中国機領空侵犯 自衛隊への挑発が過ぎないか

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 19, 2012)
China's provocative acts are beyond the pale
中国機領空侵犯　自衛隊への挑発が過ぎないか（12月18日付・読売社説）

How should Japan deal with a China that has repeatedly engaged in brazen provocations both on the sea and in the air near the Senkaku Islands? This is one of the most serious tasks facing the administration of incoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
　海だけでなく、空からも尖閣諸島周辺で示威活動を繰り返す中国とどう向き合うか。
　「安倍政権」にとって、最も重い課題の一つである。

A propeller-driven airplane belonging to China's State Oceanic Administration on Thursday intruded into Japanese airspace near the Senkaku Islands and flew near the islands for about half an hour. It marks the first time a Chinese aircraft has ever intruded into Japanese airspace.
　中国国家海洋局に所属するプロペラ航空機が１３日、日本の領空に侵入し、尖閣諸島周辺の上空を約３０分間飛行した。中国機による領空侵犯は初めてだ。

The Chinese government tried to explain the act away by calling it "a three-dimensional patrol both on the water and in the air." But it was probably an intentionally provocative act conducted amid Japan's election campaign for the House of Representatives.
　中国政府は「海と空からの立体パトロール」と強弁しているが、衆院選の最中を狙った意図的な挑発行為だろう。

Thursday marked the 75th anniversary of the Nanjing Incident perpetrated by the Imperial Japanese Army. The air intrusion may also have been intended to respond to anti-Japan sentiments in China.
１３日は旧日本軍による南京事件７５年に当たっていた。国内の反日感情に呼応する目的もあったのかもしれない。

The government lodged a strong protest with China. Washington, acting in concert with Tokyo, also conveyed its concern. When the gravity of the issue is taken into consideration, these are appropriate responses. The Japanese government, in cooperation with other countries, must call on China to exercise self-restraint.
　政府は中国に厳重抗議した。米国も日本に同調し、懸念を伝えた。問題の重大性を踏まえれば当然の対応だ。政府は各国と連携し、中国に自制を求めねばならない。

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A higher level of hazard

The potential danger posed by an intrusive act differs greatly between those in the air and on the water.
　空と海とは、その危険度が全く異なる。

When a Chinese government vessel intrudes into Japanese waters, the Japan Coast Guard takes action, while the Maritime Self-Defense Force does not come to the fore.
領海侵入した中国政府船には海上保安庁が対応し、海上自衛隊が前面に出ることはない。

When there is an intrusion into the nation's airspace, however, the Air Self-Defense Force scrambles fighters to patrol and issue warnings.
　これに対し、領空侵犯が起きた場合は、航空自衛隊の戦闘機が緊急発進（スクランブル）し、監視や警告を行うことになる。

International law does not allow aircraft to fly into the territorial airspace of a foreign country without permission. A country thus intruded upon can take measures to exclude the intruding airplane to protect its sovereignty.
　国際法は、航空機が無許可で外国の領空を飛行することを認めていない。各国とも、主権侵害として、排除措置を取れる。

The ASDF scrambled 156 times against seemingly imminent intrusions by Chinese airplanes into Japanese airspace in fiscal 2011, a record high in the past decade. In the first half of this fiscal year alone, the ASDF scrambled 69 times.
　空自は昨年度、領空侵犯の恐れがある中国機に対し、１５６回のスクランブルを実施した。この１０年間で最も多かった。今年度前半も６９回に達している。

Should any unexpected incident occur between an ASDF aircraft and an intruding Chinese airplane, it could escalate, in a worst-case scenario, into a military conflict between the two countries.
　仮に、領空侵犯した中国機との間で不測の事故が起きれば、最悪の場合、日中間の軍事的対立に発展しかねない。

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A troubling radar blind spot

In response to Thursday's intrusion into Japanese airspace, the ASDF scrambled fighter jets but failed to arrive at the spot promptly enough and to fully track the intrusion of the Chinese airplane. As there is no radar site near the Senkaku Islands, the ASDF failed to detect the Chinese aircraft, which was believed to have flown low over the waters close to the islands, early enough.
　今回の領空侵犯に対し、空自機がスクランブルしたものの、現場への到着が遅れ、中国機の飛行を確認することに失敗した。尖閣諸島近くにレーダーサイトがなく、低空飛行で接近したと見られる中国機に気づかなかった。

It is a matter of urgency to reinforce the SDF's warning and patrol system against Chinese aircraft. The ASDF needs to fill in this blind spot in its radar network by deploying more E-2C early-warning aircraft and airborne warning and control system (AWACS) planes to the Nansei Islands.
　中国機に対する自衛隊の警戒監視体制の強化は急務だ。空自は、早期警戒機Ｅ２Ｃや空中警戒管制機（ＡＷＡＣＳ）を南西諸島に派遣する機会を増やし、レーダー網の死角を埋める必要がある。

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has released a paper on China's foreign policy, in which he emphasized that China "will fight with Japan resolutely" against the Japanese government's nationalization of part of the Senkaku Islands.
　中国の楊潔チ外相は外交政策に関する論文を発表し、日本による尖閣諸島国有化に対し「断固、日本と闘争を行う」と強調した。

A Chinese official in charge of diplomatic authorities, who are supposed to function as a window for communication and negotiation with other countries, has taken a hard-line stance. This only hinders a level-headed bilateral dialogue, making it difficult to bring the issue under control.
　協議の窓口となるべき外交当局の責任者が強硬姿勢を取ることが、冷静な２国間対話を妨げ、事態の沈静化を困難にしている。

China must become aware that its self-centered behavior is certainly damaging its international reputation.
　中国は、身勝手な自己主張が自国の国際的評価を確実に損なっていることを自覚すべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 18, 2012)
（2012年12月18日01時22分  読売新聞）