英字新聞

to fend off a barrage of questions from the opposition camp
＝野党側の厳しい追及を乗り切っていく
英語はほとんど大丈夫、理解できる。
理解不能の日本語発見。
右顧左眄(うこさべん) =右を見たり左を見たりして迷うこと。左顧右眄。
Kokugo Dai Jiten Dictionary. Shinsou-ban (Revised edition) ｩ Shogakukan 1988/国語大辞典（新装版）ｩ小学館 1988
（スラチャイ）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 28, 2010)
DPJ election should be battle over policy
小沢氏出馬表明　日本の針路を競う代表選に（8月27日付・読売社説）

The Democratic Party of Japan's upcoming presidential election is almost certain to be a two-man race between Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who is seeking reelection as DPJ chief, and former party Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa.
　民主党代表選は、再選をめざす菅首相と小沢一郎前幹事長との、事実上の一騎打ちになることが固まった。

Selecting the leader of the largest ruling party is effectively synonymous with choosing the next prime minister. 　与党第１党の党首選は首相選びに直結する。

We hope the DPJ will choose the winner of the race through a serious battle of words concerning the course this country should take.
The election should not be reduced to a race in which its two opposing camps struggle to win party members over to their respective sides, thus determining which can seize power: the bloc that wants Ozawa removed from the center of the party and the government, or the side that supports him.
「脱小沢」か「親小沢」かという権力争奪の多数派工作に堕することなく、あるべき日本の針路を論じ合って雌雄を決してほしい。

　◆分裂、政界再編の芽も◆
Ozawa has expressed his intention to run in the Sept. 14 election, campaigning for which will start Wednesday. 　小沢氏は、９月１日告示、１４日投開票の党代表選に出馬する意向を表明した。

His move comes after he secured the support of former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama; Ozawa had been considering entering the race if he could receive support from a wide range of DPJ lawmakers.
　党内の幅広い支持を得られることを前提に出馬を検討していた小沢氏は、鳩山前首相の支持をとりつけた上で立候補に踏み切った。

However, this does not mean Ozawa has been guaranteed support from most DPJ members.
だが、支持の大勢が固まっているわけではない。

Attempt at truce failed

A key factor behind the Kan-Ozawa showdown is the bitter discord between the former DPJ secretary general and senior party leaders seeking to eliminating his influence within the party, including the prime minister, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku and party Secretary General Yukio Edano.
　今回の対決の背景には、小沢氏と、「脱小沢」を掲げる菅首相や仙谷官房長官、枝野幹事長らとの強い軋轢(あつれき)がある。

Ozawa's announcement of his decision to run was preceded by Hatoyama's attempt to broker a compromise between Kan and Ozawa, in the hope of averting a deepening schism among intraparty groups.
　鳩山氏は、党の亀裂が深まる事態を避けるため、菅首相と小沢氏との仲介に動いた。

However, Kan was reluctant to accept Hatoyama's request to ensure key figures from each intraparty group, including Ozawa, were represented in the party's leadership and the Cabinet, in what could be called a whole-party approach.
だが、鳩山氏が小沢氏の要職起用を含む挙党態勢の構築を求めたのに対して、菅首相は難色を示した。

This bitterly antagonized Ozawa.
A decision by Ozawa not to run would have enabled Kan to win unopposed, a development that would cost the veteran DPJ kingpin support among a number of party members. Ozawa's decision to run can be seen as a last-resort measure to avoid this.
　小沢氏は反発し、菅首相の無投票再選を容認すれば、党内で孤立しかねず、窮余の決断になったものとみられる。

Kan's rejection of Hatoyama's request caused the former prime minister to shift his support from Kan to Ozawa. Hatoyama earlier said he would back Kan's bid to be reelected as DPJ president, provided he adopts a whole-party approach.
　挙党態勢を条件に「菅氏支持」を表明していた鳩山氏は、一転して「小沢氏支持」に変わった。

Hatoyama's obvious change of heart must be criticized as unacceptable. It is disconcerting that he has endorsed Ozawa's bid to become DPJ leader--we should remember that Hatoyama stepped down as party head and prime minister before the House of Councillors election in July to take the blame for the turmoil arising from his poorly thought-out approach to politically divisive issues, at the same time urging Ozawa to resign as party secretary general.
参院選前、政局混迷の責任をとってともに辞任した小沢氏を代表に推すのは、納得し難い行動だ。

Ozawa's decision to run in the wake of Hatoyama's failed peacemaking means he has concluded that taking the DPJ's top post will be the best way for him to escape the damned-if-he-does-and-damned-if-he-doesn't situation he is in. All this likely will turn the upcoming election into a battle that will divide the ruling party. The DPJ could be broken up into different groups and this could eventually result in a new round of political realignment--that is, new splits and mergers among both ruling and opposition parties.
　鳩山氏の調停失敗を受け、小沢氏が正面突破を図ったことで、代表選は党を二分する争いになる見込みだ。党分裂含みの展開も予想され、今後、野党を巻き込んだ政界再編の動きも出てこよう。