英字新聞
読売、毎日、朝日各社英字新聞の主として社説を学習研究します

こんなことをして葬儀に莫大なお金をかけるのはいかがなものか？
そのうち、ご遺体をロケットで宇宙に向けて発射する宇宙葬が大流行するのかもしれませんね＾＾。
「死んだら、それでジ・エンド、おしまい」はカフェ友ヤングセイラーさんのお言葉です＾＾。
やはり神や仏様は私たちの心の中だけに存在するものなのでしょうね。多分これで間違いない。（汗）
（スラチャイ）

(Mainichi Japan) January 26, 2012
Dust to dust: A different approach to funerals
発信箱：粉になる＝滝野隆浩（社会部）

"A spacious X square meters," "Faces south, gets plenty of sunlight!" -- these phrases on a cemetery ad at the station made me stop and
　「ゆったり○平方メートル」とか「南向き、日当たり良好！」という駅の墓地広告をみて気づかされる。

Even after they die and are turned into bones, many people are concerned about comfort.
亡くなって骨になったあとも、「居心地」が気になる人が多いのだ。

In such cases scattering the person's ashes in the sea or on a mountain may seem like a good idea, but not everyone wants this.
ならば海や山に散骨するのもいいのだろうが、それを嫌がる人もいる。

Last autumn, I heard about a new freeze-drying approach in which liquid nitrogen is used to reduce the body to a powder, and then the remains are returned to the ground.
昨秋、「冷凍葬」の話を聞いた。液体窒素を使って遺体を粉末状にして土にかえしてくれるという。

Yuji Nakamura, a lawyer who went to Sweden to interview the company that holds a patent on this process, provided details on it at a meeting of Japan's council for promotion of a basic funeral law in Japan.
　葬送基本法推進懇談会の会合で、スウェーデンに行って特許を持つ会社を取材した中村裕二弁護士が報告した。

After being submerged in liquid nitrogen with a temperature of minus 196 degrees Celsius for one hour, the person's body, which is broken up into dust and small pieces, is put into a vacuum container where the remains are slowly dried.
零下１９６度の液体窒素に１時間ほど漬けたあと、細かい破片・粉になった遺体を真空のドラムにいれてゆっくり乾燥。

Metals are then removed and the remains are placed into a container which is buried about 50 centimeters underground.
金属類を除去して容器に入れて、地表から５０センチほどのところに埋める。

Between six months and a year later, the remains have completely been broken down into the earth.
半年から１年で容器ごと土にかえるという。

The attraction of this process is the part where the body is "slowly dried" -- showing that care is being taken over the remains.
「ゆっくり乾燥」というのがミソ。大事に扱うという配慮なのだ。

South Korea is already apparently preparing to introduce this process.
韓国では実用化の話が進んでいるそうだ。

A long time ago, there was a song in Japan containing the lyrics "hone made aishite" (love me down to my bones). 　昔、流行歌に「骨まで愛して」というのがあった。

Here lies sentiment in which the person is crying out for love of their very existence.
存在そのものを本気で愛して、と叫ぶ情念の世界だ。

To Japanese people, bones are very important, and it is hard to stir up strength when thinking that they will become dust in the end.
But there is something refreshing about the new approach to funerals, a graciousness that comes from leaving all partings and lingering affection -- like the person is saying, "See you, bye-bye," and drifting away.
「お前の骨は拾ってやるぞ」という言葉もある。究極の信頼関係があるから言える。日本人にとって骨はとても大事なものなのだ。最後に粉になってしまうと力は入らない。けれど、何だかすがすがしくはある。この世の名残とか未練とかを、一切捨て去る潔さ。じゃあね、ばいばい、さらさらーっと。

The developer of the freeze-drying funeral method apparently says that a person's genes are a gift to their children and grandchildren.
　冷凍葬の開発者は「自分の遺体は子や孫へのギフト」と言っているらしい。

The thought of becoming part of nature matches Japanese people's view of nature.
人間も自然の一部とする、日本人の自然観に合っている。

In fact, Japan, which has few religious constraints, may be just the place for this process to receive public acceptance.
もしかしたら、宗教的な制約がほとんどない日本のほうが、受け入れられていくのかもしれない。

Also in environmental terms, overdevelopment of large grave sites is a problem.
大規模な墓地開発が進みすぎるのも、環境面では問題だ。

"There are various debates on the issue, but I think there should be a choice for funerals that are not limited to cremation," Nakamura says.
中村さんは「さまざま議論はあろうが、火葬だけじゃない、葬送の選択肢があっていいと思う」と話していた。

(By Takahiro Takino, Tokyo City News Department)
毎日新聞　2012年1月25日　1時35分

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jan. 26, 2012)
Noda must have strategy to pursue 'decisive politics'
施政方針演説　「決断する政治」への戦略持て（1月25日付・読売社説）

In his policy speech to the Diet on Tuesday, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda boldly said, "I will aim...to break away from 'the politics that can't decide,'" and, "This is the time for us to fix our eyes upon the 'big picture' rather than 'political situation.'"
We admire Noda's will and vision. However, the problem lies in whether his administration has a well-planned strategy that will be able to translate his words into reality.
　「決められない政治からの脱却」、「政局ではなく大局を」――。
　意欲と志はいい。問題は、それを実現するだけの周到な戦略が、野田政権にあるかどうかだ。

An ordinary Diet session was convened Tuesday.
　通常国会が開幕した。

In his speech, Noda quoted from policy speeches given by two former prime ministers from the Liberal Democratic Party, which was in power before Noda's Democratic Party of Japan took the reins of government.
野田首相の施政方針演説は、政権交代前、自民党の首相が行った施政方針演説を引き合いに出した。

He quoted former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who said, "It is precisely the responsibility of those in politics vis-a-vis the people to ensure that the ruling and opposition parties conduct thorough discussions...to conduct the affairs of state."
　福田首相は「与野党が話し合い、国政を動かすことこそ政治の責任」と述べた。

And he referred to a promise former Prime Minister Taro Aso made in his speech: "We will take necessary legal measures by fiscal 2011...to undertake...fundamental reform of the tax system, including that of the consumption tax."
麻生首相は「消費税を含む税制抜本改革を行うため２０１１年度までに必要な法制上の措置を講じる」と約束した。

===

LDP, Komeito must start talks

Noda likely used these quotes to point out that the current attitude of the LDP contradicts these statements. Indeed, the opposition party has not responded to calls to start discussions on integrated reform of the social security and tax systems.
　こうした発言と、社会保障・税一体改革の協議に応じない今の自民党の姿勢とは食い違うと、野田首相は言いたいのだろう。

Because the DPJ itself had repeatedly resisted moves by the LDP and New Komeito when they were the ruling coalition, members of the now opposition parties reacted fiercely to Noda's speech.
　自公政権当時、さんざん抵抗したのが民主党だったことから、野党側から激しい反発が出た。

However, both the LDP and Komeito need to agree to start talks to rehabilitate the current critical state of the nation's finances and establish a sustainable social security system.
しかし、今の危機的な財政を立て直して持続可能な社会保障制度を築くために、自民、公明両党は協議に応じる必要がある。

The government and the DPJ, too, must change their attitude.
　政府・民主党も、これまで通りの対応では済まない。

First, they have to sincerely explain to the public why the consumption tax rate needs to be increased.
まず、消費税率引き上げの必要性を意を尽くして国民に説かねばならない。

Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada last week abruptly announced, "Revenue from the five-percentage-point increase will be used entirely to fund social security programs, and will thus be returned to citizens."
This marked a major shift from the previous stance of using 10 percent of the extra revenue to cover government procurement costs that are expected to increase due to the tax hike.
　岡田副総理は先週、唐突に「消費増税分は、全額を社会保障財源化し、国民に還元する」と、表明した。

The Noda administration probably changed its stance in a desperate attempt to make the public more accepting of the consumption tax hike.
何とか国民の理解を得ようと考えたのだろうが、

However, the administration will likely be challenged over the inconsistency with its previous explanations.
従来の説明との整合性は問われよう。

===

Give unclear manifesto the boot

Komeito has been demanding the government clarify its future vision for the social security system.
　公明党は社会保障制度の将来像を明確にするよう求めている。

In its manifesto for the 2009 House of Representatives election, the DPJ promised to integrate the nation's pension programs and create a minimum guaranteed pension of 70,000 yen a month by 2013.
　民主党は政権公約（マニフェスト）で、１３年までに年金一元化や月額７万円の最低保障年金など新たな年金制度を創設すると掲げている。

Komeito says it cannot see any connection between these campaign promises and the comprehensive reform.
この公約と一体改革との関係がわからないというのが、公明党の主張である。

In response to Komeito's demand, DPJ Secretary General Azuma Koshiishi apparently hopes to bring the two main opposition parties to the discussion table by revealing the full picture of social security reform.
　民主党の輿石幹事長は、これに応じ、社会保障改革の全体像を示すことで、野党側を協議につかせたいと考えているようだ。

Indeed, it will be necessary for the DPJ to show a rough outline of its plan if it wants to ask for the opposition's understanding on the integrated reform.
おおまかな全体像を示し、一体改革に理解を求めることは必要だ。

However, discussions with opposition parties will not get off the ground if the DPJ insists on trying to implement its manifesto, which does not even clearly indicate how its promises will be funded.
　その際、財源すら不明確なマニフェストの実現にこだわり続けていては、野党との協議は始まるまい。

Noda should not forget the manifesto has become a major obstacle to the "politics that makes decisions" he is seeking.
首相はマニフェストが、「決断する政治」を妨げる要因であることを忘れてはならない。

If Noda wants to carry out the reform, he should not hesitate to retract the manifesto.
　改革のためにはマニフェストの撤回をためらうべきではない。

In his policy speech, Noda quoted an old saying, "Undertaking the actions we call on others to take."
　施政方針演説の中で、「まず隗(かい)より始めよ」として、

He then pointed out it is important for individuals responsible for political and administrative affairs to put themselves on the line and serve as models.
He is absolutely right.
政治と行政を担う者が身を切り、範を示すことが重要だと指摘したのは当然だ。

We hope Noda will exercise strong leadership to cut the number of lower house members and the salaries of national government employees.
首相は、国会議員の定数削減や国家公務員給与削減に強い指導力を発揮してもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 25, 2012)
（2012年1月25日01時13分 読売新聞）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jan. 25, 2012)
Cuts in govt spending key to administrative reform
独法・特会改革　肝心なのは政府支出の削減だ（1月24日付・読売社説）

A review of organizational structures is only the first step in administrative reform.
　組織形態の見直しは最初の一歩にすぎない。

To expand the people's acceptance of a tax hike, it is indispensable to link it with a substantial cut in government spending.
増税への国民の理解を広げるには、政府の財政支出の実質的な削減につなげることが重要だ。

The Government Revitalization Unit has decided on reform proposals for independent administrative entities and special accounts.
　政府の行政刷新会議が独立行政法人や特別会計の改革案を決定した。

The government will submit related bills to an ordinary session of the Diet to realize the reform.
通常国会に関連法案を提出し、実現を図る。

The proposed reform calls for abolishing seven of 102 independent agencies, including the Public Foundation for Peace and Consolation, and privatizing seven entities, including the National Hospital Organization.
　１０２ある独法のうち、平和祈念事業特別基金など７法人は廃止し、国立病院機構など７法人は民営化する。

Thirty-five agencies, including the Riken research institute, will be consolidated into 12 entities.
理化学研究所など３５法人は１２法人に統合する。

As a result, the number of such agencies will be trimmed by nearly 40 percent.
全体の法人数は４割近く減る予定だ。

In its draft proposal, the government called for abolishing or privatizing a total of five agencies.
　政府原案の廃止・民間移管は計５法人だった。

To show the government's determination to carry out administrative reforms, the number of such entities being downsized or abolished has increased remarkably in line with the ruling parties' philosophy that politicians, not bureaucrats, should take the initiative in formulating policies.
The reductions lay the foundation for integrated reform of social security and tax systems.
社会保障と税の一体改革の環境整備として行革の姿勢を示そうと、政治主導で削減数を増やした。

The reform plan this time, it can be said, is more drastic than the one proposed by the coalition government of the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito in terms of the number of agencies to be cut.
数に限れば、自公政権時より踏み込んだと言える。

===

Old wine in new bottles

But the entities to be abolished include those to be transferred to state jurisdiction. Many of those to be privatized represent a mere change of names. It is undeniable that priority was given to manipulating numbers.
　ただし、廃止には、国に移管される独法が含まれる。民営化も看板の掛け替えが多い。「数合わせ」を優先した感は否めない。

Even if the number of executives is trimmed by absorbing other independent administrative entities in charge of completely different affairs, it is feared the changes could lead to the creation of bloated organizations if the staff of each agency remains intact.
　全く別の業務を担当する独法を統合し、トップの数を減らしても、各法人の体制を温存すれば、組織が逆に肥大化する恐れもある。

The biggest concern is that the government has not revealed how much it will curtail government spending on independent administrative agencies, which totals 3 trillion yen a year.
　最大の問題は、年間３兆円を超す独法への政府支出の削減額が示されていないことだ。

In line with organizational reforms, it will be necessary to downsize staff and reduce or abolish nonessential and nonurgent operations.
　組織改革に合わせて、職員のリストラや、不要不急の事業の廃止・縮減に本格的に取り組む必要がある。

It is important to transfer operations that can be entrusted to local governments and the private sector as much as possible, thereby eliminating dual administration and other administrative waste.
自治体や民間に任せられる事業は積極的に移管し、二重行政などを廃することが大切だ。

Big agencies hold the key to spending cuts.
　歳出削減のカギは大物法人だ。

Concerning the Urban Renaissance Agency and the Japan Housing Finance Agency, panels of external experts will be formed to draw conclusions on spending cuts this summer.
都市再生機構と住宅金融支援機構については、外部有識者の検討会を設置し、今夏に結論を出す。

We hope for reasonable results.
きちんと成果を上げてほしい。

Agencies that continue to exist will be classified by type of function into such categories as financing, human resources development and research and development, and the most appropriate supervisory system will be introduced at each agency.
　一方で、存続する独法は、金融業務、人材育成、研究開発型など機能別に分類したうえ、それぞれ最適な監督体制を導入する。

===

Continuous reform needed

This is because it is unreasonable to manage independent agencies with different purposes and operations under one system.
　様々な目的・事業を持つ独法を同一の制度で運営するのは無理があるためで、狙いは理解できる。

Continuous reforms are called for.
継続的な改革が求められる。

The number of special accounts will be reduced from 17 to 11 through abolition or integration of such accounts as the one on social capital investment.
　特別会計は、社会資本整備事業特会などの統廃合によって、１７から１１に削減する。

But mere cuts in the number of special accounts will not lead to reduced spending and enhanced efficiency.
　特会の数を減らすだけでは、歳出削減や効率化に直結しない。

The former Road Improvement Special Account was used regardless of profitability to construct highways whose necessity was considered low.
Allocating budgets to higher-priority areas while eliminating such a sanctuary would produce results.
旧道路整備特会が、採算性を無視して、必要性の低い高速道路を造り続けたような“聖域”をなくし、優先度の高い他の分野に予算を振り替えてこそ、効果を生む。

According to the Board of Audit, 1.8 trillion yen in surplus funds for fiscal 2009 was not used in the following fiscal year and was carried over to fiscal 2011.
　会計検査院によると、２００９年度の剰余金計１・８兆円が翌年度も使われず、１１年度に繰り越されたことが判明している。

If possible, surplus funds should be transferred to the general account and used effectively.
　可能なものは一般会計に繰り入れるなど、有効活用すべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 24, 2011)
（2012年1月24日00時59分 読売新聞）

--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 22
EDITORIAL: Tokyo voters should sign up for nuclear referendum
原発住民投票―都民の関心、示すとき

A signature-collecting campaign is under way to hold a referendum in Tokyo to allow citizens to express their views on nuclear power generation.
　原発に、イエスかノーか。
　東京で住民投票をしよう。

But the campaign, organized by a citizens group set up to achieve referendums, is struggling to attract the attention of voters.
　この署名活動が、いまひとつ盛り上がらない。

The group is trying to collect the required number of signatures to make a direct claim under the local autonomy law to the Tokyo metropolitan government and the Osaka municipal government for the adoption of an ordinance to hold such a referendum.
　呼びかけているのは、市民グループ「みんなで決めよう『原発』国民投票」。

The Tokyo metropolitan government is a leading shareholder in Tokyo Electric Power Co., which runs the wrecked Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, while the government of Osaka has a stake in Kansai Electric Power Co., which also operates nuclear plants.
東京電力の大株主の東京都と、関西電力株を持つ大阪市に、住民投票を実施するための条例づくりを直接請求しようという活動だ。

In Osaka, the group collected more than 60,000 signatures, exceeding the 2 percent of eligible voters required to make the claim, during the one-month campaign period. The local election administration commission is now examining the signature list to determine its validity.
　すでに１カ月間の署名期間を終えた大阪市では、請求に必要な「有権者の２％」を上回る、６万人あまりを集め、選管の審査を待っている。

In Tokyo, the group needs over 210,000 signatures. But with two-thirds of the two-month campaign period already passed, the group has collected less than half the required number.
　だが、東京では期間２カ月の３分の２が過ぎても、まだ必要な２１万余の半分に届かない。

Why is the campaign receiving such a lukewarm response in Tokyo?
　この少なさは、どうしたことなのか。

This is neither an “anti-nuke” nor a “pro-nuke” campaign.
　署名の趣旨は「原発反対」でも「推進」でもない。

The group is only seeking a referendum that will allow citizens to decide on their own whether this nation should continue to use nuclear power as part of energy sources to generate electricity.
　原発の是非を自分たちで決めるために、住民投票をしようというのだ。

In other words, the number of signatures collected is an indicator of how much interest people have in the issue.
　つまり署名の数は、関心の強さをはかる物差しになる。

Before the Fukushima nuclear disaster, nearly 30 percent of the electricity supplied to the Tokyo metropolitan area was generated at the Fukushima No. 1 plant and TEPCO’s other nuclear plants outside Tokyo.
　首都圏の電力は原発事故前、３割近くが原子力で賄われていた。

If voters in Tokyo show so little interest in the question as to make it difficult to collect signatures from 2 percent of them, how would people in Fukushima Prefecture and other areas that host these facilities feel?
その消費者の都民が、わずか２％の関心すら示せなかったら、福島県をはじめ原発の地元住民はどう思うだろう。

Many people in Tokyo seem interested in such a referendum but are clueless as to where they can sign for the campaign.
　一方では、関心はあるのに、どこで署名できるのかがわからないという人も多いようだ。

Tokyo has more than 10 million eligible voters.
　東京の有権者は１千万人を超える。

There are permanent sites where they can sign petitions, including one in front of Shinjuku Station, but there are not enough to offer easy access to residents in all areas.
新宿駅前などに常設の署名場所があるが、隅々までは行き届かない。

In addition, the people leading a signature campaign are allowed to collect signatures only from voters in the cities, wards, towns and villages where they live.
　しかも、署名集めを担う「受任者」は、自分の住む市区町村の有権者からしか署名を集められない。

Clearly, this provision in the local autonomy law constitutes a major obstacle to the campaign.
こんな地方自治法の規定も、活動の壁になっているのは確かだ。

Another major factor behind the different reactions from voters in the Tokyo metropolitan government and Osaka city is the different attitudes toward the issue by the local government chiefs.
　リーダーの発信ぶりの違いも大きい。

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto promised to reduce the city’s dependence on nuclear power during his election campaign in November although he is skeptical about the idea of holding a referendum on this issue.
　大阪の橋下徹市長は、住民投票そのものには懐疑的だが、市長選で「脱原発依存」を掲げていた。

Hashimoto’s remarks have probably spurred interest in the issue among the public.
それで関心を持った市民も多かったろう。

In contrast, Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara has given the cold shoulder to moves toward a referendum, criticizing it as a “sentimental and hysteric” reaction.
Ishihara has pointed out that there is “not even a blueprint to secure an energy supply” at this stage.
　これに対して、東京の石原慎太郎都知事は「エネルギーをどうやって補給するかの設計図もない時点で、センチメンタルともヒステリックとも思える」と突き放すだけだ。

But a referendum on the issue would prompt citizens to see the development of such a blueprint as their own concern and start thinking about it.
　だが、住民投票こそが、この「設計図」を市民がみずからの問題としてとらえ、考えていくきっかけになるはずだ。

More signatures are needed for a referendum on the future of nuclear power generation in this country?which should be determined through broad public debate.
　原発の行く末をみんなで考える。そのための住民投票をするには、もっと署名が要る。

Now that the nuclear disaster has raised some fundamental questions about the energy policy, it is important for people in Tokyo, as consumers of electricity, to express their views and opinions about nuclear power generation.
　大震災を機に、エネルギー政策が根幹から問い直されているいまこそ、都民は消費者としてもの申そう。

Let us achieve a referendum in Tokyo to have an opportunity to do so.
そのために、首都で住民投票を実現させよう。

人間一番大切なことは、見かけや見せかけではありません。
それはただむなしいだけです。
スラチャイにとって今一番大切なことは、ただひたすら娘たちを立派に成人させることです。
娘たちが成人したら、最後に、スラチャイの潔い散りざまをみせなければなりません。
それが、なかなか大変なのです。
（スラチャイ）

(Mainichi Japan) January 22, 2012
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: How we're seen by others
香山リカのココロの万華鏡：人にどう見られるか　／東京

The trial has begun for a woman accused of killing three men she was dating after pretending the deaths were suicides by carbon monoxide poisoning.
　練炭自殺に見せかけ交際相手ら男性３人を殺害したとして、殺人罪などに問われている女性被告の裁判員裁判が始まった。

The woman kept a blog where she wrote about beauty and gourmet foods, and that personality seems to have stayed with her for the over two years since her arrest.
以前はブログに一流といわれるグルメや美容について熱心につづっていた彼女だが、その性質は逮捕から２年以上たった今も変わっていなかったようだ。

Someone I know who sat in on the trial said, "She appeared in different clothing before and after noon, and her hairstyle and make-up seemed to have been carefully set.
公判を傍聴した知人は、「午前と午後でそれぞれ違う服装で現れ、ヘアスタイルやメークもきちんと整えられているように見えました。

How can she do such things at her own trial?"
自分の裁判でそんなことってあるんだろうか」と困惑気味に語っていた。

It may be that to the woman, how she is seen by those around her is everything.
　おそらくこの女性にとっては、「自分がまわりからどう見えるか」がすべてなのであろう。

Even if it was a far cry from the reality of her life, on her blog she acted like she was a rich princess.
たとえ現実の生活とはかけ離れていても、ブログでは“裕福なお嬢さま”のように振る舞う。

Now, even facing trial, she puts her attention on her clothing and hairstyle, as if it is a show with her as the star.
被告として裁かれる裁判でも、自分が脚光を浴びるショーのように服装やヘアスタイルにこだわる。

To her, perhaps her real self is the one that others see.
「他人の目に映る自分」こそ、本当の自分。
彼女はそう思い込んでいるのではないだろうか。

Even if it is not so extreme, we cannot deny that we share some of the same tendencies.
　ここまで極端ではないにせよ、私たちにもそういう傾向がないとは言えない。

Thinking only about how others see us, we can forget our true selves.
　「まわりにどう思われているか」「どう見られているか」ということばかり気にして、本来の自分らしさを忘れてしまうこともある。

I am sure there are plenty of us who have forced ourselves to go to high-end restaurants where we took pictures, after which we wrote about it all on our blogs as if we go to those places all the time.
それほど行きたくもない高級レストランに無理して出かけて料理の写真を撮り、あたかも行きつけであるかのようにブログに載せた、といった経験がある人も少なくないだろう。

I don't worry much at all about how others see me, but when I notice a new gray hair or wrinkle in the mirror, I do worry, "At today's meeting, I wonder if I looked the oldest."
私は「どう見えるか」をほとんど気にしないタイプなのだが、それでも鏡の中の自分に白髪やしわを発見すると、「わあ、今日の会合に出席した中では、私がいちばん老けて見えたかも」などと気持ちがめいってしまう。

Of course, we can no longer live completely naturally, not worrying at all about how others think of us.
　もちろん、「どう思われてもけっこう。自分は自分」と完全に自然体で生きることなど、もう私たちにはできないだろう。

Pulling ourselves together enough to not make those around us feel unpleasant is a matter of social manners.
それに、「ほかの人たちから見て悪い印象にならないように」と身だしなみや態度に気をつかうのは、社会生活のマナーでもある。

But if we overly focus on some ideal image of ourselves, even fooling ourselves in order to draw closer to it, we are clearly going too far.
とはいえ、「こんなふうに見てもらいたい」と理想のイメージを意識し過ぎ、自分を偽ってまでもそれに近づけようとするのは、明らかにやりすぎだ。

Even if we succeed in showing ourselves off like our ideal and are complemented for our beauty or luxurious lifestyle, afterwards we are left with nothing.
たとえそう見せることに成功して、「きれいね」「セレブ生活だな」などと言われて一瞬、うれしい気持ちになったとしても、後には何も残らない。

To the woman in the trial, more important than the truth or how the trial progresses may have been being told, "You look younger than your age," or "You're fashionable as ever."
　冒頭の女性被告にとっては、裁判そのものの成り行きや真実のありかよりも、「年齢より若く見えるね」「相変わらずおしゃれにこだわってるんだな」などと言われるほうが大切だったのだろうか。

It somehow makes me feel empty inside.
なんだかむなしい気持ちになるばかりだ。

(By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
毎日新聞　2012年1月17日　地方版

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jan. 22, 2012)
Ruling, opposition parties must push on with postal reform
郵政改革　４社案テコに与野党合意急げ（1月21日付・読売社説）

It can now be said that a step toward realizing postal reform has finally been taken.
　郵政改革の実現に向けて、一歩前進したと言えるだろう。

The ruling and opposition parties should hold deliberations in the upcoming ordinary Diet session and ensure the nation's postal business is reformed in a way that benefits the public.
　与野党は次期通常国会で着実に審議を進め、国民の利益にかなう改革を実現させなければならない。

A working-level consultative meeting was held Friday between the Democratic Party of Japan, the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito regarding how to proceed with postal reform. The participants agreed to sum up what they have discussed so far.
　民主、自民、公明の３党は２０日、郵政改革に関する実務者協議を開き、これまでの議論を踏まえた論点整理をまとめた。

An accord has been reached under which the government and the DPJ will drop, at least temporarily, a bill that would reorganize the five-company configuration of Japan Post Group into three companies. Instead, the three parties will discuss realigning Japan Post into a four-company structure.
　日本郵政グループを現在の５社体制から３社に再編する政府・与党の法案をいったん取り下げ、４社に再編する案を軸に検討を進めることで合意した。

The four-company plan is a Komeito proposal, and the DPJ is poised to accept the plan.
　「４社案」は公明党の提案をたたき台にしたもので、民主党は受け入れに前向きだ。

The LDP has no compelling reason to oppose the streamlining of the Japan Post Group organization and changes that would make postal services more convenient for customers.
自民党も郵政グループを簡素化し、利便性を高める点に大きな異論はなかろう。

===

Diet's neglectfulness

The realistic option would be for the ruling and opposition camps to get behind the proposed four-company system.
「４社案」をテコに与野党合意を図ることが現実的である。

Much of the blame for the postal reform bill being stuck in limbo for nearly two years lies with the Diet.
　法案を２年近くも“塩漬け”にしてきた国会の責任は重い。

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda also should be brought to task for the delay in postal reform deliberations in the legislature.
In a meeting with the president of the national federation of postmasters of privately owned post offices (Zentoku), Noda committed himself to "responsibly expediting" Diet business for postal reform.
全国郵便局長会の会長に「責任を持ってやりたい」と述べた野田首相の姿勢も問われる。

What to do with government-held shares in Japan Post is the biggest obstacle to an agreement between the ruling and opposition blocs.
　与野党合意への最大の懸案が、日本郵政に対する政府出資の扱いだ。

The government favors retaining "more than one-third" of Japan Post shares.
今のところ政府は日本郵政株の「３分の１超」を持ち続ける方向だ。

If this remains unchanged, the government will hold a stake in two firms under the Japan Post umbrella--Japan Post Bank Co. and Japan Post Insurance Co.
傘下のゆうちょ銀行とかんぽ生命保険に、間接的な政府出資が残ることになる。

The LDP has laid siege to the government's position. The party claims that if the two financial service arms of Japan Post, which the LDP notes are "protected by tacit government guarantees," enter new markets such as cancer insurance, private-sector businesses will be put at a distinct disadvantage.
　自民党は、この金融２社が「暗黙の政府保証」に守られて、がん保険などに参入すれば、民業圧迫は避けられないと批判する。

Financial and insurance businesses have demanded Japan Post Bank and Japan Post Insurance be completely privatized.
金融・保険業界は、ゆうちょとかんぽの完全民営化を求めている

In connection with this, insurance businesses in the United States have expressed concern over Japan Post financial services adversely impacting on private-sector business activities.
　これに関連して米国の保険業界も民業圧迫に懸念を示している。

Due attention should be paid to ensure Japan Post reform discussions do not hurt this country's bid to join Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement negotiations.
環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）への日本の参加交渉に悪影響を与えないように配慮すべきだ。

===

Gain from share sales unclear

Is it impossible to prevent Japan Post companies from gaining an unfair upper hand over private companies, such as by imposing some restrictions on their entry into new businesses?
　新規事業への参入に一定の制限を設けるなど、民業圧迫を防ぐ工夫はできないか。

We urge the ruling and opposition parties to find effective solutions to this problem.
与野党で有効な打開策を考えてほしい。

If postal reform goes ahead, the current freeze on selling Japan Post shares will be lifted, and the government will be able to use the profit from sales of these shares to fund reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
　郵政改革が実現すれば、郵政株売却の凍結が解除され、売却益を東日本大震災の復興財源にあてることも可能になる。

However, the deterioration in postal service businesses shows no sign of ending, and it is unclear whether the government will bring in the about 6 trillion yen it expects to gain from selling off its Japan Post shares.
　ただし、郵政事業の業績悪化に歯止めがかからず、見込み通り約６兆円の売却益を得られるかどうか不透明だ。

The volume of mail handled by post offices has been declining by 3 percent a year, leaving Japan Post Service swimming in red ink.
郵便は年３％のペースで減り、事業の赤字が続く。

Postal savings and the number of postal insurance policies have fallen sharply since their peak.
貯金残高や保険の保有契約も、ピークから大幅に減少した。

Should Japan Post be left as is, it will be unable to take such steps as expanding into new businesses, and could get stuck in a rut.
　このままでは、新規事業の拡大などテコ入れもできず、日本郵政は身動きが取れない。

There are fears Japan Post's corporate value could plunge.
郵政グループの企業価値が、大きく低下する恐れがある。

Japan Post is a precious asset that belongs to the public. Its value must not be allowed to diminish because of the Diet's neglectfulness.
　国会の怠慢で、国民の財産が目減りする事態は避けるべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 21, 2012)
（2012年1月21日01時40分 読売新聞）