日米・日中会談 アジア安定へ戦略的な外交を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 16, 2011)
Relations with U.S., China call for determined diplomacy
日米・日中会談　アジア安定へ戦略的な外交を（11月15日付・読売社説）

It is essential for Japan to pursue strategic diplomacy with the United States and China if effective international rules are to be worked out to ensure peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.
　アジア太平洋地域の平和と繁栄のための実効性ある国際ルール作りを進めるには、日本は、米中両国と戦略的な外交を展開することが肝要だ。

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda met with U.S. President Barack Obama in Honolulu Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and explained to him a government plan to submit to Okinawa Prefecture within this year an environmental assessment report on the planned facilities to replace the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in the prefecture.
　野田首相がホノルルでオバマ米大統領と会談し、米軍普天間飛行場の移設に関し年内に代替施設の環境影響評価書を沖縄県に提出する方針を説明した。

Obama expressed hope for further progress in settling the relocation issue while welcoming the Japanese plan.
大統領は、日本の方針を歓迎しつつ、さらなる前進へ期待を示した。

However, Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima is calling for the base to be relocated outside the prefecture.
To change Nakaima's stance, the prime minister himself must display a firm determination to resolve the issue.
Noda must hammer out a comprehensive agreement with the prefecture on such subjects as promoting the regional economy and reducing the burdens borne by the prefecture in hosting U.S. military forces.
　「県外移設」を唱える仲井真弘多知事を翻意させるため、首相自身が問題解決に不退転の覚悟を示し、地域振興や米軍基地負担の軽減を含む沖縄県との包括的な合意を目指すことが不可欠だ。

The government must work toward further reinforcement of the Japan-U.S. alliance while making steady efforts to settle such important issues as the Futenma relocation and relaxation of import restrictions on U.S. beef.
　普天間問題や米国産牛肉の輸入規制緩和などの重要課題を着実に進展させ、日米同盟をより強固なものにすべきだ。

A good chance to achieve this goal will be an official visit by Noda to the United States that is now being arranged for January.
来年１月にも検討されている野田首相の公式訪米をその機会としたい。

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U.S. tilting toward Asia

Obama, who likes to point out that "the United States is a Pacific nation," has been placing more importance on U.S. relations with Asia in both the political and economic areas.
　大統領は「米国は太平洋国家」が持論で、政治、経済両面で「アジア重視」の姿勢を強めている。

This is represented by his policy of maintaining and reinforcing U.S. troops stationed in Asia and promoting Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations.
アジア駐留米軍の維持・強化や環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）交渉の推進は、その象徴だ。

Concerning an East Asia Summit meeting set for this weekend, Noda and Obama agreed that ideas and basic rules common to the Asia-Pacific region would be confirmed and the EAS could develop into a forum to work out concrete cooperation projects.
　日米両首脳は、今週末の東アジア首脳会議について「アジア太平洋の共通理念や基本ルールを確認し、具体的協力につなげる会議に発展させる」ことで一致した。

Tokyo and Washington are concerned about how to respond to Beijing.
　日米が念頭に置くのは、中国への対応だ。

China has been rapidly enhancing its influence and becoming more assertive, increasing frictions with other countries in the South China Sea.
中国は影響力と自己主張を急速に強め、南シナ海などで近隣国との軋轢(あつれき)を増している。

To lead China in the direction of complying with international rules and working together with its neighbors in the medium and long term, Japan and the United States must closely cooperate with South Korea, Australia and Southeast Asian countries.
　中国を、中長期的に国際規範を順守し、周辺国と協調する方向に導くため、日米両国は、韓国、豪州や東南アジア各国などと緊密に連携しなければならない。

Along with these efforts, it is essential to hold frequent and constructive dialogues with China.
　その中で、中国と建設的な対話を重ねることが重要だ。

In their summit over the weekend in Hawaii, Noda and Chinese President Hu Jintao agreed to deepen strategic and mutually beneficial bilateral ties.
　野田首相は今回、胡錦濤国家主席との会談で、「戦略的互恵関係」を深化させることを確認した。

They also agreed on Noda visiting China before the end of the year.
首相の年内訪中でも合意した。

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Reciprocity must be visible

But concerning the resumption of suspended negotiations on the joint development of natural gas fields in the East China Sea, Hu avoided making a clear commitment, merely saying preparations would be made.
　だが、胡主席は、中断している東シナ海のガス田共同開発交渉の再開については、「準備を進めたい」などと語るにとどめた。

The gas field development issue needs to be moved toward a solution to improve bilateral relations, which have been stagnant since the incident last autumn in which a Chinese fishing boat rammed Japan Coast Guard patrol boats near the Senkaku Islands.
　昨年秋の尖閣諸島沖の中国漁船衝突事件以降、停滞している日中関係の改善に向けて、ガス田問題を前に動かす必要がある。

It is also necessary to accelerate bilateral negotiations toward an emergency contact system to deal with incidents at sea.
海上での艦船事故に備える緊急連絡体制づくりの協議も加速すべきだ。

Referring to North Korea, Hu pointed out that "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is a common interest of the countries concerned."
　北朝鮮について胡主席は、「朝鮮半島の非核化は関係国共通の利益だ」と指摘した。

China must fulfill its responsibility as the chair of six-party talks on the matter.
中国には６か国協議の議長国の責任がある。

Visible reciprocity is a must if next year's 40th anniversary of normalized relations between Japan and China is to be fruitful.
　来年の日中国交正常化４０周年を実りあるものにするには、目に見える「互恵」が求められる。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 15, 2011)
（2011年11月15日01時11分 読売新聞）