海上阻止訓練 「北の核」包囲へ日韓協力深めよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Oct. 16, 2010)
Japan-S. Korea navy ties needed to contain North
海上阻止訓練　「北の核」包囲へ日韓協力深めよ（10月15日付・読売社説）

Our world would immediately be put at risk if ships carrying nuclear weapons and nuclear-related goods were free to sail wherever they wanted. Nations around the world must join hands to stop such unrestricted conduct.
　核兵器やその関連物資を積んだ船舶が自由気ままに航行するのを許しておけば、世界はたちまち危険きわまりない状況に陥ってしまう。国際社会は協力して、これを阻止しなければならない。

The latest maritime interdiction drill performed in waters off Busan, South Korea, was an example of the kind of cooperation that can be facilitated by the international community.
　昨日、韓国・釜山沖で実施された韓国主催の海上阻止訓練は、そうした国際協力の実例である。

The two-day exercise that ended Thursday was organized by South Korea in accordance with the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), a U.S.-led program involving 96 nations to prevent the further spread of weapons of mass destruction. Four nations took part in the training--Japan, South Korea, the United States and Australia.
　米国が主導して世界９６か国が参加・協力している大量破壊兵器拡散阻止構想（ＰＳＩ）に基づき、日韓米豪の４か国が参加した。

The exercise included a drill in which two destroyers from the Maritime Self-Defense Force played a leading role in halting and searching a vessel in cooperation with two South Korean Navy destroyers and a U.S. Navy aegis-equipped destroyer. The drill was based on a scenario in which the searched ship was carrying suspicious freight.
　訓練では、日本の海上自衛隊の護衛艦２隻が、韓国海軍の駆逐艦や米国海軍イージス艦とともに、疑わしい貨物を積んだ船舶を停止させ船内を捜索する演習で、主要な役割を担った。

Over the years, the MSDF and the South Korean Navy have joined a large U.S. Navy exercise off the coast of Hawaii, known as RIMPAC.
　海自と韓国海軍は、遠いハワイ沖での米海軍主催の環太平洋合同演習（リムパック）には、ともに参加してきた。

However, this latest event was the first of its kind in which Japan and South Korea sent ships for a multilateral drill in waters close to their shores.
　だが、近海での多国間訓練にそろって艦船を派遣したのは今回が初めてである。

Shared threat

The two nations have long adhered to their respective perceptions of history. This has probably been a factor behind the cautious attitude both nations have toward bilateral security cooperation.
　過去の歴史へのこだわりが、日韓両国が安全保障の協力に慎重だった一因でもある。

However, a deepening threat posed by North Korea has changed all this.
　それを変えたのは、深刻化する北朝鮮の脅威だ。

Immediately after the reclusive state conducted a second nuclear test in May 2009 despite condemnation by the international community, South Korea said it would fully join the PSI. Seoul's decision to take the lead in organizing this month's maritime drill came after it concluded the sinking of a South Korean Navy patrol boat in March was caused by a torpedo attack by the North.
　韓国は、昨年５月、北朝鮮が２度目の核実験を強行した直後にＰＳＩへの全面参加を表明した。今年３月の韓国海軍哨戒艦沈没事件では、北朝鮮の魚雷攻撃によると結論づけた後、今回の海上阻止訓練の主催に踏み切った。

North Korea--a country that has relentlessly pursued nuclear arms and ballistic missiles--is the greatest element of instability in East Asia.
　東アジア最大の不安定要因は、核兵器や弾道ミサイルの開発をやめようともしない北朝鮮だ。

Pyongyang has declared it will bolster its nuclear deterrent, despite an economy facing imminent collapse. The hermit nation has also entered a period of transition, in which Kim Jong Un is being positioned as the heir apparent to his father, supreme leader Kim Jong Il, in what would be the third generation of the Kim family to hold power.
　民生経済が破綻(はたん)する中、「核抑止力の強化」を宣言し、金正日総書記から正恩氏への特異な「３代世襲」の権力移行期に入った。

Keep up intl pressure

The international community should not drop its guard with respect to North Korea, which exports ballistic missiles to earn foreign cash, and imports materials and commodities needed to develop nuclear weapons and missiles.
　北朝鮮が外貨稼ぎのために弾道ミサイルを輸出したり、核やミサイル開発に必要な関連物資を輸入したりすることへの警戒を、国際社会は怠ってはなるまい。

The U.N. Security Council has adopted a resolution against North Korea imposing an embargo on WMDs and goods related to the production of such arms, while also requesting member states to inspect vessels connected to North Korea suspected of carrying such cargo.
　北朝鮮に対しては、大量破壊兵器とその関連物資などの禁輸と、それを積載した疑いのある船舶の検査を各国に要請した国連安全保障理事会の決議が存在する。

We believe it is essential to continue PSI-based maritime interdiction drills to ensure the U.N. resolution blocks Pyongyang's WMD ambitions.
　安保理決議の実効性をあげるためにも、ＰＳＩに基づく海上阻止訓練の積み重ねが大切だ。

There is a limit to what can be achieved through such exercises, given the need to obtain consent from the nation a ship belongs to when a cargo inspection is deemed necessary in international waters. North Korea cannot be expected to accept such inspections. Still, carrying out multilateral maritime interdiction drills can do much to strongly deter the unpredictable regime from proliferating WMDs.
　公海での貨物検査には船籍国の同意が必要で、北朝鮮が応じるはずがないという限界はあろう。だが、強い牽制(けんせい)効果はある。

Further progress in advancing cooperation between Japan and South Korea in this area will increase trust between the two nations, as well as improve collaboration between Tokyo, Seoul and Washington as they stand up to the challenge Pyongyang presents.
　日韓が協力を進めることで互いの信頼は深まる。それが日米韓の連携を一層強化し、北朝鮮の挑発を抑止することにつながる。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 15, 2010)
（2010年10月15日01時21分 読売新聞）