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安心社会の実現 経済危機後の展望が重要だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun(Apr. 14, 2009)
Govt must rebuild as it puts out economic fire
安心社会の実現 経済危機後の展望が重要だ(4月14日付・読売社説)

The security of people's livelihoods cannot be assured by the implementation of short-term economic stimulus measures alone, because the source of anxiety is deeply rooted.
 国民生活の安心は、目先の景気対策だけでは取り戻せない。不安の源はもっと深いところにあるからだ。

With Prime Minister Taro Aso in attendance, the government on Monday launched a new panel to discuss the realization of a society in which people can live with peace of mind.
 政府は13日、麻生首相も出席して「安心社会実現会議」をスタートさせた。

The purpose of the panel is to discuss the future direction of the state and the shape of its basic policies. With its members drawn from a wide variety of fields, we can expect the panel's discussions to take a broad perspective.
 会議創設の趣旨には、「国家として目指すべき方向性や基本政策の在り方について議論する」とある。メンバーは幅広い顔ぶれが並んでおり、大きな視野での論議が期待されよう。

Types of families and career paths are becoming diverse amid the effects of the rapidly declining birthrate and graying society as well as structural changes in the nation's economy. Although the political world is required to quickly deal with social and economic changes at home and abroad, it remains in turmoil and is unable to hammer out suitable policies.
 少子高齢化の急速な進行や経済構造の変化などによって、家族の形や働き方は多様化している。国内外の社会・経済変動に、政治は即応しなければならないのに、混迷したまま、的確な政策を打ち出しあぐねている。

After the economic bubble burst in the early 1990s, Japanese society was subjected to the radical remedies of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's structural reform efforts.
 日本社会は1990年代のバブル崩壊を経験した後、小泉構造改革の荒療治が行われた。

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Reforms not always beneficial

Although the series of reforms yielded some successful results, including the disposal of bad loans held by financial institutions, it went too far and should rather be called market fundamentalism in some cases. The country's various institutions, including the social security system, have begun to fray around the edges.
 不良債権処理に成果を上げるなどしたものの、市場原理主義と呼ぶべき行き過ぎもあり、社会保障をはじめ、さまざまな分野で綻(ほころ)びが顕在化してきた。

Such market fundamentalism was responsible for bringing about the global economic crisis that has seen a great deterioration in the Japanese economy.
 市場原理主義は世界的な経済危機を招来し、日本も景気悪化に苦しんでいる。

With the ongoing graying of society and increasing number of single-person households, the social safety net, which has been built on people's family and community connections as well as corporate welfare programs, is in urgent need of review.
 社会の高齢化と単身化が進む中で、地縁血縁や企業の福利厚生に依存してきた社会の安全網も見直しを迫られている。

What should the government do? What kinds of roles should local governments, regional communities, companies, families and individuals play? In answering these questions, the new panel must start its discussions from scratch.
 政府のなすべき事は何か。自治体、地域社会、企業、家庭そして個人の役割は何か。安心社会実現会議には、まず根本に立ち返った議論が求められよう。

The panel also needs to discuss in concrete terms how to rebuild each of the various social security systems such as medicare, nursing care and pensions as well as employment measures and welfare benefits, and measures to cope with the declining birthrate. Needless to say, discussions on how to secure financial resources for reconstructing social security, which have been lacking so far, will be vital.
 さらに、医療・介護・年金、雇用、生活保護、少子化対策といった社会保障の各制度を、どう再構築していくかといった具体論にも踏み込む必要がある。無論、これまで抜け落ちてきた財源の議論も欠かせない。

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Major undertaking

The panel likely will be led by Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano, who is concurrently serving as state minister in charge of financial services and economic and fiscal policy.
 会議は与謝野財務・金融・経済財政相が主導するようだ。

In parallel with discussions at the new panel, the government's Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, which is supervised by Yosano, also is working on formulating a road map for solving economic disparities and carrying out social security reform. It is important for the two panels to work in tandem and work out ideas and policies.
 やはり与謝野氏が受け持つ経済財政諮問会議も、これと並行する形で格差問題や社会保障改革の工程表を具体化する。両輪となって理念と施策を打ち出すことが重要だろう。

Last week, the government and ruling parties compiled the country's largest-ever economic stimulus package that centers on a fiscal outlay of more than 15 trillion yen.
 政府・与党は先週、15兆円以上の財政出動を柱とする、史上最大の景気対策をまとめた。

If we look at this economic stimulus package as a measure to hold back the conflagration in front of us, what the new panel will tackle is a new urban plan that will keep the burden to be shouldered by future generations to a bare minimum.
 これを目前の大火を食い止める措置とすれば、安心社会実現会議が取り組むのは、将来世代にできる限り負担を先送りしないための新たな都市計画を提示する作業とも言える。

All preparations must be made so that the reconstruction of public welfare systems can be started as soon as it is certain the fire has been contained.
 消火活動にめどがつき次第、ただちに復興に着手できるようにしておかなくてはなるまい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 14, 2009)
(2009年4月14日01時53分 読売新聞)
by kiyoshimat | 2009-04-15 11:05 | 英字新聞

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