新防衛大綱 機動性ある自衛隊へ転換急げ

敗戦から６５年、もうそろそろ時効ではないでしょうか。
日本の国を守るのはやはり日本人じゃないとおかしな話です。
自民党だったら恐らく今回ような改定は難しかったのではないでしょうか。
批判も見受けられますがスラチャイは、当然の流れだと考えます。
むしろ遅すぎた感があります。
（スラチャイ記）

New thinking welcome on defense strategies
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 20, 2010)
新防衛大綱　機動性ある自衛隊へ転換急げ（12月19日付・読売社説）

The security environment around Japan is growing ominous. To secure peace and safety for the nation under such circumstances, it is necessary to eliminate the remnants of Cold War strategies and construct a more flexible and resilient defense system.
　我が国周辺の安全保障情勢は厳しさを増している。その中で日本の平和と安全を確保するには、冷戦期の残滓(ざんし)を排し、より機動的で柔軟性ある防衛体制を構築する必要がある。

The government has decided on new National Defense Program Guidelines, the first revisions in six years and the third overall since the guidelines were originally worked out in 1976.
　政府が、新しい「防衛計画の大綱」を決定した。１９７６年に防衛大綱が策定されて以来、６年ぶり３回目の改定である。

The new guidelines call for a paradigm shift from the 1976 emphasis on "fundamental defense" to the modern concept of "dynamic defense capability."
　新大綱は、７６年大綱が掲げた防衛力整備の基本指針の「基盤的防衛力構想」を、「動的防衛力」に転換する方針を打ち出した。

　◆冷戦の残滓排除が重要◆
The fundamental defense concept calls for possessing the minimum defense forces necessary for an independent country. The concept has been used as grounds for deploying the Self-Defense Forces evenly over the country, a strategic vestige of the Cold War period.
　基盤的防衛力とは、独立国として必要最小限の防衛力を保有するという概念だ。冷戦時代から残る「全国均等な部隊配置」の根拠となってきた。

The dynamic defense capability concept, on the other hand, emphasizes having the capabilities to respond to a variety of threats and contingencies.
　これに対し、動的防衛力は、多様な脅威や事態に機動的に対処する能力を重視している。

The diverse activities of today's SDF include dealing with missiles and new threats such as terrorism, and taking part in international peacekeeping operations.
　自衛隊の任務は、ミサイル、テロなど新たな脅威への対応や、国際平和協力活動への参加など、多様化している。

The days are gone when the SDF could remain a passive organization. Possessing up-to-date tanks, ships and planes alone is not sufficient for deterrent power to work.
　自衛隊に極力何もさせず、抑制的な組織にとどめておけば良かった時代は、遠く去った。最新鋭の戦車や艦船、航空機も、保有しているだけでは、抑止力は十分機能しない。

Deterrence can work only when the SDF is seen deploying its units to perform various duties. Adoption of such a dynamic defense capability as the concept of the new defense guidelines would be an appropriate policy switch in the dramatically changing security landscape we face today.
　自衛隊が様々な任務をこなし、部隊を動かすことを通じて抑止力を働かせる。そうした動的防衛力の採用は、大きな時代の変化に即した適切な政策転換と言える。

China a 'major concern'

The new guidelines refer to China's rapidly increasing defense spending, the stepped-up activities of its naval and air forces and the lack of transparency in its military buildup programs, which the guidelines mention as a "matter of concern for the region and the international community."
　新大綱は、中国の国防費の増加や海空軍の活動活発化、透明性の不足について、「地域・国際社会の懸念事項」と明記した。

China's military emergence is conspicuous. China's publicly announced plan to build aircraft carriers has changed the military balance in the East China Sea. It has been actively ramping up moves to expand its maritime interests, thereby intensifying friction with Southeast Asian nations.
　中国の台頭は著しい。空母保有を公言し、東シナ海の軍事バランスが変化しつつある。海洋権益拡大を図る動きも激しく、東南アジア諸国との軋轢(あつれき)が増している。

Under such circumstances, it is natural that the new guidelines include beefing up island defenses, such as in the Nansei Islands, which include Okinawa Prefecture and part of Kagoshima Prefecture. It is essential to go ahead with a plan to deploy Ground Self-Defense Force units on Yonagunijima, Japan's western most island.
　こうした中、新大綱が南西諸島など島嶼(とうしょ)防衛の強化を打ち出したのは当然だ。与那国島への陸上自衛隊の部隊配置などを着実に進める必要がある。

Referring to North Korea, the guidelines say that country remains "an urgent and serious destabilizing factor." Given that the reclusive communist state conducted two nuclear tests, test-fired ballistic missiles, torpedoed a South Korean warship and shelled the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, it is indispensable for Japan to bolster military ties with the United States and South Korea.
　北朝鮮については、アジア地域の「喫緊かつ重大な不安定要因」と記述した。２度の核実験や、弾道ミサイル発射、韓国艦船や延坪(ヨンピョン)島(ド)への攻撃を踏まえれば、日本は、米韓両国との軍事面の連携を強化することが肝要だ。

A new five-year midterm defense buildup program, which was approved by the Cabinet Friday together with the new guidelines, sets the defense budget ceiling for fiscal 2011-15 at about 23.49 trillion yen. In other words, the annual defense budget over the five years will be set at the same level as that of the current fiscal year. This is a significant step as it ends an eight-year period of consecutive annual declines in defense spending.
　新大綱と同時に閣議決定された次期中期防衛力整備計画は、２０１１～１５年度の防衛予算の総額上限を約２３兆４９００億円と定めた。１０年度予算をほぼ維持するもので、８年連続の漸減に歯止めをかけた意義は大きい。

　◆陸自定員削減は不十分◆
For years, Japan has been alone in reducing its defense budget while its neighbors China, Russia, South Korea and North Korea, as well as the United States, have been increasing their military spending. This has been a serious problem.
　米国、中国、ロシア、韓国、北朝鮮など周辺国が近年、そろって国防費を大幅に伸ばす中で、日本だけが防衛費を減らし続けてきたことは、深刻な問題だった。

Policies imperfectly balanced

The government must clearly distinguish areas to be enhanced from those to be trimmed if it is to develop a truly effective defense system on a limited budget.
　限られた予算の中で、真に実効性ある防衛体制を整えるには、増強する分野と削減する分野のメリハリが欠かせない。

A focal issue in the guidelines was the fixed strength of GSDF personnel. The guidelines say the current 155,000 GSDF members should be reduced by 1,000. But this is hardly sufficient.
　新大綱の焦点となった陸自の編成定数は、現行の１５万５０００人から１０００人の削減にとどまった。極めて不十分である。

If the balance of the SDF had been considered in a comprehensive manner, more GSDF personnel would have been cut in addition to the reduction in tanks and artillery that has been decided upon in the guidelines. At the same time, the fixed strength of personnel in the Air and Maritime Self-Defense Forces and the number of their vessels and aircraft should have been increased.
　自衛隊全体のバランスを考えれば、今回実現した陸自の戦車・火砲の大幅な削減に加え、陸自定員を一層削減し、海上、航空両自衛隊の定員や艦船・航空機の増強などに回すべきだった。

With such measures, the new concept of dynamic defense capability in the guidelines would have been defined more clearly. We expect the government to address this in drafting budgets for fiscal 2011 and thereafter.
　そうしてこそ、「動的防衛力」という新概念がより明確になったはずだ。１１年度以降の予算編成での是正を求めたい。

Prime Minister Naoto Kan's government put off clearly calling for a review of the nation's three principles on arms exports in the guidelines because it has asked the Social Democratic Party, a former coalition partner, for cooperation in the Diet and thus has given consideration to the smaller party's policy of opposing any relaxation of the principles prohibiting arms deals with virtually any other countries. We think the government's decision was regrettable.
　武器輸出３原則の見直しは、菅政権が国会運営で協力を求めている社民党に配慮するため、新大綱への明記を見送ってしまった。残念な判断である。

Meanwhile, it is praiseworthy that the guidelines have left room for future review. The guidelines said that Japan should study measures to keep up with changes in a global environment where joint international development and production of military equipment has become routine among advanced countries. We hope such measures will be studied as soon as possible.
　一方で、国際共同開発・生産が「先進国で主流になっている」と指摘し、具体策の検討を盛り込んだのは、将来の見直しの余地を残したものと評価できる。早期に実現してもらいたい。

The government should also actively proceed with a review, mentioned in the guidelines, of the five conditions placed on SDF participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
　新大綱が言及した国連平和維持活動（ＰＫＯ）参加５原則の見直しも、積極的に進めるべきだ。

The record of GSDF participation in such operations is still short. Tight limits imposed on weapons use, which have always been an impediment to dispatching GSDF troops abroad, should be relaxed immediately in accordance with international standards.
　陸自のＰＫＯ参加実績はまだ少ない。海外派遣の際、常に障害となる武器使用権限を国際標準並みに拡大することが急務である。

　◆安全保障戦略の策定を◆
Security council in sight?

The guidelines also stipulate establishment of a new organization at the Prime Minister's Office to coordinate national security policies. Presumably, this would be like a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council. A past government led by the Liberal Democratic Party once also submitted bills concerned with establishing such an organization to the Diet.
　新大綱は、国家安全保障の政策調整組織を首相官邸に設置することも明記した。かつて自民党政権が関連法案を提出した日本版ＮＳＣ（国家安全保障会議）のような組織を想定しているのだろう。

The organization would be essential for dealing with security issues without interruption and responding quickly to emergency situations. We hope the ruling and opposition parties will discuss a detailed proposal on it in a suprapartisan way to bring such a council into existence as quickly as possible.
　多くの安全保障課題に継続的に取り組み、緊急事態に迅速に対応するには、こうした組織が不可欠だ。与野党の枠を超えて具体案を協議し、実現を急いでほしい。

The government also should start formulating national security strategy since the guidelines put priority on improvement of defense capabilities.
　安全保障戦略の策定にも着手すべきだ。防衛大綱はあくまで防衛力整備に力点が置かれている。

To secure peace and prosperity for Japan and the rest of the world, what specific goals should be presented and how should the nation's foreign, defense and domestic policies be pursued? The government must compile a comprehensive package of strategies and resolutely carry out each strategy.
　日本と世界の平和と繁栄を確保するには、どんな具体的目標を掲げ、外交、防衛、国内政策をどう進めるのか。包括的戦略をまとめ、着実に取り組むことが大切だ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 19, 2010)
（2010年12月19日01時12分 読売新聞）