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

毎日新聞ですが比較的平易な英文で書かれていますので、直接英文で意味はくみ取れるでしょう。
日本語の関連記事を同時に掲載します。

January 30, 2016 (Mainichi Japan)
Main opposition DPJ holds convention, may merge to form new party
民主党大会　新党も選択肢

The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan may seek to form a new party through a proposed merger with a smaller opposition party ahead of a parliamentary election this summer, DPJ President Katsuya Okada said Saturday at a party convention in Tokyo.

Okada expressed his intention to begin negotiations with Japan Innovation Party leader Yorihisa Matsuno over the idea of merging their parties in an effort to confront the ruling bloc in the upcoming House of Councillors election.

The two parties formed a joint parliamentary group in the House of Representatives in December. Differing opinions remain, however, among the members of the two opposition parties about the proposed merger.

"The formation of a new party is not being ruled out as an option. What is important is whether we would be able to share policies and philosophies in common and whether we would be able to pursue political cooperation to earnestly try to take over the reins of the government," Okada said.

"I hope to hold substantive talks with Mr. Matsuno, leader of the Innovation Party. The outcome we would agree on would be presented to party organizations," he said.

Matsuno and Rikio Kozu, president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, were among the guests at the DPJ convention held at a Tokyo hotel.

The DPJ adopted a fiscal 2016 action plan stressing the importance of opposition forces getting together to fight the ruling bloc led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party in the upper house election, citing the possibility of a lower house election being held at the same time.

The DPJ was in power for three years through December 2012.

関連記事

民主党大会　岡田氏「新党も選択肢」　維新と直接交渉へ

　民主党は３０日、東京都内のホテルで定期党大会を開いた。岡田克也代表はあいさつで、夏の参院選に向けた維新の党との新党結成について「選択肢として排除されていない」と述べ、今後、両党代表間で結論を出す考えを示した。民主党による維新の党の吸収合併か、両党の解党による新党かという方法には言及しなかった。参院選を「安倍政治の暴走を止める選挙」と位置付け、「代表として前面に立って全力を尽くす。結果にはすべての責任を負う」と決意を表明した。

　両党は３月末を目指して新党結成の可能性を探っているが、解党を主張する維新の党に対し、民主党は意見がまとまっていない。期限が迫る中、岡田氏は維新の党の松野頼久代表と直接、交渉することを決断。あいさつでは「結果によっては党内手続きが必要かもしれないが、まずは代表の私に任せてほしい」と述べた。

　来賓で招かれた松野氏は大会終了後、「岡田氏にしては相当踏み込んでくれた」と記者団に語り、近く協議を始める考えを表明した。民主党の前原誠司元代表は「お互いが解党し、もっと大きな勢力を結集した方がいいと今でも思っているが、国民に期待される新たなかたまりを作ってほしい」と述べ、当面、両党代表の協議を見守る姿勢を示した。

　岡田氏は大会で、安倍晋三首相との対決姿勢を鮮明にしたうえで、「立憲主義は危機的状況にある。改憲勢力が（参院で）３分の２を取れば、憲法改正をしてくると覚悟しなければならない。それは絶対に許してはならない」と指摘。安全保障関連法に反対する運動が全国に広がったことを踏まえ、「そういう勢力を結集して参院選を戦う」と訴えた。

　岡田氏は、参院選で改選数１の「１人区」（全国で３２選挙区）対策として、共産党を含む野党協力を目指しているが、民主党内の異論や支持団体の連合に配慮し、大会では共産党に触れなかった。参院選の勝敗ラインも明示せず、大会後の記者会見で「数字で言うのは不毛だ」と述べた。

　大会では「安倍政権を打ち負かす大きな力の結集を図る」という２０１６年度活動方針を採択した。【田所柳子】


岡田代表の発言　骨子
・維新の党との新党結成も選択肢。維新と代表間で議論を集約する
・参院で改憲勢力が３分の２を占めるのを許さない
・参院選の勝利に全力を尽くす。結果にすべての責任を負う

January 29, 2016 (Mainichi Japan)
BOJ shows strong will to achieve 2% inflation target
日銀　２％目標へ強い意志…マイナス金利導入

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) on Jan. 29 announced plans to introduce a negative interest rate to demonstrate its strong commitment to achieving a 2 percent inflation target.
　日銀が異例のマイナス金利を導入した背景には、デフレ脱却に向けて掲げた２％の物価目標を達成する強い意志を示す狙いがある。

The central bank took the initiative after concluding that it would be difficult to attain its objective at an early date by simply focusing on monetary volume through massive purchases of government bonds.
これまでの日銀は国債を大量に購入することで市場にお金を流す「量」を重視してきたが、お金の量を操作するだけでは２％の物価目標の早期達成が困難になったと判断したためだ。

The BOJ maintains that its ''qualitative and quantitative monetary easing'' policy has produced results. Its decision to add interest rates to that policy reflects the central bank's plan to implement a flexible monetary policy.
日銀は国債を買い入れて市場にお金を流す「質的・量的金融緩和」について、「所期の効果を発揮している」としてきたが、「量」と「質」に「金利」を加えることでより柔軟に政策を運営していく考えだ。

In its new outlook report, the BOJ aims to achieve its inflation target in more than four years, instead of an initial objective of around two years. It says it is difficult to attribute the difficulty in achieving the 2 percent target to oil price declines. The BOJ was under pressure to further strengthen its monetary policy.
　今回まとめた展望リポートでは、２％の物価目標の達成時期が当初の「２年程度」から４年以上に後ずれした。その理由を「原油の下落」だけで説明するのは厳しく、金融政策の一段の強化が求められていた。

Financial markets have experienced confusion due to the Chinese economic slowdown and falling crude oil prices since the start of this year. If the BOJ had failed to take additional monetary easing measures, its resolve to achieve its 2 percent inflation target would have been questioned, and it would have faced the disappointment of its monetary policy having reached its limits.
年明け以降、中国経済の失速や原油価格の下落を受けて市場が混乱する中、今回、日銀が追加緩和を見送れば２％目標達成への本気度を疑われるとともに、「日銀の金融政策は限界」との失望を買う恐れがあった。

The BOJ thus was under pressure to implement a new set of monetary easing steps to surprise markets and renew its strong will to achieve a 2 percent inflation target.
市場のサプライズを起こす金融緩和を実施し、２％の物価目標達成に向けて強い意志を示す必要に迫られていた。

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Expand voting opportunities for youths in upper house election this summer
１８歳選挙権　参院選の投票機会を広げたい

The central and local governments, as well as political parties, must cooperate to create an environment in which young people who become newly eligible voters can use that right properly.
　新たに有権者に加わる若者が適正に選挙権を行使する。政府や自治体、政党が連携し、その環境整備を図りたい。

A lawmaker-initiated bill to revise the Public Offices Election Law was approved unanimously at a special committee of the House of Councillors. The bill is designed to eliminate cases in which young people who are expected to change their residence this spring cannot vote in the House of Councillors election slated for this summer. The committee’s approval makes it certain that the bill will be passed into law shortly.
　今春転居する予定の若者が夏の参院選で投票できない事態を解消する議員立法の公職選挙法改正案が、参院の特別委員会で全会一致で可決された。近く成立することが確実になった。

Under the current law, only eligible voters who have lived at their present residence for more than three months are listed on the voting register of municipal governments — villages, towns, wards or cities — and are able to cast ballots.
　現行法では、現住所で３か月以上居住している有権者でなければ、その市区町村の選挙人名簿に登録されず、投票できない。

Should the upper house election be officially announced on June 23, with voting to be held and the ballots counted on July 10, that would prevent from voting young people aged 18 or 19 who may change residences in order to enter the next stage of education or start working on March 23 or later.
　仮に参院選の日程が「６月２３日公示―７月１０日投開票」の場合、１８～１９歳の若者は、進学や就職などで３月２３日以降に転居すると、投票が一切できなくなる。

This would have affected about 70,000 of the about 2.4 million youths who are expected to become newly eligible voters. With the legal revision, they will be able to cast their votes in the municipality where they lived before their move.
　新たな有権者約２４０万人のうち約７万人に影響する恐れがあったという。法改正により、転居前の自治体で投票が可能になる。

The lowering of the minimum voting age to 18 will encourage the young generation to participate in the political process, and may be an important turning point in expanding the base for democracy. Settling the legal deficiency and securing their opportunity to vote are appropriate measures.
　選挙権年齢の「１８歳以上」への引き下げは、若い世代の政治参加を促し、民主主義の裾野を広げる重要な契機となり得る。法律の不備を解消し、投票機会を確保するのは、適切な措置である。

The election administration commission of each municipality must expedite such efforts as making systems modifications to voter registration to ensure smooth implementation.
　各選挙管理委員会は、選挙人名簿のシステム改修などを急ぎ、円滑な執行に努めねばならない。

More voting venues

The central government plans to submit a bill to revise the Public Offices Election Law, designed to enhance voters’ convenience, and have it passed into law.
　政府も今国会に、投票の利便性を高める公選法改正案を提出し、成立を図る方針だ。

Presently, voting on election day is limited to one polling place designated for each voter. With the government-initiated revision, voters will also be able to submit their ballots at a “common voting place,” to be newly set up at such venues as commercial facilities and stations. Voting hours will also be extended on days prior to the election day.
　今は、投票日の投票は指定の投票所１か所に限られるが、商業施設や駅などに新設する「共通投票所」も利用可能にする。期日前投票の投票時間も拡大する。

The revision is also intended to expand the range of minors allowed to accompany a voter into a polling station from infants, as stipulated in the present law, to people under 18. This is expected to help future voters feel familiar with casting ballots.
　有権者が投票所に同伴できる対象も「幼児」から「１８歳未満」に広げるという。将来の有権者に、投票を身近に感じてもらう効果が期待できよう。

We hope the central and local governments will proactively work on building an environment in which voters are able to cast their votes with ease, while adopting all possible measures to prevent such dishonest acts as double voting and avoid errors.
　政府や自治体は、二重投票など不正やミスの防止に万全を期しつつ、投票しやすい環境作りに前向きに取り組んでもらいたい。

The turnout rate in various elections has been declining over many years, and the low interest in politics among young people is also a cause for concern. It is necessary to proactively enlighten young people about the importance of elections, which are the basis of democracy.
　各種選挙の投票率は長年、低下傾向にある。若い世代の政治への関心の薄さも懸念される。民主主義の根幹である選挙の重要性の積極的な啓発が求められる。

With an eye on the upper house election, political parties are throwing their energy into holding discussion meetings to be attended by legislators and students, and into transmitting information. We hope the parties utilize their exchanges with young people in their policy making.
　各党は、参院選に向け、議員と学生による討論会や情報発信などに力を入れている。若者との交流を政策立案に生かしてほしい。

Schools have already started such activities as inviting people including officials from local election administration commissions to help students learn about the Public Offices Election Law and the voting process and hold mock elections with fictitious candidates. With cooperation from such entities as local assemblies, opportunities should also be increased for students to talk with assembly members.
　教育現場では、選管職員らを招いて、公選法や投票方法の学習、架空の候補者を設定した模擬選挙などが始まっている。地方議会などの協力を得て、議員との対話の機会なども増やすべきだろう。

It is important to promote more pragmatic learning aimed at enhancing young people’s awareness as voters, while securing political impartiality.
　政治的中立性を担保しながら、より実践的な主権者教育を進めることが大切である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 28, 2016)

--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 27
EDITORIAL: Parties should focus on correcting social disparities, not election
（社説）代表質問　不平等克服へ政策競え

How can we overcome social disparities that have become too commonplace today?
　私たちの社会で日常化している不平等を、どう克服していくべきか。

This was one of the urgent questions posed to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the Diet on Jan. 26, the first day of this year’s questioning session by lawmakers representing their parties.
　きのう始まった国会の代表質問では、この喫緊の課題に向けた質疑も交わされた。

The Diet has a host of other crucial issues to address, such as the economy, diplomacy and national security, as well as the money scandal embroiling Akira Amari, the minister in charge of economic revitalization.
　経済成長や外交・安全保障政策、そして甘利経済再生相の金銭授受疑惑の解明――。いずれも、いま国会が取り組むべき重要な課題である。

But the growing disparities around the nation between regular and part-time employees, men and women, the big cities and the provinces and so on, are in special need of prompt attention.
　ただ、正社員と非正社員、男と女、都市と地方など日本社会で拡大しつつある様々な格差、すなわち不平等の解消は、とりわけ対応が急がれる。

Democratic Party of Japan leader Katsuya Okada said, “We would like to propose specific measures for correcting the disparities and ensuring a fair distribution of benefits.”
　民主党の岡田代表は「格差是正、公正な分配のための具体策について提案したい」と語り、

One of the initiatives he proposed was to increase the per-child amount of child-care benefits, and to raise the upper age limit for eligible children. To secure funding, Okada suggested increasing tax on financial incomes and reinforcing the progressivity of income and inheritance taxes.
児童手当の１人あたり支給額や児童扶養手当の支給対象年齢の引き上げなどを挙げ、財源として金融課税や所得税・相続税の累進強化を示した。

Prime Minister Abe promised in his policy speech to take further steps to realize his “equal pay for equal work” concept. Okada asked if Abe’s objective matches the DPJ’s demand for “equal treatment” of regular and part-time employees.
　また、安倍首相が施政方針演説で「実現に踏み込む」とした同一労働同一賃金について、もともと民主党が訴えているような正規と非正規雇用の「均等待遇」をめざすのかとただした。

Japan Innovation Party leader Yorihisa Matsuno referred to the number of people who are not paying into the national pension program and demanded swift action.
　維新の党の松野代表も、国民年金保険料を払っていない人などの数字をあげて、早急な対応を求めた。

According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the relative poverty rate in Japan was 16.1 percent in 2012, which represented a gradual year-on-year growth. Limited to younger households consisting of members under 30 years old, the rate was 27.8 percent, and a much higher 54.6 percent for single-parent households.
　厚生労働省の調査によれば、日本の相対的貧困率は２０１２年で１６・１％。年々少しずつ増加している。３０歳未満の若年世帯では２７・８％、１人親世帯では５４・６％にも達している。

Acknowledging this reality, Abe replied, “We will continue to review and improve matters related to employment and social security to prevent the disparities from becoming permanent.”
　首相もこうした現状を踏まえ、「格差が固定化しないよう雇用環境の改善や社会保障環境の改善の見直しを行っていく」と応じた。

But the prime minister’s response to Okada’s proposals was somewhat too abstract to be satisfactory.
ただ、岡田氏の提案への首相の答弁はやや抽象的で、物足りなさが残った。

In his policy speech on Jan. 22, Abe attacked opposition parties and said, “An attitude of spending all one’s time simply criticizing, without putting forward any counterproposals, and expecting that everything will ‘all work out somehow’ is truly irresponsible towards the public.”
Abe then addressed the opposition camp, saying, “Instead, shall we not pit concrete policies against each other and hold constructive discussions?”
　首相はさきの施政方針演説で、「批判だけに明け暮れ、対案を示さず、後は『どうにかなる』。そういう態度は、国民に対して誠に無責任だ」と野党を批判し、「具体的な政策をぶつけあい、建設的な議論を行おう」と呼びかけた。

When he said that, he must have been thinking of the attitude of the DPJ and other parties toward the national security legislation and constitutional amendment. But surely, it is anything but “irresponsible” to resist any policy that goes against the Constitution. And it is only natural to be alarmed by the prime minister’s resolve to change the Constitution at all costs.
　首相の念頭には、安保関連法制や憲法改正への民主党などの対応があるのだろう。だが、憲法を逸脱する政策に反対を貫くことが無責任とは言えないし、内容より改憲ありきの首相の姿勢を警戒するのは当然だ。

In fact, it is the prime minister himself who needs to live up to his responsibility of responding “concretely and constructively” to questions and proposals put forth by the opposition camp.
　むしろ首相の方こそ、野党の疑問や提案に対して、「具体的に、建設的に」答える責任を果たしてもらいたい。

With the Upper House election coming up this summer, the current Diet session is expected to be a “short-term battle.” But there are numerous issues that need to be discussed, and the money scandal must be probed to everyone’s satisfaction.
　夏に参院選を控えたこの国会は短期戦とも言われる。一方、論ずべき課題は山積みであり、疑惑の解明も必須だ。

The session must not be allowed to become an ugly sparring contest, fought only with the upcoming election in mind.
選挙を意識した批判合戦に終わらせてはならない。

The Yomiuri Shimbun
China must desist from its hardline moves to suppress human rights
中国の人権弾圧　身勝手な力の統治が目に余る

Chinese President Xi Jinping has apparently been further escalating his rule with force.
　中国の習近平国家主席が、力による統治を一段とエスカレートさせているということだろう。

The Xi administration put in force an “antiterrorism law” this month. The law makes it obligatory for Internet service providers and others to provide technical support to Chinese authorities to help decrypt information to prevent terrorist activities. The law also prohibits media from reporting terrorist activities in detail on the grounds that it might inspire copycat attacks.
　習政権が今月、「反テロ法」を施行した。インターネットサービス企業などを対象に、テロ防止のため暗号解読技術を提供するよう義務づけている。模倣されかねないテロを詳細に報じることも禁じた。

Concerns are only rising in the international community that restrictions on activities of foreign companies operating in China and controls on the freedom of speech and news reporting will be tightened further in the country.
　外国企業の活動規制や言論・報道統制が強化されるとの懸念が、国際社会で高まる一方である。

The antiterrorism law defines terrorism as “propositions and actions that generate social panic by such means as violence so as to achieve their political objectives.”
　反テロ法はテロについて、「暴力などの手段で社会をパニックに陥れ、その政治目的を実現する主張と行為」と定義している。

It is problematic that there is a possibility that by merely making propositions that are not accepted by the Chinese authorities, one can be punished. The definition of terrorist activities is also vague, leaving plenty of room for discretion.
　中国当局が認めていない主張をしただけで処罰される可能性があるのは問題だ。テロ活動の規定も曖昧で、裁量の余地が大きい。

There is a serious possibility of the authorities’ using the law arbitrarily to suppress the Uighur minority group under the guise of taking measures to fight against terrorism committed by Islamist extremists.
　深刻なのは、イスラム過激派のテロ対策に名を借りて、少数民族のウイグル族の抑圧に法を恣意しい的に利用する恐れがあることだ。

Late last year, prior to the enforcement of the new law, a Beijing-based reporter for a French news magazine who wrote articles critical of China’s policy on the Uighur minority was effectively expelled from the country.
　施行前の昨年末には、ウイグル族政策を批判する記事を書いた北京駐在の仏誌記者が既に、事実上の国外退去処分となっている。

China, under the one-party rule of the Communist Party, touts “the rule of law.” But there is no judicial independence in the country. The law is a means to carry out the rule of the party thoroughly.
　共産党の一党独裁下にある中国は、「法治」を掲げながらも、「司法の独立」はない。法は党の統治を徹底するための手段だ。

Ominous disappearances

Neither can it be overlooked that the authorities, in an arbitrary crackdown, have detained a large number of lawyers and activists who were striving to defend human rights.
　人権擁護に努める弁護士や活動家らを多数拘束し、一方的に弾圧している状況も看過できまい。

Earlier this month, a Swedish man working on human rights issues in China was taken into custody. He was detained for allegedly “posing a threat to national security,” by extending support to human rights lawyers with financial aid from foreign nongovernmental organizations and other entities.
　今月も、中国の人権問題に取り組むスウェーデン人男性を拘束した。海外の民間活動団体（ＮＧＯ）などから資金援助を受けて人権派弁護士を支援し、「国家の安全を脅かした」のが理由という。

Xi has been solidifying his power base by removing his political enemies through the exposure of their corruption. Despite that, however, he may still harbor a strong sense of crisis over the possibility that public discontent, rooted in factors such as the country’s economic slowdown, may swell because such values as democracy and human rights may spread in society.
　習氏は、汚職摘発で政敵を排除し、権力基盤を固めてきた。それでも依然として、民主主義や人権などの価値観が社会に浸透し、経済の減速などで国民の不満が膨らむことに強い危機感を持っているのではないか。


Also, it cannot be tolerated that China has been bringing its high-handed methods to Hong Kong, where the “one country, two systems” applies.
　「一国二制度」が適用されている香港に、中国式の強権的手法を持ち込むことも容認できない。

In Hong Kong, five people related to a local bookstore — its shareholders, the store manager and others — reportedly disappeared. The store was selling “banned books” that are critical of China, and their publication or sale is prohibited in mainland China.
　香港では、書店の株主や店長ら関係者５人が相次いで失踪する事件が起きた。書店は、中国本土で出版や販売ができない中国に批判的な「発禁本」を扱っていた。

The Chinese authorities admitted that two of the five are indeed in mainland China, but emphasized that they went there of their own volition.
　中国側は、このうち２人が本土にいると認めたが、自らの判断で入ったなどと強調している。

The authorities are trying to fend off criticism that, with no investigative authority, they have allegedly taken people related to the case from Hong Kong to the mainland and put them into custody.
　捜査権限もないのに、中国当局が香港から関係者を連行、拘束したとの批判をかわす狙いだろう。

Should the hauling of those people before the Chinese authorities be a fact, it is a grave situation that would overturn Hong Kong’s “high degree of autonomy.” It is the responsibility of the Xi administration to give a thorough explanation of the matter not only to the residents of Hong Kong but also to the world.
連行が事実なら、「高度な自治」を覆す由々ゆゆしい事態だ。香港住民だけでなく、世界に説明を尽くすことが習政権の責任である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 26, 2016)

--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 24
EDITORIAL: Waste resale scandal puts safety of Japan’s food industry into question
（社説）廃棄食品問題　問われる日本の「食」

Industrial food waste, which should have been properly disposed of, has been found to be circulating in the market disguised as food products.
　本来は処分されなければならない産業廃棄物が「食品」に化け、市場に出回っていた。

The illegal sale of waste food items by an industrial waste disposal company in Aichi Prefecture surfaced after frozen beef cutlets discarded from Ichibanya Co., operator of a national chain of curry houses, were found on sale. There are indications that some of the cutlets had thawed before they appeared on the market, which could have harmed consumers' health.
　カレーチェーンを全国展開する壱番屋の冷凍カツで発覚した、愛知県の産廃業者による廃棄食品の横流し。市場に出回るまでに冷凍が解けた形跡があり、消費者に健康被害をもたらす可能性もあった。

The company’s chairman has admitted to his lawyer that he committed the irregularity for the sake of sales. We are only left to stare dumbfounded at the way rules were ignored.
業者は弁護士に「売るためにやった」と認めている。ルールを無視した行為に驚くばかりだ。

One hundred and eight other items were found at facilities of a company in Gifu Prefecture, which bought the cutlets from the industrial waste disposal company and resold them. To current knowledge, those products come from manufacturers and distributors based in 25 areas ranging from Hokkaido to Miyazaki Prefecture.
　産廃業者からカツを買って転売した岐阜県の業者の施設からはほかにも１０８品目が見つかった。現時点で、製造・販売元は北海道から宮崎県まで２５自治体に及ぶ。

The food items, likely diverted off legal sales channels, include products from such major firms as Aeon Co. and Marukome Co.
横流しされたとみられる食品にはイオンやマルコメなどの商品も含まれる。

We are only left to watch the extent of the scandal’s reach. We hope the police will investigate the case through and through. The government should also conduct a nationwide survey.
問題はどこまで広がるのか。警察の徹底的な捜査を期待したい。国も全国的な調査をすべきだ。

The frozen beef cutlets in question, which had been discarded due to the suspected mixing in of foreign substances, returned to the channels of budget markets and were passed on among more than one tier of brokers after they were sold by the company in Gifu Prefecture.
　問題の冷凍カツは異物混入の恐れがあり、破棄されたものだが、岐阜県の業者の手を離れたあとは「格安市場」のルートに乗り、複数の仲買業者の間で転売された。

“We never suspected the products were waste items, because we know stock items are sometimes distributed at low prices,” one of the brokers said.
「在庫が安く出回ることはある。廃棄物とは思わなかった」と語る業者もいた。

But how could one assess the safety of food products without identifying their origins?
　だが素性の確認なしに、食品の安全性は判断できまい。

Irresponsible transactions could pour cold water on serious efforts at offering budget prices to meet consumer demand and on the activity of food banks and other entities that are providing surplus food items, which have no quality issues, to impoverished people and others.
　無責任な取引は、消費者ニーズに応えようと真面目に格安販売に取り組む人や、品質に問題のない余剰食品を生活困窮者らに提供するフードバンクなどの活動にも水を差しかねない。

Ichibanya, which saw its products mishandled, had left the cutlets intact when it commissioned the industrial waste disposal company to dispose of them. They ended up being sold illegally, partly because they retained the appearance of food products.
　製品を悪用された壱番屋は、産廃業者に処理を委託する際、カツに手を加えていなかった。食品の形をとどめていたことが横流しを招く一因となった。

Ichibanya made the right move by promptly formulating improvement measures after the scandal came to light. The company has said it will henceforth ensure its waste food products are destroyed so they can no longer be reused, or alternatively, if that is not possible, make sure its employees attend the disposal process, down to the final stages, for visual confirmation.
　問題発覚を受け、壱番屋がいち早く改善策を打ち出したことは当然だ。今後は再利用できない形で廃棄し、それができない場合は最終処理まで社員が立ち会い、目視で確認するという。

We hope those measures will help prevent a recurrence of improprieties.
再発防止に役立ててほしい。

Other food manufacturers should also intensify their monitoring to ensure their waste items are being properly processed.
　食品製造に関わるほかの事業者も、適正な処理がなされているか監視を強める必要がある。

The waste management and public cleansing law stipulates that dischargers of business-related wastes should be responsible for their disposal.
　廃棄物処理法が定めるように、事業活動にともなう廃棄物は、排出者自らが処理に責任を持たなければならない。

Two and a half million tons of food items are discarded annually in Japan as industrial waste. That immensity is partially attributed to the so-called “one-third rule” of the food industry, a business practice whereby products are not allowed to be delivered to retailers when one-third of the period from the manufacture date through the best-before date has passed, and whereby retailers take them off the shelves when two-thirds of that period have elapsed.
　国内で出る食品の産廃は年間２５０万トンにも及ぶ。その一因とされるのが食品業界の「３分の１ルール」だ。製造から賞味期限までの３分の１を過ぎた商品は小売店へ納品できず、小売店は３分の２を経過した時点で店頭から下げる商習慣だ。

Mass disposal of food products that remain edible is a built-in feature of Japan’s food industry. One could say the latest scandal thrust that reality back into the spotlight.
　まだ食べられる食品が、大量に破棄されることが織り込まれている日本の「食」――。今回の問題は、その現実を改めて白日の下にさらしたとも言える。