農協改革案 解体的出直しは避けられない

The Yomiuri Shimbun 7:14 pm, May 20, 2014
Overhaul of JA Group inevitable for rebuilding national agriculture
農協改革案　解体的出直しは避けられない

A sweeping overhaul of the JA Group is unavoidable for reconstruction of Japan’s agriculture.

The Council for Regulatory Reform, a government advisory panel, has drafted an agricultural reform proposal aimed at revising the Agricultural Cooperatives Law to achieve the main goal of abolishing the current agricultural hierarchy headed by the Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (JA-Zenchu), which supervises about 700 regional agricultural cooperatives across the country.
　日本農業の再生へ、農業協同組合（ＪＡ）グループの大胆な改革は避けられない。
　政府の規制改革会議が農業改革の原案をまとめた。農協法を改正し、全国に約７００ある地域農協を指導監督する全国農業協同組合中央会（ＪＡ全中）を頂点とした「中央会制度」を廃止することが柱である。

The panel also has proposed transforming the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (Zen-noh), which has been engaged in the collection and selling of farm products, into a joint-stock corporation.
　農作物の集荷や販売にあたる全国農業協同組合連合会（ＪＡ全農）の株式会社化も提案した。

Zenchu’s management guidance has been criticized as being too uniform and hindering farmers’ efforts to promote innovative agricultural business.
　全中は経営指導が画一的で、生産現場の創意工夫を阻んでいる、と批判されてきた。

It is understandable that the reform panel has come up with such a harsh proposal, questioning Zenchu’s leadership by saying it “fails to play a sufficient role in agricultural promotion.”
　規制改革会議が「農業振興に十分な役割を果たしていない」と問題視し、厳しい案を突きつけたのは理解できる。

The panel appears to believe that the way toward “aggressive farming” can be opened by encouraging the self-sustainability of regional agricultural cooperatives and pushing for independent management based on regional characteristics.
　地域農協の自立を促し、地元の特色を生かした独自経営を進めることで、「攻めの農業」への道が開けると見ているのだろう。

If Zen-noh is converted to a joint-stock corporation as proposed by the panel, it will help procure funds more easily, and it will become possible to expand sales channels and distribute agricultural products more efficiently.
　ＪＡ全農の株式会社化で、資金調達が進めやすくなり、販路拡大や流通の効率化も期待される。

The reform proposal calls for deregulation to spur corporate participation in agriculture and review of agricultural committees set up in municipalities, which have the power of authorization over agricultural land transactions.
　改革案は、企業の農業参入を促進する規制緩和や、農地売買の許可権限を持つ農業委員会の見直しも打ち出した。

It is immensely significant that farm minister Yoshimasa Hayashi has highly lauded the reform proposal, saying: “Voices have arisen that agricultural cooperatives have not lived up to the expectations of farmers. There is a common awareness of this problem.”
　林農相が「農協は農業者の期待に応えていないという声がある。問題意識は共通している」と改革案を評価した意味は重い。

Bedrock control

The government plans to incorporate a drastic agricultural reform in its new growth strategy it will compile in June. Agriculture represents a field where so-called bedrock regulations are imposed. It is necessary to work out measures that will have practical effects.
　政府は、６月に策定する新たな成長戦略に大胆な農業改革を盛り込む方針だ。農業は「岩盤規制」の代表格とされる。実効性ある具体策を打ち出す必要がある。

Zenchu vocally opposes the reform proposal, arguing, “There is a big problem with the proposal because it threatens to dismantle the JA Group.” It seems that Zenchu persistently wants to go ahead with a self-reform plan it put together in April.
　全中は、「ＪＡグループの解体につながり、大きな問題がある」と猛反発している。あくまで４月にまとめた自己改革案を推進したい考えとみられる。

However, this reform plan falls far short of presenting decisive steps, and there is no denying that anxiety over the JA Group is superficial. It cannot be helped that the JA Group has been pressured to carry out drastic reform.
　だが、自己改革案はあまりに踏み込み不足で、ＪＡグループの危機感の薄さは否めない。抜本改革を迫られたのは仕方あるまい。

Japan’s agriculture has been in a state of gradual decline. Agricultural income has halved in the past two decades while the fields and rice paddies that have been abandoned during the same period doubled. The average age of farmers has reached about 66, reflecting the aging of the farming population.
　日本農業はじり貧の状態だ。過去２０年間で農業所得は半減し、耕作放棄地は倍増した。農業従事者の平均年齢は約６６歳に達し、高齢化も進行している。

Greater market access for agricultural trade is a focal point as the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations have entered their final stage. Unless improvement in productivity and competitiveness can be achieved with measures that focus on farmers, the opportunity to rebuild agriculture will be lost.
　大詰めの環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）交渉では、農業分野の一層の市場開放が焦点だ。今、担い手農家に集中する振興策で生産性向上や競争力強化を実現しないと、再生のチャンスを逸する。

Nevertheless, the agricultural cooperatives wield strong political power. Cautious views of a drastic organizational review have been smoldering, centering on Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers elected from agricultural constituencies.
　ただ、農協は強大な政治力を持つ。自民党内では農村部の選出議員を中心に、抜本的な組織見直しに対する慎重論もくすぶる。

Can agricultural reform make progress while at the same time avoid a backlash from the agricultural cooperatives and Diet lawmakers with vested interests in agriculture? The Abe administration is being put to the test in this regard.
　農協や族議員の反発を抑えながら、いかに農業改革を進めるか。安倍政権の真価が問われよう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 20, 2014)