衆院閉会中審査 競争力を強めるＴＰＰ対策に

The Yomiuri Shimbun
TPP-related measures must build strength of farming, manufacturing
衆院閉会中審査　競争力を強めるＴＰＰ対策に

The government must thoroughly explain the significance of a broad agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact and steadily carry out related measures at home.
　政府は、環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）大筋合意の意義を丁寧に説明し、国内対策を着実に進めねばならない。

The House of Representatives’ Budget Committee held a session of the Diet’s adjournment inspection on Tuesday, with the TPP and other issues taken up for deliberation.
　衆院予算委員会が、ＴＰＰなどをテーマに閉会中審査を行った。

Yuichiro Tamaki of the Democratic Party of Japan criticized the TPP accord reached last month, as it runs counter to a Diet resolution adopted in 2013 seeking to maintain tariffs on the “five key categories” of farm products, including rice and wheat.
民主党の玉木雄一郎氏は、１０月のＴＰＰ大筋合意が、コメや麦など「重要５項目」の関税維持を求めた２０１３年の国会決議に反すると批判した。

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pointed out that the tariff-free rate on farm goods to be imported to Japan remains at just 81 percent — markedly lower than in other member countries. “We have reached an accord which is consistent with the aims of the Diet resolution,” he emphasized.
　安倍首相は、日本の農林水産品の関税撤廃率が８１％と、他の参加国より格段に低いことを指摘し、「決議の趣旨に沿う合意を達成できた」と強調した。

In multinational trade talks, negotiating countries, in principle, need to make concessions to each other. Besides, the tariff-free rate on these five key items stands even lower, at 30 percent, and the reductions mainly apply to items for which Japan has only a modest record of imports and those for which alternatives are not available at home. It cannot be said that the accord runs against the Diet resolution.
　多国間の通商交渉は、各国が譲り合うのが原則だ。さらに、５項目の関税撤廃率は３０％と一段と低く、輸入実績が少ない品目や国内生産がない品目が中心である。国会決議違反とは言い切れまい。

Tamaki also labeled the automobile-sector negotiations as ones in which Japan “suffered complete defeat by the United States,” as he said it would take 25 years for U.S. tariffs to be eliminated on Japan-made automobiles.
　玉木氏は、米国に輸出する日本製自動車の関税撤廃に２５年を要することから、自動車分野の交渉は「米国に完敗した」と決めつけた。

Abe refuted Tamaki’s remark by saying: “What is important for Japan is to eliminate tariffs on auto parts. And we surely won in this regard.”
首相は、「日本に大切なのは自動車部品の関税撤廃で、それはしっかりと得た」と反論した。

In light of the expanding local production of Japanese automakers in the United States, the government, during the TPP talks, put more weight on eliminating tariffs on auto parts than on automobiles themselves. As the tariffs on 80 percent of auto part items to be exported to the United States would be abolished immediately after the TPP takes effect, it can be said that a certain tangible result has been achieved.
　国内メーカーの米国現地生産の広がりを踏まえ、政府は交渉で、自動車本体より部品の関税廃止を重視した。部品の関税は８割が即時撤廃されるため、一定の成果が上がったと言える。

Takagi must explain more

While expressing his support for Japan’s joining the TPP pact, Yorihisa Matsuno, leader of the Japan Innovation Party, requested that the TPP-related measures the government will draw up within this month not be unduly weighted toward public-works projects.
　維新の党の松野代表は、ＴＰＰ参加に賛成しつつ、政府が月内にも策定するＴＰＰ対策が公共事業に偏らないよう、注文した。

It is important that the TPP-related measures incorporate ways to expand the nation’s economic growth by focusing on the enhancement of international competitiveness of Japan’s farming and manufacturing sectors, rather than on the protection of farmers.
　ＴＰＰ対策は、農家保護でなく、農業や製造業の競争力向上に重点を置き、経済成長の拡大につなげる内容にすることが大切だ。

Meanwhile, Michiyoshi Yunoki of the DPJ questioned reconstruction minister Tsuyoshi Takagi over an allegation that Takagi had given condolence money to voters in his electoral district.
　民主党の柚木道義氏は、高木復興相が自らの選挙区で支出した慶弔費の問題を追及した。

Takagi said, “The condolence money I offered at the funerals where I went myself was wrongly recorded [as having been given by my political organization in my political fund reports].” He then indicated his view that his deeds did not constitute a violation of the Public Offices Election Law.
高木氏は「私が弔問し、香典を出したものを（政治団体の支出と）誤って記載した」と述べ、公職選挙法には抵触しないとの認識を示した。

But Yunoki was not satisfied with Takagi’s explanation and asserted that through his on-the-spot inquiry he had obtained testimony of a party concerned who said, “Takagi didn’t carry condolence money [when visiting the funeral sites].”
　だが、柚木氏は納得せず、独自の現地調査で「高木氏は香典を持参していない」といった関係者の証言を得た、と主張した。

Takagi may need to still assume accountability over the allegations, including one over his having paid for “flowers placed at a deceased person’s bedside.”
　故人の枕元に飾る「枕花」の代金を支出した問題を含め、高木氏は、引き続き説明責任を果たす必要があるのではないか。

The government and the ruling coalition parties plan not to convene an extraordinary session of the Diet this autumn. Since 10 members have joined the Abe Cabinet as new ministers through the latest reshuffle, an extra Diet session should be convened in principle. But as the ordinary Diet session was extended by 95 days this year and diplomatic schedules have been tight since October, it is somewhat inevitable for the extra session to be shelved.
　政府・与党は、秋の臨時国会の召集を見送る方針だ。内閣改造で１０人の新閣僚が誕生しており、本来は召集するのが筋だが、通常国会を９５日間延長したうえ、１０月以降は外交日程が立て込んでいるなど、やむを得ない面はある。

We hope they will create occasions for debates as needed in the days ahead.
　今後も必要に応じて、論戦の機会を設けてもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 11, 2015)