北方領土訪問 露にも足元見られた民主政権

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 3, 2010)
Russia taking advantage of DPJ-led government
北方領土訪問　露にも足元見られた民主政権（11月2日付・読売社説）

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Kunashiri Island in the northern territories on Monday, ignoring Japan's sovereignty. It was quite natural that Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara summoned the Russian ambassador immediately to protest the visit.
　我が国の主権をないがしろにする行為だ。前原外相がただちに駐日ロシア大使を呼んで抗議したのは当然である。

Medvedev is the first Russian head of state to make such a visit since the Soviet era.
　ロシアのメドベージェフ大統領が１日、北方領土の国後島を訪れた。大統領の北方領土訪問は、ソ連時代を含めロシアの国家元首として初めてだ。

Since the Russian president expressed his intention in late September to visit the disputed northern territories off Hokkaido, Tokyo has expressed strong concern and asked Medvedev not to do so through diplomatic channels. We find it extremely regrettable that he snubbed the request completely and visited the island.
　日本政府は、９月末に大統領が北方領土訪問の意向を示して以来、強い懸念を表明し、外交ルートを通じて訪問しないよう求めてきた。これをまったく無視しての訪問である。極めて遺憾と言わざるを得ない。

Some observers speculate that Medvedev's visit was meant to promote himself as a strong leader and consolidate his power base with an eye to reelection as Russian president in 2012.
　今回の北方領土訪問の背景には、２０１２年のロシア大統領選をにらみ、「強い指導者像」をアピールして権力基盤を固める狙いがあると見ることもできる。

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DPJ has bungled affairs

However, that may not be the only reason. Ever since its inauguration last year, the Democratic Party of Japan-led government has strained Japan-U.S. relations over the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture. It also recently failed to effectively deal with the souring of Japan-China relations triggered by the collision of a Chinese fishing vessel and Japan Coast Guard patrol boats off the Senkaku Islands.
　しかし、それだけではあるまい。民主党政権は、昨年の発足以来、米軍普天間基地の移設問題で日米関係にきしみを生じさせた。最近では、尖閣諸島沖の中国漁船衝突事件をきっかけとした日中関係の険悪化に対しても有効な手を打てないでいる。

Moscow has apparently exploited confusion in Japan's foreign policy under the DPJ-led government and tried to suppress Tokyo's demands that Russia return the northern islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai group of islets.
　ロシア側は、民主党政権による外交政策の混迷、混乱の足元を見て、日本の北方領土４島返還要求を牽制(けんせい)したと言えよう。

To change the present situation, Prime Minister Naoto Kan must overhaul the nation's diplomatic strategies, which are based on the Japan-U.S. alliance, as soon as possible.
　菅首相は、日米同盟を基軸とする外交態勢の全面的な立て直しを図ることが急務である。

Territorial negotiations between Tokyo and Moscow have been deadlocked for decades. While Japan has demanded the return of all of the islands, Russia only has expressed some ideas based on the Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration in 1956, which agreed just on the return of Habomai and Shikotan islands after the conclusion of a peace treaty between the two countries.
　日露間の領土交渉は、膠着(こうちゃく)状態にある。日本政府は４島の返還を主張しているのに対し、ロシア側は２島引き渡しをうたった１９５６年の日ソ共同宣言を基礎とする考えを示すにとどまっている。

Medvedev has so far proposed to take a "creative and flexible approach" toward solving the territorial dispute, which is different from the approach adopted during the Cold War years. However, he has only spoken of this approach and not shown any specific substance.
　大統領はこれまで、冷戦時代とは違う発想で「独創的アプローチ」をとることを提案していたが、それも言葉だけで、何ら具体的な中身を示したわけではない。

Japan's advanced technology and economic cooperation must be very attractive for Russia, which is trying to promote development in its Far Eastern region, but Medvedev's latest visit inevitably will chill Japan-Russia relations further.
　極東地域の開発促進を目指すロシアにとって、日本の先進技術や経済協力は魅力的なはずだが、ロシアが今回のような態度に出たことで、日露関係は一段と冷え込むことになるだろう。

Given the situation, we must be prepared for it to take a rather long time to solve the northern territories issue with Moscow.
　従って、北方領土問題の解決には相当な年限を要することを覚悟せざるを得ない。

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Kan must strongly protest

The Russian president is scheduled to visit Japan in the middle of this month to attend the summit meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Yokohama. If Japan-Russia summit talks are held on the sidelines, Kan must resolutely protest Medvedev's provocative behavior.
　今月中旬には横浜でアジア太平洋経済協力会議（ＡＰＥＣ）首脳会議が開かれ、大統領も来日する。日露首脳会談が行われれば、菅首相は、大統領の挑発的な行為に対し、毅然(きぜん)とした態度で抗議しなければならない。

He also should warn the Russian president that economic relations between the two countries will be negatively affected if Moscow continues to take such a hard-line stance.
　ロシア側が、引き続きこうした強硬姿勢をとるなら、日露間の経済関係にも支障が生じることを警告すべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 2, 2010)
（2010年11月2日01時35分 読売新聞）