英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun June 9, 2013
LDP, Okinawa chapter out of sync on Futenma air base relocation plan
自民地域版公約　普天間「県外移設」は二枚舌か（6月8日付・読売社説）

It is irresponsible for the Liberal Democratic Party’s Okinawa prefectural chapter to include policies in its campaign pledge that go against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s weighty political decision and the policies of the party’s headquarters.
安倍首相の重い政治決断や党本部の方針と相いれない県連の政策を公約に掲げることは、政権党として無責任である。

The chapter has decided to mention its demand for relocating the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma Air Station to a site outside the prefecture in the prefectural version of the party’s manifesto for the House of Councillors election scheduled for July.
　自民党沖縄県連が、７月の参院選の地域版公約（ローカルマニフェスト）に米軍普天間飛行場の「県外移設を求める」と明記することを決めた。

LDP Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba and Policy Research Council Chairwoman Sanae Takaichi repeatedly tried in vain to persuade the chapter not to include the “outside-the-prefecture relocation” pledge in the local manifesto.
　自民党の石破幹事長や高市政調会長が再三、「県外移設」を盛り込まないよう県連幹部に説得を試みたが、不調に終わった。

Originally, the prefectural chapter supported a plan to relocate the Futenma Air Station in Ginowan to the Henoko district in Nago. But as calls grew louder among prefectural residents to relocate the base outside the prefecture, in a backlash against the Democratic Party of Japan-led government’s bungled handling of the relocation issue, the chapter changed tack to call for an outside-the-prefecture relocation plan, as Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima did.
　県連は元々、普天間飛行場の名護市辺野古への移設を支持していた。だが、民主党政権の失政への反発から県外移設を求める県内世論が高まってしまったため、仲井真弘多県知事と同様、「県外移設」に方針転換した経緯がある。

The LDP plans to field a rookie candidate in the Okinawa prefectural constituency of the upper house election against an opposition-affiliated incumbent. Some in the chapter contend it will be impossible to win the election if its candidate insists on relocating the base to Henoko.
　参院選沖縄選挙区では、自民党公認の新人が野党系の現職に挑戦する予定だ。県連には「辺野古移設を主張しては選挙に勝てない」との声が出ている。

However, it must be noted that the Futenma relocation is a crucial issue deeply tied to Japan’s diplomatic and security policies. The upcoming poll is a national election, so the chapter should not decide on a campaign pledge based only on regional factors, even if it is intended for the local version of the manifesto.
　しかし、普天間移設は日本の外交・安全保障政策に深く関わる重要問題だ。国政選である以上、地域版公約とはいえ、地域事情だけで判断すべきではあるまい。

2-tongued approach baffling

The party headquarters plans to promote the relocation of Futenma to Henoko in its campaign pledge. If the chapter puts forward a policy that is inconsistent with this party line, it will only lead to confusion among voters.
　党本部が「辺野古移設」を公約に明記する方針なのに、県連が矛盾する政策を掲げ、使い分けるのは、有権者を惑わすだけだ。

The Futenma issue is in an extremely critical phase of determining whether the longstanding issue can be resolved.
　普天間問題は今、長年の懸案が解決するかどうかの極めて重大な局面を迎えている。

In a summit meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in February, Abe confirmed a policy to push forward the Futenma relocation. In March, the government filed an application with the Okinawa prefectural government for approval of reclamation of the Henoko coastal area for this purpose.
　安倍首相は２月の日米首脳会談で辺野古移設を推進する方針を確認し、３月に辺野古沿岸部の埋め立てを沖縄県に申請した。

The Abe administration must stand fast on its plan to accelerate the relocation to Henoko. The Nago Fisheries Cooperative, which agreed with the reclamation plan, has said it “will withdraw the approval if the relocation to Henoko is not mentioned in the LDP’s campaign pledge.”
　重要なのは、安倍政権が、辺野古移設を推進する今の立場から決してぶれないことだ。埋め立てに同意した名護漁協は「自民党公約に辺野古移設が明記されなければ同意を撤回する」としている。

If the reclamation is not permitted, this would be a serious blow to the Abe administration.
　仮に埋め立てが不許可となれば政権への打撃は避けられない。

Not a smart choice

The LDP must take seriously that the prime minister made a political decision with high stakes. It is only natural that the party as a whole cooperate in his bid to promote the relocation to Henoko.
　自民党は、首相がそのリスクを取る政治判断をしたことを重く受け止め、一丸となって辺野古移設に協力するのが筋である。

First of all, the plan to relocate the base outside the prefecture is unlikely to be realized because it contains no concrete measures. The plan will most certainly lead to extending the status quo for a long time, during which the Futenma base will continue to pose a risk to the surrounding areas. This cannot be a smart choice for the prefecture.
　そもそも県外移設は何の具体案もなく、実現性が乏しい。普天間飛行場の危険な現状を長期間、固定化させるのは確実だ。沖縄にとって賢明な選択ではない。

Some members of the LDP Okinawa prefectural chapter--including Kosaburo Nishime, a House of Representatives member, and upper house member Aiko Shimajiri, a parliamentary secretary of the Cabinet Office--have been indicating they will approve relocation to Henoko. The government and party headquarters must join hands with local entities who have yet to voice their approval of the relocation plan.
　県連内には、西銘恒三郎衆院議員や島尻安伊子内閣府政務官など辺野古移設を容認する動きが出ている。政府・自民党は、まだ声を上げていない地元の容認派などと積極的に連携すべきだ。

The first thing to do is to reverse the chapter’s decision in favor of relocation outside the prefecture. This could be the first step to laying the foundation for Gov. Nakaima to approve reclamation of the Henoko coastal area.
　まず県連を翻意させることが、仲井真知事が埋め立て許可を決断する環境整備の一歩となろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun June 8, 2013)
（2013年6月8日01時49分 読売新聞）