英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun May 17, 2013
Hashimoto's remarks affront to women, reveal ignorance
橋下氏発言　女性の尊厳踏みにじる不見識（5月16日付・読売社説）

It was a statement that made us doubt his common sense and dignity as a public figure.
　公人としての見識と品位が問われる発言だ。

Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party) coleader Toru Hashimoto recently told reporters that so-called comfort women were “necessary to maintain discipline in the military forces at that time” by deterring rapes by soldiers.
　日本維新の会の橋下共同代表が、いわゆる従軍慰安婦について、兵士によるレイプを抑え、「軍の規律を維持するには当時は必要だった」と記者団に語った。

Furthermore, Hashimoto revealed that he advised a senior officer of the U.S. forces in Japan to let soldiers “actively utilize” sex-related services.
　さらに、橋下氏が在日米軍幹部に、風俗業の「活用」を働きかけていたことも明らかになった。

On Wednesday, Hashimoto offered the clarification that he “never said the system is necessary now.” And it may be true, as Hashimoto said, that similar systems to provide sexual services were used during the war by armies other than the defunct Imperial Japanese Army.
　橋下氏は１５日、慰安婦について「いま必要とは一切言っていない」と釈明した。戦時中、旧日本軍以外にも類似した存在があったという指摘は、その通りだろう。

Nevertheless, it is inevitable that loudly arguing that comfort women were necessary for the military would be seen as making light of women’s dignity.
　とは言え、軍に慰安婦が必要だったと声高に主張することが、女性の尊厳を軽んじるものと受け止められても仕方あるまい。

Strong opposition

It is natural that strong opposition was raised against Hashimoto’s remarks, including from Tomomi Inada, state minister in charge of administrative reform. “I believe the comfort women system violated the human rights of women,” Inada said.
　橋下氏の発言に対し、稲田行政改革相が「慰安婦制度は女性の人権に対する侵害だと思っている」と述べたように、強い反発の声が上がったのも当然である。

Hashimoto made the statement to the press in connection with the stance of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet concerning its recognition of history.
　今回の発言は、歴史認識をめぐる安倍内閣の姿勢に関連して、記者団の質問に答えたものだ。

A 1993 statement by then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono concerning the comfort women issue contains expressions indicating that Japanese administrative and military authorities forcibly recruited women as comfort women in an organized manner. His comments were not based on any official or historical materials.
　慰安婦問題に関する１９９３年の河野官房長官談話には、資料的な根拠もないまま、日本の官憲が組織的、強制的に女性を慰安婦にしたかのような記述がある。

Such expressions, which may invite misunderstandings, need a review based on facts.
そうした誤解を招くような記述は、事実を踏まえた見直しが必要だ。

Irresponsible attitude

Hashimoto advocates a review of the Kono statement. However, to accept the existence of comfort women during wartime as “necessary” may conversely spread misunderstanding on the issue internationally.
　橋下氏は河野談話の見直しが持論である。だが、戦時中の慰安婦の存在を「必要だった」と認めることは、逆に国際的にも誤解を広げることになるのではないか。

Hashimoto criticized the Japanese government over its handling of the comfort women issue, as the government maintains the problem was legally settled with the 1965 Treaty of Basic Relations between Japan and South Korea. He also said “due consideration must be given” to former comfort women.
　橋下氏は、日本政府が１９６５年の日韓基本条約で慰安婦問題は法的に解決済みだとしていることを批判し、元慰安婦に「配慮すべきだ」とも語っている。

However, it is irresponsible for Hashimoto to advance such an argument without suggesting concrete measures.
だが、何ら具体策もないのに、こうした主張をするのは無責任である。

Meanwhile, the statement about actively utilizing sex-related businesses was advice given to a senior officer of the U.S. forces stationed in Japan when Hashimoto recently visited Okinawa Prefecture.
　一方、「風俗業活用」発言は橋下氏が最近沖縄を訪問した際、在日米軍幹部に進言したという。

Hashimoto told the senior officer that handling soldiers’ sexual desires is an important subject for the military in any era and suggested actively utilizing legal sex-related services in Japan.
　兵士の性をどう制御するかは、いつの時代も軍の課題だとして、日本で合法的に行われている風俗業を活用してはどうかと語った。

The senior officer replied that such activity was prohibited by U.S. forces and closed the subject, according to Hashimoto.
幹部は、軍では禁じられていると答え、この話を打ち切った。

Hashimoto lacks understanding of the disciplinary rules of the U.S. military. Such a statement was probably taken as an insult to U.S. forces in Japan.
　米軍の規律に対する無理解であり、侮辱とも受け止められたのではないか。

Women’s dignity is strongly respected in U.S. society. Among history-related issues in Japan, the U.S. public has turned an especially stern eye on the comfort women issue.
米国社会では、女性の尊厳が重んじられている。日本の歴史問題の中でも、とりわけ慰安婦問題に対する視線が厳しい。

It is only natural that people in Okinawa Prefecture and elsewhere have criticized his remarks as reckless statements that treat women like implements.
　沖縄などからも、女性を道具として扱う暴言と批判の声が上がったのももっともだ。

We cannot help but question why Hashimoto had to make such a proposal and why he had to publicly announce it.
　なぜ、橋下氏がこうした提案をし、それを表明する必要があったのか。首を傾(かし)げざるを得ない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 16, 2013)
（2013年5月16日01時46分 読売新聞）