オバマ来日 政府は日米同盟再構築に動け

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 7, 2009)
Govt must do more for U.S. security alliance
オバマ来日　政府は日米同盟再構築に動け（11月7日付・読売社説）

The government has yet to agree to a plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within Okinawa Prefecture. This plan is backed by the U.S. government and the Okinawa prefectural government. However, the central government is sticking to an alternative idea that is opposed by both. It is hard to understand the government's dithering on this matter.
　米政府と沖縄県がそろって賛成する案に同調せず、両者が反対する案に固執する。日本政府の対応は理解に苦しむ。

It appears almost certain that this issue will not be settled before U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Japan on Thursday. This likely will strain the Japan-U.S. relationship. We think this is deplorable.
　沖縄県の米海兵隊普天間飛行場の移設問題は、１２日のオバマ米大統領の来日前には決着しないことが確定的となった。日米関係への悪影響は避けられない。極めて遺憾な事態だ。

The blame lies basically with the administration of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. The government has been putting off a decision on whether to accept the plan to relocate the air station from the city of Ginowan to the eastern coastal area of the city of Nago, saying it is still examining how the plan was drawn up.
　その責任は、基本的に鳩山政権にある。名護市東海岸に移設する現行計画について、政府は「過去の経緯を検証中」を理由に、受け入れの判断を先送りしている。

Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada is pursuing a plan to integrate Futenma Air Station with the U.S. Air Force's Kadena Air Base, which also is in Okinawa Prefecture. But persuading the United States and local governments to drop their opposition to this proposal will be anything but easy.
　岡田外相は、普天間飛行場を空軍嘉手納基地に統合する案を追求する。だが、米国や地元の反対を翻意させるのは困難だろう。

Most disturbing of all is that the government remains quite unaware of the negative repercussions that could be caused by delaying a resolution of the issue.
　問題は、決着先送りの負の面を政府が認識していないことだ。

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Grumbling growing

Since the government called for relocating the Futenma base outside Okinawa Prefecture or even outside the nation--despite such plans being almost completely unfeasible--calls to support the idea have been growing among people in the prefecture. This has vexed the Okinawa prefectural government and the Nago city government, which threw their support behind the current plan not because it was the best one but because it was better than other options.
　政府が実現の見通しもないまま「県外・国外移設」を掲げたため沖縄県内では、これに同調する声が広がり始めた。「ベストではないが、ベターな案」として現行計画に賛成する沖縄県や名護市の立場を苦しくさせている。

Members of the U.S. Congress have begun to express their reluctance to allocate funds for transferring 8,000 U.S. marines currently stationed in Okinawa Prefecture to Guam.
　米連邦議会でも、海兵隊８０００人のグアム移転の予算計上への慎重論がくすぶり出した。

To reduce the burden on communities that host U.S. bases in Okinawa Prefecture, we think the government should settle the issue by the end of this year at the latest by accepting the current plan.
　地元負担の軽減を実現するため政府は遅くとも年内に、現行計画での決着を目指す必要がある。

The Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean has become another headache for the government. The MSDF's mission is set to be discontinued when a special law authorizing it expires in January, yet the government has not presented any alternative measure.
　インド洋での海上自衛隊の給油活動も、代替策がないまま来年１月の期限で中止される方向だ。

Hatoyama has insisted he will not agree to a simple extension of the mission. But he also seems unwilling to consider a "not simple" extension of the mission through a revision of the law that requires the prior approval of the Diet, for example.
　鳩山首相は「単純な延長はしない」と強調していた。だが、法改正で国会の事前承認を加えて活動を継続するなど、「単純でない延長」もしないつもりのようだ。

The government intends to drastically increase its financial aid for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. But mere financial assistance pales as an alternative to sending personnel and providing actual physical support. Working hard on tough jobs with allies and sharing certain risks are essential for establishing international relationships of trust.
　政府はアフガニスタン復興支援を大幅に増額する方針だが、資金支援だけでは人的支援の代替策とはならない。ともに汗を流し、一定のリスクを共有することで、国際社会との信頼関係が築かれることを軽視してはなるまい。

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Remarks sowing confusion

Hatoyama said he would deepen the multilayered Japan-U.S. alliance as next year marks the 50th anniversary of the revision of the bilateral security treaty.
　鳩山首相は、来年の日米安保条約改定５０周年に向けて「同盟を重層的に深化させる」という。

But his remarks on delaying resolution of the Futenma issue, ending the refueling mission and reducing the so-called sympathy budget allocations for U.S. forces stationed in Japan have all served to erode the alliance.
　だが、普天間問題の先送りや給油の中止、在日米軍の思いやり予算の削減など、首相発言は同盟関係を後退させることばかりだ。

The bilateral alliance cannot be deepened unless Self-Defense Forces personnel are actively engaged in international peace and cooperation activities and Tokyo and Washington strengthen their defense cooperation.
　自衛隊による国際平和協力活動への積極的な参加や、日米防衛協力の強化に取り組まなければ、同盟の深化はあり得ない。

One reason behind this disconcerting disarray is the Social Democratic Party--a coalition partner of the Democratic Party of Japan. The SDP has squawked at attempts by the Hatoyama administration to shift policy course on those issues.
　一連の問題の背景の一つには、鳩山政権の政策転換に反対する連立与党の社民党の存在がある。

Easy compromises are not an option on foreign policy and security issues that affect the very foundation of the nation. Hatoyama must reestablish and strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance relationship--even if he has to twist some arms in the SDP.
　国の基本である外交・安保政策での安易な妥協は禁物だ。鳩山首相は、社民党を説得してでも、同盟関係の再構築に動くべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 7, 2009)
（2009年11月7日01時43分 読売新聞）