「尖閣」外交 領有の正当性示す広報戦略を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Oct. 4, 2012)
Govt should counter China's propaganda on Senkakus
「尖閣」外交　領有の正当性示す広報戦略を（10月3日付・読売社説）

China's propaganda campaign over the Senkaku Islands has run rampant, conveying false and improper messages to the world.
　尖閣諸島に関して不当な主張を展開する中国の攻勢が激しい。

The Japanese government should counter China's campaign by demonstrating the legitimacy of Japan's territorial claim on the islands to the international community.
　政府は、日本の領有権の正当性を国際社会に訴えて対抗すべきだ。

The newly reshuffled Cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has approved the government's basic policy over the Senkaku Islands, which stipulated that the government will "fulfill its duties of defending the nation's land and territorial waters, including isolated islands, in accordance with international law."
　野田内閣は改造に合わせ、「離島を含む領土・領海を守る責務を国際法に則(のっと)って果たす」との基本方針を閣議決定した。

The government should redouble its efforts to tell the world that the Senkaku Islands are an integral part of Japan's territory.
尖閣諸島が日本固有の領土であることを一層アピールしなければならない。

This is necessary to cope with China's tactics over the islands--on top of flexing its muscles by sending surveillance ships to the waters around the islands, it has also been striving to control the direction of international public opinion. China has launched a propaganda campaign against Japan in the United States and Europe, such as by running ads in major U.S. newspapers claiming that the islands "belong to China."
　中国が、監視船を尖閣諸島周辺海域に送り込んで示威行動を続けるだけでなく、「情報戦」にも力を入れているからだ。例えば、尖閣諸島は「中国のものだ」との広告を米主要紙に掲載するなど、欧米での宣伝工作に乗り出した。

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Don't let China get the upper hand

Japan has maintained a consistent stance over the issue that "there is no territorial dispute over the islands" based on the facts that the nation's territorial rights over the islands have already been established under international law and Japan has effective control over the islands.
　政府は尖閣諸島について、国際法上、日本の領有権は確立し、実効支配もしていることから、「領土問題は一切存在しない」との立場を一貫して取っている。

Of course, there is no need for the government to change this policy, but if the nation continues ignoring China's claims, those claims may spread across the world. At a recent press conference, Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said, "The nation's stance [over the islands] will remain unchanged, but we need to present our stance to the international community in an easy-to-understand manner."
We regard Gemba's remarks as appropriate.
　無論、その立場は堅持すべきだが、超然と構えるだけでは中国の言い分が広がりかねない。玄葉外相は記者会見で「わが国の立場は変わらないが、国際社会に分かりやすく訴える必要がある」との認識を示した。もっともである。

The home page of the Foreign Ministry's website has a new banner labeled "Japan-China relations: Current situation of the Senkaku Islands," which links directly to a page explaining its view on the islands. For next fiscal year, the ministry has requested about 600 million yen for public relations, investigation and research over the nation's territorial integrity, including such work for the Senkaku Islands.
　外務省はホームページに「日中関係（尖閣諸島をめぐる情勢）」と題したバナーを新設した。来年度概算要求にも尖閣諸島を含む領土保全のための情報発信や調査研究などに約６億円計上した。

It is essential for the nation to conduct public relations activities tenaciously and with a clear strategic vision.
　粘り強く戦略的な対外広報活動を続けることが肝要である。

It is also important to swiftly respond to China's actions at diplomatic events.
　外交の場で迅速かつ適切に対処することも欠かせない。

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi recently made remarks on the Senkaku Islands at the U.N. General Assembly. He claimed that Japan "stole" the islands in 1895 at the end of the Sino-Japanese War, and forced the Chinese government to sign an unequal treaty to cede the islands.
　先の国連総会で、中国の楊潔チ(ヤンジエチー)外相は尖閣諸島について、「１８９５年、日本は日清戦争の末期に盗み取り、不平等条約で割譲させた」と訴えた。

Yang's remarks were a distortion of historical facts. It was totally appropriate for Kazuo Kodama, Japan's deputy U.N. ambassador, to exercise Japan's right to reply in General Assembly debate.
　歴史的事実を歪曲(わいきょく)した発言であり、日本の児玉和夫国連次席大使が直ちに反論したのは当然だ。

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China's claims distort history

Based on international law, the Japanese government incorporated the Senkaku Islands into Japan's territory in January 1895 after confirming that the islands were not under Chinese control. The islands were thus clearly Japanese territory when the two nations signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which ended the Sino-Japanese War, in April that year. Kodama explained the facts to the assembly and concluded that China's claims were untenable.
　日本は９５年１月、国際法に沿って、尖閣諸島に中国の支配が及んでいないことを確認し、領土に編入した。この手続きは、日清戦争を終結させた同年４月の下関条約の調印前であり、「中国の主張は成り立たない」と強調した。

It was only since the 1970s that the Chinese government began claiming territorial sovereignty over the islands, after the existence of an oil deposit was confirmed beneath the nearby seafloor. Before then, Beijing had never objected to Japan's possession of the Senkaku Islands. This fact clearly supports Japan's claims.
　中国が尖閣諸島の領有権を唱え始めたのは周辺海域で石油埋蔵が判明した後の１９７０年代だ。それ以前、中国は日本の尖閣領有に異議を一切唱えていない。日本の主張を補強する材料と言える。

The Chinese government has demanded that Japan admit the existence of a territorial dispute over the islands and settle it through dialogue.
　中国は日本に対し、領土問題の存在を認め、「対話を通した問題解決」をするよう迫っている。

It is important for Japan to have discussions with China to improve the strained relations with the country. However, efforts to advance discussions must never undermine Japan's stance over sovereignty.
　日中関係改善のための協議は大切だが、主権に関する日本の立場が揺らいではならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 3, 2012)
（2012年10月3日01時17分  読売新聞）