北ミサイル予告 発射阻止へ国際連携の強化を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 5, 2012)
Multilateral cooperation needed to stop missile launch
北ミサイル予告　発射阻止へ国際連携の強化を（12月4日付・読売社説）

North Korea recently announced it would launch a long-range ballistic missile between Monday and Dec. 22 under the guise of sending a "satellite" into orbit.
　北朝鮮が「人工衛星打ち上げ」と称して、長距離弾道ミサイルを１０日から２２日の間に発射すると予告した。

However hard Pyongyang insists that its plan is to launch a satellite for peaceful purposes, the mechanism used to launch a missile is the same as that used to launch a satellite. It is a clear violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution prohibiting North Korea from conducting nuclear tests and "any launch using ballistic missile technology."
　いくら平和目的の衛星打ち上げと強弁しようとも、原理は弾道ミサイル発射と変わらない。「核実験や、弾道ミサイルの技術を使ったいかなる発射も」禁じた国連安全保障理事会の決議への違反は明らかである。

This is a serious provocation to the international community.
　国際社会への重大な挑戦だ。

After North Korea launched its last missile in April, the Security Council adopted a presidential statement expressing the council's "determination to take action accordingly" if the country launched another missile or conducted a nuclear test.
　前回４月の発射後、安保理は議長声明を採択し、北朝鮮が新たな発射や核実験を行えば、「相応の行動をとる決意」を表明した。

We urge the Security Council to take decisive action over North Korea's reckless plan, which openly ignores the warnings of the international community.
　警告を公然と無視する暴挙に安保理は敢然と対処すべきだ。

Pyongyang said the new missile launch is being conducted on the instructions of Kim Jong Il, who died in December 2011.
　北朝鮮は今回の発射を、昨年１２月に死去した金正日総書記の「遺訓」としている。

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North Korea's intentions

The missile launch is believed to be part of North Korea's program to strengthen the country's nuclear deterrence capability--initiated by Kim--through the development of nuclear programs, extending the range of ballistic missiles and improving their accuracy. We assume the administration of Kim Jong Un, Kim Jong Il's successor, also is trying to cement its authority.
　核兵器開発と弾道ミサイルの射程延伸や精度向上によって、金総書記が推進した核抑止力の強化を図るのが目的だ。後継の金正恩体制が自らの求心力を高めたいとの計算もあろう。

Japan's House of Representatives election and South Korea's presidential election will be held during the period the missile is scheduled to be launched. In recent months, U.S. President Barack Obama has been reelected and China's Xi Jinping took over the reins of the Communist Party.
　北朝鮮が設定した発射予告期間は、日本の衆院選や韓国の大統領選と重なる。オバマ米大統領が再選を果たし、中国の習近平体制が発足した直後でもある。

The fact that Pyongyang has timed the launch to coincide with a period when these nations face difficulty in coordinating policies against its actions indicates North Korea aims to learn how each country will react.
　各国政府間の対北朝鮮政策を巡る調整が難しい時期を選んだところに、各国の出方を探ろうとする北朝鮮の意図がうかがえる。

Although North Korea apparently is trying to undermine the international alliance against the country, the international community should not allow North Korea the slightest chance of success. Countries concerned, such as Japan, the United States, South Korea, China and Russia, should join hands to pressure North Korea to cancel the missile launch.
　国際包囲網の無力化を狙う北朝鮮に隙を見せてはならない。日米韓や中露など関係国は連携し、発射阻止を強く迫るべきだ。

North Korea says it has studied the reasons why the launch in April failed and has succeeded in improving the reliability of the missile it plans to launch this month. There is speculation that Iran and other countries have provided technological assistance.
　今回の発射に際し北朝鮮は、４月の失敗の原因を分析し、「信頼性を高めた」としている。イランなどとの技術協力の可能性も取り沙汰されている。

This suggests U.N. sanctions have not been implemented thoroughly and lack substance. The Security Council's sanctions on North Korea included an embargo on exports by other countries of materials related to nuclear weapons and missiles, as well as luxury goods. It also ordered suspicious cargo to be inspected.
　核・ミサイル関連物資や贅沢(ぜいたく)品の禁輸と、疑わしい貨物の検査を実施するという安保理の制裁が徹底されず、実効性を欠いていることを示唆するものだろう。

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Learn lessons from April launch

China especially has a heavy responsibility for North Korea's actions, as a permanent member of the Security Council, a neighbor and its largest trading partner.
　特に北朝鮮の最大の貿易相手国で国境を接する中国は安保理常任理事国として重い責任がある。

It was appropriate for the Japanese government to have taken concrete measures against the missile launch immediately after North Korea's announcement.
　北朝鮮の発射予告に、日本政府が直ちに具体的な対応策をまとめたのは当然である。

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has decided to postpone intergovernment talks with North Korea, which were scheduled to begin Wednesday. Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto has ordered Self-Defense Forces to prepare its missile defense system to shoot down the North Korean missile. The government plans to host a meeting of the nation's Security Council this week and issue an order to destroy the missile if it strays over Japanese territory.
　野田首相は５日からの北朝鮮との政府間協議の延期を決め、森本防衛相は、ミサイル防衛システムによる迎撃態勢の準備へ「破壊措置準備命令」を自衛隊に発令した。週内には安全保障会議を開き、破壊措置命令を出す予定だ。

When Pyongyang launched its missile in April, the government displayed remarkable confusion in confirming information on the launch. We urge the government to learn from this bitter lesson and make a wholehearted effort to pass along information collected by the early warning system.
　４月の発射の際は、情報確認を巡る政府の混乱が目立った。その教訓を生かし、早期警戒情報の周知に万全を期してもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 4, 2012)
（2012年12月4日01時43分  読売新聞）