している。当然であり、首相は担当閣僚の見解を尊重すべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 18, 2009)
（2009年11月18日01時02分 読売新聞）

NTTが無料提供するアクセスアップ術
面倒な設定なし
登録に必要なのはメールアドレスのみ
↓

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 17, 2009)
Don't let manifesto vows trigger economic slump
鳩山経済政策　マニフェスト不況を起こすな（11月17日付・読売社説）

If the government led by the Democratic Party of Japan sticks doggedly to fulfilling the pledges it made ahead of the latest House of Representatives election, and these efforts force the economy into a slowdown, the government will have put the cart before the horse.
　公約を守ろうと躍起になって、景気を悪化させることにでもなれば、本末転倒である。

The nation's economy has just recorded positive growth, but in our opinion this is a result of economic measures taken by the previous administration and the recovery of external demand, and the economy has been only temporarily boosted. The deflationary trend, in which falling prices cause economic stagnation, has become serious.
　日本経済はようやくプラス成長を回復したが、前政権の景気対策と外需回復で一時的に浮揚したと見るべきだ。物価下落が経済停滞を招くデフレも深刻になっている。

Nevertheless, the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has frozen projects worth about 3 trillion yen in the supplementary budget for fiscal 2009 and also plans to cut in the fiscal 2010 budget public works and other projects that could be expected to have an immediate effect as economic stimulus measures.
　ところが、鳩山内閣は今年度の補正予算を約３兆円凍結し、来年度予算も、景気刺激に即効性が期待される公共事業などをカットするという。

===

Scrap nonurgent policies
　◆成長戦略欠くバラマキ◆

The government's approach is aimed at securing financial resources for eye-catching policies in the DPJ's manifesto for the general election, but we fear the government's stance could accelerate the cooling down of regional economies.
　政権公約に盛り込んだ目玉政策の財源を得るためだが、こうした姿勢では、地方経済などの冷え込みを加速させる「マニフェスト不況」に陥らないか心配だ。

To avoid a manifesto-induced economic downturn, the government needs to change the principle governing its policy choices from keeping the promises it made in its manifesto to coming up with measures to improve the economy. This entails a drastic review of its stated policies.
　政策選択の原則を公約優先から景気優先に切り替え、政策を抜本的に見直すべきだ。

The biggest problem is that the Hatoyama Cabinet is going ahead with the dole-out policies pledged in its manifesto without having formulated a growth strategy to realize a full-scale recovery of the nation's economy.
　最大の問題は、鳩山内閣が日本経済の本格回復に向けた成長戦略を持たぬまま、選挙公約したバラマキ型の政策を強行しようとしている点にある。

A huge drop in tax revenue is unavoidable due to the rapid worsening of the economy that began last year. We urge the government to make the tough policy decisions necessary to bring the economy back on a recovery track, by using its limited financial resources effectively, and at the same time prevent the nation's finances from further worsening.
　昨年からの景気の急激な悪化で税収は大きな落ち込みが避けられない。政府は、乏しい財源を効果的に使って景気を立て直すと同時に、財政の急速な悪化に歯止めもかけるという難しい政策運営が求められている。

However, in ministries' budget requests for fiscal 2010, the government included key policies pledged in the DPJ manifesto and left their budgets almost untouched.
　ところが、来年度当初予算の概算要求には、政権公約に盛り込んだ大型の政策がほぼそのままの規模で並んだ。

These marquee policies include 2.3 trillion yen for a child-rearing allowance, 600 billion yen for making expressways toll-free and 500 billion yen for making public high school education free. If the 2.5 trillion yen revenue shortfall that will result from the scrapping of the provisionally higher gasoline tax rate is added to these figures, it is clear that a huge amount of financial resources--about 7 trillion yen--will be needed to implement the pillars of the DPJ's manifesto.
　子ども手当２・３兆円、高速道路無料化０・６兆円、公立高校無償化０・５兆円などだ。これにガソリン税の暫定税率廃止（２・５兆円）を含めれば、７兆円に迫る巨額の財源が必要となる。

If the government insists on implementing these policies, it will be impossible for it to keep a ceiling on the fiscal 2010 budget. Hatoyama has said he will try not to issue more than 44 trillion yen worth of government bonds next fiscal year, but it seems that his administration will be unable to avoid issuing a huge amount of government bonds.
　これらの目玉政策の実施に執着するのなら、予算規模を適正な水準に抑えるのは不可能だろう。鳩山首相は来年度の国債発行額を今年度の４４兆円以下にするとしているが、大幅な増発は避けられないのではないか。

When a nation's finances are in dire straits, the prices of government bonds tumble and long-term interest rates jump, which has a negative influence to the economy and aggravates the financial situation because of the increase in the cost of debt servicing. To avoid such a situation, the government should drop nonessential election pledges.
　財政危機が深刻化すれば国債価格が急落して、長期金利が跳ね上がる。それが景気にかえって悪影響を及ぼし、利払い費の増加で財政がさらに悪化する。そうした事態を避けるためにも、不要不急の公約にこだわるべきでない。

We hope the government and the Bank of Japan will take concerted actions, such as an effort by the central bank to increase its purchases of government bonds and hold down interest rates.
　日銀が国債買い入れを増やして金利上昇を防ぐなど、政府・日銀の政策協調も強めてほしい。

Of course, to restore market trust in the nation's finances, it is indispensable for the government to show its determination to pursue fiscal reconstruction, such as by raising the consumption tax after the economy recovers to secure a stable financial resource.
　むろん、景気回復後に消費税を引き上げて安定財源を確保するなど、財政再建に向けた決意を今から示すことが、財政に対する市場の信頼回復に欠かせない。

===

続きを読む