英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Sep. 4, 2011)
Noda Cabinet must show recipe for repairing nation
野田内閣発足　国難乗り切る処方箋を示せ（9月3日付・読売社説）

　◆「鳩菅政治」からの決別が急務だ◆

Although it lacks sparkle, the lineup of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's Cabinet gives the impression he is determined to get the wheels of the nation's politics turning again.
　華やかさはないが、国政を前に動かそうという野田首相の意欲を感じさせる布陣だ。

The next step is to strategically implement various policies effectively.
あとは政策をいかに戦略的に実現していくかである。

The new Cabinet was launched Friday.
　野田内閣が２日、発足した。

The lineup is characterized by the inclusion of several House of Councillors members and former heads of the Democratic Party of Japan's Diet Affairs Committee.
Apparently Noda attached importance to cooperation with opposition parties to overcome the so-called divided Diet.
閣僚に参院議員や国会対策委員長経験者が目立つのは、衆参ねじれ国会を乗り切るため、野党との連携を重視したのだろう。

Under Naoto Kan, the DPJ could not function as a ruling party due to internal conflict triggered by disagreements over policies, and strained ties with opposition parties.
Reflecting on the shortcomings of the Kan administration, the new Cabinet contains a balance of members from intraparty groups.
　民主党内の路線対立で政権党の体をなさず、野党との関係もぎくしゃくした菅政権の反省に立ち、党内グループの勢力均衡を図る人選となった。

Together with the lineup of DPJ executives, the party unity Noda was desperate to realize has been achieved--for the time being.
党執行部と合わせて、野田首相が腐心した挙党態勢はひとまず整ったと言える。

　◆政官関係の見直しを◆

The Noda administration has many urgent issues in its in-tray. They include restoration from the March 11 disaster, bringing the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant under control, participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral trade agreement, fiscal rehabilitation, reform of the social security system with a hike in the consumption tax rate as the main pillar, and rebuilding the nation's diplomacy.
　震災復興や原子力発電所事故の収束、環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）への参加、財政再建、消費税率引き上げを柱とする社会保障制度改革、外交立て直し……。

The Noda Cabinet does not have a minute to lose.
　一刻の猶予も許されない課題ばかりだ。

It should come up with concrete proposals to address these matters as soon as possible.
早急に具体的な処方箋を提示する必要がある。

===

Review ties with bureaucrats

Intraparty debate over important policies Noda raised, such as tax increases to fund reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake, was basically settled when the curtain came down on last week's DPJ presidential election.
　野田首相が掲げる復興増税などの重要政策を巡る党内論争は基本的には代表選で決着した。

It is important that each minister accept the results of the election, and that they work as a team to resolve the problems.
　その結果に各閣僚は従い、内閣が一丸となって取り組むことが重要だ。

The ministers must be careful not to make irresponsible remarks off the cuff or generate infighting within the Cabinet, as often happened under past administrations.
これまでのように、閣僚が勝手に発言し、閣内不一致を繰り返すようでは困る。

At the same time, the prime minister should not easily back down for the sake of reconciliation.
首相も融和優先で妥協してはならない。

Former DPJ Deputy Secretary General Osamu Fujimura, one of Noda's closest aides, has been appointed chief cabinet secretary, the linchpin of the Cabinet.
　内閣の要の官房長官には首相の腹心である藤村修・前幹事長代理が起用された。

As a right-hand man of Noda, Fujimura must restore the functions of the Prime Minister's Office, which crumbled under the administrations of Yukio Hatoyama and Naoto Kan.
首相の女房役として鳩山、菅両政権で混乱した首相官邸の機能を回復してほしい。

The DPJ has removed bureaucrats from the government's decision-making process under the misguided "lawmaker-led politics" principle, which caused bureaucrats to turn against the administration and attempt to hinder its operations.
　民主党政権はこれまで、誤った「政治主導」のもと、官僚を意思決定の場から排除し、官僚の離反とサボタージュを招いた。

After the devastating earthquake, the administration started to more effectively use the bureaucracy by, for instance, having administrative vice ministers of the Cabinet Office and ministries participate in a liaison council set up under the special headquarters for measures to assist disaster victims.
However, this does not go far enough.
　震災後は、各府省連絡会議に各府省の次官を参加させるなど官僚機構を活用する姿勢を見せ始めたが、まだまだ不十分だ。

To realize proper politician-led politics, we suggest the new administration resurrect a conference of vice ministers.
本来の政治主導を実現するためにも、次官会議を復活させてはどうか。

From the viewpoint of beefing up functions of the Prime Minister's Office, it is noteworthy that Noda met the leaders of three major business organizations, including Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) Chairman Hiromasa Yonekura, before selecting his ministers and asked them to support a planned council that will work on economic and fiscal issues, among others.
　官邸機能強化という観点では、首相が、組閣に先立ち、経団連の米倉弘昌会長ら経済３団体の長と会談し、首相官邸に設ける経済や財政に関する会議への協力を要請したことも注目に値する。

The planned council, which will be set up at the office, is intended to repair government relations with the business world that became strained under the Kan administration.
　菅政権で悪化した経済界との関係を修復するとともに、

The council also will integrate and realign many of the economy-related advisory bodies that have been haphazardly set up.
乱立した経済関係の会議を統合・再編するのが狙いだという。

Establishing this council will allow the government to tap the wisdom and knowledge of bureaucrats and a wide range of experts from the private sector.
官僚はもとより、民間の知恵とノウハウを活用するのは、妥当な考え方だ。

　◆「震災」「原発」を迅速に◆

Noda reappointed some members of the Kan Cabinet, including Tatsuo Hirano as reconstruction minister and Goshi Hosono as minister in charge of stabilizing the Fukushima nuclear crisis. This makes sense because continuity is essential for speedily reconstructing disaster-hit areas.
　震災対策を迅速に進めるためには、平野達男復興相、細野豪志原発相らの再任は当然だろう。