韓国大統領の竹島訪問の愚（社説）

　極めて遺憾であり、日韓関係の将来に大きな禍根を残す愚行としかいいようがない。韓国の李明博大統領の竹島（韓国名は独島）訪問である。

　日韓双方が領有権を主張する竹島を、韓国の大統領が訪れたのは初めてだ。日本側の中止要請を無視し、李大統領が訪問を強行した背景には、政権浮揚のための国内対策や、旧日本軍の従軍慰安婦問題の対応をめぐる日本政府への不満があったとされる。

VOX POPULI: Media fickle about women's sports

As a newspaper person, I think the following comment by Earl Warren (1891-1974), a U.S. politician and former chief justice of the Supreme Court, hits the mark: “I always turn to the sports section first. The sports section records people’s accomplishments; the front page nothing but man’s failures.”

The same can be said of The Asahi Shimbun’s July 24 edition. A story about investigations into the March 11, 2011, disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant occupied much of the front page. When I turned to the sports section, I found a small article reporting a spectacular “accomplishment.” For the first time in 42 years, Japan won the women’s softball world championship. I must admit that I didn’t even know it was being held in Canada.

沢尻エリカの母リラさん 取材加熱でマンション住民から「出ていけ」？

【Photo: iStockphoto / thinkstock】

• 

7月に復帰作とも言える映画の公開を控える沢尻エリカ。

過激なシーンの撮影で精神的なバランスを崩したと言われていたが、実は大麻常用しているのではという疑惑があるらしい。『週刊文春』が2週（5月31日・6月7日号）にわたり報じた記事では、沢尻が大麻使用を認める供述が載った文書も掲載された。

NYT: Caring, Romantic American Boys

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

Caring, Romantic American Boys

By AMY T. SCHALET

Published: April 6, 2012

Amherst, Mass.

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Sophie Casson

WHY are boys behaving more “like girls” in terms of when they lose their virginity? In contrast to longstanding cultural tropes, there is reason to believe that teenage boys are becoming more careful and more romantic about their first sexual experiences.

For a long time, a familiar cultural lexicon has been in vogue: young women who admitted to voluntary sexual experience risked being labeled “sluts” while male peers who boasted of sexual conquests were celebrated as “studs.”

No wonder American teenage boys have long reported earlier and more sexual experience than have teenage girls. In 1988, many more boys than girls, ages 15 to 17, told researchers that they had had heterosexual intercourse.

April 5, 2012, 12:00 PM

A Fashion Low in High Finance

By D. CRAIG ELBERT

Townies is a series about life in New York, and occasionally other cities.

TAGS:

BONOBOS, FASHION AND APPAREL, INTERNSHIPS,NEW YORK CITY

The problem with using staples instead of cuff links to fasten French cuffs is not so much that it doesn’t work — it doesn’t — but that people tend to associate the look with an unattractive mental instability.

It seems pretty obvious to me now. A French-cuffed shirt requires cuff links. Full stop. However, 10 years ago, when I first removed the pins and packaging from a dress shirt and threaded my arms through the sleeves, I was that most hapless class of human being — a college intern. It was my first morning in New York; I had just woken up on my friend Dan’s couch in Murray Hill; and I had one hour to go before the scheduled start of my professional life. I was to be an investment banker, if I could just get dressed.

I was to be an investment banker, if I could just get dressed.

The bank’s welcome packet had advised that the dress code was Business Casual. I figured that meant something sharp, like a pair of Dockers. Or, since I didn’t own any khakis, how about these tan, five-pocket corduroys? One of the belt loops had come loose and, yes, the cuffs had begun to fray where the gaping boot-cut swallowed my shoes and lapped at the pavement. But these were not jeans and thus, by my calculations, were Dress Pants, perfectly acceptable for Sunday church back in Iowa and therefore equally appropriate for one of Manhattan’s revered financial institutions. Dan had already left for work, or else, presumably, he would have questioned some aspects of this logic.

平安・女のバトル 待賢門院と美福門院

2012.3.23 16:30 （1/3ページ）［ベテラン記者コラム］

種類が多く、いろとりどりのハスが楽しめる花の寺、法金剛院。待賢門院ゆかりの寺で知られる＝京都市右京区（塚本健一撮影）

　日本史上、男ほどではないが、有名な女同士のバトル、もしくはライバル対決というのはある。紫式部と清少納言の才女対決しかり、その主人である２人のキサキの定子と彰子しかり。いま大河ドラマでもヤマ場を迎えているこの２人、待賢門院璋子（たいけんもんいんたまこ）と、美福門院得子（びふくもんいんなりこ）のバトルもすごかった。ドラマでは壇れい（待賢門院）と松雪泰子（美福門院）の美女対決になっているが、ともに鳥羽上皇の“妻”で次代の天皇の母という栄華を極めた女性であって、同じ藤原氏の中での権力闘争もからんでしれつ、哀切を極めた。

身分の差

　どちらも皇后位にのぼるが、出自（身分）に差があった。実家の力というのは女の地位を大きく左右する。待賢門院の父は大納言、かたや美福門院の父は権中納言。特に待賢門院は少々フクザツな生い立ちで、早くに父を亡くし、当時の最高権力者だった白河法皇に養われた。これは決定的な二人のバックグラウンドの違いで、さらに待賢門院は、年の差なんと５０歳以上、祖父ともいえる白河法皇と男女の関係にあったという噂は有名である。後の戦のタネにもなる危険な関係。それを官能的に描いたのが渡辺淳一著「天上紅蓮」（文芸春秋）だ。

THẦY và TRÒ

Thursday, 03.22.2012, 06:00am (GMT-7)

Việt Nhân

http://www.haingoaiphiemdam.com/news/index.php?mod=article&cat=chuyenphiem&article=8272

(HNPĐ) Chuyện của anh hàng xóm Myanmar, vẫn luôn là một các gì hấp dẫn cho những ai mong mõi cho một tiền đồ tươi sáng cho đất nước để theo đó mà bắt chước - Còn anh láng giềng to xác Tầu cộng lại là những gì làm nghẹt thở cho những ai đến gần, vì thối quá ngữi không dzô… Bàn bên mỗ tôi ngồi trong quán cà fé sáng nay, một ông anh mặt trông vẫn còn trẻ, chỉ phải cái tóc của anh muối nhiều quá mà tiêu lại ít, anh đang nói chuyện tổng thống Myanmar đến thăm VN mấy ngày qua.

Những Người “Khôn Ngoan”

By Phạm Xuân Phụng

Vừa rồi tôi và gia đình đi ăn ở một nhà hàng "bao bụng" (buffet) Tàu, tình cờ gặp một người quen làm cùng hãng nghỉ việc cách đây 2 năm. Giờ anh đang làm người quản lý ở tiệm này. Tình hình kinh tế vẫn còn chậm nhưng tiệm này vẫn khá đông khách, nhìn quanh, chỉ lác đác vài "đầu đen" mà tôi đoán là người Việt. Hỏi anh bạn sao tiệm ngon mà người Việt ít đến, dường như người ta chưa biết nhiều, sao không quảng cáo trên báo Việt ngữ để lấy thêm khách. Anh cười nói trước có quảng cáo báo Việt, có khá đông khách Việt Nam đến. Sau này ông chủ cắt luôn, có mấy chủ báo hay người "chào hàng" quảng cáo đến gặp nhưng ông đều từ chối. Anh nói, ổng không muốn có khách Việt đến ăn. Thấy tôi tỏ vẻ ngạc nhiên thì anh kể, một số người mình đi ăn buffet "xấu tính": ăn nửa bỏ nửa.

Romney, the Rich and the Rest

OP-ED COLUMNIST

By CHARLES M. BLOW

Published: February 3, 2012

No one should be surprised that the Tin Man has a tin ear.

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Damon Winter/The New York Times

Charles M. Blow

Go to Columnist Page »

Graphic

More Poor. A Cause for Concern.

Related News

• ‘Poor’ Quote by Romney Joins a List Critics Love (February 2, 2012)

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Paul Krugman: Romney Isn’t Concerned (February 3, 2012)

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After all, Mitt Romney is the same multimillionaire who joked that he was “unemployed” while he was “earning” more in one day than most Americans earn in a year and paying a lower rate on those earnings than most Americans do.

This is the same man who bragged last month that he liked to fire people at a time when nearly 13 million people are out of work and who accepted the endorsement this week of Donald Trump, who has made “You’re Fired!” his television catchphrase.

This is the same man who in November claimed that federal employees are making “a lot more money than we are.” What?! We? What we? Please direct me to the federal employees with the $20 million paychecks. In fact, The Washington Post pointed out in November that federal employees on average “are underpaid by 26.3 percent when compared with similar nonfederal jobs, a ‘pay gap’ that increased by about 2 percentage points over the last year while federal salary rates were frozen.”

And who could forget his remark that “corporations are people.” Classic.

But this week when Romney said that he wasn’t concerned about the very poor in this country, he jumped in the pickle barrel and went over the waterfall.

First, his statement:

“I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I’ll fix it. I’m not concerned about the very rich. They’re doing just fine. I’m concerned about the very heart of America — the 90-95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling.”

Romney went on to say that his campaign was focused on “middle-income Americans” and that “we have a very ample safety net” for the poor.

He later tried to clarify, saying that his comments needed context. Then he said that the comments were a “misstatement” and that he had “misspoke.” Yeah, right.

Where to begin?

First, a report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities last month pointed out that Romney’s budget proposals would take a chainsaw to that safety net. The report points out that cuts proposed by Romney would be even more draconian than a plan from Representative Paul Ryan: “Governor Romney’s budget proposals would require far deeper cuts in nondefense programs than the House-passed budget resolution authored by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan: $94 billion to $219 billion deeper in 2016 and $303 billion to $819 billion deeper in 2021.”

What does this mean for specific programs? Let’s take the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, since “food stamps” have been such a talking point in the Republican debates. The report says the Romney plan “would throw 10 million low-income people off the benefit rolls, cut benefits by thousands of dollars a year, or some combination of the two.  These cuts would primarily affect very-low-income families with children, seniors and people with disabilities.”

Does that sound like a man trying to “fix” our social safety nets? Absolutely not. Romney is so far up the beanstalk that he can no longer see the ground.

今月のテーマ：働く女性の「働く母親と子育て、パートナー」についての意識について

2012年2月1日

文・佐々木かをり（イー・ウーマン代表取締役社長）

• バックナンバー
• 筆者プロフィール

　毎年イー・ウーマンが定期的に調査を続けている「働く母親と子育て、パートナー」についての調査の結果が出た。今年の参加者（回答者）は７１０名。２０１１年の震災や、長引く不景気が、調査結果に影響を与えているのだろうか。

【２月第１回】働く母親は、「子どもが増えたらいい」と考えている

日本は、もっと子どもが増えたらいいと思いますか？

どうしたら、子どもが増えると思いますか？　次の項目のうち、当てはまるものを３つまでお選びください。

　地球上の人口は増え続けているのに、日本の人口は減少している。少子化は、長年にわたり政治課題にも挙がっている。働く女性が多い国ほど出生率が高いというデータがあるにもかかわらず、日本では、女性が働いていることが出生率の減少原因ではないかとさえ言われたことがある。

　では、仕事を持ち、働いている女性たちの意識はどうなのか。「日本はもっと子どもが増えたらいいと思いますか？」というシンプルな質問に、約８割の働く女性はイエスと答えた。働く女性たちは、子どもが増えたらよいと考えているのだ。

　そして、つづけて、「どうしたら子どもが増えると思いますか？」と聞いてみると、圧倒的に１位となったのが「働く母親が仕事を続けられる職場環境」、７４．８％。２位の「子どもを産みたくなる夢のある会社」、４０．７％に大きく差をつけた。同時に、気になるのが代３位。３７．５％の「夫の理解と協力」。子どもを産むのも育てるのも夫婦の仕事のはずが、母親には働く環境が与えられず、家では夫の理解や協力もない、となると子どもが増えるはずがない。さらに興味深いのが、最下位だった「児童手当・子ども手当などの子どもあたりの現金支給」。政策を考える上で企業環境、男性の仕事姿勢が重要なのは明白だ。

09/12 Olympus' management reform in doubt / Takayama press conference reveals key issues to be left to committee of outside experts

Yu Toda / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

Olympus Corp. President Shuichi Takayama failed to show at his press conference Wednesday how his company would strengthen corporate governance in the wake of its long-running cover-up of investment losses, or how it would prevent the recurrence of a similar scandal.

Takayama's comments at the press conference suggested that the major optical equipment maker would leave these issues to a management reform committee of outside experts it will create.

Takayama said the company's current board members would resign after it paves the way for management reform.

17/11 MUSINGS / Nov. 13, 2011

The Yomiuri Shimbun

The following is a translation of the Henshu Techo column from The Yomiuri Shimbun's Nov. 13 issue.

* * *

Whenever I hear mention of the incident in which a lawyer's family was killed by members of the Aum Supreme Truth cult, I remember a lady's face and a piece of poetry she wrote.

The poem, "Tatsu-bo no Nyugakushiki" (An entrance ceremony for Tatsu-bo), was written by the lady, Sachiyo Sakamoto, now 80, on the day her grandson Tatsuhiko, who was reported missing when he was 14 months old, might otherwise have begun attending primary school.

Children's legs swing back and forth in time as they sit on their chairs, but "Tatsu-bo's legs don't...I wrote your name on your clothes and indoor shoes. Sorry...It was really a sad day."

Tastsuhiko's father Tsutsumi and mother Satoko, then 33 and 29, respectively, also went missing.

Remains of the three were discovered in mountains far from their home in 1995, six years after they were reported missing. It is alleged that senior cult members, including Tomomasa Nakagawa, committed the murders at the behest of Aum founder and guru Chizuo Matsumoto, who is now a convict on death row.

25/09 天声人語

2011年9月25日（日）付

　あまり言われることもないようだが、佐藤栄作氏は２０世紀生まれ初の総理大臣だった。「戦後生まれ初」は安倍晋三さんである。そこで野田さんだが、日本の国連加盟後に生まれた初の首相、と相成る▼日本は１９５６（昭和３１）年、悲願の国連加盟を果たして国際舞台に復帰した。手間取ったのは、ソ連の度重なる拒否権行使で申請が葬られたからだ。ようやく加盟がかない、重光葵（まもる）外相の総会演説が大きな拍手に包まれたのは、今も語りぐさだ▼時は流れて、そんな歴史も思い起こすパレスチナの国連加盟申請である。自治政府のアッバス議長は総会で「パレスチナの春を」と訴えた。拍手喝采は、応酬するイスラエル首相の演説の影を薄くした。困ったのは米国である▼申請はまず安保理に付託されるが、イスラエル寄りの米国は拒否権の行使を明言している。これをサルコジ仏大統領は「中東で暴力の連鎖を生む恐れがある」と批判する。同じ懸念を抱く指導者は少なくはあるまい▼米国はこれまで、イスラエルに不利な採決に拒否権を連発してきた。安保理の常任理事国５カ国だけが持つ伝家の宝刀だが、今回は問題が大きい。抜けば副作用もあろう。安保理は当面、緊張のうちに駆け引きが続く▼そうして波立つ国連から野田首相は戻ったが、国際社会に存在感を示せただろうか。あれこれ苛立（いらだ）つ米国に普天間問題の「結果」を催促された印象ばかりが残る。回転扉と揶揄（やゆ）される１年交代のツケはやはり、つくづくと大きい。

29/09 VOX POPULI: If time travel is possible, I want to return to the morning of March 11

Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of the vernacular Asahi Shimbun.

2011/09/29

"And you cannot move at all in Time, you cannot get away from the present moment."

"My dear sir, that is just where you are wrong."

The above lines are from "The Time Machine," a short story by H.G. Wells (1866-1946). The novel, released in 1895, is regarded as a masterpiece that dealt with time travel not with mysticism but as a science.

Ten years later, real science showed that no substances can travel faster than light and it is impossible to go back in time. It is the theory of relativity established by young Albert Einstein (1879-1955). Thus, the time machine was confined to the realms of imagination.

But an international team of scientists recently came up with a finding that could overturn this long-accepted theory. They reported that subatomic particles called neutrinos travel faster than light. When they repeatedly shot them from an accelerator in Switzerland and measured the time it took them to reach detectors in Italy, they found that the particles had arrived 60 nanoseconds quicker than light would have done. In terms of speed, it is 0.0025 percent faster than the speed of light.

It is potentially a major discovery that could shake the foundation of modern physics developed by Einstein and proved in every area of science. That is why many people are skeptical of the finding, saying there must have been an error of measurement. The research team also plans to reconfirm the finding with a different set of scientists.

"If possible, would you go to the future or the past?" "If I can start over again, I want to be such-and-such an age again." "I want to deliver a message to myself as I was 10 years ago."

We can enjoy such harmless and lighthearted banter because time travel is a dream. I don't know if I want the idea to remain a dream or to travel faster than light to see how stupid I look from the future.

There were nights when I thought about the beginning and the end of the universe and questioned my own existence. If I could go back, I want to be that age again. If I could go back to sometime this year, without hesitation, I would fly back to the morning of March 11 carrying a microphone.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 28

* * *

Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

28/09 天声人語

11年9月28日（水）付

　「とにかく時間の中は動けやしないさ。現在の瞬間からは逃れられないよ」「そこが君の間違っている点だ」。ＳＦの巨人ウェルズの短編「タイム・マシン」（橋本槙矩〈まきのり〉訳、岩波文庫）から引いた。発表は１８９５年。時間旅行を、神秘ではなく科学で料理した快作とされる▼１０年後、本物の科学が、光速を超す物質はない、時間はさかのぼれないと示すことになる。若きアインシュタインの相対性理論だ。かくて夢の機械は空想の世界に封じられた▼ところが、である。ニュートリノなる素粒子が光より速いと報告された。スイスの加速器から飛ばして、イタリアの検出器に届く時間を繰り返し測ったところ、どうやっても１億分の６秒早かったという。速度では光を０．００２５％上回る▼本当なら、あらゆる分野で検証されてきたアインシュタインの偉業、現代物理学の土台が揺らぐ大事である。だから計測誤差とみる向きも多い。研究チームも担当者を変えて確かめるらしい▼「行けるなら未来か過去か」「やり直すとしたら×歳から」「１０年前の自分に伝言を」。罪がない設問で遊べるのは、時間旅行が現実離れしているからこそだ。このまま夢にとどまってほしいやら、光に先回りして未来からわが間抜け面を眺めてみたいやら、心は乱れる▼宇宙の始まりや果てを思い詰め、自らの存在を問うた夜もあった。戻るならあの年頃がいい。今年のいつかということであれば、迷わず３月１１日の朝に飛ぶ。ハンドマイクを携えて。

27/09 春秋

2011/9/27付

小サイズに変更

中サイズに変更

大サイズに変更

印刷

　時代はちょうど日本の幕末。池上永一さんの小説「テンペスト」は、滅亡へと至る琉球王国の末期を、壮大なロマンを織り交ぜて描いた大作だ。仲間由紀恵さんが主演し、ＮＨＫのＢＳ時代劇でも放映された。ご存じの人も多いだろう。

▼主人公は頭脳明敏な美少女の真鶴。男装して名を孫寧温と改め、王府入りして、次々と難題を解決していく。奇想天外な物語だ。かのペリーの琉球来航も、巧みな外交術で上手にあしらってしまう。寧温が実在してくれたら……。読み進めていくと思わず、いまの沖縄の米軍普天間基地の移設問題と重ねてしまう。

▼「結果を出す時期」。先の日米首脳会談で、米国が普天間問題の進展を促した。現実はどうか。辺野古移設の日米合意は風前のともしび。地元の安全を考えれば、周囲に住宅が密集する普天間の固定化も避けたい。一方で、日米同盟の重みも無視できない。首相は沖縄説得に全力を挙げるというが、解はあるのか。

▼「どうか琉球を愛し続けてください」「日本に併合されたことを五十年後、百年後の民が心から喜べるように琉球を愛すると約束します」。かの「テンペスト」の終章。真鶴と、互いに恋する日本の内務官僚の間にこんな会話がある。沖縄出身の池上さん、いや沖縄の人々の悲痛な願いのようにも、聞こえてくる。

27/09 VOX POPULI: U.S. veto could spark a wave of violence

Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of the vernacular Asahi Shimbun.

2011/09/27

Such things are not of any real significance, but Eisaku Sato (1901-1975) was the first Japanese prime minister born in the 20th century, while Shinzo Abe was the first prime minister born after World War II. Our new leader, Yoshihiko Noda, is the first prime minister born after Japan became a member of the United Nations in 1956.

Joining the United Nations was a cherished dream for postwar Japan, because it signaled the country's return to the international community. The dream took a while to be realized, because the Soviet Union used its veto power repeatedly to prevent Japan from becoming a U.N. member.

After Japan finally became a member, then-Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu (1887-1957) addressed the General Assembly. The thunderous applause with which he was welcomed is still talked about to this day.

I was reminded of this history by Palestine's bid for full U.N. membership. In his address before the General Assembly, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority said it was time for a "Palestinian spring." The rapturous applause this drew was enough to eclipse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rebuttal speech.

The United States is in a bind. Every U.N. membership application is sent to the Security Council, and the pro-Israel United States has vowed to use its veto power to block the Palestinian bid. French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned that a U.S. veto would "spark a new wave of violence in the Middle East." I should imagine that many world leaders agree with Sarkozy.

The United States has a track record of repeatedly vetoing resolutions unfavorable to Israel. The power of veto is a prerogative of the five permanent members of the Security Council, of which the United States is one. But using it this time will cause all sorts of repercussions. Tense negotiations will continue in the Security Council.

Prime Minister Noda has returned from his U.N. visit. Was he able to assert himself on the international stage? The only impression I got was that he was pressured by an increasingly testy United States to produce results on the Futenma relocation issue.

Predictably, Japan seems to be paying dearly for its annual comings and goings of prime ministers.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 25

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

26/09 余録：フェラーリ

　イタリアの高級車フェラーリは米国が一番の輸出先。２位はドイツだったが、中国がその座を奪った。中国人の所有者は平均年齢３５歳で、他国より１０歳若いという。高度成長が生み出した富豪たちの２世、「富二代（ふにだい）」と呼ばれる若者だ▲長江中流の都会、武漢でナンバープレートのない「フェラーリ４５８イタリア」に乗った暴走族が捕まった。中国内で買うと３８８万元（約４７００万円）もするスポーツカーだ。交通検問を突破してパトカーに追われ逃げ切れずに止まった▲パトカーが前に回り込む。警官が取り囲む。運転席の若者はドアをロックして立てこもった。見物人が遠巻きにして携帯電話でブログに情報を流す。若者は窓ガラスを下げて免許証のかわりに携帯を突きだした▲若者の親が有力者で、その圧力を受けた警官の上司が電話してきたのだ。衆人環視のなかで警官は迷ったろう。携帯に出て事件をもみ消せばネットで自分が袋だたき。出なければ、メンツをつぶされた上司の恨みをかう▲警官は富二代の暴走族を警察署に連行していった。「勇気ある警官だ」とネット世論はたたえた。だが、冷めた意見もある。警察署には例の上司が待ちかまえているから、若者は裏口から出て行ったのではないか▲中国には、ナンバーのない高級車を乗り回せるような、法の支配を受け付けない階級が存在する。こんな特権階級の２世のことを、政治の世界では「太子党」という。太子党と経済界の富二代とは双子の兄弟だろう。高級車を乗り回して育った特権２世たちが世界第２位の経済大国を運営する時代が来るのは、そう遠いことではない。

毎日新聞　2011年9月26日　0時06分

26/09 春秋

春秋

2011/9/26付

小サイズに変更

中サイズに変更

大サイズに変更

印刷

　船長は「天気図」とあだ名されるほど、気象に詳しかった。「台風15号はすでに通過した」と判断し、客を乗せて出航。その日の夜、悪天候で船は横転する。死者1000人を超す青函連絡船洞爺丸の事故は、57年前のきょう起こった。

▼大海原の真ん中での遭難ではない。場所は函館湾の内、陸地と目と鼻の先。レーダーも装備し、当時としては最新鋭の貨客船だったそうだ。それがなぜ多くの命を道連れに沈んだのか。科学技術振興機構が作成し、いまもネット上で読める「失敗知識データベース」が事故の経緯を分析し、教訓を引き出している。

▼台風の強さや動きが常識外れという不幸があった。本州と北海道を結ぶ幹線輸送を担う責任感も働いた。しかし「優れた人間でもその判断を超えるような自然現象が生じることもある」。少しでも危険を感じたら安全側を選ぶ。これまでの想定を上回る厳しい条件での対処法を日ごろから準備せよ。そう提言する。

▼データベース作成の指揮者は畑村洋太郎氏。成功物語より失敗例からこそ学べ、とする失敗学の提唱者だ。その畑村氏のもとで原発事故の検証が進んでいる。津波、台風と災厄が続く。明と暗、生と死を分けたものは何か。それぞれの場で、せめてきちんと検証することが、失われた命を生かすことにもつながる。

26/09 天声人語

2011年9月26日（月）付

　難読言葉の一つで就職試験にもよく出る「案山子」を「あなご」と迷答した大学生がいたそうだ。正しくは「かかし」。秋の田の守り神である。その立ち姿を眺めながら、首都圏近くで借りている棚田の稲を刈った▼遠く近くに案山子の見える風景は、田舎育ちの郷愁を誘う。直立あり、やや斜めの御仁あり。「へのへのもへ」の顔つきも懐かしい。〈某（それがし）は案山子にて候雀（すずめ）どの〉。漱石の句など思い出し、とぼけた味わいに頬がゆるむ▼稲は黄金に色づいて、ざくざく鎌を動かせばバッタが逃げていく。いつもの年と変わらない。だが、この秋はやはり「放射能」の一語が頭をかすめていく。東日本の稲作農家の気のもみようは、いかばかりかと思う▼これまで検査を終えた９割以上で放射性物質は検出されず、数値が出ても国の基準値以下だと報じられていた。ところが先日、福島県の１カ所で収穫前の予備検査の基準値を超えた。にわかに緊張が走り、風評の被害を農家は案じる▼今年は原発禍で作付けの出来なかった田も多い。ある農家は飛来したツバメのために水だけ張ったそうだ。「田んぼに泥がなきゃ、巣を作んの難しいんでねえか」と。「田に水入れっと、いろんな生き物が来た。生態系だな」。優しさゆえに切なさが募る▼山田の案山子に戻れば、そのルーツらしきは「古事記」にも登場するそうだ。「足は行かねど、天の下の事を知れる神」だという。太古のまなざしで、人智（じんち）の招いた禍（わざわい）を何と見ていることだろうか。