英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Deepen Japan-U.S. cooperation to handle China’s maritime advances
日米首脳会談　中国の海洋進出に連携対処を

Japan and the United States must work closely together and play a leading role in both the political and economic fields to maintain order in Asia.
　アジアの秩序を守るため、日米両国が政治、経済両分野で緊密に連携して、主導的な役割を果たすことが肝要だ。

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Barack Obama held talks in Manila and agreed to enhance mutual cooperation in dealing with issues related to artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea.
　安倍首相とオバマ米大統領がマニラで会談し、南シナ海での中国の人工島造成問題で、協力を強化することで一致した。

During the summit talks, Obama expressed his intention to continue the U.S. Navy’s patrol operations within 12 nautical miles of the artificial islands. They will be carried out as routine activities, he said.
　オバマ氏は、米軍艦船が人工島の１２カイリ内を巡視する作戦について「日常の行動として実行したい」と述べ、継続を表明した。

Abe expressed support for the U.S. patrol operations and told Obama he would “consider the possibility of the Self-Defense Forces conducting operations in the area while examining the impact of the situation on Japan’s national security.”
　首相は、作戦を支持し、南シナ海での自衛隊の活動に関して「日本の安全保障に与える影響を注視しつつ検討する」と述べた。

China must be stopped from carrying out large-scale reclamation in the area and turning the artificial islands into military bases based on self-serving logic in violation of international law. Japan and the United States have to cooperate with Southeast Asian nations and patiently call on China to exercise self-restraint and improve the situation.
　中国が国際法に反する独善的な論理を用い、大規模な埋め立てや軍事拠点化を進めることは阻止せねばならない。日米が東南アジア各国とも連携し、中国に粘り強く自制と改善を促す必要がある。

The U.S. Navy’s operations are significant to prevent China’s unilateral attempt to change the status quo from becoming established fact. Even if it is not participating in them, Japan should provide indirect support for the U.S. operations. The Maritime Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Navy have built strong mutual trust through joint exercises, and joint reconnaissance and surveillance operations, over a long period.
　中国の一方的な現状変更を既成事実化させないため、米軍の作戦は重要だ。日本も、作戦に参加しないまでも、側面支援はしたい。海上自衛隊と米海軍は長年、共同訓練や共同の警戒監視活動を通じて、強い信頼を築いてきた。

Japan must also try to help the navies and coast guards of the Philippines and other countries in the area develop their capabilities through official development assistance.
　政府開発援助（ＯＤＡ）も活用し、フィリピンなど周辺国の海軍や海上保安機関の能力構築支援にも力を入れねばなるまい。

Abe pledges Futenma progress

Abe also told Obama that his administration would proceed resolutely with the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture to the Henoko district. Obama thanked Abe and expressed his intention to work with Tokyo in returning U.S. military facilities in the prefecture to Japan, among other issues.
　米軍普天間飛行場の辺野古移設について、首相は「確固たる決意で進める」と表明した。オバマ氏は謝意を表し、米軍施設の返還などに協力する考えを示した。

It is important for Abe to maintain his stance of proceeding steadily with the relocation. Any attempt to seek an entirely new solution will further complicate the issue and only delay the removal of the dangers posed by the Futenma Air Station.
　大切なのは、安倍政権が移設を着実に進める姿勢を堅持することだ。新たな解決策を探ることは、問題を複雑にし、普天間飛行場の危険性除去を遅らせるだけだ。

Obama praised the passage of security-related laws in Japan, saying they are historic achievements. He also said the United States strongly supported the Japan-South Korea bilateral meeting that was achieved recently.
　オバマ氏は、安全保障関連法の成立について「歴史的業績だ」と高く評価した。日韓首脳会談の実現についても「強く支持する」と語った。

In reply, Abe expressed his intention to strengthen cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea to deal with North Korea’s nuclear and missile development.
首相は、北朝鮮の核・ミサイル問題を踏まえ、日米韓の協力を強化する考えを示した。

The cooperation of the three countries is essential for security in the northeast Asian region. Japan and the United States must keep urging South Korea to take positive steps toward that goal.
　北東アジアの安全保障にとって日米韓の連携は不可欠だ。日米が韓国に前向きな対応を継続的に働きかけることが求められる。

Referring to the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact, the prime minister said Japan and the United States’ leadership of the negotiations made it possible for the countries involved to reach a broad agreement. Obama said the TPP pact would drastically change the global environment and the next challenge was how the pact could be brought into effect and implemented.
　環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）について首相は「日米が主導したからこそ、大筋合意ができた」と指摘した。オバマ氏は「ＴＰＰはグローバル環境を一変させる。課題は、協定の発効と実施の段階に持っていくことだ」と語った。

It is significant that Japan and the United States have led the formulation of free, fair and transparent rules on trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. Taking the future expansion of participating countries into consideration, the countries concerned must try to ratify and implement the TPP pact as soon as possible.
　日米が、アジア太平洋地域の自由、公正で透明性のある貿易・投資ルールの確立を牽引けんいんした意義は大きい。参加国の拡大も視野に入れて、できるだけ早期の批准・発効を目指すことが重要だ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 21, 2015)