Release video to prove Japan was in the right

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Oct. 1, 2010)
Release video to prove Japan was in the right
衝突ビデオ開示　正当性示すためにも不可欠だ（9月30日付・読売社説）

The government has indicated it will submit to the Diet video footage of the recent collision between a Chinese trawler and a Japan Coast Guard vessel near the Senkaku Islands.
　尖閣諸島沖の中国漁船衝突事件で、政府は巡視船上から海上保安官が撮影したビデオを国会に提出する方針を固めた。

The footage, taken by a JCG officer aboard the patrol vessel Mizuki, reportedly shows the Chinese vessel sailing parallel to the JCG vessel, then veering toward the Mizuki by turning to port, and colliding with the JCG vessel's starboard side.
　ビデオには、巡視船と並走していた中国漁船が左側にかじを切って近づき、巡視船の右舷に体当たりする映像が鮮明に残っているという。

This would be conclusive evidence that will show the international community how vicious and dangerous the criminal activities of the trawler were, and how misplaced China's demands for an apology and compensation from Japan are.
　悪質で危険な犯罪行為であることや、日本に謝罪・賠償を求める中国側主張の誤りを国際世論に訴える決定的証拠となろう。

The Naha District Public Prosecutors Office is holding the video as material evidence to build a case against the trawler's captain, who was arrested after the collision.
　ビデオは、逮捕した中国人船長を立件するための捜査資料として那覇地検が保管している。

Article 47 of the Criminal Procedure Code prohibits investigation materials from being released before a trial. Even if such materials are to be released in exceptional circumstances, they should be made public only when investigative authorities believe it would be in the public interest and appropriate, according to a provisory clause of the code.
　刑事訴訟法４７条は、そうした資料の公判前の公開を禁じており、例外的な公開も、捜査当局が公益上の必要性などを認め、公開相当と判断した場合に限られると但(ただ)し書きに規定されている。

Theoretically, a request from the legislative body to release the footage based on a Diet member's right to investigate state affairs would constitute public interest. Yet releasing the material will not be ruled necessary if it is considered to be the result of undue political interference in the judicature.
　学説上は、国会から国政調査権に基づく要請があった場合などに公益性が認められるが、政治による不当な司法干渉と見なされれば公開の必要性は否定される。

Submission precedent

There is a precedent in submitting to the Diet material set to be used in a trial. In 1976, a list of "high-ranking government officials suspected of corruption" in connection with the Lockheed bribery scandal was submitted to the Lockheed Select Committee of both Diet chambers after negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties.
　捜査資料の国会提出は１９７６年、ロッキード事件に絡む「灰色高官」リストが与野党の折衝の末、両院の調査特別委員会・秘密理事会に提出された例がある。

If the House of Representatives Budget Committee or a similar body passes a resolution calling for the video to be submitted to the Diet, the government plans to call on judicial and prosecution authorities to hand over the tape as this would be in the public interest.
　政府は今回、衆院予算委員会での決議などがあれば、法務・検察当局に公益性をアピールして国会提出の判断を求める方針だ。

The Chinese captain has been released and returned home, making it unlikely his case will be brought to trial. Of course, the rights of people involved in this case must be protected and undue influence on the trial must be legally prevented. However, we think submitting the video to the Diet is the right thing to do.
　船長はすでに釈放されて帰国し、公判の可能性は薄い。事件関係者の権利や裁判への不当な影響を防ぐという法の趣旨に照らしても、ビデオの国会提出は公益性が認められる妥当な措置だろう。

Don't expect about-face

Releasing the footage is unlikely to cause China to make an about-face and immediately concede the skipper and his crew acted illegally or change its hard-line stance toward Japan. On the contrary, China might hit back by claiming the video is fabricated.
　ビデオによって、直ちに中国側が船長らの犯罪行為を認め、日本への強硬態度を転換させることは予想しにくい。逆に「ビデオは捏造(ねつぞう)だ」といった反論も出よう。

But if the malicious actions of the Chinese trawler within Japanese territorial waters are revealed for all to see, we think the international community will realize that Japan has acted lawfully.
　しかし、日本領海内での中国漁船の悪質行為が示されれば、日本の対応に対する国際社会の理解が深まることが期待できる。

In 2001, a North Korean spy ship and JCG patrol vessels exchanged fire in the East China Sea southwest of Kyushu. The spy ship then blew itself up and sank. The JCG made footage of the incident available to the news media only two days later.
　２００１年、九州南西海域で北朝鮮の工作船と海保の巡視船が銃撃戦になり、工作船が自爆・沈没した事件の際は、海保は２日後、ビデオを報道機関に公開した。

The JCG was said to be initially willing to release video of the trawler collision. But after the government discussed the skipper's arrest, the footage was kept under wraps to avoid angering Beijing.
　今回の衝突事件でも、海保は当初、ビデオ公開に前向きだったが、船長の逮捕について政府内で協議する際、中国側を刺激したくないとの政治的配慮が働いた結果、見送られたという。

Some observers have suggested this decision weakened Japan's position. To prove to audiences at home and abroad that Japan acted legitimately, the footage must be submitted to the Diet.
　そのことが結果的に、日本の立場を弱くしたという指摘もある。日本の正当性を改めて内外に示すためにも、ビデオの国会提出は不可欠であろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 30, 2010)
（2010年9月30日01時31分 読売新聞）