拉致再調査１年 対「北」圧力を戦略的に強めよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Intransigent N. Korea must be pressed to advance its probe of abductions
拉致再調査１年　対「北」圧力を戦略的に強めよ

Any further continuation of North Korea’s time-buying tactics would be intolerable. The Japanese government must push North Korea to move forward on resolving the problem of having abducted Japanese citizens, with an eye on the possibility of resurrecting and expanding sanctions against Pyongyang.
　北朝鮮のこれ以上の時間稼ぎは認められない。政府は、制裁の復活や拡大を視野に、日本人拉致問題の前進を北朝鮮に迫るべきである。

On July 4 last year, North Korea embarked on a new round of investigations into the fate of Japanese abductees. Pyongyang set the duration of the probes at about one year and committed to providing information on the progress of the investigations on an as-needed basis.
　北朝鮮は昨年７月４日、拉致被害者らの再調査を開始した。期間は１年程度とし、調査状況の随時通報も約束した。

The Japanese government, in return, lifted parts of its sanctions concerning matters such as restrictions on travel between the two countries and a ban on the entry into Japanese ports of North Korean-registered ships.
　政府は見返りに、日朝の人的往来や北朝鮮籍船舶の入港などに関する制裁の一部を解除した。

However, no information has been presented on the safety and other relevant matters regarding the abduction victims.
　しかし、いまだに被害者の安否情報などは示されていない。

Pyongyang’ behavior is extremely dishonest . The behavior tramples brazenly on the feelings of the abduction victims’ families and others concerned, who have long been seeking to have them brought back as quickly as possible.
　不誠実極まりない対応である。被害者の早期帰国を念願する家族らの感情を踏みにじるものだ。

More than three years have passed since Kim Jong Un began leading North Korea. A streak of purges and ousters of high-ranking officials of his regime and his close associates has continued, indicating Kim has still not succeeded in consolidating his power base. Views have been put forth that Kim has still come up short of creating an environment conducive to making an important political decision on the abduction problem.
　金正恩第１書記の就任から３年余が経たつ。最近も幹部や側近の粛清・更迭が続いており、体制固めはまだ不十分とされる。拉致問題で重要な政治決断をする環境にはないとの見方が出ている。

What should be done to break the impasse? The government is urged to strategically address the challenge to win concessions from Pyongyang through dialogue while increasing pressure on North Korea.
　膠着こうちゃく状態をどう打開するのか。政府には、圧力を強めつつ、対話を通じて譲歩を引き出すという戦略的な取り組みが求められる。

Should there continue to be no progress with North Korea’s investigations, the resurrection of anti-Pyongyang sanctions would be inevitable.
　調査が今後も進展しないなら、制裁の復活は避けられまい。

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, for that matter, has stressed the government has been “constantly reviewing whatever measures should be the most effective” in dealing with North Korea.
　菅官房長官は、制裁に関して、「何が最も効果的か、不断の検討を行っている」と強調する。

‘Parallel pursuit’ of 2 aims

In late June, the Liberal Democratic Party proposed to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that anti-Pyongyang sanctions, such as a ban in principle on money remittances to North Korea, be toughened. Such a proposal is one of the options the government will be able to take.
　自民党は６月下旬、北朝鮮への送金の原則禁止などの制裁強化案を安倍首相に提言した。こうした案も一つの選択肢となろう。

By accurately assessing how North Korea is going to tackle the abduction problem, Japan should take steps commensurate with Pyongyang’s action. Keeping the principle of “action for action” intact is of great importance.
　拉致問題に北朝鮮がどう対処するかを見極め、日本はそれに見合う措置を取る。「行動対行動」の原則を貫くことが重要である。

The pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), which was pressed to vacate its Tokyo headquarters after the building was put up for auction, has managed to remain in the building through indirect resales. Suspicion over the mysterious tactics can hardly be eliminated.
　在日本朝鮮人総連合会（朝鮮総連）は、競売で中央本部ビルからの退去を迫られたが、転売などを経て現状を維持している。その経緯には不可解さがぬぐえない。

In the case involving the allegedly illegal importing of a shipment of matsutake mushrooms from North Korea, the second son of the head of Chongryon has been arrested and indicted on charges of violating the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law. The law must be rigorously enforced.
　北朝鮮産マツタケの不正輸入事件では、総連議長の次男が外為法違反で逮捕、起訴されている。法執行は厳格に行われるべきだ。

It is also essential to broaden the understanding of the international community regarding Pyongyang’s wide-ranging infringements on human rights, including the abductions.
　拉致を含む北朝鮮の広範な人権侵害について、国際社会の理解を広げる努力も欠かせない。

Toward the end of June, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees set up its branch in Seoul for the surveillance of human rights records of North Korea. The opening of the UNCHR branch is expected to produce a certain degree of effect to hold North Korea in check.
　国連人権高等弁務官事務所は６月下旬、北朝鮮の人権状況を監視する現地事務所をソウルに開設した。北朝鮮をけん制するうえで、一定の効果が期待できよう。

North Korea has adopted a policy of a “parallel pursuit” of nuclear weapons development and rebuilding its economy. Pyongyang has also been continuing to take actions that amount to military provocation, such as the announcement in May that it was successful in launching a ballistic missile from a submarine.
　北朝鮮は、核兵器開発と経済建設の「並進路線」を掲げる。５月には、潜水艦発射弾道ミサイルの水中発射に成功したと発表するなど、軍事的挑発も続けている。

It is of dire importance that Japan not weaken the international network of containment toward North Korea. This can be achieved by closely cooperating with the United States and South Korea. Japan should firmly maintain its basic policy of comprehensively resolving the abduction problem, the nuclear and missile programs of Pyongyang.
　日本は、米韓両国と緊密に連携し、北朝鮮に対する国際包囲網を崩さないことが肝要だ。拉致と、核・ミサイルを包括的に解決する基本方針を堅持したい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 3, 2015)