英字新聞
読売、毎日、朝日各社英字新聞の主として社説を学習研究します

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Launch lower rate smoothly to prepare for sales tax hike
軽減税率　円滑導入で増税の備え万全に

　◆安定財源確保へ検討を深めよ◆

All possible measures should be taken to prepare for future tax hikes by ensuring that the new system is put into practice smoothly.
　新制度の円滑な導入を図り、増税の備えに万全を期さねばならない。

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito have reached a broad agreement on formulating a reduced tax rate system. The lower tax rate is to be put into effect at the same time as the scheduled hike in the consumption tax from the current 8 percent to 10 percent in April 2017.
　自民、公明両党が、軽減税率の制度設計で大筋合意した。２０１７年４月に消費税率を１０％へ引き上げる際、同時に導入する。

Both fresh and processed food and drinks, excluding alcohol and eating out, are eligible for tax relief by keeping the rate unchanged at 8 percent. The reduced tax rate plan will lower the government’s annual tax revenue by an estimated ¥1 trillion. The lower rate measure is expected to alleviate the pain felt by the public, especially low-income earners, due to the higher tax rate, thereby helping household budgets.
　酒類・外食を除く生鮮食品と加工食品を対象とし、税率は８％に据え置く。軽減規模は年１兆円に上る。軽減税率には、低所得者を中心に痛税感を和らげ、家計を支える効果が期待される。

The ruling coalition parties should be praised for clinching the tax relief deal by putting their differences behind them.
　与党が意見対立を収め、合意に漕こぎ着けたことは評価できる。

Bridging the gap
　◆首相官邸が公明に配慮

The additional revenue resulting from the planned consumption tax markup is to be used solely to cover social security costs. Budgetary appropriations for social security are bound to continue to grow rapidly with the graying of the country and the low birthrate.
　消費税の増収分は全額、社会保障費の財源に充てられる。少子高齢化の進行で、予算規模がこれからも増え続けるのは必至だ。

If the government’s stringent fiscal conditions is taken into account, we cannot help but feel that further consumption tax hikes are likely in the future. It is significant that the introduction of the reduced tax rate system agreed on this time means that daily necessities will be exempt from the hike, so it will become simpler to make preparations for possible additional tax increases in the future.
　厳しい財政事情を考慮すれば、一層の消費税率の引き上げを視野に入れざるを得ない。軽減税率の導入で、生活必需品を増税から切り離し、将来の再増税に備えられる制度となる意義は大きい。

Talks between the LDP and Komeito experienced rough going because of the difficulty in bridging the gap between the two parties on what items should be eligible for the lower tax rate.
　協議の難航は、対象の線引きを巡る溝が深かったためだ。

Although earlier calling for limiting the scope of the lower tax rate to fresh food, the LDP made a concession by accepting Komeito’s demand that processed foodstuffs should be made eligible for the reduced tax rate. The LDP even went so far as to propose that the reduced tax rate cover eating out, a suggestion that led to confusion.
　当初、生鮮食品に限ると主張していた自民党は、途中から公明党の加工食品を含める案をのんだ。さらに外食も加えるよう求め、混乱が生じた。

The two parties eventually agreed to exclude dining out from the list of the eligible items, because of objections that it would be unduly generous to people in high-income brackets as they have many opportunities to enjoy meals at luxury restaurants.
　外食を含めると、高級飲食店などの利用が多い高所得者への恩恵が手厚くなりすぎるとの異論も出て、外食を除く案で決着した。

The concession made by the LDP in the final phase of the talks is due to the strong determination on the part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his close aides who placed priority on cooperation with Komeito in the electoral campaign for the House of Councillors election scheduled for next summer.
　最終的に自民党が歩み寄ったのは、来年夏に参院選を控え、公明党との選挙協力を重視する首相官邸の意向が働いたからだ。

Processed food includes bread, noodles and others that are indispensable in people’s daily diet. We welcome the two parties’ broad agreement that makes the foodstuffs people purchase every day eligible for the lower tax rate.
　加工食品には、パンや麺類など食生活に不可欠な商品が含まれる。日常的に購入する食品を対象とする大筋合意を歓迎したい。

The ruling coalition parties will now focus their talks on whether to apply the lower rate to items other than food.
　与党は今後、食品以外の対象品目の協議を続ける考えだ。

Most countries with the reduced tax rate arrangements have made newspapers and other publications eligible for the tax relief along with food.
　海外では、軽減税率を採用する大半の国が、食品と並んで新聞や出版物を対象にしている。

They have contributed to the development of democracy and the promotion of reading culture. They should not be simply considered consumption commodities, but public goods that enrich the lives of the people.
　新聞と出版物は、民主主義の発展や活字文化の振興に貢献してきた。単なる消費財でなく、豊かな国民生活を維持するのに欠かせない公共財と言える。

In light of their roles in society, newspapers and other publications should be covered by the reduced tax rate in Japan.
　こうした社会的役割を踏まえ、日本でも、新聞と出版物に軽減税率を適用すべきである。

The ruling coalition parties also decided to make it mandatory for business operators to adopt an invoice system in which the amounts of tax and tax rates would be included in their bill, effective from fiscal 2021.
　与党は、請求書に税額や税率を記入するインボイス（税額票）の採用を、２１年度から事業者に義務づける方針も決定した。

Invoices good idea
　◆税額票の採用は当然だ

With multiple tax rates, there is a possibility of operators engaging in a rash of fraudulent practices, such as by disguising sales actually made under the standard tax rate as having been made under the reduced tax rate, thereby allowing them to retain part of the tax as profit.
　税率が複数になると、標準税率の売り上げを軽減税率の取引だと偽り、事業者が税金の一部を手元に残す行為が頻発しかねない。

In preventing such fraud, the adoption of invoices is deemed reasonable.
　こうした不正を防ぐうえで、インボイスの採用は当然だろう。

Now that the ruling parties have reached an agreement, the government needs to steadily move ahead with preparatory work to introduce the reduced tax rate.
　与党合意を受けて政府は、軽減税率の導入に向けた準備作業を着実に進める必要がある。

To prevent confusion among consumers and business operators at stores over the multiple tax rates, the government should make a clear distinction between items subject to the reduced tax rate and those that are not, come up with ways to deal with problematic cases and spare no effort to disseminate the multiple tax rates as widely as possible.
　店頭で消費者や事業者が戸惑うことのないよう、対象の線引きや様々な事例への対処法を明示し、周知徹底を図らねばならない。

The reduced tax rate is not applied to dining in restaurants but a question arises as to how to distinguish between eating inside a fast-food restaurant and taking out food. It is important to establish precise guidelines.
　外食は対象外だが、ファストフード店内での食事と持ち帰りをどう区別するかといった疑問が生じかねない。簡明なガイドラインなどを設けることが大切だ。

It is also vital for the government to help small stores deal with the multiple tax rates by, for instance, financially assisting them in having their cash registers modified and by holding instruction courses for them to learn the new accounting system.
　レジの改修費補助や新たな会計方式を習得するための研修など、中小・零細店の対応を支援する取り組みも重要になる。

A major worry is that there are no prospects at present in securing the necessary financial sources to make up for the revenue shortfall when the reduced tax rate is introduced.
　気がかりなのは、軽減税率導入の財源をどのような手段で手当てするか、まだ目処めどが立っていないことだ。

Currently, the government has decided only on a policy of allocating ¥400 billion that had originally been earmarked to assist low-income people when the tax is raised.
　今は、増税時の低所得者対策に回す予定だった４０００億円を充てる方針だけが決まっている。

The LDP has been saying that the necessary financial sources should be managed within the framework of social security expenses. But it is undesirable to put an excessive burden on health care and nursing care programs. The party should deepen its discussions on whether the government can hold down expenditures in areas other than social security spending or make use of other tax revenues.
　自民党は社会保障費の枠内でのやり繰りを主張してきたが、医療や介護などに過度な影響を及ぼすのは望ましくない。社会保障以外の歳出抑制や他の税収を活用できないか、議論を深めるべきだ。

LDP Secretary General Sadakazu Tanigaki emphasized: “We will uphold the government’s plan to restore its fiscal health. We will take responsibility for securing stable and permanent fiscal resources.” We hope the LDP will continue studying ideas such as raising the tobacco tax as advocated by Komeito.
　自民党の谷垣幹事長は「財政健全化目標を堅持する。安定的な恒久財源の確保に責任をもって対応する」と強調した。公明党が提唱する、たばこ増税案などの検討も続けてもらいたい。

Reduce ‘tax profits’
　◆益税拡大は許されない

Also remaining to be worked out is the issue of what to do with “tax profits” as some business operators pocket part of the consumption tax, rather than turn it over to the government.
　消費者が支払った税金が事業者の手元に残る「益税」の取り扱いも、残された課題である。

It has been decided that even after the reduced tax rate is introduced, the current consumption tax exemption system for small-business operators and the simplified tax system that makes tax calculations easier are to be kept in place.
　軽減税率の導入後も、現行の小規模事業者の免税制度や、納税の計算を簡単にする簡易課税制度は存続することが決まった。

At present, tax profits are estimated to amount to ¥600 billion a year. It will be unavoidable that tax gains will grow following the tax hike.
　現在の益税規模は年６０００億円にも上ると試算される。税率引き上げで、さらに規模が膨らむ事態は避けられない。

As the government will make consumers pay a higher tax, it is logical to reduce such tax profits. Should the government allow such profits to expand instead, the public would not understand.
　消費者に増税を強いる以上、益税は縮小するのが筋である。逆に拡大を許してしまうのでは、国民の納得は得られまい。

The ruling parties must examine this issue in a much more sincere manner.
　与党は益税の見直しについて、より真剣に検討すべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 13, 2015)

December 13, 2015 (Mainichi Japan)
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: Don't hesitate to seek help
香山リカのココロの万華鏡 がまんせず助け求めて　／東京

One thing I often hear from patients in my consultation room is, "Why did this have to happen to me?"
　診察室でよく聞く言葉に「なぜ私がこんな目にあわなければならないのか」というものがある。

Depression is said to be more common among people who are devoted.
　たとえば、うつ病はまじめな人に多いといわれる。

They work past their natural limits, or don't say when they are tired, not wanting to impose on those around them.
自分の限界を超えて仕事をしたり、疲れていてもまわりに悪いからと言い出せなかったりするからだ。

When I say, "Your devotion backfired," and they reply back softly, "Is it wrong to be devoted?"
「まじめすぎたのがあだになりましたね」と患者さんに言い、小さな声で「まじめはだめですか」と問い返されると、

I always regret what I said.
いつも「そんなことを言うべきではなかった」と反省する。

Devotion is a strong point of such people, and we shouldn't say, "If you were less hard-working, you would have gotten by without getting depression."
まじめなのはその人の長所であり、「もっと不まじめに生きてきたら、うつ病なんかにならないですんだのですよ」などと言うのは間違っている。

In other cases, they say, "I was betrayed by my colleagues," or "I was diagnosed with cancer." Having fallen into low spirits and been recommended to see a psychiatrist, they visit my clinic and say, "Why me?"
　ほかにも「仕事の仲間に裏切られた」「健康診断でがんが見つかった」などの理由で深く落ち込み、精神科の受診を勧められてやって来て「なぜ私が」とため息をつく人たちは大勢いる。

"Is there no God, no Buddha?" I then give a muddied response.
「神も仏もないのでしょうか」と問われ、言葉を濁したこともあった。

When I see these people, I wonder whether, even without an unequal society, life is simply unfair and absurd from the start.
　こういう人たちを見ていると「格差社会」でなくても人生はもともと不公平で理不尽なのか、と考えてしまう。

Not everyone who works hard is rewarded like in "The Ant and the Grasshopper."
「アリとキリギリス」の物語のように、努力した人が報われるとは限らないからだ。

Before I resign myself to believing that life is unfair, some people come to my mind.
　しかし、「人間は不平等」とあきらめる前に、私はいつも何人かの顔を思い出す。

One of them, after suffering from a disaster in their life, began working to help society because they "wanted to help people suffering in the same way."
わが身に起きた不幸なできごとに泣き暮らした後、「同じ苦しみにある人を救いたい」と社会活動を始めた人がいた。

Another person had struggled against a string of unfortunate incidents, saying, "Still, I don't want to become someone who is jealous of others." 気の毒になるくらい不運続きの人生で、「それでもほかの人たちをねたむ自分になりたくない」と必死に歯を食いしばっている人もいた。

Another person said, "I can't fully recover, but I want to live out this life I was given," and continued living out their days with care, cooking and cleaning.
「立ち直ることなんてできないけれど、とりあえず与えられた生はまっとうしたい」と丁寧に食事を作り、掃除をし、日々の暮らしを大切にしている人に会ったこともある。

So many times, I have been shown by my patients how dignified humans can act.
人間って気高いものだな、と診察室で何度、教えられたことか。

Of course, we should do what we can to avoid meeting unfortunate events in our lives.
　もちろん、不幸なできごと、不運なできごとは避けられるなら避けたほうがいいし、そのための準備や対策なども怠らずにおきたい。

But there will still be some probability that problems will occur.
それでも、一定の確率でいろいろなことが私たちの人生には起きる。

Sometimes we will be visited with multiple bad things in a row.
ときには続けざまに悪いことが降りかかってくることもある。

It's normal at those times to feel down, or to curse one's fate, and we needn't overly restrain our feelings.
そんなときに落ち込んだり運命を呪ったりするのは当然で、がまんしすぎる必要はない。

At the same time, we shouldn't completely give up, and as long as we have a means of recovery left at our disposal, we have the ability to pull ourselves back up.
しかし、完全にあきらめるのはまだ早く、打てる手もあれば立ち上がる力も備わっている。

It's OK to ask for help from experts or friends, too, and this is what I want to say to people who feel that this year has been an unlucky one for them.
専門家や友人の助けを借りたってよいのだ。「今年一年、運が悪かったな」となげいている人に伝えたい。

(By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist) （精神科医）
毎日新聞2015年12月8日　地方版

The Yomiuri Shimbun
China’s ambition to sweep the world with nuclear technology concerning
中国の原発増設　世界を席巻する日が来るのか

We cannot afford to be unconcerned about China’s moves to accelerate construction of nuclear power plants. Is the safety of these facilities ensured?
　中国が原子力発電所の建設を加速している。安全性は確保されているのか。不安を拭えない。

According to the World Nuclear Association, 30 nuclear reactors are currently operating in China. Japan has 43, but as the restart of the nation’s idled reactors is lagging, China is effectively fourth on the list of nations with the most nuclear power plants — behind the United States, France and Russia.
　世界原子力協会によると、中国で運転中の原発は３０基に上る。４３基を有しながら再稼働が進まない日本を除くと、米国、フランス、ロシアに次ぎ、実質４位の原発国だ。

The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping is planning to further increase the number of nuclear power plants to cope with the nation’s serious air pollution, which stems from coal-fired power generation, and increasing energy demand.
　習近平政権は、さらなる増設を計画している。石炭火力発電に伴う深刻な大気汚染や、エネルギー需要の増大に対応するためだ。

According to local media reports, Beijing will build six to eight nuclear reactors annually in the next five years. By 2030, the number is set to reach 110, surpassing the 99 in the United States.
　現地の報道では、来年以降５年間は年６～８基を増設し、２０３０年には、米国の９９基を上回る１１０基にまで増やす方針だ。

One major concern is that information about nuclear power plants in China is extremely limited.
　問題なのは、原発に関する情報が極めて少ないことだ。

China’s nuclear power operations began in 1994, and the number of nuclear reactors has increased rapidly since then.
　中国の原発は、１９９４年から運転を開始し、その後、急ピッチで増設が進んできた。

However, the details of regulatory standards are not disclosed — it is quite obscure what kind of safety measures China is currently taking. There are limited examples of the Chinese government officially disclosing troubles with the nation’s nuclear power plants to the public, such as leaks of radioactive material or mechanical problems caused by accidents.
　ただし、規制基準の詳細は公表されておらず、安全確保策の現状には不明な点が多い。放射能漏れや事故故障などのトラブルが公式に開示された例は少ない。

The less information available, the more concern there is. The Japanese government must reinforce its measures to collect information on China’s nuclear power plants.
　情報が乏しいと、不安は増幅する。日本政府は、情報収集を強化する必要がある。

Impact on Japan

Prevailing westerlies bring yellow sand and air pollutants to Japan from China. If serious nuclear accidents occur in China, there could be serious repercussions for Japan.
　中国からは、偏西風に乗って黄砂や大気汚染物質が飛来する。深刻な原発事故が起これば、日本に甚大な影響が及ぶ恐れがある。

It cannot be overlooked the fact that China’s nuclear power plants are concentrated in coastal areas. After the nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, Beijing has put restrictions on the construction of nuclear power plants in inland areas. We assume Beijing is wary of the domestic impact from accidents if they occur inland.
　沿岸部に原発が偏在している現状は軽視できない。中国政府は、東京電力福島第一原発の事故以降、内陸部での原発建設を制限している。事故時に国内に影響が及ぶのを警戒しているのだろう。

China’s nuclear reactors rarely use technologies developed in the country — they are basically an amalgamation of technologies imported from European countries, the United States and Japan.
　元々、中国の原発は独自技術に乏しい。欧米や日本の技術を導入し、組み合わせたものだ。

Japan provides core parts, such as reactor pressure vessels.
日本は原子炉の圧力容器など、中核となる部品を供給している。

In recent years, China’s export drive on nuclear power plants has received worldwide attention. During his visit to Britain in October, Xi agreed with British Prime Minister David Cameron to build a Chinese Hualong One reactor, which is an improved version of a French reactor, in Britain.
　近年は輸出攻勢が目立つ。習国家主席が１０月に訪英した際には、仏の原子炉を改良した中国炉「華竜１号」を建設することで、キャメロン英首相と合意した。

Britain was once an advanced nuclear nation, but its technology declined after the nation stopped building new reactors. Under the current circumstances, it was unavoidable for Britain to rely on the technology of China, a nation that is rapidly gaining experience by building new reactors and has the advantage of cheap construction costs.
　英国はかつて、原発の先進国だったが、増設がストップし、技術力が衰退した。建設費が安く、増設で経験を積む中国に頼らざるを得なかったと言えよう。

Beijing is also constructing Hualong One reactors in Pakistan, and is seeking to launch a promotion drive in South American and African countries.
　中国はパキスタンでも、華竜１号を建設中だ。南米やアフリカ諸国にも売り込みを図っている。

However, we must point out that Hualong One is a model still under construction even in China itself. It is problematic that a model without sufficient operation records has begun sweeping the whole world.
　華竜１号は、おひざ元の中国でも建設の途上だ。運転実績のない原子炉が世界を席巻しつつある現状には、問題が多い。

For Japan, the export of nuclear power technologies is a pillar of the nation’s infrastructure export drive. It is crucial to further polish the nation’s technological capability and produce tangible results. We also urge the government to start discussions about constructing new reactors in Japan.
　日本にとっても、原発はインフラ輸出の柱の一つだ。技術力をさらに向上させ、実績を積み重ねることが重要である。国内での新増設も検討せねばならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 12, 2015)

--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 11
EDITORIAL: Chinese leaders must heed the opinions of their coughing citizens
（社説）中国大気汚染　これは体制の問題だ

People in Beijing and many other cities in China cannot see a clear blue sky amid the latest bout of air pollution.
　北京をはじめ中国各地で青空が見えなくなっている。

The concentration of fine, deadly particulate matter called PM 2.5 has far exceeded safety standards, prompting the government to close schools and forcing people to wear masks when they go to work.
　微小粒子状物質ＰＭ２・５の濃度が基準値をはるかに超え、学校が臨時休校となり、通勤にはマスクが欠かせないという。

The toxic smog that has blanketed the capital and other parts of the nation should be regarded as a violation of people’s right to live. China should ask itself why the problem has become so serious.
　この大気汚染はもはや生存権の侵害だ。なぜ問題が深刻化したかを問わねばならない。

A combination of factors has caused this public health crisis, including smoke from factories, exhaust gas from automobiles and coal burning.
　原因は、工場の煙、自動車の排気、石炭など複合的だ。

While the serious health hazard of rapidly deteriorating air quality in China has become widely recognized as the “PM 2.5 problem” only in the past several years, air pollution actually has been damaging human health in the country for more than a decade.
「ＰＭ２・５」問題として注目され始めたのはこの数年のことだが、実際には１０年以上前から大気汚染が人々の体をむしばんでいたのである。

Japan and other industrial nations have the bitter experience of suffering from air pollution and water contamination from economic development.
　経済発展に伴う大気汚染や水質汚濁は、日本を含む先進国がもつ苦い経験である。

These countries had to go through a similar process in overcoming the problem.
　問題の克服には一連の過程が必要だった。

First, people facing pollution expressed their concerns and complaints and demanded policy responses to the problems. Experts then investigated the problems, and media reported on them. Eventually, the judiciary ruled on lawsuits, forcing the government, which tends to put higher priority on the interests of businesses, to take action to deal with the situation.
公害に直面した住民が声をあげ、専門家が調べ、メディアが伝え、司法機関が裁き、企業を優先しがちな政府を動かす、というものだ。

But this mechanism is apparently not at work in China.
　だが、このメカニズムが中国では働いていないようだ。

One factor believed to be behind China’s bad air is the poor quality of gasoline. No serious efforts to address the problem have been made because state-owned oil companies have close ties with the Communist Party leadership, according to observers.
　中国で指摘されてきた問題の一つはガソリンの質の悪さだ。いっこうに改善されなかったのは、国有石油企業が共産党政権の中枢とつながっていたためといわれる。

The new air pollution prevention law, which will go into force at the beginning of next year, contains provisions requiring the establishment of quality standards for fuels. But the measure has come too late.
　年明けに施行される新しい大気汚染防止法は、燃料の品質基準を定めることを盛りこんでいるが、遅きに失した。

In February this year, Chai Jing, a former reporter at China Central Television, released online a documentary film on air pollution, evoking a huge public response. Initially, the minister of environmental protection praised the video, but it was removed before long. It is believed that authorities, alarmed by civic protests triggered by the film, took it off the Internet.
　ことし２月、元中国中央テレビ記者の柴静さんが大気汚染を告発する動画をネットで公表し、反響を呼んだ。当初は環境保護相も支持したが、ほどなく見ることができなくなった。抗議行動が起き始めたことを当局が危険視したためとされる。

There have been recent outbreaks of opposition to plans to build factories in various parts of the nation. Chinese citizens are becoming increasingly more conscious of environmental problems.
　最近は工場建設への反対運動が頻発している。市民の環境問題への意識は高い。

The Chinese government’s refusal to listen to such voices is probably the principal cause of the serious decline of air quality.
こうした声に耳を傾けなかった政権の姿勢こそが、事態の深刻化を招いた元凶ではないか。

The media have reported on government measures to improve the situation, such as shutting down factories that illegally discharge pollutants into the atmosphere.
　汚染物質を違法に排出する工場を一斉に閉鎖させるといった対応策が伝えられている。

These reports may be aimed at touting the government’s policy actions. But such dirty factories would have disappeared long ago if the government had respected the will of the people.
政権の行動を宣伝する狙いかもしれないが、住民の意思が反映されれば、そんな工場はとうになくなっていたはずだ。

This is a matter that affects people’s lives.
　ことは人命にかかわる。

Air pollution causes more than a million deaths in China every year, according to one estimate.
大気汚染を原因とする死者は、中国で毎年百数十万に上るとの推計もある。

What is especially worrisome is the impact on the health of children.
心配なのは子どもたちだ。

Reportedly, a growing number of children in China are being rushed to hospitals because they can’t stop coughing.
せきが止まらず病院に駆け込む例が増えているという。

Japan and China have various frameworks for bilateral cooperation on environmental problems.
　日中間では環境問題で協力する枠組みがさまざまあるが、

More efforts are needed on various levels to come up with ideas to support China’s fight against air pollution. Japan’s central and local governments as well as nongovernmental organizations should be involved in such efforts.
日本の政府、自治体、ＮＧＯなど各レベルでもっと助力を強める余地はないか知恵を絞りたい。

We should tackle this formidable environmental challenge to help sensible Chinese people again see the blue sky.
　青空を見たい、問題を解決したいと願う心ある中国の人々を勇気づけたい。

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Boost nation’s N-fuel cycle project steadily with govt involvement
核燃料サイクル　国の関与で確実に推進したい

A system restructure is needed in order to push the nation’s nuclear fuel cycle program forward.
　核燃料サイクル事業を推進するためには、必要な体制整備である。

The government has decided to transfer the management of a project to reprocess nuclear power plants’ spent fuel from the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), a private entity, to a new, authorized corporation. The government will submit a related bill to the ordinary session of the Diet next year.
　原子力発電所から出る使用済み核燃料の再処理事業について、政府は、民間の日本原燃から、新たな認可法人に運営を移管する方針を決めた。来年の通常国会に関連法案を提出する。

The nuclear fuel cycle is a scheme in which plutonium and uranium are extracted from spent nuclear fuel and reused. The fuel cycle takes on an important role for resource-poor Japan when viewed from the standpoint of its energy security.
　核燃料サイクルは、使用済み核燃料からプルトニウムとウランを取り出し、再利用する仕組みだ。資源に乏しい日本にとって、エネルギー安全保障の観点から重要な役割を担う。

Since the government promotes the nuclear fuel cycle as a national policy, it is only reasonable for the government to increase its involvement in the project by transferring the management of the reprocessing project.
　国策として核燃料サイクルを推進する以上、運営移管により政府の関与を強めるのは当然だ。

With the liberalization of the energy market slated to start next spring, leading utilities will be exposed to competition from new entrants to the market. Should the corporate management of leading power companies come under pressure from the increased competition, forcing them to suspend the supply of human resources and funds to the JAEA, the continuation of the nuclear fuel cycle project will be at risk.
　来春からの電力自由化により、電力大手は新規参入組との競争にさらされる。電力大手の経営が圧迫され、原燃への人材と資金の提供がストップすれば、核燃料サイクル事業の存続は危うくなる。

Unless the nuclear fuel cycle is realized, spent nuclear fuel, now kept in storage at nuclear power plants, will have nowhere to go, impeding the operation of nuclear power plants.
　核燃料サイクルを実現させないと、各原発に保管されている使用済み核燃料の行き場がなくなり、原発の稼働に支障を来す。

In order to avoid such a development, it will be necessary to have the authorized corporation function effectively.
　こうした事態を避けるためには、認可法人を有効に機能させる必要があろう。

Work has been slow

The authorized entity will supervise the JAEA, which will be entrusted by the entity with the operation of the recycling project. The leading electric power companies will be obliged to contribute financially to the authorized entity.
　認可法人は、業務委託先となる日本原燃を監督する。電力大手には、認可法人への拠出金の支払いが義務づけられる。

Under the system that has existed up to now, with the JAEA being the core of the project, the nuclear fuel cycle project did not make the progress that had been hoped for. Therefore, the authorized corporation’s responsibility is heavy.
　日本原燃が中核だったこれまでの体制では、核燃料サイクル事業が思うように進展しなかっただけに、認可法人の責任は重い。

The leading power companies that own nuclear power plants also need to continue cooperating with the nuclear fuel cycle project.
　原発を所有する電力大手も、核燃料サイクル事業に引き続き協力していかねばならない。

The biggest concern is that the start of operations of a plant for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, now under construction in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture, has been delayed by as much as about 20 years. The construction cost has also swollen from the original estimate of ¥760 billion to over ¥2 trillion.
　最大の懸案は、青森県六ヶ所村に建設中の使用済み核燃料再処理工場の稼働が、予定より約２０年も遅れていることだ。建設費も、当初の７６００億円から２兆円以上に膨らんだ。

The authorized corporation will be required to oversee strict management of progress in the work, including the operation of such facilities as a plant to process mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel, a blend of reprocessed plutonium and uranium. It is also important to have the JAEA make thorough cost-cutting efforts.
　再処理されたウラン・プルトニウム混合酸化物（ＭＯＸ）燃料の加工工場などの稼働も含め、認可法人には、厳しい工程管理が求められる。日本原燃にコスト削減を徹底させることも重要である。

Should plutonium, which can be used to produce nuclear weapons, be continuously kept in storage, with no prospect of being used for energy, it may arouse concern among foreign countries. The government needs to demonstrate that it will definitely use plutonium as fuel at nuclear power plants.
　核兵器に転用できるプルトニウムを、使うメドが立たないまま保有し続ければ、海外から懸念を持たれかねない。政府は、プルトニウムを原発の燃料として確実に利用することを示す必要がある。

Together with the operation of the reprocessing plant, it is essential to restart existing nuclear power plants that use the MOX fuel.
　再処理工場の稼働とともに、ＭＯＸ燃料を使用する既存の原発の再稼働が欠かせない。

Regarding the Oma nuclear power plant in Aomori Prefecture, which will have a new type of reactor capable of generating power using MOX without other fuel, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) should proceed promptly with its examination toward the start of operation.
ＭＯＸ燃料だけで発電する新型の大間原発（青森県）についても、運転開始に向け、原子力規制委員会は迅速に審査を進めるべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 10, 2015)

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Safe management, local understanding needed for running ‘minpaku’ facilities
「民泊」のルール　安全管理と地域の理解が要る

The so-called “minpaku” business of using rooms in private homes or at condominiums to accommodate tourists, in place of hotels, is growing.
　個人宅の一角やマンションの空き室をホテル代わりに使う「民泊」が広がりを見せている。

Such services may be convenient as inexpensive lodging for foreign tourists, whose number has soared recently. But they are also causing problems between service users and local residents. It is necessary to expedite efforts to draw up relevant rules.
　安価な宿として、急増する外国人旅行者らにとっては便利なサービスだろうが、近隣住民とのトラブルも起きている。ルールの整備を急ぐ必要がある。

The Inns and Hotels Law stipulates that it is mandatory for operators of accommodations to obtain permission from local governments when accepting paying guests repetitively. An enforcement ordinance also sets standards for the size and structure of facilities to ensure hygiene and safety of accommodations. Rooms used as minpaku facilities are, in theory, subject to the law.
　旅館業法は、客を有料で繰り返し泊めるには、自治体の許可を得るよう定めている。施行令で宿泊施設の面積や構造、衛生や安全の面での基準も示している。民泊として使用する部屋も、本来なら旅館業法の適用を受ける。

Yet the number of rooms rented as minpaku facilities that have not obtained official licenses is rising sharply, particularly in urban areas, due to the shortage of hotels.
　だが、都市部を中心に、無許可の民泊用の部屋が急速に増えている。ホテル不足が背景にある。

Some business operators act as online go-betweens for people who want to rent empty rooms and tourists seeking places to stay. The number of registered properties using these services exceeds 20,000 in Japan. Yet most of these properties are believed to be operating without licenses.
　空き室を貸したい人と旅行者をインターネットを通じて仲介する業者もある。国内の登録物件は、２万件を超える。その多くが、無許可営業とみられる。

The current state of affairs should be improved as local governments cannot keep up with overseeing the growing number of such business operations.
　自治体の監視が追いつかない現状は、改善すべきだ。

With the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics scheduled for 2020, the central government — which aims to make Japan a tourism-oriented nation — has established a panel of experts, tasked with studying how minpaku services should be offered. While reviewing the Inns and Hotels Law, the panel will also consider the possibility of establishing new provisions.
　２０２０年東京五輪を控え、観光立国を掲げる政府は、民泊の在り方を検討する有識者会議を設置した。旅館業法を見直し、新たな規定を設けることも検討する。

It is important to make minpaku facilities places where tourists can stay with a sense of security.
　旅行者が安心して泊まれる受け皿とすることが大切だ。

Ward offers good example

In creating rules for minpaku facilities, efforts made by Tokyo’s Ota Ward, where Haneda Airport is located, serve as a useful example.
　民泊のルール作りを進める上で、羽田空港を抱える東京都大田区の取り組みは参考になろう。

Utilizing the government-designated national strategic special zone system, which exempts certain types of accommodation facilities for foreign tourists from adhering to the Inns and Hotels Law, the Ota Ward government has put into effect an ordinance to permit the operation of minpaku facilities. The ward will become the first special zone of this kind in Japan next year.
　外国人向けの一部の宿泊施設を旅館業法の適用外とする国家戦略特区制度を活用し、民泊を認める条例を成立させた。来年には全国初の特区としてスタートする。

In the special zone, individuals can rent rooms to tourists who plan to stay long term for seven days or more at their minpaku facilities. Such restrictions are designed so that minpaku facilities will not adversely affect the operations of hotels and ryokan inns.
　特区では、７日間以上の長期滞在者を民泊の対象としている。ホテルや旅館の業務を圧迫しないようにするための配慮だ。

The Ota Ward government plans to limit the area where minpaku facilities can operate to one where the construction of hotels and ryokan inns is permitted, in accordance with the Building Standards Law. The ward will also ask minpaku facilities operators to keep a copy of their guests’ passports to prevent such facilities from becoming hotbeds of crimes or terrorism.
　大田区は、民泊の対象エリアを建築基準法上、ホテルや旅館の建築が可能な地域に限定する方針だ。犯罪やテロの温床とならぬよう、受け入れ側にパスポートの写しの保管を求める。

All these measures are deemed necessary in operating such facilities in the area. Yet a number of challenges remain.
　地域で民泊を運用していくためには、いずれも必要な措置だろう。ただし、課題も少なくない。

Local residents may feel uneasy about seeing foreign strangers come and go from condominiums or private houses in their neighborhood.
　見知らぬ外国人がマンションなどに出入りすることに、不安を感じる住民もいるだろう。

The ordinance makes it mandatory for operators of minpaku facilities to inform nearby residents of their business plans in advance and enables ward government officials to make on-site inspections. We wonder how effective such measures would be.
　条例は、民泊の事業者に近隣住民への周知を義務づけ、区の立ち入り調査も可能にしたが、どこまで実効性があるだろうか。

Some grievances have been voiced by residents living near currently operating minpaku facilities over the ways tourists take out their garbage and the noise they make.
　既存の民泊施設では、宿泊者のゴミの出し方や騒音などに対し、住民から苦情が出ている。

To prevent friction from occurring in neighborhoods, minpaku operators should ensure their facilities are managed safely.
　地域であつれきが生じないよう、民泊施設の安全管理などに留意する必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 9, 2015)