日中首脳会談 「戦略的互恵」を再確認せよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan, China must reaffirm mutually beneficial, strategic relationship
日中首脳会談　「戦略的互恵」を再確認せよ

Japan-China relations, which have been hampered by a long standoff, are now at a critical turning point. The summit meeting between the two countries must lead to a substantial improvement in the relationship.
　対立が長期化していた日中関係の重大な転機である。実質的な関係改善につなげるべきだ。

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit, which will be held in Beijing on Monday and Tuesday. First and foremost, we wish to welcome the first top-level talks between Japan and China in almost three years.
　安倍首相と中国の習近平国家主席が、北京で１０、１１両日に開かれるアジア太平洋経済協力会議（ＡＰＥＣ）首脳会議の際に会談する見通しとなった。約３年ぶりの本格的な日中首脳会談を、まずは歓迎したい。

The Japanese and Chinese governments have released a four-point written agreement on the improvement of the bilateral relationship. The two sides confirmed that they will “continuously develop a mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests,” while agreeing to “gradually resume political, diplomatic and security dialogue” and “make efforts to build political mutual trust.”
　日中両政府は、日中関係の改善に関する４項目の合意文書を発表した。「戦略的互恵関係を引き続き発展させていく」と確認し、「政治・外交・安保対話を徐々に再開し、政治的相互信頼関係の構築に努める」ことで一致した。

Japan has conventionally sought a summit meeting with China “without preconditions,” whereas China has called on Tokyo to acknowledge the existence of a territorial issue over the Senkaku Islands as one of the conditions for a summit meeting. As a result, the two nations have been at an impasse.
　日本は従来、「前提条件なしの首脳会談」の開催を求めていたが、中国は、尖閣諸島について領土問題の存在を認めることなどを会談の条件に掲げ、対立していた。

But China might judge that the stalled political dialogue between the two countries could also determine the success of the APEC meeting, which the country will chair.
　だが、中国も、ＡＰＥＣ議長国として、日中の政治対話が途絶したままでは首脳会議の成功は難しいと判断したのだろう。

We hope that the leaders will deepen the discussion in the direction of mutual benefit from a broader perspective at the summit meeting. Needless to say, the realization of a meeting in itself represents a dramatic, favorable turn in the relationship between Japan and China. The two countries must continually make efforts to maintain regular dialogue at various levels and reach a compromise.
　両首脳は会談で、大局的見地に立ち、日中双方の利益となる方向で議論を深めてもらいたい。無論、１回の会談で日中関係が劇的に好転するわけではない。様々なレベルで対話を重ね、双方が歩み寄る努力を続けねばなるまい。

Acknowledged differences

The agreement specified that the two sides acknowledged that “different positions” exist between them over the Senkakus, an issue that has caused tensions in the East China Sea.
　合意文書は、焦点の尖閣諸島に関して、東シナ海で「緊張状態が生じていることについて異なる見解を有している」と明記した。

The existence of the “different positions” linked to tensions in the East China Sea, which was agreed upon by the two countries, does not hinder Japan’s long-held stance that “a territorial dispute does not exist.” It is quite laudable that Japan has found common ground with China on the issue, while holding firm to its own position.
　東シナ海の緊張関係について「異なる見解」があるとしたことは、「領土問題は存在しない」とする日本の従来の立場を損ねるものではない。日本の主張を堅持しつつ、中国との妥協点を見いだしたことは前向きに評価できる。

The agreement also confirmed that they will “set up a crisis management mechanism to prevent contingencies from occurring.”
　文書は「危機管理メカニズムを構築し、不測の事態の発生を回避する」ことも確認している。

The situation in the East China Sea has been dangerous, as Chinese fighter jets have repeatedly flown extraordinarily close to Self-Defense Forces planes over international waters. It is urgent that the Japanese and Chinese governments resume bilateral talks on the establishment of a maritime liaison mechanism between defense authorities of the two countries and open a hotline for that purpose.
　東シナ海は、中国軍戦闘機による自衛隊機への異常接近が繰り返されるなど、危険な状況にある。日中両政府は、防衛当局間の海上連絡メカニズム構築の協議を再開し、ホットラインなどを設置することが急務である。

China sought a definite promise from Japan that the prime minister will not visit Yasukuni Shrine, but Japan refused to accept it. The agreement only mentioned that the two sides “reached some agreement on overcoming political obstacles between them” in the spirit of “facing history squarely and looking forward to the future.”
　中国は、首相が靖国神社に参拝しない確約を求めていたが、日本は拒否していた。合意文書は「歴史を直視し、未来に向かう」精神に従い、「政治的困難を克服することで若干の認識の一致をみた」と言及するにとどめた。

While the prime minister should avoid visiting Yasukuni Shrine, there is no reason that the prime minister should make such a vow under the pressure of a foreign country. It is appropriate for the two countries to handle the problem with the intention of not affecting the overall Japan-China relationship.
　首相の靖国参拝は避けるべきだが、他国の圧力を受けて、参拝しない約束をする筋合いのものではない。この問題を日中関係全体に影響させない形で処理する方向となったことは適切である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 8, 2014)Speech