安保違憲訴訟 司法の真価が問われる

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 29
EDITORIAL: Judiciary can’t afford to duck concerns about security laws
（社説）安保違憲訴訟　司法の真価が問われる
 
About 500 citizens have sued the government over national security legislation enacted last year, claiming the legislation is unconstitutional because it allows Japan to engage in collective self-defense.
　集団的自衛権の行使を認めた安保関連法は憲法に反するとして、市民ら約５００人が東京地裁に訴えをおこした。今後も各地で提訴が予定されている。

The lawsuit, filed with the Tokyo District Court on April 26, demands a court order to block any Self-Defense Forces deployment under the security laws, which passed the Diet last September and came into force on March 29. Similar legal actions are expected in various parts of the nation.
The judiciary should respond head-on to the vital constitutional questions raised by these suits. The courts should fulfill their judicial responsibility by making their own constitutional judgments on the matter. The Supreme Court, the guardian of the Constitution, should then make the final decision.
　裁判所は、正面からこの問いに答えてもらいたい。各地での判決を積み重ねたうえで、憲法の番人である最高裁が最終判断を示す。その司法の責務をまっとうしてほしい。

We should remember the Diet debate on the security bills submitted last year by the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
　昨年の安保法制の国会審議を思い起こしたい。

Many legal experts, including constitutional scholars and former Supreme Court justices, denounced the legislation as “a violation of the Constitution” and “a denial of constitutionalism.” Many Japanese were disturbed by the government’s explanations about its interpretation of related constitutional provisions that were clearly at odds with past government statements.
　多くの憲法学者や元最高裁判事らが、「違憲である」「立憲主義の否定だ」と声をあげた。過去の政府答弁と明らかに食い違う憲法解釈の説明に、疑問を感じる国民も多かった。

But the government and ruling camp dismissed all these criticisms, saying it is the Supreme Court that has the mandate to make the final judgment on the constitutionality of laws. The government also argued that one top court ruling is more important than 100 theories. Eventually, the ruling coalition rammed the bills through the Diet by using its dominant parliamentary majority.
　しかし政府与党は「違憲かどうか最後に判断するのは最高裁だ」「１００の学説より一つの最高裁判決だ」と反論し、数の力で法を成立させた。

The administration’s policy of heeding only what the Supreme Court says in dealing with constitutional issues related to the legislation should not be taken as a sign of respect for the judiciary.
　耳を貸す相手は最高裁でしかないという政権の姿勢を、そのまま司法への敬意の表れと受け取るわけにはいかない。

Through personnel changes, the Abe administration effectively stripped the Cabinet Legislation Bureau, the watchdog of legislative actions, of its ability to check bills from the legal point of view.
　そもそも安倍政権は政府内の「法の番人」だった内閣法制局への人事措置により、チェック機能をそいだ。

The Diet, the nation’s legislature, proved to be ruled by the dictates of the majority.
立法府である国会も数の論理が支配した。

The role of the judiciary as one of the three branches of government under the checks and balances system has never been as important as it is now.
　三権分立の一翼を担う司法の役割が、いまほど重く問われているときはない。

The plaintiffs of the latest lawsuit are demanding compensation for what they say is a violation of their constitutional right to live in peace. They also claim the people’s right to amend and determine the Constitution has been violated by the effective change to war-renouncing Article 9 made by the administration without following the formal procedure for constitutional amendments.
　原告側は、平和に生きる権利を侵されたとして、賠償などを求めている。憲法改正手続きを経ずに９条を実質的に変えられてしまい、国民の「憲法改正・決定権」が侵害されたと訴えている。

Past court rulings on lawsuits over such constitutional issues indicate that the plaintiffs face high hurdles.
　これまでの判例を振り返れば原告側のハードルは高い。

Conventional wisdom in the Japanese judicial community says courts should not judge the constitutionality of specific laws unless there are concrete legal disputes that require such judgment.
　日本の裁判では、具体的な争いがなければ、法律が合憲か違憲かを判断できないとされる。

A court refused to hear another lawsuit seeking the annulment of the new security laws, saying such a demand is inappropriate for judicial determination.
抽象的に安保法の廃止などを求めた別の訴訟は「審査の対象にならない」と門前払いされた。

The consensus view among judicial experts is that even if a court decides to hear such a lawsuit, a constitutional judgment should not be made unless it is necessary for settling a dispute involving concrete interests.
　審査に入ったとしても、憲法判断は訴えの解決に必要な場合以外は行わないという考えが、司法関係者の間では一般的だ。

Given the history of court rulings in this type of case, courts may opt to avoid making any constitutional judgment while rejecting the plaintiffs’ demand for compensation.
　今回も裁判所がその考え方に立てば、賠償の求めを退けるだけで、憲法判断は避ける方向に傾くこともありえる。

But the plaintiffs of the latest lawsuit include relatives of SDF personnel and residents living near military bases.
　原告には自衛隊員の親族や、基地周辺の住民らも名を連ねている。

They need to make concrete arguments regarding their specific interests to persuade the court to hear the case.
裁判というテーブルに議論を載せるためにも、具体的な主張をめざしてほしい。

At the heart of their lawsuit is serious anxiety about the government’s lack of respect for the basic principles of constitutionalism.
　訴えの根本にあるのは、立憲主義を軽んじる政治のあり方に対する深刻な危機感である。

The judiciary should make sincere responses to the constitutional questions raised by these lawsuits without trivializing them.
　憲法をめぐる真剣な問いを、裁判所は矮小（わいしょう）化することなく、真摯（しんし）に受け止めるべきだ。

The courts should not act in a way that will only further undermine public confidence in the governing system.
国の統治機構への信頼をこれ以上損なってはならない。

豪潜水艦に落選 装備輸出の司令塔作りを急げ

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Control tower urgently needed for export of defense equipment
豪潜水艦に落選　装備輸出の司令塔作りを急げ

It is important to scrupulously examine the reason Japan lost its bid for the contract and rebuild the government’s preparedness for exporting defense equipment.
　失敗の原因をきちんと検証し、防衛装備品を輸出する政府の態勢を立て直すことが肝要だ。

With Japan, Germany and France competing to build next-generation submarines for Australia, Canberra selected a French company as its partner.
　豪州が、日独仏３か国が参画を目指した次期潜水艦計画で、フランス企業との共同開発を選択した。

In accordance with the three principles on the transfer of defense equipment and technology, the Japanese government, jointly with the private sector, had proposed building a fleet based on the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s most advanced Soryu-class submarine, manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and other companies.
　日本は、防衛装備移転３原則に基づき、三菱重工業などが建造する海上自衛隊の最新鋭潜水艦「そうりゅう型」を官民合同で提案したが、受注を逃した。

Soryu-class submarines are equipped with the world’s most advanced technology. They excel in cruising capability, silent running to evade detection when navigating underwater, sonar detection and other attributes.
　そうりゅう型の技術は世界最高水準とされる。航続性能や、敵に気づかれずに潜行する静粛性、水中音波探知機能などに優れる。

The huge contract, worth about 50 billion Australian dollars (¥4.3 trillion), was for the construction of 12 submarines. It would have become Japan’s first full-fledged export of defense equipment. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, “It was a disappointing result.”
　１２隻で総事業費約５００億豪ドル（４兆３０００億円）の大型案件で、実現すれば、日本初の本格的な装備品輸出となった。安倍首相は「残念な結果だ」と語った。

It is reasonable for Defense Minister Gen Nakatani to have indicated his intention to seek an explanation from Australia as to why Japan was not awarded the contract and learn lessons for future bids.
　中谷防衛相が、豪州に選定理由の説明を求め、今後の教訓とする考えを示したのは当然である。

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said, “The French offer represented the capabilities best able to meet Australia’s unique needs.”
　ターンブル豪首相は、「フランスの提案が、豪州特有の要求に最も合致した」と述べた。

As Australia’s economy has slowed, uncertainty over the country’s employment situation is spreading. France had emphasized it would make a full-scale technology transfer, help foster Australian companies and create jobs in that country.
　豪州で景気の減速により雇用不安が広がる中、フランスは全面的な技術移転や、豪州企業の育成、積極的な雇用を訴えていた。

As Turnbull intends to dissolve Parliament shortly, his selection may also reflect his decision to focus on the economy with the election in mind.
　ターンブル氏は近く議会を解散する意向で、選挙をにらんだ経済重視の判断もあったのだろう。

But for building submarines, a military perspective is important under normal circumstances. We cannot agree with the choice if it was made by placing priority on the political situation.
　だが、本来、潜水艦建造は軍事の観点が重要だ。政局を優先したのなら、うなずけない。

Experience lacking

Meanwhile, it is undeniable that Japan, while being overconfident in its high level of technology and paying little heed to its ratio of local production in Australia, failed to accurately comprehend either Australia’s needs or the moves taken by France and Germany in their bids, and did not exercise flexibility in taking the measures needed. This failure may have stemmed from the little experience MHI and other companies have in negotiating defense equipment deals with foreign countries.
　日本も、自らの技術の高さを過信し、現地生産の割合を低く抑えたまま、豪州のニーズや仏独の動きを的確に把握せず、柔軟に対策を講じなかったのは否めない。三菱重工業などに装備品輸出交渉の経験が乏しかったためだろう。

It is crucial to build within such offices as the national security secretariat of the Cabinet Secretariat a framework to comprehensively analyze and assess business chances and domestic political circumstances of countries concerned, in addition to security issues, and establish a control tower to carry out such tasks.
　内閣官房の国家安全保障局などに、安全保障に加え、ビジネスや各国の内政事情などを総合的に分析・判断する枠組みと、その司令塔を構築することが急務だ。

Sufficient manpower should be mustered from such economy-related ministries as the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry as well as from private companies. Also needed is to have a vision on implementing a growth strategy.
　経済産業省などの経済官庁や、民間企業からも人材を集める必要がある。成長戦略の視点を持つことも欠かせない。

Needless to say, measures to prevent the leakage of technologies to third-party countries are essential. We can understand that cautious views were expressed within the MSDF and other entities over Japan’s provision of technology to Australia.
　無論、第三国への技術流出防止策は徹底すべきだ。今回、海自などに豪州への技術供与に慎重論があったことは理解できる。

Also worrisome is that China is said to have urged Australia not to accept Japan’s proposal this time. If Canberra turned down Japan’s bid by giving too much consideration to Beijing, we cannot overlook it.
　気がかりなのは、中国が今回、日本案の不採用を豪州に働きかけていたとされることだ。豪州が中国に過剰に配慮し、日本案を退けたのであれば、見過ごせない。

Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott had recognized the importance of security cooperation among Japan, the United States and Australia. The Turnbull administration should explain what sort of role it will assume for the stability of the Asia-Pacific region.
　アボット前首相は、日米豪の安保協力の重要性を認識していた。ターンブル政権は、アジア・太平洋地域の安定にどんな役割を果たすのか、説明せねばならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 28, 2016)

ヘイト法案 反差別の姿勢を明確に

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 27
EDITORIAL: Thorough talks needed to block abuse of planned hate speech law
（社説）ヘイト法案　反差別の姿勢を明確に
 
A bill to outlaw hate speech, sponsored by the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, is currently under deliberation in the Upper House Legal Affairs Committee.
　乱暴な言葉で特定の人種や民族への差別をあおるヘイトスピーチを、どうなくしていくか。
　自民、公明の両与党が国会に出した対策法案の審議が、参院法務委員会で続いている。

With the opposition camp having already presented a similar bill to the Diet last year, all Japanese political parties are at least in agreement that legislative measures must be taken to eliminate hate speech, which fans vile discrimination against certain ethnic groups.
　野党側はすでに昨年、独自案を出しており、少なくとも与野党は、法整備の必要性では一致したことになる。

But legal scholars are strongly concerned that such legislation could threaten freedom of expression depending on how it is enforced. Indeed, determining the conditions of enforcement will be a difficult and complex matter.
　運用次第では「表現の自由」を脅かしかねないとして、法学者らの間には慎重論も根強い。確かに、何を対象にどう規制するか難しい問題をはらむ。

However, hate speech has shown no signs of abating in recent years. In a lawsuit against a citizens group that attacked the Tokushima prefectural union of teachers for donating money to a Korean school, the Takamatsu High Court on April 25 ruled that the group’s activities “represented an attitude of racial discrimination,” and it ordered the group to pay damages to the teachers’ union.
　だが近年、ヘイトスピーチは収まる気配がない。高松高裁は一昨日、朝鮮学校に寄付をした徳島県教組を攻撃した団体の活動を「人種差別的思想の現れ」と認め、賠償を命じた。

Hate-filled invectives against minorities, such as “get out of Japan,” are uttered nationwide. These human rights violations cannot be allowed to continue. We definitely believe the time has come to take some sort of legislative action.
　少数派を標的に「日本から出て行け」といった差別をあおる言説は各地でみられる。人権侵害をもはや放置するわけにはいかない。何らかの立法措置も必要な段階に至ったと考える。

Neither the ruling coalition-sponsored bill nor its opposition counterpart contains punitive provisions against offenders. While we would like both bills to clearly spell out that discrimination can never be condoned as a matter of basic human decency, we also believe that utmost care must be taken to ensure the legislation will not infringe upon freedom of expression.
　与野党両案ともに罰則規定はなく、理念法にとどまる。社会の最低限のルールとして差別は許されないことを明記すべきだが、一方で「表現の自由」を侵さないよう最大限の配慮をする姿勢は崩してはなるまい。

The United Nations considers it a problem that Japan, which ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 21 years ago, still has no laws against racial discrimination. It has now become Japan’s obligation to the international community to declare a firm stance against discrimination of any sort against any race or nationality.
　国連は、人種差別撤廃条約を２１年前に批准した日本で国内法が整っていないことを問題視している。人種や国籍を問わず、差別に反対する姿勢を明示するのは国際的な要請でもある。

We hope the ruling and opposition parties will set aside their petty political interests and forge a consensus after thoroughly debating the issue and with complete transparency, from the standpoint of defending universal human rights.
　与野党は、狭い政治的利害を超え、普遍的な人権を守る見地から透明性のある議論を重ね、合意を築いてほしい。

Diet deliberations in the days ahead are expected to focus on the LDP-Komeito bill. But there are some problems with the legislation.
　今後の審議は与党案が軸になるだろうが、問題点がある。

For instance, the bill defines victims of discrimination as “non-Japanese-born people and their descendants.” But the indigenous Ainu people of Japan have been subjected to discrimination. To make this right, we believe the ruling coalition should adopt the opposition-sponsored bill’s broader definition of victims as “non-Japanese races and ethnic groups.”
　与党案は差別的言動を受けている対象者を「本邦外出身者とその子孫」としている。だが、これまでアイヌ民族なども標的となってきた。ここは「人種や民族」と対象を広げた野党案を採り入れるべきだ。

Another problem we see with the LDP-Komeito bill is that it will apply only to “legal aliens residing in Japan.” We find this hard to comprehend.
　また、与党案が「適法に居住する（本邦外）出身者」と対象を限定しているのも理解に苦しむ。

Discrimination in itself has nothing to do with the victim’s residency status. If this is left uncorrected, this bill could hurt those who are in the process of applying for refugee status.
在留資格の有無は本来、差別と無関係であり、難民申請者らに被害がおよびかねない。

In the past, the LDP manifested its intent to manipulate the hate speech issue to its own convenience. LDP legislators made statements hinting at applying hate speech legislation against anti-U.S. base activists and protesters opposed to nuclear power generation.
　自民党ではこれまで、ヘイトスピーチを本来の趣旨とは異なる形で利用しようとする言動があった。脱原発デモや米軍基地への反対運動への法の適用を示唆するような発言があった。

Such abuse of the law by politicians is exactly what we fear.
　懸念されるのは、まさにそうした政治や行政による乱用である。

For the law to fully serve its intended purpose of eliminating all racial and ethnic discrimination, its non-arbitrary and appropriate enforcement must be guaranteed. And thorough discussion is also needed on how to monitor the enforcement of this law.
人種や民族に対する差別行為をなくす本来の目的のために、恣意（しい）的でない的確な運用をいかに担保するか。その監視のあり方も十分論議すべきだ。

ハンセン病 司法の差別、決着せぬ

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 26
EDITORIAL: Doubts remain after top court apologizes for leprosy trials
（社説）ハンセン病　司法の差別、決着せぬ
 
The Supreme Court has officially admitted it made a serious mistake by allowing lower courts to hold criminal and other trials for leprosy patients outside regular courtrooms. But the mea culpa from the top court, which is regarded as the “bastion of human rights,” doesn’t answer key constitutional questions.
　「人権の砦（とりで）」たる最高裁として、これで問題が決着したといえるのだろうか。

The Supreme Court on April 25 officially apologized to former leprosy patients and other people who suffered from this practice, saying it “deeply regrets having degraded the personalities and dignity of the patients and apologizes.”
　ハンセン病患者の裁判がかつて、隔離された「特別法廷」で開かれていたことをめぐり、最高裁はきのう、元患者らに「患者の人格と尊厳を傷つけたことを深く反省し、お詫（わ）びする」と謝罪した。

The top court acknowledged that its approvals of the special separate trials for leprosy sufferers were discriminatory in nature and violated the court organization law.
　裁判を隔離した判断のあり方は差別的だった疑いが強く、裁判所法に違反すると認めた。

It is extremely unusual for the nation’s highest court to admit having made a misjudgment concerning judicial procedures and offering such an apology. It took a step in the right direction by examining the issue.
最高裁が司法手続き上の判断の誤りを認めて謝罪するのは極めて異例であり、検証作業をしたこと自体は評価できるだろう。

However, the key question in this controversy was the constitutionality of the policy. The top court concluded that the “special trials” didn’t violate the constitutional principle of open trials.
　だが、注目された違憲性の判断に関しては、憲法上の「裁判の公開」の原則には反しない、と結論づけた。

The Supreme Court should ask itself whether this conclusion is acceptable to former patients and their families who suffered from discrimination and prejudices against leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease.
　果たしてハンセン病への差別や偏見に苦しめられてきた元患者や家族に受け入れられる判断だろうか。

The opinions of the court’s expert panel on the issue, released at the same time, raised two important constitutional questions.
　同時に公表された最高裁の有識者委員会の意見は、憲法上の二つの点で疑問を突きつけている。

First, the panel said there is no denying that the special trials for leprosy patients violated the constitutional principle of equality under the law. Secondly, the panel argued that it is hard not to suspect that the policy also violated the constitutional principle of public trials.
まず、法の下の平等に照らして特別法廷は「違反していたといわざるを得ない」と断じている。さらに裁判の公開原則についても「違憲の疑いは、なおぬぐいきれない」とした。

In 2005, an independent inquiry panel set up by the health ministry had already pointed out similar constitutional questions concerning the practice.
　すでに０５年、厚生労働省が設けた検証会議も、同様の憲法上の問題点を指摘していた。

It is difficult to claim that the Supreme Court’s conclusion, issued after many years of failing to respond to the criticism, offers convincing, straightforward answers to these questions.
それを長く放置してきた最高裁が出した今回の判断は、たび重なる指摘に正面から答えたとは言いがたい。

The health ministry’s panel referred to a controversial murder trial of a man from Kumamoto Prefecture who was said to have leprosy. In this case, known as the “Kikuchi Incident,” the defendant was eventually executed despite claiming his innocence.
　検証会議はこの時、ハンセン病患者とされた熊本県の男性が殺人罪に問われ、無実を訴えながら死刑執行された「菊池事件」にも言及していた。

The ministry panel said the man had effectively been tried in a closed-door proceeding.
男性が裁かれた特別法廷について、「いわば『非公開』の状態で進行した」と指摘していた。

The Supreme Court started looking into this issue after it received a demand for an examination of the legitimacy of the special trials. The demand came from lawyers and former leprosy patients who were seeking a retrial for the Kumamoto man.
　事件の再審を求める弁護団や元患者らが、特別法廷の正当性の検討を最高裁に求めて始まったのが今回の検証だった。

Unsurprisingly, an organization of former leprosy patients involved in this campaign has denounced the top court’s failure to acknowledge the unconstitutionality of the practice. The organization said it strongly demands that the court “sincerely admit its own mistake.”
それだけに元患者団体は「自らの誤りを真摯（しんし）に認めることを強く求める」と、違憲性を認めなかったことに反発している。

In its probe into the matter, the Supreme Court avoided making any judgment about individual cases on the grounds of the independence of judges.
　今回の最高裁の検証では、「裁判官の独立」を理由に、個別の事件の判断は避けられた。

But flawed judicial procedures could cast doubts on the appropriateness of the trials themselves.
だが、手続きに問題があれば、裁判そのものに疑いが生じかねない。

The top court should have scrutinized individual cases for possible relief for victims and restoration of their honor.
本来なら個別事件も検証し、被害救済や名誉回復まで考慮すべきだろう。

The judiciary should seriously consider any request for a retrial from a victim of the system.
今後、再審請求があれば、裁判所は真剣に対応すべきだ。

The challenge facing the Japanese judiciary is how to use the results of the investigation to promote efforts to eliminate discrimination and prejudices from society.
　差別や偏見のない社会に少しでも近づけるために、今回の検証をどう役立てるのか。

The Supreme Court should move beyond this apology and continue performing its responsibility to tackle this challenge.
謝罪を超え、最高裁はさらにその責任を負い続けなくてはならない。

震災避難 障害者への支援確保を

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 24
EDITORIAL: Improved system needed to assist disabled people in disasters
（社説）震災避難　障害者への支援確保を

Many people with disabilities have been unable to enter crucially important evacuation shelters in areas hit hard by the recent succession of earthquakes in Kumamoto and other prefectures.
　熊本県を中心に続く震災で、命をつなぐはずの避難所に入れない障害者が続出している。

“I was told that people on wheelchairs are not allowed because the hall has bumps on the floor,” one of them said.
　「ホールに段差があり、車いすの人は入れないと断られた」

“I got no information from anywhere, so I spent nights in a car for a week,” said another.
　「どこからも情報が来ず、１週間、車中泊を続けた」

“Welfare evacuation shelters” were supposed to be set up for people with disabilities and elderly people, who would find it difficult to live in evacuation shelters for the general public.
　一般の避難所では生活が難しい障害者や高齢者には、「福祉避難所」が用意されるはずだった。

Welfare evacuation shelters refer to schools, welfare facilities and other institutions that have signed agreements with municipal governments in preparation for a possible disaster.
災害に備えて、あらかじめ市区町村と協定を結んだ学校や福祉施設などである。

But the system failed in the face of the real earthquake disaster.
　だが、震災の現実の前には、うまく機能しなかった。

Some 35,000 people in Kumamoto, the capital of Kumamoto Prefecture, are registered as “persons requiring support,” who were expected to need help in evacuating from a disaster.
　熊本市では、避難の際に手助けが要る「要支援者」の名簿に登録された人は約３万５千人いる。

While 176 institutions had signed agreements to serve as welfare evacuation shelters, the number of institutions that actually accepted people in need was slow to grow.
これに対し、福祉避難所の協定をもつ施設は１７６あったが、実際に受け入れる施設はなかなか増えなかった。

Some of the institutions were short-staffed because care providers became quake victims themselves. Some of the buildings were destroyed, and water supply was cut.
　ケアする人が被災して人手不足だったり、建物が壊れて水道も止まったりと、施設の環境が整わなかった事情がある。

After volunteer workers were recruited, 33 welfare evacuation shelters were opened by April 22. But only 80-odd people have entered those shelters. Officials at one shelter have complained that all they can do is to provide space because they cannot afford to provide assistance.
　ボランティアを募り、２２日までにやっと３３カ所が開設した。だが入所者は８０人超どまり。介助の余裕がなく場所の提供しかできない、と嘆く施設もある。

People with disabilities and others who remain out of welfare evacuation shelters may face serious difficulties from the prolonged consequences of the earthquake disaster. Checking for their safety has turned out to be more difficult than initially expected.
　福祉避難所に入れない障害者らにとって、長引く震災は深刻な生活苦をもたらす。安否確認も思うように進まなかった。

Given the situation, Kumamoto Gakuen University has been drawing attention for its activities. The university in Kumamoto city has made its presence felt by accepting up to 60 or so people who are disabled or elderly.
　こうした中、熊本市の熊本学園大の活動が注目されている。最大６０人ほどの障害者や高齢者を受け入れ、存在感を示す。

Initially, the university only had its athletic field designated as a wide-area evacuation ground. As local residents began to assemble on its campus amid the succession of powerful earthquakes, however, the university decided to let local inhabitants use four of its classrooms.
　もともとはグラウンドが広域避難場所に指定されていただけだったが、相次ぐ強震で住民が集まり始めたため、４教室を住民に開放した。

It also designated a grand hall in one of its buildings for exclusive use by "persons requiring support." University officials have arranged a framework, whereby certified care workers with connections to the university and volunteering students are available 24 hours a day to watch those evacuees who require support.
さらに校舎内の大ホールを要支援者専用にし、大学関係の介護福祉士や学生ボランティアらが２４時間、避難者を見守る態勢をつくった。

The law on the elimination of disability discrimination, which took effect this month, says public institutions are obliged to “provide reasonable accommodation.” They are supposed to respond, to a reasonable extent, to the requests of disabled people to eliminate social barriers.
Kumamoto Gakuen University’s undertaking is a pioneering attempt at fleshing out the spirit of that law.
　今月施行された障害者差別解消法は、「合理的配慮の提供」を公的機関の義務と定めている。障害者から社会的な障壁を取り除く要請があれば、無理ない範囲で対応する。その精神を実現する先駆的な試みだ。

Two professors at the university, who were involved in opening the evacuation shelter, have worked with groups of disabled people and their supporters to set up a “center for people with disabilities in disaster areas.”
　避難所づくりに携わった同大の教授２人は障害者・支援者団体と協力して「被災地障害者センター」も設けた。

Instead of bringing disabled people together in a single evacuation shelter, the center will serve as a hub for providing appropriate information to people with disabilities in different areas, and will continue to give them necessary support until they can return to their previous lifestyles.
一つの避難所に集約するのではなく、各地の障害者に適切な情報を提供する拠点となり、元の生活に戻るまで必要な支援を続ける。

Close to 80,000 people continue to live in evacuation following the Kumamoto earthquakes. And it is never easy for people with disabilities to live the same way as people without disabilities.
　避難者は今も８万人近い。その中で障害者らは、健常者と同じように暮らすのは難しい。

In normal times, we should prepare mechanisms, for example, to use the list of “persons requiring support” to determine their safety status in emergencies and to allow welfare institutions to dispatch staff members to each other on a broader regional scale.
要支援者名簿をもとに安否を確認する仕組みや、広域で福祉施設同士が職員を派遣し合う枠組みなどを平時から準備したい。

Doing so would be one way to prepare for the next disaster, which could hit any part of Japan.
日本中どこで起きるかわからない「次の災害」に備えて。

原発４０年規制 早くも骨抜きなのか

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 21
EDITORIAL: 40-year rule for nuclear reactors on verge of being a dead letter
（社説）原発４０年規制　早くも骨抜きなのか
 
The 40-year lifespan for nuclear reactors, established after the catastrophic accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in 2011, is now in danger of being watered down to irrelevance.
The rule requires the decommissioning of aging reactors, starting with the oldest, for a gradual, carefully controlled process of phasing out nuclear power generation in this country.
　古い原発は廃炉とし、計画的に原発の数を減らしていく――東京電力福島第一原発事故への反省から決めたルールが、早くも骨抜きになろうとしている。

The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) on April 20 formally decided that the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture, which have been in service for over 40 years, meet new nuclear safety standards introduced after the devastating 2011 accident.
　原子力規制委員会は、運転開始から４０年を超えた関西電力高浜原発１、２号機（福井県）について、新規制基準を満たしていると正式に決めた。

This is the first license renewal for a reactor that has been in operation for more than four decades under the new standards.
新基準のもとで４０年超の老朽原発の運転延長が認められるのは初めてだ。

If they pass the remaining regulatory inspections concerning technical details by the July deadline, the reactors will likely continue to generate electricity for two more decades.
残る細かい審査を７月の期限までに終えれば、あと２０年、運転が続く公算が大きい。

The 40-year lifespan provision was introduced through a revision to the law after the Fukushima disaster.
　「４０年ルール」は福島での事故後、法律を改正して導入された。

Just one service life extension of up to 20 years is allowed, but only as an “extremely exceptional” measure.
「１回だけ、最長２０年間」と定められた運転延長は「極めて例外的」と位置づけられた。

This exception was made to avoid a shortage of electricity. But concerns about any serious power crunch have virtually dissipated thanks to a marked rise in levels of power and energy conservation in society.
あえて例外を設けたのは電力不足に備えるためだったが、節電や省エネの定着で懸念は解消していると言っていい。

The NRA’s formal decision to extend the life of the two aging reactors came amid a series of earthquakes rocking central Kyushu around Kumamoto Prefecture which have been described by the Japan Meteorological Agency as “a deviation from the rules extracted from past experiences.”
　おりしも熊本県を中心に「今までの経験則からはずれている」（気象庁）という地震が続く。

Many Japanese are concerned that the quakes could affect Kyushu Electric Power’s Sendai nuclear plant in neighboring Kagoshima Prefecture. The NRA’s decision to grant an exception to the rule so quickly could have the effect of relaxing the safety standards and deepening public distrust of the government’s nuclear regulation.
隣の鹿児島県で運転中の九州電力川内原発に影響が及ばないか、不安を感じている国民は少なくない。いきなり例外を認め、規制のたがを緩めるような対応は、原発行政への不信を高めるだけではないか。

The Abe administration is leaving all licensing decisions on individual reactors entirely to the NRA. But it has mapped out a long-term energy supply plan based on the assumption that the service life of reactors will be extended.
　安倍政権は個別原発の可否の判断を規制委に丸投げしつつ、運転延長を前提にしたエネルギー計画を立てた。

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who repeatedly pledged to lower Japan’s dependence on nuclear power as much as possible, has been changing his stance little by little without announcing any clear policy shift.
「原発依存度を可能な限り低減する」と繰り返していた首相は、なしくずしに方針を転換してきた。

The NRA’s mission is to enhance the safety of nuclear plants from a scientific viewpoint.
But the way the nuclear watchdog assessed the safety of the reactors at the Takahama plant has raised questions about its appropriateness. The NRA has, for instance, allowed Kansai Electric Power to delay required quake resistance tests.
　規制委は、あくまで科学的見地から原発の安全性を高めることが役割だが、今回の審査では耐震性の試験を後回しにすることを関電に認めるなど、手順に疑問が残る。

If it has scheduled its assessment work in a way to ensure that the July deadline will be met, the agency has got its priorities completely wrong.
７月の審査期限をにらんだスケジュールありきだったとすれば、まさに本末転倒である。

A troubling situation is now emerging where decisions on whether to decommission specific reactors are effectively left to the utilities that operate them. As a result, these decisions are being based primarily on whether extending the life of the reactors will pay.
　結局、廃炉にするかどうかの実質的な判断は電力会社に委ねられ、運転延長が採算に合うかどうかという観点から決まるという状況になりつつある。

Operating many nuclear reactors in Japan, a small country with a large population that is highly prone to earthquakes and other natural disasters, inevitably entails a large risk.
　狭い国土に多くの人が住み、地震など自然災害も多い日本で、多くの原発を抱えていくリスクは大きい。

This grim reality was the starting point for the reform of the nuclear power policy prompted by the Fukushima accident.
福島での事故を経て、そこが原子力行政見直しの出発点だったはずだ。

If the government sticks to the policy of maintaining nuclear power generation, the burden on society, including the costs of disposing of nuclear waste, could increase over the long term.
　原発を維持する政策をとり続ければ、廃棄物の処理などで長期的には国民負担も増えかねない。

There is a clear global trend toward raising energy self-sufficiency through efforts to develop renewable energy sources.
エネルギー自給率は再生エネルギーの育成で高めようというのが世界の大勢だ。

A transition period may be necessary. But the only policy that makes sense is to shut down reactors steadily over a period of years.
　移行期間は必要だとしても、着実に原発を閉じていく政策にこそ合理性があろう。

The 40-year rule is one of the key principles of this policy. The government should remember this fact.
４０年規制はそのための柱の一つである。そのことを思い起こすべきだ。

自衛隊熊本支援 オスプレイの活用は効果的だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Osprey aircraft prove valuable in earthquake relief operations
自衛隊熊本支援　オスプレイの活用は効果的だ

The Self-Defense Forces have mobilized more than 20,000 personnel to carry out rescue and relief operations for victims of the Kumamoto Earthquake.
　熊本地震で、自衛隊が２万人以上を動員し、被災者の救助・支援活動を展開している。

The operations are difficult, and rescuers face dangers from secondary disasters such as aftershocks and landslides caused by heavy rains. But we know they will make their utmost efforts as they engage in the operations.
　余震や大雨による土砂崩れなど二次災害の危険が伴う困難な任務だが、全力で取り組んでもらいたい。

The Defense Ministry has set up a joint task force of the Air, Ground and Maritime Self-Defense Forces. The task force is based at the GSDF’s Western Army Headquarters in Kumamoto. About 120 aircraft, mainly helicopters, and 10 transport and other vessels have been dispatched to the task force.
　防衛省は、陸海空３自衛隊の統合部隊を編成した。熊本市の陸自西部方面総監部に司令部を置き、ヘリコプターなど約１２０機、輸送艦など約１０隻も派遣した。

The SDF personnel engage in such activities as searching for missing people, transporting the sick and injured and providing meals and water. SDF personnel are transporting food and daily necessities directly to evacuation centers and other locations to cover the lack of manpower at local governments.
　不明者の捜索や、患者の輸送、給食・給水などに従事している。食料や生活物資の輸送では、被災自治体の要員不足を補うため、避難所などへの直接搬送も担う。

The SDF is a self-sustaining organization, providing its own food, clothing and shelter. Due to lessons learned from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the SDF has enhanced telecommunication and other equipment and strengthened cooperation with local governments through disaster-response drills.
　自衛隊は、衣食住を自力で賄える自己完結型組織だ。東日本大震災の教訓を踏まえ、通信機器などを充実させ、防災訓練を通じて自治体との連携も強化してきた。

In the wake of the latest disaster, the SDF dispatched liaison personnel to relevant local governments, including the Kumamoto and Oita prefectural governments, and this action has facilitated the relief operation. To prevent duplication of efforts with local governments and police, proper sharing of tasks is crucial.
　今回、熊本、大分両県など関係自治体に連絡調整要員を派遣したことで、支援活動を円滑にしている。自治体や警察などとの業務の重複を避けるためには、適切な役割分担が欠かせない。

U.S. cooperation appreciated

We would like to acknowledge the unreserved cooperation of U.S. forces, which follows Operation Tomodachi in the wake of the 2011 Tohoku disaster.
　東日本大震災時の「トモダチ作戦」に続き、米軍が全面的に協力していることに感謝したい。

Based on the Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation Guidelines — which were renewed in April last year — the SDF and the U.S. forces have set up a joint coordination center at the SDF’s task headquarters. The coordination center is now serving as the control tower of rescue operations.
　昨年４月策定の新たな日米防衛協力指針（ガイドライン）に基づき、統合部隊司令部に設置された自衛隊と在日米軍の共同調整所が司令塔となっている。

The U.S. forces dispatched four Osprey transport aircraft belonging to Futenma Air Station. The Ospreys shuttled back and forth to carry drinking water, food, blankets, portable toilets and other supplies to Kumamoto Prefecture’s Minami-Aso, a village isolated due to the collapse of a national highway, playing a very important role in sustaining the daily lives of many evacuees.
　米軍は、普天間飛行場所属の輸送機オスプレイ４機を投入した。国道の崩落で孤立した熊本県南阿蘇村に飲料水・食料、毛布、簡易トイレなどをピストン輸送し、多くの被災者の生活を維持するうえで、重要な役割を果たした。

Compared to conventional transport helicopters, the Osprey has great superiority in its maximum speed, payload and range. Also, it has been pointed out that the Osprey’s ability to operate in mountainous areas because of its ability to take off and land vertically makes it useful for disaster response.
　オスプレイは、従来の輸送ヘリより最大速度、搭載量、航続距離のいずれも大幅に優れている。垂直離着陸の機能を有し、山間部でも対応可能なため、かねて災害派遣に有効と指摘されていた。

The opposition parties have criticized the use of Ospreys in relief operations — an act totally incomprehensible. Saying there are concerns over the safety of the aircraft, former Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Kazuhiro Haraguchi of the Democratic Party (Minshinto) said: “People who are taking refuge are worried. We thank the U.S. Forces for their cooperation, but we want them to stop.”
　理解できないのは、野党内に、オスプレイ活用に批判があることだ。民進党の原口一博・元総務相は安全性に懸念があるとして「避難している皆さんも不安に思っている。米軍の協力はありがたいが、やめてほしい」と発言した。

However, the risk of serious accidents involving the Osprey is lower than that of other U.S. military aircraft. It has a successful track record in relief operations after a typhoon in the Philippines and the recent earthquake in Nepal. If Ospreys had not been used for the latest earthquake, provision of supplies could have been stalled, creating greater anxiety for the disaster victims.
　だが、他の米軍機に比べても重大事故率は低く、フィリピンの大型台風やネパール地震で支援実績もある。活用しなければ、物資供給が滞り、被災者のより大きな不安を招いたのではないか。

The Ground Self-Defense Force plans to introduce 17 Ospreys by fiscal 2018 to be based in Saga Airport. The conjecture that the use of Ospreys in the Kumamoto relief operation may have been an effort to smooth the way for the Saga deployment should be rejected.
　陸自も２０１８年度までに、オスプレイ１７機を導入する予定で、佐賀空港への配備を目指す。その受け入れの地ならしではないかとの臆測も否定しておきたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 23, 2016)

戦没者遺骨収集 遺族の思いを汲んで速やかに

The Yomiuri Shimbun
As families wait, expedite efforts to retrieve remains of war dead
戦没者遺骨収集　遺族の思いを汲んで速やかに

Seventy years have passed since World War II ended, and the families of Japan’s war dead are growing older. Efforts to find and retrieve remains of those who died in countries far from home must be accelerated.
　終戦から７０年を経て、戦没者の遺族の高齢化が進む。異郷の地で死亡した戦没者の遺骨収集を急ぎたい。

This month, a law to promote collection of the remains of the war dead came into force. The law’s main points are that it clearly positions retrieval of these remains as “the responsibility of the state,” and sets a nine-year period starting from this fiscal year as an intensive implemen-tation period for government efforts to find and repatriate remains.
　戦没者遺骨収集推進法が今月、施行された。遺骨収集を「国の責務」と明確に位置づけ、今年度からの９年間を集中実施期間としたのが主眼だ。

The law requires the government to collect remains systematically and effectively. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry set aside ¥2.1 billion from this fiscal year’s budget to cover costs associated with this undertaking.
　推進法は、計画的かつ効果的な収集を政府に求めている。厚生労働省は、収集事業費として今年度予算に２１億円を計上した。

Returning remains to Japan has not progressed as well as hoped. Of 2.4 million Japanese who died on foreign battlefields or in Siberian internment camps after the war, the remains of 1.13 million still rest at sites overseas. In the past 10 years, the government has collected only 28,000 sets of remains.
　遺骨の帰還は、思うように進んでいない。海外の戦地やシベリア抑留で死亡した２４０万人のうち、１１３万人の遺骨は、いまだに現地に残されたままだ。政府がこの１０年間で収集した遺骨は、２万８０００柱にとどまる。

Many people are dissatisfied with the ministry’s efforts, saying they are “not well planned.”
　厚労省の取り組みに対しては、「計画性を欠いている」といった不満も少なくない。

The law was passed as legislation was proposed by lawmakers cooperating across party lines. We applaud the fact that the law promotes attempts to make up for the inadequacy revealed in efforts to date. We hope putting the law into effect will add momentum to the collection of remains.
　推進法は超党派の議員立法で成立した。これまでの不十分だった点を補うよう促していることは評価できる。施行を収集に弾みをつける契機にしたい。

Bumps in the road

An especially important element of the law is the stipulation that greater efforts will be made to study documents stored at public records offices and other facilities overseas to collect information regarding where Japanese war dead are buried. It is clear that the conventional method of relying on the memories and other information provided by fellow soldiers has its limits.
　推進法で特に重要なのは、埋葬地の情報を収集するため、海外の公文書館などで文献調査を進めるよう定めたことだ。戦友の記憶などに頼る従来の手法では、限界があるのは明らかだ。

Spelling out that the health, labor and welfare minister will work closely with the foreign minister and other ministers to ensure smooth progress in negotiations with governments of nations where remains lie is also an appropriate measure.
　現地政府との折衝を円滑に進めるため、厚労相が外相らと連携するよう規定したのも、妥当な措置だと言えよう。

In 2011, it was revealed that remains collected in the Philippines by a nonprofit organization commissioned by the welfare ministry had been mixed with remains of people other than Japanese soldiers.
　厚労省から委託を受けたＮＰＯ法人がフィリピンで収集した多数の遺骨の中に、旧日本兵以外のものが混じっていたことが、２０１１年に判明した。

Reflecting on this, the new law says the government will designate a public corporation as a task force to handle collection of the remains. The new corporation is scheduled to be set up by people involved in groups for families of the war dead. The welfare ministry will establish an expert panel to check progress in these activities.
　この反省から、推進法には、収集にあたる公的法人を政府が指定し、実動部隊とすることも盛り込まれた。新法人は遺族団体の関係者らによって設立される予定だ。厚労省は、活動状況をチェックする有識者会議を設置する。

The government will soon settle on a basic plan encompassing these specific policies, and will launch it this fiscal year. The new structure must function effectively.
　政府は、これらの具体策を網羅した基本計画を近く策定し、今年度中に始動させる。新たな体制を有効に機能させねばならない。

Many problems remain unaddressed. Because DNA examinations are essential for identifying remains, the government is working on a database of samples that can be tested. We hope a system in which these samples can be smoothly compared with DNA provided by relatives will quickly be put in place.
　課題もある。遺骨の身元特定には、ＤＮＡ鑑定が不可欠なため、政府は、鑑定可能な検体のデータベース化を進める。遺族のＤＮＡとスムーズに照合できる仕組みの構築を急ぎたい。

About 230,000 sets of remains still lie in China, where remains cannot be collected because anti-Japan sentiment has hampered this operation, and North Korea, a nation with which Japan does not have diplomatic relations. At present, there is no timeframe for when remains might be collected from these countries.
　対日感情が障害となって収集ができない中国や、国交のない北朝鮮には、２３万柱が眠る。現時点で収集の見通しは立っていない。

Families are ardently waiting for remains to be returned home. With their feelings in mind, we request that every possible effort be made to realize their wishes.
　遺骨が手元に戻ることを待ち望む遺族の思いを汲くみ、可能な限りの取り組みを求めたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 22, 2016)

新幹線脱線 地震対策の総点検を

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 21
EDITORIAL: Kyushu quake exposes potential safety problem for Shinkansen
（社説）新幹線脱線　地震対策の総点検を

The powerful earthquake in Kyushu has exposed a potential weakness of Japan’s reputed Shinkansen technology by disrupting operations of the Kyushu Shinkansen Line.
　熊本地震は九州新幹線を直撃した。

An out-of-service bullet train carrying no passengers derailed about 1.3 kilometers south of JR Kumamoto Station following the earthquake that rocked southern Japan on April 14.
Kyushu Railway Co. (JR Kyushu) has also found damaged Shinkansen facilities at about 150 locations, including cracks in elevated bridges and fallen parts of noise-blocking walls.
熊本市内で回送列車が脱線したほか、高架橋の亀裂や防音壁の落下といった損傷が約１５０カ所にのぼった。

JR Kyushu on April 20 resumed operations on a section of the Shinkansen line between Shin-Minamata Station in Kumamoto Prefecture and Kagoshima-Chuo Station in Kagoshima Prefecture. But there is no telling when the company can restart operations on the remaining northern portion from Shin-Minamata Station to Hakata Station in Fukuoka.
鹿児島中央―新水俣間はきのう運転を再開したが、博多までの全線が復旧するめどは立たない。

This is the third derailment caused by an earthquake in the Shinkansen’s history of over half a century, following one in 2004 caused by the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake and one in 2011 triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
　半世紀を超す新幹線の歴史で、地震による脱線は０４年の新潟県中越地震と１１年の東日本大震災に続いて３回目になる。

The Kyushu Shinkansen train ran off the rails after the nighttime April 14 quake, which measured a maximum 7 on the Japanese intensity scale in Mashiki.
　今回脱線したのは、最大震度７の地震が起きた１４日夜だ。

The violent shaking derailed all six cars of the train, which was running at a speed of around 80 kph. Fortunately, no passengers were on the train, and the driver was not injured.
時速８０キロ程度で走っていた列車が揺れに見舞われ、全６両が脱線した。幸い乗客はおらず、運転士にもけがはなかった。

If the train were carrying passengers at a higher speed, however, it could have been a major disaster.
もし高速で営業運転中だったら、大惨事になっていた恐れもある。

Safety should be the absolute top priority for Shinkansen operations, which carry large number of passengers at very high speeds.
　多数の乗客を高速で運ぶ新幹線の安全確保は、とりわけ重要だ。

The derailment should prompt all JR companies offering Shinkansen services to make sweeping reviews of their bullet train systems and operations to secure greater safety.
ＪＲ各社はこれを機に過去の対策を総点検し、いっそうの安全向上をめざすべきだ。

Shinkansen lines are equipped with a system to detect preliminary tremors and stop the trains. However, as the Kumamoto accident shows, this system doesn’t work when earthquakes occur close to the lines.
　新幹線には地震の初期微動を検知して列車を止めるシステムがある。しかし、今回のように震源が近い直下型地震では間に合わない。

Since this problem was exposed by the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake, JR companies have been taking steps to prevent quakes from causing derailments.
その限界があらわになった中越地震の後、各社は地震で揺れても脱線を防ぐ装置の整備に力を注いできた。

JR Kyushu has been working to install “derailment prevention guards” for 55 km of the Kyushu Shinkansen Line, or slightly over 10 percent of both the inbound and outbound bullet train lines.
　ＪＲ九州は、九州新幹線の上下線の１割超にあたる５５キロに「脱線防止ガード」を敷く計画を進めてきた。

The guard is designed to prevent the wheels from veering off the track by sandwiching them with the rail. The company has already installed the guards on 48 km of the planned sections.
ガードとレールで車輪を挟んで脱線を防ぐ仕組みで、４８キロは設置済みだ。

The project covers sections in areas over active faults. But the accident site was not covered.
　活断層があって激しい揺れが予想される区間を対象としているが、熊本の脱線現場は含まれていなかったという。

JR companies have made their own decisions on which sections of their Shinkansen lines should be protected by anti-derailment guards. Their decisions are based on estimates of the risks of severe quakes.
　ガードをどの区間に整備するかは、地震の危険度を踏まえ、各社が独自に判断してきた。

Central Japan Railway (JR Tokai) decided to install the guards for 596 km, or 60 percent, of the Tokaido Shinkansen Line. The company has already finished work for 360 km under the project.
　ＪＲ東海は東海道新幹線の６割の５９６キロで整備を計画し、うち３６０キロは工事を終えた。

On the Sanyo Shinkansen Line, operated by West Japan Railway Co. (JR West), the protection guards had been installed on 110 km as of the end of last year. JR West plans to extend the protected sections by another 110 km.
山陽新幹線では昨年末までに１１０キロのガードが敷かれ、ＪＲ西日本はあと１１０キロ延長する予定だ。

East Japan Railway Co. and Hokkaido Railway Co. are installing different types of anti-derailment systems on their Shinkansen lines.
ＪＲ東日本と北海道も、形式が異なる脱線防止装置の設置を進めている。

The Kumamoto earthquake underscores the risk of a huge destructive force occurring at unexpected locations directly below urban areas.
　熊本の地震は、思わぬ場所で起きる直下型地震の怖さを示した。

The JR companies should seek opinions of experts to reassess the effectiveness of their current plans to protect their Shinkansen lines from such quakes.
今の整備計画で大丈夫か。専門家の意見を聞くなど、いま一度確かめる必要がある。

Derailment prevention systems are costly, requiring hundreds of millions of yen per kilometer. In addition, work to install such systems can only be done around midnight when the service is off.
But the JR companies should try to figure out ways to implement their plans ahead of schedule.
　脱線防止装置の設置には１キロあたり億単位の金がかかる。深夜しか工事ができない制約もあるが、できる限り整備を前倒しすることも検討してほしい。

The 2011 earthquake damaged poles supporting overhead electric lines beside the tracks.
　東日本大震災では線路脇の架線柱が損壊した。

This time, a chimney of a plant located along the Shinkansen line fell and blocked the rails.
今回も沿線の工場の煙突が倒れ、新幹線の線路をふさいだ。

Giant quakes always create unexpected problems. All we can do is glean all possible lessons from each big quake and make steady efforts to enhance safety.
大地震は常に新たな「想定外」を突き付けてくる。教訓を引き出し、安全網を着実に強めていくしかない。

香山リカのココロの万華鏡 :差別は心を破壊する ／東京

April 17, 2016 (Mainichi Japan)
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: Discrimination destroys the heart
香山リカのココロの万華鏡 :差別は心を破壊する　／東京

Rika Kayama (Mainichi)

Japan's ruling parties have submitted a bill to the current Diet session aiming to eliminate hate speech. On the Ministry of Justice's website, hate speech is defined as "discriminatory language and actions that reject the people of a particular ethnic group or nationality." Saying, "I don't like that person because they are mean," is simple badmouthing, but saying, "Get out of Japan, people of (such-and-such a country)" or, "The people of (such-and-such an ethnic group) are inferior" is hate speech.
　ヘイトスピーチの解消に向けた与党の法案が、今国会に提出された。法務省のホームページでは、ヘイトスピーチについて「特定の民族や国籍の人々を排斥する差別的言動」とある。「あの人は意地悪だからきらい」はただの悪口だが「○○国の人はみな日本から出て行け」とか「○○民族は劣っている」などはヘイトスピーチにあたる。

Unfortunately, in recent years this kind of speech has been dispersed not only over the Internet, but on Japan's streets.
残念ながら近年、ネットだけでなく公道でこういったヘイトスピーチがばらまかれるようになった。

Hate speech is a problem around the world, but Japan has lagged in responding to the issue. The ruling parties are now rising up to legislate measures against hate speech, and I'm all for celebrating this.
　ヘイトスピーチは世界の各国で問題になっているが、日本では対策が遅れていた。それがこのほど与党も法制化に立ち上がったのだ。それは素直に喜びたい。

However, I still have worries. Under the ruling parties' bill, hate speech is considered "improper, discriminatory language and behavior that encourage the removal of people born in countries or territories outside Japan who are living lawfully." Of course language and actions falling under this definition are unforgivable, but hate speech in Japan is not only directed at "people born in countries or territories outside Japan."
　しかし、まだ心配が残っている。与党の法案ではこの法律の対象になるのは「日本以外の国または地域の出身者で適法に居住するものを、排除することを扇動する不当な差別的言動」ということになっている。これがヘイトスピーチの定義ということだ。もちろんこういった言動は許されない。ただ、国内のヘイトスピーチは「日本以外の国の出身者」にのみ向けられているわけではない。

For example, as someone from Hokkaido, I immediately think of the Ainu. The Ainu continue to be discriminated against in both employment and marriage, and it is not uncommon for them to be forced into an economically difficult lifestyle. Furthermore, lately there has been an increase in heartless comments directed at the Ainu, particularly online. There are even people who deny their existence, saying, "The Ainu people don't exist anymore."
　たとえば、北海道出身の私にとっては、アイヌのことがすぐ思い浮かぶ。アイヌはいまだに就職や結婚で差別され、経済的に苦しい生活を強いられていることも少なくない。しかも最近はネットを中心に、アイヌに対してさらに心ない差別的な言葉が投げかけられるようになった。「アイヌ民族なんてもういない」とその存在を否定する人までいる。

Under the ruling parties' bill, the Ainu, who are Japan-born Japanese nationals, are not considered targets of hate speech. The bill is to be debated in the House of Councillors from here on, but I hope it can somehow be expanded to include "discrimination against any ethnic group or race."
それが今回の与党案の定義では、日本生まれの日本人であるアイヌ民族はヘイトスピーチ対策の対象になっていないのだ。法案は参議院でこれから審議されるようだが、なんとか「あらゆる民族や人種への差別」と対象が広がらないだろうか。

Regardless, how can people say things like "get out" or "get lost" to their fellow humans in the first place? Why are the completely natural ideas that "discrimination is bad" and "everyone has human rights" no longer being followed? It's a shame that we must make a law to stop this, but since hate speech is actually being used widely, legal restrictions are unavoidable.
　それにしても、どうして自分と同じ人間に「出て行け」「消えろ」などと言うことができるのか。「差別はいけない」「誰にも人権がある」というごくあたりまえのことが、なぜ通用しない世の中になってしまったのか。それをやめさせるためにわざわざ法律を作らなければならない、というのも情けない話だが、実際にヘイトスピーチが蔓延（まんえん）しているからにはやむを得ないだろう。

I have also had a patient come to my consultation room who was emotionally hurt by seeing a rally involving hate speech. I want people to remember that discrimination destroys the heart.
　診察室にも、ヘイトスピーチのデモを目撃して心に傷を負った人がやって来たことがある。差別は人の心を破壊する、ということを忘れないでほしい。

(By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
（精神科医）

産油国会合不調 価格安定へ増産凍結を急げ

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Expedite freeze on oil production levels to stabilize crude prices
産油国会合不調　価格安定へ増産凍結を急げ

Oil ministers of major oil-producing countries, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, at a meeting on Sunday put off reaching an agreement on freezing oil output levels.
　サウジアラビアやロシアなど、主要産油国による石油相会合が、増産凍結の合意を見送った。

In a bid to stem the decline in crude oil prices, they had aimed to freeze oil output at January levels. As Saudi Arabia was angered by the absence of Iran, which has indicated it would increase production, the ministers put off reaching an accord.
　原油価格の下落に歯止めをかけようと、生産量を今年１月の水準で据え置くことを目指していた。だが、増産方針を示しているイランの欠席にサウジが反発したため、結論が先送りされた。

They are said to continue negotiating intermittently until the next meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries scheduled in June.
　６月に予定される石油輸出国機構（ＯＰＥＣ）総会まで、断続的に協議を続けるとしている。

Slumping crude oil prices not only have an adverse impact on the economies of oil-producing countries but also are risk factors for oil-consuming countries and the rest of the world.
　原油価格の低迷は、産油国経済に悪影響を及ぼすだけでなく、消費国を含む世界全体のリスク要因となっている。

When combined, the crude oil output of the 18 countries that participated in the meeting accounts for half the world’s production. Major oil-producing countries must expedite their efforts in building a consensus on specific measures to stabilize oil prices, including freezing production levels.
　会合に参加した１８か国の原油生産量は、世界の半分を占める。主要産油国は、増産凍結を含む価格安定の具体策について、合意形成を急がねばならない。

Following the failure by oil-rich countries to agree to freeze production levels, crude oil futures, which had been traded in the lower half of the $40 range per barrel on the U.S. market, fell further to the upper half of the $30 range.
　増産凍結の見送りを受け、１バレル＝４０ドル台前半で推移していた米国の原油先物相場は、３０ドル台後半に下落した。

Fearing that further declines in crude prices may cause turmoil in financial markets, investors have taken a risk-avoidance stance, causing the yen to strengthen and stock prices to decline on the Tokyo market.
　一段の原油安が金融市場の波乱要因になりかねないとして、投資家がリスク回避姿勢を強め、東京市場では円高・株安が進んだ。

For Japan, an oil-consuming country, a decline in crude oil prices would usually have a positive effect, but at the current time, the situation is different. We must not underestimate the possible negative impact on the Japanese economy when the pace of its economic recovery has been sluggish.
　石油消費国の日本にとって、原油安は本来、プラスになるが、今の局面は状況が異なる。景気回復がもたつく中、日本経済に及ぼす負の影響は軽視できない。

Saudi-Iran rivalry

Oil-producing countries with tight fiscal situations may accelerate their moves to pull their oil money out of financial markets, causing stocks to plunge around the world. Such doubts and fears show signs of spreading. Strict observation of market trends in the days ahead is needed.
　財政が逼迫ひっぱくした産油国が、オイルマネーを市場から引き揚げる動きを加速させ、世界的な株安を招くのではないか。そうした疑心暗鬼が広がりつつある。今後の市場動向に注意が必要だ。

Behind the failure of oil-producing countries to reach an accord is a tug-of-war for hegemony in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia, which refers to itself as the leader of Sunni Muslim nations, and Iran, a major Shiite-dominated country.
　産油国が合意できなかった背景には、イスラム教スンニ派の盟主を自任するサウジと、シーア派大国のイランが繰り広げる中東の覇権争いがある。

Their confrontation has intensified as the two countries severed diplomatic ties in January following Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.
　サウジがシーア派の宗教指導者を処刑したことを契機に、両国が今年１月に国交を断絶するなど、対立は激化している。

Saudi Arabia is strongly resistant to any agreement that would favor its rival Iran. Meanwhile, Iran can hardly go along with freezing output levels as the country has just begun increasing its production following the lifting in January of economic sanctions imposed by the United States and European countries over Tehran’s nuclear development.
　サウジには、敵対するイランを利する内容での決着への抵抗感が強い。イランは、核開発を巡る米欧の経済制裁を１月に解除されて増産に踏み出したばかりで、凍結には乗りにくい。

It will not be easy to untangle the complex factors that are blocking an accord on freezing oil output. The roles Russia and the United States play are important as they are major oil-producing countries outside the Middle East.
　合意を阻む複雑な要因を解きほぐすのは容易ではない。中東以外の産油国であるロシアと米国の役割は重要である。

Due to falling crude prices, Russia is suffering from negative economic growth as the country has been hit by the ruble’s sharp decline and high inflation. Meanwhile, the United States has seen the profit margins of its shale oil wells fall. While taking heed of the impacts on their own economies, Russia and the United States should press Saudi Arabia and Iran to reach some kind of compromise.
　原油安で、ロシアは通貨ルーブルの急落とインフレに見舞われ、マイナス成長に陥っている。米国も、シェールオイル油田の採算が悪化している。自国経済への影響にも留意して、サウジとイランに歩み寄りを促すべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 19, 2016)

Ｇ２０と世界経済 政策協調の実効性が問われる

The Yomiuri Shimbun
To stabilize global economy, G-20 needs to strengthen coordination
Ｇ２０と世界経済　政策協調の実効性が問われる

Each country is being tested in its efforts to strengthen coordination in implementing the crucial policies needed to stabilize the global economy.
　世界経済の安定へ各国に問われるのは、必要な政策の実行に向け、協調をより強める努力だ。

The Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors reiterated during a recent meeting their determination to employ all policy tools, such as fiscal and monetary policies, as well as structural reforms.
　主要２０か国・地域（Ｇ２０）財務相・中央銀行総裁会議が、財政・金融政策や構造改革などの政策手段を総動員する決意を改めて示した。

Expressing concern over the prospects of the world economy, a communique said, “However, growth remains modest and uneven, and downside risks and uncertainties to the global outlook persist ...”
　共同声明は「成長は緩やかでばらつきがあり、下方リスクや不確実性が残っている」として、世界経済の行方に懸念を表明した。

While the financial market is becoming calmer, the G-20 reaffirmed the importance of coordination without relaxing its vigilance. We believe this is appropriate.
　金融市場は落ち着きを取り戻しつつあるが、Ｇ２０が危機感を緩めず、協調の重要性を再確認したことは評価できる。

However, the G-20 is not a monolith, as the situations in each country differ.
　ただ、各国それぞれの事情があり、Ｇ２０は一枚岩ではない。

While the United States pointed out the effectiveness of an agile fiscal policy, Germany remained cautious on this stance.
　米国が機動的な財政政策の有効性を指摘したのに対し、ドイツは慎重な姿勢を崩さなかった。

Deflationary concerns are growing over the European economy. To prop it up, it may be effective for countries with fiscal leeway to start expanding their expenditures.
　欧州経済は、デフレ懸念を強めている。景気テコ入れには、財政余力のある国が歳出拡大に踏み出すことも有力な手段となろう。

The communique also expressed the intention of avoiding competitive currency devaluation. “We reiterate that excess volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates can have adverse implications for economic and financial stability,” it says. A similar phrase was used in the previous meeting.
　声明は、通貨の切り下げ競争を回避する意向も盛り込んだ。その上で、「為替相場の過度な変動や無秩序な動きは経済・金融に悪影響を与えうる」という、前回会合と同様の表現を明記した。

Overcoming differences key

Japan deems that the legitimacy of a new dimension of monetary easing has been acknowledged, and its market intervention to deal with the rapid rise in the yen has won understanding.
　日本は、異次元の金融緩和の正当性が認められ、急激な円高に市場介入などで対応することにも理解が得られたと解釈している。

Because of a possible slowdown in the pace of additional interest rate increases in the United States, there is concern that the yen may rise further in the future. At a press conference after the G-20 financial leaders meeting, Finance Minister Taro Aso stressed, “Taking necessary action against exchange rate movements is in line with the G-20 agreement.”
　米国の追加利上げペースの鈍化をにらみ、今後、円高がさらに進む心配がある。Ｇ２０後の記者会見で、麻生財務相は「為替の動きに必要な対応をとることは、Ｇ２０の合意内容に沿う」と強調した。

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, however, attempted to curb Japan’s moves to guide the yen’s value lower, saying, “Despite recent yen appreciation, foreign exchange markets remain orderly.” This is because Lew is wary that the yen’s slide against the dollar could lead to a drop in U.S. exports and worsening employment.
　だが、ルー米財務長官は、「最近は円高が進んでいるが、市場の秩序は保たれている」と、日本が円安誘導に動くことを牽制けんせいした。円安・ドル高が国内製造業の輸出不振や雇用悪化などを招くことを警戒しているためだ。

Unless developed countries strengthen their coordination by overcoming differences in their intentions, market stabilization will be far from certain.
　先進各国が、思惑の違いを乗り越えて協調を強めなければ、市場の安定はおぼつかない。

The G-20 also hammered out a policy of strengthening measures to stop excessive tax saving. This is based on the fact that the Panama Papers, which exposed a situation in which money is being salted away in tax havens, has become a global issue.
　Ｇ２０は、行き過ぎた節税への歯止め策を強化する方針も打ち出した。タックスヘイブン（租税回避地）を使った節税の実態を暴露した「パナマ文書」の流出が、国際問題化したことを踏まえた。

One cannot ignore that companies and wealthy people possessing huge assets pay too little tax, although this is not a clearly illegal act. The G-20’s direction of building an international cooperation framework to close tax loopholes is appropriate.
　明確な違法行為でなくとも、巨額の資産を持つ企業や富裕層が、過少な税金しか納めない事態は放置できない。課税の抜け道を塞ぐ国際協力体制を構築しようとするＧ２０の方向性は適切である。

It is hoped the G-20 will closely exchange information and strive to craft more effective rules to also deal swiftly with new methods of avoiding taxes.
　新手の税逃れ方法に迅速に対処するためにも、緊密な情報交換と、より効果的なルール作りに努めていくことが期待されよう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 18, 2016)

日露外相会談 首脳往来の環境を整備したい

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Prepare environment to promote mutual visits between Abe, Putin
日露外相会談　首脳往来の環境を整備したい

Continuing high-level talks with Russia is essential in order to make progress on the issue of the northern territories. Persistent effort is the key.
　北方領土問題の進展には、ロシアと高いレベルの対話を粘り強く続けることが欠かせない。

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Tokyo on Friday. The two agreed to prepare for a summit meeting in Russia’s southern city of Sochi in early May.
　岸田外相が、来日したロシアのラブロフ外相と会談し、５月上旬にロシア南部ソチで日露首脳会談を行う方向で準備を進めることで一致した。

At a joint press conference, Kishida referred to the issue of the northern territories, saying: “We had a positive discussion aimed at formulating a solution acceptable to both sides, which I believe will bring momentum to the negotiations.”
　岸田氏は共同記者会見で、北方領土問題について「双方に受け入れ可能な解決策を作成すべく、交渉に弾みを与える前向きな議論が行えた」と強調した。

Lavrov responded by saying that Moscow is ready to continue dialogue with Tokyo. Compared with the stubborn attitude he showed after his September meeting with Kishida — Lavrov at that time unilaterally denied that they had even discussed the northern territories at the meeting — we can say that the Russian minister was more flexible this time.
　ラブロフ氏は「対話を継続する用意がある」と応じた。昨年９月の外相会談後、領土問題を議題としたことさえ一方的に否定した硬直的な態度と比べれば、柔軟姿勢を示したと言えよう。

The atmosphere surrounding the diplomacy between Tokyo and Moscow is not bad. Since autumn, the two countries have held repeated exchanges between lawmakers as well as talks between senior government officials.
　昨年秋以降は、議員交流や高官協議が続いており、日露外交の雰囲気自体は悪くない。

Russian President Vladimir Putin embraced Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s envisaged visit to Sochi. He told reporters that Japan is making efforts to maintain its relationship with Russia “despite U.S.-centered pressure.” Putin added that the two countries will be able to find middle ground on the territorial issue someday.
　プーチン大統領も、「米国を中心とする圧力にもかかわらず、日本は（対露）関係を維持しようとしている」と記者団に述べ、安倍首相のソチ訪問を歓迎した。領土問題についても、「いつか妥協できる」と語っている。

Strong willpower needed

Of course, it is too early to say that Moscow has shifted to a softer approach on territorial issues.
　無論、ロシアが領土問題で軟化していると見るのは早計だ。

In an interview with certain media ahead of his visit to Japan, Lavrov said the 1956 Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration does not say that the territorial dispute will be discussed during negotiations on the envisioned peace treaty.
　ラブロフ氏は来日前、一部メディアに対し、１９５６年の日ソ共同宣言について「平和条約交渉で領土問題を検討するとは書かれていない」などと主張した。

The remarks contradict past agreements between Japan and Russia, such as the 2001 Irkutsk Statement, which states that settling the territorial jurisdiction of the four islands off Hokkaido is a precondition to concluding a peace treaty. Lavrov’s remarks cannot be accepted. Moscow should remember that Putin himself signed the Irkutsk Statement.
　４島の帰属問題の解決が条約締結の前提とした２００１年のイルクーツク声明など、過去の合意に反しており、容認できない発言だ。声明はプーチン氏自身が署名したことも踏まえるべきである。

Abe and Putin will have to have strong willpower and be decisive in resolving the territorial dispute.
　領土問題の解決には、両首脳の強い意志と決断が求められる。

The tenure of both leaders ends in 2018. We urge both governments to materialize the Russian president’s visit to Japan after Abe’s trip to Russia. It is important to seek a path toward reaching an agreement on the issue by exchanging mutual visits. We urge the government to steadily and strategically prepare the way for fostering the needed environment.
　２人の任期はいずれも１８年までだ。安倍首相の訪露後、プーチン氏の来日を実現し、相互往来を重ねる中で、合意の糸口を探ることが重要である。その環境整備を着実かつ戦略的に進めたい。

At the same time, it is important not to disrupt the unity of the Group of Seven developed nations.
　留意すべきは先進７か国（Ｇ７）の足並みを乱さないことだ。

U.S. President Barack Obama has confronted Putin over the Ukranian conflict. Obama expressed concern over Abe’s envisaged Sochi visit during a telephone discussion in February, asking him to postpone it. Abe countered: “A peace treaty issue with Russia is also important. We must continue dialogue with Russia.”
　ウクライナ情勢を巡ってロシアと対立するオバマ米大統領は、２月の首相との電話会談で、首相の訪露に懸念を伝え、延期を求めた。首相は「ロシアとの平和条約も大事だ。ロシアとの対話を続けねばならない」と反論した。

Earlier this month, Abe held a meeting with Ukranian President Petro Poroshenko, pledging to continue financial support to the country.
　首相は今月上旬、ウクライナのポロシェンコ大統領と会談し、経済支援の継続を約束した。

It is essential for the government to explain Japan’s standpoint of simultaneously working on the two issues — easing the Ukranian conflict and making progress in Japan-Russia relations — to the United States and European countries to obtain their understanding before Japan hosts the G-7 Ise-Shima Summit meeting in May.
　５月に主要国首脳会議（伊勢志摩サミット）を控え、ウクライナ情勢の改善と日露関係の進展の両立を目指す日本の立場を説明し、米欧の理解を得る必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 17, 2016)

北ミサイル失敗 核搭載の脅威に警戒を怠るな

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Stay alert to N. Korea’s attempts to miniaturize nuclear warheads
北ミサイル失敗　核搭載の脅威に警戒を怠るな

The self-serving stance of the North Korean regime led by Kim Jong Un, which has continued to make dangerous provocations in total defiance of international criticism, has become more pronounced.
　国際社会の非難を一顧だにせず、危険な挑発を続ける北朝鮮の金正恩政権の独善ぶりが一段と鮮明になった。

North Korea launched a missile from an area on its coast facing the Sea of Japan, but it failed. It is highly possible that it was a test-firing of a new type of medium-range ballistic missile named Musudan. There is information that the missile exploded as it rose skyward.
　北朝鮮は日本海側地域からミサイルを発射したが、失敗した。新型中距離弾道ミサイル「ムスダン」の初の発射実験だった可能性が大きい。上昇中に爆発したとの情報もある。

If the precision of North Korea’s launching technology improves through repeated test-firings, it would enhance its surprise attack capabilities because such missiles are fired from mobile launch pads that are difficult to detect. Countries concerned must not neglect the need to stay alert regarding the progress of North Korea’s military technology.
　発射を重ねることで精度が高まれば、事前の兆候をつかみにくい移動式だけに、奇襲能力の向上につながりかねない。関係国は北朝鮮の軍事技術開発の進展に対する警戒を怠ってはなるまい。

Resolutions on sanctions that have been repeatedly adopted by the U.N. Security Council against North Korea ban any type of launch using ballistic missile technology. It cannot be overlooked that North Korea has repeatedly violated the resolutions since it conducted a nuclear test in January.
　国連安全保障理事会の度重なる制裁決議は北朝鮮に対し、弾道ミサイル技術を用いた、いかなる発射も禁じている。北朝鮮が１月の核実験以降、決議違反を繰り返していることは、看過できない。

Kim claimed in early March that his country had succeeded in miniaturizing nuclear warheads. He is apparently trying to rattle the three countries of Japan, the United States and South Korea by flaunting technology for missiles on which nuclear warheads can be mounted.
　金第１書記は３月上旬、核弾頭の小型化に成功したと主張した。運搬手段となるミサイル技術を誇示して、日米韓３か国を揺さぶろうとする思惑ではないか。

North Korea in mid-March defiantly launched a Nodong medium-range ballistic missile capable of reaching most parts of Japan.
　北朝鮮は３月中旬には、日本の大半を射程に収める移動式の中距離弾道ミサイル「ノドン」の発射を強行していた。

With a longer range than the Nodong type, it is estimated that the Musudan missile has a range of up to 4,000 kilometers.
　ムスダンは、ノドンより射程が長く、最大４０００キロに達すると推定される。

Realistic threats loom

If the missile test-fired this time was a Musudan type, North Korea’s purpose is to be able to target U.S. forces in Japan and Guam. B-52 strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons are deployed at the U.S. military base in Guam. The U.S. military dispatched a B-52 from the Guam base to fly over South Korea after North Korea conducted a nuclear test in January.
　今回発射したミサイルがムスダンとすれば、在日米軍やグアムの米軍も標的として想定したものだ。グアムには核兵器を搭載できるＢ５２戦略爆撃機が配備されている。北朝鮮の核実験後、米軍はＢ５２を韓国上空まで飛行させた。

Should Pyongyang successfully test-fire a Musudan missile, the threat that it can launch nuclear attacks on U.S. bases in the Asia-Pacific region would become reality.
　北朝鮮がムスダンの発射に成功した場合は、「アジア太平洋の米軍基地」を核攻撃できるという威嚇が現実味を帯びよう。

The latest missile launch by North Korea was conducted on Friday, the birthday of Kim Jong Un’s grandfather Kim Il Sung — an important, commemorative day for the country. North Korea’s expectations of enhancing national prestige could not be met due to the failed test-firing.
　今回、ミサイルを発射した１５日は、金第１書記の祖父、金日成主席の誕生日に当たり、重要な祝日だ。失敗により、国威発揚の目論見は外れたのではないか。

The Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea is scheduled to convene in early May for the first time in 36 years. Preparations are in full swing, including holding meetings to select delegates to the congress. Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the WPK, praised Kim Jong Un, saying he has lifted North Korea to the first rank of nuclear powers.
　５月上旬には３６年ぶりの朝鮮労働党大会が予定される。大会代表を選ぶ会議が開かれるなど、準備は本格化している。党機関紙「労働新聞」は、金第１書記について、「祖国を核強国の前列に引き上げた」などと称たたえている。

It is assumed Kim Jong Un will resort to further military provocations in an attempt to enhance his own prestige. It was natural for Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga to say that Japan “will gather and analyze information and respond, while acting in concert firmly with the United States and South Korea.”
　金第１書記は自らの威信を高めるため、さらなる軍事挑発に走ることが想定される。菅官房長官が「米韓ともしっかり連携をしながら、情報を収集、分析し、対応していく」と語ったのは当然だ。

To prepare for new North Korean provocations, such as a fifth nuclear test and an additional missile test-firing, it is essential that Japan strengthen surveillance in close cooperation with Washington and Seoul.
　５回目の核実験や新たなミサイル発射などに備えて、日本は米韓と緊密に協調し、監視を強めることが欠かせない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 16, 2016)

パナマ文書 中国政権の正統性問う

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 10
EDITORIAL: Panama Papers question China leadership’s legitimacy
（社説）パナマ文書　中国政権の正統性問う
 
After three years of persistently pursuing a rigorous anti-corruption campaign, the administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping is now facing a serious credibility crisis.
The administration’s drive to clean up the rot within the government and the Communist Party has won public support because the unusually tough crackdown has led to a slew of arrests and indictments of political heavyweights. Many party bigwigs are still under investigation.
　中国の習近平（シーチンピン）政権は発足から３年、一貫して「反腐敗」を掲げている。大物の摘発を辞さず、従来とは違う強い姿勢で臨んできたことが支持された。いまも連日、共産党幹部が取り調べを受けている。

But the so-called Panama Papers, or millions of internal documents about hidden wealth leaked from a Panama-based law firm, have implicated some members of China’s most powerful policy body.
The names mentioned in the leaked documents include the husband of Xi’s elder sister and relatives of Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli, two other members of the Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee. They were shareholders in companies registered in overseas tax havens, according to information obtained and made public by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
　ところが、国際調査報道ジャーナリスト連合（ＩＣＩＪ）が入手した「パナマ文書」によれば、習国家主席の姉の夫のほか、共産党政治局常務委員である劉雲山（リウユンシャン）、張高麗（チャンカオリー）両氏の親族が、租税回避地に設立した会社の株主となっていた。

The disclosures raised suspicions that the leaders who have been acting as champions of the anti-corruption crusade are corrupt themselves. The leaked documents have cast serious doubt on the administration’s credibility and moral rectitude.
　反腐敗の旗振り役も腐敗しているのではないか。政権のあり方に疑問を突き付けている。

The Panama Papers also cite five relatives of former Chinese leaders including the husband of Mao Tse-tung’s granddaughter.
　ほかにも毛沢東の孫の夫を含め、元指導者の親族５人の名前が挙がっている。

Chinese authorities have imposed a strict media blackout to block public access to information concerning the Panama Papers.
　中国当局はパナマ文書に関する情報にアクセスできないよう統制を敷いた。

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has refused to comment on any of the many questions about the topic posed by foreign media.
外務省は国外メディアの再三の問いかけにもノーコメントだ。

But the government has been unable to stop the embarrassing facts about top leaders from becoming known widely among the people.
それでも多くの市民に知れ渡るのは止められない。

The phrase “husband of an elder sister” has already become fashionable on the Internet.
早くも「姉の夫」がネット上で流行語となった。

We have heard a raft of stories about how relatives of Chinese leaders have taken advantage of their positions to win the rights to use state-owned land and made huge profits through real estate investments.
　指導者の親族が地位を利用して国有地の使用権を得たうえ、不動産投資で金もうけをしている――といった話は中国でよく耳にする。

It is unclear whether reported secretive offshore financing is related to such dubious wealth accumulated through abuse of political privileges.
今回の事例が、そうした特権的手段による蓄財と関連するのかどうかは、まだ明確には分からない。

But two things are clear.
　だが、言えることが二つある。

One is that people around China’s top leader have amassed amounts of wealth well beyond the imagination of ordinary citizens in the country.
　一つは、最高指導者の周辺で、市民感覚とかけ離れた巨大な富が蓄えられているという現実だ。

The other is that they have taken the trouble to set up companies in remote offshore tax havens.
　もう一つは、彼らが遠く海外の租税回避地にわざわざ会社を設立していたということだ。

Why have they transferred their assets to such companies far away from home? The only plausible explanation is that they were trying to hide their money from Chinese authorities’ oversight.
この仕組みを使って資産を移しているのはなぜか。中国当局の目が届かないところに隠そうとする意図があったとしか考えられない。

These leaders deserve to be criticized for putting a higher priority on protecting the profits of their kin than on promoting the nation’s development. That’s at least how Chinese citizens will think about the revelations.
　国を指導する立場にありながら、国の発展よりも一族の利益を守ることを優先している、とみられても仕方がないだろう。少なくとも市民はそう受け止める。

At least three of the seven members of the paramount leadership organ have been implicated.
そのような最高指導部メンバーが現職７人のうち３人もいたのである。

China lacks a system under which its leaders are chosen through free and fair elections.
　中国は、自由で公正な選挙によって指導者が選ばれる制度を欠いている。

If the Communist Party government is to win public support for its rule of the nation, it must ensure that the living standards among the people will keep rising.
それでも今の共産党政権が国民の支持を得るとすれば、人々の生活水準を向上させることによるほかない。

If the party’s leaders are working hard to make themselves far richer than citizens, however, the very foundation of the legitimacy of the party’s monopoly on power could be seriously undermined.
　だが、党指導部がそれをはるかに上回る私利を図っているとすれば、共産党支配の正統性は根本から揺らぎかねない。

The documents that tell sordid stories about relatives of top Chinese leaders are widely available across the world. It is hard to imagine how the Xi administration will be able to get away with this scandal without offering convincing explanations.
　証拠となる文書は全世界にさらされている。このまま説明なしに済むとは思えない。

韓国与党敗北 対「北」連携へ悪影響避けたい

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Defeat of South Korean ruling party musn’t derail cooperation over North
韓国与党敗北　対「北」連携へ悪影響避けたい

The political base of South Korean President Park Geun-hye, who has one year and 10 months left in her term, has been shaken to its core.
　残り任期が１年１０か月となった朴槿恵韓国大統領の政権基盤が、大きく揺らいだと言えよう。

This is a development that raises concerns about the possible negative impact on South Korea’s policies toward North Korea and Tokyo-Seoul ties.
　北朝鮮政策や日韓関係に悪影響が及ばないか、懸念される事態だ。

In South Korea’s parliamentary election, the ruling conservative Saenuri Party suffered a devastating defeat and lost its majority in the National Assembly. The main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, a left-leaning party that favors a conciliatory stance toward North Korea, made significant gains and is now the largest party in the assembly. The People’s Party, a new party, also picked up many seats.
　韓国の総選挙で、政権与党である保守系のセヌリ党が過半数を割り込み、惨敗した。左派で北朝鮮に融和的な最大野党「共に民主党」が伸長して第１党となり、新政党「国民の党」も躍進した。

A South Korean president serves one five-year term and cannot be reelected. When an administration enters the latter half of its term, it normally becomes a lame duck. A further decline in its unifying force is unavoidable.
　５年１期で再選がない韓国大統領の政権後期は通常、レームダック（死に体）化する。求心力の一層の低下は避けられまい。

The direct cause of the ruling party’s defeat was an internal conflict prior to the election that caused many people to lose trust in the party. Discord between lawmakers close to Park and lawmakers in an anti-Park group who want to keep their distance from her resulted in a split election, as some anti-Park lawmakers who were denied official nominations ran as independents.
　与党の直接の敗因は、選挙直前に内紛を起こし、国民の信頼を失ったことだ。朴氏に近い「親朴派」と、距離を置く「非朴派」が対立した末、公認を拒まれた一部の「非朴派」議員が無所属で出馬する分裂選挙となった。

The Park administration’s failure to produce any notable results on the economic front also affected the election. Due to the economic slowdown in China and other factors, South Korea’s exports have fallen and growth has been tepid. The rising unemployment rate, especially among young people, has become a social problem.
　朴政権が経済面でめぼしい成果を上げていないことも響いた。中国経済の減速などにより、輸出が落ち込み、成長が鈍化した。特に若年層の失業率上昇が大きな社会問題になっている。

Park will have to increasingly request opposition parties’ cooperation to pass bills seeking to reenergize the economy, and on other issues. Running her administration will become more difficult.
　朴氏は経済活性化を目指す法案の成立などで、野党の協力を要請する場面が増え、困難な政権運営を迫られるだろう。

Stick to ‘comfort women’ deal

Park has an obligation to deal with North Korea’s repeated provocations, such as its nuclear tests and launches of long-range ballistic missiles.
　核実験や長距離弾道ミサイル発射などの挑発を繰り返す北朝鮮への対処は、朴氏の責務である。

South Korea has quite appropriately adopted a hard-line approach to North Korea, such as by slapping its own sanctions on Pyongyang in addition to those imposed by the United Nations. Halting operations at the Kaesong industrial complex will be effective in severing a source of funds for the administration of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Criticism from opposition parties that these steps are excessive is unfair.
　韓国が、国連の制裁に加え独自制裁を科すなど北朝鮮に厳しく臨んでいるのは妥当だ。開城工業団地の操業停止は金正恩政権の資金源を断つ効果がある。行き過ぎだとの野党の批判は当たらない。

To prevent North Korea from committing any reckless acts, it is essential for Seoul to strengthen its alliance with Washington and continue to discuss the deployment of a sophisticated U.S. missile defense system in South Korea.
　北朝鮮の暴発を防ぐには、米最新鋭ミサイル防衛システムの韓国配備の協議を続け、米国との同盟を強化することが肝要だ。

Some observers have suggested the opposition party’s victory will make it harder to conclude a General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) that is being discussed by Japan and South Korea. However, the importance of cooperation between Japan, the United States and South Korea must not be forgotten.
　日韓間の懸案である軍事情報包括保護協定（ＧＳＯＭＩＡ）の締結は、野党の勝利で難しくなったとの見方があるが、日米韓の協調の重要性を忘れてはならない。

What will happen to efforts aimed at implementing the Japan-South Korea deal on so-called comfort women, which was realized at the end of last year, is a cause for concern.
　気がかりなのは、慰安婦問題を巡る昨年末の日韓合意の履行に向けた取り組みである。

South Korea is obliged to establish a foundation that will provide support to former comfort women. South Korea has also promised to make efforts to remove a statue of a girl symbolizing comfort women set up in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul. Japan has demanded that this statue be removed.
　韓国は今後、元慰安婦を支援する財団を設立せねばならない。日本が求める在ソウル日本大使館前の少女像の撤去についても、解決の努力を約束している。

Deep-rooted opposition to this deal remains in South Korea. Although the comfort women issue did not become a major point of contention in the election, the Minjoo Party of Korea called in its campaign promises for the withdrawal and renegotiation of the deal.
　韓国内では、日韓合意に反対の声が根強い。慰安婦問題は総選挙の争点にならなかったが、「共に民主党」は選挙公約で、日韓合意の撤回と再交渉を求めていた。

We will watch carefully and hope Park will not be swayed by such pressure, and that she implements the deal to improve Japan-South Korea relations.
　朴氏がこうした圧力に左右されず、日韓関係改善のために合意を履行することを見守りたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 15, 2016)

ＴＢＳ批判 まっとうな言論活動か

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 13
EDITORIAL: Attack on TBS TV an act of crude intimidation, not free speech
（社説）ＴＢＳ批判　まっとうな言論活動か
 
Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings Inc., operator of the TBS TV station, issued a statement earlier this month concerning an organization that has publicly declared its intention to put pressure on the broadcaster’s sponsors.
　ＴＢＳテレビが先週、「弊社スポンサーへの圧力を公言した団体の声明について」と題するコメントを発表した。

Calling itself “an association of television viewers demanding compliance with the Broadcast Law,” the group maintains that TBS’s news reports violate the Broadcast Law, and says it is preparing a “national campaign to alert sponsors.”
　この団体は、「放送法遵守（じゅんしゅ）を求める視聴者の会」というグループだ。ＴＢＳの報道が放送法に反すると主張し、スポンサーへの「国民的な注意喚起運動」を準備するとしている。

In its statement, TBS rebutted: “Fully cognizant of our mission as a news organization to introduce diverse opinions and keep public authorities in check, we autonomously aim for fair and impartial programming.”
　ＴＢＳのコメントは、次のような要旨を表明している。
　「多様な意見を紹介し、権力をチェックするという報道機関の使命を認識し、自律的に公平・公正な番組作りをしている」

The broadcaster stressed, “The (group’s) open declaration of its intent to apply pressure on our sponsors represents a grave threat to freedom of expression and, ultimately, to democracy itself.”
　「スポンサーに圧力をかけるなどと公言していることは、表現の自由、ひいては民主主義に対する重大な挑戦である」

The purpose of the Broadcast Law is to guarantee freedom of expression and encourage the healthy development of democracy. TBS’s comment is fully compatible with the spirit of this law, and we support it.
　放送法の目的は、表現の自由を確保し、健全な民主主義の発達に役立てることにある。コメントは、その趣旨にもかなった妥当な見解である。

The viewers’ association has been attacking TBS since last autumn, and it kept track of the airtime the network gave to its coverage of the controversial national security legislation.
After establishing that TBS gave more airtime to reports that were critical of the legislation, the association accused TBS of failing to maintain political neutrality.
　声明を出した団体は、昨秋からＴＢＳ批判を続けている。安保関連法制の報道時間を独自に計り、法制への反対部分が長かったとして政治的公平性を欠くと主張している。

But it is the mission of any news organization to examine legislation pushed by the administration of the time, and raise questions and discuss problems. And with something like national security legislation that was of great interest to the public, the network obviously needed to thoroughly report on the issue by airing diverse opinions that differed from the administration’s, including critical views.
　しかし、政権が進める法制を検証し、疑問や問題点を指摘するのは報道機関の使命だ。とりわけ安保法のように国民の関心が強い問題について、政権の主張と異なる様々な意見や批判を丁寧に報じるのは当然だ。

As for the matter of putting pressure on broadcasters, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party legislator held a study meeting in June last year, in which a comment was made to the effect, “The most effective way to punish mass media is to cut off revenues from their sponsors.”
　テレビ局への圧力という問題をめぐっては、昨年６月、自民党議員の勉強会で「マスコミを懲らしめるには広告料収入がなくなるのが一番」などとの発言があった。

Such thinking fully endorses browbeating by political authorities. This is simply unacceptable.
政治権力による威圧であり、論外の発想だ。

On the other hand, viewers are free to criticize TV programs, and broadcasters must humbly heed such complaints. However, what the viewers’ association has done is arbitrarily interpret the Broadcast Law and attempt to systematically manipulate the public into joining the “cause.”
　一方、視聴者が言論で番組を批判するのは自由だ。テレビ局は謙虚に耳を傾けなくてはいけない。だが、この団体は、放送法を一方的に解釈して組織的に働きかけようとしている。

In its statement, the association notified TBS that unless the latter “responds with sincerity,” a proposal will be sent to its sponsors to prevent them from becoming “accomplices” in “illegal broadcasting that negatively impacts society.”
　ＴＢＳの「誠意ある回答」がなければ、「違法報道による社会的な負の影響」への「加担」を防ぐ提言書をスポンサーに送ると通告。

The association also stated its intention to recruit volunteers online and “take further action as needed,” depending on the sponsors’ response.
ネットでボランティアを募り、企業の対応によっては「さらに必要な行動をとる」とも予告する。

This is applying pressure, pure and simple.
これは見過ごせない圧力である。

There are many ways to complain about TV programs, including taking the complaints to the Broadcasting Ethics & Program Improvement Organization. And yet, the viewers’ association remains focused on forcing TBS to change its reporting stance by hitting its revenue source--namely, the sponsors. Such a tactic cannot possibly constitute an exercise of the right to free speech.
　番組を批判する方法は様々あり、放送倫理・番組向上機構（ＢＰＯ）も機能している。にもかかわらず、放送局の収入源を揺さぶって報道姿勢を変えさせようというのでは、まっとうな言論活動とはいえない。

Should any autonomous broadcaster become incapable of continuing to provide fair and unbiased reporting and keeping public authorities in check, the public loses.
　もし自律した放送局が公正な報道と権力監視を続けられなくなれば、被害者は国民だ。

The media must reconfirm the heavy responsibility they bear to protect the public’s right to know.
「知る権利」を担う重い責務を、メディアは改めて確認したい。

Ｇ７外相会合 広島宣言を核廃絶に生かそう

The Yomiuri Shimbun
G-7 Hiroshima Declaration must help achieve the total abolition of N-arms
Ｇ７外相会合　広島宣言を核廃絶に生かそう

It is highly significant that the Group of Seven major powers — including the three nuclear powers of the United States, Britain and France — issued a clear message to pursue the eradication of nuclear weapons, doing so from a city flattened by the atomic bomb.
　核兵器を保有する米英仏３か国も賛同し、核廃絶を追求する明確なメッセージを被爆地から発出した意味は重い。

The G-7 adopted the Hiroshima Declaration on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation at its foreign ministers’ meeting in Hiroshima.
　先進７か国（Ｇ７）は広島市で外相会合を開き、核軍縮・不拡散を推進する共同文書「広島宣言」を採択した。

“The people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki experienced immense devastation and human suffering,” the declaration says. To work toward a world without nuclear weapons, the declaration calls on political leaders and other people to visit the two cities. It also calls for promoting dialogue between nuclear weapon states and nonnuclear-weapon states and enhancing transparency regarding nuclear arms.
　原爆で広島と長崎が「極めて甚大な壊滅と非人間的な苦難」を経験したと指摘した。「核兵器のない世界」に向けて、政治指導者らの被爆地訪問を呼び掛けた。核兵器保有国と非保有国の対話や核の透明性向上も求めている。

Last year’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference fell apart due to confrontations between participating countries. Japan, as the only country hit by an atomic bombing, has the mission of leading nuclear disarmament efforts. Based on the Hiroshima Declaration, Japan should strive to restructure the international cooperative regime on nuclear non-proliferation.
　昨年の核拡散防止条約（ＮＰＴ）再検討会議は関係国の対立で、決裂した。唯一の被爆国として、核軍縮を主導するのは、日本の使命だ。広島宣言を土台に、国際協調体制の再構築を図るべきだ。

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday became the first incumbent U.S. cabinet member to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. He laid a wreath at the cenotaph for victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Commenting on the tour of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Kerry said, “I don’t see how anyone could forget the images ... of what happened.”
　ケリー米国務長官は、現職閣僚として初めて平和記念公園を訪れ、原爆死没者慰霊碑に献花した。平和記念資料館の見学について、「決して忘れることのできないものとなった」と感想を述べた。

Opinions that dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified are still strong in the United States. Kerry’s visit to Hiroshima must be used as a step toward closing the gap in perception of nuclear weapons between Japan and the United States.
　原爆投下を正当化する米国世論はなお根強い。ケリー氏の訪問を、核兵器に関する日米間の認識のズレを埋める一歩としたい。

Self-restraint urged

The G-7 foreign ministers also adopted a Statement on Maritime Security, which is based on the assessment that tensions have been mounting in the South China Sea.
　外相会合は、南シナ海情勢の緊迫化を踏まえて、海洋安全保障に関する声明も採択した。

The statement, though without pointing fingers at China, “urges all states to refrain from such actions as land reclamations ... as well as their use for military purposes.”
　中国の名指しを避けながらも、「埋め立て、拠点構築と軍事目的での利用」の自制を求めた。

China has been accelerating attempts to change the status quo by force, reclaiming man-made islands and pushing ahead with militarilization on them.
　中国は、人工島を造成し、軍事拠点化を進めるなど、「力による現状変更」を加速している。

It is significant that not only Japan and the United States, but also the G-7 as a whole, collectively recognized the seriousness of the security situation in the region. In cooperation with Southeast Asian nations, the G-7 must tenaciously call on China to refrain from self-serving actions.
　事態の深刻さについて、日米だけでなく、Ｇ７全体で共通認識を持ったことは重要だ。Ｇ７は、東南アジア各国とも連携し、中国に独善的な行動を慎むよう、粘り強く促さねばならない。

The statement also emphasized the importance of settling maritime disputes in accordance with international law, including arbitration. This could serve as a warning to China, which has refused to settle a territorial dispute with the Philippines at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague.
　声明は、仲裁を含む法的な紛争解決の重要性も強調した。ハーグの常設仲裁裁判所によるフィリピンとの領有権問題の解決を拒む中国を牽制けんせいする効果があろう。

The G-7 foreign ministers agreed to lead global efforts to deal with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant extremist group.
　過激派組織「イスラム国」への対応策では、Ｇ７が国際連携を主導することで合意した。

To prevent terrorism, it is necessary to take multilateral approaches such as sharing information, imposing stricter immigration controls and taking measures against the financing of terrorism.
　テロの防止には、テロリストに関する情報の共有や出入国管理の厳格化、テロ資金対策などを多角的に進める必要がある。

More concrete antiterrorism measures should be put forth at the Ise-Shima G-7 summit to be held late next month.
　来月下旬の主要国首脳会議（伊勢志摩サミット）では、より具体的な対策を打ち出すべきだ。

The G-7 foreign ministers released a joint communique condemning “in the strongest terms” the nuclear test and ballistic missile launches conducted by North Korea. It is essential for the international community to strictly implement the U.N. Security Council resolution adopted in March on sanctions against North Korea, thereby ramping up pressure on the country.
　Ｇ７外相は、北朝鮮の核実験と弾道ミサイル発射を強く非難した。３月の国連安全保障理事会の制裁決議を国際社会が厳格に履行し、北朝鮮への圧力を高めることが大切である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 12, 2016)

甘利氏の疑惑 説明責任はどうなった

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 10
EDITORIAL: Amari long overdue to explain himself in cash scandal
（社説）甘利氏の疑惑　説明責任はどうなった
 
The special investigation department of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office has opened a compulsory investigation into the scandal over cash received by Akira Amari, former minister in charge of economic revitalization, and by one of his former aides.
　甘利明・前経済再生相の現金授受問題で、東京地検特捜部が強制捜査に乗り出した。

A politician or an aide receiving profits in exchange for favors would violate the Law on Punishment of Public Officials’ Profiting by Exerting Influence.
　政治家や秘書が口利きの見返りに対価を受け取れば、あっせん利得処罰法違反になる。

The nature of the 6 million yen ($55,600), which Amari and his former aide received from a construction company based in Chiba Prefecture, remains unclear.
　甘利氏や元秘書が千葉県の建設会社側から受け取った６００万円は、どんな趣旨なのか。

Amari said he believes the money represented political donations with no reciprocal nature. But a man in charge of general affairs at the construction company has said the money was intended as remuneration for the intervention of the former aide and others in the company’s compensation talks with the semipublic Urban Renaissance Agency (UR). The company later received compensation payments from the UR.
　甘利氏は見返りとは無関係の政治献金という認識を示しているが、建設会社の総務担当者は元秘書らによる都市再生機構（ＵＲ）との補償交渉への介入と、補償金の支払いが実現したことへの謝礼の意味だったと証言している。

While the arguments on both sides remain far apart, it would be inexcusable for a politician or aide to receive money and exert influence on government offices or other entities at the request of the donor.
　双方の主張は大きく食い違うが、政治家側がカネを受け取り、依頼者の求めに応じて役所などに働きかける――そんな口利きがもしあったとしたら、言語道断である。

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office should do its best to uncover the entire picture of what took place.
東京地検は実態の全容解明に全力をあげてもらいたい。

It should not be forgotten that Amari himself has yet to fulfill his accountability. A lawmaker, who represents the people, has the responsibility to explain himself to the public whenever he comes under suspicion without waiting for investigators to uncover the case.
　同時に、忘れるわけにいかないのは、甘利氏自身が説明責任を果たしていないことだ。疑惑があれば、捜査当局の解明を待つまでもなく、自ら国民に説明する。それが国民の代表である国会議員の責任だ。

When he announced his resignation from the Cabinet at a news conference in late January, Amari did promise to “continue to have the case investigated by a lawyer and publish the results at appropriate timing.”
　甘利氏自身、大臣辞任を表明した１月末の記者会見で「弁護士による調査を続け、しかるべきタイミングで公表する」と約束したはずである。

Some other politicians who came under suspicion over fund-raising irregularities in the past defended themselves by saying, for example, that they had no way to determine the facts because documents had been seized by authorities.
　過去に政治とカネの疑惑に問われた他の政治家には「捜査当局に資料が押収され、事実関係が確認できない」などと弁明する例もあった。

But Amari had two-and-a-half months to look into the case after his resignation. He should be able to publish findings, even an interim report, from the investigation.
だが甘利氏の場合は、大臣辞任後２カ月半、調査期間があった。途中経過であっても公表できるはずだ。

Much remains unknown about the entire scandal, including whether Amari himself was involved in the case.
　一連の経緯については、まだ不明な点が多い。
　その一つは、甘利氏自身のかかわりである。

Amari said during the news conference in January that he had learned only recently that his former aide had been talking to the UR. But UR officials later said they had been told by the former aide that Amari was aware of the talks.
　甘利氏は元秘書がＵＲと交渉していることは「今回初めて知った」と１月の会見で説明したが、ＵＲはその後、甘利氏も交渉について把握していると元秘書から伝えられたとしている。

Opposition parties want Amari summoned to the Lower House Budget Committee as an unsworn witness to dig out the truth. But the ruling Liberal Democratic Party has refused.
　真相究明のため、野党は衆院予算委員会への甘利氏の参考人招致を求めてきたが、自民党は応じようとしない。

Amari has been absent from Diet sessions, citing health problems. He may be unable to come forward on his own to explain himself, but he could still have lawyers, for example, speak on his behalf.
　甘利氏は体調がすぐれないことを理由に、国会を欠席している。だが、自ら説明できなくても、例えば弁護士らを通じての説明は可能なのではないか。

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also bears heavy responsibility.
　安倍首相の責任も大きい。

Abe, who appointed Amari to key Cabinet positions, has admitted to his own responsibility for having appointed him.
　甘利氏を重要閣僚に起用してきた首相は、自らの「任命責任」を認めている。

If that is the case, the prime minister should urge Amari to explain himself. In addition, Abe, who is also the LDP president, should instruct the party to have Amari fulfill his accountability in some form or other.
ならば甘利氏に説明するよう促すべきだし、党総裁として自民党にも何らかの形で説明責任を果たさせるよう指示すべきだ。

広島外相会合 核なき未来への一歩に

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 7
EDITORIAL: G-7 in Hiroshima a chance to move closer toward nuke-free future
（社説）広島外相会合　核なき未来への一歩に
 
The gathering in Hiroshima of top diplomats of the Group of Seven major industrialized nations, which include three nuclear powers, sends a powerful message as the world struggles to make progress toward a future without nuclear arms.
The foreign ministers of the United States, Britain and France, as well as Japan and the three other G-7 members, will meet in Hiroshima, the first city to be leveled by an atomic bomb, on April 10 and 11.
　核軍縮の動きが停滞している今、核保有国の米英仏を含めた主要７カ国（Ｇ７）の外交トップが核被害の原点である広島を訪れる意義は大きい。核兵器廃絶に向けた機運を、いま一度高める契機にしていきたい。

On the sidelines of their meeting in Hiroshima, the G-7 foreign ministers will visit the Peace Memorial Park, dedicated to the city's 1945 atomic bombing, and lay flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims on April 11.
Their pilgrimages to the city should breathe new life into international efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons.
They are also expected to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Their tour of the museum that documents the consequences of the U.S. atomic bombing would be even more meaningful if they hold talks with A-bomb survivors and hear their harrowing tales.
　広島での会合に合わせ、Ｇ７の外相が１１日、平和記念公園をそろって訪ね、原爆死没者の名簿が納められている慰霊碑に献花することが決まった。
　平和記念資料館（原爆資料館）も見学する予定だ。できれば被爆者と対話し、被爆の実相をより深く心に刻んでほしい。

The G-7 officials traveling to Hiroshima include U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the Obama administration's top Cabinet member.
　参加者のうちケリー米国務長官は、オバマ政権の筆頭閣僚だ。

Kerry will be the highest-ranking active U.S. politician to visit Hiroshima after Nancy Pelosi, who went in 2008 as the speaker of the House of Representatives.
原爆を投下した米国の現職政治家としては、０８年に広島を訪れたペロシ下院議長（当時）に次ぐ過去最高クラスになる。

More than 200,000 people perished in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
　原爆によって広島、長崎で２０万を超す人々の命が奪われた。

Many Americans, however, regard the attacks as justifiable, arguing that they accelerated Japan’s surrender in World War II and thereby saved many lives.
だが米国では「日本の降伏を早め、結果的に多くの人命を救った」として、原爆投下は正当だったと考える世論が根強い。

Despite serious differences between Japan and the United States in perceptions over history, President Barack Obama agreed to Japan’s request for Kerry to visit Hiroshima. We applaud Obama's weighty political decision.
　日米の歴史認識に隔たりがあるなか、日本側が要望したケリー氏の被爆地訪問にオバマ政権が応じたのは重い政治判断だ。

We are inclined to regard the decision as a sign that Obama, whose term will expire in January, is still committed to working toward “a world without nuclear weapons,” the vision he announced to the world in his historic speech in Prague in 2009.
来年１月の任期切れを控え、オバマ大統領が０９年のプラハでの演説で掲げた「核兵器のない世界」実現に向け、なお意欲的であると受けとめたい。

The Obama administration sent its ambassador to Japan to most of the annual ceremonies to commemorate the atomic bombings that have been held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki since 2010.
Last year, the administration sent Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller to attend the ceremonies.
　オバマ政権は１０年以降ほぼ毎年、広島、長崎の平和式典に駐日大使を参列させ、昨年は国務次官を派遣した。

In Japan, expectations are growing that Obama himself will travel to the A-bombed cities when he visits Japan in May to attend the G-7 summit, to be held in Shima, Mie Prefecture.
日本国内では、５月のＧ７首脳会議（伊勢志摩サミット）で訪日するオバマ氏自身が、被爆地に足を延ばすのではとの期待が高まる。

In the United States, the political climate is heating up as the races for the Democratic and Republican nominations for the autumn presidential election are entering the home stretch.
　米国は秋の大統領選に向けた民主、共和両党の候補者選びが山場を迎えている。

Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has been delivering a range of harsh verbal attacks on Obama’s foreign policy.
共和党の指名争いで首位を走るトランプ氏は、オバマ氏の外交姿勢を批判のやり玉に挙げてきた。

Chances are that Kerry will avoid making any remarks that could be interpreted as an apology to Japan out of fears that such a comment could have a political impact on the election.
　選挙への影響を考え、ケリー氏が日本への「謝罪」ととられるような言動を控える可能性は高い。

But we nevertheless welcome Kerry’s decision to stand in front of the cenotaph in Hiroshima. We urge Obama to give serious consideration to visiting the cities as well.
だが、慰霊碑の前に立とうとする決意は率直に評価したい。オバマ氏も訪問をぜひ前向きに検討してほしい。

Even after seven decades, there are still many people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki who lost loved ones in the bombings and are suffering form health problems caused by radiation exposure.
　７０年を経た今も、広島、長崎には原爆で家族を奪われ、後遺症に苦しむ人が多い。

Because they have a strong desire not to see anyone suffer the same fate, people in the two cities are pinning great hopes on the visits by Kerry and other political leaders.
被爆地がそれでもケリー氏らの訪問に期待するのはなぜか。それは「苦しみをもう誰にも味わわせたくない」という強い思いだ。

We are eager to see people in countries with nuclear arsenals think seriously about ways to bring the world closer toward a future without nuclear weapons, something that Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been praying for so strongly and for so long.
　核保有国の人々には考えてもらいたい。どうすれば被爆地が願う「核兵器のない世界」は近づくか。

The G-7 foreign ministers’ visits to Hiroshima should not be allowed to end up as mere ritual. They should be a first step in effective efforts to create new momentum in international politics for realizing that goal.
Ｇ７外相の広島訪問を、単なる儀礼に終わらせず、現実の国際政治を動かす一歩にしてほしい。