貨物検査法成立 海保と海自の連携を密にせよ

英字新聞でスペルミスは致命傷、気をつけてくださいね。（英語版にはときどきミススペル、米国の新聞ほとんどないですよ）
waship→warship

The Yomiuri Shimbun (May. 31, 2010)
MSDF should join cargo inspections
貨物検査法成立　海保と海自の連携を密にせよ（5月30日付・読売社説）

The Diet on Friday finally enacted into law a special measures bill to enable inspections of cargo transported on ships to and from North Korea.
　北朝鮮に出入りする船舶に対する貨物検査を可能にする特別措置法が、ようやく成立した。

Cargo inspection was part of a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted in June last year imposing sanctions on North Korea after Pyongyang carried out a nuclear test despite international disapproval. However, Japan previously did not have a law under which it could conduct cargo inspections, preventing the nation from joining concerted international actions until now.
　貨物検査は、核実験を強行した北朝鮮への制裁措置として、昨年６月の国連安全保障理事会決議に盛り込まれた。ところが、日本は貨物検査を実施できる根拠法がなく、国際協調行動の一翼を担えない状態が続いていた。

The establishment of the special measures law solved this legal shortcoming. However, the government should not leave cargo inspection only to the Japan Coast Guard, but should also actively utilize the Maritime Self-Defense Force.
　特措法の制定で、法の不備は解消されたが、貨物検査は海上保安庁だけに任せず、海上自衛隊も積極的に活用すべきだ。

The special measures law authorizes the JCG and customs officials to inspect ships to check whether they are carrying weapons and other banned items. If captains of those ships refuse the inspections, the JCG and customs can order the ships to head for a nearby port.
　特措法は、船舶が武器などを積んでいないか検査する権限を海保と税関に与えた。船長が検査に同意しない時は、最寄りの港に向かうよう回航命令を出せる。

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New law's tortuous path

The special measures bill was initially submitted to the Diet by the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Taro Aso, but was scrapped because the House of Representatives was dissolved for a general election.
　特措法は、麻生前内閣が国会に提出したものの、衆院解散で廃案になった。

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama partially revised the bill and resubmitted it to the Diet during its extraordinary session in autumn, but the law's enactment was delayed as the Cabinet placed priority on dealing with other bills.
鳩山内閣は、昨秋の臨時国会に法案を一部修正して再提出したが、他の法案処理を優先させ、成立を先送りしていた。

The legislation governing cargo inspections should have been enacted much earlier.
　本来、もっと早く成立させなければならない法律だった。

In addition, the revised bill's contents contained a problem. The bill submitted by the Aso Cabinet stipulated the MSDF would be sent out when it became difficult for the JCG to deal with a case alone. The bill promulgated by the Hatoyama Cabinet deleted this provision in consideration of junior coalition partner the Social Democratic Party, which opposes utilizing the MSDF for cargo inspections.
　さらに問題なのは、法案の修正内容だ。麻生前内閣の法案では、海保で対応が困難な場合に海自が出動することを定めていたが、その規定を削除した。自衛隊の活用に否定的な社民党に配慮したためだった。

The government said no obstacles exist for the law's smooth implemention even without the provision, noting the government would be able to dispatch the MSDF when ordering a maritime police action based on the Self-Defense Forces Law.
　政府は、この規定がなくても、自衛隊法に基づく海上警備行動を発令すれば、海自を出動させることができるとして、運用上の支障はないと説明している。

However, the law's lack of clarity over the MSDF's involvement in the cargo inspection mission could make the government hesitant about sending out the MSDF in times of emergency.
　だが、今回の特措法に海自の関与を明示しなかったことは、非常時に海自の出動をためらわせることにつながるのではないか。

We hope the government will exercise ingenuity in the law's operation by ensuring close coordination between the JCG and the MSDF to enable concerted action.
　海保と海自の連絡を密にし、連携して行動が取れるよう、運用上の工夫を凝らしてほしい。

===

MSDF strengths needed

Even after making use of the MSDF, there are still many problems that need to be solved to improve the effectiveness of cargo inspections.
　海自を活用してもなお、貨物検査の実効性を高めるためには、課題が多い。

In the case of North Korean ships and captains, it appears unlikely they would readily accept cargo inspections and orders to head for a nearby port. There might be a case in which ships masquerading as merchant ships are actually heavily armed. In such a scenario, even if the government dispatches the MSDF by ordering a maritime police action, the MSDF vessels are not allowed to fire even warning shots.
　北朝鮮籍の船舶や北朝鮮船長の場合は、貨物検査や回航命令に応じるとは考えにくい。商船を装って重武装しているケースも想定されるが、海上警備行動を発令して海自を出動させても、海自は警告射撃が認められていない。

Tension rose on the Korean Peninsula after the March sinking of a South Korean waship that was attributed to North Korea.
　韓国哨戒艦沈没事件を機に、朝鮮半島情勢は緊迫している。

During summit talks with South Korean President Lee Myung Bak on Jeju Island in South Korea on Saturday, Hatoyama expressed his intention to actively conduct cargo inspections as the special measures bill was enacted into law the previous day.
　鳩山首相は、韓国・済州島での日韓首脳会談で、特措法の成立に伴い、貨物検査に積極的に取り組む意向を表明した。

From now on, information- and role-sharing with the U.S. and South Korean navies will be extremely important. The MSDF is the organization better equipped to undertake smooth coordination.
　今後、米韓海軍との情報共有や役割分担がきわめて大事になる。そうした連携も、海自の方がスムーズにいくだろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 30, 2010)
（2010年5月30日01時34分 読売新聞）