在沖縄米海兵隊 移転促進へ「普天間」の前進を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 5, 2010)
Move Futenma base, move U.S. marines
在沖縄米海兵隊　移転促進へ「普天間」の前進を（8月4日付・読売社説）

Ensuring steady progress in the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station will be essential to minimizing any delay in the planned transfer of marines from Okinawa Prefecture to Guam.
　在沖縄海兵隊のグアム移転の遅れを最小限にとどめるためにも、普天間飛行場の移設問題の着実な前進が肝要である。

The U.S. Defense Department recently revealed that the transfer of about 8,000 marines to Guam originally scheduled to be completed in 2014 likely will be delayed by up to six years.
　米国防総省が、在沖縄海兵隊８０００人のグアム移転の完了期限が当初予定の２０１４年から最大６年遅れる見通しを明らかにした。

The Pentagon blamed the holdup on the unexpectedly long time needed to construct social infrastructure, such as electricity generation, water, sewage and roads. The transfer will increase Guam's population by more than 10 percent.
　グアムの人口が１割以上も増えるため、電力、上下水道、道路など社会基盤整備に予想以上に時間がかかることが直接の理由だ。

But the marines' transfer from Okinawa to Guam is intricately entwined with the Futenma facility relocation. The bungled handling of the Futenma move by former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's administration has certainly resulted in the marines' shift being put on ice.
　だが、海兵隊のグアム移転は本来、普天間飛行場の移設と一体の計画と位置づけられている。鳩山前政権による普天間問題の迷走が影響しているのは確実だ。

Hatoyama fanned expectations among local Okinawa governments and residents that the air base might be moved out of the prefecture--or even outside the country. However, he ended up returning to the 2006 Japan-U.S. agreement that stipulated the facility would be moved to the Henoko district in Nago in the prefecture, and then abruptly quit as prime minister. Washington's decision to hold off the marines' transfer speaks volumes of the "negative legacy" Hatoyama has left.
　鳩山前首相が、県外・国外移設という沖縄の期待感をあおったあげく、辺野古移設案に回帰し、政権を投げ出したことによる「負の遺産」の深刻さを裏付ける。

Hatoyama bears grave responsibility in this regard. Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who supported Hatoyama as deputy prime minister in the previous administration, also cannot evade his responsibility for these unfortunate developments.
　鳩山前首相の罪は、極めて大きい。だが、副総理として支えていた菅首相も、その責任を逃れることは許されない。

Careless comment

A recent statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku further muddied the waters. He said Japan and the United States would hold in-depth talks on the premise that both countries would be positive about constructing social infrastructure in Guam. Washington could have interpreted this statement as a willingness by Japan to share a greater financial burden in the transfer of the marines.
　疑問なのは、仙谷官房長官が、「日米で（社会基盤整備を）前向きに行う前提で、詰めた話し合いをする」と、海兵隊移転費の日本側の追加負担に前向きととられかねない発言をしていることだ。

We think Japan, in principle, should not readily concede to shouldering additional financial burdens involved in the transfer.
　日本は基本的に、追加の財政負担には応じるべきではない。

It was pointed out before the two governments reached an agreement in 2005 that the cost of shifting the marines, projected at about 10.2 billion dollars, might swell in the future.
　約１０２億ドルの移転費は０５年の日米合意前から、膨張の可能性が指摘されていた。

Following tough negotiations, Japan set the upper limit of its share at about 6.1 billion dollars. A Japan-U.S. agreement concluded last year includes a clause stipulating Japan will not cover additional burdens.
厳しい交渉の末、日本側は、負担の上限を約６１億ドルと定めたうえ、昨年締結した日米協定に、追加負担は行わないとの条項を盛り込んだ経緯がある。

The ruling Democratic Party of Japan originally must have bristled at suggestions that Japan should fund the building of a U.S. military facility in U.S. territory. Sengoku's statement, which could heighten expectations on the U.S. side, is imprudent.
　そもそも民主党は、米国領土に米軍基地を建設するのに日本が資金を出すことに批判的だったはずだ。仙谷長官の発言は米側の期待値を上げかねず、不用意だ。

DPJ must lift its game

In diplomacy, keeping the proper distance from the other side is imperative. But the DPJ-led administration is entirely untrustworthy on this point. The excuse that the government is short on diplomatic experience does not pass muster.
　外交では、相手国との間合いをどう取るかが極めて重要なのに、民主党政権は、この点が実に心もとない。外交経験が乏しいという言い訳は通用しない。

Tokyo and Washington set the end of August as the deadline for a final decision on the location and construction method of a replacement facility for Futenma Air Station. The Kan administration is trying to clear this hurdle by presenting several options to the U.S. side.
　菅政権は、８月末を期限とする普天間飛行場の代替施設の位置・建設工法の決定について複数案の併記で乗り切ろうとしている。

With the Okinawa gubernatorial election set for November, the government is understandably wary of deciding on a specific plan that might disregard the wishes of local governments. However, it would be unfortunate if the government fails to soothe its ties with Okinawa and delays making any decisions on matters affecting the prefecture. This could eventually result in the Futenma facility being left where it is--permanently.
　１１月の沖縄県知事選を控え、地元の頭越しに具体案を決めることに慎重になるのは理解できる。だが、沖縄との関係修復に何の行動も起こさず、何事も先送りする姿勢では困る。それは、普天間飛行場の現状の固定化につながる。

The government can reduce the burdens shouldered by Okinawa Prefecture by resolutely relocating the Futenma base within the prefecture. Only through clearly showing its resolve to achieve this goal will the Kan administration regain the confidence of people and local governments in the prefecture.
　県内移設を断固やり通すことが沖縄の負担軽減になる。菅政権がその覚悟を明確に示してこそ、沖縄の信頼も回復できよう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 4, 2010)
（2010年8月4日02時02分 読売新聞）