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

被災地の東北地方に首都圏の機能を移転する。
被災地の広大な敷地を利用してクリーンエネルギーの基地をつくる。
被災地の一部を経済特区にして、海外からも資本を呼び込む。
いろんなアイデアがあります。
今回の災害を肝に銘じ、被災地はアボイドマップに登録して、跡地利用を考える。
１０００年に一度でも、一発でああなります。
やはり、アボイドマップに登録すべきでしょう。
（スラチャイ）

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 10
EDITORIAL: All generations must chip in to rebuild Tohoku region
震災復興財源―増税で被災地支えよう

The compilation of the second supplementary budget to reconstruct stricken areas of the Great East Japan Earthquake is attracting attention.
　東日本大震災の被災地の復興に向けて、第２次補正予算の編成が焦点となっている。

The approximately 4 trillion yen ($50 billion) first supplementary budget somehow came up with funding through a re-examination of this fiscal year's initial budget.
約４兆円の１次補正では今年度当初予算の見直しなどで財源をひねり出したが、

But issuance of additional government bonds appears to be unavoidable in the second supplementary budget, whose amount is larger.
より大規模になる２次補正では国債の追加発行が避けられない情勢だ。

How can the government secure funds to repay the bonds once they are issued?
　国債を発行した後、その返済財源をどう確保するか。

The Reconstruction Design Council in Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake, an advisory panel to the government, recommended a tax increase in its draft for the first proposal to be released at the end of the month.
政府の復興構想会議は、今月末に発表する第１次提言の骨子案に、増税でまかなうべきだという考えを盛り込んだ。

Japan's public finance is in dire straits with overall debt 1.8 times its gross domestic product.
　わが国の財政は、国債発行残高が国内総生産を上回り、国の借金全体では１．８倍に達するなど、極めて厳しい状況にある。

The situation is prompting moves among foreign credit-rating agencies to lower the ratings of Japanese government bonds.
海外の格付け会社は日本国債の格下げに動いている。

It is imperative that the government make arrangements to repay reconstruction funds within a set period without passing on the bill to future generations.
　復興資金まで将来世代につけ回しすることなく、一定期間で返す段取りをつけることが必要だ。

Policymakers of the Democratic Party of Japan, the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito agreed at the time of compiling the first supplementary budget at the end of April to manage government bonds for reconstruction separately from ordinary ones and to ensure their sale and redemption.
民主、自民、公明３党の政策責任者も、４月末の１次補正編成の際、「復興のための国債は、従来の国債と区別して管理し、その消化や償還を担保する」と合意している。

We support the panel's stance.
復興構想会議の姿勢を支持したい。

Some people say the Bank of Japan should buy the bonds, but such an idea could cause many overseas investors to think that Japanese finance is getting out of control and trigger the value of government bonds to nosedive.
　「国債を日本銀行に引き受けさせればよい」との主張がくすぶるが、海外を中心とする投資家から「日本の財政のタガが外れた」と受け取られ、国債急落の引き金になりかねない。

It is indeed a dangerous idea.
危険な考えと言わざるをえない。

Income, corporate and consumption taxes, whose revenues are high, are candidates for tax increases.
　税収が多い所得税や法人税、消費税などが増税の候補だろう。

How should they be combined to come up with needed funds and when and for how many years should the taxes be raised?
どう組みあわせるか、いつから何年程度増税するか。

In addition to paying attention to the economy, the government must address many problems, such as whether residents and companies of the stricken areas should be required to bear the new tax burden.
景気への配慮に加え、被災地の住民や企業にも負担増を求めるかどうかなど、検討課題は多い。

To alleviate tax burdens as much as possible, new systems to promote the flow of private funds to the stricken areas must not be forgotten, either.
　税の負担を少しでも減らすため、民間の資金が被災地に流れる仕組みを整えることも忘れてはならない。

There are budding moves to introduce a special zone designed to encourage businesses to enter the fisheries industry, a proposal announced by the Miyagi prefectural government.
宮城県が漁業への企業の参入を促す特区構想を発表するなど、種はある。

Reforms of both the taxation and social security systems have been discussed in parallel with rebuilding from the disaster.
The government has come up with proposals "to secure consumption tax revenues as a major source based on the viewpoint to have all generations broadly and fairly share the burden" and "to raise the consumption tax rate in phases to 10 percent by fiscal 2015" based on an increase of social security spending in response to the aging society and a goal for restoring fiscal health.
　震災復興と並行し、政府は税と社会保障の一体改革論議で、高齢化に伴う社会保障費の増加や財政再建目標を踏まえて、「費用をあらゆる世代が広く公平に分かち合う観点から、消費税収を主要な財源として確保する」「２０１５年度までに段階的に消費税率を１０％まで引き上げる」との案をまとめた。

How to secure revenues for reconstruction will be studied by taking into consideration such ideas as well.
　震災復興の財源は、こうした方針も考慮に入れて、検討することになる。

We must support the stricken areas with older and younger generations helping each other.
　被災地を支援し、世代間で助け合う。

The burden associated with these two types of mutual support is by no means small.
二つの「支え合い」に伴う負担は、決して軽くない。

But we cannot afford to procrastinate.
しかし、先送りはもはや許されない。

Along with making an effort to eliminate administrative waste and to try to increase tax revenues by invigorating the Japanese economy, this is a challenge we need to tackle squarely without putting it off any further.
行政のむだをなくす努力、日本経済を活発にして税収自体を増やす努力とともに、逃げずに取り組んでいかねばならない。

読売新聞の記事ですが、賛成できました。
アメリカ頼みよりも、日本、ベトナム、フィリピンなどの国々で団結して南シナ海、南沙諸島の海上権益を守るべきですね。アメリカに頼むとつけが大きいような気がします。
中国には自制を求めたい。
話せば、ある程度、わかってくれると思います。
中国は北とは違う。
先日、北朝鮮拉致被害者の会のデモ行進をテレビでみていて、むなしくなりました。
拉致問題に関しては、小泉首相はがんばった。
どれだけ、お金をつかったのでしょうかね。
（スラチャイ）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jun. 11, 2011)
Beijing must exercise maritime self-restraint
南シナ海紛糾　膨張中国に自制を求めたい（6月10日付・読売社説）

Feuds between China and Southeast Asian countries are intensifying over sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea.
　南シナ海の領有権と海洋権益を巡り、中国と東南アジア諸国との確執が深まっている。

The Chinese side should exercise self-restraint.
中国側に自制を求めたい。

In late May, a Chinese patrol boat allegedly destroyed the survey cable of a Vietnamese oil research ship in the South China Sea off Vietnam's central coast.
　ベトナムの石油探査船が５月下旬、同国中部沖合の南シナ海で、中国の監視船によって、探査用ケーブルを切断された。

Hanoi protested and demanded that Beijing pay compensation, claiming the incident happened within Vietnam's exclusive economic zone.
　ベトナム政府は、現場は同国の排他的経済水域（ＥＥＺ）内であるとして、中国に抗議するとともに、損害賠償を求めた。

The Chinese government retorted that it has sovereignty and jurisdiction over the marine area in question. 　中国政府は、問題の海域について、「主権と管轄権を有する」と反論したが、

Regardless, China's unilateral action is clearly unacceptable.
一方的な実力行使は許されるものではない。

Around the same time, the Chinese side erected iron poles and installed buoys on a reef of the Spratly Islands, over which the Philippines claims sovereignty.
　同じ時期、南シナ海のスプラトリー（南沙）諸島では、フィリピンが領有権を主張する岩礁に、中国側が鉄柱やブイを設置した。

===

Pact with ASEAN broken

In 2002, China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, in which they agreed to refrain from building additional structures in the area.
　２００２年に中国と東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）が署名した「南シナ海行動宣言」では、新たな建造物などの建設は控える、としている。

China's latest action has violated this agreement.
中国の今回の行動はこれに反するものだ。

Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie said in his speech at the Asia Security Summit held this week in Singapore that Beijing was making efforts to keep peace in the South China Sea and the situation there was calm.
　中国の梁光烈国防相は今週、シンガポールでのアジア安全保障会議で演説し、「中国は南シナ海の平和維持に尽力しており、情勢は安定している」と語った。

It was a matter of course that his Vietnamese and Philippine counterparts immediately disputed Liang's statement.
　ベトナムとフィリピンの国防相が、直ちに反論したのは当然だろう。

China will never be able to win trust from the international community if what it says has little correspondence with what it does.
言行不一致の対応では、国際社会からの信頼は得られまい。

China has become aggressive at sea because its five-year plan from this year through 2015 emphasizes protection and expansion of its maritime interests.
　海洋権益を巡り、中国が実力行使に出る背景には、今年から２０１５年までの５か年計画で、海洋権益の保護と拡大を重視する方針を掲げていることがある。

===

China's 'inland sea'?

ASEAN members must be firmly united to prevent the South China Sea from becoming China's "inland sea."
　南シナ海が中国の“内海”になるのを阻むには、ＡＳＥＡＮが一致団結することが肝要だ。

ASEAN members decided at their summit meeting in early May to start talks aimed at upgrading the 2002 declaration, in which they decided to resolve conflicts in the South China Sea through talks, to a binding "code of conduct" for the parties.
　ＡＳＥＡＮは５月初めの首脳会議で、南シナ海での紛争を話し合いで解決することを規定した「行動宣言」を、法的拘束力を伴う「行動規範」へ格上げするため、協議開始を決めた。

China should agree to join talks over the code of conduct.
　中国も「行動規範」の協議に応じるべきである。

Sea lanes used by vessels carrying crude oil to Japan also go through the South China Sea.
　南シナ海は日本に原油を運ぶ船舶が航行する要路、シーレーン（海上交通路）が通る海域だ。

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates declared in a speech at the security summit that the United States was committed to "sustaining a robust military presence" to protect freedom of navigation and its other interests in the South China Sea.
　ゲーツ米国防長官は先の安保会議で、南シナ海の自由航行権などを守るために、米国が軍事的関与を続けて行くと表明した。

Japan, which shares interests with the United States, needs to work with Washington to further enhance assistance to ASEAN members.
　利害を共有する日本も、米国と連携し、ＡＳＥＡＮ諸国への支援をさらに強化する必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 10, 2011)
（2011年6月10日01時12分 読売新聞）

あの忌まわしい事件から、早１０年。
残されたご家族の苦しみはまだ続いている。
異例のスピードで処刑されても、亡くなった児童は戻らない。
（スラチャイ）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jun. 10, 2011)
Daily efforts needed to protect children
池田小事件１０年　日頃の備えが子どもを守る（6月9日付・読売社説）

Wednesday marked the 10th anniversary of the murders at Ikeda Primary School, attached to Osaka Kyoiku University, in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, on June 8, 2001.
　大阪教育大付属池田小学校の児童殺傷事件から８日で１０年がたった。

It was a shocking incident in which a knife-wielding intruder fatally stabbed eight first- and second-year students and injured 15 other victims, including teachers.
　包丁を持った男が学校に押し入り、当時１、２年生の児童８人を殺害、教師ら１５人に重軽傷を負わせた衝撃的な事件だった。

Attacked in their classrooms, the children who survived this ordeal are now high school students.
　襲われた教室の児童たちは高校生になった。

Some still suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder.
いまだに心的外傷後ストレス障害（ＰＴＳＤ）に苦しむ生徒もいる。

Long-term psychological support is needed.
心の傷を癒やす、息の長いケアが必要だ。

This incident made our society face the question of how to maintain safety at schools.
　この事件が社会に突きつけたのは、学校の安全をいかにして守るか、という問いである。

One measure introduced by the central government was to improve the crime prevention surveillance systems at schools.
　国が導入した施策の一つに、防犯監視システムの整備がある。

A survey taken three years ago showed that nearly 70 percent of schools had installed such security equipment as cameras, sensors and intercoms.
防犯カメラやセンサー、インターホンなどのいずれかを配置している学校は３年前の調査で、全国の７割近くに上る。

===

Equipment not enough

But the installation of such equipment alone will not prevent intruders from entering school premises.
　ただし、機器を取り付ければ不審者の侵入を防げるというものではあるまい。

More than 1,500 intrusions into schools are reported every year.
毎年、学校施設への侵入事件は１５００件を超す。

Two years after the Ikeda murders, a man armed with a knife entered a primary school in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, and injured two children.
　池田小事件の２年後には、京都府宇治市の小学校に包丁を持った男が侵入し、児童２人にけがをさせた。

The school was equipped with a security camera and sensor, but did not have the camera on at all times.
防犯カメラもセンサーもあったが、カメラは常時監視しているわけではなく、

Also, the sensor was turned off at the time of the intrusion, as teachers were annoyed by the sounds it made.
センサーも「うるさいから」と、切っていた。

A lack of vigilance among teachers can create a blind spot in school crime prevention.
　教職員らの監視の緩みが、防犯上の“死角”を作る。

It is critical for teachers to be always conscious of protecting children and ready to deal with contingencies.
大切なのは、子どもを守るという日頃の意識や万一への備えであろう。

A teacher who was working at Ikeda Primary School when the incident occurred later transferred to another school, and made a number of safety proposals that were accepted.
　事件当時、池田小にいたある教師は、転任先で安全性を高めるための提案をし、受け入れられた。

One of the proposals was to have teachers swap their usual sandals for sports shoes, so they could react quickly to any suspicious person who entered the school.
サンダル履きの教師を、不審者に迅速な対応ができないとして、運動靴に履き替えさせた。

The teacher also proposed moving first-floor classes to higher floors, as first-floor classrooms are vulnerable to intruders.
　教室が１階にあると、不審者に侵入されやすいため、上の階に移動させたという。

===

Roads must be guarded

It is also essential to assure the safety of the roads students use to commute to school.
　通学路の安全確保も欠かせない。

Since the fatal stabbing incident, an increasing number of communities have drawn up safety maps for local children, indicating such dangerous locations as streets that are often deserted.
事件後、人通りのない危険な場所を記した安全マップ作りや、

Many have also started voluntary programs to monitor children on their way to and from school.
住民たちで登下校時の子どもを見守る地域が増えた。

Such efforts need to be regularly reviewed to meet the ever-changing circumstances of local communities.
　その地図や取り組みも、現状に合わなくなってはいないか。常に再点検が求められよう。

Ikeda Primary School was designated as an "international safe school" last year by the World Health Organization.
　池田小は昨年、世界保健機関（ＷＨＯ）から、「インターナショナル・セーフ・スクール」に認証された。

It drew particular praise for its "safety class," a subject offered to all grades.
国際的に「安全な学校」とのお墨付きを得た。
　特に評価されたのは、全学年を対象とした「安全科」の授業だ。

Lessons include drills on how to deal with an intruder and swimming fully clothed in the school pool as preparation for incidents involving water.
不審者への対応訓練のほか、水難事故を想定し、着衣のままプールに入る。

Students also are taught how to escape from a fire by crawling, in drills using a smoke-generating device.
火災訓練では発煙装置を使い、床をはって避難する。

It is very important to help children learn how to protect themselves from crimes and natural disasters.
　犯罪や自然災害から身を守るすべを、子ども自身に学ばせることも重要である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 9, 2011)
（2011年6月9日01時19分 読売新聞）

>>>具体的な金額は自治体の裁量に委ねられる。
こんなんじゃ、もう誰もドネーションをしなくなってしまう。
被災者への分配は、すみやかに、かつ大胆にお願いしたい。
多少の不公平が出てくるのは、災害の性質から、仕方のないことなのだから。
全壊・半壊で線引きせずに、被災地域の住民に均等に配分したらどうか。
（スラチャイ）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jun. 9, 2011)
Govt should send staff to help distribute donations
届かない義援金　応援要員投入し迅速な支給を（6月8日付・読売社説）

Nearly three months after the Great East Japan Earthquake, only about 15 percent of donations collected through various channels is said to have reached people affected by the disaster.
　東日本大震災の発生から、まもなく３か月になるというのに、被災者の手元には、集まった義援金の１５％程度しか届いていないという。

The distribution of this money has been extremely slow. The central government and local governments in disaster-hit areas must make all-out efforts to promptly pass these relief funds to disaster victims.
　あまりに遅い。政府と被災自治体は、速やかな支給に全力をあげるべきだ。

A panel administered by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry to decide on which areas should get how much of this money has compiled a report on the actual situation regarding the provision of these funds.
　厚生労働省が事務局を務める義援金配分割合決定委員会が、義援金の支給状況などをまとめた。

A total of about 250 billion yen has been donated through such organizations as the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Central Community Chest of Japan.
　これまで、日本赤十字社や中央共同募金会などに寄せられた義援金は約２５００億円。

Of this, about 80 billion yen has been sent to 15 disaster-affected prefectural governments as the first batch of relief funds, but less than half of this--about 15 percent of the total donations--has reached victims' pockets.
うち約８００億円が第１次分として、被災した１５都道県に送金された。

The rest of the money is expected to be given to disaster-hit prefectures in a second round of distribution.
　残りも第２次分として被災各県に配分される。

One standard for money handed out has been that owners of "totally destroyed" homes get the twice the amount given to owners of "partly destroyed" homes.
その基準は、全壊世帯に半壊の２倍支給する、といったものだ。

Decisions on the actual amount of money to be distributed are left up to each local government.
具体的な金額は自治体の裁量に委ねられる。

===

More flexibility needed

It is disturbing that much of the donated money has not reached disaster victims.
　問題は義援金が被災者に届かないことである。

Part of the problem stems from the fact that many local governments lost their administrative functions due to the March 11 disaster and are unable to arrange procedures for distributing money to disaster-affected people.
行政機能が損なわれ、支給事務まで手が回らない自治体が多いことが要因だ。

There have been significant delays in work to determine whether a house has been completely or partly destroyed and in issuing disaster damage certificates verifying the level of property damage.
全壊・半壊などを認定し、罹災(りさい)証明を発行する業務も滞っている。

Donations directly provided to disaster-hit local governments from a number of organizations, including the Yomiuri Light and Humanity Association charity, have also reported similar problems.
　「読売光と愛の事業団」など、様々な団体を通じて、被災自治体に直接寄託された義援金も事情は変わらない。

We think the central government should send a sufficient number of staff to help the distribution of money and improve the situation.
　国は事態を改善できる規模で応援要員を送り込むべきだ。

Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Ritsuo Hosokawa has at last announced a plan to survey the actual situation facing local governments that have been unable to distribute donations quickly, and send staff to help if necessary.
細川厚労相はようやく、支給が遅れている自治体の事情を調べて、必要なら人員を派遣する方針を示した。

We hope the government will swiftly implement these measures.
迅速に取り組んでもらいたい。

There also needs to be more flexibility in making official designations of damage levels.
　もっと柔軟に被災を認定することも必要だ。

Private insurance companies have simplified procedures for earthquake insurance payouts by recognizing all houses in certain areas, based on satellite photos, as having been totally destroyed.
　民間の地震保険の場合、損害保険会社は、衛星写真をもとに一定地域内の家屋はすべて全壊とするなど認定を簡略化している。

The insurance industry as a whole has paid out more than 900 billion yen to about 500,000 policyholders.
業界全体でこれまでに約５０万件、９０００億円以上を支払った。

===

Delays invite disappointment

Although it is only natural that donations should be distributed fairly, it would be pointless if the money does not reach disaster victims when they need it for living and other expenses.
　義援金の分配は、公平性を重んじるのが当然としても、被災者が当座の生活資金などを必要とする時に届かなければ意味がない。

We are concerned that the delay in distribution may have disappointed people across the nation and around the world who have generously sent donations.
善意を寄せた日本中、世界中の人を失望させていないだろうか。

We hope officials in affected areas will make innovative efforts to pass on donated money as soon as possible by giving consideration to the actual situation on the ground, such as by uniformly providing people in certain areas with an amount of money for partial damage as a provisional measure before getting around to officially categorizing the damage as complete or partial.
　地域によっては、全壊か半壊かの認定はおいて暫定的に半壊分を一律支給するなど、実情に応じて早く届ける工夫をしてほしい。

There have been questions raised about flaws in the law covering paying condolence money from public coffers to people who lost family members in the disaster.
　家族が死亡した人に公費から支給される災害弔慰金も、法律の不備が指摘されている。

Siblings are not included in the definition of bereaved relatives under the law on providing such disaster condolence grants.
　災害弔慰金法が定める「遺族」の範囲に兄弟姉妹が含まれていない。

This means that a man who lost his elder brother, with whom he had been living, is not entitled to receive condolence money.
このため、兄弟２人暮らしをしていて、兄が亡くなった場合、弟に弔慰金は出ない。

Claiming that such cases are not exceptional in the March 11 disaster, a group of lawyers last week called on the government to revise the law.
　今回の震災ではこうした事例が少なくないとして、弁護士グループが先週、法改正を政府に要請した。

We believe this is worth considering.
検討すべきではないか。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 8, 2011)
（2011年6月8日01時25分 読売新聞）

菅内閣の守護神、毎日新聞の評価。
↓
そもそも密室での鳩山氏との口約束に首相が縛られるいわれはない。
だが、退陣の意向を表明した以上、２次補正処理を「一定のめど」とすることは本来、常識的な線だった。
（スラチャイ）

(Mainichi Japan) June 7, 2011
Political parties should prioritize efforts to control nuclear crisis over power stalemate
社説：首相夏までに退陣　後継体制の議論も急げ

The ongoing political turmoil over when Prime Minister Naoto Kan should step down shows no sign of abating, with the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) trying to settle the situation by setting Kan's departure for this summer while the opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) insists he should resign by the end of June.
　菅直人首相の退陣時期問題をめぐる混乱が続いている。首相が夏をめどに辞任することで民主党執行部は収拾を図るが自民党は月内退陣を求めており、対立は解けていない。

In the meantime, the DPJ and the LDP are eyeing the formation of a provisional grand coalition following Kan's exit.
　民主、自民両党からは首相退陣後、期限つきの大連立で協力を探る動きも出てきた。

With a vision for an ideal system for the government to exert its utmost efforts into rebuilding the regions devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in mind, the ruling and opposition forces should accelerate their debate on the timing of Kan's resignation to prevent the turmoil from escalating further.
政治が復興・復旧に総力を挙げ得る体制はどんな形がふさわしいか。これ以上混乱を拡大しないためにも、与野党は議論を急がなければならない。

Less than three months after the March 11 disaster, Japan's political world once again lacks direction.
　震災発生３カ月を前に、政治の漂流が続く。

The DPJ's internal strife was rekindled after former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama labeled his successor, Kan, a "crook" after Kan suggested remaining in office until early next year even though he had announced his intention to step down.
首相が年明けまでの続投を示唆したことを鳩山由紀夫前首相が「ペテン師」と批判した問題で党内の内紛は再燃、

The prime minister reportedly told the DPJ that he would leave office after having the second supplementary budget bill enacted.
首相は２次補正予算案を成立させ、退陣する意向を党側に伝えたという。

There is no reason for Kan to be bound by a behind-closed-doors oral agreement over his resignation with Hatoyama.
　そもそも密室での鳩山氏との口約束に首相が縛られるいわれはない。

However, one would assume that common sense would dictate that Kan should step down after addressing the second extra budget as he has already announced his intention to resign.
だが、退陣の意向を表明した以上、２次補正処理を「一定のめど」とすることは本来、常識的な線だった。

It's inevitable for the Kan administration to fall into a further lame-duck status following the latest political upheaval, posing a threat to the passage of the second extra budget bill and a special government bond bill.
　今回の騒動で首相の「死に体」化が加速することは避けられない。肝心の２次補正はもちろん、特例公債法案の乗り切りも厳しさを増したと言わざるを得ない。

Political maneuvering over the post-Kan administration is already under way, with both DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada and LDP counterpart Nobuteru Ishihara expressing their positive thoughts over the formation of a temporary grand coalition under a new prime minister, an idea also upheld by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano.
　首相の退陣を織り込んで「ポスト菅」をめぐる動きも始まっている。民主・岡田克也、自民・石原伸晃両幹事長は新首相の下で期限つきの大連立を実現することに前向きな考えを表明、枝野幸男官房長官も理解を示した。

If the grand coalition is brought about, a House of Representatives election will be called after a certain period of time, according to their blueprint currently under discussion.
大連立が実現した場合、ある程度の期間経過後に衆院選を行うことも議論されている。

We have previously urged the ruling and opposition camps to exert their all-out efforts to swiftly address the restoration and rebuilding of the disaster-hit areas.
　私たちはかねて、与野党が総力を挙げ速やかな復興・復旧に取り組むよう求めてきた。

被災地の事情から衆院解散は当分困難であり、内閣不信任決議案が可決されれば政権は退陣を迫られる状況が当面続く。

One way to overcome the deadlock would be to seek a non-Cabinet alliance or form a tentative grand coalition in order to promote the reconstruction of the affected areas smoothly.
閣外協力や、期限つき大連立も復興を進めるひとつの方法だろう。

　だが、ハードルがかなり高いことも事実だ。

However, the LDP is making Kan's resignation by the end of June a precondition for its cooperation with the DPJ. 自民は首相の月内退陣を協力の大前提としている。

Other issues include who would succeed Kan and what to do with tax and social security reforms as well as the compilation of the budget.
肝心の誰が次の首相になるかはもちろん、期間限定とはいえ社会保障・税制改革や予算編成の位置づけをどうするかも大きな問題だ。

Both parties should consider an effective cooperative system in a flexible manner.
実効ある協力体制を柔軟に検討してほしい。

According to a recent Mainichi Shimbun opinion poll conducted after the no-confidence motion against Kan's Cabinet was voted down in the lower house, 85 percent of respondents criticized that the Diet is "not functioning" in addressing the restoration and reconstruction of the disaster-affected areas.
　毎日新聞が内閣不信任決議案否決を受けて行った世論調査では復旧・復興に国会が「機能していない」との回答が８５％に達し、

Furthermore, over 60 percent of pollees were against the submission of the no-confidence motion itself.
決議案提出を「評価しない」とする人も６割を超した。

It is only natural for the public to cast a stern eye on the Diet for its indiscretion.
国民が国会の醜態に厳しい視線を投げかけることは当然だ。

With the rainy season set to hit the Tohoku region, raising concerns for secondary disasters in affected regions, and the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant dragging on, including how to deal with ever-increasing radioactive water at the facility, the ruling and opposition blocs should not interfere with current efforts to control the nuclear crisis regardless of whatever action they take.
　東北地方の梅雨入りを控え被災地の２次災害が警戒され、原発事故も汚染水の処理などが予断を許さない。当面の危機管理に支障を来さないことを与野党は行動の大原則に据えなければならない。

毎日新聞　2011年6月7日　東京朝刊

通常は菅首相を擁護する立場をとる傾向の強い朝日新聞がこの記事を書いた意味は重い。
新聞社で菅首相を面と向かって非難しないのは、毎日新聞だけとなってしまった。
こんなときに政治のドタバタ悲喜劇を繰り返す政治家どもには失望しました。
全員、総入れ替えが妥当です。
（スラチャイ）

2011/06/05
--The Asahi Shimbun, June 4
EDITORIAL: Kan should exit gracefully, not cling to power
「一定のめど」―菅さん、それはない

Within a day of indicating his intention to step down, Prime Minister Naoto Kan started maneuvering to stay in office.
　辞意を表明した菅直人首相が一転、続投をめざすそぶりだ。

Kan didn't refer to his resignation either in a news conference on the night of June 2 after an opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion was voted down, or during a June 3 Upper House session.
おととい夜の記者会見でも、きのうの参院の審議でも「辞任」を口にせず、

His equivocal attitude is causing a lot of confusion.
わけがわからない状況に陥っている。

Is he acting out of a sense of responsibility, feeling that he should not abandon his duty to bring an end to the nuclear crisis and lay a solid foundation for reconstruction from the devastation caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake?
　原発事故から目が離せない。震災復興に道筋をつけずに投げ出せない。そんな首相の責任感からなのか。

Or is he trying to avoid being treated as an irrelevant lame duck by the opposition parties?
　辞めると認めたら、野党から「退陣する首相など相手にできない」と無視されるので、それを避けたいのか。

Whatever the reason, no good will come of a political brawl between lawmakers of the ruling and opposition camps. They should calm down first.
　だが、与野党の国会議員がののしり合っても何も生まれない。ここはまず、お互いにかっかしている頭を冷やすことだ。

Let us set the record straight.
　確認しておこう。

During a meeting of ruling Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers before the Lower House vote on the no-confidence motion, Kan pledged to "pass on responsibility" to a younger generation when it becomes clear that efforts to deal with the aftermath of the disaster have made "a certain degree of progress."
　首相は内閣不信任決議案を採決する前の民主党代議士会で、震災対応に「一定のめど」がついた段階で、若い世代に責任を引き継ぐと表明した。

Following his speech, former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama further explained Kan's remarks. Hatoyama said Kan had agreed to resign as soon as the proposed basic law for the post-disaster reconstruction is enacted and the formulation of a second supplementary budget to finance related measures is firmly on track.
　直後に鳩山由紀夫前首相が立ち、復興基本法が成立し、第２次補正予算案の編成にめどが立った段階での辞任で合意していると補足した。

Kan didn't try to correct Hatoyama as he listened.
　首相はそれを否定せずに聞いていた。

It seemed clear to anybody present that Kan had effectively confirmed his intention to leave office.
だれの目にも辞意を認めたように見えた。

That's why the anti-Kan group of DPJ members of the Lower House who had threatened to support the no-confidence motion decided to abort their revolt.
だから、不信任案に賛成すると息巻いていた「反菅勢力」も沈静化した。

Kan, however, started acting as if he had made no promise to resign.
　ところが、その後、辞意はどこへやらだ。

When asked what he had meant by "a certain degree of progress," Kan referred to cold shutdown of the wrecked reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant--a stable state with the coolant water at a temperature below 100 degrees.
　「一定のめど」を問われて、原発が１００度未満で安定する時点を挙げたのを見ると、

That suggests that Kan is looking to stay in power well into next year, depending on the situation at the crippled nuclear power plant.
来年まで続投する気もあるらしい。

The lawmakers in both the ruling and opposition camps who tried to oust Kan in the middle of a national crisis certainly acted in an extremely irresponsible manner.
　もともと、危機の中で「菅おろし」に走った与野党議員は無責任の極みだった。

Still, Kan was unable to win public support and faced the possibility of a no-confidence motion passing against his Cabinet.
　それでも菅首相は世論の支持を得られず、不信任されそうになった。

In a desperate situation, under the media glare, Kan tried to save his political skin by making the "certain degree of progress" remarks.
　そんなとき、国民注視のなかで飛び出したのが「一定のめど」だった。

It appears, however, that Kan effectively deceived legislators in both camps.
The only thing we can say to the embattled prime minister is, "Mr. Kan, you shouldn't do this."
　結果的に、与野党議員を欺いた発言に、「菅さん、それはないでしょう」というしかない。

Kan's political maneuvering will only cause the opposition parties to harden their attitudes and step up attacks on the government in the Upper House, which is under their control.
　これでは野党が態度を硬化させ、多数を握る参院での政権攻撃を激化させる。

It will also deepen the already serious rift within the DPJ.
民主党内の対立もさらにこじれる。

The upshot will be the lack of progress on key policy issues on both the domestic and diplomatic fronts.
内政課題も外交も停滞してしまう。

It defies common sense that a prime minister who has said he would step down staying in power without making clear when he will leave office.
　いったん辞意を口にした首相が、退任時期を示さないまま地位にとどまり続けるのは無理がある。

Such behavior only deepens public cynicism about politics.
政治不信をさらに膨らませるだけだ。

When should Kan hand over the reins, then?
　首相は、いつ辞めるのか。

The common sense view would be some time soon, within the year.
それは年内の遠くない時期というのが常識的だろう。

As a lame duck prime minister, Kan should act swiftly to pave the way for enactment of a new spending plan and bills for reconstruction efforts.
期限付きの首相として、大震災関連の予算や法案づくりを急ぐのだ。

It would be more convincing if Kan at the same time launched the process of selecting his successor within the party.
　同時に、党内で次の党代表選びの作業にとりかかれば、説得力が増す。

To ensure that a new leader is selected in a less feverish atmosphere, the process should involve not just the DPJ Diet members, who are preoccupied with the power struggle, but all other card-carrying party members.
政争ばかりの国会議員だけでなく、全党員で落ち着いてリーダーを選べばいい。