（社説）自民と教科書 政治は採択に関わるな

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 23
EDITORIAL: LDP should not meddle in school textbook selection process
（社説）自民と教科書　政治は採択に関わるな

The process is under way for local governments to select textbooks that will be used in junior high schools from next spring.
　来春から中学校で使われる教科書の採択が、各自治体で進んでいる。

Given that, a league of lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party has compiled a brochure that compares social studies textbooks issued by various publishers, and has distributed it to local LDP assembly members across the country.
　そんななか、自民党の議員連盟が社会科の各社の教科書を比べるパンフレットをつくり、全国の地方議員あてに配った。

The action is purportedly aimed at encouraging boards of education, through questions by local assemblies and other means, to select textbooks with a strong conservative slant.
　議会での質問などを通じて教育委員会にはたらきかけ、保守色の強い教科書を選んでもらうのが狙いだという。

Selections, after all, belong to the authority of education boards, which are supposed to make them on the basis of discussions from educational viewpoints on which textbooks are the most suitable for the children and schools of their communities.
　採択はあくまでも教委の権限で行うものだ。我が街の子どもや学校にふさわしい教科書は何か、教育の観点から議論して選ぶことになっている。

Political parties are free to have their own perceptions of the textbooks issued by different publishers. But they should refrain from encouraging the selection of textbooks that are more in line with their philosophies.
　各社の教科書をどう受け止めるかは、政党の自由である。
　だが、政党が自らの主張に近い教科書を選ぶよう、はたらきかける行為は慎むべきだ。

Local assembly members are there to approve the appointments of education board members. They should exercise self-restraint so that their actions will not be perceived as applying pressure. What they should do is to serve as a monitor to ensure that education boards can fulfill their primary functions.
　地方議員は教育委員の人事に同意を与える存在だ。行為が圧力と受け止められないよう自重してほしい。教委が本分を果たせるよう見守ってもらいたい。

The brochure, certainly, contains no text that explicitly recommends any particular publisher.
　パンフレットには、たしかに特定の社を推薦する明確な表現はない。

But the issues being taken up in the brochure include the national flag and the national anthem, the right to collective self-defense and constitutional amendment--pet issues of the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe--as well as the Nanking Incident and "comfort women," which the LDP has argued some textbooks contain “self-deprecating” statements about.
　だが、取り上げた論点は、安倍政権が重視する国旗・国歌、集団的自衛権、憲法改正や、自民党がこれまで「自虐的な記述がある」などと指摘してきた南京事件、慰安婦などだ。

Concerning the national flag and the national anthem, for example, the brochure presents strongly conservative textbooks in a favorable light, saying that one contains “detailed descriptions on a feature page.” Some other textbooks are portrayed in a negative light, as seen in a statement that “some textbooks contain no reference in the index” to the issue of the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea.
　たとえば国旗・国歌では、保守色の強い教科書について「特集ページで詳しく記述」など好意的に紹介。それ以外の教科書は、拉致問題で「索引に載っていない教科書がある」など否定的に評している。

School textbooks are not tools for inculcating arguments of a political party.
　教科書は、政党の主張を教え込む道具ではない。

Education board members should ensure they are making independent judgments and, even if they are asked questions at local assemblies, they should only regard these queries as the opinions of individuals.
　教育委員は、議会で質問されても、１人の意見として参考にしつつ独自に判断してほしい。

The education board system was reformed so that, starting this spring, the heads of local governments should set up a “general education council,” a forum for exchanging views with education boards.
　教育委員会の制度改革で、各自治体ではこの春から首長が「総合教育会議」を設け、教委と協議することになっている。

The education ministry has said the selection of school textbooks should not be a subject of discussions in the council, because it is believed that political neutrality is de rigueur in the textbook selection process.
　文部科学省は教科書採択について、この会議の議題にすべきではないとした。教科書採択は政治的中立性が強く求められると考えているからだ。

The LDP has proposed--and has realized--a revision in textbook screening rules so that textbooks must mention the government’s official position, wherever available. As 18-year-olds will be given suffrage from next year, the party has also proposed to Abe that law could be revised to punish senior high school teachers who have deviated from political neutrality.
　自民党は、教科書で政府見解があるものは取り上げるよう検定のルールの変更を提言し、実現させた。１８歳選挙権に合わせ、政治的中立を逸脱した高校教員に罰則を科す法改正を安倍首相に提案してもいる。

We cannot accept the sequence of these moves, whereby the political sector is meddling in public education.
　政治が教育現場に踏み込む一連の動きはいただけない。

The selection process throughout the nation will continue through the end of August.
　各地の採択は月末まで続く。

The LDP brochure is titled, “To deliver better textbooks to our children.”
　自民党のパンフレットの題は「より良い教科書を子供たちに届けるために」。

Thought should be given again to what should be done and not be done by a political party and assembly members if that goal is to be achieved.
　そのために政党や議員は何をすべきで、何をすべきではないか。改めて考えてもらいたい。

露首相択捉訪問 領土交渉に背向ける軽挙妄動

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Through rash actions, Russia turning its back on territorial talks with Japan
露首相択捉訪問　領土交渉に背向ける軽挙妄動

It is an action that will greatly set back the momentum toward improving bilateral ties between Japan and Russia and settling territorial disputes. By no means can we tolerate this.
　日露関係の改善と領土問題の解決の機運を大幅に後退させる動きだ。断じて容認できない。

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev visited Etorofu Island in the northern territories on Saturday.
　ロシアのメドベージェフ首相が北方領土の択捉島を訪問した。

After inspecting the status of the development of harbor and airport facilities on the island, he announced, at a political forum for local youths, a policy of designating the islands of Etorofu and Kunashiri as “advanced development territories.”
港湾施設や空港などの整備状況を視察した後、若者向けの政治集会で、択捉島と国後島を「優先発展地域」に指定する方針を表明した。

The visit is apparently aimed at demonstrating that Russia’s effective control of the northern territories is entrenched, as this month marks the 70th year since the then Soviet Union occupied the islands.
　ソ連の占領開始から今月で７０年となるのに合わせ、実効支配の固定化を印象づける狙いだろう。

By ignoring Japan’s request to cancel the visit, Medvedev’s arrival on the island constitutes a serious infringement of sovereignty.
　訪問は日本の中止要請を無視したもので、重大な主権侵害である。

It was reasonable that Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told Russian Ambassador to Japan Evgeny Afanasiev on Saturday, “The visit hurt the feelings of the Japanese people and was extremely regrettable.”
岸田外相が駐日露大使に、「日本国民の感情を傷つける。極めて遺憾だ」と抗議したのは当然だ。

Lately, Russia’s hard-line stance on Japan has been intolerable. At the end of June, Russia decided to impose a ban, starting next year, on drift-net fishing for salmon and trout within Russia’s exclusive economic zone, where Japanese fishing vessels also operate. There are fears the Japanese fishing industry will be affected.
　ロシアは最近、対日強硬姿勢が目に余る。６月末、排他的経済水域（ＥＥＺ）内で、日本漁船も従事するサケ・マス流し網漁の来年からの禁止を決めた。日本漁業への打撃が心配される。

Since July, the Russian health minister and the deputy prime minister have successively visited the northern territories. Russia has also announced a “development program,” injecting about \120 billion over 10 years for the development of social infrastructure for the whole of the Kuril Islands.
　７月以降、保健相と副首相が相次いで北方領土を訪れた。千島列島全体の社会基盤整備などに、１０年間で約１２００億円を投じる「発展計画」も発表した。

Moscow makes threats

We can discern Russia’s intention of shaking the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and causing disarray in Japan’s cooperation with the United States and European countries, which are imposing sanctions on Russia over the Ukrainian crisis.
　安倍政権を揺さぶり、ウクライナ問題で対露制裁を発動中の米欧との連携を乱す意図が見える。

Japan has attached importance to dialogue with Russia to hold in check China’s military rise and to prevent China from forming a united front with Russia against Japan.
　日本は、中国の軍事的台頭を牽制けんせいし、ロシアとの「反日」共闘の構築を避けるため、日露間の対話を重視してきた。

By using the personal relationship between Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Japan is seeking a possible visit to Japan by Putin sometime this year to advance bilateral negotiations over territorial issues. We can understand Abe’s strategic course of action.
　安倍首相とプーチン大統領の個人的な関係をテコに領土交渉を進展させようと、プーチン氏の年内来日も探っている。首相の戦略の方向性は理解できる。

But Russia’s recent moves vividly demonstrate that the Putin administration has no intention of earnestly dealing with the territorial issues with Japan.
　だが、最近のロシアの動きは、プーチン政権が領土問題を本気で前進させる意向がないことを如実に示しているのではないか。

Even if Putin’s visit to Japan is realized, it is hard to expect any substantial dialogue between Abe and Putin, nor any tangible results.
　仮に来日が実現しても、中身のある対話や目に見える成果は期待できまい。

Kishida said he would freeze for the time being the coordination for his planned visit to Russia, in preparation for Putin’s visit to Japan. Japan’s strategy is coming to an impasse.
岸田氏は当面、訪露の調整を凍結するという。日本側の戦略は行き詰まりつつある。

Behind Russia’s recent moves is the reality that Putin is utilizing as a unifying force for his administration his adoption of hostile views, particularly toward the United States, and inflaming patriotism in the Russian people.
　プーチン氏が米国を特に敵視し、露国民の愛国心を煽あおって政権の求心力としている現実が背景にある。

Putin has also referred to the possibility of using nuclear weapons, having repeatedly made threatening remarks to the United States and European countries.
プーチン氏は核兵器使用の可能性にも言及し、米欧に対する威嚇発言を繰り返してきた。

By undergoing a rapid military buildup, Russia also continues its military provocations toward the United States and European nations. Russia’s changing of the status quo by force, such as its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, can never be permitted.
　軍備を急速に増強し、米欧への軍事的挑発も続けている。クリミア半島編入という力による現状変更は、到底許されない。

A Russia that abides by international rules and assumes a constructive role would benefit Russia. Japan, in cooperation with the United States, has to continue urging Putin to understand this point, on such occasions as the U.N. General Assembly and the summit talks of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, both scheduled for this autumn.
　国際ルールを守り、建設的な役割を担うことこそがロシアの利益になる――。日本は米国と連携し、今秋の国連総会やアジア太平洋経済協力会議（ＡＰＥＣ）首脳会議などを通じて、この点をプーチン氏に説き続ける必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 23, 2015)

年金情報流出 危機感の欠如が被害を広げた

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Low security consciousness at JPS exacerbated pension data breach
年金情報流出　危機感の欠如が被害を広げた

The Japan Pension Service can hardly be regarded as an organization properly handling a massive amount of personal information. Its sloppy information management must be corrected urgently.
　膨大な個人情報を扱う組織とは思えない。ずさんな情報管理体制を改めることが急務である。

An in-house investigation committee at the JPS and a third-party panel at the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry have released, separately, reports on the findings of each of their investigations into an incident in which 1.25 million cases of personal information, including the basic pension numbers of pension recipients, were compromised at the JPS.
　日本年金機構から受給者の基礎年金番号など１２５万件の個人情報が流出した問題で、機構の内部調査委員会と厚生労働省の検証委員会が、それぞれ報告書を公表した。

According to the JPS report, the organization received a total of 124 targeted e-mails carrying a virus from May 8 to 20. File attachments of five of the e-mails were opened, causing 31 personal computers to be infected with the virus and information to be compromised within three days from May 21.
　機構の報告書によると、５月８～２０日にウイルスを仕込んだ「標的型メール」計１２４通を受信した。うち５通の添付ファイルなどを職員が開いてパソコン３１台がウイルス感染し、２１日から３日間で一気に情報が流出した。

There were several opportunities during that period for the JPS to prevent the damage from spreading.
　この間、機構が被害を食い止める機会は何度もあった。

However, the organization failed to block further e-mails from the address used for the first problematic e-mail following its receipt. It did not confirm properly from mail recipients whether they had opened attachments, and delayed action to cut off Internet connections for the entire JPS computer system.
　だが、最初のメール受信後に送信元アドレスの受信拒否設定をしなかった。メール受信者に添付ファイル開封の有無をきちんと確認せず、機構全体のインターネット接続を遮断する措置も遅れた。

JPS President Toichiro Mizushima said during a news conference Thursday, “I thought we had confirmed whether the attachment had been opened.” The comment is one indication of the lenient attitude within JPS of leaving everything to those in charge. It was natural for the report to say that “a sense of crisis was lacking.”
　機構の水島藤一郎理事長は記者会見で、「開封したかどうかの確認は行われていると思っていた」と釈明した。担当者任せの甘い対応ぶりがうかがえる。報告書が「危機感が十分ではなかった」としたのはもっともだ。

It is also problematic that sloppy information management has become everyday practice at the JPS.
　ずさんな情報管理が常態化していたことも問題である。

Personal information was permitted to be stored in an Internet-connected shared file server when deemed necessary. It can thus be said that the JPS faced a constant danger of the unauthorized exposure of information.
　必要があれば、インターネットに接続された共有ファイルサーバーへの個人情報の保存を認められていた。常に情報流出の危険にさらされていたと言える。

Absence of systematic checks

Rules such as setting passwords were not observed and the JPS did not have a system in place to check what was going on.
　パスワードの設定といったルールが守られず、機構が実態をチェックする仕組みもなかった。

The report identified that long-standing problems ― carried over from the era of the JPS’s predecessor, the Social Insurance Agency ― including a lack of unity as an organization, underlie the data breach. At the now defunct SIA, a lack of control was caused by a three-tier structure for employees, including those recruited by the SIA’s central and local offices. This led to a number of scandals, including a huge blunder with pension record-keeping.
　報告書は、組織の一体感の不足など、旧社会保険庁からの「積年の問題」が根底にあると分析した。旧社保庁では、本庁と地方など採用の異なる職員の「３層構造」が統制の欠如を招き、年金記録漏れなどの不祥事につながった。

Such an organizational culture likely remains pervasive within the JPS. A sweeping organizational reform is called for, in addition to the bolstering of information management systems.
　悪あしき体質が残っているのだろう。情報管理体制の強化に加え、組織の抜本改革が求められる。

The welfare ministry’s responsibility is also grave in this regard.
　厚労省の責任も重大である。

According to the report released by the ministry’s third-party investigation panel, adequate supervision could not be provided because it was not clear which department at the ministry was in charge of the JPS’s information systems.
　検証委員会の報告書によると、機構の情報システムに関する厚労省の担当部署が不明確で、適切な指揮監督ができなかった。

Despite the fact that the JPS had suffered a similar cyber-attack in April, before it received the targeted e-mail in May, the ministry provided no information on the incident nor did it issue an alert.
　機構が標的型メールを受信する前の４月に、類似の攻撃を受けていたにもかかわらず、情報提供や注意喚起を行わなかった。

It was natural for welfare minister Yasuhisa Shiozaki to say, “Both the JPS and the ministry must take responsibility [for the incident].” It is necessary to ensure that a recurrence of similar incidents is robustly prevented, and that work proceeds toward restoring confidence in the pension system.
　塩崎厚労相が「けじめは機構も厚労省もつけなければいけない」と述べたのは当然だ。再発防止を徹底し、年金制度への信頼回復に努める必要がある。

Joint efforts by private and public sectors are sought to deal with cyber-attacks, which are becoming more ingenious and shrewd.
　巧妙さを増すサイバー攻撃に対し、官民で対策を強化したい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 22, 2015)

社説：武藤議員離党 公認した自民の責任は

August 21, 2015 (Mainichi Japan)
Editorial: LDP's responsibility for money scandal involving legislator questioned
社説：武藤議員離党　公認した自民の責任は

House of Representatives member Takaya Muto has left the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) over a money scandal. The scandal has raised questions as for what purposes he became a legislator.
　一体、何のために国会議員になったのか。無論、未公開株購入をめぐる金銭トラブルが発覚したのを受けて自民党を離党した武藤貴也衆院議員（３６）＝滋賀４区＝のことだ。

It is still fresh in people's memory that Muto, 36, came under fire for criticizing a group of students and other youths as "selfish" after they urged the public to participate in demonstrations against security bills. He just cannot draw a curtain on his own problem simply by leaving the LDP. The party's responsibility for endorsing him in elections is also serious.
　武藤氏が安全保障関連法案に反対するデモを呼び掛ける学生らのグループについて「『だって戦争に行きたくないじゃん』という極端な利己的考え」などとツイッターに記し、批判を浴びたのは記憶に新しい。離党すれば済む話ではない。自民党の責任も重大である。

According to the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine, Muto recommended last year that acquaintances and others buy pre-listed shares of a software company, telling them that they could buy shares specially set aside for Diet members. He then collected approximately 40 million yen from 23 people as funds to buy shares. However, shares of the company were never purchased for these people, and some investors have not got back the money they paid. Some have pointed to the possibility that Muto communicated with others over share transactions, using a communication application, while he was attending a session of the lower chamber's Committee on Foreign Affairs.
　「週刊文春」によると武藤氏は昨年、ソフトウエア会社の未公開株購入を「国会議員枠で買える」と知人らに勧め、２３人から計約４０００万円を集めた。だが株は実際には購入されず、出資金の一部が戻っていないという。武藤氏が衆院外務委員会に出席している最中に通信アプリで関係者と株購入をめぐるやり取りをしていた可能性も指摘されている。

It is necessary to conduct a further probe to get to the bottom of the scandal because those involved have made conflicting statements.
　関係者の言い分は異なっており、さらなる事実解明が必要だ。

The latest scandal involving pre-listed shares apparently has reminded numerous members of the general public of the Recruit stock-for-favors scandal that came to light in 1988 and rocked the political world. In the Recruit case, pre-listed shares of a company, whose prices were certain to rise significantly after the stock was listed, were donated to prominent figures in the political and business worlds as well as bureaucrats, and a few of those involved were convicted of giving and accepting bribes.
ただし「未公開株」といえば、１９８８年に明るみに出て政界を揺るがせたリクルート事件を多くの人が思い起こすだろう。値上がり確実なリ社の関連会社の未公開株が政官財の有力者に譲渡され、一部は贈収賄の罪で起訴され有罪が確定した事件だ。

In the latest case, it remains unclear whether some shares of the software company were actually set aside for legislators. Still, it is common sense for politicians not to be involved in transactions in pre-listed shares. It is only natural that some legislators from opposition parties are demanding that Muto step down as a lawmaker.
　今回、本当に「議員枠」があったのかどうかも定かでない。しかし、未公開株と聞いただけで近づかないようにするのが政治家としての正常な感覚ではないのか。野党から議員辞職を求める声が出るのも当然だ。

In 2007, Muto reportedly joined the policy staff for an alliance of political parties within the Shiga Prefectural Assembly and individual assembly members that backed then Shiga Gov. Yukiko Kada, who was calling for suspension of dam construction projects. However, Muto did an about-face, and applied to run for the lower house on the ticket of the LDP that was critical of Gov. Kada after the party publicly sought candidates. He is currently in his second term as a member of the lower chamber. One cannot help but wonder how the LDP has evaluated and officially endorsed Muto, who appears to lack qualifications as a representative of the people, judging from his policies.
　武藤氏は当選前の２００７年、ダム事業凍結を唱える当時の嘉田由紀子滋賀県知事を支える県議会会派の政策スタッフに入ったという。その後、一転して嘉田氏に批判的だった自民党の候補者公募に応募して同党の公認となり、現在当選２回目となる。その主張をはじめ国民の代表としての資質に欠けると思われる武藤氏を自民党はどう評価して公認してきたのだろうか。

Muto was also present at a study session in June among junior LDP legislators supporting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in which some attendees called for pressure on the news media. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, leader of an LDP intraparty faction of which Muto was a member, has been quoted as warning Muto to "express your personal views after the security bills are passed into law" over Muto's criticism of the youth group opposing the proposed legislation. This suggests that Aso viewed the timing of Muto's remarks, and not their content, as a problem.
　武藤氏は最近では報道機関への圧力発言が飛び出した自民党内の安倍晋三首相を支持する若手勉強会にも出席していた。一方、武藤氏が所属していた自民党麻生派の麻生太郎会長は先のツイッターでの発言直後、「自分の気持ちが言いたいなら安保関連法案が通ってからにしてくれ」と注意したというが、発言の内容ではなく時期が問題だという口ぶりだった。

The LDP's responsibility for the money scandal and other scandals involving Muto is grave and the party's half-baked response is also inappropriate. Nevertheless, LDP Secretary-General Sadakazu Tanigaki and other top-ranking members of the governing party failed to question Muto in person over the details of the latest case. After Muto notified the party leadership that he would leave the party, Tanigaki said, "The legislator needs to fulfill his accountability," as if to regard the money scandal as someone else's problem, and not a problem involving the party.
　こうした中途半端な対応をしてきた点も含めて自民党の責任は重い。ところが谷垣禎一幹事長らは本人から詳細に話を聴くこともせず、離党届の提出後は「本人がきちんと説明責任を果たす必要がある」と、まるでひとごとのような口ぶりだ。

The LDP also has accountability for the money scandal.
　説明責任は自民党にもある。

毎日新聞　2015年08月21日　東京朝刊

香山リカのココロの万華鏡：利己的なおとなたちへ ／東京

August 16, 2015 (Mainichi Japan)
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: Learning not to jump to generalizations
香山リカのココロの万華鏡：利己的なおとなたちへ　／東京

Twitter has become a tool even among politicians to express their opinions. A tweet recently posted by a House of Representatives lawmaker from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party has stirred controversy. He wrote that claims made by students protesting against the government-sponsored security-related bills are "based on their self-centered and extremely egoistic thinking that they don't want to go to war," and he went on to say that it was "very regrettable."
　今や政治家も意見発信の場として活用する短文投稿サイト・ツイッター。そこに自民党の衆院議員が書き込んだ発言が物議をかもしている。安全保障関連法案に反対する活動を行う学生たちについて「彼ら彼女らの主張は『だって戦争に行きたくないじゃん』という自分中心、極端な利己的考えに基づく」と指摘し、「非常に残念だ」と述べたのだ。

After learning about this incident, I thought to myself that this politician could only understand war as a general, abstract concept. A war in reality is not "a battle between right and wrong." Those who fight in the front are young people with different personalities and dreams. Behind those youths, furthermore, are their families and lovers. If a young man dies in a battle, people around him will also face drastic changes in their lives.
　ああ、この議員は戦争を抽象的な「一般論」としてしか見られないんだな、と思った。現実の戦争は「正義と悪の戦い」などではなく、前線で戦うのはそれぞれ個性や人生の夢を持った若者たちなのだ。そして、その後ろには家族や恋人がおり、もし若者が戦死すると彼らの一生も大きく変わってしまうことになる。

Though it is different from the topic of war, I always think about the effects of generalizations. It is easy to say, "depression is on the rise because people have become weaker," and speak in generalities, but each patient is in a different situation, faced with different problems.
　戦争とは問題が異なるが、診察室でもいつも同じようなことを考える。「うつ病が増加しているのは弱い人が増えたからだ」などと一般論を語るのは簡単だが、患者さんたちにはそれぞれの事情や問題というものがある。

Suppose there is a man who is a breadwinner in a family and he goes to see a doctor after developing depression. The doctor tells him, "Generally speaking, if the cause of depression is work-related stress, a person would not feel better unless the burden placed on them is released." What if he quits his job after seeing the doctor? There will be a significant impact on his family -- they may have to sell their house, the children may have to transfer to different schools, the daughter's wedding may be called off, and ultimately this could lead to the parents' divorce. People's lives may be ruined by a casual suggestion by a doctor.
一家の大黒柱の男性がうつ病になって受診したとする。もしそこで医者が「仕事でのストレスでのうつ病の場合は、一般的には一度、負荷から解放されなければ治りませんね」などと安易に口にし、その人が退職したとしよう。そうすると家族は大きな影響を受ける。自宅を手放す、引っ越しや転校をしなければならない、娘の結婚が破談になる、ついには離婚に至る、などみんなの人生がめちゃめちゃになる場合もあるのだ。

I can't always pay attention to the details of every single patient I see, but I tell myself at my clinic, "I should not just give out general opinions. I have to pay attention to individual situations."
もちろん、いつもすべての個別の事情に目を配ることはできないのだが、診察室では自分にも常に「一般論ではいけない。ひとりひとりを見なければ」と言い聞かせている。

At Rikkyo University in Tokyo, where I currently work as a professor, a committee of faculty and staff members of the university released a statement against the controversial security-related bills with nearly 1,000 people signing to support the movement. In the statement, there is the following passage:
　私がいま所属している立教大学でも「安全保障関連法案に反対する立教人の会」が立ち上がり、声明に１０００人近くが賛同している。その中に、次のような一文がある。

"War is not an abstract idea. It means young people with names face each other on the battlefield and kill each other."
　「『戦争』とは決して抽象的なものではありません。具体的な名前をもった若者たちが戦場で向かい合い、殺し殺されることを意味します」

Today, teens and people in their 20s are not seeing war as something in the past or some generalities, but rather as something real, which they themselves may be dragged into.
　いま１０代、２０代の若者たちは「戦争」を過去のできごとや一般論としてでなく、自分がそこに巻き込まれるかもしれない、リアルなものとして実感しているのだろう。

For adults who can only consider young people's desire of not wanting to go to war as "selfish" and "egoistical," I recommend reading diaries, or even one memo, written by student soldiers who perished in the Pacific War and think about the lives of those who died.
「戦争に行きたくない」というその声を「自分中心、利己的」としか受け取れないおとなたちは、ひとつでもいい、太平洋戦争の戦没学生の手記を読んで、彼らの人生に思いをはせてみてほしい。

(By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
（精神科医）
毎日新聞　2015年08月11日　地方版
〔都内版〕

ＧＤＰマイナス 景気の停滞を長引かせるな

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Govt must take all possible steps to end lull in economic recovery
ＧＤＰマイナス　景気の停滞を長引かせるな

The national economy has been on a path of mild recovery, but its prospects have turned uncertain.
　緩やかに回復してきた景気の雲行きが、怪しくなっている。

The real-term gross domestic product for the April-June quarter declined 0.4 percent from the previous quarter for an annualized fall of 1.6 percent, according to preliminary figures released by the Cabinet Office, representing the first negative growth in three quarters.
　４～６月期の実質国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）速報は、前期比０・４％減、年率１・６％減となった。３四半期ぶりのマイナス成長だ。

The slump in personal consumption and exports is a major reason behind the poor economic performance. Plant and equipment investment, which holds the key to full-scale growth, also declined, albeit slightly, for the first time in three quarters. Some analysts have pointed out that Japan has entered a lull in its business recovery.
　個人消費と輸出の不振が、主な要因である。本格的な成長実現のカギとなる設備投資も、小幅ながら３期ぶりに減少した。景気は回復が足踏みする「踊り場」に入ったとする見方も出ている。

The important thing is not to let the lull drag on. The government and the Bank of Japan must closely examine possible risky factors and do what it takes to prevent business from losing its steam.
　大切なのは、停滞を長引かせないことだ。政府・日銀はリスクを入念に点検し、景気失速の回避に万全を期さねばならない。

Private consumption ― the pillar of domestic demand ― dropped by 0.8 percent in the April-June period, compared with the previous quarter, marking the first quarterly fall since the April-June quarter of last year, when personal consumption plunged due to the impact of the consumption tax hike to 8 percent.
　内需の柱の個人消費は、前期比０・８％減だった。マイナスは、消費税率引き上げの影響で急減した昨年４～６月期以来である。

Economic revitalization minister Akira Amari cited the light vehicle tax hike and unseasonable weather as reasons for the shrinkage of consumption, indicating that the decline was “caused largely by temporary factors.”
　甘利経済再生相は消費減少の原因として軽自動車税増税や天候不順を挙げ、「一時的な要素が大きい」との見方を示した。

But it must be noted that the benefits of wage hikes have been offset by the continued rise in prices of food and other products, a consequence of high raw material prices amid the yen’s weakening. It is certain that households have become more budget-minded. Perhaps consumers have yet to break away from the bearish mind-set ingrained during long years of deflation.
　ただ、円安による原材料高で食品などの値上げが続き、賃上げの恩恵は相殺されている。家計が節約志向を強めているのは確かだ。デフレで染みついた弱気から、脱し切れていない面もあろう。

Excessive pessimism is unwarranted, but the government must analyze factors behind slack consumption from a multifaceted viewpoint and work out improvement measures.
　過度な悲観は無用だが、政府は消費不振の要因を多角的に分析し、改善策を練る必要がある。

Alarming overseas factors

A more alarming factor is the slowdown of overseas economies. It is necessary to keep a close watch especially on the volatile Chinese economy.
　さらに警戒すべきなのが、海外経済の減速だ。特に、波乱含みの中国経済から目が離せない。

China has posted a conspicuous slowdown of such economic indicators as industrial production and construction investment. Affected by this, the growth in emerging Asian countries has begun to slacken. The dull overseas demand, centering on China, has been dampening Japan’s exports.
　中国は工業生産や建設投資など経済指標の伸びの鈍化が目立つ。その影響で、アジア新興国の成長も減速気味だ。中国を中心とした外需の低迷が、日本の輸出の足を引っ張っている。

Given that the People’s Bank of China devalued the yuan on three consecutive days last week, many market dealers concluded that the Chinese economy has been worsening more seriously than expected. A loss of steam in China’s growth would have a big impact on the world economy.
　中国人民銀行が３日連続で人民元切り下げに踏み切ったことで、市場では中国経済が想定以上に悪化しているとの観測が強まった。中国の成長が失速すれば、世界経済への打撃は大きい。

Some point out that an increase of interest rates in the United States, which can be expected within this year, will trigger outflows of a huge amount of funds from emerging economies. Thus, the uncertainties in economic prospects have been increasing.
　年内にも予想される米国の利上げを引き金に、新興国から巨額の資金が流出するとの見方もある。先行き不透明感は増している。

To survive economic disturbances that originate overseas, the Japanese economy’s fundamental power of growth must be urgently augmented.
　海外発の波乱に耐えられるように、日本経済が基礎的な成長力を高めることが急務である。

It is also essential to enhance the motivation and vigor of the private sector. We suggest that the government expedite the implementation of growth strategies, including promotion of plant and equipment investment that will improve productivity and deregulation that can help expand growth industries.
　民間の意欲と活力を高めることが大事だ。生産性向上に資する設備投資の促進策や、成長産業の拡大につながる規制緩和など、政府の成長戦略を加速させたい。

It is right for the government to aim for a virtuous circle in which corporate profits are passed on to workers in the form of wage hikes and this leads to expanded consumption. To ensure this is realized, the government should steadily carry out measures that can deepen this dimension of the Abenomics economic policy package.
　企業利益を賃上げに還元し、消費拡大につなげる「好循環経済」を目指す方向は正しい。その実現を確かなものとするため、政府はアベノミクスを深化させる手を間断なく打っていくべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 18, 2015)

（社説）マイナス成長 危うい政策目標と想定

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 18
EDITORIAL: Dismal GDP data highlights need to review policy targets
（社説）マイナス成長　危うい政策目標と想定

Japan’s economy shrank during the three months from April through June, its first decline in three quarters. The nation’s real gross domestic product--the value of total economic output adjusted for price changes--fell 0.4 percent during the quarter from the previous three months, according to preliminary data released Aug. 17 by the Cabinet Office. At this rate, the size of economic contraction will reach 1.6 percent on an annualized basis.
　内閣府が発表した４～６月期の国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）速報値は３四半期ぶりにマイナス成長となった。物価変動の影響を除いた実質成長率は前期比０・４％減。このペースが１年間続くと想定した年率換算では１・６％減だった。

Consumer spending dropped in spite expectations of continued recovery. That is because a weaker yen triggered increases in the prices of food and other daily products while wage growth was weaker than expected. This only added to the financial burden on households.
　回復が進むと見られた個人消費が落ち込んだ。円安で食料品などが値上げされたが賃金はそれほど伸びず、実質的な家計の負担が増したためだ。

Exports declined for the first time in six quarters, even though they were expected to grow due to the effects of a weaker yen that makes Japanese products cheaper in overseas markets.
また、円安効果で伸びると期待された輸出も、６四半期ぶりのマイナスだった。

The consensus view was that the economy had been recovering gradually since the consumption tax rate increase in April last year, which depressed consumer spending.
　昨年４月の消費増税後、景気はゆるやかに回復していると見られていた。ここにきてのマイナス成長は日本経済の実像を考えるうえで示唆的である。

The fall in GDP was not caused by any specific factor that delivered a body blow to the economy.
　このマイナス成長は何か大きなショックによって引き起こされたものではない。

Rather, overall economic conditions were relatively good during the period.
むしろこの間、経済環境は比較的良好だった。

Corporate earnings improved further and the stock market rebounded.
企業業績は改善し株価は回復。

Job growth was strong.
雇用増の動きも活発だ。

A surge of foreign visitors to Japan was a big boon to related businesses.
訪日観光客の急増で関連産業は潤った。

The Bank of Japan continued its aggressive monetary easing, while public works spending remained at a high level.
日本銀行は金融緩和を続け、公共事業も高水準だ。

The contraction in the April-June quarter offers some important clues to what's going on in the Japanese economy.
Despite this favorable environment, the economy failed to expand.
　こんな好条件のもとでも日本の成長率はさえなかった。

And yes, there was some destabilizing factors in the world economy.
　もちろん、世界経済には不安定な動きも確かにあった。

In Europe, the debt crisis in Greece caused serious confusion. China’s economic slowdown became more pronounced.
欧州ではギリシャ債務問題による混乱があり、中国経済は減速傾向が次第にはっきりしてきた。

But these external factors are not temporary in nature. We should probably assume that instability in the global economy will continue for a while.
　とはいえ、こうした海外要因は一時的なものではない。しばらくこの不安定な状況が続くと見たほうがいい。

If so, it is hard to expect a dramatic rise in exports or a further sharp increase in spending in Japan by foreign tourists in the coming months. In short, we should not place too much hope on growth in external demand.
ならば、今後輸出が劇的に増えたり、日本を訪れる外国人観光客の需要がさらに飛躍的に盛り上がったりすることは想定しにくく、外需に過大な期待はできない。

In its policy efforts to restore fiscal sanity, the government is pursuing a target of a primary surplus--a situation where government tax revenue exceeds all its spending other than net interest--in fiscal 2020.
　政府は、２０２０年度に基礎的財政収支を黒字にするという財政健全化計画を掲げている。

In setting the target, however, the government assumed that the economy would pull off a strong real growth of 2 percent and expand by 3 percent in nominal terms.
その前提は実質２％、名目３％という高い成長率である。

A tough-minded analysis of Japan’s economic reality behind its negative growth during the April-June period, however, makes clear that it is risky to bet on any significant economic expansion in planning and executing policy measures to dig the nation out of a budget hole that is driving accumulated debt to dangerous levels.
だが、今回のマイナス成長という現実を冷静に分析すれば、成長期待だけで財政再建を進める危うさは自明と言える。

The latest GDP data also offers valuable reference information for the Bank of Japan, which has continued to provide huge monetary stimulus to the economy with an eye to achieving an inflation target of 2 percent.
　また２％インフレ目標を掲げて大規模な金融緩和を続ける日銀にも、貴重な指標となったはずだ。

The central bank started the radical monetary expansion campaign on the assumption that consumers will ramp up their spending when they expect prices to rise. Increased consumer spending then should bolster economic growth by pushing up overall domestic demand, according to the BOJ’s scenario.
消費者が先行きの物価上昇を予想すれば、消費を盛んにして需要を押し上げ、成長率は高まる。

But Japanese consumers have not behaved as the BOJ expected. It has become increasingly clear that the central bank’s monetary policy is not working.
そんな日銀のシナリオ通りの消費行動は現れていない。この政策に無理があることが、次第にはっきりしてきたのではないか。

The latest economic data points to the need for both the government and the BOJ to revise their growth and inflation projections so they are more in line with the reality and then readjust their economic strategy and monetary policy accordingly.
　政府も日銀も、現実を出発点にして、想定する成長率やインフレ率を修正し、経済戦略や金融政策を組み立て直す。そんな必要があることを、今回のマイナス成長は示唆している。