レーダー照射 中国軍は危険な挑発を慎め

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Feb. 8, 2013)
China should stop playing dangerous game over Senkakus
レーダー照射　中国軍は危険な挑発を慎め（2月7日付・読売社説）

The Chinese Army has crossed a line, taking an action against the Maritime Self-Defense Force that went beyond global military norms. We can hardly tolerate this provocative, and also extremely dangerous, action.
　軍隊の国際常識の一線を越えた、極めて危険な挑発行為である。到底看過できない。

The Japanese government recently revealed that a Chinese Navy frigate locked its fire-control radar onto an MSDF destroyer north of the Senkaku Islands on Jan. 30.
　中国軍のフリゲート艦が１月３０日、尖閣諸島北方海域で海上自衛隊の護衛艦に火器管制レーダーを照射していたことが明らかになった。

Fire-control radar is used to guide hostile fire--such as missiles--toward a target. Locking the radar onto a target is regarded as tantamount to an attack. Another step in the wrong direction could lead to a military clash.
　レーダー照射は、ミサイルなどで攻撃する標的に照準を合わせるもので、武器使用に準ずる行為である。一歩間違えば、軍事衝突に発展しかねない。

China has repeatedly provoked Japan on a number of occasions, such as having its ship-based helicopters approach MSDF vessels at extremely close range and sending airplanes from its State Oceanic Administration to intrude into Japanese territory. However, China's latest provocations rise to a new level of outrage.
　中国は従来、艦載ヘリコプターによる海自艦船への異常接近や、国家海洋局の航空機による領空侵犯などの挑発を繰り返してきたが、今回は度を越している。

It was totally appropriate for the Japanese government to reveal the radar incident to the public and lodge a protest with China. "We will urge China to restrain its actions and prevent similar actions from recurring," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said.
　政府がレーダー照射を公表し、中国に抗議したのは当然だ。安倍首相も「中国側に再発を防止するよう自制を求める」と語った。

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Global concerns raised

China's high-handed behavior against its neighbors over the East China Sea and the South China Sea has been a concern of Asian countries for some time, but now it has become a common concern of the global community.
　中国の東シナ海や南シナ海での周辺国に対する強圧的な行動は今や、アジアだけでなく、国際社会共通の懸案となっている。

Japan should strengthen its cooperation with the United States and countries in Southeast Asia and urge China to rectify its problematic behavior. At the same time, it is important for the government to respond calmly to the matter to keep the situation from escalating further.
　日本は、米国や東南アジア各国との連携を強め、中国に問題行動の是正を促すべきだ。一方で、冷静に対応し、事態がエスカレートするのを避けることが重要だ。

The government must also realize that tensions with China in areas around the Senkaku Islands have ratcheted up to an even more dangerous level. The SDF will be required to cooperate more closely with U.S. forces and the Japan Coast Guard to reinforce preparedness for any contingency in the area.
　尖閣諸島周辺の日中の緊張関係がより危険な段階に入ったと覚悟する必要もある。自衛隊は、米軍や海上保安庁と密接に協力して、不測の事態への警戒体制を強化しなければなるまい。

During a party meeting held Jan. 28, Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping rejected the possibility of making any compromise on the nation's "core interests, sovereignty, security and development interests."
　中国共産党の習近平総書記は１月２８日の会議で、「核心的利益や主権、安全、発展的利益」の問題で譲歩する可能性を否定した。

However, experts are divided on whether Xi knew about the Chinese frigate's action beforehand or some military officers made the radar decision on their own initiative.
　ただ、今回の挑発行為まで容認していたのか、あるいは軍の一部の独断で行われたかについて、専門家の見方は分かれている。

China's Foreign Affairs Ministry said it will confirm the facts of the incident. Having said so, the ministry has a responsibility to thoroughly investigate the incident and reveal the results to the public. It must not try to set the matter aside without clarifying the whole picture.
　中国外務省は「事実関係を確認する」と言う以上、きちんと調査し、結果を公表する責任がある。あいまいな決着は許されない。

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Rise of 'China threat theory'

During his meeting with New Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi on Jan. 25, Xi stressed the importance of dialogue between the two countries. However, after the talks, China perpetrated both the radar incident and a 14-hour intrusion into Japanese waters by a marine surveillance ship--the longest intrusion ever. The incidents present serious problems.
　習総書記は１月２５日の山口公明党代表との会談で、日中対話の重要性を強調した。ところが、中国がその後、今回の行為や、過去最長の１４時間に及ぶ海洋監視船の領海侵犯を起こしたのは問題だ。

Before leaving office, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton clearly stated she opposes China's strong-arm actions aimed at changing the current status of the Senkaku Islands. On Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland expressed concern over China's latest provocative action.
　中国が実力で尖閣諸島の現状変更を図る動きに対し、クリントン前米国務長官は「反対」を明言した。米国務省報道官は今回の挑発に「懸念」を表明している。

It is likely that countries concerned about China's territorial claims will raise their level of caution against the nation due to the radar incident. It will also likely accelerate the rise of a "China threat theory."
　関係国は今後、中国に対する警戒感を一層強めるし、中国脅威論の高まりにも拍車がかかろう。

If the Chinese leadership wants to avoid such situations, it should issue clear instructions to its military to contain itself and refrain from provocative behavior.
　中国指導部がそうした事態を回避したいと考えるのなら、軍に対し、挑発行為を自制するよう明確に指示すべきである。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 7, 2013)
（2013年2月7日01時17分  読売新聞）