沖縄局長更迭 政府は信頼の再構築に全力を

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The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 2, 2011)
Govt must rebuild trust with Okinawa Prefecture
沖縄局長更迭　政府は信頼の再構築に全力を（12月1日付・読売社説）

It is not easy for the central government to regain the trust of Okinawa Prefecture, which recently was adversely affected.
　傷ついた沖縄との信頼関係を回復するのは容易ではない。

The government should do its best to rebuild the relationship by sincerely tackling the issue of U.S. bases in the prefecture.
政府は、米軍基地問題に誠実に取り組むことで、関係再構築に全力を挙げるべきだ。

Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa has dismissed Satoshi Tanaka as chief of the Okinawa Defense Bureau over an inappropriate remark concerning the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station.
　一川防衛相が、米軍普天間飛行場の移設問題をめぐり不適切な発言をしたとして、防衛省の田中聡沖縄防衛局長を更迭した。

During an informal drinking session at an izakaya bar with reporters in Naha, Tanaka said, "You don't say you're going to commit a rape before you do it, do you?" when asked a question about the submission of an environment impact assessment report on the base relocation to the Okinawa prefectural government.
　田中氏は記者団との居酒屋での懇談で、普天間飛行場移設に関する環境影響評価書の沖縄県への提出について「犯す前にやらせろとは言わない」などと語った。

Tanaka joined the drinking session on condition that any remarks he made would be off the record. But the Ryukyu Shimpo, a local newspaper, printed his remarks based on its judgment that they were of a public nature and it was in the public's interest to know.
　懇談は、報道しないというオフレコが条件だったが、地元紙の琉球新報が「公共性、公益性がある」との独自判断で記事化した。

The newspaper's decision is questionable.
　この報道姿勢は疑問である。

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Honor off-the-record remarks

While regarding off-the-record news gathering as "an important means to meet the people's right to know," the Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association said news organizations have a moral obligation to abide by off-the-record agreements.
　オフレコ取材について日本新聞協会は「国民の知る権利にこたえうる重要な手段」としつつ、報道機関にオフレコを守る道義的責任があるとの見解を示している。

If a news organization reports off-the-record remarks without the prior consent of the news source, a relationship of trust cannot be built between the media and the source, which in the end may limit the people's right to know.
　報道機関が、オフレコ取材の相手の了解を得ず一方的に報道するようだと、取材先との信頼関係が築けず、結果的に国民の知る権利の制約にもつながりかねない。

When Yoshio Hachiro resigned as economy, trade and industry minister over a verbal lapse concerning the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power station's meltdown accident, it was not clear whether his remark was off-the-record or not. But this time it definitely was.
　鉢呂吉雄前経済産業相が原発事故をめぐる失言で辞任した際は、オフレコ発言かどうか曖昧だったが、今回は明らかに違う。

Needless to say, Tanaka's remark likening the government's submission of the assessment report to raping a woman is extremely inappropriate.
　無論、評価書の提出を女性への暴行に例えた田中氏の発言自体は極めて不適切だ。

It is not surprising the remark upset people in Okinawa Prefecture, particularly as the issue of relocating Futenma Air Station was triggered by the rape of a primary school girl by U.S. marines in 1995.
普天間問題の発端が１９９５年の女児暴行事件だったこともあり、沖縄県民が反発したのはもっともである。

It is natural for Tanaka to have been dismissed for his remark.
　こうした結果を招いた以上、田中氏の更迭は当然だろう。

While apologizing to the people of Okinawa Prefecture for Tanaka's remark, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda indicated the government would submit the assessment report as scheduled.
　野田首相は田中氏の発言について謝罪するとともに、環境影響評価書を予定通り提出する考えを示した。

The submission of the report before the end of the year has been confirmed on several occasions between Japan and the United States.
評価書の年内提出は日米間で何度も確認している。

The government needs to do so without delay.
きちんと実行する必要がある。

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Steadily implement measures

The government recently tried to mend its relationship with Okinawa Prefecture by enabling the Japanese authorities to put on trial civilian employees of the U.S. military who commit serious offenses while on duty in Japan, through a review of the application of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.
　政府は最近、日米地位協定の運用を見直し、米国人軍属の裁判を日本で行うことを可能にするなど沖縄との関係修復に努めていた。

It is important in the days ahead for the government to steadily implement measures, including the transfer of military exercises by U.S. forces outside the prefecture, to lessen the burden on Okinawa Prefecture of hosting U.S. forces.
今後も、米軍の訓練の県外移転など、地元の基地負担の軽減策を地道に実行に移すことが大切だ。

In the United States, congressional pressure is increasing to cut defense spending, making it more difficult to realize the planned transfer of marines stationed in Okinawa Prefecture to Guam.
　米国では、連邦議会の国防費削減圧力が強く、在沖縄海兵隊のグアム移転が困難になりつつある。

If there is no progress made on the Futenma relocation issue, the Futenma base will remain where it is, and the plan to transfer U.S. marines to Guam may founder.
普天間問題が進展しなければ、普天間飛行場の固定化に加え、海兵隊移転が白紙になりかねない。

The Okinawa prefectural government wants the transfer of U.S. marines separated from the Futenma relocation issue. But this seems no longer possible.
　沖縄県側には、海兵隊移転を普天間問題と切り離して実現することへの期待があるが、それは、もはや不可能な情勢にある。

The central and Okinawa prefectural governments should consult with each other in a levelheaded manner over how to proceed with the issue of reducing the burden on the prefecture in hosting the U.S. military base.
　沖縄全体の基地負担軽減をどう進めるのか、政府と沖縄県は冷静に協議することが求められる。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 1, 2011)
（2011年12月1日00時55分 読売新聞）