英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jun. 4, 2010)
DPJ must shed 'dual power' structure
鳩山・小沢退陣　脱「二重権力」で政策転換図れ（6月3日付・読売社説）

In the end, he probably concluded he had no other option. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama announced Wednesday he will step down.
　万事休したということだろう。鳩山首相が退陣を表明した。

When the Hatoyama Cabinet was inaugurated in September, nobody could have predicted the ruling coalition government under Hatoyama--comprised of his Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party and People's New Party--would turn out to be so short-lived.
　昨年９月、民主、社民、国民新３党による鳩山連立内閣が発足した時、これほどの短命を予測した人は、まずいまい。

Yet in just 8-1/2 months, Hatoyama bruised the Japan-U.S. alliance--the cornerstone of this nation's foreign and national security policies--over the issue of relocating functions of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture, and left the nation's politics in disarray.
　だが、わずか８か月半の間、鳩山首相は、米軍普天間飛行場移設問題で、わが国の外交・安全保障の基軸である日米同盟を傷つけ、日本政治を大混乱させた。

Hatoyama also could not shake off several scandals, including one in which his mother had given him a sizable amount of money in political funds.
　母親からの巨額資金提供など、「政治とカネ」にまつわる疑惑も払拭(ふっしょく)できなかった。

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Top 2 had to go
　◆２トップ辞任は当然◆

Together with Hatoyama, DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa will resign. Their resignations are reasonable; both must take "collective responsibility" for allowing the wheels to come off management of the administration.
　首相とともに小沢民主党幹事長も辞任することになった。２人は政権運営の行き詰まりに「連帯責任」を負わねばならず、辞任は当然のことだ。

Hatoyama and the party leadership will resign en masse. The DPJ is due to choose a new leader to succeed Hatoyama at a general meeting of its lawmakers from both Diet chambers Friday.
　民主党は、首相と党執行部の退陣を受け、４日の両院議員総会で「ポスト鳩山」の新代表を選出する運びだ。


Deputy Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who also serves as finance minister, has emerged as one of the possible successors to Hatoyama.
　後継には、菅副総理・財務相らの名があがっている。

The new administration will need to commit itself to reconstructing the Japan-U.S. alliance and rejuvenating the economy by overhauling economic policy.
　新政権は、日米同盟関係の再構築と、経済政策の一新による景気の回復に、全力を挙げる体制をつくらなければならない。

"The public gradually stopped listening [to me]," Hatoyama gave as one reason for stepping down at the general meeting of DPJ lawmakers. Hatoyama has himself to blame, as his own words and deeds were what turned the public off.
　鳩山首相は両院議員総会で、「国民が徐々に聞く耳をもたなくなってきてしまった」と辞任の理由を述べた。国民がほとんど耳を貸さなくなったのは、首相自らが招いた結果だ。

On the Futenma issue, Hatoyama said he would transfer the base's functions "at least" outside Okinawa Prefecture, and he repeatedly said he would settle the issue by the end of May with a plan that would satisfy the United States, the ruling coalition parties and the people of Okinawa. However, he readily broke these promises.
　普天間飛行場の移設問題で、首相は「最低でも県外」と言い、米国、連立与党、沖縄の合意を得るという「５月末決着」を何度も繰り返しながら、いずれも、あっさり反故(ほご)にした。

Hatoyama's words and deeds were riddled with inconsistencies. It is only natural the public lost faith in him.
　これだけ言行不一致を重ねれば、国民が首相の言葉を信じなくなるのは当たり前だろう。

Meanwhile, Ozawa has made no explanation whatsoever before the Diet regarding a money scandal that embroiled his political funds management organization, including a dubious land purchase in Tokyo.
　小沢氏は、自らの資金管理団体をめぐる土地取引疑惑など「政治とカネ」の問題について、国会で一切説明してこなかった。

Ozawa's actions have clearly generated distrust of politics and impeded the Hatoyama administration.
　これが国民の政治不信を招き、鳩山政権の足を引っ張ってきたのは明らかだ。

In a recent Yomiuri Shimbun opinion survey, an overwhelming majority of respondents thought Ozawa should resign. If Ozawa had not taken responsibility and fallen on his sword, criticism of him would have only grown louder.
　本紙の世論調査でも、小沢氏の幹事長辞任を求める声は圧倒的だった。小沢氏が何らけじめをつけなければ、批判は一層強まったに違いない。

Ozawa's resignation apparently reflected these circumstances. Yet if the party truly intends to create a "clean DPJ," as Hatoyama claimed during the general meeting Wednesday, Ozawa should explain in detail his involvement--if any--in a spate of alleged funds scandals that have tarnished his political funds management body.
　小沢氏が辞任に至ったのは、こうした事情が背景にあったためとみられる。ただ、首相が強調したように、「クリーンな民主党」を目指すというなら、小沢氏には、一連の疑惑について、詳しい説明が求められよう。

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