日米首脳会談 アジア安定へ同盟を強化せよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Feb. 25, 2013)
Strengthen Japan-U.S. alliance to boost Asia stability
日米首脳会談　アジア安定へ同盟を強化せよ（2月24日付・読売社説）

　◆ＴＰＰ参加の国内調整が急務だ◆

The high expectations the U.S. government holds for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe became clear during his visit to Washington. To live up to the U.S. trust placed in him, the prime minister should restore the vitality of Japan's politics and economy.
　安倍首相に対する米政府の期待の大きさが鮮明になった。首相は政治、経済両面で「強い日本」を復活させ、その信頼に応えるべきだ。

Abe and U.S. President Barack Obama held their first talks at the White House and agreed to further strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance.
　安倍首相とオバマ米大統領がホワイトハウスで初会談し、日米同盟を強化することで合意した。

"The U.S.-Japan alliance is the central foundation for our regional security, and so much of what we do in the [Asia-]Pacific region," Obama said.
　大統領は「日米同盟はアジア太平洋地域の安全保障にとって中心的な礎だ」と述べた。

Abe replied that he wants to declare the strong bond of the Japan-U.S. alliance has been restored completely.
首相は「日米同盟の強い絆は完全に復活したと宣言したい」と応じた。

===

Cooperation on energy
　◆エネルギー協力も重要◆

Asia has many destabilizing factors, such as China and North Korea. To maintain peace and prosperity in this part of the world, Japan and the United States must properly play their respective roles based on the robust, stable bilateral alliance that is "public property" of the region.
　アジアは、北朝鮮、中国など多くの不安定要因を抱える。地域の平和と繁栄を維持するには、強固で安定した日米同盟という「公共財」を基盤に、両国がそれぞれの役割を果たすことが肝要だ。

Japan-U.S. ties became disoriented while Democratic Party of Japan-led administrations held power for more than three years. Seemingly going hand-in-hand with this, Japan's relations with China and South Korea also deteriorated.
　日本の民主党政権の３年余、日米関係は迷走し、連動するように日中・日韓関係も悪化した。

The Obama administration apparently believes that restoring U.S. relations with Japan under the Abe administration would bring greater stability to the entire Asian region and benefit its own strategy that gives greater priority to Asia.
　オバマ米政権も、安倍政権との間で日米関係を再構築することがアジア全体の安定につながり、自らのアジア重視戦略にも資する、と判断しているのだろう。

The two leaders issued a joint statement on Japan's possible participation in Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement negotiations. Abe and Obama confirmed "it is not required to make a prior commitment to unilaterally eliminate all tariffs upon joining the TPP negotiations," though they maintained the basic principle that all goods would be subject to the negotiations.
　焦点だった日本の環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）交渉参加について、日米両首脳は共同声明を発表した。全品目を交渉対象にするとの原則を堅持しながら、全ての関税撤廃を事前に約束する必要はないことを確認した。

Before his visit to the United States, Abe reiterated he would uphold his Liberal Democratic Party's election pledge that the party opposes joining the TPP talks as long as it mandates all tariffs must be eliminated without exception.
　首相は訪米前、「聖域なき関税撤廃を前提とする交渉参加には反対する」との自民党政権公約を順守する方針を強調していた。

The latest Japan-U.S. agreement, which allows Abe to maintain his pledge and join the TPP talks, carries great significance.
　公約と交渉参加を両立させる今回の日米合意の意義は大きい。

TPP participation, which will enable Japan to harness the vitality of emerging Asian economies, is expected to become a major pillar for the growth strategy of the Abe administration's "Abenomics" economic policy and help the recovery of the nation's economy.
　成長著しいアジアの活力を取り込むＴＰＰ参加は、安倍政権の経済政策「アベノミクス」の成長戦略の重要な柱となり、経済再生を促進する効果が期待されよう。

However, some LDP members and agricultural organizations remain strongly opposed to the TPP. Abe must exercise leadership and carefully explain the aims of the trade pact to calibrate opinions within the country as soon as possible to make Japan's participation in the agreement a reality.
　自民党内の一部や農業団体には反対論が根強い。だが、首相は、経済連携の狙いを丁寧に説明して指導力を発揮し、ＴＰＰ参加へ国内調整を急がねばならない。

The participation of Japan, the world's third-largest economy, in the TPP will have advantages for the United States, too. Formation of a free trade area featuring the Japan-U.S. partnership will have the effect of putting pressure on emerging China.
　米国にとっても、世界３位の経済大国の日本がＴＰＰに参加するメリットがある。日米が連携した自由貿易圏作りは、台頭する中国への牽制(けんせい)効果を持つからだ。

During their meeting, Abe asked Obama to promptly approve U.S. exports of shale gas to Japan. The president replied that his government always takes the importance of Japan as its ally into consideration.
　安倍首相が米国産シェールガスの対日輸出の早期承認を求めたのに対し、大統領は「同盟国の日本の重要性は常に念頭に置いている」と応じた。

Some observers said restrictions on shale gas exports could be lifted as early as March, opening a way for Japan to procure cheap natural gas.
３月にも輸出が解禁され、割安なガスを調達する道が開けるとの見方がある。

Abe also stressed that he would review the policy set under the DPJ-led government to shut down all of Japan's nuclear reactors by the end of the 2030s.
　首相は、「２０３０年代の原発稼働ゼロ」という民主党政権の方針を見直す考えを強調した。

It is important that Japan and the United States cooperate extensively on economic issues, including energy and nuclear policies.
　エネルギー・原発政策を含め、経済面での日米協力を幅広く進展させることが大切だ。

===

Increase pressure on N. Korea
　◆対「北」圧力を強めよ◆

In the security field, Abe explained that he would proactively tackle such issues as a revision of the National Defense Program Guidelines, clarifying whether the nation can exercise its right to collective self-defense, and reviewing the Guidelines for Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation.
　安全保障分野で安倍首相は、防衛大綱の改定や、集団的自衛権の行使問題、日米防衛協力指針（ガイドライン）見直しなどに積極的に取り組む方針を説明した。

All of these issues are essential for reinforcing the substance of the Japan-U.S. alliance. We hope the government gives priority to these issues and steadily achieves tangible results.
　いずれも日米同盟を実質的に強化する重要課題だ。優先順位をつけて、着実に実績を上げたい。

The two leaders agreed to proceed with a plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station from Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, to the Henoko district in Nago, also in the prefecture, based on an agreement reached by the Japanese and U.S. governments.
　米軍普天間飛行場の移設問題では、日米合意に基づき辺野古移設を進める方針で一致した。

Although the Okinawa prefectural government insists the air station should be relocated outside the prefecture, the Henoko plan is the shortest way to reduce the burdens of communities that currently host the base. The government must steadfastly persuade people involved in this matter to support this option.
　沖縄県は「県外移設」を求める立場を崩していないが、地元の基地負担の軽減には辺野古移設が最も近道だ。粘り強く関係者を説得することが求められる。

As for North Korea's recent nuclear test, Abe and Obama confirmed such provocations cannot be tolerated, and that North Korea should not be rewarded for these actions.
　北朝鮮の核実験について、日米両首脳は「挑発行為を容認すべきではないし、報奨を与えるべきでもない」と確認した。

While both leaders agreed to seek the adoption of a U.N. Security Council resolution imposing additional sanctions on Pyongyang, they also agreed to consider sanctions independently enforced by such parties as Japan and the United States.
　国連安全保障理事会での追加制裁決議の採択を目指すとともに、日米などによる独自の制裁を検討することでも合意した。

After North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006, the administration of then U.S. President George W. Bush cut a deal in which Pyongyang said it would abandon its nuclear facilities and Washington removed North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. North Korea should not receive any such benefit for conducting its third nuclear test this year.
　２００６年の北朝鮮の第１回核実験後、ブッシュ米政権は、核施設廃棄と「テロ支援国家」指定解除との取引に応じた。今年の第３回核実験によって、北朝鮮が利益を得ることは避けるべきだ。

===

Form intl tie-up on Senkakus
　◆尖閣問題で国際連携を◆

Although the Security Council should adopt an effective sanctions resolution, China has shown a cautious stance. It is important that ways to apply "pressure," other than a Security Council resolution, be considered under the initiative of Tokyo, Washington and Seoul.
　本来は、実効性ある安保理の制裁決議を採択することが望ましいが、中国は慎重姿勢を示している。日米韓３か国を中心に、安保理決議以外の「圧力」を具体的に検討することが重要である。

During a bilateral foreign ministerial meeting held after the Abe-Obama meeting, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, in reference to Japan-China relations, expressed a view that the Senkaku Islands are covered by the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and fall under the scope of U.S. defense obligations to Japan.
　首脳会談後に行われた日米外相会談では、ケリー国務長官が日中関係に関連し、尖閣諸島には日米安全保障条約が適用され、米国の対日防衛義務の対象に含まれるとの見解を表明した。

We welcome Kerry's adherence to the stance of his predecessor, Hillary Clinton.
　クリントン前長官の見解を踏襲したことを歓迎したい。

Japan, for its part, should calmly address this issue without being rattled by such provocations as the use of fire-control radar by Chinese forces. At the same time, Japan should strengthen the warning and surveillance operations conducted by the Self-Defense Forces and the Japan Coast Guard. To urge China to exercise self-restraint in its saber-rattling, Japan must deepen cooperation with the United States and other nations concerned.
　日本は、中国軍の火器管制レーダー照射などの挑発に動じず、冷静な対応を続ける一方、自衛隊と海上保安庁による警戒監視活動を強化すべきだ。中国に示威活動の自制を促すため、米国など関係国との連携も深めねばならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 24, 2013)
（2013年2月24日01時42分 読売新聞）