Foreign minister's resignation damages international confidence in Japan's diplomacy

菅直人首相は８日夜、在日外国人からの違法献金問題で辞任した前原誠司前外相の後任に松本剛（たけ）明（あき）外務副大臣（５１）を昇格させる人事を決めた。
９日午後に皇居で認証式が行われる予定。
菅首相、今回は動きが速かった。
副外務大臣を外務大臣に昇格させた。
岡田幹事長のほうが適任ではないか。
重要な国際会議が目白押し。
国際社会ですでに名前の売れている岡田幹事長を選任して欲しかった。
（スラチャイ記）

(Mainichi Japan) March 8, 2011
Foreign minister's resignation damages international confidence in Japan's diplomacy
社説：短命「半年」外相　損なわれた外交の信用

The resignation of Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara over his receipt of political donations from a foreign resident has badly damaged the international community's confidence in Japan's diplomacy. He stepped down because accepting political donations from non-Japanese people could constitute a violation of the Law to Regulate Money Used for Political Activities.
　前原誠司前外相が就任からわずか半年足らずで辞任したことは、「日本外交の信用性」を大きく傷つける結果となった。

Although his resignation was unavoidable considering the serious deadlock in Diet deliberations, it has poured cold water on the government's efforts to restore its diplomatic power.
厳しい国会運営を考慮すればやむを得ない判断ではあったが、菅内閣、民主党政権にとって急務である「外交力の立て直し」に悪影響を与えたのは間違いない。

Maehara, one of the few legislators from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) who are experts in diplomacy and national security, was the mainstay of diplomatic policy in the government, a field in which Prime Minister Naoto Kan is weak.
　民主党内で数少ない外交・安全保障に精通した国会議員の一人である前原氏は、菅直人首相が苦手とする外交分野の大黒柱だった。

In particular, Maehara played a leading role in improving Japan-U.S. relations, which had been strained when former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama was in power. He agreed with his U.S. counterpart to hold foreign and defense ministerial talks, known as "two-plus-two," in spring in a bid to set common strategic goals as part of efforts to deepen the bilateral alliance, and break the deadlock over the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture.
　鳩山政権時代に揺らいだ日米関係修復の中心になり、１月の外相会談では共通戦略目標策定など日米同盟深化や米軍普天間飛行場移設問題の節目となる外務・防衛担当閣僚による安全保障協議委員会（２プラス２）を今春に開催することで合意し、その後の首脳会談を成功に導く責任者だった。

There is no denying that the resignation of Maehara, who has maintained friendly relations with U.S. officials, could cast a shadow over these bilateral consultations.
米国と良好な関係を築いてきた前原氏の辞任が一連の協議に影響する可能性を否定できない。

Besides hosting talks with Washington, Tokyo's diplomatic schedule is tight from next week to June. A Group of Eight (G8) foreign ministerial conference is scheduled for March 14 and 15, while a meeting between Japanese, Chinese and South Korean foreign ministers is due to be held in Kyoto on March 19 and 20. G8 and Japanese, Chinese and South Korean summit meetings are also expected to be later held. Moreover, Tokyo and Beijing have been considering a visit by the Japanese foreign minister to China to hold talks aimed at improving bilateral ties.
　日米関係のみならず、来週から６月にかけて外交日程は目白押しである。さっそく今月１４、１５両日に主要８カ国（Ｇ８）外相会議、１９、２０両日には京都で日中韓外相会談が予定されている。それぞれ首脳会議も控えており、日中関係改善を目指した外相訪中も検討されていた。

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano, a key member of the Kan Cabinet, is tentatively doubling as foreign minister, but it is Prime Minister Kan's responsibility to appoint a new foreign minister at an early date.
枝野幸男官房長官が外相臨時代理を兼務する態勢を脱し、早急に新外相を任命することは菅首相の責務である。

The DPJ-led government must be reminded that frequent changes of foreign ministers over such a short period of time is a serious concern in that it has damaged the international community's confidence in Japan's diplomacy, and that a steady government is indispensable to create a stable administration, which will serve as a basis for diplomatic power.
　今、民主党政権に特に強調しなければならないのは、外相の短命交代劇が外交の信用失墜を招く重大性であり、外交力の基盤となる安定した政権づくりの必要性である。

During a news conference in which he announced his resignation, Foreign Minister Maehara underscored the need for diplomatic consistency.
He said the foreign minister of another country told him, "You're Japan's sixth foreign minister since I became foreign minister."
Maehara added that Japan's political situation should be stabilized so that prime ministers and foreign ministers do not change frequently.
　前原氏自身、辞任表明会見で、他国の外相から「自分が外相になってあなたは日本の６人目の外相だ」と言われたことを紹介し、「外交は継続性が大事だ」「首相や外相がコロコロ代わらない政治の安定を作らなくてはならない」と語った。

Japan's diplomatic efforts to nurture mutual trust and improve relations with China, which caused a boat collision off the disputed Senkaku Islands, have come to a crucial stage. The same has happened with Russia, with which Japan currently is involved in a dispute on the sovereignty over the Northern Territories.
　尖閣諸島沖事件を引き起こした中国、北方領土問題を抱えるロシアといった大国との信頼構築・関係改善は、日本外交にとって正念場を迎えている。

Since the latter half of last year, China and Russia have undoubtedly taken advantage of the weakened Japan-U.S. alliance, the DPJ-led administration's lack of diplomatic power and the Kan administration's fragile power base to take tough stances toward Japan.
中露両国の昨年後半以来の対日強硬姿勢の背景に、日米同盟の乱れに加えて、民主党政権の外交力の欠如、政権基盤の弱体ぶりがあったことは間違いない。

A short-lived foreign minister cannot nurture mutual trust with his or her counterparts in other countries. Such a foreign minister damages the world's trust in Japan's diplomacy and cannot hold serious diplomatic negotiations. 　短命外相の下では、他国の交渉相手との信頼関係が築けず、外交の信用を損ね、真剣な交渉は困難となる。

Other countries take advantage of such a foreign minister's weakness in their diplomatic talks with Japan, which is detrimental to Japan's national interests.
国内政治が不安定であれば、他国に足元を見られ、付け入るスキを与えることになりかねない。国益にはマイナスだ。

If the DPJ-led administration cannot easily bolster its power base, it should prioritize a thorough review of its strategy in an effort to restore its diplomatic power and strengthen the Prime Minister's Office's leadership in working on important diplomatic issues, such as Japan's relations with the United States, China and Russia. 　政権基盤強化が簡単でないとすれば、まず、外交力立て直しで必要なのは戦略の練り直しであり、対米、対中、対露など重要課題での首相官邸の指導力強化である。

However, one cannot help but wonder whether Prime Minister Kan still has such power.
菅首相にその力が残されているだろうか。

毎日新聞　2011年3月8日　2時31分