前川氏はメディアに「敵の敵は味方」と認識されたのか Was Maekawa Viewed by

天下り問題、守秘義務違反を無視
前川氏はメディアに「敵の敵は味方」と認識されたのか
Amakudari and Duty of Confidentiality Issues Ignored by Media
Was Maekawa Viewed by the Media As “The Ally Who Is the Enemy of Their Enemy?”
 
【ニッポンの新常識】Common Knowledge Revisited 119
[As background for the information of foreign readers, the Japanese bureaucracy has traditionally secured positions for former bureaucrats with companies which it oversees, raising obvious issues of conflict of interest. This practice called “Amakudari (descent from heaven)” has been outlawed (even in the United States), but in January a scandal came to light where, despite the prohibition, the Minister of Education was still systematically engaging in this illegal practice, reaching to the highest levels of the ministry.
The opposition parties have recently focused on a so-called scandal in which Prime Minister Abe purportedly exercised his influence to have the Minister of Education approve a new veterinary department in a university. This is the so-called “Kake Gakuen” issue. All parties agree that there is no illegality, even if the allegations are true.]

　世間には「敵の敵は味方」という考え方がある。例えば、中国共産党を率いた毛沢東は、本当の「敵」である蒋介石の国民党を倒すため、「敵の敵」である日本軍と裏で手を組み、「国共合作」を通じて入手した国民党軍の情報を日本軍に売っていた。
　There is a saying that “your enemy’s enemy is your friend.” For example, in order to defeat its real enemy, the Chinese Nationalist Party, the Chinese Communist Party under Mao Zedong joined hands with the enemy of its enemy and sold information about the Nationalist Party which it obtained in the course of the civil conflict between the two armies to the Japanese military.

　今日の本題ではないので詳細は中国研究の第一人者、遠藤誉氏の著書『毛沢東―日本軍と共謀した男―』（新潮新書）に譲る。
　That is not the main topic of this column, so for details please refer to “Mao Zedong – Man Who Conspired with the Japanese Military” (Shincho Shinsho) written by Homare Endo, a top scholar on China

　さて、民進党の国会質疑や、朝日新聞をはじめとする日本の左派メディアの報道を見ていれば、彼らの「敵」が安倍晋三政権であることは明白だ。
　It is clear from the questioning in the Diet by the opposition Democratic Party and from reporting by the Asahi Newspaper and other leftist media that their “enemy” is the Shinzo Abe administration.

　野党やメディアは「国民のために権力を監視している」という。しかし、外国政府や国連、海外メディア、国際ＮＧＯなど、国外権力の思惑や謀略も同様に監視と批判をしなければ、日本の国益を損ねるだけである。
　The opposition parties and the media say that they are “monitoring [those in] power for the people.” However, unless they also criticize foreign governments [China, North Korea], the United Nations, foreign media, [anti-Japan] international NGOs, etc., they are only harming Japan’s national interests.

　「森友学園」や「加計学園」の問題など、野党やメディアは手を替え品を替え、安倍政権をからめ手から攻撃する。何人もの首相をスキャンダルで辞任に追い込んできた、過去の成功体験が忘れられないのだろう。
　With “Moritomo Gakuen,” “Kake Gakuen,” [which both involve minor incidents of alleged influence peddling by Mr. Abe and/or his wife], etc., the opposition parties and media go from one issue to another, change players and tactics, constantly picking at the Abe administration from the periphery. They seem unable to forget the euphoria they felt in successfully bringing down a number of prime ministers in this way.

　そして今回、彼らは「敵の敵」として名乗りを上げた、前川喜平前文科省事務次官と手を組んだ。これを見て、冒頭の毛沢東の話を思い出したのだが、果たして手を組むべき相手だったのか。
　In the present case, they have joined hands with Kihei Maekawa, a former administrative vice-minister of the Ministry of Education who declared himself to be “an enemy of their enemy.” That’s why I remembered the case of Mao Zedong stated at the beginning of this article, but is this man someone with whom they should have joined hands?
 
　霞が関の省庁における組織的な天下りは、野党やメディアにとって「絶対悪」だったはずだ。特に、今年１月に発覚した文科省の組織的天下り斡旋（あっせん）問題は、人事課や事務次官にまで再就職先の情報が共有される、非常に悪質な国家公務員法違反だった。
　Organizational amakudari by the national bureaucracy should have been an absolute evil to the opposition parties and the media. In particular, the organizational placement of former bureaucrats by the Ministry of Education which came to light in January was a very serious violation of the National Civil Service Law in which information about job placement was shared within the personnel department and even with the administrative vice minister, Maekawa.
 
　その最高責任者だった前川氏を「正義感あふれる人格者」のように伝えるメディアに対して、読者や視聴者が違和感を覚えるのは当然だろう。
　It is no surprise that readers, viewers and listeners receive reports by the media describing Maekawa, who was the person in the position of highest authority in that scandal, as “a person of character overflowing with a sense of justice” with suspicion.
 
　また、「文書」が本物であれば守秘義務違反で捕まるべき人物がいるはずだ。メディアのご都合主義はその件を無視する。
　In addition, regarding whether the “document” [which purports to describe the exercise of influence by Mr. Abe in the approval for a new veterinary department at a university] is true, someone should be apprehended for a violation of the duty of confidentiality. The self-interested media conveniently ignores this fact.
 
　さらに前川氏は、東京・歌舞伎町の「出会い系バー」（連れ出しバー）の常連客だった。前川氏は「女性の貧困について、ある意味実地の視察調査の意味合いがあった」と釈明したが、この言い分に疑問を持たない人はジャーナリストの資質がない。一方、疑問はあるが、それよりも安倍政権攻撃の利用価値を重視したという人は、ジャーナリストを名乗る資格がない。
　Furthermore, Maekawa was a regular patron of a matchmaking [take-out prostitution] bar in Kabuki-cho, Tokyo. Maekawa has explained that “in some respects, this was on-site research into the plight of poor women,” but anyone who does not doubt that explanation has no standing to be called a journalist. And anyone who doubts his explanation but holds that it is more important to look at his value in attacking Prime Minister Abe also has no qualifications to call himself or herself a journalist.

　ジャーナリストの須田慎一郎氏は、この「出会い系バー」での聞き込み情報を、５月２８日放送の読売テレビ系「そこまで言って委員会ＮＰ」で暴露した。人権ＮＧＯや日弁連などから真相究明を求める声が上がらないのは、こちらも「敵の敵は味方」だからなのか。
　In the May 28th broadcast of the television show “Soko Made Itte Iinkai NP” Journalist Shinichi Suda revealed the results of his on-site investigation of this “matchmaking bar.” I suppose that the reason the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations and other human rights NGOs have not raised their voices to seek a probe into the truth of this matter is because they feel “the enemy of their enemy is their ally.”
 

６月２６日（月）　シン・東京裁判　真相はこうだ！ 　チケット情報

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民進党や共産党は日本を「テロ対策後進国」にしておきたいのか Do DP and JCP Want

民進党や共産党は日本を「テロ対策後進国」にしておきたいのか
「テロ等準備罪」法案と、パレルモ条約締結の必要性

Do DP and JCP Want Japan to Be an “Underdeveloped Country on Terrorism?”
Necessity of “Crime of Preparing to Commit Terrorism” and the Palermo Convention
 
 
 
【ニッポンの新常識】Common Knowledge Revisited 118

　英中部マンチェスターのコンサート会場で２２日夜、自爆テロ事件が発生し、子供を含む２２人が死亡し、５９人が負傷した。犠牲となった方々と、ご遺族に心からの哀悼の意を表するとともに、けがをした方々にお見舞いを申し上げたい。
　On the night of May 22nd at a concert venue in Manchester in central England, a suicide bombing took the lives of 22 people including children, and injured 59 people. We offer our heartfelt condolences to the victims and pray for the swift recovery of the injured.

　ここ数年、英国をはじめ、フランスやドイツ、ベルギーなど欧州各地でテロ事件が相次いでいる。今回の事件の詳細はいまだ不明だが、２００１年９月１１日の米国同時多発テロ（９・１１）のように、国際テロ組織「アルカーイダ」や、自称「イスラム国」こと過激組織ＩＳのような、国際的犯罪組織が関与した可能性は十分ある。
　There has been a succession of terrorist incidents in England, France, Germany and throughout Europe in the last few years. The details of this current incident are not yet clear, but as in the bombing in New York on September 11, 2001, it is highly probable that international terrorist organizations such as Al Qaida or the extremist organization IS which calls itself “Islamic State” were involved.

　通称「パレルモ条約」（正式名称『国際的な組織犯罪の防止に関する国際連合条約』）は、組織的テロや人身売買、武器の密輸などを行う国際的犯罪組織の撲滅を目指した国際条約だ。この条約は９・１１直後の１１月１５日、人身取引、密入国、銃器に関する３つの議定書とともに国連総会で採択された。
　The “Palermo Convention” (official name: “United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime”) is a treaty aimed at stamping out transnational criminal organizations that engage in organized terrorism, human trafficking, and arms smuggling. This treaty was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly immediately after the 9/11 attack on November 15th along with three protocols on human trafficking, illegal immigration, and small arms.

　日本は０２年１２月までにこれらの条約に署名した。だが、正式締約の前に、締約国は「重大な犯罪を行うことの合意（＝共謀）」「犯罪収益の洗浄（＝資金洗浄、マネー・ロンダリング）」「司法妨害」などを犯罪とする国内法を定め、「犯罪収益の没収」「犯罪人引渡し」などについて、法整備と国際協力を行う義務を負っている。
　Japan signed these treaties by December 2002. However, signatories are required to pass domestic laws making “Agreement to Commit Serious Crimes (conspiracy),” “Laundering of Criminal Proceeds (money laundering),” and “Obstruction of Justice” criminal offenses, and to make legal provisions for international cooperation in “confiscation of criminal proceeds” and “extradition of criminals” before the treaty takes effect.

　その義務を履行すべく本国会に提出されたのが、「テロ等準備罪」の新設に向けた組織犯罪処罰法改正案である。
　What was submitted to the Diet is an amendment to the “Act for Punishment of Organized Crime” in which the act of “preparing to commit terrorism, etc.” is newly added as a crime.

　パレルモ条約を結ばないと、日本は国際的犯罪集団の情報について、他国と綿密なやり取りができない。日本が有益な情報を得られないデメリット以上に、国際的犯罪組織にとって日本が「抜け穴」になることが大問題なのだ。
　If the Palermo Convention does not take effect, Japan will be unable to work closely with other countries concerning information about international terrorist organizations. Aside from the fact that Japan will be unable to obtain valuable information, a much bigger problem is the fact that Japan will be viewed by international terrorist organizations as a safe haven for terrorist activities.

　世界１８７の国と地域が締約したなか、Ｇ２０唯一の未締約国である日本は、国際社会に迷惑をかけている。南スーダン、ソマリア、コンゴ、イランなど、日本を含む１１カ国だけが未締約国である。民進党や共産党などは、日本を「テロ対策後進国」にしておきたいのか。
　As the only country in the G-20 group where the treaty has not taken effect, Japan is creating trouble for the 187 countries where the treaty has gone into effect. There are only 11 countries including South Sudan, Somalia, Congo, Iran, and Japan where the treaty has not gone into effect. Do the Democratic Party (DP) and the Japan Communist Party (JCP) want Japan to be an “underdeveloped country on terrorism?”

　東京新聞は２４日朝刊に「共謀罪の対象となる２７７の罪」という一覧を掲げていた。対象が広すぎると言いたいらしい。私は２７７の犯罪内容を一通り見たが、犯罪の意思を持たない一般市民はこれらに共謀罪が適用されても何の不都合もないはずだ。
　The Tokyo Shinbun in its morning edition on May 24th published a list of 277 crimes to be considered conspiracy. Apparently, it wants to say that the list is too expansive. I looked through this list, and there should be no reason for a charge of conspiracy to be brought against any general citizen who does not have a criminal intent.

　同法案に反対するメディアは、公安監視対象団体に所属する愛読者や視聴者のご意向でも忖度（そんたく）したのか。
　In opposing this law, does the media harbor suspicions that its readers are members of subversive groups under surveillance by the national security authorities?

　ある民進党議員は、テロ等準備罪が成立したら本気で国外亡命を考えるとツイートしていた。彼が本当に亡命するようなら、それは日本の未来に貢献する善行だと思うので、ぜひ餞別（せんべつ）を贈りたい。
　One member of the DP tweeted that he is considering taking up exile in a foreign country if the amendment passes. If he really does leave the country, that will be a very positive contribution to the future of Japan, and I will definitely want to send him a generous farewell gift.
 
 

６月２６日（月）　シン・東京裁判　真相はこうだ！ 　チケット情報

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新大統領の下で韓国はどうなるのかWhat Will Come of Korea under...

新大統領の下で韓国はどうなるのか
What Will Come of Korea under Its New President?
特権階級とのしがらみない文氏、国民に対北の緊張感なく…
Mun Has No Obligations to the Privileged Class
The People Not Concerned about North Korea
 
【ニッポンの新常識】Common Knowledge Revisited 117
　文在寅（ムン・ジェイン）氏が１０日、第１９代韓国大統領に就任した。
　Mun Jae-in was inaugurated on May 10th as the 29th president of South Korea.

　文氏は選挙中、慰安婦問題の「日韓合意を見直す」と主張していることが、日本の新聞やテレビで大きく取り上げられた。だが、就任演説ではこの件に言及しなかった。また、「親北」路線を主張していたので、北朝鮮への急接近が懸念されると日本では報じられた。
　During the election campaign, the Japanese newspapers and television stations reported at length that he advocated a “reconsideration of the Japan-Korea Agreement” regarding comfort women. However, he did not raise this issue in his acceptance speech. In addition, during the campaign he advocated a soft approach to North Korea, so it was reported in Japan that there was concern that he would move quickly to recognize or normalize relations with North Korea.

　そこで、「韓国人がなぜ、この人物を選んだのか」「現在のソウルはどのような状態なのか」を知りたくて、１泊２日でソウルに行ってきた。
　So, on Monday and Tuesday I took an overnight trip to find out why the Korean people chose this person and what the current situation was in Seoul.

　私が会った韓国人が文氏を選んだ動機は「反日」や「親北」だからではなく、国の立て直しへの期待からだという。特権階級とのしがらみがない文氏は、財閥偏重の韓国経済を大改革する意志と能力があると判断された。特に、若者の過酷な雇用環境改善に積極的に取り組む姿勢が支持された。
　The Korean people I talked to said that their motivation for choosing Mr. Mun was not his “Anti-Japan” or “Pro-North Korea” policies, but a sincere expectation that he could rebuild South Korea. They apparently determined that Mr. Mun, who has no obvious connections with the privileged sectors of Korean society, was committed to and had the ability to reform the Korean economy, which is overly influenced by the Chaebol [economic conglomerates] that dominate the Korean economy. In particular, his position to work hard for the younger voters who face severe employment opportunity difficulties comprised a big part of his support base.

　また、文氏の波瀾（はらん）万丈の半生が、国民の心を打ったようだ。学生運動家が人権専門の弁護士となり、政治家を志したという道のりが、「若い世代が支持できる穏健で理性的な指導者」というイメージに繋がった。文陣営は選挙中、それを大々的にアピールした。
　In addition, his difficult background worked to reach the hearts of Koreans. Beginning with a history of student activism, followed by a progression to an attorney specializing in human rights, and thereafter becoming a politician, worked to provide an image of “a moderate and logical leader who could be supported by the younger generation.” During the election campaign, the Mun camp worked hard to push this message.

　当選直後、文氏の一家が自宅前で記者団に応対した写真が残っているが、私もその場所を訪れてみた。文氏は１３日に青瓦台（大統領府）に移ったが、まだ引っ越し作業が続いていた。
　Immediately after winning the election, the Mun family posed for pictures in front of their residence, so I went to some length to find that place. On the 13th, he had moved to the Blue House (= U.S. White House), but when I went to his former residence, the movers were still there working.

　分譲マンションだが、場所は決して便利といえない山の上で、道も狭く、建物自体も決して豪華ではない。築１６年というが、もっと古く見えた。部屋もあまり広くない。以前から一般市民と同じような生活を送っていたことが、特権階級ではなく一般市民への関心を象徴していた。
　His former residence is a condominium, but it is in a very inconvenient location at the top of a winding mountain road [think Nagasaki], the road is narrow, and the building itself is by no means anything approaching elegant. It is said to have been built 16 years ago, but appears much older. The units themselves are not very big. The fact that he has lived a life much like ordinary people is viewed as a symbol of his concern not for the privileged class, but for the ordinary citizenry.

　文氏は選挙中から、準備が完了すれば青瓦台を一般公開し、文氏と家族は近くの職員用宿舎のような場所に移り住むと語っていたという。
　During the election, Mr. Mun said that after preparations are complete, he will open the Blue House to the public, and he and his family will move to a nearby public housing unit for government employees.

　昨年１２月３日、朴槿恵（パク・クネ）大統領の退陣を求める「ろうそくデモ」に、ソウルだけで１７０万人、全国併せて２３０万人が参加した。ソウルの現場も見に行ったが、大騒ぎの形跡はまったくなく、以前の状態に戻っていた。
　On December 3rd of last year, a candlelight demonstration [see Wikipedia for the significance of candlelight vigils in modern Korean history] was held seeking the resignation of former President Park Geun-hye which was attended by 1.7 million people in Seoul and 2.3 million people nationwide. I went to see the site of the demonstration, but there was no sign of what had occurred, and it had reverted to its former condition.

　町中が静まり返って、市民は普通に仕事に励んでいた。町中に「ムン・ジェイン新大統領おめでとうございます」との横断幕が道の上に掲げられている。大半の市民はホッとしているようだ。現在は蜜月状態だろう。
　The entire city seems to have returned to normalcy, and the people are engaged in their normal activities. There were banners across the streets in several places in the city which read “Congratulations to the new president Mun Jae-in.” Most of the people seem to be relieved. This is no doubt a honeymoon period.

　気になったことは、ソウルでは北朝鮮の脅威に対する緊張感がまったく感じられなかったことだ。これを「平和ボケ」と決めつけることは簡単だが、常に恐怖とともに暮らしている場合の対応策の１つでもあるだろう。
　One thing that caught my concern, however, was the fact that no one in Seoul seemed especially distraught over the North Korean threat. It is easy to dismiss this as “heiwa boke” [see previous postings], but this is probably also one way to deal with the situation when one is faced with a continuing threat.
 
 

６月２６日（月）　シン・東京裁判　真相はこうだ！ 　チケット情報

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