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

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Apr. 24, 2011)
Quickly pass donations to disaster victims
義援金の支給　善意を早く被災者の手元に（4月23日付・読売社説）

Huge amounts of money have been donated at home and abroad to survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
　東日本大震災の被災者に対して、国内や海外から、多くの義援金が寄せられている。

The Japanese Red Cross Society and the Central Community Chest for Japan have collected about 170 billion yen combined, and municipal governments in disaster-stricken areas have directly received donations of more than 20 billion yen.
　これまで、日本赤十字社と中央共同募金会に合わせて約１７００億円、被災した自治体にも直接、２００億円以上が集まった。

In the about 40 days since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the money donated has reached about the same amount as that given after the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake. The nuclear power plant crisis that has compounded the quake disaster has apparently stirred up feelings of sympathy in many people in Japan and overseas and convinced them to open their wallets.
　発生から４０日余りで、阪神大震災で寄せられた義援金とほぼ同じ金額に達した。原子力発電所事故を併発した今回の震災に、内外の多くの人が心からの支援の気持ちを寄託したということだろう。

This money, however, has yet to reach disaster victims.
　ところが、このお金が、まだ被災者の手元に渡っていない。

Thousands of people are still living in temporary shelters without any belongings, having lost everything in the tsunami. They urgently need money just to get by. We hope the donated cash will reach them as soon as possible.
　津波によって何もかも流され、着のみ着のまま避難所にいる人も多い。当座のお金にも困っているはずだ。一刻も早く義援金を配ってもらいたい。

On April 8, the secretariat of the committee in charge of distributing donations, which has been established in the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, decided on distribution details of the first batch of donations. Families will receive 350,000 yen for each person who was killed in the disaster or remains missing, and owners of houses that were destroyed will receive 350,000 yen and people whose homes have been severely damaged will get 180,000 yen.
　今回、義援金配分割合決定委員会の事務局は厚生労働省が務め、今月８日に第１次配分の基準額を決めた。亡くなった人の遺族や行方不明の人の家族に３５万円、家の被害は全壊が３５万円、半壊が１８万円――などだ。

===

Distribution too slow

The donations will be distributed based of these criteria. Prefectural governments will add some money of their own before handing the cash to disaster victims through city, town and village governments.
　これをもとに被災各県に配分され、県が独自に金額を上乗せするといった手続きを経て、市町村から被災者に渡される。

The reality, however, is that some disaster-struck municipalities have only just started offering application procedures for receiving donations.
だが、ようやく一部自治体で申請手続きが始まったというのが現状である。

After the Great Hanshin Earthquake, the amount of the first distribution of donations was decided 12 days after the disaster, with people whose homes were destroyed receiving 100,000 yen in the initial payouts. Compared with this, decisions on donation distribution criteria and the payment process to victims of last month's quake and tsunami have been pointedly slow. Many people who generously made donations also probably feel frustrated by this situation.
　阪神大震災では発生から１２日後に第１次配分額が決まり、家が全半壊した人などにまず１０万円が支給された。それに比べると配分基準の決定も支給も遅い。義援金を託した人の方も、もどかしさを感じているのではないか。

The immense devastation wrought by the disaster has made it all but impossible for many disaster-hit municipalities to accurately assess the damage to individual households. Administrative functions of some city, town and village governments have been so badly eroded that they are unable to address the task of distributing donations.
　今回は、被害があまりにも甚大で、世帯ごとの被災状況をまだつかみきれない、という自治体が少なくない。役場の行政機能が大きく損なわれ、義援金の支給まで手が回らない市町村もある。

To alleviate this situation, the central government, prefectural governments outside the disaster zone and other entities should send personnel to lend a hand with clerical work needed to pass donations to disaster survivors.
　この面での事務作業にも、国や県、他地域の自治体から応援要員が必要だ。

===

Make payments uniform

We think a uniform provisional payment should be given to people with damaged homes, rather than wasting time worrying over whether a house should be categorized as "destroyed" or "partially damaged."
　家屋は全壊か半壊かといった厳格な認定はおいて、暫定的な一律支給も検討すべきではないか。

A closer examination of the degree of damage can wait until the second round of donation distributions.
　被害の程度については、第２次以降の配分時までに確定すればいい。

Cash will be very helpful to disaster victims. These initial payments should be made flexibly and swiftly.
とりあえずの金額だけでも被災者は助かるだろう。柔軟なやり方で支給を急ぐべきだ。

Given the staggering death toll and number of people still unaccounted for, as well as the scale of property damage, much more money will need to be collected.
　犠牲者の数や被害の大きさを考えれば、より多くの義援金を集める必要がある。

First of all, the initial batch of donations must be distributed without a hitch to people who desperately need it. This will be a springboard for the next round of support and financial aid.
　まずは、被災者に最初の義援金を役立ててもらいたい。それが次の支援の原動力になる。

It also will be a message of acknowledgement from Japan to people around the world who have sent their goodwill to disaster victims.
　善意を寄せてくれた世界の人たちへ、日本からの感謝のメッセージにもなろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 23, 2011)
（2011年4月23日01時26分 読売新聞）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Apr. 23, 2011)
Japan should fulfill global responsibility
３・１１後の外交　萎縮せず国際的役割を果たせ（4月22日付・読売社説）

What foreign policy should Japan conduct in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake?
　東日本大震災を踏まえて、日本はどんな外交を展開すべきか。

We think the government should engage actively with the international community without becoming inward-looking. This will strengthen the nation's vitality and advance reconstruction.
　内向き姿勢に陥らず、国際社会に積極的に関与することが、国家の活力を高め、復興を進めるうえでも重要となろう。

Prime Minister Naoto Kan held talks with visiting Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Thursday. They agreed to boost bilateral cooperation in areas of energy and disaster relief activities. Japan must use such occasions to clearly express its determination toward reconstruction and revitalization.
　菅首相が２１日、来日したギラード豪首相と会談し、エネルギーや災害救援の分野で日豪協力を強化することで一致した。こうした場で、日本は復興・再生への決意を明確に発信することが肝要だ。

The foreign ministers of Japan and of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met in Indonesia on April 9. Indonesia proposed to fellow ASEAN members the idea of holding the special meeting with Japan, saying it was the ASEAN nations' turn to demonstrate solidarity with Japan because it has supported them for many years.
　今月９日にはインドネシアで、日本と東南アジア諸国連合の特別外相会議が開かれた。インドネシアが「長年支援してくれた日本に我々が連帯を示す番だ」と開催を呼びかけ、実現したものだ。

Since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, more than 170 countries and international organizations have offered to help Japan, and many have already provided assistance. All of this is because Japan has developed cooperative ties with them and supported them in the past.
　震災後、１７０以上の国や国際機関が日本支援を表明・実施しているのは、日本が各国と連携し、援助してきたからこそだ。

===

Keep a global perspective

Reconstruction of areas devastated by the earthquake and tsunami will require a huge amount of money and manpower. But Japan must not become so preoccupied with domestic concerns that it ignores its role in the international community and fails to look at things from a global viewpoint.
　被災地の復興には、膨大な資金と人手を要するだろう。だが、国内だけに気をとられ、国際的な視点と役割を忘れてはなるまい。

First, the government should minimize reduction of official development assistance.
　まず、政府開発援助（ＯＤＡ）の削減は極力避けたい。

The government initially considered cutting appropriations for ODA, which were set at 572.7 billion yen in total in the initial budget for fiscal 2011, by 20 percent to free up funds for the first supplementary budget aimed at recovery and reconstruction after the earthquake and tsunami.
　政府は、復旧・復興対策の第１次補正予算の財源として、５７２７億円のＯＤＡの２割減を検討した。

The idea of cutting money in an area of least resistance seemed like a simple idea. But many voices were raised against it, forcing the government to downsize the reduction to 10 percent.
削りやすい分野を削るという安易な発想だったが、異論が噴出し、削減幅を１割減に抑えた。

The nation's ODA budget has been decreasing for 12 straight years and is now at only half of its peak. Japan's world ranking in terms of ODA budget also declined from first place to fifth. During that period, Japan's international influence has declined as emerging economies rise.
　日本のＯＤＡ予算は１２年連続で減少し、今はピーク時の半分だ。かつての世界１位から５位に転落した。この間、新興国の台頭もあり、日本の発言力は低下した。

The nation has to continue international contributions matching its position as the third largest economic power in the world to maintain its international influence.
　国際社会での影響力を維持するには、世界３位の経済大国に見合う貢献を続ける必要がある。

Meanwhile, the government should not postpone a decision on whether to participate in negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade treaty with the other Asian and Pacific countries. Though the Kan administration said it would make a decision on TPP in June, all the negotiating work in Japan and abroad has been suspended in the wake of the disaster.
　環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）への参加問題も、先送りすべきではない。菅政権は６月に結論を出すとしていたが、震災後は国内外の調整作業が止まっている。

Nine countries, including the United States and Australia, are aiming to conclude TPP negotiations in November. We hope Japan will proceed steadily with domestic agricultural reforms and negotiations with concerned countries so that it would not be left behind.
　１１月の妥結を目指す米豪など９か国に日本が取り残されないように、国内農業改革や関係国との交渉を着実に進めたい。

===

Let SDF help elsewhere

It is also significant for the nation to maintain engagement with U.N. peacekeeping operations. Self-Defense Forces' performance in dealing with the disaster has been remarkable.
The government should not limit the activities of the SDF to Japan. It should positively consider sending SDF units to Southern Sudan after independence and to other parts of the world to participate in PKOs.
　国連平和維持活動（ＰＫＯ）への関与も大切だ。大震災で自衛隊は大きな実績を上げたが、国内活動だけにとどまらず、南部スーダン独立後のＰＫＯなどへの参加を前向きに検討すべきだ。

Cooperation in disaster preparedness and response as well as measures to secure the safety of nuclear power plants will be important agenda items in diplomacy among major countries this year. Attention will focus particularly on Japan's actions in response to its disasters.
　今年の主要国の外交では、防災協力と原子力発電所の安全確保が重要議題となる。特に、被災国の日本の行動は注目されよう。

Japan should learn various lessons from its own experiences with the earthquake, tsunami and the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Then, it should lead discussions among major nations by making concrete proposals on what form international cooperation should take. That would be one way to return the favor for their assistance to Japan.
　震災や原発事故の体験から様々な教訓をくみ取って、あるべき国際協力について具体的に提言し、議論をリードする。それが、各国の支援への恩返しともなる。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 22, 2011)
（2011年4月22日01時23分 読売新聞）

(Mainichi Japan) April 21, 2011
TEPCO should incorporate measures to support workers in nuke plant roadmap
社説：原発作業員　工程表に「人」の支援も

The Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant, hit hard by a massive tsunami generated by the March 11 earthquake, has managed to avoid catastrophe thanks to the efforts of workers who are trying hard to place the power station under control.
　福島第１原発がなんとか事態の悪化を免れているのは、現場で必死の作業をしている人々のおかげだ。

More than 40 days have passed since the plant was hit by the disaster, and workers' fatigue and stress have certainly reached an alarming level.
事故発生から４０日を過ぎ、彼らの疲れもストレスも、ぎりぎりのところまで高まっているに違いない。

It is expected to take six to nine months before the plant can be placed under control, according to a roadmap released earlier this week by its operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO).
　東電が今週公表した工程表では、原発が一定の安定を保つ「冷温停止」までに６～９カ月かかるという。

However, it is feared that the work will actually take far longer.
しかし、実際にはもっと長期間かかる可能性が高い。

Photos taken by remote-controlled robots illustrate severe conditions in the buildings housing the crippled reactors.
ロボットを使った建屋の撮影などでも厳しい環境が改めて明らかになっている。

Many of the workers are crying out for help.
　こうした状況の中で一歩ずつ歩みを進めていくには、現場で作業する人々への支援がなにより大事だ。
しかし、現場から聞こえてくるのは胸の痛むような実態だ。

It is extremely important for TEPCO and the government to step up support for employees who are working hard under such severe conditions.
東京電力や政府は、もっと強力な支援体制作りを急がなくてはいけない。

A doctor who inspected TEPCO employees working at the plant has revealed that they are forced to sleep at a gymnasium attached to the Fukushima No. 2 Nuclear Power Plant after working at the No. 1 plant.
　東電社員を現場で診察した産業医によると、福島第１で作業を終えた人は第２原発の体育館で雑魚寝している。

They cannot take a bath everyday and eat mostly canned and instant food.
入浴できる日も限られ、食事は缶詰やレトルトが中心だという。

Furthermore, many of them have been evacuated from their home situated in disaster-hit areas or had their residences damaged, and are mentally distressed.
自らが被災者の人も多く、精神的にも厳しい状況に置かれている。


TEPCO subcontract workers are also engaged in efforts to place the crippled plant under control.
　現場では下請け会社の人々も働く。

The company should ensure that all its workers have proper food and can take a bath on a daily basis, and that they can receive mental care.
すべての人に、食事や入浴といった基本的生活に加え、心理面のケアを提供してほしい。

A system should be created to allow workers to receive treatment from mental health specialists.
誰もが産業医の診察を受けられる体制も必要だ。

The severity of the labor that the workers are engaged in while being dressed in sealed-up protective gear is beyond imagination.
　目張りした防護服に身を包んでの作業の厳しさも並大抵ではない。

The rainy season will begin in June, which will be followed by summer.
これから梅雨に入り、その後には夏がくる。

An urgent task is to consider how work can be carried out in a suitable manner that reflects the climate and seasons.
気候に合わせた作業の在り方の検討も急を要する。

It is the job of TEPCO management as well as its task force to implement measures to improve the working environment for the workers.
　こうした体制作りは、東電本社や対策本部の仕事だ。

They must promptly take action before the workers start making demands.
現場からの要求を待つのではなく、先回りして手を打っていかなくてはいけない。

The lack of management's understanding of the working environment at the plant could lead to a blunder or a delay in the work.
現場に対する想像力の欠如は、作業のミスや停滞につながる。

Even after TEPCO manages to place the plant under control, it does not mean an end to the work.
　原発を冷温停止に持ち込めても、作業は終わらない。

It will take many years to decontaminate the facility and remove radioactive substances and fuel from the plant.
施設の除染や放射性廃棄物の撤去、燃料の取り出しなどに長い年月がかかる。

Similar work lasted for 14 years following the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant crisis that occurred in the United States in 1979.
　７９年に米国で起きたスリーマイル島原発事故では、こうした作業が終わるまでに１４年かかった。

It is anticipated the work at the Fukushima plant will take longer.
福島第１ではさらに長くかかるだろう。

Considering the need to secure help from skilled workers, it is necessary to monitor the level of radiation exposure.
　長期にわたって熟練した作業員の力を借りる必要があることを思えば、放射線管理も注意深く行わなくてはいけない。

It must be ensured that all workers carry dosimeters.
被ばく量を測る線量計が個人個人に行きわたらないようなことがあってはならない。

If the work is prolonged, the power supplier will be forced to suspend workers at the plant one after another to prevent them from being exposed to radiation in excess of the legal limit, causing a serious shortage of personnel. 　作業が長引けば、被ばく量が限度を超える人が続出し、人手が足りなくなることもありうる。

To avoid such a situation, TEPCO must work out a plan on personnel management from a long-term perspective. そうしたことがないよう、長期的視点で計画を立てるべきだ。

It may also have to train new workers.
新たに人材を育成する必要もあるかもしれない。

TEPCO's roadmap only mentions equipment at the plant.
　工程表には設備のことしか書かれていない。

However, it is human resources that will place the plant under control.
しかし、事故を収束させるのは人だ。

Therefore, measures to extend support for workers should be incorporated in the roadmap.
作業員の支援は工程表に盛り込んでしかるべきだ。

毎日新聞　2011年4月21日　東京朝刊

2011/04/20
--The Asahi Shimbun, April 19
EDITORIAL: TEPCO must prepare for additional risks in taming Fukushima crisis
原発工程表―これ以上悪くせず前へ

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) has set a specific time frame for its long battle to end the nuclear crisis. The company on April 17 unveiled a road map for stabilizing the dangerous situation at its Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, which was severely damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
　「長い闘い」の長さが、数字で見えてきた。福島第一原発の事故収束をめぐって、東京電力が発表した工程表である。

In the first stage of the plan, which will take about three months, measures will be taken to ensure stable and safe cooling of the damaged reactors and spent fuel pools.
　３カ月くらいかけて、事故炉や燃料プールを安定して冷却できるようにする。

In the second stage, steps will be made to bring the reactors to a stable state of cold shutdown in a process expected to require three to six months to complete.
その後３～６カ月ほどで、炉を冷温停止状態に落ち着かせる。

It will take even longer to rebuild the lives of people living in areas around the ravaged nuclear power plant.
TEPCO admitted for the first time that it will take as many as six to nine months just to put the sources of radioactivity under control, which is a prerequisite for Fukushima evacuees to return home and restart their lives.
　原発周辺の人々の生活再建はさらに長い闘いになるが、その前提である放射能源の制圧だけでも６～９カ月かかることを、東電は初めて認めた。

The continuous pouring of water on the reactors and the pools have prevented the No. 1 to No. 4 units at the plant from running out of control.
　福島第一の１～４号機は今、炉やプールに水を注ぎ続けることで小康が保たれている。

If this makeshift measure fails, the risk of a massive release of radioactive materials will grow sharply, forcing the government to reconsider again its policy concerning the evacuation of residents in the surrounding areas.
これが破綻（はたん）したら、放射性物質のさらなる大量放出の恐れが高まり、周辺地域の避難のあり方を再び見直すことにもなろう。

That would place far severer strains on the residents than the already heavy burdens they are bearing now.
　そうなれば、住民が背負う重荷は今の比ではない。

The utility needs to execute its plan for containing the crisis under such circumstances. What is the most important is to prevent the situation from becoming any worse.
　こうしたなかでの収束作戦である。なによりも強く求められているのは、これ以上悪い状態にしない、ということだ。

First and foremost, the company needs to be properly prepared for unpredictable events that may occur.
　まず備えるべきは、不測の出来事だ。

The biggest fear is a possible disruption in external power supply that causes the water injection to stop, which happened after a recent huge aftershock.
とりわけ怖いのは、先日の大きな余震のときのように外部電源が途絶え、注水が止まることである。

TEPCO's blueprint refers to such risks as aftershocks and lightning strikes, indicating that the company is trying to figure out ways to enhance the external power supply system. This should be done swiftly.
　工程表も余震や落雷などのリスクに触れ、外部電源系の補強を考えているようだ。この対策は急務といえよう。

Easing this emergency requires working on reactors and fuel pools that cannot be inspected from up close due to high levels of radiation.
　事故収束に向けた作業は、近づいて中をのぞくことのできない炉やプールを相手にする。

It is certain that the fix-it plan will have to be reviewed after each step is taken.
工程を一歩進めるごとに見直しを迫られるのは必至だ。

The company must not be so focused on carrying out the scheduled plan that it overlooks a big problem.
　期限にばかり気をとられて急ぐあまり、大きな問題点を見逃すことがあってはならない。

The road map raises concerns about whether the number of workers needed to carry through the lengthy process can be secured.
　工程表を見て気にかかるのは長丁場に必要な人力だ。

The plan requires a raft of tough and risky tasks, like sealing the container vessel of the No. 2 reactor and reinforcing the structure supporting the fuel pool for the No. 4 reactor. We wonder how many workers will be needed to perform these jobs.
　２号機格納容器の密閉や、４号機の燃料プール周辺の補強など難しい作業が列挙されているが、それらにどれだけの作業員がかかわるのだろうか。

Workers will face the risk of being exposed to high levels of radiation.
　現場は、放射線を浴びる危険が大きい。

At the entrance to the building housing the No. 1 reactor, for instance, a level of radiation recently detected was so high that working for just an hour at the location would expose the worker to more radiation than the upper limit.
１号機建屋の入り口では、作業員が１時間いるだけで被曝（ひばく）線量限度を超える放射線が測定された。

TEPCO's plan duly acknowledges the risk by pointing out the concern that long-term work at places with high levels of radiation may be required.
工程表にも「放射線レベルの高い場所で、作業が長期化する恐れ」が明記されている。

Workers must be replaced regularly before they are exposed to excessive amounts of radiation.
同じ人にずっと働いてもらうわけにはいかない。

In addition, all of the damaged No. 1 to No. 4 reactor buildings are releasing radiation. That means the measures prescribed must be taken simultaneously at all the four buildings.
　さらに、放射能源を封じなくてはならないのは１～４号機のすべてで、これらの作業を同時に進めなくてはならない。

The manpower that can be provided by TEPCO, the reactor makers and their affiliates may be far from enough to carry out all these tasks.
　東電や原子炉メーカー、関連会社の人たちだけでは、とても追いつかないかもしれない。

Two key challenges in the mission are how to secure a sufficient number of workers, including reinforcements, and how to protect the health of these workers.
　応援を含め、要員をどうやって確保するか。一線で働く人たちの健康をどう守っていくか。

The government is also taking on a heavy responsibility by accepting TEPCO's road map to safety at the crippled nuclear power plant.
　政府も、この工程表を受け入れる以上は責任が重い。

香山リカさんは精神科医師としては心が優しすぎるなって感じました。
（スラチャイ記）

(Mainichi Japan) April 17, 2011
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: Emotions on the one-month anniversary of the earthquake
香山リカのココロの万華鏡：震災から１カ月　／東京

More than one month has now passed since the devastating earthquake and tsunami.
　震災から１カ月。

We have all spent the time since then in our own ways, but there may be those who recently found themselves vividly remembering that day one month ago, once again being assaulted by fear or sadness.
それぞれの人が、それぞれのすごし方をしたはずだ。
　中には、１カ月前のあの日のことが生々しく思い出され、恐怖、悲しみが再び襲ってきた、という人もいるのではないだろうか。

There may even be those who have become physically ill, even as they were just getting their lives back on track.
生活がやっと元のリズムに戻りつつあったのに、また体調が悪くなったという人もいるかもしれない。

A person's emotional state becoming highly unsettled on the weekly, monthly, or yearly anniversary of some big event is a known phenomenon in psychiatry, and it in itself is neither a disease nor is it abnormal.
　大きなできごとから１週間、１カ月、１年など節目節目のときに、感情が激しく揺れてしまう。これは、精神医学の世界で「記念日反応」と呼ばれる現象で、それ自体は異常でも病気でもない。

One cause of it can be emphasis placed on such anniversaries by television programs and newspapers.
テレビや新聞が「あれから１カ月」と強調するのも、この反応の引き金になることがある。

However, as much as one tells oneself that "this is not abnormal," the emotional disturbance itself can be very hard to bear, and some people may take a further emotional hit by seeing a reversal in themselves after they thought they had made progress in recovering.
ただ、いくら「異常ではないのだ」と思っても、それ自体はとてもつらく、「少しは立ち直ったはずだったのに」と感情の揺り戻しにショックを受ける人もいるだろう。

In the case of the recent disasters, the continuing aftershocks and developments at the nuclear power plant may have aggravated this anniversary phenomenon.
　とくに、繰り返す余震や原発事故への不安が、１カ月目の心の反応をよりシビアなものにしているおそれがある。

Preventing the occurrence of this anniversary reaction might not be possible.
　この記念日反応自体が起こらないようにするのは、正直言ってむずかしい。

However, just knowing of its existence should take away some of the emotional burden of those experiencing it.
ただ、そういうものがあると知っておくだけでも、心は少しラクになるはずだ。

If you find yourself thinking, "Lately, I feel somehow anxious, and I'm often crying," you can then think, "Ah wait, this may be my reaction to the one-month anniversary.
It can happen to anyone, and it's OK," and it may become easier to let those bad feelings pass.
「最近、なんだかまた心がざわつくな。涙もよくこぼれるし。そうか、これが１カ月目あたりの記念日反応なのか」と思うと、「誰でもなることなんだから、だいじょうぶ」とやり過ごしやすくなるのではないか。

Furthermore, if one intentionally makes oneself aware of anniversaries and then passes them with an activity like offering a silent prayer, then I think one can reduce the feelings of uneasiness.
また節目の時を自分であえて「あれから半年か」などと意識して、静かに祈りの時をすごすなどすれば、えたいの知れない感情による動揺を減らせると思う。

Thinking about it, after a disaster this huge, it is only natural that the path to recovery will not be a simple and straight one.
　考えてみれば、これだけの大災害なのだから、立ち直りの道のりが一直線でないのも、あたり前。

It is extremely normal that people would feel anxiety during anniversary periods, going from having somewhat positive attitudes back to gloomy ones, and from having energy to losing it.
節目の時期に気持ちが揺れるのは、ごく自然のことだ。少し前向きになったかと思うとまた落ち込み、やる気があふれてきたはずなのに突然、無気力になる。

Even if there are ups and downs, as long as the end result is recovery, there is no problem.
山あり谷ありでだんだん、元気になっていけばそれでいいのだ。

No one should feel bad about themselves if they experience stalls or setbacks on their road to recovery.
　復興の歩みの中で、停滞したりまた心が逆戻りしたりすることを、後ろめたく思わないでほしい。

In fact, I worry about those who have made themselves consistently positive and optimistic since the disaster, and whether built up exhaustion won't at some point overcome them, coming out all at once.
むしろ、発生直後から一貫して前向きで元気いっぱい、という人のほうが、いつかその疲れが一気に出るのでは、と心配だ。

Amidst all of this, I don't expect that anyone can completely be their normal selves, and it's no mystery if something happens to our emotional states.
　こんな中、誰もがいつもの自分でなんかいられるはずがない。

Without being surprised or caught off-guard by any changes we find in ourselves, we should move forward, doing what we can, while not trying to do the impossible.
心にも何が起きても不思議ではない。驚かずうろたえず、自分の変化を受けとめながら、できることをできる分だけやっていく。できないときには無理をしない。

There is nothing wrong with such a path to recovery, even if it's a bit of a zigzag. (By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
そんなジグザグの歩みでいいはずだ。

毎日新聞　2011年4月12日　地方版

(Mainichi Japan) April 16, 2011
Japan should change energy policy following nuclear power plant crisis
社説：震災後　地震国の原発　政策の大転換を図れ

Events that have occurred since the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake have reminded us of the reality Japan faces -- another powerful earthquake could occur anytime and anywhere, and we have no way to predict it.
　いつ、どこで、どれほど大きな地震や津波が起きても不思議はない。しかも、それを予測するすべを私たちは持たない。

　日本列島の現実を改めて思い知らされる１カ月だった。

　予測不能な大地震だけでも日本が抱える大きなリスクである。

Fifty-four nuclear reactors are situated in coastal areas of Japan. Many experts have repeatedly pointed out how difficult it is to ensure the safety of nuclear power plants in this earthquake-prone country.
その海岸沿いに５４基の原発が建ち並ぶ。地震と原発の共存がいかにむずかしいか。警告は何度も発せられてきた。

Some scientists had predicted that radiation could leak from a nuclear power plant if it was damaged by a powerful quake and ensuing tsunami. One of them, Kobe University professor emeritus Katsuhiko Ishibashi, called such a potential accident an "earthquake-triggered nuclear power plant disaster."
　石橋克彦・神戸大名誉教授のように「原発震災」という言葉で惨事を予見してきた科学者もいる。

However, electric power suppliers as well as the government had dismissed such warnings as a "minority opinion." The consequences of this attitude are the serious crisis at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO).
しかし、電力会社も政府も「少数派」として退けてきた。その帰結が今、私たちが直面する東京電力福島第１原発の深刻な事故である。

　◇「想定外」許されぬ

The distortion of the earth's crust caused by the powerful quake has had a huge impact on various areas of Japan. No optimism can be justified for future seismic activity in the Japanese archipelago.
　大地震がもたらした地殻のゆがみは各地に影響を与えている。今後の地震活動は、予断を許さない。

The government has no choice but to seriously consider whether quake-prone Japan can coexist with nuclear power stations, take prompt countermeasures and drastically change its nuclear energy policy.
　地震国日本は原発と共存できるのか。真摯（しんし）に検証した上で、早急に打つべき手を打ちながら、原発政策の大転換を図るしかない。

The biggest problem with nuclear power plants is their lack of measures against tsunami. Measures to protect nuclear plants from tsunami are incorporated in the government's guidelines for the quake-resistance of nuclear power plants that were revised in 2006, but priority has not been given to anti-tsunami measures. Moreover, power suppliers have been slow to re-examine their nuclear plants in accordance with the amended guidelines. TEPCO has not even completed its re-examination.
　まず、誰もが問題だと思うのは津波対策の不備だ。０６年に改定された原発耐震指針に盛り込まれているが、扱いは非常に軽い。新指針に基づく再点検も後回しにされ、東電は点検を終えていない。

On the other hand, some electric power companies strengthened measures to protect their nuclear plants from tsunami following the Chuetsu Offshore Earthquake in Niigata Prefecture in 2007. One of them is the Tokai No. 2 Nuclear Power Plant in central Japan.
　一方で、東海第２原発のように新潟県中越沖地震の後に津波対策を一部強化していたところもある。

It is not permissible to conclude that the crisis at the Fukushima plant was caused by an unexpected massive tsunami.
「想定外の津波」という言葉で事故を総括することは許されない。

TEPCO's responses to the crisis are highly questionable. TEPCO was unprepared for a situation in which all external power sources were lost and it became impossible to cool down nuclear reactors for a long time. This is despite the fact that following the 1979 crisis at the Three Mile Island nuclear power station in the United States, countermeasures against serious nuclear power plant accidents were worked out in Japan to cope with the possibility of more catastrophic nuclear plant disasters.
　事故対応にも疑問は多い。７９年の米スリーマイル島原発事故をきっかけに、設計の想定を超える事態への対応として「過酷事故対策」が日本でも用意された。
　ところが、今回のようにすべての電源が失われ、原子炉が長期間にわたって冷却不能に陥った場合の具体的備えが東電にはなかった。

Initial responses to a nuclear power station accident are extremely crucial. Nevertheless, TEPCO was slow in introducing power-supply vehicles to the crippled plant, ventilating the reactors and pouring sea water into the reactors to cool them down. This shows that TEPCO was unprepared to implement serious accident countermeasures.
　事故対応には初動が何より大事だ。にもかかわらず、電源車の用意や、原子炉の換気、海水注入などに手間取った。過酷事故対策を運用する準備があったとは思えない。

Power suppliers should put priority on securing electric power sources at their nuclear power stations in case of emergency. Guidelines for measures to protect nuclear plants from tsunami and their quake-resistance need to be promptly reviewed.
　当面の課題は、全国の原発で電源確保を確実にすることだ。津波対策や耐震強化の見直しも急がねばならない。

The government has also come under mounting pressure to review its regulations on nuclear power plants and the system to supervise them.
　国の規制や監視体制も改革を迫られている。

We have repeatedly pointed out that it is contradictory that the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency that regulates and supervises nuclear power plants comes under the umbrella of the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry that is promoting nuclear power generation. The government's responses to the accident have illustrated this contradiction. Furthermore, the accident has called into question the raison d'etre of the Cabinet Office's Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC). The government should reorganize these bodies into a completely independent regulatory organization.
監督官庁である原子力安全・保安院が原発推進の立場にある経済産業省に属する矛盾はこれまでも指摘してきた。今回の対応にもその矛盾を感じる。原子力安全委の存在意義も問われている。完全に独立した規制機関を再構築すべきだ。

But the implementation of these measures alone is not enough.
　ただし、こうした「手当て」を施して良しとするわけにはいかない。

Following the crisis at the Fukushima plant, NSC Chairman Haruki Madarame remarked, "Nuclear power stations can't be designed without discarding the potential for some problems, but the accident shows the way the potential problems were disregarded was wrong."
　事故発生後、原子力安全委の班目春樹委員長は「割り切らなければ原発は設計できないが、割り切り方が正しくなかった」と述べた。安全委員長の発言として納得できないが、それに加えて疑問が浮かぶ。

His remarks have raised questions as to whether a catastrophic accident can be prevented if problems are conveniently disregarded and whether it is enough to strengthen safety regulations, improve equipment and work out measures to respond to any emergency situation.
　割り切り方を間違えなければ大事故は起きないのか。安全規制を厳しくし、設備や緊急時の対応策を整えれば、事足りるのかという点だ。

Both the government and power suppliers had emphasized for many years that nuclear power plants are safe because they are protected by multiple safety devices. However, the latest crisis has illustrated the fragileness of the multiple protective devices.
　これまで、電力会社も政府も、原発は安全装置を何重にも重ねた「多重防護」に守られ、安全だと強調してきた。しかし、今回の事故で多重防護のもろさがわかった。

In other words, the accident has demonstrated that complete safety can not be achieved even if far more protective devices are installed at nuclear plants, and that serious accident countermeasures, implemented following the Three Mile Island disaster, have been unable to quickly bring the potential for nuclear disaster under control.
どこまで安全装置を重ねても絶対の安全はなく、過酷事故対策も事故を収拾できなかったというのが現実だ。

　◇依存度下げる決意を

There are arguments that aircraft and trains pose similar safety risks. However, a catastrophic accident involving a nuclear power plant has a far more serious and far-reaching impact over a far lengthier period. The risks posed by the coexistence of unpredictable major earthquakes and nuclear power plants should not be tolerated.
　リスクがあるのは飛行機や列車も同じだという議論もあるだろう。しかし、原発は大事故の影響があまりに大きく、長期に及ぶ。地震国であるという日本の特性も無視できない。予測不能な地震と原発の掛け算のようなリスクを、このまま許容できるとは思えない。

Considering such risks, extreme prudence should be exercised in considering whether to resume the operations of other nuclear power plants in quake-hit areas, such as the Onagawa plant in Miyagi Prefecture. It will be almost impossible to build new nuclear power stations from now on.
　大震災の影響を考えれば、女川原発など被災した原発の再開も非常に慎重に考えざるをえない。今後の原発の新設は事実上不可能だろう。

Based on these realities, we recommend that Japan take the opportunity of the Fukushima disaster to launch efforts to decrease its reliance on nuclear power plants from a long-term perspective. It is unrealistic to simultaneously dismantle all the existing nuclear power plants. Rather, Japan should gradually decrease its reliance on nuclear power generation by prioritizing the dismantling of nuclear power plants that are considered more vulnerable to disasters.
　こうした現実を踏まえ、大災害を転機に、長期的な視点で原発からの脱却を進めたい。既存の原発を一度に廃止することは現実的ではないが、危険度に応じて閉鎖の優先順位をつけ、依存度を減らしていきたい。

Top priority should be placed on decommissioning the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant in Shizuoka Prefecture that sits just above the probable focus of a Tokai quake that is believed certain to occur sooner or later.
　第一に考えるべきは浜岡原発だ。近い将来、必ず起きると考えられる東海地震の震源域の真上に建っている。

In the latest disaster, the focus of several quakes simultaneously moved and caused a massive quake. The possibility cannot be ruled out that the focus of Tokai and Tonankai and Nankai earthquakes in central and western Japan will simultaneously move, causing a huge quake and tsunami.
今回、複数の震源が連動して巨大地震を起こした。東海・東南海・南海が連動して巨大地震・大津波を起こす恐れは見過ごせない。

Aging nuclear power plants are particularly vulnerable to earthquakes because the most advanced technology for ensuring safety of such power stations is not incorporated in them and the most advanced knowledge of seismology is not taken into account in their design.
　老朽化した原発も危険度は高い。原発の安全性の知識も地震の知識も進展している。古い原発にはその知識を反映しにくい。

Japan has relied on nuclear power generation for 30 percent of the total electric power consumed across the country. Many people think that nuclear power plants should be maintained as a stable source of electric power. Some have expressed concern that the Japanese economy could not survive without such power generators.
　日本は電力の３割を原発に依存してきた。安定した電源として擁護論は強い。原発なくして日本の経済が成り立たないのではないかという懸念もある。

Still, we should understand that the "quake-triggered nuclear power plant disaster" occurred as a result of putting priority on the economy over safety. It is hoped that we will come up with ways to live affluent lives without relying on nuclear power plants even though the pros and cons of maintaining such plants should be decided by the whole nation.
　しかし、経済と安全をてんびんにかけた結果としての原発震災を直視したい。最終的には国民の判断ではあるが、原子力による電源に頼らなくても、豊かに暮らすための知恵を絞りたい。

The promotion of recyclable energy sources -- to which close attention is being paid as measures to prevent global warming -- and the achievement of a low-energy consumption society will be a key to breaking away from Japan's dependence on nuclear power. Now is the time for Japan to pursue electric power sources that are suitable for such an earthquake-prone country and adopt lifestyles that match the supply of electricity.
　そのためには、温暖化対策で注目された再生可能エネルギーの促進や低エネルギー社会の実現がひとつの鍵となるはずだ。地震国日本に適した電源と、それに基づく暮らし方を、今こそ探っていく時だ。

毎日新聞　2011年4月15日　0時07分