英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Apr. 23, 2011)
Japan should fulfill global responsibility
３・１１後の外交　萎縮せず国際的役割を果たせ（4月22日付・読売社説）

What foreign policy should Japan conduct in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake?
　東日本大震災を踏まえて、日本はどんな外交を展開すべきか。

We think the government should engage actively with the international community without becoming inward-looking. This will strengthen the nation's vitality and advance reconstruction.
　内向き姿勢に陥らず、国際社会に積極的に関与することが、国家の活力を高め、復興を進めるうえでも重要となろう。

Prime Minister Naoto Kan held talks with visiting Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Thursday. They agreed to boost bilateral cooperation in areas of energy and disaster relief activities. Japan must use such occasions to clearly express its determination toward reconstruction and revitalization.
　菅首相が２１日、来日したギラード豪首相と会談し、エネルギーや災害救援の分野で日豪協力を強化することで一致した。こうした場で、日本は復興・再生への決意を明確に発信することが肝要だ。

The foreign ministers of Japan and of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met in Indonesia on April 9. Indonesia proposed to fellow ASEAN members the idea of holding the special meeting with Japan, saying it was the ASEAN nations' turn to demonstrate solidarity with Japan because it has supported them for many years.
　今月９日にはインドネシアで、日本と東南アジア諸国連合の特別外相会議が開かれた。インドネシアが「長年支援してくれた日本に我々が連帯を示す番だ」と開催を呼びかけ、実現したものだ。

Since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, more than 170 countries and international organizations have offered to help Japan, and many have already provided assistance. All of this is because Japan has developed cooperative ties with them and supported them in the past.
　震災後、１７０以上の国や国際機関が日本支援を表明・実施しているのは、日本が各国と連携し、援助してきたからこそだ。

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Keep a global perspective

Reconstruction of areas devastated by the earthquake and tsunami will require a huge amount of money and manpower. But Japan must not become so preoccupied with domestic concerns that it ignores its role in the international community and fails to look at things from a global viewpoint.
　被災地の復興には、膨大な資金と人手を要するだろう。だが、国内だけに気をとられ、国際的な視点と役割を忘れてはなるまい。

First, the government should minimize reduction of official development assistance.
　まず、政府開発援助（ＯＤＡ）の削減は極力避けたい。

The government initially considered cutting appropriations for ODA, which were set at 572.7 billion yen in total in the initial budget for fiscal 2011, by 20 percent to free up funds for the first supplementary budget aimed at recovery and reconstruction after the earthquake and tsunami.
　政府は、復旧・復興対策の第１次補正予算の財源として、５７２７億円のＯＤＡの２割減を検討した。

The idea of cutting money in an area of least resistance seemed like a simple idea. But many voices were raised against it, forcing the government to downsize the reduction to 10 percent.
削りやすい分野を削るという安易な発想だったが、異論が噴出し、削減幅を１割減に抑えた。

The nation's ODA budget has been decreasing for 12 straight years and is now at only half of its peak. Japan's world ranking in terms of ODA budget also declined from first place to fifth. During that period, Japan's international influence has declined as emerging economies rise.
　日本のＯＤＡ予算は１２年連続で減少し、今はピーク時の半分だ。かつての世界１位から５位に転落した。この間、新興国の台頭もあり、日本の発言力は低下した。

The nation has to continue international contributions matching its position as the third largest economic power in the world to maintain its international influence.
　国際社会での影響力を維持するには、世界３位の経済大国に見合う貢献を続ける必要がある。

Meanwhile, the government should not postpone a decision on whether to participate in negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade treaty with the other Asian and Pacific countries. Though the Kan administration said it would make a decision on TPP in June, all the negotiating work in Japan and abroad has been suspended in the wake of the disaster.
　環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）への参加問題も、先送りすべきではない。菅政権は６月に結論を出すとしていたが、震災後は国内外の調整作業が止まっている。

Nine countries, including the United States and Australia, are aiming to conclude TPP negotiations in November. We hope Japan will proceed steadily with domestic agricultural reforms and negotiations with concerned countries so that it would not be left behind.
　１１月の妥結を目指す米豪など９か国に日本が取り残されないように、国内農業改革や関係国との交渉を着実に進めたい。

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Let SDF help elsewhere

It is also significant for the nation to maintain engagement with U.N. peacekeeping operations. Self-Defense Forces' performance in dealing with the disaster has been remarkable.
The government should not limit the activities of the SDF to Japan. It should positively consider sending SDF units to Southern Sudan after independence and to other parts of the world to participate in PKOs.
　国連平和維持活動（ＰＫＯ）への関与も大切だ。大震災で自衛隊は大きな実績を上げたが、国内活動だけにとどまらず、南部スーダン独立後のＰＫＯなどへの参加を前向きに検討すべきだ。

Cooperation in disaster preparedness and response as well as measures to secure the safety of nuclear power plants will be important agenda items in diplomacy among major countries this year. Attention will focus particularly on Japan's actions in response to its disasters.
　今年の主要国の外交では、防災協力と原子力発電所の安全確保が重要議題となる。特に、被災国の日本の行動は注目されよう。

Japan should learn various lessons from its own experiences with the earthquake, tsunami and the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Then, it should lead discussions among major nations by making concrete proposals on what form international cooperation should take. That would be one way to return the favor for their assistance to Japan.
　震災や原発事故の体験から様々な教訓をくみ取って、あるべき国際協力について具体的に提言し、議論をリードする。それが、各国の支援への恩返しともなる。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 22, 2011)
（2011年4月22日01時23分 読売新聞）