小泉環境相が外交デビュー＝演説原稿読まず冗談も

　【ニューヨーク時事】米ニューヨークを訪問中の小泉進次郎環境相は２２日、環境関連の複数の国際会合に出席し、閣僚として初の「外交デビュー」を果たした。国連本部での会合では予定された英語の演説原稿を読まずに冗談を連発。地球温暖化対策をめぐり、「われわれは十分な指導力を発揮してこなかったが、きょうからは違う」と述べ、日本が議論を主導していく決意も表明した。
　小泉氏は国連本部での演説で、東京都と京都市が二酸化炭素（ＣＯ２）排出量を２０５０年までに実質ゼロとする脱炭素化の目標を宣言したことに触れ、「会合前、横浜市の担当者に東京、京都の次はどこかと尋ねたら、『はい。やりましょう』と決断してくれた。（就任から）１０日間の実績の一つ」とＰＲ。会場から拍手や笑いが起きた。
　日本政府や横浜市は今世紀後半のできるだけ早期に脱炭素化を実現する目標を掲げる。会合に出席した横浜市の薬師寺えり子温暖化対策統括本部長によると、会合直前に小泉氏から「演説で横浜市を説得したと言っていいかと聞かれ、了承した」という。（2019/09/23-23:39）

Japan's new Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi made his diplomatic debut on Sunday, taking part in related international meetings in New York.
   During a meeting held at the U.N. headquarters, the highly popular Japanese politician joked on and off without reading a prepared English text of his speech. At the same time, he underscored Japan's determination to lead the world in discussions on the fight against climate change.
   Noting in the speech that the Tokyo metropolitan government and the western Japan city of Kyoto have announced their respective goals of reducing carbon dioxide emissions to effectively zero by 2050, Koizumi revealed that an official of Yokohama, a major city in eastern Japan, offered to follow suit after being asked by him before the meeting which Japanese municipality is expected to come next.
   The rookie minister touted this as one of the results he has achieved in his first 10 days in office.
   In this regard, Eriko Yakushiji, head of Yokohama's headquarters for the fight against global warming, said, "Right ahead of the U.N. meeting, Minister Koizumi asked me if it's OK for him to mention in his speech in the session that he has successfully persuaded the city, and I said yes."