代表質問 安倍政権を攻めあぐねる野党

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Mar. 6, 2013)
Opposition parties toothless when grilling Abe administration
代表質問　安倍政権を攻めあぐねる野党（3月5日付・読売社説）

The approval rating for the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe remains high, and opposition parties have yet to clarify their stances on key policy issues. Under the circumstances, the opposition bloc has struggled to launch an effective offensive against the Abe government.
　安倍内閣の支持率が高く、重要政策に対する野党の方針も定まらない。野党が政府を攻めあぐねているのは、そんな事情があるからだろう。

Interpellations by party representatives on the prime minister's recent policy speech have begun in the Diet.
　安倍首相の施政方針演説に対する各党の代表質問が始まった。

Democratic Party of Japan Acting President Akihiro Ohata questioned the consistency between the government's position on the nation's possible participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks and the Liberal Democratic Party's pledges for the last House of Representatives election. The LDP pledged it would oppose TPP participation as long as it was premised on the elimination of all tariffs without exception.
　民主党の大畠章宏代表代行は、環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）交渉の参加問題に関連し、「聖域なき関税撤廃を前提にする限り反対」とした自民党の衆院選公約との整合性を取り上げた。

Ohata upbraided these "Abe tricks" as a deception of the public because the condition set in the LDP pledges has yet to be met, as whether some trade items are exempt from tariff elimination will be decided in the negotiations.
　関税撤廃の例外品目が認められるかどうかは交渉で決まる以上、公約の条件は満たされておらず、国民を欺く「安倍トリック」だと厳しく批判した。

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Clearer explanations needed

It is true that Japan has not been assured there will be exceptions. But it is unproductive to debate whether entering the TPP talks goes against the policy pledge at this stage. The DPJ question missed the point, and was raised apparently because the party has not clarified its stance on the issue.
　確かに例外品目が、日本に約束されたわけではない。だが、現段階で公約違反か否かは生産的な議論ではない。民主党自身、ＴＰＰへの方針が定まらぬから、本質から外れた質問になるのだろう。

The prime minister responded rather tersely. He briefly explained about his recent meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, and merely said, "I've come to believe that the TPP won't be premised on the elimination of all tariffs without exception."
　首相もそっけなかった。オバマ米大統領との会談を説明し、「ＴＰＰでは聖域なき関税撤廃が前提にされるものではないとの認識に至った」と答えただけだ。

Abe needs to explain to the public in a simpler-to-understand way that, for Japan as a trading nation, participation in the TPP would be a pillar in its growth strategy. After doing so, he should aim to soon join the process of crafting rules on free trade and make sure rice and certain other items are excluded from tariff elimination.
　首相はＴＰＰ参加が貿易立国・日本の成長戦略の柱になることをもっと国民に分かりやすく訴える必要がある。その上で早期に自由貿易のルール作りに参加し、コメなどを関税撤廃の例外品目にすることを目指すべきだ。

Referring to the government's appointment of the next Bank of Japan governor, Takao Fujii, chairman of the general council of Diet members of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party), said it is desirable to have someone who supports revising the Bank of Japan Law to strengthen government involvement in monetary policy.
　日本維新の会の藤井孝男国会議員団総務会長は、日銀総裁人事について、金融政策への政府の関与を強める日銀法改正に賛成である候補が望ましいと主張した。

Abe said he also has revision of the law in mind, but expressed high hopes for now that Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda, the government's pick to be the central bank chief, will take bold monetary easing measures.
　首相は、日銀法改正も視野にあるとした上で、まずは候補の黒田東彦アジア開発銀行総裁の大胆な金融緩和策に期待感を示した。

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Get electoral reform moving

Internal rifts have surfaced within Ishin no Kai. Party coleader Toru Hashimoto is negative toward Kuroda's appointment, but some party lawmakers are leaning toward accepting his nomination. Ishin no Kai officials have said they will decide after hearing opinions given by Kuroda in the Diet. But Fujii's questioning lacked force mainly because his party has yet to settle on a position on the issue.
　維新内部では、黒田氏に否定的な橋下共同代表と、前向きな国会議員団との亀裂が表面化した。結局、所信聴取を踏まえて判断するというが、藤井氏の質問が迫力を欠くのは、党の立場が明確ではないためだろう。

During a hearing at the House of Representatives Rules and Administration Committee on Monday, Kuroda expressed determination to do whatever he could for the nation to overcome deflation. We consider this a reasonable stance toward revitalization of the Japanese economy.
　黒田氏は４日、衆院議院運営委員会での所信聴取で「デフレ脱却に向けやれることは何でもやる」と決意を表明した。日本経済再生に向けて妥当な見解である。

The prime minister said he had told his party to "actively work on compiling plans" for lower house election system reform, including a change in the number of seats in the chamber. The LDP, New Komeito and the DPJ have already agreed to proceed with this change.
　一方、首相は、自民、公明、民主３党で合意した定数是正を含む衆院選挙制度改革について、「党に対し、積極的に取りまとめるよう指示している」と強調した。

Former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Abe's predecessor, made realization of electoral system reform a precondition for dissolving the lower house last year. Abe agreed that a conclusion should be reached during the current Diet session. Talks between ruling and opposition parties on this issue must be accelerated.
　野田前首相が衆院解散の条件として改革実現を提案し、今国会中に結論を出すことを安倍氏も了承した経緯がある。与野党協議を加速させねばならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 5, 2013)
（2013年3月5日01時29分  読売新聞）