閣僚の靖国参拝 外交問題化は避けるべきだ

The Yomiuri Shimbun April 25, 2013
Don't let ministers' Yasukuni visits become thorn in diplomatic relations
閣僚の靖国参拝　外交問題化は避けるべきだ（4月24日付・読売社説）

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung Se's response must have been unexpected for the Japanese government.
　日本政府には予想外の反応だった、ということではないか。

Yun canceled a trip to Japan that was scheduled for Friday and Saturday. This was a protest against visits by three Cabinet ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. The South Korean Foreign Ministry says the Shinto shrine "glorifies Japan's wars of aggression."
　韓国の尹炳世外相が、２６、２７日に予定されていた日本訪問を中止した。麻生副総理ら閣僚３人の靖国神社参拝に対し、「侵略戦争の美化」と反発したためだ。

A trilateral meeting between leaders from Japan, China and South Korea, which was originally scheduled for late May, will likely be postponed due to China's unwillingness to participate. South Korea, chair of the meeting, intended for Yun's visit to help create an environment conducive to holding the talks.
　尹外相の来日は、５月下旬の日中韓首脳会談が中国の消極的姿勢で見送られる見通しとなる中で、議長国として会談開催の環境整備を図ろうとしたものだった。

Yun's visit also was expected to provide a golden opportunity for Japan and South Korea to continue their close cooperation in dealing with North Korea's nuclear and missile issues, over which tensions have recently risen. It was also designed to improve the bilateral relationship under South Korean President Park Geun Hye, after ties became strained due to such factors as former President Lee Myung Bak's visit to the Takeshima islands last year.
　緊張の高まる北朝鮮の核・ミサイル問題での日韓連携に加え、李明博前大統領の竹島訪問などで悪化した日韓関係を朴槿恵大統領の下で改善する機会でもあった。

All this makes the cancellation of Yun's visit to Japan very regrettable.
　それだけに、尹外相の来日中止は残念である。

Nagging questions remain about South Korea's diplomatic approach. Although then South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun canceled a visit to Japan in protest after Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited the shrine, Seoul has never made Yasukuni visits by Cabinet ministers a diplomatic issue to such a serious degree before.
　韓国の外交姿勢には疑問が残る。従来、小泉首相の靖国参拝に反発して盧武鉉大統領が訪日を見合わせたことはあっても、閣僚の靖国参拝をここまで外交問題にしたことはなかった。

A matter for Japanese to decide

On issues concerning the perception of history, the Japanese government said: "Each country has its own stance on different issues. We should not let these matters affect diplomatic relations." We agree entirely.
　日本政府が、歴史認識をめぐる問題について「それぞれの国にはそれぞれの立場があり、影響を外交に及ぼすべきではない」と主張するのは、その通りだ。

How Japanese mourn the war dead is not something that other countries can give orders on. Both Japan and South Korea must make efforts not to let differences in their position on this issue affect overall diplomatic relations.
　戦没者をどう追悼するかは他国に指図される問題ではない。立場の相違を外交全体に極力影響させない努力が双方に求められる。

Meanwhile, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said visits to Yasukuni Shrine are "a matter of the heart." Suga indicated that the government does not particularly regard Yasukuni visits by Cabinet ministers, including Aso, as a problem.
　一方、菅官房長官は「靖国参拝は心の問題だ」と語り、麻生氏ら閣僚の参拝をことさら問題視しない考えを示している。

Ties have been harmed

However, it cannot be denied that the Yasukuni visits by Aso and other ministers have adversely affected Tokyo-Seoul relations. In politics and diplomacy, results are always important and "a matter of the heart" should not be trotted out as an excuse. Shouldn't Aso have been more careful about visiting the shrine while he is deputy prime minister, a key Cabinet post?
　しかし、麻生氏らの靖国参拝が日韓関係に悪影響を与えたことは否定できない。政治も外交も重要なのは結果であり、「心の問題」では済まされない。麻生氏は副総理の要職にある以上、より慎重であるべきではなかったか。

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was "extremely regrettable" that he could not visit the shrine during the tenure of his first Cabinet several years ago. We hope Abe will handle government affairs with the utmost care so historical issues will not negatively affect diplomatic ties.
　首相は、かつて第１次安倍内閣時代に靖国参拝できなかったことを「痛恨の極み」と述べたが、歴史問題が外交に悪影響を与えないよう細心の注意を払って政権運営してもらいたい。

Amid the tense relationship between Japan and China over the Senkaku Islands, improving Japan-South Korea ties must be the top priority for Abe's diplomacy.
　尖閣諸島の問題で日中関係が険悪になる中、まず日韓関係を改善することは、安倍外交にとって最優先の課題であるはずだ。

The crux of the problem over Yasukuni visits is the fact that "Class-A war criminals," including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who was executed following his conviction by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, also known as the Tokyo Tribunal, are enshrined along with Japan's war dead. There has been severe criticism of the Japanese leaders who led the nation to war, not only from South Korea and China but also from Japan.
　靖国神社参拝をめぐる問題の根底には極東国際軍事裁判（東京裁判）で処刑された東条英機元首相ら「Ａ級戦犯」が合祀(ごうし)されていることがある。韓国や中国だけでなく、日本国内にも戦争を招いた指導者への厳しい批判がある。

The government should resume discussions on the construction of a new national facility where everybody can pay homage to the war dead without resentment or awkwardness.
　誰もが、わだかまりなく戦没者を追悼できる国立施設の建立に向け、政府は議論を再開することも考えるべきだろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 24, 2013)
（2013年4月24日01時38分  読売新聞）