難民と世界 もっと支援に本腰を

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 23
EDITORIAL: Japan must step up commitment to assisting the world’s refugees
（社説）難民と世界　もっと支援に本腰を

Imagine that half of all Japanese were driven from their homes--that comparison could be one way to help envisage the sheer extent of the crisis.
　日本人の２人に１人が家を追われた。こう例えれば事態の規模がイメージできるだろうか。

The number of forcibly displaced people around the world has reached 65 million, a record high after World War II.
　世界の難民・避難民が６５００万人に達し、第２次大戦以降で最大になった。

Apart from refugees fleeing from persecution and war, there is also a rapid spread in the flow of migrants moving to other countries in quest of better lives.
　迫害や戦火を逃れる難民だけではない。より良い暮らしを求めて他国へ渡る移民の流れも急速に広がっている。

A summit was held recently at the United Nations to seek international cooperation on measures to deal with this urgent issue.
　この喫緊の問題にどう取り組むべきか。その国際協調を探るサミットが国連で開かれた。

The outflow of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and other countries, which are embroiled in civil wars with no end in sight, is particularly serious. The global community must strengthen their efforts to achieve cease-fires and, at the same time, turn their attention before anything else to nations adjacent to those countries, which are suffering under the burden of hosting the refugees.
　とりわけ内戦の出口が見えないシリア、アフガニスタンなどから逃れる難民の流出は深刻だ。国際社会は停戦への努力を強めるとともに、難民受け入れの負担に苦しむ周辺国に、まず目を向ける必要があろう。

Lebanon has accepted more than 1 million Syrian refugees, whereas 2.5 million people have taken shelter in Turkey. These and other countries are giving out silent screams saying that they cannot sustain more.
　１００万人超のシリア難民を受け入れたレバノンや、２５０万人が避難したトルコなどからは「限界だ」との声が漏れる。

It stands to reason that a declaration, which was unanimously adopted at the summit, referred explicitly to a “more equitable sharing of the burden and responsibility.” In this age, wherein people migrate on a global scale, the issue of refugees and migrants has direct consequences for politics and the economy of the world. The burden should be shared by the entire international community, irrespective of the distance from conflict zones.
　全会一致で採択された宣言に「責任の公平な分担」が明記されたのは当然だ。地球規模で人が移動する時代であり、難民・移民問題は世界の政治・経済に直結する。紛争地からの距離にとらわれず、国際社会全体で負担を分かち合うべきだ。

How, then, should respective countries share it? The fact that no specific figures or deadlines were included in the declaration has left a major task unfinished.
　では、各国がどう分担するのか。具体的な数字や期限が宣言に盛り込まれなかったことは、大きな課題として残った。

In the backdrop of the indecisive attitude is a rise in exclusionary sentiment, which is derived from a fear of terrorism and anxiety about jobs being snatched away. Politicians and political parties that make similar arguments are gaining momentum in recent years in Western countries.
　腰が引ける背景には、テロの恐怖や、「仕事を奪われる」との不安による排斥感情の高まりがある。欧米では近年、そうした主張をする政治家や政党が勢いを増している。

But that sort of exclusionist reproach is often an act of shifting the blame on others by exploiting the anger of the public toward a broad array of social problems, including wealth disparity. In the long run, refugees and migrants have brought no small benefit and vitality to their host countries.
　しかし、こうした排他的な非難は、貧富の格差など広範な社会問題への国民の怒りを利用した責任転嫁であることも多い。長い目で見れば、難民や移民は受け入れ国に、利益や活力を少なからずもたらしてきた。

Representatives of managers’ and workers’ groups said during the summit conference that accepting migrants and refugees in an orderly manner invigorates the economy. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has also pointed out that doing so has a positive long-term impact on the economy. National governments should properly explain to their respective public about that positive aspect of accepting refugees and migrants.
　サミットの会合で、経営者や労働者の団体は「秩序ある移民や難民の受け入れは経済を活性化させる」と述べた。経済協力開発機構（ＯＥＣＤ）も、長期的に経済的にプラスになると指摘する。各国政府は、そうした受け入れのメリットについて国民にきちんと説明すべきだ。

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said during the summit that Japan will provide about 280 billion yen ($2.8 billion) in a package to assist host countries and accept 150 Syrian students.
　安倍首相は受け入れ国支援のための約２８００億円の拠出や、シリア人留学生１５０人の受け入れなどを表明した。

But there is no change in the fact that Japan is accepting significantly fewer refugees than many other countries, a reality that is drawing international criticism.
　だが、多くの国と比べて難民の受け入れが極端に少ない現実は変わっておらず、国際的に批判の的となっている。

A growing number of businesses are hiring refugees, and an increasing number of individuals are making donations to groups assisting refugees, in Japan in recent years.
　近年は日本でも難民の雇用に取り組む企業や、支援団体に寄付する人が増えている。

The government of Japan should also broaden its range of actions and open its doors more boldly to the rest of the world in aspiring to be a country that sufficiently fulfills its responsibilities.
政府も行動の幅を広げ、もっと世界に門戸を開き、十分な責任を果たす国の姿をめざすべきだ。

温暖化対策 取り組みを加速せよ

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 20
EDITORIAL: Japan should speed efforts to join fight against global warming
（社説）温暖化対策　取り組みを加速せよ

The world’s fight against global warming is picking up steam.
　地球温暖化に立ち向かう世界の潮流は勢いを増している。

Japan should respond and ramp up its own efforts in both the public and private sectors to help tackle the challenge.
それを見誤ることなく、官民の取り組みを加速させるべきだ。

First of all, Japan should ratify the Paris Agreement, a landmark international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions starting in 2020.
　まずは、２０２０年以降の地球温暖化対策を決めた新たな国際的枠組み「パリ協定」の批准を急ぎたい。

The new climate accord is now on track to become operational as early as by the end of the year.
　パリ協定は年内にも発効する見通しになった。

Early this month, the United States and China, the world’s two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, announced they will ratify the Paris Agreement. Their actions have greatly improved the prospect of the agreement taking effect quickly.
二酸化炭素など温室効果ガスの排出で世界１、２位の中国と米国が今月初め、足並みをそろえて協定締結を発表し、発効に必要な条件に大きく近づいたからだ。

Even after the new climate deal was adopted during the United Nations conference on climate change in December, the Japanese government has shown little enthusiasm for revitalizing its faltering efforts to stem climate change.
　パリ協定が昨年末の国連気候変動会議（ＣＯＰ〈コップ〉２１）で採択された後も、日本政府の動きは鈍かった。

Betting that the pact would take effect around 2018, the government apparently opted to wait and see the moves of big emitters before deciding on its response.
「発効は１８年ごろ。対応は大排出国の動向を見極めてからでいい」との姿勢だった。

The Kyoto Protocol, an agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions negotiated in 1997 with Japan playing a pivotal role, required only industrialized nations to achieve their emissions targets and put no limits on the amount of gas that China, a developing country, can spew into the atmosphere. The United States later withdrew from the agreement.
　日本が尽力して１９９７年に採択された京都議定書では、中国が途上国として削減義務を負わず、米国は途中で離脱。

The Japanese business community criticized the Kyoto Protocol as unfair. The March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami has further blunted public interest in measures to stem global warming in Japan.
不公平だと訴える声が経済界などに広がった。東日本大震災もあって、温暖化への関心自体が薄れていた。

However, the international community has become increasingly concerned about the expected consequences of rising global temperatures. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that the United States and China have abandoned their previous reluctance and made a solid commitment to tackling the challenge.
　だが、消極姿勢を一変させた米中に代表される通り、国際社会は危機感を強めている。

That’s because it has become even clearer that human activities are the principal causes of the warming of this planet, which is believed by many scientists to be causing an increasing number of extreme weather events such as severe heat waves and destructive torrential rains.
人類の活動が温暖化を招いていることが一層確実になり、温暖化との関連性が濃厚な熱波や豪雨なども頻発しているからだ。

Japan has submitted to the United Nations its own emissions target in relation to the Paris Agreement. It has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent from fiscal 2013 levels by fiscal 2030.
　パリ協定に関して、日本は温室効果ガスの排出量を「３０年度に１３年度比２６％減らす」との目標を国連に提出済みだ。

In the Ise-Shima Group of Seven summit held in May in Japan, the leaders of the seven major countries committed themselves to developing before 2020 long-term strategies for achieving economic growth while curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
さらに５月の伊勢志摩サミットでは、ガスの排出を抑えつつ発展していく長期戦略を２０年を待たずにつくることを申し合わせた。

But debate on such a strategy has just started at a government council.
　ただ、戦略的な議論は政府の審議会でようやく始まったところだ。

The panel needs to consider a range of new ideas and proposals that would significantly affect society and industry. They include carbon pricing, which means charging for carbon emissions by businesses offering products and services so that the costs of dealing with the problem are reflected in the price tags.
Another potentially effective approach is using land under plans integrating environmental, economic and local development factors.
製品やサービスの提供に伴うガス排出量を価格に反映させる「カーボンプライシング」や、環境と経済、街づくりを一体に考える土地利用など、社会や産業のあり方にかかわる新たな発想や試みも課題になろう。

Nuclear power generation, which emits less greenhouse gases during operations than thermal power production burning fossil fuels, is often cited as an effective means to cut emissions.
　運転時のガス排出が少ない原子力発電の活用もしばしば議論にのぼる。

However, given the enormous cost and difficulty of disposing of radioactive waste and the vast damage caused by the Fukushima nuclear disaster, relying on nuclear power generation should not be an option.
だが、廃棄物処理の費用と難しさ、福島第一原発事故が示した被害の大きさを考えると、原発頼みは許されない。

To reduce its carbon footprint, Japan needs to expand the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power and geothermal energy, while making all-out efforts to curb energy consumption. It will also help to use the heat generated from plants and buildings for supplying air conditioning and hot water in the local communities.
　省エネを徹底しつつ、太陽光や風力、地熱など再生可能エネルギーをさらに導入する。工場やビルの廃熱を地域の冷暖房や給湯に生かす。

Such efforts toward higher energy self-efficiency and energy recycling will also contribute to the nation’s security, promote technological innovations and suit urban development projects.
エネルギーの自給自足や循環を意識した取り組みは、安全保障の観点からも望ましく、技術革新を促し、街づくりとも相性がいい。

The challenge facing the government is to map out an innovative strategy to ensure the implementation of effective policy measures to combat global warming while encouraging businesses, local governments and citizens to make long-term efforts to secure the health of the planet.
　温暖化対策を大きな軸に、企業や自治体、市民による多様で息の長い挑戦を促す。そんな構想力が政府に求められている。

辺野古判決 それでも対話しかない

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 17
EDITORIAL: Tokyo’s hollow court victory will not end base issue in Okinawa
（社説）辺野古判決　それでも対話しかない
 
The high court ruling in a lawsuit over land reclamation work to relocate a U.S. military base in Okinawa Prefecture was a total victory for the central government’s argument.
　国の主張が全面的に認められた判決だ。

Even so, the government must make determined efforts to win back the trust of Okinawa or it will never be able to find a real solution to the problem.
だからといって、政府が沖縄の不信を解く努力を怠れば、問題解決には決してつながらない。

The Naha branch of the Fukuoka High Court issued its ruling Sept. 16 on Tokyo’s dispute with the southernmost prefecture over a plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from the crowded city of Ginowan to the Henoko district of Nago.
　米軍普天間飛行場の辺野古移設をめぐり、国と県が争った裁判で、福岡高裁那覇支部は国側勝訴の判決を言い渡した。

The ruling contended that a replacement base in Henoko is the only way to remove the damage caused by the Futenma air base. This is a highly questionable assertion.
　「普天間の被害を除去するには辺野古に基地を建設する以外にない」と言い切ったことに、大きな疑問を感じる。

This is a delicate and complicated issue that has a long history of controversy. Experts at home and abroad are widely divided over how the problem should be resolved.
　長い議論の歴史があり、国内外の専門家の間でも見解が分かれる、微妙で複雑な問題だ。

But Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga was the only witness the court permitted to testify on behalf of the prefecture. The court rejected the prefectural government’s requests to call witnesses and concluded the trial after only two sessions.
だが、この訴訟で裁判所が直接話を聞いたのは翁長雄志知事ひとりだけ。それ以外の証人申請をことごとく退け、法廷を２回開いただけで打ち切った。

How could the court reach its surprisingly clear and decisive conclusion on this complex question through such a perfunctory trial? Or why did it have to, in the first place? Setting aside the question of whether the ruling is reasonable or not, the manner in which the court handled the case will undoubtedly provoke controversy.
　そんな審理で、なぜここまで踏みこんだ判断ができるのか。しなければならないのか。結論の当否はともかく、裁判のあり方は議論を呼ぶだろう。

Since this spring, the central and prefectural governments held a series of talks over the Futenma relocation issue. But no substantial discussions on key topics had taken place in the talks when the central government, immediately after the July Upper House election, filed the suit against Onaga.
　国と県はこの春以降、話しあいの期間をもった。だが実質的な中身に入らないまま、参院選が終わるやいなや、国はこの裁判を起こした。

The ruling stressed the importance of “the spirit of mutual concessions” and pointed out that there should be “a relationship of equality and cooperation” between the central and prefectural governments.
Nevertheless, it effectively supported the central government’s hard-line, high-handed approach toward the Futenma issue.
　判決は「互譲の精神」の大切さを説き、「国と県は本来、対等・協力の関係」と指摘しながらも、結果として国の強硬姿勢を支持したことになる。

In a series of recent elections, people in Okinawa have made clear their opposition to the relocation plan.
　辺野古移設にＮＯという沖縄の民意は、たび重なる選挙結果で示されている。

During a news conference after the ruling was handed down, Onaga said he will appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. He pledged to accept whatever decision is handed down by the top court.
The governor, however, said, “I myself will continue the fight to block the construction of a new base in Henoko with a firm determination.”
　翁長知事は判決後の会見で、最高裁の確定判決が出れば従う姿勢を明確にする一方、「私自身は辺野古新基地を絶対に造らせないという思いをもってこれからも頑張りたい」と語った。

Onaga intends to use his various powers as governor to block implementation of the relocation project. He has the power to refuse the central government’s requests for permission for changes in land reclamation plans.
　国が埋め立て計画の変更申請を出した際など、様々な知事権限を使って抵抗する考えだ。

Both sides apparently share the desire to remove the danger posed by the Futenma base, located in the middle of a densely populated area, as soon as possible.
　一日も早く普天間の危険をなくしたい。その願いは政府も県も同じはずだ。

The quickest way to resolve the problem is to make continuous efforts to reach an agreement through dialogue instead of fighting a head-on battle.
対立ではなく、対話のなかで合意点を見いだす努力を重ねることこそ、問題解決の近道である。

However, the series of strong-arm measures the central government has taken against Okinawa since the Upper House election have made people in the prefecture even more distrustful of the government.
　だが参院選後、政府による沖縄への一連の強腰の姿勢に、県民の不信は募っている。

The government has resumed work to build helipads for the U.S. military around the Takae district of Higashi in northern Okinawa, while deploying a massive squad of riot police to block protesters. The administration has also deployed Self-Defense Forces helicopters to transport construction vehicles to the site.
　大量の機動隊員に守らせて東村高江の米軍ヘリパッド移設工事に着手し、工事車両を運ぶため自衛隊ヘリを投入した。

Commenting on budget requests for next fiscal year, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and other government officials indicated that government expenditures to promote the local economy in Okinawa are linked to the base issue.
来年度予算案の概算要求では、菅官房長官らが基地問題と沖縄振興のリンク論を持ち出した。

The reality the government should confront is that it is difficult to push through the Futenma relocation plan without winning support from the people in Okinawa. The lack of support from the local communities will also make it impossible to ensure stable operations of military bases in the prefecture.
　政府が直視すべきは、県民の理解がなければ辺野古移設は困難だし、基地の安定的な運用は望み得ないという現実だ。

If the central government maintains its recalcitrant attitude toward this challenge without making serious efforts to respond sincerely to the voices of local residents, the prospects for a solution will only become even bleaker.
　県民の思いと真摯（しんし）に向き合う努力を欠いたまま、かたくなな姿勢を続けるようなら、打開の道はますます遠のく。

もんじゅ 政府は廃炉を決断せよ

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 15
EDITORIAL: Monju has run its course and should now be scrapped
（社説）もんじゅ　政府は廃炉を決断せよ
 
The government is assessing what to do about the Monju prototype fast-breeder nuclear reactor, with one option being to decommission the trouble-prone facility.
　高速増殖原型炉「もんじゅ」（福井県）について、政府が廃炉も含めた検討に入った。

It should decide swiftly to scrap the experimental reactor in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture.
　速やかに廃炉を決断すべきだ。

Monju has remained mostly idle for the past two decades or so. Restarting it would be hugely expensive. Putting the necessary safety measures in place would require an outlay of hundreds of billions of yen. The obvious solution is staring the government in the face.
もんじゅはこの２０年余り、ほとんど運転できていない。安全対策には数千億円が必要とされ、仮に運転にこぎつけても高くつく。おのずと結論は出るはずだ。

Monju was designed to underpin a nuclear fuel recycling program in which plutonium extracted from reprocessed spent nuclear fuel is burned in a fast-breeder reactor. The ability to generate more fissile material than is consumed was regarded as “dream” technology.
　使用済みの核燃料を再処理してプルトニウムを取り出し、それを燃やすのが核燃料サイクルだ。その中核に位置づけられ、使った以上のプルトニウムを得られる高速増殖炉は「夢の原子炉」とも呼ばれた。

But Monju has been mostly offline since a sodium coolant leak accident in 1995.
　だが、もんじゅは１９９５年に冷却材のナトリウムが漏れる事故を起こし、その後はほぼ止まったままだ。

In 2012, it was revealed that safety maintenance checks had missed about 10,000 pieces of equipment. In response, the Nuclear Regulation Authority halted preparations to bring the reactor back online. It urged the science and technology minister last November to find a new operator for the reactor in place of the government-backed Japan Atomic Energy Agency.
２０１２年には約１万点もの機器の点検漏れが発覚。原子力規制委員会は運転再開準備を禁じ、昨年１１月、現在の日本原子力研究開発機構に代わる運営主体を探すよう、所管の文部科学相に勧告した。

The science and technology ministry has apparently been weighing plans to separate the Monju-related section from the agency and put the unit in charge of maintenance and management of the reactor.
But that would do nothing but change the name of the operator. No wonder this idea has been met with skepticism and criticism within the government.
　文科省は、機構からもんじゅに関わる部門を分離して保守・管理を担わせる案を探ってきたようだが、そんな看板の掛け替えは許されない。政府内で疑問や批判が出たのは当然だ。

No one in the electric power industry, which would be the primary beneficiary of the fast-breeder reactor if it ever went into practical use, is calling for early development of the technology.
　高速増殖炉については、実用化後の利用者と目される電力業界に開発を急ぐ声は聞かれない。

That’s not surprising, given that producing the necessary fuel and developing the technology to use sodium would require a huge investment in time and money.
燃料製造に手間がかかり、ナトリウムを使う技術の確立も必要で、コストがかかる。

The power industry, meanwhile, has been pushing to restart ordinary nuclear reactors, partly because uranium is now easily available and cheap.
一方、電力業界が再稼働を急ぐ通常の原発は、燃料のウランの需給が緩んでおり、価格は安い。

With liberalization of the power market making their business environment much harsher, the private-sector companies have every reason to be reluctant to cheer for the Monju program.
　電力自由化で経営環境が厳しさを増すなか、民間企業が拒否反応を示すのは自然な流れだ。

The ministry appears to be trying to persuade the electric utilities and related manufacturers to become part of the new Monju operator. But it has been a hard sell.
文科省は新たな運営主体に電力業界や関連メーカーを引き込みたいようだが、難航している。

More than 1 trillion yen ($9.7 billion) has been poured into the development and operation of Monju.
　もんじゅにはこれまで、１兆円以上の事業費が投じられてきた。

The power industry and other private-sector players provided around 140 billion yen to cover a portion of the construction costs. But the rest of the funding for the beleaguered program has come from the pockets of taxpayers.
建設費の一部、約１４００億円は電力業界など民間からの拠出金だが、残りは税金だ。

The fast-breeder reactor requires 20 billion yen in annual maintenance costs. The government can hardly expect to win public support for such a massive drain in taxpayer money when there is little prospect of the technology coming into practical use.
　今も毎年約２００億円の維持費がかかっている。実用化とその後の利用のめどが立たないまま、巨額の税金を使い続けることに国民の支持は得られまい。

Research on fast reactor technology and radioactive waste can be accomplished--as long as safety is ensured--by using other existing facilities like the Joyo experimental fast reactor in Ibaraki Prefecture.
　高速炉や放射性廃棄物の研究なら、安全確保を前提に実験炉「常陽」（茨城県）などですればよい。

It is difficult to secure sufficient human resources for a plan that doesn’t seem to have a viable future. There are also concerns about technology and information management and accident prevention efforts for Monju.
将来の見通しを欠く計画に人材を確保することは難しく、技術や情報の管理、事故防止にも不安がつきまとう。

The troubled history of Monju clearly argues against keeping the program alive.
もんじゅのこれまでの歩みがそれを示していないか。

The establishment of a nuclear fuel recycling program itself is becoming a dead letter, and the government needs to reconsider this policy goal from scratch.
　核燃料サイクル自体が時代遅れの夢になりつつあり、白紙からの再検討を迫られている。

As for Monju, there is no doubt that decommissioning the reactor is the only rational choice.
もんじゅについては、廃炉が唯一の合理的な選択肢である。

日露首脳会談 大統領来日で「領土」は動くか

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Can Putin’s visit to Japan help move N. territories issue forward?
日露首脳会談　大統領来日で「領土」は動くか

Will Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Japan serve as the first step in moving forward with the northern territories issue, which has remained unsettled for as long as the 71 years since World War II ended?
　戦後７１年間も未解決の北方領土問題を動かす一歩となるのだろうか。

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held talks with Putin in Vladivostok, Russia, and the two leaders officially agreed to meet in Yamaguchi Prefecture on Dec. 15. They also agreed to hold talks in Peru in November on the sidelines of an international conference.
　安倍首相はロシア・ウラジオストクでプーチン大統領と会談し、１２月１５日に山口県で会談することに正式合意した。１１月のペルーでの国際会議時にも会談する。

“I was able to find a specific approach to move the negotiations forward,” Abe said following the talks with Putin. “I sensed a solid response.” Having held talks as many as 14 times so far, the two leaders have obviously built a certain relationship of trust.
　首相は会談後、「交渉を具体的に進める道筋が見えてきた。手応えを強く感じ取ることができた」と語った。両首脳の会談は１４回にも上る。一定の信頼関係が築けてきたのは間違いあるまい。

There is strong opposition in Russia to the return of the four northern islands. The waters around them hold military significance as part of the Pacific route, and Russian forces have increased the number of soldiers stationed there. Therefore, we cannot have an optimistic view about the territorial negotiations.
　ロシアでは、北方４島の返還への反対論が根強い。周辺海域は太平洋航路として軍事上の重要性が高い。駐留ロシア軍も増強された。領土交渉は楽観できない。

We believe that no one but Putin, the most powerful figure in Russia, can make such a significant decision as returning the territories. It is understandable that Abe aims to settle the issue using a top-down approach while holding frequent talks with his Russian counterpart.
　領土の返還という重い決断は、最高権力者のプーチン氏にしかできまい。頻繁な首脳会談を通じて、トップダウンで決着を図ろうとする首相の意図は理解できる。

The prime minister apparently had a similar aim when he delivered a speech in Vladivostok calling for talks with Putin to be held once a year.
　首相が現地で演説し、年１回のウラジオストクでの首脳会談を提案したのも、同じ狙いだろう。

Leading up to Putin’s visit to Japan, the government should make every effort in the preliminary negotiations so this precious opportunity — the first visit by a Russian president in about six years — can give momentum to the northern territories issue.
　約６年ぶりの露大統領来日という貴重な機会を領土問題の進展につなげるため、政府は事前交渉に力を入れる必要がある。

During the latest talks, Abe and Putin reconfirmed that their countries will hold territorial negotiations using a “new approach,” without sticking to conventional ideas. Japan’s basic strategy is that it will look for clues to settle the issue while improving bilateral cooperation in various fields to move Japan-Russia relations forward as a whole and from a future-oriented standpoint.
　今回の会談では、従来の発想にとらわれない「新しいアプローチ」で領土交渉を進める方針を再確認した。様々な分野で協力を進め、未来志向で日露関係全体を前進させる中で、領土問題の解決の糸口を探るのが日本の基本戦略だ。

Don’t be hasty

Abe also discussed the current situation in the eight areas of economic cooperation Japan has presented, including energy and development in Russia’s Far Eastern region. The prime minister said that Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko has been named to concurrently serve as minister for economic cooperation with Russia, and a council comprising of government and private-sector entities will also be established.
　首相は、日本側が提案したエネルギー、極東開発など８項目の経済協力の現状を説明した。世耕経済産業相に担当相を兼務させ、官民協議会も設置するという。

Russia has great hopes for Japan because it has been suffering a sluggish economy hit by falling oil prices and other factors. We believe Japan also can enjoy advantages, such as securing natural resources and gaining profits from investment in Russia, depending on the extent to which bilateral cooperation develops.
　ロシアは、原油安などに伴う経済低迷が続き、日本への期待が大きい。日本側にも、協力の展開次第では、資源確保や投資の利益回収などのメリットがあろう。

However, Japan should never be hasty, because the history of bilateral relations shows that the northern territories issue has always been left behind while only bilateral economic cooperation was put forward. The government should scrutinize what is included in projects when promoting cooperation with Russia.
　ただ、経済協力だけが先行し、領土問題は取り残されるのが日露の歴史だった。前のめりになるのは禁物だ。事業内容を吟味し、協力を進めることが欠かせない。

It is also important for the two countries to work together in the security field. The Japanese and Russian foreign ministries held talks on the issue in early July. We hope they make sure to continue strategic dialogues.
　安全保障分野での協力も重要である。日露外務省による安保協議が７月上旬、開催された。戦略的な対話を着実に重ねたい。

A serious rift remains, with Russia on one side and the United States and European countries on the other, over Russia’s activities in Ukraine and Syria. Japan should refrain from disrupting cooperation among the Group of Seven major powers in terms of economic sanctions against Russia.
　ウクライナ、シリア情勢を巡る米欧とロシアの対立は依然、深刻だ。日本が先進７か国（Ｇ７）の対露経済制裁の足並みを乱すことは避けねばならない。

The U.S. government is taking a calm stance regarding Putin’s visit to Japan, saying it is “not concerned or worried.” Japan should continue its efforts to provide the United States and European countries with extensive explanations on its relations with Russia to seek their understanding.
　米政府はプーチン氏来日について「懸念も心配もしていない」と静観している。日本は、日露関係について米欧に丁寧に説明し、理解を得る努力を続けるべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 4, 2016)

ＪＯＣ報告書 納得にはほど遠い

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 3
EDITORIAL: Report on probe into Tokyo’s Olympic bid far from convincing
（社説）ＪＯＣ報告書　納得にはほど遠い

The Japanese Olympic Committee obviously faced some tough challenges in its investigation into the Tokyo Olympic bid committee’s dubious cash payments to a consulting company. But that doesn’t justify the JOC’s failure to produce a convincing report on the matter.
The JOC’s investigative team on Sept. 1 published a report on its probe into the bid committee’s payments totaling 230 million yen ($2,2 million) to a Singapore-based consulting firm.
It said the cash payments were not illegal and that the bid committee had no intention of resorting to bribery or other illegal acts.
　調査が難航したのはわかる。だとしても、これで人々の理解を得られるとは思えない。
　２０２０年東京五輪・パラリンピック招致の際にシンガポールのコンサルタント会社に２億３千万円が支払われた問題で、日本オリンピック委員会（ＪＯＣ）の調査チームが報告書を公表した。日本側に買収などの意図はなく、違法性はなかったという内容である。

But the report failed to make clear how the money paid by the bid committee was actually used. The investigative team contacted a number of foreign figures suspected to be linked to the consulting company. They included Lamine Diack, a former International Association of Athletics Federation president who was then a member of the International Olympic Committee. Diak was in a position to influence the vote to decide the host.
His son Papa Massata Diack, who had close ties with the consulting firm, is also under the spotlight. But neither of them offered to cooperate with the JOC for the investigation, according to the report.
　だが２億円余の使い道は明らかになっていない。当時、開催都市決定の投票に影響力を持つ国際オリンピック委員会（ＩＯＣ）委員だった国際陸連前会長や、コンサルタント会社と関係があったとされるその息子にもアプローチしたが、協力は得られなかったという。

The conclusion of the inquiry team was based almost entirely on remarks made by Japanese officials involved. It is far from a clear and complete picture of what transpired.
ほぼ日本側関係者からの聞き取りに頼った結論で、全容解明にほど遠い。

Since French prosecutors have also been looking into the matter, new developments could arise.
　この問題は、フランスの検察当局が捜査を続けており、状況によっては新たな局面を迎える可能性もある。

The probe has shed some light on the opaque nature of people who work as "consultants" in the international sports arena as well as on the bid committee’s slipshod approach to selecting consultants it hires.
　今回浮き彫りになったのは、コンサルタントといわれる人たちの活動の不透明さであり、それを選び、契約する招致委側の管理態勢の甘さである。

Senior officials of the bid committee had no independent information about the Singapore-based firm. The committee paid a large amount of money to the company it knew little or nothing about based on the advice of Dentsu Inc., Japan’s leading ad agency, which has been involved in marketing operations in the international sports community.
　招致委幹部は、問題のシンガポールの会社について独自に情報を持っていなかった。国際スポーツ界でマーケティング活動をする電通の勧めがあったとはいえ、そのような相手に巨額の金を支払った。

The bid committee for the 2020 Olympics hired 11 consulting companies, including the Singapore-based one. The committee that represented Tokyo’s unsuccessful bid to host the 2016 Summer Games, which were granted to Rio de Janeiro, struck deals with some 30 consulting businesses.
　２０年招致ではこの会社を含めて１１の、リオデジャネイロに敗れた１６年招致のときは約３０のコンサルタントと契約を交わした。

There are no market rates for fees to be paid to such companies, and deals are often done at the prices asked by the firms. The Japanese bid committee for the 2020 Games paid more than 1.1 billion yen in consulting fees.
契約料に相場はなく、先方の言い値になることが多いといわれる。２０年招致では計１１億数千万円が支出されている。

Only a small number of senior officials of the committee were aware of what roles the consultancies were playing and the kind of work in which they were engaged.
　契約したコンサルタントがどんな役割を担い、どんな仕事をしているかは、一部の幹部しか把握していなかったという。

The ways bidding cities contact with IOC members are limited, which make it virtually impossible for a city to host Olympics without the help of consultants. Even so, senior officials of the bid committee are at least responsible for making careful and conscientious decisions on whether the service offered by a specific consultancy is worth the cost.
　立候補都市がＩＯＣ委員と接触する方法が限られ、コンサルタントなくしては五輪を呼べないという現実があるとはいえ、出費に見合う契約かどうか、慎重に判断する自覚と責任が招致委幹部にはある。

As a first step in the reform of bids for Olympics, the IOC, starting with the 2024 Games, will require bidding cities to register the consultants they hire and disclose the information about the consultants working for the cities. In addition, the IOC has also decided to require consultants to declare they will abide by the rules concerning Olympic bids.
　ＩＯＣは２４年五輪招致から、契約するコンサルタントの登録を義務づけたうえで公開し、コンサルタントには招致ルールの順守を宣言することを課す。改革の一歩といえる。

Many questions have been raised about the huge costs involved in trying to host the Olympics and actually holding the events.
　五輪は招致や開催費用の高騰が疑問視されている。

Still, there’s high level of social interest in the Olympics, with people around the world eagerly awaiting these events.
それでも社会の関心は高く、大会を心待ちにする人は多い。

Currently, the race to host the Olympics is determined to a large extent by people working behind the scenes.
その行方が、見えないところで見えない人たちによって左右される。

If this situation continues, the Olympics will eventually lose their luster.
こんなことを続けていては、やがて輝きは失われてしまう。

予算概算要求 危機感の乏しさを憂う

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 31
EDITORIAL: Government still ignoring Japan's fiscal woes at budget time
（社説）予算概算要求　危機感の乏しさを憂う

In early August, the government set its basic policy concerning budget requests from government ministries and agencies, based on which the nation's fiscal 2017 budget will be compiled.
"We will thoroughly review policy priorities, do everything to eliminate wasteful spending and boldly focus on the substance of the budget," the government declared.
　「施策の優先順位を洗い直し、無駄を徹底して排除しつつ、予算の中身を大胆に重点化する」
　来年度予算編成の出発点となる各省庁からの概算要求について、政府が今月初めに決めた基本方針の一節である。

But for all these brave words, we are appalled by the government's apparent lack of awareness of the dire, unprecedented fiscal straits confronting the nation.
　言葉は力強い。だが現実はといえば、決意表明はどこへやら、未曽有の財政難への危機感の乏しさに驚くばかりだ。

Aug. 31 is the final day for government ministries and agencies to make their fiscal 2017 budget requests.
For the third consecutive year, their total budget requests topped 100 trillion yen ($970.57 billion).
　きょう締め切られる概算要求の総額は、３年連続で１００兆円を超える。

This can be attributed largely to the government's decision not to set a ceiling on budget requests and allow some budget requests to exceed the initial fiscal 2016 budget figures by nearly 20 percent.
　要求時の基準に天井（シーリング）を設けず、一部の予算については今年度当初予算から２割増し近くまで要求できる仕組みとしたことが大きい。

Obviously, not all requests are going to be met. They will be screened and trimmed by the Finance Ministry.
　もちろん、全額がそのまま認められるわけではなく、財務省の査定などを通じて絞られる。

Still, given the nation's serious fiscal problems, all budget requests should have been made in keeping with the government's basic policy, which went to the effect that every government ministry and agency "must thoroughly review and evaluate the performance results, efficiency and efficacy of its existing projects before submitting its budget request."
　とはいえ、厳しい財政を直視すれば、政府の基本方針がうたう通り、「既存事業の実績や効果を効率性、有効性等の観点から徹底検証して見直した上で要求・要望を行う」のは当然だ。

But how did individual ministries and agencies proceed?
　省庁の姿勢はどうか。

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism requested more than 6 trillion-plus yen for public works projects, up 16 percent from the initial fiscal 2016 budget.
　国土交通省は、公共事業費として今年度当初予算から１６％増の６兆円強を要求した。

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's request topped 1.4 trillion yen, including a special account budget, up 9 percent from fiscal 2016.
経済産業省も、特別会計分を含めて９％増の１兆４千億円余を求めた。

But the Reconstruction Agency, whose reconstruction projects in areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 have already peaked, requested a smaller budget than for fiscal 2016.
Still, most government ministries and agencies seem intent on maximizing their chances of securing as much funding as possible by requesting as much as they could.
被災地での復旧事業が峠を越えた復興庁が要求を減らした例もあるが、「できるだけ多くの予算を獲得するために目いっぱい要求する」と言わんばかりの省庁が多い。

Against this backdrop, what attracted our attention was the budget sought by the Cabinet Office for promoting Okinawa's development. The requested amount of 321 billion yen was 14 billion yen less than in the initial fiscal 2016 budget.
　そうした中で目を引くのが、内閣府が所管する沖縄振興予算だ。要求額は今年度当初より１４０億円少ない３２１０億円。

Some people claim this reduction is meant to "restrain" Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga, with whom the central government has been at odds over the planned relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the Henoko district in Nago.
米軍普天間飛行場の名護市辺野古への移設計画をめぐって対立する翁長雄志知事を牽制（けんせい）したのでは、ともささやかれる。

Dismissing this allegation out of hand, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga stressed, "When compiling a budget, it is only natural to make constant efforts to ensure the implementation of effective policies by reviewing various expenditures as needed. And the budget for Okinawa's development is no exception."
　菅官房長官はそうした見方を否定したうえで「予算については、効果的な政策を実現するために必要に応じて歳出の見直し、不断の努力をするのは当然。沖縄振興予算も例外ではない」と強調した。

If we are to take Suga's words at face value, then we must ask: Have all government ministries and agencies made such "constant efforts" in regard to their budget requests?
　ならば、問いたい。そうした「不断の努力」をすべての省庁がすべての予算について尽くしたのか、と。

Before the government started accepting budget requests for fiscal 2017, the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved the second supplementary budget for the current fiscal year. With the additional issuance of construction bonds worth upwards of 2.7 trillion yen to fund more public works projects, the total came close to 3.3 trillion yen.
　来年度予算の概算要求に先立って、政府は今年度２次補正予算案を閣議決定した。２兆７千億円強の建設国債を追加発行して公共事業を積み増すなど、総額は３兆３千億円に迫る。

This is the same old pattern of using supplementary budgets as a "loophole" for spending more on items similar to those in the initial budget and letting the expenditures bloat.
当初予算と似た項目が並び、補正が抜け道となって歳出が膨らむ構図は相変わらずだ。

One thing is certain. So long as the government continues with this sort of fiscal management, the nation's fiscal health faces a long battle for recovery.
　こんな財政運営をしていては健全化への道は遠い。それだけは確かである。

日中韓会談 協力の重み自覚して

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 25
EDITORIAL: Despite tussles, Japan, S. Korea, China must learn to cooperate
（社説）日中韓会談　協力の重み自覚して

Although the current mood among Japan, China and South Korea is not totally positive, the foreign ministers of the three countries held talks in Tokyo on Aug. 24.
　いまの日中韓の間に漂う雰囲気は、それほど良好とは言えない。それでも、３カ国の外相が集う会談が東京で開かれた。

Such meetings among the top diplomats of the three countries should play a vital role in stability and development in Northeast Asia.
We welcome the fact that this important meeting took place again this year following the one held last year.
　北東アジアの安定と発展に重要な役割を果たすべき会合であり、昨年に続き定期開催できたことを前向きに受け止めたい。

Disputes tend to immediately strain relations between two countries. But the two countries locked in a diplomatic row may feel comfortable attending a meeting involving a third nation.
This smart formula should be used effectively for three-way relationships. A meeting among the leaders of the three countries should also be held by the end of the year.
　２国間に対立問題があれば、外交関係は直ちに滞りがちだ。だが、３カ国の枠組みという名目なら出席しやすい。この知恵を生かしたい。首脳会談も年内に必ず実現させるべきだ。

Unlike last year, when perceptions about history took center stage, tensions this year have grown over national security issues.
　歴史認識の問題が大きく取り上げられた昨年とは様相が変わり、今年は安全保障問題で緊張が高まっている。

One security issue straining relations between Japan and China are the disputes over islands in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.
　その一つは日中間にある東シナ海・南シナ海問題である。

The number of Chinese government vessels entering areas around the Senkaku Islands has increased sharply this month. China has continued sending ships into Japanese waters around the islands despite Tokyo’s repeated protests.
China’s actions run counter to a bilateral agreement struck in 2014 to “prevent the deterioration of the situation through dialogue.”
　今月、尖閣諸島周辺の領海に侵入する中国の公船が一気に増え、日本政府が抗議をしても続いている。「対話を通じて情勢の悪化を防ぐ」とした一昨年の日中合意に反するものだ。

Another security issue creating tensions in the region lies between China and South Korea.
　もう一つは中国と韓国の間にある。

In response to the decision by Seoul and U.S. forces stationed in South Korea to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in the country, China has taken steps that appear to be reprisals, such as canceling some cultural exchange events.
韓国と在韓米軍が新たなミサイル防衛システムの配備を決めたことに対し、中国が文化交流行事の停止など、報復ともみられる動きをみせている。

Behind all these issues are internal political factors that make it hard for the countries to make concessions. The tussles also reflect the intensifying tug of war between the United States and China in the Asia-Pacific region.
　これらの背景には、それぞれの国内で、対外的に譲歩しにくい政治の事情があり、また、アジア太平洋地域での米中間の綱引きの現れという面もある。

The factors creating friction among Japan, China and South Korea will continue rocking their diplomatic relations. That makes it all the more important for the three countries to hold regular meetings of their leaders and ministers.
　日中韓を取り巻く多くの摩擦の要因は今後も外交関係を揺らし続けるだろう。だからこそ、３カ国が首脳や閣僚の会合を定期的に開く意義は大きい。

Despite their disagreements over certain issues, the three countries face a raft of challenges they should tackle in a cooperative manner.
　対立点を残しながらも協調して取り組むべき課題はいくつもある。

The biggest challenge is the security threat posed by North Korea. The country fired a missile from a submarine on Aug. 24 that reached Japan’s air defense identification zone.
　最大のテーマは北朝鮮だ。きのう、再び北朝鮮が潜水艦発射弾道ミサイルを発射し、日本の防空識別圏内に到達した。

In a natural response to the missile firing, the foreign ministers of the three countries agreed to demand that North Korea stop such provocative acts.
　３外相が挑発行動の自制を北朝鮮に求めることで一致したのは当然だ。

In particular, China, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council with close ties to North Korea, should use its influence to put pressure on Pyongyang.
特に国連安保理常任理事国であり、北朝鮮と密接な関係をもつ中国がその影響力を使うよう強く求めたい。

It is also a pity there has been little progress in creating a framework for economic cooperation among the three countries, such as a trilateral free trade agreement.
　日中韓の自由貿易協定といった経済協力の枠組みづくりが滞っていることも残念だ。

Given the combined economic weight of the three countries, which together account for 20 percent of the world economy, they should do more to find a formula to expand their economic cooperation.
３カ国合わせて世界経済の２割という比重を考えれば、もっと歩み寄りの工夫を追求すべきだろう。

Earlier this month, a Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel rescued crew members of a Chinese fishing boat that sank after a collision with a Greek freighter off the Senkaku Islands.
　今月、尖閣沖の海域で中国の漁船が沈没し、日本の巡視船が乗組員を救助した。

The episode drove home the reality that situations requiring cooperation from the two neighboring countries facing the same sea can arise at any time.
同じ海を囲む隣国間では、手を差し伸べ合う事態が日常的に起こりうる現実を思い起こさせた。

The three countries are bound by the undeniable need for cooperation over not only rescue operations at sea but also environmental problems and disaster responses.
They should continue steady efforts to expand and enhance their cooperative relationships.
　海難救援だけでなく、環境問題や災害対策などを含め、３カ国には切っても切れぬ近隣ならではの関係がある。地道に協力を積み上げていきたい。

核先制不使用 首相はオバマ氏に力を

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 19
EDITORIAL: Abe should be backing Obama’s ‘no first use’ nuclear proposal
（社説）核先制不使用　首相はオバマ氏に力を

The nuclear “no first use” principle means a country will not use nuclear weapons unless it is first attacked by an enemy using nuclear arms.
　敵の核攻撃がない限り、核兵器を先に使わない。それが「核の先制不使用」だ。

U.S. President Barack Obama is said to be considering adopting this policy. But Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has conveyed his opposition to such a move to Adm. Harry Harris Jr., head of the U.S. Pacific Command, according to a recent report by The Washington Post.
　オバマ米大統領が検討しているとされるこの政策について、安倍首相がハリス米太平洋軍司令官に反対姿勢を示したと米紙ワシントン・ポストが報じた。

The report said Abe expressed concerns that if Obama declares a “no first use” policy, deterrence against North Korea will suffer and the risks of conflict will rise.
　同紙によると首相は、北朝鮮に対する抑止力が弱まり、紛争の危険が高まるという趣旨の懸念を伝えたという。

The Japanese government has made no official comment on the report, and it is not clear if Abe really made these remarks.
　報道に対し日本政府の公式な説明はなく、首相が本当にこうした発言をしたのかは不明だ。

The Japanese government’s traditional position has been that it cannot support the “no first use” policy because it would undermine deterrence of the nuclear umbrella.
ただ日本政府はこれまで、先制不使用は「核の傘」の抑止力を損なうもので賛同しがたいとの立場をとってきた。

Talking to The Asahi Shimbun about the report, a senior Foreign Ministry official said: “If the U.S. administration declares no first use of nuclear weapons, there can be no extended deterrence provided by the United States to protect Japan. That’s not going to happen.”
　今回も外務省幹部は朝日新聞の取材に、「もし米政権が核の先制不使用を宣言すれば、日本を守る米国の拡大抑止は成立しなくなる。あり得ない話だ」と述べている。

For Japan, which once suffered nuclear devastation, this stance is too backward-looking to take.
　被爆国・日本として、あまりにも後ろ向きな姿勢と言わざるをえない。

There can be no winner or loser in a nuclear war.
　核戦争には、勝者も敗者もない。

And the risk of nuclear warfare cannot be eliminated as long as nations depend on nuclear deterrence for their security.
核抑止論に立つ限り、核戦争の危険はなくせない。

A major nuclear power’s attempt to reduce the role of nuclear arms in national security is a boost to efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.
核の拡散を防ぐためにも、世界有数の核保有国が核の役割を減らす姿勢を示すことは意義がある。

A harsh assessment of the security environment is necessary. But many experts argue that conventional weapons of the U.S. military offer sufficient deterrence against North Korea and other countries.
　安保環境を厳しく見る必要はあるが、米軍の通常戦力だけでも北朝鮮などへの抑止は機能しているという見方も有力だ。

In his speech in Hiroshima three months ago, Obama said, “We must have the courage to escape the logic of fear and pursue a world without them (nuclear weapons).”
　「核兵器のない世界を追求する勇気を」。

Abe, who stood beside Obama in Hiroshima, should cooperate actively with the president in his bid to promote the policy of “no first use.”
３カ月前、広島でそう呼びかけたオバマ氏に同行した安倍首相は、むしろ積極的にオバマ氏に協力し、先制不使用を後押しすべきだ。

In addition to Japan, South Korea, which is also protected by the U.S. nuclear umbrella, and two nuclear powers--Britain and France--have communicated their concerns about the change in the U.S. nuclear-weapons policy, according to The Washington Post.
　ワシントン・ポストによれば日本と同様、米国の「核の傘」に入る韓国のほか、核保有国の英国やフランスも政策転換に反対しているという。

On the other hand, a group of former government officials of Asia-Pacific countries, including former Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi and former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans, recently released a joint statement calling on the Obama administration to pledge never to be the first to use nuclear weapons and urging Japan and other U.S. allies to support the policy.
　一方で、川口順子元外相や豪州のエバンズ元外相らアジア太平洋地域の元閣僚らは最近、オバマ政権に先制不使用を求め、日本を含む米国の同盟国に支持を促す声明を出した。

Japan, which has first-hand experiences of the ravages of nuclear attacks, should never take action that hinders any global trend toward a world without nuclear weapons.
　核の惨禍を身をもって知る日本が、非核への歩を進めようという世界の潮流を阻むことがあってはならない。

Japan’s foreign policy should be focused on efforts to realize a security system not dependent on the nuclear umbrella. Tokyo should declare its will to pursue that goal and hold serious negotiations with Washington to achieve it.
　「核の傘」に頼らぬ安全保障をめざし、その意志と目標を掲げ、米国と協議を進めることこそ日本外交にはふさわしい。

Such efforts would enhance Japan’s moral position and contribute to stability and peace in the region.
　それが結果として日本の道義的な立場を高め、地域の安定と平和にも資するはずだ。

In Hiroshima, Abe pledged to “continue to make efforts” to realize a world without nuclear weapons.
　首相は広島で、核兵器のない世界に向けて「絶え間なく努力を積み重ねていく」と誓った。

Abe needs to offer a clear vision and take concrete actions to deliver on his promise.
　そのために何をするのか、具体的なビジョンと行動が問われている。

北朝鮮の挑発 周辺国は対立に陥るな

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 12
EDITORIAL: Rift among neighboring countries only benefits N. Korea
（社説）北朝鮮の挑発　周辺国は対立に陥るな
 
North Korea has continued firing missiles, including a intermediate-range ballistic missile without warning last week.
The missile, believed to have been a Rodong, landed within Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
　北朝鮮がミサイルの発射を続けている。
　先週に予告なく撃った中距離弾道ミサイル「ノドン」とみられる１発は、日本の排他的経済水域（ＥＥＺ）内に落下した。

Fortunately, the missile caused no damage. But it was an extremely dangerous act that cannot be overlooked.
　幸い被害はなかったが、見過ごすわけにはいかない危険極まりない行為である。

North Korea clearly violates resolutions of the United Nations Security Council whenever it fires a ballistic missile. The Security Council discussed how to respond to the latest in a series of missile launches but failed to issue a statement condemning Pyongyang.
　北朝鮮の弾道ミサイルの発射は明確な国連安保理の決議違反だ。今回の発射の後、対応を協議してきた安保理だが、非難声明を出すことを断念した。

Japan, the United States and South Korea lobbied for a fresh statement that strongly denounces North Korea’s action.
　日米韓は強い非難を求めた。

But China effectively blocked the attempt apparently because of the decision by Washington and Seoul in July to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to U.S. forces in South Korea. Beijing has bitterly criticized the move because it fears the high-performance radars for the anti-missile system could be used to gather sensitive information within China.
これに対し、米韓が７月、高高度迎撃ミサイルシステムの在韓米軍への配備を決めたことに反発する中国が難色を示し、合意にいたらなかった。中国は、高性能レーダーによって自国まで探知できるようになると警戒している。

North Korea has repeatedly ignored warnings from the U.N. Security Council. But it is still important for the international community to clearly show that it will never tolerate Pyongyang’s nuclear or missile programs.
　北朝鮮は安保理の警告を無視しているとはいえ、国際社会は核もミサイルも決して容認しない意思を示す必要がある。

The U.N. Security Council, however, has been unable to issue any statement to condemn North Korea’s missile firings since Washington and Seoul announced the deployment of the THAAD system. This can only be called an abnormal situation.
　にもかかわらず、米韓がシステム配備を発表して以降、ミサイル発射を続ける北朝鮮に、安保理が一度も非難声明を出せない現実は異常というしかない。

The relationship between China, under President Xi Jinping, and South Korea, under President Park Geun-hye, was once described as being at its best state in history. But the bilateral ties have since become seriously strained.
　習近平（シーチンピン）、朴槿恵（パククネ）政権の下で、一時は過去最良と言われた中韓の関係も大きく揺らいでいる。

The souring of relations has already started hurting economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries. China has stopped issuing business visas to South Koreans, for instance.
　韓国人への商用ビザの発給が止まるなど、経済や文化の活動にも支障が出ている。韓国メディアは、中国による意趣返しではないかと報じている。

South Korean media reports have argued that China is making reprisals for Seoul’s decision to allow the U.S. military to deploy the THAAD system in South Korea.
Despite the shaky state of the relationship between China and North Korea, Beijing is still Pyongyang’s biggest ally.
　中朝関係はまだぎくしゃくしているとはいえ、中国は今も北朝鮮の最大の後ろ盾だ。

North Korea is undoubtedly gloating over the end of the China-South Korea honeymoon.
それだけに北朝鮮は中韓関係の停滞を好都合と考えているだろう。

Regarding the responses to North Korea’s reckless actions, a rift is widening not just between China and South Korea but also between two groups of countries: the alliance of Tokyo, Washington and Seoul against China and Russia.
　北朝鮮問題をめぐっては、中韓だけでなく、日米韓と中国・ロシアとの溝も広がっている。

The United States and South Korea think the escalation of North Korea’s actions is forcing them to take necessary countermeasures. But China and Russia believe the two countries are using Pyongyang’s behavior as a pretext to beef up their military capabilities.
　米韓にしてみれば、行動をエスカレートさせる北朝鮮への対抗措置をとらざるをえないが、中ロ側は、北朝鮮の振るまいを口実にした軍事力の強化と受け止めている。

If the two groups become increasingly alienated from each other, North Korea would be even more willing to take provocative actions.
　このまま、日米韓と中ロとの離反が進めば、北朝鮮の挑発行動をますます助長してしまう。

All these nations should be committed to preventing Pyongyang and its dangerous acts from destabilizing the entire East Asia.
北朝鮮の危険な行動が、結果的に東アジア全体を不安定化させる事態を許してはなるまい。

It is vital for the countries involved to act in a cool-headed manner. In particular, China should realize that North Korea is the country it should put pressure on.
　ここは各国が冷静に行動する時だ。とりわけ中国が圧力をかけるべき相手は、北朝鮮であることを忘れてはならない。

The unpredictable behavior of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is forcing the United States and South Korea to ramp up their missile defense.
米韓にミサイル防衛の強化を余儀なくしているのは、金正恩（キムジョンウン）政権の予測困難な振るまいだ。

Washington and Seoul should seek more dialogue with China and Russia to nip seeds of misunderstandings in the bud.
　米韓はこれまで以上に中ロとの対話の機会を求め、誤解の芽を摘みとるよう努めるべきだろう。

Discord among the countries concerned would only be a boon to North Korea.
関係国の足並みの乱れは、北朝鮮の思うつぼである。