2015考研英语阅读冲刺精读训练（日本政府中的"关系"）

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2015考研英语阅读冲刺精读训练（日本政府中的"关系"）

　　Botchan, or well-born “brats”, are prevalent in Japanese politics. More than two-fifths of LDP legislators are occupying safe seats in the Diet, Japan's parliament, that were once held by fathers, grandfathers, uncles or in-laws. The total number in both houses of the Diet across all parties is climbing again, after a recent sharp fall in the lower house. They have to compete for their relatives' seats, but they are normally a shoo-in. Eight out of 19 members of the cabinet have relatives who were in the Diet or in local politics.

　　There are numerous advantages in taking up a family member's position: a ready-formed electoral machine of koenkai, or local supporters, and immediate name-recognition which makes it easier to win elections. If a hereditary politician is unfortunate enough to lose office, the family's clout in the constituency can secure a job in a local business to tide them over.

　　The threat of ejection every few years holds little appeal for outsiders. It is one reason why the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), with fewer dynasties, is struggling to find enough candidates to stand in the coming election. Many Japanese had hoped that the DPJ, when it was in power in 2009-12, would ban politicians from taking over from relatives in local party branches. But it did nothing (and its first prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, was a particularly hapless hereditary type). Now the public appears to regard the habit as a lost cause.

　　There are still some critics, however, including among the many LDP legislators who had to claw their way up. Yuko Obuchi, a politician who took over her seat aged 26 from her father, Keizo Obuchi, a former prime minister, resigned from the cabinet in October after a storm of criticism over infractions of political-funding rules by members of her office. But the “princess”, as she is often known, is still likely to win a sixth term next month.(Economist)

　　翻译：

　　太子党，或者叫做好命的“小鬼们”，在日本政界中非常盛行。日本国会中，超过2/5的自民党现任议员都有父亲、祖父、叔伯或者姻亲曾任议员。虽然下议院的家族议员人数在不久前大幅下降，但国会两院中各党派的家族议员总数又开始持续攀升。这些人同时也要为其亲属争取席位，不过正常来说都是十拿九稳。现任19名内阁成员中有8人都有亲属任职于国会或者地方政界。

　　继承家族成员的席位有数不清的好处：他们有已经成形的选举机器後援會，也就是地方支持者，而且他们的名字容易被选民认出，这也能提高胜算。哪怕一个政二代不幸失去职务，家族的影响力也能保证为其在地方的商界中找到工作，从而渡过失业的难关。

　　隔几年就有离职威胁使得政界对外界人士来说吸引力有限。这也是为什么执政时间更短的反对党日本民主党甚至难以为即将到来的选举找到足够候选人。很多日本人曾希望民主党在2009-12年执政期间，能够禁止政客接班任职与地方党派分部的亲属。然而民主党并未这么做(该党首位总理鸠山由纪夫就不幸是个政二代)。如今，民众都已经对这种现象见怪不怪。

　　然而，批评的声音仍然不少，其中还包括一些通过自己奋斗上位的自民党议员。10月份时，26岁芳龄就接班父亲、前首相小渊惠三成为议员的小渊优子从内阁辞职。其原因即是对她办公室成员违规使用政治资金持续不断的批评声。不过这位被称作“公主”的政客极有可能在下月的选举中赢得第六个任期。

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