原爆忌 核軍縮を着実に前進させたい

The Yomiuri Shimbun
We must strive for steady progress in efforts for nuclear disarmament
原爆忌　核軍縮を着実に前進させたい

By transmitting to the world the real facts of being a country where atomic bombs were dropped, we should solidify a global trend of nuclear disarmament so as not to let the catastrophic consequences of such a weapon occur again.
　核による惨禍が二度と繰り返されないよう、被爆の実相を伝え、核軍縮の潮流を確かなものにしなければなるまい。

On Wednesday, Hiroshima marked the 69th anniversary of becoming a victim of an atomic bomb during the war.
　被爆地・広島が６９回目の原爆忌を迎えた。

During a ceremony to commemorate the atomic bombing, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui called for the international community to make efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons by saying, “We pledge to join forces with people the world over seeking the abolition of the absolute evil, nuclear weapons, and the realization of lasting world peace.”
　広島市の松井一実市長は平和記念式典で、「『絶対悪』である核兵器の廃絶と世界恒久平和の実現に向け、世界の人々と共に力を尽くすことを誓います」と述べ、核廃絶への努力を呼びかけた。

There are about 17,000 nuclear warheads in the world. China is building up its nuclear capability while North Korea, which is proceeding with its nuclear development program, has repeatedly conducted ballistic missile tests.
　世界には約１万７０００発の核弾頭がある。中国は核戦力を増強し、核開発を進める北朝鮮は弾道ミサイル実験を続けている。

Taking these threats into account, Japan has no option but to depend on the nuclear umbrella of the United States. Even so, it is a mission of Japan, as the sole country where atomic bombs were dropped, to testify to the world about the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons, while making incessant efforts to realize nuclear arms reduction.
　こうした脅威を踏まえれば、日本は安全保障上、米国の核の傘に依存せざるを得ない。それでも、唯一の被爆国として核兵器の非人道性を訴え、核軍縮へ不断の努力を重ねることは日本の使命だ。

The ministerial meeting of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI) hosted by Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida—attended by 12 nonnuclear nations and held in Hiroshima in April—should be recognized as part of such efforts made by Japan.
　今年４月、岸田外相の主導により、広島で開催された非核保有国１２か国による「軍縮・不拡散イニシアチブ（ＮＰＤＩ）外相会合」は、そうした取り組みの一環として評価できよう。

Realistic approaches

In the statement adopted by the Hiroshima meeting, the participating countries stressed the need for a systematic and continued reduction of all types of nuclear weapons. They also said it was important to discuss the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons.
　会合で採択された広島宣言は、すべての種類の核兵器の体系的かつ継続的な削減や、核兵器の非人道的影響に関する議論の重視などを盛り込んでいる。

Of the 12 nations, seven states including Japan, Australia, Canada and Germany depend on the U.S. nuclear umbrella. The seven countries are characterized by their realistic approaches to realizing gradual nuclear disarmament, instead of calling for an immediate ban on nuclear weapons.
　１２か国のうち、日本、豪州、カナダ、ドイツなど７か国は、米国の核の傘に依存している。核兵器の即時禁止などは求めず、漸進的な核軍縮を目指す現実的なアプローチを取っているのが特徴だ。

Nuclear-armed states such as the United States have also shown their understanding, to a certain extent, of the NPDI’s efforts.
　米国など核保有国も、ＮＰＤＩには一定の理解を示している。

In the Hiroshima statement, the participating countries also call for the world’s political leaders to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki to witness the grave consequences of such a bombing.
　広島宣言は、世界各国の指導者に広島と長崎を訪問することも呼びかけている。

U.S. President Barack Obama advocated for creating a world free from nuclear weapons in a speech in Prague five years ago. To realize progress in nuclear disarmament, it is important for the world’s leaders, including Obama, to understand the reality of being victimized by such a bombing.
　オバマ米大統領は５年前のプラハ演説で「核なき世界」を唱えた。オバマ氏ら世界の要人に被爆の現実を知ってもらうことは、核軍縮を前進させるうえで大切だ。

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy, attending the memorial ceremony for her first time, released a comment saying, “This is a day for somber reflection and a renewed commitment to building a more peaceful world.” We hope she will convey the voices raised by people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to Obama and other leaders in the United States.
　平和記念式典に初めて参列した米国のキャロライン・ケネディ駐日大使は「厳粛な思いで、より平和な世界を築くための誓いを新たにする日です」とのコメントを発表した。広島や長崎の声を大統領らに伝えてもらいたい。

Next spring in New York, there will be a Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This important international conference is held every five years to review the current state of affairs of nuclear weapons and to discuss the reduction and nonproliferation of nuclear weapons.
　来年春には、ニューヨークで核拡散防止条約（ＮＰＴ）再検討会議が開催される。核の現状を点検し、軍縮・不拡散を協議する５年に１度の重要な国際会議だ。

We hope there will be an acceleration in the discussion on nuclear disarmament at the 2015 review conference, with participating countries taking the spirit of the Hiroshima statement to heart.
　再検討会議では、広島宣言の精神を踏まえ、核軍縮の議論を加速させたい。

It is important for Japan, in solidarity with other NPDI member countries, to tenaciously call for a ban on nuclear tests and on the reduction of nuclear weapons.
日本は、他のＮＰＤＩ参加国などと連携し、核実験の禁止や核兵器の削減などを粘り強く訴えていくことが重要である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 7, 2014)