英字新聞

(Mainichi Japan) April 7, 2011
Gov't, TEPCO should release more information on radiation contamination
社説：震災と国際社会　世界への発信足りない

The government and Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) appear to be too insensitive to global criticism over their response to the crisis at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant that the power supplier operates.
　政府も東京電力も、原発事故に向けられる世界からの視線に鈍感すぎはしないか。

It should be regarded as a diplomatic blunder that the government has come under fire for failing to provide a detailed explanation to not only local governments concerned and fishermen's cooperatives but also neighboring countries before discharging water contaminated with low levels of radiation from the plant into the sea.
福島第１原発から低濃度放射性物質を含む汚染水を海に放出する際、自治体や漁業関係者だけでなく、近隣諸国にていねいな事前説明をせず反発を招いたことは、外交上の失態である。

The administration of Prime Minister Naoto Kan should keep in mind that the crisis at the tsunami-hit nuclear power plant could have a huge impact on a global scale and that many countries share the same concerns and interests with Japan regarding nuclear power generation.
今回の原発事故が、日本一国を超えて地球規模で影響を与えかねないこと、そして世界の多くの国が日本と同じ懸念と利害を共有していることを、菅直人政権は改めて認識すべきだ。

The South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry expressed deep displeasure at Japan's failure to notify Seoul before discharging radioactive water into the sea, while the Russian government has voiced concern that radiation could adversely affect fishing resources.
　汚染水の放出に、韓国外交通商省は「事前通報」がなかったと強い不満を表明した。ロシア政府からも魚類に危険が及ぶことを心配する声が出ている。

It is a matter of course that Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano expressed regret over Tokyo's failure to provide an explanation before releasing contaminated water into the ocean, saying, "We must take seriously the opinions that we should've provided a detailed explanation in advance."
枝野幸男官房長官が６日の記者会見で「あらかじめ詳細な説明が必要だったとの指摘は、真摯（しんし）に受け止めていかなければならない」と語ったのは当然である。

The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which Japan is a signatory, obligates parties to prevent the contamination of sea water and minimize the release of toxic or harmful substances into the sea from ground-based sources.
　日本も署名している国連海洋法条約は、海洋汚染を防止する一般的義務を締約国に負わせるとともに、毒性または有害な物質の陸にある発生源からの放出を最小にするよう求めている。

Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto denied that TEPCO's discharge of radioactive water into the sea from the Fukushima nuclear plant constitutes a breach of duties specified by the convention, suggesting that whether to release information on the discharge of radioactive water is left to the discretion of the government.
松本剛明外相は「国際法上の義務との関係でただちに問題になるものではない」と語り、情報提供はあくまで自発的な判断によるものとの見解を示した。

His judgment may be in line with the widely accepted interpretation of the treaty. However, this is more than a matter of obligations written on paper. It is rather a matter of responsibility and common sense that Japan should have shown to the world as a country that has caused grave anxiety to the international community as a result of the nuclear power plant accident.
国際法の解釈はそうかもしれない。だがこれは、紙に書かれた義務うんぬんではなく、原発事故で世界に大きな不安を与えてしまった国の最低限の責務、良識の問題ではなかろうか。

Once released into the sea or atmosphere, radioactive substances spread regardless of territorial water and airspace.
　いったん海洋や大気中に出た放射性物質は、領海や領空とはかかわりなく拡散していく。

Even though the amount of radiation is said to be minimal and will have no impact on people's health, continuing to release radioactive materials means continuing to pollute the planet.
薄められて健康に害はないとされてはいるものの、それを放出し続けることは、この地球を日々汚染しているということである。

If the government and TEPCO are aware of that, they should consider the weight of their accountability to the world.
その自覚があるのなら、国際社会に対する説明責任の重みをもう一度かみしめてほしい。

Since the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake struck, 134 countries and territories have offered to extend relief to Japan, and 32 countries, territories and international organizations have provided relief supplies to disaster-hit areas.
　東日本大震災発生以来、１３４の国・地域から支援の申し出があり、３２カ国・地域・国際機関から物資の提供を受けている。

The U.S. and other rescue teams played an important role in searching for missing people and recovering the bodies of victims.
行方不明者や遺体の捜索には米軍や各国救助チームの協力が大きな助けになった。

The calm behavior of survivors and the maintenance of law and order in society have greatly impressed the world. 被災者たちの落ち着いた言動や秩序立った社会の様子は、世界に強い感銘をもたらした。

These incidents have reminded us that Japan is closely linked to the rest of the world.
震災後、日本と世界は一つとの思いを深くする。

At the same time, however, the governments of many other countries as well as overseas media outlets have become increasingly critical of the Japanese government and TEPCO for releasing too little information on the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant and in a late manner.
　その一方、各国政府やメディアは原発事故をめぐる日本政府や東電の情報公開に「遅い」「少ない」との不信を強めている。

Japan should cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency and other international bodies in creating a system to promptly dispatch detailed information to the world on radiation contamination and how to respond to the crisis.
放射能汚染の情報や対処方針を早く、詳細に世界に向け発信する態勢を、国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）などとも連携して作り直すべきだ。

The government and TEPCO's inward-looking responses to the crisis could cause friction with other countries and damage cooperative relations Japan has nurtured with the international community.
内向きな対応は海外諸国との無用なあつれきを生み、せっかく築かれた国際社会との連帯にもヒビを生じさせかねない。

毎日新聞　2011年4月7日　東京朝刊