中国潜水艦潜航 海自の警戒能力向上が急務だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun May 24, 2013
Reinforcing MSDF's antisub patrol capability urgent task
中国潜水艦潜航　海自の警戒能力向上が急務だ（5月23日付・読売社説）

We would like to ask China to refrain from taking any more actions that would unnecessarily heighten Japan-China military tensions, even if they do not violate international laws.
　国際法違反ではないものの、いたずらに軍事的緊張を高める行動だ。中国に自制を求めたい。

A series of incidents have taken place this month in which submarines believed to belong to the Chinese Navy conducted submerged passages in the contiguous zone near the Nansei Islands. Japan confirmed a passage on May 2 off Amami-Oshima island, Kagoshima Prefecture, and another off Kumejima island, Okinawa Prefecture, on May 12-13. The Defense Ministry has announced the incidents without identifying the country to which the submarines belong.
　中国海軍所属とみられる潜水艦が南西諸島の接続水域内を海中に潜ったまま航行していた事案が今月、相次いで発生した。
　２日に鹿児島県・奄美大島沖で、１２～１３日には沖縄県・久米島沖で潜航が確認され、防衛省は国名を伏せて事案を公表した。

It was an unusual response to such incidents, since revealing the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s submarine detection capability violates common sense from a military viewpoint. We believe the Japanese government was trying to send a warning to China.
　海上自衛隊の潜水艦探知能力という手の内を明かすのは軍事的には「非常識」で、異例の対応だ。中国に対し、警告のメッセージを送ることを重視したのだろう。

However, it was revealed that a third submerged navigation incident took place off Minami-Daitojima island, Okinawa Prefecture, last Sunday. The warning proved to be ineffective.
　しかし、１９日にも沖縄県・南大東島沖で３件目の潜航が発覚し、警告の効果はなかった。

International law requires submarines to remain on the surface when operating in territorial waters of other countries. But they are allowed to submerge when operating in contiguous zones. If a submarine of another nation enters Japan’s territorial waters while submerged, the Japanese government will order the MSDF to conduct maritime policing activity, as such an action constitutes an emergency.
　国際法上、潜水艦は他国領海では海上に浮上して航行する義務がある一方、接続水域では潜航が認められている。とはいえ、日本の領海に入れば、直ちに海上警備行動を発令する非常事態となる。

Since Japan’s nationalization of three of the Senkaku Islands in September last year, official Chinese vessels have repeatedly intruded into Japanese territorial waters. Chinese Navy vessels even locked weapons-guiding radar on an MSDF helicopter and a destroyer.
　中国は昨年９月の日本の尖閣諸島国有化後、中国公船による再三の領海侵入や、海軍艦船のレーダー照射事件を起こしている。

Aiming at maritime power

China’s intermediate- and long-term objectives are to become a “great maritime power” and expand its territories and maritime interests. It intends to do this by expanding the Chinese Navy’s maritime activity area to the western Pacific, which lies outside its “first island chain” perimeter linking Okinawa Prefecture, Taiwan and other major archipelagoes.
　中長期的には、海軍の活動海域を、沖縄、台湾などを結ぶ第１列島線の外側の西太平洋に広げて、領土・海洋権益の拡大を図る「海洋強国」戦略も掲げる。

The submerged passage incidents this month are believed to be part of its “anti-access/area denial (A2/AD)” strategy, under which China aims to prevent U.S. military deployment, including aircraft carriers, inside the first island chain. They are also considered to be related to China’s provocative actions around the Senkaku Islands.
　今回の潜航は、有事の際に第１列島線の内側に米軍空母などを侵入させない「接近阻止・領域拒否」戦略の一環であり、一連の示威活動とも連動しているようだ。

China’s self-righteous expansionism has invited negative reactions from the international community. Consequently, the philosophy has not benefitted the country. China must seriously grasp the reality and coolheadedly review its strategy.
　中国の独善的な膨張主義は、国際社会の反発を招き、結果的に自らの利益になっていない。中国はその現状を直視し、冷静に戦略を見直すべきではないか。

And Japan must urgently beef up further patrol and surveillance activities against Chinese submarines by the MSDF’s P-3C Orion patrol aircraft and submarines.
　日本は、中国軍の潜水艦に対する海自のＰ３Ｃ哨戒機や潜水艦などの警戒監視活動を一段と強化することが急務である。

The MSDF plans to gradually replace the aging P-3Cs to new P-1 anti-sub patrol aircraft and increase its submarine fleet from the current 16 to 22 in the near future.
　海自は、老朽化したＰ３Ｃを新型哨戒機Ｐ１に順次更新するとともに、潜水艦を１６隻から２２隻体制に増やす方針だ。

Beef up quality, quantity

Taking into consideration the Chinese Navy’s rapid equipment buildup and modernization, as well as its excessive provocations against Japan, the priority in the new National Defense Program Guidelines to be compiled at the year’s end must be to reinforce MSDF and Air Self-Defense Force equipment and personnel in both quality and quantity.
　中国海空軍の急速な装備増強や近代化、過度な示威活動を踏まえれば、今年末に策定する新防衛大綱では、海自と航空自衛隊の装備と人員を質・量ともに拡充することが優先課題となる。

Furthermore, the Defense Ministry must advance its schedule for introducing the Global Hawk high-altitude unmanned reconnaissance drone.
　防衛省が検討している高高度無人偵察機グローバルホークの導入も前倒しで実施すべきだ。

Joint Japan-U.S. patrol and surveillance activities using the drone will lessen burdens on the MSDF and ASDF, which are operating at full capacity around the Nansei Islands. Such activities will also improve the SDF capabilities for high-level duties, including the detection of submarines.
　無人機による日米共同の警戒監視活動は、南西諸島周辺でフル稼働中の海空自の負担を軽減し、潜水艦の探索などの高度な任務に取り組む体制を充実させよう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 23, 2013)
（2013年5月23日01時14分 読売新聞）