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The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jun. 18, 2010)
DPJ must stop 'cop-out tactics'
通常国会閉幕　「逃げ」に終始した菅民主党（6月17日付・読売社説）

Public expectations that the latest Diet session would usher in an era of "new politics" following last year's change of government have faded. Instead, the session showed all too clearly the deteriorating state of politics in this country.
　政権交代による「新たな政治」への期待はしぼみ、政治の劣化を見せつけられた国会だった。

The ordinary Diet session ended Wednesday. Political parties have now started preparing for the House of Councillors election scheduled for July 11.
　通常国会が閉幕し、各政党は来月１１日投開票の参院選に向けて走り出した。

The Democratic Party of Japan recently withdrew a proposal to hold a budget committee meeting and decided against extending the Diet session. These actions can only be criticized as "cop-outs" and neglecting the party's duty.
　民主党が、予算委員会開催の提案を撤回し、国会会期も延長しなかったのは、「逃げの一手」「責任放棄」との批判を免れない。

The two-day session of interpellations by party representatives regarding new Prime Minister Naoto Kan's policy speech was too short. More intensive discussions should have been made at the budget committees of both Diet chambers.
　首相が交代した以上、菅首相の所信表明演説に対する２日間の代表質問だけでは不十分だ。予算委で審議を尽くすべきだった。

It also remains unclear how the Kan administration differs from the previous one of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, which ended up disappointing many people.
　菅内閣が、多くの国民を失望させた鳩山前内閣とどう違うのかはよく分からない。

Although Kan made no secret of the fact that his selection of cabinet ministers and top DPJ leaders were intended to rid the party of the influence of former DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa, the shape and direction of his policies--a key point for the new administration--remain opaque.
閣僚人事などでは小沢前幹事長の影響力を排除する姿勢をアピールしたが、肝心の政策の具体像は見えてこない。

How will the new administration put the fiscal house in order and reform the tax system? How will it soothe strained bilateral ties with the United States?
　財政健全化と税制の抜本改革にどう取り組むのか。日米関係をいかに立て直すか。

===

Don't put party 1st

In an ideal political world, the administration would face the upper house election only after clarifying--through Diet deliberations--the course for policies the Kan administration hopes to accomplish.
菅内閣の目指す政策の方向性を国会審議の中で明確にしたうえ、参院選に臨むのが政治のあるべき姿だろう。

The DPJ avoided budget committee deliberations apparently because it felt the party would have the upper hand in the upcoming election while public approval ratings for the DPJ-led administration, which rose with the new cabinet, remain high.
　民主党が予算委審議を避けたのは、回復した内閣支持率が高いうちに参院選を戦った方が得だ、と判断したためだ。

These are tactics that put party interests before all else. Giving the ultimate priority to winning the election speaks volumes of the party's complete disregard for Diet affairs.
「選挙至上主義」とも言うべき党利党略の戦術であり、国会軽視も甚だしい。

The DPJ-led coalition government did not hold a meeting of the Deliberative Council on Political Ethics, which Ozawa had indicated he would attend to clarify his involvement in a political funds scandal. The government's decision has prevented it from fulfilling its accountability.
　「政治とカネ」をめぐり、小沢氏が出席の意向を示した政治倫理審査会を開かず、説明責任を果たさない。

When a scandal over questionable office expenses made by a political organization of Satoshi Arai, state minister in charge of national policy and consumer affairs, surfaced, the DPJ-led administration tried to sweep the issue under the carpet.
荒井国家戦略相の事務所費問題が浮上しても、臭いものにフタをし、幕引きを図る。

The DPJ must realize that its attempts to conceal swirling suspicions only amplify public distrust of politics.
　こうした「疑惑隠し」の姿勢が国民の政治不信を増幅していることを、民主党は自覚すべきだ。

Several bills the government and ruling coalition had considered important did not get passed into law during the Diet session. These bills included one on postal service reforms, measures to combat global warming and one that would establish a decision-making system at the initiative of politicians.
　政府・与党が重要法案としていた郵政改革、地球温暖化対策、政治主導確立などの法案は成立しなかった。

===

LDP has lost its bite

The DPJ-led administration used its superior weight of numbers to manage Diet affairs even more high-handedly than Liberal Democratic Party-led administrations did. However, it appears disarray within the government and the ruling coalition parties over key policies and the simultaneous resignations of Hatoyama and Ozawa affected the fate of these bills.
　自民党政権以上に「数の力」に頼った強引な国会運営をしながら、政府・連立与党の足並みの乱れや鳩山前首相と小沢氏のダブル辞任が影響したと言えよう。

Just 54.7 percent of government-proposed bills passed the Diet during the session--a postwar low. We do not think the DPJ has fulfilled its responsibility as the party in power.
政府提出法案の成立率が戦後最低の５４・７％では、政権党の責任を果たしたと言えない。

On the other hand, the LDP failed to make its presence felt as the largest opposition party. The LDP failed to put the government on the defensive and present better counterproposals. LDP President Sadakazu Tanigaki's kid-glove questions during Diet debates between the prime minister and opposition party leaders, and the party's tired old tactics of boycotting the Diet session also triggered grumbling within party ranks.
　一方で、自民党も、野党第１党としての存在感を示せなかった。政府を的確に批判し、より良い対案を示すどころか、党首討論での谷垣総裁の追及の甘さや、旧態依然の審議拒否戦術には、党内から非難の声が出るほどだった。

A string of new parties have appeared on the scene, such as the Sunrise Party of Japan, New Renaissance Party and the Spirit of Japan Party. Their emergence reflects discontent at the fecklessness of the two major parties--the DPJ and the LDP.
　たちあがれ日本、新党改革、日本創新党など新党結成が相次いだのは、民主、自民の２大政党のふがいなさの裏返しでもある。

The election is just around the corner. Political parties must try to restore people's trust in politics by discussing responsible and basic policies, rather than competing with one another with claptrap election pledges.
　各政党は、参院選に向けて、人気取りの公約を競うのでなく、責任ある骨太の政策論議を通じて政治の信頼回復を図るべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 17, 2010)
（2010年6月17日01時43分 読売新聞）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jun. 17, 2010)
Sumo world must sever mobster ties
野球賭博汚染　暴力団排除が角界再生の道だ（6月16日付・読売社説）

Illegal gambling is rampant among sumo wrestlers. Popular sumo wrestler ozeki Kotomitsuki has admitted to the Japan Sumo Association that he gambled on professional baseball games--a criminal act. Following his admission, he will sit out the upcoming Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.
　大相撲の力士に賭博が蔓延(まんえん)していることが分かった。看板力士の大関琴光喜も、犯罪行為である野球賭博に手を染めていたことを認め、名古屋場所を休場することになった。

Sumo recently has been rocked by a string of scandals. Yokozuna Asashoryu was forced to retire earlier this year following allegations he assaulted a man outside a Tokyo club after a drinking session. The gambling blight even managed to taint an ozeki, sumo's second-highest rank. These extraordinary developments will shake the foundation of the association.
　暴行騒動で横綱朝青龍が引退に追い込まれたばかりの相撲界で、今度は大関の不祥事である。日本相撲協会の屋台骨を揺るがす異常事態といえよう。

The JSA recently asked sumo wrestlers, stablemasters and other association members to voluntarily report whether they had been involved in gambling activities. Kotomitsuki and 28 others admitted they had gambled on professional baseball games. Thirty-six others confessed to betting on golf, hanafuda playing cards and mah-jongg.
　相撲協会が、力士、親方らに自己申告させたところ、野球賭博には琴光喜を含む２９人が関与したことを認めた。仲間内での賭けゴルフや花札、マージャンなどには３６人がかかわっていた。

The association said it would report its findings to the Metropolitan Police Department and decide what further action to take after the police have completed their investigation.
　相撲協会は、調査結果を警視庁に報告し、捜査の結果を待って対応を決めるという。

===

JSA let guard down

Association officials initially planned to put the scandal to bed after reprimanding those who voluntarily reported their wrongdoing. However, the association was forced to reverse the policy after the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, which oversees the association, stepped in. The ministry warned the association it would be premature to extenuate the misconduct before making a report to the police.
　当初は、申告した者については厳重注意にとどめて幕引きを図る方針だった。しかし、所管の文部科学省から、「警察にも言わない段階で情状酌量は早すぎる」と注意され、方針転換せざるを得なくなったというわけだ。

As such, the latest developments have exposed the association's lax way of dealing with serious matters.
　相撲協会の危機管理の甘さが露呈したといえる。

Organized crime syndicates are often behind gambling on professional baseball. Money wagered by sumo wrestlers must not be allowed to end up as funds for gang activities. We think the wrestlers involved should be severely punished.
　野球賭博には、暴力団がかかわっているケースが多い。力士の賭け金が暴力団の資金源となるようなことが、あってはならない。関係した力士への厳しい処分は避けられまい。

The latest scandal came to light in a report by a weekly magazine that Kotomitsuki had gambled on professional baseball and that gangsters had intimidated him into paying hush money.
　発端となったのは、琴光喜が野球賭博にかかわり、暴力団関係者から口止め料を払うよう脅されたという週刊誌の報道だ。

Although Kotomitsuki initially denied any involvement in gambling, he finally seemed to run out of excuses because other sumo wrestlers came forward to admit their misconduct to the sumo association. Regrettably, Kotomitsuki completely lacked the good sense expected of an ozeki, a rank expected to portray sumo values.
　琴光喜は賭博への関与を否定していたが、他の力士たちが申告するに及んで、言い逃れができなくなったということだろう。大相撲を担う大関としての自覚を全く欠いている。

===

Money talks

Wealthy sumo supporters called tanimachi traditionally have provided financial assistance to wrestlers and stablemasters. Wrestlers and association members are said to sometimes come in contact with gangsters as they socialize with their tanimachi.
　相撲界には、「タニマチ」と呼ばれる後援者が力士や親方を援助する慣習がある。その付き合いの中で、力士らは暴力団関係者と接する機会もあるとされる。

There have been reports that criminal organizations have been involved in sumo events, such as tournaments held in local regions.
　地方巡業などの興行面でも、暴力団の介在が指摘されてきた。

It recently came to light that a number of gangsters had watched sumo from special ringside seats essentially set aside for the sumo association's financial supporters. A stablemaster who arranged seats for the mobsters has since had his stable disbanded by the association. The stablemaster eventually admitted he had socialized with gangsters.
　土俵近くの特別席で多数の暴力団員が観戦していたことも、問題になったばかりだ。席の確保にかかわっていた親方の部屋は閉鎖処分となり、この親方は、暴力団との交際があったことを認めた。

This series of unseemly incidents suggest there are deep-rooted links between sumo and organized crime.
　角界と暴力団との根深い癒着がうかがえる。

The JSA is a public-interest corporation, which receives preferential tax treatment, meaning sumo wrestlers and stablemasters belong to an organization supposed to contribute to society. In this respect, it is only natural that they immediately sever all ties with "antisocial forces."
　相撲協会は、税制面で優遇措置を受けている公益法人だ。社会に貢献すべき団体に属する力士や親方が、反社会勢力との関係を断つのは、当然のことである。

Freeing itself from unbecoming traditions is the only way the association will be able to survive.
　悪(あ)しき体質の一掃が、相撲協会が存続していく唯一の道だ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 16, 2010)
（2010年6月16日02時00分 読売新聞）

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The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jun. 16, 2010)
Hayabusa's achievements should be built on
はやぶさ帰還　歴史的快挙を次に生かそう（6月15日付・読売社説）

Hayabusa, a space probe of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, has finally returned to Earth. This is a great accomplishment in the history of space exploration.
　宇宙航空研究開発機構の探査機「はやぶさ」が帰ってきた。宇宙開発史に残る快挙と言える。

Hayabusa, which means peregrine falcon, left Earth in May 2003. It landed on Itokawa, an asteroid 300 million kilometers from Earth, in November 2005 and attempted to take samples of sand and other surface materials there. The probe's entire space voyage lasted seven years, ending with its homecoming on Sunday.
　２００３年５月に地球を出発した。０５年１１月に３億キロ・メートル離れた小惑星イトカワに着陸し、砂などのサンプル採取を試みた。帰還まで、宇宙の旅は７年の長きに及んだ。

Hayabusa is the first space probe to return to Earth after landing on a celestial body other than the moon.
　初めて月以外の天体に探査機が着陸して帰還したことになる。

The probe's main body burned up upon entering Earth's atmosphere, but before that it released a capsule, which landed safely in the desert in Australia, that may contain samples from Itokawa. JAXA will bring the capsule back to this country and confirm whether it contains sand or other materials from the asteroid.
　はやぶさ本体は大気圏突入で燃え尽きた。採取したサンプルを収めるカプセルは突入前に分離、豪州の砂漠に着地した。日本に運び内部を確認する。

Unlike sand and stones on Earth, which have become oxidized and changed over many years, geologic material on asteroids is believed to have remained as it was in the early stages of the solar system. Such material would give important clues to understanding the history of the solar system.
　小惑星の砂や石は、酸化などが進んだ地球の石と違い、太陽系の初期の状態に近い。太陽系の歴史を探るヒントになるだろう。

Unfortunately, however, it is not certain whether the probe actually was able to take samples of surface material, since Hayabusa's gathering device did not work as expected. But JAXA said that sand stirred up when the probe landed on the asteroid may have entered the capsule.
　残念ながら、装置の不調で確実にサンプルが採取できたかどうか分からない。だが、着陸時に舞い上がった砂がカプセル内に入った可能性はある。

===

Miraculous engines

Needless to say, the return of Hayabusa itself is a miracle. The probe experienced technical and mechanical malfunctions throughout its systems as it traveled a total distance of 6 billion kilometers, 40 times the distance between the sun and Earth.
　そもそも帰還自体が奇跡だ。地球―太陽間の４０倍にあたる約６０億キロ・メートルの飛行で、機体は各所が故障し、満身創痍(そうい)だった。

First, fuel leaked from one of Hayabusa's chemical engines after it left the asteroid to return home, which caused JAXA to lose control and later communications. Although the agency fortunately was able to restore communications and put Hayabusa back on its homeward journey in 2006, JAXA had to constantly walk a tightrope for the remainder of the probe's long space flight.
　まずイトカワ離陸後に燃料が漏れた。制御不能になり、通信も途絶した。０６年、幸運にも復旧し帰路についたが、長期の飛行で、ぎりぎりの運用が続いてきた。

Almost all the probe's devices malfunctioned, but a new type of engine manufactured by a Japanese company did outstanding work.
　活躍したのは、搭載された日本独自の新型エンジンだ。

Called ion engines, these new thrusters have much weaker propulsion than chemical engines, which expel jets of high-pressure gas. The power of an ion engine's thrust could only keep a 1 yen coin aloft on Earth, but it can work for long hours on far less fuel than a chemical engine needs. The ion engines were used for a total of 40,000 hours to control the probe's attitude.
　イオンエンジンと呼ばれる。高圧ガスを噴く化学エンジンなどと比べて推進力は小さい。地上で１円玉を動かす程度の力だが、少ない燃料で長期間動く。これが、のべ４万時間、機体を制御した。

This, along with the automatic control technology that made it possible for the probe to land on the asteroid, demonstrates to the world how advanced Japan's technology in space exploration is. We can expect Japanese-made ion engines to be sold to other countries for use in their space probes and satellites.
　小惑星着陸を成功させた自動制御技術とともに、技術の高さを世界に示した。海外の探査機や衛星への売り込みも期待される。

===

Don't block progress

However, we are concerned with the next project. Development is currently stalled on Hayabusa 2, which is intended to conduct higher-level exploration of another asteroid. Learning from the lessons of Hayabusa's development, which cost 13 billion yen, the new project's budget is set at almost the same amount.
　心配なのは、次の計画だ。開発に約１３０億円をかけた「はやぶさ」の教訓を生かし、ほぼ同じ規模の予算で、別の小惑星の高度な探査を目指す「はやぶさ２」の開発が滞っている。

Nonetheless, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry's budget for space exploration was cut drastically, a victim of the Democratic Party of Japan-led government's plan to make high school education free, which costs nearly 400 billion yen.
　民主党が進める高校無償化に４０００億円近くかかり、そのしわ寄せで、文部科学省の宇宙予算が大幅に削られたためだ。

Funding this fiscal year for Hayabusa 2 was cut to just 30 million yen, compared with the 1.7 billion yen made in its budgetary request before the DPJ took office from the Liberal Democratic Party.
はやぶさ２の今年度予算は、政権交代前の概算要求額１７億円が、３０００万円まで圧縮された。

The government should spend money on a meaningful project, rather than on handout measures.
　ばらまき予算よりも、意義のある計画に予算を投じるべきだ。

There could be a blank period of more than 10 years until the next space probe project, given the positional relationship between Earth and asteroids. Memories of the successful space mission could fade during this downtime.
　地球と小惑星の位置関係を考えると、次の探査機までに１０年以上の空白期が生じかねない。経験が風化してしまう。

There must be no retreat in efforts to pass important technology in space exploration to the next generation of scientists and engineers, so they can improve it further.
貴重な技術を次世代につなぎ、発展させる取り組みを後退させてはならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 15, 2010)
（2010年6月15日02時04分 読売新聞）