人気ブログランキング | 話題のタグを見る

日米密約調査 核抑止力の低下は避けよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 26, 2009)
(11月26日付・読売社説)
Pact probe must not dilute U.S. N-deterrence

A full investigation into alleged secret pacts involving the entry into Japan of U.S. nuclear weapons--among other issues said to have been agreed between Tokyo and Washington--is essential to recover public trust in this nation's diplomacy.
 核持ち込みなどに関する「日米密約」の真相究明は、日本外交への国民の信頼を回復するために重要だ。

However, the probe must not be allowed to weaken the effect of the U.S. forces' nuclear deterrence.
だが、その結果、米軍の核抑止力を低下させる事態は避けねばなるまい。

A panel of experts set up by the Foreign Ministry to investigate the alleged pacts will hold its first meeting Friday.
 密約問題を検証する外務省の有識者委員会の初会合が27日に開かれる。

Based on the results of an in-house Foreign Ministry investigation, the panel members will interview retired ministry officials before submitting a report to Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada in January.
外交文書に関する内部調査結果を基に、外務省OBらの聞き取り調査も実施し、来年1月に報告書を岡田外相に提出する。

The panel will examine four alleged secret pacts, including one said to have been inked in 1960 when the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty was revised. This agreement reportedly effectively allowed U.S. military ships and airplanes carrying nuclear arms to visit or pass through Japan without prior consultation between the two governments.
 検証対象は、1960年の日米安保条約改定時に、核搭載の米軍艦船や航空機の日本寄港・通過を事前協議の対象外としたとされる件など四つの密約問題だ。

Disclosed U.S. diplomatic documents and the testimony of a former administrative vice-minister for foreign affairs have already undermined the credibility of the former government's official denial of the existence of the pacts. Furthermore, the ministry's latest probe unearthed a document supporting the pacts' existence.
 核持ち込みについては既に、公開された米外交文書や元外務次官らの最近の証言により、「密約はない」とする政府見解の維持が困難となっていた。さらに、今回の外務省調査で、密約の存在を裏付ける文書が見つかったという。

===

Extenuating circumstances?

It is highly significant that Okada is launching his own inquiry after the Democratic Party of Japan wrested power from the Liberal Democratic Party and he was made foreign minister.
 政権交代を機に、岡田外相が密約の調査・検証を始めた意義は小さくない。

If the DPJ-led government was to officially admit the existence of the secret pacts based on the results of the inquiry, it would be the first step to dispelling the sense of mistrust felt by the public.
政府が、その結果を踏まえて、密約の存在を正式に認めることが、国民の不信感を解消する一歩となろう。

However, we can understand the circumstances under which the government at that time deemed it necessary to draw up a secret deal with the United States to secure the effectiveness of the U.S. "nuclear umbrella," while consideration likely was paid to the antipathy of Japanese people toward nuclear arms during the Cold War period.
 ただ、政府が東西冷戦期に、国民の核アレルギーに配慮しつつ、米国の「核の傘」の実効性を確保するため、密約を結ばざるを得なかった事情は理解できる。

We expect the panel members to take into account the historical background of the period and try to discern how such pacts might have been thrashed out.
 有識者委員会は、当時の時代背景も踏まえて、密約締結の経緯をきちんと検証してほしい。

Secrets are an inherent part of diplomatic negotiations. During such bargaining, there is much information that cannot immediately be disclosed in terms of maintaining relations of trust with a partner country and preventing harm to the people concerned. However, it is important to deepen discussions on the kind of circumstances in which it is appropriate to disclose such information after a certain period of time.
 外交交渉には秘密が付き物だ。相手国との信頼関係を維持し、関係者への悪影響を避けるため、すぐには公開できない情報は多い。一定期間の後、どんな条件の下で公開するのが適当なのか、議論を深めることが大切だろう。

Hereafter, discussions must be held to review the three nonnuclear principles of not producing, not possessing and not allowing the entry of nuclear arms into this country.
 今後、重要なのは、核を「持たず、作らず、持ち込ませず」とする非核三原則のあり方の議論だ。

===

Looking ahead

Japan's present security situation is becoming increasingly unstable in light of North Korea's declared possession of nuclear weapons, for example. This makes it necessary to maintain and even improve the U.S. forces' nuclear deterrence.
 北朝鮮が核保有を公言するなど現在の日本の安全保障環境は厳しい。米軍の核抑止力を維持、向上させることが求められる。

In 1991, the United States removed tactical nuclear weapons from its military ships and nuclear submarines. This made the entry of nuclear weapons into Japan unlikely, at least for a while. But in the medium-to-long term, there is no guarantee that a neighboring country will not threaten the security of this nation with nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.
 米国は91年に米軍艦船・原潜から戦術核を撤去した。当面は、核持ち込みの事態は想定されにくくても、中長期的に、近隣国が核や生物化学兵器で日本の安全を脅かす事態がないとは限らない。

A founding principle of national security is that a country must remain militarily flexible to deal with changing situations.
 様々な事態の変化に対応できるよう、軍事面の柔軟性を確保することが、安全保障の要諦(ようてい)だ。

We believe it may be time for the government to seriously consider introducing "2-1/2 nonnuclear principles," which would still prohibit the deployment of nuclear arms on the ground but would allow ships and airplanes carrying nuclear weapons to visit Japan.
 核を「持ち込ませず」のうち、陸上への核配備の禁止は継続しても、核搭載艦船や航空機の寄港・立ち寄りは可能とする「非核2・5原則」の採用を、前向きに検討していいのではないか。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 26, 2009)
(2009年11月26日01時06分 読売新聞)
by kiyoshimat | 2009-11-26 09:54 | 英字新聞

英字新聞の学習サイト


by kiyoshimat