安倍外交 日米「基軸」で隣国関係改善を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 29, 2012)
Use pact with U.S. as linchpin to improve ties with neighbors
安倍外交　日米「基軸」で隣国関係改善を（12月28日付・読売社説）

　◆同盟強化へ防衛指針を改定せよ◆

A little more than three years of administration by the Democratic Party of Japan has knocked Japan's diplomacy into a serious tailspin. How can it get back on course?
　３年余の民主党政権下で大きく後退した日本外交をどう立て直すのか。

This is a task of great importance that the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe must address with everything in its power.
　安倍内閣が全力で取り組むべき重要課題だ。

Abe is scheduled to make a trip to the United States as early as January to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama. The prime minister's visit to Washington appears in line with Abe's belief that strengthening the alliance between Japan and the United States should be the first step toward reconstructing relations with its neighbors, such as China and South Korea.
　安倍首相は来月中にも米国を訪問し、オバマ大統領と会談する。日米同盟の強化が、中国、韓国など近隣国との関係を再構築する第一歩と考えるからだ。

Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama threw the issue of relocating functions of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture off course, causing confusion and disruption in Japan-U.S. ties.
　鳩山元首相が米軍普天間飛行場の移設問題を迷走させ、日米同盟を混乱させた。

As though availing themselves of the mix-up, China, South Korea and Russia have each tried to knock Japan off balance over territorial problems.
その間隙(かんげき)を突くように、中国、韓国、ロシアが領土問題で日本を揺さぶった――。

Such is the common perception among people concerned with diplomatic issues regarding Japan's foreign policy situation.
多くの外交関係者の共通理解だ。

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Create a road map for security
　◆安保課題の工程表作れ◆

The problem is how to hammer out and implement specific measures for beefing up the Japan-U.S. alliance.
　問題は、日米同盟を強化する具体策である。

In its platform for the latest House of Representatives election, the Liberal Democratic Party incorporated such pledges as enabling Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense and again revising the Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation Guidelines.
自民党は衆院選の政権公約に、集団的自衛権の行使容認や防衛協力指針（ガイドライン）再改定などを盛り込んだ。

Both are tasks of key significance that the Abe administration must accomplish. Setting an order of priority for steadily tackling them will help to resolidify the Tokyo-Washington alliance.
　いずれも実現すべき安全保障の課題である。一つひとつに優先順位をつけ、着実に取り組むことが同盟関係をより強固にしよう。

Expansion of the defense budget, which has been shrinking for 10 consecutive years, is a matter of urgency. The Abe Cabinet should take this into account in compiling a state budget for fiscal 2013.
　１０年連続で減少している防衛費の拡充は急務だ。来年度予算編成で考慮する必要がある。

Regarding the planned defense guideline revision for bolstering cooperation between the Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military, bilateral consultations should be started at an early date to jointly study specifics.
　自衛隊と米軍の防衛協力を強化するガイドライン再改定についても、日米協議を早期に開始し、具体的な検討に入りたい。

Under the divided Diet, in which the ruling coalition controls the lower house but lacks a majority in the House of Councillors, it will be hard for the government to pass the set of bills Abe envisions to create a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council.
　衆参ねじれ国会の下、首相が創設に意欲を見せる国家安全保障会議（日本版ＮＳＣ）の関連法案の成立は簡単ではない。

However, given that the opposition DPJ also has an idea similar to Abe's, the government would be well advised to call for joint consultations on the matter between the ruling and opposition blocs.
だが、民主党も同様の構想を持つ。与野党協議を呼びかけてはどうか。

But when it comes to solving the collective self-defense right issue, it will be difficult to bridge the gaps in views between the LDP, its coalition partner New Komeito and the Cabinet Legislation Bureau. It would be realistic for the government to place priority first on deepening discussions within the ruling camp by setting a goal of accomplishing the task after next summer's upper house election.
　集団的自衛権の問題は、公明党や内閣法制局との調整が難関となる。来夏の参院選後の実現を目指し、まずは与党内でしっかりと議論を深めるのが現実的だろう。

When Abe visits the United States, the issue of Japan's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact will certainly be high on the agenda. To ensure Japan's national interests are not marred, the government must be determined to take part in the TPP talks as early as possible.
　安倍首相の訪米時には、環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）参加問題が重要議題となろう。日本の国益を確保するため、極力早期に交渉参加を決断すべきだ。

The Futenma problem, which has remained stalled for many years, is now heading into a crucial stretch.
　長年の懸案である普天間問題も正念場を迎えている。

Construction of an alternative facility for the Futenma Air Station can never be undertaken without permission from Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima for land reclamation required for the project.
　普天間飛行場の代替施設の建設には、沖縄県の仲井真弘多知事の埋め立て許可が不可欠だ。

It is of especially high importance for the government to obtain understanding from a wider range of local people to create an environment in which it would be easier for Nakaima--who has been calling for Futenma's "relocation outside our prefecture"--to change his mind in favor of relocating it within the prefecture.
地元関係者の理解を広げ、「県外移設」を主張する知事が翻意しやすい環境を整えることが大切である。

Relations between Japan and China have been tense ever since the government decision in September to nationalize some of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
　日中両国は、今年９月の尖閣諸島の国有化以降、険しい対立関係にある。

An abnormal situation ensued, with Chinese government surveillance ships sailing in waters close to the Senkakus day after day.
中国政府船が連日、尖閣諸島周辺で示威活動を繰り返す異常な状況が続いている。

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Seek mutual benefit with China
　◆中国と「互恵」を再構築◆

Of course, Japan should not make any concession to China on its territorial sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands. Even so, it would be seriously detrimental to the interests of both sides if the entire bilateral relationship is kept in a stalemate by this issue alone.
　無論、日本は、尖閣諸島の領有権に関しては一切の譲歩をすべきではない。ただ、この問題だけで日中関係全体が停滞することは、双方にとって大きな損失だ。

When Abe visited China six years ago, he succeeded in reaching an agreement with China to build a "mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests" by refraining from making a definitive statement on whether he had visited or would visit Yasukuni Shrine. There must be a way to achieve a breakthrough even on diplomatic issues that are difficult to solve, if they are included as part of a wider scope of negotiations.
　安倍首相は６年前の訪中で、靖国神社参拝問題に明確な結論を出さずに、「戦略的互恵関係」を目指すことで中国と一致した。解決が困難な外交問題も、より大きな交渉の一部に包含することで、打開できる道はあるはずだ。

This time, for instance, the government could make the Senkaku issue a subject for continued discussion, while it seeks a mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests. Through such an approach to negotiations, Japan can aim at reaching a comprehensive agreement with the Xi Jinping administration. The Japanese government must mobilize all of its wisdom to do so.
　今回も、例えば、尖閣問題は継続協議にしておく一方、戦略的互恵関係を追求することで習近平指導部と包括的な合意を図るなど、知恵を絞らねばならない。

For that purpose, it would be realistic for the government to shelve for the time being hard-line measures such as the "permanent stationing of government officials" on the Senkaku Islands, raised by the LDP in its list of policy measures to be studied.
　そのため、自民党が政策集の検討項目に掲げた尖閣諸島での「公務員の常駐」などの強硬策は当面、棚上げにするのが現実的だ。

"Assertive diplomacy," the slogan Abe raised on dealing with issues including territorial problems, is far better than "unassertive diplomacy." However, it will be meaningless if making assertions becomes an end unto itself.
　安倍首相が領土問題などで掲げる「主張する外交」は、「主張しない外交」と比べれば、はるかに良いが、主張すること自体が目的化しては意味がない。

What the new administration should aim at is a "diplomacy that produces achievements" through both hard and soft measures, sometimes seeking ways to solve problems in a levelheaded manner.
　目指すべきは、時には静かに解決策を模索するなど、硬軟両様で「結果を出す外交」である。

The government must also hasten improvements of relations with South Korea.
　韓国との関係の改善も、急がなければならない。

The change in administration from President Lee Myung Bak, who defiantly set foot on the Takeshima islands, which are Japanese territory, to Park Geun Hye is a good chance to improve bilateral ties. We think it is quite appropriate that Abe is thinking about sending a special envoy to Park.
　竹島訪問を強行した李明博大統領から朴槿恵氏への交代は、その好機である。安倍首相が特使の派遣を検討しているのは妥当だ。

To effectively face North Korea, which has been continuing its nuclear weapons development program, and China, which has been pursuing the road to military superpower status, close cooperation with South Korea, in addition to the United States, is indispensable.
　核開発を進める北朝鮮や、軍事大国化する中国に効果的に向き合うには、米国に加え、韓国との緊密な連携が欠かせない。

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Seek progress on abduction issue
　◆新政権で「拉致」進展を◆

Concerning Japan's relations with North Korea, scheduled bureau chief-level talks were postponed due to the North's ballistic missile launch this month.
　日朝関係は、今月の北朝鮮の弾道ミサイル発射で、予定されていた局長級協議が延期された。

To end the deadlock over the problem of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea, it is essential for the government to convince North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the first secretary of the country's Workers' Party of Korea, that Japan is a country worth negotiating with.
　膠着(こうちゃく)状態にある日本人拉致問題の前進には、日本が交渉に値する相手だと北朝鮮の金正恩第１書記に確信させることが不可欠だ。

With the opportunity presented by the transition from the DPJ-led administration, which had produced various kinds of confusion and turmoil, to the Abe administration, the government must strengthen its calls on North Korea along with a "dialogue and pressure" approach.
　混乱が続いた民主党政権から安倍政権への移行を契機に、「対話と圧力」路線に沿って北朝鮮への働きかけを強めねばならない。

In relations with Russia, the government intends to dispatch former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who has close relations with President Vladimir Putin, to Russia around February, with an eye toward Abe's visit to the country later on.
　ロシアについて政府は、来年２月ごろにプーチン大統領と親しい森元首相を派遣し、その後の安倍首相の訪露につなげる考えだ。

Putin places importance on relations with Japan and has a zeal to solve the northern territories issue. It is important for Japan to advance both the territorial issue and cooperation on energy through repeated dialogues at various levels.
　大統領は対日関係を重視し、北方領土問題の解決にも意欲を持っている。様々なレベルで対話を重ね、領土問題やエネルギー協力を進展させることが重要だ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 28, 2012)
（2012年12月28日01時30分  読売新聞）