The Yomiuri Shimbun October 30, 2013
Mizuho has a tough row to hoe before it can regain public trust
みずほ改善計画 信頼回復への道筋が見えない（10月29日付・読売社説）
Mizuho Bank appears to have hastily tried to end its lending scandal with lenient punishments. Given such lax punitive steps, the megabank faces a rocky path ahead to regain public trust that was lost by extending loans to gangsters.
甘い処分で幕引きを急いだとしか思えない。これでは、暴力団員への融資で失墜した信頼の回復に向けた道は険しい。
Mizuho should show strong determination to make a fresh start, even considering an overhaul of its management system.
みずほ銀行は経営体制の刷新も視野に、真摯(しんし)に出直す覚悟を見せるべきだ。
In connection with Mizuho’s loans to mobsters via its affiliated credit company, Orient Corp., among other entities, the bank has submitted to the Financial Services Agency a business improvement plan incorporating internal punishments and measures to prevent a recurrence of problematic lending.
みずほ銀が、系列信販会社のオリエントコーポレーションなどを通じ、多数の暴力団関係者に融資していた問題で、社内処分や再発防止策を盛り込んだ業務改善計画を金融庁に提出した。
Fifty-four current and former executives are subject to punishment. The penalties included dismissal of two executives in charge of compliance and pay cuts for 40 other executives. Yasuhiro Sato will remain president but have six months of his salary docked. Takashi Tsukamoto will step down as chairman of Mizuho Bank but remain as chairman of the bank’s parent, Mizuho Financial Group.
社内処分はＯＢを含む５４人が対象だ。法令順守担当の役員２人を更迭し、他の役員も報酬を一部カットする。佐藤康博頭取は半年間の無報酬で、頭取を続投する。塚本隆史会長は辞任するが、兼任の持ち株会社会長は留任する。
Former bank President Satoru Nishibori and 11 other former executives will be asked to return executive compensation.
西堀利・元頭取らには、過去の役員報酬の返納を求める。
The announced punishments are far from adequate as the current management will remain in place. Sato said at a news conference: “It’s extremely regrettable. We’ll deeply reflect on it.” But we cannot help but wonder whether he seriously considers his responsibility over such irregularities.
問題を放置した経営陣を温存する中途半端な内容だ。佐藤頭取は記者会見で「まさに痛恨の極み。深く反省している」と述べたが、不祥事の責任を重く受け止めているのか、疑われても仕方ない。
A third-party committee established to investigate the Mizuho scandal criticized the bank by saying in a report, “The bank lacked awareness as an organization of the importance of tackling the task of cutting off relations with antisocial groups.”
みずほ銀が調査のために設けた第三者委員会は、報告書で「反社会的勢力との関係遮断に組織として取り組む重要性について、認識が不足していた」と批判した。
The committee has also pointed out that the contracts on which loans were extended to mobsters failed to include a clause that excluded loans to organized crime syndicates. The bank’s response to the scandal was far too lenient.
暴力団融資の温床となったローンの契約に、暴力団排除の条項を追加していない点も指摘した。事後対応は、あまりに手ぬるい。
The committee, consisting of three lawyers, investigated the case for only about 20 days. Some people are doubtful whether the panel spent sufficient time trying to learn the truth.
第三者委は弁護士３人の体制で調査期間もわずか約２０日だった。どこまで真相に迫れたのか、疑問視する声もある。
Correct corporate culture
It was natural that Mizuho’s business improvement plan included establishment of a special section on the elimination of organized crime groups and introduction of board directors from outside. Efforts must be made thoroughly to prevent a recurrence of similar scandals.
改善計画でみずほ銀が、暴力団排除の専門部署や社外取締役の導入を掲げたのは当然だ。再発防止を徹底しなければならない。
Most imperative of all is to fundamentally rectify the bank’s corporate culture that has led to repeated irregularities since it was established in 2002 through the merger of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Fuji Bank and the Industrial Bank of Japan.
最も重要なのは、第一勧業、富士、日本興業の３行統合で発足して以来、不祥事を繰り返した企業風土を根底から正すことだ。
The turf-consciousness displayed by executives for the banks they hailed from led to a serious lack of corporate governance. This could be a factor behind the bank’s failure to deal with the loan scandal swiftly.
旧３行の縄張り意識によるガバナンス（企業統治）の欠如は深刻である。暴力団融資に迅速に対処できない一因ともなった。
There are views within Mizuho calling for the current top management to be maintained to avoid a confrontation by elements in the three former banks over the selection of their successors. Such an inward-looking attitude will not lead to establishing “one Mizuho.”
みずほ内には、後任を巡る旧３行の対立を避けるため、トップの続投を願う声もあるという。そんな内向きの発想で、本物の「ワンみずほ」は実現しないだろう。
In its on-site investigation of the bank, the FSA accepted at face value the bank’s explanation, that “the top management did not know about [the loans to mobsters],” thereby overlooking what actually happened. Was there any malicious attempt to prevent an additional probe? The FSA should investigate the scandal again and much more strictly.
金融庁は立ち入り検査で「経営トップは知らなかった」とする誤った説明をうのみにし、実態を見過ごした。本当に悪質な検査逃れはなかったのか。金融庁は改めて厳しく調べるべきである。
If Mizuho’s business improvement plan is found to be flawed, the financial watchdog should consider additional administrative punishments.
みずほの改善計画に不備があれば、金融庁は追加の行政処分を検討することが求められよう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 29, 2013)
（2013年10月29日02時05分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 29, 2013
Joint public-private firms must expedite efforts to end indebtedness
第３セクター債 バブルの清算を加速させたい（10月28日付・読売社説）
Joint public-private companies, generally known as third-sector corporations, may not be able to avoid liquidation as long as liabilities exceed assets.
債務超過に陥った第３セクターは整理が避けられない。
Local governments operating loss-making firms in partnership with private-sector entities must waste no time in addressing the task of liquidating them—ending a negative legacy dating back to the days of the bubble economy—even if doing so will cause fiscal pain.
地方自治体は、痛みが伴っても、バブル時代の「負の遺産」の清算を急ぐ必要がある。
Bond issuance to expedite the consolidation or abolition of poorly performing third-sector corporations and businesses run solely by local governments has risen sharply recently.
経営不振の３セクや地方公社などを整理・廃止するための地方債・第三セクター等改革推進債の発行が急増している。
Local governments issued third-sector bonds in 64 cases, with a combined value of ¥374.3 billion, during the April-September period this year.
２０１３年４～９月の３セク債発行は６４件、計３７４３億円に上った。
In the three-year period from fiscal 2009 to fiscal 2012, bonds were issued 104 times with a combined value of ¥471.4 billion, indicating how massive the issuance of bonds issued was in the first half of this fiscal year.
０９～１２年度の１０４件、計４７１４億円を大きく上回るペースだ。
With the issuance of third-sector bonds permitted specially for a period of five years from fiscal 2009, many local governments appear intent on issuing bonds just before the expiration of the deadline at the end of fiscal 2013.
３セク債発行は０９年度から５年間の特例措置で、最終年度の駆け込みが続いたのだろう。
Third-sector bonds are issued by local governments on the basis of resolutions by local assemblies, along with approval by either the internal affairs and communications minister or heads of relevant prefectural governments.
３セク債は、議会の議決と、総務相または都道府県の許可を経て自治体が発行する。
Issuance of these bonds enables local entities to reschedule their debts in the form of bonds, which have interest rates lower that those on other forms of debt. In addition, the central government offers preferential treatment by covering half of the interest cost by means of local tax grants, or tax allocations to local governments.
３セクの借金より低い金利に借り換えられるうえ、金利の半分は政府が交付税で負担してくれる利点がある。
It is an extremely serious situation that the number of juridical persons, such as companies, that are considered on the brink of bankruptcy stands at 639 out of 1,928 juridical persons comprising third-sector corporations and enterprises operated solely by municipalities.
自治体が財政支援している３セク・公社１９２８法人のうち、実質的に債務超過状態にある団体が６３９法人に上るのは深刻だ。
Don’t put off problems
About 60 percent of bond issues were by land development public corporations for the acquisition of plots of land prior to public works projects. Many local government-run corporations in such fields as forestry, housing and tourism are also heavily in debt.
自治体に代わって公共事業用地を先行取得する土地開発公社が３セク債発行の６割を占める。林業、住宅、観光などの公社も多い。
Some third-sector corporations have racked up debts surpassing their net worth after huge tracts of land they purchased during the bubble economy were left unused because planned public works projects were scaled down after the bubble burst and land prices declined.
バブル時代に膨大な土地を抱えたものの、バブル崩壊に伴う事業縮小と地価下落により、未利用の土地が塩漬けになり、債務超過に陥るのが典型例と言える。
The vast amount of debt incurred by third-sector corporations adversely affects the fiscal health of local governments.
３セクの巨額債務は、自治体財政にも影響する。
Third-sector business operations were the major factor behind the fiscal problems of the Yubari municipal government in Hokkaido. Because of its fiscal woes, the municipal government was designated as a body legally requiring fiscal reconstruction.
北海道夕張市が財政再建団体となったのも、３セクの失敗が一因だった。
Especially problematic is the fact that a little less than 40 percent of the 1,928 quasi-public corporations, or 716, have yet to thrash out reform programs.
問題なのは、１９２８法人のうち、改革方針が未定の団体が４割弱の７１６法人もあることだ。
Liquidation of third-sector corporations makes it inevitable for local governments to take over the debts of the corporations. Fearing criticism for shouldering the debts, many local government heads tend to put off resolving the problem while they are in office.
３セクの清算は自治体による債務肩代わりが必要となる。首長にすれば、その責任を問われるため任期中は問題を先送りしがちだ。
Postponing the problems, however, will certainly result in increasing burdens on the local governments and residents due to increasing interest payments and drops in land prices.
だが、先送りは、金利負担や一層の地価下落などで、結果的に自治体や住民の負担を増大させる。
Every local entity with third-sector debt problems must take up the challenge of drastically reforming the corporations by making use of the specially authorized bond issuance by the deadline at the end of March. This is prerequisite to ensuring an environment conducive to reinvigorating local economies.
３セクの債務問題を抱える自治体は、来年３月までの特例期間を逃さず、抜本改革に取り組むべきだ。それが、新たな地域活性化策に取り組む環境整備になろう。
Obviously, liquidation must be avoided as much as possible for third-sector corporations in charge of operations directly linked with residents’ lives such as hospitals and transportation.
無論、病院、交通など、住民生活に不可欠な事業を担う３セクの場合、安易な清算はできない。
Any further delay in heightening their business efficiency, however, will raise their indebtedness to be eventually passed on to residents.
しかし、事業を効率化しなければ、そのツケは住民に回る。
Local governments should consult with all parties concerned about what should be done. They should provide straightforward explanations to assemblies and residents, instead of covering up the debts of their third-sector bodies.
自治体は、少なくとも３セクの債務を隠さず、議会や住民にきちんと説明し、善後策を協議すべきだ。
The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry will, in principle, refuse local governments’ requests to extend the bond issuance deadline for third-sector corporations. However, it may conditionally allow a bond issuance if the corporations and local governments concerned are considered to be making serious rehabilitation efforts. This stance is reasonable.
総務省は、３セク債発行期限の単純な延長はしない一方、既に改革に着手し、真剣に努力している自治体には条件付きで延長を認める方向だ。妥当な対応だろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 28, 2013)
（2013年10月28日01時21分 読売新聞）
久しぶりに納得の論説を読みました。
青空文庫というのがネットで無料公開されています。
著作権の切れた古い作品ばかりですが、楽しめます。
夏目漱石や芥川龍之介は難しいものも多いですが、比較的読みやすいですね。
（スラチャイ）
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 28, 2013
Print Culture Day a good opportunity to bury your nose in a library book
活字文化の日 図書館を魅力ある知の広場に（10月27日付・読売社説）
Today is Characters and Print Culture Day, marking the start of this year’s Book Week.
今日は「文字・活字文化の日」だ。読書週間もスタートした。
It may be a good idea to spend time reading in a library during your day off this autumn.
秋の休日、図書館で活字に触れるのも、有意義な過ごし方だろう。
For people who do not read often, libraries may not figure much in their day-to-day lives.
普段はあまり読書をしない人にとって、図書館は縁遠い存在かもしれない。
Sixty-five percent of respondents to a recent Yomiuri Shimbun poll have not visited a library in the past year. Among major reasons cited for not using libraries were “having no time available to visit a library” and “do not enjoy reading.”
読売新聞の世論調査によると、この１年間に図書館を全く利用しなかった人は６５％に上る。「行く時間がない」「本は読まない」といった理由が多い。
An increasing number of libraries, however, are using their ingenuity to try to attract more visitors.
だが、最近は、多くの人に来館してもらおうと工夫を凝らしている図書館が少なくない。
The library run by the Tokorozawa municipal government in Saitama Prefecture, for instance, has introduced a system allowing people to check out or return the library’s books around the clock at any of the city’s eight convenience stores affiliated with the library.
埼玉県の所沢市立所沢図書館では、市内８か所の提携コンビニエンスストアで、２４時間いつでも、図書の受け取り・返却ができるサービスを実施している。
This is an extremely useful service for people too busy at work to visit a library during regular library hours.
仕事が忙しく、なかなか図書館に行けない人にとっては、ありがたい取り組みではないか。
The Takeo Municipal Library of the Takeo city government in Saga Prefecture has been drawing three times as many daily visitors than before completing renovation work in April. The library is visited by many people from other prefectures.
佐賀県の武雄市図書館は、４月に新装開館したところ、１日平均の来館者が約３倍に増えた。県外からも多くの人が訪れている。
The library modeled its interior after a large bookstore in Tokyo that features a space where customers can bury their noses in books. The library’s management has been consigned to a major rental company, which runs the library services year-round. The company allows visitors to check out CDs and DVDs for a fee and provides a corner for selling new publications.
ゆったりとした読書スペースを備えた東京の大型書店をモデルとした。運営は、大手レンタル業者に委託した。年中無休で、ＣＤ、ＤＶＤの有料貸し出しや新刊書販売のコーナーもある。
The Takeo Municipal Library has been criticized for becoming too commercialized, but it can safely be said that it provides a good example of a library using its initiative to become more attractive.
武雄市図書館に対しては、商業色が強すぎるという批判があるが、一方で、工夫次第で図書館の魅力が増すことを如実に示した好例とも言える。
‘Bibliobattle’ events
As stipulated by the Library Law, it should not be overlooked that the steady collection and storage of books and documents are a fundamental obligation of libraries.
図書館法が定めるように、資料を着実に収集、保存することが、図書館の基本的責務であることも忘れてはなるまい。
The library operated by the Akita prefectural government, for that matter, has created electronic versions of about 2,000 items, including books in the public domain and materials on local history, for their conservation. They can be downloaded and read using browsing software on smartphones and other media.
秋田県立図書館は、著作権が切れた書籍や郷土資料など約２０００点を電子化して保存した。閲覧用ソフトをスマートフォンなどにダウンロードすれば読める。
Only about 20 libraries in this country employ in-house browsing or renting services of electronic books, but such services will no doubt increase in the future.
電子書籍の館内閲覧や貸し出しを実施している公立図書館は、全国で約２０館に過ぎないが、今後、そうしたサービスはますます求められるに違いない。
In addition, libraries provide a space to enable people to get together and exchange ideas. They also serve as venues for such events as lectures and art exhibitions.
図書館には人々が交流する場としての機能もある。講演や美術展といった催しも開かれている。
Attracting great interest at present is a library-sponsored event referred to as a “bibliobattle.” Participants in the event introduce their favorite books and exchange opinions about them. In the end, the participants vote on what book they feel they would enjoy reading most. The event can give participants an unexpected opportunity to come across a great book that they would otherwise have missed.
最近、図書館のイベントとして話題になっているのが「ビブリオバトル」だ。お薦めの本を書評し合い、投票で「最も読みたくなった本」を１冊選ぶ。意外な名著を知るきっかけにもなる。
The theme for this year’s Book Week is “Make a journey with books and journey the world of books.” Paying a visit to a library in your neighborhood can be regarded as a small journey.
今年の読書週間の標語は、「本と旅する 本を旅する」だ。自宅近くの図書館を訪れるのも、小さな旅だろう。
A library housing a great diversity of books is a “plaza of knowledge,” where you may encounter a book beyond your expectations.
様々な本が並ぶ図書館は「知の広場」だ。思わぬ本との出合いがあるかもしれない。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 27, 2013)
（2013年10月27日01時19分 読売新聞）
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 27, 2013
Hankyu Hanshin Hotels paying high price for misleading menus
メニュー偽装 「誤表示」の強弁は通らない（10月26日付・読売社説）
A hotel operator’s obstinate insistence that “it wasn’t fabrication, but rather mislabeling” is unacceptable.
「偽装ではなく、誤表示だ」という強弁は通用するまい。
Food materials different from those described on menus were used in many dishes offered at restaurants of eight hotels operated by Hankyu Hanshin Hotels Co.
阪急阪神ホテルズが運営する八つのホテルのレストランなどで出された多くの料理で、メニュー表示と異なる食材が使用されていた。
The false labeling went on for more than seven years, with dishes cooked with falsely advertised materials served to at least 79,000 customers.
虚偽表示は７年以上に及び、約７万９０００人に提供された。
The hotel operator made excuses during a news conference, saying “there was a lack of awareness of the need to check whether the items matched those displayed on the menus” and “our staff members were ignorant and insensible regarding [food materials].”
阪急阪神ホテルズは記者会見で、「メニュー表示と食材が合っているかどうか、チェックする意識が欠落していた」「従業員が（食材に関して）無知・無自覚だった」と釈明している。
However, some employees said they knew the dishes offered did not use materials mentioned on the menus but that they “thought there was no problem.” It cannot be ruled out that the alleged fabrications were intentional.
だが、一部の従業員は、料理の中身がメニュー表示と異なることを知りながら、「問題ないと思った」と話している。故意に偽装していたという疑いは拭えまい。
Examples of false labeling include a case in which Shiba shrimp was written on menus, but Vannamei prawns were actually used. The former are priced at ¥2,500 per kilogram, while the latter costs far less, at ¥1,400 per kilogram.
虚偽表示の例は、次のようなものだ。メニューには「芝海老(えび)」と記載していたが、実際はバナメイエビだった。芝海老の仕入れ値が１キロ・グラム２５００円なのに対し、バナメイエビは１４００円だ。
Also, what was touted as Kujo-negi onions were found to be ordinary green and white leeks. The latter’s wholesale price is ¥800 per kilogram compared with ¥2,000 for leeks from Kujo, Kyoto Prefecture.
「九条ねぎ」とうたっていたものは、普通の青ねぎ、白ねぎだった。普通のねぎの仕入れ値は１キロ・グラム８００円で、九条ねぎの２０００円より格段に安い。
Lack of compliance
The hotel operator claimed “there was no intention whatsoever of gaining profits unfairly.” But this claim cannot be taken at face value. It is astonishing that a relatively famous hotel operator apparently did not comply with the law.
「不当に利益を上げる意図はなかった」というホテル側の主張は、額面通りに受け取れない。名の通ったホテルでコンプライアンス（法令順守）機能が働かない実態に、あきれるばかりだ。
Hankyu Hanshin Hotels has reported the case to the Consumer Affairs Agency as a suspected violation of the Law against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations. Masako Mori, state minister for consumer affairs and food safety, said her office would “deal with the case strictly.” A thorough probe is called for.
ホテル側は、景品表示法（優良誤認）に違反する恐れがあるとして、消費者庁に報告した。森消費者相は「厳正に対処したい」と語った。徹底調査を求めたい。
It came to light in June that roast beef originating in Chile had been misrepresented as “domestically produced beef” on the menus of restaurants at four Tokyo hotels operated by Prince Hotels, Inc.
東京のプリンスホテルでも６月に、チリ産ローストビーフを「国産牛肉」と表示していたことが明らかになった。
In the wake of this revelation, Hanshin Hankyu Hotels investigated its hotels and discovered the menu scam.
これを契機に、阪急阪神ホテルズが系列のホテルを調べた結果、今回の問題が発覚した。
The success of a hotel hinges on the quality of service offered. Customers pay money in exchange for enjoying delicious food made from high-quality materials.
ホテルの生命線は、サービスの質だ。利用客は、館内のレストランで、良質の食材を使ったうまい料理に見合う料金を支払う。
Hankyu Hanshin Hotels has tarnished its own brand, which was built over many years, with its wrongdoing.
阪急阪神ホテルズの行為は、長年かけて築いてきたブランドイメージを自ら傷つけるものだ。
Fabrication scams involving food are not uncommon. It was revealed in 2007 that a high-end Japanese restaurant in Osaka falsified the origin of its beef. The restaurant was forced to close after it later came to light that the restaurant reused food materials.
食品を巡る偽装行為は後を絶たない。２００７年には、大阪市の高級料亭で牛肉の産地偽装が発覚した。食材の使い回しなども判明し、廃業に追い込まれた。
The hotel chain operator intends to reimburse customers for the dishes made from falsely advertised materials. The refunds are said to total about ¥110 million.
阪急阪神ホテルズは客に代金を返す意向だ。返金額は最大で約１億１０００万円に上るという。
The price paid for misrepresentation is high, and regaining public trust is no easy task. Hankyu Hanshin Hotels’ scam cannot be shrugged off by those in the food industry as someone else’s problem.
偽装の代償は大きい。信用を取り戻すのは容易でない。食品関係者は、人ごとではなかろう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 26, 2013)
（2013年10月26日01時32分 読売新聞）
海外で無税ならば、日本でも無税にして調整するのがTPPの趣旨に合致するのではないでしょうか？
TPPの理論と完全に逆行しているではないですか＾＾。
税収増大だけにとらわれるとこうなります。
相手の国が黙っていないでしょう。
日本だって、国民は、ネット配信グッヅが出来るだけ安い方を望んでいるのではないでしょうか。
（スラチャイ）
The Yomiuri Shimbun October 26, 2013
Impose consumption tax on digital products distributed from overseas
ネット配信 外国企業にも消費課税が要る（10月25日付・読売社説）
An unfair situation has emerged regarding how domestic and foreign firms are taxed in the rapidly growing industry of online digital data distribution. An environment must be created in which they can compete on an equal footing.
急成長するインターネット配信ビジネスで、国内と外国の企業との間で課税の不公平が生じている。対等に競争できる環境作りが必要だ。
The Tax Commission has started examining the advisability of imposing the consumption tax even on e-books and music provided online from overseas.
政府税制調査会は、外国から電子書籍や音楽などを日本に配信するサービスに対しても、消費税を課すかどうか検討を開始した。
Under the current system, the tax is imposed only on domestically provided electronic information.
現行の税制では、国内から配信された電子情報だけに消費税が課税されている。
For instance, no consumption tax applies to e-books bought by Japanese consumers on the Amazon.com online marketplace based in the United States.
例えば、米国を拠点とするアマゾン・ドット・コムのネット書店で日本の消費者が電子書籍を買った場合には、非課税扱いとなる。
If there are price differences for the same e-products due to tax, depending on whether they are provided from overseas or at home, domestic firms will be forced into a disadvantageous situation.
同じ商品なのに、国内配信か、海外からの配信かによって消費税分の価格差が生じれば、国内企業は不利な競争を強いられよう。
The publishing and Internet industries have pointed out that such an unfair tax burden impairs the competitive environment. They have every reason to call for reexamining the tax system based on such an argument.
出版業界やネット業界が「競争条件を歪(ゆが)めている」と指摘し、税制の見直しを求めているのはもっともである。
Such circumstances have emerged because the imposition of consumption tax is limited to domestic transactions and imports of goods. The tax is not levied on data distributed through overseas servers because they are regarded as overseas transactions of non-goods.
こうした事態が生じたのは、消費税の対象を「国内取引」と「モノの輸入」に限定しているためだ。海外のサーバーからのデータ配信は、モノ以外の「国外取引」とみなされて課税されない。
The amount of tax revenues lost because of the no-tax rule for products provided online from overseas is said to be in the tens of billions of yen a year.
海外からの配信が非課税のために得られなかった日本の消費税収は、年数百億円規模に達しているという見方もある。
Adverse effects of levy
The government will raise the sales tax from 5 percent to 8 percent next April. The rate is scheduled to be increased to 10 percent in October 2015. If the range of the tax’s application is left unchanged, adverse effects of the tax exemption on online products provided from overseas are expected to expand.
政府は２０１４年４月に消費税率を５％から８％に引き上げる。１５年１０月には１０％まで上げる予定だ。消費税の扱いをこのままにしておけば、非課税措置による弊害が拡大してしまう。
Such unfair taxation may accelerate the hollowing-out of industry, as Japanese digital data providers may shift their bases overseas.
日本の配信業者が海外に拠点を移すなど、産業の空洞化を助長する一因にもなりかねない。
According to Impress Innovation Lab, Japan’s e-book market is expected to balloon to about ¥240 billion in fiscal 2017, about triple that of fiscal 2012.
インターネットメディア総合研究所によると、日本の電子書籍の市場規模は、１７年度には１２年度の約３倍にあたる２４００億円近くに膨らむ見通しだ。
Online information distribution is a promising growth industry. The government must accelerate work to reexamine the range of the consumption tax’s application.
ネット配信ビジネスは、有望な成長産業の一つである。政府は、消費税の課税対象の見直しを急がねばならない。
However, a host of challenges need to be tackled, such as how to accurately grasp the online distribution prices of foreign companies.
ただ、外国企業の日本への配信額を正確に把握できるかなど、検討すべき課題は多い。
Among other steps, it will be essential to establish a system in which Japanese tax authorities can cooperate with their foreign counterparts to share information on foreign companies.
外国の税務当局と協力し、海外企業に関する情報を共有できるようにすることなどが欠かせないだろう。
Since about a decade ago, Germany and other European Union member countries successively introduced the so-called value-added tax, which is equivalent to Japan’s consumption tax, on online distribution services provided from outside the EU.
欧州連合（ＥＵ）では約１０年前からドイツなどが順次、域外からネット配信されるサービスに日本の消費税にあたる付加価値税を課している。
Online data distributors outside the EU are required to file a business registration, which has produced certain results. Such a registration system for Japan is also worth studying.
域外の配信業者は、事業登録が求められる仕組みで、一定の成果が上がっている。登録制は、日本でも検討に値しよう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 25, 2013)
（2013年10月25日01時41分 読売新聞）