スポンサードリンク
英文でも日本文でもすなおに感動させていただきました。
まったくその通りだと感じました。
語彙、
raison d'etre レイゾンデトラ 存在理由（語源フランス語）
paleolithic ペイリオリティク 旧石器（時代）の
（スラチャイ）
(Mainichi Japan) February 21, 2012
Editorial: Mainichi vows to be forum of constructive opinions as it marks 140th anniversary
社説：毎日創刊１４０年 今こそ新聞の気概で
Feb. 21, 2012, marks the 140th anniversary of the publication of the Mainichi Shimbun's inaugural issue. Over the past 140 years, society has undergone drastic changes, and roles that the public expects newspapers to play have also greatly changed.
毎日新聞は今日、創刊１４０年を迎えた。長い年月の間に社会のあり様は大きく変わり、人々が新聞に求める機能も変化してきた。
The role of newspapers to report news speedily and accurately has remained unchanged. At the same time, however, the spread of the Internet has called into question the raison d'etre of printed media including newspapers.
迅速で正確な報道は変わらずに大切な仕事だが、一方でインターネットが浸透する中、活字媒体そのものの存在意義も問われる時代となった。
We would like to consider the roles that newspapers should play in modern society from the viewpoints of unearthing news and dispatching our news analysis and opinions.
ここでは、現代における新聞の役割を「ニュースの掘り起こし」と「解説・オピニオン発信」の二つをキーワードに考えたい。
To unearth hidden news, it is necessary for journalists to question common knowledge, be aware of their role of serving public interests and patiently gather materials.
ニュースを掘り起こすためには世間の常識を疑い、報道の公益性を自覚し、粘り強い取材をすることが必要だ。
One example of such efforts is a Mainichi Shimbun scoop in 2000, which uncovered that what a researcher claimed was the excavation of paleolithic stoneware was a fabrication. The reporter who covered the case confirmed the fabrication by repeatedly examining what the researcher called the excavation site.
たとえば、旧石器発掘が捏造（ねつぞう）だったことを暴いた２０００年の毎日新聞のスクープは、定説に疑問を持ち、捏造を続けていた研究家の発掘現場を継続的に取材することで実現した。
In a campaign from 2008 that called for relief measures for children who were not covered by public insurance programs, a reporter who learned that there were children who cannot receive medical treatment because their parents failed to pay national health insurance premiums patiently examined and confirmed the details of the matter.
０８年からの「無保険の子」救済キャンペーンは、親の国民健康保険料の滞納が原因で医者にかかれない子供がいることを知った記者が、実態を地道に調べて実ったものだった。
The Mainichi's scoop on the fabrication of the excavation of paleolithic stoneware forced publishers to rewrite their school textbooks' descriptions of the old stone age, while the campaign on children not covered by public health insurance programs led to the enactment on new legislation. We are determined to continue such news coverage.
前者は教科書を書き換え、後者は新しい法律ができるきっかけになった。今後もこういった報道をめざしていきたいと私たちは思う。
Newspapers are expected to play an increasingly important role in analyzing various social issues and publish commentaries and a range of opinions on these matters. Such analysis and opinions are supposed to shed light on background factors behind various issues, present options to solve them and clarify the risk involved in them. To do so, we need to eliminate rigid views and view various matters from a broad viewpoint.
内外で起こっている事象を解説し、それに対しての多様な意見を掲載する機能も今後、ますます重要さを増す新聞の役割だろう。その問題の背景は何なのか。どんな選択肢があるのか。その場合のリスクは何か。大切なのは硬直した考え方を排し、立体的に物事を見据える姿勢だ。
Japanese society is now filled with a sense of stagnation due partly to the prolonged recession and the public's distrust of politics. Moreover, the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake that devastated extensive areas of northeastern Honshu has highlighted various problems involving Japan.
長引く不況や政治への信頼失墜もあって、今、社会には閉塞（へいそく）感が漂っている。また、昨年の東日本大震災は、この国のさまざまな課題を浮き彫りにした。
History has shown that in such an age, narrow-minded nationalism and overly emotional opinions tend to be prevalent. We must not forget lessons we have learned from newspapers' involvement in Japan's moves to proceed to World War II against the backdrop of such nationalism.
こういう時には得てして、偏狭なナショナリズムや情緒的な意見がはびこりやすいのは歴史が教える通りだ。先の大戦へと突き進んだ流れに新聞も加担したことへの自省は、いつまでも忘れてはならない。
The Mainichi Shimbun is determined to serve as an intersection for various level-headed and constructive opinions and as a place in which we offer materials for discussion that can help our readers develop their own opinions.
毎日新聞は冷静で建設的なオピニオンが多彩に飛び交う交差点でありたい。さまざまに考えるきっかけや材料を提供し、読者が考えを深める広場でありたいと思う。
With a bit of self-pride, we would like to cite a sense of humor and a spirit of unfettered discussion as the characteristics of the Mainichi Shimbun. The career of those working for newspaper companies would quickly end if they became bureaucratic. We would like to adhere to the basics of newspaper workers of raising their awareness about various issues and checking up on authorities.
いささかの自負を込めて、毎日新聞の特質として野性味とユーモアを挙げたい。新聞社で働く人間が官僚的になったらオシマイだ。一人一人が問題意識を持ち、権力をチェックする。そんな新聞人の原点を大切にしたいと思う。
It is important for the Mainichi to have human empathy in its news coverage. A sense of humor and empathy can derive from objectiveness with which one views oneself through the eyes of others. We are determined to continue to boldly and humbly make history as a news organization with our readers right beside us.
また、報道に際しては人情を忘れないようにしたい。ユーモアやぬくもりとは、自分自身を他人の目で見るような客観性から生まれるものだろう。果敢に、しかし謙虚さを忘れず、読者のみなさんとともに新しい歴史を刻んでいきたい。
毎日新聞 2012年2月21日 2時31分
まったくその通りだと感じました。
語彙、
raison d'etre レイゾンデトラ 存在理由（語源フランス語）
paleolithic ペイリオリティク 旧石器（時代）の
（スラチャイ）
(Mainichi Japan) February 21, 2012
Editorial: Mainichi vows to be forum of constructive opinions as it marks 140th anniversary
社説：毎日創刊１４０年 今こそ新聞の気概で
Feb. 21, 2012, marks the 140th anniversary of the publication of the Mainichi Shimbun's inaugural issue. Over the past 140 years, society has undergone drastic changes, and roles that the public expects newspapers to play have also greatly changed.
毎日新聞は今日、創刊１４０年を迎えた。長い年月の間に社会のあり様は大きく変わり、人々が新聞に求める機能も変化してきた。
The role of newspapers to report news speedily and accurately has remained unchanged. At the same time, however, the spread of the Internet has called into question the raison d'etre of printed media including newspapers.
迅速で正確な報道は変わらずに大切な仕事だが、一方でインターネットが浸透する中、活字媒体そのものの存在意義も問われる時代となった。
We would like to consider the roles that newspapers should play in modern society from the viewpoints of unearthing news and dispatching our news analysis and opinions.
ここでは、現代における新聞の役割を「ニュースの掘り起こし」と「解説・オピニオン発信」の二つをキーワードに考えたい。
To unearth hidden news, it is necessary for journalists to question common knowledge, be aware of their role of serving public interests and patiently gather materials.
ニュースを掘り起こすためには世間の常識を疑い、報道の公益性を自覚し、粘り強い取材をすることが必要だ。
One example of such efforts is a Mainichi Shimbun scoop in 2000, which uncovered that what a researcher claimed was the excavation of paleolithic stoneware was a fabrication. The reporter who covered the case confirmed the fabrication by repeatedly examining what the researcher called the excavation site.
たとえば、旧石器発掘が捏造（ねつぞう）だったことを暴いた２０００年の毎日新聞のスクープは、定説に疑問を持ち、捏造を続けていた研究家の発掘現場を継続的に取材することで実現した。
In a campaign from 2008 that called for relief measures for children who were not covered by public insurance programs, a reporter who learned that there were children who cannot receive medical treatment because their parents failed to pay national health insurance premiums patiently examined and confirmed the details of the matter.
０８年からの「無保険の子」救済キャンペーンは、親の国民健康保険料の滞納が原因で医者にかかれない子供がいることを知った記者が、実態を地道に調べて実ったものだった。
The Mainichi's scoop on the fabrication of the excavation of paleolithic stoneware forced publishers to rewrite their school textbooks' descriptions of the old stone age, while the campaign on children not covered by public health insurance programs led to the enactment on new legislation. We are determined to continue such news coverage.
前者は教科書を書き換え、後者は新しい法律ができるきっかけになった。今後もこういった報道をめざしていきたいと私たちは思う。
Newspapers are expected to play an increasingly important role in analyzing various social issues and publish commentaries and a range of opinions on these matters. Such analysis and opinions are supposed to shed light on background factors behind various issues, present options to solve them and clarify the risk involved in them. To do so, we need to eliminate rigid views and view various matters from a broad viewpoint.
内外で起こっている事象を解説し、それに対しての多様な意見を掲載する機能も今後、ますます重要さを増す新聞の役割だろう。その問題の背景は何なのか。どんな選択肢があるのか。その場合のリスクは何か。大切なのは硬直した考え方を排し、立体的に物事を見据える姿勢だ。
Japanese society is now filled with a sense of stagnation due partly to the prolonged recession and the public's distrust of politics. Moreover, the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake that devastated extensive areas of northeastern Honshu has highlighted various problems involving Japan.
長引く不況や政治への信頼失墜もあって、今、社会には閉塞（へいそく）感が漂っている。また、昨年の東日本大震災は、この国のさまざまな課題を浮き彫りにした。
History has shown that in such an age, narrow-minded nationalism and overly emotional opinions tend to be prevalent. We must not forget lessons we have learned from newspapers' involvement in Japan's moves to proceed to World War II against the backdrop of such nationalism.
こういう時には得てして、偏狭なナショナリズムや情緒的な意見がはびこりやすいのは歴史が教える通りだ。先の大戦へと突き進んだ流れに新聞も加担したことへの自省は、いつまでも忘れてはならない。
The Mainichi Shimbun is determined to serve as an intersection for various level-headed and constructive opinions and as a place in which we offer materials for discussion that can help our readers develop their own opinions.
毎日新聞は冷静で建設的なオピニオンが多彩に飛び交う交差点でありたい。さまざまに考えるきっかけや材料を提供し、読者が考えを深める広場でありたいと思う。
With a bit of self-pride, we would like to cite a sense of humor and a spirit of unfettered discussion as the characteristics of the Mainichi Shimbun. The career of those working for newspaper companies would quickly end if they became bureaucratic. We would like to adhere to the basics of newspaper workers of raising their awareness about various issues and checking up on authorities.
いささかの自負を込めて、毎日新聞の特質として野性味とユーモアを挙げたい。新聞社で働く人間が官僚的になったらオシマイだ。一人一人が問題意識を持ち、権力をチェックする。そんな新聞人の原点を大切にしたいと思う。
It is important for the Mainichi to have human empathy in its news coverage. A sense of humor and empathy can derive from objectiveness with which one views oneself through the eyes of others. We are determined to continue to boldly and humbly make history as a news organization with our readers right beside us.
また、報道に際しては人情を忘れないようにしたい。ユーモアやぬくもりとは、自分自身を他人の目で見るような客観性から生まれるものだろう。果敢に、しかし謙虚さを忘れず、読者のみなさんとともに新しい歴史を刻んでいきたい。
毎日新聞 2012年2月21日 2時31分
(Mainichi Japan) February 20, 2012
Changing TEPCO in wake of nuclear disaster
風知草：東電、どう変える？＝山田孝男
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yukio Edano and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) President Toshio Nishizawa have clashed over the utility's future, with Edano demanding that TEPCO hand its management rights to the government in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and Nishizawa arguing that private operation of the company should be retained.
Will reforms be forced through by state power, or will they be implemented independently by TEPCO? In this tense situation I think it is TEPCO that has the weaker hand.
枝野幸男経済産業相（４７）が東京電力に「経営権を渡しなさい」と迫り、東電の西沢俊夫社長（６０）が「民間のままが望ましい」と粘っている。国家権力による強制的改革か、自主的改革かという攻防だが、東電の分が悪いと私は思う。
興味深い逸話がある。
The Jan. 22 morning edition of the Nikkei business newspaper's Tokyo edition featured the front-page headline "Smart meters to be introduced by TEPCO in 17 million households -- almost every home."
日経新聞１月２２日朝刊（東京版）の１面トップは「スマートメーター／東電、１７００万世帯に導入／ほぼ全家庭に」というニュースだった。
Smart meters are digital power meters that do not simply display the total electricity usage like analog meters, but enable users to constantly check -- and control -- how much power they use. They do not need to be checked by meter inspectors, and have been touted as instruments that could contribute to power conservation while helping cut management costs.
スマートメーター（ｓｍａｒｔｍｅｔｅｒ）はデジタル式の電力メーターである。使用量の累計を示すだけの従来のアナログ式と違い、どれくらい使っているか、利用者は常にチェックし、制御できる。検針員もいらない。省エネと経営コスト削減の切り札になると言われている。
The introduction of smart meters is one of the special features of a comprehensive special business plan that TEPCO will compile next month. But from where the company will acquire these meters remains a point of controversy.
その導入計画は、東電が来月まとめる総合特別事業計画の目玉の一つである。注目の論点はスマートメーターをどこから調達するかだった。
Under a TEPCO draft, the meters were to be purchased from a group company for 20,000 to 30,000 yen apiece -- despite the fact that the standard price for overseas manufacturers was about 10,000 yen each. Smart meters have already been put to use in the United States, Germany and Canada.
東電の原案は系列企業から１台２万～３万円の特注機器を３００万台調達するというものだった。海外メーカーの標準は１台１万円程度（米、独、カナダが先行）なのに。
At this point, the Nuclear Damage Liability Facilitation Fund stepped in. The fund is an amalgamated union of members from the public and private sectors backing up TEPCO, amid its financial woes in the wake of the nuclear disaster. To TEPCO, it is like an occupation army. Its stance of seeking nationalization of the utility is no different from that of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
そこで「原子力損害賠償支援機構」が動いた。これは破綻しかけた東電をバックアップする官民合同組織。東電から見れば占領軍のような存在だ。東電の国有化を探る立場は経産相と同じ。
The fund dismissed the utility's draft -- formed under a "TEPCO village" mentality favoring family companies -- and altered it to allow international bidding. The Nikkei reported the amended plan and the background behind it.
この機構が、ファミリー企業優先の「東電ムラ」感覚の原案を差し止め、国際入札方式に修正した。日経は経緯も含めて修正案を伝えた。
According to those with background knowledge on the amendments, it was around late November or early December last year that TEPCO presented its draft to the liability facilitation fund. It was an urgent report that the company said would be publicly announced two days later. But the fund reportedly fiercely opposed the sudden move, asking TEPCO what on earth it was doing.
修正の経緯を知る関係者によれば、東電が原案を機構に示したのは昨年１１月末か１２月初めのこと。それも「あさって発表します」という切羽詰まった通告だった。機構側が「どういうことだ」と反発、激しいやりとりになったという。
Digitalization is convenient, but the system becomes delicate as a result. Furthermore, TEPCO cannot suddenly adopt a ruthless approach toward meter checkers and employees of affiliated companies. Outstanding issues remain, but at the same time, the challenge of overcoming conservatism and efforts to break away from inertia should not be viewed lightly. Isn't this a lesson we have learned from the nuclear disaster that occurred against a backdrop of collusive relationships and slack attitudes?
デジタル化は便利だが、システムは脆弱（ぜいじゃく）になる。検針員や系列企業の社員の雇用に無慈悲でいいということはない。課題は残るが、旧弊を破る挑戦、惰性を断ち切る努力を軽く見るべきではない。それが、癒着とたるみを背景に起きた原発事故の教訓ではなかったか。
In exchange for formulating a general special business plan, the government is to inject 1 trillion yen into TEPCO. But the minister of economy, trade and industry, setting his sights squarely on the TEPCO president, said Feb. 13 that unless TEPCO gives the government a level of voting rights that correspond to the level of funding, then he has no intention of accepting the business plan while he remains in office.
総合特別事業計画の策定と引き換えに政府は東電に１兆円出資する。経産相が東電社長を見据え、出資に見合う議決権をくれなければ「私がこの任にある限り（計画を）認定するつもりは全くありません」とタンカを切った（１３日）。
"A level corresponding with the level of funding" means a two-thirds share of voting rights at general shareholders meetings. If the government obtains this share, it will be able to realign TEPCO's operations. This enables split handling of TEPCO's power generation and distribution businesses.
出資に見合うレベルとは株主総会の議決権の３分の２超。それを握れば、政府は東電の事業を再編できる。今は一体の発電と送電を別々に営むこと（発送電分離）もできる。
Some have received this idea in the hope that it will bring life to the economy. Others, however, have criticized it, saying that it could result in an unstable supply of power and end up destroying economic foundations.
それで経済が活性化するという期待と、電力供給が不安定化して逆に経済基盤を壊すという批判がある。
So is the government aiming to separate the power generation and distribution businesses?
政府は分離を目指すのか。
One government official deeply involved in the process commented, "We have no interest in dogmatic adherence to plans to separate power generation and distribution. What we essentially want to do is review the high economic growth system in which investment in infrastructure surged with the construction of nuclear power plants, and change it to a system suiting an age of power conservation in which no new nuclear power plants are constructed. We think someone should be brought in from outside to head the company (TEPCO)."
渦中の政府関係者に聞くと、こう答えた。
「教条主義的な発送電分離論に関心はない。原発増設で設備投資が急伸した高度成長の体制を見直し、原発新設ゼロと節電の時代に合う体制に変えることが基本。旗振り役のトップは社外から迎えたい」
I respect Nishizawa for fighting his cause without remuneration, but the limits of internal reform at TEPCO have already become apparent.
無給で奮闘の西沢社長には頭が下がるが、体制内改革の限界は既に明らかだ。
The Ministry of Finance is opposed to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry acquiring a two-thirds share of voting rights, as it will have to foot the financial bill if those rights are obtained.
財務省は３分の２の議決権掌握に反対だ。握れば財政負担を迫られるから。
The prime minister, who has his mind set on increasing the consumption tax, has little interest in TEPCO reform. 「増税」一点突破主義の首相は東電改革に関心が薄い。
That may be the case, but at the same time I don't want the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry to lose hope.
それが現実だが、経産相にメゲてもらっては困る。
I'm looking forward to seeing the government lead the company forward.
政治主導に期待する。（敬称略）（毎週月曜日掲載）
(By Takao Yamada, Expert Senior Writer)
毎日新聞 2012年2月20日 東京朝刊
Changing TEPCO in wake of nuclear disaster
風知草：東電、どう変える？＝山田孝男
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yukio Edano and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) President Toshio Nishizawa have clashed over the utility's future, with Edano demanding that TEPCO hand its management rights to the government in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and Nishizawa arguing that private operation of the company should be retained.
Will reforms be forced through by state power, or will they be implemented independently by TEPCO? In this tense situation I think it is TEPCO that has the weaker hand.
枝野幸男経済産業相（４７）が東京電力に「経営権を渡しなさい」と迫り、東電の西沢俊夫社長（６０）が「民間のままが望ましい」と粘っている。国家権力による強制的改革か、自主的改革かという攻防だが、東電の分が悪いと私は思う。
興味深い逸話がある。
The Jan. 22 morning edition of the Nikkei business newspaper's Tokyo edition featured the front-page headline "Smart meters to be introduced by TEPCO in 17 million households -- almost every home."
日経新聞１月２２日朝刊（東京版）の１面トップは「スマートメーター／東電、１７００万世帯に導入／ほぼ全家庭に」というニュースだった。
Smart meters are digital power meters that do not simply display the total electricity usage like analog meters, but enable users to constantly check -- and control -- how much power they use. They do not need to be checked by meter inspectors, and have been touted as instruments that could contribute to power conservation while helping cut management costs.
スマートメーター（ｓｍａｒｔｍｅｔｅｒ）はデジタル式の電力メーターである。使用量の累計を示すだけの従来のアナログ式と違い、どれくらい使っているか、利用者は常にチェックし、制御できる。検針員もいらない。省エネと経営コスト削減の切り札になると言われている。
The introduction of smart meters is one of the special features of a comprehensive special business plan that TEPCO will compile next month. But from where the company will acquire these meters remains a point of controversy.
その導入計画は、東電が来月まとめる総合特別事業計画の目玉の一つである。注目の論点はスマートメーターをどこから調達するかだった。
Under a TEPCO draft, the meters were to be purchased from a group company for 20,000 to 30,000 yen apiece -- despite the fact that the standard price for overseas manufacturers was about 10,000 yen each. Smart meters have already been put to use in the United States, Germany and Canada.
東電の原案は系列企業から１台２万～３万円の特注機器を３００万台調達するというものだった。海外メーカーの標準は１台１万円程度（米、独、カナダが先行）なのに。
At this point, the Nuclear Damage Liability Facilitation Fund stepped in. The fund is an amalgamated union of members from the public and private sectors backing up TEPCO, amid its financial woes in the wake of the nuclear disaster. To TEPCO, it is like an occupation army. Its stance of seeking nationalization of the utility is no different from that of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
そこで「原子力損害賠償支援機構」が動いた。これは破綻しかけた東電をバックアップする官民合同組織。東電から見れば占領軍のような存在だ。東電の国有化を探る立場は経産相と同じ。
The fund dismissed the utility's draft -- formed under a "TEPCO village" mentality favoring family companies -- and altered it to allow international bidding. The Nikkei reported the amended plan and the background behind it.
この機構が、ファミリー企業優先の「東電ムラ」感覚の原案を差し止め、国際入札方式に修正した。日経は経緯も含めて修正案を伝えた。
According to those with background knowledge on the amendments, it was around late November or early December last year that TEPCO presented its draft to the liability facilitation fund. It was an urgent report that the company said would be publicly announced two days later. But the fund reportedly fiercely opposed the sudden move, asking TEPCO what on earth it was doing.
修正の経緯を知る関係者によれば、東電が原案を機構に示したのは昨年１１月末か１２月初めのこと。それも「あさって発表します」という切羽詰まった通告だった。機構側が「どういうことだ」と反発、激しいやりとりになったという。
Digitalization is convenient, but the system becomes delicate as a result. Furthermore, TEPCO cannot suddenly adopt a ruthless approach toward meter checkers and employees of affiliated companies. Outstanding issues remain, but at the same time, the challenge of overcoming conservatism and efforts to break away from inertia should not be viewed lightly. Isn't this a lesson we have learned from the nuclear disaster that occurred against a backdrop of collusive relationships and slack attitudes?
デジタル化は便利だが、システムは脆弱（ぜいじゃく）になる。検針員や系列企業の社員の雇用に無慈悲でいいということはない。課題は残るが、旧弊を破る挑戦、惰性を断ち切る努力を軽く見るべきではない。それが、癒着とたるみを背景に起きた原発事故の教訓ではなかったか。
In exchange for formulating a general special business plan, the government is to inject 1 trillion yen into TEPCO. But the minister of economy, trade and industry, setting his sights squarely on the TEPCO president, said Feb. 13 that unless TEPCO gives the government a level of voting rights that correspond to the level of funding, then he has no intention of accepting the business plan while he remains in office.
総合特別事業計画の策定と引き換えに政府は東電に１兆円出資する。経産相が東電社長を見据え、出資に見合う議決権をくれなければ「私がこの任にある限り（計画を）認定するつもりは全くありません」とタンカを切った（１３日）。
"A level corresponding with the level of funding" means a two-thirds share of voting rights at general shareholders meetings. If the government obtains this share, it will be able to realign TEPCO's operations. This enables split handling of TEPCO's power generation and distribution businesses.
出資に見合うレベルとは株主総会の議決権の３分の２超。それを握れば、政府は東電の事業を再編できる。今は一体の発電と送電を別々に営むこと（発送電分離）もできる。
Some have received this idea in the hope that it will bring life to the economy. Others, however, have criticized it, saying that it could result in an unstable supply of power and end up destroying economic foundations.
それで経済が活性化するという期待と、電力供給が不安定化して逆に経済基盤を壊すという批判がある。
So is the government aiming to separate the power generation and distribution businesses?
政府は分離を目指すのか。
One government official deeply involved in the process commented, "We have no interest in dogmatic adherence to plans to separate power generation and distribution. What we essentially want to do is review the high economic growth system in which investment in infrastructure surged with the construction of nuclear power plants, and change it to a system suiting an age of power conservation in which no new nuclear power plants are constructed. We think someone should be brought in from outside to head the company (TEPCO)."
渦中の政府関係者に聞くと、こう答えた。
「教条主義的な発送電分離論に関心はない。原発増設で設備投資が急伸した高度成長の体制を見直し、原発新設ゼロと節電の時代に合う体制に変えることが基本。旗振り役のトップは社外から迎えたい」
I respect Nishizawa for fighting his cause without remuneration, but the limits of internal reform at TEPCO have already become apparent.
無給で奮闘の西沢社長には頭が下がるが、体制内改革の限界は既に明らかだ。
The Ministry of Finance is opposed to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry acquiring a two-thirds share of voting rights, as it will have to foot the financial bill if those rights are obtained.
財務省は３分の２の議決権掌握に反対だ。握れば財政負担を迫られるから。
The prime minister, who has his mind set on increasing the consumption tax, has little interest in TEPCO reform. 「増税」一点突破主義の首相は東電改革に関心が薄い。
That may be the case, but at the same time I don't want the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry to lose hope.
それが現実だが、経産相にメゲてもらっては困る。
I'm looking forward to seeing the government lead the company forward.
政治主導に期待する。（敬称略）（毎週月曜日掲載）
(By Takao Yamada, Expert Senior Writer)
毎日新聞 2012年2月20日 東京朝刊
--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 17
EDITORIAL: Consumers should lead the charge to reform power industry
東電処理と電力改革（下）―消費者が選ぶ時代に
The process of putting the embattled Tokyo Electric Power Co. under state control will likely serve as the ace in the hole for efforts to reform the electric power industry.
国有化を通じた東京電力の処理は、電力システム改革の切り札になる。
The objective is to create an electric power market in which new entrants can compete on an equal footing with major players.
めざすのは、新規参入者が公平に競争できる電力市場だ。
This would help ensure a stable power supply, the most formidable challenge facing Japan as it grapples with ways to lessen its dependence on nuclear energy.
それは、日本が原発への依存度を減らしていくにあたって、最大の課題である電力の確保にも結びつく。
First, there should be more companies that generate electricity.
まず、発電の担い手を増やさなければいけない。
Given the growing urgency to fight global warming, efforts must focus on renewable energy sources and natural gas.
温暖化対策を考えれば、自然エネルギーや天然ガスの分野が中心だ。
At the same time, efforts must be made to reduce the redundancy of electric facilities and equipment by linking distant power plants with areas where demand for electricity is great.
同時に、全国各地の発電所と需要地を効率よく結んで、電力設備のムダをなくす。
To accomplish these goals, the government has no choice but to dissolve the current setup in which electric utilities have regional monopolies. This would also mean doing away with the system in which a single utility handles all power generation, transmission and distribution.
どちらも、全国を分割して支配する「地域独占」「発電・送電・配電一体」という電力体制を改めることが不可欠だ。
Since the 1990s, the market for power generation and distribution has been nominally opened to new entrants.
９０年代以降、制度上は発電や小売りの自由化が進められた。
But major power suppliers with vested interests have resorted to various means to block the entry of new businesses.
Liberalization of the market is, in fact, in name only. The framework for the power industry needs to be drastically redesigned.
だが、既得権者の電力大手がさまざまな手で新規参入を阻み、有名無実化している。制度設計をやり直す必要がある。
Changes are taking place, however.
すでに変化は起きている。
The March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami served as a wake-up call for quite a few companies and local governments. They now realize the risks of relying solely on TEPCO for power supply. Moves to switch contracts to new suppliers are gaining momentum.
震災を機に、東電だけに電力を依存する危うさを実感した企業や自治体は少なくない。新規事業者に契約を切り替えようとする動きが加速している。
For their part, those start-ups have been hoping to expand their power generation facilities to bolster their supply capability.
新規事業者も、供給力を上げるために発電設備を増やしたいところだ。
Clear direction needed
■政権の意思を明確に
However, they remain skeptical of the government’s commitment to overhaul the power industry and are unable to decide whether to go ahead with their plans. Operators of renewables must be harboring similar doubts.
しかし、いまのところ踏み切れずにいる。国が本当に電力改革に踏み込むのか、疑心暗鬼だからだ。自然エネルギーの発電業者も同じ心境だろう。
The administration of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda must make its stance on this issue explicit and announce that it will drastically liberalize the electricity market.
野田政権は大胆な電力自由化への意思を明確にすべきだ。
The administration would signal it is deadly serious about implementing bold reform if it sticks to its resolve to nationalize TEPCO.
東電の国有化に向けた断固たる姿勢は、その象徴となる。
If it is to encourage new investments in the power industry, the government must also create a mechanism that allows power companies to sell electricity freely.
新たな投資を促すには、電力をもっと自由に売れる仕組みを整えることも重要になる。
The key to the creation of such a setup is the electricity wholesale market. An electric power exchange system has already been established to spur price competition through trading by adjusting demand and supply efficiently.
ポイントは電力卸売市場だ。売買を通じて価格競争を促し、需給を効率的に調整するため取引所が設けられている。
But the exchange has failed to generate the intended result because of the low volume of transactions. Utilities that control transmission networks are to blame for this because they are reluctant to invigorate the electricity market.
ところが、実際には取引量が限られ、思ったような効果をあげていない。送電網を握る電力大手が市場の活用には冷ややかだからだ。
After the reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant and damage to thermal power plants created a power shortage last year, TEPCO restricted the use of transmission networks by other power companies to manage supply and demand in an integrated manner. As a result, trading at the exchange stopped.
震災で電力不足に陥った際、東電は需給を一元的に管理するため、送電網の利用を制限し、取引所での売買はとまった。
Companies that had contracts with other suppliers were also affected by rolling blackouts implemented by TEPCO.
東電以外の事業者と契約していた企業も、計画停電に巻き込まれた。
But they did not openly complain about or criticize TEPCO, apparently in fear that any sign of resistance would incur the wrath of this all-powerful utility.
それでも、表立った苦情や批判が少なかった背景には、後々のことを考えて、強大な支配力をもつ東電に逆らうことへの不安があった。
Given this background, we cannot expect diversified players to enter the market. The government should not allow a single company to disrupt, for selfish reasons, stable power supply by competitors. Transmission networks must become part of an infrastructure that anyone can use equally.
これでは多様なプレーヤーの参入は望めない。１社の都合で他社の安定供給まで妨げられる事態を避けるためにも、送電網は誰もが公平に利用できるインフラにしなければならない。
This is why the transmission and generation of power needs to be separate.
送電部門を発電部門から切り離す「発送電分離」が求められるゆえんである。
Transmission networks for larger areas
■送電網の広域運用を
The government is weighing three plans, from one that separates power generation, transmission and distribution to one in which different companies own each function.
政府内では、機能を分離する形から所有会社を別々にする方法まで３案が検討されている。
Currently, transmission networks are owned by regional utilities. Apart from TEPCO, which will be brought under state control, a new law should be established to separate transmission networks from those utilities.
送電網は現在、電力大手の設備だ。国有化される東電はともかく、他の電力会社が持つ送電網を完全に切り離すには、新たな法律が必要になろう。
Even though it will take much time and effort, companies that are separate from electric utilities should handle transmission networks. That would ensure their independence. The final blueprint should be presented to the power industry so that the separation of the functions can be implemented in phases.
だが、手間がかかっても将来的にはまったく別の企業にして独立性を確保すべきだ。そうした最終的な姿を示し、段階的に分離を進めることだ。
TEPCO should be split up into separate companies responsible for power transmission and generation, respectively. Then, the foundation for setting up a streamlined, neutral transmission company should be laid out. In this context, the cost structure of transmission networks must be made transparent.
New entrants have often complained about expensive fees for using transmission networks. The basis for cost calculation should also be made transparent.
東電を分社化し、送電部門を発電部門と別会社にする。そのうえで、送電網のコスト構造を明らかにし、合理化して中立的な送電会社に向けた基盤をつくる。新規業者が「高すぎる」と批判する送電網の使用料も、算出根拠を透明にする。
Transmission network infrastructures can be used more efficiently when they cover wider areas.
もともと送電網は、広域になるほど効率的に運用できる。
However, different frequencies are used in western and eastern Japan despite the country’s small size, and lines connecting between utilities are not equipped to handle a large amount of electricity in the event of a power crunch. This situation is the inevitable outcome of the existing system in which regional utilities dominate.
それなのに、日本は狭い国土の東西で周波数が異なり、電力会社間の連携線も細い。地域独占を続けてきた結果だ。
Why not start by getting TEPCO’s transmission subsidiary to operate the transmission networks of Tohoku Electric Power Co. and Hokkaido Electric Power Co., both of which are in the 50-hertz zone. Since the Tohoku region and Hokkaido are particularly suited for wind-power generation, this could lead to the increased use of renewable energy.
東電の送電子会社を軸に、５０ヘルツ帯の東北電力、北海道電力と一体運用するところから始めてはどうか。東北、北海道は風力発電の適地であり、自然エネルギーの普及にもつながる。
A public watchdog is also needed to monitor the use of transmission networks. It should be authorized to coordinate supply and demand by working in tandem with the electricity wholesale market. If it is empowered to instruct power generation companies in emergencies, it would lead to the establishment of a power market where fairness is secured.
送電網の運用を監視する公的機関も必要だ。電力卸売市場と連携して、需給の調整を担わせる。いざというときは発電会社にさまざまな命令を出せるようにすれば、市場機能を生かした公正な電力市場にできる。
■地域独占による弊害
For households, the installation of “smart meters” should be promoted as soon as possible. Diversified fee structures should also be made available. If consumers can buy electricity generated by renewables and choose payment plans to suit their lifestyle, power companies will move to meet their needs.
家庭向けでは、通信機能がついた「スマートメーター」の普及を急ぎ、料金体系を多様化させる。消費者が自然エネルギーによる電力を購入したり、自分の生活に合わせた料金メニューを選んだりするようになれば、電力会社は利用者の意向を反映するようになる。
The Fukushima disaster drove home to us the closed nature of the power industry and the harmful nature of maintaining regional monopolies. To clean up the mess left by the disaster, we, as a nation, have no choice but to shoulder a financial burden.
私たちは原発事故を通じて、電力会社の閉鎖性や地域独占の弊害を嫌というほど味わった。事故の後始末で、経済的な負担も背負わざるをえない。
We need to reinvent the power industry, changing it from one manipulated by suppliers to one allowing consumers to take the initiative.
供給者側に都合のいい電力体制から、利用者が主導権を握る時代へ。
Our awareness of the urgency to revamp the power industry will pave the way for such reform.
私たちの問題意識が改革への原動力となる。
EDITORIAL: Consumers should lead the charge to reform power industry
東電処理と電力改革（下）―消費者が選ぶ時代に
The process of putting the embattled Tokyo Electric Power Co. under state control will likely serve as the ace in the hole for efforts to reform the electric power industry.
国有化を通じた東京電力の処理は、電力システム改革の切り札になる。
The objective is to create an electric power market in which new entrants can compete on an equal footing with major players.
めざすのは、新規参入者が公平に競争できる電力市場だ。
This would help ensure a stable power supply, the most formidable challenge facing Japan as it grapples with ways to lessen its dependence on nuclear energy.
それは、日本が原発への依存度を減らしていくにあたって、最大の課題である電力の確保にも結びつく。
First, there should be more companies that generate electricity.
まず、発電の担い手を増やさなければいけない。
Given the growing urgency to fight global warming, efforts must focus on renewable energy sources and natural gas.
温暖化対策を考えれば、自然エネルギーや天然ガスの分野が中心だ。
At the same time, efforts must be made to reduce the redundancy of electric facilities and equipment by linking distant power plants with areas where demand for electricity is great.
同時に、全国各地の発電所と需要地を効率よく結んで、電力設備のムダをなくす。
To accomplish these goals, the government has no choice but to dissolve the current setup in which electric utilities have regional monopolies. This would also mean doing away with the system in which a single utility handles all power generation, transmission and distribution.
どちらも、全国を分割して支配する「地域独占」「発電・送電・配電一体」という電力体制を改めることが不可欠だ。
Since the 1990s, the market for power generation and distribution has been nominally opened to new entrants.
９０年代以降、制度上は発電や小売りの自由化が進められた。
But major power suppliers with vested interests have resorted to various means to block the entry of new businesses.
Liberalization of the market is, in fact, in name only. The framework for the power industry needs to be drastically redesigned.
だが、既得権者の電力大手がさまざまな手で新規参入を阻み、有名無実化している。制度設計をやり直す必要がある。
Changes are taking place, however.
すでに変化は起きている。
The March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami served as a wake-up call for quite a few companies and local governments. They now realize the risks of relying solely on TEPCO for power supply. Moves to switch contracts to new suppliers are gaining momentum.
震災を機に、東電だけに電力を依存する危うさを実感した企業や自治体は少なくない。新規事業者に契約を切り替えようとする動きが加速している。
For their part, those start-ups have been hoping to expand their power generation facilities to bolster their supply capability.
新規事業者も、供給力を上げるために発電設備を増やしたいところだ。
Clear direction needed
■政権の意思を明確に
However, they remain skeptical of the government’s commitment to overhaul the power industry and are unable to decide whether to go ahead with their plans. Operators of renewables must be harboring similar doubts.
しかし、いまのところ踏み切れずにいる。国が本当に電力改革に踏み込むのか、疑心暗鬼だからだ。自然エネルギーの発電業者も同じ心境だろう。
The administration of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda must make its stance on this issue explicit and announce that it will drastically liberalize the electricity market.
野田政権は大胆な電力自由化への意思を明確にすべきだ。
The administration would signal it is deadly serious about implementing bold reform if it sticks to its resolve to nationalize TEPCO.
東電の国有化に向けた断固たる姿勢は、その象徴となる。
If it is to encourage new investments in the power industry, the government must also create a mechanism that allows power companies to sell electricity freely.
新たな投資を促すには、電力をもっと自由に売れる仕組みを整えることも重要になる。
The key to the creation of such a setup is the electricity wholesale market. An electric power exchange system has already been established to spur price competition through trading by adjusting demand and supply efficiently.
ポイントは電力卸売市場だ。売買を通じて価格競争を促し、需給を効率的に調整するため取引所が設けられている。
But the exchange has failed to generate the intended result because of the low volume of transactions. Utilities that control transmission networks are to blame for this because they are reluctant to invigorate the electricity market.
ところが、実際には取引量が限られ、思ったような効果をあげていない。送電網を握る電力大手が市場の活用には冷ややかだからだ。
After the reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant and damage to thermal power plants created a power shortage last year, TEPCO restricted the use of transmission networks by other power companies to manage supply and demand in an integrated manner. As a result, trading at the exchange stopped.
震災で電力不足に陥った際、東電は需給を一元的に管理するため、送電網の利用を制限し、取引所での売買はとまった。
Companies that had contracts with other suppliers were also affected by rolling blackouts implemented by TEPCO.
東電以外の事業者と契約していた企業も、計画停電に巻き込まれた。
But they did not openly complain about or criticize TEPCO, apparently in fear that any sign of resistance would incur the wrath of this all-powerful utility.
それでも、表立った苦情や批判が少なかった背景には、後々のことを考えて、強大な支配力をもつ東電に逆らうことへの不安があった。
Given this background, we cannot expect diversified players to enter the market. The government should not allow a single company to disrupt, for selfish reasons, stable power supply by competitors. Transmission networks must become part of an infrastructure that anyone can use equally.
これでは多様なプレーヤーの参入は望めない。１社の都合で他社の安定供給まで妨げられる事態を避けるためにも、送電網は誰もが公平に利用できるインフラにしなければならない。
This is why the transmission and generation of power needs to be separate.
送電部門を発電部門から切り離す「発送電分離」が求められるゆえんである。
Transmission networks for larger areas
■送電網の広域運用を
The government is weighing three plans, from one that separates power generation, transmission and distribution to one in which different companies own each function.
政府内では、機能を分離する形から所有会社を別々にする方法まで３案が検討されている。
Currently, transmission networks are owned by regional utilities. Apart from TEPCO, which will be brought under state control, a new law should be established to separate transmission networks from those utilities.
送電網は現在、電力大手の設備だ。国有化される東電はともかく、他の電力会社が持つ送電網を完全に切り離すには、新たな法律が必要になろう。
Even though it will take much time and effort, companies that are separate from electric utilities should handle transmission networks. That would ensure their independence. The final blueprint should be presented to the power industry so that the separation of the functions can be implemented in phases.
だが、手間がかかっても将来的にはまったく別の企業にして独立性を確保すべきだ。そうした最終的な姿を示し、段階的に分離を進めることだ。
TEPCO should be split up into separate companies responsible for power transmission and generation, respectively. Then, the foundation for setting up a streamlined, neutral transmission company should be laid out. In this context, the cost structure of transmission networks must be made transparent.
New entrants have often complained about expensive fees for using transmission networks. The basis for cost calculation should also be made transparent.
東電を分社化し、送電部門を発電部門と別会社にする。そのうえで、送電網のコスト構造を明らかにし、合理化して中立的な送電会社に向けた基盤をつくる。新規業者が「高すぎる」と批判する送電網の使用料も、算出根拠を透明にする。
Transmission network infrastructures can be used more efficiently when they cover wider areas.
もともと送電網は、広域になるほど効率的に運用できる。
However, different frequencies are used in western and eastern Japan despite the country’s small size, and lines connecting between utilities are not equipped to handle a large amount of electricity in the event of a power crunch. This situation is the inevitable outcome of the existing system in which regional utilities dominate.
それなのに、日本は狭い国土の東西で周波数が異なり、電力会社間の連携線も細い。地域独占を続けてきた結果だ。
Why not start by getting TEPCO’s transmission subsidiary to operate the transmission networks of Tohoku Electric Power Co. and Hokkaido Electric Power Co., both of which are in the 50-hertz zone. Since the Tohoku region and Hokkaido are particularly suited for wind-power generation, this could lead to the increased use of renewable energy.
東電の送電子会社を軸に、５０ヘルツ帯の東北電力、北海道電力と一体運用するところから始めてはどうか。東北、北海道は風力発電の適地であり、自然エネルギーの普及にもつながる。
A public watchdog is also needed to monitor the use of transmission networks. It should be authorized to coordinate supply and demand by working in tandem with the electricity wholesale market. If it is empowered to instruct power generation companies in emergencies, it would lead to the establishment of a power market where fairness is secured.
送電網の運用を監視する公的機関も必要だ。電力卸売市場と連携して、需給の調整を担わせる。いざというときは発電会社にさまざまな命令を出せるようにすれば、市場機能を生かした公正な電力市場にできる。
■地域独占による弊害
For households, the installation of “smart meters” should be promoted as soon as possible. Diversified fee structures should also be made available. If consumers can buy electricity generated by renewables and choose payment plans to suit their lifestyle, power companies will move to meet their needs.
家庭向けでは、通信機能がついた「スマートメーター」の普及を急ぎ、料金体系を多様化させる。消費者が自然エネルギーによる電力を購入したり、自分の生活に合わせた料金メニューを選んだりするようになれば、電力会社は利用者の意向を反映するようになる。
The Fukushima disaster drove home to us the closed nature of the power industry and the harmful nature of maintaining regional monopolies. To clean up the mess left by the disaster, we, as a nation, have no choice but to shoulder a financial burden.
私たちは原発事故を通じて、電力会社の閉鎖性や地域独占の弊害を嫌というほど味わった。事故の後始末で、経済的な負担も背負わざるをえない。
We need to reinvent the power industry, changing it from one manipulated by suppliers to one allowing consumers to take the initiative.
供給者側に都合のいい電力体制から、利用者が主導権を握る時代へ。
Our awareness of the urgency to revamp the power industry will pave the way for such reform.
私たちの問題意識が改革への原動力となる。
(Mainichi Japan) February 18, 2012
With parties foundering, now may be time for direct election of PMs
松田喬和の首相番日誌：浮上するか、公選制
The support rate for the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has been declining. Recent opinion polls by media organizations all show that his administration's approval rating has plunged to somewhere in the 30 percent neighborhood, while the disapproval rate has climbed to some 50 percent.
野田佳彦政権の内閣支持率低下が依然続いている。最近出されたマスコミ各社の調査では、軒並み支持率は３０％前後に下落。逆に不支持率は５０％前後まで上昇した。
"Basically, I should take the results seriously," said Prime Minister Noda during a House of Representatives Budget Committee session when asked about the unpopularity of his Cabinet. However, he also stressed that sometimes the prime minister "has to be ready to convince the public even when faced with harsh opinions at a particular moment."
この点を衆院予算委でただされた野田首相は「基本的には真摯（しんし）に受け取るべきだ」と述べる一方「現状では厳しい世論であっても、それを説得することを覚悟しなくてはならない場面もあると思う」と強調した。
Noda is absolutely determined to raise the consumption tax -- something which most opinion poll respondents oppose. On the other hand, with Japan facing an increasingly greying society, members of the public are becoming more aware that it would be impossible to maintain the current social security system without a consumption tax hike. Noda is apparently encouraged by this growing recognition.
野田首相が不退転の決意で臨んでいる消費増税について、世論調査では反対論が上回っている。一方、一層進む高齢化社会で、消費増税なしに社会保障制度を維持することは不可能との認識も広まっている。これに野田首相も意を強くしたようだ。
Nevertheless, the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has seen its party approval rate fall, while the largest opposition Liberal Democratic Party's support rate remains stuck in neutral. As a result, the number of independents has jumped from somewhere around 50 percent to nearly 70 percent, according to one survey.
ただ、政党支持率では民主党は下落し、自民党も伸び悩み。結果として無党派層が増え、半数前後から７割近くという調査結果が出ている。
This demographic is the target of the host of newly emerging parties across the nation.
この層をターゲットとする新党作りが各地で起きている。
One of them, "Osaka Ishin no Kai" (Osaka Restoration Association), a regional party led by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, has drawn up a manifesto called "Senchu Hassaku" -- the same title given to policy proposals thought to have been drafted by the late-Edo era revolutionary hero Sakamoto Ryoma.
橋下徹大阪市長率いる大阪維新の会は公約集「船中八策」を早くも打ち出した。
Prime Minister Noda hailed the local party's policy pledges, saying, "It's good to raise questions about the way this country should be from various perspectives." Mayor Hashimoto was apparently flattered by the remarks, responding, "I'm glad the prime minister commented on what one local political group has been doing."
予算委で「船中八策」への感想を求められた野田首相は、「国のあるべき姿を、いろんな立場から問題提起することはよい」と歓迎。それを聞いた橋下市長も「一ローカルの政治グループのやっていることにコメントしていただき、うれしい」と呼応した。
The Hashimoto-version of "Senchu Hassaku" (literally, eight proposals made aboard ship) advocates direct election of the prime minister. Such a system has often been proposed in times of political chaos. In a recent opinion poll, over 70 percent of respondents favored the direct election of prime ministers.
「船中八策」で注目すべきは、首相公選制だ。過去にも政治が機能不全に見舞われると、首相公選制が浮上していたが、今回も７割以上が賛成の調査結果も出ている。
Former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, who has been advocating direct election of prime ministers for some 50 years under the slogan, "Let's be able to choose our lovers and our prime ministers," underscores the advantages of the system.
「恋人と首相は自分で選ぶ」を、キャッチコピーに半世紀前から首相公選制を提唱している中曽根康弘元首相は、そのメリットを力説する。
"What is appropriate for Japan as a communal nation is a system to elect the people by the people.
「共同体国家の日本にふさわしいのは、国民を国民が選ぶ制度だ。
If we set the (prime minister's) term at four years, with a maximum of two terms, the country's executive power would be stable.
任期を４年とし、再選までとすれば、国の執行権は安定する。
It is irrational that while people can directly elect the heads of their local governments, they can't do the same with the prime minister.
自治体の首長を直接選びながら、首相は別というのはおかしい。
Based on past experience, the Japanese people should have enough self-esteem to know they have the right to elect their own prime minister.
これまでの経験から、国民は首相を選べる有資格者と自負しているはずだ。
Once elected, the person would be appointed as prime minister by the Emperor," Nakasone said.
選出された首相を天皇が任命すればよい」
(By Takakazu Matsuda, Expert Senior Writer, Age 66)
（専門編集委員、６６歳）
毎日新聞 2012年2月18日 東京朝刊
With parties foundering, now may be time for direct election of PMs
松田喬和の首相番日誌：浮上するか、公選制
The support rate for the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has been declining. Recent opinion polls by media organizations all show that his administration's approval rating has plunged to somewhere in the 30 percent neighborhood, while the disapproval rate has climbed to some 50 percent.
野田佳彦政権の内閣支持率低下が依然続いている。最近出されたマスコミ各社の調査では、軒並み支持率は３０％前後に下落。逆に不支持率は５０％前後まで上昇した。
"Basically, I should take the results seriously," said Prime Minister Noda during a House of Representatives Budget Committee session when asked about the unpopularity of his Cabinet. However, he also stressed that sometimes the prime minister "has to be ready to convince the public even when faced with harsh opinions at a particular moment."
この点を衆院予算委でただされた野田首相は「基本的には真摯（しんし）に受け取るべきだ」と述べる一方「現状では厳しい世論であっても、それを説得することを覚悟しなくてはならない場面もあると思う」と強調した。
Noda is absolutely determined to raise the consumption tax -- something which most opinion poll respondents oppose. On the other hand, with Japan facing an increasingly greying society, members of the public are becoming more aware that it would be impossible to maintain the current social security system without a consumption tax hike. Noda is apparently encouraged by this growing recognition.
野田首相が不退転の決意で臨んでいる消費増税について、世論調査では反対論が上回っている。一方、一層進む高齢化社会で、消費増税なしに社会保障制度を維持することは不可能との認識も広まっている。これに野田首相も意を強くしたようだ。
Nevertheless, the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has seen its party approval rate fall, while the largest opposition Liberal Democratic Party's support rate remains stuck in neutral. As a result, the number of independents has jumped from somewhere around 50 percent to nearly 70 percent, according to one survey.
ただ、政党支持率では民主党は下落し、自民党も伸び悩み。結果として無党派層が増え、半数前後から７割近くという調査結果が出ている。
This demographic is the target of the host of newly emerging parties across the nation.
この層をターゲットとする新党作りが各地で起きている。
One of them, "Osaka Ishin no Kai" (Osaka Restoration Association), a regional party led by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, has drawn up a manifesto called "Senchu Hassaku" -- the same title given to policy proposals thought to have been drafted by the late-Edo era revolutionary hero Sakamoto Ryoma.
橋下徹大阪市長率いる大阪維新の会は公約集「船中八策」を早くも打ち出した。
Prime Minister Noda hailed the local party's policy pledges, saying, "It's good to raise questions about the way this country should be from various perspectives." Mayor Hashimoto was apparently flattered by the remarks, responding, "I'm glad the prime minister commented on what one local political group has been doing."
予算委で「船中八策」への感想を求められた野田首相は、「国のあるべき姿を、いろんな立場から問題提起することはよい」と歓迎。それを聞いた橋下市長も「一ローカルの政治グループのやっていることにコメントしていただき、うれしい」と呼応した。
The Hashimoto-version of "Senchu Hassaku" (literally, eight proposals made aboard ship) advocates direct election of the prime minister. Such a system has often been proposed in times of political chaos. In a recent opinion poll, over 70 percent of respondents favored the direct election of prime ministers.
「船中八策」で注目すべきは、首相公選制だ。過去にも政治が機能不全に見舞われると、首相公選制が浮上していたが、今回も７割以上が賛成の調査結果も出ている。
Former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, who has been advocating direct election of prime ministers for some 50 years under the slogan, "Let's be able to choose our lovers and our prime ministers," underscores the advantages of the system.
「恋人と首相は自分で選ぶ」を、キャッチコピーに半世紀前から首相公選制を提唱している中曽根康弘元首相は、そのメリットを力説する。
"What is appropriate for Japan as a communal nation is a system to elect the people by the people.
「共同体国家の日本にふさわしいのは、国民を国民が選ぶ制度だ。
If we set the (prime minister's) term at four years, with a maximum of two terms, the country's executive power would be stable.
任期を４年とし、再選までとすれば、国の執行権は安定する。
It is irrational that while people can directly elect the heads of their local governments, they can't do the same with the prime minister.
自治体の首長を直接選びながら、首相は別というのはおかしい。
Based on past experience, the Japanese people should have enough self-esteem to know they have the right to elect their own prime minister.
これまでの経験から、国民は首相を選べる有資格者と自負しているはずだ。
Once elected, the person would be appointed as prime minister by the Emperor," Nakasone said.
選出された首相を天皇が任命すればよい」
(By Takakazu Matsuda, Expert Senior Writer, Age 66)
（専門編集委員、６６歳）
毎日新聞 2012年2月18日 東京朝刊
--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 16
EDITORIAL: Put TEPCO under new management as part of restructuring effort
東電処理と電力改革（上）―国民負担は避けられない
■国の責任でリストラ徹底
Japan is beset by an unprecedented nuclear disaster. In this editorial, one of two devoted to the issue, we outline steps the government is being forced to consider to reform the nation's troubled power industry.
Central to this issue is the future of Tokyo Electric Power Co., the embattled operator of Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, which faces financial ruin.
かつてない原発事故を起こした東京電力をどのように処理していくか。それは、電力システム改革への試金石ともなる。
２回にわけて、私たちの考え方を示したい。
◇ ◇ ◇
Few people would dispute that TEPCO has an obligation to shoulder the bulk of the colossal costs associated with the catastrophe at the Fukushima plant.
福島第一原発の事故にともなう巨額の費用は、東電に徹底的に負担させる。ほとんどの人は異論あるまい。
Clearly, it is impossible for the utility to bear all the costs. There is no doubt that taxpayers will end up footing a substantial portion of the bill through higher electricity rates or taxes.
しかし、とても追いつかないだろう。最後は、電気料金や税金の形で国民が負担せざるをえない。
This is the reality confronting TEPCO in determining the company's future.
これが東電処理の現実だ。
But first, let us take a look at the plan the government is drawing up to ride out the crisis.
政府がいま進めている計画を確認しておこう。
It has decided to inject public funds totaling 1 trillion yen ($12.75 billion) into the company, which has little chance of surviving on its own.
経営難に陥っている東電に対し、１兆円の国費を資本注入することは既定路線だ。
The huge injection of taxpayer money is aimed at preventing disruptions in electricity supply and turmoil in financial markets.
電力の供給が滞ったり、金融市場が混乱したりするのを避けるための措置である。
But the Finance Ministry is voicing doubts about the wisdom of the government acquiring a more than two-thirds stake in the company, which would make it directly responsible for the utility’s management. That, the ministry fears, could entail an additional fiscal burden for the government in the future.
ところが、東電の３分の２超の株式を取得して、経営に直接、責任を負うことには、財務省から慎重論が出ている。将来的な財政負担につながりかねないという理由からだ。
Instead, it wants the government to provide funds to tide over TEPCO for the time being. Under this scenario, TEPCO would remain as a private-sector company and eventually pay back the money it receives from the government.
国が必要な資金を出すにしても、あくまで「当面」のこと。民間企業としての東電を残し、いずれは返してもらう――。そんな思惑である。
At first glance, this idea is attractive, at least from the viewpoint of minimizing the financial burden on the public. This is because the nuclear damage liability facilitation fund law, enacted to enable the government to help TEPCO pay compensation to victims of the nuclear disaster, is also rooted in this concept.
国民負担の回避という点で、この理屈は一見、もっともらしい。東電の賠償資金を国が支援するために施行された原子力損害賠償支援機構法も、そうした考え方に立っている。
But does it really make sense, from a long-term perspective, to allow TEPCO to continue to exist in its current form?
だが、長い目で見て、いまの東電を存続させることは合理的なシナリオだろうか。
For TEPCO to pay back the money, the government would have to maximize the profits the company earns. To protect TEPCO’s monopoly on the regional power market, the government would have to make it almost impossible for other players to enter the market.
東電から確実に返済させるには、できるだけ稼いでもらわなければならない。それには、東電の地域独占を守り、電力市場への新規参入はできるだけ少なくしたほうが得策だ。
In short, there would be a powerful disincentive for the government to embark on reforming the nation’s electricity supply system.
つまり、電力改革にはまともに手をつけないということになる。
There would be no momentum for drastic restructuring and selling off power plants.
発電所売却などの思い切ったリストラも進まない。
The TEPCO management would have a strong incentive to minimize the compensation it pays to victims. This could result in further delays in the company’s negotiations with victims over compensation.
経営陣には、賠償額をできるだけ抑えようという誘因がはたらく。被害者との交渉は、いま以上に遅れかねない。
Still, it would be a tall order for TEPCO to raise the necessary funds to stay in business.
それでも、東電が必要な資金を捻出するのは至難のわざだ。
The job of cleaning up the nuclear mess could be a financial black hole. As for the costs of decommissioning the crippled reactors, it is not even clear how the melted nuclear fuel could be recovered.
廃炉費用ひとつとっても、溶け出した核燃料の回収は手法のめどすら立っていない。
It is generally estimated that tens of billions of yen are needed to decommission a reactor that has reached the end of its useful life. But TEPCO must deal with four reactors that have been disabled by the accident. It will take three to four decades to dismantle these facilities. The total bill will most definitely balloon to more than 1 trillion yen.
ふつうに寿命を迎えた原発でも、廃炉には数百億円かかるとされる。ましてや事故炉が４基だ。最終撤去まで３０～４０年かかる。総額が兆円単位に膨らむことは間違いない。
The cost will further grow if the two remaining reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 plant and the four reactors at the Fukushima No. 2 plant are factored in.
福島第一原発の残り２基と福島第二原発の４基も含めれば、費用はさらに増える。
The company is already under financial strain due to growing fuel costs resulting from expanded use of thermal power generation.
足元では、火力発電の増強による燃料代の高騰が経営をゆさぶる。
It is impossible to estimate how much money will be needed to decontaminate areas hit by radioactive fallout.
除染の費用は、いくらになるか見当もつかない。
TEPCO has no choice but to cut back on new investment. In doing so, it runs the risk of seriously undermining its ability to provide proper maintenance of its power supply facilities. That, in turn, could jeopardize the electricity supply situation to the Tokyo metropolitan area.
追い込まれる東電は新規投資を手控えるだろう。電力設備の保守すら危うくなれば、首都圏の電力供給に支障が出る。
If the government wanted to avoid providing public funds to bail out TEPCO by making sure the firm will generate sufficient profits, it would have no choice but to force businesses and households in Tokyo and surrounding areas to accept exorbitant hikes in electricity bills.
結局、財政負担を回避するため、東電に利益を確保させようとすると、首都圏の企業や家庭に、法外な料金値上げを求めざるをえない。
Another option would be for the government to take control of TEPCO's management, fully expecting to be forced to use taxpayer money.
もう一方の道は、国民負担を覚悟のうえで、国が経営権を握るルートだ。
The responsibility for the catastrophe rests primarily with TEPCO. That said, the government had been promoting nuclear power generation as a national policy.
今回の事故の責任は一義的には東電にあるが、原子力発電は「国策」でもあった。
It had prompted the expansion of nuclear power generation, permitted the construction of the nuclear power plant and overlooked the company’s failure to take sufficient safety measures. Nobody would argue that the government shares in the responsibility for the accident.
政府が推進し、建設を許可し、安全対策への怠慢を放置してきた。国にまったく責任がないと考える人はいないはずだ。
In the scandal over cases of AIDS contracted from contaminated blood products and hepatitis B contracted from childhood vaccination, the government has decided to provide financial relief and pay compensation to victims. In doing so, it is taking responsibility for the policy mistakes that led to the public health disasters.
薬害エイズやＢ型肝炎では、政策責任をとって国が被害者の救済や賠償を担った。
If the government decides to assume ultimate responsibility to deal with the aftermath of the nuclear disaster triggered by the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, it would be able to use the process to open up new possibilities for the nation’s power market.
今回の後始末も、最後は国として引き受ける。そこさえ腹を決めれば、東電処理を電力市場の新しい可能性へとつなげられる。
Herein lies the biggest significance of nationalizing the utility.
国有化の最大の意味は、そこにある。
Obviously, the financial burden to the public should be kept to a minimum.
もちろん、国民負担は最小限にとどめるべきだ。
That would require the government to exhaustively restructure TEPCO to scrape up as much cash as possible to pay off the debt.
そのためには、まず東電のリストラを徹底し、負債にあてる原資を最大限ひねり出す必要がある。
TEPCO is effectively in a state of negative net worth as its liabilities exceed its assets.
東電は実質的に債務超過の状態だ。
Free market principles would dictate that the company should go face legal bankruptcy procedures.
本来なら、市場のルールに従って破綻（はたん）処理されるはずの企業である。
The company’s stock should be declared valueless. Even though it has used up a big chunk of its capital surplus to deal with the situation, TEPCO still has some 900 billion yen in equity capital.
株式の価値はゼロにする。東電は剰余金を相当取り崩したものの、９千億円ほどの資本金がある。
As long as taxpayer money is used to deal with the utility mess, shareholders should accept the loss of their investment in the company.
国民の税金が投じられる以上、株主が損失を負担するのは当然だ。
The government should also require the company’s creditor banks to forgive at least part of the debts owed by TEPCO to them.
金融機関にも一定の債権放棄を求める。
Financial institutions are supposed to impose market discipline on corporate financing by lending money to companies at interest rates that reflect the risks of their businesses assessed through rigorous examinations.
融資先の事業リスクを審査してリスクに見合った金利をつけることで市場の規律を働かせるのが金融の役割だ。
But the banks had been providing funds to TEPCO at favorable terms. That’s because there was a tacit understanding that the government would protect regional power monopolies at any cost.
にもかかわらず、銀行は東電に有利な条件で資金を提供してきた。地域独占の電力会社は何があっても政府が守るという暗黙の理解があったからだ。
That attitude reflects their underestimation of the safety risks of nuclear power generation. The financial institutions should pay the price for that.
それは、原発リスクを過小評価してきたことの裏返しでもある。金融機関は結果責任をとらなければならない。
It is not easy to decide how to deal with TEPCO bonds, which are secured by specific company assets.
社債（東電債）は担保付きであり、扱いはむずかしい。
But the value of the company’s electricity business has been deeply compromised. There should be a reasonable way to reduce the value of the bonds in line with the decline in the value of the underlying assets.
ただ東電の電気事業の価値そのものは大きく毀損（きそん）している。担保の目減りを社債の償還額に反映させる考え方もあるはずだ。
The government should figure out what to do through dialogue with the market.
市場との対話を重ねながら、方法を探るべきだ。
The funds thus raised should be used primarily to pay compensation to victims. This problem should be settled as quickly as possible to move the process of handling the TEPCO mess to the next step.
得られた資金は被害者への賠償に優先的にあてる。次のステップに進むため、できるだけ早く解決しなければならない。
Clearly, the management team should be replaced. Not only the top management posts, but also key leadership positions at major sections should be filled with people committed to reform, to be recruited from both inside and outside the company. This way, employees would be encouraged to point out problems with the company and contribute ideas for fixing them.
もちろん、経営陣は交代させる。トップだけでなく主要な部署のリーダーには社内外から改革の意思のある人物をつけ、社員の問題意識や新しいアイデアを引き出す。
The company’s assets, including power plants, should be sold or spun off boldly. Shady business transactions with affiliated firms should be terminated. The salaries of employees need to be reviewed fundamentally.
発電所などの資産を大胆に売却したり、切り離したりする。関連会社との不透明な取引は排除する。社員の処遇は根本的に見直す。
In addition, TEPCO’s pension program should be treated as that of a failed company. Getting the consent of former employees for cuts in their pension benefits should be done as soon as possible.
企業年金も破綻企業と同じ扱いとし、ＯＢから早期に減額への合意をとりつける。
The shortfall of funds left after all these efforts would have to be covered through rate increases. But the hikes would be much smaller if these radical restructuring steps are taken.
それでも足りない分は、やはり料金値上げに頼らざるをえない。ただし、リストラを徹底するぶん、上げ幅は小さくできるはずだ。
If neither of the two options results in a financial burden on the public through electricity rate increases, then it would clearly be better if the government takes control of the company’s management.
どちらを選んでも、料金値上げという国民負担が避けられないのなら、国が経営権を握るほうがいいのは明らかだ。
It is almost impossible at this moment to estimate the total amount of damages caused by the nuclear accident.
原発事故による損失の総額を現時点で見通すことはむずかしい。
Power market liberalization would prompt more businesses and households in the region to switch from TEPCO to other power suppliers.
電力改革が進むと、他の事業者に乗り換える企業や家庭も増えるだろう。
Since TEPCO itself is dismantled in the process, there will be a limit to how much money the company can receive from electricity charges.
東電自体、解体が進むため電気料金による回収にも限界がある。
In the end, the government, which is responsible for the expansion of nuclear power generation in this country, will have to consider using taxpayer money to cover the shortfall while reorganizing its nuclear power budget.
最後は、原発を推進してきた国の責任として、原子力予算を組み替えつつ、税金での穴埋めを検討する必要がある。
Given the fiscal crunch, it is also necessary to take new measures to increase tax revenue, such as taxing the use of TEPCO’s power transmission network. That would spread the burden to all the consumers of electricity within the region served by the utility.
国の財源に余裕がないことを考えれば、例えば東電の送電網を利用することに課税してはどうか。そうすれば東電管内の電気を使うすべての人が負担することになる。
If all these steps fail to raise the necessary amount of money, the government will have to expand the national tax base. In that case, it will be necessary to adopt special measures to win public support for the tax increase, such as imposing higher tax rates within the region served by TEPCO.
なお不十分な場合は、全国的に課税ベースを広げる。東電管内だけ税率を高くするなどして、納得を得る努力も必要になるだろう。
It is vital to minimize the negative effects on people’s daily lives and the nation’s economy as a whole.
できるだけ日常生活や経済への影響を少なくするよう工夫したい。
None of the ideas discussed here would be easy to implement.
どれも簡単ではない。
But the entire nation needs to rise to the challenges created by the nuclear disaster.
だが、原発事故が提起した問題には、国民全員で向き合うしかない。
By doing so, we would be able to consider the situation of people in Fukushima as our own problem and start thinking seriously about the future of our nation’s energy policy.
それが、福島の人たちを自分のことと考え、一人ひとりが今後のエネルギー政策を真剣に考えることにつながる。
EDITORIAL: Put TEPCO under new management as part of restructuring effort
東電処理と電力改革（上）―国民負担は避けられない
■国の責任でリストラ徹底
Japan is beset by an unprecedented nuclear disaster. In this editorial, one of two devoted to the issue, we outline steps the government is being forced to consider to reform the nation's troubled power industry.
Central to this issue is the future of Tokyo Electric Power Co., the embattled operator of Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, which faces financial ruin.
かつてない原発事故を起こした東京電力をどのように処理していくか。それは、電力システム改革への試金石ともなる。
２回にわけて、私たちの考え方を示したい。
◇ ◇ ◇
Few people would dispute that TEPCO has an obligation to shoulder the bulk of the colossal costs associated with the catastrophe at the Fukushima plant.
福島第一原発の事故にともなう巨額の費用は、東電に徹底的に負担させる。ほとんどの人は異論あるまい。
Clearly, it is impossible for the utility to bear all the costs. There is no doubt that taxpayers will end up footing a substantial portion of the bill through higher electricity rates or taxes.
しかし、とても追いつかないだろう。最後は、電気料金や税金の形で国民が負担せざるをえない。
This is the reality confronting TEPCO in determining the company's future.
これが東電処理の現実だ。
But first, let us take a look at the plan the government is drawing up to ride out the crisis.
政府がいま進めている計画を確認しておこう。
It has decided to inject public funds totaling 1 trillion yen ($12.75 billion) into the company, which has little chance of surviving on its own.
経営難に陥っている東電に対し、１兆円の国費を資本注入することは既定路線だ。
The huge injection of taxpayer money is aimed at preventing disruptions in electricity supply and turmoil in financial markets.
電力の供給が滞ったり、金融市場が混乱したりするのを避けるための措置である。
But the Finance Ministry is voicing doubts about the wisdom of the government acquiring a more than two-thirds stake in the company, which would make it directly responsible for the utility’s management. That, the ministry fears, could entail an additional fiscal burden for the government in the future.
ところが、東電の３分の２超の株式を取得して、経営に直接、責任を負うことには、財務省から慎重論が出ている。将来的な財政負担につながりかねないという理由からだ。
Instead, it wants the government to provide funds to tide over TEPCO for the time being. Under this scenario, TEPCO would remain as a private-sector company and eventually pay back the money it receives from the government.
国が必要な資金を出すにしても、あくまで「当面」のこと。民間企業としての東電を残し、いずれは返してもらう――。そんな思惑である。
At first glance, this idea is attractive, at least from the viewpoint of minimizing the financial burden on the public. This is because the nuclear damage liability facilitation fund law, enacted to enable the government to help TEPCO pay compensation to victims of the nuclear disaster, is also rooted in this concept.
国民負担の回避という点で、この理屈は一見、もっともらしい。東電の賠償資金を国が支援するために施行された原子力損害賠償支援機構法も、そうした考え方に立っている。
But does it really make sense, from a long-term perspective, to allow TEPCO to continue to exist in its current form?
だが、長い目で見て、いまの東電を存続させることは合理的なシナリオだろうか。
For TEPCO to pay back the money, the government would have to maximize the profits the company earns. To protect TEPCO’s monopoly on the regional power market, the government would have to make it almost impossible for other players to enter the market.
東電から確実に返済させるには、できるだけ稼いでもらわなければならない。それには、東電の地域独占を守り、電力市場への新規参入はできるだけ少なくしたほうが得策だ。
In short, there would be a powerful disincentive for the government to embark on reforming the nation’s electricity supply system.
つまり、電力改革にはまともに手をつけないということになる。
There would be no momentum for drastic restructuring and selling off power plants.
発電所売却などの思い切ったリストラも進まない。
The TEPCO management would have a strong incentive to minimize the compensation it pays to victims. This could result in further delays in the company’s negotiations with victims over compensation.
経営陣には、賠償額をできるだけ抑えようという誘因がはたらく。被害者との交渉は、いま以上に遅れかねない。
Still, it would be a tall order for TEPCO to raise the necessary funds to stay in business.
それでも、東電が必要な資金を捻出するのは至難のわざだ。
The job of cleaning up the nuclear mess could be a financial black hole. As for the costs of decommissioning the crippled reactors, it is not even clear how the melted nuclear fuel could be recovered.
廃炉費用ひとつとっても、溶け出した核燃料の回収は手法のめどすら立っていない。
It is generally estimated that tens of billions of yen are needed to decommission a reactor that has reached the end of its useful life. But TEPCO must deal with four reactors that have been disabled by the accident. It will take three to four decades to dismantle these facilities. The total bill will most definitely balloon to more than 1 trillion yen.
ふつうに寿命を迎えた原発でも、廃炉には数百億円かかるとされる。ましてや事故炉が４基だ。最終撤去まで３０～４０年かかる。総額が兆円単位に膨らむことは間違いない。
The cost will further grow if the two remaining reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 plant and the four reactors at the Fukushima No. 2 plant are factored in.
福島第一原発の残り２基と福島第二原発の４基も含めれば、費用はさらに増える。
The company is already under financial strain due to growing fuel costs resulting from expanded use of thermal power generation.
足元では、火力発電の増強による燃料代の高騰が経営をゆさぶる。
It is impossible to estimate how much money will be needed to decontaminate areas hit by radioactive fallout.
除染の費用は、いくらになるか見当もつかない。
TEPCO has no choice but to cut back on new investment. In doing so, it runs the risk of seriously undermining its ability to provide proper maintenance of its power supply facilities. That, in turn, could jeopardize the electricity supply situation to the Tokyo metropolitan area.
追い込まれる東電は新規投資を手控えるだろう。電力設備の保守すら危うくなれば、首都圏の電力供給に支障が出る。
If the government wanted to avoid providing public funds to bail out TEPCO by making sure the firm will generate sufficient profits, it would have no choice but to force businesses and households in Tokyo and surrounding areas to accept exorbitant hikes in electricity bills.
結局、財政負担を回避するため、東電に利益を確保させようとすると、首都圏の企業や家庭に、法外な料金値上げを求めざるをえない。
Another option would be for the government to take control of TEPCO's management, fully expecting to be forced to use taxpayer money.
もう一方の道は、国民負担を覚悟のうえで、国が経営権を握るルートだ。
The responsibility for the catastrophe rests primarily with TEPCO. That said, the government had been promoting nuclear power generation as a national policy.
今回の事故の責任は一義的には東電にあるが、原子力発電は「国策」でもあった。
It had prompted the expansion of nuclear power generation, permitted the construction of the nuclear power plant and overlooked the company’s failure to take sufficient safety measures. Nobody would argue that the government shares in the responsibility for the accident.
政府が推進し、建設を許可し、安全対策への怠慢を放置してきた。国にまったく責任がないと考える人はいないはずだ。
In the scandal over cases of AIDS contracted from contaminated blood products and hepatitis B contracted from childhood vaccination, the government has decided to provide financial relief and pay compensation to victims. In doing so, it is taking responsibility for the policy mistakes that led to the public health disasters.
薬害エイズやＢ型肝炎では、政策責任をとって国が被害者の救済や賠償を担った。
If the government decides to assume ultimate responsibility to deal with the aftermath of the nuclear disaster triggered by the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, it would be able to use the process to open up new possibilities for the nation’s power market.
今回の後始末も、最後は国として引き受ける。そこさえ腹を決めれば、東電処理を電力市場の新しい可能性へとつなげられる。
Herein lies the biggest significance of nationalizing the utility.
国有化の最大の意味は、そこにある。
Obviously, the financial burden to the public should be kept to a minimum.
もちろん、国民負担は最小限にとどめるべきだ。
That would require the government to exhaustively restructure TEPCO to scrape up as much cash as possible to pay off the debt.
そのためには、まず東電のリストラを徹底し、負債にあてる原資を最大限ひねり出す必要がある。
TEPCO is effectively in a state of negative net worth as its liabilities exceed its assets.
東電は実質的に債務超過の状態だ。
Free market principles would dictate that the company should go face legal bankruptcy procedures.
本来なら、市場のルールに従って破綻（はたん）処理されるはずの企業である。
The company’s stock should be declared valueless. Even though it has used up a big chunk of its capital surplus to deal with the situation, TEPCO still has some 900 billion yen in equity capital.
株式の価値はゼロにする。東電は剰余金を相当取り崩したものの、９千億円ほどの資本金がある。
As long as taxpayer money is used to deal with the utility mess, shareholders should accept the loss of their investment in the company.
国民の税金が投じられる以上、株主が損失を負担するのは当然だ。
The government should also require the company’s creditor banks to forgive at least part of the debts owed by TEPCO to them.
金融機関にも一定の債権放棄を求める。
Financial institutions are supposed to impose market discipline on corporate financing by lending money to companies at interest rates that reflect the risks of their businesses assessed through rigorous examinations.
融資先の事業リスクを審査してリスクに見合った金利をつけることで市場の規律を働かせるのが金融の役割だ。
But the banks had been providing funds to TEPCO at favorable terms. That’s because there was a tacit understanding that the government would protect regional power monopolies at any cost.
にもかかわらず、銀行は東電に有利な条件で資金を提供してきた。地域独占の電力会社は何があっても政府が守るという暗黙の理解があったからだ。
That attitude reflects their underestimation of the safety risks of nuclear power generation. The financial institutions should pay the price for that.
それは、原発リスクを過小評価してきたことの裏返しでもある。金融機関は結果責任をとらなければならない。
It is not easy to decide how to deal with TEPCO bonds, which are secured by specific company assets.
社債（東電債）は担保付きであり、扱いはむずかしい。
But the value of the company’s electricity business has been deeply compromised. There should be a reasonable way to reduce the value of the bonds in line with the decline in the value of the underlying assets.
ただ東電の電気事業の価値そのものは大きく毀損（きそん）している。担保の目減りを社債の償還額に反映させる考え方もあるはずだ。
The government should figure out what to do through dialogue with the market.
市場との対話を重ねながら、方法を探るべきだ。
The funds thus raised should be used primarily to pay compensation to victims. This problem should be settled as quickly as possible to move the process of handling the TEPCO mess to the next step.
得られた資金は被害者への賠償に優先的にあてる。次のステップに進むため、できるだけ早く解決しなければならない。
Clearly, the management team should be replaced. Not only the top management posts, but also key leadership positions at major sections should be filled with people committed to reform, to be recruited from both inside and outside the company. This way, employees would be encouraged to point out problems with the company and contribute ideas for fixing them.
もちろん、経営陣は交代させる。トップだけでなく主要な部署のリーダーには社内外から改革の意思のある人物をつけ、社員の問題意識や新しいアイデアを引き出す。
The company’s assets, including power plants, should be sold or spun off boldly. Shady business transactions with affiliated firms should be terminated. The salaries of employees need to be reviewed fundamentally.
発電所などの資産を大胆に売却したり、切り離したりする。関連会社との不透明な取引は排除する。社員の処遇は根本的に見直す。
In addition, TEPCO’s pension program should be treated as that of a failed company. Getting the consent of former employees for cuts in their pension benefits should be done as soon as possible.
企業年金も破綻企業と同じ扱いとし、ＯＢから早期に減額への合意をとりつける。
The shortfall of funds left after all these efforts would have to be covered through rate increases. But the hikes would be much smaller if these radical restructuring steps are taken.
それでも足りない分は、やはり料金値上げに頼らざるをえない。ただし、リストラを徹底するぶん、上げ幅は小さくできるはずだ。
If neither of the two options results in a financial burden on the public through electricity rate increases, then it would clearly be better if the government takes control of the company’s management.
どちらを選んでも、料金値上げという国民負担が避けられないのなら、国が経営権を握るほうがいいのは明らかだ。
It is almost impossible at this moment to estimate the total amount of damages caused by the nuclear accident.
原発事故による損失の総額を現時点で見通すことはむずかしい。
Power market liberalization would prompt more businesses and households in the region to switch from TEPCO to other power suppliers.
電力改革が進むと、他の事業者に乗り換える企業や家庭も増えるだろう。
Since TEPCO itself is dismantled in the process, there will be a limit to how much money the company can receive from electricity charges.
東電自体、解体が進むため電気料金による回収にも限界がある。
In the end, the government, which is responsible for the expansion of nuclear power generation in this country, will have to consider using taxpayer money to cover the shortfall while reorganizing its nuclear power budget.
最後は、原発を推進してきた国の責任として、原子力予算を組み替えつつ、税金での穴埋めを検討する必要がある。
Given the fiscal crunch, it is also necessary to take new measures to increase tax revenue, such as taxing the use of TEPCO’s power transmission network. That would spread the burden to all the consumers of electricity within the region served by the utility.
国の財源に余裕がないことを考えれば、例えば東電の送電網を利用することに課税してはどうか。そうすれば東電管内の電気を使うすべての人が負担することになる。
If all these steps fail to raise the necessary amount of money, the government will have to expand the national tax base. In that case, it will be necessary to adopt special measures to win public support for the tax increase, such as imposing higher tax rates within the region served by TEPCO.
なお不十分な場合は、全国的に課税ベースを広げる。東電管内だけ税率を高くするなどして、納得を得る努力も必要になるだろう。
It is vital to minimize the negative effects on people’s daily lives and the nation’s economy as a whole.
できるだけ日常生活や経済への影響を少なくするよう工夫したい。
None of the ideas discussed here would be easy to implement.
どれも簡単ではない。
But the entire nation needs to rise to the challenges created by the nuclear disaster.
だが、原発事故が提起した問題には、国民全員で向き合うしかない。
By doing so, we would be able to consider the situation of people in Fukushima as our own problem and start thinking seriously about the future of our nation’s energy policy.
それが、福島の人たちを自分のことと考え、一人ひとりが今後のエネルギー政策を真剣に考えることにつながる。
(Mainichi Japan) February 16, 2012
Bismarck's pension system
水説：ビスマルクの年金＝潮田道夫
＜ｓｕｉ－ｓｅｔｓｕ＞
The world's first modern pension system was introduced by Chancellor of the German Empire Otto von Bismarck in the 19th century. The move was designed to propitiate the German people at a time when the newly forged empire was trying to stamp out the rising appeal of socialism.
年金制度は１９世紀プロイセンのビスマルク首相にさかのぼる。台頭しつつあった社会主義勢力を弾圧する一方、年金で国民を懐柔した。有名な「アメとムチ」政策のアメ。
Bismarck's pension system was based on the assumption that workers would pass away just a few years after retirement in their mid-50s on, according to Michael W. Hodin, a member of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations.
米外交問題評議会のマイケル・Ｗ・ホーディン氏（人口問題担当）によれば、「ビスマルクモデルは人々が５０代半ば、あるいはその後半まで働いた後に引退し、その後数年間でこの世を去るというシナリオを前提にしていた」（フォーリン・アフェアーズリポート１１年２月号）。
Since people at the time had a shorter lifespan, the government did not have to spend much money on pension benefits. One theory has it that Bismarck even set up the system with the aim of diverting part of the pension premiums to help finance Germany's hefty military expenditures.
当時の人々の寿命は短かったから、国は年金をたいして払わなくても済んだ。一説には、ビスマルクは積み立てた年金を戦費に回すのが狙いだった、ともいう。
In the United States, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced a pension system in 1935 under the Social Security Act. Under the system, pension eligibility started at 65. However, since the average lifespan in the country was 61 at the time, only those who lived very long lives were around to collect.
米国ではルーズベルト大統領が１９３５年社会保障法で年金制度を導入した。この年金も支給開始年齢は６５歳。当時の平均寿命は６１歳であり、例外的に長生きした人でないと年金をもらえなかった。
University of Tokyo professor Fumiaki Kubo says pension systems were originally set up to support those who lived longer than average. In other words, pension systems were part of policy measures to care for those who grew too old to work.
久保文明東大教授の説くところでは、年金制度の目的はそもそも平均寿命を超えて生きてしまった人々の面倒を見るためであった。つまりは働けないほどの老人向け施策だったわけだ。
Currently, the average lifespan of a Japanese woman is 86.39 years, while that of a Japanese man is 79.64. If the spirit of Bismarck's pension system were applied, Japanese women would become eligible for benefits at the age of about 88, and men at around 82.
日本人の平均寿命はいま、女性が８６・３９歳、男性が７９・６４歳だ。ビスマルク流にやると、年金の支給開始は女性で８８歳ぐらい、男性で８２歳ぐらいということになろう。
Bismarck's and Roosevelt's systems would not be worthy of the term "pension" as it is understood today.
ひどいね。ビスマルクにしろルーズベルトにしろ、彼らの年金は今日的感覚では年金の名に値しない。
The social security programs we now have are far better than those introduced by these two bygone leaders, but may also be a bit too generous.
私たちの社会保障制度はビスマルクやルーズベルトよりはるかに充実している。しかし、少々、気前が良すぎるのかもしれない。
Japan can sustain its pension programs right now because the ratio of premium-paying workers to pensioners is three to one. However, the ratio will be one to one in the not-too-distant future. If social programs remain as they are now, this will put an unsustainable burden on workers paying premiums.
日本はいま現役３人に対し高齢者１人の人口比率だからなんとかなっているが、早晩この比率は１対１になる。制度が現状のままなら現役の負担が大き過ぎて、社会保障制度は維持できない。
Considering these problems, we can no longer laugh at Bismarck's stinginess. Any great social security program is meaningless unless it is sustainable.
こうなってみると、ビスマルクのけちを笑っている場合でない。維持できなければどんなに立派な社会保障制度をつくっても無意味である。
The government's plan to reform the tax and social security systems together, which has created great confusion and disturbance in the Diet, is aimed at reducing costs and increasing income. Nevertheless, discussions are focused excessively on a consumption tax hike to increase revenue while failing to come up with concrete cost reduction ideas.
いま国会でもみくちゃになっている「税と社会保障の一体改革」。「出を制して入るを図る」が万古不易の再建策のはずだが、「入る」の消費増税だけが突出して、削るほうが甘い。
For example, Japan has delayed a decision on raising the pension eligibility age, though Germany has hiked its eligibility age from 65 to 67. In other words, Japanese political leaders are avoiding a decision that would be highly unpopular among the elderly.
例えば年金支給開始年齢。あのドイツでさえ６５歳を６７歳にすることにしたのに、日本は先送り。一事が万事。年配層に嫌われるようなことから逃げまくっている。
Bismarck says, "People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election."
ビスマルクが言っている。「人がウソをつくのは狩りの後、戦争の最中、そして選挙の前」
(By Michio Ushioda, Expert Senior Writer)
毎日新聞 2012年2月15日 東京朝刊
Bismarck's pension system
水説：ビスマルクの年金＝潮田道夫
＜ｓｕｉ－ｓｅｔｓｕ＞
The world's first modern pension system was introduced by Chancellor of the German Empire Otto von Bismarck in the 19th century. The move was designed to propitiate the German people at a time when the newly forged empire was trying to stamp out the rising appeal of socialism.
年金制度は１９世紀プロイセンのビスマルク首相にさかのぼる。台頭しつつあった社会主義勢力を弾圧する一方、年金で国民を懐柔した。有名な「アメとムチ」政策のアメ。
Bismarck's pension system was based on the assumption that workers would pass away just a few years after retirement in their mid-50s on, according to Michael W. Hodin, a member of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations.
米外交問題評議会のマイケル・Ｗ・ホーディン氏（人口問題担当）によれば、「ビスマルクモデルは人々が５０代半ば、あるいはその後半まで働いた後に引退し、その後数年間でこの世を去るというシナリオを前提にしていた」（フォーリン・アフェアーズリポート１１年２月号）。
Since people at the time had a shorter lifespan, the government did not have to spend much money on pension benefits. One theory has it that Bismarck even set up the system with the aim of diverting part of the pension premiums to help finance Germany's hefty military expenditures.
当時の人々の寿命は短かったから、国は年金をたいして払わなくても済んだ。一説には、ビスマルクは積み立てた年金を戦費に回すのが狙いだった、ともいう。
In the United States, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced a pension system in 1935 under the Social Security Act. Under the system, pension eligibility started at 65. However, since the average lifespan in the country was 61 at the time, only those who lived very long lives were around to collect.
米国ではルーズベルト大統領が１９３５年社会保障法で年金制度を導入した。この年金も支給開始年齢は６５歳。当時の平均寿命は６１歳であり、例外的に長生きした人でないと年金をもらえなかった。
University of Tokyo professor Fumiaki Kubo says pension systems were originally set up to support those who lived longer than average. In other words, pension systems were part of policy measures to care for those who grew too old to work.
久保文明東大教授の説くところでは、年金制度の目的はそもそも平均寿命を超えて生きてしまった人々の面倒を見るためであった。つまりは働けないほどの老人向け施策だったわけだ。
Currently, the average lifespan of a Japanese woman is 86.39 years, while that of a Japanese man is 79.64. If the spirit of Bismarck's pension system were applied, Japanese women would become eligible for benefits at the age of about 88, and men at around 82.
日本人の平均寿命はいま、女性が８６・３９歳、男性が７９・６４歳だ。ビスマルク流にやると、年金の支給開始は女性で８８歳ぐらい、男性で８２歳ぐらいということになろう。
Bismarck's and Roosevelt's systems would not be worthy of the term "pension" as it is understood today.
ひどいね。ビスマルクにしろルーズベルトにしろ、彼らの年金は今日的感覚では年金の名に値しない。
The social security programs we now have are far better than those introduced by these two bygone leaders, but may also be a bit too generous.
私たちの社会保障制度はビスマルクやルーズベルトよりはるかに充実している。しかし、少々、気前が良すぎるのかもしれない。
Japan can sustain its pension programs right now because the ratio of premium-paying workers to pensioners is three to one. However, the ratio will be one to one in the not-too-distant future. If social programs remain as they are now, this will put an unsustainable burden on workers paying premiums.
日本はいま現役３人に対し高齢者１人の人口比率だからなんとかなっているが、早晩この比率は１対１になる。制度が現状のままなら現役の負担が大き過ぎて、社会保障制度は維持できない。
Considering these problems, we can no longer laugh at Bismarck's stinginess. Any great social security program is meaningless unless it is sustainable.
こうなってみると、ビスマルクのけちを笑っている場合でない。維持できなければどんなに立派な社会保障制度をつくっても無意味である。
The government's plan to reform the tax and social security systems together, which has created great confusion and disturbance in the Diet, is aimed at reducing costs and increasing income. Nevertheless, discussions are focused excessively on a consumption tax hike to increase revenue while failing to come up with concrete cost reduction ideas.
いま国会でもみくちゃになっている「税と社会保障の一体改革」。「出を制して入るを図る」が万古不易の再建策のはずだが、「入る」の消費増税だけが突出して、削るほうが甘い。
For example, Japan has delayed a decision on raising the pension eligibility age, though Germany has hiked its eligibility age from 65 to 67. In other words, Japanese political leaders are avoiding a decision that would be highly unpopular among the elderly.
例えば年金支給開始年齢。あのドイツでさえ６５歳を６７歳にすることにしたのに、日本は先送り。一事が万事。年配層に嫌われるようなことから逃げまくっている。
Bismarck says, "People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election."
ビスマルクが言っている。「人がウソをつくのは狩りの後、戦争の最中、そして選挙の前」
(By Michio Ushioda, Expert Senior Writer)
毎日新聞 2012年2月15日 東京朝刊
スポンサードリンク
affiliate
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カイちゃん父親に花束を捧げる
タイのスラチャイです
妻はタイ人、娘ばかり３人も！ 
■近況
２００９年の９月１５日に脳梗塞を発症、右手が少し不自由になりました。
MRAで脳梗塞の部位を特定でき、素早い処置をとれたので大事に至りませんでした。
快復にむけてリハビリ中です。
(2011/01/01更新)
■自己紹介・リンク
[ はじめに ]
タイのスラチャイです。
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一日僅か１５分の学習でも数年間継続すれば相当な学習効果が期待できます。
[ 名前 ]
松井 清 （スラチャイ）
[ 略歴 ]
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