鳩山議員外交 危うい理屈で国益を損ねる愚

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Apr. 11, 2012)
Hatoyama's foolish trip to Iran hurt national interests
鳩山議員外交　危うい理屈で国益を損ねる愚（4月10日付・読売社説）

Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama visited Iran despite government pressure to call the trip off, with the result that Tehran exploited the occasion. This was a development the government feared.
　政府の中止要請を無視して強行した外遊が、相手国に利用される結果となった。事前に懸念された通りの展開である。

Hatoyama met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his aides in Tehran on Sunday to discuss Iran's controversial nuclear development program.
　鳩山元首相がテヘランを訪問し、イランの核開発問題をめぐって、アフマディネジャド大統領らと会談した。

According to an Iranian report on the talks, Hatoyama criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency for applying double standards toward certain countries, including Iran, saying such treatment was unfair.
　イラン側の発表によると、鳩山氏は大統領との会談で、国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）がイランなどに二重基準的な対応をとっているのは不公平だと語ったという。

At a press conference in the Diet building on Monday following his return home, Hatoyama denied making this comment, saying he profoundly regrets what he called a "complete fabrication" by Tehran.
　鳩山氏は帰国後、「完全な捏造(ねつぞう)で、大変遺憾に思っている」などと記者団に語り、イラン側発表を否定した。

There is no doubt, however, that Hatoyama's visit to Tehran was exploited to justify Iran's nuclear development program.
だが、鳩山氏の訪問がイランの核開発の正当化に利用されたのは否定しようがない。

Iran has come under increasingly severe sanctions from the United States and Europe. Talks between Iran and six countries on Tehran's nuclear development program are to resume in the near future.
　イランの核問題は今、欧米諸国が制裁圧力を強める中、イランと関係６か国の協議再開を控えた微妙な時期にある。

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Ridiculous comment

It is extremely unfortunate that Hatoyama's visit to Iran has had a dampening effect on the government's diplomacy, which places priority on cooperating with the United States and European nations.
鳩山氏の外遊が、欧米と協調する日本外交の足を引っ張ったのは、重大な問題だ。

The government repeatedly asked Hatoyama not to visit Tehran. But Hatoyama turned a deaf ear to the requests, arguing that his trip "is part of my activities I'm making in a personal capacity as a legislator, as there is a significant possibility diplomatic efforts by an individual legislator could help the national interest."
　政府は再三、訪問中止を求めたが、鳩山氏は「議員個人の活動であり、議員の外交努力で国益に資することが十分あり得る」などと反論し、聞き入れなかった。

When it comes to carrying out diplomacy between a former Japanese prime minister and the president of a foreign country, Hatoyama's remark convinces no one.
　しかし、外交の常識として、首相経験者と大統領の会談にそんな言い訳は通用しない。

Is it any wonder that Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura reacted with dismay? "We continued to ask him not to make the trip at this sensitive time, even as an individual lawmaker acting on his own accord," he said.
　藤村官房長官が「個人の立場でも、こういう時期に訪問をしない方がいいと言い続けてきた」と不快感を示したのも当然である。

With his own, self-centered way of thinking, Hatoyama probably felt like he was indirectly supporting Japan's diplomacy.
　鳩山氏には、日本外交を側面支援したいという身勝手な思惑があったのだろう。

Diplomacy is the domain of the government, and diplomatic moves by individual lawmakers should be limited to an auxiliary role.
だが、外交は政府の専管事項であり、議員外交はその補完にとどめるべきだ。

The leadership of the Democratic Party of Japan is partly responsible for the problem Hatoyama caused this time. Apparently to ensure party unity, the DPJ leadership decided in late February to appoint Hatoyama, a supreme adviser of the party, to the post of adviser in charge of diplomatic affairs.
　民主党執行部にも責任の一端がある。党内融和のため、２月下旬、最高顧問の鳩山氏を外交担当に決めたことだ。

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Unaware of his incompetence

Immediately after his appointment, Hatoyama visited China at the same time as a DPJ delegation led by Secretary General Azuma Koshiishi. Hatoyama and the DPJ delegation held separate meetings the same day with Vice President Xi Jinping, who is expected to be elevated to the top Chinese post. The DPJ's lack of coordination for its extraordinary "dual diplomacy" immediately was brought to light.
　その直後、鳩山氏は訪中し、輿石幹事長ら党訪中団と同じ日に、中国の習近平国家副主席と別個に会談するという異例の「二元議員外交」を行い、党内の調整不足ぶりを露呈した。

Hatoyama is primarily responsible for virtually causing the Japan-U.S. relationship to collapse. His chaotic handling of the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture was epitomized by his controversial "Trust me" remark during talks with U.S. President Barack Obama on the issue. As he was prime minister at the time, Hatoyama's summit diplomacy hurt our national interests.
　鳩山氏は首相在任中、「トラスト・ミー」といった不見識な言動で、米軍普天間飛行場の移設問題を迷走させ、日米関係を危機に陥らせた張本人だ。こうした危うい首脳外交が、国益を損ねた。

Even after he stepped down as prime minister, Hatoyama angered Okinawa Prefecture by describing his remarks concerning the deterrence provided by U.S. forces stationed in prefecture as nothing but "expediency." Has he forgotten his bungling already?
　退任後も、在沖縄海兵隊の抑止力に関する自らの発言を「方便だった」と言い放ち、沖縄の強い怒りを買った。多くの失敗を、もう忘れてしまったのか。

Hatoyama is a type of politician who should refrain from becoming involved in diplomacy, both in light of his incompetence and personality.
　鳩山氏は、能力的にも性格的にも、外交に関与してはならない政治家だ。

He should become more aware his limitations as quickly as possible.
そのことを、一日も早く本人が自覚してもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 10, 2012)
（2012年4月10日01時08分 読売新聞）