英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 24, 2012)
Revise law to improve Japan peacekeeping operations
駆けつけ警護　ＰＫＯの実効高める法改正を（7月23日付・読売社説）

The government should step up efforts to deal with issues left unresolved since the enactment of the nation's U.N. Peacekeeping Activities Cooperation Law 20 years ago.
　国連平和維持活動（ＰＫＯ）協力法の制定以来、２０年持ち越された重要課題の解決に向けて努力を重ねることが大切だ。

The Foreign and Defense ministries and the Cabinet Office have jointly compiled a bill to revise the PKO law. A major feature of the bill is a provision to allow the Self-Defense Forces to dispatch its members to rescue civilians in remote locations.
　内閣、外務、防衛の３府省がＰＫＯ協力法改正案をまとめた。自衛隊が、離れた場所にいる民間人らを助ける「駆けつけ警護」を可能にすることが柱だ。

Since several members of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan are cautious about the revision, submission of the bill to the current Diet session may be difficult. However, we expect the Cabinet to approve it as soon as possible.
　民主党内には慎重論があり、今国会への改正案提出は困難視されているが、できるだけ早期に閣議決定してもらいたい。

Under the current PKO law, SDF members engaged in a U.N. peacekeeping operation are not allowed to use weapons except in self-defense and to avert imminent danger. Therefore, even if civilians caught in the middle of a riot, for instance, ask the SDF to rescue them, SDF members may not be able to do so.
　現行法では、ＰＫＯに従事中の自衛官は、正当防衛などの目的でしか武器を使えない。このため、暴動などに巻き込まれた民間人から救援要請を受けても、現場に駆けて救出することができない。

If SDF members use weapons against "an actor equivalent to a state," such as an armed insurgent, it may constitute "an exercise of force against other nations," which is prohibited by the Constitution, the Cabinet Legislation Bureau says.
　武装勢力など「国に準じる組織」に対して武器を使った場合、憲法の禁じる「他国への武力行使」に当たる恐れがある、との見解を内閣法制局が示しているからだ。

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Legalize rescue dispatch

However, is it feasible for the SDF to turn down a rescue request made by civilians--Japanese nationals in particular--because it might violate the Constitution? Such a situation could occur at any time.
　だが、自衛隊が民間人、特に日本人からの救援要請を受けた際、「憲法に抵触する恐れがある」として断ることが、実際にできるだろうか。そうした事態は、いつ発生してもおかしくない。

In such a case, SDF members may rush to a scene to rescue civilians but will not use weapons unless their own lives are threatened. The law, which forces SDF commanders to make a difficult decision, must be revised.
　結局、とりあえず救援要請のあった場所に向かい、自分の身が危うくなったら、武器を使う――。そんな厳しい、ぎりぎりの決断を部隊指揮官に迫るような法律は、やはり改正する必要がある。

When the SDF began participating in U.N. peacekeeping operations, public opinion was divided. In the beginning, it might have made sense to place tight restrictions on the SDF's use of weapons.
　自衛隊がＰＫＯに参加し始めた初期の段階では、国内世論の賛否が分かれていた。自衛官の武器使用を抑制的にすることにも一定の意味があったかもしれない。

Today, however, an overwhelming majority of Japanese support SDF participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations. Not only has this become a normal role for the SDF, but it has been upgraded to one of its primary missions.
　だが、今や、自衛隊のＰＫＯ参加は圧倒的多数の国民に支持されて定着し、自衛隊の本来任務に格上げされている。

We think it is reasonable to review restrictions on the use of weapons to improve the effectiveness of SDF activities, while taking the experience and needs of members actually involved in the activities into consideration.
様々な経験や現場のニーズを踏まえ、活動の実効性を高めるよう、武器使用のあり方を見直すのは当然だ。

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New condition nonsensical

The bill stipulates that SDF members would be allowed to use weapons only to support and supplement security efforts by a host state.
　３府省の案は、「受け入れ国の治安維持を支援・補完する」ための武器使用は容認するという。

However, the Cabinet Legislation Bureau has urged that a condition be added so an SDF rescue mission would be limited to a situation where an attack by a state or an actor equivalent to a state is not expected.
　しかし、内閣法制局は、駆けつけ警護を「国や国に準じる組織の攻撃が想定されない」場合に限定する条件を追加するよう求めており、調整が難航している。

This condition makes coordination of views more difficult. We have doubts about the opinions of the bureau.
　内閣法制局の主張は疑問だ。

Japan is the only country that interprets the use of weapons during peacekeeping operations based on a U.N. resolution as an exercise of military force. This contradicts conventional wisdom of the international community. If the Cabinet Legislation Bureau's condition is added to the envisaged revision, it could restrict SDF activities even more.
　国連決議に基づくＰＫＯでの武器使用が「武力行使」に当たる恐れがあるとの解釈は、日本だけで、世界の常識から外れている。この条件を追加すれば、自衛隊の活動が今よりも制約されかねない。

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is positive about making SDF rescue missions legally possible. We hope the prime minister will tackle this issue based on the realities of places where peacekeeping operations are needed.
　野田首相は、駆けつけ警護を可能にすることに前向きだ。ＰＫＯの現場の実情を踏まえ、この問題に取り組んでほしい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 23, 2012)
（2012年7月23日01時45分 読売新聞）