英國政府須就退歐消除企業擔心
After the initial shock of Britain’s vote to leave the EU, businesses and consumers appear to be regaining their composure.
經歷過英國脫歐公投的最初震驚後，企業和消費者似乎正在恢復鎮靜。
In the aftermath of the referendum, indicators of economic activity plunged to their lowest levels since the global financial crisis.
在公投過後那段期間，各項經濟活動指標跌至全球金融危機以來最低水平。
With a new government in place and a fresh injection of monetary stimulus, both manufacturing and the services sectors have bounced back.
隨着新政府就位，隨着新的貨幣刺激注入，製造業和服務業都出現反彈。
Retail spending and house prices have held up.
零售消費和房價保持得不錯。
Although the weaker pound will feed inflation and eat into household budgets, it now looks more likely Britain will escape the Brexit-induced recession that many had feared.
雖然疲軟的英鎊將助推通脹，侵蝕家庭預算，但目前看來英國更有可能將會逃脫許多人曾經擔心的退歐引發的衰退。
This resilience is a great relief, but it is little guide to the long-term health of the economy.
這種恢復力是一大安慰，但並不預示經濟的長期健康。
The UK’s ability to prosper outside the EU depends primarily on whether companies see it as stable environment to do business and can be confident of a return on their investments.
英國在歐盟之外實現繁榮的能力，主要取決於企業是否將其看做可以做生意的穩定環境，以及是否確信它們的投資能取得回報。
The strong warning delivered by Japan’s government, detailing the concerns of Japanese businesses operating in the UK, shows how challenging it will be for Theresa May, prime minister, to provide such reassurance.
日本政府發出的強烈警告——詳述了日本在英經營企業的擔心——顯示了英國首相特里薩•梅(Theresa May)要提供這樣的保證將面臨多大挑戰。
The point Tokyo most wants to impress on the UK and EU is the need to lessen the uncertainty.
日本政府最想讓英國和歐盟聽懂的一點是要減少不確定性。
Japanese businesses dread the prospect of endless behind-the-scenes negotiations, leading to unpleasant last-minute surprises.
日本企業害怕未來無窮無盡的幕後談判，在最後時刻出現令人不快的意外。
Their plea is for clarity on the process and time for the transition.
他們請求在過渡的過程和時間上得到一點清晰度。
This is eminently reasonable but, given the EU’s record of eleventh-hour backroom deals, somewhat optimistic.
這合情合理，但鑑於歐盟在最後一刻幕後交易方面的過往記錄，有點期望過高了。
The substance of the Japanese memo, however, is a clear and rigorous exposition of the concerns that businesses have about Brexit, and the questions ministers will have to answer to give companies confidence to invest.
不過日本這份備忘錄的內容明確而嚴謹地闡述了企業對英國退歐的擔心，以及爲了讓企業有信心投資，英國的部長級官員必須回答的問題。
It is no surprise that tariffs on trade in goods come high on the list.
並不令人意外的是，貨物貿易的關稅列在清單上的最高位。
They are a particular concern for manufacturers whose supply chains stretch across the EU, which could face levies on both the parts and raw materials they import and on the finished goods they export.
對於供應鏈遍及歐盟的製造商來說，這是個尤爲令人擔憂的問題，他們可能既面臨零部件和原材料進口關稅，又面臨製成品出口關稅。
Yet this is just the first in a catalogue of concerns.
不過這僅是擔心目錄中的第一項。
Manufacturers worry that their products will no longer meet the EU’s rules of origin, subjecting them to more onerous customs procedures and excluding them from free-trade agreements between the EU and other countries.
製造商擔心他們的產品不再符合歐盟原產地規則，導致他們面臨更繁重的海關手續，而且被排除出歐盟與其他國家之間的自由貿易協定。
Service providers ask whether a licence issued in the UK will still be valid elsewhere in the EU.
服務提供商想知道英國頒發的許可證在歐盟其他國家是否仍然有效。
IT businesses fear cross-border data transfers will become difficult if the UK adopts its own rules on data protection.
IT企業擔心，如果英國出臺自己的數據保護規則，跨境數據轉移將變得困難。
Banks worry about the passporting of financial services and the gradual divergence of regulatory regimes.
銀行業擔心金融服務的護照特權，以及監管制度逐漸分化。
All employers worry about impending controls on immigration, and what this will mean for hiring and for existing staff, be they high-skilled professionals or construction workers.
所有僱主都擔心即將來臨的移民控制，以及這對聘用員工以及現有員工——無論他們是高技能專業人士或是建築工人——意味着什麼。
This is the issue on which Mrs May has been most forthcoming as she begins to sketch out the parameters for negotiations with Brussels, ruling out the adoption of a points-based immigration system some Brexit supporters advocate.
在特里薩•梅着手草擬與布魯塞爾談判的參數之際，她在這個問題上相對最爲直截了當，排除了部分脫歐陣營人士主張的計分制移民制度。
Yet it is far from clear that her preferred approach would be softer, or any more compatible with continued access to the single market.
然而遠非清楚的是，她的首選方案會不會更軟，或者說更符合保持單一市場準入的要求。
It is to be hoped that she will recognise the real needs of employers facing a period of unprecedented uncertainty.
希望她能認識到面對一段空前不確定時期的僱主的真切需要。
Japan’s requests to the UK and EU, which amount to a plea to maintain the fullest market access possible, may be little more than a wishlist.
日本對英國和歐盟的請求——相當於呼籲保持儘可能全面的市場準入——也許只是個願望清單。
But the questions it has raised are as pressing for UK businesses as they are for foreign investors; and they will require answers.
但它所提出的問題對於英國企業和外國投資者同樣緊迫，這些問題將需要答案。
The Japanese memo serves to articulate the scale and complexity of the task that lies ahead.
日本政府的這份備忘錄起到了明確表達前方任務的規模和複雜性的作用。
