back
都知事選に向けて元首相同士が協力関係を築きました。
Koizumi backs Hosokawa for Tokyo governor, targeting Abe's nuclear policy
TOKYO —
Two former Japanese prime ministers challenged incumbent Shinzo Abe’s pro-nuclear power policy on Tuesday, with charismatic Junichiro Koizumi backing ex-Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa’s bid to become Tokyo governor on a platform opposing nuclear energy.
Hosokawa’s candidacy could turn the Feb 9 election into a referendum on Abe’s energy policies and boost the anti-nuclear movement, which has lost momentum after a surge following the March 2011 Fukushima disaster, the world’s worst nuclear accident in 25 years.
Surveys show most voters favor abandoning nuclear power, but the electorate nonetheless propelled Abe’s pro-nuclear Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) back to power in December 2012, largely because of his promises to revive the economy and divisions among anti-nuclear opposition forces.
Asked why he was coming out of retirement to seek the Tokyo governor post, Hosokawa, 76, told reporters: “Because I have a sense of crisis that Japan faces various problems, especially nuclear power that could imperil the fate of the country.”
記事の見出しにある”back”の意味が気になりました。Wisdom英和辞典（第三版）』（三省堂）によると，「支援する，後押しする」などという意味がありました。”back”が支援をするというニュアンスを持つことは理解しやすいと思います。日本でも，強力な後ろ盾があるなどという表現があります。バックオフィスという言葉は，経理，人事などという会社の営業活動を支援する部門のことを指します。（Ume）
