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投票を終えて
10月20日に行なわれた衆院選挙の投票率は史上最低だった。結果は自民党の圧勝。保守の優勢は変えられないとあきらめたり、政治に幻滅したりせずに、政治に民意を反映させよう、と筆者は言う。
After the Vote Is Over
By CHRISTINE O. CUNANAN-NOMURA
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) came close to winning a majority in the Lower House election on October 20. I found
this de facto victory surprising in the face of the public's widespread dissatisfaction over such
LDP actions as defending bureaucratic
mismanagement, protecting companies involved in failed housing loan schemes, and summarily raising the consumption tax to 5 percent even without a
concrete and well-planned allocation scheme
for the additional revenue.
The LDP has always made clear where its main interests lie. It has
continuously protected big business and other traditional power blocs at the expense of ordinary salaried workers.
Now it's those workers who face heavier tax
burdens and the prospect of reduced government services and benefits in
the future.
It's hard for me to imagine citizens voting for anyone who does not put priority on the citizens' welfare
― particularly when the parties concerned
are largely responsible for Japan's worst post-war economic recession and a daunting array of problems for future
generations. But the results speak for themselves.
Many observers attribute the election turn-out more to voter
apathy than to the strength of the LDP as a party. A significant number of voters were apparently disillusioned with politics,
and they decided to stay away from the electoral process entirely. Other voters boycotted the
elections because they believed that their efforts would not change the
traditional power structure at all.
This is unfortunate because if there was ever a chance to radically improve
Japan's outdated political structure, it was
on October 20. The administration was
almost in fear of the power of public
sentiment over its past actions. But now, this recent LDP victory simply
lets old-style politicians continue business-as-usual.
The election results are a fait accompli so
there is little use in imagining what might have
been. What every Japanese citizen must now do, however, is make elected politicians accountable for their pre-election promises.
Practically
every successful candidate campaigned on vows
of a new government and a reformed political system that would put
priority on the needs of the people and stimulate the re-birth of a more ideal
society. Many candidates specifically
outlined reforms that they knew would be popular with the electorate, in order to win in their
districts.
Voters must now make their representatives keep their promises, or
politicians will think that promises made to voters can easily be broken.
A vigilant citizenry results
in a conscientious government.
Politicians and bureaucrats will make greater efforts to manage affairs wisely if they realize that the
public is watching them closely.
So if you think your representatives are not
living up to their campaign promises or are
diverging from the principles they were elected on, call or write to their
offices. Write a letter to the newspapers. Voice your opinions in public forums.
These may not be big steps, but they are a start in forming a more active
public and eventually a better government.
National policies are decided by politicians
and the bureaucracy, who are all being paid entirely out of your tax money.
You have a right to have your opinions heard and to make those government
officials accountable for good management on
behalf of society. In many ways, the future is in your hands, so make use
of it.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) came close to winning a majority in the Lower House election on October 20. I found
this de facto victory surprising in the face of the public's widespread dissatisfaction over such
LDP actions as defending bureaucratic
mismanagement, protecting companies involved in failed housing loan schemes, and summarily raising the consumption tax to 5 percent even without a
concrete and well-planned allocation scheme
for the additional revenue.
The LDP has always made clear where its main interests lie. It has
continuously protected big business and other traditional power blocs at the expense of ordinary salaried workers.
Now it's those workers who face heavier tax
burdens and the prospect of reduced government services and benefits in
the future.
It's hard for me to imagine citizens voting for anyone who does not put priority on the citizens' welfare
― particularly when the parties concerned
are largely responsible for Japan's worst post-war economic recession and a daunting array of problems for future
generations. But the results speak for themselves.
Many observers attribute the election turn-out more to voter
apathy than to the strength of the LDP as a party. A significant number of voters were apparently disillusioned with politics,
and they decided to stay away from the electoral process entirely. Other voters boycotted the
elections because they believed that their efforts would not change the
traditional power structure at all.
This is unfortunate because if there was ever a chance to radically improve
Japan's outdated political structure, it was
on October 20. The administration was
almost in fear of the power of public
sentiment over its past actions. But now, this recent LDP victory simply
lets old-style politicians continue business-as-usual.
The election results are a fait accompli so
there is little use in imagining what might have
been. What every Japanese citizen must now do, however, is make elected politicians accountable for their pre-election promises.
Practically
every successful candidate campaigned on vows
of a new government and a reformed political system that would put
priority on the needs of the people and stimulate the re-birth of a more ideal
society. Many candidates specifically
outlined reforms that they knew would be popular with the electorate, in order to win in their
districts.
Voters must now make their representatives keep their promises, or
politicians will think that promises made to voters can easily be broken.
A vigilant citizenry results
in a conscientious government.
Politicians and bureaucrats will make greater efforts to manage affairs wisely if they realize that the
public is watching them closely.
So if you think your representatives are not
living up to their campaign promises or are
diverging from the principles they were elected on, call or write to their
offices. Write a letter to the newspapers. Voice your opinions in public forums.
These may not be big steps, but they are a start in forming a more active
public and eventually a better government.
National policies are decided by politicians
and the bureaucracy, who are all being paid entirely out of your tax money.
You have a right to have your opinions heard and to make those government
officials accountable for good management on
behalf of society. In many ways, the future is in your hands, so make use
of it.
Shukan ST: Nov. 15, 1996
(C) All rights reserved
- Liberal Democratic Party
- 自民党
- came close to winning a majority in 〜
- 〜でほとんど過半数を取りそうになった
- de facto
- 事実上の
- in the face of 〜
- 〜にもかかわらず
- public's widespread dissatisfaction over 〜
- 国民の間で広まる〜への不満
- defending bureaucratic mismanagement
- 官僚の不祥事を擁護すること
- failed housing loan schemes
- 破産した住宅ローン機構
- summarily
- あっという間に
- consumption tax
- 消費税
- allocation scheme for 〜
- 〜の配分計画
- additional revenue
- 歳入の増加分
- at the expense of 〜
- 〜を犠牲にして
- heavier tax burdens
- より重い税の負担
- does not put priority on 〜
- 〜を優先しない
- 〜 concerned
- 関係する〜
- economic recession
- 景気後退
- a daunting array of 〜
- 山積した
- observers
- 解説者
- attribute 〜 to 〜
- 〜を〜のせいにする
- turn-out
- 結果
- voter apathy
- 有権者の無関心
- A significant number of 〜
- かなりの数の〜
- were apparently disillusioned with 〜
- 〜に幻滅していたらしい
- stay away from 〜 (entirely)
- 完全に〜に背を向ける
- electoral process
- 選挙
- outdated
- 時代遅れの
- administration
- 行政
- public sentiment
- 国民感情
- business-as-usual
- 今までと変わらない仕事
- fait accompli
- 既成事実
- there is little use in imaging what might have been
- こうなったかもしれないと想像してもほとんど意味がない
- make 〜 accountable for 〜
- 〜について〜に責任を持たせる
- pre-election promises
- 選挙公約
- on vows of 〜
- 〜を公約に挙げて
- specifically outlined 〜
- 特に〜をとりあげて概要を説明した
- electorate
- 有権者
- vigilant
- 絶えず目を光らせている
- citizenry
- 市民
- results in 〜
- (結果として)〜を生む
- conscientious
- 誠実な
- manage affairs wisely
- 賢く物事を処理していく
- closely
- しっかりと
- are not living up to 〜
- 〜に忠実でない
- are diverging from 〜
- 〜から逸脱している
- Voice
- はっきり述べる
- National policies
- 国政
- on behalf of 〜
- 〜のために