The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 22, 2012)
S. Korea's new president must seek future-oriented ties with Japan
女性大統領誕生　未来見据えた日韓関係構築を（12月21日付・読売社説）

South Koreans have chosen their country's first female president. We hope she will break through new frontiers and exercise leadership in such matters as revitalization of the country's economy and rebuilding relations with Japan.
　韓国初の女性大統領の誕生である。経済の再生や、日韓関係の再構築などで指導力を発揮して、新しい時代を切り開いてもらいたい。

Park Geun Hye of the ruling Saenuri Party was elected in a closely fought presidential election, defeating rival candidate Moon Jae In of the Democratic United Party, the largest opposition party.
　韓国大統領選で、与党セヌリ党の朴槿恵氏が最大野党・民主統合党の文在寅氏との接戦を制し、当選した。

The key issues during the election campaign were economic problems, including measures to reduce the widening income gap and unemployment.
　選挙戦の最大の争点は、格差是正や雇用など経済問題だった。

While Moon emphasized tighter control over family-run conglomerates, Park placed weight on economic growth and securing employment for young people.
　財閥への規制強化に力点を置く文氏に対し、朴氏は、経済成長の維持と、若者などの雇用確保を重視した。

We can safely conclude South Korean voters chose economic growth and more employment, rather than restricting the activities of major corporations, which are the locomotive of the country's exports.
有権者は、輸出を担う大企業の締め付けより、成長と雇用拡大を望んだと言える。

===

Small business measures key

South Korea is now among the top 10 countries in the world in terms of trade volume, due partly to its efforts to promote free trade agreements with the United States, the European Union and others. However, this has not resulted in an increase of jobs. Reinforcing and nurturing small and midsize enterprises, which are crucial to employment, are important issues.
　韓国は、米欧などとの自由貿易協定（ＦＴＡ）推進を軸に貿易額で世界トップ１０入りしたが、それが雇用増にはつながっていない。雇用の受け皿となる中小企業の強化や育成が重要な課題だ。

There were also great differences in the approaches of the two candidates to North Korea.
　対北朝鮮政策でも、両候補の違いは目立った。

Moon pledged to unconditionally restart large-scale food and fertilizer assistance programs to the North and have summit talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, next year. His policy is a return to the "sunshine policy" pursued by left-wing administrations.
　文氏は、北朝鮮への食料、肥料などの大規模支援を、無条件で再開し、金正恩・朝鮮労働党第１書記との首脳会談を来年中に行うと公約した。左派政権時代の太陽政策に回帰しようとするものだ。

In contrast, conservative Park also showed a willingness to reopen dialogue with North Korea, but said full-fledged assistance programs must come after a relationship of trust had been built up between the two countries. Her policy follows the footsteps of the current administration, which has demanded that North Korea take concrete actions to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.
　これに対し、保守派の朴氏は、南北対話再開に前向きな姿勢は見せたが、本格的な支援は信頼関係構築が前提、とした。北朝鮮に非核化への具体的な取り組みを求める現行路線を踏襲している。

North Korea is still pursuing its nuclear and missile development programs, as was seen in the recent launch of a long-range ballistic missile despite calls by the international community to cancel it.
　北朝鮮は、長距離弾道ミサイル発射を強行するなど、依然、核・ミサイル開発を進めている。

The victory of Park, who has vowed to take a stern attitude toward North Korea through cooperation among Japan, South Korea and the United States, is a welcome development for Japan.
北朝鮮に日米韓の連携強化で厳しく臨もうとする朴氏の当選は、日本にとっても歓迎できるものだ。

===

Repair bilateral ties

Park is the daughter of former President Park Chung Hee, who braved strong opposition within the country to normalize relations with Japan in 1965 and led the country on a rapid economic growth path, dubbed the "Miracle of the Hanggang river." During the election campaign, Park gave prominence to relations with Japan, including the conclusion of an economic partnership agreement.
　朴氏は、１９６５年に国内の強い反対を押し切って日韓国交正常化を断行し、韓国を「漢江の奇跡」と呼ばれる高度経済成長路線に導いた朴正煕大統領の娘である。選挙戦では、経済連携協定（ＥＰＡ）の推進など、日本との関係を重視していく立場を打ち出した。

Many issues are common to both Japan and South Korea, such as low birthrates and aging populations as well the handling of North Korea and China, which is expanding economically and militarily.
　少子高齢化対策、北朝鮮や膨張する中国への対応など、日韓共通の課題は多い。

Liberal Democratic Party President Shinzo Abe congratulated Park on her victory. "I hope to deepen bilateral relations further from a broad perspective by maintaining close contacts," said Abe, whose administration will be launched next week.
　自民党の安倍総裁は「緊密に意思疎通を行うことで、大局的な観点から日韓両国の関係をさらに深化させていきたい」と朴氏当選を祝うコメントを発表した。日本でも来週、安倍政権が発足する。

We hope the two incoming leaders will initially work toward repairing the Japan-South Korean relationship, which deteriorated to the worst-ever level when President Lee Myung Bak visited the Takeshima islands and demanded for an "apology by the Emperor" to victims of Japan's past colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
　日韓の両首脳にはまず、李明博大統領の竹島訪問と「天皇の謝罪」要求発言で最悪になった日韓関係の修復を図ってもらいたい。

Of course, there is little ground for optimism, but they need to make efforts to avoid issues of history from negatively impacting on the two nations any further.
　楽観は禁物だが、歴史問題がこれ以上、両国に否定的な影響を与えぬよう双方の努力が必要だ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 21, 2012)
（2012年12月21日01時29分  読売新聞）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 20, 2012)
LDP, Komeito need to present realistic nuclear power policy
自公連立協議　現実的な原発政策を掲げよ（12月19日付・読売社説）

If the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito are to form a coalition government, it is a matter of course that they will have to make adjustments on important policies as much as possible to prevent discord within the cabinet.
　連立政権を組む以上、閣内不一致に陥らないように、重要政策について極力すり合わせておくのは、当然である。

LDP President Shinzo Abe and Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi met Tuesday to launch a series of policy consultations ahead of the inauguration of the second Abe Cabinet next week.
　自民党の安倍総裁と公明党の山口代表が会談し、第２次安倍内閣の発足に向けた政策協議を開始した。

To begin with, they agreed to compile a large supplementary budget for fiscal 2012 to serve as temporary economic stimulus.
当面の経済対策として、大型の今年度補正予算を編成する方針で一致した。

LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Akira Amari and Komeito Policy Research Council Chairman Keiichi Ishii are expected to hammer out the details for the budget ahead of an official accord by the end of the week.
　詳細は、自民・甘利、公明・石井の両党政調会長が協議し、週内の合意を目指すという。

===

Economy a proper priority

The country desperately needs to be lifted out of deflation. The incoming administration is right in its decision to give top priority to economic reconstruction as a symbol of its efforts to move politics forward.
　デフレ脱却は急務である。新政権が、政治を前に動かす「象徴」として、景気の立て直しを最優先する判断は間違っていない。

Komeito supports a supplementary budget to the tune of about 10 trillion yen, while the LDP has yet to be specific.
　補正予算の規模について、公明党は１０兆円規模を主張するが、自民党は規模を明示していない。

Since at least part of any supplementary budget has to rely on the issuance of additional government bonds, it is important to avoid simple handout policies and choose spending that will have a highly positive economic effect.
　財源の一部を国債の追加発行に頼らざるを得ないこともあり、バラマキを避け、経済効果の高い歳出項目を選ぶことが大切だ。

Adjustments to energy policy will be another focus of attention during the policy talks between the two parties. While the LDP pledged to "establish the best possible combination of power generation sources within 10 years," Komeito advocates "aiming to reduce the number of nuclear power plants to zero as soon as possible."
　政策協議ではエネルギー政策の調整が焦点となる。自民党が「１０年以内に最適な電源構成を確立する」方針を掲げるのに対し、公明党は「可能な限り速やかに原発ゼロを目指す」と唱えている。

However, Komeito also acknowledges the need to give consideration to possible negative effects on the economy and employment, as well as to the securing of nuclear power engineers.
　ただ、公明党も、経済・雇用への影響や技術者の確保に配慮する必要性は認めている。

Imports of fuel for the nation's thermal power plants, which are being used as alternative power sources to nuclear power plants, have continued to surge, with 3 trillion yen of national wealth currently flowing overseas per year.
　今も原発の代替電源である火力発電の燃料輸入が急増し、年３兆円の国富が海外に流出している。

Zero nuclear power would accelerate the hollowing-out of the domestic industrial sector, which we see as contradicting the economic measures Komeito places importance on.
「原発ゼロ」では、産業の空洞化が加速し、公明党が重視する経済対策にも逆行するだろう。

===

Reactivation a must

We urge both the LDP and Komeito to craft a realistic policy that includes reactivating the nation's nuclear reactors once they are confirmed safe and rejecting the idea of zero nuclear power in the mid- and long term.
　安全性が確認された原発は再稼働し、中長期的にも「原発ゼロ」は避けるという現実的な政策を自公両党はまとめてもらいたい。

The LDP and Komeito also differ over amending the Constitution, but the two parties will unlikely go deeply into the issue during the policy talks this time around, due to its "low priority." This is an inevitable judgment given the limited amount of time before the new administration takes power.
　自公両党間では、憲法改正問題で主張の隔たりがあるが、今回の政策協議では「優先度が高くない」として深入りしない方向だ。新政権発足まで時間が限られている以上、やむを得ない判断だろう。

The LDP insists the government's interpretation of the Constitution should be revised so the country can exercise its right to collective self-defense. This would deepen the Japan-U.S. alliance, and is something we believe should be realized.
　自民党は、集団的自衛権を行使できるように政府の憲法解釈の変更を主張している。日米同盟を深化するうえで、重要な意義を持つ。本来は、ぜひ実現したい。

Komeito has consistently opposed such a move. However, Japan would only be required to exercise its right to collective self-defense in a limited number of situations, such as if a U.S. military vessel was attacked by a foreign country on the high seas or if a ballistic missile headed for the United States passed over Japan.
　公明党は反対の立場を崩していないが、実際に日本が集団的自衛権の行使を求められるのは、公海上で米軍艦船が他国に攻撃される場合や、日本上空を通過する弾道ミサイルで米国が攻撃される場合など、限定されている。

When should exercising the right to collective self-defense be allowed, and how should it be restricted? We believe it is possible for the two parties to find common ground if they engage in deep, reality-based discussions. We hope they, as ruling parties, will continue to discuss this matter after the new administration is launched.
　どのケースで行使を可能にし、どんな歯止めをかけるのか。現実に即して議論を深めれば、両党の接点を見つけることは不可能ではあるまい。新政権の発足後も、与党内で論議を続けてほしい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 19, 2012)
（2012年12月19日01時12分  読売新聞）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 19, 2012)
China's provocative acts are beyond the pale
中国機領空侵犯　自衛隊への挑発が過ぎないか（12月18日付・読売社説）

How should Japan deal with a China that has repeatedly engaged in brazen provocations both on the sea and in the air near the Senkaku Islands? This is one of the most serious tasks facing the administration of incoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
　海だけでなく、空からも尖閣諸島周辺で示威活動を繰り返す中国とどう向き合うか。
　「安倍政権」にとって、最も重い課題の一つである。

A propeller-driven airplane belonging to China's State Oceanic Administration on Thursday intruded into Japanese airspace near the Senkaku Islands and flew near the islands for about half an hour. It marks the first time a Chinese aircraft has ever intruded into Japanese airspace.
　中国国家海洋局に所属するプロペラ航空機が１３日、日本の領空に侵入し、尖閣諸島周辺の上空を約３０分間飛行した。中国機による領空侵犯は初めてだ。

The Chinese government tried to explain the act away by calling it "a three-dimensional patrol both on the water and in the air." But it was probably an intentionally provocative act conducted amid Japan's election campaign for the House of Representatives.
　中国政府は「海と空からの立体パトロール」と強弁しているが、衆院選の最中を狙った意図的な挑発行為だろう。

Thursday marked the 75th anniversary of the Nanjing Incident perpetrated by the Imperial Japanese Army. The air intrusion may also have been intended to respond to anti-Japan sentiments in China.
１３日は旧日本軍による南京事件７５年に当たっていた。国内の反日感情に呼応する目的もあったのかもしれない。

The government lodged a strong protest with China. Washington, acting in concert with Tokyo, also conveyed its concern. When the gravity of the issue is taken into consideration, these are appropriate responses. The Japanese government, in cooperation with other countries, must call on China to exercise self-restraint.
　政府は中国に厳重抗議した。米国も日本に同調し、懸念を伝えた。問題の重大性を踏まえれば当然の対応だ。政府は各国と連携し、中国に自制を求めねばならない。

===

A higher level of hazard

The potential danger posed by an intrusive act differs greatly between those in the air and on the water.
　空と海とは、その危険度が全く異なる。

When a Chinese government vessel intrudes into Japanese waters, the Japan Coast Guard takes action, while the Maritime Self-Defense Force does not come to the fore.
領海侵入した中国政府船には海上保安庁が対応し、海上自衛隊が前面に出ることはない。

When there is an intrusion into the nation's airspace, however, the Air Self-Defense Force scrambles fighters to patrol and issue warnings.
　これに対し、領空侵犯が起きた場合は、航空自衛隊の戦闘機が緊急発進（スクランブル）し、監視や警告を行うことになる。

International law does not allow aircraft to fly into the territorial airspace of a foreign country without permission. A country thus intruded upon can take measures to exclude the intruding airplane to protect its sovereignty.
　国際法は、航空機が無許可で外国の領空を飛行することを認めていない。各国とも、主権侵害として、排除措置を取れる。

The ASDF scrambled 156 times against seemingly imminent intrusions by Chinese airplanes into Japanese airspace in fiscal 2011, a record high in the past decade. In the first half of this fiscal year alone, the ASDF scrambled 69 times.
　空自は昨年度、領空侵犯の恐れがある中国機に対し、１５６回のスクランブルを実施した。この１０年間で最も多かった。今年度前半も６９回に達している。

Should any unexpected incident occur between an ASDF aircraft and an intruding Chinese airplane, it could escalate, in a worst-case scenario, into a military conflict between the two countries.
　仮に、領空侵犯した中国機との間で不測の事故が起きれば、最悪の場合、日中間の軍事的対立に発展しかねない。

===

A troubling radar blind spot

In response to Thursday's intrusion into Japanese airspace, the ASDF scrambled fighter jets but failed to arrive at the spot promptly enough and to fully track the intrusion of the Chinese airplane. As there is no radar site near the Senkaku Islands, the ASDF failed to detect the Chinese aircraft, which was believed to have flown low over the waters close to the islands, early enough.
　今回の領空侵犯に対し、空自機がスクランブルしたものの、現場への到着が遅れ、中国機の飛行を確認することに失敗した。尖閣諸島近くにレーダーサイトがなく、低空飛行で接近したと見られる中国機に気づかなかった。

It is a matter of urgency to reinforce the SDF's warning and patrol system against Chinese aircraft. The ASDF needs to fill in this blind spot in its radar network by deploying more E-2C early-warning aircraft and airborne warning and control system (AWACS) planes to the Nansei Islands.
　中国機に対する自衛隊の警戒監視体制の強化は急務だ。空自は、早期警戒機Ｅ２Ｃや空中警戒管制機（ＡＷＡＣＳ）を南西諸島に派遣する機会を増やし、レーダー網の死角を埋める必要がある。

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has released a paper on China's foreign policy, in which he emphasized that China "will fight with Japan resolutely" against the Japanese government's nationalization of part of the Senkaku Islands.
　中国の楊潔チ外相は外交政策に関する論文を発表し、日本による尖閣諸島国有化に対し「断固、日本と闘争を行う」と強調した。

A Chinese official in charge of diplomatic authorities, who are supposed to function as a window for communication and negotiation with other countries, has taken a hard-line stance. This only hinders a level-headed bilateral dialogue, making it difficult to bring the issue under control.
　協議の窓口となるべき外交当局の責任者が強硬姿勢を取ることが、冷静な２国間対話を妨げ、事態の沈静化を困難にしている。

China must become aware that its self-centered behavior is certainly damaging its international reputation.
　中国は、身勝手な自己主張が自国の国際的評価を確実に損なっていることを自覚すべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 18, 2012)
（2012年12月18日01時22分  読売新聞）

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The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 18, 2012)
LDP must regain public's trust with achievements
自民党政権復帰　謙虚に実績積み信頼取り戻せ（12月17日付・読売社説）

　◆民主政権迷走への厳しい懲罰だ◆

Voters handed down a stern judgment on the Democratic Party of Japan-led government. They obviously opted for a stable administration from which realistic policies can be expected.
　有権者は、民主党政権に極めて厳しい審判を下した。現実路線で安定を望める政権を選択したと言える。

The Liberal Democratic Party and its likely coalition partner New Komeito together garnered more than 320 seats in the 46th House of Representatives election Sunday to secure a return to power. It was an overwhelming victory but was not met with an air of excitement.
　第４６回衆院選は、自民党と公明党で３２０を超える議席を獲得し、政権復帰を決めた。熱気なき圧勝である。

The DPJ, on the other hand, suffered a historic, crushing setback after losing a huge number of seats. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announced Sunday night he would resign as party president.
　民主党は、議席を激減させ、歴史的敗北を喫した。野田首相は、党代表の辞任を表明した。

LDP President Shinzo Abe, who is poised to assume the post of prime minister for the second time, said the election results "do not show the LDP fully regained the people's confidence." The party should not be complacent. It will be essential for it to resolve a host of challenges, including economic revitalization and reconstruction from last year's disaster, so it can regain public confidence.
　２度目の首相就任が確実となった安倍総裁は「自民党に完全に信頼が戻ったということではない」と述べた。自民党は、おごってはならない。経済再生や復興など山積する課題を着実に解決し、信頼を取り戻すことが肝要だ。

===

Ishin no Kai secures foothold
　◆維新も国政に影響力◆

One factor behind the LDP's victory may be that the voters wanted to punish the DPJ-led administration for its blunders.
　自民党の勝因は、民主党政権に対する有権者の「懲罰」の感情が強く働いたことにある。いわば敵失に助けられた面が大きい。

The Hatoyama administration's haphazard handling of the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture undermined the relationship of trust between the central and local governments and crippled the Japan-U.S. alliance.
　鳩山内閣の米軍普天間飛行場移設問題を巡る場当たり的対応は政府と沖縄との信頼関係を決定的に壊し、日米同盟も揺るがせた。

The following Kan Cabinet took a winding course in coping with the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Public distrust in politics peaked as Prime Minister Naoto Kan clung to his post after announcing his intention to resign.
　菅内閣は、東日本大震災や原発事故処理で迷走した。菅首相は退陣を表明しながら居座り、政治不信は頂点に達した。

The Noda administration made some laudable achievements, including the enactment of the law on the integrated reform of the social security and tax systems, but he failed to achieve unity in his party, thereby causing it to split.
　野田内閣は、社会保障・税一体改革関連法の成立など、評価できる点はあったが、民主党をまとめ切れず、党分裂を招いた。

The gap between the people's expectations of the DPJ to effect real change in government three years ago and their subsequent disappointment was demonstrated by the huge loss of seats suffered in Sunday's election. The DPJ's humiliating setback was symbolized by former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's decision not to run in the election and Kan's defeat in a single-seat constituency.
　３年前の政権交代への期待と失望の落差が、大幅な議席減に表れている。鳩山元首相の不出馬と菅前首相の小選挙区での敗退が象徴的である。

Some incumbent Cabinet ministers lost their Diet seats. Among them are Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura, Finance Minister Koriki Jojima, Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Shinji Tarutoko, and Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Makiko Tanaka.
　藤村官房長官、城島財務相、樽床総務相、田中文部科学相ら現職閣僚が相次いで落選した。

Many voters must have used their votes to express their stern criticism of the DPJ over its campaign platform for the 2009 general election, which incorporated such populist policies as a handout of child-rearing allowances and making expressway tolls free without securing definite sources of revenue.
　確たる財源がないのに、子ども手当や高速道路無料化など大衆迎合の政策を盛り込んだ政権公約（マニフェスト）に対する痛烈な批判票が多かったに違いない。

The DPJ must rebuild itself based on the experience it gained as a ruling party.
　民主党は、与党の経験を踏まえて党を再建させねばならない。

Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party), which had aimed to become a so-called third political force, made a strong showing, securing enough seats to exert a certain amount of influence on the national political scene. Its two popular campaign faces--party leader Shintaro Ishihara and acting leader Toru Hashimoto--were able to successfully appeal to the voters. Your Party, which has a cooperative relationship with Ishin no Kai, also made gains.
　「第３極」を目指した日本維新の会は躍進し、国政への一定の影響力を確保した。石原代表と橋下代表代行の「二枚看板」がアピールしたのだろう。協力関係にあるみんなの党も議席を伸ばした。

Nippon Mirai no To (Tomorrow Party of Japan) suffered disappointing results. Ichiro Ozawa and other DPJ defectors tried to survive by joining the party headed by Shiga Gov. Yukiko Kada and gathering political forces opposing tax increase and nuclear power generation. Their strategy came up short.
　日本未来の党は惨敗した。滋賀県の嘉田知事を担ぎ、反増税、脱原発勢力の結集を狙った小沢一郎氏ら民主党離党組の生き残り戦略は、失速を余儀なくされた。

===

'Zero-nuclear policy' unsuccessful
　◆「原発ゼロ」は広がらず◆

The LDP's election partnership with Komeito in single-seat constituencies bore fruit. And the LDP gained in districts where "third political force" parties competed with another.
　自民党は小選挙区で公明党との選挙協力が奏功した。「第３極」同士が競合する中、漁夫の利を得たとも言える。

The LDP's advance may also partly be attributed to the fact that its policies appeared more convincing than those of other parties.
　自民党の政策が、他党に比べて説得力を持ったこともあろう。

The LDP appealed to voters by pledging to carry out bold monetary-easing policies to end the nation's deflationary trend and implement comprehensive reform of the social security and tax system, centering on the hike in the consumption tax rate.
　自民党は、デフレ脱却のための大胆な金融緩和や、消費税率引き上げを柱とする社会保障と税の一体改革の実行を訴えた。

The party also emphasized its energy policy, under which nuclear power plants whose safety is confirmed will be put back online at least for the time being and the best combination of power generation sources will be decided over time. It did not advocate eliminating nuclear power generation.
　当面は安全性を確認できた原発を再稼働しつつ、時間をかけて最適な電源構成を確立するというエネルギー政策も強調した。「原発ゼロ」は掲げなかった。

The fact that the national security environment has become increasingly harsh may also have helped the LDP widen its appeal to voters as it stressed its pledge of rebuilding the nation's diplomatic policy.
　日本の安全保障環境が厳しさを増していることも、外交の立て直しを強調した自民党への支持拡大につながったのではないか。

The LDP is set to form a coalition government with Komeito. But the coalition cannot secure a majority in the House of Councillors even when the strength of two parties is combined.
　自民党は、公明党と連立政権を組む方針だが、参院では自公両党合わせても過半数に届かない。

It is highly likely the Diet will remain divided with no party holding a majority in the upper house, at least until the next upper house election scheduled for next summer.
少なくとも来年夏の参院選までは衆参ねじれ国会が継続する公算が大きい。

Given this, it is essential for a ruling coalition to maintain cooperation among the three parties--the DPJ, the LDP and Komeito--which realized the comprehensive pension and tax reform, and make thorough efforts to form a consensus in policies.
　一体改革を実現した民自公３党の協調路線を維持し、丁寧に合意形成を図ることが不可欠だ。

As the LDP and Komeito, when combined, have garnered more than the two-thirds of the total seats in the lower house, bills can be passed into law by a second vote even if they are voted down in the upper chamber.
　自公両党は衆院の３分の２以上の議席を獲得したため、参院で法案が否決されても衆院で再可決できる。

Yet precedent shows that if they run the administration high-handedly, they will cause a backlash of public sentiment in the next upper house election. The two parties should bear in mind the need to manage the administration with humility.
だが、強引な政権運営を行えば、次の参院選で民意の揺り戻しを招くという先例がある。謙虚な政権運営を心がけるべきだ。

We were surprised at the wide-ranging swing in the number of seats won by parties, as was seen in the 2005 lower house election contested over the postal privatization issue, the 2009 election that brought a change of government with the DPJ coming into power, and the latest election.
　それにしても郵政解散の２００５年衆院選、政権交代が起きた０９年、そして今回と、獲得議席の振れ幅の大きさに驚かされる。

===

Election reform an urgent task
　◆選挙制度改革は急務だ◆

It is characteristic of the single-seat constituency system that parties tend to win more seats than the percentage of all votes they receive would seem to warrant. We cannot help feeling that the current system needs to be corrected.
　政党の得票率以上に議席数に差が出るのが小選挙区制の特徴だとしても、このままの制度で良いのかという思いを禁じ得ない。

Should a large number of Diet members be replaced every time a national election is held, the nation's politics will become unstable as it becomes difficult for policies to be created at the initiative of politicians. Such a development would also weaken the nation's diplomatic power.
　毎回大量の議員が入れ替わるようでは政治が不安定になり、政治主導も発揮しにくい。外交力が弱まるという弊害もある。

We should also keep in mind that the latest election was held with the electoral system in a "state of unconstitutionality" as the Supreme Court has pointed out.
　今回の衆院選は、最高裁が指摘した「違憲状態」のまま実施されたことも、忘れてはならない。

The DPJ, the LDP and Komeito have agreed they would make a drastic review of the lower house election system and make the necessary legal arrangements to reduce the number of lower house seats during the ordinary Diet session next year.
　民自公３党は、来年の通常国会で衆院選挙制度の抜本的な見直しと定数削減について、必要な法整備を行うことを合意している。

It is necessary to shed light on the problems in the current system, which combines single-seat constituencies and proportional representation, and dare to implement a drastic reform, including re-adopting a multiple-seat constituency system. This could be a faster route to rebuilding the nation's politics.
　現行の小選挙区比例代表並立制の問題点を洗い出し、中選挙区制の復活も含めて、抜本改革に踏み切る必要がある。それが日本の政治を立て直す近道でもあろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 17, 2012)
（2012年12月17日04時01分  読売新聞）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 17, 2012)
National revitalization, end to political stagnation crucial
衆院選きょう投票　日本再生へ誤りなき１票を（12月16日付・読売社説）

　◆政治の停滞から脱却しよう◆

Voting today in the 46th House of Representatives election provides people with an important opportunity to choose a new political alignment that will bear the responsibility of charting the nation's future course.
　第４６回衆院選は、きょう投票日を迎える。

It is hoped voters will cast their precious vote after examining the policies, capabilities and disposition of each party and candidate.
　日本の将来を担う、新しい政治のかたちを決める重要な選択の機会だ。各政党と候補者の政策や能力・資質をしっかりと見極め、貴重な１票を行使したい。

The world is going through drastic changes. This year, new regimes were inaugurated in China, North Korea, Russia, France and a number of other countries. U.S. President Barack Obama was reelected for a second term, and South Korea will elect a new president on Wednesday.
　世界は激動している。今年、中国、北朝鮮、ロシア、フランスなど多くの国で新体制が発足した。オバマ米大統領は再選され、韓国も１９日に新大統領を選出する。

　◆政権選択が最大の焦点◆

We should not allow only Japan to lag under our nation's climate of political indecisiveness.
　日本だけが、いつまでも「決められない政治」を続けるわけにはいかない。

Reviving the vigor of the nation's political system is the first and most urgent task if Japan wants to overcome deflation and the strong yen, attain both economic resuscitation and fiscal reconstruction, strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance and rebuild its diplomacy vis-a-vis other Asian countries.
デフレ・円高を克服し、経済再生と財政再建を両立させる。日米同盟を強化し、アジア外交を再構築する。それには、何よりも政治の立て直しが急務だ。

The lower house election is for voters to choose an administration to lead the country. The biggest focal point in this poll is whether the Democratic Party of Japan-led alliance will continue to hold the reins of government or a coalition government of the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito will retake the helm.
　衆院選は政権を選択する選挙である。民主党中心の政権の継続か、自民、公明両党の連立政権への回帰か。これが最大の焦点だ。

The DPJ is facing a strong headwind. It made a historical achievement when it enabled a package of bills related to the integrated reform of the social security and tax systems to pass through the Diet. But the party's campaign pledges for 2009 lower house election were in tatters, and its pledge of "taking key roles in the decision-making process away from bureaucrats and putting them into the hands of politicians" was only an empty slogan that caused much political confusion. We believe these factors are playing against the DPJ.
　民主党は、厳しい逆風を受けている。社会保障・税一体改革関連法の成立は歴史的成果だが、２００９年衆院選政権公約（マニフェスト）は破綻し、「脱官僚」も掛け声倒れで政治を混乱させたことが響いているのだろう。

===

12 parties field candidates

We highly commend the LDP with regard to the support it gave to allow the passage of the bills on the integrated reform of social security and tax systems even though it was an opposition party.
　自民党は、野党ながら一体改革に協力した点は評価できる。

But the LDP failed to act like a responsible party in some cases when it resisted entering deliberations on bills and jolted the DPJ-led government by presenting censure motions--all tactics engineered by exploiting the divided Diet, in which the ruling bloc lacks a majority of seats in the House of Councillors.
しかし、衆参ねじれを利用し、法案審議に抵抗したり、問責決議で民主党政権を揺さぶったりし、責任政党らしからぬ対応もあった。

This election saw candidates fielded by 12 parties--the biggest number since the current election system that combines single-seat constituencies and a proportional representation system was introduced in 1996. This resulted from splits within the DPJ and the inroads into national politics made by regional parties.
　今回は、小選挙区比例代表並立制の導入以来、最多の１２党が候補者を擁立した。民主党の分裂と地域政党の国政進出が要因だ。

Before this election campaign officially kicked off on Dec. 4, new parties vying to form a "third political force" were formed or merged one after another. They undeniably put priority on these moves as an election strategy, with coordination of their policies and political philosophy taking a back seat.
　公示直前、「第３極」を目指す新党の離合集散が相次いだ。理念や政策のすり合わせを二の次にして、勢力結集による選挙対策を最優先したことは否めない。

To which party and candidate should we entrust our votes to reflect our will? The credibility of campaign pledges was severely hurt with the DPJ's botched efforts, but we should pay attention most to parties' policies.
　どの政党・候補者に思いを託せば良いのか。民主党の失敗でマニフェストの信頼は失墜したが、やはり重視すべきは政策だ。

With the ever-graying society, declining birthrate and worsening fiscal conditions, the role of the government is shifting from distributing benefits to distributing burdens. We should closely examine if parties' policies are backed up by concrete plans for revenue sources and if they have presented ways to realize their policies.
　少子高齢化の進展や財政悪化に伴い、政治の役割は、「利益」の分配から「負担」の分配へと移りつつある。政策に財源の裏付けはあるのか。実現への手順が示されているのか。きちんと精査することが大切である。

In regard to economic policy, an area of particular interest to the public, the DPJ in its election platform set the goal of a nominal 3 percent year-on-year growth rate, or around 2 percent after inflation. The party says it will place priority on helping nurture such emerging sectors as renewable energy and medical and nursing care services.
　国民の関心が高い経済政策で、民主党は名目３％、実質２％程度の目標成長率を掲げた。再生可能エネルギー、医療・介護など新産業の育成に重点を置くという。

The LDP, for its part, has attached high importance to reinvigorating the national economy and strengthening Japan's industrial competitiveness. Setting an inflation target of 2 percent, the party has committed itself to a bold monetary-easing policy, saying it will consider the advisability of revising the Bank of Japan Law to allow more collaboration between the government and the central bank.
　自民党は経済再生や産業競争力強化を重視する。２％の物価目標を設定し、日銀法改正も視野に政府・日銀の連携を強化して大胆な金融緩和を行うと踏み込んだ。

===

Diplomatic skills vital
　◆外交目標の実現力は◆

The issue of Japan's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral free trade negotiations had earlier been expected to be a key campaign issue from the viewpoint of the nation's growth strategy. It is disappointing, however, that both the DPJ and the LDP refrained from going into specifics because both have a number of members who either oppose the free trade pact outright or are skeptical about it.
　成長戦略の観点で、環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）参加問題が重要な争点となるはずだったが、民主、自民両党とも、党内に反対・慎重論を抱えるため、各論に入るのを避けたのは残念である。

Meanwhile, parties remain sharply split regarding energy policy.
　エネルギー政策では、各党の意見が鋭く対立した。

The DPJ has pledged to "reduce the number of operating nuclear power plants to zero by the end of the 2030s." Such parties as Nippon Mirai no To (Tomorrow Party of Japan) and the Japanese Communist Party have taken the position of "doing away with nuclear power generation" within an even shorter time frame. The LDP, for that matter, has avoided producing a definite conclusion, saying the party will "determine the optimum makeup of power generation sources over a 10-year time frame."
　民主党は「２０３０年代の原発稼働ゼロ」を目指す。日本未来の党、共産党などはより早い「脱原発」を唱える。自民党は「１０年以内に電源構成のベストミックスを確立」と早急な結論を避けた。

Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party) has officially vowed to "break with" nuclear power, but its stance on the matter is incomprehensible because its leader, Shintaro Ishihara, has publicly denied the party made the antinuclear election pledge.
　日本維新の会は「脱原発依存」を掲げながら、石原代表が否定するなど、分かりにくい。

A party calling for terminating the nation's nuclear power generation should, as a matter of course, propose ways to cope with the adverse impacts of the "no-nuclear" option on the economy and employment, as well as measures to maintain Japan's nuclear energy-related technological levels. There have been no such proposals made in the lower house campaign and no in-depth debates on the matter.
　「脱原発」を主張する党は本来、経済・雇用への悪影響の克服や、原子力技術の維持の具体策を示す責任があるが、その動きはなく、議論は深まらなかった。

On diplomacy and national security issues, many parties have called for deepening the Japan-U.S. alliance, each pledging to do its best to defend Japan's territorial integrity, including that over the Senkaku Islands.
　外交・安全保障では、多くの党が日米同盟の深化を唱え、尖閣諸島など領土を守ると主張した。

The environment surrounding the nation's security has been increasingly severe as shown by the latest launch by North Korea of a long-range ballistic missile and China's military buildup and increasingly assertive maritime activities.
　北朝鮮の弾道ミサイル発射や中国の軍備増強と海洋進出など、日本の安保環境は厳しさを増している。どの党が、外交目標を実現する具体策や交渉力を持つのかを見極めることが重要だ。

We urge voters to determine correctly which party has specific measures and ability to negotiate effectively to realize the nation's diplomatic goals.

===

Quality of politicians falling
　◆複眼的に政策の吟味を◆

The possibility is high that the divided state of the Diet will continue even after the general election.
　衆院選後も衆参ねじれの状況が続く可能性が高い。

Voters, in this connection, should also consider whether they should grant a single party a stable majority in the lower chamber.
衆院第１党が安定多数を得た方が良いかどうかも、投票の判断材料だろう。

A coalition government comprising a number of parties might find it easier to reflect diversified views in government policies. However, the process of ironing out conflicting views within the parties in power could be protracted, leading to a political impasse.
　多くの党が連立すれば、多様な意見が施策に反映される反面、与党内の政策調整に手間取り、政治の混乱が続く恐れもある。

Many first-time candidates have been fielded in this general election, including those from the "third political force." If they win the election, they will have to immediately address a pile of policy tasks. Those in power, in particular, must fulfill the responsibility of appropriately using bureaucrats in steering affairs of state.
　今回は、第３極を含め、多くの新人が出馬している。当選すれば、直ちに多くの政策課題に取り組まねばならない。特に与党となれば、官僚を的確に使いこなし、国政を運営する責任を担う。

One major factor behind the stagnancy of politics in recent years is the deteriorating quality of politicians. Candidates' problem-solving capabilities and other personal qualities are therefore sure to be tested.
　最近の政治の停滞は、政治家の劣化が一因である。候補者の課題解決能力や資質が問われる。

Voters should make correct choices in casting their ballots by scrutinizing the comparative merits and demerits of policies and assertions of parties and candidates.
　有権者は、各党・候補の政策や主張を様々な視点から吟味し、誤りなき選択をしてもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 16, 2012)
（2012年12月16日01時21分  読売新聞）

３２レッドカジノは、２００２年にオンラインカジノゲームサイトとして創業を開始いたしました。２００５年には、あのお堅いイギリスのロンドン証券取引所に上場されています。
２００３年から２０１２年に至るまで、オンラインカジノゲームの名だたる賞を独占状態なのです。まさにオンラインカジノゲーム界のサラブレッドと呼ばれるにふさわしい、サイト運営内容です。ペイアウトが高いのはもちろんですが、その運営は専門機関から厳しく管理されており、フェアなビジネスで、世界中のオンラインカジノファンを魅了いたしております。

今回、日本のアフィリエイト仲介業者を介さず、英語で交渉して、直接、３２レッドカジノとのアフィリエイト契約にこぎ着けました。日本語化が随分と進んでいます。

ホームページでサイトの研究をされたら、練習プレー（プラクティス）で遊んでみるのが早道です。慣れてきたら、３０ドル程度送金して、即、実戦が楽しめます。

パチンコ屋で使うお金の十分の一の金額で、１０倍遊べます。
但し、ルーレットとブラックジャックに限ります。
小額をベットして、出来るだけ長い間遊ぶ。これがコツです＾＾。


３２レッドカジノホームページ
３２レッドカジノ練習プレー（プラクティス）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 16, 2012)
Voters should study policies and vote to change politics
衆院選あす投票　ネット利用が課題として残る（12月15日付・読売社説）

Sunday's House of Representatives election is important in setting the nation's course. We want to prepare for the vote by scrutinizing each political party's platform.
　日本の針路を決める重要な選挙だ。各党の政策をきちんと吟味し、あすの投票日に臨みたい。

In this election, 12 parties are fighting a close, heated battle. In contrast, voters appear to be less enthusiastic.
　今回の衆院選では、１２もの政党が競う混戦となった反面、有権者側の熱気は今ひとつのように見える。

According to a nationwide survey conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun after the official election campaign kicked off, 82 percent of respondents said they were interested in the forthcoming lower house election, down 10 percentage points from a similar poll conducted ahead of the previous 2009 election.
　読売新聞社が公示後に実施した全国世論調査によると、衆院選に「関心がある」と回答した人は８２％で、前回の２００９年衆院選に比べて１０ポイント低い。

The number of early votes cast so far for Sunday's election was also reportedly lower than that for the previous election.
　期日前投票も、前回よりは総じて低調という。

This is attributable to growing public distrust of politics due to the current political disarray.
　その理由として、政治の混迷が続き、政治不信が深まっていることが挙げられるだろう。

New parties, formed to challenge established parties, largely serve as mutual-aid entities designed only to help defectors from the Democratic Party of Japan and lower-profile candidates win seats in the election. Apparently drawn up hastily, their proposed measures hardly address issues that people are dissatisfied about.
　既成政党を批判する新党も、民主党離党組らが生き残るための選挙互助会の色彩が濃く、政策はいかにも急ごしらえだ。不満の受け皿として十分とは言い難い。

In a basic step to change politics, voters must look closely into each party's policies and then exercise their voting right.
　政治のあり方を変えるには各党の政策に耳を傾けて、投票権を行使するのが基本である。

===

Low turnout of young voters

Meanwhile, it is a matter of concern that the voting rate for people in their 20s is always significantly lower compared with other age brackets.
　懸念されるのは、２０代の投票率が、常に他の年代を大きく下回っていることだ。

However, we want young people, in particular, to become more interested in politics as they will be forced to shoulder various burdens as a result of the nation's financial difficulties and expanding economic disparity among people.
　危機的な財政や経済格差の拡大によって、将来様々なツケを背負わされる若者たちこそ、政治にもっと関心を持ってほしい。

Parties tend to put measures to support child care on the back burner as they focus on the pension system and health care for the elderly in their social security policies. Some observers say such a tendency reflects the parties' focus on middle-aged and elderly people with higher voting rates.
　社会保障政策では、高齢者の年金・医療が優先され、子育て支援策は後回しになりがちだ。政党がこれまで、選挙で投票率の高い中高年齢層を重視してきたことの表れだとの指摘もある。

The nation's economy has worsened. If the parties make wrong policy choices now, job scarcity for university students and other young people could become serious again.
　景気は悪化している。ここで政策を誤ると、大学生らの就職難が再び深刻になりかねない。

Concerned over the higher youth jobless rate, the parties have proposed employment measures such as making part-time workers known as freeters regular employees and providing young people with assistance to develop job skills. Some parties have pushed for steps friendly to young people and families with small children in their campaign pledges.
　各党は若年失業率の高さを踏まえ、フリーターの正規雇用化や若者の就労支援などの雇用対策を掲げている。若者や子育て世帯向けの重点政策を出した党もある。

===

Use of Net remains an issue

Voters are being urged to assess what party has proposed realistic measures that are unlikely to pass excessive burdens onto future generations.
　どの党の政策が現実的か、次世代に過大な負担を回さないか、きちんと見極めてもらいたい。

To boost the turnout of young voters, the expanded use of the Internet for elections would be effective.
　若年層の投票率を高めるには、選挙でのインターネット利用を一層拡大することが、有力な手段になるだろう。

However, even updating the website of a party after the start of an official campaign could violate the Public Offices Election Law if the act is deemed part of election campaign activities.
　ところが、公示後の政党のホームページ更新は選挙運動と見なされれば公職選挙法違反となる。

With the number of Net users nearing 100 million and Japanese expatriates casting their ballots from overseas, such a regulation is unreasonable. It is no wonder that many parties have criticized the outdated law during the latest election campaign.
　ネット利用者が１億人に迫り、海外の日本人も投票する中で、こうした規制には合理性が乏しい。今回の衆院選を通じて、各党から公選法は時代遅れだといった指摘が上がったのはもっともだ。

We hope the parties will work on establishing rules on the use of the Internet for elections before next summer's House of Councillors election.
　来夏の参院選に間に合うよう、各党はネット利用のルールづくりに取り組んでもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 15, 2012)
（2012年12月15日01時41分  読売新聞）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 15, 2012)
Parties must be honest about risks of 'zero-nuclear' future
原発政策　「稼働ゼロ」の副作用も語れ（12月14日付・読売社説）

Formulating a nuclear energy policy is a vitally important task, one that would not only help ensure a stable power supply, but also protect the environment, and affect the nation's economy, diplomacy and national security--the whole spectrum of matters related to steering the ship of state.
　原子力政策は、電力の安定供給はもとより、経済や環境保全、外交・安全保障など、国家運営の全般にかかわる重要な課題である。

Many parties in the current House of Representatives campaign, held in the aftermath of the nuclear disaster at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, have adopted "zero nuclear" pledges. These parties, however, have neglected to explain the wide-ranging risks of eliminating nuclear power.
　東京電力福島第一原子力発電所の事故を受け、多くの政党が衆院選の公約に「原発ゼロ」を掲げている。だが、さまざまな副作用についての説明が足りない。

We urge voters not to be swayed by slogans only aimed at winning the election, but to determine calmly which parties and candidates would pursue a realistic nuclear power policy.
　有権者は選挙目当てのスローガンに惑わされず、現実的な原発政策を掲げる政党や候補者を、冷静に見極めてもらいたい。

Parties including Nippon Mirai no To (Tomorrow Party of Japan) and the Japanese Communist Party have taken the position of never allowing any of the nation's nuclear reactors to resume operating.
　日本未来の党や共産党などは原発の再稼働を一切認めないとしている。

===

Fuel cost up 3 tril. yen a year

Their assertion that this country could "do without nuclear power" on the grounds that there were no blackouts this summer is far off the mark.
今年の夏に停電が起きなかったことから、「原発なしでも電気は足りている」などと主張するが、的外れな指摘である。

The truth is that the nation walked a shaky tightrope in terms of the power supply this summer. With all reactors but two idle, power outages were only narrowly averted by mobilizing all thermal power stations available, including some outdated ones. The result was an increase of 3 trillion yen for the year's fuel costs for power generation, causing one power utility after another to announce rate hikes.
　原発が２基しか稼働していないため、古い火力発電所を総動員して停電を回避する綱渡りの状態だった。燃料費は年３兆円も増え、電気料金値上げの動きも相次いでいる。

Anyone who ignores the adverse impacts of power shortages deserves to be called irresponsible.
電力不足の悪影響から目をそらすのは無責任だ。

Parties including the Liberal Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of Japan and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party), on the other hand, have acknowledged the need to restart the nation's nuclear power plants to ensure a stable supply of electricity, as long as the reactors can be confirmed safe. We see these positions as valid and reasonable.
　自民党や民主党、日本維新の会などは、電力安定供給のために安全を確認できた原発の再稼働を容認した。妥当な判断である。

However, it is problematic that many party platforms promise to walk away from nuclear power inside a certain time frame, such as the DPJ's pledge to "reduce the number of operating nuclear power plants to zero by the end of the 2030s."
　問題は民主党の「２０３０年代に原発稼働ゼロ」など、期限付きの脱原発公約が多いことだ。

Replacing nuclear power with solar and other renewable sources of energy while boosting energy efficiency would cost the nation more than 100 trillion yen, according to one government projection. This would have to be funded either by higher electricity rates or more taxes. How can the hollowing-out of the nation's industrial sector be stopped in the face of increased production costs, and bankruptcies of small and midsized businesses caused by this policy?
　原発に代わり、太陽光など再生可能エネルギーや省エネを拡大するコストは、政府の試算で１００兆円を超える。電気料金引き上げや税金で賄うしかあるまい。生産費上昇による産業空洞化や中小企業倒産をどう防ぐというのか。

The simplistic argument that introducing renewable energy sources would stimulate the economy is hardly convincing.
　再生エネを導入すれば経済成長にもつながるという、安易な主張は説得力に欠ける。

===

Reveal 'inconvenient truths'

We commend the LDP for not setting a zero-nuclear goal, as the party is apparently aware of its position as a responsible party aiming to win back the reins of government. However, the LDP's 10-year time frame for "determining the optimum makeup of power generation sources" is much too slow.
　自民党が「原発ゼロ」を掲げていないのは、政権奪還を目指す責任政党として評価できる。ただ、「最適な電源構成を１０年以内に決める」という方針は遅すぎる。

The municipalities that host nuclear power facilities of course deserve consideration. Aomori Prefecture, the site of a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, is particularly anxious about the possibility of being forced into becoming a final resting place for nuclear waste.
　原発の立地自治体への配慮も不可欠だ。特に使用済み核燃料の再処理工場がある青森県は、核廃棄物の最終処分を押しつけられるのではないかと心配している。

The political parties contesting the election must revise their positions to support the continued, but safe, use of nuclear power. They should also quickly devise a plan to keep the nuclear fuel recycling program going, and determine how radioactive waste should be finally disposed of.
　原発の安全を確保したうえで活用を続ける方針を、明確にする必要がある。核燃料サイクルや放射性廃棄物の最終処分の方策を、早く示すことも求められよう。

If Japan recklessly adopted a zero-nuclear goal, it would soon cease to be a partner of the United States in its nuclear nonproliferation strategy. This would cause a fissure in the Japan-U.S. alliance, possibly to the detriment of our national interests.
　日本が「原発ゼロ」に走れば、米国の核不拡散戦略のパートナーではなくなる。日米同盟にヒビが入り、国益を損ないかねない。

Every political party needs to have the honesty and candor to tell voters "inconvenient truths" about a possible zero-nuclear Japan.
　各党は「原発ゼロ」の“不都合な真実”も率直に語るべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 14, 2012)
（2012年12月14日01時31分  読売新聞）