対「北」船舶検査 決議実施へ法の不備を正せ（6月9日付・読売社説）

The Yomiuri Shimbun(Jun. 9, 2009)
Fix laws to implement U.N. resolution
対「北」船舶検査　決議実施へ法の不備を正せ（6月9日付・読売社説）

While calling on all U.N. member nations to inspect the cargo of vessels plying to and from North Korea, Japan itself faces a legal barrier to doing so. This is not logical.
　北朝鮮に出入りする船舶などの貨物検査を全国連加盟国に求めながら、日本自身は法の不備で対応できない――。これでは筋が通らない。

A revised draft resolution expected to be adopted soon by the U.N. Security Council in response to North Korea's second nuclear test likely will incorporate such cargo inspections.
Under the new resolution, U.N. member nations would stop vessels plying to and from North Korea and conduct inspections to check whether they are carrying arms and other embargoed goods at sea.
　北朝鮮の核実験を受け国連安全保障理事会が近く採択する制裁決議案に、貨物検査の実施が盛り込まれる見通しとなった。海上では、北朝鮮に出入りする船舶が武器など禁輸品を積んでいないか、船舶を止めて検査する。

The United States is calling for such cargo inspections and Japan supports the measure. On the high seas, however, the new resolution likely will require U.N. member nations to obtain approval from the flag state of the vessels being searched out of consideration for China, which is cautious toward compulsory inspections.
　米国が実施を求め、日本も支持している。ただ、中国の慎重姿勢に配慮し、公海では、船舶の所属する「旗国」の同意が実施の条件となりそうだ。

Japan's Ship Inspection Operations Law is related to the law to deal with contingencies in areas surrounding the country and can only be applied in instances that could develop into a situation under which Japan comes under attack.
　日本の船舶検査活動法は、周辺事態法の関連法であり、武力攻撃に発展する恐れがある「周辺事態」の認定時しか適用できない。

A law on restrictions of maritime transportation of foreign military supplies is limited to being applied in situations where Japan is under military attack, while the Japan Coast Guard Law limits areas in which the JCG can operate to Japan's territorial waters only.
外国軍用品等海上輸送規制法は武力攻撃事態に限られ、海上保安庁法は活動範囲が領海に限定される。

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Difficult to meet legal threshold

Among those laws, the Ship Inspection Operations Law is relatively easy to apply for cargo inspections on the high seas, but it is a little far-fetched to conclude that the current situation regarding North Korea is a contingency in areas surrounding Japan. The law needs to be revised to enable Japan to conduct the inspections in situations other than contingencies.
　公海で検査活動するなら船舶検査活動法が適用しやすいが、現在の北朝鮮情勢を周辺事態と言い切るのはやや無理があろう。法改正し、周辺事態以外でも活動できるようにする必要がある。

There are other problems.
　ほかにも問題点がある。

The law to deal with contingencies in areas surrounding Japan is designed to provide logistic support to the U.S. military and therefore Japan is currently unable to conduct inspections in cooperation with countries other than the United States. The use of weapons by Self-Defense Force personnel during such inspections is strictly limited to self-defense and even firing a warning shot is not permitted.
　周辺事態法は米軍の後方支援を目的とした法律であるため、米国以外の国と共同して検査活動を行うことができない。武器の使用も自己防衛目的に限られ、警告射撃さえ認められていない。

These restrictions obviously make it difficult for Japan to act in cooperation with other countries. Establishing a new law is an option that could fix all these problems.
　これでは、各国と協調して行動するのは困難だ。これらの問題点をすべて是正するには、新法制定も一つの方法だ。

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Problem put off

The Japanese government discussed cargo inspections based on the U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution on North Korea after Pyongyang conducted its first nuclear test in 2006.
The Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe looked into a plan to participate in inspection activities by acknowledging the situation at the time as a contingency in areas surrounding Japan. Former Democratic Party of Japan leader Seiji Maehara and other DPJ members insisted that establishment of a new law be discussed.
　北朝鮮制裁決議に基づく船舶検査は、２００６年の核実験の際にも議論された。当時の安倍内閣は、周辺事態と認定して活動に参加することを模索した。民主党でも、前原誠司・元代表らが新法制定を検討すべきだと主張した。

However, those initiatives later faded away after North Korea returned to the six-party talks on its nuclear program.
　だが、その後、北朝鮮が６か国協議に復帰したこともあって、立ち消えになった。

Pointing out that it is still uncertain whether cargo inspections will be conducted under the new resolution, some people say there is no rush for Japan to deal with the matter.
　今回の決議について、実際に公海で船舶検査を実施するかどうかは流動的で、対応を急ぐ必要はない、という声がある。

However, North Korea is once again poised to launch a ballistic missile. There is a possibility that the U.N. Security Council may adopt a resolution that stipulates even stricter enforcement of the embargo against North Korea, depending on Pyongyang's next move. Fixing the legal pitfall should not be delayed.
　しかし、北朝鮮は弾道ミサイルを再発射する構えをみせている。北朝鮮の出方次第で、より厳格な禁輸執行決議が採択される可能性もある。法的不備の手当てを先延ばしすべきではない。

Implementing effective sanctions against North Korea is the objective. In light of this, the ruling parties and the DPJ should cooperate in formulating a new law. Given that the Diet session has been extended by a significant amount, there should be ample time to take on this task.
　北朝鮮に効果的な制裁を実施することが目的だ。この際、与党と民主党は協力して法案づくりに入るべきだ。国会も長期間延長された。法案を成立させるための時間は十分あるだろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 9, 2009)
（2009年6月9日01時37分 読売新聞）