日韓外相会談 対話継続で未来志向の関係を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Sep. 30, 2012)
Govt must continue dialogue with South Korea
日韓外相会談　対話継続で未来志向の関係を（9月29日付・読売社説）

Although discussions on territorial issues have ended without progress, it is significant that both sides reconfirmed the need to improve bilateral relations.
　領土問題は平行線だったが、２国間関係を改善する方針を確認した意義は小さくない。

Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba and South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Kim Sung Hwan, meeting Thursday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly session in New York, agreed on the importance of trying to build "stable, future-oriented" relations between Japan and South Korea. The two sides also agreed to boost bilateral cooperation in such fields as the economy, human and cultural exchanges and security.
　玄葉外相と韓国の金星煥外交通商相が国連本部で会談し、「安定的で未来志向」の日韓関係の構築に向けて努力することで一致した。経済、人的・文化交流、安全保障などの分野で協力することでも合意した。

After South Korean President Lee Myung Bak made an unprecedented visit on Aug. 10 to Takeshima, the disputed islets in the Sea of Japan, a sequence of overly emotional actions taken by South Korea led to an angry round of finger-pointing between Tokyo and Seoul.
　８月１０日の李明博大統領の竹島訪問後、韓国側の一連の対応はあまりに感情的で、日韓両国は一時、非難合戦に陥った。

We are pleased to see the two countries at last beginning to move toward repairing bilateral ties from a broader point of view.
ようやく大局的な観点から、関係の立て直しに動き始めたことを歓迎したい。

Bilateral discord is certain to benefit North Korea in connection with such problems as its nuclear weapons development programs and abductions of Japanese and South Korean nationals.
　日韓の足並みが乱れては、核や拉致の問題で北朝鮮を利するだけだ。

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No progress on Takeshima

As the main ally of both Tokyo and Seoul, the United States has expressed concern over the Japan-South Korea discord and encouraged Tokyo and Seoul to improve their relations.
日韓の対立については、同盟国の米国も懸念を隠さず、関係改善を働きかけていた。

Stabilization of relations with South Korea is very important for Japan, which has become embroiled in a major row with China over the government purchase of three of the Senkaku Islands from a private Japanese citizen.
　日本にとっては、尖閣諸島の国有化をめぐり対中関係が悪化している時だけに、対韓関係を安定化させる意味は大きい。

However, rapprochement between Japan and South Korea may be limited while South Korean President Lee is in office. For the moment, the Japanese government, by taking into account the inauguration of a new government in South Korea scheduled for February next year, must continue dialogue with Seoul at the foreign ministerial and other levels.
　李大統領の在任中の関係改善は限定的なものとなろうが、来年２月の韓国新政権発足後も視野に入れ、当面は、外相級などで対話を重ねることが重要である。

Concerning the islets of Takeshima, Gemba and Kim could do nothing in their talks but reiterate their countries' territorial arguments.
　竹島問題では、双方が従来の主張を繰り返すにとどまった。

In his speech in the United Nations, Kim stated, "No country should take advantage of international legal procedures for political purposes."
　金外相は国連演説で、「どの国も政治的目的のために国際法の手続きを利用すべきでない」などと語ったが、

There should be no problem at all, however, for any country to argue its case based on internationally accepted rules.
国際ルールに基づいて自国の主張を展開・実現することに何も問題はあるまい。

Because South Korea has rejected Japan's idea of jointly taking the dispute over the islets to the International Court of Justice, Japan must calmly prepare to unilaterally take the case to the U.N. court.
　韓国が国際司法裁判所（ＩＣＪ）への共同提訴を拒否した以上、日本は、単独提訴に向けて、準備を粛々と進める必要がある。

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in his U.N. speech emphasized the importance of "the rule of law," declaring Japan's position of "upholding the principle of solving territorial disputes peacefully by complying with international law."
　野田首相は国連演説で、「法の支配」を重視し、領土紛争を「国際法に従い、平和的に解決する原則を堅持する」と宣言した。

Noda also prodded all member nations of the world body to accept compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ.
ＩＣＪに訴えられた際の応訴を義務づける「義務的管轄権」を各国が受諾することも呼びかけた。

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China's high-handed diplomacy

Since 1958, Japan has recognized the authority of the ICJ, but a number of countries--including China and South Korea--do not accept the court's jurisdiction.
　日本は１９５８年から義務的管轄権を受諾しているが、中韓両国などは受諾していない。

As long as South Korea argues its claim to Takeshima, known as Dokdo in South Korea, is legitimate, it should hold its head high and fight out the issue at the ICJ.
　韓国も、竹島の領有権の正当性を主張するなら、本来、ＩＣＪで堂々と争えば良いはずだ。

Japan's appeal to the international community about its position of resolving territorial conflicts based on international law will distinguish it from China, which has been staging one-sided, high-handed diplomacy on the issue of sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands.
　日本が国際法に基づき領土紛争を解決する姿勢をアピールすることは、尖閣問題で一方的で高圧的な外交を展開する中国との違いを鮮明にする効果もあろう。

In the meeting with Gemba, the South Korean foreign minister raised the issue of so-called comfort women, reportedly calling on Japan to take "measures at state level."
　いわゆる従軍慰安婦問題については、金外相が提起し、「国家的次元の措置」を求めたという。

However, the issue between Japan and South Korea of wartime claims for compensation has been "fully and finally resolved" under the 1965 treaty for normalization of bilateral relations.
　日韓間の請求権問題は、６５年の国交正常化時に「完全かつ最終的に解決」している。

The government must steadfastly refrain from an easy compromise over this matter.
日本は、安易な妥協は厳に慎むべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 29, 2012)
（2012年9月29日01時32分 読売新聞）