on the back burner

Back to the future for Japan?

As the new year kicks off and the coalition government of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito gets into full swing, Japan will see a drastic change in the direction of policies set by the DPJ government during its rule of three years and three months. It will not be a new direction, however, but rather largely a revival of the policy direction that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe adopted — or tried to adopt — during his first administration from September 2006 to September 2007.

People will likely soon feel the effects of the new Abe administration's policies, but it is unclear whether his approach to the economy will improve their lives.

Due to Mr. Abe's economic policy, which calls for unlimited monetary easing by the Bank of Japan, financial markets may show positive signs. But the nation's poorest citizens will likely face greater hardships due to the Abe administration's social policy, which embraces the conservative idea of "self-help."

On the diplomatic front, the Abe administration's hawkish stance on issues involving the Constitution, national security and historical perspectives may increase friction in Northeast Asia. The Abe administration may leave these issues on the back burner before next summer's Upper House election.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/ed20130101a1.html

今回の記事で気になったのはon the back burner という表現です。手持ちの辞書では確認できなかったのですが、Urban Dictionary には'When something is put aside for more important things.'また、Wiktionaryには'Not immediate [immediately]'と定義されていました。つまりthe back burnerで「あとまわしの、二の次の」という意味になります。
cf.http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=back+burner http://ejje.weblio.jp/content/on+the+back+burner
また、どうしてこのような意味を表すようになったのか考えていたところ、以前 EnDough 先輩がわかりやすく解説されていたのを発見しました。cf.http://d.hatena.ne.jp/A30/20120910/1347274564
恥ずかしながら知らない表現だったので、おさえておきたいと思います。（Jakie）