集団的自衛権 安全保障法制を総点検したい

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Feb. 10, 2013)
Legal basis for national security must be thoroughly reviewed
集団的自衛権　安全保障法制を総点検したい（2月9日付・読売社説）

When formulating national security policy, it is vital to first think about what should be done, not just what can be done under the current Constitution and laws.
　安全保障政策の立案では、「現行の憲法や法律で何ができるか」にとらわれるだけでなく、「何をすべきか」を優先する発想が肝要だ。

A government advisory panel discussing reconstruction of the legal basis for national security has submitted a report to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has proposed allowing the nation to exercise its right to collective self-defense.
　政府の「安全保障の法的基盤の再構築に関する懇談会」が、集団的自衛権の行使容認を提言する報告書を安倍首相に提出した。

The panel, which was set up by the first Abe administration, compiled the report in June 2008 after Abe left office, and specifics were never worked out. This is a second opportunity for Abe to take up the issue.
　第１次安倍内閣が設置した懇談会は、首相退陣後の２００８年６月に報告書をまとめたが、具体化されなかった。安倍首相にとっては今回が「再チャレンジ」だ。

The report is significant in terms of ensuring Japan's security. We want Abe to use it to pave the way for comprehensive legal arrangements.
　日本の安全確保に画期的な意義を持つ報告書であり、本格的な法整備につなげてもらいたい。

The report calls for Japan's exercise of the right to collective self-defense, enabling the nation to counterattack if, for example, U.S. Navy vessels are attacked during joint military drills or if ballistic missiles are fired at the Untied States.
　報告書は、共同訓練中の米軍艦船が攻撃された際や、米国へ弾道ミサイルが発射された際、日本が集団的自衛権を行使し、反撃・迎撃を可能にするよう求めた。

For international peacekeeping operations, the report proposes that the Self-Defense Forces be allowed to use force to defend other countries' troops who come under attack nearby.
　国際平和活動では、近くの他国軍が攻撃された際の「駆けつけ警護」を自衛隊が行えるようにする。

It also seeks a review of the government's current interpretation that logistical support for other countries' militaries constitutes a breach of the Constitution, as such an act is regarded as an integrated part of the use of force by the countries that receive the support.
「武力行使と一体化」する他国軍への後方支援は憲法違反とする政府解釈も見直すとしている。

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Govt's interpretation bizarre

If Japan refrains from protecting U.S. Navy vessels and intercepting missiles launched against the United States based on the bizarre constitutional interpretation that Japan has the right to collective self-defense but is not allowed to exercise it, the Japan-U.S. alliance will collapse.
　「集団的自衛権を持つが、行使できない」との奇妙な政府の憲法解釈を理由に、日本が米艦防護やミサイル迎撃を見送れば、日米同盟は崩壊する。

The current situation, in which only SDF members are excessively bound by legal restrictions during international peacekeeping missions, should be improved swiftly.
国際平和活動で自衛隊だけが過剰に法的制約を受ける現状も早急に改善すべきだ。

The report also calls for actions such as Cabinet approval of a basic security policy and measures to avoid abuse of the right to collective self-defense, including establishing related laws. The content of the report appears good enough to obtain understanding both at home and abroad.
　報告書は、基本方針の閣議決定、関連法整備などの歯止め措置も提案している。国内外の理解が得られる内容と言える。

Of course, it is no easy task to establish related laws under the divided Diet, in which the ruling camp controls the House of Representatives while opposition parties hold a majority in the House of Councillors. Even New Komeito, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's junior coalition partner, and the Cabinet Legislation Bureau are cautious about a review of the current constitutional interpretation.
　無論、衆参ねじれ国会の下、関連法整備は簡単ではない。公明党や内閣法制局も憲法解釈の見直しには慎重だ。

It is inevitable that specifics of the report will be worked out after this summer's upper house election. However, it is important for the government and ruling parties to discuss the issue thoroughly in advance.
報告書の具体化が夏の参院選後になるのはやむを得ないが、まず政府・与党内でしっかり議論しておくことが大切だ。

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Narrow legal gap

Meanwhile, Abe has asked the advisory panel to look into security issues that could require legal arrangements, with the exception of four cases already examined by the panel. We view this as an appropriate call to respond to Japan's deteriorated security environment, nearly five years after the report was compiled.
　安倍首相は、報告書で結論が出た４類型以外に、法整備が必要となる安全保障の課題についても検討するよう懇談会に要請した。報告書策定から５年近く経過し、より悪化した日本の安全保障環境に対応するには、適切な判断だ。

Near the Senkaku Islands, the Chinese military has continued provocative acts. It is a high priority for the government to task the SDF with a new territorial defense mission and address such issues as the use of force to narrow the legal gap between the right to policing an area and the right to self-defense.
　尖閣諸島周辺では中国軍の挑発・示威活動が続いている。自衛隊に「領域警備」の新任務を付与し、武器使用のあり方を含め、警察権と自衛権の法律の隙間を埋める作業は優先度が高い。

We also urge the government to consider expanding those protected by Japan's collective self-defense to include not only U.S. military vessels nearby but also those operating in distant waters and U.S. military aircraft.
　集団的自衛権の問題でも、防護対象を、近くにいる米軍艦船だけでなく、離れた海域で活動する艦船や、米軍の航空機などに拡大することも検討していい。

We call on the government to comprehensively examine security issues with the aim of establishing permanent laws, including a fundamental law on national security and others concerning the overseas dispatch of SDF personnel.
　安全保障基本法や自衛隊の海外派遣に関する恒久法の整備に向けて、安保課題を総点検したい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 9, 2013)
（2013年2月9日01時40分  読売新聞）