２０１２回顧・世界 国際舞台の役者が出そろった

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 31, 2012)
World's future depends on new lineup of global leaders
２０１２回顧・世界　国際舞台の役者が出そろった（12月30日付・読売社説）

The year 2012 saw presidential elections and leadership changes in several major countries.
　２０１２年は、主要国で大統領選や指導部交代が相次いだ。

These big upheavals in international politics were also prominent in this year's top 10 overseas news events selected by Yomiuri Shimbun readers.
　読売新聞の読者が選んだ「海外１０大ニュース」にも、国際政治の大きな変化が読みとれる。

The biggest international story of 2012, as chosen by our readers, was Barack Obama's reelection as U.S. president.
　１位は、「米大統領選でオバマ氏が再選」だった。

Although the world is said to be heading toward an era of multipolarization, the United States' economic strength and unmatched military might ensure it remains the world's most influential superpower.
　多極化が進む世界とはいえ、経済力、軍事力で群を抜く米国は、依然として最も影響力がある超大国だ。

A string of preelection debates between Obama of the Democratic Party and Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate, were closely watched by people around the world.
民主党のオバマ大統領と共和党のロムニー候補の論戦は、世界中が注目した。

The Obama administration's top priority is keeping the U.S. economic recovery on track while rebuilding deficit-ridden government finances.
　オバマ政権の最優先課題は、景気対策と財政再建の両立である。

During his first term, Obama hammered out a diplomatic strategy that placed greater emphasis on Asia. This will significantly shape the future of Japan-U.S. relations.
１期目で打ち出したアジア重視の外交戦略は、今後の日米関係を方向づけるだろう。

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Little good news on China

Taking second place in Yomiuri readers' lineup of overseas stories was the change in the top echelons of the Chinese Communist Party.
　２位は、中国共産党のトップ交代だ。

Xi Jinping has been selected as the party's general secretary.
総書記に習近平氏が選出された。

The Japanese public's interest in the Chinese leadership reached new heights, undoubtedly because China has been ramping up pressure on Japan over the sovereignty of the Senkaku Islands.
中国指導部への関心がかつてなく強いのは、尖閣諸島をめぐり、中国が日本に露骨な圧力を加えているからにほかならない。

Some protests that erupted in cities in China against the Japanese government's decision to nationalize some of the Senkakus turned violent, and some Japanese companies operating there suffered heavy financial and physical damage. Despite 2012 marking the 40th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral diplomatic ties, there were few bright spots in Tokyo-Beijing relations.
　日本の尖閣諸島国有化に抗議するデモが暴徒化し、日本企業に大きな損害を与えるなど、国交樹立４０周年の日中関係に明るいニュースは乏しかった。

In Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency, a story that ranked sixth among our readers. Putin has committed to bolstering Russia's national strength by beefing up economic relations with nations in Asia.
　ロシアではプーチン首相が大統領の座に返り咲いた（６位）。アジアとの経済関係を強化し、国力向上を図ろうとしている。

Near the end of 2012, Park Geun Hye won South Korea's presidential election. This ranked 20th in the list of overseas events. We will closely watch how Park, South Korea's first female president, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe try to improve Tokyo-Seoul relations.
　年末の韓国大統領選（２０位）で、朴槿恵氏が当選した。初の女性大統領と安倍首相が、日韓関係をどう改善するかを注視したい。

These new leaders are now free from the stifling pressure of their election races. We urge them to address a range of problems next year without being excessively focused on domestic affairs, and deepen international cooperation.
　「指導者選び」の重圧を経た各国首脳には来年、内向きな発想を脱して諸課題に取り組み、国際協調を深めてもらいたい。

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North Korea's isolation deepens

In North Korea, Kim Jong Un, the third son of Kim Jong Il, the general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea who died late last year, took the post of first secretary of the ruling party. Our readers chose this as the third-biggest international story of 2012. In an apparent bid to solidify the power base of the third-generation leader's regime, North Korea defiantly fired missiles in April and December.
　北朝鮮では、昨年死去した金正日総書記の後継として三男正恩氏が、朝鮮労働党第１書記に就任した（３位）。３代世襲の新体制を固めるように、４月と１２月にミサイル発射を強行した。

It is a cause of strong concern that North Korea has further isolated itself from the international community.
　北朝鮮が、国際的孤立を深めているのは大きな懸念材料だ。

By contrast, Myanmar President Thein Sein has pushed ahead with a democratization process and repaired relations with the global community. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's victory in a parliamentary by-election, which ranked fifth in the Yomiuri readers' selection, is symbolic of this change.
　ミャンマーは対照的に、テイン・セイン大統領が民主化を進め、国際社会との関係を修復した。野党指導者アウン・サン・スー・チー氏が議会補選で当選した（５位）のは象徴的だ。

In Europe, there was happy news such as Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's 60th jubilee, which ranked fourth, mixed with gloomy developments such as Europe's fiscal and financial crises worsening to the extent that Spain had to request financial assistance from the eurozone, which ranked 10th.
　欧州では、英エリザベス女王の即位６０年の祝賀行事（４位）という明るい話題の一方で、財政・金融危機が長期化し、スペインがユーロ圏に金融支援を要請した（１０位）。

Next year, all eyes will be on how Europe's economic situation unfolds.
欧州経済の動向は来年も目が離せない。

Ranking eighth was Syria's protracted civil war between the regime of President Bashar Assad and antigovernment forces.
　シリアでは、アサド政権と反体制派の間の内戦が泥沼化した（８位）。

Repercussions from the Arab Spring uprisings are still shaking the Middle East.
「アラブの春」のうねりはなおも中東を揺るがしている。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 30, 2012)
（2012年12月30日01時17分  読売新聞）