23/05 MUSINGS / 編集手帳

May 23, 2011

The Yomiuri Shimbun

The following is a translation of the Henshu Techo column from The Yomiuri Shimbun's May 23 issue.

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"I didn't know you were such a spendthrift...If you keep on like this, I'll run out of money, too." "I went only a little bit over the budget. You're too demanding."

I can almost hear such an argument, like a quarrel between an older couple, among the eurozone countries. Among them, Greece and Portugal are deeply in debt. It is only natural for such countries as Germany to become angry, as they have to support other eurozone countries at their own expense. But it is also reasonable for the countries who receive such support to become angry when they are pressed to carry out severe spending cuts.

An omnibus movie titled "One Day in Europe" pieces together stories taking place on the same day in four European cities. The film shows us how different people in these countries are in terms of language, temperament and common sense, despite their all being Europeans.

Regardless of such differences, European countries have chosen a path of integration beyond borders because of their bitter experience of repeatedly waging wars against each other. The euro, the official currency of the eurozone, symbolizes Europe's integration.

In our country, it is said that the desire to marry is growing after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Couples with different personalities and ways of thinking may face a marital crisis when they get older. The important thing is whether both have the will to overcome such a crisis. This is the lesson to be learned from the crisis the euro faces.

(May. 26, 2011)

５月２３日付　

「お前がこんなに浪費家だったとは……。このままでは俺の財布まで空っぽになる」「少しやり繰りに失敗したからといって、横暴過ぎるわ」◆熟年夫婦のケンカにも似た声が、欧州共通通貨ユーロを使う国々から聞こえてくる。ユーロ圏では、ギリシャやポルトガルが借金で首が回らなくなった。わが身を削って仲間を支援せざるを得ないドイツなどが怒るのはもちろん、支援を受ける方も厳しい歳出削減を迫られて憤っている◆「ＯＮＥ　ＤＡＹ　ＩＮ　ＥＵＲＯＰＥ」という映画がある。同じ日の欧州４都市の出来事を綴つづったオムニバス作品で、一口に欧州と言っても、人々の言葉や気質、社会通念がいかに異なるかを教えてくれる◆欧州はそんな違いを抱えながら、国家の枠を超えて統合の道を歩んできた。互いに戦争を繰り返した苦い経験からである。その統合の象徴がユーロだった◆わが国では東日本大震災後、独身者の結婚願望が高まっているという。性格や考え方の違う２人が一緒に齢よわいを重ねれば、危機が訪れることもある。問題はそれを克服する覚悟があるかどうか。ユーロ危機の教訓である。

（2011年5月23日01時07分 読売新聞）