木村さん：最近、困ったことにアメリカへの輸出が減っているんですよ。
佐藤さん：今までは、輸出が多すぎたんじゃないんですか。これからの日本の企業は、共存共栄の精神でやっていかなくてはね。
Kyooson-kyooei
Kimura-san: Saikin, komatta koto ni Amerika e no yushutsu ga hette-iru'n desu yo.
Sato-san: Ima made wa, yushutsu ga oosugita'nja nai'n desu ka. Kore kara no Ninon no kigyo wa, kyooson-kyooei no seishin de yatte ikanakute wa ne.
Mr. Kimura: It's quite troubling. Of late, exports to the United States have been declining.
Mr. Sato: Isn't itjust that up till now we've simply been exporting too much? From now on Japanese companies will need to work in the spirit of live-and-let-live.
Kyooson-kyooei translates as the mouthful 'coexistence for mutual benefit' or 'coexsitence and coprosperity.' 'Live-and-let-live' is a more informal expression. I'll try to use this rather stiff expression in some ordinary conversations.
I think this expression is going to become very important for Japan. Until now, most have believed that as long as people are buying Japanese goods because of their high quality, there is nothing wrong with seeing exports increase. Recently, however, more and more people are asking, "What happens to the people living in the countries with which Japan has an export surplus? What impact does the surplus have on their lives? Doonika shite, kyooson-kyooei dekiru hoohoo wo sagasanakute wa (Somehow we've got to find ways to coexist in a win-win situation)." You can say the same thing about Earth's resources. Tropical rain forests continue to disap- pear. And Japan is the principal import country. Are Earth's resources just for human beings? What about the animals we share the planet with? Chikyuujoo de wa, ningen mo doobustu mo kyooson-kyooei subeki na no dewa nai no ka. (Shouldn't human beings and animals coexist and coprosper here on Earth? ) Humans have no right to monopolize Earth.
What happens to the culture of people living near tropical rain forests? These forests are sacrificed so Japanese can live comfortable lives. Should cultures and lifestyles be sacrificed in order that we might live such lives? Indeed, are we living so far away really so blessed? Doo sureba, karera to kyooson-kyooei dekiru no daroo (What can we do so that both of us can continue to exist and prosper)? Brazil is now confronted with the growing problem of "street children." Abandoned by their parents and homeless, these children have to steal to eat. Fearful store owners have thus taken to organizing gangs in order to eliminate (murder) the children. Several hun- dred, indeed, were killed last year. It's frightening. The delegates to the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeirio argued about what to do about the tropical rain forests. But there are so many other problems which must be addressed first. Karera ga heiwa ni kyooson- kyooei dekiru hoohoo wa nai mono daroo ka. (Isn't there some way for them to live-and-let-live? )
Though it might seem simple enough, it's very difficult for people with power to put themselves in the shoes of those who are weak and powerless. In order to help us pursue our "good life" somewhere, someone or something must be sacrificed. Watashitachi wa karera to kyooson-kyooei dekiru michi wo sagashite ikanakereba narimasen ne (We must search for ways to coexist and coprosper).