【コラム】2013-05-09米誌フォーブス寄稿記事から読み解く安倍内閣に対する米経済界の懸念＋参院選を控えた皆さんへの呼び掛け #主戦場

改題後

5/15 ハーナー氏のForbes寄稿記事の詳細と所感

１．アベノミクスに関する安倍氏の姿勢の評価

〔当該箇所〕"The DPJ politician hammered Abe on two topics. The first is the risk that “Abenomics” is running and seemingly ignoring the huge overhang of Japanese government debt, the current interest burden of that debt (some one-fourth of government tax revenues even with today’s historically low interest rates), and the potential for a financial meltdown should the BOJ’s 2% inflation target result in substantially higher market interest rates."

〔当該箇所〕"To make his point, the politician held up a chart showing the relentless 15 year increase in the volume of outstanding debt, now approaching JPY 1000 trillion, and projections for continued increases. He made the point that an increase in one percentage point in interest costs would mean JPY 10 trillion, against total government tax revenues of only some JPY 40 trillion. "

〔当該箇所〕"Abe tried hard to say nothing, and eventually, after repeated follow up questions and “please answer the question!” demands, the DPJ politician, having made his point, turned to the second topic: Abe’s comments on history and relations with Japan’s neighbors."

２．歴史認識問題に関する安倍氏の姿勢への評価

〔当該箇所〕"The first question was: Having claimed that the issue is ambiguous and subject to interpretation, and having elicited a furious response from China, will PM Abe now admit that Japan or Japanese armed forces committed “aggression” against China in the 1930s and 1940s?"

"The second question was: Considering the sensitivity of the issue in Korea and the currently stressed relations with South Korea, will PM Abe admit that Japan or Japanese armed forces forced Korean girls into prostitution (as so-called “comfort women”) during the period when Japan exercised colonial rule over Korea?"

"The third question was: In view of Japan’s increasingly fractious relations with its two closest neighbors, China and Japan, does PM Abe believe it appropriate that serving ministers of his government make ceremonial observances at the Yasukuni Shrine?"

〔当該箇所〕"To anyone old enough to remember Watergate, it is enough to say that Abe “stonewalled” on all three of these questions, notwithstanding that the questioner rephrased and reiterated each several times in an attempt to get a straight answer."

〔当該箇所〕"What Abe gave, instead, were hardened, bloodless responses: refusing to use the word “aggression,” saying that he would “leave to historians” what transpired in Korea,and obfuscating on Yasukuni."

〔当該箇所〕"What got a rise out of Abe was when the questioner stated that the U.S. Congress had passed a resolution criticizing Abe’s government for soft-peddling the “comfort women” issue and its general disregard of sensitivities of victims of Japan’s WWII aggression."

"Abe’s statements and denials were leading to Japan’s “isolation,” charged the questioner. Replied Abe: Nothing like this was mentioned during my [successful] talks in Washington."

〔当該箇所〕"I stopped listening after 40 minutesbut the questions and answers continued all morning. Stepping into the shower, I heard from the TV monitor Abe saying “the Senkakus.”"

"On Monday I had lunch with my old friend and collaborator, the eminent China scholar, professor emeritus of Yokohama City University, Yabuki Susumu. In Yabuki’s view, Abe and Aso, an intellectually limited pair, have outsmarted themselves and created a dangerous situation for Japan."