英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun July 31, 2013
Opposition parties should focus on policies before realignment talks
「多弱」の野党　再編は政策論議から始めよ（7月30日付・読売社説）

The current political climate is described as consisting of the powerful Liberal Democratic Party and many weak opposition parties. Although opposition parties rivaling the huge ruling party are needed, such a prospect appears remote.
　「１強」の自民党と、「多弱」の野党と言われる。巨大与党に対抗し得る野党像を模索すべきなのに、展望は厳しい。

After the recent House of Councillors election, questions were raised over the responsibility of the party leadership of the Democratic Party of Japan and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party). But it has been decided the top leaders of these parties will stay on.
　参院選後、執行部の責任問題が取り沙汰された民主党、日本維新の会は、ともにトップが続投することになった。

There have been talks about realignment involving the two parties and Your Party. But with party leaders who could not form a united front in the upper house election, it will be no easy task for the parties to unite or realign themselves.
　みんなの党を加えた３党間で野党再編も浮上しているが、参院選で共闘できなかった党首の下、結束や再編は容易ではあるまい。

The DPJ decided that former party leader Naoto Kan, who openly supported an independent candidate in the upper house poll, be suspended from the party for three months. The punishment was lenient given the initial calls to expel him from the party. There is strong discontent over the continued party leadership of Banri Kaieda, and it remains unclear how the party can reconstruct itself.
　民主党は、参院選で無所属候補を応援した菅元代表の処分を「党員資格３か月停止」とした。当初案の「除籍」に比べて後退した。海江田代表の続投に不満が根強く、党再建の道筋は不透明だ。

Since its foundation, there have been significant differences over basic policies among DPJ party members. This has caused a lack of party unity, which is seen as the DPJ’s weakest point. We strongly doubt Kaieda can exercise the leadership needed to overcome confrontations over policies among party members.
　民主党では結党以来、基本政策を巡って隔たりが大きい。最大の弱点とされる党の一体感の欠如を招いている。海江田氏が、路線対立を乗り越える指導力を発揮できるのか、はなはだ疑問である。

Akihiro Ohata has been chosen for the post of DPJ secretary general. Ohata, who was previously acting party president, had belonged to the former Japan Socialist Party and enjoys the strong support of labor unions. Thus, the DPJ’s reliance on labor unions is likely to increase.
　幹事長には、大畠章宏代表代行が就いた。大畠氏は旧社会党出身で労働組合色が濃く、民主党の労組依存体質は強まるだろう。

In the proportional representation segment of the upper house election, six of the party’s seven winners were those who ran with organizational support from the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo).
　参院選の比例選でも、当選者７人のうち連合の組織内候補が６人を占めている。

Unified views lacking

Regarding realignment of opposition parties, Kaieda said, “The important thing is that the DPJ plays the leading role.” But we think he does not understand the party’s current position.
　海江田氏は、野党再編に関し、「大切なのは民主党が中心になることだ」と述べたが、民主党の置かれた状況を理解していない。

Ishin no Kai coleader Toru Hashimoto and some others within the party indeed consider the DPJ’s reliance on labor unions problematic. Ishin no Kai has called for tie-ups with Your Party and conservative DPJ members who are not affiliated with labor unions.
　維新の会の橋下共同代表らは、まさに民主党の労組依存を問題視しており、結束を呼びかける相手は、みんなの党と民主党の保守・非労組系議員だからだ。

Within Ishin no Kai, Hashimoto expressed his intention to resign as party coleader. But the other party coleader Shintaro Ishihara and others persuaded Hashimoto to stay on. Confrontations between party members in Osaka, where Ishin no Kai is based, and party Diet members in Tokyo likely will continue.
　その維新の会では、橋下氏が辞意を表明したものの、石原共同代表らに慰留された。本拠地の大阪と、東京の国会議員団との対立という問題は今後もくすぶろう。

In Your Party, there is discord between party leader Yoshimi Watanabe and Secretary General Kenji Eda. While Eda is eager for the party to take the leading role in opposition realignment, Watanabe is taking a cautious stance, saying, “Hasty realignment will fail, ending with a mere union of convenience.”
　みんなの党には、渡辺代表と江田幹事長の確執がある。江田氏はみんなの党が再編を主導すべきだと前のめりだが、渡辺氏は「拙速な再編は野合に終わり、失敗する」と慎重な構えだ。

The political clout of Ichiro Ozawa, who had long played a central role in political realignments and currently serves as the leader of the People’s Life Party, has significantly waned. Mizuho Fukushima, who led the Social Democratic Party for a decade, has stepped down as party leader.
　長年、政界再編の中心だった生活の党の小沢代表は、政治力の低下が著しい。社民党を１０年間率いてきた福島党首も退く。

Political parties are meant to grasp issues both at home and abroad and carry out prescriptive policy measures to address them. Parties should not easily ally or split just for politicians’ convenience, and will not be able to survive without public support.
　政党は本来、内外の課題を把握し、処方箋たる政策を実行していくためにある。政治家の都合で離合集散すべきものではないし、国民の支持なしに生き残れない。

For any new opposition party, it is essential for there to be a consensus among its members over such policy issues as the Constitution under a leader who can establish intraparty governance.
　新しい野党には、ガバナンスを確立できるリーダーの下、憲法など政策での一致が欠かせない。

The next national election will held three years from now at the latest. Each opposition party should start from realistic and steady policy discussions rather than insubstantial talks on realignment.
　次の国政選まで最大３年ある。野党各党は、浮ついた再編論議ではなく、現実的で地道な政策論から始めるべきである。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 30, 2013)
（2013年7月30日01時39分 読売新聞）