南シナ海情勢 中国に挑発凍結を促し続けよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Keep pressure on Beijing to freeze provocations in South China Sea
南シナ海情勢　中国に挑発凍結を促し続けよ

Antagonism has become more conspicuous over the South China Sea between China and a group of countries including Japan and the United States.
　南シナ海を巡る日米両国などと中国の対立が、一層鮮明になった。

This could be observed at the recent ASEAN Regional Forum in Myanmar, where foreign ministers and officials from 27 countries and organizations gathered to discuss security issues. They included Japan, the United States, China and the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
　日米中や東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）など２７か国・機構の外相らが安全保障問題を話し合うＡＳＥＡＮ地域フォーラム（ＡＲＦ）が、ミャンマーで開かれた。

The focal topic at the meeting was South China Sea affairs, including the territorial dispute between China and Vietnam over the Paracel Islands.
　焦点は、パラセル諸島の領有を巡る中国とベトナムの対立をはじめとする南シナ海情勢だった。

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on the countries concerned to put a voluntary freeze on provocative actions. His idea of resolving disputes peacefully through negotiations after easing tensions was supported by the Philippines.
　ケリー米国務長官は、挑発行為の自発的な凍結を当事国に呼びかけた。緊張を緩和した後、交渉で問題を平和的に解決するとの考え方で、フィリピンも同調した。

The current regional tensions have been caused by China’s self-righteous actions such as carrying out reclamation work to build facilities and drilling for oil in disputed waters. If such provocative actions are suspended, it would help in making arrangements for negotiations.
　現在の緊張の原因は、係争海域での石油掘削や埋め立てによる施設建設など、中国の独善的行動だ。挑発行為が凍結されれば、協議の環境を整えるのに有効だろう。

Stressing the importance of the principle of “the rule of law,” Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida expressed opposition to the use of force and coercion as well as the importance for resolving disputes peacefully.
　岸田外相は、「法の支配」の原則を強調するとともに、力の行使や威圧への反対、平和的な問題解決の重要性を訴えた。

The root cause of the problems was that China has been insisting on territorial rights with no grounds in international law and trying to expand its effective rule with the backing of its military might. Kishida’s statements could be intended to check such movements by China. Assertions similar to Kishida’s have been made successively by the representatives of other countries.
　問題の根源は、中国が国際法上の根拠がない領有権を主張し、軍事力を背景に実効支配の拡大を図っていることだ。岸田氏の発言は中国への牽制けんせいであり、他国からも同様の主張が相次いだという。

In response, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi presented a plan to work together with the ASEAN toward early establishment of a legally binding code of conduct in the South China Sea.
　これに対し、中国の王毅外相は、法的な拘束力を持つ南シナ海行動規範の早期策定を、ＡＳＥＡＮと進める方針を示した。

Shared interests at stake

It is, of course, desirable to work out a code of conduct aimed at ensuring peace and stability in the South China Sea. But it is suspected that China’s real intention could be to eliminate U.S. involvement in the sea while buying time by promoting talks on a code of conduct.
　南シナ海の平和と安定を目指す行動規範の策定は無論、望ましい。だが、中国の本音は、規範策定で「時間稼ぎ」をしつつ、米国の関与を排除することではないか。

If that is the case, China’s proposal on a code of conduct cannot be endorsed, as freedom of navigation and other interests of the whole international community are at stake.
　それならば、航行の自由などは国際社会全体の利益に関わる問題である以上、容認できない。

We should pay heed to China’s increasing moves to divide ASEAN into pro- and anti-China groups by wielding its economic clout.
　注意が必要なのは、中国が経済力を駆使し、ＡＳＥＡＮ内の分断工作を強めていることだ。

China has been providing assistance to Cambodia and Laos in connection with their infrastructure development projects in the Mekong River area. Beijing has also offered an economic cooperation plan to the Thai military regime that took power in a May coup.
　カンボジアやラオスには、メコン川流域の社会資本開発事業などを支援している。５月にクーデターを起こしたタイ軍事政権にも、経済協力策を示した。

It is cause for worry that Thailand has quickly declared its support for a China-led plan to establish an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
　中国主導の「アジアインフラ投資銀行」構想にタイがいち早く支持を表明したのは気がかりだ。

The joint statement of the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting held ahead of the ARF expressed “serious concern” about the South China Sea issue.
　ＡＲＦに先立つＡＳＥＡＮ外相会議の共同声明は、南シナ海問題に「深刻な懸念」を表明した。

In the process of drafting the statement, Cambodia among others reportedly opposed a Philippine proposal to call for a “freeze on provocative actions.” China’s diplomatic maneuvering has thus had certain results.
　声明の案文作りでは、カンボジアなどが、「挑発行為の凍結」を求めるフィリピン案に反対したという。中国の工作は一定の成果を上げている。

To prevent China from forcibly changing the status quo in the South China Sea, Japan and the United States must beef up cooperation with not only ASEAN member nations but also their neighboring countries such as Australia and India.
　日米両国は、中国による南シナ海での「力ずくの現状変更」を許さないため、ＡＳＥＡＮ各国はもとより、豪州、インドなど周辺国との連携を強める必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 12, 2014)

（社説）被爆地と首相 逆行あり得ぬ非核への道

August 11, 2014
EDITORIAL: Japan must pursue a path to a nuclear-free world
（社説）被爆地と首相　逆行あり得ぬ非核への道

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki this month, both of which marked the 69th anniversaries of the atomic bombings. In the ceremonies in both cities, he emphasized determination to realize a world without nuclear weapons.
　原爆投下から６９年の広島、長崎を安倍晋三首相が訪れた。式典では「核兵器のない世界を実現する」との決意を強調した。

However, it seems that the gap between Abe and the cities that were struck by atomic bombs has increased since last year.
　だが、被爆地との溝は昨年より深まったように見える。

In a meeting with Abe in Hiroshima, 85-year-old hibakusha Yukio Yoshioka said, “(The Cabinet’s approval of the exercise of the right to collective self-defense) will make Japan a country that repeats its (past) mistake and can wage a war.”
　「過ちを繰り返し、戦争のできる国にするものだ」。広島で首相と懇談した被爆者の吉岡幸雄さん（８５）は言った。

Miyako Jodai, 75, who served as the representative of atomic bomb survivors in the ceremony in Nagasaki, said, “I want the government not to forget or deny the sufferings of atomic bomb survivors.”
長崎の式典で被爆者代表を務めた城臺美彌子（じょうだいみやこ）さん（７５）は「被爆者の苦しみを忘れ、なかったことにしないで」と力を込めた。

They apparently demanded that Abe withdraw the Cabinet’s approval of the exercise of the right to collective self-defense.
　ともに、集団的自衛権の行使を認めた閣議決定の撤回を首相に求めるものだった。

DIFFERENT FROM DESIRES
　■重ならない願い

There are also other causes of concern.
　懸念材料はほかにもある。

One is the exports of nuclear power generation infrastructure to emerging countries. Another is negotiations to conclude a nuclear power agreement with India, which has conducted nuclear tests without joining the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). Both could lead to nuclear proliferation.
　新興国への原発輸出、核不拡散条約（ＮＰＴ）に加盟せずに核実験したインドとの原子力協定交渉……。どちらも核拡散につながる恐れがぬぐえない。

The Abe administration also plans to maintain the policy of removing plutonium from spent nuclear fuels and reusing it in nuclear power plants.
　安倍政権は、プルトニウムを使用済み核燃料から新たに取り出して原発で利用する政策も続ける方針だ。

After the March 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima Prefecture, the future of nuclear power generation remains unclear. In addition, Japan already holds stocks of more than 40 tons of plutonium whose use has yet to be decided. Anti-nuclear groups in Japan and abroad suspect that Japan has the intention of arming itself with nuclear weapons.
　福島での大事故のあと、原発の未来が不透明なままだ。しかも日本は、利用計画を定めきれない４０トン以上のプルトニウムの在庫を抱えている。内外の反核団体などは、「核武装の意図があるのでは」といぶかる。

Why are the moves of the government of A-bombed Japan so different from the desires for anti-nuclear policies?
　被爆国である日本の政府の動きがなぜ、これほどまでに反核の願いと重ならないのか。

In cities that were devastated by the atomic bombs, Abe asked the people to understand the Cabinet’s approval of the exercise of the right to collective self-defense by repeatedly saying, “It is to protect the lives and livelihoods of the people.”
　安倍首相は被爆地で「国民の命と暮らしを守るためだ」と繰り返し、集団的自衛権の行使容認に理解を求めた。

The government’s basic stance is as follows: China’s military power is conspicuously increasing. North Korea is not halting its nuclear and missile development. The security environment surrounding Japan is becoming harsher. Therefore, the series of policies is preparation for a variety of threats.
　中国の軍事的台頭が目立ち、北朝鮮は核・ミサイル開発をやめない。日本の安全保障環境は厳しくなっており、一連の政策は多様な脅威への備えだというのが、政権の基本姿勢だ。

CONTRADICTIONS OF POLICIES
　■政策の矛盾深く

It is said that in Northeast Asia, nuclear deterrence is effective because some countries continued to possess nuclear
weapons even after the end of the Cold War. Therefore, the government’s policy of depending on the U.S. nuclear umbrella is unshakable.
　冷戦後も核を持つ国がひしめき、核抑止力がものを言うとされるのが北東アジアだ。
このため、米国の「核の傘」に頼るという方針も揺るがない。

If concerned countries only rely on nuclear weapons, however, the era of risking catastrophe by nuclear war will continue. China, Russia and North Korea will heighten their alarm against the strengthening of the Japan-U.S. alliance based on nuclear weapons. As a result, “the lives and the livelihoods of the people” will be endangered.
　ただ、関係国が核兵器に依存するばかりでは、核戦争による破滅リスクを背負ったままの時代が続く。核を主軸に据えた日米同盟の強化に、中国やロシア、北朝鮮が警戒感を高め、「国民の命と暮らし」が逆に危うくなりかねない。

However, the Abe administration is taking no action to drastically minimize the role of nuclear weapons and positively reduce the risk of the nuclear age.
　ところが安倍政権には、「核の役割」を大きく低下させ、核時代のリスクを積極的に消していくような発信も行動もない。

There are many cases that run counter to nuclear disarmament. One is the missile defense (MD) system, which is being jointly developed by Japan and the United States at present.
　核軍縮に逆行するような事例は、いくつもある。たとえば、日米共同で開発を進めるミサイル防衛（ＭＤ）システムだ。

The United States puts expectations on Japan’s exercise of the right to collective self-defense on the grounds that the exercise will lead to the strengthening of the MD system. That is because the Abe administration says that it plans to make it possible for Japan to shoot down ballistic missiles targeting the U.S. mainland or warships under the interpretation of the Constitution.
　米国は集団的自衛権の行使が、ＭＤの強化につながると期待感を示す。米本土や艦船を狙う弾道ミサイルを日本が撃ち落とすことも、憲法解釈上は認められるようにする、と安倍政権が語っているためだ。

Irrespective of whether it is technologically possible to shoot down the missiles, China and Russia are opposed to the strengthening of the MD system, saying that their nuclear deterrence will be weakened. China could also use the strengthening of the MD system as an excuse to increase its nuclear capabilities in order to break the defense network of Japan and the United States.
　技術的に可能かどうかはともかく、中国やロシアは「核抑止力が損なわれる」とＭＤ強化に反発する。中国が防衛網を突破しようと、核戦力増強の口実に使う恐れもある。

Abe also supports the possibility of the Self-Defense Forces sweeping for mines in the Strait of Hormuz. But the potential to do so could irritate Iran and adversely affect multinational talks to halt the country’s nuclear development. As a result, Japan could lose its influence on Iran.
　安倍首相は、ホルムズ海峡で自衛隊が機雷除去にあたることも可能になるとの考えを示している。これがイランを刺激して核開発を防ぐ多国間協議に悪影響を及ぼし、イランへの日本の発言力もそぎかねない。

It is important to take the threats seriously. But it is impossible to continue the vicious cycle of “power against power” forever. What policies will the Abe administration take to prevent the acceleration of nuclear power expansion and nuclear proliferation and stabilize the international society and Northeast Asia? The policies are unclear. Therefore, people in cities that were victimized by the atomic bombs are feeling anxiety.
　脅威を見据えるのは大切だが、「力には力」での悪循環をずっと続けるわけにはいかない。安倍政権は、核軍拡や核拡散の加速をどう防いで国際社会や北東アジアの安定をはかるのか。そこが見えないことが、被爆地の不安の根っこにある。

It is Japan’s role to show a vision of steadily promoting arms control of the entire Northeast Asian region and stabilizing it.
　周辺地域全体の軍備管理を着実に進め、安定を図る。そうしたビジョンを示すことは、日本に求められる役割である。

TRUST AND DIALOGUE
　■信頼と対話が出発点

In the Hiroshima Peace Declaration, Mayor Kazumi Matsui called for the establishment of “a new security system based on trust and dialogue.”
　「信頼と対話による安全保障の仕組みづくりを」。松井一実広島市長は平和宣言で訴えた。

In the world, the Obama administration is losing its centripetal force, and its relations with Russia have cooled due to the Ukrainian situation. China’s maritime advances have intensified friction with neighboring countries. The road to the “new security system based on trust and dialogue” is steep. But is it just a dream?
　世界を見れば、米国のオバマ政権は求心力が低下し、ウクライナ問題でロシアとの関係が冷え込んだ。中国の海洋進出は、近隣との摩擦を強めている。「信頼と対話による安全保障」への道は険しい。だが、夢物語だろうか。

The Nagasaki Peace Declaration this year again advocated an idea of establishing “nuclear-weapon-free zones.” In the proposal, Japan and the Korean Peninsula are denuclearized, and nuclear powers promise not to attack the areas with nuclear weapons.
　長崎の平和宣言は今年も、北東アジアに非核兵器地帯をつくる構想を掲げた。日本と朝鮮半島を非核化し、核保有国はそこを核攻撃しないと約束する。

The Japanese government is negative to the idea on the grounds that relations of trust, which serve as a prerequisite, do not exist in the areas partly because North Korea has repeatedly conducted nuclear tests. North Korea counters the view, saying that what is a threat is the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
　北朝鮮が核実験を繰り返すなど、前提となる信頼関係がない、と日本政府は消極的だ。北朝鮮は、米国の核の傘こそが脅威だと反論する。

Relations of trust will be established through dialogue. To realize the nuclear-weapon-free zones, Japan should first show its intentions to set up the zones and leave the U.S. nuclear umbrella. Then, it should urge the United States to accept the zones. After that, showing a joint goal, Japan should strongly urge North Korea to take part in the negotiations.
　信頼関係は、対話を通じて構築していくものだろう。日本がまず非核地帯設置と、核の傘脱却に向けた意思を示し、同盟国である米国に働きかける。共通の目標を掲げ、北朝鮮に強く交渉参加を迫ってはどうか。

The improvement of relations with China is also indispensable. A council of experts from five countries in the Asia and Pacific region, including former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans, asked Japan and China to hold a summit meeting in its proposal compiled in Hiroshima.
　中国との関係改善も不可欠だ。エバンズ元豪外相ら、アジア太平洋５カ国の有識者会議は広島でまとめた提言で、日中両国に首脳会談を呼びかけた。

It is not easy to untangle a thread. Unless there is a dialogue, however, nothing will start.
　もつれた糸を解きほぐすのは容易ではない。だが、対話がなければ、なにも始まらない。

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 10

香山リカのココロの万華鏡:尊重し合う心がなければ ／東京

July 13, 2014(Mainichi Japan)
Kaleidoscope of the Heart: Respect and a bit of consideration
香山リカのココロの万華鏡:尊重し合う心がなければ　／東京

There happens to be a charity event in Japan that I have held alongside figures including the young monk Daiki Nakashita, who is known for activities to prevent people from dying alone. A central part of this event is a talk including author Karin Amamiya, Makoto Yuasa, who is known for anti-poverty activities, and Yasuyuki Shimizu, who is involved in work to curb suicide.
　「孤立死」を防ぐ見守り活動などで知られる若き僧侶の中下大樹さんらと継続して行っているチャリティーイベントがある。作家の雨宮処凛さん、反貧困の活動で知られる湯浅誠さん、自殺対策活動の清水康之さんとのトークが中心だ。

This time, we decided to invite a guest: Masaaki Odaka, a specialist in neurological and internal medicine at Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital in Fukushima Prefecture.
　今回はゲストを呼ぼうということになり、南相馬市立総合病院の神経内科医・小鷹昌明さんに来ていただいた。タイトルは「原発に一番近い病院から」。それがまさに小鷹氏の職場なのだ。

Using lots of photos, Odaka described the situation at his hospital and the state of recovery in Minamisoma, one of the areas hit hard by the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami and the ensuing nuclear disaster.
　たくさんの写真を使って病院の現状、南相馬市の復興の様子などを説明しながら、

"I don't want people to forget Fukushima, but at the same time, it's a problem for people to deliberately stress the dangers of radiation, because that's where we've decided to live," he said.
小鷹氏は「福島を忘れてほしくはないけれど、ことさら放射能の危険さを強調されるのもまた問題だ。私たちはそこに住むことを選択したのだから」と言った。

So what kind of stance should people who live in other areas take?
では外部の人間は、どういう態度を取ればよいのだろう。

"They should realize that people are living there and be considerate in what they say," Odaka says with a smile.
その点について小鷹氏は「住んでいる人もいると想像し、言葉などに配慮してくれればいいんです」と笑顔で述べた。

"That makes sense," I thought. "If I say such and such, what will the other party think? If I were in their shoes, how would I feel?" Taking this kind of approach, we can become naturally considerate in our choice of words.
　なるほど、と思った。「私がいまこう言ったら、言われた側はどう思うかな。もし私だったらどう感じるかな」と想像さえすれば、自然に言葉の選び方にも配慮が生まれるはずだ。

It's not simply a case of being able to make up guidelines which tell us, "This word is all right; that one isn't."
「この単語はオーケー」「これはダメ」などとガイドラインを作れるようなものではない。

Recently, more people struggle to perform the simple tasks of thinking about how the other person feels and being appropriately considerate.
　最近、こういった「相手の気持ちを想像する」「そして配慮する」という、とてもシンプルなことが苦手な人が増えている。

When I went to a bookstore, I was surprised to see a corner of books that listed up the problems and faults of other countries, criticizing them and making fun of them with strong language.
書店に行くと、日本以外の国の欠点や問題点をあげつらねて、強い言い方で非難したり笑いものにしたりするような本のコーナーができていて驚く。

If I went overseas and visited a bookstore only to find books that heaped abuse on Japan, how would I feel?
もし自分が外国に出かけ、立ち寄った書店に「日本をののしる本」が並んでいたらどう思うか。

Picturing this kind of situation should produce a level of consideration for the other party, even when saying something that needs to be said firmly.
そう想像してみれば、たとえ毅然（きぜん）として言うべきことは言う場合でも相手への一定の配慮が生まれるはずではないか。

Some people might respond, "The other party pays no consideration to me, so there's no need for me to do that." 　「向こうがこちらに配慮しないのだからその必要はない」と言う人もいるが、

But surely we have never witnessed a time in history or in our daily lives when "an eye for an eye" has been able to prevent a quarrel or conflict.
「目には目を」がいさかいや争いを抑えたことが、歴史上でも日常生活でも一度だってあるだろうか。

I think the reason human society has been able to continue in some way or other is because people have held on to the attitude, "It's not easy, but let's make an effort to respect each other's feelings and position."
「実際にはなかなかむずかしいけれど、お互いの気持ちや立場を尊重する努力はしよう」という気持ちを手放さなかったからこそ人間社会はなんとか続いてきたのだと思う。

"That's hard for you." "You've got it tough, too."
　「たいへんですね」「そちらこそ」。

Rather than coming out swinging, it's important to adopt a stance that pays consideration to the other person, and encourages consideration.
ただ強気に出るのではなく、相手に配慮する姿勢、配慮を促す姿勢が大切。

And this should apply to any issue, whether it be Fukushima or international society, or even when thinking about diplomacy and security.
福島でも国際社会でも外交や安全保障を考える上でも、それは同じであるはずだ。

(By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
（精神科医）
毎日新聞　2014年07月08日　地方版

エボラ出血熱 国際連携で拡大を食い止めよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun
International cooperation crucial to block spread of fatal Ebola virus
エボラ出血熱　国際連携で拡大を食い止めよ

Widespread infection with Ebola virus has been reported in West Africa. International cooperation is essential to prevent the expansion of this terrible disease.
　西アフリカで、エボラ出血熱の大量感染が起きている。国際社会が連携し、拡大を食い止めなければならない。

The deadly virus has been spreading from Guinea since February. The death toll from the epidemic has topped 900 in Guinea and its two neighboring countries, Sierra Leone and Liberia, marking the largest number of victims since the first patient with Ebola virus was confirmed in 1976.
　感染は今年２月頃、ギニアから広がった。隣接するシエラレオネとリベリアを含め、死者は３国で９００人を超えた。１９７６年に最初の患者が確認されて以来、最大の被害である。

Deaths from the virus have been also confirmed in Nigeria, which does not border any of the other three African countries. A patient with symptoms similar to those of Ebola died in the Middle Eastern country of Saudi Arabia. The deadly virus is thus threatening to spread across the world.
　３国と国境を接していないナイジェリアで死者が出たほか、中東のサウジアラビアでも、似た症状の患者が死亡した。感染が世界に拡散しかねない危険な状況だ。

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak to be “a public health emergency of international concern” and recommended that countries take measures to prevent the spread of the virus, such as strengthening surveillance at airports and issuing travel advisories.
　世界保健機関（ＷＨＯ）は「国際的な公衆衛生上の緊急事態」を宣言し、空港での監視強化や旅行者への情報提供など拡散防止策を取るよう各国に勧告した。

For its part, Japan should steadily take necessary steps and not regard the outbreak as “a fire on the opposite shore.”
　日本も「対岸の火事」とみなさず、着実に対策を取るべきだ。

Infection with the disease—formally known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever—occurs through contact with blood and other bodily fluids. The fatality rate is extremely high at 50 to 90 percent, as there are no effective treatment methods.
　エボラ出血熱は、患者の血液などに触れることで感染する。有効な治療法はなく、患者の致死率は５０～９０％と極めて高い。

The previous outbreak of the Ebola epidemic occurred mainly in agricultural areas. But this outbreak has reached populous urban areas, threatening to further increase the number of infections. This is a matter of grave concern.
　過去の感染は主に農村部で起きたが、今回は人口の多い都市部にも及んでいる。感染が広がりやすい、憂慮すべき事態である。

To contain the Ebola outbreak, it is crucial to strictly quarantine infected persons. It is also indispensable to keep area residents fully informed about the fatal disease.
　エボラ出血熱の拡大を封じ込めるには、感染者を厳格に隔離することが肝要だ。住民に対する衛生知識の周知徹底も欠かせない。

Separate efforts ineffective

In the three West African countries where mass Ebola infection has been reported, administrative and medical treatment systems remain fragile following the civil wars and coups that have occurred in recent years. There are limits to what these countries can do to deal with the outbreak on their own.
　大量感染が起きた３国は、近年まで内戦やクーデターが続き、行政や医療の体制は今も脆弱ぜいじゃくだ。自力での対処には限界がある。

The fact that many doctors and nurses have been infected with the Ebola virus has increased worries about potential infection, thereby making it difficult to secure medical staff.
　多くの医師や看護師が感染したため動揺が広がり、治療スタッフの確保が困難になっている。

The U.S. government has decided to send an additional 50 medical professionals to West Africa. The decision was apparently made in view of the serious conditions there.
　米国政府は、西アフリカに派遣する医療専門家を５０人増員する方針を決めた。現地の厳しい現状を踏まえてのことだろう。

Japan, for its part, must provide financial and other assistance as much as possible.
　日本も資金援助など、できる限りの支援が求められる。

The Foreign Ministry of Japan has issued information on infection risk in the three West African countries, calling for people to postpone travel to these countries unless essential and urgent. To prevent Ebola infection from reaching Japan, vigilance must not be neglected at borders.
　外務省はギニアなどの３国を対象に「感染症危険情報」を出し、不要不急の渡航を延期するよう呼びかけている。感染を日本に飛び火させないため、水際での警戒を怠ってはならない。

Should domestic infection emerge, the infected persons would be quarantined at a designated medical institution. Procedures for transport and admission of such patients must be verified.
　国内で感染者が出た場合は、指定医療機関に隔離されることになっている。搬送や受け入れの手順を再確認することが大事だ。

However, there is no special facility available domestically to safely handle viruses with a high fatality rate such as Ebola. If there is no alternative but to ask other counties to conduct an analysis of a pathogen, it is feared that there will be delays in implementing countermeasures.
　問題は、エボラ出血熱など致死率の高い感染症のウイルスを安全に扱うための特別な施設が、国内には１か所もないことである。病原体の分析を外国に依頼せざるを得ないようでは、対応が後手に回る恐れがある。

Protecting people’s lives from deadly infectious diseases is an important crisis-management task for the state. The government must step up efforts to bolster such a system.
　国民の命を感染症から守ることも国家の重要な危機管理である。体制の強化を急ぐべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 9, 2014)

（社説）代理出産 安易な利用が生む悲劇

August 09, 2014
EDITORIAL: Down syndrome surrogacy case a cautionary tale for Japan
（社説）代理出産　安易な利用が生む悲劇

In a shocking act of trampling on human rights and degrading the dignity of life, an Australian couple has abandoned a child born with Down syndrome to a Thai surrogate they hired. The boy is one of twins carried by the Thai woman, and the couple has returned home from Thailand with the other infant, a healthy girl.
　母子の人権と尊厳を踏みにじる行為に驚かされる。
　オーストラリア人夫婦がタイで代理出産を依頼した。ダウン症の男児を含む双子が生まれたが、夫婦はその男児だけ引き取らずに帰国した。

The couple’s selfish act has provoked international criticism. We can find some solace in the fact that the Thai woman said she would raise the boy on her own and has been receiving donations from around the world.
　その身勝手な振るまいに国際的な批判が起きている。救われるのは、産んだ女性が男児を育てると表明し、世界中から支援が寄せられたことだ。

This tale has brought to the fore some deep-rooted problems inherent in the practice of gestational surrogacy, in which a woman becomes pregnant with a fertilized egg from a couple and gives birth on behalf of the wife.
　このケースは第三者の女性に受精卵を移植し、妻に代わって出産させる代理出産がはらむ問題の根深さを突きつけている。

Pregnancy and childbirth inevitably entail risks. It sometimes happens that a surrogate mother begins to suffer serious complications after giving birth, or in worse cases even dies.
　妊娠・出産にリスクはつきものだ。代理母の女性が重い後遺症を負ったり、死に至ったりすることもある。

The fundamental question is whether people should be allowed to impose such burdens on others in order to have their own children.
「自分の子」をもつために、そんな負担を他人に背負わせることが許されるかという本質的な問いがある。

Many cases of surrogacy involve a monetary payment to the surrogate mother.
　また、いま行われている代理出産の多くは報酬を伴う。

The way people in wealthy nations hire surrogate mothers in poor countries smacks of exploitation based on economic disparities.
豊かな国から貧しい国へ代理母を求める動きには、経済格差を背景にした搾取の性格が否めない。

It is hard to see the whole picture of international surrogacy, and there may be other cases similar to the one in Thailand.
　国際的な代理出産の全体像は見えにくく、同様のケースがほかにもあるかもしれない。

There are many ways in which surrogacy contracts end up in serious trouble, such as the surrogate mother refusing to part with the baby or cases in which it is later found that the child has no blood relationship with the couple who hired the surrogate mother.
代理母が赤ちゃんを手放さなかったり、引き渡した子と依頼人夫婦に血縁がないとのちにわかったり、トラブルの芽は無数だ。

Surrogacy is far from unknown in Japan. More than 20 years have passed since Japanese couples started hiring surrogate mothers in other countries to have children.
　よその国のこととも言っていられない。日本人夫婦が海外で代理出産をしだして２０年以上たつ。

Initially, most of such Japanese couples sought surrogate mothers in the United States, but now Asian nations like Thailand and India are more popular because of lower costs.
当初の米国から、報酬が安いタイ、インドなどアジア諸国に行き先が移っている。

In 2008, a case came to light in which a child born to an Indian surrogate hired by a Japanese man had not been allowed to leave India.
　０８年には、日本人男性が依頼した代理出産によりインドで生まれた子どもが、出国できなくなったケースが表面化した。

Further complicating the surrogacy situation in this nation is the fact that Japan trails other countries in regulations on surrogate childbirths.
　深刻なのは、代理出産の規制で日本が大きく遅れていることだ。

The government has been trying to ban surrogacy since the 2000s, but has so far failed to submit proposed legislation to the Diet.
政府は２０００年代以降、禁じる考えだったが、法案を出せずにきた。

The government’s expert panel as well as an academic society have called for a ban. Debate on the issue should not be delayed any further.
禁止は政府の専門委員会、学会などが打ち出しているが、これ以上、議論を遅らせるべきではない。

It is adults who adopt surrogacy as a means to have their children. But it is always children who suffer when such arrangements go awry. The rules concerning the issue should be designed to protect the well-being of children born under surrogacy arrangements.
　代理出産という手段をとるのは親の都合だが、出産前後に何か問題が起こると、窮地に立つのは常に子どもだ。子の側に立ったルールを求めたい。

Even if legislation banning surrogacy is established, however, it will still be difficult to prevent all surrogacy deals arranged overseas.
　ただし、たとえ立法がされても、海外での実施を防ぎきるのは難しいだろう。

Japan should try to work with other governments to investigate the issue more deeply and develop measures to ensure that surrogate mothers and children born to them will not find themselves in predicaments that spell hardship.
生まれる子どもや代理母が窮地に陥らないよう、関係政府間で調査し、対策づくりで協力できないか。

Some lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are campaigning for the submission of a comprehensive bill concerning reproductive medicine to the autumn extraordinary Diet session.
　自民党内には、秋の臨時国会に生殖医療をめぐる包括的な法案提出をめざす動きがある。

The draft bill would allow surrogacy for only certain cases, such as women who do not have a uterus.
But there is no public consensus on key surrogacy-related issues. Debate on the matter should be based on both accurate scientific knowledge and values shared widely among Japanese citizens.
　素案は代理出産を子宮がない場合など条件つきで認めているが、社会の議論は追いついていない。科学的知見や市民の価値観に根ざした検討が必要だ。

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 9

原爆忌 核軍縮を着実に前進させたい

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Realistic approaches

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

（社説）被爆６９年の夏に 核兵器の違法化・禁止を

August 06, 2014
EDITORIAL: Ban nuclear weapons on humanitarian grounds
（社説）被爆６９年の夏に　核兵器の違法化・禁止を

“Remember Hiroshima, Nagasaki,” goes the refrain in “Remember,” a number released last year by singer Shinobu Sato (lyrics by Rei Nakanishi, music by Kisaburo Suzuki). Since then, Sato has been singing this song at concerts all over Japan.
　♪リメンバー　ヒロシマ・ナガサキ
　声楽家の佐藤しのぶさんが、昨年発表した曲「リメンバー」（なかにし礼作詞、鈴木キサブロー作曲）を各地のコンサートで歌っている。

Why “remember”? It was often quoted by artist and nuclear disarmament activist Yoko Ono, who insisted that Japan, the world’s sole victim of nuclear attacks, should keep telling the rest of the world to “remember.” She explained, “There are too many people who don’t remember, aren’t there?”
　なぜ、リメンバー（覚えておこう）なのか。もともとは核兵器廃絶を訴え続けている芸術家オノ・ヨーコさんが、被爆国日本から世界に発信すべき言葉として口にした。「だって、覚えていない人、多いでしょ」と。

She went on to express her wish that people around the world would imagine and understand the horrors of nuclear bombs before they say, “No more.”
　ノーモアと言う前に、世界の人々に原爆の悲惨さを知ってほしい。思い起こしてほしい。

Ono’s wish echoes the desperate appeals that hibakusha (atomic-bomb survivors) have been making to the international community for decades. Their appeals have often been ignored in the coldly calculating setting of international politics and nuclear disarmament negotiations.
　それは、被爆者らが長年、世界に訴え続けてきた痛切な思いと重なる。国際政治の冷徹なかけひきや核軍縮をめぐる綱引きのなかで、ともすると、かき消されがちだった声でもある。

But in this 69th year since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the inhumanity of nuclear weapons is being highlighted anew.
　だが、被爆６９年の今、核の非道が改めて注目されている。

Momentum is surging among nations that are seeking total nuclear disarmament and asking, “Why can’t we ban nuclear weapons altogether on humanitarian grounds?”
　「人道に反する兵器であることを根拠に、核兵器を禁止できないか」。核廃絶を求める国々による、そんな動きが急速に高まっているからである。

DESTRUCTION THAT DEFIES ALL RELIEF EFFORT
　■救援が不可能な破壊

In violence-torn Ukraine, Iraq, Gaza and elsewhere, many lives are being lost even as we speak.
　ウクライナ、イラク、パレスチナ自治区ガザ……。今も戦いで多くの命が失われている。

Some people think all lethal weapons are equally inhumane, be they nuclear, chemical or conventional missiles or guns. Still, nuclear weapons should be considered differently from the rest.
　殺すのは、核も、化学兵器やミサイル、銃も同じ、兵器は一様に非人道的と考える人もいるだろう。だが、やはり、核は別に考えるべき兵器なのである。

Over the last two years, four international conferences have been held about nuclear weapons, and each conference has produced a joint declaration condemning their inhumanity. The number of participating nations in support of these declarations has grown each time, from 16 to 34, 80 and 125.
　過去２年間、核を巡る国際会議が４回開かれた。非人道性に関する共同声明がその都度、提案され、賛同国は１６、３４、８０、１２５と膨らんだ。そして今年２月、メキシコのナヤリット。

In February this year, as many as 146 nations gathered in Nayarit, Mexico, for the International Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons, although none of the five major nuclear nations--the United States, Russia, France, Britain and China--was in attendance.
核の非人道性を問うこの会議に５大国は参加しなかったが、１４６もの国が集まった。

Summing up the current state of affairs at the conference, the chairman noted that the impact of any nuclear detonation can spread far enough to cross national borders and that the effects of the destruction of infrastructure and health damage from radiation will remain for an extremely long time. But no matter how badly relief work is needed, no country or international organ is fully equipped to handle it, the chairman pointed out.
　席上、議長は核兵器の特徴と現状をこう表現した。
　核爆発の影響は国境を越えるほど広がり、インフラ破壊や放射線障害の影響は極めて長く続く。救援がいくら必要でも、どこの国も国際機関も対処しきれない。

Yet, he continued, there is no end to countries and terrorist groups that seek to possess nuclear weapons, and the danger of nuclear detonation by mistake or as an act of terror keeps increasing.
なのに核兵器を持とうとする国やテロ集団は後を絶たず、ミスやテロによる核爆発の危険は増す一方だ――。

The chairman’s observation echoed what many people have been thinking: When nuclear weapons that cause tremendous damage already exist in mind-boggling numbers, on what grounds can anyone ever say that the human race will still survive?
　甚大な被害をもたらす核が、気が遠くなるほど多く存在する。何を根拠に、この危うさを抱えたままで人類が生きながらえると言えるだろうか。そんな問いかけが、そこにはある。

RETURN TO THE BASICS
　■廃絶めざし原点回帰

In the latter half of the 20th century, humanity came face to face with grave challenges, such as global warming and the depletion of resources from mass consumption. As a result, we have come to accept certain limitations to our daily activities, if that is what will help the human race survive.
　２０世紀後半、人類は資源の大量消費と枯渇、地球温暖化といった難題に直面した。人類が生き延びるには、日々の活動が一部制約されてもやむを得ないと考えられるようになってきた。

We believe the same sort of attitude is needed on matters of security. We cannot just sit and do nothing when we already have more than enough nuclear weapons hanging over our heads, so to speak, to drive the human race and civilization to extinction.
　安全保障にも同様な感覚が必要だろう。人類と文明を滅亡のふちに追いやるに十分な核兵器が、依然として頭の上にぶら下がっているのは放置できない。

The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty restricts the possession of nuclear weapons to the five major nuclear nations and requires them to proceed with nuclear disarmament with sincerity. But the treaty has proved less effective than expected because of the deeply ingrained belief that the “power of nuclear deterrence” guarantees the safety of the nation.
　核兵器に関しては、核不拡散条約（ＮＰＴ）が保有国を５大国に限り、５大国は誠実に核軍縮を進めることを定めている。だが、思うような成果は上がってこなかった。核で国の安全を確保する「核抑止」の考え方が染みついているからだ。

Given this situation, we must return to the basics and ban nuclear weapons on humanitarian grounds. We can start by prohibiting the pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons, and then proceed to banning their use under all circumstances, until they are completely eliminated.
　ならば原点に返り、非人道性を根拠に核兵器を違法化していくことだ。たとえば核の先制使用の禁止から入り、さらに使用全般を人道法上違法化して、将来の廃絶につなげる。化学兵器が使用禁止から、全面禁止へと進んだことを思い起こしたい。

CITIZENS DECIDE THE FUTURE
　■市井から決める未来

At the Nayarit conference, five atomic-bomb survivors were given more than one hour to make their presentations. This was unprecedented on a diplomatic stage.
　ナヤリット会議では冒頭、被爆者ら５人に１時間以上の発言機会が確保された。外交の舞台では画期的なことだ。

Setsuko Thurlow, a Canadian resident, was 13 years old when she survived the Hiroshima atomic bomb 69 years ago. She gave a vivid account in English of how her classmates and relatives died before her eyes. The majority of more than 70 conference attendees who participated in a general discussion session voiced empathy with what the hibakusha had to say.
　６９年前の今日、広島で１３歳で被爆したサーロー・節子さん＝カナダ在住＝は、同級生や親類らの死にゆく姿を英語で生々しく語った。一般討論に立った７０人以上の代表の大半が、被爆者らの発言に共感を表明した。

In wrapping up the conference, the chairman called for tangible action, including the drafting of a treaty to ban nuclear weapons. His comments were hailed as a succinct summary of the discussions of the past five years regarding the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, and also as a clear counterproposal to the nuclear nations that continue to rely on their nuclear arsenals.
　議長は総括で、核兵器禁止条約づくりなどを念頭に、具体的に動き出そうと呼びかけた。ここ５年ほどの核の非人道性をめぐる議論をまとめ、核に頼り続ける保有国への対抗軸を明確に打ち出したものとして、注目を集めた。

In December this year, a conference in Vienna will take up where the Nayarit conference left off. Not only the five major nuclear nations, but also as many countries as possible should attend the Vienna conference and hear the discussions.
　今年１２月、ナヤリットを受けた国際会議がウィーンで開かれる。１カ国でも多く、５大国も参加して、議論に耳を傾けるべきである。

Three times in the past, the Japanese government refused to endorse joint statements condemning the inhumanity of nuclear weapons, and came under harsh criticism from the mayors and citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki for “contradicting its stated policy of seeking total nuclear disarmament as the government of the A-bombed nation.” But at Nayarit, the Japanese government finally came around.
　日本政府は核の非人道性を批判する共同声明について、賛同を３度見送った。広島、長崎両市長をはじめ、市民の側が「被爆国の立場、核廃絶を求める政策と矛盾しているではないか」と政府の対応を強く非難した。４度目にやっと姿勢を変えた。

Mayors for Peace, presided over by the mayor of Hiroshima, currently has an active membership exceeding 6,000 mayors around the world. With a growing nuclear risk now being felt globally, it appears that so many mayors are participating in the latest Mayors for Peace conference because they are aware of the sense of crisis being felt by the public at large.
　広島市長が会長を務める平和首長会議には今、世界で６千を超す首長が参加する。非人道性の国際会議に限らず、核リスクへの危惧は確実に強まっている。多くの首長たちが参加するのは、市井に広がるそうした危惧を感じとってのことだろう。

Matters of national security must not be left to the government alone to decide. Whether something deviates from human decency is for us, ordinary citizens, to determine. Let us always bear that firmly in mind.
　安全保障の問題だからと国任せにはしない。人の道に外れているかどうかを決めるのは、普通に暮らす私たちである。そこを強く自覚していきたい。

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 6