英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 15, 2010)
Get cracking on consumption tax talks
税制抜本改革　ひるまず消費税論議を進めよ（7月14日付・読売社説）

The Democratic Party of Japan's crushing defeat in Sunday's House of Councillors election has raised concern that discussions on far-reaching tax reform, including a possible consumption tax hike, will be put on the back burner.
　参院選で民主党が敗北し、消費税率引き上げを含む税制改革論議が後退する懸念が出ている。

DPJ Secretary General Yukio Edano has indicated his intention not to stick to Prime Minister Naoto Kan's plan of formulating concrete plans on tax reform by the end of fiscal 2010. "We won't necessarily adhere to the initial deadline," Edano said.
　民主党の枝野幹事長は「必ずしも当初想定していた期限にこだわらない」と語り、菅首相が目指していた２０１０年度内の具体案のとりまとめに固執しない意向を示した。

However, the government cannot put off discussions on consumption tax any longer. The nation is mired in an extraordinary fiscal condition in which tax revenue is less than the amount of new government bonds issued. Furthermore, the increasingly creaky social security system needs urgent repair.
　しかし、税収が新規国債発行額を下回る異常な財政事情や、将来不安が高まる社会保障制度の現状を直視すれば、消費税論議を先送りする余裕はないはずだ。

The Kan Cabinet must swiftly resuscitate the economy, which in turn will boost tax revenue, and knuckle down to reform the tax system--including consumption, corporate and income taxes.
　菅内閣は、税収増につながる日本経済の再生を急ぎ、消費税、法人税、所得税など税制全般の改革にも取り組まねばならない。

The election defeat has stung Kan. But the prime minister must dust himself off and start full-fledged efforts to coordinate intraparty opinions on consumption tax and continue inviting opposition parties to start suprapartisan discussions on the issue.
　首相は選挙の敗北にひるまず、消費税についての党内調整を本格化させると同時に、野党に対し、引き続き超党派の協議を呼びかける必要がある。

We urge the opposition camp to take up the prime minister's offer of discussions on a new consumption tax system.
　野党側も、これに応じ、制度設計に踏み込んだ議論を進めるべきである。

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Tax not reason for defeat
　◆消費税が敗因ではない

At Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, Kan suggested the consumption tax dispute contributed to the ruling bloc's failure to retain its majority in the upper house, saying his remarks on the issue just before the election likely caught the public by surprise.
　首相は１３日の閣議で、参院選での与党の過半数割れについて「唐突な感じを与えてしまった」と述べ、消費税問題が敗因につながったとの認識を示した。

However, the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party increased its number of upper chamber seats, despite proposing raising the consumption tax rate to 10 percent in its election platform.
　だが、「消費税率１０％」を参院選公約に明記した自民党は議席を伸ばした。

A Yomiuri Shimbun survey taken after Sunday's election showed more than 60 percent of the public believe a consumption tax hike will be necessary. This figure barely changed from a similar survey conducted before the election.
　読売新聞が参院選後に実施した世論調査では、消費税率の引き上げが必要と答えた人は６割以上に上っている。消費税率アップの必要性についての意識は、今回の選挙の前後で全く変化がない。

In the election, voters did not give a verdict on a consumption tax hike per se, but rather on Kan's inconsistent remarks on the matter.
　有権者が問題にしたのは、消費税率引き上げそのものではなく、一貫性を欠いた首相の言動だ。

During the campaign, Kan failed to present clear principles on fundamental questions about a consumption tax hike, such as why an increase is necessary and how the extra tax revenue it brings in would be used.
　首相は、なぜ消費税率を上げるのか、増税分を何に使うのか、といった根本的な問題に明確な方針を示すことができなかった。

When Kan found himself being boxed in by criticism over the consumption tax issue, he tweaked his previous statement, saying he would not raise "even yen1" in consumption tax until the next general election. This gave the impression that Kan was uncertain what to do.
　増税批判で苦境に立たされると「次の総選挙まで１円たりとも上げない」と発言を修正するなど、最後まで軸が定まっていない印象も与えた。

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