海底資源開発 政府主導で戦略を構築せよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (May. 29, 2012)
Govt must establish strategy to develop seafloor resources
海底資源開発　政府主導で戦略を構築せよ（5月28日付・読売社説）

Abundant natural resources are sleeping under the seafloor in Japan's exclusive economic zone.
　日本の排他的経済水域（ＥＥＺ）内には豊富な海底資源が眠っている。

We think the government needs to play a leading role in devising measures to aggressively develop and effectively use them.
　政府主導で積極的に開発に取り組み、有効利用を図る必要があろう。

The government has started to review the Basic Plan on Ocean Policy, a set of guidelines for medium- and long-term ocean policies. It plans to formulate a new plan within the current fiscal year.
　政府は、中長期的な海洋政策の指針である「海洋基本計画」の見直しに着手した。年度内には新たな計画を策定する方針だ。

The commanding organ for the work is the Ocean Policy Headquarters, which consists of the prime minister and all other cabinet ministers. We hope the headquarters will strategically work on not only the problem of resources but also other topics, such as measures to assist remote islands and environmental protection.
　首相と全閣僚で構成される総合海洋政策本部が司令塔だ。資源問題を始め、離島対策や環境保護など、様々な課題に戦略的に取り組んでもらいたい。

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High hopes for 'ice that burns'

We have high expectations for the development of methane hydrate, dubbed "the ice that burns," and other important resources. Methane hydrate, which contains abundant amounts of natural gas, is widely distributed under the seafloor.
　中でも期待されるのが「燃える氷」と呼ばれるメタンハイドレートなどの資源開発である。メタンハイドレートは海底に分布し、天然ガスを豊富に含んでいる。

With nuclear power facing an unclear future, it is important for the country to increase the amount of natural gas it can obtain in its own backyard, from the viewpoint of securing a variety of energy resources.
　原子力発電の将来が不透明さを増す中、多様なエネルギー源を確保する上で、自前の天然ガス調達量を増やす意義は大きい。

The government carried out drilling operations in the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Aichi and Mie prefectures in February and March. The existence of a methane hydrate layer was confirmed after digging 200 to 300 meters down from the seafloor 1,000 meters beneath the water's surface.
　政府は、２月から３月にかけ、愛知県から三重県にまたがる太平洋側の沖合で掘削作業を行った。１０００メートルの深海底から２００～３００メートル掘り進め、メタンハイドレート層の存在を確認した。

It has been estimated this sea area alone has reserves of natural gas equal to more than 10 years worth of Japan's annual imports of liquefied natural gas.
　この海域だけで、日本の液化天然ガス（ＬＮＧ）年間輸入量の１０年分以上に相当する天然ガスがあると試算されている。

Following the drilling operations, the world's first production test for extracting natural gas from methane hydrate in the seafloor will start in January next year. Taking into account the future production of natural gas from methane hydrate, Japan should also promote the development of the necessary equipment.
　掘削作業に続き、来年１月には海底のメタンハイドレートから天然ガスを取り出す、世界初の産出試験が始まる。将来の生産を見据え、必要な機材の開発も進めなければならない。

Meanwhile, seafloor hydrothermal deposits, which contain copper, zinc and rare minor metals, are also seen as a promising natural resource. The government has been conducting deep-sea research in two ocean areas: one in the sea around Okinawa and the other between the Izu Islands and the Ogasawara Islands.
　一方、銅や亜鉛、レアメタルなどを含む「海底熱水鉱床」も資源として有望とされる。政府は沖縄近海と伊豆・小笠原両諸島周辺の２か所で探査を進めている。

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Utilize continental shelf

Based on results of test drilling and investigations of methane hydrate and seafloor hydrothermal deposits, the government plans to make final judgments on whether to go ahead with commercial production of the resources in fiscal 2018. We expect a path to utilizing seafloor resources will open.
　メタンハイドレートと熱水鉱床の試掘や調査を踏まえ、政府はそれぞれの商業生産の可否を２０１８年度をメドに最終判断するとしている。海底資源を活用する道が開けることを期待したい。

The fact that a seafloor area of about 310,000 square kilometers in the Pacific Ocean off Japan was newly recognized as part of the nation's continental shelf is a positive factor for the nation's ocean resource development. We believe active utilization of the continental shelf must be clearly positioned in the new basic plan.
　太平洋沖の約３１万平方キロ・メートルの海底が新たに日本の大陸棚として認められたことも、海洋資源開発にとっては好材料だ。大陸棚の積極的な活用を新計画に明確に位置づけるべきである。

To promote seafloor resource development in a stable manner, it is necessary to set certain rules.
　海底資源開発を安定的に進めるには一定のルールが必要だ。

Enforcement of the revised Mining Law in January enabled the government to take the lead in specifying candidate sites for extracting seafloor resources, such as oil and natural gas, and selecting developers.
　１月の改正鉱業法施行で、政府主導で海底の石油や天然ガスの鉱区候補地を指定し、開発業者の選定ができるようになった。

The revised law also enables the government to control illegal exploration activities for resources, including those conducted by foreign vessels. Patrol operations by the Japan Coast Guard must of course be beefed up.
　改正鉱業法は、政府が外国船などによる違法な資源探査を規制することも可能とした。海上保安庁の取り締まり体制を、当然、強化しなければならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 28, 2012)
（2012年5月28日01時17分 読売新聞）