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読売経済提言 政策を一新し停滞を打開せよ

読売新聞の力作(秀作)だと思います。(英語版)
インターナショナルクラス。
久しぶりに辞書(英英)を多用しました。
発音の確認は大切ですね。
間違って覚えているものが結構あります。
英英と英和を行ったり来たり、まだ英和が手放せなせません。

srachai from khonkaen, thailand

The Yomiuri Shimbun (May. 8, 2010)
Govt must change economic tack
読売経済提言 政策を一新し停滞を打開せよ(5月7日付・読売社説)

The administration of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has only aggravated this nation's fiscal condition through lavish government handouts that will do little to improve the economy. This has been exacerbated by the administration's failure to write proper prescriptions for recovering economic growth. The Hatoyama government's lack of sound economic management policies cannot be overlooked any longer.
 経済効果の少ないばらまきで財政を悪化させ、成長回復に向けた確かな処方箋(せん)もない。鳩山政権による経済運営の無策ぶりは、もはや看過することができない――。

This perception is the basis for the emergency proposal advanced by The Yomiuri Shimbun to press the government to fundamentally change its economic policies.
 経済政策を大転換するよう求めた読売新聞の緊急提言は、こうした問題意識に基づいている。

The greatest flaw in the Hatoyama administration's political approach lies with the priority it gives to ensuring the Democratic Party of Japan wins elections through policies and programs only aimed at pleasing the public, combined with its implementation at any cost of policies included in the DPJ's manifesto for last year's general election.
 選挙の勝利を優先する大衆迎合政治と、マニフェスト(政権公約)至上主義が、鳩山政治の最大の問題といえよう。

The prime minister should carry out responsible economic policies in line with the Yomiuri's latest proposal, to stabilize the nation's economy and society throughout the 21st century and achieve sustainable growth.
 21世紀を通じて日本の経済社会を安定させ、持続的な成長が可能となるよう、鳩山首相は本社提言に沿った責任ある経済政策を実施すべきである。

 ◆公約が政治をゆがめる◆
This country's economy is finally improving after months of being buffeted by the global recession. However, the nation cannot afford to feel at ease with this nascent economic recovery.
 日本経済は、世界同時不況の荒波を乗り切り、ようやく景気が持ち直してきた。だが、つかの間の明るさに安心してはならない。

The nation's current macroeconomic condition is marked by a 30 trillion yen shortfall in demand. There has been downward pressure on prices, giving rise to chronic deflation.
 マクロ経済全体で需要は30兆円足りない。物価に下落圧力がかかり、デフレが慢性化している。

===

Growth to slow

A package of pump-priming measures introduced by the preceding government led by the Liberal Democratic Party, including an eco-friendly car purchase incentive program, is losing steam. According to many observers, the current economic improvement likely will slow down in the latter part of the year.
 エコカー減税など、前政権が残した景気対策もそろそろ息切れして、今年半ば以降には成長が減速するとの見方も強い。

However, the current government's pump-priming measures are amiss, despite the necessity of doing all it can to underpin the economy. Its "from concrete to humans" slogan is a perfect example of this in that the policy regards public works projects as evil.
 今こそ、景気下支えに万全を期さねばならないのに、肝心の経済政策は的はずれだ。公共事業を罪悪視した「コンクリートから人へ」は、その典型といえる。

The government budget for fiscal 2010 entails a hefty 20 percent cut in public works spending, a budget item highly conducive to stimulating the economy. The reduction is certain to deal a blow to regional economies, which rely heavily on public works projects.
 今年度予算で景気刺激効果の高い公共事業を2割も削った。公共事業を頼みとする地方経済への打撃は大きいだろう。

Meanwhile, the current fiscal budget incorporates a massive amount of appropriations for dole-out programs, including child-rearing allowances. The Hatoyama government has given priority to honoring promises included in the DPJ manifesto despite being unsure how to secure a permanent source of revenue for the lavish handouts. Furthermore, direct allowances to households often end up being squirreled away, so it is difficult to expect the provision of such benefits will immediately improve the economy.
 反面、子ども手当など、ばらまき型給付に巨額の予算を割いた。家計への直接給付は貯蓄に回り、景気浮揚の即効性は期待しにくいのに、恒久的な財源のあてもないまま、公約実現を優先させた。

Increased spending for improving social infrastructure--including transport networks and school buildings and facilities that are earthquake-resistant--would spur economic growth and make people's lives safer. Given this, the government should improve the nation's social infrastructure, instead of regarding such public facilities in the same light as unnecessary buildings and equipment.
 交通網の高度化や学校の耐震化など、インフラ(社会基盤)投資は成長や生活の安全・安心につながる。無駄なハコ物と同一視せず、整備を進める必要がある。

===

Govt bonds to the rescue
 ◆安心は雇用の安定から◆

We propose no-interest bearing, tax-exempt government bonds be issued as a means of securing financial resources for achieving that goal. The issuance of such bonds does not entail new financial burdens in the form of interest payments, though purchasers are entitled to the reduction of and exemption from inheritance taxation. This means there is no threat of the state coffers being further depleted.
 そのための財源確保の一策として、無利子非課税国債の活用はどうか。相続税を減免するものの利払い負担がないため、財政を悪化させることもない。

New financial means could be secured by encouraging people to buy such bonds with some of the estimated 30 trillion yen stashed at homes across the nation. Using such resources to carry out necessary projects would make it possible not only to ensure people use a portion of their money saved at home but also make headway in improving the nation's social infrastructure.
約30兆円とされるタンス預金を吸い上げて必要な事業に使えば、一石二鳥の効果が期待できよう。

According to a Cabinet Office opinion survey, the greatest discontent felt by people about their current state of affairs is their lack of economic comfort and their uncertainty about their future. Nearly half of those polled gave this answer.
 国民の最大の不満は「経済的なゆとりと先行きの見通しがない」ことだという。内閣府の世論調査で、ほぼ半数がそう答えた。

Giving lavish allowances alone will do nothing to dispel people's anxiety about the future. The first step to be taken in this respect will be to create jobs for people who want to work and enable them to support themselves economically. Employment stability would reinvigorate the economy, for example, in the form of expanded consumption.
 手当をばらまくだけでは、不安は解消しない。働きたい人に仕事を用意し、自ら生計を立てられるようにすることが、安心の第一歩だ。雇用が安定すれば、消費拡大など経済活性化にもつながる。

===

Help care workers

Chances are high that more jobs will be created in the medical and nursing care fields, given the rising need for these services due to the aging of society. However, many people are quick to leave such jobs because of the strenuous working conditions and low wages. This has caused a chronic shortage of workers in these fields.
 高齢化でニーズの高まる医療・介護分野は、雇用拡大の面でも有望だ。しかし、仕事がきついうえに、給料が安すぎるとして、現場を去る人が多く、慢性的な人手不足に陥っている。

Wages and other labor conditions in these sectors need to be improved, thus making sure people find such jobs worthwhile. Public money should be used to help achieve this goal.
 魅力のある仕事にするため、処遇改善が求められる。公費による支援の拡充などを図るべきだ。

It is also necessary to hurriedly shore up the social security system to support people who cannot work because of illness or old age. Drawing a blueprint for a new system is pie in the sky if it is not supported by financial means.
 病気や高齢で働けない人を支える社会保障制度の強化も急がねばならない。制度の青写真をきれいに描いても、裏付けの財源がなければ絵に描いたモチだ。

The declining birthrate and aging population is forecast to push up the nation's social security costs by about 1 trillion yen each year. To accommodate this increase and transform the social security system into a sustainable scheme, it will be inescapable to raise the consumption tax rate--which stands at 5 percent--as a stable source of revenue.
 少子高齢化のため、黙っていても社会保障費は毎年1兆円ずつ増える。これを賄い、持続可能な制度に改めるには、税収の安定している消費税率の引き上げは避けられない。

Hatoyama should retract his earlier pledge to "freeze" the tax rate and start specific discussions on an increase in the rate as soon as possible. As a first step, it is necessary to try and increase the tax rate to 10 percent.
 鳩山首相は「消費税率凍結」を撤回し、早急に具体的な論議を開始すべきだ。税率は現在の5%から、まずは10%への引き上げを目指す必要がある。

 ◆新興市場でどう稼ぐ◆
In the early 1990s, Japan was among the top-ranked nations in international competitiveness and per capita gross domestic product. However, it has fallen to somewhere near 20th place in both categories today.
 日本の国際競争力や、1人あたりの国内総生産(GDP)は、1990年代前半には世界のトップクラスだった。しかし、今はともに20位前後に沈んでしまった。

There are concerns this nation's economic scale could shrink due to its aging population and falling birthrate. Halting a decline in Japan's international standing requires the nation, first and foremost, to earn money through external demand.
 高齢化と人口減少で、今後ますます経済規模の縮小が進む恐れもある。衰退を防ぐには、まず外需でしっかり稼がねばならない。

To attain this goal, Japan should target burgeoning middle-income groups in newly emerging nations while also undertaking projects to build and improve railway, electric power and other facilities in these areas.
 狙うべきは新興国で拡大する新たな中間所得層や、鉄道や発電などのインフラ整備だろう。

At the end of last year, South Korean companies fully backed by their government won contracts to build nuclear power plants in the United Arab Emirates, beating a consortium of Japanese and U.S. corporations. Japan should devise a new strategy for international commerce and trade, with the aim of penetrating emerging markets through cooperation between its public and private sectors.
 昨年末、中東・アラブ首長国連邦(UAE)の原子力発電所建設をめぐる受注競争で、政府の全面支援を受けた韓国企業に日本勢が敗れた。官民が協力して新興国市場を攻略する新たな通商戦略を練らねばならない。

The striking rise of corporations in China and other emerging nations means it will not be easy for Japanese companies to survive the fierce global competition. In fact, the predominant share previously occupied by Japanese corporations in the flat-screen TV market has been surrendered to a South Korean maker.
 中国をはじめとした新興国企業の台頭は著しく、日本企業の勝ち残りは容易ではない。現に、先行していたはずの薄型テレビで、韓国メーカーにシェア(市場占有率)を奪われている。

Japan's effective rate of corporate taxation--the percentage of income that companies pay as national and local taxes--is about 40 percent. This rate is significantly higher than those overseas, and is an important factor behind this country's loss of corporate vitality. The figure should be brought down to somewhere between 25 percent and 30 percent, levels comparable to those in Europe, China and South Korea.
 海外よりも高い約40%の法人税の実効税率が企業の活力を奪っている。欧州や中韓なみの30~25%を目安に、引き下げるべきだ。

It also is important to revitalize such promising fields as energy saving and environmental protection, both areas of Japanese expertise. We hope the government will back corporate efforts through investment and research tax breaks and other support measures.
 省エネや環境など日本が得意とし、成長が期待できる分野の活性化が重要だ。投資・研究減税などで企業の努力を後押ししたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 7, 2010)
(2010年5月7日03時00分 読売新聞)
by kiyoshimat | 2010-05-08 10:38 | 英字新聞

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