竹島の日 政務官の式典出席は妥当だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Feb. 24, 2013)
Govt right to send appropriate official to Takeshima Day event
竹島の日　政務官の式典出席は妥当だ（2月23日付・読売社説）

The government made a well-balanced decision on Takeshima Day by expressing a firm stance on the territorial issue while at the same time displaying diplomatic consideration toward South Korea.
　領土問題に真剣に取り組む姿勢を示しつつ、韓国にも外交的に配慮した点で、バランスの取れた対応と言えよう。

The administration sent Aiko Shimajiri, a parliamentary secretary of the Cabinet Office, to a commemoration ceremony held Friday in Shimane Prefecture.
　政府が、島根県の主催する「竹島の日」記念式典に島尻安伊子内閣府政務官を派遣した。

Though this was the eighth ceremony of its kind, Shimajiri was the first government representative to participate. Additionally, a record number of 19 Diet members attended the event.
式典は８回目だが、政府代表の出席は初めてだ。その他、国会議員も過去最多の１９人が出席した。

Shimane Prefecture in 2005 established an ordinance designating Feb. 22 as Takeshima Day to commemorate the 1905 cabinet decision to incorporate the islands into the prefecture. Since 2006, the Shimane prefectural government has organized the annual ceremony to cement the nation's sovereignty over the Sea of Japan islands as soon as possible by raising public awareness of the issue. Takeshima is currently under South Korea's effective control.
　島根県は、１９０５年に竹島を県に編入した２月２２日を「竹島の日」と定める条例を制定し、２００６年以降、毎年、式典を開いている。竹島の領有権の早期確立を目指し、国民世論の啓発を図ることが目的である。

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Diplomatic courtesies extended

It is the job of the government to expand public interest in and understanding of territorial issues because such matters pertain to national sovereignty. The central government should organize a Takeshima Day event.
　日本の主権にかかわる領土問題への国民の関心を高め、理解を広げるのは政府の仕事である。本来は政府が式典を開催すべきだ。

Last summer, South Korean President Lee Myung Bak broke diplomatic norms by visiting Takeshima and demanding the Emperor's apology for Japan's behavior during colonial times. In response, the Liberal Democratic Party pledged to organize a government-sponsored Takeshima Day ceremony in its policy platform for the last House of Representatives election.
　昨夏、韓国の李明博大統領は竹島訪問を強行し、天皇陛下への謝罪要求発言と合わせて、外交常識の一線を越える言動を行った。これを踏まえて、自民党は衆院選政策集で、「竹島の日」の政府式典の開催を打ち出している。

However, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government decided not to take the lead on the ceremony this year. It also postponed its plan to unilaterally refer the territorial dispute with Seoul to the International Court of Justice. The Abe administration has refrained from such actions to build a future-oriented bilateral relationship with South Korea in cooperation with President-elect Park Geun Hye.
　しかし、安倍政権は今年の式典主催を見送った。国際司法裁判所（ＩＣＪ）への竹島問題の単独提訴も先送りしている。朴槿恵次期大統領との間で、未来志向の日韓関係の構築を目指すためだ。

In January, former Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga visited South Korea as the prime minister's special envoy. Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso will also attend Park's presidential inauguration ceremony on Monday.
　１月には額賀福志郎元財務相が首相特使として韓国を訪問した。今月２５日の朴氏の大統領就任式には麻生副総理が出席する。

Shimane Prefecture requested Abe and his Cabinet ministers attend its Takeshima Day ceremony, but the government sent only the parliamentary secretary as its representative. This was yet another example of the administration's consideration for South Korea.
　島根県が首相や閣僚の式典出席を要請しているのに対し、出席者を政務官にとどめたのも、韓国への配慮の一環にほかならない。

Nonetheless, a spokesperson of South Korea's Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry said the parliamentary secretary's attendance at the event was regrettable, and Seoul strongly protested the act.
　だが、韓国外交通商省報道官は政務官出席について「非常に遺憾で、強力に抗議する」との声明を発表した。これはおかしい。

We resolutely disagree.

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Bilateral cooperation crucial

First of all, Shimane Prefecture's ceremony was a domestic event. Even if Japan and South Korea confront each other over the territorial dispute, reprimanding the other country for sending its representative to a local government's event is uncalled for, as such behavior can be considered meddling in domestic affairs.
　そもそも島根県の式典は国内行事だ。いくら領土問題で対立しようと、他国が地方行事の出席者にまで口出しするのは、明らかな内政干渉で、行き過ぎである。

Furthermore, the partnership between Japan and South Korea is now more vital than ever to ensure peace and stability in East Asia. This is particularly true in light of North Korea's recent nuclear test and launch of a long-range missile, and China's continued heavy-handed demonstrations in the East China Sea.
　一方で、北朝鮮が核実験や長距離ミサイル発射を行い、中国が東シナ海で強圧的な示威活動を続ける中、東アジアの平和と安定のために日韓両国が連携する必要性はかつてないほど高い。

There are also several pending economic matters that could benefit both Japan and South Korea, such as a potential free trade agreement, if they can cooperate with one other.
　自由貿易協定（ＦＴＡ）など経済面でも、日韓協力が双方の利益となる分野は少なくない。

The change in the South Korean presidency provides a good opportunity to mend the deteriorated Japan-South Korea relations. The Takeshima dispute may remain unsettled for quite some time. To explore ways to prevent the issue from stifling bilateral ties, Tokyo and Seoul must work together by maintaining careful communications.
　大統領の交代は、悪化した日韓関係を改善する好機だ。領土問題の解決には相当な時間を要するとしても、この問題が両国関係全体を停滞させないように、日韓双方が注意深く対話を重ね、知恵を出すことが肝要である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 23, 2013)
（2013年2月23日01時27分  読売新聞）