スラチャイと英語を勉強しましょう！

(May. 24, 2008) The Yomiuri Shimbun

Opposition health bill a prescription for chaos

後期高齢者医療　混乱を増すだけの廃止法案（5月24日付・読売社説）

The newly introduced health insurance system, whose provisions mainly affect those aged 75 or older, is inconsiderate in several respects, including its name (literally, "health insurance system for people in the latter stage of their old age"). It is also true that it has a number of deficiencies and flaws.

　後期高齢者医療制度はその呼称を含め、配慮を欠く面が目立つ。不備や欠陥など問題点が多いことも確かだ。

（inconsiderate=配慮のない、思いやりのない）（flaws=欠点､短所）

But writing off the new system and starting again from scratch would only exacerbate and prolong the current confusion.

　しかし、新制度のすべてを否定して白紙に戻すというのは、混乱をさらに広げ、長引かせるだけだろう。

（from scratch=最初から、ゼロから）（exacerbate=悪化させる）

Four opposition parties have submitted a bill to abolish the new health insurance system for the elderly to the House of Councillors. But they failed to present an alternative plan to replace the new system. They say the previous system should be restored for the time being, but this is irresponsible.

　野党４党が後期高齢者医療制度の廃止法案を参院に提出した。ところが、新制度を撤廃した後にどうするのか、対案がない。とりあえず、従来の老人保健制度を復活させるという。これでは、あまりにも無責任ではないか。

（irresponsible=無責任な、信頼できない）

Ineptitude on the part of officials of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry and local governments is to blame for the problem. Although the new system was a major departure from the old one, officials neglected to provide proper explanations and make other preparations for the introduction of the new system in a manner considerate to elderly people.

　生じている混乱の原因は、厚生労働省や自治体の対応のまずさにある。主に７５歳以上が対象の大きな制度変更なのに、高齢者に配慮した説明や準備を怠ってきた。

（Ineptitude=不条理、愚かしさ）（considerate=思いやりのある、理解のある、察しの良い）

The result is that there was an emotional backlash against the new system when its merits and demerits should instead have been considered in a coolheaded manner. The opposition camp's approach--calling for the immediate abolition of the new system and saying that discussions on its replacement can follow later--would just make a bad situation worse.

　そのため、感情的な反発が先行している。まずは冷静に、制度の長所と短所を検討の俎上（そじょう）に載せるべきだろう。ともかく廃止せよ、議論はそれからだ、という野党の姿勢は、拙劣の上に拙劣を重ねるようなものだ。

（backlash=反発、反動）（should have been considered＝仮定法過去完了＝考慮されるべきであったが考慮されなかった）

===

Old system deeply flawed

（旧制度の見直し）

Just as the new system has yet to be fully understood by the public, major problems associated with the previous health insurance system for the elderly also were not widely acknowledged. The government and ruling parties failed to provide sufficient explanations on that point.

　新制度が周知されていないのと同様、従来の老人保健制度に大きな問題があったこともまた、十分に知られていない。政府・与党はそこから説明が不足している。

Before the introduction of the new system, most people aged 75 or older remained enrolled in the national health insurance scheme operated by each municipality as well as the health insurance system for the elderly. Increases in medical costs as a result of the aging of the population were paid in part out of funds contributed by corporate health insurance associations and others.

　これまでも７５歳以上の人は、主に市町村の国民健康保険に加入しながら、老人保健制度の枠組みに入っていた。その医療費が膨らんだ分は、企業の健保組合などが拠出金で支援していた。

（remain + 過去分詞=の状態のままである ex. remained enrolled=加入した状態のままである）

Under such a system, it was not clear how much of a burden the working generations bore. It also was unclear who was responsible for taking action to arrest undue increases in medical costs for elderly people. Furthermore, the amount of premiums collected differed significantly among municipalities depending on their fiscal conditions.

　ただし、現役世代がどこまで支援するかが明確ではなかった。後期高齢者の医療費が必要以上に膨らまぬよう、誰が責任を持って取り組むかも判然としなかった。保険料も、市町村の財政事情によって大きな格差が生じていた。

（was...bore...=時制を一致させる構文）（arrest=はばむ、進行を抑える、抑制するここでは逮捕するの意味ではない）

（undue=過度の、適切でない）

Both the ruling and opposition camps must have shared a common understanding that such defects were too serious to be rectified under the previous system. When the upper house passed a set of bills to reform health insurance systems in 2000, all parties except for the Japanese Communist Party voted to adopt an additional resolution calling for the establishment of a new health insurance system for the elderly as soon as possible.

　老人保健制度の歪（ゆが）みが限界にあるのは与野党の共通認識だったはずだ。２０００年の医療制度改革で参院が関連法案を可決した際、共産党を除く各党で「早急に新たな高齢者医療制度を創設せよ」との付帯決議を採択している。

===

Nation aging as polls argue

（高齢化時代への対応）

Measures to ease the problems associated with the previous system have been taken with the introduction of the new system. It is not desirable to take a step backward. Revisions made to the new system should be properly evaluated, and further adjustments should be made so that any flaws can be quickly corrected.

　新制度で老人保健制度の問題点は改善しており、再び後退するのは望ましくない。利点は適切に評価してさらに磨き、欠点を迅速に改めていくべきだろう。

(flaw=欠点､欠陥)

Faced with the opposition's broadside, the government and the ruling parties have rushed to review the new system. They are considering a variety of relief measures for those bearing heavier burdens under the new system in the form of reductions or exemptions on due premiums. But this seems like a mere dole-out policy and would be a poor way to handle the issue.

　野党の攻勢に、政府・与党は大あわてで制度の見直し作業に入った。ところが、負担増になる高齢者の救済策として、バラマキのように幅広い減免措置を検討している。これもまた拙劣だ。

（broadside=一斉攻撃、攻勢）（dole-out policy=施しものをするような政策、哀れみ政策？）

While politics is being roiled by the issue, the nation's population is continuing to grow older. What politicians should be doing is holding constructive discussions on the issue of health care for those aged 75 and older rather than competing to mishandle the issue in a nearsighted manner in an attempt to woo voters.

　政治が右往左往する間にも高齢化は進む。必要なのは建設的な議論であり、目先の人気取りで拙劣な対応を競うことではない。

（roiled=社会を騒然とさせる、人をいらだたせる、怒らせる／濁らせる、かき濁す）（compete=競ってする）（mishandle=処置を誤る）

（nearsighted=先見の明のない、近視の、近視眼的な視点で）（woo=人々の支持を得ようと努める）

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 24, 2008)

（2008年5月24日01時50分  読売新聞）