10/03/2008 Representative questioning by Yasuo Tanaka               

Representative questioning by Yasuo Tanaka at the Upper House plenary session. October 3rd, 2008

敬愛する小沢一郎さんが代表を務める民主党と、参議院で統一会派を組ませて頂いておりま す、私は、新党日本代表の田中康夫です。
参議院議員会長の輿石東さんを始めとする会派の皆さまの御配意の下、諸行無常な祇園精舎の鐘の声が、永田町の政権与党に鳴り響く、最終決戦の場で、代表 質問を行う機会を得ました。改めて感謝申し上げます。

Good afternoon. I’m Yasuo Tanaka, the leader of New Party Nippon. I have the honor of forming a parliamentary group in the upper house with the Democratic Party of Japan led by Mr. Ichiro Ozawa whom I have a great respect for.

Thanks to the good offices of Chairman Azuma Koshiishi of the DPJ upper house caucus and other parliamentary group members, I’ve been given this opportunity to present, on behalf of my party, questions to the government and the ruling coalition, at this decisive moment in history, when ‘the bell of transience’ is signaling an end in Nagata-cho.

私たちの日本は今、大きな転換点に立ってい ます。歴史上、何れの国家も地域も未だ経験した事のない急激な速度で、「超少子・超高齢」な社会へと突入し始めているのです。
国立社会保障・人口問題研究所に拠れば、21世紀の折り返し地点である2050年代には、日本の人口が、外国籍の方々を含めても9000万人を割り込 む、と予測されています。即ち、年間80万人近い割合で人口が減少していくのです。それは、東京23区で最も住民が多い世田谷区が毎年、消滅する計算で す。

Japan is facing a major turning point. It’s aging rapidly and fewer children are being born. The situation is dire and unprecedented in the history of mankind. According to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, by the 2050’s, Japan’s population will go down below 90 million, with foreign nationals included. That means, we will face an annual population decline of nearly 800 thousand, the equivalent to residents in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward which has the largest population of all 23 wards in Tokyo.

1人の女性が生涯に平均何人の子供を出産されるか、その数値を「合計特殊出生率」と呼びます。病気や 事故で亡くなられる確率も勘案すると、今日の日本の公衆衛生では、その数値が2.06を維持し続けた場合に辛うじて、人口は横這いを保ちます。他方で現実 には、日本の合計特殊出生率は2.06を大きく下回る1.26なのです。それは50年後も同率だと推計されています。

The average number of children a woman gives birth to in her life time is called ‘the total fertility rate.’ Under the current public health condition and with probability of death due to illness and accidents, Japan will diminish in population unless the rate is kept at 2 point 06. But in reality, the total fertility rate in Japan is 1 point 26, which is much lower than that, and it’s expected to remain at the same level in the next 50 years.

働く女性が出産し易い社会環境、仕事へ復帰し易い労働環境が今後、飛躍的に充実を遂げたとしても猶、 1億2700万人の人口は激減し続けるのです。100年後には現在の半分、即ち6300万人を割り込みます。これとて、出生率が高位・死亡率が低位に留 まった場合です。前述の国立社会保障・人口問題研究所は、最悪の場合には100年後に日本の人口は、3300万人台へ陥ると予測しています。

Even if the social environment and working conditions are improved dramatically to make it easier for working women to have children and later return to work, the population of 127 million will continue to drop sharply. In 100 years from today, the population will be reduced to half, plunging below 63 million. The situation will become even worse, when the birthrate decreases and the mortality rate increases. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research forecasts that, in the worst case scenario, the Japanese population will shrink below 340 million in 100 years time.

物質主義から脱・物質主義へ。私たちは、これまでの「右肩上がり」の発想を捨て去り、「量の拡大から 質の充実へ」と選択を改め直し、更には「供給側の都合から消費側の希望に根ざした」仕組へと、世の中の有り様を抜本的に再構築せねばなりません。「社会的 公正」と「経済的自由」を同時に達成し、混迷する日本にダイナミズムを取り戻す。新党日本代表の私の哲学であり、使命でもあります。

Departing from materialism to post-materialism. We should break away from a growth-crazed mindset and instead, should start thinking and choosing differently, focusing rather on improved quality than greater quantity. We need to review the way the system works and reinvent it to meet the desires of consumers rather than to suit the convenience of suppliers. By achieving social justice and economic freedom, we need to bring dynamism to the flagging nation. That’s my philosophy and responsibility as the leader of New Party Nippon.

が、残念ながら、島国日本に於ける「政治や行政」は、何処か未だに“ぬるま湯”状態で、危機感も希薄 に思えます。それは、「的確な認識・迅速な決断・明確な責任」を併せ持ち、「怯まず・屈せず・逃げず」の気概の下に、「おかしいことは、おかしいと言 い」、「おかしいことは、一緒に変えていこう」と人々を冷静に鼓舞する器量のリーダーが、今や政権与党を見回す限り、見当たらぬからです。

But unfortunately, the Japanese government and politics remain spoilt. There is little sense of crisis. We need a leader who is ‘insightful, decisive and responsible.’ We don’t need a leader who would ‘flinch, surrender or shirk.’ The leader must be capable of inspiring people to work together to ‘expose what’s wrong and make a change to make it right.’ And yet, we can’t even find a single person with the character in your government and the ruling coalition.

今日日、絶賛を博すTVドラマとて1クール13回。視聴者からソッポを向かれれば途中で打ち切りも 辞さぬ即断即決の御時世に、都合17回にも亘って延々と水増し挙行された、季節外れの9月・長月“ええじゃないか”盆踊り全国顔見せ興行の場で麻生太郎さ ん、貴男は繰り返し、宣いました。「日本の最大の問題は不景気だ」、と。

Today, quick decision-making and swift action is the order of the day. Even TV stations allow most popular dramas to do only 13 episodes and pull the plug on them if viewer ratings are low. If you remember, Mr. Aso, in September of last year, you said many times that the biggest challenge facing Japan was the bad economy. You said that repeatedly, making appearances in off-season National Bon Dance Festivals on not just 13 but 17 occasions.

而して、今週月曜日に は所信表明演説で、声高らかに宣言されました。「日本経済は全治3年。3年で日本は脱皮出来る。せねばならぬ」と。
その言や善し。が、一向に不景気から日本が抜け出せぬ「最大の理由」こそは、自由民主党が死守し続ける過去の成功体験、もとい既得権益に寄り掛かる政治 家・官僚・業界、所謂「政官業」利権分配ピラミッドの存在に帰因するのではありませんか? 而して、麻生太郎さん、貴男は、その慨嘆すべき惨状に対し、余りに無自覚なのではありますまいか?
と述べるや早くも、苦虫を噛み潰すが如き表情を貴男がなさる、その腹立たしき感情は、質問者の私とて、判らなくはありません。

During your policy speech on Monday, you stressed that Japan’s economy would require three years to recover. You said, ‘Japan can, and must recover in three years time.’ Well said. But are you and the LDP not responsible for Japan’s failure to pull out of recession, by desperately clinging to power and defending the power-sharing pyramid scheme built on cozy relations among politicians, bureaucrats and business leaders with vested interests? In face of this magnitude of calamity, the lamenting, dismal state of affairs, Mr. Aso, do you not feel overly irresponsible? Well, I’ve already offended you, haven’t I? I can tell from your sour face. Quite understandable.

おいおい、16歳も年 下の、新参者の参議院議員に稽古を付けられる覚えはないぞ。 “上から目線の坊ちゃん内閣”を率いる貴男は、お爺様の科白(せりふ)をお借りすれば、「バカヤロー」と呟きたい衝動に、駆られているかも知れません。
然れど、これから申し上げる私の見解と質問は、無論、早期解散と政権交代の実現を拒むか求めるか、彼我の違いこそ明々白々なれど、今こそ日本を救わね ば、との覚悟に於いては少なからず同じでありましょう。

You may be thinking, ‘ Stop it, young man. I’m 16 years senior than you. Why do I have to listen to a lecture from a freshman like you?’ Mr. Aso, you are the leader of the pampered boys’ cabinet and may be feeling an urge to mumble, ‘Idiot!!’ quoting a famous line from your dear grandfather. But although we may disagree a lot over whether to seek the early dissolution of the diet and subsequent transfer of power, opinions and questions I plan to present shortly are more or less shared by both my friends and foe. Because we all feel the nation needs a savior and NOW is the time.

私は2000年10 月、信州・長野県の知事に就任しました。戦後の公選知事は、私以前に僅か3人。前任2人の公務員出身者が41年6ヶ月、議員と職員と知事の“仲良しピラ ミッド”を続ける中で、財政状況は47都道府県でお尻から数えて2番目の状態に陥っていました。
借入金に掛かる利息の支払いだけでも、1日当たり1億4800万円に達していたのです。そのまま手を拱いていたなら、3年後にも財政再建団体への転落は 不可避。待ったなしの危機的状況でした。

Back in October, 2000, I became governor of Shinshu Nagano prefecture and I was the only fourth post-war publicly-elected governor. Two of my three predecessors were former civil servants who, among them, stayed in power for over 41 years and 6 months. While the governor palled around with subordinates and assembly members, forming a cozy pyramid, Nagano had fallen into serious financial woes. Its fiscal health became the second worst of all 47 prefectures. Nagano needed a whopping 148 million yen a day just to pay the interests on loans. Inaction was in no way an option. If we failed to act, Nagano would have undoubtedly filed for bankruptcy protection in three years and be placed under fiscal reconstruction. The situation was so critical and afforded no delay.

「『脱ダム』宣言」を 切っ掛けに不信任決議を議会から突き付けられ、失職を経て出直し知事選に打って出た私は、都合6年間の在任中に、後述する様々な取組を実行し、その結果と して、47都道府県で唯一、6年連続で起債残高を減少させ、同じく全国で唯一、7年度連続で基礎的財政収支=プライマリーバランスの黒字化を達成しまし た。
無論、その成果は、住民や職員の深い理解と篤い協力が有ったればこそです。その間、 “現場主義・直接対話”の精神で職員や住民に、「発想を変え・選択を変え・仕組を変えよう」と訴え続けました。

My No-More-Dam declaration prompted a non-confidence motion against me. I lost my job but reran in the election successfully and became governor again. In my six years as governor, I delivered my pledges and carried out various reforms. As a result, Nagano became the only prefecture in Japan to reduce outstanding debts for six consecutive years, and to achieve back-to-back primary surpluses for seven consecutive years. None of these would have been possible without cooperation or understanding of the public and the employees. I kept faith in hands-on approach and face-to-face dialogues and so continued talking about the importance of ‘thinking and choosing differently to make a change in the system.

ヤマト運輸株式会社 “中興の祖”として知られる小倉昌男さんを委員長に起用し、天下りと補助金の伏魔殿と化していた全ての外郭団体をゼロベースで見直したのも、その一環で す。委託料・補助金・負担金と職員派遣の全面的見直しに留まらず、団体の廃止・統合・縮小を敢行し、見直し比率は既存54団体の96%にも及びました。そ れは、今は亡き小倉昌男さんが最後に手掛けた公的仕事です。
翻って国政に於いて、スケープゴート的に「私のしごと館」のみを見直しても、それはガス抜きにすら、なりますまい。

I appointed the late Mr. Masao Ogura who is known as the savior of the Yamato Transport Company to help me out in reforming agencies which had become the pork-barrel and Amakudari revolving-doors pandemonium. We not only reviewed all the budget, expenses and subsidies, but personnel dispatches as well. We abolished some and consolidated or downsized other organizations. We overhauled 96 percent of 54 existing organizations. That was Ogura’s last assignment in his public capacity.
The approach is indispensable in the national politics as well. What’s needed is a complete overhaul of mega public works projects. Closing down as scapegoat the ‘Discover Your Future’ vocational museum (a white elephant, built ostensibly to help young people find jobs) is just another cheap trick, anything but reform.

省庁を退官した翌日か ら移籍可能な、独立行政法人なる組織の大半は、“天下りマネーロンダリング機関”と化しています。2年間、恙無き人生を過ごせば、建設会社や製薬会社等の 役員に転出するのはノー・プロブレーム、何らお咎め無しなのですから。
入札改革も、同様です。公共事業に留まらず、全ての分野の事業で不透明な随意契約、更には弱肉強食・優勝劣敗を齎す指名競争入札を廃止し、公明正大・切 磋琢磨の一般競争入札を全面的に導入しました。限りなく100%に近い談合状態だった落札率は、47都道府県で最も低い、8掛け前後へと落ち着きました。

A vast majority of so-called independent administrative agencies would allow bureaucrats to land jobs elsewhere through mediation immediately after their retirement and are in fact operating an Amakudari-money laundering business. If bureaucrats manage to spend two years without causing any problem, they can easily retire into executive posts at construction or pharmaceutical companies. They are protected by what’s called ‘bureaucratic immunity.’
I also reformed the tendering system not only for public works but for all projects. I abolished all murky deals and selective tendering in which the law of the jungle prevails. I instead introduced the open tendering system based on fairness and promoted friendly competition. It pushed down the nearly 100 percent successful bidding rate which was clear evidence of bid-rigging to the nation’s lowest of less than 80 percent.

全国初の小学校全学年 での30人規模学級の実現も、こうした一連の取組で生まれた余剰金を原資として活用し得たからです。
複数名の知事が談合で逮捕されたのを受けて全国知事会は、1000万円以上に限っては一般競争入札制度を導入せよ、と2年前に取り決めました。が、現段 階でも導入は半数にも満たぬ22道府県に留まり、仮に1800万円の事業を2分割発注すれば依然として不透明な随意契約も可能なのです。

I used surplus funds generated through such efforts to realize 30-students classes in all elementary schools. Two years ago, several governors were arrested on suspicion of bid-rigging, prompting the Prefectural Governors Association to decide that the open tendering system must be introduced for projects priced over 10 million yen. But even as of today, only 22 prefectures, which are less than 50 percent of all 47, have in fact introduced the system. Murky private contracts remain available, if, for example, an 18 million yen project is split into two separate orders.

とまれ、私は、人が人 にお世話をして初めて成り立つ21世紀型の新しい雇用創出の場である福祉・医療・教育・環境の充実。地域密着型の公共事業への転換に加えて、農業・林業・ 漁業3分野から成る新“3業革命”を目指したのです。その実現への課程に於いて、財政の健全化・入札の透明化が必要条件だったのです。

In any event, I made efforts to improve welfare, health care, education and environmental protection which will create new jobs for the 21st century. I not only promoted community-based public works projects but sought new ‘Tri-Industrial Revolution’ linking primary industries of agriculture, forestry and fisheries. In the process of making that happen, I decided recovering fiscal health and promoting transparency in tenders was indispensable.

麻生太郎さん、貴男も 所信表明演説の中で、「財政再建は、当然の課題です。しかし、目的と手段を混同してはなりません。財政再建は手段。目的は日本の繁栄。麻生内閣の目的は、 日本経済の持続的で安定した繁栄にこそある」とも仰っています。
無論、その言も善し。が、であるとするなら、「安心実現のための緊急総合対策」を受けて今般提出された、総額1兆0641億円に上る一般会計補正予算の 中で、ここぞ日本繁栄の目的・財政再建の手段だと麻生太郎さん、貴男が胸を張れる箇所は、どの点でありましょうか? 個別具体的にお示し下さい。

Mr. Aso. In your policy speech, you said, ‘Fiscal reform is necessary, but means should not be confused with ends. Fiscal reform is a means, while the ends are Japan’s prosperity. The goal of the Aso cabinet is to achieve stable, sustainable and prosperous economy.’ Again, well said. But if that’s the case, Mr. Aso, would you please specifically tell me which items you feel proud of, in the one-trillion-plus yen supplementary budget draft, as ends for Japan’s prosperity and means for fiscal reform?

新党日本のホームペー ジでは、新政策機構チームニッポンが総力を結集して作成した「日本の借金時計」が、増大し続ける金額を1秒単位で表示しています。その額、1時間に66億 円。う~む、この程度の金額では、渋谷区神山町、読んで字の如し、神の山と表記する、正に下々とは対極の住所に邸宅を構える貴男は、然して驚かれぬやも知 れません。

On New Party Nippon website, Japan’ the National Debt Clock created by our policy team is ticking. It’s tallying up money owned by the Japanese government. The national debt is snowballing, it’s adding up a whopping six-point-six billion yen every hour! Well, that amount may not be big enough to surprise you, Mr. Aso, because you are a wealthy man living in Kamiyama-cho, a posh residential district in Shibuya. The name of the town literally means ‘Mount God.’ You are no ordinary citizen.

が、しかし、麻生太郎 さん、日本の借金は1週間で1兆2千億円近くも悪化し続けているのです。それは奇しくも、総合食品会社の雄たる味の素株式会社に於ける、連結会計対象のカ ルピス株式会社等を含む、全世界での1年間の総売上高と同額なのです。繰り返しますが、日本の借金は1週間毎に1兆2千億円近くの増加。それでも危機感を 抱かぬとしたら、早期の精密検査受診をお奨めします。

But, yet, Mr. Aso, you should take note that Japan’s national debt is increasing an average 1 point 2 trillion yen per week. The amount, by coincidence, equals the annual net sales of Ajinomoto General Foods, Japan’s leading food company, on a consolidated basis, with Calpis and other affiliates included. I repeat once again. Japan’s national debt is increasing an average 1 point 2 trillion yen per week! Don’t you yet feel a sense of crisis? If not so, I recommend you please go immediately to hospital and have a checkup.

而して、「安心実現」なる 四文字言葉とは裏腹に、今回の補正予算提出に先駆けて貴男は、公債追加発行額3950億円、財政投融資計画の追加額1778億円を閣議決定されました。 「国・地方の基礎的財政収支=プライマリーバランスを黒字にする。2011年度までに成し遂げる」と所信表明の原稿を自ら音読しつつ認(したた)めた、そ の舌の根の乾かぬ内に。

Mr. Aso, you talk about ‘securing peace of mind.’ But before submitting the supplementary budget proposal, your cabinet decided to issue additional 395 billion yen national bonds and to spend an additional 177 point 8 billion yen in fiscal investment and loan programs. And the decision came immediately after you pledged in your policy speech to achieve primary surpluses by fiscal 2011 for both central and local governments.

成る程、貴男の先先先 代に列して居られたライオンヘアの宰相も、その勇ましい大言壮語とは裏腹に、在任中に250兆円も日本の借金を増大、即ち日本の財政を悪化させました。 “隠れ埋蔵金”ならぬ“隠れ負債額”も加えれば1000兆円に達する日本の借金の、4分の1を僅か5年半で達成するとは、いやはや。「構造改革」という名 の羊頭狗肉、ここに極まれり。今年1月31日の予算委員会で、“なぁんちゃって小泉・竹中へなちょこ改革”と私が命名した所以です。

No wonder, your pre-pre-predecessor Mr. Junichiro Koizumi, who was known for his trademark ‘lion’s mane’ hair, was fully responsible for worsening the economy, having inflated the national debt by 250 trillion yen in his term in office. Brave rhetoric, grim reality. With secret reserve funds and hidden debts combined, the national debt mounts to one-thousand trillion yen, and Koizumi is responsible for creating one-forth of it in his only five and a half years in office! Oh boy, that’s what he called ‘structural reform.’ What a farce! What a deception! That’s why at a budget committee meeting on January 31st, I called Koizumi-Takenaka’s cabinet a ‘Mickey Mouse team’ carrying out bogus reforms.

若しや、麻生太郎さん、 その“三百代言”内閣で総務大臣として、欺瞞に満ちた「三位一体の改革」とやらを全国の地域に強要した経験を活かして、嘯く心算(つもり)ではありますま いか。「この借金よ、届けと念じます。ともすれば、元気を失いがちなお年寄り、若者、いや全国民の皆さん方のもとに」と。成る程、1000兆円に達する天 文学的数値の借金返済は早晩、真っ当に働き・学び・暮らしながらも、将来の人生設計は疎か、今、この瞬間の生活環境にすら、夢も希望も抱けぬ全国津々浦々 の方々の、更には、これから生まれ来る子供達の双肩にのし掛かってくるのです。

Correct me if I’m wrong, Mr. Aso. Are you not trying to make use of your experience as the Public Management, Home affairs and Posts and Telecommunications Minister under the pettifogging cabinet which imposed deceptive Trinity Reform nationwide? Are you not pretending to hope the money will trickle down to the socially-weak, young and old and everyone else in the country? No wonder. The astronomical amount of debt reaching one-thousand trillion yen will be left to be paid by people from far and wide, who are struggling to survive this day and night, and who, despite their hard work, have little means, dreams or hopes for their future. Your plan will leave not only our generation but future generations as well with a massive burden of debt.

「日本と日本人の底力 に、一点の疑問も抱いたことがありません」と仰る麻生太郎さん。この私は、「貴男と自由民主党の馬鹿力に、一点の期待も抱きかねるのです」。

Mr. Prime Minister! You say you’ve never doubted the underlying strength of Japan and its people. But to be honest, I have no confidence in you or in your party for that kind of strength.

その上で、「財源を明 示して頂きます」。貴男が、所信表明演説で宣(のたまわ)った詰問を、心ならずも私も、行わねばなりません。何となれば今回、財務大臣に貴男が任命し、 29日の本会議で貴男に引き続いて、補正予算案を説明する財政演説を行った中川昭一さんは、「日本経済復活のための13の政策」と題して月刊誌に、長尺の 論文を発表されているからです。

而も、その本文中に示 された見出しは、「国民を犠牲にする改革は本末転倒」、「減税や財政支出も躊躇するな」と始まり、「高齢者への対策」、「母子家庭への対策」、「フリー ターへの対策」、「正規雇用者への対策」と続きます。正しく片腹痛し。私は今一度、目次頁を眺め直しました。若しや、「財源無視宣言」と副題を冠してはい まいか、と。

And yet, I challenge you to clarify the financial resources, as you challenged us the opposition in your policy speech. Incidentally, during a plenary session on the 29th, Mr. Shoichi Nakagawa, whom you appointed as the finance minister, delivered a speech on the supplementary budget proposal. He also published a lengthy essay in a monthly magazine titled ‘13 policies to revive Japan’s economy.’
In the headlines, he wrote, ‘Reform at the expense of people is preposterous’ ‘Don’t hesitate, if tax cuts or fiscal spending is necessary.’ ‘Support for the elderly,’ ‘for single mother homes,’ ‘for freeters(part-timers),’ ‘for full time workers,’ and so forth. I felt so funny! I couldn’t believe what I was reading! So I looked at the contents page again, thinking ‘Did I overlook a subtitle? Isn’t this a declaration of ‘ignoring financial resources ?’

同様の懸念を抱いたマ スメディアの表現者も居たらしく、これらの政策提言を実行するには総額21兆円余りの財政出動を要する、との試算を報じています。いやはや、目糞鼻屎は一 体、何方(どちら)でありましょう? 改めて、「財源を明示して頂きます」。中川昭一さん、明確な答弁を頂戴致したく存じます。

Some media people apparently shared my concerns and have come up with an estimate of 21 trillion yen in public spending to execute your policy proposals. What are you talking about? Mr. Nakagawa, please clarify the source of funding.

が、山国に於ける私の 経験に照らせば、「財源論」こそは不毛な議論に他なりません。求めるべきは、財源を示す・示さぬの二元論を超えた発想と実践。景気回復と財政再建は、何れ を優先するかの二律背反的二元論ではないのです。
但し、その為には、義務費若しくは経常費と呼ばれる、人件費を含む全ての事業の全ての予算を、その起案作成段階からゼロベースで見直さぬ限り、「『改革 のための改革』を止めよ」と緊急提言された中川昭一さんが主張される「国民生活を守り、しっかりとした経済成長を実現する」など到底不可能です。

But judging from my experience as governor of a mountainous prefecture, I know having a debate on financial resources is nothing but unproductive. What’s in need are ideas and their implementation, but not a debate on whether to clarify financial resources. Economic recovery and fiscal reconstruction are no warring concepts which require a debate on priorities.
Instead, all budget requests need to be reviewed. All human costs, obligation fees and ordinary expenses for any project at all require a zero-based review, right from the drafting phase of the proposal. Without that, protecting people’s lives and achieving solid economic growth, which Mr. Nakagawa is advocating in his emergency proposal ‘’Stop reform for the sake of reform,’ will be impossible to achieve.

何故、こんな事業が存 在するのか。何故、こんな補助金が温存されているのか。知事就任当初の私は毎日が、恰も子供・少年探偵団の気分でした。何故何故どうして、とガラス張り知 事室でも視察先の現場でも、尋ねっ放しでした。が、その大半は、あろう事か、財政担当者や事業担当者に質問しても、要領を得ないのです。暫し時間が経過し て、私には見えてきました。それは、県会議員であったり、商工団体であったり、農業団体であったり。長年に亘って既得権益として確保され続け、毎年の予算 編成時にも、再検討の遡上にも上がらずに温存されてきた予算と事業なのだ、と。

When I first became governor, I felt like being a boy detective every day, looking for answers to various questions. Why are these projects included in the budget? or why have these subsidies being set aside? There were many, many questions which needed answers. I kept asking whys all the time, not only inside my famous ‘glass office’ but wherever I went for inspections. And most of the answers I received from people in charge of finance or those concerned were far from satisfactory. It took a while for me to learn that those projects and subsidies were earmarks set aside by assembly members or organizations including commerce and industries and agricultural groups. I learned those funds had been secured and preserved for people with vested interests over a long time period, without ever being reviewed in annual budget compilations.

「変化を乗り切って大きく 脱皮する日本人の力を、どこまでも信じて疑わない」と仰る麻生太郎さん。その日本のモノ作り産業が、数多の困難を乗り切って大きく成長し続けてきたのは、 「脱シーリング」の発想に基づく選択と仕組を実践し続けたればこそです。
予算編成時に政治・行政の世界で飛び交う「シーリング」なる符丁。言わずもがなの解説を加えれば、シーリングとは天井を意味します。歩道の整備であれ、 訪問介護の充実であれ、1箇所100万円の事業を10箇所で実施する。総事業費は1000万円です。けれども現下の厳しい財政状況下、一律2割カットの予 算シーリングが課せられると、個別事業費の単価はそのまま、実施箇所のみ2箇所削減。これが官公庁の発想なのです。

Mr. Aso, you say you always trust the nation’s ability to meet the challenges of change; the nation’s ability to survive and grow. But what helped Japanese manufacturers overcome various difficulties had always been their decisions and ability to remove the ceiling and to create a mechanism to make it happen. The ceiling is a budgetary jargon frequently used in the politics by the government at the time of budget compilations. The ceiling, off course, means a cap on budget. Whether it’s road maintenance or home-visit nursing care improvement, any ten projects costing one million yen each would cost 10 million yen in total. But when fiscal discipline is enforced, setting an across-the-board 20 percent cap in the budget, government agencies would usually maintain unit costs and eliminate two out of the ten projects. That’s how the system works in the government.

モノ作り産業に代表さ れる民間企業の場合は、異なります。個別事業費の単価を減らして、実施箇所は維持する。即ち1箇所80万円×10箇所=総事業費800万円で実施するので す。無論、安かろう・悪かろうでは消費者からしっぺ返しを食らいます。量のみならず質も維持するべく、智恵と努力をチームワークで結集せねばなりません。
傍聴席の方のみならず、テレビやラジオ、パソコンの前の皆さんも、疑問に思われるでしょう。当たり前の事が何故、政治や行政では出来ないのだろう、と。

But private companies including manufacturers would think and work differently. They would reduce the unit cost to 800 thousand yen so no project would be removed and the total costs would be 8 million yen. Of course, cheap and nasty gets punished by consumers. Wisdom and team efforts are indispensable in maintaining quantity as well as quality.
People in the gallery as well as those at home watching television, listening to the radio or sitting in front of the computers must be wondering why can’t the government do what the private sector is doing so commonly and so naturally?

理由は至極、単純で す。中央・地方を問わず、官公庁とは随意契約の世界なのです。国土交通省の仕事を、文部科学省が行う筈もありません。商工部の仕事を、農政部が奪う筈もあ りません。だから、同業他社との間に、切磋琢磨の競争が生まれる民間企業では当たり前の成果が、齎されないのです。

The reason is quite simple. Both central and local governments, as well as other public offices, work on discretional contract bases. Projects under the jurisdiction of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry would never be assigned to the Education and Science Ministry. Projects under the jurisdiction of the Commerce and Industry Department would never be taken over by the Agricultural Policy Planning Department. That’s why friendly competition which stimulates growth among the public sector would never take place in the public sector. It’s as simple as that.

摩訶不思議にも官公庁 の予算書は、公共事業のみ100万円単位で表記します。即ち、たった3桁の数字で記された215が、生涯賃金にも匹敵する2億1500万円を意味するので す。他方、福祉や教育を始めとした非公共事業の予算書は、何故か1000円単位で表記されます。役所の食堂で、380円と420円、どちらの昼定食にしよ うかと思案する人間が、机に向かうや公共事業100万円=1円の頭脳思考回路となるのです。而して、福祉や教育の予算書作成時には2150=215万円、 215と3桁で記される公共事業予算の100分の1の金額にも拘らず、1桁多い4桁の数字として捉えてしまい、福祉や教育の予算増額に難色を示すのです。 錯覚とは恐ろしいものです。

Strangely enough, at the government and other public offices, the costs of public works projects are shown in unit of millions in their budget papers. So, when written in three digit numbers, for example, 215 means 215 million yen, which is worth lifetime earnings. But for some unknown reason, non-public works project costs are shown in thousands. Budget directors who would stop and think whether to spend 380 yen or 420 yen for lunch would have to convert their mathematical apparatus from one million yen to one yen as soon as they sat back at the desk. Dreadful illusions occur when they produce budget drafts for welfare and education which are shown in units of thousands. 2,150 means 2 point 15 MILLION yen, not 2 point 15 BILLION yen, because the unit is in thousands, one-hundredth of one million used for public works projects. So they would mistakenly read the numbers in millions, instead of thousands, and would express reservations about increasing budget for welfare or education. That’s indeed a dreadful illusion.

発想を変え・選択を変 え・仕組を変える。私は全ての予算書を1円単位から記そうと職員に提案しました。10億円の公共事業は10桁もの数字を羅列せねばならず、予算書の枠内に 入り切らない、と難色を示す財政改革チームの職員に私は、日本には漢字という便利な代物が存在するではないか。電卓の文字盤と同様に、億・万・千の漢字と 数字を併用すれば予算書の枠内に収まり、税金の執行に関して視覚的にも1円単位から自覚的・自制的となる、と説きました。

So clearly, the rule of the game needs to be changed; meaning, people should think, choose and work differently. I said all budget papers should be shown in unit of one yen so that all public works projects worth one billion yen are shown in ten digit numbers. Some officials in my fiscal reform team complained that public works projects carrying a price tag of one billion yen would have many zeros and wouldn’t fit in tiny spaces. So I said, ‘Then, why not use Chinese characters?’ Just as electric calculators, if we combine Arabic numerals with Chinese characters symbolizing thousands, ten-thousands, millions or billions, they SHOULD fit in the space. It will in fact visually enhance awareness and reinforce discipline when budgets are shown in unit of one yen. People’s money will be spent wisely.

ピンバイスと呼ばれる 0.1mm単位の微細なドリル刃(やいば)を駆使するプラモデルの大家にして、今や断崖絶壁に突風吹き荒ぶ農林水産省で“下から目線”な対応を心掛ける石 破茂さんにお尋ね申し上げます。最早、農業者の自律にも自給率の向上にも寄与しない、と批判を浴びる旧態依然たる土地改良に象徴される巨額な農業土木の公 共事業予算書を、起死回生で1円単位からの表示とし、意識改革に獅子奮迅する意志は有りや無しや、と。
続いて、野田聖子さん。迷走・混迷する自由民主党の中で、私が一目を置く、数少なき政治家の1人である貴女にも、望ましき消費者庁の在り方に関し、忌憚 無き見解をお話し頂きたく思います。

My next question is for Mr. Shigeru Ishiba. He is a plastic model czar who uses Pinvice, a fine drill capable of cutting as thinly as one-tenth of a millimeter. He is currently testing ‘bottom-up’ approach’ at the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, where winds are blowing off a steep cliff. Mr. Ishiba, are you prepared to be an eager-beaver, willing to make serious efforts in carrying out drastic awareness reform? Budget papers for public works projects contain huge numbers when it comes to land improvement and irrigation engineering. Those earmarks are notoriously famous for NOT contributing to farmers’ independence or self-sufficiency. Mr. Ishiba, are you prepared to make a change and to revise the format so budgets are shown in unit of one yen?

My next question is for Ms. Seiko Noda. You are one of a few politicians in the trouble-infested LDP whom I have due respect. I would like to hear your candid opinion about what should be a desirable modality of the Consumer Agency.

会社や組合という組織 の都合ではなく、個人や地域という人間の未来に根ざした政治を日本に定着させる上で、消費者庁の帰趨は極めて重要です。が、その為には「プラン、ドゥー、 チェック、リ・ドゥー」(立案・実行・検証・再実行)。ともすれば、お座なりな対応で済まそうと、供給側の論理に依拠しがちな既存の省庁に対し、やり直し の“駄目出し”を、消費側の希望に立脚する消費者庁が命じ得る法的権限を明確化する法案の修正強化に今からでも取り組むべきではありますまいか。

The role of the Consumer Agency will be extremely important in transforming the politics from one suiting the convenience of enterprises or unions, into another empowering individuals or communities for their future. To make it happen, the process of ‘plan, do, check, redo (planning, execution, verification and re-execution)’ holds the key. Existing ministries and agencies tend to be irresponsible and to cater to the logics of the supply side. Shouldn’t the Consumer agency have the power to say no and to order redoes to the supply side? Shouldn’t the agency be sponsoring a bill to clarify and strengthen its legal authority so it can deliver its mission to live up to the expectations of the consumers?

発想を変え・選択を変 え・仕組を変える。仕組、即ちシステムを再構築せねば、食の安心・安全は実現し得る筈もありません。にも拘らず、日本では「原産地呼称管理制度」が未整備 な状態で留め置かれているのです。知事時代、ソムリエの田崎真也氏らの協力を得て、日本酒・ワイン・焼酎・米・牛肉を始めとする農作物並びに農産物加工品 の生産情報開示と品質評価の客観的且つ具体的制度化を実現させた私としては、切歯扼腕の思いです。

Here again, it’s clear, the rule of the game needs to be changed; meaning, people should think, choose and work differently. The rule of the game means the system. The system needs to be restructured. Otherwise, food security will never be ensured. And yet, Japan doesn’t have ‘the place of origin identification and control system.’ I feel deeply chagrined, because as governor and with cooperation from sommelier Shinya Tasaki, I successfully instituted a system to disclose information on agricultural produce and processed foods including Japanese Sake, wine, shochu, rice and beef, so that consumers could have access to objective quality assessment.

最早、「大量殺人未 遂」「同ほう助」に他ならぬ、と9月10日に東京地方検察庁へ、18日に大阪府警察本部へ、冬木三男・三笠フーズ社長、当時の太田誠一農林水産大臣を告発 すべく私が赴いたのも、当時の町村信孝官房長官が会見で述べた「抜き打ち検査や販売の仕方の改善」といった、早い話が、予算増額でネズミ取りの機器と人員 を増員すれば、1台目に加えて3台目と多分7台目も摘発可能、ってな次元の、付け焼き刃な小手先対処では問題は解決しない、と考えたればこそです。

Last year, I visited the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office on September 10th and the Osaka Police headquarters on the 18th to file a criminal complaint against President Mitsuo Fuyuki of Mikasa Foods and then-Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Seiichi Ohta, accusing them of attempted genocide and attempted assisted genocide,. What prompted me to take action was the government acting too little too late. At a news conference, then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said the government planned to carry out unannounced inspections and improve the food distribution system. He apparently believed there would be fewer irregularities if more money was spent on purchasing rat traps and on hiring screeners. But I thought such quick-fixes would in no way solve the problem.

所詮はITハコモノ行 政の域を出ない、従来型発想の所謂「トレーサビリティ」を超えた、「原産地呼称管理制度」の創設こそは、消費者の希望に応える政治の決断です。石破茂さん と野田聖子さんに御見解を伺います。

Instituting ‘the place of origin identification and control system’ requires a political decision to respond to the voices of consumers. The system goes beyond the concept of ‘traceability’ which after all is yet another example of IT ‘Hakomono (a white elephant, or a bridge-to-nowhere.) Mr. Ishiba and Ms Noda, may I have your opinions on this?

環境行政を所管する斉 藤鉄夫さんにお尋ねします。9月11日、蒲島郁夫熊本県知事は、国土交通省が計画する川辺川ダムの建設に反対すると表明しました。
2001年2月20日、9つの県営ダム計画を中止すべく「『脱ダム』宣言」を発し、爾来、徒手空拳の闘いを続けてきた私にとっても、感慨深い1日でし た。何となれば、彼は政府与党の全面的支援の下に当選した知事だからです。「『脱ダム』宣言」から7年半、時代は着実に変化を遂げています。

This question is for Tetsuo Saito who has jurisdiction over environmental administration. On September 11th, Kumamoto governor Ikuo Urashima expressed opposition to the construction of Kawabegawa Dam planned by the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry.
His protest meant a lot to me because I too, as governor, had issued a No-more-dam declaration on February 20’s 2001, attempting to suspend nine dam projects. I’m still fighting for it seriously. What makes his protest even more significant is the fact that Mr. Urashima was a successful candidate for the governorship, endorsed by the government and the ruling coalition. Seven and a half years after my no-more-dam declaration, times have definitely changed.

「脱ダム」とは、環境問題 に留まりません。御存知かどうか、国が実施主体の直轄事業とて、地元自治体の財政負担は3割近いのです。加えて、ダムに象徴される巨大公共事業は、総事業 費の8割前後が東京や大阪に本社を構えるスーパーゼネコンに支払われます。詰まり、地元は1割も持ち出し。巨大公共事業の絡繰りとは実は、“租庸調”の時 代の如き、上納・献上システムなのです。ダム建設とは今や、「地方経済」を回復させるどころか逆に疲弊・破綻へと追い込む、河川に染み込む毒薬メタミドホ スです。

The no-more-dam policy does more than environmental protection. Whether you know it or not, local autonomies share a 30 percent financial burden for any project including those directly overseen by the central government. In addition to that, 80 percent of the total construction costs for mega public works projects, including dams, are paid to super general contractors whose head offices are located in Tokyo and Osaka. That means, local autonomies are destined to lose money by ten percent. And the system controlling mega public works projects allows the central government to levy money from local governments. It’s very similar to an ancient tax levy system called So-yo-cho which was designed to put money into the government. Dam construction no longer helps revive the local economies but further drives them to bankruptcy. It’s like methamidophos, a deadly poison which infiltrates into the rivers.

他方で、日本の国土面 積の7割近くを占める森林は荒廃しています。取り分け、その45%は戦後に造林された針葉樹の人工林。広葉樹と異なり、間伐を必要とします。が、驚く勿 れ、林野庁の予算の中で森林整備に投じられているのは僅か8%。残り92%は林道建設や谷止工と呼ばれるコンクリートや鋼鉄の杭を沢に打ち込む公共事業な のです。

On the other hand, forest occupying nearly 70 percent of our land is in ruins. What’s worse, 45 percent of it is manmade, coniferous trees planted after world war two. They are different from broad leaf trees and require thinning. To one’s surprise, only 8 percent of the Forestry agency’s budget is spent on forest preservation. The remaining 92 percent is spent on public works projects including the construction of forest roads or what’s called valley closure, in which concrete or iron steel stakes are planted in streambeds.

針葉樹は樹齢45年か ら60年の間に、「2残1伐列状間伐」と呼ばれる2列残して1列伐採する森林整備を行わねば、幹が太くなりません。昭和30年代に造林された針葉樹の間伐 は最早、待ったなしの状態なのです。にも拘らず、間伐が完了しているのは人工林1140万haの約3分の1、400万haに過ぎません。今後6年間は年間 55万haを間伐する、と林野庁は計画を発表していますが、それでは6年後も410万haは手付かずの儘です。

Coniferous trees need preservation called thinning when they are between 45 and 60 years old. Two out of three have to be thinned for the stem of the trees to thicken. Coniferous trees planted in 1950’s require immediate attention. Despite the situation, only one third of the 1 point 14 million hectares of manmade forest has been thinned. The Forestry Agency says it plans to thin 550 thousand hectares of forest per year for the next six years. But still 4 point 1 million hectares of forest will be left untouched six years later.

実は、間伐に投じる事 業費の3分の2は、人件費なのです。即ち、これこそは地域密着型の公共事業。中山間地域の土木建設業従事者にとっての福音でもあります。
故に知事時代、私は森林ニューディールと銘打って、間伐する面積も予算も2.5倍に増やすと共に、森林整備技術を習得する100時限の無料講習会を開催 し、地域雇用の促進に努めました。

In fact, two-thirds of the thinning budgets are spent to pay for labor costs. It means the work creates jobs for the community. It’s good news for civil engineers living in the intermediate and mountainous areas. When I was governor, I initiated a Green New Deal and increased the thinning area and the budget by 250 percent and organized 100-hour free seminars for locals to learn skills needed for forest preservation as part of efforts to promote employment in the communities.

森林整備の効果は、治 山・治水に留まりません。中下流域の農業者にも漁業者にも、更には牡蠣を始めとする河口の漁業者にとっても福音を齎すのです。正に農業・林業・漁業3分野 を連携する新“3業革命”。

Forest preservation is not only good for conservation and flood control, but it’s good news for farmers and fishermen in mid and lower streams, as well as oyster and other fishermen at river mouths. I call this a new ‘Tri-Industrial Revolution,’ linking agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

思えば、斉藤鉄夫さんも私も、人々に哀しみを齎す富国強兵ではなく、人々に仕合わせを届ける経世済民の社会を実現すべく、政治の道に入った筈です。他省庁 との連携の下、国立公園も管理する環境省が主体的に予算措置を講じて森林整備に携わったなら、それこそは洞爺湖サミット議長国に相応しき決断でありましょ う。「脱ダム」への見解も含め、御所見を是非、お聞かせ下さい。

Looking back, both Mr. Tetsuo Saito and I entered politics NOT to bring about wealth or military strength which hurts people but to create a society or government which saves the people from pain and bring them happiness. If the Environment Agency in charge of managing national parks cooperates with other ministries and agencies in proactively allocating the budget and engaging in preservation and management, Japan will be making the most appropriate decision as a nation which hosted the Lake Toya summit. Please let me hear your opinions on the no-more-dam and other policies.

最後に再び、第92代 内閣総理大臣の麻生太郎さん、貴男への質問です。
日本政府は今春、嘗ての国策会社・Jパワー 電源開発株式会社への資本参加の比率を高めようとしたイギリスのザ・チルドレンズ・インヴェストメント・ファンド(TCI)に対し、甘利明さん、当時の経 済産業大臣にして現在は規制改革を促進する特命担当大臣である甘利明さん、あなたは、罷り成らぬ、と株式の取得中止命令を発しました。

Lastly, Mr. Aso, the 92nd prime minister of Japan, I have one more question for you. This spring, when London-based Children’s Investment Fund (TCI) attempted to boost its shareholding in Electric Power Development Company, then-Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akira Amari, who now is minister in charge of promoting regulatory reform, said NO WAY and ordered TCI to drop its plan.

他方で、この9月5日、丸紅・関西電力・九州電力の各株式会社、更には政府全額出資の日本政策金融公庫の国際部門たる国際協力銀行(JBIC)等で構成さ れる企業連合は、シンガポール財務省傘下の投資会社が100%保有していた同国最大の電力会社、セノコ・パワーの全株式を取得する、と発表しています。

On the other hand, on September 5th, a consortium comprising Marubeni Corporation, Kansai Electric Power company, Kyushu Electric Power Company, and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation which is the international division of the wholly state-owned Japan Finance Corporation, announced its decision to acquire all shares of Senoko Power Limited, the country’s largest power generation company, 100 percent owned by investment firm Temasek Holdings which is under the umbrella of the Singapore’s Finance Ministry.

本日の代表質問の冒頭 で、「社会的公正」と「経済的自由」を同時に達成し、混迷する日本にダイナムズムを取り戻す事こそは、新党日本代表の私の哲学であり、使命である、と述べ ました。
而して、麻生太郎さん、貴男は先の所信表明演説でエネルギー問題に関し、「世界で先頭をゆく環境・省エネ国家として、国際的なルール作りを主導してい く」と語られました。その言や善し。

In the beginning my representative questioning, I said, achieving social justice and economic freedom to bring dynamism back to the flagging nation is my philosophy and responsibility as the leader of New Party Nippon.
Mr. Aso, in your policy speech, you said Japan hopes to play the leadership role in creating international rules as a most eco-friendly and energy-conserving nation. Sounds good.

アジアとの交差点・ア メリカとの交差点・オセアニアとの交差点。地政学的に3つの円が交わる重要な拠点に位置する我らがニッポンが、「とてつもない日本」、いや、「とんでもな い日本」ではなく、名実共に「信じられる日本」として、世界の国々から、世界の企業から、世界の人々から認められるべく、「的確な認識・迅速な決断・明確 な責任」の下に地歩を固めることこそが、肝要です。

Geopolitically speaking, Japan provides a crossroad to Asia, America and to Oceania. So it finds itself located at a very crucial point where the three circles meet. It’s important for such nation to be trusted by the rest of the world, not viewed as outrageous or unfathomable. For that, it’s important we build our grounds, with right ideas, decisiveness and a clear sense of responsibility.

とするならば、この2 つの事象に関する日本政府の判断の整合、若しくは不整合を、麻生太郎さん、貴男は如何に認識し、如何に国内外に説明されるのか。
「担わんとする責任の重さに、うたた厳粛たらざるを得ません」と覚悟の程を披瀝された貴男の、深い洞察力に満ち溢れた答弁を期待し、私、田中康夫の代表質 問を終わります。有り難う御座います。

If so, Mr. Aso, what is your perception on the consistency or inconsistency of the government involving two separate incidents and how would you explain that to the nation and to the rest of the world? You said you were solemnly aware of the weight of the responsibility you are destined to assume. With high expectations towards your insightful responses, I hereby would like to conclude my representative questioning.
Thank you very much for your attention.

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